Music

Have I mentioned how much I'm enjoying the new Doves CD? Some Cities is a great CD, and in the genre of alternative British music that I like so much. They have a Travis-y feel, but a little less meloncholy-sounding that recent Travis CD. There's a nice driving rhythem in the backgroun akin to The Shins (if you don't know the Shins, they're featured in the movie Garden State--a great soundtrack, by the way). I've been listening to the Doves on my way to work lately, which is why I'm bringing it up. It's good to walk to, and good to "muse" to as well.

Currently, while I tweak the up-and-coming CEEH golf tournament webpage (and inwardly ponder a display board I'm putting together for Tuesday's Open House), I'm listening to The Connection (as I do every day between 10:00 am and 12:00 pm). His second hour guest is musical. I love when he has musicians;it's a nice break from the serious topics and current news stories that I already hear plenty about.

Her name is Kiran Ahluwalia, and she was born in northern India but raised in Canada. She sings the "traditional" Indian/Pakistani music called the ghazal. Strictly speaking, the ghazal is a style of poetry. I actually got a book of ghazals from the library once upon a time. An Indian poet (another born in India raised in USA/Canada/Britian--I forget which) decided to start writing them in English instead of an asian language. Anyway, they're really beautiful poems, and there is a long tradition of putting them to music. That's what Kiran does, and she does it very well. She's also very innovative, and invited a Celtic fiddler to record a couple of songs on her new album.

My interest in Indian/asian music began with the movie Ghost World and Bollywood songs and was furthered by the bellydancing class I took last December. I like the different sound, the different musical scales the music uses, and I like the instruments.