The Sweetest Reasons

Sounds of 2011

My year in music was kind of tame, but maybe that's just life with kids and an old, ipod lacking any updates. But, the albums I did find were pretty stand out, so that's something. Yes, albums. Albums are still very important to me. Singles are great. They are fun. They might even lead you to albums. But a good, solid album--whoo-eee--that's the best.

Fucked Up/David Comes to Life

This was my favorite album of the year. Mike pushed it on me all summer, but it wasn't until things hit the fan that it became the only thing I listened to for days on end. It is the best album to demo a house to, have a small breakdown to, or just wallow in a lot of adult angst. 

Adele/21

Yes, I know, I know. Radio ruined her for so many. But I don't listen to radio much.

M83/Hurry Up, Were Dreaming

I heard that radio might be ruining this guy too, but see above. I absolutely love the sound. I want to drive all night to this album. In a snow storm.

Naked and Famous/Passive You, Agressive Me

While talking about M83 and highly polished studio sounds, let us not forget this band, the Steely Dan of the trippy indie sound. I like polished. I like raw too, but mostly I like polished. And I fucking love Steely Dan. (And I'm wrong; this album came out in 2011. Doh.)

The Head and The Heart/ST

Oh nelly, this group knocked me on my ass. Perfect Olivia folk-rock. Damn near perfect album start to finish.

Foster the People/Torches

Pumped Up Kicks was the single that made me listen to the whole album, and guess what? The album is a gem. Super dancey and fun. Just like me.

We Are Augustines/Rise Ye Sunken Ships

I found these guys last month, but the album is very listenable. A bit Cold Play-ish, but Cold Play never hurt anyone, right?

Also worth mentioning Florence + The Machine/Ceremonials and Frank Turner/England Keep My Bones. Lots of Youtube and Vimeo for music watching and I really came to love Pandora.

What music did you fall in love with this year?

Best Albums of 2010

My friends all do this every year and I always look forward to it. For those of you not on the email list we circulate, here's my list:

The Hold Steady-Heaven is Whenever--Best album of the year. Amazing live show. I'm die-hard for these guys. Hell, I even had a fan-photo experience with Craig. He's the Billy Joel of our generation, and I really like Billy Joel.

Frightened Rabbit--The Winter of Mixed Drinks--The runner-up to THS. And to second my husband, they write some incredible hate-fuck songs that make a girl want to drink and dance. Sense a theme in my musical tastes yet?

Mumford & Sons--Sigh No More--Some say the songs all sound the same: slow, building, brooding. That would be exactly the type of music I love the most.

Broken Bells--S/T--Just liked having this on heavy rotation.

Tallest Man on Earth--The Wild Hunt--This is a perfect sophomore album. And he also put on a crazy good live show, commanding the entire downstairs of the Middle East. It felt like an "experience."

Hey Mama-The Doubl Handi Suite--Holy crap, can this girl sing, or what? She soothes my hippie soul.

Kings of Leon--Come Around Sundown--My little girls really dig these guys. We listen to them a lot. Not a bad thing.

Delta Spirit--History from Below--This is a college radio find. I would hear tracks while driving around and get pumped and it was always these guys. Bushwick Blues was what sold it for me and, ahem, Jess and John, you need to listen to that track, stat.

Deerhunter--Halcyon Digest--I'm smitten and interested in what came before this release.

Black Keys--Brothers--Late to show with these guys too, but I'm loving their sound on this album so much.

Also late to the party, albums I discovered this year but not necessarily released in 2010:
Neko Case--Middle Cyclone
The Good Life--Black Out & Help Wanted Nights (Where have I been?)
Bon Iver--For Emma, Forever

WTF or FTW?
Flight Facilities--Crave You--A single, remixed a bajillion times by some Aussie DJs. If this were on vinyl, I would've played through it. What's up with these guys and will they keep making more? Any information would be gladly welcomed; the track is dope. Their video is sexy-hot too.

Anticipating:
Wye Oak--Civilaztion

Happy New Year everyone!
Much love,
Liv

And here's a photo from one crazy night out after the Hold Steady concert, with a musical soul-mate of mine. This was also one hell of a year for live music, but those posts have been made. Happy listening all!

Favorite Photos of 2009

To say I take a few photos of my family would be an understatement. An extreme understatement. I photograph my family and our friends ALL THE TIME. Thankfully they have learned to ignore me, something as a photojournalist I would say countless times to subjects: Just pretend I'm not here. They oblige, I get the photos. Motherhood isn't all sexy, running around after bad guys, access to everything, photojournalism. But I can't turn it off either. I need to take photos. I need to challenge myself to take great photos even if it is just another cold, winter's day stuck in the house, or the 5,000th photo of the girls on the swings. I keep trying to make my photography better. I post a lot of photos on this blog, and many of them are favorites from the year either because they marked a special moment or because the elements of photography that I love came together nicely. Below are a few that are important for just those reasons. Maybe not all the best technical photographs, but certainly proof of some of the best memories.

We rang in 2009 with a big love for elephants, especially Horton. My co-worker passed the elephant costume on to me for Halloween, but it got so much more use during the everydays.

She's just kind of been like this: Happy.

Momma's Little June Carter Cash

  

I can't even express how important the people are sitting around this table, who come to us always, because we have the kids and no babysitter, and they will just sit around our kitchen table eating take-out and drinking beers like it ain't no thing. They are, without a doubt, some of the funnest people I have ever known. My family in Boston.

 

And while we are talking friends: These two got married and someday I'll have photos to prove it. Love them.

 

Poppa & Bea: Team Ghost Spiders

 

You know that one person who you honestly can talk about anything with and who will never judge you and who makes you laugh all the time and eat the worst food with and watch the dumbest TV with and read the trashiest magazines with and shop with and IM with daily the dumbest news stories and youtube videos? Yeah? Does she happen to be Julia Hanley? Didn't think so. She's mine. Here we see her magic at work with Little Jo: Vacationing at its best.

There aren't words for this.

 

The night we moved Bea into her big-girl bed, we plopped Josie in here. First and last time she would stand for that so merrily. Ah, the second child.

Blue Bea

Laila is just one of those children who loves babies, which you can obviously see here. Good thing we found out that she was going to become a big sister in 2010. That Baby Girl Brady is so, so lucky to have her as a big sis.

  

2,317th Swing Photo

 

Besides the obvious and daily happening of us three hanging out in the backyard, this photo exhibits the peace we all have when we are together. Really. This year had very little fighting, tears, or jealousies one might anticipate would happen with a sibling so close. Sure, it happens, but it doesn't happen often and it never lasts very long. Hope that lasts.

I'm not the only one who couldn't get enough strawberries this summer. I also think we found a perfect vacation spot this year.

 

Could there possibly be a sexier, minxier British couple to be Godparents to this handsome man's child?

Catching some rays amongst our veggie garden.

Maybe a few words about this man, who still makes my stomach flip when he walks in the door, and who works so hard, and who is kind and wise and gentle, as well as funny and sarcastic and naughty too. Thank you for all the amazing surprises, bottomless patience, and nights on the couch this year.

 

Hmmm?

One thing about Bea: She never stops moving.

And while I hate to end the year with a sad photo, this might just be my favorite of the year because this is Josie RIGHT NOW! She has an opinion, she knows what she wants, and she turns it on and off like a switch. She also really likes to dress-up. Fits in perfectly.

Happy New Year everyone! May 2010 be a year of prosperity, peace, and love for you and all your loved ones. Thank you again for taking the time to read about us.

*Cheers!*

Top Albums of 2009

I just threw my hat into the ring of total music snobbery that is affectionately known as the Best Album List Mike and his friends have had going for several years now, started by the most wonderful, non-snobbish guy I know, Greg Stevens. Over the years the list has grown to include many, many people I don't know, music scenesters from Atlanta, San Fran, you get it. And every year I read these lists and go, "Uh. I've never heard of these bands before." Or "If I read another list that is all stoner-instrumental-spazz-core, I'm going to scream."

Yep. That's what those lists have meant to me. Until this year. I realized I actually agreed with some folks. And that my opinion on music isn't something I have to keep to myself. Even if they intimidate the hell out of me.

So, for your enjoyment, here's my emailed list of the Top 10 Albums of 2009:

Here comes the list from the housewife-hippie who hardly listens to much music anymore. In no particular order. Also my kids are screaming at me while I write this . . .

The Black Crowes/Before The Frost . . .Until the Freeze Always loved this band, always will.
Pearl Jam/Backspacer Same goes for this band, but this album is exactly what I wanted these guys to sound like in middle-age. Their best album in a long, long time. And yes, you either love them or you don't. I hardly expect any converts based on this.
Beastie Boys/Check Your Head (Remastered) This is the perfect album to play loudly, drive down Storrow with the windows down and pretend that you are totally not "that guy."
Japandroids/Post-Nothing Thanks Todd.
Grizzly Bear/Veckatimest Just got into these guys recently and love it . . .
Phoenix/Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix Same here; super rad.
The Avett Brothers/I And Love And You I will always have a soft spot for the alt country, and seems like everyone I talk to does too. Even my parents. Strange but true.
Angus & Julia Stone/A Book Like This Jess introduced their old stuff to me, and this one continues the soft, lovers' vocals.
Lady Gaga/The Fame Monster I'm from Long Island, originally.
Animal Collective/Merriweather Post Pavilion Some of these songs are so perfect and some are so not.

Other stuff I liked listening to:
Lucero/1372 Overton Park I had to be persuaded into this, and I like it, I do, but just not as much as some of their other albums. Certainly didn't feel new or different.
Jeremy Enigk/OK Bear Again, I liked it, but it was no World Waits
sigur rós/með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust Released last year, but I sure do love it more than most albums of late.