Name: Tess
Home: St. Louis
What is this "play list" of which you speak?
I have been tagged by Lovely Salome to list seven songs that I have had in heavy rotation lately. Before I start, a few disclaimers. I don't know anything about current music. The height of my music-listening was in college, when I was a big Tori Amos fan and also listened to Edie Brickell and the Indigo Girls. Now I only listen to music in the car (thanks to our 6-CD changer) and when I'm doing heavy housework.
A year and a half ago, I felt briefly cool when it came to music. Between Tom and my friend Mike, I was listening to Franz Ferdinand, Modest Mouse, and The Postal Service. I listened to Philadelphia's WXPN and became familiar with a bunch of folksy/indie/pop-ish sounding groups (some of which turn up from time to time on the soundtrack to Scrubs). I had never to my knowledge heard Deathcab for Cutie, but thanks to reading Entertainment Weekly I could fake it.
And then I saw Franz Ferdinand displayed by the register at Target and knew I was no longer cool. Things got even worse when our seven-year-old neighbor was telling my husband how great Green Day was; I realized if a stay-at-home mom, a psychology professor, and a seven-year-old boy all thought something was cool, it probably wasn't.
In compiling this list, I also realized that a "play list" is a foreign concept to me. I don't have an iPod or an MP3 player; I don't have any idea how to burn my own CD. I listen to music by putting CDs in a CD player, skipping only the songs I despise.
So with all those caveats, here are some songs I've been listening to lately.
"Tunnel of Love," Wanda Jackson (Queen of Rockabilly). An NPR profile of Jackson prompted us to buy this album. The "Queen of Rockabilly" has a marvelous range, and these saucy songs are lots of fun.
"One Week," Barenaked Ladies (Disc One: All Their Greatest Hits). I'll admit, this one has been in the car for too long and I probably need to take a break from it. But "One Week" is catchy no matter how many times you hear it, and it makes me think of college.
"Such Great Heights," Postal Service (Give Up). This album reminds me of when Ben was a baby and we'd dance him around the room to the boppy music. This song is nicely upbeat.
"Holiday," Green Day (American Idiot). This probably goes against everything Green Day stands for, but this CD is great for getting me pumped to do housework. I love this song's driving beat. I'm wondering, though--when do I have to stop listening to songs with bad words in front of my son?
"Every Time It Rains," Charlotte Martin (On Your Shore). Somehow, Martin manages to channel Kate Bush (without the weird vocal quirks), Tori Amos (without the flakiness), and Sarah McLaughlin (without the whininess) but escapes sounding derivative.
"Good Day," Luce (Luce). I don't know anything about this band, and I don't have this album, but WXPN used to play this song all the time and it always made me smile. How many songs are about feeling relaxed and happy? Also, my ideal morning involves pancakes and coffee, just like in the song. (For the record, I had both on Sunday--thank you, Tom!)
"Snuggle Puppy," (Philadelphia Chickens). If you have a child in your life, I recommend this wonderful CD, with lyrics by Sandra Boynton. The songs are silly, catchy, and great to dance to. "Snuggle Puppy" is my sentimental favorite because it's sweet and straightforward. We also have the Snuggle Puppy book.
I'm tagging Natalie, Cathy, Tonya, and Kellee. What are you listening to?
A year and a half ago, I felt briefly cool when it came to music. Between Tom and my friend Mike, I was listening to Franz Ferdinand, Modest Mouse, and The Postal Service. I listened to Philadelphia's WXPN and became familiar with a bunch of folksy/indie/pop-ish sounding groups (some of which turn up from time to time on the soundtrack to Scrubs). I had never to my knowledge heard Deathcab for Cutie, but thanks to reading Entertainment Weekly I could fake it.
And then I saw Franz Ferdinand displayed by the register at Target and knew I was no longer cool. Things got even worse when our seven-year-old neighbor was telling my husband how great Green Day was; I realized if a stay-at-home mom, a psychology professor, and a seven-year-old boy all thought something was cool, it probably wasn't.
In compiling this list, I also realized that a "play list" is a foreign concept to me. I don't have an iPod or an MP3 player; I don't have any idea how to burn my own CD. I listen to music by putting CDs in a CD player, skipping only the songs I despise.
So with all those caveats, here are some songs I've been listening to lately.
"Tunnel of Love," Wanda Jackson (Queen of Rockabilly). An NPR profile of Jackson prompted us to buy this album. The "Queen of Rockabilly" has a marvelous range, and these saucy songs are lots of fun.
"One Week," Barenaked Ladies (Disc One: All Their Greatest Hits). I'll admit, this one has been in the car for too long and I probably need to take a break from it. But "One Week" is catchy no matter how many times you hear it, and it makes me think of college.
"Such Great Heights," Postal Service (Give Up). This album reminds me of when Ben was a baby and we'd dance him around the room to the boppy music. This song is nicely upbeat.
"Holiday," Green Day (American Idiot). This probably goes against everything Green Day stands for, but this CD is great for getting me pumped to do housework. I love this song's driving beat. I'm wondering, though--when do I have to stop listening to songs with bad words in front of my son?
"Every Time It Rains," Charlotte Martin (On Your Shore). Somehow, Martin manages to channel Kate Bush (without the weird vocal quirks), Tori Amos (without the flakiness), and Sarah McLaughlin (without the whininess) but escapes sounding derivative.
"Good Day," Luce (Luce). I don't know anything about this band, and I don't have this album, but WXPN used to play this song all the time and it always made me smile. How many songs are about feeling relaxed and happy? Also, my ideal morning involves pancakes and coffee, just like in the song. (For the record, I had both on Sunday--thank you, Tom!)
"Snuggle Puppy," (Philadelphia Chickens). If you have a child in your life, I recommend this wonderful CD, with lyrics by Sandra Boynton. The songs are silly, catchy, and great to dance to. "Snuggle Puppy" is my sentimental favorite because it's sweet and straightforward. We also have the Snuggle Puppy book.
I'm tagging Natalie, Cathy, Tonya, and Kellee. What are you listening to?
posted by Tess | 12:05 PM
8 Comments:
I LOVE Edie Brickell (and the Indigos.) No one has ever heard of her when I mention her.
Trivia: Did you know Paul Simon (of Simon & Garfunkel) is her hubby?
Hh
Kaela introduced me to her music when we were roomates in college, but we have a theory that her music went downhill when she married Paul. The last album I bought of hers seemed subdued and overproduced.
I love Simon and Garfunkle, though! And Graceland.
How fun! I'll get right on this. I had NO IDEA that Eric Stolz could sing.. If I didn't love my dh so much, I'd totally be stalking Eric. LOL!
I can't for the life of me remember what the war movie was with the notorius Tom Cruise in it, but there's a remake of a song that Edie Brickell sings. I LOVE it! Something along the lines of "Oh where have you been my blue eyed son?" Anyway, thanks for the tag! I've been needing ideas. ;)
Oh yeah.. you can snag the bloggers block pic.
"This probably goes against everything Green Day stands for, but this CD is great for getting me pumped to do housework." **giggle**
I won't stop listening to songs with "bad words" in them, because parent-introduced profanity can be a learning experience :) Or at least that's what I'm conveniently telling myself...
And I love Charlotte Martin's "Pretty Thing" - is the rest of her stuff similar? I can see the Bush/Amos/McLaughlin comparison, certainly.
Cathy: "A Hard Rain's a Gonna Fall" from Born on the Fourth of July :)
Oh no! Not me! I mainly listen to talk radio. I'm so out of it with regards to popular music. Can it be singles? Let me see if I can come up with something.
I agree, Tess, her earlier stuff is "better"--more powerful and original.
When we got a computer about ten years ago it came loaded with a "sample music video" to show what the thing could do, I guess. It was one of Edie's and I was hooked. ;)
Hh
Thx for playing along, Tess :)
Edie Brickell is actually from Dallas (my neck of the woods). Before she "made it" (with New Bohemians) she used to play the local club circut around here. She used to have to take shots of Jack Daniels just to get up the nerve to get up onstage & sing.
Post a Comment
<< Home