Retrovival is the appreciation, recycling and renewal of all things retro.
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Jeff and Cheryl
Submitted by April
Spectacle fashions, 1966.
A very special thing happened. The wonderful and amazing people at Kanile’a Ukulele sent me this beautiful ukulele to record my third album with....
I’m usually not a fan of the color pink, but these vintage graduated kitchen canisters are the living end! I thought it was pretty interesting that I stumbled upon two similar and practically immaculate sets (from totally different vendors) during a recent trip to the flea market. I hope this is a sign that I will be seeing more of these in the future…and hopefully in other colors!
Singers that love their text more than their notes - Billie Holiday
It strikes me a little odd when someone says that their ear is more drawn to music than it is to the lyrics of a song. I have heard several people say this. It has always been my opinion that the words are just as significant, if not more significant than the notes. I mean, how can a song truly find its way into our heads, let alone our hearts if their are no words forging the path? Can we truly be moved by only notes? Is it fair to credit a singer more for their sound and less for their story? Perhaps this is the impact technology, marketing, and contemporary music styles have had on the art of song. Or perhaps it is the genre that decides how we hear and digest music. No matter the reason, there have been a few musical artists over the years that have reached us through the power of their words…
One of these people is Billie Holiday. She had an amazing ability to tell deeply emotional stories from her heart in a way that seemed to keep the notes of her songs at the words’ heels. Joni Mitchell puts it best when discussing her favorite singers, Edith Piaf and Holiday, “…those women never forgot what they were singing about, so the note almost played second position to the text. Not that there was anything wrong with the chosen notes. There was still beauty to them, but the emphasis was on telling the story from the heart.” Read more here.
Vintage Find of the Day: Small and medium-size green suitcases from Suzanne’s Antiques in Raleigh, NC.
I actually purchased these lovely cases last Thursday. My mom and I were out enjoying the sunshiny afternoon and suddenly found ourselves “junking” (vintage shopping) at one of our favorite spots in the city. Suzanne’s Antiques is part of the Vintage Flea Market on Durant Road and has always had a great selection of vintage stuff, in great condition, at reasonable prices. I have been in the market for a nice set of vintage suitcases for awhile, so I was ecstatic to find these. I paid $10 and $15 for the small and medium cases and will now officially be traveling in style. Oh and I have already discovered that the medium-size suitcase makes a great record carrying case. Yeeeessssssss.
Retrovival Revels in Tacky Bridesmaids Dresses
I may be a little biased in saying this, but being a female can be pretty freaking awesome. I mean, guys really miss out on a lot of the great pleasures in life we women get to enjoy: menstrual cycles, childbirth, boob sag and the bridesmaid dress. We’ve all been there…well, many of us have. If you haven’t yet had the pleasure my dears, fret not. Your time will come. Oh yes. You ain’t lived until you get escorted down the aisle in a pastel, pouffy, bunched, bedazzeled, belaced, t-length, tapered, butt bowed, sequined, layered, patterned, shiny, ruffled, stuffed, themed, taffeta, what the hell did I do to deserve this disaster. And despite the mix of horror and anger that you suppress with a forced smile or the overwhelming desire to get completely wasted at the reception, you wear the dress because you are a good friend or sister and you know that nothing makes a bride’s self confidence skyrocket like witnessing her girls look way ugly on her day.
