Some more gr8 songz

1.) How Six Songs Collide - Norwegian Recycling
My good buddy Juice Ex Machina recommended this mash-up to me and I'm tooootally smitten. Perhaps smitten isn't the perfect way to describe my experience, how about "my mind is now a sloppy bowl of Cream-of-Wheat". Mind. Blown. I dunno whether to cry, smile, or call up every boy I've ever had a crush on and profess my undying love. I showed this to one of my other friends and she had *at best* a lukewarm reaction. I'm totally a sucker for 1) really dramatic music 2) string instruments and 3) luuuv. I totally fell into this song's sticky love trap.



2) The First Single - The Format
This song has clapping. That's basically all I need. Also the lyrics are just pseudo-angsty enough for me to want to quote in my Facebook status and put on a skateboarding hoody or something. "So lets make a list of who we need, its not much if anything, lets make a list of who we need and we'll throw it away 'cause we don't need anyone". The catchy beat makes this somehow allowable to blast loud in my car, or while my roommates are trying to concentrate on their homework. The Format is a really one of my favorite groups because the songs are easy enough to listen to, and again - CLAPPING.



3) The Geeks Were Right - The Faint
The Faint has a tooooon of really great songs in this genre of "electronic sex" (also listen to Glass Danse and Worked Up So Sexual) totally sexy yet I'm pretty sure they're not writing songs actually about sex... this could be a personal problem of mine. But you will for sure want to get up and dance, even just a little.



4) Gallery Piece - Of Montreal
I could probably name this as the best love song ever written.

I wanna steal your things
I wanna show you off
I wanna tell you lies
I wanna write you books
I wanna turn you on
I wanna make you come
200 times a day

I wanna dry your tears
Every time you're sad
I wanna be what's happening
I wanna be your only friend
I only go all the way

I don't know about any of the sane population of people who've been in relationships, but this is the kind of stuff that runs through my head. "I wanna be what's happening, I wanna be your only friend". Brilliant. Don't tell me you can't relate to "I wanna squeeze your thighs, I wanna kiss your eyelids And corrupt your dreams". Also, ignore the video, its the best one I could find.



5) Arms - Seabear
It is my expert opinion that Seabear is one of the most underrated bands ever. The fiddle playing is simply too cute, and the singer's breathy voice is brilliant. The steady beat in this song makes me want Seabear to write songs about me. I would love my life to have a Seabear soundtrack at all moments.



6) Two - Ryan Adams and the Cardinals
I think this is his most famous song? My mom really likes Ryan Adams. I think she once said to me, "Wow who is this Ryan Adams guy? Is this country music? Do I officially like country music now? Ick." Its true, his voice does have a bit of a twang in it. In other news: I really love how this song builds and the way Ryan Adams holds when he sings "It takes two when it used to take oooooone".



7) Requiem For O.M.M.2 - Of Montreal
AAAHHH once again Of Montreal writes love songs about my life (I mean... kind of?). "I never ever stop wondering, wondering if you still think of us, I don't need a photograph because you never left my mind". It confuses me, because the lyrics are sad! But the song is poppy.... So you can feel good about being unloved! Haha?



8) Her Morning Elegance - Oren Lavie
This is just the best music video I've ever seen. Handz dowwwn.

ManBabies.com - DAD?

HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA (scared nervous laughter)

This is the single best (umm, make that creepiest) websites I have ever found. Its a really long story on how I discovered this gem of a site, but it happened. And now I can't erase it from my memory (nightmares). Mix equal parts Kodak moment, expert Photoshopping, an offbeat sense of humor, and some vomit that I threw up in my mouth and you'll get ManBabies.com.

I'm so glad I found this website!

GET MORE AT ManBabies.com!

AH! A playlist!

My ultimate favorite thing to do of all all all time is make playlists. Mostly because I am desperately trying to move towards my life goal of being a completely effortless hipster, spending my time knitting floppy hats and chatting about awesome music no one has bothered to listen to. This fantasy will never come true (sadly) mostly because I try too hard. And hipsters are all, "yeah I'm so chill and effortless, blah blah blah, tight pants". But despite this sad realization (and lack of tight pants), the playlists live on. I started in high school exchanging mix cd's with my friends, then evolved into mixes for the painting/drawing lab, driving and shower mixes, I even stopped giving my family proper gifts and just settled for and hour and twenty minutes of awesome music they've never had the pleasure of discovering on their own (because they have lives). I can't even say how many hours I devote to finding new music to impress my friends with, but its well over the hipster cutoff. So here we go, enjoy!

1.) No You Girls - Franz Ferdinand
This is a song from FF's new cd (Tonight: Franz Ferdinand, out Jan 27). I do admit that I discovered it on this week's episode of Gossip Girl (not very hipsterish of me I guess). It was playing in a scene while Chuck Bass is being all horizontal eye-browy in a car with nameless sexy lady extras. This song is just too cool for school, if it were a human it would be swaggering around in a fancy suit. Awesome.



2.) 21st Century - Red Hot Chili Peppers
I'm not even going to pretend to know what this song is talking about, but its has awesome attitude and beats. Also, it comes highly recommended by my mother...



3.) Our Swords - Band of Horses
This is one of my favorite bands, and I even read once in a fashion magazine that Molly Sims is a fan. SHE'S A SUPERMODEL PEOPLE! Ben Bridwell's voice is unique and has the possibility of being slightly annoying, which is actually my preference when it comes to lead singers for some reason. This song is just so catchy and perfectly awesome. Enough said.



4.) Parade of Punk Rock T-Shirts - Maritime
I don't know if there is a way for this song to get more catchy. I listen to this song and I want to do a jazz square. Its is so cute. I think I'll marry it, feed it breakfast in bed, and then name a cat after it or something.



Its too bad the video I found on YouTube is super silly...

5.) Love It All - The Kooks
EVERYONE can like this song. I love that The Kooks lead singer has the thickest most Englishy British accent when he sings, I am such a sucker for this style of rock music (Arctic Monkeys, Bloc Party, etc.)



6.) New York I Love You, But You're Bringing Me Down - LCD Soundsystem
I've never lived in NYC, or even close (three hours, woo!), but I'm pretty much a fan of anything hipster. And NYC = the superhero of all hipster cities. And this song celebrates the NYC before it became all safe and friendly and stuff. I dunno. I think LCD Soundsystem would know better than me. I love the way James Murphy's voice builds and gets slightly more aggressive towards the end.



"There's a ton of the twist, But we're fresh out of shout"

6.) Us - Regina Spektor
I FUCKING LOVE EVERYTHING REGINA SPEKTOR. Yeah, that's all...



7.) Opposite Day - Andrew Bird
Those who can't quite function in society at large
They've got to wake up on this morning to find that they're in charge
But those the world's set up for, who are really doing quite well
They're going to wake up in institutions
In prison or in hell
Prison or in hell



8.) First Day Of My Life - Bright Eyes
Quite possibly the sweetest music video ever made. Ever ever ever. And the sweetest song ever made. Ever ever ever.



9.) You And I - Ingrid Michaelson
This song is really great, with the too-cute ukulele playing in the background, and the random guy singing along with Ingrid Michaelson. And there is rhythmic CLAPPING. Seriously folks, I'm not really sure this is any way this song could get any sweeter. I can already see myself driving around in my girly VW Jetta with the volume all the way to drown out the sound of my own awful singing voice.

EDIT: Apparently the "random guy singing" is in fact "Jason Mraz". Hmm... who knew.


10.) Boys With Girlfriends - Meiko
I'm really only a fan of female singers when they have breathy voices (Cat Power, Jenny Owen Youngs, Feist, Jaymay) and thank God Meiko fits really well into this category.



11.) Its All Over - The Broken Family Band
I left this song for the very end of my ass kicking playlist, because it is THE BEST SONG IN THE WORLD. I cannot stop listening. While I drive, while I knit, while I shower, while I shop online for new circular bamboo knitting needles. The simple structure of the song, and the climactic build towards the end of the song just gets ya'. Its the best thing for a breakup or hipster depression about the end of the scarf trend or something, I dunno.

I could hold, your beautiful hands
And kiss, your beautiful eyelids
Throw open, your beautiful doors
And phone, your beautiful friends

But it's all over
It's all over
It's all over
It's all over

I could bind, your beautiful wrists
And shut, your beautiful eyes,
With the drugs, with the drugs, with the drugs
And kick, your beautiful doors in
O shame, on your beautiful friends,

Cos it's all over
It's all over
It's all over
It's all over

I could fight, your beautiful words
And mourn, your beautiful loss
Throw me out, of your beautiful lifestyle
And call, your beautiful name,

It's all over
Cos it's all over
It's all over
It's all over
It's all over
It's all over
It's all over
It's all over


This is also the fucking WEIRDEST video for a song I have ever seen. Its just... super uncomfortable, and odd. Please please please I request that you don't actually look at the video while you listen to the song.... oh god please....

Fun fact: I paint necks

These are three paintings that I did on basically homemade canvas frames. I never have frames that are either the proper proportions to each other, or small enough for quick paintings. I took longer wooden canvas frames and used a hand saw, some heavy-duty staples, and a lot of "elbow grease". The top one is about 6"x6", the second 4"x4", and the third 6"x10"? I'm not totally sure on the last one, these measurements are mostly approximations anyway. I've done a lot of paintings focusing on skin and light. I have a few more which are much larger and time intensive (20+ hours each probably), along with smaller studies focusing on the neck. I'm particularly in love with the neck because of the mix of tension and softness. Some of the paintings are violent and harsh looking, using a relatively dry brush, while others are softer and use thicker amounts of paint, creating a wetter and more fluid look. These three are the only ones I have photographed at the moment, but I want to add the rest soon! Enjoy!

So, for my first EVER blog posting I could write about anything, and I'm choosing to write about... strangers? Hello world!

Hello my blog readers! So far that basically means me, and my cat who possibly speaks in Olde English... while constantly licking her butt. I haven't seriously considered blogging about anything before, actually, I am the last person in the world I'd expect to maintain a blog. I mean, as far as interesting worldly insight goes, what can I possibly contribute? But here I am? Insight is overrated. I'm mostly interested in the difficulty and complexity of being relatively anonymous (that sounds intellectual, right?). Two times I'm happiest-- with best friends, and with complete strangers. For example, I LOVE being in opportunities to have totally meaningless (or sometimes surprising meaningful) conversations with complete strangers in the airport. We fly, they leave, but its ok. We know each other forever, bffs. Strangers ARE your best friends, you could say anything to them, yeah they're probably judging you, but I've said things to strangers I would never even tell my own friends. A stranger will keep your secret, they are an appendage-- kind of the way you can take the head off a Barbie if you pull hard enough (I used to switch the heads of Ken and Barbie when I was little, haha). Isn't there a quote that goes something like, "Strangers are friends you have yet to meet"? This is my mantra, people! Hopefully I don't befriend any criminals or rapists, but I think random conversation in Phoenix airport, or 3:00am blogging will be ok for now...