Oh, how I was so depressed when I heard that Sixpence None the Richer was through with making music. Something about Leigh Nash's vocals and the poetic/intellectual lyrics soothes my soul so much. Well, I have been introduced to a fine band who can fill my desire for such music.

Eisley is the first band I have REALLY clicked with in a long time- just musically. I confess that I haven't really listened to the lyrics yet. The music leaves me full right now.



Here's a brief intro:

A quintet featuring three sisters, their brother, and their best friend, Tyler, TX's Eisley formed in 1997 when the DuPree siblings -- guitarist Chauntelle, singer/guitarist Sherri, singer/keyboardist Stacy, and drummer Weston -- began playing with bassist Jon Wilson. Originally called the Towheads, the band began playing local gigs the following year, when Stacy was just eight years old. Over the next five years, the band wrote and played, expanding their touring area to the Dallas-Fort Worth region and ultimately winning a 2003 Best New Act Award from the Dallas Observer. A few months later, the group released their debut EP, Laughing City, on the indie imprint Record Collection, and toured that spring and summer with Coldplay and Ron Sexsmith. The Marvelous Things EP arrived later in 2003, and early in 2005, their first full-length, Room Noises, arrived. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide

Here's a link to a longer intro:

http://www.mtv.com/news/yhif/eisley/" title="http://www.mtv.com/news/yhif/eisley/" target="_blank"http://www.mtv.com/news/yhif/...

My favorite songs, right now, are: Telescope Eyes, Trolley Wood, and Brightly Wound

www.eisley.com



P.S. Their name comes from a space port in Star Wars called Moss Eisley

P.S.S. I just blogged this morning (below) in case you missed it.

"When I woke up this morning, I never thought that I wouldn't be in Ann Arbor, that I would know about blown gaskets, that I would have met a tow truck driver named Dwane, that I would have taken a vegetarian to Cabellas, and that I would be shopping with you for cars." -a comment I made to Tags as I was sitting in a Pontiac Sunfire.

Yeah, so those of you not there, I will tell you the story of my crazy day yesterday. Yesterday was a beautiful day to go to Ann Arbor- the members of Sigma Tau Delta decided to make this our first event as a group. We took two cars- mine being one of them. Between the sweet tunes playing out of my iPod and out of my big speaker, Tess and I would complain about the frigidness inside my car. For some bizarre reason, my car's heat was not working. Finally, I decided to call my Dad:

"Hey Dad. Do heaters in cars break, because I think mine might be broken."

"Well, sometimes a belt in the nobbs might break. Have your passenger check the resistance in the nobbs."

"Tess, turn the nobbs on the heater really slow. Do you get much resistance."

With an annoyed and confused look, Tess responds, "No, and it's still blowing out cold air."

"Well, Holly, what does your temperature gauge read?"

"Oh, it just reads... crap! it is almost in the red."

"Pull over NOW!"

"What?! Dad, can't I wait till I get to an exit?"

"Well, is it in the red yet?"

"No, not yet."

"Pull of at the next exit."

"Tess, call somebody and tell them we have to pull off on the next exit."

So we pull off at the exit past Dundee to let my car cool down. As I was on the phone with my Dad, Ben, Mike, and another Mike helped to fix the car. Ben just happened to have the green slimer kool-aid liquid that needed to go in my empty coolant tank. We filled 'er up and followed my Dad's orders to go back an exit to Cabellas where a tow truck would meet my car and me there.

After touring the "world's most outfitter" (what does that mean?), and the largest collection of stuffed animals (not the cute, fake kind) and the largest collection of hunters, all of STD left in Ben's car except me and Dan.

Dan and I got very expensive Tuna sandwhiches (the only kind of meat that Dan can eat- pretty much everything had meat in it- and wierd meat too- ostrich, bear, bison). We also got tons of calls from my parents. The tow truck was on the way.

We met Dwane in the front of Cabellas and he let us ride in his tow truck to my car (tow trucks are pretty sweet rides). He was about read to hook 'er up, but I told him to wait because nothing was leaking. He popped the hood to look at the insides of my car. When he checked the oil, he noticed that the dip-stick was covered in liquid about 6 inches up. He said that the coolant was probably leaking into the motor.

Just then my parents found us and my Dad told him to "hook 'er up." I forgot my car pass (at the time I thought I was going to use my Grandma's car for the week I didn't have a car), so I got to climb up on the tow truck to get it out- yes!

From there, we had Dwane follow us to Maumee- to Ed Schmidt's Chevrolet. Dan and I perused the Hummers while my Dad talked with the people. My Dad came out and told me to start looking at used cars on the lot because I might need a new one.

I was really confused- my car was just missing some slimer fluid.

Well, it turns out I blew a gasket (ha- so that's where that phrase came from) and all the slimer fluid had gotten into my motor and the motor would have caught on fire if we had drove much more. It is a weird thing that Tess and I got fed up with the cold right before my motor was about to ignite. Some people call these moments fortunate coincidences- I call them divine intervention.

Anyway, the repairs of my car will probably cost half of what the car is worth (which is all of my savings- grr). So my Dad says, "why don't you think about getting a new used car." So Dan and I checked out some new used (an oxymoron that makes complete sense) cars and then we left because they weren't going to give me anything for my old car.

Bummer.

So, I am looking for a ride to Maumee Tuesday or Thursday from 2:30-5:00?:)

Well, after all that. We came back to BG, we dropped Dan off, and my parents took me to El Zarrape (mmm... that was good and cheap. If anyone ever wants to get some Mexican food there, I am in)

Later, after I got over the shock of not having any money again, I went to a play with some IMPACTers about Paul Robeson. Look this dude up. He was a really influential guy for African American rights in America, but he has been erased (or so it seems) out of history books because of his association (or assumed association) with the Communist party.

Well, time for Church.

ttyl,

boo

Hey Ya'll,

I have had a fantabulous time since I last blogged. I got back from Chicago last night at 1:00 am (this morning). I had a lot of fun shopping on Uncle Sam's money (income tax return- woo hoo), eating Indian food, going to the Art Institute of Chicago, and seeing some really cool plays.

Bobbie Jo and I hung out a lot this weekend and had a great time shopping in all of the expensive stores. We actually found some cheaper places to shop, which was really nice in comparison to window shopping Tiffany's or something. I got to see the mac mini in person at the Apple Store on Michigan Ave. They didn't have a shuffle out though, so I didn't get to play with that.

The art institute was amazing and I would recommend it to anyone. Here's just some of what I saw:



This is a painting by Van Gogh- it is a self-portrait. His paintings are especially cool to see up close because he gunks the paint on the canvas.



Dots- this painting is made up of a bunch of little dots. You get up close to this one and you can hardly tell what it is because Seurat uses a technique called pointilism or stipiling.



This painting is by Andy Warhol and is HUGE. It is at least 15 feet by 15 feet.



The art institute had a bunch of work from one of my favorite artists, Rene Magritte. This painting is called "Time Transfixed." Magritte is well read and a huge fan of Michel Foucault. His paintings are embedded in theory. In this painting Foucault is asking the question, how does your thinking change when your assumptions about time and space are disrupted?

The plays in Chicago were also thought provoking. My favorite play was "The Love Song of J. Robert Oppenheimer"- the creator of the atomic bomb. The play questions the responsiblity of the scientist. If we know what will be done with our creation, how are we to be held responsible for the affect? Oppenheimer was just playing with science and it just so happened, as a result, Hiroshima and Nagasaki were obliderated. Is he responsible?

Besides the ideas in the play, I loved the references to one of my favorite poems, "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" by T.S. Eliot. There is a character in the play named "Lilith." In Hebrew mythology she is considered to be a demon. She was the first wife God gave Adam, but she "wouldn't lie down." For her disobedience, she became a demon and God created Eve. I had never heard about Lilith in the Bible. The name means "in the darkness" and she is said to be the mother of darkness. I wonder if she is the figure in the "Passion of the Christ"- the one holding the baby and who follows Jesus around? Anyone else heard of Lilith? I also wonder if she is a symbol for feminists? eg. The Lilith Fair?

Well, that is it about the weekend- now for last week...

Becca was in town!!! Whoa! She surprised me on Thursday, just as I was about to lay down and take a long nap. O-well. I would have rather hung out with Becca any day. She came to my door and I just opened it and was like, "Hey Becca... ... ... what are you doing here?!" It was wierd. I couldn't get used to her being in the room- something like what Freud would call the uncanny:)

We went to Grounds and talked a long time- sat at the same table we had our first d-time-- boo hoo--- It was so good to see her. We then went to Leslie and Kari's place and later we went out to eat at Panera. We came back to my room and watched That 70s Show for awhile and crocheted, and then I had to go to bed, so she left. Here and gone- oh so fast.

Last week I was in the school all week. It was a good time and I think I am going to have a lot of fun when I get to teach. I made a Napoleon Dynamite bulletin board that the H.S. kiddies loved.

Well, I am tired of typing and I should do some work on this lovely day off:)

ttyl,

boo

Following in the footsteps of the Great Yo, I am going to see how well I do on predicting the winners of the Grammy's. Here goes:

RECORD OF THE YEAR
(Award to the Artist and to the Producer(s), Recording Engineer(s) and/or Mixer(s), if other than the artist.)

* Let's Get It Started
The Black Eyed Peas

* Here We Go Again
Ray Charles & Norah Jones

* American Idiot
Green Day
Billie Joe Armstrong, Rob Cavallo, Mike Dirnt & Tré Cool

* Heaven
Los Lonely Boys

* YEAH!
USHER FEATURING LIL JON & LUDACRIS

While I think that "Heaven" will be a tight contender, Usher is definately superb. Norah and Ray might have a chance since Ray died and he might get a sympathy vote... but again... Usher is superb.

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
(Award to the Artist(s) and to the Album Producer(s), Recording Engineer(s)/Mixer(s) & Mastering Engineer(s), if other than the artist.)

* Genius Loves Company
Ray Charles & Various Artists

* American Idiot
Green Day
Billie Joe Armstrong, Rob Cavallo, Mike Dirnt & Tré Cool

* The Diary Of Alicia Keys
Alicia Keys

* CONFESSIONS
USHER

* The College Dropout
Kanye West

I will be ticked if Ray Charles gets any of these. Usher has my vote again. Alicia should be a contender, but Usher has rocked the charts for the past year.

SONG OF THE YEAR
(A Songwriter(s) Award. A song is eligible if it was first released or if it first achieved prominence during the Eligibility Year. (Artist names appear in parenthesis.) Singles or Tracks only.)

* Daughters
John Mayer, songwriter (John Mayer)
Track from: Heavier Things

* IF I AIN'T GOT YOU
ALICIA KEYS, SONGWRITER (ALICIA KEYS)
TRACK FROM: THE DIARY OF ALICIA KEYS

* Jesus Walks
Miri Ben Ari, C. Smith & Kanye West, songwriters (Kanye West)
Track from: The College Dropout

* Live Like You Were Dying
Tim Nichols & Craig Wiseman, songwriters (Tim McGraw)
Track from: Live Like You Were Dying

* The Reason
Daniel Estrin & Douglas Robb, songwriters (Hoobastank)
Track from: The Reason

Awesome song... she should win it. John Mayer is popular though, and this song is cute... who knows? Hoobastank might have a chance... no, it's Alicia all the way.

BEST NEW ARTIST
(For a new artist who releases, during the Eligibility Year, the first recording which establishes the public identity of that artist.)

* Los Lonely Boys

* Maroon5

* Joss Stone

* KANYE WEST

* Gretchen Wilson

My personal vote would go for Maroon 5; however, Kanye West has been all over the news, so I think he'll win it. Maybe Gretchen will get the Country sympathy vote though:)-- "I leave my Christmas lights on the front porch all year long, and I know every word to every Charlie Daniels song"... "Victoria's secret... yeah that stuff's real nice... but I can find the same damn thing on a Walmart shelf, half price."

BEST FEMALE POP VOCAL PERFORMANCE
(For a solo vocal performance. Singles or Tracks only.)

* Oceania
Björk
Track from: Medulla
[Elektra/Atlantic]

* The First Cut Is The Deepest
Sheryl Crow
Track from: The Very Best Of Sheryl Crow
[A&M Records]

* SUNRISE
NORAH JONES
TRACK FROM: FEELS LIKE HOME
[BLUE NOTE RECORDS]

* What You Waiting For?
Gwen Stefani
[Interscope Records]

* You Had Me
Joss Stone
[S-Curve Records]

Norah Jones has to get something for that wonderful album- this song is superb.

BEST MALE POP VOCAL PERFORMANCE
(For a solo vocal performance. Singles or Tracks only.)

* Let's Misbehave
Elvis Costello
Track from: De-lovely - Music From The Motion Picture (Various Artists)
[Columbia]

* YOU RAISE ME UP
JOSH GROBAN
TRACK FROM: CLOSER
[143/REPRISE]

* Daughters
John Mayer
Track from: Heavier Things
[Aware Records/Columbia]

* Cinnamon Girl
Prince
Track from: Musicology
[Columbia Records/NPG Records]

* Love's Divine
Seal
Track from: Seal IV
[Warner Bros.]

Josh Groban wins by voice alone- no contest.

BEST POP PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP WITH VOCAL
(For established duos or groups, with vocals. Singles or Tracks only.)

* My Immortal
Evanescence
Track from: Fallen
[Wind-up Records, LLC]

* The Reason
Hoobastank
Track from: The Reason
[Island Records]

* HEAVEN
LOS LONELY BOYS
TRACK FROM: LOS LONELY BOYS
[OR MUSIC/EPIC RECORDS]

* She Will Be Loved
Maroon5
Track from: Songs About Jane
[Octone/J]

* It's My Life
No Doubt
Track from: The Singles 1992-2003
[Interscope Records]

Oh... this one is tough... My personal vote would be for Evanesence; however, the "Heaven" song was big with all age groups, was catchy, and was always on the radio. I dunno. I hope Evanesence wins this one.

BEST POP VOCAL ALBUM
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)

* Genius Loves Company
Ray Charles & Various Artists
[Concord Records/Hear Music]

* Feels Like Home
Norah Jones
[Blue Note Records]

* AFTERGLOW
SARAH MCLACHLAN
[ARISTA RECORDS]

* Mind, Body & Soul
Joss Stone
[S-Curve Records]

* Brian Wilson Presents Smile
Brian Wilson
[Nonesuch Records]

After a girl-fight, Sarah McLachlan comes out on top of Norah. Yeah!

Well, that's all I have time for (my dinner is ready)... I think these are the most important anyway.

ttyl,

boo