Posts Tagged ‘damien rice’

Working Hard Just To Shake The Yawns

March 2nd, 2011

I added new songs to my home page under “Songs On Repeat.” I’ve been really digging these songs lately, and continuously hitting back on my ipod or car or itunes (too bad you can’t hit repeat on Pandora). I hope you enjoy them too. And in case you weren’t aware, there is a little “play” button next to the song on the home page where you can listen to the song.

It has been awhile since I was able to post one of these, or any post for that matter. My site went through a reprogramming by the great people at Gorirra Consulting. Mix that in with the awesome progress we have had at Matters of Grey (185K visitors per month!) it has been a busy time of life.

As a warning, all three of these songs have some swearing in them.

Green Lightse-dubble Written Thursday
Written Thursday
e-dubble

You may recall that I featured this artist last time I made a Songs On Repeat posting. I also had the privilege of interviewing him for a Matters of Grey post. He went 52 straight weeks creating a new song. I don’t think there is anything I can do for 52 straight weeks, let alone something that takes so much creativity and talent.

Most of his tracks speak of his challenge, working hard, chasing his dream. I can listen to his tracks one after the other, and I come away inspired and motivated. When I am struggling with time for life, jobs, websites, I think of him and his determination. He recently did a mix tape of many of his “freestyle fridays.” You can download it for free. The dude is amazingly talented, and he will continue to kill it in 2011.

His track that I lately can’t get enough of is called Green Lights. This song both pumps me up, and tears me up. I get sentimental for him when he is told by his father of the pride he feels in him for chasing his dream. It also talks about people and situations pulling him down, but he recants that notion by saying that “all he sees is green lights” and that he is going to keep pushing for his dream.

If you know what has been going on in my life lately, you might be able to know why this resonates with me. People and situations may be trying to bring me down, but I’m going to keep pushing through.

cuz’ they keep pullin’ us down
but I ain’t stoppin’
cuz’ all I see are green lights
and even when I’m wrong I mean right
Please believe I-
know I’m gonna need to revise
but this life don’t give retries
so I’m on it
and up at the break of dawn
workin’ hard just to shake the yawns

Rootless TreeLive At Fingerprints: Warts and All
Live At Fingerprints: Warts and All
Damien Rice

Damien Rice is an amazing poet, song writer, singer, musician. He doesn’t have many albums out there, because the process he goes through in writing a song takes such an emotional toll on him. His songs are loaded with emotion.

I love his song Rootless Tree. The original version is an angry song. This live version is stripped down to a pure level of raw emotion.

What i want from this is to learn to let go
No not of you of all that’s been told…
…Let me out let me out let me out
Hell when you’re around

99 ProblemsJay-Z  and The Dap-Kings – “99 Problems” (Prince Ballard Royal Edit)
Free Download
Jay-Z featuring The Dap Kings

I downloaded this track somewhere. Maybe here. It features the brilliance of Jay-Z with a smooth jazzy accompaniment.

Jay-Z raps about being kept down by many different factors of racism and discrimination. But he sees the silver lining in the situation saying that he may have a lot of problems, but he has a good woman and a good support system and he won’t be kept down.

I’m like fuck critics you can kiss my whole asshole
If you don’t like my lyrics you can press fast forward

It’s Not If I Believe In Love, If Love Believes In Me

March 4th, 2009

I added new songs to my home page under “Songs On Repeat.”  I’ve been really digging these songs lately, and continuously hitting back on my ipod or car or itunes (too bad you can’t hit repeat on Pandora).  I hope you enjoy them too.

u2_nolineonthehorizonMoment Of Surrender
No Line On The Horizon
U2
This song is on their new album which I have been listening to practically non-stop for a few weeks.  It is an album that takes a few listens before it grabs you.  Track 3 on the album is this song and I keep finding myself going back to it.  It has a pulsating bass and drum that is reminiscent of another favorite U2 track, So Cruel (Achtung Baby).  There is a passion behind the words that comes out when Bono is singing.  Moment of Surrender is a track that grooves and possesses soul. 

Begging to get back
To my heart
To the rhythm of my soul
To the rhythm of my consciousness
To the rhythm of yes
To be released from control

killers_dayandageHuman
Day & Age
The Killers
Simply put, this song rocks.  I love the buildup of the hi-hat from the 3rd second to the 8th second of the song.  I love the driving beats, and they lyrics are ones that I can not just hear and enjoy, but feel and relate to as well.  I think there have been days when all I have listened to is this song.  If you haven’t seen it on these pages already, you definitely have to check out my snide of their cool light show performance at the MTV European Video Awards. 

Pay my respects to grace and virtue
Send my condolences to good
Give my regards to soul and romance,
They always did the best they could
And so long to devotion
You taught me everything I know
Wave goodbye, Wish me well..
You’ve gotta let me go

damienrice_bsidesLonelily
B-Sides
Damien Rice
This song sounds like it should be in a movie.  I could totally hear it as a track that plays while a montage of a relationship plays itself out during a movie about boy meets girl – boy loses girl – boy looks for girl – boy finds girl.  Or it could be found in a tv show on the WB (or wait, its the CW now?).  Its a really pretty song that is a roller coaster of emotions.  It definitely packs a punch.

I gave me away
I could have knocked off the evening
But I was lonelily looking for someone to hold
In a way I lost all I believed in
And I never found myself so low


Since I didn’t put in a snide for the first set of songs that I had on repeat, I will list them here in case you ever want to check them out.

countingcrows_august
Round Here (Live At Elysee Montmartre – Paris, France – December 9th, 1994)
August And Everything After – Deluxe Edition
Counting Crows

joshuaradin_unclearsky
You Got Growing Up To Do (Demo Version)
Unclear Sky
Joshua Radin

coldplay_vivalavida
Death And All His Friends
Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends
Coldplay

This Week I'm Thinking About: Josh Stichter