this week, cover songs. sometimes, they’re the worst idea ever–horrid, awful, embarrassing attempts to recreate something that should never be touched again. (kinda like when spielberg thought it would be a great idea to release that tom cruise disaster remake of war of the worlds.) but then, there are times when genius strikes and the remake is, dare i say, very nearly better than the original. these songs, in my humble opinion, fall in the latter category.
i played this literally 6 or 7 times at the end of my workday yesterday. and my ears don’t regret it. unfortunately, i can’t find a video, so you’ll have to link elsewhere to hear it, but its upbeat tempo and smooth sound will not leave you disappointed. (and…i’m listening to it again.)
i didn’t even realize this version existed until KFO’H shared it with me (where would i be without her? lost, obvy.). i don’t necessarily think it’s better than joni mitchell’s, but mchlachlan’s rendition is so beautiful, i couldn’t resist including it.
[i know, i know. i haven't quite held up my bargain and promise of posting weekly music faves. sorry 'bout that. i promise to try harder. but until my desire turns to actual doing, here are 5 to fill the void.]
this week’s tunes are all brand spankin’ new. well, “new” in the truest sense to me, meaning my ears have never been privy to the sound. each tune made the cut just because the combo of lyrics and sound struck a chord with me. either that or i was just in the mood. whatever the rhyme or reason, i hope you enjoy.
(these first 2 hail from austin, giving me yet another reason to love the crap out of that city.)
i’ve found these guys invoke extreme feelings of adoration or disdain from music lovers. admittedly, it took me a couple listens to enjoy “horchata,” but i’m still drinking the VW kool-aid. and love ‘em or hate ‘em, they put out a new album, hence the addition to this week’s list.
it’s that time of year when little girls clad in sashes covered in patches and armed with perfectly crafted, not-too-sweet, but not-too-pushy sales pitches invade our offices, homes and the sidewalks of retail shopping centers everywhere with one–and only one–agenda: to tempt me with their thin mints, tagalongs and do-si-dos. and by god, it works every time.
i don’t know if it’s their innocent charm that wins me over or the pure crack-injected goodness of the product they’re pushing, and i don’t care. i just know girl scout cookie time is my favorite time of the year, so if someone doesn’t declare girl scout cookie season the next nationally recognized season stat, then i’m starting a petition*.
once those glorious cookies arrive and i tear into them with open arms (aka, shove them into my mouth, one box at a time), this–i know–will be me.
"whew" is right, fat cat.
*oh, who am i kidding? a petition takes WAY more effort than i’m willing to put forth.
i’ve always said when i can’t find the words to verbally express what’s swirling around in my mind, i let music talk for me. until yesterday.
i heard a song sans words and it rocked my inner routine. unreal. i have officially been moved by a song that doesn’t say a single thing, save for a tiny trace of a hum. still, i immediately sank into myself. sitting in an office of ~100 peeps, it was me and me alone in here, and it dawned on me: when no words are needed in music, for me, it is the feeling and knowledge of love that creates that instant communication path, intersecting somewhere between the bermuda triangle of the heart, body and mind. beautiful, sensual, thoughtful, compelling, insatiable, gratifying, warming, sensational, undeniable–all traits that untangle the webs in my mind, leading me through the darkness and drawing me into the root of the song and the meaning of love, one beat at a time.
if you don’t dissect music quite this neurotically and don’t get from this song anything remotely similar to what i got from it, it’s cool. either way, i hope you at least appreciate the beauty of this tune.
coming home to tejas always spins a twinge of nostalgia–a little bit heartwarming, a little bit blasé–in my heart and mind. i lose myself in the familiarity of it all. the roads. the expansion. the southern fried delciousness. the open fields. the manic weather. the smells in my mother’s kitchen. my friends. my family. the accents. the pace. apartment complex after apartment complex. cookie cutter stability. the ever-sprawling suburbia. the blatant disregard for trees and land to make room for yet another mecca of shopping centers and chain restaurants designed solely for convenience. smoky bars. (i forgot how much that stale stank seeps into your clothing and hair and remains even post shower.) the ease and humility of my upbringing.
eventually, though, you leap out of the nest and learn to fly (to the far reaches of the great white north, in my case), leaving behind everything you’ve ever known. and then–then, you do something crazy like fall in love. real love. the kind that leaves no question, no doubt. the kind that wraps you in blankets soft as kittens, sweeps you into the stars in one fell swoop and links your heart to theirs with just one look.
and you realize, home isn’t defined by its locale at all. it’s a feeling. it’s a movement. it’s a smile. it’s knowing that this, THIS, is where i belong–right here with you, wherever that may be.
as much as i love layering, especially the button-down/t-shirt combo, i’ve never been a monster fan of the cardigan. they can look stunning on other women–even men, but i always found them to be frumpy, lackluster and a bit too saccharin sweet for me. until i found these little darlings.
and, as made apparent by these finds, i really, really love gray. (or grey, for you traditionalists.)
[a little bit punk mixed with a dash of sass and femininity. well done, insight.]
need supply :: insight, no rules cardigan :: $88
[despite how horribly wrong this is for my body type, i can't help but want to snuggle into it. i like to think it's the equivalent of a couture snuggie.]
shopbop :: bop basics, hooded cardigan :: $96
[i suppose this passes as more of a sweater coat, but j crew calls it a "cardigan," and thus it earns the right to be here.]
j crew :: fulton funnelneck cardigan :: $298
[splendid is always rather splendid.]
piperlime :: splendid, superfine metallic trim cardigan :: $122.50
[this is a bit too traditional in the cardigan sense, but there's something about the pockets in this gap beauty that caught my eye.]
apologies for skipping last week’s top 5. blame it on the pilgrims and tryptophan, if you please.
this week, i celebrate the sweet sound of love wrapped in romance, surrounded by warmth. narrowing these old gems down to just 5 was next-to-impossible, but i think i done good. now, open up your itunes, bust out a CD-R and add these to a mix “tape” for your honey. they’ll be forever yours. without doubt, i would be a goner. altogether now, let’s *swoon*.
[i know what you're thinking, "expand your musical horizons, murphy. there's more to music than ray lamontagne. au contraire, mon frére. i can't post love songs without including ray. that would be a travesty of epic proportions. even more epic than the time i dropped my chocolate chip cheesecake on the kitchen floor before savoring a single bite. ]
i’ve always been a watch wearer–to the point where my wrist felt nakey without one–but never really a watch lover. in the last year or so, though, i’ve really started to take notice of the different metal, leather, plastic and fabric bands wrapped around many a wrists. labeled by most as an accessory, an afterthought even, i instead see them as a staple to complete my daily wardrobe. without them, i no longer just feel naked. i feel lost. and thus the reason for today’s rumination–or, rather, obsession–over these lovelies.
[i saw this weeks ago and haven't stopped going all goo-goo, ga-ga over it.]
mr jones watches :: cyclops :: $185
[i'm not entirely sure how i feel about potentially paying $200+ for a plastic watch, but there's an appeal here i can't quite deny.]
toy watch :: plasteramic :: approx $225
[oooh, shiny.]
rue la la :: tumi :: $275
[simple and vintage-like. i dig it.]
j crew :: timex military watch :: $150
[feminine lady meets rebellious teen. scrumptious.]
shopbop :: la mer motorcycle chain wrap :: $110
[white and ceramic. probably not a good combo for my tendency to spill and/or drop things, but whatevs. it's rad.]
