"Spent some time just talking about who we were..."

I was watching the movie, London, while curled up on the couch and really enjoyed this song that was played near the end.




The Perishers - Nothing Like You and I from Let There Be Morning



Now I'm off to start making a trifle, and pick up my old friend Sara to go last minute holiday shopping.

Happy Holidays, everybody! :-D

"You ask me how I'm doing, but you already know..."

No thoughts for this post. Just music that I'm listening to at this moment, and a silent prayer that people have bigger minds and hearts than to succumb to the things they hear about others.



Ryan Adams - The Sadness from 29. Okay, wait. Though I did say I had no thoughts for this post, I have one tiny one. I find it fun that around the point when Ryan starts singing "Oh, I can give you whatever you're wanting," that the music and his vocals start to sound a bit like Remy Zero.

"We get so hungry, we eat each other alive..."

To end a wonderful and wintry day: Ben Lee fuzzy goodness.

Ben Lee - Hungry from Ripe. Ben Lee has been getting more comfortable and laid back each time I see him perform. He seems to have forgotten himself as a famous artist who has been entertaining and singing for his entire life and embracing the creative and fun side of musicianship. This is quite amazing, because it creates a casual atmosphere to his concerts and draws the audience in as friends rather than people who are paying to see someone put on a show. Ben Lee has always seemed like a caring and genuine individual and I am personally glad that this is showing through even more on the stage.




Random other things:
I've set my DVR to record Spongebob Squarepants - Atlantis Squarepantis. I'm 22 so I'm not hugely into Spongebob (if at all, though he is occasionally amusing. Gary owns though, not gonna lie), but David Bowie lends his voice to the role of the King of Atlantis. Kickin!

I watched this song on youtube after reading Gawker comments about a particular New York lothario and was incredibly amused. The Asian guy in the silver sparkly onesie is hilarious.
Mike O'Connell with Dr. Ken



Lastly, but certainly not least, I've had the website I Can Has Cheezburger? in my links section since I started this music blog. I think cat memes are funny, what can I say. Today, my friend Bruce's caption made the front page of the site! So check it out and pay his particular cat caption a visit.

"I know you in autumn and I must be there..."

I was watching a recorded episode of The Simpsons on my DVR (The Homer of Seville) when I fell in love with the song that Homer was singing in the hospital montage. It sounded familiar and was clearly some Broadway number that I couldn't place.

Turns out, it was "If Ever I Would Leave You" from Camelot. And while some critics (cough cough IGN cough cough) touted Dan Castellaneta's rendition as unimaginative, I thought it was sweet and an appropriate showcase of his personal talent. And it gives the Homer character a romantic depth and soul that is so very appreciated when it is displayed.



Robert Goulet - If Ever I Would Leave You from Camelot (1960 Original Broadway Cast Recording)



Homer Simpson (Dan Castellaneta) - If Ever I Would Leave You - The Homer of Seville

"The way you changed my life. No, they can't take that away from me..."

Sunday evening, Alison and I went and saw Rebecca Sponseller, David Hicks, and Larry Whitfield perform a holiday themed cabaret called Jeoparadet at the Duplex.

I've had the pleasure of seeing this trio before, and they are constantly surprising me as an audience member with interesting and dynamic additions to their repertoire. Not only are they talented, but they're genuine and hilarious. So if you like hearing beautiful singing voices, musical theater, and/or holiday music, or if you like playing Jeopardy and drinking, these three have the event for you.

Some songs of theirs that have always stuck out to me have been "A Step Too Far" from Aida, "Next 10 Minutes" from The Last Five Years, "Someone to Fall Back On" by Jason Robert Brown, songs from Company, etc. This particular performance renewed my love for Gershwin's "They Can't Take That Away From Me" and "Unusual Way" from the musical Nine, as well as Carole King's "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" (the last of which has been a personal favorite of people I've known through the years, and the one that I fortuitously picked when my number was drawn to choose a category).

There are even still tickets available for next week's show. So New York City readers, get to it! It's 10 bucks well spent. And hey, if you meet the singers afterwards, tell them that you read about them on a blog, haha. They might enjoy the momentary internet fame, who wouldn't?



Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald - They Can't Take That Away From Me from Best of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong







And because I love Fred Astaire's rendition, here's the video for it from way back when:





UST Singers - Unusual Way

"Your services are not required. Your future's bleak, you're so last week..."

Being that Radiohead is going to be taking down the digital download for their latest album, In Rainbows, soon enough, I figured I'd take the time to finally download it. I really respect their distribution move in allowing fans to pay whatever they wanted for the basic download, and then if they wanted hard copies or various higher level formats, they had to shell out a normal price. That makes sense to me. If more artists follow suit, Radiohead will have spearheaded a musical revolution, and I'm glad to be a normal fan and can participate. Granted, I decided to only pay 2 bucks for my copy, but hey, it's better than nothing.

Unfortunately for them, the songs from the more advanced formats have already leaked, the one I'm posting here included (so if it needs to be taken down, someone let me know and I'll be glad to do it). I downloaded Radiohead's "Down is the New Up" from their second disc prior to even listening to the first. All I can say is that this one song has a hot beat. Seriously, the sound = sextastic.


Radiohead - Down is the New Up from In Rainbows Disc 2 digital, vinyl, and CD formats.



And I might as well link to this Radiohead music video. It's classic. And I've always wondered what the man said. Just:

"They got nothing left on which we depend, so we waste every ounce, of your bright blood, and off with their heads!"

I was listening to my Shins albums today while doing Biology and Physics work, so I felt like posting about it. They've been featured recently in commercials for cell phones with the integrated mp3 and music video playing technology, so clearly, your wireless services want you to listen to the Shins. As does Zach Braff (at least he did a few years ago with Garden State). Anyway, you should.

Incidentally, I was perusing some of my favorite music blogs (which are listed in the panel on the left), and Music for Kids Who Can't Read Good also just mentioned the Shins in a "22 Best Videos of 2007" post. I happen to completely agree about that video, which is below, because it is sweet and funny. Especially the part when the guy dressed up as the bush runs back to the van. Anyway, enjoy!



The Shins - Sleeping Lessons from Wincing the Night Away





The Shins - Australia, in which we find James Mercer and men of the Shins doing their part to help the planet by liberating balloons. This video makes my heart happy.

"The times we had, oh, when the wind would blow with rain and snow, were not all bad..."

As I was commuting home to my random mix of music, I realized that this is an amazing song to hear while nearing your home. The instrumentation builds and it really feels like you're arriving someplace, making a grand entrance, rather than just adhering to a regular routine. In addition, the layering of the horns section adds a bit of the exotic with its French flair. It reminds me of French Cafe music, though I believe I remember it being cited that Beirut was going for a more Eastern European feel.



Beirut - Postcards from Italy from Gulag Orkestar





And look! Here's Beirut singing Nantes in a Take Away Concert (which are amazing, by the way. If you haven't discovered these unique performances, by all means, run and watch!)



I know I've diverted from the subject, but I was still thinking about the Take Away Shows produced by La Blogotheque. 41.1 - Arcade Fire is my favorite because they play in an elevator. The band member tearing the magazine pages wins my heart.

"I can see so clearly when your smoke gets in my eyes. Please me with your promises, and hurt me with your lies..."

It has come to my attention that Ben Lee is opening (along with Josh Ritter) for Aimee Mann on her holiday tour. That means on December 14th, Ben Lee will be playing in New York City.

I already have a holiday party and class that day, but let's see if I can squeeze in an hour to see everyone's favorite Australian singer who has a button with a picture of me on it.

Oh, and here's the video for the first single off his latest album:



I'm quite excited for this new development.

"I wish I knew how - Your eyes are like starlight now - to break this spell..."

Today was the first snowfall!

Huzzah! I'm not really a fan of snow (only because on worse days it turns to ice), but running into the living room and seeing all the trees just slightly frosted with soft snow, and the sky glowing a bright grey made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. It helped, I believe, that soon after waking, my mom and I made an amazing pumpkin soup, corn muffins, and drank tea/cocoa.

What an utterly cozy day.

This is my favorite winter song. Period. I have an obscene number of renditions of this song available if people want them, but for now, here's a delightful one.




Colin James and the Little Big Band feat. Roxanne Potvin - Baby, It's Cold Outside from Christmas





Ricardo Montalban and Esther Williams. (I enjoy the fluidity of their movement in this one)