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Monday, October 24, 2011

three songs for fall

So call me crazy, but the seasons have definite influence over what I listen to. For example, fall and spring will find me listening to Sea Wolf quite a bit, but I rarely do so in the winter, and never ever in the summer. For years it has been like this. I don't know why. My brain just doesn't approve of Sea Wolf and summer. Underoath and the like get played November-April (with the exception of this gem which I would listen to every day if I remembered). Winter also finds me playing a lot of Damien Rice; spring & summer, Iron & Wine and Sufjan.

Perhaps there are deep psychological reasons for this, but I am not aware of any real rhyme or reason for these preferences. I want what I want when I want. Regardless, I present to you three songs that scream fall to me, for reasons I apparently cannot explain.

Get excited. They are GOOD.

(1)

The first: "Welcome Home" by Radical Face. If this song is new to you, prepare to fall in love. Listen to the beginning: The chimes you hear are the exact notes you can hear on the porch of the home I grew up in. They are perfection; I hear them and can almost feel the crisp, cool Michigan air on my face. Ahhhhh.



It is lovely in it's fluid melody, staggered with skippy claps and intricate piano. The vocals are simple, quietly powerful, with a hauntingly sweet quality. For me, this song somehow evokes a stark contrast of both buoyant joy and excitement, and a deep awareness of grief, almost mourning. But it flows so sweetly through the emotive chorus and bridge that I find myself in a place of worship and joy and wonder at the great God who inspired someone to weave together such perfect sounds.

(2)

The second: "Leftovers" by Johnny Flynn & The Sussex Wit. You know when you rediscover something you've had for a while and it takes on new life? That's Johnny Flynn's 2008 album A Larum for me this fall...I can't get enough. Me and modern folk get along reallll well. Oooh and you even get a real video for this one, fun right? Take a listen:



It's one of those songs where you start out tapping your feet and then suddenly you're bopping your head and before you know it you're dancing like a fool all by yourself while you're brushing your teeth. Errrrrr well maybe that is just me, but you get the idea, right? Love the quirky lyrics and catchy chorus with its perfect harmony. His voice is one of my favorites, and I love when the fervor of his singing slips into a perfectly-tuned shout. I can't say enough good things about Johnny Flynn. If you like this, check out the rest of his stuff-- everything he touches is gold, I swear.

(3)

Last song: "Love Immeasurable" by Ryan Long, a former Young Life musician. We sang this song at camp this summer, and I fell in love.



I don't have a ton to say about this song. The words are beautiful. The melody is simple and sweet, lingering perfectly on each word to bring the incredible lyrical imagery to bear. Imagine this song being sung at camp in a darkened club room with just an acoustic guitar and the voices of 300 middle schoolers. It was SO beautiful that when I bought the song I was actually disappointed (even though the recorded version is great).

Good huh? What have you been listening to?