Mama
03/Jan/12 01:54
So I have been way behind in getting videos up on youtube and perhaps I was inspired by the new year but for whatever reason I have one for your viewing pleasure. I decided to forgo sleep tonight and put all those film studies from college to use. In the absence of a professional director I hope you still enjoy this unreleased track and the accompanying video. Shot on location in my apartment tonight with my iPhone. So yeah it was pretty glamorous. I think my cats are the only thing that didn't get a cameo. I hope you enjoy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdxVCrOlQlg
Catch me if you can...
27/Nov/11 17:18
So I live in San Francisco now. I know. I had just moved to Boston. But sometimes life has other plans for you so I am just trying to enjoy the ride. And SF is amazing so I'm not complaining about the seats, the ride, or the destination. With great fluctuation in life comes great inspiration. As such, I have 3 cds in the works and am writing every day. I have found a new outlet in sampled beats so one of the cds is going to be unlike anything you've heard from me in the past. Hopefully the tracks will bring your ears as much joy as I am having writing them. It's all coming together and I can't wait to share some preview tracks soon. Stay tuned...
Closet Beats baby...
20/Jul/11 20:33
I am in the midst of a very exciting collaboration with my buddy Shane. Expect a new CD in the coming months unlike any of my others. Stay tuned. This is going to be a very special one for your ears.
Much love.
Much love.
Boston baby!
06/Mar/11 10:04
Hello all my lovelies! The very exciting news that has kept me ever so occupied lately is that I am finally home and relocated to Boston. I am loving a South End experience and can't wait to see you all out around town soon. Stay tuned for shows and events...
Much love,
Rana
Much love,
Rana
Now onto the next one...
02/Nov/10 19:02
Love Is All is finally available! It's been a long time in the coming which is strange considering how quickly it was written and recorded. The majority of these songs were written in the early part of 2009. I seemed to always practice and play the songs in the order in which I had written them and realized there was one larger collective being created besides each individual song. I decided I would keep and record the songs all in order and maintain a sense of immediacy in the recordings. I had the privilege to work with my brilliant brother, Morgan Hobbs, in Nashville to record the CD. We went into the studio for one day and knocked out all 13 songs. I recorded them in order so as to try and capture the emotional trajectory I experienced while writing the songs. The simple quiet version of "Brand New and Beautiful" is the first take. I sat in a small room in the studio and just flipped pages in my composition book and recorded one song after the next. It was wonderful to work with Morgan and be able to share this release with him. I am so proud of all the instrumentation and extra qualities he brought to life in the tracks. So now what? Well, now it's onto the next one! I am half done writing the next CD and am looking forward to trying out a broader musical landscape and fuller instrumentation. Life seems to occupy me too much sometimes to where I am not performing out or writing more to you all. I miss my hometown of Boston and am heading back up there in the coming months. So though my efforts may seem a bit sporadic at times, know I am here and am looking forward to gracing the New England spring thaw with a stream of music, performances and coming attractions into the next CD. Love to you all.
- Rana
- Rana
It's a new dawn, it's a new day, and I'm feeling fine...
18/Jul/10 07:32
Well, after some much needed time off to attend to mind, body and soul, I am thrilled to say I am back ready to see how good it can be. The third CD will be out by end of summer! This CD has been a true delight to make as I recorded it with my amazing brother in Nashville. I'll save all the behind the scene comments for when the CD is released. Stay tuned...
I hope you are all out there enjoying some summer fun and divine decadence. I have been romping around San Francisco, Boston and London with a brilliant trip to Australia looming on the horizon. What a wonderful invention flight is. Thank you Wright brothers.
Let me pass on some of the favorite things that have been holding my attention lately:
"Home" - Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
My honey sent me this one, and I think of it as a modern day version of the "Oh Sylvia" song from Dirty Dancing. [yes I know the song is not called "Oh Sylvia" but that is how we all remember the song so cut me a break]
"Shine So Bright" - Teddy Thompson
Just downloaded this one last night as I was redoing the website. Have had it on repeat ever since. I LOVED his version of Leonard Cohen's "Tonight Will be Fine."
"Clap Your Hands" - Sia
Missed when she just came to DC but love this track. I just watched the video for the first time to grab link for you. It disturbs me. Just listen to it first then watch it. Your eyes will thank me.
I have also been combatting the swampish summer DC weather with the fun rim shots and beats of Matt and Kim but I'll let you pick your fav from them. And I love the Stefon character on SNL. Please the broadcast powers that be, bring Stefon back after the summer because I can't keep watching these two clips forever. Yeah Stefon. And finally, Wanda Sykes is the nexus of humor as far as I ma concerned. I'ma Be Me is pure brilliance.
Ok my friends, enjoy and I'll find you again soon.
I hope you are all out there enjoying some summer fun and divine decadence. I have been romping around San Francisco, Boston and London with a brilliant trip to Australia looming on the horizon. What a wonderful invention flight is. Thank you Wright brothers.
Let me pass on some of the favorite things that have been holding my attention lately:
"Home" - Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
My honey sent me this one, and I think of it as a modern day version of the "Oh Sylvia" song from Dirty Dancing. [yes I know the song is not called "Oh Sylvia" but that is how we all remember the song so cut me a break]
"Shine So Bright" - Teddy Thompson
Just downloaded this one last night as I was redoing the website. Have had it on repeat ever since. I LOVED his version of Leonard Cohen's "Tonight Will be Fine."
"Clap Your Hands" - Sia
Missed when she just came to DC but love this track. I just watched the video for the first time to grab link for you. It disturbs me. Just listen to it first then watch it. Your eyes will thank me.
I have also been combatting the swampish summer DC weather with the fun rim shots and beats of Matt and Kim but I'll let you pick your fav from them. And I love the Stefon character on SNL. Please the broadcast powers that be, bring Stefon back after the summer because I can't keep watching these two clips forever. Yeah Stefon. And finally, Wanda Sykes is the nexus of humor as far as I ma concerned. I'ma Be Me is pure brilliance.
Ok my friends, enjoy and I'll find you again soon.
ARCHIVE [2008]
17/Jul/10 08:16
So where have I been? Where have I misplaced those months since I last wrote? Well there are too many or too few stories to explain. But let me tell you where I am now. I have finally finished up almost all of the material for the next CD. There are songs that have been lingering aout for years that I finally feel are ready for your ears. It may end up being two CDs at this point-perhaps a more band blues based one and a second more mellow solo one. We shall see…
What I do need to confess with all the emotion I can convey is how much I have enjoyed seeing some fine fine music this summer. Two highlights have been within weeks of eachother.
First, Brandi Carlile and Indigo Girls.
It was like watching a musical trifecta. I love them individually and have seen Indigo Girls at least 20 times at this point. But when they sang together it was a melding of vocals that was just stunning. It reminded me of comments made by the Mama’s and the Papa’s about how when they nailed the harmonies it was as if there was a fifth member of the band singing with them.
And second, the love of my life George Michael.
Now I have sustained mockery for the undying love that I have kept alive since the early days of Wham. It is something beyond my control. I just adore him. And last night he put on one of the best shows I have ever seen. His stage display combined with his breathtaking voice and classic George dance moves was just perfection. He was the first concert I ever went to and seeing him again, better than ever, gave a strange feeling of continuity in my life. Perhaps I am taking this a bit far but suffice it to say I am in a total haze of love and wonder for my George.
And finally, a preview into what is sure to be a great concert in August. Dolly Parton at Dollywood! I don’t think I need to say anymore but I will once I get back from the show.
So my dear friends, I have been remiss in writing but all good things to come. Much love to all.
- Rana
NAYLA DEAN [APRIL 15, 1997-MARCH 13, 2008]
How so much love and pain can come from losing my tiny calico cat, I will never understand. We love and miss you ‘Spooner.’
TONIGHT WILL BE FINE…
I have a tendency to immerse myself in new musical findings, devouring and savoring over and over again until the songs have their own memory of me. Now I may be admittedly a little late coming to some of the following music, but I thought I might highlight where my ears have been of late. I was reading an article about Shelby Lynne’s new album of Dusty Springfield covers and realized how very little I knew of Dusty. So from there, I fell head-long into a rabbit hole on Dusty and came back with a freshly minted download of Dusty in Memphis. Now this is a collection I was missing and I am in delight every time I listen to it. ‘Breakfast in Bed’ stands out as a song I will keep close at hand from now on.
And last evening I watched the following film on Leonard Cohen. Now he has always stood as a songwriter of ethereal proportion to me. However, again, I never gave his collection very thorough attention. His myth took over for intimate knowledge and I became amiss in truly knowing the genius and words he continues to create. Teddy Thompson singing ‘Tonight will be Fine’ was such a beautiful rendition of words that ache in me. I am determined to see the man that is Leonard out on his 2008 tour. His words carry life itself and listening to them makes me heart learn to beat, love, break, and go free all within minutes. He is a lifetime lived each time.
So to you my dear Dusty and Leonard…
A CUP OF HOLIDAY CHEER
Well to all you my friends, I wish you love and fortune in the new year and in life to come.
Be in bliss…
Love, Rana
XAVIER STONE
I admit it freely…I have an addiction. A junky some might say. No drugs and alcohol, that is so passe. No, my new weakness is none other than Guitar Hero III courtesy of my dealer Nintendo Wii and my brother the enabler. I am fully convinced they have laced the buttons with crack so that I don’t put it down. I justify the hours spent as finger strength training for playing my ‘real’ guitar. With all that said, my character is so very kick ass. A shameless Jimi rip off. I may make it my life goal to look that cool in military rock wear. I long for more classic rock tunes, more Poison, and more chics…Chrissie Hynde anyone? Until then I am off to rock…playing acoustic guitar may never be the same.
HELLO MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS…
Well for too long I have held back on starting a blog. Reasons fell somewhere between privacy and laziness. However, I can no longer resist the magnetic pull of world communication. So hello my brothers and sisters. I thank you for all of the kind words over the years. I have a tendancy of disappearing into my life and mind and so I hope allowing outside eyes on my thoughts will bring us all a little closer and make it all a bit better.
So with that…so many things happening behind the scenes that have been hard to show. I am finishing the songs up for the 3rd CD. Strange how it is all going though. I really just need to finish two songs and I have the line up but everytime I sit to finish them I start a new one. Now new songs are never anything to complain about and I am thankful for them everyday. But I would really like to finish these others songs. I’ve recently brought a new electric guitar into the mix and am hearing a different mix of sounds in this new CD. Granted I can’t seem to stray too far from my acoustic roots. I’ve got a 12 string Rickenbacker semi-hollow body [think The Byrds] which is just gorgeous in everyway and still very organic sounding. A bit more bluesy is all I can say to describe whats coming out in the new material. As the list of songs grows, I am thinking of doing a band CD and then an acoustic CD of the quieter songs. We shall see how it goes. In the interim though I want to get some rough cuts out to your ears. I am long overdue in sending you some new tunes. So armed with fun new technology, the plan is to get some new tracks and video up for your consumption. So stay tuned…
Side note: I had the delirious pleasure of spending about a month in Australia recently and I have to say it is one cool country. Sydney was like walking through a dream with sparkling harbors, manicured botanical gardens, flocks of wild cockatoos…please don’t wake me…So with no affiliation with the Australian board of tourism, I highly recommend any and all travel to Australia. I stayed east coast and luxuriated on the sunshine coast for a bit watching the whales come in to have their calfs. Well I didn’t actually watch that bit but I did see the finished product of mother and baby feeding and splashing about.
And now as I look out at a field of snow, a glowing woodstove, and an already faded tan I know I am home. It’s Spring there now. It’s Sat morning there now. I think I may prefer that to my winter Friday night here. You know why Australian’s are so smart? Because they are from the future. So with that terrible joke I shall leave you for now.
Love it all…
Rana
What I do need to confess with all the emotion I can convey is how much I have enjoyed seeing some fine fine music this summer. Two highlights have been within weeks of eachother.
First, Brandi Carlile and Indigo Girls.
It was like watching a musical trifecta. I love them individually and have seen Indigo Girls at least 20 times at this point. But when they sang together it was a melding of vocals that was just stunning. It reminded me of comments made by the Mama’s and the Papa’s about how when they nailed the harmonies it was as if there was a fifth member of the band singing with them.
And second, the love of my life George Michael.
Now I have sustained mockery for the undying love that I have kept alive since the early days of Wham. It is something beyond my control. I just adore him. And last night he put on one of the best shows I have ever seen. His stage display combined with his breathtaking voice and classic George dance moves was just perfection. He was the first concert I ever went to and seeing him again, better than ever, gave a strange feeling of continuity in my life. Perhaps I am taking this a bit far but suffice it to say I am in a total haze of love and wonder for my George.
And finally, a preview into what is sure to be a great concert in August. Dolly Parton at Dollywood! I don’t think I need to say anymore but I will once I get back from the show.
So my dear friends, I have been remiss in writing but all good things to come. Much love to all.
- Rana
NAYLA DEAN [APRIL 15, 1997-MARCH 13, 2008]
How so much love and pain can come from losing my tiny calico cat, I will never understand. We love and miss you ‘Spooner.’
TONIGHT WILL BE FINE…
I have a tendency to immerse myself in new musical findings, devouring and savoring over and over again until the songs have their own memory of me. Now I may be admittedly a little late coming to some of the following music, but I thought I might highlight where my ears have been of late. I was reading an article about Shelby Lynne’s new album of Dusty Springfield covers and realized how very little I knew of Dusty. So from there, I fell head-long into a rabbit hole on Dusty and came back with a freshly minted download of Dusty in Memphis. Now this is a collection I was missing and I am in delight every time I listen to it. ‘Breakfast in Bed’ stands out as a song I will keep close at hand from now on.
And last evening I watched the following film on Leonard Cohen. Now he has always stood as a songwriter of ethereal proportion to me. However, again, I never gave his collection very thorough attention. His myth took over for intimate knowledge and I became amiss in truly knowing the genius and words he continues to create. Teddy Thompson singing ‘Tonight will be Fine’ was such a beautiful rendition of words that ache in me. I am determined to see the man that is Leonard out on his 2008 tour. His words carry life itself and listening to them makes me heart learn to beat, love, break, and go free all within minutes. He is a lifetime lived each time.
So to you my dear Dusty and Leonard…
A CUP OF HOLIDAY CHEER
Well to all you my friends, I wish you love and fortune in the new year and in life to come.
Be in bliss…
Love, Rana
XAVIER STONE
I admit it freely…I have an addiction. A junky some might say. No drugs and alcohol, that is so passe. No, my new weakness is none other than Guitar Hero III courtesy of my dealer Nintendo Wii and my brother the enabler. I am fully convinced they have laced the buttons with crack so that I don’t put it down. I justify the hours spent as finger strength training for playing my ‘real’ guitar. With all that said, my character is so very kick ass. A shameless Jimi rip off. I may make it my life goal to look that cool in military rock wear. I long for more classic rock tunes, more Poison, and more chics…Chrissie Hynde anyone? Until then I am off to rock…playing acoustic guitar may never be the same.
HELLO MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS…
Well for too long I have held back on starting a blog. Reasons fell somewhere between privacy and laziness. However, I can no longer resist the magnetic pull of world communication. So hello my brothers and sisters. I thank you for all of the kind words over the years. I have a tendancy of disappearing into my life and mind and so I hope allowing outside eyes on my thoughts will bring us all a little closer and make it all a bit better.
So with that…so many things happening behind the scenes that have been hard to show. I am finishing the songs up for the 3rd CD. Strange how it is all going though. I really just need to finish two songs and I have the line up but everytime I sit to finish them I start a new one. Now new songs are never anything to complain about and I am thankful for them everyday. But I would really like to finish these others songs. I’ve recently brought a new electric guitar into the mix and am hearing a different mix of sounds in this new CD. Granted I can’t seem to stray too far from my acoustic roots. I’ve got a 12 string Rickenbacker semi-hollow body [think The Byrds] which is just gorgeous in everyway and still very organic sounding. A bit more bluesy is all I can say to describe whats coming out in the new material. As the list of songs grows, I am thinking of doing a band CD and then an acoustic CD of the quieter songs. We shall see how it goes. In the interim though I want to get some rough cuts out to your ears. I am long overdue in sending you some new tunes. So armed with fun new technology, the plan is to get some new tracks and video up for your consumption. So stay tuned…
Side note: I had the delirious pleasure of spending about a month in Australia recently and I have to say it is one cool country. Sydney was like walking through a dream with sparkling harbors, manicured botanical gardens, flocks of wild cockatoos…please don’t wake me…So with no affiliation with the Australian board of tourism, I highly recommend any and all travel to Australia. I stayed east coast and luxuriated on the sunshine coast for a bit watching the whales come in to have their calfs. Well I didn’t actually watch that bit but I did see the finished product of mother and baby feeding and splashing about.
And now as I look out at a field of snow, a glowing woodstove, and an already faded tan I know I am home. It’s Spring there now. It’s Sat morning there now. I think I may prefer that to my winter Friday night here. You know why Australian’s are so smart? Because they are from the future. So with that terrible joke I shall leave you for now.
Love it all…
Rana