Arms is a project I started in 2004 after a year-and-a-half-long bout of pretty awful writer’s block… And once I started writing again, finally, I guess I’d absorbed a good bit of what they’d all taught me about mood, atmosphere, emotion. Slowness in music, literal and figurative.
– Todd Goldstein
Arms is the lo-fi, solo project from indie-rock Harlem Shakes guitarist/half of folk duo, The Sea & The Gulls, Todd Goldstein. Recorded in his bedroom, Goldstein played all the parts and then layered them to form the absolutely charming, romantic album, Kids Aflame. Uber-catchy tracks, Whirring and Shitty Little Disco, are easily my favorites from Kids Aflame.
I was listening to Priscilla Ahn’s Dream today (yay for shuffle mode). Childlike reflections with a touch of hope for the future, Dream has a folksy, enchanting melody that makes me smile whenever I hear it. Much thanks to Penguin for introducing me to Priscilla’s music.
Even though I wasn’t listening to Dream at the time, I think this song really captures how I felt when I was drawing Daydream Believer
This quote from Ms. Ahn also made me smile (because I’ve been there before):
I think I had 2 nervous breakdowns in the past week. Not bad breakdowns though—the fun kind, that last like 5 minutes. You know the kind—the ones where you think you’re having a heart attack, and you feel utterly alone and lost, and then the tears start coming and they don’t stop—but then you spot something random, like the vacuum cleaner in the corner, and you wonder where that extension piece for the hose went because you always put it back in the little clip when you’re done using it—did your boyfriend use it and forget to put it back?—why do I always blame him right away?—oh wait, I think I used it as a cane when I was dancing around pretending to be the Planter’s peanut, and then I find it on the floor in the middle of my office; and now I’ve stopped crying, I wipe away my tears, and move on, feeling a little lighter. So, something fun like that!
– Priscilla Ahn
With love from me to you! Listen to my muxtape here.
What’s the underlying theme that connects these songs? Erm, not much, sorry to say. These are just some tunes that I had forgotten about until I started listening to iTunes in shuffle mode. Contrary to popular belief, I do have more than Radiohead and Death Cab for Cutie on my playlist. ~__^ (info links and purchasing links are provided after each photo)
Following on the heals of Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails has released their new CD online for free. The servers are hammered right now, but once you get a chance, check them out.
Photo via rcrdlbl
