So, this week the song that has been stuck in my head is..."Red Light Love" by Those Darlins. I know exactly why I cannot get this song out of my head! Kia has a new commercial out for their 2012 Sorento and they have "Red Light Love" playing in the background. Click on this link to watch it! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyqD4AtkM9A
I absolutely LOVE Those Darlins. They are a group of 3 young ladies (Nikki, Jessi, and Kelley Darlin), and 1 cool dude (Linwood Regensburg) from the Nashville area. Their mix of garage band rock with a rock-a-billy sound makes them truly unique. Nikki Darlin is engaged to John McCauley, lead singer of Deer Tick, and the two of them wrote one of my favorite songs ever, Cake & Eggs.
It is safe to say that while "red light love" drives Those Darlins' crazy...it doesn't drive me crazy. It been a great song to have stuck in my head all week!
Lyrics to "Red Light Love" by Those Darlins Red light love
Makes my heart stop
Drives me so crazy
I can't even walk
I got a red light love
Hoping every day
He don't green light go
Go go go away
Don't matter where we go
It don't matter how long we stay
As long as I'm sitting next to him everything's gonna be okay
We'll dress up nice, jump in the car, go out and paint the town
We don't worry about getting lost because he knows his way around
[Chorus]
Turn on the radio
They play my favorite song
We know we got a way to go
We start to sing along (na na na na)
We go for miles and miles
He takes me far away
We talk and talk and talk
But we never run out of things to say
[Chorus]
Some people can't be satisfied with the simple things in life
Difference between them and us is we know how to take a ride
Got a car, we got each other
No we ain't hard to please
All we need is a couple of bucks
And a can of gasoline
So, in an attempt to blog at least once a week, I am going to start something new. Each week I am going to post the song that is stuck in my head that week. I would say that it is probably a pretty frequent occurrence that people will get a certain song in their head that they just can't seem to get out. Sometimes it's a great song, and you hum it to yourself and it just makes your day better. Sometimes it's a song that drives you insane. I find that all different types of songs overtake my brain and it seems they get trapped in there for around a week. I have decided to be completely honest and share the song that is stuck in my head each week, along with its lyrics and a video, regardless of its level of embarrassment. So, here goes week #1... This week, the song that I cannot get out of my head is Justin Townes Earle's, Harlem River Blues. Now, I don't know if it is simply because I just saw his show last week, or not, but for whatever reason, this is the song I have been playing over and over on my iPod and have been humming all week. Currently at work, we are converting a 140 + year old building into an events all, in which is my personal goal to make into a happening concert venue. After learning that my boss has a connection to Steve Earle (Justin Townes' famous father), I am hoping that I can get him to play a show there!!! But back to the song of the week... Believe me when I say that this is a good song to have stuck in your head. It is extremely uplifting. I am just head over heels for this song. I hope that after listening to this song, it will get stuck in your head too! ;) Enjoy!
Harlem River Blues by Justin Townes Earle
Lord, I'm goin' uptown to the Harlem River to drown
Dirty water gonna cover me over and I'm not gonna make a sound
I'm on a roll, mama, I gotta go, gotta get there while I still can
Troubled days are behind me now and I know they're gonna let me in
When you see me walkin' up the empty yard, just a-singin' and a-clappin' my hands
Tell my mama I love her, tell my father I tried, give my money to my baby to spend
'cause Lord, I'm goin' uptown to the Harlem River to drown
Dirty water gonna cover me over and I'm not gonna make a sound
Good times come and they go, even a good man'll break
He'll let his troubles bury him whole even though he knows what's at stake
So I'm taking no chances, carrying over while I'm still good in His grace
I'm no fool, mama, I know the difference between tempting and choosing my fate
'cause Lord, I'm goin' uptown to the Harlem River to drown
Dirty water gonna cover me over and I'm not gonna make a sound
Lord, I'm goin' uptown to the Harlem River to drown
Dirty water gonna cover me over and I'm not gonna make a sound
Lord, I'm goin' uptown to the Harlem River to drown
Dirty water gonna cover me over and I'm not gonna make a sound
Last Thursday night, my friend, Angie, and I made our way down to 12th Ave. for a fun-filled evening of music. I had received an email about "Supper & a Song" at Imogene + Willie's, a unique little clothing store located at 2601 12th Ave. South, Nashville ( http://www.imogeneandwillie.com/ ). Of course, when I saw that my favorite band EVER, Deer Tick, was playing, there was no doubt in my mind that I would be in attendance. So, I called up my fellow Indie-loving Princess, Angie, and we hit the town.
The event was to begin at 4pm, so we got there right on time. To our surprise, there really wasn't anyone there yet, so we decided to head up to my favorite little record store, Grimey's on 8th Ave (www.grimeys.com/) and then made our way back down to 12th, where we experienced the sights and smells of the little vintage stores and then headed to the pizzeria for a slice!
We were lucky enough to hit happy hour at the restaurant (and I apologize for not remembering it's name, but it was next to The Taproom), so I got 2 for 1 Yuenglings and they brought them to me in mason jars. I loved it! Then you could build your own slice of pizza for $2.25! It was divine. The slice of pizza was so huge, I couldn't finish it. But beware, their jalapenos are the HOTTEST I have ever tasted. I love spicy peppers, but I had to pick those bad boys off!
After dinner, we headed back to Imogene + Willie to see if the festivities has begun. When we got there, the parking lot was full and people were everywhere! It was apparent that we had arrived just in time. We headed past the Mas Taco truck parked outside, our bellies still full of pizza. We headed through the store into the back area, where the crowd has amassed and the opening act was in full swing.
The fist act was a talented musician named Justin Townes Earle. I was somewhat aware of his music, but was no means an expert. He is a young singer/songwriter from Nashville, and the son of the legendary, Steve Earle. I was really blown away by his stage presence. I can definitely say that I am now a fan of his music! My favorite song of his right now is Harlem River Blues. Check out this interview with him from 2009: http://www.blogger.com/I%20was%20really%20blown%20awahttp://popdose.com/the-popdose-interview-justin-townes-earle/. It gave me a lot of the background info I was looking for on Earle. And check out his newest CD, Harlem River Blues...you won't be disappointed!
While waiting for the second act, Angie and I braved the horrifically long line for the bar in hopes of possibly getting a beer before the second act was done. The line moved ever so slowly, and as we inched forward, little by little, we realized that this long line was a blessing that allowed us to notice and embrace the characters around us! From the tobacco pipes, to the bow ties and the vintage garb, we were not at all left without topics to discuss. It is fascinating to me the people I come across and these little indie events, but I have to say, I love it. It's weirdness at it's absolute greatest, and I commend all the weirdos and freaks, like me, for just being themselves. But the best part of the whole wait in line: when we finally made it up to the front and ordered our beers, the little guy behind the bar handed them to us and then asked the next person what they wanted. I gave him a puzzled look and asked him where I needed to pay. He chucked and pointed to a big pot in the center of the table. "No pay," he said, "Just tips." FREE BEER. That's right folks. FREE. I mean, of course, you need to tip the guys, but FREE BEER! And free mixed drinks too. I have to say, at that point, Ang and I felt like the evening couldn't get any better.
The second act, The Apache Relay, played while we were waiting in the free beer line. I had heard about them around town, and knew they were a local Nashville band, but I had never actually heard any of their music before. I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. They have such a fun sound: rock with some folk thrown in. My favorite songs by them are Lost Kid, American Nomad, and Home is Not Places. Their second album, American Nomad, recently came out and I have already downloaded it off iTunes! You should too!
Deer Tick playing at Imogene + Willie, 6/9/2011
And the final act...DEER TICK! Of course, I have described seeing a Deer Tick show as being the equivalent of a young child's Christmas morning for me. I am just plain obsessed with them. Period. Love them. So when they began to play I was so excited. Also, I had turned Angie on to them, so I was excited for her to get to experience a live Deer Tick show for the first time as well. They started off with a few new songs off the album they are in the process of recording. I really liked everything I heard. This takes my anticipation for the next record to a new level! Next they moved on to stuff from their last album. During the song Choirs of Angels, a guy comes up and whispers into Chris Ryan, the bass player's, ear. I see him kind of chuckle, and the guy keeps talking and then Ryan looks a bit more serious. When the song is finished, Ryan leans into John McCauley's ear and says something. McCauley then states that there is apparently a funeral taking place at the Muslim church next door, so they were just going to sing one more song. I was outraged! Which my reply was, "Who wouldn't want Deer Tick to play their funeral?!" Seriously...I would. Anyhoo, they did play 3 more songs instead of the one, but to my dismay, they were cut about an hour short, and only 6 songs in.
Angie getting her tattoo.
I was upset, but more so for Angie than myself. After all, I have seen them several times and she never has, so she still hasn't had the Deer Tick live show experience.
Me in the chair.
The evening was still young, so we didn't really know what to do with ourselves. Then one of us, and I honestly can't remember which one, decided it would be a great idea to hit up Blackbird, the little tattoo parlor, down the street. So we did. Now, I had 3 tattoos, and Angie had none, so I somewhat felt like I was a bad influence, but she assured me that this was something she had been wanting to do for quite some time. I hadn't planned on getting another tattoo that night, so I was a bit stumped on what to get. I did promise her that if she got one, I would get one too. She had decided that she wanted to pay homage to one of her favorite bands, The Avett Brothers, and get the words " I and Love and You" on her wrist. But in a cool twist, she took out the spaces and made it all lower case: iandloveandyou. It is SOOOO cute! So, taking inspiration from Angie's tattoo, and feeling a bit like I owed it to Deer Tick for setting me on this path of great independent music...I did it. I got a tiny little deer tick on my foot. I became a Tickhead for life.
Angie's "iandloveandyou" tattoo.
Now, I don't expect most people to understand it. And if my Aunt is reading this right now, I haven't told her about the new tattoo and I know she is having a cow as we speak, but when it comes down to it, it's ME. I am who I am and I am dedicated to the band that opened my eyes to a new world of music.
About three and a half years ago, I was perusing YouTube looking for a specific video, when by happy accident, I came across a video by British songstress, Laura Marling. I was immediately blown away by her ethereal voice and began my quest to find more and more of her music.
In doing that, I came across another YouTube video. This one was of Miss Marling, singing alongside a dashing young Brit, named Johnny Flynn. The song was called Travel Light, and to this day, remains one of my favorite songs of all time.
Being the total nerd that I am, I delved into complete and total obsessed research on young, British folk artists. While skimming internet articles, I found an online review entitled, "The Brit Pack." JACKPOT. This article discussed five British folk artists, all in their early 20s and who were all dear friends with one another.
The review spoke of Flynn and Marling, who at this point I was more than familiar with. However, it also introduced me to Bobby Long, Marcus Foster, and Sam Bradley, all of whom were quickly added to my list of favorite new music.
To say that these young musicians are talented is a complete and total understatement. They are in no uncertain terms, geniuses.
I did more and more YouTube searches to find songs by these guys because at that point, there were very few actual recordings to purchase online. Possibly my favorite find was a low quality, home recorded video of Bobby Long and Marcus Foster singing in one of their bedrooms. The song was called Crooked Sky and the two had penned the song together. It is utterly fantastic.
At the time I was discovering the talents of these young Brits, so was the rest of the world...they just didn't know it. Neither did I. Later, I discovered that two of the songs on the Twilight soundtrack were written by some of these guys! Rob Pattinson, who many know as Edward Cullen, from the film, is longtime buddies with the "Brit Pack," and had co-written the song, Never Think, with Sam Bradley. As Pattinson's popularity grew, so did the song. Pattinson also recorded the song, Let Me Sign, played during the climax of the film, which was written by Long and Foster.
One of my favorite Marling songs is one called Blackberry Stone. In one live performance of the song, she was backed by the then unknown, Marcus Mumford (sporting a fantastic molest-ache, might I add). Now, Mumford heads the ever growing popular, Mumford and Sons. And so, I became hooked on that British group as well. Absolutely amazing talent.
Ok, so I have to admit that the term, "Brit Pack," drives me crazy. I'm not really sure why, yet I find myself calling these musicians that when I discuss them with people. I'm guessing it is simply because that is how I was introduced to them, and it's stuck. Whatever, the reason, love it or hate it, it does discribe them perfectly. After all, "The Rat Pack" was a group of young, talented musician and actor friends. Again, the "Brat Pack" was a group of talented young actor friends in the 80s. So, I guess "The Brit Pack" is fitting. It still drives me nuts.
Me & Christie with Bobby Long
Me & Marcus Foster
Over the past few years I have had the extreme pleasure of seeing both Long and Foster play live, as well as meet them both. It was truly an honor and I am hoping one day I can say that I have seen all of these artists play live and meet them as well.
I absolutely LOVE Those Darlins. They are a group of 3 young ladies (Nikki, Jessi, and Kelley Darlin), and 1 cool dude (Linwood Regensburg) from the Nashville area. Their mix of garage band rock with a rock-a-billy sound makes them truly unique. Nikki Darlin is engaged to John McCauley, lead singer of Deer Tick, and the two of them wrote one of my favorite songs ever, Cake & Eggs.
Red light love
