Better

That cursed Regina Spektor sure has some catchy songs.  I tried all week to listen to cool music in hopes that I could blog about some really cool song here today, instead I had one of Regina's songs playing as I awoke on this beautiful Sunday morning.

Not that I have a problem with Regina Spektor.  There was a time about 3 or 4 years ago where her music was some of the most played in my library.  I guess my beef is that I've blogged about her a lot already and I worry that people will think my tastes are uninteresting.

Anyway, here's today's song, "Better," from Spektor's 2007 album "Begin to Hope."  Truly, Regina Spektor is a tremendous talent and this really is a great song:

I feel like giving away some stuff.  Giving away stuff makes me feel validated.  I don't make any money doing this blog, but it's fun for me so I do it anyway.  I do giveaways for the following reasons:

1.  I'm nice.

2.  More people come and visit the blog when I give stuff away and because I'm insecure this helps.

3.  I like making a compilation disc of all the songs I've written about here, even though it makes for a strange, random mix of music.  It's still fun, and plus nobody makes compilation discs any more so even though it's a new disc I made, it will feel like an invaluable heir loom or antique or something.  4

4.  Life can be boring.  I like making things more interesting.

So, in no particular order, here are the prizes you could win:

 PRIZE #1-  A Compilation disc of The Best of the Songs Stuck in Brady's Head, Volume 7.  This is probably the oddest mix I've done yet, it's full of obscure songs, pretty songs, hard songs, and even current hits.  I'm confident you'll find at least one song you'll like if you're the lucky winner of this compilation.

PRIZE #2-  A few albums I have sitting around, Radiohead's "The King of Limbs" and Red Hot Chili Pepper's "I'm With You."  Admittedly I was a little luke-warm on both albums, but hey, they were sitting in a drawer and you can have 'em.

PRIZE #3- A 5 Dollar Gift Certificate to Anywhere!

Also, my pointy English nose.  (Nose not included)

Prize #4- A 25 Dollar Gift Certificate to Crappleby's!  However you may feel about the restaurant, this is real money, and hey, free meal right?

This is how you win, just make a comment here on this here blog.  I'm trying something new this time too, I'm linking this up to Facebook, and if you "like" or comment on that post I'll enter you in the contest as well.

I'll announce a winner one week from today, Sundee, March 2nd.

I love you guys so much.  Seriously.  Thanks for indulging me.

Have fun.  Love music.  Win Stuff.  Bye.

Brady

It's Over

Lyrically, Aimee Mann is one of my favorites, but her music is really melancholy and sad.  I'm a happy person, but I do have a somber side and good lyrics like Mann's always resonate with me.  

Today's song is such a song.  It will never be one of her most popular songs, nor will she ever be a terribly popular song writer.  But her craft is good, and I'm happy to share it, I hope you'll listen.  

Here's "It's Over" from Mann's 2008 Album "@#%&*! Smilers" 

Have fun.

Smile (Pictures or it Didn't Happen)

I just got back from a week long cruise to the western Caribbean.  I had a great time, and it's funny how being out of town for so long can be so refreshing, yet at the end I always miss my life at home.  It will be good to get back into the swing of things.

Today's song comes from Amanda Palmer and the Grand Theft Orchestra.  I'm a huge fan of Palmer's, from her days with The Dresden Dolls and into her solo career.  The song stuck in my head this morning has really grown on me.  When I first heard it, I didn't appreciate it.  It felt loud, long, over-produced, and almost hard to listen to.  It's funny though, how a song, or album can grow on you after a few revisits.  Give the song an listen and decide for yourself what you think:

This song for me is about social media and how we feel like we have to share everything that's going on in our lives.  I suppose I'm guilty of this, although I intentionally didn't share all the pictures from our cruise, because I know that's just annoying.  We all need to be careful about what we post online I suppose.  Once it's there, I don't think it ever really goes away.

I feel like I'm getting boring in my old age, and don't feel like I have much else to say.  I suppose I should endorse Amanda Palmer's album "Theater is Evil" on which you find this song.  It's a great album, intense, smart, passionate and fun.  There are some seriously catchy songs and some great lyrics too.  Check it out if you feel so inclined.

Roar

Right now I'm blogging from a boat somewhere in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico.  I'm cheap and they're charging me 79 cents a minute to use the internet so I will be really fast.

I knew eventually a song like this, one that is played and heard everywhere you go, would find it's way into my brain in the morning.  Today I'm sharing Katy Perry's well-loved "Roar."

Enjoy.........?

I'm on my way to Mexico, Belize and Honduras in case anyone cares, although it may be the toilet where I'll be hanging out with all the Norovirus breakouts recently on cruises, including the boat I'm currently on.