tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-92168277389025491682024-03-12T19:40:12.696-04:00Half A Personmusic/culture blogging from half a person.Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09797878888830456306noreply@blogger.comBlogger209125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216827738902549168.post-48531391950867203802009-07-13T10:27:00.001-04:002009-07-13T10:28:12.244-04:00SWITCH TO WORDPRESSStarting NOW I will be operating Half A Person through WordPress. So, to keep following HAP, go <a href="http://www.halfapersonblog.com">HERE</a>!Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09797878888830456306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216827738902549168.post-30089929738103453402009-07-12T18:29:00.002-04:002009-07-12T18:29:42.971-04:00BACK from the deadI was away for 3 weeks and I've spent the last one trying to figure out some domain stuff and debating whether or not to switch to WordPress. I'll keep you posted.Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09797878888830456306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216827738902549168.post-90070136123444233312009-07-12T18:07:00.003-04:002009-07-12T18:27:46.780-04:00LIVE: Wilco w/ Conor Oberst @ Wolf Trap, 7/8<a href="http://www.brightestyoungthings.com/live-dc/wilco-and-conor-oberst-live-at-wolf-trap/">LINK TO BYT</a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://tandemshop.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/wilco.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://tandemshop.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/wilco.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><p>Wilco’s been my number one favorite band for almost two years now, so I’ve done all the standard obsessive-fan stuff. I’ve seen their documentaries, I own hard copies of all their music, I stalk the website, I have multiple live recordings (which I compare and contrast endlessly). My iTunes play count tells me they’re my most-listened artist in my library. I’ve only seen them once before, but seeing as I’ve heard so many bootlegs, I sort of get what it to be expected from a live Wilco show:<strong> AWESOMENESS.</strong> <a href="http://www.brightestyoungthings.com/photos/photo/3706771131/wilco20jpg.html" class="tt-flickr tt-flickr-Small"><br /></a> </p> <p>I know people like calling Wilco dad-rock (and based one the age and gender of the audience, I’d say that’s a pretty apt title…) but I think that’s misleading in that it makes you think they are boring when they are anything but. Every album they write is completely different from the one before yet they are all distinctly Wilco. Live, they are simply spectacular. Each member is ridiculously talented so when they jam they can take the music so much farther than other, younger bands can. Even though the line-up of Wilco has shifted considerably in their 15 year existence, the current roster is so uniform and tight you’d think they’ve been playing together since they were babies.<a href="http://www.brightestyoungthings.com/photos/photo/3707582560/wilco08jpg.html" class="tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium"><br /></a> </p> <p>Anyway. Back to the start…</p> <p>Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band opened the show. Unlike Alyssa, who made <a href="http://www.brightestyoungthings.com/tangents/free-for-the-4th-of-july-jenny-lewis-conor-oberst-battery-park/">her distaste for Conor Oberst</a> very clear, I have been a fan for a while. I vividly remember my sister getting me a copy of “I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning” for my birthday in 7th grade, and I listened to it over and over and over again. I still like it. He may be a bit overrated in terms of the whole “Bob Dylan of Our Generation” thing, but that doesn’t make me dislike his music. I got the first Conor Oberst solo album last year and loved the more folksy tone and I love how much further he went with the country on the Mystic Valley Band album, “Outer South.” Live, I was quite impressed. The band opened with the one-two punch of “Danny Callahan” and “NYC- Gone, Gone.” Both songs were so much more lively on stage- especially “NYC,” which I didn’t love on the album but I now have a much greater appreciation for. The thing I most loved about the band’s set was that the sounded and looked like they were having a great time. I always imagined that Conor Oberst onstage would be depressing and bleak, but their set felt more like a sunny, awesome hoedown. </p> <p>So now back to Wilco. As usual, I was blown away. After a tacky (but awesome) Price Is Right theme song intro, the band launched into the goofy (but awesome) “Wilco (the song).” From that point on, the show was all about having fun. The crowd was full of big fans who just wanted to hear their favorite band play some sweet songs, jam out a little bit, and then start all over. The long set contained cuts as old as “Misunderstood” and as new as “Deeper Down,” from their latest release, “Wilco (the album).” I was expecting the set to be mostly full of new tracks but the band did a good job of picking pretty evenly from their albums, save “A.M.,” which I believe was unrepresented.</p> <p>Wilco has so many mopey, contemplative songs it’s hard to believe they can be so fun and free live, but I don’t think there was a single moment when someone could have looked over and seen me without a smile on my face. The fact that Wolf Trap is a great venue and the weather was perfect only added to the wonderful summer night.<a href="http://www.brightestyoungthings.com/photos/photo/3706770603/wilco05jpg.html" class="tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium"><br /></a> </p> <p><strong>Wilco set list:</strong></p> <ul><li>Wilco (the song)</li><li>Shot in the Arm</li><li>At Least That’s What You Said</li><li>Bull Black Nova</li><li>You Are My Face</li><li>I’m Trying to Break Your Heart</li><li>One Wing</li><li>How To Fight Loneliness</li><li>Impossible Germany</li><li>Deeper Down</li><li>Jesus Etc.</li><li>Sonny Feeling</li><li>Handshake Drugs</li><li>Hate It Hear</li><li>Walken</li><li>I’m the Man Who Loves You</li><li>Hummingbird</li><li>———-</li><li>You Never Know</li><li>Heavy Metal Drummer</li><li>Misunderstood</li><li>Spiders(kidsmoke)</li><li>I’m a Wheel</li></ul>Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09797878888830456306noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216827738902549168.post-6951094827420678192009-06-10T13:26:00.001-04:002009-06-10T13:28:29.475-04:00LIVE: Passion Pit w/ The Harlem Shakes @ Black Cat, 6/9<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bostonist.com/attachments/austinist_kerry/passion-pit-band.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://bostonist.com/attachments/austinist_kerry/passion-pit-band.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><p>When this show ended last night at 11:25, less than an hour after Passion Pit started playing, I felt both awesome and sort of bad.</p><p><strong>First the awesome parts…</strong></p> <p>I missed Cale Parks, but I saw a bunch of people buying his merch, so I’ll assume he was awesome. Go Cale Parks!</p> <p>Next were the Harlem Shakes, who were fantastic and wonderful and adorable. Their music is so fun and bouncy, it was a great way to not only kick off the show, but to kick off the summer (I’m officially done with junior year! Yeah!). The crowd was sort of chatty during their set, but the band played loud enough that it didn’t matter. Plus, enough people there were clearly fans. This one guy next to me knew every word and danced like a maniac the whole time. Another awesome thing about the band is that they had a guy play the flute. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many people dance to a song with flute in it. The Shakes played cuts off of their EP, “Burning Birthdays,” as well as their new album “Technicolor Health.” If you don’t already own “Technicolor Health” you are a huge fool. It a perfect summer album and it’s pretty much all I’ve listened to for the past week and a half.</p> <p>Of course, the band that everybody came to see was Passion Pit. The second the group walked out on stage, everybody in the Cat went nuts. People were pogo-ing and dancing like crazy to every song. If you had never heard them before, it would appear that every song was a single because every time PP launched into a new track the crowd went berserk as if the four minutes of this song would be the best four minutes of their life. Before the show I’d heard that PP was pretty weak live but after this show I COMPLETELY disagree. They sounded great and they brought more energy into the show than a lot of bands I’ve seen.</p><p><strong>Now for the bad parts…</strong></p> <p>I missed Cale Parks, but I saw a bunch of people buying his merch, so I’ll assume he was awesome. Wish I could have heard his set.</p> <p>The Harlem Shakes were robbed that morning in Richmond (”The most annoying thing that could happen ever,” according to one of the members after the show), so they had to play a few songs acoustic. While they definitely sounded better electric, they never let the acoustic-ness bring the energy level down. This doesn’t really qualify as a “bad part,” it was just sort of a bummer. I still love them.</p> <p>The most disappointing part of the show, however, came when Passion Pit ended their set at 11:25, less than an hour after they began playing. In fact, I think they played closer to about 40 minutes. So yeah, they packed an insane amount of energy into those 40 minutes, but when you’re the headlining act at a sold out show, don’t you think you should play longer than the opener? And at least have an encore longer than just one song? I enjoyed their set so much, but the fact that it was so short put a bit of a damper on it. I mean seriously, I saw Bruce Springsteen a few weeks ago and he’s more than twice as old as these guys, but he played for THREE HOURS without stopping. Granted, he has a lot more material, but between “Chunk of Change” and “Manners,” these guys easily could have added five or six more songs to the set. At the end of the show I heard a lot of people saying great things about the band, but I also heard a lot of people griping that the played for such a short amount of time (One guy was hanging around the stage so he could ask the band why they never played “Seaweed Song.” He was all fired up. “They never played Seaweed Song, did you notice that?? Why didn’t they play it?! It’s only 11:25, why did they stop?!”)</p> <p><strong>Thoughts? Should they have played longer? Is such a short set to be expected from a band with only one full-length and one EP?</strong></p> <p>Overall I really enjoyed the show. Fun and high-energy. I just wish that Passion Pit had kept going a little longer.</p>Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09797878888830456306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216827738902549168.post-71437575758832764352009-06-07T11:10:00.004-04:002009-06-07T13:17:21.137-04:00Mandy Moore Makes a Comeback<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.popcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/mandy-moore-amanda-leigh-album-cover.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 427px; height: 427px;" src="http://www.popcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/mandy-moore-amanda-leigh-album-cover.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />In her teen-pop heyday, I was never a big Mandy Moore fan. To me, she was just a more boring Jessica Simpson. She sang songs really dull love songs and her voice wasn't anything spectacular. However, I did like a lot of the movies she was in (A Walk to Remember, The Princess Diaries, Saved...)<br /><br />But then something changed. A few years ago, Moore started dating Zach Braff, and then singer-songwriter Greg Laswell. At about this time, she released a covers album called "Coverage." I don't own it, but based on what I've heard, it's not bad. She chose smart songs to sing, from artists such as Elton John, Carole King, Cat Stevens, and Blondie. Obviously, her versions aren't better than the originals, but the album at least showed her good taste, which I am sure is partially due to her relationships with men who have good taste.<br /><br />Next, Moore recorded an album called "Wild Hope." It was her most original album to date, but still a little bland. It was just very polished contemporary pop with a singer-songwriter edge, especially on songs like "Gardenia." Here, Moore enlisted songwriters like Rachel Yamagata for help. Their influence is very apparent, but nothing on the album reaches the heights that Yamagata's music frequently does.<br /><br />A few months ago, Moore released a new album, "Amanda Leigh." This album is another step in the right direction. It's jazzy and poppy on songs like "Pocket Philosopher" and "I Could Break Your Heart Any Day of the Week," but quieter tunes such as "Bug" and "Merrimack River" balance the mood. There is a distinct 70's singer-songwriter influence on the album; it's almost as though all Moore listened to while recording it was Carole King's "Tapestry." Some tracks also seem to be directly influenced by her prolific singer-songwriter husband Ryan Adams, but none match his in terms of quality.<br /><br />"Amanda Leigh" is not a fantastic album by any means, but it is definitely a solid effort. It's nice to see Moore moving in a new direction, and she definitely knows what kind of music she wants to make. I don't know if I'll continue to buy her albums, but I'll definitely give them a listen or two when they come out.Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09797878888830456306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216827738902549168.post-63400448099256655352009-06-02T19:52:00.004-04:002009-06-02T20:00:15.165-04:00New Mixtape: Something in the Air<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.edharriss.com/xsi/4point0_images/spotless.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 522px; height: 294px;" src="http://www.edharriss.com/xsi/4point0_images/spotless.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I've been working on a new mixtape for a while, the theme for which is movie couples/crushes. It's called Something in the Air, and here it is. Along with a picture of Joel and Clementine from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, one of my favorite movie couples of all time. For a free physical copy, complete with cover art, shoot me an email.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_x3jt0Syqdck/SiW8OscYlsI/AAAAAAAAARg/GKm65Qf-TiU/s1600-h/Picture+1.png"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 260px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_x3jt0Syqdck/SiW8OscYlsI/AAAAAAAAARg/GKm65Qf-TiU/s400/Picture+1.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342883493579364034" border="0" /></a>Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09797878888830456306noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216827738902549168.post-88106081801740405622009-05-31T14:03:00.004-04:002009-05-31T14:35:07.670-04:00Album Review: St. Vincent- Actor<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://newbluishtaste.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/cover1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 401px; height: 401px;" src="http://newbluishtaste.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/cover1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />A few weeks ago I met Annie Clark, the waifish, bright-eyed chanteuse behind St. Vincent, outside of a record store in Georgia. She was there with some family, who were laughing and pointing at the record cover for her new album "Actor," which is essentially a huge picture of her face, in the window, and urging her to go in and buy a copy.<br /><br />The cover of "Actor" can speak to the music as well. Clark is pictured staring into the distance, her eyes wide and her hair curling in every direction. The result makes her look like some sort of otherworldly fairy. This large image of her face is set against an almost garish orange background. Similarly, Clark's music is composed of her ethereal, breezy vocals over top jarring, distorted guitars and drums.<br /><br />Given her background as a former member of the Polyphonic Spree, and given that I never heard her first album "Marry Me," I expected St. Vincent to be light, poppy ballads, bordering on twee. As I mentioned before, the music is quite the contrary. First of all, it's <span style="font-style: italic;">loud</span>. While Clark's voice might be light, songs like "Actor Out Of Work" and "Save Me From What I Want" are thick with distortion and wrecking beats. After stalking YouTube, I learned that Clark is a master on the axe, and shreds live like a member of an 80's hair metal band.<br /><br />On the other hand, she does have a more restrained side. "Black Rainbow" is a hushed track that pairs Clark's voice with jabbing guitar and floating keys. Eventually, however, the song climaxes in a goopy, cinematic swamp of organ, strings, and synth.<br /><br />If "Actor" proves anything, it's that Clark is a master of both the quieter, simpler aspects of songwriting and the convoluted, complicated aspects of orchestral arrangements and production. Even on tracks like the jazzy and buoyant "Laughing With A Mouth Full Of Blood" Clark layers vocal effects, strings, stuttering drums, and a plethora of other instruments without sounding overcrowded or noisy.<br /><br />I can't wait to get more into St. Vincent's catalog after hearing "Actor." This is a truly dynamic album featuring an extremely talented songwriter and artist.Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09797878888830456306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216827738902549168.post-41137335003550648832009-05-31T13:33:00.005-04:002009-05-31T14:35:15.306-04:00New Comet Gain- "Broken Record Prayers"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://jimshorkey.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/4152_medium.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 422px; height: 422px;" src="http://jimshorkey.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/4152_medium.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />One of my biggest pet peeves is when someone talks during a song. It's supposed to seem really serious and meaningful, but to me it's just annoying. In the middle of M83's "Graveyard Girl," one of my favorite songs last summer, a girl starts talking about how the graveyard is her home or something and those few seconds almost made me hate the song. Luckily the rest is so John Hughes-y awesome that I can't throw it away. But seriously, if it weren't for the talking, I would listen to the track much, much more.<br /><br />However, I recently found one exception to the rule. I picked up Comet Gain's "Broken Record Prayers" two weeks ago, and the opening track, "Jack Nance Hair," is a talker. A girl with a thick accent recites verses about believing in art and music over strummed guitars and a light rhythm. Partway through, a boy comes in singing heartbreaking lines about "escaping movie blues." The juxtaposition of the girl's more aggressive delivery against the lo-fi music and the boy's earnest lyrics blend to create a truly sweet song that I enjoy without being distracted by all the talking. Somehow, Comet Gain stumbled upon the formula for making talking in a song not painful and awful.<br /><br />I believe this is the only song on the album with talking (I haven't listened to the whole thing thoroughly so I'm not positive though) but the rest is great as well. I'd never really heard Comet Gain before, but they make really sweet lo-fi pop songs. I can tell that I'll get a lot of listens out of "Broken Record Prayers" this summer. My favorite tracks so far, besides "Jack Nance Hair," are "You Can Hide Your Love Forever," "Books of California," and "Asleep on the Snow." Check out Comet Gain if you haven't already! I believe they have been around for a while, in which case they are very underrated.<br /><br />Listen to Comet Gain <a href="http://www.myspace.com/thecometgain">HERE</a>.Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09797878888830456306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216827738902549168.post-20021684176015664222009-05-31T13:17:00.004-04:002009-05-31T13:32:22.232-04:00Love is a Mixtape<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_x3jt0Syqdck/SiK-pSlWTcI/AAAAAAAAARQ/DBrVlBmJYos/s1600-h/DSCN3062.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 482px; height: 359px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_x3jt0Syqdck/SiK-pSlWTcI/AAAAAAAAARQ/DBrVlBmJYos/s400/DSCN3062.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342041724587232706" border="0" /></a><br />I have a LOT of playlists on my iTunes. I have a few Smart Playlists, made up of my most recent singles and another of my most recent albums, and then a third which is a combination of the two. Then I also have a few "best of" mixes to showcase the good cuts off of new albums. Plus I have quite a few "car mixes" which are different from regular mixes in that there is no mood or order- just a set of good songs that have been stuck in my head lately. The rest of my playlists are precisely curated mixes that I spend literally hours creating. I usually make one or two a season, and, depending on the quality, I'll listen to it for months afterward. Some are better than others. I still consider last summer's mix, titled "A Waste of Time," the best mixtape I've ever made. The songs on it completely define summer for me, and I think I listened to it every single day. One year later, it still isn't old.<br /><br />"A Waste of Time" includes songs from Nada Surf, Feist, Coldplay, Iron & Wine, the Whigs, Sun Kil Moon, and ten others. Since I've listened to this mix so many times, it's now difficult to listen to each song individually or in the context of its original album. I just prefer it on the mix. I worked really hard on making smooth transitions between each song, and I'm amazed that I went from Santogold to Elliott Smith in four moves, and they still sounds great and fluid together.<br /><br />I'm currently working on a new summer mix for 2009, but I don't think it will ever live up to '08's. I'll be sure to post it when it's finished, though.<br /><br />Here's a tracklist for "A Waste of Time." If you'd like me to mail you a copy, complete with homemade album art, feel free to shoot me an email.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_x3jt0Syqdck/SiK-PWWgaEI/AAAAAAAAARI/pON3aC-lsuc/s1600-h/Picture+2.png"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 263px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_x3jt0Syqdck/SiK-PWWgaEI/AAAAAAAAARI/pON3aC-lsuc/s400/Picture+2.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342041278922123330" border="0" /></a>Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09797878888830456306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216827738902549168.post-91993369980327424372009-05-31T13:16:00.000-04:002009-05-31T13:17:25.709-04:00Excuses, ExcusesThe reason I've been posting way less lately is that school has been crazy for the past few weeks. Not to worry, I'll be back in full force soon.Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09797878888830456306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216827738902549168.post-70302949432652942782009-05-24T11:44:00.004-04:002009-05-24T12:09:22.234-04:00Bruce Springsteen LIVE at the Verizon Center- 5/18/09<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_x3jt0Syqdck/ShlxLSdfxtI/AAAAAAAAARA/5jSNXLcaejw/s1600-h/DSCN5209.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_x3jt0Syqdck/ShlxLSdfxtI/AAAAAAAAARA/5jSNXLcaejw/s400/DSCN5209.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339423271972488914" border="0" /></a><br />I know this review is almost a week late, but whatever...<br /><br />The morning after Bruce Springsteen's killer performance at the Super Bowl, my friend Jenna and I ran to the newspaper room at school, logged on to a computer, and bought tickets to see his show at the Verizon Center at precisely 10:00AM. I was on the phone with my dad, who was at home, and had instructions to do the same thing, and we compared which seats each of us got. My dad was shut out, but Jenna and I nabbed tickets in the second tier. After service charges, each was about $120, which beats Kanye West for the most I've ever spent on a ticket.<br /><br />Luckily, it was worth it. I'm by no means a diehard Springsteen fan, but seeing him live was an incredible experience that even I could appreciate. Bruce and the E Street Band went on stage at about 8:20 and didn't stop playing for a full three hours. With a lot of shows, I'm ready for the set to end at about the two hour mark, but with Bruce, I could have stayed hours longer. Even with an average age of 58, the E Street Band had more energy than most college-aged dance bands. The performed wonderfully together (duh, they're all extremely talented) and they seemed to be having the time of their lives on stage.<br /><br />Based on my experience with concerts in sports arenas, I wasn't expecting too much crowd interaction. However, Bruce interacted more with the audience than bands in even the smallest venues. He shook hands, walked around the floor, and, in my favorite part of the show, took requests. People on the floor held up colorful signs with requests on them and Bruce ran around picking them up. Then, he sifted through them and chose which the band would play. The most memorable (besides "Hava Nagila," of course) was a sign that said "Jonas Brothers, Shmonas Brothers. Cool 9-year-olds like 'Out In the Street.'" Seeing this sign, Bruce called out to whoever made it, and then proceeded to lift the adorable 9-year-old girl on stage and let her sing part of the song. Jenna and I agree that this will probably be the number one moment of her life forever, surpassing her wedding day and birth of any children. She got to sing with Bruce! Nothing beats that!<br /><br />My favorite song of the show was "Rosalita," which Bruce played last after seeing a sign that said "Obama called, he wants Rosie." It was the final song of the finale, and a great way to end the night.<br /><br />Despite loving the show, I have two main gripes. First of all, the sound was a bit muddy, especially in the beginning. Instruments bled into each other making some songs relatively unlistenable. The sound either improved as the night went on, or I stopped caring. My second complaint is that "Working On A Dream" is a pretty bad album, and every time the band played cuts from it, it was clear that people just cared less. Boo.<br /><br />Anyway...great show, great experience. I can now cross "See Bruce Springsteen" off my Life List. But before I do that I need to add "See Bruce Springsteen Again."<br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"><b>Setlist:<br /> </b>Badlands<br /> No Surrender<br /> Outlaw Pete<br /> She's the One<br /> Working on a Dream<br /> Seeds<br /> Johnny 99<br /> The Ghost of Tom Joad<br /> Raise Your Hand<br /> </span><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Out in the Street<br /> Little Latin Lupe Lu<br /> Hava Nagila/Blinded By the Light<br /> Waitin' on a Sunny Day<br /> The Promised Land<br /> The Wrestler<br /> Kingdom of Days<br /> Radio Nowhere<br /> Lonesome Day<br /> The Rising<br /> Born to Run<br /> * * *<br /> Hard Times<br /> Kitty's Back<br /> Land of Hope and Dreams<br /> American Land<br /> </span><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Rosalita</span>Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09797878888830456306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216827738902549168.post-38420957416915692752009-05-24T11:29:00.003-04:002009-05-24T11:43:09.039-04:00Summer Concert Schedule<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_x3jt0Syqdck/Shlq9Zy9xqI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/YzCcDFpog-o/s1600-h/0407082046.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_x3jt0Syqdck/Shlq9Zy9xqI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/YzCcDFpog-o/s400/0407082046.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339416436353648290" border="0" /></a><br />I've got a really fun summer lined up with cool internships and a job for three weeks at my favorite place in the world, a camp in Pennsylvania. In addition, I am seeing quite a few concerts. Here's the list so far...<br /><br />June 8|| The Decemberists w/ Andrew Bird<br />June 9|| TV on the Radio w/ the Dirty Projectors<br />June 11|| Taylor Swift<br />July 8|| Wilco w/ Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band<br />July 11|| Bugs Bunny Live!<br />July 29|| Fleet Foxes<br />July 30|| M. Ward<br />August 5|| Slightly Stoopid w/ Snoop Dogg<br />August 7|| O.A.R. w/ Matt Nathanson<br />August 15|| Phish<br /><br />Pretty much all of those, except for Fleet Foxes, are definites. Hopefully I'll also see the Killers, Rock the Bells, and anything else that comes up. Plus I might see Passion Pit instead of TVOTR if I can find someone to go with me...Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09797878888830456306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216827738902549168.post-26200777391461422562009-05-22T18:20:00.002-04:002009-05-22T18:27:45.725-04:00A Plethora of MGMT CoversYou know how every year there are a few songs that EVERYBODY feels the need to cover? In the past, such songs have included Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy" and Rihanna's "Umbrella." Lately, I've been seeing a lot of MGMT covers. Even though "Oracular Spectacular" has been out for over a year, it's only recently started to hit the mainstream. Thus, Katy Perry and Weezer have felt inclined to put their stamp on "Electric Feel" and "Kids," respectively. As expected, the Katy Perry one sucks and the Weezer one is passable. Also I'm throwing in a cover of "Electric Feel" that a bunch of sophomores did at my school's talent show.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.box.net/shared/static/n2jy0vfqnr.mp3">Electric Feel (MGMT cover)- Katy Perry</a><br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/AFh5nazLiYI&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/AFh5nazLiYI&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/55iunYue-l8&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/55iunYue-l8&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09797878888830456306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216827738902549168.post-14096181725910917052009-05-16T15:08:00.004-04:002009-05-16T15:19:22.548-04:00New Live Coldplay- LeftRightLeftRightLeft<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_x3jt0Syqdck/Sg8RtTe34YI/AAAAAAAAAQw/H6KxWWNjEzM/s1600-h/Picture+2.png"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 340px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_x3jt0Syqdck/Sg8RtTe34YI/AAAAAAAAAQw/H6KxWWNjEzM/s400/Picture+2.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336503553478877570" border="0" /></a><br />Coldplay just kicked off yet <span style="font-style: italic;">another</span> tour, signifying the third Viva La Vida tour I have not been able to attend. I have a theory that the bands hates me. For last summer's tour, I was able to go, but then they rescheduled to the day after I left to work in PA. For their fall tour, the show was the night before I had to take the SAT. This time around, it's on a Thursday night the same week that I'm seeing Bruce Springsteen (my parents don't let me see concerts on weeknighs, so Bruce is a big deal) and the same night as my school's Spring Fair, which I help organize. So yeah, they hate me.<br /><br />For this tour, Chris Martin & Co. put together a live album called "LeftRightLeftRightLeft," which they will be giving away for free at shows and for free download for those they hate/can't attend. I just downloaded it this morning and I loooove it. I am an unabashed Coldplay fan and as someone who has only heard stories of their live show (After I missed last summer's tour, my friend sent me a pages long email complete with setlist, her song-by-song review, and a link to videos. It's why we're friends.) this album will have to do. It's great to hear them sounding so good live, and the crowd seems really into it (necessary). I'm so glad that they included "Strawberry Swing," which might be my favorite track off of "Viva La Vida" (it's definitely my most-listened).<br /><br />Download it now <a href="http://www.coldplay.com/lrlrl/lr.html">HERE</a>.<br /><br />The link's been a bit testy, but I'm sure if you google around, you can find a torrent of it.Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09797878888830456306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216827738902549168.post-34547125191346521452009-05-16T14:05:00.005-04:002009-05-16T15:01:15.591-04:00Passion Pit vs. MGMT<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dragonflydrinks.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/passion-pitjpg.jpeg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 454px; height: 334px;" src="http://dragonflydrinks.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/passion-pitjpg.jpeg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />While MGMT's "Oracular Spectacular" was one of the best reviewed albums last year, but looking back, I'm not sure if it deserved all of the praise. "Kids," "Time to Pretend," and "Electric Feel" were all awesome songs (I'd put "Kids" as one of the Top 10 of 2008), but as a whole, the album was a bit spotty. I think that if some tracks were looked at in a test tube, completely separated from the hype of the album, they wouldn't be as well-received. The second half of "Oracular" just feels repetetive- I would personally have enjoyed the album much more if they stopped at "Kids." The first five songs are by far the strongest. Another gripe I have about MGMT is their concern with image. I know a lot of rock n' roll is about image, but I feel that they are so concerned with maintaining status as trippy hippies who never give interviewers straight answers that they don't care if they half-ass an album. They have confidence that hipsters wearing face paint and feathers will still show up for their shows and rave about their records and videos (which consistantly push the bar on ridiculous/bizarre).<br /><br />This brings me to my next point. Passion Pit, currently one of the most buzzed-about bands around, have been compared a lot to MGMT. I see the resemblance in that both craft trippy electronic jams, but so far, I prefer Passion Pit. PP is much more polished than MGMT, and it seems like they care much more about the quality of the music they put out. Last year's "Chunk of Change" EP didn't have a bad song on it- and "Sleepyhead" was simply mind-blowing. Based on that EP alone, they're only 4 songs short of matching MGMT's repetoire. With PP's album "Manners" to be released Tuesday (May 19), many tracks have already leaked to the web. And, not surprisingly, each is a gem. "Moth's Wings" is an almost-anthemic joint that seamlessly blends organic vocals and beats with synthetic dribbles and drones. "Little Secrets" kicks off like the soundtrack to a vintage Nintendo game and then becomes a syrupy sing-along banger. The last song I've heard off of "Manners" is "The Reeling," a thumping jam with breezy vocals and heavy synths overlapping a thrashing beat. Each of these songs is just so well-crafted; they set Passion Pit miles above MGMT. [Plus, in reference to my complaint about MGMT's image concern, Passion Pit just look like a group of regular guys trying to make some good songs. Can't complain.]<br /><br /><a href="http://www.whaleinacubicle.com/files/PP_MW.mp3">Moth's Wings- Passion Pit</a><br /><a href="http://www.whaleinacubicle.com/files/PP_LS.mp3">Little Secrets- Passion Pit</a><br /><a href="http://www.letssexyfighting.com/media/sleepyhead.mp3">Sleepyhead- Passion Pit</a>Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09797878888830456306noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216827738902549168.post-14017212899965187612009-05-15T20:16:00.004-04:002009-05-15T20:32:36.761-04:00Adventures in Atlanta<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/Saltlick/Sub02/AnnieClark02.jpg?t=1242433793"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 335px; height: 333px;" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/Saltlick/Sub02/AnnieClark02.jpg?t=1242433793" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />My sister graduated from college last weekend, so my family went down to Atlanta. Here's my weekend in music:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Most listened album:</span> Only Way To Be Alone- Good Old War (runner-up: It's Blitz!- Yeah Yeah Yeahs)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Most listened song:</span> Hysteric- Yeah Yeah Yeahs (runner-up: Glad Girls- Guided By Voices)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Songs heard performed by an a capella group: </span>I think about 8, including Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," Chris Brown's "Kiss Kiss," and Blackstreet's "No Diggity."<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Record Stores Visited: </span>One- <a href="http://decaturcd.blogspot.com/">Decatur CD</a>. It was a pretty cool little shop. Mostly CD's, but also a fairly good collection of new and noteworthy vinyl. The walls were covered in signed Wilco posters, which, in my book, is enough to make me love a store.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Albums bought:</span> Just one, and not even a full album- Fleet Foxes's new Mykonos 7''.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Artists Met:</span> One- Annie Clark of St. Vincent! After buying the Fleet Foxes 7'' at <a href="http://decaturcd.blogspot.com/">Decatur CD</a>, I was waiting outside for my dad and brother to finish up. A group of four or five (including an adorable baby!) were walking past and they started laughing and pointing to something inside the store. I had a weird feeling I recognized one of the women, and once one of the men said, "Hey Annie, it's you!" [in reference to her face, plastered on the front of her fantastic new album "Actor"] I knew it was in fact St. Vincent. When I asked if she was, they all laughed and said yes. The whole group was very friendly and left me smiling. I was definitely starstruck! And yes, Annie is as pretty in person as she is on the covers of her albums.Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09797878888830456306noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216827738902549168.post-20281352735991596922009-05-13T22:16:00.003-04:002009-05-13T22:20:33.298-04:00SAVE PASTE<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.deathcabforcutie.com/app/webroot/images/BenPasteCover2008.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 299px; height: 408px;" src="http://www.deathcabforcutie.com/app/webroot/images/BenPasteCover2008.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />One of my favorite music magazines, Paste, is lacking in funds. I've been a subscriber for a few years now and I would say that of all the magazines I read, Paste most closely follows my music taste.<br /><br />SO. Donate now, and help save this great magazine! No matter how much you donate, you get entered in contests to win sweet stuff and you get 70 free, unreleased or rare MP3's from artists such as She & Him, Umphrey's McGee, and the Avett Brothers.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.pastemagazine.com/paste/the-campaign-to-save-paste.html">DONATE<br />DONATE<br />DONATE</a>Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09797878888830456306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216827738902549168.post-36500945511646534212009-05-13T14:45:00.002-04:002009-05-13T14:47:51.468-04:00Stream Wilco (the album)!!!!!!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_x3jt0Syqdck/SgsVyKUv1VI/AAAAAAAAAQo/TQ_V4lVIZcA/s1600-h/Picture+1.png"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 373px; height: 374px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_x3jt0Syqdck/SgsVyKUv1VI/AAAAAAAAAQo/TQ_V4lVIZcA/s400/Picture+1.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335382135059502418" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">TODAY IS A GREAT DAY.</span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://beta.wilcoworld.net/records/thealbum/index.php">STREAM IT NOW.</a>Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09797878888830456306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216827738902549168.post-77935013706805954892009-05-12T18:03:00.005-04:002009-05-12T18:21:50.145-04:00Access HollywoodMy school's talent show is a really big deal. The school and crew spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on lighting and sound equipment. This trend began in 2004, when senior Andrew Maury, the director (the entire production is student-run), decided to make the best show ever. His theme was "I Want My MTV,” and the three-night sell-out show blew everybody away. Since then, “I Want My MTV” has been the show to beat.<br /><br />This year’s theme was “Access Hollywood,” and I would say that it is one of the best since Andrew’s. The bands this year were awesome, across the board, and every style of music was represented. People played everything from Radiohead, Jason Mraz, and blink-182 to the Swell Season and Old Crow Medicine Show.<br /><br />Below is the playlist of the songs bands played. That’s all…<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_x3jt0Syqdck/Sgn2c8SgllI/AAAAAAAAAQg/x19N3By7OUo/s1600-h/Picture+2.png"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 157px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_x3jt0Syqdck/Sgn2c8SgllI/AAAAAAAAAQg/x19N3By7OUo/s400/Picture+2.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335066210677593682" border="0" /></a><br /><br />***I'll write more on Andrew Maury at a later date. He's gone on to be the sound technician for Ra Ra Riot and a member of the Remix Artist Collective.Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09797878888830456306noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216827738902549168.post-40334125741099454292009-04-26T19:08:00.001-04:002009-04-26T19:08:52.525-04:00TWO WEEK HIATUSsee ya soon.Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09797878888830456306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216827738902549168.post-36363496233885477812009-04-25T11:11:00.004-04:002009-04-25T11:26:38.683-04:00The Lemonheads, Before Sunrise<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/9879/image020kj5.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 445px; height: 301px;" src="http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/9879/image020kj5.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I'm halfway through watching Richard Linklater's 1995 talkfest, "Before Sunrise." I've never seen it before, but so far I love it. Last night I watched the trailer (I am obsessed with movie trailers, I have to see one for every movie I watch. Sorry.) and I noticed a really good song about halfway through. After some thorough Googling and scouring through YouTube comments, I discovered that the song in question is "Into Your Arms" by the Lemonheads.<br /><br />The Lemonheads is one of those bands that I am always reading about and being told to listen to, but I never get around to doing it. Last night I got their album "It's A Shame About Ray" after also downloading "Into Your Arms." So far, I've given it two listens and I loooove it. This is just the kind of music I like. Really basic alternative rock with hooky choruses and good lyrics. They remind me a bit of The Dismemberment Plan and R.E.M.- definitely a product of the 90's.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.addictedtovinyl.com/media/lhjul494/11%20Into%20Your%20Arms%20%20(live).mp3">Into Your Arms (Live)- The Lemonheads</a><br /><a href="http://www.addictedtovinyl.com/media/lhjul494/03%20It%27s%20A%20Shame%20About%20Ray%20%20(live).mp3">It's A Shame About Ray (Live)- The Lemonheads</a>Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09797878888830456306noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216827738902549168.post-77167861535503206472009-04-23T23:01:00.003-04:002009-04-23T23:26:06.226-04:00Ten Questions with Joe Pug<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.joepugmusic.com/images/img8444.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 369px; height: 246px;" src="http://www.joepugmusic.com/images/img8444.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I love me a good singer-songwriter, but I'm the first one to admit that sometimes all of those "next-Dylans" start to blur together. Everybody has good lyrics, everybody's got a good-bad voice, and everybody strums their acoustic guitar with their heart on their flannel sleeve.<br /><br />However, Joe Pug is different. He is not just a good singer-songwriter, he is a great singer-songwriter, and easily the best I've heard in a long, long time. A few years ago, Pug left the University of North Carolina, where he was studying to be a playwright, and drove to Chicago to pursue a music career. His experience as a writer first is very apparent through the weary, earnest lyrics found on his EP, "Nation of Heat." The best thing about Pug's music, in my opinion, is his world-worn voice, which drifts effortlessly from strained despair to smooth, fluid intensity.<br /><br />On "Hymn #101," my favorite track off the EP, Pug is accompanied only by a finger-picked acoustic guitar. However, this does not keep him from matching the emotional resonance of the most epic anthem.<br /><br />I had a chance to ask Joe Pug a few questions, so I sent him one of my favorite question sets- James Lipton's from "Inside The Actor's Studio."<br /><br />1. What is your favorite word? <span style="font-weight: bold;">Fortune.</span><br /><br />2. What is your least favorite word? <span style="font-weight: bold;">Organic.</span><br /><br />3. What turns you on? <span style="font-weight: bold;">Thighs.</span><br /><br />4. What turns you off? <span style="font-weight: bold;">Speaking without thinking.</span><br /><br />5. What is your favorite curse word? <span style="font-weight: bold;">Whore.</span><br /><br />6. What sound or noise do you love? <span style="font-weight: bold;">The sound of fresh bills being counted.</span><br /><br />7. What sound or noise do you hate? <span style="font-weight: bold;">Police sirens.</span><br /><br />8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? <span style="font-weight: bold;">Point guard in the NBA developmental league.</span><br /><br />9. What profession would you not like to attempt? <span style="font-weight: bold;">Cold-call sales.</span><br /><br />10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? <span style="font-weight: bold;">"Bravo!"</span><i><br /><br /></i>Thanks Joe!<i><br /></i><br />For more on Joe Pug, check out his:<br /><a href="http://www.joepugmusic.com/home.html">WEBSITE</a><br /><a href="http://www.myspace.com/thejoepug">MYSPACE</a><br />or....<br />catch him on tour (for DC folks, he'll be at the Black Cat on May 14!)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.joepugmusic.com/audio/JOE_PUG-Hymn_101mp3.mp3">Hymn 101- Joe Pug</a>Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09797878888830456306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216827738902549168.post-15952207108858055932009-04-23T18:46:00.003-04:002009-04-23T19:13:17.392-04:00Warmer Weather<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_x3jt0Syqdck/SfD11wzySTI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/s4a5Ju3L-_4/s1600-h/DSCN4748.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_x3jt0Syqdck/SfD11wzySTI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/s4a5Ju3L-_4/s320/DSCN4748.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328028663163275570" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The weather is getting much, much warmer and with sunnier days comes sunnier music. Here's some of what I've been listening to lately, or just general songs I associate with summertime.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.canyouseethesunset.com/music/1990s/026_rusted_root_send_me_on_my_way.mp3">Send Me On My Way- Rusted Root</a><br /><a href="http://www.upload-mp3.com/files/29095_3uhwv/04%207%20Stars.m4a">7 Stars- The Apples In Stereo</a><br /><a href="http://boxstr.com/files/3620505_hq7ma/Coldplay-StrawberrySwing.mp3">Strawberry Swing- Coldplay</a><br /><a href="http://www.upload-mp3.com/files/29096_pcohr/01%20Ramona.mp3">Ramona- Guster</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_x3jt0Syqdck/SfD11Uh-YoI/AAAAAAAAAQA/Xy9Ys8DCD-E/s1600-h/DSCN4605.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_x3jt0Syqdck/SfD11Uh-YoI/AAAAAAAAAQA/Xy9Ys8DCD-E/s320/DSCN4605.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328028655572378242" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://download.yousendit.com/9AD153BC15CE3693">All At Sea- Jamie Cullum</a><br /><a href="http://download.yousendit.com/CB62496E75E23CC6">The Joker- Steve Miller Band</a><br /><a href="http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/9/3/2079234/01%20Better%20Together.mp3">Better Together- Jack Johnson</a><br /><a href="http://www.snuhfiles.com/sound/third_eye_blind-semi-charmed_life.mp3">Semi-Charmed Life- Third Eye Blind</a><br /><a href="http://www.upload-mp3.com/files/29125_g9jz2/10%20Closet.mp3">Closet- Pete Yorn</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_x3jt0Syqdck/SfD11grG7uI/AAAAAAAAAQI/kLssjT7DXAU/s1600-h/DSCN2869.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_x3jt0Syqdck/SfD11grG7uI/AAAAAAAAAQI/kLssjT7DXAU/s320/DSCN2869.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328028658831912674" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Cbr"></a>Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09797878888830456306noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216827738902549168.post-82639744346548862082009-04-22T22:36:00.003-04:002009-04-22T23:12:32.960-04:00I'm The New Blue Mood, I'm The Great White Hope<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.lostateminor.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/the_national_boxer.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 440px; height: 220px;" src="http://www.lostateminor.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/the_national_boxer.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Two years after its release, The National's "Boxer" still floors me. I think it's one of the best albums I've ever heard. The songwriting is incredible; not only are the lyrics some of my favorites (I can't decipher them for my life, but the way they put their words together just sounds so good), but I find the composition and arrangements of instrumentals sounds almost classical in form. Rather than being just a guitar band or a keyboard band, The National utilize every instrument in their arsenal. "Fake Empire" is rooted in a rich piano strain, "Mistaken for Strangers" builds on jagged, industrial guitar, "Green Gloves" is atmospheric and acoustic, and thumping, rapid drums fuel "Squalor Victoria."<br /><br />Anyway, before last year I had never listened to any of The National's music besides "Boxer." I think I loved "Boxer" so much, I was afraid that anything else I heard would not live up it. However, I finally got around to buying the "Cherry Tree" EP and "Alligator." While both are less polished than "Boxer," the roughness does not at all detract from the pure beauty of the music. Off "Cherry Tree," "About Today" is my favorite. Off "Alligator," I have "Mr. November" on repeat. Also, I am obsessed with "So Far Around the Bend," The National's track from the fantastic compilation "Dark Was The Night" (which the band was instrumental in organizing).<br /><br /><a href="http://all-things-go.net/ATG/mixtapes/canna4/10_About_Today.mp3">About Today- The National</a><br /><a href="http://www.beggarsgroupusa.com/mp3/thenational_sofararoundthebend.mp3">So Far Around the Bend- The National</a><br /><a href="http://cemusicblog.com/mp3/Nov08/04/13%20Mr.%20November.mp3">Mr. November- The National</a>Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09797878888830456306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216827738902549168.post-6991590481418230182009-04-22T22:34:00.000-04:002009-04-22T22:35:25.531-04:00Lisztomania/Breakfast ClubThis is PEEEERFECT.<br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/qtRQsCgYmtc&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/qtRQsCgYmtc&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09797878888830456306noreply@blogger.com0