Music and Lyrics. Drum roll please...

Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova won an Oscar for best original song last night at the Academy Awards, beating out songs from Hollywood blockbusters like Enchanted and August Rush.



It was sweet that Jon Stewart let Marketa got to come back out and give her speech after she was cut off by the orchestra.

Also, how cute is Laura Linney? Seems like she is a huge fan of "Once" -- she looks like she's their proud mama or something.

Memento Mori

I was inspired to put together this small mix by one of my favorite Nina Cassian poems.

Evolution

Today a grandly furious storm
hurled a pile of mussels at my feet,
reminding me of the first creation.
O sea, that element in which I was born.

Cradle of life, long convoy
of sea anemones, reptiles
and scaly monsters, winding toward us
imprisoned in our sweet and fragile forms…

I came from the sea and to the sea
I would return, to be immersed in her story,
ever lost and everlasting.
Black mussels on the sore: memento mori.

Jane Vain & The Dark Matter are rapidly becoming one of my top picks for the year. They are currently on tour in their native Canada, so if you are ever so lucky to see them live, please do! And if you didn't already know, their fellow countrywoman, Melissa Auf Der Maur is hard at work on her new album which from I gather on her blog (the woman is also fond of lightning-- love her!), is going to be very dark and mysterious. The New Cassettes are a group of newcomers who are currently unsigned at the moment but I’m betting their indie rock tunes translate really well in a live arena. I'm capping it off with some Audrey Hepburn a la Breakfast at Tiffanys. Holly Golightly, I always try to start my morning with coffee and window shopping too.

Melissa Auf Der Maur- Followed the Waves

(Buy Auf der Maur)

New Cassettes- I Built The Ark
(visit the band's myspace)

Jane Vain & The Dark Matter- Ships
(Buy Love Is Where The Smoke Is)

Badly Drawn Boy- River, Sea, Ocean
(Buy About A Boy OST)

(Rent the movie!)

Audrey Hepburn- Moon River

(Buy Breakfast at Tiffany's OST)

(Rent the movie!)

5

I would rather pine than settle
I would rather be alone than unhappy
I would rather be happy and alone
I am thinking always
This isn’t happening

Joy, Sheer Joy

If you need a little somethin’ somethin’ to gear up for spring, may I suggest The Joy Formidable?

Genuinely in love with what I’m hearing from this noisy pop band from the UK. Sounds like: high school in reverse, kissing in a ferris wheel spinning too fast, but getting off the ride with a big grin and the promise of an ice cream cone. Well, that’s how I would describe these guys. Already on the radar of BBC Radio’s Steve Lamacq, how is it possible that they don’t have a label? Someone sign them already so they can put out a full length album.

The Joy Formidable- Austere (link expired)
(download more tunes from the band’s myspace )

Primary Colors

Retail giant, Gap Inc. will be known for more than cheap tees and basic neutrals. In something of a marketing ploy, Gap has partnered with indie musicians and film makers to give your favorite colors a voice. Colors were first assigned to musicians to do with what they will, and then the songs were given to filmmakers for interpretation in the music video. Art comes full circle.

Needless to say, my favorite is Black/White which was assigned to The Raveonettes. They swish up Black & White quite nicely. The director for the music video, Chris Do, did an amazing job capturing the essence of the song. How many times have you wondered what would happen if you got high on acid and wandered through the marshes at twilight? Black & White, my friends. This is what would happen:



Other musicians on this project include Dntel (Red), Swizz Beatz (Green), Marie Digby (Yellow) and The Blakes (Blue).

Head over to The Sound of Color to watch all the videos and download all songs for free until March 15!

“Pick Me Up In Echo Park!”

My ears needed a break from the stuff that I normally listen to, and I stumbled upon this gem from a Cambodian band via L.A. called Dengue Fever that I just had to share. Best band name, they have not. I wouldn’t have chosen to name my band after an infectious disease, but hey, I’m not in a group that covers some really catchy Cambodian pop tunes either. While almost all of their music is sung in Khmer, on the new album, Venus on Earth, they venture into some English songs as well like, “Sober Driver.”

It tells the tale of a girl who calls up a guy she is sometimes into, but really, she just needs a designated driver. How messed up is that? Vehicular heartbreak collision ahead. Department of Transportation, please make a road sign for this.

Interesting note, Dengue Fever also has a documentary coming out called Sleepwalking Through the Mekong, which chronicles their 2005 tour in Cambodia. It will be shown at UnionDocs in Brooklyn. And catch them on tour in March as well when they drop by Mercury Lounge on March 4th and Southpaw on March 5th.

Dengue Fever- Sober Driver (link expired)
(Buy the album, Venus On Earth)
(band's myspace)

Sugar got a long way to get you

New shizz (yes I said it) from Erykah Badu coming out on February 26th, which is also the singer's 37th birthday. She doesnt look a day over 30. Puh-leese.

The album will be titled New Amerykah (a change from the previous title, The Kabah) and there's already a video out for the single, "Honey." Check it out. It is a miracle some of the people can keep a straight face, because she is making me crack up. One of the most original videos I have seen, and if it's any indication of how the rest of the album will sound, it will live up to its hype. What hype you ask? The hype I am creating. Okay, so there's little if any mention of her in mainstream media these days, but that's why you read blogs right? Watch Miss Badu talk about this new single.



It'll be fierce! Support your local record store! Oh too good.

Change Starts Tomorrow

Will.I.Am enlists some big names for this music video set to one of Barack Obama's speeches. Spoken word poetry jam at its finest.



Inspiring! Thanks to Michelle for showing this to me.

Please remember to vote tomorrow!

will.i.am - Yes We Can (Barack Obama speech) (link expired)

Halfway There

I guess I can say I accomplished something this weekend:

1) Finally signed up for the International Mixed Tape Project with the expectation that it will be like Christmas every month. Can't wait to get my first mix!

2) Realized it's okay to fall hard, but maybe it wouldn't hurt to stop falling hard for unavailable men. Then again....

3) How else am I going to get material for a great mix? And bounce back? And send out good vibes into the world? Right after I finish these cookies.. yes. S reminds me that we will be seeing The Stills in a month which will cheer me up greatly. Something to look forward to.

4) Also, I need to get film for my lomography camera. The damn thing has been sitting on the desk since Thanksgiving, and I really would like to take it out to a show. Date with my lomography camera. Hot stuff.

No more sighs. Well here's a great opportunity to talk about how music defines a precise moment in time. I call this the Noel Crane effect. Do you remember when Felicity broke up with Noel and he sat in his beanbag chair in the dark listening to REM- Everybody Hurts on a loop? They don't make TV like that anymore.

Bouncing bouncing bouncing back...

Sara Bareilles- Between The Lines (link expired)
(Buy Little Voices)