Friday music recommendation: Duet edition

Watching this week's episode of Glee, I was reminded yet again how much I adore male/female duets. Kristin Chenoweth and Matthew Morrison rocking out karaoke-style to Heart's "Alone" made me sit up straighter, open my eyes wider, and strain my ears to catch every note. Here it is below if you missed it (a better version can be found in the full episode, which you can watch on Hulu):



Embedded below are my very favorite male/female duets, in no particular order since I cherish each and every one of them:

Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash, "It Ain't Me Babe" (actually, it's pretty much a three-way tie between this, "Jackson," and "If I Were A Carpenter")


Slow Club, "Christmas TV"


Gentle, folky, sweet, and charming. I must have listened to this song 30 or 40 times in the span of a week. It still hasn't gotten old.

The Postal Service, "Nothing Better"


Still makes me tear up, years after my first listen. The part that gets me is her "Just back away and let me go" followed by his "I can't, my darling, I love you so." God, this one is heartrending if you've been through a difficult breakup; it paints such a realistic picture of the dissolution of a relationship.

Rhett Miller and Rachael Yamagata, "Fireflies"


Another sweet, wistful tune about love lost. I've loved both of these artists so fiercely for so many years now, it's no wonder I'm crazy about this duet.

Stars, "Your Ex-Lover Is Dead"


When I first heard these lyrics, I was dumbstruck; I was finally healing from a major heartbreak, and the song described so perfectly how I felt at that moment in time: "You were what I wanted / I gave what I gave / I'm not sorry I met you / I'm not sorry it's over / I'm not sorry there's nothing to save." I still feel that way, and the song still speaks to me as strongly as it did the first time I heard it.

Chairlift, "Bruises"


Pamie first brought this song to my attention a few months ago, and it makes me smile. It's as simple as that. Just a fun, sweet, swoony song. :)

Rachael Yamagata also sings a duet with Ray LaMontagne on her latest album (the song is called "Duet," naturally) that's absolutely stunning, but the only videos out there feature Rachael solo. That's obviously not a bad thing, but to get the full effect, you really need to listen to the original version of the song on the album.

Any other male/female duets I should add to my list?

Catch-up...and a Monday music recommendation!

Hey, I have a blog! Whaddya know?

Sorry for the lapse in posting. I've been buried under a deluge of work, personal obligations, and, well, Twitter. (I have to blame Twitter here, just a little bit. It's the only way I can stay connected to the world these days.)

Since I last posted, I've traveled to Florida to surprise my friend Carley at her bridal shower (she's getting married this Saturday!), bought a new Nikon D60 and taken it out on a couple of test runs, and...completely and utterly failed to keep up with my fitness regimen. Damn. I knew that wouldn't last. BUT! I'm going to get back on track. See, there are these wooded hiking trails! And there's a bike to ride! And the dog needs walking! I need these exclamation points to get me motivated!

Outside of work and spending time with family, I've pretty much been confined to the computer screen (see?) and the TV (sad, I know). It's not all bad, though. Extensive couch time means I've been able to keep up with some of the best shows on TV right now (I'm looking at you, Breaking Bad and In Treatment... not to mention Lost. And the nonstop hilarity of How I Met Your Mother and new show Party Down). And I keep discovering new music, thanks to Twitter. Gotta love those Blip.fm recommendations!

Speaking of music, I finally caught up to the rest of the world and figured out that Amanda Fucking Palmer is a mad genius. I don't know what took me this long, but I'm now completely obsessed. Besotted, even. She's amazing - so creative and talented and fearless and strong and balls-out awesome. See for yourself:

"Leeds United"


"Oasis" (possibly the cheeriest song about date rape and abortion that you'll ever hear)


"Astronaut"


"What's the Use of Won'drin'?" (the video for this is so great)


Quick info on AFP: Amanda is one half of the piano-drums duo The Dresden Dolls (self-described as "punk cabaret;" she's the piano half). Ben Folds produced her solo album, Who Killed Amanda Palmer? (a riff on Twin Peaks's "Who Killed Laura Palmer?" tagline, dontcha know!), and Neil Gaiman is writing stories to accompany photos in her forthcoming book, also titled Who Killed Amanda Palmer? God...what can I say about this woman that hasn't already been said? I mean, she performed a cover of "Creep" in the back of a London taxicab (part of the utterly brilliant Black Cab Sessions) with a ukulele and a cast on her foot! Here are some great shots taken by Mind On Fire at the secret LA show she played recently for her Twitter fans.

Okay, last Amanda video, I promise! Here's her (brilliant) plea to be dropped from her record label, with whom she's famously clashed a few times:


Before I go, I have one last treat for you. Remember Snakes on a Plane? Well, here's the famous line...edited for TV. Oh, to be in the room when this line was conceived.


Seriously.

"I have had it with these monkey-fighting snakes on this Monday-to-Friday plane!"

Awesome.

...Wow.

MUTO a wall-painted animation by BLU from blu on Vimeo.

I have no idea how this was done, but I'm simultaneously awed, horrified, thrilled, disgusted, intrigued, impressed, and flummoxed. That means it's good art, right?

Friday music recommendation #13

I love Twitter.

I admit, I was skeptical at first, but now I don't know what I'd do without it. It's how I get a lot of my news; it's how I keep up with some of my favorite actors and writers. It's where I find some of the best music, photos, videos, websites, recipes, and stories. And, of course, it's one of the many ways I can communicate with my wonderful, witty friends. All in 140 characters or less. Brevity is a beautiful thing.

I started out following only a few people, mostly people I know, but that number has climbed steadily; now I'm following nearly 90 people (...NINETY?!). I still don't quite know how that happened, and I spend far too much time reading everyone's posts (I still can't bring myself to call them 'tweets'), but this ever-evolving community of really cool people makes the time suck...kinda worth it. Really.

(This is supposed to be a music recommendation post, right? Right. On with the music!)

A couple weeks ago, actor John Cabrera posted a link to a song on Twitter, describing it as "Bowie-big." That piqued my curiosity, and, one listen later, led me to an instant obsession with a young Norwegian singer-songwriter named Sondre Lerche (such a lovely, lyrical name, don't you think?). Only 19 when his first album was released in 2002, he's since released four more, including a jazz album and a film soundtrack (for Dan in Real Life).

Overall, his sound tends toward the kind of sunny, dreamy, fun, and complex pop that I adore. I hear Beck, the Beatles, the Fratellis, and Elvis Costello in his voice and his song arrangements. I also hear jazz, swing, rock, bossa nova, '60s pop... just really interesting, varied, sophisticated, thoughtful songcraft that moves easily and assuredly from soft, sweet, melodic ballads to upbeat, rock-tinged pop. I love the music, but I'm also impressed by it. And did I mention that I love his voice? And his lovely falsetto?

Sigh. I think I'm in love.

What do you think?

"Two Way Monologue"


"On the Tower"


"My Hands Are Shaking"


"The Tape"


"Sleep on Needles"


"Phantom Punch"

Courage Campaign

Please go here and learn about the Courage Campaign. Its goal is to help protect the 18,000 (yes: eighteen THOUSAND) marriages in California that are now in danger of being legally dissolved thanks to bigots like Ken Starr (don't even get me started...). I've said my piece many times over already, so I'll just leave you with the below video, which pretty much sums up my feelings on the subject. (It does break my heart!)


"Fidelity": Don't Divorce... from Courage Campaign on Vimeo.

Can I have one?

I want a precocious, wildly imaginative, French-speaking toddler! Can someone ship me one? Pretty please?


Once upon a time... from Capucha on Vimeo.

Thanks to Jaden (aka Steamy Kitchen) for posting the link!

Friday music recommendation #12

I can't believe I haven't recommended this band before, but I checked, and nope -- no How I Became the Bomb anywhere in my archives. How can that be?

See, my dear friend Adam is in this band. And he's delightful. Delightful and very, very talented. The fact that he's combined forces with four other delightful, talented guys to create fun, eccentric, witty music just makes the world a better place, I think. They have quite the following in Nashville (their first EP, Let's Go!, did really well at the independent record stores there), and from what I understand, they put on a hell of a live show (sometimes with costumes! Sadly, I have yet to experience them live. Damn geography). I fully expect to see them headlining a major music festival some day. They're pretty awesome.

Enough preamble -- on with the music! Here are a few selections.

My current favorite: "Tomorrow's Date"

"Secret Identity"


"Bar Song"


"Salvage Mission"


"Mothership"

Callie

Tonight, Callie did something I've never seen (heard) her do before. She got so upset about the cat sniffing a plate of baklava that she barked at her sharply, then whined pitifully for a solid three minutes. I got some of it on video (I had to be sneaky, so I couldn't get a shot of her face, but Jay assures me that it was hilarious).



The noise she makes at around 0:32 makes me giggle especially hard.

HIMYM, again

Yet another reason why I love How I Met Your Mother:

Barney Stinson's Video Resume

The one featured on the show itself was longer (and even more awesome), but this is a good tease. I'm going to be singing that song for the next week, guaranteed (references available!).

HIMYM has a history of creating websites and other extras based on throwaway references made by the characters. They know how to reward their fans, and I love them for it. Here's a sampling:

Ted Mosby Is a Jerk

Barney's blog

Robin Sparkles

Lily and Marshall Sell Their Stuff

And of course, there's The Bro Code.

Man, could this show be any greater? I think not.

EDIT: Found another one! MysteriousDrX

Happy distractions

Things making me happy this week, in no particular order:

This picture:

I accidentally captured this doofy expression one afternoon last week, and I still can't look at it without cracking up.

This song:


And this song:


Central Market's spinach & feta chicken sausage. Yum.

My new peacock earrings:


This book:


Christian Bale losing his shit on the set of Terminator: Salvation. Now imagine him delivering that verbal beatdown in his ridiculous, raspy Batman voice. Gold!

The fact that I haven't wanted to quit my exercise/healthier eating plan yet. I'm feeling optimistic, even if the actual physical exertion part sucks mightily. (It still does, if you were wondering.)

(Yes, I know it's only Tuesday, but I have to divert myself with such pleasant thoughts if I have any hope of making it to Friday unscathed.)

Friday music recommendation #11

It's been a while since I've posted one of these! I guess I got a little bogged down in more serious posting, but I'm ready to start the music series up again. I've been listening to a ton of new music in the last couple of months, so I have a lot to recommend. Let's start with Santogold.

Anyone who knows my taste in music might be a little surprised that I like an artist with such pronounced '80s/new wave and dance/electronica influences, but there's something entirely infectious about Santogold's music. It's kind of punk, kind of pop, kind of funk, and I can't seem to stop listening to it. Sometimes, her voice reminds me of Gwen Stefani's; other times, she sounds a little like Debbie Harry. But you really can't pigeonhole her -- she's a unique voice right now. Her first album just came out last year, so I'm looking forward to what should be an interesting career.

"Lights Out"


"L.E.S. Artistes"


"You'll Find a Way"

100th post...with actual opinions!

Behold...my 100th post! On the one-year anniversary of this site, no less.

By design, I've kept this space pretty light in the year I've been tending it. There are so many maddening, depressing things going on in this world, and I spend enough time fuming about them privately to have much desire to add to the global diatribe in a more public forum. But even though this blog has had a fairly frivolous bent, I can't help but speak up every now and then about weightier issues. And since November 5th, one of those issues has plagued my thoughts almost constantly. It's the issue of equality -- of affording every human being on this planet the same rights and privileges under the law. I still can't believe we're debating that question, but here we are.

The topic has conjured a host of emotional responses in me -- outrage; frustration; fear; sadness; amazement. When I saw Milk last month, I commented to Jay that it was incredible how much and how little had changed in 30 years. Yes, as a country we've made undeniable strides in the last three decades. There's more acceptance overall, more willingness to understand other people's lifestyle choices without passing judgment. But when it comes to a vote, the majority of people are answering those questions with the same fear, intolerance, and hate as they always have, using the same specious arguments that have been debunked over and over again for decades.

The one that really angers me is the equation of homosexuality to bestiality -- you know, the old "If we let 'the gays' marry, what's next? A man marrying his dog?" line of reasoning. Frankly, I find that particular argument shamefully offensive. How can you compare the relationship between two mature, loving, consenting human beings to a man fucking his dog? No one's trying to legalize bestiality or child molestation -- heinous acts of violation that harm defenseless, non-consenting beings. People fighting against crap like Prop 8 are only trying to ensure that adults can marry other adults. Because they love each other. How in the world is that wrong?

Another argument I've heard is that a same-sex union is not an ideal environment to raise children. First of all, numerous scientific studies have shown just the opposite; it's the love, support, and commitment of the parents that matter, not the parents' gender. And second of all, if you're placing restrictions on who should raise children, why don't we start with addicts, or gang members, or, hell, convicted child molesters? And finally, who ever said that you have to be able to raise children in order to get married? Our species certainly isn't in any trouble of dying out, so that isn't the issue. I don't see how this can possibly be used by any reasonably well-informed person as an argument against gay marriage, but it's one of the most prevalent arguments out there.

Let's face it, in California you can marry a prison inmate, but not your same-sex partner of 5 or 10 or 20 years. Hell, if you're gay, a couple of straight, married, crackhead drug dealers have more rights than you do. And why? Because you have the same body parts as the person you love? Because you don't like to have sex with someone of the opposite sex?

Okay, seriously, this one really bugs me: what any person does in the privacy of his or her own home should never, ever be an issue in any argument against gay marriage. First of all, you want to outlaw sodomy? Then you should go ahead and lock up most of the straight couples I know. And more importantly, why should anyone be denied equal rights and privileges under the law just because some people aren't comfortable with their sexual proclivities? Lord knows I find the idea of people who eat each other's shit disgusting, but I would never claim that they shouldn't be allowed to get married because of it. That's just ludicrous.

And finally, I already addressed the religious argument in my last post on the subject, but even if there are objections to gay marriage on religious grounds, I feel I need to point out that we don't live in a theocracy. Even though the lines between church and state are blurred more than I'd like, they do still exist, and we should not let anyone's religion decide the fate of millions of people. And yet that's essentially what's happening in our country.


Jon Stewart vs. Mike Huckabee

I think one problem is that it's easy for some people to rest on exclusionary rhetoric when it's in the abstract. I believe that a lot of people would benefit from knowing a gay couple, or a gay person. Perhaps they'd realize that they're all (we're all) just people -- not "special," not "different," not "them" -- just human beings who want the same things as everyone does, who want to have a place and a voice in their own country. I'd wager that it's a lot more difficult to coherently relate any anti-gay marriage reasoning to a gay couple in love. When there's an actual human face on the issue, when it's someone's life and happiness you're trying to wreck? Not so easy.

I still want to know -- what are people so afraid of? What do they think is going to happen if gay marriage is legalized? Plenty of other countries, and even a couple states in our own country, allow gay marriage, and they're no worse for it. Our society isn't going to collapse because we give everyone equal rights. In fact, I'd argue that it'd get even better without all the friction, the anger and frustration and distrust dividing people down religious and party lines.

To sum up, I've yet to hear any sane, logical reason why gay people shouldn't be allowed to marry. I truly believe that the majority of people who are against gay marriage haven't given it much thought beyond the initial gut reaction (confusion? fear of change? fear of 'the other'?). And I find it outrageous that the same prejudices continue to find new voices generation after generation, the same way racism and misogyny are passed along. Few things are more dangerous than unexamined beliefs.

I don't want to be a total downer, so how 'bout a humorous take on the subject? Look, it's Prop 8: The Musical!

The Natalie rap

Wow. Just...wow. I never imagined that the sentence "Natalie Portman raps" would make me burst into actual giggles of the non-mocking variety, but that was before I watched this video:



WHAT!

[Nothing much to see here these days. I'm treading water in the Sea of Exhaustion, enjoying my new MacBook (evil temptress though she is!), and watching lots of TV while snuggled up under blankets. 'S all I can manage for now. More to come when I emerge from this slight funk.]

Entertainment overdose

Argh, I wish I could shake this constant fatigue! It seems I'm only capable of lying around watching movies or reading when I'm not at work. That Netflix instant viewing option is dangerous, I tell you. Since Friday, I've watched Bull Durham (which is still funny and charming 20 years after it was made), Becoming Jane (historical inaccuracy be damned, I found myself totally engrossed by the love story), and sex, lies, and videotape (I swear, I never found James Spader sexy before Secretary, but now? Oh my god. It's that cold, impassive, vaguely reptilian face of his). I also watched Kung Fu Panda and True Romance yesterday, both of which I absolutely loved.

Yeah, it's been a lazy few weeks.

I started reading The Age of Innocence a few days ago -- its brilliance stands in stark contrast to the majority of so-called "literature" written today. I'm taking it slow, trying to savor the language and absorb the sharp social critique and stinging wit, and so far, it's been an absolute joy. I'd only read Wharton's The House of Mirth before, so this is a treat. Surprisingly relevant to modern society, too.

Speaking of brilliant works of fiction: ABC, how could you give up on a show as joyful, colorful, and witty as Pushing Daisies? It's a beautiful, romantic, clever, silly, magical, whimsical love letter to language, and it makes me smile until my face hurts every single week. And after January (barring a miracle), I won't get to bask in it anymore. Yet Private Practice lives on to bore and annoy? There is no justice.

Ok, I've prattled on long enough. I'll leave you with some songs I'm digging right now:

"Time to Pretend" (MGMT)

"Sex on Fire" (Kings of Leon)

"You Are the Best Thing" (Ray LaMontagne)


"The Chain" (Ingrid Michaelson)


"So They Say" (from Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog)

Cat in a box

Nightmares

Thank you, EW.com. The Hugga Bunch wasn't even on my radar until today, and now I'm going to have lifelong nightmares.



Oh, god, it's so horrifying!

Laughing babies...dammit, I'm a marshmallow

Okay, I know it's totally at odds with my cynicism, but I am a sucker for laughing babies. Especially the belly laughs. They're freaking adorable. MSN posted a gallery of a dozen or so laughing baby videos today; check it out below.

You know you want to.

I'd seen a couple of them before, and this one is hands-down my favorite:



Never fails to crack me up.

Friday music recommendation

Once I hear Fountains of Wayne's "Traffic and Weather," I can't get it out of my head for days. Probably because I usually listen to it at least twice in a row if it comes up on shuffle. I can't help it - it's so catchy, and funny, and kinda sexy. The live version below doesn't quite match the awesomeness of the album version, but it's definitely worth a listen (or three).



Go forth and seek out Fountains of Wayne -- from that same album, "New Routine," "Someone to Love," and "Strapped for Cash" are all great, and from their self-titled debut, I'd definitely recommend "Leave the Biker" and "You Curse At Girls." And of course, there's always "Stacy's Mom" if you're into that. Love these guys!

15 years ago

Ohhh wow. Footage of Radiohead's performance of "Creep" on the very first Late Night with Conan O'Brien show. This is what's missing from the majority of performers today - total immersion in their music, the complete fucking brilliance of letting go and becoming possessed with the spirit of the song. It's so...genuine, for lack of a better word. It has nothing to do with images, or products, or sales, or money, or sex (though it's certainly sexy seeing Thom Yorke perform with total abandon, fearless and powerful. You can't deny the man is talented, even he isn't to your taste). It's organic and entirely mesmerizing.

HOUSE!! (and some funnies, too)

The shitstorm of last week has finally passed - hallelujah! I'm thrilled to bits at the moment, actually. The weather is gorgeous, I've moved a ton of stuff into the new HOUSE!!, Jay and I cooked our first meal there last night, the animals seem to be comfortable, and I'm completely smitten with this whole thing. I even love my sore calves, which, frankly, needed the workout. Oh, and I'm going to buy an elliptical machine for our workout room, which we've already outfitted with a few free weights and a yoga mat. I love life right now.

Here are two videos that got me through a rough day last week. Laughter really does help you put things into perspective, you know?