“Connection. It’s why we’re here. It’s what gives purpose and meaning to our lives. This is what it’s all about. What we know is that connection, the ability to feel connected, is –neurobiologically that’s how we’re wired — why we’re here…”
Vulnerability isn’t comfortable. It’s just necessary. It’s the willingness to say “I love you” first…the willingness to do something where there are no guarantees…being willing to invest in a relationship that may or may not work out…this is fundamental. This is where courage and strength lies…
Listening to Codes in the Clouds this week galvanized me to find similarly majestic and inspiring music. I needed to escape. And I found quite a few bands that are new to me and whose CDs are now winging their way to my living room. One I’m really keen to hear in particular is Explosions in the Sky. For more than a decade this four piece instrumental rock band have been creating music that, in their words,”immediately grabs your attention and gets to your emotions”. And the songs I’ve heard so far do exactly that.
Despite having played together for so long they’ve only just released their first video. It’s truly gorgeous. And here it is. Plug in the headphones and take a trip…
Brilliant, brilliant new video from OK Go. Click the link below to go to the interactive version where you can choreograph your own message into the dance. Pure joy.
This is one of the most inspiring global art projects I’ve ever seen. It won the TED 2011 Prize and springs from the mind of one of the finest street artists working today, JR
You can find out more and take part by visiting the project website: Inside Out
So – it’s been a while. Thank you for all the emails regarding the blog. It’s been a hectic few weeks hence the lack of new posts but thought I’d drop by and post a couple of songs that have been sending tingles down my spine the past few weeks, especially ‘Soviets’. They’re from the album ‘Union’ by The Boxer Rebellion. Enjoy.
So – have been very quiet on here of late thanks to my broadband having been down and not being fixed with anything even approaching the vaguest notion of speed by BT.
So I have been consoling myself all week by listening to the staggeringly good new album by These New Puritans. Called, ‘Hidden’ it’s experimental to say the least with the album almost overloading on ambitious effects. Pounding a melon and cream crackers with a hammer to mimic the sound of a human head being smashed and sampling knives being sharpened and B&Q chains sounds all rather overtly aggressive but whilst there is a militaristic backbeat to the album’s percussive elements it doesn’t slam you about the ears – it just sounds very, very driven. With a 13-piece band with woodwinds, pianos and a distinct lack of guitars, oh and a children’s choir and Japanese taiko drums, surely it must be overblown and pretentious and too full of itself to deliver on the promise of such wonderfully eclectic instrumentation? Well, yes – it is slightly pretentious but does it deliver? Oh yes. Yes indeed.
Here’s their latest video and I urge you to go and try the album – it’s unlike anything else in the mainstream you’ll have heard in years. It’s really very, very good.
So last Friday I posted some music to sleep to by the remarkable musician Peter Broderick and I thought this Monday I’d cover a little more of his music because it’s definitely worth hearing more of. Hailing from the US but now living and recording in Copenhagen (or Berlin – accounts seem to differ on where he actually is but location’s not all that important really is it. So I’m not sure why I even mentioned it except it seemed a good intro at the time.) Anyway, this ferociously talented musician is only 21. 21! And yet his music belies any age; its seemingly effortless simplicity masking a deeply complex and evocative body of work that is well worth seeking out.
I think ‘And it’s Alright’ is one of the loveliest songs I’ve heard recently – it’s like a big hug.
memoryhouse 