She's dating Conor Oberst

The music I listen to differs greatly depending on the season. Maybe this is a symptom of that "disorder" that makes people depressed when it's cold out (I think it's called "human nature" or "freezing winds suck"), but nevertheless, there's a definite difference.

Summer music
Anything that sounds best with the car windows rolled down, played at outdoor festivals, carefree, danceable, and LOUD.

Winter music
Anything sad.


With those definitions out of the way, let me amend my "Best Albums of 2007" post to include one I neglected up until temperatures plunged this week. Maria Taylor, one half of Saddle Creek darlings Azure Ray (and girlfriend of Conor Oberst), released her second solo album Lynn Teeter Flower last summer. I saw her open for Jimmy Eat World's acoustic tour on a couple dates and was instantly struck by her soothing voice and strong stage presence. She was a force, albeit a physically tiny one. I bought the album, but since it isn't a) loud, b) sound better played loud, or c) danceable, I quickly moved on to bigger and louder things.

But now that I spend all possible waking moments under my electric blanket (I've spent an average of 18 hours a day in bed this week, I think), I have re-discovered the amazingness of Maria Taylor. I seriously can't get enough. There's not a bad track on the CD, which I consider one of the highest forms of praise possible for a collection of songs.

Maria Taylor's Saddle Creek homepage allows downloads of "Good Start" and "Lost Time" from Lynn Teeter Flower and the equally excellent "Song Beneath the Song" and "Speak Easy" from 11:11.

Disclaimer: Lynn Teeter Flower may cause you to lose the urge to get out of bed and tempt you to procrastinate homework assignments in favor of writing glowing blogs on the album.

— Susan