just started reading this great YA novel...awesome cover and, so far, awesome book...(more soon!)

Last night I checked out Christopher Cross's "Greatest Hits" from my library and I shamefully listened to the whole thing with pleasure. I hadn't really thought about his music in years, but I have always been fond of "Sailing" (it's so peaceful and majestic) and "Think of Laura" (a huge sobfest of a song!).

Little did I know he had done more recent stuff (well, recent as in 1998) like the amazing "Walking in Avalon" (which is still bouncing around in my head). "Walking in Avalon" is probably the oddest sweet love song I've ever heard! Cross even suggests a very naughty 4-letter word that he doesn't sound out but makes obvious by rhyme what it would have been (he hums in the word's place...I love it!!!)

Also "new" to me was the song "Back of My Mind" which really got to me when I thought about life and how we reach that age where we can sometimes wonder if we did things wrong...and would a "do over" be a good thing? The part about not marrying and having children hits especially close to home.

The lyrics go like this:



I woke up to my world this morning
Took a long look in the looking glass
Last night I guess I had one or too many
Somebody tried to tell me I had no class

What ever happened to me
Maybe I've been living on lies
Never really had a dream come true
Then again I guess I never really tried


Now the years all slip away
And things are like they're gonna stay
All the roads I didn't take are just
One more thing in the back of my mind
Taking space and time


Wish I'd finished that book I never started
Maybe that's the story of my life
Should've learned to play that saxophone
So I could tell my song to the streetlight


Shouldn't have been so stuck on my own
Could've had a wife and a child
Should've made that house a home
I don't know why my life is so wild


Now the years all slip away
And things are like they're gonna stay
All the chances I didn't take are just
One more thing in the back of my mind
Taking space and time
One more thing in the back of my mind


So I'm thinking about a walk in the sunlight
I've got to get my shadow behind me
Try and make some sense of it all
With my feet on the ground and my heart still free


As the years will slip away
I'll let the cards fall where they may
And all the roads I didn't take will be just
One more thing in the back of my mind


As the years will slip away
And the cards fall as they may
All the chances I didn't take will be just
One more thing in the back of my mind
Taking space and time
One more thing in the back of my mind
One more thing in the back of my mind

I know I have blogged before about the Icelandic song "Svefn-g-Englar" and how powerful it is. But I just can't give it up or give it credit (there are no words to) for the amazing transformation it can have over your mood, over your psyche. NME magazine writes about the group (Sigur Ros) behind the song: "...so quiet, so shakily fragile, it feels criminal to breathe at the same time as jón þór birgisson sings."

The English words go like this:

Im Here Again
Inside You
Its So Good Staying Here
But I Stay A Short While
I Float Around In Underwater Hibernation
In A Hotel Connected To The Electricity Board And Nourishing
Tyoowoohoo
But The Wait Makes Me Uneasy I Kick The Fragility Away
And Shout I Have To Go - Help
Tyoowoohoo
I Explode Out And The Peace Is Gone
Bathed In New Light
I Cry And I Cry - Disconnected
A Ruined Brain Put On Breasts
And Fed By Sleepwalkers

No song has ever so wonderfully matched word with music to make an eerily beautiful echo of just what life feels like sometimes...and if ever a song sounded like it came straight from a dream "Svefn-g-Englar" is the one!

Talk about devastating...boy does this single live up to the name of its group. The download (free!!) is called "Previous Crimes," the group: Devastations.

The song seeps into your soul and suddenly, with no warning at all, you find yourself thinking of all kinds of things you shouldn't if you want to sleep well tonight...

...like the people (for good and bad reasons) who've permanently left their marks on you...maybe something careworn and fragile that only a lover knows how to leave behind or the kind words of a beloved friend who is no longer in your life or the whisper you swear you just heard but is only the sound of cloth brushing against skin...

and there are some devastations we'd never ever want to relive again no matter how beautiful they sound in song...some people we'd cross the widest river to never have to see again...

Okay, whoo...I better skip to the next track....this breathtaking song is playing tricks on me!:)

 

(pictured: Stacy Haiduk posing with the infamous kitty cat made famous by Y and R)

(update to this post: I just read this little snippet and totally agree...what a waste of Stacy Haiduk's talent on Y&R, which I'm shamefully still watching if only for the amazing job she's doing with such a sorry storyline!)

Back in 1983 "Patty Williams (Abbott)" was a character on the soap "The Young and The Restless"...an actress named Andrea Evans (whom I ended up writing a gushing fan letter to and receiving a friendly reply from) played her with all the unhinged madness you'd expect in a woman who (after discovering she's married to a manwhore*) walks into her husband's office one day intending to kill herself only to shoot him instead.

Her passion was the exact opposite of the "on the verge of womanhood" innocence Lilibet Stern (her predecessor) had given the same role just two years earlier when she had yet to marry Jack Abbott and looked like she should be out on a farm somewhere milking cows while also possibly posing for a calendar of some sort...yet both Evans and Stern knew "Patty Williams" was a very unbalanced woman and let that show wonderfully in their performances.

I had completely forgotten about all of this until last Thursday when, sick in bed with a bad cold, I was flipping through the tv and landed on "The Young and The Restless." It had been years since I'd watched the soap. Andrea Evans had long ago gone on to other roles..."Patty" having run away in the wake of her disastrous divorce, never to be heard from again...until, last Thursday, that is.

The actress now playing her (Stacy Haiduk) is to be commended for doing her best with a character that the writers (for unknown reasons? maybe to get creative juices flowing again?) seemed to have randomly pulled out of the water so many years later.

If not for the insanely insipid (and very much 'been there, done that') "plastic surgery double" plot device used to re-introduce Patty's character, there might be some potential in re-exploring a character that was once so vulnerable in misguided love. (But seriously...I love how only on soaps does facial plastic surgery come with a new voice, an extra foot in height and a new body.)

But whatever talent Haiduk has (and she does have it, especially in oddly touching scenes where her character's only confidantes are a small kitty cat and her brother played by a very bewildered and often sobbing Paul Williams, one of the few Y&R originals still left) is lost in a sea of cliched soap opera theatrics and doppelganger impossibilities.



*"manwhore" is a slang word for the male equivalent of well...you can imagine...let's just say Jack was never a man known for keeping his pants on very long!:)

When I was in high school Otra Vez by Miami Sound Machine was one of my favorite albums. I remember finding it in a record store one day and absolutely going crazy (silently, of course, I was always silent when I screamed back then) because it was so hard to find their early 80s Spanish only records anywhere, much less at the local Sam Goody. That album made me so happy and later (way after that year of school was over) I was still dancing away to the sounds on my Sony Cassette Walkman.

I just always wanted to dance like a fool when I heard their upbeat songs. I didn't care that I didn't know one word of Spanish. I knew what the spirit of the songs was and that was all that mattered to me.

I really don't think about Miami Sound Machine that much anymore...but tonight I popped in this album by Los Amigos Invisibles and I felt that same happy goofy way again...I just discovered them, like three hours ago, and all I can is: wow! I want to dance around the living room like crazy, but I live in an apartment and it's getting late and I don't want to disturb my neighbors, but: oh     my     gosh...did I saw wow?

Miami Sound Machine what? This is even better than those bittersweet sounds I can almost hear right now.

If you don't believe me listen to "Mentiras" right now!!

The dance floor isn't there no more,
But my body's still movin'.
Tell me, do you know,
Where are we to go, when our world is so confusing?  
from the Apples in Stereo album "Travellers in Space and Time" 


Amazon is offering a brand new Apples in Stereo song free at their digital download store..."Dance Floor" is one toe-tapping, whimsical sounding infectious puff of pop; you won't be able to resist the beats or the words!: (for all of the words to this amazing song, click here) I'm not usually one for nostalgia, but "Dance Floor" sure makes it sound appealing and bittersweet.




(I accidentally hit the picture twice, but I like the song so so much I'm leaving both images up! It's that good!)

 And this one (also free!) called "Angel Underneath" reminds me of something Tom Waits would do (with all the song's quirky warm toughness):




Okay, this one is not free, but it's so oddly addictive and contains a Family Guy/ Stewie ("let's have a sexy party")  reference I couldn't resist; the image on the single cover is very disturbing (I think) and I'm not sure I feel that comfortable posting it, yet I can't help but think Jeffree Star is trying to say something here and not be offensive:




But by all means, please avoid one of the other free downloads of the day..."Woop Woop (That Means Your Phone is Ringing")...absolutely, positively horrible! Well, maybe not horrible...it's just that it sounds like a joke. I listened to the rest of the album and it pretty much all sounds like this:

The 2010 Beehouse Records Spring Sampler is another awesome freebie from the Amazon MP3 store!!! It's perfect (if you have an "aux" button in your car to connect your player or if you burn this to a cd once you go to the Amazon store) for a nice breezy easy day driving around in your car! I love it!

Super best tracks include: "Breaking Skin" and "More" by Duplex (never heard of this group before, but I'll be checking them out regularly from now!) plus "So Long Blues" by Tall Tales and The Silver Lining, "Everything and Nothing at All" by The Spires (they sound like She Wants Revenge) and "Charlie, Sky and Jupiter" by Sparkles in the Milk.

 And if you like Josh Rouse there is a good chance you'll love  the wonderful "Brother Bird" by Franklin for Short.

This album is full of mellow, fun and sunny sounds...even the sad is upbeat at times!:)

One of my favorites of all time ("How Deep Is Your Love?" by the Bee Gees) has been covered in very recent years by some musicians who truly get the beauty and underlying sorrow of the song.

The bird and the bee featured "How Deep is Your Love?" on their Please Clap Your Hands EP back in 2007. It is one of the few bird and the bee songs that sounds so vulnerable, heartfelt and honest. It's not that their other material isn't beautiful or that it's full of falsehoods...just that this song is completely free of their (almost) trademark teasing sound (where you're not quite sure if Inara George is mocking you or not.)

The Bad Plus (featuring the amazing voice of Wendy Lewis!!) is completely unconventional, meshing contemporary wayward jazz sounds with the vocalist's lovely, lovely voice. When their cover opens everything is a bit jarring, but soon the song settles into its odd rhythm and gets to the heart of the matter.

Though I will always love the original version the most, both covers got me to listen to the lyrics, not just hear them (Barry Gibb is amazing and I adore him, but he's not the easiest singer to understand.) Taking in the covers slowly I thought for the first time that this song applies to any couple who has ever faced outside pressures...especially from people (i.e. society) who don't think they belong together.


We belong to you and me  (a line from "How Deep") pretty much sums up all that matters when two people are in love with each other...nothing else matters, no one else has the right to judge them.

(Of course, this is my just two cents, but it's how I feel...)

The past two weeks of "Lost" have sent chills down my spine. April 6th's Desmond-centric episode and last night's Hugo-centric shared a soulmate theme that I was just a sucker for...especially when Libby sought out Hugo in the restaurant because she has started remembering their time together in the alternate time line, or rather the original time line (writing about this can be very confusing!).

The look on poor Hugo's face when he discovers she's actually slipped away from her doctor who has taken a group of psychiatric patients out for lunch is sweet and touching and just one of the many reason why everybody loves Hugo. That look says "well, that explains it!"..."that" meaning (to him) the only reason a woman like Libby would like him.

If you don't watch the show or haven't tuned in lately, then none of this makes sense to you...of course, even regular "Lost" fans often have trouble making sense of the show. But for those of us who haven't abandoned the show we continue to watch not just for the character development and "Twin Peaks"-like plot but because of the endearing appeal of the idea that love knows no boundaries.

During a scene last night where Hugo (the guy in orange above) visits Libby (the girl in grey next to him) at the hospital (her doctor insists it's not a good idea until Hugo offers him a generous donation) I found myself talking to the tv screen as I sometimes do when I witness two shy people not sure whether to share their feelings with each other.

I like the idea that (on tv shows and in movies, at least) a girl as pretty and special as Libby is (played so well by Cynthia Watros) could like a "big" guy like Hugo who has a wonderful heart and personality.

And I absolutely (!) loved it when Hugo's mom told him she'd set him up on a blind date and the first thing he asked wasn't "what's she look like?" but "what's she like?" (...because while Hollywood seems to embrace the 'looks don't matter' theme when it comes to how women see men, very rarely is that concept reversed...see shows like "King of Queens" for reference point!)

The Avalanches' Since I Left You is awesome, awesome stuff!! Released in the early 00s, it's a bit like something Girltalk would do, but magical and more dreamy-sounding than the exercise friendy and high energy albums by Girltalk.

Part of the fun in listening to both artists is trying to see if you can hear (and identify!) the hundreds and hundreds of sampled songs they seamlessly fit into their songs....

See what just one of the many glowing reviews for Avalanches' album says:

by MacKenzie Wilson

Taken from the band's critical beauty of the same name, "Since I Left You" leaves listeners spellbound and in a summer dreamscape of lushness and simplicity. The Avalanches mix carefree soul inside breezy electronic breaks for the savvy first single. The B-sides are equally charming. "Everyday" tinkers with Latin tinges molded over robotic vocals, but, again, the spiritual freedom of the music itself is what's so great. "Thank You Caroline" doesn't fall short of that either. Waltzing along with delicate music-box-like ambience, the Avalanches are chic and ahead of themselves by incorporating hip-hop synth beats. They're masterminds. Electronica is a bit garish, but classic cool thanks to their own wizardry. The Since I Left You single is a delectable piece of ear candy and is certainly shimmery and pretty enough to clue in on what's next from the band.

I couldn't sleep last night so I ended up watching "Vanilla Sky," which was airing on Bravo. I'm not crazy about watching feature films on commercial television so that right there is a huge problem. A film as complex and convoluted as VS needs to be viewed carefully, especially when you're gripped by the premise and the plot (is there really one?) but don't care at all for the lead (Tom Cruise plays obnoxious--and so well, too!--through so much of "Vanilla" that it's hard to feel any real sympathy for his character when his world goes rock bottom.)

It's been almost eight years since I first saw the movie and I think I liked it much better then. Today at my library I checked out the Spanish movie it's based on ("Abre Los Ojos" or "Open Your Eyes.") From what I've heard it's far superior...can't wait to watch it and compare notes...

 It sort of looks like weed, but it's actually an herb called mugwort.

Ever since I was a kid I've had the most intense dreams and nightmares. The very first nightmare I ever had (which, strangely, I can still can recall all these years later) involved a giant-sized spider opening the door to our family room (basement) and crawling down the stairs, its huge eyes staring at me and freezing me in my tracks.

I don't have too many "monster" dreams these days, but I have had some personal history somehow show up in my dreams despite how much I don't want it to...I've tried lucid dreaming, thinking peaceful thoughts before I fell asleep...nothing.

So since I can't really control the content of my dreams I've tried my best to try and have some good dreams to go along with the bad ones. Just like spicy foods before bedtime can cause horrific nightmares, there are some other foods and some herbs that can cause pleasant ones...

And that's where mugwort comes in. Mugwort is VERY hard to find in health food stores or any other offline place. But  online it's a breeze. Mugwort has been known (though it's pretty much impossible to scientifically prove) to increase the quality and intensity of dreams.

I haven't bought mugwort in pure form yet, but I did buy this product (which has 15 mg of mugwort):


And it really works! The other night I had one of the most vivid dreams I've ever had. Kava Kava, by the way, also can alter our dreams...

(more later!)

The much-talked-about Madonna episode of "Glee" premieres on Tuesday, April 20th. The cd and digital versions of the album that goes with it also debut that day (see lace-gloved hand above).

Looking at the cover of the upcoming TV Guide that hits news stands this Thursday (the 15th) I can't help but think most of the cast were either still in diapers or yet to be born when Madonna first burst onto the scene. They didn't go to school dressed like Madonna (when it wasn't Halloween!) because it was the style or hear "Like A Virgin" on the radio when it was still in the Top 40.

It's funny...my generation probably will always think of their Madonna as the one who wore leather and lace (I could never have gone to school and carried that look off like some of my classmates--including my sister!--did so well.) And a kid in high school in the early 90s has the Madonna who wore underwear over her outer wear..and today's kids have...extremely muscular and very slender Madonna who knows her way around a guitar and a riding crop:)

Out of view in the TV Guide cover is Jane Lynch dressed to the nines as this Madonna (wish I could have found the WHOLE cover):

 (Well, maybe she's always been muscular?) You'll get to see Lynch's Madonna next week if you watch the show!

My co-workers and I sometimes (discreetly, of course!) laugh at the new romance titles that cross our fiction desk. _What the Librarian Did_ by Karina Bliss is no exception. But it's not the title as much as the tagline: "She's got a secret that's long overdue."

The even funnier thing is I picked it up when I got to my desk in the back and started reading it and (so far!) it's not that bad!:)

 Now about those librarian stereotypes...those of us who work in the field rarely dress like the woman on the cover and some of us may be just as likely as the guy on the cover to sport tattoos (discreetly, of course!)

I'm trying to think of any other profession that has such a stuffy reputation and I'm coming up empty...from what I've seen it's one that's pretty false!

Listening to "Superstar" right on my MP3 player...it's funny how even though you know you put certain songs on your player, shuffle can still catch you by surprise. Karen Carpenter's voice has a certain haunting sound in some of her songs, but you have to wonder sometimes: was it always there or is it her tragic death that makes us think of those songs that way?

Her brother Richard has released (what seems like) endless compilations of their material (repeating the same classic songs over and over again for what some cynics--and sometimes I have to wonder-say is monetary reason).

All I can say for sure is the only Carpenters collection you really need is The Singles: 1969-1973. It contains all of their material from the height of their popularity and when both of them were at their best...amazing stuff!!!