K.Sizzle...

My dear friend Kelsey Bulkin has announced her upcoming album. Color a million and two kinds of excited.

...Want Me Back

In the face of the gross amount of impotence and frustration I've been feeling lately, this song gets in my bones and cheers me up. Enjoy.

New Music I Love Monday...

So the heatwave that's sweeping the USofA is finally making its way west... and while I have spotty success with heat of any kind (wave or no), I am tired enough of 'June Gloom' to welcome the break.

This jam just magically appeared on my Beirut station on Pan.Dora and I instantly swooned. And I started to email it around... so here we are. Enjoy! Such perfect summertime music! 

Holy Snaps, Batman...!

Okay. So in 24 hours (give or take), I will be sharing with you all some really exciting news... but in the meantime! Can we talk about this video and the completed unexpected (to me) talent in these girls, er... youth?! Well, you'll probably have to discuss amongst yourselves, or exclaim in your head with multiple and enthusiastic pseudo-expletives and exclamation points (@#$Q!!!!!!) thusly.

That's all. As you were.

Oh. ps. They have a Twitter... you know what to do!

Here Comes the Sun...

So the sun is making a serious 'college try'... and this song is so happy and catchy - and this version is just the most fun thing I've seen all week - so! Enjoy!

In other "trying so hard I can't hardly stand it" news... I'm going to be in a play this month! On the 29th, specifically. And I'm pretty nervous about memorizing my lines. To help, I recorded myself on my phone so I could listen and learn (thanks for that, 2012).

Um... have you ever listened to yourself? Like outside of your own head? Turns out that I sound like an NPR reporter. Lakshmi Singh - call me (maybe...)!

But yeah, if you're in OC circa 29 June 2012, holler at your girl. It won't be profesh, I'll probably blush AND sound like I'm presenting on This American Life - but I'll keep it real!

On Marine Layers...

On this day... in this girl's life, beating back June Gloom one song at a time.

Work It...

So I know that this album dropped roughly a year ago... but I've been loving the Stromae station on Pandora. And how rad is this song and video for a little "let's get active this new year?!"

Prefer to teach your couch who's the boss? Well, then this can be a little "let's all learn a new language" inspiration!

The Wednes Monster...

Okay. I know... sometimes my ability to be corny and to abuse any and all "pun making" privileges astounds even myself. But I have my very last class and final today... and I'm a little giddy. It may or may not have something to do with the fact that in order to work my full day of work and still get to class on time, I have to come in to work at 5. In the am. As in "oh -dark-thirty" for those of you on military time. But my early morning, first cup of coffee thoughts led me in the direction of how similar Wednes and Loch Ness are - and why do we say "wins-day"?

So I guess we can say that my ability to run with a tangent is equally astounding.

Which brings me to the impetus for this little post. This song is the business. It is equal parts meditation and inspiration - really excellent for all kinds of things. Like writing papers, cramming for finals and/or working.

Big shout out to El Ten Eleven for being awesome and just what I needed. Cheers.

...Magnificent

This (Holocene) has been my favorite song since BBC started streaming Bon Iver's new album - so, like, 6 months or so.

I'm so happy that they've finally done a video for it!

Shout out to Tralalere! for the head's up. In somewhat related news, if you're looking for some way to help society and further universal education, check out how the Tralere! family became involved: Capucine's Library. So sweet!

...Rewind

So I'm not sure that I can go so far as to call this little jam by, Bloom by The Paper Kites, the sweetest song of life.... But it's not far off. And besides, you know how I have a flair for the superlative, right?

As per usual, all head's up credit goes to Rachel over at Black*Eiffel. I really hope that she does a 2011 musical wrap up because her Music Monday series is seriously on point.

In maybe related news, dates for Coachella 2012 were just announced. This April, 2 wicked hot weekends of you and me dodging hipsters and enjoying what I trust will be truly excellent music? I accept!

Musical Monday Surprise...

I am seriously loving this song and so I had to share it, post-haste style. You also probably already know and love Yael Naim (and David Donatien) -particularly if saw a MacBook Air commercial circa 2008 - but she's new to me :: 3 cheers to Pandora for the head's up.

Anyhow... enjoy!

On Public Service Announcements...

If you've managed to go an entire day without googling anything... you may be unaware that today marks Freddie Mercury's 65th birthday. And so I thought that I'd do you all a solid and share one of my favorite Queen songs - and a little story in how this song resonates with almost everyone.

So... once upon a time, an extremely quirky young lady (c'est moi) found herself working in Newport Beach - at Fashion Island, of all places. If you've met me, you'll know that I'm not very "OC-y" (yes, that's a word) - but 10 years ago I was even driving a beat up pick-up truck. ...amidst a sea of black Mercedes Benz and BMWs. One evening, on my way to work, I pull up to a stop light and as per of course, I'm rocking out to a now extinct classic rock station that just so happens to be playing my theme song, ie. Queen's Somebody To Love.

Well, lo and behold, this guy - probably in his 50s, black Mercedes sedan, black 3-piece power suit - pulls up beside me, and is rocking out to the same song! Specifically, we were exercising a mad-hot air piano/drum/general percussion instrument solo circa 3:10-4:05. Okay, I mean me. I am a sucker for rocking out in the car. Your boy was singing along, however. I saw it with my eyes - about 10 seconds before we sort of sheepishly laughed at having been caught loving the same song.

But it's Queen - what's not to love? And there you have it, one of my favorite OC memories - courtesy Queen.

Lazy Sunday Style...

The Dirty Dancing Soundtrack has been in heavy rotation this week - so perfect for summer! Anyhow, I thought I'd share one of my faves. Y'all... music used to be sexy. Please, please, please: bring it back. By which I mean explicit just isn't cutting it.

Since I'm back in a country where Sunday is the Lord's day (vs. the start of the work week), I'll leave it there. Yeah.

An Emotion In Time...

Or: on introducing my summer jam.

I'm having some departure anxiety... and this song pretty much sums how I feel. I've lived in Haifa, Israel for the last four years of my life and in less than 2 weeks I'll be leaving this wonderful place. It still seems all very surreal to me.

It's like my days are going fine, fine, fine - and then it hits me that I'm leaving so soon. For now I'm being kept busy with wrapping up my work at the office, prepping to win a water polo game on Saturday (ahem!), and planning for my brief sojourn in Rome on my way to the States.

Yes, that's it... I'll focus on the positive. Vacation.

Happy ...To Me!

If I made videos... okay - they probably wouldn't be this good. But I'd want them to be.

As per of course, all head's up credit for my awesome music you see here on Mondays goes to Black*Eiffel. This woman has rad taste!

I'm particularly stoked to note that Fleet Foxes have a new album out because I've been thinking of what I could get myself for my birthday this year. This and Bon Iver's eponymous nearly (in Israel) released album sound - literally and figuratively - perfect.

I'd Like to Meet You...

I don't Know - Lisa Hannigan Music Video from Stitch Films on Vimeo.

Sweet, sweet song from Lisa Hannigan - and such a lovely and crafty (dare I say dreamy?) video!

Or... some more rad music to last you through the longest night of the year: happy summer!

What Song are You Listening To...

I would like to shake the hand(s) of whoever made this video and had this idea - so awesome!

All credit to Will (of Doghouse Diaries and Forgotten Quotes fame) for the head's up.

I'm listening to Paint It Black by the Rolling Stones - part of my game day mix. The rhythm and tempo are good to get in your bones for pacing (to my runners and swimmers). Right now I'm hoping that it will conduce to motivate me to clean my house! Ha!

But I'm really stoked on the new (to me) songs I'm suddenly aware of! How about y'all? What are you listening to?

Message From the Universe...

Image Credit.

This post-it note in the 'Things We Forget' series came at maybe the perfect time. I am getting ready to start a new chapter in my life and I'm a little (okay a lot) nervous about what that entails.

Images of the first day of kindergarten come to mind....

In other news, Bon Iver has a new single out - Calgary - and is offering a free download here. Um... don't miss your chance?

Gimme A Beat...!

This is probably my new favorite Beyonce video... so amazing! And I love (l.o.v.e!) that it was inspired by Mrs. Obama's campaign against childhood obesity. You can read the full article here in the NYT. ...head's up courtesy Mrs. O.

In other news... some friends and I went to Turkey this weekend; to a tiny little sleepy beach front village called Kemer in the state (province?) of Antalya. I'm afraid that what happened in Turkey will largely have to stay in Turkey... because I didn't take any pictures save one. I know... typical!

The girls and I did go dancing one night though - for, like, all of 10 minutes. Sigh. I think, nay - I know! - that had the DJ been playing music like this I could have danced all night a la Eliza Doolittle. Alas.

Anyhow... sorry I was off the face - for those of you who check in upon occasion. Oh! Hey Mom!

A Call to Order...

As per usual, all of my rad musical head's up are courtesy Black*Eiffel... I really love her Music Monday series.

This video is just so SO amazing - not least because it features not a single gyrating, scantily clad woman.

Three cheers for thinking outside of the box. Or, you know... whatever.