bat for lashes

Oh. This post is about music. And some eclectic music (so be forewarned).

Bat for Lashes is a band (just in case you were wondering). This band has hovered around in the back of my general awareness for awhile. Their name would pop up on occasion but I never really took the time to figure out who they were or what they played. Then. The other day I saw them perform live on some random TV channel I had on in the background. Ok. Time to get to know them (I said to myself).

The song was Sleep Alone and it had this addictive Sting-like beat and a haunting Kate Bush like voice.

(most of the stuff I found was similar in style … good stuff)

Sleep Alone: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1vtr9fXdg8&feature=avmsc2

And then I checked them out only to find out they weren’t a they but a she.

Natasha Khan is a British musician singer/songwriter also known by her stage name “Bat for Lashes.” She is a talented musician who sings and plays the piano, guitar, harpsichord and the autoharp. “They” (the band behind her) contains an ever-revolving cast of musicians often changing on a per-tour basis. So. That’s Bat for Lashes.

As seems the norm these days she is a slightly kooky character. Her most recent cd is a concept album which focuses on Khan’s desert born alter ego ‘Pearl’, whose personality she adopted while staying in New York in order to gain a better understanding of the character.

(yikes.)

She revealed to the media she developed this alter ego because “I really just did it as an experiment of dressing up myself with quite garish extreme feminine make-up. I wanted to photograph myself in that situation and just see what it made me feel.” (I guess if it works for her … cool.)

Her style of music most like a driving beat Kate Bush ethereal feeling (but more dance groove) type songstyle. Her latest music is driven by her belief that living in Brooklyn while bands like TV on the Radio, MGMT and Gang Gang Dance were emerging on the music scene had an influence on the album’s musical style.

After I read that and heard her music I agree. She, and the band, sounded good live. Surprisingly good live.

In general they sound good. Give ‘em (her) a try.