An announcement, a book, a mini-series and (finally) a couple quick reviews

I've been a pretty shitty blogger lately, y'all. I guess that's what happens when you start writing for a job instead of escape. Yes. That's right. I'm a legit writer now. Actually, I've done one better than that! I have the word "editor" in my title. You can check out all my work (that basically consists of previewing upcoming TV shows and writing about other television-related stuff) at SheKnows.com. It's a girly website, though, so that means I get to comment any time I think a guy is hot. (I'm looking at you, Arrow, with your salmon ladder scenes. What are you doing to me?!)

Here's something super cool about my job: I have copy editors! I write in two ways: 1) I pre-write the shit out of something so that by the time I sit down everything is memorized and so I don't notice mistakes or 2) It comes out of me like Chinese food so fast that my fingers can't always keep up with my brain. The first technique always gets me in trouble because when I try to look back over my writing for mistakes, I've got it so memorized in my head that I see it the way it's supposed to be instead of how it is. The second way I write also usually involves sleep deprivation and/or copious amounts of caffeine, leaving me completely jumpy and also prone to look over my mistakes. Having a copy writer whose job is to nitpick my story to pieces is kind of amazing. And, because I know someone even more hardcore than me about grammar is going to read over my stuff, it makes me work a little harder and getting things perfect. So, it's kind of win-win!

I know you probably want to hear about music and I'll get to that in a graph or two. BUT! First I want to tell you about one or two more things rattling around in my head that my current job doesn't really have a place for me to share.

First, I recently finished reading Fobbit by David Abrams. It's fucking stellar. I like a lot of books. But Fobbit is one of the very few that has ever inspired me to write a fan letter. If you're one of those strange people who only has the time or stamina to read one book a year, Fobbit is the book to pick up. It has some really funny moment, yes, but it's still a book about war and soldiers and life in Baghdad. That means it's also a little infuriating and, sometimes, a little soul crushing. I recommend that absolutely ever American read it. The vast majority have no idea what the heck our soldiers go through. Despite being at war for over a decade, it's still such a distance concept to us. But, as one war has ended and another will soon, we have even more guys coming home who have been through a lot and are messed up in various ways. You may never find a soldier willing to talk to you about their time overseas, but you should be prepared just in case. Also, you should read it so that, for the rest of your life, each time you vote: You're considering what each possible-president is not only willing to do for, but also to our guys. There's not a day that goes by that I don't wholeheartedly regret the decision I made the first time I stepped into the voting booth.

Second, I also just finished watching Generation Kill. (I don't know what's going on with me lately.) GK is a seven-part mini-series from HBO based on the book by the same name. The book was written by Evan Wright, an embedded reporter from Rolling Stone who spent over a month with a Marine Recon battalion during our first days in Iraq. If for some reason a certain vet is reading it who is now sometimes weirded out by night-vision and/or bangs...I do not recommend this to you. (Even if they DO sing "Teenage Dirtbag" in a scene and I absolutely thought of us.) For everyone else: Watch. It's borderline Hotel Rwanda graphic, honestly, but it's still really freaking good. And after every super intense moment, there's always something insanely funny to pull you from the dark.

I don't think I've ever envied someone as much as I've envied Evan Wright. Honestly.
(And, if I can't have his life... is he single?)

I guess you want some music now, hm?

Well, first, as a Mumford & Sons fangirl I guess I should tell you what I think of Babel. I think it's good shit. I've been listening to songs like "Lover of the Light" and "Whispers in the Dark" since the first time I saw the guys perform in May, 2010, so most of the songs don't feel incredibly new to me. That said, of all the unreleased songs I've heard over the years, the guys managed to record all my favorites. "Broken Crown" is still practically my anthem. Though, I still don't know why the hell the fucked up "I Will Wait" so badly. They Pop'd out that song immensely. And, yeah, I guess it'll sell more records that way. But the original was far superior.

Second, The Avett Brothers The Carpenter. I approve. "Live & Die" has, without a doubt, become "my jam." Tattoo number three (which will come right after I get tattoos number one and two) will be a little sparrow in an Egyptian pharaoh's headdress. The line, "Live like a pharaoh, sing like a sparrow anyway" is my favorite from the entire album. It's classic TAB.

Finally, it's been a rough week(-ish) for me musically. I'm mourning the quasi-break-up of The Civil Wars. They say new music is coming, despite their cancelling their tour...but no one's really sure what form that will take. In the meantime, though, if you've seen them live I'm sure you've heard a new song or two. My personal favorite is "From This Valley." It's not on their album but, if you look 'em up on Spotify, it's available on the album Mercyland: Hymns for the rest of Us. Also available on Spotify is their song, "Dance me to the End of Love" and their cover of Jackson 5's "I Want You Back," which aren't on the version of Barton Hollow that I own. Both are awesome. Though, not as great as the cover of Smashing Pumpkins' "Disarm" that they almost always play live. If they do make another album together, I hope that's on it.

That's it for now. I'm not going to promise you I'll be back soon. We both know that's a lie. However, I haven't forgotten that I still want to write about funeral songs, either.

Eff Taylor Swift,
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The Banjo Still Owns My Heart

It may be a bit more than a month before I (FINALLY) graduate from University, but last month I received my graduation present.  It's a banjo!  Sadly, because it's my final month of school and I'm on a never ending hunt for a real job, I've had absolutely no time to pick it up and play.  It doesn't even have a name yet!  Though, sticking with the theme I started with my guitar, Hubbell, there are a few options I'm toying with: Sonny, Hobbs, Jeremiah, or Bubber are my favorites. (IMDB it, y'all.)  Since I'm in no position to play my own banjo music, I've taken to listening to bluegrass even more frequently than usual to help me get through this final quarter. 

These are a few of my favorite songs/bands.  A couple of them, I'm sure, have been mentioned before, but they're worth mentioning, again.

Chessboxer
Chessboxer is Matt Menefee (banjo) and Ross Holmes (fiddle), formerly of the oh-so-awesome Cadillac Sky.  I guess, if you made me, I'd file this under something along the lines of "Classical."  But, only because it's purely instrumental.  I hatehatehate genres, though.  I prefer to describe them as "like Bela Fleck, but easier to follow."  They have a sound that warms me up and makes me smile... like when I stick my arm out of my car window and into the sun.  My only regret with Chessboxer is how little they tour. (If your GoogleAlerts brings you here, Boys: Get your asses on the road.

Chessboxer at The Belcourt opening for The Vespers (another awesome band to check out).

Crooked Still
I no longer remember how Crooked Still found their way into my ears for the first time.  I'll tell you, though, that I can no longer go a single day without listening to them.  The quintet (consisting of banjo, bass, cello, and fiddle) has been around for more than a decade and have covered two of my most favorite songs in the world, "Ain't No Grave" and Bob Dylan's "Oxford Town."  Their vocalist, Aoife O'Donovan, has an absolutely beautiful voice.  She's collaborated with all kinds of folks, most recently the likes of Yo-Yo Ma, Chris Thile, Edgar Meyer and Stuart Duncan for songs on their album, The Goat Rodeo Sessions. (You should buy that, too.  It's intense.)  They play the kind of music that makes you (even men, I'm sure of it!) want to wear a skirt, just so you can swish it around while you kick your feet to the music.

Crooked Still.  Can't go wrong with a little Dylan.

The Infamous Stringdusters
 Sometimes I hear the Stringdusters and I forget that it's 2012.  There is, of course, the ancient and Appalachian sound that comes from their instrumentation.  But their voices are also unique for their time.  They don't quite throwback to coal mines, but to the kind of country music I like best -- The stuff from the '70s and '80s. (That came mostly second-hand from my mom.) Things I don't recommend doing while listing to The Stringdusters: Driving (you'll speed) and cooking (hard to play air banjo and stir at the same time).

Stringduster's new song "Hitchhiker." Mind=Blown.  Also, there's plaid.

Earl Scruggs
I could list a million other awesome banjo pickin' bands, but I know I need to stop.  However, I thought I'd leave you with one more.  An oldie, but a bestie, Earl Scruggs made the banjo what it is at it's very best.  He was more than just another musician, he was a banjo pioneer and a bluegrass legend. He passed away last month after a long and accomplished life.  Not enough attention is paid to musicians who actually live the kind of lives that last past a few decades, and it's a shame.  Scruggs, together with his musical partner, Lester Flatt, won a Grammy in 1969 for "Foggy Mountain Breakdown."

Foggy Mountain Breakdown

 Next time on Audiodaughter (assuming I remember): Songs to play at my funeral. If you have any favorite banjo licks or songs about death, feel free to share!

Middle School in the 90s: A Spotify Flashback

Since I list this blog on my resume and I just sent it out to a few places, I ought to try a little harder to post more frequently. Sadly, my new music consumption is nearly non-existent. I've been on a real '90s kick lately. Pretty much anything I listened to in middle school has been on constant play.

I made up a little Spotify playlist, in case anyone wants to check it out. Of course, by "little" I mean it's four hours long. Whatever. It's full of good stuff. It's not comprehensive by any means -- "Dammit" isn't even on there. But, it's a start. It's called, "The Awkward Phase" because I was pretty damn awkward in middle school.

http://open.spotify.com/user/audiodaughter/playlist/49RNDPIL2YKarUacKy8yqM

For those of you that don't have Spotify, here are a few bands that are featured on the playlist:
Blues Traveler
Something Corporate
Blink 182
Blind Melon
Ben Folds Five
The Presidents of The United States of America
Radiohead
Offspring
Nada Surf
Weezer

PS-If you're wondering what I looked like back then: Just take the fashion from any of those videos and put them on a girl with short pink pigtails.

(Alright, fine! I was really awkward in middle school.)

Hunger Games Soundtrack

This will be pretty quick and dirty, but I just wanted to say: The Hunger Games Soundtrack is going to be awesome!

It's not officially released until March 20th. However, you can preview quite a bit of it on iTunes. Plus, two entire songs are up on youtube via the Hunger Games promotional site. They've been pushing the soundtrack pretty hard. As much as I loved the books and as stoked as I am for the movie, I was pretty reluctant to check out the soundtrack. I mean...it's got Taylor Swift on it. How good could it be?

The answer: Very, very good.


"Safe & Sound," Taylor Swift's song (with Civil Wars), is especially good. Like, bloody brilliant. My friend, Rachel, force fed it to me the other night after The Black Keys concert (to which I had press passes. ...just sayin'). She's not impressed with T-Swift, either. However, she loves the books and is also excited for the movie. We have pretty similar tastes in music, so when she said it was good-I was willing to give it a listen. We sat on her couch and she played it through for me...I liked it well enough. Once I got home, in the privacy of my room and after another drink, I gave it a second whirl. And then a third. And a forth.

It's been on practically continuous play ever since Friday night.

Other artists featured on the album: The Decemberists (who's song is also off the heezy), Arcade Fire (Of "Who The Fuck Is Arcade Fire" fame) and Maroon 5 (Right. Like I could make that up.). Below, you'll find a track-listing for the soundtrack, as well as the video for "Safe and Sound" by Taylor Swift & Civil Wars.

The Hunger Games: Songs from District 12 and Beyond
Abraham's Daughter-Arcade Fire
Tomorrow Will Be Kinder- The Secret Sisters
Nothing to Remember- Neko Case
Safe & Sound (ft. The Civil Wars)- Taylor Swift
The Ruler and the Killer- Kid Cudi
Dark Days- Punch Brothers
One Engine- The Decemberists
The Daughter's Lament- Carolina Chocolate Drops
Kingdom Come- The Civil Wars
Take the Heartland- Glen Hansard
Come Away (ft. Rozzi Crane)- Maroon 5
Run Daddy Run (ft. Pistol Annies)- Miranda Lambert
Rules- Jayme Dee
Eyes Open- Taylor Swift
Lover is Childlike- The Low Anthem
Just a Game- Birdy

Private Session Confessions: Addendum

I've spent a lot of time on Private Session tonight. I've listened to Kings of Leon's "I Want You" roughly 50 times. I did this a few weeks ago, too.

Kings of Leon is every bit worthy of the shit they are given from music lovers and the press.

With that out of the way, they can still write some pretty awesome songs. They're good at piquing a mood. I can be in a completely chill mood, put on "Four Kicks" and be ready to fight someone by halfway through it.

"I Want You" -- Well, it puts me in the complete opposite mood. Like a lot of songs do for many people, it reminds me of one very specific person. Wrong or right, it reminds me of (the previously mentioned) MOMD. It's a little dirty, but it's fun...which might actually sum him up quite nicely.

I spent the better part of our friendship trying to figure out what, exactly, our friendship was supposed to be. If I think about it for too long, I'll admit that I'm still not really sure. Luckily for both of us, I stopped caring a long time ago. But, I've had a crush on him practically since we started talking. So, I like the chorus. It didn't matter who I was with at the time, I always wanted him, too. I still do, too, I guess.

Just exactly like I used to.

Private Session Confessions

What I listen to on Spotify when I go "private."

To a certain extent, I am an unabashedly eclectic music lover. I take great pride in knowing all the lyrics to “Forgot about Dre” and have no problem admitting my undying (and slightly creepy) love for Raine Maida (Our Lady Peace). However, for whatever reason, there are a few listening preferences that I prefer to keep under wraps in Private Sessions. I thought it was time I gave you a glimpse into the recesses of my music-loving heart.

Rock Gods forgive me for I have sinned. It's been seven (incredibly) embarrassing songs since my last confession.

Moves like Jagger (Christina Aguilera and Adam Levine) and Stereo Hearts (Gym Class Heroes and Adam Levine)
I know, I know. I made that crude comment about his balls dropping in our year-end wrap-up. The thing is, Adam Levine knows a good hook when he hears/writes one. ‘Moves Like Jagger’ is the very epitome of a Pop song. It’s catchy, completely pointless and very, very fun. Meanwhile, ‘Stereo Hearts’ is a pop song that’s far from pointless. Gym Class Heroes’ efforts to stretch the Heart/Stereo metaphor through an entire song are impressive. The first time I caught the part about the “old school fifty pound boombox,” I was hooked.

Dancin’ Away with My Heart-Lady Antebellum
I hated Lady A when they kept winning awards for “Need You Now.” It was rather hypocritical, too, considering how much I loved that song when the album first released. There comes a point, though, where I feel like musicians should just say, “That’s enough” and stop accepting nominations. As Lady Antebellum continued to “rob” my favorite musicians of awards, my hatred manifested. Then they released, “Dancin’ Away with My Heart,” and all was forgiven. It’s completely overplayed. But I think anyone who was “in love” in high school can appreciate the sentiment. (Even if they’ve come to realize the error of their ways.)

Fake It-Seether (or really any Seether song)
I can vaguely remember a time in high school when it was okay to like Seether. Is it cool to like them, again? Even if it is cool, I have way too many friends who will judge me for this. Whatever. Now they know. I love Seether. They’re like the Adam Levine of Rock, honestly. They know how to write catchy songs. One or two listens and I’ve got Shaun Morgan’s voice screaming the chorus in my head. After that, it’s only a matter of time before yet another Seether song is filed away in my “Good Shit-Rock” folder.

S&M-Rihanna
Full confession time: I own three Rihanna albums. Judge me all you want. Her voice is awesome and she writes a lot of the twisted, messed up stuff we think about and never say (“Breakin’ Dishes,” anyone?). Much like “Stereo Hearts,” Rihanna does a great job of keeping with the “S&M” theme. It’s noticeable in the lyrics, but also in the presentation. She almost growls throughout the chorus. How you tend to like you sex is really irrelevant. Once “S&M” starts there’s no denying that it “feels so good bein’ bad.”

5 O’clock in the Morning-T-Pain, Wiz Khalifa, and Lily Allen
I have a minor girl crush on Lilly Allen. Oh, that voice…with that accent. While the tone of her voice is sweet, her accent is a bit chavvy (the English version of “trashy.”), which adds quite nicely to the not-so-innocent lyrics of this song. The lyrics paint a pretty vivid picture, too. I can’t imagine that anyone listens to this song without picturing almost the exact same music video in their head. I’ve got a soft spot for T-Pain, too. I’m freakishly amused by his cadence “Apple Bottom Jeans.” Though, there was also that incident where he collaborated with Taylor Swift...

Mean-Taylor Swift
I can’t believe I’m admitting this. Absolutely everything about Taylor Swift makes me cringe. However, I love this song. The lyrics are childish and immature, the concept is trite and T-Swift’s voice usually grates on my nerves. But, I’ve dated mean boys and been pushed around by jerk faces. Then, one day I left because I knew I could do better, that I was better. I’m sick of hearing about boys who ignored her or how she’s in her twenties and still thinks fairy tales happen in real life. But this song…this isn’t just a break-up song, it’s a movin’ on song. Those, no matter who sings them, are my favorite.

Review- Florence & The Machine's Ceremonials

Oh, Flo!

Admittedly, I was a little late on the Florence Welch bandwagon. It’s not that it took me awhile to like her-I just seemed to miss her completely. I was only just falling in love with her debut album, Lungs, when talk of the follow up began to spring forth.


The Drumming Song. From Lungs

While sophomore albums sometimes tend to take awhile to catch on with fans, the Flombies (yep, they call themselves that) have latched onto Ceremonials from its very beginning and seem to love it just as much as the first. Meanwhile, it has also begun eating at the brains of others and creating new Flombies.

“Shake it Out” has quickly become an anthem for old and new fans. Popularity-wise, it has surpassed Ceremonials' first single, “What The Water Gave Me.” When she performed both on SNL, it was in a rush of flailing limbs, swishing hips and gasp-worthy vocals...but that’s typical Flo style.


Shake It Out.

With a gospel edge that I’m entirely sure no other pasty Ginger could pull off quite so perfectly, Ceremonials has quickly become a must-have for a whole new set of staggering, murmuring followers. The album has been out for a couple months now and is still in heavy rotation at my house. Ceremonials is definitely one of my favorite albums of 2011 and worth finding its way into your collection.