Have you seen me?

You will, hopefully. Soon.

iMMersE your soUL in LOVE.

Grab all the love you can, while you can, and hold on to it as tightly as possible. One day soon it will all come crashing down around your ears.

On another note, there are few things finer than sitting up on your roof late under a clear night sky, laughing with your friends, and playing guitar.

That is all for now.

Dream, Stargazer!

I just finished up this mix a couple nights ago, and it's a beauty, if I do say so myself. I'd decided to go stargazing (something I haven't done in a long time), so I whipped up this little mix especially for those long hours spent staring at the sky. Now, If I could've only found a pretty girl to go with me...

Dream, Stargazer!
1. Sigur Ros- (Intro)
2. Sigur Ros- Sven-n-Englar
3. Plus/Minus- Far Into the Fields
4. Aurore Rien- Bounce the Satellites
5. Lanterna- Thirty
6. Juno- Up Through the Night
7. The Mercury Program- Fragile Or Possibly Extinct
8. Ida- So Long
9. Death Cab For Cutie- Passenger Seat
10. Nanang Tatang- Getting Nowhere
11. The Autumns- Pale Trembles A Gale
12. Explosions in the Sky- The Long Spring
13. Ulrich Schnauss- A Strangely Isolated Place

Onward + Upward

Been very busy lately, and I'm pleased to say that things are shaping up nicely for me to be bring some new music to the table soon in the form of a beautiful new project I've been working on, thetransparentcity. There is a very lo-fi mp3 (multi-tracked entirely on my keyboard) up for your listening pleasure. It's not indicative of the overall sound of the project, however (which falls somewhere between the epic dreampop stylings of Yume Bitsu, the shoegazery sludge of Paik, and the bombastic post-rock of Mogwai or Explosions in the Sky).

Other than that, I've been getting back into the groove of school and homework, and even though school has (and always has had) tremendous potential to suck, I'm really happy to be here.

I've kind of made a decision to start over this year, prompted by three things: a new haircut (the long hair I had and Jesus beard I grew this summer to go with the hair had to go), losing 40 lbs, and finally being able to bring some new music to people. I guess I kind of came to the realization that life is too short for me to focus on all the negative things that happen (something that this blog has been about way too much in the past). I apologize, therefore, to whoever reads this blog, for constantly inundating you with my solipsistic, narcissistic, whining. As James Mercer of The Shins once said, "Have I left my home just to whine in this microphone?" The world's too big, and life too short, for you to have to hear that from me. It's time for me to move on. On and ever upward, as they say.

Hopefully, that decision will stick and this year will spark a noticeable change in both my life and attitude. I hope it does, and I hope you stay around. I think you'll like the change.

Some GREAT New Music I've Been Digging Lately:
Air- Moon Safari
The Electric Twin- Demo EP*
Marianas- Onward + Upward**
Textual- Hindsight Sunglasses

*This is the demo from the guitarist and drummer of my old band, and is some of the most eclectic and well-written pop I've heard in awhile (especially considering that it's made by people not much older than myself). There's no demos on their site yet, but trust me when I say they're great. If there's any justice, these guys will be huge.

**Thanks to Ryan from Marianas for slipping me a copy of this beautiful gem of an album.

Singles Breaking Up, Vol. 1

So it's been awhile. The usual sentiments apply (not dead, super busy, kidnapped by malevolent aliens, etc). In light of not posting in awhile, I wanted to kick off again with a bang, and do something special for you long-time readers (all two of you). In other words, I've decided to bore you in exactly the same fashion as I normally do.

This marks the beginning of a new segment I'm going to call "Singles Breaking Up," (title taken from a Don Caballero record) which will basically detail 3 to 5 songs I've been listening to non-stop lately. Let's plunge right in, shall we?

Ben Folds- "The Luckiest"
So the man may be an insufferable smartass who's obsessed with his own cleverness, but when he really sits down and sets his mind to it, he can write beautiful and incredibly meaningful songs. "The Luckiest" is no exception, a typically Folds-ian song built on his startlingly gorgeous and subtle playing and adding some tasteful strings.

The lyrics are achingly poignant, with Folds musing on love and fate in a surprisingly grown-up fashion, wondering how he's ended up where he is and pondering "all the wrong turns and stumbles and falls" that brought him there. What's even more startling is that Folds, ever the perennial snot-nosed teenager, manages to put all this aside to deliver a bittersweet tale of aging love, managing to include the most direct expression of love's constancy than any I've heard in pop music in years, and states it in such a disarmingly direct way that his sincerity is never in doubt. An amazing song, and one that melts even this overly cynical heart.

Bonnie "Prince" Billy- "I See A Darkness"
Despite the fact that Bonnie "Prince" Billy (known better as Will Oldham) looks like a scary mountain man, he nonetheless writes some powerful songs, delivering them all in a surprisingly thin and slightly shaky tenor (this song was also covered by Johnny Cash recently, and although I've never heard that cover, I understand it's absolutely devastating).

"I See A Darkness," off the album of the same name, takes the form of a conversation the narrator is having with a close friend. The song begins with Oldham reminiscing about all the times they've shared together while drinking, leading to him realizing that he's damned himself through his actions, and ends by begging that his love will save him from this darkness he's walked into. The whole thing sounds and feels very southern-gothic, and would be a great song to curl up in your room with a bottle of Jack Daniels and stare at the ceiling (and no, Mom, I don't know this from personal experience).

Deerhoof- "Milk Man"
On the completely opposite end of the spectrum from our previous two offerings, Deerhoof turn in one of the most pleasantly poppy things I've heard from them (and having been previously terrified by their blend of noise, poppy melodies, and a 4-foot high Japanese girl alternately wailing away like an angry pixie or chattering away in fractured english like a rabid chipmunk, it is indeed comparatively pleasant).

The noise is still there (although constrained to certain sections of the song), as are the sugary melodies, but thankfully this time the shrieking was left behind. The song starts out with a nice guitar part that soons twists and turns it's way into a bass-led freakout that's jump-around-your-room-in-your-underwear good. Interestingly enough, the verse section of the song actually reminds of some work by Lush. I can't really tell what vocalist/bassist Satomi Matsuzaki is singing (save for a few isolated phrases), but when the music's this good, who cares?

Elton John- Tiny Dancer
Okay, so I know it's not cool to like Elton John (and what under-fed, horn-rimmed glassed scenester came up with that rule?), but this song is freaking great. I'd kind of forgotten about this song (due to misunderstood lyric that replaced the words "tiny dancer" with "Tony Danza") until I saw "Almost Famous" a few years ago. There's nothing I can really say about this song that probably hasn't been said a zillion times, so I'll say this: go watch "Almost Famous" immediately, and then go track down this song.

Nico- "These Days"
Another one of those songs I'd forgotten about until I heard it again in a movie (this time in "The Royal Tennenbaums"). Sure, Nico can't really sing, and her Wagnerian intonations nearly ruin an otherwise charming song, but to me, part of Nico's "thing" was the fact that she couldn't sing, but nonetheless tried to. It lends the song a disarming vulnerability. Now go watch "The Royal Tennenbaums" and find this song.

That's about it for now. Sleep calls. I'll post again sometime before I die.

(Mormon) Missionary Style

So this is not the mix CD I promised to make in my last post. Get over it. It'll be along, eventually. Anyway, this particular one is for my friend Robert, who is going off at the end of this semester to do his required mission. Say what you will about Mormons, but at least they're dedicated. If all protestants had their gumption/dedication, I've a feeling that the American church would be a far different place right now.

That's neither here nor there, however. This compilation is mostly instrumental (and I say mostly because if there are vocals, they're usually just wordless, vocodered sounds), and will fit quite nicely on an 80-minute CD (with a few minutes of blank space left). The reason for it being instrumental is because while Mormon missionaries are allowed to listen to music in the field, it can contain no lyrics about love or romance, as not to diminish focus from the mission.

I've been wanting to make an instrumental compilation for awhile, and I'm pleased to say my first stab was fairly successful, save for a few slightly awkward transitions (which bug the crap out of me) that resulted from me having to cut out another 40 minutes of interstitial music to make as much of the good stuff as I could fit on one CD.

Mixes for me are an art form, involving hours of sitting in front of two seperate CD players (one playing the end of the preceding track, while the other plays the beginning of the next), listening for matching keys and matching "feels," and generally switching CD's in and out like a madman. That's why it takes me forever to finish one. When I do finish one, it's usually friggin' amazing.

Anyway, here it is, the:

Various Artists: The Mormon Mission Mix
1. Argentina- National Anthem
2. Unwed Sailor- Our Nights
3. Archers of Loaf- Acromegaly
4. Maserati- Ambassador of Cinema
5. Japancakes- Vocode-Inn
6. The Swords Project- Audience of One
7. Questions In Dialect- Walking On Water
8. Explosions in the Sky- The Only Moment We Were Alone
9. The Six Parts Seven- Where Are the Timpani Heartbeats?
10. The Mercury Program- You Give Me Problems About My Business
11. Mogwai- 2 Rights Make 1 Wrong

This one flows nicely (despite the few awkward transitions). I can't wait to take it driving.

I'm out.

Make Me A Mixtape

I was asked the dreaded question awhile back. I was bopping innocently along through a conversation with my best friend and then all of the sudden there's a pause and here it comes:

"What's your favorite song?"

This is nearly an impossible question for a music geek to answer, and an especially difficult one for me, who associates my life so closely with the music I'm listening to. People ask me how I feel, and I generally respond by telling them what I'm listening to. Due to this, it's hard to say exactly what my favorite song is at any given moment. I'll listen to things, and they'll grab me at the time because of something I'm going through, but pop it in later and cringe. You know what I'm talking about, of course. Music is so subjective.

Anyway, it occurred to me that for all the music-related blathering on this page, I've never actually sat down and though about what my favorite songs are (if indeed I have any, and after some careful consideration, I think I do), and why they are my favorite songs. I've done posts before where I've talked about different songs that I was obsessed with at the time (see "Tribute", "Suddenly Everything Has Changed", and nearly any long-winded post that mentions Radiohead for perfect examples of this). I remember writing a post on a message board last year, and I narrowed it down to five or six songs, I think, leaving out close to probably a hundred honorable mentions (songs which are equally as great but haven't had nearly as much permanent staying power, for whatever reasons). The amazing Dismemberment Plan (when they were still together) solved this problem neatly by posting a sidebar on their site, titled "The Top Ten Greatest Songs Of All Time (Right Now)," or something to that effect. This may be a future addition here; we'll see. Anyway, here we go with:

Six Songs I'm Reasonably Sure Are My Favorite Ever, And Why (In No Particular Order, Of Course):

The Promise Ring- "A Picture Postcard"
This song exemplifies what's best about early Promise Ring: amazing lyrics, interesting chord progressions, eminently hummable melodies, and a curiously booty-shaking beat (courtesy of their formidable rhythm section). Starting out with a light, chiming guitar underpinning an easygoing solo, it gradually builds to something only slightly more intense as the drums drop the smooth rhythm for something a little more insistent. You think the song is going to explode somewhere, but the boys wisely back off to let lead vocalist/charming lisper Davey VonBohlen's wobbly tenor take center stage.

The lyrics here, as with most early Promise Ring, are sparse and impressionistic, using a minimum of words to convey an incredible depth of emotion, and VonBohlen's plaintive "Couldn't you take the second bus home? Couldn't you just take me with you?" is nearly heartbreaking in its' gentle wistfulness. When the song finally does explode in its' own glorious, awkward-teenagers-in-love fashion (after returning to the first section and its' subsequent build-up again), it's perfectly right, everything you ever wanted to hear. Instead of letting the song end on a rocking note, however, the band pulls back again to the lone chiming guitar figure and lets VonBohlen deliver the last lines in a cracked, bewildered voice: "And I'm convinced that you're from Mars." And that's it for me: twenty-two years of relationship frustration summed up in a single line. Perfect.

New Order- “Regret”
I got into New Order by proxy: in elementary and middle school I’d hear their songs blasting out of my older brother’s room pretty much non-stop. Other kids would come to school singing what was on the radio; I’d be singing The Smiths' “William, It Was Really Nothing.” Imagine my delight when I, thinking I’d never really heard them, began seeking their stuff out and listening to it, only to find it strangely familiar. Even though I’d heard their stuff before, none of it ever really hit me as hard as “Regret.” As with the aforementioned Promise Ring track, “Regret” perfectly sums up New Order’s entire approach: not quite rock, and not quite dance, but with a solid pop foundation tying the two halves together.

The song starts with typically synthesized strings, which are abruptly cut in half by blasts of trebly guitar until the dance beat and the high melodic bass line, courtesy of Peter Hook (one of the best bassists ever, in my humble opinion, and a huge influence on my playing) take over. It’s an old trick for New Order (and most “dance” bands, technically speaking): put the melody in the bass/synth line and allow the guitar and drum to solidify the rhythm.

For me, what separates New Order from most bands are Bernard Sumner’s vocals. Whereas most dance acts are content to have detached, cold-sounding vocals (fitting an “electronic” background), Sumner’s are intimately warm , and delivered with a heart-wrenching sincerity that makes the cheesiest of lines (which is precisely the reason I won’t re-print most of them here) seem profound and believable.

Essentially a plea for a loved one to forgive him, the chorus is basically a list of things Sumner feels make him the best person for her now, though he freely admits he hasn’t been in the past. The ending phrase seems to sum up the title of the song, as Sumner admits that instead of talking to her or making things right, he’ll just wait until tomorrow, though he guesses “that’s what they all say, just before they fall apart.” The lyrics a wonderful combination of laziness, passive-aggressiveness and relationship anxiety that slaps me in the face every time I hear it and reminds me to get on with my life.

The Lassie Foundation- “El Rey”
If a sunset could be put to tape, this is what it would sound like.

The Lassie Foundation: one of those bands that hardly anyone has heard of, but should be required listening for anyone who likes pop music. "El Rey" is embodiment of lazy California cool, from the hazy feedback wrapping around the echoed guitar strumming to the reverbed-out drumming to the gentle falsetto vocals (the lyrics are as simple as this: “Hoo-ha/It won’t be long/She’s the sun/It won’t be long/Hoo-ha/Here she comes, walking right at you/Good day, El Rey”) to what has to be the laziest slide guitar solo ever written.

I’m not normally a “hard” person, but this song completely melts me in a way few things do. I have this fantasy that I’ll see the girl of my dreams and this song will be playing in the background. It goes like this: we’re at some sort of crowded social function, and I’m looking out across the crowd (most likely bored out of my wits, as I usually am at such things). Suddenly, the sea of people parts for just a moment, and there she is. We lock eyes, and I’m completely stunned, all the air sucked out of me by the weight of her stare and how beautiful she is. Time seems to stop as she puts down her drink and begins walking towards me (in slow motion, I think, although I can’t be sure). Oh, I am dying, I think, and the thought has never seemed so sweet.

Love- “Alone Again Or”
I first heard this song playing in the background of one of my favorite movies ever, Wes Anderson’s “Bottle Rocket,” and spent a few weeks trying to track down who it was (this particular song didn’t make the soundtrack, for some odd reason). When I finally found out who it was, I was just in time for the entire album the song originally appeared on (1967’s “Forever Changes”) to be reissued. I picked it up for that song, but soon came to love the album, as well.

This song is essentially the soundtrack to any desperate relationship. Beginning with a free minor-key flamenco guitar figure, the song soon adds a steady strumming and minimal set playing which ups the intensity, if not the tempo, tenfold. By the time Bryan MacLean comes in with the lead vocal (with principal Love songwriter Arthur Lee joining on harmony), you’re completely swept away by both the insistent pulse of the song as well as it’s exotic feel (augmented by strings and more layers of flamenco playing). The chorus feels like a triumph (albeit a bittersweet one) when it finally explodes with an instantly remember-able melody augmented by a very Spanish-sounding horn section. Among other things, it’s just very smartly-written song. It’s easy to see why it’s a classic.

The Magnetic Fields- "100,000 Fireflies”
I first heard The Magnetic Fields by proxy, as well: Superchunk did an excellent cover of “100,000 Fireflies” on their “Incidental Music” B-sides collection. I remember how weird it was to have such a sweet melody and sad lyrics set against such a punky backdrop. The song, however, was far from ruined: the amount of pop songwriting craft that had gone into it made the song amazing no matter what medium it was presented in.

Lyrically, the song is very simple (though perfectly, and I mean PERFECTLY, rhymed) and beautifully sung by vocalist (at the time) Susan Anyway. Her voice isn’t the best voice I’ve ever heard, but there’s an innocence and sense of hurt in her voice that conveys the meaning of the words far better than principal songwriter/musician Stephen Merritt’s crooning baritone would have.

Musically, the backing is lo-fi synth pop, sounding as if it was recorded on a karaoke machine in Merritt’s basement (which, for all I know, it might have been). Despite the overall tinny-ness of the sound, Merritt wrings some surprising depth out the instrumentation and his vocalist, pointing the way towards what he would soon become: one of the sharpest and most prolific songwriters of in the world of pop music; a modern-day Cole Porter.

The Cure- Friday I’m In Love
Just hearing the opening guitar riff of this song is enough to make me break into a huge grin as I’m transported back to a giddy, head-busting sixteen (not that long ago, I know) when it’s Friday afternoon and I’ve not got a thing to do the entire weekend and I’ve got that girl on my mind (you know the one I’m talking about). For the three-and-a-half-minutes of this song, everything is perfect and nothing in the world can go wrong.

The song is very reminiscent of New Order, in that same echo-ed dance-y pop vein. The Cure were never afraid of atmospherics, and this song definitely contains a fine amount, particularly from lead vocalist Robert Smith’s guitar. The song’s lyrics are atypically lighthearted compared to most Cure fare (and very lighthearted even compared to the album this excellent single came off), but perfectly support the giddy background. There are folks who think that The Cure’s pop material is by far their worst. Those people are idiots, and anyone who took one listen to this song would agree with me: this is pop perfection, plain and simple.

There you have it. Hope I didn't bore you too terribly. As always, if you're bored, please feel free to check out any of the links, and also feel free to do yourself a favor and get your hands on copies of these songs (the links usually show you how to do so). You won't be disappointed.

Honorable Mentions/Ties (Left Out to Make the Post Shorter):
The Magnetic Fields- The Saddest Story Ever Told
The Cure- Just Like Heaven

Also, look for a posted list of a compilation containing my six ever favorite songs (and six or eight other ones that are just pretty good.)

Peace.