Recommended Listening: Travis

Generally when I write these sort of music posts it's about new music, or newly discovered by me. But I just listened to an interview with the Scottish band, Travis, on Philly's WXPN. I was suddenly reminded of one of my favorite bands from my young formative music years. Travis was one of the first bands that I "discovered" as a freshman in high school when I realized I wasn't obligated to listen to Top 40 Pop. The first song I ever heard was the single, Why Does it Always Rain on Me, something about the sweet melancholy and jangly banjo had me hooked.

I specifically remember buying their first album, Good Feeling, with bestie, Julia, from the secondhand shop we'd frequent in Ambler, Geeks and Gods (sadly no longer in business). I think there were two copies so we each got one. Ah, remember CD's? I'm such a tactile person, but I succumb to the ease in which I can devour music online. I sort of miss the ritual of buying CD's. I loved the booklet in the front with all the lyrics, like a musical cheatsheet. Surely I wasn't the only one that immediately set out to memorize each song right away?

December Playlist: 2013 In Review

When you need a breather from non-stop Christmas tunes, here a few tracks from some of my favorite releases of 2013. 

November Playlist

Recommended: 25 Indie Movies on Netflix Now

It's my favorite time of year, when the leaves are changing and everything is pumpkin flavored. Unfortunately it's also the time when my allergy stricken immune system throws up it's hands in defeat. I'm sick. Currently, I'm on the couch, snuggling with Dante, drinking plenty of fluids and vegging out with Netflix. So I thought it a good time to share a bunch of movies that I'd recommend, that are available right now, depending on what you're looking for...

Cult Classics

1. Donnie Darko - Jake Gyllenhaal is a teenager that's seeing things, namely a terrifying bunny named Frank and portals into the future. 
2. Lost in Translation - An unexpected duo of Scarlett Johansson and Bill Murray connecting in Japan.
3. Trainspotting - This is not a happy movie. You have been warned. That said, it is a classic.
4. Clerks - The first of Kevin Smith. If you haven't seen this, you've probably missed out on a lot of references to it in life.
5. Strictly Ballroom - The first part of the Baz Lurhman Trilogy. Trilogy? Strictly Ballroom: Dance, Romeo + Juliet: Poetry, Moulin Rouge: Song. Go.
6. Being John Malkovich - A completely bizarre concept. If you've watched this before, but when it first came out, watch again.

Coming of Age

1. Saved! - It's funny and heartfelt, and surprisingly a good commentary on Christianity. Mandy Moore is the "mean girl" and Macaulay Caulkin is her wheelchair bound brother.
2. Goats - David Duchovny plays a total hippie nomad that helps guide a teen through adolescent trials, with the help of some goats. 
3. Cashback - A twenty something develops insomnia after a difficult breakup. With nothing better to do, he starts working the night shift at a supermarket where he let's his artist imagination run wild.
4. Sassypants - If you hated Skyler in Breaking Bad, you'll love hating her character in this. 
5. Billy Elliot - You haven't seen Billy Elliot?? Watch this first! Just try not to feel good at the end. I dare you.

Cute, Funny, and (Most Likely) Awkward Romances

1. Timer - Romantic Sci-fi? This one takes place in a world where finding your "true love" a scientific reality.
2. Love Birds - Adorable rom com from New Zealand. Remember Murray from Flight of the Conchords? He plays a handsome bloke who takes in a wounded duck after his girlfriend leaves him. Aww.
3. The Giant Mechanical Man - This falls in the awkward category, but I couldn't help but empathizing with Jenna Fischer's character.
4. Ceremony - This rides the line of romance and coming of age. Many literary references, and has an overall feeling of the plight of the Great Gatsby.
5. Outsourced - They tried to make a TV series out of this, which sort of flopped. Disregard that and enjoy the film.
6. 2 Days in Paris // 2 Days in New York - I cheated, this is two separate movies. Not necessarily a sequel but definitely go together. 

Just a Little Dark

1. Lucky - Definitely dark and definitely funny. Gotta love Colin Hanks.
2. It's a Disaster - It's not exactly funny, but it's probably the most realistic outcome, I've seen, of a global disaster. 
3. The Brass Teapot - A good lesson can be learned here. It also makes you think about what you would do in their shoes.
4. Bernie - A dark comedy with my favorite, Jack Black.

Something Else All Together

1. Butter - A pseudo mockumetary about butter carving competitions in a Mid-West town. Olivia Wilde's prostitute character has very little to do with plot development, but is awesome all the same.
2. Lars and the Real Girl - I didn't get what the fuss was over Ryan Gosling, until I saw this film. That boy can act. I thought it was going to be depressing, but it has a great ending.
3. Magicians - Who loves "Peep Show"? Anyone? Robert Webb and David Mitchell play professional magicians. The plot mildly parodies The Prestige.
4. Unicorn City - Let your geek flag fly! Are you a gamer of any description? Watch this.

October Playlist

Whether you're hosting a Halloween Party or not, get yourself in a spooky mood with this playlist; Photo source

September Playlist

Recommended Listening: Kyla La Grange

Ashes, by Kyla La Grange has been on heavy rotation in the past few days. From the first song, I was smitten with her epic sound. If you love the pageantry of Florence Welch, or the mysteriousness of Bat for Lashes, you'll love the UK's Kyla La Grange. Gothic Folk Rock, is that a genre? You can definitely hear influences from the likes of Kate Bush, Joni Mitchell, and even Stevie Nicks.

The entire album is a cohesive piece that I would highly recommend listen to from start to finish. "Walk Through Walls" is the energetic and passionate opener that gets you hooked. From then on the songs ebb and flow in a theatrical manner. Haunting lyrics in songs like "Vampire Smile" make her music that more interesting...

Baby I need a friend,
but I'm a vampire smile, you'll meet a sticky end.
I'm here trying not to bite your neck,
but it's beautiful and I'm gonna get...
...so drunk on you and kill your friends.
You'll need me and we can be obsessed.
And I can touch your hair and taste your skin,
the ghosts won't matter 'cause we'll hide in sin.
Oh oooo...

My favorites of the album include, "Been Better", "Vampire Smile" and "Walk". Although Ashes was released last July, it looks like she's back in the studio working on her sophomore album. Looking forward to what this brilliant artist comes out with next!

Watch "Been Better" below...

August Playlist

Recommended Listening: Rose Windows

"Wartime Lovers" by the Rose Windows has crept into my head since it's been getting air time on Philly's WPXN. The psychedelic, globally-influenced group from Seattle, released their debut album with, none other than, Sub Pop Records in June. The Sun Dogs is a collection of lyrical tales marked with "elements of The Band’s folk-infused rock, The Doors organ-driven psychedelia, and Black Sabbath’s blues-based dirges...". I think my favorite song is "Native Dreams". It has this epic prog rock feel about it with some Persian inspired melodies. I can't help but feel a power similar to Grace Slick of Jefferson Airplane from the lead female vocalist. Hypnotic and atmospheric, with considerable nods to the past, this is an album that deserves some attention. Listen Here.

The band includes talent from:

Chris Cheveyo – lead guitar/composer
Rabia Shaheen Qazi – lead vocalist
Richie Rekow – bass/ 1st male vocalist
Nils Petersen – rhythm guitar/2nd male vocalist
Pat Schowe – drums
David Davila – piano/organ
Veronica Dye – flute

This video for "Wartime Lovers" was collaborative effort with Fool's Road, planned and shot in only 8 days after having met, impressive!

Looks like they'll be hitting up Philly in October at MilkBoy Philly. And they're on the bill with a Philly-based band, The Bailey Hounds, who I've seen a few times, definitely recommend them as well!

July Playlist

Recommended Reading: The Flavia De Luce Series

Last year my grandmother, my cousin, and I, started a book club of sorts. One book series that we discovered, and thoroughly enjoy, are the Flavia De Luce novels by Alan Bradley. We've only read the first three, but we immediately fell in love with the precocious eleven year old heroine, Flavia.

Young Flavia lives on her palatial family estate in the quiet village of Bishop's Lacey, England, during the 1950's. She lives with her two older sisters with whom she is constantly at sisterly war, and her distant father who, like any proper Englishman, won't show his grief over the death of his wife, Flavia's late mother. Armed with a vernacular to rival any adult, Flavia has a mind for science, chemistry, specifically. She revels in the privacy of her own wing, complete with her very own laboratory and ancient chemistry texts. Fortunately for Miss De Luce, the sleepy town of Bishop's Lacey becomes much more interesting as it becomes clouded in various mysteries.

The books read much like tales of Sherlock Holmes. Flavia is highly intelligent, curious, and bears a razor sharp wit. She narrates these stories with Sherlock-esque flair. And with it there's a whole new layer of humor, given her age and station in life. It's sort of unique to have a young girl narrate adult fiction novels, dealing with murder, deception and other sinister plots. Have I piqued your interest yet?

There are are now a total of five books in the series...

Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag
A Red Herring Without Mustard
I Am Half-Sick of Shadows
Speaking From Among The Bones

And coming in 2014, Mr. Bradley will publish The Dead In Their Vaulted Arches. Of the three we read, I think I enjoyed A Red Herring Without Mustard most, but just start at the beginning, I'm sure that you'll adore the little scientist detective. I for one, am quite looking forward to reading them all!

June Playlist

Best enjoyed on a drive to the beach with the windows down.

Recommended Listening: Fitz and The Tantrums

In 2011, Fitz and The Tantrums won me over with one of their debut singles, Breaking the Chains of Love, saucey lyrics and an old school Motown beat. They're back now with their sophomore album, More Than A Dream. And they have definitely shown that they're not just a retro thowback, crafting a sound of their own. The group is led by Micheal "Fitz" Fitzpatrick whose vocals are similar to Daryl Hall (and looks an awful lot like Michael Keaton with a swatch of grey hair) and Noelle Scaggs, a soulful songtress. I was lucky enough to catch these guys at last years Firefly Festival. They were definitely one of my favorite acts, so dynamic and vibrant on stage. Noelle and Fitz had such an energy, they had the whole crowd dancing and singing along.

So far my favorite song from the new album is, 6AM, a slower, dancey, lover's lament. But it showcases the vocal duality between Fitz and Noelle. They perform it live for the World Cafe with David Dye, along with some others tracks; I've got a link below!

Listen to their interview with David Dye on WXPN

Watch their session on Live From Daryl's House

Recommended Viewing: Five Foodie Films

I've compiled five of my favorite movies about food, and the passion of creating good food. And they all happen to be available to stream on Netflix! If you haven't seen these I strongly suggest that you to be a couch potato and watch them all. Each are uplifting and inspirational in their own way. And I can assure you they will make you crave whatever they are eating!

What you'll be craving: All things Italian

 What you'll be craving: A bottle of wine (and Chris Pine!)

 What you'll be craving: Fresh ramen roodles

 What you'll be craving: Chocolate

What you'll be craving: A fiery Indian curry

May Playlist

Recommended Listening: Bombino

This guy. Bombino is a Taureg nomad who has just released an album produced by Dan Auerbach. (Mr. Auerbach is a music producing powerhouse. He's probably produced a few that you didn't even know he anything to do with. Some of my past favorites have been with Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Jessica Lee Mayfield, Dr. John, Michael Kiwanuka and Blakroc. I think his talent lies in preserving the individual sound, but there's a touch of Dan in everything he does.)

So back to this nomad fella'. Omara “Bombino” Moctar made his Nonesuch record debut with this album, Nomad. A born and raised Nigerian, Bombino is a member of the Tuareg Ifoghas tribe, nomadic desert folk.  As a self taught guitarist, Bombino was heavily influenced by Jimi Hendrix and Mark Knopfler, which is wholly evident in his style. This official video, gives a great look into his music.

If you like this guy you'd probably enjoy Afro Celt Soundsystem or Amadou and Miriam, or even a little Matisyahu.

Recommended Viewing: Sound of Noise

With Chris sick, our weekend plans were neglected and Netflix was a prime source of entertainment. One film we watched was exceptional, Swedish produced, Sound of Noise. Netflix gives you recommendations based on your own scoring, and this was rated quite high. I put off watching it for awhile because it's subtitled, and sometimes I just don't feel like reading a movie, you know?

In any case  it's about a tone deaf cop from the anti-terrorist unit of a Swedish city, who tracks down the guerrilla percussionists. Sanna, the musical mastermind, arranges for six local drummers to participate in four completely illegal and outrageous musical performances that create music with sounds from the objects in their space. But this is no happy flash mob, kind of performance. These are more like musical heists. For instance, the first movement involves them dressing as surgeons, stealing a patient and a operating room, and using the equipment and the patient as instruments. It sounds ridiculous, but the music actually sounds... good.  This a clip from the hospital performance. No spoilers, but if you enjoy this, you'll love the movie. Additionally you can listen to the soundtrack, here. But I'd warn you to watch the film first before you can fully appreciate the music.

April Playlist

Recommended Listening: The Amazing

Recently I've been listening to the Swedish band, The Amazing. To me, the latest album, Gentle Stream, just sounds like spring. If we're going put labels on them, they have a folk rock, psychedelic rock sound. Very Nick Drake sort of melodies that ebb and flow. The single, shown below, has an ethereal quality that transports me to a meadow or some other idyllic nature scene. Perfect solo road-trip listening. Currently I have them in a playlist with Fleet Foxes and Dry the River.

Recommended Viewing: Safety Not Guaranteed

I grew up without cable television, which was quite the social hardship from the ages of 7-17. And now that I'm an adult, with my own my money and my own house, I still don't have cable. But don't worry, now it's my choice. In our minds we've just got better things to spend our money on. But that doesn't mean I don't like to watch television series or movies, not at all, I can couch potato with the best of them. Instead we use our X-Box to stream Netflix and Hulu, and it's perfect for us. Instant Netflix has a great selection of movies but sometimes it's hard to sift through all the titles. That's why I'd like to share when we find something we particularly like.

Safety Not Guaranteed:

I think we initially chose this movie because it stars Aubrey Plaza. The girl who is insistently grumpy and sarcastic in all her roles, but in an endearing likeable way. Plaza plays a twentysomething, Darius, interning at a Seattle-based magazine; and doesn't seem to be happy with her life, or what she's doing with it. She gets assigned to cover a story of a man who continually runs an ad in the paper for someone to go back in time with him. Wanted: Somebody to go back in time with me. This is not a joke. P.O. Box 91 Ocean View, WA 99393. You'll get paid after we get back. Must bring your own weapons. I have only done this once before. SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED.

Darius and staff writer Jeff, played by Jake Johnson, from "New Girl", trek to a small seaside town to investigate what kind of person thinks they can go back in time. Is he serious, or is he just a lunatic? After some snooping they find the home of Kenneth, Mark Duplass, from "The League". When Jeff's journalistic aggression scares Kenneth off, Darius is charged with using her "feminine wiles" to their advantage, pretending that she is applying to his ad to be his traveling companion. As Kenneth trains her for their time travel, Darius begins to connect with another person for the first time in her adult life...

Don't worry, no spoilers here. We both thoroughly enjoyed the movie. It was humorous, but in a subdued indie sort of way. It was heartfelt at times, but I didn't cry. I liked how I was actually unsure how everything would pan out. I didn't know until the very end whether Kenneth truly had a time machine or he was just a paranoid delusional conspiracy theorist. The relationship of Darius and Kenneth is really sweet, especially at a point when Kenneth sings a song (written for another girl) on his zither by their campsite fire. We suspect that Duplass is actually playing, so bonus points. There's also a few subplots about Jeff reconnecting with a girlfriend from his past that don't detract from the overall movie flow. Overall four stars from us.

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