Music Monday: Chris Pureka

Happy Memorial Day Monday!

I hope I find you well on this holiday, perhaps you're getting ready for a bar-b-que with your pals, or maybe you're actually out enjoying the outdoors and camping right now, so you won't be reading this till tomorrow, whatever the case, Happy Memorial Day!

(Feel free to join me at 3:00pm today and take a moment to remember our fallen soldiers. No matter what you're doing, it'll only take a moment.)

Anywho, on to music!

This week's artist was suggested by an avid reader of the blog (and great Twitter pal to boot!) Since I only aim to please, I couldn't help but oblige.

Who is said artist you ask? Why it's Chris Pureka.
And if you've never heard of her, allow me to introduce you!

She's from New England, (which gives her some serious bonus points from me) raised in the great state of Connecticut, and after college she worked in one of my personal favorite places in Massachusetts- Northampton. (Again, serious bonus points.)

She started playing guitar at age 16 and now has her own music label, Sad Rabbit Music.
Her style has been compared to such artists like: Bruce Springsteen, Ryan Adams and Patty Griffin.
I hope you enjoy the selections of her music I've chosen!

"Wrecking Ball"


"Burning Bridges" (The 1st song I'd ever heard from Chris, a college friend sent me this link a while back. Thank goodness for good friends with good music tastes! Am I right?)


and lastly, "These Pages"

If you like what you heard check out www.ChrisPureka.com

Have a lovely day!

Also, just wanted to say I already have my Feel Good Friday tune picked out! So, get ready! It's sort of like my long distance dedication to all of YOU!

Be safe, take care, much love! (More exclamations!)

XoXo

Feel Good Friday: Hedwig's Theme

Happy Friday All!

On Wednesday I went into Boston to see the man my dad calls the "rockstar of composers," but he's more than just a composer, he's a conductor and a pianist as well. He's probably written music that's made you laugh as well as music that has brought tears to your eyes. He is the one and only John Williams. (If for some reason you don't know who he is, he wrote the music for Jaws, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Superman, ET, Hook, Home Alone, Schindler's List and Jurassic Park- to name just a few.)

It was a pretty amazing show. In fact, "pretty amazing" doesn't begin to do the show justice. Seriously.

But, why am I mentioning this? Well, this man is also the genius behind the music of Harry Potter.

Hedwig's Theme is today's feel good tune. I know it has no lyrics, but, sometimes a feel good tune doesn't need them. I just need to hear the first few notes of this song and a warm and fuzzy feeling crashes down on me.

I hope it does the same for you!

Here's Hedwig's Theme:

Have a fantastical weekend!

Take care, be safe and much love!

XoXo

Music Monday: Fun.

Happy Monday!

The three men with mustaches in the photo above live up to their band name: Fun. From left to right they are: Andrew, Jack and Nate.

These 3 gentlemen make up the indie-pop band Fun. (I know, I already said that.) All three of these men were/are in other bands. Nate was in The Format, Jack is in (one of my personal favorite bands) Steel Train, and Andrew's from Anathallo.

Fun is based in New York City, NY and have an album out titled, "Aim and Ignite."

I saw them in Boston this past winter, and I must say, not only is their music fantastic, but, they have an energy that is truly captivating and contagious!

(They're on tour right now with Panic! At The Disco, so, if you have the opportunity to go, you SHOULD!)

Here are a few personal faves of mine from Fun off of "Aim and Ignite!"

"Walking The Dog"

(If this one seems familiar, its because I used it as a Feel Good Friday tune a while back...)

"Be Calm"

"At Least I'm Not As Sad (As I Used To Be)"

For more information on these lovely and talented guys check out their website www.ournameisfun.com.

You can also follow them on Twitter: @ournameisfun

And like them on Facebook: Fun

That's it for now, hope you've enjoyed today's selection!

See you Friday for a Feel Good Tune!

Be safe, take care, much love!

XoXo

Feel Good Friday: Do Your Thing & Don't Care If They Like It

Happy Fey Friday!

Today's Feel Good Friday is dedicated to my personal shero- the one and only Tina Fey.

I finished her book, Bossypants, last week and have been trying to tell everyone I know to read it.

(So, naturally, now I'm suggesting you do the same.)

Besides it being full of laughter and giggles, there was a chapter, though quite brief, that made me all teary and overcome with joy at the same time.

The chapter was titled, "Don't Care If They Like It (One In A Series Of Love Letters To Amy Poehler)"

This chapter gave me my new mantra: Do Your Thing And Don't Care If They Like It.

Here's a montage of Amy & Tina and a passage from the book below:

And now here's a montage (the only montage I could find!) of Tina and Amy

Excuse me, it seems as though a dust particle or something has gotten into my eye just now...

So, Do Your Thing, and Don't Care If "They" Like It. And one day you'll find the Amy to your Tina.

That's all for today.

Be safe, take care, much love!

XoXo

Music Monday: LIGHTS

In honor of my sister's birthday this week, I've decided to dedicate this post to her favorite lady to listen to: LIGHTS.

LIGHTS is a Juno award winning artist from Canada. Her style of music is synthpop. It's fun, it's catchy, and even if you're not "a dancer" you WILL find yourself bopping along to the sounds of LIGHTS. (I may or may not be speaking from personal experience with this one.)

Fun fact about LIGHTS- she was discovered by Jian Gomeshi and to this day he is still her manager.

LIGHTS' first album is titled, "The Listening," and she also has an EP out now called, "Acoustic."

Here are some of my personal faves from LIGHTS.

"Ice"

"Saviour"

and lastly, there's no official vid, so, this one's live, it's called "Casanova."

If you liked what you heard, you can follow her on Twitter: @Lights

and check out her official website www.iamlights.com

Have a lovely week!

Be safe, take care and much love!

XoXo

Lost Bois Need Our Help!

(From left to right B. Steady and A.O.)

This past summer I came across a Youtube video by a duo called The Lost Bois. (Pictured above.) The song was titled "Reading Rainbow," and I fell inlove. I looked to see if they had an album, and they didn't have one... Yet.

Here are some of my personal faves from this Dynamic Duo!

"Reading Rainbow"

"Sincerely"

The Lost Bois are trying to record an album, but they need your help!

Here's their Kickstarter Project Video:

Here's a blurb from their Kickstarter Project Page:

As The Lost Bois, we've spent over a year of touring, writing, and working to spread the word. Recording music in our basements and shooting videos with computer cameras, we were willing to do everything in our power to share our music with the world. Now, we'd like to produce a full, original album and we need support.

Though we've received incredible support from fans and venues across the country, it has been difficult to record music with the little time we have outside of work and school. In the next few months, we intend to continue touring and writing, putting some of our compensation in a pool to raise money for recording. The money we raise will go toward studio time and recording equipment.

They have a goal of $4000 dollars, and so far they've raised $1,232.

Let's try to see if we can help them accomplish that goal!

You can pledge as little as $1. ($10 gets you a Mix Tape, $30 gets you a Lost Bois T-Shirt, $50 gets you a music video dedication, $100 you get to name a song on the album, and if you pledge $150 you get the T-Shirt, name a song, and receive a BOMB mix cd by B. Steady & A.O!)

So, if you're financially able to help, that would be super fab, and if not, let's try to spread the word! (The wonders of the interwebs right?! Twitter! Facebook! Tumblr! Myspace?! Whatever else I'm missing!)

For more information you can check out their Facebook!

That's all for now!

Be safe, take care, much love!

XoXo

Music Monday: Sick of Sarah

Happy Monday!

Do you enjoy rocking out? I know I do. I also love me an all girl band that knows how to rock! If you do as well (and you should!) look no further than today's featured band Sick of Sarah!

These ladies pop up on my Tegan & Sara Pandora station more than Tegan & Sara do. I've become such a fan of their music because of it.

Sick of Sarah formed in 2005 in Minneapolis, MN and are still going strong today. Their latest album "2205" was released last year, but you should check out their catalog because it's just as good as the newer stuff!

Here are a few personal faves of mine, hope you enjoy!

"Bittersweet"

"Paint Like That"

"Kick Back"

For more information on these ladies check out their website sickofsarah.com!

They're currently on tour with Hunter Valentine, so see when they are coming to a city near you!

That's all for today, see you Friday for a feel good tune!

Be safe, take care, much love!

XoXo

Feel Good Friday: I Feel Most Like The Cherry Pie

Happy Friday!

Today's feel good tune is brought to you by the one and only Janelle Monae. I can't say enough positive things about this super talented woman!

The first time I heard her sing was on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and my heart was won over immediately. I couldn't stop smiling for a few minutes after the performance. I know, perhaps that seems a strange picture to paint, but, there was something about her sound and something about her energy that tickled some fiber of my being and I just sat there and smiled, almost dumbfounded.

Her song, "Tightrope," makes me want to just get up and dance. The kind of dancing I talked about last week, where, it's goofy, it's fun and probably not America's Best Dance Crew material. But, it's the kind of dance that makes you feel good, it makes you happy.

So, here's Janelle Monae's performance of, "Tightrope" on Ellen!

One more thing! Yesterday I asked if there were any requests for today's blog, and, someone requested a video known as "The Feelings Report."

So, for giggles I decided to add it to today's post! Here's hoping you all feel most like the cherry pie!

Have a wonderful weekend!

See you Monday!

Be safe, take care, much love!

XoXo

Music Monday: Sufjan Stevens

Happy Monday!

This week's featured artist is someone my roommate in college introduced me to. The first song I ever heard by him was, "Chicago" off of his album "Illinoise." All I have to say was it was love at first note.

Sufjan Stevens first album, "A Sun Came" was released in 2000. His music has been described anywhere from indie folk, to folk rock, alternative, to baroque pop.

Since then he's put out several albums, and his latest album was released in 2010, titled, "The Age of Adz."

Here are a few of my personal faves of Sufjan!

"Chicago"

"To Be Alone With You"

From his new album, "Age of Adz"

Have a lovely week!
Chat soon!

Be safe, take care, much love!

XoXo