wordless music post #42

find/buy this painting at etsy HERE

(m4a) island by market

video for a saturday - hello

so, what a cover! is it wrong that i sort of like it better? (sorry, lionel!) and honestly, how cool are the black cab sessions? i'd love to be in the cab with these guys playing...

Lissie from Black Cab Sessions on Vimeo.

learn more about lissie HERE.

flashback friday - faith of a child

so, the first time i saw tori amos in concert (this was...wow...maybe '93? '94?), her opening act was this fabulous native american singer-songwriter named bill miller. i remember the entire concert hall being dead silent during his set - all of us were in awe with just how powerful and beautiful his music was. i, of course, went out and bought his cd within a day of the show because i just had to have his music for my collection.



for those of you who have no idea who i'm talking about, i am happy to introduce you to his music. miller, a mohican whose traditional name is fush-ya heay aka (translation: bird song), is both a multi-grammy award winning musician and master of the native american flute as well as a painter whose work is featured in the smithsonian's national museum of the american indian. he's not only toured with amos but also eddie vedder and arlo guthrie and collaborated with nanci griffith and kim carnes. his music, like his art, pays homage to his native american heritage. arlo guthrie said, "...Bill reminds me of what our singers and writers are all about, singing what cannot be spoken, echoing what cannot be heard, with compelling authenticity."

my favorite of miller's, by far, has to be faith of a child. it is easily one of the biggest tearjerker songs i've ever heard. even now, upon the nth time hearing it, i can't help but get teary while listening. and this is the true power and art of miller's music - he connects with his listeners in just such a way that you can relate immediately to what he's telling you. he is the epitome of an excellent storyteller.

have a listen to anita's tale and try to tell me that you are unmoved...

a child will walk, a child will run
a child with faith, faith will fly

anita hasn't walked right since she was small
her legs are short and twisted not straight and tall
she learned when she was young how to deal with the rejection
cast into a world with all it standards of perfection

most people looked away with a downward glance
and as a beautiful young woman, she was never asked to dance
her dreams were just as lofty as the girl next door
and she remember what her father said when she couldn't take no more

he said:
"someday, you're going to soar like a eagle,
you will run and never grow tired
you'll become a new creation
if you just keep the faith of a child,
keep the faith of a child."

now anita lives alone in a paper mill town
in a one room apartment at sixth and brown
she's got a steady job well its all right for now
she has plans for moving on if she can make it some how

her brown hands are folded as she bows her head to pray
over doughnuts and some coffee she made up yesterday
her mind begins to travel, she gives thanks to the lord
and a angel stands beside her, points out to the door

and said:
"today you going to soar like a eagle,
you will run and never grow tired.
you've become a new creation,
for you have kept the faith of a child -
kept the faith of a child, kept the faith of a child."

(m4a) faith of a child by bill miller

here is miller performing reservation road, another of his songs that i really like:



buy the red road, the album faith of a child is off of, HERE.

interview: ingrid gatin

so, canadian singer-songwriter ingrid gatin has a very interesting bluesy-french sound to her music. she plays the accordion (a highly maligned and much under-appreciated instrument, in this opinion), so that right there gives her music a delicious parisian feel. but rather than sounding like a chanteuse, gatin comes off more like a blues singer with her sultry voice and melodic rhythms.



she's about to release an six song EP - time will change us. it is, for the most part, exactly as i described above - a fascinating blend of french accordion and the blues. and, frankly, it's the accordion that makes the whole thing so alluring. just why aren't more people playing/liking the accordion? i just don't get it - i mean, it's so fascinating. and ingrid gatin uses that fully to her advantage, creating songs that, despite popular opinion about accordions being cheesy, are intriguing and beautiful (as exemplified by climb, climb, climb off of the EP - swoon, peeps. just - SWOON).

ingrid was kind enough recently to answer some questions for me about her music, influences, and what's up next for her:

have you met heather: you've got a very bluesy sound to your music. what are your influences?

ingrid gatin: Cocorosie, Sufjan Stevens, Antony and the Johnsons, Beirut, Arcade Fire, and yes, the blues: Billie Holiday, Etta James, Nina Simone, and sometimes Bonnie Raitt. Not to mention Sam Cooke, Al Green, Hindi Zahra, A Hawk and a Hacksaw. I love it all basically.

hymh: what is your writing process like? are your songs culled from life experiences or are they found in other inspirations?

ingrid: My songs definitely come straight from my life, straight from my heart. They are not always about me, but about something that affects me deeply. I often try to write from vantage points that show a deeper meaning or a broader vantage point, but generally, I just write what comes out.

hymh: you've just spent time touring eastern canada. how do you like performing live on the road?

ingrid: I love touring. Basically, I would like to spend all my time travelling and performing, and the [Canadian] East Coast is amazing. It is what makes my life work best.

hymh: time will change us, your new EP, will be released in early august. what's the story behind this work?

ingrid: This is an EP or a "mini-album" that we chose to release as the first volume to a two volume set. It's more rewarding in many ways to spread out the time and the work of a full album, and when we have the double album, there will be a ton of songs and a lot of thought and dedication worked in.

hymh: what's up next for you?

ingrid: After just having played the Winnipeg Folk Festival, we are playing the smaller Brandon Folk Festival this weekend. Then Ingrid Gatin (as in Ingrid Gatin on accordion/keyboards/vocals, Natalie Bohrn on Upright Bass/vocals, Matthew Tomlinson on drums/vocals, and Julia Watson on violin) will be touring Western Canada, with Matthew Tomlinson as the opening act, playing music shows and festivals and promoting the new release!

thanks, ingrid!

check out slow dancing - which is the bluesiest piece on the EP (and sorry, friends, the least accordion friendly):

(mp3) slow dancing by ingrid gatin

this song, how did i get so, isn't on the EP, but it just had to be shared:



time will change us will be released on august 4th. go HERE to learn more about ingrid gatin.

tell me a tale - michael kiwanuka

so, here's the thing you need to be aware of before you listen to michael kiwanuka - he's got a voice. like, a real voice. know what i mean? it's not one of those voices that are pumped up and distorted to make it sound like a voice so that when you hear it live, you shudder and think, OMG, IS THIS FOR REAL? when the answer, of course, is no...it's the product of music studio magic. no, friends, michael kiwanuka's voice is the real deal, and its just the sort of real deal that it very well could come from times long past (i'm thinking the 60's, but not the love-in 60's, the soulful ones that might even show up in a pink panther movie). and his music, which is just as delightful considering how they hearken back to days gone by, is so fabulously retro in a way that you can help but want to clap and squee. just a little bit.



once you listen to tell me a tale, you're going to have to agree with me:

Michael Kiwanuka - Tell Me A Tale by Stayloose

check out the official video:



and here's an acoustic version of i'm getting ready. so, so sweet. so lovely:



i'm getting ready, michael's debut EP, will be released on september 18th through communion records.

album review: orchard by jess hill

so, let me introduce you to the delightful music of canadian singer-songwriter jess hill today. she's got this low, husky voice (which, alternately, can be high and sweet at other times) that's a bit mesmorizing against her intricately constructed songs - which are, all by themselves, like tiny paintings transformed into sounds.



hailing from vancouver, jess hill isn't the girl you'd go to when you're looking for mindless pop. no - hill, instead, carefully crafts songs that have depth and miles, ones that sometimes even make you work past the beauty to find the emotions lurking within. orchard, her second album (which was released in march), is, in fact, just such a collection of songs. fueled by what appears to be heartache, and, indeed, heartbreak, the album acts somewhat like a diary, giving glimpses into the emotions and mindset of a person and a situation that can't help but evoke a feeling of guilt - guilt in that you know these private things, guilt that you find them utterly compelling and beautiful when they really are painful. but that's also part of the true allure of music - it can be so utterly personal and at the same time, so truly universal. and jess hill seems to have a very firm grasp on the ability to do that, and do it well.

some highlights off of orchard:

* precariously - with just a twinge of bluesy country, this song reminds me of a jellyfish. beautiful, even ethreal at times, and yet utterly stinging. oh, you've been a long time coming/i've been a long time gone

* apple tree - haunting with its echo-y vocals, you can practically feel the yearning and desperation pouring off the words. all things bright will fade/and I'll be there to blame/all through the grey/all of our darkening days/won't bother me/so long as you'll be my apple tree

* one crow calling - practically sunny compared to other songs on the album, if not a bit italian in nature for the tiniest moment, this is actually quite a depressing song. i love how hill can do that with her music: blue eyes crying/a hard rain falling/on the dark heart in my hands/when all hope is gone/i'll linger on

* open letter to my heart - quiet inasmuch as it is deperate, this letter rings so true for anyone who has suffered disappointment and loss. but when the bare bulb shines/know that's my love/and come take my love from me

* and then there's common bird - delicate as it is strong, this song builds and swells with plucky guitars, lovely violins and mournful cellos (it's like a stringed instrument lover's dream). looking at finding the strength to say goodbye, common bird is truly beautiful.

at the end of a year
at the end of some tears
it appears, we've only known
one memorable hello
there in the street
numbered days at our feet
a man putting coins in your hand
we hover and pass
and later at last
i put a small kiss on your cheek
but i'm not even fooling me
with all of this vague secrecy

a common bird sings
for the dawn as it brings
new light to the love she has known
blossoms, they bloom
grow and push through
the soft parts of the ground
one memorable hello
kiss my cheek, but then go
i'm not even fooling me
with all of this vague secrecy
i'm not even fooling me
with all of this vague secrecy

(mp3) common bird by jess hill

check out the video for common bird:

Jess Hill Common Bird from Graeme Morgan on Vimeo.

buy orchard HERE. as a bonus, jess hill also has another album available on her bandcamp site for free! it's called road - go HERE to download it.

ny (by the hand) - light for fire

so, as anyone knows, heartbreak may be a horrible thing to personally go through, but it's excellent foddor for songwriters. such is the case for j. nicholas allard, the lead singer of light for fire. reeling from a relationship gone kaput and on a plane back to portland, allard began crafting the songs that would eventually make up an album named after his new band.



as you can guess, ny (by the hand) is title of the song inspired by that plane ride (allard had been spending the summer in brooklyn). a bit sad and a bit frenetic at the same time, ny (by the hand) is, at its core, perversely honest. it kicks off with a strong drum beat and segues to piano and rock-guitar lines later on, making it feel just a bit schizophrenic, which is what a bad break up tends to feel like anyway. check it out below:

(mp3) ny (by the hand) by light for fire

by the eponymous album ny (by the hand) is off of HERE.

wordless music post #41

find/buy this print at etsy HERE.

(mp3) drive (peel session) by aberdeen

video for a saturday - black tambourine

so, i just wanna say, i love me some beck. and this song? yup. pretty darn awesome.



buy guero, the album black tambourine is off of, HERE.

flashback friday - this is the sea

so, i grew up by the beach, which means, inevitably, i have a thing about the ocean. i spent most of my childhood summers at the beach and many spring breaks camping at another beach. i surfed (or at least, tried to - i would never be so naive to claim i was ever any good at it) and boogieboarded. so, when i listen to the waterboys' excellent this is the sea, it takes me back to my childhood is so many good ways.

formed in 1983 and hailing mainly from scotland (with irish and english members as well), the waterboys tend to have an interesting yet fairly timeless mix of rock and celtic folk to their songs. they've put out nine studio albums (with a tenth due this september) as well as numerous compilations and solo albums (especially from singer mike scott).



and as good as their songs tend to be, my favorite is, without any competition, is this is the sea. anchored by a guitar which simulates the pull of waves and sent adrift with lovely lyrics, the song is almost spiritual sounding. chills, friends. chills are what i get whenever i hear this one.

these things you keep
you better throw the away
you wanna turn your back
on your soulless days
once you were tethered
an' now you are free
once you were tethered
an' now you are free
that was the river
this is the sea

and now, if you're feelin' weary
if you been alone too long
or maybe you been sufferin' from
a few too many
plans that have gone wrong
and you're tryin' to remember
how fine your life used to be
runnin' around banging your drum
like it's 1973
well that was the river
this is the sea

and now you say you got trouble
you say you got pain
you say you got nothin' left to believe in
nothin' to hold onto
nothin' but chains
you been scourin' your conscience
and rakin' through your memory
scourin' your conscience
rakin' through your memory
but that was the river
this is the sea, yeah

now i can see you wavering
as you try to decide
you got a war in your head
and it's tearin' you up inside
you're tryin' to make sense
of something that you just don't see
tryin' to make sense now
and you know that you once held the key
but that was the river
this is the sea
yeah, yeah, yeah

now i hear there's a train
it's comin' down the line
it's yours if you hurry
you got still enough time
and you don't need no ticket
and you don't pay no fee
naw, you don't need no ticket
and you don't pay no fee
because that was the river
and this is the sea
that was the river
this is the sea
behold the sea

(mp3) this is the sea by the waterboys

not an official video, but so very fitting, especially since the song was featured in the excellent surfing documentary riding giants (which you really ought to watch, because i'm not joking about its excellence; besides, it's about surfing, peeps. and if you don't like surfing, well...i can't help you):



buy this is the sea by the waterboys HERE.

ch-ch-changes!

so, sorry about the lack of a new music post today, but as you can probably tell, the website is undergoing a few changes and will continue to do so over the next few months, at least visually. in case you're curious, this doesn't mean i'm going to stop blogging about music (like i could do that. yeesh) - just that i'm slowly incorporating my writing and works into this site. it'll be like a music/book sandwich: good tunes with stuff to read.

cheers!

in which amy seeley's new single is fabulous

so, it's safe to say i'm a bit of a fangirl when it comes to amy seeley's music. she's super talented singer-songwriter who, for some bizarro reason, isn't already adored en mass by the entire nation. her tunes are now on pandora, though, so hopefully she'll start getting some great notice.

just this last week, amy posted about a new song of hers - and it's good. i mean, really good. highlights of owls has, like all of her other songs, a piano based melody that is truly beautiful. it's also got a bit of a beat to it and a rather catchy chorus that takes flight and soars to new heights against the rest of the song.



best of all, friends, highlights of owls is f r e e. listen to/download it from the bandcamp link widget below:

why'd you make me like this
came from the owl's mouth
eyes and heart set on heavier sites

the sky gave its answer
assured and steady
what to make of the things you're not

near-sighted fault or far-sighted find
no ordinary call
binoculars for eyes

the unsuspecting parts make a perfect whole
count one at a time, the owl's highlights

all your own

wings, soft like a heartbeat
beak made to feel
oh feeler, find



go HERE to read my interview with amy seeley. then go HERE to buy her latest LP, plum coulee.

in which chamberlin sings of fools

so, when i listen to chamberlin, a five-piece band from vermont, i instantly think of 70's rock. not the folky kind, but real 70's rock ala the eagles. see, chamberlin doesn't sing flashy songs that rely on lots of soundboarding, cheesy, other-worldly sounding synths (ok, these are in one song, but i give it a pass), and drum machines. instead, you get what you hear - guitars, slightly whiskey-tinged vocals, and the feeling that these musicians like what they do. it's the sort of music that you'd listen to while kicking back with your friends, sharing drinks and stories.



the opening song off their debut album, fools, is a bitter look at love gone wrong. filled with those 70's guitars, echo-y vocals, and a rather caustic sounding chorus, fools leads you through the highs and lows of figuring out too late that you've been made a fool of in a relationship.

can't sleep
thoughts that hang around
saw you walking down
all alone
two souls painted black
i tried to not look back
but my heart was already on the floor
swept now by pain through every pore

(mp3) fools by chamberlin

here's a video for their song the right guide:

naked musicians - Chamberlin from Matt Day on Vimeo.

check out chamberlin in concert

8.02 - Songs @ Mirror Lake - Lake Placid, NY
8.12 - Stanhope House - Stanhope, NJ
8.13 - Grace Potter's Grand Point North Fest - Burlington, VT ***
8.19 - River Roots Live - Davenport, IA
8.23 - Bottleneck - Lawrence, KS %
8.25 - Bluebird - Denver, CO %
8.27 - The State Room - Salt Lake City, UT %
8.29 - Saint Rocke - Hermosa Beach, CA %
8.30 - Soho - Santa Barbara, CA %
8.31 - The Independent - San Francisco, CA %
9.02 - Mississippi Studios - Portland, OR %
9.07 - Varsity Theatre - Minneapolis, MN %
9.08 - Majestic Theatre - Madison, WI %
9.11 - The Ark - Ann Arbor, MI %
9.13 - House of Blues Cambridge Room - Cleveland, OH %
9.14 - Tralf Music Hall - Buffalo, NY %
9.15 - Water Street Music Hall - Rochester, NY %
9.22 - 09.24 - Mid Point Music Festival - Cincinnati, OH #

*** = w/ Grace Potter, Fritz and the Tantrums & more
% = w/ Carbon Leaf
# = w/ Deerhoof, Cut Copy, Washed Out, Low Anthems & more

buy bitter blood, the album fools is off of, HERE. be sure to check out the lovely never die alone.

album review: sky of dresses

so, i've recently had a listen to musikanto's upcoming album sky of dresses. and i've got to say, it's an extremely likable, warm album that skips across multiple musical genres effortlessly.



chicago based, musikanto sounds a bit like a more folky ryan adams with a dash of van morrison thrown in. his songs all have honey-like guitars and plain yet evocative lyrics, making them feel a bit like old friends rather than new discoveries. best of all, he uses instruments that are often looked over nowadays, such as an accordion, harmonica, horns or cymbals - but never in a cheesy way. each addition brings to its respective song(s) a new facet of personality that helps it stand out from a lot of folk based music being produced today.

some highlights off of the album:

* blues for momma - a sad song, truly, about the fear and angst that comes with the possibility of losing a parent. simple in that its just an acoustic guitar and a heartfelt voice, it's quite lovely. japanese redbird on my windowsill/cut out of paper but it still seems real

* byzantine - anchored by a strong piano melody, this song has a bit of an infectious quality to it, especially in the chorus. you gotta say how you feel/i don't hold that against you, girl/i had my words sewn up tight/not to let you down/but you know that i did

* false wind - orchestral in the beginning but transitioning into a bluesy ballad, and then back to an intriguing mixture of both the jazzy piano and orchestral strings together like strange bedfellows, this song is akin to a poem realized. there's a gravedigger by the side of the road/and he holds your soul for a moment, don't you know/where the rows of villas/and the kings river sighed/there's a false wind that will blow you home

* my heart won't bleed anymore - reminiscent in many ways of a ryan adams song, this one treads the line between so many genres. there's country, americana, the blues, and even standard folk ballads to combine to create a multifaceted gem. lovely guitar lines with an interesting use of cymbals. she smiles when she's angry/and i do the same thing, too/'cause she doesn't want anyone to see her crying in my car/and i don't, too

* every which way - the single off of sky of dresses, this song has a twinge of sadness lingering underneath its accordion and honky-tonk accompaniments.

where do you sleep my darling?
where do you rest your head?
i'm 40 miles from anywhere
and my heart is on threads
i want your love right in front of me
i want it every which way
i need not know where you come from, my darling
just that you want to stay
just that you want to stay

oh, momma
i need to come undone and rest my soul
oh, momma
come and meet me in this cold

through the muddiest of phone lines
and the buzz upstairs
you can hear a hurricane coming
but i'm not scared
i mother all my obsessions
when i can't get a break
but your eyes are like diamonds
make that hurricane shake
make that hurricane shake

oh, momma
i need to come undone and rest my soul
and oh, momma
come and meet me in this cold

every breeze i feel a silver right(?)
but this shell-shocked body to find love
my heart is flooded like a river in a mine
and i'm
yeah, i'm waiting on your side

i want your love right in front of me
i want it every which way
i need not know where you come from, my darling
just that you want to stay
just that you want to stay
(mp3) every which way by musikanto

check out the video for every which way:



sky of dresses will be released on august 2nd via grape juice records. go HERE to learn more about it.

wordless music post #40

find/buy this print at etsy HERE.

(mp3) long grass by her name is calla

video for a saturday - i feel it all

learn more about feist HERE.

in which noah and the whale's life is life is remixed

so, summer is the time for partying, no? today's song, a yuksek remix of a noah and the whale song, is perfect for just that. put it on with your friends and dance yourself happy!



(mp3) life is life (yuksek remix) by noah and the whale

well he used to be somebody
and now he's someone else
took apart his old life
left it on the shelf
sick of being someone
he did not admire
took up all his old things
set em all on fire

he's gonna change
gonna change his ways
gonna change
gonna change his ways

and it feels like his new life can start
and it feels like heaven

left his house at midnight
resolute and young
in search of something greater
than the person he'd become
threw his bags on to the back
of his run down eighties car
headed out to god knows where
the distance is too far

he's gonna change
gonna change his ways
gonna change
gonna change his ways

and it feels like his new life can start
and it feels like heaven
and it feels like his new life can start
and it feels like heaven

(your life is your life - gotta live like it's your life)

and it feels like his new life can start
and it feels like heaven
and it feels like his new life can start
and it feels like heaven

and, here's the video for the original band version. tre different, no? but that's the fun of remixes!:



buy the original version of life is life, plus other songs by noah and the whale, HERE.

in which beirut's goshen is sublime

so, i so, so want to share with you a lovely song today, one that's been stuck in my head like crazy lately. the only problem is...the song is off an album not yet out and all soundclouds and links have disappeared within days of posting.

so, i suppose i'll have to make do with a video for you. because, friends, you HAVE to hear this song.

goshen, by beirut, is sublime. no, really. i honestly think that's one of the best words i could use to describe it. it starts with a piano (hel-LO, i love me a good piano song) and zach condon's plaintive vocals. building, it swells to a choral chorus before the drums and horns kick in. and friends, when the drums kick in, get ready to get goosebumps.



you're on in five, it's time you rise or fail.
they've gone before, stood by your door all day.
for what it's worth, defend your kind from shame.
the lights are down, go on inside, they've paid.
you're the face in stone, through the land i own.
you never found it home.
you're not the girl i used to know.

what would you hide from such a glow
if i had only told you so?

you're on in five, it's time you rise or fail.
they've gone before, stood by your door all day.
but you never found it home.
a fair price i'd pay to be alone.

what would you hide from such a glow
if i had only told you so?



want to see beirut in concert? check 'em out on one of the following tour dates:

Fri. July 29 — Portland, ME @ State Theater
Sun. July 31 — Montreal, QC @ Osheaga
Tue. Aug. 2 –Toronto, ON @ The Phoenix w/ Owen Pallett
Thu. Aug. 4 –Toronto, ON @ The Phoenix w/ Owen Pallett
Fri. Aug. 5 — Sun. Aug. 7 – Chicago, IL @ Lollapalooza
Tue. Aug. 9 — Vancouver, BC @ Commodore
Wed. Aug. 10 — Vancouver, BC @ Commodore
Fri. Aug. 12 — Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom
Sun. Aug. 14 — San Francisco, CA @ Outside Lands
Fri. Sep. 2 — Dorset, UK @ End of Road Festival
Sun. Sep. 4 — Stradbally, Ireland @ Electric Picnic
Tue. Sep. 6 — Manchester, UK @ Manchester Academy
Thu. Sep. 8 — Amsterdamn, Netherlands @ Paradiso
Fri.-Sat. Sept. 9-10 — Berlin Festival
Mon. Sep. 12 — Paris, France @ Olympia
Wed. Sep. 14 — Brussels, Belgium @ AB
Fri. Sep. 16 — London, UK @ Brixton Academy
Wed. Sep. 21 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5
Thu. Sep. 22 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5
Wed. Sep. 28 – Denver, CO @ Fillmore Auditorium
Tue. Oct. 4 – Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre
Sun. Oct. 9 – St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant
Tue. Oct. 11 – Royal Oak, MI @ Royal Oak Music Hall
Tue. Oct. 25 – Richmond, VA @ The National
Thu. Oct. 27 – Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse
Sat. Oct. 29 – Austin, TX @ Stubbs Waller Creek
Fri. Nov. 11 – Cincinnati, OH @ Bogarts
Sun. Nov. 13 – Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory

rip tide, the album goshen will be on, will be released on august 30th. go HERE to pre-order it.

in which we were promised jetpacks has a new single

so, it's no secret (especially since i posted about them just a wee bit ago), but i adore me some we were promised jetpacks.



today, friends, i am happy to present to you their latest song, act on impulse, which you can get free from the band themselves (and the widget below):

head over to the band's website to listen to it.

act on impulse is so, so good friends. the intro reminds me, in a tiny way, of cloud cult (especially with the intro to no one said it would be easy), but the song is firmly vintage wwpj, complete with the strong drums and building melody.

apologies ahead of time if the lyrics are wrong!

you died alone
you died on impact
all of this talk of death
was really preying on my weak
and the smell of sweat
really helps me sleep

the act alone
we act on impulse
and all this talk of death
is really preying on my knees
and the smell of sweat
really helps me sleep

you died alone

you act alone
you act on impulse

check out the band on tour this year. um, yeah, i'll be seeing them here in LA come hell or high water!

US Tour

26 Oct Harrisburg PA - The Abbey Bar
27 Oct Washington DC - Black Cat
28 Oct Boston MA - Paradise
29 Oct Philadelphia PA - Union Transfer
30 Oct New York City - Webster Hall
1 Nov Cleveland OH - Grog Shop
2 Nov Chicago IL - Metro
3 Nov St. Louis MO - The Old Rock House
4 Nov Norman OK - Oklahoma Memorial Union
5 Nov Dallas TX - Trees
8 Nov Phoenix AZ - Crescent Ballroom
9 Nov San Diego CA - Casbah
10 Nov Los Angeles CA - The Music Box
11 Nov San Francisco - CA Bimbo's
12 Nov Eugene OR - WOW Hall
13 Nov Portland OR - Wonder Ballroom
15 Nov Seattle WA - Neumos

UK/Europe Tour

9 Sept Dundee Doghouse
16 Sept Paris Fleche d'Or
17 Sept Amsterdam Paradiso
18 Sept Hamburg Molotow
19 Sept Berlin Lido
20 Sept Cologne Gebaude 9
21 Sept Brussels Botanique Rotonde
1 Oct Stirling Reload Festival @ Tollbooth
6 Oct Edinburgh Liquid Rooms
11 Oct Leeds Brudenell Social Club
12 Oct London XOYO
13 Oct Brighton Jam
14 Oct Manchester Deaf Institute

in the pit of the stomach, the album act on impulse will be off of, will be released on october 3rd in the UK and october 4th in the US. i can't wait!

wordless music post #39

find/buy this print from etsy HERE.

(m4p) morning song for sally by nanci griffith

video for a saturday - you are the only one i love

learn more about jaymay HERE.

flashback friday - tomorrow wendy

so, back when i was in high school, i listened to a lot of concrete blonde's very excellent album bloodletting. i can't remember exactly what got me into it (probably KROQ, which was still great at the time and played good music without repeating the same playlist every hour like they do now), but i do remember wearing out both the cassette and cd i had - even going as far as needing to replace the cd at one point.



the band, who initially formed in 1982, chose the moniker "concrete blonde" for several reasons - one, it represented a clash between introspective lyrics and rock music. two, it also was a slam against hair-spray bands (think of pretty much any metal band of the 80's/early 90's and you'll know what i mean). then there's lead singer johnette napolitano's believe that concrete and blonde simply sounded good together. they've put out 14 albums (including several best ofs), but really, their premier and best known album is the previously mentioned bloodletting, mostly due to a very catchy ditty called joey.

i loved joey when it came out. absolutely loved it. but it's not my favorite off the album by any means - that, instead, would have to be tomorrow wendy. written by andy prieboy of wall of voodoo and about a girl dying of AIDS, tomorrow wendy manages to capture the bitter cynicism that may come with an early death.

it is complete now
two ends of time are neatly tied
a one-way street
she's walking to the end of the line
and there she meets
the faces she keeps
in her heart and mind

they say
"goodbye,
tomorrow, wendy, you're going to die"

underneath the chilly grey november sky
we can make believe that kennedy is still alive
we're shooting for the moon
and smiling jackie's driving by

they say
"good try,
tomorrow, wendy, is going to die"

i told
the priest
don't count on any second coming
god got his ass kicked
the first time he came down here slumming
he had the balls to come
the gall to die
and then forgive us
no i don't wonder why,
i wonder what he thought it would get us

hey hey
goodbye
tomorrow wendy is going to cry

only god says, "jump"
so i say, "in good time"
'cause if he ever saw it
it was through these eyes of mine
and if he ever suffered
it was me who did his crying

hey hey
goodbye
tomorrow wendy's going to die

(mp3) tomorrow wendy by concrete blonde

here's a video of napolitano in 2010 singing the song:



buy bloodletting, the album tomorrow wendy is off of, HERE.

in which scotland is appreciated

so, as any regular reader of this blog knows, i 1) love music from scottish bands and 2) love scotland in general. it was funny - when i was in college (and still actually believed that i would be an archaeologist who specialized in roman/medieval britain), i was the lone representative in my group of friends when it came to scotland. there was a lot of love for france, even more for ireland. others liked germany and even england (which, admittedly after working there on a dig one summer, i adore, too), but no one, it seemed, to be enamored of scotland as i was.

i'm not sure what it is about scotland that's captivated me for much of my life. it's one of the most beautiful places i've ever been to, for sure - i dare anyone to sit on one of the cliffs on the isle of skye and try to tell me they're not in one of the most magical locales on the planet - and it's got a fascinating history. i'm a sucker for kilts (which, sadly, the husband won't even entertain the notion of wearing for me), bagpipes, and shortbread (but not haggis). and, of course, the hillsides are covered in heather, which i suppose i've always loved because - duh - it's my name (not to mention really beautiful in the wild - the plant, i mean). the people there are insanely friendly (if not a bit difficult to understand at times). i used to fantasize about moving there, but, alas, that never came to be.

so now i have to rely on my memories of my summer there. it doesn't hurt that much of the best music nowadays comes from there, either. my favorite, of course, is frightened rabbit, who i will easily admit to being a dorkish fangirl about. i've seen them...um...a lot in concert (pretty much every time they come to LA, save once, since i started listening to them). and while i'm more of a singles girl than an album fanatic, i will admit that i tend to listen to FR albums in their entirety because they're just that good.



so, for the nth time, i'm going to share a FR song with you, dear readers. and, like my rambling diatribe above, it's an ode to scotland called, appropriately, scottish wind. have a listen:

come gather in my lungs, scottish wind
belt out your blackest poems as the sea around you sings
when the drone takes to the air a single note to raise my hair
carry songs beyond my lungs, cold scottish winds

come fall upon my shoulders, scottish rain
and dissolve all of the worry that has hunched this back of mine
let the hurt run down the drain to the reservoir
and one day i'll add a drop of my old worries to a dram

gather heavy in my lungs, scottish wind
all the fag smoke in the ether of the grouse that clips your wings
and i will cough just like my granddad and his grandpa before him
oh, blow youth into these lungs, old scottish wind

come burl around my body, scottish blood
i'll try not to spill a drop, i'm sure you've spilled enough
and the ancient english rule will mean nothing to these towns
run forever in my veins, bold scottish blood

bring a whisper to my mouth, soft scottish winds
just enough to say" "i love to the girl that keeps me sane"
and take the stupid things i've said and blow them miles and miles away
thank you in advance, scottish wind
thank you in advance, scottish wind

(mp3) scottish wind (rockness acoustic session) by frightened rabbit



check out frightened rabbit this summer as they open for death cab for cutie on one of the following dates. excited that the boys will get a chance to play on some big stages, but bummed that the intimacy of smaller clubs will be lost (yet, i still have tickets to one of the shows at the greek!):

07/27/11 - Columbus, The LC Pavilion
07/28/11 - Detroit, Fox Theatre
07/29/11 - Toronto, Molson Amphitheatre
08/01/11 - Boston, Bank of America Pavilion
08/02/11 - Brooklyn, The Williamsburg Waterfront
08/05/11 - Philadelphia, The Mann Center
08/06/11 - Pittsburgh, Stage AE
08/07/11 - Columbia, Merriweather Post Pavilion
08/08/11 - Cary, Koka Booth Ampitheatre
08/10/11 - Nashville, Bridgestone Arena
08/11/11 - Alpharetta, Verizon Wireless Ampitheatre
08/12/11 - New Orleans, Kiefer UNO Lakefront Arena
08/13/11 - Grand Prairie, Verizon Theatre
08/15/11 - Phoenix, Comerica Theatre
08/16/11 - La Jolla, RIMAC Arena
08/18/11 - Los Angeles, Greek Theatre
08/19/11 - Los Angeles, Greek Theatre
08/20/11 - Las Vegas, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
08/22/11 - West Valley City, Maverik Center
08/23/11 - Morrison, Red Rocks Ampitheatre
08/25/11 - Chicago, UIC Pavilion

buy lots of good music from frightened rabbit HERE.

in which little green cars sound like summer

so, i don't know about you, but i categorize music by seasons. some songs just sound more like certain seasons than others, don't they? take sweet home alabama - that simply screams summertime. and then there's how soon is now, by the smiths - it practically shrieks winter and gloomy weather. so i build my playlists with clever names like "summertime" and "spring flowers" and other, well, okay, not-so clever names that denote when i feel the songs are best listened to. not that it stops me from listening to them at other points in time during the year, it's just that some songs really shine during certain seasons.

i mention all of this because when i first listened to the john wayne by little green cars is that i immediately pegged it as a summer song.



i'm not going to lie - i was surprised to find out the members of little green cars are from dublin and all of nineteen (much like the very cool teen girl scientist monthly, they are quite mature sounding for their age!) because the john wayne, with it's retro 70's rockin' americana vibe sound like it's straight out of the midwest or something. listening to it conjures up hot days, swimming in rivers or lakes, and good times. i say this, of course, being a west coast girl who has never been to the midwest, but i have a very good imagination.

in actuality, the john wayne is a love song lead singer & guitarist stevie appleby wrote about an american teen he met and failed to win the affection of, as well as...um...a makeshift drum kit comprised of cups and pans that he cobbled together since his building had sound restrictions when he decided to write about the experience.

as for the john wayne reference?

you got me.

have a listen to the song and see if you agree that it's perfectly tailored for summer fun. i'm looking forward to hearing more from this band:

it's easy to fall in love
it's easy to fall in love with you
it's easy to fall in love
it's easy to fall in love with you
you go outside dressed like that
you knew what was gonna happen didn't
you talk to me like that
you knew i was slowly falling in love with you
and i...
and i...

The John Wayne (Radio Edit) by Little Green Cars by Young & Lost Club

the john wayne & its b-side, glass case (which goes in an entirely different direction, sounding almost 80's like), will be available on young and lost records on july 25th. if you pre-order it, you'll also get the mp3s along with the vinyl. it'll also be available on itunes. go HERE to learn more.

in which aimee mann doesn't like fireworks

so, i fully realize that today's song is not cheery or patriotic in the least. 4th of july, by aimee mann, is, instead, a melancholy look at the bitter dredges of what once was. disillusioned even in the face of fireworks ("what a waste of gunpowder and sky," she snarks), the narrator dwells on the what-ifs of her relationship. it's not that she truly hates the 4th - rather, it's more that nothing is shiny and bright anymore, not when love is gone.



i got to see aimee mann in concert...wow. something like seven years ago now. she is one of those artists who seems ageless and timeless - her music, which is pitch-perfect slices of folk-singer-songwriter-americana, could be from any number of decades. and she and her guitar are even better live (something unfortunately not all artists can claim).

this song is really very beautiful in a simple way. it cuts both deep and shallow - pain can be like that, you know? it haunts and yet lingers on the surface, and i think aimee caught that in her simple lament and wishes for her ex-partner to regret how things ended.

today's the 4th of july
another june has gone by
and when they light up our town i just think:
"what a waste of gunpowder and sky"

i'm certain that i am alone
in harboring thoughts of our home
it's one of my faults
that i can't quell my past
i ought to have gotten it gone

oh, baby, I wonder
if when you are older someday
you'll wake up and say,
"my god, i should have told her
what would it take?
but now i am here, and
the world's gotten colder
and she's got the river
down which i sold her..."

so, that's today's memory lane
with all the pathos and pain
another chapter in a book
where the chapters are endless
and they're always the same
a verse, then a verse
and refrain

oh, baby, i wonder
if when you are older someday
you'll wake up and say,
"my god, i should have told her
what would it take?
but now i am here, and
the world's gotten colder
and she's got the river
down which i sold her...

yeah, she's got the river
down which i sold her..."

(mp3) 4th of july by aimee mann

here she is performing it. i dare any of you to disagree with her status as one of the premier singer-songwriters out there today:



by whatever, the album 4th of july is off of, HERE.

(mostly) wordless music post #38

for a very tiny amount of time, buy the entire album (the king can drink the harbor dry) that this song is off of for just 99 CENTS. PEOPLE: an entire album by the dimes that is so nifty cool in not only sounds fab but educates you, too! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? GO BUY IT! GO HERE! GO! GO! and then amaze your friends and family by playing it on the 4th of july and feel smug that you not only can provide entertainment but american history, too.

video for a saturday - holiday reverie

so, today's video is pretty much...cheesy fun. it's like an infomercial for club med, but it's not club med and it's not real. it's a video for hynolove's very summer-friendly holiday reverie.

sort of reminds me, in a way, of a quote from a jimmy buffett classic: the weather is here, wish you were beautiful. HA!



learn more about hypnolove HERE. buy music from hypnolove HERE.

flashback friday - between something and nothing

so, back when i was in high school, i simply adored the ocean blue. they made the perfect sort of music for the late 80's - sounding a bit like a surf-inspired echo and the bunnymen, the ocean blue melded catchy guitar hooks with swirling, mellow vocals, lush melodies and lovely lyrics.

teenagers themselves when they first got signed by sire records, the quartet released their first album, the self-entitled the ocean blue, in 1989. their first single, between something and nothing, cracked the top 10 modern-rock charts and was played on (then) influential radio stations such as KROQ. since then, the band has released five LPs and numerous EPs, singles, compilations and rarities.



while there have been many other great songs by the band to listen to (their first two albums were excellent and remind me much of my youth), i think my favorite may still be between something and nothing. it's simply one of those songs that has stuck with me over the years. indelibly lush and so very beachy (despite the group originating from pennsylvania), between something and nothing will always represent, to me, at least, a shiny, pretty piece of musical history from the late 80's.

words that form a sentence
words that form a phrase
in a poem or a letter
could not convey the meaning
of what this man has done
in a painting
on canvas

as the colors fading
they dictate my mood
can you see me
are you near me
i find myself on canvas
i find myself on stage
can you see me?
are you near me?
and i long to know you're real
and i long for you to be part of me
i long to know you're real
and i long for you to be a part of me

in the fading twilight
i sit and stare at her
in all her beauty
her beauty
you know i have to wonder
why all great men must die
and leave their treasure
they leave their treasure

(mp3) between something and nothing by the ocean blue

and for those of you who want to look at a picture of the band while listening to the song:



buy the ocean blue, the album between something and nothing is off of, HERE.