music

It really should be a naughty euphamism. So you know, let your mind wander…

Thanks to @JeffQuestad I got to read all about McCain’s vaguely disturbing predilection for ABBA. I’m not that disturbed about his enjoyment of Neil Diamon because, when push comes to shove, which one of us wouldn’t say they loved Neil Diamond? I have very fond junior high memories of our show choir singing “America.”

Which of course got me thinking, if I were going to list my ten favorite songs, what would they be? This could also have something to do with the fact that I just bought New Kids On Block “Greatest Hits” and would have chosen at least two of those songs had you asked me this question in 1990. And a Guns ‘N Roses song or two, I’m sure. Lest you think I’m a total freak.

Therefore, my top 10 songs of right-damn-now-which-are-available-at-the-iTunes-music-store-for-you-to-sample but in no particular order:

• Jellyfish’s “Brighter Day”
• Justin Timberlake’s “What Goes Around Comes Around”
• Mos Def’s “Hip Hop”
• Dave Brubeck’s “Take Five”
• The White Stripes’s “Seven Nation Army”
• No Doubt’s “Sunday Morning”
• Frank Sinatra’s “Fly Me To The Moon”
• Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back”
• Ani Difranco’s “Untouchable Face”
• Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova’s “When Your Mind’s Made Up”

Apparently some of my writing is being emailed around? HA! I’m glad I could entertain. Am I providing insight? Humor? Inspiration?

In any case, I’ll use this time to bring your attention to the late Katie Reider, whose music and life should inspire you. For $1 you can own some of her music and give to a good cause.

(Every time Brandy says that, I about die.)

While Bryan and I were in New York my headphones broke. It was tragic. They still technically worked, but there was a piece that had come loose inside. The result was a horrible rattling noise every time I moved my head. Kinda defeats the purpose of wearing headphones. The death of these headphones was possibly even more mentally catastrophic than the soon-to-be death of my iPod. I’d purchased the rattling headphones in Japan on a day when I probably listened to thirty different pair of headphones while trying to purchase a pair for myself and for Bryan.

I ended up with some Japan-only Sony folding headphones. I’m that person who can’t use earbuds. Can’t at all get them to stay in my ear because my ear shape is the opposite shape of whatever earbud model is out there. They just plop right out of my ears. (When I wear my bluetooth headset I look extra dumb because it sticks out at a weird angle and only stays up because of the behind-ear wire thing it came with.) I loved those damn Sony headphones. Though I only spent $30-ish on them, I agonized over their purchase, trying to balance good sound with excellent portability. By the time they’d died, I’d had them for over five years.

In my search for new headphones, I stumbled upon Turntable Lab, which was a short ride away from our NYC hotel. Sadly, I discovered them about two hours after they’d closed with us leaving the next morning. I was initally excited because they sold Audio-Technica headphones, which I’d purchased for Bryan many moons ago. I’d loved them, but once back in the States, wasn’t able to find them anywhere I could go listen to them again. I didn’t get any ATs (I’d want to listen to them and pick a bad ass pair which I still may do), but I did go for mid-price blingtasticness in the WESC Aoki Signature Premium headphones in yellow. My pal CP asked the other day if I was having fun living in the 80s when I rolled up to Kristen’s grad wearing them and rocking out. I was enjoying all the decades, thankyouverymuch.

All this writing because I love them. I use them when I commute on CalTrain and tonight I rocked out to a new playlist on the new iPod while doing dishes and taking out trash and recycling. Oh, and I love the new Madonna/Justin Timberlake song, “4 Minutes.” I do. Mock if you like, but I’m also going to see New Kids On The Block in concert in October. FUCK YEAH.

Much to my joy, I’m going to have an excellent spring/summer concert season even if I only get to see the two shows we currently have tickets for.

Coming up first is The Swell Season (Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova) on April 26 at The Paramount. It was great seeing them win the Oscar for Best Song and I’m super stoaked to see them perform live.

In July, Bryan and I are heading out to see The Police and Elvis Costello & The Imposters. Wooo!

It’s 2:30 am. Here’s a smattering of videos that I’ve been hooked on recently. (And I’m not late to the party on the Fucking Matt Damon thing, I swear. YouTube says I added it to my favorites January 31, 2008, 09:53 PM)

I don’t actually like KT Tunstall’s original music. Or rather I’m very annoyed by her radio hits because they get forced upon me at work. However her recent cover of “Walk Like an Egyptian” (The Bangles, like, duh) is pretty sweet. Gotta love sampling yourself live to create your backing tracks.

There’s a REI employee who made a fucking awesome video and put it up on YouTube. Let her show you how you know you’ve worked at REI too long. I’m hoping no sea-worthy kayaks were harmed in the making of the video. (Thanks Sarah for the linkage!)

I went on a YouTube spree of odd Red Hot Chili Peppers videos, live performances, etc. the other night. My favorite find was probably this John Frusciante cover of The Bee Gees “How Deep Is Your Love” during a RHCP concert. Hit those high notes, boy!

Do you know what the Wilhem Scream is? You’re going to hear it in everything now, and some of your favorite movies will never be the same after you watch this compilation of screams.

And of course, Sarah Silverman is fucking Matt Damon.

If you want to see everything I’ve been watching, you can see my YouTube faves and watch a lot of live music. But this is only if you’re really bored at work and can use your speakers.

A video to give you something to do that’s not watching the Super Bowl. I don’t know much about DJ Scriv, but I find this video mix to be enormously fun.

That is clearly a lie. But apparently “I don’t read” is a popular response to one’s favorite books on Facebook. (While I may have succumbed to MySpace, I cannot cross over into even more life-sucking time on Facebook.) Check out the interesting data collected by Virgil in regards to what books smart people read. Ok, no. It’s what books people with high SAT scores on Facebook read. I’m fascinated. If you haven’t already seen it, I present to you: Books that make you dumb.

I don’t know Virgil, but I like him. What’s not to like? Geek, cute, interested in books. FTW!

I suppose it’s interesting to note that my favorite books aren’t on the list. Hmmm. I’m off the scale, one way or another. I wish I remembered my exact SAT score. I do know that I scored more than 100 points higher on the non-math side…

For the record, some of my favorite books are:

• A Song Of Ice and Fire (series) by George R.R. Martin
• Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
• The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
• Declare by Tim Powers

In completely un-related news, did y’all see Cloverfield? I’ve heard that I’d like it, but that since Blair Witch’s camera movement made me nauseous, I might not make it through a theater showing of this flick. If you did see it and you liked the music, you can grab Rob’s party mix from Cloverfield.

During a trip to Japan in 1994, I was shopping in a giant record store in Tokyo called The Wave. While I was there, I bought a CD because I liked the cover.

Sometimes I’m just that shallow. Turns out that the CD was even better sounding than it was good looking and my happy aural relationship with The Frames began. Finding some of their music in the States has been difficult prior to a few years ago, but I purchased Burn the Maps last year and grooved along happily.

About two weeks ago the universe conspired to bring The Frames and their frontman, Glen Hansard, back into my life. I’d noticed that the top choice on my Netflix home page was Once. I didn’t look beyond the pop-up description and kind of ignored it. Then I received an email from my friend Jess. Usually we send novella-length emails back and forth, but this was a short burst from her…basically saying “I saw this movie, I loved it, and you will too.” Guess what movie it was. (Jess and I also happened to be reading the exact same book at the same time too. Whoa.)

I rented it. I loved it. Watched it three times. Bought the DVD and the soundtrack. I am officially hooked. (For those keeping score at home, please note that though the DVD and CD use the same photo for the cover, Glen and Mar have been Photoshopped together to be holding hands on the DVD. Hmmm.)

So thanks to Jess and Netflix I have a new movie I love, which I can pimp out to my friends.