A Is For Alexi Murdoch And A.C. Newman

[source]

If you like: Nick Drake, Bon Iver, Ray Lamontagne, Brett Dennen

Then let me introduce: Alexi Murdoch

The forerunner of my weekend morning playlists, Alexi Murdoch may just have the most powerfully soothing voice around. London-born and Scottish and Greek bred, the singer/songwriter has been featured in The OC and Garden State and more recently on the folksy soundtrack of Away We Go. Yet despite his perfect English-accented voice and amazing songwriting, he manages to fly under the radar. Maybe popular culture already has enough adorable singer/songwriters? [John Mayer and company] Or maybe the beauty of his music is that it is best appreciated alone and un-fussed? Either way, this Brit will hopefully have a permanent place on many-a-mix of yours.

Starter Kit:

“Orange Sky”

“All My Days”

“Breathe”

If you like: Ben Folds, The Shins, Spoon, The New Pornographers

Then let me introduce: A.C. Newman

On releasing a solo album, Carl Newman, lead singer of the New Pornographers, explains, “People will say ‘Man, this sounds like the New Pornographers.  And then I think if Jeff Tweedy put out a solo record, would people go ‘This is bull****. It sounds like Wilco.’ Well, duh, of course.” Just as I would never want a Toby Leaman solo project to not sound like Dr. Dog or a Zach Schwartz album to be completely un-Rogue Wave, A.C. Newman parallels the sound of The New Pornographers perfectly. Smart lyrics and the perfect musical hook continues to be his formula to success and the indie pop I love to love.

Starter Kit:

“Miracle Drug”

“Prophets”

“Take On Me” (a-ha cover)

“On The Table”

Check out the rest of The Future-Favorite-Band Series:

|| Intro || A || B || C|| D ||

Peace,

Monday Playlist: Birdsongs

1. “Sparrow” by Scattered Trees

2. “Hummingbird” by Wilco

3. “Littlest Birds” by The Be Good Tanyas

4. “Songbird” by Oasis

5. “Talking Bird” by Death Cab For Cutie

6. “Falcon Settles Me” by Rogue Wave

7. “Bird Song” by Florence + the Machine

8. “Go Easy Little Doves” by Brooke Waggoner

9. “Flightless Bird, American Mouth” by Iron & Wine

10. “There Are Too Many Birds” Arthur & Yu

Back in suburbia for Easter, I was woken this morning not by Mass Pike traffic or other city sounds but by the chirping of birds!

Peace,

The O.C. Made Me Love Music

The O.C. made music its own character. Rooney, Modest Mouse, Death Cab For Cutie, and more made appearances in different episodes. Other bands premiered their singles on the music-intensive show such as Coldplay, Imogen Heap, and The Shins. More than any other show of the time, indie music was in the foreground.

For all of this emphasis on strategic soundtracking, I have the show to thank for my own passion for music. Around peak O.C. popularity time, I bought the Music From The O.C.: Mix 1 CD admittedly  for the pictures, especially since I didn’t know a single one of the bands on the album. After obviously plastering the album artwork all over my room, I realized I actually liked what I heard. After getting familiar with the tracks themselves, I explored other songs by these indie artists. After dabbling in all of the discographies of featured bands like Joseph Arthur, Spoon, Jem, and The Dandy Warhols, I became obsessed with the “Just For You” iTunes application (the predecessor to Genius). Soon enough, my mom would have to force me to come out of my room after spending hours upon hours downloading and sampling and perusing music. It started to and still does give me a thrill to know a band first and to spread its awesomeness to others. I’m active believer that my obsession with music has helped me make friends I may have never bonded as much with. It has given me exhilarating concert experiences…from sneaking under the fence of an outdoor sold-out festival to being pulled onstage with my best friend during the last song of a Rogue Wave show. Tangent aside, that first O.C. mixed tape had me hooked and I haven’t looked back since.

Peace,

Culture Flash

SEE

Alice In Wonderland

FOLLOW

Mama’s A Rolling Stone

READ

High Fidelity by Nick Hornby

RENT

Up In The Air

LISTEN

Jon Palmer & the New Complainers

[my friend's new band!]

VISIT

South Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade

[Sunday, March 14 at 1pm]

DOWNLOAD

Permalight album by Rogue Wave

SUPPORT

MS Awareness Week

[March 8-14]


Peace,

Culture Flash

SEE

An Education

[my review]

FOLLOW

1000 Awesome Things

RENT

Coco Before Chanel

READ

Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

SUPPORT

Yellow Bird Project

RE-LISTEN

Descended Like Vultures album by Rogue Wave

VISIT

Boston Stands With Haiti

at Boston University

[Feb. 28 1pm-6pm]

DOWNLOAD

In the Sun/I Can Hear Music single by She & Him


Peace,

Style Icon: Kirsten Dunst

[source]

There She Was: Silky Starlit Pressed Up To The Screen

THE TALENT

Come to think of it, Kirsten Dunst has starred in almost strictly aesthetically-pleasing movies: Marie Antoinette, Elizabethtown, The Virgin Suicides, Crazy/Beautiful, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Many of these have become my favorites, not just for their prettiness, but also for Kirsten’s acting.  It is not surprising that Sofia Coppola has often dubbed Kirsten as one of her muses in the past.  As Lux Lisbon or Marie Antoinette, Kirsten always brings the perfect breezy irreverence to the screen.

[source]

[source]

THE STYLE

Kirsten’s style can only be described as retro hipster grunge, if that’s even a possible combination. At times she looks like a stoned college student who threw on the nearest tee and jeans. This undone vibe has her sometimes looking like Eddie Vedder’s long-lost daughter. Yet, her choice in footwear and accessories shows she has one foot in the nineties and one the Gen X hipster world of today. Add in a dash of vintage and retro throwbacks (such as a shirtdress here or a full skirt there) and the combination is undeniably unique.

small prints | hipster accessories

full skirts | grungy accents

THE MISCELLANEOUS

One of Dunst’s projects is her production company with her mother called “Wooden Spoon Productions.” The name symbolizes women and creativity and was inspired by her grandmother, who used wooden spoons to keep her in line when she was little.

[source]

Are you inspired by Kirsten’s style?

Peace,

Title from “Postage Stamp World” by Rogue Wave