Interview on MaxBumps.net

Exciting news today in MixtapeLand!

I've been interviewed on MaxBumps.net, which is a sweet music webzine. They asked me some great questions and I'm really excited about it!


Click here to learn all of my deepest, darkest secrets.

Great Show Tonight at Nottingham

I saw a fantastic show tonight. A fantastic, free show. Which makes it even extra fantastic.

The show was at Nottingham Co-op, which is a huge housing co-operative in downtown Madison and is also a gorgeous music venue.


The rain held off until nearly midnight, so we got to lounge on folding chairs and picnic tables in the co-op's lush backyard on the lake. The musicians played on a stone balcony above us as we swatted mosquitos and chowed down on some glorious tofu & black bean wraps.

Did I mention there was food?


Nottingham hosts shows frequently, but tonight's event was special. All of the performers (and there were a lot!) were current or former residents of the co-op. It was a great show, and also a fun reunion with a lot of special guests who were in from out of town.

The first act I caught was my friend Clare (formerly of The Buffali). This was my first time seeing her play live and she was fantastic. Clare's music has this amazing energy that I really admire and wish I could emulate. She really lights up a room-- or, in this case, a backyard.


Next up was Dietrich Gosser, who re-amazes me every time I see him play. Dietrich and his percussionist, Dan Kuemmel, gave us an astoundingly beautiful set. It's hard for music to be 'haunting' when it's 90 degrees and you're swatting mosquitoes, but they managed it.



This was my first time seeing Dan and he was incredible-- in addition to your garden variety drum set, he played bells, metal mixing bowls, and even the balcony railing. I'm in awe.

One of my favorite acts of the night was a band called Flower Baby. They had a great sort of alt-country sound (with a little free-styling (in Spanish!) mixed in!). I'd definitely go see them again.


I was going to post some videos, but between the unfortunate sound quality and my less-than-stellar cinematography, it's probably best if you just use your imagination.

New Song - "Come Around"

I dragged home a beat-up old keyboard from a junk shop last week and it's basically taking up my entire bedroom right now. I'm considering selling my bed to make more room for it.

===

After a month-long hiatus from music-making, I finished a new song today. It's good to be back.



About this song:

I don't know when it happened, but I somehow slip-slided from "all of my friends are single woooooooo!" to "all of my friends are getting married whaaaaaaaat?"

And before I could fully settle into engagement rings and wedding showers, the conversation turned to teething rings and changing tables. I'm beginning to worry that I've missed some significant boat here.

My Roommate. How old are you?
Me. Twenty-six.
My Roommate. Oh, ok. When I was 26, all of my friends were getting married, too. Now I'm 28 and they're all getting divorced.

Oh, god.

Joking aside, I feel really fortunate to be surrounded by people who are in amazingly balanced, loving, healthy relationships. It inspires me and it gives me hope.

===

Come Around

Change is comin' round
Something's up and I feel down
I don't want to stop
I just wanna slow it down

Mortgages and diamond rings
When did we learn about all these things
Life is long, or so I'm told
It's a shame we spend it growin' old

And I ain't comin' round
No, I ain't comin' round
So, if you want me
You will have to come on down
Come on down

There's a heaven for those who wait
But waiting's a big mistake
Or so I'm told

'Cause those big, old pearly gates
They won't open if you're too late
Or so I'm told

CHORUS

Wanna tell you
(Been wanting to tell you)
We've got so much time
So let's just slow it down

Toes in the grass
And watchin' the sunset
From the tallest tree
Sounds alright by me
We've got so much time

CHORUS

Life is short but that's ok
We just live it day by day
That's what I say

CHORUS

Been wanting to tell you
We've got so much time

New Song - "Something to Humble Me"

Awhile back, I uploaded my songs to a new music-sharing website. And then promptly forgot all about it.

I thought to check my profile last night and I discovered that someone has written an absolutely glorious review of one of my songs:

'Smoke Signals' (Mixtapes & Meltdowns) is almost a modern day 'Brand New Key' (Melanie) with the vocal reservation of recording in the shared bathroom of a crowded apartment building ~ late at night. Charming and honest.

I've never had the guts to sing karaoke, but 'Brand New Key' is the only song I've ever seriously considered singing, so I'm particularly delighted by the comparison.

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Also: New song!



Something to Humble Me

Lately I've been hearing voices
In my dreams
Telling me stories
About who I'm supposed to be

I've been taking chances
and I've been looking all around
There's gotta be something
Bigger than what I've found

Maybe I need something to humble me
'Cause I haven't fallen but I've stumbled plenty
and I don't know what's stopping me and--

Maybe I need something
Maybe

===

In other news, holy CRAP am I obsessed with Freddie Stevenson.



Isn't he charming?

New Song - "Wish"

A few months ago, I wrote a song called "Wish" for February Album Writing Month. I was never really satisfied with it and so today I recorded a new version.

The song still needs work, but it hit the T61 homepage about six hours after posting and, as of this writing, has 884 bumps. That is by far the fastest growth of any song I've posted!



About this song:

It was the bluest sky I'd ever seen. People of every shape and color jostled us about on the street as we made our way up the steep sidewalk, past markets and shops, fresh vegetables and brightly-colored fabrics spilling from their doorways onto the street. Small Mexican children tumbled past us in a blur, beggars shook our pockets for change and old Asian women, with skin that was deceptively smooth, shrewdly eyed the carrots and the ginger root. A cacophony of music poured from the crowded storefronts, at once drawing us in and pushing us out.

We were out of shape and out of breath, pressing on up the hill, our haggard breath marking us as visitors to this place. On this raucous, jumbled street it was easy to forget where you left off and the world around you began, the sounds and smells and sights becoming a part of you, an extended limb of yourself. As we pushed our way through the dense crowd, he suddenly stopped. I turned to him and our eyes met and he was looking at me with a funny smile as he grabbed my hand.

"I think I'm always going to love you."

Funny that of all the memories—all the perfect, beautiful memories and all of the ugly, painful ones too—that’s the only one that still tightens my throat and burns my eyes. I think it always will.

===

Wish

I wished upon a star
But the star was too far
Couldn't reach you
Couldn't reach you

So I wished on the sea
But it wouldn't part for me
Couldn't reach you
Couldn't reach you

We were hand in hand
Pushing through the crowd
When you turned to me
When you turned to me and you said--
"Think I'm always gonna love you"

Think I'm always gonna love you
Think I'm always gonna love you

But we both knew
That it was a lie
Well maybe not a lie
But more like a wish

It was a wish on a star
A star that was too far
Couldn't reach you
Couldn't reach you

New Song - "Smoke Signals" (& Happy Birthday to Me!)

I wanted to tell you that my latest song just hit #1 on the T61 homepage. I also wanted to tell you that it is my birthday. Those are the things that I wanted to tell you.



About this song:

Quarter-life crisis. Hi, nice to meet you.

===

Smoke Signals

There was a time when it all seemed clear
I got a signal when I picked up the line
But lately I feel like I'm out of range
And I wish someone would give me a sign

I'm hearing doot doot doot
And deet deet deet
On my little radio
I'm hearing doot doot doot
And deet deet deet

I'm tapping out the signals
And I'm sending up the flares
But it seems that I'm lost out at sea
But everywhere I look from my little life raft
I see a thousand other drifters just like me

We're singing deet deet deet
And doot doot doot
On our little radios
Singing doot doot doot
And deet deet deet

CHORUS

But the sea is getting rocky
And I'm starting to get cold
And I'm wondering if I'm ever getting home

CHORUS

Oh, Internet.

My friend Russell recently directed me to thesixtyone.com, which is a place for artists to post songs and for listeners to find new music. The site works like Digg except that listeners "bump" songs instead of articles. It's a genius idea and is incredibly addictive.

The website works like a game that rewards you for "discovering" awesome new music before it catches on with the masses. Bumping a song costs a certain number of points, so listeners generally only bump a song if they genuinely like it or think it will be successful. The earlier that you bump a song, the more points it costs you, but if the song ends up taking off, then you make a lot more points back.

Anyway, so I posted a few of my silly little songs a few days ago. My silly little songs that I recorded using the internal mic on my laptop and composed using software that came with my computer. And, today, one of those silly little songs hit the T61 homepage with (at the time of this posting) 206 bumps. It's currently #2 on the homepage, right under a Shout Out Louds song. One of my other songs is creeping up behind with 121 bumps!

Guys, that is NUTS.

This is all really funny/amazing to me because I do not in any way think of myself as a real musician. People keep asking if I want to collaborate or if I have an album they can buy and I'm like whattttt?


The internet is so silly and wonderful!