Lenka - The Show

Another newbie I need to know more about!



Such a sweet song! Such a great message! :-D

How could I NOT Love This!

The Feeling - Fill My Little World

This song is on my workout mix on my iPod...Why? I'm not quite sure. But I always increase my intensity when it comes on, so I'm not about to get rid of it. Sadly, this version of the song is cut off at the end, but you get the just. Definitely check out more of this band - they're absolutely lovely!



I love my job. I know I've mentioned that recently on here before, but today for other reasons. For some reason, it was a slow Friday - Thank Goodness as we were training. And, when it is slower, we have the chance to chat more...and discuss things like when you would be considered a real nasty individual for continuing to be in a relationship with somebody that you weren't crazy about. I feel like this song is appropriate for that discussion...and it was a good discussion. The jury's still out!

Amy Grant - Baby, Baby

Every once in awhile, we have to go back to the things that we used to do, even if we thought we would never do that again. For example: quitting the same job twice, giving your time to others before yourself, procrastinating over something you really HAD to do NOW, and listening to Amy Grant...



This song doesn't just remind me of my childhood...it reminds me of tape casettes, dancing in the bin of my dad's grain truck, and sunny summer days creating air bands with my cousins... What a great reason to keep returning to Amy Grant!

Hannah Georgas - The Deep End

It's Hump Day... I feel like we could all use a little bit of Hannah to help us through to the end of the week...

"Weird Al" Yankovic - White & Nerdy

Ah, Weird Al...what was music parody before you?



I don't even know what song he is parodying with this, but I love it! It's not as pro-nerd as Coco's song about Intellectual Boys, but I LUMBed at all the same places...

Ah, nerds...where would we be without you?

The Wraggle-Taggle Gypsies

"How are you doing today?"
"Excellent!"...
"Even though you're at work?"
"Heck yah! Life's too short to not enjoy work..."



This song captures that feeling exactly! :-D

Stars ~ Calendar Girl

When you get those rare moments of clarity, those flashes when the universe makes sense,

you try desperately to hold on to them. They are the life boats for the darker times, 

when the vastness of it all, the incomprehensible nature of life is completely illusive.

So the question becomes, or should have been all a long...

What would you do if you knew you only had one day, or one week, or one month to live?

What life boat would you grab on to?

What secret would you tell?

What band would you see?

What person would you declare your love to?

What wish would you fulfil?

What exotic locale would you fly to for coffee?

What book would you write?
 ~ One Week

Some people refer to it as a mere "love letter" to Canada, but for me, the movie One Week is about its universal message, as outlined above...

If we would change anything about our day-to-day lives if we knew there were so few left, why are we doing what we're doing every day for the rest of our lives? Should we really be waiting to live? Why wait when we're living right now? And, if you aren't happy - change your life!

My Easter wish for everyong is to stop waiting to live. Take this new week before you (the last in many student's lives) and live unafraid. Because, when you look closely at the reasons for not doing what you want to be doing, you'll find that it is only fear in the way, and nothing else... Or do you not really want to live your life?

i can't live forever.
i can't always be.
one day i'll be sand on the beach by the sea;
the pages keep turning, i'll mark off each day with a cross
and i'll laugh about all that we've lost.

Kelly Clarkson - Because Of You

Today, felt like a Pink day. So, I turned on the Pink YouTube mix and came across a whole day's worth of girl power ballads, including this old one from Kelly Clarkson...



As April began, it was suggested that I may need some emotional callouses. To myself, and fellow emotional artists, this idea seemed odd. What is wrong with feelings?

Today, I realized that shutting them off/out is just as scary as embracing them. The pain from our past, whether from someone we are still in a relationship with, or one we were lucky enough to escape from, affects how willing we are to expose those emotions to other people. We pretend not to care - not to wear our hearts on our sleeves - because that's what we did before, and it really hurt. But pretending you're ok is no way to go through life...

And that's the existential crisis of my week ;-D

Metric ~ The Police and the Private

Get straight and wait here while I try to find the exit sign
When will you stop asking strangers, no one wants what we want
Keep one eye on the door, keep one eye on the bag
Never expect to be sure

You're working for the police and the private, the pirates and the pilots
Fingerprinted waiting for the train
The doctor, the writer, the hairdresser,
Felt up and fingerprinted waiting for the train

I've been in a Metric state of mind this week... I've been in a Metric state of mind all spring, in fact. Not necessarily their new songs, but this good ol' stuff!

I love it when music speaks to a feeling we're just trying to figure out. We may never be able to capture that feeling as well as the song, but we'll try, with words, gestures, choices, etc. This is why I get into certain states of musical minds sometimes.

It's more than just the connection to that feeling in the song that allows you to sink right into it. The song will grab your rubber arm, carry you on, and lead you into a better place. And sometimes that's all we really need to get through it.

Lord lord mother we are all losing love
Lord listen lover we are all missing mama
Lord lord mother we are all losing love
Lord listen lover we are all missing something I don't got

There's a place that ends here I know
When they close the gates I'll cry
So tired of never sleeping
The whole world wants what we're on

At some point, in our life we wake up and realize that the dream they fed us about getting everything we were supposed to want - as long as we just kept working hard to get to it - was nothing more than a dream. Instead of pushing us to work harder, they should have taught us to be happier. We can be happy in any situation, we just have to chose that emotion. (Even if you fake it 'til you make it.)

Didn't make this up I learned, I learned it from a friend
My friend is coming clean, she told me
Keep one eye on the door, keep one eye on the bed
Never expect to be sure who you're working for

There's a discussion on this YouTube page re:the meaning of this song. It's art, it means something different for every listener. Even if the artist meant something completely different from what you get out of it. It's speaking to a higher truth that we're all aiming for. If more of us get a sense of one message from it, that's good, and illustrates the cultural interpretation of that artwork for that time period. Some pieces are universal, and will always speak to that same message...or culture learns that this universal piece of work means one thing: it's hard to be clear on that. I know what this song means to me, and it holds more value in itself because of that interpretation. Will you get the same one? Maybe...

You're working for the police and the private, the pirates and the pilots
Fingerprinted waiting for the train
The doctor, the writer, the garbage collector
Felt up and fingerprinted waiting for the train

We wake up - perhaps some other time - and realize that the person across from us is not the person we thought they were. Sometimes this fills us with great joy as we know have the opportunity to dig deeper through their onion of a personality. Most times, though, this scares us, and offends us, and makes us feel foolish for having shown our layers of onion to them too quickly. This feeling of violation fades after awhile. Like all difficult times, this too shall pass...

Lord lord mother we are all losing love
Lord listen lover we are all missing mama
Lord lord mother we are all losing love
Lord listen lover we are all missing mama
Lord lord mother we are all losing love
Lord listen lover we are all missing mama
Lord lord mother were all losing love
Lord listen lover we are all missing love
Got to get out
Got to get to you, the orphanage is closing in an hour

...and when it does, we'll be stronger. We may have lost one person in our lives, but we have gained a deeper understanding of ourselves. It could be, as the saying goes, that "When you lose, you shouldn't lose the lesson." But I prefer not to think of it as yourself losing it. In the end, there you are, knowing more about yourself, a situation you've been faced with, and an understanding of how to bring certain emotions to your psyche. We can hide from those emotions, or we can ride them out, like some new sick drug we've just been given a free sample of. Will we allow ourselves to go back for another hit or was the experiment/experience of one enough for us?

And that's how I feel about this song...

Maximo Park - Girls Who Play Guitars

We used to talk about girls who play guitars...

She goes and she gets drunks, she gets off, she goes and she gets it...

It's her life but it's a life worth living...



At some point in everybody's life, they need some time to take things less seriously than at other times. These periods of time can last anywhere from a weekend to several years. I'm not sure how long this period of my life will be, but I know I'm going through it right now...

This morning, I couldn't remember having hit snooze several times before actually being conscious. This is a clear indication that I need to get a few good nights' sleep...luckily, my weekend is upon me!




We used to talk about girls who play guitars...

She goes and she gets drunks, she gets off, she goes and she gets it...

It's her life but it's a life worth living...

Bob Marley. Jamming.

Today's song is dedicated to convenience store employees everywhere!



Have I ever told you how much I love music? It lifts you up when you're down, or lets you simmer in your lower mood if you need it to. It embraces the mood you are in and allows you to feel every inch of that emotion. It connects you with other people and makes you distinct from the based on your preferences as well. There's so much that music can do...like remember a man, a movement, and the lesson that sometimes you just have to sit back and take the time to learn how to relax. I L-O-V-E it!

Who doesn't appreciate a good Rastufarian tune every once in awhile?

Regina Spektor - That Time

Regina Spektor always makes me think of one of my best friends. He introduced her music to me, and sometimes I just listen to her because I miss him. Sometimes I just listen to her for fun, too...

I love this song, and the video is even better. The first body part of mine that I fell in love with were my feet, so I always feel a special connection to stories told from that perspective (and I am fascinated by people who have real foot fetishes). The purple shoes in this video are pretty great, too!

Metric ~ Gimme Sympathy

Who would you rather be?



Every generation needs an anthem...can this be ours?

Even the beat catches my heart in such a way that I feel more complete listening to it... I love it when a song has that power.

Hayden - Let's Break Up

This was one of my favourite tunes from this morning's listening to my iPod. After listening to more of his music throughout the day, this is still my favourite tune of his. You may disagree! So, check out his website.

Dave Stanley Band ~ "Bobby Orr"

For those of you who follow hockey, I guess this was a pretty good night for Canadian teams. I don't know, I don't really follow hockey, but I like this song! It's reminiscent of a bigone era, as the friend who recommended it to me pointed out. I like that part of it. Also, I know who Bobby Ore is, so that makes me smile inside :-)

Happy Hockey Night in Canada!

Paul Simon - 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover + lyrics

Friday Fun Fact: 52% of people going into a One Night Stand secretly hope it will turn into a relationship.

Whatever happened to No Strings Attached?



I think we all need to listen to this song a little bit more. Don't get me wrong, if you're in a loving and fulfilling relationship, where you are happy, healthy, and good for one another, you should stay there. But never be afraid to leave a relationship that's not doing this for you... There are 50 ways to leave a lover, even if this song only mentions five...

Broken Social Scene ~ Fire Eye'd Boy

Today feels like a Broken Social Scene kinda day...




Well, I don't know what a Broken Social Scene kinda day actually is. To tell you the truth (because I always tell the truth - my one weakness), I actually don't know that many songs by Broken Social Scene. I don't know that I actually enjoy the band that much. I enjoy their fans! And the offshoots from their bands. I just haven't listened to a lot of their songs and been suddenly drawn into the inner worshipping circle of the band. One of my best friends has, though, and she's finishing her last semester of university this month, so I'll dedicate this post to her! Good luck with everything, my dear!

Alanis Morisette ~ My Humps

It struck me as just a little bit funny, last night, to find Alanis Morisette in the Joel Plaskett YouTube mix. When this song came up, though, it donned on me. They are more similar than they are different, especially being Canadian! And that is how Canadian artists roll.

I realized this during this song because I like the original version of it by Black Eyed Peas. I know - BEP is a favourite band of mine...judge me ALL you want, I like how they drop their beats! This version of their song, My Humps, is definitely my favourite, played by another artist I love...in the YouTube mix of a fellow Canadian I adore. And, so, somehow, life makes sense again...

Check out the video here.

The xx - VCR

Another recommendation...

I played this band before hand. I still like them, which is always a good sign for a band - they are more than just a passing phase in my life!

The New Amsterdams ~ Fountain of Youth

Another good one! I don't even remember how I stumbled upon these guys... Hmmm. Regardless, I still love it!

Bright Eyes - At The Bottom Of Everything

This Bright Eyes made me cry within the first minute...you know it's good when that happens! :-D

For some reason, I'm on a forgiveness kick... C'est ma vie!

Less Than Jake ~ The Rest Of My Life

Allegories are used when you're making a small "common sense" point sink in... I find them most meaningful in this way, at least.

Imagine your life right now as if you are a child. How ridiculous does it look? Which regrets could you take as lessons instead, if you thought of yourself as an innocent rather than a perfect human being?

Erin McKeown - "The Taste of You"

We interrupt this week of recommendations, with a musician I DID stumble upon...years ago!



Yes, I've been in an Erin McKeown state of mind this spring. Can you believe we're already three weeks into this season? It's been sunny here in Edmonton this week, and the snow is melting like the bunnies white fur (in my optimistic opinion, of course)! As such, it comes as no surprise that I would be in an Erin McKeown state of mind. So upbeat, so happy, so hippy-loving-wonderful!

Enjoy your weekend!

Propagandhi ~ Purina Hall of Fame

This band was supposed to be featured last month...



Other than that, well, a picture is worth a thousand words...and video like this is pretty hard to ignore.

One day, we'll all make the connection...

Marina and the Diamonds ~ Oh No!

You are more authentic...the more you resemble what you've dreamed you are - Todo Sobre Mi Madre




I would like to say I "stumble upon" all of the music I showcase on this blog, but that would deny the method to my madness. Friends, coworkers, random strangers always recommend music to me. I like music. I remember some musicians. I have to have some musicians rammed down my throat (and boasted about from their die-hard fans) to fully appreciate their artistic talents sometimes. And all of this I like to refer to as "stumbling upon."

Over the next week, I'll be sharing the artists that have more rather than less been recommended to me by friends. As always, though, I won't share something unless I actually enjoy the musician (...or I'm making some tongue-in-cheek statement about them...). My mama always said, "If you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all!" I like that advice...

Mousy brown? Not too much. Earthy? Hmmm...she's touring with Katy Perry, so I doubt it. Soulful? Well, I felt what my soul needed from her music, and so it is on the blog...

The Deep Dark Woods - All the money I had is gone

I love getting back to the roots of this blog. Canadian Music, especially Canadian Folk Music is so nice on the ears! And, this band takes me back to my roots, being from deep in the heart of the rectangular province I will always call home: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Listen to this song, one of my favourites of theirs, and then check out their website as well!

Ben Lee - Woman Is The Nigger Of The World (Lennon/Ono)

This is a "politically incorrect" song that uses that political incorrectness to make its strongest point. Shock value tends to be worth a lot in making a point...not something I go for, but something I can appreciate.

Mike Roste ~ Someone

I've been meaning to post this video for a while now, but it's best that I've waited until April. As it turns out, he has a new cd coming out this spring, and a party happening at the end of this month. Check out the details on his Mike's MySpace page.

Chloe Albert ~ Honey Bee

And now for a return to some Alberta-bred musicians!

I saw this girl for the first time at a FolkFest. Was it last year or the year before? Right now, I can't remember. All I always remember about a great musician is how amazing they sound! Check out her myspace page!

Third "Friday": EPIC MULLET GUY

At some point, making fun of this song will get old. But, until then, let's allow it to give numerous talented individuals their fifteen minutes of fame. "Epic Mullet Guy" deserves his fifteen minutes, just as much as Rebecca Black does... And, you never know - he may go further than her!