While Busy Making Other Plans … – Page 224

Brittany Howard Again: It Just Won’t Stop

One of the most incredible intros ever, the first minute of this thing:

And the organ fade at about 4:00 …

Sorry, can’t help it. Now back to our regular programming.

rDay Two-Hundred-Ninety-Five

Special Post for Ivi: Olivia — demonstrating her special way with animals of all kinds — takes Charlie’s photo, then takes him for a walk.

Cyberterrorism – Squirrels, The Real Enemy

Read it here.

rDay Two-Hundred-Ninety-Four

Even colder than it looks, but Charlie is raring to go. And he waits by the front door when we are out on our own without his (crucial, probably from his point of view) accompaniment.

Janet’s puzzle has been completed. Take note, Ivi.

rDay Two-Hundred-Ninety-Three

Walking to the post office. Still cold & windy.

rDay Two-Hundred-Ninety-Two

A walk to downtown on a cold, windy winter day …

rDay Two-Hundred-Ninety-One: And The Music Plays On

Herman, my old college roommate and fellow Porsche owner/enthusiast, sends me links to his son Ryan’s latest music project and album. I first met Ryan at his Kansas City childhood home when he was an elementary-age kid making Michael Jackson moves and engaging in extreme skateboarding. Then a few years later, as an early teenager, he accompanied his father on a business trip when they dropped in for a visit to our Los Angeles loft. Ryan, who does the vocals here, has been in the LA music scene in various bands for several years, and, if I’m not mistaken, has also done some TV acting.

rDay Two-Hundred-Ninety-One: Brittany Howard and Distractions

Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes (TV Screen Capture of Austin City Limits performance)

Started off the day with the intention to work on bookkeeping and income tax matters. But instead I found myself compelled to listen to some of my favorite current music, starting off with “The Chopin Project” (Olafur Arnaldus), then on to “I Love You Honeybear” (Father John Misty), “The Epic” (Kamasi Washington), “No Cities to Love” (Sleater-Kinney), but spending all most the entire day with the Sound & Color (Alabama Shakes) … and chasing down everything I could hear by Alabama Shakes’ frontwoman, Brittany Howard. Right now, she is the singer I most love in any genre I can think of, and may be the most expressive. Of course, the Sound & Color album made my customary annual favorites list for 2015 — usually compiled at year’s end with the help of Ivi and sometimes some input from Nik — and Ivi was overhead singing “Don’t Wanna Fight” during family games over the recent holidays.

I usually reserve this kind of commentary for my music blog, but Brittany is taking over my life at the moment, so here goes.

First up is Alabama Shakes at Montreux:

Then an earlier appearance at the New Orleans Jazz Festival (including one of my favorites, “The Greatest” at about 19:00 in):

Speaking of “The Greatest”, I have been looking for a good quality performance on the Greater Interwebs, but this poor audio & video version on YouTube will have to suffice for now, as the energy of Brittany and the band come through anyway: