Joy to the WWW on HeyJoy.com

Happy Happy Joy Joyce

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Joy) — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 04:36:00 +0000

:: J O Y O U S O C C A S I O N S ::

artwork from the joy of living ~ visions of a healthy future

{all photos courtesy of my iphone hipstamatic addiction.}

Ah, fall is officially here, meaning summer, my fave season, has come to a close. Boo hoo. Add to that, the world is akimbo: reported gloom + doom based on the U.S. economy; earthquakes on the East coast a few weeks ago; Apple brainchild Steve Jobs retires, R.E.M. breaking up. Quel dommage.

I respect these state of affairs and their (greater?) purpose, yet they are counter to my essence. Despite being in my own state of flux, I keep pushing on. Those around me ask, "How?" It's not that big of a mystery: happiness can be found in spurts/doses/segments. And should be celebrated as such. Chasing categorical, 24/7 happiness is a challenge beyond (my) means.

My Mom led by example: she lived in the moment. Her fifth year yartzeit (an endearing term a Jewish gal friend taught me) was last week. Five years... Hard to believe.

I telegraph many special moments w/her that were just that, 'moments'... be it a half hour or 5 minutes: a scrabble game, a shared beer, an inside joke at the expense of my rival-of-the-moment... just short blips at the moment caught my breath and made me take note. I am thankful to whatever higher level granted me the awareness to take that pause.

If your parents are still alive, I suggest you love on them. Today. Or, as often as you can.

Playing a bit of catch up here so this playlist is long... but worth it. I've been working on it for awhile. Just wanted to take my time. It's a happenstance of happy tunes for reasons that probably only make sense to me. Sorry. ;) But I'm fairly sure these tunes will linger w/you, as they do me.

Fond farewell, Summer. See you not soon enough. And Mom, thanks for watching over me. And to the rest of you, find your happy place - even if it's for a minute to two. xo to all ~Joy

Go Outside
Cults
This song is the epitome of me. From the xylophone to the lyrics. Totally this girl. If you hate this song, we can't be friends.

Ohio
The Black Keys
My home state boys! Love this tune. Timely tribute to Ohio. I also cannot wait for their next BlakRoc project. aside from being insanely talented, Dan Auerbach seems to have the midas touch on all his side projects (like the divine Jessica Lea Mayfield.)

Wouldn't It Be Nice
Bullion
My fave part of the tune is at 1:47: "Run run run..." ala Beach boys. Nice.

Can't You Tell
Vetiver
Another Beach Boys ish vibe. Just meandering. Isn't that what downtime is all about?

Waves (Rodaidh Radio Edit)
Holly Miranda
I love this tune. THEN I found this video, and fell in love deeper. I love that bar/café, I love the raw high contrast b/w vignette Vincent Moon chose, I love that the Barback-come-Violinist is as relevant to this vid as Holly. Listen to the dialogue of this vid from the get go. Shot glass clinking and all. Sláinte, eh?

I've always been a print/interactive girl, but after being moved by this vid, and a recent chance to suggest the soundtrack to a good friend's indie movie, maybe video is my next big thing...

Stand In the Water
Wildlife
Great title. Even better lyrics.

Street Joy
White Denim
Dreamy Cali vibe. Slight added bonus that "joy" is in the title. I'm listening to White Denim constantly. Their LP, D, is worth your ears + time as well.

Put The Days Away
Sun Airway
Time's passing. Embrace the moment. Or reflect on the past. Both have value. ;)

As most of you know, Twitter is a strange time suck. Most days I've a love/hate relationship w/Twitter. A necessary occupational evil, I say. However, there are normal folks out there. Witness them at Twistori. It can def pull you out of a slump if you follow the positive words.

Goth Star
Pictureplane
I love the stop/start -ness of the vocals, somewhat like Ohio's Fall: one day cold, next day crazy hot... I also love the title of this tune as it supports my art school mentality that all goth kids are cool. As is my friend Lor, below. She's not goth, but she is a star in my eyes + heart.

Upside Down
Bassnectar
I'm from Northeastern Ohio. As such two words are all you need to know when it comes to amusement parks: Cedar Point. End of discussion. And if you do go, make sure when you ride the Corkscrew, you do so in the very last seats.

In Every Direction (Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. Remix)
Junip
Two of summer's favorite darlings in one song? Hooray! Junip (José Gonzales frontman) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. (possibly best new band name of the year). This song is solid on it's own, but I do love this remix as each band's essence is kept pure (vs a remix casualty.)

Once Around The Block
Badly Drawn Boy
Light and whimsical this tune... (Yoda speak. lol)

Sunlight
The One AM Radio
Further evidence you can take the girl out of So Cal, but you can't take Southern California out of the girl. The reference to "driving down the stretch of Wilshire Boulevard..." tugs at some heart strings mostly because back in the day I was doing so in an uber luxury vehicle in the name of due diligence for my then client Land Rover. Too. Much. Fun. (to be paid for. truth.)

Which One Of You Jerks Drank My Arnold Palmer
Blockhead
Love the title of this song as it makes me think of all the blockheads (pun!) I see when I go to the Memorial Tournament. Please note, the fine gent below is def NOT a blockhead (nor is my fab friend who shined me onto this artist.). ;)

Sleep Forever (Bassex Remix)
Portugal. The Man
Perfect tune to end this long post. Night, everyone. Or, happy nap, pending when you read this.

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You quiver like a candle on fire
I'm putting you out
Maybe tonight we could be the last shout
But I'm fascinated by your style
Your beauty will last for a while

You're feeling instead of being
The more that I live on the inside
There's nothing to give
I'm infatuated by your moves
I've got to search hard for your clues

~ Once Around the Block by Badly Drawn Boy

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Oscillate Wildly, Baby

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Joy) — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 14:42:00 +0000

:: D V D P M A D N E S S ::

Inspired by the heat, keeping this short + sweet. { thanks, Friday. }

Oscillate Wildly
The Smiths

Stopgap Pleasure

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Joy) — Tue, 17 May 2011 03:25:00 +0000

:: T O O T H P A S T E for D I N N E R ::

I stumbled upon this illustration and savored the irony as believe it or not, my blog HAS been top of mind. A new year's resolution was to post monthly. And I did so...um...until April. My conundrum: I have so much (new + old) music I want to post, I can't get my act together to focus on which I want to share first. Maybe it's because I'm listening to a lot of mashups as of late that my blogging brain is now scrambled into 10 second sound bites/bytes... Curse you, Gregg Gillis. ;)

So while I laugh at myself, at least I've found the hospitality to offer up some eye and ear awesomesauce as a stopgap gesture regarding my intent to get back to heartfelt and scintillating blog posts. (source: Information Aesthetics)

:: anatomy of a mashup | Daft Punk Visualized ::

Listen. Download.

Definitive Daft Punk

Cameron Adams, The Man in Blue

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Work it
Make it
Do it
Makes Us

Harder
Better
Faster
Stronger...

~ Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger by Daft Punk

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earthquakes, tsunamis, catastrophe, oh my.

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Joy) — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 19:19:00 +0000

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

I am so distracted by the earthquake + tsunami in Japan. I have a friend there on business travel and can't image how the fear would be compounded by being in a foreign country away, and from your family.

For reasons unknown, this has shades of 9/11 for me in that I can't stop looking at/reading the news wires. I'm in awe of the photography shown to date. And even stumbled upon a haunting audio of the seismic waves. My heart goes out to all. The America Red Cross has set up donation relief efforts quickly. The opportunity to text a $10 donation is in place: Text REDCROSS to 90999 to give $10

What's particularly disarming is that I have an unusual amount of friends out on business travel this week and next, both state side and international. I wish everyone safety. Come home soon! Big hug ~Joy

Safe From Harm (Perfecto Mix)
Massive Attack

Safe and Sound
Electric President

.

A Bit o' Britt

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Joy) — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 04:59:00 +0000

:: B R I T I S H G O V E R N M E N T P O S T E R ~ C I R C A 1939 ::

from Keep Calm and Carry On

Ah, to be fourteen again.

And to be in a band. Now, that would have been sweet...

Alas, I find myself amused by living vichariously through my 14 year old niece, Britt. She's always loved music. At last count she has 3 electric guitars; a slew of amps; mics; maybe an acoustic guitar; um, two drum kits... And well-versed on all each piece of equipment. Not bad for a hobbyist, eh?

Well this hobbyist is smart and surrounded herself w/like-minded music junkies who, "...just wanna perform and have fun...". Enter, I Like It Loud, a talented trio formed while attending a music school camp in Southern Florida. Some of their fave bands are ones of pure punk goodness: Green Day, The Clash, The Ramones. They've just started playing local all-age gigs showcasing their original song, "Miss ADHD." And true to the youth of today, they have a strong grasp of the power of branding and promoting (check out their tshirts, blog, videos, facebook fan page!) As long as Britt doesn't come on stage out of an egg, I fully support my girl!

This post is a belated 14th birthday gift dedicated to my wonderfully creative, cool, and talented niece. The playlist is long, but worth it! It contains British-inspired tunes. However, some are 100% American bands which have a europhile vibe. Some are currently on the airwaves, and other's I've loved since my college days (gasp...)

Britt, most of all, these are tunes I hope you like, and ones which might even wind up on the band's setlist someday. ;) Rock on, Rock Star! I hope year 14 is everything you want it to be! xo Aunt Joy

The Outright Obvious

All Too Much
Metropolitan

All Over Again
Locksley

See The Sun
The Kooks

For The Girl
The Fratellis

Ruby Soho
Vampire Weekend (Rancid Cover)

The Somewhat Obscure

Could Be Anything
The Eames Era

Percussion Gun
White Rabbits

Just Drums
Tapes N Tapes

Anti-Anti
Snowden

So Far We Are
French Kicks

Oscar Wilde
Company of Thieves

The Undeniable Classics

Do It Clean
Echo and The Bunnymen

Live Forever
Oasis

It's Only Life
The Feelies

Still Ill
The Smiths

The Heartfelt Dedication

Answer To Yourself
The Soft Pack

Let's Dance to Joy Division
The Wombats

That's Entertainment
The Jam

Age of Consent
New Order

A Girl Like You
Edwyn Collins

Ready To Start
Arcade Fire

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You got a talent don't you know?
You're more talented than you know
And you give it a shot
And give it the time
And be surprised how far it goes

~ Answer to Yourself by The Soft Pack

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You: For Better. Or Worse.

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Joy) — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 13:00:00 +0000

:: 1 0 0 T I P S T O I M P R O V E Y O U R L I F E ::

By The99Percent.com

Okay kids, end of January is upon us. How are those 2011 resolutions holding up? One friend calls them "Jan-Febsolutions" for their actual life span, despite best intentions. He's probably right.

If you need a little spark to rekindle your new year verve, take a look 100 Tips to Improve Your Life from 99%. These aren't resolutions: not things you need to give up, but things that can enhance your life. Note, those are def two different beasts: give up vs enhance. The suggestions and links gathered by Behance, (the creators of the "Making Ideas Happen" book) are impressive and some, even realistic. One word of caution, if you aren't a Tim Ferriss fan, this list might offend you as his thumbprint is all over this list (although he has made a kettlebell believer out of me.)

I feel we are all our own worst enemies. So give yourself a break if you haven't made a dent in your resolutions (there's still 11 more months!) Take a deep breath and merely make minor adjustments along the way versus wholesale changes. Baby steps, my Friends.

This playlist is a cornucopia of tunes skewed towards our pros, our cons, and everything in between. As the saying goes, "If you don't love you, who will?". ;)

Peace ~Joy

99 Problems (Jay-Z Cover)
Hugo
Starting this playlist about 100 ideas from the 99% with Hugo's 99 Problems was a slam dunk. I love Jay-Z's orig tune. And I love this cover, which Jay-Z did too - he signed Hugo to his Roc Nation label.

Within Your Reach
The Replacements
Can we talk about the guitars in this song? Just crazy good. Just crazy Paul Westerberg.

No New Tale To Tell
Love 'n Rockets
Still a rockin' great tune.

How You Like Me Now
Heavy
This club fave hit the motherload when Kia used it in their 2010 Super Bowl Spot: Joyride Dream.

Body of Years
Mother Mother

Don't Do It
Sharon Van Etten
Snap. She was in Columbus last week playing The Wex and I missed her... Haunting voice. And tune.

Transparency is the New Mystery
Marnie Stern
I haven't been too heavy handed w/the order of this playlist (for once) so I'm delighted these two tunes back up to one another as they are so very different. Or... are they?

Lose Big
Eef Barzelay
My love for Clem Snide is never-ending (see: Speechless or Apology Not Accepted. As such, so this tune by Eef.

My Will is Good
Port O'Brien
Observation: this band def sounds like they'd be a featured artist on Conan, don't they? Dueling O'Brien's. :)

Good Friends, Bad Habits
Owen
There are published studies by Harvard Medical School which support this theory. See Point #10 in this article. lol

Drink Drank Drunk
A Sunny Day in Glasgow
If the Harvard study above is correct, um, you might not want to share this tune w/your friends.

Cry 4 Help
Har Mar Superstar
Man, talking about "owning it"... Sean Tillmann, Har Mar Superstar creator, just puts it all out there for those to love or loathe. Me, I applaud his audacity and creativity. I liken his live show to the experience I had watching Gogol Bordello at Lolla last year: a raucous, riotous act with undeniable talent.

Dear God
XTC
If you don't know this about me yet, take note: I've unbridled enthusiasm about most things. And life, yes, it can suck. If that's the chosen lens from which you view. I say make your 2011 suck less. :) And if you're in true despair, then this last song is for you. Be well. Be happy. Be you.

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Old soul who falls down
Can't stop tripping on these old roads I go down
Get back up and get my...

Foot in the door and my face on the page
Make my mark in the world with a bat and a blade
Just a body of work that you can't ever change
Like a body of years that you take to your grave

~Body of Years by Mother Mother

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Where the Wild Things Are

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Joy) — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 19:35:00 +0000

~ a little housekeeping note ~

No, I did not abandon my blog. But yes, I had become super uber busy and let is slide.

Sorry. But it's my 2011 priority. Fab. Moving along...

NPR's Morning Edition published a commentary re:the rise of women's roller derby which caught my attention. The article, These Roller Skating Women Get 'Down And Derby', highlights the resurgence of roller derby and dispels the long-held stereotype that it's more theatrics vs athletic prowess. It struck a chord w/me as I have a friend who is on the Denver's Roller Dolls team and lives up to her pseudonym: Kendra Blood (aka Andrea Hill). Andrea's verve for this sport, as portrayed via her Facebook updates, is infectious. She is one wickedly smart gal (UX, strategy and insights expert) as well the consummate athlete (multiple marathoner). She moved from Columbus to Denver, a more lifestyle-driven culture, so it wasn't surprising that roller derby would appeal to her competitive nature. Andrea is proof that the former stigma of women's derby is long gone. As she puts it, "Our league is really focused on legitimizing the sport and showcasing it as a sport..." And while the West was quick to the draw, perhaps Andrea's timing was off as Columbus now has The Ohio Roller Girls (which I def plan on checking out!)

Shifting gears to the music... At last summer's Lollapalooza, Val (valslist.com brainchild) and I noticed the glut of band names with an animal aspect to them - the lineup sounded like an episode of Mutual of Ohama's Wild Kingdom. Ha. But the trend was evident. Out of fashion: names like "The " (i.e. The Hives, The Thrills, The Strokes, etc.). Enter: one's with bestial nomenclature. And with the first snow upon us, it doesn't look like the trend is near ending. The bands chosen for this post have names which read like the manifest to an ark, yes? :) Enjoy them. As always: Thank you. Be well. Send me your feedback. I love it. Merry, Merry ~Joy

LET THE WILD RUMPUS START!

Laredo
Band of Horses
Quite possibly my fave tune out right now.

Location
Freelance Whales
Damn, what a dreamy tune... "Thinking softly what a concrete mess we live in..."

Cannibal Queen
Miniature Tigers
Val and I caught these guys on Sunday of Lolla. Super big time fun in such a wonderfully understated way. Put Miniature Tigers on your list if they come to your city. Columbus was blessed w/them on a double-bill with Freelance Whales at The Basement last Friday.

8 4 8
Young Mammals
Houston's Young Mammals have my ear, big time. I hear a hint of back-in-the-day Johnny Marr + New Order in the guitars right around the 1:00 mark. Like.

Coronado
Deerhunter

Girlfriend
Phoenix
Val and I had media passes this past Lolla, Phoenix did an acoustic set to about 50 of us. I had always liked their sound but it wasn't until I heard them so unplugged that my respect increased fifty-fold. What I couldn't get past was Thomas Mars' blue oxford shirt. It was a hot day so he had to be uncomfortable (in my mind). Then when they performed later that night and he was still wearing it, it just distracted me... Music AND wardrobe critic now, I guess. :)

Cheerleader
Grizzly Bear
Not to linger on Lolla, but it is amazing as you can see so many great bands w/in a ridiculous amount of compressed time. You need to be strategic about your scheduling. Getting the proverbal "Where are you?" text for a friend who's seeing an act you intended to is always bittersweet. My good friend David Murphy took his fab daughters to Lolla (from So Cal) and I was mad/frustrated/jealous (self-induced) when I got his text that they were front and center for Grizzly Bear when I had yet to lay foot one on the grounds that early day. Point goes to: Murph! (Hope the crowd surfing is still rich in your memories too!)

Sinnerman (Felix Da Housecat's Heavenly House Mix)
Nina Simone + Felix Da Housecat
Nina Simone. Nuff said. This track is off, Verve Remixed 2, a worthy addition to your library if jazz and electronica appeal to you. Yummy combo imho.

Skinny Cow Blues
The Foxymorons
What a great band name! I like the Pavement-esque vibe of this tune.

Empty Nest
Wild Beasts
My go to source for music, Cary Whitt, shined me onto this band. Cary has impeccable taste and he once again, was right. Thank you, Cary!

Here's the vid for the tune from a KCRW session. Hopefully it translates to their mesmerizing live show. And if you love KCRW like I do, check out Betsy Moyer. Tell her I sent you!

Spanish Sahara
Foals
Break out your dictionary: a "foal" is a young horse. :)

This is a BIG song which you won't discover unless you stick around until the 1:45 mark or so. It just builds. The music is dreamy, the lyrics are somewhat vague yet foreboding and the result is a big sound that lingers w/you. I mean, who doesn't have "...a ghost lingering in the back of your head." God, I love this tune...

Love of an Orchestra (NightWaves Remix)
Noah and the Whale

Out In The Woods
Birds & Batteries
This tune is like a journey in and of itself.

Be Less Rude
Frightened Rabbit
Good advice! Love the leads vocals in this tune - a skosh scratchy. These guys were amazing live at Lolla. Took the crowd by surprise.

Mama Told Me (Not To Come)
Three Dog Night
Here's a throwback for ya. My parting words: Always listen to your Momma.

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Gonna take a trip to Laredo
Gonna take a dip in the lake
Oh, I'm at a crossroads with myself
I don't got no one else

And possibilities at the door
I won't be needing them anymore
Oh, is this the first time in your life
It's hard just to get by

Laredo

~ Band of Horses

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No Apologies

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Joy) — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 04:19:00 +0000

:: R E G R E T S Y / Where DIY Meets WTF ::

So....let's just talk about a "Damn: I wish I had thought of that" moment. We all know/love Etsy. But there are some odd-ish things lurking about that site. Regretsy (the self-titled 'Where DIY meets WTF' web site) was to the quick on recognizing those less than stellar homemade madness and illuminate them to those of us who deem ourselves as purveyors of good taste. But really who are we to judge? Hard to say. I mean I "L" to the "O" to the "V" to the "E" IKEA, but frankly those bags are an ergonomic nightmare. Too large... But alas here's a Babe (Inrgrid, to be exact) on Regretsy who's made fashion from them. Check out the site - it's so wrong, it's right.

While I am in the advertising/communications biz, my degree on paper is a BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) so while Regretsy is awesome, I have empathy for the fine artists/crafts-persons I've met along the way that felt their craft was not understood by the masses.

For my readers this post is a blend of the madness that possibly goes into these possible creative geniuses. (One departing thought: Snuggie. Who knew...)

Out of the Blue
Julian Casablancas
I get to see Jules, The Strokes frontman, Friday night in Chicago at Lollapalooza! They are in the same time slot as Lady Gaga. I will peek at her, but just a blush. The Strokes have my love. Can't wait! This tune, "Somewhere along the way, my hopefulness turned to sadness..." is so very Jeklly/Hyde-ian. Brilliant.

Heavens To Purgatory
The Most Serene Republic
Perfect song title for such a debatable topic. Hidden hand claps - my achilles heel.

The Rat
The Walkmen
This band will be at Lolla too. Nice. But that's not why they are in this post. The entire angst of the tune, "you've got a lot of nerve..." Those lyrics ring true to artists who are expressing themselves in a manner which no one else might immediately connect. It's a lonely, angry feeling. They capture it poetically w/this tune.

The Captive Mind
The Helio Sequence
I love this band. Check them out if their sound is new to you. The song title represents what sets creative folks apart from the herd - we are always on a quest.

Beautiful Wreck
Shawn Mullins
Art. Life. Love. All beautiful wrecks. Ingredients for an interesting life. Deelish.

Forgive Me, Love
Clem Snide
My Mom sewed a lot. Threw herself passionately hours into projects. As such she, and many a crafts persons, consider their objets de art, as a love. Clem Snide is such an amazing band -- their sound -- so honest, that this song, while a love song, felt so perfect for this post.

Baby, We'll Be Fine
The National
This is my one and only "must see" band this weekend at Lolla. There are loads of great bands but I want see/feel The National. I have art directed/produced a music video in my mind each and every single time I hear this song as the lyrics are so visually rich. I relate to it, or know that those that do. And per this post, it's so apropos to (creative) angst.

Misunderstood
Wilco
Who isn't misunderstood? "I'd like to thank you all for nothin'..." Oh, cry me a river, Jeff Tweedy... ;)

Bittersweet
Big Head Todd & The Monsters
I chose this song as creativity is in fact bittersweet. But knowing this song is a fave of a good friend of mine brings double pleasure. Huge props go out to Ms. Alexandra Kelley. She is a tsumani of awesomeness in her passion for the Columbus Arts Scene via community awareness. (ie. Pecha Kucha and Goodale Park Music Series to name a few...) Thank you, Alex!

Regret
New Order
So the dance of 'second guessing' begins. It's so amazing to design/create something you love. But then... you want to share it w/others. And then, whoo-boey, the second guessing begins. For those on Regretsy, I am guessing their audience were die-hard happy hour go-ers: "Sure, Chuck Taylors cut at the toe make for awesome tennis-sandals... " Wha...? This tune makes me smile mostly as there was a local Columbus/Cinci Band: The Websters, that played this song. A highlight for me any time we'd go see them play: "I was upset you see/Almost all the time/You used to be a stranger/Now you are mine..."

Supposed To Be
Jack Johnson
For the record, I am not a Jack Johnson fan when it comes to his tried and true pop tunes. But man, he has some songs that I just love and as such, credit him as a strong singer/songwriter. Check him on the Thicker Than Water soundtrack if his pop stuff leaves you cold. This specific tune is off the Curious George Soundtrack and it haunts me as my dear friend Ned saw this film before I did and commented on the film's deeper meaning via the soundtrack. This tune encapsulates so much about creativity. And life. Ambiance tip: Headphones on. Loud. Repeat.

Pick Up The Pieces
Average White Band
As the saying goes, "If you haven't failed, you're not trying hard enough."
But hear me now: we creatives are not wimps. Be it our 8-10pm advertising jobs, or the 24/7 stay-at-home-crafter. We are creative. Hear us roar. ;) We can take criticism (kind of) and figure out how to make greater greatness. It's all part of what we call, The Creative Process.

Testify.

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Maybe it's up with the stars
Maybe it's under the sea
Maybe it's not very far
Maybe this is how it's supposed to be

Maybe it's trapped in a jar
Something we've already seen
Maybe it's nowhere at all
Maybe this is how it's supposed to be

Looking forward as we rewind
Looking back is a trap sometimes
Being here is so easy to do

If you want to... (repeat)

~ Supposed to Be by Jack Johnson
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Better Off Ned

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Joy) — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 04:05:00 +0000

:: W I L L I A M S O N ' S - H A N G I N' L O O S E ::

Ned Williamson, passed away July 13, 2006. A very dark day for so many people. http://nedwilliamson.tributeforyou.com/

He passed away the day before my 40th birthday. He and I had a lot of hilarious banter about my pending Big-Four-Oh (esp since he had just only turned 36) and his absence, the lack of his snark... was beyond deafening. I now go through a bittersweet annual ritual of mourning one life and then celebrating another.

We were at a wedding w/a gaggle of friends who glommed onto the fact my father's name was Ned too. From there on, I became "Ned Jr." or "Junior" for short. The surname that stuck like glue. Amen.

This was Lucy's (aka Mrs. Ned) homage to Ned at his service, and it's still spot on:
There Is A Light that Never Goes Out
by The Smiths

You all hear me say this often, "Life is not a dress rehearsal." Show up to play, my friends. Let this be a cautionary tale.

Ned, we miss you. Thank God we have Lucy, Ella, + Charlie.

This song's for you
~Junior

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Take me out tonight
where there's music and there's people
who are young and alive
driving in your car
I never never want to go home
because I haven't got one anymore

Take me out tonight
because I want to see people
and I want to see life
driving in your car
oh please don't drop me home
because it's not my home, it's their home
and I'm welcome no more

And if a double-decker bus
crashes in to us
to die by your side
is such a heavenly way to die
and if a ten ton truck
kills the both of us
to die by your side
well the pleasure, the privilege is mine

Take me out tonight
take me anywhere, I don't care
I don't care, I don't care
and in the darkened underpass
I thought Oh God, my chance has come at last
but then a strange fear gripped me
and I just couldn't ask

Take me out tonight
oh take me anywhere, I don't care
I don't care, I don't care
driving in your car
I never never want to go home
because I haven't got one
no, I haven't got one

And if a double-decker bus
crashes in to us
to die by your side
is such a heavenly way to die
and if a ten ton truck
kills the both of us
to die by your side
well the pleasure, the privilege is mine

There is a light that never goes out
~ The Smiths
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Running on Empty

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Joy) — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 19:03:00 +0000

:: B P O I L S P I L L - G R A N D I S L E, L A ::

"Oil collecting at the mouth of one of the breeches on Elmer’s Island...
There were no clean-up crews in sight and no one for at least a mile in either direction."
~Richard Shepard, Aerial Photographer

I am grossly under-qualified to try to comment on this oil spill catastrophe yet when I heard it was going on its second month, it gave me pause. Another staggering stat I read last week is apparently the oil spilled so far would have fueled the United States for FOUR hours. WHAT? That's all?

When will it end? No one knows.

I came across Richard Shepard's site and his aerial images of this debacle are arresting--as are his first-hand accounts from talking w/the locals while documenting this disaster. Worth a visit.

How does this all works into a blog post? Well I love songs that have this 'on and on and on' vibe. A perpetual motion, if you will. And I have more friends than not, it seems, that are runners (crazy lot, those runners). So this post is a nod to them and hopefully a near-soon end to the tragedy in the Gulf.

Be well, All. ~Joy

TO DOWNLOAD tunes: right-click (pc) or control-click (mac)

the song title link in the page (vs the player at the bottom).

Jumping Someone Else's Train
The Cure
Mark my words: this it where all began (for me). 1984-ish. At Wittenberg. WUSO 89.1-FM. College radio. It started w/INXS (see Beck track), and quickly led to The Cure. The Smiths. New Order. R.E.M. et all.

Good Thing
The Wooden Tops
I was exposed to The Wooden Tops via a road trip from Springfield to Cincinnati (destination: a landmark Cinci Diner who's name I cannot recall. Suggestions welcomed.) Off the Giant LP. (okay, I had the cassette and played it to death) Every song was great. Very rhythmic. Fantastic lyrics here in Good Thing. Be sure to give an acute listen.

Brimful of Asha
Cornershop
Cornershop's got a fab ditty here. "Everybody needs a bosom for a pillow..." Yes, indeed.

Answer Yourself
The Soft Pack
Perfect words of advice to BP? Hell, for all of us truthfully. The Soft Pack will be at Del Mar Race Track (xo Lucy + Ned) in August. Would love to see them there, but guess I'll have to suffice for their Lolla gig. Not a bad Plan B.

Low
Cracker
I saw these guys on a triple bill at the Polaris Ampitheatre in the mid '90s with The Gin Blossoms and Spin Doctors-who, brace yourself-were the headliners. Yikes. Cracker. Stole. The. Show. Hearing this song live was special. You just caught all the subtle nuances of the guitar.

Some Are Lakes
Land of Talk
I had never heard this tune/band but tuned into the Friday, June 4th CD101 Guest DJ session and it was a pick of Margot Heinlein's. I can't stop listening to it. It fits perfectly into my sound wheelhouse. Thank you, Margot + Lesley James!

Sweet Disposition
Temper Trap
High on my must see list at Lollapalooza this year is Temper Trap. I wish they were playing later on Sunday as I'd love to hear this song when the sun goes down because that's the color I see when I hear this song - burnt orange. My fave.

Get It
Rjd2
Little known fact I unearthed off iTunes: Rjd2 lived in Columbus, Ohio for a brief while. Fancy that.

Blessa
Toro Y Moi
I love Richard Armitage's Pitchfork article description: "Blessa...feels much like a summer's slumber..." which nails why this song is so Joy - I la la love summer like no other season.

Round and Round
Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti
Odd this post is turning out so electronica skewed as categorically I'd say I'm a more Indie/Alt/Alt-Country fan--but here we are and this playlist is def suggesting otherwise. Hmmm.... Anyhow, does anyone else hear Ariel Pink's Elvis Costello-inspired vocals at 1:20? And, I love the "pick up the phone" + other lyrics droning on at the end.

Still Missing (Royksopp Remix)
Beck
This is a toss up: I love both the orig Guero LP + the Royksopp remix... And I love Beck Hansen even more due to paying homage to INXS (along w/St. Vincent, Liars, Os Mutantes...) INXS was mentioned above as their sound was so unique. So sad Michael Hutchence left us so early.

Sleep On The Bottom
Low, Transient Waves & Piano Magic
This very sleepy dreamy tune was found a while back on Motel de Moka. Yum. If you are a runner (and did in fact download this playlist for your run--see download directions above) I can only hope this plays when you are in your zone... and helps time pass by like waves of the ocean.

All My Friends
LCD Soundsystem
May this seven plus minutes of piano frenzy segueing to controlled chaos of clever lyrics paying tribute to life + growing old motivate you to keep on running. That run-on sentence was intended, btw. An epitome of the tune. :)

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I prayed heaven today
would bring its hammer down on me
and pound you out of my head
I can't think with you in it

~Still Missing by Beck
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.

Hey Mister DJ

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Joy) — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 21:03:00 +0000

:: rocker chick | B I L Z E L M A N ::

Short and sweet post... yay! I receive repeated emails suggesting I create a podcast version of my blog (so you can hear me vs just read me...yikes). Well, in lieu of a podcast, I did come across the mp3 recording from last May of my Guest DJ stint (on CD101- Columbus' Alternative Station) that might suffice.

I had the amazing fortune to be on-air for an hour w/the divine Ms. Lesley James and in my little fiefdom, it was all out rockstar: she rocks, the studio rocked, the experience rocked. Although, the promotions and commercials were tricky. Self deprecation, fully in tact. ;)

The file uploaded is an hour long + 90MB. As such, I am only keeping this up for a week so to not bog down the music player below. Right-clicking will allow you to download the file. Grab it while ya can. Enjoy. ~ Joy

MY SET

Bigmouth Strikes Again - The Smiths

Pump Up the Doorbell - Party Ben

Don't You Evah - Spoon

Love Dog - TV on the Radio

Enter Laughing - Electrelane

Speak for Me - Cat Power

One Big Holiday - My Morning Jacket

Jump in the Pool - Friendly Fires

The Heavens - Weird Tapes

That's Not My Name - The Ting Tings

Nothing to Worry About - Peter Bjorn + John

The Step + The Walk - The Duke Spirit

HeyJoy Guest DJ

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What's next?
I'm out of time.
Losing my touch I can feel
Speak for me; you'll see the same signs
Do you know how to read between the lines?
All now it's all for now, all for one.
What you want?

Going on and on...

~ Speak for Me by Cat Power
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Joy Ride

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Joy) — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 03:58:00 +0000

:: J O Y = A T H R E E L E T T E R W O R D ::

Today is Earth Day. So what could be more fitting than a blog topic that pays homage to a gas-guzzling carbon-emitting German vehicle, eh? Eeghads, sorry for the poor timing... While I can't take any credit for the Joy Is BMW campaign, (not to be confused w/this site http://www.joyisbmw.com Zing!), nor am I a BMW owner or advocate, I do love the campaign. The brand essence is woven so smartly into the messaging: Joy is Youthful | Joy Breaks the Mold | Joy is Timeless | Joy Can Be Counted

Driving is joyful-in any vehicle. It's euphoric and what we pine away for in our pre-license years. I've been blessed to own some crazy fun cars: Mazda RX-7 (a black '82 and a white '90) and my fave, my Alfa Romeo Milano. Windows down and/or sunroof open: even on the highway; even in the winter. For me, the equation is simple: car = music. Driving w/music an enriched experience. This playlist is a spin-off of the High Octaine playlist I created for valslist. The Joy Ride playlist below is a broader mishmash of tunes perfect for the quick trip to the Kwik-E-Mart or for driving for the sake of aimless driving moments. Actually, this post's offering feels more a mixtape than playlist. Enjoy + let me know where it takes you (physically or mentally). Save travels. Always ~Joy

California Soul (Diplo Remix)
Marlena Shaw
Damn, can she belt out this tune. Love the exaggerated intro. If you live in a metro area w/city-bound tunnels, I suggest cranking this tune upon exiting one as you enter the city as it has an "I. Have. Arrived." crescendo vibe.

Lust for Life
Girls
I wish Girls had named this song otherwise, as I fear it gets passed over as an Iggy Pop remake. As you will hear, it's far from that. This is a quintessential tune for heading for a fun night out. Oh, wait for the background dudes and tambourine to chime in near :52--wonderfully campy. Poignant lyrics-easy to dismiss given the melody. Don't.

Fire
Kasabian
Just love the giddy-up, lolly-gaggin' preamble in this song. Then :56 kicks in and BOOM: You are on fire, Kasabian-style. Enjoy this 4:14 inferno.

Dissembler
Woodhands

(new readers, a gentle reminder: joy = nerd)

Aside from the awesomeness of this song, the song title's syntax lingers w/me: "Dissemble" as a noun vs verb...? Hmmmm... Regrouping: I always sing along w/this song while driving. Woodhands is self-billed as an electronic/pop/psychedelic duo so their LP title, Remorsecapade, is fitting. Want more? Check the video. It captures the awkward frenzy of the tune beautifully:

Id Engager
Of Montreal
I'd sing this song as well if I could reach the falsetto pitches Of Montreal's frontman, Kevin Barnes reaches. Not gonna happen. Ever.

Morning Exercise
The Heavenly States
This is a good morning song. The piano gets ya movin' along. This tune is for when you're still in your neighborhood, and happy. Def pre-expressway. You know what I mean.

Native Son
The Judybats
A throwback to my days at Witt. For many years, I always thought they were singing, "Major Tom" in the opening lines (as in my mind he was the 'native son') Shades of Cher Horowitz, no doubt. ;)

Come Together
Primal Scream
Loads of bongos + percussion. Great tune for a sun dappled drive. This song is a big hit w/my soon-to-be 7 yr old son. Apple doesn't fall far from the tree, eh? Amen.

Shout Out Louds
Tonight I Have to Leave It
If Robert Smith of The Cure and Poi Dog Pondering got together, this is what they'd sound like.

Take Your Momma
Scissor Sisters
This is a last minute addition. I heard this song while driving in this morn, so am adding it. Felt like a great fit nestled twix the SOL's + Joan. And since it is the weekend, I do encourage you to take your Momma out. I sure wish I could.

Right Hand Man
Joan Osborne
Turn up the volume, Friends, as I'm kicking it into high gear. Ms. Joan take it away...

Windseeker
Mr. Quibble
Aside from my belief that Mr. Quibble sounds like a Mrs. Quibble, I dig the tune. (tiny chuckle)

Itza Trumpet Thing
Scott Harris vs. Simon Toogood
I've a penchant to end my posts w/songs that linger. I love this one as it's 7 minutes of jazz brass + techno goodness. Hope you do too.

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Oh, I wish I had a suntan
Oh, I wish I had a pizza and a bottle of wine
Oh, I wish I had a beach house
Then we could make a big fire every night
Instead I'm just crazy, I'm totally mad
Yeah I'm just crazy, I'm fucked in the head
And maybe if I really tried with all of my heart
Then I could make a brand new start in love with you

~ Lust for Life by Girls
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Tragically Hip

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Joy) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 23:09:00 +0000

:: U N H A P P Y H I P S T E R S ::

She reconsidered the eight story drop to the street

{ Photo: Hertha Humaus, Dwell, March 2004 }

Okay, I admit it: I'm a fairly happy-go-lucky-gal for the most part. Yet I do have my fair share of gloom and doom songs which to my chagrin, don't make for the most engaging blog fodder. So I was pretty elated when Unhappy Hipsters (UH) became a darling of the internet a few weeks ago.

Unhappy Hipsters is a lovely site that pokes beautiful photographic fun at the bobo* lifestyle for the 30-something generation. (a term I learned while working on Land Rover's brand strategy, fittingly enough)

*bobo (adj.): A fairly affluent or educated person who repudiates, denies, or rejects the background from which he or she comes and embraces that of another, most likely lower or less educated, socio-economic one so as to not appear snobbish. Bobos, from the French term “bourgeois bohémien” often graduate from private schools, live in hip, but somewhat sketchy neighborhoods, marry an ethnic or ‘other’ to upset their parents, or espouse unconventional food or cultural traditions to prove that they are above their bourgeois upbringing. As soon as the going gets tough, however, their breeding will show, and they will watch your napkin placement and use at the dinner table.

Serendipitously, UH became a muse to which I've paired some of my fave melancholy tunes that are more tongue + cheek vs. slit your wrists. Essentially, this post is really me being "down". I realize the irony. Enjoy, despite the conundrum. ;) ~Joy

St. Vincent's Marrow
I saw St. Vincent this past winter when she opened for Andrew Bird. Annie Clark is electric in concert (which is why I'm posting a video vs the mp3.) She is waif-esque in appearance yet she writes these gut wrenching tunes that are rich in guitar distortion. This tune in particular embodies the ying/yang nature of Unhappy Hipsters.

Kiss With a Fist
Florence + The Machine
Love this tune. It's catchy, campy...but give the lyrics a good listen: one hell of a lover's spat, eh?

Gravity
Nico Vega
Heard this on my morning drive w/this blog post in mind and, "Over time you can kill me, But I'll resurrect so...NANANANANANA" caught my attention immediately.

Casual Goodbye

Bear in Heaven
This band was a find off Seattle's KEXP's weekly download. Dreamy tune w/an ever so slight bitter tone--a wonderful, delicate balance.

Little Lion Man
Mumford + Sons
Mark my words (and essentially every other music blogger's) these guys are going to be huge. Their sound is so robust. The songwriting is superb. If you don't like it out of the gate, stay at least until 1:10 mark. It gets wonderfully layered from there on out. There is a clean version to this song, but the explicit one I'm posting here is essential to get the angst that fits this blog post in particular. Enjoy it fully.

Pursuit of Happiness (Kid CuDi Cover)
Barbara
Kid CuDi is all the rage now yet I feel this version by LA fusion band Barbara is incredibly smooth and reigns supreme over the original. Sorry, Kid.

Gotta Cheer Up
Cotton Jones
This tune could easily be the soundtrack for ANY of the images posted on Unhappy Hipster. Def take a moment to check out the site-the image captions have a Larry David nature to them. Brilliant.

Misfit
Elefant
I've been wanting to feature this song in a blog post for quite a while. Just love the downtrodden lyrics against the melody. My fave part of the song however is when he sings, "C'mon" at the 2:28 point which kicks off the instrumental. Just. Dig. It.

Bow Down and Die

The Almighty Defenders
The quasi-shouting effect in this tune is was grabs and pulls me in. And keeps me there for 4:04 gritty minutes.

Virginia, Don't Drown
Chin Up Chin Up
This tune was a toss up w/Pinback's Penelope, but then I realized I posted Penelope in my Poster Child post from March '09. Frankly, I'm not precisely sure what these lyrics are even after reading them...love that confusion. Ha!

Sooner or Later (HeartMe! remix)
Zaza
And I REALLY don't know that Zaza is saying/singing in this song but that it warrants belonging to this post as the vibe is so choice. That, and I wanted to end this post on a tune that will linger with you.

Fashionably Late

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Joy) — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 05:02:00 +0000

:: V O G U E M A G A Z I N E ::

October 1935 + May 1935 Covers, respectively

Happy Twenty Ten, All! Hope your holidays were fab. Mine were especially wunderbar under 75 degrees of goodness in Fort Lauderdale. In fact, the flight to an fro CMH to FLL gave me some overdue time in my iTunes Library. I spent most of Nov/Dec discovering/listening to new artists, or established artists' lesser known tracks. All good. However, the holidays always make me sentimental thus I found myself gravitating to my older songs as the new year approached. Older songs, but still relevant in their sound and lyrics, for this new year.

As this playlist was formulating in my mind, it wasn't yet aligned to a given design inspiration. I prefer organic inspiration of theme + tunes for my blog (which hopefully explains my erratic blog schedule.) The obvious common thread twix these artists were that they were all male. I wasn't able to make a relevant design connection. Then, this week I came across CoverBrowser.com and VintageAdBrowser.com and was smitten when the tie to this playlist struck me: Fashion. That is what these artists and their tunes exude: fashion- and design-forwardness in the haze of the mid '80s through early '90s. The sounds are highly stylized, unique and confident. These bands were trendsetters not imitators in the new era of music videos.

These particular Vogue Covers above appealed to me for their simplicity and sophistication and gave me pause as to how the publication and its covers have transcended time. Bravo Vogue. In a time when many magazines are folding, you remain true and strong to your essence.

Thus true to my nature, I am going against the glut of the blogs out there touting new music for the new year and joyously kicking off my first 2010 post with some relatively old artists and tracks that could very well be new to your ears and heart. Proof that all that glitters does not fade away.

Chez les Yé-Yé's (Minimatic Remix)
Serge Gainsbourg
I couldn't kick of a fashion-centric post w/o a nod to the French. Monsieur Gainsbourg is the provocative embodiment of french fashion + lifestyle: cool and sexy. Oooo-la-la.

:: The Talking Heads

David Bryne is a visual mastermind. The wafer thin man in the big suits understood the theatrics behind music concerts, recognized it was unexpected, and then overdelivered to cement The Talking Heads as everyone's favorite eclectic band. I recall the first time watching Stop Making Sense. I owned the CD. Liked it well enough. But watching the DVD brought about an entirely different revere I had for David Bryne and The Talking Heads. First and foremost was the typographic treatment of the title credits created by Pablo Ferro. They were visually arresting and immediately set the tone for the rest of the visual experience ahead. Stop and hit Amazon right now if you don't own this DVD. I emplore you.

Psycho Killer
Barren stage, Sperry Top-siders, boom box at the ready. A classic case of "less is more." My mantra for the new year. Brilliant.
This Must be the Place (Naive Melody)
Bar none, my fave Talking Heads tune. End of discussion.
Strange Overtones
David Byrne + Brian Eno
Two masterminds. Not much else needs to be said.

:: The Blue Nile

The Blue Nile have been a mainstay in my weekly listening since my days at Wittenberg. They play on my senses w/their aloof tones and dreamy ambient beats: "soulful songs of urban melancholy."

Stay
This song was my first exposure to the band. And fan to the end since.
A Walk Across The Rooftops
I've never been to London, but this is were my mind wanders when I listen to this song. Donning a trench coat, of course. Love the lyrics: "I am in love. I am in love with you..."
Downtown Lights
From the critically acclaimed Hats LP. I agree with Stylus Magazine, "Monumental is one word to describe the second track, “The Downtown Lights”. It glistens and sparkles, as it utilizes all the 80s synth touches people seem to be ashamed of, with a dreamy sense of awe and beauty."
Tomorrow Morning
I live for the end of this song where Paul Buchanan croons, "Come on, Girl" and the singular hand clap soon thereafter. Don't ask me why.

:: Roxy Music

Sex. Fashion. Music. Enter Bryan Ferry, frontman for Roxy Music. Roxy was in a class their own with Ferry's vocals paired with Brian Eno's trademark keyboard and synth arrangements. If Ferry seems effeminate to you, watch Live At the Apollo. While he's high glam, you'll see he's all man.

Love is The Drug
I love the sfx of the foot steps and the car starting, James Dean style.
The Space Between
From their most commercial LP, Avalon. Great any time, day or night.

Same Old Scene (Glimmers Remix)
A hit w/Warhol, Bianca + Crew at Studio 54 in the early 80s. No doubt.

:: The Style Council

Dear Style Council, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways. All these tunes are from their 1984 LP Café Bleu which captures their breadth perfectly.

Mick's Blessings
This song is so me: hand-clapping, a tambourine (!!) and piano (note: will try to learn to play in '10)
Paris Match
I get lost in Tracey Thorn's vocals. Just pour a decadent french red and off you go. Ah, vive la France.
The Whole Point of No Return
Paul Weller, I am forever a fan. "From good stock and the best breeding..."
Council Meetin'
This last track on Café Bleu is simply a feel good tune to send you on your way.

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Out of all those kinds of people
You got a face with a view
I'm just an animal looking for a home
Share the same space for a minute or two
And you'll love me 'til my heart stops
Love me 'til I'm dead
Eyes that light up, eyes look through you
Cover up the blank spots
Hit me on the head
~ This Must be the Place (Naive Melody)
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Monster Mash(up)

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Joy) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:10:00 +0000

:: S P U D L O V E ::

Okay, I am keeping this post light and breezy. I stumbled upon some killer mashups (a craft that I am just beginning to learn about) and wanted to pass them along in the spirit of Thanksgiving. They're clever + whimsical and will linger w/you for a while, I guarantee. So please enjoy (and post your any feedback and other mashup resources care to share.)

Have a fab Thanksgiving! ~ Joy

djBC creations:

Gimme The Nightclub
50 Cent + George Benson. This is the most tight mashup in this offering. I've always loved In Da Club because I am a shorty. ;) And the injection of George Benson's Gimme the Night is sweet.

Bossa Confusion

New Order meets Bossa Nova. In this case Confusion + Elis Regina. Divine.

Promiscuous All Night
I've always loved Nelly Furtado/Timbaland's Promiscuous. Throw in a lil Beyonce/Jay-Z (not too much) w/some old school dancehall reagge. Yummy.

Snoop's Nu Shooz
I've a weakness for Snoop. I can't explain it. I just like him (along w/KidRock...) so this mashup really pulled me in, as back the day I la-la-loved this Nu Shooz tune.

Summer In The City
ANY tune that successfully works in "She put de lime in de coconut and called de doctor, woke 'im up." is alright by me.

PartyBen Creations

Pump Up the Doorbell
I chose this tune during my CD101 Guest DJ stint last summer. Great energy via White Stripes + MARRS's Pump Up the Volume

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Fall Moon

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Joy) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:00:00 +0000

:: T H E B L U E M O O N A R T P R O J E C T ::

( Moondance by Dan Gerdeman + Under a Blue Moon by Angela Lichi )

Blue Moon Beer. Fall beverage goodness. With citrus fruit, even better. And a brewery which supports art? Holy Hey Joy jackpot, I say! :) The Blue Moon Art Project was developed to extend the brand's passion for art beyond the brew kettle and connect with the local art communities in Philly, Chicago, Columbus, and Boston. The submissions were impressive. I encourage you to take a look. And proof if ever that these guys take this Belgian-style witbier seriously artistically.

Alas, this post is a celebration of fall + fall-inspired activities. And most certainly an homage to the amazing full moon seen in CMH this week– just glorious! The 16 tunes (is that too many?!) below are a potpourri of indie/jazz/electronica/big-band treats designed to bring the ideas in this post full circle. Love when that happens! As always, thank you for reading all this! Salut~ Joy

:: Howling like a Wolf

These two tunes I've had in my library forever. I think I've stated before-I must have a subliminal affinity towards tunes that have 'wolf' in the name/band/lp title. Ha! Here are two of the best in my offering:

Wolf Like Me
TV on The Radio
Love these lyrics. Werewolf to the hilt, Baby.

You're a Wolf
Sea Wolf
Love love love the enunciation on, "Cut to the ocean"...

:: Boo!

Yah, I hear ya, Halloween was last week. But my blog, my rules. :) Enjoy these devilish delights.

Seven Steps to Satan
Luna
I swear, I could post a Luna tune every blog post. This one is particularly lush in the melody and lyrics: "Seven vodkas to the wind / Seven ways from sundown / Seventh heaven seventh veil / I was only joking". Sigh.

Blood Bank
Bon Iver
This song gave me chills when I saw them this past Lollapalooza. So haunting. And so worth it standing in the rain for the performance: "And I said I know it well / That secret that we know / That we don't know how to tell / I'm in love with your honor / I'm in love with your cheeks..."

Everyday I Love You Less and Less
Kaiser Chiefs
This tune made this playlist as EVERY time I hear the laugh in the background at the :30 mark, it reminds me of Count Von Count (One, muhhaah... Two, muhahhah...) which is even more fitting in light of Sesame Street's 40th Anniversary. Google did a fab job w/the custom mastheads too.

:: Fall With Me

Autumn Sweater
Yo La Tengo
Much like Luna, I've forever share YLT tunes w/you guys. Their range is just ridiculously diverse. I love the shy yet flirty context of the lyrics. And the gentle tambourine throughout.

Fall Bicycle (The Album Leaf Remix)
Lymbyc Systym
I started listening to The Album Leaf years ago. Then I was on a shoot in '07 in San Deigo w/photographer, Bil Zelman. His iPod started playing TAL and he was surprised I named the band as he had just finished shooting their launch promotional materials. Kismet. :)

Carry Me Ohio
Sun Kil Moon
I'm forever the romantic: this is such a great love song.

Come On Over (Turn Me On)
Isobel Campbell + Mark Lanegan
I know I am in the minority but, I am not a Belle + Sebastian fan (sorry Vince!). However, when Isobel is paired with Mark Lanegan (Sunday at Dirt Devil LP) it's a whole different story. Their combined talents are mezmerizing.

Time Won't Let Me Go
The Bravery.
From The Sun And The Moon LP. "Whenever I look back on the best days of my life..."

:: Under the Milky Way

Florida
Starfucker
"You had a hand and it was loneliness. And all I wanted was you, oh, you..." Note the narrative that endulates in and out of this tune to the bitter end. Nice touch.

Fade Into You
Mazzy Star
I try to not post obvious tunes, but when they are just this good, I allow it. This song was released in 1993. Timeless.

Moon and Sand
Kenny Burrell
My jazz collection is huge. As such I want/need to start peppering my posts w/more of it. Here's a fab start. Take it away, Kenny.

Old Devil Moon
Frank Sinatra
Ah, Frank, you old devil... Cocktails anyone?

:: Moon Rocks

Metal Heart
Cat Power
I am bending my rules here again. This tune is in this post b/c it's from the "Moon Pix" LP which aligns w/moon theme I've got goin' on here. Granted, a stretch... But it IS a killer tune and this version is the best of them all. Dripping w/angst and guitars and Chan Marshall.

Star Guitar (featuring Au Revoir Simone)
Shinichi Osawa
This song captures the essence of taking a star-lit walk on a brisk night.

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Can't count to
All the lovers I've burned through
So why do I still burn for you
I cannot say

Sorry that
I could never love you back
I could never care enough
In these last days

Heal her soul
Carry her my angel
Ohio

~ Carry Me Ohio by Sun Kil Moon
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Living Vi-CARY-iously

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Joy) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 18:16:00 +0000

:: R O C K + R O L L S I G N A T U R E C O L L E C T I O N ::

Cary Whitt's autographed Yeah Yeah Yeah's "It's a Blitz" LP

I admit it: I've been a lazy blogger this summer. But for good reason: I've been out catching a lot of live music. Yay! Between Lollapalooza '09 and CD101's Summerfest, I've seen A LOT of great live music. (On my fall hit list: Ra Ra Riot, STS9, Passion Pit, Wilco, + Stone Temple Pilots to name a few...) And while I am still basking in the afterglow of the summer's bounty, simulatneously I am ruminating on few shows I've missed over the years.

Enter my good friend, amazing designer, gifted photographer and music aficionado, Cary Whitt. He's seen more shows already than I will in my lifetime, I'm fairly sure. A strong distinction between Cary and my verve for live music is his fortitude to take it one step further: he gets autographs. That painstaking craft of waiting and waiting for the elusive moment a rock star will give their John Hancock. Thus I'm living vicariously through his good fortunes by pairing autographed LPs from his Flickr collection of artists/shows he's seen— which I've either missed fully or are on my future radar— to tunes I love.

Enjoy. And long live rock + roll~ Joy

Well I Wonder
Morrissey
Of all the music I listen to and have fallen in love with in my lifetime, The Smiths is one of my Top 5 Bands. Morrissey and Johnny Marr made magic in the '90s. I love this tune and it's perfect for my theme as I do wonder what it would have been like to see them live. Sigh...

Do It Clean
Echo + The Bunneymen
Okay, I did see Echo + the Bunnymen play live in Pittsburgh circa '91, but they did not play this song. I was in denial. They played 2 enchores and I was like, "wait for it.... wait for it...." then boom, auditorium lights on. Total "You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here, Folks" deelio. Boooo.

Cut Your Hair
Pavement
I became a huge fan of these "indie rock trailblazers" far too late. My loss, without question. I love this song and serendipitously, it's from the LP Cary had autographed. If you aren't familiar w/Pavement, do so now.

(Bonus: Pavement's version of Echo + the B-men's "Killing Moon" from my March "Vox Boxing" post.)

Love Like a Sunset
Phoenix
While I haven't seen them live, I can safely add, "yet" to the end of that sentence as Phoenix is hot, hot, hot right now. When I do see this produit au France play, I hope they play this mostly-instrumental tune. C'est magnafiqué.

Find My Baby
Moby
I have scoured the web trying to find the video for the American Express commercial featuring Tiger Woods and this Moby tune to post, but it doesn't seem to be anywhere. Which I find remarkable— as the 30 sec spot of Tiger hitting a lone golf ball in Manhattan juxtaposed to this haunting Moby tune was just that— remarkable. (Please send me a link if you find this vid!)

ps: I'm rather impressed that Moby took the time to sketch his Little Idiot vs merely a quick sig, Cary.

Over and Over
Hot Chip
Hot damn does Hot Chip produce some catchy cool tunage or what? I hope to see Hot Chip in the near future and I def hope they play this song. I love the repeated spelling in the lyrics which surely is a crowd fave when played live:
k-i-s-s-i-n-g
s-e-x-i-n-g
c-a-s-i-o
p-o-k-e
y-o-u
m-e
i

Passing By
Zero 7
Just a mellow dandy of a tune from Zero 7. Not sure if this is in their live repertoire or not, but if I get the chance to see them live, I will keep my fingers crossed.

Flathead
Fratellis
My self-profesesd love for jumping (vs actually dancing...) would be in full force upon hearing this song live. Me, and every other Fratellis fan, that is. Fun stuff. ;)

Hey
Pixies
Get out: "Cary, Hi. Kim Deal". Bragging rights for sure, CW! And Happy 20th "Doolittle" Anniversary, Pixies (although I wish you were coming closer to CMH than your 11/20 show at Aragon Ballroom in Chicago.)

"Hey" is a fab tune. Raw lyrics and riffs. Pure Frank Black and Kim Deal.

(Bonus: La La Love You from last November's "Heavy Metal" post.)

Woman
Wolfmother
Ending on a high note here with this full blown rock anthem for the Ladies. I am sure this song gets the crowd in an uber frenzy— air guitars a wailin'. lol Stay tuned...

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All the promises I gave you
Helped me to survive
And all the times I wished you'd save me
You were the love of my life

~ passing by
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Holla for Lolla >> Hooray for the Underdogs

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Joy) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 15:28:00 +0000

:: L O L L A P A L O O Z A B Y D A Y ::

photo courtesy of doucebagface.com (no joke)

Lollapalooza is next weekend!! The 3-day music festival in Chicago's Grant Park has become an annual voyage for me — 4th year running, in fact (all thanks to my ever gracious hostess + festival partner in crime, Newman!)

What I relish most about Lolla aren't the headliners (although Radiohead last year was truly an out of body experience for me) but the energy the lesser-known bands create. Their enthusiasm is electrifying as for most of these bands, Lolla is a make-or-break deal. I mean just a few years ago, Kings of Leon, were the new kids on the block (forgive the pun) and now look at their chart success. Need further evidence? KOL's set is up against Depeche Mode Friday night. That's a lot of progress in one year. And last year, Vampire Weekend played mid-day to small crowds. This year they garner the top billing at GALApalooza (the eve before Lolla fundraising extravaganza benefiting The Parkways Foundation)

There are enormous expectations of the headliners, and beautifully, they always deliver. But man, when the newer/greener bands come on stage w/a verve for their craft, it lingers. I love reading the pubs/blogs days after Lolla where, "Daft Punk was amazing... but I still can't get MGMT's set off my mind" gets posted. Bingo, Daddy-O.

THAT is what makes Lolla special for me: to say, I was there-I was part of something much larger. Dare I say, 'history in the making'? Perhaps. And for me, being a part of music IS important. It makes me feel connected in a way that my other creative outlets do not. Best yet, being a part of music is timeless. My Mom's hospice nurse told me our sense of hearing is the last sense to leave us. Evidence music is ever lasting in our minds + hearts.

This year's Lolla is chock full of added fun: I've got my iPhone loaded w/my Lolla App. I will be attending the Blind Pilot/Ezra Furman Aftershow Sat. eve at the House of Blues, courtesy of the fantastic Val Haller of Valslist. And I just received notice that I've been selected to be an "Official LP33.tv Fan Correspondent at Lollapalooza". I don't know the deets but it's going to put a wildly fun and unanticipated lens on my Lolla experience. Surely all good blog fodder. Stay tuned.

Lastly, if you can't make it to Lolla this year, help yourself to their generous FREE 15 Song iTunes Download. You will discover some new music and get a glimpse of what next year's music landscape sound like.

So, I see I've said too much. I meant to be brief... ehgads. ;) Thus, I bid you adieu w/some of my fave Lolla Underdogs: past + present. My best~ Joy

The Underdog
Spoon Lolla Saturday 2007
A fitting kickoff to this playlist is by Spoon, of Lolla '07 fame.

Get Yo Shit
Black Joe Lewis + the Honeybears (playing Friday 1pm)
I have high hopes for Black Joe + his crew. This song just rocks, and the lyrics are so raw, so pure. Can't wait to see them to see if they are real deal or not.

Blindsided
Bon Iver (playing Friday 3pm)
I posted this tune in my Ode to Oliver post back in November. A haunting tune. Looking forward to hearing it live.

The Story I Heard
Blind Pilot (playing Saturday 4:15pm)
If you follow me on Twitter, or are a Facebook bud of mine, you've read my threads touting Blind Pilot, as well encouraging everyone to come out to the House of Blues Sat night to catch them w/Ezra Furman + The Harpoons for an official Lolla Aftershow sponsored by valslist.com. (And while you're at it, please become a fan of valslist.com on Facebook!)

Tell Me in the Morning
Cold War Kids (playing Sunday 5:30pm)
Oh man, Newman + I caught CWK last year and lead singer, Nathan Willett, got everyone in a frenzy. Looking forward to see what their sophmore appearance will entail.

Cage the Elephant (playing Sunday 2:15pm)
"Ain't No Rest for the Wicked" was featured in my June Urban Daddy post, so thought you'd enjoy this Wicked Devil Reggae Remix version. This band will surely be a huge draw!

Jump in the Pool
Friendly Fires (playing Sunday 12:30pm)
This past May, I had the amazing experience to be a Guest DJ for CD101. One hour of me on air, w/the divine Ms. Lesley James, and the tunes of my choice. It was an adrenliene rush like no other! Of the tunes I selected to play, I chose this Friendly Fires song knowing Lesley would dig it. Just a fun, high energy song.

Sugar Cinnamon
Portugal. The Man (playing Sunday 1:30pm)
I've loved this song for a long time (part of my "Rest in Peace, Chef" post last August) despite still having NO clue what the song is about. ;) But, it def has an inherent 'festival' vibe to it which should make for a deelish set.

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I know I can't slow down,
I can't hold back,
Though you know, I wish I could.
No there ain't no rest for the wicked,
Until we close our eyes for good.

- ain't no rest for the wicked

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Urban Cowboy

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Joy) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 06:10:00 +0000

:: U R B A N D A D D Y D O T C O M ::

Giddy up, and then some.

As an Art Director, I feel the creative team for UrbanDaddy.com must have received a crystal clear creative brief: create demand for geo-specific products + services via uber provacative photography and whip-smart copy that appeals to time-starved, libido-influenced males. Bingo was this web site's name-o. Did they hit their mark? Oh Daddy, yes.

Better, I love UrbanDaddy as a consumer, despite not being their target demo. But damn, their over-the-top sexist site delivers with its content + approach regarding lifestyle offerings for the largest markets: NYC, LA, Chicago, Miami, and across the pond; yet w/smart nods to the fairer species.

Opt into your fave locales and receive city-specific eNewsletters that quickly become must reads vs must deletes. Also, download the newly launched UrbanDaddy iPhone app (deemed the "iPhone App You've been Craving") so you and your guy are good to go in any tony city your travels take you.

When I started to compile this playlist, I naturally gravitated towards some tried and true urban songs, and was happy to leave it at that until I played Snoop Dogg's My Medicine (link launches YouTube vid) in my library. It gave me pause. Much like jazz, country licks can be found at the root of many urban and current day indie + electronica tunes. So I challenged myself to post tunes that meet both the urban and cowboy criteria and man did I unearth some fab tunes: current, relevant, urban and edgy and all laced with country music. Yeehaw Dawg, or Beeotch, whichever fits your bad self. Enjoy. ;)

California Love
2Pac featuring Dr. Dre (iTunes)
You may not know this, but I lived in Southern California from '99-04. (Okay, I hope you are laughing as when do I NOT mention I did time in So Cal...grin) But, those years effected me on myriad levels and this urban gang bang sound didn't elude me. I love this song as it brings back driving up the 405 to LA amidst the masses. Just felt right to kick off this playlist w/Dre + 2Pac (may he rest in peace) as it's the full monty: Urban AND Cowboy.

Ain't no rest for the Wicked
Cage The Elephant (iTunes)
My Lollapalooza tix are coming next week. (They were to arrive in April. Whoops says Lolla.) But I am not complaining as I was one of the miniscule few who snagged the $60 3-day tickets. In fact, fermé ma bouche.

My point, all the big acts will be amazing and better, the lesser known bands are the diamonds in rough. I have high hopes for Cage the Elephant. And as you can see: they are as fresh as fresh can be, and are laying down some very country-esque sounds. So, stay tuned as we surely have not heard the last from them.

Talk of Indolence
The Avett Brothers   (iTunes)
I love this song. Just reaps of madness in its quasi rap-style account of one damn good time in New York amid a splendor of banjos. That, and I just plain love the chuckle at the very beginning.

Medicine Show
Big Audio Dynamite (iTunes)
Here's a bit o urban cowboy served up UK punk style. Big Audio Dynamite is a late 80s band fronted by Mick Jones, the ex-guitarist + singer of The Clash. I appreciate this song as it's a 6:33 minute journey where we meet characters, hecklers, and hear the tried and true old western whistle amidst a bevvy of other sound effects. Rather epic for B.A.D., yet very good.

Knock 'Em Out
Lilly Allen   (iTunes)
So where BAD left off, enter one Lilly Allen. She, without question, is our modern day Mae West. Can't you just see her swaggering through saloon doors with the opening piano melody? I can. So, suspend reality and simply replace "saloon" with each mention of "pub" in the song. It works, trust me. ;)

Don't Tell Me
Madonna   (iTunes)
Sure, this entire LP was cowboy inspired, but this song in particular shines as it's pure Madonna via the dramatic lyrics with a relevant, danceable groove and lush country undertones. Kudos, Madge, Lisa Douglas would be proud.

Knives Fighting Guns
Tommy Guerrero   (iTunes)
Man on man, what a find this artist is: much like designing + music go hand and hand, so does skateboarding and tunage. Tommy Guerrero is a skateboard legend hailing from team Bones Brigade circa 1985, as well as an accomplished musician (similar to Jack Johnson w/surfing + music, perhaps...) It's clear he's has a great ear for rhythm and the country tempo is ever present in this tune. Tommy G = me-likey.

Enjoy the Wait
Morcheeba (iTunes)
For a 67 second song, this packs a whollup o twang. For this song to come from Morcheeba, who's reputation is uber trip hop + electronica, it's all the more 67 secs o' deelish.

Enjoy the Ride
Morcheeba (iTunes)
I love Skye Edwards with Morcheeba, but Judy Tzuke breathes such a different life into this song as lead vocalist. Britt + Lisa: if you read this, know it's an hommage to you, your family, and your faith.

6 Underground
Sneaker Pimps   (iTunes)
Agreed: this tune might be a stretch in this category. BUT, Sneaker Pimps tunes are very electronica yet this tune has an earthy vibe that feels country at its core. Sorry, my blog, my rules. Basically, I love the attitude and love the overlay of the acoustic guitars (starting at 1:20 secs). I hope you do as well.

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With the moonlight to guide you
Feel the joy of being alive
The day that you stop running
Is the day that you arrive

~ enjoy the ride

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Cinco De Joy-O!

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Joy) — Tue, 05 May 2009 02:59:00 +0000

:: M I A M I T H R O U G H T H E L E N S O F J A I M E S A N T I L L A N ::

This blog post has me fairly smitten as the elements came together so incredibly effortlessly. I've had this playlist theme for a while, but not until I was reviewing a photography portfolio of a close friend's did it all click. Yesterday, in fact.

The photographer is Jaime Santillán of Jamie Santillán Photography. The images above were taken a few weeks ago in Miami on assignment for Think Brand (more great friends of mine. It's good to be an F.O.J. Friend of Joy. Ha!) I love these shots in particular as they capture the colors and lifestyle of the Little Havana vibe so wonderfully. Please check out his entire portfolio-wonderfully diverse. Thank you, Jaime!

Enjoy this playlist: a fab latin-infused jazz explosion of sorts with succulent doses of tango, mambo, salsa + bossa nova. I had 30 songs in my original list but trimmed it down to these 16-which was damn near impossible. And you'll see I am not providing any commentary, per my usual posts. None needed in this case. Crazy madness. I love it so. How could you not–just look at the uplifting titles?!

This playlist is perfect for BBQ, beers, margaritas, or just chillaxin'. So however you choose to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, celebrate well. Here's how I'll be celebrating mine:

Cinco de Mayo + Jamie's images + Hey Joy playlist = Cinco de Joy-O

Latazz
Funky Lowlives (iTunes)

Soul Bossa Nova/N.A.S.A. Remix
Quincy Jones (iTunes)

Le Spinner
Isabelle Antena (iTunes)

Lilly
Pink Martini (iTunes)

Sun Is Shining
Trippy Nova (iTunes)

Feeling Good
The Quantic Soul Orchestra (web site)

Nota Bossa
The Funky Lowlives

Latina Asscape
Brownout (iTunes)

Pandajero
Cantoma (iTunes)

Fela Brasil/Main Mix
Raw Artistic Soul (iTunes)

So Tinha Que Ser Com Voce
Cosmonautics

This Is Not A Tango
The Juju Orchestra (iTunes)

Luna Roja/Soul Mix
Soda Stereo (iTunes)

O Caminho do Bem
Tim Maia

Tabu
Gustavo Cerati (iTunes)

Tamacun
Rodrigo y Gabriela (iTunes)

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One day she passed him by
A twinkle in her eye
He said " she was meant for me!"
But when he turned around
He lost what he had found
Oh where can his Lilly be?

- lilly

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Ghost in the Machine

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Joy) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 21:42:00 +0000

:: A B I L Z E L M A N O B S E R V A T I O N ::

(Hahahahaha! Caught you off guard w/that one, didn't I?! The shot above is brilliant. And shot by a damn hilarious and out-of-this-world talented photographer, Bil Zelman of Zelman Studios in San Diego. He used to have a section on his site titled, "Hate Mail". Great dose of self-deprication.)

So, okay, no I don't hate blogs, but I strongly dislike Boxstr.com right now. They are the file storing service which been down for almost a WEEK thus rendering my yahoo player silent...BOOO. The fact that I chose them is NOT the point here, people.

Moving along... in light of this temporary set back (while I'm off choosing another service provider and relink my tunes for your listening pleasure) I'm gonna keep this post short and sweet with these audio visual substitutes.

I hope to be back up and running soon. Peace- Joy

Ankle Injuries by Fujiya & Miyagi (iTunes)
This light and campy tune oddly conjurs up the scene in Stephen King's Misery when Kathy Bates just whacks the hell out of James Cann's. She's one intense mamma-jamma.

In the, "Man, Bjork IS unusual, huh?" category, here's our Icelandic Sweetie discussing her love for her TV. I do love her analogy of the circuit boards/fuse/wires resembling a city. Oh, and her metallic colored tights. Nice touch. Trés Bjork.

Vox Boxing

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Joy) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 16:04:00 +0000

:: L I G H T B O X I N G via V E E R ::

Nov '08 Bout: "All is LOST for Adelle Charles + Donna Holesworth"

In keeping with their mission of "Elements for Creativity", Veer hosts a wonderful lil creative shoot-out called Lightboxing ("One lightbox, Two Designers"). It's a brilliant mechanism to draw art directors to Veer's site (and products) and prove to the advertising and design world what can be accomplished within their image, illustration, and typographic portfolio.

As Veer deems it: "The rules are simple. Using only the images and type provided in a Veer lightbox, make something great. Crop. Cut. Paste. Fight dirty. Write copy. Make a knockout design. The voting public decides the winner. The prize? Bragging rights, and some sweet Veer swag." (ala the Lorem Ipsum Cuff I boasted about back in November's Heavy Metal post. Tres cool swag. Perfect for us design freaks)

The Lightboxing bouts have netted some industry heavy-hitters w/surprising results given the fact they are using all the same image assets (Check out the bout featured above). Kudos to Veer and Lightboxing for clevelry creating a relevant reminder that photoshoots are not the end-all-be-all for amazing conceptual design. A hard pill for many of us to swallow but with today's challenged budgets, a growing reality.

[ sidebar: Coudal Partners' Layer Tennis is pretty sweet too. Just further evidence that the design community is competive as hell at the core. ]

So, per this blog's manifesto, how does this design theme relate to music? Well, ya ever hear of a "Cover Song"? ;) Think about it: the same melody, same lyrics yet one song can be translated so many wonderful, or lackluster, ways. Often times the remake/redo/remix/mash-up surpasses the original song by breathing new life into the tune. But the beauty of it all is that the original was an inspirational catalyst for next generation artist or band.

Vox Boxing is my musical spin to Veer's Lightboxing. These tunes are some of the best remakes from my library and am eager for the debates to begin! I'd love to hear your fave remakes. Please, drop me a note.

For those readers who celebrate Easter, have a great one. A sense of renewal can never be a bad thing. For those that don't, may your weekend be special + fullfilling. Joy

Fell In Love With a Boy
Joss Stone   (iTunes)
While I love my boy Jack White and his gal Meg, Joss knocks it out of the park w/this remake in her own velvety way.

Some Velvet Morning
Slowdive   (Wikipedia)
In keeping w/Ms Stone's dreamy vibe, Some Velvet Morning envokes memories of a Southern California June Gloom. Just fluid, yet a bit murky. The kicker is, this is a Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood remake. I was pretty surprised when I discovered that fact. Hats off to team Sinatra/Hazlewood, as after hearing their version, it's clear Slowdive didn't deviate too far from the orig.

Feel Good Inc
Editors   (web site)
I'll be damned if these bloody brits didn't one up the Gorillaz on this tune. This acoustic version is a vast departure from orig pop tune yet demonstrates the strength of the orig tune (still love the orig vid, though. Quasi-anime and a wonderful nod of rockstar self-deprication.)

Gin and Juice
The Gourds    (iTunes)
This Snoop Dog remake is commonly attributed to Phish. A LOT. Just Google it...Poor Gourds. But to their steet cred, The Gourds' unique alt country touch to this song is pretty brilliant. From what I've read, Snoop approves. Word.

Lively Up Yourself
Charlie Hunter Trio    (iTunes)
So, how about this tasty treat from the Chas Hunter 3? Irie, Mon.

Guitar Man
Cake   (iTunes)
Cake contemporizing Bread's 'Guitar Man'. Could have been a train wreck but it's not. Totally works in my book. Stays true to the orig w/a healthy dose of some guitars + Cake's cake-ness. Yum.

I Will Survive
Cake   (iTunes)
Oddly enough, Cake does an angry woman well. Or at least John McCrea does an angry Gloria Gaynor well. I believe him when he says he "should have changed his effin lock..." It's so 'laid-back-indie-dude-channeling-scorned-disco-diva'. And it's soooo good.

(programming note: channeling my college music days here in this home stretch offering. Circa 1988. Ha!)

Temptation
Secret Machines   (web site)
I applaud any band that takes on a New Order tune. Hard to improve on perfection.

A Forest
Nouvelle Vague (iTunes)
A Forest is in my Top 5 Fave Cure songs. Robert Smith's unique voice and look just mesmeriszed me back in the day. Nouvelle Vague's version of this song mesmeriszes me equally. Marina Celeste's voice is wonderfully layered over a bossa nova dappled tempo.

The Killing Moon
Pavement   (iTunes)
And now for an Echo and The Bunnymen Top 5 fave: The Killing Moon. The orig song was featured in the 2001 indie movie Donnie Darko ("Life is one long insane trip. Some people just have better directions"). The best part of this remake is the rambling, "Cucumber, cu-cu-cumber, ca-ca-ca-ca-cabbage". Love Pavement's nonsensical gloom + doom. ;)

Wonderwall
Ryan Adams (iTunes)
The brothers of Oasis, Liam and Noel Gallagher, are talented indeed. But their brotherly feuds can be draining. Ryan Adams is equally fraught w/strife, but
what the hell, he's insanefully talented and does this song sweet justice.

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And I've never seen anyone quite like you before
No, I've never met anyone quite like you before
Bolts from above hurt the people down below
People in this world, we have no place to go

Oh, it's the last time
Oh, I've never met anyone quite like you before
Oh no, I've never met anyone quite like you before

- temptation
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Poster Child

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Joy) — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 04:40:00 +0000

:: T H E A E S T H E T I C A P P A R A T U S ::

Test Print No. 176

This blog theme is so obvious it's ridiculous:

I love design. I love music. Enter: The Concert Poster.

And not just any old concert poster. Not the ones that if you Google, "Rock Poster Design" can be created in 3 lame-ass Photoshop filters (makes my blood boil, Jerry). I'm referring to posters that simply, yet highly conceptually, capture the essence of a tune/mood/vibe/show via four mere elements: typography, imagery, ink, paper.

Posters that make you want to go to the show.

Posters that reignite the full body experience you felt during the show. Cigarette, please. ;)

The creations below are crafted by the Minneapolis masterminds at The Aesthetic Apparatus. There are a bevvy of studios I want to blog about when it comes to poster creation, but AA's concert posters aligned so naturally w/tunes I already had in my music library—making them a fitting partner for my initial foray into such rich subject matter. Their dialogue surrounding their work is worth reading as their insights are wonderfully entertaining, and definitely poignant.

Whether you are here to just read or just listen, enjoy. I am highly confident I did not disappoint w/this offering. At best, I hope this post entices you to reflect on some of your favorite concerts and rekindle that awesome yummy feeling you had when you were at the gig. Concerts are money well spent as memories last a lifetime.

Happy Spring! Joy

I'll Believe in Anything
Wolf Parade (iTunes)
Love this poster, love this band, and love this song-def in my top 20 tunes. Just the energy, the screetch, and the lyrics... Amazing lyrics:
"I need sunshine. Your blood, your bones, your voice, and your ghost..." Made me a believer, that's for sure.

As for this specific poster, I dig the overlapping silk-screened details. They are poetic, in a vertigo kind of way.

Underwater (You and Me)
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
As you've read in prior posts, I saw CYHSY at Lollapalooza and the live experience was incredible. They sounded amazing-my fear was their unique sound was studio produced. Quick sidebar: I am a water rat and love everything about water thus was drawn to this song. This poster's depictions of these bobblehead-esque shapes just jives w/the undulating tempo of the song. And a fab dose of orange. Always on my visual hit parade.

Do the Whirlwind
Architecture In Helsinki
On the same bill was AiH...surely an over-the-top high energy show. AiH is a pretty campy group, and this song is thematic of their style.

One More Hour
Sleater-Kinney (iTunes)
Another act I caught at Lolla (06?) was Sleater-Kinney. It was high sun, high heat, and man, were they an angry duo just rockin it full blast. And, I can't stress "angry" enough which clearly Aesthetic Apparatus picked up on as that's one hissy fit of a kitten image, yes/no? This poster does the band justice: The use of fuschia is a sarcastic nod to a female band who'd never want to be aligned w/the stereotypical pink. A playful attention to detail. Bonus points.

The Seed
The Roots (iTunes)
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon house band. Love it. Love this song. Just groovy. The vid does a fab job of capturing the Roots' essence, as does this poster. I mean, come on, if you walked passed this poster stapled to... a wall, ...a pole, ...in any city, ...of any size, you'd know right away the funk and groove this band was gonna put out. Strangely, I like to cook to this song. That is NOT a euphemism, btw. ;)

Revolutionary Kind
Gomez (iTunes)
I like this song as I'd like to think I am the 'Revolutionary Kind'. Um, up for discussion. ;) A few time codes to share as this song just strikes a chord w/me on these occasions: at 1:15 "Keep on in the jungle with your techno-cality..." (what does that mean?) and the tilt-a-whirl instrumental from 1:56-2:43, and then the finale w/the acoustic guitars starting at 2:46, me-likey. I like this poster as Gomez' music is like a tree in the forest. You can find your way, but it will take some introspective navigation. If you are lucky enough to be in Austin for SXSW Music, put them on our agenda. And, send me pics.

Don't You Evah
Spoon (iTunes)
Mostly b/c I have no musical aptitude in my bones

what

so

evah,

I gravitate towards songs that provide a glimpse of reality, of honesty, or rawness to them. I love this intro...kinda like you are there in the studio w/Spoon. I mean if evah, I'd love to be that Roadie Gal saying, "Check check, One two, One two... Hello Cleveland". Rock star moment (note: not Rock Band 2 moment. Distinct difference.) As far as the poster, just love the frenetic visage and the stark two-color palette.

Extraordinary
Liz Phair (iTunes)
I am not an angry female. But I do have a healthy appreciation for when Liz let's loose on her opinions regarding love + relationships. She and Juliana Hatfield came on my radar during my Witt days as being enlightened yet rather pissed off gals. Nice nod(s) to my alter ego, I suppose. Ha! I love how this poster captures that dynamic (sexy yet angry) via the hard-to-miss typographic treatment! Girl rule, boys drool, eh, Lizzy? ;)

Lake Michigan
Rogue Wave (iTunes)
Guess I have Lollapalooza 2009 on my mind as every time I hear this tune I think about Chicago in the summer. I love Chicago and have had many good times there. And based on my ability to snag two elusive $60 3-day souvenir tix today, I will be at Lolla for another year. This poster, it's blue hues, and the teenie tiny postage stamp area that has the concert info speaks to Rogue Wave's success-tiny, but mighty. Give them a listen, please.

Sister Havana
Urge Overkill (iTunes)
How awesome is this tune? Man, loads. Funny enough, my high school kin (Boardman High School, thank you very much) has taken to Facebook like a fish out of water in the past two weeks. I love this poster due to it's Class Ring inspiration. I never had a class ring, but def respect angst high school can conjur. Vote for Pedro!

Penelope
Pinback (iTunes)
By most fans' accounts, this song is about a fish dying. We owned a fish once. Sharper Image made a case for their bookshelf circular fish tank... I guess. And then the fish stared to die. I cried. I felt so bad.... This song doesn't make me cry, but it does remind me that I should stick w/kids and dogs. That, I can handle. This poster... is it a fish?, or maybe a bunny?... wow, hard to say. But it does radiate a sense of higher being which this song brings forth for me.

If I were a runner, I'd def put this in my run playlist. Just seems like a great pace to do that runner like thing. Oddly, most folks I know run... I need to do some reconnaissance. Read: I'm a power walker, trampoline-er, yoga/pilates doer. Not a runner. Run Forest Run c'est moi.

Love Dog
TV on the Radio (iTunes)
So this has been a long blog post. Thank you if you've stayed to this bitter end. My point: this last song is amazing and this poster-just proves the eloquence of simple design. The details across the wrist are the perfect touch to such a pristine and highly graphic design.

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I am extraordinary, if you'd ever get to know me
I am extraordinary, I'm not your ordinary
average every day
sane psycho
super goddess
average every day
sane psycho

See me jump through hoops for you
You stand there watching me performing
What exactly do you do?
Have you ever thought it's you that's boring?
Who the hell are you?

-extraordinary
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Speechless

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Joy) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 21:15:00 +0000

:: facebook ala web without words ::

I have been on a social networking frenzy as of late. And will admit, it's damn near exhausting. Between ordinary Google-ing (my fave verb); YouTubing (a made up word); Twittering (@HeyJoy) like mad—esp during the Super Bowl (which now seems rather sacreligious); getting my Facebook on w/my fantastic + inspiring peeps; and working on a new design for my esteemed colleague, Kirk Phillips' blog (brandStoke-new design launching soon), I'm spent. Not categorically, just short-term. I mean, I am a social beast-just part of my DNA and no way around it. But am relishing this blog post's nod to less is more when in comes to words.

Recognize the image above? Millions of people interact w/the page structure daily, hell, hourly. It's Facebook's user interface. And, while it might not be dead sexy to you (spoken in my best Mike Myers Scottish brogue), it's why FB works for the masses. Information Architecture and User Experience are the precise sciences of how users will interact w/a site. And I love that Web Without Words celebrates this craft. Their approach of taking the most popular mainstream sites, then displaying them distilled, stripped away from brand, graphics, the motion, is refreshing. They have great examples. Take some time to see if you can identify the sites they highlight. Fun stuff... er, for a geek like me. ;)

The tunes I've chosen below are from bands who's reputations are built on lyically-driven tracks. This offering showcases their lyrical hiatus, thus rendering me speechless. As always, enjoy. The play button, or player at the bottom, now await you.

The Air
Modest Mouse   (iTunes)
When I came across this tune, I was surprised it was by MM. From the band that brought you Float On, 3rd Planet, etc, they have an air of angst to them. Isaac Brock's vocal range and whit make it so. Thank you, Isaac.

I have a (bad?) habit of art directing music videos in my head when I listen to tunes. This one conjurs up some type of manufacturing, (ala the Rube Goldberg Honda TV spot), but much more darker, more sinister. Say, in the deep recesses of a castle. Hold that thought, and go darker. There. End scene.

Ricky's Theme
The Beastie Boys   (iTunes)
How much do I love the Beasties? Oh, stupid amounts. And while we all know their popular tunes, I love their lesser-known tunes. They are laced w/intrumental explorations (vs the overt rapping) that pull me in. Ricky's theme is a laid back, hazy kinda tune. A choice compliment to their portfolio.

I Heard You Looking
Yo La Tengo   (iTunes)
YLT has some of the best songwriters around. And the fact they are such strong musicians sometimes gets overlooked. Enter this gem: starts out slow and exaggerated, but wonderfully comes alive at 2:56 mark, and fullfills YLT's trademark of taking you on a journey for seven glorious, guitar-laiden, minutes.

Evil vs. Good
Clem Snide   (iTunes)
When I am melancholy, I love to listen to Clem Snide's Moment in the Sun. They master thoughts/emotions that help elevate my mood just so. I love this specfic tune for one– the title. I like the juxtaposition. And then– for the song itself as it's haunting, lingereing, embodying a contemplation of the dynamics of evil and good. Eef Barzelay's voice droning is perfect closure.

Inland Empire
Peter Bjorn and John
I saw Pete Yorn at Lollapalooza two years ago and he was telling a story of how earlier in the year, fans rushed the stage shouting, "Young Folks...Young Folks!". It wasn't until he got off stage that he and his manager realized the fans thought he sang the PB+J smash anthem, "Young Folks" due to how similar his name is w/the other bands'. Whoops.

But "Young Folks" is what made PB+J famous. Which makes Inland Empire, from their instrumental album, Seaside Rock, such a find. The sound is quite different for them: moody. gritty. I hope they keep teetering between these two personas as it's a fab mix.

New York Skyline
Saint Etienne
Short and sweet, but I dig this piano compilation. I fell in love w/St. Etienne via "Lose that Girl" due to the 60's, Beatle-esque tempo and lyrics, and this mellow piano arrangement is very much in keeping with their feel good vibe.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
You're so evil
And I'm so good
I'll make it up to you someday

- evil vs good
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Unfinished Biz

noreply@blogger.com (Hey Joy) — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 06:00:00 +0000

:: G E T R E A D Y T O C E L E B R A T E ::

Her Party Dress & Crashing Hot Shoes, Del Mar | Jen Gray

In the spirit of wrapping up some loose ends before 2008 comes to a close, below is a distilled offering of tunes from earlier posts. Or more correctly, my 'pre-streaming player' posts. I am just smitten that I have finally taken the time to upload these for you to experience as it's been on my to-do list for a while. That said, I have big plans for the blog next year: I will be switching over to WordPress (in the shape of www.heyjoy.com) which will have a 'comments' functionality. As I want to hear your feedback. I mean, we can always agree to disagree, right? Rawght.

2008 was a good year. Better yet, I am already optimistic about the new year. I am adopting the anthem Newman coined: "09 is Mine." I hope it's yours as well.

Sometime Around Midnight
The Airborne Toxic Event
When the clock strikes midnight Weds night, may at least one of your dreams begin to gain momentum.

As always, Cheers + Peace: Joy

from Lovely Libations | 26 JUNE 2008

Arizona

Kings of Leon
I saw these guys @ Lollapolooza last year and they did not disappoint. This song just makes my skin crawl (in a good way) when he hits those drawn out screechy notes. Nice.

(programming note: have tix to the Jan 27th show @ the LC. Nice.)

from Sum, Sum, Summertime! | 03 JULY 2008

With Arms Outstretched

Rilo Kiley
The song is a dusk song, without question. The first 13 seconds sound like fireflies fluttering about. The way it crescendos with the group singing reminds me of being called home when you don't want the night to end...thinking you could never possibly have a day/night as wonderful as the one you just were blessed with. And if you listen closely, you will notice, yup: hand clapping. ;)

from Smoke + Mirrors? | 19 JULY 2008

Time To Pretend

MGMT
Despite that vacation being over, I have Lollapalooza to look forward to. The two bands below will be there and are very much on my hit parade. These two tunes sum up Orange County for a lot of folks. For me? My jury is still out as it's just too easy to buy into stereotypes(although that typed: There was luncheon @ our hotel one day in which Obama was the guest of honor. It cost folks $55k to attend... that cost is not a type-o. ouch.)

from Show of Hands, please | 23 JULY 2008

Something to do with My Hands

Her Space Holiday
After hearing this song like 4 times, I kept wondering what they meant by sucking "lama prints".

... then I found the lyrics.

Oh. Ohhhhhhhhhhh. (snicker, snicker.) GREAT lyrics.

Handjobs for the Holidays

Broken Social Scene
Wow, another BSS tune on the heels of my earlier post. All the same, great song. And I like the title for its shock value as the lyrics never fully bring the title full circle.

Take Five

Dave Brubeck Quartet
A must have for anyone's jazz collection. The local So Cal jazz radio station always had this song playing in the background of their Sunday Jazz Brunch promotions so when I hear it now it brings back a warm fuzzy (+salty) feeling of oceanside breakfast(s).

from Rest in Peace, Chef | 11 AUGUST 2008

Sugar Cinnamon
Portugal the Man
I was completely hooked w/in the first 5 secs of this tune-I love the driving beat... the alternating pitches in John Gourley's voice... the undulating tempo. This tune is a regular on my iPod for my workouts.

Breakfast with Abductees
Sven Van Hees
This is a fantastic tune to listen to when getting in a Sunday Brunch mind set. Whisking of egg will never seem quite the same. Bloody's anyone?

from Ike in Ohio | 18 SEPTEMBER 2008

Through the Backyards

Au Reviore Simone
A splendid, haunting little ditty. Because we were sans electricity, this tune captures that primitive and adventurous feeling of sneaking about in your neighborhood in the dark.

Spill the Wine

War
This gem is chosen because I did just that: I spilled the wine. Oliver, our Golden, was cowering behind me while I was standing in Steve/Sarah's yard reviewing their damage and I tripped backwards over him. But have no fear, not much was spilled. Sign of a champ, eh? ;)

: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :
But you know...
that she's watching
She's laughing, she's turning
she's holding her tonic like a crux
The room suddenly spinning
she walks up and asks how you are
so you can smell her perfume
you can see her lying naked in your arms...

You just have to see her (repeat x 5)

- sometime around midnight

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