Friday, June 19, 2026
Could We
So a couple of weeks ago my friend Pat sent me the most wonderful link. It was to an article on the Los Angeles Times Blog about the couple of LA Swell Season shows in November. Now, you may be thinking I'm going to spend the rest of this post talking about The Swell Season and how I loved the music in Once and yada yada yada.
Well, I'm not! So ha!
For me, the highlight of the article was when the reporter started to talk about Jason Segel's appearance at Wednesday's show and how, at the end of the set, he waltzed out on stage, sat down at the ivory keys, and proceeded to play an original tune.
Well, I'm not! So ha!
For me, the highlight of the article was when the reporter started to talk about Jason Segel's appearance at Wednesday's show and how, at the end of the set, he waltzed out on stage, sat down at the ivory keys, and proceeded to play an original tune.
So of course, I HAD to call that number..... and to my pleasant surprise, Jason's voice greeted me on the other line - MY HEART MELTED!
So here it is, a playlist dedicated to that feeling.
That feeling of interest and desire.
That feeling of excitement and butterflies.
That feeling of euphoria.
I absolutely love the simplicity of this song. It's carefree. It's wispy. It's exactly how I want to feel these days. For whatever reason it really pulls me back to the beginning of this century. Now that might be a kind of weird thing to say seeing as though we have yet to close out this decade. But unlike most songs this one feels very "present".
Now, I have yet to write about the music collective known as Ra Ra Riot (a Barsuk act! yay Seattle!) but I am a huge fan of The Rhumb Line. I was lucky to catch them when they opened for Andrew Bird a few months ago (thanks to my friend Hillary) and ever since have been in love. Butterflies. This song is all about butterflies... and anticipation... and wanting.
Twilight. Need I say more?
I love Joni Mitchell. My mother does not.
Unlike her undying love for Carole King, my mom "can't stand" Joni's voice - it's "too whiny". I love my mom. To her credit, it took me a while to warm up to Mitchell. But once I did, it was over. She has some of the best lyrics when it comes to writing about love. Don't even get me started on "All I Want" - hmmm, maybe I should have added that to the list.
Bjork's Debut album is absolutely fantastic. It always reminds me of the trip I took to San Francisco my freshman year of college. It was an interesting journey to say the least. In fact, it marked my first Amoeba experience (I bought a used copy of Debut at the Haight-Ashbury location).
To get the full effect of this track you have to blast this in your car as you drive fast, in the dark of night. Magic!
Slow build. Musically. Lyrically. Slow build.
I've been waiting.
Chet Baker only sung about love. Maybe because it perplexed him so. Maybe because he never seemed to be able to hold onto it for long. The perpetual heart-broken heart-breaker. Like on most of his tunes, he brought - in equal parts - the power of his trumpet and the spell-binding softness of his voice. I will forever be mesmerized and in love.
emusic
If you buy music on a regular basis or are finally ready to support bands you love, I highly suggest you head on over there right now and get a subscription.
holiday cheer series
This is the first "series" I am attempting here at The Clear Spot. I started to compile a list of my favorite Christmas songs - based on musical merit but mostly based on sentimental value. I'm going to space them out which will hopefully give you incentive to check back regularly.
_________________________________________________
Maybe it's growing older. Maybe it's not having family around. Maybe it's LA. These past few years December has not felt nearly as Christmas-y as it once did.
However, I have high hopes for this year. I will spending a good two and a half weeks at home.
This means I'll get to go skiing. I'll get to help at my aunt's bakery during the holiday rush. Who knows, I may even be compelled to stop by St. C's.
So before I get too carried away here you go, the first installment of my Holiday Playlist.
I decided, against my best judgement, to start out with my favorite Christmas song of all time. Now I know, it's like eating dessert before dinner but I figured this way it would give you all the maximum amount of time to play this lovely gem.
So yes, the obvious sentimental reason for loving this song is it's connection to A Charlie Brown Christmas. However, it's more than that.
The brushes dance along the top of the snare sounds like snow softly falling... each piano note acts as footsteps through a winter wonderland... the bass hums at the opening of the song as if fueled by carolers.
It captures that bittersweet taste of Christmas.
So go forward and be merry. And if you don't have the whole A Charlie Brown Christmassoundtrack you must put it on your holiday to-do list!
ps Check out the song Skating... in 1996 me and my brother used it to choreograph a floor exercise routine. That was the same year I used tape to create a balance beam in my living room...
I was setting my sights on becoming the next Bela Karolyi.
emergency exits
I'm very excited to tell you that one of my best friends has just recently had one of his essays posted over at ThisIBelieve.org. So go check it out and while you're at it hit up his blog.
ps Hopefully I'll have a music post up later today!
gonna use my side-step
As I was running out the door this morning, late for work as usual, I quickly perused my cd collection in hopes of finding something either a) super old that I hadn't heard in ages or b) something new that I never really given a chance.
What did I grab? Was I happy with the result?
Pretenders by The Pretenders. Yes.
I bought this album on one of my many Amoeba trips and mainly got it because my dad had suggested it. The minute I put it into my cd player I immediately skipped to track 10 - Brass in Pocket - and listened to it a couple of times before shelving the poor thing.
See this is one of my problems.
When I'm first introduced to an album I have to be in an "album-listening- mood" otherwise I get way too impatient and ditch the thing before I've had time to give it a real chance.
Anyhoo, as I was driving to work this morning I instantly fell in love with it. It's right up my alley... it has that totally late 70's/early 80's feel. It falls somewhere between brit punk and new wave sharing space with the likes of Elvis Costello.
Enjoy - just as I have all day long!
Oh, and for a gold star, can anyone tell me what the Glee connection is?
"holiday cheer" series - Song #2
When I first entered kindergarden, school seemed like a huge place. The 8th graders looked like freshman in college (one even cornered me against a wall at recess and burped in my face which was traumatizing, to say the least), everyone wore the same thing, and there were multiple buildings. I warmed up to the place quite fast and by October I was double-dutching with 2nd graders.
In December I was introduced to advent and all the catholic traditions surrounding it. Every morning before school started, all 186 students - ranging from kindergarden to 8th grade - piled into the cafeteria and unveiled the day's teaching on the advent calendar. A reading was read, the candles on the advent wreath were lit, and we would all join in in singing "O Come, O Come Emmanuel".
So here you go, #2 on my "holiday cheer" playlist:
"holiday cheer" series - Song #3
I'm not going to say much about this song. There isn't so much a singular memory that draws me back to this song - I just ALWAYS get excited when it comes on the radio in December.
So here you go, song #3
"holiday cheer" series - peasant pheasant
So I know, I totally dropped the ball with this series. As soon as the holiday break started it was family 24/7. Not the most conducive for blogging.
As a little "after-Christmas-gift" I offer up to you the holiday music stylings of my friends over at Peasant Pheasant.
http://www.myspace.com/peasantpheasant
It will bring warmth to your heart, I promise.
I hope you all had a wonderful winter holiday and here's to the last days of 2009!
As a little "after-Christmas-gift" I offer up to you the holiday music stylings of my friends over at Peasant Pheasant.
http://www.myspace.com/peasantpheasant
It will bring warmth to your heart, I promise.
I hope you all had a wonderful winter holiday and here's to the last days of 2009!
on the lake in late december
In between laughing fits over Apples to Apples and my slow but sure chipping away at Eclipse I have found myself immersed in the Kings of Convenience's latest endeavor - Declaration of Dependence.
Kings of Convenience are like a great pairs of shoes...
the ones that aren't necessarily your favorite but that often are your saviors in a fashion crisis....
....one of those pairs you've had forever that are always comfortable and never seem to go out of style.
KoC are Steady. Reliable. Dependable.
Now I know, this makes them sound a little boring, predictable at the very least. But I've gotta say, I continue to love the stuff they turn out. Their harmonies are always gentle and smooth, their guitars perfectly complementing each other.
And they always seem to tuck a little groove under it all.
contra
Y'all should know by now it's hard for me to resist anything that in any way reminds me of Paul Simon.
it's your choice!
While I was location scouting in the Angeles National Forest a week or so ago I came along this sign. In light of the fact that much of the forest there has been torched by fires, it was quite disheartening.
Maybe it's because I've been watching Ken Burns' The National Parks: America's Best Idea or have surprisingly found myself a big fan of Avatar, I offer up this little reminder to you all.
a love story
Now as someone who considers Sergio Mendes and Brazil '66 one of her favorite bands EVER, seeing Lani Hall - who was the lead female vocalist for the group during their hay-day - was a huge deal. In fact, this whole love for Sergio and his gang has been something passed down through three generations in my family. My grandparents listened to them in the 60's, my mom listened to them in the 90's and I have faithfully carried on this grand tradition into 21st century.
My love for Hall had already set the stage. What I wasn't prepared for was Alpert's unassuming yet powerful presence. He's a self assured 74 year old trumpet player who has been married to Hall since 1974. Watching them onstage you could feel the love and admiration they have for one another as it permeated the stage.
So if you haven't given either of these two a listen, I present a couple of tunes that, in my opinion, nicely articulate what makes these two a winning pair.
john roderick and the balancing act
So last week as I was looking over the line-up for this year's Sasquatch and I was happy to find that northwest darlings The Long Winters are set to play on Sunday.
Not having heard from these lovely fellows since their 2006 release Putting the Days to Bed, I thought I would journey over to www.thelongwinters.com to see what was up.
And I found this little gem.....
soft rock.... can ya dig it?
YES! Yes I can!
Soft rock as been written off in years past as sad attempts at music making; fluff piece for the slight of heart; songs for middle-aged woman to cry their eyes out to (just take the opening scene from Bridget Jones' Diary or a spot from the first season of Glee).
But I would beg to differ that while you can't deny the sappy power of a soft rock ballad there is just that, a power.
Yes, I myself, prefer Chicago's early stuff to the Peter Cetera driven tunes but every time I hear Biggest Part of Me by Ambrosia I can't help but melt into it's slow groove and over-the-top proclamations of love.
Now let's take a slight diversion.
I hate art snobs. For me it comes down to the question of authenticity.
Some people like to argue that because something doesn't make sense or follow the traditional conventions (aka free jazz, ambient, or even to some extent psychedelic rock), that automatically makes it more interesting and artistically important. I have found that I completely disagree with this mindset.
I would agree that art forms that aren't so easily understood can hold great value in expressing emotions and ideas in ever changing forms; that in turn may or may not propel a society forward. However, I just happen to think that those other "traditional" art forms are just as important, if not more so.
Take Marvin Gaye's 1971 album What's Going On. Filled with songs about damaged race relations, senseless war involvement, pollution, poverty, drug abuse, crime - these are not common topics for pop songs.
Was this album listened to by millions and millions since it's release?
Yes.
Was it considered a commercial hit?
Yes.
Did it have something important to say about hate, love, and peace?
Yes.
In my book, this kind of art is 100% significant. So what if Mercy Mercy Me continues to play on Oldies stations around the world? Does it make Gaye's message any less true or relevant? I don't think so.
Which gets me back to what I was talking about in the first place. You may have dismissed soft rock in the past but I would ask you to give it another try. These songs speak straight to your heart. Just give in. Stop resisting. Let yourself go. And for pete's sake, don't take yourself so seriously!
tallboy in a brown bag
A couple of weeks ago I went with my friend Pat to see his friends - Foot Foot - play at the Echo Curio. I had never been there before but I have to say the experience was nice. Nothing crazy, it was actually quite intimate.
One of the bands on the bill was a little two man group called Tarlton. I've been listening to this song like crazy.
it's alright, i'm ok. how are you?
Joni Mitchell & Graham Nash.
I can’t help but think of the amazing love story these two had for that short period of time when they were young. I have read a number of articles, watched a few documentaries, and am currently reading a book surrounding this place and time. From what I have gathered, Graham Nash was wholly enamored by Joni. I have read countless interviews with him where he cites his time with Joni as some of the most cherished moments of his life. He revered her as an artist much more talented than himself. When I read about how/why they broke up it just breaks my heart. I’m totally on Team Graham.
Nash's album Songs for Beginners - released just one month before Mitchell's Blue - was very much a mediation on the unraveling of the couple's relationship. With "I Used To Be A King" Nash realizes that his heart has been changed forever. He's moving on but he's become guarded and slightly cynical. Part of his heart as been stolen... and he's not so sure he'll ever get it back.
Someone is going to take my heart but no one is going to break my heart again.
I Used To Be A King - Graham Nash
ps Check out Joni's tune "I Had A King". Although she wrote it before meeting Nash it does offer a deeper understanding to what Nash is trying to get at in "I Used To Be A King".
now remember to floss
The other day I found out some very exciting news, news that directly connects me to one of Rock's greats.
My dentist - the same dentist I have been going to since I was 4 years old - was Kurt Cobain's dentist during the time he lived in Seattle. How crazy cool is that?! My 6 year old self totally could have been sitting in the chair one over from him during one of his routine teeth cleanings.
Mind.
Blown.
It feels good to be home.
*This version of "Drain You" is from the BBC Sessions (1989-1991)
lately i don't feel much like talking
Listening to Richie Havens' album Mixed Bag I can't believe that he was only 26 when he recorded it. His voice is smooth but rough, polished yet raw. Havens has the undeniable quality of sageness. You can't help but give in and believe every word he sings.
This week I found a live album comprised of performances from 1970 and 1972 in Washington D.C. and Santa Monica, CA titled Live at The Cellar Door. The opening track is "I Can't Make It Anymore" - one of my favorite Gordon Lightfoot covers - and boy does he start the set out right.
If you haven't experienced much of Richie Havens' music I would suggest poking around his discography, especially his early stuff. His unique style of strumming and open tuning was showcased quite nicely when he kicked off Woodstock, providing the accompaniment for the opening scene of the 3-day love and peace fest.
united states of americana
I can't seem to finish a book these days; it's a problem I have noticed since I graduated.
In LA I never really set aside enough time to read . My problem with reading is somewhat different now that I find myself back in Seattle. I have done a considerable amount of recreational page turning in the last few months but I have a difficult time sticking with ONE book. Maybe it's because of years neglecting my "fun reading" impulses. I'm trying to make up for lost time.
My hope is that that is changing.
I recently attended a book release party for Kurt B. Reighley's (KEXP's DJ El toro) latest United States of Americana. Reighley examines what he has found to be a movement back towards simpler times, to a lifestyle concerned with the best way to pickle carrots and the proper wool from which to crochet a winter hat. The event was chalkful of pastime entertainment (a bluegrass clogging duo, a burlesgue dancer, and multiple folk/americana musical outfits).
Being a work of non-fiction (including an entire chapter on music history) I think my goal of getting to the last page is actually quite attainable. In my experience thus far, it's quite an engaging read. Here's hoping!
(I should mention that I'm also intent on finishing Fitzgerald's This Side of Paradise sometime soon. Decisions decisions.)
ps If you haven't tried an Old-Fashioned cocktail I highly recommend it.... especially if you have a tendency towards whiskey. Word on the street is that Don Draper agrees.
potus in a bicycle accident
Thanks to Sam Seaborn, a few months ago I had a mini Rob Lowe movie marathon which included the horribly cheesy About Last Night... (it was on Netflix instant watch, ok?). However, it did introduce me to quite a catchy tune, So Good, So Good by Jimmy Mundy. The problem is I can't find an mp3 of it anywhere.
Maybe that's why I was so taken with Chromeo's When The Night Falls. Okay, yeah, it's not exactly the same. Still both songs are totally "80's" and completely "danceable".
september in november
I took this photo back in September at the Puyallup Fair. It had been raining all day and then as soon as we parked, it stopped. The afternoon weather ended up being quite lovely.... and the Fisher Scones were scrumptious.
get up on the floor
In high school I had a huge disco phase. The Saturday Night Fever soundtrack was the soundtrack to my life for a good 6 months. Conducting
ko-ko
It just started sprinkling outside. I'm sitting in a coffee shop and someone has thought it a good idea to keep the door open... my little feet are a bit cold. However there is a healthy stream of people in search of coffee allowing me to take full advantage of my front-door-facing seat and get in some good people watching time (which would be even better if I hadn't lost my glasses last weekend). But I digress, some Duke Ellington anyone?
Whenever I listen to this song, it immediately becomes an animated cartoon, much in the same style of those old Disney Silly Symphonies like this one:
Here's to old school sound design.
picnic table and badminton
A couple of weekends ago, my roommates and I christened our brand new picnic table by throwing a bbq in our new and improved backyard. In LA I always found myself living in apartments with barely enough room for a small balcony or porch. Here in Seattle, I finally have some room to stretch my feet and me and the gals are taking full advantage of it. About a month ago, as we were stumbling home late one evening we noticed that one of neighbors a couple blocks from our house had put out a free bench swing. We took it apart, and in two pieces, carried it home. After some avid craigslisting, we got our hands on a lovely wood picnic table perfect for sunset dinners and bbq banquets under the sun.
So as I was saying, a few weekends ago we invited some family and friends over to enjoy our new backyard digs. We spend the afternoon and evening playing badminton and sippin' on fresh squeezed lemonaide (yeah, that's right, fresh squeezed).
And what was the soundtrack to these magical festivities, you ask?
So as I was saying, a few weekends ago we invited some family and friends over to enjoy our new backyard digs. We spend the afternoon and evening playing badminton and sippin' on fresh squeezed lemonaide (yeah, that's right, fresh squeezed).
And what was the soundtrack to these magical festivities, you ask?
celebrate asia
The other night I joined my mother at the symphony. In theory this is something I should have experienced years ago but for whatever reason I had yet to experience the
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)