Another entry for KC Turner’s Songwriting Club. This week’s challenge was “everyone’s a little bit crazy”. It’s kind of a departure from the rest of my originals so far. I guess I’m still trying to find my voice as a songwriter. Also, I felt like it was time to show the banjo some love :)
Lazy, sunny Saturday. Got the Lumineers playin’ in my head. Thus,
What do I do when I have time to kill in my classroom and have had a Death Cab song banging around in my head for days? This.
Ok I’m coming to grips with the fact that they can’t all be winners, but just getting into the practice of writing original songs is what I need.
Been meaning to do an Of Monsters and Men cover for a while now, the problem is that they have such lush instrumentation and harmonies that it’s hard to find a good one to strip down to one voice and one acoustic guitar. But after putting it off for long enough, I decided this would be the one. You can’t see it, but I threw in the tambourine on my foot for good measure. It’s a little buzz-y in the beginning, but that’s because my fingers were wimping out on me.
..and wrote an original song. With lyrics. It’s about time.
My friends are on tour with Death Cab for Cutie right now. No big deal. JKJK it’s a very big deal!! The amazing Minna Choi and 8 Magik*Magikers totally upstaged Ben and the boys. It’s alright, I cheered him up with a game of bocce ball at the afterparty. NOT EVEN KIDDING. Here are some video highlights of their second night at the Fox Theater in Oakland..
What Sarah Said:
The head on the right that blocks the first bit belongs to none other than John Vanderslice. We’ve met before, but now we’re totes besties.. James and I invited him to our gig, but unfortunately he’s got a recording session lined up. Bummer.
I Will Follow You into the Dark:
If you’re anything like me, you’re thinking—damn, I didn’t think that song could get any more beautiful. Minna Choi, you’re my hero. Ben Gibbard, you’re my bocce ball partner ;)
So I’m going to put in an unsolicited plug for a local SF band Social Studies. They’re trying to fund their second album via Kickstarter. If, for whatever reason, you trust my taste in music, you should pitch in to get their sophomore album off and running. If you don’t trust me just yet, look them up on Facebook, Spotify, YouTube, or MySpace. And then pitch in anyways!
This album is ridiculous. Definitely in a good way. I’m so grateful for NPR First Listen (well, and NPR Music in general). I will most likely be doing a review on this album once it’s released, but for now I’m just going to throw it on whenever I’m in the room. You should too. I think Of Monsters and Men sounds like a glorious mash-up of The Head and the Heart, Kate Nash, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, and magic beans. Do give it a listen, you won’t be disappointed.
Each song on My Head Is An Animal demonstrates Of Monsters and Men’s wide-eyed, openhearted exuberance. It’s an album that rings with unbridled joy, just in time for spring.
