this has been a difficult week after the earthquake in haiti.

when something real happens it makes the whole world stop.

usually people can relate to one another but at this time, it is different.

the united states seem to be doing all in their power to keep it strong.

and you wonder what can you really do? but hope and pray

that things will get better and let those that don’t know

everything will be okay.

♥♥♥

listen: stranded (Haiti Mon Amour)
by jay-Z,  bono, the edge & rihanna

donate: www.hopeforhaitinow.org

images: boston.com

video: coldplay :: a message :: hopeforhaitinow

and if you don’t love me
let me go

The Decemberists – The Engine Driver

Aimee Man – The Engine Driver (Cover)

(From the 2005 album “Picaresque”, The Decemberists created their song The Engine Driver as catchy and meaningful as can be. Escaping throughout the chorus is a longing shared within a heartbreak and like all great lessons learned, sometimes it is truly better to love than to never have loved at all.)

One of the saddest and greatest Bjork songs ever.

i’m so… completely unhealable, baby

“I recorded ‘So Broken’ that infamous week for me, the week of the bomb. The only way for me to write a song about it was just to take the piss. I wrote it in my house hitting the table singing, ‘I’m so broken (in corny, overwrought voice), olé!’ I was going to have the sound of washing dishes and three kids screaming; it would be a soap opera. Then I went to the studio in Spain and met the flamenco guitarist who plays on the track and stayed there for six months recording.”

MP3 :: Bjork & Raimundo Amador -- So Broken
(Live on Jools Holland, 1998)

Being able to see Beyoncé two weeks ago at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut was surreal.  Ever since the show it’s been impossible to go through a day and not listen to her music.  This time though it’s not because Beyoncé is heard always on the radio, it’s because when reflecting on her concert, her vocals, choreography, charisma, dancing, presence was absolutely illuminating. A good sign of seeing a good concert is when you just can’t stop listening to the music, because you want to.

Watching Beyoncé on stage, and understanding how much she puts into her own tour is overwhelming.  Between five different types of dress changes and the way each scene’s background blends in with the lights as the film-like video cameras circle around the stage and capture Beyoncé’s every moment.  She cascades from side to side, down and up stairs dressed so beautifully in a bright white gown that flows against an ocean-like background, and then soars throughout the air back-flipping into the sky while glittering inside yards of a gold dress and flying within seconds to a second stage in the middle of the stadium’s floor.

Still days even after seeing her show, it’s still almost unbelievable to have witnessed Beyoncé live.  The crowd is so diversified, and every person that attends knows all the words, even the scattered men throughout the crowd love it too.  It’s entertainment with elegance and times of pure naughtiness that make you finally see what Beyonce’s side persona Sasha Fierce resembles. Recommended for all fans of new and old, as she honestly showcases truly all the hard work of creating a world tour, and what it takes to be a true performer.

Only love is all maroon
Gluey feathers on a flume
Sky is womb and she’s the moon

Bon Iver and My Brightest Diamond performed a duet live last Sunday at a benefit for the Red Hot Organization, and shared together a reprise version of Bon Iver’s single Flume. Inside New York’s Radio City Music Hall, the acoustic instrumentation along with combination of beautiful vocals provided a chilling rendition.

On April 9, Bat for Lashes performed inside the BBC Radio One Live Lounge and showcased a cover of Kings of Leon’s “Use Somebody”.  Delicate in all its detail, the sheer simplicity of an organ and tambourine so effortlessly challenge the meaning behind masculine lyrics, that blend into a feminine masquerade of pure dark yearning.

L I S T E N Use Somebody

i’ve been roaming around, always looking down at all i see. painted faces fill the places i can’t reach. you know that i could use somebody, you know that i could use somebody, someone like you…

Remembering fifteen years ago, the legacy of Kurt Cobain lives on.

Hi, my name is Oded and I was fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to try and contribute a little bit to Music is Art (I usually blog on Laughing Evergreens). I must admit, it was hard for me to get the idea for this first post. I was at a loss at first.

So I took my iPod and went outside to sit in the sun for a few minutes, listening. And then it finally struck me – trying too hard has dulled my senses and feeling. I cranked up the volume and listened, really listened – and ended up finding my muse right where it all began, where it always begins for me – music (Note to self: when in doubt, trust in the music).

And I trust Amit Erez, a young indie singer-songwriter who follows the musical footsteps of Elliott Smith, and his music. Shy and introvert behind the scenes, he channels his soul in lyrics and melody on stage, remaining true to himself.

I wanted to insert a video of Amit Erez performing an instrumental version of a new song from his coming album (a beautiful piece that can stand on its own as a pseudo-classical work), but Wordpress still baffles me. Perhaps another time. Till then, you can watch it here.

L I S T E N:
Amit Erez – Falling Trees (Live) (from Conquered by Rain)

Brighton’s Natasha Khan of Bat for Lashes releases her sophmore album, Two Suns on April 6, 2009.  With help from special guests including Scott Walker, Yeasayer and her destructive alter ego, Pearl, Bat for Lashes’ sound provides a heart-wrenching experiment of vivid imagery, intimate lyrics, cascading keys, heavy percussion and restless beats. Dedicated to the follow up to 2006’s Fur & Gold,  Two Suns is personally described best as “a record of modern-day fables exploring dualities on a number of levels – two lovers, two planets, two sides of a personality,”  and with a deep philosophy based on “the self and duality, examining the need for both chaos and balance, for both love and pain, in addition to touching on metaphysical ideas concerning the connections between all existence.”

L I S T E N

Daniel
[Two Suns, 2009]

Sweet Dreams

What’s a Girl to Do?

[From the BBC Radio One Live Lounge, a single from Fur & Gold, and a cover of the Eurythmics]

A R T W O R K
Karolina Partyka

be the change you want to see.

coping with fear by broken family band

there goes the fear by doves

now there’s that fear again by mum

of fear and wonder by my brightest diamond

creature fear [daytrotter session] by bon iver

[don't fear] the reaper by blue oyster cult

fearless by pink floyd

A R T W O R K ainoha

last week, victoria’s secret celebrated the return of their annual fashion show.  almost like a holiday tradition, like watching the macy’s day parade or rudoloph the red-nosed reindeer, the victoria’s secret fashion show has become not like just any ordinary runway extravaganza. lingerie is selected from the eclectic collection and each piece is artistically adorned in thousands of hand-designed crystals, diamonds, feathers, ribbons, patterns that create a colorful and theatrical moving image within the glamorous backdrop of visual art, to the sound of eclectically remixed and live performed music.

featured music from the fashion show is driven by chosen live performers, selected by dj jeremy healy, victoria’s secret’s musical director and co-producer for many of the remixes played during the event. songs come alive and compliment each doll-like movement of the many models who smile throughout the different themes, attributing so much personal detail to the actual live runway show. although no soundtrack has been made exclusively available, please find below a sampled musical memory.

that’s not my name
by the ting tings [vs remix, 2008]

when you were young
by the killers [vs remix, 2006]

drop it like its hot/plaine, ma plaine
by snoop dogg/pharrell vs paul mauriat [vs remix, 2005]

amazing
by seal [vs remix, 2007]

i shot you down
by audio bullys vs nancy sinatra [vs remix, 2005]

beware of the dog/personal jesus
by jamelia vs depeche mode [vs remix, 2005]

last monday evening inside los angeles’ hollywood bowl, radiohead’s thom yorke and jonny greenwood acoustically performed live tell me why, a cover from neil young’s classic 1970 album “after the gold rush”. previously over the years, radiohead has enjoyed covering other neil young work such as on the beach (acoustically in 2003 on british radio), cinammon girl (live in paris, france in 2001) and after the gold rush (from thom’s 2002 bridge school benefit show on neil’s very own piano.)