Brandi Carlile, Round Two

If you were creeping around this blog last year at about this time, you may have read my post about seeing Brandi Carlile in concert. And this year the same friend invited me to go again, so off I went to the merry old land of Red Butte Gardens to take in the show.

Brandi and her band are still amazing and delightful. I extol more of her virtues here. I was particularly delighted this time around by Brandi's acoustic cover of Radiohead's Creep. It was raw and rich, just how I like it. 

I also really enjoyed the opening act, The Lone Bellow. Their music is along the same veins as Brandi's--a healthy mix of rock, bluegrass, classic country, and wicked tight harmonies. They did an amped up version of this song during the show:

Day 6 of 30 Days of Pictures
Naturally my picture for the day is from the show.

Brandi and the twins, Tim and Phil, who wear bad hats. 

The sky and the venue. 

The Soundtrack of Your Life

Via http://peopletoo.ru/index.html

I think about music almost as much as I listen to it. I concoct top ten lists in my head, I create themed playlists based on the tone of songs, moods, and lyrics, and I even think about how I can best describe my tastes in detail.

Along these lines, NPR recently posted a story about a project and story from The Guardian (a UK publication) called "Six Songs of Me." This project asks readers to pick six songs based on six criteria with the idea that the lists may somehow collectively begin to reveal why people feel strongly tethered to music. You can fill out the questionnaire here (I never finished because I couldn't find one of the songs and I can't decide about another yet), but the questions are as follows:

1. What was the first song you ever bought?
2. What song always gets you dancing?
3. What song takes you back to your childhood?
4. What is your perfect love song?
5. What song would you want at your funeral?
6. What is a song that makes you you?

I will spend more time thinking about my responses, and some of my responses may change, but here's what I came up with.

1. "Martha My Dear" by The Beatles
I have a very specific memory of going out to purchase my first CD around the age of 12. I was stressed out about it because I, of course, had very limited funds, so I wanted to get he most bang for my buck. I also remember thinking that I wanted to own all of The Beatles' albums, so I started with the White Album because it had the song with my name in it. (What? I was 12.) This wasn't the first music I ever owned (I had Care Bears record and a Michael Jackson cassette for sure), but it is the first music I purchased for myself. Funnily enough, I still don't own all of The Beatles' albums.

2. "Superstition" by Stevie Wonder
As soon as the twangy, funky guitar comes in at about the 10 second mark, I've gots to move.

3. "The Washington Post" by John Philip Sousa
My dad had a Boston Pops record of Sousa marches that he would often crank up on Saturday mornings to blast us out of our beds. Somehow I don't ever remember feeling grumpy about this, instead I associate it with fun dad time.

4. "The Story" by Brandi Carlile
I don't know if this is my "perfect" love song, but I surely love it, and sometimes it gives me chills.

5. "Home" by Bonnie Raitt
This probably isn't my final decision. In fact I've started a playlist dedicated to this question. Since I will be dead at my funeral and won't care what happens there, picking a funeral song feels unimportant in many ways, but at the same time it's a nice contemplative exercise. There's lots of directions you can go for a funeral song: funny, sad, life descriptive, spiritual, hopeful, or simply something beautiful. Other songs in the running at the moment are "Red River Valley" by Riders in the Sky, "I Am Weary" by The Cox Family, "Duettino-Sull’aria" from The Marriage of Figaro (it's about zephyrs and anticipated joy), and the hymn "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing."

6. I have no clue. My first inclination was "Spooky" by Classics IV (or Dusty Springfield), but it's hard to commit when one song is supposed to basically represent you. It's a tongue in cheek choice, which certainly suits me, but I'm still not sure. I almost feel as though someone else should pick a song that represents me. Suggestions are welcome, but may be rejected without impunity. (I've already rejected the joke of "Super Freak" by Rick James, so don't even bother.)

Even though I still can't respond to comments, I would LOVE to see what's on part or all of your lists. Are there any questions you would add to this list?

Cool Kids and Brandi Carlile

I'm not, nor have I ever been, nor will I ever be a "cool kid." This includes what makes up a classic "cool kid" in high school and the "alternative" cool kid that is too cool to be a cool kid, which makes them so cool. Basically I'm no Molly Ringwald and I'm no James Dean.

One of the telltale signs of my uncoolness is that I'm not a concert goer. Now, I love music, and there is a magic to live music that will never be captured on an album, but whether it's a stadium concert or an intimate venue, I'm just not interested. The tight crowds, the heat and sweat, and the potential of unpredictable mob behavior make me more than uncomfortable. But once in a while an artist comes to town and to a certain venue that makes me decide that I don't want to stay home. Well, that and when someone gives you a free ticket. (Thanks, Becky!)

Last Sunday I went to see Brandi Carlile at the Red Butte Gardens in Salt Lake City. It was incredible. I'd never been to this venue before. It's outdoors amongst trees and nature, everyone sits on low chairs or blankets on a sloping lawn, you can bring in coolers and food, and it's such a relaxed environment in general. And on top of that there's not a bad seat in the house.

I've listened to and enjoyed Brandi Carlile since her album The Story came out in 2007. She has this lower, raspy voice that's rock and blues and bluegrass and just herself, really. I've never heard anyone quite like her. If I had to compare her to anyone, it would be Johnny Cash and Bonnie Raitt. I know, that's a serious comparison, but if you see her live you'll know what I mean. Her energy and skill are that fantastic. She writes her own music, often collaborating with her guitarist and bassist (they're identical twins! that wear lame hats!), and she's proficient on the guitar and piano as well.

This is "The Story" from The Story and the song that made me first like Ms. Carlile.

This is a song from her newest album, Bear Creek, called "Hard Way Home."

The rock side of her doesn't exactly come across in the albums, but live, boy howdy! During the show she did two covers by two bands that any musician might think twice about covering, because they could never be as good. But I have to say, she met the challenge exceedingly well, and I do not say that lightly. She did Oh Darling by The Beatles and Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, and the latter brought down the house. We were rollicking and hootin' and hollerin'. So great.

Check her out, maybe you'll hear something you like.

A phone pic from the show.

Forced to Like Taylor Swift

I do not like pop or rock country music in the slightest. Generally it all sounds like the same loudness to me. However I do like other music that fits into the country category: you got your classic country with people like Patsy Cline and Johnny Cash; then there's Bluegrass and Americana which covers a heap of classic and new music ranging from Ralph Stanley to Gillian Welch; and then there are the bands that are moderately to heavily influenced by some sort of country, but I don't think of them as such, like Jack White, Mumford and Sons, The Decemberists, and The Civil Wars.

Cut to pop country's Taylor Swift and her new song"Safe and Sound," featuring The Civil Wars. It's dark, haunting, and pretty--three things that I never associate with Taylor Swift's usual pop country flavor. I'm sure this is due in part to collaborating with The Civil Wars, and due in part to the fact that the song is  on the soundtrack for The Hunger Games, which is a rather dark and haunting story. So kudos to Taylor Swift for basically forcing (yes, forcing) me like her.



The Hunger Games soundtrack will be released tomorrow. Based on the lineup, it may even be a winner of an album. I'm particularly excited about The Decemberists, Birdy, The Secret Sisters, The Carolina Chocolate Drops, and Glen Hansard.

Music Stuffs: NPR and a Video

I love NPR's All Songs Considered hosted by Bob Boilen and Robin Hilton. It is one of my top sources for finding new (to me) music. They do a lot of great things, but I particularly like two of their features. First, are the Tiny Desk Concerts where they invite a musical guest to play few songs while shoved into a tiny office space. (Here's one from a while ago with The Swell Season. And from their most recent concert, highlighting Jeremy Messersmith.) The intimacy of these performances is a nice way to really get to know a band. No auto tuning, no choreographed dancing, no fireworks, just simple and pure music joy.

Second, is the First Listen feature. For a couple of weeks they offer a link that allows you to listen songs, and often whole albums, that have not yet been released. Which is how I became cozy and familiar with the new Beirut album The Rip Tide. And it is just delicious.

But this whole preamble is just an introduction to a video by Army Navy called "Ode to Janice Melt"  that I recently came across in the NPR Music twitter feed. The video is fresh, clever, and funny. Plus it stars Jason Ritter, actor and son of the late and great John Ritter. I have an unexplainable soft spot for Jason Ritter.

Both the All Songs Considered's regular weekly podcast and the Tiny Desk Concert podcast are free on iTunes.