Listening

Following on from my reading post, I also wanted to share a little of the music I've been listening to recently.

I'm a little late to the party, but I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. BBC 6 Music 100 greatest hits of the last twenty years was posted up recently. Clocks by Coldplay is number one and this has been scoffed at almost universally. I mean, it's not even Coldplay's best song...  Okay, so, Coldplay are a guilty pleasure of mine, but I didn't draw up the shortlist, or even vote, so I can't get that worked up about it.

I'm an indie girl at heart, so I like a lot of the top 100. One track in the top ten was completely new to me and I LOVE IT. You can watch the whole top 100 on YouTube, or listen on Spotify (the link is in the paragraph above), but here is my new favourite song: Bloodbuzz Ohio by The National.

We have Spotify Premium membership. It's a great way to hear new music - to try before you buy. I don't agree with downloading music for free, unless the artist is giving it away. I don't think Spotify can pay huge amounts of royalties, but it must be better than ripping? The main reason I use Spotify is to listen to all the music I already own. Our CD's are mostly in the loft, so I mentally scan them and then search for my favourites.

Looking back through my recent Spotify history you'll find The Delays, Radiohead, The Flaming Lips, Doves, Powderfinger, Electronic, Laura Marling and Adam & the Ants (yes, really).

Still, nothing beats live music.

One of my favourite bands of all time is Turin Brakes. Their debut album, The Optimist LP is as awesome now as it was when it was released in 2001. As I was adding the link to buy the CD via Amazon I couldn't help noticing that it was only £3.42. £3.42. An absolute bargain. I'd buy it again if I hadn't already bought two copies (the first one wore out from excessive playing). They have just recorded their sixth studio album and I can't wait for it to be released.

I've been to see them live a few times and they are always amazing.

Olly Knights, Turin Brakes' lead singer, has a beautiful solo record out. If Not Now When is personal and heart-warming. When I listen to it in the car, on my own, I turn it up to eleven and absorb the sound. It fills my soul. I can feel something inside me blooming. Don't laugh at me. I think Cliff had it right when he sang 'satisfies my soul'. Well, just that phrase. The rest of Living Doll is plain creepy.

I also have the vinyl copy and am waiting - patiently - for Andy to get our turntable out of the loft.

This is the video for Bitten by the Frost, the second single to be taken from the album. Enjoy.





Andy and I always watch Jools Holland. Most episodes are a bit meh. I must be getting old as a lot of the bands look and sound the same. I love it when there's a band or artist on there that I haven't heard before, but I love straight away. This happened with Alabama Shakes and Laura Mvula.




You're welcome.

Where do you discover new music? Please don't make me listen to Radio 1...

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Listening

Singalongasandy

The lovely Liz at Living With Kids has tagged me with her Infinite Playlist Meme.

The rules are to choose five songs that you can listen to over and over again.

Despite ten hours in the car this week (i.e. plenty of thinking time), I struggled to narrow my favourite songs into a top five. There are so many great tunes to choose from. I've done it though. These are my favourites as of today. Ask me again tomorrow and it could all change!

There is a theme to my infinite playlist. All of these songs can be sung along to at the top of your voice, especially in the car.

Here they are:

The Smiths - There is a Light That Never Goes Out
The Jam - The Bitterest Pill
Queen - Don't Stop Me Know
The Flaming Lips - Race for the Prize
Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman - Come What May (from Moulin Rouge)

What's on your infinite playlist?

I'm tagging the following five bloggers:

Sally at Who's The Mummy?
Carly at Wives and Daughters
Beth at My Good Life
Heather at Notes From Lapland
Nickie at Typecast


Photo credit

Singalongasandy

A bit of hush

My husband wonders why I don't listen to more music on my laptop. I've had a little play with Spotify and it's brilliant. I've worked out how to listen to the radio via the web. But so far I haven't taken advantage of this world of free entertainment. He works from home and listens to music all day every day. Lucky him.

I love music. Music has always been a huge part of my life. My husband and I write and record songs. Before we had the babies I loved going to gigs. So why don't I use my new laptop to listen to music? Well this morning I tried and this is what happened...

I was keeping an eye on Twitter when I saw a tweet from @HellenBach announcing a new Janet & John story on Wake Up To Wogan. I used to listen to Terry on my way to work so I decided to fire up the IPlayer. Well, I tried to listen, but I couldn't concentrate on it. I could hear Terry chuckling away, but I wasn't sure why.

Competing with Radio 2 were the following:

The baby was in the Chico Walker. He was bashing away at the buttons playing tunes and finding random beeping, woofing and telephone noises.

The toddler had put the baby bouncer on vibrate and had the 'waves crashing on the shore' at full volume.

The toddler had left the baby bouncer and was playing with V-Tech bus, again at full volume. Life was quieter when he hadn't worked out how to turn it on. Sometimes we used to turn it off and say it was broken. Why do people buy them electronic toys? 

The washing machine was on spin.

The microwave was on heating up some milk for the baby's porridge.

The toaster was on.

The kettle was on.

The cat was snoring.

Despite all this I decided to persevere with the radio. I put the babies in their highchairs ready for breakfast. While I was getting it all together, and in addition to the aforementioned cacophany, the boys were complaining too. We call it beeping, but it could also be described as whinging, whining or screaming.

Eventually I sat down to feed them and was able to listen to the radio. They were bemused by my singing along to the likes of Blondie, Neil Sedaka and Norah Jones as they ate their breakfast. But this moment of calm was short-lived as their Grandma soon arrived with their cousin. Their cousin likes to bang toys against the fireguard.

I shut down the IPlayer. Terry couldn't compete with my noisy world. This is why I don't listen to music much during the day!

One of my Twitter friends told me that one day I'd be praying for a quiet house (his children have all flown the nest), I want that now. But of course as soon as I have it I'll want the noise back, I'll want the commotion that comes from having children around. Perhaps I'll fill the void with music, or perhaps I'll enjoy a bit of hush. 

A bit of hush