12 posts tagged “music”
I have a mixed cd in the car that consists of songs that I love to sing along to. Not, it should be added, songs that I sing along to with other people (Eric and I sing really loud in the car to his eighties and nineties mixes) but songs that myself, driving alone, enjoys really getting into singing that otherwise I'd be embarrassed to do in front of anyone else. I'm constantly updating this playlist - after singing 12 songs in a row, you notice what songs don't fit well, or which ones you like singing to more than others, so you switch some out or you move some in. It's a really fun project. Seriously, if you like singing in the car, I would totally recommend taking on this project. The best way (the BEST way) is to test-drive all your songs before you do any burning, because once you get in the car and you find out one song is a dud, you're always going to be skipping past it or singing along to one that might be, you know, harshing your groove or something. This also means (for me) finding time when I'm home alone and can crank up the music and sing really loud without fear of embarrassment. Once, Casey came home in the middle of this and was like, what the fuck? I was embarrassed.
Some current favorites right now are:
Rilo Kiley - Silver Lining
Feist - 1234
Amy Winehouse - You Know I'm No Good
The Fray - Over My Head (Cable Car) -I'm ashamed that I even enjoy singing along to this song at all, much less know all the words, but I can't help myself. Please don't laugh.
St. Vincent - All My Stars Aligned
The Killers - All These Things That I've Done
The National - Apartment Story
Stars - Elevator Love Letter
It's really good to add in songs that you know you will like singing to but don't know all the words. I'm still working on All My Stars Aligned and the second verses of You Know I'm No Good. Many of these songs are the popular singles of their given albums, but I've realized that singles get popular because they are catchier. Catchier songs are easier to sing to. These things go hand in hand. That's why this is a sing along cd, as these are songs I wouldn't normally listen to without being able to sing along to, at full blast.
Pick your songs, try them out (with dancing is better) and keep working your list until you have something that has a nice flow and that you can keep singing to the WHOLE WAY THROUGH. Once you have mastered this perfect playlist, your solo driving will be a thing to be cherished.
Ahhh, thank god for Thursday. Seriously. Yesterday I spent most of my day putting together a postcard for MarCom that was both super stressful and way more fun than anything else I ever get to do in this job. I know that much of my ability to understand and effectively complete this project will either lead to being brought in to do more graphic design projects in the future, or completely close the book on any creative outlet at my current job. I trust that a lot of people in my office probably doesn't think much of my abilities except to troubleshoot computer problems and fill out admin forms. Maybe I'm wrong, but I find it a bit doubtful.
Work Music:
1. Listening to ambient electronic music at work isn't particularly helpful. I recommend the following albums for work tunes (I've remembered my iPod hookup cable the past couple days and my library of available music has increased dramatically as a result) -
Amy Winehouse - Back to Black. Seriously - and I'm not the first person to say this, and I won't be the last, but all the drama surrounding Ms. Winehouse and her plethora of problems is really made much more sad by the fact that she's makes some fantastic music. Even Casey, ever the music snob, was impressed. This is a great work album because it's a upbeat and jazzy, but it's not boring or cookie-cutter.
Jens Lekman - Oh, You're So Silent Jens. I've blogged about my love of Jens and his latest album, but have found it to be a bit too shmaltzy and big for a work area. You really need something lower-key in shared space. His Oh You're So Silent Jens fits the bill much better.
Feist - The Reminder or Let It Die. I work around a lot of women, so Leslie Feist's indie-rock-pop sounds sounds good and won't irritate anyone else. Plus, there's that catchy song on the iPod whatever ad, and who doesn't love that song?
Rilo Kiley - Under the Blacklight. Admittedly, this album isn't really perfect for work. Moneymaker came on yesterday and I changed the song when I realized it's not exactly not work appropriate, but that it was likely no one around me appreciated that I was listening to it. However. This is an excellent album and I'm just plugging it because it's great. Even though MTV has been plugging it, too, making me feel a bit odd. It's been a long time since MTV and I have agreed on anything, namely, that they are good for anything at all anymore. They aren't. Just watch Tila Tequila's new show, or that drama about the fake Britney. Kyla? Something like that. Uuuugh.
Finally, David Gray. I know that liking David Gray is akin to being kind of old and boring, but I stand by David Gray. His music is great for work spaces, it's pretty, it's upbeat, and it doesn't interfere when you're nose deep in the middle of a project with some loud screeching sounds. I have no problem when albums do this, but don't appreciate it when I'm at work. I really like his White Ladder album, and have for a long time. I've recently "rediscovered" it via work tunes.
st. vincent. marry me on constant rotation. this song, a cover of nico's these days, so amazing. xxxxxxxxx! kisses.
Hurrah! Flight of the Conchords. Everyone loves it, I know, I know, but it's so hilarious I cannot deny it.
That Geico ad where the caveman is in the airport? Yeah, I love the song playing in the background. It's by Royksopp - Remind Me. Here's the video, and the full song for your enjoyment.
Note: This video reminds me so much of seeing them in concert at the Showbox. I have all these blurry cell-phone pics of Torquil Campbell et al that are basically red lights shining and blurry figures playing instruments. Anyway, I'm sorry that's not a particularly interesting note, but I thought it was kind of relevant...
Hurrah! For bands I love! A new Stars album is coming soon. You can listen to one of the tracks off of "In Our Bedroom After the War" here (The Yellow Stereo).
Additionally, Stars has other excellent albums you should probably listen to.
Nightsongs
Heart
Set Yourself on Fire
I'll try to remember to post some of my favorites from their older albums when I get home today.
As promised, here are some of my most favorite Broken Social Scene songs.
