NewYearsDayProject | a song a day blog

Three years ago, I taught a lesson on Irish music to my students. I played examples of Celtic instrumental music. I showed videos of  River Dance . I played sad songs like " The Parting Glass " and " Danny Boy ." Then I played some famous Irish artists like  Enya ,   U2 , and  T he Cranberries . Then I played   Kodaline 's " High Hopes ." When I asked my students which they liked the best, they said Kodaline. But that was  kind of a stupid question for a music lover. There are times when I want to listen to Celtic bagpipes and jigs. There are times I want to go out and have fun in an Irish pub and hear Celtic punk rock. There are times I want to listen to U2, and it's certainly not the same day I want to listen to Enya, but those days happen too. But like my students, I think Kodaline's first album fits more into my everyday listening habits. BROKEN BOTTLES IN THE HOTEL LOBBY.  While  In A Perfect World   is a great everyday listen, you have to

In 1946 George Orwell wrote in an essay titled " Politics and the English Language ": "In our age, there is no such thing as 'keeping out of politics.' All issues are political issues, and politics itself is a mass of lies, evasions, folly, hatred, and schizophrenia.” In my lifetime,  there seemed to be a time when we could be ambivalent toward the democratic process. We could sit in our homes on election day in good faith that the majority want the right thing or even stew in our own cynicism that the two candidates were different faces to the same policy. But look at how choice has been effaced.  A BEAUTIFUL WAITRESS WHO JUST COULDN'T MAKE IT.  The third record by Irish pop-rock band  Kodaline  titled  Politics of Living  isn't an overt political statement, but more of a casual jab at 2018 zeitgeist. Cynical reviewers panned the record as Kodaline's attempt to enter the U.S. market. The album's production and song structures do suffer a bit from

Today is a perfect day to revisit Kodaline 's In a Perfect World . The cover of the album reminds me of a summer day at the lake. The music soundtracks the drive to that lake outing as well as the lazy afternoon you spend in a coffee shop with a friend to beat the heat. However this summer is finding you; indoors or outdoors, rain or shine; I hope that listening to Kodaline's first album is the perfect accompaniment to these hot days! 1. " One Day ." The album starts with a radio-ready track. We're immediately drawn into Steve Garrigan 's unique vocals. Sometimes his Irish accent comes through, particularly on "through the eyes of someone else." The song builds from a simple guitar to more climactic backing vocals on the final chorus. The band re-recorded the song in 2014 , a year after the album's release, short-cutting the build, making the backing vocals even bigger. Both versions of the song are worth a listen, but the original fits better wi

Two years ago, I taught a lesson on Irish music to my students. I played examples of Celtic instrumental music. I showed videos of  River Dance . I played sad songs like " The Parting Glass " and " Danny Boy ." Then I played some famous Irish artists like  Enya ,  U2 , and  T he Cranberries . Then I played  Kodaline 's " High Hopes ." When I asked my students which they liked the best, they said Kodaline. But that was  kind of a stupid question for a music lover. There are times when I want to listen to Celtic bagpipes and jigs. There are times I want to go out and have fun in an Irish pub and hear Celtic punk rock. There are times I want to listen to U2, and it's certainly not the same day I want to listen to Enya, but those days happen too. But like my students, I think Kodaline's first album fits more into my everyday listening habits. BROKEN BOTTLES IN THE HOTEL LOBBY.  While  In A Perfect World   is a great everyday listen, you have to be

I was in a coffee shop in Sinsa, a neighborhood near Gangnam in Seoul, when I first heard  Kodaline . The Irish band's debut album,  In a Perfect World ,  and the EPs containing different versions of songs from around that time were perfect for a cup of coffee. Subsequent albums have made the band sound like they were striving to be another  Coldplay , but they got it right the first time on their debut.  I'm recommending the acoustic version of " Brand New Day ," featuring  Nina Nesbitt . I WANNA TRAVEL THE WORLD, BUT I JUST CAN'T DO IT ALONE.  The  lyrics   of "Brand New Day"  talk about "outgrowing your hometown" and wanting to "travel the world" with someone. As someone who could be said to be (still) on that journey, I remember the feelings of travel thirst. I got to the end of my bachelor's degree and thought about the constraints of going back home to North Carolina. I thought about how it would be a few years of struggle i

In 1946 George Orwell wrote in an essay titled " Politics and the English Language ": "In our age, there is no such thing as 'keeping out of politics.' All issues are political issues, and politics itself is a mass of lies, evasions, folly, hatred, and schizophrenia.” In my lifetime,  there seemed to be a time when we could be ambivalent toward the democratic process. We could sit in our homes on election day in good faith that the majority want the right thing or even stew in our own cynicism that the two candidates were different faces to the same policy. But look at how choice has been effaced.  A BEAUTIFUL WAITRESS WHO JUST COULDN'T MAKE IT. The third record by Irish pop-rock band Kodaline titled  Politics of Living  isn't an overt political statement, but more of a casual jab at 2018 zeitgeist. Cynical reviewers panned the record as Kodaline's attempt to enter the U.S. market. The album's production and song structures do suffer a bit from t

You might know  Filous  if you get the bonus tracks of pop singers. He's an Austrian producer, musician, and remixer, and he's remixed  Selena Gomez ,  Troye Sivan ,  Kodaline , and others. For " Feel Good Inc ." Filous teams up with electro-pop singer-songwriter  LissA  to bring a new interpretation to Gorillaz's 2005 hit, " Feel Good Inc. " The song has been covered by multiple artists, and while the original is the best, Filous's cover highlights the melancholy of the song by stripping the song of its bass line and leaning into its minor chord melody. Filous's "FGI" is laidback. It's a perfect coffee shop cover of the track because coffee shop tracks often don't have rapping or words like "ass crack." While today's song of the day is by Filous, it's the artistry of the musicians behind Gorrilaz that makes this song interesting. DON'T STOP. GET IT, GET IT!  In 2001  Blur  frontman  Damon Albarn  and anima

Last year I taught a lesson on Irish music to my students. I played examples of Celtic instrumental music. I showed videos of  River Dance . I played sad songs like " The Parting Glass " and " Danny Boy ." Then I played some famous Irish artists like  Enya , U2 , and T he Cranberries . Then I played Kodaline 's " High Hopes ." When I asked my students which they like the best, they said Kodaline. But that was  kind of a stupid question for a music lover. There are times when I want to listen to Celtic bagpipes and jigs. There are times I want to go out and have fun an Irish pub and hear Celtic-punk rock. There are times I want to listen to U2, and it's certainly not the same day I want to listen to Enya, but those days happen too. But like my students, I think Kodaline's first album fits more into my everyday listening habits. BROKEN BOTTLES IN THE HOTEL LOBBY. While  In A Perfect World   is a great everyday listen, you have to be careful watc

You might know Filous if you get the bonus tracks of pop singers. He's an Austrian producer, musician, and remixer, and he's remixed Selena Gomez , Troye Sivan , Kodeline , and others. For " Feel Good Inc ." Filous teams up with electoro-pop singer-songwriter LissA to bring a new interpretation to Gorillaz ' 2005 hit, " Feel Good Inc. " The song has been covered by multiple artists, and while the original is the best, Filous's cover highlights the melancholy of the song by stripping the song of its bass-line, and leaning into it's minor chord melody. Filous's "FGI" is laidback. It's a perfect coffee shop cover of the track because coffee shop tracks often don't have rapping or words like "ass crack." While today's song of the day is by Filous, it's the artistry of the musicians behind Gorrilaz that make this song interesting. DON'T STOP. GET IT, GET IT! In 2001 Blur frontman Damon Albarn and animat

Last week I taught a lesson on Irish music to my students. I played examples of Celtic instrumental music. I showed videos of River Dance . I played sad songs like " The Parting Glass " and " Danny Boy ." Then I played some famous Irish artists like Enya ,  U2 , and  T he Cranberries . Then I played  Kodaline 's " High Hopes ."  When I asked my students which they like the best, they said Kodaline. Well, that's kind of a stupid question. There are times when I want to listen to Celtic bagpipes and jigs. There are times I want to go out and have fun an Irish pub and hear Celtic-punk rock. There are times I want to listen to U2, and it's certainly not the same day I want to listen to Enya, but those days happen too. But like my students, I think Kodaline's first album fits more into my everyday listening habits. BROKEN BOTTLES IN THE HOTEL LOBBY. While In A Perfect World  is a great everyday listen, you have to be careful watching the music

I was in coffee shop in Sinsa, a neighborhood near Gangnam in Seoul, when I first heard Kodaline . The Irish band's debut album, In a Perfect World  and the EPs containing different versions of songs from around that time were perfect for a cup of coffee. Subsequent albums have made the band sound like they were striving to be another Coldplay , but they got it right the first time on their debut.  I'm recommending the acoustic version of " Brand New Day ," featuring Nina Nesbitt . I WANNA TRAVEL THE WOLD, BUT I JUST CAN'T DO IT ALONE. The lyrics   of "Brand New Day"  talk about "outgrowing your hometown" and wanting to "travel the world" with someone. As someone who could be said to be (still) on that journey, I remember the feelings of travel thirst. I got to the end of my bachelor's degree and thought about the constraints of going back home to North Carolina. I thought about how it would be a few years of struggle in a career