Take Care

Having a Drake moment today.

XO

Things to love about this song/video:

1) The video is shot on location at Coney Island.
2) The line, "In the darkest night hour. I search through the crowd. Your face is all that I see. I give you everything. Baby love me lights out." When you're in love, you can be in a crowd of people and only see your man, like a spotlight is on him, blurring out the rest of the world. It's one of the best feelings in the world.
3) We don't have forever. Baby, daylight's wasting, you better kiss me before time is run out." We don't have forever - that pretty much sums it up. Taking advantage of every moment to express our love to those we love is so important. It doesn't even have to be the expression of romantic love,  just letting the people in your life (family and friends) know how much they mean to you is so important.

I dare you to only listen to it once. I think it might be impossible to do that, I've been listening to it on repeat since downloading it a bit ago. Goodness!

Dark Horse

I made a hip hop station recently on Pandora and was surprised that they included Dark Horse by Katy Perry. The fact that it features Juicy J is obviously why. I was also surprised that I liked the song so much. I've never really been a huge Katy Perry fan, I don't dislike her music, I just don't tend to listen with much attention. Anyway, I have been listening to this one a lot the last few days, so thought I'd share it with y'all.

Also upon watching the video, Katy has really NICE teeth! Ha!

What are you listening to?

"Graceless"

"There's a science to walking through windows..."

 

Last one, because I just saw the National this weekend...and they were even more amazing than the last time I saw them.

"The Fall"

  And this.

I had to find this by way of digging through my youtube archive. Did you know they archive like every video you've watched? Helpful, yes, but also scary.

Whatever.

"Everything's Embarrassing"

Pretty much.

Valtari

Sigur Rós: Valtari on Nowness.com

When I first came across this video months ago, I watched/listened repeatedly. The song is really working for me today. Can't. Stop. Listening.

And the dancers? They make me want to go back in time and take dance classes. Or take them now. Unbelievable!

Oh, and a warning if you're at work...shirts come off at the end of the video, so it's slightly NSFW, but in a really artful way.

Now: Music

28 Days by erikino.

Listen/watch. Repeat. Leave a comment if you liked it!

Now: Music

Music is totally one of my things. I listen to music pretty much all the time and although I don't play an instrument or arrange music of my own, I'm captivated by other people's musical creativity. I've been that way as long as I can remember. One of my earliest musical memories is from before I was in kindergarten, so I was probably three or four. My parents were playing some classical music on the stereo and I started crying and told them to "turn off the sad music." Clearly, I connected with music on an emotional level at an early age.

My musical taste now is all over the place, as evidenced by what's high up in my current musical rotation:

• Torches by Foster the People. I've been running to this album for a few weeks.
• Unapologetic by Rihanna. I had heard a couple singles and thought, "meh," but hearing the whole album, it has grown on me.
• Saturdays=Youth by M83. This is mostly super chill, hipster music that would make good rom/com movie soundtrack music.
• Lula Divinia by Shiner. This one's a throwback. I used to listen to it a ton, but somehow lost the CD. I recently procured it again, so I'm catching up! 

I'm usually an iTunes on shuffle kind of gal, but for some reason I'm into the start to finish thing with these particular releases. 

Also here's a couple random songs I've also been digging:

San Tropez by Fyfe: 

Sail by Awolnation:

Like? Don't like? What's got your ear these days? 

Boys Don't Cry

Someone sang this song to me in a voicemail once. This version. I realize it's song by the Cure originally, but it was this version. The whole thing could have played out a bit like a movie scene, but it didn't.

Late July

Small Houses - "Late July" from Spencer Wells on Vimeo

I caved today and responded to something I probably should have let go. It was this song. I couldn't not say something. Music brings people together, right? I guess that was my (not-so-secret) hope. Now I'm sharing this with you so I can move through that hope, so as to not get discouraged or disappointed. Because at the end of the day, it's just friend's sharing music with each other and that's a lovely thing.

My love for music is so strong and this song is another that's been playing on repeat lately. I had the distinct pleasure of seeing Small Houses play a show over the weekend. They played this beautiful song called "Late July." It was already a favorite of mine and I almost cried. Hearing the explanation of the song at the beginning of this clip makes me love it even more. Hope you do too!

Not in Love

I'm sort of obsessed with this song by Crystal Castles right now. Being that it features the voice of Robert Smith from the Cure makes it all the more angst-y. Completely fitting, I'd say. This fan video is pretty great too!

Freeky

I first heard the new Die Antwoord song: "I Fink U Freeky" a couple weeks ago now and am still enthralled by the sound. The video is bizarre in the standard Die Antwoord way. I wouldn't expect anything less. They are playing the Metro in Chicago and of course the show is sold out. I would have loved to go and dance myself silly to the Antwoord beats! In the mean time, until I can purchase Ten$ion, I've been watching this video. I just found out they're streaming the whole release over here, so I'm getting a preview. Click the link to get yours!

Travel As Equals

Beautiful. I never cease to be amazed by the work of Joseph Arthur.

A Mike Doughty PS

I saved the best Mike Doughty bits for last!

During the show, Mike let us all know that a "high-fi recording" was being made of the show. At some point soon it will magically appear online and I will download it and relive the show whenever I desire. Yay!

Mike was super fabulous and chatty during the show, which I loved. And then...then he said he'd be around after the show to say hello, sign autographs and what not! Did we hustle around after the show to make sure we got to meet him? Yes, we did! We had to wait in a bit of a line, in front of this annoyingly drunk girl who claimed to have had more fun at the show than anyone else there. N put it like this: she was drunk, but there was something else off about her. I tried my best to behave and not turn around and punch her out so we wouldn't have to endure her nonsense.

My Mike Doughty autographed ticket, along with Golden Delicious, which just happens to feature his handwriting!

Thankfully, the line moved quickly and we were soon standing in front of Mike Doughty saying hello. I told him that I've been a fan since the Soul Coughing days (TRUE!), but in light of how that ended, I probably shouldn't even mention that. He agreed, and kindly thanked me. He then signed my ticket! Unfortunately, due to the number of people, they weren't allowing photos. I may not have a proper photo, but the moment is there in my mind's eye.

Mike Doughty at House of Blues

As mentioned in the previous House of Blues post, I was in Chicago over the weekend to see Mike Doughty play his lyrically delicious musical program at the House of Blues. It's a great venue to see an artist like Mike Doughty. First of all, it's beautiful. I found out the music hall itself was modeled after the Estavovski (Stavovske divadlo) Opera House in Prague. So there's that. Then, it's fairly small. If I had to guess capacity, I'd say no more than 1,500. And since google exists, I can now tell you that capacity is 1,300.

Looking up at the box seats.

The opening act was a three piece called Moon Hooch. Two saxophones and a drummer, making some interesting and pretty cool music. They said Mike found them playing in the subway in New York and asked them if they wanted to go on a national tour. Yes and Also Yes had to be their answer, as they're currently touring with Mike. My favorite number was a dub step reminiscent song with contra bass.

Moon Hooch

Next up, of course, was the main event. The reason for a three hour each way drive from Grand Rapids, none other than Mike Doughty. He played with His Band Fantastic Band. They played a lengthy set with many of Doughty's more known songs including the current Na Na Nothing, 27 Jennifers, Looking at the World From the Bottom of a Well, I Hear the Bells (contains one of my very favorite lines, "You snooze, you lose. Well I have snost and lost.") and Bustin' Up a Starbucks.

Mike Doughty

Mike Doughty and His Band Fantastic

On the drive into Chicago as I got more and more psyched to see him play, I wondered aloud if he'd be chatty with the audience. He was. Early on in the show he asked people what songs they wanted to hear. Many called out current material and others hopefully called out Soul Coughing songs. Seeing that the band broke up in the midst of tensions about the deal they'd made to equally share the rights to songs Doughty wrote, it's no surprise that he was quick to quash any hopes of hearing Soul Coughing material. He also spoke often about how his current music is available for purchase, but that it could also be ripped off online, which he actually encouraged.

Andrew "Scrap" Livingston on bass (r) and Mike Doughty.

It was such a fun show! I first heard Soul Coughing the summer of 1997 and have been a fan of Mike Doughty's voice and lyrical stylings ever since. So happy that he played Chicago and that I was able to go check him out.

Na Na Nothing

Holocene

Bon Iver's Holocene. No other words needed. Just watch and listen.

"Sometimes Love Isn't Stronger Than Wine"

"I Will Meet You by the Windless Tree"