The Metaphorical Magpie

Let's Go Crazy

When I think of all the music that has moved me over the years - my quest for Cuban son, rhumba and soukous resonating from African, the endless nights raving under blinking lights, the bone crushing exhilaration of being the only girl in the mosh pit, exploring the depths of funk, awakening to Berlioz, fawning over New Wave and on and on - I must go far, far back to the time where I began to choose music for myself. Raised on my mother's vinyl collection, she taught me to harmonize with The Beatles, how to recognize instruments, and generally to appreciate music. Before she had me at the tender age of 17, she wanted to be a pianist. Her music collection was large but devoid of disco, funk, R&B.

When I finally got that coveted walkman for Christmas, one of the first cassette tapes I got (yes, my dears, we listened to tapes back then) was Purple Rain by Prince. I didn't realize there was a problem with my musically vanilla universe until I was exposed to his shades of lavender and changed forever. 

Oh my! Countless hours were spent by me gazing at him astride his motorcycle, slowly washing the dishes at night because I was too busy dancing in the kitchen while enclosed in his purple realm betwixt my headphones. He piqued my adolescent curiosity. I didn't understand some of the things he was singing about but I was definitely hellbent to find out. (Once I got over my ugly duckling stage.)

I think Purple Rain is one of the most perfect records ever made. It makes me yearn for love slightly out of reach. It makes me remember heartbreak. It makes me leave notes on windshields just like the one Darling Nikki left on the stairs. I play it when I know that it's time for me to go a little crazy. One time I had a party and JPo and I ended up dancing to the whole record while our drunken guests sat on the couch in a little bit of awe.

This year is the 25th anniversary of the record's release. Sing-a-long parties screening the film are happening all over the country. This Thursday Celebrate Brooklyn is hosting one in Prospect Park. It's been on my social calendar for weeks. I've got a ruffly shirt and my purple eyeshadow ready to go.

Don't you think it's time to go a bit crazy?

Friday Dance Party

Over the weekend we drove out to Princeton Record Exchange (my favorite East Coast record store) for a new music infusion. One of the discs we picked up was Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix by Phoenix. When we popped it in on the drive home, I thought this sounds like an 80's movie.

Then I got an email linking to this video made in Brooklyn to the song Listzomania by Phoenix:

Which is an homage to this video, which is an homage to dance scenes from 80's films, set to the same song:

For further edification, watch the official video for the song.

Watching these made me want to shoot video again after being away from the camera since last fall. You've just got to watch these. It will totally make your day.

Seeing the first one got me fantasizing about having a real live Friday Dance Party this summer. Wouldn't that be crazy cool?

Friday Dance Party

Two Weeks by Grizzly Bear

Feeling jazzy

I admit to tuning in last night for Conan O'Brien's first night hosting The Tonight Show. Cyndemouse, T-La and I were all huddled near the telly to get our Pearl Jam fix while they performed. We switched over to Letterman and caught the tail end of this enchanting performance by chanteuse, Melody Gardot.

A Philadelphia native, Ms. Gardot was injured in a bicycle accident when she was 19 and still suffers memory loss, pain and sensitivity to light. She must wear special glasses and carry a cane but that certainly doesn't stop her from looking drop dead, old school bombshell, gorgeous. After the accident, she became interested in seriously making music as a means of music therapy. Prior to the accident, she played at piano bars.

Watch a video interview of her here (embed was disabled) where she discusses her music and accident while recording in the studio.

She says, "I gravitate towards scat because I forget the words." Although she doesn't consider herself a jazz singer. Discovering her is exciting to me. A big fan of Billie Holiday, Edith Piaf and Anita O'Day, it's great to finally hear a voice today that can touch the greatness of those from the past. All those women carried real emotion in their voices and Melody, does, too.

Her new record, My One and Only Thrill, is now available on Verve.

I Don't Know Lisa Hannigan... but I Am Game

J-Po sent me a link to this video and I just got all swoony and spent half my morning listening to Irish songstress, Lisa Hannigan songs and watching her videos. This one features paper cutting . I can't resist a crafty video. The mushroom cut out is my favorite.

The lyrics to this song got me thinking. I thought of all my bloggy friends and wondered if you can dance or drive or like the sea as I listened along. So I filled in some answers of my own in parenthesis. If anyone is game to repost with their own, let me know in the comments.

In an interview by NPR for All Things Considered in April 2009, Hannigan says of the song, "It's that moment where you see the turn of somebody's elbow or a book peeking out of someone's bag on the train," Hannigan says. "And — I do this anyway — I sort of construct a person behind it, invariably positive. And I think that song is about that moment, where you're sort of full of hope about someone you really have no idea about."

I Don't Know by Lisa Hannigan
I don't know what you smoke (not a puff)
 or what countries you've been to (Netherlands, Canada, USA)
if you speak any other languages other than your own (just some phrases)
but I'd like to meet you

 

I don't know if you drive (a Volkswagen)
 if you love the ground beneath you (especially in nature)
I don't know if you write letters (one of my true loves)
 or panic on the phone (not me)
 still I'd like to call you
all the same, if you want to, I am game.

I don't know if you can swim (not without adult supervision)
 or if the sea has any draw for you (i  live on the Atlantic but my heart is pulled by the Pacific)
 if you're better in the morning (never before coffee)
 or when the sun goes down (much better, thanks)
 I'd like to talk to you

I don't know if you can dance (i've been told i can bust a fine move or two)
 if the thought ever occurred to you
if you eat what you've been given (almost always hence my figure)
 or push it round your plate
 still I'd like to cook for you all the same, (and I would cook for you with pleasure)
I would want to, I am game,

If you walk my way and I could keep my head we could creep away in the dark or maybe not, we could shoot it down anyway.


I don't know if you read novels (right now i'm into vintage paperbacks of long forgotten classics)
 or the magazines (new york, entertainment weekly, gourmet, bon appetit)
if you love the hand that feeds you
 I assume that your heart's been bruised (and blackened on numerous occasions)
 I know I'd like to know you

 you don't know if I can draw at all (i haven't tried in so long but i'd like to try again)
or what records I am into
 if I sleep like a spoon (wrapped around my chihuahua, Quentin)
or rarely at all (the insomnia has gotten better)
or maybe you would do? maybe you would do

if I walk your way I will keep my head we will feel our way through the dark though I don't know you I think that I would do I don't fall easy at all

Lisa's voice sounded familiar to me.  Through my toodling around, I found she was singing backup with Damien Rice for some time before striking out on her own solo career. I loved her on Rice's Volcano.  It was one of my favorite songs when it came out.


Craft is part of Lisa's art. On her website, her mother knitted the wallpaper background. Her sister contributed a fantastic pop up book for the video for "Lille " and Lisa sewed the lyrics for her solo album, Sea Sew to a piece of linen and then had the piece photographed for use inside the record.

Most of her upcoming  performances will be in the UK but she is slated to perform at Austin City Limits this year in October. Perhaps a wee U.S. tour can be arranged before or after that appearance.

Friday Dance Party: True Romance

"Find some time for tea and wine and valentines. Forget about the big picture."

True Romance (True No. 9 Blues) by Golden Silvers. Their record will be released by Rough Trade next week.

The video reminds me of the dance show I was obsessed with rushing home to watch after school every afternoon.

This woman is living her dream

I've never seen an episode of American Idol. Watching emaciated twits do grandiose karaoke doesn't have appeal to me honestly. It makes me crazy that all you have to be is cute, thin and blonde these days to be accepted as a talented singer. Bette Midler and Janice Joplin would be singing to their houseplants in their slippers in today's market.

While logging into Yahoo for my email, I noticed a headline of a woman that wowed the crowd on Britain's Got Talent. Intrigued by her visage, I clicked through and I too was wowed by her voice, her personality and her spunk. There are few skinny bitches rolling their eyes at her in the beginning that I would really, really, like to reach through the screen and strangle with their own limp hair strands.

This is a short video of Susan Boyle, 47, of a small British village during her performance of "I Dreamed a Dream"from Les Miserables.

Susan Boyle Sings on Britain's Got Talent 2009 Episode 1 @ Yahoo! Video

For a longer video that includes an interview with her before and after her performance, visit the embed disabled video on YouTube.

Hoorah for Susan and all the ladies out there that have the guts to chase their dreams.

Craftastic: The gold lame edition

What would happen if Weinerdog from Welcome to the Dollhouse and Har Mar Superstar had a baby?

Leslie Hall! She specializes in hip hop lyricism and sweater rescue. Um, hello? I'm in love with that.

Craftapalooza posted this video, Craft Talk,  and I nearly fell off my chair.

Someone who worships gold lame even more than me! Leslie, is rocking the lame with some sick dance moves in this video , Gold Pants Lullaby.

You can see more of her gem encrusted videos on her YouTube channel. I admit, I spent a significant chunk of time over there this morning. Her band, Leslie and Ly's will be touring the U.S. this spring, if you are feeling the need to see the lame in person.

For added inspiration, add Welcome to the Dollhouse to your DVD watching schedule soon.

For more fantabulous dance moves from a lame clad chubster, feast your eyes on DUI by Har Mar Superstar.

Isn't he something else?

I'm definitely wearing my gold boots today.

One lump or two?

I've had this Flight of the Conchords song, "Sugar Lumps" in my head for days on end so now I am going to pass it on to you! There is something about this dorky duo that makes my little nerd lovin' heart do a few thump-da-thumps every Sunday night when a new episode airs.

Are all the boys from New Zealand this adorable?

Connecting contemporary culture with the classics

Lykke Li - Tonight from Lykke Li on Vimeo.

I don't know what inspired this song but whenever I hear it,  I always think of the story of Orpheus venturing to the Underworld to fetch his wife, Eurydice. He is given the chance to lead her back into the living world above but may not turn back to look at her as they make their journey.

Both the story and this song bring into focus how sometimes a loved one is right by your side but you feel that they may be slipping away. It's hard to know what to do at that point. Do you look back like Orpheus and lose everything in the attempt to save it? Or move confidently forward knowing your lover is one step behind you today and that on another day you may be the one bringing up the rear?

If you haven't seen Jean Cocteau's film Orpheus, I suggest you put it in your Netflix queue.

New music infusion

When I buy music, I always say I'm like a snake. I go in buy a huge stack and then it takes a long while before I digest my musical meal before I need a new one. Sweets is always on top of when records and dvds are going to be released so I now use his knowledge for strategic planning. Knowing there were several discs coming out this month, we decided to head out to our favorite place to buy music in NJ, Princeton Record Exchange. We dropped three boxes of discs of items we wanted to trade in at the front desk and started browsing on our own. Sweets heads to new releases. I'm the bargain hunter, so I'm all about the area in the back where used and promotional discs are priced $1.99 - $4.99. Because I shop the cheap racks, I can totally fill up my basket without breaking the bank. As we shop, we'll pull things the other might like. When we regrouped, I was holding a Magnetic Fields disc that I thought he may want. He was holding it, too but it was $12 more because it was new. So we switched his new one for the used. Later he found me a promo Kimya Dawson that saved us another $11 if we would have bought the new one. By the time we felt satisfied, our basket was pretty full. Our trade in balance covered everything we picked out today and we've got some leftover to go towards our next music shopping excursion. I love it when it works out like that!

Some of the new sounds that will be in heavy rotation here for a while.

Two discs by Sondre Lerche, The Duchess and the Duke, Bon Iver, Animal Collective, The Bird and the Bee, The Finn Brothers, Sinead O'Connor, Brian Eno, Ricki Lee Jones, Joy Division, and  The Hard Lessons.

Friday Dance Party Returns

Friday Dance Party: I'll be walking out the door edition

I can hardly believe this but today is the last Friday I'll be working at the newspaper. Monday I'm taking a personal day, Tuesday I'm archiving my videos and Wednesday will be my last official day. There are some plans brewing for a little post workday celebration that day before I sail off into the sunset.

There are only so many times in your life that you can invoke the spirit of Johnny Paycheck, so I'm taking the liberty here today.

Really, playing this song today is all in good fun.

I had an amazing ride at this paper. I came here when I was burnt out on the business and wanted to quit. Instead, the director of photography here convinced me I could help build an award winning photography department. We did just that. I did more than that. I filled my world with tremendously talented photographers, writers and editors who I count as friends and mentors today.

If I was just leaving a job, I would be sad. Sure. But I am really leaving a family, my chosen tribe, a respected institution and a way of life.

Trying to take in the conclusion of a 19 year run working for newspapers and the beginning of a new era of democracy for our nation has me dizzy and out of breath. I'll be taking a few weeks off to adjust before I begin school in December.

Deep breath.

                                                                                          -30-

Friday Dance Party: Happy Halloween edition

  

This year is the 25th anniversary of the release of Thriller by Michael Jackson. I can remember my eleven year old self being mesmerized by the video. It made me want to dance.  (Unfortunately, I never got the hang of dancing to choreography, I am more of a free style dancer myself. )

More importantly, Thriller has made millions of people want to dance over the years.

Like 1,500 prisoners in the Phillippines moving as an army of orange jumpsuited zombies in unison.

Or wedding parties as surprise entertainment for the guests.

Watch this British bride own it at her reception.

Here's a nerdy parody made in the 80's called Throbber where the dance sequence happens in a shopping mall. All the feathered hair and fashions scared the bejesus out of me.

Next up the penguins from Happy Feet.

The original Thriller video is not embeddable, so you may view it here.

This indecision's bugging me...

All day today, I had "Should I Stay or Should I Go" by The Clash rushing through my head.  This memo arrived in my email on Tuesday afternoon.  The option to sign up for the buyout offer is still open to us until Oct. 1. I took the whole weekend to really, really mull over the decision. I don't want to be impetuous. This is not an easy decision for any of us at the paper and we all have our own personal situations that color our thoughts on the whole "Should I stay or Should I Go?" question. Or "Do I Take the Money and Run?" is another variation of the question. Based on the content of the memo, it is quite clear that despite what we personally decide to do, our fates are being decided by others. And they appear to be playing hard ball. Rather clumsily but it does hurt when the ball comes directly in contact with you or people you hold near and dear.

Darling, you got to let me know
Should I stay or should I go?
If you say that you are mine
I'll be here 'til the end of time
So you got to let me know
Should I stay or should I go?

It's always tease, tease, tease
You're happy when I'm on my knees
One day is fine and next it's black
So if you want me off your back
Well, come on and let me know
Should I stay or should I go?

Should I stay or should I go now?
Should I stay or should I go now?
If I go, there will be trouble
And if I stay, it will be double
So come on and let me know

This indecision's bugging me
(Esta indecisión me molesta)
If you don't want me, set me free
(Si no me quieres, librame)
Exactly whom I'm supposed to be
(Diga me que tengo ser)
Don't you know which clothes even fit me?
(¿Sabes que ropas me queda?)
Come on and let me know
(Me tienes que decir)
Should I cool it or should I blow?
(¿Me debo ir o quedarme?)

(¿Yo me frío o lo soplo?)

Should I stay or should I go now?
(¿Yo me frío o lo soplo?)
Should I stay or should I go now?
(¿Yo me frío o lo soplo?)
If I go there will be trouble
(Si me voy va per peligro)
And if I stay, it will be double
(Si me quedo es doble)
So ya gotta let me know
(Si me tienes que decir)
Should I cool it or should I blow?
(¿Me debro ir o quedarme?)

Should I stay or should I go now?
(¿Yo me frio o lo soplo?)
If I go there will be trouble
(Si me voy va per peligro)
And if I stay, it will be double
(Si me quedo es doble)
So ya gotta let me know
(Me tienes que decir)
Should I stay or should I go?

I've made my decision.

Now the ball, that hard ball, is in their court.