Stretch.

I wake up to this song after my 15 minute 2 second nap at approximately
6:17PM three days a week (MWF).  She
has a voice that enables you to transition gradually from sleeping to regaining
consciousness. In that semi-conscious state
where I am between death and life, I walk Ms. Loy down Nelson Ferry Rd. It is quite nice. After the song is finished playing on my laptop, I wake up to life, ready to attack whatever is planned for me that day. Rachel Loy has a voice that instills in me a strange feeling of invigoration. And the irony of this all is that the song came free with my Dell computer. Now I know why they say the best things are free. Angel of Mine.

-RB

From her website:
Rachel Loy is transparent and emotionally evocative. Like John Mayer or
Nelly Furtado, you sense that Rachel is sharing something deeply
personal when she performs. Raised in Austin, educated in Boston,
Rachel Loy is the real deal. She’ll never get caught lip synching… or
performing a song she doesn’t believe in. In 2003, while enrolled on a full scholarship to Berklee College of
Music, Rachel got signed to Sony Epic Records for her single, “The Same
Man,” becoming the first full-time female Berklee College of Music
student to be awarded a major record deal.At the ripe age of 23, Rachel has written and released three CDs,
toured nationally, and performed live on national television. Yet, her
performance remains remarkably down-to-earth. She sings and writes to
accurately expose her emotions and experiences with no holding back.
Once you see Rachel, you’ll know. She’s not only not faking it, she can’t fake it.
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If you were to take a 15 minute afternoon nap and then listen to this song, mtwy would be awfully proud of you.

GlassByrd was Christine Glass and Marc Byrd. Christine has the voice of an angel; absolutely ethereal.

RY: Say is now out there for the world to hear and it’s part of
The Bucket List. How did that whole thing come about and is it going to
be part of the movie soundtrack?

JM: I don’t think
they’re releasing a soundtrack for the movie, though it is in the
movie. I’ve been approached for the last 5-6 years with ideas to write
songs for movies. I’ve read the scripts (or didn’t read the scripts),
and I always knew that with this kind of an experience [writing a song
for a movie] it would have to be great. I don’t have to do it–it’s
extracurricular. Maybe this sounds selfish, but I only want to be
involved in the best movies. If I’m going to act in a movie, I want to
act in American Gangster, Part II. Is there one? If not, I’ll write
one. American Gangster Part II: Even More Gangster Than Before. I’ll be
that guy and then it will go straight to DVD [laughs].

I want
to be involved with the best of the best. When I read the script for
The Bucket List, and obviously knew who was going to be in the movie, I
was bawling on the couch reading it. I’m talking like crying,
twin-twitching, sniveling-crying. As an artist, when you get lit up to
do something, there’s nothing like it. When you get that internal
passion to do something, there’s nothing like it. The second half of
the [summer] tour, it was all about coming up with The Bucket List
song.

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Sunlight on your face

On these too cold December days

In today’s marketing driven musical landscape, it is very rare to find songs that truly embody and capture the heart of their composer. These days, with the extreme pressures put on artists to put up or shut up, we find musicians singing songs about such arcane topics as Umbrellas and SexyBacks. Enter Brooke Fraser: a native New Zealander who makes no apologies for what she believes in or the music she writes. Having never even taken a singing lesson, Ms. Fraser simply is. This raw transparency has translated into platinum selling records and superstardom across New Zealand and Australia, all at the ripe old age of 19. Oh yea, she’s also the face of World Vision in New Zealand.

Brooke is now 23 and her newest album, “Albertine,” is named after a young child who she met while on a trip to Rwanda. It was recorded in the great city of Los Angeles. I should also note that Brooke and I share the same birthday. Here is my personal favorite “Shadowfeet.”

Walking, stumbling

On these shadowfeet

Toward home, a land that I’ve never seen


I am changing

Less and less asleep

Made of different stuff than when I began


There’s distraction

Buzzing in my head

Saying in the shadows it’s easier to stay
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Full credit and glory for this post goes out to our Bay Area correspondent JH who had the privilege of seeing her live. Here’s what JH had to say:

“Already a star in New Zealand and Australia, Brooke
is changing the world with her angelic harmonies, boundless talent, and
overflowing heart. This scintillating Kiwi put on an utterly
transcendent performance Tuesday night at the Cafe Du Nord in San
Francisco. In short, I love Brooke Fraser and truly believe in her music and her heart. Nashville, Boston, Philly, NY, and LA: get ready.”

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Minipop makes music out of San Francisco. Look for them on tour.

Dear Readers,

If you or your friends live within 5,000 miles of New York City, you need to check out the Big Phony show this Friday, November 30th. Allow me to enumerate the reasons why you should attend:

1. Big Phony is an epic artist.
2. The show is free.
3. Your ears will be in a state of euphoria.
4. Your soul will thank you.
5. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity.
6. The flier for the show is amazing! (see below)

Sincerely,
MTWY

Show Details:
November, 30 2007 @ 8:30 (goes up at 9:00pm)
The Living Room
154 Ludlow Street (cross Stanton)
New York, New York 10002
Cost : Free

I heard this song in a Gap store 3 years ago or so. It is what I thought it was. Quite literally.

I’m frightened at night and the wind has a roar

It seeps through the hall and from under the door

I give and I give and I give and I give and I’m still

Lost and hurt and bone thin from the love that’s been starved

The aforementioned song by John Mayer is now available for free download in music video form on iTunes. Bon Apetito! Get it here.