August 8th, 2012
April 16th, 2012
Dear God, Norah Jones.
I have a tremendous girl crush on Norah Jones and this album. Thank God for NPR.
March 22nd, 2012
Suzanne Collins’ bestseller about a televised killing tournament has come to the big screen, with a cast that includes Jennifer Lawrence, Lenny Kravitz and Stanley Tucci. Critic David Edelstein says some of the actors — including Lawrence — give amazing performances.
So, David Edelstein would deny an entire generation of newly excited readers the chance to see their favorite characters on screen just to add a little more fake blood? That’s irresponsible and unfair. This is a thoughtful book that encourages teenagers especially to use their brains to understand the implications of such a society, to introduce a sense of gratitude into their lives, and to expand their imaginations to a new level.
I find it poor logic to demean the morality of the director and producers who, very clearly, took the opportunity to give EVERYONE a chance to experience the phenomenon that is The Hunger Games. I say well done. Well done to the director, producers, screenwriters, actors, and set/costume designers. It is a marvel to behold all the different facets of Panem.
This book, and consequent movie, would have been nothing without the unabashed zeal of young people. And I think that deserves a round of applause.
December 14th, 2011
November 22nd, 2011
On Friday, we’re rebroadcasting an interview with Jay-Z.
This is why I love NPR so much. Harry Potter meme to annuonce an interview with Jay-Z. So fantastic.
October 26th, 2011
![prairiehomecompanion:
It was John Lithgow’s birthday last week! The cast and crew helped him celebrate before Saturday’s broadcast, with Sue Scott and Tom Keith leading the “Happy Birthday” singalong.
[More from the October 22, 2011 broadcast]
Oh to be in that room.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ltogdk3JST1qj2vloo1_500.jpg)
It was John Lithgow’s birthday last week! The cast and crew helped him celebrate before Saturday’s broadcast, with Sue Scott and Tom Keith leading the “Happy Birthday” singalong.
Oh to be in that room.
September 26th, 2011
Ryan Adams returns with a sweet, spare honeymoon album.
some music for your morning…
It’s normally not my fave but I’m kind of loving the slide guitar sprinkled throughout…
(via happiestonthedancefloor)
August 24th, 2011
Single People Likely to Die Much Earlier Than Their Married Peers: International Business Times
npr:
And according to the L.A. Times, women who stay at home raising children are more likely than working mothers to have symptoms of depression, a new study finds.
So, get married but don’t have kids? *scratches head* — Tanya Ballard Brown
Well, hell.
August 3rd, 2011
Bon Iver, Recorded Live in Concert at DC’s 9:30 Club
Such a great performance! Simply amazing! Creature Fear stole the show for me (it’s about 20 minutes in). NPR has made the whole performance available online.
So amazing. Can’t wait to see them in Austin in September with Jen.
July 21st, 2011
There is honestly nothing sexier than a man who listens to NPR and has excellent books in his satchel. Yes, satchel.
June 22nd, 2011
It’s been three years since For Emma, Forever Ago, the debut album that landed Justin Vernon’s band Bon Iver on virtually every best-of list for 2008. Now, Bon Iver has released the follow-up to For Emma, titled Bon Iver. The song titles draw from the names of places — real, imagined or a combination of both, like “Minnesota, WI.”
Currently listening. And by listening, I mean obsessing. Thank GOD he’s coming to the Long Center in September. Favorite tracks are Perth, Holocene, Minnesota, WI and Wash.
June 18th, 2011
Folk/Bluegrass/Americana Fridays- because sometimes you want to close your eyes and imagine yourself sitting on a wrap-around porch gazing wistfully at the Appalachian mountains while a very nice old couple plays lovingly duets with a banjo and fiddle.
I adore a good banjo/acoustic guitar/mandolin/fiddle combo. I’ve been listening to Prairie Home Companion and Bluegrass music my whole life but I think my affinity for it really comes from when my family and I lived in Memphis, TN. On Sundays after church, my mom would turn the intercom radio throughout the house to Bluegrass Sundays on NPR and we’d hum and dance and make “down in the holler” jokes. On a whole, I despised living in Memphis (having left Austin…whoa totally different) but Sundays were what made it bearable. I loved our Methodist church and how great I felt every Sunday after seeing my friends and coming home to the whole family in sunny spirits.
Living in Tennessee, we took several short trips to the Eastern part of the state and the Carolinas. One of my most vivid musical memories is listening to Alison Krauss’ album, Forget About It, on a trip to Kiawah Island, SC in 1999. I remember closing my eyes on the porch facing the beach and hearing the most pure and captivating voice wafting from the CD player inside. It was Alison’s voice and I’ve been madly in love with every project she’s done ever since. From her partnership with Union Station to her work on Cold Mountain and O Brother, Where Art Thou? to the album Raising Sand she did with Robert Plant. She is undeniably magnificent, and the newest album from Alison Krauss and Union Station, Paper Airplane, is no exception. Their songs speak of a different era but capture the same emotions we feel today. A recipe for pure, beautiful and poignant music.
I couldn’t pick which song to post so here are two of my favorites, “Paper Airplane” and “Dust Bowl Children”.
Peace, Love and Banjos.
