The Rice Bowl

Brandy Alexander

There's something about red wine that makes you feel like a jazz singer.  I'm sitting here, half a bottle into some delicious Merlot and I can't help but sing and sway to the sounds of Feist. 

Yes, indeed, it is Valentines evening.  I've never had an issue with Valentine's day, until I moved back to the States.  Never have I seen another grossly capitalized non-holiday, save Halloween.  Oh, you may argue St. Paddy's, but honestly, that is a holiday that all can enjoy.  However, Valentines.  Hmm.  I remember being in the 9th grade, walking down the halls of the prison in which I spent 7 hours Monday thru Friday with my fellow cell mates whom I never truly got along with, save a few.  Where was I?  Oh.  Countless lockers and giggly girls were found up and down the halls, covered in hearts and sparkles, balloons and red.  Why?  What was it about this day?  To this day, I still don't understand.

Rather than contemplate my loneliness on this night, which I do so well on all other nights, I've embraced the holiday.  I go out, and I give in.  I buy flowers, ice cream, wine.  The cashier gives me a wry smile as I check out with my goods, believing that I have some grandious plans for this night.  And, yes, I do.  My plans include having flowers by my side to greet me in the morning, drinking all the wine, eating all the ice cream and passing out watching some sort of ridiculousness on television.  Or, blogging, half a bottle into my red.

This isn't every night.  I don't get to do this every day.  This day, this day is special because I get to.  Because everyone else is acting like fools, I feel that I get to have a piece of the pie by singing into my phone and pretending for a moment that I am singing away everyone's blues in some slinky jazz club, called my kitchen.  Yes, I'm singing off key, but my audience doesn't know that, so shh.  And in the morning, I will wake up and wonder why I have a bruise on my hip and why my head hurts so much and why I have The OC theme song stuck in my head.

There's a song that's been in my head and it's been pretty.  He's my Brandy Alexander, always gets me into trouble, but that's another matter.  Brandy Alexander.  Tonight, I'm pretending that Brandy Alexander and I are getting into trouble, singing up a storm in the kitchen and forgetting where the corkscrew went.

I've found that it's okay to feel sexy with a bottle of wine, and no one else around.

Happy Valentine's day.

Dressed Up and In Line

Finally, it is here.  The album that I have been anticipating for months, perhaps, even since I first heard Copeland rush through my ears.  The hopeless crush that I have on the band's lead singer, Aaron Marsh, is only triumphed by the words that he sings and the notes that erupt from his piano.

I have to start by saying that I have always been a fan of the 'B-side'.  I have a theory that b-sides contain so much more than what the album intended because they tend to complete the albums themselves.  B-sides tell their own stories, sometimes better than the songs that everyone knows by heart.  Some of my favourite songs have been b-sides...and my greatest memories stem from those songs.

Being completely in love with Aaron Marsh (as I am) reading the liner notes is shear delight, as you quickly figure out that it was his hand that penned those very words, explaining the story behind each song.

While some of these recordings make us a bit red-faced as all artists get when they listen to their old material, each of these songs has a bit of nostalgia, an interesting story, or marks a milestone in our career.

Most of these songs I have previously owned, and played over until my ears bleed, but Copeland has done an amazing job cleaning up tracks and re-defining each song giving them more character and dimension than when previously recorded, if this was even possible.  Further more, previously unreleased songs have been added to this record, which is always a delight.

The liner notes alone are worth it.  With a guided tour of every song penned by Aaron Marsh, you can almost hear him laugh at the memories and groan at the frustration of recording certain titles.  The notes are so down to Earth and real that one feels as though they have been talking to Aaron Marsh their whole life.  No, I do not believe that I am stretching this due to me girlish love for Mr. Marsh.  Stories of how songs were recorded in hotel rooms are shared, along with personal reviews and favourites of the band, breathing life into songs which are already so alive to many Copeland fans.

'Dressed Up and In Line' includes Acoustic and Mix versions of 'Brightest', 'When Paula Sparks' from 'Beneath the Medicine Tree' (2003), 'You Love To Sing', 'Sleep', 'No One Really Wins' from 'In Motion' (2005), and 'Careful Now' from 'Eat, Sleep, Repeat' (2006).  Previously unrecorded songs, covers, and songs from their split EP with Pacifico include, 'Thanks to You' written by Bryan Laurenson, 'Chin Up', 'Black Hole Sun' a cover of Soundgarden's song for the 'Punk Goes 90's' compilation, 'Interlude', 'Every Breath You Take' a cover of The Police song recorded for a tribute album, 'May I Have This Dance', 'That Awful Memory of Yours', and 'Second Star to the Left, Go Til Dawn'.

This compilation of songs truly defines what Copeland is all about; the naked song.  The song that is stripped down bare, but still perfect in every way.

The opportunity to prepare this  collection has been a trip down memory lane for us.

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Now playing: Copeland - When Paula Sparks (Alternate Recording)
via FoxyTunes    

Yeah, Something Like That...

Long day.  Just got home from school.  The guys had a concert afters and it was pretty brilliant.  No one really danced until the end...but it was still brilliant.  The line up consisted of alot of First Date, Rock Show and Dammit by Blink, a couple Korean songs, The Reason by Hoobastank, and a couple others.  The steal of the show was Knockin' on Heaven's Door which everyone was singng...and I was running around to all the teachers asking if anyone had a lighter...damn, where's the smoker when you need him??  Off having a fag of course.  Figures.

Anyways,  had a brilliant time at that.  Sarah and I dreseed up and everything...dyed out hair and I did mine all funky like.  I was pretty punked.

Well, now I'm sleepy and I have a bit of a headache from the head bangin' and craziness that was happnen's there and all, ya know.  So I'm off to bedsy byes....byes!!  Night night!