Fashionably Late to the Party?

Kid Cudi doesn't have the flow I prefer but his lyrical strength and charm more than make up for that tiny, tiny, tiny deficit. I like his flow, I do, it is just not my favorite type. However, I am (fashionably?) late to the party so there's a very good chance I am speaking out my ass. Knowing myself, it is a certainty. So what is the remedy for such fashionable tardiness? A thorough Kid Cudi musical gorging! Sure, gorging is impolite and indelicate to say the least but what else can one do to make up the difference? Tucking in, let the gorging begin... or, um, continue since it has already begun with 'Pursuit of Happiness'. Actually I guess it began with 'Poke Her Face' or whatever, however, I wasn't in love with that song; it didn't force me to take notice. Plus I had to work past my initial "So Annoying!" gut reaction. I also admit to being a bit turned off by The GaGa, although I will concede a few of her singles are quite catchy. Back to Kid Cudi: the next bon-mot is 'Soundtrack 2 My Life' (which, just a few bars in, I already love).

1. 'Pursuit of Happiness' linked from iLike
2. 'Soundtrack 2 My Life'
3. 'Lovestoned freestyle' linked from BigHouse
I am not in love with this song but it is
undeniably sweet.
4. 'Day n Nite' linked from Newborn Rodeo
At first I thought to file this under the same
heading as his 'Lovestoned freestyle' -- obviously
talented but not enough of a draw for me.
Instinct, however, tells me a few more listens
will take this strangely addictive beat and
fresh, imaginative lyrics from solid to f-ing
brilliant.
5. 'Sky Might Fall' linked from iLike
6. 'CudiZone' linked from iLike

Interrupting our current schedule of music to editorialize...

Shit. Seriously, so far, so good. Ooh, ooh, I love when I am given an opportunity to fall in love with an artist versus a song.

We will now continue our scheduled Cudi gorging... (at a later date)

7. Alive (Nightmare)
Eh.


Sigh, it is times like these I wish I listened to radio because maybe I wouldn't be so behind the bell-curve. Then again, radio makes me want to claw at furniture and my face in screaming frustration so... maybe not? Unlike Beyonce, I am not in love with my radio, once upon a time perhaps, but certainly no longer.

This Sunday Comes With Music

Just some stuff I'm listening to these days, ^_^!

Emily Wells -- Symphony 1: In the Barrel of a Gun linked from YouTube
Brooke Fraser -- C.S. Lewis Song linked from iLike



Talib Kweli -- Ms. Hill linked from iLike
I miss Lauren Hill so much! I will swear to the day I die
that 'The Miseducation of...' is one of the most perfectly
crafted albums, of any genre, of all time. So whenever
I'm in the mood to mourn, and not to do so alone, I listen
to this song.
Big Scary -- At The Mercy Of The Elements linked from ArtistDirect
This song is purely instrumental and this particular
listen is only a 30 second click.



Regina Spektor -- No Surprises (Radiohead cover) linked from MusicVagabond
What a gorgeous cover! Apparently not many have gotten
on the Spektor train but I have. I find her voice and
instrumentation beautiful, and her approach to song very
different from the standard fare. She belongs to the
category of Tori Amos, so if you don't like the latter, you
may not care for Spektor. Plus she's Russian and
occasionally drops a Russian lyric in a song.
Nina Gordon -- Pure linked from iLike
The Heavy -- How You Like Me Now linked from YouTube
Yes, from the car commercial. Shut up. ;) This video
is so weird.

Pausing our regularly scheduled English language songs for a much needed foreign music injection...
Coffee House OST linked from YouTube
Its the soundtrack for the Korean television rom-com,
'Coffee House', and it's damn good. So, here's the
foreign portion of the list. Sorry but I can only share
the artist name since the Korean characters won't show
up on my post.
1. SG Wannabe, Ock Ju Hyun
2. Jo Sung Mo
3. So Yeon (of T-Ara) and Ock Ju Hyun

Now resuming our regularly scheduled English language songs...



Nas and Jay-Z -- Black Republicans linked from iLike
The Cardigans -- My Favourite Game linked from YouTube
Kid Cudi -- (Pursuit of) Happiness linked from iLike
and for good measure, here's the video. linked from VeVo
This song is such a damn good groove. Like a caramel's
warm sweetness on my tongue this song just makes me
want to sit back, nod my head, and relax.
Rihanna -- Te Amo linked from Clutch
Uh, Ri-Ri is much more progressive than I would have
initially assumed. That video is something different
from your standard Mistress of R&B/Hip-Hop fare.



Kanye West -- Power linked from Clutch
Oh, Kanye! Why can't I quit you, for you surely are an ass!
Then again most creative types are jerks so, okay, in that he's
just following the prescribed pattern.

Early Monday Spin

It has been precisely one month since my last post, and what a month it has been! Like an eager little beaver I have been bustling to and fro all over my little corner of Texas trying to get my schooling/tuition together. If all goes well I should be taking classes in a month. Yay! Today's 'Early Monday Spin', however, has nothing to do with education and everything to do with music. For the past month I have obsessively listened to these singles falling ever deeper in love (for a time). In no particular order:

Holly Figueroa (O'Reilly) -- 'Everybody Knows' off the album, Gifts and Burdens
A folk/alt-country cover of a Leonard Cohen classic.
Holly's sparse arrangement and folkish twang allow
Cohen's lyrics to gleam against a dark backwoods
background.



REM -- 'Drive' off the album, Automatic for the People
Adele -- 'Hometown Glory' off the album, 19
Susie Suh -- 'Why' off the EP, The Bakman Tapes
I love this chick! She's Korean-American with a sultry
voice deep, smoky and blue. She has two other songs
I really like 'All I Want' and 'Seasons Change' but I've
had those for years. 'Why' is one of her newest songs.



Eddie Vedder -- 'Hard Sun' off the soundtrack, Into the Wild
Radiohead -- 'Reckoner' off the album, In Rainbows
Band of Skulls -- 'Light of the Morning' off the EP, Baby Darling Doll Face Honey
Irene Cara -- 'Fame' off the soundtrack, Fame
It may be a bit of cheese but that doesn't dilute it's
overall awesomeness. Will only eighties babies like me
recall how wonderful was that movie? The iconic scene
of students pouring onto the NYC streets to dance and
strut their asses off, feeling for all the world like kings?

---
Here's a nugget of potential interest: EMusic (of emusic.com) is running several promotional offers -- variations on a large number of free audio downloads plus an audiobook. The deal I got came with a download of Winamp (a media player in the vein of Windows Media or Real Player) and included 50 free songs plus one audiobook for a span of two weeks. Offers on EMusic's site range from 35 to 45 free songs with or without a free audiobook. At the end of two weeks, or once all the free downloads are gone (whichever comes first), EMusic will activate the free account turning it into a paid one. If you have no interest in becoming a paying member be very mindful of the date and/or the number of downloads left in the purse.

What do I think of EMusic's site? Well, it gets high marks for a clean, uncluttered site that is very easy to use. The search function breaks down by general, artist, track, album, even label; however, funnily enough, it does not break down searches by genre which would have been more helpful than a label search, in my opinion. Under each artist is a gallery of comments either from established critics or current users of the site as well as relatively in-depth musical biographies. Although I managed to find 45 of 50 songs to download I did so with the help of my family. There were a number of songs which weren't available -- either because they could only be downloaded if paid for; or EMusic didn't have enough of an artist's discography; or didn't have the artist at all.

While EMusic has the bones of something good, currently it cannot compare to paying/streaming sites like Rhapsody, Pandora (internet radio), or iTunes for sheer access across a large cross-section of music and artists. In particular Rhapsody, which, for a reasonable monthly stipend, allows its users to stream all the music they like, even upload it to their mp3 players, on top of downloading. Pandora offers another unfair comparison since it, too, streams full songs (to EMusic's 30 second blurbs) and provides access to buying a liked song. The only system I know of which compares to EMusic's current setup is iTunes and that behemoth clearly mops the floor with EMusic. But if you are looking for an alternative to iTunes and its rabid protections, then certainly try EMusic -- you'll find just enough music to keep you relatively satisfied if not wholly so, just know you'll need to supplement with another music provider.

Tuesday Singing

Cyber-wandering YouTube to find Omiya stirred me up a bit and I'm currently playing my YT musical playlist. Quite a few gems housed there if I do write so myself. *wink* So I decided to share:

Well, I already wrote about (and shared) Omiya, next up -- Ghost, as covered by Greg Laswell.

I had never heard of the dude but I just about love his voice and love his version of the song. Indeed I searched out the original (sung, written? by Kristin Hersh) and while it is attractive in its own light it doesn't hold a candle to his cover.

Lahlumlenze is joy; I don't know how else to describe it.

When it plays I have to move, just dance. The singer, Thandiswa, has a gorgeous voice, I mean, don't you just love her style? And (shallow note) I absolutely love her hair!

Okay, now this song is just funny.

Gonna Gonna Make You Mine!!

My current music single addiction: Fefe Dobson - I Want You, presented by Lala.com
One free full song listen, 30 secs for subsequent tries.
It is highly addictive. You've been warned.
Oh, and if you want to see the video -- BONUS!
Includes vid for her other addictive single, Watch Me Move --
Click on the photo above!

Saturday Morning Song, cont.

Hmm, what moved me to post the song? I'm not sure, Brandon. I was weeding my CDs and one Saturday, I came across the song in a mix. It's strange because I certainly wasn't in the mood for any song off the Gattaca soundtrack -- it just caught me up! Listening to it now as I type it sounds sort of sad but at the time, in my imagination, I saw a newly arisen sun and breaking white clouds on a damp day. It seemed very hopeful and lovely and I wanted to share it all of a sudden.

Saturday Morning Song

I'm on it enough so I thought I'd share...

The wonderful Javabean's site, Dramabeans, deconstructing Korean dramas and pop culture one piece of media at a time! I check this site at least once a day, if not more -- it is wonderfully addicting even as it feeds that kdrama fix (I need it, :scratch, scratch:, I need it bad, man). Her site offers a wide range of streamed music and some real gems can be found there; her posts are insightful and informative; and if you were addicted to kdramas -- gone hallyu* as it were -- prior to reading her site, Javabeans sure will infect you with the hallyu bug!

*the term, hallyu, describes the entertainment phenomenon that has become Korean culture/media internationally. I'm not kidding: their stuff is HUGE worldwide; a large number of non-Korean Asians and non-Asians like myself flood the internet searching for their stuff. It's quite something.

Surprise Pick-up!

'Kangpe'
Nneka

Cruising one of my many favorite natural hair blogs led me to Nu Kynk, now a new favorite hair blog, which in turn led me to Nneka's Kangpe. Nneka is Nigerian, and judging by this track, her sound is fresh. I hope Rhapsody has her full album(s) because I'd love to hear it in its entirety. I've heard good things, such as comparisons to Lauryn Hill's The Miseducation of... High praise indeed since I consider L-boogie's debut one of the most complete and near-perfect albums of all time.

Click on the "hidden" link ---> artist name and song title, to hear the song in full.
Her album, No Longer At Ease, can be found on Amazon

Off the List

Happiness!
Just writing this blog post has introduced me to a new music site, thesixtyone.
The content seems just left of mainstream therefore many opportunities for new aural adventures.
The site compiles a song list based on the song being listened to and auto-plays it for your enjoyment.
So far I am loving it!

*


'You Are Goodbye'
Holly Conlan

A gem of a song which has been in my possession for about a year now.
One of those iTunes's freebies picked up on the strength of the initial few bars
before promptly setting aside without a thorough listen.
(which reminds me to check iTunes freebies)
A recent computer purge brought this song to delightful light.
Sometimes a person can only open to a song when their mind is in a specific place.
This is my experience at least.

To hear the song in full click on the "hidden" link ---> artist name and song title
Available on Rhapsody, iTunes

*


'What Goes Around... Comes Around'
Justin Timberlake

This song popped full bore into my head with an incessant pound,
refusing to let up until it was placed in rotation.

To hear the full song click on the "hidden" link ---> the artist name and song title
Available on Rhapsody, iTunes, Amazon

*


'Addicted to me'
Anjulie

I happily recommend her album.
It's nothing serious: just danceable beats and caressing lyrics.
A very pretty listen.

To hear the song in full, click the "hidden" link ---> artist name and song title
Available on Rhapsody, iTunes and Amazon

"... Gold Hair & Lightning"

All but one of these songs were taken from movie trailers for upcoming films I wish to see. Each are in heavy rotation on my sansa so it is with pleasure that I share them! These songs can be found on Rhapsody unless otherwise stated. To hear each song click on the song title/artist name under each picture.

*


'The Lightning Strike'
Snow Patrol

The first 5 minutes and 16 seconds of this 16 minute opus are deliriously stirring, calling the listener to a brilliant peak. A '... Lightning Strike' indeed. Its opening bars remind me of the instrumental piece at the start of the film trailer for 'The Box' (starring Cameron Diaz and James Marsden). I'm nearly certain these two songs are not one and the same and that the latter is a product of an independent music company such as DeWolfe. Unfortunately the trailer I'm referencing no longer appears to exist. Here's the trailer anway -- interesting, right?

*


'Set Fire To The Third Bar'
Snow Patrol, feat Martha Wainwright

I found this song in the film trailer for 'Dear John', a Nicolas Sparks adaptation starring Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried. Against my will I liked 'A Walk to Remember' but not even the hotness that is Ryan Gosling could tempt me to like the sentimental 'The Notebook'. That I am so drawn to 'Dear John' comes as a surprise but the mood of the trailer is right, the story seems uncomplicated and the starring actors are good, so I might have to give this a shot.

*


'Running Up That Hill'
Placebo

I want to watch this film. I want to watch it. 'Daybreakers' starring Ethan Hawke, Sam Neill (my mom's old school crush), Willem Dafoe is about vampires, a world where every human is a vampire-turned. Well, not every human save those few hunted and sent to hematological banks to be farmed for their blood. It just looks so cool. As the trailer reaches its climax this song kicks in and it is brilliant!

"Everybody's Got The Way I Should Feel..."

All for love of a Krumper named Russell (<-- click "hidden" link to see a j-peg), I have taken to watching the reality gem, So You Think You Can Dance? From it I received this selection of songs and a nascent fascination with dance. To hear each song just click the song title/artist name beneath each photo. Every song can be found on Rhapsody unless otherwise stated.

*


'Be Be Your Love'
Rachael Yamagata

I sampled Rachael Yamagata a few years ago (upon the recommendation of Rhapsody) and was not impressed. So imagine my surprise upon hearing Yamagata's 'Be Be Your Love' and falling in love with it. The dance (<--- click "hidden" link to see it) which accompanied it was lovely as well.

*


'Warrior, part II'
Lloyd Banks, feat Eminem, 50 Cent, Nate Dogg

*


'2 Steps Away'
Patti LaBelle

A Girl's 4 Star Review

[pic source: themusicslut.com]

I have mentioned Florence + The Machine on this blog before, specifically the song, 'Dog Days Are Over'. Her album, 'Lungs', has been hotly anticipated in Britain (from which she hails) and by those lucky enough to be in-the-know here in the States. If you have listened to any of the three singles ('Dog Days...', 'My Boy Builds Coffins' and 'Drumming Song') dropped since its release (July 6, 2009), then you understand why this is. Passionate and evocative her music grabs your guts by way of your ears and shakes you until you capitulate. To what I don't know. The beauty of a bashing female voice, perhaps? No trembling juvenile vocals here, ladies and gentlemen, oh no! Hers is a vocal expression ripened to fruition. They don't make 'em like this anymore.

For a mini-sampling of the album check out Florence + The Machine's MySpace page. For background information check out Florence + The Machine's wiki page. The album may be purchased on iTunes, Rhapsody and (I'm sure) Amazon.

Now, onto the song by song review! I'm keeping it simple, just stars --

* being crap
* * being 'eh'
* * * being 'good'
* * * * being 'hell yeah!'
* * * * * being fan-friggin'-tastic

-- to indicate which I like best and perhaps a word or two on the extra special ones. I'm also providing links to my favorite songs in case you don't wish to got to MySpace. Plus I also get to backdoor some pretty cool music blogs, ha! Here we go:

* * * * Dog Days Are Over pagan and gorgeous.
* * * * Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up) pagan gorgeousness.
* * * I’m Not Calling You A Liar
** * * Howl I had to come back to this song and mark it up! Love it!
* * Kiss With A Fist
* * Girl With One Eye
* * * * Drumming Song gut-grabber!
* * * Between Two Lungs
* * * * Cosmic Love transportive!
* * My Boy Builds Coffins
* * * Hurricane Drunk
* * * Blinding
* * * * You’ve Got The Love a celebration of a song! Warning: link leads to a live version.


I just had to put the video of 'Drumming Song' on my blog, I just had to! Say, "Hello Florence!"


Florence + The Machine - Drumming Song

A Girl's Been Gone Too Long

Does absence make the heart grow fonder? Well, I'm in for an entire helping of love now, aren't I? I have been keeping busy with my writing pursuits. Lots of writing... one poem. Really, weeks upon weeks of intense communion with dictionary.com, thesaurus.com, my personal thesaurus and dictionaries, encyclopedic and pronunciation respectively. All this is supplemented with 'Blurbs of Wisdom' (Poetry Free-For-All on everypoet.com) and critiquing of other's poetry. It's been fun if exhausting. As I wrote in previous posts (I think) I'm making a concerted effort to work on meter and form, and I'm still "stuck" on sapphic. Every revision of the poem so far has ended up adding two more blank quatrains. Four... Six... Will eight' be next?

I really need to put some new hair pictures up. I've been lazy about my camera -- the battery is near-dead and I haven't bothered to recharge it.

*
Listening to... Anjulie, song 'The Heat'
What a hot little summer number!

A Girl's Open Thread

Post anything in the comments or on the blog's face to your heart's content.

*
Saturday Morning Otaku
I recently added a couple of new manga to my reading list (when did I become such a manga-nerd?):



'Ane Doki' which is more ecchi-absurdity than I typically care for but the kid is so cutely horrified and there is a sure-handed warmth to his portrayal that is a notch above the typical manga horndog. Click the title/link and you'll find a summary and manga chapters. [pic source: onemanga.com]








'Cage of Eden' is much more up my alley what with the harrowing attempts at survival, bloody deaths and tight friendships. Click the title/link and you'll find a summary and manga chapters. [pic source: onemanga.com]





*
Oh, Brandon your blog's address is so cute 'blondemixedblood', hee. Aw, I miss you too! Give me details on how you are doing, what you're doing -- let a girl live vicariously!

Thanks for the recommendation! I added Evelyn Duprai to my playlist of new music! You know you are a creeping f-er: your recommendations seem to work on a subconscious level, working their way up until kablooey full blown love. You are a dangerous person. LOL Speaking of music...

New Music Everyone Must Like Because I Said So!!! LOL, I kid! I don't even know if I like the music let alone if anyone else would, should... pay no attention to the girl with the notebook! Since Brandon dropped me a music suggestion I opened Rhapsody to find this talented artist (and she must be talented if Brandon likes her) and came across a raft of Rhapsody new music/album recommendations:



Shakira. Song, 'She Wolf', isn't half bad! It will probably be a song I love against my will as with that Ciara & Justin song.



Anjulie. Song, 'The Heat' -- this song and I will have a short summer fling, then I'll disavow ever liking it, I can tell. I am an idiot -- I love this song! It's so sultry.

Jordin Sparks. Song, 'Battlefield', is just okay. I have never been mightily impressed by Miss Sparks but what can be done? Very few Idols can pull a 'Kelly Clarkson'.

Maxwell. If you love dulcet soul falsettos as I do, and a damn sexy man as I do, then listen to and drool over Maxwell. These songs off his new album are smooth. 'Stop the World' and 'Love You'. For 'Pretty Wings' I have provided the vid below --




One Republic feat Sara Bareilles. Song, 'Come Home' is a song I think you might really like Brandon; I'm not sure why I think that I just do. I am, of course, open to being wrong.

The Dead Weathers. Song, 'I Cut Like A Buffalo' is okay, very Jack White of White Stripes fame.

Evelyn Duprai. Songs, 'No Ordinary Day' and 'You Can Be Happy'. She's British?! There have been a number of British ingenue-imports flooding the market lately. I pulled a small sample (four songs) off her only available album on Rhapsody and these are the two I like most.

A Girl's Open Thread

Again?! Yes, again. It's meant to mark the weekend, and it's the weekend. I hadn't much to write in the interim days so two open threads in a row.

What has happened this week? Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett died. The latter was sadly expected while the former was a shock. If only, in the wake of his death, the only memories we embraced of him were positive, his music for one. Yet the media appears determined to make a circus of his funeral, the welfare of his estate and his children. He did not always make the wisest choices -- who among us does? However he deserves a funeral free of the malicious gawking and self-righteous judgments which marked the later years of his life. Let the man rest in peace. My first real experience with Farrah Fawcett was in a telefilm about a woman who was raped; when her rapist comes for her again, she traps him in her fireplace. It is a crazy movie but her intensity, the rawness of her situation grabbed my attention as a child. She acted the hell out of that role; I believed in her pressure, her overwhelming fear and unbridled rage. For many Farrah is Charlie's Angel; for others she is the woman from 'The Burning Bed'; for me she will always be that broken yet fierce woman wielding a poker demanding justice for herself. /passings

Moving briefly to politics: Sarah Palin announced the resignation of her governorship. O-kay. I am not big on her; I don't like her, but I'm dyed blue and her message is not for me. I can say she did herself no favors neither with her resignation nor with the rambling press conference marking the announcement. /politics

If you are a fan of Moby, his new album 'Wait For Me' just dropped. It's very Moby and a pretty listen. /music

I haven't written about it since it is depressing but my boy, my favorite of faves, Nadal, has been sidelined with tendonitis in his knee. I really miss watching him play especially at Wimbledon which is currently ongoing. However, the tournament is drawing to its close and most of the usual suspects are in the final but there is one welcome surprise. Andy Roddick. He's in the Wimbledon final!!! Congratulations Andy, it's been a long slog! Juan Carlos Ferrero was my first tennis crush but Andy was the first male tennis player I ever rooted for with obsessive zeal (kind of like the way I am with Nadal now). So, he's still in my "stable" and I do a little mental happy dance when he does well. He appears to have found the next level, now he needs to bring it against Roger. Come on, Andy! My girls, Venus and Serena Williams, are in the women's final for the second year in a row. Suck it on it, haters! For me choosing between them is no longer like choosing between children, for the longest time now it has been Venus all the way. Tomorrow is no different! Bring the pain, Venus -- take that title! My girls are also in the doubles final for the second year in the row, defending champions. That's right, they carried twice the hardware out of England last year and I'm crossing my fingers they'll do so again. As it is, they are guaranteed first and second place finishes, as it were, in the single's match. I admit I skipped the first week at Wimbledon due to the lack of Nadal but the second week is typically where all the fire is anyhow. Some of those matches were really sweet! Ooh, good luck to my favorites! Just bring a good fight, the best fight and (hopefully) the rest will follow. /sports fanaticism

Oh, I picked out a new manga to read. Actually it's a manwha (the Korean version of the Japanese manga) called 'Psyren'. I was randomly searching for 'Veritas' raws and came across a board on which someone stated (paraphrase), 'Veritas' is so good I like it better than 'Psyren' now. I decided to check out 'Psyren' based on that alone since the writer and I shared a love of 'Veritas'; I figured it meant we had similar taste in manwha. Turns out we do! 'Psyren' is great though I also understand why 'Veritas' blows it out of the water -- better artwork, tighter plotting, in most categories this manwha loses to 'Veritas'. It's still wonderful with a compelling the story that seems to have picked up its pacing as the tale progresses. /otaku

I will write a rondeau. It is a poetry form requiring the repetition of the first part of the first line (a refrain) and a rhyming scheme of:
a
a
b
b
a

a
a
b
R(efrain)

a
a
b
b
a
R(efrain)

Not in this post, silly! I haven't started yet but I want to declare my intention. /Friday

A Girl's Open Thread

You know what to do. Comment on stuff. Whatever you like.

Me? Today I made a cherry clafouti and a Mexican chocolate cake with butter-cream icing. I guess I was in a baking mood. Clafouti is a French dessert and it turned out okay. Someone on Saveur -- where I got the recipe -- described it as a cross between custard and cake. I'd go more with custard, like a bread pudding type custard. It's a tea-time snack so I enjoyed a slice with a scalding hot cup of tea which I forgot was scalding hence my now scalded tongue. I am an idiot, ha!

The Mexican chocolate cake (from Real Simple) is quite delicious. It has cayenne pepper in it which, to be honest, is the driving reason behind why I made the cake in the first place. The recipe called for a chocolate glaze but knowing myself and family not to be chocolate people, I decided to avoid a chocolate-on-chocolate disaster and instead pilfered an icing from another Saveur recipe. I now know how to make a passable butter-cream icing. Huh. While I don't feel precisely accomplished, I don't feel precisely unaccomplished, so yeah, I'm good heading into this weekend.

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'allo! Today a few new recommendations:
Regina Spektor, a Russian-born singer of pretty talent. When sampling her work might I recommend skipping her album, 'Soviet Kitsch', and beginning with 'Begin To Hope' -- it has a better flavor of songs in my humble opinion. She recently released another CD, 'Far', and her musical maturity really shines through every song. I'm currently listening to it (via Rhapsody) and so far 'Far' is fantastic! My favorites off the album as of now: 'Blue Lips' and 'Human of the Year' and 'Laughing With' and 'Dance Anthem of the '80s' is a fun little diddy.

*

Going through the site, Ffffound, and came across this JPEG; the Rilke quote reminded me of the feeling the pic evokes. "My eyes already touch the sunny hill. / going far ahead of the road I have begun." (Rilke); click on the quote to see the pic. Speaking of evoking feelings, I'd love to have this piece. Isn't it gorgeous?

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"The lover whose soul shaken is
In some decuman billow of bliss."
~ Francis Thompson; The Way of a Maid; c. 1890.

Courtesy of A Word A Day, a mailing group dedicated to expanding the vocabulary of the masses by sharing the wonder and eccentricities of words. The italicized word within the quote, decuman, is A Word A Day fare. Do not be fooled by its noun like appearance -- it is an adjective; its meaning? 'Very large'. What I find so interesting about it is A) it is an adjective and B) its etymology. Rooted in the Latin decumanus, itself rooted in decimanus... decimus... and finally decem... each a variation on the theme of 'ten'. Decumanus was used many times by the Romans in conjunction with waves because they held to a belief that every tenth wave was the strongest. It also referred to the main gate of a military camp; the tenth cohort of the legion was stationed at that gate. Since it shares a root, decimate is also a relation and the word, dean, literally means 'a chief of ten'. Isn't that last part just fascinating?

Did you know atone is nothing more than a contraction of 'at one'? Is that not weird?! At least according to A Word A Day. I have my doubts.

--
currently running through my mind: Bertie Blackman's 'Heart'
open in a new tab

a long silence precedes the explosion, part two

Ag'smg post continued!!! Don't worry. This is only a two part installment, only the handful of songs which have captured my ear more often than others. Note: some, if not all, of the songs listed here should be opened in a new tab or window so as not to lose my awesome, wonderful blogger page, lol.

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The Stars of My Song List

[PLAY] 'Runaway' by Yeah Yeah Yeahs, album 'It's Blitz' (youtube). I'm a sucker for a piano; for the full-blooded darkness of cellos; are those violins I hear? Add Karen O's compelling voice to the mix and I'm there! First heard on the television series, 'Gossip Girl'... yeah, I know, you're sensing a pattern aren't you? Look, I disdain the radio and so my new music needs are satisfied by scavenging other media -- TV, film, Rhapsody (tm), the internet.

[PLAY1] 'To Build A Home' & [PLAY2] 'That Home' by Cinematic Orchestra, album 'Ma Fleur' (youtube). Don't mind PLAY1's weird video; it's the only one I could find which played the full album version. 'That Home' is a corollary to 'To Build A Home'; it is firmer and a brief introduction to the theme gently and more fully explored in 'To Build A Home'. The latter is another TV-found song, this time from 'Criminal Minds'. I went on a crazy 'Criminal Minds' binge for, like, two months. I inhaled four seasons of the stuff and came away with an appreciation for the procedural and a couple of kick-*ss songs. This one wistfully builds itself across the melodyscape, all bruising longing and homecomings. Guess what I just found out? Patrick Watson is singing this song! I love him! His album, 'Close to Paradise' is a quiet little treasure. Also, PLAY2? Pure poetry: "Where the doors are moaning all day long / Where the stairs are leaning dusk 'till dawn / Where the windows are breathing in the light / Where the rooms are a collection of our lives / This is a place where I don't feel alone / This is a place that I call my home."

[PLAY] 'That's The Way I Always Heard It Should Be' by Carly Simon, album 'The Best of Carly Simon'. No link here I'm afraid. I can only find amateur covers and lyrics. It is a beautiful song.

[PLAY] 'The Fear' by Lily Allen, album 'It's Not Me, It's You' (youtube). I'm surprised I like this song, really I am. I am not a Lily Allen fan, not by a long shot. However, this single is just good flirty fun and sometimes you just need a well-crafted pop confection.

[PLAY] 'The Moment I Said It' by Imogen Heap, album 'Speak for Yourself' (youtube). Recall my 'Criminal Minds' binge? Well, this is another one of those kick-*ss songs I mentioned collecting. This is not my first time hearing Imogen Heap -- I have bookmarked a couple of her songs as favorites before. However I find her a bit hit-and-miss so I'm not too aggressive about exploring her discography. Her voice though, is right in my wheelhouse.

'Walk Into River' by Mychael Danna, soundtrack 'Water' (archive.org). Whenever I'm down for a good cry or the resonant call of Indian instrumentations tugs on my heart strings, I play this baby. You have to watch the movie, 'Water' -- excellent by the way -- to fully appreciate the song's effort. It is sweeping, deep and gorgeous. The entire soundtrack is a feast for the ears, the film a feast for the eyes and Mychael Danna a blessing to any cinematic score.

a long silence precedes the explosion, part one

An (ag'smg) post.

Well, that didn't last long. "Bored, bored, bored," is what I wrote in my last post. So apathetic I could not find a song to post or sing. That's weird for me, a girl who loves my sansa so much I biked to Wal-Mart to buy a new player when my old one broke. As frustrating as the situation had been, it actually provided an opportunity to clean up my song list, to separate the wheat from the chaff so to speak. It's sort of disconcerting playing my randomized playlist and not run into a skippable song; even when I'm not in the mood for a song, I still heart hearing it.

The apathy has lifted -- it couldn't last forever (thank god)! So, with which song should I begin? Note: some, if not all, of the songs listed here should be opened in a new tab or window so as not to lose my awesome, wonderful blogger page, lol.

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The Stars of My Song List

[PLAY] '15 Steps' by Radiohead, album 'In Rainbows' (stream sourced to www.minneapolisfuckingrocks.com). I briefly ducked in and out of Radiohead's 'In Rainbows', and because I beat a hasty path through this audible treat I missed/dismissed a lot of good songs, '15 Steps' being one of them. I first took note of the song after watching 'Twilight'. As the credits rolled the song struck: the tin and the drum of the opening bars and the signature silk of Thom Yorke's voice riveted me. It was a poorly done film with an awesomely done-up credit roll containing all the froth and mystery, sensuality and danger the movie was too meek to deliver. I will say though, Robert Pattinson is deliciousness on legs. *ahem* Apart from the start of the song, my other fave portion is the child chorus crying "Yay!"; there is something so playful about it which I love.

[PLAY] 'Answer' by Sarah McLachlan, album 'Afterglow' (youtube). It took me a long minute to really feel this album and even longer to like this song, but the album's mellow flow at last worked its magic. Perhaps I needed a mellow moment of my own to appreciate what Sarah was offering? "Cast me gently into morning / For the night has been unkind / Take me to a place so holy / That I can wash this from my mind / The memory of choosing not to fight..." The lady can turn a lovely phrase and her voice, as always, is a dream!

[PLAY] 'God of Wine' by Third Eye Blind, album 'Third Eye Blind' (youtube). One of my first adolescent CD purchases, I highly recommend the entire album. This song in particular crept into the top spot after repeated album listens -- but really, the entire album is good.

[PLAY] 'I've Seen It All' by Bjork feat. Thom Yorke, soundtrack 'Selmasongs' (youtube). I love Bjork, and one of my favorite albums by her is the 'Selmasongs' soundtrack. Again, Thom Yorke makes a wonderful vocal appearance (I didn't know that until just now!) but Bjork is the power and the presence of the song. Her wail as the song rises to its conclusion gets me every time.

[PLAY] 'Kingdom of Rust' by Doves, album 'Kingdom of Rust' (youtube). No real story here -- was introduced to the single by Rhapsody (tm) and fell in love with its easy melodic drama.

[PLAY] 'List of Demands (Reparations)' by Saul Williams, album 'The Inevitable Rise of Niggy Tardust' (youtube). Again. Again, a song's opening draws me in and holds me fast. I never saw the infamous Nike (tm) commercial which used this song... not until after I had perused the music blog, The Stranger Dance, and had come across their music-in-commercials series. I can't even begin to describe that opening! A brutal assault full of pepper and strength; the rap which follows is just as ruthless and demanding -- it's great!!!

[PLAY] 'Live Your Life' by T.I. feat Rihanna, album 'Paper Trail' (youtube). Really I only like the hook and beat, the rap is kind of weak.

[PLAY] 'Lonely Ghosts' by O+S, album 'O+S' (jrk.posterous.com). I heard this song during the first brilliant episode of Whedon's television series, 'Dollhouse'. It framed the action so well, amplifying the scenes and bringing tears to my eyes. Love that deep bass voice laying ground beneath the ethereality.

[PLAY] 'Metal Heart' by Cat Power, album 'Jukebox' (youtube). Cat Power is fast becoming my darkhorse artist. This song breaks my heart! Heard it on the now cancelled (boo) television series, 'The Unusuals'. On the smoky strength of the lyric, "I once was lost but now I'm found / Was blind but now I see you..." I sought out the title and artist. The lyric contained therein which now cuts me to the quick? "Sew your fortunes on a string / Blue smoke will take / A very violent flight / And you will be changed..."

[PLAY] 'One Word' by Kelly Osbourne, album 'Sleeping in the Nothing' (youtube). 'One Word'. Kelly Osbourne. Oh god, don't ask me why I like this song so much. It's been forever since I last listened to it and suddenly a craving came upon me: Must. Listen. To. Kelly. Well, Kelly's single. I never ventured beyond this song since outside this instance, her voice doesn't appeal to me in the slightest. There's just something about the sexy, electronic, psuedo-French noir of this song! Don't you judge me!!!

Nothing New / A Girl's Open Thread

I have nothing new to report. No music. No TV. No poetry. No reading. Nothing. All is barren in sGland which is sad, but true. I thought I'd write a post though to let Brandon and anyone else curious enough to read this blog know I'm alive and well.

Oh, I'm having some yummy fried chicken! That's new. LOL Sigh, at some point I'll have to stop being so bored. Post any comments here you want, I'll be checking back throughout the weekend. Oh, and Brandon: I haven't received an e-mail from you. The search function turned up nada. Also, any e-mails I send you are being rejected as a wrong address thing. I thought I had corrected that but perhaps I haven't. Let me know what I'm doing wrong.