This is my favourite song from the last album I bought - Melody Gardot's "My One and Only Thrill", which I highly, highly recommend to anyone who likes blues, jazz or Nina Simone.

Also, this is an awesome bathtub video. It makes me want to throw on my gold lamé and feather boa, grab a glass of champagne and go dancing...

(OK, so I don't have gold lamé - but I do have a feather boa)





Aside from being a talented composer and singer, Melody Gardot has a remarkable, if somewhat sad, backstory. Her career developed as a result of using music therapy to help her recover from a bad jeep-vs-cyclist accident that left her with multiple serious injuries, including permanent neural problems and hyper-sensitivity to both sound and light (the reason for the rather cute glasses). She continues to promote music therapy to this day.

I love this aptly named vid so much - both the music, lyrics and images are so evocative. It's made by Brian Froud, one of my favourite artists, using art from his book, Brian Froud's World of Faerie and features Lousia John-Krol's song "And Which of These Worlds" from her Apple Pentacle CD.

Just watch - it's sure to lead your imagination down paths both dark and bright.

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Which of these Worlds?

and here's a world in which I can fly,
and here's a lake I skim like a mermaid,
here's a world where I'm imprisoned,
here's a pentagram of spells
that take a shape and burn like fire,
and here's a world where I beg for my life,
and here's a pleasure screamed with delight,
and here's a street I stalk as a vampire,
here's a world where I am a queen,
and here's a world where love reigns supreme,
and here's a world where I cannot walk.

And which of these worlds will I cry for?
And which of these worlds will I yearn for?
And which…. world did I choose?
And which of these was I thrown into?

and here's a lever lowering a bridge
that's leads to castles far in the wood,
and here's a carriage in which I ride
to my demise, my execution,
here I dance with daggers of steel
and here I run with wolves to the sea,
and here's a plate where poison is placed,
a gun to end the life of a rebel
here is snow where a life did expire,
and here's a banquet filled with mirth,
and here's an edict that would make
a billion people into slaves,
and here's a hole that leads to my freedom,
here's a shroud concealing a grail,
and here's a flag, and here's a sail
to take me to the next galaxy.

lucia_tanaka recently did a brilliant fanmix (with great graphics) for The Dresden Files called A Chicago Triptych, which has 10 songs for John Marcone, 10 for Harry Dresden, and 11 for the both of them.

I really like fanmixes, as they introduce me to bands I would otherwise probably never hear of, or sadly, would not bother listening to.

One of the songs from the fanmix I am totally in love with is this, The Wanting Comes in Waves / Repaid by The Decemberists. It's from the Harry album and she's chosen it as the theme for Harry and his Fairy Godmother. And it is perfect, perfect, perfect for his completely screwed-up relationship/deal with The Leanansidhe. Beautiful, passionate, haunting and really creepy.

Even if you don't know the Dresden Files, it's awesome all by itself as a storytelling song with amazing voices and melodies.

Recommended for those of you writing Nordic countries Hetalia...



Swedish/Sami Yoik/Pop/Jazz singer-songwriter, Sofia Jannok: "Irene".

Nothing kills the doldrums faster than watching a hard rock/metal band caper 'round a stage to a cheezy Bavarian drinking song. For all Rammstein fans (and really, anyone needing amusement) out there, this fanvid makes me scream with laughter every time I watch it: