On My Own

Tonight I'm uploading the last of my CDs to my computer, so I can get rid of the discs. After this I'll have no more physical CDs in the house, which I'm pretty excited about. I haven't bought a CD in almost 10 years now. I don't have a CD player in the house anymore. So it's time for them to go. I'll load what I want on my iPod and back up the rest. Think of the space this will save.

I just finished loading the 2 disc Broadway version of Les Miserables. It was one of Jeff's CDs. I had the London version on cassette (remember those?). I've never been tempted to "walk the boards" as they say, but if I were to act, it would be in Les Miserables. And I know exactly the character.

The first time I heard On My Own, sung by Eponine, I was in love. I loved the song from the very first verse. Perhaps it's all the unrequited romances I've had over my life. Perhaps it's my more tomboyish (or at least not girly) demeanor. But Eponine has always struck me as a kindred spirit. And not just because she's an alto and a brunette, both of which are rare in most musicals.

She's a melancholy character, prone to imagining things. The first verse of On My Own is about her imagining herself walking with Marius. I can't tell you how many imaginary walks or imaginary conversations I've had with characters or with people I know. I instantly connected with her because of her solitary imaginative walks. She pretends that she's independent even though she's longing to be loved. She is strong and just wants to be one of the guys. I see so many parallels it's as if they wrote the character for me.

So if I ever get the acting bug, I'll audition for Eponine. I can sing her pretty well in the car or the shower. I sing On My Own or Little Fall of Rain, at least once a month. I should be getting good at it by now. Perhaps one day I'll take the chance.

My New Obsession

Meet my new obsession. I'm not sure what to call him yet. I'm leaning towards Jonsi, after the lead singer/guitarist for Sigur Ros. Mostly because he makes beautiful sounds that make me happy. Well...both of them do.

This past year I decided that I want to learn an instrument. I learned the saxophone when I was in grade school but I hated it. I tried the piano at 12 but when I realized I wasn't going to be the next Chopin, I gave up. Neither instrument was practiced enough. This time I knew I wanted to take my time and learn to play slowly, by practicing consistently. The guitar seemed perfect. My father has played guitar the entire time I've been alive. He started taking lessons shortly before I was born when he was 33. Now at 37 I've decided it's my turn.

When Jeff and I came home from St. Louis after Thanksgiving, I went over and my dad taught me the very basics. I learned how to hold the instrument, how to strum with the pick, how to read TAB, and three basic chords. He sent me home with a lovely guitar, an instruction book, an electronic tuner, and some picks. He also sent me home with the directive to practice. And I've been taking him seriously.

I play every night. At first I could only practice for about ten minutes before my fingers hurt so much I had to stop. I'm learning with nylon strings thankfully (Thanks Dad!) but it still hurt for the first week or so. This week I can play for 40 minutes or more a night. I've developed the calluses I need on my fingers. I'm learning my chords. I'm taking my time with this. And I'm practicing hard and I'm not getting frustrated. Suddenly I'm looking at my favorite songs and wondering what key they are in. I'm excited to practice, even if it's just playing with some finger picking.

But the big thing for me is that I'm learning. I didn't think I could learn an instrument. I had told myself that I just wasn't musically inclined. It feels good to have the discipline to practice everyday and the ability to learn. My chord transitions are smoother today than they were two days ago. I feel good to be taking my time. It may take me years to learn the guitar but I'm okay with the slow pace. It feels good to learn and to try.

The National at the Starlight

Okay, this is the last post I'm going to do about The National. I promise. Three might be more than I should do but I couldn't pass up telling you about last Friday where I finally (after two months of waiting) got to see them in concert.

Shortly after I became obsessed with the band, I went onto their website to check their tour listings. Normally when I do that with a band they are touring Europe or the Northeast or something. The bands rarely ever have anything close. But I looked at The National's schedule and one date stood out for me. October 11th, Kansas City's Starlight Theatre. They were three hours away in a cool open air auditorium.

I quickly used my powers of persuasion on Jeff, meaning I might have begged a bit and promised that it was the only thing I would ask for for my birthday. He said yes and we proceeded to buy tickets. This was the end of July/beginning of August. I printed the tickets, hung them on the fridge, and waited, mostly impatiently.

So when the concert finally rolled around, I took a half day on Friday so we could head down early. We got to the theater about 6:30 and sat through probably the oddest choice of an opening band I've ever heard. Sadly even live I was not a fan of the opener. It didn't help that they had their bass cranked up so high that it hurt my throat. But I sat through it, waiting for The National to take the stage.

As they were setting up the stage I noticed that the drummer was in the back warming up and testing out his drums. I took some pictures of Bryan although with the smoke effects they were testing only a couple came out. Then the band took the stage and I was instantly in heaven. They sounded so good. I was that annoying fan who sang along, took hundreds of pictures and video, and danced in my place. I'm sure I annoyed the girls in front of me as I screamed out "Squalor Victoria" along with Matt.

The band played for 10 minutes shy of two hours. They did four songs as part of their encore, including Mr. November where Matt wandered out into the crowd. Sadly his microphone detached and we lost his audio for most of the song. But it was great to see him wandering among the fans, screaming out the lyrics. They played almost two dozen songs and I knew every single one. Even Jeff had a blast and he normally hates anything with live music. They had played most of the ones he really wanted to hear.

But the best part of the concert was watching the band on stage. I'd seen videos of them performing (lots of videos) but it was different to realize that they were right there in front of me. I've mentioned before that I have a bit of crush on Bryce and getting to see him play (we were on his side of the theater) was incredible. He's incredibly dynamic on stage. I even got video of him bowing his guitar (below).  But each member of the band was wonderful to watch. Matt with his pacing and primal screams and wine drinking. Bryan with his incredible drum work. Scott bouncing along to his bass playing. And Aaron rocking out on either the guitar or the piano. And the sound was amazing. When they finally wrapped up, with the whole crowd singing Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks, I just didn't want it to end. An amazing night, one that I won't forget for a long time.

Edit: I have two videos that I'm trying to upload. But blogger doesn't seem to like them. I'll keep trying so check back if you're interested.

The National

A few weeks ago I had mentioned that I was listening to the band The National regularly. I owned a couple of songs by them that were on constant repeat. Since that time, those couple songs have been joined by a lot more and I have become officially obsessed with the band. I have gone back through all of the bands earlier albums (they have 8) to listen to their older material. I have watched hundreds of videos of their songs. I've sought out articles on them. A full 10% of my main playlist is now made up of National songs. Seriously I'm thinking I'll need a twelve-step program soon.

 From the Sea of Love video (read about its origins here)

And this is not typical for me. While I quickly become obsessed with authors and artists, music is generally not something I've become infatuated with. This is the first time in my life that I can point to each member of any band and tell you their names. Even with really ultra famous bands I can't do it. But I can list each member of The National and what instrument/role they play. Of course it helps that they are a band of brothers. Aaron and Bryce Dessner are the twins who both play guitar. Normally they are up front and center with the lead singer. Scott Devendorf plays bass and often stands near to his brother Bryan Devendorf who plays drums. The only band member to not have a brother in the band is Matt Berninger, the baritone voiced lead singer.

Aaron, Scott, Matt, Bryan, and Bryce

The band members all grew up in Cinncinati but didn't really start playing music together seriously until they all moved to Brooklyn for various jobs. Most of their early work is about working in white collar jobs and hating it. It wasn't until after their breakout album Boxer that they were able to think about quitting and going into music full time. Aaron and Bryce are heavily involved in the music scene outside of the band and have even curated music festivals. Bryce, who is a classical guitarist as well and who I have a bit of crush on, has worked as a composer creating his own orchestral and classical pieces.

Some people have called the bands songs melancholy or morose but I actually find them very uplifting. There is a catharsis in hearing them that brings me back to songs again and again. Most of the lyrics are about tough times, heartbreaks, and sadness, but I often find myself happy while singing along. Poor Jeff has heard nothing but snatches of National lyrics from me in months. Luckily he's come to enjoy their music too, although he hasn't been bit with the same obsession. But the songs just pull me in. They are catchy songs that grow on me each time I hear them.

I have tickets to see them live for the first time in October in Kansas City. It's the only thing I want for my birthday. Having seen videos of their live performances, I can't wait to see them in person. Until then I'll see if there are any songs that I've managed to miss from their older albums and try not to drive Jeff too crazy.

Songs of the Week

Over the last three days, I've listened to The National's "Sea of Love" at least two dozen times. In fact I'm listening to it right now, on repeat. That and "Demons", also by The National.

I have a tendency to become infatuated with songs. Two weeks ago I listened to "Nomenclature" by Andrew Bird until I was humming it in my sleep. I simply could not get enough of the song. This week, I've moved my affection to The National. I was introduced to the band years ago after watching this rather enjoyable animation using their song "Slow Show". Using YouTube I listened to most of their music then. And then this week, I became obsessed.

I was re-listening to "Sea of Love" and happened to notice that the Dessner brothers (the guitarists) look a bit like a friend of mine. So of course I had to look for more videos. And that reminded me of "Demons". Now I can't stop listening. I bought a bunch of The National's song but these are the one one repeat.

Eventually I'll get tired of them. Or a new song will come along. But until then, repeat is my best friend. And these songs just keep getting better with each listen.

Nostalgic Musical Interlude

The summer before my junior year of college was one of those great times that I look back at nostalgically. I was living alone at the time, working to pay my own bills by cleaning apartments. I would wake up at 5 each morning, clean apartments until 2, then go home and write until nearly 11 or midnight. It was the most productive time in my life. And I loved it.

The soundtrack for that time in my life was Natalie Merchant's Tigerlily, Violent Femmes, the music from the film Evita, and Indigo Girls. I think I wore most of those cassettes out (remember those?). I would pop a tape in and listen while I cleaned. When I got rid of most of my tapes, those were the ones I kept. They were just too special to me.

This afternoon, as part of my desire to get back to myself, I've set my Pandora radio streaming to Natalie Merchant. And it's been so energizing. Pandora (seriously I love this service) offers me not just Natalie, but Sarah McLaughlin, Jewel, Dido, The Cranberries, Fleetwood Mac, and The Sundays to name a few. It is the soundtrack of my college years. I'm reminded not only of the songs I loved that I'd forgotten about, but about those years of my life.

No matter what happens in my life, music has always been an energizing force. I have songs that make me think of middle school, high school, college, my early years of dating and marriage, and my more recent days. A single song can take me back. You can tell my mood by what song I'm singing. And if I'm alone, I'm always singing. Today it's Life is Sweet by Natalie Merchant.

Awesome Opera

Each year the Austrian town of Bregenz holds Bregenzer Festspiele, an opera festival. There are two stages for the event, an indoor theater that showcases lesser known works and a grand outdoor amphitheater on the lake for popular titles. While I haven't had the chance to see how amazing they performance is, I have had the opportunity to be stunned by the festival. The fantastic thing about Bregenzer Festspiele is the sets. Each year it seems that the festival attempts to outdo itself with another awesome set.

Designs like the one above, used for Tosca, have won international fame by appearing in the James Bond film "Quantum of Solace". I remember being awed by the scene in the film but to find out that this was a real theater was incredible. And then I saw the rest of the sets.

Above is one that was used for A Masked Ball by Verdi.

The above one, for Bizet's Carmen gives an idea of the setting for the stage and the huge audience. I can't imagine how incredible it has to be to see opera outdoors, on the lake.

The last one is from one of my favorite operas, Pucci's La Boheme. It was the first opera I ever saw, decades ago on TV. I loved the starving artist motif and the sad sweet tale of love. It was my introduction to opera and has lead to a lifelong love. I don't see the local operas every year but I try to go at least every other. And now I want to see the ones in Bregenz. I love good set work and it doesn't get any more dramatic or awe inspiring than this. For the history of the festival and the rest of the sets, click here.

Musical Interlude

Like everything in my life, my musical tastes are made up of obsessions. I listen to everything I can by a particular artist for months on end until I find a new artist. For months I listened to nothing but Bishop Allen. I bought song after song and listened. Then I discovered Andrew Bird. I spent weeks finding new songs and reading Andrew's amazing lyrics. That oddly lead to a Great Big Sea phase along with The Pogues. Not sure how I got from Andrew Bird to celtic except to say that my mind works in mysterious ways. For the last couple of months it's been Joe Purdy and Damien Rice. And now I'm moving on.

When Jeff and I were up in Minneapolis this last time I got started talking to a friend of ours and he mentioned that I should listen to Lisa Hannigan. I thank him for that. I'd already heard Lisa's amazing voice on Damien Rice's albums. She started her career providing vocals for him. But I've been listening to her solo works and have fallen in love. The song I Don't Know has to be one of my favorite songs right now. I listen to it nonstop. I've picked up at least six of her songs now. I'm also enjoying Lisa's videos. Knots is a great song and a very interesting video. I think I like the video for Lille more than I like the song, although anything with a pop-up book is bound to have my attention.

But Lisa is really just starting out her solo career. With only two albums under her belt I actually ran through her music faster than most. So I'm sharing this time with Ray LaMontagne. I've been listening to Ray's work on and off for several years now. Only in the last month has it become a full blown obsession. Jeff recently caught me rocking out to You Are The Best Thing and was a tad worried about me. I guess I was breathing heavy and making some interesting faces. It's hard not to breath a little faster with Ray's voice in my ears. Gone Away From Me makes me sad and happy at the same time. I've only been through a quarter of his work so far but I'm sure I'll listen to most of the songs. I'll listen to both Lisa and Ray until I know most of their songs by heart. And then of course I'll move on. And my music collections just keeps growing. Thank god for iTunes points.

Regina Spektor

The first time I heard Regina Spektor, I was listening to Pandora. The song On the Radio came on and I was at first unsure of what to make of the lyrics. She does talk about driving hearses through screaming crowds. But then I was fascinated. Even with the sometimes gothic themes, the upbeat melody, odd lyrics, and sweet voice made me fall in love with the song. I went home and bought it that day. And listened to it over and over and over until I'm sure Jeff was sick of it.

The next day I set up a Regina Spektor Pandora station. And found myself in love with every song of hers that they played. The Russian born artist writes some of the most interesting lyrics I've ever heard but it's her voice that really pulls me in. The first time we watched Prince Caspian (the second Chronicles of Narnia film) and her song played at the end, I knew her voice right away. It is such a beautiful voice. It's delicate and pure. And more than anything, it is unique. I bought The Call shortly after.

But I still can't get away from the lyrics. I wish I had written the words to The Calculation. They are offbeat in the best possible way. The song and video for Fidelity makes me laugh and smile every time I see it. It's an odd video (not as strange as Nine Crimes by Damien Rice but close), but I love the ending. A feel good video. I just recently watched the video for Better, a song I've loved since I first heard it, and was just as enchanted with the video.

It's not often that I find a songwriter who produces song after song that I love. Most of the time I find one or two songs from other artists that are just okay. I haven't heard a single Regina Spektor song that I haven't adored. Now I'm just waiting for her to come to town so I can see her live. Until then I'll have to make due with my always growing iTunes collection of her work and the videos she puts up on YouTube. Take a listen. I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

[All video links are to the official videos with the exception of The Calculation.]

Joe Purdy

Two weeks ago was my older sister's birthday. I was wracking by brain for an appropriate gift for her, when fate (or a fortuitous email) let me know that Joe Purdy would be playing in Des Moines. I found Joe years ago and have managed to hook almost everyone on his music. Including my sister. So I ran out the very next day and bought four tickets. Three for her...one for me. And I don't remember the last time a present worked so well in my favor. Or hers. She was a bit excited.

The concert was this past Sunday. Joe was playing down at the Vaudeville Mews, a tiny little theater right off Court Avenue. My older sister, her fiancee, my younger sister, her boyfriend, and Jeff and I met downtown for dinner early Sunday night. I've been wanting to try this odd pizza place called Fong's Pizza. We started with a drink at the Royal Mile and when our table was ready headed over to Fong's for some interesting pizza combinations. And it was tasty. Then my sisters, my older sister's fiancee, and I headed across the street to the Mews.

The Vaudeville Mews is so small that we were easily within a couple feet of the stage. I spent the entire concert with only three people between me and the performers. I love tiny venues. The show was opened by The Milk Carton Kids who were quite good. They not only opened the show but they ended up playing most of the night with Joe as well.

Joe Purdy is an indie artist that I would say is a cross between folk and country. He's even got a touch of blues mixed in. He doesn't have a publicist or a producer. He doesn't have any real marketing or a record contract. He self releases all of his albums and his fame gets around by word of mouth. And judging from the number of people at the concert, it's getting around quite well. We met one of my friends there who is also a big fan although I didn't introduce her. He's starting to develop a following, and with good reason. He's that good. Although his songs being chosen as a theme song for the show Lost and for various commercials doesn't hurt though.

Joe writes the kind of lyrics that I wish I'd written. They are sad but touching. And his music is just the right mix of blues and folk. If you haven't been introduced to his music there's an easy way to listen. Head over to his website. He puts the full songs on his site for free. I've listened to most of his music there. And then bought more than my fair share. I'd start with anything from Julie Blue or The City from Only Four Seasons. My current favorite song of his is Secret from You Can Tell Georgia. But so far I haven't found a song of his that I don't like. I've already bought his new album. And he has quite a few albums to choose from. I know I'm biased but I'd say that he is well worth a listen. And was well worth the concert tickets. It was a great evening.

Bluegrass Picnic

Tonight will be my first evening at home in almost two weeks. I've been out of the house a lot lately and am looking forward to being home and getting some cleaning done. Isn't that sad, that I'm looking forward to cleaning?

Last night was my knitting night instead of our typical Wednesdays. There was a bluegrass band I wanted to see playing down in Indianola (for Bluegrass Tuesdays on the Square) and one of the knitting girls figured we could take our knitting outdoors for a change. I raced home after work to change clothes, grab my knitting, and pick up some snacks. After a quick bite to eat with Jeff I headed to our meeting spot and the group headed south to Indianola. We arrived at the town square just as the band was getting started.

We were there to see Mr. Baber's Neighbors, a local bluegrass band that has developed quite the following. And with good reason. These guys were good. We found ourselves a shady spot, spread out Jeff's old army blanket, and had a wonderful picnic. We had two types of cheese, crackers, fresh bread with yummy spreads, grapes, carrots, kettlekorn, and cider. It was far more food than any of us needed but we did a great job polishing it off (I should not have had that quick bite with Jeff. Stuffed!!!). We sat out with tons of other local residents, knitted, talked, ate, and listened to great music. There was something so relaxed about the whole evening. I loved the people watching, there were tons of families and couples and older people. It was a wonderful feeling of community. After my hands got tired of knitting I just sat back, relaxed, and people-watched.

The weather was perfect and when the band wrapped up at about 8:45 I don't think any of us were ready to head home. We were some of the last people on the square. Once back in Des Moines, we stopped for Dairy Queen and then separated for the night. A great evening filled with good friends, good music, and good food.

Songs about Toast and Butter Jesus

I'm going to steal a post idea from my friend Salt who writes a very enjoyable blog about whatever argument happens to end up in his head. Today he wrote an interesting post about religion and the belief that things happen as a punishment. He was referencing the gigantic Styrofoam Jesus that was recently struck by lightning and burned to the ground. But I'm not going to talk about that.

Instead I'm more interested in the singer he mentioned. A while ago Jeff got me hooked on the morning show Bob and Tom. I loved the comedians they brought in, some of their batter between the group, and I particularly liked the musicians. They introduced me to people like Paul and Storm, Rodney Carrington, Stephen Lynch, and Heywood Banks. Sometimes the humor got a bit crude (this show is not for the young ones) but it almost always made me laugh. I haven't been listening to the show recently but I still listen to the music.

So where to these two paragraphs combine? With Heywood Banks, a parody songwriter. Heywood wrote a hilarious song about the giant Jesus sculpture called "Big Butter Jesus" since it has a bit of a buttery looking color to it. With descriptors like "unsalted Jesus", "Promise Jesus", "sweet cream Jesus", and the ever perfect "Oleo Lord", this song is blasphemous and downright hilarious. And this is just one of his songs.

Most of his songs are just silly. He has a decent voice and that with his bizarre lyrics make these songs enjoyable. His song "Iowa" is a regular favorite of mine. Any song about the state that occasionally bursts in with "What's that smell?" is good in my book. I laugh so hard I cry when I listen to "You Can Be Mean to Me (The Revenge Song)". And you really have to watch his song "Toast" on video. Heywood sings while accompanying himself on...well...a toaster. Bob and Tom's favorite seemed to be "A Trauma to the Groin" which is enjoyable but not quite as good as "Wiper Blades".

Heywood is actually Stuart Mitchell, and he has a style all his own. I've seen pictures of him with long straight hair and a pair of nerd glasses, but I've also seen pictures with him looking like Colonel Sanders. There both funny looks but but his image is only a small part of the act. It's the music that fascinated me. His music just makes me crack up laughing. If you're not easily offended (and have a good sense of humor) he's well worth a listen. Fun stuff.

Thanks for the idea, Salt. Hope it's okay that I "borrowed".

Learning to Love the Accordion

There is a phrase I never thought I would write. But life is funny and after spending a couple hours last night with an Irish band that included two accordions (one piano, one button) I've developed a greater appreciation for the most maligned of instruments. I'm still not a fan of the polka (the music most often associated with an accordion) but in Irish music the sound can be awfully sweet.

I'm being offered a slow musical education. One of my knitting friends, Lee, has a husband who plays in an Irish band. We've had our knitting nights correspond with their jam sessions a couple of times but last night was one of the few times where it's really been just Lee and I (and her husband and Jeff). We knit for an hour or two at the coffee shop before the musicians arrived and then settled in to knit and listen to some music. Lee sat next to me and pointed out all the instruments. I learned how different tippers make different sounds on a bodhran. I learned how an accordion can sound exactly like a harmonica. I learned how there are accordions with make different noises on expansion or contraction. And I learned that the sound of a lone fiddle can produce one of the sweetest, saddest sounds known to man. In short, I had a fantastic time.

The group is made up of whoever wants to come. Last night there were two fiddle players, a guitar player, two accordion players (one who's a local politician), a dulcimer/harmonica player, a bodhran/whistle player, and Lee's husband Connor who is a mandolin player. I got introduced to most of the musician and then just sat back and listened while Lee and the other wife there explained the pieces played and how the instruments worked. Most of the time one player would just start a tune while the rest quickly joined in. Lee's husband was the only one reading music, while the rest played by ear. It was clear that they were having a good time and playing for the sheer enjoyment of it. One of the fiddle players is just learning the songs and spent most of the night either kidding or being kidded about her slower playing. She seemed to have a blast. At the end of the night she wowed all of us with a rendition of Niel Gow's Lament For the Death of His Second Wife (a very nice rendition here with some wonderful images of Scotland) which left the musicians and the listeners speechless.

My plan had been to leave at 9:30 after about an hour of playing. Jeff headed off about that time and I thought about it. I haven't been to bed before 11 in well over a week. But I stayed. I simply couldn't pull myself away. I stayed until the musicians began to put away their instruments and I still wasn't tired. Home by 11 and in bed shortly afterwards. I'm a bit tired today but it was worth it. I'll be heading back for the next jam session. I've always loved Irish music and I'm slowly learning to love the accordion.

Poisoning Pigeons in the Park with Tom Lehrer

I was having a discussion recently with a friend when I happened to mention singer and songwriter Tom Lehrer. The friend said he didn't know Lehrer although when I mentioned a song title or two he had heard of those. I suggested that he should seek out some of his music and offered to send a CD. But the conversation got me thinking. How many people out there have heard Lehrer's brilliant and hilarious music but have no idea about the singer himself? I know I hadn't even heard of him until Jeff introduced me to his music. Since then I've been collecting his albums. And reading a bit about him.

Coincidentally it is his birthday today, a fact I wasn't aware of when I started this post yesterday.

Tom Lehrer is a bit of an oddity in the music world. He has spent most of his life teaching mathematics and political science at places like Harvard and MIT. He has a doctorate from Harvard in mathematics. He is clearly a brilliant man. But when Lehrer wasn't teaching he was found singing his witty and satirical songs in nightclubs around the Harvard campus. He started a music career by writing intelligent songs with a dark humor (Poisoning Pigeons in the Park, The Masochism Tango, We Will All Go Together When We Go...) or songs that satirize all types of institutions (Fight Fiercely Harvard, Bright College Days, It Makes a Fellow Proud to be a Soldier...).

As people began to flock to his live shows, which were filled with his humorous songs and witty banter, he created his first record and began selling it on the Harvard campus. This eventually led to distribution and other albums. These live shows are well worth seeking out and I just found out that a DVD has been released of them. Most of the links included above are to videos of his live shows, often with bits of introductions which are just as funny of the songs. I had read that Lehrer hated the live performances and stopped them as soon as he was able.

When most people think of Lehrer, it is his trademark song "The Elements", that they remember. This is humorous considering that it is simply a listing of the periodic elements sung to a Gilbert and Sullivan tune. But the song is so catchy that you simply can't forget it once you hear it. In fact it was that song that got me interested in the show NCIS. I happened to catch an episode that used that song as a clue and I was hooked. I'm such a Lehrer fan that anything using his music has to be quirky enough for me. Lehrer has developed something of a cult following in the US. Considering that he has not performed live or written any songs since the early 70s it is sometimes surprising how enduring his popularity has been. But when you have music as catchy and intelligent as Lehrer has written, I can see why his music (even his political music) has stood the test of time.

Sea Shanties and Celtic Sounds

I go through stages with music. For a period of time in high school I listened to a lot of country. In college it was folk. When I first met Jeff I listened to a lot of eighties. Currently I'm on an Irish/Celtic kick with some old fashioned sea shanties mixed in. It's kind of an odd choice for me but I'm loving it.

It started when I was listening to Jonathan Coulton on Pandora.com. If you haven't listened to Jonathan you need to check him out. He doesn't do Irish music, Celtic music, or sea shanties but he does create some of the funniest and smartest music out there. If you combine the nerdiness of Weird Al with the humor of Barenaked Ladies, and throw in some fun tunes, you have Jonathan. He's hilarious and intelligent and fun. Great stuff.

So you're probably wondering how I got from the geeky stylings of Jonathan Coulton to sea shanties. I'm not really sure how either. That's the beauty of Pandora. It always seems to recommend the right thing. In this case, the program happened to play Great Big Sea, a band that plays sea shanties. Particularly it played The Mermaid, which is a downright hilarious song about the problems of trying to have sex with mermaids. It was catchy and fun and I remember writing down the band's name for future reference. I didn't have to wait long to hear more from them as Pandora decided to play Old Polina, off the same album, a couple hours later. Now I was interested. I created a station with Great Big Sea (did I mention I love Pandora?) and suddenly found myself immersed in sea shanties, old Irish songs, and Celtic sounds.

I've been listening to bands like The Chieftains (the classics), the Pogues, The Dubliners, Gaelic Storm, and Flogging Molly and am having a great time. So much of the music is bouncy and lively that I find myself tapping my feet and dancing in my chair. I've been buying tons of songs from iTunes and keep finding new ones to add. The moment the fiddle and the Bodhran starts up I'm happy. So far I've only found one or two bands I don't enjoy as much on the channel but all the rest are bands I'd happily own. In fact I've owned one of Gaelic Storms albums for years and it's been one of my favorite albums. But now I have a whole selection of new titles to add. We all need music and right now mine sounds better with a mandolin and a tin whistle.

Tuneless

It's official. I've lost my iPod. I'm tuneless.

I'm actually surprised by how much this simple loss affects me. I've lost tons of things before. Ask Jeff how often I lose my keys. In fact, I've been missing my keys for two days now without worry. I'm sure they are somewhere in the house and it is just a matter of finding them. I lost them coming home from knitting on Monday.

But losing my iPod has left me in something of a lurch. I'm shocked at how much I love that little piece of metal that holds a majority of my music collection. Everything is backed up on my computer but it has suddenly become less portable. Jeff is not always a fan of my music, which tends to run towards indie folk lately, so I tend to not play a lot of music at home over the speakers. Because of this, I keep my iPod with me almost constantly. It is my only source of music in the car other than the radio (which drives me crazy).

I know this is a bit of a shallow whine. I lived for years without an iPod. I have plenty of other things to keep me entertained. But for some reason this loss bothers me more than most. Sorry all. Just a shallow little whine. I'm over it. Now if you don't mind I'll be at the Apple store, drooling over the new Nanos.

Joe Purdy

I hate to admit this but if it wasn't for the TV, I would never have found Joe Purdy's music. As a selp-published artist he's been relying on word of mouth and so far that hadn't reached me yet. What did reach me was a rather silly Kia Spectra commercial with a fun little upbeat song to go along with it.

I bought the song off iTunes but never really looked farther into Joe's music. I'm not sure why that is though. The song from the commercial, "Can't Get it Right Today" quickly became one of my favorite songs. I was surprised to find out that it was not the silly, ditty that I expected and was instead a very moving song. This is a beautifully sad song that somehow made me happy and sad at the same time. It hit me deeply, and I found myself singing it constantly. I've always loved folk music and this was some of the best I've ever heard. So why I didn't go find more of his music, I will never know.

One afternoon while sitting listening to Pandora.com, a song called "Whiskey and Fish" came on. I tapped my feet and bounced along to the song and then immediately clicked over to see who did the song. Joe Purdy again. And then I saw the new Dawn advertisement with his soulful "Wash Away". And I went out looking for the rest. Joe by the way is no stranger to music for television. Wash Away became a theme song for the series Lost, and Greys Anatomy has used some of his stuff. But since I've never seen a single episode of either, it took me two commercials and Pandora to spark me.

Joe has published 10 albums in the last 8 years. All self-published and all amazingly good. I read in an interview that he only expected to live to 27 and wanted to make sure he had 10 albums produced by then. His self-publishing has the downside of not offering a ton of marketing but also gives him a lot freedom with both writing and releasing his music. He gives people the chance to listen to all of his songs on his website and you can buy them directly from him or link to iTunes or Amazon. As I've gotten money to spend on music I've been buying up his albums. And so far have not found one that I didn't love. It took me a long time to find Joe but he has quickly become my favorite singer/songwriter. It's kind of sad to say that it took the television for me to find a new singer, but I'm willing to admit it, if it helps me get the word out about his fantastic music.

Musical Genius

Bill Engvall once quipped that he was 45 degrees off cool. I find I'm very much the same way. By the time I learn about a new musical group or new artist they seem to have become mainstream. I only seem to watch TV shows after they have gone off the air. I'm always a step or two behind.

But I thought I was good with my new discovery, until I talked to my sister.

"So I've found a new musician who is just amazing."

"Who is it?"

"Andrew Bird"

"Oh yeah he's great, lots of whistling".

So apparently my sister and half of Des Moines knows about Andrew Bird. I had very recently missed his concert at Hoyt Sherman (a beautiful and tiny venue that would have been perfect to see him perform). But I guess he had performed this past year at our new music festival in Des Moines. I'm so behind on the times. The internet is flooded with videos, interviews, and fan sites. Not a newcomer by any stretch.

But it's with good reason that he is getting recognized. The man is a musical genius. Andrew Bird is a classically trained violinist, who has branched out from classical into a more alternative musical style. He stands on the stage, with a single drummer behind him, and plays the violin, the guitar, a glockenspiel, whistles, and sings. Using a loop track he can create music that would require multiple musicians normally. Here is a video of him performing Imitosis where you can watch all the transitions.

Andrew's lyrics tend to be verbose, using more three dollar words than some textbooks. Each song of his has an incredibly different sound and it is said that he hates to repeat. That can even include choruses which he uses pretty sparingly. His lyrics are interesting and create more of a mood than tell a story. He is more interested in combining rhymes than sometimes making sense. But you listen to him for the music. His violin playing is beautiful and sometimes offbeat. He likes to pluck the violin to produce unusual sounds. His guitar playing is excellent but it's been his whistling that most people mention. He has been described as a virtuoso whistler. I can whistle about three notes, his can run the scales. It is haunting and beautiful. The gorgeous video of Spare-Ohs showcases it nicely.

I've read quite a few interviews with Andrew discussing his play style. I guess he starts by just playing with sounds. He lives out on his family's farm in Illinois and uses the barn to just mess around with different sounds, melodies, and styles. His pieces performed lives sound very different from his recorded works but they are both good. He has been listed as an artist that is just as good live as recorded (a rare thing).

So I missed seeing him in concert last month but I won't make that same mistake again. It's not often that a musical genius comes around. I plan to see him the next chance I get.

Custom Radio

Now I'm not a huge music buyer. I have always bought more movies than music but with iTunes I have been spending hundreds of dollars in songs. I love that I get to buy just the songs I love, rather then buy a CD to find that I only like the two or three songs I know. My only problem is that I have kind of stagnated on my music. I don't get introduced very often to new artists. So I am more than thrilled to discover Pandora Radio. www.pandora.com. This amazing website allows me to customize my radio, all for free. And even better it introduces me to new stuff.

When you arrive at the site it starts by asking you who your favorite artist is. It then customizes the songs played based on that selection. I started with a somewhat indy group that does mellow songs with great vocals. It then played hundreds of songs with similar styles. If you don't like a song you can let it know and it will remove that band. That way you are only listening to music you don't know but may like. I'm crazy about the service. And now my iTunes can get a workout as I add tons of new artists.

On that same note I have fallen in love with the band Bishop Allen. On a rather ugly weather trip back from Chicago with my sister, she introduced me. I was tense (I hate driving in snow) and was making her tense. Sorry Em. I'm pretty sure we were going to come to blows there. So to cut the stress she played this band. Oh and she taught me a meditation technique. But music-wise I started with "Like Castanets" and fell madly for these guys. It is a two man group out of the Bronx making independent music. For anyone who likes good lyrics and fun music give them a try.