"It's easier to hide and harder to trust. It's easier to hate and harder to love."

So I'm sort of a fan of movie soundtracks as I've said before and part of the reason for that is that I often find some of the best songs by the greatest artists by way of soundtrack compilations. Something I don't know if I've mentioned before though is that I have a ginormous size crush on John Cusack (who J swears is the reason why I won't marry him) and will watch ANY movie in which he appears. That is what led me to watch Must Love Dogs...the oh so sappy romantic comedy that he starred in with Diane Lane a few years back. Don't get me wrong, I like her and I even like dogs but I'm not big on the romantic comedy genre of film. I'm more of a Documentary, Drama, Action, Thriller type gal myself. But I watched the movie nevertheless and I won't lie, I did enjoy it. I think it's safe to say that with artists such as Ryan Adams, Sheryl Crow, Linda Ronstadt, Rilo Kiley and Rodney Crowell appearing on it, I enjoyed the soundtrack much more. And so to finally get to the point of the post...that's where I first heard of Susie Suh. The song was "Shell" and I was immediately smitten.

Susie's been around for a good while now but it surprises me that so few people have actually heard her music. Hell, I even forgot about her myself for awhile before I stumbled upon a post that reader extraordinaire Erin made not long ago that sent me into a tailspin trying to find my copy of her album at the house when I got home that afternoon. Lo and behold I wasn't able to locate it in my collection and I fear it was one of the many that were stolen when we were robbed so I just ordered it again and I've had it on repeat off and on pretty much ever since. I'd forgotten the power in her lyrics and how amazing her voice is. I'm so glad that Erin reminded me. Truly. This album is chock full of right song, right time music for me right now.

So having said all that, I strongly urge you to take a listen to the tracks below and order yourself a copy of her self titled debut as well as this little gem that was sent to me the other day and enjoy them both immensely.


Susie Suh - "Light On My Shoulder"


It's easier to fall and harder to stand
It's easier to cry and harder to laugh,
And I don't know how, I don't know why
But you're the light on my shoulder
When I'm tired
It's easier to run and harder to be still
It's easier to think and harder to feel,
And I don't know how, I don't know why
But you're the light on my shoulder
When I'm tired
It's easier to hide and harder to trust
It's easier to hate and harder to love
And I don't know how, I don't know anything
But you're the temper in my voice
When I sing


Susie Suh - "Your Battlefield"

Someday I will ask you if I was a disappointment
I will ask you if you put your hard earned money into a bad investment
You will tell me there are no guarantees but you
Got solutions for security
And I will ask you, I would ask you
How about my dreams

But you say life is a battlefield and you have
Given me the arms
You say I have to fight
I have to keep moving on

Someday I will ask myself if I was disillusioned
I will ask myself, if I have proven
That I made it on my own terms
Yeah I may have suffered some burns but I am
Living my dreams and am who I wanna be

But you say life is a battlefield and you have
Given me the arms
You say I have to fight
I have to keep moving on

On this path that you've tread
On this map, that is yours
Well I have to say, have to say, have to say
That I cant fight your war, I cant fight your war

But you say life is a battlefield and you have
Given me the arms
You say I have to fight
I have to keep moving on

Hey yeah oh oh oh
This is your battlefield
This is my life that you're asking for
This is my life that you wanted much
More then yours

But you say life is a battlefield and you have
Given me the arms
You say I have to fight
I have to keep moving on

This is your battlefield, this is your, this is your battlefield.

Susie Suh - "Harmony"

In this moment
I feel so much lighter
In this moment
I can breathe
Cause what I give to you
Comes right back to me
And we sing in harmony
Harmony, we sing in melody
Harmony, harmony
You and I we sing in rhapsody
I will tell you all of my secrets
I will tell you all of my chores
All my answers, all my answers
Lie in this song that I sing to you


Susie Suh - "Petrified To Be God-Like"

I fight my demons every day
They come and go, they up and flow
Like the ocean
You think you know me and you know me
But you don't know
How scared I am

So I like to make excuses, and I like to blame everyone else
And I like to point my finger at you
Rather then change myself
It's just each day goes by so fast
I cant seem to grasp them
And I tend to run away from my reflection
You see I am, so petrified, to be God-like

So I like to make excuses
And I like to blame everyone else
And I like to point my finger at you, rather than change myself
Ha-ah, ha-ah...

So I like to make excuses
And I like to blame everyone else
And I like to point my finger at you
Rather than change myself


Susie Suh - "Seasons Change"

Seasons change
They change when you don't seem to notice
All of a sudden, wind grows cold
And then the snowflakes start to fall
It's kinda like when I fell in love with you
I, I didn't even notice when you didn't love me anymore

There's a blue, there's a blue sky on my left and a pink sky on my right
And I'm driving down the 92 where the bridge looks like it touches the sky
And I'm thinking to myself
Where did all the time go
And why can't I remember
What it was like when I was young

Seasons change
And you grow a little older
Nothing stays the same
The past becomes the future

Seasons change
And you grow a little older
No one stays the same
And my heart grows a little colder

I'm standing in a parking lot
Of some suburban shopping mall
And I'm dressed in my work uniform making friends with all
The vacant cars
And I'm thinking to myself
I gotta make a big decision today and I hope I choose a better tomorrow
Rather then a better yesterday

Seasons change
And you grow a little older
Nothing stays the same
The past becomes the future

Seasons change
And you grow a little older
No one stays the same
And my heart grows a little warmer
My heart turns a little warmer
Everything turns it turns it turns it turns

Seasons change
And you grow a little wiser
Nothing stays the same
The past becomes the future
Seasons change
Only the cherry blossoms they bloom again
They will bloom, they will bloom

"I'm leaving on a jet plane, don't know when I'll be back again."

But unlike the lyrics, I don't hate to go. I'm actually very, very much looking forward to getting on the plane in the morning and being greeted by open, loving arms when I land. I'm so in need of some clean space in which to breathe and center myself so this trip is extremely welcome.

I don't know when I'll be back. I have an open return ticket and while I know deep down that you can't run away from life, at the moment I'm really feeling like throwing caution to the wind and doing just that. But, wherever you go, there you are, right? Anywho...here are a few tunes before I go...


Bishop Allen - "Flight 180"

Chantal Kreviazuk - "Leaving on a Jet Plane"

Goldfrapp - "Fly Me Away"

Grace Potter & The Nocturnals - "Falling or Flying"

Merle Haggard - "Silver Wings"

Sarah Evans - "Born To Fly"

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - "Learning to Fly"

Steve Miller Band - "Jet Airliner"

Jem - "Flying High"

Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers - "See You Later, See You Soon"


And to remind me to keep looking for the silver lining in even the darkest of clouds...

Rilo Kiley - "Silver Lining"

"Yes'n I try to ignore all this blood on the floor...it's just this heart on my sleeve that's a bleeding."

I think it's pretty clear at this point that I'm a big fan of Ray LaMontagne. I mean, he's mentioned in more posts here than probably any other artist and my love for his music knows no end. I think nothing crushed me so much when my hard drive crashed as losing so many amazing versions of his rare tunes. Yeah...can't think about that now. Must. Be. STOKED! What I haven't mentioned yet though is how the release of his latest album Gossip in the Grain will be THE highlight of my year when it drops on October 14th. Oh yes, think what you will but I'm so beyond stoked for this record that I don't even have words.

In fact, I have so few words to express my excitement that I'm not even going to bother...I'm just going to let the music do the talking.


I dare you to listen to this and not be excited to hear more from him on this new album...

Ray LaMontagne - "Let It Be Me"

There comes a time, a time in everyone’s life
Where nothin’ seems to go your way
Where nothing seems to turn out right
There may come a time, you just can’t seem to find your place
For every door you walk open, seems like you get two slammed in your face.

That's when you need someone, someone that you can call.
And when all your faith is gone
Feels like you can't go on
Let it be me
Let it be me
If it's a friend that you need
Let it be me
Let it be me

Feels like your always comin' up last
Pockets full of nothin', ain’t got no cash
No matter where you turn you ain't got no place to stand
Reach out for something and they slap your hand
I remember all too well
Just how it feels to be all alone
You feel like you’d give anything
For just a little place you can call your own
That’s when you need someone, someone that you can call

And when all your faith is gone
Feels like you can’t go on
Let it be me
Let it be me
If it’s a friend you need
Let it be me
Let it be me.

And some oldies but goodies that rank among my favorite songs of all time by ANY artist, EVER...

Ray LaMontagne - "Jolene"

Been so long since I seen your face
or felt a part of this human race
I've been living out of this here suitcase for way too long
A man needs something he can hold onto
A nine pound hammer or a woman like you
Either one of them things will do
Jolene
I ain't about to go straight
It's too late
I found myself face down in the ditch
Booze in my hair, blood on my lips
A picture of you, holding a picture of me
In the pocket of my blue jeans
Still don't know what love means
Still don't know what love means
Jolene

Ray LaMontagne - "Shelter"

Ray LaMontagne - "Three More Days"

Ray LaMontagne - "Hold You In My Arms"

When you kissed my lips with my mouth so full of questions
It's my worried mind that you quiet
Place your hands on my face
Close my eyes and say
Love is a poor man's food
Don't prophesize
I could hold you in my arms
I could hold you forever
And I could hold you in my arms
I could hold you forever

Ray LaMontagne - "How Come"

Ray LaMontagne - "Lesson Learned"

Well the truth it fell so heavy
Like a hammer through the room
That I could choose another over her
You always said I was an actor, baby
Guess in truth you thought me just amateur

Was it you who told me once
Now looking back it seems so real
That all our mistakes are merely grist for the mill
So why is it now after I had my fill
That you steal from me the sorrow that I've earned
Shall we call this a lesson learned?
Shall we call this a lesson learned?

Ray LaMontagne - "Trouble"

Ray LaMontagne - "You Can Bring Me Flowers"

Ray LaMontagne - "Can I Stay"

Can I stay here with you till the morning
I am so far from home and i feel a little stoned
so can i stay here with you till the morning?
There's nothing i want more than to wake up on your floor
So lay with me in your thinnest dress
fill my heart with each carress
between your blissful kisses, whisper
darling, is this love?

So can I stay here with you, till the day breaks?
There's something you should know
I ain't got no place to go
So can I stay here with you, till the day breaks
How happy it would make me to see your face when I wake
So lay with me in your thinnest dress
Fill my heart with each caress
Between your blissful kisses, whisper
Darling, is this love?

So can I stay here with you till the nighttime
I've fallen sad inside and I need a place to hide
So can I stay, here with you, through the nighttime
I've fallen so sad it's true, now won't you take me to your room
Lay with me in your thinnest dress
fill my heart with each caress
between your blissful kisses, whisper
Darling is this love?

Whisper to me, is this love?

Ray LaMontagne - "Hannah"

I lost all of my vanity
when I peered into the pool
I lost all of my innocence
When I fell in love with you
I never knew a man fall so far until I landed here
Where all of my wounds turn into gold when I kissed your hair

Ray LaMontagne - "Forever My Friend"

Maybe I'm wrong, maybe I'm right
Maybe it's the last thing you want to hear me say
I just think if we keep out hearts together
I just think if we build on this trust that we have for one another
Maybe we can make this last a lifetime
Forever my friend
Forever my love
Forever the woman
That I'm thinking of
I just think if we keep our hearts together
I just think if we will build on this trust that we have for one another
Maybe we can make this last a lifetime

Ray LaMontagne - "Write You A Letter"

If I told you how I'm feeling
And how my heart was always reeling
Then maybe you could understand me a little better
If I was to write you a letter
And if I told you how I worry
Isn't how I always seem to hurry
And maybe you would understand me a little better
If I was to write you a letter

Ray LaMontagne - "Burn"

Oh mama don't walk away
I'm a goddamn sore loser
I ain't too proud to stay
But I'm still thinking 'bout you
And I'm so lonesome without you
And I can't get you out of my mind
Oh mama don't leave me alone
with my soul sat down so tight it's like a stone cold tomb
Ain't it clear when I'm near you
I'm just dying to hear you
Calling my name one more time
Oh so don't pay no mind
To my watering eyes
Must be something in the air
That I'm breathing
Yes'n I try to ignore
All this blood on the floor
It's just this heart on my sleeve that's a bleeding
Oh mama don't walk away
You leave me here bereaving from the words so hard and plain
Saying the love that we had
was just selfish and sad
To see you now with him
is just making me mad
Oh so kiss him again
just to prove to me that you can
an I will stand here
and burn in my skin
Yes I will stand here
and burn in my skin

And some of my very, very favorite covers...

Ray LaMontagne - "Crazy" (Gnarls Barkley Cover)

Ray LaMontagne & Damien Rice - "To Love Somebody" (Bee Gees Cover)



And while these clips could never do him justice, you can't really appreciate Ray until you've seen him perform live...

"Empty"



"Be Here Now"

08-08-08

So today is supposed to be some super-dee-duper special lucky day according to Chinese culture, right? They've got the Olympics going on and every thing's just grand and dandy for the oppressive Chinese for the time being. And even though I'm miffed about their treatment of the Tibetan monks, I'd still think it pretty cool to visit there...especially to check out the Olympics. I haven't done a "theme" post in quite some time with all that's been going on and even though I had a really great post planned for today about one of my favorite bands because I woke up with one of their songs stuck in my head, I'll opt to save it until next week and just take the lazy way out because I'm tired and ever so slightly ill at the moment. Constant nausea is NOT cool...I'll never know how bulimics do it because I sincerely LOATHE to hurl.

So for shits and grins and all that stuff, here's a little bit of a themed post to celebrate the day and I TOTALLY have The Moldy Peaches' "Lucky Number Nine" picked out for next year's September 9th post. Way to plan ahead, right? Right.


Alison Krauss - "The Lucky One"

Herman's Hermits - "I'm Henry The VIII, I Am"

Jason Mraz & Colbie Callait - "Lucky"

Mary Chapin Carpenter - "I Feel Lucky"

The Beatles - "Eight Days A Week"

The Byrds - "Eight Miles High"

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - "You Got Lucky"



And because I do so love me some Doobies...

The Doobie Brothers - "China Grove"


And what might possibly be my very favorite Olympic moment of all time...how can you not just love little Kerri Strug after watching this?

"Well if you hide your questions there's no answer. I finally found the cure for my own cancer."

I guess this is the week of the re-release posts but so be it. I've been reading buzz about Delta Spirit for awhile now thanks to my love affair with Dr. Dog, NPR and Daytrotter but it wasn't until I went to scope out what was new at Rounder this week and noticed that they were re-releasing their 2007 album Ode to Sunshine that I became intrigued enough to actually dust the CD off and give it a spin. I'm ashamed to say I got it last year this time and never bothered to even take the packaging off the damn thing. How awful is that?!?! I just get too many discs to give them all a shot right off the bat and this is one I wish I had. They've got a unique sound that's such an amalgam of so many others that there's just no way to pin it down and I LOVE that in a group!

So now that I've given it lots and lots of spins in the past few days, I decided it was about damn time I put some of the tracks up for the rest of you to check out. Enjoy these songs from the Sand Diego quintet and check them out on tour now through October. Get your own copy of Ode to Sunshine with the new and improved goofy, great cover on August 26th. And speaking of the cover, I've no idea why I love it so much but it seems I'm completely drawn to random photos. Maybe that's why I loved the cover of Manchester Orchestra's 2006 hit I'm Like A Virgin Losing A Child too. I suppose the way to get my attention is to put random snapshots of strangers on the cover to entice me. Compare and contrast my odd taste if you will...








Enough of the digression. On to the tunes:

Delta Spirit - "Trashcan"

Delta Spirit - "Streetwalker"

Delta Spirit - "Tomorrow Goes Away"

And the song that's speaking loudest to me as I listen to the album while typing this post...

Delta Spirit - "Children"


Children shut your eyes
We'll tell you what to see
This world is burnin' down
And you're the ones to lead

Now look into their hearts
All those who hold the lead
Don't listen to their lies
They only want one thing
Well I only want one thing

They'll rob you from the truth
And they'll steal you from our house
The blind leading the blind
Don't hang around with their kind

Cause I love the life I lead
And I know my enemies
Well if God is on our side
Well that's all you really need
Well that's all we really need
Well that's all I really need

Follow down the road
I was led before you were born
No it's not your choice
To pick your own fight

When you're sitting second class
And as long as you're in control
Speaking when you're asked
You make your own stand
And you take your own stand
Well I'll make my own stand
And I take my own stand


And for shits and grins because I dig it...

Delta Spirit - "Motivation"

“Every little thing I do I do for you. With every little thing, I think a thought of you.”

I’m so super stupid stoked about Meiko re-releasing her debut album to the masses that I just couldn’t wait to share about it. It hit iTunes today and can be found in stores on September 9^th. I’ve mentioned her a handful of times and never really devoted a full post to her music and shame on me for that because she’s seriously one of my favorite female artists of the moment and has been for a while now. While I’m usually not fond of artists re-packaging and re-releasing music to the masses, I’m secretly glad she’s put the album out there again so I can make her a contender for my favorite album of ’08 list in December.

The young Georgia peach has partnered with Myspace/DCG (Geffen) records to form her own independent label, Lucky Ear Music and now EVERYONE’S ears will be luckier for it. The album is basically the same as the original release with a few exceptions and an extra track, “Boys with Girlfriends”, my new favorite. Her sound to me is the perfect blend of pop, jazz and acoustic goodness and I love every single thing about it and lyrically she gets me in the soft spot.

A rising star, Meiko is definitely one to watch and it appears that people are finally taking notice. “Piano Song” was featured on the Penelope soundtrack (which also features another one of my very favorite gals, Schuyler Fisk) and has an upcoming appearance on Conan O’Brien to promote her album on September 11^th. I also stumbled upon this fun little interview today as well. If you get a chance, catch her live when she hits the road for a string of small venue dates starting tomorrow. Here are some of my favorite tracks from the re-released version of her self titled debut. Buy a hard copy in a few weeks or download it today but either way, GET IT and make it one of your favorite albums of ’08 too. Enjoy!


Meiko - "Said and Done"

Meiko - "Heard It All Before"

Meiko - "Sleep"


And now for my two VERY, VERY favorite songs...


Meiko - "Piano Song"

Meiko - "Boys with Girlfriends"

And for fun because I found it on YouTube and I like how stripped down and simple this version is…

Meiko – “Under My Bed”