Two months ago, I moved in with a roommate after two and a half years living on my own. I loved living alone. I had my own space, everything was just as I wanted it, and coming home was like a little retreat. It’s not that I don’t have those things in my new house. But I opted to live with a roommate again in part because I am so prone to retreating when something’s on my mind. Sometimes my introverted tendencies get the best of me.

This is a playlist for those times.

Under Lock and Key (Songs for an INFJ)

1. Under Lock and Key by Sandra McCracken
2. Shy That Way by Tristan Prettyman with Jason Mraz
3. If I Needed Someone by The Beatles
4. Who Will Guard the Door by Over the Rhine
5. On Ice by Chris Thile
6. Dream Brother by Jeff Buckley
7. Let Me In by Neil Couvillion
8. The Perfect Space by the Avett Brothers
9. With a Little Help from My Friends by The Beatles

By Emily Etheredge

Singer/songwriter Barton Carroll had a somewhat unconventional approach to falling in love with music. When he was growing up, Carroll’s parents relocated the family to a cabin in the woods of North Carolina, where the days were spent reading and writing and listening to music via headphones. “There was no cable in the woods, and my parents had the television in their room, so I literally created my own little world of discovering and analyzing music,” Carroll says.

Fans can now enjoy the latest results of Carroll’s analysis. His fourth album,Together You and I, released in January. Carroll describes his music as narrative folk, and the album features a series of songs that offer a distinct array of instruments, as well as various duets throughout. “For this record, I was hearing two voices happening. The concept of the duet pushed the record to the finish point, hence the name,” Carroll explains.

The first track on his album, “The Poor Boy Can’t Dance,” has a timeless quality leaving listeners caught in a 1940’s era England, where a clarinet plays methodically throughout. “All folk singers hope to be timeless. If you can place a song in any time period, it strengthens it,” Carroll explains. Thinking of songs like little stories, Carroll says that he and his producer thought it would be a great idea to have a theme where classical guys got bitten by the musical bug. Carroll hoped that the song would translate to any time period, where a poor boy enjoys dancing to swing music for the first time in England. “I like to think of music as literature,” he says. “It tells a story.”

The album features a vast array of distinct instruments that keep it unique to Barton Carroll and his love for folk music. Some of Barton’s favorite musicians that have inspired him throughout the years include English folk musician Richard Thompson, The Beatles, Bruce Springsteen and Joni Mitchell. He’s currently enjoying A.A. Bondy.

Barton plays at O Kafes on Feb. 6. “I will be playing solo, and probably singing some sad songs,” he says. Visit okafes.com/live for more information.

Together You and I is available for free download at bartoncarroll.com. ]]> http://birminghamdiversitysummit.com/mag/?feed=rss2&p=93862921 http://birminghamdiversitysummit.com/mag/?p=93862917 http://birminghamdiversitysummit.com/mag/?p=93862917#comments Tue, 19 Jan 2010 08:00:05 +0000 Carla Jean Whitley http://birminghamdiversitysummit.com/mag/?p=93862917 The inaugural 30A Songwriters Festival has drawn to a close. I’m back in Birmingham, trying to digest my experience this weekend. A few notes:

First, did I mention that this was my first trip to the beaches of South Walton along 30A? I don’t think I did! While it’s always been a big part of Birmingham magazine’s coverage, I’ve simply never been the one to travel there. A music festival was the perfect excuse to change that trend.

Now I’ll nod with recognition when Birmingham residents bring up these beach communities. I’ve browsed the shelves of Seaside’s Sundog Books, stayed in a “cottage” in WaterColor (more on those quotations in a minute!), admired the gleaming white buildings of Alys Beach, caught a show in Miramar Beach.

I love that this music festival brought together the communities along this scenic Florida highway, giving visitors a reason to check each out as they traveled from venue to venue. It’s a great example of cooperation, and I think festival visitors will agree it benefited them, too.

Those visitors came from far and near. I picked out locals by their footwear (I remember the days of wearing flip-flops in January!), and I encountered music fans from as far away as Washington, D.C., and New Jersey. I spotted musicians filling the seats at other songwriters’ shows, and every crowd I was a part of was responsive and enthusiastic.

My personal highlight was probably the songwriting workshop with Shawn Mullins and Nicole Witt. (That’s probably not a surprise. Writers love writers.) The pair offered great insight into the process of writing, a discussion that I think is applicable regardless of what you’re writing. A creative mind at work is a fascinating thing.

And I had a little time to myself at a massive cottage in Watercolor. Hold on for this explanation, because it’s a bit circuitous but relevant to any of you who are regulars to the area. The cottage I stayed in is managed by Beach Rentals of South Walton, which was recently acquired by Sterling Resorts, which manages properties all along the coast. The four bedroom (plus a sleeping loft, perfect for kids or young-at-heart adults) home also boasted a master bath as big as two of my room at home.

If you missed this weekend’s event, you’re out of luck until next January. But there’s still plenty of reasons to enjoy the beach, whether you’re looking to hole up and relax inside a luxurious cottage or browsing art galleries for new finds. You’ll find plenty of ideas in March’s Birmingham magazine, along with continued coverage of Birmingham’s own music scene. Year-round, we’ve got reasons to sing.

I would love to hear how their set was. I missed it, largely because I was late (I had a hard time motivating myself in the chilly weather!). But I’ve seen the Indigo Girls before, and they put on an excellent show.

Instead, I spent a portion of yesterday afternoon driving along 30A, taking in the Meditteranean oasis of Alys Beach, cruising by the shops of Rosemary Beach and wishing Bruno’s Pizza in Seagrove were open when I popped by!

A bit tired from the weekend, I decided to limit myself to one venue for the final night of the music festival. I arrived at Fish Out of Water just before Susanna Hoffs began her final performance of the weekend. She was backed by several folks, including Matthew Sweet, and her set included a number of Bangles hits, covers and other songs. Sunday was Hoffs’ birthday, and the audience spontaneously sang her “Happy Birthday”–one of the weekend’s sweetest moments.

I stuck around for Evan McHugh, a guy with a guitar and a melody. The highlight of his set was a song he wrote just the day before. His wife had to leave the festival early and fly to Chicago, where her grandmother was dying, he said. The song came out of that sadness, and though it was melancholy, it was beautiful.

Gary Louris was the final act of the weekend at Fish Out of Water, and the room was packed. I didn’t make it through his full set (sleep beckoned!) but he was an enthralling performer.

And that was it for the 30A Songwriters Festival! A weekend wrap up to follow …

But this is the day when I face the normal festival challenge of deciding just which band to see. With so much happening up and down this stretch of highway, I know I’ll miss out on someone I would have loved to see. My schedule is already filled with conflicts. Here’s what it looks like as of now, but check in on me on Twitter to see where I really end up!

The Indigo Girls at the Gulf Green at Alys Beach

Augustine, Adlai Waxman and William F. Gibbs at Fish Out of Water

Chuck Cannon and Lari White at Shorty’s

Gary Louris at Fish Out of Water

K.C. Clifford and Louise Mosrie at Rosemary Beach Town Hall

Now, I better head out. I’m about to miss the Indigo Girls!

I lingered too long over dinner, so I skipped Lari White and headed on to Fish Out of Water, where Rodney Crowell and Chely Wright were scheduled at 8:30 p.m. Pete Sallis, Chas Sandford and Brian White were still on stage for what I initially assumed was the tail-end of their set. As it turned out, I caught 45 minutes of the three songwriters, whose sound trended toward country. (One song I recognized was “Watching You,” which was recorded by Rodney Atkins.)

Crowell and Wright went on at about 9:15 p.m., and for the second night in a row Fish Out of Water was packed. The pair traded songs and complimented each other’s work. They’ve recently worked together on Wright’s newest album, and both have books coming out in the next year. (Crowell was quick to point out that neither used a ghostwriter.)

I ducked out before their set was complete because my next stop, Bluz Grill and Bar, was 20 minutes away. I arrived to find a crowded parking lot (I parked down the street) and a very entertaining woman working the door. ”I am the gestapo! I am the soup nazi! I am the Bluz nazi!” she proclaimed to those waiting in line at the door.

Ballhog! was midway through their set when I made it in, and they just sounded like a good time. Many people were dancing, even by themselves, and the atmosphere was lively.

And it only escalated as Dread Clampitt and Sam Bush took the stage. Dread Clampitt’s from this area (though you may know them from their at least annual visits to Birmingham. They play the Acoustic Cafe Amphitheater every year.) and Sam Bush is legendary as the King of New Grass. (He’s also an Acoustic Cafe regular, and is on the lineup for this year’s festival.) I didn’t make it to the end of their set–it was late!–but they sounded awesome. Very tight, high energy. I’ve got to make these guys a priority when I can stay up for their entire set!

Today’s events are spread among 10 venues on a 20-mile stretch of 30A. I’m hoping to hop between several shows, but as is the case with any festival, I may end up lingering at one location longer than expected, or falling in love with a song I hear on my way out the door. Here’s what I think I’m up to tonight:

Lari White at Bud and Alley’s

Rodney Crowell and Chely Wright at Fish Out of Water

Ballhog! at Bluz Grill and Bar

Dread Clampitt and Sam Bush at Bluz Grill and Bar

Follow me on Twitter for up-to-the-minute updates, and of course check back here for more on what actually goes down.

The room was packed, and these people were sharp. Question after question drew insightful, thoughtful answers. And though I’m not a songwriter, the conversation was inspiring. I took notes both on the workshop and my own ideas. Here’s a few things that the songwriters had to say about the origins of a song:

• Shawn on how producing affects his writing: Working as a producer means he’s helping the song communicate what it’s trying to say via the arrangement. Just being around more songs helps his writing.
• Both Shawn and Nicole say an album should communicate a cohesive message, as opposed to each song telling a completely different story. Nicole says the bottom line is the truth is the glue. (I liked that line.)
• Shawn tries to write daily, even if it’s only one line, to keep his skills sharp.
• In his early days, Shawn thought rhyming dictionaries were cheating. But then, in his early days he also wasn’t so concerned with finding the perfect rhyme. He says Chuck Cannon, who he often writes with, is a “walking rhyming dictionary. He knows all the rhymes already.”
• Reading is like a thesaurus for his songwriting, Shawn says. He reads beat poets and early American writers (Hemingway and the like).
• Nicole says the best songs aren’t ones she writes with a particular artist in mind, but the ones that seem to just drop in her lap.
• Shawn writes freehand. “Then pen to paper thing makes it go at the right pace for me.” (Me too.) Writing on a computer means he’s messes around with production before he even finishes the lyric, and that screws with the essence of a song. He writes the lyric before the melody because the melody comes more naturally to him.

I’m hanging out along Florida’s scenic highway 30A this weekend, covering the inaugural 30A Songwriters Festival. There are so many things to talk about, already: The lineup. The musicians wandering all over the area. (I was within two feet of an Indigo Girl at yesterday’s kick-off party. Funny to look up and recognize someone when you’re in a town where you don’t know anyone!) The views. The weather.

And I’m sure you’ll hear it all as I tweet and blog about the weekend’s events. I’m looking at a weekend filled with performances by dozens of performing songwriters, and the options are delightfully overwhelming.

The sold-out festival kicked off yesterday with Susanna Hoffs (lead singer of the Bangles) and Matthew Sweet performing at Bud & Alley’s. It was a packed house, and as I said, many of the other musicians were in the audience.

There’s a great vibe here: Tons of locals, tons of people who traveled long distances (I talked last night to a couple who came in from D.C.), musicians enjoying others’ sets when they’re not on stage themselves, families, young folks, older folks. It’s laid-back but there’s tons happening.

If you’ve been reading for a while, you know I love a good music festival. (I was at City Stages last year for all but about four hours of its operating hours.) I’m excited to keep y’all posted on what’s happening along 30A–especially since so many Birmingham folks vacation here!–and if you’re in the area this weekend, let me know!

Trip-hop meets classical as DJ Spooky collaborates with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra

By Emily Etheredge

When Paul Miller glances in the mirror, he often sees much more than his reflection. In fact, his new record (The Secret Song) is based on his collage of reflection. Recently, I had the opportunity to talk with Miller, aka DJ Spooky, about his upcoming trip to the Alys Stephens Center. There, he will perform alongside the Alabama Symphony Orchestra to create an assembly of electronic and classical sounds.

DJ Spooky explains that his vision for the concert is to incorporate a balance of trip-hop and classical sounds infused together.  For him, the idea of the concert came from sampling ideas that would join together to create a one-of-a-kind collaboration. “It is all about finding a connection, sampling different sounds and creating original compositions,” he says. Although this will be DJ Spooky’s first visit to Alabama, he is excited to expose listeners to a new outlet of sound and share his creative ideas with the Birmingham public. “I enjoy getting people to think, and one way I do that is by creating a collage of sound and layering it.”

DJ Spooky describes himself as someone who is fascinated with information overload, and he transfers this passion to different outlets of his life. “I am always checking out different cultures and finding ways to build bridges,” he says.

In addition to recording large volumes of music, DJ Spooky also writes books, and travels around the world making music and connecting to people of various backgrounds. In 2007, he traveled to Antarctica for four months to record ice sounds for his large scale work, Terra Nova: The Antarctica Suite, which was commissioned by BAM for the 2009 Next Wave Festival. DJ Spooky wanted to be able to project the relationship between man and nature so he set up a studio surrounded by ice and began recording. He explains, “I basically made music out of the ice acoustically.”

Most recently, DJ Spooky has been promoting the release of The Secret Song, which relates themes of philosophy and economics with hip-hop and electronic beats. “I believe that economics is what holds everything together. Even your basic iPod is a fusion of different areas creating a simple product,” he explains. The album mirrors what has been going on in society and offers a sense of hope with a meditation of sounds. “Our culture is sort of digitally overloaded, and this album relates to that.”

What does he hope to see happen in 2010? “I hope to see a continuing dialog where people are connecting, and this album is sort of a soft-way to start things off,” DJ Spooky says. You can download DJ Spooky’s The Secret Song iPhone app and play a mix of hidden tracks that allows anyone to mix and sample their own versions of music. “I wanted to be able to allow anyone to experience the art of mixing styles so with this app, you can be your own DJ,” he adds.

Fans can get a taste of Miller’s most recent collaboration Jan. 14 at 7 p.m. at the Alys Stephens Center.  Tickets to this Symphony 7 performance range from $15 to $25 and are available at alabamasymphony.org.

Emily Etheredge has joined the Birmingham magazine staff as an editorial intern. In addition to keeping busy writing for the print magazine, Emily will be a regular contributor to Birmingham Box Set throughout the spring semester.