Dream Scream - I guess Daniel Johnston is the original writer/creator of this song, but I'm enjoying the cover by Death Cab for Cutie.
The elements that strike me about this song is 1) the lyrics - I feel like I've thought them, felt them, maybe even said them (some) before... 2) the slow, disjointed pace; crashing cymbals; atmospheric, haunting synth sounds 3) how it really doesn't seem to go anywhere but then at the end, the last minute of the almost 7 min song is oddly upbeat - a very familiar melody. Just really strange at that point. Like - what? Why is it suddenly better? Maybe it's just a reflection of Daniel Johnston's struggle with manic depression...
We Own the Sky - by M83. I hadn't heard of this band but my Pandora station played this song and I loved it! So I downloaded/bought it.
[I chose this particular video over the "official" video because the "official" video was too cliché for me. A bunch of teenagers or young 20-somethings running around with kites and what not...all in slow motion. Come on. What's the point of slow motion if you never have regular-speed motion??]
Three reasons that I like this song: 1) It makes me feel part of something bigger than myself - like part of the underlying fabric of the universe - that which [maybe] encodes (and remembers) everything, like our collective consciousness. I think this feeling could be attributed to the background static-sound that permeates throughout the song, but also the soft-reverb of the vocals...and, of course, the title - We Own the Sky - of course! (but we don't "own" it... we are it.) 2) I find the part with the beautiful, angelic-sounding, repetitious vocals singing...I'm not sure what s/he's singing, "it's coming"? Yeah, it does sound like there's anticipation of something but what is irrelevant - the "official" video seems to indicate that 'it' is boxes that float in the sky. That's just stupid, in my opinion. Floating, alien boxes? I mean, WTF? Eh, but I guess it's an original idea. So whatever. To each their own. 3) Ok, I don't have a 3rd. I just like odd numbers. And lists of 3. Well, I always like crescendos... (there's a mini-crescendo before the part mentioned in 2).)
Long Division - another Death Cab song.. So it looks like I'm a fairly big Death Cab for Cutie fan. It turns out that these skinny, hipster-boys are pretty darn talented. [I saw them at Oakland's Oracle Arena a few years ago as part of 105.3's "BFD" - I saw Death Cab, Bloc Party, The Killers, Franz Ferdinand - I mean, jeesh, what a line up!! Anyway, I was surprised at how toothpick-looking these boys were - and young. Yeah, it made me regret, yet again, that I didn't pursue my dream of being a musician more adamantly. But...well, my life isn't over yet.]
[Side note: I just found this recording of them rehearsing this song and they do not look nearly as skinny as I remember...especially the lead singer! Maybe he put on some weight since I saw them...I think I saw them in December, 2008.]
Why do I love thee, oh Death Cab for Cutie? Because...because: 1) You respect the piano. 2) Your lyrics and music are intelligent. 3) I can sing along to your songs - apparently we share a vocal range. Oh, and I can play the piano pieces, as well...and sing at the same time! (maybe I shall post this, too...)
Long division. Man, I hate long division, don't you? Remainders feel like something's wrong, they leave me feeling somehow incomplete. What do you do with the remainder? Toss it? Let them add up, like dried saliva collecting in the corners of your mouth? [ewww] Just lick it, chew it up. Chomp chomp.
Punching in a Dream - by The Naked and Famous. I've also come to accept that I'm a pretty big The Naked and Famous fan! That's ok cause they're from New Zealand... which is pretty f-ing hot!
Have you ever had a dream where you swear-to-God you screamed for real? Well, I'm not talking about screaming in fear or being frightened, but more like yelling at someone - I have! Sometimes I have dreams where I get to do what I wouldn't do in my waking life - such as yelling at someone who has angered me so. Strangely, it can be just as cathartic - if not more so - to do it in your dreams. This happened to me semi-recently - the dream where I yelled at someone. I mean, I think I only said something like, "YOU HURT ME!! I'M SO ANGRY AT YOU! WHY DID YOU HURT ME?!" But damn...it felt good to yell it to her in my dream like that. Like punching in a dream.
Dawn of the Dead - by Does it Offend You, Yeah?
This song is totally fun and makes me feel like dancing! In fact, I have been dancing to it - but really just by myself since I'm almost always by myself... and they don't play good music like this at the clubs around here...
What I like: 1) the beat (for sure!) 2) the singer's British accent ("I won't sit down and say 'that will do' - I'm afraid") 3) the way it makes me feel like I'm ok on my own - not just ok...but GREAT!
I leave you with that as my last song on this "mix tape". I suppose I went from sadness to joy in this mix...which is kinda how I've evolved over the past week as I've been writing this post, anyway, so that makes sense! "If you say so - I'll leave home!"
I can't believe that you ignored me
Such a shame
I didn't come here to try and hurt you
You hurt me
Today I stood and walked away
I'm never coming back this way
I got my things, I'm here to stay
I'll try and walk another way
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