Songbird
Feb
27
Towards The Sun
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Helene is so very lovely, her voice inspires. Heliotrope was released last month, this is the bands third full length album… And it is quite hopeful, it will definitely put a smile on your face no matter what kind of day you might have had. Even in the low moments she seems to dance around with a beautiful grace… The music will lighten your way.
Heliotrope: “Any of various plants that turn toward the sun.” To look towards the sun… I suppose this something we should all do a little more often these days.
Heliotrope 2009 (Pronoia Records)
Also available at emusic
Helene on myspace
Feb
25
Defeated
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I just simply feel beat down and defeated this evening… Work has been tough lately, I come home angry and annoyed at the world. Maybe I need a vacation… Maybe it is time to move on. I just feel so stuck with the economy the way it is. *sigh*
I also kind of feel like my freedom was taken away from me at work, Facebook and Pandora have been blocked… That kind of bothers me… I am a really hard worker but if you don’t give me the freedom to enjoy surfing the net on my lunch hour or when I am on break… I feel like it is a bit of an injustice… I mean it is not like I was being unproductive because of Facebook, it just helps me feel connected through out the day. *sigh*
mp3: Year of the Dog
The Lovely Sparrows on myspace
Bury The Cynics 2008 (Abandoned Love Records)
p.s. Sorry for the depressing post… The Lovely Sparrows are a pleasure really and their newest album Bury The Cynics was released last year. Check out their myspace to hear more.
Feb
22
Oscar Night
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The Oscars are this evening…Â I love going to see a movie… It is one of my favorite things to do aside from going to see a favorite band play live. There is something so amazing to me about making a great film, it is inspiring to know all of these people came together to create and infuse their own artistic talents into this one vision… To see it all come together up there on the big screen is really quite enjoyable. However, that being said I am not a die hard Oscar follower, but I have been known to gamble with friends on this night to see whose horse came in first. This year I have seen some but not all that are nominated, I have yet to see The Reader, Waltz of Bashir among the other Foreign Language nominations and some in the Documentary category. But tonight I thought it would be appropriate to post a couple of songs from 2 of my favorite films of 2008, both nominated in the Best Picture category.
mp3: Queen Bitch – David Bowie
MILK Soundtrack 2008 – Review HERE
(MILK directed by Gus Van Sant)
mp3: Jai Ho – A.R. Rahman
Slumdog Millionaire Soundtrack 2008
Slumdog Millionaire directed by Danny Boyle & Loveleen Tandan
*** The Slumdog soundtrack has some great tracks on it
Feb
18
What a moment it was after all
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Beirut… And no not the largest city in Lebanon. I love Beirut… Devoted fan right here. Upon first listen March of the Zapotec & Realpeople: Holland is not my favorite album from the talented Zach Condon and friends. Now, that being said it is good… I really do like almost every song on the album. I guess maybe the Realpeople tracks slant the album a bit, it is just an entirely different sound and I fail to see how they connect. Needless to say I am just a bit disappointed… But that is OK because like I said this is only the first listen, I need to digest it a little more. I know individual tracks already stand out like La Llorona, The Akara and My Night With The Prostitute From Marseille (an awesome name for a song I might add). I highly recommend adding the album to your music collection – No Dice.
Only a little taste to entice you to go and purchase the album or see them live, an amazing show indeed.
mp3: La Llorona
March of the Zapotec & Realpeople: Holland 2009
Feb
17
Belgium Lads
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It took a little bit of searching but I finally found a little bit of information on Monogold. Confusing at first because it appears that there are two different bands who share the same name… I was perusing the halls of emusic and came upon their new self titled album… This band hails from Belgium and they certainly captured my attention… Solid bass lines matched with whirling guitars, they mix a little funk with a little rock/pop on the side… They are very difficult to describe, but I fell in love with a couple of tracks… A few diamonds in the rough…
I could have sworn I should have had today off… It was Presidents Day here in the States, it is one of those odd holidays where you never know if you have it off or not… I never seem to have it off it seems… It was a slow start nonetheless. It was pouring rain and the wind was howling, Puma was snuggling right next to me… Needless to say I didn’t get into work until noon…
mp3: Nice Trip
Monogold 2009 (Kinky Star)
Feb
15
sigh…
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Blah… Just fucking blah. I got a speeding ticket on Saturday… Can’t say it was better than chocolate to get on v-day. Not to mention my nervous breakdown after I got the ticket. I am thinking of fighting it… 60mph in a 40mph. Whoops! An expensive whoops.
Sorry it has been so quiet around here last week… I have had a headache every day so I have been popping Tylenol as if it was candy. Not really the best thing but until I can get this kink in my back worked out… Tylenol will have to suffice.
I am somewhat preoccupied with the economy, it is a freaking disaster… The state of California is a cluster of debt… They are discussing raising the gas tax 12 cents… Are you freaking kidding me? Plus they are going to have to hold off on the state tax returns… *sigh* It is all rather depressing. Unfortunately, I am not in one of the best moods this evening… I promise I will return tomorrow with some new music but for now just sit down and turn it up.
There is no relevance with this chosen track… Except that it is somewhat of a comfort track… Kind of like comfort food but with music.
mp3: Angel In The Snow
New Moon 2007 (Kill Rock Stars)
I’d say you make a perfect
Angel in the snow
All crushed out on the way you are
Better stop before it goes too far
Don’t you know that I love you?
Sometimes I feel like only a cold still life
That fell down here to lay beside youDon’t you know that I love you?
Sometimes I feel like only a cold still life
Only a frozen still life
That fell down here to lay beside you
Feb
11
In This Moment
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Occasionally I will listen to music at work… It is not often though because it almost always gets interrupted by something or someone so I never really get to hear it… But there are those moments… When it gets quiet and the phone stops ringing, the talking ceases and all I can hear is a favorite song shuffle on…
mp3: No Signs of Pain
November 2002 (Saddle Creek Records)
Azure Ray on myspace
Feb
8
All Weekend I Heard The Sound of Rain
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This is really how beaitiful it is outside right now…
It has been a glorious weekend… I did nothing and it rained off and on… Beautiful white fluffy clouds graced us in the afternoons, rainbows, rain and even waterspouts just South in Huntington Beach, which is kind of scary, but hey my philosophy is that any weather in Southern California is good weather. Anything different than sunny and 75 degrees is just fine with me… I suppose some would probably ask what I am doing in sunny California then and I ask myself the same question… But for now this is home until something else presents itself further North.
It was nice to just relax and watch recorded old episodes of Saturday Night Live and the 1998 film, Happiness. I have had a busy couple of weeks at work… *sigh*
The Grammy’s are on tonight… *crickets*
God bless Blind Pilot… Israel Nebeker and Ryan Dobrowski are the duo who create beautiful guitar arrangements on their 2008 album 3 Rounds and a Sound… Israel Nebeker sings dreamy melodies that make the heart pitter patter. And get this… Not only can they create amazing music but they went on a bike tour together hauling all the equipment behind them to city after city… Talented and earth friendly… Yummy. Check out their tour schedule for dates in your area but make sure to also check their blog for updates on cancellations and general info.
mp3:Â The Story I Heard
mp3:Â I Buried a Bone
3 Rounds and a Sound 2008 (Expunged Records)
Feb
4
Andrew Bird Takes Me Away
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He just takes me some place else… And I like it. His new album Noble Beast has taken awhile to digest but then again so did Armchair Apocrypha. Andrew Bird strips it down and goes a little more natural on this album. His beautiful voice soothes along with mellow acoustics. The album is 13 songs deep with a couple of second long filler/transition tracks. The album gets a little more dynamic towards the middle on Not a Robot, But a Ghost…
Andrew Bird is always gorgeous in my opinion… I have found that his albums grow on me and I find myself returning to them year after year. The album as a whole is really well done, however at this point I have no idea if Noble Beast will appear on my end of the year list… Only time will tell.
Andrew Bird is coming to the Los Angeles area on February 18th at the Orpheum Theatre, with Loney, Dear. You can also get a little taste of Andrew Bird live on NPR.
mp3:Â Â Nomenclature
mp3: Â Anonanimal
Noble Beast 2009 (Fat Possum)
Feb
2
Something to make me smile
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This picture cracks me up
I know it has been quiet this last week… I felt like I was running all week long, I was looking forward to the weekend. I think it all caught up to me though because on Friday night I got my first migraine… It was awful, I was in a fetal position on the bed… I have never felt such pain… And then the aftermath… It is just as vicious, it feels as if you are recovering from being hit by a bus. So that being said I have been resting all weekend.
I am in love with this song right now, Of Montreal can always put a smile on my face even if it is Sunday night. :-)
mp3: First Time High (Acoustic Remix)
Jon Brion Remix EP 2009 (Polyvinyl Records)
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