aroraborealis

To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)
There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)
And a time for every purpose, under Heaven

A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep

To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)
There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)
And a time for every purpose, under Heaven

A time to build up, a time to break down
A time to dance, a time to mourn
A time to cast away stones, a time to gather stones together

To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)
There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)
And a time for every purpose, under Heaven

A time of love, a time of hate
A time of war, a time of peace
A time you may embrace, a time to refrain from embracing

To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)
There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)
And a time for every purpose, under Heaven

A time to gain, a time to lose
A time to rend, a time to sew
A time to love, a time to hate
A time for peace, I swear it's not too late

Last night, moominmolly, dilletante, N and I went to see Bobby McFerrin in Providence. Thanks to whoever it was who pointed out to me that show!

I've been having a super stressful week, and I actually got some extra-stressful news just before the concert, so there was a big part of me that was wishing it was happening any other week. Earlier in the day, I briefly considered skipping it.

But I didn't skip it! and I am so glad.

Bobby McFerrin's music is so wonderful and utterly playful, and hearing him live takes it to a whole new level, because it's not just the music he's playing with, but the people, too. His whole body is an instrument -- and an incredibly versatile one -- and also the auditorium and the people in it are instruments he plays with a grounded glee that is captivating.

And because each audience and venue is different, and he's always improvising, each time seeing him is completely different, so I really can't wait for the next time.

Over the weekend, I discovered these two videos, wherein passersby are asked what song they're listening to. They make me love people and the world:

New York City:


London:


Also, I discovered some new music as a result. Hooray!

What song are YOU listening to right now?

Last year sometime, I discovered Little People, which is this great downtempo electronic artist who immediately wound up on my list of go-to music to suit just about any mood.

Mostly, his tracks don't have lyrics, but Breathe Again is one that does. Although the melancholy content of the lyrics isn't really where my head or heart is today, I love the depth of feeling in the vocals. Why is it that melancholy is a feeling that dives so deep? I enjoy it even when I'm happy or content.

( Click through for lyrics )

What song(s) do you own more than one version/remix of?

What song(s) do you own more than 7 versions/remixes of?

My music library is a mess, and I'm trying, slowly, to make some sense of it. Tonight, my goal is to get rid of all (obvious) duplicates.

Along the way, I'm listening to a bunch of my music, some of which I haven't listened to in a while, and some of which I just downloaded, and some of which I listen to regularly because it's awesome, and I'm having that experience where ... well, I assume everyone has this experience sometimes, where you're listening to this song, and you see the next one that's coming up and you can hardly wait for it, but the one you're listening to right now is so so so good that you don't want to rush it, and the one you just finished was ALSO great and you're sad it's over, and you wish you could listen to ALL of it at once in an orgy of auditory gluttony. That happens to you, right?

Unlike so many sensory experiences, music can't be rushed. I both love and hate that about it.

I, like billions of other people in the world, love music. I love good music and I love bad music, and I love a lot of music in between. I love listening to it, dancing to it, reading to it, fucking to it, driving to it, and laying in the grass staring at the sky to it (among other things.)

One of my favorite things about music, is that it makes me feel new things -p hysical things, that is. Because one of the kinds of synesthesia that I have is sounds getting mixed up into physical sensations.

I was recently listening to the radio and heard OMG, by Usher, and there's a section in the refrain that "sound-feels" the way water feels as you slowly push through the surface tension with dry skin, and it's just friggin' bizarre and awesome.

Yesterday, I was again listening to the radio (pop music is one of my embarrassing weaknesses) and heard Like a G6 for the first time, and whatever the background sound is throughout basically the whole song is like having a trampoline in my torso.

Brains are weird (and awesome).

I have historically not listened to music when trying to fall asleep, because when I've tried, I've found that while it feels restful, it actually engages my brain and keeps me awake.

For a variety of reasons that aren't that interesting, I ended up feeling like music would help me sleep last night, after a couple of hours of not being able to, and I found something quiet and dreamy, and, indeed, I did fall asleep soon after putting it on. And I'm pretty sure the music was the reason, not just that I had sat up and kind of changed gears.

ANYWAY, this has me thinking that I should have more music to hand that I can experiment with for sleep; this is where you come in: advise me!

What I'm looking for is music that's pretty quiet and drifty. It absolutely must not have English or Spanish lyrics, and I really prefer a minimum of words at all, except perhaps for very slow chanting. If it has a beat, it should be very slow: less than 60bpm, and preferably less than that. Watery, foresty, windy sounds are great.

Beyond that, I'm kind of curious to hear what's out there. Do you have any recommendations? Leave them here! I'm more interested in artists and/or albums than particular songs, unless the songs are very long.

Do you have a favorite rendition of Amazing Grace? What is it?

What's a song I probably don't know, but should? Extra bonus points if you have a link to it or a file to send me.