Without you i've been burnin love

you're the one that i've been calling for.

After a period of five years, in which many fans may have wondered if she had actually gone down with the ship, Dido recently released her third studio album, "Safe Trip Home." Shortly after the phenomenal album that was "No Angel," Dido recorded a rather disappointing album, "Life is for Rent." After the amazingly catchy first track (white flag), the CD took a turn downhill from which it never recovered.

Starting with "Don't Believe in Love," an extremely catchy track with a smoothe baseline (yes, you know it's smoothe when it has an e on the end), "Safe Trip Home" threatens to follow the same path as it's predecessor. However, after a couple listens, one cannot help but note the ridiculous improvements Dido has made in her own musicianship. In her five years off, Dido has dedicated herself to learning how to play multiple instruments and how to play them well. As her website says,

Dido had inadvertently set the tone for Safe Trip Home, a record whose smouldering, soulful songs were to eventually feature her playing guitar, piano, bells and the trusty old recorder she'd toured Europe with as a prodigious pupil of London's Guildhall School of Music. She's even responsible for some of the album's drums (most notably on the sumptuously melancholy Quiet Times).

As a whole, this yields an album that is much more instrument-driven than electronically-driven. Simply amazing songs include the, slow, introspective ballad "Look no Further," the fun, quirky "Us 2 little gods," and the incredible bluesy song "Burnin Love" which features Citizen Cope. Burnin Love is the song that I have simply not been able to get out of my head (just ask Sam, I've sung it to him multiple times).

Finally, musicians can only gain so much appreciation through their music. True artist appreciation comes from what they do beyond their music. That is why I simply love her website. On it, there is a music tour section you can go on in which you see videos made from different countries. The videos are rather thought-provoking and allow users to comment. For example, her video for "Us 2 little gods" is about people in Rio so poor their lives revolve around landfills. I strongly encourage you to check out her website.

Ada hold onto yourself by the sleeves...

...I think everything counts a little more than we think.

On occasion you may listen to music and immediately discard it because something is a bit odd. Most probably that something is too different for your taste of music. Such a tragedy almost happened to me when first hearing the music of the national. However, I have grown to love them and their music and especially the song that the line above (Ada hold onto yourself by the sleeves I think everything counts a little more than we think) refers to: Ada off their cd Boxer.

This line simply will not leave my head. In its entirety, the song is about two estranged lovers from the perspective of the male (Matt Berninger) with one of the tag lines being "Ada don't talk about reasons why you don't want to talk about reasons why you don't wanna talk." In the context of a relationship then, I love the line I think everything counts a little more than it seems.

Broadening our scope to include all types of relationships, not just ones with romantic interest, this line has so much significance. What is the significance of even our smallest action or comment towards someone else? Friendships can be formed or broken on mere words. Yet so many times we only think about ourselves so we don't think about others. What if we intentionally though about what could come out of a lot of our mere day-to-day interactions? What if even the smallest relationships "count a little more than we think?" What if we use chances that we normally squander by dwelling in mere small talk with someone else to get to know more about that person-what they feel, who they are as opposed to their favorite band (but hey, it may be the national)? I just love this line and, as it is quite a vague and open statement, I think it lends itself to a lot of interpretation.

I Don't Blame You

It's quite possible that you're not obsessed with Cat Power. It's equally probably that she's not your favorite musician and that you don't really know her history. However, she is my all-time favorite for her minimalistic style and surrealistically powerful music. Initially, she got bashed as an artist and why you may ask? Because she had tremendous stage fright and would face nights where she simply couldn't play. Well, luckily she didn't give up and now she's the tremendous musician that she is today. Nonetheless, I read the lyrics to "I Don't Blame You" for the first time tonight and I love it. Not only does it express her feelings about her fans through a third person view, but it's also a humble reminder to concert goers not to abuse their artist by expecting something. If you truly love an artist, you'll respect them for who he or she is, not just the songs you have on constant repeat on your ipod (or zoon if you're one of those people).

I Don't Blame You by Cat Power (a.k.a. Chan Marshall)

Last time I saw you, you were on stage
Your hair was wild, your eyes were red
You were in a rage
You were swinging your guitar around.
Cause they wanted to hear that sound
That you didn’t want to play.
I don’t blame you.

I don’t blame you.

Been around the world, in many situations
Been inside many heads in different positions
But you never wanted them that way.
What a cruel price you thought that you had to pay.
And that for all that shit on stage.

But it never made sense to them anyway,
Could you imagine when they turned their backs
They were only scratching their heads.
Cause you simply deserve the best.
And I don’t blame you

They said you were the best,
But then they were only kids
Then you would recall the deadly houses you grew up in
Just because they knew your name,
Doesn’t mean they know from where you came
What a sad trick you thought that you had to play.
But I don’t blame you

They never owned it
And you never owed it to them anyway.

I don’t blame you.