Free e-book Friday

Ok, not actually e-books, but if you like classical music the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra is offering 10 symphonies as free downloads. This will be available through November 24th.

Darfur fundraiser

Concert to benefit the fight against genocide in Darfur featuring Lights and Siren, Distance to Empty, Seedlove, and Brahe

Time: Sunday, April 20 at 7:00 PM

Location:
Beaumont Club (Kansas City, MO)
4050 Pennsylvania AveKansas City, MO 64111

I can't go (work once again interferes with my social life) but I hope some of you will go, support local talent and raise some money for a good cause.

Love Is A Mix Tape: Life And Loss, One Song At A Time by Rob Sheffield

In the memoir, Love is a Mix Tape, the author describes listening to music after his wife died, how he kept having to turn of the radio in the first days after but then listened obsessively after that. During the course of the book he listens to different tapes that he and his wife had recorded (mix tapes) and each tape brings forth a different time or aspect of their life together. At it's core, this is a meditation on the ways that music impacts and shapes the lives of music lovers.

I am finding this deeply touching because he spends time talking about his wife, who died, but this is really about how is life is shaped by music. For someone from my generation this was a familiar book. I know this man (or at least someone like him). Outstanding.

Favorite music of the year...

My top ten albums of 2006, plus one. Not always the most artistic that I listened to but these are the ones I played over and over. Of course, there were tons from other years but I will just stick with this year's list for now.

A.F.I. - Decemberunderground
Anna Nalick - Wreck Of The Day
Aqualung - Strange and Beautiful
The Black Keys - Chulahoma: The Songs Of Junior Kimbrough
The Format - Dog Problems
Goo Goo Dolls - Let Love In
Hoobastank - Every Man For Himself
Keb Mo - Suitcase
Snow Patrol - Eyes Open
Three Days Grace - One X
Train - For Me, It's You
My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade
Amos Lee - Supply and Demand

Music and Friends

Last night several librarian went out to hear a friend play in a band. http://www.myspace.com/thedannycooke

His band was fine (if a little odd) but the two that came after him were truly awful. Apparently they were trying for a mix between jazz and ambient but ended up with a cacaophony of sound. On the other hand, I can't remember the last time I went out with friends and laughed so much. It made a nice change in the way the rest of my social life has been going.

Music for the Bus

What I am listening to while I am reading on the bus.

Warning Sign by Coldplay
The Bad Guy by Reel Big Fish
Trouble by Coldplay
You're Pretty Good Looking (for a girl) by The White Stripes
She's a Knockout by Social Distortion
Special Needs by Placebo
Welcome To The Black Parade by My Chemical Romance
Pinch Me by Barenaked Ladies
Until The Day I Die by Story Of The Year
I'm Shipping Up To Boston by Dropkick Murphys
Shelter Me by Train
You Can't Lose A Broken Heart by Billie Holiday

Playlist

Since I haven't finished my latest book I thought I would throw in this week's playlist. I know it's filler but I had company last night and didn't have time to read.

1. Blister In The Sun - The Violent Femmes
2. Vacation - The Go-Go's
3. Touch The Sky - Kanye West
4. Press On - Mary Blige
5. You And Me - Lighthouse
6. Black Horse And The Cherry Tree - KT Tunstall
7. I'll Be - Edwin McCain
8. Fix You - Coldplay
9. Wasteland - 10 Years
10. Guarded - Disturbed
11. How You Remind Me - Nickleback
12. Worn Me Down - Rachael Yamagata
13. All I Wanted - Michelle Branch
14. In The End - Linkin Park
15. Wherever You Will Go - The Calling