The white space is too much sometimes. Like an avalanche, or being stuck on the Snowpiercer train. It’s bigger than writer’s block. It feels both overwhelming, and demanding – with a heavy dose of imposter syndrome. Some mornings I already have ideas of what to say. I feel inspired. Days like that I wish writing my novel, writing about music, writing about movies was my day job. But, days like this, I feel as if I don’t even know what words are, what language is, what I’m thinking.

But, there’s words here, right? This is writing, isn’t it? It feels hard though, like trying to swimming in thick mud, in quicksand, in the “darkness” (think The Neverending Story). I woke up like this, I think. A night without insomnia, but heavy with bad dreams. Music is magic, though. Today I need all the magic it can give me.

Give Me Five – May 4, 2021

You can listen and follow along with May’s Give Me Five at Spotify and YouTube

Song 1: “Give a Little Love” by Mina Tindle, featuring Sufjan Stevens

“Give a little kiss toward my loneliness.
I couldn’t see it past the burdens of my breast.
All the troubles of the past.
I realized, at last,
I’m all alone,
I’m all alone.
I’m all alone,
I’m all alone.”

One of my favorite things is discovering new music. I’m grateful that I’ve never grown tired of expanding my music-taste, that I’m open to new sounds and styles. I have a variety of sources for discovering music – friends, my music-loving daughters, other music blogs, playlists and “more of” features on Spotify, movies, TV, and that random luck of stumbling into a song that you can’t get enough of.

I found “Give a Little Love” early this morning in a indie/folk playlist on Spotify. Sufjan Stevens name caught my eye, and the song title – which I mistook for a cover – grabbed my attention, too. Not a cover, no, but this song is so beautiful. Mina’s voice reminds me a little of Isobel Campbell, Carla Bruni, and The Dove and The Wolf. Dreamy, melancholic, lilting, lovely.

I can’t wait to hear more of her album, SISTER.

If you want to hear more of Mina Tindle, and support her music, please go here.

Song 2: “Folding” by Abimaro

“Fold me into you.
Wrap my words around your body.
Hold me into you.
I wish these words would make you love me.”

I love that this song is about words bringing action, or the wishes for action. It paints words as powerful, magical – which I think they definitely can be. This song is sensual, soothing, and full of so much longing.

I want to hear more music from Abimaro (another new discovery today). I hope she has an album soon. Her voice is magical.

To hear more of Abimaro, and to support her music, go here please.

Song 3: “Jersey Girl” by Corinne Bailey Rae

“So don’t bother me ’cause I got no time.
I’m on my way to see that girl of mine, yeah.
Nothin’ else matters in this whole wide world.
When you’re in love with a Jersey girl.”

Oh my stars, what a fantastic cover song find this is! Also discovered in the early hours of morning today is Corinne Bailey Rae covering Tom Waits. Corinne is so underrated . So many people I’ve talked music with only know her for “Put Your Records On”, which while I do love the song, it is just a tiny glimpse of the music she has that everyone should put on, listen to, and fall for.

As I mentioned recently, I love when an artist does not change the pronouns in a song they cover, even if the original was written/recorded by a different perceived gender. I listen to this and I think I want to be the “Jersey Girl” she’s in love with. Don’t you?

This is a must listen – my favorite track of the day.

To hear more of Corinne’s music, and to help support her music, please go here.

Song 4: “(David Bowie I Love You) Since I Was Six” by Jessica Lea Mayfield, featuring Dan Auerbach

“Does she love you?
You suppose,
with somebody who you would know,
who believes in who you are.
You’re my favorite thing by far.”

I feel like there are many people across the globe who’ve loved David Bowie since they were six, including me. My oldest daughter, too.

Whether this is truly a song of love to Bowie himself, or to someone else, this if moving and romantic, intimate and almost Mazzy Star-ish in its production and mood – emitting feelings of love and sadness, and longing.

This is another new discovery today. I can’t stop listening to it.

If you want to hear more of Jessica Lea Mayfield, and want to support her music, please go here.

Song 5: “Take Another Little Piece Of My Heart” by Dusty Springfield

“I tell myself that I can’t stand the pain,
but when you hold me in your arms I say it again.
So come on come on, come on, come on –
And take another little piece of my heart, now baby.”

I love love love Dusty Springfield.

Digging her cover version of this today.

What are some of the songs you are digging today? Any good covers?

For May’s Give Me Five I’m featuring Kelly Vivanco’s piece “Creekside” as the Cover Art.

GIVE ME FIVE – MAY 2021