Book Nook - May is music & movies month

I thought I'd mix things up and do something a little crazy for May's book nook posts.  Instead of the usual discussion about books, let's chat about music & movies.   Music is up first.........

Pretty, Odd by Panic at the Disco.  This is my favorite CD of all time.  I absolutely love it & love every song.  It has great singability (see, I love singing along to music in the car - probably much to the Bachsters' chagrin - and this is absolutely the best CD to sing along with).  I adore the lead singer's voice.  I love the lyrics and the melodies.  I love the memory I get of the time in my life when I first discovered this CD and listened to it over and over and over (it was Springtime).  I think Northern Downpour is my favorite song on the album.   I really love the first song too ("oh, how it's been so long, we're so sorry we've been gone.  We were busy writing songs for YOU!").  You might be familiar with the song that follows that first one - Nine in the Afternoon.  I also love the one about "when the moon fell in love with the sun" (I forget what that one is called).  They are all just perfect!

I read somewhere that the group was splitting up because they were divided on the style of music they wanted to do.  I can see that being true, because their first CD sounds way different than this one (it's a much harder rock sound than my beloved Pretty, Odd).  It saddens me that this group will no longer make music like this (I think the "hard rock" members of the group retained the name Panic at the Disco and the more Cheryl-friendly members are now The Young Veins.  But don't quote me on that).  I guess the fact that it will never be duplicated makes Pretty, Odd very special indeed.

Reservoir by Fanfarlo is a recent discovery.  I listened to this CD every time I was in the car for about 2 months straight and I never tired of it.  This group, an Indie band from the UK, did a song on the soundtrack for the movie Eclipse & that's where I first heard of them.  Well, I really loved that song and was very intrigued by the lead singer's voice - he sounds exactly like David Byrne of the Talking Heads, I think (but he's not David Byrne as it turns out).  So, I checked out their debut album, Reservoir and loved it.  Not only does it have great singability, but there is one song that is made for a head-bopping-dance, which my 3-year-old always does every time it's on.  It's really cute.  The song is called Ghosts.  The other song on the CD that I really liked is called Harold T. Wilkins, Or How to Wait for a Very Long Time.  Long title, I know, but good song & the Bachsters, who are forced to share my music choices, agree.  They kept requesting number 9!  But I really love all the songs on the album.

Despite the singability, I should mention that I can't understand a lot of the words, which (unfortunately) doesn't stop me from singing along.  I really can't wait to hear what this group puts out next, because I really love their first album.

So Red the Rose by Arcadia.  Oh, how I embarrass myself every time I listen to this CD.  I sing along because it is unavoidable (and great fun), but I can't understand a word of it, so I make up all sorts of weird nonsensical lyrics.  No one in the vehicle seems to mind, though.

This group is made up of a couple of members of Duran Duran, so if you like them, you're sure to like Arcadia (Simon LeBon, Nick Rhodes & Roger Taylor).  It was just a side project for these band members - in fact, the other members of Duran Duran did their own side project as well.

I'm so smitten with this CD.  It's very short - only about 35-45 minutes or so - but packed with great music.  It has a definite 80s vibe to it, especially with Rhodes' keyboard, but it's not a "dated" 80s sound, if that makes sense.  And I love Simon LeBon's voice.  The CD starts with a great song called Election Day.  One of the songs is only instrumental & it's got a neat mix of varied instruments.

By the way, DH and I saw Duran Duran live, several years ago before the Bachsters came on the scene.  If you ever get a chance to see them, do.  It was one of the best concerts I've ever been to (but I am a big fan of Duran Duran).  As I mentioned, if you like them, you'll love this little offshoot that they did.

Tell me - what's your favorite CD? 

Cheryl