apologies for skipping last week’s top 5. blame it on the pilgrims and tryptophan, if you please.

this week, i celebrate the sweet sound of love wrapped in romance, surrounded by warmth. narrowing these old gems down to just 5 was next-to-impossible, but i think i done good. now, open up your itunes, bust out a CD-R and add these to a mix “tape” for your honey. they’ll be forever yours. without doubt, i would be a goner. altogether now, let’s *swoon*.

sia :: not a day too soon

my best buds’ wedding song, ray lamontagne :: let it be me

[i know what you're thinking, "expand your musical horizons, murphy. there's more to music than ray lamontagne. au contraire, mon frére. i can't post love songs without including ray. that would be a travesty of epic proportions. even more epic than the time i dropped my chocolate chip cheesecake on the kitchen floor before savoring a single bite. ]

the beatles :: something

the postal service :: brand new colony

over the rhine :: i want you to be my love

I don’t miss living in London at all except for the ability to “pop” to stuff.  Living in Hackney for years meant I was used to live music on the doorstep: the Vortex in Stoke Newington, the Jazz Cafe in Camden and even further west Ronnie Scott’s, the 606 Club and some place in Green Park I forget the name of.   We are starved in that respect in Southend.

This guy sings to make my heart hurt, but I guess the only consolation is that the strings section wouldn’t have fitted in the Vortex anyway.

Don’t let your mind get weary and confused
Your will be still, don’t try
Don’t let your heart get heavy child
Inside you there’s a strength that lies

Don’t let your soul get lonely child
It’s only time, it will go by
Don’t look for love in faces, places
It’s in you, that’s where you’ll find kindness

Be here now, here now
Be here now, here now

Don’t lose your faith in me
And I will try not to lose faith in you
Don’t put your trust in walls
‘Cause walls will only crush you when they fall

Be here now, here now
Be here now, here now

~ Ray Lamontagne

Though I was originally going to make this a top 50 list (and I did compile such a list), I decided to trim it down to 20. The list was starting to feel unfocussed, and I thought that it would be more interesting to really focus in on 20 albums from this decade that I really loved, rather than worrying about fitting in the certain albums I felt I had to have on my top 50.

So here is part 1 (#20-11). I think there are some unpredictable choices, which I like. It has some of the stuff you’d expect, but I tried to keep things a bit interesting. There’s lots of indie stuff, but I guess that’s just what I like to listen to most. Let me know what you think of my list, and feel free to share your own picks in the comments.

20. Consolers of the Lonely – The Raconteurs (2008)

In just one of his many side projects of the decade, Jack White joined forces with some “old friends” (he and Brendan Benson share frontman duties) to form the Raconteurs in 2006. Their first album was something of a success, and they topped themselves (pun somewhat intended) with their sophomore disc. The album is split more definitively between White and Benson, and each bring a lot with their respective styles. Highlights include Benson’s “Many Shades of Black” and White’s “Top Yourself” and “Five on the Five”. Every track is fascinating, and the endless variations on style throughout the track listing are impressive.

19. Youth and Young Manhood – Kings of Leon (2003)

Kings of Leon have recently been spotted invading radio airwaves with “Use Somebody” and “Sex on Fire” off 2008’s Only by the Night. But North America’s just been a little slow to pick up on these guys (which is odd, considering they’re American). Back in 2003, when they all had ridiculous haircuts and moustaches, they released their debut LP, which is full of catchy little retro tunes. I like the new Kings of Leon sound, too, but there’s something endearingly scruffy about their early work. “California Waiting” and “Red Morning Light” are raw, but the Followills’ ability to write an incredible pop song was evident early on.

18. Gold – Ryan Adams (2001)

Gold refuses to stick to one style, and the eclectic sound suits Ryan Adams well. Adams handles country stompers (“Firecracker”), lovely ballads (“Good Night, Hollywood Blvd.), and even blues (“The Rescue Blues”, “Touch, Feel, and Lose”) deftly on his lengthy, sometimes erratic sophomore solo album. All of his genre-shifting is fascinating. Every song offers something new, and Gold proves that when it comes to his music, Adams is ambitious and fearless. Some of his best songs to date can be found here, and despite the diversity of styles, it never feels unfocused. Adams is one of the best songwriters of this decade, for sure.

17. Parachutes – Coldplay (2000)

No matter how many jokes people make (or how vehemently Chuck Klosterman hates them), I honestly think that Coldplay is pretty excellent band. Their debut album, Parachutes, certainly showed a lot of promise. “Yellow” became a big hit, but it’s far from the best song of the album. “Shiver” is fantastic, and apparently it was Chris Martin’s attempt to write a Jeff Buckley song. Their signature sound can already be heard throughout the album, but I like that this is a smaller, more personal album than some of their later work. Scoff at the sappiness if you want, but there are some fantastic songs here.

16. Poses – Rufus Wainwright (2001)

I have a pretty huge spot in my heart for Rufus Wainwright. Something about the tone of his voice always makes me feel at ease. It’s hard to describe, but it’s unlikely virtually any other singing voice I’ve heard. On Poses (the follow up to his 1998 eponymous debut), Rufus gives us more of his signature theatrical fare. Though that’s not usually my taste, I love it when Rufus does the over-the-top stuff. He also gets folkier on his cover “One Man Guy” (it’s a wonderful interpretation of his father’s song), which is nice. I’ve heard that Wainwright was at the height of his drug addiction around this time period, but it’s a beautiful album nonetheless.

15. Elephant – The White Stripes (2003)

After the success of the song “Fell in Love with a Girl” (and the accompanying Gondry-helmed music video), The White Stripes managed to take advantage of their positive buzz and release another stellar album a mere two years later. It had a couple of songs that have since become radio staples (“Seven Nation Army”, “The Hardest Button to Button), but despite its more polished sound, there’s no way in hell that Jack White is selling out here. “Ball and Biscuit” is mighty, and this album features more of a blues influence than their past three. The White Stripes are a band that is constantly evolving, and following their journey over the decade has been a blast.

14. Trouble – Ray LaMontagne (2003)

His cuddly beard and raspy voice may seem commonplace in the wake of the recent folk movement, but Ray LaMontagne came before all of that. Before I discovered LaMontagne’s music, I thought that the song “Trouble” was some kind of soul standard. And all of his songs have that timeless feeling to them, which I always love. There’s so much soul in his music, and he sings every word with such emotion. I love music that is emotionally raw, and LaMontagne pretty much epitomizes that concept. His subsequent two albums are quite strong too, but his debut, Trouble, is his most affecting work to date.

13. I and Love and You – The Avett Brothers (2009)

The Avett Brothers have been releasing albums consistently since 2002, but they’ve just recently started making waves in the mainstream with their latest album. I and Love and You was helmed by super producer Rick Rubin, and the expected shiny production is there. But all that gloss doesn’t detract from the wonderfully eclectic collection of songs. There’s not a bad track on the album, and most of the tracks are exceptional. “Laundry Room” and “January Wedding” stay closer to the Avetts’ country roots, while “Slight Figure of Speech” is a spiky little pop gem. The signature rawness, beautiful harmonies, and thought-provoking lyrics that The Avett Brothers are known for haven’t gone anywhere.

12. New Wave – Against Me! (2007)

Fans accused these Florida punks of being sell-outs when they released this radio-friendly set of songs, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that this is a pretty amazing album. They worked with Butch Vig, who made Nirvana famous with his production of Nevermind, and I can understand how the polished production would put some fans off. But I don’t think that it hurts the album at all. “Thrash Unreal” is an infectious, unexpected anthem, and “The Ocean” boasts lovely lyrics from Gabel pondering what his life could have been under different circumstances. It’s fierce, relevant, and uncompromising, which is all anyone can ask of a band like Against Me!.

11. The Woods – Sleater-Kinney (2005)

Most people probably thought that the “riot grrrl” movement died at some point during the mid-90’s, but Sleater-Kinney proved that they still have what it takes to write an awesome rock record. The Woods is ostensibly their final album (they’ve been on an “indefinite hiatus” since 2006), and I had the unfortunate timing of discovering their music just as they ceased making more of it. But what an album it is to go out on. It rocks harder than most albums released this decade, and “The Fox” and “Modern Girl” are great slices of songwriting. Sleater-Kinney were at the height of their musical career with 1997’s Dig Me Out, and The Woods gives that album a run for its money.

Tisdagar, torsdagar och söndagar listar jag mina favoritalbum från oo-talet.

• #30 Bruce Springsteen – The Rising
• #29 Iron & Wine (with Calexico) – In the Reins
• #28 Wilco – Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
• #27 Bear Quartet – My War
• #26 M Ward – Post-War
• #25 Morrissey – You Are The Quarry
• #24 Richmond Fontaine – We Used To Think The Freeway…
• #23 Eldkvarn – Atlantis
• #22 Death Cab For Cutie – Plans
• #21 Solomon Burke – Don’t Give Up On Me
• #20 Lucinda Williams – Essence
• #19 Glasvegas – Glasvegas
• #18 Josh Ritter – The Historical Conquests Of Josh Ritter
• #17 Nick Cave – No More Shall We Part
• #16 Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy – Ease Down The Road
• #15 Bon Iver – For Emma Forever Ago
• #14 Whiskeytown – Pneumonia

#13 Ray LaMontagne – Trouble (2004)

Det räckte med de inledande 30 sekunderna av öppningsspåret Trouble för att ana att Ray LaMontagne var något utöver det vanliga. När sedan de rätt enkla men effektiva låtarna hakade i varandra, en efter en, började jag misstänka att jag inte skulle bli av med snubben i första taget. Shelter, Hold You In My Arms, Narrow Escape. Det är inget annat än en mästerlig albumupptakt, som sedan landar i fantastiska avslutningen Jolene och All The Wild Horses. Allt omsorgsfullt avskalat av producenten Ethan Johns, koncentrerat kring LaMontagnes nervsjuka Van Morrison-stämma. En av 00-talets absolut starkaste debuter.

The NME got in on the act early. This Sunday the Observer Music Monthly publishes its top 50. So I thought I might as well have a go. I wanted to get mine done first and see how much common ground I’ve got with the OMM seeing as its my favourite music mag. It’s harder than you’d think to select just 50 albums that span 2000-2009. I’ve had to leave out some records I really like. But here we go… Please comment as you feel necessary!

50 – Daft Punk: Discovery.

49 – Bob Dylan: Modern Times.

48 – Camille: Le Fil.

47 – Arctic Monkeys: Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not.

46 – The Blue Nile: High.

45 – New Order: Get Ready.

44 – Mercury Rev: All Is Dream.

43 – R.E.M.: Accelerate.

42 – Fionn Regan: The End Of History.

41 – The Beatles: Love.

40 – The Avalanches: Since I Met You.

39 – Badly Drawn Boy: The Hour Of Bewilderbeast.

38 – Roots Manuva: Awfully Deep.

37 – Bon Iver: For Emma, Forever ago.

36 – Mark B & Blade: The Unknown.

35 – Coldplay: Parachutes.

34 – Malcolm Middleton: Into The Woods.

33 – Seafood: When Do We Start Fighting…

32 – Doves: The Last Broadcast.

31 – Duke Special: Songs From The Deep Forest.

30 – Morrissey: You Are The Quarry.

29 – Guillemots: Through The Windowpane.

28 – Bruce Springsteen: The Rising.

27 – The Gaslight Anthem: The ‘59 Sound.

26 – Billy Bragg & Wilco: Mermaid Avenue Vol. II

25 – Richard Hawley: Coles Corner.

24 – Fleet Foxes:  Fleet Foxes.

23 – Athlete: Vehicles & Animals.

22 – Spin Doctors: Nice Talking To Me.

21 – Sigur Ros: Takk…

20 – Goldfrapp: Felt Mountain.

19 – Maxïmo Park: A Certain Trigger.

18 – Delirious?: Glo.

17 – The Shins: Wincing The night Away.

16 – Ben Folds: Rockin’ The Suburbs.

15 – Green Day: American Idiot.

14 – Neil Young: Living With War.

13 – Ray Lamontagne: Til The Sun Turns Black.

12 – Death Cab For Cutie: Narrow Stairs.

11 – Idlewild: The Remote Part.

10 – Johnny Cash: American IV: The Man Comes Around

An extraordinary achievement for a man in his final year. Johnny Cash’s last ‘proper’ album has the power to bring me to the edge of tears. I bought it the week he died in 2003 and played it a lot. A mixture of originals and covers, Rick Rubin’s brilliant production means there’s pathos dripping from every track. ‘Hurt’ is one of the songs of the decade which couldn’t even be ruined by that dire Nike advert. When I first heard ‘I Hung My Head’ it stopped me dead in my tracks. Just like most of the rest of this awesome album.

9 - Interpol: Turn On The Bright Lights.

I think there’s a good case to be made for Interpol as the band of the decade. To my shame I’m yet to see them live but their three dark, brooding and melodic albums demand that I get round to it soon. I think their debut is the pick of the bunch. Starting with ‘Untitled’ which takes its cues from the shoegazing bands of the early 90’s, the album goes onto channel the best of My Bloody Valentine, Joy Division and classic Krautrock. I suppose it can be said about all the records in the list but I can’t listen to this album too many times. It sends me to sleep, it wakes me up and generally soundtracks my life.

8 – Vampire Weekend: Vampire Weekend.

The drums alone deserve some kind of award. Chris Tomson is, for my money, the best drummer in a rock band at the moment. But this isn’t Keith Moon fury, or John Bonham theatrics. He sees the drum kit as a melodic and harmonic instrument. The kit is a lead instrument here and when allied to fantastic songwriting, it’s a winning combination. The African influence if overstated (this isn’t even the noughties’ Graceland, let alone Fela Kuti or Ali Farka Touré). However, the hints of afrobeat are enough to make this stand out from the crowd. Walcott is a great track – but there aren’t any duds here.

7 – Grandaddy: The Sophtware Slump.

This outstanding record is often compared favourably with ‘OK Computer’. Well, I’ll put my cards on the table. There’s only one winner; and it isn’t Radiohead. Grandaddy are impossible to categorise, but this record combines the best bits of alt-country, electronica and post-rock. The audacity of a 9 minute opening track has been matched by many bands. The difference is they’ve not made a song as arresting as ‘He’s Simple, He’s Dumb, He’s The Pilot’. ‘The Crystal Lake’ is among the best songs of the decade while ‘Undreneath The Weeping Willow’ showcases a brilliant knack for melancholy. Released at the start of the decade, very few records have got anywhere near matching Grandaddy’s Magnum Opus.

6 – The Hold Steady: Boys And Girls in America.

‘Best bar band in the world blah… blah… blah’ said the music press. Talk about damning with faint praise. The Hold Steady are one of the greatest bands of the 21st Century, full stop. And though their earlier albums are packed with gems, this breakthrough album sees their manifesto fulfilled. How many bands could start a record quoting Jack Kerouac but never fail to be fun? The sound was compared to classic E Street Band and that’s probably as close as you can get to describing this joyous racket. Craig Finn’s lyrics are always interesting and frequently brilliant. So looking at our checklist we’ve got superb music, superb lyrics and some guys that seem delighted just to be playing rock and roll. It’ll do for me.

5 – Elbow: The Seldom Seen Kid.

I suppose too much has already been written about this album. It’d be easy to include ‘Asleep In The Back’ to prove I’ve liked Elbow since I used to play them on student radio in 2000. But that would miss the point: for once, the awards committees, journalists and hype-merchants got it right. This is an amazing album. There’s not an average track in sight in an hour’s running time. Picking highlights almost seems crazy, but ‘Grounds For Divorce’ and ‘On A Day Like This’ have deservedly grabbed the headlines and soundtracked a million daytime DIY programmes. But some of the less well know tracks contain stunning music and lyrics. When Guy Garvey croons ”We kiss like we invented it” on ‘Mirrorball’ it’s enough to melt your heart.  We await their next move with eager anticipation.

4 - Midlake: The Trials of Van Occupanther.

Take a moderately successful Texan indie band and give them a copy of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Rumours’. Stand well back and light the blue touch-paper. Doesn’t sound promising does it? How wrong could we be??? This was THE album of 2006. Inventive harmonies, layered synths and lyrics pining for the antebellum South came together to produce a stunning record. The guitar solo that comes halfway through ‘Head Home’ is one of my favourite musical moments of the decade, but this album contains several contenders for that title. The real genius of ‘…Van Occupanther’ is its ability to keep you on your toes. Just when you think it may slip into mid 70’s FM rock pastiche, the band pulls out a track like ‘Young Bride’ which forces you to admit this is a record which is far more than the sum of its considerable parts.

3 – Damien Rice: O.

David Gray is a perfectly decent singer songwriter. The same can’t be said for the likes of James Morrison and James Blunt. But how any of them came to be spoken of in the same breath as Damien Rice is beyond me. The irishman deserves to be in far better company (Jeff Buckley for example). This debut album was a slow-burning word-of-mouth behemoth that managed to retain artistic dignity while being offered on 2-for-1 deals in Tesco. Its strengths have been repeated endlessly, but any blogger who can’t find room for Lisa Hannigan’s beautiful vocals, the stunning string arrangements or the strange re-working of Silent Night is a fool. If this album has a flaw, I’m yet to find it. I can’t pick one track as a highlight because the others simply look at me reproachfully and say ‘actually we’re all rather lovely’. And they truly are.

2 – My Morning Jacket: It Still Moves.

This album sounds like the best party you’ve ever been to. If you want to label it I suppose it’s alt-country. But what on earth does that matter when the music is as much fun as this? Don’t get the idea this is some kind of comedy record though. Howling vocals, squealing guitars and pounding drums fuse together to create a brilliant racket. ‘One Big Holiday’ has a guitar hook to die for, but this isn’t an album of simple pleasures. The genius of the songs reveals itself slowly. The first time you hear it, it sounds like these are well crafted and edited jams. But like Led Zep at their peak, the tracks are more cunningly moulded than that. Crazy Horse are another reference point and when talking about a rock and roll band there are fewer bigger compliments than that. It’s a long record (71 minutes) but unusually for an album of that length, it doesn’t outstay its welcome. Superb.

1 – Stephen Fretwell: Magpie.

I’m annoyed I couldn’t find a decent picture of this album without the parental advisory sticker on it. Ok, maybe it doesn’t make an ideal present for a toddler, but any parent who’s doing their job properly should be investing in this if their child shows any kind of serious interest in music. It’s as close to a perfect record as its possible to get. At the start of the decade, Scunthorpe’s Stephen Fretwell found himself in Manchester as a promising singer-songwriter. A little while later, he was in a recording studio creating some of the most beautiful music that great city has ever produced. By 2004 it was ready for release. In reality, the Manchester thing is a bit of a red herring. Fretwell owes little to the genius of the Smiths and Joy Division or the more prosaic talents of Oasis. He’s just a good old-fashioned acoustic troubadour. So who are the key influences here? I’d guess Neil Young, Bob Dylan et al. But that doesn’t tell you much about this record’s greatest strength. Fretwell’s gift for melody is astounding. Songs like ‘Emily’, ‘New York’ and ‘Rose’ are beautifully crafted and sung. But there isn’t a track here which leaves you cold. You may know ’Run’ as the Theme of ‘Gavin and Stacey’ but don’t stop there. Investigate it immediately. Buy it and love it. There’s only one album of the decade after all; whatever the Observer says!

A is for Alexi Murdoch- loving the voice
B is for the Bob’s- Marley, Dylan, Seger legends- with a song for every mood
C is for Creedence Clearwater Revival- the oldies are still the best
D is for John Denver- a great poet even if he isn’t considered cool
E is for The Eagles- who doesn’t love Hotel California
F is for Foo Fighters- Dave Grohl’s done good
G is for The Gaslight Anthem- the best new band around (and my other love- The Goo Goo Dolls)
H is for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers- a recent discovery
I is for Iggy Pop- he may have sold out doing the insurance ads but still an original punk rock pioneer
J is for James, Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Eat World- same name very different music
K is for Kiss- grown men in facepaint hell yeah
L is for Lynyrd Skynyrd- touring next year- I’m so there
M is for Mika- yeah right- Michael Jackson- the king of pop- enough said
N is for Neil Young- oh to have been there first time round
O is for Oasis- You either love them or hate them
P is for Pink Floyd- one of a kind
Q is for Queen- sing-a-long anthems that never get old
R is for Ray Lamontagne, Rod Stewart (a guilty pleasure), Rolling Stones and Ryan Adams- I couldn’t pick just one
S is for Simon & Garfunkel- love, love, love
T is for Tracy Chapman- heartfelt lyrics at their best
U is for The Undertones- Teenage Kicks is a classic
V is for The Verve- It’s a bittersweet symphony, that’s life
W is for The Who- Baba O’Reilly what a tune
X is for… I have no idea
Y is for Yusuf Islam aka Cat Stevens- sound track to your life
Z is for Led Zeppelin- still the best after all this time

Tess circa 1978!

We’re starting something new! Ladies and gentlemen, I give you: Backstage at The ArtsCenter, a new series of posts written by members of the ArtsCenter staff, talking about things they see at The ArtsCenter, why they do what they do, and what that whole “arts” thing means, anyway.

Our very first post is by Tess Mangum Ocana, the concerts and facility director at The ArtsCenter. You may have seen Tess introducing a band at a concert or heard her on 1360 WCHL’s The Arts Spot.

Let us know what you want to hear about the ArtsCenter by commenting on this post!

–Lisa

The CD Playing In My Car 30 Minutes To Work And Back This Week
Tess Mangum Ocana

I live in Durham, so the drive to Carrboro takes a while.  I’ve discovered a new “back way” that seems to not zap my soul as much as the chain stores, car dealerships and construction on 15-501 but I’m not going to give away the secret because it will become like 15-501.  Anyway, what I’m listening to this week is Ray Lamontagne’s debut album, Trouble.  He played here back in ’05 and I still remember the energy in the air as people took their seats in the Earl & Rhoda Wynn Theater.  Women were especially excited to see their bearded, beautiful lumberjack-looking Montagne.  I was running back and forth between my office, the gallery and backstage but remember listening to Van Morrison’s Veedon Fleece as my own mood music.  Music critics were going nuts about Montagne, saying how brilliant his first release was, and that it sounded like Neil Young and Van Morrison.  It does, but only musically.  Vocals are his own.  Some tracks sound like The Band, which ain’t a bad thing either.  Listen carefully for Nickel Creek’s Sara Watkins (who played this year’s American roots Series) on fiddle and vocals.

While – for the most part – I’ve been fairly disappointed with the concert scene in Boulder/Denver over the past few years, there is one artist on this earth whose presence MORE than compensates. Ladies and Gentlmen, I’d like you to meet Ray LaMontagne. My good friend Chris and I have been lucky enough to go see Mr. LaMontagne a couple times in concert, and when we saw him perform earlier this week at the Opera house in Denver, well….let’s just say it’s good to know that there’s still music that can give an entire theater goosebumps.

Thought I’d share a little video with everyone of him “performing” one of my favorite tunes. This clip is funny, though, considering it’s a recording session taped for some AOL radio gig — He spent a solid five minutes at the concert talking about how much he hated radio gimics. Sorry Ray, but this video is just too good to not share.

Time to slow things down…

I’m going to try to mix things up as much as possible. Since last week focused on hip-hop, I thought some blues/folk was in order.

Ray LaMontagne is an artist I was introduced to less then a year ago. I was in a restaurant when I heard an amazing acoustic version of Gnarles Barkley’s Crazy. When I got home I immedietaly went to work trying to find out who the singer was. That was the beginning of my Ray LaMontagne obsession.

Less then a week later I had his entire discography, and every other song I could find that hes touched. Here are just a couple of his songs that I have on my ipod right now. The first is the song that started it all. Ray LaMontagne’s genius cover of Gnarles Barkley’s Crazy. The second is a song that I find myself coming back to and falling in love with again every time I hear it.

Two for Tuesday: Sensitive Guys with Guitars

Remember back in the day when the Top 40 radio stations had “Two for Tuesday?” They’d play two songs from an artist and the 98^th caller would win drink tickets to the Hunkabunka Ballroom in Sayreville or something equally as useless. The Hunkabunka has been long closed due to underage drinking and other shenanigans, but “Two for Tuesday” will officially live on in this blog.

While I love all types of music (and I do mean ALL) I’m an absolute sucker for sensitive dudes with guitars. This Tuesday, I give you two excellent selections from two of my faves.

Ray LaMontagne

Download #1: “Sarah” by Ray LaMontagne. Picking one Ray LaMontagne song is close to impossible, but after seeing him live last week, this one in particular continues to make a recurring appearance on my iPod. It reminds me of one of my all time favorite Bob Dylan songs, “4^th Time Around,” and the lyrics and melody take you to that same melancholic place (“Now I see just how young, how scared I was/ Eyes closed tight throwing punch after punch at the world/…is it ever gonna be the same?”). Stunning and sad–when Ray sang it you could hear a pin drop. (From the album Gossip in the Grain).

Download#2: “Orange Sky” by Alexi Murdoch. I’ve been hearing about Alexi Murdoch for a while now from some of my songwriter friends who have compared him to Nick Drake, but it wasn’t until I heard this song on “Coffee Shop” on Sirius radio that I really started listening to him (“When I am alone/ When I’ve thrown off the weight of this crazy stone/ When I’ve lost all care for the things I own/ That’s when I miss you”). “Orange Sky” clocks in at over six minutes yet begs for an immediate second listen to see what you’ve missed the first time around. From the album Time Without Consequence).

Alexi Murdoch

I hope you enjoy my sensitive bearded man selections and as always, I welcome all suggestions from new or old artists. Happy Tuesday!

I first discovered the music of Ray LaMontagne through the medical drama Grey’s Anatomy. His songs were featured extensively in the third season and I downloaded all of his albums soon after hearing Shelter, from the debut CD Trouble. I love his voice, with its raspy edge and country essence. But it was his lyrics – poetic, soulful and often melancholy – that got me hooked.

Everybody needs shelter – from the elements, from the hurt, from the pain, from the harsh realities of this world. Some are lucky enough to find it in the arms of friends and lovers, others go through their whole lives without feeling the warmth of a tender embrace. Every time I listen to this song, I am reminded of the special people in my life and how they shelter me.

The title of this post is borrowed from the lyrics of Shelter by Ray LaMontagne. Find the song on amazon.com

Ahí va la selección de canciones para esta semana, a ver que tal…

Lunes: Jolene (Trouble) – Ray Lamontagne

Martes: Al otro lado del río (Eco) – Jorge Drexler

Miércoles: Pink Moon (Pink Moon) -  Nick Drake

Jueves: La canción más hermosa del mundo (Diario de un peatón) – Joaquín Sabina

Viernes: Often (Little hearts attacks) – The Sunday drivers

Sábado: Hard to Handle  – The black crowes (Versión de la canción de Otis Redding)

Domingo: Love in vain – Robert Johnson … De este no se puede saber el disco…es el tipo de las 29 canciones

Escúchala ya en Spotify

Y tu, ¿tienes una playlist que quieras compartir con Mentes Inquietas? Envíala a patineta598@gmail.com

Sólo hay una regla: 7 Días de la semana, una canción por día.

La pondremos por aquí seguro!!!

When you came to me with your bad dreams and your fears
It was easy to see that you’d been crying
Seems like everywhere you turn catastrophe it reigns
But who really profits from the dying

I could hold you in my arms
I could hold you forever
I could hold you in my arms
I could hold you in my arms forever

When you kiss my lips with my mouth so full of questions
It’s my worried mind that you quiet
Place your hands on my face
Close my eyes and say
Love is a poor man’s food
Don’t prophesize

I could hold you in my arms
I could hold you forever
And I could hold you in my arms
I could hold you forever

So now we see how it is
This fist begets the spear
Weapons of war
Symptoms of madness

Don’t let your eyes refuse to see
Don’t let your ears refuse to hear
Or you ain’t never going to shake this sense of sadness

I could hold you in my arms
I could hold on forever
And I could hold you in my arms
I could hold you forever

Check out www.raylamontagne.com for more about the artist

I guess you don’t need it
I guess you don’t want me to repeat it
But everything I have to give I’ll give to you

It’s not like we planned it
You tried to stay, but you could not stand it
To see me shut down slow
as though it was an easy thing to do

Listen when
All of this around us’ll fall over
I tell you what we’re gonna do
You will shelter me my love
And I will shelter you
I will shelter you

I left you heartbroken, but not until those very words were spoken
Has anybody ever made such a fool out of you?

It’s hard to believe it
Even as my eyes do see it
The very things that make you live are killing you

Listen when all of this around us’ll fall over
I tell you what we’re gonna do
You will shelter me my love
I will shelter you

Listen when
All of this around us’ll fall over
I tell you what we’re gonna do
Hey you will shelter me my love
I will shelter you
If you shelter me too
I will shelter you
I will shelter you

Check out www.raylamontagne.com for more about the artist

earlier this week, i droned on in a post about my ears being blessed with the sweet sound of william fitzsimmons. from there, a twitter exchange began between myself and two other ladies, janey and mia, a blogger, writer and interview-extraordinaire for all things music, tattoos and lesbians (read some of her interviews and hilarious quips here: afterellen.com and chicagonow.com — am i missing any?)

what i found out during this exchange: apparently, i have a penchant for bearded men. and thus, this week’s top 5 bearded beasts of wanderlust was born.

joe cocker :: delta lady

i would be remiss to not include the legendary joe cocker. my absolute number 1 of his, is delta lady. in fact, if ever my buds and i step inside the infamous dive bar tin-n-lint here in ‘toga (THE very spot where don mclean wrote american pie. no foolin’.), i MUST play this song on the jukebox. if someone threatens to leave before it plays, all hell breaks loose. viva el cocker!

ray lamontagne :: jolene

(come on, you obvy knew i’d include him.) jolene was my initiation into ray. it is what made me fall madly in musical love with him, and i will never forget how it hit me right in the ticker with such a powerful thud. i mean, who writes this beautifully? “a man needs something he can hold onto / a 9-lb hammer / or a woman like you / either one of them things will do.” STOP IT.

the black keys :: things ain’t like they used to be

this song really needs no explanation. maybe it’s the emotion behind his voice, maybe it’s just the incredible way he manages to soothe a broken heart. all i know is that i play it over and over and over and …

bob schneider :: a long way to get

i posted this song before, i know. but yes it’s so good, it deserves a double-take. when i think of schneider, i think of home. and i think of her. but mostly, i think about how much life–even at 31–is left to live. this song just manages to keep my head above water, and there are many days when i need that as much as leo needs to drop boonies in eli’s box immediately upon arrival at aunt carey and uncle robby’s.

the black crowes :: nonfiction

if i would be remiss not to include joe cocker, i would be a bloody fool to leave out the man, chris robinson. this beauty of a song makes me want to lie down in the warm summer grass and make out between sips of beer.

enjoy, friends. and happy friday.

(ich kann es nicht lassen, vielleicht sollte ich bald einen eigenen “Original versus Cover Blog” eröffnen)

Hier habe ich heute ein sehr eigenes Cover, in welches man sich erst reinhören muß, das mußte ich aber beim Original auch und mochte es erst später:

Ray Lamontagne covert Crazy von Gnarls Barkley

damit man mit dem Orignal vergleichen kann …hier das O-R-I-G-I-N-A-L

Ha, ha, ha!
Bless your soul!

holy crikey. william fitzsimmons–you, sir, have officially squeezed out my heart through my earholes, and i thank you.

the angelic sound of mr. fitzsimmons is nothing new to the music world, though, so i feel like i’ve awoken from a coma for only just now finding him. it’s embarrassing, really. but if you’re in the dark, like i sadly was, and you enjoy these similarly bearded angels of sound, ray lamontagne and bon iver, you should love the hell out of this man. the imaginary lovechild of james taylor and joni mitchell, the real child of two blind parents, william grew up learning to communicate with music. his sweet, sweet melody mixes so perfectly with the delicate acoustics. beautifully melancholy and peaceful, it’s the kind of music you run into the ground after a breakup or a parent plays to soothe their newborn peanut–it’s that lovely.

his new CD, the sparrow and the crow, is available now. get in there and buy it.

good morning

after afterall (holy heartbreak)

you still hurt me

if you would come back home

Be Here Now
By Ray LaMontagne

Don’t let your mind get weary and confused
Your will be still; don’t try.
Don’t let your heart get heavy, child
Inside you there’s a strength that lies.

Don’t let your soul get lonely, child
It’s only time, it will go by
Don’t look for love in faces, places
It’s in you; that’s where you’ll find kindness.

Don’t lose your faith in me,
And I will try not to lose faith in you.
Don’t put your trust in walls,
‘Cause walls will only crush you when they fall.

Be here… be here now… be here now…

Alright, so I have decided to blog more. Why, you might ask? Could it be that I have something interesting to say? No, not particularly. Perhaps I am embarking on some sort of quest/journey that could be interesting/informative? Nope. Do I plan on posting pictures of cute animals? Maybe, I can’t really say a definitive no. Is it because I have nothing else really going on in my life right now? Precisely.

So…how to begin…

I am going to borrow from one of my favorite movies of all time: High Fidelity (staring John Cusack and Jack Black, check it out). No, I am not going to display Cosby sweaters or chronicle epic breakups of my past. Rather, I am going to delve into the world of ALL TIME TOP FIVE lists. It is a pretty much epic game that is played in one form or another when getting to know a new friend/group of people/significant other/potential significant other until you find out Savage Garden is in their ALL TIME TOP FIVE musical artists.

So come along my friends, it’ll be fun, and perhaps give you a better sense of who I am (although then we’d have to discuss whether or not we are defined by our likes and dislikes, but I digress…).

**DISCLAIMER** I reserve the right at any time to change/edit any information on any and all subsequent ALL TIME TOP FIVE lists. This is helpful for new arrivals and my scattered memory. Thank you.

And so, without further ado, here is one of my most difficult lists to compile.

ALL TIME TOP FIVE MUSICAL ARTISTS (in no particular order)

• Ryan Adams
• Ella Fitzgerald
• Pink Martini
• Lyle Lovett
• TIE between Dave Matthews Band and Oasis

Alright, I cheated with the tie, but its my blog so boo. Other front runners in this category include Ray LaMontagne, Kings of Leon, Ray Charles, and Bon Iver, among others…

So what do y’all think? Like the new format? Yes/No? Don’t care? No one is reading? Ok, fair enough.

PLEASE feel free to comment with your own ALL TIME TOP FIVE-ers or any other ideas for lists you’d like to see.

Stay classy and thanks for stopping by.

– A N I –

Two of my favs… one great song. This entire concert must have been amazing.

As if I wasn’t already impressed. I bought my ticket 2mth in advance and it was well worth the wait. I didn’t know that we could bring camera in the Fox Theatre so I have no good pictures, but that never mattered to me. It’s stamped in my brain now, FOREVER. I couldn’t even get a clear image of his face, but I heard him. Man, did I hear him. What a voice! What awesome, well thought out lyrics! I was feeling all kinds of emotions about my outlook on music and what direction I wanted my own music career to go in. I pray to work with him one day. Something I learned at the show is that he has plenty of personality and a sense of humor, which is like putting crushed ice in my lemonade, everyone knows I love crushed ice…lol. Now I have a concert to compare to GCH, which lies on two TOTALLY different ends of the music spectrum, both really good and entertaining. I will attempt to see him every chance I can, I wish I could go back to Sunday night and watch it again. I was thinking the entire time that I wish I didn’t have to share this alone, just with myself. I really wanted someone to turn to and say, “Are you hearing this?” “Are you feeling what I’m feeling?”. There was just this drunk kid 18-20, who thought that it was so passionate of me to come alone. He said to me “I wish that I could tell Ray how much you love his music.”. That was funny b/c I didn’t realize the excitement had shown on my face so well when he mention anything about the music. I pray that someone feel as passionate about my music and voice as I do about Ray Lamontagne. He’s one of those artist I can see myself loving until the day I die. I don’t see him changing with the times, just getting better in them. Below are pictures of me before I went to the show.

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Illinois crooner Lissie Maurus, playing the early show tonight at the Mercury Lounge, is set to release her debut EP, Why You Runnin’, tomorrow on Fat Possum Records. Her song titles may be abbreviated and folksy but her talent’s not. Her first single “Little Lovin’” starts as a simple, sweet song and builds on its Midwestern bluegrass undertones to become surprisingly complex. The EP was produced by Bill Reynolds, the bassist in Band of Horses. Lissie will be opening for Ray Lamontagne on a bunch of his tour dates coming up in Illinois and in California.

This live version of “Little Lovin’” is from the her performance at the Troubadour in L.A. back in October. It’s pretty good but for the recorded version, you can check out her MySpace page.

Lissie – Little Lovin’ :

-Melissa