Wilco - The Whole Love

This is the perfect example of an idea coming together.  I've played with the idea of stitching an album cover, but hadn't been able to decide on what album to start with and what the final project would be.  Then I came across this  tote bag and my friend Rebecca's birthday approached.  The issue with stitching an album cover is that the design needs to be interesting without having too many intricate details.  So basic blocks of color is the way to go.  Rebecca's a big Wilco fan and it just happens that the album cover from their most recentl album fit the bill design-wise. 

So here is the completed project.  The finished stitched area measures about 9"x9" and is hand-sewn counted cross-stitch in a 14-count embroidery area. 

Randomness: A Compilation for February

The new year brought change - immediate change and change on the horizon.  It's slightly overwhelming when I think about it, but luckily it's all coming at a manageable pace.  I found that for February, there was simply too much going on to focus on one theme.  Sure, Valentine's Day is the most obvious.  But it's been done before; in fact, I have done it before.  And let's face it, when it comes right down it almost every song is a love song, so the Valentine's/love theme is kind of a gimme.

So this month I decided go with my flaky, fleeting thoughts as the bounce from one task to the next.  This time I'm just going with melody and rhythm.  These are some of my all-time favorite songs, some new ones that are on heavy rotation and ones that my brain processes as "fun."

Enjoy!

1. The Big Pink - Stay Gold
2. Danielle Dax - Big Hollow Man
3. Controller.Controller - Poison/Safe
4. Big Black Delta - IFUCKINGLOVEYOU
5. Boney M - Rasputin
6. Yeasayer - Madder Red
7. The The - Uncertain Smile
8. Florence + The Machine - Shake It Out
9. Harry Belafonte - Man Smart (Woman Smarter)
10. Blood Orange - Champagne Coast
11. Kindest Lines - Running Into Next Year
12. I Break Horses - Winter Beats
13. Loney, Dear - Everything Turns To You
14. Diana Ross & The Supremes - Someday We'll Be Together
15. Chairlift - Wrong Opinion
16. The Ocean Blue - Vanity Fair
17. Cut Off Your Hands - Nausea
18. John Maus - Hey Moon

You can find this compilation on Spotify.

The best of 2011

It's the start of a new year and time to reflect on the one that just passed.  In reality, what this amounts to is a mad dash to tidy up while I still have the energy.  On my desk, the semi-neatly arranged piles of items to be put away finally get addressed.  This is a bit time consuming as they've been sitting since my last spurt of cleaning, which may have occurred in the spring.

This offers the perfect opportunity to go through the albums I've acquired during the previous year.  Some of the more seasonal songs have already appeared on compilations.  But there are always the dozen or so that seem to really stand out.  Here is my collection of my favorites from 2011. 

1. David Lynch & Karen O - Pinky's Dream
2. Mark Lanegan Band - The Gravedigger's Song
3. Zola Jesus - Seekir
4. La Vida Boheme - Radio Capital
5. Idle Warship - The Floor
6. Summer Camp - Losing My Mind
7. PJ Harvey - The Last Living Rose
8. Cass McCombs - The Same Thing
9. Mariachi El Bronx - 48 Roses
10. Cat's Eyes - Over You
11. The Vaccines - All In White
12. Dum Dum Girls - Hold Your Hand
13. Elbow - lippy kids
14. EMA - Marked
15. Austra - Beat and the Pulse
16. When Saints Go Machine - Kelly
17. Purity Ring - Lofticries
18. Blouse - Time Travel
19. Bryan Ferry - You Can Dance

You can find this playlist on Spotify.

Fa la la la la

It was bound to happen.  As soon as I swore off holiday music I found myself digging out the Christmas carols.  The season just never feels right until I have heard "Christmas Wrapping" by the Waitresses. Listening to it, makes me feel all-together jolly.  So as a special treat, here's my holiday compilation for the season.

1. Futureheads - Christmas Was Better in the 80s
2. Shakin' Stevens - Merry Christmas Everyone
3. The Sleighbells - Like a kid at Christmas
4. Yellowman - Where Is Santa Claus?
5. Big Country - Wonderland
6. The Knife - Reindeer
7. Al Jourgensen - It's Always Christmas Time
8. Vitesse - The Last Days of December
9. Spinanes - Den Trawler
10. Pink Martini - Congratulations - A Happy New Year
11. Fitz and The Tantrums - Santa Stole My Lady
12. The Specials - Holiday Fortnight
13. The Damned - There Ain't No Sanity Claus
14. Tralala - Everybody Christmastime
15. Slade - Merry Xmas Everybody
16. The Joseph And Mary Chain - The Twelve Days of Christmas
17. The Klezmatics - Hanukah Tree (Hanukkah)
18. The Fall - (We Wish You) A Protein Christmas
19. X - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
20. Holly Golightly - Christmas Tree's On Fire
21. Hilo Hattie - Santa's Hula
22. Billy Idol - Christmas Love
23. Kings of Convenience - Deilig Er Jorden

Winter Hymn

With the holidays approaching, I started making my annual Christmas compilation CD early.  This was a mistake.  For the first time ever, I grew tired of holiday music.  Perhaps it was the 70 degree weather in November; perhaps it was just too early to contemplate the season, but I just wasn't feeling it.  Instead, I found myself listening to a compilation my friend Rebecca made last year entitled Light Wintry Mix.  It includes a wonderful selections of songs with a winter theme, both soothing and uplifting.

I've been compiling songs for my friend over the past months and this proved to be the inspiration I needed in order to put them together for her.  So this month, she (along with the season) is my muse.

1. Van Morrison - Glad Tidings
2. St. Vincent - Jesus Saves, I Spend
3. The Zombies - This Will Be Our Year
4. Iron & Wine - Half Moon
5. First Aid Kit - Winter Is All Over You
6. Mumford & Sons - Winter Winds
7. Wilco - When The Roses Bloom Again
8. R.E.M. - Oh My Heart
9. Radiohead - Fake Plastic Trees
10. Galaxie 500 - Listen, the Snow is Falling
11. Seabear - Owl Waltz
12. Bon Iver - Flume
13. The Decemberists - January Hymn
14. Guided By Voices - Doughnut for a Snowman
15. The Veils - The Wishbone
16. The War On Drugs - Best Night
17. Noir Desir - Le Vent Nous Portera
18. Sonya Cotton - Frozen Hands
19. Maximilian Hecker - Cold Wind Blowing