[I'm posting this a few days after originally putting it together. Been busy]
Working in a bar has its ups and downs. The night before Thanksgiving falls on both sides of that line. On the positive it’s one of the busiest nights of the year so the environment is more intense than usual, a change of pace is always welcome. The negative being that the majority of kids are home from out of town and feel it necessary to act like they are three years old with complete disregard for anyone or anything around them. By the end of the night it takes everything I have left not to just take out all of my frustration on someone before the doors are locked. Tonight was no exception.
This is far from a typical playlist. This is one collection of songs I may only listen to a handful of times throughout the year. I apologize to anyone who isn’t into hardcore or screamo, there was a time when this music was my everything and there is something about each of these songs that whenever I put them on just sets my heart in a better place, getting me jacked up and motivated to forget anything that is negative and unhealthy from my usually positive optimistic self. Judge me if you want but these song I will always love.
There isn’t much better to help summer along than a solid playlist; So if you’ve got a case of pbr and a cliff to dive from or some polluted waterway to lose yourself in, start downloading cause this is a must have to bring along ….
I’ve got this bad habit of forgetting to give a track list to my friends when i burn a mix for them. At least five times i’ve had someone call me up and ask “who sings the song that goes ‘i had a dream that all my teeth fell out as i was just about to speak and tell you that i love you dear’?”. i was looking over previous playlists and couldn’t believe I haven’t posted this one yet. I promise you if you give this song thirty seconds you’ll be completely in love with it.
I’m glad there are still bands making great music like this. really really glad. The album won’t be out until may 10th but they’re giving us a sweet little taste a few weeks early:)
Grouplove are another one of those bands that i keep enjoying more with each track i check out. I couldn’t decide between colours or Naked Kids so why not just put both up. I think colours is probably the song i enjoy more although naked kids is more fitting to throw on any playlist for this time of year. Grouplove- Naked kids
The picture disc 7″ was the one album i wanted to buy on record store day but due to bike issues and few other unexpected negatives i didn’t make it out to take part in anything record store day related. Which is a huge loss, i’ve been looking forward to it for months.
They’re a little clean compared to most music i’ve been getting into as of late but that’s not always a bad thing, especially since the burning hotels seem to play that way effortlessly and that makes all the difference.
Oregon Bike Trails and I are going to become close friends this summer, i can just feel it. I like seeing how beach house completely kicked the door open for bands like OBT. There’s nothing like music that feels the way swimsuit does there’s just no way to listen and be in anything but in a good mood.
The frontier brothers top the list of bands i can’t wait to check out when i get to Austin. Some bands you can just tell they will be amazing to see play in their hometown.
I’d say it’s a terrible shame that Harlem Shakes broke up but i’m pretty sure that had they made another album it would have sounded very sell-outish it would have been easy for them to do successfully (oxymoron?). But as we’ve all seen within the scene most bands’ end usually creates some really great beginnings. And it seems like that is exactly what’s happening for Todd Goldstein, my ears are definitely listening for what this guy will be giving us in the future.
I came across a live video for this song over at I AM FUEL, YOU ARE FRIENDS (which is probably my favorite blog around) and was captured immediately by it. I am completely in love with everything Allison Weiss and this song started it all. If i thought it was fair i’d throw every song she has up for you guys to check out. Her voice is soft, emotional and flawless. Her lyrics are put together perfectly and at the same time they are deep in a heart-on-your-sleeve kind of way. She also seems to be extremely dedicated to every aspect of her art which can be said about so very few bands. She’s hard working, that should never be overlooked, I hope whatever she hopes to accomplish with her music actually happens.
There’s no way i can go another post without mentioning Fitzsimmons newest piece of greatness. I would have put this up back in march but i wanted to have some time with it myself, its selfish but his music is important to me in that sort of way. The best music is meant to be experienced when you’re alone and needing a song that just wraps its arms around you and lets you know that your not alone in whatever it is you’re going through that has got you down, William Fitzsimmons is the embodiment of that.. There’s so much sadness in Fitzsimmons music i’m not sure how he brings himself to expose so much of himself on each album. This guy needs a hug and a huge thank you from all of us that he’s allowed his music to help through the moments where we feel the most alive and full of hurt. The new album brings a slight shift in instrumentation from previous albums adding a slightly more percussion supported sound without steering away from the cornerstone he’s built his career on. I can’t see any way for someone to be disappointed with Gold In The Shadow. When talking about great albums to own on vinyl this is most definitely one: Gold in the Shadow Link
For some unknown reason i had it set in my mind that i didn’t like Scott Orr. I finally took the time to check a few of his songs out and nomatter what i did i couldn’t convince myself not to enjoy his music. This fact just sank in as i was looking over songs i’d had in mind to potentially put on this playlist when i noticed that i’d included six of his songs on the list. Turns out he’s pretty good.
I completely get it if you guys don’t like this song. Something about the bass/vocal mix gets me though. Foonyap is real in the most hip-hop sense of the word.
I’ve only been listening to yuck since january and they are rather good. I really count on seeing immeasurable amounts of love going out to them in the coming months.
When i’m wanting to put on something to relax with i put on this video for automatic:
I got into the temper trap after seeing 500 days of summer for the first time (What a great movie). Something about temper trap just makes me want to tap my feet even if i’m not in the mood to. This one has more soul to it than their other songs. I really think they got it right with love lost.
Honestly i will always have an appreciation for solid instrumentation. I mean, don’t be surprised if i’ve got a saxon shore or amo joy track on upcoming playlists but my heart and all my love for music are wrapped up in the lyrical aspect of music. Its good if i can tap my feet but no vibe in the world can compare to lyrics that sink in deep. This isn’t some long preamble into how amazingly written strange kind of mirror is. Because if i wanted to point out how great of lyrics Birds and batteries are capable of writing i’d probably put at least three other songs of theirs ahead of this one. Only because when you look at the lyrics for this one on paper it doesn’t come across as that impressive unless you take the time to digest it line by line and most people, me included, aren’t going to break down a song that tediously without already buying into the whole of the song first. I think this song does a solid job of drawing your attention in enough to do that and once that happens this song is great to sing along to. I originally planned on just pulling a couple of lines out to bring to light some of the finer points but i can’t decide which ones would really do this justice here’s most of the song though-
……..
And now your singin’ a song
That I knew when I was young
We can only see ourselves
In the people we love
And its a strange kind of mirror
Yeah its a strange kind of mirror
Well I live through you
And you live through me
I wouldn’t know me
If I didn’t know you
And we live what we see
We live vicariously
We can only see ourselves
We can only see ourselves
And it’s a strange kind of mirror
Well we pull as we connect
We absorb as we reflect
And there is another side
And its not that hard to find…
But the more that I hate
The more I can’t relate
There must be something in me
That I don’t wanna see
And you remind me
You remind me
Of how bad I can be
And it’s a strange kind of mirror
And to the people we discard
I know your workin’ hard
But you don’t talk like me
We sure as hell don’t agree
And I can tell
That your angry
But that just makes me angry……
Well that’s it for today:) if you represent an artist whose songs are on this page and would like it removed i’ll be more than happy to both oblige and never recommend their music in a positive light again, that’s the agreement. I completely agree with bands making money so they continue making art but spreading some free love from time to time is really the most humble and appreciated thing i’ve come to love about bands. Also if there’s any music i’m missing or missing the point on here’s the comments section… i’m listening:)
