Song Of The Day: Falling Slowly

Warning; don't listen unless you're ready to cry.

Falling Slowly
By The Swell Season

This song has one of the most emotional tones of any song I know. Every time I listen to it, I'm overwhelmed with the feeling. Technically, its so very simple.

But its not.

Its soaringly beautiful, I hope it effects you like it effected me.

Maybe later I'll tell you the story of Glen and Marketa, the couple who make up the Swell Season, the artists of this song.

Song Of The Day: A Kiss With A Fist

Florence + the Machines

A Kiss With A Fist

Definitely a wierd one, I'm curious as to reactions. I've heard that female violence has gotten a lot worse lately-as if somehow females have felt empowered to

be more mean and vicious than males; we've become the abusers.

Is it that?

Or is Florence reacting to some jerk who threw her over?

I'm not sure, but I find it quite an interesting song (listen to the lyrics!) and I kinda sorta love her outfit here.

Uh, if you hate it....sorry! I'm getting stranger and stranger....

Song Of The Day: Lullaby

Lullaby By Priscilla Ahn

Song for closing your eyes and smiling.

She grew up in both Pennsylvania and Korea, since her mother is Korean. She has a simplistic, elegant style to her music. Priscilla plays both guitar and piano, which I'm utterly jealous of. She was waitressing, depressed, and just about to quit music when she made friends with Joshua Radin, a beginning-blooming indie artist, who introduced her to other indie artists, and....viola! a hit EP and a bit of a name. I think she'll only get bigger.

She just started a blog,

girlinatree.blogspot.com

it's really girly and young and...well, just some girl!

Lullaby

Song Of The Day: Oh Love

Oh Love

by

Brad Paisley

and Carrie Underwood

Brad wrote this gorgeous song, and since he's become friends with the gorgeous Carrie Underwood, he invited her to sing along!

Its a sweet, gentle little song, I personally love it.

Both Brad and Carrie are very gracious people, and are starting out the new year happily:

Brad is at home with his lovely wife Kimberly Williams-Paisley and his two children, and Carrie just got engaged!!

Oh Love

Happy Christmas

Kevin told me that if he was manager he'd get me in trouble for writing "Merry Christmas" instead of "happy holidays" on the customer's bills when they finish eating. I told him I wasn't forcing them to do anything, and if they wanted to get mad and take it out of my tip, so be it.

I've never been a big christmassy person. Never hugely excited over the season, I hate the cold and I hate the pressure and rules that come with it. Presents for Uncles and Aunts you ONLY see on holidays, who who have absolutely everything you could ever want? Who thought up that tradition?

In my darkest days (ahem, the last, ahem, couple of years) I annouced viciously that I hated Christmas. That isn't true, and it never was. The idea of christmas is absolutely lovely. It's just what happened to it. Now I have relaxed a little, I don't make a fuss over the pressures and stress and announce my dislike. Its still not a favorite of mine, though. Maybe someday it will be. I look forward to then.

Being that I'm not fond of the season, I'm also not fond of the radio replaying the same ten christms ditties over and over and over and over and OVER! It always drives me crazy. I mean, really, the FIRST rendition of "Rockin' Round the Christmas Tree" was enough! My whole family loves it, though, so I heard it 234 times, like usual.

However, there are a few songs in honor of christmas that really move me. I the beautiful ones honoring God's gift to mankind. I still appreciate that.

Here's a special one, never overplayed, about the first christmas. I learned it on guitar and played it for our relatives last year, everyone was touched. I hope you are too.

The Angels Cried.

Merry Christmas.

Song Of The Day

Gracie

By

Ben Folds

Ben Folds is an absolutely fascinating person. Very, very strange, yes; but fascinating. His music is creative and original, blending curious lyrics with catchy piano. He's one of the most brilliant songwriters I know.

Gracie is just one of his many superb songs, written about his little daughter. It really touches me. Unfortunately, Ben has been married multiple times (Hopefully he has not yet divorced his fourth...), so the beauty of him and his wife watching little Gracie grow is rather messed up for me.

Still, this is a great song. Enjoy. If you like it, I can recommend others!

Gracie

Song Of The Day

Go Ahead

by

Rilo Kiley

Rilo Kiley, lead singer Jenny Lewis, has been a popular underground band for several years now. Their most popular song is probably Silver Lining, which, by the way, is also absolutely amazing.

They're strange people, very blunt and hard edged in both their music lyrics and their real life viewpoints. Jenny and Blake Sennett, the male voice that can be heard in some of the songs, were both child actors. Neither of them got famous, Jenny was in the popular nineties "tween babysitter" film Troop Beverly Hills.

The name Rilo Kiley comes from a dream Blake had about being chased by a sports almanac (?) and finding that name inside.

Listen to "Go Ahead" here!

Song of the Day

Here Comes Your Man

by Meaghan Smith

As she grew up Ontario, Meaghan was surrounded by music. Her dad was an upright bass player in a band, and "mum", Meaghan says, was a piano teacher.

Her music is inspired by the music of the '20s, '30s, and '40s, and old time musicals.

Here Comes Your Man was featured on the movie 500 Days Of Summer, which is where I discovered it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3KdymSESCs

Side note: This song is actually a remake of an older version done by The Pixies. I don't like it quite as well, but here's the link anyway:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hvi4iA3PnKE

Which do you like better?

Song of the Day

She's Got Style

by

Never Shout Never

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1wHgFpaHDg

Never Shout Never is Christofer Drew Ingle, age 18. He started recording his sensitive little tunes in his basement two years ago, and I (and apparently thousands of others) fell in love with him.

He says the band is NeverShoutNever when he's happy, but Never Shout Never (with the spaces) when he's sad.

Christofer just got an actual record deal, and he will be releasing a full length album. Check out his website at nevershoutnever.com to hear it...I love the song Jane Doe.

Definitely something for a sweet smile. I always have to smile at the first line, every time I listen.

Song of the Day

Today's song is

Russian Roulette by Rihanna

It has not yet been released and I have just discovered it. Soon it will be a huge hit.

In a few weeks I'm sure the world will already be sick of it and everyone will have heard it a million times...but right now, it is new and moving. I guess its obvious she's hurting, I feel sorry for her. Hopefully she'll pull herself back together, and this song will help the healing process.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vq1iRZ7U-uE

Song of the Day

The song of the day is

Loop A Loop

by The Crimea

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xNz0CcEPOs

Meet The Crimea, a nobody band started in the 2000s. Apparently they mostly tour around Texas. Its a relaxed, moody sound. Its the song I put on when I get home late at night and just feel frustrated.

Download the whole album free at: http://www.thecrimea.net/

Thoughts on the song selection?