Winter Music Soundtrack

So every season my lovely friend Melissa and I exchange some of the top songs that we've been listening to over the past few months. I like to think of these as little seasonal soundtracks.  It's a teensy bit late but here is my Winter 2009-2010 Music Soundtrack. I've included links to YouTube Videos where you can hear the songs.

1. Intro by The xx

So this song was in that Visa commercial (the one with Apollo Ono) that played during the Olympics. It’s just a little instrumental ditty but something about it struck a cord with me and I had to download it. Now it just makes me think about winter sports.

2. Can’t Go Back Now – The Weepies

I love the mellowness of The Weepies. They are my “fall asleep” music. I find it soothing. And this song is just pretty.

3. 100,000 Strong – Matt Morris           

This is the guy that sang Hallelujah with Justin Timberlake during the Haiti Relief Telethon. I had to look him up and ended up falling in love with a bunch of his songs. I'm always a sucker for new singer/songwriters in my life. Thanks JT!

           

4. Flawz by Caitlin Crosby

This is my uplifting, self-esteem boosting song of the season. If you haven’t seen the video I recommend clicking on the link. It’s pretty cool and includes a quick cameo by everyone's favorite Nerd Spy.

5. Nantes – Beirut

I just think this is a really cool song. I love the French interlude in the middle.

6. Good Ol’ Fashioned Nightmare - Matt and Kim

I'm starting to realize that this might be one of the most upbeat mixes I’ve ever done. And I LOVE this song. It’s upbeat and catchy and totally just in my brain man. I first heard this song on Community, a show that has featured some pretty awesome music actually (some others are featured on this list).

7. Cello Song – The Books (feat. Jose Gonzalez)

I found this one awhile ago going through all my itunes recommendations and I fell in love with it and downloaded it and it further contributed to the way itunes is slowly bankrupting me. But then this past weekend I FINALLY saw The Blind Side and this was the opening song and I was like “Hey, I already know this song!” And then everyone looked at me like I was insane. So... there.

8. Fake Empire – The National

I think The National might be my new favorite band. Their CD Boxer is basically the greatest thing ever and I can’t stop listening. I love, love, love the lead singer’s voice. It a really nice mix of deep and raspy. I actually had a really hard time deciding which song to put on here. I chose this one because it's one of the more popular ones. Their song "Slow Show"- yeah, I pretty much want to marry it and have it's babies.

9. Home – Edward Sharpe

Maybe I’m just too in love with all of my songs this season. Cause, I really want to say that this is my favorite song. I can’t choose! It's just so much folksy fun. And the little talking part in the middle is adorable.

10. Merry Happy – Kate Nash

(Another one from Community) I don’t know what “dancing at discos and eating cheese on toast” has to do with anything but it makes me laugh in it’s absurdity and the rest of this lyrics are fantastic. I especially like, “but you can grow flowers from where dirt used to be. And I like to sing the “do do do da do do” part.

11. New Theory – Washed Out
Eh, I don't know. I can't always describe why I like a song. Something about it just calls to my soul.

12. Horchata – Vampire Weekend

This is one that again feels like a more summery song. It’s a good one to play in the car. It’s just makes everything feel warm and sunny – like I need to be sitting on the beach drinking something pink with an umbrella.

13. Beginner’s Luck – Eels

I’ve always liked the Eels and this is a fun song. Again, upbeat. Usually my music is so depressing.  I like what this song has to say about love being “a ride.” It sounds “beginning of a relationship” kind of hopeful.

14. Relator – Pete Yorn & Scarlet Johansson

I sort of hate myself for loving this song. But I can’t help it. Crap.

15. Song Away – Hockey

No, wait! This is my favorite song! Oh, I don’t know. This is my favorite driving song. I love rolling down the windows and blasting the speakers. Especially when the weather is warm. It makes everything feel summery. Seriously, am I just using the same words over and over to describe every song? It's summery! It's warm! It's fun and pretty!

16. In the Sun – She & Him

I adore Zooey Daschanel’s voice. It’s so old-fashioned and vintage and dreamy. The video to this song is adorable.

17. I Will Live On Islands – Josh Rouse
This song is so fun! And summery! And pretty! Wait a minute...

18. Two Weeks – Grizzly Bear

Okay, so I first heard this song in a car commercial and didn't think anything of it. THEN, I was listening to this song by Childish Gambino (Rapper name of Donald Glover, one of the actors on Community). And what he does is take indie songs and lay them down with rap lyrics. And one of them was over this song. Here's the link to the Childish Gambino song. (It's funny, I don't normally listen to rap but he's really good and I like his stuff.) And I ended up really enjoying the original song. (The video however, I find to be a little creepy).

19. Kiss With a Fist – Florence and The Machine

Totally not advocating violence but I love this song. I like to think of it as being about a couple that just likes to piss each other off. And that’s good fun. This is also another one from Community and the scene it plays over is classic. Complete with Anthony Michael Hall as a gym-rat bully. Click for awesomeness.

20. Not Miserable – Frightened Rabbit

I already talked about this one a few blog posts ago but words cannot describe how perfect this song is. All the crap is gone and while it was painful for awhile, suddenly things are a million times better than they’ve ever been.  Thanks Frightened Rabbit.

Things I'm Loving

In the spirit of love and happiness and thankfulness, here is a list of things I'm loving right now...

1. Community on NBC
Without a doubt, LOST and The Office remain my favorite shows on television. However, this little show has captivated me over the past few months and has provided some of my biggest out-loud television laughs. There's an almost Arrested Development-like quirkiness to it that I find endearing. I started watching because of Joel McHale (who is the adorable snarky ex-lawyer Jeff) but the show is stolen by the likes of Danny Pudi as a film student/avid pop culture aficionado. I knew from the moment in the Pilot when he started quoting Judd Nelson's famous "What about you?!" line from The Breakfast Club, that I would love his character. I'm also a sucker for a little bit of sentamentality mixed into my comedy and there's plenty of that in this show, such as when the whole gang comes to Jeff's rescue as he's about to be beaten up by a bully (Anthony Michael Hall as a beefed up gym rat) and a bunch of shirtless goons. Sweet and knee-slappingly hilarious.

2. Ack Attack Recaps
As mentioned previously, LOST is one of my favorite shows on television. I'm eagerly soaking in every moment of this final season and hoping anxiously for a few answered questions. How old IS Richard. I need to know!

In the meantime however, there are the screencap recaps that you can find at the link above. These aren't traditional recaps detailing every moment but rather a sarcastic/humorous/biting look at some of the best (and worst) moments. The writer has a deep seated hatred for Jack (and his crying) and Kate that I don't necessary share but nevertheless find amusing. I basically almost pee myself laughing everytime a new recap is posted. Oh, and watch out for the scattered pop cultural refrences - everything from Saved by the Bell to The Office to Harry Potter to Mallrats to Battlestar Galactica and on and on and on...

3. Leggings
Here's the deal: I pretty much thought these were gone. Leggings? Baggy, off-the-shoulder tee-shirts? That was SO elementary school. I thought once we entered the nineties we were past that particular fashion trend.

But no. Here we are in 2010 and BOOM! Leggings are everywhere. Wear them with a long baggy shirt or a dress or a shirt and a blouse. Add some heels or cute flats. Voila! YOU are fashion forward.

At first, I was horrified. What next? Teased bangs? Swatch watches? Sweatbands? Would we keep regressing in fashion trends? Are men going to start wearing leisure suits again? Will the teenagers be wearing poodle skirts? Saddles shoes? Petticoats? Where does it end???!

In the midst of my fashion freak-out though I did find myself wandering into a fitting room with a pair of leggings drapped over my arm... you know, just to see...

And oh yeah, these things are comfortable! I forgot.

So, I take it all back. The retro-eighties style can stay. However, if hammer pants try to come back into style, I WILL stage a fashion mutiny.

4. Boxer by The National

My itunes addiction is on the verge of being destructive. Especially where my bank account is concerned. Nevertheless, I find myself not caring when it comes to finding a really good album by a new favorite artist. One of those CD's that's slipped into the car stereo and isn't ejected for a good two or three months, one of those little jems that fits every moment, that you can feel down to your toes as it steals it's way into your soul.

This album was released a couple of years ago but it's my new discovery. I can't stop listening. I love the voice of the lead singer, I love the epic feel of some of the songs like "Fake Empire" and I love lyrics like, "surprise, surprise they wouldn't wannna watch/another uninnocent, elegant fall into the unmagnificent lives of adults." Gah. Perfection.

5. Yoplait Light Yogurt

So lately I've like totally been eating a lot of Boston Cream Pie and Raspberry Cheesecake and Apple Turnovers and Red Velvet Cake... and I'm losing weight! Isn't that amazing?!

Okay, so I have to give the commercials some credit. Because it's true. This yogurt is GOOD. The White Chocolate Raspberry yogurt is almost on the verge of being sinful. And as someone with a serious sweet tooth, these yogurts are kind of my salvation.

So thank you Yoplait.

Oh! And the new flavor, Blueberry Pie? Really truly tastes like they stuck a slice of blueberry pie in a blender and then sealed it in a cup. How do they do it? So good.