POTF's latest album is PURE GOLD!

All of the Poets of the Fall’s songs give me visions, dreams, whether happy or sad or just for a cool daydream. These reasons are what makes this band so very special to me. Having music around me in my life has been and is very important to me, but having a band actually give me everything I look for in music, is so rare and unusual. The Poets of The Fall do that for me, and for that, I will be always grateful. Not only do I relate to the lyrics (Marko, you are amazing!), but the music (Olli, you are the guitar god, and Captain the keyboard master!) is the perfect match, and the mixing, well, it’s done by the best (cowboy hat off to Captain )."

This is from a review of Poet's latest album, Temple of Thought by  The Tightrope Walker. I am simply blown away and it is such a melding of emotion that I can barely contain myself. Except the final song, just plain fun...

The reviewer's comment on one particular song...oh, this is so powerful to me, I was in tears all day after listening to the song. It has particular relevance for my future, I am acutely aware.

Cradled in Love:
This song is the featured ballad on this album, the first single and the first song made into a video. I love the lyrics, and I see this being sung by one who is leaving, to a former lover, comforting her and convincing her it will be all right, so they can both move on an remember what their love was like, and how she can find it again.
This stanza tells me even though this was not an easy relationship, each person found something he or she needed in it at the time, but that time has passed. The best way to move on is to have the great memories, and know, in her heart, and in his, this love will live on and bring something new to another love.
We took a gamble with this love, like sailing to the storm.
With the waves rushing over to take us, we were battling against the tide.
You were my beacon of salvation. I was your starlight.
It’s sad, although I have read interviews with Marko, and his thoughts on this song is one of comfort and some joy. This sentence, “Do I even dare to speak your name for fear it sounds like, like a lover?”, sounds like the person leaving is distancing himself from the former love by taking over the role of comforting friend. This song reminds me of “No End, No Beginning,” from Alchemy Vol.1, the album released prior to Temple of Thought, and there is not a connection, it gives me the same feeling.

This album, in my opinion is deeper than anything they have previously released. What do you think? You can download it on the itunes store or from Poet's website at  POTF website. I'd love to hear thoughts about this album and write more about it in future.
 

PPD is a tough nut to crack...and more music finds

I've been dying to post all weekend, but it's been a rough one. The little one is teething (I didn't know it would be so bad!) and my PPD went to new lows. At the worst of it, I asked dh if he wanted me to leave the house and stay with my mother. I  had to leave my daughter's care up to him last night, I simply couldn't cope. I feel horrible about my inability to deal with my little girl at times like this.  I am terrified that she's going to remember these times, when I go numb and cold and speak harshly to her.  I am grateful that I have a psychiatrist appt tomorrow and I'm going to call this new therapist my support group told me about. I know I need help, and I want to be a kind, gentle, and loving parent. I don't understand why I can't cope. As awful as it sounds, I do much better during the weeks when I work and have those 10 hours away. Then I pick her up from daycare and we spend a pleasant (or fussy) evening together and I can cope. The weekends are awful. There's no respite. Even though dh takes her most of the time, I feel obliged to be around constantly, to be cleaning the house if I'm not taking care of her, or something.

I feel like I am a cold bitch. Uncaring and narcissistic. And of course, you know where that thinking leads. I think most people who know me would say I'm not these things, but I feel like those negative parts that I inherited from my parents are alive and in control right now.

Dh doesn't understand about PPD. He didn't understand the hormonal changes I went through during the pregnancy, or the breastfeeding pain and bond, and now he thinks if I just sleep for a few nights, I'll be fine. Sleep is part of it, of course, but I sometimes think he looks at me as if I'm just making these things up.

I am grateful though, that he is such a wonderful, patient father. I hope that makes up for me not being 100 percent right now.

During the night when my daughter was sleeping and I was awake (can you say insomia!), I did some searching and listening to music again and I found some gems I want to share.

Did you know there's a demo of Marko Saaresto's first solo album out there? This song is incredible for a DEMO! It's beautiful!  What an amazing voice, wowwowowowowow!!!

Poets of the Fall mentored a band called Phoenix Effect--and their first album released by POTF's independent label, Insomniac, is striking. You can hear POTF's influence--they collaborated on this album, but at the same time, there's raw talent here, too. Two of their songs: the first, King See No Evil (with Marko) and then A Light to Guide You, something that seems to have more of an independent style from POTF. This stuff is pure gold. Everything POTF touches in any way is pure gold!

Medley...

I love discovering music, and I love to share. I tend to force music on people, though, I've realized. I will send them songs or be overly emotional or sappy about certain songs...so in order to curb this restless instinct, I'm posting music here. That way, readers, you can take it or leave it and I'm not pushing anything on you. Some songs bring up a rush of emotion so powerful I almost need to share and I figure this blog is a good a place as any to noninvasively share.

I don't know why this Gothic and symphonic metal and music hailing from northern Europe is so potent for me right now, and has been for the past year. It seems that the older I get, the darker and wilder my taste in music gets--shouldn't the opposite be happening? Some of these German bands are downright scary though, so much pent up anger...I'm much more comfortable with the symphonic ballads of the Finns...

But first, POTF....and yes, I have a massive crush on the lead singer. His voice is HOT, and so is the rest of him...honestly, I think I got really lucky here--my lover reminds me a bit of him : ) A military Marko...and the black cuffs he wears on his wrists, oh man. Okay, here are two videos, the first is more typical POTF, the second is a wild departure, but wow, I love it! 

Next, let's see, ah, the song my designer colleague and I yell at each other daily: Du Hast, Rammestein.

Epica--I love how these bands combine some folk, metal, and operatic themes. This is the most creative music; we really don't have anything like these artists in the United States. <swoon>

 And something traditional to top it off. Nightwish ROCKS! They are so versatile. If only I'd known about the hidden talent in Finalnd when I was living in Scandinavia. Being an immigrant myself, I believed the biased words of the Swedes : ) I still love the Swedes, though. Scandinavians in general have a special place in my heart.

Of course, I can't stop there! One more--Jerico by Subway to Sally. Middle Eastern flavor metal. My ears are so happy : )