wordless music post #7

(find this print at etsy HERE)

(mp3) autumn sweater by yo la tengo (via popdose)

video for a saturday - infinity guitars

so, the husband and i sort of disagree over sleigh bells. for awhile, i was a little confused about it - what was it about the band that he didn't like? (he says it's because their sounds don't mesh together, but as they're a noise band...um...isn't that the point?) now i think it might be because sleigh bells has SUCH a girl band feel to them (not that he dislikes girl bands or the band comprised of only women). i cannot clarify why i think this. they just do. and i like 'em, noisy and mismatched as they are. this particular song is one of my favorites:

Sleigh Bells "Infinity Guitars" from Phil Pinto on Vimeo.

find out more about sleigh girls HERE. buy their album treats HERE.

in which an honest mistake is a good thing

so, an honest mistake has served as the backdrop to several scenes in a series i'm writing, i think, mainly, because of its sound rather than lyrics (which, admittedly, is a first). this is amusing now that i look at the lyrics, because it does sort of fit with one of the characters. anyway! the original of this song by the bravery is good, but the superdiscount remix is BETTER. man, i love this song. and so do my kids, who make sure they press repeat on my ipod often whenever it comes on.


people: they don't mean a thing to you
they move right through you just like your breath
but sometimes i still think of you
and i just wanted to,

just wanted you to know
my old friend
i swear i never meant for this
i never meant

don't look at me that way
it was an honest mistake
don't look at me that way
it was an honest mistake
an honest mistake

sometimes i forget i'm still awake
i fuck up and say these things out loud
my old friend

i swear i never meant for this
i never meant

don't look at me that way
it was an honest mistake
don't look at me that way
it was an honest mistake
an honest mistake

(mp3) an honest mistake (superdiscount remix) by the bravery

for those who want to see/hear the original version:



but, i'm right, though. right? the remix is totally better. DON'T ARGUE WITH ME. well, you can, but i'll still think the remix is better. :)

in which i share possibly the best song ever written

so, the other day, the husband and i were discussing the following topic: which musicians, still living, are amongst the most important in terms of catalogue, writing/producing abilities (thereby cannot be churning out work by others, which means bye-bye, madonna), and influence over their particular genres and, in fact, over others? yes, it's true. we do discuss stuff like this.

anyway! i was a little disheartened as i listened to the husband rattle off his list because, frankly, there were no women. so, of course, i had to demand, "WHAT ABOUT JONI MITCHELL?!?" because, obviously, no discussion about the aforementioned topic can be held without adding joni's name to the list. and he had to agree, because, hello! joni mitchell can be found in pretty much every female singer-songwriter's music nowadays. in fact, i hazard to guess if anyone polled the women working in the music industry today (no matter what genre they're in), they'd cite joni as an influence.



yes, i am perhaps one of those stereotypical women who find joni mitchell to be just a shade underneath goddess status. but it is totally worthy. her music is to us women what bob dylan's is to men. she is a poet, an artist, a magician, and a genius.

her music speaks in ways so many others fail to.

i'm going to go out on a limb here (a confidant one, though) and say her brilliant a case of you is perhaps one of the most perfect songs ever written. the first time i heard this song, nearly two decades ago, i felt like i'd been overtaken by a tidal wave. all i could do was sit back and let it take me out to sea. a case of you is beauty - poetry mixed with gorgeous, simple guitar chords. this is no song about hot boys or girls, friends, nor is it about tight pants, getting jiggy with it, or ice cream on sunny days. it is about an extremely messy and complex emotion - love - and it's told in a way that's real without insulting your intelligence. and this is what sets joni mitchell apart from so many others, and what so many people strive to do, even now. she's even got a spot on her website that lists 150 songs inspired by her, plus 40 tribute albums, and 48 songs about her. and, of course, there are the covers - to name just a few: both sides now has been covered 727 times, big yellow taxi 288 times, river 224 times, and a case of you 172 times.

she's the real deal, peeps.

so sit back, close your eyes, and give a case of you a listen. think of it as art, and when it comes to take you, let it. i never can resist this song, even now, decades after first hearing it. every single listening only confirms what i already assumed about this song.

just before our love got lost, you said,
"i am as constant as a northern star."
and i said, "constantly in the darkness -
where's that at?
if you want me, i'll be in the bar."

on the back of a cartoon coaster,
in the blue TV screen light,
i drew a map of canada:
oh, canada!
with your face sketched on it twice.

oh, you're in my blood like holy wine.
you taste so bitter and so sweet.
oh i could drink a case of you, darling,
and i would still be on my feet.
oh, i would still be on my feet.

oh, i am a lonely painter,
i live in a box of paints.
i'm frightened by the devil
and i'm drawn to those ones that ain't afraid.
i remember that time that you told me,

you said,
"love is touching souls."
surely you touched mine,
'cause part of you pours out of me
in these lines from time to time.

oh, you're in my blood like holy wine.
you taste so bitter and so sweet.
oh i could drink a case of you, darling,
still i'd be on my feet.
i would still be on my feet.

i met a woman:
she had a mouth like yours,
she knew your life,
she knew your devils and your deeds.
and she said,
"go to him, stay with him if you can,
but be prepared to bleed."

oh, but you are in my blood you're my holy wine.
you're so bitter, bitter and so sweet.
oh, i could drink a case of you, darling,
still i'd be on my feet.
i would still be on my feet.

(mp3) a case of you by joni mitchell

here's a video of her performing it - even after her voice changed over the years, she's still amazing.

in which you find out you're not dead

so, i know it will come as a shock that i am yet, again, praising music from scotland, but i am! broken records is so worth a listen, friends.





plus, they always have the BEST song titles. a few favorites from their last album:

* thoughts on a picture (in a paper, january 2009)
* if the news makes you sad, don't watch it
* if eilert loevborg wrote a song, it would sound like this

their new album, let me come home, debuted this week in great britain (why the american delay? sigh), and my favorite off of it has to be you know you're not dead. there's just something so undeniably lovely about this song - maybe it's the heartfelt lyrics set against relentless pacing, maybe it's because the melody is sweet yet dark. maybe it's because it rises and swells and takes you with it for a ride. maybe it's the violin fighting for domination with the guitars. take your pick.

send me the note that i might know with all my aching heart
send me the dirt that i might hold so that i know where to start
and send me a love, for i am not wretch
send me a life, i am not wretch
for my aching heart
for my aching heart

and send me a hope so i might hold ‘cause all my body aches
send me the earth so i might put the sweater upon a stake
send me a hope that i may not wretch
send me a hope, that i may not wretch
for my aching heart
for my aching

‘cause the worst,
can you not see?
that nothing else matters
‘cause you are my bones
and you are my arms
so come on, come
you know you’re not dead
you know you’re my heart
you know you’re not open wide

and sing out the notes so i can hear just like when we’re alone
sing out the notes so they can burn a pattern across the soul
sing me the notes so that i can learn
sing me the notes so i can learn
before my aching heart
before my aching heart

‘cause the worst
can you not see?
nothing else matters
‘cause you are my bones
you are my arms
so come on, come
you know you’re not dead
you know you’re my heart
you know you’re not open wide

so bury me in weighty dreams
oh, you were my home
bury me in dreams of growing old
with you in my arms
so bury me
oh, bury me

send me a note so i may know with all my aching heart
send me the dirt that i might hold so that i know where to start
send me a life, for i am not wretch
send me a life, for i am not wretch
cure my aching heart

(mp3) you know you're not dead by broken records (via crime waves)

in which ben gibbard sings the national anthem well

so, when i heard that ben gibbard was going to sing the national anthem at the start of the giants/phillies game 3 of the NLCS (yes, i know this was awhile ago now), i sort of did a double take. ben gibbard? really?



now, friends, any loyal reader of this blog knows how much i adore death cab for cutie (who constantly dukes it out with frightened rabbit over who holds the title of most beloved band). but...there was some trepidation over whether he could carry the star spangled banner or not.

the truth is, while the poem is wonderful, the star spangled banner tends to bring out the worst in singers. i cringe nearly every time i hear it - most singers do this horrible warbling in it that would make mariah carey proud. to me? it's like nails on a chalkboard. each time someone is trotted out at the beginning of a game to sing it, i cross my fingers and hope for the best. sometimes i get it. more often than not, i'm left thinking: you are butchering our national anthem.
ben gibbard has an amazing voice, but it's more suited to soft songs. he is no heavy metal screamer or shrill crooner. so imagine my intense surprise and utter delight when i heard his version. there was no warbling. there was no screeching, band standing, or chewing of the scenery. there was ben, his even, mellow voice, and a song that documents a great moment in american history. oh ben, thankyouthankyouthankyou.

check out MLB's official video HERE for a high quality showing. below is, admittedly, a far less-than-stellar copy, considering it's a video of a tv broadcast. but alas, MLB doesn't hand out embedding codes.

in which i chat with elizabeth and the catapult

so, elizabeth and the catapult's newest album, the other side of zero, lands in stores both brick and virtual today. hooray! this is such a fun band to listen to - great lyrics and poppy beats that don't always match their words. i've long been smitten with the band after discovering the very addictive taller children, off of their album of the same name.

elizabeth ziman, the singer/songwriter/keyboardest of the band, was kind enough to answer a few questions for me about the new album:

have you met heather?: A number of your songs, on the surface, are very cheery sounding, yet when listened to more carefully reveal a much more nuanced, complex set of feelings. What tends to inspire your work? Do the lyrics come first, or the melody?

elizabeth ziman: I'll usually write the melody acapella with the lyric when I'm away from the piano, that way when I finally get to an instrument- the basic concept of the song is already almost flushed out and then it's just filling in the gaps. sometimes I consciously try to counterbalance or offset the sentiment of a dreary lyric with very hopeful, cheery sounding music and vice versa- but for the most part that kind of thing just happens unconsciously. Perhaps it's the gemini in me:)

HYMH: You’ve got a quirky and memorable band name – how did “Elizabeth and the Catapult” come about?

EZ: I was reading James and the giant peach at the time- and I was imagining this little mischievous girl with a slingshot wandering around, looking for trouble....

HYMH: What can listeners expect from your new album, “The Other Side of Zero?”

EZ: its a little darker and rougher around the edges than our last venture, but all in all- I'd say you can expect a bunch of new simple, honest songs with some really great production by Tony Berg.

thanks, elizabeth!

james and the giant peach! love it. in a weird way, it makes me like the band even more. yes, i'm weird like that - but i've long been unfairly biased against bands due to bizarre band names (as documented HERE).

have a listen to you and me, the first single off the album. i'm really digging this one:

just look at me as before the first time
i’m not leaving ‘til you let me in
i’m dressed like a present that’s no longer wanted
a face full of blush
and i’m broken hearted for you
oh, yeah, i’m broken hearted for you

and take me all like we’re just beginning
no, no, don’t be cool
i want to take my bidding

ask for a smoke and then i’ll take you back
i’ll even feign surprise when you drop my hat

oh, don’t have to wonder about
what they’re laughing about
it only matters if they swallow it down
i don’t care about what anyone believes
i only care about you and me
and if you never understand a thing,
it only gets you if you let the stuff sink in
i don’t care about what anyone believes
i only care about you and me

so tell that joke that’s no longer funny
yeah, i’ll be eyeing that wine in no time honey
maybe later on if we still remember
you can be my king underneath my covers
oh, i’m broken hearted for you

oh, no, ‘cause you’re as green as the day i met you
you can tell me no, but sure is good to see you
don’t have to wonder what they’re laughing about
it only matters if you swallow it down
i don’t care about what anyone believes
i only care about you and me

and if you never understand a thing
it only gets you
i don’t care what anyone believes
i only care about you and me

if you never understand
it only gets you if you let the stuff sink in
i don’t care what anyone believes
i only care about you and me

(mp3) you and me by elizabeth and the catapult

and here's a video talking about the song. it stars puppets. c'mon. puppets. can you resist? NO, NO YOU CAN'T. NO ONE RESISTS PUPPETS.

you can stream all of the other side of zero HERE. buy it HERE.

want to see them on tour? check out one of the following dates:
Oct 23 - NY, NY @ Rockwood Music Hall - CMJ
Oct 28 - Boston, MA @ The Red Room @ Cafe 939
Nov 4 - Easton, MD @ NightCat
Nov 15 - Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios *
Nov 16 - Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern *
Nov 18 - San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall *
Nov 19 - West Hollywood, CA @ The Troubadour *
Nov 20 - San Diego, CA @ Anthology *

*w/ Tift Merritt

wordless music post #6

(find this print at etsy HERE)

(mp3) undercover martyn by two door cinema (via the new montreal)

video for a saturday - so bloody, so tight

so, this video sort of reminds me of sesame street, but for adults. they recently did an episode on camouflage, during which kira sedgwick looked a lot like the people here.

A Sunny Day in Glasgow - So bloody, so tight from mis ojos discos on Vimeo.

find out more about a sunny day in glasgow HERE. buy their album nitetime rainbows HERE.

album review: tiger suit by kt tunstall

so, kt tunstall has a new album out entitled tiger suit, and boy-oh-boy, is it good.

some highlights:

* uummannaq song - the leadoff song on the album draws you in with it's driving beats, plucky guitar line, 80's feel and sultry vocals. man, do i love the lyrics on this one: hold your fire /i'm coming out and i'll tell you the truth /i was trying to raise my roof /did you see it /that i needed to prove /that my stinger always stays /you said she's beautiful when she plays /did i hit you in the proper place? SNAP!
* glamour puss - it's hard to resist this one. makes me want to listen to it, loud, while driving somewhere.
* difficulty - heartfelt and raw. i so lovelovelove this song - my very favorite off the album: what can i do in this world for you / is difficulty my friend? / keeping me company when i know / i don't need it, i don't need it.
* golden frames - reminds me vaguely of green onions by booker t and the mgs with it's opening bass lines. and of a possible jaunt to a small bar somewhere deep in lousiana.
* the entertainer - so pretty. sing it like you never said it before / mean it with your wasted heart / try to believe that there’s something to stay for / there’s always before and after / the entertainer.

here's a live video of tunstall singing uummannaq song:

tunstall recently visited with the ps22 chorus and sang her new single, fade like a shadow, with them. check it out here:



and finally, here's my fave, difficulty:



want to see kt on tour? check out the upcoming dates:

Oct 31 - Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom
Nov 1 - Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
Nov 2 - Seattle, WA @ The Showbox SODO
Nov 4 - Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory
Nov 5 - Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory
Nov 7 - Reno, NV @ Knitting Factory
Nov 8 - San Francisco, CA @ Warfield Theatre
Nov 11 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Music Box
Nov 12 - San Diego, CA@ House of Blues
Nov 16 - Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
Nov 18 - Minneapolis, MN @ Epic
Nov 19 - Indianapolis, IN @ The Vogue
Nov 21 - Chicago, IL @ Vic Theatre
Nov 22 - Detroit, MI @ The Crofoot
Nov 23 - Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Theatre
Nov 25 - Montreal, QU @ Club Soda
Nov 26 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Trocadero
Nov 27 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
Nov 29 - Boston, MA @ House of Blues
Dec 1 - New York, NY @ Terminal 5

i hope i can snag a babysitter so i can see her at the music box!

buy tiger suit HERE.

in which you will want to get up and dance

so, today i'm offering up a song that's guaranteed to put a smile on your face. holy cow, is movie loves a screen fun. april smith & the great picture show are trumpets, ukuleles, sassy vocals, hand claps and bouncy beats (man, am i ever a sucker for songs with hand claps!). every time i listen to this song, i want to dance.



resistance is futile, peeps. who can hate a song with such sunny lyrics?

one means somebody's lonely
company means there are two
three means a crowd, and it's about to get loud
and four means more than a few

five means to take a quick little break
and get back to work when you're through
i just want to mean something to you

lightning means there'll be thunder
sun means the sky'll be blue
when the leaves are falling, it means that autumn is calling
and the summer days are through

snowflakes mean that it's winter
yeah, the birds'll tell you it's true
i just want to mean something to you

maybe what i mean to say
is that i think about you in the most romantic of ways
and i'm hoping you'll be open to discussing us and nothing in between

maybe what i mean is that i love you more than any other i've seen
if you couldn't tell well i hope you're quite keen on it
like a rhyme loves a sonnet
like a movie loves a screen
that's what i wanna mean to you

laughing means there is happiness
crying means somebody's blue
screaming implies someone's been telling lies
or an apology is overdue

a smile means things turned out alright
despite an oversight or two
i just want to mean something to you
i just want to mean something to you

i just want to mean something to you
i just want to mean something to you

(mp3) movie loves a screen by april smith & the great picture show (via beat surrender)


and the video:

in which i cave in and like a band, despite being told i would in the first place

so, silversun pickups is yet another band that the husband tried for a long time to get me to listen to. "you'll like them," he swore. "when have i ever led you astray when it comes to music?"


well, many times, but that's neither here nor there. (i kid, i kid! well, mostly, anyway)

i resisted but eventually caved and gave them a chance. and, he was right. i like the band more and more with each listen. for some reason, the vocals don't seem to match the music, at least to me, which makes them intriguing.

the royal we is another song off of my latest writing soundtrack. added bonus! it's got a bit of a halloween feel to it, doesn't it? all dark and moody. give it a listen:

we are ready for the siege
we are armed up to the teeth
be careful how you live and breathe
release what's brewing underneath
how many times do you want to die
how many ways do you want to die
to feel safe again look over your shoulder
very carefully look over your shoulder
we can laugh about it now
we hope everything works out
be careful how you lick your wounds
believe the change is coming soon
how many times do you want to die
how many ways do you want to die
to feel safe again look over your shoulder
very carefully look over your shoulder
you used to do a little but a little wont fly
and right before you hit your prime
that's when we fell in love but not the first time
can it please you still
renaming your father's will
or does it make you ill
let us bruise their knees
we will aim straight for the feed
and you'll be relieved
so relieved so relieved
turn on full desire
feel the sparks of the friendly fire
injuries inspire
your throat has been cut
several times before
never noticed the size of the flow
it can't be ignored
to feel safe again look over your shoulder
very carefully look over your shoulder
you said you believed it but believing wont fly
and right before you hit your prime
that's when we fell in love but not the first time
and when it's all over and you open your eyes
to see the room turned on it's side
you'll be lying by a note on the floor signed...
...the royal we
love, the royal we

(mp3) the royal we by the silversun pickups (via cause=time)

the official video:

in non-music related news...

so, i adore anthropologie. i covet just about everything in that store (ask the husband - he gets hives whenever i'm near one).

to celebrate her blogiversary, goldenmeans is hosting a giveaway for anthropolgie gift certificates - $200 for the winner, plus 2 $100 ones for the runners up. don't you just want one? i so do! check it out. :)

in which a little piece of shoegazing is found in a cheesy movie

so, i stumbled across this song recently while watching a low-budget british horror film entitled the reeds. being the music dorks we are, the husband and i immediately set off to find the song, which is much more memorable than the movie (truth be told, i only saw the beginning and end of the film, so i'm just assuming this fact).

"this song," the husband said, "makes me want to haul out my shoegazing collection."

boy, does it ever! talk about a nice bit of time machine music.

i don't know too much about sister, other than that they're british (no surprise there, though, right?). in my darkest hour is a great song, reminiscent of lush and my bloody valentine, with hints of catherine wheel and oasis. i can't vouch for the rest of sister's catalogue (which seems to be exceedingly difficult to track down other than in video), but i can guarantee in my darkest hour is worth a listen.



oh, the sunlight shimmering gold
one brighten up the soul
if the soul hides from the sun
then gold will never come

in my darkest hour
you can show me the light
you will it all
my blood and soul
but i don't' know why
in my darkest hour
you can show me the light

(mp3) in my darkest hour by sister

here's the official video:

in which a musician does something entirely different

so, the king of france's frontman, steve salett, has a new project in the works entitled the poison tree. the difference between the king of france and the poison tree? radical. the king of france is indie rock that has a bit of quirk to it. the poison tree is all singer-songwriter vibe.

john wray had the following to say about salett's new project:

This record, dearest listener, was a long time in the making. Since high school, if you take Steve's word for it. These are the songs, he says, that he'd have written and recorded when he was sixteen, if he'd had the chops and the experience and the nerve. He has all three now, more than his share, and these songs are the velvet evidence. They were written at home—mostly late at night, I'm guessing—then put through the collective filter of some of the best players in New York City, and recorded little by little, when time and money permitted, in all sorts of places, from the world-famous Sear Sound on 54th street to Steve’s own lovingly-made crackerjack studio in a basement under the Manhattan bridge. A lot of great bands happened to pass through that basement, and you can hear echoes here, if you listen closely enough; but it's to the cabal of singer-songwriters that Steve truly belongs, people like A.C. Newman and Paul Simon and Bill Callahan and Leonard Cohen. He's played with a lot of great talents since high school some of them have returned the favor here. He's been feted and raved about and jammed with and envied by musicians who play in stadiums these days. Steve's last project, The King of France, was courted by big swanky labels and fawned over by the likes of Spin and The New Yorker. But he himself never felt quite at home in that band, or even in his own skin, which is part of what makes him the artist and truth-teller that he is. Elegant—even seductive—as this record can be, there's a pain to these songs, a carefree kind of despair, and an honesty that can hurt to listen to. These are the songs a teenager would write, if that teenager happened to be a connoisseur of heartbreak. If that teenager could see into the future—see all the way, past the setbacks and the self-discovery and the sweetness and the terror—the result might sound something like The Poison Tree. If he was a very, very lucky boy, that is. There's no arrogance to be heard on this record, no defensiveness, no posturing of any kind at all. A grown man's hard-earned wisdom and skill went into making it, not to mention his love; but—as with everything true, on record or otherwise—hearing it can leave you as defenseless as a child.

--Berlin 10.9.10

come on come on is a bit of a tragic song - it's got regret tinged with a hint of hope. it talks of friendship, of redemption, and of frail humanity (apologies ahead of time for a couple of missing words):

come on, come on
let me see it through
there’s a light
we can break into
with no letter burned
bells to sound
but we need you now

still letting ‘em down
still letting ‘em down

come on, come on
if you only knew
when you fell
oh, we fell with you
and it’s easier
when you’re not bound
but we need you now

still letting ‘em down
still letting ‘em down

see my body
from the rafters down
i’m no loner
but i’m never xx
and it’s easier
and about about yourself
we’re just here
to help

the poison tree is set to debut in march of 2011. go HERE to listen to yet another song, never knew me. check out the beautiful album art:

(mp3) come on come on by the poison tree

wordless music post #5

(find this print on etsy HERE)

(mp3) moving clocks run slow by we were promised jetpacks (via radio free chicago)

video for a saturday - hotel

so, is it me, or does vimeo have vastly superior video quality than youtube? anyway, this song really feels like fall to me. i have no idea why.

and i love the wallpaper.

Smoke Fairies "Hotel" from Ewan Jones Morris on Vimeo.

find out more about the smoke fairies HERE.

in which love like a sunset part one is featured

so, while i should be finishing the FINAL final (and i say that term loosely, because i always find words to cut and things to change) edit on one of my books, i am distracted by yet again a shiny new story. i have been banging away, researching, writing it out, falling in deep smit with a number of characters and revelling in feeling creative. and yet, i also feel guiltyguiltyguilty because i know i ought to be querying CODENAME: AMOF (which, after seven rejections, i yanked and re-edited the crap out of, and rightfully so, because the version i'd sent out SUCKED oh-so-bad).

(video found thanks to the rejectionist)

the video? that's me attempting to rewrite, yet again, a query letter. it's crazy how writers can hammer out stories and then stall hopelessly and pathetically on a simple query letter. the truth is? i suck at summarzing CODENAME: AMOF. argh. i so want to hire someone to do it for me.

as for the new stuff - oh, to cheat on your stories. makes you feel guilty, like you're cheating on your significant other, only you're cheating on a whole bunch of people this time who really only exist in your head and on paper.

i tell myself it's because my brain needs a week or so off of editing. going through, word by word, is exhausting. cranking out new stuff is easy.

anyway! with the new stuff (CODENAME: MO) comes a new playlist, very dark this time around, to be listened to over and over as i hammer out the details. so today i share a song that has driven several scenes of major revelations and character developments, plus has the added bonus of being an ear worm of epic proportions. it accompanied lots of research on weapons and fighting styles, along with staring at list after list of archaic names until my eyes began to cross. whew. peeps, it's really so much easier to make up your own character names.

phoenix has created a trilogy of songs around love like a sunset, but the one i'm offering is volume one. it's dark and clever, with the promise of intrigue and choices.

(image found on esty HERE)

(mp3) love like a sunset by phoenix (via fix up)

in which dar williams releases a most excellent greatest hits album

so, a good number of years ago, in the aftermath of an extremely messy break-up, i stumbled across dar williams and her gorgeous songs. i was a bit of a cd making freak back then (yes, after mix-taps and before mp3 playlists) and spent a frightening amount of time in record stores and online, searching for meaningful music that would help steer me back to where i wanted to go. dar williams was one of the artists i gravitated towards, thanks to a plethora of beauty, vivid, strong lyrics, and songs i could relate to.

if you wrote me was one of those songs i clung to for awhile, sort of like a wubbie. not all of the lyrics fit (which makes the song still loved and listenable all these years later), but it was enough at the time for me to say: this song here, it speaks for me.

i never thought you were the letter writing type
so now i see the words you chose, the way you write
so i started to write back about the trees in the snow
and i saw a bird, couldn't say what it was; but i thought you'd know
you always surprised me

and if i wrote you
if i wrote you
you would know me
and you would not write me again

and when the spring came and flooded all the streams
it's like how you got the night you told me all you dreams
and when the barn roof sagged after an icy bout
it's like how you shrugged when you knew the truth was the only way out

but not the only way
oh, no

and if i wrote you
if i wrote you
you would know me
and you would not write me again

we drew our arms around the bastard sons
we never would drink to the chosen ones
well you know the way i left was not the way i planned
but i thought the world needed love and a steady hand
so i'm steady now, yeah

and i'm so happy
i had to tell you
and i love you
and you will not write me again

williams released this week a two-disc, greatest hits set: many great companions. one disc is a catalogue of her best work, if i wrote you, included. the second disc is a number of songs altered and paired with guest musicians, including the delightful mary chapin carpenter (who i have many fuzzy, warm feelings for as a friend of mine and i in college listened to one of her cds until we knew every single word), patty larkin, gary louris (of the jayhawks) sara & sean watkins (of nickle creek), and the motherload trio. it's hard to top her regular catalogue, but williams brings it in her revisions, adding additional guitars and vocals to enhance, rather than detract, from her songs' beauty. both albums are swoon-worthy, meant for reflection and peace rather than white noise.

here is a duet between williams and louris, singing if i wrote you:

(mp3) if i wrote you by dar williams & gary louris

and an acoustic version of as cool as i am, also with louris:

(mp3) as cool as i am by dar williams & gary louris

dar williams will be touring, if you want to catch her:

Oct 15 – New York, NY – Residency @ City Winery
Oct 16 – New York, NY – Residency @ City Winery
Oct 26 – Evanston, IL - SPACE
Oct 27 – Madison, WI - Barrymore Theatre
Oct 29 – Minneapolis, MN – Residency @ Dowling Studio in Guthrie Theatre
Oct 30 – Minneapolis, MN – Residency @ Dowling Studio in Guthrie Theatre
Nov 5 – Portsmouth, NH – South Church
Nov 6 – White River Junction, VT – Tupelo Music Hall
Nov 14 – Seattle, WA – Residency @ Triple Door
Nov 15 – Seattle, WA – Residency @ Triple Door
Nov 18 – Arcata, CA – The Jambalaya
Nov 19 – Crystal Bay, NV – The Crystal Bay Club
Nov 20 – Livermore, CA – Livermore Valley Performing Arts
Nov 21 – Los Angeles, CA – Residency @ Hotel Café
Nov 22 – Los Angeles, CA – Residency @ Hotel Café

i sure hope i can make it to hotel café to see her!

buy many great companions on itunes HERE

additionally, williams will be doing a live chat on friday, october 15 at 12:30 EST. if you want to ask her anything, come back to this post and watch it here!

darwilliams on livestream.com. Broadcast Live Free

in which it's not really kid-parent music, but could be, if you so choose

so, when i first heard this song, i sort of did a double take. is it kid-parent music? you know - the kind indie bands make to ensure parents don't rip hair or gouge eyes out when humoring their kids by playing child friendly (i'm looking at you, laurie berkner) songs. i like this kind of music - well, i prefer just letting my boys listen to regular music (since they like it, too), but if i have to listen to kid music, i'll go for the kid-parent kind.

(back to the song) i was like, whoa - pretty cool that fujiya & miyagi are doing this! because if you casually listen to the lyrics, they get into the whole "leg bone connected to the hip bone, hip bone connected to the..." well, you know what i mean. but of course, this is not kid-parent music, unless you want it to be (and i do, because they already like this one). i will conveniently ignore what's really being said here when my kids inevitably ask what it's about.

here are the lyrics so you can see how i initially made my mistake:

first time her collarbone tripped over my shoelaces
over my shoelaces, yeah, over my shoelaces

got to get a new pair of shoes
to kick it with her, not kick it with you

second time her collarbone tripped over my shoelaces
yeah, 100 meter races, yeah, 100 metered race

got to get a new pair of shoes
to kick it with her, not kick it with you
(sock it to me)
got to get a new pair of shoes
to kick it with her, not kick it with you

what she gonna do with a fool like you?
what she gonna
what she gonna do with a fool like you?
what she gonna

sock it to me, ah!

toe bone connected to the ankle bone
ankle bone connected to the shin bone
shin bone connected to the knee bone
knee bone connected to the thigh bone
thigh bone connected to the hip bone
hip bone connected to the back bone
back bone connected to the collarbone
collarbone connected to the neck bone
neck bone connected to the head bone
head bone connected to the neck bone
neck bone connected to the collarbone
collarbone connected to the back bone
back bone connected to the hip bone
hip bone connected to the thigh bone
thigh bone connected to the knee bone
knee bone connected to the shin bone
shin bone connected to the knee bone
ankle bone connected to the shin bone
toe bone connected to the ankle bone
ankle bone connected to the shin bone
shin bone connected to the knee bone
knee bone connected to the thigh bone
thigh bone connected to the hip bone
hip bone connected to the back bone
back bone connected to the collarbone

got to get a new pair of shoes
to kick it with her, not kick it with you
(sock it to me, ah)

what she gonna do with a fool like you?
what she gonna
what she gonna do with a fool like you?
what she gonna

sock it to me, ah!

uh, sock it to me, ah

totally addictive song. give fujiya & miyagi a try - they've got some pretty great beats.

(mp3) collarbone by fujiya & miyagi (via listen before you buy)

in which an author creates and gives away a song made just for a book

so, something that i love about author websites and blogs is how they'll often post songs that influence their works or are pivotal to scenes. i write to music (god forbid there's silence - so weird, i just can't write like that! conversely, i have trouble reading with music. yes, i'm that contradictory).

so, when i went to check out kelly creagh's website after reading the very intriguing edgar allan poe influenced YA novel nevermore (thanks to a recommendation by very trusty book smugglers), i was delighted to find that a song actually mentioned in the book was available for download! as far as i can tell, the band, cemetery sighs, is actually a front for the author and co. the song, emily not, not gone, is based upon poe's work, naturally, and hints at what happens in the book.

this, friends, was a pretty cool thing for an author to do. made me all sorts of jealous and wanting to steal the idea when and if any of mine actually get published (not that i've actually written any music myself for a single one of my books, though).

for those of you wondering about the book, nevermore was good - creagh has a great writing style, intriguing bit of world building, clever tie into poe's works, and a killer cliff-hanger that makes me want to demand the sequel ASAP. i liked how the female lead, isobel, was a cheerleader and yet not a bitch (although there was some stereotyping going on with the football players) and the male lead, varen (which, i admit, i giggled at the name) - a snarly goth - had more to him than you initially think.

here's the song - since it's varen's favorite band in the book, it's safe to say it's dark, haunting, and ethereal. i can't talk much more about it, though, without giving away too much of the story!

(mp3) emily not, not gone by cemetery sighs (via kelly creagh)

in which mt. desolation is born

so, a couple members of keane have put together a side project entitled mt. desolation with a little help from fellow musicians from mumford & sons, the killers and noah and the whale. together, they've created a great alt-country sound that's smooth and easy going on the ears.

their debut album, self-entitled, will be available on october 18th. a few highlights off of a very solid album:

* annie ford - a wistful story recalling the evolution of an ill-fated relationship
* bitter pill - more indie than alt-country, this song pulls you in with its stubborn feelings of resentment.
* coming home - gorgeous piano and chimes highlight poem-like lyrics and guest vocals from jessica staveley-taylor. swoon!

have a listen to the excellent bitter pill:

Mt Desolation - Bitter Pill by Interscope Records

and watch departure:

want to see them? here are their upcoming dates:

10/18 Los Angeles @ Palladium *
10/20 San Francisco @ Warfield *
10/22 Portland @ Crystal Ballroom *
10/23 Vancouver @ Vogue Theatre *
10/24 Seattle @ Moore Theatre *
10/27 NYC @ Mercury Lounge
10/28 Toronto @ The Drake
10/29 Detroit @ Pike Room
10/30 Chicago @ Schubas

* touring w/Mumford & Sons

pre-order Mt. Desolation HERE.

wordless music post #4

(find this print on etsy HERE)

(mp3) i won't be found by the tallest man on earth

video for a saturday - when you sleep

so, this is a cover of a my bloody valentine song. the original? good. this one, too. i love the offkey piano:

In My Room: Memoryhouse "When You Sleep" from Yours Truly on Vimeo.

in which a poem surfaces decades after it was first worked on

so, forgive the lack of posting this week. a cold hit my house like a hurricane, and we have all been struggling to find dry land.

i was intrigued when i found out yesterday that drafts of ted hughes' much-revised and altered poem about his wife, sylvia plath's, suicide, entitled "last letter." i am a bit of a closet poetry junkie who, once upon a time, used to scribble my own on pretty much every little scrap of paper i could get my hands on. and honestly - are there any teen girls who didn't indulge in plath poems? anyway, rocked by his wife's death in 1963, hughes didn't talk about it until shortly before his own death in 1998. these have only come to light recently.

so, so sad and brilliant with its word use (can you say you're surprised, though? he was a poet laureate after all). a few snippets (via the washington post and the la times):

What did happen that Sunday night?
Your last night? Over what I remember of it
Double-exposed to my last sight of you
Burning your farewell letter to me
As if you had not meant it
Yet with that strange smile. As if you had meant
Something different
Had it reached me sooner than you planned?
Had you thought out a plan?

* * *

... If it had reached me
Saturday morning as it should have - by then
You would have vanished from me. You would have vanished
From behind those simple loving words
Of your farewell note...

* * *

What happened that night, inside your ... (unlegible)
Is as unknown as if it never happened.
What accumulation of your whole life,
Like effort unconscious, like birth
Pushing through each slow second into the next
Happened only as if it could not happen
As if it was not happening.

* * *

And I had started to write when the telephone
Jerked awake, in a jabbering alarm,
Remembering everything. It recovered in my hand.
Then a voice like a selected weapon
Or a measured injection,
Coolly delivered its four words
Deep into my ear: "Your wife is dead."

the imagery in that last stanza is beyond powerful.

when i read these, i was instantly reminded of a song i've adored for a number of years now. family affair, by abra moore, is so bittersweetly heart wrenching. it's quiet, simple, and powerful.

i sleep all day - what makes me feel this way?
when everything's a bust, when everything keeps loosing my trust.
where do we begin with this unhappy ending?
where do we begin after all that we've done?
how do we begin to say "i forgive you?"
and how do we begin to repair this family affair?
i think about the never ending way that my day never seems to want to end
i think about the loneliness of loosing a friend.
don't take it away from me
don't take away the one love that matters.
and i'll get well, you'll see.
you're all i have, you're my family.
is there ever enough love, ever enough?
where do we begin picking up the pieces?
where do we begin after all that's been said?
and how do we begin to say, "i still love you?"
and how do we begin to repair this family affair?
don't take it away from me
don't take away the one love that matters.
and we'll get well, you'll see
we're all we have, we're family, family.
where do we begin?

(mp3) family affair by abra moore

hodgepodge saturday: quotes, movie and song

so, banned books week is coming to a close - but let's ignore the end date and continue to strive towards tolerance and acceptance in all our lives every single day! do not allow intolerance of any kind to breed!

(photo snatched from the best friend's awesome blog)

up for consideration today are a hodgepodge of delights: quotes from people far more eloquent than i on censorship and book banning, an amazing short on the life of an underappreciated book, and a song to feed your soul.

"All these people talk so eloquently about getting back to good old-fashioned values. Well, as an old poop I can remember back to when we had those old-fashioned values, and I say let's get back to the good old-fashioned First Amendment of the good old-fashioned Constitution of the United States -- and to hell with the censors! Give me knowledge or give me death!"
-- Kurt Vonnegut, author

"All censorships exist to prevent anyone from challenging current conceptions and existing institutions. All progress is initiated by challenging current conceptions, and executed by supplanting existing institutions. Consequently the first condition of progress is the removal of censorship."
--George Bernard Shaw, Preface to Mrs. Warren's Profession

"Speaking personally, you can have my gun, but you'll take my book when you pry my cold, dead fingers off of the binding."
--Stephen King

"We are not afraid to entrust the American people with unpleasant facts, foreign ideas, alien philosophies, and competitive values. For a nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people."
-- John F. Kennedy. Remarks made on the 20th anniversary of the Voice of America at H.E.W. Auditorium, February 26, 1962

"Before the week is out, be a patriot: Encourage a child to fall in love with a book. Apply for a library card. And accept the ALA's invitation to Let Freedom Read."
--Linda Campbell, Star-Telegram Staff Writer, "Here's a novel thought: Don't restrict books"

"I don't want to be shut out from the truth. If they ban books, they might as well lock us away from the world."
--Rory Edwards, 12, Washington Post, Getting It Down at Writing Camp

The Diary of a Disappointed Book from Studiocanoe on Vimeo.

finally, here's a song for your saturday morning. the husband and i saw the counting crows last night at the ford amphitheatre, expecting to hear just a few songs (to go along with a movie screening) and instead was treated with an awesome full show in an intimate, gorgeous venue. recovering the satellites was so amazing live!

gonna get back to basics
guess i'll start it up again
i'm fallin' from the ceiling
you're falling from the sky now and then
maybe you were shot down in pieces
maybe i slipped in between
but we were gonna be the wildest people they ever hoped to see
just you and me
so why'd you come home to this sleepless town
it's a lifetime commitment
recovering the satellites
all anybody really wants to know is...
when you gonna come down
your mother recognizes all you're desperate displays
and she watches as her babies drift violently away
'til they see themselves in telescopes
do you see yourself in me?
we're such crazy babies, little monkey
we're so fucked up, you and me
so why'd you come home to this faithless town
where we make a lifetime commitment
to recovering the satellites
and all anybody really wants to know is...
when are you gonna come down
she sees shooting stars and comet tails
she's got heaven in her eyes
she says i don't need to be an angel
but i'm nothing if i'm not this high
but we only stay in orbit
for a moment of time
and then you're everybody's satellite
i wish that you were mine
so why'd you come home to this angel town
it's a lifetime decision
recovering the satellites
everybody really knows for sure...
that you're gonna come down
that you're gonna come down

(mp3) recovering the satellites by counting crows

in which a song connects with a memory it has nothing to do with

so, for some bizarre reason, listening to this song reminds me of the time i used to work at a museum in ashland, oregon - even though i didn't discover the song until years later.

isn't it weird how music can do that? sometimes even tie to unrelated memories until they become synonymous with one another?



ocean stone is a gorgeous song - haunting, lovely and wistful all at the same time. chris o'brien has a knack for meaningful lyrics that stick with you long after the song ends, particularly the chorus in this one. i love the imagery - "i am smoothing like an ocean stone."


don't we all feel that way at times?

when my baby comes home
she’s got roses in her hair
and the weight
of the world
in her hands

her fingers they are light
over ivory so white
it’s the music
sets her soul to dance

so i will play my drum so hard
i will open up the sky
and let heaven on down to her
i'm breaking like the waves
i’m dragging like the days
i am smoothing
like an ocean stone

my baby is an angel
just lying in my bed
i’m watching her sleeping there
her shoulders rise and fall
the world, it seems small
the notes flow through
her hair

when this world has left me
jaded and confused
i’ve been burnt and i’ve been bruised
my love speaks softly to me
love is holding on
to that little piece of truth