I started going through my posted music of 2009 this week in order to pull my favorites. There are so many songs that I just love so I’ve decided to keep it as simple as possible and highlight just few songs/bands/artists that moved me this year. I have included some links to the original posts. There you can find more music and links to the artists websites. In no particular order–here goes:

Ben Sollee: I just love what he does with a cello. Unexpected and fun.

“How to See The Sunrise” – Ben Sollee (in Dodge’s living room).
Previously posted: Ben Sollee

Balmorhea: As I said originally “I was captured by this song. Was it the piano? The strings? The sparse, almost not there, vocals? Was it the changes throughout the song, a little like tubing down the river and the changing experiences; the calm moments, the beauty, the rapids, the melancholy, the joy? Or could it be the rather unexpected hand claps that won me over? Who knows? I do know that I played it over and over again..”

mp3: “San Solomon” – Balmorhea
Hold out for the hand claps. In my opinion the whole experience is worth it!
Previously posted: Balmorhea

Local Natives: Local Natives were such a huge part of our year, I am surprised to find that I only posted about them once. Starr just brought up this song in conversation last night. We are both big fans!

mp3: “Airplanes” – Local Natives
Previously posted: Local Natives

I can’t post about Local Natives without including this cover of Cecilia:

“Cecilia-Acoustic Simon and Garfunkel cover” — Local Natives…in the back yard

Fanfarlo: *sigh* Fanfarlo has been on repeat for me for months. I’ve said it before, but I JUST CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF THEM!! I hear that they were just signed by a major label so these mp3s (and the ones previously posted) could disappear, but it also means that they might get better exposure…I think they deserve it.

I bought and downloaded the album when they had it on sale for $1. I have listened to it over and over again. I would definitely pay full price for it. I love the whole thing.

mp3: “I’m a Pilot” – Fanfarlo
Previously posted: Fanfarlo

“Finish Line” – Fanfarlo…acoustic in the garden

Fruit Bats: Ignore the name. They have been on my playlist for several years. This is one of their latest. Starr and I were Christmas shopping for her siblings a couple weeks ago and this song was playing at American Eagle. I pointed at the ceiling (speakers) and Starr said “yeah, mom, I know…you are cooler than the rest of us mortals!” Not really. In reality, she frowned and said “what?!”

mp3: “The Ruminant Band” – Fruit Bats
Previously posted: Fruit Bats

The Big Pink: I can’t stand the message of this song, but I can’t resist it either. It has been several months and it is still on repeat.

mp3: “Dominos” – The Big Pink
Previously posted: The Big Pink

Little Joy: This was my personal “summer song” last summer. It brought to me warm breezes, cold beers and JOY! Loved it.

“Next Time Around” – Little Joy
Previously posted: Little Joy

“How to See The Sunrise” – Ben Sollee (in Dodge’s living room)

A Laundro Matinee Video Session. Check it out! There are four more songs recorded in Craig Dodge Lile’s living room. Nice.

Dodge says:

Some days I shake my head about how stubborn I was regarding Ben Sollee.  Of all the guys to deserve a break, being, like me, a native Kentuckian, Ben was a prime candidate.  Still, I was unyeilding.  I had some internal grump device preventing me from listening to his music.  I wouldn’t listen to locals when they professed their love for him.  I ignored respected peers.  This guy plays the cello…”How boring is that?!” I thought.

Uh, turns out it isn’t boring at all!  Not the way Ben Sollee plays it at least.  He bangs, plucks, strokes and bows it with a fury not often seen by the orchestral crowd

Kelly is at a loss for words…but keeps pressing play, again and again.

Um. Is it too late to start cello lessons at 44?

Mmm…Tuesday.

Starr’s computer has been giving her trouble. We decided to wait until summer to deal with it, because she needed it at school, and it wasn’t urgent. Well, we are finally ready to let it go for a week and get it repaired.

Easier said than done. Apple sent a nice empty box overnight, it arrived this morning. But, I wanted to do a decent backup before sending it back filled with Starr’s lifeline.

“Easier said than done,” she repeats wearily. I didn’t realize that I was a complete idiot…reality sucks.

While I work the problem…here are a couple songs that I have been appreciating lately: