For some reason, about 50 times a day, when I’m in my own apartment, I hear the beginning of the Happy Birthday song played over some mysterious loudspeaker system run by some mysterious person.  It must be one of the schools nearby. I live in a university village, but there’s also a primary school and high school within walking distance  Why this strange selection of music? Is it a less shrill, but no less annoying school bell? Does it mark time like clanging church bells but more random- 10 past and twenty to the hour? Maybe Happy Birthday marks the end of the extended lunchtime? That the students have finally made it to class or back to their dorms so the local people- old folks, mostly- can retake the sidewalks with their afternoon talks and Chinese checkers? Maybe it’s only a panda happily, randomly pushing buttons in some nearby apartment. She likes Happy Birthday best.

I’m discovering that China has a strange relationship with Western music.  American Pop music. The university likes to play music in the campus between classes, which is an ever growing source of amusement and exasperation. How many times, seriously, will I hear The Black Eyed Peas fergalicious  “My Humps” ? Or a Britney Spear’s classic? Some other rap, pop abomination?  Chris has heard Feist a couple times (so someone does have good taste in music but I think they must be kept in a closet- only allowed out for the bathroom and they make the most of it by playing, for a few glorious minutes, good music). And I’ve heard Christmas carols.  Oh yes.  The Chinese, my students anyway, are infatuated with Christmas.  When seven out of my nine classes asked me to sing a song on the first day of class (with an enthusiasm and interest I’ve not gotten from them since) I consented with a verse of Jingle Bells to their delight and applause.  Yep, it’s a well-known tune that’s been played over the campus loudspeakers.  And “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” The warm, sunny day I heard that China outdid the U.S. in it’s premature enthusiasm for Christmas. But no street vendors are peddling chintzy red and green Jesus decorations yet.

Then there’s Avril LaVigne (referred to with much love by simply “Avril”) and Mariah Carey popular among the students. But the city as a whole has a fetish for Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” and Madonna singing, as the strong, beautiful Eva Peron, “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina.”  If the stores aren’t blaring techno-dance-electronica-pop, than it seems to be bad, inescapable American pop music.  Oh. The BackStreet Boys circa 1999 are also big here.

Feist on Sesame Street

Dear Sister,

Why you gotta be hatin’ on Feist? She teaches the wee ones how to count! (But only to four because she doesn’t know about “seven” and “eight.”) Eh. Who am I to judge? I get lost after ten because I run out of fingers.

Oh-oh-oh! I like the song for it’s dancey bounce anyway. Oh-oh-oh you’re changing your heart. Oh-oh-oh you know who you are!

Bat for Lashes-Horse And I LIVE Mercury Prize 2007-09-04

Here’s a video from the group I mentioned before- Bat for Lashes. Natasha Khan isn’t wearing a headband in this one, but can’t you picture her twirling in white around Stonehenge? (She recorded a portion of the their album in a forest- in the rain!)

I made the greatest discovery in all of Musicdom! Actually, a chunk of the credit goes to PaperMag but anyway. The discovery is this new online music portal and networking site erockster. I haven’t fully explored it yet because I got too excited playing with one feature: LISTEN NOW. It’s pretty much an online radio station- it streams a non-stop supply of music (with the random interjection of some indie music celebrity saying “This is erockster.” At least it’s not ad for Purina). I did take a few minutes to find they also provide info on the band, including discography and links to more of their songs.

When I first clicked Listen Now, I heard Jack White’s lusciously raw voice: CoooOOOONQUEEEEEEEEEEEST!. Oh, fantastic sign! And it continued: Bjork followed by David Bowie followed by Hot Chip and a little later Devo. Beatles, Air, Ghost Observatory, Portishead, Massive Attack! Delicious. This is perfect for me because I’m always on the look out for new artists (my latest find is Bat For Lashes) and who doesn’t need a little Depeche Mode to brighten their day?

apocalyptica – for whom the bell tolls (live)

The sexist thing in rock music: a cello quartet playing METAL. A couple weeks ago Chris and I went to Apolcalyptica’s show here in Chicago. If you want a nerdy deconstruction of the show check out Chris’s blog. But all you really need is this video.

Note: Headbanging whilst PLAYING THE CELLO.

This is an absurd song.

I have this video to thank for showing me the sad, moving side of a song named The King of Carrot Flowers. But I guess it makes a little more sense since Wikipedia has informed me that the album the song comes from (In the Aeroplane Over the Sea) was inspired by The Diary of Anne Frank.

Curiouser and curiouser.

Neutral Milk Hotel – The King of Carrot Flowers Pt. I

The Museum of Broken Relationships.

A sanctuary of heartache open in Croatia. Dozens of objects are on display, like letters, love tokens, t-shirts, even a prosthetic leg sent in by the lovelorn. Each is complete with descriptions regarding the failed romance. (One particular terse description of a little Nokia reads “It was 300 days too long. He gave me his mobile phone so I couldn’t call him any more.”) The founders say “it could be therapeutic for those with broken hearts.” Maybe. Or it could turn into a giant tearfest for the emotionally fragile.

I suppose there’s a certain amount of therapy in putting your personal life on display. Like weeping in front of a gaggle of strangers at the local mall’s food court when Celine Dion cries:

alllllllllll by myself

don’t wanna be

alllllllllllll by myself

anymore !

At least in the museum there’s anonymity.  Hmmmm…I wonder what I’d donate? A few of his eye lashes.  A lock of hair I keep in my gold, heart-shaped locket.  Nah.  I don’t think I could part with that.  But I’d like to see what other people dug out of their closets. A trip to the museum would satisfy the voyeur in me I keep under wraps by refusing to let her watch reality TV. (I do allow the occasional jaunt to Post Secret.)

I’ve decided this song is my favorite of St. Vincent’s and am using it as a theme song for my January Project. Helps get me in the writing mood. It’s strange and playful. I imagine myself in a stylized version of early 20th century Paris, wandering the streets of Montmartre in a large, feathery hat and a beautiful, but impractical dress. There’s a circus, too, with elegant trapeze artists and midgets clad in bright costumes and make-up.  And then there’s a fire and we’re all dancing.

Day 16: 2, 194

Day 17: 1, 156 (Oh! Second time I haven’t met my quota. I blame this on dinner with the parental units.)

Stop-Motion of St.Vincent’s

An amazing thing happened. Something clicked in my brain as my fingers scurried across the keyboard- one of my characters spoke up! Where before I’d poked, prodded and demanded that she do something. And finally- she did! She steered the scene in a different direction than what I’d intended (and my fingers rushed to keep up with her.) And I’m glad. It played out much better her way, and she gave me a few things to think about for later.

Today I got my second-highest word count since the start of this project: 2,569! Which puts me over 20,000 words- three whole days ahead of the game.

And a band that that I’m diggin’ :

The National – Mistaken For Strangers

I can’t stop listening to Icky Thump. Over and over I’ve been playing that CD this weekend, reveling in that sexy, coarse rock that is The White Stripes. What it is about Jack White and Meg’s quiet sensuality (either she is so innocently oblivious to how sexy she is or she just doesn’t care so much so that she appears oblivious) I haven’t figured out, but I embrace it, my new aural love. I’m especially drawn to the Latin-infused “Conquest” which has Jack White bellowing, Cooooonqueeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeest! (He was out to make conquest…). And the Irish flavor of “St. Andrew (The Battle is in the Air).” And, of course, the title track.