No. 240: Briefly

Epic fail on that whole music thing.
Here's five more songs, enjoy them when you can.

• Grace/ Phil Wickham- gorgeous music. His voice is like the guy from Muse, if he weren't annoying. His newer album isn't bad but I don't know it as well.
  
• A Quick One While He's Away/ The Who- B/c Greg didn't know this song and everyone should. My personal favorite part of the song is the "cellocelllocellocello cellocellocellocello" in the middle, where their manager wouldn't hire an actual cellist.
  
• End of the World/ R.E.M. - THAT'S GREAT it starts with an earth-quake/birds snakes and airplanes/ lenny bruce is not afraid.
  
• The Ocean/ Led Zeppelin- it's just a really great song.
  
• California / Joni Mitchell- it's warm weather music, honoring yesterday's gorgeous sunshine. Joni reminds me of the summer w/ the hippies, driving around eating pho and listening to records. It makes me long to go to Santa Cruz or at least Santa Barbara to visit Nick. I miss the beach.

Busy week. Mac came for a surprise visit. Work tomorrow, papers to write, lots of reading to do. Helping Carlos with the next stage of his film. One day the man will be famous and pay me back for gas.

My latest short story isn't as good as I was hoping it would be and now I'm having all these doubts about my entire career shorts and that I have any talent at all. I've also been looking into grad schools for M.A.s in Systematic and Historical Theology. Or Florida State for writing (they'll pay). Or SCAD for screen writing. Blech. I'm praying fervently for guidance.

Have a joyous week, kiddies.

HS

no. 239: music day

Wednesday is going to be music day. 5 songs you should listen to delivered each week on Wednesdays.

1. (Nothing But) Flowers by Talking Heads - Rediscovered this by random today when uploading music to Fred's iPod. It's so fun. All RISD kis, btw.
2. Love and Happiness by Al Green- It was on the episode of House Matt and I watched last night. Second season, I think, where the cute blond girl is poisoning her husband with gold. Suuuch a great song. The opening notes are some of my favorite in all of music history. It promises to you that you are going to enjoy what's coming.
   
3. Woke Up This Morning (Chosen One Mix) by Alabama 3- You know this to be the Sopranos theme song. The original isn't as compelling, I think. The beat is so great though, and as the theme song, it goes up against what are arguably the best opening credits to any show ever. Excepting maybe House.
4. My Girls by Animal Collective- Reason why this song is awesome: "I don't mean/to seem like I care about/ material things/ (like my social stats)/ I just want/ four walls and adobe slats/ for my girls!"
5. Song Of Hope by Robbie Seay Band- One of my favorite worship songs. "Just to know that you are near is enough". It's a good reminder that we're not left by ourselves down here.
   

Now, I should go work on my short story..... so... I'm going to do that. Right now. Riiiight now.

hs

No. 236: shiny shiny

My parents are awesome and got me a new MacBook b/c my old laptop had reached the end of its glorious life. Goodbye, PC.
The world of Mac is at once confusing and simple. I love hotkeys. I love them. Carlos spent a good hour telling me stuff about my computer and I'm totally sold. Neil keeps telling Mom that she should replace her old PC with a Mac instead of a Dell. If you know my Mom, plug the Mac as well. I was so skeptical about Mac, so when people insult my new computer (cough Sam), I have to sympathize with them. But go check it out before you judge. It's lovey. And it comes with chess.

I've done really nothing today except eat an egg, read some Shakespeare and play on this thing. Dad soundly beat me at chess a couple of times. I'm never going to get good but for some reason I still enjoy playing. Scrabble is another game which has sucked me in but I find I'm actually able to win that sometimes. Fred was supposed to come up today but he's not feeling good and the weather is crap for walking around anyway, so here I sit in my comfy chair, waiting until I feel like dropping off my paper @ Dell House and going over to Jenny's to finish my laundry.

Jen and Bob are getting married tomorrow, congrats. Sunday: St. Patty's Day parade in Baltimore. Come up and have a good time with me!

Spoon is playing in PA. Greg, Carlos and I were gonna try to get tickets. If not to that show, then Of Montreal is also coming and I'd really like to see them. I'm still hoping a miracle is gonna snag me Animal Collective tix. A girl can dream.


HS

No. 234: He's going down to the boulevard

I'm currently using Linux. Dad learned is opened it on my computer to see what I thought. I dont' hate it, but I feel like it would annoy me in the end, not to be able to have things the way I want them. But the rumour is that I could make them the way I want them. anyway... it's interesting. and kudos to you Greg for being right about it.

i have to give mad props to Nora (my mad props receiver of the week) and Greg for their radio show. Last night's set was really good, actually. I get to guest DJ next week (4 songs of rediscovered awesome) so check it out: WJHU Radio.

kendall's coming up for some weekend in baltimore adventuring. hopefully i can keep her entertained. i'm excessively broke. it's almost frightening at this point. but i have a job and if i actually do some work, soon I'll have some money. ah money. the love of which is the root of all evil, they say. the sopranos illustrate this principle really well.

tips:
- ginger beer is delicious
- linus is alright
- adding a boiled egg or two to ramen makes it much more appetizing.
- "burning photographs" by ryan adams

hs

No. 230: Fans

"You ain't got the slang but you got the face to play the role"..i.

Had lunch with Josh @ Chipotle today. It's nice to connect with people I usually associate with Columbia in places other than Columbia. Hopefully I'll get to chill with Anna up here soon. Josh called me out on some things, which for some reason didn't bother me at all. He's one of the people I can look in the face, admit I was wrong, say "it is what it is" and have that be that. Columbia houses an inordinate number of people who can do that with me. My mother and maybe Tess are the only other people I can think of outside of that.

Why do we have such a hard time owning up to our faults? I definitely have trouble with mine sometimes. Recently I've gotten better about it though. There are things wrong with me. That's just that. The Lord is working on my heart regarding many of those things. Some of them I'm not ready to let go of yet, however, and I know that's to my detriment. I don't know about this 100%, but most of the time, I'm ready to admit that. Sometimes I care too much about what other people think and sometimes I dont' care enough. Sometimes my mouth runs away with me. Sometimes I don't think it through. My temper can be totally irrational. If 80% of the people I care about said any of those things to me, I would be totally fine with it because it is what it is!

A week ago Kend all and I started ragging on Jordan and he got mad and stormed off. I meant to apologize but didn't and then forgot about the whole thing. I didn't think about it until today when Matt mentioned him. When I said I'd forogotten to apologize, he said that Jordan wasn't necessarily mad at me, but his opinion of me had changed. That bugged me so much. I think it's because I let my mouth get in the way when the only reason I was raggin' him in the first place is because I care about him and don't want him to get in his own way. I need to apologize, but I got to the place today after this irked me for about an hour, that if he still felt that way, then I was better off not caring. It just proves the point about which we were arguing in the first place. I do like him an awful lot though and it sucks to lose friends over ridiculous things.

It's so cold. And icey. I hate ice. I've almost fallen about 40 times in the last 2 days. Still- it's gorgeous and I know there will probably be a point this summer where I'm sweating and miserable and I think, "I wish all of this was covered in ice". But I doubt it. I'm ready for a beach.

Dinner @ Dad's tonight and sorting my rent, etc. Hopefully getting a air card for my computer internet (which hopefully won't mess with my PS3 hook up). Then either going dancing with Maddie G or coming home to fall immediately asleep. Worked out for the first time in 6 months today and it was rough. Tomorrow I'm either going to go hang out in Columbia or go home for the weekend. Who knows. I hate making plans lately.

I've been listening to the same music as usual. It's getting old. I need some new hip hop (other than Biggie, its mostly been Danger Doom or Mos Def) and a good rock band that doesn't bore me. Revisiting The Strokes has been good, though. I'm babbling now.

HS.

no. 229: 11 o'clock and all's well

desperately needing the right music to fall asleep to and not getting it quite right with pandora, i went to a newer source: musicovery.com (interactive webRadio). it's pretty good. anyway, it provided me with "three o'clock blues" a collaborative tune with mr. B.B. King and mr. Eric Clapton-- two of my favorite guitarists. anyway, it's stellar and you should check it out.

obama was inaugurated today, as i'm sure you know if you're, you know... reading this. it was amazing and i will admit to a few tears. for the most part, though, i'm wondering how much MONEY was just like... thrown away... for that party. anyway. i was distracted with my symbolist poem which turned out not exactly right, and the fact that i just wanted to hug W. around the torso and sob, "you can go home now, you poor silly man". congrats to our new POTUS and co. don't screw us too hard.

two more classes, both workshops, in the intersession class. it was more work than i wanted to do but i'm actually glad i took it. i've been writing all day and the TA was most excellent, despite what seemed to be a need to overcompensate for her insecurity with arrogant authority-- but they're all sort of like that, i've found, and i am sure that if i one day serve my time i'll do the same thing. maybe.

now i'm going to bed. hopefully going to see rissa/abby/anna tomorrow. and greg comes back to charm city. carlos on thursday, which means my main chill unit will be complete. then the second, harder semester starts.

hs.

No. 220: and in the end...

in 12 hours, i have a final. the last thing of the semester. woo hoo!
but tomorrow morning will be cramming a serious amount of coffee and wordsworth in to my head. sigh. just gotta make it past saturday 3pm. then it's all fun and games.
Fred and mom sent me fruit and potted herbs. hilarious.

cool website of the day: www.musicovery.com

-hs

No. 196: in terms of music

This is a rough review.

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/node/145831

Pitchfork is mean.

-H

No. 174: twenty.. something

Okay.

So today I'm 20 years old.
19 was a completely worthless age. Not the greatest year of my life either. Not totally miserable, but not superfantabulous.
Hopefully this one will be better, although 20, aside from an exit from "that teenage feeling", offers me nothing. Not legal drinking, not the ability to rent a car. Just double decades and only one "e".
In the words of the Mountain Goats, "I am gonna make it through this year/ if it kills me".
Last night was a lot of fun. Went to "Submarine to Sebastian's Under the Sea" (otherwise known as Rocket to Venus) with Mike and Dave and Dom and his girlfriend Alyson, and "Little" Sterling. Dave and I ordered Brussel sprouts and sliders... delish.

And now I'm at work, but both of my bosses are out of the office. I don't really want to stick around until Jean gets back and thinks up something for me to do, but I feel totally lame coming in for twenty minutes, doing nothing and leaving. I'm going to go ask Edit if they have anything. Then I'm gonna bail.

Mum and everyone come home today from the DR. Very exciting. I missed them.

Oh, and also: Check out the Bake Sale EP by the Cool Kids. "Basement Party" is (in the words of the recently black Mike Normyle) "chron".

Cheers.
H.

160: my sense of humor's void and null

and I'm bored to tears.

download "consolers of the lonely" by the raconteurs.
do it now.

cheers.

No. 159: u.s.

The first day back in the States was pretty sweet, let me just say.
Woke up, made myself some tea and yogurt and then talked to Mom-- one of the most surreal conversations I've ever had. But much needed.
Then I got ready.
Ben picked me up and we got lunch at Whole Foods and talked (first time I've seen the kid in 3 years. It was a whole day of surreality, let's just say that). Got coffee at Murky (YAY! I missed that place so much) and then went grocery shopping for Mum. Hilarious. Came back, went to Frontline with the family. Afterwards Ben and I went to Jammin' Java where Chris was running sound and met up with Kendall who is recently back from Greece. It was SO good to see KP, whose 19th birthday is today.
Today marks another occasion of les temps perdu, but I'm not giving it more than a passing thought. Which is now passed.
I hope to get a pedicure today, hopefully with Kendall. Then hair cut at 2:30 (YES!) and maybe hanging with Ben. Want to visit with other people but I've got to work distances and times. Gas is absurd now. $4.07? I mean, it's less expensive than in England, but in England I wasn't driving! Blech. I feel like I've got to go get a $1 Big Gulp just to remind myself of how inexpensive the States are and regain some perspective.

Finished The Rum Diary on the plane and started reading Under the Net by Iris Murdoch, which this far is a little obvious but really good. The narrator is extremely likable and most of the descriptions are entertaining. As a good philosopher, I expect her to be a good analyst of persona, so I think her characters are going to be really good. More so than I'd expect from a novel by say... Kant. Anyway: the songs.

1. Heart// Stars: I listened to my entire collection of the Stars (all three original albums and then Do You Trust Your Friends) while I was going from the res to the V&A to the Tate Britain and then the two hours I sat in the cafeteria of the Tate Britain researching Degas. I like this song the best.
2. Homeward Bound// Simon & Garfunkel: Because I went home last week and it was all I could think of on the plane.
3. God Save the Queen// The Sex Pistols: Bought the authorized "autobiography" of The Sex Pistols by John Lydon aka Johnny Rotten in a music store in Oxford for 3 pounds. Read the first three chapters on the bus ride back. It's great writing. Like Dylan's in its erratics, but you know-- English.
4. Somewhere Only We Know// Keane: Frank and I were singing this to each other when we made a brief trip into Accessorize. It's the Claire's of London. They played old pop hits and we got mad dramatic.
5. Believe// Cher: This. Is. My. Jam. JK. But the girls and I were all talking about how we all have our individual nostalgia moments with this song. Mine is with Mum, in the Cabrio, top down on the way to school every morning for like a month when it first came out on CD. Hilarious. Anyway, it was playing as we walked into our favorite London pub, Henry J.'s the last night we were in London. We were all shocked and then Frank took a video of me diva-singing it, which I hope never sees the light of Facebook.
6. A Foggy Day in London Town // Michael Buble: Obvious. Plus it was all I could hear in my head the whole time we were in the British Museum.
7. Rewind // Paolo Nutini: Off the P.S. I Love You soundtrack. But I'm not going to lie, I kind of love him. This song is mad gorgeous, though.

and there's that.
Cheers, H.

No. 158: Home!

Got back last night. Unpacked, started laundry, saw Kathryn, talked to folk.
So good to see Mom and Fred.
SO good to take a long, lux shower in a big bathroom.
SOO good to sleep in my bed, which has no perceptible coil-pokeage and I don't feel constantly at risk of falling out of.

Woke up to a gorgeous summer morning, read some Bible (something I haven't done in a long time and I think was moved to do by a late night conversation with Ben-- he's oddly inspiring, which after 3 years is sort of unexpected).

Now I just want to be awake at home, you know? It's early and I should still probably be sleeping, but I don't think it's jet lag that woke me up. I'm just excited to be home.

Need to call the Marylander today and figure out my rent and I need t o call Vidal and get a hair cut b/c I look like a strange mop head, hippie.
It's so HOT here, but it doesn't bother me b/c it was so friggin' chilly in London all the time.

I'm doing the songs tomorrow, b/c really, I don't feel like sitting in front of this computer any more.

Mwah!
It's good to be home.

H.

No. 154: big red buses, etc.

London is a weird, weird place. It's a gagillion people with not a lot of money pretending they have as much money as the 10% that do. It's very NYC in that way. Going to Brighton was wonderful and I wish we were staying there. Much more like Baltimore. Still expensive, but really very friendly and bright and bohemian. If Dad's up for it, I'm going to try to take him next weekend or something. I've never been so glad to have my father in my area and am really excited he's coming. Hopefully we can have a few meals, even though he'll be going up to Cambridge for a stint.
Today we went to Spittlesfiled Market which is AMAZING and I spent a bunch of money. Got some gifts, though, so I don't feel horrid about it. Plus I've been trying to be really good about spending. Everything is so friggin' expensive though.

In any case, I feel bad about being so remiss in my song postings. I thought about just skipping last week all together, but the idea is to have 365 songs by the end of the year, and having that one random week wherein I was a lazybehind is just stupid. So here's a double header. I'm not explaining any but a few of them, b/c it's 10pm here and I want to read and go to sleep so I can be a functioning human for class tomorrow.

I miss everyone terribly and hope everyone is having a great break. Congrats to the graduates!

1. Between the Lines// Atmosphere
2. Tears in Heaven// Eric Clapton: Kathryn and I saw a kid playing this insanely well on guitar today in the Tube station. It was amazing and we both started singing along and then sighed at how sad a story it is.
   
3. Moped// Thao Nguyen
4. About Her// Malcom McLaren
5. When You're Falling// Afro Celt Sound System ft. Peter Gabriel
6. If I Ever Leave This World Alive// Flogging Molly: This was in P.S. I Love You, which I watched on the plane (which was a bad idea b/c it's the saddest movie ever).
   
7. Love You Til the End// The Pogues: see above.

Set II:

1. Some Things Last a Long Time// Beach House (thanks for the referral M.G.)
   
2. Blackbird// The Beatles: The aforementioned kid played this right after.
3. Marketfresh//Broken Social Scene: Sat outside of Westminster Abbey, writing and listening to these guys and the Books. It was amazing.
4. Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps//Cake
5. Typical Situation// Dave Matthews Band
6. A Sunday Smile// Beirut
7. Blame it on the Tetons// Modest Mouse

and that's about it.

-H

No. 150: Half Way Through

Last Tuesday I finished my Sophomore year. I will probably end with a 3.08, or some such B+ nonsense. Next semester, I think, will be more productive and I an step it up with Writing Sems. I'm going to have to for Glen Blake and Jean McGarry.

Moving into the Marylander in June, which should be nice.
Leave for London for three weeks of study abroad on Saturday. I'm really excited, but it's also going to be kind of nerve wracking. My first time in a foreign country without any real adult presence. It'll be an experience, that's for sure. Natalie and I keep sending each other facebook message that equate to: "Blah blah blah ENGLAND blah blah blah EXCITED!" It's gonna be a good time.

Things are so weird right now. And I took Tums before I went to bed so I have HORRIBLE aftertaste morning breath, which you didn't need to know, but I felt like sharing.

Today I'm having lunch with Tess and then probably hanging out in Arlington, then having dinner with Fred @ Faccia Luna. Tomorrow I MUST clean my car before I go hang out with Travis. It's pretty grode right now.

Anyway--- that's what's up right now. Without further ado, here's this week's 7, late as usual.

1. Love You Madly// Cake: Found this on a mix I made Freshman year. It reminds me of Money Mac who I miss desperately and is St. Lucia in the 80 degree, sunny weather. Merr. Great song, though.
   
2. The Crunge// Led Zeppelin: One of Zeppelin's greatest. I was cruising to it in the sun a few days ago and it just worked. Houses of the Holy is an incredible album anyway, so that makes sense.
   
3. Work It (Remix)//Missy Elliot: This is only on here b/c of a saying that goes in our group that comes from this song. If you're being a little slow or stupid, for whatever reason, and you have a moment wherein speaking is harder that it should be, someone who catches you basically just goes, "Why you act all like errrr, duhh?" So that stupid phrase got stuck in my head and now this song (which is actually pretty sweet)is on here.
   
4. Party for the Fight to Write// Atmosphere: People (like Carlos) tend not to like Atmosphere. Mike likes him, but likes Safe Francis more. I personally love Atmosphere, I don't know why. Not all his music is super deep, but almost all of it is really nicely written, lyrically, and the beats are quite good. I mean, why not? It's a great song anyway. Have a listen.
   
5. Better Days// Citizen King: Watched the Malcolm in the Middle finally on My 20 a few days ago. You find out they've always destined Malcolm to become the working man's president. I like that. They played this song and then we all remembered liking it when it first came out. Then it got stuck in my head and was ruined for me. But here it's on the list, b/c it's actually a pretty good song.
   
6. Now That You Got It//Gwen Stefani: I don't really like her new direction. I got as much of a novelty kick out of "Hollaback Girl" as the next person, but then she kept going! and now I'm sort of ready for Ska Gwen again. Anyway-- I wanted to hear "Rich Girl" and "Wind It Up" yesterday, so I cut the album on. This song came on when it was on shuffle and I actually think the beat is one of the best beats I've heard all year. Check it.
   
7. Just Dropped In (To See What Condition my Condition was in)// Kenny Rogers: Three words: The Big Lewbowski. End of story.
   

Aaaaaand, the end.

H.

to circle the earth

She's gorgeous, isn't she? Look at the curve of her arm and the way she brings the fan over. I love the movement of the photograph. Her name is Maria Osende, and she's a flamenco dancer for a professional dance company. The dress does it, too, and the line of her neck. I used to wish I could move like that. I was talking to Mimi today and she was saying how she wanted to get back into dance classes. I think I'd like that. As a kid, I was way too gawky for ballet. I didn't have the body for it, even though I've got alright feet. Flamenco dancers are seriously shaped women. I like that about them. Plus there's so much stillness and then snap to their movements, as opposed to ballet which is a little more fluid, some how. I don't know. Maybe I'm just babbling.
Dancing like that is one of the reasons I believe in God. There's something too definitely poetic about dancing and the beauty of the complexity of emotion that moves dancers for it to be accidental.

If it seems like I'm babbling, it's because I am. I'm three or four paragraphs away from being done with my last Expos essay. I don't want to finish it because then I have to work on my Nonfiction essay, which is weighing on my soul. I've actually really enjoyed doing the work and research for the Expos one, though. It's a great topic (funerals in Homeric society), and the flow came really well for this paper. The Nonfiction essay feels a lot like getting my wisdom teeth surgically removed with no anesthesia. Never ever again will I be in a Non Fiction class. Not my thing, and the English department is taking it over anyway.

Tomorrow I'm going to Red Maple with Mimi and maybe Carlos to have tapas and watch flamenco. Then Wednesday at 1 I'm going to the BTM to talk to Josh Griffin about making the graceful Miss Osende a permanent art piece. We'll see what he says.

I believe I'm coming home Friday or so. Need to work out the moving situation. Have to come back for a Passport appointment on Friday in any case. Blech. At least it will be over and I can stop worrying about it and just enjoy London. Packing is going to be hellish, though. London chique is a pain. Ah well. If an essay and packing for a cross-continental adventure are the biggest of my worries, life's pretty good.

H.

No. 147: Yeah, that should do it.

"'A real man makes his own luck.' Billy Zane. Titatanic." - Dwight, the Office


So... I love The Office so much. It's up there with Arrested Development and Weeds.
Here are the songs, because I'm late again.

1. Volare// The Gipsy Kings: Beautiful, good fun.
   
2. Una Musica Brutal// The Gotan Project: They're amazing. Mellow, good to study to, great to drive to.
   
3. Honey and the Moon//Joseph Arthur: Blast from the past. Still a gorgeous song, though.
   
4. Beautiful Way// Beck: The chillest song I can think of.
   
5. Breathe In// Frou Frou: Felt like hearing this last night and remembered how awesome Guy and Imogen were together.
   
6. Kids with Guns (Heat Under the Baby Seat) // Lupe Fiasco: Couldn't find this on playlist.com, but it's on Hype Machine and I STRONGLY suggest you go check it out.
   
7. With A Little Help From My Friends // Joe Cocker: Because sometimes you need a little Joe Cocker.

I have two essays to write. One, five pages long, by Tomorrow night, one is supposed to be 12 pages and is due by Wednesday at 5. It's going to be a long 48 hours.

H.

No. 146: It's going alright, it's going alright. more insane by the minute.

So... I took my last Spanish test today. Nada mas. Yay!

The rest of the day looks like me working on my Nonfiction paper in the DMC for three hours and then going to see Iron Man. Maybe. Some movie anyway. It's GORGEOUS outside, people.

You should listen to this, because it's brilliant:
Lupe Fiasco doing a Gorillaz thing. It's great. And provocative.

Then go outside and enjoy the sun!

Two weeks left. Then London. Ai yai yai.

H.

No. 145: upward over the mountain

Yowzah.
Sometimes things fall apart. Friends have been breaking up. Mike and I broke up (uncomfortable, but for the best in the long run, I think). People in love are on the rocks right now. It's strange. The most beautiful and romantic time of the year and everything is turning cold again. It's not all bad though.

Today is my last day of Philosophy. Going to go take my test in ten minutes. Shouldn't be too bad. Then an hour and the first half of my Spanish test and thus the first half of my last day of Spanish (to be concluded Friday). Today is my last Nonfiction class (thankyouLord). Then I plan to take a LONG nap. Michael gave me the week off from Carma's. I need to talk to him b/c I'm going to be gone most of May and June. Sigh.

Here, quickly are the songs for Sunday. Sorry my posting is becoming a bit of a traditional lateness.

An aside: Chris just woke up and walked into the kitchen, scaring the bajezzus out of Nivia. Hearing the interaction from my room will probably turn out to be the highlight of my day. My apartment isn't all bad.

1. Kick, Push// Lupe Fiasco: Matt and Geof introduced me to Lupe's music last week. It's pretty great stuff. Intelligent, fun rap. Plus his voice is really nice. It's a little like Talib Kweli meets The Cool Kids, except replace BMX bikes with skateboards. "Superstar" is another amazing song, as is "The Cool". This is more appropriate considering the boys tried to teach me to long board with negative results.
2. Pangea//Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin: A nod to Ian for the intro. Really fun music. Reminds me a little of I'm From Barcelona, but more refined. Check it. Or as Ian said, "Wrap your little ears around that, sunshine. Thank me later."
3. Tokyo // The Books: This song is from The Lemon of Pink album which is great. I was initially going to put "Read, Eat, Sleep" on here, b/c Thought for Food is my favorite Books album, but anyway-- this is amazing.
   
4. Superconnected // Broken Social Scene: Such a scarily beautiful song. All their music is generally intense, but it's great. I've been listening to a lot of them lately, just from hanging around people that do, and I've begun to incorporate them into the favorites. Anyway-- enjoy this.
   
5. Grounds for Divorce// Wolf Parade: The version on the playlist is live, or rough cut or something. I like it. But the version on the album is phenomenal. Great fast driving song, or early morning driving. His voice is so haunting. And intense. I saw Sunset Rubdown live last semester and they were phenomenal as well.
   
6. Set You Free // The Black Keys: Pretty in love with this song since I first heard it. I like that they sound so much like delta blues but with this intense rock sound that's a little AC/DC, a little Sabbath. This song is not really like either of those, but I like it anyway. I feel like BB King would nod his head and approve this, and that sits well with me.
   
7. Final Frontier// RJD2: Def. my favorite RJD2 song. Just go listen to the album, I can't even talk about the talent.
   

After Philosophy Test:

Ok, so that went alright. Only took me 25 minutes to finish, but I feel like I did a good job. Studied hard enough for it. Now I've got the mind numbingly frightening Spanish test to take and from then on my day is cake.

You should listen to Buena Vista Social Club. Because it's good music.
And take me shopping, too. If you wanted.

H.

No. 142: a modest obsession

i've been listening to a lot of Modest Mouse. Carlos and I were talking about how initially when we heard about them we were ambivalent and even didn't really like them. a few weeks ago i heard, "float on" on the radio again and realized how great a song it is. so then i dug into the two albums i had. carlos got me on to We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank. It's probably my favorite album right now.

i've been having these daily anthems. yesterday's was another Modest Mouse song I love ("The Good Times are Killing Me"). Today's is "Missed the Boat". It's such an amazing song. I youtubed the video, and found several. These two are my favorite. I think the first one is the official, and then the second was part of a contest. In any case-- here:




(this is great-- the girl at the end has the prettiest eyes, and I love that that monster turns into a cat)

h.

No. 141: rough

It's been a rough week.
Went home on Sunday, randomly, to get a little R&R. Sorry I'm late on the songs. They're a good bunch, though. Enjoy.

1. What About Everything// Carbon Leaf: Heard this on the radio in Carma's. Remembered how much I loved them and pulled up all my mp3s. The line that starts "what about aeroplanes/what about you and me?" is so beautiful. They're really cool guys, too. Brownie fans.
2. You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb// Spoon: The concert was last Friday. I didn't get to go, unfortunately, but Nora and Greg said it was amazing. Greg loves this song. My favorite is the already featured "The Underdog", but this is a pretty good one. Also, "Don't You Evah", which they played really wonderfully on Conan. Oh Spoon.
   
3. Finding Out True Love is Blind// Louis XIV: They're such dirty rockers. This is a great song, although when I want to hear them, I usually want to hear "Pledge of Allegiance". However, this makes the list b/c of his dry bitter, Danish-butter cookied slur of "oohhh chocolate girl/you look like something I want". Mmm.
   
4. Spiders// Lovedrug: I think I was listening to this by accident and realized anew how much I love them. I would term them mountaintop emo. Big sound, very angry and sometimes utterly desolate. The lyrics of this are fun, though.
   
5. At Last // Etta James: This is in honor of Matt Smith's poetry reading last Monday, wherein he read a poem of his about a washed up pool shark named Sugarbear performing this during karaoke. The image struck me really vividly. Anyway-- I love Etta James, and so should you.
   
6. So Cruel// U2: I started getting into their earlier ballady stuff after I heard "All I Want is You" on the Reality Bites soundtrack. I really like this song. It's got the same feel as "Trying to Throw Your Arms Around the World", but is less annoying.
   
7. Eight Easy Steps//Alanis Morissette: I'm really into this sort of whimsical self-deprecation which is apparent in a lot of her songs as well as Spoon's and Modest Mouse's. Plus this song pretty much just rocks and sometimes you need a little angry chick music in your life.
   

So there's that.
Lately my living arrangement has been soul crushing. I'm ready for the summer.
One month.
I have to work for 7 hours today. I'm not excited. We'll see how it goes.

H.