Vienna's playlists on Spotify

[Michele]

Vienna's now on Spotify, but since not everyone can access it, here's a thread we can keep updated on her public playlists.

Running
(Vienna previously posted this only as a Facebook Note, guess I may as well include it)

running playlist
by Vienna Teng on Saturday, June 11, 2011 at 8:15pm

Should it interest you, and with many thanks for all the recommendations that came in: my current playlist when I go for a run. Sometimes I skip a few and/or put on an episode of The MOTH in the middle.

Music becomes a different beast when I'm in motion—I absorb it as much with my whole body as I do with my ears. It gets woven into the pain of breathing, the protest of muscles, the wind and the angle of the sun, the search for that narrow hidden world between discomfort and boredom. As you can probably tell, I don't actually enjoy running most of the time. But a good soundtrack helps.

1. Massive Attack - Paradise Circus (Heligoland)
2. The Rescues - Follow Me Back Into the Sun (Let Loose the Horses)
3. Ian Axel - This Is the New Year feat. Chad Vaccarino (This Is the New Year)
4. Justin Timerlake - SexyBack (FutureSex/LoveSounds)
5. Florence + The Machine - Drumming Song (Lungs)
6. Adele - Rolling in the Deep (21)
7. Mute Math - Break The Same (Mute Math)
8. A.R. Rahman - O...Saya (Slumdog Millionaire: Music from the Motion Picture)
9. Paul Simon - Love Is Eternal Sacred Light (So Beautiful or So What)
10. Sufjan Stevens - Too Much (The Age of Adz)
11. Elbow - With Love (Build a Rocket Boys!)

Recent Discoveries
"Call It What You Want" - Foster The People

So not much new there yet, but didn't want to leave people wondering what was going on.

I've seen Foster the People twice now. Great vibe, quirky instrumentation. I'm still kicking myself for not seeing them at The Independent - no way they'll play a little venue like that around here anymore.

[Michele]

Too lazy to write tracks out, will try to update this tomorrow.
Recent Discoveries
Album: Orchestra Dim Bridges by Eyvind Kang, Tucker Martine
Album: Barton Hollow (plus bonus tracks) by The Civil Wars
Album: Bon Iver (self-titled)

[Michele]

transcendence playlist
by Vienna Teng on Wednesday, August 24, 2011 at 3:37am

When only epic and gut-wrenching will do. I've spun around in an empty parking lot to these, floated through airports, driven through desert moonscapes, curled up sobbing in a hotel bed, stood transfixed as light streamed onto kitchen tile, smashed the bejeezus out of some air drums, stared at yet another blank page, emerged from subway stairs into the capital of the world. I know I'm a sucker for the same old tricks: grand orchestral gestures, fifths and tenths, the slow build. But this music finds me when nothing else speaks. Many thanks to the friends who introduced me to each of these songs.

1. Chamber Choir of Europe - O Magnum Mysterium (Morten Lauridsen)
2. Zaza -Sooner or Later (Cameo)
3. Arcade Fire - Suburban War (The Suburbs)
4. Björk - Joga (Homogenic)
5. Talk Talk - I Believe In You (Spirit of Eden)
6. Bon Iver - Calgary (Bon Iver, Bon Iver)
7. Aqualung - Cinderella (Memory Man)
8. Royal Philharmonic Orchestra - The Swan of Tuonela (Jean Sibelius)
9. Elbow - Lippy Kids (build a rocket boys!)
10. Radiohead - Reckoner (In Rainbows)
11. The Low Anthem - Charlie Darwin (Oh My God Charlie Darwin)

Spotify playlist: http://open.spotify.com/user/viennateng/playlist/5M8UjNWgeCRuDcjBKS8EVm

iTunes playlist: http://c.itunes.apple.com/us/imix/transcendence/id459697616

[Fred]

The Transcendence playlist looks pretty damned fine. I don't know it all, though, and I have to run to Spotify and listen. On reflection, aside from the fellowship of sharing music with friends, the major draw of music for me is the possibility of having a sublime experience that lifts me out of my ordinary state of consciousness and takes me somewhere else. It's happened over and over again, in concert halls and clubs and between headphones, listening to classical and popular music. The place I go can be very joyful, or very sad, or just very much in awe of beauty, but it's more vivid than ordinary existence. Music is my drug of choice. With few exceptions, to be a favorite artist of mine your music must have made this happen for me. Here on this forum, it should go without saying that Vienna's music has transported me to this special place many times, but she is not alone. I need to compile one of these lists and share it too. Thank you for yours, Vienna, when you are lurking.

[Michele]

Joy
"Goodnight and Go" - Imogen Heap
"Rewrite" - Paul Simon
"Birds Fly Away" - Theresa Andersson
"Summertime" - Jesca Hoop
"I Can See Your Tracks" - Laura Veirs
"Chicago" - Sufjan Stevens
"A-Punk" - Vampire Weekend
"Code Red" - Ramon & Jessica
"Tightrope" - Janelle Monáe Feat. Big Boi
"Dreamcatcher" - Elizabeth & the Catapult

Commentary
"My Wealth Comes to Me" - Ben Sollee, Daniel Martin Moore
"Optimistic" - Radiohead
"Strange Fruit" - Nina Simone
"Tony" - Patty Griffin
"Leaders Of The Free World" - Elbow

[Michele]

Recent Discoveries
Album: Hunting My Dress by Jesca Hoop
Album: The Seldom Seen Kid by Elbow
Album: Michigan by Sufjan Stevens