Saturday, October 29, 2011

How can I keep from singing?

Let's go old-school with a little classic Enya... Yes, yes, I know, Enya has become synonymous with cliched new agey passé Celtic-craze wishywashy type muzak. But Watermark and Shepherd Moons have lulled me for years, and I even have a sadfunny personal story about a song on one of her newer albums... so yeah, we go way back, even though this is not exactly my typical preferred musical style. (Handy tip - if you ever have unruly children to deal with at night, Enya is very soothing and "boring" enough that they will give up and go to sleep. I have used it on cabins chock full of hyper tween girls to good effect.) But I will not apologize for my Enya love, sometimes you just need it. And it reminds me of being in like junior high... the albums are older than that, but that was when I got hold of them. On tape.

My favorite song performed by her is a classic folk song that she covered - see below - this whole post was brought to mind because I was deciding what music to put on my new phone and realized as much as I'd rather keep it to a minimum (like under 9 gigs hahahaha), I may need a good song for hard nights sometimes, so I had to put this on, and prob the above mentioned albums at least... It's just such a lovely song.

"How Can I Keep From Singing?" - Enya (warning - annoying ads) - video is about what you would expect - she swans around an old church & then there are clips about war/peace/freedom...


Watch Enya - How Can I Keep From Singing? in Music  |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

One of my music husbands

STUCK IN MY HEAD
I LOVE YOU ROBERT SMITH

Not in Love - Crystal Castles ft. Robert Smith (video is meh, though nicely reminiscent of memories, I guess...)

Friday, October 21, 2011

Go Hard or Go Home

FRIDAY! (My Friday off, to be exact, yay! All I did was watch tv and go to the gym...)

So Stomp The Yard was on this morning. And it is a pretty terrible movie, but it has fun dancing. And Spoiler alert - Chris Brown wins a dance battle AND THEN GETS SHOT. Fantastic. 

Also - dancing in an empty pool, which I think actually makes for a really lovely/striking framing of the scene. 

So get your groove on for Friday night! I have no plans. And still no fridge. But hopefully somebody will go and dance one out for me, please. Go hard or go home!

"Go Hard or Go Home" - E-40




(I'll be home, so you'd better go hard!)

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Some days, they last longer than others...

We all have them - songs that remind us of certain people. And save your gross romantic "our song" thoughts for some other time, I mean that they remind us of our Friends. Yes, those with a capital F. Whether it was the shared love of a band or song that brought you together, or the song that played as you washed dishes together at some dreary job, or the concert you both danced your hearts out to, mutual music is a strong connector. I was recently talking to my friend Lois about how some songs make me instantly think of us being teenagers together in the summers, they just flash me right back. I know scientists talk about how odors are strong memory makers, but I wonder how much research they have done on songs? I almost feel 17 again when I hear Metallica's Black album. Science me that, scientists! Some things, some events, some people, stick with us (duh), and it's amazing to me how much feeling can come up, even just hearing a snippet of some songs that are deeply entwined with lasting memories (both good and bad, besides good friend songs, I also have songs that I can't really bear to listen to anymore as well).

So these are a selected few songs that remind me of my friend Lois. We met when we were like 15 at summer camp, and spent summers together, been on ups and downs and through a variety of other relationships and musical phases, we have our own secret code language, and so on... (Also through her I also met Miss Michael, so it was a really good deal.) We spent several summers working on staff (cooking and cleaning, and breaking the rules, LOL) at the same camp we met at, and those were some amazing & tiring & trying & ridiculous years, that I would not dare want to do over, but I would not trade for the world either.

Nothing Else Matters - Metallica  Summer nights! Sing me to sleep almost every night, weird looking men! (it was a mildly strict Christian camp and secular music was forbidden, hahahahahahahahahahahaha)
"So close, no matter how far..."



We also listened to a lot of DMB - and especially this song, which I really like... It always makes me think of those times!

Don't Drink the Water - Dave Matthews Band (what a random video, LOL)




Lois is also a great singer. Once, she sang the Star Spangled Banner for a 4th of July crowd, and I saw an (tough) old man cry (it is a moving song, but it can also be done poorly; this was well done). She also liked Phantom of the Opera and we'd listen to it, and she would sing. You get 3 selections from that here, because I love these.

All I Ask of You - Michael Ball & Sarah Brightman





Internet, why are there so many Emmy Rossum versions on YT but less Sarah Brightman? You guys are wack sometimes. Think of Me  is one of my favorites. Couldn't find a decent video though.


Music of the Night - Michael Crawford  - how hot/creepyHot is this song? "Tremulous and tender"? COME ON NOW. She's looking a little like an early prototype of L.Gaga in this clip though, LOL. Which makes it that much more hilarious.





And also in the same kind of universe of singing - I will spare you Carrickfergus - Charlotte Church. (Though I do wish I had a handsome boatman. And this inspired a code word of ours that describes a state of being.)


Related to this variety of light opera, there's the realm of the Josh Groban/Michael Bublé-s of the world. I know they actually have different styles, but I kind of think of them in the same vein. Classy man-singing... No matter what I hear by either of them (like MB's most recent, see below), even if we don't have any history of listening to it together - I kind of feel like she owns it/them, LOL. They are your mens, Lois!

I used to think Josh Groban was just ok, cute and a good singer and all but then he started popping up on TV, and he is a riot. That just makes his singing so much better. Here is just one bit from a great appearance on Never Mind the Buzzcocks; and here he is on Glee (and of course, he was just on The Office this week). And here he is singing an adorbz duet -

Total Eclipse of the Heart - Josh Groban & Ellen




And then there is Michael Bublé. I do feel his one drawback is that he exudes a rather smarmy charm... IMO, he looks like he might be kind of a douchey jerk? I have no proof of that all. Just his muppety face is a little petulant looking? IDK. Just a vibe. But he can sing and dance deliciously in a suit, so I guess that can be overlooked for our purposes.  Also I like both of these videos, they are very cutesy and entertaining and memorable, so I guess overall he comes out a winner.

Feeling Good




And his most recent hit - Haven't Met You Yet (because it has dancing in a grocery store it puts me in mind of the video for "Closer" - Travis, which predates this and was included in one of my very first posts here, and is also delightful)






Then there's Rilo Kiley - we share a love for Rilo Kiley... we even went to see them in concert together, it was epic. And Lois used to actually live in Glendora and so we used to sing the beginning of that one all the time (even though it's not my favorite song by them at all).

I think one of my most favorites (and also one that makes me think most of Lois because it talks about 'visiting the mountains with frequency' and days 'by the lake' which is the essence of our youthful summers... which I can barely remember the years of anymore, they have all run together because we are getting on in years, sadface) is With Arms Outstretched -






And speaking of the Promised Land - His Eye is on the Sparrow - Mahalia Jackson  - One of my favorite songs ever that Lois occasionally sings. Sung here in the most amazing way possible.
"I sing because I'm happy / I sing because I'm free / For His eye is on the sparrow / And I know He watches me"



Keeping things strictly platonic (maybe we will do googly-eyed songs about lovers in the future) - who are your important people in life, and what are the songs that make you think of them? Share in the comments!

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Heartbreakers

Let's compare and contrast songs titled "Heartbreaker" - because I was going to share a Metronomy one in the last post since it was about them, but then I thought, well I also happen to LOVE the Mariah Carey one of the same name, possibly my favorite video by her... so then I did some YT'ing to find some others, and I thought it would be an interesting juxtaposition. What do they have in common?  (There is something to be examined about why they title the song Heartbreaker, when there are millions of songs on the subject of heartbreak and heartbreakers, just not all so clearly labeled as such.) I think they all (even the most subdued) tend to not be as sad or depressing as one might expect given the subject. If you watch these videos, they don't come off as mournful lamentations. More of statement of facts learned or applied or something come to terms with (or maybe even embraced - a lot of power is involved in the 'breaking'). All-in-all surprisingly upbeat (and some downright catchy). Which is a grand purpose of music, the pursuit of happiness, the turning of what could be conflicting and harrowing emotions into art - movement and sound and yes, even a little hopeful light.

by Metronomy  original video below. Or if you're into things being even a little more technodance-y, there is a Kris Menace remix (not a real video) which is also fun and that YT info contains a great comment about the original video, decide for yourself if that's true:
"Great British pop tune given a French touch by German producer Kris Menace. Be sure to watch the original video, which will make you want to buy a '84 Honda Accord and get some mormon friends..."  




by Mariah Carey - it's just so funny (and the outfits, so dated - that one girl sportin' the overallssss....). This just makes me think of the late 90s, and being in high school, it's all very dear to my heart... 1999! She makes very entertaining videos, I must confess. I need to devote a post to extolling them. This one has singing and dancing in a theatre, a cartoon bit ft. Jay-Z, the guy from Sliders, and to top it all of, a girlfight!  Such. A. Classic.





by MSTRKRFT (ft. John Legend) which has has a cute video wherein hoodlums (I love the one who clearly thinks he's channeling a young Moz) get up to hijinks in a store. I really like this song.





Do not stop watching the videos on this post without watching (and then sending The Republic of Korea a personal note of thanks for their amazing culture) this one by G-Dragon. I for SURE need to do a K-pop post now...




I am not a Peas fan, but will.i.am is hard to dislike. However, the song is kinda meh, and the video not so stellar either, but there is some passable dancing and lights.




Non-video links: Girls; Dionne Warwick; Led Zeppelin (rockin')




And we can close with this, by the iconic Pat Benatar - this probably should have been the first entry on the list! I hope we all know this song. Love how powerfully she just stands and sings!






So, which one is your favorite? Or which one do you think best works with the title? Did one buck you up in time of trouble? Do you want to dress like G-Dragon? Any suggestions to add to the list ? I know it's not an exhaustive list, so if you have good ones (or bad, or mediocre) please share a link in the comments!



Saturday, October 1, 2011

You may have the body, but do you have the soul?

I think I had re-tweeted The Look a long time ago (not sure of the original source, sorry), but not featured it here. Not sure why, though, as Metronomy has really good music videos all around. Also I like the guy's big eyes and gingery beard look...


I love this one, mainly because it has a squishy seagull! And bumper cars. Also, the song is ridiculously catchy and synthalicious.





The Bay - it's white outfits, palm trees, vacation, ladies by the pool, basically this close to delving into the total cliche Taio Cruz (or Lonely Island) video territory, but in a very restrained way which still manages to avoid it (but definitely plays with it, hello crotch!). Very crisp and refreshing. However, can you guess the one part of this video that irritates me? Other than the fact that I probably want to buy some white pumps that I'd never wear? 25 gold stars to the first correct answer.





Possibly the weirdest - Radio Ladio. It's just so creepy. They really went for color here, and it's playful, cutesyish and memorable, but there's something disconcerting about painted people.





And  then possibly my favorite - A Thing for Me. Although I still really like the adorable polished simplicity of The Look, I do love that this one involves the usage of words (actual and not), the karaoke ball, everything. Very cute and fun. Hive Goth a thing for you too!