Melody Gardot.

On Sunday afternoon we had NPR on the radio and they were talking about a new-ish music sensation on the American jazz scene. It was a most amazingly talented gal named Melody Gardot (don't you love people whose names completely describe what they do?) who is 24, from New Jersey and has quite a story to tell. Her music is so great and after sampling her newest CD on Rhapsody yesterday afternoon here at work, everyone who came through the creative department stopped and asked "Who IS this?". I think I made her at least 7 new fans yesterday. Not to mention how great is this cover art photo above? Take a listen for yourself here.

Regina Spektor: Far.

Ahhh, the time has come! My favorite female singer-songwriter, Regina Spektor, just released her newest album, Far, yesterday! I am listening to a stream of the entire album via NPR (a bit of a taste of it until I hit up the music store and buy it...yes, I still buy CDs) and just also watched the first video for the album for the song "Laughing". It did not disappoint and was classic, artsy Regina with smart lyrics and some cool illustrations. Check out the screen captures above and the video here.

Austin Rocked!

Suzanna Choffel – my new favorite singer; taken by phivephotography.com at the Brew-B-Que

This past weekend it was oh so fantastic to see my brother, explore a new city with Matt and really get to see what Austin, Texas was all about. Lots of photos were taken – inspiration abounded through my camera lens. It is quite amazing that when I leave NYC and head somewhere new, my shutter finger can't stop taking in the delight of the new, different and sometimes common beauty that resides in other cities that have become wallpaper in my own. Austin was no different though there were lots of uncommon beauty there too, including the sunburn that I achieved from one full day outdoors involving kayaking down the Colorado River and playing Pitch 'n Putt in 95-degree sun.

I, of course, don't have photos yet uploaded but wanted to share a fabulous new singer that I saw perform on Saturday afternoon at Austin's first annual Brew-B-Que (yes, it was everything you could imagine something with that name might be – beer, barbeque, live music, live sawing demonstrations, log rolling, chihuahua races, beer pong competitions, barbeque competitions, and of course, lots of sun). Her name is Suzanna Choffel and I am on the hunt for her music online (of which I found her MySpace page with 5 full song tracks as well as through iTunes Music Store). My goal is actually an actual CD that I can hold in my hand, purchased at the Virgin store in Union Square. I know, I might be one of the only people you know who still likes to buy non-digital music. There is something still wonderful about opening up that plastic case and digging into the booklet tucked inside the front cover of the CD case that I love. Anyhow, I recommend you take a listen to her and be on the lookout for more Austin posts to come!

I Think I Want This.

Apple, I love you. Why do you tempt and tease me with new, sleek inventions? You know I still have your brick of an iPod from 2005 (the click wheel) and am holding on strong. You know that I take it with me on all of my runs and it endures the elements like I do – when I sweat, it sweats; when I freeze (like this morning), it freezes (poor lil' Pod). However, if it was smaller and sleeker and the size of a AA battery (as Apple says) like this new Shuffle is, I might have been able to keep my hands in my sleeves and not gotten near-frostbite on my fingers because I would not have been holding my large, cold iPod brick from 2005. Just a thought, just a thought.

Austin Rocks!

Okay, so I have never been to Austin but my brother lives there and tells me it is pretty rockin' year-round, seeing as it's considered THE home of live music and is considered one of the most laid-back and fun cities in the country (can't wait to check it out for myself in less than two months!). However, it is ESPECIALLY rockin' now because the famous South by Southwest (or SXSW as it's written all around the web and on posters) concert series is beginning at the end of the week. I was curious with all of the great bands that play down there and my love of band tour posters if they would compile quite a collection of visuals from the bands and the venues. So I did some researching and found a site which had done just that (all images from the austinist.com) and I picked out some of my favorites to share. Wonder if my brother might grab some memorabilia for me (hint, hint, little bro)...

Music to park your car by...

I don't drive anymore (except for the few times a year I am home and borrow my parents car) but I have many memories of pulling into the gas station only to realize I have pulled in on the wrong side, looking like an idiot in front of the cute guy in the car next to mine, and having to put the car in reverse and try it yet again. This new commercial for Kia really brings that feeling back and I am slightly obsessed with the song, "Can't Get it Right Today" by Joe Purdy, which I of course had to purchase on iTunes. If you haven't seen/heard it, check it out here.

A run, the rain, toast, & Matt Nathanson.

{Photo from roujo via Flickr}

This morning, in the rain, I had a wonderful run on the east side of Manhattan. It was of course one of those mornings that I left my apartment not realizing that there was precipitation until I stepped out of my building and saw the first drop fall on my iPod screen. There is a split second when I go out to run in the rain and have my iPod on me, where I think about turning around and bringing it to safety as I am pretty sure I destroyed one a couple of years ago from letting it run with me in a torrential downpour; these devices are unfortunately not immortal. Anyhow, this morning I kept him (yes, my pod is a 'him') tightly in my gloved hand and continued on my way.

For those that have never done it, I recommend running in the rain. There is something absolutely powerful and invigorating about pounding your feet on the wet pavement and wiping sweat/rain out of your eyes, all the while feeling the strength in your legs as you dodge the puddles.

Due to the rain, I also feel that the music I am listening to has to coordinate with the overcast weather. As I have mentioned before in an earlier post, workout music is key and I love being the music director/DJ on my runs. Normally, I need a workout mix that contains one or more of the following artists: Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake, Kanye West or Bloc Party. This morning though? I needed something a little more hopeful and romantic, with just a hint of sorrow – enter Matt Nathanson.

So here I am, running in this great precipitation, listening to Matt, and at about my halfway point along one of the major highways that run through New York City, I came to a smell. No, I know you are all thinking "smell" + "NYC" = garbage/urine. Not this time. For some reason, this morning the "smell" was (ready for it?) ––– toast! Yes, toast! It was amazing and such a great morning scent that brings me back to waking up in my Grandparents house in Maine over the summer, walking down the hall and seeing the lake through the large window in the dining room and my Grandmother reading the paper and drinking coffee out of a yellow ceramic mug. And of course, inhaling that sweet smell of toasted bread combined with that one crumb burning at the bottom of the toaster oven. Who knew nostaligia like this could strike at 8:15am along the FDR?

Add all of these pieces together: running, rain, toast, mellow tunes. In my opinion I had pure morning bliss.

I was meant to live in Hawaii with Jack.

Palm trees swaying in the wind. Ocean water that is crystal clear and blue-green. The smell of relaxation and suntan lotion. The sight of Spam on every convenience store's shelf. Yes, we're talking Hawaii here, folks. And what else says Hawaii? None other than native Hawaiian surfer/singer Jack Johnson. Jack has this mellow/poppy sound that I have been hooked on since I first heard his song Flake over five years ago. He has come out with 5 CDs total and now has a 6th to add to the list. "Sleep Through the Static" is set to be in stores on February 5th. I was nervous that this latest CD would not live up to my Jack-spectations but I checked it out on AOL Listening party yesterday and...it surpasses them! Not only is it musically wonderful, it is also environmentally-friendly as it was made on solar-powered analog tape machines. Now I eagerly await my field trip down to the Virgin store in Union Square next week to pick up the CD that will for sure be stuck on my iTunes for the next 6 months; and every subsequent trip to the beach.

A reuniting with Ricky.

Ricky, I used to know you when I was a teenager and working in a fifties-themed ice cream parlor. Your music was on our authentic jukebox and I am sure at one point I knew what letter and number to press to get "Hello Mary Lou" to come on for all ice cream eaters in the store to hear. I have since lost touch with you. Until just the other day, when I went to one of my favorite sites for free listening of full new just-released CDs. Behold my eyes, what was that I saw? That Elvis-esque hair on the cover and the title, Ricky Nelson's Greatest Love Songs. I immediately clicked on your picture, plugged my headphones into my Mac and was taken back to my days of serving ice cream sundaes and wearing horrible soda jerk hats, but strangely loving every minute of my job. A time when life was easy and my biggest annoyance at work was having to refill the hot fudge. Ricky, this CD is incredible and I thank you for bringing me back to some classic music from a much simpler time.

I am beginning to hope.

My New Year's resolutions were all written yesterday and I am very excited about this new year of 2008. I think great things are in store for all who are really looking for some life changes for the better and hard work is going to start really paying off. Anyhow, because MY resolutions are done, I was thinking about writing one for someone else. I know these lists are supposed to be personal and only you can decide what you want to accomplish this new year, but sometimes people need a little nudge. Before you tell me I am being pushy, let me tell you who I am going to give a pre-made resolution to: Regina Spektor. She has been my favorite female singer since I took home her Begin To Hope (and her most recent) CD with me one night in April of 2006 from the Virgin Megastore in Union Square. It was one of those times where I wished I lived in the suburbs with a car; where I get a new CD and immediately start opening the plastic wrap from its case the second I put the keys in the ignition. Off the wrapping goes and there always seems to be too much time that elapses before I can get the disc into the player, but when it does and that first sound plays from the speaker – its love at first note. This is how I felt the first time I heard Regina on Pandora many months before. It was her song "Us" that initially had me hooked on her beautiful vocals and piano playing as well as her quirky and smart lyrics that are found in each of her self-written songs. I mean how can you not love a singer who talks about "Summer in the city means cleavage, cleavage, cleavage" and "Remember the time I found a human tooth down on Delancey". If you have not heard of her or heard her music then you must go to iTunes and take a listen. You will be glad you did, and might even send her the same resolution that I am, which is to BEG her to come out with a new CD.

PS. I didn't design this t-shirt. I am not that crazy. Amazon is selling it online here.

Personally, I like to run to JT.

Nike is a company I look up to as a designer and an athlete. I always said I would move to Portland, Oregon (that's where they are located) if they ever offered me a job in their design department and on the same note, if they ever asked me to be on their Nike+ website and tell them my PowerSong I would gladly oblige as well! They have this great section to their site (for some reason I can't link to but if you go here and then click on Gear & Music at the bottom and then "PowerSong" you will get to it) which of course is so well designed and features 8 athletes from all different sports (I have shown phenom soccer player Freddy Adu, but there is also father-of-the-year Tom Brady, and biker-turned-runner Lance Armstrong) and asks them what their favorite PowerSong is. That song that REALLY gets you going. Come on, you know you all have one that makes you finish that extra mile outside in the cold, that last lap on the stationery bike, or another set of bicep curls. I am not ashamed to admit it, but any Justin Timberlake song does it for me.

Tracy got less Angst-y.

Tracy Bonham, when did you get soft(er) and less angst-ridden? I have been listening to your song "Whether You Fall" from your most recent 2005 album, Blink the Brightest, on Pandora almost everyday now for the past two weeks and must say I love it and even gave it the Pandora "thumbs up" (hence why it comes up on my radio station at least once a day). I remember the days in high school of playing your Burdens of Being Upright with the song "Mother, Mother" on repeat; loving that angry girl rock that came out of my CD player (that at the time, was still attached to a dual cassette deck). Shall I deduce that you grew up and decided to be more calmer? Whatever happened, I grew up with you and still am enjoying your music, so thanks. And thank YOU Pandora, my personal new music finder for leading me to Tracy's new songs.