These are my (social) media habits

In our modern age of 24/7 social media and never-ending news cycles – plus our desire to stay ahead of the latest cutting-edge trends in music and pop culture – what does our media habits reveal about us?

With a shout out to The Monocle Minute newsletter for its list of questions it often asks movers and shakers, here’s a few things you might like to know about my media habits ...

What news source do you wake up to?

NPR, home delivery of The New York Times, and the Washington Post online. On Sundays, I also receive home delivery of the Washington Post. 

Coffee, tea or something pressed to go with headlines?

As I am not a tea drinker, I have three different-sized French presses at home at the ready and plenty of Community Coffee brand French Roast. Also, I maintain a supply of Community Coffee instant coffee & chickory, and once a week I treat myself to a Starbucks grande mocha.

Something from the FM dial or Spotify for your tunes?

When I’m driving up and down U.S. Highway 1, between College Park and Washington, D.C., and occasionally elsewhere within the confines of the Beltway, I enjoy – borderline love – listening to classical music via WETA. The more Dvorak the better. Otherwise, when at home, I enjoy listening to the “Morning Becomes Eclectic” show via KCRW, the Santa Monica, Calif.-NPR affiliate. While I’m late to the Spotify phenomenon, I enjoy putting together some simply playlists centered around some of my favorite musicians, such as Paul Simon, Elvis Costello, Wynton Marsalis and Jazz @ Lincoln Center Orchestra, and Pink Martini.

Papers delivered or a trip down to the kiosk?

At home, it’s seven-day delivery of The New York Times and the Sunday Washington Post for me. When I’m traveling, I usually look for the nearest destination that carries The New York Times. There’s something about holding it in my hands every day and reading it wherever I am in the world. However, if that’s not possible, I’ll fall back on looking at the Times, either online or via its app. 

Magazines for your weekend sofa-side stack?

I look forward to perusing my two faves, Monocle and Racquet. The former I stop by one of the Hudson News kiosks at Union Station to purchase my monthly copy, while I subscribe the the latter, which is published quarterly. For years, I used to subscribe to The New Yorker just to make sure I never missed reading Roger Angell’s wonderfully penned baseball tomes. Eventually, I fell behind reading the magazine, week to week, and let my subscription lapse. If I’m going on a vacation trip, I might be tempted to buy a good travel magazine to put me in the right mood.

Are you a subscriber or more of a newsstand browser?

A subscriber although if I’m in a good bookstore, like Elliott Bay Book Company in Seattle or Politics and Prose in Washington, D.C., I’ll be tempted to browse a bit just to see what I might be missing out on. As someone who is interested in content and design, occasionally I buy Dwell, which is all about design and technology.

Bookshop for a drizzly Saturday afternoon?

In Seattle, Elliott Bay Book Company on Capitol Hill. In Washington, Politics and Prose on Connecticut Avenue NW. In San Francisco, Book Passage in the Ferry Plaza Building. All of them are independent booksellers. Sorry, no Barnes & Noble for me.

Sofa or cinema for the evening?

A little of both, although much of my cinema going takes place on Sunday mornings, as my wife and I belong to a cinema club in Washington, D.C. Otherwise, I spend a lot of time looking for hidden gems to view via Netflix or watch tennis on Tennis Channel because my job as a contributing editor for an English language tennis website based near Munich, Germany, requires me.

What’s the best thing you’ve watched recently on TV and why?

Two shows, actually. First, Good Karma Hospital, a British dramedy about a disillusioned doctor who heads to South India for a fresh start. It’s available via Acorn. Second, Kim’s Convenience, which is available on Netflix, is a Canadian sitcom about a Korean Canadian family who run a convenience store in the Moss Park neighborhood of Toronto. Each includes people of color in starring roles and the stories are believable.

Sunday brunch routine?

It starts with bringing in the Sunday newspapers from the front porch, turning on the radio to “Weekend Edition Sunday” and fixing coffee for myself. Brunch at home usually consists of a parfait of vanilla yogurt accented with maple pecan granola, a small glass of orange juice and a bagel with cream cheese or, possibly, coffee cake made by my wife. 

Last media of the day?

Usually before lights out, I make one final, brief pass through my Facebook and Twitter feeds. Sometimes, it’s valuable if there’s a late-break story worth reading or a sports score I’m searching for. Also, I’ll check to see if any of my family or friends has tried to text me or shoot me an e-mail. Then, it’s lights out by 11.

Illustration: Courtesy of Google images.

Laura Mvula: Singing to the moon with a beautiful heart, soul and voice

On her debut album, Sing to the Moon, the British singer/songwriter Laura Mvula not only taps into the sound of vintage '60s soul, she really stands out in the spotlight.

I learned of Mvula only last month when I heard Morning Becomes Eclectic host Jason Bentley rave about her music, which unconventionally pairs neo-soul with orchestral pop, and her voice, calling her a "revelation."

Soon, thereafter, NPR profiled the chanteuse, noting that her songs "sound like the whole world at once.

"Equally adept at radiating joy ("Like the Morning Dew"), articulating a socially conscious mission statement ("That's Alright"), and singing sweet ballads (the harp-infused "Can't Live With the World"), Mvula radiates the world confidence of a singer twice her age," wrote NPR's Stephen Thompson.

Mvula, 26, grew up in Birmingham, England as "a regular girl" in a musical family. She has two younger siblings who play in her touring band, which includes strings and horns. She is a classically-trained singer, who graduated from the Birmingham Conservatoire, and has sung in acapella choirs.

Mvula sings with a voice that is as distinctive as it is different. Think about the first time you heard Adele or Amy Winehouse or, for those of you old enough to remember, Nina Simone. How do I best describe Mvula's fantastic voice? Well, it is breathtakingly amazing ~ there's a neo-soul mentality to it, influenced by Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill ~ and Mvula's gentle-but-powerful song lyrics are heartfelt. And, there are those infectious vocal harmonies found in many of her songs, such as "Like the Morning Dew," the first track on Sing to the Moon, that would do the Beach Boys proud.

Recently, Mvula gave her U.S. radio debut as she performed live on the Morning Becomes Eclectic show, which originates from public radio station KCRW-FM (Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-noon Pacific Time / 4-7 p.m. GMT) in Santa Monica, Calif., and is simulcast worldwide via KCRW.com. For a limited time, KCRW offering a free download of the magnificent "Sing to the Moon."

"I love the version of "Sing to the Moon" that appears on Laura Mvula's debut album, but when I heard her perform it live at KCRW it became an intimate story performed so delicately that it's heartbreaking," KCRW host Anne Litt wrote on the station's website. "During her interview for Morning Becomes Eclectic, she revealed that this song was inspired by an autobiography of a 1950's jazz singer called Adelaide Hall whose father told her to 'sing to the moon, and the stars will shine.' "

Indeed, Sing to the Moon is a celebration of Laura Mvula's beautiful and soulful voice. The stars are shining tonight.

* * * 

Sing to the Moon is currently available digitally via iTunes and Amazon.com, and the CD and vinyl version debuts on May 14.

To see videos from the Sing to the Moon album, go to : http://www.lauramvula.com/video.

Video of "Sing to the Moon" courtesy of KCRW.com.

David Bowie ~ Where are we now?

Imagine every one's surprise when David Bowie released a comeback single, "Where Are We Now?" on Jan. 8, and also announced plans to release a new album 'The Next Day' come March, all on the occasion of celebrating his 66th birthday.

In just a few days, "Where Are We Now?" has generated great buzz on American and British radio ~ I first learned about it while listening to the "Morning Becomes Eclectic" show via KCRW.com ~ and the song's been widely written about on both sides of the Atlantic.

In an article published Friday in London's The Guardian, Bowie's producer, Tony Visconti, called the new album "eclectic," saying "it's got five really blistering rock tracks. The rest is really mid-tempo, mysterious and evocative.

"The elegiac balladry of 'Where Are We Now?' isn't particularly representative,"he says. "He's been obsessed with medieval English history, which, believe it or not, makes great material for a rock song. And contemporary Russian history, which makes for a great rock song. The subject matter he chose to write about is amazing. ... One thing the album's got is a lot of substance. You're going to have to listen to it many times, because the lyrical content's going to take a long time to absorb."

Visconti went on to tell The Guardian that on "Where Are We Now?" Bowie is "singing very low-key on the single. A lot of people have misinterpreted that, thinking he's going to sound old and frail on this record, but for that song he wanted to sound vulnerable. Big difference. Elsewhere, he's singing in full voice, that voice you hear on 'Heroes'."

See for yourself ~ I've linked the very creative video filmed by Tony Oursler for "Where Are We Now?" Indeed, it's a very melancholy sound for Bowie. Yet, each time I hear the song, it grows on me. I like it more and more. It's innovative and beautiful.

Vulnerable equals enjoyable.

You knew that David Bowie, the artist, couldn't sit on his creativity forever.

A music study break: Laura Marling and thoughts about her song "What He Wrote"

Laura Marling / I Speak Because I Can

One of many things I enjoy contributing to my Facebook Timeline is something I call a "music study break". It might either be a song that I've recently heard while listening to the "Morning Becomes Eclectic" program via KCRW.com (Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-noon PT; GMT -7 hours) or, perhaps, a song that's recently come up in the shuffle mode on my iPod. 

Recently, I woke up wondering what to share for my "music study break" that day and the young, English folk singer/songwriter Laura Marling (age 22) immediately came to mind. And, I thought: What a wonderfully powerful alto voice she's been blessed with, and Marling has the gifted ability to pen intelligently defiant songs about feminine independence filled with gravitas. Earlier this summer, Marling shared in what was described as a religious communion of music when she performed a concert in San Francisco's Gothic-style Grace Cathedral.

As it happens, I have an autographed copy of Marling's 2010 Mercury Prize-winning album 'I Speak Because I Can' downloaded on my iPod that I've been exploring. It's an album filled with songs whose themes are centered around responsibility, particularly the responsibility of womanhood. I came across one particular song, "What He Wrote" that's both poignant in its tone, thought provoking in its lyrics, and it brings out the clarity in her voice.

After sharing "What He Wrote" on my Timeline, I decided to peruse the lyrics and see what I could glean from them. One of my first thoughts while listening to this song was: Is Marling sharing a poetic confession with God? After all, she connects authentically with her listeners in an elegant and emotional manner. And, Marling writes with keen wisdom beyond her years.

As it turned out, Marling explained in an interview, "What He Wrote" was inspired by letters from a wife to her husband in the Second World War. And, according to Marling, it reflected a time in her own life when she was still looking for her identity as a young woman.

In writing about the album which "What He Wrote" appears on, 'I Speak Because I Can', one critic suggested that Marling "uses folk as an archetypal form to get at the essential realities of love, sex, heartbreak, and death. Sometimes she does it with heart-stopping quietness, her voice dropping to conversational tones." So, in a sense, my immediate thoughts about a woman sharing a confession with God weren't too off base as the essential realities of Marling's songs aren't unlike some of the very same themes that are expressed in The Bible or, perhaps, The Quran. 

Laura Marling / She uses folk as an archetypal form to get
at the essential realities of love, sex, heartbreak and death.

Here's what the U.K.'s New Music Express described of "What He Wrote": "Inspired by wartime love letters that Laura read in a newspaper, ‘What He Wrote’ seems to detail the forbidden love of writing to a man other than your husband – she appeals to the Greek goddess Hera, goddess of women and marriage, for forgiveness for speaking to this man when she’s 'spoken for.' The whole song, just vocals and guitar, trembles in its waltz rhythm, but the most effecting line has to be the unqualified frankness of, 'I miss his smell.'"

In her review for the London-based newspaper The Telegraph, critic Helen Brown said of Marling: "Her songs are simple yet complex, weird but quotidian like hedgerows – twisted, full of thorns, fruit, life and death." Writing about "What He Wrote," Brown says: "She gazes back into Greek mythology for female companionship, addressing the marriage goddess Hera and conjuring the spirit of Odysseus’ patient wife Penelope." 

Laura Marling speaks because she can ~ and, through her inspiring music, she delivers a lot of poignant and expressive thoughts worth our time and pleasing to our ears.

What He Wrote

By Laura Marling

Forgive me Hera,

I cannot stay.

He cut out my tongue,

There is nothing to save.

Love me?

Oh Lord, he threw me away,

He laughed at my sins, in his arms I must

Stay.

He wrote, I'm broke.

Please send for me.

But I'm broken, too,

And spoken for.

Do not tempt me.

Her skin is white, and I'm light as the

Sun,

So holy light shines, on the things you have done.

So I asked him,

How he became this man?

How did he learn,

To hold fruit in his hands?

And where is the lamb, that gave you your

Name?

He had to leave, though I begged Him to

Stay.

Left me alone, when I needed the

Light.

Fell to my knees, and I wept for my

Life!

If he had of stayed, you might

Understand.

If he had of stayed, you never would've

Taken my hand.

He wrote,

I'm alone.

Please send for me.

But I'm broken, too,

And spoken for.

Do not tempt me.

And where is the lamb, that gave Him your

Name?

He had to flee, though I begged him to

Stay.

Begged him to stay, in my cold wooden

Grip.

Begged him to stay, by the light of this

Ship.

Me fighting him,

Fighting light,

Fighting dawn.

The waves came,

And stole him,

And took him to war.

He wrote,

I'm broke.

Please send for me.

But I'm broken, too,

And I am spoken for.

Do not tempt me.

Forgive me, Hera, I cannot stay.

He cut out my tongue, there is nothing to

Save.

Love me or loathe, he threw me away.

He laughed at my sins, in his arms I must

Stay.

We write.

And that's alright.

But I miss his smell.

And we speak,

When spoken to.
That suits me well.

That suits us well.

That suits me well.

Thoughts on "What the Water Gave to Me"

What the Water Gave Me / A chance encounter with a seagull during
a walk along the Gulf of Mexico at Port Aransas, Texas.

Recently, the passionate song "What the Water Gave Me" by Florence and the Machine came up on shuffle in my iPod's "Morning Becomes Eclectic" playlist. One good listen of the song led to another and, soon after, it got me thinking about water and its importance in religion.

The significance of water in scripture as described in both The Bible and The Quran is tremendous.  Water is mentioned in the Bible 442 times in the New International Version and 363 times in the King James Version. After all, water speaks of physical or natural birth. Water speaks to us of the word of God and Allah. Water speaks to us of ablution. Water speaks to us of a spiritual life.

In The Bible, Genesis II describes the perfect conditions of the garden of Eden, a garden which was watered by a river. Of course, without water, the garden would have died, as plants, animals and humans cannot survive without water. Indeed, this river is a beautiful picture of the life that Christ gives to His children through the Spirit of God.

In The Quran, the Holy Book asserts that water is, by the will of God, the sole basis for the emergence of life: "We have made every living thing out of water." (Sura 21 The Prophets, ayat 30). And, water is often used to describe Paradise.

In the Quranic account of the forming of the Cosmos, there is a great emphasis placed on water, as demonstrated in other ayat (verses) in the preceding sura (chapter) which lists heaven, earth, the sun, night and day as natural factors in the creation of the universe. It also speaks of a single element that infuses life into the universe: the element of water.

In addition to The Bible and The Quran, the Chinese taoist philosopher Lao Tzu, who wrote Tao Te Ching (The Book of the Way), said: "Nothing in the world is more flexible and yielding than water. Yet, when it attacks the firm and the strong, none can withstand it, because they have no way to change it. So, the flexible overcome the adamant, the yielding overcome the forceful. Everyone knows this, but no one can do it."

The element of water has appeared often in popular song. "Bridge Over Troubled Water" by Simon and Garfunkel; "Rain" by The Beatles; "Riders on the Storm" by the Doors; and "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay" by Otis Redding, all come to mind. Which brings me back to "What the Water Gave Me."

In 2011, Florence Welch, the lead singer for the the English indie folk-rock group Florence and the Machine, and Eg White penned the song "What the Water Gave Me." It is written in the key of C Minor and contains not only ethereal vocals, harps and strings, but also a gospel-like organ and soaring gospel-rooted harmonies.

In a Wikipedia article about "What the Water Gave Me," titled after a famous Frida Kahlo painting, Welch elaborated on the title and meaning of the song: "It's a song for the water, because in music and art what I'm really interested in are the things that are overwhelming. The ocean seems to me to be nature's great overwhelmer."

Welch continues: "When I was writing this song I was thinking a lot about all those people who've lost their lives in vain attempts to save their loved ones from drowning. It's about water in all forms and all bodies." Additionally, she says, the song talks about "children who are swept out to sea, and their parents go in after them and try to rescue them."

Time it took us

To where the water was

That's what the water gave me

And time goes quicker

Between the two of us

Oh, my love, don't forsake me

Take what the water gave me

Lay me down

Let the only sound

Be the overflow

Pockets full of stones

Lay me down

Let the only sound

Be the overflow

And oh, poor Atlas

The world's a beast of a burden

You've been holding on a long time

And all this longing

And the ships are left to rust

That's what the water gave us

So lay me down

Let the only sound

Be the overflow

Pockets full of stones

Lay me down

Let the only sound

Be the overflow

'Cause they took your loved ones

But returned them in exchange for you.

But would you have it any other way?

Would you have it any other way?

You could have it any other way

'Cause she's a cruel mistress

And the bargain must be made

But oh, my love, don't forget me

When I let the water take me

So, lay me down

Let the only sound

Be the overflow

Pockets full of stones

Lay me down

let the only sound

Be the overflow

Lay me down

Let the only sound

Be the overflow

Pockets full of stones

Lay me down

Let the only sound

Be the overflow.

  

This reaffirming, epic song, whose themes mix images of death (legendary writer Virginia Woolf's suicide; her walking into the water with her pockets filled with stones) with declarations of undying love, was critically praised by both U.S. and British critics. One called it "overwhelming in its bombast, yet delicate in its sonic detail."

Like many biblical scriptures, "What the Water Gave Me" is lovely, passionate and intense all rolled together. The revelatory joy in Florence Welch's voice by the end of the song shows us what one critic described as "just how emotionally powerful and engaging a pop song can be."

Indeed.

What the water gives us is life.

Note: YouTube video of Florence and the Machine performing "What the Water Gave Me" live on 'Later...with Jools Holland', BBC2, November 2011.

Across the pond: Connecting through music

Laura Marling /
I Speak Because I Can

Laura Marling is only 21.  Yet, she sings with maturity and passion that is poised beyond her years.

The singer/songwriter from Eversley in Hampshire, England, whom many have compared to a young, folksy Joni Mitchell, writes songs that are both strikingly melodic and lyrically poetic.

Simple and pure, Marling is an authentic talent, a voice for her generation.  Fortunately, her lovely and lilting voice is becoming heard more ~ and gaining recognition ~ on this side of the pond thanks to her music receiving airplay via public radio.

Recently, Marling won the 2011 Brit Award for Best Female Solo Artist, besting Ellie Goulding and Cheryl Cole, and she was bestowed the same honor from the NME.  Her anthemic song, "Rambling Man," from her 2010 album I Speak Because I Can, was also nominated for Best Original Song at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.  Could a Grammy Award be in her future?

It was during last month's televised broadcast of the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in London that Marling took the stage and previewed the unreleased "Flicker and Fail". It's a song that's been passed down a generation to her from her father.

If old is suddenly the new new, could "Flicker and Fail" be the start of a trend?  After all, she's covered other songwriting greats like Neil Young ("The Needle and the Damage Done") and Jackson C. Frank ("Blues Run the Game"). According to Marling's website, "... Foundations of ("Flicker and Fail") were in fact laid down via a battered old (but still surviving!) Yamaha guitar over 30 years ago by LM's own father.  LM has revived and tinkered with the lyrics and melody somewhat and shaped it into something old but new."

As someone who has been a fan of Marling's work since first being introduced to her music by Nic Harcourt on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic in 2008, when she was only 18, I'm extremely excited about what the future holds for this wonderfully talented and passionate musician.

Random musings about morning fog, our rose garden, French Roast coffee and Elvis Costello

As I opened the front door this morning at precisely 6:30 a.m. to bring in the New York Times, I couldn't help but notice the weather surrounding our cul-de-sac:  It was very foggy outside. The accumulated dew on the newspaper's plastic wrapper, laying idle for a couple of hours on our front steps, spoke volumes.

The fog's impact reduced visibility surrounding our house to the length of a football pitch.  It was just another typical, late-summer morning shaping up in the Bay Area.

Orange rose with morning dew
on petals and leaves

Not surprisingly, the Bay Area forecast for today predicted morning fog, then mostly cloudy skies.  Although our high is supposed to reach 70 by this afternoon, I have my doubts. Something about a trough of low pressure moving through northern California that's bringing cooler conditions to the Bay Area. I've become all too accustomed to cool, moderate summer temperatures living in the Bay Area for the past 15 years. While I would welcome a 70-degree, late-summer afternoon, now, I'll happily settle for the 65-degree temperature that is due San Francisco today, where the fog is legendary throughout the summer months.

Pristine rose

The upside to today's morning fog and lingering dew is two-fold:  The overnight accumulation of dew and moisture means I don't need water the lawn and plants as planned, and, just as pleasing, it makes for good conditions to take photographs of our roses.

Mr. Lincoln rose:
Lovely to look at,
but difficult to photograph.

When I stepped outside to our backyard garden, I witnessed the dew on many of the roses, including their petals and their leaves.  The lingering fog and dew makes observing them interesting, but it's also very challenging to accurately capture it in a photograph. Ditto for the rich redness of the Mr. Lincoln roses ~ lovely to look at in person, but difficult to achieve the right hue of red when taking a picture.

Standing among giants:
I'm 5-feet-10 and
shorter than our
Mr. Lincoln and
Queen Elizabeth
rose bushes.

In the past month, we've let both our Queen Elizabeth and Mr. Lincoln rose bushes grow.  Nothing magical about it, and yet, they've have grown quite tall ~ taller than me, and I'm 5-feet-10.  Both of these bushes continue to show great blooms in September. Ditto for our Orange rose bush and our First Prize bush, too.

With autumn less than a week away and October close, our weather, finally, will perk up ~ if only for a few weeks.  With it, there's promise that our roses can continue enjoying some additional happiness and further growth, too.

In the meantime, as I await the fog to lift and the mercury rise, I'll gather my thoughts about the pleasure of our garden, savor a warm cup of my favorite French Roast coffee, and listen attentively as Elvis Costello sings about "Shipbuilding," from his 1983 album, Punch the Clock, appreciating the mournful, lovely trumpet solo by Chet Baker that accompanies some of Costello's most poignant lyrics, written during Britain's build up to the 1982 war with Argentina over the Falkland Islands.  Different times.

Morning becomes eclectic.

Random thoughts and bon mots

I am always amused by individuals who can pause in mid conversation or during their commute to jot down their random thoughts. Some pull out elaborate journals from their backpacks to record their thoughts while others rely on Post-It notes when an idea or thought occurs. A graduate professor of mine went a step further and used a pad of Post-It notes mounted to the dashboard of his BMW. I know he never forgot an idea or lost a thought.

Now, I've become one of them ~ one who jots down thoughts and ideas. I regularly jot down song titles that pique my interest while listening to Morning Becomes Eclectic via kcrw.com. This helps jog my memory when using the iTunes library to fill up my iPod with music. I know it's no longer a laughing matter but, rather, a matter of practicality.

Have you ever wondered how much time and brain energy is devoted daily to random thinking? Probably more than you would imagine. Now, if only we could discover a way to market our random thinking ... now there's a thought.

In the spirit of random thinking ~ and spring cleaning ~ here's a few random thoughts and bon mots. Some are old, some are new, some are, well, just well worth sharing. So, in no particular order:

Music: Is there a more distinctive, contemporary singing voice than Neko Case when she sings the Harry Nilsson song, "Don't Forget Me"?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9KrotLtC-Y

More music: A song I never tire hearing is "Like An Angel Passing Through My Room," sung so eloquently by Swedish mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie Von Otter. It appears on the album Anne Sofie Von Otter Meets Elvis Costello - For the Stars. On this version, it's Anne Sofie accompanied on piano by Benny Andersson, who co-wrote the song with his ABBA partner Bjorn Ulvaeus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lA7-JvKMSwg

Still more music: I would love to see Elvis Costello and Alvin Toussaint collaborate on a follow-up to their The River in Reverse album ~ one of my all-time faves ~ which includes their outstanding duet on "Ascension Day":

http://www.wikio.com/video/elvis-costello-allen-toussaint---day-2728772

Not a soul was stirring
Not a bird was singing, at least not within my hearing
I was five minutes past caring
Standing in the road just staring

Thought I heard somebody pleading
I thought I heard someone apologise
Some fell down weeping
Others shook their fists up at the skies
And those who were left
Seemed to be wearing disguises

Now there's a queen in waiting
Not enough loving and too much hating
For the prince hidden within her man
Always seems to be hesitating

He said, 'Let her go, let her go, God bless her'
'She hasn't been gone long enough for me to miss her'
'Except every minute of every hour of every day when I wish I could possess her'

40 days passed by
40 alibis
So carry on... that way
And in time... you'll pay
But we'll all be together
Come Ascension Day

Not a hound was howling
Or whimpering or prowling
Now the wind had departed
Not a leaf was hanging on the tree like when it started

But I know they will return
Like they've never gone away
Come Ascension Day

Moving on to sports: One of the joys of listening to a San Francisco Giants spring training baseball game on the radio is hearing their talented broadcasters. The game is secondary, the storytelling is priceless.

I caught an inning of a recent broadcast while running Saturday errands. I don't remember any particulars from what happened on the field. However, I do remember the storyteller going on in the broadcast booth. The trio of Jon Miller, Duane Kuiper and Mike Krukow floated the idea of having under performing Major League teams be relegated (like English Premiership League soccer) to the minor leagues for a season. One of them suggested, as an example, the Kansas City Royals swap places with its top minor-league team in Omaha. In between batters, they also shared tales about the iconic-but-allegedly haunted Pfister Hotel in downtown Milwaukee, where many teams like the Giants stay while playing the Milwaukee Brewers.

It's no surprise that Miller is being honored this summer with induction in the broadcaster's wing of the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. He is a master among masters when it comes to the art of baseball storytelling ~ and, he also is very dead-on with his impersonations of other baseball broadcasters like Vin Scully and the late Harry Kalas.

Onward to technology: Am I dumb for not having a "smart" phone? For that matter, do "smart" phones have IQs? Am I a bad person for preferring to use a digital camera instead of taking photos with my cellphone? Is the day approaching when I'll be considered a Luddite because I use my cellphone only to make and receive phone calls instead of using it as a defacto MP3 player, camera, or to send text messages?

Speaking of TV: I can't wait for the new HBO series, Treme, from David Simon ~ the same David Simon who brought us The Wire, simply one of the greatest TV shows of our generation. It's got music, it's got New Orleans, it's got wonderful acting talent. What more could you ask for? Wendell Pierce, Clarke Peters and John Goodman form the nucleus of the stellar cast. Make a date with your TV for the show's premiere on Sunday night, April 11. In the meantime, I urge you to check out the trailers for Treme on HBO's website ~ www.hbo.com/treme.

More TV: In the land of 500 channels and nothing's on, it's always a delight to find a show that renews one's faith in the medium, like Slings and Arrows. This Canadian import aired a few years ago on The Sundance Channel and, recently, has resurfaced on Ovation TV. I like Slings and Arrows because it's a "dramedy" ~ part drama, part comedy ~ that deals with the behind-the-scenes happenings of a fictional-but-contemporary Canadian Shakespearean theatrical company. The ensemble cast includes Kids in the Hall alum Mark McKinney and Rachel McAdams. The first season, which is also available via Netflix and can be found on YouTube, has a raucous opening theme, "Cheer Up, Hamlet" that's performed in a pub and sets the right tone for the show:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvmMt_xG1tI

Cheer up, Hamlet
Chin up, Hamlet
Buck up, you melancholy Dane
So your uncle is at hand
Murdered Dad and married Mum
That’s really no excuse to be as glum as you’ve become
So wise up, Hamlet
Rise up, Hamlet
Buck up and sing the new refrain
Your incessant monologizing fills the castle with ennui
Your antic disposition is embarrassing to see
And by the way, you sulky brat, the answer is “TO BE”!
You’re driving poor Ophelia insane
So shut up, you rogue and peasant
Grow up, it’s most unpleasant
Cheer up, you melancholy Dane

Finally: Here's a few random but quotable thoughts from a couple of columnists whom I admire to make us all take a moment to think:

"Complex problems sometimes need manpower thrown at them, not an IT solution." ~ Tyler Brule, Financial Times Life & Arts columnist, writing about his favorite air carrier ANA (All Nippon Airlines).

"There is a lesson here: There is a nothing tragic about attempting a great leap and falling short. The tragedy is not even trying." ~ William C. Rhoden, New York Times sports columnist, writing about NCAA basketball Cinderella Cornell ~ the upstart Ivy League champion ~ which lost to perennial powerhouse Kentucky in the Sweet Sixteen of this year's men's NCAA basketball tournament.

Happy random thinking ~ and, remember, keep those Post-It notes handy.

My songs eclectic ~ the playlist

I am a devoted listener of the music program "Morning Becomes Eclectic" which airs weekdays from 9 a.m. -noon (PT) on KCRW-FM, the NPR affiliate in Santa Monica, Calif. and via the Internet on kcrw.com. Also, I keep an ear pressed to "Eclectic 24" ~ kcrw.com's companion to "MBE" ~ which is the station's 24-hour music channel that blends the collective tastes of all of the KCRW DJs into one single voice. I have the Internet to thank for what commercial radio doesn't choose to provide ~ eclectic, cutting-edge music.

My gratitude goes out to Jason Bentley, the host of "Morning Becomes Eclectic" and his predecessor, Nic Harcourt, for helping shape my current indy pop/indy rock/world music "eclectic" taste which has evolved over the past couple of years. I've always been fairly open-minded ~ always appreciative of certain kinds of pop and rock as well as jazz, alternative and reggae (for those who remember me as a college DJ). And, occasionally, I enjoy listening to classical piano concertos while relaxing at home. Hey, I'm a believer that life goes better with music.

Now, thanks to iTunes, I have been amassed an ever-growing playlist of over 500 songs that I heard through regular listening of "Morning Becomes Eclectic" and "Eclectic 24" ~ songs in the key of life. Thanks to "MBE", I've become tuned to the sounds of Vampire Weekend, Koop, Sigur Ros, Neko Case, Calexico, Pink Martini, Tina Dico and the Swell Season, among many ~ all who produce a brand of very enjoyable, melodic and hip music that's not only easy on the ear, but also none of it very likely to find its way onto commercial radio anytime soon. Too bad for commercial radio ~ great for kcrw.com and public radio listeners.

10 songs I have been listening to on my iPod this week:

1. "Tel que tu es" by Charlotte Gainsbourg from 5:55.

2. "Sing Sang Sung" by AIR from Love 2.

3. "Two by Two" by Animal Kingdom from Signs and Wonders.

4. "And Now We Sing" (featuring Holly Brook) by Duncan Sheik from Whisper House.

5. "Swim Until You Can't See Land" by Frightened Rabbit from Swim Until You Can't See Land.

6. "Boa Sorte (Good Luck)" by Vanessa Da Mata and Ben Harper from Hotel Costes, Vol. 11.

7. "White Sky" by Vampire Weekend from Contra.

8. "Alone" by The Morning After Girls from Alone.

9. "You and I" by Wilco from Wilco (The Album).

10. "Debra" by Beck from Midnite Vultures.