Monday, January 27, 2020

Current Interests: Music, Documentaries, & Reading

My favorite activities these days are walking with my son on the beach, reading with my wife, playing for the Minsk football team, teaching and learning about the environment, and cycling with friends.  In my downtime however, I find interests from a variety of sources.Short stories and reviews give context to the music, documentaries, books and websites I have come to enjoy.

Music

The Cat Empire - Stolen Diamonds

This Australian sextet absolutely rips.  A big band style international tastes bring lots of energy to the listener.  Their older albums are also very good with some ultra classics on nearly every one.  I check tour dates every year in hopes our paths cross.  2020? The track The Chariot below - with a badass trumpet and a strong political message - is on my all time top 20 songs and my rock climbing theme song.

Anderson .Paak & the Free Nationals - Tiny Desk Concert

I posted this video months ago, but I like it so much, I have to share again.  Some amazingly soothing riffs and seriously happy and confident presence.


Felly

This young rapper has a nasty beats and super natural flow.   Great hip-hop, especially from his newest album Surf Trap.  Felly is a nerd of music and spends a lot of time creating new sounds.  

Mumford and Sons - Woman

This album is similar to the others and I enjoy most of the songs.  Mumford always gives me solice when I leave a place I love, or people I love.

A few of the most important women in my life had a rough 2019.  My dear Amuma Rosie died in late October of complications with pancreatic cancer.  I didn't get to talk with her in person on on the phone after her diagnosis.  They day she passed away, I listened to this song with my wife and son on the roof of our apartment crying watching the sunset.  When I returned home to Boise this winter to be with my step mother Barbara, father, and family, I listened to this song with her and opened the emotional flood gates

Rodrigo y Gabriela - Mettavolution

The newest album by this ultra-talented, dedicated Mexican acoustic guitar duo is fire.  I also quite enjoyed hearing them talk about their path and listening to a few custom cuts on the Rich Roll podcast here, which I also enjoy. 

Maggie Rogers - Heard it in a Past Life

A new female artist with a Knack for popular hits and a bangin' voice.  Molly, her sister Kate, and I saw Maggie live in Portland last summer.  Music was good, yet her stage presence leaves room for improvement.  


Documentaries

The Salt of Earth

On my top three all time documentary list.  Sebastio Salgado takes pictures that speak 10,000 words.  His dedication to photography that evoke emotions about so many important stories is amazing.  Expensive to watch, and recommended on a big screen, but worth every second.  

Image result for Salt of the Earth

A Man Named Pearl

This 2006 documentary about a man name Pearl Fryer with a great eye for garden aesthetics.  He moved to a predominately white neighborhood where his neighbors were nervous he wouldn't keep up with his yard, so over 30 years he slowly made one of the most beautiful gardens on Earth. 

Clive Davis - The Soundtrack of our Lives 

I love documentaries about music producers.  Clive Davis has a talent for finding and developing talent which gave hundreds of millions of people joy and inspiration in watching and listening.  Available on Netflix, in Vietnam at least.  

Reading

Nautilus - Science Connected

This science based magazine delivers big picture articles that connect ideas across many topics.  An issue is published every month, with a new chapter coming out each week which looks at the issue from a number of different angles.  Downside - only two free articles per month.  

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

Dr. Paul wrote this book while dying of brain cancer.  The first part of this short read comes from Yet another timely read which struck hard amidst the nasty brain tumor that took my step moms life in December 2019.


Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

Very popular murder mystery love story with a connection to nature make a great fictional page turner. 



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