Christmas 2013
First, my obligatory annual statement about how fast Christmas flies by when you’re an adult. The time from final dismissal before Christmas break for the girls to about 9:30 last night, when the kids were all in bed, most of the clean-up was done, and we could just sit and relax seemed to pass in a blur. I think that’s…
Kid Catch Up
Here we are. Two days left on the Advent calendar. A couple loops left on the Christmas ring chain C. brought home. Done with school for the year. The cookies have all been made. Christmas day menu planned. Yep, it’s Holiday DEFCON level 1. All three school programs went well. M. shined as Mistletoe the FBI agent in her grade’s…
Favorite Songs Of 2013, #1
1 – “Holy” – Frightened Rabbit This is the fourth time FR has cracked my year-end list, and the third time they’ve grabbed the #1 spot. Yes, I’m a massive fan and this spot was pretty much reserved for them the moment I learned they would release an album in 2013. But still, they had to deliver. At least three…
Holiday Jihad #2
Before some kid notes, another holiday jihad for you. Years ago I sent a Christmas card to the parents of a college buddy. I found out later I had misspelled his mother’s name – I thought her name was Lara but it was actually Lura – and I was horrified. I quickly apologized and she shook it off, saying I…
Favorite Songs Of 2013, #2
2 – “Song For Zula” – Phosphorescent. It takes audacity to open a song with a line that mimics massive hits of both Bette Midler and Johnny Cash. But Matthew Houck, the man behind Phosphorescent, does exactly that here, when he sings “Some say love, is a burning thing. That it makes a fiery ring.” He definitely gets your attention…
Favorite Songs Of 2013, #3
3 – “Recovery” – Frank Turner. I do love a good break-up song. So, no surprise that the top three songs feature two break up songs plus a band that I first fell in love with because of their most-excellent album all about getting your heart smashed. Here Turner sings a very masculine break-up song. I say masculine because musically,…
Favorite Songs Of 2013, #4
4 – “Wakin In A Pretty Day” – Kurt Vile. This song was a lifeline during the endless winter of 2012-13. When the temperature refused to rise and it seemed like spring would never arrive, this was the promise that warmer, better days would eventually, finally, arrive.
Favorite Songs Of 2013, #5
5 – “In The City” – Caveman It seems like each year there is one synth-heavy song that I can listen to repeatedly and just get lost within its layers. Here is this year’s example. At first listen, this would seem to be a rather cold, serious song. Each note sounds carefully planned. The transitions are perfect. The ratio of…
Favorite Songs Of 2013, #6
6 – “The Mother We Share” – CHVRCHES At first listen, these Scots sound cotton candy light, an updated take on Nu Shooz, straight out of 1986. But there is weight behind the layers of keyboards and synthesizers. There is depth to Lauren Mayberry’s voice that surprises upon repeated listens. And, good Lord, that hook! Great bands spend their entire…
Holiday Tunes Links
A couple articles about Christmas music to share. First, the Legend himself, Darryl McDaniels, aka DMC, talks about the surprising RUN-DMC holiday classic, “Christmas In Hollis.” I say surprising because an awful lot of people scoffed when it appeared on the first A Very Special Christmas album next to songs by Madonna, Springsteen, Mellencamp, U2, and Whitney. “That’s not Christmas…