Aural drippings

Thanks to this music lover and this site, I’ve had some great new stuff spinning on the iPod this weekend.

Most of what I picked up was live and acoustic and paired nicely with the still, relaxing weekend I had. A few gems:

Neil Young’s Harvest Moon as sung by Pearl Jam.
Admittedly, I'm late to the Pearl Jam party. They're growing on me, but I still prefer their slower acoustic stuff. They touch brilliance when they team up with Neil.

Be Be Your Love - Rachel Yamagata.
I'm also late to find her. (I had other stuff to get to, I guess.) It's hard to believe that someone this beautiful could ache so badly. I love this song because it's so simple. We've all been in this place - watching from afar, wishing time would speed up and push us together with someone.

The Headlock – Imogen Heap.
Sort of like Bjork, this vocalist from Frou Frou intrigues me. I don't know that I’m totally sold on her individually, but I'm willing to sit with it for awhile.

Arms of a Woman – Amos Lee.
“A thousand miles from the place I was born, but when she wakes me she takes me back home…” This song beautifully merges the freedom of being completely safe with the sacred femininity of a woman’s soothing embrace.

Hold You in My Arms – Ray LaMontagne.
“When you kissed my lips with my mouth so full of questions, it's my worried mind that you quiet…” What can I say? I’m a words girl. I can’t get enough of this guy and his raspy steadfastness. It makes me wonder what he’d be like in person.

Paperweight – Joshua Radin and Schuyler Fisk.
The perfectly fluctuating harmonies in this song sound like the humming sound rain makes when it changes intensity on your roof.

True Love Waits – Radiohead.
Radiohead is especially great acoustic, and there’s just no band that offers up a better soundtrack for your sadness.

Harbortown – Josh Ritter.
This track is reminiscent of a beautifully simple 70’s folk song. People easily compare him to Nick Drake, but I think he sounds like Cat Stephens here.

I’m going after a few things pretty hard right now (more details to come) and music shall soothe the savage beast while I wrestle with them and create.

Anything you’ve heard lately that gives birth to inspired output?