Category: tunes

My internet is being fussy this morning and not uploading weekend pictures in a timely manner, so here’s what we listened to instead: Backstage video of Stevie Nicks from 1981 demoing a song, “Wild Heart.” Even if you don’t like Stevie, it’s worth a watch just to see an artist at the height of her powers and confidence.

(The really good stuff starts about a minute in.)

Doc took me to a Brandi Carlile concert at Red Butte last weekend and I’m still listening to her. Not only is she a delight to see live, this concert featured her new album, which is really strong. They lyrics on this one are amazing (“a heart that is broken makes a beautiful sound”):

She just released a new video for another great song that features tour footage, log splitting, lots of hats, and a goat!

Beatle Paul McCartney is 73 today. Here’s one of my favorite songs of his–inspired by Bach, with vaguely hippie lyrics and birds (a good combo).

It would have been the Beatle’s birthday yesterday. I was originally going to post something featuring his sitar playing, but this one has been in my head for the last couple of weeks of unseasonably warm weather. It may be the most delightful Beatles song ever and he wrote it:

I still can’t get enough Motown. It’s some of the best stuff for me to work to in the mornings–happy, complicated, and just so groovy. Here are a few songs** for your Valentine (the playlist mixes its intended genders, mostly because I had to get Marvin Gaye in there):

 

*I wish Phil Spector wasn’t a convicted murderer, because his “little symphonies for the kids” line is one of the best summaries of why I like the music so much.

**I know Etta James is pushing it on a Motown list, but I couldn’t resist.

Hooray, it’s a short work week! I put together a little playlist for Thanksgiving. It’s a little more cohesive and mellow than last year’s; I also had a lot of fun finding jazz songs about food (and Dave Brubeck covering “My Favorite Things”).  Click to play below or listen online here.

I ran across a really incredible soul song in a playlist last week and looked up the artist…and found out about Jackie Shane, “a  gay, cross-dressing soul singer born in Nashville, TN in 1940. He [sic] made his away across the Canadian border in the early ’60s and, in 1963, scored a local and soon forgotten hit in Toronto.”

How is there not more info out there about Jackie Shane? Jackie doesn’t even have a Wikipedia entry, just a mention under the entry for “Toronto Sound” (who knew that was a thing?).  There’s one introductory article about her here, where I got the opening quote, and that points us to a radio documentary that tells her story a little more in-depth.

But listen to Jackie’s hit at the very least. Like Jackie, it’s pretty fab and deserves more exposure.

Is there any better music for working to than Motown/classic soul? I don’t think so. We went to brunch Sunday at a restaurant that’s part of a little complex of artist studios and I walked down the row of doors to explore a little. At the end, a painter’s studio door was open and Motown was blaring and it was awesome. I may not be an artist painting pictures, but I’ve been listening to this playlist all week at work (and nearly bouncing off my exercise ball in the process).

Direct link
(Remember, it’s free to get a Spotify account and you can listen online, just like Pandora.)

As I tend to do, I found a new band and now that’s all I want to listen to. Do you know First Aid Kit? They’re Swedish sisters in their 20s singing American country-folk. You get steel guitar, clever instrumentation (clarinet! flute!) and lots and lots of girl harmonies. Their latest album has been on repeat for me–it’s great summer driving music.

The whole album is on Spotify or YouTube currently, too.

Thanks to KRCL, I discovered this song in a live version, and it’s a damn fine way to start the morning. Those pipes! That piano playing! That sequined gown!