Category: Music videos

Music–Playlister: From the Vault


Two days ago, my roommate got an iPod. This has been a big deal in our house! Let music be played from every room and entertain the squirrels and cranky neighbors forevermore! I let her sift through my iTunes to beef up her ‘Pod library, a process which led to a lot of nostalgic music listening and cringing at terrible musical choices from seasons past. A lot of Katy Perry was deleted, is what I’m saying. I’m not proud of any of this. 
 

The upshot of looking through a huge long list of songs I used to love was the simple matter of getting reintroduced to a lot of Awesome. These are songs that have stood the test of time for this pair of ears. Ya! Onward!

(After writing this list, I noticed that these songs are all incredibly different from one another and have no unifying theme whatsoever. Who cares! We’re throwing homogeneity to the wind! Take that!)

Atmosphere – “God Loves Ugly”
 
I’m not the best expert on rap music. Most of my listening is random at best—not because I don’t like it, but because my brain just can’t handle more than a couple albums a week and there’s a lot of great pop and indie out there to gobble up. HOWEVER. Atmosphere grabbed me young and taught me a thing or two about how beautiful and tightly woven the genre is. This song especially gets my head nodding and my fingers clicking toward a lyrics page to memorize the hell out of it. Yum!


Gregory and the HawK – “Boats and Birds”
 
Mmmmm. This sleepy, near whisper of a song has always struck me because of its vulnerable vocals and inventive metaphors. When I was sixteen I would drive around in my big red truck and blast this lullaby like nobody’s business. I’m a sucker for songs about heartbreak, folks. 


Beck – “Sexxlaws”
 
Beck’s musical style reminds me of a burrito. A really, really crazy burrito that you let your seven-year-old niece make for you while you were in the other room. You’re not exactly sure what’s in there but somehow all these random flavors come together in a symphony of magical burrito deliciousness that is unique and tasty and a little bizarre all at once. Not only is your body nourished but you come out on the other side feeling really positive about everything and with little bluebirds flying around your head. Just listen to it. 

 
 
XOXO
Carmen B. 

Music–Music Must: British Sea Power “Valhalla Dancehall”

Y’know how you’re not supposed to judge a book by it’s cover? I figure there’s probably some rule like that when it comes to albums too. Well! I do not care! As soon as I saw the wild horse galloping in a neon fury on the cover of British Sea Power’s Valhalla Dancehall, not to mention the album name itself, I knew I had to give this record a shot. I’m so glad I did!
 

 
British Sea Power’s musical style is approachable indie that reminds me of if Against Me and Arcade Fire got together and started drinking Merlot and talking about current events, then got so stirred up about it all they went and recorded an album rightthatsecond in a neighbor’s garage. Valhalla Dancehall has a sort of drunken, dreamy urgency to it’s political and social commentary-ridden tracks, with frontman Yan crooning ,“Sometimes I wish protesting was sexy on a Saturday night.” Me too, Yan. This band melds beautiful melodies and sweeping guitar and keyboards with caustic lyrics that’ll give you pause for thought. 

British Sea Power “Who’s in Control?”



British Sea Power “Luna”


If you’d like to stream the album, The Guardian will be hosting it for now! Give this yummy album a listen y’all!

XOXO
Carmen B.
 

Music–Music Must: Ryan Adams and The Cardinals

My boy Ryan Adams always seems to get me through the sad times with his more upbeat and savage tunes. His latest release, III/IV, is no exception. Though some of his more popular songs are of the sad, countrified blues persuasion, this album rocks a firm display of Americana with an edge. 
 

If you’re wondering who in the world this Ryan Adams guy is, check out “Come Pick Me Up.” It’s likely to jog your memory:

I think the best thing about Ryan Adams and the Cardinals (besides excellent lyrics and melodies that don’t quit) is their ability to disguise sad lyrics in somewhat desperately upbeat songs, like a typical biker guy that’s a big ol’ softie underneath. 

This album is currently streaming on Ryan Adams’ MySpace page. I definitely recommend a listen, ladies! My personal faves: “Lovely and Blue” and “Happy Birthday”. This is the kind of album you want to sing aloud around a fire with all your friends with—and not in a Kumbayah way, either! Sounds perfect for roasting some chestnuts or decorating some cookies! 


XOXO
Carmen B.

Music–2010 in Music: Don’t Stop the Pop by DJ Earworm

As the New Year approaches many of you are probably looking back on the last 12 months and reflecting. What happened? Not only in your personal life, but in the social network dominated, everything is public, world of viral communication and media. 

Luckily, for us, this year picked up momentum musically and finally found its groove in an upbeat positive vibe after a somewhat dreary 2009. Today, I found this wonderful mashup, of Billboard magazine’s top 25 songs of the year, by DJ Earwom titled “Don’t Stop the POP”. It pretty much sums up my 2010 experience. 

DJ Earworm himself describes the last year in music for us:

“In 2010, pop has gone into serious all-out party mode. In 2009 the music was encouraging us to pick ourselves back up after being knocked down again, and to rock out to some great dance music while your at it. This year’s music tells us to keep going now that we’re up and having fun. In fact, the fun seems to be in such overdrive that it borders on recklessness. Usher urges us to ‘dance like it’s the last night of your life”, and Katy Perry wants us to “run away and don’t ever look back”. Even the songs that aren’t about parties have parties in their videos, like this year’s entries from Mike Posner and Lady” Antebellum.”

 Here are all the songs in the mashup for your further enjoyment:

  • Ke$ha – Tik Tok
  • Lady Antebellum – Need You Now
  • Train – Hey, Soul Sister
  • Katy Perry Featuring Snoop Dogg – California Gurls
  • Usher Featuring will.i.am – OMG
  • B.O.B. Featuring Hayley Williams – Airplanes
  • Eminem Featuring Rihanna – Love the Way You Lie
  • Lady Gaga – Bad Romance
  • Taio Cruz – Dynamite
  • Taio Cruz Featuring Ludacris – Break Your Heart
  • B.O.B. Featuring Bruno Mars – Nothin’ On You
  • Enrique Iglesias Featuring Pitbull – I Like It
  • Young Money Featuring Lloyd – Bedrock
  • Jason Derulo – In My Head
  • Rihanna – Rude Boy
  • Lady Gaga Featuring Beyonce – Telephone
  • Katy Perry – Teenage Dream
  • Bruno Mars – Just the Way You Are
  • Mike Posner – Cooler Than Me
  • The Black Eyed Peas – Imma Be
  • Jay-Z + Alicia Keys – Empire State of Mind
  • Usher Featuring Pitbull – DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love
  • Travie McCoy Featuring Bruno Mars – Billionaire
  • Eminem – Not Afraid
  • Iyaz – Replay

Music–Music Must: The Walkmen’s Lisbon

The only thing I gobble up during the winter months faster than Hershey kisses is some good ol’ fashioned indie pop. I was looking through the albums that I’ve checked out over the year and got an extra warm feelin’ when I got to give Lisbon (by The Walkmen) a fresh listen—they’ve got a tight sound and prescient, self aware lyrics that’ll strike a chord in any complicated heart. This album reminds me of a mixture of Simon & Garfunkel and Rufus Wainwright (If you haven’t given either of those artists a solid listen yet, get thee to a record store STAT.).

 

You know me—I can’t help but give shout outs to my favorite tracks on an album. These two definitely win out!
 

 
“Angela Surf City” is one of Lisbon’s more upbeat tracks, and is the sort of kick ass tune that gets me air drumming with a fury! Does it matter that I don’t know the first thing about a drum kit? No! Music is about passion, people!
 

 
“Blue As Your Blood” is a sweeping, profoundly wrought song that contrasts a hopeful, cheerful melody with melancholy, regretful lyrics. Yum! I love when bands do this. It seems like these folks are very meticulous with their music making—which I appreciate almost as much as alliterations. 


What’s your favorite release from this year?

XOXO
Carmen B.