My jam

My jam (what I'm listening to or my current playlist) has always had a big impact on my writing (in that I can't write unless I'm listening to music).

At work, in various corporate and marketing communications positions, I would routinely put on headphones to create the necessary "vibe" to write whatever I had to write; whether it be a press release or an article about, say... tequila.  

Recently, my jam has been pretty heavily influenced by the people I follow on Instagram (let's be honest here, I'm actually only referring to one person; Kylie Jenner) though Kate Hudson posted one of the songs from Rihanna's new Anti album today - Love on the Brain - and I'm really diggin' it. It has an old-school love ballad quality to it, like Santo and Johnny's Sleep Walk, The Flamingos' I Only have Eyes for You, and The Platters' Twilight Time.

(I would post it but apparently it's been taken off the internet... for now... good thing I listened to it 10 times this morning.) Since I can't, I'll post this instead:

 #BBHMM

But back to KJ (Kylie, not Kendall. Or Kris). Thanks to a nifty page on Instagram I get to follow her Snapchat (without actually having to be on Snapchat) and discover loads of new (to me) music. Like Post Malone.

 White Iverson

Saucin'.

Another artist I chanced upon through KJ is GFrsh on Gabrielle Aplin's Panic Cord.

"you kept all the things i threw away"

 

Due to the current, ummm, situation in KJ's life (Tyga) his music has definitely been making it to my playlist as well. From Rack City and Doped Up (Tyga's ode to Michael Jackson's Thriller) to Stimulated (his ode to, ummm, nevermind).

"they say she young, i should've waited"

I actually "rediscovered" a song through Kendall Jenner who had it playing in the background of one of her Instagram videos; Your Love by The Outfield.

"you know i like my girls a little bit older"   

So far, nothing from Kris.

   

I think of Rodriguez

About a year and a half ago my mom, pictured below, got all hot and bothered over this "new" artist that she and my aunt had discovered: Sixto Rodriguez. Born in 1972 in Detroit, Rodriguez is an old-time folk singer who, at first listen, can be described as somewhat Dylanesque. 

But, if given the chance, you'll quickly realize he's so much more.  

My aunt was not the only person on the path to discovery, it seems, when it comes to Rodriguez. He went "missing" shortly after the release of his second album in the early seventies and, unbeknownst to him, a search party had been looking for him ever since. And then there were rumours... that he had shot or burned himself on stage, for example. 

The reason people were looking for Rodriguez, or Searching for Sugar Man, is because he was famous (more famous than the Rolling Stones) on the other side of the world; in South Africa.

A group of music lovers/journalists had gotten together there to try and track him down. They had nothing to go on other than the two records he had released. They studied the pictures. They studied the lyrics. They put his face on a milk carton. They created a website: SugarMan.org.

In the end, they found Rodriguez. He was still living in Detroit, had spent most of his life working as a heavy labourer and had three daughters.

And he had no idea that anybody was still listening to his music. Never mind the fact that he was literally the most popular artist in South Africa with millions of albums sold there.

I discovered Rodriguez through my mom as well as the Academy Award winning documentary I watched with the beau about him last week; Searching for Sugar Man. Though I enjoyed his music previously, it wasn't until I saw the documentary and realized what kind of man Rodriguez was that I came to adore both him and his music.

An angel if there ever was one. 

And what a lyricist! 

I Think of You

Cause

I'll Slip Away

Cause

Cause I lost my job two weeks before Christmas

And I talked to Jesus at the Sewer

And the pope said it was none of his god-damned business

While the rain drank champagne 

My Estonian archangel came and got me wasted

Cause the sweetest kiss I ever got is the one I've never tasted

Oh but they'll take their bonus pay to Molly McDonald

Neon ladies, beauty is that which obeys, is bought or borrowed

The sound of the future

Sometimes I'm a trend setter (hello mid-finger ring). 

Other times, not so much. 

When Daft Punk's Random Access Memories was all the rage last year, winning Grammy Awards for Album of the year, Best dance/electronica album and Best engineered album (non-classical), I was somewhat out of the musical loop (focused, as I was, on my main bae Miley).

After listening to Bangerz on replay for well over a year I was finally ready to spread my musical wings, as it were, a few weeks ago. At first, I latched on to a few randoms like Lorde and Selena Gomez. Since then, I've moved on (kind of) to my new obsession: Daft Punk. 

Specifically, Giorgio by Moroder.

Apart from the sheer amazingness of the song, I was especially drawn to the story. Who, exactly, was Giovanni Giorgio and why, precisely, did everybody call him Giorgio?

 Giorgio then

 Giorgio now

Giovanni Giorgio was (and still is) Giovanni Giorgio Moroder (born Hansjörg Moroder). Widely credited as the father of both disco and electronic dance music (!), Moroder first started releasing music in 1966 and hasn't stopped since. He worked on a variety of film scores, including Midnight Express, Scarface, Flashdance and Top Gun, and has collaborated with everyone from Donna Summer, Blondie and David Bowie to Britney Spears and Daft Punk.      

He even created the main riff sampled by DJ Shadow in Organ Donor.

 tears, by giorgio

The more I read about this guy the more interested, and impressed, I am with him. I'm actually starting to get the feeling that he's behind every great song every written.

At 74 years old, Giorgio is one hepcat. 

Or, as he puts it, 74 is the new 24.

And now... back to Miley.

Last night, on my way home in a taxi, a very strange thing happened: the romantical Adore You started playing and the driver and I both started humming it at the same time. Before long, we were both full-on singing it. 

Adore You. At 4:30 in the morning. In a taxi.

Weird.

Nobody calls me Giorgio, by the way.

Sad is the new happy

Not long ago (in November, me thinks) a study came out claiming that listening to sad or melancholic music can actually "lift your spirits." According to the study, which was conducted by researchers at the Free University of Berlin, people experience more emotions when listening to sad music than happy music. The emotional roller-coaster that sad music incurs "can improve a person's emotional well-being as well as make us feel at peace and nostalgic." (Daily Mail)

I knew there was a good reason I always felt better after a marathon of melancholic tunes. And tears.

Liila Taruffi and Stefan Koelsch surveyed 722 people across the globe (and no, they didn't just lock them in a room and make them listen to Radiohead all day) to try and understand how they felt after listening to sad or melancholic music. People in Europe and the U.S. said they felt "nostalgic" while listeners in Asia said they felt "at peace."    

Participants, who ranged in age and gender, were asked to identify some of their favourite pieces of sad music. Not surprisingly (to me, anyway), Johnny Cash's interpretation of Nine Inch Nails' Hurt and Radiohead's Street Spirit (Fade Out) are the two songs, with lyrics, that got the most votes.

hurt

street spirit (fade out)

The reason I say "not surprisingly" is because those are two of my guaranteed go-to tunes to get the tears flowing. As for songs without lyrics, Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata got the most votes.

  moonlight sonata

I thought the study was really interesting because I have always been drawn to melancholic music. And I'm a very nostalgic person. I knew I was emotionally complex!

While Radiohead's Street Spirit (Fade Out) is a real downer (in a good way), Everything in it's Right Place is a close second.

everything in it's right place 

Another depressing (in an uplifting way) song I've been listening to a lot lately is Ben Harper's Another Lonely Day. Sniff.

another lonely day

After reading about the study last night, I went looking for some melancholic music. I found a band, and a song, that I've never heard of or heard before but both totally blew my mind (and eyeballs). It reminded me of something that could have been playing when my grandparents first met in Poland.

hungry ghosts, i don't think about you anymore but

Vincent Vallières' On va s'aimer encore is another song that I can't listen to without crying no matter how hard I try.

On va s'aimer encore

I LITERALLY just started crying the second the song started.

And then there's The Stranglers' Golden Brown. Nostalgia indeed.

golden brown

What are some of the sad songs that you enjoy listening to? I'd love to know.

   

Ramblings of an awards show addict

It's been almost exactly two months since my last blog post and I couldn't even remember my password when I tried logging in exactly two minutes ago. 

That is - most clearly - a problem.

To remedy the situation, I've decided to record my ramblings (some might call them witty insights, but probably not most) on the 42nd American Music Awards originally aired Sunday night.

Though the awards aired Sunday night, on ABC in the US and on CTV in Canada, I watched them tonight because I don't have a television and spent wasted two hours trying to find a live streaming feed the night of. 

Without success. 

Oh, and by the way, this is my 101st blog post. Small victories, right?

First off, regarding Charli XCX... how does Gwen Stefani throw her voice like that? Those two have an amazing ventriloquist act going on. Kudos!

My girl Iggy Azalea wins best rap/hip-hop album (and later, artist) of the year. Woot! Loved the fact that she acknowledged it as the first and only award she has ever won. Also loved the fact that she wore T.I. as an accessory.

5 Seconds of Summer... ummm... is it just me or did Green Day discover how to time travel?

Pitbull's best only line of the whole, entire night is uttered. I can't remember it word-for-word but it goes a little something like this: "Now I know a thing or two about a thing or two and I think everyone backstage has glaucoma."

Ha!

Lorde performs and I am super impressed with her performance and voice, which is a first for me. Here it is, should you want to take a look (and have a listen).

yellow flicker beat

Ariana Grande sings and I don't hate it. What is happening to me? I need me some Mean Girls. 

Danica McKellar (Winnie Cooper!) announces the winner of the alternative band of the year category and does not look a day older than she did when she was Winnie Cooper. Must remember to find out what kind of face cream she uses and buy copious amounts of it. 

Selena Gomez performs Heart Wants what it Wants and I love it so much that I play it twice. And cry at the end. Who am I???

take that beaver!

Lil Wayne mumbles, and weezes, his way through a song. I think. All I hear is "Thelma and Louisie." I think. Forget about "they." I "just don't get it."

Fergie's husband, Josh Bechamel or something, introduces Fergie circa 19??. I see more of Fergie's booty than JLo's and Iggy's combined, but more on that later. 

Jessie J, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj perform Bang Bang, but not the Bang Bang I like. This is the Bang Bang I like.

 

joe cuba's bang bang

The moment we've all been waiting for. Or the moment I've been waiting for anyhow. Booty. And boy-oh-booty am I disappointed! This is what TV censors have been getting their knickers in a twist over all week?  Puh-lease.

 some video booty 

Lorde lipstick swipe (aka the end).