Let it snow

Norway is drowning in snow:) getting close to a meter now and still going:)

Merry christmas everyone:)

Merry Christmas Everyone. Let's home they know it's Christmas.

As this years Christmas treat and because it's still important to remember the message, even though it's also of course fun to spot the celebrities, here are no less than 3 versions of "Do They Know It's Christmas". For me it's hard to decide if I like the original or the 20 version best. The 2 version is a bit weird though ;)

Original version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jEnTSQStGE



Very cool live version of the original more or less: But with Bowie, Mercury, Paul McCartney and Bob Geldof among others!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dvnBruaVRg





Version 2 (1989)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_oz1-2mq14



Version 20 (2006?)


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

Must be the best band that has played together ever, and also spot mr. Albarn, the tea man :)

Great live: Phoenix at La Blogotheque

If you have been reading my blog before, you know that I am huge fan of the French site "La Blogotheque" and of the French band Pheonix. Really it was just a matter of time before the two had to work together and what an amazing result!! La Blogotheque basically takes artists outside and around and let the perform and see what happens. My favorites so far have been Beirut and R.E.M's collaborations with them and this one is also amazing! Click on the La Blogotheque tag on the right side of this blog and you can see more posts about it.

http://blogotheque.net/Phoenix,5176

Features the songs: 1901, Lisztomania and Long Distance Call

New music: End of Fashion

Some of the best finds in music is find when you just jumble and stumble around on the net for instance on Spotify. I started to listening to an album called Essential Bands in there, cause I saw it had a lot of my favorite bands, and among the ones I hadn't heard before "End of Fashion" turned up. The song on the CD was OK and excited me enough to go and listen to a whole album of them and see if I like the rest. In most cases one is let down in those cases, but as I rolled into the second song on the album "O Yeah" I was still bobbing along, though it sounds an awful lot as the classic "Where is my mind?" by The Pixies. The third song on the slef titled album "End of fashion" is the amazing rock song "The game" and suddenly I was no longer in classic newer American alternative rock but in British rock in the style of one of my other bands Maximo Park. Hard, tight to the point and almost punky. The forth song really opened my eyes... And made me really stop what I was doing and listen. I suddenly heard Jeff Buckley singing without Jeff Buckley. "Anymore" is a quite standard pop/rock ballad, but wow! Singer Justin Burford sounds like Jeff Buckley and Kelly Jones of Stereophonics all in the span of a few lines. That to me, is one amazing voice. I still have to listen to everything in the rest of the album and will try to come back with more later. Now, the rest of my room needs to be moved.. And oh yeah, it's Australian, btw.. That's why I got confused about weather it sounded English or American. Apparently they have released a second album too.. hm.. I get confused when things are not on Spotify, need to find it somewhere else then :)

(Link to the album on Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/album/2AUu4arz88yY0bGU84KjfD )

Here is my absolute favourite so far:
The game:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOIEcNouQOo


Unfortunately this is the only recording of Anymore I could find: and the quality is really very bad, but you can give it a try if you want to:




But here is "Oh Yeah" that also give you a little idea about the great voice and also how to rip off a Pixies song.. hehe
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/klneeqK8O1QPHqlYSU

End Of Fashion - O Yeah
Uploaded by JUAN-PABLO-LOVE-MEXICO. - Explore more music videos.

Great websites: LibraryThing.com - How to organize your books?

http://www.librarything.com

A friend of mine gave me this link after my blog about all my books earlier this week. It turns out to be an amazing site where you can add all your books and almost everything about them. There are wide opportunities to get to know other people that like the same books as you or keep in touch with old literature loving friends :)
You can add 200 books for free and you can choose yourself the price for an upgrade, though there is a fixed minimum price. More info here: http://www.librarything.com/upgrade.php
The whole site also seams very serious for some reason, I think it's the layout. I wish they could have made it a bit more cozy, but then again a neutral look will appeal to more people of all ages and backgrounds. Anyways.. Amazing site, I will add all my books there when I get them into their shelves!
Good night, I think it's supposed to be sun in Norway for the first time in a month or so tomorrow :)

Link to my profile here

Friday Fun: Graham Norton with Basil the singing opera dog across the sea

This is one of the funniest things I have seen on TV ever. Kathrine Jenkins is a classical trained singer as you will understand and around 2.00 the part where dogs gets involved starts: You just have to see it yourself.. hehe.. She seams to have been very like correct and a bit uptight during the whole interview, so it's good that she actually livens up a bit in the end:) Basil, what an amazing dog.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foYqEUL3L8k

Life: Moving all the books

I am looking forward to seeing all of there organized in their shelv:)

Sports: Benneteau beat Federer

Some moments in sport just thrill you and makes you cry of the miracle and brilliance. Roger Federer has been the miracle man in tennis the last year and beating anyone and anything. Now however a miracle has happened. This unbeatable wizard of tennis was beaten by number 42 in the world, a totally unknown Frenchman in no other place than Paris. And what a game... You don't beat Federer by easy balls and medium play. And as the game progresses you can see how Benneteau gets more and more excited and shocked and happy, and when he realizes he has won, he just sits there and cries. I am tired of the Federer over-confidence-style and I hope we see more of Benneteau in the future.

Here is a 6 min version of the game:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e670eOLIU78

History: Armistice Day

Armistice Day in Chicago

11:00 on the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, World War I ended in Western-Europe. This war is so often forgotten I feel in the midst of the commemorations of World War II. Still in many ways World War I was just as bloody and even more were the soldiers brave. This was the last war without advanced warfare like airplanes. It was slaughter in a much bigger way than World War one as the soilders ran over the edge of the foxholes towards a certain death.

If you want to see another splendid moment in WW1 you can watch the movie "Joyeux Noël" about Christmas Eve during the WW1 where the soldiers from Germany, France and Scotland decided to stop fighting for one night and spend the evening together. It's a true story and says something about being human no matter what happens. The movie in all, compared to a lot of other war movies, feels incredible real, much due to the fact that the Germans actually speak German and the French French.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0424205/


But on this day it ended. You can read more details here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armistice_Day

And view more photos of this important day here. http://images.google.no/images?source=ig&hl=no&rlz=1G1GGLQ_NONO286&=&q=Armistice%20Day&lr=&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi

Live: Phoenix, Rockefeller, Oslo

I suppose I should not be shocked, but I really am. I expected to wake up this morning with reviews in papers, videos on YouTube or at least one photo somewhere, but none! It's like no one went to see Phoenix last night. But I did, and I know about 1000 others did to. I know people took photos, and I would have too, but I wisely positioned myself in the back after reading a big poster with "This concert will contain strobe lights!!" as I entered the venue. I haven't really had any problem with strobe lights for a lot of years, but the two times I passed out from them in the late 90's are still fresh in my mind :) And yepp, there were strobe lights for sure in this one. I was fine though..

ANYWAYS.. back to the concert. If it hadn't been for the Blur concert in Hyde Park this summer. (I am not sure anything will ever top that), this would have been the concert of the year for me for sure. Part of it can of course be due to the fact that I have wanted to see Phoenix for 5 years now, but it was all I expected. They started off the show with "Lizstomania" and "Long distance call". Very wise moves. We were all putty in their hands by then. What I like about Phoenix and have always thought was what makes their distinct sound is elegance. I mean these people grew up in the same city as the worlds most elaborate and luxury castle was ever built, Versailles. Some of the has to have rubbed off on them over the years. There is no mistakes in Phoneix music. The arrangements are amazing, every musician plays like it's the last night of his life playing, and behind it all this elegant little touch that I think must be french. I have no other description for it. It doesn't even matter that Thomas Mars (vocals) as usual in his blue shirt, have a slight little french accent. It just makes it better and more distinct. The music hits you like a wall of excitement, joy and bliss, before they stop for a perfect second and than goes straight back onto it. Amazing stuff. A statement more than anything is that I that was in the total back clinging to a bar disk and jumping up every now and them to catch a glimpse felt the excitement to the very last nerve. Of course I know the music and so on too, but I was not the only one that felt that way. I am sure.

Oh, yes, and Noah and the Whale did warm ups! It was very very good too. The same perfect balance between quiet and loud and made you just flow away at times

By the time we came to the encore the whole audience were more or less grooving around. Strobe light, yes, but man so many other good light effects too. At one point the light flashes in red stripes over the scene, the next light flows slowly out in a cable that is wired around the edges of all the amplifiers. Beautiful and powerful.

I had read the setlists from the former concerts this tour, because I was so curious, and I had noted to my delight that they played almost all my favorite songs, and they did :) "Funky Square Dance", "Consolation prizes" and "Napoleon says". In the former set lists I had seen that they usually have played two songs as encore, but this concert must have been as special as I thought. They did 5 encore songs including two great acoustic versions of "Everything is Everything" and "Love for Granted". At the end they just kept playing "1901" and it all ended up with about 40 audience members rocking along on stage. It's been a long time since I have felt such joy in one place :) Sigh, it was a good concert. I have a feeling we will see them on a bigger stage the next time :)

The soundtrack of this blog has been this clip from P3-sessions about 5 years ago. It gives you a bit of the energy of them: http://www1.nrk.no/nett-tv/klipp/45821 Yepp there are a lot of clapping at Phoenix concerts :) hehe And they have only gotten better since then.

Here is Mr Mars running around in the audience in Stockholm. I think he did that in Oslo too :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93OrBFnoN_E


Here is a good one from New York this summer that really gives you a feel of the atmosphere:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2HCf_CLMl0

Last.fm: 35 000 songs played and good humor

First of all, I passed 35 000 songs on Last.fm the other day! It's a big event for me, though it might not be for other people in the world ;) I had just bought myself a subscription for their radios again, because it has the last years been my nr.1 source for new and exciting music experiences. I like to be surprised of what I have actually listened to over the last years and to find new thing through the related artist radios that you find on any artists page. Anyhow, Last.fm is amazing and today I found something that just makes them even better.. I got this message while browsing around. I love a website with good humor :) Go to www.Last.fm today too :D (sorry that the text might be a little hard to read, but you should at least get the two first lines!

Great Covers: Punch Brothers (Chris Thile) Heart in a Cage

Wonderful little speech about Hanna Montana and The Jonas Brothers before an amazing cover of The Strokes "Heart in a Cage" bluegrass style! Amazing. Chris Thile never stop to amaze me :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJW9IMfkfLM

The orginal can be heard and seen here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nbw-LT5ZCJo

I love that one too :)

Life: It's snowing!

The first snow has reached norway. By the words of Anne Grethe Preus: "Silent starsister from invisible mouths". The best song about snow ever. I love the calmness that comes with snow:)

Stephen Malkmus on The Late Show with Letterman

Wow.. So I was finding this song totally by chance because Spotify played it. I am thinking to myself: "This sounds good, it remind me of Elliott Smith". And then it turnes out that Stephen Malkmus is from the same city as Elliott.. Hm.. Strange. Must be the Portland air, I think :) I will have to listen to Pavement now :)

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

Phoenix - 1901 (Live on89.3 The Current)

This must be one of the greatest accustic live things ever.. I mean.. Drums via iPhone. Not many people can pull that off :) Love it :)

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

Great songs: Placebo - Every you Every me

This one really takes me back to around 2000. Amazing times and amazing song. You realized you have listened to a song a lot when you realize you know all the lyrics :) hehe

Great Commercials: Made by Norway - Aker [eng. subtitles]

This is one of the most beautiful commercials I have seen on tv ever. It so feel me proud to be Norwegian. I am not of a "seaworker" but I certainly can relate to the struggles against weather and the feelilng you have of almost not surviving weather in Norway. I love how it's rugged and we struggle, but we still love it so much. Reminds me a bit of walking in a snowstorm last winter to go to the local shop to buy some food so I could survive. Wonderful that someone gave it English subtitles. Amazing poem/song and very very Norwegian.

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

First Train Home (immi's party version)

This is so much better than the official one. I felt exactly the same as ImmI did, that it was cold and detached. This is great :) The amazing singer, songwriter and producer is now also a director. I love this woman :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29jJWO_1JBQ

Crying Lightning

I forgot to post this one too, when it came out :) So this is the Arctic Monkeys great single "Crying Lightning". Amazingly strange but cool video too I think... And good lyrics:)

Great covers: kate nash - fluorescent adolescent

Another great cover from Live Lounge. Well done, Kate. That Alex is singing really fast and this is even faster than usual. Very cool cover :)

Great covers: You Me At Six - Poker Face - Live Lounge

WOW! Suddenly Poker Face sounds good. I think I need to check out the other stuff of You Me At Six now :)

Great Covers: Stereophonics - Best Of You (Foo Fighters) - Live Lounge

Kelly Jones has one of the greatest voices I know and Dave Grohl writes some of the best songs around. Very very clever and good fusion of the two people. Also quite interesting that this is filmed in Stereophonics hometown of Cwmaman in Wales. :) I love the Live Lounge series.. So many good things have come out of that radio program. And most of all so many cool covers :)

Good songs: The Last Shadow Puppets - The Age Of The Understatement

This one has some kind of old American cowboy movie to it and the video is very the cold war Russia. Amazing stuff that makes you jump around and sing along. I especially love how the refrain comes in the end... The song hits a little climatic moment there. Great stuff and a unique style!

New music: White Lies - To Lose My Life

Why oh why haven't I checked out White Lies until now. It's a pure mystery too me. I think you will see more of them around me in the future! Surprised that I like this music? Probably not ;) Time to sleep now, but it was good to devote the soul to some good music in the night and knowing that I have the day off tomorrow:)

Celebrity blogs: Arctic Monkeys: The view from... The Laundry Room

Lovely absurd blog these guys are keeping. This is a very good one. For more check out their Youtube site.. This also comes from this site :)

The View From Sean's House Party

This is just plain crazy! And I love that I can blog directly from YouTube now :D

New video: Cornerstone - Arctic Monkeys

This is quite frankly one of the greatest new things I have seen or heard in a long long time. I just have to watch it for the 5th time before I go to sleep. Amazing video idea, amazing tune, amazing lyrics and charming man. Very real somehow. Here.

La Blogothèque and Andrew Bird

This blogg will tell you about a fusion of two very good things. First of all you have the amazing makers of "Take-away-shows" La Blogothèque and the Andrew Bird. I first became aware of La Blogothèque though videos they made for Beirut. They are all simply breathtaking. The concept is that an artist plays live and walks around and gets filmed. I have always though thought that I have to look for more videos by La Blogothèque, but I always forgot, until today when my kind friend posted a link to their site at Facebook. Andrew Bird is exactly the same, a musician that I always wanted to check out more and always like when I hear him, yet forget to check out more. So, here I found the combination of two very great things: Andrew Bird and La Blogothèque. It's quite lovely. Oh, and I love the whistling :)

This is a link to the general site, and if you have a look around you can also find other amazing stuff, included... Beirut :)

Great covers: Jim O'Rourke - Viva Forever

Wow... can't belive that I haven't heard this man before. I have always liked this Spice girls song and the beautiful video has even driven me to tears sometimes, but I also love this cover. It has that great laid back feel of another good old favorite of mine the genius Elliott Smith. I have to listen more to mr. O'Rourke. Just wish it was more of him on Spotify. I get all my music from there these days. Hope I am not missing out on to much.. On the other hand, I am also finding so much good stuff.. :)

Here it is:

The new Imogen Heap album!

This is so beautiful it makes me cry!! What a musician, what a composer and last but not least, what a producer!! ENJOY!

Lily Allen - 22

I saw this video by chance on MTV the other day and Lily has really captured the feeling of being a young woman today I think. I at least know I feel/have felt like a lot of this song! What do you think?

New single and video: Imogen Heap - First Train Home and Canvas

Oh, if you haven't seen this yet: Imogen Heap has just released a single and a video for two of the song that are on her soon upcoming album. The album "Ellipse" is to be released on the 25. August, and it will be very exciting to hear the final result. I have been a huge fan of her video diary on YouTube and cried when I saw the final episode when she was done. She just strikes something good in me, that one. I like the person and the music. I also wanna be her.. hehe. I was actually also so lucky as to be chosen to be part of a bio that was written about her earlier this year. He he.. No, I am not her secret grandmother. She asked all her fans to write things about her on twitter and then some was selected to form a promo/biography thing that was sent out to press, pr etc. The cool thing is that also everyone was mentioned in references, so it says that I said that very sentence. Lovely. Good project. Also fans helped her make the album art and the whole story of her video diarys will apparently be on a dvd. Can't wait..! Hm.. I listen to the new Thom Yorke song now and expected to hear Imogens voice after the first few bars and there suddenly was Thom.. wow.. That would be an interesting duo in the studio.. They know how to sing and also really know their gadgets :D

First Train Home


Canvas

Imogen Heap - Canvas

New Thom Yorke song/Mark Mulcahy cover with brother

Thanks to "Rock it out!" blog on YouTube I found out about this one. It's indeed a new Thom Yorke song. Or really it's a cover by Thom Yorke of a song of Mark Mulcahy. I must honestly say that this guy has slipped right passed me, because I have never heard about him before. I have to read up on this. Apparently though, when a guy get a tribute album like this with all kinds of famous artists, he must be a good guy. The album is out to support him since he's wife died and left him alone with their twins of 3 years old. (And after taking care of twin babies for three days this week I can honestly say that I understand why he need all the support that he can).
The Thom York cover sound very much like him. The really interesting part for me, as a fan though, is that his brother is actually doing the background vocals on this one. Wow, it would be very interesting if they could do more stuff together. Two great voices there. I think the other brother need to be brought even more into the lime light too..

Here is a link to the song.
Here is more about the cd.

Live: Blur in Hyde Park

I have been a fan of Blur since around 1997 and I also loved the hits that came out before that. So when I heard that they were getting back together at end of 2008 and were going to play two gigs in Hyde Park in July 2009, I just knew I had to be there. God knows if they would ever play together again other than that.. And what a chance to see Blur on their home ground in London. So I bought two tickets and said to myself that I was going, even if I would go alone.. he he...

As the months went on I met a wonderful man and persuaded him to go to London with me too. That turned the experience even better. To be able to share a band I love with someone I love, just made it extra magical.

First of all.. I have been to concerts with 30 000 people, so I though I had a clue of what I was going into... But my god.. 55 000 are a lot of people!!! As I was moving forwards through all the people and trying to get closer to the scene it didn't feel like i was moving and all.. That's how waste the field was... :) We squeezed us into a little spot in the end were we would kinda be able to see both the stage and some big screens. The grass was totally yellow and kept sticking to everything. I really wanted to tell one woman that all of the back of her trousers was filled with grass, but i didn't have the nerve to.

As it drew closer to "kick-off" we move closer to the stage and I observed two new things that are different from concerts in England to those in Norway: 1. Everybody had bottles and like tossing them into the air so they hit other people. Some people even like to get hit and will get upon the shoulders of others and taunt them, so that they get bottles thrown at them.. The big problem occurs when you are near such a person.. The bottles will hit you (Thankfully these are not real bottles, as we first thought, but plastic bottles.. Still hurts when you get one into your ear though.. hehe) 2: English people like to stand closer too you than Norwegian people. That made me have a tiny bit of claustrophobia when there were people as far as I could see in any direction, but then the band started and I forgot :)

I now can't remember what the first song was anymore, though I think it might have been "there's no other way"? I at least know that the second song was "Boys and girls". I have NEVER in my life seen so much enthusiasm and heard so many people sing along.. It was just MAGIC!! I can't even describe it.. I add some videos below, so you can just see it yourself. The rest was just.... Song after song and hit after hit. I think they were in a bit of a shock themselves too. They played better than I have ever heard them before (on youtube) and the whole vibe of the performance even transcended that of the u2 concerts I have been too. And you can imagine the showmanship of Bono... Hard to live up too. I say it again. I have never ever seen so many excited people in one place :) when we came to song 2 it just too totally off and were just orgasmic before the lull and calming light and amazingly soothing tones of Universals guitar riff said good bye. I was so tired I could hardly walk or think and was glad to have a man that could lead me too the crowds home... :) The heros are back. Let's hope they stay around for a while. The music they will make now if they continue... oh wow.. I look forward to tell stories about this when I become and old little lady.

Links to videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AyvMr87tG4


I was on this side... just more to the middle and more to the front!

From the stage:
http://www.youtube.com
/watch?v=pluevDwqnho



Universal:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrS1heA_sTc



Another genreral discripion thing.. Well done! Best filming of Song 2 and the whole feel of the thing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVquWCFWD-A

Live: Phoenix 1901 at Letterman

Phoenix is reaching new hights and here they are at the David Letterman Show. Finally I found it on YouTube :D Enjoy!

Life: Norwegian summer nights

I just took this on my balcony:) I love how the nights are so light this time of year and it will only keep getting lighter untill the middle of june:)

Music: Diiiirty Pop

When you spend your whole day working on a program where the characters dance "dirty pop" the line "diiirty pop" suddenly pops into your head. Then you send half of the rest of the day wondering, where that came from. Then suddenly it becomes clear. It's the first line in a song of a boyband that you kinda liked a long time ago and already then had the most talented lead singer ever... yepp, we are talking N*sync, Justin Timberlake and.... "Pop". I even remeber watching a making of of this video at one time. I like it. It pops out of the screen. And Justin? well you know what happened to him :) And the rest of them... I have NO idea... Anyone? Oh and that's some great dancing ;) The whole video is kinda a big Justin advert when I come to think of it. He does vocals, beat boxing and amazing dancing in this one. A bit bad quality, but that was the only thing I could find.

Music: In preperation for Blur in July!

Judging by their current form it looks like
this is gonna be a hell of a lot of fun!! :D D

Life: Active Wii

Homepage for the program

Today a new element has found it's way into my life and the training for geeks has hereby begun :) I am now the owner of a virtual personal trainer in the comfort of my own living room and excited to see the progress :) Here are some videos to help you understand:

1



2

Life: Embroidery exhibition and Paris

Two great new news for you people :)

About a month back I applied to be a part of an exhibition that is gonna display a more modern approach to cross stitch embroidery. They call it gerilja embroidery and mix like dirty words with the traditional flowers and cute birds :) I wanted to be in on it from the start, and now I am accepted. Two embroideries will go on the wall of an café in Oslo and hopefully get sold. My plan is to make something with an old like expression for something like "Oh darn" or "What the heck?" or "Couldn't say boo to a goose" That kind of old expressions, just in Norwegian. I now have to plan out the project exactly :) Thankfully it's not due til October, so I have all summer :) I have some thoughts about how to do it, so I will keep you posted.

Secondly, I went to Paris a few weeks ago. The city took me by surprise and I loved it surprisingly much more than last time. I think my photos with comments speak for themselves. I took 460!! They can be found here. I will add more as I find the time, so keep checking back :)

Looking forward to my birthday and to June ;) I will tell you more about that some other time :)

Life: cd-spring-cleaning

Ain't life as a cd-collector fun?:)

New song and video from Phoenix: Lisztomania!!

AHHH! Yet another elegant, brilliant, catchy, sweet and amusing video and song from Phoenix. Let's hope they don't get soaked up in the US now, after SNL, but then again, it will teach all the emo-kids some class and knowledge of classical composers :) Ironically the director of the songs video is called Wagner too. Of for a quick walk outside :) Have to practice before going to.. No other place then.,. yes, France! :D

Here it is :)

Great collaborations: Mariah Carey and Whitney Houson - When you believe

You can say much about Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey, about boyfriends, husbands, drugs, divas and the rest. One think you'll never get passed though, these two woman have two of the most amazing voices the world has ever heard. Put together I think you almost reach godly excellence. Forget all you have heard about the persons and just listen to the voices. This is beautiful :)

Crafts: Embroidery

Embroidery inspired by old Norwegian wedding outfits. Beautiful and also quite modern looking:)

Great live: Phoenix on Saturday Night Live

This might be the first time I have ever seen the boys of Phoenix a tiny bit nervous. But my oh my, the still do an amazing job. Let's hope they can bring some french elegance to the American minds ;)

Enjoy, people!


22.03.2013 The original video has since been deleted, but I hope you enjoy this one:

Great songs & Great covers: Handbags and Gladrags - Stereophonics

This is one of those songs that really reminds me of being about 20. Kelly Jones voice is still as beautiful as ever and the lyrics are so so sad but still very well written, from a grandfather to a grandchild. The video is also very 90's with the lava lamps and everything. Just a great piece of music. Enjoy!

Great collaborations & Great Cover: Michael Stipe & Bruce Springsteen - Because the night

All I can say is wow! Legendary voices singing such a legendary song. Thanks Patti too! Enjoy! :D

History: USS Enterprise

For two days now I have been working on the subtitles for documentaries about this great World War II ship, USS Enterprise. It's really an amazing ship and incredible how much she survived during the war: Pearl Harbor and relentless attacks from the Japanese army, including the Battle of Midway. I found this great little movie about the ship on YouTube as the ship sails her last voyage to the scrap yard. So sad that no one took care of this for the future and made it into a museum. Movie here. You can also read more about the ship here.

Great songs & Great music videos: Island in the sun - Weezer

In light of the last e-mail that was all about Christmas and Weezer it's time to celebrate the spring instead. After about 3 days of sun in all of 2009 it actually looks like sun and spring is heading this way!! I am so sick of snow, I guess this is the revenge for wishing for snow instead of brown fields for Christmas.

This is one of the most beautiful spring/summer songs there is. It makes you feel nice and safe and happy. The video is one of the most cute, sweet and videos around too. All the animal babies playing together, it's almost like a piece of heaven :) It's no wonder that it's great really, I mean, it was directed by none other than the great Spike Jonze. I am sure I'll get back to him later :) You can read more about the song here. And see the video here.

Great Covers: Chirstmas with Weezer

Yes, I know it's as far as Christmas as it can be right now, but I found this thing today and it was just to good to don't show you. It's the Weezer Christmas album where Weezer does Christmas songs. Very very good. I Especially love O,Holy Night.

Friday Fun: Bach meets Elton John

I randomly found a very cool thing on Spotify today. The pianist John Bayless is combining Bach and Elton John and improvises around the too. I think it qualifies as good Friday fun :)

Enjoy! Tiny Dancer and Your Song.

Suddenly short

I cut my hair about 40 cm a few weeks ago. Here it is. Big event for me. He he. I have had long long hair for about 15 years!

Great music videos: Elton John - This Train Don't Stop There Anymore

I have a kind of conflicted relationship with Elton John's music, but he has made some genius songs through the years. One of them is "This Train Don't Stop There Anymore" where he looks back on his career. The real stroke of genius was though to hire Justin Timberlake to play Elton in the video. I think this was the first time I really thought to myself "Oh, that Justin, he's gonna be huge.. Just wait for it! He's soon gonna go off on his own..". I think Justin does an amazing job and really gets the lyrics across so clear... It has brought tears to my eyes many times :) hehe

So here is one clip with behind the scenes interviews of Elton and Justin and then the video itself.



Watch Elton John - This Train Don't Stop There Anymore in Music Videos  |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

New songs: Phoenix - 1901

Ok, this is kind of old news by now, because I have been busy lately (:)), but still great news:

The amazing elegant beautiful band Phoenix is releasing their new album on the 25th of May, but has already put out the single "1901" on their homepage and you can listen to it or download it. I think it's really really good. Such a perfect production, it's like the song is jumping out of the speakers. And very cool, and takes a lot of self esteem to call the new album "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix". But then again, they are from Versailles ;) Can't wait to hear the new album!!

Enjoy!

Great music & film: Lord of the Rings Symphony

I don't think I have mentioned that before in this blog, but I am also a huge "Lord of the Rings"-fan and I find the music for the films a big part of why they are so so good. Howard Shore has done a masterpiece in enhancing the mood of the movies and the beautiful photos and the story created but the rest of the theme. Parts of the music is really moving and I'll never forget the first time I saw The Return of the King for the first time. I was in the front row of the worlds biggest THX movie theater and the speakers with the music was right in front of me. I was so overwhelmed by the beauty!!
The music has also been released like a Symphony and I have made a play list for you of an orchestra playing it. Enjoy this modern masterpiece!

Great songs & Great lyrics: The Power of Love - Frankie goes to Hollywood

This song I have been thinking about blogging about such a long time, but forgot. This is one of the loveliest songs about love ever. It's very universal in it's lyrics and quite simple and somehow makes me shred at tear or too, but as you know by now I am a very easily moved person ;) And it somehow also felt like the right day to blog this one :) I also really like the fact that the music video has a slight Jesus-story going. To me the whole point of the Christian faith is love and the most important in my own strange interpretation of it. Care about others and they will care about you. Care about yourself and you'll care about others.
So here it is: The Power of Love.


LYRICS:

Feels like fire
I'm so in love with you
Purge the soul
Make love your goal

The power of love
A force from above
Cleaning my soul
Flame on burn desire
Love with tongues of fire
Purge the soul
Make love your goal

I'll protect you from the hooded claw
Keep the vampires from your door
When the chips are down I'll be around
With my undying, death-defying
Love for you
Envy will hurt itself
Let yourself be beautiful
Sparkling love, flowers
And pearls and pretty girls
Love is like an energy
Rushin' rushin' inside of me

The power of love
A force from above
Cleaning my soul
Flame on burn desire
Love with tongues of fire
Purge the soul
Make love your goal

This time we go sublime
Lovers entwine-divine divine
Love is danger, love is pleasure
Love is pure-the only treasure

I'm so in love with you
Purge the soul
Make love your goal

The power of love
A force from above
Cleaning my soul
The power of love
A force from above
A sky-scraping dove

Flame on burn desire
Love with tongues of fire
Purge the soul
Make love your goal

I'll protect you from the hooded claw
Keep the vampires from your door

It's also quite interesting that this song is on the same album of Frankie goes to Hollywood as "Relax". That is a very very different feeling song and video, but also great in it's own way :) hehe

Friday Fun: Liam Lynch - United States of Whatever

United States of Whatever came out when I lived at a student dorm about 5 years ago. Two boys in my dorm played it all the time and I still think it's very very funny and very lovely ironic and over the top. The perfect sing along song in many ways. Liam Lynch himself is also quite an interesting guy. Among tons of other stuff he has done has directed some quite amazing music videos like "Times like these" for Foo Fighters and "Tribute" by Tenacious D. Here is the video for United States of Whatever. Enjoy! :)

Great documentaries: J K Rowling

As you might know, if you have been reading my blog, I am a huge Harry Potter fan. I found this amazing documentary about J K Rowling and her last preparations before releasing the last Harry Potter book: "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows". It even covers the moment when she finishes the book and follows her for a year. It gives a very person and touching portrait of J K. You really understand how the books became what they did, when you hear her life story and more about her as a person. I especially love the beginning where she is asked what is her favorite virtue etc. It says so much about her as a person that I am not even sure she is saying herself. Me personally I have tears in my eyes again as I watch it... Such a beautiful human being and such an amazing story and creative mind. I just reread "The Deathly Hallows", and it's just amazing. So many details, such Shakespearian plotting and the talents equaling Agatha Christie when it comes to complex and thrilling writing, not revealing the truth until the last moment and bending and twisting what you think along the way.

Here it is: enjoy!

Film: Oscars 2009 - The musical is back!

I haven't been able to watch the Oscars yet, but I just found some of the amazing numbers that Hugh Jackman, this years host, does in the show. The first one is in the very beginning in the show and is fun, dramatic, beautiful and made me burst in to tears and remember why I love the theater.

And the second is from a genius musical medley later in the show with Beyoncé and several other :)

New music: Youthmovies

I have always liked the rhythms of prog-rock but it's been something about the sound of the whole thing that has killed it for me so far. Maybe it's just me that has been a bit ignorant, but it has often sounded so so very 70's and 80's rock in the way the instruments sound, the horrible keyboards and rock-80's-vocals.

Last night on Last.fm a miracle happened. I found the amazing band Youthmovies! They play crazy prog-rock-jazz music with a British rock of the 90's sound. At least I think so. Very exciting and surprising, because for the first 2 minutes or so it sounds quite ordinary and then suddenly very strange things start to happen and it takes you away and sends you for a strange and long trip and at the end you end up where you started. Definitively my kind of music!!! Love how they use a trumpet and love the vocals. Enjoy!

This is my favorite songs so far: If You'd Seen A Battlefield and on their homepage you can see a lot more fun stuff and a great interview very strange and very funny people. Makes you wonder if they are really high.

Apparently this is also Mathrock? I think that might be a really good genre for me, so more about that later :)



This is the video for "The Naughtiest girl is a monitor" (remember high quality) Not that exciting song, but thought it was time for you to see what they look like.

Euro song: the Norwegian winner: Alexander Rybak - Fairytale

"Euro Song" is a very strange European phenomena. All countries in Europe have a certain amounts of song in a national final and then the winner from each country go onto a European final. The winner is chosen by televotes from all of the nations that participate. The votes are given by calling up each country and then they give their votes. Earlier when eastern Europe was not really taking part, this would include every single point, but now the lover points appear automatically and is counted like that. Only the highest points (10 and 12) is given directly from the presenter of that country. I'll try to find some photos of this. For years and years the music was only one genre almost. Very very popy and "eurotrashy", but a few years ago everything started to change and then a Finnish metal actually won, so it's getting better. The whole thing has being going on for over 50 years with annual concerts. The shows are always big and you feel like some strange kind of unity when everyone around Europe gathers around their TVs at the same.

In Norway Euro Song is known as the program that everybody love to hate. Everybody say they hate it, but at the same time they sit down and watch it. Norway that generally is a bit of an underdog-land in Europe always wants desperately to win and the last years we have had some quite good songs. Last year we got all the way to 5th place :D

This weekend the Norwegian final was held and the Norwegian winner: Alexander Rybak, won by over 600 000 votes!!!! :) So he has the country behind him.

Alexander Rybak has made such an amazing blend of eastern folk music and Norwegian folk music that this has to be good. Very charming guy and the most amazing dancers doing Norwegian folk dancing, that suddenly remind me a lot of break dancing. Alexander has written the song himself, singes with amazing feeling and plays violin like a little good. Such a charming young man, so we hope he can charm his way all the way to the victory :) Here is a clip from the national finals Here is a bit of the voting, where the swedes make fun of the fact that they can't vote for themselves.

Great bands: Phoenix

Great introduction to a great band with the making of a great album. Can't believe I forgot this one in my top 15. LOVE IT :) - Phoenix - Alphabetical - French elegance.

Great songs: Ole Paus - Mitt Lille Land

"Mitt lille land" by Ole Paus is one of the most beautiful songs about Norway I know. It's something quintessential Norwegian about it. The music through the use of the Hadingfele (fiddle), but most of all the amazing lyrics. It says something about the small, strange, great and beautiful little things in life and how it is to come from this "Mitt lille land"- "My little country". For the news on Norwegian TV2 the singer Kurt Nielsen has also made a very good cover that is accompanied by very Norwegian images.

(Intense response to this post after the 22th of July 2011. I am glad I can help and humble.)

Here is the original version and this is the Kurt Nielsen version.





Mitt lille land
Et lite sted, en håndfull fred
slengt ut blant vidder og fjord

Mitt lille land
Der høye fjell står plantet
mellom hus og mennesker og ord
Og der stillhet og drømmer gror
Som et ekko i karrig jord

Mitt lille land
Der havet stryker mildt og mykt
som kjærtegn fra kyst til kyst

Mitt lille land
Der stjerner glir forbi
og blir et landskap når det blir lyst
mens natten står blek og tyst

Mitt lille land
Et lite sted en håndfull fred
slengt ut blant vidder og fjord

Mitt lille land
Der høye fjell står plantet
mellom hus og mennesker og ord
Og der stillhet og drømmer gror
Som et ekko i karrig jord

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My little country
A little place, a handful of peace
thrown out among mountain plateau and fjords

My little country
Where high mountains are planted
among houses, people and words
Where silence and dreams grow
Like an echo in barren earth

My little country
Where the sea pats mild and soft
like it's caressing from coast to coast

My little country
Where stars glide by
and becomes landscapes when it gets lighter
while the night stands there - bleak and silent

My little country
A little place, a handful of peace
thrown out among mountain plateau and fjords

My little country
Where high mountains are planted
among houses, people and words
Where silence and dreams grow
Like an echo in barren earth

15 albums of my life

This is really a facebook thing, but since I wanted to share it with all of you, I put it here, and this will also end up in facebook notes, so all is good :)


Think of 15 albums that had such a profound effect on you they changed your life or the way you looked at it. They sucked you in and took you over for days, weeks, months, years. These are the albums that you can use to identify time, places, people, emotions. These are the albums that no matter what they were thought of musically shaped your world. When you finish, tag 15 others, including me. Make sure you copy and paste this part so they know the drill. Get the idea now? Good. Tag, you're it!


---------------------------------

As chronological as possible

A-Ha - Hunting High and Low
This is the first album I remember buying at the age of 6 and I totally loved it. It was the perfect clever pop-synth of a 6 year old. Still love the album

Guns n' Roses - Use the illusion I
I think this started my craziness for guitars and guitar solos. Amazing rock album and I still love it. November Rain is still one of the greatest albums ever made. Perfect for a 12 year old :)

Nirvana - Live in NY MTV acoustic
This changed the whole way me and all my generation looked on music I think, though we didn't heard about Nirvana before Kurt was dear, I think ;)

Aerosmith - Living on the Edge
Oh, how we loved Crazy and Cryin'. Record listening and taping of videos onto vhs when I was 14.

The September When - Hugger Mugger
Opened my eyes for the great Norwegian band The September When and made me go out and buy everything they ever made and obsessively love it forever and know all the lyrics. Nice for a 15 year old.

Alanis Morisette - Jagged Little Pill
Girlpower in a cool way not the stupid spice girl way. Lovely for a 16 year old.

Blur - Blur
This album opened my head and ears to a whole musical world. I had never heard anything like the guitar on Essex Dogs, and still love it.

R.E.M - New Adventures in Hi-Fi
Started my relationship with R.E.M. I loved this album and we liked it so much that we even used it for a theatre performance, how advantage of us ;)

Radiohead - Ok Computer
Amazing, mind numbing, and so so filled with love on all levels.

Kent - Isola
Bought on a Swedish gas station outside Gothenburg on the way to Praha by bus with my high school senior class. Listened to it all the way there and back. Turned out to be the foundation of a friendship a few years later.

Jeff Buckley - Grace
So beautiful, so clever, so sad. Bought in Poland on another study trip and listened to all the way home.

Elliott Smith - XO
Not sure if this was the first one I bought of Elliott, but I pretty soon loved all his stuff and this is one of the albums I love most of all.

Travis - The Invisible Band
Remember buying it and sitting on the train station and thinking how much I loved ever song.. Amazing :) Sparked my whole love for Travis.

Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not Amazing energy and cool guitars and vocals. Just a very very good debut album

The Raconteurs-Broken Boy Soldiers /Consolers of the Lonely Bought these two at ones. Lovely nice to the soul, deep, blues sound from the heart. listened to this all through the summer of 2008.

Great Musicians: Johnny Marr and guitars

I found a very very cool clip of Johnny Marr ( The Smiths guitarist) so I had to add this as a follow up on the last post. Johnny talks about how he fell in love with guitars and plays a little bit of... "There is a light the never goes out" This is the man that all the guitarists of the Brit-pop wanted to be, so I need to listen to him more and also check out that Rickenbacker. Loves the kind of double thing he does in the beginning... Almost sounds like two guitars at once. What is that? Anyone that can help an effect novice out? :)

Musical Memories: The Smiths - There is a light that never goes out

Back in the early days of the internet, when IRC was the cool thing and long before mp3's an American that I randomly talked to sent me two songs of a band I had never heard before. The songs where "There is a light that never goes out" and " How soon is now" by The Smiths. Little did I know how legendary these two songs all ready were in the world and how they still are. I just remember totally falling in love with the lyrics of There is a light that never goes out and also the melody and the softness of Morrissey's voice. This lyrics was written for a person of about 16 years old with all it's dreams of never ending love and the naivety of that. It's somehow really tragic, but also about teenage love. At least I felt so. I half wanted to be the person in that, half was glad I didn't die like that. This was before I heard more songs of The Smiths and realized something really irritating, but I still love the softness of the voice and the lyrics.

Take me out tonight
Where theres music and theres people
And theyre young and alive
Driving in your car
I never never want to go home
Because I havent got one
Anymore

Take me out tonight
Because I want to see people and i
Want to see life
Driving in your car
Oh, please dont drop me home
Because its not my home, its their
Home, and Im welcome no more

And if a double-decker bus
Crashes into us
To die by your side
Is such a heavenly way to die
And if a ten-ton truck
Kills the both of us
To die by your side
Well, the pleasure - the privilege is mine

Take me out tonight
Take me anywhere, I dont care
I dont care, I dont care
And in the darkened underpass
I thought oh god, my chance has come at last
(but then a strange fear gripped me and i
Just couldnt ask)

Take me out tonight
Oh, take me anywhere, I dont care
I dont care, I dont care
Driving in your car
I never never want to go home
Because I havent got one, da ...
Oh, I havent got one

And if a double-decker bus
Crashes into us
To die by your side
Is such a heavenly way to die
And if a ten-ton truck
Kills the both of us
To die by your side
Well, the pleasure - the privilege is mine

Oh, there is a light and it never goes out
There is a light and it never goes out
There is a light and it never goes out
There is a light and it never goes out
There is a light and it never goes out
There is a light and it never goes out
There is a light and it never goes out
There is a light and it never goes out
There is a light and it never goes out

Radiohead at the Grammys

Sometimes old institutions and traditions needs a bit of shaking up, and not surprisingly did Radiohead just that when they played at the Grammys last night. 15 step was performed by Thom and Jonny and The USC Marching Band. . Amazing stuff!! I wish it had been better sound at this clip though so I could hear the details. Hope someone posts that later, while we wait for that: here.

And OHH!!! The won Best Alternative Album! YEEEAH!!

Great music videos: U2 -Sweetest Thing

This weekend is U2-weekend on WH1 in Norway and even maybe all over Europe? Anyways.. They have so so many great videos (and songs of course) but it's one that always breaks my heart and makes me shed a tear or two. It's the very very sweet song "Sweetest Thing".

The song was allegedly written by Bono as an apology to his wife Ali Hewson for forgetting her birthday during The Joshua Tree sessions. At Alison's request, proceeds from the single went to her favored charity, Chernobyl Children's Project International. In the video, directed by Kevin Godley, the phrase "I'm sorry" (and some variations) can be spotted. Cameo appearances in the video include Riverdance, Boyzone, Steve Collins, the Artane Boys Band, and the Chippendales. The Edge, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen Jr., Norman Hewson (Bono's brother), Dik Evans (The Edge's brother), and Alison Hewson, appear in the video as well, along with Bono. More here

Bono really shows how expressive his face can be and he really has his heart on his sleeve and are not so much the usual very cool and untouchable. You can really tell how much emotion it is connected with this song and it's so so cute and so funny. I think my favorite moment might be the little dog with the white flag. A very great idea for a video for a very very cute song. I think any wife in the world would melt when she got such an apology. Enjoy! (And yes, that is his wife in the beginning)

Australian awakening and Great covers: Sia - Paranoid Android

Grettings from an extreemly snowy Norway! Been out walking through lots of snow with guitar, bakcpack and handbag for two days now.. Sigh.. Good to be home..

Sia is another of the great Australians.. I was really glad I found out that it was her singing Electric Bird. I have heard that song for so long and wondered who it was. On Spotify I found this amazing version she does of Paranoid Android. The intensity of her voice in this one reminds me a bit of Beth Gibbons and Tori Amos and the strings in the bakground is perfectly "sick", strange and creepy.. Might be the best Radiohead cover I have ever heard. Gives me chills :) Here

New music: Australian awakening - Spiderbait

Sometimes one is just very lucky when it comes to finding new music and this has happily happened to me again. A few days back "inuitwomb" on Last.fm (great nick by the way ;), or Benn as he is really called, posted me a shout. He had found at that we had a quite similar taste in music and it's always good to meet people like that, that like a lot of the same thing as you and also a whole lot of other great things that you have never heard.

For a long time I have had this thought in the back of my head that it has to be a lot of great Australian music out there that I have never heard. The only thing I know that is Australian is Kylie Minouge and AC/DC... There had to be more than that coming from down under. So as Benn is Australian I asked him for some new cool Australian music and my oh my! I am glad I did. He on the spot gave me about 15 bands I have never heard of. I am now on my third band and I have LOVED everything so far, and that is very rare...

So people.. brace yourself for a lot of Australian coming from me to you in the time ahead!

First up is "Spiderbait" an amazing rock band.. One of the coolest things is that the drummer is actually also the bands singer and they have a guitarist and a female bass player. I must have heard them before, at least their single "Black Betty" was very familiar to me. It's very typichal down to earth bad ass rock, and I think they have music that are not just like that, but I haven't heard anything yet. They kind of remind me of a mix between The Pixies and Foo Fighters and PJ Harvey, Audioslave and Ida Maria right now... And there is some old school rock ala Ac/dc in there too. Great stuff. I give you Black Betty...

Ah.... and I of course now realized that Black Betty is really a classic song covered by tons of people.. that's why I knew it... Stupid me (Slap of hand to the head). But anyways Spiderbait's version is definitively the best one I have heard (and I have now heard quite a few as I have been looking for their version .. hehe) (You can see the video in HQ if you have Last.fm on the Last.fm page)

Live: Oasis in Oslo Spektrum

photo from Dresen by Colawarkid

In 1998 i attended the scariest concert of my life. I was quite new to the whole concert thing and somehow ended up about 5 meters from stage on Oasis. I am pretty tall so I usually never get afraid to get lost in the mush pit, but this time I was cought between really tall and really crazy boys that was jumping like maniacs. We managed to get to the side of the crowd and it was better for a while. BUT it was so so so damn loud that my ears started ringing so bad that i couldn't even hear the music any more. We ended up leaving way before the Walrus.

Today it was time to attend my second Oasis concert - ten years later. I ended up right next to the sound guy and that is always good. supposedly it should be the best sound in the whole arena though it's no always so. But this time it was.

I really can't believe that you can go to an Oasis concert and buy seats where you have to sit down. The whole thrill is to jump to songs like "Cigarettes and Alcohol" and "Slide Away". I was a little to prepared about the set list. I have to stop unwrapping the Christmas presents to early or in this case read to many set lists from the current tour before I attend the concert. Lovely blend though between the old and the new though. For me the classics where the greatest because it's during this last ten years that I have loved more and more songs like "supersonic" "Morning Glory" and "Rock'n'roll star". Maybe I am just idealizing my youth ;) Noel kept joking that it had to be several school classes on school trips in the audience cause there were so many young people there. Apparently it's been a long time since they played to such a young audience. Cool though.. recruit them young.. he he

Oasis is also quite fun to watch and you think to yourself "What the *** is Liam doing now" when you watch them. He just stands around a lot, and it's very very cool but also makes you wonder. And his legendary singing pose is always stellar. I was especially happy to hear him sing really well and do all the long tones.. I have been watching some live from the earlier parts of the tour and he seam to have been really struggling. Very happy :)


During "Wonderwall" something very strange happened by the way. Liam for some reason stopped the whole song shouting "just a second... just a second" and strolled of to the side of the stage. I bet he had a chat to the sound guy about something cause something was "too loud" apparently.. Maybe it was us or the drums. Thanks to YouTube though, you can watch it here. What the ''' is he saying?



There are tons of live clips from the concert on YouTube. Just search for "Oslo Oasis 2009" :)

This one of the really great ones and gives you a lot of the atmosphere of the place. "Don't look back in anger" is such a classic.




Some heroes from the teenage years live forever. Some heros even get better when you get older and they have changed half the band to legendary musicians from other dead bands and made a kind of brit-pop super-group. (Yes, Gem and Andy has a very great past). I think they might become the new Rolling Stones and are gonna be around a lot longer and maybe we'll have a second age of brit-pop war now that Blur is back. That would be something, ha? ;)Can't wait til July! Co-coci-choo and yooohooo :)

And as I write the last words of this post I found an interview where Noel talks about doing solo stuff, so great things ahead for sure.