Natale hilare et Annum Faustum!

Here's my Christmas gift of my readers. I doubt there are many, but that doesn't matter. That means that there is just enough to gather around a small bonfire in this cold sting of a winter and sip on hot chocolate while I attempt to play Sofia Luz, my guitar. There are enough mugs in my house for the thousands,yet so few of us who never grow ill of unwrapping a new, shiny song or artist. There's nothing better than finding an artist of the past. But, if the artist is still alive, heck, you probably have the opportunity to see him/her/them show off their musical chops at pretty cool venue.

My petite Christmas gift to you is a list of my resources; I'm telling you how to have my never-satisfied eye for music.

Paste Magazine http://pastemagazine.com/ Where I read about my favorite artists

Stereo Gum http://stereogum.com/ Where I can get free downloads of songs by new underground bands

Daytrotter http://daytrotter.com/ Where I can discover new bands while picking up live sessions for free

Pandora http://pandora.com/ Where I can create my own radio stations tailored by what I already listen to and enjoy while the station unveils new artists for me with every use

MSN Music http://music.msn.com/inconcert/ Where I can watch my favorite mainstream artists perform live with amazing picture and sound quality (vs. YouTube)

YouTube http://youtube.com/ Where I can find ancient and sheer music videos, as well as see live footage of a bucket and a half of my favorite artists

MySpace http://myspace.com/ Its music makes up for what Facebook lacks; where I discovered some of favorite artists of all time; artists themselves offer free downloads and display blogs all in one place

More on Christmas...
That's all, folks! Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! (You'll hear from me before '09 ;)

Title: "Happy Holidays!" in Latin
In My Head: "Snow Angel" by Over The Rhine

Ho Raccolto I Pezzi Quando mi Sono Svegliato

1) This one's too quiet for words. Watch this:


2)http://www.brushfirerecords.com/index.php/home Go to the "Featured Track" on the right hand side. It's a masterpiece of remix. Kinda makes you wanna dance. It makes my dad play his African drums and believe that Jack Johnson is a bad business man for not having the song be up for sale.

Title: "I picked up the pieces when I woke" in Italian
In My Head: "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again" from Phantom Of The Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber

La Dirò Che Ho a Mente

http://beemp3.com/download.php?file=708355&song=Lost+And+Found
Listen to "Lost and Found" by Phoenix (I found a player for it!!!)

My fragmented description:
in red and brick flannel
Princton Record Exchange shirt
gray sweatpants and black socks
in my family room
2:50 in the afternoon of a hazy, glowing Thursday
hair in a new creation out of my face
blast "Lost and Found" from computer
dance moves attempt to be as cool as the music
attempt fails
let my short brown locks drape my face until I shake it out, smelling Garnier

An amazing French band = Phoenix. My new amore!
Hint: Lead singer's girlfriend is Sofia Coppola

Title: "I'll Tell You What I Have In Mind" in Italian
In My Head: "PM's Love Theme" by Craig Armstrong (not sold in the U.S.)

Minha Sinfonia Perfeita Perdida Longa

*Blissful Sigh* Ahh! My soul can rest!

The past hour and a half I have been searching for a key. This key has been lost for years. That glorious, delicious relief when that key is found, or heard, is the catalyst for the overflowing joy that comes with "Eureka!" That word is the absolute best description of the fireworks, the explosion, the volcano of rejoicing refreshment.

A certain song has haunted me for at least 3 years. The shavings and flakes I have held dear to me because within a few minutes inhabits a wonderous treasure, an eruption of flawless euphoria.

I can almost guarantee that you have heard this song. I've been hearing this perfect symphony in trailers throughout the years. You'll hear this, and remember it like an antique dream, covered in dust, but still as crisp as it can be.

What's disgusting is the fact that because it's part of a British film's, Love Actually, soundtrack that is not included on the American verion, it is not on iTunes. (Mind you, I had not seen this movie until about a year ago.) I would've had to pay 5 or 6 euros to get it sent to me from across the Atlantic pond to possess the majestic 2 minute song. But, a certain YouTube user gave a link to a free download of this uncommon gem. It is one of my favorites. My thirst of three long years is finally quenched.

Here, finally, is "PM's Love Theme" by Craig Armstrong, from the motion picture soundtrack of the British film, Love Actually. Yes!


Title: "My Perfect Long Lost Symphony" in Portugese
In My Head: An amazing masterpiece in which its name is no longer a distant, ghostly mystery. It is now alive and well. My ears are sponges, not being able to soak up its flavor to its full potential.

Muzikale Eenvoud Voor Kerstmis

While preparing for the end of the semester, my friend Jocelyn and I have been listening to this song on repeat for the past week and a half. "Love Came Down At Christmas" by Jars of Clay tries to redefine what a Christmas song actually is. Holiday songs do not have to be fraught with a thousand musicians and flooded with voices in order to be a classic. Jars created this little ditty. It is very simple and humble. No organ or jingle bells necessary. The small instrumental break with a John Mayer-esque electic guitar subtley flaunts that a Christmas does not need to be complicated in order to be a great holiday symphony.



Jars of Clay used simplicity through the melody. Coldplay uses classicality through the actual production of the song. Here is an intimate, charming cover of "Last Christmas" by four talented ol' chaps.


Title: "Musical Simplicity For Christmas" in Dutch
In My Head: Coldplay's cover of "2000 Miles" by The Pretenders

Nessuno Ferro E Vino, Natale Giusto

I can't explain how much I wanted to write about Iron & Wine again today. I won't, but I desperately want to. Oh well.

"Save This Dance" from The Nutcracker Prince
Directions:
1) Let the whole video load
2) Skip to 2:40
3) End at 3:50

This clip you don't really have to watch. It's just something I have enjoyed many years, this petite song. This is simply a black and white photograph of me when I was little, and I would dance like that.


"Grandfather's Dance" from the Nutcracker
Directions:
1) Let the clip load
2) Skip to 4:50
3) Play through the end
This snippet is my favorite part of The Nutcracker. It sounds so royal and beautiful. This is the kind of song that makes me wish I lived in a different time, so that I could dance to this with a slow, tidy rhythm. The beat is very much like a waltz, sounding poetic in the tune. Okay, enough directions.


I haven't mentioned the Weepies in a while. One of my favorite Christmas songs in the whole world. It's a beautiful, little ditty. This clip you should watch. It's "All That I Want". The melody paints those spots of pastels on the bright lights of an oil painting displaying the Christmas-coated harbor. Lovely, lovely song.


Title: "No Iron And Wine, Just Christmas" in Italian
In My Head: "Everybody" by Ingrid Michaelson

Die Komplikationen, die Sie auf verzichten könnten

I've been thinking a lot about this song lately. It takes place when the ground becomes a floor of snowflakes. "Casimir Pulaski Day" is unassuming yet disarming because the melody, its tune, assumes that the song is happy, but within a few more seconds, Sufjan Stevens breathes ever so delicately "when I found out you had cancer of the bone".

One of the first times I was listening to it I kept thinking that the song was going to end many times before it actually did. But, then the story would not have been over. "Casimir Pulaski Day" is a hard listen. Like I said previously, the tune is not what defines the song, like Coldplay's "Clocks" for instance. The song is bleached by the lyrics, creating little holes in the happy melody.

I have a bad tendency of forgetting Sufjan's talent. This track is a healthy reminder of his soft-spoken creative brilliance. No doubt I will mention more thoroughly in the future.

One last note, this song is sung through a microscope because those subtle details that are ignored, or are so briefly recognized that they dissipate immediately are those same details that Sufjan pays attention to. Lines like, "I could see what you were reading" are loaded statements. By adding this simple, neglected line, personality is illuminated. He cares about about her. He wants to know what's going on her head at that specific time. Sufjan cares about this girl even down to the frays of her thoughts, where they are rooted. He is in love with her. That line just being there says so much. I challenge you to find deeper meaning in those otherwise ignored lyrics. Those words are there for a reason, whether to rhyme or give a mysterious wink, find out, guess the purpose. My bible professor reminded me of this with the song "Jezebel" by Iron & Wine (deserves a whole new post specifically). Okay, enough babbling. Get listening!!

Homemade music video depicting the story painted by Mr. Sufjan Stevens. Very interesting and completely from a fraction of the soul. I say that because it takes drive to commit to creating a video like this for such an intense song. Not bad.


William Fitzsimmon's covering the song. (I've posted this video already, but it should be watched again.) One of my favorite gentlemen justs plays this on the couch. How lovely =)


Title: "The Complications You Could Do Without" in German
In My Head: "Casimir Pulaski Day" by Sufjan Stevens

this is NOT an ordinary post

My soul decided to scream its way out of me tonight, and the rest of me picked up the pieces, fixing a puzzle early this Sunday morning.

I have been difficulty seeing the light people keep mentioning to me about that shines ever so gently yet brightly. But, I am blind. And I sort of wish everyone else was, too.

If everyone was blind, then I believe that we could truly, and honestly see in each other. Beauty can more easily blossom when no one's pesticide looks poison it.

I was thinking about the concequences I have created because of what I think about myself. I starve for compliments on my personality despite my blindness. They speak a different language in which I know few words.

I am writing to tell the adventure, the story that happened to me in the hour of eleven. I say this because it was not seen from a human eye, but a camera, capturing specific yet blurry shots. This isn't worth the hype my words are creating. To me, the hype is half the fun. Here are the shots for you in order. They are fuzzy because the pen didn't kidnap them and throw them violently onto my old bible notebook paper until the early twelve. Take peek through my lenses.

Pause. Background information first. I finished watching the decent, corny film called Penelope. It's good, not fantastic, but it got me thinking. I can't keep punishing myself for just being who I am. There is no need to defend myself and what I believe when no one is on the fighting side. I am Don Quixote.

Here it is. "How Will He Find Me" by The Weepies is a stream flowing past my ear drums.
I walk the black path contrasting the thin white spread on both sides. I silently cry a little. The light upon the hill of Walton reveals the sweet of what's left in my eyes and now resting on my cheeks ever so gently.

(I walk pass Walton) I softly stomp my way to a dark fork in the pavement, mediating on the lack of love I receive because of the lack of respect that I supply for myself. My eyes fight the stream to see the vivid illumination that is now the centerpiece of my sight. The song is still looming.

I am welcomed by stamps left by snow-bottomed shoes. I holt at the center of the glowing, softly beaming twinkles hugging the gazebo. As the song concludes, it cues my tears to fall.

I take my time to get to the edge, to see the solid reflections with fuzzy edges of street lamps lining the hollow paths across the pond. A heart carved by a human hand in the snow rests in the corner. Silence still reigns from my earbuds.

My icy toes move like a sloth leaving the gazebo with "Dancing Alone" by Ashlee Simpson. Even now, I cannot despise any part of her in any way because she has given me this single song which has allowed me to grow one white spray rose with every listen.

I leave, walking up the path, watching light dance upon the thin concrete coating half the pond. I stop for a second. The sweet gets caught, entangled in the light, I imagine. My lips are roughly dry, yet my tears can't satisfy.

I pass their voices for that is all I know. I dig deeper into my hood as I continue up the steep. As I cautiously reach the top, a boy takes wide steps up the hill at the top towards me, where I oversee Gough beyond the second pond. I descend before I can find out what he sees.

I trudge down to the gazebo to find at the mouth of it that two knotted hands attached to two cloudy breaths from two shy smiles claim the place I recently abandoned. The minature mount of Walton spills tangerine light all over the ground, even on the snow. It catches the sweet probably, pulling me back down the path toward the building I call home. My eye arrests the hands in union soon create two lips in a bow. The song has ceased to play.

There are very few moments in which music cannot properly nor accurately describe. This is one of those moments.

They take my security away. I'm not particularly nor completely settled into my skin. They are. They know themselves and each other. They could admire one another whole-heartedly.

I am numb. I cannot feel my walking pattern, the beats of my heart, not even the inhale that is being taken in my mouth. I feel nothing except drops of watery Hershey kisses dripping from the corners of ever so blue eyes. "The Blower's Daughter" by Damien Rice calls for this.

I roughly glide back down the path, stealing a pre-made snowball from the bridge's ledge. I smooth the edges delicately like a stream soothes the coarse spots away. This sphere made from, at its core, water, is the collection of comments about my personality that I hold ever so dear. I nurture these words and try to make them echo in my head forever.

I reach the opening of the soccer field. I rebel. I walk on the curb, defying the footsteps that spot the snow to my left and do not dent any more the white meadow to my left. I walk discreetly passed not to disturb the sleeping snowflakes.

I proudly smash the collection of flakes and thoughts in front of Gough, curious to see what will happen without them, without it.

I stare through the archway to the ledge. My sunken palms upon it dissipate the flakes and awake my nerves. "Loveson ♥ g" is what I melt. "'Lion's Mane' by Iron & Wine" is further sucken, creating valleys of flakes.

"by Iron & Wine" is later demolished due to construction of a snow castle, standing proud from many yards away, basking in the light.

Créé Par L'Homme de De de Fils

I just came back from a date with Him.

Once again, my eyes are opened like a baby girl, with my big blue eyes trying to make sense of the world around me. I still can't make full sense of it even now. He never ceases to impress me.

My picks:
"Send Me On My Way" by Rusted Root
"Good Love Is On The Way" from the Village Sessions by John Mayer
"You Are The Everything" by R.E.M.

Christ(mas) picks:
"O Holy Night"
"What Child Is This"
"Partial and Incomplete"
"Silver Bells"
All by Sleeping At Last.

(Nod to Chico for giving me the Ghosts of Christmas Past EP.)

Title: "Created By The Son Of Man" in French
In My Head: His harmonies