The weekends are always very strange for me. I'm an active person so anytime I'm left with as much as a little empty space in my schedule, it makes me nervous. I'm one of those people who doesn't want to be left alone with themselves. I like distractions and reasons to not think. Naturally, music is the perfect antidote. Since my closest friend had a severe accident, my best friends live in different states, and I'm a picky person, the weekends aren't what they used to be. I have friends that come and go, people I see from time to time but the person I spend the most time with is myself and my trusty iTunes catalog.
Just like everyone else, I have certain music that I feel at home with. There aren't any pretenses with these songs. They're not songs I have to get dressed up for or be with other people - they're songs that are mine. I am very musically sensitive in the sense that if I hear a song playing in someone else's car or in a restaurant or bar, I will instantly relate that song to that situation every time I hear it from there on out. Sometimes this is great and makes me love a song even more but occasionally it's the worst thing that could happen and I can never listen to the song again. Usually it takes a rather massive situation for this to occur but I always hate when it does. Take for example the gorgeous song "Dear Lord" by Joseph Arthur. I absolutely love this song - it could potentially be one of my favorite songs of all time. For a long time I didn't have it on my iTunes because I gradually tuned it out of my mind. Everything from the jangly, West Virginia sound of the guitar to the lyrics that so perfectly describe my ex-boyfriend, made me hate it. I hated the power it had over me. Every time I heard this stupid song I would cry like a maniac. With lyrics like "I'm sorry for the things I've done, I'm sorry for wanting to run" - when I hear it, it just brings back a time I want nothing more than to forget. Yes, this time was the basis of my personality today but I'd rather not think of the person that destroyed my youth (and shaped a great deal of myself). It's rough and I can't believe that a song could bring all that rushing back. And that's not even going into "Close to Me" - The Cure or "Your Eyes" - Peter Gabriel. They make me want to kill myself, figuratively. And for anyone that thinks I'm nuts, I dare you to consider your own personal history and tell me that there's not a song that does the same to you. I'm certain you'll find at least one if not a dozen others.
Finding old mix cds is like hell for me recently. The last two I found were from a person who committed suicide and the aforementioned lover. It's always great to hear love songs that now mean nothing - that are now probably on a cd for someone else. I love the art of a mix cd but the pain that comes after the initial rush is sometimes not worth it. I had a friend not so long ago who was making me a supposed mix catering to all my favorite styles - namely sensual tunes that he thought were more respectable than my more overtly sexy preferences. I saw on his iTunes that the list was named after me and everything. Great, I thought, I love new songs. I'm always more than ready to hear what turns other people on. Of course before I received said mix cd, we got into a musically charged fight and I will probably never receive it.
Music is such a strange animal. Music might be the biggest social tool - and lubricant - there is. More than sports and maybe even alcohol in some cases, music gets people talking and relating. I'm always amazed when I'm sitting at a dinner table and people start talking about music. Their eyes light up and they try to trade little stories that they think will make them sound impressive to the others, sometimes not even realizing that everyone at the table is trying to sound cool in one way or another. Sometimes I'm convinced that's the only reason people even talk about music. In some places it's almost taboo to talk about music in fear of sounding inferior. I had to delete a post on here one time because I spoke so inappropriately about a man I met at a bar that belittled me until I had no choice but to walk away. I had never come across such an arrogant person in my life. In my naivete, it was difficult for me to even believe that this man loved music as much as he was claiming. How could someone who was willing to sit with me for two hours discussing a single topic have such a strong disdain for music he didn't understand? He refused to even amuse the idea of someone like John Mayer having any talent whatsoever and bashed The National for becoming too mainstream. Unfortunately, the more I meet people who claim to be music lovers, the more I come across this same problem. It seems that every "music lover" of a certain age has the same opinions on what music should be. No young "hipster" guy ever openly admits appreciation for someone like John Mayer and any girl who likes him will bashfully say it or add the requisite "embarrassingly!" at the end. I've given up on trying to understand why this is. I continuously use the example that you wouldn't let someone else tell you what to eat so why do you let them influence what you listen to but clearly it's more important to be socially acceptable than - God Forbid! - like a pop artist. A band like The National could be making the greatest music of their career but if they're selling 300,000 albums in their first week doing so then all their "indie cred" is gone in certain circles. It's absolutely baffling to me. They're not working with Britney Spears' auto-tuning guy just because they're popular, they're still making the same album in their little studio whether they sell 1 copy or 1 million copies (clearly there's more to it than this but in theory they're still the same people with the same musical abilities regardless).
It has become so frequent that I hear music discussions I'd rather eavesdrop on than participate in that I have become very leery of ever discussing music myself. I don't like when people challenge me or try to test my music knowledge when they find out I want to be a music writer and I don't like having my own tastes on display in one-on-one conversations. I recently had a run-in like this on a Greyhound bus where I was suddenly put on the spot to discuss my "favorite genre". Granted, I'm a hypocrite because these are the kinds of questions I like to ask other people but when they come my way I try to avoid them. The person was very nice but my answer was incredibly jumbled. "Older R&B? Classic rock? Singer/Songwriter/'70's/folksy/country/twangy/quiet/dancy/hand clapping/hip shaking/short-type of songs"
Maybe I didn't say it in that way but I felt very strange. I felt like I didn't want to sound like an idiot and I didn't want to sound snooty at the same time. Somehow I almost felt like there was a right answer I should give. If you talk about music as if you know something about it, it comes across as pompous but in the same respect you can't act like you don't know anything. The thing I've always wondered is how anyone can judge someone else's taste when they probably know nothing about it if it's not their particular preference. There's an insane array of music out there! There's no way a single individual could be a master of it all in one lifetime. If someone told me right now that their favorite band in the world was Sugarland, I'd nod my head and really have no idea what to say. I don't know very much about contemporary country and therefore I can't tell you if they have great music or not. They could have some incredible lyrics, just because they're not my favorite doesn't mean they're not the best. There are patrons at the concert venue I work at all the time that are devout lovers of specific metal bands that I would consider awful at face value but really, have I given it a try? These people pray at the bottom of the stage these musicians perform on. They wear matching band shirts, get tattoos of their favorite lyrics, and sing along to every word. I am in awe of these people. I am one of these people. My outrageous love of The National is very often put into question among everyone from my friends to strangers. I have a tattoo dedicated to them, a half dozen National shirts in my closet, and listen to them absolutely obsessively. I don't think I'm weird so how could I ever judge another music lover even if it's not the kind of music I love? Actually, I tend to find that it's the people who really have an undying respect for the art of music that usually tell me they don't understand my particular interest but they love my passion for it. That's the attitude more people should have.
Sometimes it's even hard for me to believe that a few pieces of three minute works of art could have such a bearing on someone's life but that's the same kind of mystery that keeps me coming back. In my life, there have been some two hour movies that have made me feel intense things and I will watch them over and over again but are there ever any that I watch 100 times over again? No way. Are there songs I'll listen to over 100 times? Without question. In high school I went through what could only be considered the biggest singer/songwriter phase of my life. I would lay on my bedroom floor with my head up against a long, white dresser and just close my eyes trying to absorb every inch of an entire album by Howie Day or Josh Kelley or the great Jason Mraz. I'd listen to these songs so much and so intensely that they became part of the fabric of my being. I didn't necessarily intend for that to happen but they worked their way into my subconscious. When I hear Josh Kelley's "Home to Me", I am instantly brought back to that time. I guess now in some ways I wish they had been artists with a little more musical depth (I know some of my friends' high school experiences included Pavement, Sonic Youth, Nirvana, etc.) but for me these songs did have depth. I didn't know to listen to something because it was 'cool' or because someone was telling me to. I will certainly admit I had a slight *Nsync phase but I loved their acappela performances and still believe them to be rather decent singers (and dancers for that matter).
I kept a journal in high school and every entry would involve the music I was listening to. Of course I'm not the only one but I remember it was important to me to be very detailed. I would write down an entire album track by track and explain why it meant something to me. I'd use lyrics I knew by heart and write lists of all my current favorite songs. I'd look up similar artists everyday on AOL (the in thing at the time) and find interviews with my favorite musicians to see their influences and then look them up too. I'm not ashamed to say that through John Mayer I started loving jazz music. I guess the writers at Rolling Stone would probably laugh but I would never know who Dexter Gordon, John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, or even Miles Davis was without Mayer's influence. Because I had such a desire to learn, I can actually recognize music from these people, not just know their name so if that's embarrassing then I'm happy to be embarrassed.
I'll tell people upfront that I'm not keen on Leonard Cohen, although I hoped I would be, and that I think Joy Division is overrated. I'm almost positive that somehow certain things got good word of mouth and people started to believe that to be taken seriously they had to go with the flow whether they wanted to or not. Something is not instantly cool because it's "lo-fi" and something is not instantly uncool because it's catchy and produced. I just saw Train - unintentionally - for the third time in two months tonight and although I'll agree that their music is over the top corny, I sort of love it. Pat Monahan gets on stage and not only gives his all but isn't afraid of looking like a loser. He's flittering around like a ballerina and he's having a great time in the process. He's also a great vocalist and songwriter - better in my opinion than a lot of indie bands that all end up sounding the same. It's the bands - in every genre - that take risks that end up coming out the victors.
I've been to over 30 John Mayer concerts and I'll tell you right now that besides some preppy girls that are too afraid to make fools out of themselves, everyone has a good time. At the 12 or so concerts of The National I've been to, I'd be hard pressed to think of more than a handful of people that looked like they were enjoying themselves. If you check out a video on Youtube of these people at the Brooklyn or Manhattan shows, they look like zombies while Matt Berninger is out there singing his soul out. It's almost like these people don't want to appear as if they're having a good time. Wearing their perfect pair of $200 vintage oxfords and their perfectly placed Urban Outfitters fedoras, heaven forbid they shake their hips a little. I am like this too sometimes, especially if I'm alone and a little worried of looking like the creepy, tall one, but by mid-show I tend to get over it whether I want to or not. I am taken in by the music I love more than most of my own family members. When someone's voice is in your ear every day for years you tend to get an attachment to them. I have been hearing John Mayer's voice in my ears for nearly 10 years now. That's longer than all my relationships combined and most of my friendships. When he's out having sex with half of Hollywood, it's not going to stop me from thinking of him as Uncle John. He's my poet. I don't care what the skinny guy in the bar with the tight "Ithaca is Gorges" shirt tells me, you know? I don't get it. And it's not just those kinds of people, it's much more than that. A lot of people preface their favorite music by saying they know it's "not cool" or something like that. I am a victim of this very often as well for some reason. I love Hall and Oates. Do you know how many people hate Hall and Oates? Neither did I until I started telling people I loved them. The game of music is very weird.
ANYWAY, I think this all started by explaining why I get lonely on the weekends. I used to have tons of people around me all time time. My friend and I would bring a bunch of people back over to my place after the bar or we'd get invited to a party or something and now that my partner in crime is otherwise detained, I'm left alone. When I'm wallowing the pain away in a drink or in someone else's company, the pain is easier but when it's a Saturday night and I know what I'm missing, it's a lot more difficult. I get a little sappy and start to feel sorry for myself and end up listening to The National or watching Chelsea Lately, depending on whether I want to get more depressed or pick myself up. In times like these I have my friendly musical voices to keep me company and I'd rather that than people I don't know - unless the people I don't know are the new songs I'm about to download on iTunes.
And as promised, here are the top 20 songs that I enjoy listening to while I'm all alone.
01 Amos Lee - Seen it All Before
02 Amy Winehouse - Wake Up Alone
03 John Frusciante - Song to Sing When I'm Lonely
04 Chet Baker - The Thrill is Gone
05 Band of Horses - Window Blues
06 John Mayer - Perfectly Lonely
07 Andrew Bird - Tenuousness
08 Buddy Guy - I've Got Dreams to Remember
09 Bill Withers - Ain't No Sunshine
10 The Beatles - Norwegian Wood
11 Smokey Robinson - Tracks of My Tears
12 Sondre Lerche - Stupid Memory
13 Frank Sinatra - Glad to Be Unhappy
14 Sufjan Stevens - To Be Alone With You
15 Dave Rawlings - To Be Young (is To Be Sad, is To Be High)
16 The Postal Service - The District Sleeps Alone Tonight
17 Peter Sarstedt - Where Do You Go to My Lovely
18 The National - Daughters of the Soho Riots
19 Pete Yorn - Don't Wanna Cry
20 Otis Redding - (Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay
Showing posts with label Sondre Lerche. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sondre Lerche. Show all posts
12 September 2010
03 April 2010
Music Video to Love: "Heartbeat Radio" - Sondre Lerche
The adorable Sondre Lerche wins once again with this clever video for his latest single "Heartbeat Radio" off his fifth album of the same name. The album was released on September 8 but just recently am I hearing a little more buzz about it.
Lerche is a brilliant singer/songwriter/guitarist with a knack for biting lyrics, humorous takes on serious topics ranging from love, death, memories, etc. and reinterpreting old standards in a whole new way.
This particular album didn't grab me in the way I wanted it to but Lerche is one of my favorite songwriters and luckily comes out with one or two albums a year. He's highly influenced by Elvis Costello whom he's toured with in the past and lives in Norway (two details I always think of with him).
As you may guess from the lyrics, I have never heard this song on the radio.
To learn more check it out here.
Heartbeat Radio Lyrics
Tell me what you think about this song?
Sue me if you reckon it's too long.
I wanna know how you really feel.
Tell me what you think this is funny?
Spending all my time and my money.
Trying to find
How you really feel.
The radio's perfect pitch makes me nauseous.
Oh, the Dimwits are digging a ditch
On my heartbeat radio.
Tell me what's the deal with the static?
FM has become automatic.
I wanna know, did the DJ drown
In a sea of reverb and compression?
Oh, but wait till you hear the refrain
On my heartbeat radio.
My darling, waves can't be replaced
But I will remember you.
I'd sell my soul.
Payola dole.
Still I'm not receiving you.
Tell me why you're changing the station?
What comes after heavy rotation?
I wanna know, am I coming through?
I wanna know, what I've done to you?
You're wearing out my favourite song
And everyone else's.
Oh, nothing but sad honky tonk
On my heartbeat radio.
My darling, waves can't be replaced
But I will remember you.
I'd sell my soul.
Payola dole.
Still I'm not receiving you.
Tell me what you think about this song?
Tell me what you're thinking of
Tell me what you think about
Tell me what you think about!
We laughed and cried
But don't ask why
My poor heart still beats for you.
My darling, waves can't be replaced
But I will remember you.
I'd sell my soul.
Payola dole.
Still I'm not receiving you.
Oh, my heartbeat radio
Lerche is a brilliant singer/songwriter/guitarist with a knack for biting lyrics, humorous takes on serious topics ranging from love, death, memories, etc. and reinterpreting old standards in a whole new way.
This particular album didn't grab me in the way I wanted it to but Lerche is one of my favorite songwriters and luckily comes out with one or two albums a year. He's highly influenced by Elvis Costello whom he's toured with in the past and lives in Norway (two details I always think of with him).
As you may guess from the lyrics, I have never heard this song on the radio.
To learn more check it out here.
Heartbeat Radio Lyrics
Tell me what you think about this song?
Sue me if you reckon it's too long.
I wanna know how you really feel.
Tell me what you think this is funny?
Spending all my time and my money.
Trying to find
How you really feel.
The radio's perfect pitch makes me nauseous.
Oh, the Dimwits are digging a ditch
On my heartbeat radio.
Tell me what's the deal with the static?
FM has become automatic.
I wanna know, did the DJ drown
In a sea of reverb and compression?
Oh, but wait till you hear the refrain
On my heartbeat radio.
My darling, waves can't be replaced
But I will remember you.
I'd sell my soul.
Payola dole.
Still I'm not receiving you.
Tell me why you're changing the station?
What comes after heavy rotation?
I wanna know, am I coming through?
I wanna know, what I've done to you?
You're wearing out my favourite song
And everyone else's.
Oh, nothing but sad honky tonk
On my heartbeat radio.
My darling, waves can't be replaced
But I will remember you.
I'd sell my soul.
Payola dole.
Still I'm not receiving you.
Tell me what you think about this song?
Tell me what you're thinking of
Tell me what you think about
Tell me what you think about!
We laughed and cried
But don't ask why
My poor heart still beats for you.
My darling, waves can't be replaced
But I will remember you.
I'd sell my soul.
Payola dole.
Still I'm not receiving you.
Oh, my heartbeat radio
09 November 2009
Best Songs of 2009...so far
I don't know if I have all the necessities to properly complete a list like this but I'm going to try my best. I won't set an exact number because that would be giving myself too much work but I do think you'll find a few excellent songs on here that you might not know along with some you definitely know that you should give a second or third listen. This is a list mainly for people who like a mixture of professionally produced, semi-popular indie music and a smattering of Top 40. I'd like to be more obscure but I always go back to what sounds best to me and that is usually the nicely produced, already known music that doesn't go overboard but is right on deck... if that makes sense. There are multiple songs by one artist on the list but don't take it as a bad thing - it's actually amazing. All of these songs are amazing in some fashion.This is NOT in any specific order.
So here we go:
Best Songs of 2009 (So Far)
01 Grizzly Bear - Two Weeks
02 Grizzly Bear - While You Wait For the Others
03 Phoenix - 1901
04 Phoenix - Girlfriend
05 Julian Casablancas - 11th Dimension
06 The National - Ashamed of the Story I Told
07 Them Crooked Vultures - New Fang
08 John Mayer - Heartbreak Warfare
09 Kris Allen - Live Like We're Dying
10 Train - Hey Soul Sister
11 Kanye West - Paranoid
12 Jay-Z - Empire State of Mind
13 Will Dailey - How Can I Make You Happy
14 Mayer Hawthorne - Maybe So, Maybe No
15 Mayer Hawthorne - Just Ain't Gonna Work Out
16 Kid Cudi - Make Her Say
17 Monsters of Folk - Dear God (Sincerely M.O.F.)
18 Monsters of Folk - Whole Lotta Losin'
19 Kid Cudi - Day and Nite
20 Passion Pit - The Reeling
21 Michael Buble - Haven't Met You Yet
22 Regina Spektor - Eet
23 Andrew Bird - Anonanimal
24 Pearl Jam - The Fixer
25 Beyonce - Ego
26 Sondre Lerche - Don't Look Now
27 Devendra Banhart - Baby
28 Silversun Pickups - Substitution
29 Owl City - Fireflies
30 Free Energy - Free Energy
I'd say the BEST song of 2009 so far is... Mayer Hawthorne - "Just Ain't Gonna Work Out".... I think. We'll see.
04 August 2009
25 Albums That Shaped My Life
I got 'tagged' on a facebook note asking me to name the top 25 albums that "shaped my life" as the directions stated. While I don't usually partake in those things, I like the girl who tagged me and I thought it could be really interesting. I haven't proofread my response but I wanted to share it on the blog to chronicle my thoughts.
This is what they say:
Think of 25 albums that had such a profound effect on you they changed your life or the way you looked at it. They sucked you in and took you over for days, weeks, months, years. These are the albums that you can use to identify time, places, people, emotions. These are the albums that, no matter what they were thought of musically, shaped your world. Don't just name your 25 favorite albums. When you finish, tag 25 others, including me. Make sure you copy and paste this part so they know the drill. Get the idea now? Good.
This is what I say:
It's difficult to make a list without explaining the meaning behind the selections. Since I have a little time, I need to write a brief explanation to go with these choices otherwise they won't make sense to even me.
1. Chicago - The Chicago Transit Authority
Not only is my all time favorite song "Beginnings" on it, but this album was also the 'beginning' of Chicago's jazz/rock sound that became the soundtrack of my childhood. Chicago was my first concert at age 4 and has become an annual event for my cousin and me to keep the tradition alive for my entire family. I'm lucky that the band who started my love for music also happened to be one of the greatest out there overall.
2. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
This self-titled album was a miracle for me. My mother played this for me in its entirety the night before I moved out on my own for the first time. This first time also happened to be to West Virginia with a guy I had only met once prior during a rather dark period in my life so I was holding back a lot of tears when songs like "Luna" and "Breakdown" started playing on the turntable - these songs with so much emotion already bottled inside that it was overwhelming. "Breakdown" is still one of my favorite Petty songs.
3. Melissa Etheridge - Greatest Hits: The Road Less Traveled
When Mr. West Virgina didn't work out, I took to hard female singer/songwriters for the first time in my life - not by choice but by need. I needed to hear a tough chick singing about how their ex-lover will never find someone as good as them. I don't listen to Etheridge much anymore but during that time this album and "Breakdown" were my pacifiers. Her covers of "Refugee" and "Piece of My Heart" are so good I have no words.
4. John Legend - Once Again
This is the key album for me in terms of emotional dependency on music. I seriously think I would've gone insane during this time if it weren't for Legend's smooth vocals and soulful beats. I am obsessed with John Legend - he's one of those top ten artists for me and this album helped once again with that WV trip. Finding a great love (and then deep heartache) is the real way I was able to finally understand so much amazing music like this.
5. Pete Yorn - musicforthemorningafter
Pete Yorn started my love of acoustic singer/songwriters that has just continued to grow since this album came out. I bought this at The Wiz - long before an iPod was even a twinkle in my eye. It was just me and this cd everywhere, every minute. It remains a favorite.
6. George Harrison - All Things Must Pass
Mr. Harrison is the greatest Beatle - also the first one to come out with a solo record after the Beatles breakup AND made it a double because, well, he had enough insanely great material stored up for three times that. I'm a little embarassed to say I actually purchased this after his passing and truly fell in love with it some time after that but it hasn't left my thoughts since.
7. Everclear - Songs from an American Movie, Vol. 1: Learning How to Smile
I've haven't listened to this album in a long time but when I first bought it, I couldn't stop listening. Everclear was the first 'hard' rock band I ever fully enjoyed and something about Art Alexakis's voice sunk into me. I like his personal story and these songs could not sound better live. It's a shame Everclear doesn't get the respect they deserve - every album has been impressive.
8. The National - Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers
This is my favorite band. I am in love with everything about them from Matt Berninger's voice to their melancholy lyrics to the fact that they found the greatest drummer on the planet. While Boxer was the album they had out when I first discovered them, this was the album that solidified my obsession. You MUST check out "Fashion Coat". It says it all in about 2 minutes.
9. Nina Gordon - Tonight and the Rest of My Life
This is a dusty one. I love singing and when I was younger I would force people to listen to me sing or have singing competitions, etc. with friends and I would always choose to sing Nina Gordon off this album. Even at age 14 or so I knew she had it going on. She's another artist that didn't get the right amount of praise but this is one of those timeless-young-women-coming-of-age-I-think-I'm-in-love sort of albums that are undeniably catchy and angsty all at once.
10. Jason Mraz - Waiting for My Rocket to Come
I bought a Sony discman in white and orange one day many years ago. I was with my mother and stepdad on the way to work with them and realized: I didn't bring any cds to play in my new cd player. Since they're nice folks we stopped by a Borders in South Jersey and I picked out this album by a guy people had been comparing to John Mayer. I got in the car, opened the package, and to my surprise the disc was the same shade of orange as my discman. For some reason, that memory has always stayed with me and I cannot really express my love for Mraz in the right way. Mraz was a way of life for awhile (Lauren knows). Of course now he's famous and everyone loves "I'm Yours" but check out his live album at Java Joe's from way back in 2000 or something and you'll see why we waited four hours in the back of The Stone Pony to give him a stuffed cat in the blistering heat.
11. Incubus - Make Yourself
This is me being a product of my generation - and another one only Lauren could relate to. This was THE album in like 9th grade. You'd go to a party, hear "Pardon Me", see the cute senior hanging out with a wine cooler and think 'if only I could be like that too'. In reality it was more like, 'if only I could see myself in 5 years and realize that I'm way cooler than that' but of course you don't know that in high school. Unlike some other really bad bands we all enjoyed back in the day, Incubus has remained relevant and some of those songs sound so good today that it's hard to imagine we've been hearing them for so long.
12. Todd Rundgren - Something/Anything
I have a crazy relationship with this album. I wrote about it in my application for the journalism major at Rutgers (saying with one listen it might change the course of the war) and I have gone to great lenghts to learn about each song on it. Todd Rundgren is a genius. "I Saw the Light" is so deliciously eerie that I get chills even thinking about it. And "Hello, It's Me"? Oh my God. This album kills me. I would marry the first person to mention their love of this album without me mentioning it first. Even the title is amazing.
13. Paula Abdul - Forever Your Girl
This was the first music I ever consciously chose to enjoy. I was about 3 years old and I would try to copy her dance moves off the tv screen. I just thought she was the most beautiful, fun, high-spirited girl I had ever seen and I wanted to be just like her. My cousin and I still listen to songs like "Straight Up", "Cold Hearted Snake" and "Opposites Attract". Those are classics! I had a button of her on my winter coat for many early elementary school years.
14. Miles Davis - Kind of Blue
It doesn't get anymore cliche but this album completely changed my outlook stylistically - in terms of both music and fashion. This was the first jazz record I purchased with my own money and I remember feeling so proud of it (this was also at the now defunct Circuit City) . The cover of the album, in all its simplicity and stylish fonts, inspired me to think differently about everything. Later on when I found John Coltrane's "Blue Train" and "A Love Supreme" then Miles' "Bitches Brew" and "Sketches of Spain" - the cement had been laid for my love of jazz. Clearly, it was like nothing I had ever heard before. I still have trouble wrapping my mind around their incredible sounds.
15. Chet Baker - My Funny Valentine
I don't know what led me to pick up Chet Baker's biography at the library one day but I do know that I couldn't stop reading it and fell in love with this deeply troubled man that reminded me of my father and totally blew my mind. Since I read his entire life story before hearing his music, I always feel like he's more of an old friend than a musician. His voice is slow and sad and his trumpet playing is otherworldly. You must listen to Chet Baker right away. I'd never be able to explain.
16. Howie Day - Australia
I guess there's no getting around this guy. I didn't want to add him because when I met him, he was a jerk, but before that incident this album was on heavy rotation in my cd player - this was back in 2002/2003 - and it had that great feeling that only certain albums do. There was this feeling that every song was written just for me or at least I was the only person who could completely understand the message. I was an idiot, sorry, but I know if I put it on right this minute I would burst into tears like an even bigger idiot. Songs like "She Says", "Secret", and my favorite, "Morning After", are rather intense especially when you have a history with them.
17. Led Zeppelin - Houses of the Holy
Although the album is older than me, this is one that recently affected me and it all started with "D'yer Mak'er", my favorite Led Zeppelin song. I realized I had been listening to it for so long on my iPod that it became one of those cases of ignoring the rest of the album. When I finally got around to listening to the entire thing I knew without a doubt that I had stumbled onto the most obviously great album in rock history. That's a hefty statement but I can't think of another album that even comes close to the greatness of Houses of the Holy. Not that I have to list them but: "Over the Hills and Far Away", "Dancing Days", "The Ocean", and my other personal favorite "The Crunge" all on one record. Insane.
18. Fleetwood Mac - Greatest Hits
When I was younger I thought of this as the "green album". I didn't really worry about differentiating one song from the next and just enjoyed the entire experience of Fleetwood Mac. My cousin Wendy was the first to play them for me and her constant rotation of "Gypsy" did me in. I was a fanatic. We would listen to this album in the car all the time then it'd start to skip, she'd take it out of the cd player, lose it somewhere then re-buy it and the process would begin again. For christmas two years ago she finally bought me my own copy of the more complete dual disc "The Very Best of Fleetwood Mac" but that green album still haunts my memories.
19. Bright Eyes - Lifted or the Story is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground
I hate Bright Eyes. I used to own this album but only because I got a good deal on it and Mr. West Virginia was obsessed with them. I only put this album on the list because I strongly believe Bright Eyes was responsible for much that was wrong with him. He so desperately loved them (and music in general) to the point that I believe he became just as depressed as Conor Oberst sounds in these stupid, pitiful songs and couldn't sustain a decent relationship because of it. He was young and I'm sure that he's changed by now but I'm lucky to have an incredible boyfriend currently who has questionable music taste but a great love of humanity. This band is disturbingly depressing but was a large part of my life for a couple years.
20. Eric Clapton - Unplugged
For many years I loved Cream and appreciated some of Eric Clapton's solo work but it wasn't until I read Pattie Boyd's autobiography and Clapton's back to back that I started becoming really interested in everything about him. About six months into my Clapton craze I took an autobiography class at Rutgers where I chose his book as a term paper subject and gave a 20 minute oral presentation on him complete with a "Layla" listening party. Watching the unplugged special was the highlight of all my research though and his blues covers became my favorite parts of his repertoire.
21. Alien Ant Farm - ANThology
I love Dryden Mitchell! His voice still knocks me out every time I hear it. I don't care if it's stupid to love Alien Ant Farm because they are great. Yeah, "Smooth Criminal" is nice but "Movies" and particularly "Attitude" are above par. I've been listening to them for so long now that I 've probably had twenty different hairstyles, three completely different wardrobes, moved twice, and still can't shake my love of this band. I don't even know if they plan to make any new music but their old stuff is good enough for me and if they ever plan a comeback tour I'll be first in line.
22. Sondre Lerche - Phantom Punch
One time, long ago, I wanted to be an actor and got a scholarship to an acting school in Manhattan. Accepting the offer to attend this school changed the entire course of my life and ironically helped me to realize I maybe didn't want to be a professional actor but set me on the road to writing even more about music. Sondre Lerche had just come out with this album which I had bought at the Virgin Megastore in Times Square (R.I.P. you amazing store) on a lonely day and sat in Bryant Park listening to until the sun went down. This was also pre-iPod so I continued this cycle for almost the entire semester: going to the park in my bright red coat, whimpering into my discman - the orange one - and hoping Sondre would help me understand my stupid life. Maybe he did help. Please listen to him.
23. Johnny Cash - The Legend of Johnny Cash
I was working at FYE during the Christmas rush of 2005 when I began heavily listening to older country music. I knew I was never going to get into Faith Hill, Brad Paisley, etc. but I took an instant liking to the classic stuff and wanted to learn more. I didn't own any country cds at the time so I used my employee discount and picked this cd up. As you could guess, I haven't stopped listening to it since and Johnny Cash has become one of my favorite musicians of all time. Loving him has led me to amazing musicians like Conway Twitty, Dolly Parton, Ernest Tubb, Kris Kristofferson, Eddy Arnold, etc. and his autobiography "Cash" is seriously one of the best books I've ever read, it's not just something they say in High Fidelity.
24. John Mayer - Room For Squares
This is it. This defines everything. Believe me, I wish it was some other, more impressive artist that changed my life but I was 15 (which sounds so freakishly young now) on a birthday trip with one of my favorite people, Melissa, and her mom to New York and we walked into the Virgin Megastore and there sat the album that was destined to be in my hands: Room For Squares. This was 2001, mind you. There was no buzz, no Jessica Simpson scandals, no stupid "Daughters" song - nothing. John Mayer was just John Mayer, an up-and-coming singer/songwriter discovered by Columbia at South by Southwest. If I told someone back then that I loved John Mayer it wouldn't have been a big deal. Now when I admit my favorite artist I cringe and wait for them to say a variety of negative comments. He did that to himself I guess but as long as the music hasn't changed, I don't mind. I used to sit in class writing out the lyrics to all his songs because the words were too good to forget. They still are.
25. John Mayer - Continuum
I end with this because I guess it's my favorite album and the one I listen to almost everyday. I can't imagine getting sick of it and I would defend it with my last breath. It's not The Clash or Joy Division (although I like those bands too) but it's what struck a deep enough chord with me that I will continue loving it for a long time. I see it's flaws and love it regardless. I see John Mayer's flaws and love him regardless. He is a brilliant guitar player and rather than being embarassed that if you google "Angelica Diamond John Mayer" more entries come up that are actually me than if you google my name alone, I am proud. Take that for what it's worth.
So if you're bored, listen and enjoy.
This is what they say:
Think of 25 albums that had such a profound effect on you they changed your life or the way you looked at it. They sucked you in and took you over for days, weeks, months, years. These are the albums that you can use to identify time, places, people, emotions. These are the albums that, no matter what they were thought of musically, shaped your world. Don't just name your 25 favorite albums. When you finish, tag 25 others, including me. Make sure you copy and paste this part so they know the drill. Get the idea now? Good.
This is what I say:
It's difficult to make a list without explaining the meaning behind the selections. Since I have a little time, I need to write a brief explanation to go with these choices otherwise they won't make sense to even me.
1. Chicago - The Chicago Transit Authority
Not only is my all time favorite song "Beginnings" on it, but this album was also the 'beginning' of Chicago's jazz/rock sound that became the soundtrack of my childhood. Chicago was my first concert at age 4 and has become an annual event for my cousin and me to keep the tradition alive for my entire family. I'm lucky that the band who started my love for music also happened to be one of the greatest out there overall.
2. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
This self-titled album was a miracle for me. My mother played this for me in its entirety the night before I moved out on my own for the first time. This first time also happened to be to West Virginia with a guy I had only met once prior during a rather dark period in my life so I was holding back a lot of tears when songs like "Luna" and "Breakdown" started playing on the turntable - these songs with so much emotion already bottled inside that it was overwhelming. "Breakdown" is still one of my favorite Petty songs.
3. Melissa Etheridge - Greatest Hits: The Road Less Traveled
When Mr. West Virgina didn't work out, I took to hard female singer/songwriters for the first time in my life - not by choice but by need. I needed to hear a tough chick singing about how their ex-lover will never find someone as good as them. I don't listen to Etheridge much anymore but during that time this album and "Breakdown" were my pacifiers. Her covers of "Refugee" and "Piece of My Heart" are so good I have no words.
4. John Legend - Once Again
This is the key album for me in terms of emotional dependency on music. I seriously think I would've gone insane during this time if it weren't for Legend's smooth vocals and soulful beats. I am obsessed with John Legend - he's one of those top ten artists for me and this album helped once again with that WV trip. Finding a great love (and then deep heartache) is the real way I was able to finally understand so much amazing music like this.
5. Pete Yorn - musicforthemorningafter
Pete Yorn started my love of acoustic singer/songwriters that has just continued to grow since this album came out. I bought this at The Wiz - long before an iPod was even a twinkle in my eye. It was just me and this cd everywhere, every minute. It remains a favorite.
6. George Harrison - All Things Must Pass
Mr. Harrison is the greatest Beatle - also the first one to come out with a solo record after the Beatles breakup AND made it a double because, well, he had enough insanely great material stored up for three times that. I'm a little embarassed to say I actually purchased this after his passing and truly fell in love with it some time after that but it hasn't left my thoughts since.
7. Everclear - Songs from an American Movie, Vol. 1: Learning How to Smile
I've haven't listened to this album in a long time but when I first bought it, I couldn't stop listening. Everclear was the first 'hard' rock band I ever fully enjoyed and something about Art Alexakis's voice sunk into me. I like his personal story and these songs could not sound better live. It's a shame Everclear doesn't get the respect they deserve - every album has been impressive.
8. The National - Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers
This is my favorite band. I am in love with everything about them from Matt Berninger's voice to their melancholy lyrics to the fact that they found the greatest drummer on the planet. While Boxer was the album they had out when I first discovered them, this was the album that solidified my obsession. You MUST check out "Fashion Coat". It says it all in about 2 minutes.
9. Nina Gordon - Tonight and the Rest of My Life
This is a dusty one. I love singing and when I was younger I would force people to listen to me sing or have singing competitions, etc. with friends and I would always choose to sing Nina Gordon off this album. Even at age 14 or so I knew she had it going on. She's another artist that didn't get the right amount of praise but this is one of those timeless-young-women-coming-of-age-I-think-I'm-in-love sort of albums that are undeniably catchy and angsty all at once.
10. Jason Mraz - Waiting for My Rocket to Come
I bought a Sony discman in white and orange one day many years ago. I was with my mother and stepdad on the way to work with them and realized: I didn't bring any cds to play in my new cd player. Since they're nice folks we stopped by a Borders in South Jersey and I picked out this album by a guy people had been comparing to John Mayer. I got in the car, opened the package, and to my surprise the disc was the same shade of orange as my discman. For some reason, that memory has always stayed with me and I cannot really express my love for Mraz in the right way. Mraz was a way of life for awhile (Lauren knows). Of course now he's famous and everyone loves "I'm Yours" but check out his live album at Java Joe's from way back in 2000 or something and you'll see why we waited four hours in the back of The Stone Pony to give him a stuffed cat in the blistering heat.
11. Incubus - Make Yourself
This is me being a product of my generation - and another one only Lauren could relate to. This was THE album in like 9th grade. You'd go to a party, hear "Pardon Me", see the cute senior hanging out with a wine cooler and think 'if only I could be like that too'. In reality it was more like, 'if only I could see myself in 5 years and realize that I'm way cooler than that' but of course you don't know that in high school. Unlike some other really bad bands we all enjoyed back in the day, Incubus has remained relevant and some of those songs sound so good today that it's hard to imagine we've been hearing them for so long.
12. Todd Rundgren - Something/Anything
I have a crazy relationship with this album. I wrote about it in my application for the journalism major at Rutgers (saying with one listen it might change the course of the war) and I have gone to great lenghts to learn about each song on it. Todd Rundgren is a genius. "I Saw the Light" is so deliciously eerie that I get chills even thinking about it. And "Hello, It's Me"? Oh my God. This album kills me. I would marry the first person to mention their love of this album without me mentioning it first. Even the title is amazing.
13. Paula Abdul - Forever Your Girl
This was the first music I ever consciously chose to enjoy. I was about 3 years old and I would try to copy her dance moves off the tv screen. I just thought she was the most beautiful, fun, high-spirited girl I had ever seen and I wanted to be just like her. My cousin and I still listen to songs like "Straight Up", "Cold Hearted Snake" and "Opposites Attract". Those are classics! I had a button of her on my winter coat for many early elementary school years.
14. Miles Davis - Kind of Blue
It doesn't get anymore cliche but this album completely changed my outlook stylistically - in terms of both music and fashion. This was the first jazz record I purchased with my own money and I remember feeling so proud of it (this was also at the now defunct Circuit City) . The cover of the album, in all its simplicity and stylish fonts, inspired me to think differently about everything. Later on when I found John Coltrane's "Blue Train" and "A Love Supreme" then Miles' "Bitches Brew" and "Sketches of Spain" - the cement had been laid for my love of jazz. Clearly, it was like nothing I had ever heard before. I still have trouble wrapping my mind around their incredible sounds.
15. Chet Baker - My Funny Valentine
I don't know what led me to pick up Chet Baker's biography at the library one day but I do know that I couldn't stop reading it and fell in love with this deeply troubled man that reminded me of my father and totally blew my mind. Since I read his entire life story before hearing his music, I always feel like he's more of an old friend than a musician. His voice is slow and sad and his trumpet playing is otherworldly. You must listen to Chet Baker right away. I'd never be able to explain.
16. Howie Day - Australia
I guess there's no getting around this guy. I didn't want to add him because when I met him, he was a jerk, but before that incident this album was on heavy rotation in my cd player - this was back in 2002/2003 - and it had that great feeling that only certain albums do. There was this feeling that every song was written just for me or at least I was the only person who could completely understand the message. I was an idiot, sorry, but I know if I put it on right this minute I would burst into tears like an even bigger idiot. Songs like "She Says", "Secret", and my favorite, "Morning After", are rather intense especially when you have a history with them.
17. Led Zeppelin - Houses of the Holy
Although the album is older than me, this is one that recently affected me and it all started with "D'yer Mak'er", my favorite Led Zeppelin song. I realized I had been listening to it for so long on my iPod that it became one of those cases of ignoring the rest of the album. When I finally got around to listening to the entire thing I knew without a doubt that I had stumbled onto the most obviously great album in rock history. That's a hefty statement but I can't think of another album that even comes close to the greatness of Houses of the Holy. Not that I have to list them but: "Over the Hills and Far Away", "Dancing Days", "The Ocean", and my other personal favorite "The Crunge" all on one record. Insane.
18. Fleetwood Mac - Greatest Hits
When I was younger I thought of this as the "green album". I didn't really worry about differentiating one song from the next and just enjoyed the entire experience of Fleetwood Mac. My cousin Wendy was the first to play them for me and her constant rotation of "Gypsy" did me in. I was a fanatic. We would listen to this album in the car all the time then it'd start to skip, she'd take it out of the cd player, lose it somewhere then re-buy it and the process would begin again. For christmas two years ago she finally bought me my own copy of the more complete dual disc "The Very Best of Fleetwood Mac" but that green album still haunts my memories.
19. Bright Eyes - Lifted or the Story is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground
I hate Bright Eyes. I used to own this album but only because I got a good deal on it and Mr. West Virginia was obsessed with them. I only put this album on the list because I strongly believe Bright Eyes was responsible for much that was wrong with him. He so desperately loved them (and music in general) to the point that I believe he became just as depressed as Conor Oberst sounds in these stupid, pitiful songs and couldn't sustain a decent relationship because of it. He was young and I'm sure that he's changed by now but I'm lucky to have an incredible boyfriend currently who has questionable music taste but a great love of humanity. This band is disturbingly depressing but was a large part of my life for a couple years.
20. Eric Clapton - Unplugged
For many years I loved Cream and appreciated some of Eric Clapton's solo work but it wasn't until I read Pattie Boyd's autobiography and Clapton's back to back that I started becoming really interested in everything about him. About six months into my Clapton craze I took an autobiography class at Rutgers where I chose his book as a term paper subject and gave a 20 minute oral presentation on him complete with a "Layla" listening party. Watching the unplugged special was the highlight of all my research though and his blues covers became my favorite parts of his repertoire.
21. Alien Ant Farm - ANThology
I love Dryden Mitchell! His voice still knocks me out every time I hear it. I don't care if it's stupid to love Alien Ant Farm because they are great. Yeah, "Smooth Criminal" is nice but "Movies" and particularly "Attitude" are above par. I've been listening to them for so long now that I 've probably had twenty different hairstyles, three completely different wardrobes, moved twice, and still can't shake my love of this band. I don't even know if they plan to make any new music but their old stuff is good enough for me and if they ever plan a comeback tour I'll be first in line.
22. Sondre Lerche - Phantom Punch
One time, long ago, I wanted to be an actor and got a scholarship to an acting school in Manhattan. Accepting the offer to attend this school changed the entire course of my life and ironically helped me to realize I maybe didn't want to be a professional actor but set me on the road to writing even more about music. Sondre Lerche had just come out with this album which I had bought at the Virgin Megastore in Times Square (R.I.P. you amazing store) on a lonely day and sat in Bryant Park listening to until the sun went down. This was also pre-iPod so I continued this cycle for almost the entire semester: going to the park in my bright red coat, whimpering into my discman - the orange one - and hoping Sondre would help me understand my stupid life. Maybe he did help. Please listen to him.
23. Johnny Cash - The Legend of Johnny Cash
I was working at FYE during the Christmas rush of 2005 when I began heavily listening to older country music. I knew I was never going to get into Faith Hill, Brad Paisley, etc. but I took an instant liking to the classic stuff and wanted to learn more. I didn't own any country cds at the time so I used my employee discount and picked this cd up. As you could guess, I haven't stopped listening to it since and Johnny Cash has become one of my favorite musicians of all time. Loving him has led me to amazing musicians like Conway Twitty, Dolly Parton, Ernest Tubb, Kris Kristofferson, Eddy Arnold, etc. and his autobiography "Cash" is seriously one of the best books I've ever read, it's not just something they say in High Fidelity.
24. John Mayer - Room For Squares
This is it. This defines everything. Believe me, I wish it was some other, more impressive artist that changed my life but I was 15 (which sounds so freakishly young now) on a birthday trip with one of my favorite people, Melissa, and her mom to New York and we walked into the Virgin Megastore and there sat the album that was destined to be in my hands: Room For Squares. This was 2001, mind you. There was no buzz, no Jessica Simpson scandals, no stupid "Daughters" song - nothing. John Mayer was just John Mayer, an up-and-coming singer/songwriter discovered by Columbia at South by Southwest. If I told someone back then that I loved John Mayer it wouldn't have been a big deal. Now when I admit my favorite artist I cringe and wait for them to say a variety of negative comments. He did that to himself I guess but as long as the music hasn't changed, I don't mind. I used to sit in class writing out the lyrics to all his songs because the words were too good to forget. They still are.
25. John Mayer - Continuum
I end with this because I guess it's my favorite album and the one I listen to almost everyday. I can't imagine getting sick of it and I would defend it with my last breath. It's not The Clash or Joy Division (although I like those bands too) but it's what struck a deep enough chord with me that I will continue loving it for a long time. I see it's flaws and love it regardless. I see John Mayer's flaws and love him regardless. He is a brilliant guitar player and rather than being embarassed that if you google "Angelica Diamond John Mayer" more entries come up that are actually me than if you google my name alone, I am proud. Take that for what it's worth.
So if you're bored, listen and enjoy.
28 April 2009
Somebody to Love: Sondre Lerche
I think now is as good a time as any to start a new segment on this blog called, "Somebody to Love" catering to my all time favorite artists, namely anyone who also happens to appear on the list to the right of this page under the heading "Arists I Like" or whatever it says.
To start this off, I'd like to introduce Mr. Sondre Lerche, an artist I'm absolutely in love with. Hailing from Bergen, Norway with a strong perchant for Elvis Costello, whom he's toured with, Lerche has managed to make quite a name for himself in the states as well. His music blends '80s pop with '60s girl group beats and sensible, but not always easily understood lyrics. Playing since he was just a teenager, Lerche has also found his way on to Rolling Stone's top 50 albums of the year, was named best new act at the Norwegian Grammys, and has produced albums in different genres ranging from 2006's jazz album Duper Sessions to 2007's rock album Phantom Punch - and he's only 26!
Unlike so many countless others, Lerche has such an outstanding collection of songs, it's difficult to name favorites. Today, I'll say this is a sample of a Top 5 Sondre Lerche list for me:
1. Sleep on Needles (an absolute favorite on ANY list)
2. Airport Taxi Reception
3. Stupid Memory
4. The Tape
5. On the Tower
When I saw him at Maxwell's in Hoboken last year, the experience made me like him even more. We got there early and were eating dinner when suddenly I noticed he was sitting at a table right next to us. I couldn't stop staring but he seemed very normal and sweet, more concerned with getting a good meal than anyone saying anything to him. I didn't even bother him because it almost seemed anti-climatic. Then when he got on stage he talked a lot about New Jersey and how we must be his closest friends in the entire state - very cute. At the end we saw him standing by the merch table for what seemed like quite a while signing things and chatting up fans. Once again, we didn't go over but he seemed so lovely - and people went crazy for "Sleep on Needles" that night! It was the sweetest, little concert I've ever been to and I would gladly see him again.
To start this off, I'd like to introduce Mr. Sondre Lerche, an artist I'm absolutely in love with. Hailing from Bergen, Norway with a strong perchant for Elvis Costello, whom he's toured with, Lerche has managed to make quite a name for himself in the states as well. His music blends '80s pop with '60s girl group beats and sensible, but not always easily understood lyrics. Playing since he was just a teenager, Lerche has also found his way on to Rolling Stone's top 50 albums of the year, was named best new act at the Norwegian Grammys, and has produced albums in different genres ranging from 2006's jazz album Duper Sessions to 2007's rock album Phantom Punch - and he's only 26!
Unlike so many countless others, Lerche has such an outstanding collection of songs, it's difficult to name favorites. Today, I'll say this is a sample of a Top 5 Sondre Lerche list for me:
1. Sleep on Needles (an absolute favorite on ANY list)
2. Airport Taxi Reception
3. Stupid Memory
4. The Tape
5. On the Tower
When I saw him at Maxwell's in Hoboken last year, the experience made me like him even more. We got there early and were eating dinner when suddenly I noticed he was sitting at a table right next to us. I couldn't stop staring but he seemed very normal and sweet, more concerned with getting a good meal than anyone saying anything to him. I didn't even bother him because it almost seemed anti-climatic. Then when he got on stage he talked a lot about New Jersey and how we must be his closest friends in the entire state - very cute. At the end we saw him standing by the merch table for what seemed like quite a while signing things and chatting up fans. Once again, we didn't go over but he seemed so lovely - and people went crazy for "Sleep on Needles" that night! It was the sweetest, little concert I've ever been to and I would gladly see him again.
14 January 2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)