2009 in Review—The Music

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

Catching Up

A random Saturday post:

1. I’m working on doing a little catch up. Catching up reading my favorite blogs, catching up with the laundry, catching up with Facebook, catching up with the dishes and general house cleaning. I have yet to go grocery shopping. I am tired.

We have been very busy moving Starr to her new apartment over the past few days. This is one of those times I wish that my little family was bigger, that there were more than two of us and that some of these new family members were men…with big trucks!

I’m sore and punchy, but I managed all those trips up all of those stairs better than I thought I could…I’m still here!! We are 85/90% done and it feels good!

2. Sookie invited us over to a “parents brunch” this morning for the families of the kids who went to DC and Pennsylvania. She was the planner for the group and also put together a really fun video of the trip for us to watch. I have requested a copy, she did a wonderful job! It was nice to take a break to relax, smile and laugh for an hour or so.

For the record, the DC/Pennsylvania trip was a success. They followed their itinerary with ease, seeing all of the things they wanted too with little to no stress. I will have to hire Sookie to plan my next trip! I don’t have any pictures to share yet, as the kids were keeping them from us until the brunch and the video reveal!

3. Starr babysat for a friend of mine last Thursday night. Rosemary has two boys ages 5 and 3. Starr really enjoyed them, she’s been telling me very cute stories for the past two days. I am really not sure how the three of them fit all of that stuff into one evening, but I have been enjoying hearing about all of it! If I can gather my thoughts in a day or so, I might try to share a story or two.

4. In the meantime I will share this song which has been stuck in my head for the past few days, fortunately not in an annoying way…yet:

mp3: “Dominos” – The Big Pink
A Brief History of Love
The Big Pink-MySpace