Music Monday: PS22 of NYC

Long time, no post right?

Well, I had to get vigilant with the job searching, (GOT ONE! WOOO-HOOOO!!), as well as make sure I get through this semester with good grades.

I have to go take an exam in 30 minutes, but I wanted to post the following video beforehand:

PS22 Chorus (5th graders) - 1000 Oceans (Tori Amos cover)

I got CHILLS watching this, because the looks on these little babies' faces are absolutely priceless. Seeing how much they feel it, and how much doing this means to them, brought tears to my eyes.

I can easily recall that feeling, as most of my entire childhood was spent in numerous choruses and small singing groups. Seriously, there's something about that first time hearing yourself blending and connecting with other voices. It's like your soul goes flying, and nothing can really compare.

Watch and be inspired.
Have a great Monday.

Music Monday: Snow Patrol & Low Motion Disco

Snap! Well I haven't done a music post in a while, but today is the day where I've fallen in love with another song/artist.

This has been a stressful two weeks for me, and I'd been trying unsuccessfully to find some new tunes to get lost in. Props have to be given to Jakub on the ISO50 blog for saving the day. His music posts are ALWAYS dead-on with the good stuff, and he didn't disappoint with his latest entry.

The cover of Things Are Gonna Get Easier by Low Motion Disco actually brought me to tears, and I'll just blame that on the aforementioned high stress ..or something.

Really. It's so smooth and relaxing.

(Check out this post to hear the song.)

The other track I loved is Snow Patrol's The Golden Floor.
Guaranteed to make you bop your head and feel good, it's more up tempo and perfect for walking down the street.



I really dig the mainstream songs I've heard from them. (Hell, I couldn't escape that one song they used for Grey's Anatomy.) However, this track and a few from their newest album, "A Hundred Million Suns," are far better and more fitting to the lead's vocals and the sound they're trying to create.


By the by, tomorrow is a BIG day, and I'm going to be out campaigning all morning.
Depending on whether or not I'm drowning my sorrows, I'll be back on Wednesday.

HAVE A GOOD WEEK.

Music Monday

So that hiatus lasted longer than I expected.
In the time away, I changed the look of the blog and the extended blog-roll is a work in progress.

I even got around to watching the second episode of Friday Night Lights (one of the best and most underrated shows on the small screen right now), and I'm SO glad it's back for season 3. There's something about this show that just feels like home. It's realistic, well-executed, and it has tons of heart.

My favorite part of FNL, is the great soundtrack choices. The characters and scenes are always perfectly enhanced by it.

It was highlighted when a main character drove down an empty country street, and the song below, (beautiful, slightly melancholy) faded in. I stopped everything, typed in a few words from the song, and BOOM! I was on an amazing musical journey, right into the world of Fink.

This Is The Thing

Another new favorite: If Only.

His sound makes me think of Justin Nozuka and Amos Lee. It's the kind of music you wanna play cruising over a dark street, with nothing but stars above for miles and miles. Soulful, peaceful.

Just the right song to start off the week.

Just A Matter of Time.

1. Over the weekend, I watched Eddie & The Cruisers II: Eddie Lives. Yea yea, I'm about 20 years late LOL but better late than never right? It's over-dramatic, cheesy, heartfelt, and all around fun.

If only for the songs alone, it's a hugely overlooked classic; the music is surprisingly great.
With his gruff and often gentle approach to the songs, John Cafferty, the voice behind the character Eddie Wilson, did a number on me.

I'm just happy that I came across it.

Music Monday: Better With Time

The following three female vocalists have made a different but equally profound impact on how I sing and how I view other singers. There's something about each woman's voice that digs under my skin and they each sound better and better as the years pass.

Bonnie Rait

1st single: Runaway 1970s

Angel From Montgomery(LIVE)



Etta James
1st single: The Wallflower Dance 1950s

Sugar on the Floor (LIVE)


Lauryn Hill
1st single: The Sweetest Thing 1990s

First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (LIVE)

*This is one of the purest, most incredible songs in existence.


With the separate performances, there's a richer tone and larger sense of control.
Voices weathered by life experiences are closer to perfection in my opinion.

Music Monday

I stumbled up on this artist just by happenstance.
After much wicked link-hopping, I was lead to Bridgette Amofah's Myspace (her voice is also nice). Once there, I came across an article she was featured in and it mentioned Tawiah's name.
Now I'm curious as hell and always looking for new music, so Google away I did.
BOOM! AWESOMENESS.

Born in Battersea and a former member of the Brit School peforming academy in London, Tawiah's soul stylings have caught the attention of producers such as Mark Ronson, having toured as part of his live band. She has also sung back up for Corinne Bailey Rae and The Guillemots. - BBC Music

Tawiah - Watch out (LIVE)

Buy Jodi's Bedroom here. You will not regret it.


& yea.. I doubled up today. From this point on, music and movie Mondays will be alternated.