The Beginning of the End

It seems like there are millions of songs documenting the end of romantic relationships. My current favorite (if you can call something on this topic a favorite...it's like calling Schindler's List an "enjoyable" movie): Talking in Code-Margot and the Nuclear So and So's.

To get a better picture, scope one of the saddest lines in the song..."And I'm sleeping alone/in a house I don't own."

I feel like this line incapsulates the entire song because of its portrayal of both a figurative and physical desolation. Not only does the narrator of the song feel the loneliness of losing the one they love emotionally and mentally, the once loved object of affection literally isn't there.

To make matters worse, the outlook for the speaker doesn't look good: he/she's renting!

The song goes out on a repeat of a line that says it all..."Baby, we're long gone/Yeah, we're long gone."

Although this tune by a band that hasn't put out nearly enough material for this lady (points to self) doesn't give us a lot of detail how this relationship came to its ruin, the listener still gets a vivid picture of the fact that things are falling apart and have been for a while.

As someone who has tried and failed at writing poetry and songs, it's too bad that the songwriting laypeople of the world seem to put up with the stagnancy of a relationship until it's too late. In a sad way, we're also lucky. Margot and the Nuclear So and Sos have already painted a blurred yet vivid portrait of a failed relationship, so we don't have to.



http://www.mediafire.com/?mtnnxmgdtxy

The universe is shaped exactly like the earth...

I've been listening to the song 3rd planet a lot lately. If you don't know, it's the first track on Modest Mouse's Moon and Antarctica. A cute boi showed me a pretty cool Bluegrass cover album of some Modest Mouse songs. There are few people who can cover Modest Mouse songs effectively but I recommend Iron Horse if you are both into Modest Mouse and bluegrass (I know, seemingly incompatible). Beyond that, you should check out Sun Kil Moon, who also did an entire album of MM covers. Mark Kozelek's While you're checking out Tiny Cities, check out his self-written albums as well. Although I had a friend who was pretty skeptical about a whole album of covers, Kozelek writes some pretty amazing music of his own as well. His new album, April, just came out and it's definitely been pretty high in my rotation for a while. I've digressed too far to make any sort of clever segue back to 3rd Planet. So yeah, back to 3rd Planet. 3rd Planet makes me think about all sorts of introspective life-type things. Yesterday after I returned from a day trip to Allerton Park in Monticello, I listened to 3rd Planet and all of a sudden, it seemed to make a lot more and a lot less sense to me. As my friends walked around in the windy, cloudy weather that marked yesterday afternoon, we entered the realm of the Sun Singer in Allerton Park. The Sun Singer basically translates to a giant Roman statue in a HUGE crop circle like area. While walking up to the Sun Singer, the clouds parted like in one of those time elapsed videos and in the past tense of the Beatles song, there came the sun. I completely exaggerated this part, it wasn't a speedy sun shower. Instead, it just kind of slowly crept up on my friends and I that this situation was too ironic not to comment on it. Regardless, situations like that really make me want to understand the world around me a lot more. Maybe that'll happen this summer but maybe not. *Shrug* I feel like as cheesy as this sounds, that's something you have to come upon naturally and can't just be predetermined.
3rd Planet reminds me why my music motto is "tune in, sound off." Talk about music you like with me, I guarantee I won't be bored.

Nuptials

Although I've never been one of those girls who dreams about the details of her wedding, I do think about one aspect of it a lot. DA JAMZ. But seriously, I got in a screaming match with my sister all because she was going to pick a modern country song for her wedding song. I've vowed to have great music played at my wedding. We'll have all those typical wedding songs because it's really funny but there will be music that defines me as well. My cousin told me the other day that her new boyfriend really likes Nickelback and Creed. She once thought that she could never like someone with bad taste in music. My cousin is really really cool for a person over 30 and has great taste in music. However, I really hope I never make that concession inside. It may sound stupid but music is so much a part of me that I can't really see myself marrying someone with such different tastes. In many cases, the music people listen to comes with a certain lifestyle as well. I'm hoping to find someone (not anytime soon, of course) that shares my ideologies about music as well as life. That being said, sometimes I do like to think about what my wedding song would be. I used to think a lot about the song, Pictures of You by The Cure. It's an incredibly sad song but I absolutely love it. However, I think I may have found a suitable substitute. I've been listening to a lot of Neutral Milk Hotel lately and I can honestly say, I would really love to hear the title track on In the Aeroplane Over the Sea as my wedding song. It's a beautiful song lyrically and musically. And most importantly, when I hear it, it makes me want to dance. In a very very sappy way. Cheek to cheek, pressed close. All that stuff. It makes me yearn for that which I may or may not have found yet. Paradoxically, I'm in no hurry to become a bride. In fact, I may never wear that white dress. Who knows. At least I have my wedding song.

Smells Like Good Music

I look forward to the day when I remember the time when iconic songs of my generation were new. That's a really revolutionary idea for me. I think it will probably be soon but what will those songs be for me, "The Thong Song?" I'm hoping for something better for my musical generation. What will be my "Buddy Holly" or "What's the Story Morning Glory?"

For Greg, Forever Ago

As I sit here wasting an exorbitant amount of time doing everything I shouldn't be doing, a blog update seems like just the procrastinatory trick! I've been listening to the new Bon Iver album. Anyone who thinks that the neo-soul genre label that is so often tacked on to Justin Vernon is a joke obviously hasn't listened to For Emma, Forever Ago very closely. Track 3, Skinny Love is easily one of the best songs I've heard in a long time. There are songs that just take my breath away and Skinny Love definitely fits that category. Listen to it on repeat, for your own sake. Same goes for Re: Stacks. The title reminds me of my job in the library, which I love. Good associations. I'm buying this on LP as soon as I can get my hands on some cashola. Do the same.

Yo La Tengo

My music snob declaration of the day: MORE PEOPLE SHOULD LIKE YO LA TENGO. This is a band that has literally been around for 20 years and has been completely amazing for all 20 of them. If you do not know them already, get to know them for your own good. Ride the Tiger is their oldest LP and my personal favorite. If you do not know these great people out of the great city of Hoboken, NJ, I can hook you up with some tracks. Just let me know.

Short one

A la Jerry Seinfeld: What's the deal with ska bands covering every song ever written?