Soundtracking: Paula Cole and Courage

SOUNDTRACKING Soundtracking is a weekly column featuring indie and alternative music, published every Tuesday by Laura Cushing on Gather.com.  As an official Gather Music Correspondent, I'm pleased to bring my knowledge of indie and alternative music to the community. Soundtracking will feature some of the best up-and-coming bands in indie music today. Soundtracking will feature interviews, CD reviews, music playlists and mp3 downloads, and music discussions.

This Week on Soundtracking - Paula Cole and Courage

Where has Paula Cole been? With an eight year silence since her last record, that's the question fans have asked, and that she addresses personally on her website.

"In all of the honest expression, struggle, and painful hard work of "Harbinger", "This Fire" and "Amen", I stood outside myself and saw myself running furiously on some giant hampster wheel," Cole writes. "I wanted out. I wanted to rest. I wanted a child. I wanted to leave New York City and look for a new life. I was at the beginning of my mid-life crisis."

Cole moved to LA, 'precititously chose a charming man' to father her daughter, Sky, and spent some considerable time redefining herself away from the world. She left her record company (or they dropped her, reports conflict), and studied Yoga. She read Jungian philosophy. She raised her daughter, who had health problems due to asthma that included terrifying trips to the ER. She moved back East, separated from the charming man, and when she wanted to get back into singing, was told by her old manager that she'd never get another record deal again.

But Cole didn't give up - she got a new manager, a new record deal, and started making music again. This time around, she even found that she was having fun with it. She had the courage to go forward and find her new identity. "I am searching for the truth," Cole writes. "Somewhere, it's in the music. The old Paula Cole? I can honestly say she died. Mostly. There are some embers, and they fuel me back to music, which is my destiny, like it or not. But it's the life I'm supposed to live."

Paula Cole - Courage

Tracklist:
1. Comin' Down
2. Love Light (Cardinal)
3. El Greco
4. Lonely Town
5. "14"
6. Hard to be Soft
7. It's My Life
8. Safe in Your Arms
9. I Want to Kiss You
10. In Our Dreams
11. Until I Met You

Folks who know Paula Cole as 'that girl who sang the Dawson's Creek theme' will find this album quite surprising. Cole has matured as a singer and songwriter, and this album reflects her new perspectives. A rich offering from a woman who has had a long journey to where she is today. My personal favorite was El Greco, for the references to the famous painter and how smoothly they blended with the theme of the song.

Finding Courage

A recent article by Gather music editor Jason Keaveny asks for a playlist of songs that give you courage. Five winners will be chosen to recieve an autographed copy of Paula Cole's Courage - so if you haven't entered already, read the article and get your playlist together! You've still got a few more days.

Music once gave me courage to change the entire direction of my life. January 13, 2004 is the exact day - I wrote about it in a previous Soundtracking, if you want to read the story.

Click HERE to load a playlist of songs that give me courage! Opens in a new window so you can listen while you read.

For More Information:
Paula Cole website
Paula Cole myspace
Courage contest on Gather
Paula Cole on Gather

What madness is this? Soundtracking on a Saturday?
I'm testing out a new day! Would you rather read Soundtracking on a Tuesday, or a Saturday? Let me know in comments!

What songs give you courage?
Tell us in comments, and be sure to enter the Gather contest to win a Paula Cole autographed CD!

Soundtracking Group!
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Catch up on Soundtracking, read about upcoming participation opportunities, or post your own music related articles.

There's always someting interesting and music-related to read in the Soundtracking group. We're moderated to keep on the topic of music, but I approve content as long as it has something to do with music in some way - so please join and share your musical posts.

Last time's trivia questions - how many did you know?

This week's trivia:

1. When Keith Moon collapsed during a concert in San Francisco, how did The Who finish their set?
They asked for a volunteer from the audience to come up and finish the set.

2. Who sang the hit song "Runaway" in 1961?
Del Shannon

3. In the Beatles song "She's Leaving Home" what time does her day begin?
5 A.M.

4. His first two names were Wladziu Valentino. What singular name is he better known by?
Liberace

5. When 175,000 people gathered in Rio de Janerio in 1980, what legendary singer had they come to listen to?
Frank Sinatra

1. What Bob Dylan song came out in 1963 and became a world wide hit?

2. Who was known as "The Man in Black"?

3. Where was Yoko Ono born?

4. What Troggs song was also released by Jimi Hendrix?

5. What is Meatloaf's real name?

CDs and promotional materials, interview and/or review requests can be sent to:

Soundtracking
PO Box 141  Newtonville, NJ 08346-0141

Email: Soundtracking@labarc.com   / AIM: Lab Arc Designs

		Laura Cushing, Music Correspondent  - Soundtracking
	Laura's column, 'Soundtracking' is published in Gather Essentials:Music. Soundtracking is your guide to indie and alternative music -- featuring musician interviews, CD reviews, MP3 mixes, and discussions. Laura Cushing is a 36 year old writer from the New Jersey Pines. In addition to music journalism, she writes fiction and poetry. Keep up with Laura's music series by joining her network, or subscribing to her content.