if i had a nickle for every...
ah. never mind.
seriously.
anyway, the title of this post is one of the tracks of ida maria's debut album, fortress 'round my heart. (i really like this font in italics, but the (sort of) writer in my prohibits me from writing this entire post in italics, unfortunately.)
back to it - i haven't lived with this album for long. a few hours only, to be honest. however, those few hours have made quite the impression. admittedly, i have a thing for chicks with guitars. probably in the same way that wayward philosopher types and lesbians do; i just don't fantasize about them. chicks with guitars are sexy. rock and roll music should be sexy. "i like you so much better when you're naked" is sexy.
what i like about ida maria is she can be tough and aggressive, like on "oh my god" and the track above, sensitive and vulnerable on "keep me warm," then totally fun and "bedroom dance party worthy" on tracks like "louie."
the album is fresh and fun and worth passing along to your friends. i have a funny feeling ida maria won't wear on me like kate nash. she's not novel or trendy. she's not trying to do anything besides write solid rock/pop/punk songs, and it works.
that's it for now folks. emusic subscription renewed today. bet your bottom dollar you'll see a few more posts from me over the next few days.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
it makes me mad
that no one knows this band. they're amazing songwriters. i've posted about slow runner before, but i'm going to do it again. buy their records, please. i'd do their publicity for free, on weekends, i love them that much. tell me you're writing a new record, slow runner, and i will do your publicity for free. you've got that in writing.
http://www.myspace.com/slowrunner
http://www.myspace.com/slowrunner
Monday, December 7, 2009
songs that make me happy
you know those songs. those songs that always make you smile no matter what kind of mood you're in. i especially love hearing them on the subway at about 7 p.m. when everyone is in the worst mood ever and you know that no one's having as much fun as you are with your headphones on. sometimes, i'd like to walk up to the most miserable looking person in the car and pop my headphones on their head for a minute, if it wouldn't scare the crap out of them. it would be oh so fun though.
here's a selected list of happy songs. enjoy!
Tom Petty - Learning to Fly
i can't tell you how much i love this song. i'm not entirely sure what it is about this song that makes me love it so much, besides the fact that tom petty is amazing. ps - the body painted stripper might be a little nsfw.
i can't embed this, but please watch it anyway: Journey - Don't Stop Believing
why, you may ask? well, for one, we've got some wicked cropped t-shirts. two, we've got the silkiest hair i've ever seen on youtube. three, the whole audience is asain and for some reason i find that funny. i mean, there's probably a logical explanation for it, like journey was touring japan, but it's still comical on some politically incorrect level. four, the drummer is wearing hot pants.
in any event, this song always makes me smile. like that big, stupid, i just unexpectedly ran into the dude i've got a crush on kind of smile.
springsteen - dancing in the dark
is it just me, or does bruce look like he's got a massive head in this video? just wondering. anyway, i've been known to bust out these moves while walking down the street and no one's around; it's that good. ps - at about the 3:10 mark, check out the dude with no rhythm in the crowd. he's wearing a tie. he'll make you smile all day too just thinking about how ridiculous he looks.
camera obscura - french navy
try not to foot tap to this one. actually, fuck that. try not to twirl and skip down the street while cartoon birds fly overhead and bunnies hop beside you and squirrels bring you chestnuts and raccoons don't scare the crap out of you and that deer that was trapped on university ave a few weeks ago trots by your side. yeah, it makes me that happy. and yeah, i have a thing for 1940s/50s disney cartoons.
annie lennox - walking on broken glass
i loved this song when i was 10 and i'll love this song until the day i die. when i was a kid, i can remember putting on my mom's CD and dancing around my living room, probably jumping on furniture i shouldn't have been jumping on. i still do that. just now i'm generally alone in my bedroom wearing my pjs.
bob seger - night moves
i've always said a good song should make you want to makeout. this is a song about making out. enough said. i loved this song in the 90s. i can't imagine muchmusic played bob seger, so i'm not too sure where i saw it, but i loved it nonetheless. i also just realized that bob seger is probably, totally the reason i tend to crush on old dudes with beards.
again - cannot embed, but please click on the link: pulp - disco 2000
i love how no one's wearing pants in this video. it's sort of amazing. this song makes me so happy, i want to jump around and pump my fists in the air like i'm at a concert. it's the drums.
new order - bizzare love triangle
this video alone will make you smile. i love music videos from the 80s. i should spend a whole goddamn day watching music videos from the 80s sometime. it would be the best day ever.
peter gabriel - solsbury hill
so, i would have picked my favourite video of all time, "sledgehammer," but the song doesn't make me smile like solsbury hill does. everyone fucking loves this song. also, i can't get over the fact that gabriel is wearing man-leggings. amazingness.
here's a selected list of happy songs. enjoy!
Tom Petty - Learning to Fly
i can't tell you how much i love this song. i'm not entirely sure what it is about this song that makes me love it so much, besides the fact that tom petty is amazing. ps - the body painted stripper might be a little nsfw.
i can't embed this, but please watch it anyway: Journey - Don't Stop Believing
why, you may ask? well, for one, we've got some wicked cropped t-shirts. two, we've got the silkiest hair i've ever seen on youtube. three, the whole audience is asain and for some reason i find that funny. i mean, there's probably a logical explanation for it, like journey was touring japan, but it's still comical on some politically incorrect level. four, the drummer is wearing hot pants.
in any event, this song always makes me smile. like that big, stupid, i just unexpectedly ran into the dude i've got a crush on kind of smile.
springsteen - dancing in the dark
is it just me, or does bruce look like he's got a massive head in this video? just wondering. anyway, i've been known to bust out these moves while walking down the street and no one's around; it's that good. ps - at about the 3:10 mark, check out the dude with no rhythm in the crowd. he's wearing a tie. he'll make you smile all day too just thinking about how ridiculous he looks.
camera obscura - french navy
try not to foot tap to this one. actually, fuck that. try not to twirl and skip down the street while cartoon birds fly overhead and bunnies hop beside you and squirrels bring you chestnuts and raccoons don't scare the crap out of you and that deer that was trapped on university ave a few weeks ago trots by your side. yeah, it makes me that happy. and yeah, i have a thing for 1940s/50s disney cartoons.
annie lennox - walking on broken glass
i loved this song when i was 10 and i'll love this song until the day i die. when i was a kid, i can remember putting on my mom's CD and dancing around my living room, probably jumping on furniture i shouldn't have been jumping on. i still do that. just now i'm generally alone in my bedroom wearing my pjs.
bob seger - night moves
i've always said a good song should make you want to makeout. this is a song about making out. enough said. i loved this song in the 90s. i can't imagine muchmusic played bob seger, so i'm not too sure where i saw it, but i loved it nonetheless. i also just realized that bob seger is probably, totally the reason i tend to crush on old dudes with beards.
again - cannot embed, but please click on the link: pulp - disco 2000
i love how no one's wearing pants in this video. it's sort of amazing. this song makes me so happy, i want to jump around and pump my fists in the air like i'm at a concert. it's the drums.
new order - bizzare love triangle
this video alone will make you smile. i love music videos from the 80s. i should spend a whole goddamn day watching music videos from the 80s sometime. it would be the best day ever.
peter gabriel - solsbury hill
so, i would have picked my favourite video of all time, "sledgehammer," but the song doesn't make me smile like solsbury hill does. everyone fucking loves this song. also, i can't get over the fact that gabriel is wearing man-leggings. amazingness.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
bring your hips to me.
i have a problem. every time my emusic downloads are about to expire, i go on a downloading spree. this means, generally, that i download about 5 albums in a day. you think i'd learn to use my subscription a little more efficiently; unfortunately efficiency isn't my strong suit when it comes to all things personal. anyway... a lot of the time, albums go overlooked for months in my itunes library, or at least weeks. this situation happened with the artist i'm about to tell you about: Thao with The Get Down Stay Down.
so ignore what is so obviously wrong with this video (the bad hipster/elaine dancing and the mustache - yeah, you know which one i'm talking about) and admit that you almost wish you were there. weird, i know. either way, i love this track. it's totally a solo-bedroom-underwear-dance party track. infectious, to say the least. i'm a big fan of "when we swam." it's my favourite on the record.
"cool yourself" is another great track. it has a 90s vibe, especially in the guitars. it's fun and upbeat. it makes you want to sing along and skip down the sidewalk while you walk home. i love the juxtaposition of thao's nonchalant vocals with the quick pace of the track.
really, the more i listen to know better learn faster, the more i realize how beautiful this little record is. i don't think there's a song i'd skip. it's fresh and modern, but takes pieces from 60s pop, 90s rock and modern indie rock, and gives the listener something new, yet familiar. it's as sweet as fresh-baked cookies on a saturday afternoon.
if you pick it up, it will totally be one of those records you want to keep to yourself because you feel like you've got your own little secret. don't, though.
so ignore what is so obviously wrong with this video (the bad hipster/elaine dancing and the mustache - yeah, you know which one i'm talking about) and admit that you almost wish you were there. weird, i know. either way, i love this track. it's totally a solo-bedroom-underwear-dance party track. infectious, to say the least. i'm a big fan of "when we swam." it's my favourite on the record.
"cool yourself" is another great track. it has a 90s vibe, especially in the guitars. it's fun and upbeat. it makes you want to sing along and skip down the sidewalk while you walk home. i love the juxtaposition of thao's nonchalant vocals with the quick pace of the track.
really, the more i listen to know better learn faster, the more i realize how beautiful this little record is. i don't think there's a song i'd skip. it's fresh and modern, but takes pieces from 60s pop, 90s rock and modern indie rock, and gives the listener something new, yet familiar. it's as sweet as fresh-baked cookies on a saturday afternoon.
if you pick it up, it will totally be one of those records you want to keep to yourself because you feel like you've got your own little secret. don't, though.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
i forgot to add this to my movie posts
http://www.myvideo.de/watch/3041991/The_Big_Lebowski_Bob_Dylan_The_Man_In_Me
Best scene in the big lebowski. hands down.
Best scene in the big lebowski. hands down.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
i think i'm developing a pattern
instead of cleaning my bathroom on thursdays while i do laundry, i have solo-bedroom-dance parties in my underwear and eat fruit pastilles. it's true. i'm on a janet jackson kick right now. specifically janet.. one of the best albums of the 90s.
anyway, now that november is coming to a close, all these best-of lists keep popping up everywhere. well, seeing as a i blog once a month, you could take this years blogs, condense them, and call them my top-10 of 2009. so, instead i'm going to do something different. here's a selected list of some of my most listened to tracks of 2009 - minus the one's i've already talked about.
here goes:
marcus foster - 14 times
it's beautiful and simple, just the way a great song should be. watch out for this kid. apparently one of his tracks is on the new moon soundtrack. yeah. i'm going to hate on new moon. sorry.
fink - this is the thing
fink is one of those u.k. phenomenons. mercury prize winning phenomenon that's popular home but no one seems to care to market over here. i think he's great and both his albums are amazing.
the temper trap - sweet disposition
500 days of summer was one of my favourite films this year. not just because i have a massive crush on joseph gordon levitt (and a massive girl-crush on zooey deschanel) but also because it helped me make sense of the breakup i went through earlier this year. i had mostly made sense of it by the time august rolled around, hah, but it gave me that extra bit of clarity i needed. anyway, i love "sweet disposition." it's just one of those feel-good songs you dance around your room to in your underwear while eating fruit pastilles.
bowerbirds - northern lights
bowerbirds' upper air is one of those albums that's in my top-10 of the year that i unfortunately didn't get a chance to write about (ahem *lazy* ahem). "northern lights" is a beautiful love song. "all i want is your eyes - in the morning as we wake for a short while" ughhhh, make me melt.
the xx - vcr
i think we all know i was born about 15 years too late. i should have been a teen when joy division and new order, the psychedelic furs, and the replacements were still writing tunes. because of that, i think we all know i love a good throwback. the xx are just that. a solid throwback. "vcr" is that kind of song that just makes me want to makeout with someone. as i've said before, a good song should make you want to do that.
phoenix - liztomania
another dancing in my underwear kind of song. i think i like to dance in my underwear. though, i do pull out the molly ringwald snap/kick move from breakfast club and that's rare.
anni rossi - wheelpusher
if you get a chance to see this little firecracker, do it. don't ask me what it's about. i don't really know. it's just pretty. sorta like megan fox... if she were a song... and a little more indie.
a.a. bondy - the mightiest of guns
so apparently i've got a thing for dudes with guitars. what? a.a. bondy's a recent discovery, but i'm in love. if you're in toronto, check him out december 3rd at the el mo. in fact, i've got an extra ticket if anyone wants to go.
young galaxy - firestruck
you have to see young galaxy live. seriously. this album just keeps growing on me. so pretty. oh so pretty.
the outfield - your love
yeah. i just did that. i blame adventureland. she and him need to cover this shit.
anyway, now that november is coming to a close, all these best-of lists keep popping up everywhere. well, seeing as a i blog once a month, you could take this years blogs, condense them, and call them my top-10 of 2009. so, instead i'm going to do something different. here's a selected list of some of my most listened to tracks of 2009 - minus the one's i've already talked about.
here goes:
marcus foster - 14 times
it's beautiful and simple, just the way a great song should be. watch out for this kid. apparently one of his tracks is on the new moon soundtrack. yeah. i'm going to hate on new moon. sorry.
fink - this is the thing
fink is one of those u.k. phenomenons. mercury prize winning phenomenon that's popular home but no one seems to care to market over here. i think he's great and both his albums are amazing.
the temper trap - sweet disposition
500 days of summer was one of my favourite films this year. not just because i have a massive crush on joseph gordon levitt (and a massive girl-crush on zooey deschanel) but also because it helped me make sense of the breakup i went through earlier this year. i had mostly made sense of it by the time august rolled around, hah, but it gave me that extra bit of clarity i needed. anyway, i love "sweet disposition." it's just one of those feel-good songs you dance around your room to in your underwear while eating fruit pastilles.
bowerbirds - northern lights
bowerbirds' upper air is one of those albums that's in my top-10 of the year that i unfortunately didn't get a chance to write about (ahem *lazy* ahem). "northern lights" is a beautiful love song. "all i want is your eyes - in the morning as we wake for a short while" ughhhh, make me melt.
the xx - vcr
i think we all know i was born about 15 years too late. i should have been a teen when joy division and new order, the psychedelic furs, and the replacements were still writing tunes. because of that, i think we all know i love a good throwback. the xx are just that. a solid throwback. "vcr" is that kind of song that just makes me want to makeout with someone. as i've said before, a good song should make you want to do that.
phoenix - liztomania
another dancing in my underwear kind of song. i think i like to dance in my underwear. though, i do pull out the molly ringwald snap/kick move from breakfast club and that's rare.
anni rossi - wheelpusher
if you get a chance to see this little firecracker, do it. don't ask me what it's about. i don't really know. it's just pretty. sorta like megan fox... if she were a song... and a little more indie.
a.a. bondy - the mightiest of guns
so apparently i've got a thing for dudes with guitars. what? a.a. bondy's a recent discovery, but i'm in love. if you're in toronto, check him out december 3rd at the el mo. in fact, i've got an extra ticket if anyone wants to go.
young galaxy - firestruck
you have to see young galaxy live. seriously. this album just keeps growing on me. so pretty. oh so pretty.
the outfield - your love
yeah. i just did that. i blame adventureland. she and him need to cover this shit.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
i give up
i've spent the last hour and a half attempting to search out my favourite movie soundtrack clips and i've managed to round up four. goddamn copyright infringements. seriously? you think in this day and age we'd be past that. apparently not.
"kissing you" by des'ree - romeo & juliet
so i think i understand the whole twilight phenomenon. i'm pretty sure i went to see romeo & juliet three times at the cineplex in Guelph. romeo & juliet is ridiculously better than twilight, but, after re-watching this clip, i remembered how much i loved this movie and how great of an impact it had on my perpetually heartbroken 16-year-old self. needless to say, this scene (that kicks in at about the 1:40 mark) is simply beautiful. honorable mentions go out to "young hearts run free" too.
"born slippy" by underworld - trainspotting
even though this scene is only one minute long, it's the best minute in trainspotting, as far as i'm concerned. it fits the mood of the film perfectly. i wish the clip rolled into the credits but sadly it's all i can find. it's intense. it's urgent. it's trainspotting.
"try a little tenderness" by otis redding - pretty in pink
oh john hughes. the master of the soundtrack. i don't think there's anything i can say about john hughes that hasn't already been said since his passing so i'll just focus on the scene.
i don't know about you, but i didn't have some geek serenading me with otis redding tunes when i was in high school. but, if i did, i'd be all over it (as long as he wasn't as so obviously in the closet as duckie was). molly should have done him a favour. note to any potential bfs: serenade me with otis redding and i'll do you a favour.
"in your eyes" by peter gabriel - say anything
one: i can't find this fucking clip to save my life. ffwd to 1:45
two: i, and almost every other woman on the planet, will eternally crush on john cusack because of this scene, no matter how bad his films get.
three: cameron crowe is a close second behind hughes - honorable mentions go out to "secret garden" by springsteen in jerry maguire. couldn't find that clip either. oh, and all of almost famous - specifically "something in the air."
"hold me up" by live - zack and miri make a porno
okay, so this may seem a little weird and out of context. AND nsfw. i love this scene though and the song makes it. literally - wha wha. i feel like most people would find this choice odd, especially considering kevin smith's gift for picking extraordinary music for his films, but for me, it fits perfectly.
"all i want is you" by U2 - reality bites
okay, ignore the fact that the dialogue is in fucking spanish. i hate YouTube right now. HATE. anyway, i love this song. i love this scene. i love this movie. i now blame U2 for my desire to date dirty, greasy, asshole philosopher types. everything about this is beautiful.
"kissing you" by des'ree - romeo & juliet
so i think i understand the whole twilight phenomenon. i'm pretty sure i went to see romeo & juliet three times at the cineplex in Guelph. romeo & juliet is ridiculously better than twilight, but, after re-watching this clip, i remembered how much i loved this movie and how great of an impact it had on my perpetually heartbroken 16-year-old self. needless to say, this scene (that kicks in at about the 1:40 mark) is simply beautiful. honorable mentions go out to "young hearts run free" too.
"born slippy" by underworld - trainspotting
even though this scene is only one minute long, it's the best minute in trainspotting, as far as i'm concerned. it fits the mood of the film perfectly. i wish the clip rolled into the credits but sadly it's all i can find. it's intense. it's urgent. it's trainspotting.
"try a little tenderness" by otis redding - pretty in pink
oh john hughes. the master of the soundtrack. i don't think there's anything i can say about john hughes that hasn't already been said since his passing so i'll just focus on the scene.
i don't know about you, but i didn't have some geek serenading me with otis redding tunes when i was in high school. but, if i did, i'd be all over it (as long as he wasn't as so obviously in the closet as duckie was). molly should have done him a favour. note to any potential bfs: serenade me with otis redding and i'll do you a favour.
"in your eyes" by peter gabriel - say anything
one: i can't find this fucking clip to save my life. ffwd to 1:45
two: i, and almost every other woman on the planet, will eternally crush on john cusack because of this scene, no matter how bad his films get.
three: cameron crowe is a close second behind hughes - honorable mentions go out to "secret garden" by springsteen in jerry maguire. couldn't find that clip either. oh, and all of almost famous - specifically "something in the air."
"hold me up" by live - zack and miri make a porno
okay, so this may seem a little weird and out of context. AND nsfw. i love this scene though and the song makes it. literally - wha wha. i feel like most people would find this choice odd, especially considering kevin smith's gift for picking extraordinary music for his films, but for me, it fits perfectly.
"all i want is you" by U2 - reality bites
okay, ignore the fact that the dialogue is in fucking spanish. i hate YouTube right now. HATE. anyway, i love this song. i love this scene. i love this movie. i now blame U2 for my desire to date dirty, greasy, asshole philosopher types. everything about this is beautiful.
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