Choices: To Ad or Not to Ad

Sudden dilemmas, thrust upon you out of the blue, can have a certain awakening effect on you, if you choose to see them that way. Yesterday I received an e-mail which spurred my own dormant quandary. It came from a large commercial network which will remain unnamed, offering to add this blog to its lists in exchange for the placements of ads.

I must admit, I was flattered (even though it was probably scripted and automatically sent). The offer has a very strong allure as it has the potential to expose the blog and its content to a lot more people. After all, traffic-wise, this isn't even a minor blog - more of a nano one.

However, the commercialization and ads that are promised are not things I would gladly welcome. To maintain as true as indie spirit as I can, I rely on legal and free offerings by artists, using free and open tools that are available for all. I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable, poor aesthetics aside, seeing big company ads and slogans floating around here.

I know that there are blogs that allow ads and those that don't; you'll find both kinds in this blog's Links area. I just need to figure out what's right for me and this blog and I'd appreciate any helpful comment from any of you few but true readers have to offer.

Now for something that actually matters: good music. This post is dedicated to Ayla Nereo, a San Francisco folk singer-songwriter. For some reason I associate her with Joan Baez, perhaps inspired by certain physical similarities and voice qualities. Her own style is somewhat different, of course, and as her last.fm profile defines it as "quiet and luminous". Her current project, Beatbeat Whisper, is a duo with her brother, Davyd Nereo, and listening to their Daytrotter session, it seems to bring the best of them both.

Check out Ayla Nereo on her official site, MySpace and last.fm. Her current project, Beatbeat Whisper, is here and on MySpace. All of their charming LPs and EPs can be found here.

Ayla Nereo - The Whistler {MP3} (from Play Me A Time)
Beatbeat Whisper - Old River {MP3} (Daytrotter session)
Beatbeat Whisper - Up the Long Tracks {MP3} (Daytrotter session)

I Love You

"I Love You" - simple, heartfelt and sometimes difficult to say (or even to think). We've probably all been in those situations, pain in chest, dry throat and burning in the eyes, when all we can see or feel is the other person. Someone you think so special that all others melt before her (or him, depends on who reads this). So you approach, somewhat timid, hold her hand and feel the words ripped out of you, hurrying to their acoustic destiny in the little space between you.

These feelings and emotions have somehow been personified and forged into a beautiful, somewhat dark, song by Texas' singer-songwriter Beau McDermott. As it is simple and direct so it is powerful and moving. If there's even a shred of the romantic left in you, you will feel it too.

Check out Beau McDermott on MySpace and last.fm. More tracks are available on SoundClick.

Beau McDermott - I Love You {MP3}