"When people are fairly young and the musical composition of their lives is still in its opening bars, they can go about writing it together and exchanging motifs...but if they meet when they are older...their musical compositions are more or less complete, and every motif, every object, every word means something different to each of them." -Milan Kundera
Over my holiday break from school, I've found various ways to amuse myself. One of the ways that I typically find to enjoy myself is by watching countless movies- good ones, bad ones, all of them. A preview of my Netflix history would inform you about my schedule during the year. For the first time in several months, I'm without a movie to watch. They typically sadly pile up on the table (yes, I'm one of those junkies that must have 3 at a time, all the time). Today, I didn't receive one in the mail and actually, I sent one back in.
While watching some ridiculous "indie" romantic comedy this past week (yes, we all have our weaknesses), we came across a preview for a movie called Great World of Sound. I was intrigued by the premise, as it involved music producers and aspirational musicians. As the preview played on, I had to essentially freeze frame each shot because it dawned on me that this film not only took place in Charlotte (my hometown), but involved many of the folks I knew from back home.
Here watch it.
Of course, I immediately logged on and moved it to the top of my list. It is a beautiful movie and I commend those folks I know that worked on this film.
I don't remember when it was that I heard Rilo Kiley for the very first time, but I do remember being compelled by a singer that I felt understood what it was like to be a girl like me. I had long grown tired of the whisper-y, throat-y, delicate sounding vocals of female pop stars. And imagine my additional delight when I saw Rilo Kiley play for the first time and I discovered Jenny Lewis could actually play instruments. My love affair with Rilo Kiley began then. I only met both Jenny and Blake once at a Bright Eyes show in New York. It was at the beginning of their climb and I talked with Blake about how endearing he found the whole Saddle Creek crew.
This album in particular will always be one of my favorite Rilo Kiley releases. The reasons are far too complicated, but I enjoy it, from track to track- still to this day. One night, I remember three friends blasting it out of car radio on a dead-end street while dancing around the car.
"I keep on talking trash, but I never say anything."
The picture is undoubtedly not from the Oberst and Daniel version that recorded this particular song. The four track ep that this song comes from is beautiful for its immaturity on the part of both artists. What feels like many, many years ago, I made a trip to Wilmington to see Bright Eyes, Sorry about Dresden, and Britt Daniel perform. Britt Daniel at the time was performing solo with only a boom box of his recorded music as accompaniment. It was beautiful. And there is nothing better than "vintage" Oberst where he screams like a young man in pain into the microphone in the background.
It was in this last year that Nancy Wilson entered my world. No, not that Nancy Wilson, but Nancy Wilson, the jazz songstress. I desperately wanted Wilson to end up on the holiday mix, but with numerous cuts and editing, she didn't make the cut. I could only make it up to her by putting her on the next top of ____ list following the holiday.
Every now and then I like to revisit songs from the past, songs that I can vividly remember listening to when the stereo turned up all the way on some long Sunday drive back to school. I imagine these are the types of songs that I'll be listening to as "oldies" when I'm many years from now. And honestly, I don't care what anyone says, I adore this song.
It's true. I'm in love with Otis Redding right now. I can't help myself. And what better way to round out the end of the year of music, but with a thematic tune to help think about what will happen in the next 12 months. You can listen to the song below.
Music is Memory is a project that seeks to understand connections between music and memory. Primarily, I am interested in collecting the memories (and emotions) that we, as individuals, have attached to particular songs. I "collect" memories of hearing a song for the first time, but also how these memories change and meld over time.
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