Day 14: "Kings & Queens" by 30 Seconds To Mars

I was watching trailers on IMDB (as I tend to do when looking to waste the precious moment of my life) and came across the trailer for "Legend Of The Guardians"...From what I can gather it's a computer animated film about owl warriors or something like that...Not gonna lie, I want to see it.  No shame!  Anyways, 30 Seconds To Mars lends their song "Kings & Queens" to the trailer soundtrack and it has been on repeat on my iTunes ever since.  Jared Leto's vocals are a lot more subdued and controlled on their new material compared to their earlier stuff (ex.: ""The Kill") and I actually prefer his voice and singing style in this song much more than the stuff off of their first album.  I wish I could write a more concise and informative blog about this song and why I enjoy it but I've been getting up at 5 am for the past three days to work full shifts at my job and then take care of my animals and Kristina's dogs while she's away...Needless to say it's a lot more running around than I'm used to and I am just plum tuckered out!  So I'll leave you with the song...Let me know what you think, one and only reader (if you're even out there).

"Kings & Queens" by 30 Seconds To Mars

Day 13: "Not Even Human" by Angel Taylor

Today's post is yet another random song that caught my ear and I haven't been able to stop singing/listening to since.  Angel Taylor has one of those super distinct voices that I adore...Very raw vocals that make me visualize sitting in a coffee shop on a crisp fall day and listening to the singer strumming on her guitar off in some back corner.  This song is one of those songs that I think anyone who has lived through a major heartbreak can totally relate to.  It's essentially about giving someone everything and them taking everything that you had to give and more and dashing it without an regard for your feelings or your being.  Wow, I'm being emo today.  Anyways, take a listen and really pay attention to the lyrics.  Her whole album is pretty good honestly but I loved this song from the very first time that I heard it.  I'm peacing out to cuddle up with my friend Kristina's pugs (I'm housesitting while she's on vacation) and watch "School Of Rock" and eat some Oreos with almond milk.  Yep...I'm that cool.

"Not Even Human" by Angel Taylor

 

Day 12: "At First Sight" by Jay Brannan

I wanted to avoid posting two songs by the same artist so close together...But I have had this song stuck in my head all damn day!  I discovered Jay's music at the perfect time in my life...I was going through a horrible time over some stupid boy who never really should have mattered in the first place...And Jay's music was like what was in my heart in song.  It was insane.  And I've been hooked ever since.  This song "At First Sight" is all about the demise of a relationship that was based off of "love at first sight"...Something I'm all too familiar with!  Haha  I love his style of writing...It's very sarcastic and cynical which is a nice change of pace from a lot of musical.  I hope you enjoy this song as much as I do!

"At First Sight" by Jay Brannan

Day 11: "Maybe" by Ingrid Michaelson

Today was rough.  No beating around the bush on that one!  My roommate is out of town so I'm taking care of both cats by myself...This wouldn't be an issue whatsoever if I weren't also dogsitting for my friend Kristina and working really crazy hours this weekend...Should make for an interesting next couple of days/posts!  Thursdays at work are always nice because I'm always closing and usually closing with my really good friend Danielle whom I absolutely adore.  She and I always have the best talks and a lot of laughs and the evening goes by so fast!  Tonight was sort of a self-evaluation kind of night where we were sharing our lives and stories and comparing and contrasting what stage of human beingdom we were both in.  We reached a point where we both split off and were inside our own heads while cleaning and both started singing randomly.  I caught a little snippet of the melody she was singing and started singing the words and realized it was "Maybe" by Ingrid Michaelson.  It's a really great song about letting the person that you love go and hoping that they'll come back to you...And if they do then you know it's meant to last.  Anyways I completely adore Ingrid and thought that since we were singing this song tonight at work that it would make for a great post.  So here you are!  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

"Maybe" by Ingrid Michaelson

Day 10: "Where Does The Good Go" by Tegan & Sara

Hello, hello!  Honestly I don't know why I'm posting this song today...I think it's just because I know it's a good song and seems like a good time to post it.  I love everything about Tegan & Sara.  Their lyrics are simple yet effective, their melodies are catchy and honestly pretty great and they have this really amazing garage band type sound that I just love!  This is one of my favorite songs by them...I have to be honest here and admit that I first heard this one on an episode of "Grey's Anatomy"...No idea when or what episode but I know for sure that that's where I heard it.  Anyways, since then I have developed a love for anything and everything Tegan & Sara and continue to listen to them to this day.  So here is the track that sparked it all.  I hope you enjoy!

"Where Does The Good Go" by Tegan & Sara

Day 9: Double Feature!

Well hello there!  Today is a new day, a new month, and a fresh start!  I have been feeling extremely burnt out lately because I've been working a crap ton of hours in a coffee shop job...Which means constantly smelling like coffee (which can be a bad thing believe it or not) and dealing with needy people all day long...It gets very old.  BUT today is my first day off in a while and the beginning of a new month...So I'm taking this opportunity to get a new perspective and be happier than I was for the majority of May...Or at least the last bit of May really. 

I did pretty much all of my weekly duties last night after work from cleaning the apartment, deep cleaning the cat's stuff, and doing all of my laundry...Therefore I had all day today to do whatever the hell I wanted!  Which of course entailed watching "Can't Hardly Wait", the classic late 90's film about an epic after graduation party.  This used to be one of my all-time favorite movies and I was feeling slightly nostalgic so I popped it in and settled in for a brainless ninety minutes. 

The thing that was surprising was that I actually liked some of the music from the movie...Of course it was all older stuff (especially now) but I still found myself singing along and grinning like a huge goober.  So I figured I would showcase a couple of the tunes!  The first one up is "Farther Down" by Matthew Sweet.  This song has been featured in so many films it's ridiculous.  But I love it every single time.  It's one of those quintessential love songs that just fits pretty much every situation. 

"Farther Down" by Matthew Sweet

Next up is the classic "Only You" by the band Yaz.  Now I'm a total 80's kid.  Seriously, anything with a synthesizer and I can't help but love it!  I didn't hear this song until I was 12 going on 13...So I was right in the midst of my super emotional stage of puberty...And let me tell you this song cut me to the core.  I used to think it was the greatest song I had ever heard and it made me want to fall in love and play this song at my wedding.  I have since gained control over said emotions and while I still think this is a good song to listen to it doesn't quite have the same effect.  But I appreciate it nonetheless!

"Only You" by Yaz

Day 7 and Day 8...I'm an epic failure!

Balls!  I missed yesterday's post...Again!  My boss is out of town and so I had to work crazy shifts that seriously just kicked my ass and made me too exhausted to even function much less blog...But that's no excuse...I said I was going to do this and I'm going to see it through dammit!  So, to make up for no post yesterday to my zero eagerly awaiting readers, I'll be posting two songs today!  Woo hoo!

So I'm kind of in one of those funky moods where you're questioning every life decision that has led you to this very moment and having to fight back grabbing the nearest duffel bag, stuffing it full of whatever essentials you have and taking off to some place where it will all be okay.  Needless to say my music choices are going to be a little weird.

The first song I'm posting is one that I've been listening to a lot on the bike to and from work...It's called "Face Down" by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus.  I don't know why but this song has kind of become my fallback angry song as of late.  And I have definitely been angry!  Haha  Customers are pissing me off at work and I'm beginning to resent them before they even walk in the door...I think I'm just burnt out on the job right now...I desperately need a break for sure!  Anyways this song is all about physical abuse in relationships....While I have never experienced physical abuse, I have been through my fair share of mind fucks and manipulative fuckwits...So I can kind of relate.  Plus this video is pretty cool I think!

"Face Down" by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus 

My second post is slightly shameful.  Yes.  It's Celine Dion.  Singing "All By Myself".  The other spectrum of my lovely funk is the feeling that I'm not good enough for anyone and will never find love.  Ever.  In my entire life.  I'll die a lanky old man who has way too many cats and they'll eventually find my body three days later with multiple cat nibbles taken out of me.  One of my co-workers was singing this under her breath and it got stuck in my head.  And then I started thinking about the lyrics and getting more and more depressed and slightly emotional.  I think I'm having a full fledged case of man period or "meriod".  Lame.  Anyways, enjoy as Ms. Dion tickles your ear drums with this little ditty!

"All By Myself" by Celine Dion

Day 6: "Terrified" by Didi Benami

First of all, I forgot to post yesterday!  I had a song picked out and everything but worked a long day and ended up falling asleep instead of posting an entry for yesterday...So here's to make up for that.  I don't watch American Idol at all...I used to love it but I think it's gotten extremely contrived and cheesy and just really terrible.  But this popped up in my "Suggestions" box on YouTube and I decided to watch it because I love to waste my life away on YouTube for some reason.  Anyways, I was actually really impressed!  The song isn't too terrible (although some of the lyrics are kind of pop garbage and could be improved to help the song along) and Didi sings it really well.  She didn't win.  I honestly have no idea what place she came in but I know that she didn't win.  She has this really great Ingrid Michaelson quality and a vocal flip that I just love.  So here she is singing a song called "Terrified" on the Ellen Degeneres show...It was the best video I could find of her singing it.  Enjoy!

"Terrified" by Didi Benami

Day 5: "Rain" by Patty Griffin

I'm feeling a bit nostalgic and homesick at the moment, which was really unexpected.  I realized that I thought I had to get out of the Midwest to escape the mess that I was after a horrible relationship/breakup.  Well, as it tends to do, the shit ended up following me down here and I still had to sort through it.  I'm happy to report that I'm 100% back to my normal self after a year and a half of some major soul searching and self examination.  But now that I'm finally seeing clearly and thinking with a level head I'm thinking "What the hell am I doing down here?!?"  My head and my heart belongs in Indiana...And I can't wait to get back!  I know now that it's up to me to make a name for myself wherever I am and there isn't a magical place on this earth that will present me with the opportunities to succeed in the photographic world.  Anyways, I've been doing A LOT of thinking today and found myself playing a lot of Patty.  So I've picked one of her best tunes in my opinion.  "Rain" is quintessential Patty Griffin.  Beautiful, ethereal, raw, honest, simplistic and mind blowing amazing.  I hope you enjoy!

"Rain" by Patty Griffin 

 

Day 4: "Both Hands" cover by Jay Brannan

Today is a pretty good day!  I saw Sex And The City 2 last night with some friends...Meh.  Just ok.  I honestly think it's time to hang it up and just leave it where it is.  I woke up to sunshine streaming in through my window and my cat curled up next to me...Always a good start to the day.  After doing about an hour of power stretching, I'm making breakfast and drinking some blueberry coffee (seriously one of the most delicious beverages I've had in a long while) and cooking up some veggie sausage links for breakfast before work at 2.  I don't know why I'm giving you the play-by-play of my day but there you go!  I guess I'm just kind of jazzed because I'm back to being me and happy go lucky again...Which is awesome!  Enough of the "blegh" moods and on with the sunshine and rainbows disposition that I'm so well known for!  Typically when I wake up one of the first things that I do is scroll through my iTunes library and select a song that really exemplifies the mood of the day/morning...However this morning I woke up and already had a song playing in my head...And I can't get it out!!!  Therefore I am taking it a sign from the universe that said song is the song of the day...I'm throwing in the towel and refuse to fight it!  So today I bring you Jay Brannan's cover of Ani DeFranco's song "Both Hands".  I first discovered Jay while watching the movie "Short Bus"...It's an amazing film.  If you haven't seen it yet you should definitely check it out for sure!  After seeing said flick and loving his voice I did my research/Google stalking and discovered he had an entire album out.  I was hooked ever since.  This was taken from a concert he had over in Paris...While I love Ani's version I think I prefer his over the original.  I feel like the tempo of the song and the use of just the acoustic guitar fit the lyrics and tone of the song much better than the whole production that Ani used...But both versions are amazing so you can't really go wrong in my book!  I hope you enjoy the song and have a lovely Thursday!

"Both Hands" Ani DeFranco cover by Jay Brannan

Day 3: "Halfway Around The World" by The A*Teens

Are you ready for this?  No, I mean REALLY ready.  Because this is about as syrupy sweet as bubble gum pop can get!  I have been in kind of a funk for the past couple of days and feeling really sorry for myself for no apparent reason.  It took reading a message from a friend to put things into perspective and make me realize how trivial my bad mood really was.  So today I woke up to a gorgeous sunny afternoon in the mid-80's, which feels like the 60's or 70's compared to the near 100 degree temps we've been experiencing lately, had a great workout and am feeling back to my sunny little self.  Anyways, I have been thinking all day about which song to post but nothing seemed to stick out or really jump up and say "Hey!  Here I am!  Post me so people/no one can listen to me!"  Then I spotted my book of CDs.  This poor relic from my past hasn't been cracked open in quite some time since I have all of my music that I actually listen to on my laptop.  I dug it out and literally had to blow dust off of it, that's how long it's been since I've opened the little guy.  So I'm digging through it and marveling at what craptacular taste in music my pre-teen to teenage self had when I came across a real gem.  Honestly the best thing that has ever come to us from across the pond since The Beatles.  I present to you The A*Teens.  Oh yes.  These four adorable little Swedes first came into my life when they released their debut CD "The ABBA Generation", an album full of dance inspired covers of classic ABBA songs.  Being an avid ABBA fan at the tender age of 12, I ate it up with a spoon in both hands!  I literally couldn't get enough!  I would record their videos on blank tapes on my VCR when they would come on Nickelodeon so that I could watch them over and over again at my heart's desire.  I sadly even learned the dances to the songs.  Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, the A*Teens really rocked my world and released their second CD, "Teen Spirit".  This time they were singing all original songs.  And boy let me tell ya something...They were good.  With lyrics like "Somehow, someday you will love me too, one day will be the day when all my dreams come true" or "When you think the party's over, look over your shoulder, I'm at your door coming back for more" and songs like "Upside Down", "Sugar Rush", and "Slammin' Kind Of Love" (I couldn't make this stuff up), this album has "WIN" written all over it!  So for today's selection I bring you "Halfway Around The World", a tune about two lovers being separated by (you guessed it) half of the world and their love conquering the distance.  Ugh, so romantic it hurts!  I hope you enjoy the sugary ear dripping sweetness you get from listening to this song!  Side note: This is shockingly close to a "Stupid Bitch" song...But not quite.  Stay tuned.

"Halfway Around The World" by The A*Teens

Numero Dos: "Maps" cover by Rogue Wave

Ok.  So let me start off by saying two things up front:  1.) Karen O. and the Yeah Yeah Yeah's rocked the shit out of this song...I absolutely love everything about the original and think it's completely brilliant!  And 2.) I hate Starbucks.  Their coffee tastes how I imagine a fish asshole would taste if I were to give it a rimjob.  Not a fan.  However, I do have to begrudgingly admit that they put out some pretty descent music.  So I suppose they do one thing well.  There.  I said it.

It's yet another gloomy, overcast kind of day here in Austin so naturally I'm being completely lazy until it's time for P90X (yep...I'm part of that whole thing!) with my buddy Kristina.  Movies and reading all day in my sweatpants...Sounds pretty darn fantastic if I do say so myself!  Want to know something else that sounds pretty darn fantastic?  Rogue Wave's cover of the Yeah Yeah Yeah's song "Maps"!  See what I did there?  This delightful cover is brought to us by the "lovely" company Starbucks as part of their "Sweetheart" Valentine's Day CD.  While I loathe their drinks I do have to give them props for bringing these songs into my life.  There are a lot of great covers on here but this one happens to be one of my favorites.  I really love this in particular because they totally make it their own...It's a simplified version that still pays homage to the original but Rogue Wave does it in a way that's entirely fresh and their own.  It's the perfect song to have on repeat in the background while doing something creative or just trying to relax.  Enjoy!

Rogue Wave "Maps"

Day 1!

Yo yo yiggidy yo!  Welcome to my blog!  I've tried starting one of these a few times before and never really kept up with it...But I think that's because I was writing about my life and, frankly, I'm just really not that interesting.  But something that is always interesting is music...And food.  But Julie Powell kind of set the bar pretty damn high on the whole food blog thing so I think I'll just stick to music.

Music for me (as it is for many, I believe) is a source of constant comfort like a favorite pair of jeans or sweatpants, the smell of grandma hugs (it's a real thing!), or homemade cookies baking.  The right song can elevate your mood, soothe your tired and worrisome soul, or perfectly describe a situation or mood.  It can say what can't be said by the spoken word.  The simple strum of a guitar or tinkle of the piano keys can stir up the human spirit in ways that we can't even begin to comprehend.  It's like August Rush says; "The music is all around us.  All you have to do is just listen."

This blog will serve as a sort of musical outlet for me and hopefully other people should they stumble upon it and choose to read it.  I'll be posting one song for every day.  Just like it says up at the top, some of them will be songs that describe my mood on that particular day, some will describe how I'm feeling, and some will just be damn good tunes that I think need to be heard by others!  I'm not making any promises that I'll introduce any new or super cool music...I don't think that highly of my musical tastes.  There will most definitely be some pop, some rock, some country, a lot of folk, some "stupid bitch" songs (I'll go into more detail when I finally get around to posting one of these), and whatever else I'm feeling at the moment.  Enough blabbing...I could literally go on for days.  Let's get to some tunage!!!

It's kind of cloudy and "meh" here in Austin today...Just one of those days that make you want to curl up under a blanket with a cup of cocoa and watch movies or read a good book all day.  I'm opting for hanging out in sweatpants and drawing while listening to *gasp!* music!  I think this little ditty from Caroline Smith & The Good Night Sleeps will do quite nicely. :)

Caroline Smith & The Good Night Sleeps "Tying My Shoes"