The uncaffeinated playlist.

I quit coffee a few days ago and my brain has turned to mush. Who knew that the fluidity in my synapses was the morning cup of joe? I can barely spell right now – but i’m trusting this will pass soon. I am only cutting out the caffeine to see if it will ease my sleep somewhat as I have long suffered from an inability to fall asleep, even when really tired. We’ll see. In the meantime focusing will be difficult.

Have been listening to a ton of new music again lately and since I’m having a hard time thinking about anything else – I will leave you with my current list of listenings with some brief thoughts about them:

Joan Jeanrenaud – Metamorphosis (2002) – Joan Jeanrenaud built her career playing cello with the legendary Kronos Quartet, and left them in 1999 to pursue a different musical path. Metamorphosis is one of the avenues of expression she has walked during this time, and represents some incredible cello music and performance. One of the most interesting pieces on the album is Escalay by Hamaz El Din, an oud master from Sudan – the cello being played in the middle eastern tuning and with many of the finger flourishes found in oud music. Metamorphosis 4 by Philip Glass also shows up on this album, arranged for four celli and multi-tracked in a beautiful version of what is one of my favourite Glass pieces.

Zoe Keating – One Cello x 16: Natoma (2005) – I’m not exactly sure what has been going on with me and cello music lately, but Zoe Keating is also a solo cello performer who uses live-multi-tracking and experimental forms to create expressive and haunting musical landscapes. Her work is truly mesmerizing, something to put on the stereo or ipod and let enter you in harmonic waves as each layer of music builds on the next – incredible. I get all swoony and giddy when I listen to pieces like “Fern” – it’s almost like hitting the bottle, but feels so much better afterwards.

Bruce Brubaker – Glass Cage (2006) – Brubaker plays Philip Glass on solo piano – classic pieces such as Mad Rush and the Metamorphosis suite – done to justice and comforting to listen to. I found this album enveloped me the first time I listened to it and it is finding its way onto my ipod play at least once a day right now.

Thom Yorke – The Eraser (2006) – I wrote about this album the other day. Very Radiohead, Very awesome.

Fred Eaglesmith – Milly’s Cafe (2006) – Canadian country at its grittiest, Fred Eaglesmith delivers another perfect album about stealing and shooting and loving and crying. It’s all the way to Texas and back up to Mission – tunes you want to steal and make your own – singing them over and over again behind the wheel of your truck.

The Be Good Tanyas – Scattered Leaves (EP) (2006) – This would be the pre-release for their new album coming out October 10th (Hello Love). I haven’t had a chance to listen to these three songs much, but was left with the distinct impression that I wanted to hear the whole album these came off of! Beautiful voices as always, a bit smoother sounding – what you would expect from the Tanyas really.