What We Listened, Thought About, & Played on This Spring Break

Plenty of time indoors this week to contemplate our Spring schedule, the colder weather, the books we have been waiting for enough time to read, and our other jobs we do during the week. Then there is the music we listened to or tried to listen to during the time away (not all of us were off-campus this week).

"1000 Nights" - Frenship - I like the more relaxed feel that it has while still having a lot of different sounds. (Megan Winslow)

" Frenship are an electropop duo hailing from Los Angeles, California. Frenship members James Sunderland and Brett Hite met while working at fitness store Lululemon and became fans of each other's music. This led to the two stoking the creative embers, and they eventually began creating music together." (AllMusic)

"Beware of Darkness" - George Harrison - He gives great advice when I need it. (Betsy Rosenblum)

The Beatles's lead guitarist and resident spiritualist released "All Things Must Pass" as his first post-Fab Four record.  His struggle with wealth and fame are well-known but he also bankrolled Monty Python, toured with the Traveling Wilburys (Roy Orbison, Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, and Bob Dylan), and was good buddies with Eric Clapton.

"Bohemian Rhapsody" - Queen - Characterized by vocal harmonies and ranging from progressive to hard rock, Queen’s “style” could never be nailed down….If you didn’t know who the group was but thought the incredible voice sounded familiar it was probably Queen. Winning Grammys and Juno awards their songs can still get an audience clapping along.  And who can forget Brian May?  Rocker and astrophysicist? (Daniele Dugre-Martin)

"American Tune" - Kurt Elling - As I stated on an earlier post, Paul Simon is one of my favorite songwriters (ever).  Kurt Elling is a wonderful jazz singer who cut his teeth on the Chicago scene in the 80s and 90s.  Not only can he scat sing with the best of them (Eddie Jefferson, Jon Hendricks) but he also has a poet's ear for lyrics.  He's recorded "American Tune" (as a voice and piano duo) but this orchestrated version moves me to my soul. Composed in 1973 as the US was mired in the Vietnam War and reeling from the Watergate scandal, the song is both pessimistic and optimistic.  Elling's version has similar intent (the video is aimed at the issues with immigration, racism, sexism but there's the promise of "tomorrow's another working day.") - Richard Kamins

"Whisky Lullaby" - Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss - This came from Thomas Williams and I won't even try to speak for him.  The song comes from Paisley's 2003 album "Mud on the Tires" and was composed by Country music legend Bill Anderson and Jon Randall.   Anderson has had a long career with a slew of big hits but also wrote songs for many of his contemporaries. Yet, this song started because Randall was going through a divorce and had started drinking. He met Anderson and they put the song together and gave to Paisley who then shared it with Ms. Krauss. Released as a single in 2004, it won the 2005 Country Music Association Song of the Year.  The accompanying video is set in 1947 and the man is coming home after the long war.  Many people complain that country ballads are corny and unemotional - not this one.  Even without the video, the song has lasting power. Plus, Alison Krauss's voice is so lovely.  (R Kamins)