Saturday, April 30, 2016

Saturday Verse: "what they did yesterday afternoon" - Warsan Shire

WHAT THEY DID YESTERDAY AFTERNOON 
 
they set my aunts house on fire  
i cried the way women on tv do
folding at the middle
like a five pound note.
i called the boy who use to love me
tried to 'okay' my voice
i said hello
he said warsan, what's wrong, what's happened? 
i've been praying,
and these are what my prayers look like;
dear god
i come from two countries
one is thirsty
the other is on fire
both need water. 
later that night
i held an atlas in my lap
ran my fingers across the whole world
and whispered
where does it hurt? 
it answered
everywhere
everywhere
everywhere.

                                              - Warsan Shire


Read more about Warsan Shire here.

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Music for your Midweek: BADBADNOTGOOD - "Speaking Gently"

Here are the boys of BADBADNOTGOOD sounding so so so good. Take it away:


Dreams.

And bonus for you. Get these boys a doctor cause they are SICK:


Saturday, April 16, 2016

Saturday Verse: "Boat Song" - Margaret Atwood

BOAT SONG 
 
There's pushing and scrabbling,
not nearly enough lifeboats:
that much is obvious; 
so why not spend the last few moments
practising our modest art
as we have always done, 
creating a pool of possibly false comfort
in the midst of tragedy?
There's something to be said for it. 
Picture us then in the ship's orchestra.
We all stay in our places,
tootling and strumming and marking time 
with our workaday instruments
as the shouts and boots trample past.
Some have jumped; their furs and desperations 
weigh them down. Clawed hands reach up through the ice.
What are we playing? Is it a waltz?
There's too much uproar 
for the others to make it out clearly,
or else they're too far away —
an upbeat foxtrot, a sugary old hymn? 
What ever it is, that's us with the violins
as the lights fade and the great ship slides down
and the water closes in.


                                                            - Margaret Atwood

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Music for your Midweek: Santigold - "Can't Get Enough of Myself"

April Foolin' 4-1-2015, last day of work at Helix Education
Here's to vanity and looking my best only on Snapchat.


Speaking of Snapchat. Add me on it. I'm a freak about it. Username: GretchenGretch. In continuing the theme of self love, we have a great track for ya. What a cutie that Santigold. This is the perfect song for trying to get back your self-esteem this spring:



AND

You HAVE to try in the interactive video so you can get gems like this:




Saturday, April 9, 2016

Saturday Verse: "These Heroics" - Leonard Cohen

THESE HEROICS 
If I had a shining head
and people turned to stare at me
in the street cars;
and I could stretch my body
through the bright water
and keep abreast of fish and water snakes;
if I could ruin my feathers
in flight before the sun;
do you think that I would remain in this room,
reciting poems to you,
and making outrageous dreams
with the smallest movements of your mouth?
                                                                 - Leonard Cohen

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Music for your Midweek: Linda Perhacs - "Chimacum Rain"


I've started a new job, and things are HECTIC. This week has been the longest/shortest I've experienced (note: it's technically been two days). The changes between this week and last week are so drastic, I can hardly believe it. I haven't had time enough to check e-mails let alone properly Snapchat. How are any of you surviving? 

On that note, here is a nice peaceful song that is the exact opposite of what I'm feeling, recently rediscovered thanks to watching old episodes of Gilmore Girls:


I saw Wing & Claw do a cover of this song a couple months ago, and it's been stuck in my head ever since. It was the most beautiful thing, I promise. Anyway, a little bonus in case you didn't feel trippy enough already:



Saturday, April 2, 2016

Saturday Verse: "Warning" - Leonard Cohen

WARNING  
If your neighbour disappears
O if your neighbour disappears
The quiet man who raked his lawn
The girl who always took the sun 
Never mention it to your wife
Never say at dinner time
Whatever happened to that man
Who used to rake his lawn 
Never say to your daughter
As you're walking home from church
Funny thing about that girl
I haven't seen her for a month 
And if your son says to you
Nobody lives next door
They've all gone away
Send him to bed with no supper 
Because it can spread, it can spread
And one fine evening coming home
Your wife and daughter and son
They'll have caught the idea and will be gone.

                                                                  - Leonard Cohen


Friday, April 1, 2016

April Mix: Bad Desire


Not so simple
02-05-2016


On top of things for once. A lot of girl power on this one. No foolin'.

1. Don Taco & His Hot Sauce Toss - Des Ark



2. I Don't Wanna Be Funny Anymore - Lucy Dacus



3. Tzenni - Noura Mint



4. The Race - Oh Pep!



5. The Season/Carry Me - Anderson .Paak



6. I'm On Fire (Bruce Springsteen cover) - Shakey Graves



7. Creektime - Odetta Hartman



8. Child - Ninet



9. Last Words - Isaac Gracie



10. Your Best American Girl - Mitski



11. Turn It Around - Lucius



12. Hungry - White Lung



13. Dear Someone (Gillian Welch cover) - Red Molly



14. Made Of The Sun - Patty Griffin



15. All Day All Night - And The Kids



16. Method Acting / Cortez the Killer - Dave Rawlings Machine





NOTES:
1. If you want to listen to another beauty be her, click here
5. Get it. Put this guy with Kendrick, and we have a super-team.
6. This song belongs on my lock and key mixxx if you know what I mean
10. This song's got me OBSESSED. Can't wait to see her in July.
13. Crying.