Summer {Music} Lovin'

I went through a lot of music this summer. A lot more than I can probably recollect. But I guess that's what happens when you constantly look for more music and buy albums. Here are some albums I bought and played the hell out of. There are several more artists I wanted to buy but music's expensive! Not as expensive as art though haha. I know not all of these are the newest, but good music isn't always the most recent (actually, it normally isn't)

Florence + The Machine's Ceremonials

Tegan and Sara's The Con

Maroon 5's Hands All Over

Fleet Foxes' Helplessness Blues

The Decemberists' The King Is Dead

Norah Jones' Little Broken Hearts

Neko Case's Middle Cyclone

St Vincent's Strange Mercy

Kimbra's Vows

And these are probably my favorite songs from each album:

Trying to pick up the pace, trying to make it so I never see your face again. Time to throw this away want to make sure that you never waste my time again.

Norah Jones – Happy Pills

It's the Original Punk-Rock

Last night my friends and I went to country night at a bar in Bowling Green. Aside from how obviously fun it was, we ended up hearing a lot of country music. Go figure. Normally I would gag at the idea, because I hate listening to country music stations on the radio, even though I actually love the genre. I just can't stand most of the crap that gets played on the radio these days. Period.

However, in light of the fact that I do love country, here are some of my all time favorite songs mixed with some newly found loves. Any of these on your all-time-favorites list?

Country music is completely punk-rock. It's the original punk-rock. - Neko Case

Refuge Between the Notes

All I have for y'all today is some music. Sometimes music is all I have.

I like to listen to what I call Epic Music . . . and Airy Music . . . my idea is that I want to listen to the stuff that if ever a film was made about my life, THIS would be the soundtrack. I also say that my music is so epic you have to roll the windows down.

Here's a very small sample.

Quote about music: Music was my refuge. I could crawl into the space between the notes and curl my back to loneliness. - Maya Angelou

Music Studio

I have been asked a surprising number of times what kind of music I listen to while I paint. Like... a seriously surprising number of times. So, I'm just going to let you in on a short sample playlist of what I put on in the studio.

A lot of people like to listen to popular music and there are even some people in the Art program at UF that put on techno. Let me just tell you... if you ever have to share studio space with other people and you are at all picky about music y'all should either agree on a joint playlist beforehand or both bring headphones. Whatever you do though, you must discuss the topic of music in your joint space before it becomes an issue.

Anyhow, here is the type of music I listen to:

Thoughts on music: If one plays good music, people don't listen and if one plays bad music people don't talk. - Oscar Wilde

If Music Be the Food of Love, Play On.

Music. It's such an awesome of a concept that it can stand on its own. I have met a lot of people in my life who say they love music, but few actually mean it. I am passionate about my music: I like it to build me up and to break my heart. If I can't feel some real emotion in the voice of the singer, they may as well not open their mouth. If I can't hear real passion in the guitar, they should have never strummed or plucked. Same goes with any other instrument. I also can't stand to go see live music where the whole group just looks bored with themselves. If you're bored with your music, what do you expect me to be? I can go watch a violist in the Toledo Symphony Orchestra with more vigor and passion.

I can honestly say that I listen to all music. Every type. I will admit though that I go through phases of what types I obsess over. I also know music dating back far before my arrival in this world, lost music (and otherwise), most of which could have stayed lost and no one would have cared. I remember several road trips with my mom where we sang The Carpenters songs, and listening to Aerosmith, Sheryl Crow and Jewel when I was little. In high school I went through an Outkast, Kanye, Alicia Keys and Beyonce phase. Currently I listen to Neko Case, Fleet Foxes, MirandaLambert . . just to name a few.

Today, however, I would like to share a few of my favorite jazz/blues songs. I love Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald and even though I don't listen to much of the instrumental pieces, I really enjoy the whole experience a jazz work can give you.

Oh, and who doesn't LOVE jazz drums!? Sometimes I like a song just for the drums. Check out these songs and let me know what you think. What kind of music are you listening to these days?