video: fiery furnaces. benton harbor blues.

june songs.

the arcade fire. haiti.
belle & sebastian. marx & engels.
belle & sebastian. the state i am in.
blondie. picture this.
bright eyes. hot knives.
cat power. maybe not.
cat power. up & gone.
raul esparza. being alive.
conway twitty. danny (lonely blue boy).
feist. past in present.
fujiya & miyagi. collarbone.
glen hansard. lies.
glen hansard & marketa irglova. falling slowly.
glen hansard & marketa irglova. once.
jose feliciano. i only want to say (gethsemanae).
the langley schools music project. band on the run.
the langley schools music project. god only knows.
laura veirs. spelunking.
the lovin' spoonful. darling be home soon.
marketa irglova. the hill.
mirah & the black cat orchestra. the light.
nick cave & the bad seeds. the ship song.
regina spektor. real love.
tori amos. cooling.

this is better than posting a bulletin on myspace.

So, here's how it works:
1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For every question, type the song that's playing
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button
6. Don't lie and try to pretend you're cool...



opening credits: spoon. the two sides of monsieur valentine.

waking up: the trachtenburg family slideshow players. mountain trip to japan, 1959.

first day of school: ryan adams. tina toledo's street walkin' blues.

falling in love: ladytron. seventeen.

fight song: the new pornographers. sing me spanish techno.

breaking up: brendan benson. flesh & bone.

prom: death in vegas. girls.

life: the clash. police & thieves.

mental breakdown: iron & wine. faded from the winter.

driving: andrew bird. the naming of things.

flashback: neko case. no need to cry.

getting back together: iron & wine. such great heights.

wedding: marketa iglova. the hill.

birth of a child: the rolling stones. casino boogie.

final battle: cat power. cross bones style.

death scene: arcade fire. black wave / bad vibrations.

funeral song: joanna newsom. inflammatory writ.

end credits: the kinks. sitting by the riverside.

video: de la soul. ooh.

i was kind of obsessed with this video when i was a senior in high school. because i took classes in the morning at a community college, and didn't have to be at my high school until 12:30, i'd eat lunch at my house and watch mtv and, sure enough, this video would play EVERY DAY at 12:15, right before i had to head out. it was pretty great. also, i love a rap video that makes absolutely no sense, especially when it parodies the wizard of oz.



(also, de la soul is playing pitchfork this year and i really hope they do this song, since it's the ONLY ONE I KNOW.)

may songs.

amy winehouse. back to black.
amy winehouse. tears dry on their own.
bonnie raitt. runaway.
bright eyes. if the brakeman turns my way.
bright eyes. soul singer in a session band.
cat power. the greatest (emusic solo version).
feist. brandy alexander.
feist. the limit to your love.
the good, the bad, & the queen. '80s life.
grinderman. no pussy blues.
magnolia electric co. bowery.
nick cave & the bad seeds. god is in the house.
nick cave & the bad seeds. stagger lee.
nina simone. just like tom thumb's blues.
norah jones. wurlitzer prize (i don't want to get over you).
patrick wolf. the magic position.
patti smith. smells like teen spirit.
the pipettes. your kisses are wasted on me.
rihanna. umbrella (feat. jay z).
rolling stones. let it bleed.

video: glen hansard & marketa irglova. falling slowly.

there's this new movie called once starring glen hansard (from the frames) and marketa irglova. and it's absolutely amazing, probably the best original movie musical i've ever seen (yep, even better than all that jazz.) it was a big hit at sundance this year, and here's a video of the duo singing "falling slowly" in park slope during the festival.




also, if you haven't seen it yet, check out the trailer for once:

video: cat power. maybe not.

i'm officially in a bad mood after getting an email that i was not selected for a job i really, really wanted, so here's a great, sad cat power song - a live performance that is pretty much one of my favorite things.

video: liz phair. fuck and run.

can i tell you how much i love youtube? this video is terrific. it's from liz's solo tour back in '95 (probably in support of whip-smart). she sounds great and looks tiny.

go west, young man.

i made this mix cd for my friend* jason, who is moving to seattle on saturday. i wasn't sure if i should make him a cd with good music or crappy sentimental shit. i think i found a nice balance. (also, bonnie raitt does not fall into the latter category.)

1. chicago. if you leave me now.
2. black rebel motorcycle club. shuffle your feet.
3. the kinks. do you remember walter.
4. magnolia electric co. leave the city.
5. mark ronson. amy (feat. kenna).
6. matt pond pa. winterlong.
7. 13th floor elevators. you're gonna miss me.
8. carole king. so far away.
9. mirah. nobody has to stay.
10. todd rungren. can we still be friends?
11. supertramp. goodbye stranger.
12. bonnie raitt. runaway.
13. violent femmes. to the kill.
14. liz phair. go west.
15. johnny boy. you are the generation that bought more shoes (and you get what you deserve).
16. lesley ann warren. chicago, illinois.

video: rihanna. umbrella.

i loved rihanna's "s.o.s." begrudgingly; i felt rather gross listening to it on the train in the morning, but it was really good. and seriously, a "tainted love" sample? it's good. and then this song came along, and it is my SHIT. i'll admit that the intro by jay-z is not good at all, but i think rihanna does a pretty good turn here.

also, the video is weird as hell. luvz it!

mother's day, 2007.

i've always said that instead of a heart i have an ipod. also, i don't have any money to buy a proper mother's day gift, so this is what my mom is getting.

my mom typically doesn't like my music, but i've figured out how to trick her into it: give her a mix cd of upbeat stuff she can tap her feet to. and sometimes i slide in some interesting tunes, too.


1. andrew bird. fiery crash.
2. feist. i feel it all.
3. peter bjorn & john. young folks.
4. amy winehouse. you know i'm no good.
5. britta phillips & dean wareham. ginger snaps.
6. the fiery furnaces. benton harbor blues (remix).
7. m. ward. to go home.
8. neko case. deep red bells.
9. feist. one two three four.
10. mark ronson. valerie (feat. amy winehouse).
11. jenny lewis and the watson twins. rise up with fists.
12. john holt. for the love of you.
13. simon & garfunkel. at the zoo.
14. peter bjorn & john. let's call it off.
15. mark ronson. stop me (feat. daniel merriweather).
16. feist. inside & out.
17. the arcade fire. intervention.
18. roxy music. more than this.

dueling banjos: sid vicious vs. gary oldman. my way.

i'm kind of fascinated with sid vicious and nancy spungen, a fascination based solely on sid & nancy, which is one of my favorite, favorite movies ever. it's a downer, obvs., and i feel weird saying this, but there are moments in it that are really beautiful and romantic, even though the main characters are so vile and doomed. (i wish i could find the clip that i'm thinking of: there's a scene where they're making out next to a dumpster and there's a lot of garbage falling around them in slow motion while the pogues' instrumental theme plays over the soundtrack. it's a brilliant dichotomy.)

anyway, i was on the youtubes this morning watching clips from it, and i found the original video for sid's cover of "my way." i didn't know anything about and was excited to see where the scene from the film got its inspiration. and i think this one is a tough call: sid vicious or gary oldman?

sid vicious:


gary oldman:

video: peter bjorn and john. objects of my affection.

i'm seeing peter bjorn and john tonight (very late, btw, and work tomorrow is going to be sucky) at the empty bottle. i've heard terrific things about their live performances. i'm super excited.

video: lily allen. alfie.

i love puppets!

video: jason molina.

GAH, i love youtube! this morning i found a great solo concert by jason molina, which someone graciously uploaded. i've watched nearly all of it, and it's very good. he plays both magnolia electric co. and songs: ohia selections (that is if you consider the magnolia electric co. album to be songs:ohia's last or magnolia electric's first; it's up for debate). anyway, here are some of my favorites.

montgomery / hammer down:


hard to love a man:


bowery:



you can see the entire set of videos here.

video: grinderman. no pussy blues.

here's the first video from nick cave's new band grinderman (which, essentially, is nick cave & the bad seeds with nick playing guitar). the video is pretty wild: lots of stock footage of animals doin' it (i like the giraffes especially). it's also probably the best video to feature an underwear party since jimmy eat world's "the middle," so, hurray for that!

video: nick cave & the bad seeds. stagger lee.

this song from nick cave & the bad seeds' murder ballads has everything in a great gratuitous manner: "motherfuckers," murder, sexism, and rape. the video is great because they could've copped out and done a really bizarre narrative sequence, which would have been really literal and awkward (esp. considering the story here - i don't think people really want to see that). instead we've got the bad seeds jamming the fuck out while nick and some male go-go dancers prance around in a great homoerotic fashion. it's pretty goddamn mind blowing.

dueling banjos: liz phair. flower.

here are two videos of liz phair performing "flower" live in concert. the first one is a horrible shot; the video is all shaky and liz is rarely centered in the frame. but i think that it's interesting how different both performances are, especially the later one, where she adds an additional verse i've never heard before.


1999:


2003:

friday afternoon dance party: hot chip. over & over.

crushin'.

i made this mix for someone i have a crush on, but then decided that i should probably just keep it to avoid that awkward situation. anyway, i've been listening to it on my ipod all day.

1. mirah. sweepstakes prize.
2. aimee mann. king of the jailhouse.
3. britta phillips & dean wareham. ginger snaps.
4. kasey chambers. wayward angel.
5. m. ward. to go home.
6. kelly hogan. dues.
7. the navigators. one line epitaph.
8. martha wainwright. when the day is short.
9. allison moorer. one on the house.
10. kasey chambers. a million tears.
11. andrew bird. don't be scared.
12. rilo kiley. a man / me / then jim.
13. drive-by truckers. danko / manuel.
14. joan baez. the night they drove old dixie down.
15. nick cave & the bad seeds. into my arms.
16. laura viers. spelunking.
17. joanna newsom. bridges and balloons.

april songs.

every month i make a playlist of songs that i listen to over and over again, usually on the train to and from work. it starts a few days before the first of the month, and then it slowly builds up until i have enough songs to last me a whole month. this is what i listened to in april.




amy winehouse. rehab.
blur. ambulance.
brandi carlile. josephine.
bright eyes. classic cars.
david karsten daniels. the dream before the ring that woke me.
feist. one two three four.
feist. sea lion woman.
gillian welch. black star.
the good, the bad, & the queen. the good, the bad, & the queen.
the good, the bad, & the queen. green fields.
grinderman. chain of flowers.
magnolia electric co. memphis moon.
mark ronson. god put a smile upon your face. (feat. the daptone horns).
mark ronson. stop me (feat. daniel merriweather).
mark ronson. toxic (feat. ol' dirty bastard and tiggers).
mika. grace kelly.
neko case. set out running.
nick cave & the bad seeds. bring it on.
nick cave & the bad seeds. i let love in.
nilsson. coconut.
nouvelle vague. i melt with you.
pearl jam. nothingman.
tori amos. northern lad.

blast from the past: cocaine kate.

in october-ish 2005, i made a mix for my friend morgan inspired by kate moss and her coke woes. it might be relevant anymore, but hey, how often do you get to put nina simone AND good charlotte on the same cd?






1. the velvet undergound. white light / white heat.
2. modest mouse. the good times are killing me.
3. the hidden cameras. doot doot ploot.
4. fiona apple. not about love.
5. bright eyes. down a rabbit hole.
6. broken social scene. anthems for a seventeen-year-old girl.
7. nina simone. the pusher.
8. john cale. she never took no for an answer.
9. tori amos. she's your cocaine.
10. david bowie. fashion.
11. bikini kill. rebel girl.
12. poe. 5 1/2 minute hallway.
13. curtis mayfield. pusherman.
14. the brunettes. end of the runway.
15. 'til tuesday. voices carry.
16. junior senior. can i get get get.
17. grandmaster flash. white lines (don't do it).
18. the new pornographers. use it.
19. good charlotte. lifestyles of the rich & famous.

1979.

my friend adam turned 28 today. this was his birthday present: a mix with hits from one of the greatest years in music.




1. the knack. my sharona.
2. leif garrett. i was made for dancin'.
3. the bee gees. love you inside out.
4. earth, wind, & fire. boogie wonderland.
5. electric light orchestra. don't bring me down.
6. ac/dc. if you want blood (you've got it).
7. anita ward. ring my bell.
8. rod stewart. do ya think i'm sexy.
9. foreigner. double vision.
10. robert palmer. bad case of lovin' you (doctor doctor).
11. bad company. rock & roll fantasy.
12. blondie. heart of glass.
13. donna summer. bad girls.
14. kenny rogers. the gambler.
15. charlie daniels. the devil went down to georgia.
16. supertramp. the logical song.
17. neil diamond & barbra streisand. you don't bring me flowers.
18. the doobie brothers. what a fool believes.
19. the bee gees. too much heaven.