When one is in the middle of the semester, it often feels like time is dragging. In my experience, we come back from the Thanksgiving Break and I feel as if we've run out of time and there's so much still to do. In this ever-changing world, that feeling has yet to leave me; even now, in my ninth year, as the temperature dips below freezing and the trees are bare, that feeling hangs on.
But, in the midst of the ever-darkening days (the Winter Solstice is around the corner and the light will begin to increase), the Holidays have begun and this post opens with a modern Hanukkah treat.
The LeeVees - "Applesauce vs Sour Cream" - Hard to believe it's been a decade since I first played this rocking tune from a band that was put together on a whim. Who are these guys? From the bands website: Two nice Jewish guys have taken up the important task of writing a bunch of great, rockin’ Hanukah songs. Adam Gardner (Guster) and Dave Schneider (the Zambonis) have joined forces and started a band called the LeeVees, and they have a new album of sweet and rockin’ indie-pop songs solely about Channuka called “Hanukkah Rocks.” Yes, every song is about Chanuka. Some say such a concept is a bit obsessive but Adam and Dave prefer the phrase “extremely focused.” Yes, it's goofy and, yes, they spell Hanukkah in two accepted variations and, yes, it's about food (lots of Jewish songs have the simple theme of "We were attacked, we fought, we won, and now we eat!" (RBK)
Alessia Cara - "Growing Pains" - My song choice this week is "Growing Pains" by Alessia Cara. Alessia Cara is one of my favorite artists because she is 22 and writes a lot of songs that speak to people around her age. She got very popular quite quick, but she stayed very humble through it, which is apparent in interviews with her. She wrote all the songs on her new album "The Pains of Growing" which I believe allowed her music to better relate to the young people listening to it. Writing her own songs also shows that she truly is passionate about music and wants to share her experiences with others through her art. I specifically chose the song "Growing Pains" because she puts a very clever spin on the use of the phrase. Normally, when someone says growing pains they are referring to the physical pains that come with growing quickly, but in this song she uses it to describe more of the emotional and spiritual pains that come with maturing. She beautifully talks about the hardships without making it overbearing and heavy because she balances it with a glimmer of hope and positive attitude, which is what I think makes her music so appealing. She can talk about something that many people have a difficult time with, yet doesn't have the attitude of allowing it to grow stagnant and consume a person. This gives her music more of a feeling of healing than pain, and this is what makes her music so enjoyable. I also believe that many young artists don't quite capture this in-between stage of a person's life where they're not too young to be totally dependent, yet are not old enough to be independent. I think that Alessia Cara beautifully captures this stage in life where you have life experience, yet are still so new to being an adult and are still learning to cope with the normal fears of being independent and struggling through a time when a lot is changing. (M. Winslow)
Dave Evans - "Pretty Green Hills" - I stumbled upon a Bluegrass station and am hooked. The songs are all lively, fun, and each tells a story. They're as American as apple pie. What a delight! (T. Williams)
Dave Evans (1950-2017) - from his obituary: He started his bluegrass music career in 1968, with Earl Taylor and the Stoney Mountain Boys. Then, in 1973, he joined Larry Sparks and the Lonesome Ramblers before starting his own bluegrass band in 1978, known as Dave Evans and The River Bend. Dave is also a former member of The Boys from Indiana, Lillie Mae and the Dixie Gospelaires and Melvin Goins. Dave was also fascinated by earlier bluegrass performers, such as Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, The Stanley Brothers, Bill Monroe, and Jimmy Martin. He created his own style of bluegrass music. Dave began writing and singing his own songs, including, "One Loaf of Bread", "Highway 52", and "Be proud of the Grey in Your Hair."
Andrea & Matteo Bocelli - "Fall On Me" - Beautiful! (B. Rosenblum) - Andrea Bocelli is one of those rare "crossover artists" in that he crossed from opera to "adult mainstream" and became world-famous. (Keep in mind - the first million-selling recording artist in the vinyl record era was Mario Lanza!) Here he sings a duet with his 21-year old son Matteo. The story goes that the father did not discover his piano-playing son could sing until a few months before the 2017 recording session for Dad's new album "Si." A new star is born! (RBK)
John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band- "So This is Christmas (Happy Xmas - War Is Over)" - Here is a Christmas song released in 1971 as a single by John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band with the Harlem Community Choir. The lyrics, by John Lennon and Yoko Ono, are set to the traditional English ballad “Skewball”. It was the seventh single release by Lennon outside his work with the Beatles. The song reached number 4 in the UK, where its release was delayed until November 1972, and has periodically reemerged on the UK Singles Chart, most notably after Lennon’s death in December 1980, when it peaked at number 2."Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" was the culmination of more than two years of peace activism undertaken by John Lennon and Yoko Ono that began with the bed-ins they convened in March and May 1969, the first of which took place during their honeymoon- Wikipedia. (J. Gaffney)
The Beatles - "Good Night" (take 10 with guitar part from take 5) - 1968 celebrates a number of 50th anniversaries. Not all of them are happy. But, just in time for the Holiday Season, Apple Records has issued this massive seven-CD package of "The White Album" (or, really, just "The Beatles" and the original cover was all-white). For those who do not want to spend their entire pay check, there's a three-CD version, a two-Lp version, and four-Lp version. Included in the biggest package are several CDs of "demos", including the earliest rehearsal takes (known as "the Escher Demos" recorded at George Harrison's home studio) and three CDs of outtakes and rejected takes from the Abbey Road Studio sessions. Those studio sessions stretched on for nearly six months and charts the dissolution of The Fab Four. The early demos show four musicians really having a great time working, playing, and singing together and are the trumpet revelation of the package - these guys really like each other. By the time of the final takes, there are no vocal duets (most often heard on the Lennon-McCartney songs). The song I chose is the final song of the second album, the 30th tune. On the album, there's a large string and brass orchestra, replete with harp and musical saw (!), a large mixed chorus, a production out of a '30s musical, and the affectionate voice of Mr. Starr. The version below features Ringo backed by two guitars and the chorus of John, Paul, and George. It is so pretty in its simplicity and sound. (RBK)
We'll have one more post for Finals Week! May the next two weeks go well for all!
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