Another year has gone by...

I'd like to think that 2007 was a year of change. Granted, that could be easily said about many years. And it's probably true. In this case, however, I learned from (and still am learning from) said changes. I began the year in bed, sick. Boring, I know, but alas - true. I was jobless. I was down in the whole "not feeling confident about my future" department, and sick. I figured the year could only get better from there, right? Yes. And no. Highs and lows. Career highs, career lows. Family tragedies and family triumphs. Personal accomplishments and the ever popular heartbreak. That is what life is all about though. The ebbs and flows. You can't have the highest of highs without having the lowest of lows to compare them to.

There are two things that get me through the rollercoaster called life. The first is people. Ah, people. Some are great, some are not. But alas, people get me through. My family and friends are the oil to my engine. Yes, I just made a mechanical reference in this here blog. It's true though. You can make it by with no oil, but not for long. Soon your engine will blow up, or something awful like that, and you'll be SOL. So I hear. (Also, I'll take this moment to remind you to get your oil changed every 3 months. Unlike me, who accidentally waited almost 5, but I FIXED IT TODAY, OK?! haha) Anyways. You get my point though, right? I'm very lucky. I have some phenomenal people in my life. I mean that with every ounce of sincerity, too. I have a had a record number of late-night phone conversations this year. I have listened to my friends' high moments and I've shared in my family's tears. People are what get you through this thing called life. It's not money. It's not fame. It's people. You should know who you are, and if you don't, then that's my fault for not telling you so. For all of this, I thank you.

The second thing accompanying me on this rollercoaster ride is, well - you guessed it - music. Did you see that one coming? If you know me AT ALL, the answer is yes. Yes, Carrie. We guessed it. I have gotten to the point where I can't find the words anymore. I hope that my sheer obsession - whether it be concerts or my fantastic devotion to the art of the mix cd - says it all. So it is with this love and care that I present to you - lovely blog readers....

Carrie's "Best Albums of 2007"

Music. What a year for music! The albums/tracks/artists mentioned below do not in any way reflect popular choice, but instead, my own. If you see something new, by all means, take a listen. Let me know what you think. And if you see something familiar, then - well - I knew we were friends for a reason. :)

Honorable Mentions: Joe Purdy - Canyon Joe; Sara Barielles - Little Voice; Colbie Caillat - Coco; Architecture in Helsinki - Places Like This; Kittie - Funeral for Yesterday (I only say them, b/c I was accredited in the DVD that came along with the CD, haha)


20. Jon McLaughlin - Indiana

YES, he opened for Kelly Clarkson. YES, he's a piano rocker. And YES this album is a good one. I actually didn't know anything except one song when I saw him open for Kelly. He has a great sound to his voice - and hot damn, the boy can tickle the ivories. A great pop record release this year.

Standout track: "Human"

19. Feist - The Reminder

I know, I know. The whole world agrees with me on this one. And you have to ask yourself, if ALL OF THESE PEOPLE talk about this lady, something has to be right. And it is. She's responsible for one of the catchiest tracks this year. The album is great to throw right smack in the middle of a long car ride.

Standout track: "The Park"

18. Band of Horses - Cease to Begin

I think BOH is one of the most underrated bands out there. I felt like last year's release of Everything All the Time was a blessing for my ears, and the fellas did not disappoint me with this sophomore attempt. They have a sound that is all their own, and the vocals are unique and very polished.

Standout track: "Is There a Ghost?"


17. Amy Winehouse - Back to Black

It is a shame that with all of her personal situations going on this year, the things people may remember Ms. Winehouse in 2007 may not be related to her music at all. It's sad because this record has brought some soul back to the airwaves. Anyone who says they don't singalong to "Rehab" is a dirty liar.

Standout track: "You Know I'm No Good"


16. Paramore - Riot!

How funny is it sometimes that certain bands just blow up? It seems like just yesterday I was at the little Agora Ballroom, screaming at the top of my lungs to "My Heart" with 100 or so kids. Haley has an amazing voice, and this record deserves to be on this list if not for that sole reason.

Standout track: "When It Rains"


15. Wilco - Sky Blue Sky

I just recently, within the last year or so, got into Wilco. I was excite for this new release, b/c I wanted to see what they would do next. I know critics weren't too fond of Jeff Tweedy's newest work, but I don't care - I was. Definitely good chill music, with lyrics that mean something.

Standout track: "Impossible Germany"


14. Kanye West - Graduation

What more can you say? The man is a true talent. If he continues this streak, he'll have an album in every year's top lists. Well done Kanye - keep making those phat beatz. (Oh I did say it...)

Standout track: "The Good Life"




13. Dustin Kensrue - Please Come Home

Raspy like Cash. Folky like Dylan. Dustin is the man, and that's all I have to say. It's lower on the list because of other great albums, but this is definitely a favorite of mine for sure.

Standout track: "Blanket of Ghosts"


12. The White Stripes - Icky Thump

I was never a White Stripes fan. Not until the Raconteurs came along, that is. And what a better way to slide me into their funky ways. Probably one of my favorite "driving" records this year. Jack and Meg - well done.

Standout track: "Effect & Cause"



11. Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga

Thank you eMusic. I didn't even know Spoon had a new album coming out, until I decided to go with the "recommendations" on your website. Well deserving of all the critical acclaim.

Standout track: "Don't Make Me a Target"




10. Radiohead - In Rainbows

One of the most talked about albums - musically and promotionally - of 2007, that's for sure. I happen to be a fan of the whole "pay what you want" thing. If this is what record is a result of this idea, then BRING IT ON. A plus.

Standout track: "15 Step"


9. Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Sank

I have been hit or miss with the Mouse. Some songs clicked, some didn't. But for the sheer fact that Isaac Brock sounds like the chef from the Little Mermaid on the opening track - BRILLIANT. This is a great record for the walk to work in the morning.

Standout track: "March to the Sea"



8. The Perishers - Victorious

I discovered these Swedish fellas in the later part of 2007, but they are probably my favorite "oh my gosh I can't believe I didn't know of them sooner" bands. I really cannot say enough about this release. The closing track takes my breath away.

Standout track: "Get Well Soon"




7. Okkervil River - The Stage Names

One of those cases where you see the band's name EVERYWHERE, but don't listen to them until one boring night where you want a taste of something new. This is where you kick yourself. Reminds me of a more folky, more country Arcade Fire. And you can't go wrong with that! Bands like this make me love music more and more.

Standout track: "A Girl in Port"


6. Celine Dion - Taking Chances

Celine could sing the phone book, and it would make my top album list. Every person has the one artist that they latch onto at a young age, and follow them as they grow - Celine is that for me. I could do a whole blog (and plan on doing so) about her. In her defense, (and to counter my biased opinion) this album is fresh. It's her ballad voice with some up-to-date pop tracks. She has got some pipes, people.

Standout track: "Surprise, Surprise"


5. Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova - The Swell Season

Thank you Tribeca Film Festival. I saw these two perform at the ASCAP Music Lounge this past April, and I was introduced to one of the best harmonizing duos I've ever heard. If you've seen the movie 'Once' - you will understand. Glen took a step away from his post as lead for his band the Frames and teamed up with the sweet, innocent voice in Marketa, and the result is this haunting, beautiful album. If you can't relate to at least one of the songs on this album, I will give you a dollar.

Standout track: "Falling Slowly"


4. Brandi Carlile - The Story

If you are smart, you would have ran to your iTunes and downloaded "The Story" after the video premiered after Grey's Anatomy this past season. If you were smarter, you would have discovered the rest of this album. Brandi has raw emotion when she sings. I know, that's cliche sounding, but she makes you feel EVERY single note. My favorite female release of the year.

Standout track: "Josephine"


3. Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger

With someone who puts out as many albums as Ryan Adams does, you would expect them to be average, if not less than. I mean, it's only right to assume that someone putting out all this material will at least miss on some of the attempts. Here stands the exception to this rule. Although it's not my favorite of Ryan's albums, this one is consistent to his quality work. Genius at work, and he's not stopping anytime soon, folks.

Standout track: "I Taught Myself to Grow Old"


2. LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver

I am not a dance fan. Head Automatica is about as "dance rock" as I would go. This is why I was shocked when I found myself actually LIKING this album. I had heard a song here and there, mostly interested by one of the best tracks of the year, "All of My Friends." But the straw that broke the camel's back - well that took place on October 6th, at Randall's Island, when I saw these fellas perform (sharing the stage with the band filling the number one spot). I now reconsider my stance on dance-rock.

Standout track: "North American Scum"


1. The Arcade Fire - Neon Bible

The Arcade Fire are in a whole different league. I say that with all due respect to other bands on this list. I just can't describe it. The music is something that is, attempted to, but not replicated anywhere else in popular music now. The album itself is phenomenal. However, the live performance of the songs on this record is absolutely mesmerizing. This band is one that you just must see for yourself to truly understand the talent that stands before you on the stage. A tremendous follow-up after the indie hit "Funeral." There were many great albums put out this year, but this one is a landslide win, if you ask me.

Standout track: "The Well and the Lighthouse"

Carrie's favorite Singles/Tracks of 2007
(in no particular order)

Mark Ronson ft. Rivers Cuomo - "I Suck"
Lil Mama - "Lipgloss"
Daughtry - "Home"
Kate Nash - "Nicest Thing"
The Broken West - "Down in the Valley"
Missy Higgins - "Where I Stood"
Kelly Clarkson - "Chivas"
He Say She Say - "Modesty is Key"
Flo Rida - "Get Low"
Jimmy Eat World - "Big Casino"
Cloud Cult - "Chain Reaction"
Timbaland - "Give It to Me"
Against Me - "Thrash Unreal"
John Mayer - "Say"
Mika - "Lollipop"
Patty Griffin - "Trapeze"
Will Hoge - "When I Can Afford to Lose"

Carrie's favorite Cover Songs of 2007
(in no particular order)

Franz Ferdinand - "All of My Friends" (LCD Soundsystem cover)
KT Tunstall - "I Want You Back" (Jackson 5 cover)
Brandi Carlile - "Raining in Baltimore" (Counting Crows cover)
the Guillemots - "Take Me Out" (Modest Mouse cover)
Kelly Clarkson - "Up to the Mountain" (Patty Griffin cover)
Wakey!Wakey! - "Say It Ain't So" (Weezer cover)
the Arctic Monkeys - "You Know I'm No Good" (Amy Winehouse cover)
Glen Hansard - "Hungry For Your Love" (Van Morrison cover)

Carrie's Favorite Concerts of 2007

Damien Rice at Radio City Music Hall
Arcade Fire/LCD Soundsystem/Blonde Redhead at Randall's Island
Jesse Lacey/Kevin Devine acoustic show at Maxwell's


Carrie's Favorite "Discoveries" of 2007
(in no particular order)

Burgermeister
The Kooks
Stabilo
Wakey!Wakey!
Cloud Cult
Kate Nash
The Perishers


Carrie's favorite Movies of 2007
(in no particular order)

Sweeney Todd
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
In the Land of Women
I'm Not There
Once (my favorite of the year)

Carrie's Television picks of 2007

Best new show: Chuck
Excited for in '08: Lost, The Terminator Chronicles
Embarrassed to admit my love for: The Hills, Tila Tequila
Sad to see you go: Gilmore Girls
You make me yell at the TV!: The Amazing Race, Wheel of Fortune

If you made it through this whole blog, then applause for you. Please throw in your comments and tell me about something that I missed in 2007.

To everyone - have a safe and Happy New Year!

sharing is caring.

i'm currently working on a "best of 2007" list/blog for you fine people. that's the thing to do when it hits december, am i right? i appreciate if you worked on a little list of your own, and when i post mine, share yours. this is a give and take relationship, you know what i mean? :)

but.

before i get to that point, i just can't stand it anymore. i have to share these bands with you before i burst with excitement.

cloud cult.

i'll have to tell you. if you read up on the history of the band, and the times of their releases (timing as far as personal tragedies), you may be depressed. you may get the set of chills that start in your fingers and end up in your toes. you may shed a tear. and yes, while certain songs, reflective and sad, are beautiful - this is just the tip of the iceberg. cloud cult are funky beats. i'm not usually one for experimental rock. i'd like to think that late night chats with danielle have changed this in some ways. and i find myself addicted to the freshness of this band. they've been around since the mid 90's. they're not the new kid on the block, but they're the ones that i want on my team for kickball. i have read up on these folks, and they are drawing comparisons on their latest work to be "the American Arcade Fire" - if that doesn't peak your interest a bit, well i have wasted precious blog space. try it. and you can shun me or thank me. but my money is on the gratitude. :)

track to taste: "chain reaction"


okkervil river.

there is always a handful of band names that i will see ALL over the blogosphere. some names i'll see, and pass by. not really for any particular reason. certain times i'm in certain moods. well, at this point, i wish i could physically kick myself in the back of the head. why oh why! how could i pass up such a band. it's ok though, i've used the rest of my monthly emusic credits on making up for this mistake. i don't really have a good description about the band. at times i think bruce springsteen. at times i think arcade fire. at times i think the sound is a mesh of americana rock. the arcade fire comparision, which i know is really easy to do, is because of the sound. there is something about the sound of the arcade fire. there is a wholeness to it. i hear that in okkervil river. it represents hopeful music to me. if you need more convincing, download their free holiday EP available on their website - http://www.okkervilriver.com/index.php. what do you have to lose? except time, b/c you'll keep these guys on repeat.

track to taste: "listening to otis redding at home during christmas"


bürgermeister.

first of all. i give props to myself for successfully finding the U with the dots over it. that counts for a lot in my book. secondly, i'm totally pimping out a friend here. but for good reason. if she sucked, i wouldn't put that shit on here! i gotta rep to keep! hehe danielle. oh danielle. she has churned out like 24 songs in the last couple days. and she shares them with me, and i think HOT DAMN do have some talented friends. ok, maybe i'm exaggerating a little bit. maybe only 17 songs in the last few days. in either case, i think that i'm happy happy happy (did i say happy?) that she is letting me hear these phat beatz when she churns 'em out, b/c i'm becoming a bigger and bigger fan as she goes on. let's give her some love, shall we?


ok. back to the mound of christmas cards awaiting me. i may actually send them before christmas, which is a goal i've had for a few years, and have yet to accomplish it. here's to apple cider and electric blankets.

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in memory...

always the first ones to arrive to the family reunions, and the last ones to leave. complete with dunkin donuts, coffee, and a jug of the peach tea that my dad so loves. aunt catherine and uncle artie. the names go together. like water and wine. it's going to be hard to not say them together. uncle artie will hold down the fort from now on. and we all have some big shoes to fill.

my grandparents on my mom's side both passed before i was born. and my grandmother on my dad's side too. i knew my grandfather, but not really that well. my dad's side of the family - we aren't close with them at all really. but my mom's side, that's a different story. my mom's mom was one of 9 children - aunt catherine being one of those siblings. i was blessed with many "great aunts and uncles" who, although i didn't see them all the time, were just like grandparents to me anyways. stretching all over the country, from texas to new york. i remember the summer in texas, when we went to see aunt sally and uncle rosie. i was a huge nolan ryan fan at the time, and they took us to a texas rangers game. (of course nolan was on the disabled list, go figure) but i bought this oversized nolan ryan tshirt (which i still own) and i wore that thing out. we went on a safari and rode an elephant. and we swam in the kidney shaped pool in their backyard. uncle rosie passed a little while ago. i remember him in pieces. he was ornery as ever, and he was a big kid, that's for sure. and his cheeks were rosie. :) and aunt sally passed 2 years ago. we flew to texas for that, and a lot of the family was there. it was hard, saying goodbye. and that brings us to aggie. most of you know her, as she's the coolest thing in my life (and maybe even in yours too, she's THAT cool). her husband was donald - one of the siblings, and in fact, i think he was the youngest. he passed away about 6 years ago. i remember, because it was shortly after rhiannon passed. that was a rough few months for me. i really remember uncle donald, b/c he too was ornery. my favorite memory would be when we would walk behind him as he was sitting down and he'd pinch the back of our legs somehow, without ever moving. it was always one of those cases where you turn around and you're like "where did that come from?" he was a big man, standing close to (if not taller than) 6 foot. and he could be stern. but he was a big teddy bear. and aggie loved him so much.

because of the 9 siblings, there are tons of cousins/aunts/uncles/etc. and most of them are in the new york area, so that's wonderful. but no matter what we did - family reunions, weddings, etc. - aunt catherine was the matriarch. she was the oldest of the 9 flood siblings, and she became the head of the family when her parents passed. i have seen so many pictures of her with her younger siblings, raising them as if they were her own. she was never married or had her own children, but she had plenty of "children." growing up, i wouldn't get to see aunt catherine too too much, unless we came to new york for something, but everytime i saw her, she made sure to sit down with me and see how things were. i often wondered how she kept all the info for all of these people - she knew everything. she was very on top of things.

she lived in flushing queens. it was the house that they all grew up in. she raised her siblings and sent them off into the world. i remember the drives there when we were young - getting stuck on the cross bronx in traffic. the drives across the george washington bridge. and of course, the steep stairs. and the kitchen. and the garden, and the front stoop. there were so many memories in that house. the attic was so hot all the time, and you literally had to scale the steps like a mountain. my sister and i would climb up and down them so much.

over the last year and a half or so, maybe two years, her health had gotten worse. it wasn't horrible at first, but you could see that her mind was starting to go a little. within this last year, it got bad, physically and mentally. aggie and i went to see her a few times while she was in the rehabilitation center. it seems like things would get really bad, and then she'd make a turn and recover, get out of the hospital and back to rehab. this happened a few times. we were commenting on her 9+ lives. visiting her was hard in a way, b/c she wasn't the normal aunt catherine, but in ways, she was. and it would tug at your heartstrings, as she talked to you as if you were one of her siblings, all of which had passed by this time. she would call me my grandmother sometimes, and ask me to give her the change from the store. it's bittersweet to hear that kind of stuff, because you truly wonder if they can see them. if they, at that stage in their mental capacity, can have some sort of spiritual contact with the ones who have passed. i have hope for it, i absolutely do. i have faith that in those moments, people aren't necessarily crazy, but maybe a little enlightened. and who are we to tell them otherwise?

one visit to the rehab - it was probably my favorite memory of aunt catherine to date. there is a little "tv communal" area where the patients will hang out and watch tv. most of the time they sleep or just kind of sit there. so aggie and i went to visit her, and she was already in this area, so we pulled up chairs and would chat with her. meanwhile, there is a woman in a little bed type piece of furniture next to her, who - every few minutes or so - would wake up, open her eyes and make this AWFUL noise. her mouth would flap open and shut, and she sounded like a goblin. it was the creepiest thing ever (i tell this story best in person), but i felt really bad for her. and then she would shut her eyes and drift away for a few until the next spooking. so aunt catherine as telling us something, and this lady did her thing, and aunt catherine just looked over at her, and looked back at us. she looked back a the woman and she was like "hey, cut that out!" the lady just went on, not knowing what she was doing. so we giggled. moving on, the same thing happens. catty peeks over at this woman and looks back at us. then she leans into us and she goes "can't they shove her in a closet somewhere?!" aggie and i lost it. we laughed for like 10 minutes straight. and so did aunt catherine. she giggled. but it was so funny. i can't even tell you via this here blog. it was moments like that, where the old catty poked through. one of the many reasons to love a phenomenal woman.

aunt catherine passed away on wednesday, november 28th. i was in the city that night. my mom called me at work to see if everything was ok, because she had a voicemail on her phone, but couldn't check it. so i called aggie. and she told me. in some ways it was expected, but in some ways not. she had turned for the better recently. after teetering on the edge in the hospital, with congestive heart failure and things like that. she had gotten better. i wanted to run home, but i couldn't. then i had to call my mom to tell her. can i just tell you that it was the hardest thing i've ever done. i think she knew, or had it in the back of her mind when she initially called me. but it was hard.

the funeral and the services were great. for as much as i thought i knew about aunt catherine and how wonderful of a person she was, i learned so much more. i learned about her faith, her dedication to the church. i learned about how much she meant to each one of us, so much more than i could have imagined. and i learned that she tied this family together, and how it's our job to keep that tie, if for no other reason than to do it for her. but she is with her family. her parents, her siblings, her friends. and we couldn't be happier for her. she lived 90+ years on this earth. she saw so many things, experienced the joys and sorrows of life. and in the end, she went home. we couldn't ask for more.

we miss you, and we love you aunt catherine.
you will forever be in our hearts.

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