Seasonal Sounds

Music to get you through the day

[latimes]

On a lighter note: Congratulations Banana Joe, Best in Show winner at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

You’ve had a long day and you deserve more Westminster photos: Here you go.

Photo: Stan Honda / AFP/Getty Images

[seasonalsounds]

"But to my great surprise, ever since I looked in your eyes, I had one question for you..."

Summer of 1995, this video probably played every hour on MTV.  Once I finished whatever chores or projects I had to do, I would spend the rest of the day watching MTV and waiting for this song to come on.  It's so smooth, funky and jazzy and perfectly encapsulates that feeling of butterflies in your stomach when you think about someone.  Basically it is a musical interpretation of being twitterpated.  But Amel is so cool when she sings, she doesn't have the nervous excitement that one would expect.  Its like she knows that rejection is not in her future. 

[seasonalsounds]

It's finally February

I've been wanting to do this series of posts for over two years but I've always been too lazy to actually accomplish it.  Finally, I'm getting off my ass to do this.

To me, most of the songs that I gravitate to are about love and all of its various stages.  There's the time when you are unsure about your own feelings towards the potential object of your affection or if their feelings are true.  There's the happy times when you are in the honeymoon stage.  There's the sad breakup when you can't even think about that person without wanting to burn something.  And then there's the inevitable stalker stage where the person is kinda creeping you out. 

I have sets of songs that I think are perfect for these four stages and I will hopefully be able to express why I love the song and why I think it fits in to the particular week. 

Stay tuned...

[seasonalsounds]

James Blake performing "CMYK" on KCRW (by kcrw)

I'm unaware at how this song is so funky all of a sudden to me.  All I know is that I'm seriously questioning my life choices since I didn't even attempt to see him yesterday in concert.

[thekidsnotmyson-deactivated2012]

[seasonalsounds]

Too much greatness!

lovesoulbounce:

Blame it on The Jacksons.

msrasberryinc:

and I know that’s right! do it, Michael!

[holysoul]

[seasonalsounds]

This song is so funky!  And the lead singer is so smooth for a bigger guy.  I love the fact that they pull out rubberbands and start "playing" them.  I needed that smoothness this morning.

holysoul:

The Spinners Rubberband Man (Live, 1976)

[seasonalsounds]

Anywhere you go, there you are

Ooh Teddy!  To me, he is the prototypical singer that expresses angry love sangin.  The passion that he feels for his woman is so strong that it comes across as anger.  (see also Bernadette - Four Tops)  That is some powerful stuff.  At any rate, this song is not about love, but more of a testimonial on the fact that you can't be anyone but who you are.  Even if you are fake to others, deep down inside, you can only be you. 

Message of the song aside, I picked this song to play today because we have had some monsoon-ish weather here in SoCal and its just so hot and humid.  Pendergrass's voice is reminiscent of humidity for me - it is so thick and heavy.  Plus the funkiness of the song makes you want to dance in a room full of other funky people til everyone is all sweaty.  So I felt that this song was appropriate for today, both weather wise and in meaning. 

[seasonalsounds]

"I could tell that you wanted to jump in the pool"

This is my second pick for your summer playlist.  This song is straightforward fun.  A dance rock type song with directions for your bbq guests.  I like it because it makes you want to dance your way into the pool.  Not much more to be said about this song.

[seasonalsounds]

"Ah chocolate girl, well you're looking like something I want"

I heard this song for the first time, I think, in college.  Clearly, the first line captivated me.  I just love how the lead vocalist sounds so grimy and dirty but he's saying really nice things about all the different types of girls then the sweet melody is hiding the S&M message.  I really like the jauntiness because it works well at a summer bbq where people most likely won't be listening to the lyrics but if they are, most likely they will find one or two of the girls from the song around the pool.

[seasonalsounds]

True meaning of this tumblrrrrrr

I originally created this tumblr as a way to provide a soundtrack for your life.  February would be love songs, December would be christmas songs.  But then I got distracted and also couldn't really figure out what songs would be appropriate for say, April. 

At any rate, since it is finally feeling like summer here, I will start to incorporate songs of the summer.  Feel free to add yours or disagree wholeheartedly with mine.

[seasonalsounds]

"Just because/I might die/Don't ask me to stop/Asking why"

This song was quite profound for me when I first heard it in college.  I spent the next month looking for it online and finally found it from some random fellow college student via Napster.  I can definitely say I've listened to this song thousands of times.  For some reason, it calms me down because it has an ethereal quality that is perpetuated by both the melody and the philosophical lyrics.  I'm not usually one for philosophical conversations because there are no answers and I like answers.  However, this song has all the elements that can make me sit quietly for a long time and think about the meaning of life. 

I'm currently listening to this song on repeat because the world is starting to implode in the land of contracts and I need to stay relaxed and push through the mountain of documents. 

[seasonalsounds]

Everytime I comb my hair, thoughts of you get in my eyes

The 53 years old today, Prince

[seasonalsounds]

WHERE WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO VISIT ON YOUR PLANET?

Turkey

[seasonalsounds]

why are you so awesome --from your anonymous "love". love!

its the music not me.  but thanks love.

[seasonalsounds]

Christopher Cross (with Michael McDonald backing vocals) - I Really Don't Know Anymore

I am listening to Christopher Cross's Sailing this afternoon while cleaning my house.  This album was one of the few finds I made from my dad's old vinyl collection.  The man loves his Neil Diamond and Jim Croce.  At any rate, this song is so nice because it has all the elements of a classic yacht rock song..the rock tinged verses mixed with the smooth, soaring chorus (with typical yacht rock help from Michael McDonald) and finishing with some kind of epic guitar solo which is almost misplaced with the rest of the song.  Perfect for a lazy Saturday.

[seasonalsounds]

Oh man, this song is a straight kick to my ovaries.  I literally felt a pang when the vocals came in.  I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing but I do know that I may need to pony up the money to buy this album on import.  Hot damn!

[seasonalsounds]

Argh

I composed a great and long post about my song of the day and tumblr lost it.  I will try and regain my mojo but I fear that the greatness is gone forever.  Fyi, it was Fat Freddy's Drop Flashback (Jazzanova Breathe Easy Mix)