Reading time with pickles

December 10 Album of the year. What’s rocking your world?

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I never thought I’d like a song about pickles. Maybe being in college and working in the newsroom had something to do with it. Because things seemed to go wrong there more often than not… which meant I got stressed. And then senile. So a song about a jar of pickles didn’t seem weird. In fact, Regina Spektor’s pretty piano playing and silly song were the perfect calming combination and exactly what I needed in that chaos (who needs a functioning printer or server when you can hear about reading a book to a jar of pickles?).

I was so entranced by the song that I went to her site and listened to more. I’ll admit, some of them are kind of weird – when she goes off on a chord and it sounds like screaming or you really have no idea what she’s saying. But some are brilliant. So I downloaded the brilliant ones and made people listen to them too, and then they kind of got annoyed. Some people just can’t handle my enthusiasm.

Fast forward three years later to summer 2009. I read that NPR was streaming her new album, Far, before its release. And so this is what I did: I left NPR’s music player loaded on my computer at home AND AT WORK, where I wore earbuds all day, listening to her album over and over and over. Then when I was home I played it before bed and while I was getting ready for work. When the release date finally arrived, I downloaded the album – extended version! — from iTunes. Which is saying something because I never download entire albums.

What’s magical about her songs is the intricacy of the lyrics, not only how the words sound together but what they mean. By listening to this album nonstop for days, I developed a dear attachment to it. I put a link to the NPR stream as my Google chat status and talked about what it meant with friends, which songs were our favorites, how certain lyrics were applicable to our lives. It’s the kind of feeling I rarely have anymore with music. And it was nice to share it with friends.

The stream of her album isn’t up anymore, but you can hear a live NPR performance here.

I didn’t know my own strength

I haven’t paid much attention to Whitney Houston since the days of “The Bodyguard” and “Waiting to Exhale.” I think there were some drugs charges and marital issues, and her life was generally rough.

So I was, obviously, not aware that she had a new album and would be receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award at last night’s American Music Awards.

Her performance was powerful (love watching her around the 3:45 mark because she’s visibly moved and touched and taking everything in. If I had to guess, it looks like she’s feeling blessed). Also, she’s having a great hair day. I love great hair days.

And the song! I almost forgot. I enjoyed it so much that I came home and downloaded it. When you pay attention to the lyrics, you can understand how it’s so personal to Ms. Whitney: “I wasn’t built to break. I got to know my own strength.”

Amen, sister.

Nothing compares to you

I love So You Think You Can Dance for the dancing (obviously). But an unexpected side effect has been the number of songs I fall in love with too. Before I started paying attention, I would (unsuccessfully) attempt to remember lyrics after the show was over. Then I realized the website listed all the show’s pairings, dances and songs. Brilliant! And if I actually pay attention to the TV screen, I can see that they tell you the song at the beginning of the dance. Who knew?!

My song obsession from last night (the Top 14) is “Whatcha Say” by Jason Derulo (you may, as I did, find something quite familiar about it…her name is Imogen Heap).

Who doesn’t love a good Britney Spears throwback to dancing in school hallways. I found Mr. Derulo’s Michael Jackson moonwalking in empty stairwells and razor-sharp facial hair shape to be the high points of the video.

Sometimes I forget Matt Nathanson exists until I hear him playing in a Gap store, which is strange because he was a big part of the background noise of my freshman year of college. That and John Mayer’s “Comfortable,” which my roommate Dori and I agreed could only be listened to when the other one was around because the song made us sad. What can I say. We liked to torture ourselves.

And, just because I want to make you feel a little uncomfortable, or at least confused, here is some Sinead O’Connor.

Let’s hear it for New York

I am obsessed with this song. Like listen to it five times back-to-back on my way to jury duty obsessed. I’m sure you have songs that you feel the same way about. If not, you’re suffering a musical depression and should seek help immediately.

Part of it is the excitement I get when I hear places I’m familiar with. I also like the beat (especially a certain piano part that is reminiscent of an earlier Jay-Z song).

But I have some issues with Alicia Keyes. First of all. What is she wearing? Why is her hair crazy? And would someone please give her a bench so she can sit down and stop dancing at the piano. I feel uncomfortable for her. You’re obviously not actually playing the piano, so why even pretend if that is the result.

Would it really hurt Jay-Z to make eye contact with the camera? I don’t think there’s an eclipse in the camera lens, so no bodily harm would come to him if he simply looked straight ahead.

My other problem is the lack of annunciation. Granted, I’m known to have some crazy interpretations of song lyrics, but I could swear that they’re saying “I’m thinking this is where wet dreams are made of…” Which, I mean, it is New York, and I’m sure is applicable to some people. But in reality the lyrics are actually “Concrete jungle where dreams are made of…” Yeah, I know, I should get my ears checked.

Fact of the day: Jay-Z and I share the same last name. Holler, Mr. Carter!

Stop what you are doing right now and watch this.

I’m going through major travel withdrawals right now, but watching this totally lifted my spirits. And it gives me hope for returning to the workforce — that these kinds of people still exist. People who lip-sync to the Backstreet Boys and twirl around office chairs while holding laptops and have crazy wide eyes. AWESOME.

“I am a breathing time machine…”

I just discovered (and simultaneously fell in love with) The Avett Brothers. They performed in a podcast of NPR’s “All Songs Considered.” I don’t even know how to describe the music. A little rock. A little bluegrass. Entirely wonderful. Even though I spent an afternoon watching some of their performances on Youtube, I still can’t tell the brothers apart, and some of their facial hair styles confuse me. But the music is amazing.

Love the tender lyrics and beautiful detail shots (the piano, the guitar and the Avett Brothers’ eyes) in the “Murder in the City” video:

Other Avett Brothers songs I’m obsessed with:
“Laundry Room” — How can the rock out that goes from 4:45 to the end not make you happy? So. Freakin. Badass. And it’s pretty cute how they dance and jump around while they’re playing.
“Bella Donna” — Makes me want to learn (even more) to play the guitar.

They’re playing in New York in October. I think I have to go.

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One of my dream jobs is to select the music for a film or TV show. The task almost seems impossible — to find the perfect snippet of a song for a specific scene so that it seems like they were made for each other. “Grey’s Anatomy” always does a good job, and after watching season 3 of “Weeds,” I’m noticing some stellar pairings as well.

Xavier Rudd’s song “Messages” was in a “Weeds” episode and the catchy refrain lured me in. His voice sounded familiar, but I’d never actually heard any of his songs before. Other interesting asides: Rudd is an Aussie, plays the didgeridoo and never wears shoes (as you may notice in the video).

I’ve been a fan of State Radio for a few years and have even seen them in concert in New York. But this song slipped by me until I heard it in “Weeds.”

Music of my heart

I’ve always operated under the unspoken rule of friendship that when you come across a book, movie, blog or song that you love, you share it. If something brings you a lot of joy, why not let other people in on it. Especially people you like. Because that’s nice.

But my friends don’t really follow this unspoken rule. Only after I’ve discovered something and rave about it to them will they say, “Oh yeah, that band is really good.” or “I know. I thought that movie was great when I saw it two months ago.” After which I’m all “WTF. Why didn’t you tell me? I don’t have cable! I don’t have a radio! How else am I supposed to find these things in a timely manner if you don’t have my back?”

In the spirit of sharing and following unspoken rules of friendship, here’s some music I’ve been enjoying lately:

“Heartbeats” by Jose Gonzalez
Youtube actually recommended it to me. This particular video with the song is actually a commercial, which would normally make me like it 43 percent less, but I’m actually quite fond of them together. Particularly entranced by the guitar, and the perfect background for reading and writing.

“Will You Be There” by Michael Jackson (perhaps more widely known as the “Free Willy song”)
Seems everyone is blaring “Billie Jean,” “Thriller” and “Pretty Young Thing” in memory of Michael. But I gotta give this song some props. I’m a sucker for large choirs (especially when they include children). Also. It makes me want to twirl around and swim with whales. And perform the dance circa the 4:30-5 minute mark. Don’t judge.

“Windowdipper” by Jib Kidder
First heard this Thursday night on “So You Think You Can Dance” when Ade performed a solo. Holy Mother. It was awesome. The music. The moves. I had a moment. I impatiently waited until the show’s website was updated so I could find out the real name of the song (I had it in my head as “Windowwasher” and wasn’t having much luck finding it). I love the energy the song has and how the sounds are so layered (though I’m not entirely sure what’s going on in the video, especially the last few seconds).

If you have any stellar songs, I think you know who you should send them to. Because that’d be nice.