mozzarella

I really love tambourine in songs. Especially when it's faint, and you have to listen a little extra to hear it. And then once you hear it you notice how it adds so much to the song. It's icing on the cake, really.

Current song: Jimmy Eat World - Always Be

homewrecker

Just watched Up In the Air (what a cute movie!) but that's beside the point.

The soundtrack was FANTASTIC. Must get my hands on it soon.

1. This Land Is Your Land - Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings

2. Security Ballet - Rolfe Kent

3. Goin' Home - Dan Auerbach

4. Taken At All - David Crosby

5. Angel In The Snow - Elliot Smith

6. Help Yourself - Bradley Gran Smith

7. Genova - Sacha Galvagna

8. Lost In Detroit - Rolfe Kent

9. Thank You Lord - Roy Buchanan

10. Be Yourself - Graham Nash

11. The The Snow Before Us - Jared Matt Greenber

12. Up In The Air - Kevin Renick

Current song: Rocky Votolato - Makers

pistachios

Lately I've been fairly obsessed with Motion City Soundtrack. Just love 'em. Their new album is super good. I find that as time goes on I tend to get less interested in bands, as their sound evolves into something other than the sound they had when I first loved them. But not with MCS. All their albums are good. I went to two shows lately (one in January, one in April) and both were spectacular. I also geeked out and met Justin Pierre at the show in April. (Don't tell me if you were at a show for your favorite band and had the opportunity to meet them that you'd pass on the opportunity. Won't believe it for a minute.) I'm not too proud to admit that I get pretty excited about meeting musicians I really admire.

Also, one of the coolest videos ever: Motion City Soundtrack - It Had to Be You

Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. They are great songwriters, really great lyrics. I also like that they have songs for different moods, some pick-me-up-when-I'm-down, and keep-me-up-when-I'm-up. Tanya likened them to Dashboard Confessional (one of my all-time favorite bands, I totally geeked out when I met Chris Carrabba when I was 16) which I hadn't thought of, but I see her comparison. But Dashboard was much more acoustic in the early days. Dashboard is an example of a band that I've liked less and less as time has gone on. (but I'd still say he's in my top 10 all-time favorites.) I don't care much for his most recent record. And I think The Swiss Army Romance and The Places You Have Come To Fear the Most are fantastic. I can listen to either of them non-stop and not get annoyed. Which is hard for me, usually I get sick of a band and can't listen to an entire record. (Thank God for a "shuffle" option, whew!).. okay, talk about a tangent.

The Frames. Don't know how I've been missing out on them this whole time, but definitely glad I found out about them. Know the movie "Once"? Glen Hansard, the lead guy, started The Frames in 1990 (wow 20 years ago!).. and The Swell Season.. such good stuff.

That's mainly what I've been digging lately. With a few other usuals mixed in there.. (local of course) White Light Riot, Readygoes, Cedar Avenue, etc. etc.

Current song: Motion City Soundtrack - Her Words Destroyed My Planet

interviews

Listening to music I've never heard before is so refreshing.

And I'm downloading an older Rocky Votolato album I don't have so I'm very excited about that.

Is it the red wire, or the blue wire? Just pick one and cut, it just doesn't matter anymore.

I'm leaving for vacation in 7 hours and I cannot wait. I might sleep less than 3 hours tonight. Which brings me to my next thought.. I won't be able to continue my newfound music blog while I'm gone. Well, probably not. But I bet I'll have a lot to write about when I get back. Hopefully I'll have gone to a few good local shows while I'm out there. :)

Ooh what I don't like - whiney men's voices. Seems a lot of emo bands have em. No bueno. Just came upon a song with such a voice. Next, please. Thank you.

Sleepytime. Found another good song for my Slow playlist :)

Current song: Manchester Orchestra - I Can Feel Your Pain

tuna

It's funny how music makes you think of things that happened. Isn't it interesting how the emotions related to memories change over time?

It's really amazing to me the power that music has over emotions. The feelings that it can stir. Or not, in time.

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I've been in a music rut for the past few weeks or so. I feel like how can I have a playlist with 500 songs and keep hitting next, next, next, searching for THE one song I'm in the mood for and still not find it.

So I got a bunch of music (1500 songs) from Gabe (and that's only through the H's of his music collection) and I'm sorting through it now. The playlist shall be called "Expand Your Horizons."

I'm in the A's and loving Adam Svec. And he's local. Loves it. He shall definitely be added to my Slow Ride Take It Easy playlist. And ending up on that playlist is a feat, you have to be peaceful enough and have good lyrics that I could fall asleep to. Only 73 songs on there right now. That's too skinny.

Speaking of sleep, I need some.

Current song: Adam Svec - Calmer Man

stomp

I've had posts swirling through my head (while driving of course) and obviously was unable to post them. Grr!

So lately it's been Jimmy Eat World (newest album, and they're working on a new one.. I think to be released sometime in 2010.. yay!) I'll eventually write about how much I love this album. So good!

And also Ingrid Michaelson. She fits ANY mood. She's got that "I'm down and want something sort of down but that will kind of bring me up" vibe as well as the "I am woman hear me roar I'm amazing and can get through life, and be awesome" vibe. Versatile!

Current song: Ben Folds - You Don't Know Me

cake walks

I think more bands should play at house parties. It's so intimate and just has a really great vibe.

Current song: Damien Rice - The Blower's Daughter

red glasses

I go to shows relatively regularly. I'm fairly musically-opinionated, but I usually keep my opinions to myself (usually..). Not opinionated in the sense that everything I'd have to say would be negative. Not by any means. But if you ask me what I think, I'll tell you.
That said, there's a lot (and I mean a lot) that I don't know about music. But what I do know is that without it, I don't know how I'd get through the day. Honestly. I wake up and turn on my computer and Itunes. I shower listening to some mix cd I made recently. As soon as I get into the car my Ipod is plugged in and my "Baby You Can Drive My Car" playlist is on. I walk in my office and plug in my Ipod to my "I Simply Remember My Favorite Things" playlist. I get back in the car to drive home and again the Ipod is on. I get home and turn Itunes on. At night I listen to my "Slow Ride Take It Easy" playlist to fall asleep. Morning to night I'm listening to music of some sort. And most of it's local.
So I was at the Rocky Votolato show tonight and thinking about how much I love his songwriting and it got me thinking that I'd like to write about what I think about when it comes to music. Even if it's just a one-line post about the song that I love at the given moment. So here it goes.

Current song: Rocky Votolato - White Daisy Passing