Taurus - Magical, mysterious, other worldly. Glass Beams fell into my heart with sultry smooth and vibrant chords and notes that echo across every spectrum apparent to me. When I listen to Taurus, over and over again, I'm transplanted into my own spy film equipped with intrigue and passion. Like a recipe spiced up to perfection, these cats cook up a tune using the taste test method - no measuring cups in sight and pure feeling flowing through their veins.
Connecting with long time friends separated by states and long miles through a mutual love of music excites and surprises me constantly. Hearing suggestions you'd never thought you'd hear from specific friends makes me rethink my defining nature and open my eyes to a world where people don't fit into specific boxes.
Song links are sent and the text thread is filled with musings of chill vibes and grooves.
"Taurus" came through the cellular waves with an assignment: "chew on this."
I chewed on it, enjoyed it, and asked for seconds. A little playful banter explaining that "Glass Beans would have been a cooler name" followed and we all had a good laugh.
Chew on these glass beans and make sure to not get cut.
23 Minutes In Brussels - My best friend and I used to go to our local library and leave with stacks of CD's two feet high. Free music we ripped onto our computers filled our afternoons and kept us busy for the few days to come. We built our iTunes discography and were introduced to new tunes we may have never found.
These new comers were strictly name and artwork based, but hey, we didn't have to waste any money if there were duds. This is where Luna comes in. Blessed to find an intriguing cover on their best of album, I grabbed the copy, popped it in to my computer, and fell in love with their dream pop sound.
"23 Minutes In Brussels" gives me the willies of the good variety as it ebbs and flows combining the reverb echo of shimmering guitars with the pulsing rhythm of a wonderfully placed build up. I'm into the music and I'm pretty sure it's into me too - why else would I feel such chemistry when introduced. I think I'll shoot for a second date and see what happens.
Get lost in space with these babes.
Volcano - I found out Jimmy Buffet passed away as I woke up in my sun scorched tent one mile from the ocean at Hammonasset beach state park. Waking up to the open air, sunshine, and friends and family felt extremely appropriate to converse about the late great musician and laid back adventurer. This weekend has turned into a parrot head celebration of the man who provided us with great vibe after great vibe.
The album Volcano became one of my favorites around the time my brother got married in the Bahamas. Like yesterdays sentiment, it felt meant to be that I dove head first into Buffet's music while in clear blue water getting my vacation on. I fell in love with every single track and was thankful that each one was a non skip.
While the rest of the songs were new to me, "Volcano" had been in my lexicon since I was a little tike. Throughout the years I'd go back to this classic as friends listened to music at parties or I sat around with my parents and their pals. I even sang it a couple of times at karaoke at our favorite local dive. That might be where I realized the error of my ways. Turns out I had been singing the wrong lyrics for who knows how long.
"I don't know, I don't know, I don't know where I'm agonna go when the bar candle blows"
Did you know it was "when the volcano blows"? Seems kind of obvious doesn't it? Well I had no clue and I still think my version makes great sense. Where the heck would Jimmy go when the bar closes and blows out the candle? He'd keep on partying, but you don't leave Jimmy out to dry.
Raise a cold one to one of the greatest to ever do it. I'll be having a marg just for you my friend. Cheers.
The Thief in Marrakesh - I'm here to praise the wonderful mind of Spotify again. These playlists have helped to grow my catalog and find new artists that are exactly what I've been searching for. I'll have a friend send a song like this playlists first, "Taurus," and then I'll take it out for a spin only to have more groovers follow it as Spotify suggests similar tracks.
"The Thief in Marrakesh" played with my heart and pulled on the strings of my body making me dance like a marionette doll controlled by the gods of groove. You know what I did? I immediately texted that friend from before and sent him over the details of the new jammer I found. Safe to say he loved it immediately and we were both grooving together multiple states away.
I love this type of music. It fulfills every aspect that excites me to the heavens. As I listen now on my headphones, the bass up up up and the world silenced around me, I'm falling further for these tasty licks and the smooth rhythm section laying it down. This track is perfect for any day in my opinion. Take it out and relax those bones. Let the groove get into you.
Paranoid - I ain't afraid to say it, I like the Jonas Brothers. They're cool, they're handsome, and they make some great bops. I'm here to tell you about my favorite Jobros track - "Paranoid."
- On our late night drive home from the Meadowlands, just having seen the heart stopping, booty shaking, Viagra taking, E Street Band, I popped on some mellow tunes that would help us rest our sore legs and give our vocal chords a break. Posed with the question of "what should we listen to?" I immediately said Daft Punk for some reason. I didn't know it at that second but I was right. I really did want to listen to Daft Punk and once I realized that I knew it was the perfect situation for a little bit of "Make Love."
While I'm only familiar with a handful of these boy's songs, I consider this one of their best. Kicking it off with a simple but ever so effective drum beat the song builds with a catchy time- centric guitar riff. The boy's layer over with their dreamy voices and we have a rock-pop song ready to get your booty moving. I'm here to defend good music no matter what the grouches out there will say.
Bonus note - I haven't seen it in years, but the music video for this track is a slapper as well. These boys are real rock and roll stars despite what you may want to believe.
Make Love - On our late night drive home from the Meadowlands, just having seen the heart stopping, booty shaking, Viagra taking, E Street Band, I popped on some mellow tunes that would help us rest our sore legs and give our vocal chords a break. Posed with the question of "what should we listen to?" I immediately said Daft Punk for some reason. I didn't know it at that second but I was right. I really did want to listen to Daft Punk and once I realized that I knew it was the perfect situation for a little bit of "Make Love."
This track goes way back to middle schooler Pat and his techno mixes burned onto CD's and listened to on his Walkman. Before I ever read more than a book a year I'd pop this song on whenever I was feeling melancholy. The repetition and chill vibe makes late night hangs or dark room ponder sessions that much better. And now it's great reading music if you're so inclined.
Songs like these are my go to move when I want music in my life but I don't have the energy to get into what's playing around me. There are no lyrics, there are no key changes. There's room for thought or room to get lost in whatever you're doing while these notes revolve around and around your body.
Next time you've got the itch to get in your car with no direction or destination throw this chiller on and enjoy with a hand out the window.
Fatalist Palmistry - In my Spotify era I have music and favorite artists that live in, what seems like the depths of my soul, deep in my phone in the ancient iTunes app. This is music I've been building, with help from the library, pirate sights, and my brothers influence, for 20 years. Sometimes these songs come back up and I remember those bands I love so dearly and I'm glad I have them there to comfort me because I know they'll never go anywhere. Spotify can crash tomorrow and I'd be fine. I've got what feels like a lifetime of work secured for when the world falls into the ocean. Good thing I have most of this music in the thousand records that make up my vinyl collection.
WHY? will forever hold one big section of my heart with all its connections and emotions. Maybe someday I'll be able to put it all down on paper and effectively explain what this band means to me. Until then I'll continue to place these songs in my life when I need them most.
On the second leg of our journey home from Bruce Land, I picked up my truck at 12:30 am and continued on with the remainder of our initial two hour drive. I was sleepy yes, having woken up that day at 4:30am and standing on my feet for the entire Springsteen show. Safe to say I needed a pick me up. So, I did what any logical person would do. I gave myself a distraction, picked an artist I could sing along with ever single lyric, and turned the volume up.
These songs make me happy, deeply happy. And I'm able to sing them, scream them, or emit them from my body as I hit every note and nuance along to Yoni's cadences. You want to have some fun with a little indie hip-hop? Learn these lyrics and belt them out to absolutely no one. Donny knows, Patty knows.
"When we say your name our tongues catch flame"
I'm on fire - don't put me out.
Comments