Blog

1. Modest Mouse
in 7th grade, the song "Float On" was getting major airplay on hit radio stations in my hometown, but I hadn't paid attention to it. then I heard a DJ say "listen to this song. it's weird, but you'll love it if you really listen." it was true! I loved it, quite a lot. in 8th grade I got hold of a live version of the song "Black Cadillacs," then moved on to a few of their more popular/recent songs later in the year. I got most of their discography in 9th grade and managed to obtain all of it in 10th grade. now they're my favorite band.

2. Regina Spektor
at the end of 9th grade, I was getting a ride from a senior girl who was playing a song off "Begin to Hope" on her car stereo. she mentioned it was great warm-up music because we were both in choir, then said my singing voice was a lot like Regina's. I was curious so I downloaded a few songs off Begin to Hope. I loved them, so I got hold of her earlier work and loved it even more.

3. The Beatles
um, the first time I can remember hearing the Beatles is when watching "The Parent Trap" (the crap version with Lindsay Lohan) over and over in elementary school- "Here Comes the Sun" was on that soundtrack. then in middle school my mom played several songs of theirs on the hour-long drive to school in the morning- "Yesterday," "Rocky Raccoon," "Blackbird," "Ticket to Ride", etc. etc. plus this gorgeous, a cappella version of "Because" that I haven't been able to find anywhere since. I didn't really start listening to them until the summer after junior year, though. I got their whole discography, listened to the whole thing in 2 nights, and listened to nothing but them for another week more.

4. Animal Collective
back in 10th grade I got hold of a few tracks off "Strawberry Jam," which I sort of liked but they certainly weren't one of my favorite artists at the time. I came across them randomly, either on last.fm or on a recommendation, I'm not sure which- guess it wasn't too memorable. but then I heard "The Purple Bottle" which became, almost immediately, one of my favorite songs ever. I played pretty much nothing but that song all of summer 2008. then I got "Feels" and it was one of my top 10 albums ever. by the time "Merriweather Post Pavilion" came out I was a diehard fan and caught up in all that hype. didn't disappoint by any means. I played almost nothing but MPP for January 2009. when "In the Flowers" kicked in for the first time, swear to god it was nearly a religious experience. it was that awesome.

5. Iron & Wine
my favorite song, of ever, is "The Trapeze Swinger" by Iron & Wine. I actually heard about it on an internet forum back in 8th grade (2006) downloaded it, thought it was too quiet, forgot about it. in September 2007 I came across it again and decided to give it another try. uh, probably one of my best decisions ever, seriously. I fell in love, played it nonstop for a while. I got a few more of his songs and was a bit disappointed- they were amazing, but nothing really compares to "Trapeze Swinger." anyway, eventually came to appreciate all of his stuff and I listened to it a lot throughout high school.

6. Mindless Self Indulgence
alright, confession time: I think MOST of the music I listen to is pretty good, by everyone's standards, but I have a soft spot for the shit I started listening to in middle school (Fall Out Boy, Panic! at the Disco, My Chemical Romance etc.) anyway: the bassist for MSI, Lyn-Z, is married to the singer of MCR, Gerard Way. I heard a lot of fans talking about how awesome MSI was (after discovering them through the new MSI/MCR connection, I guess) and I decided to give them a try. they kicked ass. so hard. I met a girl in 10th grade choir class (yeah, seriously) who loved them as well, which made me seek out all of their albums so we could talk about them.

7. Ani DiFranco
I barely remember how I discovered her. I just recall that "As Is" is the first song I heard, and that was September 2007. then I moved on to a few songs like "32 Flavors" and "You Had Time". I didn't listen to her that much until late 2008 and had another period of listening to her a lot in May-August 2009. I introduced my best friend to her, and my bestie adored her music as well, so now we both listen on a regular basis and talk about how awesome she is!

8. The Killers
oh my god, The Killers. I have such a weird relationship with this band. okay, imagine: it's the summer before 7th grade, and "Somebody Told Me" is all over the radio. I like it, a lot, and I spend a lot of time watching the music video for it. now picture this: it's 7th grade, early 2004. my household never had cable TV before this point. when we finally got it, on weekends, I would stay up literally all night, waiting for MTV to play that glorious, non-stop, hour-long block of music videos. when I first saw the video for "Mr. Brightside", it was like this shimmering phantasmic amazing THING on my TV screen. it was all glittery and strange and gorgeous and omg, I'm gushing, but I fell in love. (with Brandon Flowers.) haha, and the song. I downloaded most of "Hot Fuss," fell in love with the whole "murder trilogy" idea. for some reason I didn't get Sam's Town or Sawdust until years later, but I snapped up Day and Age as soon as it came out. I liked it all but nothing has compared to that moment at 3 am on a weekend night in middle school, watching Mr. Brightside for the first time, mouth hanging open and eyes wide.

9. Beirut
I downloaded 3 Beirut songs in April 2008: Nantes, The White Whale, and Postcards from Italy. "Postcards from Italy" turned into one of my favorite songs. when I first heard it I felt glued to my computer chair, it was one of those stunning moments where you hear something lovely for the first time and you feel like you're soaring. that moment where everything drops out but his voice and the horns, then the drumbeat comes back in- still floors me. anyway I listened to this constantly in spring 2008, while driving in the mountains and sunning at a watering hole one time in particular, that sticks with me. then downloaded the rest of his stuff and listened all through that summer and 11th grade up until now.

10. Fall Out Boy
oh, Fall Out Boy. I love this band and I hate this band, both in equal measures. seriously. I saw the video for "Sugar, We're Goin' Down" on the same run of late-night MTV videos that I mentioned before, loved the song, thought the video was boring and stupid in general. (still think that to be honest.) so that was 7th grade, and in 8th grade "Dance Dance" comes out as their second single, and I fell in love (ferociously.) I was madinlove with Pete Wentz, as a lot of middle school girls were at the time, and I remember researching them on the internet, confused to find Pete wasn't the singer (who the fuck is Patrick Stump? I thought. haha oh wow. irony! two years later he was one of my favorite vocalists in modern pop music.) and had this SRS DISCUSSION of "wow, I love how high his voice goes!" (in Dance Dance) with my best friend in 8th grade. I downloaded their whole discography at the time and mainly focused on "Cork Tree," but I also dug the older rougher-sounding EPs. I loved them through 9th grade then entered this period where I was like, oh my god, this band genuinely sucks, and stopped listening to them. but I just can't give them up, you guys. they are awful and they are adorable. jesus.

What’s a great late night song?
1. Dramamine by Modest Mouse
2. Summer In The City by Regina Spektor
3. Avada Kedavra by The Age of Rockets

Name 5-10 wistful/bittersweet songs:
1. Lua by Bright Eyes
2. Maps by Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3. Goodnight, Travel Well by The Killers
4. Two Headed Boy Part 2 by Neutral Milk Hotel
5. Sleepwalkin' by Modest Mouse
6. In My Life by The Beatles
7. Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer by Stevie Wonder
8. So What by Ani DiFranco
9. Raining in Baltimore by Counting Crows
10. Jesus Christ by Brand New

The 4 Best Songs Ever Written:
1. The Trapeze Swinger by Iron & Wine
2. In The Aeroplane Over The Sea by Neutral Milk Hotel
3. Desolation Row by Bob Dylan
4. Bankrupt on Selling by Modest Mouse

3 Current Favorite Songs:
1. Do You Realize?? by The Flaming Lips
2. I've Just Seen a Face by The Beatles
3. The Orchids by Califone

3 All Time Faves That Never Get Old To You
1. Mr. Brightside by The Killers
2. Your Song by Elton John
3. Into the Mystic by Van Morrison

3 Songs You Want(ed) To Play At Your Wedding:
1. Michigan by Red House Painters
2. First Day of My Life by Bright Eyes
3. Each Coming Night by Iron & Wine

4 Records You Really Dug from 2008:
1. For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver
2. Hannah by The Age of Rockets
3. Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
4. Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust by Sigur Ros

Favorite Records From This Year So Far:
1. Merriweather Post Pavilion by Animal Collective
2. XX by The xx
3. Hospice by The Antlers
4. Daisy by Brand New

5 Good Angry Songs:
1. Oh My God by Ida Maria
2. Gentlemen by mewithoutYou
3. Revenge by Mindless Self Indulgence
4. Oh Bondage Up Yours! by X-Ray Spex
5. Tundra Desert by Modest Mouse

One of Your Favorite Lyrics:
from "Sodom, South Georgia" by Iron & Wine
Papa died smiling
Wide as the ring of a bell
Gone all star white
Small as a wish in a well

And Sodom, south Georgia
Woke like a tree full of bees
Buried in Christmas bows
And a blanket of weeds

And Sodom, south Georgia
Slept on an acre of bones
Slept through Christmas
Slept like a bucket of snow

5 Cover Songs Arguably Better Than the Original:
1. Real Love by Regina Spektor (oh god sacrilege I know ;__;)
2. Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley
3. Hide and Seek (Instrumental Version) by AJ Rafael
4. Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered by Rufus Wainwright

Ironic Song to Brutally Murder Someone to in a movie:
Wouldn't It Be Nice by The Beach Boys

Great Dance Song You Maybe Never Realized Was a Great Dance song Back in the Day:
I wasn't even born back in the day.

Good Album to Clean The House To:
Sound of Silver by LCD Soundsystem

Good Album for Dining:
Actor by St. Vincent

Good Album To Love On Each Other To:
At Last by Etta James

A Good Album To Put You In the Mood (that is NOT Sade, Marvin Gaye or Barry White):
If by Mindless Self Indulgence (no seriously.)

Good Album To Sleep To:
Our Endless Numbered Days by Iron & Wine

5 Good Rock Songs That You Can Dance To:
1. I Want You So Hard (Boy's Bad News) by Eagles of Death Metal
2. Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison
3. Twist and Shout by The Beatles
4. Purple Haze by Jimi Hendrix
5. Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen (yes you can dance to this, I've done it)

Song That Is Too Damn Sad:
Epilogue by The Antlers

Great Love Song:
God Only Knows by The Beach Boys

Honorable Mention:
In My Life by The Beatles

Song To An Ex That Isn’t Meanspirited:
I Miss You by blink-182

Song To An Ex That Is Kinda Meanspirited:
So What by Ani DiFranco

Song to Listen to While in The Country Looking at Stars:
Kid A by Radiohead

Song to lose your Mind to:
Girl Anachronism by The Dresden Dolls

Song To Cry In Your Pillow to:
Goodnight, Travel Well by The Killers

Songs That Make You Feel Amped and Inspired:
1. Music is My Hot Hot Sex by CSS
2. Fools by The Dodos
3. Smash Your Head by Girl Talk
4. Heads Will Roll by Yeah Yeah Yeahs
5. You Just Haven't Earned It Yet Baby by The Smiths

Great Semi-Obscure B-side:
hmm, not sure

Song That Makes You Miss Your Mom:
Whiter Shade of Pale by Procul Harem

That’s Baby Makin’ Music (No, Really):
1. Cold Light by Yeah Yeah Yeahs
2. Tristan by Patrick Wolf
3. Supermassive Black Hole by Muse

Criminally Underrated Band That Didn’t Get Attention and Then Broke Up:
The Blood Brothers (not too neglected, but still, not enough credit)

Best Screw You I Am a Teenager in Pain Song:
I'm Not Okay (I Promise) by My Chemical Romance (lol i know)

Feel No Shame, Great Current Pop Songs:
oh god I seriously don't know. because i'm shamefully out of touch.

Album No One Would Expect You To Love:
Frankenstein Girls Will Seem Strangely Sexy by Mindless Self Indulgence

Album No One Would Expect You To Dislike:
London Calling by The Clash

Album No One Would Expect You To Really Know:
Memories & Dust by Josh Pyke

Emo Album You Actually Like:
Folie a Deux by Fall Out Boy

Good, But Overrated Cause Of Indie Revisionism:
Radiohead

5 Desert Island Discs off the top of your head (30 sec clock):
1. Feels by Animal Collective
2. Good News for People Who Love Bad News by Modest Mouse
3. Our Endless Numbered Days by Iron & Wine
4. Abbey Road by The Beatles
5. In the Aeroplane Over the Sea by Neutral Milk Hotel

3 Contemporary Artists That Were Your Faves 10 Years Ago:
haha, ten years ago I was 6 years old. so. i had no faves. barney perhaps. teletubbies?

Music That Makes You Feel Sophisticated:
uh pretty much any classical music. otherwise...I'm not that much of a hipster.

Fave Electronic Record You Own:
Nothing Better by The Postal Service

Hip-Hop Song You Know All the Lyrics Too:
Lose Yourself by Eminem

Random Album You Loved In High School But Are Afraid To Admit It:
well, I'm still in high school, so let's say middle school. that'd be Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge by MCR.

Album You May Have Listened To More In High School than Any Other Album:
Good News For People Who Love Bad News by Modest Mouse

If You Could Enter A Wrestling Ring to a Song It Would Be:
hahaha I have no idea honestly.

Album To Clear A Room With:
huh, something by Miley Cyrus

1. Put your music player on shuffle
2. Press forward for each question
3. Use the song title as the answer

How am I feeling today?
The Purple Bottle -- Animal Collective

Where will I get married?
Sunset Soon Forgotten -- Iron & Wine (haha)

What is my best friend’s theme song?
You Know What They Do To Guys Like Us In Prison-- MCR (brb laughing forever)

What was high school like?
I Write Sins Not Tragedies-- Panic! at the Disco

What is the best thing about me?
Mr. Brightside (Thin White Duke Remix) -- The Killers/Jacques Lucont

How is today going to be?
Welcome to the Times -- 65daysofstatic

What is in store for this weekend?
While My Guitar Gently Weeps -- The Beatles (oh, shit)

What song describes my parents?
Innocent Bones -- Iron & Wine

How is my life going?
I'll Be Back -- The Beatles

What song will they play at my funeral?
Going to Georgia -- The Mountain Goats (this is weirdly poignant)

How does the world see me?
Every Angle -- Ani DiFranco

What do my friends really think of me?
Pot Kettle Black -- Wilco (oh no)

Do people secretly lust after me?
Everything is Alright -- Motion City Soundtrack

How can I make myself happy?
Lonely -- Decline of British Sea Power

What should I do with my life?
Eight Days a Week -- The Beatles (wat)

Will I ever have children?
Wallet -- Regina Spektor

What is some good advice?
Trailer Trash -- Modest Mouse

What do I think my current theme song is?
Music When the Lights Go Out -- The Libertines

What does everyone else think my current theme song is?
Red Letter Year -- Ani DiFranco

What type of men do I like?
Far From the Sea -- Sad Lovers and Giants

Will I get married?
Honey and the Sun -- Camera Obscura

What should I do with my love life?
Jonathan David -- Belle and Sebastian (HAHAHA.)

Where will I live?
Orange Spider -- mewithoutYou

What will my dying words be?
Bat You'll Fly -- Animal Collective

How’s my day going so far?
Starlight -- Muse

How’s my love life?
Time to Pretend -- MGMT (hahaha oh snap)

Here's how it works:
1. Open your music player
2. Find the song that best corresponds to each title

opening credits
"Mirador" -- Efterklang

waking up
"White Winter Hymnal" -- Fleet Foxes

first day at school
"You Just Haven't Earned It Yet, Baby" -- The Smiths

falling in love
"The Purple Bottle" -- Animal Collective

breaking up
"Disintegration" -- The Cure

prom
"Improper Dancing" -- Electric Six

life’s okay
"Once More With Feeling" -- Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly!

mental breakdown
"Jesus Christ" -- Brand New

driving
"Myth Takes" - !!!

flashback
"Do You Realize??" -- The Flaming Lips

getting back together
"A Cannon" -- Regina Spektor

wedding
"First Day of My Life" -- Bright Eyes

birth of child
"Deserter" -- Matthew Dear

final battle
"Spit the Dark" -- Empires

death scene
"Dramamine" -- Modest Mouse

funeral song
"The Trapeze Swinger" -- Iron & Wine

end credits
"At the Bottom of Everything" -- Bright Eyes

if your life were a soundtrack, what would the music be?
RANDOM VERSION

here’s how it works:
1. open your library (iTunes, winamp, media player, iPod)
2. put it on shuffle
3. press play
4. for every question, type the song that’s playing
5. new question – press the next button

opening credits
"Disintegration" -- The Cure (holy shit, awesome.)

waking up
"Flyin'" -- Regina Spektor

first day at school
"Suffer Little Children" -- The Smiths (haha)

falling in love
"I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" -- MCR (hahaha oh god wtf)

breaking up
"The Next Big Thing" -- Ani DiFranco

prom
"Fucking's Greatest Hits" -- The Blood Brothers (oh shiiiiit)

life’s okay
"Slipping Away" -- from Donnie Darko

mental breakdown
"Dirty Pictures" -- Imani Coppola

driving
"Banshee Beat" -- Animal Collective

flashback
"Cherbourg" -- Beirut

getting back together
"Naked As We Came" -- Iron and Wine

wedding
"Untitled" -- The Cure (two songs by them? huh)

birth of child
"Piazza, New York Catcher" -- Belle & Sebastian

final battle
"Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want" -- The Smiths (PERFECT.)

death scene
"Someday My Prince Will Come" -- from Snow White (this is actually REALLY sad if you think about it, jeez.)

funeral song
"Love and Some Verses" -- Iron & Wine

end credits
"Babylon" -- The Tough Alliance