Alexander Ebert, best known as the lead singer from Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, created a solo debut album released last March simply entitled “Alexander”. With sounds combining a mix of western with familiar whistles and brightly lit melancholy lyrics, Alexander provides the most infectious melodies, making a listener want to press repeat over and over and over again.

I’ve grown up some
Different kinda fighter
And when the darkness come, let it inside you
Your darkness is shining
My darkness is shining

Listen: Alexander – Truth

Toronto-based singer/songwriter Katie Stelmanis’ band Austra, released their debut album Feel It Break on May 17, 2011 by Paper Bag Records. Full of brooding sounds, pulsating harmonies, and spell-binding intensity, Austra’s music proved to be one of this past year’s most beautiful recordings.

Don’t wanna lose you, don’t wanna lose,
Don’t wanna lose you, don’t wanna lose.

Listen:

Austra – Lose It

It’s about that time to pick up my pen again.. and start writing.. and creating. I may never fit in with typical on-time music bloggers but am somehow perfectly content because what I share is based only when I’m moved by something. However, I really have missed sharing music while getting overwhelmed in the bubble of this so-called life. My little side project or hobby as my family likes to call it, of having the jewelry line *Couture by Lolita* has now rushed me into my big real-time dreams, and my heart is beginning to finally open up all the opportunities that I’ve always wanted to maintain as apart of my secret. In the last year, I overworked myself to the point of severe exhaustion, but believe my own business has lead to doing the most fulfilling work that I ever have.

Although I do love designing jewelry & accessories, my dreams will forever love the beauty and power of music — and that’s how it will remain. Sounds and lyrics effect my day to day, and are what I plan to always base my entire world on.  The way colors of notes, and wavelengths border patterns of beats to visual images are something that will continue to be embedded in my mind. Writing about the passion behind a musician’s biography, interviewing a genius who provides an extended amount of vulnerability and intensity, and standing underneath the lime lights of an electrifying live show are all things that challenge and lead to the success of why I even bother to express how these details inspire my sun-drenched, gypsy soul.

In the last few months, I’ve gathered music is art ideas under my sleeves and have been educating myself to strive harder not to only be a good woman, but to utilize my strengths into helping others who deserve the time and effort. This past January, I turned the adult age of 30 and celebrated my birthday as if I was gifted with the notion of finally understanding who I am. There are no more excuses, and there are no more past mistakes anymore. To my family, friends, strangers, people I may never know, and most importantly to myself, I promise that I will continue to be better in everything that I do, share, and am as a person this year. Even if it’s the simplest and smallest degree of change, deep down I know it will be worth all that I can give. It’s time! More soon…

~*~

Art: Eric Fortune

Listen: Gotye – Somebody That I Used to Know

(Making Mirrors, 2011)

I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes.

-Neil Gaiman-

~*~

Listen: Beyonce : I Was Here (4, 2011)

For the last month, I drove from the tip of Northern California’s wine country all the way down to San Diego and the Mexican border, east to the Grand Canyon and snow in the mountains of Arizona, the sandstorms of New Mexico, the saddening cattle meat packing farms of Texas, into the wild tornadoes of Oklahoma, the eerie bible belt of Missouri and Illinois, the changing leaves of Indiana, the darkness of Ohio, through the hills of New Jersey into the skyline of the best city in this world, New York City, and all to circle back once again to the deserts of California.

Driving over 9000 miles allows the mind too much time to wander through your own fears of the unknown. Most of us travel to discover a new reality however, those we share our real stories with may never understand the extremities of what we experience.

With each new state it was exciting to see the physicality of America, but inside internally heartbreaking and somehow inspiring to feel alone with no home and no direction on the road.

“Wherever you go there you are.”

The past haunted with tantalizing ghosts motioning the road towards crashing over canyons, snow peaks, and valleys. So blinding but impossible to forget what the imagination of pain, death, and cascading into a million little pieces feels like.

Crossing through lines of so many dark moments, my eyes opened to numerous sunrises and sunsets congratulating my completion of this test, and for making it across all of these scattered paths safely.

Throughout that journey, some of the songs I listened to over and over again are now remembered as the words and music that saved me. A few artists are secrets from my favorite songs of 2011, and the rest are old timeless songs that will always be cherished.

~*~

Please enjoy!

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds : If I Had A Gun… (Self Titled, 2011)

running away from yourself

your body, your mind

all your life

with each place

it’s easy to keep wondering

what brings us there

and what we are expecting to find

so we create our own distractions,

to figure out who we are and where we are going

until it’s realized the past is over

and all that matters right now is the present.

listen :: fleet foxes :: mykonos

you go wherever you go

you go today

you go wherever you go

you go today

you go wherever you go

you go today

..laying myself down..
..just to regret and that’s all..

After 15 years of waiting for something new, California’s Mazzy Star released two beautiful singles Lay Me Down, and Common Burn on October 31, 2011 through their private label Rhymes Of An Hour Records. Hope Sandoval and David Roback will soon entertain a series of tour dates in early 2012, and will release an entire LP of new material.

..when we can’t dream any longer, we die..
artwork by royal art lodge