Faces of Me.

So, no song this week because I’m wrapping up the song I’m going to be contributing to the Day4Women Soundtrack (an all-female Soundcloud collaboration album).  I debated between two songs as to which I would choose.  One is about the strength and hope of a woman who has been through hell and back and is still making it.  The other is a double-sided coin.  It shows one woman’s life from two different angles.  I decided on….well….not sure still.  But, I’m recording tomorrow and we shall see who makes the cut.

So, in the meantime, I thought I’d share some “faces of me”(warning: I just woke up in these and it shows:))…..can you tell what’s on my mind in each?

A song for Victims of the Gaza Conflict….

Hello everyone.  Well, these past couple of days something has really been weighing heavy on my heart.  I know that the conflict over in Gaza has been going on forever, it is nothing new.  However, with the recent escalation and seeing other people around me dealing with death, it has affected me so deeply.  It pains me to see such violence and death.  When will it end?  What will it take for both sides to see that neither of them will ever come out of this as victors? Neither of them will ever know the end to suffering unless they do what has never ever been done…..choose peace.  I know, I know, there are the cynics and realists who will scoff, who will ridicule my little girl’s notion of “can’t we all just get along” — but screw that!  I do not care.  I have, and forever will be an idealist.  It is who I am.  I believe peace is not only necessary but possible and I will never apologize for that.  Where would we be without the idealist?  The people who, despite the seemingly insurmountable obstacles standing in their way, say “I’m going to try anyway”.  I have to believe it.  Just do.  All of that said, my heart goes out to all of the victims of the violence…..all of them.  I will not choose sides because there is only ONE side really — that is on the side of humanity.

So, what can I do?  All the way over here in Orange County, CA?  Little ol’ me.  Well, I don’t have the faintest clue! And it frustrates me!  All I know to do is to put it down in song or word and share it with whoever will listen.  It will not bring peace, but my conscience will not let me do NOTHING.  So, here is all I could do – a song, unfinished, unrefined.  My voice is shaky, my timing off, and it is missing the musical track (working on that still).  I actually wrote this song several months ago and have been holding it to see about getting music and production and all that.  But, today I just felt so compelled to share this.  So here it is, bare bones and all….

 

Feature Friday (on Saturday:/): Eelyk Mukcin and……my cover of PM Dawn’s “I’d Die without You”

Hellooooooo!  So, I have been M.I.A. lately.  But not without reason.  I’ve been a very busy bee, trying to put together the Day4Women album and conference.  I’m so excited about seeing all the pieces coming together:)!   However, I also don’t want to forget the music!  I had planned on doing a Feature Friday yesterday, but my schedule did not permit.  Instead, I’m doing it today:).  Today’s featured artist is a French Canadian singer/songwriter/guitarist/rapper by the name of Eelyk Mukcin (aka Kyle Nickum).  He is “on the Cloud” as well (Soundcloud, that is).  He is 24 and has been playing the guitar since he was 14, but has only recently became serious about making music.  He wrote “I believe free music is FREE music” in his description of his music on his Soundcloud page.

When I first was introduced to Eelyk and his music, the thing that stood out the most was his nonchalant, playful approach and delivery.  Yet hidden inside the playfulness, you’ll find hints of disillusion, frustration, social commentary, and even brokenness.  A good example is in his song called “My Dog is Dead (and My Pickup Truck Won’t Start).  On first listen, you think it is a joke.  But, as you listen, you will hear that he’s referring to the feeling like your world is falling apart. Another good example is the song “Galileo”, an upbeat, funky song, but also a commentary on the history of the Church’s handling of ideas that threatened their position of authority.  He says what he wants (however crass, blunt it may be), how he wants, and does so in a way that makes you appreciate his authenticity even if you’re not in agreement with the message.

Of all his music, perhaps my favorites are the rap pieces.  I happen to love the Beastie Boys and Public Enemy and Eelyk falls in between the two, but adds a little indie rock to the mix.  Two of my favorites are “Freedom of Speech” and “Eraserhead”.

Whatcha think?  Visit his Soundcloud page, or his facebook page and check out what Eelyk is up to.  I do not promise an easy listen.  Prepare for raucous, riotous sounds mixed with some obscenity.  Now, you may ask, why does that appeal to me?  Though it may seem as though my mellow, calming music is on the complete opposite spectrum from Eelyk’s music, there is one commonality and that is that they are both real, genuine expressions of who we are as people.  We wear our hearts on our sleeves, take it or leave it.  And when it comes to art, Cesar A. Cruz said it best, “Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.”  Thanks Eelyk, for making those of us who are “comfortable” wake up a bit:).

On another note:

I haven’t done a new song this week, but I did record a cover (something I don’t do very often).  It is of the early 90’s RnB group, PM Dawn’s, song called “I’d Die Without You”.  I always liked this song, melancholy songs usually do appeal to me for some reason.  But, when I started to do it on the guitar, it kept coming out more as an Blues/Soul version.  So, it is quite different from the original, but it is 100% me.  Here it is, hope you enjoy my rendition and if you don’t, well, I hope you appreciate the fact that it came out of who I am.  Enjoy!

Take care everyone, have a lovely rest of the three-day weekend (for those of you lucky enough to have one!).

Here are some collaboration projects being put out by myself and another Soundcloud Hero, Benjamin Dauer.  Give them a look see!!  See if you might want to get involved:)