Trying to find beauty tonight, and striving to ask the right questions of the universe, but feeling shaky about it all. Trying to put the right words out there, the right prayers, the right hopes, so that joy floods into my life and makes me full. Some days this is easier to do than others. Sometimes its hard to even be right here, in this moment, even for a moment without fragmenting into worry and what-ifs.
Thank you for writing all your little rituals–the things you do to find solace and serentity and balance every day. I loved reading them.
I still haven’t made it back onto Dh’s computer to get the song title print-out for that running mix (which is totally embarrasingly 80’s, but definitely rockin’!)…but in the meantime, anyone who hasn’t checked out Pandora should, immediately. I’m so undaring when it comes to buying CDs, and I almost never hear new music on the radio (I listen to NPR on the way to work.) This has become my way to venture into new uncharted music territory.. I’d love to know: who are your top five favorite musicians right now?

It would seem that my taste in music changes seasonally. At the moment my favorite five are:
1. corinne bailey rae
2. chris botti
3. kt tunstall
4. lavay smith (& her red hot skillet lickers)
5. my all time favorite crooner, frank sinatra
Oh, and if you are into the 80’s music (don’t be embarrassed!) you may want to check out cyndi lauper’s cd “the body acoustic”, it came out in 2005. She did some updated versions of her old songs and some great duets.
Katie Melua
The Daddies
K.T. Tunstall
Beth Orton
all my old 80s cassette tapes
oh, Pandora is *fabulous* – i’ve found so many new artists that i love via them, and iTunes of course…
Deb Talan (always)
Treva Blomquist
Janove Ottesen
Imogen Heap
Keane
I, too, am a huge fan of Pandora. My current top five are:
Juanes
Tiziano Ferro
Nek
Zucchero
The Gotan Project
Hubert von Goisern
Katie Melua (though I only have one single of hers)
KT Tunstall
Music from “Kristina frÃ¥n Duvemala”
and a soft spot for “Do Wah Diddy Diddy” by Manfred Mann
Metric
Stars
arcade fire
emiliana torrini
belle & sebastian
I am such a boting person. I listen to Georgia Public Radio most of the time when I drive (I like the classical – it is calming when a toddler is screaming in the background). Or I listen to recordings of This American Life from NPR. The only other thing I religiously listen to is Penguin Cafe Orchestra.
I like to know more about what a person likes before recommending music, but one way that I find new indie artists is http://www.kexp.org. It’s an independent radio station out of Seattle that you can stream. You’ll hear enough of old stuff to make you feel relevant, but you’ll get first dibs on new indie stuff (i.e. Arcade Fire way before it hit the OC).
Lately I’ve been listening to:
Peter, Bjorn, and John
Sufjan Stevens
Elliot Smith
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Band of Horses
Have a listen to archives of John in the Morning and see what you think.
Oh, this is the juice of my life:
Todd Snider (clever and touching)
Dave Alvin (deep storyteller)
Jackie Greene (comparable to Bob Dylan, really!)
Paul Thorn (funny, but can be serious too)
John Butler Trio (wonderful young Aussie)
Honestly, give them a try. You will want to listen to them non-stop.
If you really want to open your ears, listen to kpig.com from Santa Cruz CA. Incredible eclectic mix.
Prince
Mozart
A little of a lot of others.
Did I mention PRINCE?
I forgot to mention your beautiful pictures! I’ve been engulfed in the white rose for fifteen minutes. So fluid and calming and beautiful.
At this moment:
1.) Neko Case (The fox Confessor is amazing!)
2.) Indigo Girls
3.) Portis Head
4.) Postal Service
5.) Lucinda Williams
Wow it is hard to name just 5! I love music…
Pandora is awesome! Thanks for that link!
1. Diane Cluck
2. Regina Spektor
3. Kimya Dawson
4. Gillian Welch
5. Jaco Pastorius
1. corrine bailey rae
2. see #1
3. I’m the worst kind of music listener– I get into one thing at a time and get obsessive and singular about it and listen to nothing else . . .
i love to see what others are listening to (i am an NPR junkie, and stream this american life whenever i can)
music:
carla bruni
prince
neko case
calexico
lucinda williams
None of this is great for working out to – although there are some on Snow Patrol’s album. I am in a really mellow mood right now and that’s reflected in these pics..
1. John Mayer – Continuum Album
2. Corinne Bailey Rae – Self titled Album
3. Mat Kearney – Nothing Left to Lose Album
4. The Wailin’ Jennys – 40 Days Album
5. Snow Patrol – Final Straw Album
Hon. Mention – Amos Lee
I have the strangest musical tastes — I like nearly everything. My lastest listens (on headphones at a desk at work all day or on my MP3):
John Mayer
Diana Krall
Justin Timberlake (sorry, I know, but I do like him!!)
and my two old standbys:
Jackson Browne
Paul Simon (and Simon&Garfunkle)
I don’t really listen to a lot of new music — but definitely check out
Obadiah Parker (obadiahparker.com)
and Ben Folds
other stand-bys –
Barenaked Ladies
Harry Connick, Jr
Paul Simon
and in no particular order…
1) tori amos
2) the be good tanyas…hello love, chinatown and blue horse
3) bjork…vespertine
4) the postal service
5) john mayer
I’m a song type of person. So here are a few of those:
Katie Melua – Crawling Up a Hill
Mika – Lollypop and Grace Kelly
Jack Johnson – Staple it together
Take That – Shine (I can hardly believe this myself! I mean – Take That, hellooo…? But that song rocks!)
Incubus – Drive
What a mix