Good news for you!

Hello, friends! So, good news, today I am going to share with you my four favorite songs by one of my favorite bands, Beirut. Are you ready for this insanity?

I first heard of Beirut whilst in Gainesville for a visit [prior to my move there]. It was a delectable treat for my ears. So, when I got home, I googled them, and here we are.

Beirut is a ten-piece, orchestral-type band, complete with strings, brass, percussion, and other delicious sounds including accordions and keys. The songs are very loose and free flowing, some of the musicians having been told not to play so perfectly:

"But no matter what its influences, Beirut has to sound old, and soulful, and somehow off. “I like it brash and drunken and full of feeling. When our new trumpet player came in, he sounded very regal and was perfectly alliterating all the notes. I remember saying, No, you have to slop it up!"" - Zach Condon, lead vocals for Beirut

With that, the four:
Elephant Gun


Forks and Knives (La Fête)


Un Dernier Verre (pour la route)


In the Mausoleum



So there you have it, I hope you took the time to watch/listen to them all.

“There are three ways I see music used in the modern world,” Condon says. “One is for thinkers: They approach it analytically. Then there are people who use music to get a raw attitude out. And then there are people who are simply looking for beauty, for the sentimentality that good music has.” -ZC

I will fear no evil...

Wow, it's seriously been over four months since I've done anything with this beast besides comment on Brian's blog. Hmph, sorry.

It's a little silly, because the past four months have brought with them some amazing music. I think I've just been so incredibly busy - too busy to think of eloquently placed words and sentences to update this with any sense of dignity attached. Well, I will do my best to not stumble my way through this.

I think I'll save the music I'm actually speaking of for another day, because I feel the need to point out a song that's in my head right now, and I'm really glad it is!

"Never Let Go," is a praise song by Matt Redman. The words are simple, probably some you've heard before, but the message is powerful. I love this song, the beat, the words, the melody. It's all wonderful, and adds up to create an amazingly worshipful song! Please, give it a listen, and think about it!

Build a wall of books between us.

The brain is a funny thing.

I haven't listened to Death Cab in a few weeks, but today I just randomly started singing "Styrofoam Plates," whilst cleaning out a guinea pig's cage. That song is super intense, lyrics-wise. About a father who was never around and did nothing for the family. [Remind you of anyone? It does for me. Think: Mallory's birth-father.]

Anywho, I'm not bitter, what evs. The dad I've got now is perfect.

So yeah, that song came into my head, as did "Days and Days," by Tegan and Sara.

Today I will not recommend another Grizzly Bear song, (though it would still be amazing) but instead, I recommend:
[a throwback!] "Hello, it's Me," by Todd Rundgren. An oldy, but a DEFINITE goody. For reals.



Sweet, sweet. I learned this on bass too. :]

You can hold out the evening as long as you'd like.

I realize that I have occasionally veered from the theme of music when it comes to my posts. I know, I have a LiveJournal for that. I do apologize most sincerely.

So, starting today, every post will be somehow linked to music, unless explicitly requested otherwise. Hopefully I'll be able to provide you with a video or mp3 of a song recommendation, and hopefully you're musical horizon will be comfortably stretched in all directions. [I do realize that the word "horizon" is, in fact, describing a thing exclusively horizontal, but I hope you'll be able to ignore my lack of significant vocabulary in this area.]

Since I have been listening only to Grizzly Bear for the past two days, and have failed to escape the apparent need I have to hear their music, it would be unnatural for me to request something outside of their musical repertoire.

So, today I recommend to you, reader:
"On a Neck, On a Spit," by the same, wonderful Grizzly Bear that I have grown to love.
[I do apologize for lack of video entertainment, just close your eyes and envision it.]



Lovely, just lovely.

Headaches abound.

I've been in a mildly rotten mood for the past few days. I can't explain it. There's not much I'd really like to say right now, except for that I miss Gainesville, and have recently become enthralled with a song.

In lieu of that, today I recommend:

"While You Wait for the Others," by the extremely fantastical and amazing, Grizzly Bear.



Ah, they sound so amazing live. It's like every note, every beat, and every instrumental bit is just perfectly placed in this song. Every video I've seen of Grizzly Bear performing this song, it's been perfect. I first heard/saw this song performed on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, some time in April. At the end, when Conan comes to shake hands with and thank the band, you could hear the shock in his voice. He kept saying, "That was great!" in a voice filled with amazed disbelief. So, if Grizzly Bear has piqued your musical interest, please check out some of their other tracks on Myspace.

Peace.

And keep you there so you can see it.

I got way not enough sleep last night. I'm pretty sure there's something wrong with that sentence, but I'm so tired, it doesn't matter.

I finally got a job, and it's at this exotic pet store. Kinkajous, Lemurs, Monkeys, and all sorts of other living shenanigans. Unfortunately they only have one snake, which is a ball python. Eh, I wish there were more, but I'll only be there for two months, so it's fine.

Anyway, recently I've gotten into playing the piano again, and I've used my free time at home to try and learn my favorite piano songs. [Like "Hey, Jude!"] Or just favorite songs that have piano in them. [Like Beirut!]

So those are some fun times.

In light of my recent exposure to live Steely Dan, today I recommend "Josie," one of my favorite Steely Dan tracks. Plus... this song is so much fun to play, be it guitar or bass, it doesn't matter. So listen!



Ah, amazing.

Hey Jude, you'll do...

WAH!

But in all seriousness, today I am ecstatic. Srsly.

I convinced my Mops and Broski to accompany me to a Reptilian and exotic pet expo...show...thing. [My niece tagged along as well.] WELL, it was supposed to be until four in the p.m., so we got there at abooouuuut half past two. But, EEK! People were already starting to pack up and vacate the premises... crazy, right? Ah well, we got in fo' free!

So we're lookin' and lookin' and I see this gorgeous little (or not) snake. I mean, beautiful. Her "label" says, "'B' Grade Nic Boa." That means it's a Nicaraguan Boa (which I had never seen), but I was not too sure about the whole "B grade" thing. So I asked, naturally. Poor whipper has a bump on her nose! So he takes her out and I enjoy her company:



See? I did.
Asking price?

FORTY DOLLARS. Do you even - That's SO cheap for a Boa of her... ethnicity. I'll put it this way, the others (sans bump) were selling for one hundred and forty dollars. I mean, really.

So, of course, my heart twinged for this little one. So I obtained her. And she is now mine.

"Aw, ain't she sweet?"

Indeed, sweet.
So now I need a superb name for her. Ready? ......... SUGGEST!

Just like the moon...

Oh hi.

So listen, I have mosquito bites all over me. I am saddened by this. Oh, good news, my brother's scorpion has finally eaten! I told him to go about it a different way, and it worked! Thanks, guy at the pet store who told me what to try! So now Nick wants me to come over and take her (the scorpion) out, because he's too um... afraid. Yup. So I'll go over there tomorrow... I'll let you know how that one turns out.

I need a place to liiiiiiiiiiive. In Gainesville. When the time comes. OK.

Alright, enough of that. To the music, yeah?

Today I recommend:
"Cupid's Victim," by Tiger Army (II)

[Or anything else by Tiger Army.]

I first heard this song... hmm, four years ago? And I can remember exactly where I was when I first heard Tiger Army at all. I was in Jon's car. You don't know who that is, but that's alright. Anyway, I'm pretty sure he was taking me home and we were listening to Tiger Army, and the first song I distinctly remember saying something about was "In the Orchard," another wonderful track. So thanks, Jon, for revealing the wonder and musical craziness that is Tiger Army.

Flamingo lamp...

Today we celebrated the day my brother came out of my mom's uterus. Twenty-one years and some odd hours ago today, he was birthed. Today was a slightly mild occasion, but joyous all the same. You know what he asked for? Besides rims, a George Foreman mini-grill.

No, I'm serious.

I haven't recommended any songs lately, have I? Well... today, in my head, was "Combat Baby," by Metric, "Mount Wroclai," by Beirut, and "This Heart's on Fire," by Wolf Parade.

And I would like to recommend an artist actually.

Xihilisk is the name of his, er... band? Well, it's not so much a band as it is "One man and his noiseroom," according to the "man" whose name is apparently Lloyd. I'm not even going to begin to try and describe his music to you. But he also creates really crazy animations using the stop-motion technique.

So go listen to/watch all that he has to offer.

Oh, and he has a wombat. And if that's not incentive enough to check it out, I don't know what is.




P.S. I have a flamingo lamp if anyone's interested...

The bells chime seven times.

My cat is eating her foot at the moment. Well, not really, but it looks like it.

So listen, Beirut's amazing right? Yes. So I've messaged them via Myspace and requested that they extend their travels to Florida. Then I went on to say that, actually, Florida is disgustingly hot all the time, so they should go to Georgia. I'll make the trip... alone if I have to. Beirut's my favorite.

They should be your favorite too. Watch this:


See? They're insane. <3

Oh, Sicily.

My brother and I went to the pet store today and he definitely got himself a scorpion.


A. Scorpion.


It's the coolest thing ever. I held it whilst in the store, (Nick wouldn't, for some reason) and it was sweet. I thoroughly enjoyed it. And now I want one of my own. I would name it Wanda.


Well, no I wouldn't, but still. I want one in my life. Oddly enough, it was the first time I've ever held a scorpion. I mean, I've held some crazy things as far as animals are concerned... but somehow a scorpion was put off until today. Doesn't matter. What matters is, it was the coolest thing ever. I totally expected it to feel more bug-like, (it is an arachnid after all) but it felt, to me, more like I was holding a small lizard. Very cool.

Ah yes, so I want a scorpion and definitely another snake. I miss having a snake! But this time around (my snake died by the way...) I want a less tiny baby snake. I want a python or boa or something. I was thinking a red-tail or something like that. Who knows?

Bleh. I'm sick of typing about random things. I'm off.

Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, etc.

Hey kiddies. So listen, I took my math exam today and I'm thinking I didn't do all that well. Nowhere near spectacular... not that I expected to. Eh.

Oh, there's a ridiculously annoying car alarm going off at the moment, and it's not the cool one that Dane Cook writes lyrics to.

Anywho.

Only one more exam until I'm finished, and then I'm leaving on Friday!!!!! I miss my Jupiter life.

BLAH, I can't think with all this alarming. I'm going to take a shower.

Ehhhhh, go listen to some Bloc Party!!!

Oh, creepy shadows.

You know what's fantastic? When you make friends with customers. It's almost my favorite.
Too bad I'm quitting and will never see them again.

Ah well, it was fun while it lasted.

When watching anime, I find that I prefer the subtitles to the dubbed versions. I don't know why. It might just be for Full Metal Alchemist. Maybe not. I think, you know, I can hear English any time I want. It's boring. The Japanese language is sweet. It's got a seriously cool sound to it.

So that's good.

I'm moving back home in 3 weeks!!!

I'm SO excited! ... I'll miss my buddies though. A lot.

I witnessed a car accident today. I was driving, and the guy in front of me somehow hit this other car that went rolling away and his trunk was basically in his back seat. It would've been me had I been there about 20 seconds earlier. INTENSE!

In my head today:
"Fences," a cover by Paramore.
"Bloody Valentine," by Good Charlotte.
"Feels Like the First Time," by Boston.
"Long Train Runnin'" by the Doobie Brothers.

Today I recommend:
"Heartbreaker," by Grand Funk Railroad.

I'm sayin'

Do you know what no holds-barred fighting is?
An actual quote from an actual flyer for an actual NHB fighting class:

"No holds-barred is a game not restricted by rules. Almost anything can be done."

Another insane quote? But of course:

"In actual fighting and self-defense there are no rules. There are techniques to learn which can sway the balance of power."

A third?

"Discounts for advanced students." Which, loosely translated, means "Kill someone, pay less."


Oh, and by the way, the instructor's name is Stephen Wokee.
Srsly.



Nice.

My tongue's the only muscle on my body that works harder than my heart.

In the spirit of coordinating brain and mouth:

Hey, do you know how hard that is?

My conundrum is as follows:

Brilliant ideas often flow through the fantastical labyrinth that is my mind. But somewhere in the process of verbalization, somewhere between thought and speech, they become muddled. Somehow, my thoughts, when rules of grammar, syntax, and vocabulary are applied, come out as whimsical ideas that have no substance. Let's say that I am this amazingly talented quarterback... I don't know, say, Tom Brady. (That's not too much of a stretch now, is it?) And I've firmly decided in my mind to throw a perfectly placed 50 yard pass to one excellent receiver (let's say, Randy Moss). But somewhere between that decision and the action to make it come to life, things get caught in some sort of mind-storm. My muscles decide to follow a different path, and instead of reaching the intended, the ball ends up about 48 yards shy of Randy, and into the hands of Laurence Maroney. Now, Maroney is, indeed, an excellent running back, but he is not, alas, a receiver. So while Moss is at the five yard line, completely open, Maroney will now have to fight to reach the end zone. The goal is to get the ball to the end zone. While both Moss and Maroney are capable, the effort exhorted with each situation is drastically different. And there is a greater chance that Maroney cannot break through those defensive lines, and thus, the ball is not delivered to the end zone.

Do we see, now, what I am trying to say? If you don't, it only further cements the point I'm trying to make. I find that people have an immensely difficult time with understanding the things I say. When it is merely unimportant speech, I'm more apt to convey those thoughts accurately. But when something is of great importance to me, when I feel passionate about it, words fail me. Not words, exactly, more like... the English language. I feel that if I knew every language on earth, I would have no problem relaying with speech the musings of my mind. But I suppose in that case, I would most likely use many different languages in one sentence, thus, confusing my listener even more. Ah, here's a better would-be solution: If my thoughts would just write themselves. Or maybe... I feel like if my hands could write or type at the speed of my own thoughts, I'd be in the clear. But we would still have the problem of verbal communication. Because to speak as fast as my thoughts occur, well, do I need to go into the trouble that would cause?

Time for some real life application:
I've recently taken to writing a story. I've had this story implanted and playing in my mind for... well, at least a year now. When my mind drifts off and is not involved with real situational thoughts, it writes my story. But the moment I try to take that story out of my brain and place it into this computer, or onto paper... Well, try this: Try to envision your thoughts. Take your thoughts, make them into something tangible, floating in your skull. Got it? Now, imagine that all those thoughts simultaneously make a mad dash to the exit of your head. You've got quite a jumble on your hands now don't you? Exactly what it feels like every time I try to write something worth while. Some thoughts start to break the barrier, but their not sequentially accurate.

Another IRL application? Trying to compose the above paragraph describing my problem, while battling it at the same time.

Regulus?

So... yeah, I'm not Vegan anymore. I can't do it.

So there's that.

Plus, what kind of Italian would I be if I wouldn't eat meat or cheese? In the grand scheme of things, that means no raviolis, no meatballs, no braciole, no cannolis(!), and basically no other delicious Italian pastries. I would be absolutely miserable at family dinners. Italians aren't meant to be Vegan. :]

In honor of my un-Vegan-ing, I made myself a delectable plate of Rigatoni with garlic sauce and CHEESE on top. It was amazing.

Plus, I work at Ben & Jerry's, so when I had a sweet tooth you know what I had to try and satiate it with?
... SORBET! (Bleh.)

I missed my Coconut Seven Layer Bar.

Alright then.

In my head today (and yesterday):
"Gone for Good," by the Shins.
"Love Hurts," by Incubus.
"Starlight," by Muse.
"Shake It," by Metro Station.

Today I recommend:
"Everything's Magic," by Angels & Airwaves.


( I love that this video is about waiting for a UFO. It's good to see that Tom's affinity for aliens still abounds. )

What's up, 4 am?

You're right.

What?

I don't know.
So I closed tonight... last night. I got home at like 2:30am, and decided I wanted to swim. So I did. :]

And now I'm eating peas and corn and being cool. I'm considering un-vegan-ing myself. I don't know... I really enjoy red meat! And it's not as if I eat it all the time. I'm really doing this for health reasons, and I can be healthy and eat meat. Dairy is something else. Cow's milk really isn't suited for us humans... but I don't know. I'm still wondering about the whole thing. So we'll see.

Okay... here's the other thing... I'm still hungry!

In my head today:
"Cherbourg," by Beirut.
"Anna Molly," by Incubus.
"Warning," by Incubus.
"Lido Shuffle," by Boz Scaggs.

Today I recommend:
"Love Hurts," by Incubus.

Did you just say cheese?

Blah!

So basically, I really really really really love Full Metal Alchemist and I can't stand that there's not a million episodes. It makes me sad. :(

"I'm not great at the advice... can I interest you in a sarcastic comment?"

^ That's me, in a nutshell. (Well, actually it's Chandler, but can you see the parallel?)

Alright, so being vegan is tough! I keep having doubts. But I'm thinking it's just because I really want chocolate and I can't have it! Well, actually I think I can, but not milk chocolate... I don't know. Anyway, now I'm just rambling, but you know what? I'm fine with that.

I don't feel like naming songs right now... so just go listen to some Incubus.

Peace.
:D

Scooters?

If there's one thing I can't stand, it's chunky marinara.

With that aside, I've gone Vegan. I went to a local organic market and purchased all kinds of wholesome goodness. It was a good time.

In my head today:
"All Around Me," by Flyleaf.
"This Semester," by Robots & Butterflies.
"When You Were Young," by the Killers.

Today I recommend:
"Stellar," by Incubus.
I couldn't embed it, but here's the link to the video.

Crazy video, great song.

"But it has Splenda..."

You know what?

Romano > Parmesan.

I just wanted to put that out in the universe. So if in five years, I'm eating Romano cheese, and someone declares, "You've never liked Romano cheese before!" I can say, "Nay. You go find my old blogspot account, and your statement will be negated both verbally and visually."

Situations of that nature occur on a regular basis 'round these parts. What with people going around saying that they basically invented life.

Hey, you know what I hear every time I work? "You're forearms must be big..."

Do you think that the Plexiglas you're watching me scoop your treat through is somehow deceiving you?


In my head today:
"Cinematic," by A.F.I.
"Across the Universe," by the Beatles.
"We Only Dance to the Best Songs," by Robots & Butterflies.

Today I recommend:
"Out of Touch (TFN Remix)," by Robots & Butterflies.
Terribly sorry, I don't have a link, but you can download it for only $0.99!

Chocolate goodies.

Sup little ones?

You know what's fun? Phone conversations that are consistently intense for two hours straight.

Seriously, consider my mind blown. (But in a good way.)

:]

In my head today:
"I'm So Excited."
"Title and Registration," by Death Cab for Cutie.
"Come Fly With Me," by Frank Sinatra.

Today I recommend:
"A Beautiful Lie," by 30 Seconds to Mars

I do not mind at all.

Hey kiddies,

So the internet in our apartment has been M.I.A. for the past few days, I apologize. One of my roommates had to reset the whole router system... thing. So now it's working and I'm happy. Anyway, You know what's frustrating? Trying to learn a song like "Lack of Color" by Death Cab for Cutie on the guitar by ear. Please, listen to that song. At first it seems pretty easy, but it's nuts. I will learn it. I'm making myself learn it. I like a challenge... musically anyway.

Starting today, I will start putting two things on here with every time I post.
One, I will list the songs that were playing in my head that day. (These will not necessarily include songs that I listened to that day, but the songs that pop into my head when I wake up and throughout the day.)
And two, I will recommend a song to you.

With each song I recommend, I'll try and get you a link to the song or video or something. As I did with Vampire Weekend below. So we'll see how this works out. I just figure it would be interesting to actually document all the random songs that pop into my head.

In my head today:
"Jolly Holiday," from Mary Poppins.
"You Are My King," by Billy Jamesfoote.

Today I recommend:
"Carousels," by Beirut.
The following is an unofficial video for the song:

M79

Hi. So I know I'm posting again today, but I just had to make a song recommendation. I've just heard and fallen in love with the song M79, by Vampire Weekend.

The following video has the song on it, it's just random stills of Vampire Weekend. Just listen to the song!!! (And yes, three exclamation points were necessary.)

Oh hai.

Hey.



I've created this on a whim. I have some plans for it... I already have a livejournal, but I may still use this bad boy. I guess we'll see. I'm a bit hungry, and I feel like making some corn and peas. Together... in one bowl. I know, it's crazy.

Turns out one of my eyes is smaller than the other one... or just closed more. That doesn't make sense. It's smaller.

:]