Recently in Music Category
AC/DC / Ozzy
Before seventh grade, I mainly listened to Beethoven cassettes on my Sony Walkman; then I met my friend Chris and started spending time at his family's house, which for me was sort of like The Beatles coming to America: music of all kinds was always on there, usually quite loud, and the house was full of various instruments that every member of the family seemed to know how to play. Chris's dad loved jazz and German beer-hall music, his mom loved classical and piano, and Chris & his brother loved hard rock. The more outrageous, the better - Slayer, Ozzy, AC/DC, you name it. And this was back in the days that listening to AC/DC was still tantamount to Satan worship.
Neil Young
A fading bonfire in a stand of trees, Saranac beer and a red Jetta parked on the edge of the field with its trunk open, booming music. My friend Danny always closed his bonfires with the Harvest Moon album (or maybe that's just when I always happened to fall asleep): Monument to Nature still reminds me of how it felt to be outdoors with my best friends.
Tom Waits
Late nights in architecture studio, when everyone was nodding off and the regular all-nighter folks (Eric, Adam, Jessica, Kevin) were just hitting their groove. Somehow listening to Waltzing Matilda didn't totally put them to sleep, but listening to that song still reminds me of that cozy, mellow, all-nighter feeling.
Pantera / GWAR
Cruising in the car with John. My high school commuting pal and college roommate hasn't lost his love of music, and still manages to sneak out to concerts while working round the clock for a certain childhood hero. When we were in college he took me to see GWAR twice I think, although once they were opening for themselves as the Ex-Cops.
Metallica
Late evenings in architecture studio, when everyone was still rowdy and not yet delirious; the older folks were still down at Zeno's. My roommate Jason cranked up his boom-box and often made up his own personalized lyrics: I'll never forget him singing "Faster! Faster! I can't draw this any faster!" while we were racing towards a crit deadline.
Chemical Brothers
Watching Ingar and Matt glide effortlessly through WipeoutXL to the Chemical Brothers' soundtrack. When I tried it and ground my vehicle into every turn, the same music just seemed to taunt my lack of skilz.
John Williams / James Horner / Howard Shore
Early mornings at work, with Sammi and Eula. I have to thank my friend and former desk-mate Geoff for reinvigorating my interest in classical music (we've now come full circle back to my cassette tapes). He would frequently crank out some great piece from a film soundtrack from his desk for my benefit, and continually inspires my appreciation of film. Check out his website on the sidebar (Movie Theatre Reviews) and write a review for him today!
Pretty Much Everything Else
My wonderful life with my wonderful wife: my B Street apartment, our Mission Avenue apartment, the house in Petaluma, etc. Other than stuff on NPR, most other music I listen to reminds me of Brandie: Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds, Foo Fighters (see her post), Pearl Jam, Patty Griffin, Jack Johnson, etc. In the words of "our song", I got what I wanted and what I needed. Thanks hon, I love you.
So, Jake signed up for some of my favorite artists newsletters in hopes that if they ever play close to us, we can make it to the show. Well, the Foo Fighters played last Monday in Wilkes-Barre (no, I don't know how to say it) and we got the kids settled in at Grandpa and Grandma's house and hit the road. It was unseasonably hot in the 80's on our way down and all I kept wondering was, "Am I going to feel old during this concert?" I really wasn't sure how I would feel. I knew the Foo Fighters would make me want to dance, sing and maybe even bang my head a little but aren't I past that? I mean, I have CHILDREN. I tried not to obsess about it too much and turned my thoughts to other things. Like the cake decorating class I dropped out of in order to go to the Foo Fighters concert. My friend emailed me and asked "So you mean, learning how to make roses out of buttercream isn't more important than Dave Grohl?" Do I seriously have to choose? Buttercream or Dave Grohl? I just couldn't decide.
We arrived after the opening band and about 10 minutes before the concert. I was nervous that I would want to stand up and dance but wouldn't have the conviction to do it if people around me were sitting down. No one wants to be that one person standing alone, pumping your fist in the air. Luckily, as soon as the band came rip roaring on stage and blasting through their first song, everyone around us was standing, dancing, singing and fist pumping.
The band was awesome and one of the most energetic performances that I have ever seen. They barely missed a beat and played tons of songs. Dave Grohl is kind of a corn dog as far as rockers go. I think that is why I like him. Makes me feel like I have a chance. I enjoyed his jokes and his screaming. We danced the whole night and sang along as loud as we could.
I left with my ears ringing, my throat hoarse and the realization that I don't have to choose between buttercream and Dave Grohl or being a mom and dancing at a concert. I like it all.
Our friend Drew's band is featured in the Boston Music Spotlight:
Six Day Slide is an up and coming Boston band with a knack for catchy melodies and soaring choruses whose power pop-rock debut album, Lights, harkens back to the likes of Third Eye Blind and Matchbox 20 (lead singer Dave Fortin cites Rob Thomas as a major influence).
http://www.bostonmusicspotlight.com/article.php?id=447
Way to go, guys!
This is how Christmas music breaks down in our house. A Jewish woman singing Jingle Bells at rocket speed or The King singing so sultry about Santa coming down your chimney that you almost feel guilty playing it with your children around.
Well, Sophie has made her choice and it is definitely Barbara. Or as she calls it "The lady singing faster". I guess I'll just have to hold out on that trip to Graceland with her.
Before we had kids we promised ourselves that we would not stop listening to the music we like and load the car up with Elmo and Disney songs. So far, we have succeeded. Now this doesn't mean that we don't turn the radio off and belt out a couple verses of Old MacDonald but it's my personal opinion that my singing is much less annoying than Elmo's. Anyhoo, on to our story.
While driving in the perfect fall day yesterday we were listening to one of our favorite mixes which includes Tom Waits Tom Traubert's Blues. Jake and I both love this song and were just listening and looking at the leaves. Sophie announces, "Cookie monster is singing!". It absolutely cracked me up. Now, if you haven't ever listened to Tom Waits sing, just imagine Cookie Monster singing something other than a nursery rhyme and you've got it.
While we're discussing Sophie's entertainment preferences, I thought we'd cover her current musical interests (encouraged here by our friends Matt & Ashleigh).
In the old days her favorite songs helped her stop crying in the car and that was pretty much the extent of it, but now we can usually gauge her appreciation for a song by whether or not she dances to it. This involves standing or leaning on something, squatting a bit and then bopping up and down, not necessarily in relation to the beat.
Gwen Stefani's Hollaback Girl has caused her to dance consistently for a while now. She loves to dance with her cousin Julia to J.Lo's Love Don't Cost A Thing. She also kicks her legs in the car to the Imperial March from The Empire Strikes Back and the Main Theme from The Good, The Bad & The Ugly. Last night she surprised us both by dancing vigorously to Poison's Something To Believe In.
We're sure Uncle John will be quite pleased.
Sometime last year, inspired by my friend Geoff's appreciation of great film soundtracks, I started making 'Movie Quiz' mix cds with the bits and pieces of soundtracks I had. They're more fun to listen to than an entire soundtrack, and entertaining to quiz guests with on roadtrips.
Our collection has grown since then (I got the original Rocky score for Christmas, and rediscovered Braveheart in our iTunes collection) and the quiz evolved from the original Williams-only tracks, so for history's sake I thought I'd record what the current playlist is. So without further ado, here are the songs of Movie Quiz #5.
1. Gonna Fly Now (Rocky)
2. Main Title (The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly)
3. Leaving Port (Titanic)
4. Main Theme (Jurassic Park)
5. Elephant Love Medley (Moulin Rouge)
6. Flying (E.T.)
7. Suite (West Wing)
8. March (Raiders of the Lost Ark)
9. The Burning Bush (Prince of Egypt)
10. March (Superman)
11. Mad World (Donnie Darko)
12. Flight to Neverland (Hook)
13. Now We Are Free (Gladiator)
14. May It Be (Fellowship of the Ring)
15. The Rebel Fleet/End Title (Empire Strikes Back)
16. Into the West (Return of the King)
17. End Credits (Braveheart)
I have to admit, I feel as though I have turned that magical old age where I am behind the times on the latest music. I was listening to Justin Timberlake and Avril Lavigne and thinking I was pretty hip. Then my 17 year old sister called Avril a "poser" and I had that horrible feeling of being old.
So, forgive me if this White Stripes album I am reviewing is passe. It's what I am listening to and enjoying.
Forever For Her (Is Over For Me) takes me right back to high school. I don't know what it is about this track that makes me feel like it is 4:00 on a Friday mid summer.
Take, Take, Take reminds me a bit of the Violent Femmes. I like the processing done to Jack's voice and the repetition of the chorus helps me zone out when assigning bugs or doing an excel spreadsheet. (See, I AM getting old!)
The album as a whole is a bit all over the place. Their last album had a "sound" and this one seems to be stretching across a bunch of different genres, which is great.
I dig the White Stripes. Thanks to my husband for buying me this great album.
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