Saturday, July 31, 2010

in which i yammer on about music

Wow, guess its been a long time since I even looked at this blog. So today I decided to refresh the whole thing and start again. As you can see I used some of the newfangled templates and such. It looks so good, I just blew your mind.

Last night hubby and myself took a little stroll in our neighborhood to get some take out from Kabob Hut. I would go there for the name alone but luckily the food is tasty too. We forgot it was Friday and Fridays in the summer mean some sort of block party/outdoor concert thing with tons of people and randomness. Mark does not like people so large numbers of them in close proximity make him nervous. Unfortunately, right in front of the Hut was the live band so it was loud and super crowded. As we approached the band began to play the classic 90’s 4 Non Blondes hit, “What’s Up” and the singer appeared to be a middle aged soccer mom type. Interesting.

We escaped without incident but it did get me to thinking about music. I have been listening to more since I gave up my car and use my ipod while I walk everywhere. Listening to music while walking around town does kind of feel like you are in your own movie. Also people look at you funny if you try to sing along, so maybe you should avoid that. I listen to a lot of old stuff from my youth because I don’t really follow new music and I know that makes me old.

I am missing a good chunk of my college music because most of it was on tape, usually copied from a friend. After several moves I eventually I threw out the bag of tapes I had. My taste in music hasn’t changed too much since high school but in college when I was a little more angry and a little more political I did tend to listen to some harder stuff. When Mark and I first met I introduced him to Consolidated with the album Business of Punishment and it became one of his favorites. But we have lost that one twice, once when he let someone borrow the tape and again when we bought the CD and I think we left it in the Kia after the car was totaled.

In high school I was way into The Smiths (and Morrissey, Bona Drag is especially good), The Cure, anything British like Cloudcuckooland by the Lightning Seeds. Senior year I became interested in singing and therefore great albums to sing to like Carole King’s Tapestry and James Taylor. In college I discovered Sarah McLachlan, Indigo Girls, Throwing Muses, Veruca Salt, The Fastbacks, The Sundays and tons more. Also, for the record, Courtney Love is amazing and if you have not seen her new Behind the Music episode you should do it immediately. I need that new album.

Since college it has been harder to keep up with new music that I truly like. I mean, I could if I took the time I guess but I just never did. I began listening to a lot more standards and jazz classics. Mark and I would have once a week candlelight dinner at home with martinis and classic ladies of Jazz. I also have a strange obsession with Doris Day.

Overall I am more of a lyric person than a music person so if the lyrics are good or I can sing to it I like it. I especially like witty or clever lyrics. Lately I have been listening to Pandora to try and get new music I like. It’s working. My favorite new band is The Bird and the Bee. They did an entire album of Hall and Oates covers. ‘Nough said. I actually only have Ray Guns are Not the Future which I highly recommend. Pandora also introduced me to my new theme song, The Dollyrots song “Because I’m Awesome”. And so is this blog. Rock on.