Five Songs I'm Loving This Week

Tonight is the "Lola is so tired that her organs are falling out from exhaustion" edition. Yes, I know I play that repeat every week. Leave me alone--I don't like my job and I have to wake up at 5:00 am every weekday morning. Oh that makes me tired just thinking about it. I am planning on getting another job, though. I got halfway through filling out an application for an advisor's position at the junior college (Go me! Halfway through! Another week and I may finish!). Eh. Stop fussing at me. (Don't look at me like that--I can tell you're fussing even though I have no idea who's reading this right now).

Tonight I have some very beautiful songs, and I will share them. Because I'm that kind of girl. (In exchange, whoever wants to pay my $156 power bill can). I'm not entirely sure where I got this song from, but I was cleaning out all the mp3s from my desktop (I got halfway finished. Leave me alone--I'm tired. I don't like my job and I have to wake up at 5:00 am every morning. I'm grouchy.) and I just decided to hit play just to see what this song from this weirdly named band was about. The band is The Lesser Birds of Paradise (I wouldn't mind being any bird in paradise) and the song, "The Magnet In You" turned out to be awesome and I'm not ashamed (or weirded out) to say that I played it all evening long. I mean I was doing other things (balancing my almost empty checking account, talking on the phone to my mom, IMing people, replying on livejournal ) so it's not like I was listening intently each of the hundred times it played, but the first twenty (and perhaps a few times in the middle) I did listen very closely to it. The melody is gorgeous and the sentiment seems all too familiar and will resonate with most anyone.

I can thank Veronica Mars for another song I played dozens and dozens of times. I dare you not to love it and obsess over it. Okay, so I'm not going to bet actual money because I don't have any--I had a small snafu with my checking account; did I mention I'm tired?--but I still dare ya. It's beautiful, it's gorgeous and honestly I should've known about it before now because I know all music-wise and I know the Old 97s. Whatever, I won't beat myself up over it. I'm too tired to beat myself up. The song is "Adelaide" and it's by The Old 97s. It's the first mp3 on the page.

I've played Windsor For the Derby before; they're one of my favorite bands and it's one of those cases where each song is so gorgeous and unique that each deserves it's own post. I've had "Giving Up" (click on "discography" --Link is at the very bottom.) since sometime last year, and it never stops making me stop what I'm doing to listen. Much like my favorite Windsor song, "Melody of the Fallen Tree", this song will cause me to freeze whatever I'm doing if it comes on. That's not such a great thing when I'm crossing a busy street, but most moments it's a perfect response. I also really like "Now I Know the Sea" (There's an excerpt but there's also a full version available).

I want to die now. I want all of the samplers from this site. I want to run this site. I want to be this site.

Hotel Lights, "You Come and I Go" is an absolutely lovely song (what--did you think I rocked out all the time? Only when I'm alone and channel my inner Joan Jett). So, yes, this is one of those beautiful songs that I listen to at night while a candle burns on my desk and my thoughts turn to the future or dwell in memories. (Oh my God my brain just got hijacked by the ghost of emo past). Yes, I'm a brooder, but I hunt emo kids for pleasure. So, "You Come and I Go" is a great song for those who brood or those who love modern folk. I happen to be both.

Okay, since I've had absolutely no reflective, piano-driven ballads in this post, my last song will be this spectacular song by David Fridlund called "Into My Arms." It starts of soft and slow, with just the piano and shortly after, an organ. The music builds, gathering a full band (even some electric guitar and...horns? I can't tell if those are keyboards or actual horns) and some insistent vocals by Mr. Fridlund. The song's a cover, but he sings it as if he wrote it and the band plays as if they wrote each piece of the song. (The song can also be found at his site.)

Heh. Here's the point in the post where I realize I've already posted at least one of these songs :) Huh...so far not. I don't see any sign that I have...(shhh...if I have, just let me blissfully ignorant. It's rare I get to enjoy relatively fallout-free ignorance).

Five Songs I'm Loving This Week

Yes, most of the time I have the expression of the guy on the left. Sometimes I have the
slightly melancholy, slightly defiant expression of the man in the middle. Sometimes I wear weirdly colored clothes like the man on the right. I would say that this picture encompasses the many moods of most people. However, the way the picture looks isn't really the point of the paragraph. The point of the paragraph isn't alliteration, either; it's to point these songs out to you . Whoever you are. I like these songs-- I especially like "Cathedrals".

As much as I love beer and wine, it never would've occured to me to name a band Drunk. Then again, I don't need any encouragement to drink, so it's best for me not to be in a band named "Drunk". When the music is as pretty as in the song "Drunk Bed", though, it really doesn't matter what the band is named. All that matters is the song. Though apparently played by a lush, the guitar is beautifully sparse--kind of Southwestern (eh, don't listen to me--I'm drunk. I don't know what I mean by that). The song isn't busy with too much instrumentation, just the guitar being lightly picked and hushed vocals. A very good song to listen to when you find yourself in the dark at your computer after having been sitting the same spot for two hours.

Posted with the Drunk song (can a song be intoxicated? Can a song be sober? Contemplate) is a song by a band called Ida. The song is "Blizzard of '78" and while it's poppier than the previous song, it's a very well-done, well -constructed poppy song. The structure remains tight and the tension escalates the song. The two vocalists (female and male) blend well together and they carry the song well along with the instrumentation.

Accordian! Slightly Middle-Eastern flair! Witness Exchange says they're not prone to posting odd music for odd music's sake, and this certainly is not a gratuitous posting. The name of the band is Alec K. Redfearn & The Eyesores, and the song is called "Black Tar and White Slavery". Slightly strange, yes. Engaging, yes. I'd say download all the ones from their site.

Lastly, we have "Don't Leave" by Frankel. It kind of sounds like an alt-country Elliot Smith song. It's slow, light but very moving. It's a very melancholy, beautiful song.

My Five Songs post will be delayed a day or two; I apologize. It's been an exhausting day. My mother--that's all I need to say.

I'll post again tomorrow or Tuesday. Head hurts.

Five Songs I'm Loving This Week

I've been on Myspace alot lately, and it's going to show. (blame my friends and the guy I'm dating--they started Myspace accounts) and it's going to show in this music post; I found three of the bands through that site.

I spammed my boyfriend's IM and his Myspace with the lyrics to The Apparitions "God, Robot, Monkey". At first I couldn't find the mp3; I just had to be happy with their myspace page, but then through the miracle that is hype standard, I found an MP3 of the song at I Guess I'm Floating! Yay! Everyone Holler! Whoo hoo! (Oops. I hacked up something there. Sorry.) Anyways, listen to the song and I would be surprised if you weren't spamming your friends with the lyrics. Listen to all the songs on the myspace page, actually--they're all awesome.

I love the music in "It Never Changes To Stop" by The Books; It's beautiful, languid, trippy and slows my brain functioning to a more reasonable level. In other words it's everything I look for in an instrumental. I'm not too thrilled with the oration in the middle, but that's just my opinion. It doesn't mar a lovely song.

Oohhh..you can download the songs from Cinema, Cinema's Myspace. That makes me happy. I've had them on my friends list for awhile, but they used to be known as Evan Gold (the singer/guitarist) and imagine my surprise when I started seeing blog entries from this band. I'm glad to have been reminded of them, though. I hadn't listened to them in awhile and I'd forgotten how good they are. Listen/download all the songs, but I especially like Born in NYC and Four Alarm.

Speaking of Myspace, as I have been since I started this post, another band I found (actually through The Apparitions website, I think) is The Scourge of the Sea. Unfortunately I haven't found a download for these songs yet, but listen to the two they have up. I especially love "Water Wings". I'm not counting them as part of the five songs since I don't have an actual download.

I found a pretty, acoustic song on Six Eyes (which isn't surprising because I find all kinds of beautiful and otherwise wonderful songs on Six Eyes. This particular song is called "Farther On" and it's by Vetiver. It reminds me of the sort of folk songs being made in the 60s. You know--the truly folk songs, not the psychadelic songs (though I like those, too).

Lastly, I have Bionic Systems Go, "Up in Flames". It's a beautiful song; acoustic, slightly folky, slightly ambient. The vocals slide in and out and the instruments are loud but never harsh. This may be a perfect song. I'd suggest downloading all the songs available by them.

I like this song and video: Youth Group, "Shadowland". (Quicktime; it froze for me a few times).

Several Songs I'm Loving This Week

*I will say it again--I have too many damn songs by this Artist band! I've got a hundred of their songs! They're all called things like "Track 1" and "Number Three". Who do they think they are--Sigur Ros? I gotta get rid of these songs.*

Anyways, this is going to be a MEGAPOST because I feel horribly guilty for NEGLECTING my blood-- music. So I'm going to be posting all sorts of stuff. It's a new year and I'm forgetful, so I may retread some old stuff, but I don't care.

I'd like to start off by saying that one of my favorite bands, The July 26th Movement, has changed their name--they are now The Coast. Please take a few minutes to listen to the songs they stream on their site; you will not be sorry.

One of my favorite bands has become Matt Pond, PA, though I just heard about them for the first time less than a year ago. There is an actual band member named Matt Pond; In fact, on the site he's listed last in the roster of bandmembers. Ah, humility. I've posted a few songs by them; "Closer", "Closest" (No, there's not a song called "Even Closer", as far as I know) and Halloween. Since this is a new year, we're going to forgive Lola if Lola posts a song she's already posted. Lola gets tired and she took her vitamins late today. Three of my other favorites by him are "Measure 3", "Lillyone" (please click on "mp3s") and "It Is Safe". Yes, I realize he likes numbers a lot, and no, I don't know what P.A. means. Stop asking so many questions!

(By the by--I found a new site: "Mp3 Center". I just downloaded a dozen Matt Pond songs, but I'm worried; the site seems kinda too good to be true--if anyone thinks there's anything insidious about it, please let me know. If it's harmless stuff that can be erased with Ad Aware, I'm not concerned.) I also have a pop-up blocker. I'm only concerned with things that can harm my computer or give bad sites access to the information on my computer.)

I will not stop saying good things about the band Saybia. I just posted their song "It's Okay , Love", (such a pretty song) and today I will boldly and proudly post "I Surrender". There's something wonderful about surrendering oneself to someone (someone you trust, you know--not Jason from the Friday the 13th movies. That would be all kinds of wrongness, and I do not condone that. Just a disclaimer). Saybia, "I Surrender"

Today I shall plug this song also, 'cause I love it. I'd never heard of the band before a week and two days ago and I'd never heard the song. I can't get it out of my head, though, so I shall give you all the honor of having it stuck in your heads, too. It's called "Rewind" and it's by a band called Goldspot.

I posted a link to Rosie Thomas' song "I Play Music" quite a few months ago, and I still love that song. I now am in possession of another song (Oh aren't I clever) entitled "Pretty Dress". It's a beautiful song, and she's one of the best things on Sub Pop (a label already possessing so many good bands/musicians.)

I've loved all of the songs I've heard on Between the Pine's myspace page. I found them through one of the dozens of blogs I visited today, and maybe through hypnotherapy I could remember which site, but until then it will be a mystery. I'm just happy that I found them. The four songs featured here are all awesome in their own right, but I'll push "This Ocean's Too Big". Go ahead and listen to them all, though.

I think when I posted this last year, I only posted a stream. I just happened to come across an mp3 of "Ageless Beauty" by Stars, though. (Warning: Direct link.) I like all the songs I've heard by them so far; maybe I'll look for some more mp3s.

Ooh! Pretty song! I didn't know there was a such genre as Indietronic, but now that I hear it, I think I understand it! This song is called "Never Be Another" and it's by M. Grief. It sounds like someone took an indie song and infused it with lots and lots of electronic noise. I rather like the combination. A piano, too!

I'll close this post out for tonight, though I've got several more songs I could add. I'm going to be better about posting, I promise. I've been lost in a cloud but gravity's taking it's rightful ownership of my body and my mind. The last song I'll post is a really nice kind of alt-country song called "Emily" by Scattered Pages. Once again I'd never heard the band before, but I really, really am liking this song.

Goodbye for now. Hope everyone's doing well :)

This is me fantasizing at work.

Better music post later this evening; I promise.