Sunday, January 27, 2008

Stand Back

So this next video has to be one of most favorite live performances- Stevie Nicks performing "Stand Back" in 1983 on late night tv. I think her voice sounds really good in this particular performance. I mean- I'm a fan of Stevie Nicks in general, but I don't have a problem admitting that I think her voice tends to be on the very-nasal-sounding side of things. That nasal-sound just isn't as defined in this video and I like that. Also I LOVE this song. Stevie Nicks is freakin awesome. I always love the black flowy outfits with the really big sleeves and platform shoes she wears. I read in some article that she didn't like always being so much shorter than everyone on stage (she's like 5'1) so she always wore really high platform shoes. I can totally identify with that sentiment (not the on-stage part, of course). Anyway, she definitely has a spot on my list of the best female performing artists. If you can get past the cheese-tastic 80's dancing, it's a great video.


I did have the video posted, but it's a little sluggish when I actually post the video, so...you can watch it here!

Monday, January 21, 2008

Saturday, January 19, 2008

sometimes the best are undiscovered

A song called "Polaroid Millennium" by the UK group Sneaker Pimps is quite possibly one of my most favorite songs of all time. Or, well, it would at least make the top 50. I would venture to say it is almost entirely unheard of. I stumbled upon the song after buying the soundtrack to The Saint (good soundtrack and good movie). For some reason, the soundtrack doesn't list Sneaker Pimps as the artist for the song. So I never knew who it was by until I googled the lyrics today. Strange. But anyway. "6 Underground" is a more well-known song by the Sneaker Pimps, and it's also on The Saint soundtrack. Evidently, the Sneaker Pimps album that featured "Polaroid Millennium" never actually released because the record company rejected it...which would explain the lack of popularity. I'm pretty much a sucker for any song that features any form of strings, and this song qualifies. And you are in luck, I have the song here for you to listen to! I might just type all the lyrics out if I'm feeling extra ambitious. I especially like the part when (a little over halfway through) the electric-guitar sound is thrown in.

just press play :)



Pictures black and white or color
There's a postcard sent from heaven,
says 'make the most of never-never,
horizon starts right here,
the futures always near'
I know
I know this time is borrowed
I try to remember then forget my sorrow

Celluloid, monochrome, or color
Don't want to end in tears
I'll leave before my fear's confirmed,
scared to learn wasted knowledge
Give to the grave
These four walls could last forever
I could never be that clever

Celluloid, monochrome, or color
Don't want to end in tears
There's nothing left to discover
Did I learn to walk too soon
Is there time to turn the screw
Survive destiny, polaroid me
What's left to say about yesterday

I'll leave before my fear's confirmed,
scared to learn wasted knowledge
Give to the grave
These four walls could last forever
I could never be that clever

Sunday, January 13, 2008


So new on the music-to-discuss list is Jose (pronounced "josie") Vanders. I originally discovered her music via perezhilton.com (that's kind of embarassing and I promise I don't visit that site on a regular basis). Then, I started to see these little clips on MTV of a singer followed by the name "Kate Nash" flashing on the screen. I'm pretty sure Kate Nash is Jose Vanders. Actually not, but they sound so alike it isn't even funny. I first thought maybe "Kate Nash" was a show on MTV that Jose Vanders was doing the music for or something, but I looked it up and it turns out Kate Nash is a singer. They both have this ridiculously thick British accent...which might have a lot to do with why I thought they were the same person.

I haven't really heard any of Kate Nash's music other than the MTV clips. However, I do like Jose Vanders. The accent gets annoying after a while, but she has some good songs. I can't say that I like all of the songs I've heard on her myspace, but I really like a couple. The song called "Faces Going Places" is cute, and I very much like "Alberto Morrocco." Her songs are kind of abstract, kind of. You might could say she's a tiny bit Regina Spektor-ish. You can actually listen to "Faces Going Places" here:


Anyway. On the list of things that made my Friday (yesterday): I was at Harris-Teeter on Fri morning, and I was in a ridiculously long line to check out and I only had a couple bottles of water. A cashier opened another register and told *me* that she could ring me up. Well another lady walking up behind me with a cart full of groceries hears the cashier tell ME this, but proceeds to push her cart up to the newly-opened register! I, of course, back down and kind of gesture to the cashier to let the other woman go ahead (even though it was clearly my turn). But the cashier said to the lady "no, I'm sorry ma'am, I told her I would ring her up first so I can't let you cut in...sorry." HAHA! I snickered at her on the inside. It's the little victories in life! Hope you enjoyed that story.

Goodnight!

Monday, January 7, 2008

Foo, Sia, and more.

So I am immensely enjoying the most recent release by a little band known as the Foo Fighters. It came out in September I think...so I'm a little late, but it happens. I heard one song I liked on it and immediately knew the entire album was worth buying. I probably should've known that even without hearing any of the tracks. I don't think they ever disappoint. Anyway, I highly recommend you check it out. You can listen to one of my favorites, "The Pretender," on their myspace. The song I initially loved from the album was "But, Honestly" and so far it is still my favorite. I haven't listened to the album the whole way through yet, so yeah. David Grohl is freakin awesome and so is the band. It's such a relief to buy an album that is completely and totally worth my $9.99. Such a rare delight.

In other randomness, Five Guys (the restaurant) seems to have a decent music playlist. I guess it's a cd or something that's constantly on rotation, but it's good. Today, the song called "Without Love" by Donna Lewis was playing. I'm sure you remember her and her hit song entitled "I Love You Always Forever" circa the sixth grade. "Without Love" is a really good track as well. I mean, who knew she had more than one good song?

On my myspace page, I have a song called "Numb" by Sia playing. Sia is yet another unique sound that has managed to emerge among the commonplace and mundane. You can listen to her music on iTunes, of course, or on her myspace. I don't really know any of the songs on her myspace, but "Breathe Me" is a good one and I think the video is somewhere on there.

So much good music, so little time! Right now I have a queue of songs to buy as I wait for my laptop to be back in commission. The stupid power cord broke. It's my second cord in like sixth months! Toshiba makes a good laptop, but not a good power cord to go with it. I've been listening to Pandora Radio a lot since I'm without iTunes (on my laptop), so I've found plenty of fabulous new songs there. I have a link to Pandora over to the right of this blog, but I'll explain it to you. You go to pandora.com, and enter the name of an artist you really like. Pandora finds songs that (are supposed to) sound very similar to the one you like. I've found that Pandora usually does a really good job. It's a good way to discover new music in the way of what genres/sounds you enjoy. And of course since it isn't music by that same artist, you get a little variation which can lead to new favorites, which can lead to more variations, and so on and so on. Obviously I am entirely too familiar with the process, but I love discovering music.