After a near scheduling disaster (darn my son for being selected to that all-star baseball team!) that nearly made me decide between my son and music, it is all good! And I don’t want to hear “oh, I can’t believe the easy choice wouldn’t be your son.” Of course, I love him more than anything. But, Mama’s gotta have a life too…otherwise Mama might not be so pleasant to be around!
Anyway, I have a general admission Forecastle ticket to give away for Sunday. Go to my facebook page, Last Bit Of Sanity, and like it. Then answer the question posted (who are you most excited about seeing this weekend?). A random winner will be picked on Friday.
I am more than willing to admit that I can easily get into a music rut. I have the tendency to listen to a song or album over and over and over again if I really like it. I am pretty sure I spent years of my youth with American Pie on repeat….except the repeat technology wasn’t so good then. It took much more effort to rewind the tape at the end of the song. I even got fancy and recorded multiple tracks on a tape, so I could listen 2-3 times before having to rewind. Ah, kids these days don’t know what they are missing (and just to clarify….I was not even born when the song first came out…it was just a gem I discovered one summer in grade school).
At least my music neurosis nearly always revolve around good music (I am proud to say I was never into the New Kids On The Block!). Well, for the past few months not only have there been just a small handful of bands that have come out of my speakers (minus my morning dedication to WFPK), but I have been spoiled by those same bands because I have had the pleasure of seeing them live…some of them more than once and some more even more than twice!! I’m talking to you Walk The Moon, Ha Ha Tonka, The Features, Langhorne Slim, Ben Sollee, and The Head And The Heart!! In fact, this blog has been quiet because I can feel you all rolling your eyes when I bring up any of the aforementioned bands….I know I have made it known how much I love them.
And some pretty amazing things have happened with those bands since the beginning of the year – Walk The Moon has just exploded, especially with the ‘young people’…makes me still feel young. haha Langehorne Slim launched a PledgeMusic crowd-sourcing campaign that was fully funded within days and he just released a new album that has broken the Billboard top 200!
But let’s move to the fun amazing things that are connected to me. 😀 In January, I started working with Ben Sollee as his social media and Team Sollee coordinator. It has been a fabulous ride that allows me to use my brain for something other than mommy stuff!! I actually get to use my good ole’ Bellarmine University Communications degree for something other than trying to interpret baby babble. Woohoo! Plus, it gives me a chance to help an independent musician whom I fully support and respect. Then Ha Ha Tonka was playing at Uncle Slaytons around my birthday (I had gotten to know them when I interviewed them), so my hubby helped organize a group of friends to come to the show and to my shock and dismay, Ha Ha Tonka called me up on stage, mentioned the blog and lead everyone in singing happy birthday to me. These guys are great and always so kind and friendly whenever I see them (I promise I am not a groupie, but I have seen them 3 times in 5 months and even went 8 hours away to see them….don’t worry, it coincided with an already planned trip!!). Lastly, The Head And The Heart. I started following them very early in their career…just as they were self-releasing their album (before they got picked up by subpop). And I still have trouble believing how all of the pieces just magically fell into place and it is hard to write about them because it just really doesn’t seem real. All I know is that I was able to have dinner with the band before their Louisville show at Headliners, gave Charity a ride to the show from dinner and shared bourbon on the tour bus with Josiah after the show. An entertaining twitter convo was also thrown in there. All of the above groups are just so real and genuine. I am afraid the bar has been set pretty high for any and all future groups that I fall in love with!!
So, you can see why I was pretty content with my musical rut (and see how I am totally trying to justify my craziness!!). Except, I was starting to feel like a fraud for not posting about the newest and greatest music out there! And something new just jumped out at me. The Lumineers. I had heard of them and even heard some of their stuff on WFPK, but for whatever reason I hadn’t paid that much attention to them. Until I was watching tv with my 6 year old daughter and a commercial came on and she said “i know that song”. It was familiar to me, too, but I had to shazam it. And what do you know, it was Ho Hey by The Lumineers. I checked them out on spotify and immediately order their cd. And now, because of my neurosis that we have already established, my kids and I know just about all the words to the whole cd. We’ve had it for 3 days. I love them, I love them, I love them. My only problem is that they aren’t scheduled to come to town. I guess that gives me some time to figure out how I can make friends with them, too. Enjoy this earworm….
Remember when I was raving about the Kopecky Family Band when they opened for Walk The Moon in Louisville? Well, I am not the only one to notice how awesome they are!! Paste Magazine named them as one of the Top 20 New Acts of 2011 & one of their Top 25 Live Acts of 2011!! And the Kopecky Family Band is helping me out with the Christmas songs today!! They are offering not just one, but two free Christmas song downloads! The download also includes a new recording of “Angels We Have Heard” and last year’s release of “Our Remedy”. Get the downloads at the Kopecky Family Band site. Here is the video for “Our Remedy”:
We all know how this time of the year brings in the insanity like no other time. We all acknowledge it and whether or not we accept is irrelevant. It’s going to happen we just try to brace ourselves for the crazy ride. But, thank goodness, music has stepped in and saved me.(fear not…I will have more on the holidays coming soon with a nice little playlist for you!)
As you may (or probably not!) have noticed, I haven’t had an update in a while. It took me some time to process the closing of ear X-tacy and I couldn’t write anything. Then we got into full on holiday mode and I found myself in bed at night with fun topics swirling around in my head, yet they kept getting interrupted by boring thoughts like, ‘where am I going to find a Jesus costume’, ‘how can I make up the missed speech therapy due to the holidays?’, ‘wonder where my car scraper is?’
I have barely had time to look for music much less write about it. And that is when the universe steps in and takes over! Yay, universe! WFPK has been playing this new musician, Matt The Electrician. Well, come to find out he isn’t so new. He has released a lot of stuff, but not sure many had heard of him. Well, get on it! His latest release, The Accidental Thief, is the real deal. WFPK plays a couple of the songs, which are amazing, but I wanted more. I searched spotify (a great tool for checking out artists), but couldn’t find his new stuff there. I had put off buying the CD because I didn’t know where to get it…I felt like a musical orphan (I soooo miss ear X-tacy already). So, I did something I haven’t done in years…I bought it off Amazon. Don’t worry-it isn’t something I plan on continuing to do, just in the meantime while I figure out the best independent record store to frequent.
Matt The Electrician equals awesomeness. I want to post all of the songs from Accidental Thief…everytime I think I have it narrowed down to 2, I change my mind. Ah, the pressures. But, how can you go wrong with lyrics like “i will do the breathing until you are able to come up for air”? This is a very powerful, moving song.
And Accidental Thief is one of my absolute favorites!
And because this video is from a house show and Matt tells a great story…I couldn’t leave it out (I’m such a sucker for house shows!)
But I’m not done yet!! I had the absolute pleasure of being unexpectedly charmed by the Kopecky Family Band when I saw them open for my favorites, Walk The Moon (who exceeded my expectations, but I’ve already raved about them!!). Wow.Wow.Wow. I know WFPK has played them and they were in town recently, but I am going with I was too swamped with the foursome and my head was stuck in the sand or more likely laundry! I couldn’t stop smiling! Any group that pulls out horns, cellos and accordions to go along with ‘regular’ instruments wins points in my book!! But I am certain that without any instruments they would have still impressed me. Their voices are unique, strong…perfect!
This is from a recent WFPK Live Lunch (that I so regretting missing!!). Howling At The Moon:
Angry Eyes was one of my favorites from seeing them at Headliners (it starts slow and builds, so watch the whole thing!!). It was awesome when they threw the instruments into the crowd!
Another bonus video, because it takes place on my favorite corner in Louisville! Holy hell…wish I could have stumbled upon that!!!
Not only is Walk The Moon one of the most energetic and entertaining live bands I have seen (read a previous post here), but apparently they are mind readers, too!! Who knew?! I had recently told hubby that I really wanted to see Walk The Moon live again…and viola! They just announced a show in Louisville and Cincinnati. They will be at Headliners in Louisville on Dec.1st and I highly recommend you get your tickets now (they go on sale today at noon)! I think it is impossible to see them live and not fall in love with the high you get from their energy. It fills the room and you will leave feeling good. So…who’s in? I wouldn’t miss it for the world!! There are a couple of videos up on my previous post, but here is another one just because! 😉
WOW!! You guys really know how to make a girl feel good!! I am blown away at how many facebook likes and subscribers I have gotten in just 2 days!! (Quick plug…if you want to get emails when I post, subscribe and you will!) I couldn’t have asked for more….its been a rough summer (with family illnesses/surgeries) but this weekend had me flying high. I couldn’t believe that so many friends (and some strangers!) have checked out the page and liked it. Keep it going…share with your friends!
So, just like a quick pin prick can rapidly deflate a balloon, the angry words of a 3 year old have the same effect on a Mom’s ego. I was feeling pretty good about myself…with all the incredibly amazing comments from you guys how could I not?! Hubby just had ACL replacement surgery on his knee, so I thought that I would take the foursome to church…gulp, alone…to give him some quiet time in the house. Pretty sure the youngest could smell the fear coming off of me. He waited until we sat down and then his attack began. Haven’t figured out if it was premeditated or it was just something that magically happens when kids walk into church. But, nonetheless, it happened…the whining, the crying, the screaming. I can handle all that…we just walked to the back and I warned the others to be good, as I could see everything they were doing (wonder how much longer that threat will last?). L calmed down, so we ventured back to our seats. I’m pretty sure that was a trick on his part. Not long after we sat down, he said very loudly “You a MEAN Mommy!” And just in case that wasn’t good enough, he said it again. It was pretty impossible to ignore all of the people laughing around us. Felt like the whole church was laughing and watching my ego shrink back down to an acceptable size. Thanks for keeping me in check, L. :-S
The first thing that popped into my head after those ugly words came out of that adorable mouth was the lyrics from Walk The Moon‘s “I Can Lift A Car Up”. They go something like this:
I won’t lose it, I won’t lose it, I won’t lose it I won’t lose it, I won’t lose it
Hold it steady, hold it steady, hold it steady, Hold it steady, hold it steady
And then I just had to relax and smile. Walk The Moon put on an unexpectedly awesome show at Headliners in April 2011. I knew their song “Anna Sun” was a keeper, but had no idea that their energy on and off the stage would make them a favorite live act of mine! Headliners was filling up and hubby and I were having a good time people watching…always good entertainment value there! Then we noticed that some people were walking around with their faces painted. We were perplexed, but whatever floats your boat. We moved to the main floor just before the first act was about to come out. We started talking to some friends and were informed that the person painting faces was the lead singer of Walk The Moon, Nicholas Petricca. He is a firm believer in ‘it’s okay to play’, hence the face painting. Normally, not my thing…but how the heck could I resist?! I think hubby thought I was crazy, but who cares!! That was my first taste of how Walk The Moon’s energetic aura takes over the audience at their shows. Apparently, all of us at the show were totally living in the moment and enjoying the performance, because I cannot find any videos of “I Can Lift A Car” and it was such a special performance. They split the room in half, one side was to sing the “I can lift a car up” refrain and the other side was to sign the overlapping “All by myself” refrain….the audience participation rocked!! Hoping to see them again live soon since they are from just up the road in Cincinnati.
Here is a video from the night after they played at Headliners….
I Can Lift A Car
And the official “Anna Sun” video is too good to pass up!
last bit of sanity 