Something or other.

The lovely alabee at Carpenter St. has given me a blog award!

Alright, so I have post seven facts about myself and then pass it on to like 100 million other people which I am not going to do because I'm regrettably lame like that.

But I thought I'd make the seven facts about myself related to music because... I'm awesome like that. ;)


1. I took piano lessons for about 8 years. {I started when I was 7 ½.} When I was around 9 I wanted to stop playing but my mum wouldn't let me. Hands down the best decision she’s ever made for me. ;)
But she encouraged me to stop in my mid-teens when I was no longer enjoying the lessons. And I play the piano more now that I've stopped taking lessons.

2. I love harmony; listening to it, singing it. I just love it. I've been singing in a girl’s ensemble for four years. I used to sing the Soprano part but I switched to Second Soprano and am now much happier and comfortable.

3. I announced in my pre-teen years that I would only listen to Classical music and nothing else. My favourites were Vivaldi, Tchaikovky, and Beethoven. It didn't last long, though. When I was eleven I started listening to artists like Switchfoot and Thousand Foot Krutch. {My favourite TFK song was 'Rawkfist'...? Yeah. I have no idea.}

4. If I had not become obsessed with the Beatles I would not be here blogging today. Why? Because of the Beatles I started listening to other 60’s music and from there I went on to listen to obscure 60’s music and from there - indie music. Voila!

5. I cannot stand really loud music. I have sensitive hearing so I keep my music low thankyouverymuch. {Hopefully this means when I'm old I won't be deaf like the rest of my generation will be... :P}

6. I hate the popular, inane, overproduced sound that passes for music these days. If I have to listen to the radio, I choose the 60's/70's station. Yes, I am a music snob. I am more open than I used to be but there are still a few music genres I can't stand. {e.g. Rap, Southern Gospel, Country... &c.}

7. For a couple of years my two younger brothers and I had a band where I {or younger brother #2} played the piano and we all sang along in high-pitched voices. We recorded three albums in our too short career. Regrettably we broke up… but not before we started a rumour/conspiracy theory that one of our bandmates had died. We hid many clues to this alleged death in our last album. {Hm, I wonder what that’s a parody of?}

Well, that's all for now. Oh, yeah. Happy Valentine's Day and all that. I would embed the music video for my favourite love song right here but blogspot isn't letting me right now {and I am too lazy to upload the file.} But you can go over and watch it on youtube if you want. It's 'Something' by The Beatles. {Quelle surprise. :P}

Peter and the Wolf

Ah, yes. Tis that time of month again, wot? And the artist of the month for this fine February is Peter and the Wolf.

{Gear picture, no?}

It is a little bit confusing trying to find information on Peter and the Wolf. There is a band called Peter and the Wolf from Texas and another from Liverpool. Not to mention the original, musical composition, Peter and the Wolf. {Which brings back such memories since I used to watch the Disney version when I was a child. I could probably still hum each character's theme!}

Anyhow, the Peter and the Wolf that I am talking about is the one from Liverpool. They are fronted by Marc Sunderland who sings lead, plays quite a few of the instruments and writes many {or possibly all} of the songs. But he gets "a little help from his friends", Hugo Harrison {who plays the double bass} and Donna Dosanjh {who plays the drum and sings back-up}.

I really don't know how to define their music. Folk Rock would probably be the closest I could come. Of course, their debut album, Golden Stars, {released last month} sounds more rock than folk while their 2006 EP Storyteller sounds more folk than rock.
I have only listened a little to their new album but Storyteller I am quite familiar with. In fact, I love it!
Storyteller is an apt name for the EP for each song is, indeed, a story. The lyrics give life to characters and short vignettes that are backed by catchy melodies and an uncluttered production sound. My only complaint is that it is so brief, having only 5 songs and being only about 16 minutes long.


Listen to 'Tommy' {from Storyteller}:

Song For James

And lastly for my favourite songs of 2010, 'Song for James' by The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger. {Oh, did I mention that these songs weren't posted in any specific order? Because they weren't.}

This was another artist I discovered from the daily download on emusic. One day, The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger's (also known as The GOASTT) song 'Jardin Du Luxemborg' was the free emusic download. I downloaded it but didn't have a chance to listen to it till lying in bed that night, listening to it on my ipod. I decided I rather liked it and resolved to look the band up tomorrow.

The next day, look them up I did! I ended up on their official website. I skimmed their biography and started to move on when, all of the sudden, I did a double take. I re-read the first line of their bio: "The GOASTT is two people, Sean Lennon and Charlotte Kemp Muhl."
Sean Lennon... The Sean Lennon? As in...?
And the answer is yes. Sean Lennon as in the son of John Lennon and Yoko Ono. {Small world, non? :P}
Turns out The GOASTT is Sean's latest musical project that he started with his girlfriend Charlotte Kemp Muhl who also is a model.

Their debut album Acoustic Sessions is aptly named, being mainly a folk album though it has tinges of psychedelia and other 60's pop elements. Their lyrics are brimming with wordplay {which I've heard is mainly Charlotte's doing} and the melodies beg to be hummed along to.

Listen to 'Song For James':

{Heads-up: the actual song ends around the 4 minute mark and then the rest of the song is silence with some faint nature noises in the background.}

Well, that's all for now, folks. Hope you all enjoyed my favourite songs of 2010. :)

Brave Enough

I don't have an official favourite album of 2010. If I did have one, though, it would probably be Secret Transit by KaiserCartel.



Perhaps I just take a personal interest in it, since I helped make it possible. {It sounds very important when I say it that way, doesn't it? :P In all reality I merely pledged as many fans did. Which turned out to be an excellent decision since their Philanthropy EP, which was exclusive to pledgers, contains some of the best songs they have ever done, in my opinion. I have figured out how to play my favourite song off it, 'Lying Cats' on the piano. An accomplishment of which I am quite proud! *ahem* Pardon. I digress.}

Of course, I just love KaiserCartel. Period. They were my artist of the month in January of last year. Even my family knows they are one of my favourites and they gave up trying to keep track of my favourite artists a long time ago. {Which brings up something that has confused me for quite some time: is it KaiserCartel with no space? Or Kaiser Cartel with a space? Because, to semi-quote Shawn Spencer, "I've seen it both ways." :P}

So, since I've posted about them before, surely I need to give them no further introduction? Honestly, it can be horribly trying to sit here and try to come up with something to say that isn't pretentious or an echo of what has already been said. I'm much better in the rambling department, in case you hadn't noticed. ;)

As usual, I vacillated when trying to pick which song off Secret Transit to post. There are so many good songs to choose from! I would pick one and then second guess my choice. Finalement I chose 'Brave Enough' as the song to post. I'm a sucker for the cello... and Courtney Kaiser's vocals are just lovely in it {not that they ever aren't}.

Listen to 'Brave Enough':

And yes, I had to change my background. *sigh* This one I have right now was just supposed to be temporary but I've finally gotten to the point where I no longer cringe when I see it... so I think I might keep it.

Dead Hearts

There do not seem to be enough hours in the day to do all the things I want to. But I never fully realize it till I am lying in bed at night, and all the things I meant to accomplish that day {but didn't} stand around my bed and stare at me reproachfully.
Here is a task whose glare has been particularly hard to ignore: posting my third favourite song of 2010, 'Dead Hearts' by Stars.

Bascially, I know nothing about this song and the band who does it. The site I buy my music off of {emusic} has a free song download every day which I usually get. This was one of the songs offered one day and, well, I downloaded it. It was definitely worth every penny I payed! :P
Just teasing - obviously I love it since it made my favourite songs of 2010 list!

Correction, I should have said initially I knew nothing about this song or the band Stars. I do know more about them than I used to. Stars is a Canadian indie pop band that was originally formed by Torquil Campbell and Chris Seligman but now includes three more members: Amy Millan, Evan Cranley, and Pat McGee. 'Dead Hearts' is off their album they released in June The Five Ghosts. {See? Aren't I just brimming with information?}

Confession: while I do love this song, I never really have listened to any more of their music. Sometimes I am just content not to buy an artist's full albums or discography and just enjoy the few songs I hear. Maybe that's absurd but, well, *points to blog name*. :P

Listen to 'Dead Hearts':



In other news, I may have to change my blog background soon. You've probably seen the message on the side but if not: the site I got my background on has changed servers so I have to "update my code". I would except the background I'm using is seemingly discontinued. -_-
I have sent an email so we'll see what happens. I don't even know why I'm blathering about this... I guess I just thought I'd give you a heads up in case there is someone out there reading this who is anything like me and hates change.
As Adrian Monk would say: "I don't mind change I just don't want to be there when it happens." or "Don't change anything... ever."
That just about sums it up for me!