HIGHLY RECOMMENDED W/ PAUL BIDAULT
* Providing the A's to the 5 HIGHLY RECOMMENDED Q's today is Paul Bidault — a music-maker out of Paris who recently dropped a seasonally moody single called ‘Burden off my shoulders’ (which you can also find in the HI54 Mix CD ‘HIGH FIVE FOR… HALLOWEEN’)
#1 - WHAT IS THE ONE ALBUM (OR EP OR SONG) THAT YOU THINK SHOULD BE THE VERY NEXT MUSICAL THING THAT EVERYONE PRESSES PLAY ON THE NEXT TIME THEY FIND THEMSELVES THINKING “WHAT SHOULD I LISTEN TO NOW”?
It’s very hard to boil it down to one single recommendation. But if I really have to, at this exact moment in time, I’d have to say C.W. Stoneking’s “Jungle Blues”.
I’ve been hooked on all of C.W. 's catalog since first coming across him many years ago. There’s something incredibly unique about him, both as a musician and a person. There’s no gimmick, he’s not “trying to do the vintage thing”. He’s just a gifted artist who operates on a completely different wavelength. One that carries some kind of voodoo magic that really speaks to me. Seeing him live, on a solo tour, just him and his guitar on-stage, only served to solidify his standing in my personal hall of fame as an all-time great.
#2 - WHAT IS THE ONE MOVIE OR TV SHOW THAT YOU THINK SHOULD BE NEXT IN EVERYBODY’S NETFLIX QUEUE (OK, DOESN’T HAVE TO BE NETFLIX, WE’RE ALL INTERNET ADULTS HERE AND KNOW HOW TO FIND ANYTHING ONLINE, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER)?
The first recommendation that pops to mind is a series called “Soundbreaking”.
It’s supposed to be an eight or nine episode documentary about the history of recorded music and music production, but in truth it’s a documentary about incredibly talented people creating the music that ended up becoming the soundtrack to the lives of millions upon millions of people across generations and across the world. If you ever feel a bit down before going into the studio, or need a bit of inspiration to finish that song you’re writing, watching an episode of Soundbreaking will light a fire under your ass.
#3. I (AND BY “I” I MEAN “THE PERSON THAT IS READING THIS”) AM GOING TO THE LOCAL BOOK STORE (OK, MAYBE THE LOCAL LIBRARY FIRST) TO FIND THE VERY NEXT BOOK THAT I WILL BE PUTTING SOME EXTREMELY VALUABLE ‘ME-TIME' ASIDE FOR. WHICH BOOK WOULD YOU GET, IF YOU WERE ME (AND, I SUPPOSE, YOU HADN’T ALREADY READ WHAT YOU’RE ABOUT TO SUGGEST)?
“The Universe in Your Hand” by Christophe Galfard. It would be unfair to say this book blew my mind. Instead, it scrambled, flipped, tossed, centrifuged, chewed and then spit it out; and it was a lovely journey.
For a bit of background, Mr. Galfard is a former colleague of the late, great Stephen Hawking, and in this book he attempts to explain; in very simple terms, space, time and the quantum realm to us mere mortals. If you harbor a curious mind, then I highly recommend this book.
#4 - WHAT IS THE ONE WEBSITE (OR JUST ANY OLD INTERNET THING: APP, GIF, SERVICE, WHATEVER) THAT YOU WOULD GET REALLY DOWN IN THE DUMPS ABOUT IF IT WERE TO SUDDENLY GO AWAY?
Without a doubt: radiooooo.com
This website is marvelous. It’s a music streaming platform with a twist. It allows you to tune into “radio stations” from specific regions of the world, from specific decades. It’s a music time traveler's dream. In a few clicks you can go from new releases in the UK, to 1920’s Mongolian music and anything in between. I really recommend giving it a go.
#5 - AND FINALLY… PLEASE GIVE ONE COMPLETELY UNAIDED RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU THINK EVERYONE SHOULD START DOING / USING / WATCHING / EATING / THINKING / QUITTING / ETC-ING TO MAKE THEIR LIVES A LITTLE BIT MORE BETTER AND/OR BEARABLE.
Develop any skill you’ve always wished you had, be it learning a language, an instrument, getting fit, drawing or painting, it doesn’t really matter. Just make sure you really work at it.
The lessons learned along the path of self-improvement are priceless.
OK folks, there you have it. Things that Paul Bidault thinks you should consider incorporating into your day/life. Before you log off and go develop a skill you’ve had your eye on, make sure to follow Paul on the Facebook / Instagram / Twitter and then also give ‘Burden off my Shoulders’ a listen below…
