Dark Was The Night

So I’m super tempted to say that these two compilation discs changed my life (which you’ll see they kind of did), but I’d be lying to say I discovered most of the artists featured with the album. Actually, most of the artists are among my favorites like Conor Oberst, Grizzly Bear, The National and especially Bon Iver and Iron & Wine.

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But here, the artists I fell in love with in the past show new perspectives or takes on other songs I either had no knowledge of, or that I had feel in love with in the past.

What I usually do with new music is listen to the “recently added” playlist in my iTunes (what’s up with the new iTunes, p.s.?) and then spot out my favourites. But this morning, as a pissed off overloaded student heading to campus (knowing I was about to spend 5 hours sitting in the same amphitheatre locked away from the sun), I decided to take the playlist to my iPod and FULLY savour my 5-minute walk in the sun.

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Miracle! This song literally took my mood from shitty to highly ecstatic in a split second.
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Hey, Snow White (by The New Pornographers)

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Sun on my skin, volume at its highest, large-ambient-noise-blocking headphones, fresh crisp air filling my lungs, walking at the perfect pace, feeling light, my lips are moist and I just can’t get them to stop smirking. I cross peoples misunderstanding looks and feel bad they don’t feel like I do at this point in time.

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So please, people, consume this amazingness in any manner you prefer, but just do it. Most of it is very calm, soothing, good for the soul.

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You Are The Blood (by Sufjan Stevens)

Service Bell (by Grizzly Bear and Feist)

Happiness (by Riceboy Sleeps)

Love vs. Porn (by Kevin Drew)

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I’d usually say Happiness=Equilibrium, but in this case Happiness=Dark Was The Night.
Just do yourself (and them) a favour; go to the store and buy the compilations. They’re true keepers.

yesssss

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Escaping/Festivaling

Sailing To Nowhere – Broken Bells

Right now I wish I could be… sailing to nowhere would be the most elegant solution to my situation. A great escape into the wild. My choice isn’t too far from this though. Leaving for a few days to the Canadian countryside, relaxing in a roundhouse cabin on the Lac Saint-Jean will make everything better, I know it.

Another great thing will be waiting for me when I come back : Osheaga Festival (tickets still available BTW). Planning on going alone for a second year, music will be my only friend (eeeeemo). So many incredible bands that I discovered through this blog will be attending this year’s festival and I have the strong feeling that it will be epic.

Beach House was the band that I wanted to see live at the very start. Their style reminded me of the old bands of the 60s with their dreamy music. Psychedelicious shiiiite :) Since I’ve always dreamt of being at the ’69 Woodstock Fest, this was the closest I could get for the moment …still very, VERY, freaking far… :(

Zebra – Beach House

But then I went DEEPER into the band list and found out about… The Morning Benders (GOD YES), The Black Keys, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros (:D), The National (ZOMG), Horse Feathers, Major Lazer (their last show in Montreal was insane), Snoop Dogg (never saw him live), We Are Wolves, Metric, Pawa Up First

Now would be the time to post the biggest mashup of all those bands but I WON’T… because it would sound like shit :) Soooo I will just tell all you guys from Montreal and around to BUY SOME TICKETS FOR THIS AWESOME FESTIVAL ! Seriously, live music in the warmth of summer is such a wonderful experience. And it’s a good way of MAYBE meeting some bands (we never know what surprise life has in its pockets for YOU). It’s also a great way of discovering some new bands !

So, I’ll see you guys there :)

Too Hot To Live

Voici ce qui m’est passé par la tête en écoutant cette chanson dans l’autobus à 35°C.

Hunting Bears – Radiohead

Mise en scène : Un homme sort de sa tente qui est plantée dans le sable à proximité d’une autoroute désertique des États-Unis. La chaleur déforme l’horizon, transforme sa vision. Il marche péniblement vers la route, toujours aussi déserte. Il revient vers sa tente, la démonte péniblement et la range dans son sac à dos. Tout est lent, tout est pénible et un brin irréel. Il se met à marcher sur le bord de la route et aperçoit une voiture qui s’approche au loin. Il lève le pouce, sans espoir. La voiture passe à côté de lui, conduite par un cowboy (pourquoi pas Clint Eastwood dans ses jeunes années) et son cheval. Il regarde la scène perplexe… et tombe sans connaissance. Tout ceci avec un rythme extrêmement lent et lourd, comme si même l’image était écrasée par la chaleur.

What is there to do on a too hot day in Montreal ? Well this is what we were trying to find out some friends and I when walking on Ste-Catherine on this 38°C summer day. We saw HMV and told ourselves WHY NOT !? air conditioning and music in the same place. We got in and that’s exacltly when I heard it. Damn it was good and I knew this song from somewhere. I asked the employee and he told me that it was from The Roots‘ new album. Surprise surprise, no wonder why it is so good. These gods sampling Monsters Of Folk (a band that I love). It’s pure awesomness.

Dear God 2.0 (Feat. Monsters Of Folk) – The Roots

Yes I’ve already posted on The National, but I can’t get this song out of my head these days aaaand the song was deletd last time I posted (let’s hope it stays this time). The whole album is too good to be true and the singer’s voice (Matt Berninger) is a wonder.

I was carried to Ohio in a swarm of bees
I’ll never marry but Ohio don’t remember me

Bloodbuzz Ohio – The National