myTunes ~ Summer 2012

Continuing my love affair with Spotify, I've been enjoying sweet tunes as of late-- some old, some new.

Music is always an interesting conversation topic because I've noticed how many people like to claim they have eclectic tastes or only listen to (or at least ADMIT listening to) bands no one has ever heard of (*cough* hipster! *cough*).  There's this odd desire to be the one that converts someone into a fan of an artist or band, or claim they knew about the band before they were famous. Why does that matter? And why does everyone have to listen to a huge VARIETY of music genres?! If you prefer country or rap or pop or alternative or metal, say so proudly.

Then there's the person who refuses to respect you as a person because they listen to rock and you like country (or whatever).   Most of my cousins listen to a lot of country; my older brother enjoys mainly jazz and talk radio (no, he's not 80... kidding!); my younger brother loves classic and 80's rock with Disney tunes thrown in the mix; my parents-- who are musicians, enjoy mostly talk radio-- while my dad likes his jazz and my mom enjoys Josh Groban. On my husband's side, my mother-in-law is obsessed with Radiohead and my sis-in-law introduced me to Phoenix and Miike Snow. Not one of the artists or genres named makes anyone cooler than the other. Sure, it might be difficult to decide what to listen to during a road trip, but having an open mind is key.

This might negate what I said earlier, but I try to listen to a large mix of genres. In my playlists, you'll find:

• Disney music, tons of soundtracks
• Musicals like "Les Miserables" "Chicago" and "Wicked"
• Ke$ha, Kaskade, Jem, Madonna, Rihanna, Katy Perry
• Yo Yo Ma, Josh Groban, Michael Buble, Natalie Cole
• Allison Krauss, Johnny Cash, Big & Rich, Carrie Underwood
• Led Zepplin, AC/DC, ZZ Top, U2, Beatles
• Snow Patrol, Badly Drawn Boy, The Postal Service
• Bjork, Sigur Ros, The Offspring, Nirvana, Green Day
• Kate Nash, Adele, Portishead, Celtic Music, The King's Singers, Classical & Choral

Etc... etc...  That being said, I only listen to music that suits my mood at the time. For example, I haven't listened to Big & Rich or Carrie Underwood in a few years, same with The Offspring and Green Day. Every once in a while I go back to them, but I'm very ADD with music. Plus, I'm not what you'd call a band "Fan." I listen to what sounds good to me, what makes me move, makes me think, or makes me feel. I go by songs, not artists.

I will freely admit that I know next to nothing about Country, Rap, or anything listened to over in Europe (with the exception of the UK since I happen to accidentally discover I love UK pop and rock). And I don't look down on anyone that loves a certain genre or follows a certain band. Can't we all just agree that the power of music is AWESOME?!
Which brings me to my current obsessions:

ALBUMS

 White Arrows "Dry Land Is Not a Myth"  Just released June 19th, the title of this album made me laugh because it's a line from Waterworld my husband frequently quotes. What a fortunate find.

Zee Avi "Ghostbird"  I became familiar with Zee when I Shazaamed her song "Milestone Moon" in Starbucks. Turns out every song is amazing.

Of Monsters and Men "My Head is an Animal"  Another find thru the Starbucks speakers, this band caught Michael's ear and we keep replaying the album.

SONGS

1. Three Dog Night: "Never Been to Spain" and "Shambala"

You might not know the band, but you probably know the classic rock song "Joy to the World" that starts with the line "Jeremiah was a bullfrog!" These two tunes just rock.

2. Beirut: "Postcards from Italy"

This song sounds like old home movies of a European vacation shot on 8mm with a Bolex.

3. The Shins: "Simple Song"

Their latest hit, Simple Song is upbeat, sweet, and this generation's "classic rock."

4. Ed Sheeran: "Small Bump"

Another Starbucks find. And how do you not love a man with a beautiful voice singing a melodic song about his child?

5. Slackwax: "Close to my Fire"

Starbucks find again! Now you know why I'm there everyday! Slow, sultry, and sexy tune.

6. Carole King: "He's a Bad Boy"

Heard this one at our local cafe "The Village." They like to play obscure tunes. This is a great classic pop song that makes me think of big hair and housewives in pearls and polka dots.

What have you been listening to lately? 

Two Shots of Euphoria

While I'm busy trying to pull films out of my ass create brilliant cinema with the written word, my super sexy and awesome husband is building his portfolio as a Digital Composer. What IS a digital composer? It's a person who uses a computer program with digital loops to create music, specifically scores for film/TV/commercials, etc. Before you musical people scoff at the idea of anyone making beautiful music with "loops," digital composing is an actual career in Hollywood and a very affordable way for filmmakers to add music to their films. Not to mention, Michael-- who was a drummer for many years-- is GREAT at it. And this is coming from a musical person.

With loops, it's not just a matter of putting a few together that sound good and pressing play. Michael can change time signatures and keys; add effects like delay, reverb, distortion; you can stretch the loops, fade them in and out, speed one up while slowing another down. And don't forget about mixing the sound levels of each loop to balance the piece and finalize the tone.  Yes, he's still semi-new at it and there's a lot to learn, but hell, aren't we ALWAYS learning?

The little SoundCloud widget I added on the left is my favorite piece he's created so far. Have a listen-- it's about two minutes. You can hear more of his stuff here.

The reason I even mention this-- besides bragging rights-- is that Michael and I have gotten his blog "Two Shots of Euphoria" going again. Don't you just love the title? Anyway, we're collaborating meaning he tells me what he wants to say and I artfully and brilliantly and humbly write it out for him. I'm basically a not-so-ghostwriter. So check out his blog: Michael is creative and has a great perspective on life.

Hermmm.... Do you think I could use this on a resume since I'm technically writing for someone else?