mbd meets calligraphy.

Oh, how time passes!  It's been a while, and since I don't really have anything tangible to show to date, here is something lovely for you to watch:



song by My Brightest Diamond, calligraphy by Leigh Reyes.

more music things...

MBD goodness.  From upcoming album "All Things Will Unwind" this is Be Brave (and it is INCREDIBLE):

Another amazing video from Kimbra here.

AND....saw this image roaming around on Pinterest yesterday.  Can't wait!!  More info here.

shara at millennium park.

This was a night of absolute bliss and wonder, as any live time with My Brightest Diamond is.  I first saw her 5 years ago when she was a part of Sufjan's Illinoisemakers.  I really fell in love with her music in 2007 at the MusicNow Festival.  This particular show was special because it was a dream come true for her, playing her music with an entire orchestra behind/with her.  It was with the CYSO (chicago youth symphony orchestra), and they were incredible as well!  I also still really enjoy being in the Jay Pritzker Pavilion.  It's so beautiful.  After the show I had the pleasure of speaking with Shara's parents (and getting a "hi" in with Shara later!) and they were so delightful to meet.  They are such proud parents and they just beamed with joy at life and at the event they had just beheld.  It was a beautiful, beautiful time.  Despite the rain!!  I took my first personal pictures of the bean afterward because it looked so wonderful and erie with the weather and time of day.  Enjoy some photos and this very blurry video :)

i really enjoy her flare for drama.  her operatic background makes so much sense in these times :)

there was a dance party during the encore!!

happpppy friday!

SHARA SHARA SHARA!!! Eee!

OH. MY. GOODNEWS (or goodness).

Such good news from Asthmatic Kitty.  SUCH good news.

A new Shara album (All Things Will Unwind) is coming out on October 18th!

AND.......there is a FREE mp3 from the album HERE (at the bottom).

YAY!

music monday: shara & fleet (& my birthday!).

Well, I turned 24 yesterday!  I like that.  In fact, I like that a lot.  I like that these days becoming a year older doesn't sound scary at all (for me).  I often think about how excited I am to have more age and wisdom added unto me.  Also, at a wedding on Saturday we saw a couple receive the bride's bouquet for being married longer than anyone else in the room. SIXTY-ONE years.  It was absolutely precious to behold them standing so humbly in the corner of the room and receiving this little gift.  I really enjoyed too that the bouquet tradition was changed up in this very honoring way.  You know, the newest wedded giving a little gift of love to the longest wedded?!  Oh, love!  

Well, the day itself was really lovely.  It was in the 70's!  It was actually hot I couldn't believe how nice it was.  We made our weekly stop to the Bagel and the Broadway Intelli; headed to church (and Min took a birthday picture! (below) Yay!) where I was given sweet and thoughtful words, cards, and gifts from some of my new friends that I am SO thankful for; had lunch with two of my favorite people in Chicago; headed to the mall (for some rush shopping that will continue once Dan is finished with the semester); had dinner at union pizza (an amazing atmosphere with lovely food!  I had been wanting to go here for a while :D); got bubble teaaaaa of course; and watched the Soloist when we got home (thanks for the recommendation Lindsey Meyer!).  I felt so loved and blessed.  Thank you, friends.

For music today I wanted to send you HERE & HERE to watch some videos.  The first is a video with another song from the new Fleet Foxes album coming out next month!  The second is another project that Shara was a part of (it's a little bit weird, and I feel like coming from me that's saying something, but I still think it's beautiful).  Also!  HERE is the live audio webcast of Shara's Ecstatic Music Festival concert.  I'm listening to it now :) 

Have a lovely Monday!!

music monday: liz janes covers. AND...a break!

If you follow me at all on facebook then this will be old news (sorry!) but this post should still be fun in a few ways.  Seven artists/bands covered seven different Liz Janes songs.  It includes a few of Liz's fellow Asthmatic Kitty artists including...SHARA of course!  Ahh, my favorite.  Listen/buy HERE. 

and it has beautiful cover art by DM Stith (OF COURSE)!

ALSO...I wanted to let you know that I am feeling pretty overwhelmed with soon-to-be deadlines & such so I am taking a blog "siesta" the rest of this week.  I know, that word doesn't really work here, but...I wanted to use it.  So I am.  I am so excited to have projects to be working on though, so needing to take a break is a good thing!  See you soon...

;)

music monday: robin pecknold! (link to free mp3's here!)

Well, if you check stuff out on Pitchfork or if you've been in tune with what Musicnow Festival has posted on twitter than I'm sure you already know about this!  But....just in case, I think you need to know.  Robin Pecknold (aka White Antelope) released a few recordings on the Fleet Foxes twitter account last monday.  Head HERE to download them!  Exciting!  

(photo found here)

Also...you might want to listen to this.  It's Shara Worden & Colin Stetson covering an old Willie Johnson tune.  Oh!  And...I really enjoyed reading this note to fans from Shara.  Good insights about record labels and supporting artists...from an artist :)  And...tickets go on sale tomorrow for Musicnow Festival 2011.  We'll be in San Fran!  But I have NO doubt it will be incredible.

movie monday: jane eyre ;)

Looks like I spoke to soon about "music monday's".  I don't have music news other than...the concert was amazing on Friday!  Shara is so incredible!  I was telling Dan on our way to the show that seeing her live feels like an other-worldy experience.  I tried to explain in different ways the impact that her voice has on an audience member and I ended with something like "I just...I don't know how to explain/describe it".  Well he understood fully what was unexplainable/indescribable.  One of the most meaningful and precious moments for me of the night was when she sang the lullaby she wrote for she and her husband's baby, Constantine.  It was so beautiful.

Well, there is a new movie version of Jane Eyre coming out this March starring Mia Wasikowska (Alice from the new Alice and Wonderland!) and it has me returning to my cheaper than 5 dollar book from senior year of high school.  I have hopes to finish the novel before the movie comes out but as I've mentioned before I'm a pretty terrible reader (I fall asleep...and lose focus and re-read the same few sentences over and over again!).  I remember enjoying this story in high school, but I also remember thinking it was slow.  We'll see what happens!  I'm pausing my attempt to read Pride & Prejudice for this...

tonight.

We're going to see MY BRIGHTEST DIAMOND tonight!  I am so excited.  I think that's all I have to say/share today!  I know it's not as much fun for you, so, I'm sorry!  If you live in Chicago, and are interested in seeing the show...it's not sold out yet!  It's at Lincoln Hall at 10PM.

(photo found here)

Well here are two things I can share:

look at some fun photos of Shara from the Lincoln Center's American Songbook.
listen to 2 more songs from experimental saxophonist Colin Stetson's new album.

music monday?! (link to free mp3's here!)

I'm considering deeming Monday's "music Monday"...How about it?!  I have just been finding out/hearing about so much that I'm excited about and want to share!

Asthmatic Kitty is my source for today's exciting stuff.  Shara Worden is doing some new things!  With yMusic!  See:



She also did a little something with Owen Pallett which is available for FREE---here!

AND...amazing saxophonist Colin Stetson's new album (which Shara is of course featured on) isn't available yet but you can get a little preview here.

Also, this is just fun to observe.  She was a part of two albums that made NPR's top 5 genre-defying albums of 2010!!

Woo!  Go Shara!

listening to: marla hansen & more!

Happy December (2nd)!!  I am thinking fondly of last winter, missing our beautiful honeymoon spot.  Here are a couple of photos of the wood pile we grabbed from for our delightful wood-burning fireplace (Dan's one main requirement as we chose our destination)!!

Ack!  I thought I was feeling better yesterday, but woke up this morning feeling much worse...I still think it's probably just a cold or maybe something in the sinus area, but it feels worse than the last cold I remember having.

I really like Marla Hansen's sound.  I heard her first not as a solo artist, but performing with the original group that made up the Osso string quartet.  A while later I discovered her solo work and have really enjoyed it!  Well, she has a new song that is free!  Head HERE.  She is also on a Christmas Album that you can stream for free.  

The extras: 
I found this in my inbox this morning.  They don't seem to fit with the rest of the music I listen to regularly, but I think Coldplay will always have a place in my musical listening life.  Plus, it's Christmas-y!  Which is exciting!

Yesterday I saw this on Asthmatic Kitty's website...Shara is so beautiful!  A while back I had mentioned 'Penelope' the album, and it does not disappoint :)

Have fun listening!

listening to & looking at: 'penelope' & erie basin (free tune here!)

listening:
I have been captured by the music of Shara Worden (My Brightest Diamond) since I had the treat of seeing her open for Sufjan at the 2007 MusicNow Festival.  Oh, how her voice carries me places...

She was asked to take part in this really neat/wonderful sounding "song-cycle" called 'Penelope'.  There is a FREE mp3 from 'Penelope' called "This is What You're Like" HERE.   It's lovely.

Also, if you are in NY on Monday the 18th, you should really go to the release concert!  


looking:
Any gentlemen planning on proposing some time soon?  I'd keep this place in mind if I were you (found at mint).