Red Leaf Latte Part 2 (The Love Theme)

First off, Happy Sunday. It's been a little rainy and cloudy, and the breeze is slowly getting back to the way it should be (at least for now.) And I hope you photographers and filmmakers out there will take advantage of the beautiful transitions the weather is making.

Secondly, for this Part 2 to the Red Leaf Latte series (which by now you understand is a batch of autumn songs), I've come up with a particular theme, which is romantic love songs. This would be known as the happier side of love, or what is known to most as the "honeymoon phase." Breakup songs are for another, more gloomy time.

All that being said, let's get to it!

"Heartbeats" by Jose Gonzalez

I've been listening to Jose for years now, and there are plenty songs of his to choose from that would accurately fit the "love" theme, but I chose this one because it was the first of his that I remember hearing. It's a cover of the original song by The Knife, but it's one of those covers that put an impactive spin on the original...with just a guitar and soft voice. (sigh)

"Lover's Carvings" by Bibio

Again, the guitar. Hope you're not getting annoyed with me, because when Autumn comes, guitar is that key element for me. And this is electric guitar. YES. It starts off as a sweet waltz for the first minute, and then switches up into an upbeat 4-count with cowbells, shakers, and triangles. Bibio's soft voice follows the melody, and you don't have to understand the lyrics to del the love.

"Kiss Me" by Sixpence None The Richer

Everyone knows this song, but I'm posting it anyway. It's one of those songs I can't remember the first time hearing it because it was always playing. The likable guitar strumming, the easy-to-learn lyrics, the catchy melody, that lead singer's sweet lilting voice...It's just a classic romantic song that everyone can sing.

"Chance" by Meshell Ndegeocello

Meshell is this smooth voiced bass player whose been in music business since the nineties with dope singles like "If That's Your Boyfriend(He Wasn't Last Night)" (heehee). This particular song is off her 2011 album Weather , and though it's not really about romantic love, something about it resonates with me in that way. Listen to it, and make your own decisions.

"You Know That I Love You" by Donell Jones

There are in fact plenty of songs Donell has that could be in this category--"Where I wanna be," "I'm Gonna Be," "U Know what's up," etc. But this song in particular captures a sunny autumn day. It's a beautifully simple melody that lifts your mood, set at a tempo you can strut to without drawing too much attention to yourself....(cough) I've had that problem (cough).

"Come Away" by Nini Camps

Hehe, well, I actually first heard this song when I was sick on the couch and watching TV. I was channel surfing when I stopped on Degrassi. And it was a Valentine's day based episode where some girl was publicly declaring her love for her boyfriend, and when she met him in the middle of the dance floor....THIS SONG STARTED PLAYING and I remember nothing else of that episode. After some detective work (internet surfing) I found the Title and Name of this folk-rock song that wasn't even real eased as a single. I have to give props to Degrassi for always picking little known songs, because after that episode, there was a marathon, and I found a couple more awesome songs. So yeah. Canadian teen dramas FTW.

"Obsession" by Omarion

Pharrell + Omarion = kickassness. As proven by their previous collaboration, 'Touch" from Omarion's debut album in 2005. Two years later, They came back together to do it again with "Obsession," an ode to anyone who has ever felt the kind of infatuation for that one person who causes them to lose all function. Over the futuristic sounds we know and love, Omarion's voice is the perfect compliment--without having to embellish with runs, he commands my ear's attention. If this was in a club, I'd be dancing my heart out.

"You" by Raheem Davaughn

There's something so....fascinating about the chorus to this song. Don't get me wrong, the whole song is wonderful; it's a smooth laid back beat you can slow dance to, with the air of a daytime stroll through the city, it's equipped with heartfelt lyrics praising the inner and outer beauty of his lover, it's the melodic progression....but the CHORUS. About four to five different harmonies repeating the same phrase--"Girl, every word in this song's gonna be about you." It's a straightforward phrase that everyone knows to be true of love songs, but the way he sings it...breathtaking. 

Any love songs off YOUR autumn playlist to share?

- CDM

Friday Fondue (Don, Lorde and Simone)

Can someone explain to me why the first four days of October were 82 degrees? 

Is this even normal? 

I don't understand! I did all this closet transferring from summer to fall/winter and now I gotta dig in these just-packed boxes for something I won't sweat to death in! This isn't what I planned. 

Getting tired of your crap, Global Warming. 

But I digress. It's Friday Fondue time--one pick from the movie, music, and book category.

Let's get right into it: 

"Don Jon"  

This is that Justin Gordon-Levitt written and directed movie about Porn Addiction that everyone's been making these kinds of memes about.

Yeah, when I read the summary--A porn addict who goes out of his way to impress a romantic-movie addict but still watches porn--I assumed I understood the main idea. 

Wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong.

It is a lot more than just a funny porn addict movie. Justin plays the Don Jon, whose life is a routine of gym, clubbing, church, family dinners,sex with hot girls, and porn. Lots of porn. Even after the sex with hot girls. His defense for the constant pornhub visits--"real sex just isn't as good as porn." Not even real sex with Barbara Sugarman (Johansson) who he's been carefully playing the "boyfriend" role just to get into bed with, can measure up to his beloved porn. And since Barbara has told him not to watch porn(he still does), Jon will eventually have to be caught in his own lies.

It's funny as heck, yes, but it's also serious. Both Jon and Barbara are victims of their own delusions. Jon is playing into Barbara's fantasy so she can fulfill his own--Jon's porn-star like sex and Barbara's movie-like happy ending. But both paths collide because neither side is honest about their true intentions. This movie does more than make you laugh and/or cringe. It effectively conveys the reality that both the hyper-sexual and the hyper-romantic are two extremes, two side of the same coin. Porn is not a reality of sex anymore than most rom-com's are a reality of love. The character that helps Jon realize this is Esther(Julianne Moore), the Jon's older classmate from night school with enough problems to deal with without him, but eager to have someone to talk to anyway. There's a point when she explains to him why he feels he can't lose himself during sex--because it's one-sided for him. "You have to lose yourself in her, and she has to lose herself in you. It goes both ways."

And this, my friends, is the reason why everyone age 18 and over (it's Rated R) should go see this movie. Reflect a bit on their own delusions when it comes to love and sex. Couldn't hurt to try, eh?

"Ribs" by Lorde

She's as new as a newborn baby, but this 16 year old New Zealand native is already getting some attention due to her single "Royals" and her EP, The Love Club. Oh, and her debut, Pure Heroine. 

What brought her to this week's Friday Fondue is this little gem I found on iTunes, that is free for a limited time. It's called "Ribs."

I think we've all experienced these points in our lives, whether at 16, younger, or older, when we've realized that life is passing us faster than we thought. In Lorde's case, she's realizing the privileges of growing up (like her parents leaving her at home alone) is matched by the fear of getting older and leaving that safe place we call childhood. She's also conveying the hard-hitting emotions we have all felt as we discover that growing up isn't the free-ride we used to think it was. "This dream isn't feeling sweet, we're reeling through the midnight streets...It feels so scary, getting old."

Definitely a must hear for anyone who has felt, or is feeling, the fear of "getting old."

"Blonde Faith" by Walter Mosley

If I haven't yet made a post about the Easy Rawlins series...I'm sorry. It's an amazing detective series set in the early to mid-1900's, and revolves around the African American detective who has to juggle crime-solving along with his own personal demons. Have I really not posted about this? Not even about the fact that one of the books, Devil In A Blue Dress, was made into a movie with DENZEL WASHINGTON?? Gee, well I'll make up for that failure now!

Anyway, I'm still reading the book, and so far, it's as good as the previous ones, although much sadder in content. It starts off with Easy reuniting a father and daughter, but internally lamenting the loss of his longtime lover, Bonnie. In the last book, she had cheated on him with Prince Joguye, who was paying for her daughter's medical bills, and Easy had kicked her out for it (as he should.) But ever since, Easy has been dying inside without the woman he loves, and is desperate for her back. But then she tells him she is set to marry Prince Joguye, and the chances of wining her back are very slim. Love stinks, doesn't it?

ON top of that, Easy is tasked with clearing the name of his best friend Mouse, who is accused of a murder he didn't commit; with his past of dealing with the police, Easy seems to be the only one in his corner. Additionally, Easy has to figure out what to do with the daughter of Christmas Black (yes, that's his name), a veteran who left her at Easy's doorstep without any explanation as to why. 

And where, in all of this, does the blonde-haired Faith fit in? 

I won't spoil it. Mainly because I don't fully know yet myself. But the way it's going so far, I expect an amazing unraveling of events, and a powerful conclusion, as only Mosley can do it. 


Who's seen, listened to, or read one of these picks? What did you think of it?

- CDM

Red Leaf Latte (songs for the fall)

I have an obsession with seasonal songs. Songs that match the winter, the spring, the summer, and the autumn. They don't eve have to be released during said season to match it; I just feel the cold or warm tones and assign it to whatever playlist is made for it.

As usual, I have some autumn songs to share with y'all, and I  had to double check that I'm not posting some of the same songs I did last autumn before I did, because I kinda have a tendency to repeat myself without knowing it. 

Without further ado, here is the first batch of my Autumn Playlist (no real theme to it):

- Place In My Heart By Taylor McFerrin featuring Ryat

Yes, the son of Bobby McFerrin (fangirl moment) teamed up with Electronic Pop/Avant-Indie singer Ryat to create this ethereal blend of acoustic and electronic. I don't know what the lyrics are about, but I sing along with Ryat's adorable lilting voice (which reminds me of Bjork--good thing.) And it's all set to a 7-count. YES.

- Time Lapse Lifeline By Maria Taylor

I first heard this song on an episode of BONES. If you don't' know what that show is...that's a post for another time. But for now, this song is a drive-on-the-freeway reflection of life and its fleetingness. It's fully acoustic, and extremely catching. "Keeping up, keeping up, with the time lapse lifeline..."

- Dust By Van Hunt

Van Hunt is my imaginary friend. I bet i've posted about him before. But i'll post about him again because he's that great. What I love about this song is the juxtaposition of upbeat and happy music with such resigned and downtrodden lyrics. "I'm already insane, I'm already in pain...I am dust, blown away over the edge." Meanwhile the electric guitar is riffing in staccatos and everybody's one-two-stepping on the dance floor. t's those musical contradictions, the unconventional, that attract me in particular, and this TIMELESS song is proof of that.

- Battery Kinzie By Fleet Foxes

I've given up on trying to figure out the exact count go this song, as it's a little all over the place, but again, it's unconventional, and it's an element that helps the song. It's just the epitome of Autumn, this song. And just like "Dust," the lyrics are a melancholy tale set to an upbeat major beat. After much deliberation, I conclude the song is definitely about a man going to see a woman he loved, but another man is with her now. On the SongMeanings website, most of this has been debated. Certain lines confuse, others are more clear....ah, whatever. The song is beautiful.

- Chapel Song By We Are Augustines

That picking electric guitar, that fast kick and full tom drums...I already knew I was going to like it. Then Billy McCarthy's voice comes in...I have literally never heard anything like his voice in my life. And at first I thought it was too different for the music, but the longer I listened, the more I found it fit perfectly. "There goes my girl...into an old chapel..." This was a man who is watching the love of his life get married! The almost sobbing tone of his voice makes perfect sense! And the longer I listen, the more I feel his pain,and his acceptance that he has to move on. "Tear up the photograph...Cause it's a brand new sky." 

- Talk About Our Love By Brandy featuring Kanye West

Afrodisiac and Full Moon are two very special albums me. If i look though some boxes I'm sure I'll find the booklets that came with them, that lyrics I tried to memorize fr every song. This song, "Talk About Our Love," was one of my favorites off Afrodisiac, cuz I loved singing the chorus the same way that Brandy did. Kanye West delivers an easygoing rap that doesn't feel out of place with the music--that I believe HE produced anyway. West has always had a knack for picking good pieces of old songs and turning them into something for the hip-hop masses to enjoy, and this song is one of the early examples. 

- I Wish By Carl Thomas

Ah, a classic. I think we can start calling songs from 2000 that we still listen to "classics." Hard to believe that was 14 years ago, isn't it? Time does fly...but not the emotions that Carl Thomas effortlessly pours into this laid-back beat of piano, bass, and strings. It's the universal human love story "I feel in love and they're taken." Thomas's song describes the moment anyone in the same position has had when dealing with a never-meant-to-be love, "I Wish I never met her at all....She still belongs to someone else." It's the kind of emotion that the cool breeze only magnifies.

- Truth Is By Fantasia

Geez, what's with the sad love songs this Autumn? I didn't even realize most of these songs are about a broken heart until I reached this one! Anyway, I think we are all familiar with Fantasia, an American Idol winner from the early 2000's with a knockout voice that made Paula Abdul cry. This was from her first album, and it's a song I always liked, for it's crackly piano, clean kick and rimshot, the melodic progression, and catchy chorus, all of which compliment the sad circumstances the singer's found herself in--wishing for an ex back, when that ex is now with someone else. "When it's all said and done, I guess i'm still in love with you..." (sniffle). Something about this song gives it a cool, borderline wintry feel, and so it must have a place in today's post of Autumn songs. 

More to come soon!

- CDM

The Cover Casserole

The beauty of music is that the artist can create a song and leave it up to the listener to interpret it, and it may not always be what the artist originally envisioned or meant to put out, but that broad horizon of interpretation makes discussions about songs that much more interesting.

Some people take their interpretations and turn them into a "cover" of someone else's song. It's not easy to do, but for those special covers that captured my eye, my ear, and my heart, I created this post.

• Kings Of Leon- "Dancing On My Own" by Robyn

• I love the original just as much as this cover. Robyn wrote it from the view of a girl desperately in love with a man who is in love with someone else, and she set it to a hard hitting dance beat that, in an upbeat setting, brings the heart-wrenching lyrics to life. Kings Of Leon, an indie rock band, takes this song into a slow, lamenting ballad of unrequited love that makes you sway side to side, holding a candle up.
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• Ebrahim(eebsofresh) & Timothy DeLaGhetto- "Senorita" by Justin Timberlake

• Eebsofresh has been one of my personal favorites for a while, and this cover of "Señorita" with TimothyDeLaGhetto just proves why. Clearly he has to plan out what he's going to play, but the ability to record it all LIVE on camera, from the beatbox to the bass to the piano, really drives this cover to the forefront for me.
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• Bluey Robinson- "All I Do" by Stevie Wonder

• Impromptu--or what seems impromptu--is always a fascinating element when it comes to performances. When I see the set up of this young man and a guitarist in the middle of wherever on a cold night, I'm crossing my fingers for a decent cover of the legendary Stevie Wonder's "All I Do." Robinson pulls it off. He really. Really. Does. The excitement of impromptu adds to the fact that he effortlessly hits those high notes we all know and love, while the guitarist riffs in accordance with the rising and falling emotion. It's a must-see for SW lovers.
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• Valerie June- "Bring it On Home" by Sam Cooke

• I've brought her up recently before, but I'm going to bring it up again to showcase her rendition of "Bring It On Home," a tough song to cover for many given the one-in-a-million-ness of Sam Cooke's version (the raspy voice, the unbridled emotion...) But her stripped down version includes just her voice and a banjo, which leaves her to carry the same emotion and power all by herself. She delivers this in a such a way that I truly feel she made it her own.
• See the video here

• Ed Sheeran- "We Found Love" by Rihanna ft. Calvin Harris

• Ah, Ed Sheeran. I've been meaning to include him in my posts for quite some time now. But this is a good introduction. I had no idea he had done a cover for his song, but when I heard it, I stopped in my tracks and just stared at the screen. He adds a whole 'bother layer of emotion to the original Rihanna song, with, again, just him and guitar. Sung in a lower tone, a slower pace, and with the tone of a broken heart, you will not get enough of this rendition.
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• D'Angelo- "Feel Like Makin Love" by Roberta Flack

• D'angelo is amazing. I've touched upon this in a previous post or two, but I really wanna drive it home with his rendition of "Feel Like Makin Love" by Roberta Flack. I love both versions, and both follow a similar structure. Roberta's is the breezy, floating high on the sky kind of version. D'angelo made it into a sexy jam that you play when you want to put a soulful love song on for your...significant other.
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• Drake- "I Get Lonely Too" by TLC

• I loooove me some TLC. You will soon find posts about them on this blog. I also love me some Drake. So to find out that he did this cover of "Fanmail," I was ecstatic. If you think about it, that particular song was ahead of its time. Hearing Drake sing it made me aware how much it could fit with the musical scene today. I appreciate that he did that, and so tastefully as well. It was indicator of his respect for the legends of "back then" because this year he's had TL on tour with him, as well as J.Cole having them featured on his single "Crooked Smile."
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Respect the covers, man! RESPECT THEM!

-CDM

Prisoner Pot Pie

I don't have kids. I don't know if I ever will have kids. So I can't speak for what a parent goes through when their child goes missing.

But I have a feeling the movie "Prisoners" handles the emotions accurately.

Hugh Jackman and Mari Bello play the Dovers, Terrence Howard and Voila Davis play the Birches, and both families come together for a Thanksgiving dinner one evening. They each have a six year old daughter, Anna and Joy, who ask to go back to Anna's house, ironically for a safety whistle that she blows when she's in trouble. When the police (including Jake Gyllenhaal) start the investigation, it instantly leads to the mysterious man in the RV, a man with an IQ of 10 (Paul Dano) who seems innocent on paper, but the worried parents suspect he knows more than he lets on. When this suspect is released due to no evidence, Hugh Jackman in particular is pissed off, and he decides to take matters into his own hands. Translation:

But while Jackman is pressing this young man for information, Gyllenhaal searches for other paths that could be leading him closer to the truth. With time running out for the two little girls, something's gotta give.

This was 2 hours and 26 minutes long. It was the perfect amount of time to portray the progression of emotions from all sides. I was on the edge of my seat, trying desperately to find a missing link that would reveal the true culprit, and yet, the true culprit was one I could never see coming. (NO SPOILERS FOR YOU!)

Of course, no such subject could be properly brought to the screen without the right writers and actors, as well as cinematography. Maria Bello, Viola Davis and Terrence Howard make you forget their names and believe their characters; every tear seems authentic, every outburst feels real. Paul Dano give you tortuously conflicted feelings as the guy who may or may not know something, but who is being treated like he knows something anyway. Jake Gyllenhall's portrayal of the progressively frustrated cop trying to complete the puzzle is just as believable. But for me, the standout performance was Hugh Jackman. His performance as the father who loses his sanity for the sake of finding his daughter is almost frightening. it reminds us that we all have the capability to do near-horrific things when pushed past their limits. The maniacal look in his eyes, the way his voice could rise in a second to a roar, the violence urges he succumbed to in the face of his worst fears being realized. In between his frightening actions, he displays his deep religious faith that wanes over the course of time ("our father who art in heaven," he repeats, to his son, against the wall, and on the floor in tears.)

These actors were armed with realistic dialogue, and a plot that twists and turns in just the right places (not a sensational thriller, but an honest one). Additionally, the symbolism of the constant cold and rainy weather, and given the location of the suburbs, somehow brings to the forefront just how such a situation (kidnapping) could rock a community as small as that. In one scene, the neighbors light candles and set them up outside the Dover's home, leaving stuffed animals and supportive notes with the candles, to lift the spirit as the days grow longer and more uncertain.


I don't have kids. I do't know if I ever will have kids.

But if I were a parent, and my kid was kidnapped...would I have done what these parents did?

I can't answer.

More reviews and discoveries soon, friends!

-CDM

A Spread of Valerie

My first thought in looking up Valerie June:

Where....has...she...been?

According to her, she's been putting out her albums on her own for the past few years until her most recent album, Pushing Against A Stone, her first album as a signed artist! 

Well-versed in guitar, banjo, and ukelele, this beautiful, lock-rocking woman was born and raised in Tennessee, after which she moved to Memphis and was influenced by the blues and grassroots music of the 1920's and 30's. Since 2006 she's been putting out music on her own, but it wasn't until recently when a chance meeting with Kevin Augunas led her to writing with--wait for it--Dan Auerbach from The Black Keys. 

The one on the guitar.

From that songwriting union, among other elements,like moving to Brooklyn, came Pushing Against A Stone.

THOSE LOCKS.

It's 12 tracks of what she calls "Organic Moonshine Roots Music," which I'm going to define as a mixture of that vintage blues, country soul music that the early 20th century was well known for. Yet it doesn't feel "dated," in that regard, but rather classic. I could play a song off the album on any given day and feel the true essence of autumn TODAY, as opposed to an Autumn in 1935. Valerie's voice is distinct, sharp and soft at the same time, filled with the emotion of a weathered soul--the kind of voice one would need when taking part in this kind of music.

Off the bat, I'll tell you two of my favorites are her two singles, "You Can't Be Told," and "Workin' Woman Blues." The former is a gritty anthem-styled single you could hear played at an outdoor party to rile up the crowd. The latter in particular works with Fela-style horns, bass and percussion, blending effortlessly with the bluesy guitar and Valerie's lamenting lyrics: "I ain't fit to be no mother, I ain't fit to be no wife, I've been working like a man y'all, I've been working all my life..."

Other songs I enjoy: "Somebody to love," a heart-wrenching ballad that showcases Valerie's ability to suck the air out of a room without even trying, "On My Way," upbeat and sweet with a country-style violin serving a duet with her voice, "The Hour," the kind of slow-dance song you need to hold your partner a little closer for, and "Shotgun," which....I can't even explain; I've never heard anything like it. 

Don't take my word for it; go check it out yourself. In my humble opinion, this woman is about to make her mark on the music world.

Workin' Woman Blues (on Soundcloud)

So yes. Please check this out. It's a Pumpkin Spice Latte for your ears. :)

-CDM