Where I find My Music

    The other day I was hanging out with a friend. She had a pandora station playing. I think the song "Two Atoms in a Molecule" came on which led to me remarking, "I really like Noah and the Whale." My friend asked me then, "Eric, where do you find your music?". To which I glibly replied, "The internet." and we both laughed. And my answer was half true - as vague and as much of a cop-out as it was - I do find a good portion of the music that I listen to on a regular basis from the internet. But the thing to remember is that the internet is huge! Its like an ocean; you and I may have both been to the Atlantic or Pacific in our lives, but that might be the only part about seeing the ocean for both of us that was a shared experience. We were both at the ocean, though perhaps you saw a shark and I got salt water in my eyes. That's similar to how we're both on the internet right now, but after that our experiences are probably differing in some way.

Noah and the Whale
2 Atoms in a Molecule
 
   
     Whoa, okay, I think I"m straying a little bit from where I want to go with this. I'll try to reel it back in. Let's start off with a different question: where did my love of music come from? The answer to that question would probably be my family. I remember from an early age that there was usually some sort of cool and strange sounds coming out of either the stereo or the car speaker's on road trips. My parents introduced me and my brother to Bruce Springsteen, The Who, Van Morrison, Supertramp, Bing Crosby, The Cars, The Clash, The Talking Heads and a bunch more. Later on I learned a little about punk and ska from my brother with bands like Reel Big Fish, Less Than Jake, Lucky Boys Confusion, The Ergs as well as other stuff like REM, The Hold Steady, Ben Folds Five and Modest Mouse.

The Talking Heads
This Must Be the Place

 
 
    From there I began to decide which bands I, myself enjoyed. Like They Might Be Giants, years before my brother and I used to rock out to Dr. Worm, but it wasn't until around junior high when I heard their song "Prevenge" on the radio that I realized that a) I loved this strange and wacky band and b) that they were the same ones who sang Dr. Worm and also that they did the theme song for Malcolm in the Middle. Or The Decemberists, who I first heard when the local college radio station played their song "16 Military Wives". For one reason for another that song has become one of my all time favorites, along with a large portion of their discography. In the past six or eight years my family and I have seen The Decemberists play live four times. They put on a hell of a good show.

The Decemberists
16 Military Wives

 
    I think a big factor in where I or anyone finds music is whether you are an active or passive music listener. A passive music listener might be someone who listens to the radio every day and enjoys that experience, but for the most part takes it no farther than that. An active listener on the other hand might hear half a song played as the outro for a hotel commercial and immediately head to the internet to investigate just who might be the author or composer of said song. I realize these are gross over-simplifications and generalizations of how people feel about music and for that I apologize. That being said, I think I fall under the definition that I just gave of an active music listener. For example in High School my family and I took a weekend trip to the Detroit Auto Show. First of all, it is a really cool auto show that is definitely worth checking out, this is from someone who doesn't know that much about cars(one might say I'm a passive car driver...). The booth for Volkswagen was playing some very dancey music. More than that, it was dancey music that I had never heard before. I wrote some of the lyrics down and looked the song up when we got home. I found out the band was called Chromeo and the song I had heard was called Needy Girl. And with that I became a fan. I would still really like to see Chromeo live; I bet they'd be fun to see. 

Chromeo
Needy Girl

 
    Now back to the internet. At the end of high school I started frequenting a variety of blogs which hosted reviews and samples of singles from upcoming albums. How did I find these blogs? I'm not quite sure anymore. But one would always link to others, so discovery then led to discovery. Most of the ones I used to go to are now defunct, such is the shelf-life of most things on the internet. For awhile though I learned of bands way ahead of their actual release or rise in popularity. Such cases include Vampire Weekend and Bon Iver.

    I am also almost always on Youtube. Either to DJ songs a few at a time for myself while I'm working, or to find awesome music videos to share, or sometimes one song links to another that is just as awesome and I make a note. Back when I worked at the radio station we had to do rotation hours to go along with our specialty shows. This was a little like having to come in for a shift at a job, except for the most part this was actually fun. You got to find out what new bands had gotten added to the rotation, and which ones had left to be added to the stacks. I tried to play one artist from the stacks that I was unfamiliar with each time I came in. Which is how I found out I liked Georgie James and Hot Chip and The Fruit Bats. And if I played a song I didn't really like all too much, well, no big deal it was only one song and besides there was an average of only 1-2 people listening during rotation. Oh! The other major way I have found bands that I enjoy has been through friends making wonderful mixtrapes/CD's. If there's one thing I believe in, it is the power of a good mix. It's like a letter written in sound, full of inside jokes, winks, memories, and love.

Georgie James
Cake Parade

 
Those are the ways that I find music. Although I'm always looking for more music, anywhere I can.

My Headphones

My headphones are
an escape
from my thoughts
and all the surrounding distractions
of everyday life

My headphones are
the only way
I can
semi successfully
feign deafness

My headphones are
a place to
remember
every where
and when
I've ever been

My headphones are
a waking dream
that Salvador Dali
used to have,
where everyone's
a rhino

My headphones are
a way to
look occupied
as if,
my occupation
was to listen
to wonderful sounds

My headphones are
my best friend
when everyone else
seems unreasonable,
when my strut
needs a little more spice

My headphones are
broken, and now,
the bass is too loud,
and the vocals
are too soft,
the percussion
is uneven
and doesn't
count time no more

Fourth Anniversary and Green Day

  Today is my fourth year anniversary of this blog. It has been a joy writing and having you all read, I sincerely hope it continues for another 4 years if not more. It has kept me sane and I hoped its entertained in some small way, if it has, that makes me quite happy. For my anniversary here's some new music from Green Day, because I try my best to bring new music and music videos that I think are quite cool. And this new Green Day song off their upcoming album is fun and sounds like almost a throw-back to their old days. I hope you enjoy.

Green Day
Oh Love

Favourite Albums of 2011

Hello everybody! Its the end of the year, so that means I get to tell you which albums I really enjoyed this year. Go check 'em out if you want to!

1) Gotye - Making Mirrors
2) The One AM Radio - Heaven is Attached by a Slender Thread
3) The Decemberists - The King is Dead
4) Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit - Here We Rest
5) Bright Eyes - The People's Key
6) Death Cab For Cutie - Codes and Keys
7) Okkervil River - I am Very Far
8) M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
9) Foster the People - Torches
10) Starfucker - Reptilians
11) I'm From Barcelona - Forever Today
12) Mates of State - Mountaintops
13)Of Monsters and Men - My Head is an Animal
14) Givers - In Light
15) Wilco - The Whole Love

Year in Lists

Okay if anyone is in suspense as to my list of best music and such for 2008, here goes. I was going to go with top ten, and really ten is kind of an arbitrary number, mostly I feel this way because I do not have a way to shrink my favorites down to 10. So here's some of my favorite albums of 2008, check 'em out (or don't...Not saying any of these are the best of music of 2008, just that these albums or bands seemed pleasing to me in some way).

Okay not too too particular in order.

1) Los Campesinos- Hold on Now, Youngsters...

Probably listened to this album more than anything else this year, infectious, punky at times, and with a general sense of cacophony and friendship, it was quite fun.

Year in Lists


2) I'm From Barcelona-Who Killed Harry Houdini?

Whats better than a 27 person band? Not much. A bit darker than their previous album(Let me Introduce my friends), but showing throughout that its okay to stay a kid, even its only in your heart.

3) Born Ruffians-Red, Yellow and Blue

Unconventional, and undeniably poppy. Recommended by my friend Chris, and wow the whole album is quite phenomenal.

I Need A Life


4) The Hold Steady-Stay Positive

Probably one of the more summery albums of the summer, maybe. It rocked and told a story, plus there was ample harpsichord(not sure what sort of requirement that is, but hey harpsichord is a harpsichord). If you did listen to this album this year, try out their other albums to get the full picture, the songs kind of loosely interweave into a story.

5) The Broken West-Now or Heaven

Jangly and well just great, good piano and lyrics. At one point this year I was sure that this was definitely the best album of the year, it still might be, but more than anything else I think it was just what I really needed right then.

6) Tokyo Police Club-Elephant Shell

I am still not sure what exactly sure what an elephant shell is..most likely a giant shell of an elephant like a snake skin, except big enough to hide in? Anyway I thought that this album was fairly amazing, I guess some people found it a bit boring, but I think it grows on you a bit quicker if you've listened to their first album, A lesson in Crime which is much faster and crazy.

Tessellate



7) Cloud Cult-Feel Good Ghosts

A lot earlier in the year this album came out, it was the first I had heard of Cloud Cult, and I guess its the last album they're putting out for awhile, so good thing they gave us something great before they left.

8) Mystery Jets-21

I think i explained Mystery Jets pretty well in my second post here

9) Cut Copy-In Ghost Colours

This year and the past couple have been surprisingly good for electronic dance music. I was intrigued at how full In Ghost Colours is, previously I had a feeling that it was going to only be highlighted by singles.

Hearts on Fire


10) The Break and Repair Method-Milk the Bee

The Break and Repair Method was a band that I got to review for the radio station at OU. Okay just really if you need any proof as to its coolness, it has a song with this name-

You Won't Be able to Be Sad


11) Crystal Castles-Crystal Castles

Another electronic dance album which was also quite good. Plus the name of the band is pretty awesome, for me it makes me think of a castle made of crystal hanging in the sky, or it could be just named after the video game.

12) Noah and the Whale-Peaceful, the World Lays Me Down

I was going to tell you guys about this album a lot earlier but it is very hard to embed their videos which are very well done. And I suppose I could have just put up a link, but somehow that's not the same to me, ah well. Noah and the Whale are an indie folk band which well its a bit dancey(okay very lite dancey but still) and the lyrics are top notch. Hope I'm still doing this in five years time, and we're all still friends.

5 Years time



13) Tom Gabel-Heart Burns

More of an solo EP, but a great fist-pumping anthemic album nonetheless. Not a huge change from his band Against Me!, in my opinion it doesn't matter, it was really good.

14) Plus/Minus-X's on Your Eyes

+/- anyone? The name sounds like it should be that of a math-rock band, its not. They're more straight indie rock, with slow startups leading to faster tempos and chaos when you least expect it.

15) Ben Folds-Way to Normal

I've listened to many of his albums, perhaps all of them, and I think that Way to Normal is one of the better ones. Its funny, poppy, and dancey I would say it was a success.

16) TV on the Radio-Dear Science

Really before I was not sure about TVotR but this album was more accessible than their last couple. I mean tell me you don't start dancing just a little to this.

Dancing Choose



17) Ra Ra Riot-The Rhumb Line

Not what I expected at all...in a good way. Though many times I feel that I should stop having expectations in general, when I'm against something, not always, but sometimes it turns out to be incredibly great. For example Harry Potter, I was really against it when the books first came out thinking that it was just another fad, but they were insanely good, so my bad there.

18) Nada Surf-Lucky

At first I was unsure, but with more listens, its quite the album. A bit deeper, a bit older, but still had songs you could sing along to, and some to rock out to.

okay just a few more..

19) Tilly and the Wall-O

Each copy of O came with a piece of custom artwork inspired by one of the songs on the album. That certainly made it worth buying, well plus the fact that the songs were all very good. And if you are uninformed Tilly and the Wall use tap dancing as percussion.

Pot Kettle Black


20) The Little Ones-Terry Tales and Fallen Gates

listen to a song from The little Ones and try to not smile. I bet you can't.

21) Bon Iver-For Emma, Forever Ago

You can really feel the winter in this album. Which is apparently what Bon Iver means in french I guess its a play on Bon hiver which means good winter.

22) PSAPP-The Camel's Back

Just got around to listening to them a few days ago, toytronica is pretty fun I've got to say.

Monster Song


Whew...wow that was a lot, maybe just 10 next year. Heh, but with my indecisiveness, probably not. So how bout a few books that I read this year that I thought were pretty cool? It's hard to find a top whatever of books actually written in the current year, but I'll just put up the ones that I read that were from any year that seemed to be good.

1) Handling Sin by Michael Malone

Handling Sin was a long book that got better with every page, it had a surprising amount of adventure and improbable situations that seemed like they could happen.

2) Kurt Vonnegut

I read quite a few Kurt Vonnegut books this year, here's some that I might start with(they are all very good in my opinion, but you're not me so you might hate them) Slaughterhouse-Five, Cat's Cradle, or The Siren's of Titan

3) Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close-Jonathan Safran Foer

Basically the story of a kid finding closure after his father's death, it is a powerful story. The boy is creative and resourceful and the story is realistic.

4)The Discworld Series-Terry Pratchett

I ended up reading quite a bit of the discworld series, each of them satirical and fantastical and quite good. I think they are also the reason that I am led to believe that disk can be spelled disc, or really can't it? bah whatever. hehe. recommended starting places-Going Postal, The Night Watch, Thud!, Colour of Magic.

5) The Night Watch series by Sergei Lukyanenko

I think I termed it the adult Harry Potter at one point, and perhaps its a bit hard to follow, but wow, its epic and has vampires, werewolves, wizards, and right now it probably sounds really unoriginal, but trust me its not.

okay I think that's all I have the energy for. Sorry if the writing is spotty at all. Apologies also if all the videos don't load correctly.

Happy New Year!

Hang On

When the going gets tough you can't let it get you down, even though it happens anyway. Shit sucks sometimes, but I think Music is the cure(or at least partially). Thank you Rob for introducing me to Dr. Dog. Neither a rapper nor as uniquely awesome as the song Dr. Worm, but still in their own right they create a brand of folkish pop that is more than satisfying.

Dr. Dog-
Hang On



oh and I think the parts where the camera focuses on the piano/pianoesque instrument are very cool.