This is one of the things I missed doing on this blog: discovering new (and new to my ears) music. I have to thank Spotify for this find though. Release Radar playlist lists new releases from artists that I have liked over time and well, let’s just say that in my opinion, The Lumineers is one of the most underrated bands ever.
They did me right when they released Ho Hey, but have you listened to Stubborn Love? And that line??? Just straight to the heart.
Then there was Ophelia, which I thoroughly sang to every day for the past year driving to work.
The lyrics they come up with just hit the heart and the soul. I am really thrilled finding out about them years ago. It feels almost exactly like discovering Bob Dylan’s basement tapes.
Anyway, this is their latest song from their latest album, yet to be released. Get ready for some feels.
I haven’t done Music Monday for quite some time now. Now that I have a big load of preoccupation, I have to admit some things have been shoved to the back. But on a quiet afternoon like this weekend, I chanced upon P!nk’s cover.
The main thing that attracts me to her music is that her voice is as powerful as her message. Believe me, I love that Sam Smith came out with this song. The melancholy, the blues, it’s all there. I absolutely adore this song. And then P!nk sang it, and I adore it even more.
Admittedly, I teared up when I was listening to it. The sadness in her voice and that strain as if there’s real pain in there…. my oh my. Perfect cover. Perfect P!nk.
So, here’s the thing: I love Coldplay. I really do. I have said more than twice in the past that should they play in the Philippines, I’ll donate blood to earn money and buy a ticket. Maybe even sell a kidney. Because I know they’re phenomenal. I have seen their Glasgow performances. I have seen people cry at their shows. I want to f*cking cry at their show.
You know when they decided to play in Manila? Right when I moved to New Jersey. YUUUUUUP. Imagine how much that hurts. You’ve waited all your life… and just when you thought you came close, Coldplay flies to Manila and played on the year you weren’t there. It was such a tragedy.
Until it wasn’t. One night, the Husband and I found ourselves seated at the middle of the second riser of a gigantic stadium, being serenaded by Izzy Bizu and Alunageorge, waiting for that opening explosion that is Coldplay.
The sun was setting and I kept telling him to get ready to be blown away.
The Husband isn’t even as big of a fan as I am, yet when the music started and the lights went up and the people rose, his jaw just dropped open and pretty much stayed that way for the next couple of hours. It was insane.
I have underestimated the people’s love for heart-wrenching, speak-of-the-truth, spirit-uplifting, life-motivating type of music. Chris Martin called for the people to put their phones down and just dance, and we all did, and it was a marvelous sight.
I purposely bought a camera for this show. Still, I ended up not taking that many photos or videos even! I was just in awe. This is it, my music idols, the men who are true epitomes of musical artistry just going wild with the crowd as if they haven’t endured an intercontinental flight a couple of nights ago.
Like the true class acts they are, they paid tribute to the late Chester Bennington and gave a soulful rendition of Crawling. At first, I didn’t recognize the song, but the Husband — a fan of Linkin Park — knew right off the bat that it was the first Linkin Park song he listened to and fell in love with.
This is one of those experiences that have truly humbled me. The past couple of years have been testaments to how good life can be, and to be frank, most of the time, I feel undeserving of all of these. But when the lights would change, good music would fill my ears, and I hold the hand of the love of my life, I knew there is no other imaginable possibility but this.
In a crowd of 50,000, I have never felt more visible. And for the first time ever, I am seeing all this for real and not just in a dream.
It has been a great Presidents’ weekend! I have to admit these long weekends are something to get used to. Saturday was spent with friends, Sunday just us two, and Monday with family. It was a well spent quick vacay… AND I BECAME OBSESSED WITH MOANA.
I know the movie came out last year, but we didn’t get the chance to watch it in theatres. So when Roku loaded it in their streaming videos, I SWEAR I loved it the moment I first heard everything. I can’t recall a Disney princess having a richer back story and a more memorable realization than Moana. I just absolutely loved it.
So much in fact that I kept listening to the music. And I just had to bring back Music Monday for it! Seriously! But first, let’s just adore baby Moana for a moment here. And the first scene when she made friends with the sea.
As I was saying, husband and I loved the soundtrack so much that we started playing it in the car all weekend. I loved it more when I started using it as my ambient music before falling asleep. Honestly though, this first song was the one that really hooked me in. The serenity of the music and the richness of the vocals tug at the heartstrings unfailingly.
We spent Memorial Day weekend in Maryland, hanging out with good friends. It was quite a drive from Jersey; with the construction by the Delaware bridge, there was an additional 45 minutes to the usual 3.5-hour drive.
This song came on and I just looked at Le Mari. I remembered him saying that his father would play Peter Pan whenever he was sick. He grew up with that lost boy in mind.
With the heat pounding our windshield and the traffic making his legs hurt, the ethereal voice of Ruth B filled our small space in the road. The depth of the lyrics combined with Le Mari’s sentiment, this song easily took a spot in our favorites list.
the salt of your skin 
