It’s back to work! Take a timeout and listen to these two version of the song Parachute. Which do you like better?
Original artist, Cheryl Tweedy! She super sexy but the question is… does her voice give the song justice? I heart this video.
Post Script: Can I be Cheryl? She is seriously gorgeous and is an awesome dancer. sigh.
This is Ingrid Michaelson covering Parachute. Pure bliss, but definitely misses the sexy Cheryl Tweedy element!
This kid has some amazing talent, I tell ya. When I lived in Utah I was introduced to his music and saw him play at a local hot spot. I instantly fell in love with his music.
“Russell’s life would be forever changed at the age of fifteen, when his mother Elizabeth lost her valiant battle with cancer. The experience would propel the young blues guitarist into previously unchartered territory – he would turn to song writing in an attempt to make sense of her senseless death.
I held my sparkler as I walked
Death was inevitable but nobody talked
We’d just forget love
We’d strike the match
And the fuse was life and the light was death”
You can listen to more music and read more about him on his website http://www.isaacrussell.com/
Here is a new band Dallan introduced me to -- The Besnard Lakes.
The Besnard Lakes are a Canadian indie rock band from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They were formed in 2003 by the husband and wife team of Jace Lasek and Olga Goreas, and they have released three albums. (Wikipedia)
“Since they formed in December 2007, the members of Mumford & Sons have shared a common purpose: to make music that matters, without taking themselves too seriously. Four young men from West London in their early twenties, they have fire in their bellies, romance in their hearts, and rapture in their masterful, melancholy voices. They are staunch friends -- Marcus Mumford, Country Winston, Ben Lovett, and Ted Dwane -- who bring their music to us with the passion and pride of an old-fashioned, much-cherished, family business. They create a gutsy, old-time sound that marries the magic of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young with the might of Kings Of Leon, and their incredible energy draws us in quickly to their circle of songs, to the warmth of their stories, and to their magical community of misty-eyed men.”
To read more about this incredibly talented band visit www.mumfordandsons.com or click here. My favorite song my Mumford & Sons is called “Little Lion Man“; however, I didn’t post this song because they use a few f-bombs. If you would like to see this music video, click here.
~~~Camberley~~~
“Like a good cry-and like the best country music-Jill Andrews and Sam Quinn’s songs are all shuddering sighs, aching confessions and upturned hearts spilling out over layers of pedal steel, fiddle and acoustic guitar, delivered by two of the most disparately beautiful voices to ever meld.” —Paste Magazine
Tristan Prettyman is my girl.
I have spent countless hours studying, cleaning my room, burning scented oils, etc..etc… to her music. Her CD is the one I choose to pop in when I know the ride is going to be long. Its got that windows down, sunglasses on, sing your face off kind of feel.
I love this clip- especially her intro speech. I found it funny:
Happy listening 
-kiersten
{Image via thestarscoop.com}
I know this is a shout out to music, but since I have been gone for a few days I want to quickly shout out to a few others who made my trip to Utah fabulous. Let’s get started:
First and foremost, Debs and Gare Bear for coming to Eric’s graduation. It meant a lot to us! And we hope you start feeling better Gary.
Aren’t they cute? Anyways, next on the list is the lady who sat behind us at the graduation with her bazillion family members. Thanks for making sandwiches the entire time. Yep, that included during the speeches too. Can’t say that I have seen a picnic inside an auditorium during a very important event before. I think what made it seem even more tacky is that everyone was dressed in their sunday best.
I had Debs pretend like she was taking a picture of me to snap this shot. The timing was impeccable– she was holding a jar of mayo. Can you see it? ODD very very odd. Next on the list is Eric the graduate himself. He waited a very long time at the baggage claim for our bags last night, while I walked around and read my book. He even waited through a bag jam. He is definitely more patient than I ever thought.
Lookin’ good kid! I caught his good side. I am very proud of him for graduating too, I should probably mention that. So now let’s get on with our music shout out. Amos Lee.
Please take the time to watch his amazingness here—–>watch
I think I might name my first born Amos.
That’s all for now!
–Kiersten–
I’ve been on a huge Radiohead kick. Most of their music helps me forget the stresses of work. The perfect anti-anxiety drug. 
Enjoy!
“Sometimes I feel like I shoot myself in the foot just so that I can write a song about it. I feel like one begets the other. I’ve gone through two great heartbreaks in my life and said I’d never do it again, but I do”
Greg Laswell
To learn more about Greg Laswell click here. Or visit his website at www.greglaswell.com
“Yamagata sometimes worries that her need to analyze heartache in her songwriting is too often mistaken as depressed obsession. After all, her songs are famously populated by breakups. ‘I see it more as a fascination with human relationships and behavior,’ she says, ‘the struggles we create and the strength we gain.’ Her lyrics display an ability to draw new wisdom and confidence from every devastating experience in the hope that the next time will be different. Elephants…Teeth Sinking Into Heart, reveal a woman not only undaunted by such losses, but smart enough to know she deserves a lot more than she’s been asking for”.
“‘My mother said recently that Happenstance is the beauty of your ’20s, this one is the richness of your ’30s – of someone who’s been through the mill and is trying to make the choice between optimism and defeatism,’she says”. (Information taken from Rachael’s bio)
For more information about Rachael Yamagata visit her website: www.rachaelyamagata.com
Dallan and I stumbled upon Esperanza Spalding a couple of years ago and we were both instantly drawn to her talent. This girl is AMAZING. Just take a look at her bio & music video -- see for yourself.
“Spalding grew up in the King neighborhood of Portland, Oregon, a neighborhood she herself describes as ‘ghetto’ and ‘pretty scary.’ Her mother, who raised her and her brother as a single parent, was an independent, industrious woman.”
“By the time Spalding was five, she had taught herself to play the violin and was playing with the Chamber Music Society of Oregon. Spalding stayed with the Chamber Music Society of Oregon until she was fifteen and left as concertmaster. Due to a lengthy illness when she was child, Spalding spent much of her elementary school years being homeschooled, but also attended King Elementary School in Northeast Portland. During this time she also found the opportunity to pick up instruction in music by listening to her mother’s college teacher instruct her mother in guitar. According to Spalding, when she was about 8 her mother briefly studied jazz guitar in college; Spalding says, ‘Going with her to her class, I would sit under the piano. Then I would come home and I would be playing her stuff that her teacher had been playing.’ Spalding also played oboe and clarinet before discovering the bass in high school. She is able to sing in English, Spanish and Portuguese.”
“Spalding left high school at 16 and after completing her GED, enrolled on a music scholarship in the music program at Portland State University, where she remembers being ‘the youngest bass player in the program.’ Although she lacked the training of her fellow students, she feels that her teachers nevertheless recognized her talent. She decided to instead apply to Berklee College of Music on the encouragement of her bass teacher, and did well enough in her audition to receive a full scholarship. In spite of the scholarship, Spalding found it a challenge meeting living expenses, so her friends arranged a benefit concert that paid her air fare and a little extra.”
“But the money didn’t last long, and being at Berklee wasn’t always easy for Spalding, who had to carry her bass two miles to a train station as part of long commute. Broke and exhausted, she considered leaving music and entering political science, a move jazz guitarist and composer Pat Methenydiscouraged, telling Spalding she had “the ‘X Factor’” and could make it if she applied herself.”
“Almost immediately after graduation from college, in 2005, Spalding was hired by Berklee College of Music, becoming one of the youngest professors in the institution’s history. As a teacher, Spalding tries to help her students focus their practice through a practice journal which can help them recognize their strengths and what they need to pursue. As of 2008, she was also in the process of developing several courses for students at Berklee, including one that focuses ‘on transcribing as a tool for learning harmony and theory’. Unfortunately, she has been removed from the Berklee faculty.” (Info from here)
Visit www.esperanzaspalding.com/ for more information about this artist.
~Camberley
This song is dedicated to my fellow Arizonans. Here is the perfect rainy day song {Handkerchiefs} by the group Winterpills.
To learn more about the band, visit their website at http://www.winterpills.com/.
In honor of Valentine’s Day this week I thought I would share on of Ben Harper’s classic songs -- Forever. An oldie, but a goodie.
Not talkin’ ’bout a year
No not three or four
I don’t want that kind of forever
In my life anymore
Forever always seems
to be around when it begins
but forever never seems
to be around when it ends
So give me your forever
Please your forever
Not a day less will do From you
People spend so much time
Every single day
Runnin’ ’round all over town
Givin’ their forever away
But no not me
I won’t let my forever roam
and now I hope I can find
my forever a home
So give me your forever
Please your forever
Not a day less will do
From you
Like a handless clock with numbers
An infinite of time
No not the forever found
Only in the mind
Forever always seems
to be around when things begin
but forever never seems
to be around when things end
So give me your forever
Please your forever
Not a day less will do
From you
Next week, Dallan and I will be celebrating our wedding anniversary. In honor of this monumental event, I have decided to dedicate this week’s “Taking Timeout through Music” post to Yours Truly. This week’s song Tupelo Honey was mine and Dallan’s wedding song. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to find a live version of Van Morrison singing this song. This cover song will have to suffice (Thank you Mr. Johnny Ace Alto Sax {That’s a mouthful}).
Here’s to 3 Years,
Camberley
Upon hearing Tiny Vipers music, I was instantly teleported to a foggy, drizzly northwestern coastline where I wandered through the trees to the slow beat of Jesy’s music. Haunting.
How does it make you feel?
After reading Jesy’s Bio, I realized why her music elicited such feelings. See for yourself ~ ~ ~
“Life on earth: both a curse and a gift.”
“A new recording by Tiny Vipers calls out to the void for an answer or a reason. Tiny Vipers is Jesy Fortino, a musician living in Seattle.”
“Creating and performing the music for her new album with a singular approach, Life on Earth is a private vision unfolding, at times crystal-clear and at other times shrouded in a mystical fog. People and times past wander through these songs like ghosts looking for a home. And questions arise for anyone listening: Where did they go? Where have they been?”
View Jesy’s bio here.
~Camberley
Andrew Bird = TALENT
The first time I saw Andrew Bird in action, I was completely mesmerized (By his musical talent people. Come on, I’m married).
Here is some interesting information about Andrew Bird.
Andrew Bird (born July 11, 1973) is an American musician, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. He was born in Chicago and currently spends his time between Chicago and a farm near the town of Elizabeth in northwest Illinois. He has mastered several instruments and is musically proficient on others. They include the violin, guitar, mandolin, whistling, and glockenspiel. (Information from here)
Sometime in 1977 -- A four-year-old Andrew Bird picks up his first violin. Actually, it is a Cracker Jack box with a ruler taped to it, as the first of his many Suzuki music lessons involve simply bowing to the teacher and going home. So begins a formative period soaking up classical repertoire completely by ear followed by a teenage expansion into Hungarian Gypsy music, early jazz, country blues, South Indian music and more, as well as the discovery of an uncanny whistling ability. (www.andrewbird.net)
Take a little “Timeout” and watch this enjoyable musical performance.
Cheers,
Camberley
In honor of the holiday season, The Bella Girls thought it would be appropriate to highlight some Christmas music over the next couple of weeks on our “Taking ‘Timeout’ Through Music” Posts. There were a couple of Christmas songs that came to my mind, but the hubs threatened to disown me if I put them on the blog (a downside to marrying a drummer). So here is Dallan’s Christmas Song pick -- ‘Christmas Song’ by Dave Matthews {an oldie but a goodie}.
Happy Listening,
Camberley
Raymond Charles “Ray” LaMontagne is an American singer-songwriter who lives on a farm in Maine with his wife and two sons. Reportedly, after hearing a Stephen Stills song, LaMontagne decided to quit his job at a shoe factory and pursue a career in music. He has since released three albums, Trouble, Till the Sun Turns Black and Gossip in the Grain. In the UK, Trouble was a top 5 hit, and the title track of the album was a top 25 hit. Till the Sun Turns Black was a top 40 hit in the U.S. A soft-spoken person who is known for his raspy voice, LaMontagne has won a number of awards for his music and has performed at several charity events.
For more information about Ray LaMontagne visit his website at www.raylamontagne.com
I know”Hallelujah” may be one of the most covered songs in history; however, Ari Hest performs it best.
“Ari Hestis an American singer-songwriter and a native of Riverdale in the Bronx borough of New York. Ari took piano lessons as a child and later, as a teenager, taught himself to play his mother’s nylon string guitar by ear with influences from both his parents’ record collection and radio artists. Artists cited as influences are Paul Simon, The Beatles, Dave Matthews, U2, Smashing Pumpkins, Tears for Fears, The Police, Nirvana, and Pearl Jam among others.” (info from here)
For more information about Ari Hest, visit his website www.arihest.com
Happy Listening,
~Camberley
Are you looking for another great artist to add to your iTunes collection? Have you ever considered Nicole Atkins?
Here is a fun Bio taken from Nicole Atkins’ Facebook Page:
The shores of New Jersey are littered, quite literally, with small towns whose better days are far in the past. They’re towns that have been written about, and sung over; towns that have been mythologized and idealized; and they are the towns that 28-year-old musician Nicole Atkins—a native of Neptune City, located a stones throw from fabled Asbury Park—was born and raised in.
They can be places steeped in their own history, buried under the sense of their own pasts. Places of hey-days and what-once-was. And it’s that sense of something lost, and of what perhaps should have been, and what might be, that permeates Atkins’s debut, Neptune City.
“Neptune City is just this old place,” Nicole says. “There was this glory time, way back when, that I never experienced, but that you cannot escape if you live there. Everyone talks about. They almost yearn for it, but I never experienced it. So maybe this album is my attempt to build something new on top of all that.”
It’s these environs that brought her to where she is today. Nicole was that kid slightly out of touch. When her friends were collecting the latest New Kids on the Block album, she was raving about Traffic or Cream. At the age of 13 she found an old beat up guitar in the attic of her house. It had belonged to an uncle who died when he was young, and she taught herself to play a Grateful Dead song. Her father turned her on to blues artists like Jimmy Reed, and allowed Nicole to sit in on sessions with local musician friends. And then she left that town, that place, behind, attending art school in North Carolina, where she played for three years with the North Carolina alt-country band Los Parasols before making a name for herself as a solo performer on New York City’s anti-folk scene. She slept in an old Dodge Ram Charger on Avenue A, finally, with a little help from her friends, among them David Muller (occasionally a member of Yoko Ono’s band, Fiery Furnaces and Fischer Spooner) finally discovered her own sound.
And a fun little music video~~~
For more information, visit Nicole’s website at www.nicoleatkins.com
~Camberley
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