acoustic covers of major songs by random people on youtube.

It's an addiction.

For some reason, I typically get annoyed when successful bands cover other band's songs. However, it is very much a visceral annoyance; I get annoyed with myself for being annoyed because it's just the band's way of paying homage to other great artists. Just making mo' music.
(WAIT. EXCEPT FOR TIM MCGRAW'S COVER OF "WHEN THE STARS GO BLUE" AND JOHN MAYER'S COVER OF "FREE FALLING". THAT IS A LUCID, VERY LUCID ANNOYANCE.)

When random people cover songs, though, I LOVE it. I've had a long term romantic involvement with acoustic guitars. Something about people being able to take in these songs that I love so much and . . . reproduce them?! That's fucking awesome. Awesome, awesome.

Anyway, here's some cool ones I came across. The wonderful thing about youtube becoming scarily large is that you can type basically any song you love in, and find a decent cover someone's poured his or her heart into. Yes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CKKIYvsmdE
^ "the general" by dispatch ---> after watching this, I printed out the major chords and have plans to actually really commit to learning some guitar. So. Awesome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sp-wFsrM-Ng
^"whip my hair" by willow smith ---> yes, listen to that. Your ears require this. Absolutely amazing. The voice. The guitar. Such a good cover. Although I hate the back up vocals. git outta thurr.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXiSdcTIY5A&feature=related
^^"i came as a rat" by modest mouse --->I like the awkward edge. This whole cover is right on the border between too awkward and good, but it totally works for this song. It's a borderline kind of song. (Incidentally, this is currently my favorite MM)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0G4cZWZdcTw
^ "say yes" - elliott smith ---> OH DEAR GOD. this is the most Elliott Smith-y cover I have ever heard. hasdfjsdsa.
Okay so I may have just watched like five Elliott Smith covers by this guy. Oh my god. I can't handle it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47nwpfjNmbo&feature=related is especially fucking awe-inspiring.
Okay so I may have just creeped even harder on this guy, and he's an accomplished musician in his own right - http://mitchgettman.com/ Check it!
Look at that. The internet, making musical exploration so very easy.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cp-DiYMiFT4
^piano cover of "fake palindromes" by andrew bird ---> yes. What else is there to say.
Also http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCiNiIl-u-0&feature=related ("I will follow you into the dark" piano cover by the same dude)
Alright this guy is worthy of obsession, too, yall.






Alright so lessons learned today:
1) youtube is useful when you feel the need to creep on gifted musicians
2) covers by unknowns of well known songs are wonderful
3) I feel extremely inadequate and will now retire to the living room, where I shall work on the major chords. Everyone starts at the bottom. That is what I will repeat whenever these ridiculously talented people make me feel highly highly inadequate.

reed college

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agW-bA30nqo




<3 the song

Just a little something...

...funny!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB8Kex57FXg&feature=player_embedded#!

my study jamz

My study music has consisted of replaying the entire works of two artists over and over again.

The two artists?

1. Bon Iver
2. Das Racist





...yeah. I don't know what that contrast means about my study habits.

Lovely Songs

Tame Impala- Half Full Glass of Wine

So new school, its old school. Solid Aussie psychedelic rock with a classic drum solo at the end.

Pretty Lights- Finally Moving

I was introduced to this on a sunset drive to the desert. Perfect. (If you like it, he lets you download all of his albums and EP's for free on his website. All it costs is an email a month. No spam I swear. If not, ask me I have it all.)

Toro Y Moi- Talamak and/or Blessa

I'm at an even split between these two songs. Mellow, trippy, beautiful.

Crystal Castles- Baptism

If Karen O. did electronic, it would sound like this song.

Deerhunter- Nothing Ever Happened

Old, but oh so good.

Grizzly Bear- He Hit Me(It Felt Like A Kiss)

Not that I'm already overly obsessed with them or anything, but I particularly love this cover.

Also, watch this :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEDqk67AhsE.

Good Old War- That's Some Dream

Saw them live in a tiny little room with 30 other people. They came down and played in the crowd acousticly and we all sang along. We talked with the guys after for half and hour, just casual conversation like they were old buddies. Some of the nicest and most talented live singers I have ever seen. The harmonies blended together effortlessly. Needless to say, my favorite small show so far. This was the encore.

Matt and Kim- Silver Tiles

Speaking of encores, this was the encore for the most intense jumping, screaming, mosh pit, sweat and beer everywhere concert I have ever been to. Live, they mixed it with rave music halfway through and Kim danced on the crowd. Like as in she jumped off her drum set and danced on the hands that caught her. You can kind of get a taste.

THIS IS THE COOLEST THING I HAVE EVER FOUND ON YOUTUBE.

Look up Take Away Shows or LaBlogotheque. They have sooooooo many bands and artists that come to Paris and just wander in the street and play live. I spent 3 hours on this.

One of my favorites: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gt7fuzgYrc4

California Dreamin'

I've been listening to the Forrest Gump Soundtrack recently. Good stuff, good stuff.

I had this song by The Mamas and the Papas on repeat for a bit, and I came to the conclusion that this would be an AWESOME song performed by a choir. I hope our alma mater chooses it for their winter concert one year. We had such a good choir at our high school!

But I naturally turned to Youtube in search of instant gratification. This was probably one of the best ones I listened to. They sing it in a key higher than normal but they have great voices. Could do without the claps though.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sYLWyNQgy4&feature=related

yes yes yes yes

"general" - dispatch
"flash in a bottle" - dead heart bloom
"i am yours" - tracey chapman

and then these bands:
butcher the bar
sea of is
blitzen trapper
owen
margot and the nuclear so and sos
the alternate routes
the chad hollister band
peter bradley adams
ari hest

Look it up now!

Nosaj Thing

Album- Drift or pretty much anything he does.

IOIO, 1665/Bach, and voices in particular.

Put on headphones, play it loud. Dark electro that swallows you whole.

to contast the last post: thrashy, bashy, and downright trashy

i'll never be able to call a song "filthy" without feeling utterly ridiculous
but, you get the idea.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-Zw1_tGMBc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jRYAMMRWTU&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EE5YdFfOTh0&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqN5yWg6ff4

AA Bondy

Absolutely perfect rain music.

"how will you meet your end" and "hey preacher" are both just freaking wonderful, but I haven't heard a bad one yet. they're all good.

Digital Love from DLove

I am having a moment with electronic and house music, so DLove decided to share his favorites with me. Here are my favorites of the favorites:

Handguns(Dada Life remix)- Alex Gopher

Aurora (Shinichi Osawa remix)-Alex Gopher

Hello Friend- Deadmau5

To Hell With Gravity- Just a Band

Excuses-Kim Fai

I Think I Like It- Fake Blood

Hello Bye Bye- Y

Tasteful disco old school vibe.

Science of Fear(The Count remix)- The Temper Trap

Hmm...sounds familiar. But better.

Throw some LCD Soundsystem, Cut Copy, or BEARBOT in for good measure.

Look them up, play loud an proud, dance, enjoy.

fall music

an old new one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZPvp-HRRYQ ("broken horses" - freelance whales)

a new new one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ky_GwkBDMYA&feature=related ("animal arithmetic" - jonsi)

one more: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0TQ97TCTKY&feature=related ("west coast" - coconut records [hil, did you make a cd with this on it for me? I found a mysterious cd in my car the other day])

HANNAH YOU ADDED SO MUCH TO MY LIFE THE DAY YOU INTRODUCED ME TO CHRIS & THOMAS.

this isn't anything new, but..this song is the most everything.
i would post a link, but i can't find it on youtube or anything? oddity. this song, man.


"broken chair" - chris & thomas

"...and fair play for those who dare to dream..."

Aaawww
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qx8yLvb0gZM

I'm OBSESSED

I know this blog has many a time mentioned the brilliance of Arcade Fire.

But after weeks of repeatedly listening to The Suburbs, I gave Funeral a chance.

!!!

That album was in my car's CD player all week. It's rare that I listen to an album and like every song/listen to it all the way through. And multiple times a day.



I found a video of them performing Wake Up. . . so much energy! I've never seen a singer's mouth open so widely, let alone ALL of them belting out lyrics with same amount of passion. It must be a completely different experience to have 7+ members in your band.

After 4 straight days of Funeral, I decided my future spouse has to, in the very least, tolerate this band.

I'M FREAKING OUT

HOLY FUCK THIS IS SO MUCH GOODNESS RIGHT HERE. SO MUCH.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVMfsQ_cM8s&feature=player_embedded
(my friend Phoebe directed me to that brilliance)

also, there's a kid in my dorm who plays this song on accordion and his voice is the perfect amount of pained and weary. so effing good.

extremely awesome modest mouse acoustic cover: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FnW1Ai85IY

this song always plays in the pool hall - fett's vette by mc chris: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJvxEjGpIqU

"We Could be Friends" - Freelance Whales

i've never mentioned this song in real life or on this blog: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsnELWjsCsA











PSYCH. GOT YOU.

5 songs...

...that are borderline annoying.
BUT don't look them over-you'll end up enjoying them with a little patience.

(And this list should be added to)

1. "Window"- PVT

3 minutes of layered sound that will put you in a confident mood. Well that's how I felt. Anyway.

2. "Swing Tree" - Discovery

Incredibly happy, synthesized electronic with traces of Vampire Weekend. The melody can be a little tiresome.

3. "Do the Astral Plane"- Flying Lotus

Dance-worthy for sure, but understandable if the random sounds they incorporate are a little off-putting.

4. "Pow Pow" - LCD Soundsystem

Most of LCD Soundsystem's music took some time for me to get used to. But the lyircs are just so "what?" and the beat is too "yes!" to dislike for too long.

5. "Sleepyhead"- Passion Pit

Don't play for parents. Mine lasted about 30 seconds. It's too fun to sing along with. Passion Pit did release a Stripped version if that suits you. But then the song is no longer borderline annoying.

songs I've been into lately

(some are from a cd one of Stefan's friends made me)

"Trouble" - Voxtrot
new band for me. Sweet stuff. This one's been on physical/mental repeat for a while. I love this guy's voiiiiice.

"Turn" - Travis
Oh, Travis. Heelz and Han you guys prob already know this song. But I didn't before. It's soothing in a non-soothing way. Deep. Thanks.

"In an Aeroplane over the Sea" - Neutral Milk Hotel
Such a new, unknown song! Such new territory! Have you guys heard of this band??*

"Tommy the Cat" - Primus
What the fuck? Sweet bass, though. Dayum.

"Life less Ordinary" - Carbon Leaf
Sweet bass in this one, too. Look at me all technical. This guy's voice is almost too smooth for me. It's a fine line. Rough voices are da bomb (sup Isaac Brock)

"Cleanse Song" - Bright Eyes
I'm sorry but his writing is beautiful. Why am I sorry? Never mind. Suck it h8rs. Okay good song.

"Rain" - Bishop Allen
Perfect for P-town yo.
That's what we longtime Portlanders call Portland.
It's a top secret code.

"Knobbers" - Crookers
it's awkward to sit and listen to this song alone in a dorm room while studying at 10 am. AND BY AWKWARD I MEAN AWESOME.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7v542EmXac - check it. Guys. Yes. Listen.

*I'm being obnoxiously sarcastic

10 Current Obsessions

10 songs I have been listening to way too much of lately (in a good way). Not in any particular order:

“52 Favorite Things”- The Unicorns

A soothing lo fi song perfect for a late night drive home.

“City With No Children”- Arcade Fire

“The Suburbs” has been the only album on repeat in my car and it is required to listen to the continuous sound that flows so beautifully through the whole CD. I have determined this song to be my favorite though, simply because it has a sound that envelopes you whole.

“Boyfriend”- Best Coast

Easily to love retro throwback pop tune. They give off a stadium reverb style sound.

“James Brown”- Cage the Elephant

The tone of the lead singers voice is somehow gritty and smooth at the time. Just a good old bad ass song. Their whole album is worth a buy.

“Mouthful of Diamonds”- Phantogram

Addictive. Catchy. Trippy. Wonderful.

“No One Does It Like You”- Department of Eagles

I like Grizzly Bears too much. So at least this is a different band, even though it is has an eerily familiar sound...

“Chop and Change”- The Black Keys

Yes, I did find this off the Twilight soundtrack. But come on. Who can’t resist those underlying smoke room jazz sounds?

“Leave”- Glen Hansard of Swell Season

Thank you CD burning party for finally giving me the digital version of the live song I fell in love with. Hansard sings with an emotional power that shines through all of the Swell Season songs, but this one in particular will always give me shivers down my spine.

“Modern Inventions”- The Submarines

I feel like running through a shiny golden field to this song. Or a hippy electronic dream sequence.

“Dance Yrself Clean”- LCD Soundsystem

Awkward for actual dancing, but perfect for a little head bobbing on a long drive. Driving towards the sunset with a good pair of shades on and the windows down add bonus points. I know the beginning is pretty quiet, but be careful to turn your audio down just a tad in the middle.

better than the originals

Say what?
Hardly ever do you hear that phrase.

But honestly, it has never been truer than when it comes to The Swell Season's first release as a band. If you do not know this band, get to know them now. Their story is amazing. NPR does a pretty good job of telling it briefly.

Anyway. Once, the movie that starred both Hansard and Irglova has a wonderful soundtrack, which includes that Oscar winning song, "Falling Slowly."
But I'm not talking about the Once soundtrack anymore. Most of those tracks were revamped and rejuvenated on The Swell Season's debut album. And they strike a wonderful chord.
Each "new" song features intense strings, deep percussion and louder, more controlled harmonies.

If you liked "When Your Mind's Made Up" or "Lies" or even 2008's Oscar Winner, then you will absolutely LOVE the newer versions recorded on this album.


(image from irishmusiccentral.com)

thoroughly geekin' out

So, I just got back from a mini midnight adventure and I don't really have a desire to sleep. But I do have a desire to ruminate on some lyrics that I think are just nutritious for the soul. And to narrow it down quite a bit, I'll stick to lyrics from one of my very favorite bands - Modest Mouse. In conversation a couple weeks back, a relation of mine, when confronted with some loud MM, said that s/he did not like the band's music because "he [Brock] just always yells and doesn't actually say anything." Luckily I'm not the violent type. (just kidding). (like, just kidding on the implication that I would have gotten violent, not just kidding on not being the violent type). (you get it). And I recognize that people glean different amounts of meaning from words, and different strokes, and all that diplomatic stuff, yeah yeah.

But, I mean, c'mon now. These are some solid turns of tongue right here.











Hey so you know what. I'm over here reading lyrics to excellent songs and trying to find individual parts that excel. . .and it's not working out. Because I think that's what I love about the way Brock writes songs - there's a certain rhythm, even when you're reading them, that creates part of the magic. So while there are clever twists of terms and interesting conceptual allusions, there's not many short excerpts I could put up here without taking something away from the effect they'd have on you as a listener. So. Go listen to Modest Mouse.
Especially these songs, which I think really demonstrate that lyrical rhythm that I just went on about.

"Spitting Venom"
"Life Like Weeds"
"Dramamine"
"Third Planet" GOD I LOVE THIS SONG.
"Missed the Boat"
"Parting of the Sensory"




Side rant - the whole "old MM" vs. "new MM" debate is enormously annoying and unnecessary. They're still good - just a bit more accessible and with a bit more money in their pockets. It happens, especially when one band member literally changes and another makes a life change.

Oh, and someone will probably try to convince you that every song is about drugs. And that might be true, but have an open mind for other meaning as well, yeah?

AWESOME

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjxef8AfVQg&feature=related

canciones

"honey won't you let me in" - the tallest man on earth
it took me quite a few listens to like this guy, but now i really really really do. his voice is quite nasally and most of his songs pretty dark, but that's part of the charm.

"the gardener" - the tallest man on earth
this is creepy. creepy and really sweet, by my interpretation. some people i know have vastly different views on the lyrics, and it's awesome to hear them. i love ambiguity! makes you feel like you own your specific version of the song.

"janglin" - edward sharpe and the magnetic zeroes
inspiring. i love this band - haven't heard a song by them that i dislike.

"people everyday" - arrested development
this song and the next two are all from a cd that another girl going to reed next year sent me. this is a perfect song to listen to when i drive home late at night from anywhere and think about how there could be an alien on top of my car - it's hard to hear this song and be scared of extraterrestrial life. also it makes my head bop involuntarily.

"can i kick it?" - a tribe called quest
YES YOU CAN. the rhyme sequence in this song is really soothing for some reason. also it's extremely fun to quote, even if people have no idea what you're talking about. If you feel the urge to freak, do the jitterbug.

"vocab" - fugees
i don't really know what's going on. but it's kinda cool.

Soundtracks!

So after seeing Inception and being struck in the eardrums by the magnificence of Hans Zimmer (that guy is freaking omnipresent) I started thinking a lot about soundtracks and how integral they are to movies - how large an impact the auditory backdrop has on the audience's perception of the action.

Inception is a brilliant example of music as a supplement, subtly setting the mood of the film and amping up the tension. As an audience member I tend to drift out of acknowledgment of the music, focused instead on the dialogue and visual components. But the music is still there, accelerating heartbeats and moving reactions along nicely. It's integrated into the fabric of the movie, and when the curtain falls your experience has been shaped by the tone of the music yet you're not necessarily thinking about the individual tunes.



Then there's 2001: A Space Odyssey - if you've seen this movie(and I maintain that it's required viewing for anyone who considers themselves a scifi - nay, any type of movie - fan in the slightest) then you know how legit the music is. And when you've 10 years old and terrified of aliens. . . let's just say certain eerie tunes in the movie can be scarring. Seriously. There's one part that's like Fredo Viola gone evil - all voices, but effing scary. The intriguing thing about the music in this movie is that it isn't really ever in the background. When there's music, it tends to be the focus rather than the accent. At the risk of sounding ladeedah, the music almost acts as another character. It's the perfect example of music setting the atmosphere in a film in a much more brusque and obvious way. Stare at a black screen for a few minutes as a chorus of tortured voices sings and tell me there's no effect.

So yeah, to sum up, music in films is important and can be used in different ways. Groundbreaking stuff, huh?

Concert and concerts!

So I went to an amazing concert today (or I guess technically yesterday) with:
The Bird and the Bee (they were pretty good, but you got the sense that they knew they weren't the band people came to see. Also the crowd was still milling around and it was just a bit less gripping than I'd have liked. But the band was good live, and awkward dancing commenced)

She & Him (I've never been a fan, and I'm still not entirely a full-fledged one, but I would say I like them now. M. Ward's voice is absolutely divine. Please, sing more and more and more. For an actress, Zooey didn't have the greatest stage presence - definitely felt like she was just getting a job done, which isn't what you want to see, you know? But overall the performance was excellent and I looooved the crowd's reaction. Example: Guy 1: "ZOOEY I LOVE YOU!" Guy 2: "ZOOOEY I LOVE YOU MOOOORE" Guy 3: "ZOOEY I LOVE YOU FOR WHO YOU ARE" Haha people were just going crazy and dancing and singing and generally exhibiting drunken behavior. It was highly enjoyable.)

The Swell Season (This is who I really was excited to see. And they were fucking BRILLIANT. There was this one point where I looked down over the crowd and the light was golden and Glen was telling a funny little anecdote and everyone was laughing and drinking and smiling and it was just pure goodness. And they sang this Irish song at the end that gave me goosebumps so strong I started shivering. Everything about their performance was amazing - "Falling Slowly" was just beautiful, especially. AHH. He had this lovely way of walking the line between straight up screaming and singing.)


Haha ever have a really nice music experience and just need to rant? Yeah.

So then we were talking in the car about what concerts we'd love to go to, and it was overwhelming imagining them all.
I think my top five are:
1. Modest Mouse
2. Arcade Fire
3. Barenaked Ladies (with Steven Page, dammit)
4. Iron & Wine
5. Fleet Foxes

But really, I'd go to any concert (except a select few country/death metal ones) if the tickets were reasonable or free, depending on who the artist was.

I LOVE CONCERTS.

how on earth did I forget probably my favorite album? An album containing the song from which the url of this blog was birthed?

Sheesh.

We Were Dead Before the Ship even Sank - Modest Mouse

buy it, play it, love it, memorize it, live it, devour it, emit it, mock it, apologize to it, eat it, write on it, write off it, sit on it, throw it, read it, listen to it

good.

These are just songs I really like at the moment.

"elektro kardiogramm" - kraftwerk

yesss. probably my favorite techno song. such an excellent driving song, especially if you turn it up as loudly as your speakers go, and turn the bass up really high. bad for your speakers, good for your soul.

"hey preacher" - aa bondy
like the strokes on muscle relaxant. with more intriguing lyrics. this song is a good treatment for road rage.

"grace kelly blues" - the eels
okay. in this song the eels remind me overwhelmingly of the disney version of robin hood. . . with the woodland creatures? i haven't seen it/heard its soundtrack in years, but this voice. . . randomly and very strongly brings robin hood to mind. weird. but anyway. beautiful song.

"stormtrooper" - pepper
star wars + rock + reggae = yes. now we need a harry potter song?

"remind me" - röyksopp
all röyksopp songs remind me of fishing in mammoth with stefan. which just adds to the calmness that this inspires. very restrained, almost detached.

"your wildest dreams" - the moody blues
i saw these guys in concert, and was literally the youngest person in the entire plaza. by far. it was awesome. especially this song - they played the music video from when it first came out, which was kind of hilarious. times (and fashions) have changed. . .

"3rd planet" - modest mouse
yes, i like modest mouse. this is one of my favorites by them - irreverent, ambiguous, and just a bit insane. excellent running song.

"under the milky way" - the church
okay, i first enjoyed this song because when the singer sang "memphis" in the beginning i couldn't stop laughing for a while. but other than that, the guitar makes me want to play and the song is ideal for driving at night.

"behind the moon" - matt costa

hm, i should've made this post like "astronomy-themed songs," apparently. matt costa! excellence.

CDs!

I refuse to accept defeat when it comes to newspapers, and cringe at the thought of reading a book on a screen rather than a page. So it probably isn't surprising that I still buy CDs.

CDs allow musicians to play around with an entirely new dimension of depth. Bands can weave melodies and create complex continuances that stay consistent throughout the grouping of songs, and when tracks are broken up that's all chopped apart. And even if the songs are all distinctly separate, they're still by the same band. So listening to them all at once still adds to your understanding and experience of the artist. Sitting down and listening to an entire CD is like sitting and watching a movie. Things connect.
Of course mix CDs have their appeal as well, no doubt about it. But an album- that's a special thing.

Here are 5 CDs that I think are just exceptionally amazing.

Arcade Fire (Funeral)
The collectively best group of songs that I've ever heard. I mean, seriously. Out of control. I love the continuity - this album is a quilted message made out of little patched stories. Just. . . sheesh.

Gogol Bordello (Gypsy Punks: Underdog World Strike)
My countryman! But that's not the only reason this is so good. It's so manic. In such a good crazy way. Folksy punk gypsy music. Pushing the envelope and all that. The critics say it all.

Kraftwerk (Minimum-Maximum)
The best techno. Just. The best techno. And this? The best techno CD. Just. The best techno CD. "Elektro Kardiogramm" is stellar. And I dare you to listen to "Pocket Calculator" and not do the robot. Although I don't know why you'd want to even try. . .

Oasis ((What's the Story) Morning Glory)
Listen to it all the way through, in one sitting. The coarseness of Liam Gallagher's voice gets more appealing the longer you hear it. And each song fits into the next in a subtle way that I might just be creating in my mind.

Fleet Foxes (Sun Giant)
Ok. Even though this is an EP, I'm still including it. Because the writing included in the inside flap greatly influenced the way I look at music. And I'll just say that because it wouldn't be the same for you if I quoted it or whatever. You have to read it on your own, and if you think it's stupid then I apologize. But besides that, this CD. Only five songs. . . but so much awesome. The power of the voice, huh?

beautiful music

Most music is beautiful from some angle or another. However, if I were asked to make a CD of the most beautiful songs I know, these are 10 that I'd include. (Definitely not a comprehensive list in the slightest. I left off songs I've mentioned before on this blog. Which rather pained me, actually)

1. "pacific wind" - ryan farish
man, i love ryan farish. i've said it before - he needs to collab with enya and save the world with calmness.

2. "for emma" - bon iver
well, of course. bon iver is beautiful.

3. "falling slowly" - the swell season
seeing these guys in concert! sup! but this song would still make the list anyway.

4. "the sad song" - fredo viola
aaaaaaaaah. perhaps the most beautiful song of these all. just. . . mind-blowing. like the soundtrack for 2001 except overwhelmingly soothing instead of overwhelmingly terrifying. (thanks hans!)


5. "last days of the century" - al stewart
first concert I ever attended. this song gets me every single time. so enveloping. beautiful.

6. "generator (second floor)" - freelance whales
definitely a bit more lively than the previous songs. lively and lovely. (thanks meg!)

7. "sagaba" - blue scholars
i'm ridiculously into these guys lately. solid rap, solid lyrics.

8. "at the bottom of everything" - bright eyes
oberst is an underrated genius, and he's rated pretty highly. his lyrics are consistently fantastic, and this song is my personal favorite. haunting and yes, beautiful.


9. "home" - edward sharpe and the magnetic zeroes
this song will always make me think of my friends. so it's beautiful just for that. also because it's wonderfully constructed and just. . . good.

10. "teeth in the grass" - iron & wine
had to include some iron&Wine, of course. goes without saying.

this is nice

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=938XY6DX02w&feature=PlayList&p=F7441AEAF7AA801B&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=2

just some new likes

written in reverse - spoon
yeah, im changing my mind about the new spoon. a little. this song especially has grown on me. this song makes my throat hurt. how can he scream like that over and over again? doesn't he lose his voice like automatically? it sounds brutal in a really great way.

we are rockstars - does it offend you, yeah?
pure indulgence, that's what this is. also, extremely fun to drive to.

novocaine for the soul - eels
the beginning is awkward. push on, stalwart traveler. also, if you are in a car with someone awkward, subtly turn the volume down during the first line. trust me, comrade. don't ask questions. you'll understand when you are older.

stillness is the move - dirty projectors
i just like it. the singer's voice is fun to emulate.

i cut like a buffalo - the dead weather
i have no idea what this song is about. it's a fun melody though, and i get a rebellious vibe. which i enjoy.

watching the planets - the flaming lips
i love love love the beginning. you're all "ugh this sucks. skip thi-" and then BAM.

brass monkey -beastie boys
speaking of rebellion. i play this song when i'm driving and feeling road rage-y. it's very conducive to vehemence.

little secrets - passion pit
you know, he makes the falsetto work (most of the time).

5 songs i'm obsessed with lately.

to distract myself from the musical pain i just got as a result of the new spoon album (maybe it'll get better with time?) i shall list some songs i just really really love right now.

"mykonos" - the fleet foxes
gasp. everytime i listen to this i'm flabbergasted. god that word is fun to type/say/be. seriously, this song. seriously guys. if you haven't heard it, do yourself a favor and grooveshark dat. if you have, play it anyway. really loudly, until your computer speakers shake your windows. if your mom complains, blame it on the rainstorm. i love this song.

"this sentence will ruin/save your life" - born ruffians
i will understand if you hate this song. i did at least the first 2 times i heard it. the third time though. . .whoooboy. i was in love. instant cure for a bad mood of most magnitudes: drive in your car with all windows down at night, play this song at full blast and scream along. it's soul healing.

"the walls are coming down" -fanfarlo
trumpets make everything good, and this song was already excellent. such an enveloping song. this is a stadium song. or, it should be. hopefully these guys get the recognition they deserve soon.

"vertebrae" - christine fellows
where is the beauty in this song? the way she teeters between song and speech is captivating. i love melodic minimalism. this song is a whole lot of good.

"ta det lugnt" - dungen
i know nothing about this artist. the beauty of pandora. . . . i don't even know what language this is. german? swedish? icelandic? based on simply the auditory aesthetics, this song has a unique kind of appeal that it wouldnt possess if i knew what was going on. so maybe i won't look dungen up ever.

HAPPY NEW SPOON ALBUM DAY

calm.

"it's in the rain" - enya
this is the song i think of when i think of listening to music as i run. most people are into a heavy beat and pumped-up lyrics when they exercise, but i like calm music when i run. usually. and enya is excellent.

"white winter hymnal" - the fleet foxes
beautiful beautiful. love fleet foxes.it's the very best pieces of folk, mixed with an andrew bird-esque twist.

"mad world" - gary jules with michael andrews
curse you, stupid zombie horror movie that used this song in its preview. you literally almost ruined it for me. the first few times i listened to it after, i could only think of freaking zombies. luckily, i got over it.

"blue ridge mountains" - the fleet foxes
this is my favorite fleet foxes song. if i had ever been to south dakota, i think this song would remind me of it. but i haven't. so it reminds me of thinking about what i hope south dakota is like.

"the trapeze swinger" - iron & wine
i've mentioned this song on the blog before. forgive me. you'll notice i said 'iron & wine' this time. yeah.

"when the stars go blue" - ryan adams
i HATE when people think tim freaking mcgraw wrote this song. no no no. NO. just. no. if you even listen to both versions without being familiar with anything about either, anyone would know ryan adams' is both the original and superior. goddamn.

"on the radio" - regina spektor
i listen to this song on repeat until i think i'm going insane. excellent piano, and it's one of those rare songs where the lyrics are just as excellent as the instrumental, and vice versa.

"to be alone with you" - sufjan stevens
i love songs where it feels like the singer is crouched in the corner of a huge hall, whispering right into the recording device so his voice doesn't escape into the emptiness of the room. that's what this song makes me think.

"northern lights" - bowerbirds
a pandora find! he mentions the south. caught my ear straight away. also the soothing-ness of the singer's voice. it's a lovely song.

"asleep" - the smiths
one of the classics. this is on my top 10 list of favorite songs of all time. definitely the smith's best. probably morrissey's best, too, if you're asking me. although "suedehead" would have to battle it out.

"crystal ball" - styx
this is definitely the odd song out. but i gotta stay true to my classic rock roots. it's literally the only type of music i listened to when i was like age 1-12. i saw these guys in concert! this is one of my favorite styx songs. it's a bit more rock-y than the others in this post, but i still think it qualifies as calm. (ps. the lyrics are weak. sorry.)

my favorites from pitchfork.com's "Best tracks of 2009"!

i really should be doing the hw i deluded myself into thinking i didn't have, so for this i'll take a hemingway approach and write 6 words about each song.


"you're a target" - no age
hectic at times but also chill

"now we can see" - the thermals
love the rhythm, good sing along

"moths wings (eric solomon remix)" - passion pit
good lyrics are a bit overshadowed

"no hope kids" - wavves
super cheerful with an intense pessimism

"parallel lines" - junior boys
classic junior boys beat (little repetitive)

"northern lights" - bowerbirds
love the guitar, hate the lyrics

"love cry" - four tet
one of those repetitive techno songs

"raindrops" - basement jaxx
excellent beat, interesting sound, unique feel

"feel it all around" - washed out
atlas sound-esque, an aviators kinda song

"zero" - yeah yeah yeahs
karen o too cool for school

"1901" - phoenix (sorry garima)
hey hey hey hey hey hey


"my girls" - animal collective
this sounds real, which is tough