Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Song of the Day: "Keep Your Head Up" by Kelissa

A friend has just turned me onto reggae singer Kelissa. She has a beautiful voice. Here's here song "Keep My Head Up."

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Song of the Day: "Dean's Room" by Allison Crutchfield

What great energy—and jangly '80s guitars (very The Cure) and acrobatic keyboarding—there is to be found in the Allison Crutchfield song "Dean's Room." I cannot get over how much fun and fine music is coming out nowadays.

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Song of the Day: "Dead Alive" by The Shins

This new song by The Shins, "Dead Alive," is very 1960s garage band. It's a cool, eccentric, shimmering and whirling tapestry of sound. Or something like that.

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Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Song of the Day: "Love You Girl" by Iba Mahr

I am delving into the world of reggae. My new favorite is a singer named Iba Mahr, who has a cool wavering singing style. This one's called "Love You Girl."

Who doesn't like a love song?

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Monday, October 24, 2016

Song of the Day: "One Day Like This" by Elbow

The charm factor of Elbow and their song "One Day Like This"—you had me at symphonic strings and cockney-accented vocals ("it moost be love")—is off the charts.

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Etsy shopping find of the day. . .



I'm a more than a little charmed today by this Whimsical Seafoam Ring on the ToPolishOrNot shop on Etsy.com. I love the way the flecks on the ring, made from 18k gold flakes, look like little landmasses on the map of another world.

The ring, made of antique brass and laquers, is $8.





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Song of the Day: "Love Love Love" by Of Monsters and Men

Here's a pretty, hushed little sea chantey by "Of Monsters and Men," called "Love Love Love."

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Song of the Day: "Flipside" by Lana del Rey

One more Lana Del Rey song, "Flipside." I like the quiet introspection scarred by guitar feedback. And her ethereal voice has almost a Hope Sandoval of Mazzy Star plus Elizabeth Fraser of the Cocteau Twins plus Margo Timmins of the Cowboy Junkies vibe.

Lovely.

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Song of the Day: "Kinda Outta Luck" by Lana Del Rey

I love the dark-tinged retro of Lana Del Rey, here singing "Kinda Outta Luck."

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Friday, October 21, 2016

Song of the Day: "Mistaken for Strangers" by The National

My updates on my blog today are exclusively musical in nature. It's just that kind of Friday.

I'm  enjoying "Mistaken for Strangers" by The National. If you like Interpol, you have a really good chance of liking The National. It's some pretty darkwave.

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Song of the Day: "I Won't Share You" by The Smiths



 
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"I won't share you is such a sweet, quiet, lesser-known gem by The Smiths. If I'm not mistaken, that's autoharp we're hearing. It's off their final studio album, "Strangeways, Here We Come."


--Sarah Torribio

Song of the Day: "High Pressure Days" by The Units

How did this child of the '80s (i.e. me), who got into New Wave music way early and cut my teeth on Blondie and Devo, not learn about The Units.

I'm really digging their New Wave/Punk/proto-electronica song "High Pressure Days."


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Song of the Day: "Dancing Anymore" by Is Tropical

I was just frolicking through my favorite music site, LetsLoop, and happened upon this cool song. It's called "Dancing Anymore" by Is Tropical.

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Song of the Day: "Circling Girl" by Cocteau Twins

The swirling wonder of the Cocteau Twins—heard here performing the 1995 song "Circling Girl"—always makes me feel like I'm dancing in a crystal ball with David Bowie as Jareth, the goblin king, in "Labryinth."


But that's just me.






Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Song of the Day: "Tiny Cities" by Flume, featuring beck

Beck is red-hot nowadays. Here he is, featured in the song "Tiny Cities" by Flume. I found this one on Letsloop.com, looped by one of the music aficionados I follow.

Dig that morphing lupine, or whatever flower that is. 


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Monday, October 17, 2016

Song of the Day: "Peace & Love" by Vant

My Song of the Day is "Peace & Love" by Vant. Great guitar.

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Saturday, October 15, 2016

Friday, October 14, 2016

Original gif of the Day. . .

Today, on this lazy Friday I feel compelled to fill with computer busywork, aka play, I have created an animated gif I call "Rubber Room."

That's because this collection of vintage rubber squeak toys is sure to calm your troubled mind, replacing worries with poise and joys. You're welcome!



Song of the Day: "Lost in the Mystery" by Shock Machine

I never get tired of recommending the music site LetsLoop. I can't have a session on that site without discovering a song I love or at the very least find charming. Here's my latest charmer, "Lost in the Mystery" by Shock Machine.


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Song of the Day: "Disparate Youth" by Santigold















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Posting a Santigold song as Song of the Day was such a wild success (for me) I'm putting up one more. Santi White is such a bitchin' performer and producer. I had no idea she was American, either. You learn something every day.

—Sarah Torribio



Song of the Day: "Lights Out" by Santigold














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I know I have featured "Lights Out" by Santigold as my Song of the Day before, but it needed to happen again. It makes me happy.

—Sarah Torribio



I made one more gif!

All of you who are into cats and dogs dressed up as people, just marinate on this extravaganza of vintage pix!



My first gif. . .

I like to try something new from time to time. I haven't really done much by way of gif-making so I decided to try it this morning with some cute patterns. None of these belong to me, I lay no claim. It's just a symphony of prints. I used ezgif.com.



Tuesday, October 11, 2016

Song of the Day: "Nightcrawling" by Fever Dream














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"Nightcrawling" by Fever Dream is a post-punk indie-rock wall of sound. There's a touch of The Stone Roses style Mersey-beat sound to this, but decidedly hard-edged.

I approve this message.

—Sarah Torribio





Song of the Day: "Red in the Gray" by MØ














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I'm diving deep into the catalogue of . This song is called "Red in the Gray" or, if you're British, "Red in the Grey." MØ is Karen Marie Aagaard Ørsted Andersen, Wikipedia tells me, a Danish singer and songwriter who specializes in electropop.

—Sarah Torribio



Saturday, October 8, 2016

Song of the Day: "Where Are Ü Now," a Beiber/Diplo/Skrillex cover by All Tvvins















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I just found out this morning that one of my favorite new musical groups, All Tvvins, has covered the Justin Beiber/Diplo/Skrillex joint "Where Are Ü Now." When the song gets cranking, it's kind of bad-ass. And it's live, which is remarkable.

They are SO polished. I'm certain you will be hearing more about this band.

—Sarah Torribio



On the perils of adulting. . .

On this week where I simultaneously became a cub scout den mother and a puppy owner, and worked hard for a too-small paycheck, this sign rings truer than anything.






Epiphany of the day.

That moment you look down at your feet and say, "My toenails are getting all Howard Hughes."

I'ts a sign for people like me, a journalist, mum (sounds better with a British accent--more brisk), screenwriter, bloggger, musician, visionary, idea-monger to slow the frick down and engage in some real self-care.

It's as simple as taking a long bath or shower. The kind where you shave and afterwords cut your nails. Maybe put some bubble bath and something that smells good in the water, just to remind yourselves you like yourself.

Am I the only one who is running so fast on this treadmill that I sometimes almost fall off?

Wednesday, October 5, 2016

Epigram of the Day: "Opposites Attract"



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Song of the Day: "Riptide" by Vance Joy














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This Flic Flac edit of "Riptide" by Vance Joy is really splendid.

—Sarah Torribio

Song of the Day: "Jupiters" by Four Tet













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This song "Jupiters" from Four Tet is from outer space and I love it. What electronic sorcery is this? I want to be a part of it.

—Sarah Torribio

Etsy Shopping Find of the Day. . .

These red Mary Jane shoes with authentic Indonesian fabric, available at the IAmSigourney shop on etsy.com are so  wonderful, and $90 is not beyond the pale for well-made, funky, classy custom shoes like these. Add these to my gimme list!


Etsy Shopping Find of the Day. . .

I love all of the wares at TheRedUmbrellaShop on Etsy but this sunset-tree modern pillow is especially appealing to me. It costs $30 and I want it.


Song of the Day: "Pursuit of Happiness" by Kid Cudi featuring MGMT















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I just heard that Kid Cudi has checked himself into rehab over depression and suicidal impulses. As someone who fights the good battle over depression and anxiety, I wish him the best and salute him for being open about his issues.

We really are all the same. I would like to say I have an encyclopedic knowledge of music but it's an encyclopedia with pages torn out, especially in the area of hip-hop. So I just listened to Kid Cudi's "Pursuit of Happiness" featuring MGMT. I love the way genres are being blurred by all of these collaborations.

Good luck in your pursuit of happiness, my celebrity friend.

—Sarah Torribio



Song of the Day: "Dirty Little Secret" by All American Rejects (acoustic)















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I don't usually like "unplugged" versions of songs but for some reason I prefer the acoustic rendition of "Dirty Little Secret" by All American Rejects. My emo heart is singing.

—Sarah Torribio





Song of the Day: "Tracy Jacks" by Blur














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I just got turned onto "Tracy Jacks" by Blur. It's very David Bowie-esque but then gets a bit Foster the People when it comes to the Beach Boys harmonies toward the end.

—Sarah Torribio


Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Song of the Day: "Memories" by Missing Words















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I know! My DJ-ness is becoming obnoxious. But ever since I joined LetsLoop.com, I am constantly coming across lovely alt and indie rock songs like "Memories" by Missing Words. Totally worth a listen. And it's real brand-new, so you'll be hearing more of this.

—Sarah Torribio




Song of the Day: "Darkest Ocean" by All Tvvins















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Here is another great discovery by All Tvvins, a song called "Darkest Ocean." There's kind of a Bloc Party vibe in this song.

Spoiler alert. This song has an F-bomb in a prominent place, so don't blast it at work unless it's that kind of party there.

—Sarah Torribio





Song of the Day: "Thank You" by All Tvvins















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I am really liking "Thank You" by All Tvvins, an alt indie pop band edged with some appealing darkness. I present this as my song of the day with enthusiasm!

—Sarah Torribio

Etsy Shopping Find of the Day. . .

I love funky rings and I also like to include items at all kinds of different price points for my shopping find recommendations. Hence, I give you this handmade Lotus Flower Ring  from the danslairdutemps shop on Etsy. It costs $7.94 and is adorable as well as full of yogic good vibes.


Song of the Day: "Get a yes" by Sad13














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This song, another by Sad13 called "Get a Yes" is so charming. The singer is Sadie Dupuis of Speedy Ortiz, I just learned thanks to the Google machine, so now I want to look into Speedy Ortiz, with which I'm completely unfamiliar.

I so love sugar-coated girl rockers. And there's so much Liz Phair and That Dog to this Ms. Dupuis, which is a good thing.

—Sarah Torribio




Song of the Day: "Trust Nobody" by Cashmere Cat ft. Selena Gomez














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This new song by producer Cashmere Cat, "Trust Nobody," featuring Selena Gomez is a very nice piece of synth-pop. It's a nice hanging out 'round the house groove.

—Sarah Torribio







My latest electronic composition. .

It's called "That's Alright," and I, burgeoning ambient artist Sarah Torribio, created the song on a combination of GarageBand and Beatlab. The song is free to listen and for download—just type in zero under amount.




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Monday, October 3, 2016

Song of the Day: "Young" by Vallis Alps















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I just happened across another good song, a rich brew called "Young" by an outfit called Vallis Alps. It's pretty and melancholy with layered electro-ambience.

—Sarah Torribio


Song of the Day: "Daisy Eyes" by I Know Leopard














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My compelling music discovery of the day so far, found—as is becoming my habit—on LetsLoop.com, is "Daisy Eyes" by I Know Leopard. There's a touch of Arctic Monkeys meets Coldplay to this song. I may well need to delve deeper into this group's catalog.

—Sarah Torribio





Saturday, October 1, 2016