Ida + Love, Hallie

Ida makes the most beautiful music
Originally uploaded by rkb1.

It'd be tough to say just how much I adore the band Ida. I discovered them quite randomly soon after moving to New York in 1996, and went to tons of shows, and then feel like I rediscovered them so many times, after any breakup, whenever things are not quite going so well. They make such beautiful music, and it's so simple and pure, but they can also rock out so amazingly well too. Somehow, they make perfect breakup music AND perfect falling in love music and are just some of the sweetest people around, with gorgeous voices and such a way with words and melody. Really, I don't have words.
Good news: new album in August!
Go listen at www.idamusic.com and MySpace. They're playing a show as Love, Hallie at 1:30 on the center stage on Saturday, May 6th as part of Tribeca Film Festival. Also see www.lovehallie.org. Love, Hallie was founded by the parents of an 11-year-old girl who was killed by being run over by an SUV in 2004 based on her admonition to people to "be nice to each other" and puts on 2 major concerts a year and other charity events. I want to go but think I'm gonna skip the insanity of a huge show and make a Brooklyn day of it at the gym/writing and finally checking out Dr. Sketchy. But if you're at all inclined to hear some brilliant music, and especially if you have kids (it's the Tribeca Film Festival Family Show), go!

Also for the little kids (or people who just like kids' music), check out www.youaremyflower.org for info on their 2 children's albums, You Are My Flower and You Are My Sunshine. I once saw them do a show at the 14th Street Y filled almost entirely with kids and parents, it was awesome. I just think Dan and Liz, the whole band really, but especially those two, are so wonderful and it almost feels like I grew up with their music, and on a personal level it's so inspiring to see two artists together for all this time, raising a child and actually incorporating parenting into their work but continuing to rock out. And yes, on Heart Like a River they do rock out, but they also have those sensual, bittersweet, tender lullabies that make you want to listen to them forever. Or at least, over and over and over again, the way I tend to do, with lyrics that could mean many things at once, that can make me cry just thinking about them.

like holding a miracle in the palm of your hand
to witness a beginning you could almost understand
what was it that you wanted
that you would not wanting again

Ida, "The Morning"

Also check out my interview with Ida, one of my proudest moments in interviewing.