April Mixtape

Flowers, flowers everywhere! April is pretty pretty wonderful in Seattle for flower-lovers such as myself.  Up in Mount Vernon, the yearly tulip festival is in full swing, with everything blooming early this year.  I'll do a whole post on tulip pictures soon, but for now enjoy this new mix for the month of April :)

March Mixtape

happy march! it's really feeling like spring here in Seattle, which i cannot complain about! we've had many sunny days, the trees and flowers are blooming, and everyone is starting to make hiking their main weekend activity.  today is also the first game of spring training for the Giants, so I couldn't be happier! So excited to baseball to start! the above picture is from Scottsdale last year in March while we were down to watch some spring training games.   Here's some new music for your March and springtime activities ..

favorite albums of 2014

discovering new music is one of my favorite things to do .. this year, i found some great new artists to follow, like Angus and Julia Stone, Quilt, Temples. and Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger (pictured above at the Crocodile).  Then there have been some amazing albums from favorites like Beck, Tennis and First Aid Kit.  Since its too difficult to pick a favorite or rank the work of these artists, here are my favorites from 2014, in no particular order :)

Angus & Julia Stone - Angus & Julia Stone
Beck - Morning Phase
Tennis - Night Visions
First Aid Kit - Stay Gold
Temples - Sun Structures
Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger - Midnight Sun
Bombay Bicycle Club - So Long, See You Tomorrow
Mac DeMarco - Salad Days
Gardens & Villa - Dunes
The War on Drugs - Lost in the Dream
Quilt - Held in Splendor
St. Vincent - St. Vincent

tuesday tunes // december mixtape

some music for the crazy, busy, celebratory month of december :)

tuesday tunes // november mixtape

we are having such a lovely fall this year .. the perfect weather for going for walks and coffee dates with friends.  A time to slow down a bit and catch up on life, which i always seem to be in need of! October was busy with still trying to adjust to normal life after Europe, a last minute trip to San Francisco (hello World Series!) and trying to gain confidence in a new work environment.  If you are, like me, in need of slowing down before the hectic holiday season, here's some music to aid in the much-needed process ..

October Mixtape

Coming home from traveling overseas almost brings on a bit of sadness in the day-to-day activities that make up normal life.  Not that its a bad life in any way, but I definitely miss waking up and walking outside to something completely new and unexperienced.  I have been trying to be better about remembering what it is about daily life that keeps my spirits up, and one thing that definitely helps is music.  My love of music gets me through a lot.  I love discovering new music and finding just the right song to put me in that happy mood.  That's why I continue to make monthly playlists, to keep my spirits up, and the hope that it can provide the same to others :)

album obsession // angus & julia stone

i love finding albums that you can listen to on repeat .. the newest collaboration from siblings angus & julia stone is just that - music you can listen to over and over and not get tired of .. check out their most recent album, entitled angus & julia stone - well worth a listen :)

snapshots of Paris // take 4

a beautiful day in Paris - Montmartre, Sacre-Coeur, Île de la Cité, Pont des Arts (lock bridge)

Sacré-Cœur

 Montmartre 

august mixtape

brought to you by another gorgeous sunset over Greenlake .. summer is in full force and is shaping up to be quite a busy month! lots of changes coming up as well, including a new job at The Makers Space in downtown Seattle! more details on that to come later :) in the meantime, enjoy some summer-happy music!! 

tuesday tunes // july mixtape

new mixtape for july - i actually got it out at the beginning of the month! with summer now here in Seattle, i love having new music to listen to for all the outdoor bbq's and activities that comes with the warm weather ..

song of the day // Boy & Bear - Three Headed Woman

i first heard the native Australian band Boy & Bear from the recommendation of The Paper Kites - another of my favorite Aussie bands ..  their music is easy indie rock, my personal favorite - music you can listen to forever and not get tired of it! this song, Three Headed Woman, is off their latest album, Harlequin Dreams, for which they are touring in the US this fall! they will be playing in Seattle in October at Neumos - get your tickets here before they're gone!!

album of the week // Mac DeMarco

easy, summertime listening - that is how i would describe Mac DeMarco's album Salad Days .. it reminds me of The War on Drugs, or Kurt Vile - both of which are essential for sunshine days and summertime playlists .. He will be playing in Seattle at Bumbershoot this year - definitely want to check him out live! I have heard that he is quite the performer, and that sometimes his shows involve nudity or crude jokes to lighten up the audience .. Pitchfork has called him "The goofball prince of indie rock" - sounds like my kinda guy :)

song of the day // Woods - Moving to the Left

KEXP is the greatest radio station .. one of the hard things about being a non-profit is the funding, which is why i'm an amplifier donor - giving a little bit every month .. their summer fundraising drive is this friday, and if you love discovering new music, like me, you should donate! the plus side to being a non-profit, is they can play whatever they want, and always have the newest music discoveries, like this song from the band Woods .. they will be opening for Foxygen at Neumos on July 31st - you can get tickets here!

wedesday tunes // June Mixtape

long nights, BBQ's, road trips, the promise of summer - June is one of the best months in Seattle - here is a playlist to aid in all of your favorite warm weather activities!! 

song of the day // Cardiknox - Wasted Youth

i'm just getting to know the music of the duo of Lonnie and Thomas, who make up Cardiknox .. and they're from Seattle! their music is definitely catchy, and will be on all of my summertime playlists :)

tuesday tunes // first listen - First Aid Kit

i've been waiting for this album for months! i absolutely adore First Aid Kit, and their new album, Stay Gold, is now available to stream on NPR music - 1 week before their release date!!

STREAM THE COMPLETE ALBUM HERE

song of the day // Quilt - Tired & Buttered

Quilt's new album, Held in Splendor, is a must for summertime listening .. this song especially, will make you want to get up and dance :)

First Aid Kit - Cedar Lane

i cannot wait for the new First Aid Kit album to come out! these sisters have the gift of storytelling, weaving melodies and memories through their songs .. here is the new video for Cedar Lane .. 

music for wednesday // may mixtape

almost summer .. almost summer .. almost summer :)

out today: Midnight Sun

out today is the second album from Sean Lennon and girlfriend Charlotte Kemp Muhl , who make music together as The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger .. i had never heard of the band before last week when i happened upon them on NPR's music page - you can always find something awesome on there .. i grew up as a huge Beatles fan, and absolutely loved John Lennon .. its interesting to hear some of his voice through his son - it gives me that reminiscent feeling of my youth, while still being its own entity and standing on his own.  The album is called Midnight Sun, be sure to check it out! you can stream it free here ..