*sorry jeanette. Please don't be disappointed in me.
Today marks the fourth day in a week-long set of artists that produced some of my favorite albums -- they just didn't make it into my top 50 for various reasons.
Seems like most bands I got into started with one song on a mix cd. And Paramore is no different. Not sure which came first, but my friend made me a cd and then I got a "various artists" cd (I believe it was one of the "Take Actions!") and both of these contained "Pressure" and "Emergency." I really really liked the sound -- hard alternative rock with a passionate female voice. How was I to know she was so damn young? And that peice of info would make me not only like her, but respect her even more.
Those two songs were all I knew until I was in California one summer and we were checking out music videos on demand and saw one by Paramore called "Misery Business." This was before it absolutely blew up, but I recognized them as "that band I knew." That song, and the awesome drums with it, got stuck in my head and I went out to buy "Riot!" and while I was there I also picked up "All We Know Is Falling" just for the hell of it.
Over the next couple years, I followed them and started picking up the songs they did for the Superman soundtrack, the Twilight Soundtrack, and various covers. Then this wonderful blogging chapter of my life started, I met jeanette and recieved many more songs by this band. This was after seeing them open for No Doubt and tease songs off thier upcoming cd.
That cd was "Brand New Eyes," which I feel could have been a lot better given thier potential, but they did show signs of brilliance to come in songs such as the lead single "Ignorance" and the closers "Misguided Ghosts" and "All I Wanted." After seeing them headline thier own show, I am now pumped to see them live again and anticipate whenever they unveil another release.
All We Know Is Falling:
Superman Soundtrack:
Riot!
The Final Riot!
Twilight Soundtrack:
Brand New Eyes:
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Music Wednesday: Andrew McMahon
So before I get started on this post, I'm just going to put this out there:
Click here for information on how you can text relief to those affected by the earthquake in Haiti
Of course, you can always go to here (cell phone thing seemed kinda fishy, so that's where I went).
Now, on to business.
Today is the third day of a week-long set of artists that produced some of my favorite albums -- they just didn't make it into my top 50 for various reasons.
Today also marks the first of the days where only one artist is featured... sort of.
I don't really know the story of Something Corporate/Jack's Mannequin. As in, I don't exactly know why one was created out of the other. I don't know if there was a big fight, things just weren't working out or what. All I know is whatever Andrew McMahon, the lead singer of both, is involved with is probably going to be great.
My story of how I got into both bands is actually pretty ironic. I make mix cds for my friends and always got some as well and on one said cd, one of my friends put the song "The Mixed Tape" by Jack's Mannequin. I liked it, but for some reason never searched further. Then, I bought the soundtrack to "Snakes On A Plane" (don't hate, that was an awesome soundtrack) and on there was a "remix" to "Bruised," also by Jack's Mannequin. I swear the release was pretty close to each other, but "Punk Goes Acoustic Vol. 2" came out and had an acoustic version of "Bruised." This is when I began to take notice.
Of course, I had always known about McMahon. "My Konstantine" was a staple among my friends, as I'm sure it was for most everybody my age at the time. They even had fun with it after my friend's graduation (I was filming):
I went out and bought "Everything In Transit," the first cd by JM and really liked it, though to this day The Mixed Tape is still my favorite song. During my downloading days, I snatched up everything by McMahon, and this included stuff by Something Corporate and one cd stuck out to me, "Leaving Through The Window." I was very late to the game on that one, but it is still one of my favorites (though as much as it pained me, I just had 50 other favorites).
"The Glass Passenger," JM's second cd, came out in late 2008. This was after his battle with leukemia and the entire album had such a great feel to it. Now that he has dealt with that subject, I heard there is a new cd slated to come out this year and you better believe I will be picking it up day one.
Something Corporate
Leaving Through The Window:
North:
Jack's Mannequin
Everything In Transit:
The Glass Passenger:
Click here for information on how you can text relief to those affected by the earthquake in Haiti
Of course, you can always go to here (cell phone thing seemed kinda fishy, so that's where I went).
Now, on to business.
Today is the third day of a week-long set of artists that produced some of my favorite albums -- they just didn't make it into my top 50 for various reasons.
Today also marks the first of the days where only one artist is featured... sort of.
I don't really know the story of Something Corporate/Jack's Mannequin. As in, I don't exactly know why one was created out of the other. I don't know if there was a big fight, things just weren't working out or what. All I know is whatever Andrew McMahon, the lead singer of both, is involved with is probably going to be great.
My story of how I got into both bands is actually pretty ironic. I make mix cds for my friends and always got some as well and on one said cd, one of my friends put the song "The Mixed Tape" by Jack's Mannequin. I liked it, but for some reason never searched further. Then, I bought the soundtrack to "Snakes On A Plane" (don't hate, that was an awesome soundtrack) and on there was a "remix" to "Bruised," also by Jack's Mannequin. I swear the release was pretty close to each other, but "Punk Goes Acoustic Vol. 2" came out and had an acoustic version of "Bruised." This is when I began to take notice.
Of course, I had always known about McMahon. "My Konstantine" was a staple among my friends, as I'm sure it was for most everybody my age at the time. They even had fun with it after my friend's graduation (I was filming):
I went out and bought "Everything In Transit," the first cd by JM and really liked it, though to this day The Mixed Tape is still my favorite song. During my downloading days, I snatched up everything by McMahon, and this included stuff by Something Corporate and one cd stuck out to me, "Leaving Through The Window." I was very late to the game on that one, but it is still one of my favorites (though as much as it pained me, I just had 50 other favorites).
"The Glass Passenger," JM's second cd, came out in late 2008. This was after his battle with leukemia and the entire album had such a great feel to it. Now that he has dealt with that subject, I heard there is a new cd slated to come out this year and you better believe I will be picking it up day one.
Something Corporate
Leaving Through The Window:
North:
Jack's Mannequin
Everything In Transit:
The Glass Passenger:
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Music Tuesday: Pendulum & Explosions In The Sky
This is day two of a week-long set of artists that produced some of my favorite albums -- they just didn't make it into my top 50 for various reasons.
This is also the second day that I have paired together two artists for the sake of fitting them into six days (tomorrow starts the solo efforts). And I guess these two could be described as "different" music.
Pendulum:
If not for my roommate being such a big fan of the techno/trance/house scene, I would never have realized that the techno/trance/house scene basically translates to mainstream pop in that genre. Drum and Bass is where it's at (DNB is really what he is into, it's just easier to say techno). And he is responsible for me getting into it on my own. Over the time I have spent with that style of music, I have grown to have a favorite group and that is Australia's own: Pendulum.
Pendulum started off as strictly DNB with the release of their first official album, "Hold Your Colour." But then, they started experimenting and trying new things and for their next album they combined elements of rock to produce "In Silico." Now, as the story with any band that tried to switch things up, many DNB fans snubbed Pendulum for "going mainstream" with their new rock sound (their songs have been featured in video games, commercials and wrestling promos).
I got into Pendulum after hearing them on Siruis radio on the Boombox channel (RIP) but then noticed they started getting airtime on my favorite channel, Alt Nation. It was then that I went back and listened to thier older stuff and liked it all. They are supposedly working on a new album set to release this year and I can only hope it combines elements of the first two.
Hold Your Colour:
Bonus: Here is a funny video we found that features a song from this cd
In Silico:
Bonus: The Verizon commercial where they went "mainstream"
Explosions In The Sky:
Explosions in the Sky is not techno/DNB or any of that. I really don't know what to classify it as except for "instrumental." No lyrics, no funky edits, just a band making music. I have used it to go to sleep, to study and to just relax. I had to mention them on here because I like all thier cds, but there is one that stands out the most for me, "How Strange, Innocence." Like Pendulum, they have also been featured in the mainstream, appearing on the soundtrack for the movie Friday Night Lights and in recent commercials for Under Armour.
How Strange, Innocence:
This is also the second day that I have paired together two artists for the sake of fitting them into six days (tomorrow starts the solo efforts). And I guess these two could be described as "different" music.
Pendulum:
If not for my roommate being such a big fan of the techno/trance/house scene, I would never have realized that the techno/trance/house scene basically translates to mainstream pop in that genre. Drum and Bass is where it's at (DNB is really what he is into, it's just easier to say techno). And he is responsible for me getting into it on my own. Over the time I have spent with that style of music, I have grown to have a favorite group and that is Australia's own: Pendulum.
Pendulum started off as strictly DNB with the release of their first official album, "Hold Your Colour." But then, they started experimenting and trying new things and for their next album they combined elements of rock to produce "In Silico." Now, as the story with any band that tried to switch things up, many DNB fans snubbed Pendulum for "going mainstream" with their new rock sound (their songs have been featured in video games, commercials and wrestling promos).
I got into Pendulum after hearing them on Siruis radio on the Boombox channel (RIP) but then noticed they started getting airtime on my favorite channel, Alt Nation. It was then that I went back and listened to thier older stuff and liked it all. They are supposedly working on a new album set to release this year and I can only hope it combines elements of the first two.
Hold Your Colour:
Bonus: Here is a funny video we found that features a song from this cd
In Silico:
Bonus: The Verizon commercial where they went "mainstream"
Explosions In The Sky:
Explosions in the Sky is not techno/DNB or any of that. I really don't know what to classify it as except for "instrumental." No lyrics, no funky edits, just a band making music. I have used it to go to sleep, to study and to just relax. I had to mention them on here because I like all thier cds, but there is one that stands out the most for me, "How Strange, Innocence." Like Pendulum, they have also been featured in the mainstream, appearing on the soundtrack for the movie Friday Night Lights and in recent commercials for Under Armour.
How Strange, Innocence:
Monday, January 11, 2010
Music Monday: Eminem & System Of A Down
So today marks the first of a week-long set of artists that produced some of my favorite albums -- they just didn't make it into my top 50 for various reasons.
The first two days I have had to combine artists and then some of my favorites will be featured solo. And today's pairing is two of the weirdest and strangest music I listened to "back in the day." Still, I ate these cds up at the time, so they have to be featured.
Eminem:
I had to put Eminem on here because I grew up with him. I never went as far as dying my hair to look like him, but I fit right into his demographic. Ya know, the white kids that liked rap, but weren't really supposed to? It was kind of different for me also because growing up in the south, the majority of music is either country or rap. I think Eminem fit me because as the years went on (and as the countdown will drastically show) I started favoring more alternative rock and I guess you could describe him as alternative rap.
Whatever you want to say about him, his presence can't be denied. I don't know for certain, but I read somewhere he was one of the top 3 selling artists of the past decade. And I was one of his biggest customers. His first cd came out while I was still at the age that I had to buy "parental advisory" cds, but I later got a copy of the uncensored versions. And man, I felt so cool. I think the only releases I didn't care for were his last two ("Relapse" and "Encore") but his first three were amazing for me.
The Slim Shady LP
The Marshall Mathers LP
The Eminem Show
System Of A Down:
I forgot to mention that I heard of Eminem and got into him from a friend. Well, the same thing happened with System Of A Down, just a different friend. At first, I HATED them. I've never been a huge fan of the crazy/screaming stuff, but over the years I've come to tolerate and, for certain artists, even embrace it. Over time, I began to respect SOAD and the music they were making.
They were the first band that I kind of got into them late and then went back. I began to take notice after I saw the video for "Chop Suey!" and thought it was amazing. My friend began to play them out and I noticed I was getting into their music as a way to connect. However, it's when I was either during my last years of high school or during my early years of college that they released "Mezmerize" followed by "Hypnotize" and I loved the concept that they did with the two albums.
They've gone on an indefinite hiatus, but I hope, creative wise, they get back together at some point.
Self Titled:
Toxicity:
Steal This Album!:
Mezmerize:
Hypnotize:
The first two days I have had to combine artists and then some of my favorites will be featured solo. And today's pairing is two of the weirdest and strangest music I listened to "back in the day." Still, I ate these cds up at the time, so they have to be featured.
Eminem:
I had to put Eminem on here because I grew up with him. I never went as far as dying my hair to look like him, but I fit right into his demographic. Ya know, the white kids that liked rap, but weren't really supposed to? It was kind of different for me also because growing up in the south, the majority of music is either country or rap. I think Eminem fit me because as the years went on (and as the countdown will drastically show) I started favoring more alternative rock and I guess you could describe him as alternative rap.
Whatever you want to say about him, his presence can't be denied. I don't know for certain, but I read somewhere he was one of the top 3 selling artists of the past decade. And I was one of his biggest customers. His first cd came out while I was still at the age that I had to buy "parental advisory" cds, but I later got a copy of the uncensored versions. And man, I felt so cool. I think the only releases I didn't care for were his last two ("Relapse" and "Encore") but his first three were amazing for me.
The Slim Shady LP
The Marshall Mathers LP
The Eminem Show
System Of A Down:
I forgot to mention that I heard of Eminem and got into him from a friend. Well, the same thing happened with System Of A Down, just a different friend. At first, I HATED them. I've never been a huge fan of the crazy/screaming stuff, but over the years I've come to tolerate and, for certain artists, even embrace it. Over time, I began to respect SOAD and the music they were making.
They were the first band that I kind of got into them late and then went back. I began to take notice after I saw the video for "Chop Suey!" and thought it was amazing. My friend began to play them out and I noticed I was getting into their music as a way to connect. However, it's when I was either during my last years of high school or during my early years of college that they released "Mezmerize" followed by "Hypnotize" and I loved the concept that they did with the two albums.
They've gone on an indefinite hiatus, but I hope, creative wise, they get back together at some point.
Self Titled:
Toxicity:
Steal This Album!:
Mezmerize:
Hypnotize:
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Music Sunday: Honorable Mentions
Before I begin, I have to hype myself. I started the movie blog, chronicling the movies I will watch in 2010, starting with Sherlock Holmes. Please click on the following. I have no followers yet and it makes me sad :(
Mr O at the Movies
While I'm pimping other blogs, let me be unselfish and hype a photo blog by Lisa at her Three.Six.Five project. She only has a few followers right now and that needs to change. She has kept up with it so far this year, and I have a feeling she will not quit and it's awesome seeing those pics everyday.
Now, on to business.
I have to say, it was harder coming up with a top 50 list than I thought. I mean, I had a good 25 or so that were definitely making it, but I honestly spent a good hour or so deciding which will make the cut. I was saddened to see that some of my favorite artists didn't even make the list, so to amend that I will be posting a Music (insert name of the day) every day this week until the countdown starts on Sunday, highlighting some of my favorite artists who had more than one cd that just didn't make it.
But today's Music Sunday is about who missed the cut. Narrowly.
Some of my favorite artists that for whatever reason (got into them too late, never bought a cd -- only know the radio hits and a few others, I really like them but just didn't get the cd as a whole):
Cobra Starship
Augustana
30 Seconds To Mars
Bayside
T-Pain
Jay-Z
The White Stripes
The Sounds
Weezer
Metallica
John Legend
Silversun Pickups
The Used
Young Jeezy
The Killers
AFI
Queen
Jimmy Eat World
Emery
Brand New
Halifax
Chevelle
And here is where the music for today comes in. These are the albums that I really like, but didn't make the top 50.
Angels and Airwaves - We Don't Need To Whisper
Alicia Keys - As I Am
Hawthorne Heights - Silence In Black And White
A Day To Remember - Homesick
The Offspring - Greatest Hits
T.I. - Paper Trail
New Found Glory - Catalyst
Story of the Year - Page Avenue
Lupe Fiasco - Food & Liquor
Ludacris - Word of Mouf
The Hush Sound - Like Vines
Justin Timberlake - Futuresex/Lovesounds
Jack Johnson - In Between Dreams
Jimi Hendrix - Experience Hendrix
Outkast - Stankonia
Mr O at the Movies
While I'm pimping other blogs, let me be unselfish and hype a photo blog by Lisa at her Three.Six.Five project. She only has a few followers right now and that needs to change. She has kept up with it so far this year, and I have a feeling she will not quit and it's awesome seeing those pics everyday.
Now, on to business.
I have to say, it was harder coming up with a top 50 list than I thought. I mean, I had a good 25 or so that were definitely making it, but I honestly spent a good hour or so deciding which will make the cut. I was saddened to see that some of my favorite artists didn't even make the list, so to amend that I will be posting a Music (insert name of the day) every day this week until the countdown starts on Sunday, highlighting some of my favorite artists who had more than one cd that just didn't make it.
But today's Music Sunday is about who missed the cut. Narrowly.
Some of my favorite artists that for whatever reason (got into them too late, never bought a cd -- only know the radio hits and a few others, I really like them but just didn't get the cd as a whole):
Cobra Starship
Augustana
30 Seconds To Mars
Bayside
T-Pain
Jay-Z
The White Stripes
The Sounds
Weezer
Metallica
John Legend
Silversun Pickups
The Used
Young Jeezy
The Killers
AFI
Queen
Jimmy Eat World
Emery
Brand New
Halifax
Chevelle
And here is where the music for today comes in. These are the albums that I really like, but didn't make the top 50.
Angels and Airwaves - We Don't Need To Whisper
Alicia Keys - As I Am
Hawthorne Heights - Silence In Black And White
A Day To Remember - Homesick
The Offspring - Greatest Hits
T.I. - Paper Trail
New Found Glory - Catalyst
Story of the Year - Page Avenue
Lupe Fiasco - Food & Liquor
Ludacris - Word of Mouf
The Hush Sound - Like Vines
Justin Timberlake - Futuresex/Lovesounds
Jack Johnson - In Between Dreams
Jimi Hendrix - Experience Hendrix
Outkast - Stankonia
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Real Life vs. The Movies
Real Life:
*My facebook is littered with Alabama fans talking about how they are going to win the national championship tonight. I will probably hate life if that comes true. I will not be watching the game as I feel I am bad luck. I tuned in to watch Troy in overtime last night only to see them lose. So, if I were to watch hoping for Bama to lose, they would probably win. I hope this trick works...
*School starts on Monday and I am actually waiting for it to get here. I want it to be over with as this is my last semester of classes (internship in the summer). I'm in the excited/scared stage as it is beginning to set in that I have no idea where I will be a year from now.
Movies:
I've seen a few movies lately: Sherlock Holmes (liked it) Terminator Salvation (it was alright) and Seven Pounds (for the third time, but it gets me everytime). I think I am going to start a sideblog documenting all the movies I watch in 2010. Of course, I also said I was going to start a sideblog that was music related and we see how that turned out (it didn't).
Real Life vs. The Movies:
Being that I am single, I am curious as to how I am going to meet a girl. I was dating a girl from high school but that's done and over with so I am wondering how my next relationship is going to start. Is it going to be like in the movies -- we stumble into each other at the grocery store, go for the same cd at Best Buy, meet each other's gaze from across the room at a party? I have no idea, as I know those things rarely happen, but I'm curious and want to pose a question to you:
How did you meet your significant other that you are currently dating or did date for a while? Do you have any cool stories from freinds and family about how they met? I'm just curious if any of that stuff really happens and also curious if they are any cool stories out there.
*My facebook is littered with Alabama fans talking about how they are going to win the national championship tonight. I will probably hate life if that comes true. I will not be watching the game as I feel I am bad luck. I tuned in to watch Troy in overtime last night only to see them lose. So, if I were to watch hoping for Bama to lose, they would probably win. I hope this trick works...
*School starts on Monday and I am actually waiting for it to get here. I want it to be over with as this is my last semester of classes (internship in the summer). I'm in the excited/scared stage as it is beginning to set in that I have no idea where I will be a year from now.
Movies:
I've seen a few movies lately: Sherlock Holmes (liked it) Terminator Salvation (it was alright) and Seven Pounds (for the third time, but it gets me everytime). I think I am going to start a sideblog documenting all the movies I watch in 2010. Of course, I also said I was going to start a sideblog that was music related and we see how that turned out (it didn't).
Real Life vs. The Movies:
Being that I am single, I am curious as to how I am going to meet a girl. I was dating a girl from high school but that's done and over with so I am wondering how my next relationship is going to start. Is it going to be like in the movies -- we stumble into each other at the grocery store, go for the same cd at Best Buy, meet each other's gaze from across the room at a party? I have no idea, as I know those things rarely happen, but I'm curious and want to pose a question to you:
How did you meet your significant other that you are currently dating or did date for a while? Do you have any cool stories from freinds and family about how they met? I'm just curious if any of that stuff really happens and also curious if they are any cool stories out there.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Music Sunday: The First CD I Ever Purchased
Before we begin, I want to self-promote a lil bit. I was featured on a wonderful fellow blogger's post about the greatest songs of all time. If you do click on it, the first ten are what I deem "classics" the second ten are my personal favorites. I hope you enjoy, and stick around and find out what others had to say.
Now, on to business. As I have stated, Music Sunday for the entire year of 2010 will be my personal favorite cd's or albums, whichever you prefer. I'm kind of weird about numbers and when I realized that there are 52 Sundays in the year, I just figured I would wait and start in two weeks to give it an even 50. The format will be different than this. This is just a sort of intro.
Next week, I will bring you the honorable mentions. The cd's that just didn't make the cut. But today, I bring you the first cd I ever purchased.
Released in 1996 to coincide with the movie, I was about 9 or 10 when I had some money saved up from some odd jobs. I had gotten a portable cd player to replace the Walkman I had been handed down and I, like most of America at the time, loved the Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan. So naturally, I loved this movie and HAD to have the soundtrack. Searching for the clips that you will find below brings back so many memories and makes me laugh to go back to that time, especially because this is NOTHING like the music I would come to love.
Some personal stories:
*I remember singing "I Believe I Can Fly" for my Grandma one day. So, next Christmas she bought me a snow globe with that song in it. I need to find that thing...
*Riding my back around the neighborhood bobbin my head thinking I was SO cool
*More recently, we had a "trivia night" at my friend's apartment complex and one of the questions was they played a clip of a song from a movie. My friend, joking around, kept saying "SPACE JAM" and I'd be damned if the last song wasn't R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly"
So please, enjoy these tracks from the first cd a future music lover ever purchased.
So tell me, what was the first CD you ever purchased?
Now, on to business. As I have stated, Music Sunday for the entire year of 2010 will be my personal favorite cd's or albums, whichever you prefer. I'm kind of weird about numbers and when I realized that there are 52 Sundays in the year, I just figured I would wait and start in two weeks to give it an even 50. The format will be different than this. This is just a sort of intro.
Next week, I will bring you the honorable mentions. The cd's that just didn't make the cut. But today, I bring you the first cd I ever purchased.
Released in 1996 to coincide with the movie, I was about 9 or 10 when I had some money saved up from some odd jobs. I had gotten a portable cd player to replace the Walkman I had been handed down and I, like most of America at the time, loved the Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan. So naturally, I loved this movie and HAD to have the soundtrack. Searching for the clips that you will find below brings back so many memories and makes me laugh to go back to that time, especially because this is NOTHING like the music I would come to love.
Some personal stories:
*I remember singing "I Believe I Can Fly" for my Grandma one day. So, next Christmas she bought me a snow globe with that song in it. I need to find that thing...
*Riding my back around the neighborhood bobbin my head thinking I was SO cool
*More recently, we had a "trivia night" at my friend's apartment complex and one of the questions was they played a clip of a song from a movie. My friend, joking around, kept saying "SPACE JAM" and I'd be damned if the last song wasn't R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly"
So please, enjoy these tracks from the first cd a future music lover ever purchased.
So tell me, what was the first CD you ever purchased?
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