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?

Music nerdlinger

The subject matter says it all. I am a music nerdlinger. I love lurking last.fm profiles. That's my favorite way to stalk someone. "hey smartguy, you've been listening to a whole lot of mariah carey christmas lately" may or may not find its way to your shoutbox if we're friends on last.fm. I'm so much of a nerd that I waited for the day that my new charts appeared. As I expected, The Weakerthans took the top spot for that week. Not only is this the truf, they also took the #3 spot of most listened to bands. They weren't on the list the week before but 307 listens in one week will do that to them. In conclusion, listen to bands specifically for the music nerdlingers like me out there.

Fallow

There are some songs that are just so heartbreakingly beautiful that it just makes you want to cry. At least, that's the way it is for me. Thanks to my friend matt, I've discovered about a million of those songs...all of which were written by The Weakerthans. The title track off of their first album, Fallow, is definitely one of those songs for me. When I find myself tearing up in a public place like the library, you know it's a good song. It also makes me realize that no matter how many papers I have to write and no matter how cold it is outside, life's going to be ok someday. Some people believe in the adage, "life is pain" but most of the time, I think life's alright.

Eureka!

For a while I've been waiting for that next it song for me. The song that I can listen to over and over again without getting sick of it. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah...thank you for making that song for me. It's called In This Home On Ice and it's on their eponymous debut. Eponymous is one of my favorite words right now. I've had to write upteen band bios and I try to use it as much as possible. I digress...Something about my new song reminds me of the 80s. And for that, thank you CYHSY. It's one of those songs that I like to listen to on repeat and sometimes, it makes me tear up a bit. There is no explanation for songs like that for me. It used to be things like soft Get Up Kids songs or Dashboard Confessional. Now, a song's beauty can make me tear up. Sorry if you think I'm a weirdo for crying when listening to music but I assure you there is nothing to worry about. Well, I'm off to listen to In This Home On Ice 8293847324 more times tonight. Goodnight and I hope you find "it" for yourself.

A little cheating

Although I've decided that this is a music blog by all accounts, I have to throw in some other media here and there. During this week, especially, I feel like I need to devote time and energy to the spreading of the horror movie gospel. If you know me at all, you know that I love the horror genre more than a momma's boy like Normal Bates loves his ma. Although I've devoted much more time this year than in year's past to watching horror movies, I've always had a sick relationship with them. When I was younger, I used to love to sneak down to my basement to watch them without parental consent. I would scare myself so much that I wouldn't be able to sleep for days and days. Yet, I still did it again and again. Nowadays, I still get ridiculously scared by them but in a completely temporary way. There is nothing like sitting alone in your house hearing all the noises that creak and moan and thinking that they're Michael Myers coming to get you. There is just something about ghosts and ghouls and zombies that I just can't get enough of.
Some of my favorite horror movies are 80s slasher movies like Friday the 13th and Halloween. In the history/film class I'm taking, we discuss conventions in film. Those slasher movies have so many conventions that it is impossible not to be able to predict exactly what is going to happen. Even though this is true, I still want to watch them all the time. The predictability is at the same time comforting and frightening. You scream at the TV or at the movie screen but they still can't hear you! This post has virtually no point but I wanted to share my halloweek fun with someone.
The moral of the story is...GET INTO HORROR FLICKS.

The Problem with last.fm

The main problem with last.fm is that I'll never be able to have a guilty pleasure again. I can't lie...I listened to a Dashboard Confessional song today and now all my friends on last.fm know it. I am often the music stalker who makes slightly creepy comments on what you have been listening to lately. For some reason, that tells me a lot more about a person than facebook statuses ever can. That being sad, no fear non-cyber friends of Sarah, Dashboard is no indication of how I'm feeling. You should probably be listening to Another Year on the Streets Vol. 2 as well. Best comp of allllll time followed closely by Slaying Since 1996 from Suicide Squeeze. Bring back your pop punk pasts with me!

Musical boner of the day

BONER FOR:

• Pictures of Success by Rilo Kiley. I recently discovered this little gem randomly when my itunes was on shuffle. It's one of those songs that I have to listen to at least 3-4 consecutive times before I've had remotely enough. 6 minutes, 52 seconds of songwriting genius, you can check it out as track numero 4 on Take Offs and Landings.
• Punk as Fuck by AmAnSet. Best sleep song since sliced bread.
  
• Anything by the Ronettes or any 60s girl group. I love oldies. If you know me, you know this. Ronnie Spector is no exception. Even if she was married to creepy mccreeperstein Phil Spector.
  
• Singalongs of Atlantic City
  

The Boss

This morning when I woke up, I had an epic Bruce Springsteen sing along with my friend Ryan. Just another reminder of why I love The Boss with a passion. Even more appropriate, I was wearing the t-shirt with a picture of Tony Danza and Bruce Springsteen that ponders the question...Who indeed is, "The Boss?" I digress. We chilled and sang Atlantic City to our little hearts' contents. Got stuck on the beginning of the second verse but no matter. The point is, singing at 10 am made me realize that I must acquire a copy of Nebraska on vinyl. A lot of Springsteen fans don't appreciate Nebraska because it's not a rocker like Born to Run. In my opinion, anything with a song as amazing as Atlantic City on it is worth my time and money. I also take issue with the pack of haterz who don't like The Boss. Some people actually consider it farcical to like Bruce Springsteen. I don't really get that. He's consistently ranked as one of the top living songwriters. Don't write him off because he keeps it real and rocks a little more than Bob or Neil. I love both of them too but they just don't speak to the American heart like Bruce does. Also, if you are a boss fan, you should probably check out his first lp, Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ. I say LP because it's a must have on vinyl. If you didn't know, the original version of "Blinded by the Light" is on it and here's the kicker...it actually sounds like DEUCE in this version. My favorite song on that album is Mary Queen of Arkansas, however. One of Bruce's many "Mary" songs, it is so desperately beautiful that I just want to listen to it all the time while sitting around a campfire. All this boss talk has made me hungry for some Bruce. I'll be back on Saturday with the vinyl copies of my Springsteen albums. Until then, take it sleazy.

Unheard of...

Never again will I post twice in one day because: 1. no one wants to read this as much as I want to write it and 2. i'll get lazy again, guaranteed. However, here it goes...

Lately, I've been jamming to a lot of older alternative. If you go to U of I, you know I work at the radio station and basically sound like a commercial for Flashback Cafe with mat brown right now. Shameless promotion is not the intent of this blog, however. Lately, for whatever reason, I've been way in to that shitty, guitar heavy lo-fi stuff of the early 90s. I was talking to my friend Matt about it the other day and of course, I was immediately accused of being a nameless/faceless hipster. After my initial fit of rage over hearing myself called a hipster, I calmed down and realized that there was no point at getting worked up about it. I'm not a hipster and here's why...I like early 90s alternative. You may be thinking to yourself..."Well Sarah, doesn't that make you a hipster?" No, fine blog readers, it does not. Hipsters of the 2000s do not listen to early indie/alternative. They only listen to what is cool right now. Maybe if some older band is making a resurgence in popular culture, they may shift their alliances but for the most part, hipsters stick to the newest, shiniest vehicle that they can find. Right now on WPGU, this happens to be electronica. Although everyone likes a good dance song, what staying power do these bands(and I use this term very loosely because of their lack of instruments for the most part). I don't mean to make it seem like I don't like this type of music. That is not my intent. I really just want people to realize that it isn't necessary to latch on to the next best thing to be a popular radio station. We need to educate people out there about how indie/alternative came about and who made it possible for it to be popular now. People constantly talk about selling out and signing to major labels. Without bands like Pixies, Sebadoh and Dino Jr., do you honestly believe it would be possible for indie bands now to "sell out?" Because older bands carved the path out for the bands of today, bands that would have made $000000000 a decade ago are now making a living off of what they love. Basically, I think that indie or whatever the fuck you want to call it, becoming more popular is not a bad thing at all. If music that, in my opinion, is more meaningful than the pop drivel they play on top 40 radio is becoming more popular then as long as the band's music does not suffer, I am a-ok with it. Moral of the story is...respect your elders, children...you would still be living in 1. your parent's basement or 2. your shithole apartment at your menial Starbucks job, without them.

Waiting to Know You...again

I got my blog itch again today. I realized that I've never really written a consistent blog about music. I don't have any delusions that people will want to know what I'm listening to at any given time but I feel like it's out of place for me not to have a blog about music. The title, if you couldn't gather, is completely facetious. It's actually the line from a really amazing Low song that I can't get enough of lately. If you want to check it out, it's called Death of a Salesman. IM me if you have interest in getting hooked up with that track. This blog is most likely going to end up being a sporadic posting of songs that I happen to be really stoked on at any given time. Be prepared for the randomness of my choices.