That to Which We Are Listening

image: Some rights reserved by craigCloutier

Shiri is listening to:

The Nerdist podcast with Jaimie Alexander (Lady Sif).  I had no idea how fucking awesome Jaimie Alexander is.  As in knows how to use a knife, helps girls who have been victims of human trafficking reclaim autonomy over their bodies and their lives awesome.  Visits children’s hospitals as Lady Sif and not only remembers the names of the kids but which of them didn’t get to watch the special screening of Thor: The Dark World so she, her ownself, can get them the DVD awesome.  Just a few days ago, I made my case for Sif as a strong female character.  Turns out Ms. Alexander is a real life, honest-to-goddess hero.

The River and the Thread – Roseanne Cash (Feb 2014)

I claim not to like country but that’s not, strictly speaking, true.  I’m picky about my country.  And I pick Roseanne Cash.  I love the low and growly feminine voice with the edge of Johnny twang.  Something I can wander in while I’m writing.  Something, one of very few things, I’m content to exist in without anything else to occupy me.

My Head is an Animal – Of Monsters and Men (2012)

WYEP got me hooked with frequent playings of track 6, Little Talks.  One of few songs that, when it gets stuck in my head, doesn’t annoy the crap out of me until it goes away.  I actually rather like it there.  The album is a perfect balance of pop and folk and the male and female voices are fantastic together.  Both the lyrics and music have a hint of obligatory Scandinavian melancholy (the band is from Iceland) but it’s subtle enough to be gorgeous instead of saccharine.  One to sing to in the car, listen to while I write, dance to when no one’s watching.

Luke’s Playlist

Over the course of the last few months I have been trying to expand my daughter’s musical knowledge, so I have been dropping in two to three tracks before we listen to ‘her’ music in the morning during breakfast. This had lead me to listen to some of my favorite albums again.

For writing I need wordless music or albums that I know so well the words disappear back into the music.

Peter Gabriel – Passion (1989)

Not very often do you see an soundtrack that is so much better than the movie it is from, especially when the movie itself is no sloucher. But, this album is a great working album, great beat, great music and you find yourself singing along even though I have no idea what the words are.

This Mortal Coil – Blood (1991)

Watched the Big Star documentary the other day, but was not too impressed. But, it did remind me how much I love the songs of Big Star, Chris Bell, and Alex Chilton. But, where I was first exposed to their music was through This Mortal Coil, the 4AD supergroup. Check out the wikipedia page (here), but if you liked a band on 4AD in the 80’s or 90’s they more than likely helped out on a track or two for This Mortal Coil. This album has two Chris Bell covers and great Syd Barrett cover to boot. Not all wordless songs here, but I know this album inside and out, so well it hardly matters.