Melancholy in the Tinsel and Lights

I've been conflicted about Christmas for a long time. Part of me enjoys all the external trappings: the tree, the lights, the wrapping paper, even the music.  I've made several Very Special K Holiday mixes over the years, constantly seeking unique musical takes on the holidays. (See the SWIK holiday classics post from December 2009.) The other part of me thinks, like Charlie Brown, that it's all a bunch of commercialism. I become cynical and annoyed but eventually sad. December finds me running from anticipation to apathy through a haze of holiday parties. I want to believe it's a magical time for reflection and gratitude, but as Charlie Brown said, "I don't feel the way I'm supposed to feel." Religion is no longer a satisfactory answer. So what's a girl to do?  How to reconcile all those feelings and get through the holiday season? For now, I sit and stare at my tree listening to Tracey Thorn's new album Tinsel and Lights, attempting to draft messages for cards that I'm not sure I'll mail.

You Never Forget Your First

No, not your first love or first sexual encounter.  Your first album. The record you went and picked out yourself when you were old enough to have a choice.  My friend Slim, who owns Round Soap Records, providing all manner of musically inspired bath products, recently wrote a blog post of the same title.  His firsts were The Steve Miller Band’s Book of Dreams and Fleetwood Mac’s Rumors.  Naturally, after reading his post, I thought about my first album.  The one that I made my mom take me to the mall to buy.  It was the B-52s.  Not Cosmic Thing, which had their hits “Love Shack” and “Roam,” but rather their first full-length album, from 1979 with the infamous tune “Rock Lobster.”

Well now, aren’t we all so special?

I’m not ashamed to admit to enjoying some pretty cheesy pop tunes. On some of these pop artists, I agree with many music critics who say that they are manufactured fluff, but others I believe are bringing a little more to the table.  Lately, I’ve had a workout/running mix that includes Lady Gaga, P!nk, Katy Perry, and Ke$ha. All of whom currently have songs out about being special or being yourself. NPR’s Soundcheck recently had a discussion about whether or not these women are the new gay icons or just pandering to a gay audience. The general consensus among guests and callers was that Gaga had earned her stripes, but Perry and Ke$ha, not so much. Pink was up for debate. I agreed and wondered, why was it that these white women felt the need to establish themselves with songs about being genuinely different, as in and P!nk’s “Raise Your Glass” or being special in Katy Perry’s “Firework” or just being yourself as in Lady Gaga’s  “Born This Way” or choosing your lifestyle as in “W R Who We R” from Ke$ha?   Were they special? And would any of them be around in ten years?

Adele’s "Lovesong”

How is it that one song can tip you back to feelings that you genuinely believed were long gone? This week it’s Adele’s cover of “Lovesong,” originally written and recorded by ‘80‘s indie icons, The Cure. The only cover tune on Adele’s latest album, “Lovesong” has struck a bit of a blow. I find myself thinking about a man, who I really should be over and done with. But those lyrics, “Whenever I’m alone with you, you make me feel like I am whole again. Whenever I’m alone with you, you make me feel like I am fun again,” are simple and telling. 

"The kids are gone but the souls remain"

Last weekend my friend Suzy was in town, one of the few hip people at my staight-laced corporate day job.  Like me, she began her career in the music industry. The last time she was in New York, we went to the Brooklyn Soul Festival and discovered The Sweet Divines (see post).  I knew live music was on the agenda for the weekend, but I didn't expect that it would be Suzanne Vega or that I would get a chance to meet her.  I also didn't expect that, like the warmth of good friendship, Vega's music would be so relevant and familiar today.  Despite knowing her first two albums by heart, the songs felt more mature than I remembered; the meanings of the lyrics clearer than ever. I connected to them more now than when I was younger. 

Teenage Torture?

I first read about Shilpa Ray and Her Happy Hookers where I discover a lot of new music, Bust magazine. It’s a hip, art, crafts, and beauty magazine for those of us who still think feminism has value, but also like to wear lipstick and cute outfits. The last issue had a review of Ray’s new album Teenage and Torture which was released earlier this month.  When I went to check out their website and buy the album, I discovered that not only were they from Brooklyn, but also that they were playing that Friday at Brooklyn Bowl in Williamsburg.  But who could I drag to a concert on short notice to see a relatively obscure indie band?  And Shilpa Ray? She’s raw, edgy, and loud rock ‘n roll. I must admit, it’s not what most of my thirty and forty-something pals listen to these days.

Not Ya Mama's Mixtape

Over the past month I downloaded three new mixtapes, given away by the artists or DJs who created them.  One from Sri Lankan rapper/producer M.I.A. (ViCKi LEEKX) and another from Kid Sister, a Chicago-based rapper (KissKissKiss). The third, a ‘proper’ mixtape full of various artists, Who’s Ya Best Emcee? from Femcees is on heavy rotation in my apartment and on my iPod.  These mixtapes are not ones that you and I remember. They are not the cassette tape kind, where you spliced together your favorite songs for either a party mix or to give to that special someone.  (If you don’t know what a cassette tape is, you’re probably too young to be reading this blog). No. These mixtapes, likely the ones your teenagers are listening to, are a significant part of the hip-hop industry and a critical part of promotion.  But they do originate with those cassette tapes from back in the day.  

Georgia Fireflies on my Mind

I’m not going to attempt any explanation for the silence of the last five months. I could blame work, a lot of travel, and moving SWIK Music to a new home (Blogger vs. WordPress). But life is rough, sometimes life gets in the way of doing the things we love. Sometimes we just get in the way of ourselves. Eventually we walk out of the haze with our priorities renewed. SWIK Music is back. Back with some good old-fashioned nepotism. Why have a blog if not to write about your family and friends? My brother is an amazing drummer and percussionist. He’s toured and recorded with many musicians. Recently he began performing with the Georgia Fireflies. Finally, a band with a critical frontwoman, making them a candidate for SWIK Music. It helps that I really like the music too.

A SWIK Connection

I had planned to post my SWIK Summer Tours list this week, but last Tuesday I went to see Imogen Heap at the Hammerstein Ballroom and decided she needed her own post. I wrote about Heap for the SWIKs I Missed post in December, but she deserves a bit more space here. Not only does Heap remind me of Annie Lennox, but she is probably the Annie Lennox of the 21st century. Or maybe the Kate Bush of the 21st century? Yet Heap is uniquely herself and her talent is only more evident in her live show. Dare I admit? She blew me away.