preparathon

So I am approaching my 6 month music therapy internship.

How do you prepare for something like that??

Well I asked my internship supervisor if there is anything specific I need to know, and she suggested I have a good knowledge of children's songs. umm... there are only a billion of those. Luckily I've had multiple practica in this area and worked at Camp Twin Lakes for two summers where I played at countless meals. That should give me a good basis. I probably should brush up on my Justin Bieber pretty soon...

Another thing I am working on for this is ASL or American Sign Language!!! woo!! I am teaching it to myself via a "Sign of the day" thing. Today's sign: good. Infinitely important in the music therapy world when many of our clients communicate through sign language. Maybe I will work up to colors soon....

Another thing about moving to Missouri that I have to prepare for: finding a place to live. Luckily there is this nifty little website www.roommates.com that can match you up with someone else based on your profiles, kinda like an online dating sight. Let's hope that works out so I don't have to take over an on-call room. Pretty sure the medical staff would frown on that.

Well I have sufficiently procrastinated long enough this afternoon. Those songs for the guitar proficiency aren't gonna learn themselves!!

state radio

gosh I love music. it just has such amazing power to make you feel differently and think differently. lately many band have taken a more political stance to their music. I call it 'when good bands go political' because not many do it well. they just don't have the power and ability that bands did in the 1960s. well I found one that does. More than political, they sing about personal experiences, injustices that they have witnessed, problems in the world, etc. and they actually DO something about it.


if you have heard of dispatch (which I have and LOVE) and were upset when they broke up, it's okay!!! the singer of dispatch, Chad Urmston, started this new band: State Radio. they have a lot of the same style of songs as dispatch. every style. Their songs range from ska and reggae to alternative, from slow to "raise yer pints" drinking songs. and EVERY song is about something they have seen, heard about, or known. the music: chad's voice is great. clear, not whiny, strong and powerful- this is the kind of voice that should be the head of a band. not only does he have a great voice, but he can change his style of singing to fit the style of the song. the other two members, Chuck Fay and Mike Najarian, of the band are talented as well. The band has 4 albums out now, and all can be found on itunes!! All of the links below are to songs that I don't just like but love! If you are more of a pop fan, I suggest listening to "Right Me Up" more than the others because I think YOU will like it the best.

• "Knights of Bostonia"- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OcaK2THE-Q&feature=related
• "Right Me Up"- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jza3P3PBeQ4
• "Gang of Thieves"- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hvm3FqtrmJw&feature=channel
• "Camilo"- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BkvRnUZJys&feature=fvw
  

the message: like I said earlier, most of their songs have some political motivation behind it. DO NOT let that make your opinion. They make wonderful songs; great music, and when it comes down to it.... that's all that really matters anyway. "Right Me Up" is about a friend of theirs with a disability, and "Camilo" is about another friend who served in Iraq.

the activism: this band practices what they preach!! not only do they talk about injustices in their songs and say that they support things, they do them. On their last tour they made it a point to do a service project in every town they stopped in, whether it be serving food at homeless shelters or building a playground! And they always want their fans to do the same. They encourage them to not only hope for and want change, but to BE the change they want to see. for more info: www.stateradio.com/about

bottom line: CHECK THEM OUT!!! it will really be worth your time!

just because I'm from the south doesn't mean I'm country

so let me preface this post with this: I DO NOT like country music. never have. that being said, I absolutely LOVE the wreckers. (would I be posting if I didn't?) they are almost too country for me, but not quite. I also do not typically like girl bands. so I wonder, why do I like them?

• being an alto, I am a sucker for harmony, so maybe that is why I like them so much.
• they both have great voices, and don't overdo the country 'twang'
• their songs fit THEIR voices, not a computerized, edited version of them
• I can use some of their songs for lyric analysis in music therapy sessions!!
  
• they are just awesome

• 

The Wreckers is made of Michelle Branch and Jessica Harp. Sadly, they are no longer together. :( but they DO have 2 cds on itunes. One is their live cd, and it is magnificent. They just really do a great job of writing songs and playing them. Some of their harmonies are unexpected too, which makes them even better.

So have you heard of them?? Their most famous song is 'Leave the Pieces' and they won an award for it in 2006 I believe. Where can you check them out? On itunes! Or, here are links to some of my favorite songs of theirs on youtube.

• leave the pieces: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHfSuBglk8E
• my oh my: http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=_cZV-OFv80Q&a=XayZU75RQno&playnext_from=ML
• lay me down: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CS3l4Qa9ZzE&feature=related

basically, you should check them out. I'm listening to them while I write this, and I hope you will now, too!

and I owe this whole post to my dear friend Elisa who made me listen to them oh so many years ago!!