Let's make happy
Listened Things
Summer Reading
Jul 6th
My July 4th weekend consisted largely of reading and sleeping in the grass. How appropriate that I was reading this book.
I loved it. It’s been a long time since I got excited about a book, so I feel the need to spread the word. As you can see, it’s The Accidental by Ali Smith. It came out a few years ago.
While I’m talking of new favorite things, the best movie I saw recently was Please Give (not spectacular, but unexpectedly good), and in the music category I’ve been enjoying The National’s Boxer (admittedly late to this one too).
Fang Island
Apr 20th
It’s been a long time since I’ve talked music on the blog! I guess I haven’t been too excited about any new music lately, but here is a happy song by Fang Island that I am loving. (Not so much the video, but whatever.)
Grizzly Bear in Claymation
Feb 3rd
I recently started taking a stop-motion animation class, just because I’ve always been interested in it. We haven’t gotten to the point of actually animating anything yet, but I’ve been especially on the lookout for good examples of it, and I just came across this video for Grizzly Bear’s “Ready, Able” (from one of my favorite albums from last year). It’s a great song and a beautiful (though somewhat creepy) animation.
Dirty Projectors, and Coraline
Jun 17th
Just got the new Dirty Projectors album Bitte Orca.
It’s pretty wonderful. I have a feeling that it’s way cooler than I am, though, as if I should find something better to wear just to listen to it. That is to say, the R&B-like vocals are gorgeous and everything else is one step ahead of what you’re expecting. This was my introduction to the Dirty Projectors, and it has me interested to listen to their older work.
Also music-related, I saw Coraline (the musical) on Saturday! The production as a whole was delightful, and the music was extremely Stephin Merritt—plenty of fun rhyming, unusual instrumentation (oodles of toy pianos!), and just-right melodies. I left wishing that there had been one or two more “wow” moments, but if anything, the story was my least favorite part. (I know I should read the book before saying that though, so consider it unsaid.)
Coraline is only playing through July 5th, so if you are a Stephin Merritt or Magnetic Fields fan in NY get a ticket before it closes!
The Reeling
May 22nd
How about a good old-fashioned music video for a Friday? It’s Passion Pit’s “The Reeling,” from their new album Manners.
