Recently in music Category

I haven't participated in a meme in I don't know how long but since Melle tagged me and I love her so I'm going to try.

"List seven songs you are into right now. No matter what the genre, whether they have words, or even if they're not any good, but they must be songs you're really enjoying now, shaping your spring summer. Post these instructions in your blog along with your seven songs. Then tag seven other people to see what they're listening to."

1. Evil Urges by My Morning Jacket

2. I Will Possess Your Heart by Death Cab for Cutie

3. The Look Of Love (Madison Park Vs. Lenny B Remix) by Nina Simone

4. Con Los Anos Que Me Quedan by Gloria Estefan

5. When Love Comes to Town by U2 and B.B. King

6. Las Vegas Dealer by Gomez

7. The Maker by Willie Nelson

I don't have 7 people left to tag (J and Melissa mostly took care of everyone) so I'll just leave it at my 7 songs.

1. I love office supply stores. A new Staples opened up in the neighborhood (finally an office supply store in the neighborhood!) and I love to wander the aisles and buy post it notes, photo mailers, printer paper, ink cartridges. Happiness is a well stocked office supply cabinet.

2. I've grown so bored with The L Word I can't even bring myself to write recaps. I'm sorry, I just can't.

3. I've been reading aloud to B from Wendell Berry's collection of stories, Fidelity. There's a reason so many people, when asked who their favorite Kentucky author is, say Wendell Berry. The stories in this collection are almost breathtakingly beautiful in their efficient but eloquent prose, reserved yet emotion filled, action packed and yet bordering on being described as stories where nothing much happens. Berry is brilliant.

The act of reading aloud to your partner is immensely satisfying. We sit or lie together and take in the stories. Occasionally we'll both giggle or gasp and when a story is complete we'll discuss it in detail. It's a wonderful experience to have a piece of fiction be equally as fresh in both person's mind when you discuss it.

4. I'm quite heartbroken that yet again I'm not going to SXSW. A year ago when finances forced me to cancel my trip to SXSW (including participating on a panel) I was more than certain I would be attending this year. I think I would get a great deal out of SXSW and it's that lost potential for knowledge, experiences, friendship making, networking and cultural exploration that hurts the most.

5. Willie Nelson's Teatro is one of the best albums ever produced. I've been listening to it a lot lately and its genius keeps revealing new layers of itself. As always I've also been listening to a lot of Van Morrison. It's interesting to me that as much as I love music I've been having a really, really hard time finding new music that really speaks to or connects with me. I can think of maybe 4 or 5 albums from the past few years that meet that definition. Maybe. Though the Adele record that was generously shared with me recently is getting more than a few spins.

I've already had two rounds of present opening and I feel almost dirty from the embarrassment of music riches I've amassed. As an aside I think I really need to take a stand against present buying next year. For part of my family though buying presents at Christmas is the only real outward way of showing love that they engage in and asking them not to do it, even when I'm not in need of any material goods, seems wrong. So here's a list and some very early thoughts.

Half Nelson Soundtrack
This is a really nice mix of indie rock with a little Latin jazz and hip hop thrown in. It's my first real exposure to Broken Social Scene. I know I'm behind, no need to scold me, because I feel like I've been deprived by going so long without Broken Social Scene in my life. Any recommendations for what Broken Social Scene record I should buy first?

I'll be honest that I'm not feeling any of the hip hop tracks and wish they were replaced with some more indie rock stuff but as a whole I'm really enjoying the album. And I'm so loving the Billy Bragg track.

The Creek Drank the Cradle by Iron and Wine
I love me some wuss rock so obviously I love Iron and Wine. Somehow, someway I'd managed to go all this time without having the first Iron and Wine record and let me tell you my life is infinitely better now that I finally have it.

The Con by Tegan and Sara
I've liked every single Tegan and Sara song I've ever heard yet this is the first Tegan and Sara CD to be added to my collection. What's up with that? Me being stupid obviously. I'm very much enjoying this record so far.

Greatest Hits by Keith Urban
Cut me some slack. I occasionally enjoy the strange amalgam of country and rock that makes up the majority of contemporary country radio and Keith Urban does it really, really well. He also does sad, depressed country songs well too. I like those.

Writer's Block by Peter, Bjorn and John
I bought the Young Folks single over the summer. I can't recall why I thought it was a good idea to buy just the single and not the whole album but I did and now I own that song twice. Whatever. I've only had a chance to breeze through this quickly but I'm liking the record as a whole so far.

Gattaca Soundtrack
George and Melissa both enthusiastically endorsed the Gattaca soundtrack when I asked for some good ambient music filled film scores. Listening to this a couple times has reaffirmed my decision to trust all of George and Melissa's recommendations without reservation.

I got up to a Twitter update from George letting me know Dan Fogelberg had died. That news added a layer of sadness to my day.

On Saturday B and I were driving around my hometown and "Same Old Lang Syne" came on the radio. I tried but couldn't adequately explain to her how much Dan Fogelberg, and particularly "Same Old Lang Syne" and "Run for the Roses" meant had always meant to me. Call him 70s light rock, call him cheese, call him sappy, call him what you want but he always struck an emotional chord with me and I'm grateful to have his music in my life. There is some music that I have and occasionally listen to and that's that. There is other music that isn't just a passive bystander to my life, it's an active participate and I'm grateful to have it. The best compliment I can pay a musician is to not just enjoy his music but to be grateful for its presence in my life.

I'm grateful for Dan Fogelberg's music. A couple years ago I was going through a rough time and I found myself listening to "Same Old Lang Syne" a great deal in late Spring. I was so emotionally raw the song made me cry almost every time I listened to it but it also made me feel a little bit better each time. That tiny little emotional release that this song about old loves, home towns, warm memories and being home for the holidays gave me brought comfort to me. Thank you Mr. Folgelberg. George is right, Same Old Lang Syne won't be the same knowing you're not around anymore.

Sufjan Stevens is an interesting artist to say this least. I am fascinated by his latest project The Great Sufjan Song Xmas Xchange.

Here's how it works: write an original Christmas song, record it, and send the song to us (see below for instructions). Asthmatic Kitty will pick a winner, and that person will trade rights to their song for rights to Sufjan's song.

Just like a gift exchange, Sufjan's song becomes your song. You can hoard it for yourself, sell it to a major soft drink corporation, use it in your daughter's first Christmas video, or share it for free on your website. No one except Sufjan and you will hear his song, unless you decide otherwise. You get the song and all legal rights to it. We get the same rights to your song.

Now maybe he'll write a crap song that no one would want to buy for commercial purposes, and you have to write a pretty damn good Christmas song to win the contest anyway but the potential in owning all the rights to a Sufjan Stevens song is pretty significant.