Mindy Smith

Well, here lately I've gone from a Björk kick to a Mindy Smith kick...I know. That's like going from orange juice to supreme pizza with pickles. What can I say? I like to keep the variety going. I may return to Björk later.

I first heard Mindy Smith when she opened for Nickel Creek at ASU. Such a great show. Mindy Smith is fantastic. She has a tone for country/bluegrass that can't be learned. Kind of like Alison Krauss in the sense that there's no way you could ever practice for getting that vocal sound. You either have it or you don't.

She combines the themes of religion, love, and self-discovery in her songs and it's all really heartfelt. A straight-from-the-heart-to-the-page kind of thing. Love it. I wouldn't classify her as country or bluegrass. Somewhere inbetween, but more on the country side. Worth listening to however you choose to look at it though. Also, her cover of "Jolene" (featuring Dolly Parton) is really good if you like that song.

Recently I discovered this song of her's called "Peace of Mind" - a new favorite for sure. Favorite enough for me to post the lyrics...but you don't get half the meaning out of them compared to when you hear the actual song. It's one of the prettiest songs I've heard in a while I think. So I'll leave you with that.

I need peace of mind and a hopeful heart

to lose this rage and move out of the dark

I ain't lookin for rainbows or shooting stars,

just some peace of mind and a hopeful heart

I need peace of mind and a lullaby

cause there's an angry voice in my head tonight

telling me to do things that can't be right

I need peace of mind and a lullaby

And a miracle for this broken soul,

a little miracle for this broken soul

I need peace of mind and a gentle hand

as I try to change the way I am

and hope God forgives me when I can't

I need peace of mind and a gentle hand

or a miracle for this broken soul,

a little miracle for this broken soul

I need peace of mind and a hopeful heart

one more read to add to the list

for a smaller, redundant, in-between version of this and twitter...find me on tumblr!

http://aubsmiles.tumblr.com

I'll still post on here when I feel the need to be extra wordy, so I'm not leaving.

next on the agenda: Kid Cudi - I am excited about this.

VMA's, YYY, etc.

I would like to begin by stating that I had no intentions of watching the VMA's, and I really didn't...I happened to catch the performance of Muse, probably the only good performance there actually was. My facebook newsfeed exploded with remarks about Kanye, I watched on youtube, and was not surprised. Kanye is the biggest asshole this side of, well pretty much the universe. I'm not gonna lie though, 808s & Heartbreak is one of my faves.

Lady Gaga, just wow. Chick is INSANE! Her performance on the VMA's (which I also viewed on youtube) was um, freaky to say the least. If it's at all possible to top that, the music video for "Paparazzi" is even more weird. I love her though. You have to give her credit for being different. She first caught my attention with "Just Dance," which is odd because I normally couldn't care less about the pop crap that's constantly on the radio. But I liked her voice, and she sounded like she had potential to be *gasp* actually talented- also she didn't fall in the same line of the Beyonces/Britneys/etc. The Fame is a fantastic pop album that I definitely don't regret buying. And I love watching her play the piano. You can check that out for yourself here. I would venture to say that she is the new combination of Annie Lennox+Cyndi Lauper+Madonna. I mean seriously, anyone remember the weirdness in the video for "No More I Love You's??" The first 30 seconds should jog your memory. She has by no means attained Annie Lennox status...but is worthy of a small comparison I think. I put her on the same level as Madonna in regards to shock value. As for Cyndi Lauper, "Boys Boys Boys" reminds me of "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun." Ok, so they are obviously two different messages but it's got that same rally-all-the-girls-together thing going for it. And both singers have an outlandish/flashy/weird persona.

I'm also partial to singers who wear flamboyant clothing. I've said this many times before, but my theory is- if you are THAT famous, why not go all out and wear the craziest stuff you can find?? My favorite outfits include this get up from Karen O:

and the bubble outfit from Lady Gaga:

Really, if you could wear bubbles for an outfit...who would pass that up??

Anyway. My recent jamz, aside from Lady Gaga, include songs from the IS IS - EP from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. "Rockers to Swallow" is a perfect introduction to the band if you're not familiar with them. Well, maybe not a perfect introduction. A good way to ease into the YYY would be "Maps." But the former is a good picture of the sound and style that defines them. Actually, the entire EP is. I find myself constantly wondering how did I not like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs before this year?? but it gives me a lot of good music to catch up on. :)

Still enjoying Imogen's new album as well...love the instrumental versions of the songs more than I thought I would. Perfect for when you need some relaxing music that isn't Enya.

On a completely unrelated note, I am trying to read four books right now. For the life of me, I don't know how people who read multiple books at one time do it. I'm not much of a reader though, I probably should have started slow. But it's 11:30pm, and Harry Potter/Living Dead in Dallas/Shoe Addicts Anonymous/Such a Pretty Fat wait for me.

why August 25th was a good day.

Imogen Heap's new album Ellipse finally came out yesterday...I have been waiting on this for a long time! She has a way of fusing words and sound like no other. The sound is similar to the last album, but in my opinion, that's what sets her apart (i.e. use of the vocoder). I'm all for new sounds, but in this case, her "sound" is central to what makes her Imogen Heap. I'd actually be kind of disappointed if the record didn't have her signature innovative style. I mean, Imogen Heap wouldn't be Imogen Heap if she abandoned it all and we were presented with acoustic guitars and boring pop-wannabe tunes.

I've probably listened to all the songs at least once- but the tracks "Wait It Out" and "Half Life" make the whole album completely worth $9.99 to me. or however much it costs on iTunes. I actually ended up buying the cd off her website ("Immi's Favourite Edition"), and that speaks volumes for me. I rarely (I'm talking 0.5 times a year) buy physical cd's- only when the album is so completely great and unique that you need to have it in your hands. It's too good to be shoved on the iTunes shelf, if you will.

I'm also excited about listening to Ingrid Michaelson's new stuff (her new album entitled Everybody was released yesterday as well). I noticed "The Chain" is on the track list- one of my favorites from her. A live version of the song is on Be OK, and I'm sure the new version is wonderful as well. I hope the chorus stays the same...in the live version it is sung as a round (I don't even know if that's the right phrase) and that's what makes the song. I'm also liking "Soldier," which I think can be heard on her myspace.

Anyway. The lyrics to "Half Life" are too good not to be posted. So I'll leave you with that. Last I checked, the whole cd was available for streaming at Imogen's myspace so go listen. :)

I knew that I'd get like this again,

that's why I try to keep at bay,

be a hundred percent when I'm with you and then

the perfect heart's length away

the stickler is you've played not one beat wrong

you never promised me anything

even sat me down, warned me just how they fall

I knew the odds were I'd never win, yet here I am

it's a half life

with you as my quarterback

a daft life

my self worth measured in text-back tempo,

it's been two days and eight minutes too slow,

well there may well be others but I still like to pretend

that I'm the one you really want to grow old with

I've got a schedule to stick to, got a world to keep sweet,

it's so much to everyone all the time

will you ever slow down, will I ever come first,

the universe contracts to size

it's a half life

with you as my quarterback

a daft life

you know you'll never be alone,

you know you'll always be loved

and maybe you'll never need more than that.

of other sapless little loves, what's to become of us,

does it even register on your conscience?

long for one last showdown from a box in a crowd

air compress tight to explode

I'm clinching my ticket to the only way out

as you disappear in a puff of smoke

it's a half life

with you as my quarterback

a daft life

updates

It's been over a month since I have posted anything...yikes! I obviously am not so good at consistency with this. This will be a very random compilation of what I've been listening to recently.

I decided that I LOVE the new(est) Yeah Yeah Yeah's album. Really, the best part about following an artist/band is getting to see how they branch out and what new sounds they come up with. I think It's Blitz! is fantastic in that it's something totally different, but still has that spunky off-the-wall vibe (most of which Karen O is responsible for) that makes the Yeah Yeah Yeah's so great. LOVE IT. track I can't stop listening to: "Soft Shock"

Yesterday and today, I have been finding lots of new great music via Paste Magazine's Best Music of 2009 (So Far). I felt pretty inadequate about the fact that I wasn't familiar with 70% of the bands on their lists...but it's ok. I really can't believe I didn't give Animal Collective a chance prior to now. I had listened to clips of songs from Merriweather Post Pavillion, but never really gave any of it a second listen. Now I can't stop playing "My Girls," and probably won't for a few months. I haven't bought the entire album yet, but I have plans to do so. I am also loving "Blood Bank" by Bon Iver. I went to their website and saw that they will be playing in Cali with the Indigo Girls soon. I LIVE IN THE WRONG STATE. Also discovered via Paste: Passion Pit. Haven't listened to much of their stuff yet, but I like what I've heard so far.

Finally acquired Taylor Swift's Fearless album. Love love love. My favorite song by far is "You're Not Sorry." Honorable mention goes to "You Belong With Me" - which, I might add, made of one of the staff's (Paste) lists for Best of 2009 (So Far). And the music video for "You Belong With Me" is soooo cute. I was a band geek, so I can relate. I watched a video on youtube the other day of a live performance of "You're Not Sorry"/"What Goes Around" (Justin Timberlake)...it was really good, minus Taylor throwing around her head the whole time. That kind of got on my nerves. But you can check it out here.

Other things:

Downloaded Moby's new album the other day. Am I a big fan? No. Was it $3.99? Yes. So I bought it. I haven't gotten into yet...there seems to be a lot of repetitiveness, but I feel like I should have known that going into the purchase.

"Running Down" by Michelle Featherstone is quite possibly one of THE BEST sad songs ever. Very comparable to Sinead O'Connor's "Nothing Compares 2 U." Comparable in the simplicity of what they are saying (although Featherstone's lyrics are simpler), and in that they somehow make you want to curl up in a ball and cry even if you're not going through a breakup at the moment.

other random song I can't stop listening to: "Spaceship" by Angie Aparo, heard on 106.5's 90's lunch hour (always one of the highlights of my workdays).

Maybe next time will come sooner rather than almost two months later and we can avoid all this randomness.