Blog

From 10pm tonight on Chill, we're featuring the new album by Oi Va Voi, some chilled covers for a summer night, and lots more acoustic loveliness:

Stevie Scott - Life's Not That Simple
Oi Va Voi - Every Time
Agnes- Release Me (acoustic)
The Weepies - World Spins Madly On
Dirty Vegas - Days Go By (acoustic)
Oi Va Voi- Magic Carpet
Iain Archer - We Can All Be Friends
Jason Mraz / Colbie Caillat - Lucky
Ingrid Michaelson - You And I
Oi Va Voi - Dusty Road
Missy Higgins - Warm Whispers
Angus & Julia Stone - Paper Aeroplane
Frank Turner - Jet Lag
Oi Va Voi - Foggy Day
Ben Taylor - Glory Box
Ruarri joseph - A Turn In The Weather
Air - Cherry Blossom Girl
Kate Walsh - Star
Eg White - Broken
Just Jack - Writer's Block
Swan Arcade - Paperback Writer
Fionn Regan - The Underground Typewriter
Soltero - I'll Be A Writer
Jackson Browne - About My Imagination
Rosemary Clooney - Imagination
Eels - I Need Some Sleep
Sia - I Go To Sleep
Dissociatives - Sleep Well Tonight
Brett Dennen - Ain't Gonna Lose You
Breathe Owl Breathe - Drop And Roll
Bitter:Sweet - Everything
Rosie Thomas - Kite Song
Peter Von Poehl - Silent As Gold
Emmy the Great - Gabriel
Julie Collings - A Little Bird Told Me
Charlotte Martin - Cloudbusting

More at www.simplecity.org

To celebrate the artist #10,000 in my Last.fm library, Kira Willey, I follow the advice of my friend MagdA88 and set iTunes on shuffle to create a playlist from the 120,000 tracks:

1. Monte Cara - Cesária Évora
   
2. Way Back Home - Starsailor
   
3. Steel - Charlotte Martin
   
4. The Feelin' Is Gone - Canned Heat & John Lee Hooker
   
5. Names - Cat Power
   
6. Rainbow - Lisbee Stainton
   
7. Marlene an der Wand - Ulla Meinecke
   
8. Red Is a Slow Colour - The Gathering
   
9. Faded Memories - Nina Sky
   
10. Goodbye Letters - Terra Naomi
    
11. Tango Max - Friedel Hensch und die Cyprys
    
12. Dirty Deeds - Joan Jett
    
13. Land o'the Leal - 5 Hand Reel
    
14. New To Me - Sunshine State
    
15. You Can't Break a Broken Heart - Kate Voegele
    
16. Blue Onto You - Kathryn Williams
    
17. Who's Got A Match? - Biffy Clyro
    
18. Analogue (All I Want) - a-ha
    
19. Roses Grow - Concrete Blonde
    
20. Falling Leaves - Pocketbooks
    
21. Ain't It Good To Know - Susan Cagle
    
22. In a Graveyard - Rufus Wainwright
    
23. I Haven't Seen This Day Before - The Innocence Mission
    
24. Top of the World - Ann Lee
    
25. Sparrow (Questlove Mix Alternate Take) - Marvin Gaye
    

...and naturally:

• Kira Willey - Colors

# 1,000: Nirvana Very Ape
# 1,985: INXS Need You Tonight
# 2,000: Europe The Final Countdown
# 3,000: The Cranberries Promises
# 4,000: Lisa Ekdahl Rivers of Love
# 5,000: Alice in Chains Heaven Beside You
# 6,000: Amy Macdonald This Is the Life
# 7,000: Fredrika Stahl Game Over
# 8,000: The Cranberries Just My Imagination
# 9,000: Room Eleven Somedays

# 10,000: Room Eleven Come Closer
# 11,000: Fredrika Stahl One Man Show (Version Album)
# 12,000: Room Eleven Ode
# 13,000: Fredrika Stahl The Damage Is Done
# 14,000: Lisa Ekdahl The Color of You
# 15,000: Alice in Chains Nutshell
# 16,000: Klee Zwei Herzen
# 17,000: Charlotte Martin Limits of Our Love
# 18,000: The Cranberries Dying in the Sun
# 19,000: The Cranberries I Can't Be With You

#20,000: The Cranberries Sweetest Thing

Recommended Songs (sorted by most recommended songs)

Night and Day : John Barrowman & Kevin Kline (Score = 49.14)
Available from itunes on album only basis. Comes with a Robbie Williams track, though...
Love Don't Roam : Neil Hannon (Score = 31.27)
Where the Green Grass Grows : Tim McGraw (Score = 30.05)
Are You Out There : Dar Williams (Score = 29.95)
Solar Dip (demo) : Kristin Hersh (Score = 29.58)
Song for Ten : Neil Hannon (Score = 29.34)
Leap Year : Maria Taylor (Score = 28.25)
Somewhat boring. Nice but dull.
Gone To The Dogs : KT Tunstall (Score = 28.12)
Meh
Waterfall : The Stone Roses (Score = 28.12)
Annoyingly enjoyable.
Glass : Erin McKeown (Score = 24.68)
Bonkers but beautiful.
Xanax (Album Version) : Maria Taylor (Score = 24.5)
Again, nice but nowt special
Train : Sonya Kitchell (Score = 24.36)
Ooh now this is nice.
Play Untill The Bottle's Gone : Thea Gilmore (Score = 24.27)
Wild Country : Shawn Colvin (Score = 23.99)
Hmm - nice. Pretty
A Better Man : Clint Black (Score = 23.67)
Oh yes, quite Garthish, which can't be a bad thing.
It's Over : Martha Wainwright (Score = 23.49)
Meet in the Middle : Diamond Rio (Score = 21.96)
Chicks Dig It : Chris Cagle (Score = 21.94)
I don't really.
Fast Cars And Freedom : Rascal Flatts (Score = 21.85)
Nice for background.
Is There Life Out There : Reba McEntire (Score = 21.66)
Not really my cup of tea but nice all the same.
Sunny Came Home : Shawn Colvin (Score = 21.29)
Yeah, might just have to give her more of a go.
Dust On The Bottle : David Lee Murphy (Score = 21.26)
Yeah. WIll come back to this.
Brokenheartsville : Joe Nichols (Score = 21.22)
Oh yes, more country I like!!!
Watermelon Crawl : Tracy Byrd (Score = 21.15)
Yeah, OK, but not quite my styke.
We're Both So Sorry : Mirah (Score = 20.95)
Ten Rounds With Jose Cuervo : Tracy Byrd (Score = 20.8)
See above.
North Star Grassman and the Ravens : Sandy Denny (Score = 20.65)
Well, I was always going to like a Sandy Denny track.
Micael : Juana Molina (Score = 20.64)
Oh lovely!
Alright OK : Rachael Sage (Score = 20.58)
Cellar Door : Holly Brook (Score = 20.56)
Very nice. Kinda spoiled by the track that followed it on Spotify.
The Birds Start Talking English : Amy Annelle (Score = 20.41)
Holy Water : Big & Rich (Score = 20.41)
Yeah. Potential. This is the Unplugged I am listening to.
Independence Day : Martina McBride (Score = 20.18)
Meh. Nothing special, but nothing offensive either.
Brief Bus Stop : Ani DiFranco (Score = 20.17)
Oh What a Circus : David Essex (Score = 20.15)
Seriously, how the crap did this get in my recommendations? Which of my artists are responsible???
Taking People : Cat Power (Score = 20.13)
OK.
Some Beach : Blake Shelton (Score = 20.1)
Ah, Now you are talking!
Nothing on but the Radio : Gary Allan (Score = 20.06)
Nice standard country affair.
Songs About Rain : Gary Allan (Score = 20.05)
Likewise. Actually maybe I am harsh. It gets better...
Workhorse : My Brightest Diamond (Score = 19.88)

Weight : Sarah Slean (Score = 19.8)

The Windfall : Joni Mitchell (Score = 19.73)

Every Time It Rains : Charlotte Martin (Score = 19.59)
Slow burner. I can't decide whether I like her or not. I sorta do, but then she seems a bit... MOR. But not bad.
Close Every Door : Phillip Schofield (Score = 19.52)

Wave On Wave : Pat Green (Score = 19.42)
Oh yeah. Gotta give this guy more attention!
Strawberry Wine : Deana Carter (Score = 19.41)
I shouldn't like it but the truth is I do.
Loco : David Lee Murphy (Score = 19.31)
Fun. Happy to listen to.
Forever and Ever, Amen : Randy Travis (Score = 19.3)
More Garthy stuff. Nice Garthy stuff.
Redneck Yacht Club : Craig Morgan (Score = 19.24)

We Are Mice : Azure Ray (Score = 19.22)
Ooh - nice and creepy!
No Signs of Pain : Azure Ray (Score = 19.05)

Chase the Blue : Karen Jo Fields (Score = 19.02)
Probably one to follow. I wonder though how Last.FM comes up with so many happy recommendations for me - happy is not a way most people describe my taste. Maybe Last.FM think I need cheering up.
She Don't Know She's Beautiful : Sammy Kershaw (Score = 19.01)
OK I see where recommendations like this come from but there is only so much I can take. Yes I like the tune, but it is a bit of an overload.
Whither Must I Wander : Martha Wainwright (Score = 18.74)

I Think About You : Collin Raye (Score = 18.36)

Stelle buone : Cristina Donà (Score = 18.24)
Out of left field, but wicked. Of whom does it remind me... ??? Damn that will annoy me. I want to say Patti Smith... Do I mean Patti Smith???
Hicktown : Jason Aldean (Score = 18.21)

Something More : Sugarland (Score = 17.87)

Grace Kelly : Mika (Score = 17.86)
I know rhis song well, and I love it, but have not listened to Mika for while after the whole fat women fiasco.
Baby Girl : Sugarland (Score = 17.57)

My Finger : Elbow (Score = 17.55)

No One Needs to Know : Shania Twain (Score = 17.52)

Telling Them : Starsailor (Score = 17.5)

Here for the Party : Gretchen Wilson (Score = 17.44)
Oh yeah. Country Grrrrllll!!!!
John Deere Green : Joe Diffie (Score = 17.4)
Not excited.
I Want to Live : Josh Gracin (Score = 17.38)

Smashing : Babyshambles (Score = 17.26)

Boondocks : Little Big Town (Score = 17.15)
Nice but it won't take me anywhere.
Shame On You : Indigo Girls (Score = 17.13)
Long time fan of Indigo Girls.
Margaritaville : Jimmy Buffett (Score = 17.12)
Mmmm.....
What Might Have Been : Little Texas (Score = 17.02)

mt. st helens : Mirah (Score = 16.95)

Win 'em Over : Melissa Ferrick (Score = 16.89)
Me and Charlie Talking : Miranda Lambert (Score = 16.89)
Why Didn't I Think of That : Doug Stone (Score = 16.81)
David (Album Version) : Nellie McKay (Score = 16.75)
No Matter What : Boyzone (Score = 16.75)
Nothin' to Lose : Josh Gracin (Score = 16.7)
She Cries Your Name : Beth Orton (Score = 16.66)
Shrug : Ani DiFranco (Score = 16.62)
Goodbye Says It All : Blackhawk (Score = 16.62)
Sugar Boy : Beth Orton (Score = 16.52)
In Another's Eyes : Garth Brooks & Trisha Yearwood (Score = 16.47)
One Day : KT Tunstall (Score = 16.46)
Iris's Song (Version 2) : Vashti Bunyan (Score = 16.45)
Sweet Southern Comfort : Buddy Jewell (Score = 16.32)
Six Days On The Road : Sawyer Brown (Score = 16.25)
Crazy : Shawn Colvin (Score = 16.17)
Shoot You Down : The Stone Roses (Score = 16.16)
Heads Carolina, Tails California : Jo Dee Messina (Score = 16.14)
Just to see You smile : Tim McGraw (Score = 16.13)
El Salvador : Joan Baez (Score = 16.09)
Check Yes Or No : George Strait (Score = 16.05)
Jazzman : Carole King (Score = 16.04)
You Forgot to Answer : Nico (Score = 16.03)
Storm, The : Tanya Donelly (Score = 15.99)
Anniversary : Suzanne Vega (Score = 15.96)
Dandelion : Catie Curtis (Score = 15.96)
Angels : Robbie Williams (Score = 15.9)
Wave, The : Tanya Donelly (Score = 15.87)

I just happened to notice that as soon as I finish listening to Freeway, I will have a three-way tie for third place, between Aimee Mann, The Decemberists, and The Shins, with each at 2.074 plays.

Of course, if I continue on this Charlotte Martin binge, she will beat them all soon.

Upcoming Southern California shows...
05-07 Sleepytime Gorilla Museum @ Key Club
05-09 Threadbare reunion show w/Unbroken @ Glass House
05-13 Traindodge w/National Sunday Law @ Blue Monkey Bar
05-21 Ninja Academy/Clevis/Totally Serious @ the Smell
05-22 dredg/Torche @ Troubadour
05-23 dredg/Torche @ Troubadour
05-24 Gojira/Car Bomb @ Key Club
06-01 Big Business @ The Troubadour
06-05 King's X @ Key Club
06-20 friday nights @ ???
06-21 Shellac @ Echoplex
06-24 Isis @ Henry Fonda Theater
07-22 Elbow @ Wiltern

2009 Shows that I've been to
01-03 Babyland @ Spaceland
01-16 North @ Knitting Factory
01-17 Autolux @ Henry Fonda Theatre
01-22 El Ten Eleven @ The Silver Lake Lounge
02-03 Meshuggah w/ Cynic
02-05 El Ten Eleven w/Charlotte Martin @ The Hotel Cafe
02-13 Don Caballero w/sBACH @ Spaceland
02-21 Grails @ Spaceland
03-14 Clevis, Solar Wimp, Totally Serious, The Littlest Viking @ the Cocaine
03-17 ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead @ Echoplex
03-20 Karin Tatoyan @ Spaceland
03-26 Forbidden @ Key Club
03-27 Pelican @ Troubadour
04-03 Acid Mothers Temple w/Kinski @ The Echo
04-04 noodles w/The Outline @ Silver Lake Lounge
04-05 Autolux @ Glass House
04/10 Karin Tatoyan @ Echo and El Ten Eleven @ Home [Going to try to make both shows!!!]
04-12 Silversun Pickups @ Glass House
04-14 Taproot @ Key Club
04-17 Kylesa/Intronaut/Made Out of Babies/Black Elk @ Echoplex

2008 Past shows:
02-25 Solare/The Valley Arena free @ The Troubadour
03-01 El Ten Eleven @ The Scene
03-14 El Ten Eleven @ Pehrspace
03-17 Explosions in the Sky @ Wiltern
03-20 El Ten Eleven w/ Ninja Academy/Tera Melos @ The Fold
03-25 Bob Mould @ El Rey
03-27 Russian Circles/Red Sparowes @ Echo Plex
04-18 Converge/Genghis Tron "Murder Fest" @ Knitting Factory
04-30 El Ten Eleven @ Spaceland
05-03 Clevis @ No Voice Fest
05-14 Kid Dakota (Ian Prince from Houston) @ Knitting Factory
05-16 Big Business/Qui/400 Blows @ the Scene
05-29 Riddle of Steel @ On The Rox
05-30 Swervedriver @ Casbah's
05-31 Swervedriver @ Henry Fonda
06-06 31 Knots @ Knitting Factory
06-15 Russian Circles @ Troubadour
06-20 Dysrhythmia/Ninja Academy @ Knitting Factory
06-24 Stone Temple Pilots @ The Hollywood Bowl
07-24 The Life and Times @ Spaceland
08-27 Intronaut/Behold The Arctopus/National Sunday Law @ Knitting Factory
08-28 System & Station @ Knitting Factory
09-18 Deftones @ Spaceland
09-21 Goldfrapp @ The Orpheum Theatre
10-09 Rival Schools @ the Echo
10-11 Denali @ the EchoPlex
10-13 El Ten Eleven @ Spaceland
10-15 Far @ the Glass House
10-16 Far @ the Troubadour
10-31 Helmet @ the Viper Room
11-15 Torche @ Spaceland
11-20 Jane's Addiction @ El Cid =>no go, long story, oh well
11-22 National Sunday Law / Intronaut / Exhausted Prayer & more @ Relax Bar
12-02 Karin Tatoyan @ Echoplex (Armenian Version of Bjork)
12-06 Ninja Academy & Woven CD release party @ Hangar 1018
12-10 El Ten Eleven @ Hotel Cafe
12-11 God Is an Astronaut @ Knitting Factory
12-16 The Sword @ Viper Room
12-20 Ninja Academy & The Great Deceivers @ Spaceland: The Great Deceivers = 70s era King Crimson tribute band)

01. Loreena McKennitt
First Song Heard: Prologue
Made You Fall In Love: The Mummers' Dance
Favorite Song: Cé Hé Mise Le Ulaingt?/The Two Trees
Favorite Album: The Mask and Mirror
Accuracy: Having known Loreena for 6 years now she is my overall favorite artist. There is not one song I don't like. There are only ones I like a bit better than others. She is a sophisticated artist and musician, her lyrics are epic and poetic and her ability to set famous and/or old poems to music is outstanding. Her live performances are near to perfection and she and her fellow musicians have a passion and liveliness on stage that it's a great joy for the viewer/listener. In three words: I love her.

02. Tori Amos
First Song Heard: A Sorta Fairytale
Made You Fall In Love: Spark
Favorite Song: Flying Dutchman
Favorite Album: Under the Pink
Accuracy: Tori is the only one in my collection that I own all albums of. Of almost 2000 songs on iTunes around 250 are by Tori. Being my most played artist of all I cannot even count all those songs that have a special meaning to me. Tori's music is remarkably different from everything mainstream. Even her songs that can be called "pop-like" are not mainstream. Maybe she just cannot be. Anyway, lyrics are always something to think about, voice is wonderful and changing and style is varied as well. Never boring and never without some deeper message.

03. Kate Bush
First Song Heard: Running Up That Hill, Don’t Give Up (w/ Peter Gabriel)
Made You Fall In Love: Don't Give Up
Favorite Song: Cloudbusting
Favorite Album: Hounds of Love
Accuracy: Kate's music turned my understanding of music in general upside down. She led me away from pure mainstream and pop to the wonderful world of alternative music. She is a great storyteller, talented and versatile musician. Listening to her songs is like going into another world, into a story or book, almost like reading fantasy. She is crazy, daring, moving and even outrageous at times. It's no wonder she's been so successful.

04. Meat Loaf
First Song Heard: I'd Do Anything for Love
Made You Fall In Love: I'd Do Anything for Love
Favorite Song: Bat Out of Hell
Favorite Album: Bat Out of Hell
Accuracy:

05. Nightwish
First Song Heard: something from Century Child
Made You Fall In Love: Nemo
Favorite Song: The Islander
Favorite Album: Dark Passion Play
Accuracy:

06. Charlotte Martin
First Song Heard: Beautiful Life (Simlish version)
Made You Fall In Love: Everytime It Rains
Favorite Song: Everytime It Rains
Favorite Album: On Your Shore
Accuracy:

07. Marc Cohn
First Song Heard: Walking in Memphis
Made You Fall In Love: Walking in Memphis
Favorite Song: Silver Thunderbird
Favorite Album: Marc Cohn
Accuracy:

08. Snow Patrol
First Song Heard: Run
Made You Fall In Love: Run
Favorite Song: Make This Go On Forever
Favorite Album: A Hundred Million Suns
Accuracy:

09. Tina Dico
First Song Heard: Head Shop
Made You Fall In Love: Head Shop
Favorite Song: The City
Favorite Album: In the Red
Accuracy:

10. Enya
First Song Heard: Orinoco Flow
Made You Fall In Love: May It Be
Favorite Song: May It Be
Favorite Album: Watermark
Accuracy:

11. Lisa Miskovsky
First Song Heard: Lady Stardust
Made You Fall In Love: Lady Stardust
Favorite Song: California Heart
Favorite Album: Changes
Accuracy:

12. Mike Oldfield
First Song Heard: no idea (too long ago)
Made You Fall In Love: Moonlight Shadow (w/ Maggie Reilly)
Favorite Song: Moonlight Shadow
Favorite Album: Voyager
Accuracy:

13. Alanis Morissette
First Song Heard: Thank U
Made You Fall In Love: Thank U
Favorite Song: Thank U
Favorite Album: Under Rug Swept
Accuracy:

14. Heart
First Song Heard: These Dreams
Made You Fall In Love: Barracuda
Favorite Song: These Dreams
Favorite Album: Heart
Accuracy:

15. U2
First Song Heard: no idea (too long ago)
Made You Fall In Love: Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
Favorite Song: Beautiful Day
Favorite Album: The Joshua Tree
Accuracy:

16. Within Temptation
First Song Heard: Ice Queen
Made You Fall In Love: Mother Earth
Favorite Song: The Cross
Favorite Album: The Heart of Everything
Accuracy:

17. Evanescence
First Song Heard: Bring Me to Life
Made You Fall In Love: Bring Me to Life
Favorite Song: My Last Breath
Favorite Album: Fallen
Accuracy:

18. Maggie Reilly
First Song Heard: Moonlight Shadow (w/ Mike Oldfield)
Made You Fall In Love: Moonlight Shadow
Favorite Song: Gaia
Favorite Album: Midnight Sun
Accuracy:

19. Blackmore's Night
First Song Heard: Way to Mandalay
Made You Fall In Love: Way to Mandalay
Favorite Song: Way to Mandalay
Favorite Album: Ghost of a Rose
Accuracy:

20. Bruce Springsteen
First Song Heard: no idea (too long ago)
Made You Fall In Love: Streets of Philadelphia
Favorite Song: Streets of Philadelphia
Favorite Album: Greatest Hits
Accuracy:

21. Clannad
First Song Heard: I Will Find You
Made You Fall In Love: I Will Find You
Favorite Song: A Bridge (That Carries Us Over)
Favorite Album: Lore
Accuracy:

22. Midge Ure
First Song Heard: something from Ultravox
Made You Fall In Love: Breathe
Favorite Song: Breathe
Favorite Album: Breathe
Accuracy:

23. Sarah McLachlan
First Song Heard: Angel
Made You Fall In Love: Angel
Favorite Song: Angel
Favorite Album: Mirrorball
Accuracy:

24. Peter Gabriel
First Song Heard: Don't Give Up
Made You Fall In Love: Don't Give Up
Favorite Song: Don't Give Up
Favorite Album: Secret World Live
Accuracy:

25. Celine Dion
First Song Heard: I'm Your Angel
Made You Fall In Love: My Heart Will Go On
Favorite Song: Miles to Go (Before I Sleep)
Favorite Album: All the Way... A Decade of Song
Accuracy: We all have our guilty pleasures. I really loved her when I was a child and that's why I cannot dislike a great part of her music (except for the latest albums).