Caroline Smith . . .

. . . is awesome.

 I really don't have to add anything else to this post because those two words sum it all up, but I will anyway.  I don't remember the first time I heard her, but I know from the very first listen I was hooked.

I feel like on a dark dreary winter day, her voice would bring anyone out of their funk.  And in the middle of summer, her voice makes me think of strolling barefoot along a beach soaking in the tranquility of the moment.

I loved Caroline (and the Goodnight Sleeps') Backyard Tent Set, which I found to be fresh well put together.  Caroline and Jesse Shuster opened for Cloud Cult the other night, and I found myself longing for them to play more and just, ya know, delay Cloud Cult for a bit.  During this show she played a new song called Eagle's Nest which immediately made me fall in love with her all over again.  I could only find one youtube video of it, and cannot wait until August for the new release! She also played Calliope which is also fantastic.

http://youtu.be/-iHpY8FtjzQ

Keep rockin Caroline, you made this week all the more bearable :)

-kb

There are many things that I miss...

Of all the things in my life that I miss, I think the biggest thing would be knowing who I am.  When I was 19 my views, orientation, beliefs and dreams were the clearest they've ever been.  I'm not 19 anymore.  For the past two years I have put my feelings on hold, and honestly tried not to think of them.  But they never went away.  I was able to escape into my music and really just disengage from these questions that are sitting heavily on my heart.

The worst part, is that I have absolutely no one to talk to about this.  I thought I did.  But I guess I'm afraid. Afraid of my friends looking at me differently, afraid of being on the outside again, afraid of causing a crisis of faith.  Afraid that I will really and truthfully be alone.  Theres a loneliness within me that dissipates when I lose myself in music.  When I immerse myself in it.  Like I'm doing now.

I've been listening to a lot of Wye Oak this week, but currently J. Tillman is playing and he fits the way I feel at the moment.  When I Light Your Darkened Door is a beautiful song, and his other song Firstborn really can get to me too.  But Earthly Bodies is really capturing the state of me right now.

Hopefully the next post will be a little more uplifting, but for now this is all I've got.

-kb

Sharon Van Etten

Happy New Year!
Here's to a year full of musical discoveries!

So I've been starting to show symptoms of Brandi Carlile withdrawals lately, and I thought I should try and fix that.  Finding new music is always a pleasure for me and when I'm searching for something new I usually head over to TheCurrent.org or Lastfm to see what I can find.

Recently my find was Sharon Van Etten.  I got hooked on her song One Day after about 3 listens.  I wasn't sure at first if I enjoyed her voice, but I kept listening and determined, that yes, yes I did like her :)

Theres been a lot of talk lately that musicians just aren't making good music anymore.  I have to disagree.  People need to turn off their generic radio station and branch out into other turns of the dial.  When they do this, there are quite a few artists out there making really good music.

Sharon Van Etten has a voice that reminds me of someone, but I can't put my finger on it.  Her songs are diverse in that for the most part they don't all sound like a pop song, an indie song, and they don't sound tired.

Giver her a listen people of the world, give her a listen.

-kb

Sarah Jaffe makes me feel less lonely

You know those days when you feel like you're all alone in the world?  The days like I'm having today, where even though you're surrounded by people you still feel lonely?  The days where it seems like somethings are changing, but you can't pinpoint them?

Well, on days like those, put on some Sarah Jaffe.

 I don't exactly remember how I ran across Sarah Jaffe's music, but I'm glad I did.  She has one of those ethereal voices that make up for the mediocre words she sings sometimes.  Most of her songs I love.  Most of them the writing is on par, and when that combines with her acoustic guitar and her voice, I'm pretty much in heaven.

 I recommend three songs for the times where you just want to kind of float around in your head and be alone with your sadness.  Pretender has another worldly feel to it.  The strings at the beginning are haunting.  This one sometimes makes me afraid of the dark (even more than I am) when I'm listening to it at night.  Swelling, is a song that I could listen to for about 10 times in a row without getting tired of it.  It just hits me.  Finally Nurture It.  This one is a little less dark, a little more sweet, but still excellent.

Sarah also has great songs that are a little up beat.  This whole week I've been singing Clementine in my car when I drive to and from my internship.  I love that song.  It is extremely simple, not very wordy and damn catchy.  This is the type of song that I wish was given airtime on radio.  Instead of listening to over synthed, auto tuned crap that is so popular today, people should start to branch out and discover people that are making quality music.  If you need a starting place, check out Jaffe.

-kb

 

Odd Name, Amazing Sound

Do you ever have one of those days where it just feels like you're drifting?  For me I can sometimes find myself feeling suspended in time not knowing how this moment came to be.  This tends to happen when I'm procrastinating on homework (like I am right now) or when I'm feeling, just completely relaxed.

This past weekend was the first time in a long time where I've had time to just be.  During this time I discovered a new band that I have fallen in love with.  Horse Feathers are from Portland and sound amazing.  They reminded me on first listen of a better version of Iron and Wine.  Not so wispy, but with  a little more grit.  I love the songs Heathen's Kiss, and Curs in the Weeds the most.  These two songs have been on repeat for about a week now and I can't stop listening to them.

Part of my infatuation comes from their use of string instruments (total sucker) and because they come from the Pacific Northwest.  As if I didn't already have enough reasons to visit.  Take a listen to them if you haven't, they're worth it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBPO9Kun_9A

-kb

We were victims of bad bad timing...

This title is my new favorite lyric.  I've been listening to Azure Ray's new record Drawing Down the Moon since the day it came out, and I can't get enough.

I just saw them in concert on Friday night and it was exactly what I needed.  They played On and On Again (where my favorite lyric comes from) and I don't think I noticed anyone else in the Cedar for the entire length of the song.  

They also played my second favorite song by them Rise.  I've never heard it live before and I was blown away.  There was a little hesitation from Orenda to play it live because she was worried it got to slow in the middle.  Everyone there was like, Play it Play it !! So with a little audience participation they completely knocked my socks off! :)  I wish I could have recorded it so I could play it back over and over and over ....

I can't stop gushing over Azure Ray, and with some luck they'll come back through town in the not so distant future.

-KB

Drawing Down the Moon

So Azure Ray released their new record on the 17th.  It is their first record together in almost 6 years, and it did not disappoint me!  I've been a fan of both Maria and Orenda for awhile now and I am so happy that they're back together!

My two favorite songs so far have to be Don't Make Your Heart and On and On Again.  Particularly these two because I'm part of the crowd (I don't really know if there's a crowd but I'm gonna start one) that thinks Maria Taylor can do no wrong.  I absolutely love this woman's voice.  I think she could sing the same lyric a thousand times to me and I'd just sit there and listen.

As much as I love Maria, I really love when her voice melds into Orenda's.  Sometimes its like I'm listening to a dream I had, or listening in on one of their dreams.  Whenever I listen to Azure Ray or Maria Taylor, I like to lay there in the dark with my headphones on, and float.  Their music makes me feel like that moment when you dive under the water and for that moment all you hear is your mind, your thoughts, your own voice.  Clarity.

That's what I've been searching for, for some time now, clarity.  Its something that seems forever in the distance and something I really need.  One nice thing is that I can always escape from myself into music.  And this record is one of those that really can take you away...if you let it.

-kb