music 2011

Ok so all the music blogs are posting their favorite music released in 2011. Since I just got on the bandwagon of new releases... I'm going to post about music I've discovered this year. These may or may not have been newly released.
Most have popped up on my Pandora radio... And that could be country, folk, jazz, alternative, pop, or rock. I recommend each of the following songs:
•Dedicated to the one I love- Lucinda Williams
•I'm yours -Jason Mraz and the version from Straight No Chasers
•Challenged-New Pornographers
•Love came here-Lhasa
•Mad world-Alex Parks
•Treat me right-Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
•Smooth Operator-Dorothy Dandridge
•She's so high- Tal Bachman
•Mellow B- Dandelion
•Sweet Pea- Amos Lee
•4+20 - Joss Stone
•Just for what I am - Connie Smith
•Woodstock- Alice Smith

And... KEEP ON, originally by Curtis Mayfield. From the Chase commercials. Gotta find this. Damnit
Albums:
Little Voice by Sarah Bareilles
Mystical America by Laura Sullivan

And artists:
J Geils Band
Melody Gardot
Connie Evingson
Duo Gadjo
Astrud Gilberto
Leela James
Hollie Cook
Chantal Chamberland
Honey Boy Martin

And just for the record, I still can play the following over and over and never want it to stop filling my ears-
Otis Redding, Etta James, Sam Cooke, Janis Joplin, Martha Wainwright, Vera Lynn, Dean Martin, Amy Winehouse, Bill Withers, The Drifters... Surely there are others? Anne?

New Music December 27, 2011

Only 2 this week. But I'm downloading both. So there you go !!! Cheers and see you next year


Immigrant song - from the soundtrack Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, sung by Karen O, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. Trent and Atticus won an oscar for their work on the Social Network soundtrack. Yes this is that Immigrant Song famed by Led Zeppelin. Who to don a magical version than the Yeah Yeah Yeahs prized lead vocal Karen O. Ooooo. Yeah. This whole soundtrack is quite lovely, actually. I bet they will land on the Oscar ballot in 2012 as well. (That's my vote, Anne.).

Together from the Brumalia EP by Patrick Wolf
I think I could read about him for hours. Baroque pop? Death metal or children's pop? Live life with a horse, man or women, why give terminology?
Love this guy. Thanks Patrick. I of course had to go listen to his other music, and the first one I found is called Tristan. Immediately enthralled. The track Tristan, is based on the Cornish legend, Tristram of Lyonesse. I feel like someone heard my prayer and resurrected the band Pulp. And since our little Patrick is 28 (passed the deadly 27) I am hoping to hear a lot more from him.

New Music Tuesday December 20th

Either this week sucked in New Music, or I was in a bad mood while reviewing. Enjoy.

'I do' by Young Jeezy from Thug Motivation 103′. Hustlers is their world. Not much else to add here. I almost feel cool listening to this. Then I remember I'm a tone deaf white redhead girl who's no more thug than Wooy Allen.

The Internet - Purple Naked Ladies
Wow. Never heard of this band. Kinda shocked at their audacity in track titles. Therefore am not picking one. You go take a look. Wow.

Better than I know myself - New Adam Lambert single. This American Idol loser (thank god) is making music. I hope he makes more. This song is a little pop ballad for my taste, but musically stunning, and let's face it - the boy can sing.

New York - New Snow Patrol single.
I had to listen to this a few times to decide if it was any good. Its a quiet, melancholy repetitive song. Perhaps they didn't post the best portion of the song on itunes... But I think the song could be pretty from start to finish. I love New York so I had to listen a few times. Sounds like the person missing wants to stay in NY rather than with the singer. Can't say I blame them. Snow Patrol feels like they are on a mouse wheel singing the same stuff over and over again.


Roll out the roosters by JD Band from The Rum Diary (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
I want this album. Any compilation that begins with Volare by Dean Martin gets my undivided attention. When I see that Johnny Depp sings on the album, I can't look away. To top off the undeniably magnetic insanity, other titles include ' Suckfish and Snake, Neon Popsicles, and Mother of Balls - all by Christopher Young.
Some other tracks are too politically incorrect to mention in this blog. Oh, and they end the soundtrack with Patti Smith.

'Monsters Anonymous' from Kevin Hearn of Bare Naked Ladies album Cloud Maintenance. This is quite the unique song... Its got monsters singing solos and a kazoo that brings the image of a Monsters Inc like character moment. Seems like Kevin is trying to break away from the kooky 90s band image of the Ladies and make a name for himself as a serious songwriter/singer. Err.. Besides the Monster song. Hmm.. I wouldn't turn it off if I heard his music playing, but I'm not about to purchase it either. Keep plugging away Kevin.

New Music December 13th

Interesting week of new music. Slim pickens but enjoyable. I always love to be more musically informed, and I was this week. Hope you will be too.

Singles
'Pile Of $$$' by Caged Animals –
If I hadn't read the lyrics or watched the video, I would have thought this song was eerily pretty, a ghost town lullaby. However, the video shows a couple go on a shopping spree then the girl lights the boy (singer) in fire while he plays the guitar. And she sheds a single tear. The end. Video killed this radio star.
Chew on these lyrics. Eek.
"I doused the house in flames, whoa ohh
I got a pile of money
I set the world ablaze, whoa ohh
With my pile of money"
Yeah, no one calls me by name
No one calls me by name

'Happy This Christmas' by Mick Hucknall –
The perfect christmas song for a 1987 television theme song. Micks voice challenges that of Mr Hall and Mr Oats, rivaling Andrew Golds lyrical talents...
Its a positive and wishful original that I could listen to and not be annoyed with. You know, it being a new christmas song. Like we need more of those, right? Thanks Hucknall. I hope you're happy this Christmas, too. :)



Albums

Jai McDowall – 'Believe'
Won talent show in UK, sounds exactly like Josh Groban... which - you know, isn't entirely bad. From the little bit I've
read and heard of Jai, he seems to have more spunk than Groban (well so does a door knob). The whole Believe album are covers which leads me to believe that Jai isn't an artist, just a guy with a voice. Please write something for us, show us your skills, man. Jeeez, Jai. Also, when you sound so much like another popular singer, don't sing 2 songs on your album that they've already recorded. I'm just tired of talent show winners coming and going, wasting out time and energy on 4 months of auditions and voting only to become a copycat. What would Simon say?

Please Please Please by Slow Moving Millie from her album Renditions.
Her version of Please Please Please Please let me get what I want by the Smiths -Beautiful. First studio album. I think we'll hear a lot from this Amelia Warner, ex of Colin Farrell. Check out the commercial running this holiday season.


Memoirs from Charlotte Gainsbourg's album Stage Whisper
The daughter of rascal Serge Gainsbourg, who didn't treat himself very well but produced some wonderful French music like Black Trombone and J'taime Charlotte is so special, Beck produced and wrote (besides one song) her 2009 album IRM. I can hear the Beck influence on this album in 'Paradisco", and her dads influence in 'Out of Town'. Lovely voice. Sure to be a hit. Not coming to the US to tour this year it doesn't look. Too bad. She'd be wonderful in the Schnitz.


Why Not - by Jonsi from the soundtrack to Cameron Crowes film We bought a zoo. (Which Jonsi is the entire album)
Gorgeous and aesthetically pleasing - cover,website http://jonsi.com/, sound. Soft, continuous movement of tracks flowing into the next.
With that said, Jonsi has collaborated with Sigur Rós, and musically collaborated with his boyfriend Alex Somers, creating 'Jonsi and Alex.'. This Icelandic wonder is partially blind and plays the cello bow on his guitar. Oh and according to Wikipedia (the gods truth) Jonsi also fiddles with bass, synthesizer, organ, piano, harmonium, mellotron, banjo, ukelele, and the harmonica. And he sings.
I don't see him coming to Portland soon, but he was here in 2010 so we may be graced with his presence soon.

New Music Tuesday December 2, 2011

Smells like another hit.

We don't have to talk about how long it's been... we don't have to talk about why.
Bursting at the seams I am here to inform you all about December 2nds (music, not stress) releases.

In true form of Aubrey's Addiction blog, I will create a playlist of my picks among the albums/singles/EP's released this week. These precious elect will be followed by my opinion, concerns, links, further artist information, photos, and a final recommendation or not to purchase the release.


Our day will come - Amy Winehouse— Lioness: Hidden Treasures
I am still devastated over Amys death.
I love her voice, I love how she played with styles, genres... These tears will have to dry on their own.... The duet Ms Winehouse performed with Mr Bennett is timeless. I read an interview with Tony in the New Yorker, and I quote "". It breaks my heart. I have tried to karaoke two of Amys songs (F*ck me Pumps and You Know that I'm no good) but no one, not even me, challenge her delivery. So with that, Amys album finale is bittersweeet for me. I will never hear something new from those pipes again, but thank you oh so much for producing a collection unpreviously released. Santa if you are listening I would love this album in my stocking (or F me pumps)....
So Our day will come has always been one of my favorite songs and was thilled when I saw Amy covered this. Just listen to it. I have already purchased this album and so should you.


"Don't kick the chair". By Dia Frampton from her new album Red
Apparently Dia was the runner up from a television show The Voice. I actually liked what I heard. Plus this track title reminds me of Neil Diamonds "I am I said": And no one heard at all, not even the f@cking chair...
Dia is pretty POP for my taste, but has a beautiful voice and the message of Its going to get better in this song makes me smile. It has to get better, right? And the album cover is adorable.

Korn— The Path of Totality -
I couldn't listen to any of this album long enough to even kind of reccomend something. I tried, I really did. Sorry Korn fans. go listen and judge for yourself.


Fix You and Its Not Unusual from Glee Vol 7.
I cry every time I hear Fix You by Coldplay. Mr Shu did the song justice in my mind, and thought the scene was shot beautifully. And yes, I cried. On the other side of the emotional spectrum, Its Not Unusual sung by Blaine made me laugh out loud and get on my feet to get closer to the tv in disbelief that Tom Jones was on. No, it was Blaine, but he performed in his bowtie and tight pants that woulda made Tom proud. I love how random Glee can be, taking songs written yesterday and 40 years ago and submerging them together onto one sublime show. I swear this series was written just for me. I also love Santanas version of kd langs Constant Craving but she's done better in my opinion (Valerie and Songbird).

Tears on my tuxedo by Robin Thicke from his new album Love After War
What a little Prince... But I can't help think of Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner in Romancing the Stone when they dance their el corazons out in Columbia. You know the part. Try to pretend you forgot. Thank you Robin. I needed a little RnB.
Now I must inform you who Robins parents are... Gloria Loring and Alan Thicke. Well no effin wonder. Friends and Lovers and Growing Pains, oh my!
No sign of a tour stop in Portland this year.


Little Black Submarines by The Black Keyys from their new album El Camino
I heard the NPR sunday morning interview and was definately intrigued with what was to come on El Camino. The Black Keys "Dearest" a Buddy Holly cover from and album called Rave On is nominated for a Grammy this year. ElCamino is their 7th album. I I know I've downloaded their music in the past... But my music is all locked up miles away from me so I couldn't tell ya what when or where. I can tell you this blues grassy rock band would be wonderful live... And they are coming to Portland in March 2012 at the Cumberland Civic Center. Portland. Maine that is... This song has a great mix of ballad and rock, smooth transition and a voice that can carry you through.


Kool On explicit. The Roots— undun
I can't remember if I've seen them live or not. Ha. Perhaps opening for Dave Matthews or the Counting Crows, I can't really say for sure.
So I don't like most of this hip hop 'neo soul' music. What I'm struggling with is that I really want to like The Roots. There's a magnetism to their style and track title choice. Plus there's an instrumental track by Sufjjan Stevens whom I love on this album. I wanted to choose that as part of this list but thought it would be unfair to the Roots. Therefore I chose Kool On because of the lyrics 'come get your kool on, stars are made to shine'. Like a smack down on being unpopular to being popular. Love it. Yeah that's right I earned this, now let me shine, b*@ch.

Bang Bang Pow Pow - T-Pain— Revolver
Really? Who doesn't want to hear Lil Wayne and TPain sing about guns and b*@ches? What the f*ck are you going to do? No bodys gonna stop me I'm gonna do it right now. Bang bang pow pow. The only thing I got to say is its definately taken 'Bang Bang you shot me down' written by Sonny Bono to a whole new 21st cetury level. Well thanks TPain for reminding me how hot headed us Americans have come. Now get outta my way! BANG.

Suspicious path

My subscription to the New Yorker allows me to have access to their articles online. For this I am grateful because I wanted to share one from the Mar 14 issue. It unites the theme song for my day with the daily thought to ponder: “Suspicious Minds” by Elvis and “A keystone is the wedge-shaped piece at the highest part of an arch that locks the other pieces in place.”
Aren’t we always looking for the missing piece that connects everything in life? What if we find it, then we become suspicious, could this be true? When will I wake up? Can I let go? Do I just keep moving on blindly, aggressively, ignoring the path laid out of rose petals on your right. No, shaking your head, that looks too pleasant. Better take a left, we are supposed to suffer. What feels good can’t be the missing piece. The Keystone. Right? An uncomfortable battle it is. I believe in you. I can start believing in myself – let the guard down, the sun shine through the blinds. Thank you for holding my hand.
No one wants to be as uncomfortably miserable as the following fellow:


Going for a Beer
by Robert Coover
He finds himself sitting in the neighborhood bar drinking a beer at about the same time that he began to think about going there for one. In fact, he has finished it. Perhaps he’ll have a second one, he thinks, as he downs it and asks for a third. There is a young woman sitting not far from him who is not exactly good-looking but good-looking enough, and probably good in bed, as indeed she is. Did he finish his beer? Can’t remember. What really matters is: Did he enjoy his orgasm? Or even have one? This he is wondering on his way home through the foggy night streets from the young woman’s apartment. Which was full of Kewpie dolls, the sort won at carnivals, and they made a date, as he recalls, to go to one. Where she wins another—she has a knack for it. Whereupon they’re in her apartment again, taking their clothes off, she excitedly cuddling her new doll in a bed heaped with them. He can’t remember when he last slept, and he’s no longer sure, as he staggers through the night streets, still foggy, where his own apartment is, his orgasm, if he had one, already fading from memory. Maybe he should take her back to the carnival, he thinks, where she wins another Kewpie doll (this is at least their second date, maybe their fourth), and this time they go for a romantic nightcap at the bar where they first met. Where a brawny dude starts hassling her. He intervenes and she turns up at his hospital bed, bringing him one of her Kewpie dolls to keep him company. Which is her way of expressing the bond between them, or so he supposes, as he leaves the hospital on crutches, uncertain what part of town he is in. Or what part of the year. He decides that it’s time to call the affair off—she’s driving him crazy—but then the brawny dude turns up at their wedding and apologizes for the pounding he gave him. He didn’t realize, he says, how serious they were. The guy’s wedding present is a gift certificate for two free drinks at the bar where they met and a pair of white satin ribbons for his crutches. During the ceremony, they both carry Kewpie dolls that probably have some barely hidden significance, and indeed do. The child she bears him, his or another’s, reminds him, as if he needed reminding, that time is fast moving on. He has responsibilities now and he decides to check whether he still has the job that he had when he first met her. He does. His absence, if he has been absent, is not remarked on, but he is not congratulated on his marriage, either, no doubt because—it comes back to him now—before he met his wife he was engaged to one of his colleagues and their co-workers had already thrown them an engagement party, so they must resent the money they spent on gifts. It’s embarrassing and the atmosphere is somewhat hostile, but he has a child in kindergarten and another on the way, so what can he do? Well, he still hasn’t cashed in the gift certificate, so, for one thing, what the hell, he can go for a beer, two, in fact, and he can afford a third. There’s a young woman sitting near him who looks like she’s probably good in bed, but she’s not his wife and he has no desire to commit adultery, or so he tells himself, as he sits on the edge of her bed with his pants around his ankles. Is he taking them off or putting them on? He’s not sure, but now he pulls them on and limps home, having left his beribboned crutches somewhere. On arrival, he finds all the Kewpie dolls, which were put on a shelf when the babies started coming, now scattered about the apartment, beheaded and with their limbs amputated. One of the babies is crying, so, while he warms up a bottle of milk on the stove, he goes into its room to give it a pacifier and discovers a note from his wife pinned to its pajamas, which says that she has gone off to the hospital to have another baby and she’d better not find him here when she gets back, because if she does she’ll kill him. He believes her, so he’s soon out on the streets again, wondering if he ever gave that bottle to the baby, or if it’s still boiling away on the stove. He passes the old neighborhood bar and is tempted but decides that he has had enough trouble for one lifetime and is about to walk on when he is stopped by that hulk who beat him up and who now gives him a cigar because he’s just become a father and drags him into the bar for a celebratory drink, or, rather, several, he has lost count. The celebrations are already over, however, and the new father, who has married the same woman who threw him out, is crying in his beer about the miseries of married life and congratulating him on being well out of it, a lucky man. But he doesn’t feel lucky, especially when he sees a young woman sitting near them who looks like she’s probably good in bed and decides to suggest that they go to her place, but too late—she’s already out the door with the guy who beat him up and stole his wife. So he has another beer, wondering where he’s supposed to live now, and realizing—it’s the bartender who so remarks while offering him another on the house—that life is short and brutal and before he knows it he’ll be dead. He’s right. After a few more beers and orgasms, some vaguely remembered, most not, one of his sons, now a racecar driver and the president of the company he used to work for, comes to visit him on his deathbed and, apologizing for arriving so late (I went for a beer, Dad, things happened), says he’s going to miss him but it’s probably for the best. For the best what? he asks, but his son is gone, if he was ever there in the first place. Well . . . you know . . . life, he says to the nurse who has come to pull the sheet over his face and wheel him away. ♦

Daniel

Overcoming self –will, or self-will run riot.

“Daniel my brother you are older than me
Do you still feel the pain of the scars that won't heal
Your eyes have died but you see more than I
Daniel you're a star in the face of the sky”

I am not sure I need to say much more than this.

Christie Lee

“Everyone has talent. What is rare is the courage to follow the talent to the dark place where it leads” – Erica Jong

What is this, Star Wars? Let’s add another message for today which is “Do not be discouraged”. I suppose our talents can lead us to a dark place – but is it only dark because we forget to turn on the light. There are days when it takes someone else to turn on the light for us to see our own talents…
Good ole Billy Joel’s Christie Lee says

He couldn't see that Christie Lee was a woman
Who didn't need another lover
All she wanted was the sax

It took a while for him to notice
It took a while for him to see
He was never in control here
It was always Christie Lee

We don’t always see who has the control – and it can be difficult to have faith in ourselves to exploit our talents to whomever. The dark place our talent leads us may just be an invitation to go buy the smarts to get a light bulb and screw it in ourselves. Things aren’t always as they seem – Christie Lee just wanted the sax, Billy. She did lead Billy on though. We see what we want to see, or sometimes not at all. So when screwing in the light bulb, be sure it’s ‘brite-white’ 90W and not rose colored. Don’t be discouraged to let go, sometimes the world really is pretty in rose…

Elenore

"Constant effort is necessary if I am to grow spiritually and develop my spiritual life."

How appropriate to have read this today...
Relying on others to pull you out, raise you up, and move you on will never do without the willingness on your part. Have had a bit of a sour taste in my mouth lately wishing I could stay home and watch the rain from a window. This week’s weather is – oh what’s the phrase? “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” . Right. What is so easy is to let the negative wash your hopes away down the drain, tears pouring out in anguish and despair. Could it really be this bad? Absolutely not. A constant effort is needed when one is on the breaking point. Yesterday I was searching for the exertion needed for me to function the days to come. Looking for what it could be that brightens my day, lifts my heart, sparks that smile. I have decided to take from a certain little book a daily meditation (or thought, words, subject – there are no rules as this is my own), and link it with my view and the theme song for the day (chosen at random by shuffle method).
Why? You know that inner monologue? Argument? The judgment of oneself that can break ones spirit? The voice that can be so cruel and unrecognizable to the outside world, for these words would rarely be dished out to them. Creates a conundrum making it difficult to go to work, make a phone call, sleep doesn’t it. It takes ‘constant effort’ to do something to change such frame of mind. A creative outlet? Why not.
One could incorporate self satisfaction, self matter, and perhaps self confidence on a daily basis. I think this has helped me. Still sporting red whenever possible, I can spread the message as to why with a simple link IN the word.
Connecting positive inner and outer, let us dance. Go and Ask Jeeves the lyrics, and sing to yourself that you are your own pride and joy, etc. If you can’t respect yourself, if you don’t love yourself, what good are you to others?