Caroline Smith and The Good Night Sleeps :: Closing the Doors
For those of you who enjoy good female vocal leads and instrumentals that make you wanna dance with someone, this is your group. I have been hearing Caroline Smith and The Good Night Sleeps on 89.3 The Current for quite sometime now, but I always confused them with the musical stylings of Ingrid Michaelson. However, this morning, I was paying attention and learned the real name of the group who has been signing a song I can't get out of my head as of late. I also learned that they're based in Minneapolis - which means I am so going to see them when they're next in town :)
Thus begins our summer music circuit. I hope you all enjoy this new group as much as I do!
So, I know that we started to do themes each month this year, but I can't contain my excitement! Jayber Crow, a dynamic duo out of the Twin Cities (and 1/2 Luther Alum), just put out a new music video to go with the release of their latest album Two Short Stories on iTunes!!! Not only is the song pretty amazing - this video is awesome and homemade, by Pete (the mandolin player). I have been playing this song pretty much non-stop since the weekend, so to find that a new video was released only spurred my non-stop loop of Jayber Crow's music.
I hope you all enjoy it just as much as I have been - especially with all the snow melting these last few days...
This particular local group has become a new favorite of mine - mainly because my friend Susan Tanabe (last one on the right) is in it :P But also because they are REALLY GOOD! It has been a long time since I've seen a group of people that really just know how to jam and have a good time on stage, and these folks sure do know how to entertain! Accompanying the sweet vocal stylings of lead singer, Michael Valentine and Susan (standing next to each other) are a trap set, hand drums, a cello, keyboards, and guitar (with the occasional mouth trumpet - my personal fav!). I am very excited to go to more live shows by this group, but also to buy their EP when it comes out in March (hopefully!!!). Valentine and Tanabe's vocals blend very well together, and you can tell that this particular group experiences many moments of musical communion with one another.
Valentine's voice sort of reminds me a little of Death Cab For Cutie singer Benjamin Gibbard, specifically in that 'I can listen to this guy sing for a long time and not get annoyed because he's actually genuine rather than whinney, plus he's super cute and very talented' sort of way. :D What sets Acting Normal apart from most other local bands is that not only are they very talented musicians that work well together, they have a very tight sound. They are very well put together and not just your average thrown together garage band.
If you're ever in the Twin Cities area and can happen upon a show of theirs, (they've performed at Acadia a few times already this year...) you should totally make it happen.
Unfortunately, I can't embed any of their music on this site, so you'll have to click HERE to check out a couple of their songs - my personal favorite is the first one called Something Sweet. To find out more about Acting Normal, click HERE (I recomend checking out their site for all their funny promo pictures as well - they are funny!)
To celebrate the last day of 2008, I would like to segue into the new year, by starting off January's Song of the Day theme: Local Artists! I know a bunch of us have already posted on Cloud Cult (ahem: Brenda, Dylan, Myself, Kelsey, etc...)...But - They really are freakin awesome :) and so is The Meaning of 8. This is most definitely an album that I never get tired of listening to, and I think that is mostly due to the fact that there are so many layers to Cloud Cult. This album is also a go-to album for any mood I may be in because the end result is always the same - I feel extremely happy and hopeful and instantly better when I listen to it. I've been lucky enough to see them play live a couple of times already this year, and I really encourage all of you to check them out when they come to/near your town.
Until then, you should have a little listen - if you have those big head phones that cover your ears and can find a comfortable place to sit/lay down that faces a window you can look out of while listening to them, I would suggest it. It will change the way you hear music.
Some of my favorite tracks from this album include: Chemicals Collide, Take Your Medicine, Chain Reaction, Purpose, and Thanks. No more jabbing! time to listen! :)
I love this woman and I'm so excited to finally live in the same state so I can try to frequent her shows. Ellis is a magnificent performer and has this very awkward/funny charm - not to mention, I dig her music. She's also a very kind individual and does a lot for the local music scene here in the Twin Cities.
When I first heard this song, I thought it was cute and funny, but I just couldn't relate to the sentiments she sings about her love for java. But now, I have a new found appreciation for the song and the drink it is about - I love coffee. Seriously. I really love it. I have even started enjoying it...black. I used to say that I like a little coffee with my cream, but really, I am starting to love coffee without any additives - but more importantly, I truly do believe in the superhuman strength it gives me that Ellis sings about....
There's really nothing like starting off your day with a giant mug of coffee and looking out the window and seeing all the fun fall colors.
And just like my need for more than one cup of coffee each day, so is it necessary to listen to this song more than once...hence the multiple videos...one for each cup of coffee I plan on drinking today :D
Here's to Tuesdays, Coffee, and Fall :) The end. Love, Meggo.
Coffee Song :: Ellis
I spend all my money I dress you up for fun I’m not too proud to say I’ll go that extra mile I cool you down when it’s hot I heat you up when it’s not I treat you right- oh you know you’re the one
I’ve tried all kinds of teas I’ve tried the yerba matte It’s not the same even If it looks like a latte We’ve had some time apart And I was less shaky But I feel more alive When I’ve had my cup of coffee
You fit my every mood With an uplifting feeling It’s like a superhero comes in every cup And when I start to fade You’re there to save the day You make me feel like I am stronger than I was
I’ve tried all kinds of teas I’ve tried the yerba matte It’s not the same even If it looks like a latte We’ve had some time apart And I was less shaky But I feel more alive when I’ve had two cups of coffee
It’s not always bliss I can have too much of you I take time away and for a while Decaf will have to do
You are a politician On a people- pleasing mission So many faces to the simple bean you are You are a caramel hi-rise Or a simple latte small size Or a cappuccino dry - Or coffee at the bar
I’ve tried the turtle mocha I’ve tried the mint extreme I’ve had the macchiato I’ve had extra whip cream I’m not ashamed to say it I want you every day Even at the gas station I’ll go out of my way
I’ve tried all kinds of teas I’ve tried the yerba matte It’s not the same even If it looks like a latte We’ve had some time apart And I was less shaky But I feel more alive when I’ve had three cups of coffee
So, lots of things are going on and are happening super fast. I hauled ass and got to MN from DC in 2 days - driving through torrential rains, extreme boredom, gut rot from gas station food/coffee, and annoying Chicago drivers...I did it. But I wouldn't have been able to do it if it weren't for the musical stylings of one...or should i say two?...Belle and Sebastian.
I was first introduced to B&S my sophomore year of college at Luther by Brenda - the much wiser, cooler senior friend I had made. Every time I went to her room (aka the Hot Box), B&S would 9 times out of 10 be playing in the background while she sat in the orange 'family' chair - legs crossed, chillin, reading a book or a magazine. Brenda was the epitome of coolness and I secretly (but probably really obviously) ate up all the things she introduced me to, especially B&S.
This particular song is off their album, Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant holds the best spot on the album as Track 1. I purchased this album for my cross country trek because I needed something that was going to remind me of that excited feeling I got from visiting Brenda in the Hot Box. I hope you all enjoy it, as it is my favorite track off this album! My apologies for the short/late post, but as soon as things get more under control for me, I'll be back to my sassy, anal retentively timely postings...
i heard this song a couple of weeks back, but recently happened upon it again whilst listening to 89.3 The Current. i really dig this woman and after doing some research, i get so excited it's noticeably obvious! turns out Haley Bonar is a fellow midwesterner (from South Dakota) who is based out of St. Paul, Minnesota! *swoon!* so clearly i am completely interested in this musician from the start.
she's got a few records out (the first put out in 2003), with her latest album titled Big Star having been released earlier this past year. she has also won a couple of Minnesota Music Awards, which is super exciting as well...not to mention having her album featured in the Star Tribune, City Pages, The Onion, and Pulse magazine.
what i really enjoy about Haley Bonar is that she sounds like a nice blend of midwestern country meets hippie folk...not your typical twangy country singer, not quite weird enough to be super folky...i like how calm her music is too. she makes me want to take a road trip and buy all her music and spend 22 hours listening to just her while i leave the concrete and buildings and traffic behind and watch the corn fields and dirt roads pass me.
i am really excited for this musician and even more excited to be able to move to the Twin Cities so that i can add her to the list of artists to try to see on a regular basis!
the end. love, meggo.
Something Great :: Haley Bonar
(i tried to find the lyrics online, but couldn't so i did the best i could...if anyone has any corrections, feel free to leave them in the comment section!)
you've been talkin bout something great but you don't really know what you're sayin i guess that goes without to say that you don't really know what you're payin for
but it's in the way it's in the way you see it's in the way it's in the way you see me
my mother told me this yesterday that girls like me only get to somewhere it's not really much of the things you say but how you look at them and who does your hair
the skin you take the kids you face baby the skin you take might take your place baby
you'd be talkin about something great but you don't really know what you're saying i guess that goes without to say that you don't know really what you're paying for what you're paying for what you're paying for
today's blog is about how awesome 89.3 The Current is. i recently became a contributing member to the minnesota public radio station and i am so glad i did! they really do play some quality music, and a lot of it is stuff you wouldn't hear on just any radio station. they also have their own radio feed on itunes, so you can listen to them anytime, anywhere (provided you're near a computer w/internetaccess).
anyway, today's song is by Mates of State. this husband and wife duo started making music in 1997 and they've been rockin it ever since. what sets this group apart from other musical acts is their primary use of drums and organ, as opposed to most bands, that utilize guitar, bass, etc... anyway, they are fun and catchy and i hope you all enjoy them :) the end. love, meggo.
Better Now :: Mates of State Forget your politics for a while Let the color schemes arrive
Come on board, it's a curious site Absorbing sound that's never been right Never ahead of, never behind it Occasionally guarded, just keeps us surrounded It's luck
Everything's gonna get lighter, even if it never gets better
I propose a less serious boat Don't mistake for a party of jokes You are never ahead of, never behind us Floating in circles, there's more to remind them of less
Everything's gonna get lighter, even if it never gets better
Forget your politics for a while Let the color schemes arrive
BONUS SONG! also...if you haven't listened to Andrew Bird, you maybe should do that too...we will probably blog about him another time, but until then, enjoy this song!
"Tina sounds like the unholy love child of Janis Joplin, Joan Osborne, and the goddess of Southern Baptist Soul. Goes with: Saturday-night sinning and Sunday-morning spirit-cleansing." J.C. - Bitch Magazine
When PRIDE weekend kicked off this last Friday here in Minneapolis, I had no idea what I was in for. I decided on a whim to go to the Uptown Block Party, where Tina Schlieske was headlining. WOW, WOW, WOW! I didn’t know anything about her before I arrived, but I was in love by the time I left! She is a queer female singer/songwriter/activist with a huge diva voice and a rockin’ performance style. I could not sit still through the entire set! I jumped/danced/yelled/spun around in the street until I was exhausted and dizzy, but I still couldn’t get enough of her soulful voice and bluesy musical stylings.
Right then and there, I decided that I needed to blog about her, and the more I found out about her, the more amazed I became. She grew up here in Minneapolis, where she taught herself to the play the guitar and started her first band, Tina and the B-Sides, while still in High School. She and the B-Sides stayed together for 10 years, during which time Tina started her own record label called Movement Records. (Now here is where I got really excited…) In 2001, music legend and fellow Austinite Stevie Ray Vaughn (!!!!) approached Tina to be the new lead singer/rhythm guitarist for his band, Double Trouble. (I know you’re excited, too. Don’t try to hide it.) Eventually, though, she decided to leave the band in order to create her new, solo debut album, “Slow Burn,” here in her native Minnesota.
Unfortunately, I could not find any song lyrics for her, but I did find this great video of her performing at 1st Ave. It’s a promo video, so it’s not one continuous song, but instead a great sampling of some new songs, some stuff she did with the B-Sides, and some stuff from her new solo album. All in all, she is an amazing performer, who marries my love for my two homelands (Austin, TX and Minneapolis, MN), and y’all should check her out!
So...I'm from Minnesota. Lots of great things are located in Minnesota and many really amazing people are from Minnesota. Here's some lists I made about the coolness of Minnesota:
Arts/Culture/Entertainment:
The Walker/Sculpture Gardens
The St. Paul Saints
The Guthrie
MPR
Little House on the Prairie
The Current
Prairie Home Companion
The Southern Theatre
The Fringe Festival
Orpheum Theatre
Weisman Art Museum
The University of Minnesota
Minneapolis Institute of Art
Gay Men's Chorus
Taste of Minnesota
Art-a-Whirl
Musicians/Bands/People:
Bob Dylan - musician
Jonny Lang - musician
Prince - musician
Cloud Cult - band
Fitzgerald - band
Mary Grandpre (the illustrator of all the American released Harry Potter books!)
Ellis - musician (originally from Texas, but great addition to Minnesota)
Mason Jennings - musician
Stuart Davis - musician
Hüsker Dü - band
Paul Wellstone - senator
F. Scott Fitzgerald - author
Judy Garland - actor
Garrison Keillor - author
Jessica Lange - actor
Roger Maris - baseball player
Winona Rider - actor
Josh Hartnett - actor
Kirby Puckett - baseball player
Charles Schulz (creator of Peanuts)
Kate Millet - feminist!
Laura Ingalls Wilder - author
Kent Hrbek - baseball player
Charles Lindbergh - aviator
Al Franken - comedian turned politician
T.R. Knight - actor
Nature/Animals:
Over 10,000 lakes
Some of the oldest rocks on the planet!
Iron Ranges
Waterfalls
Bluffs
Trees that regularly change colors with the seasons
SNOW!!!
Snowy Owls
Whitetail Deers
Elk
Moose
Bobcats
Red-Tailed Hawks
Bison
Timber Wolves (the animal, not the basketball team)
Bald Eagles
The Mississippi River
Miscellaneous:
Minnesota Nice
"Uff Da"
Potlucks
Hotdishes/Casserole
"Yeah, sure, youbetcha!"
bars (like rice crispy bars)
"It's a hoot!"
Hootenannies
Gayness per capita
Boundary Waters
Kare 11 News
Twin Cities Marathon
Movies:
Drop Dead Gorgeous
Grumpy Old Men
Grumpier Old Men
Mighty Ducks
Purple Rain
Mall Rats
Fargo (not technically in MN but lots of it was filmed in MN)
Juno
Places:
The Mayo Clinic
Farming Communities
Minneapolis/St. Paul
Lake Calhoun
The Basilica
Mall of America
The Townhouse
PI
Kafe 421
Mesa Pizza
Kitty Cat Klub
Al's Breakfast
Mythical Figures from Minnesota:
Jolly Green Giant
Minnehaha
Paul Bunyan
Poppin' Fresh
Betty Crocker
Rocky and Bullwinkle
Basically, I'm a little bit fixated on Minnesota and can't wait to move back...to get to partake in its greatness. And another group that I'd like to add to the list is Heiruspecs (High Roo Specs) - a hip hop/rap group out of St. Paul. These fellas are pretty amazing. These guys are the real deal. Everything about them is real. There are no pre-recorded back beats, sound effects, lame things...every sound they make is real, genuine, and honest. This group is so amazing that St. Paul Mayor, Chris Coleman, gave them a day - December 22. That's right. December 22 is Heiruspecs Day in St. Paul, MN.
I know that the majority of the music I listen to currently is very folkish...lesbionic...whatever. But I cannot deny that Heiruspecs are freakin awesome and they make my head bob and my feet tap...while simultaneously sitting still to listen carefully to their lyrics so I don't miss anything. When they perform, I want to listen. I want to pay attention - because the Hip Hop that they make is unlike the "Hip Hop" you will hear on the radio or in a dance club. It is Hip Hop with a mission and that mission is to take us back to the purpose of Hip Hop - to its roots...to what it was originally intended to be - but with a modern flare, naturally :)
So, sit back and enjoy the beats, rhymes, and stylings of these noteworthy Minnesotans.
The end.
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A Tiger Dancing::Heiruspecs
[Felix]
Rock your body to the bass drum, take some high hat
Stack the energy like a Lego set, read the liner
Peter's got my back, we can give you some of that
Guaranteed to blow the spot like a strip miner
You can find us in the basement
Workin' on that stomp your feet sound, stomp the beat down
Often we clown and "get around" like Tupac
But still find time to rip the shit wide open
Like one of Hulk Hogan's tank tops
You can't knock the hustle and hustle we will
No cheap trick, no frills and no thrills
Just straight forward head noddin' we provide y'all
Make other similar crews break apart like A Tribe Called
My Quest to find peace with streets through beats that won't cease
Is at the very least a beast
I feast on a break then I take my aim
They just look sort of good, they got Kournikova game
(call me)
[Muad'Dib]
Purpose to make kids nervous
Absurd curvature known to come free with any purchase
And it seems to work
I didn't mean to hurt your ego
Webelos scout, keep the kerchief
Wipe your peepers, it's Ebenezer Bleezer's freezer pleasers
[following brenda's lead on blogging about the performers who will be at Rock The Garden, sponsored by the Walker Art Center and Minnesota Public Radio's 89.3 The Current....sorry Dylan....]
ok...so i know that we've had more than a few posts about Cloud Cult, but i'm tellin ya. they're phenomenal!!! plus, i got to see them perform LIVE in DC this past weekend and i'm still on a high. i've always been a fan of live music because there's something special in going to see an artist/group share their art with you...especially when that layout is in a small, intimate setting...surrounded by other people who share your love of that particular artist/group.
Cloud Cult takes musical communion to a new level and it was almost overwhelming at times - not in a bad way...just in a way that sort of encompasses you...trust me, it's surprisingly uplifting :) they not only utilize the traditional forms of instruments (guitar, bass, drums, vocals, keyboard), but they throw in a cello, a violin, a trombone, video, live painting, and a passion for living green...all of the people in the group really know how to jam and you can see how into it they are! it's both hilarious and amazing...simultaneously!!!
(they move around so much that it's hard to take a good picture of them too...)
plus, if you're lucky (and have some extra money lying around) you can bid in a silent auction for some sweet art! this particular painting was made by Connie Minowa during the concert i went to...i made a bid, but there were other people who really wanted it more...and had the cash to do it (but i'm proud to say i played my part in making sure they dished out more, because it was really worth more than what anyone ended up paying for it...)
Cloud Cult's music goes beyond catchy lyrics and licks...it really is personal...not just for them, but for the listener. craig minowa has this ability to write songs that not only tell a great story, but have a moral/life lesson. i've taken to Cloud Cult's music a lot in the last two months, and it's come in handy as the spring is always a time where the crap from the winter gets cleared away and creates new room for things to grow.
this particular song i enjoy very much because it's one of those songs that you can't help but move to, plus, when you get to see their shows, you get to sing, dance and shout along! the attached video hopefully provides an example of this. however, the visual quality isn't that great...BUT, the audio is probably one of the best i've heard for what's one youtube and taken by someone in the crowd :) but, just in case you'd rather hear the recorded version, i've posted that as well :)
enjoy.
the end.
<3,
meggo.
The Story of the Grandson of Jesus::Cloud Cult
today is a good day to flex the muscles of the weary
a miracle is a miracle even when it's ordinary
we will walk on the water even though it seems scary
if someone will show us the way
i shook hands with the man who honestly thinks he's
the grandson of Jesus with the penchant for pinches
he served us communion of cola and twinkies
guess everyone has their own view
he stood on his soap box and told us a parable
of a man with eyeglasses so small they're unwearable
and the moral of the story is it all looks terrible
depending on what you look through, what you look through
he said "do unto yourself as you do unto your neighbor,
it's not an eye for an eye, it's a favor for a favor
and it's okay if this world had a billion saviors
'cause there's so many things to be saved
take my words with a boulder of salt
or blame it on your devil
always the scapegoats fault
we all point fingers when it comes to a halt
can somebody show us the way, show us the way?"
i had the privilege of not only getting to visit my hometown of choice [decorah, ia] this past weekend, but also to hear the musical stylings of none other than jayber crow. jayber crow is comprised of two guys, zach hawkins [fellow luther alum] and pete nelson. their music, as previously mentioned by sumner, really is reminiscent of the midwest...or at least the midwest that i grew up in. it always reminds me of 'home' and my families.
anyway, it was really great to see these guys perform and to hear some of their new music! it's so new, that there's not even a clip online that i can post on here for y'all to listen to, so you'll have to go to jayber crow's myspace page HERE to give it a listen. they've got a new album out called "two short stories"...and that's exactly what it is! the first 5 songs of the album is called 'freeze and thaw', while the last 6 make up 'where is this wilderness'.
the songs that they write are mostly about learning and growing and places that change you, or at least, that's what my interpretation is...i really dig their music, and hopefully, so will you! this particular song is from the second story of the album and is about john deere and his plow. for those of you who have grown up on farms and understand the significance of such machinery, then you'll enjoy this song. for those of you city folk, well...here's a little history lesson :) the lyrics aren't up anywhere online, so i typed them up really quick, so my apologies in advance if i've screwed any of them up...
hope y'all enjoy.
the end.
<3,
meggo.
Panic of 1837::Jayber Crow
so let us sing of sandy soil
virgin prairie left unspoiled
and all the tall grass
dying when winter came
coming back up in the spring
to die again, oh let us sing
i'll tell you now, boy
just how the world was made
but oh dear, john deere
headed west across the land
oh dear, john deere
some things you give you cannot get back again
some things you give you cannot get back again
so let us sing of the frontier
what unlucky pioneers
she was fertile
but she would not plow
johnny came to make a name
thought of a plow so scouring
they sunk it in, son
and she went quietly [not sure on this line]
they tore it up, man
as far as eyes could see
and they sent her down the mississippi river
whoaaa!!!!
oh dear, john deere
sank the steel into the land
oh dear, john deere
some things you give you cannot get back again
some things you give you cannot get back again
some things you give you cannot get back again
some things you give you cannot get back again
today marks the release day of Cloud Cult's eighth album Feel Good Ghosts (Tea-Partying Through Tornadoes). you can purchase it directly from them HERE, or you can go to iTunes and download it, or you can find out what stores are selling it. and what's super impresssive, almost as much as the music, is the fact that you will be supporting an independent, not for profit, green record label! Earthology Records! however you choose to support them, it will be a wise life choice for all involved :)
Feel Good Ghosts is, by far, one of the best CDs i have every owned in my short 25 years and will already have been played just as many, if not more, times than all of my Ani DiFranco cds...(which is saying a LOT!). i was introduced to Cloud Cult through this very blog, thanks to one of our guest bloggers (kelsey!), and i've been literally hooked ever since. it isn't very often that one can listen to an entire cd and enjoy every single track individually, as well as the cd as a whole, and i can honestly say that this is exactly the case for this album. while trying to think of which tracks i wanted to blog about, i really couldn't single it down to one...hell, even two songs. so, fortunately, i was able to let technology make the decision for me...as there are only a few songs available to listen to online :)
i'll let y'all decide which ones are your favorites!
No One Said It Would Be Easy - this is the first track on the cd and i would argue that it is a good highlight song, or a song that best exemplifies the musical stylings one can only anticipate to expect from Cloud Cult. it combines layers of electronica, piano, acoustic guitar, vocal harmonies, and some kick ass percussion!
Everybody Here Is A Cloud - this song directly follows the first track...but is a great example of how each of these songs flow right into one another, thus making the album almost feel like one song that lasts about 40 mind blowing minutes! talk about \--/jammin!\--/
When Water Comes to Life - as the fourth track, we get a taste of the other instrumentals that are often included in Cloud Cult, with the edition of a violin, cello, oboe, etc...giving the group even more layers than a pineapple upside down cake! yum!
Story of the Grandson of Jesus - this is the ninth track and one of the more...rockin tracks, as it gives you that feeling of wanting to be in company of others to share in musical communion, while jumping up and down to all the accentuated punches in the song.
Hurricane and Fire Survival Guide - once again, this song flows really well after the previous track...which only heightens one's urge to jam out with your clam out...or rock out with your cock out...whichever you prefer.
May Your Hearts Stay Strong - this is the eleventh track on the cd and is probably one of the less immediately happy songs, but still freakin rockin, if you ask me.
well folks, that's that. i hope y'all enjoyed this sample of cloud cult's latest album and go out and support this indie-minnesotan group!!!
It was probably 2004 when I first became acquainted with the Jayhawks. It was in the summer of my year with the Lutheran Volunteer Corps, and my housemates and I were looking for something cheap to do one hot, muggy night. There was some sort of free art and music thing in the theaters downtown, so we went down there to check it out. I coaxed them into going to see Brenda Weiler and some other guy, Gary Louris. Brenda Weiler was good, but Gary Louris blew us away. He is the singer for the (now-defunct?) Jayhawks, an alt-country band from Minnesota. Anyway, he is a magnetic performer live. After that show, I got a bunch of Jayhawks CDs from the library, and for the rest of the summer I drove my housemates nuts playing them on repeat.
Save It for a Rainy Day
Pretty little hairdo don't do what it used to Can't disguise the living All the miles that you've been through
Looking like a train wreck Wearing too much makeup The burden that you carry Is more than one soul could ever bear
Don't look so sad, Marina There's another part to play Don't look so sad, Marina Save it for a rainy day Save it for a rainy day Save it for a rainy day
You neve make your mind up Like driving with your eyes shut Rough around the edges Won't someone come and take you home
Waiting for a breakthrough What will you set your mind to? We stood outside the Chinese restaurant in the rain
Don't look so sad, Marina There's another part to play Don't look so sad, Marina Save it for a rainy day Save it for a rainy day Save it for a rainy day
Minnesotans rock. plain and simple. and musicians from Minnesota rock even harder.Tapes 'n Tapes is composed of four dudes who reside in Minneapolis, MN...and they're a riot and a half. i first became introduced to them because one of my good friends from undergrad is dating the keyboardist/euphonium player/tambourine shaker/etc (aka Matt)...and i visited her while i was home for the holidays. we enjoyed a wonderful brunch together and he told me a little bit about his band and that they were currently working on a new cd, as their premiere was such a great hit! he was fairly modest about his band, and we had a good conversation. i got back to DC and promptly did what any 20 something in the 21st century would do, i myspaced his band, naturally. what caught my attention immediately was the fact that they sounded different. i don't typically do dude music...in fact, if you look at my music library, you'll find a wide collection of lady music...often times of the lesbian folk variety. however, i got hooked on Tapes 'n Tapes. these guys have a sound about them that works very well for live shows where you can jump around, sing along, dance all wild, and just have a great time in general. i mean, listening to their music only makes me want more of them...they make me wish i could hang out with them and do some hootenannying. anyway, i am choosing to write about this particular song of their first album, The Loon (how Minnesotan?! yeah!!!). Insistor is my personal favorite of the songs on that album, mostly because after listening to the album, this is the song that keeps popping up in my head when i'm just sitting around...and the drum part. i think it's the drum part that i'm a little bit addicted to because it makes me feel like i gotta hurry up and get things done...which is so true, for those of you who know me. i digress...
most favorite lyric in this song: And don't be terse and don't be shy i mean...how many bands do you know of that utilize their vocabulary this way??? exactly, just what i thought too! not many. second most favorite lyric of the song: So I'll stay here and fight for lover's rights ...enough said.
the first video was filmed in the streets of Paris and the band pretty much jammed and improvised with skills only found in true musicians. equipped with only a glass bottle, a spoon, a large metal pipe, some drum sticks, a guitar and sheet metal siding, tapes 'n tapes gives us their own version of musical communion...and i dig it. the second video is of the same song, but is the official music video. watch and prepare to be entertained!
hats off from one Minnesotan to another. the end. <3, meggo.
p.s. next Minnesota concert will be 04.10.08 in minneapolis, mn @ first avenue...if anyone wants to join me...or in DC on 04.23.08 @ the 9:30 club...i'm excited!!! Tapes 'n Tapes::Insistor Improve in the Streets of Paris Insistor
Tapes 'n Tapes::Insistor (Official Video)
Tapes 'n Tapes::Insistor
Kelly the insistor Your brother is a blister I'll be had if I'm in your dress tonight
When you go and you're all alone Are you still afraid of home Do you lie in bed with fright
Your father said I lost her Your brother said I fought her But I stood still and I'm in your arms tonight
And when you rush I'll call your name Like Harvard Square holds all inane And don't you know I'll be your badger And don't be terse and don't be shy Just hug my lips and say good lies And know that I will be your bail bond
Mickey the ol' lithper Said hey there hey mister My cold razor's edge will meet you in the light
When you go and you're on stage Is your heart still filled with rage? Do you still fight for lover's rights?
Challenge is for lovers But when I run my feet hurt So I'll stay here and fight for lover's rights
And when you rush I'll call your name Like Harvard Square holds all inane And don't you know I'll be your badger And don't be terse and don't be shy Just hug my lips and say good lies And know that I will be your bail bond
Oh Kelly don't you go Kelly don't you go Kelly don't you go I want you to know That I've been trying, I've been lying I've been stealing, I've been hiding I will meet you in the grave Kelly, Kelly, it's not your right To be cheating, fighting and starting life When my head and hands are tied to you so tight Oh Kelly just tell me one more thing Is it mine or is it some other ring That you wear as we lie in bed tonight?
And Kelly, who's the logger? Oh, Kelly, who's the logger? Oh Kelly, who's the logger who's trees were felled with might? And Kelly, hold your water Oh Kelly, hold your water Oh Kelly, Kelly, hold your water tight
And when you rush I'll call your name Like Harvard Square holds all inane And don't you know I'll be your badger And don't be terse and don't be shy Just hug my lips and say goodbye Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye Goodbyebyebyebyebyebyebyebyebye
I was introduced to Cloud Cult when I first moved to Minnesota by my beautiful and wonderful friend, Jess. I've seen them live several times, and they are AMAZING, for many reasons. One, when they perform, they have two live artists creating large format oil paintings in the background, which they auction off at the end of the show.
Two, when they performed at the fair on the 4th of July, they played, "Moving to Canada". :)
This song, in particular, holds significance for the band since it's about the lead singer's son, who was killed suddenly while still a young child. The album, "Happy Hippo", was released shortly after his death, where there are many songs featuring his voice and laugh, and many others dedicated to him or written about him. It is for this reason that "Transistor Radio" leaves me with such a feeling of melancholic peace every time I listen....
Enjoy, Kelsey
Transistor Radio::Cloud Cult
I heard grandpa on my transistor radio, Though he turned in his bones twenty years ago, And he said, "Kid, theres something that I'd like to show you, Get your things, its time for us to go" So I grabbed my backpack, my flashlight, and a bag of caramel corn, I got my bicycle, and the radio, and I had it on the road, I said "I'm ready for what I'm about to see, Yup"
I headed north to rain that turned to snow Through rusty towns and dusty gravel roads And I said, "Grandpa, where is this thing you wanted to show me?" He said, "Kid, you got a long way to go" So I went through canyons, caves and catacombs, I sailed on bicycle boats I slept in chapels and brothels, I met the nicest folks I said, "I'm ready for what I'm about to see, Yup"
I heard grandpa on my transistor radio He said, "Kid, its time for me to go, And I know that there was something that I wanted to show you, But its time for you to find it on your own." "Let me tell you about rage when a signal died that day, Theres nothing out there and I don't care; Its to take my life away I'm not ready and I don't want to see, Nope"
Its been years since I heard my transistor radio Yet I keep going to where it seems I'm meant to go And I finally realized what he wanted to show me Where I've been, where I am, its the show Where I've been, where I am, its the show Where I've been, where I am, its the show
Caroline Smith and The Good Night Sleeps :: Closing the Doors
