20. Make and record music with the people I love.
Some of my favorite memories of 2011 are of sitting in the "band room" or later, Kris' room at the house on Rosser where all my friends lived playing music together. A lot of the time it was less "playing music" and more everyone simultaneously singing/messing around on different instruments making up obscure harmonies while Linn made up hilarious lyrics. Sometimes there was a whole bunch of us, sometimes just a couple. Often we had had a bit to drink before hand which made it all the more ridiculous. Wonderwall was definitely played about 5 million times. There's video evidence of all of this on facebook and watching it again while writing this post made my heart feel like it was going to burst.
After Linn died there was less music, as he seemed to be the center around which the rest of us formed our parts. One day though, my best friend Kris and I decided to try singing some songs together while he played guitar. That turned into us attempting to record one of my favorite songs from one of my favorite movies ("got my list" from Dakota Skye) pretty much every night for quite a while until we finally managed to get through a recording without messing up, forgetting lyrics, laughing, getting distracted... yeah we sang that song a LOT. I think it was a way for both of us to express ourselves creatively in a time that we were both feeling pretty numb and uninspired, and I really cherish those hours (and hours and hours) spent singing and laughing in the middle of the night, probably annoying the hell out of our other roommates.
Here's what we ended up with:
My favorite part is probably at the end where we finish the song, there's a few seconds of silence, and then Kris strums the guitar and I say "ahhh we did it!" and Kris says "We kinda sorta did it." It seriously took us forever to get through a recording.
I'm so happy for the videos on facebook of Linn singing nonsense into a fake microphone or making up rhythms on the drums while Kris plays the keyboard and the rest of us attempt harmonies or pick up other instruments.His essence is so incredibly alive and present in those videos, I can feel it when I watch them and it makes me want to cry and laugh and shout.
And I'm so, so, so happy for the time that Kris and I spent attempting and occasionally succeeding to make music together. It's like a wonderful, shiny happy memory that floats above an otherwise wholly dark and bleak time in my life and I am so unbelievably thankful for that. Love you Kris, thanks for letting me post this on here ;)
<3
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
07 September 2011
A poem/song for your wednesday
hello lovelies, I'm too lazy to think up a good, interesting post right now so this is what you get!
These are the lyrics to a song i've been working on. I have the melody as well as the accompaniment pretty much worked out it's just been a matter of having the time/resources to put it all together.
I don't usually share my own work because i'm insanely self conscious and I'm never satisfied, AND lyrics sound so incredibly stupid when you just read them off paper. seriously. very, very stupid. But I had a few drinks the other night and ended up being convinced by one of my friends to write it down and let him read it so I figure now that it's already out I might as well show the rest of the world haha.
I like symbolism and double meanings and stuff like that, the problem is I'm usually the only one who gets it. So if something sounds weird/retarded to you, it probably means something else/more important to me. also, you probably won't really know what this is about at all besides getting the general concept because I haven't talked about it on here or to my real life friends :) anyways, disclaimers aside, i hope you enjoy this little peek into my creative musings and don't judge too harshly. hopefully in a few weeks I can upload a vid of me actually singing/playing it!
Where Can We Go
Today I picked through my memory
Trying to find what was left to squeeze.
All that I got were a few drops on my fingers,
But they fill my cuts, now everything hurts.
Everything hurts.
Isn't it funny how in just a few hours
Our noses fill with smoke and our tongues turn sour?
We rub sleep from our eyes and we scrub our hands clean,
We're humbled and hardened but we still have the dream.
We still have the dream.
And oh, where can we go?
Oh, where can we go?
We built a castle out of wishes and seafoam,
Cupped it in our hands and tried to blow it home..
But it was windy that day and bubbles landed on my face
You kissed 'em off and said "it wouldnt've worked anyways"
It wouldn'tve worked anyways.
And oh, where can we go?
Oh, where can we go?
Sweaty hands and salty feet,
Closed eyelids and cold concrete.
Faulty doorknobs and open windows,
Nobody knows, nobody knows.
And oh, where can we go?
Oh where can we go?
Oh, nobody knows,
Oh, please take me home.
Today I picked through my memory
And found candy wrappers and dusty olive trees.
You never wrote me but I guess it's alright,
Most people forget when they open their eyes.
We opened our eyes.
And oh, where can we go?
Oh, where can we go?
Oh, nobody knows.
Oh, where did you go?
There you go lovemuffins. I'm biting my lip as i post this- it's really hard for me to expose my private thoughts and musings and creativity to the whole world, land even harder to expose them to you 34 friends and readers! But I figure if I'm going to be a writer/filmmaker/whatever I end up being someday I'm going to have to learn to let the world see my creations.
Real post tomorrow! Love you all so much.
<3
Ems
These are the lyrics to a song i've been working on. I have the melody as well as the accompaniment pretty much worked out it's just been a matter of having the time/resources to put it all together.
I don't usually share my own work because i'm insanely self conscious and I'm never satisfied, AND lyrics sound so incredibly stupid when you just read them off paper. seriously. very, very stupid. But I had a few drinks the other night and ended up being convinced by one of my friends to write it down and let him read it so I figure now that it's already out I might as well show the rest of the world haha.
I like symbolism and double meanings and stuff like that, the problem is I'm usually the only one who gets it. So if something sounds weird/retarded to you, it probably means something else/more important to me. also, you probably won't really know what this is about at all besides getting the general concept because I haven't talked about it on here or to my real life friends :) anyways, disclaimers aside, i hope you enjoy this little peek into my creative musings and don't judge too harshly. hopefully in a few weeks I can upload a vid of me actually singing/playing it!
Where Can We Go
Today I picked through my memory
Trying to find what was left to squeeze.
All that I got were a few drops on my fingers,
But they fill my cuts, now everything hurts.
Everything hurts.
Isn't it funny how in just a few hours
Our noses fill with smoke and our tongues turn sour?
We rub sleep from our eyes and we scrub our hands clean,
We're humbled and hardened but we still have the dream.
We still have the dream.
And oh, where can we go?
Oh, where can we go?
We built a castle out of wishes and seafoam,
Cupped it in our hands and tried to blow it home..
But it was windy that day and bubbles landed on my face
You kissed 'em off and said "it wouldnt've worked anyways"
It wouldn'tve worked anyways.
And oh, where can we go?
Oh, where can we go?
Sweaty hands and salty feet,
Closed eyelids and cold concrete.
Faulty doorknobs and open windows,
Nobody knows, nobody knows.
And oh, where can we go?
Oh where can we go?
Oh, nobody knows,
Oh, please take me home.
Today I picked through my memory
And found candy wrappers and dusty olive trees.
You never wrote me but I guess it's alright,
Most people forget when they open their eyes.
We opened our eyes.
And oh, where can we go?
Oh, where can we go?
Oh, nobody knows.
Oh, where did you go?
There you go lovemuffins. I'm biting my lip as i post this- it's really hard for me to expose my private thoughts and musings and creativity to the whole world, land even harder to expose them to you 34 friends and readers! But I figure if I'm going to be a writer/filmmaker/whatever I end up being someday I'm going to have to learn to let the world see my creations.
Real post tomorrow! Love you all so much.
<3
Ems
06 September 2011
obsessed with this right now...
i love this song. and for reasons i can't/don't feel like getting into i feel like bits of it really relate to my life right now :/
i'd only heard bon iver's version which i really love, but i stumbled upon this and this girl, Birdy, is freaking awesome. she's like what i wish i could be. i love the piano accompaniment and her voice is the perfect mix between trained and slightly weepy/emotional/scratchy, which is the "cool" thing to be right now. so beautiful.
i'd only heard bon iver's version which i really love, but i stumbled upon this and this girl, Birdy, is freaking awesome. she's like what i wish i could be. i love the piano accompaniment and her voice is the perfect mix between trained and slightly weepy/emotional/scratchy, which is the "cool" thing to be right now. so beautiful.
06 August 2011
20 in my 20th: #16 Learn to play a new song on the piano- a recent, alt-folk song which I will also sing to.
The quality on this vid is kind of bad, and it's certainly not my best work- but I was pretty proud that I learned this song on the piano! The song is "40 Day Dream" by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. I don't actually have sheet music or anything for it... I just looked up the guitar tabs online and then converted it to work for the piano. I think it counts for #16 of my 20 things to do in my 20s though :) hopefully I'll just keep improving as I practice it a bit more.
enjoy!
and don't mind the pups wandering around in the background :)
<3 Em
enjoy!
and don't mind the pups wandering around in the background :)
<3 Em
30 April 2011
My New Obsession
I really didn't think this was going to happen...
I sat by and watched with raised eyebrows as everyone else fell over themselves over it...
I scoffed at the idea of it. I did. I mean what does it have that I can't get from scrubs, or any other doctor show?
And then it showed up on Netflix Instant and I thought, "well... a couple years have passed... I might as well just see what all the fuss is about... just the pilot can't hurt."
But of course it's impossible to watch just the pilot of most shows.
And now here I am, 2 seasons in and knees deep in drama and romance and surgeries and actual feelings about these characters.
Oh, Grey's Anatomy. You really are like crack for hopeless romantic women. I should have listened all along.
At least now I get to watch all six seasons sans commercials and waiting periods! Stubbornness does pay off sometimes.
So anyways, yeah. That's my life now. Grey's Anatomy, Buffy when Stewie's around, studying for finals, and going to the gym. Pretty much don't do anything else. yay new tv obsessions! productivity at it's greatest.
Watching episode after epiode of Grey's has led me to a realization, though: I'm obsessed with those slow, acoustic-y melancholy songs television shows play as they show those heart-string-tugging montages of disappointed main character faces and whatnot. You know what I'm talking about. Songs like these:
Yeah. I just lap that stuff up.
So... just thought I'd check in and let you know what's been keeping me from blogging the last few days :) time to go back to grey's now, before I die of lack of cutely nicknamed hot doctors.
Love,
Em
I sat by and watched with raised eyebrows as everyone else fell over themselves over it...
I scoffed at the idea of it. I did. I mean what does it have that I can't get from scrubs, or any other doctor show?
And then it showed up on Netflix Instant and I thought, "well... a couple years have passed... I might as well just see what all the fuss is about... just the pilot can't hurt."
But of course it's impossible to watch just the pilot of most shows.
And now here I am, 2 seasons in and knees deep in drama and romance and surgeries and actual feelings about these characters.
Oh, Grey's Anatomy. You really are like crack for hopeless romantic women. I should have listened all along.
At least now I get to watch all six seasons sans commercials and waiting periods! Stubbornness does pay off sometimes.
Watching episode after epiode of Grey's has led me to a realization, though: I'm obsessed with those slow, acoustic-y melancholy songs television shows play as they show those heart-string-tugging montages of disappointed main character faces and whatnot. You know what I'm talking about. Songs like these:
Yeah. I just lap that stuff up.
So... just thought I'd check in and let you know what's been keeping me from blogging the last few days :) time to go back to grey's now, before I die of lack of cutely nicknamed hot doctors.
Love,
Em
13 March 2011
St Paddy's Countdown Day 5
The countdown has officially begun! Hooray! Today, to start getting everyone in an irish mood, i've compiled a small playlist of some fun irish songs- from traditional to punk rock. Enjoy! Tomorrow I'll be back with an awesome irish-themed movie monday :)
27 February 2011
a song for your sunday night
I don't usually get that excited about instrumental songs, nor do I get very excited about Phoenix. However, this came on my ipod when I had it on shuffle while laying on the beach in mexico last month, and I just remembered it. I think it's a pretty sweet song. Sorry the video is a tad boring, there doesn't seem to be any actual official video so I just used one somebody had made with time-lapse photography. enjoy!
01 February 2011
30 Day Challenge- 16
Day 16 - Your views on mainstream music.
Stewie and I were just talking about this this other day, actually, when a mumford and sons song came on the radio.
We are both agree that mainstream music is typically mediocre- poor lyrics, crappy instrumentals, no creativity, and a very high chance that the artist neither wrote the song nor can sing it half as well live. so, we've grown to pretty much automatically dislike mainstream music, not only because of the above reasons but because it's just generally "uncool". It's much more hip to like indie underground stuff that has some soul to it.
Plus, these indie bands aren't "sell-outs", like so many mainstream artists- meaning, they didn't compromise the message they wanted to send or the style they were going for in order to appeal to the masses and get famous and make lots of money.
But then there's always the dilemma of some of our fave indie bands becoming mainstream. For a long time Kings of Leon and Modest Mouse and bands such as these were mostly unknown to the general public... but now you hear their songs on the radio very frequently. Do we stop liking them just because they're more mainstream? well, that would seem silly and shallow.... so as long as their music is still good, i keep listening.
So in summary- I don't like most mainstream artists and I do like a large number of indie artist. When an indie band gets "discovered" and becomes mainstream, it's ok but only if their music is still good and they haven't compromised their style.
The end :)
Stewie and I were just talking about this this other day, actually, when a mumford and sons song came on the radio.
We are both agree that mainstream music is typically mediocre- poor lyrics, crappy instrumentals, no creativity, and a very high chance that the artist neither wrote the song nor can sing it half as well live. so, we've grown to pretty much automatically dislike mainstream music, not only because of the above reasons but because it's just generally "uncool". It's much more hip to like indie underground stuff that has some soul to it.
Plus, these indie bands aren't "sell-outs", like so many mainstream artists- meaning, they didn't compromise the message they wanted to send or the style they were going for in order to appeal to the masses and get famous and make lots of money.
But then there's always the dilemma of some of our fave indie bands becoming mainstream. For a long time Kings of Leon and Modest Mouse and bands such as these were mostly unknown to the general public... but now you hear their songs on the radio very frequently. Do we stop liking them just because they're more mainstream? well, that would seem silly and shallow.... so as long as their music is still good, i keep listening.
So in summary- I don't like most mainstream artists and I do like a large number of indie artist. When an indie band gets "discovered" and becomes mainstream, it's ok but only if their music is still good and they haven't compromised their style.
The end :)
24 January 2011
30 Day Challenge- 11
Day 11 - Put your ipod on shuffle and write 10 songs that pop up.
1. Foals- Mathletics
2. Vampire Weekend- Campus
3. Paramore- Use Somebody cover
4. Passion Pit- Live to Tell the Tale
5. U2- With or Without You
6. Gogol Bordello- Through the Roof 'n' Underground
7. Pink Floyd- Run Like Hell
8. Regina Spektor- 20 Years of Snow
9. Red Hot Chili Peppers- Easily
10. Modest Mouse- Guilty Cocker Spaniels
1. Foals- Mathletics
2. Vampire Weekend- Campus
3. Paramore- Use Somebody cover
4. Passion Pit- Live to Tell the Tale
5. U2- With or Without You
6. Gogol Bordello- Through the Roof 'n' Underground
7. Pink Floyd- Run Like Hell
8. Regina Spektor- 20 Years of Snow
9. Red Hot Chili Peppers- Easily
10. Modest Mouse- Guilty Cocker Spaniels
22 December 2010
Update (and a song)
What with all the days of christmas posts I haven't really had a chance to write about whats going on in my life these days. I drove up to Prescott last friday and spent a nice few days with my parents, doing some holiday shopping and gift making and going out to dinner and such. Yesterday the three of us made the 6 hr drive (through pretty much non-stop rain) over to LA to see my sister. The four of us are staying at her apartment for Christmas which I think will be very nice. Today we got a Christmas tree and they did some grocery shopping while I finished up making the last of my gifts (the most perishable ones). I posted my 9th day of Christmas blog and then we ate dinner and watched a couple episodes of Dollhouse (which I love but now think might be too fast-paced or confusing or violent for older minds..). After that we played a few rounds of bananagrams and now we're all in my sister's room getting ready for bed. My sis and I are sleeping in her bed and my parents are sleeping on a mattress on the floor. Definitely close quarters. I love my family but I'll probably have to find some way to get some solitude at some point :)
I'm really excited for Christmas... mostly because I just want to give everyone their presents already! I love making/buying things for people and I hate having to wait until they can open them. I'm also excited for all of this holiday madness to be over so I can just curl up with no obligations and read a book or something. Even though I'm on winter vacation I haven't felt like I am because I've been so stressed, exhausted, and overwhelmed with all the stuff I've been doing. For the most part I've enjoyed doing it all but it definitely wears me out.
So that's what has been going on lately. Before I go, I'll leave you with a song I've been playing a bunch recently. I mentioned a couple weeks ago that I've been listening to the band First Aid Kit and really loving them. Here's a song that I think is really beautiful (and a lot of fun to sing :) ). I've included the lyrics so you can read them... because I think they're nice. lol.
I met up with the king
He confessed his body was burning
I met up with the king
His body had began to rot
And he said,
"Don't think less of me,
I'm still the same man I used to be,"
But no one believed him
No one believed him
I once knew a pretty girl
And she was in love with the world
And she loved a young man
Who loved her body but never saw her mind.
He took
Everything she had kept
And then took everything else that was left.
But no one believed her
No one believed her.
I feel just like the king
As I fall on the muddy ground.
I feel just like you, girl
There's people thinking they know something now
Well I don't know anything at all
And we mean nothing to history
Well, thank God
So tell me,
Do you believe me?
Do you believe me?
I bet you don't
I bet you won't.
have a lovely evening
I'm really excited for Christmas... mostly because I just want to give everyone their presents already! I love making/buying things for people and I hate having to wait until they can open them. I'm also excited for all of this holiday madness to be over so I can just curl up with no obligations and read a book or something. Even though I'm on winter vacation I haven't felt like I am because I've been so stressed, exhausted, and overwhelmed with all the stuff I've been doing. For the most part I've enjoyed doing it all but it definitely wears me out.
So that's what has been going on lately. Before I go, I'll leave you with a song I've been playing a bunch recently. I mentioned a couple weeks ago that I've been listening to the band First Aid Kit and really loving them. Here's a song that I think is really beautiful (and a lot of fun to sing :) ). I've included the lyrics so you can read them... because I think they're nice. lol.
I met up with the king
He confessed his body was burning
I met up with the king
His body had began to rot
And he said,
"Don't think less of me,
I'm still the same man I used to be,"
But no one believed him
No one believed him
I once knew a pretty girl
And she was in love with the world
And she loved a young man
Who loved her body but never saw her mind.
He took
Everything she had kept
And then took everything else that was left.
But no one believed her
No one believed her.
I feel just like the king
As I fall on the muddy ground.
I feel just like you, girl
There's people thinking they know something now
Well I don't know anything at all
And we mean nothing to history
Well, thank God
So tell me,
Do you believe me?
Do you believe me?
I bet you don't
I bet you won't.
have a lovely evening
16 December 2010
3rd Day of Christmas
I bought stewie a 25$ gift card for Game Daze (a store in the mall he really likes), the book "heat wave" (pretending to be by Richard Castle but actually by some unknown author.... if you've seen the tv show "castle" you'll know what I'm talking about), the first season of castle, and a pack of eco-edition bicycle cards (stew collects packs of cards).
Stewie bought me a really pretty incense burner and this awesome hat:
Anyways, we slept in this morning and were exceedingly lazy all day. It was a perfect day weather-wise in my opinion- overcast when we woke up, sprinkling softly throughout most the day, raining a bit harder during the afternoon. It's still cloudy now and raining just a touch. I love it. It would be cool if it was snow, but at the same time I like that it feels all dark and stormy and wintery and I can still wear a dress and thigh-high socks with a thin cardigan. Stew and I watched a lot of castle today, got sandwiches from baggins (they are sooo delicious!), and then I took him to work at 5:30. Then I cleaned my room and packed big-time because I'm driving 3.5 hours up to prescott tomorrow, and then on tuesday my fam is driving out to cali to spend christmas at my sister's apartment, and then 2 weeks after that I'm going to mexico for the rest of the holiday! I'm really excited about it all... it's just a bummer that stew can't come with... but I know he will love having the apartment all to himself (he's expecially excited to clean it once all his roommates leave... haha).
despite all this crazy traveling, i still plan to on posting all my 12 days of christmas posts... I'll probably be doing a fair amount of blogging actually, cause I'm bound to have lots of free travel time. So yay for that! The rest of tonight will probably be more packing (getting all the stuff I have over at stew's apartment plus presents and things that need to be taken up north), picking stew up from work, and watching castle later. For the 3rd day of christmas I've put together a little holiday playlist to lsiten to while I/you go about my/your thursday night business. Some of the songs are actual holiday songs, while others just remind me of the holiday or winter season, or are just good songs :) haha. enjoy!
<3
Em
10 December 2010
quick update and some tunes for your friday night
not to be redundant, but I'm crazy busy these days! So busy, that it was wednesday before I realized I had forgotten to do a movie monday. total fail! Oh, well, the craziness has pretty much come to a close now- I only have 2 finals left and they aren't until tuesday and wednesday. Other than school stuff, I've been taking care of all sorts of holiday things! I went shopping all over the place to find affordable but still nice gifts/things to make gifts. We went to two different goodwills, ross, 2 different walmarts (a grocery store and a department store), the tucson mall, michaels, joann's, and albertsons. And I'm still missing four things on my list. ah, well. I've been up to my ears in all kinds of fun cooking and infusing and glitter-gluing and I'm excited to show you guys some of the stuff in my upcoming 12 days of xmas posts.
Meanwhile, I thought I'd show you guys a couple videos from a 2-girl swedish band my friend Claire turned me on to recently. I love their folksy style and it seems just right for winter/fall.
although, it's freaking 80 degrees in tucson. wtf?
anyways, here is First Aid Kit- I might go more in depth about them sometime down the road but for now you can just watch and listen :)
aaand a holiday one!
have a great weekend!
<3
Meanwhile, I thought I'd show you guys a couple videos from a 2-girl swedish band my friend Claire turned me on to recently. I love their folksy style and it seems just right for winter/fall.
although, it's freaking 80 degrees in tucson. wtf?
anyways, here is First Aid Kit- I might go more in depth about them sometime down the road but for now you can just watch and listen :)
aaand a holiday one!
have a great weekend!
<3
03 April 2010
Saturday Night Tunes: Iron and Wine
In writing the first few posts of Girl of a Thousand Faces, it's become clear to me that the best way for me to make sure I keep trucking away at it and maintaining lots of variety is to have some structure. I'm a world-class procrastinator and I don't always put 100% effort into everything, but I do, for some strange unknown reason, thrive on lists and calender dates and memo books. I get satisfaction from crossing things out to mark their completion and I get excited when I have weekly or monthly appointments or commitments to look forward to. This doesn't necessarily include stuff like going to work in my college phonathon on Sunday and Monday evenings or going to Biology lab at the ungodly hour of 8:50 AM every other Friday morning. Only the fun stuff- like writing this blog [almost] every day!
12 March 2010
Here We Go...
So! I've decided at long last to jump on this whole blog bandwagon thing before it gets so popular EVERYONE has one, and then fizzles out (ahem, myspace...). I've thought blogs are a pretty interesting new outlet for information and creativity for a while now, and being a communications major/art minor, I figure I should fit right in.
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