Raindrops on Kitties

Smuin Ballet loves The Shins!

2010-10-10T16:33:00.000-07:00

I think this sounds amazing....
Smuin Ballet (apparently, a highly respected choreography group right here in San Francisco) that is using music from Oh, Inverted Worldfor part of their fall/spring program!

The trailer is pretty dynamic and worth a watch

Flo covers Cold War Kids

2010-09-15T16:50:00.001-07:00

It's like smooshing two of my favorite things together! Florence and the Machine do an amazing cover of Cold War Kids' "Hospital Beds" that is so beautiful.
The first time I heard this, I was shopping at Jeremy's and literally stopped in my tracks. (a miraculous feat as I had just discovered a rack of cute Free People shirts for only $2!)
I had to come home and download it, and it sounds even better than I remember. She is such an amazing vocalist. Yum

Tallest Man, very impressive

2010-09-15T13:44:00.000-07:00

Wow, what an amazing live show!
Tallest Man On Earth proved himself to be a talented, down-to-earth, interactive live performer. His show Monday night at The Fillmore exceeded my expectations and I felt I had to blog about the experience and talk up his music.
Most impressive, was that it was just him. The man and his guitar. No band, no fancy effects, or trying-too-hard hipster costume. His show was simply about him and his music.
The air was electric and intoxicating, as the entire crowd was truly enthralled with the performance. People were yelling requests, compliments, party invites, and having short conversations with him throughout the night.
During one of his audience conversations, he confessed to being nervous about his debut at The epic & historic Fillmore and that it was the largest crowd he'd ever played for, which sparked a thunderous applause. Quite the touching moment, *tear
High five, Tallest Man On Earth. San Francisco & The Fillmore loved you!

Great Song off The Wild Hunt, his most recent album

New Blonde Redhead

2010-09-09T11:43:00.000-07:00

After seeing them live for the first time last year at The Independent, I've been anxiously awaiting something new from Blonde Redhead. They put on a fantastic show that really showcased their music as well as their versatile talent.

It's been 3 years since 23 and a shocking 6 years since Misery Is A Butterfly (eek I feel like it was just yesterday I was obsessed with "Elephant Woman" while drafting at my first big-girl architecture job). Penny Sparkle makes her debut on September 14th and I'm sure I'm not the only one excited to download.
NPR Music, in all it's glory, is streaming the entire album for free until the release.

Coconut Grove is a very small cove

2010-09-09T11:34:00.000-07:00

I cannot stop singing this song

This is the worst I've had it with an earworm in a long time! I love the whole Baltimore EP (previously blogged about) but this song is my favorite. Waiting on the edge of my seat for their debut album!

Radiohead Movie

2010-09-05T11:34:00.001-07:00

I love Radiohead news! Pitchfork wrote this article about a Radiohead movie, shot entirely by fans, during a concert in Praha. Initially, I wasn't too impressed with the idea. What's fun about watching a movie of concert that, essentially, I already went to (in Seattle). But the sexy trailer got me all excited and it has potential for blowing my mind.

The best part? You can download it for free here.

Here is the preview

Philip Selway, not just a one trick pony

2010-09-01T18:26:00.000-07:00

Who knew? Well, from the sound of it, not even Phil himself knew he was sitting on a sweet set of pipes that needed to be unleashed!
Side projects are all the rage these days and bands can't seem to get enough of collaborating with other hip and trendy artists of the moment. It's refreshing to see a drummer go out on his own and successfully write his own music AND sing.

Since Radiohead has been taking longer breaks between albums in the past few years, and Thom was touring The Eraser with Atoms for Peace, this talented drummer used his down time to brood over his own album. He definitely went on his own path, and I appreciate that. To do something electronic or whiney that sounds too Radiohead-ish would have been predictable, boring, and make him look like an ass.

Just released on August 30th, Familial is available in its entirety on NPR for a free listen . Good article and great music. Enjoy!

Tennis anyone?

2010-09-01T09:36:00.000-07:00

Bloggers and critics have been buzzing about Tennis all summer. Of course it took a song titled "South Carolina" to get my attention....

Now I'm intrigued about this husband-wife duo and have been searching the intranets to learn more about them and download anything they've released. I was able to find their 3 track EP, Baltimore, which I've quickly put on my ipod and "favorites" playlist. Their most popular song "Marathon" reminds me of She & Him, which I love love love.

Check out "South Carolina" and keep your eyes and ears out for these two. When their full length LP drops, I have a feeling they are going to explode!

Tennis - South Carolina from woodsman man on Vimeo.

Slow Runner, a band I love and you should too

2010-08-04T17:25:00.000-07:00

Slow Runner: a group of Charleston, SC guys who are making some really good music. Enough said?
The bassist is a former member of one of my favorite "local" (Charleston) high school bands, Jump Little Children. A friend and I were just sharing stories of our high school live music experiences and my first memory was DEFINITELY seeing Jump at the Handlebar in Greenville.
It was a Tuesday circa 1995 and my mom had actually let me go out on a school night (so excited). My friends and I chugged a few beers while hovering in the parking lot (subtle much?) and then I was admitted to my first small-venue live music show. I bopped around for hours like a little jumping bean, ogled at the cute lead singer, and probably really thought I was drunk from the 1 PBR I chugged 3 hours prior. How could one not fall in love with live music?

This is a shout out to my fellow Sandlappers, Slow Runner!
Here are two great songs that have been a bit tricky to find out on the intranets. Sound quality is "meh" but I really love these tracks. I need to learn how to live stream my own music

slow runner - everything is exactly what it seems

☆ | MySpace Video

Slow Runner - Love and Doubt from mef on Vimeo.

Palmetto Pride!

Fierce

2010-07-28T12:51:00.001-07:00

Bitch be fierce! Usually, this type of poppy-dance music isn't something I would blog about but La Roux's self-titled debut album is pretty impressive!

La Roux played at Coachella, so I had downloaded the album earlier this year and had it on my notorious shuffle playlist. One by one, the songs started to catch my attention. This is an energetic, 80s influenced album from the synthesizer-pop sounds to Elly Jackson's hipster/Lady Gagaesque/retro look. I like.

Sometimes I even surprise myself, but I really dig this! If I had been served enough bourbon, it might even inspire me to go dancing! might

Falling in Love. All over again....

2010-07-28T00:18:00.000-07:00

Music is like a delicious romance. I build relationships with albums that I really love. I'm obsessed with them for X amount of time. We laugh. We cry. We created some beautiful memories together, me and this album. Then one day when I least expect it, something more exciting comes along and my attention wanders....

So recently I was given the challenge of filling up an entire cd book of blank cds for a friend who wanted some good music. Naturally, I started with current loves but then I challenged myself to dig deep into my past. What did I love 3 years ago? 5 years ago? 10 years ago?

My heartthrob ex album crush of the day is 2003's Nada Surf Let Go
These are four great tracks off the album, no one more delightful than the next.
XOXOXO, Nada Surf. Heart you still

Marina...Not THE Marina. Don't judge

2010-07-28T00:07:00.000-07:00

Total diamond in the rough here.
Ugh, cheesy pun, but this group was just a little too played up for me in the beginning. Too much Euro/UK hype to even make me want to give it an honest try. Don't get me wrong, I have a deep love for the UK music scene and I think they have amazing talent pouring out of their magnificent island, BUT they tend to be too trendy for my likings. Too much pop music. Too much discotheque. Think t.A.T.u.

However, Marina and the Diamonds are actually pretty badass. The Family Jewels = impressive

This song is a wretched ear worm that I have not been able to shake all week. I keep catching myself singing "I'm vulnerable. I'm vulnerable."

Mumford and Sons

2010-07-23T10:04:00.000-07:00

This is the kind of stuff I live for....
You're just minding your own business and something comes on your radio (computer) and stops you in your tracks.
"Who is this?"
"What album is this?"
"This track is AMAZING"

Sigh No More is the debut album of Mumford and Sons and has become an overnight favorite/obsession of mine. It all started with track "Little Lion Man" that literally made me go "damn, who is this?!?"
A couple of friends had been coaxing me to sit down with Mumford for a while, so when I got a sample of their sound I had to give the whole album a dedicated listen.

These guys are the real deal and they have some serious talent. Their sound soothes me with the comforts of home in the deep south while at the same time carrying that fantastic, hip, British edge. I can't wait to see what else is to come....

Lisbon, not just a scary airport anymore

2010-07-17T12:17:00.000-07:00

Last summer as I was flying an obnoxious 5-leg trip home from a killer 2 week Mediterranean cruise, I had the pleasure of passing thru the Lisbon, Portugal airport (LIS). Terrible, horrible, no good, very bad experience....I could not get out of there fast enough.
That's a whole other story in itself, but the point is the word Lisbonmakes me cringe to this day.

Good news! Lisbon is getting another shot! Not as a city, but as the title for The Walkmen's newest album being released September 14, 2010.
Four tracks have been pre-released and you can listen to them here. After going thru them a couple of times, all four get an enthusiastic high five from me. So far (which is like one day), I think "Angela Surf City" is getting the most attention and would be considered the stand out track of the group. "Stranded" is a little slow but the horns win me over. Love a band with some brass!
If this is a preview of what is to come, Lisbon will be one of my favorite words and I'll want to shout it from the rooftops, "I love Lisbon!!!"

The icing on the cake: The Walkmen are playing at The Fillmore on September 14 (Japandroids are opening too!). Um, hello? Why is it so hard for me to find someone else as excited about that fact as I am? People should be crawling out of the woodwork wanting to go to this show.

My date with Zooey is set!

2010-07-14T16:47:00.000-07:00

Oh, finally! As Pee Wee would say, "Jupiter has aligned with Pluto!"
The lineup for Treasure Island Music Festival has been released and She & Him are playing Sunday! No traffic jam, limited entry, or freezing cold weather (I can bundle) will keep me from my rendez-vous with Zooey Deschanel!

But seriously, this is going to be a great year for Treasure Island. And, praise Jesus, I've made more music-loving friends this go around so I won't have to go get drunk on Heineken Lights by myself!

Highlights include:

Saturday:
Miike Snow
!!!
LCD Soundsystem
Four Tet

Sunday:
The National
Broken Social Scene
She & Him
Surfer Blood
Rogue Wave

New Panda Bear Song "Slow Motion" is leaked!

2010-07-14T16:23:00.000-07:00

Listen: Official, High Quality Version of New Panda Bear Song "Slow Motion"

It took me a while to get into Animal Collective, but then one day it just clicked. "My Girls" was a song a boy put on a cute "I like you" mix for me (awe, I do have feelings) and that was the track that started my conversion. As I listened to Merriweather Post Pavilion, it revealed itself to be a truly beautiful album. Animal Collective has a unique sound I could only describe as a sweet, melodic chant that is, yes, a little weird at times. But aren't we all weird?

Noah Lennox is "Panda Bear" and the founding member of Animal Collective. The more I listen to his music, the more respect I gain for the mastery of his musical mind. He's really doing some innovative stuff here, and that is not easy to say in a world where it seems like about any band can release a bad to mediocre record (a notion Thom Yorke is always very vocal about)

Side note, Noah also collaborated with Atlas Sound on their Logos album and did the vocals on "Walkabout." Another great track to give a listen:

Thom Yorke is brilliance

2010-06-26T11:24:00.000-07:00

And some days I just fall in love with Thom Yorke and Radiohead all over again. Here are some of my favorites that are a little more off the beaten path:

Drugstore featuring Thom Yorke "El Presidente"

"Innocent Civilian" probably one of my favorite Radiohead songs ever

PJ Harvey & Thom Yorke "This Mess We're In"

Love me some Local Natives

2010-06-20T23:49:00.000-07:00

My computer is always on shuffle so it's rare I really sit and listen to a whole album anymore. Kinda sad
So this Local Natives Gorilla Manor album slid under the radar for far too long. As I kept noticing that I really enjoyed every Local Natives song I heard, it became clear that the album deserved a dedicated listen.
And again. One more time for good measure. Yes, confirmed. It's wonderful and I love Local Natives.

This was the first song I heard by LN, a single released a year before the full LP. It was one of the songs a boy sent to me to woo me with his diverse and worldly musical exposure. You sir, can go. Local Natives, you can stay. Thankyouandgoodday

Portugal. The Man @ Fillmore 6/18

2010-06-20T23:44:00.000-07:00

I got some really good pictures from this show. The lighting was really well done and they had some cool lasers that worked really well in the space.
PTM is one of my favorites, but I don't love them live. They were good but it wasn't magical. Or maybe that was all the whiskey?

Still things could be much worse?

2010-06-15T14:59:00.000-07:00

Cold War Kids seem to be a band that evokes strong opinions from people. One of my friends says he likes about half of their songs and really hates the other half. I took another friend to one of their shows and he really didn't like it. I, on the other hand, loved it and would have stayed around all night for a second and third encore (if ever so lucky)

Nathan Willett's voice has an alluring, tragic yet sexy appeal that adds a real emotional edge to the lyrics. They sing about painful experiences and addictions in a way that makes them seem beautiful and sentimental. Their unique sound is easy to discern and always catches my attention.
At Coachella this past April, we were at the Florence and the Machine show and Nathan did a guest appearance during her set. He and Flo sang their rendition of "Hospital Beds." It was so beautiful, their voices together were glorious!

I have a handful of favorite CWK songs, but "We Used To Vacation" is at the top of that list. The chorus is awesome:
I promised to my wife and children
I'd never touch another drink as long as I live
but even then it sounds so soothing
to mix a gin and sink into oblivion

They released a 5 song EP, Behave Yourself, in January 2010 which has their trademark sound, but I can't say any of the tracks really jumped out at me as a new favorite. Word on the street is that CWK are in the studio now and their third album is cooking as we speak. It's their first since 2008 and I'm eagerly anticipating the magic

Brandon Boyd. Yummy

2010-06-14T23:38:00.000-07:00

Going with the Blast From The Past theme I have going tonight, I'm inspired to sing the praises of another song I just love. It also doesn't hurt that I've had a crush on Brandon Boyd, of Incubus, since the mid 90s.

Off their 1997 album S.C.I.E.N.C.E., "Summer Romance (Anti-Gravity Love Song)" is timeless. Going thru life, I've come across random friends that know and love this song, and when they do...I have an instant respect for their musical taste.

I do love Incubus. Their albums released between 1995-2001 are part of my "you'll always have a place in my heart" collection. Until I was researching this post, I didn't even realize they had released an album in 2004 or 2006. Oh my sweet Brandon, how I've failed you.

I'm dedicating this one to my junior year of high school

Oh and how about one more shirtless pic of Brandon Boyd for good form?

Sparkle and Fade....or not

2010-06-14T22:58:00.001-07:00

This weekend I was talking with friends about great albums from our past (especially those influential high school years) that sometimes can go forgotten in all the fuss of staying on top of what's hip & cool. Keeping up with current music is a serious habit and can suck hours and hours of your life every day if you let it.
In the mean time, you are also so busy finding new artists to love that your old favorites (and probably the music that made you fall in love with and develop a serious music habit in the first place) are pushed to the wayside. They are taken off your iPod to make room for all the trendy, up-and-coming bands that are touring and soon stopping at a venue near you. Sadly, your old faithfuls become part of your musical past and albums you once loved go unlistened and forgotten. *tear

For me, The Beatles, Radiohead, Red Hot Chili Peppers, 311, and Sublime were my initial loves (talk about diversity). I couldn't get enough of their albums. All of their albums. Over and over and over. I know every track, every noise, every breath.

There are the more One Hit Wonder albums that produced big hits of the day: Jagged Little Pill, Pieces of You, Marcy Playground, The Sign, Turn The Radio Off, Fashion Nugget, Mobile Estates, August and Everything After, Tidal, New Miserable Experience, Traveling Without Moving, and Sparkle and Fade

I thought I'd dedicate this post to Everclear's Sparkle and Fade as it really was probably my favorite album for at least one solid year back around my sophomore/junior year of high school. Every song brings back memories of driving aimlessly around Greenville, SC on muggy, hot summer nights looking for places to hang out. Usually we ended up on the golf course drinking Bud Light (collecting Budweiser Points! saving for some shitty piece of Budweiser apparel!)

Favorite track on the album has always been "Strawberry". I bet back then it was because they say "fuck" in the lyrics and I thought it was so cool and rebellious. Whatever the case, it suck and will always be my favorite.

So next time you're having a delicious Bud Light (and sitting on the cart path of the 15th fairway at Thornblade Golf Course?), pour one out for all those lonely albums from the 90s that are sitting so patiently on your playlist just waiting for the chance to woo you all over again.

Dashing Thru The Snow

2010-06-14T16:32:00.000-07:00

I think I'm slower than most people. It seems to always take me a lot longer than most to start to enjoy new music. I can't like something on purpose. And honestly the only way I can really listen to new stuff is to dump it in a play list with lots of other random new stuff and wait for something to catch my ear.

I'm finally catching on to Sleigh Bells
Treats is the first full length LP for this new-on-the scene duo from Brooklyn. Released only a month ago (5.11), I feel like I've been reading about it for much longer. Perhaps it was a case of too much build up. Nothing ruins a first listen like the anticipation of something spectacular.

So now that Treats has passed the initial "ear test" it has earned a dedicated listen. And what do you know, I'm liking it! It's like my snobby brain/ear will only allow itself to like an album after it passes that first test.
This album is high energy and I can already tell would be a great live show. But I will say Sleigh Bells has a sound that really isn't like anything else I have in my ever-expanding playlist(s). It gives me a pop-vibe but delivers it in a raw more hard core rocker scream. Good luck trying to sit still thru this album!

The first song to catch my ear

Weekend Indulgences

2010-06-06T23:29:00.000-07:00

Listened to and downloaded a lot of music this marvelous, sunny, warm San Francisco weekend. I also made some new playlists and thew in some older stuff I hadn't listened to in a while, so it's been a great mix of albums I already liked and new delights.

Here are some good recs to start the week off on the right foot:

St. Vincent- Actor: Loved this last year and hadn't listened to it in a while. I love Annie Clark's voice and the whimsical sound of this album
Local Natives- Gorilla Manor: The whole album keeps getting better and better the more I listen to it
Crystal Castles- Crystal Castles: Not usually my style of music but there is something peppy about music that sounds like video games. I'd call it fun
The Whitest Boy Alive- Rules & Dreams: See below post, I started listening to them because I was music-sharing with my friend Glen and thought he would like them. I've been on a kick for like 5 days now
Delorean- Subiza: I had this album but didn't really listen to it much. A friend recommended their show coming up on Thursday so I thought I'd give it a dedicated listen. Now I'm bummed I have to work Thursday night. Damnit! This would be a fun show!
The Whigs: I'm listening to all their albums since they are coming to OSL and I really like them. All of them (so far)

Hopefully this can bring a smile to someone's week

Broken Bells at Regency Ballroom 5/21/10

2010-06-04T18:58:00.000-07:00

A few pics from the Broken Bells show. My god I had a good time!

Thanks, Zooey

2010-06-04T12:26:00.000-07:00

After an impromptu run-in with The Ex yesterday, I have been on a sort of high. It's one of the best feelings in the world when you see someone you used to be in love with (that ended in a fiery, heart-wrenching crash) and all of the sudden you're like "huh, what's the big deal about them?"
In a word, freeing. I've been on a sort of cloud 9 state ever since. I realize that I'm feeling happier and more like myself than I have in ages.

Then this morning She & Him comes across my shuffle and this song just wrapped it all up into one cute little package:
Got along without you before I met you,
Gonna get along without you now.
Gonna find somebody that's twice as cute,
Cause I didn't like you anyhow.

Ok, I guess I should say thank you to M. Ward too. You guys are a team. Thanks guys!

Better late than never

2010-06-04T01:02:00.000-07:00

I never even wrote a blog post on my Coachella trip. Shameful. Who am I? I did like 4 posts on SXSW and none for Coachella!?!?

So I'm going to make it up to myself by slowly posting things I love and relating it back to Coachella.....

My favorite show of Friday was the last show of the night, The Whitest Boy Alive. I loved their album Rules from the first time I heard it. I think I've been listening to it for about a year or so. Beautiful, awesome, fun, and different than most things out there.

I really fell in love with this cute little German group at Coachella though. They started around midnight, I think, and came out so appreciative and excited to play at the festival. Amazingly, this was only their second show ever Stateside (The first was just 2 nights earlier in lovely San Francisco! I would have gone but Thom Yorke/Atoms for Peace was playing the same night and it was no contest)

For never touring in the US, they had a huge turnout for their show! They told the story of their journey into the desert that day. Traffic was horrible. Everything was a standstill. So The Whitest Boy Alive decides to just get out and walk like 4 miles in with all the other fans. They said they met so many cool people and had a blast. They won a little piece of my heart in just the first minute or two of taking stage and introducing themselves.

Here is one of my favorite tracks off their 2009 Rules album. LOVE

Who'da thought?

2010-06-04T00:38:00.000-07:00

You'll never guess who is growing on me.... Beach House

Honestly, I wasn't sure it could be done. I like my happy-go-lucky, indie-fun music. I like to jump around like a happy little cornflake at concerts. Beach House is so mellow, so quiet.

Their latest album, Teen Dream, was released in January of 2010 and immediately everyone was falling over their shoes about how awesome and amazing and dreamy it was.
My first impression was....meh. It's ok, kinda boring. Good background music

But I kept it on my iPod (key) and just let it keep popping up on shuffle. So between Teen Dream and their 2008 album, Devotion, somehow I have really started to like the melodic dreaminess of Beach House.

I feel like they would be great live but their tour schedule is going to strange places. They are touring with Vampire Weekend right now and are playing venues like Marymoor Park in Renton, WA. As a former Seattlite, this is very odd to me. I did see an awesome 311 show at Marymoor once but it's not a big or popular venue. It's a park. In Renton.
Their only upcoming California date is in LA. Boooo, Beach House, boooooooo

Ok, I still like your album. It's growing on me.

First track off Teen Dream:

Bad blogger! Bad, bad blogger!

2010-06-03T15:09:00.000-07:00

I have zero consistency when it comes to posting and I really hope to become more faithful to myself. I mean, I really am doing this for myself. It's a journal of sorts that gives me the ability to look back a week, month, or year and see what I was listening to and "promoting" at any given time.

That said, there is a lot of exciting things to report! My attempt at temporary sobriety (gotta lose a few stones before the Hawaii Three-O trip) has allowed me to focus my free nights at home to music. And with the lineup for 2010 Outside Lands just announced two days ago, I've been busy!

Newsworthy Tid-Bit #1:
Phil Selway, drummer in my favorite band eva, is releasing a solo album on August 30th! The 10 track album, titled Familial sounds like my kind of music, described as "folk-ballad."

Excitement #2:
As I mentioned, the lineup for Outside Lands was finally announced on 6/1! I was definitely more excited last year but I still look forward to seeing The Strokes, The Budos Band, Gogol Bordello (excited to see them live, supposed to be pretty outrageous), Chromeo, The Whigs, The Temper Trap, and of course eating all the oysters my pocketbook will allow and savoring the wine tent. After experiencing Coachella this year, I will appreciate the art/food/wine side of OSL a lot more.

Happiness #3:
I'm heading to Seattle at the end of July and get to go see The New Pornographers at my favorite old stomping ground Showbox (at the Market, don't even ask).

What I'm listening to right now:

Broken Bells- I can't quit you
Local Natives
Animal Collective & Panda Bear- it's taken some serious time but grows on me more and more
Frightened Rabbit
Edward Sharpe & Magnetic Zeros- "Janglin" will be the earworm that kills me

Most of these are due to recent shows I've gone to but I've got more to report so stay tuned! Sobriety has me back on the music train!

It's going to be a good week

2010-05-17T17:32:00.000-07:00

Going to see Frightened Rabbit on Wednesday and Broken Bells on Friday!!!! This is going to be such an amazing week!
This is my favorite song (so far) off their latest album, The Winter of Mixed Drinks.

Another phenomenal Gaga cover

2010-05-13T12:25:00.000-07:00

*hanging head in shame

I really wish I would have kept up with my piano lessons all those years. Is it too late? Maybe make it a Dirty 30 birthday promise to myself? (oh wait I have no piano to practice on, doh)

This kid is marvelous. Not only can he play like a badass he can sing too. Great cover, and at a school talent show no doubt.

Buffalo Bill would be honored

2010-05-12T20:33:00.000-07:00

Is it wrong to really like this song? And I feel like the video compliments it so amazingly.

This is labeled a "cult hit" by the Greenskeepers back in 2004, but I had never heard of it until today. Shows how in the loop I am.

Twisted? Maybe....
Catchy? Yes!

Sweet Sondre

2010-04-25T22:07:00.000-07:00

According to my hip and trendy Spin Magazine, my sweet Sondre Lerche is really starting to catch on in the world of indie music.
It seems he's (recently?) relocated to hip and trendy Brooklyn and he's starting to turn some heads! Finally! I know he became more popular after that Dan in Real Life movie. (never saw it)
I loved his Faces Down album from 2001 and really enjoyed Phantom Punch in 2007. His latest album, Heartbeat Radio, was released in 2009 and I haven't really latched on to that one as much.

Here is one of my favorite tracks from Phantom Punch:

My obsession with Zooey Deschanel lives on

2010-04-23T19:10:00.000-07:00

And all I want to know is when are the cosmos going to let me see She & Him live!??! Seriously!

Zooey and I are totally star-crossed BFFs. Totally!

So at SXSW I missed them live like 3 or 4 times. I blame Bubbles.

At Coachella we missed them due to mother fucking traffic.

So when they come to San Francisco, you better believe I'm going to be there! And Zooey is going to be like "Lindsey, I love your shoes! We should hang out!"

And they rest will be BFF history. True story. I swear.

So here is my favorite She & Him song.....

Dancing at discos, Eating cheese on toast

2010-04-08T19:44:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I posted a favorite song

Tonight I was inspired! Kate Nash "Merry Happy" came up on my random playlist and the lyrics just spoke to me. I was feeling a little "meh" and then I thought about what she was saying...

I can be alone, yeah
I can watch a sunset on my own

It was just what I needed to hear at that moment and I felt so happy and free to do whatever the hell I want. Sorry, dorky modern-independent-woman moment.

Stop laughing and just listen. It's an awesome song!

Portugal. The Man

2010-04-08T11:16:00.000-07:00

Listening to a lot of Portugal this week....very very excited about seeing them live at Coachella NEXT WEEK!

I discovered them doing my band research for Coachella and the rest is history.
They are originally from Wasilla, AK and now reside in Portland, OR. So much good music coming out of Portland these days! My aspiring-musician of a younger brother just moved there last year for that very reason and it might have been one of the smartest things he's done! Bravo, G-off!

I was also really impressed with the thankfulness and appreciation they express for all their success. These guys really love music and it makes me crush on them even more.

Ok, enough talking about them. Just listen......

It takes balls to cover Lady Gaga

2010-04-02T17:25:00.000-07:00

And Lissie nails it. Nails it!

She is part of the growing indie-folk scene that is coming out of LA. I hope to see lots more of her. I love her look and her sound

Broken Bells

2010-03-31T23:35:00.000-07:00

I just can't stop lately. I'm glued to my computer listening and researching great music every single day. It's exciting and so fulfilling when you find really great stuff you can't wait to share.

Broken Bells. I repeat, Broken Bells.

Their first album was released less than a month ago, and already people are talking.

This is a side project for James Mercer of The Shins and artist-producer Danger Mouse.

Dive in and enjoy the music

The Austin Report: Saturday

2010-03-31T15:30:00.000-07:00

Saturday. Am I still alive?
Whew, oh good.....

Around 5am, the sound of pouring rain and hail on Jon's tin roof awakened all of us from our 2-hour beauty rest. A Texas-style downpour on a tin roof in the middle of the night is louder than I could have ever imagined. And one knows that any true southern storm is accompanied by booming thunder and spectacular lightening. Sigh, tomorrow should be fun

We wake up and it's freezing in the shack. Freeeeezing

My friend Rob, or Roberto as he's known to....well, only me I guess, lives in Austin and he's going to meet us for breakfast (lunch) and hit the Saturday shows with us!

We begin our day with some amazing and beautiful breakfast tacos accompanied by 3 mimosas. Hey, don't judge. A girl's gotta keep warm.

I did not pack correctly for this Texas weather. I'm wearing half my suitcase at this point. All fashion sense has been thrown out the window with hopes of avoiding frost bite and hypothermia.

After lunch (breakfast), Karen and I go with Rob to check out his pad, drink some moonshine, and head out to brave the elements. We go to Auditorium Shores Stage at Lady Bird Lake which is basically a big open field where the ice cold wind can slice you in half. Holding a beer was painful. The crowd was huddled together with hope of group warmth but it was an epic fail. We saw Kimya Dawson, which I admittingly was too cold to pay attention to. Seemed good. To my surprise The Dawes were next. Well hello cute singer I had my eye on Thursday, nice to see you again! They really put on a good show and I'm a fan. I hope they come to San Francisco on tour so I can catch a "normal" show of theirs. This is where we broke down and shamefully headed for warmth.
It was a damn shame too because the line-up for the rest of the night at this stage was amazing: Deer Tick, Lucero, and She & Him. (I'm starting to think Zooey and I are star-crossed BFFs)

Our awesomely talented friend, Daniel Kamas, was playing at Guerro's Oak Garden at 5pm so we headed there. I immediately started an intravenous line of Hot Toddy's to warm myself from the inside. Nothing does the trick quite like whiskey.
Dan The Man put on a phenominal show! We were all so proud of him and screaming and cheering him on! I wanted to make a poster but - ahem - Bubbles failed to get me to a poster and marker store in time. Next time, DK, next time!

After DK rocked the house, we could only drag ourselves across the street for our next stop so we ended up at The Continental Club. It was actually super fun. Older crowd. Our waitress was a red-headed version of Dita Von Teese so I loved her!
We saw, errrrr, probably 3 bands here? I had a great pulled pork sandwich. Danced a little (lot). It was a great time overall but I honestly can't tell you who we saw or what kind of music it was. Music blog fail, Lindsey.

Let the wandering begin. We ended up back at the beautiful Driskill Hotel and just listening to these 3 chicks from backwoods Arkansas playing in the bar/lobby. Good ole southern blue grass style music to feed the soul.

Moving on....
I jump into a posse of pink yard flamingos

We end up at Emo's.
The first band playing is Groupo Fantasma and they are well, fantasmical. A medley of horns, drums, lively Spanish lyrics, and a stage FULL of people playing every instrument known to man....it was a dancing good time. The whole place was moving, old and young. Next was Dengue Fever, Cambodian happy dance music. The vocals have a very Bolly sound to them and remind me of Thievery Corporation's Cosmic Game album. I really loved it and danced my ass off. The vibe was already going from Groupo Fantasma and Dengue Fever picked right up and kept the place electric. Passion Pit DJs came on next, but since we had already seen them, our group headed to Emo's Jr to watch An Horse. They kinda looked like brothers, but the one really tiny person was a girl. She was itty bitty! They were cute though and had a very indie sound (surprise).

This was about all my body could take. I got pizza for the road and went home to "sober up."

Sunday was basically Jon and I going to all you can eat southern comfort food buffet, with the full intention of detoxing and doing some sight seeing in Austin.
Three mimosas later, we finally get a table at this place......I think you see where this story is headed

Thank you, Austin. I had an amazing time. I think?

The Austin Report: Friday

2010-03-31T15:27:00.001-07:00

Friday. Moving slow. Really, really slow.

First stop was a taco truck. It's all the thought and effort we could muster. And it was amazing so that was a stellar first morning move for us. Impressive considering our state of consciousness.

But those amazing tacos got us moving and motivated to rally for some more music and booze! Randomly, we end up at the Danish Dynamite Day Party at The Music Gym. I'd say mostly because it was the first thing we ran across and, you guessed it, free beer. I did recognize Slaraffenland on the flier so I figured it would be a fine & dandy place to start.

Christ. Weirdoville. But free beer and the music wasn't that bad so we stayed for a while. I was in my "I just woke up so don't talk to me" mode still so Jon and I stood in silence a lot, just staring at all the ridiculous hipsters in their can-I-possibly-try-any-harder-to-look-different outfits standing in their circles of hipster friends.

Hey, wasn't that girl just kissing that other guy? Wait, why is she groping that other guys thigh now? Those girls don't look like "just friends" but she was just making out with that other guy like 5 minutes ago? Ok, I'm confused. Time for another free beer.

So we're in line waiting for our second good morning beer of the day when this 50-ish guy turns to us and says "Look at ze lineup here tomorrow night!" He rattled off a bunch of shit I had never heard of and I pretended to look impressed. He must not have bought it. He looks at us and says in his most awesome Danish accent "Yaaaa, don't you enjoy electronic pop music, yaaaaa!?!?"

Such an awesome euro-trash moment, in downtown Austin, Texas no doubt. Right then and there we decided to find free beer elsewhere.

But I must say, the Danish Dynamite Day Party wasn't a total lost cause. We caught the end of Hogni and stayed thru the set of Efterklang and I really enjoyed both groups. It wasn't electronic pop music, thank god. Unfortunately I couldn't power thru long enough to stay for Slaraffenland, but I know I like their music. I just couldn't take the Danish crowd.

Just across the way was some random outdoor venue that was sponsered by Sweet Leaf Tea. I think I might have broken into a sprint? Since I've lived out of the south for over 6 years, finding a good sweet tea has been a goal of mine. Sweet Leaf Tea is pretty much the only bottled sweet tea in a store that I enjoy/love/obsess over. This was basically a swag stop and probably one of the only places I was slamming the free non-alcoholic beverages. We scored these awesome Sweet Leaf Tea chapsticks that are my current obsession. We did listen to some music at this sweet tea pit stop but I honestly couldn't even tell you who it was. I was that into my tea. (yikes)

Somehow Jon convinced me to leave the free tea area and we walked downtown to meet back up with T & Chad and eat some more food. After the train wreck we called Thursday, it was our commitment to ourselves to eat whenever we remembered. It can only help you stay out later and drink more free beverages. Ate a piece of pizza and wandered across the street to Maggie Mae's and I noticed Kate Miller-Heidke was on the bill for the Sonicbids Party (and there was an open bar). Bubbs and I flashed our wristbands and before I knew it there was a vodka drink in my hand! Love you SXSW!

Downstairs, The Broderick was starting their set. Young little guys from Indiana. Awe. They were pretty good too. I'd give them an indie-esque sound, which I'm partial to, and they had a lot of energy! They put on a nice little afternoon show. Bubbs and I wandered upstairs just as Bear Hands was finishing up, and took some lovely pictures of scenic Austin from Maggie Mae's Roof Deck. I met this guy in this amazing tshirt. Joe Kenny needs this shirt.

Back downstairs for Kate Miller-Heidke. She was awesome! Sweet and melodic voice but powerful songs. She even incorporates an operatic sound and it was impressive. Her song "Are You F*cking Kidding Me" is gorgeous, hilarious, and I feel everyone can relate.

After her set we went back upstairs and saw some of Francis, a Swedish band with this female lead singer that gave you that psycho-crazy vibe (like the one I would probably give Zooey Deschanel). She was out of her mind and was thrashing all over the stage in a musically passionate sort of way. She was swinging her legs all around when she was playing the piano and I almost got a crotch shot. Time to go.

Back to Casa de Bubbles for a bit and to meet up with T and Chad again. Then off to the races once again....

I suppose you would call this round two already and it's probably 7pm. We went back to that tent area sponsored by Sweet Leaf Tea (yeah!) and watched Frightened Rabbit. All of us were loving it! Probably our best show to that point in the day. Big crowd and the whole place was loving them! Jon is now obsessed with seeing Frightened Rabbit again in concert, with just cause. They were super good.

We pressed on to go meet up with our friend from Seattle, Daniel Kamas, and his girlfriend Georgia. Dan The Man was playing Saturday night so they were pretty tame. We just met for some quick food/bev/convo time and then they headed home for a good night's sleep. The four of us headed to Beauty Bar for some amazing music and to meet up with the one and only Karen Cook Show!!!!! She drove in from Dallas after work and was staying with me and Bubbs til Sunday!

When we first arrived a band called simply Aa was playing. They were described as "Avant/Experimental" and I honestly can't remember what the hell they sounded like at all. Garotas Suecas, a Brazilian funk band was next. They were so fun and the crowd got so pumped up. Check these guys out, they were a great show. Jon had brought us here to see Givers and they were up next.....anxiously awaiting to see what they are like. Bubbs saw them at ACL when they opened for Dirty Projectors so I had high aspirations for what this would be. The band is fronted by a guy who sings and plays guitar and a girl who plays drumps, piano, and a million other instruments in between. They totally rocked my world. This girl is amazing. She carries the band. Watch for them, they are going places for sure. If I had a record label (wait, why don't I have a record label?) I would have signed them on the spot. I downloaded their 5 song EP, Givers, and I love it. But honestly 5 songs isn't enough, I want more!!!

We crapped out around 12:30 Friday night. We lost all our gusto and went home. Jon fell asleep on the couch with a beer in his hand, as usual.

The Austin Report: Thursday

2010-03-31T15:24:00.000-07:00

Thursday was our first big day, and big it was. Jon and I headed to the French Ligation because, well, it's the closest venue to his "house" (shack?) and I needed food. Badly.

What? $3 pulled pork sandwiches and free beer? Sold.

What? Califone is playing? Awesome!

And The Antlers are next?

Christ! This SXSW thing is amazing! Real Estate was playing at 3pm, but since free beer ended at 3, we moved on to the next place to meet up with Jon's brother T and his buddy Chad.

We high-tailed it over to the Lustre Pearl for a trifecta of afternoon shows. When we arrived The Veils were finishing up their set. They were ok. The sound was a little hard for my likings but it was a sunny day and I had a good buzz going so I was happy as a clam. The Dawes came on next and I really liked them. I downloaded their album, North Hills, when I got home. Very chill, sometimes a little slow but they were very impressive live. The lead singer caught my eye as well, wink wink! T and Chad wanted to see Delta Spirit and they put on a great show. By the end, the singer was playing a trash can lid and the place was going crazy. I only knew their songs "Gimme Some Motivation" and "People C'mon" before seeing them live, but I really enjoyed it. Perhaps my level of enjoyment was directly proportional to the number of Lone Star beers I had consumed by 5pm? Mabye, maybe not?

So, at this point the story gets a little fuzzy. I know we stopped at

a chicken & waffles truck and attempted to sober up a bit. Chicken was good, waffles were terrible. I think we might have ventured home at this point for "breather." It's the only logical explanation for the extreme gap in time.

So my next memory, it's dark out. We're venturing from Bubbles' place to the Scoot Inn. Bubbles falls. In traffic. Rolls his ankle and thus he whines about it for the next day.

Brownout was a funk-a-licious band that I recall dancing my ass off to. Big boy on bongo drums and a fierce band. T and Chad check out at this point. T was off his rocker and ended up leaving his credit card at Scoot Inn. That's the sign of a good night.

Jon and I were far from finished. We decided to make the million-mile-march across Austin to Cedar Park so I could try to get a peek at my girl crush, Zooey Deschanel & M Ward, aka She & Him. Even though we had wristbands, we were too late to get in.

Sucked. It was freezing cold and we had walked like 45 minutes (felt like 3 years) only to find not one, but two lines for the door. *Tear

So I walk away from Zooey, saddened yet hopeful that we can find another great show or two.

Jon takes me for a walk thru the fabulous Driskill hotel and we were going to stop for a bev but it was a total shit-show. Again, we press onward.

My Bay-area buddy, Dan, is working at the Fader Fort for SXSW so we figure we'll give him a call and see if we can get in there for some music and drinks (like we need more). Score! Fader Fort it is! I think we saw The Pains of Being Pure at Heart and Passion Pit DJs but honestly, things are getting foggy. It was fun, there was free & unlimited Budweiser, and Jon couldn't even form sentences. I found a rock in the shape of a heart and met a guy in an American flag shirt. At this point we called it a night.

My god, I'd been in Austin only 24 hours and saw more than 10 shows!

Are You Fucking Kidding Me?

2010-03-31T13:51:00.000-07:00

I went to see Kate Miller-Heidke at SXSW and she played this song live. It's the first time I heard it as it's not on her Curiouser album, which is the only one I have.

This song is prevalent to every single person who has an ex and has a Facebook account....

Givers

2010-03-30T17:51:00.000-07:00

I fell hard for Givers at SXSW. I was in awe of their live performance and their incredible talent as they all look to be about 18 years old.

"Up, Up, Up" is the first song on their 5 track EP and probably the catchiest. Whenever I put it on, I notice myself bopping around. More than usual. It's indie-dancy-happy fun. Guaranteed to turn one of those dull afternoons sitting at the office into your own personal little happy place. It's like doing yoga!

Definitely check these guys out and watch for their first LP to come out in early 2010. I know they are going to take off!

Download their EP here:

Givers EP

I promise you will not be disappointed!

March & April Musical Festivus Overload (in a good way)

2010-03-28T17:24:00.000-07:00

I'm listening to a lot of good music right now.

Although I'm torn between listening to all the familiar stuff I already know I love and pushing myself to research and learn new bands associated with SXSW and Coachella. It's a lot of work actually, but I love it!

Old, new, and everywhere in between....here is what I'm listening to a lot of right now:

She & Him- This may or may not have something to do with my girl crush on Zooey Deschanel. I feel like we were friends in a past life or something, it's weird (psycho)

Portugal, The Man- Their new album is awesome! Amber & I found them doing Coachella research and both of us LOVE their sound!

Real Estate- It took me long enough to download this and listen to it after all the talk it got on the Best of 2009 lists. Mama likey

Surfer Blood- The name threw me. I assumed I would hate the sound based on their name even though the album kept getting rave reviews. Delish

Whitest Boy Alive- Reminds me a lot of Miike Snow, which another obsession of mine. Really love his sound and I'm excited to see him live at Coachella

Charlotte Gainsbourg- She's another Coachella find, prompted by my music soulmate, Amber. sexy sexy sexy

The Austin Report: Arrival

2010-03-26T10:59:00.001-07:00

My life really is amazing. I work as a nanny for a great family in a beautiful city and am lucky enough to get to indulge in my two favorite passions, music and travel.

My most recent adventure took me to Austin, TX for South By Southwest. I arrived late Wednesday night and my host, the ever-quirky Jonbubbles, and I had a plan. They stop handing out wristbands at midnight, but there are shows until at least 2am. My flight landed at 10:40pm so, barring any delays and if I don't check any bags, I can run (literally) from the gate to the car and we can haul ass to get wristbands and still go see 2 hours worth of music that night. Brilliant!

Wednesday night/early Thursday morning we made it to

the Galaxy Room Backyard for Fitz and the Tantrums, whom I didn't know, and Miike Snow. Miike Snow was one of my top "must sees" for SXSW so I was ecstatic to be able to see them at such a small, intimate venue. It took forever for them to set up their equipment and they had major technical issues but finally got started around 1:30am. They were awesome and sounded just as good as their album, if not better. What a bunch of weirdos though, sheesh. Interesting group of guys.....

We got to bed around 3am. What a way to start a 5 day bender

Yes, I'm slightly obsessed with Phoenix

2010-02-01T13:38:00.000-08:00

Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix is the album that changed everything pour ma petite bande Francaise preferee, Phoenix. Just last night, they were awarded "the music industry's highest honor" (chuckle chuckle, gag) winning a Grammy for Best Alternative Album for 2009's WAP.

This is well deserved in my opinion. Just as long as Beyonce or Kanye isn't winning another award, I'm happy. Give it all to Taylor Swift for all I care, just don't fuel Beyonce's self-righteous ego anymore. Please!

So back in 2000, Phoenix released their first album, United. This was their first solo undertaking after working behind la bande Francaise populaire, Air, for years.

Two successful singles sprang from this album, one of which is today's Super Song of the Day!

No joke, I catch myself singing this song daily. I sing it in traffic, when I'm changing diapers, when I'm sipping a martini....I think it just makes me happy.

My friend Drew put this on a mix tape (ok mix cd, but mix tape still sounds more correct to say for some reason?) for me and I fell for it immediately. So here I am continuing to share the joy.

The moral of the story here, when a successful band of the moment has been around for a while, don't forget to dig in the archives and see what delicious songs from 10 years ago might just make your Monday.

If I Ever Feel Better - Phoeni...

Goodnight Moon

2010-01-19T21:47:00.000-08:00

"In the great green room

there was a telephone

And a red balloon

And a picture of--

The cow jumping over the moon"

It's one of my favorite children's books for sure, but "Goodnight Moon" is also one of those songs I sing in my "sultry, gravelly voice" that only comes out in the shower or the car when no one else is around.

Off Shivaree's 2005 album Who's Got Trouble, this song is a real gem. Honestly, the album was a let down. I loved "Goodnight Moon" and "2 Far" after a friend put them on a mix for me. I thought for sure the whole album would be awesome.

Eh, not really....Buuuuut this song is a total favorite. Not to be missed

Goodnight Moon - Shivaree

I Love 2009

2010-01-12T14:15:00.001-08:00

Yes, I am slow with my "close out 2009" and "ring in 2010" posts but I feel like there is some leeway since there are a whopping 365 days in a year. I mean, what's day 12? Not a big deal, that's what....

So I'm going to Officially close out 2009 with my personal take on Best Ofs lists.

First, and most importantly The Top 20 Albums of 2009 according to my humble opinion

1. Phoenix, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

2. Miike Snow, Miike Snow

3. Beirut, March of the Zapotec & Real People

4. Dirty Projectors, Bitte Orca

5. Rodrigo Y Gabriela, 11:11

6. Florence and the Machine, Lungs

7. St. Vincent, Actor

8. Whitest Boy Alive, Rules

9. Franz Ferdinand, Tonight

10. Bat For Lashes, Two Suns

11. Passion Pit, Manners

12. Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

13. Bibio, Ambivalence Avenue

14. Ida Maria, Fortress Round My Heart

15. Muse, The Resistance

16. Avett Brothers, I And Love And You

17. Animal Collective, Merriweather Post Pavilion

18. Camera Obscura, My Mauldin Career

19. Grizzly Bear, Veckatimest

20. Hockey, Mind Chaos

I'm lucky enough to live in a fabulous city with a great music scene. I can't find enough people (l-a-m-e friends!) or have enough hours in the day to go to all the shows I'd like to.

2009 was a big year for me and live music. I was fortunate enough to make it to about 20 shows/festivals and see about 50 bands. Life is good

Here is a a run down of my Best Live Shows of 2009:

1. Phoenix at Warfield

Not to be all stupid and matchy-matchy with my Best Albums list, I promise. This show was unbelievable. And half of what makes a great show is the crowd. The audience was out-of-control excited to see Phoenix. The air was electric. They played a phenomenal set off their bad ass album, and then returned to play a 3 song encore. The first song was Air's "Playground Love" which is one of my favorite songs of all time. Big win here Phoenix, big win.

2. Lady Gaga at Billy Graham Civic Center

It was a shit show! The gays showed up in full force! You haven't seen that many sequins off the Vegas strip in your life! The crowd was 100% into the whole event. Kid Cudi opened and got everyone ramped up and then Lady G came out and really put on a show. From the moment we saw her tour bus parked outside til the time my head hit the pillow that night, I was out of my mind with excitement!

3. Thievery Corporation at Outside Lands Music Festival

This is the 3rd time I've seen TC play, but first outdoor venue. They started just before dusk and played all the way thru sunset and into the darkness. Their show is so lighting and visually intense, that it only enhanced the spectacular. Really impressive all around. I love the way the group is constantly changing throughout the show. Singers are cycling thru, instruments are changing, the entire sound of the band is undefinable. I danced my ass off, and I don't dance.

4. Beirut at Treasure Island Music Festival

I hauled myself out to Treasure Island in the freezing cold JUST to see Beirut live. I bought tickets to a music festival JUST because Beirut was playing. They were marvelous live. Their sound and their style are so unique and they are one of those bands that likes to change up their songs when performing them live. Gorgeous presentation. The whole crowd loved them! Worth freezing my ass off and getting drunk on Heinekens by myself for.

5. Franz Ferdinand at Fox Theater

One of my favorite groups at my favorite bay area venue with my good friend Krazy Kathy. It was just a recipe for a wonderful time. And man oh man did they deliver. Powerful and exciting show and I just loved the red shoes Alex Kapranos was rockin! Fierce!

Honestly, there weren't any bad shows....Here's what else I was lucky enough to see in 2009:

Cold War Kids, Blonde Redhead, TV on the Radio, Stellastar*, Arctic Monkeys, Snow Patrol, Bon Iver, Ladytron, Of Montreal, Elizabeth & the Catapult, Outside Lands: Duke Spirit, The Dodos, The National, Silversun Pickups, Incubus, Tea Leaf Green, M.I.A., Band of Horses, The Deadweather, The Avett Brothers, Heartless Bastards, Cage the Elephant, Matt & Kim, Morning Benders; Treasure Island: Tommy Guerrero, Thao & the Get Down Stay Down, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Grizzly Bear, & The Walkmen

Why hello 2010! It's going to be a good year

2010-01-11T13:10:00.000-08:00

I'm a little slow, but none the less...Happy New Year!

Today is actually my half birthday, and in 6 short months I'll enter my thirties. What a grand decade it will be! I can only imagine the life-changing events that are in store over the next 10 years. It feels appropriate to make kinda a big deal out of this new year and this new decade.

This anthem by The Walkmen off their 2008 album You & Me just really rings it true for me. It IS going to be a good year! And that says a whole hell of a lot after the spectacular, magical, action-packed year 2009 was for me. I am truly grateful and continuously thankful for the people in my life, the places I've been lucky enough to visit, and the every day bliss I am able to experience.

So looking ahead to 2010, "The Year Everything Falls Into Place," I'm going to let The Walkmen be my soundtrack

In The New Year - The Walkmen

Like Jayne the receptionist told me, "They always come back!"

2009-12-25T19:21:00.001-08:00

Jayne cracks me up. She's the sassy 60-something, Queens born and raised receptionist at RBA Design (my last big-girl architecture job). When she answers the phone, it reminds me of Janine Melnitz from Ghostbusters "Ghostbustas, whattya want?!?!" Go ahead, look up RBA Design in Seattle. Give her a call. I dare you to ask her a question!

The tone in her voice and her chipper attitude aren't the most charming first impression when you rang up our already-hard-up-for-work architecture firm.

But I love her. And she loves me. And we were the gossipy queens of our booming 7 person office. She was always asking me about my boyfriend turned ex-boyfriend, kept me in the loop on when the bosses were coming and going, and encouraged me to leave work early whenever possible. One of the things she always told me about men was, "They always come back, Lindsey. They always come back."

One of my favorite bands to pop up this year was Elizabeth & The Catapult and just looooove their song "Momma's Boy." Whenever I hear it I think of good ole Jayne lecturing me about life.

Off their 2009 album, Taller Children, this song is all about those losers that oh so predictably come crying back when the going gets tough. As Jayne would shake her head and say "so predictable!"

Enjoy, I love this song.

I was so excited when they came to Cafe du Nord, a small venue with a capacity of about 200. It wasn't even packed (who are these people that don't know good music?). We got to meet members of the band, and I found myself standing right next to Elizabeth when she walked off stage so I felt I had to go up to her and tell her how much I enjoyed the show. It was a big moment for me (nerdalert).

Honestly though, her voice is Christina Aguilera-grade amazing. I wanted to go see them again at Great American Music Hall but none of my lame friends would go with me. So sad. And lame!

Another good song to check out, "Perfectly Perfect!" She sounds like me...

Also check out their "Taller Children" video. Cute song (their most popular) but the video is so funny!

Sondre Lerche! He's been a favorite for a while now...

2009-12-25T18:21:00.000-08:00

It's really exciting to meet a new friend, really enjoy their company, find them funny, and then like icing on a cake, find out they love music! Usually I start drilling them on what they are listening to now, ask them about their favorite bands, hold my breath and ask if they'll go with me to live shows (fingers crossed!), and usually ask if we can make a date for a music swap.

Yikes, I sound overwhelming

No harm intended, I simply get giddy when I think I've found another source of good music and a companion in attacking the marvelous San Francisco music scene.

This behavior has been going on for years and I have "attacked" many-a-new-friend in my day.

When I started at Callison Architecture in 2004, I met Rob (or "Roberto" as I always refer to him). He made me a great mix cd within the first few weeks I met him working in the hip-and-cool Program Management studio (jealous?).

This mix was a doozey including Air, Bjork, The Shins, Postal Service, Ladytron....such a good mix! This was my official Mixeroo of 2004.

Most importantly, Roberto introduced me to Sondre Lerche. I totally fell in love with his 2002 album Faces Down. I absolutely LOVE this album, but couldn't really get into any of his other albums. In 2007, he released Phantom Punch which is still one of my favorite albums to this day. "Airport Taxi Reception, The Tape, Phantom Punch, and She's Fantastic" are great tracks. I love his energy and his sound, something so refreshing and uplifting about it!

I try to hit up his website every so often just to check in and see what cute little Sondre is up to and today I came across an mp3 of him covering Animal Collective's "Bluish." Such a lovely cover of an already amazing song off a great album!

I've had the pleasure of seeing him live twice. The first time was at the historic Crocodile in Seattle, playing with his band The Faces Down. It was such a great show, great venue, and it lasted until almost 2am (on a work night, ouch)

Second time wasn't quite as romantic....at Nectar in Fremont (hay-te that place hope it dies) and he was without his cute little band, and I had to deal with the drunkest Nick Tully I have ever experienced, ever. Well, maybe not ever but Top 5.

After badgering my dear Sondre for wearing a man-scarf I turned around and yelled at Nick Tully about "how nobody wanted him there if he couldn't say anything nice...." or something mom-ish like that. Danielle was a saint and came to pick him up, otherwise he was sleeping at Google on the break room couch. Aaah, memories.

But no drunk Nick Tully will keep Sondre from being a favorite thing of mine! He has a new album out Heartbeat Radio that I am really enjoying right now!!!

Here he is with Regina Spektor singing "Hell No" from the Dan in Real Life soundtrack.

Dita Von Teese

2009-12-23T22:16:00.000-08:00

Always loved her.

Dita is fashion perfection. Style icon of this decade. Class act

How could I blog about my favorite things if I didn't mention Dita?!?!

As an avid Perez reader, I love that he always keeps up with her fashion, gossip, and sassiness.

Did I mention Toraya and I made Perez one day back in 2006? That was a day I'll tell my grandchildren about.

Anyways, this Ditalicious post was prompted by these pics of her grocery shopping the other day. I would love to go grocery shopping all dressed up!

Why don't I?

She's brilliant!

I also threw in the Schlemm-ET-Perez pic

The female of the species is more deadly than the male

2009-12-18T10:30:00.001-08:00

In high school, I remember looking forward to my reculsive Sunday nights happily locked away in my room. Usually cleaning, reorganizing my closet, procrastinating on all my homework that was due Monday, but always listening to Out of Order with Jed the Fish.

One of those memorable Sunday nights, I first heard this song and it was instant love.

"Female of the Species" is off Space's 1996 album Spiders. You just can't help but love it. Totally a favorite thing!!!

Out of Order with Jed the Fish

It's all starting to come together

2009-12-18T09:27:00.000-08:00

My love for music has been a life-long affection. My grandpa, dad, and brother are all guitarists. My lil bro actually plays 5 instruments and is usually in at least 2 bands at any given time. The Beatles, Michael Jackson, and Mannheim Steamroller (had to throw a holiday reference in there) were an integral part of my childhood. I tried my hand at the piano but hated practicing so I didn't make it much past 2-3 years of that torture. In middle school I always chose chorus as my elective (hey you got to leave school to go to "performances," sign me up!) but I quit that for art in high school.

But more than anything, I think musicals fed my early music-loving soul. As an adult, it's weird to find out that not everyone grew up watching Sound of Music. You mean not everyone knows every single word to Wizard of Oz? You've never seen Heidi with Shirley Temple?

Since it's the holidays, I've been wanting to watch White Christmas and I mentioned it to two separate people just last night. NEITHER had ever seen White Christmas?!?! In disbelief, I begin to sing "Sisters, Sisters, There were never such devoted sisters..." like maybe hearing it would trigger a memory? Nothing. I'm shocked! Those blue dresses with the huge feather fans are one of my top Halloween costume dreams! I'm beginning to realize this is just another one of those things that makes me "a little different."

Other musicals on my "I heart you a million bajillion" list? In addition to the ones I mentioned above; My Fair Lady, Mary Poppins, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, The King and I, Moulin Rouge, Meet Me in St Louis. If you haven't seen these little treasures, it's time to load up your Netflix que and cozy up on your couch for a musical bonanza. Musicals, you are definitely a favorite thing!

And if anyone wants to partner up for Halloween next year, let me know. I'm looking for a Rosemary Clooney to my Vera Ellen!

These grandma hobbies are getting out of control!

2009-12-15T21:54:00.000-08:00

I'm sorry but how sexy is this sewing machine!?!?

After my amazing Vespa purchase back in October (best purchase of 2009), I put my sewing machine on the back burner for a while. Back to back trips to New York and then Seattle had my pocketbook a little pinched so I focused on knitting to feed my creative thirst until things settled down again.

With the help of my grandma-hobby-cohort, Krazy Kathy, I have discovered the Bernina Bernette 46 machine. The perfect "my first sewing machine" pour moi! This is definitely a favorite thing!

I also have picked out one of my first projects. I first set my eyes on the Chloe Scallop Hemp Dress in July, and I knew I could easily replicate them for myself (retail price $1,815....yeah right. Go suck it, Chloe).

Icing on the cake, the only Bernina retailer in San Francisco is within walking distance from my house. I mean, it's totally meant to be! Favorite favorite favorite things!!!!

Because before Prince Charming came along, it wasn't all sunshines and rainbows for Snow White either

2009-12-15T19:09:00.000-08:00

We all have those days when we can't catch a break. The internal meltdown slowly builds momentum as the day wears away at your mental stability.

You feel like if you don't get a big ole glass of wine or quite possibly a beefy shot of whiskey, you will punch the next person that talks to you.

If you have good friends, they can usually detect the stress/alcoholism in your voice and quickly realize that it is not an option to say "I don't feel like drinking tonight."

Now that I don't work in Corporate America anymore, correction, now that I don't work in the field of architecture anymore, these days are fewer and farther between. However, I do work with a 2-1/2 and 3-1/2 year old for sometimes 12 hours a day and that can do it to ya as well.

When those gloomy days do get me down, this song is one of those that helps me start to turn myself around. Because in the end it really will always be alright....

"Hey, Snow White" by The New Pornographers is off of the Dark Was The Night compilation album. I initially bought it because it had a really good Beirut song on it ("Mimizan"- Check it out) and because the proceeds went to HIV and AIDS awareness.

The little girl I nanny for was in a huge Snow White kick so I was like "Hey Olivia, I've got this new Snow White song. You wanna check it out?" Am I the coolest nanny ever or what?

Now I have a 3 year old running around the house singing New Pornographers.

Another plus is that now when she freaks out over nothing (daily) I just look at her and say "Hey Snow White it's gunna be alright, it's gunna be alright." Works like a charm. (or she looks at me and screams "stop singing that song to me! my name is not snow white!")

Enjoy, and keep it in your back pocket for a rainy day

Hey, Snow White

Annie, girl. You rock

2009-12-15T12:38:00.001-08:00

Football season has left my skinny jeans feeling, well, not so skinny.

I'm actually kind of relieved that the season is coming to a close. My fantasy football dynasty, The Mighty Flamingos, are having their worst season on record. In two separate leagues. I'm so over it.

Clemson blew it. Again. We came back from an extremely slow start to the season to play GA Tech in the ACC Championship only to crack under the pressure. Big surprise.

We couldn't even pull of a win at the Clemson-Carolina game and lost to Spurrier and the Chickens down in the armpit that is Columbia, SC. All that does is give ole mouth-full-of-marbles, Lou Holtz, something to talk about other than how "totally awesome" Notre Dame is for at least five seconds. And he does NOT deserve to be hailed Doctor Lou. Ugh, gag me.

Anyways, my waistline is also excited football season is ending so hopefully it won't be fighting such a battle with my favorite jeans anymore.

I've decided to take up salads again. Vegetables are so refreshing after taking a good 5 month break from them! And what better to compliment a big, delicious salad than a tasty dressing?

Annie's Naturals Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette is a little slice of heaven and is now officially one of my favorite things. Annie, you are helping the transition out of the football diet and back onto the healthy highway a pleasant adventure.

Catchy Jingles

2009-12-14T21:51:00.000-08:00

You know those songs you just love, love, love? It can be from 1996 and you still get those all over tingles whenever it comes on. Pure musical bliss

One of the random playlists in my iTunes is "LCS Favorites." Whenever I hear one of those tingle-inducing songs come on and I feel it is deemed worthy enough, I drop it in the playlist. It's a slowly building collection but I have enough piled up where I can share a new one every few days or maybe once a week.

Today's favorite catchy tune is by the band Hockey from Portland, OR. The song "Wanna Be Black" is off their debut album Mind Chaos which was released in September of this year. Nice work, fellas

http://www.last.fm/music/Hockey/_/Wanna+Be+Black?autostart

I still have feelings for you after all this time. I'm not sure I'm ready to move on?

2009-12-12T13:41:00.000-08:00

As 2009 whittles down, all of us nerdy music freakos start compiling our "Most Rockin Albums of the Year" lists. This is such an exciting time for a dork like me. I love to monitor about 300 different lists, make my own lists from their lists, start downloading all sorts of stuff I missed, and of course reading the rambling criticisms that enraged music nerds leave at the bottom of these posted lists. Talk about Christmas! I don't even need presents!

This year is extra special, as we are wrapping up a decade of music. This means there are also copious "Most Rockin Albums of the Decade" lists out there. Double whammy! This is list-making bliss!!!

For me, 2009 was probably the coolest and most amazing adventure I have yet experienced in my 29 years. That said, it flew by at a speed that is quite frightening. I'm kinda stressed out that life just keeps getting faster and faster. You mean next year will be faster than this year? Shit! The past 12 months felt like maybe 6 months. Crap, I gotta stop drinking so much and pay more attention to life. Or something. Maybe. Eh, probably not

Since I have my own little slice of bloggerific heaven these days, I thought it only appropriate that I compile my own list of the albums I heart most from this life-changing year.

So, I started working on my list. I really got to thinking about albums I love. What can I just not stop listening to? What were the stand-out shows I've seen? Which songs can I put on repeat and know every word, every pause, every breath?

What I've realized so far (this is still a work in process, I mean it's only December 12th) is that I am still not over a lot of my 2008 albums. I guess because this year has flown by so quickly, it doesn't seem like I've been listening to them for as long as I have OR I discovered them later and I'm loving them like a newly released gift sent just for me.

I think it will help me move on and put those 2008 albums behind me if I make a list of delights that I'm still loving right now but cannot include on my Best of 2009 list.

These aren't in any real order, kinda in groupings.

Kaiser Chiefs, Off With Their Heads

Vampire Weekend, Vampire Weekend

Cold War Kids, Loyalty to Loyalty

Lady Gaga, The Fame

TV On the Radio, Dear Science

Stephen Malkmus, Real Emotional Trash

Hot Chip, Made In The Dark

Chromeo, Fancier Footwork

Kings of Leon, Only By The Night

The Walkmen, You & Me

Nada Surf, Lucky

Tokyo Police Club, Elephant Shell

Girl Talk, Feed The Animals

The Dodos, Visiter

The Duke Spirit, Neptune

The Morning Benders, Talking Through Tin Cans

We Are Scientists, Brain Thrust Mastery

Thank you. Now I feel like I can fully move on.

Finally, there's an elegant, comfortable mitton for cats!

2009-12-11T19:55:00.000-08:00

It's common knowledge that It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia is pure comedic genius. But sometimes even the greats out-do themselves.

Case in point: "Kitten Mittons"

I can watch the clip below over and over and it always feels like the first time. Every person I've ever shared it with (or sat down and MADE watch it with me) has laughed to the point of crying. Cat lovers and haters alike, all agree that Kitten Mittons are brilliant.

Congratulations, Charlie! Kitten Mittons have earned the elite status as one of my favorite things.

Guerrilla Knitting

2009-12-11T13:53:00.000-08:00

The new love in my life is knitting.

Clearly, I'm an 89 year old woman living in a 29 year old's body but I'm fine with that.

This article goes to show that knitting is COOL and there are other young, hip 20-somethings out there doing amazing things with yarn (oh god).

How, do you ask, could yarn be used for anything but a tacky Christmas sweater or some some snuggley mittens?

Wacky knitters from across the world are forming guerrilla knitting groups that are taking their cities by storm. Seriously, this is happening from Australia to Europe and all over the US.

It's a form of street art that uses skeins of yarn instead of cans of spray paint to give new life to otherwise common things like bollards, fences, statues, trees, a Vespa!

This is a pretty cool movement if you ask me. And if nothing else, I freaking love the name of the guerrilla group in Austin, TX titled "Knitta Please." That's just good shit.

PS, I have one of those amazing knit wigs that they are wearing. Yes, yes I do.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/12/04/knitting.irpt/index.html