No Words

Josh White • "Jim Crow" • 1944

2009-10-02T17:30:00.010+01:00

Download / Procure / Request Immediate Removal

Odetta • "'Buked and Scorned" • 1956

2009-10-02T17:30:00.009+01:00

Download / Procure / Request Immediate Removal

Mattias Bärjed • "Theme 2" • 2009

2009-10-02T17:30:00.008+01:00

Download / Procure / Request Immediate Removal

Rio en Medio & Israel Cilio • "Mary" • 2009

2009-09-11T18:00:00.007+01:00

Download / Procure / Request Immediate Removal

Fern Knight • "Our Mountain the Mother" • 2009

2009-09-11T18:00:00.006+01:00

Download / Procure / Request Immediate Removal

Arborea • "Son of the Moon, Daughter of the Sun" • 2009

2009-09-11T18:00:00.005+01:00

Download / Procure / Request Immediate Removal

Marissa Nadler • "Heart Paper Lover" • 2009

2009-03-04T08:00:00.014Z

Download / Request Immediate Removal

Bruno Coulais, Mathilde Pellegrini & Hélène Breschand • "Exploration" • 2009

2009-03-04T08:00:00.013Z

Download / Request Immediate Removal

Rokia Traoré • "Kounandi" • 2008

2009-03-04T08:00:00.012Z

Download / Request Immediate Removal

No Words on Twitter

2009-03-04T07:00:00.001Z

Alright then, this will be the triumphant conclusion in my trilogy of wise-cracking, wordy posts. It's a simply heads up that No Words is now on Twitter! Follow me, won't you?!

The confines of this blog do not permit me to jabber, but the rules are quite different over at the No Words Twitter. From here on out, it shall be my pipeline of textual contact with you, my noble few.

Smooches,

Ursell

P.S. In case you haven't noticed, all MP3 links are currently down. I aim to have this remedied within a few days' time. Patience, my doves.

Every Song Has Been Reposted

2009-02-12T04:00:00.002Z

Since I've already shattered my mystique with the last post, I figure I might as well squeeze in a few more unwritten-vow-breaking entries before I return things to normalcy 'round here. After all, it's only right that I get a word in here and there, innit?

I do apologize for teetering on dormancy over the past months. I feel terrible about it. REALLY I DO! To make it up to you, I've decided to re-upload every tune I've ever posted.

YOU'RE WELCOME, MY FLOWERS! LOVE LOVE YOU ALL! MWAH!

You see, I don't get too many emails regarding this particular blog, but when I do, it almost always involves some irate J-Nu fanatic ordering me to repost live tracks. Now then, if there's one thing I simply cannot have, it's some scabby lykke c-word with a list of demands bossing me about in my inbox. I will stand for it no longer.

SO HERE ARE YOUR WRETCHED REPOSTS, YOU LOT OF WRITHING CLOTS! OFF WITH YOU!

Only kidding, my pets, of course. As I was saying, you can now forage around this site and stream/leech whatever you like. These new links are intended to be permanent, so if you happen to be an artist, publisher, or label, and it is your wish that a particular track be removed, please be civil about it and contact me directly. No need to look up the hosting company and make a big fuss unless, of course, you're just up for being ornery. In any case, you do not want to tangle with me. I am 7 stone 10 pounds of pale fury. You've been warned. Weigh your options carefully.

In other news, I've compiled a wee compilation/playlist or whatever you wish to call it. It contains nearly every tune I've posted (minus the holiday-themed ones and repeat artists, which include the swarm of J-Nu live pieces). I've opted for the most pretentious name I could muster up: A Revelry of Piety & Custom in Song: A No Words Compendium. Got a nice cantankerous ring to it, no?

You can pick through the individual tracks below or download the lot of them in a zip. Enjoy!

1) The Song Swappers • "Abiyoyo"
2) Tenniscoats • "Baibaba Bimba"
3) This Is the Kit • "Two Wooden Spoons"
4) Beneath Fire & Smoke • "Songs From a Slipway"
5) Judy Henske • "Baltimore Oriole"
6) Fikret Kızılok • "Anadolu'yum"
7) Max Richter • "Cradle Song for A (Interstate B3)"
8) Joanna Newsom • "Ca' the Yowes to the Knowes (Live)"
9) Rakhel Hadass • "Sa'enu"
10) James Blackshaw • "White Goddess"
11) Shirley Collins • "The Cruel Mother"
12) Luz Morales • "Ang Gatas at ang Itlog"
13) The Pennywhistlers • "Kak pa Moryu"
14) Horse Feathers • "Curs in the Weeds"
15) Max Ochs • "In Christ, There Is No East Nor West"
16) Mary Lou Williams • "The Devil"

Love you,

Ursell

Ursell's Top 10 Albums of 2008

2008-12-13T22:00:00.000Z

Hello there. If you fancy yourself a No Words reader, and you've stumbled upon this post, you're probably asking yourself, "What's with all this copy? Has Ursell gone mental?"

Not exactly. You see, ye ol' Hype Machine has invited me to submit my favourite albums of this year, but in order to do so, I'll have to post my entries on this blog. This burdens me.

In making such a post, I must break the two unwritten No Words criteria:

1) Ursell must publish only three posts at a time. No more, no less.
2) Ursell mustn't publish any written content—hence the name—beyond song titles and such.

Oh bother.

This means that I must, in part, knowingly crush the "mystique" and "enchantment" and "antiquity" surrounding my silly little web log. Such a shame!

Any ol' hoot, I figure it as good an excuse as any to make a "formal" post and thank you all for visiting. (Not that I get loads of traffic or anything like that, but thanks to my readership, a noble few.) It is possible that I'll one day change things up a bit around here and post more routinely. I may even do some interviews here and there if you happen to be so lucky.

Oh! So here's my silly lickle list! That's what all the fuss is about, after all!

Ursell's Top 10 Albums of 2008

1) James Blackshaw • "Litany of Echoes"
2) Toumani Diabate • "The Mande Variations"
3) Fleet Foxes • "Fleet Foxes"
4) Jonas Reinhardt • "Jonas Reinhardt"
5) Grouper • "Dragging a Dead Deer up a Hill"
6) The Tallest Man on Earth • "Shallow Grave"
7) This Is the Kit • "Krulle Bol"
8) Josephine Foster • "This Coming Gladness"
9) Horse Feathers • "Curs in the Weeds"
10) Max Richter • "24 Postcards in Full Colour"

Please oh please understand that these selections are relevant to this blog; they are not "comprehensive." This is a "folk" blog, after all. Isn't it?

Oh bother.

Sincerliest,

Ursell