Sun In An Empty Room

So, it’s Friday, and not a great one at that. The only great part of the day was when the bell rang at 2:30 and I got to go home. But, I have a way to make this day much better. And that my friends, is  a great topic. Now todays is a little old school, they go all the way back to 1997, but I think we can handle it. Now, if that wasn’t enough of a hint for you, todays topic is the Weakerthans. The fantastic indie rock, alternative band that in my opinion should make Canada more proud than say Celine Dion or Jim Carrey (who isn’t even Canadian anymore). But sadly that’s not how the world works, so we’ll just have to pretend in our own little worlds thats how it is.

Now I first discoverd the Weakerthans a few months ago (I know, I should have found them much earlier, but I didn’t), and it was immediately love. Although it was only love for their song One Great City! (which is actually about hate, especially for Winnipeg). But as time progressed my love for the Weakerthans progressed too. I discovered their song Reconstruction Site, and than more and more. Now, I’m a pretty full fledged fan. They have such a cool blend of indie rock and pop. I’m an especially big fan of their CD Fallow. If you’re looking for an introduction though I would try checking out Recontruction Site (one of my favs, the lyrics are amazing. This totally makes me think of car rides when I was little, “and his father laughed and talked on the long ride home and his mother laughed and talked on the long ride home”), One Great City! (another great one), and Sun in an Empty Room. For now though, here’s the video for Sun In An Empty Room. It’s pretty interesting.

I really like this video. I like how incorporated there hometown is. Although It is a little sad. It’s pretty cool. What I find so great about the Weakerthans, is how many emotions they can bring up. Their lyrics are really evocative and what I love most is just listening to their lyrics because I always here something new that convinces me just how great they really are. And they do all of that in the most happy and go-lucky way, no matter the topic. For now though, I’m out until next time. Hope you have a good Friday night, and talk to you soon!

Are We Not Horses?

So it’s Monday, and a great one because it’s a PA day. But it’s even greater because it’s Random Playlist Monday.

1. Sleigh Ride – KT Tunstall (we’re starting off in a Christmasy way today, works for me )
2. Painting By Chagall – The Weepies
3. Black Bird – The Beatles
4. All The Way Down – Glen Hansard (this is quite the quiet playlist so far)
5. Mick’s Blessings – The Style Council
6. I Hope That I Don’t Fall In Love With You – Tom Waits
7. Shout Bama Lama – The Detroit Cobras (quiets over, but that’s okay ’cause it’s a great song)
8. Rain – Hawksley Workman
9. Bongo Bong – Manu Chao
10. I am an Excellent Steal Horse – Rock Plaza Central

So, that may have been one of my favourite playlists so far. Even with the Christmas song. Of all these great songs I think I’m going to have to go for Rock Plaza Central. You know the saying. When in doubt go for the crazy shouty, indie rock band.

So before going any further I need to say – although I am a  huge fan now – I wasn’t always. All discovery credit goes to my dad. Although, even though I can’t quite believe it, I didn’t always appreciate the…specialness (?) of them. It is a bit of an aquired taste. Once you get past the initial phase and enter into the realm of their true greatness your world is opened up and there is so many more options. I think I really fell in love with them after I saw them at Hillside. The lead singer brought his daughter on stage, and it was love from there on in.

My dad discovered them after they released their first CD Are We Not Horses, a crazy mix of songs all related to..you guessed it, horses. I must say I’m not as well aquanted with their newer CD’s, especially their newest At The Moment of our Most Needing. If you’re looking for an intro to them I’d try checking out Anthem for the Already Defeated (love it’s name), and I am an Excellent Steel Horse. Below is the video for I am an Excellent Steel Horse in all it’s horsey glory.

I think it’s an interesting video, with a really simple idea. But somehow it works, maybe because the song isn’t simple. Either way it’s a great video and a fantastic song. For now though, I must be off, enjoy the rest of your rainy gloomy night.

I Love You

Alright, so it’s Monday and it’s been quite a long time since I last wrote. Plus, today is extra special because…are you ready for it? This is my 100th post!! WOO-HOO! And to celebrate this I’m going to do a 100 song Random Playlist Monday. I know, I’m pretty dedicated. So, without further ado, here it is (just a warning: I am about to completely embarrass and humiliate myself because I have a feeling some very weird things are about to come up, brace yourselves).

1. War of the Worlds – Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly
2. The City is a Drag – Hawksley Workman
3. To The Dogs or Whoever – Josh Ritter
4. Neon – John Mayer (so far so good)
5. Joy to the World – Sufjan Stevens
6. Woods – Bon Iver
7. Depot Depot – Tom Waits
8. Fool – Neutral Milk Hotel
9. The Girl You Lost to Cocaine – Sia
10. Back Broke – Swell Season
11. Cape Canaveral – Connor Oberst
12. New Years – Ohbijou
13. At the Airport – Old Man Luedecke
14. Motion the Eleven – Cornershop
15. Extra Ordinary – Dave Mann Collective
16. Sixteen – Justin Trawick (Freaky, no!?)
17. Come Together – Across the Universe Soundtrack
18. Late Bloomer – Sarah Harmer
19. Never Going Back Again – Fleetwood Mac
20. An Open Door – Illinois
21. Dream About Flying – Alexis Murdoch
22. South Australia – The Pogues
23. Trouble – Ray LaMontagne
24. Here Goes Something – Nada Surf
25. Waiting on the World to Change – John Mayer
26. To Go Home – M. Ward
27. Language is a Virus – Laurie Anderson
28. Doot Doot Plot – The Hidden Cameras
29. I Don’t Mind – The Cave Singers
30. Whole Lotta Losin’ – Monsters of Folk
31. Home – Wintersleep
32. Perfect – Danny Michel (It’s about time!)
33. Say Hey (I Love You)  – Michael Franti and Spearhead
34. Sula – Jeremy Fisher
35. Violins – Lagwagon
36. The Clearing in the Woods – Harry Nilsson (It’s getting strange now!)
37. Oviedo – Blind Pilot
38. Little Nancy – Fionn Regan
39. Junkie Song – The Be Good Tanyas
40. Jimmy Jazz – Clash (Good changeup there!)
41. Chelsea Dagger – Fratellis
42. Free Until They Cut Me Down – Iron and Wine
43. Low Day – Capra
44. Gypsy Boys Reprise – David Francey
45. I Am a Rich Man – Old Man Luedecke
46. Sammy – The One Night Band
47. The First Snow of the Year – Hawksley Workman
48. Run Devil Run – Jenny Lewis with the Watson T
49. On My Way – Ben Kweller
50. I’ve Just Seen a Face – Across the Universe (Go see this movie if you haven’t already, and if you have go watch it again I know I’m going to)
51. Toothpaste Kisses – The Maccabees
52. A Matter of Minutes – Shawn Colvin
53. Black Wave-Bad Vibrations – Arcade Fire
54. We Go -   Thao
55. Story of My Life – Done With Dolls
56. Had Me a Girl – Tom Waits
57. Blake’s View – M. Ward
58. Salt Bean Fumble – The Penguin Cafe Orchestra (Great name for a song if not a little strange)
59. Close to Me – The Cure
60. With or Without You – U2
61. Why Didn’t You Call Me? – Macy Gray
62. To Your Love – Fiona Apple
63. Never Know – Jack Johnson
64. Sold – Dan Mangan (Going to see him next week: can’t wait)
65. Anti-social – Cuff the Duke
66. Satisfied – Bruce Peninsula
67. Cowgirl in the Sand – City and Color
68. No Sleep – Sam Roberts
69. Last Leaf – The Cake Sale
70. Basket – Dan Mangan
71. Happier – A Fine Frenzy
72. Hearts in the Park – Patrick Watson
73. Our Velocity – Maximo Park
74. Midnight Lullaby – Tom Waits (With 3 songs, Tom now dominates, but how could he not?)
75. House in Motion – Talking Heads
76. Hello Seattle – Owl City
77. Oxford Comma – Vampire Weekend
78. Run (I’m a Natural Disaster) – Gnarls Barkley
79. Patience – Take That
80. Hours Last Stand – Elvis Perkins
81. (Past-due) – The Weakerthans
82. State of the Union – David Ford
83. Gomni – Ali Farka Toure
84. A Call to Arms – Beirut
85. The Saga – The Libertines
86. Shelter from the Storm – Bob Dylan
87. Sweet Baby James – James Taylor (some classic cheese, but we all love our cheese, well except for lactose intolerant people)
88. True – The Frames
89. The Dozens – Amelia Curran
90. 1234 – Feist
91. Champion Angel – Low Anthem
92. Try (just a little bit harder) – Janis Joplin
93. Sweet Hallelujah – Hawksley Workman
94. Quiet – Rachael Yamagata
95. All is Love – Karen O and the Kids (if you haven’t seen “Where the Wild Things Are”, go see it NOW)
96. Hannah – Freelance
97. Whales – Personal Stars
98. This Feeling — Danny Michel (just in time)
99. Relax – Frankie Goes to Hollywood (a terrible song! Yet so very good)
100. Brainy – The National

So, that was quite the list. There were some really good things on there, and a few questionable ones. Now is the appropriate time to laugh at that list. I must admit I’m slightly embarrassed by it, especially the Frankie Goes to Hollywood, but oh well I guess. Of course, there was an extremely large amount of Danny, Tom and Hawksley, but there always is. Today though out of all those songs I’m going to go for Michael Franti, because we all need a music pick-me-up every once and a while, and a little reggae never hurt anyone.

I first discovered Michael Franti through his Obama Song. I was really into Obama and all he stood for (and still am) and the song just seemed really cool to me, it also proved to me that I can like hip-hop/rap/reggae music (other than Bob Marley). After the intial discovery I went in and found a few more of his songs. I especially fell in love with Say Hey (I Love You). Sure it’s a little cheesy, but it’s a damn good cheesiness. And there’s just some kind of appeal to Michael Franti, I’m not entirely sure what it is, but he has that “thing”. This song just always makes me especially happy, and it can give you a good outlook on the world, this is especially shown in the video. The video for Say Hey (I Love You) has just made it up pretty high on my list of top videos. It’s pretty fantastic and incredible cute, see for yourself.

I love this video, I especially love that it’s real people and his background looks real, not Hollywood perfect. I think that’s what makes the song not come across totally fake and cheesy. It has a certain real-ness to it not expressed in most things. I really love that the people look like real people of different sizes, cultures, and are allowed to show real emotions. It’s a pretty darn cute video, and I think it can even make all you cynics out there smile (it achieved that for me, and I’m about as cynical as it gets). So, please smile away for the rest night, and if you’re like me you’re going to watch this video about a million times more. For now though I’m out, thanks for putting up with me for this long, it’s greatly appreciated, and feel free to continue, that would also be greatly appreciated.

P.S. Feel free to get up and dance a bit to, it may actually be a requirement. Awkward dancing especially.

Lowside Of The Road

It’s Saturday, and a deliciously rainy and miserable one at that. And to perfectly match that cold, miserable, gloomy day I have the perfect topic. This is one I’ve discussed quite a few times, so bear with me and “come on up to the house”. Yes, that’s right, Tom Waits is the topic for the day. If I could talk about him every day I would, but sadly I can’t so I guess I’ll just have to make the most of this post.

Over the past month I’ve bcome even more into Tom Waits than I thought possible. I’ve been starting to explore some of his stuff, other than Heart of Saturday Night. And it turns out it just gets better. Who knew? I’ve been especially in love with Closing Time these days, and most of all Ol’ 55. What I love most about Tom though, is the fact that he can be so many different people, yet still be Tom Waits. I mean would you think the same guy who wrote the unbelievably sweet and sad San Diego Serenade could also write the unbelievably creepy What’s He Building? Or the same guy who sang Ol’ 55 in a lovely and angelic way (can you say that about the devil himself?), can also sing Anywhere I Lay My Head with the craziest growl I’ve ever heard. I’m reading a biography about him right now written by Barney Hoskyns where Tom talks about truths and how sometimes it’s best to let people create their own visions of you. Well reading this biography has changed some of my views of him. I guess I always picture Waits as this young and handsome bad-ass musician who smoked a lot of cigarettes and sang in a lot of dingy bars. Like the guy on the cover of Heart Of Saturday Night who looked young and mysterious and like he really didn’t give a damn what other people thought. And I guess at one point he could have been this guy, but I never imagined Tom Waits married with three kids (how cool would that be, oh yeah Tom Waits is my dad, no big deal). In my head I’m still going to keep my picture though.

Below I’ve decided to show you what I think is a fan-made video although I can’t quite tell. It’s for Come On Up To The House, another of my very favourite Waits songs. It’s funny just today I realized my mom, dad and I all want Tom Waits songs for our funerals. My mom, Come On Up To The House, my dad, Anywhere I Lay My Head (so everyone marches out when the horns come in at the end) and me, San Diego Serenade. We really are quite the die-hard family (haha, get it die-hard..funeral, probably not my best joke). But back to the video. It’ really something else. If it is a fan-based video, well, I’m impressed.

The concept of the video is pretty simple, but there’s something so perfect about the tattoos. At first you think oh this is cool, and the effect grows more and more until (for me anyways) you’re kind of brought to this feeling of…happiness. Like everything somehow seems really right and perfect (cheesy I know). The video reall is quite ingenious. The haunting tattoos and his perfectly fantasic growl are a odd mixture but they make something pretty special. Plus the lyrics to the song are really something else. I especially love the line “Come down off that cross, we can use the wood”, whether he means it politically, religiously or any other way, it’s a pretty great line. With that I am going to say goodnight until next time.

P.S. Saw “Easy A” last night, it was very fantastic in a quirky kind of way.

P.P.S. Check out his website here, it’s actually really cool, especially the wit & wisdom section.

You Won’t Make A Fool Outta Me

It’s Monday! And the last Monday of the summer! It feels like just yesterday I was writing my first post about school being over and now here we are talking about school starting. So this Random Playlist better be pretty darn good to make up for the crappy day.

1. Rolling Sea – Vetiver

2. You Won’t Make A Fool Out of Me – Flogging Molly (especially tomorrow)

3. Song For The Road – David Ford (another really great indie boy)

4. One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong – Leonard Cohen

5. Don’t Bring Me Down – Electric Light Orchestra

6. Body – Thao with The Get Down Stay Down

7. Emergency Exit – Beck

8. Ol’ 55 – Tom Waits (this is one of my favourite Tom songs right now)

9. Josephine – Teitur

10. Here We Come a’Wassailling – Arthur & Friends (Before judging me, let me explain. I’m pretty huge into Christmas and Arthur and one year my parents bought me Arthur’s Christmas CD. It became one of my favourite CD’s at Christmas and I need to listen to it every year. I also loved the fact that it drives my Dad crazy. Plus I love feeling like a little kid again. It’s slightly embarassing to have it but I’m going to embrace my childhood as much as I can!)

I think today is the perfect day for David Ford. He has this I don’t care what anyone thinks air about him and I personally really appreciate that. Plus he makes pretty awesome music. Especially his songs Song for the Road, and State of the Union. He has this really interesting sound and a pretty awesome voice. Below is a video of him singing Song for the Road. I like how down-to-earth he seems, not to mention how well he sings. So sit back, relax and if you’re in the same boat as me, enjoy your last night of freedom.

I think it’s pretty cool to just see him sing. Not to mention how great of a song it is. But for now I have to go to bed because sadly it is a school night.

If I Were A Tree

So, I’ve been on quite the roll regarding posts lately and I figured I’d just continue the roll with another fantastic topic. This one I discovered through iTunes Free Song of the Week last week when the Forest City Lovers song If I Were a Tree was featured. At first I was a little skeptical but after the first second of the happy cheery lyrics, poppy beats and sing-along choruses I knew it was love. And my love has continued through into two new songs Phodilus & Tyto, and Light You Up. Of course the whole CD Carriage is fantastic.

They have this incredible happy, poppy feel. But it doesn’t feel like too much happiness, because we all know too much happiness can begin to feel a little fake. On iTunes their classified as alternative which I wouldn’t say is very correct. But on Last.fm their classified as Indie Pop and Folk which seems much more accurate. although I sometimes find it hard to put music into genres. It is what it is (wow that was deep). I don’t even know how classify my taste in music, any ideas?

But back to the music. I’m going to post the video for If I Were A Tree. It happens to be just as sweet and happy as the song. So sit back relax and for a few minutes imagine yourself as a tree. What kind of tree would you be (I would want to be a willow). Imagine the animals that would make a home in your tree (Chicadee’s for me, their my favourite bird). And lastly imagine where your tree would be (I think my tree would be on the land of our old house).

Did you imagine your whole life as a tree? Or were you too busy listening to the fantastic song and watching the fabulous video? I would understand if it was because of the later because I was in the same boat. There’s just something I really love about the song that I can’t quite put my finger on. Maybe ’cause it’s just so darn cute. Or maybe ’cause it puts me in the Fall mood. For now though I’m out until next time (if you’re really lucky next time will be tomorrow but I doubt it because I have a dentist appointment and that always really depresses me). So, until next time have a wonderful afternoon and fantabulous night!

Sunshine

Alrighty. Yet again it is Monday, and every Monday that passes gets me closer to the dreaded first day of school. So right now I’m not a big fan of Mondays (or any other day for that matter, I’m just taking it out on Mondays). But the one light in this Monday is the Random Playlist coming up in a matter of minutes. So for just the 10 minutes it takes you to finish reading my post sit back, relax and pretend it is not a yucky Monday.

1. Holy Shit (What a Relief) – Hey Rosetta

2. Stacy’s Mom – Fountains of Wayne (this my friends is a classic song in the crudest way possible)

3. Carry That Weight – The Beatles

4. Helpless – Neil Young (not a big Neil fan, although I do love this song)

5. Hang On St. Christopher – Tom Waits (there’s always Tom, and this one really is something else)

6. Sunshine – Matt Costa (the perfect sunny happy day song)

7. Runaway – National

8. Unattainable – Little Joy (this is kind of funny ’cause I’ve been really liking this song lately. Perfect)

9. This Is My House, This Is My Home – We Were Promised Jetpacks (so perfectly Scottish)

10. This Is Me – Demi Lovato (this is only slightly embarassing, what can I say I’m just  a girl, this is me…)

So, once again that was a pretty awesome playlist if I do say so myself (and I do). Especially the jems like Stacey’s Mom and This Is Me. But looking past the mishaps I think today is the perfect day for Matt Costa. It’s sunny, windy and I can feel the fall in the air, and it seems perfect for Matt Costa. I completely fell in love with his song Sunshine when I first discovered it. And after that got a few more his songs. I’m a real fan of Miss Magnolia, Yellow Taxi, Sunshine, and Mr. Pitiful. They all have this happy, cheery, alternative feel. If you’re ever down Matt Costa is the music to get you up. Especially his video for Sunshine, check it out.

I wish when I first woke up someone threw a guitar at me (and I actually caught it) and my hair to looked like that. I also wish I could sing like Matt Costa. It really is just a happy little song and the video is pretty cute. For now though enjoy the video and the rest of your Random Playlist Monday! I’m off to practice my singing (well the bass but same thing, well not really but oh well).

A Double Dose of Monday

It’s Monday! And this Monday I’m actually going to do my Random Playlist. Now I think I’m going to do 20 songs this week just for the fun of it (and to catch up a bit). So sit back relax and enjoy, I have a feeling today is going to be a good one.

1. Anywhere I Lay My Head – Tom Waits (there’s always Tom Waits, and this happens to be my dads funeral song)

2. Let My Love Open The Door – Pete Townsend (old school)

3. Somebody Got Murdered – The Clash

4. Sh0t In The Back Of The Head – Moby (this is quite the playlist so far)

5. I’ve Just Seen A Face – Across The Universe Version (and a great version at that, if you haven’t see that movie, go do it, NOW!)

6. Thunder In The Mountain – Danny Michel (always Danny as well, now all we need is Hawksley)

7. (Bit Part) – The Wooden Sky (this is one of my new favourites, it’s fantastic)

8. Atlantis! – Shane Koyczan (this is a great one, not quite as sad)

9. Action/Reaction – Choir Of Young Believers

10. Old Bloody Orange – Hawksley Workman (and there’s the Hawksley, with quite the lovely title)

11. Too Many Nights – Matt Giraud

12. Hello Goodbye – The Beatles (this is one of my favourite Beatle songs)

13. Sweet Medicine – Jason Castro

14. Please Call Me, Baby – Tom Waits (more Tom. I think this is the song where I finally start to fall asleep on Heart of Saturday Night)

15. Airplanes – Local Natives (I’ve been really loving this song lately)

16. Dashboard – Modest Mouse (this is a classic. One of my favourite Modest Mouse songs)

17. Tickle Me Pink – Johnny Flynn

18. What Katie Did – The Libertines (I loved this song and this band when I was little. It’s really to bad they broke up so early)

19. Sweater Song – Hedley

20. Kids – MGMT (you just can’t help but love this song. Even my mom likes it)

So after perusing all the songs on this list (and it really is quite the list), I’ve decided to go with Modest Mouse today. I find that I often forget about Modest Mouse, but than I remember and think “how could I ever forget about this, I won’t this time” but than it just happens again. I’m not sure what that is because they really are awesome and seem unforgetable. As Modest Mouse goes their CD Good News For People Who Love Bad News is my favourite CD. It has classics like Dashboard (of course), Bury Me With It (the perfect funeral song) and Bukowski. For today though, here’s the video for Dashboards. I kinda like this video, it’s a little quirky, but quirky is good.

It’s an old man video so of course I like it. It also includes cool beards and the water not to mention monsters. All my favourite things (well maybe minus the monsters). But for now I’m off to bed ’cause my mom and I are off early on a bit of a culinary adventure inlcuding the Moosewood Restaurant, perfect for a vegetarian like myself and a foody like my mom. I’ll see when I get a chance to blog, but between awesome veggie dishes and pastry over-doses I may not have much time for music.

A Message 2010

Monday, Monday, Monday. A great Tegan and Sara song but not a great day. Luckily after this one I only have one more Wednesday than I’m done school for the year. Of course that involves getting through exams, but I believe in my self…I think? Anways, to make this day just a little better I think we need a random playlist, don’t you? In that case, with no further a do, here’s your Random Playlist Monday!

1. Cowshed – Fionn Regan (one of my favourite Irish musicians and that’s saying a lot!)

2. City Lights – Bent by Elephants (looking forward to this at Hillside)

3. Cannonball – Damien Rice (this is a good quite song, that I’ll have to add to my rainy day playlist)

4. Hard Road – Sam Roberts

5. Hang On St. Christopher – Bullet Boys (this is from a playlist I made for my dad, don’t be to alarmed)

6. Let’s Just Fall In Love Again – Jason Castro (how many times has this song come up on a playlist? To many times to count)

7. Love That Conquers – Swell Season (this is all I’ve been listening to lately.. it’s fantastic)

8. Today’s The Day – Aimee Mann

9. A Message 2010 – Coldplay

10. Just Before the Morning – Matt Morris

As I was making this one I was thinking, wow, considering all the weird stuff on my iPod why does none of it ever come up and than the Hang on St. Christopher came on. But except for that this is one of my favourite playlists. There’s lot’s of good stuff on there to talk about but I’m going to go for Coldplay becuase well it seems like a Coldplay day.

Coldplay seems to me like one of those classic alternative bands. Everybody knows who Coldplay is but yet they still maintain there “alternative” label. They have good music, a little upbeat a little quiet. They’ve written masterpieces like The Scientist and Yellow. They sell out shows and have tons of fans but not the annoying 12 yearold screaming girls, I mean some could say they’ve got it all. I’m not sure I’m one of those but I would say that Coldplay has done pretty well for themselves. I mean they’ve written some pretty great songs and Chris Martins voice is pretty easy to love. Some of my favourite Coldplay other than the ones I mentioned previoulsy are Clocks, A Message, and Speed of Sound. I particulairly love the A Message version from the Hope For Haiti Now telethon which as I’ve said before was fantastic. That’s also the version that came up on shuffle but I think I’m going to show the original because, well just ’cause. So here it is. Enjoy the song, video, playlist and whatever else you feel like enjoying at this time. Hopefully you can enjoy another post tomorrow if I can pry myself away from homework for just a second ’cause that will be hard to do). Keep your fingers crossed and once againe enjoy!