mix well, add vanilla

Hello, gang. It’s a quiet Sunday evening and I’m feeling restless and artistic, so we’re doing a mix drop. I was lucky enough to find a couple of old ones I must have made months ago. In ten minutes I’m going to walk out the door to my local Borders and leave a surprise or two in a Postsecret book to be uncovered at a later date.

mix title: the amber evening

1. Hey Ya by Obadiah Parker

2. Other Ways by Trevor Hall

3. A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall by Jason Mraz

4. Lonelily by Damien Rice

5. The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll by Mason Jennings

6. Where We Gonna Go From Here by Mat Kearney

7. In The Sun by Joseph Arthur

And we’re going to do a two-fer!

mix title: goodnight

1. Salvation Dear by Greg Laswell

2. The Hat by Ingrid Michaelson

3. Broken Arrows by Jose Gonzalez

4. Love Always Reminas by MGMT

5. Where I Stood by Missy Higgins

6. Hey Ya by Obadiah Parker

7. Rewind by Paolo Nutini

8. Never Bloom Again by The Perishers

9. Landslide by Smashing Pumpkins

10. The Lime Tree by Trevor Hall

11. Skinny Love by Bon Iver

Unfortunately, my decrepit PC has decided the best way to store music is in a labyrinth of sub-folders marred by horrifically slow processing, so I can’t put up a sendspace — at least, not yet, but I’ll see what I can do.

Thanks for Listening,

Luke

Spin Digital Issue July 2009

Here it is! http://digital.spin.com/spin/200907/?u1=texterity

FREE SPIN MAGAZINE

Spin Magazine releases a free digital copy of their magazine every month.
Here’s the link!
http://digital.spin.com/spin/200906/?pg=0

Video Spotlight: The Tweenbot

http://digg.com/d1oVKq

Put a little carboard robot with a smiley face in the northeast corner of Central Park. The robot can only go forward, it can’t turn, stop, or reverse. Will people help it get to the Southwest corner?

Well… Yes.

Just a little cardboard happiness for everybody.

(and Happy Easter! If you’re into that kinda stuff.)

A mix, what?!

Yes, yes, yes. It’s springtime, and so, I’ve been in the mood to make mixes. This one is actually meant as a gift for our very own Luke. He’s about to get his license, and, so, I made him this.

Riding in Cars with Boys

Beverly could have had it all. Instead, she had a son.

Download found here: http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=d519b0bf50b526548c9e7c56ba37815f6c370d71f70da381

peace and love

-maile

The Universal Language — FUNK.

http://thru-you.com/#/videos/

That’s “thru-you,”  a series of unrelated youtube clips edited (and edited well) to form a pretty damn catchy funk vibe. Just another example of music as a uniting force, especially when combined with the glory of the interblag.

(I found it through stumbleupon, a neat firefox add-on that all of you out there might want to think about adding — it’s always served me well.)

new mix drops soon, I promise.

10 albums that have…

…changed my life. I did this on Facebook, and decided to post it here.

1.) ()-Sigur Ros: There isn’t anything I don’t love about this album. Maybe that it’s only 8 tracks long. I love that the album has no title, the songs have no titles, and the words are in a made up language. The songs can have any meaning you give to them. The album is universal. (Favourite tracks: Track 1, Track 3).

2.) Mother’s Milk-Red Hot Chili Peppers: I remember being five years old and sitting in my car while my mother tried to explain to me how the bass line at the beginning of “Higher Ground” changed music forever. Being five years old, I had no idea what she was talking about. In middle school, I started listening to this album again and understood what she was trying to say. Brilliant. (Favourite tracks: Higher Ground, Punk Rock Classic).

3.) Jagged Little Pill-Alanis Morissette: This was probably the first album I ever listened to in it’s entirety. I’m fortunate enough to have parents who listen to excellent music. My parents listened to this album a lot when it was released. I always liked it, and I recall asking to listen to it before bed a lot. Alanis’ lyrics are so mean and funny and wonderful, and I love that she doesn’t really sing, she sort of just yells like a crazy person. (Favourite tracks: You Learn, Head Over Feet).

4.) Not a Pretty Girl-Ani DiFranco: PURE. SEX. This was the first Ani album I ever heard. Susanna was playing it in her room at some point freshman year. It’s what got me hooked on lesbian folk music. Thanks, Sus. (Favourite tracks: Shy, Not a Pretty Girl, 32 Flavors).

5.) Lady in Satin-Billie Holiday: Billie Holiday’s voice is heartbreakingly beautiful. Even though it’s Billie Holiday’s technically worst album (she lost most of her higher range by the time she recorded it), it’s definitely got the best content. Emotionally, her performance on this album is breathtaking. (Favourite tracks: I’m a Fool to Want You, For Heaven’s Sake).

6.) Live at Luther College-Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds: This one reminds me so much of my mother. When I was seven she took me to a Dave Matthews concert, and it was incredible. (Favourite tracks: Granny, Two Step, Christmas Song).

7.) When the Pawn…-Fiona Apple: Another one that mom listened to a lot when I was younger. I used to sing along to Paper Bag whenever it came on. Fiona Apple’s lyrics are incredible. I’m glad she’s still crazy and depressed and, therefore, still makes good music. (Favourite tracks: Love Ridden, Paper Bag, Fast as You Can).

8.) Blue-Joni Mitchell: Also happens to be one of Rosie Ross’ favourites. A really great album to cry to. (Favourite tracks: All I Want, Blue, California, A Case of You).

9.) Tragic Kingdom-No Doubt: Yet another album that mom listened to, and so I’ve been listening to it forever. Don’t Speak was one of the first songs I knew all of the words to. (Favourite tracks: Spiderwebs, Just a Girl, Sixteen, Don’t Speak).

10.) Almost Famous Soundtrack-Various Artists: From my favourite movie. This movie made me want to listen to more music and be able to write about it for a living. There isn’t a song on thisa album I don’t like. (Favourite tracks: America, That’s the Way, Tiny Dancer).

Peace, love, happiness.

-Maile

Peaches was close.

http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2009/02/13/music-pain.html

“A recent study done at Glasgow Caledonian University found that people who were listening to their favourite music felt less pain and could stand pain for a longer period.”

Just another example that we’ve all got the right idea.

Favourite Albums of 2008

Hey, all! Happy new year! I’m sorry we’ve all disappeared off the face of the earth. I promise we’ll get back into the swing of things in this new year. Anyway, I figured I’d post my favourite albums of 2008, if you’re looking for some music.

In no particular order…

Fleet Foxes – Self titled album

Ben Folds – Way to Normal

MGMT – Oracular Spectacular

Kings of Leon – Only by the Night

Ra Ra Riot – The Rhumb Line

Britney Spears – Circus

Cat Power – Jukebox

Amanda Palmer – Who Killed Amanda Palmer

Radiohead – In Rainbows

Vampire Weekend – Self titled album

Ratatat – LP3

The Ting Tings – We Started Nothing

City and Colour – Bring Me Your Love

Girl Talk – Feed the Animals

Playradioplay! – Texas

The Dodos – Visiter

Pink – Funhouse
In my opinion, it was a pretty great year for music.

Peace and love,

Maile.

Don’t worry, we’re still here!

I know, it’s been a while sine anyone updated this blog.But we are still here. Unfortunately for us (and, sometimes, for the world in general), life gets in the way of the pursuit of truly noble goals. I’ve got a couple things to post about.

First off is this movie, titled “Sound Reflection,” by a good friend of the [hm] founder, Eno Freedman-Brodmann. It’s a documentary about how music is one of the last ways to connect to people in this new world of high-speed information and instant gratification- exactly what [hm] is all about. Click the screenshot to view the movie on YouTube.

Second is something a bit more outlandish. I’ve got myself an iPod Touch, and I’ve been in love with it since I got it. One of the greatest applications out there for the iPod and iPhone is called Bloom (iTunes link).

This little app is truly a musical wonder: tap anywhere on the screen and it plays a note! The note will fade away and recur in a set pattern. And, depending on how high or low on the screen you tap, the note will change pitch! It’s really a little beauty, and its music is a pleasure to listen to and create.It’s only $3.99 for all you iPhone/iPod owners out there, and it’s really worth it for alternative music scene fans (much like us).

As for music drops, don’t worry, they’re stewing! Please keep sending in your own drop reports and mixes, and we’ll keep posting them here!