CYH's Song of the Moment: World Without End, Boxer Rebellion

Every yoga class that I play this particular playlist with the Boxer Rebellion song above, a student comes up to me after class asking who it was.  It's such a pretty song.  <3 them!

CYH's Song of the Moment: Flight Facilities, Clair De Lune

It's been a while since I've posted a good tune.

This song was passed on to me by a friend and I've played it over and over.  

It's so majestic and perfect for this time of year.  Enjoy!

CYH's Song of the Moment: Reboot the Mission, The Wallflowers feat. Mick Jones

When I think of the Wallflowers I think of the 90s and those few hits they had.  I haven't thought about them since, until I heard this.  So fun and the video, even more fun.  Enjoy!

CYH's Show of the Moment: Roger Waters The Wall!

It was September of 1993, I was 13 years old and getting ready to start Linwood, our middle school in North Brunswick where I grew up.  I HAD to wear something cool, but beyond that had to BE cool because you know, it was 7th grade.  It was my top priority.  So, I trotted down the block, two houses down to my 2 older cousin's house, Greg & Keith, for some guidance.

Greg is my oldest cousin, and was born with the music gene that comes from our Forney blood.  He is primarily a drummer but played keyboards professionally in a band (Dislocated Styles) out west in Arizona for years.  As a kid, I admired my older cousin as I watched him smack at the drums or pound on our family's piano.  Their house would vibrate with noise since he was always practicing with his high school bands in my Aunt & Uncles basement.  I probably damaged my precious developing eardrums by watching so much of his practice in that basement, along with years of following his most recent band, Temporary Grace, that he has since retired from.  Anyway...

Greg happened to be home that night and I told him about my dilemma.  He said two things to me before going back to whatever else he was doing:
1.  These are my CDs.  You can look through all of them and take any that you want.
2.  These are my clothes.  You can look through all of them and take any that you want.
I'll never forget the moments of this night!

I started with the CDs.   There were stacks of Led Zepplin, the Jackson 5, Allman Brothers, Rush, Guns & Roses...all bands I had known.  However, I was drawn to his LARGE stack of Pink Floyd.  I had never heard their name before, but felt like I had known them all of my life.  Without even a thought, I grabbed the large stack of his Floyd discs (ok, maybe some Jackson 5 too).  I'm telling you, from the moment I saw that name and looked at their album covers it was love at first sight.  I was ever-so-certain that I LOVED them.

Then I rummaged through his clothes and snagged a few things.  (Umm, to this day I still wear some of those clothes as PJs - HAHA!)  He noticed that I took his stack of Floyd so he pulled out this huge, old, paint covered Pink Floyd T-shirt and said I could have it.  It's still in my possession, and you bet it was exactly what I wore on my first day of middle school (can you imagine?!).

I had a brick wall running through my teenage room.
My mom was awesome enough for me to do whatever I
wanted (creatively) in it, so the first thing I painted on it
was this in 1993.  Following this was the Dark Side prism, the
Division Bell sculptures, and a whole Joni Mitchell mural!  

Anyway, I go home and am anxious to dive into these new discs.  I start with, The Wall.  I put it in my CD player and In the Flesh? abruptly begins scaring the absolute crap out of me.  I remember shuttering from the drums, horror raced through my body as I stood there in fear, my eyes bulged and then my body gently shook.  I stood there and listened, frightened, but with an intrigued smile.  Another Brick in the Wall came on and I realized I had known who Pink Floyd was all along.  The album continued.  It was dark, loud, eerie, beautiful, ever-so-strange and I LOVED it.  So I did what I always did when I liked a disc that wasn't mine, I taped it!  HAHA!  Dark Side of the Moon disc was next, Wish You Were Here disc after that, Animals, and so on.  I was overwhelmed with LOVE.  They (Pink Floyd) were my IT.  And since that night, they still are!  Thank heavens for Greg's awesome music taste and generosity because in that one summer night my life was enhanced with sweet noise.

August 6, 1999, I was able to catch Roger Waters on his In the Flesh tour at PNC Bank Arts Center.  It was a little slice of heaven for me since it was the closest to Pink Floyd I'd ever get.  About 28 or so songs of the show were all Floyd, the other few songs his own (which I don't care for very much).  It was one of the happiest shows I've ever been to.

So this past weekend, the beau and I caught the 2nd night's show of Roger Water's The Wall at Yankee Stadium (July 7, 2012).  Holy cow.  Unreal.
Check out this youtube video of the start of the show, In the Flesh?:

Roger Waters looked his best EVER, was super energetic and did SUCH a fantastic job.  The weather was dark and clouds were rolling over us but somehow it didn't storm.  Perfect Wall weather!  I am not going to lie, when the more "David Gilmour" songs were played, there was a small part of me that was praying (begging, actually) for him to come out and play instead of his stand ins (which did NOTHING for me, no matter how talented of a guitar player or singer you are, NO ONE except my beloved Gilmour can play/sing like him).  Period.  Gilmour joined Roger in London during one of the last shows of The Wall tour in May 2011.  The crowd went wild, everyone sang along and it was ALL over the news.  Of course, London is a lot closer for Gilmour than the states, so I understood why it didn't happen.  (Sigh...and tear)  If I witnessed this, it would be one of the best experiences of my life. However, I'll continue to gleam from Roger's awesome spectacle the other night!!!

CYH's Band of the Moment: Pickwick

Live From The Basement - Pickwick from Sound on the Sound on Vimeo.

The 2011 Doe Bay Sessions - Pickwick from Sound on the Sound on Vimeo.

Pickwick will be my favorite band of 2012. Just telling you now.

CYH's Song of the Moment: Atlas Sound - Quick Canal (w/ Laetitia Sadier)

I left the shore at 6:05am this morning and as I drove past Manhattan deep red arose in a corner of the sky. The sunrise was gorgeous as the sky filled with pink...this was the song playing in my car.

CYH's Song of the Moment: Cornflake Girl (LIVE)

I don't care how old or played out this song is. If you crank it and don't get chills during her piano solos, you aren't human!

CYH's Song of the Moment: Thievery Corporation, Unified Tribes

Heck yes.

Best Albums of 2011

This is that fun time of year again to tally up my favorite albums of the year. I originally wasn't going to do this because I've been so tight for time, but I couldn't resist. It's always hard figuring out which makes the cut, especially when great albums like My Morning Jacket's Circuital, Radiohead's King of Limbs (as frustrating as the release of this album was, I still adore aspects of it), Mayer Hawthorne's How Do You Do, The Antlers Burst Apart, and the lovely surprise of a new Atlas Sound, Parallex. There was also something endearing about Vetiver's Errant Charm that got me...but I could go on all day with more artists and tracks. Below is my top 10 album list of 2011 (in no particular order), and a fun track on YouTube to bop to while you browse the list.

"Stone Rollin'" from Raphael Saadiq's new one this year. I love his soulful goodness and this video is uber sexy!!

Lauren's Top 10 Albums of 2011:
Washed Out - Within and Without
Youth Lagoon - Year of Hibernation
Braids - Native Speaker
Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
Theivery Corporation - Culture of Fear
Mutemath - Odd Blood

Cut Copy - Zonoscope
Panda Bear - Tomboy
The Roots - Undun
Ryan Adams - Ashes & Fire

...and since these are just a few tracks, Pickwick - their only few songs are loaded with soul (album coming in 2012, I hope!)

What were your favorite albums of the year? Do tell-

CYH's Song of the Moment: Pumped Up Kicks (LIVE)

I was here, in the crowd, with my brother and friend, in September, dancing my butt off to this.

CYH's Song of the Moment: Ready, Able by Grizzly Bear

I have a long list of favorite songs, and this is one of them on the list. It's from Grizzly Bear's album, Veckatimist (2009), which is on my top 10 best album list of all time. Gorgeous.

CYH's Songs of the Moment: Summer Kirtan Playlist

You know me and my mix CDs...one for each season, of every year, for all different moods or occasions. I'm such a nerd and don't care who knows it! For all my yoga folks out there, here's my latest summer kirtan playlist. It's beautiful, fun to chant along with and really high energy (well, except the Snatam Kaur but that song equals pure peace and can mellow you out after a long day or if you're ever feeling stressed). Enjoy your chanting!

CYH's Songs of the Moment: Thievery Corporation, Culture of Fear

You know the days where you just can't figure out what to listen to? Sometimes no matter what you put on it just doesn't jive with you? When I have those days, I click on anyone of the songs in my Thievery Corporation playlist and just let it play. No matter what, it always ended up being just the right musical choice. If I want to chill and listen to something that will mellow me out, Thievery does it. On the flip side, if I need energy and want to get into a grove while working, cleaning or something...Thievery does it. I've been anxiously awaiting their new album and it's finally here with lots of tasty dub, just how I like it. Thank you, Thievery, AGAIN, for a totally awesome album.

CYH's Song of the Moment: Foals, Spanish Sahara

I've got a huge crush on this new Foals album, Total Life Forever.

CYH's Workout Song of Summer 2011: Work That by Mary J. Blige

I've been obsessed with getting my cardio in these days and have turned into such a gym rat but am loving every moment of it. I love doing my cardio to fun, poppy music that gets me going. My best friend, Jessica, from college recommended this song to me and it's taken the number one spot on my ipod during my workouts. PERFECT for me, right now, exactly where I am with everything!

CYH's Songs of the Moment: Stars All Seem to Weep, Beth Orton

Love.

CYH's Songs of the Moment: Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes

 LOVING Lykke Li's new album - Wounded Rhymes.

I saw her a few years ago at All Points West on one of the smaller stages in the afternoon. She gallivanted around the stage in this outrageously gorgeous outfit, radiating style. As I was walking away from watching her play she closed her set with "Knocked Up" by Kings of Leon. She creatively put her own twist to the song and I've loved her ever since. 

CYH's Song of the Moment: Living on a Rainbow

I woke up this morning with this lovely tune in my head. Needless to say, its been a beautiful morning with the sun shining onto my bed through the cracks of my shades. I love, love, love Angus & Julia Stone. And now, I will go cook some oatmeal. Enjoy-

CYH's Songs of the Moment: The King Of Limbs, Radiohead

...Slowly we unfurl, As lotus flowers...

I arrived home from India (pictures and blog coming soon) to the good news that Radiohead was releasing a new album. I will be honest, I'm on the fence about it. Of course, I love it because it's Radiohead and to me (and many other fans) they can do no wrong. However, I do find this album to be almost incomplete, lacking interest. Their albums are always so precious and filled with gems. Little By Little, Feral and Lotus Flower stick out to me, but nothing really jumped out as a gem. It is by no means their best work, nowhere near any of their previous albums. I say this, and am upset that they released the album, wishing they gave it a little more time, at least a few more songs...but then I go about my day with the songs stuck in my head, aching to hear it again. So, the songs and album are growing on me. Either way, I love the fact that I'm on the fence about it, because its forcing me to listen over and over again allowing me to fall back in love with them all over again (smitten smile on my face, looking up towards the sky, sighing...).

Anyway, this video is totally awesome. Thom Yorke's interpretive dance moves are always so right on with his music (how else would you dance to their music?!). I've always enjoyed watching him let go at his shows, allowing the music to flow right through him, moving his body however it's telling him to. This video is a full 5-minutes of his awkward and totally free moves. I LOVE it!!!!

CYH: Song of the Moment - He Doesn't Know Why by Fleet Foxes

Amongst all of the wonderful new music we've been blessed with lately, this still remains one of my favorite Winter albums ever since it was first released in 2008. If I could have, I would have embedded the entire Fleet Foxes album on here. It is by far one of my top 10 favorite albums of all time.

Download and/or listen to their new song, here. New album out this Spring. Eeee!