The Music Lounge

 Lights - Ellie Goulding

 Rumours - Gnash

Cool Kids - Echosmith

What have you been listening too lately? 

(images)

Leading Ladies

Five Things You Need to Know About Layale Chaker: 

1. With degrees in Musical Studies at Columbia University, The Royal Academy of Music in London and the Conservatoire de Paris-CRR, she is currently working towards a doctoral degree at Ecole des Hautes Etudes in Paris. 

2. At the age of eight she started training as a pianist and took voice lessons but soon fell in love with the violin.

3. With her partner in 'Sadeem' ( a violin-quanun duet) Christine Zayed, their music explores contemporary music, baroque, Jazz and Arabic Maqam. 

4. Her compositions range in in variety of musical forms like chamber music, symphony orchestra, string orchestra, electronics as well as several pieces for dance and the film industry. 

5. This was the first song I listened too that got me hooked, take a listen and tell me what you think. 

(image)

The Librarian Suggests

Since I've been listening to Hamilton nonstop all week, these are a few of my favorite soundtracks :)

Torch Singers

 The Man That Got Away - Judy Garland

 I Fall in Love Too Easily - Carmen McRae

 So Tired - Kay Starr

 Black Coffee - Sarah Vaughan

Cry Me A River - Julie London

Since March is the official month of celebrating women and the fact that I just listened to the most depressing but superbly done episode on the life of Judy Garland (via You Must Remember This), I went down a musical rabbit hole.  Not necessarily forgotten singers, but when was the last time you listened to any of these women? Check them out from the library or download a few songs from wherever you purchase music. Also, you should probably read about a few other forgotten torch singers.

(images)

The Librarian Suggests

What I'm Reading:

Besides what's assigned to me in class, I've been enjoying another reading of Marina Keegan's short stories and essays, The Opposite of Loneliness. A beautiful collection of very real stories for twenty-somethings and touching essays that makes us ask ourselves what do we want in this life. Whatever it is, Marina urges you to go after it. I'm also reading e.e. cummings poems after looking through the lovely picture book about his life, Enormous Smallness. And if you need some down to earth philosophy, I just finished The Art of Living by Epictetus. 

What I'm Listening too:

The Broadway Sensation, Hamilton. I cannot get enough of the music, by the way did you see the acceptance speech at the Grammy's?! If not, here it is. Your welcome :)   

What I'm Watching:

 Serendipity, I LOVE this movie. It's seriously impossible to get sick of.

(image)

Top Five

 All I Want For Christmas is You - Mariah Carey

 Baby It's Cold Outside - Michael Buble

 Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays - NSYNC

 Winter Wonderland - Tony Bennett

Holy Night - Christina Aguilera 

 It's been five years since I lived in the Midwest and I seriously miss everything about the winter season. Tights and scarves, driving through the neighborhoods to look at decorated front yards, apple cider and sugar cookies and snow, oh how I miss the snow. The Christmas playlist is already on repeat at home and because I grew up in the 90s, please don't judge my music taste but Christina Aguilera can seriously belt out an incredible Oh Holy Night and NSYNC's Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays makes me seriously nostalgic for Christmas mornings as a little girl. Even though Mariah Carey's singing career maybe done now, no one can out do her in All I Want For Christmas Is You. 

 

(images via amazon)

The Librarian Suggests

What I'm reading at the moment: I have never read The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. I know, you are probably thinking how did she not read this in middle school?! Well to introduce some classics (and not necessarily award winning books) into the tween book club at the library, I wanted to read and talk about  this wonderful book with my kiddos. What is your favorite children's novel? I also just started reading Cooking Light, I'm thinking I just need to start subscribing since I've been making their recipes on the regular. What I'm listening too at the moment:   Diane Birch and Sylvan Esso!  Speak A Little Louder came out a few years ago and is still just as awesome now as it was the first time I heard the album. I recently came across Sylvan Esso, her self titled album that was released last year has been on shuffle on my drive to work. And lastly, I cannot get enough of the show, Bates Motel. Freddie Highmore makes the perfect Norman Bates, don't you think?

(image via design sponge) 

this week's favorites...

 You Saved Me - Gary Clark Jr.

 Pstereo - Emilie Nicolas

 Elegiac - Jon Hopkins

 Star a War - Brooke Fraser

Dancing with the Devil - Wolf Gang

A few tracks I've been playing over and over in the morning while getting ready :) 

Anything new you are listening to these days?

(images via amazon)

this week's favorites...

 Sailingsong - A Fine Frenzy

 Wonderful Unknown - Ingrid Michaelson

 I Woke Up  Near The Sea - Lydia

 All Over You - Grace Potter and The Nocturnals

Bad Things - Meiko

A few artists I have on repeat while getting ready in the morning and getting around to making new playlists :) What have you been listening too lately?

(images via amazon)

Brook Fraser and Tycho

 Brooke Fraser

 Tycho

Pink and Dallas Green

With the release of the new Tycho album this past March, I've been listening to them nonstop.  I'm also seeing them live in just a few weeks so I can hardly contain my excitement . With the Awake album on repeat, I'm also waiting for Brooke Fraser and Pink and Dallas Green's albums to come out within the next month. Any suggestions for new albums or artists? 

(1,2,3)

Dixie Chicks and 98 Degrees

Some of my favorite albums and artists of the 90s, what's on your nostalgic music playlist? So many sleepovers were dedicated to dancing all night, working on dance routines and practicing over and over and putting on performances for friends and families. What are some of your fondest memories with blasting the tunes during your childhood?

(images via amazon)

this week's favorites

 embrace by goldroom

 Cannons by Young Lagoon

 Elevator Love Letter by Stars

 Mystery Cloud by STRFKR

Cool Kids by Echosmith

Just a few new artists I've come across and tracks I've been playing on repeat. Anything new you're listening too?!

(1, 2, 3, , 4, 5)

this week's favorites...

Little Black Dress - Sara Bareilles 

Sinners - Lauren Aquilina

 The One That Got Away - The Civil Wars

Boomerang - Lucy Schwartz

Fly Fly Fly - Brooke White

 Just a few tune I quickly added to my summer playlist before the plane trip to North Carolina. What have you been listening too lately? 

(1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

Road Trip Tunes

When it comes to driving I can't go anywhere without music playing in the car; which is why creating playlists is a bi-monthly routine in my household. So finding the perfect mix of songs for a road trip (whether to the beach or across the country) is crucial, it sets the mood and atmosphere, so pick wisely so you don't put your friends to sleep. So, when I came across this mix of tunes flipping through the pages of my copy of Things We Love, I couldn't help but import the playlist into my iPod immediately. What's playing on your radio?! 

My Cruisin' Playlist

Hold On Tight-Electric Light Orchestra

California Stars-Billy Bragg and Wilco

Alright-Supergrass

Slippin' and Slidin'-Otis Redding

The Passenger-Iggy Pop

I'm A Road Runner-Junior Walker and the All Stars

Photograph-Astrud Gilberto

Two of Us-The Beatles

Take it Easy-Jackson Browne

Homeward Bound-Simon and Garfunkel

Into the Great Wide Open-Tom Petty

Born to be Wild-Steppenwolf

City of New Orleans-Arlo Guthrie

Till the End of the Day-The Kinks

Starman-David Bowie

Island in the Sun-Weezer

(image via color me courtney)

this week's favorites...

California Sunrise-Dirty Gold

Elevator Love Letter-Stars

Anything Could Happen-Ellie Goulding

Take Care-Florence and the Machine

Dreamers-Savoir Adore

(1, 2, 3, 4, 5)