Everyone Should Listen To the Hollens' Music At The Dentist!

This afternoon, my dentist had his thumb in my mouth, holding a temporary crown in place as the adhesive set...as he watched the Star Wars Medley playing on my tablet on his counter. I was in the dentist chair for an hour and a half and the entire time, had playing the excellent music videos of Peter Hollens and his wife Evynne Hollens.


It always makes me feel so good to talk about the Hollens'!! I don't know why, but its just the best feeling...gleeful...helping people to find their music, their art, their vlogs...and the Hollens' themselves: adorable young married couple Peter Hollens and Evynne Hollens. They are professional musicians who make their living off of their stellar musical abilities.

I have myself found so much comfort and joy from their music and from getting to know who they are. Of course I want to help others to gain the benefits of knowing about them and their spectacular art, as well. 


Now, my dental visits in the past were a little frustrating; I would talk about the Hollens music, but with piped-in office music, I never used my tablet those other times to actually display their music. And you cannot really verbally talk to the dentist about...much...because your mouth is full of drills, tools and fingers. 

But THIS time, today, I went with a plan: I told them my music helps keep me calm, so they turned down the office speaker so I could have the tablet playing Peter and Evynne Hollens videos, on the counter.


Since I don't own headphones yet, I couldn't hear the music during drilling but each time the drill stopped there were Peter's and Evynne's voices, comforting me.

I was surprised to find I wasn't actually fibbing: I was actually calmer during the procedures (including the Novocaine needles, WAY less painful) and the dentist himself noticed a significant difference in a couple ways: something about me usually requires several tries at making dental impressions before they got a good one, three or four times. But today with Hollens' voices comforting me, two different dental impressions, each perfect the first try. 

The dentist also said my tongue seemed to stay out of the way better today than ever before. [Ok, doc, whatever.]

He not only said he hopes I always bring my music back every time to my dental visits, he and the hygienist both intend to get to know the Hollens music much better on YouTube.

I didn't have to say anything to get them 'hooked' on Hollens' music, you know: their music speaks for itself. I just answer a few questions as they come up. 

Peter Hollens and Evynne Hollens each have their own YouTube channels where they create high quality music videos, and each song cover is available for sale directly from them at Loudr.fm .

Evynne Hollens has both music videos as well as vlogs about their daily normal lives on her channel and she has an awesome three-octave vocal range. I love how low she goes in her cover of 'Let It Go' a song from Disney's 'FROZEN' movie.

Peter Hollens has over 65 music videos on his YouTube channel, including several duets with Evynne as well as collaborations with other YouTube musicians. Peter specializes in doing intricate a cappella: he typically records himself performing the parts of a song 60, 80 or over 120 times then overlaps them together, creating works of depth and complexity.
Peter earned a music degree in college and has just under four octaves in his vocal range.

Rebecca Brents lives in a haunted house!

Rebecca Brents lives in a haunted house.
(She is at https://plus.google.com/u/0/113219496619289949393/posts 

and this is posted with her full permission.)

This is her description of what goes on at her place regularly, and this was as a comment on an article about another haunted house that would involve, among other things "ghastly visage lurking behind you in the bathroom mirror". (thus her reference):

===========
"Trying to decide how I feel about this. We don't have any visual surprises, but we definitely have the footsteps, occasional odd noises ... and a regular parade of completely distinctive aromas at odd times and for no reason."

"Fresh baked bread, chocolate chip cookies, butterscotch pudding, pipe tobacco smoke, fresh cut grass (in the dead of winter), flowers, perfume, and very rarely -- gasoline and the under-the-hood smell of a car engine."

"These usually come around after midnight -- like someone dropping by to say "hello." They all feel friendly and interesting, A "ghastly visage lurking behind you in the bathroom mirror" though ... um, I'm not so sure."

"Oh, and I forgot. Every once in a very great while one of us will get "spritzed" on the arm ... as if with a flower mister ... and there is actually a fine spray of water there when you wipe it off. I'm not sure what that's all about. "

=============

A cappella Vocalist Peter Hollens Forges an Intense Performance of 'I See Fire'

December 12, 2013

Peter Hollens Turns Up The Heat With YouTube Cover of 'I See Fire'

Peter Hollens' latest creation is a masterpiece video cover of the intense Ed Sheeran song 'I SEE FIRE' from "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" in intricate a cappella with body percussion. 

Exhibiting dedication to his art, Peter Hollens typically records himself performing the parts of a song 60, 80 or over 120 times then overlaps them together, creating musical works of depth and complexity. Peter's version of 'I See Fire' was created with 98 vocal tracks as well as additional tracks of body percussion. 

Incredibly haunting, soul-stirring themes of impending tragedy are depicted in both the heartbreaking lyrics and their skilled delivery by Peter Hollens; the expert lighting and cinematography serve to emphasize a fiercely desperate situation.

Providing all of the sounds himself alone, this begins with a single voice then slowly increases in its complexity, dozens of layers of a cappella vocals and body percussion increasing to such a subtle yet intense climax that the sudden ending...causes you to suspect you've been away on an epic adventure and surprised that you made it safely home.

Peter's videos, including this one, usually display several inset scenes of him creating the various sounds that accompany the lyrics in place of instruments; it is fascinating to see how it all comes together to create the elaborate result. He says, "I try to show people how I make the sounds because otherwise they don't believe it."

Peter Hollens is a professional vocalist in Eugene, Oregon. He has an impressive vocal range, more than four octaves; he often produces music in the style of intricate solo a cappella with beatboxing; one of his standard catchphrases on his videos is "all the sounds you hear are made with the human voice and mouth".

Peter chooses not to sign a contract with a record label, and he believes it is no longer necessary for artists/musicians to become successful by 'being discovered' or by participating in reality TV shows. "I purposely have no desire to ever do that," he said.

Peter currently has 65 music videos on his YouTube channel at
https://www.youtube.com/user/peterhollens/videos 

His music is available for purchase at iTunes or at Loudr for as little as a dollar.
Artists receive a larger percentage of sales when purchased via Loudr than any other purchasing interface. Loudr offers MP3, FLAC, and Apple Lossless formats.

Peter Hollens website: http://www.peterhollens.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PeterHollensMusic

Google+ https://plus.google.com/u/0/+PeterHollens/

View Peter Hollens' music video of "I See Fire" at http://youtu.be/yymS1Pb7JfM  

While the video is playing, click the cog at bottom to increase the audio & video quality to HD; High Definition may cause lag if viewed on a portable device.

Lyrics to "I See Fire"

Oh, misty eye of the mountain below
Keep careful watch of my brothers' souls
And should the sky be filled with fire and smoke
Keep watching over Durin's sons

If this is to end in fire
Then we should all burn together
Watch the flames climb higher into the night

Calling out father, oh, stand by and we will
Watch the flames burn auburn on
The mountain side

And if we should die tonight
We should all die together
Raise a glass of wine for the last time
Calling out father oh,
Prepare as we will
Watch the flames burn auburn on
The mountainside

Desolation comes upon the sky

Now I see fire
Inside the mountain
I see fire
Burning the trees
And I see fire
Hollowing souls
I see fire
Blood in the breeze
And I hope that you remember me

Oh, should my people fall then
Surely I'll do the same
Confined in mountain halls
We got too close to the flame
Calling out father
Hold fast and we will
Watch the flames burn auburn on
The mountainside

Desolation comes upon the sky

Now I see fire
Inside the mountain
I see fire
Burning the trees
And I see fire
Hollowing souls
I see fire
Blood in the breeze
And I hope that you remember me

And if the night is burning
I will cover my eyes
For if the dark returns then
My brothers will die
And as the sky's falling down
It crashed into this lonely town
And with that shadow upon the ground
I hear my people screaming out

And I see fire
Inside the mountains
I see fire
Burning the trees
I see fire
Hollowing souls
I see fire
Blood in the breeze

I see fire
Oh, you know I saw a city burn and I...
And I see fire
Feel the heat upon my skin (fire)
And I see fire
Woohoohoooooooo (fire)
And I see fire
Burn auburn on the mountainside

###    ###    ###   ###   ###

There is in me always apprehension about posting to any social media, worry about being judged or criticized; finding just the right words, endeavoring not to offend or alienate anyone. 

You know, each human is a precious work of art and we are all connected. 

Some of us are more damaged than others, of course, life is not easy; dings and dents in the soul are inevitable, I think, but you know, even damaged works of art are still incredibly beautiful.

Poem: Winter Solstice

 I took these photos of my backyard at sunset a couple days ago, it was so pretty I just wanted to share.
St. Paul, Minnesota