Are You Onboard? November 7, 2009

I just discovered a great new artist, Eric Bibb. His style is a right-on mix of folk, blues, and gospel, without being boring, too roots-y, or too preachy. I came across his website by way of StumbleUpon, which is another newfound joy that may just deserve its own post later. So the first song I heard, which came up instantly on the website, was “New Beale Street Blues.” It was such a great introduction. It reminded me a little of New Orleans (even though I think it’s about Chicago…. or maybe Memphis).

Besides having a great style, his songs and the album I downloaded (and frankly, the only one I have listened to) are very smooth. Not in a lame “smooth jazz” kind of way, but in a way that flows extremely well. He has a beautiful voice and his guitar work compliments it perfectly.

iTunes categorizes Bibb as Blues, which I would say is correct. I was a little worried that he would be pegged as gospel or Christian, and I don’t think his style exemplifies that slant all the time. Even if this isn’t the sort of thing you’d normally check out, I would look him up on eMusic or just at his website.

I have downloaded “Get Onboard” and “Natural Light,” along with only 9 tracks of “A Ship Called Love,” because I ran out of credits at eMusic (and already bought a booster pack today for the first album. sigh), and I highly recommend all of them so far. I will say that “A Ship Called Love” seems to have a little weird drumwork… a sort of monotonous, Stevie-Wonder-esque new age-y-ness. But other than that, I am very much enjoying it all. Plus, all the song titles are great, and in my book that goes a long way.

The News That Matters November 4, 2009

“EMI and Apple Corps have announced they will be releasing a limited edition apple-shaped USB drive containing all 14 of the remastered Beatles albums as well as artwork, documentaries and other extras.

On 7 December, 30,000 of the drives will go on sale for £200 each.”

 

 

http://digg.com/d3196aj

Wizard Rock Festival in MO November 4, 2009

If you go to wizard rock festivals, you never know when shallow wizard rock may turn into something genuinely inspired. If you don’t go, you don’t even know if it’s possible. For that reason, I wish I was going to this weekend festival in Potosi, Missouri. I’d love to be there to support the Harry Potter nerdiness.

www.wrockstock.com

Friends in high and unlikely places September 22, 2009

So sometimes, I tend to get extremely overwhelmed by barbershop. Mostly, this is because i have no idea how to convey to people how much I love it and how much it means to me. Also, it seems a little strange that it’s so specific. Like, I could be just in love with singing in general, or by karaoke or something, but no, I have to be utterly obsessed with barbershop. It’s just weird.

However, in the barbershop community, it is completely normal. I challenge you to find someone in this organization who is just sort of so-so about barbershop. Someone who can say “eh, I can live with or without it. It’s just sort of a hobby.” No. That’s not the way it works. You may not be obsessed with it when you enter the org, but you sure as hell are after two months, if not after one visit.

So, here is my absolutely fantastic barbershop story for the day.

About a year ago, this woman in my chorus said something like, “oh, you’re going to Evergreen? You should look for this police officer who sings barbershop, Tom or Tim or something… I can’t remember his last name.” Of course I thought, “well, gee, isn’t that specific,” and I didn’t try too hard to find him. Plus, their uniforms just say their last names, so I didn’t have much to go on, and I didn’t want to go to Police Services and ask for some guy who sang barbershop. ha.

So today I was sitting at the Student Activities fair with my roommate. I was representing the CPJ and the Police Services booth was right next to ours. She pointed at the officer who was at that table, and said that she’s heard him sing at this drug and alcohol presentation thing she’d gone to, and that he was quite good. Then I heard the EIC and biz manager of the CPJ talking to him and calling him Tim.

Long story short, once everyone left, I said to him, “so, I hear you sing,” and he said, “yeah,” and I said, “do you sing barbershop, by any chance?”

He said, “Barbershop is my life.”

And with stars in my eyes, I’m sure, I said, “meee toooo!”

Thus began a long conversation during which we discovered that we know many of the same people, but it turns out that he’s actually WAYYYY high up in the organization and so is his wife, so he’s, like, friends with the lead of OC Times and stuff, and coaches by ex-director’s quartet and stuff.

MY GOD am I excited. I never want to talk to people at Evergreen about Sweet Adelines, because let’s face it, it’s just weird. Sequins and energetic faces? Definitely not Evergreen-ish. So I cannot tell you how amazing it is to have this resource and be familiar with this guy. Unfortunately, it’s led to a bit of a stalking tangent on my part, so I found this video of his quartet (two of the members are former Kings, which means that they have won International before. Five times, in fact. SO amazing). Enjoy :)

… and I just read back over that post, and it’s awful. I think the more excited I get about something, the less articulate I am. So, I’m sorry about that. But I’m not going to change it because you all deserve to see my blunders.

Look it up. August 5, 2009

Ok, yes, I’ve been away. And the next week isn’t going to be any better. But in the meantime, FIND THIS SONG. I think it’s a cover of a Johnny Cash song and (curse my hypocrisy) I haven’t heard the original, but this one is sooo crazy awesome. It might just be based on the Cash song, because it’s quite similar, but very different. ha.

I found it. It’s by Moby and it’s called “Afterlife,” though Cash’s version was called “God’ll Cut You Down.” Doesn’t sound too uplifting, but WOW. Look it up.

*****CORRECTION*****

The song is “Run On For A Long Time,” and it was originally done by the Blind Boys of Alabama. I’m pretty sure the group that covers it is Bill Landford and the Landfordaires. I must say, though, that the lyrics are extremely similar to the ones in the Johnny Cash song. Maybe Johnny Cash changed some words, made it more monotonous, and retitled it. ha.

It’s all better July 29, 2009

I don’t like to advertise things, because it makes me sound like a scammer/spammer/spatter. (“Spatter” is the name I came up with for someone who has a spam Twitter account. I’m oh-so-clever.)

However, there are some exceptions. And it is this: Better A Cappella.

Ahhhhmazing. And also very inspiring. I’ve been interested in the idea of creating a college a cappella group, because nearly every college has one now, except ours. And almost all of my friends can sing very well (I swear it just magically happened that way) and would be willing to participate in and organize such a group. But part of the problem is the money. Now that I know there’s a site like this…

Seriously, I sound like such a spammer. But I’m not! I’m just really excited :) The best part is where they got the idea for their name! It’s on their site ;)

Anyway, leaving now for the cabin. shweeeet!

The Reason I Go to Chorus July 28, 2009

“This,” the director said, snatching a chorus member’s papers, “is not music.” He threw it on the floor. “Music exists only in this immediate moment.”

I smiled in understanding, but I don’t think he saw me. And the evening went on.

(*)*(*)*(*)

A cappella singing is like no other, and barbershop is a special branch that I hold dear. The four parts, from lowest to highest, are bass, baritone, lead, and tenor. The lead part has the melody of the song, and the three other parts are harmony (bass usually as a vocal rhythm, baritone weaving around the melody, and tenor trilling at the top). I usually sing tenor, but one chorus needed basses and I had the ability, so that’s what I sang—and I’m a better tenor for it. It takes so much to be able to produce chords in these choruses. Fundamentally, everyone must be on pitch, but the actual correct singing requires much more: First, one must breathe deeply and in the right place (into the base of the lungs, without raising the shoulders). Next, one must create proper vowel shape with the mouth (there are actually many different ways to say the “oh” sound, for instance) and make sure it matches the other singers’ mouth shape. The singer also has to use “resonation chambers” in the body. It’s like we’re cathedrals, and if you want the best sound you have to sing in the stone hall instead of in the bathroom; you have to sing into the sinus cavities and as if the crown of your head is the Tacoma Dome.

After you create the right note by achieving all that (constantly, and while keeping correct posture and foot position, remembering notes, words, and maybe even choreography, and smiling), your part relies on the others to do the same so that the whole chord may “lock.” Even if every person is technically hitting the right note, the chord may not lock—they must also be doing everything to be actually singing correctly. Then, even if the chord has locked, it may not ring (but that’s unusual).

It may seem too hit-and-miss to even bother trying. But when a chord rings, and when you’re able to hear it while singing rather than just knowing it because of the pleased director, it’s the most rewarding feeling in the world. Ringing chords creates overtones, which are notes above the chord that no one is actually singing. They’re clearly audible—it’s not just a mind trick—but also surreal, because for all the work it took to produce the actual chord, no one singer is creating the overtone. It takes the entire group, and those overtones are what we always strive for. When we don’t have an actual audience, the overtones are like the heavens’ applause.

[This is a very short excerpt from the final paper I wrote for my class in our last quarter. As with all the content on my blog, please do not reproduce it in any way, except perhaps with proper citation :) If you ask me, I'd probably be happy to give my permission!]

Like She Was a Guitar: A Review of Tom Felton’s EP July 27, 2009

This is a complete, comprehensive review of Tom Felton’s EP, In Good Hands. All 6 tracks of it. It’s not one of the ones by Feltbeats, just the one Tom Felton released on March 10, 2009.

To see where you can obtain a copy of any of Tom’s works, see the post below this one, “Re: Tom Felton: Where to Find…”

(*)*(*)*(*)*(*)

Tom Felton's EP: "In Good Hands"

At Face Value: There is nothing missing from the cover of this album, except perhaps color. But who needs it? You can’t really tell whether it’s water or grass in the background, but it looks very fluid. I think that’s what counts, picturesquely speaking. You get Tom’s guitar, his signature baggy sweatshirt, the sturdy tree, and the dangling leaves in the foreground. And then there’s something metal, like a tool or something, in the tree. Don’t quite know what it is, but it looks very rustic. It’s like you’re catching Tom on a typical day, except that we all know that Tom, on “a typical day” is surrounded by Potter pals.

Track 1 “If You Could Be Anywhere”: I love the way this song starts. It almost sets you up for something different; that first bar of music sort of asks a question, perhaps “where would you be?” What follows is energetic strumming and a not-so-intricate picking style that comes in a bit late at times, cluing fans in to the fact that really, he’s just having fun. At least for now. I’m going to pass over the incorrect grammar of “where would I fly to?” and move right on to… who is that lady in the waiting room? The strangest part of this song is the sort of sighing in the background. At some places it’s pretty clear that it’s a supplemental sort of harmony part, but at others it just sounds… maybe like a mimicry of Tom’s biggest fangirls? and who is that lady in the street? My favorite part of this song comes at the very end, with the harmonica–simply superb.

Track 2 “We Belong”: I’ll be honest: at first I thought it was going to be a cover of the Pat Benetar song. It’s not, of course. That said, there’s not much I can say about this song. It’s a pretty sweet love song. I think the drums are a little much at times, and again, the sighing background vocals are distracting. I like the lyric “we belong in the sands of the sky” the best in this song. Perhaps it’s just because I’m a cynic, but the song gets a little too sappy about halfway through. If I thought it was actually a parody of itself, like Jason Mraz might produce, I might stomach it a bit better. And indeed, the “you are the reason why…” bridge is reminiscent of some of Mraz’s work. “You are the reason why I won’t be sleeping tonight” is amusing… and it just gets a little too sweet after that. Also, he references his own song, which is a technique I’m not too thrilled about. Still, it’s a song that fangirls will like to listen to and pretend he’s singing to them, I’m sure.

Track 3 “When Angels Come”: Like the emphasis on the upbeat at the beginning, and also the slight falsetto throughout the song. Unfortunately, I have the same complaint with this song as the last one. “Makeup was designed for other girls to try and look like you.” Really, Tom? I have to wonder if he’s even talking about his current girlfriend, because really, who is she trying to look like with all that makeup? But I digress… I do like that he actually warns us that he’s not going to leave anything out about what he likes about this girl– “my words no longer cautious.” At first I also liked the idea that he was incorporating angels… but then it’s only to compare them to this girl, and it turns out that his girlfriend wins. And not to go completely Jesus-freak on everyone, but is that really realistic?

Track 4 “Convinced”: Ok, I have to reveal a pet peeve here: beginning a song with “and” or “cuz.” In all of Felton’s work (including his 3 other EPs under Feltbeats) he only does it about 3 or 4 times, but for some reason it made a big impression on me. So, barring that, this is one of my favorite songs on the EP. It’s actually quite hilarious. He has “makes you want to vomit” rhyming with “change the channel, nothing’s on it,” and for some reason those lines make me laugh every time I hear them. However, the line after that, which I believe is “it’s all ri-i-ight,” is exactly the same as “I’m yo-o-ours” from Jason Mraz. Catchy, but already used, Mr. Felton. (I know I’m picky, but “I’m Yours” was a huge hit everywhere, and this EP came out at least a year after “I’m Yours,” so he might have switched it up a bit…) I’m a little biased toward songs about honest girls, and this one is no different. I like the idea that “she’s as honest as can be; that’s why I’m convinced when she says she loves me.” I like the faded out guitar part.

Track 5 “Father of Mine”: [*Ahem*, bear with me here.] I like the opening guitar part. It sets the song up very well, and is extremely different from the other songs on the album. And after that… well, after that comes what I think is supposed to be a very touching song about divorced parents. First of all, I (fortunately) cannot relate to this subject at all. But I must give Tom kudos for singing about such a difficult subject and bearing his heart. Seriously, that takes guts, especially for someone who is known for his role as a “tough-guy.” As a singer, I can’t help noticing that I’m pretty sure he’s flat in a couple of lines, and I almost can’t tolerate the “father of mah-hiiine” whine. I guess in general, it’s just a little too specific. Its tone is a little too sad and it doesn’t make up for it with any biting cynicism or sarcasm or making fun of itself. I won’t lie: it makes me uncomfortable, for more reasons than one: My final issue with this song… it reminds me of Lucius Malfoy. Someone could write a parody of it and insert “Dark Lord” every time Tom said “divorce,” and poor Draco would easily be singing about his father. Please, Tom, put that on YouTube and make this song worthwhile!

Track 6 “If That’s All Right With You”: This EP goes out with a bang. This is my favorite track by Tom Felton, out of all of his EPs, and it gives me happy vibes every time I hear it. I love that it starts out with a kind of docile sound, with just quiet voice and guitar, and then it builds with a bit of drums, the vocal gets louder, and more drums, and he…! I really don’t want to give it away. It’s a bit surprising, considering every other song Tom performs. I love that it’s a bit rowdy, but with this underlying timidity: “I’ll kiss you on the lips… but only if that’s alright with you.” And, ok… if I was the girl Tom was singing to, I’d rather hear this than hear that he would tell all the angels that I was prettier than they are. The other best part about this song is the line “I’d hold you in my arms like you was a guitar.”

And just like that, just like the actual CD itself, the music comes full circle. On the album cover? Yes, Tom holds his girls like they’re guitars and he holds his guitars like they’re girls. And whichever he happens to be holding at the time, she’s in good hands.

re: Tom Felton: Where to Find… July 26, 2009

Ok, I’m a little dense, and I just needed to put this up for clarification RE: Tom Felton’s music/Feltbeats:

Tom Felton has released an EP under his own name, In Good Hands, which is the one on Amazon that I linked to. However, Feltbeats has three other albums (though one of those is only a single). They are:

Time Well Spent

All I Need

Silhouettes in Sunsets (single)

These are all available at iTunes and Amazon, as well as at eMusic, which is a fantastic source that I really prefer (it’s cheaper, plus there are fantastic free downloads sometimes).

Please, my one request is that you don’t try to find these tracks on LimeWire. We all know that it’s not like it would hurt Tom financially if no one paid for them, but the Feltbeats EPs from eMusic (or Tom’s solo one, In Good Hands, from Amazon) are already cheaper than the typical $.99 downloads anyway. Plus, if he’s really serious about wanting to study music and continue a musical career after HP, then we should be supportive of that, right? :P

And just so you know, I have downloaded them all from eMusic, and all the songs are as fantastic as the YouTube vids :) Well, maybe not quite as fantastic, because you can’t see him, but still… And “If You Could Be Anywhere” is longer then the YouTube version and it’s amazing! But now that I’m listening to the full album, I think I’m going to have to review the whole thing! Coming soon…

Also, I really do promise to review Half-Blood Prince. soon.

If I Could Be Anywhere… July 24, 2009

I brought it to my attention today (since there’s no one else out there to do it) that I haven’t been writing about music enough. Well, that’s because I haven’t been listening to very substantial amounts of new music. New singles from people I’ve never heard before every now and then, but not full albums.

However, I have been doing some YouTube touring, and call it cheesy… but I found something worth reviewing:

A channel belonging to Tom Felton (who plays Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter movies, of course). It’s titled “FeltBeats” for his band, or just his production name, or something like that. He only has 4 videos, but he has an EP that is available on Amazon. And get this… he’s actually quite amazing. Not just saying that because he’s the most well-dressed character in the latest “Harry Potter.” He’s actually quite a good singer, as well as an adequate guitar player (not that I know how to judge guitar playing, but); I thought his playing accompanied his voice and lyrics very nicely. His words were heartfelt and charming; from the 4 songs on YouTube, I didn’t think they were particularly clever, but for debut work? It’s something special.

It’s even more fantastic that he’s seriously considering pursuing a career in/an education in music. It’s not hard to tell that he could easily have a following and new life as a musician, and I think he would also have a good presence as a performer and entertainer. He definitely has the acting background for it, and he has shown comfortability with a camera and in front of audiences, on YouTube and in press conferences and the like.

In case you haven’t checked out the link of Felton performing yet, I’ll debrief you:

The videos begin like many amateurs’ do; you see someone’s arm retreating from the webcam button. The first thing I noticed was the sepia coloring, which I think is a unique touch. Then, the scene [probably Felton's bedroom (ooh)] is revealed, and we see he’s lucky enough to actually have some pretty good equipment… microphones, a couple guitars in the background in addition to the one in his hands… He wears his signature polo or striped shirt/sweatshirt and a smile.

Yes, the sound and picture are a little mismatched in a couple of the videos, but one hardly notices because Felton’s confident-yet-bashful grin would tell anyone that he just.doesn’t.care. He knows when he makes mistakes, but he doesn’t have to be perfect. It’s a testament to his character that he puts these videos up, daring fans to disown him for a few chord errors or the times he almost forgets to sing. Of course, his fans would never do such a thing. If anything, they grow more and more in love with Tom with each amused “oops” smile on his lips.

“If you could be anywhere” would definitely be his single, if he ever released one. he has edited the video and overdubbed himself, so he’s strumming in one layer, picking in one layer, and singing melody in a couple layers (I don’t think he harmonizes with himself). Toward the end, he even adds in a harmonica riff, which he plays passionately well. If I had any misgivings, it would be that this song (or the portion in the YouTube video) is extremely short.

As he fingerpicks his way through the feel-good melodies on all these songs, we think, “Draco who?” The nasty Potter arch-rival is nowhere to be seen–there’s not even much angst in the lyrics, just clear-headed optimism.

Actually, the Feltbeats videos are rather difficult to critique. If it seemed like he were putting himself out there for a reason, as if saying “look, I can do more than act in family movies,” then we might be able to tell whether he was doing a good job. When Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) did “Equus,” the play in London, he explicitly told the media something like, “I want people to know that I can act in different genres, and that I have a future as a different kind of actor.” Admittedly, Radcliffe got excellent reviews for “Equus” (maybe partially just because everyone who went saw him naked, so he may have been mainly praised for sheer confidence in himself… which also goes a long way, but I digress…), but he set out to prove something.

Nowhere have I read anything from Tom Felton that implied that he was making music for any reason other than his own pure enjoyment. And no one can be faulted for that.

If I could be anywhere, I would be on the Feltbeats YouTube channel. : )

[@feltbeats and @TomFelton are both excellent follows on Twitter; look them up!]

Yoko Oye. July 22, 2009

I also follow Yoko Ono on Twitter, which was an embarrassingly huge step for me. It has taken me years to recognize the profound love than she and John shared, no matter how much it may have negatively affected John’s other relationships.

Anyway, I love it when people recognize that the first step towards peace is letting people know it’s out there. Peace exists; let us find it within ourselves first, and then learn how to spread it. Yoko, at least from her Tweets, seems like that kind of person, and I can really respect that. Plus, whatever she’s doing for “art” is a step in the right direction, so I want to praise her for actually trying.

Come to think of it, [and please excuse the shameless way I say "we" through all this, as if I were there], I have a few things for which we can at least recognize, if not praise, her.

• Dealing with all of us Beatles freaks who wanted to do very un-Lennon/Ono-like things to her. People have been against her since the day she stepped into John’s life and came out of the woodwork. A part of me thinks that the world wouldn’t have reacted half as strongly if John had settled down with some gorgeous American blonde bimbo, just because it would have made more sense. After all, those were the “type” he’d fallen for before. But then came this Japanese slice of nothing, and suddenly he was head-over-heels for her. And instead of shaking our heads and sighing and just being happy for him, we were outraged. Not only were there tons of things wrong with her… there was nothing right about her! What did he see in her? blah blah blah. Then, to top it all off, The Beatles just *happened* to break up, and regardless of how much influence Yoko had over that in the studio, there was no mistaking the fact that John was obviously distracted and otherwise engaged. But… well, there is no “but.” The break-up was an absolute tragedy. If there was some good light about it all, though, it would be that John was [apparently] happier than ever. And as long as he was still making great music, we should have been thrilled that he had found love.
• Dealing with John’s passing as well as she did. I cannot imagine her devastation, and frankly I’m impressed that she was able to pull through it (especially since she sort of had to carry the weight of the rest of the world’s mourning as well).
• Pushing the boundaries. Since I haven’t really warmed up to her for very long, I haven’t seen any of the work she’s produced. I’ve heard about some of it, though, like the 8-hour video of a fly crawling up a naked woman’s body. You can’t tell me that had been done before. Yoko pushed the boundaries of art in a way that the Beatles pushed the boundaries of rock. …Ok, maybe not that much, but both are an inspiration.
• Staying in the public eye. I used to hate her for this. Why couldn’t she just disappear back into the woodwork from whence she came, so we wouldn’t have to deal with her always talking about how amazing John was and what her new project is? In fact, I think we all sort of wished she’d shut up altogether–about peace, about art, about the Beatles, about herself… I don’t really know why. Maybe because even though we’d had 10 or 11 years, we hadn’t quite gotten used to her. Maybe we were hoping that John would get bored and call the whole thing off or make it an extended fling. But she ended up his widow, and she wasn’t going to let us ignore that.

“Oye” means “listen” in Spanish (correct me if I’m wrong–I took French), and I think Yoko deserves that from us. She’s pretty much the closest remaining piece of John that we have; maybe we should cherish that. After all that she’s been through, she hasn’t turned bitter and she’s still preaching John’s message of peace. Far from excommunicating Yoko Ono, let’s join her in wanting war to be over.

Illuminating Ruminating July 22, 2009

[This article was originally a continuation of the post below, TwitterBurger.]

I can’t help it; I love looking at every single one of people’s Tweets. You never know what you might miss, I suppose… and some are really quite profound or inspirational. Take this, for example: I follow Deepak Chopra (if you don’t know who he is…look it up), and he has some really amazing quotes. Today he Tweeted: “We have fallen into the place where everything is music. -Rumi“

I would imagine that this has something to do with Rumi’s general teachings (I had to look this up too): He believed that he had been disconnected from his creator and had begun to think himself above it/him/her, but that he had the ultimate goal to reconnect with his primal roots and restore that relationship.

So at first, the quote that Deepak Chopra Tweeted seemed a little… derogatory, shall we say? towards music. If we have “fallen” to that place where everything is music, it doesn’t seem very positive. It makes me think of falling from grace, or “falling” as a sort of failure. So despite my unconditional love for music, my conclusion was that perhaps Rumi saw music as monotony? To say that “We have fallen into the place where everything is monotonous” would make much more sense, since monotony isn’t really something we strive for, and it could definitely be said that our world has become monotonous (despite all the Twittering).

However, even my extremely rudimentary Rumi research through Wikipedia told me that Rumi was anything but skeptical or pessimistic towards music. Apparently, he wholeheartedly believed that music was one of the best ways to get back in touch with his creator or God.

(At this point I must stress that if you know anything about Rumi, please tell me, because I’m completely at a loss and I’m a little distrustful of Wikipedia sometimes.)

Anyway, Wiki says that Rumi thought poetry, music, and dancing were the ways in which people were most spiritual and soulful. The idea of “whirling dervishes” (which I always thought were a kind of garden ornament) originated around Rumi’s time. They were so invested in the sounds that they would move in whatever way the spirit moved them, which often resulted in spinning. Pretty soon, this sort of dancing became a ritual, during which Rumi believed that the soul was damaged and repaired, and when it was repaired, there was a renewed devotion to God.

From Wiki: “In this journey, the seeker symbolically turns towards the truth, grows through love, abandons the ego, finds the truth, and arrives at the Perfect. The seeker then returns from this spiritual journey, with greater maturity, to love and to be of service to the whole of creation without discrimination with regard to beliefs, races, classes, and nations.”

Honestly, this sounds amazing. I was never one for believing that the soul could have just one point of revelation; rather, it is always evolving and maturing. But for the alternative, it’s an amazing idea. And of course, whether you believe the soul goes through one very powerful transformation or many, I do concur with the idea that music plays a huge part of it.

“Falling into music” is a little bittersweet, and actually I think I was partially right in my analysis of it. We’ve fallen into a place where everything is monotonous, but we can choose to see it as music, because that is all we have. And because music is so powerful, we can choose to make something of it and use it to our advantage, not just in the world but for ourselves, spiritually. And once we change ourselves, we are well on our way to changing the world anyway.

Lucky. April 19, 2009

I had this moment of epiphany (among many, the other day) where I realized that this picture I had was of something very different than what I thought it was. 

It’s the picture I uploaded for the pic of this site– the peace sign one. That was painted on the side of a building in Laurel Canyon in Hollywood, where many many stars have lived and live now. 

It has been my desktop picture for some time now, so I’ve been looking at it for quite a while. And I always saw the white form on top of the peace sign as a white dove, which made sense since they’re the symbol of peace.

But the other day, while I was staring at my computer and shedding more tears over the dumb situation with my parents, I realized it was a hand holding the peace sign… and of course, in my weakened state my whole world came together at an apex at the moment I realized that and what it meant– we all hold peace in our hands, and when we don’t realize that, we keep “waiting for the world to change,” and nothing happens. 

I have fewer doubts now that peace WILL spread, as long as individuals take advantage of the power of peace that each holds in his hands. 

It’s not a joke that I believe in music so fully. It’s not just because I’m so at a loss for something else to believe in, it’s not just because I’m so lazy that all I do is listen to music anyway, so that might as well be what I have faith in. It’s not just because that’s what I grew up with instead of a religious background, so that’s all I know. All of those things may be true, but in my defense I will say that it’s not for lack of thought that I’ve come to the conclusion that music is the most real and most powerful thing we can believe in.

If I really wanted to go out on a limb, I would proclaim my belief that furthermore, the Beatles have everything one needs to live. Again, my ignorance is “at fault,” because I’m sure many people would say, “well, that’s because you haven’t heard ________.” I realize that the Beatles themselves aren’t the epitome of perfection (though they’re pretty damn close). I realize that they aren’t even very good musicians or musical geniuses, in comparison with people like Hendrix or Santana, or the classical greats like Bach or Tchaikovski. But personally, their music speaks to me more than anyone else I’ve ever heard. 

Anyway, can I hear an Amen?! I’m sure there are others out there that have felt music resonate with them more than any sermon or revelation. Maybe not. Can I hear a Nay from the others?

I’m Lucky I’m in love with [the Beatles]. Ironically, I haven’t listened to the Beatles at all today… Jason Mraz (who is also a musical god) has been my soundtrack so far. And yes, I do go some days without listening to the Beatles at all. Just like many people go many days without going to church. It doesn’t mean we’re without worship or recognition of the Greatness.

Quartet for the End of Time April 18, 2009

Today was ironic because it was the date of the publication of the first-ever “Counter Point Journal,” which was created in obvious rebuttal to our formal school newspaper, and this week I designed almost three pages in our Cooper Point Journal.

Today was ironic because I’m writing this paper on faith, and I’m way behind. I figured out that I wanted to work in the idea of music, and that people can ultimately have faith in music. Then, I accidentally uncovered an email that my mom sent me months back that I’d never read, because it was a forward. But it was called “A Contemplation on Music,” and it was a welcome address given to freshmen at the Boston Conservatory by Karl Paulnack, who teaches there. It’s perfect–it has every tidbit I want and need for my paper. But it contains all the sentences I wish I could say. He recommends many classical pieces, one of which I’m listening to right now. It’s called “Quartet For The End Of Time,” by Olivier Messiaen. He was French and lived in the 1940s, when he was captured and sent to a German concentration camp. There, he wrote this piece, that was composed for four musicians– the four he found in the camp, including himself. It’s dark.

Today is ironic because, to couple with finding that paper in my email, I had one of the best classes ever. Our teachers brought in a panel of three other faculty members who could talk to us about faith. They spoke of their experiences and bared some parts of their pasts, which made them very vulnerable. Andrew, one of my seminar leaders, even said that he felt so uncomfortable with it that he wouldn’t have been able to talk like that at the beginning of the year. But now, he said, he trusts us more. I took that very personally, and was thrilled to hear that we were deserving of his stories.

That’s ironic, because I was very excited about my fantastic class time and all I wanted to do was tell my parents. And all I asked was that they be together so they could put me on speakerphone and we could all talk at the same time. But, my mother went to the lake AGAIN (which I don’t fault her for, really) which meant I couldn’t talk to them simultaneously. And I refuse to say everything twice! That always happens, and I hate it. It always sucks the second time and I leave things out and I’m not enthusiastic and it feels like a chore. If I was going to pick one to tell about my class, it would be my dad because he loves hearing that stuff, and he’s intellectual. Mom’s more “spiritual,” I guess (that’s a word that was discussed around faith in our class). But she would absolutely flip out if I only told dad or if I told dad first. And I don’t feel like rewarding their strange behavior that I don’t like with saying things twice or catering to them.

It’s not like they’re “separating,” and they’re certainly not getting a divorce. They’re not like that. And, ha, since my dad’s a divorce attorney, it’s pretty much out of the question. Anyway, nothing like that. But it bothers me that they spend so much time apart. I mean at times, it feels like they might as well be divorced for all the time they see each other. I always talk to each separately, and I always have to text the same things to both. And I KNOW that if I were to talk to someone about this, it would be that stupid talk all children get: “It’s not your fault in any way! Mommy and daddy love you very much, and you’re what holds them together!” 

Because that’s exactly what I’m afraid of! I’m not there anymore! It’s like there’s nothing holding them together! And it’s not all about me, but come on… I am the only only only only only child, in a family of seven including me, and everyone else lives an hour away from my parents. I can’t imagine what they DO when I’m gone. All my parents have is work, and the dogs. Maybe the dogs are what is holding them together.

OH MY GAH I wish I could call Shadow up right now and talk to him about this! Then life would be perfect. Actually, if I had a sibling right about now it would make me SUPER happy. Mom always said that the most solid thing that helped her get through her parents’ divorce was her brother. I don’t have one. What now?

After my class on faith, I just keep thinking there’s something I need to turn to, if only I knew what it was. It’s an awful feeling. I racked my brain trying to think of who to call, and all my options were excellent (Rita, Erin, and Caleb), but all I wanted to do was call my daddy. I talk to my parents about EVERYTHING. Usually, even though I hate it, I make the sacrifice to say everything twice because I just always talk to them. When there’s conflict or stress in my life, I almost always call my parents to unload. So it gets horrendous when I have conflict about them, because I’m not ready to speak directly to them yet (and, well, I CAN’T, because I most certainly don’t want to do THAT twice, so I have to wait for them to be in the same room anyway) and I don’t know what else to do but sit and cry. Which I’ve tried. 

I feel like I need to wean myself from them, but why? I mean, if (other than this hiccup) we have such a great relationship, why let that drop? I know people who go weeks without talking to their parents, and I don’t think I could do that. I think the longest I’ve gone is a week and a half. I feel so immature. And yet, I feel like there’s something else that I could reach out to to help balance things a bit, but I have no idea what it is. I’ll probably have some revelation where I realize it was God I was searching for all along, but I’m not ready for that yet. 

Right now I just want to listen to Beatles and find the comfort I know.

Ner-cited September 20, 2008

Nervousness is a feeling like no other. Even if you’ve experienced it a ton, it always seems to hit surprisingly fast or hard, and it never feels normal. 

I’ve been nervous for the past 2 weeks straight. As in, every morning I have woken up and there is literally no time in between when I wake up and when I start feeling nervous. I’ve always been nervous before starting school, but never like this. If I stop thinking about it, the nervous feeling hides for a bit, but it never really goes away. 

I know this is normal, and I’m not really complaining or anything, but it does happen to be uncomfortable. And I’ll be glad when I get over it and am really able to settle down and be content. And then, I’ll be more excited than anything, and that’s much better.

When I was probably around 6, I coined the word “nercited,” which is plainly a mix of nervous and excited. I’ve heard lots of other people use it since then, but I still think I came up with the word to begin with. So there. 

Tomorrow I move in, and then begins a week of back-to-back activities, routines of meeting people, and getting introduced to the life without supervision thing. Who knows, maybe I’ll actually “grow character” or something. Especially because I’m taking a program called Character Studies… 

I’m trying to decide whether to get a Netflix account. It would be an extra $9 per month, but I’m making at least $10 per week, so I’ll still have a profit. I think it would be an excellent plan… If I have 1 dvd at a time, but unlimited per month, then it will work out to watching about 1 every week, which is probably good. And that’s cheaper than just renting them. Plus, I’m designating one night a week as Will and Grace night since I have all the seasons on my computer.

Combined with my eMusic subscription, I would be paying $20 a month for movies and music, but I think that’s totally worth it since I won’t be buying any CDs or movies, and I’ll be making a profit of at least $20 a month. Yay!

I’m Sold to OC Times July 23, 2008

As promised, the OC Times quartet deserved its own post. I am stoked that they won their competition. Here’s a little background.

See here for a general history/overview of barbershop singing, which has been around for ages and ages. Today, there are two international organizations that promote barbershop singing; one is the Barbershop Harmony Society, which is the men’s division. It has been around since 1938. The women’s division is Sweet Adelines, and it was founded in the sixties. I’m a proud member of a Sweet Adelines chorus. There are many regions all over the world in both organizations.

Each region has an annual competition (separate for BHS and SA; in fact, we don’t really interact much at all… I’ll get to that). Both quartets and choruses compete in the competition, and the first place chorus and quartet go to the international competition the following year. In between competitions, most choruses put on their own show, usually complete with skits, spoof-y songs, and the like. These chorus shows also feature quartets that have members in the chorus, or quartets in the area, and that includes men’s quartets, and even men’s choruses, sometimes. So that’s when we get to interact with each other. And we can and do go to the other org’s competitions, too.

So anyway, the BHS just had their International Competition in Nashville, TN, which is their new international headquarters, as well. My favorite men’s quartet, OC Times, competed there this year and WON, and of course all of us fans are completely stoked. They’ve gotten fifth place before, and second, but this time they’ve really done it.

I don’t think their performance is on YouTube yet, but this is my favorite song that they do. It was originally done by John Michael Montgomery, and it’s a very popular country song. It just proves that barbershop is as versatile as you can get.

The only bad thing about a quartet winning an international competition is that they can’t compete again with the same four members – at least one has to be switched out. And when you’ve found the perfect dynamic in a quartet, the last thing you want to do is replace someone.

My favorite women’s quartet is called Salt, and they’re all Swedish (which is my heritage). They won the 2007 Sweet Adelines International Competition in Las Vegas, which I was actually there for, and it was SO incredible.

I started singing barbershop when I was 14, which makes me a “barbershop brat”… can you tell? I’m obsessed with this art form. I love that it’s a cappella, and that there is just so much involved, and that anyone can become a member, and everyone can find something to love about it, and all the kinds of songs that can be arranged… I love it all. There are many technicalities that I could explain, like the different voice parts, ringing chords, key changes, the excellent groups, the fun workshops, the sisterhood… it just goes on and on.

I ♥ A Cappella Barbershop Singing!!!

You’re a slave to money, then you die… July 20, 2008

Name that song….

Well, I guess I missed the 19th for writing. So now it is July 20th, apparently… which means little to me.

I went to a local band’s concert tonight, which was a blast. They’re called The Invitations, and they’re three brothers (and their dad and others sometimes collaborate with them). They’re pretty newly formed, and they aren’t together enough to record a lot, so they didn’t have much material. The concert was only about 45 minutes long, I think. But they handed out free CDs, with three tracks from their upcoming album, which was awesome. I have their first (and only) album, but I really want the newest CD that the oldest brother put out solo. I’ve only listened to a couple songs from it on their MySpace page, and they sound fantastic.

Their website, by the way: http://www.myspace.com/theinvitationsnet

Anyway, that was pretty fun. And then I came home and worked on some articles for a bit… a freelance writing project I have going, which is awesome. Actually, this is kind of a writing project, too. Not that I’m really working on anything, but I feel committed to it and interested in seeing where it’s going. And I feel the same way about the writing articles project. I guess this is a little more freelance…

Life is great right now; I’m dogsitting and catsitting at the same time, as well as doing these articles. I’m not making bank, but I like everything I’m doing, which not many people can say when there’s money involved. Anyway usually I housesit, and stay at someone’s house when they leave. That way I can take care of their pet(s), their mail, their appliances, whatever, while they’re gone. But in these two instances I’m just going over to each of the two houses twice a day, feeding the animals and spending a little time with them, watering plants, and then leaving. I like staying at the houses much better, but that’s sort of seen as an invasion of privacy to some people, and I wouldn’t want to intrude; I just think it makes more sense. And it’s more comfortable for me, because it’s really hard to keep track of three houses at once.

So, since it’s suddenly a new day (where does the time go?!) I’ll write later.

Who needs pictures? July 18, 2008

This blog does, I recently realized.

Logo for the best radio station in the world!

Believe me, I tried to put the actual song in the post.

“huh, draw blood! awwooooooo!” What can I say; it’s definitely a favorite. This, with some SuperTramp, was the theme of our California Adventure last week.

I will try to remember to liven the blog up with some media. What is life without a little cheesy entertainment? I might even get some YouTube Monty Python clips! It might turn out to still be the rockinest blog ever!

Actually, I’d already started incorporating some songs into the blog… but maybe I’ll just post some more and see if anyone can figure out where the references are, which songs they refer to, or who did the song.

… I love it how I act like I’m talking to a huge audience that comments a lot on my blog, when actually my blog has 60 posts (most of which are somehow probably just from me) and one comment. Oh well. I’m happy pretending that I have this really popular, thriving blog. Hey, it’s popular to me!

Happy birthday today to Brian May, of Queen!

And happy anniversary of the first lunar landing!

Makes me feel so old…

Shine a Light July 18, 2008

I wrote this movie review (of Martin Scorcese’s concert/documentary film of the Rolling Stones “Shine a Light”) for my high school newspaper. I saw the movie in an IMAX theater in Vancouver, BC.

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There are some things about your parents and their past that you just have to ignore or pretend don’t exist. Like the fact that both of them may have worn bellbottom pants and enjoyed disco balls at one time. But you can’t always just write off their music sense… or even lack thereof. I think I can truthfully say that my life changed when I started listening to what my parents said was great music.

Of course, it’s also thanks to them that I’m rather in denial about what decade to which I think I belong.

While they relive their adolescence through movies like “Across the Universe,” all I can do is long for what I missed. And while my parents were able to experience real concerts of groups like the Stones and Queen, I’m forced to only imagine what it could be like to actually sit in Mick and Keith’s audience.

It is, admittedly, a little easier to imagine in an IMAX theater where Keith’s guitar and Mick’s lips are even larger than life.

Martin Scorsese has brought us hits like “Taxi Driver,” “The Aviator,” “Gangs of New York” and “The Departed.” Now, he’s brought a New York stage to mere mortals who haven’t been touched by the sweat of a Stone (metaphorically speaking) or counted their wardrobe changes during a concert. Complete with snippets of black-and-white interviews straight from the 60s, Scorsese’s newest film “Shine a Light” reveals the glory of one of the finest rock groups of the British Invasion.

The main performance footage of the movie was shot at the Beacon Theater in New York City, where the Rolling Stones performed two nights in a row to packed crowds. The audience was varied in age and social status, from your average teenage girl to Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton.

Bill Clinton introduced the group, reminding everyone that he’d had the pleasure of doing so before, and that he still thought the Stones were forever a classic group, one that many generations could enjoy. And when the camera panned over him in the second half of the movie, he seemed to be genuinely enjoying himself.

Some say the Stones are at the absolute bottom of their game. They’re still wearing skin-tight leather and hippie-era-jewelry, while their wrinkles are growing and their skin is sagging. But they’re no less talented than when “Satisfaction” was number one on the charts. In fact, they secure their One-of-the-Greatest-Rock-Bands-of-All-Time status when they collaborate with other contemporary artists, like blues guitarist Buddy Guy, Jack White of the White Stripes and Christina Aguilera. These musicians were all featured in the movie in duets.

The Rolling Stones have always had a somewhat questionable reputation. Between the Beatles and the Stones, the Stones were always the “bad boy” band who had supposed drug references and satanic allusions in every song. They are quick to remind critics that it’s all in the interpretation, however.

The band is made up of Mick Jagger (vocals), Keith Richards (guitar), Charlie Watts (drums) and Ron Wood (bass, guitar). All are in their sixties. Their voices are gravelly, their arms are veiny and their hair is thinning. But they’re still performing, with more vigor and enthusiasm than we find in many other artists. They’re still producing music, with more talent and genius than most mainstream contemporaries.

So why wouldn’t you want to experience the closest thing you’ll ever get to seeing the second-best rock band of all time (Beatles still rank number one, of course)? Maybe because the thumping bass is just too thrilling. Maybe because the songs are too familiar and enjoyable. Maybe because otherwise, your parents might just rub it in your face that they got to experience the hype firsthand.

Or, ok… maybe because “Shine a Light” isn’t actually playing in a theater near you, let alone the IMAX. It’s bound to come to our hamlet soon, and if it doesn’t, it will definitely be available for rent. At least invest in some digital surround-sound to make the most of the experience, and watch it with someone who can relive the band’s greatest highlights.

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Zoot Suit Riot July 1, 2008

…is playing, and I just realized my stupidity after the last post. Of course you can change the tagline under the blog’s title. Why didn’t I think of that?

Well, eventually, I did.

But the fact still remains, that the whole blogging thing may just be a Catch-22. There’s little motivation to post anything if there’s no feedback, but there’s no feedback if we don’t post anything.

I could bitch and moan some more, but I’m in a much better mood thanks to all the music I’m putting on my computer. I got an eMusic account (www.emusic.com) yesterday… one of the best things I’ve ever done! I love it! Plus, I got 50 free downloads right off the bat. Could it get any better? The only slightly sad thing is that they don’t have any really mainstream artists. That’s ok, because I’m not that interested in much mainstream music because, frankly, it’s crappy. But I do wish I could get some of the classics, like Elvis… because it’s still way cheaper than a CD… and let’s face it, the mainstream artists don’t need or really deserve all the money we’d be giving them if we bought their CDs. The off-the-beaten-track artists do, and they’re not profiting much from this whole eMusic thing, but it’s better than LimeWire for sure.

I wasn’t against LimeWire until I wrote the article below. Even now, I can’t really pinpoint exactly why I don’t really approve of it. If I need a song and don’t have time to purchase it, I’ll still get it from LimeWire (usually only if the artist is mainstream, or if I already have at least one CD by the artist). Yeah, I guess it’s still a little hypocritical. What can I say; I just love my music and will go to any lengths to get it…

So, I leave for California tomorrow (well, technically Phoenix, and then drive up) and I’m just totally stoked. I just hope all this music syncs to my iPod in time, because it was really slow yesterday. The BEST thing in the world would be to see some celebrities there.

I also can’t wait to go to school. Absurd, I know… but if you only knew Evergreen! It’s fantastic.

I’m out. for now…

LimeWire feature article June 30, 2008

This article was written for the same selective-staffed regional high school publication as the article below.

Look no further for T-Pain’s latest single. Look no further for the newest version of Photoshop. Look no further for thousands of downloadable pictures of Johnny Depp, his movies and transcripts of every interview with him.

All are available from LimeWire.

While it was becoming common for a song to cost 99 cents online, LimeWire was gathering a following of people who paid absolutely nothing for their music… or videos, documents, pictures and programs.

It advertised itself as a file sharing program, not a “free downloads!” site. The creators weren’t ambiguous in their intentions for LimeWire’s uses. The website proclaims, “LimeWire is legal software, but it is illegal for you to use LimeWire to share copyrighted files without permission.” And yet, anyone could share any program or file on their computer, and millions across the world would be able to access it and save it on their computers. The software isn’t monitored, and many files are copyright protected.

Created in 2000, LimeWire had been downloaded 3 million times in its first year. Be 2005, it had reached hundreds of millions of downloads, and was one of the most popular programs online. But its fame didn’t come without controversy. Artists and musicians were earning nothing from LimeWire’s users.

People began boycotting LimeWire, but since it’s a free program, this didn’t hurt the company in the least. Arguments surfaced from people claiming that LimeWire was (or should be) illegal, because it allowed people to access music and other media for free, when normally it would have a price tag.

The consequences for downloading files illegally?

“Your activities on peer-to-peer networks such as LimeWire’s may be monitored by copyright owners… Risks include significant settlement fees if you are sued,” LimeWire’s website explains. “Right now, our filtering blacklist is not comprehensive and many copyrighted files may still be available on the network.”

Not every file shared through LimeWire normally costs money. Some are free to begin with, and some are in the public domain.

It’s impossible to restrict the sharing of any files on LimeWire. There is no way someone would be able to segregate all the files that aren’t originally free or public domain. So if the objective is to discourage people from stealing, that is not a solution. Getting rid of LimeWire wouldn’t make any difference either, because there are many other programs that serve exactly the same purpose. Some programs even enable file sharing in much, much larger proportions than LimeWire.

There haven’t been any lawsuits against LimeWire regarding file sharing (yet), but there have been cases involving software companies. One of these is MGM Studios vs. Grokster, Ltd. In this case, Chief Justice David Souter made the statement, “…one who distributes a device with the object of promoting its use to infringe copyright… is liable for the resulting acts of infringement by third parties.” This reiterates the danger LimeWire users have. If you “share” copyrighted files through LimeWire and are caught, LimeWire is not at fault. You are.

And “getting caught” is not the only danger of using LimeWire or other file sharing software. Users are also in danger of identity theft. One man in Seattle, Washington was arrested in September 2007 for using LimeWire to link to other people’s computers to get credit card numbers. By the time of his arrest, he had reached 83 victims.

If there is any assumption that the creators of LimeWire are selfish and are only interested in their own profit, it might be incorrect. The advanced version of LimeWire, called LimeWire PRO, charges a monthly rate for faster downloads and personal tech-savvy help. But alas, LimeWire is its own enemy! Now LimeWire PRO is available for download through the more common free version, and no one benefits at all.

In all probability, technology experts will devise a way to make copyrighted files impossible to share, within a system where the actual sharing is legal. There are already “protected” files that computers won’t recognize and cannot be shared or uploaded online, but all other files still exist as well.

The moral of the story is that sharing copyrighted files is, and probably will always be illegal. LimeWire is not, and may never be illegal. So if you choose to use LimeWire for downloads, do so at your own risk. It is possible to track downloads today, and it is also possible to track identities through computers. Be careful and safe; don’t go haywire.