#beth cornell

[jacquelinep21]

[emmyewesseyesee]

litany – “bedroom”

this really is an absolute gem courtesy of litany, a youthful and deftly talented her-and-him duo hailing from harrogate, deep in god’s own country.

beth cornell and jack nicolaides combine to wonderful effect on both this track “bedroom” and their wider, self-explanatory debut 4 track ep from which it stems. the instrumentation is crisply produced with a rich and rewarding analogue swoosh to its delicious bass-lines, guiding keyboards and reverentially retro electro-tom breakdowns. indeed, in taking such time to seemingly choose just the right tones, it succeeds in cleverly spanning both the charm of home-spun bedroom production and the control of a more assured and experienced studio sound – it’s a hugely impressive and really compelling duality.

on “bedroom” itself the drums are neat and compact, the keyboard chords wobbly and warm, the soft and squelchy bass extra-special in its subtle yet effective anchoring of the track, while steel-drum shimmers and cymbal-shaker teasers provide exquisite top-end counterpoints to cornell’s delicate song. this pursuit and presentation of the emotional and sentimental qualities of life, loves and losses via softer, more understated synth-pop is really quite lovely and reminiscent of the output of the similarly tender ider, who continue to impress. moreover cornell manages to elicit genuine beauty from the humdrum via her deceptively mature and utterly convincing vocal performance. her range sparkles higher and supports lower, and while there’s a natural fragility at play, at times she takes on the charmingly idiosyncratic flair, edge and confidence of a róisín murphy-esque chanteuse.

the rest of 4 track ep is equally fabulous, and i’d encourage you to take in its delightful 17 minutes here. aside from the four tracks themselves, there are four personal and touching interludes which set the scene for each song and convey a lovingly intimate glimpse of their shared story. it’s truly a gorgeous e.p., one of the best this year so far, and i can’t wait to see them perform in the autumn.

[bethcornell-blog]

Thank you...

Gratitude is a daily practice and something I begin every day with. I’d like to dedicate this blog post to my experience of gratitude and share some of my practice with you. With thanksgiving, we are in a state of grace and open to receive whatever it is we need when it inevitably arrives. These thanksgivings can come upon you during any moment of the day, not only when you are actively being grateful for all you have been given or asking for something that you need.

From my perspective thanks-giving is something we do quite naturally when we are experiencing from the here and now. Open, expanding our energies outward, we connect to everything. We naturally see connection (rather than separation). We naturally rest in our awareness (rather than pushing towards an end). We are generous (rather than hoarding). We are kind (rather than mean-spirited). We want the best for all for all time (rather than just the best for only ourselves at any given moment in time).

Gratitude is the key to this flow, in my opinion. Gratitude is the WD40 of life… when things get sticky, clingy, closed tight - - practice more gratitude. With thanks-giving, nature’s balance resumes.

During every Walking Meditation, I begin with gratitude practice of “I am grateful to be able to breathe” and “I am grateful to be able to walk”. If you’ve ever been unable to do either of these everyday activities you can appreciate the miracles they are. Walking and  breathing are easy to practice with as most people do both, it’s natural to feel grateful for these simple everyday functions when you imagine your life without them. This is a good place to start to FEEL gratitude. From here, you can expand your feeling of gratitude toward things, people, health, wealth and all that we are benefitted with here on Earth.

During writing Daily Random Reminders with Co-Author Kristine Van Hook, I became aware of how gratitude when shared with another (or others), is more powerful, impactful, multiplied. Kris’ gratitude impacted me, I felt it and it enabled my own feelings of gratitude. Whatever you are grateful for, try sharing it with someone, Facebook it, write it down on a post it note and place it somewhere you’ll see it throughout the day. Even sharing it again with yourself at a later time will evoke the gratitude energy!

Thank you all for coming along on my wild journey, this year has been really great and it was made possible by all of you. You’re awesome! I’m expanding my Energy Wellness services in the coming New Year to include workshops and new classes on subtle energy and creativity.  I’m giving thanks for this constant flow of ideas and the near immediate manifestation with gratitude. To the wonderful people who come forward to work with me, who ask me to participate, who give me opportunities, I say yes, and thank you!