How's My Living? » Sharing

Wow, That’s a Good Song: Vandaveer, “Fistful of Swoon”

Sarah — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:54:03 +0000

I can’t describe this song as anything other than sexy. “Fistful of Swoon” slinks along, propelled forward by the rough voice of Mark Charles Heidinger and the twisting harmonies of Rose Guerin. It builds off of a simple guitar riff and just a handful of delicate piano notes, and even the video, shot in stark black and white, manages to be both sinister and alluring.

Vandaveer – Fistful of Swoon

though your towers were tall
and your powers were grand
you could not understand
how you fell from great heights
and you burrowed with speed
a kingdom you did lead
from heaven to hell

Vandaveer: Official Website | MySpace | Facebook | Twitter | Store

Wow, That’s a Good Song: Kyle Andrews, “You Always Make Me Smile”

Sarah — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:55:04 +0000

I dare you to watch this video and not grin. Who doesn’t like a gigantic water balloon fight?

Kyle Andrews – You Always Make Me Smile

I like that rainbow pair of gym shoes that you wear.
I like the chance you take. I like the mess you make.
I don’t know why I love you.
I just know I can’t stop thinking of you.

Kyle Andrews, formerly of Chicago and now of Nashville, plays a show at the Mayne Stage (1328 W Morse Ave) on September 10th at 8:30 pm. Tickets are on sale now for $7.

Kyle Andrews: Official Website | MySpace | Facebook | Twitter | Store

Appetizers For Your Week

Mel — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 01:49:08 +0000

I guess by virtue of reading these words, you’ll know that this thing is in fact on. Hi. I’m Mel. My official introduction came to you last week, and I’m pretty thrilled to be here.

Right now I’m hard at work on what I hope will be the writing sample that will get me in to the graduate school of my choice — it’s a long story, it had better be a long essay, and it’s consumed most of my waking thoughts for the last several weeks — but rather than expose folks to a bunch of unformed, unfinished thoughts that don’t make any sense right now, I thought I’d start off with some slightly more formed and finished thoughts — like appetizers.

Austin’s Waterloo Records may be my favorite record store in the country solely by virtue of their decision to sort their stock purely alphabetically, and not by genre. Every time I go in, I’m struck by how refreshing it is to know exactly where to find what I’m looking for in an unfamiliar store.

Recently I discovered Hayes Carll by way of “She Left Me For Jesus”. It’s one of those songs I feel like I ought to feel guilty about liking, but I can’t quite bring myself to do it — maybe because it’s got just the right degree of sly to suit me.

In the land of excellent covers, I’m enamored of Jeff Tweedy and Avi Buffalo covering Neil Young’s “Look Out For My Love” two weeks ago at the Wilco-curated Solid Sound Festival. When it comes to conveying fragility through tone and timbre, Neil Young is one of the best, but these two might have him beat here. [Via.]

Weather, automobile, and energy levels willing, I’m planning on leaving straight from work Friday to head up to Laramie, Wyoming to see Mavis Staples at the Snowy Range Music Festival, despite the 6am flight I’m on from Denver the next day. I picked up her album Live: Hope at the Hideout last weekend and it’s been nearly all I’ve listened to since. I don’t think I want to pass up the chance to see her this week.

Now it’s back to the land of the writing sample, population me, a bunch of nudie suits, and some history of the Grand Ole Opry. Have a good week, y’all. I’ll see you soon.

Wow, That’s a Good Song: Cee Lo Green, “Fuck You”

Sarah — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 15:28:12 +0000

Sorry mom, I didn’t name the song. Cee Lo did.

But this is the catchiest go-to-hell song that I’ve heard in just about forever. The video’s just the lyrics, but even that is done in a way that’s pretty eye catching. I found myself watching words scroll and pop across the screen for three minutes before I realized what I was doing. The real video should be out next week.

I see you driving round town with the girl I love
And I’m like, “Fuck you!”
I guess the change in my pocket wasn’t enough
I’m like, “Fuck you and fuck her too”

Cee Lo Green: Official Website | MySpace | Facebook | Twitter

Wow, That’s a Good Song: Retribution Gospel Choir, “Hide It Away”

Sarah — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 16:19:13 +0000

Retribution Gospel Choir’s sophomore album, appropriately titled 2, is already an early frontrunner to make it onto my Favorites of 2010 list. ”Hide it Away” kicks the album off, and it’s a perfect start — it grabbed my attention and still manages to suck me in for the rest of the tracks.

Retribution Gospel Choir, “Hide It Away”

You started to shake
You could not even say your lines
The graft didn’t take
Now it’s holding you back sometimes
You hide it away
You hide it away, child

Retribution Gospel Choir: Official Website | MySpace | Facebook

Hooray for Covers! Hugo, “99 Problems”

Sarah — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 15:58:20 +0000

How to make Jay-Z’s iconic “99 Problems” even better?

Why, by adding banjos and a really really freaky video, that’s how.

Hugo – “99 Problems” from Consequence of Sound on Vimeo.

Tip of the hat to Cover Me Songs and Consequence of Sound.

Hugo: Official Website | MySpace | Facebook | Twitter

This Just In…

Sarah — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 14:49:58 +0000

Tik Tok and California Gurls are the same song.

In other news, water is wet.

No related posts.

Wow, That’s a Good Song: Meursault, “A Small Stretch of Land”

Sarah — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 15:04:32 +0000

Where has Meursault been all of my life? Singer Neil Pennycook’s voice is positively haunting. I’m apparently late to this party, but Love Shack, Baby has written about Meursault several times, in much more depth than I can muster, including a review of their latest album, “All Creatures Will Make Merry”.

Meursault, “A Small Stretch of Land”

She was all that your heart did demand
And you fueled its ambition as you followed every plan
And you took leave of any common sense
Hoping that this doubt inside of you would soon be laid to rest

Meursault: MySpace | Store

Wow, That’s a Good Song: Dessa, “Dixon’s Girl”

Sarah — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 15:34:25 +0000

Dessa is part of the Doomtree collective, which is a hip-hop collective out of Minneapolis, which means that if you’re not a hip-hop fan, you may not be familiar with her. But you should, because her music transcends what you may typically think of as hip-hop. She is a poet who performed spoken word pieces before moving into hip-hop, and who also performed with an a cappella group, and a quick trawl through Youtube shows she’s quite capable as a singer. Check her out — I think you’ll be glad you did.

Dessa – “Dixon’s Girl”

Haven’t met so many women in this business that I really like,

But you can hold a little liquor, you can hold the conversation

You can hold your own mic, and,

Even that night, I learned the truth about your man:

You’ve gotta be big to treat pretty girls bad.

Dessa: Official Website | MySpace | Twitter | Store

Wow, That’s a Good Song: Chris Pierce, “What Are The Chances?”

Sarah — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 16:25:16 +0000

I first heard this song a year or so ago in one of my favorite scenes from one of my favorite TV shows. (Although said show has been going more and more downhill lately; dear ABC, please hire me to write Brothers & Sisters.) Anyhow, it’s a very relaxing, pretty soul-type song, and the video below shows that Chris Pierce can deliver live, too.

When you lose your faith and all hope is gone
Never give in, you gotta carry on, carry on
What are the chances to find a needle in a haystack
What are the chances to turn time back
What are the chances, tell me the truth
And what are the chances of ever finding you?

Chris Pierce: Official Website | MySpace | Facebook | Store