...and we are the dreamers of dreams...

[ Bands I like, with some commentary - a list of albums I own - a list of MP3s I have ]

Note: These are in no particular order. It would be impossible for me to pick any favorites.

Ben Lee

This Australian youth captured my heart and my musical admiration immediately when I stumbled across him via Napster late in the love "Y2K". He isn't the best guitarist technically, and his voice is less than operatic. But his amazing songwriting, passionate delivery, and his lust-for-life attitude... I couldn't help but fall in love. The new Bob Dylan. Wonderful.

Liz Phair

Liz Phair is by far my favorite female rocker currently, one of my favorites ever. Her smart, witty lyrics, her fearless openness about her strong sexuality, and her plain talent make her one of the most "authentic" women making music today. I certainly relate to her more than any other I know of. I can only hope to be as good a rocker as her one day!

Elvis Costello

It's September in the (debatable) first year of the new millenium and I have a new obsession. This one, however, seems it might just last a little longer than the others. Seeing as I have a catalogue of oh, I don't know, two dozen plus albums to keep me well-fed over the next few years. This man is really just incredible. Prolific, smart, witty, venomous; tender, incisive, charming, romantic; victimized, victimizing-- above all, tremendously talented. He wrote as many great songs in the span of his first three albums than many modern artists write in their entire lifetimes. I cannot recommend him highly enough to anyone who likes great rock songs with real, intelligent lyrics. And passionate, I mean passionate performance. Simple incredible, truly.

Jump, Little Children

I really ought to start dating these entries; I keep saying "They're my favorite band!" and now I realize that I have about a dozen favorite bands now. But oh, well. Anything else you read on this page is meaningless if it contradicts this statement: JUMP LITTLE CHILDREN IS THE BEST BAND IN THE UNIVERSE. Alright, maybe that's exaggerating a little, but I swear, only a little. They're a folk-rock-pop quintet based in Charleston, SC, composed of Jay Clifford (vocals/guitar), Ward Williams (cello/guitar), Jonathan Gray (upright bass), Evan (drums) and Matthew Bivins (accordion and basically everything else). THEY ARE AWESOME, in the truest sense of the word. All classically trained musicians, all great guys, all amazing performers. If you ever get a chance to see them, please GO. You won't be disappointed.
(Note: I'm planning on making them their own page soon. But alas, I am a very busy girl...)

Rufus Wainwright

This boy is certainly quite a treasure. Absolutely gorgeous, with a voice like velvet, and songwriter skills seriously close to genius. So much fun, and so much talent! Pop music with Broadway sensibility, and some of it is very, very sexy. Definitely a defining musical taste for me.

Toad the Wet Sprocket

I was given Toad's "In Light Syrup" in 1995, and I literally wore my CD out. Their lyrics were emotional and down-to-earth, their music layered with melodies & harmonies, and at times slightly whimsical. I fell in love instantly. I subsequently bought "Fear," "Dulcinea," "Coil," and "Pale" (the only one I don't have is "Bread & Circus"), and can now say I am hooked. Addicted is probably a better word. They are amazing.

Dave Matthews Band

The first I heard from them was "Ants Marching" on the radio, and I immediately bought the CD. Needless to say (to anyone who knows the band), I was blown away. The shere musicianship of every single member of this band is astounding. When I listen to the unique blend of jazz, bluegrass, rock and whatever else, I forget what's bothering me & am simply caught up in the beautiful music...

Better Than Ezra

I didn't realize how very awesomely amazing these guys were until I saw them in concert at the Trocadero in Philadelphia. I loved their albums but I was just blown away by the live show. They all had such a presence; maybe it was all the screaming and the sweat and the smoke but it seemed like the whole room was captivated the second they stepped on stage. I swear, Kevin Griffin has as much sexual energy in his little finger as the whole of Hollywood combined. I have since become (for lack of a stronger word) fairly obsessed with them, so I've decided to make them their own page!

The Sundays

The Sundays hail from somewhere over in England. While I don't know as much about the people, I do know more than enough about their music. My mother received their debut album "Reading Writing & Arithmetic" as a Christmas gift, and I remember singing along with that tape all the time- until we lost it. Just recently I rediscovered these talented Brits when they released their first album in five years, "Static & Silence," last year. I then rushed out & bought "Blind"- my favorite yet (which I've been listening to that one almost exclusively for the past three weeks). If you like melodic, layered songs and real-life lyrics, you'd definitely love the Sundays.

Smashing Pumpkins

I have listened to their songs so many times; they are so familiar to me; whenever I hear Billy Corgan's voice, it's like seeing an old friend. It's like I can wrap their music around me, a thick, dense blanket of melody and countermelody, guitar over guitar over guitar... They are so beautiful. And with Jimmy Chaimberlain back in the line-up (can you believe it?!) they promise to be more amazing than ever. Please check out my ever-evolving page for more info.

Counting Crows

Adam Duritz has a knack for writing songs that seem to come straight out of my life. Listening to them has gotten me through some really tough times, the present included. Visit my page to see how much they really mean to me.

The Cure

I will always be a sucker for good, depressing love songs, and Robert Smith seems to have invented the genre. "Wish" is one of the most amazing albums to come out of the early 90's, and this band is certainly one of the best to come out of England ever. Gotta love it. I'd list more, but this is getting way too long...