Int'l Women's Day vocalist list. What happened to Speck Mountain?

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spzretent
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Int'l Women's Day vocalist list. What happened to Speck Mountain?

Post by spzretent »

There is a thread on Twitter that asks you to "Describe Your Taste in Music In 10 Female Voices" for International Women's Day.
These were mine.
Marie Claire Balabanian (Speck Mountain)
Hope Sandoval
Laura Lee
Dot Allison
Elizabeth Fraser
Bonnie Bramlett
Kate Bush
Dusty Springfield
Mavis Staples
PJ Harvey

This led me down a Speck Mountain path today. All day. Anyone know what happened to them? All 3 records are superb. There hasn't been one for nearly 8 years. It would such a shame not to hear Marie Claire's voice recording again.
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Laz69
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Re: What happened to Speck Mountain?

Post by Laz69 »

Yeah, they were really good. Another of those bands that just disappeared unfortunately!

I thought it would be dead easy to think of my 10 favourite female vocalists but, fuck, i really had to think about this one. Too many to choose from. There are some strong contenders that didn't make my list, but i tried to stick ones that i listen to regularly.

Alison Cotton (The Left Outsides)
Beth Gibbons (Portishead)
Rachel Devine (Telstar Ponies)
Rachel Allison (ex-BMX Bandits)
Isobel Sollenberger (Bardo Pond)
Janis Joplin (No introduction needed...)
Britta Phillips (Dean & Britta, Luna, etc.)
Hope Sandoval (Mazzy Star)
Miranda Lee Richards (ex-BJM, solo)
Rachel Fannan (ex-Sleepy Sun, Black Mountain)
angelsighs
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Re: Int'l Women's Day vocalist list. What happened to Speck Mountain?

Post by angelsighs »

Totally forgot about Speck Mountain, will have to dig out the album of theirs I've got. Some bands just seem to disappear.

Also a big fan of what Rachel Fannan brings to her bands.
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Re: Int'l Women's Day vocalist list. What happened to Speck Mountain?

Post by Aquarian-Time »

I saw Speck Mountain on their only UK tour, I love the song Midnight Sun, they didnt play it but Marie Claire said they needed 2 guitars to make it work, which i does to be fair, so with extra guitarist in tow, she messaged me on twitter saying it was fully rehearsed and ready to go for forthcoming UK tour (2nd album so ages ago) and then the whole tour was canned. Gutted. First 2 albums are amazing, less bothered by the 3rd.
Smoke Fairies are another band with excellent vocals, maybe a bit folk/twee for some of you chaps but all good to my ears. Second album is the the best "Through Low Light and Trees"
spzretent
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Re: Int'l Women's Day vocalist list. What happened to Speck Mountain?

Post by spzretent »

I used to think that about the third album until I played it last Sunday. It is very, very good.
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angelsighs
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Re: Int'l Women's Day vocalist list. What happened to Speck Mountain?

Post by angelsighs »

check out the prices of Speck Mountain CDs on Amazon.. i think its pricing algorithm has gone a little haywire :D
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Re: Int'l Women's Day vocalist list. What happened to Speck Mountain?

Post by spzretent »

I saw those. I have 8 copies of Badwater on LP. Weird instance where the CD is where all the $$ is instead of the vinyl.
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angelsighs
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Re: Int'l Women's Day vocalist list. What happened to Speck Mountain?

Post by angelsighs »

weird isn't it. usually it's very much the other way around. CDs are like cars, they lose most of their value as soon as you get your hands on them!

the amazon thing is way off the chart though. I think there's an algorithm working which looks at how many copies are available in the market place vs demand, then works out what it can sell it for. doesn't mean that anybody would actually pay that though.
discogs would probably be a more reliable barometer of true value.
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