our new video, dark clouds, and my 19th century romance with Andrew Bird

Monday, July 06, 2009

dear blog world/readers of this blog

I have not written anything on this blog for months now. My main reason for the disappearance is that I can't really figure out how to not sound like a snivelly brat that I would hate if I read my drivelly words about being insecure and insignificant and at odds with myself. In other words, I'm in a funk. I've seen happier days. It might even be another quarter-life crisis, depending on how long I go at this thing called life.
I get like this sometimes. Last night, after a wonderfully relaxing 4th of July weekend filled with ACTUAL sunshine, wonderful food, company and enjoyment, I came home and was instantly put back underneath my black cloud. As I sat in my backyard, looking at my botched landscaping skills, contemplating all the other ways and things that I am likely failing and will fail at, I exclaimed to my patient and loving companion that 'I just want to be great. Not good. Great at many things.' He reassuringly said that I was good at many things, and that equaled great. This was not reassuring. How else should someone respond to such a grandiose and self-involved statement, 'I need greatness'? Gross. I annoy myself just typing it.

First things first, this is my new video for 'Autumn Spills', directed and produced by Theodore Cormey. We are very proud of the video and want to get as many people to see it as possible. It's been featured on some blogs like melophobe, knox road, Boston Band Crush and Skope TV, but we hope for more of a takeover, if possible. Please watch it and send to those you think will love it. It needs love. Don't we all? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09ZHt3-70Zo



I have been trying to find inspiration in music, movies, and live shows. Things that have made me so happy, but then ultimately made me feel insecure and insignificant are:

1. Seeing DeVotchka and David Byrne on the same bill at Wolf Trap in Virginia. First of all, Wolf Trap is an absolutely gorgeous venue. It's like the man-made wooden version of Red Rocks. The show was a last minute decision on a perfectly clear evening with a full moon visible from our seats. After several misses and being out of town at the wrong time, I finally got to see Devotchka and they were everything I hoped they would be. The singer's voice has this resonant, haunting lilt that is cloaked in heartbusting love, and brought me to tears. It brought 90% of our party to tears. Also tuba bass lines are pretty kickass. Who would have thought?
I wasn't sure how I would feel about David Byrne as I don't love his newest work, I love the Talking Heads, but I heard he was doing a lot of older material. The whole band came decked out in white, each song accompanied by modern dancers flowing, twisting and jerking their bodies to the beat and melodies. David's voice sounded incredible, his band was great, and everybody at Wolf Trap was sitting in their seats memorized. Halfway through the set, I could NOT sit any longer, I felt like my body would scream out in agony if it could not dance for another second. So I got up, grabbed my man, and we danced our ridiculous ways in the aisle near the stage, bouncing, posing, laughing, and sweating our asses off. Three minutes into it, I looked around us and there were now 30 people in the aisle dancing with us. It made me very happy. Until the security people were telling people to sit down. When they got to us, I think they were afraid they'd get hit by a flailing limb because they just laughed and told us to move back. Overall, an exhilarating evening.

2. Andrew Bird in concert. I have loved Andrew Bird like a 19th century romance for some time now. Much like Devotchka, I have missed him every time he has come to Boston due to shitty circumstances and being pulled out of town unexpectedly. Calexico opened (and were great), and from my seat I noticed the dapper Mr. Bird on the side of the stage near the audience watching the band. I was about to run up and humbly and inadvertently faun over him in comfortable and non-awkward ways, while also giving him a CD, when another girl in the audience went up to him and took my place. Evidently she was not well-schooled in the ways of not being awkward, over-stayed, and Andrew and company excused themselves to the backstage area. My opportunity was ruined. My 19th century romance stays in the past. This missed meeting did not fault the evening in any way shape or form, however. Andrew is one of the most fluid, and accomplished musicians I have ever seen. It is obvious that he has laboriously practiced his looping pedal system because I have never witnessed someone use those pedals so effortlessly. His voice, while smooth, tender, and thoughtful also bursts with a passion that I was not expecting. It can be quite dynamic, his body leaning and contorting until he gets that note out like it's his last will and testament. In short, I love Andrew Bird. If anyone knows him, please let him know that there's a girl in Boston that would love to sing with him. Despite my insecurities at the moment, I know deep down inside that I don't suck. That's my sales pitch.

3. Regina Spektor 'Far'- Regina's new album is fantastic. I love love love it. It's driving me mad. I am particularly fond of 'Human of the Year' (holy crap that vocal line is pretty impossibly fucking great) and 'Machine', though the whole album is a beautifully orchestrated thing.

4. St. Vincent - saw her live again and she was lovely, as always. Her album 'Actor' is a genius piece of work that I love a lot. Her first record is also great, but I think Actor has some more meat to it. She's also opening up for Andrew on his second run of the US, conveniently not coming to Boston. This sucks.

5. Marina and the Diamonds' song 'I Am Not a Robot'. I fucking love this song so much, I have listened to it about 1 billion times.

These aren't terribly new and hip recommendations, sorry. Anyone with a Rolling Stone could have given these. Again, I'm not feeling that hip lately. The reason why I like these things though is because they're not all that hip. They're timeless. That's another blog though...timelessness vs. hip music, and a source of my recent bout with the sadness.

xoxo
-SR

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home