It’s so soon! I’m super excited to see my family and have some time off this year. I’ve been enjoying my once-a-year Christmas music gluttony, where I listen to nothing but Christmas music. Here are some of my favorites right now!
Sarah McLachlan: Song for a Winter’s Night
Louis Prima: What Will Santa Claus Say (When He Finds Everybody Swinging)
James Taylor: In The Bleak Midwinter
Diana Krall: Christmas Time is Here
Josh Groban: What Child is This?
And a little something for Jewmas… Pink Martini: Elohai N’tzor
Over the weekend I finally found time and inclination to watch Talihina Sky, the documentary about the Kings of Leon. Those boys remind me so much of a lot of people I know. Ultra-religious upbringing, and they move on to reject just about everything that they’ve ever been raised to believe, but still have close ties with their families and want to please their mothers. Even without the backwoods environment, the story is familiar. Their open use of drugs and alcohol and some bare-assed nekkidness make it eye-opening indeed. (I was kind of shocked and slightly impressed by the ingenuity in the scene where Matthew Followill smokes a joint in an airplane bathroom.)
Most of all, though, it reminded me how much I love the music of the Kings of Leon. Like Caleb says at one point, you have to have to put up with all the crap on the radio to hear really good music (of course, talking about their own songs). They cancelled their tour this summer because of Caleb’s reported alcohol abuse, but I hope they are able to come back and record another great album. Until then, this Music Monday is all Kings of Leon, all the time.
I am addicted to So You Think You Can Dance. It’s one of those rare shows where the talent is actually very talented, and people take the vote very seriously. It’s not so much about popularity as about ability. However, my favorite thing about it is the music. The dances are so carefully choreographed to some incredible music. It just makes the dances that much more powerful. So I thought I would feature some of my favorite dances from this season set to great music.
Melanie & Marko–Contemporary–to Turn to Stone by Ingrid Michaelson
Caitlynn & Mitchell–Contemporary– to Turning Tables by Adele
Iveta & Nick–Quickstep–to Ballroom Blitz by Sweet
Ricky & Allison–Jazz– to Precious Things by Tori Amos
Jess & Katherine–Contemporary–to The Lonely by Christina Perri
Hopefully this will inspire you to watch So You Think You Can Dance. Or maybe just to dance around your own living room.
Summer has its own sound. It’s fun, beachy, lighthearted. Love songs and dance songs. Perfect for time by the pool. I’ve got summer sounds on the brain right now, and here are some of my favorites for Music Monday.
Best Coast: Boyfriend
Adele: Rumour Has It
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes: Home
The Explorers Club: Do You Love Me?
It’s like hippies, stoners and the reincarnation of the Beach Boys on my summer playlist! What are your summer sounds?
Last week for Music Monday I shared some instrumental music that I listen to in my classroom with my students. I also like to give them new experiences. Most of them have never listened to classical music, and it’s SO AMAZING. Here are some of my kids’ favorites. Carmina Burana: O FortunaComposed by Carl Orff
Hungarian Dance No. 5Composed by Johannes Brahms
Nocturne No. 19, Opus 72, No. 1Composed by Frédéric Chopin
My students know that every Friday, we write. They all have journals and they are free to write about any topic. Part of this process is me putting music on to inspire them. I learned quickly that music with lyrics in English are distracting; I play instrumental, classical, or world music instead. And I love it, because it exposes them to music that they would never have heard otherwise. For Music Monday, here are some of my favorite instrumental pieces that I play for my students.
Explosions in the SkyFirst Breath After Coma
DJ ShadowOrgan Donor
BraveheartSons of Scotland
That’s what we’re listening to! Any favorite instrumental albums? I’m always looking for new stuff.
Okay, I’ve been sick. I had a cold. Then the flu. Then an autoimmune scare which turned out to just be dehydration from the flu. Basically, it’s been a crappy month. And the blog has reflected it.
I hope y’all haven’t abandoned me totally. I hope to be back to 100% within the week, and back with a vengeance. In the meantime, direct from my iTunes playlist, a few of my top played songs for Music Monday.
I didn’t watch much of the Grammys last night. I watched Gaga wearing a busted condom. I fast-forwarded through all of Justin Bieber. I recorded a section specially while I went to Target so I could watch The Avett Brothers, Mumford & Sons, and Bob Dylan. Mumford rocks harder than folk rightfully should. It’s awesome to watch. And they rock live without any special effects. My Twitter feed exploded when the Album of the Year was announced and it was Arcade Fire.
I’ve featured Arcade Fire here before, with their song “My Body is a Cage”. Their latest album, The Suburbs, won the Grammy. They are amazing. This is one of the songs of theirs that I can’t get enough of, “We Used to Wait”.
Another major thing that has happened since I posted a Music Monday post, and that is the release of The Civil Wars’ album, Barton Hollow. Or should I say, the MUCH ANTICIPATED release. I feel like I’m totally ahead of the curve, since I’ve known about them for MONTHS. (Thank you, Lula, my musical angel.) But I think that everyone should know about them, and that they should sweep the Grammys next year! So, do your part, and go BUY the album, (Don’t file share! Pay them!) And watch this video.
