Foolish Thoughts

Terra Naomi:  Mind-blowing!

Really!  

I was recently introduced to her music, and instantly hooked and obsessed.  Every single song I love.   As any music lover knows, that’s something very rare.  Normally, there’s one or two songs that are just, eh ok.  But even her covers are incredible, including; Time After Time, by Cyndi Lauper, Santeria, by Sublime, and my favorite, Umbrella, by Rihanna.  But however impressive her covers are, her original songs are 100 times that.  Right now I’m smitten with, Say It’s Possible and Up Hear.  I can’t get enough.  I catch myself singing them in the shower, in the car, walking down the street…I love it!  Though, I’m head over heels for, Too Far Gone.  It is THE BEST song I’ve heard in quite some time.  It’s a joint effort by Terra Naomi and Rachel Thibodeau.  Unfortunately, you can only find it here on Youtube. 

But, like always, I like to give you a little taste of the good stuff.  So please enjoy, Terra Naomi: Up Here.

Since last Tuesday, I’ve been obsessed with Idina Menzel's new album, I Stand.  Now, I know I have a biased opinion, seeing as I hold her high above everyone else.  As most of you know, to me, the woman can do no wrong.  But even if you don’t care for her as an actress, you have to appreciate her for her voice…the girl can sing! 

The entire album is pounding with power.  Song after song, lyric after lyric, note after note pulsates with energy and force.  Her voice and soul dominate every track.  She brings so much emotion to every word that by the end of the album you feel a combination of immense intensity and exhaustion that you’re left both smiling and crying.  No matter who you are, you can relate to something in each song.  The whole album is chock-full of situations, emotions, chances, and choices that you are able to find yourself hiding between lyrics and notes.  She causes you to look at your life through hers and encourages you to learn from it. 

I have had two songs in constant rotation for days now, Better to Have Loved and Brave.  They both fit seamlessly into where I am right now, Better to Have Loved especially.  It was such an eye opening and surprising experience, that I’ve listened to it a dozen hundred times.  The chorus sucked me in and I realized that, yes, that’s exactly how I feel.  I had been thinking it for weeks, but until I heard someone else say it, I was afraid to admit it.  It’s comforting to know that you’re not the only one that feels a certain way.  To some degree you feel safe again, you’re not alone.

The chorus goes:

“Better to have loved than never loved at all
Better to have dreamed than never taken the fall
Better to have loved you and let you in, than never to have touched your skin
Better to have hurt and screamed and cried
Fall into the earth for a trip to the sky
Better to have loved
You”

Then there’s Brave, which I can’t even describe, so I’m just going let you listen for yourself.

I know. I know. I know.  It’s been a while.  Please forgive me.  I have no excuse, other than being completely lazy.  I know, I’ve wrote those exact words before, here.  I’m working on it, so deal with it.  I’m really trying to write everyday, though not blogging everyday.  However, I’ve found that when I set myself goals, tasks, and challenges, I do everything and anything to achieve them.  So, I’ve challenged myself to post once a week.  I know, once before I took on the challenge of posting everyday for a week, but it was too much.  I did it of course, only because I would rather eat glass than fail.  So, for now, I’m sticking to a post a week.

Now that’s out of the way, I would like to introduce you to my latest obsession, Alison Sudol, the lead vocalist and pianist for A Fine Frenzy.  Wow, the girl can sing.  Not only can she sing, but she plays the piano like no other and she was self taught, which makes me fall in love with her that much more.  The entire album, One Cell in the Sea is unbelievable.  I’ve never heard melodies and chords arranged like this before.  Then when you pair them with Alison’s voice; soft, sweet, sad, soulful… ugh, I can’t describe it.  She’s simply amazing.  Right now the song I have on repeat is Ashes and Wine.  I had heard it several times before and liked it.  But while listening to it the other day something changed.  I’m not sure if before I was busy with something else or my mind was a million miles away, but for some reason this time I was focused on the lyrics.  And this particular time, one of probably a dozen, this line grabbed me: “shut it out, I’ve got no claim on you now.”  I literally almost had to stop the car.  I was so enthralled and captivated with her voice that I had never listened to what she was saying.  I had to go back and listen from the beginning.  Every word floored me.  Once I got to the chorus that was it.  I became a tear soaked, snotty mess.  It was horrible.  God only knows what other cars around me were thinking.  I would be lying if I said this was the only song on the album that did this to me.  I’m not one to cry, ever.  I don’t like to do it.  But a tear or two…or a hundred were shed on, Almost Lover, Think of You, Last of Days, Near to You, Whisper, and The Well (this song is a bonus track added on the DVD when you buy the album, which you should run out and do RIGHT NOW).

I’ve added a live version of Ashes and Wine and decided to give you the lyrics as well.  The song is beautiful, but turns into something else when you read and feel the words.  Enjoy.

don’t know what to do anymore
I’ve lost the only love worth fighting for
I’ll drown in my tear storming sea
that would show you,
that would make you hurt like me

all the same,
I don’t want mud-slinging games
it’s just a shame
to let you walk away

I’m in love AND I’m obsessed with... Sara Bareilles.  I cannot get enough of her.  So much, that I’ve already decided and plans are being made to see her live, in OH and possibly NY, but definitely OH.  Her new album, “Little Voice” just came out July 3, and it’s amazing.  I encourage you all to go straight out and buy it.  You can even get it on iTunes for the low price of $6.99!  Comon, you can’t beat that, now can you?  No, so go out and bless your ears with the incredible gift of Sara Bareilles’s voice.  Your ears and soul will thank you, trust me, mine did!

I have probitionate to thank for sharing the breathtakingly brilliantly talented, Sara with me.   Thanks probitionate, I owe you!  There's nothing better than sharing and hearing new artists and their music.

For your viewing and hearing pleasure, I give you Sara Bareilles...

I can’t sleep.  I’ve tried.  I’ve even resorted to counting sheep and well, that became too stimulating after about the ninth sheep.  I began to picture the sheep, not white and fluffy, but with color and at times with clothing.  There was a gangsta rapper with a gold chain and a grill that said, "BAAA" along with a female sheep wearing Jimmy Choo's "Heart Leather" peep toe with it's matching button accessory (which I would give my first born for) and a green with muti-color circle design Hermes scarf around her head (which I almost want more than life itself).  I stopped when I became jealous of the sheep and their particular designer clothing.

I’ve tried a warm cup of hot chocolate, but it didn't help.  It only made me want another cup, this time with marshmallows.  I would go for the glass of warm milk, but I hate milk and I’m a little lactose intolerant, and that would cause a whole set of problems besides sleep.

I’ve tried listening to my “sleep” playlist on my ipod.  I turned it down low and soft, but the only thing I have on my “sleep" playlist is Damien Rice, Ryan Adams, Ray LaMontagne, Peter Gabriel, Rhett Miller, Bright Eyes, and Schuyler Fisk.  All are amazing and have voices that make me melt like a popsicle on the Fourth of July, but they are all filled with lonely, depressing, heart wrenching, love lyrics.  After about the second song I was almost in tears with the realization that not only am I awake, in bed, in the middle of the night, but I’m awake, in bed, in the middle of the night ALONE!  It’s a very sad and depressing realization.  Not one that I like to think about often.  Though, at night, lying in bed is when I think of it most.  I keep myself busy and preoccupied during the day, that I really don’t think about it, or at least I push it to the side and to the back of my mind like I do everything else I don’t want to deal with.  I find it’s easier to block, to worry about another time.  I keep telling myself that I like being single, that being alone is what I want.  I don’t want the responsibility of someone else.  I like taking care of me.  I like knowing I can do what I want, when I want, and with whom I want.  I’m only 25, there’s still so much I want to do before I even begin to think of settling down with someone.  It’s selfish and self absorbed, but it’s the way I feel.  I think.  Until at night, like now, or when I see a couple walking down the street, in the park, at the movies, holding hands and then I want it…I want someone.    I want the companionship, the friendship, the handholding, the kissing, the looking, the lying next to each other, the conversation, and the safeness.  But I don’t want to look for it.  I don’t want to date.  I hate dating.  I hate the whole idea of dating and everything that goes with it.  I hate the awkwardness, the time, the pain, the planning, and the effort of it all.  Dating to me is a waste of time and energy.  I want the fairy tale.  I want a guy to come and sweep me off my feet.  I want the love at first sight type of thing, though I don’t believe in it.  I want to feel instantly comfortable.  I don’t want the guessing and doubt.  Actually, I don’t know if that’s what I want.  I don’t have any freaking clue what I want.

What I want right now is sleep.  I want to turn the computer off, the lamp off, get under the covers and snuggle in, close my eyes, and fall asleep.  That’s all I want, at lest for now.

I am crazy in-love with Mika and his song, Grace Kelly.