...on the benefits of frequent flow experiences...

Forging a deep, intense relationship, in which two meld into one, can be a difficult, emotionally draining process. But the end result is so worth it. Especially when that bond is between musician and instrument. ... identification with their instrument was measured by their answer to this question: When I perform, I feel (1) that it’s really me as a person in front of the audience, rather than my instrument; (2) protected, or hiding behind, my instrument or voice; (3) that my instrument or voice is an obstacle to overcome between me and the audience; or (4) so united with my instrument/voice that there is no difference between us.

More at Pacific Standard.

the best route to fulfilment is the path of more resistance

Jack White, the former frontman of the White Stripes and an influential figure among fellow musicians, likes to make things difficult for himself. He uses cheap guitars that won’t stay in shape or in tune. When performing, he positions his instruments in a way that is deliberately inconvenient, so that switching from guitar to organ mid-song involves a mad dash across the stage. Why? Because he’s on the run from what he describes as a disease that preys on every artist: "ease of use". When making music gets too easy, says White, it becomes harder to make it sing.

More at Intelligent Life.

Anna Bessonova's incredible ribbon

These are the voyages.

From The Wall Street Journal:

In a testament to the music's endurance, La-La Land Records has just released a $225, 15-CD set, "Star Trek: The Original Series Soundtrack Collection," with 17-plus hours of every piece of music from the show's three seasons, restored and remastered.

Titles like "Torchy Girl/Under the Spell/Primitive Thoughts," "Probing/Monster Illusion/Monster Fight/The Kibitzers (mp3 clip)," "When Your Eyes Have Turned to Silver," "Breaking Planet/Sweaty Palm/Itchy Hand," "First Goner/Salty Cat/Dressing Down (mp3 clip)," and "Eve Cooks/Eve Is Tired/Pretty Eve" make it at least worth checking out on the LaLaLand site. $225 plus $12 shipping, though. Not for the sci-fi dabbler.

Sonic Youth - Sunday (video, starring Macaulay Culkin)

From A Thousand Leaves

The Mynabirds - Disarm (video)

The Mynabirds - Disarm from Saddle Creek on Vimeo.

From Generals.

Scarlett Johansson & Lulu Gainsbourg - Bonnie & Clyde

Listen at SoundCloud. Lulu is Serge Gainsbourg's son, and Charlotte's half-brother.

From Lulu Gainsbourg's debut LP, From Gainsbourg to Lulu, with Rufus Wainwright, Johnny Depp, Vanessa Paradis, and Iggy Pop.

Jesca Hoop - 'Hospital (Win Your Love)' (OFFICIAL VIDEO)

Ramona Falls - Fingerhold (Official Music Video)

Zebra Tracks - We Found A Reason to Live and We Called it God

If you're going to be random, be thunderously random. Like slam dancing with someone in a field at night.



From Greece's Zebra Tracks, on their forthcoming album, Collective Guilt. Stream it here.

Also, check out the beautiful video for "Bicycles."

Radiohead - The One I Love (R.E.M.)/Everything In Its Right Place (live, Newark, NJ, 6-1-12)

Radiohead - The One I Love (REM cover)/Everything In Its Right Place (Live, Newark, NJ 6-1-12) (mp3)

Born In The USA

Arcade Fire - Born In The USA (Obama Staff Ball 2009)

Grism - Relentless

So this is how they rock out in Iowa.  Might be worth a trip.

From Grism's Social Obligations.

Imperial Teen's Feel the Sound streaming on Spin.com

If you're like me, you listened to a lot of Imperial Teen in every car you've owned since the 90's.  If albums could be called "unputdownable," they would be Imperial Teen albums.  

Their new album, Feel the Sound, is streaming at Spin.com.  

Click to order from Amazon:

Household

so much depends
upon

a white flower
vase

glazed with fire
beneath

the incan-
descent light.

Dana Falconberry - Muskegon

The last thing you need is yet another west coast beach-influenced song.

But this is not that west coast. This is the west coast of Michigan, and the beach is in Muskegon. I took this photo after a short walk through the woods. Though at first glance you might think you would love to be here right now, I squeezed the camera button through a gloved hand in the biting north December chill.

On the opposite dune, there were solitary trails of footprints in the sand.

Dana Falconberry captures the mood here, in her song named after the city. From Dana Falconberry's new EP, Though I Didn't Call It Came.

Kathryn Calder on World Cafe

The New Pornographers' Kathryn Calder, who fills in beautifully for Neko Case when Neko can't make shows, was on World Cafe this Wednesday. Listen to the interview and performance here. Also, here's the official video for "Turn the Light On," from her latest album, Bright & Vivid.

YO LA TENGO - SUGARCUBE @ LA TRASTIENDA - BUENOS AIRES

You Never Say Just Who You Are

The Ettes tore through a live in-studio set at WFMU back in August.  It was tough like this:

The Ettes - You Never Say (Live for WFMU's The Cherry Blossom Clinic) (popup)

Wicked Will is a 5 dollar download on Amazon.

Let's All Have a Love-a-Rama

From the Alabama Music Hall of Fame:

Leon Bass learned to play the guitar and sing when he was 14 years old. Around 1955 or 1956 he traveled to Florence, Alabama and worked with James Joiner's Tune Records recording a couple of songs he had written - "Love-a-Rama" and "Come On Baby." The record never did much on the charts but later became a collector's item and is listed at #250 on Rolling Stone Magazine's 1000 Collector Records Chart. "Love-a-Rama" has been covered by The Country Rockers and Southern Culture on the Skids and was used in the Paramount Pictures movie, Varsity Blue.

50's kink lives!  Long live 50's kink!

Leon Bass & The Keystones - Love-a-Rama  (mp3 download on 4shared)

From the Oxford American Southern Music CD, "Mississippi," free with the December issue.  Also free: For Further Listening, which has a Leon Bass cover of Jerry Lee Lewis.