adventures in questionable music

EFF YOU, RITA.

2005-09-21T08:32:00.000-07:00

fuck me.

The one funnest vacation ever i have planned for this weekend, and a GODDAMN CATEGORY 4 HURRICANE is coming to squash it. (For those of you who don't know, Category 4 is like shit your pants and take a good long look at your house kind of crap).

eff.

what the hell am i doing?

2005-09-13T10:37:00.000-07:00

Ever ask yourself this? As in - what happened to me?

i remember when i turned 17 i was so psyched because i finally got my driver's license. where i come from, the day you get your driver's license is the single best day of your highschool existence. those people who had late birthdays hated life.

anyway, i saved up for 3 years to buy a shitty, used '89 dodge colt hatchback (color: gold) with tape deck radio.

it was my ticket to freedom.
it had beaded seat covers.

i would listen to an assortment of cassette tapes, crank the volume with windows down, smoke cigarettes, and drive until somebody would notice i was missing. these were the days before cell phones too, so that usually took a while.

thing is - i was completely happy. all i really wanted in life was that dodgey car, some smokes, great music, my friends, and a road to drive on. preferably a long road with some trees, but i would take anything.

ever wonder - why is everything so goddamn complicated now? is it this city that causes complication? or is this just the beginning of the end - does adulthood prohibit simple pleasures? or maybe it's that once you've had freedom for so long you start to take it for granted and wanting more. now that i am an adult and live on my own, i need more to feel as happy as i did at that moment in my first car. can that be?

or maybe i just need to get the hell out of this place and run as far away as possible. to a place where there are backyards and long stretches of tree-lined streets.

nastalgic song of the day: "Learning to fly" by Pink Floyd

i have to say, i've got great goddamn friends...

2005-09-09T11:46:00.000-07:00

i was just thinking (and discussing) this morning the importance of having friends who are better than you in one capacity or another...this way they can help you be better. or atleast they can listen to your bullshit and be big enough to not to tell you to "shut the hell up already you whiney beotch" - which is what i would think they would want to say.

god, is that as cheesy/touchy-feely as it sounds? whatever. my friends rule.

in any event, the point here is that i have recently been listening to some excellent new music. this music has ultimately come into my life because of recommendations from said rad friends. and so it is with great pleasure that i recommend to you a few of my newest favorite bands/artists courtesy of all the cool-ass kids in my life who pretend to be my friends probably because they feel bad for me:

*Clap your hands say yeah - great song: "yellow country teeth"
*Architecture in Helsinki - only listen to this song: "Maybe you can owe me"
*Ben Kweller - good jam: "Commerce, TX" (ps - is this lame?)
*Belle & Sebastian - perfect friday song: "Get me away from here, i'm dying"

thanks peeps - happy effing friday.

Question:

2005-09-08T13:52:00.000-07:00

What is your favorite Shins Song? (If you care to elaborate, please also state why.)

I have recently decided that mine is by far "Pink Bullets". Not only does it just have a good beat and i happen to like the melody, i find the lyrics to be very, very nice. To quote a few:

"The years have been short but the days were long."

" We fell in a field it seems now a thousand summers passed. When our kite lines first crossed We tied them into knots, And to finally fly apart We had to cut them off. "

" I don't look back as much as a rule."

Please feel free to share in the comments section.

That's it, I am officially disgusted by myself.

2005-08-31T08:03:00.000-07:00

Let's talk about it.

Bonnie Raitt.

Just to answer all of your questions: No, i am not depressed. i have not recently been considering "switching teams" or moving to the deep south. i am also not pregnant or nesting in any way.

i don't know what it is. i can't help but like her. I remember there was this girl i knew in college who i hated and she loved bonnie raitt, so that made me hate BR by association. But let me tell you - my eyes have been opened. i finally get it. i still can't stand that girl, but Bonnie's cool in my book.

and i secretly have always wanted red hair.

song to listen to: "Have a Heart" - thank you, marissa.
Questionable Rating (10=most questionable): 9.756

P.S. More to come on the VMAs and the new (& exponentially more dramatic) season of Laguna Beach

i know this is wrong. does that make it ok?

2005-08-19T10:01:00.000-07:00

Please tell me i am not alone. We all have these dirty little music secrets, right? unfortunately, i happen to have quite a few. God, i really love me a good catchy pop song once in a while. i think i missed my calling as a pre-teen pop diva. i can just see it: me in front of a crowd with my little headpiece microphone...Alas, i digress.

Today, i want to share with you one that i was late to the game to discover.

Maroon 5

cheesy? yes. a little jamiroquoi (or however you spell it)? of course. catchy and fun? HELLS YES. how can you not love this garbage, i ask you?

Today's song of choice: "Sunday Morning"
Questionable Rating (10=most questionable): 8.993

happy friday rained-out kitchen picnic, everyone.

Double Feature Thursday - Deep Dive Topic: do you care?

2005-08-18T12:01:00.000-07:00

Right, so recent big news is Madonna fell off a horse or something yesterday. Cracked a few ribs or whatever and may have disrupted her most recent botox injection. But really, the bigger question is who could give a shit less?

Me? i could not.

Now, don't get me wrong, i used to love the material girl. I rather enjoyed her original stuff , supported her during the daring sex book scandal days, remember when she suddenly became a cowgirl, and tried to be deep enough to understand when was giving birth to a bird out of her belly button in that one weird video. I supported madge throughout each of her stages.

But now she's gone too far. What is with her phoney english accent? i mean, COME ON. You grew up in the midwest and then moved to New York City, maddy. You're not fooling anyone - least of all those crazy brits. maybe one of her field hands heard her talking and pushed her off that horse. who knows.

we spread out and occupy the cracks in the urban streets

2005-08-18T06:20:00.000-07:00

hello old friends. After quite a long hiatus, i am (finally) back from family vacation at none other than Walt Disney World (MUCH more on this later, don't you worry).

This week has been music overload. Tonight I am going to see Death cab for cutie at summerstage (OMG, OMG!!!), I booked tickets for Austin next month to go to AUSTIN CITY LIMITS (my head *might* explode) with my best friend, and I also bought tickets to go see my newest favorite band clap your hands say yeah (again, much more on them later). i could literally shit twice and die i am so ecstatic.

Now, on to today's musical tribute: To a band that i love and have loved for quite some time. Although i did get sick of them for a little while, listening to them today has been like getting back together with a boyfriend.

Dear Death Cab for Cutie,
I know we broke up for a while. Yeah, we fought and I thought you were whiney and repititous, but i now recall that you make me feel good and i like the words you use. You really are the best, and got me through some very tough times. I also happen to think you are good "Fall" music - meaning the season, not the verb.
Love,
me

To listen to today:

Song= "The Employment Pages"
Album= We have the facts and we're voting yes
questionable rating (10=most questionable) 3.21

Chris Martin, you might kill me

2005-08-05T13:45:00.000-07:00

I don't know what this guy is trying to do here, but i think i might never stop crying if i continue to listen to the new X&Y album. What is the deal?

It's like musical crack. I know it's bad. I know it's sad. Is it sappy? THE FREAKING SAPPIEST. And yet, i can't stop myself. I think i need a coldplay intervention.

While "Fix You" is very well known tear-jerker, i have now moved on to "Till Kingdom Come". There are no words to describe the damage this song can do to you if you are not an emotionally stable person. Case in point:

" Steal my heart and hold my tongue
I feel my time My time has come
Let me in Unlock the door
I never felt this way before

And the wheels just keep on turning
The drummer begins to drum
I don’t know which way I’m going
I don’t know which way I’ve come
Hold my head inside your hands
I need someone who understands
I need someone, someone who hears

For you I’ve waited all these years
For you I’d wait till kingdom come
Until my day, my day is done
And say you'll come and set me free
Just say you'll wait, you'll wait for me"

Before you listen to this - Call your therapist. Order your paxil. This one's a killer.

happy friday.

Yet Another Deep Dive Topic: Tricksters.

2005-08-04T10:48:00.000-07:00

hi everyone.

so, yesterday, my good friend and faithful (also wise) commenter, ed and I took a "Deep Dive" into an important yet not nearly publicized enough topic of tricksters. Here's what it means:

why is it that there are certain bands out there that are such good musicians (or even if they're not you really dig them), that they "trick" you into thinking they are actually physically hot? One particular example for me happened when I was much younger with the band "Counting Crows". (Now, look - i know they are not good. Yes, they are borderline garbage, but cut me some slack - i was in college and still discovering life, music, and a multitude of other things which will go unmentioned.) In any event, I was so entranced by Adam Duritz's lyrics, that i actually convinced myself that he was hot. Please note that Adam Duritz is an overweight white man with dreadlocks. Overweight + Old + dreadlocks - real musical talent = NOT HOT.

There is also the oppositte case where because said musician is so freaking hot, you are tricked into thinking they are actually musically worthy. My friend ed sited Belinda Carlisle as his example. He said she hasn't done anything good since she was 21, yet still his heart beats for that little teen coke-fiend. i say, the crapola she put out at 21 is even questionable, so he must really love her. you be the judge.

in any event, i encourage all of you to create a lists of your own. Following is mine:

really good musician, not really hot, trickster:
adam duritz
bright eyes
chris martin
david bowie
jon bon jovi (come on, i'm from the jerse)

really hot, not so mucha musician, trickster:

the strokes?
eminem
50cent
blink 180-something (am i on drugs?) - maybe these guys don't suck SO bad, but they are hot.

ok ok this last list is bordering on completely humiliating, so i have to stop. Please add your lists to the comments section and Enjoy!

Dearest Brandon (love of my life):

2005-08-03T10:33:00.000-07:00

So if the answer is no, can i change
your mind?
that's right girls. i can hardly say it. i'm so choked up about it. it's a sad, sad day. ok. ok. i'll try. i'll give it to you straight (no pun intended):

Brandon. flowers. is. getting. married. like, today.

i guess our love affair is over. how can this be? how will i go on?
well, today i resolve to listen to the entirety of "hot fuss" over and over and over again until i am over it...or atleast until i am completely sick of it.
And now, i leave you with a montage, in memoriam, of single, hot and mormon brandon (why oh why does he have to be so cute?):

2005-08-03T10:31:00.000-07:00

DO IT!

2005-08-02T09:05:00.000-07:00

TAKE YOUR MAMA
OUT ALL NIGHT

Ah, yes - the scissor sisters. Kind of like the village people meet pink floyd meet prince meet modest mouse, maybe? I can't really put my finger on it, but i can tell you this - It's a goddamn GOODTIME. Listen to it, like, now. I prefer their self-titled album, but "shout answers like anthems" had a fabulous picture on the cover. And by "fabulous" i mean "bright pink sequin banana hammock".

Song: "Take your Mama"

Questionable Rating: (10=most questionable) 6.333

"When I'm by myself, nobody can say goodbye."

2005-07-28T13:04:00.000-07:00

wow, Edie. That's Deep.

Edie Brickell, people. Gotta love her.

Here she is (looking somewhat frightening, i will admit - i would not want to be sitting next to her in that subway car) doing what she likes to do best according to the song "Circle". The lyrics to the chorus read:

" And being alone is the best way to be.
When I'm by myself it's the best way to be.
When I'm all alone it's the best way to be.
When I'm by myself nobody else can say goodbye."

Big shout out to my friend in music, Marissa, for bringing Edie to me today.

Questionable Rating: (10=most questionable) 6.45

Deep Dive Topic: Best thing to happen to MTV since Music Videos

2005-07-27T09:55:00.000-07:00

Two Words:

LAGUNA BEACH.

i would like to introduce you all to 8 of my newest (best) friends : (left to right)Morgan, Stephen, Kristin, Christina, Trey, Lo, Talan and Lauren/LC.

Now, i originally thought my attraction to this show had to do with the fact that i grew up in rural north jersey where the hippest thing was hanging out at the rockaway mall and the coolest car was an iroc Z with T-Tops (i still happen to think this car is pretty goddamn hip, btw). So naturally i always wished i grew up as a bitchy, unappreciative, uber-rich "i'll buy a $600 purse if i goddamn feel like it" girl at my parent's ridiculously posh house with jacuzzi on a cliff overlooking the ocean. But, evidently, I am not the only one.

I would like to say that Kristin is my absolute favorite of the bunch. God, i love this girl. Yes, yes, LC is clearly the prettiest and perhaps Christina is the most talented (or Trey), but Kristin has that bitchy-nobullshit-idon'tgiveafuckcuzi'mrichandiknowit attitude. she is my teenrealityshow idol.

Please feel free to post your thoughts and dedications in the comments section.

I would just like to take this moment to thank MTV. Thank you for the music video in the 80s. Thank you for the Real World in the 90s. But most of all, thank you for rich kids teen reality SOLID GOLD to which i am now addicted.

just a small town girl, livin in a lonely world...

2005-07-26T07:41:00.000-07:00

yeah, that's right. She took a midnight train going anywhere.

Dear god, what's better than journey? seriously i don't know what life would be like without "Don't Stop Believin'". They're so cool they even left off the "g" at the end. wow. These guys rule. They might be the best thing that ever came out of San Francisco.

While listening to "Don't Stop Believin'" this morning i was also delighted to discover that directly following Journey on my itunes, is Joy Division. i mean, "Love Will Tear Us Apart"? It's gonna be a great day, people.

***Sidenote: while searching for a pic of them online, i managed to find this picture of somebody's old (circa 1976) autographed poster. Whoever owned this deserves a metal, and a hug. Thank you, mr. Journey fan, for allowing us to share in your genius.***

Questionable Rating: 7.34

oh julius...

2005-07-22T10:18:00.000-07:00

what a shame you're just a pup. we could have been great together.

How can you not adore this boy? I mean, if you don't love him I don't think you are a human being or you've had all love organs removed.

p.s. jessica - this should answer your question.

i wanna be forgotten, and i don't want to be reminded.

2005-07-22T07:09:00.000-07:00

Dear Strokes,

marry me.

P.S. why do you have to be so cute?

Today's song: "What Ever Happened?"

Questionable Rating: (10=most questionable) 3

you make me wanna scream. (Deep Dive into a guilty pleasure)

2005-07-21T13:28:00.000-07:00

I know this is wrong. I know it is, but i simply cannot help it.

Song: La La
Artist (sort of): Ashlee Simpson

That goddamn chorus is just so catchy. All the rest of it sucks, it really does. But the "you make me wanna La La" part? COME ON.

Questionable Rating: (10=most questionable) 8.5

Let's be honest - how excited are you really?

2005-07-20T09:32:00.000-07:00

hello everyone and happy wednesday.

i would like to take a momentary break from the usual musical post to discuss an important topic of late: excessive exclamation points.

Now, look - i like to use an exclamation point as much as the next guy. They are one of the more precarious of the punctuation marks. What better way to express utter excitement and enthusiasm? How better to show my elation through the written word? I often also use the exclamation point to infuse happiness or excitement in an ironic sense. This is also fun.

However, people - I ask you - What is the point of more than a single exclamation point? How happy/enthused/ecstatic are you really? Can you really be double or triple exclamation point happy? Is that even fucking possible?

While I have a small feeling of guilt about it (not really), i actually hate the multiple exclamation point people. I find them to be suspicious, and quite frankly, freakish.

So please, I urge you: limit your punctuation.

(Song to listen to today: Take your Mama, Scissor Sisters)

Where are we? What the hell is going on?

2005-07-19T16:13:00.000-07:00

Today's pick: Imogen Heap.

Song: Hide & Seek.

AMAZING. Listen up. enjoy.

This makes complete sense to me:

" Where are we?What the hell is going on?The dust has only just began to fall Crop circles in the carpet Sinking, feeling Spin me around again And rub my eyes This can't be happening When busy streets Amess with people Would stop to hold Their heads heavy. Hide and seek"

p.s. thank you ed.

p.p.s. happy bday rae.

Monday Music.

2005-07-18T11:39:00.000-07:00

There are very few artists i will turn to on a Monday. Even fewer I will turn to on a Monday morning. We all know this is a very fragile time where the wrong song could seriously f*ck the whole day.

I once made the seriously regrettable mistake of listening to the smiths on the Monday morning walk to the subway. Now, don't get me wrong - I like Steven Patrick just as much as the next extraordinarily depressed thirteen year-old goth girl. But dude, "Heaven knows I'm miserable Now" on Monday morning? I should have just thrown myself down my stairs - it would have had a similar effect.

It is at moments like this that I turn to the shins with open arms. "Is this really questionable, em?", you ask? Well, if by "Questionable" you mean "Totally effing awesome" then yes.

Song of choice: "Know your onion"

Questionable Rating: (10=most questionable) 2

Sidenote: we will never know for sure if he is innocent or guilty, but there's one thing we know for sure..

2005-07-15T14:17:00.000-07:00

SHE'S GUILTY.

Mental Note: Do not wear ironic tee-shirts when the joke is on you.

Carly Simon Knows Everything (or atleast a whole hell of a lot)

2005-07-15T12:35:00.000-07:00

i mean, she hasn't got time for the goddamn pain. No room or need for it either. Nope, not since she's known you.

Everytime I listen to this, i think to myself, "Fuckin A, carly - I haven't got time for the pain either."

enjoy.

Questionable Rating: (10= most questionable) 5.2