Go here and watch this video for Shenandoah Davis's "We; Camera" in high quality. Listen to it on headphones. Listen to it again.
Here's the bio behind all this wonderfulness:
"After a childhood spent being homeschooled by her mother at the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains, Shenandoah Davis began teaching herself piano at the age of three and continued her classical studies up until college, where she decided to audition as a classical voice major despite having no prior vocal training because she worried that her self-taught technique would not be enough to gain her admittance. Studying classical voice, piano, jazz guitar and harp during college, she became frustrated with the 'tunnel vision' and politics of academia and, swearing off classical music after completing her degree, she began composing on her own. In the winter of 2006, a series of travels and tribulations led her to Seattle, where she currently resides.
In Shenandoah's American-gothic inspired songs, she weaves together strains of classical, ragtime and klezmer piano. 'We; Camera' was recorded in June of 2008 and has received rave reviews from Seattle's The Stranger, Seattle Weekly, Sound Magazine, as well as radio airplay up and down the West Coast and in her hometown of Boulder, Colorado. She is attending the Art Monastery this July in Umbria, Italy."
I get so excited hearing music by people with so much classical training, seeing how they employ their background in their own music. And it shows through here in all the best ways, while retaining this remarkable originality. I am amazed at how something can sound at once so familiar and so marvelously unique.
I am helplessly smitten with Johnny Flynn, and you all already know how I feel about Laura Marling, so here's a video of them together, doing "Travel Light" by Jeffrey Lewis and Diane Cluck. Plus, there's whistling.
Don't come at me with your geographical proofs and whatnot -- as long as I can believe it's Tuesday somewhere, I won't feel so bad about being late on this, as usual.
In honor of our ongoing affection for ukuleles and the ladies who play them, here's the ever-entrancing Amanda Palmer performing a cover of "Creep." On ukulele. Of course.
Blossom Dearie, the beautifully named and even more beautifully voiced jazz singer, died over the weekend at the age of 82. Other sites (like the one I link to below, for starters) will do a better job of eulogizing her than I can, so I'll leave that to them. But here's an example of her wonderful work from Schoolhouse Rock, "Unpack Your Adjectives," where she taught me all about describing things. So if my writing is overly adjective-laden, it's thanks to her. And I wouldn't have it any other way.
Below is a version of her well-known song "I'm Hip," showing off her girlish voice and her wit to particularly fine effect. Enjoy!
Because I'm a complete sap and this week is Valentine's Day, here's the video for Ra Ra Riot's "Can You Tell." I was left an absolute puddle by the end, what with the serenading and the flowers and the lyrics and the swings and the snow. And for some reason, most of all, the drumming on the door of the quiet, unopened house.
Guys, I have totally failed you. I had an opportunity to interview the winner of the Prix Constantin for 2008, Asa, a couple of weeks ago. My computer broke at the most inopportune time possible, and that opportunity flew on by without me.
But I wanted to share this video, which was what first turned me on to Asa and which is just as enjoyable to watch now as it was the first time I saw it. The mood and the art direction mesh perfectly with the song. The fact that the figures are frozen, yet you can see them blink or twitch every once in a while so you know they're real people, not just artifice, conveys perfectly what I love about Asa and her music. She's genuine, she's authentic, and you can tell by her voice that she has a simple sincerity and conviction to what she sings which pulls the listener in. That's missing in a lot of popular music for me these days, where sometimes it feels like everything is style and no substance. Asa combines style and substance in a way that finds a perfectly harmonious balance between the two.
You can listen to (and purchase!) her self-titled debut album in its entirety on her website, too. Which is extremely cool.
This is the most sonically and visually candy-coated, catchy video/song combo I have seen in ages. There are hula hooping ladies, a shower of candy hearts, and lots of scantily-clad romping to the tune of upbeat French pop music. And at the climax, there is a montage of girls eating food mock-suggestively. Enjoy.
Serena Ryder's voice is glorious, her smile is infectious, and her songwriting cuts to the heart of how she feels, not letting you escape what's on her mind. Some people are gifted with being able to make their own stories translate to others on a deep emotional level, so that each listener thinks this story is their OWN story. That's how I feel when I listen to Serena's music. A sense of identity.
In her words,
“I’m feeling a lot more on this music than I ever have before. I’m feeling the cold a lot colder and the heat a lot hotter. It’s exciting and terrifying at the same time, because it’s opening my windows a lot wider to the world.”
We've got two pairs of tickets to give away to Serena Ryder's Portland show coming up at the Doug Fir on February 5. So if you live in Portland, or you'll be visiting Portland, this contest's for you. If not, she's touring right now in support of her upcoming album release, is it o.k., so it's o.k. You can still catch her!
Just leave me a comment below telling me what you think the line "your black and white needs a little bit of red" means, and you're entered! I'll choose two winners (that's two PAIRS of tickets, so you each can bring a friend!) and presto! Instant plans for Thursday night. Pretty nice, right?
Hey, I really like what you did with fabulist. It's been a breath of fresh air! I hope you still do get another blog going. I can't wait to see what you come up with!
Martha on 
