Musical Monday: Oh Land's Cherry on Top

Oh Land: Cherry on Top

*skip at least the first minute to get to the actual music, or if you want the full story, you can watch the whole thing

So I've posted some of her music here before, and I'm pretty sure when speaking of her last video for Renaissance Girls, I called her "all the cool I want to be." Not much is different in this video.  The video and the song are based on a dream she had. You see, before she was a pop siren, Nana Oland was training to be a professional ballerina.  A back injury put her in the hospital for months where she was told she'd never dance again.  Her creative outlet became music, and since her self-titled debut album I have been a fan of her off-kilter, sweet but sometimes savory pop sounds.

Oh Land: White Nights

Her first video and one of my favorite all time music videos

As you can see from these videos, she has actually recovered enough that she can move and dance better than the average person.  However, she's shared how hard it was to let her dream of being a ballet dancer fade away, especially since at night her dreams would betray  how tightly her subconscious held onto her childhood dream.  That is, until one night she dreamt that she was back in ballet class yet again, but this time instead of a dancer, she was the substitute pianist. That dream inspired her song and video for "Cherry on Top" and the result is an auditory and visual delight!

Musical Monday, err Thursday: Oppa GOTR style

Forgive me for the bandwagony style title, but I just had to find a way to nod to one of the most interesting pop music hits of the year, Gangnam style. I also need to apologize b/c whoops, it's already the 13th and I've not posted yet this month... That's 2 Musical Mondays I've missed. APOLOGIES! 

Now that that's over with the real theme behind today's post is the Gentlemen of the Road Stopover Tour. Basically this summer, Mumford & Sons coordinated 4 awesome music festivals nationwide, highlighting the musical history of the four cities. I went with friend to the Bristol, TN/VA Stopover, heard great music, went antiquing, saw more mustaches than I could count, and had a great time!

They even had lovely little photo-shoot opportunities set up, and a mustache on a helicopter!

I'm also doing something new and using only live versions of the song, since that's how I experienced them-slash-now have them on the compilation CD.

HAIM: Go Slow

I was able to see part of their performance at Bristol, but unfortunately not this song. So I'm super stoked to have the live-recording version from the compilation CD. I actually like the live version better than the recorded one, there's a much more 80s synth-tastic vibe and the vocals intertwine into an awesome tapestry of awesomicity =)

Dawes: A Little Bit of Everything

I was also lucky enough to see Dawes play at Bristol and they were great! This is a nice mellow jam about an attempted suicide, regret-fueled binge-eating, & the power of love, you can close your eyes and sway to.

The Very Best: Kondaine

Now after that downer, it's Super-party-dance-time! They look like they're having so much fun and its hard not to catch their infectious smiles and let the beat carry you to at least a bit of shoulder dancing.

Gogol Bordello: Start Wearing Purple

An oldie but goodie. They weren't at Bristol so I can only imagine what this was like live. Seeing the footage from this 2007 concert I'm sure it was pretty crazy!

Mumford & Sons-Below My Feet

One of their newer tracks. I can't get enough of the lyrics "keep my eyes to serve, my hands to learn." While their chord progression remains predictable by now (you can say that about most any rock/pop artist though), it is predictably wonderful and one of my favorite things is shout-singing along to the "Ahhhs," creating and weaving in my own version of harmonies, so it's different every time. Their music also makes me happy in a way few other artists can. Also, this has a brief intro by Joseph Gordon Levitt so if it's not your type of music you can  just watch the first 3 seconds on repeat for awhile =)

Did you go to any great live shows or music festivals in 2012? Or is there any concert that stuck with you for awhile, I'd love to hear about it in the comments, or follow me on twitter for more music updates: @itzbizr

Musical Monday: Musical Alchemy

So it's been awhile since the last Musical Monday.  If you have been sad/disappointed/nervous/experiencing-musical-withdrawals in the lack of posting lately I apologize, Bar Study is NOJOKE and I have very little time to justify doing anything fun-slash-not bar study.

Long-story-short, if you're wondering about that "Album review" post I promised, it just might have to wait until August =).  Instead, here are some happy tunes that are infectiously cheerful and have gotten me through some of the dryer, less inspired areas of Virginia Law.  As today's title implies, they can turn even the most dreary, leaden study days/daze to golden sunshine.

Shadows on Stars: When It Builds

Try not to smile when the first shout-sung "You" surprises your ears... actually don't, just embrace the sunshine!

Nneka: Shining Star

A little less up-tempo, but still leaves you feeling good inside.  It doesn't hurt that she's ridiculously talented (she was a SXSW featured artist) and gorgeous, if you like this song, the rest of her music is definitely worth checking out

Dana Buoy: So Lucky

Almost found myself clapping along with this in the library (oops), and with the name "Summer Bodies," the album is destined to be solid summer listening "You amaze, you inspire me.  I'm left undone" 

Ramona Falls: Archimedes Plutonium

This song has been on repeat in my car since I bought the album Prophet NOJOKE! You can even hear it in the background of my impromptu howtodonateyourhair video I made when I chopped 14 inches off last week (you can see that here).  I'm super-bummed I missed watching them in concert up in DC this past Saturday, especially since the reason for missing it turned out not to be what I expected.  

But it's hard to stay bummed with these tunes churning through my ear canals... and since this is about the limit of my break-justifyability, until next time! 

Musical Monday 3...

And its ACTUALLY A MONDAY!!! +10 to punctuality!  (In case this is your first visit, Musical Monday 1 and Musical Monday 2 never actually made it out on a Monday)

So we'll keep it short and sweet today, cause if it gets too detailed I run out of time/get distracted and before you know it Monday is gone! The theme today is Sunny-Indie Retro Pop/Rock, to counteract the rainy Mondays (I got sunshiiiine on a cloudy day)!

Sunny-Indie Retro Pop/Rock

White Arrows - Get Gone

I heard this first on the KEXP Music that Matters Podcast "Can't Say No to Friday." You put this on your car radio, roll the windows down and instantly you're the coolest person on the street (I did this in DC saturday morning and it was magic!). Also, Justin Timberlake himself promoted it via twitter about a month ago so if you're more of a top40er, uneasy about "indie-sunny-hazy-guitar-infused-pop" (as Cheryl Waters describes it), than no worries, the prince of radio-friendly pop himself endorses this.

Dum Dum Girls - Bedroom Eyes

Totally one to bounce along to, and who wouldn't want to wear one of these outfits pick up an instrument and live out some childhood "Josie and the Pussycats" inspired girl-rock dreams.

The next song is a little less "retro" a little more "1800s" feel, at least in terms of the fashion

King Charles - Mississippi Isabel

King Charles just released his debut album LoveBlood earlier this month and I look forward to listening to it, as I REALLY enjoyed his song LoveLust (and we all know how I feel about dreadlocks).  This song is an Ode to some chica named Mississippi Isabel -- who he also mentions in LoveLust-- which I'm guessing is the British Trustafarian version of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl.  The video really makes me want some sun, an old-school bicycle, and a countryside tea-party in ankledeep water, how about you?

I LOVE sharing music with you, any suggestions on the theme for the next Musical Monday?

Musical Monday (On Tuesday) Take 2!

So yet again my "Musical Monday" post is a day late, whoops.  Although I had grandparents in town all yesterday so didn't really want to abandon them to blog.

Anyway here's some music I've been listening to and want to share with you this week, the theme: JUMP AROUND AND CELEBRATE (CAUSE NO MORE LAW SCHOOL)

Robyn - Call Your Girlfriend

I may be late to the Robyn train but I LOVE the idea of her dancing alone in a giant warehouse until it becomes her own private club, and I love how you can just tell she lets the music move her, I definitely might've done the same thing after turning in my last exam!

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - Can't Hold Us

NOT the way I expected these guys to look after hearing the song for the first time but I love this live performance cause you can see their enthusiasm and passion.  The violin and brass section are great. I just jump around the room to this one "Mack-le-mo-o-o-o-o-ore"

Kimbra - Cameo Lover

This video for this song just emphasizes its awesomeness! I always have a dance party (sometimes just an imagined one in my head) when listening to this!


Now, just in case you're not in a celebretory mood like me, here's a particular genre I refer to as Angry Yell Dance Music, like when you're upset and you just have to keep moving or yelling but you don't want to actually damage any relationship/hurt yourself, just some time to wallow and take your emotions out by pretending you're dance/yelling the song at a person or sometimes just the universe... this is a good one

Pnau - The Truth

(Video is REAL weird and trippy, if you want to seem normal, or are at work skip this one and just listen to the one here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WObL9pj0j54)

That's all I have for now.  What do you think about these songs, they get you pumped? What do you like to listen to for celebration music? I'd love to know so please share!