somebody i used to know.

so i've listened to this song about a hundred times in the last couple of days.  goyte - aka wouter "wally" de backer - is a belgian/australian singer and songwriter who broke silverchair's reign as simultaneously holding the number 1 album and single spot with this song.  while i do like the first release from his independently released album "making mirrors" (see it here) this song beckons to me in a different way.  it's kind of like a blend of the police, sufjan stevens, with a little YES in there (i don't know why, but there's something in the song that reminds me of "owner of a lonely heart".)

it's also one of the best dissections of a relationship that i've heard in a long time - girl and boy fall in love, girl and boy don't work out, girl and boy decide they can be friends, then one of them decide to totally cut the other one out, much to the bewilderment of the other party.  i am not one to stay friends with my exes (seriously, i barely have time for people i like, much less an old boyfriend) and i have been known to let communication die a slow, natural death, but i've never had to send a friend over to collect my records from an ex. 

now that i think about it though, i'd never take records over to a non-permanent boyfriend's house - primarily because of this.  lol.  it would be sort of heartbreaking if my classic vinyl copy of the cure's "boys don't cry" was languishing in the basement of someone that i used to know.

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mistress. (aka committment issues)

the first time i heard this song, i was in an empty greyhound bus heading towards west virginia via some winding back road, listening to a college radio station on my walkman. yeah, it was THAT long ago. but the song sticks with me still... beautiful and haunting - the struggle with fidelity & committment. this is why i will not get a tattoo.

(do you know that the red house painters have influenced death cab for cutie, hayden, and the great lake swimmers? very cool.)

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the sweater song.

yearning. pining. long distance love. and a sweater. so in love with this hedley song - and these lovely sweater related offerings from etsy.

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girls like you.

so seriously cool - this song is like giving the finger to the uber-popular snobby girls from high school. (and the video is pretty awesome too.) i was never popular - ever - but of course, the 16 year old in me wishes she was - if i could go back in time, i'd tell that little goth cheerleader that it isn't worth it to follow like a lemming... march to your own drum machine.
(yeah, i guess i'm on a naked and famous kick.)
(the BAND. get your head out of the gutter.)

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punching in a dream.

if the mini could make a playlist, this song would be her number one pick for today.  we love love love this song - techno, ethereal, and just plain old awesome.  thank you, the naked and famous!  (don't we all wish to be naked and famous?  well, i'd settle for just being famous.  or at least looking better naked.)

btw - if you sign up to be on their mailing list, they'll send you a bonus track.  how cool is that????

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stuttering.

totally one of the best "i'm-so-in-love-with-you-i-can't-stand-it" songs. yeah, i know it was in a gum commercial, but i don't care. there is nothing like the feeling where you are so in love with someone that you just can't help yourself. like loving the cute boy from your english lit class from afar, sneaking clandestine glances at him from behind your locker door. the original video is very cute, but they've disabled the embedding feature so i had to substitute this one instead.

ah, love. you crafty devil.

now i'm off to set some metal on fire. got a huge box of precious metal in the mail today. talk about LOVE!

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landslide.

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brand new love.

can't help but love this song. i know that death cab for cutie does a partial cover (on their john byrd ep), and deadsy does a pretty awesome electro-core version but i definitely don't love them as much as the original.

it reminds me of the days we used to wear vintage fine wale corduroys with simples and soft cardigans. indie love, much?

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run.

way before 'chasing cars' put snow patrol on the map, they wrote this even more beautiful song, 'run'. sometimes you remember exactly where you are when you hear a song and for me, this is one of them - a summer day, the radio on, a warm breeze, tanned skin, and the live version of 'run'.

part of what appeals to me about snow patrol is that they struggled really hard to get where they are today, and it speaks to a strong work ethic, perseverance (they kicked around the idea of breaking up, and have gone through several lineup changes), and the concept of not selling out.  (they can't help it that so many TV writers and producers love their music.)

while 'chasing cars' definitely is high on my list (i am making my way through season 7 of grey's anatomy and it's making me teary), i will never forget the way this song makes me feel. and that makes it even better.

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retro NIN.

okay, seriously, i was the only goth cheerleader at my high school, back when NIN was cool. not sure i fully understand the newest NIN projects, but i can still enjoy the tracks off 'pretty hate machine' (i actually bought the cassette from sunrise records in the mall where i used to work. yeah. cassette. probably still have it too.)

oh, tortured trent reznor. how many breakups did you soothe with this masterpiece? (i know he worked his magic once with this song - an old boyfriend used the lyrics and some carefully planned tears to postpone the inevitable. it was well played, but alas, the relationship still didn't survive.)

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blue eyes.

since we were on the topic of cary brothers....
beautiful lyrics, much? (why can't i have blue eyes?)

(postscript - do guys really like wearing hats like that?)

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retro tuesday.

since we were walking down retro memory lane... another fantastic cover (yes, i agree that i did do a disservice to the dream academy). not that i don't love the thompson twins' original version (molly ringwald and jake sharing that birthday cake? every girl wanted their 16th birthday to be like that. heck, i'd want my next birthday to be like that.) this cary brothers' rendition has earned a place on my playlist.

yeah, i know, i'm a geeky romantic. you can shut it now.

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stupid and shallow?

so right now i am feeling stupid and shallow (insert the futureheads' song of the same name here and watch the video below - thanks, m) .  i have been reading 'a game of thrones' over the past week and a half.  it's everything that i like - one of those sweeping epics with finely drawn characters, intrigue, violence and a little bit of romance - but i somehow got totally derailed and drawn in by emily giffin's 'something borrowed', definitely a light piece of literary fluff but yet so darn captivating.  like i think i read it in just a couple of hours, that's how sucked in i got.  yes, i love girly books, especially ones where the geeky girl gets the guy.  i honestly feel guilty because george r.r. martin's series has been dubbed the new lord of the rings, and so many people i know have read it and loved it.  i kind of felt like i was betraying myself by getting distracted by the romantic comedy - and yes, i will probably watch the movie version too.  oh well.  i'm guiltily heading back to mr. martin and his tales of knights and snow.  i promise, no more detours.

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atlantic.

i've been having a little bit of a hard time lately - and i'm kind of struggling. i'll definitely be okay, but it's hard when you're going through one of those "what-does-it-all-mean"? kind of phases. there have been some sweet blissful moments - laughter with J, super supportive txts from L, lunch with M - and of course, there is music. isn't there always music?

i've been sketching a lot as well, something to keep my mind from wandering away into dark, twisty territory, so hopefully i will have some new designs to share very soon. in the meantime, enjoy the fabulous musical stylings of the midway state, one of the best things to come out of collingwood.

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retro. seriously.

one of my sister's is on a retro kick. i don't know what triggered it, but yesterday she begged me for some old smiths' songs. and of course, since my iTunes folder is chock full of all that amazing "old" stuff, i've been compiling a playlist for her.

it's funny how music makes the soundtrack of our lives. i can totally remember listening to this song over and over again on my clunky sony walkman. and the joys of endlessly browsing on saturdays for the vinyl version of the album. oh morrissey, you strangely romantic maudlin creature.

i'm thinking i might need to dig out all those old records and get myself a usb turntable. just in case i need to go back to high school in my mind.

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