I’m blogging at Will’s insistence. Clearly, he finds himself unfettered by the concerns with which I am weighed down; matters pecuniary, what on earth is a “super bowl”, was that a real giraffe &c. But I don’t want him to stop loaning me quarters for the meter, SO:
Describing Sundance is like describing space travel, you guys. You can read first hand accounts all you want, and they’re all the same, but it doesn’t do justice to actually going. In light of this, allow me to present you with a highlight reel of Sundance, as described via the easiest way for me to communicate: a Sundance mix!
Beach House – Norway
Will and I saw them play to a curiously half empty (half full?) Star Bar for the Washington Filmworks/Sub Pop party. This song bends in and out of tune, making me light-headed, like when a plane drops suddenly and you drop through a dizzy spell with it. This also happens when you drink a lot, which everyone does in Park City (and I continue to do!) But maybe I should include “Zebra” with this because it’s the one everyone likes more anyway.
Andrew Bird – The Giant of Illinois*
You listen to stuff like this a lot when you’re a girl that likes to listen to weather-appropriate mixes. So clearly, if I’m going to be seasonally relevant, when it’s snowing, I am going to listen to songs that sound like snow. (Does this make sense? Whatever, just go with it.) Are you listening to this? I mean, really listening? The song is really, really beautiful and kind of makes you want to take the whole Park City skyline and all that snow home with you. Try it for yourself! (Next year.) *It should be noted that this song – in my opinion superior to the original by The Handsome Family – is about a real person, Robert Wadlow, who really did die from a blister. However, it wasn’t in the winter, as the song suggests, he actually died in the summertime.
Richard Marx – Right Here Waiting
The ASCAP Music Café plucked Richard out of the “whatever happened to ____?” obscurity to perform not once, but twice (!!) at Sundance on Main St this year. Make a Wish Foundation wish fulfillment? ASCAP is under no legal obligation to confirm or deny, but really, what the hell? (PS Darrien Michele Gipson knows every word to this song and don’t even let her tell you that she doesn’t.)
Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson – Buriedfed
Did I exhaust the case for listening to wintry and cold sounding songs when it’s wintry and cold out with the Andrew Bird entry? Did I mention that Park City is really, really cold? And that it snowed the entire time? And that I live in Los Angeles, with it’s temperate climate, and inexplicably and obnoxiously act like that gives me license to talk about the cold like I invented it? Oh well!
Penny & the Quarters – You and Me
This song was neatly slipped in the middle of a load of Grizzly Bear in Blue Valentine. Will kept poking my arm every time a new song started, like I don’t own the album and recognize the songs. Moving on! I first discovered this song when parsing through old soul compilations looking a couple years ago, and was immediately struck by a desire to find it a home in a soundtrack. Clearly, Joe Rudge beat me to it. I should probably be happy that such a charming song is getting out there for people to hear, but I’m not. This is your warning, Rudge. Stop snatching my obscure songs!
Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeroes – Home
Just something to listen to when you’re far away from wherever you come from, which I am a bit, with all the film festivals SAGIndie travels to. If you see me wandering around, listening to my iPod between screenings, you can probably bet your friend $10 that this is the song I’m listening to. Even if it’s not, I’ll play along. It’s the least I can do for someone who would read my blog all the way to the end.
