58.
artist:incubus
album:morning view
i always had a crush on Brandon Boyd, but never really got into incubus until this album. "warning" was in regular rotation at MTV, so i heard it a lot (I'm discovering how much of my life was spent with MTV on...its kind of frightening, actually), especially at the beach house that summer.
i really do like this album, but i don't listen to it very often.
one time in particular stands out in my mind, though. i was talking to my daddy about it today, which is probably why i decided to listen to this album today. it was, once again, the summer that i was interning at MTV. we had an internship class that we had to take along with the actual internship, and that class met like three times all year. one of those meetings was at our professor's house. she didn't live near campus at all, and this was pre-GPS so i had mapquest directions to go by...and we all know how reliable those can be.
i made it there just fine. while we were in class, the Heavens opened up and it rained harder than i could even believe. we couldn't see our cars from the house. it was bad. (this summer featured a lot of rainstorms, actually...including one in which i almost floated away in the ocean...that's a story for another entry, though.) class was over, and i was a bit nervous about driving in that rain, but figured I'm tough and that id be okay. WRONG.
i got back to the parkway entrance, only to find out that it was closed off due to the rain. awesome. now I'm in a town I've never been to in my life and am totally lost. fantastic. this was my first panic attack, and it wasn't pretty.
i drove around aimlessly and totally freaking out for a bit, and then i saw a beacon of light-a wawa. i pulled into the parking lot, calmed myself down, and went in to get some coffee. i came back out to my car (her name was Rhu and she was the finest collection of metal a girl could ever know. that car got me into and out of a lot of trouble) took my soaking wet, slippery flip-flops off, tucked a foot up under my butt, and searched around for the most mellow CD that i could find. morning view was what i came up with.
i hit play on the CD player, and started driving and concentrating, using my uncanny sense of direction. i know enough about roads and pay enough attention to get myself out of a jam if need be, though i don't really handle being in jams well to begin with. at any rate, i found my way back to the parkway and eventually made it back to the dorm in one piece. to this day, whenever I'm freaking out or am driving around in the rain for extended periods of time (like i was today), i craving nothing more than a cup of wawa coffee and some incubus.
Monday, February 28, 2011
365 project:"if you think you're gonna leave then you'd better say so"
57.
artist:tom petty
album:greatest hits
i like tom petty. i always have, from the time i was little. i don't know where that came from, because my dad doesn't like tom petty at all, and my mom isn't a huge fan, though she does like him more than dad does. its quite possible that this is one of the musical habits i inherited from my big brother. i know that i used to steal his full moon fever cassette quite frequently.
there is a gaslight anthem line that goes "i still like tom petty songs and driving old men crazy" which has been stuck in my head for days and days and days, so i figured since i had to go pick my dad up from my poppop's house, now was as good a time as any to listen to tom petty, because i was at least driving an old man, if not driving him crazy.
i only own his greatest hits album because I'm poor and that CD gets the job done. there aren't any songs that i can think of really that i am missing by not having them, though I'm sure there are more out there that id be in love with. the only song i wish i had was the one that he does with stevie nix, because i have liked that song for years, but not enough to really go out and do anything about it. its not like i sit at home at night and cry myself to sleep pining away for it. as a matter of fact, i cant honestly think of the name of it, and had totally forgotten about it until a few summers ago when i saw tom petty at bonnaroo. towards the end of the set, nix joined him on stage for a few duets, that song being one of them.
I'm trying to decide if i have a favorite tom petty song. i do know that as a child i was OBSESSED with the music video (remember, I'm 31...we had music videos on MTV when i was a child) for "don't come around here no more." as a 13-year-old, figuring out what the song "Mary Jane's last dance" was really about was kind of liberating. i was getting to be the age where i understood adult references and things were bigger than cartoons and math homework. "even the losers" should be my anthem, but i don't even get lucky sometimes, so it just kind of depresses me. "learning to fly" is a pretty incredible song, i think. i like the message behind it, and i think the music itself is pretty nice.
i was thinking it might be easier to pick a least favorite song, but i don't have one of those, either. this is a CD that doesn't get the rotation that it should, and i really need to work on changing that.
artist:tom petty
album:greatest hits
i like tom petty. i always have, from the time i was little. i don't know where that came from, because my dad doesn't like tom petty at all, and my mom isn't a huge fan, though she does like him more than dad does. its quite possible that this is one of the musical habits i inherited from my big brother. i know that i used to steal his full moon fever cassette quite frequently.
there is a gaslight anthem line that goes "i still like tom petty songs and driving old men crazy" which has been stuck in my head for days and days and days, so i figured since i had to go pick my dad up from my poppop's house, now was as good a time as any to listen to tom petty, because i was at least driving an old man, if not driving him crazy.
i only own his greatest hits album because I'm poor and that CD gets the job done. there aren't any songs that i can think of really that i am missing by not having them, though I'm sure there are more out there that id be in love with. the only song i wish i had was the one that he does with stevie nix, because i have liked that song for years, but not enough to really go out and do anything about it. its not like i sit at home at night and cry myself to sleep pining away for it. as a matter of fact, i cant honestly think of the name of it, and had totally forgotten about it until a few summers ago when i saw tom petty at bonnaroo. towards the end of the set, nix joined him on stage for a few duets, that song being one of them.
I'm trying to decide if i have a favorite tom petty song. i do know that as a child i was OBSESSED with the music video (remember, I'm 31...we had music videos on MTV when i was a child) for "don't come around here no more." as a 13-year-old, figuring out what the song "Mary Jane's last dance" was really about was kind of liberating. i was getting to be the age where i understood adult references and things were bigger than cartoons and math homework. "even the losers" should be my anthem, but i don't even get lucky sometimes, so it just kind of depresses me. "learning to fly" is a pretty incredible song, i think. i like the message behind it, and i think the music itself is pretty nice.
i was thinking it might be easier to pick a least favorite song, but i don't have one of those, either. this is a CD that doesn't get the rotation that it should, and i really need to work on changing that.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
365 project:"i may take a holiday in Spain, leave my wings behind me. "
56.
artist:counting crows
album:hard candy
this doesn't rank among the highest of the crow's albums for me, but it does have a rather special story behind how i acquired it.
at the time i was interning for MTV, and actually spending most of my time interning for Direct Effect, which was a hip hop show that they aired that featured DJ Clue and La La as the hosts. it was totally not my scene at all, but i think that's why it was a good spot for me. i didn't know who the artists were, so i didn't have to worry about being in awe, i just did my job.
at any rate, we were hanging out in the production trailer one day and for some reason or another, one of the producers asked one of the other interns to run some ridiculous errand. i added "while you are at it, Corey, can you swing by the record store for me?" since it was a Tuesday, everyone in the trailer knew that that meant new records came out that day. the producer asked me what i needed from the record store, and i said "oh, the new counting crows album came out today." she spun around to a stack of CD cases on her desk, pulls one out of the pile and says "this one? hard candy?" and then tossed it at me. i said yeah, and i went to toss it back and she told me to stop. "this is a hip hop show. what the heck am i going to do with that? its yours."
i was excited because it meant that i didn't have to go to the mall on the way back to my dorm, and that i didn't have to spend 15 dollars on a new CD. i think of Direct Effect every time i listen to hard candy.
artist:counting crows
album:hard candy
this doesn't rank among the highest of the crow's albums for me, but it does have a rather special story behind how i acquired it.
at the time i was interning for MTV, and actually spending most of my time interning for Direct Effect, which was a hip hop show that they aired that featured DJ Clue and La La as the hosts. it was totally not my scene at all, but i think that's why it was a good spot for me. i didn't know who the artists were, so i didn't have to worry about being in awe, i just did my job.
at any rate, we were hanging out in the production trailer one day and for some reason or another, one of the producers asked one of the other interns to run some ridiculous errand. i added "while you are at it, Corey, can you swing by the record store for me?" since it was a Tuesday, everyone in the trailer knew that that meant new records came out that day. the producer asked me what i needed from the record store, and i said "oh, the new counting crows album came out today." she spun around to a stack of CD cases on her desk, pulls one out of the pile and says "this one? hard candy?" and then tossed it at me. i said yeah, and i went to toss it back and she told me to stop. "this is a hip hop show. what the heck am i going to do with that? its yours."
i was excited because it meant that i didn't have to go to the mall on the way back to my dorm, and that i didn't have to spend 15 dollars on a new CD. i think of Direct Effect every time i listen to hard candy.
365 project:"why wont you ever know that im in love with you. im in love with you"
55.
artist:the cure
album:greatest hits
at the risk of sounding like Peyton Sawyer, i kind of really love the cure. now admittedly, i don't love them enough to own anything other than their greatest hits album currently, but that's not to say that i don't feel a certain kind of way whenever i hear the songs that i do now. for instance, "just like heaven" is arguably one of my favorite songs ever, and i really believe it to be one of the prettiest love songs ever written. is one of those songs that makes me really want to be in love. there are lots of love songs out there, but most of them don't have the power to make me wish that i was in love, at least not like "just like heaven" does.
and of course there is "lovesong." when i hear this song i picture the river court on One Tree Hill. Peyton painted the lyrics to this song on the court to let Lucas know how she felt about him when he was about to marry Lindsay or right after, i cant honestly remember, but it was a pretty touching "i love you" moment. (yes, i watch reruns of One Tree Hill daily. No, that does NOT make me a loser...i hope.)
how many of you have someone in your life or in your past that you could apply the lyrics
"However far away
I will always love you
However long I stay
I will always love you
Whatever words I say
I will always love you
I will always love you"
i know that i do. its a different kind of love than the love that "just like heaven" inspires, but its a real love and a true love nonetheless. there are people who we give our hearts to that just don't return the whole thing back. they leave and take a piece of you with them. its a piece that you will never get back, but sometimes its a piece that you don't mind having lost. in this particular situation, i struggled for a long time with the idea of him still having a piece of my heart, but i know that in the end, he meant enough to me during the time that i spent with him that its okay. i am over him, but will always still love him in some capacity. that's just the way it goes.
Robert Smith and the Cure make me feel like its okay to still harbor those feelings of being a 13 year old girl. the love, the insecurities, the feeling of being lost. i may not still be 13, but those ideals are something that we may never grow out of.
artist:the cure
album:greatest hits
at the risk of sounding like Peyton Sawyer, i kind of really love the cure. now admittedly, i don't love them enough to own anything other than their greatest hits album currently, but that's not to say that i don't feel a certain kind of way whenever i hear the songs that i do now. for instance, "just like heaven" is arguably one of my favorite songs ever, and i really believe it to be one of the prettiest love songs ever written. is one of those songs that makes me really want to be in love. there are lots of love songs out there, but most of them don't have the power to make me wish that i was in love, at least not like "just like heaven" does.
and of course there is "lovesong." when i hear this song i picture the river court on One Tree Hill. Peyton painted the lyrics to this song on the court to let Lucas know how she felt about him when he was about to marry Lindsay or right after, i cant honestly remember, but it was a pretty touching "i love you" moment. (yes, i watch reruns of One Tree Hill daily. No, that does NOT make me a loser...i hope.)
how many of you have someone in your life or in your past that you could apply the lyrics
"However far away
I will always love you
However long I stay
I will always love you
Whatever words I say
I will always love you
I will always love you"
i know that i do. its a different kind of love than the love that "just like heaven" inspires, but its a real love and a true love nonetheless. there are people who we give our hearts to that just don't return the whole thing back. they leave and take a piece of you with them. its a piece that you will never get back, but sometimes its a piece that you don't mind having lost. in this particular situation, i struggled for a long time with the idea of him still having a piece of my heart, but i know that in the end, he meant enough to me during the time that i spent with him that its okay. i am over him, but will always still love him in some capacity. that's just the way it goes.
Robert Smith and the Cure make me feel like its okay to still harbor those feelings of being a 13 year old girl. the love, the insecurities, the feeling of being lost. i may not still be 13, but those ideals are something that we may never grow out of.
365 project:"whats wrong with kicking it when youre bored and lit?"
54.
artist:unwritten law
album:from music in high places
i finished college at a school in central jersey. (the debate about whether "central jersey" actually exists or if its just north and south is a debate for another day. this is a music blog, not a geographical one...) we lived a few blocks from the Atlantic ocean, and as you can imagine, life was really laid back. (i may or may not have lived with stoners, which may or may not have contributed to the laid back lifestyle.) Senior year we had to move off-campus due to some lousy housing lottery rules and a lot changed that year.
my time at this particular school really helped me mold my musical tastes. it is safe to say that my tastes are firmly rooted in the stuff that i listened to growing up, but the stuff that i listen to now is a direct result of my three years at that particular school. this album is from that time period.
there was a radio station up there that i listened to any time i was too far out to get my own college station (or when there was a DJ on playing a format that i didn't really care for.) on Sunday mornings they did a stripped-down acoustic show that i always happened to catch driving home from work (i was working overnights and was on the schedule for most Saturdays because that was one of the few days i was available.) on this show, they played "up all night" nearly every Sunday, and i really, really liked that song a lot, so i got my hands on the CD. i cant honestly remember if i bought it or if i got it via the radio station, but i think i actually bought it. i vaguely remember going to target for it.
at any rate, i went through a phase where i listened to this CD nonstop, but it didn't last long. what ended up happening was that i ripped "up all night" and "seein' red" to my laptop and put the CD away, to be forgotten about, which is exactly what happened. once my laptop died (RIP lappy...its been a few years and i still miss you) that was pretty much it for this CD. it just sat on the shelf in my bedroom and got ignored.
i decided this morning that it was as good a day as any to pull this CD from my shelf and give it a spin. today is one of those quiet mornings where I'm home alone, drinking coffee and baking cupcakes. (not quite the same baking as was going on around me in college.) i see now why it got old fast. yes, its stripped down and really pretty, but every damn song sounds the same. i was on the last song of the album and didn't realize it because i kept expecting the chorus from "up all night" to start again.
this is not a bad album, but I'm definitely glad i didn't chose to listen to it while i was out driving around like i normally do for this project. it probably would have put me to sleep and made me wreck. this is definitely a "lazy Sunday morning with a cup of coffee" CD.
artist:unwritten law
album:from music in high places
i finished college at a school in central jersey. (the debate about whether "central jersey" actually exists or if its just north and south is a debate for another day. this is a music blog, not a geographical one...) we lived a few blocks from the Atlantic ocean, and as you can imagine, life was really laid back. (i may or may not have lived with stoners, which may or may not have contributed to the laid back lifestyle.) Senior year we had to move off-campus due to some lousy housing lottery rules and a lot changed that year.
my time at this particular school really helped me mold my musical tastes. it is safe to say that my tastes are firmly rooted in the stuff that i listened to growing up, but the stuff that i listen to now is a direct result of my three years at that particular school. this album is from that time period.
there was a radio station up there that i listened to any time i was too far out to get my own college station (or when there was a DJ on playing a format that i didn't really care for.) on Sunday mornings they did a stripped-down acoustic show that i always happened to catch driving home from work (i was working overnights and was on the schedule for most Saturdays because that was one of the few days i was available.) on this show, they played "up all night" nearly every Sunday, and i really, really liked that song a lot, so i got my hands on the CD. i cant honestly remember if i bought it or if i got it via the radio station, but i think i actually bought it. i vaguely remember going to target for it.
at any rate, i went through a phase where i listened to this CD nonstop, but it didn't last long. what ended up happening was that i ripped "up all night" and "seein' red" to my laptop and put the CD away, to be forgotten about, which is exactly what happened. once my laptop died (RIP lappy...its been a few years and i still miss you) that was pretty much it for this CD. it just sat on the shelf in my bedroom and got ignored.
i decided this morning that it was as good a day as any to pull this CD from my shelf and give it a spin. today is one of those quiet mornings where I'm home alone, drinking coffee and baking cupcakes. (not quite the same baking as was going on around me in college.) i see now why it got old fast. yes, its stripped down and really pretty, but every damn song sounds the same. i was on the last song of the album and didn't realize it because i kept expecting the chorus from "up all night" to start again.
this is not a bad album, but I'm definitely glad i didn't chose to listen to it while i was out driving around like i normally do for this project. it probably would have put me to sleep and made me wreck. this is definitely a "lazy Sunday morning with a cup of coffee" CD.
sometimes it is hard being a music lover.
April 27th, 2011 will be a hard day for me. two of my favorite bands are playing gigs locally. since both will be headlining, and the shows aren't really that close, there is no way to catch both bands. I've been through the logistics and its just not possible. this means i had to do the hardest thing I've had to do in a long time...i had to choose between Brand New and Alkaline Trio.
i had actually been mulling this over for a while, and was still really unsure what to do. both bands put out shitty last albums. I've seen both bands before, and both put on really good live shows. i love both bands. I've seen brand new 31 times (it might be 32. i have lost track.) while I've only seen alkaline trio 3 or 4, but its likely that ill be able to see the alk3 again, while brand new is so freaking flaky as a band who knows what their next move will be.
i had a few things playing in my mind that had me leaning towards deciding on brand new, but i was still up in the air. last Saturday i went to see plain white t's with some friends, and one of them there wanted to know what decision i was making. (yes, for those keeping track, its possible that i did know about the bn show before it was announced. a little birdie might have chirped in my ear to let me know about it before i bought alk3 tickets because that little birdie might have known id be interested...) my friend asked me to go to the bn show with her and i was more or less settled on it by that point but was still kind of not sure if i had made the right decision. i mean, i love brand new, but i have been wearing my alkaline trio hoodie daily for nearly a year while i haven't touched my brand new hoodie in a while. this might seem trivial, but its kind of a big deal.
i didn't get out of bed today til nearly 2pm. i didn't feel well, am kind of depressed and had nowhere to be. its likely i would have stayed in bed all damn day, but my brother called and wanted me to go with him to take monkey to chuck e. cheese's so i needed to get up and take a shower. this is important because it means that I'm sitting in front of the computer doing a whole lot of nothing now, at nearly 2am. i wrote tonight's 365 blog, and referenced a studio session that they did, so i watched the video and then just decided to listen live to the radio station because it was so quiet down here.
i was just minding my own business and playing zuma blitz and all of the sudden a few very recognizable to me notes rang through my computer speakers and i froze up. once i realized that i was indeed hearing what i thought i was hearing, i yelped loudly enough that i probably woke up my parents and the rest of the neighborhood. THEY WERE PLAYING BRAND NEW ON THE RADIO. i listened to the song and was so happy about it that i did the geekiest thing possible and posted on the radio station's wall on facebook.
and then i realized something.
i wouldn't have been that excited about an alkaline trio song on the radio. i would have been happy. i would have sung along. but i wouldn't have woke the entire neighborhood up. i wouldn't have posted about it on the radio station's facebook wall. i surely wouldn't have blogged about it.
i can rest easy tonight knowing i made the right decision. i will be seeing brand new on April 27th. I'm sorry, alkaline trio. ill catch you guys next time around.
i had actually been mulling this over for a while, and was still really unsure what to do. both bands put out shitty last albums. I've seen both bands before, and both put on really good live shows. i love both bands. I've seen brand new 31 times (it might be 32. i have lost track.) while I've only seen alkaline trio 3 or 4, but its likely that ill be able to see the alk3 again, while brand new is so freaking flaky as a band who knows what their next move will be.
i had a few things playing in my mind that had me leaning towards deciding on brand new, but i was still up in the air. last Saturday i went to see plain white t's with some friends, and one of them there wanted to know what decision i was making. (yes, for those keeping track, its possible that i did know about the bn show before it was announced. a little birdie might have chirped in my ear to let me know about it before i bought alk3 tickets because that little birdie might have known id be interested...) my friend asked me to go to the bn show with her and i was more or less settled on it by that point but was still kind of not sure if i had made the right decision. i mean, i love brand new, but i have been wearing my alkaline trio hoodie daily for nearly a year while i haven't touched my brand new hoodie in a while. this might seem trivial, but its kind of a big deal.
i didn't get out of bed today til nearly 2pm. i didn't feel well, am kind of depressed and had nowhere to be. its likely i would have stayed in bed all damn day, but my brother called and wanted me to go with him to take monkey to chuck e. cheese's so i needed to get up and take a shower. this is important because it means that I'm sitting in front of the computer doing a whole lot of nothing now, at nearly 2am. i wrote tonight's 365 blog, and referenced a studio session that they did, so i watched the video and then just decided to listen live to the radio station because it was so quiet down here.
i was just minding my own business and playing zuma blitz and all of the sudden a few very recognizable to me notes rang through my computer speakers and i froze up. once i realized that i was indeed hearing what i thought i was hearing, i yelped loudly enough that i probably woke up my parents and the rest of the neighborhood. THEY WERE PLAYING BRAND NEW ON THE RADIO. i listened to the song and was so happy about it that i did the geekiest thing possible and posted on the radio station's wall on facebook.
and then i realized something.
i wouldn't have been that excited about an alkaline trio song on the radio. i would have been happy. i would have sung along. but i wouldn't have woke the entire neighborhood up. i wouldn't have posted about it on the radio station's facebook wall. i surely wouldn't have blogged about it.
i can rest easy tonight knowing i made the right decision. i will be seeing brand new on April 27th. I'm sorry, alkaline trio. ill catch you guys next time around.
365 project:"you were my greatest mistake, i fell in love with your sin"
53.
artist:anberlin
album:never take friendship personal
i picked this one up at a tooth and nail merch tent at some festival or another. my guess would be bamboozle, but i honestly don't even remember. i know that it was one of those buy so many, get them really cheap deals, and i needed something to round out what i was getting, so i went with this one. it sat on my shelf unplayed for years.
sometime last year, the song "the feel good drag" really took off...radio 104.5 was playing an acoustic version that was just sick. that was the time that i fell in love with the song. after hearing it a few times and wishing i had a copy, i remembered that i had that anberlin disk shelved, and decided to pull it out to see if that song was on there, and indeed it was. i took the plastic off and listened once or twice, but that was the extent of it.
even when it came time to listen now, for the project, I've been putting it off for a while. the CD has been in the front seat of my car for a week or so just waiting to be listened to, but i kept finding other things to put into the CD player instead. the other day i was driving around though and was out of albums, so it was this or silence. i cant do silence, so i popped never take friendship personal into my player.
sometimes it just takes a really long time to "get" a CD. this was one of those times. for some reason on this listen, after several times of it not meaning anything to me, this CD really reached out and grabbed me. the opening track talks about betrayal and letting go of friendships that have become unhealthy, and i can absolutely back that right now. I'm dealing with that in my own life, kind of weeding through the people around me and trying to figure out who actually wants to be there and who really doesn't. I'm learning a lot more people don't, but I'm okay with that, because at this point in the game, id really rather know who wants to see me than continue to try to make plans to visit or hang out and be blown off or totally ignored. I'm tired of that. "never take friendship personal."
"when life is in discord, praise ye the Lord." i cant even begin to tell you how hard that line jumped out of the speakers at me. at the moment, my life seems to be tied together nicely in a pretty little package...i have a job i love, a terrific family and lots of great friends (my facebook brags 512 at last look) but if I'm being totally honest, I'm a bigger mess now than ever. i know why i feel so anxious all of the time. i know why my stomach is constantly in knots. there are so many things going on inside of my head that i couldn't even begin to share with anyone. no one would get it. or id hear about how dumb i am being. or id just get a look of disbelief and an "I'm sorry." none of those things are what i need, so its not even worth letting anyone in. "when life is in discord, praise ye the Lord."
overall, the album is harder than i like these days, but its something that i know i am going to be spinning a lot more often so that i can get to know it. i suggest you check it out, too.
artist:anberlin
album:never take friendship personal
i picked this one up at a tooth and nail merch tent at some festival or another. my guess would be bamboozle, but i honestly don't even remember. i know that it was one of those buy so many, get them really cheap deals, and i needed something to round out what i was getting, so i went with this one. it sat on my shelf unplayed for years.
sometime last year, the song "the feel good drag" really took off...radio 104.5 was playing an acoustic version that was just sick. that was the time that i fell in love with the song. after hearing it a few times and wishing i had a copy, i remembered that i had that anberlin disk shelved, and decided to pull it out to see if that song was on there, and indeed it was. i took the plastic off and listened once or twice, but that was the extent of it.
even when it came time to listen now, for the project, I've been putting it off for a while. the CD has been in the front seat of my car for a week or so just waiting to be listened to, but i kept finding other things to put into the CD player instead. the other day i was driving around though and was out of albums, so it was this or silence. i cant do silence, so i popped never take friendship personal into my player.
sometimes it just takes a really long time to "get" a CD. this was one of those times. for some reason on this listen, after several times of it not meaning anything to me, this CD really reached out and grabbed me. the opening track talks about betrayal and letting go of friendships that have become unhealthy, and i can absolutely back that right now. I'm dealing with that in my own life, kind of weeding through the people around me and trying to figure out who actually wants to be there and who really doesn't. I'm learning a lot more people don't, but I'm okay with that, because at this point in the game, id really rather know who wants to see me than continue to try to make plans to visit or hang out and be blown off or totally ignored. I'm tired of that. "never take friendship personal."
"when life is in discord, praise ye the Lord." i cant even begin to tell you how hard that line jumped out of the speakers at me. at the moment, my life seems to be tied together nicely in a pretty little package...i have a job i love, a terrific family and lots of great friends (my facebook brags 512 at last look) but if I'm being totally honest, I'm a bigger mess now than ever. i know why i feel so anxious all of the time. i know why my stomach is constantly in knots. there are so many things going on inside of my head that i couldn't even begin to share with anyone. no one would get it. or id hear about how dumb i am being. or id just get a look of disbelief and an "I'm sorry." none of those things are what i need, so its not even worth letting anyone in. "when life is in discord, praise ye the Lord."
overall, the album is harder than i like these days, but its something that i know i am going to be spinning a lot more often so that i can get to know it. i suggest you check it out, too.
Friday, February 25, 2011
365 project:"hey there sleepy smile. i see you brought your bedroom eyes"
52.
artist:alkaline trio
album:maybe ill catch fire
my life is broken up into two parts...the days before the day i discovered alkaline trio, and the days after the day i discovered alkaline trio. these are two very separate and distinct parts of my life. we will heretofore refer to that day as "the day."
i can remember a day before "the day" when i was hanging out with Chris. we were shopping for something or another and he was so freaking excited because he picked up the alkaline trio live DVD that had just come out (the Halloween show a few years back) and he was giving it to a friend of his for his birthday, but they were going to watch it before they wrapped it up and gave it away.
Chris just kept going on and on about going to see this band in Chicago for the Halloween show and how great it would be and how we needed go to and blah blah blah. at this point in my life, i knew the band existed and that they wore black and liked eyeliner. i didn't have much else to go on.
then came the day that i listened to good mourning on vinyl. that was it. it was over. i loved the trio as much as anyone could.
we spent a lot of time together, and eventually had to listen to something besides good mourning. (though I'm going to be honest with you for a second...whenever i hear the opening lines to this album "I've got a book of matches/I've got a can of kerosene/I've got some bad ideas/involving you and me" i will ALWAYS think of Chris. always.) the next song he introduced me to was radio. this is still one of my go-to songs when I'm angry or having a bad day (i guess this explains why i went with this album today...) because as far as I'm concerned, its as raw and real as it gets.
I'm also a sucker for the song sleepyhead. there is just something about that chorus that gets me every time. i don't know if its the lyrics themselves or the way he sings them, but i swoon.
this is a middle-of-the-pack trio album. its not my favorite of theirs, but i also like it a lot better than i like some of the other stuff they have put out more recently. if you are just getting started with alkaline trio, this might not be the best place to start, but its something to get into after you have managed to get your feet wet.
artist:alkaline trio
album:maybe ill catch fire
my life is broken up into two parts...the days before the day i discovered alkaline trio, and the days after the day i discovered alkaline trio. these are two very separate and distinct parts of my life. we will heretofore refer to that day as "the day."
i can remember a day before "the day" when i was hanging out with Chris. we were shopping for something or another and he was so freaking excited because he picked up the alkaline trio live DVD that had just come out (the Halloween show a few years back) and he was giving it to a friend of his for his birthday, but they were going to watch it before they wrapped it up and gave it away.
Chris just kept going on and on about going to see this band in Chicago for the Halloween show and how great it would be and how we needed go to and blah blah blah. at this point in my life, i knew the band existed and that they wore black and liked eyeliner. i didn't have much else to go on.
then came the day that i listened to good mourning on vinyl. that was it. it was over. i loved the trio as much as anyone could.
we spent a lot of time together, and eventually had to listen to something besides good mourning. (though I'm going to be honest with you for a second...whenever i hear the opening lines to this album "I've got a book of matches/I've got a can of kerosene/I've got some bad ideas/involving you and me" i will ALWAYS think of Chris. always.) the next song he introduced me to was radio. this is still one of my go-to songs when I'm angry or having a bad day (i guess this explains why i went with this album today...) because as far as I'm concerned, its as raw and real as it gets.
I'm also a sucker for the song sleepyhead. there is just something about that chorus that gets me every time. i don't know if its the lyrics themselves or the way he sings them, but i swoon.
this is a middle-of-the-pack trio album. its not my favorite of theirs, but i also like it a lot better than i like some of the other stuff they have put out more recently. if you are just getting started with alkaline trio, this might not be the best place to start, but its something to get into after you have managed to get your feet wet.
365 project: "right away great captain ill go where you want me to"
51.
artist:right away great captain
album:the bitter end
i am a huge manchester orchestra fan, and a completest, so i picked this CD up at a man o show at some point. i feel like it was up in Brooklyn a few years back, but I'm honestly not sure. i do know, however, that i never listened to it before today.
its typical andy hull. haunting and moving, but ultimately nothing that i am in love with. its really quiet and slow, and felt like if i was going to listen to it again, it would be as i was falling asleep, but definitely not driving on the highway back and forth to a job interview, you know?
there were a few points in the album where i was found myself thinking "wow, this could be a man o song" but most of the time i was thinking about a hundred other things and more or less ignoring the CD playing in the car. it really was just background noise.
i wonder if i should have been rating these albums this whole time?
artist:right away great captain
album:the bitter end
i am a huge manchester orchestra fan, and a completest, so i picked this CD up at a man o show at some point. i feel like it was up in Brooklyn a few years back, but I'm honestly not sure. i do know, however, that i never listened to it before today.
its typical andy hull. haunting and moving, but ultimately nothing that i am in love with. its really quiet and slow, and felt like if i was going to listen to it again, it would be as i was falling asleep, but definitely not driving on the highway back and forth to a job interview, you know?
there were a few points in the album where i was found myself thinking "wow, this could be a man o song" but most of the time i was thinking about a hundred other things and more or less ignoring the CD playing in the car. it really was just background noise.
i wonder if i should have been rating these albums this whole time?
Thursday, February 24, 2011
365 project:"im givin' up on love, 'cause love's given up on me"
50.
artist:Miranda Lambert
album:kerosene
the very first time i heard Miranda Lambert's song "kerosene" i fell in love. i absolutely related to the sentiment, and still do, to this day. i bought the CD, but haven't listened to it really at all until today.
i did, however, see Miranda down at bonnaroo last summer. i was wandering around the farm and saw that she was playing, and knew that i knew "kerosene" so i figured id check her out. shes obviously put out a few albums since the one I'm talking about here, so there was a lot of stuff in her set that i didn't know. she was so much fun to watch, though, that it didn't matter that i didn't know her songs.
that is a picture that i took at 'roo, with my old, crappy (but well-loved) camera.
i really don't have much to say about this album. i have a weird obsession with country music. i love to listen to it, but i don't connect to it on the same level that i connect to a band like alkaline trio or brand new. but i generally find that the lyrics are fitting, more so than the previously mentioned bands. i don't know, its a strange love affair that i have with country music. maybe by the end of this project it'll make more sense.
(2/19)
artist:Miranda Lambert
album:kerosene
the very first time i heard Miranda Lambert's song "kerosene" i fell in love. i absolutely related to the sentiment, and still do, to this day. i bought the CD, but haven't listened to it really at all until today.
i did, however, see Miranda down at bonnaroo last summer. i was wandering around the farm and saw that she was playing, and knew that i knew "kerosene" so i figured id check her out. shes obviously put out a few albums since the one I'm talking about here, so there was a lot of stuff in her set that i didn't know. she was so much fun to watch, though, that it didn't matter that i didn't know her songs.
i really don't have much to say about this album. i have a weird obsession with country music. i love to listen to it, but i don't connect to it on the same level that i connect to a band like alkaline trio or brand new. but i generally find that the lyrics are fitting, more so than the previously mentioned bands. i don't know, its a strange love affair that i have with country music. maybe by the end of this project it'll make more sense.
(2/19)
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
365 project:"i dont want to come back down from this cloud"
49.
artist:Bush
album:sixteen stone
Gavin Rossdale really likes to talk about penis. a lot. i never realized that until this listen, but holy smokes he talks an awful lot about penis. i guess it makes a lot of sense given his confession of relations with a cross-dressing pop star back in the 80's.
back when this CD came out, i was obsessed with it (and with Gavin Rossdale, go figure...) and couldn't get enough. i had it on cassette at the time, of course, and used to listen to it so much that i feared the tape snapping in half. fortunately, though, it didn't...though my cassette player did find itself broken and obsolete, as did the cassette.
this is yet another 1994 release. i don't know if you know it or not, but i have decided that 1994 was my favorite year for music since I've been alive. i feel like all of the albums i have ever really loved came out in 1994, and all of the albums since then have been inspired in some fashion or another by those albums. music is cyclical, so these albums were all inspired by some other time in music, but as for my lifetime, 1994 is the pinnacle.
i have two distinct memories of this album. the first comes from my 16th birthday. daddy gave me tickets to go see a flyers game (we beat the caps 3-2) and took me out to dinner. we were in the truck, and dad was already listening to classical music at this point, but i argued that since it was my birthday he should let me pick the music, and i put on Y100 (have you been able to tell yet how much i miss that station??) and "glycerine" was on the radio. daddy made fun of it, singing "Listerine" and that is still how i hear the song to this day.
memory number two comes from my friend crystal's 16th birthday party. i had gone to the party with her, and it was at her cousin's house, so i had to stick around even after all of our friends had left and it was just her family. her cousin was our age and they were pretty close, so we all went inside to hang out and listen to music. this was the first time id ever seen sixteen stone on CD and i couldn't get over how freaking hot the picture of Gavin on the back was. i wanted to steal the picture out of the back but of course, didn't. from that moment on i wanted the CD for myself, but never actually got around to buying it until a year or two ago when i saw it in the cheap bin at tunes.
i don't honestly know how often ill listen to this CD these days. i think the purchase was more a nostalgia thing than anything else. i was bored today, driving around running errands and listening to this CD, and kind of couldn't wait to get through to the end so i could start on something else.
2/18
artist:Bush
album:sixteen stone
Gavin Rossdale really likes to talk about penis. a lot. i never realized that until this listen, but holy smokes he talks an awful lot about penis. i guess it makes a lot of sense given his confession of relations with a cross-dressing pop star back in the 80's.
back when this CD came out, i was obsessed with it (and with Gavin Rossdale, go figure...) and couldn't get enough. i had it on cassette at the time, of course, and used to listen to it so much that i feared the tape snapping in half. fortunately, though, it didn't...though my cassette player did find itself broken and obsolete, as did the cassette.
this is yet another 1994 release. i don't know if you know it or not, but i have decided that 1994 was my favorite year for music since I've been alive. i feel like all of the albums i have ever really loved came out in 1994, and all of the albums since then have been inspired in some fashion or another by those albums. music is cyclical, so these albums were all inspired by some other time in music, but as for my lifetime, 1994 is the pinnacle.
i have two distinct memories of this album. the first comes from my 16th birthday. daddy gave me tickets to go see a flyers game (we beat the caps 3-2) and took me out to dinner. we were in the truck, and dad was already listening to classical music at this point, but i argued that since it was my birthday he should let me pick the music, and i put on Y100 (have you been able to tell yet how much i miss that station??) and "glycerine" was on the radio. daddy made fun of it, singing "Listerine" and that is still how i hear the song to this day.
memory number two comes from my friend crystal's 16th birthday party. i had gone to the party with her, and it was at her cousin's house, so i had to stick around even after all of our friends had left and it was just her family. her cousin was our age and they were pretty close, so we all went inside to hang out and listen to music. this was the first time id ever seen sixteen stone on CD and i couldn't get over how freaking hot the picture of Gavin on the back was. i wanted to steal the picture out of the back but of course, didn't. from that moment on i wanted the CD for myself, but never actually got around to buying it until a year or two ago when i saw it in the cheap bin at tunes.
i don't honestly know how often ill listen to this CD these days. i think the purchase was more a nostalgia thing than anything else. i was bored today, driving around running errands and listening to this CD, and kind of couldn't wait to get through to the end so i could start on something else.
2/18
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
365 project: "were bound to wait all night. she's bound to run amok"
48.
artist:broken bells
album:broken bells
i heard "the high road" on the radio a few times, and knew that i knew the voice. i found out that it was James mercer of the shins and that the music was dangermouse's doing, and i knew that i had to get my hands on this album immediately.
i was in Starbucks and had money to spare (i had just a few weeks before received 100 dollars in Starbucks giftcards) so i decided to pick up the album there. after i gushed to Dave the barista about how awesome the album was and how much he needed to check it out, i left and went to my car to listen.
i was stuck on this album for a few weeks straight and then that was the end of it. its catchy. its dancey. its fun. but it just didn't have the staying power i was looking for, and i found myself in my "OMG ITS SUMMER SO ITS TIME FOR POP PUNK phase."
if you decide that you want to check this album out, there are three songs that i suggest you hit up...
"the high road" was the first single, and is probably my favorite track on the album.
"the ghost inside" may have been released as a single as well, but definitely got a lot of play by me...this song turned up in most of the play lists i made over the summer.
"vaporize" has some awesome lyrics, so it stuck out to me. the chorus goes
"It's not too late
To feel a little more alive
Make our escape
Before we start to vaporize"
and was something that i absolutely identified with, especially over the summer and early fall.
this album was up there on my list of favorites from 2010, and if you are in the mood for something a bit more danceable, id suggest checking it out.
2/17
artist:broken bells
album:broken bells
i heard "the high road" on the radio a few times, and knew that i knew the voice. i found out that it was James mercer of the shins and that the music was dangermouse's doing, and i knew that i had to get my hands on this album immediately.
i was in Starbucks and had money to spare (i had just a few weeks before received 100 dollars in Starbucks giftcards) so i decided to pick up the album there. after i gushed to Dave the barista about how awesome the album was and how much he needed to check it out, i left and went to my car to listen.
i was stuck on this album for a few weeks straight and then that was the end of it. its catchy. its dancey. its fun. but it just didn't have the staying power i was looking for, and i found myself in my "OMG ITS SUMMER SO ITS TIME FOR POP PUNK phase."
if you decide that you want to check this album out, there are three songs that i suggest you hit up...
"the high road" was the first single, and is probably my favorite track on the album.
"the ghost inside" may have been released as a single as well, but definitely got a lot of play by me...this song turned up in most of the play lists i made over the summer.
"vaporize" has some awesome lyrics, so it stuck out to me. the chorus goes
"It's not too late
To feel a little more alive
Make our escape
Before we start to vaporize"
and was something that i absolutely identified with, especially over the summer and early fall.
this album was up there on my list of favorites from 2010, and if you are in the mood for something a bit more danceable, id suggest checking it out.
2/17
Monday, February 21, 2011
365 project:"first comes heavy breathing, staring at the ceiling"
47.
artist:new found glory
album:catalyst
wowzers, i knew i was behind, but i didn't realize how far! this weekend was spent doing other things, and that left little time to play catch up.
at any rate, we are here to talk about new found glory's third album, "catalyst." by the time this album came out (may of 2004) i was less interested in pop-punk than i had been previously, and was not nearly as big a fan of nfg as i had once been. i still bought the album, though, because i am a completest.
i saw this CD in a stack on my dresser this morning, knew i had some running around today, so i grabbed it and headed out. i like to listen to stuff that i can sing along to in the car. you would think that if I've owned this CD for nearly 7 years, id know the lyrics, but i was struggling to remember them, which to me is a huge sign that this album didn't leave a good impression.
i was glad when it was over. it was laborious to listen to, and boring because i just wasn't into it. i really like NFG, but this CD just made me sad.
there are a few highlights, though. "i don't wanna know" is a good song. its slower than normal for them, but i like what they got going on there. the idea of being in love with a rocker who is always out on the road is something that i have been envious of since i was three or four and fought over who would be married to Bruce Springsteen during games of house.
"doubt full" is another song that i actually really liked. the bass line sucks me in, i think.
and of course, "all downhill from here" was the single that received some rotation on MTV and the radio, so its the one that everyone knows, if they are going to know a song on this album.
it is safe to say that this isn't my favorite NFG album, but it has made it through a few rounds of CD purging, so it'll probably maintain its home on my shelf.
2/16
artist:new found glory
album:catalyst
wowzers, i knew i was behind, but i didn't realize how far! this weekend was spent doing other things, and that left little time to play catch up.
at any rate, we are here to talk about new found glory's third album, "catalyst." by the time this album came out (may of 2004) i was less interested in pop-punk than i had been previously, and was not nearly as big a fan of nfg as i had once been. i still bought the album, though, because i am a completest.
i saw this CD in a stack on my dresser this morning, knew i had some running around today, so i grabbed it and headed out. i like to listen to stuff that i can sing along to in the car. you would think that if I've owned this CD for nearly 7 years, id know the lyrics, but i was struggling to remember them, which to me is a huge sign that this album didn't leave a good impression.
i was glad when it was over. it was laborious to listen to, and boring because i just wasn't into it. i really like NFG, but this CD just made me sad.
there are a few highlights, though. "i don't wanna know" is a good song. its slower than normal for them, but i like what they got going on there. the idea of being in love with a rocker who is always out on the road is something that i have been envious of since i was three or four and fought over who would be married to Bruce Springsteen during games of house.
"doubt full" is another song that i actually really liked. the bass line sucks me in, i think.
and of course, "all downhill from here" was the single that received some rotation on MTV and the radio, so its the one that everyone knows, if they are going to know a song on this album.
it is safe to say that this isn't my favorite NFG album, but it has made it through a few rounds of CD purging, so it'll probably maintain its home on my shelf.
2/16
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
365 project:"i still love tom petty songs and driving old men crazy"
46.
artist:the gaslight anthem
album:'59 sound
OH MY GOODNESS. take 3 minutes and 53 seconds out of your mundane life and go listen to this track. if that doesn't make you feel all tingly inside, you may need to check to see if you have a soul. seriously. (i am partial to it, however, because it is from bonnaroo.) i read a comment on songmeanings.net that "the opening riff of this song is sheer porn" and I'm inclined to agree with that sentiment. the first time i heard this song i was blown away. i kept repeating it because i couldn't even deal with how much i loved it. i still do that, actually, when listening to the CD.
the gaslight anthem is a decidedly "jersey" band. Brian Fallon's voice has a Springsteen-esque rasp to it that made me take notice to begin with, and the band came out of new brunswick, which is where anything that means anything in the jersey music scene happens, at least in the last 10 years or so. its no Austin, TX, but hell, ill take it.
gaslight was another one of those bands that were bouncing around on the peripheral for a long time, but that i didn't pay attention to right away. I'm really stubborn like that. at any rate, there was an article in AP magazine a year or two ago about the 100 emo songs you need to know or something like that, and a girl that i was friends with had most of those songs on her itunes, so she made me a CD with the like 20 tunes that i didn't have, "the high lonesome" being one of them. i heard it, but it didn't really do a whole lot for me right away. then i was listening to wxpn one day and i heard it again, and the line "maria came from Nashville with a suitcase in her hand. i always kind of sort of wish'd i looked like Elvis" JUMPED out of the speakers at me. i am a huge counting crows fan (this is an obvious reference to 'round here' by the counting crows) and i needed to know what i was listening to. i whipped out my cell phone, went to the "song ID" app and found out that it was the gaslight anthem. then i remembered that that was the song on the CD Melissa burned me. i searched out anything else i could find by gaslight and i haven't looked back since.
i didn't listen to anything else but this CD for a few weeks straight. in the car, on the ipod, at the computer, in my room. i didn't want to waste my time with anything else. as a matter of fact, if I'm having fun now by jenny and johnny hadn't come out when it did, i probably would STILL be listening to nothing but the '59 sound.
i am really angry because i got into this band RIGHT after i got home from bonnaroo, so i missed them there and i missed them the next week at the pier. i think i need to make it a point to see them this summer. i was hoping they'd show up on the 'roo line-up for this summer, but so far no dice. there are a few more rounds of announcements to come, but i think that at this point they are a big enough band to be announced in the first batch, so I'm not holding my breath.
at any rate, if you have not heard this band yet, what are you waiting for. i already gave you a link. just go listen. explore. fall in love. i triple dog dare you not to like them.
(2/15)
artist:the gaslight anthem
album:'59 sound
OH MY GOODNESS. take 3 minutes and 53 seconds out of your mundane life and go listen to this track. if that doesn't make you feel all tingly inside, you may need to check to see if you have a soul. seriously. (i am partial to it, however, because it is from bonnaroo.) i read a comment on songmeanings.net that "the opening riff of this song is sheer porn" and I'm inclined to agree with that sentiment. the first time i heard this song i was blown away. i kept repeating it because i couldn't even deal with how much i loved it. i still do that, actually, when listening to the CD.
the gaslight anthem is a decidedly "jersey" band. Brian Fallon's voice has a Springsteen-esque rasp to it that made me take notice to begin with, and the band came out of new brunswick, which is where anything that means anything in the jersey music scene happens, at least in the last 10 years or so. its no Austin, TX, but hell, ill take it.
gaslight was another one of those bands that were bouncing around on the peripheral for a long time, but that i didn't pay attention to right away. I'm really stubborn like that. at any rate, there was an article in AP magazine a year or two ago about the 100 emo songs you need to know or something like that, and a girl that i was friends with had most of those songs on her itunes, so she made me a CD with the like 20 tunes that i didn't have, "the high lonesome" being one of them. i heard it, but it didn't really do a whole lot for me right away. then i was listening to wxpn one day and i heard it again, and the line "maria came from Nashville with a suitcase in her hand. i always kind of sort of wish'd i looked like Elvis" JUMPED out of the speakers at me. i am a huge counting crows fan (this is an obvious reference to 'round here' by the counting crows) and i needed to know what i was listening to. i whipped out my cell phone, went to the "song ID" app and found out that it was the gaslight anthem. then i remembered that that was the song on the CD Melissa burned me. i searched out anything else i could find by gaslight and i haven't looked back since.
i didn't listen to anything else but this CD for a few weeks straight. in the car, on the ipod, at the computer, in my room. i didn't want to waste my time with anything else. as a matter of fact, if I'm having fun now by jenny and johnny hadn't come out when it did, i probably would STILL be listening to nothing but the '59 sound.
i am really angry because i got into this band RIGHT after i got home from bonnaroo, so i missed them there and i missed them the next week at the pier. i think i need to make it a point to see them this summer. i was hoping they'd show up on the 'roo line-up for this summer, but so far no dice. there are a few more rounds of announcements to come, but i think that at this point they are a big enough band to be announced in the first batch, so I'm not holding my breath.
at any rate, if you have not heard this band yet, what are you waiting for. i already gave you a link. just go listen. explore. fall in love. i triple dog dare you not to like them.
(2/15)
365 project:"you would kill for this, just a little bit"
45.
artist:straylight run
album:straylight run
i was obsessed with this band before i heard a note of their music. i don't think i need to get into the hows and whys of this band's existence, except to say that the second i heard that john left TBS and was going to do this project i was in love with it.
the first EP came out. i was not disappointed. i could not wait for the full length album, which i knew was on its way. then i got it. i was disappointed. you know how you first hear a song and sometimes its just a raw version of it just to get it out there, but that's what you grow to love? that was the situation with this disk. I'd heard five of the songs already on the EP, and fell for them. i remember hearing "existentialism on prom night" for the very first time on the full length and just hating the crap out of it because they changed the ending. these days i don't even notice, but i remember being really kind of pissed about it at the time.
i miss straylight run though i am glad as hell that taking back sunday reformed. there is a large chunk of my life right out of college where straylight was the only thing i was listening to. we used to go see them all of the time. we would listen to their disk on night drives or when we were hanging out. they are just one of those bands that absolutely equate themselves with a very specific time in my life.
i got burned out on this CD and just stopped listening. as a matter of fact, I've been looking for the disk for a few months now and have been unable to find it on my CD shelves or in my stacks, so i had to re-acquire the disk in order to listen to it for this project. i kept trying to put it off until i found the CD, but i kind of hit a wall here; i didn't want to listen to anything else and this was the only album that would be acceptable.
its still out in my CD player in my car. ill have to finish listening to it tomorrow, because i came home from work and ended up falling asleep, so i didn't get through it, but that's okay. its not like i don't know how it ends.
(2/14)
artist:straylight run
album:straylight run
i was obsessed with this band before i heard a note of their music. i don't think i need to get into the hows and whys of this band's existence, except to say that the second i heard that john left TBS and was going to do this project i was in love with it.
the first EP came out. i was not disappointed. i could not wait for the full length album, which i knew was on its way. then i got it. i was disappointed. you know how you first hear a song and sometimes its just a raw version of it just to get it out there, but that's what you grow to love? that was the situation with this disk. I'd heard five of the songs already on the EP, and fell for them. i remember hearing "existentialism on prom night" for the very first time on the full length and just hating the crap out of it because they changed the ending. these days i don't even notice, but i remember being really kind of pissed about it at the time.
i miss straylight run though i am glad as hell that taking back sunday reformed. there is a large chunk of my life right out of college where straylight was the only thing i was listening to. we used to go see them all of the time. we would listen to their disk on night drives or when we were hanging out. they are just one of those bands that absolutely equate themselves with a very specific time in my life.
i got burned out on this CD and just stopped listening. as a matter of fact, I've been looking for the disk for a few months now and have been unable to find it on my CD shelves or in my stacks, so i had to re-acquire the disk in order to listen to it for this project. i kept trying to put it off until i found the CD, but i kind of hit a wall here; i didn't want to listen to anything else and this was the only album that would be acceptable.
its still out in my CD player in my car. ill have to finish listening to it tomorrow, because i came home from work and ended up falling asleep, so i didn't get through it, but that's okay. its not like i don't know how it ends.
(2/14)
Sunday, February 13, 2011
365 project:"i'm reaching out my weary hand i pray that you'd understand, you're the only one who's faithful to me"
44.
artist:Jennifer Knapp
album:Kansas
as far as i can recall, my first experience with Jennifer Knapp came in the form of the WOW 1999 compilation CD. its kind of funny, actually, because in my mind i equate the first song i ever heard of hers (undo me) with His cheeseburger from Veggietales.
at any rate, i really liked the song on this comp, so i went out and picked up her debut CD, Kansas, and fell in love with it almost immediately. one of the measures of a good album in my mind is whether I'm able to sing along or not. my vocal range (i have a terrible voice and i know this, but that doesn't stop me from singing along...) is right on par with hers, and because its really not a whole lot more than just a girl and her guitar, the lyrics were easy to understand and therefore identify with.
I've seen Jenn in concert at least a few times, but one sticks out in my mind. Kathi and i went to see jars of clay several years back, and she opened for them. i was excited because even though she had a new CD just out that i didn't know, i knew both of her previous Cd's frontwards and backwards...its always nice to go to a show and know all of the artists on the bill. Kathi had landed us front row center tickets. i was singing along to every word of every song, until she got to a song that i didn't know. i remember her looking down at me during a break from singing during that song and saying "come on!" at the time, that was a huge deal to me. Jennifer Knapp talked to little old me! she is a recording artist and I'm just a kid! haha. (side note:this was the same concert that Kathi ended up with a water bottle from Dan from jars. its kind of legendary in our concert histories.)
i cant even begin to guess when the last time i listened to Kansas could have possibly been. i didn't even really have any specific reason for listening to it today, honestly, other than it was the first CD in the binder...i was looking for something else, but this jumped out, so i went for it. i don't have a whole lot else to say about the CD other than i don't know if ill listen to it much again. its not a bad CD by any means, just not really my style anymore, though i don't know what exactly my style is these days.
the one note that i will make here is that i do believe in signs, you know, and i think that there was a sign in me listening to this CD today. I'm struggling a lot lately with several of my "friendships." i know that people are growing up and have families and lives and everything else, but i feel like a lot of my friendships are one-sided, and I'm having a hard time deciding what to do next. i mean honestly, how many times can you attempt to make plans with someone and get shot down or totally ignored before you just give up? its possible that I'm being too sensitive about these things, but at the same time, with some of the people I'm struggling with its been going on for a year or two. at any rate, the line that i chose for the title, "You're the only one who's faithful to me" really hit home. everyone is going to fail everyone else at one point or another. its human nature. God, however, never will.
(2/13)
artist:Jennifer Knapp
album:Kansas
as far as i can recall, my first experience with Jennifer Knapp came in the form of the WOW 1999 compilation CD. its kind of funny, actually, because in my mind i equate the first song i ever heard of hers (undo me) with His cheeseburger from Veggietales.
at any rate, i really liked the song on this comp, so i went out and picked up her debut CD, Kansas, and fell in love with it almost immediately. one of the measures of a good album in my mind is whether I'm able to sing along or not. my vocal range (i have a terrible voice and i know this, but that doesn't stop me from singing along...) is right on par with hers, and because its really not a whole lot more than just a girl and her guitar, the lyrics were easy to understand and therefore identify with.
I've seen Jenn in concert at least a few times, but one sticks out in my mind. Kathi and i went to see jars of clay several years back, and she opened for them. i was excited because even though she had a new CD just out that i didn't know, i knew both of her previous Cd's frontwards and backwards...its always nice to go to a show and know all of the artists on the bill. Kathi had landed us front row center tickets. i was singing along to every word of every song, until she got to a song that i didn't know. i remember her looking down at me during a break from singing during that song and saying "come on!" at the time, that was a huge deal to me. Jennifer Knapp talked to little old me! she is a recording artist and I'm just a kid! haha. (side note:this was the same concert that Kathi ended up with a water bottle from Dan from jars. its kind of legendary in our concert histories.)
i cant even begin to guess when the last time i listened to Kansas could have possibly been. i didn't even really have any specific reason for listening to it today, honestly, other than it was the first CD in the binder...i was looking for something else, but this jumped out, so i went for it. i don't have a whole lot else to say about the CD other than i don't know if ill listen to it much again. its not a bad CD by any means, just not really my style anymore, though i don't know what exactly my style is these days.
the one note that i will make here is that i do believe in signs, you know, and i think that there was a sign in me listening to this CD today. I'm struggling a lot lately with several of my "friendships." i know that people are growing up and have families and lives and everything else, but i feel like a lot of my friendships are one-sided, and I'm having a hard time deciding what to do next. i mean honestly, how many times can you attempt to make plans with someone and get shot down or totally ignored before you just give up? its possible that I'm being too sensitive about these things, but at the same time, with some of the people I'm struggling with its been going on for a year or two. at any rate, the line that i chose for the title, "You're the only one who's faithful to me" really hit home. everyone is going to fail everyone else at one point or another. its human nature. God, however, never will.
(2/13)
Saturday, February 12, 2011
365 project:"shut up and put your money where your mouth is. thats what you get for waking up in vegas"
43.
artist:Katy perry
album:one of the boys
i remember the first time (or so i thought) i heard Katy perry. my sister was having a BBQ at her place and we were all hanging outback by the pool. we had the radio on, and i kissed a girl came on. i looked at my sister-in-law and was like "wtf? what is this garbage?" i was mostly annoyed that my nieces were singing along. from that point, though, i had to admit, the song had a really good beat.
i don't listen to the radio much, so i really didn't encounter the song a whole lot after that. then i heard hot and cold. i fell for it. i kind of got excited when it would come on the radio, because i liked singing along. it would come on the radio at work and id catch myself singing along there, too. then i heard waking up in Vegas and i was over the edge. i was a Katy perry fan.
i hate how many times I've admitted that i watch shitty MTV in this blog, but once again, i was watching MTV and they were talking about Katy. i overheard them talking about her trying to start a career in CCM and going by the name Katy Hudson. i realized that i had seen her years ago. it made me giggle. i also learned that she dated Matty t from relient k. yay for one degree of separation. i mean, i didn't date Matt, but for a while we were on a first name basis, so that's something.
a girl i worked with gave me Katy's CD, and i listened to it non-stop for a few weeks. it was so much fun to sing along to (i wont say that i danced along in the car, too, but if i was asked under oath if i did, i couldn't say no...). her lyrics were real, and normal, and mostly everyday stuff. she had lines in the songs that i just totally fell in love with, and that i could absolutely relate to, at least a former version of me could. i knew that if i was 16 again and this CD was out there, it would probably be my favorite. things would be totally different probably now, but whatever. its cool.
if i had to pick a favorite song, it would have to be ur so gay. Devin and i quote it to each other randomly, and i know SO MANY BOYS that fit that mold. its kind of scary, actually.
this CD has been put away for a while now, and it'll probably go back, at least until its warmer out and i can drive around with the windows down. the seasons definitely affect what music i listen to, and cold, stupid, snowy icky winter isn't the best listening weather for the California girl.
artist:Katy perry
album:one of the boys
i remember the first time (or so i thought) i heard Katy perry. my sister was having a BBQ at her place and we were all hanging outback by the pool. we had the radio on, and i kissed a girl came on. i looked at my sister-in-law and was like "wtf? what is this garbage?" i was mostly annoyed that my nieces were singing along. from that point, though, i had to admit, the song had a really good beat.
i don't listen to the radio much, so i really didn't encounter the song a whole lot after that. then i heard hot and cold. i fell for it. i kind of got excited when it would come on the radio, because i liked singing along. it would come on the radio at work and id catch myself singing along there, too. then i heard waking up in Vegas and i was over the edge. i was a Katy perry fan.
i hate how many times I've admitted that i watch shitty MTV in this blog, but once again, i was watching MTV and they were talking about Katy. i overheard them talking about her trying to start a career in CCM and going by the name Katy Hudson. i realized that i had seen her years ago. it made me giggle. i also learned that she dated Matty t from relient k. yay for one degree of separation. i mean, i didn't date Matt, but for a while we were on a first name basis, so that's something.
a girl i worked with gave me Katy's CD, and i listened to it non-stop for a few weeks. it was so much fun to sing along to (i wont say that i danced along in the car, too, but if i was asked under oath if i did, i couldn't say no...). her lyrics were real, and normal, and mostly everyday stuff. she had lines in the songs that i just totally fell in love with, and that i could absolutely relate to, at least a former version of me could. i knew that if i was 16 again and this CD was out there, it would probably be my favorite. things would be totally different probably now, but whatever. its cool.
if i had to pick a favorite song, it would have to be ur so gay. Devin and i quote it to each other randomly, and i know SO MANY BOYS that fit that mold. its kind of scary, actually.
this CD has been put away for a while now, and it'll probably go back, at least until its warmer out and i can drive around with the windows down. the seasons definitely affect what music i listen to, and cold, stupid, snowy icky winter isn't the best listening weather for the California girl.
365 project:"i've got my life in a suitcase, im ready to run, run, run away"
42.
artist:Copeland
album:you are my sunshine
when this album came out, i didn't have any money to buy it, or a way to dl it, so i asked someone to do the latter for me. i don't think i listened to it once after she gave it to me. i seem to recall it being on my ipod, though, but i never really paid a whole lot of attention to the songs, finding myself skipping them quite often when the popped up on shuffle.
then i was out and found it on vinyl, so i picked it up. that was the moment that i paid attention to this album, and better late than never in this case. i see the entire album as the story of someone who is lost. this is especially evident in the day i lost my voice (the suitcase song) and the idea of having everything ready to go without any warning, to just be able to pack your few belongings and disappear again is something that i find myself wanting for quite often, actually.
I'm in a bad place today, mentally. theres a lot going on in my head and i have absolutely no idea how to begin to sort through what I'm feeling, let alone any idea how to make sense of any of it. on days like today, when i feel completely alone, i find myself turning to my Copeland albums. Aaron's voice embodies the pain he's been through in his life, i think, and i makes it accessible in a way that words alone couldn't. and with lyrics like you'd break your neck to keep your chin up, you just know that he gets it. without having to explain a word, he gets it.
on the vinyl there is a cover of you are my sunshine that brings tears to my eyes every time i hear it. its not on the CD, and i haven't been able to find an mp3 download of it either, though i didn't search very hard, but i know theres a video up on YouTube that's totally worth checking out.
i don't name Copeland when I'm asked to list my favorite bands. they don't really even come to mind, but in all reality, they are right up there with the big three bands. I've seen them more than most other bands. i always made it a point to catch them when they came around. i have all of their albums, including the eps. i talked about the track jacket in my other Copeland entry, and how i still wear it every day (yes, I'm wearing it as i type this entry), but what i didn't mention was that its literally falling apart from all of the wear and tear I've put it through. i just noticed this week that the frayed wrist cuff is starting to tear away from the rest of the sleeve, and there is now a big hole in it.
if for some reason you haven't taken the time to listen to Copeland yet in your lifetime, i highly suggest you take some time to do that, but ill warn you now, if you aren't already sad before listening, you might find yourself in a very mellow mood afterwards, so it might be best kept for a day that you are already feeling down.
(2/11)
artist:Copeland
album:you are my sunshine
when this album came out, i didn't have any money to buy it, or a way to dl it, so i asked someone to do the latter for me. i don't think i listened to it once after she gave it to me. i seem to recall it being on my ipod, though, but i never really paid a whole lot of attention to the songs, finding myself skipping them quite often when the popped up on shuffle.
then i was out and found it on vinyl, so i picked it up. that was the moment that i paid attention to this album, and better late than never in this case. i see the entire album as the story of someone who is lost. this is especially evident in the day i lost my voice (the suitcase song) and the idea of having everything ready to go without any warning, to just be able to pack your few belongings and disappear again is something that i find myself wanting for quite often, actually.
I'm in a bad place today, mentally. theres a lot going on in my head and i have absolutely no idea how to begin to sort through what I'm feeling, let alone any idea how to make sense of any of it. on days like today, when i feel completely alone, i find myself turning to my Copeland albums. Aaron's voice embodies the pain he's been through in his life, i think, and i makes it accessible in a way that words alone couldn't. and with lyrics like you'd break your neck to keep your chin up, you just know that he gets it. without having to explain a word, he gets it.
on the vinyl there is a cover of you are my sunshine that brings tears to my eyes every time i hear it. its not on the CD, and i haven't been able to find an mp3 download of it either, though i didn't search very hard, but i know theres a video up on YouTube that's totally worth checking out.
i don't name Copeland when I'm asked to list my favorite bands. they don't really even come to mind, but in all reality, they are right up there with the big three bands. I've seen them more than most other bands. i always made it a point to catch them when they came around. i have all of their albums, including the eps. i talked about the track jacket in my other Copeland entry, and how i still wear it every day (yes, I'm wearing it as i type this entry), but what i didn't mention was that its literally falling apart from all of the wear and tear I've put it through. i just noticed this week that the frayed wrist cuff is starting to tear away from the rest of the sleeve, and there is now a big hole in it.
if for some reason you haven't taken the time to listen to Copeland yet in your lifetime, i highly suggest you take some time to do that, but ill warn you now, if you aren't already sad before listening, you might find yourself in a very mellow mood afterwards, so it might be best kept for a day that you are already feeling down.
(2/11)
Friday, February 11, 2011
365 project: "good eye, sniper. ill shoot, you run"
41.
artist:coheed & cambria
album:live at the starland ballroom
coheed & cambria is another band that i just don't particularly like. i remember hearing all of the buzz surrounding in keeping of the secrets of silent earth and deciding to check them out. there were one or two songs that i liked, but nothing that really wowed me. i mostly just listened to them to piss my brother off. i remember driving him back and forth to work 45 minutes away and just forcing him to listen to coheed all the way down and back. big sisters can be cruel.
i was seeing someone at the time who decided to fall in love with this band. if he did it to piss me off, ill never know, though i have my suspicions. we used to listen to coheed a LOT. that was enough for me to stop liking them altogether.
however, they were pretty popular in the scene that i was big into at the time, so i couldn't help but have to see them at shows because they toured with everyone i was interested in seeing. and you know something? its weird, but as much as i disliked coheed, i loved their live show that much more. something about Claudio's swinging crazy fro and his voice just did it for me. i wouldn't listen to them for months and months but still know every word to every song they'd sing on stage.
i really wanted to listen to secrets but i have no idea where that CD even got to. i did find the live album, though, so i gave that a spin (thanks to Christa's unknowing recommendation) and I'm glad that i did. i had a lot of fun singing along and dancing around in my room. (yes, this happens quite frequently, actually, and yes, my hairbrush is still my mic, even at 31 years old.)
songs like a favor house Atlantic, devil in jersey city and blood red summer are ones that, while i wont add to every mix i make, i will probably continue to secretly like, even though i still publicly dislike coheed. hell, any song that starts off with the lyrics "new jersey bound" cant be that bad, eh?
this CD is actually the audio to a DVD that i have never watched and probably never will. I'm terrible with watching music DVDs. like, really really bad at it. i will always prefer auditory stimulation over visual. given the choice between my favorite movie and a less than favorite album, its likely that id pick the album. its just the way i function.
at any rate, its likely that this CD wont get a whole lot more attention after this, but its not going to remain on the shelf to gather dust, either. it'll get played on occasion, I'm sure, because I'm a sucker for a coheed & cambria live show.
artist:coheed & cambria
album:live at the starland ballroom
coheed & cambria is another band that i just don't particularly like. i remember hearing all of the buzz surrounding in keeping of the secrets of silent earth and deciding to check them out. there were one or two songs that i liked, but nothing that really wowed me. i mostly just listened to them to piss my brother off. i remember driving him back and forth to work 45 minutes away and just forcing him to listen to coheed all the way down and back. big sisters can be cruel.
i was seeing someone at the time who decided to fall in love with this band. if he did it to piss me off, ill never know, though i have my suspicions. we used to listen to coheed a LOT. that was enough for me to stop liking them altogether.
however, they were pretty popular in the scene that i was big into at the time, so i couldn't help but have to see them at shows because they toured with everyone i was interested in seeing. and you know something? its weird, but as much as i disliked coheed, i loved their live show that much more. something about Claudio's swinging crazy fro and his voice just did it for me. i wouldn't listen to them for months and months but still know every word to every song they'd sing on stage.
i really wanted to listen to secrets but i have no idea where that CD even got to. i did find the live album, though, so i gave that a spin (thanks to Christa's unknowing recommendation) and I'm glad that i did. i had a lot of fun singing along and dancing around in my room. (yes, this happens quite frequently, actually, and yes, my hairbrush is still my mic, even at 31 years old.)
songs like a favor house Atlantic, devil in jersey city and blood red summer are ones that, while i wont add to every mix i make, i will probably continue to secretly like, even though i still publicly dislike coheed. hell, any song that starts off with the lyrics "new jersey bound" cant be that bad, eh?
this CD is actually the audio to a DVD that i have never watched and probably never will. I'm terrible with watching music DVDs. like, really really bad at it. i will always prefer auditory stimulation over visual. given the choice between my favorite movie and a less than favorite album, its likely that id pick the album. its just the way i function.
at any rate, its likely that this CD wont get a whole lot more attention after this, but its not going to remain on the shelf to gather dust, either. it'll get played on occasion, I'm sure, because I'm a sucker for a coheed & cambria live show.
365 project:"you're falling back to me, the star that i cant see. i know you're out there, somewhere out there"
40.
artist:our lady peace
album:live
our lady peace were huge in the 90's right? i liked their stuff enough, but never really got it. i still picked this album up one night while out because i liked enough of their singles to know that id at least appreciate the live album, even if i would probably never bother with any of their actual records.
i think, though, that with this listen of the live album, i actually finally *got* OLP. it just kind of clicked for me. going through this CD, i realized, once again, that i know a lot more of the songs on here than just the two that i thought i did, and that i liked every one of them. the songs resonated with me this time in a way that just seemed to pass right over me on every other previous listen ever.
i haven't listened to this CD in a few years. i did, however, take a road trip recently, and clumsy was on one of the mix-Cd's i pulled out to listen to on the long trip. that song takes me back to drama club senior year. Jen Edwards (now Owens) had this CD and played the shit out of this song in the dressing room, but everyone seemed to be okay with that. i can picture standing in the art room listening to this song and getting psyched for the show that we were about to perform. (in retrospect, this song may not have been the best pre-game warm up out there, but it is what it is.)
at some point, after this project is all said and done, id like to take some time to revisit OLP's discography, and see what I've been missing out on all these years. I'm a sucker for 90's alt rock, and i love college-rock more than id care to admit, so i don't know why i never really paid attention to this band until right now.
(2/9)
artist:our lady peace
album:live
our lady peace were huge in the 90's right? i liked their stuff enough, but never really got it. i still picked this album up one night while out because i liked enough of their singles to know that id at least appreciate the live album, even if i would probably never bother with any of their actual records.
i think, though, that with this listen of the live album, i actually finally *got* OLP. it just kind of clicked for me. going through this CD, i realized, once again, that i know a lot more of the songs on here than just the two that i thought i did, and that i liked every one of them. the songs resonated with me this time in a way that just seemed to pass right over me on every other previous listen ever.
i haven't listened to this CD in a few years. i did, however, take a road trip recently, and clumsy was on one of the mix-Cd's i pulled out to listen to on the long trip. that song takes me back to drama club senior year. Jen Edwards (now Owens) had this CD and played the shit out of this song in the dressing room, but everyone seemed to be okay with that. i can picture standing in the art room listening to this song and getting psyched for the show that we were about to perform. (in retrospect, this song may not have been the best pre-game warm up out there, but it is what it is.)
at some point, after this project is all said and done, id like to take some time to revisit OLP's discography, and see what I've been missing out on all these years. I'm a sucker for 90's alt rock, and i love college-rock more than id care to admit, so i don't know why i never really paid attention to this band until right now.
(2/9)
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
365 project:"we're going to a birthday party. its your birthday party, happy birthday, darling."
39.
artist:bright eyes
album:I'm wide awake, its morning
ill come right out and say it-i am not a fan of bright eyes. yes, Conor oberst is adorable. there is just something about bright eyes, though, that is too whiny and mopey for even my taste. however, I'm wide awake, its morning is an exception to my distaste for all things bright eyes.
i had already purchased a few bright eyes albums before the release of this one, and i never really listened to them after the first go around. i just wasn't feeling it, you know? but enough of my friends were drooling over these releases (digital ash in a digital urn was released on the same date) that i figured i needed to suck it up and give it a go. i bought both of these albums on vinyl (though i do have I'm wide awake... on CD) and while i know I've listened to I'm wide awake..., i know i haven't made it very far on digital ash.
I'm a sucker for folk-y, country stuff. wide awake does that. i actually really enjoy each and every song on this album. there isn't one that i like to skip over or tune out when its playing, which says a lot for an album in general but even more for bright eyes. i find myself occasionally humming these tunes or singing the lyrics randomly, even when i haven't listened in months. i notice other references to this album, though if the same person was referencing another bright eyes album, id be lost. i feel like this album "gets" me where i have a hard time connecting with anything else I've heard from Conor.
this album will remain on my "once in a while" list. its something that, while i find it more than just listenable, it wouldn't ever last if i listened to it more than once in a while. id probably snap the record in half or bake it into a bowl.
(2/8)
artist:bright eyes
album:I'm wide awake, its morning
ill come right out and say it-i am not a fan of bright eyes. yes, Conor oberst is adorable. there is just something about bright eyes, though, that is too whiny and mopey for even my taste. however, I'm wide awake, its morning is an exception to my distaste for all things bright eyes.
i had already purchased a few bright eyes albums before the release of this one, and i never really listened to them after the first go around. i just wasn't feeling it, you know? but enough of my friends were drooling over these releases (digital ash in a digital urn was released on the same date) that i figured i needed to suck it up and give it a go. i bought both of these albums on vinyl (though i do have I'm wide awake... on CD) and while i know I've listened to I'm wide awake..., i know i haven't made it very far on digital ash.
I'm a sucker for folk-y, country stuff. wide awake does that. i actually really enjoy each and every song on this album. there isn't one that i like to skip over or tune out when its playing, which says a lot for an album in general but even more for bright eyes. i find myself occasionally humming these tunes or singing the lyrics randomly, even when i haven't listened in months. i notice other references to this album, though if the same person was referencing another bright eyes album, id be lost. i feel like this album "gets" me where i have a hard time connecting with anything else I've heard from Conor.
this album will remain on my "once in a while" list. its something that, while i find it more than just listenable, it wouldn't ever last if i listened to it more than once in a while. id probably snap the record in half or bake it into a bowl.
(2/8)
Monday, February 7, 2011
365 project:"maybe im the physics main event. maybe im the chem club president. maybe even texas instruments thinks that im coplanar"
38.
artist:five iron frenzy
album:electric boogaloo
I'm becoming more and more amazed at my own memory as i go through my album collection. yet again i remember everything about purchasing this CD on the day it came out.
i was counting down the days until this release, because OMGFIFWUT. i mean, they were my favorite band ever back in 2001. anyway, on November 20th, 2001, the day it came out, Sarah took me to the Christian book store up the road to go pick it up. we got back to campus and i called Amy and then went over to her room to have a listening party with her and her boyfriend.
i remember hearing it and thinking "what in the world? what happened to the ska?" because this album is notably different from the previous offerings. in all honesty, its a great CD, but at the time i wasn't having it. i was disappointed. the songs were heavier, the lyrics seemed angrier to me, and instead of the ska sound we had all come to know and love, i found myself describing it as "a rock and roll album with some horns." listening to the closing track, "eulogy" i found myself wondering if this was Reese's swan song. the band didn't disband right away, but it was only two years later (almost to the date, actually). they only released one more album after boogaloo, and the tour for that album was "winners never quit: a farewell tour."
its been nearly 10 years now since that album came out. the band is long gone, off doing other things. this band is still near and dear to my heart, even if i don't listen to their music much these days. i have made some really great friends because of this band. i definitely have some really great experiences because of this band. fif was more than just a recording group to me; to a lot of us. that band is woven into our histories. its strange, because I've never connected with another band so intensely, on such a level, before or after this band came into my life. i don't even have the same relationship with brand new as i do with fif. it feels weird talking about the band like they are one collective person, but i don't know how else to describe it. because of the band, i started visiting the board. because of the board, i made some insanely awesome good times friends. because of those friends, i have had some experiences that i know i wouldn't have otherwise. also, i got a lot of musical suggestions through the board. if you look through my friends list on facebook, a good portion of them are boardies. and if you ask any one of them, id be willing to bet they would say the same things as i just have.
one weird little thing before i go. from probably the day that this album came out, i had the signature on my email account set as:
"The angels are singing over the plains
the shepherds are quaking, echoing refrains
And all of our slogans designed to take away the pain
meant nothing to the Son of God that night in Bethlehem"
i don't see that when i send an email, so i never really thought much about it after that. i was emailing one of the guys that i met while interning at MTV, and he saw that and asked if i liked five iron. i explained to him that they were indeed my most favorite band in the universe, and it turned out that this guy was from Denver (which i did already know) and was very good friends with Reese Roper himself. at the time, that was the coolest thing that could have ever happened to me.
(2/7)
artist:five iron frenzy
album:electric boogaloo
I'm becoming more and more amazed at my own memory as i go through my album collection. yet again i remember everything about purchasing this CD on the day it came out.
i was counting down the days until this release, because OMGFIFWUT. i mean, they were my favorite band ever back in 2001. anyway, on November 20th, 2001, the day it came out, Sarah took me to the Christian book store up the road to go pick it up. we got back to campus and i called Amy and then went over to her room to have a listening party with her and her boyfriend.
i remember hearing it and thinking "what in the world? what happened to the ska?" because this album is notably different from the previous offerings. in all honesty, its a great CD, but at the time i wasn't having it. i was disappointed. the songs were heavier, the lyrics seemed angrier to me, and instead of the ska sound we had all come to know and love, i found myself describing it as "a rock and roll album with some horns." listening to the closing track, "eulogy" i found myself wondering if this was Reese's swan song. the band didn't disband right away, but it was only two years later (almost to the date, actually). they only released one more album after boogaloo, and the tour for that album was "winners never quit: a farewell tour."
its been nearly 10 years now since that album came out. the band is long gone, off doing other things. this band is still near and dear to my heart, even if i don't listen to their music much these days. i have made some really great friends because of this band. i definitely have some really great experiences because of this band. fif was more than just a recording group to me; to a lot of us. that band is woven into our histories. its strange, because I've never connected with another band so intensely, on such a level, before or after this band came into my life. i don't even have the same relationship with brand new as i do with fif. it feels weird talking about the band like they are one collective person, but i don't know how else to describe it. because of the band, i started visiting the board. because of the board, i made some insanely awesome good times friends. because of those friends, i have had some experiences that i know i wouldn't have otherwise. also, i got a lot of musical suggestions through the board. if you look through my friends list on facebook, a good portion of them are boardies. and if you ask any one of them, id be willing to bet they would say the same things as i just have.
one weird little thing before i go. from probably the day that this album came out, i had the signature on my email account set as:
"The angels are singing over the plains
the shepherds are quaking, echoing refrains
And all of our slogans designed to take away the pain
meant nothing to the Son of God that night in Bethlehem"
i don't see that when i send an email, so i never really thought much about it after that. i was emailing one of the guys that i met while interning at MTV, and he saw that and asked if i liked five iron. i explained to him that they were indeed my most favorite band in the universe, and it turned out that this guy was from Denver (which i did already know) and was very good friends with Reese Roper himself. at the time, that was the coolest thing that could have ever happened to me.
(2/7)
365 project:"im gonna live where the green grass grows, watching corn pop up in rows"
37.
artist:Tim mcgraw
album:greatest hits
I'm cheating a little bit here, as I'm only a little bit more than halfway through the CD right now (i was on track ten of 15 when i got out of the car) but i wanted to get this post done before i went to sleep, and i figured i can just listen to the rest of the CD before i fall asleep tonight.
this album was not the first country music CD that i bought, but it was the one that i would consider my gateway album. i remember very vividly the first time i ever heard this CD. my old job used to be really fun. we used to have a really good time working and i used to look forward to going in most days, if you can believe that. one summer a few summers back, i was working second shifts with a bunch of kids about my age. we used to pull the CD player out, plug it in and listen to whatever we felt like that was suitable for the public and that wasn't the crap satellite stuff they pumped in.
on this particular day, i was behind the deli with Lauren and rob. Lauren had brought in her Tim mcgraw's greatest hits CD from the car, and we were just working away and having a good time. at this moment in time, i wasn't really listening to country music, though it wasn't totally off of my radar. i was surprised to see how many of the songs i knew, though at the time i didn't know the artist, and when i figured out who it was a few days later, i decided i needed to own this album.
not too long after this purchase, i was wearing cowboy hats, quoting dierks bentley and driving around all day listening to 92.5 on the radio. this actually went on for a while, first just in the summer, and then for about two years straight (i wasn't wearing the cowboy hat that whole time, just whenever i was out in the sun...) until i just got tired of it. i do still listen to country music fairly regularly, but now its a much more healthy level, mixed in with the other genres that i love.
and yes, the title of this blog came from a Tim mcgraw song. its one of my favorite songs in existence, and its how i want my life to end up.
I'm gonna live where the green grass grows
Watch my corn pop up in rows
Every night be tucked in close to you
Raise our kids where the good Lord's blessed
Point our rockin' chairs towards the west
And plant our dreams where the peaceful river flows
Whoa-oh, where the green grass grows
(2/6)
artist:Tim mcgraw
album:greatest hits
I'm cheating a little bit here, as I'm only a little bit more than halfway through the CD right now (i was on track ten of 15 when i got out of the car) but i wanted to get this post done before i went to sleep, and i figured i can just listen to the rest of the CD before i fall asleep tonight.
this album was not the first country music CD that i bought, but it was the one that i would consider my gateway album. i remember very vividly the first time i ever heard this CD. my old job used to be really fun. we used to have a really good time working and i used to look forward to going in most days, if you can believe that. one summer a few summers back, i was working second shifts with a bunch of kids about my age. we used to pull the CD player out, plug it in and listen to whatever we felt like that was suitable for the public and that wasn't the crap satellite stuff they pumped in.
on this particular day, i was behind the deli with Lauren and rob. Lauren had brought in her Tim mcgraw's greatest hits CD from the car, and we were just working away and having a good time. at this moment in time, i wasn't really listening to country music, though it wasn't totally off of my radar. i was surprised to see how many of the songs i knew, though at the time i didn't know the artist, and when i figured out who it was a few days later, i decided i needed to own this album.
not too long after this purchase, i was wearing cowboy hats, quoting dierks bentley and driving around all day listening to 92.5 on the radio. this actually went on for a while, first just in the summer, and then for about two years straight (i wasn't wearing the cowboy hat that whole time, just whenever i was out in the sun...) until i just got tired of it. i do still listen to country music fairly regularly, but now its a much more healthy level, mixed in with the other genres that i love.
and yes, the title of this blog came from a Tim mcgraw song. its one of my favorite songs in existence, and its how i want my life to end up.
I'm gonna live where the green grass grows
Watch my corn pop up in rows
Every night be tucked in close to you
Raise our kids where the good Lord's blessed
Point our rockin' chairs towards the west
And plant our dreams where the peaceful river flows
Whoa-oh, where the green grass grows
(2/6)
Sunday, February 6, 2011
365 project;"we dream of ways to break these iron bars. we dream of black nights without moon or stars"
36.
artist:thrice
album:vheissu
oh, look. another album from 2005. i guess i wasn't hiding under a rock, eh?
when i picked up this CD, i was still just a casual Thrice fan. id seen them a few times, had a few of their albums, but they were still just kind of on my musical peripheral. picking up vheissu was the beginning of a new appreciation for this band.
when i got the CD, i was driving the taurus. it didn't have a proper CD player, so i had a portable CD player hooked up to the stereo through the tape deck. that really has no bearing on the rest of the story at all, but i felt the need to share that with you anyway. anyway, i don't remember where i got this CD, though I'm thinking it was best buy, but i do remember coming out to the parking lot and having the shrinkwrap off before i even got into the car. i drove home listening and wasn't sure really what to make of this album.
i remember thinking that the screaming was a real turn-off, though it also knew to expect it. i mean heck, this is thrice here. there's bound to be some screaming. but i also knew that i LOVED the lyrics that i could make out and the songs that were not quite so abrasive. i specifically remember thinking how fantastic the songs music box and red sky were.
i can also remember pulling up into the driveway of my house, parking under the big tree that no longer exists, and pulling out the CD book to look through it. i was absolutely enamoured with the things that i found inside the liner notes. if you ever want to get into an artist's head, pick up a thrice album and read through the booklet. i knew that by reading those little blurbs for each song i was falling head over heels in love with this band.
even after realizing how much potential there was for me to love these guys, i didn't really listen to this album much after that initial meeting. i didn't really know how to classify it in my little system, so it literally just sat on the shelf and waited for a day when id appreciate the album.
it took a few years, but that day did come. i saw thrice play a gig with brand new a few years back. they were touring on the alchemy index stuff, but beggars wasn't too far out from being released. mixed in between all of these newer songs they played a few off of vheissu that i recognized and realized that i needed to go home and hear again. so i did. i came home after the show that night (for the record, thrice had AMAZING lights on this tour. hopefully ill remember to talk about that when i get around to the alchemy index stuff.) and pulled vheissu out. it was like i was hearing the album again for the first time. i finally "got it."
i don't normally name thrice when I'm listing off my favorite bands, but i probably should. lyrically, musically, spiritually and from an entertainment standpoint this band has everything that i could ever ask for.
(2/5)
artist:thrice
album:vheissu
oh, look. another album from 2005. i guess i wasn't hiding under a rock, eh?
when i picked up this CD, i was still just a casual Thrice fan. id seen them a few times, had a few of their albums, but they were still just kind of on my musical peripheral. picking up vheissu was the beginning of a new appreciation for this band.
when i got the CD, i was driving the taurus. it didn't have a proper CD player, so i had a portable CD player hooked up to the stereo through the tape deck. that really has no bearing on the rest of the story at all, but i felt the need to share that with you anyway. anyway, i don't remember where i got this CD, though I'm thinking it was best buy, but i do remember coming out to the parking lot and having the shrinkwrap off before i even got into the car. i drove home listening and wasn't sure really what to make of this album.
i remember thinking that the screaming was a real turn-off, though it also knew to expect it. i mean heck, this is thrice here. there's bound to be some screaming. but i also knew that i LOVED the lyrics that i could make out and the songs that were not quite so abrasive. i specifically remember thinking how fantastic the songs music box and red sky were.
i can also remember pulling up into the driveway of my house, parking under the big tree that no longer exists, and pulling out the CD book to look through it. i was absolutely enamoured with the things that i found inside the liner notes. if you ever want to get into an artist's head, pick up a thrice album and read through the booklet. i knew that by reading those little blurbs for each song i was falling head over heels in love with this band.
even after realizing how much potential there was for me to love these guys, i didn't really listen to this album much after that initial meeting. i didn't really know how to classify it in my little system, so it literally just sat on the shelf and waited for a day when id appreciate the album.
it took a few years, but that day did come. i saw thrice play a gig with brand new a few years back. they were touring on the alchemy index stuff, but beggars wasn't too far out from being released. mixed in between all of these newer songs they played a few off of vheissu that i recognized and realized that i needed to go home and hear again. so i did. i came home after the show that night (for the record, thrice had AMAZING lights on this tour. hopefully ill remember to talk about that when i get around to the alchemy index stuff.) and pulled vheissu out. it was like i was hearing the album again for the first time. i finally "got it."
i don't normally name thrice when I'm listing off my favorite bands, but i probably should. lyrically, musically, spiritually and from an entertainment standpoint this band has everything that i could ever ask for.
(2/5)
Saturday, February 5, 2011
365 project:"its much better to face these kinds of things with a sense of poise and rationality"
35.
artist:panic!at the disco
album:a fever you cant sweat out
i guess this answers my question of what i was doing between 2003 and now. i was listening to panic at the disco and alkaline trio.
i don't remember buying this album. i don't remember why i started listening. did i like a song on the radio? did i get tired of reading about it on ap.net? i don't think it was recommended by a friend, though Mandy could have been the reason. i really, truly don't know, and that bothers me.
i do know that i got it right around its release. i remember a specific someone having "when i say shotgun, you say wedding" as their away message (yes, IM. remember, this was 2005) for about a month and actually threatening to leave it up forever until someone said wedding.
i stopped listening to this album because there was a lot of panic backlash (this seems to be a trend with me. i need to stop listening to what other people say to do in regards to music...) and never really picked it back up. however, I've been meaning to listen as i kept hearing i write sins, not tragedies on the radio. I've actually been carrying the CD around with me for a few days because i wanted to listen for this project, but just never got around to it. today, though, i was sitting in my room working on a craft project and listening to stuff on the record player (which forces me to sit still and concentrate) and i decided to throw this record on. i stopped doing what i was doing and ended up messing up my freshly-painted finger nails because i was up dancing around.
i love this album. i wish i was better with the lyrics. i don't know why i never really bothered to nail them down, but i didn't. i am really good at shaking my ass around while its playing, though. this is another album full of really great quotable lyrics. I'm going to have to listen to it with more regularity, though, so i can learn the words, because my favorite part of listening to a song is singing along.
(2/4)
artist:panic!at the disco
album:a fever you cant sweat out
i guess this answers my question of what i was doing between 2003 and now. i was listening to panic at the disco and alkaline trio.
i don't remember buying this album. i don't remember why i started listening. did i like a song on the radio? did i get tired of reading about it on ap.net? i don't think it was recommended by a friend, though Mandy could have been the reason. i really, truly don't know, and that bothers me.
i do know that i got it right around its release. i remember a specific someone having "when i say shotgun, you say wedding" as their away message (yes, IM. remember, this was 2005) for about a month and actually threatening to leave it up forever until someone said wedding.
i stopped listening to this album because there was a lot of panic backlash (this seems to be a trend with me. i need to stop listening to what other people say to do in regards to music...) and never really picked it back up. however, I've been meaning to listen as i kept hearing i write sins, not tragedies on the radio. I've actually been carrying the CD around with me for a few days because i wanted to listen for this project, but just never got around to it. today, though, i was sitting in my room working on a craft project and listening to stuff on the record player (which forces me to sit still and concentrate) and i decided to throw this record on. i stopped doing what i was doing and ended up messing up my freshly-painted finger nails because i was up dancing around.
i love this album. i wish i was better with the lyrics. i don't know why i never really bothered to nail them down, but i didn't. i am really good at shaking my ass around while its playing, though. this is another album full of really great quotable lyrics. I'm going to have to listen to it with more regularity, though, so i can learn the words, because my favorite part of listening to a song is singing along.
(2/4)
365 project:"were the things that go bump in the night that you cant see. yeah, were the mishaps that always happen in threes"
34.
artist:alkaline trio
album:crimson
this is the first album that i felt like i couldn't wait for. i wanted the leak the second it was out there, though it didn't work out that way. i had just really started getting into the trio right before this disk dropped, and i was thirsty for something new from them...my mouth was watering knowing it was so close.
when i finally picked this album up, i played the shit out of it. it was the only thing coming out of my speakers for about a month, and then i just stopped listening to it. i don't know if it got old, or i realized i didn't like it as much as the older albums, or what, but i went right back to listening to non-stop brand new and more or less forgot all about this album.
since that time, I've made a few alkaline trio mixes, because there just so many songs out there and there are definitely ones i like better than others, and it seemed like whenever i was putting together a new mix, i was always including your neck and mercy me. i really dig both of those songs, and i find them fun to sing along to.
i bought this album three times. i bought it regular when it came out, then traded up when the deluxe version hit the shelves. also, because that's the kind of girl i am, i own it on vinyl. that seems unnecessary for an album that I'm not in love with, but i do love the trio, so it is what it is.
I'm really antsy to get to see them again. i saw them last march and it was, as always, a really great show. their newest album is pretty blah, but the old stuff still kicks major ass, especially live.
if you are going to check out alkaline trio, i wouldn't suggest starting with this album. actually, id start with good mourning and work your way up to this one. crimson isn't a terrible album, don't get me wrong, its just not my favorite in alkaline trio's arsenal.
(2/3)
artist:alkaline trio
album:crimson
this is the first album that i felt like i couldn't wait for. i wanted the leak the second it was out there, though it didn't work out that way. i had just really started getting into the trio right before this disk dropped, and i was thirsty for something new from them...my mouth was watering knowing it was so close.
when i finally picked this album up, i played the shit out of it. it was the only thing coming out of my speakers for about a month, and then i just stopped listening to it. i don't know if it got old, or i realized i didn't like it as much as the older albums, or what, but i went right back to listening to non-stop brand new and more or less forgot all about this album.
since that time, I've made a few alkaline trio mixes, because there just so many songs out there and there are definitely ones i like better than others, and it seemed like whenever i was putting together a new mix, i was always including your neck and mercy me. i really dig both of those songs, and i find them fun to sing along to.
i bought this album three times. i bought it regular when it came out, then traded up when the deluxe version hit the shelves. also, because that's the kind of girl i am, i own it on vinyl. that seems unnecessary for an album that I'm not in love with, but i do love the trio, so it is what it is.
I'm really antsy to get to see them again. i saw them last march and it was, as always, a really great show. their newest album is pretty blah, but the old stuff still kicks major ass, especially live.
if you are going to check out alkaline trio, i wouldn't suggest starting with this album. actually, id start with good mourning and work your way up to this one. crimson isn't a terrible album, don't get me wrong, its just not my favorite in alkaline trio's arsenal.
(2/3)
365 project:"im falling apart to songs about hips and hearts"
33.
artist:fall out boy
album:from under the cork tree
i was never obsessed with fall out boy, but i always liked them. lately sugar, were going down keeps coming on the radio, so tonight when i was picking a CD to listen to on the drive to the mall, i decided to go for this one. i made a good choice, as I've been having a rather shitty day, and this CD perked me right up.
you might be surprised at the number of times I've seen fall out boy in concert. i don't have an actual number, though i could probably figure it out, but i know its more than a handful, quite possibly more than two handfuls. they seemed to tour with every other band i wanted to see for a while, play every festival i was attending, and of course it didn't help that i had a niece who was obsessed with them while i was able to score free tickets every time they came around in the summer.
i never saw a bad fall out boy show. i can never remember walking away after seeing them and feeling disappointed or let down. id say quite the opposite, in fact. they always put on a good show. they wrote catchy songs with great hooks and always looked like they were having fun up on that stage.
there was a fall out boy fall out and i just kind of fell off the bandwagon at that point, but i always loved this CD. i own it on vinyl. the actual record is really cool looking. maybe if i remember ill take a picture of it and post it, because if you haven't seen it, you might enjoy looking at it. one of my favorite things about vinyl is the artwork, and fuct is definitely no exception.
i don't know if I've talked about this at all in this blog, but i went through a few years where i was unable to do anything to my ipod. it was probably a good three years where i was just stuck with what was on there, and couldn't make any changes. fuct was one of the albums that i had on there, and was one of the very few that i didn't want to throw away after i was able to switch things up. as a matter of fact, these songs were some of the very few that i didn't skip.
whenever anyone says the word "dance" around me, i start singing dance, dance. i love to randomly sing lines from sugar, were going down. there are so many good one-liners within this album. it really is a pretty terrific album lyrically.
i used to fill the cooler at my old job while listening to this CD. it really is good "get up and go" music. and now i feel like I'm gushing, so ill stop.
i recommend that if you haven't listened to this CD in a while you pull it off of your shelf, dust it off, pop it in the player and give it a spin. it'll do your soul wonders during such bleak, dreary days.
artist:fall out boy
album:from under the cork tree
i was never obsessed with fall out boy, but i always liked them. lately sugar, were going down keeps coming on the radio, so tonight when i was picking a CD to listen to on the drive to the mall, i decided to go for this one. i made a good choice, as I've been having a rather shitty day, and this CD perked me right up.
you might be surprised at the number of times I've seen fall out boy in concert. i don't have an actual number, though i could probably figure it out, but i know its more than a handful, quite possibly more than two handfuls. they seemed to tour with every other band i wanted to see for a while, play every festival i was attending, and of course it didn't help that i had a niece who was obsessed with them while i was able to score free tickets every time they came around in the summer.
i never saw a bad fall out boy show. i can never remember walking away after seeing them and feeling disappointed or let down. id say quite the opposite, in fact. they always put on a good show. they wrote catchy songs with great hooks and always looked like they were having fun up on that stage.
there was a fall out boy fall out and i just kind of fell off the bandwagon at that point, but i always loved this CD. i own it on vinyl. the actual record is really cool looking. maybe if i remember ill take a picture of it and post it, because if you haven't seen it, you might enjoy looking at it. one of my favorite things about vinyl is the artwork, and fuct is definitely no exception.
i don't know if I've talked about this at all in this blog, but i went through a few years where i was unable to do anything to my ipod. it was probably a good three years where i was just stuck with what was on there, and couldn't make any changes. fuct was one of the albums that i had on there, and was one of the very few that i didn't want to throw away after i was able to switch things up. as a matter of fact, these songs were some of the very few that i didn't skip.
whenever anyone says the word "dance" around me, i start singing dance, dance. i love to randomly sing lines from sugar, were going down. there are so many good one-liners within this album. it really is a pretty terrific album lyrically.
i used to fill the cooler at my old job while listening to this CD. it really is good "get up and go" music. and now i feel like I'm gushing, so ill stop.
i recommend that if you haven't listened to this CD in a while you pull it off of your shelf, dust it off, pop it in the player and give it a spin. it'll do your soul wonders during such bleak, dreary days.
Friday, February 4, 2011
thanks, guys.
i just wanted to take a second to acknowledge and thank those of you that are reading along, and especially those of you that are leaving comments. i am doing this for my own benefit, but to know that there are people backing me makes it much easier to continue.
i don't usually comment back, but know that i cherish each and every comment that has been left so far <3
you guys rock.
i don't usually comment back, but know that i cherish each and every comment that has been left so far <3
you guys rock.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
365 project:"all i wanna do is have some fun. i gotta feeling, im not the only one"
32.
artist:Sheryl crow
album:Tuesday night music club
when i was in middle school i used to babysit this girl that lived around the corner. she was only allowed to watch PBS and eat "healthy" snacks. we used to play barbies and take walks, and listen to this CD. i wanted it, but with no way to get to the mall to buy it, never got around to purchasing it, but her mom had it on her CD rack, and a 14 year old girl can only watch so much barney and lambchop before she wants to hang herself from the ceiling fan, so we listened to a lot of music.
i finally got around to buying this CD a few years back at tunes. i never listened to it until tonight. ha ha. i don't feel bad about that, though, because i paid either one or three dollars for it. it may have been 3 for 5 dollars. whatever. i didn't pay much, and i bought it mostly just so that i could have it, not necessarily to listen to all of the time.
tonight was probably the first time in years and years, if ever, that I've listened to the album all the way through. i was bored. it was boring. it was exactly what one would expect a chick rock circa 1993 album to sound like. the only songs that i like are the ones that i already know, leaving las vegas, strong enough, all i wanna do, and cant cry anymore. there were a few others that weren't terrible-well, i guess id say most of the CD isn't terrible, its just...boring. not my thing. ill definitely keep it on the shelf, though, not just for sentimental value, but because strong enough is a damn good song, and really fun to sing along to in the car.
artist:Sheryl crow
album:Tuesday night music club
when i was in middle school i used to babysit this girl that lived around the corner. she was only allowed to watch PBS and eat "healthy" snacks. we used to play barbies and take walks, and listen to this CD. i wanted it, but with no way to get to the mall to buy it, never got around to purchasing it, but her mom had it on her CD rack, and a 14 year old girl can only watch so much barney and lambchop before she wants to hang herself from the ceiling fan, so we listened to a lot of music.
i finally got around to buying this CD a few years back at tunes. i never listened to it until tonight. ha ha. i don't feel bad about that, though, because i paid either one or three dollars for it. it may have been 3 for 5 dollars. whatever. i didn't pay much, and i bought it mostly just so that i could have it, not necessarily to listen to all of the time.
tonight was probably the first time in years and years, if ever, that I've listened to the album all the way through. i was bored. it was boring. it was exactly what one would expect a chick rock circa 1993 album to sound like. the only songs that i like are the ones that i already know, leaving las vegas, strong enough, all i wanna do, and cant cry anymore. there were a few others that weren't terrible-well, i guess id say most of the CD isn't terrible, its just...boring. not my thing. ill definitely keep it on the shelf, though, not just for sentimental value, but because strong enough is a damn good song, and really fun to sing along to in the car.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
365 project:"we're loyal like brothers, just us versus all the others"
31.
artist:the get up kids
album:something to write home about
want to know something that is going to make me lose nearly all of my "indie cred?" last night was the very first time I've ever listened to this album. ever.
yes, it was released in September of 1999. yes, its January of 2011. i realize that its been out for a very long time. i just never got around to it.
I've seen Matt Pryor live on several occasions. i talked about one of them earlier in this very journal. he's toured with Kevin devine, with Dan from alkaline trio, I've seen him at bamboozle. I've seen the new Amsterdam's a few times. i have a couple new Amsterdam's Cd's. i even own the first terrible two's album. i EVEN have on a wire, which I've listened to a few times. I've just never, ever listened to this keystone indie kid album. i should probably be taken outback and strung up by my feet.
i bought this on vinyl in hot topic one day. i picked it up because i KNEW i needed to own it and listen, so i thought maybe if i had it on vinyl, id get around to it finally. a few years later, it looks like i did.
how many friends will i lose if i say now that i don't see what all the fuss is about? i mean, its another album that isn't bad, but i just wasn't overwhelmed with emotion like i expected id be, either. maybe i missed the boat because i didn't get into them when it was released. maybe I'm too old to understand the things that nineteen-year-old me would have embraced as her own. who knows. i do think that this wont get a whole lot of rotation. the vinyl is a really pretty color orange, though.
artist:the get up kids
album:something to write home about
want to know something that is going to make me lose nearly all of my "indie cred?" last night was the very first time I've ever listened to this album. ever.
yes, it was released in September of 1999. yes, its January of 2011. i realize that its been out for a very long time. i just never got around to it.
I've seen Matt Pryor live on several occasions. i talked about one of them earlier in this very journal. he's toured with Kevin devine, with Dan from alkaline trio, I've seen him at bamboozle. I've seen the new Amsterdam's a few times. i have a couple new Amsterdam's Cd's. i even own the first terrible two's album. i EVEN have on a wire, which I've listened to a few times. I've just never, ever listened to this keystone indie kid album. i should probably be taken outback and strung up by my feet.
i bought this on vinyl in hot topic one day. i picked it up because i KNEW i needed to own it and listen, so i thought maybe if i had it on vinyl, id get around to it finally. a few years later, it looks like i did.
how many friends will i lose if i say now that i don't see what all the fuss is about? i mean, its another album that isn't bad, but i just wasn't overwhelmed with emotion like i expected id be, either. maybe i missed the boat because i didn't get into them when it was released. maybe I'm too old to understand the things that nineteen-year-old me would have embraced as her own. who knows. i do think that this wont get a whole lot of rotation. the vinyl is a really pretty color orange, though.
365 project:"theres a place off ocean avenue where i used to sit and talk with you"
30
artist:yellowcard
album:ocean avenue.
when i first heard the single "ocean avenue" off of the album by the same name, i clearly remember thinking "oh, this song is alright. its catchy enough, but I'm not going to buy this CD because ill waste my money. ill never listen to it again." Brandon had the album and we listened to it in his car, and i just didn't feel like it was worth buying-nothing else stuck out to me like that song did.
i was home one afternoon watching MTV. i might have just been flipping through, or i might have been legitimately watching, i cant recall the specifics, though both are realistic options. at any rate, i happened upon the very end of a "live" yellowcard concert. they were playing the song "only one" and i fell in love with it. there was something about they way they played that song live that made me think that i had to have that album immediately, so then i did end up going out to buy it.
truth be told, i should have stuck to my guns on this one. the CD isn't bad, but its definitely not something i have listened to at all over the course of the last seven years, either. when i was going through the CD the other day, there were a few songs that i still remembered some lyrics to, but mostly i could tell that i never paid it much attention even when it was in any rotation within the stuff i was listening to. (it came out in 2003, so it was up against some powerhouses, such as brand new, taking back sunday, straylight run, and the used, who were all in HEAVY rotation for me at the time.)
every time i think about this CD, though, i can hear Brandon talking about how awesome it was that they LIVED on ocean avenue and that this song about hanging out on ocean avenue was out there. that's is the highlight of it for me. it'll probably go back onto the shelf and sit there until i feel really nostalgic again, or until i trade it in.
artist:yellowcard
album:ocean avenue.
when i first heard the single "ocean avenue" off of the album by the same name, i clearly remember thinking "oh, this song is alright. its catchy enough, but I'm not going to buy this CD because ill waste my money. ill never listen to it again." Brandon had the album and we listened to it in his car, and i just didn't feel like it was worth buying-nothing else stuck out to me like that song did.
i was home one afternoon watching MTV. i might have just been flipping through, or i might have been legitimately watching, i cant recall the specifics, though both are realistic options. at any rate, i happened upon the very end of a "live" yellowcard concert. they were playing the song "only one" and i fell in love with it. there was something about they way they played that song live that made me think that i had to have that album immediately, so then i did end up going out to buy it.
truth be told, i should have stuck to my guns on this one. the CD isn't bad, but its definitely not something i have listened to at all over the course of the last seven years, either. when i was going through the CD the other day, there were a few songs that i still remembered some lyrics to, but mostly i could tell that i never paid it much attention even when it was in any rotation within the stuff i was listening to. (it came out in 2003, so it was up against some powerhouses, such as brand new, taking back sunday, straylight run, and the used, who were all in HEAVY rotation for me at the time.)
every time i think about this CD, though, i can hear Brandon talking about how awesome it was that they LIVED on ocean avenue and that this song about hanging out on ocean avenue was out there. that's is the highlight of it for me. it'll probably go back onto the shelf and sit there until i feel really nostalgic again, or until i trade it in.
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