Not often do I stumble on a new artist that completely takes me by storm, and I become instantly, obsessively, incessantly transfixed on their voice, their music, and need to hear everything I can get my hands on by them. Well, that’s exactly what happened when my buddy Jamie told me to listen to Troye Sivan. Sivan is a 20 year old, out, Australian actor, singer/songwriter who’s song Wild, which has a beautiful, hauntingly touching video, has me completely obsessed, and after hearing his two EPs, TRXYE and Wild, has me incredibly hungry to hear more from this incredibly talented young singer.
Tag: beautiful
music suggestion, song of the day, you tube
sotd: You+Me – You and Me
by duane • • 0 Comments
Thanks to my friend John Hersman for alerting me to this MASTERPIECE!!! Holy shit… City and Colour, my favorite, favorite, favorite band/singer-songwriter, teaming with one of my other favorite singer-songwriters, P!nk? This is AMAZING. What a gorgeous ballad, beautiful love song, and, I know, just a taste of a crazy-amazing album to follow.
I cannot wait for October 14.
music musings, music suggestion, song of the day
sotd: Ray Lamontagne – Let It Be Me
by duane • • 1 Comment
Sometimes, there is a song that is just so perfect, just so wonderful, just so beautiful, that it literally gives you chills. This is one of those songs for me. I was talking with a friend about Ray Lamontagne the other day, and I was reminded of this song, which for me, is one of the most emotive, and powerfully written and sung love songs I’ve ever heard. I posted about this a long time ago on the 5SF (which should be back this week, so stay tuned!!!), and it is one of those songs that, no matter how many times you hear it, it is still just as beautiful and amazing as the first time.
In a word; incredible.
happenings, movie musings, show the love
ponyo on the cliff by the sea
by duane • • 1 Comment
I rarely ever get excited about movies, and I almost never get chills watching a preview (go and check it out here, since embedding is disabled on most of the youtube clips), but both things apply to Ponyo on the Cliff By the Sea, the upcoming Hayao Miyazaki film. I have been a fan of Miyazaki’s for many, many years, and with Ponyo, I dare predict that my love of Miyazaki will only continue to soar.
My first experience with one of his films, was when I saw Princess Mononoke in college and loved it. However, it wasn’t until Spirited Away that I realized how amazing his films truly are. After seeing Spirited Away the first time, I was completely blown away, and realized I had seen one of the best movies of my life. This motivated me to check out some of his previous work, and I discovered Nausicaa of the Valley of The Wind, another brilliant film that also has a place amongst my favorite films ever made.
Miyazaki’s films contain a sense of imagination, wonder, and hope portrayed in a medium that I haven’t seen anywhere else. His whimsical stories are usually backed by a deep concern for our footprint on our world, and often explore the consequences we might face if we ignore the signs; which is kind of deep for a “kid’s movie” huh? His animation, story telling, and direction take dreams, and make them into a visually stunning experience that you can enjoy while you are awake. I find it almost impossible not to fall in love with is characters, and even more impossible not to enjoy their adventures.
As Ponyo is being released this Friday, I will do something I NEVER do: I will head to a theater to see this film. Those that know me, know very well that I HATE going to the movies (with one notable exception: the drive in), but my excitement for this film will force me to put my hatred of all things movie theater aside, and go out to see it. If anyone wants to come along, let me know, because I can’t wait to see this movie, and I definitely want to see it this weekend for sure. I’m hoping that it is everything that I think it will be and more; and given Miyazaki’s track record and the previews, it looks like it might be just that!
Also, I am really, really hoping that the release of this film gets some (if not ALL) of his films onto Blu Ray here in the states. As I said, his films are visually stunning, and bringing them to high definition would be outstanding!
all about me, listen up!, music musings, music suggestion, near and dear, song of the day
sotd: LeAnn Rimes – What I Cannot Change
by duane • • 3 Comments
I wanted to post about this song, not only because it is incredibly beautiful, but because it really means something to me. LeAnn Rimes’ What I Cannot Change so succinctly sums up such a major issue for me, and does so with such elegance and grace, that it can’t be ignored. One listen to this song instantly gives me chills. It is one of the most beautiful, simply stated, and well put sentiments put to music that I have ever heard.
The arrangement of this song is achingly beautiful, but the spotlight shines brightest on the sentiment behind the message, because it is so impressively poignant. This song is a beautiful reminder, that it is I that needs to understand, and accept the things in life that I cannot change, because that is the only way that I will ever be truly happy. Believe it or not, but this song actually has the power to make me feel better.
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_12_leannrimes-whaticannotchange.mp3]Perhaps my favorite line in this song is, “It’s easier to please the world than it is to please myself”, because of how closely it speaks to my own experiences in life, as well as how closely it describes my way of thinking and doing (I care way too much about what others think, and as such, do my best to make sure to put others before myself).
This song is a beautiful way of stating that there are things that I cannot change. I realize that I will have to live with these things, and as such, need to learn to accept that which I cannot change. I realize that I need to continue to learn how to, and then forgive what I cannot change. I also realize that I can change, and I will continue to work towards changing whatever, whenever I can. Thank you LeAnn for this amazing song.
music musings, music suggestion, song of the day, you tube
sotd: Robyn – Be Mine (live acoustic)
by duane • • 3 Comments
I gave it some thought, and I feel like the 5SF may introduce some great music to you guys, but every once and a while, I really want to focus on a particular song. So, every once and while, I’m going to do a post about a song of the day (sotd), and I hope that you will find it just as enjoyable (if not moreso) as the 5SF. It will also give me a chance to feature a song that I feel like deserves more than a one time posting in the 5SF; for you see, I don’t repeat songs in the 5SF, no matter how many times I play them on my ipod.
For the first sotd, I wanted to post this live, acoustic version of Robyn’s AMAZING song, Be Mine (h/t Arjan):
What an amazingly beautiful version of the song! I still remember the first time I heard Be Mine, and still to this day, it is a song that I truly love. A friend of mine gave me a copy of her fourth, self-titled album, and I instantly fell in love with it. At the time, it was an import, and it took like 3 more years for it to finally be released here in the US; and I had been enjoying it immensely that whole time. The whole album really highlights how incredibly talented Robyn is, and songs like Be Mine show the massive contribution she is giving to pop music. I can’t wait for a new album from her, and I hope that the wait isn’t too long.
concerts, flickr, music musings, music suggestion, photography
adele @ the variety, march 19, 2009
by duane • • 3 Comments
Last night, I had the distinct pleasure of seeing the amazing, two time 2009 Grammy winner, Adele, live and in concert. My friend Jason and I headed out to the show, and while I knew it was going to be good, I didn’t expect to be as amazing as it was.
First up, Kameron Corvet opened for her, and he was delightful. I loved his acoustic style, and he sings beautifully. I loved his cover of Little Red Corvette, and his set, while short, was impressive. This local artist definitely made some new fans last night. My only complaint, is that I wish he sang in his regular range more than he sings in falsetto, because his “regular” voice is beautiful. It has touches of John Legend and Michael Jackson to it, and is beautiful on its own without the need for too much falsetto.
After Kameron left the stage, it wasn’t long before the amazing Adele took the mic. While I was watching her perform, it was really difficult to believe that she is only 19 years old; she commanded that stage like a seasoned professional. She was so cute, and adorable in the way that she genuinely had a great time performing, and I love seeing someone who genuinely seems to be having a good time while they are performing. She giggled and laughed in between songs, waved to the audience, and proclaimed her gratitude for everyone coming out to see her; she seemed surprised that so many people knew who she was. She even told of how she acquired her “drag queen eyelashes” earlier that day in Little Five Points, as well as how much she enjoyed seeing Atlanta for the first time. I thought it was a bit strange that someone in the front held up a CD for her to sign, but she did sign it between songs, and was very sweet about it. Overall, she came across as a beautiful person as well as a beautiful singer.
One of the things that I like most about Adele, is her beautiful voice, and fantastic song writing skill. I love how she uses her voice more as an instrument, which takes her songs from being simply sung, to truly performed; which translated amazingly live. Also, she played both the guitar and the bass on several songs, and did so effortlessly.
It is rare that you see someone live who is arguably better than they are on their CD (even though, she is pitch perfect, and fantastic on her CD), and Adele definitely falls into this elite category. Her voice was flawless, and her live singing ability was very impressive. She has a powerful gift, and I feel privileged to have gotten the opportunity to see her in such an intimate venue. As I mentioned to Jason after the show, this is the reason I love going to concerts; sometimes, you have an opportunity to see a truly amazing artist who’s talent just blows you away. Adele’s performance was nothing short of amazing, and after seeing her live, I definitely consider her amongst my favorite singers. She played a bit of a new song last night as well, and it was beautiful; I can’t wait to hear more from this beautiful Brit. Overall, it was an amazing night, and an amazing performance, and I am glad that I was able to be a part of it.
(to see all of my pictures from the show, click here.)
mixed media, show the love
completely beautiful
by duane • • 3 Comments
THIS is how I want my wedding to be:
Try not to tear up… I dare you. Wow, I am so happy for Ellen and Portia! Beautiful!!!! Also, that song playing in the background, which is amazingly beautiful as well, is Today by Joshua Radin. Loves it!
happenings, home improvement, shiny stuff
the reveal
by duane • • 11 Comments
Well, the new counter tops are in, and they look AMAZING. It is incredible how much of an improvement they make on our kitchen. First of all, the original counters were not only a cheap imitation granite, but they were installed improperly; meaning the dishwasher couldn’t be shut properly without LIFTING UP ON THE COUNTER!!! AHHHH!! Needless to say, I have wanted new counters for a LONG time.
It is funny though, they seem to highlight how plain and frankly, quite dirty our cabinets are!! Oh well… I LOVE these counter tops, and I am glad that we were finally able to get them (after talking about them for FOUR years!).
First, I give you the gritty truth that was the before, boring counter tops:
Now, I give you the dazzling, amazingly beautiful new counter tops!
See the vast improvement?? I love ’em! I also love the new sink, faucet, and dishwasher that came along with this remodel. I feel like an HGTV remodel gone incredibly right!!!