Humble Songs

You ever have times when life seems complicated and less dazzling and fulfilling than usual? When I'm mired in times like these, discovering new music that I like always gives me hope. I've listened to so much over the years, it amazes me that I can still stumble upon songs that inspire me. The current inspiration:

"Su questa Panchina"-Jacobo Ratini

Obviously this song is more meaningful if you understand Italian, but regardless its a cutsie little video and a simple but beautiful song. Ratini recently performed at the Sanremo music festival last weekend. This song embodies the simplicity and optimism that I love about life. And makes me want to go back to Italy so so bad.
"Ho voglia di avere qualcosa che ho perso"

"Hero"-Regina Spektor

I know this song isn't new, but it's so good. And I love that it's just a bonus track from Regina's breakthrough 2006 album Begin To Hope. Fitting huh?

"White Sky"-Vampire Weekend
Check out my previous post about this song to listen!

"Shove"-Angels and Airwaves

I listened to "The Adventure" by A&A right before my mission to Italy in 2006. I never thought they'd get big, but wow was I wrong on that one. I used to consider A&A a guilty pleasure, but who cares if I'm throwing all my indie cred to the wind? I find this song so very catchy

Just keepin it simple :)

HOPE

-Ross

Tebow/Allred extravaganza

Awww shucks. I really should be doing homework. I'll admit I took a quick break though, and stumbled upon the news of Tim Tebow's soon-to-air ad speaking out against abortion. I also became acquainted with the biggest opponent to the airing of the ad, Gloria Allred. Whether you agree or disagree with what Tebow is supporting, you HAVE to agree with his freedom to get up and say what he believes, especially when the view isn't particularly popular with people of his age group and fame. So i immediately set out to find out more about Mrs. Allred and found her very own websit bearing her name and a picture of her flexing in triumph.

Very cute, allred. Anyway, I figured there were a thousand other people looking her up to tell her how awful she is, so as I started writing her an email to try and convince her of the error in her ways I instead changed course. 180 degrees. And I offered her a Book of Mormon. I kind of figured she would be more offended by that then any kind of awful names I could call her anyway. Women, is that really your champion? Yikes. Overbearing as you may be, power to ya' Tim Tebow and family.

Just Squeeking by, Underneath a White Sky

I think half of my posts start with something like "turns out I'm a horrible blogger.." so I'll have none of that, but the last time I wrote was summer of 09, which has long come and past. I refuse to get discouraged; even though Sophomore Skyline has no foreseeable future or direction. Oh and now I'm getting paid to blog for the Italian Department at BYU, so even less attention is going to be devoted to the S Skyline (which probs should be updated to Junior Skyline, but thats just not working for me). I'll be blogging for La Vita Blu, and posting about all kinds of fun Italian musings and discoveries, including restaurant ratings and rankings, opera's, concerts, and italian movie screenings. I'm actually kinda pumped for all this. I've also been working on some revisions to lavitablu that can be seen at

lavitablu2.blogspot.com

Give me some feedback! It's all very tentative at this point.

Anyway, if there's one thing I never feel stupid talking about, it's music. And although Kei$ha's been waking up feeling like p. diddy, I'd much prefer to wake up under a beautiful white sky. And not just because it snowed a ton tonight, but because I finally fell in love with Vampire Weekend even though they've been the buzz of the indie world since their self titled album released a few years back. No music video yet, so you just have to stare at this wide eyed girl that graces the cover of their new album "contra" as you listen to this song:




Sorry it doesnt quite fit on there, let me know what you think!
-Ross

This Place Called Home

One of my least favorite things about being a blogger is that the name blogger sounds way too close to the word booger, and i dont want to be associated with those, thanks though. Another thing I loathe about blogging? So many blogs become a way for people to publicize their inner thoughts, an online journal entry if you will. Well even if you wont, I find myself feeling very weird about reading some people's blogs; it gives me the sensation of having crept into their room while they were sleeping, loosened the bottom drawer of their dresser and having pulled out their personal journal to steal away their innermost thoughts and fears, goals and aspirations. It's kind of an odd, guilty feeling, to be honest.

I hope this blog post wont exude that same feel, but if it does, just pretend that I woke up after you snuck in, and gave you the ok to read to your heart's desire.

I'm home.
Or, yeah I'm pretty sure...Yesterday I finished packing up my Provo apartment and made the 10 hour drive back to the house i grew up in for the majority of my life. The drive went pretty smoothly, even though those ten hours between Utah and California never seem to get any shorter. My drive home was filled with a mixture of relief and enthusiasm, excitement and regret. Taking the offramp off I-80 to get to my house, I felt opened up to a city unaware of what it had meant to me, unaware of my past achievements and existence in its presence.

I woke up early the next morning and went running around Maidu Park. Even though I had lived here for nine years I had never made the loop around the entire park. A minute or so into my run I caught up with a young man, around 26 years old, who asked if I'd run with him. I agreed and we started talking. He was from sacramento proper and was around for a softball tournament. It was so weird, I felt like I was about to start telling the guy how weird it was for me to be home, how I had gotten home the night before and felt really out of place, how I had been studying out in utah and had gotten back from my mission a year ago. Of course none of this stuff would have been remotely interesting to the guy, he just wanted someone to pace himself with. Somehow I felt like he could see through me though, see all the confusion inside of me.

One of my favorite all-time movies is Garden State. I think it captures magnificently the oddity of returning to your hometown after a long time. So much has changed, and yet it's exactly as you left it. Many of the same buildings are still around, but they look at you a different way, as if they are now dedicated to defining the lives of a different generation, a different group of people that call the city home.

End of May JJ

I guess the secret's out, I'm a terrible blogger. But i hate saying that because I feel like it's so cliche. Anyway, I haven't written anything since March, and I decided to get something new on here, however mundane it will probably turn out to be.
On Saturday Millie & I went to the Joshua James show in Provo, UT-and it was pretty good. We got there about an hour late, but luckily he came on stage a few minutes after we got there. We didn't get a good place to sit, and for awhile we had no place to sit, but it was fun. Anyway, this James guy is the real deal. I wish I knew how to put song links up here, or downloads, because he definitely deserves a listen. His style isn't terribly original, but in the overcrowded genre of chilled out pensive singer songwriters he isn't at all generic. You do worry about the guy though, there were times i thought he might shed a few tears on stage. I guess he's just one of those guys that spends all his free time thinking about really deep, confusing things. My favorite songs are the ever catchy and ironic "the new love song," "you're the cocaine," and slow but beautiful "commodore." Joshua James everyone.

March!

Just an awesome little bit of cinematography :)


Happy Up Here from Röyksopp on Vimeo.