BREATHE OWL BREATHE: THE LISTENERS

i have been a fan of the michigan band, breathe owl breathe, for some time now. their music makes me smile. it's light and fun and  unique. so i suppose i'm not suprised that frontman, micah middaugh, is also a children's book author. his book, these train tracks, is a creation of such imagination and sweetness. i just had to post it. it comes with a 7" vinyl with accompanying tracks to the storyline. 

"we are not perfect. we are not normal. we are....EXCEPTIONAL!"

moments of the second track feature a child's innocent vocals singing the above exclamation. i just love it. 

these train tracks/the listener is the story of a mole and an ostrich, and the unique friendship that they share as they form a rock band, called "the listeners". it's canvas cover and blockprint illustration just add to it's charm. 

to order the book click >>HERE<<

and to listen to the tracks just click 'play' below

ARTIST TO WATCH: LIA ICES

i first heard of lia ices from my dearest friend, shaunna, while we sipped wine at a beautiful vineyard in sonoma, california. the air was chilled, but the sun hot, as we chatted under the large tree up on a hill. there is of course a connection between the two and this very vineyard appears in lia's video for the song "daphne" off her sophomore album grown unknown. 
while there is certainly no shortage of aspiring female singer/songwriters in the music scene these days, lia is something exceptional. her voice is so pure and perfect, yet different enough to separate herself from the pack. she doesn't rely on anything odd or peculiar with her vocals, just something extraordinarily smooth and melodic. she draws you in. makes you want to know and hear more. never disappointing, she is strong yet fragile. obviously others feel the same. she has been signed to jagjaguar records and on this latest album recorded with label-mate justin vernon of bon iver. 
lia is currently recording her new album. i can't wait to see what she has been working on. in the meantime, check out some of her stunning videos for grown unknown. i love the feel of love is won. a video shot completely on 8mm film by either lia herself or her boyfriend while they were in rome. it reminds me of all the beautiful little moments that we remember when we reflect on love. a moment in time that perhaps seemed insignificant at the time, but in the end is all we can remember. 
undoubtably, this won't be the last we see or hear from lia ices.

DAPHNE feat justin vernon >>>>


LOVE IS WON >>>>




photo credit: four/six: emiliano granado/// three/eleven: winona barton ballentine for foam magazine///eight/nine: shanna fisher; five: elisabeth vitale for pitchfork; two//creepingelm.com

||| PLANS ARE FOR BREAKING |||

Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans.

>>----> John Lennon

it's friday. throw your plans out the window. just be. 

FOR THE LOVERS + THE LIES >>> SUGARHIGH + LOVESTONED

 from my thursday post for SUGARHIGH + LOVESTONED. check it out each and every week for music stuff you won't always find on my blog. See the ORIGINAL post with some fantastic photos >>>HERE<<< 

“Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.”

― Rumi

Valentine's Day isn't just for couples. It's a day to honor all kinds of love. The love we have for a man, a woman, our family, dearest of friends, the love we lost, the mistakes we made, and the better people we are for it all.

I recently had the opportunity to sift through a huge box of photos from my late grandmother's garage. I was drawn to the smell of the musty paper and the neatness of each small square tucked into corner tabs, glued to acid-free, black paper. The grainy photos of the past. Past love. I am so drawn to love of the past. A love I will never know. It's a love where chivalry was cherished, people connected with eye contact instead of text messages. It's a love that was scribbled onto paper instead of typed on these informal screens. I am drawn to it's richness, the fragility, and vulnerability. While I love so dearly the progress of today, sometimes I ache for the simpleness. So today I honor the love of the past, the present, and the future. I will take small solace in knowing that somewhere there is a child covering up a shoe box with tin foil. Then carefully cutting a slit on the top the size of a paper valentine with an attached candy heart. 

I decided to do two playlists for today, because I recognize that we are not all in relationships, and perhaps are not seeking or longing to be in one. And some of us might be hurting today. Some might feel a tingling to rebel. Maybe take a moment to listen, reflect, forgive yourself or others, and tell someone you love them. The power of those three words can never be underestimated.

♡ happy valentine's day from the cedra sessions ♡

SIDE A // FOR THE LOVERS

A Sunday Kind of Love -- Etta James

Can't Help Falling In Love -- Elvis Presley

Love is Won -- Lia Ices

Sea of Love -- Cat Power

For You -- Sharon Van Etten

Little Bit -- Lykke Li

Night & Day -- Moondoggies

If You Let Me Be Your Anchor -- Dawes

Harvest Moon -- Neil Young

At the Hop -- Devendra Banhart

Poison Cup -- M. Ward

How Can I Tell You -- Cat Stevens

SIDE A: for the lovers from thecedrasessions on 8tracks Radio.

SIDE B // FOR THE REBELS

Say That -- Toro y Moi

Something Good -- Alt J

It Ain't Me, Babe -- Bob Dylan

Save Yourself -- Sharon Van Etten

You Ain't Alone -- Alabama Shakes

Big Love -- Matthew E White

Heartbreaker -- Led Zepplin

Cheated Hearts -- Yeah Yeah Yeahs

No Love -- Little Dragon

Alone Together -- Beachwood Sparks

You Broke My Heart -- Lavender Diamond

SIDE B: for the rebels from thecedrasessions on 8tracks Radio.