Bully

I heard "You Could Be Wrong" by Bully while I was jamming to the Iowa Public Radio. I know, I'm super cool. So but anyway, good job IPR. I now love this band!

I just ordered their new album "Losing" the other day, so psyched for it to arrive. I haven't spent an immense amount of time looking into them, but they appear to have formed in Tennessee in 2013. Although the lead singer, Alicia Bognanno, is a Minnesota native. They are currently touring, so if you happen to live near any gigs, you should check them out. Sadly, the closest they came to my locale was 4 hours away.

These are some of my current faves, based on multiple YouTube listens:

Couldn't Get It Right - Climax Blues Band

"I kept on looking for a sign in the middle of the night, but I couldn't see the light, no I couldn't see the light."

I was just coming home from shopping the other day, turned on the radio and there is was. I fell in love for some reason. I'm thinking it has to be the cowbell and the disco theme they apparently weren't immune to. Seems weird that I don't recall ever hearing this song, considering how old it is.  The Climax Blues Band formed in 1968, and is apparently still touring (sans any original members?).

I really like "And Lonely" as well, though it is much slower and longer.

After further research, okay, I have heard songs of theirs. Namely, "I Love You" in countless films. I just never knew who they were.

Whole Wide World - Wreckless Eric

On my way to see Cherry Glazerr in Des Moines, this song came on the radio and I knew the chorus, but couldn't remember why. Drew a complete blank. But re-loved it instantly. And then it hit me, this scene from Stranger Than Fiction:

It is a truly awesome, old school, punk love song. I'm just not sure if I love it purely for the song, or because of the Stranger Than Fiction scene. I have found that many songs are enhanced for me in this way. Which I suppose is the whole point of music videos...but its different from that also. I cannot now separate the song from the feeling the scene gave me, and vice versa.



PRO TIP: For any weirdo out there that wants in my pants...just sing me this song and I'm probably yours. XOXO.

I Love The USA - Weezer

Just to show you how far behind I'm am on music, here's a song from a Weezer album (the White Album) that came out LAST YEAR. This is my favorite band, guys. And I'm just now getting around to listening to it. So anyway, this video right here...

IS THE TITS!

I'm not especially patriotic, but Weezer and Patton Oswalt are two of my favorite things. I'll let you decode the meaning behind the music video yourself.

Special mention for "Jacked Up" and "Fake Smiles and Nervous Laughter," also from the same album.

"If you stay the night will I fall in love?"

"When you say what you hate, makes me feel kind of great, it's beautiful to me."

And okay, just listen to the whole album and every other Weezer song in existence because it'll make your life so much better. That's all.

Uh Huh - Julia Michaels

I just heard this on the radio last night, so I totally love it. Will probably hate it in a week when they overplay it, though.

I like how it starts off all acoustic and then brings in this dirty beat and keys. And of course the strange "UH HUH" vocal slide thing. I can see how it could be annoying, but I think it's fantastic. At the end there's so much going on, it sounds exactly like it should to me, just all over the place fun emotion.

What I love most is the lyrics. As a fledgling songwriter/sometimes poet, one of my biggest peeves is wanting to write about a feeling or situation and just not being able to find the right words. This is one of those "ah ha!" songs where I feel a mix of instant gratification for knowing it exists...and also being deeply shamed someone else wrote it first. Mostly I'm just glad she made this feeling I've been feeling into a song. Isn't that what music is for?

Plus, Julia Michaels is apparently an Iowa girl...so, props!

Hot - The Regrettes

This song is just brilliantly brutal, reminds me a lot of that one Distillers song. You know the one. Anyway, The Regrettes are a punk band with that riot grrrl flavor I've been craving lately. Like I just can't get enough of these strong, loud, angry females. We're in it to win it!

They are touring currently, which would have been great for me if I'd actually been able to go to Riot Fest this year. Sadly, I could not. Hope everyone there enjoys this great band!



*grumbles on my way to bed, instead of awesome rock festival*

Ain't Done With You - Erick Hovey

I adore Erick Hovey so much, in particular Ain't Done With You from his Recycled Souls album. I've listened to it almost everyday for about a month now. It's just so freakin' mellow and pretty and it makes me go "Awww, wish someone wasn't done with me." I may be biased because I've known him personally for quite awhile now...but I don't think so. Although, listening to his music is almost the same vibe as hanging out with him - chill, fun, and low key impressive.

I would categorize Recycled Souls as the perfect album to just chill to, preferably outside with a cold beer. I mean, I mostly just lie down and stare at the ceiling and contemplate life while it's playing, but ya know, you do you.

My second favorite song on Recycled Souls is Thousand Times:

And my third favorite, Here Again:

Seriously, he's great. Go to CD Baby to purchase Recycled Souls and/or his other three albums. Hopefully, someday he will finally release another one! hint hint.

White's Not My Color This Evening - Cherry Glazerr

Everything about this is just hella dope. Love how Clementine Creevy's voice is sweet and harsh. Love how garage band punk the sound is. Love the music video of the menstruating girl kicking the crap out of some asshole sk8r boi for laughing at her. And love the shoes she wears. Too bad that video is not available on here for some reason. So here's a live version.

 I was looking for some punk/alternative rock with female vocals and Cherry Glazerr is what I was drawn to. I will always be drawn to this kind of sound. It's so great. Sadly, I don't know much else about the band except they just came out with a new album, Apocalipstick.

They appear to be touring quite a bit this year, even making an appearance in dear old Des Moines, IA 9/13/17 at the Vaudeville Mews! I might have to go if I can get my shit together and remember to do so.


UPDATE 9/16/17:

I did end up going to the concert in Des Moines with my friend Cody. It was pretty rad. Also, the Vaudeville Mews as a venue was much smaller, and also much larger than I pictured. I basically stood next to the wall the whole time trying to see between the heads of tall blonde girls. Even in my favorite platform sandals, I was still too short. My only critique would be that the vocals were not coming in as clearly as they could've, but that could have been anyone's fault, not necessarily the band's. They still sounded great!

Where Would I Be? - Gwen Stefani

If you don't know who Gwen Stefani is, I'd like to know what rock you've been living under. Must be a pretty nice rock or something to never leave it. Anyway, I've been under my own rock apparently since this song came out in 2016 and I just heard it yesterday. It's basically been on repeat since.

It has a very Lily Allen feel to it, and Gwen's voice, which is always rad. Apparently the Lily Allen vibe is because it was produced by Greg Kurstin, who wrote/produced two of Lily Allen's albums. That bouncy reggae beat with the warped vocal blends, just begs you to jump up and dance. I didn't set out to find a dance song when I was randomly song hopping on YouTube yesterday, but I'm glad I did. 

I'm also glad Gwen is doing some solo stuff lately that I can appreciate. Also on my current love list for her (although they are constantly on the radio) are Misery, Used To Love You, and Make Me Like You. 

Safiya Nygaard

I have been in a something of a musical dry spell lately. Nothing has really been tripping my trigger and it's been hella sad, yo. Scrolling through my YouTube history lately is basically just Safiya Nygaard and organizational tutorials. So that's who I'ma feature today because it's been 80 years since I've posted on here.

I'm super addicted to BuzzFeed's Ladylike, and Safiya used to be a producer for them. Then in January, I guess she left to pursue her own channel. So I've been watching her for a long time and I'm pretty in love with her. It's only creepy if you think about it too much.

Lady Crush!

I know, crazy that I would love this dark haired goddess who rocks the black lipstick like a grown up Wednesday Addams would. Also, she's quite funny and has a super adorable boyfriend. Her channel seems to be very much like Ladylike, which is not all that surprising since it was a concept created by her and Freddie. So of course I like it. Her makeup a bit rich for my cheap ass, but it's nice to know that should I ever wish to, she's tried it all out for me. And period panties. And everything else.

Halsey

I'm not entirely sure where I first heard about Halsey, but I think I just ran across her lyrics on Pinterest. Yes, I'm a pretty hardcore "Pinner" and I love lyrics. Anyway, her music gave me something that was missing from my life. Some pop feeling from my childhood, mixed with my adult-ish love of cursing and frankness.

Strange Love was the song that really introduced me to this singer, the one that got me hooked. I mean, how could it not when it starts with "Everybody wants to know if we fucked on the bathroom sink"? But the chorus is the real sweet spot with "They think I'm insane, they think my lover is strange but I don't have to fucking tell them anything."

The one I've listened to about 80 times, is Hold Me Down.

And my current favorite is Control. "I'm bigger than this body. I'm colder than this home. I'm meaner than my demons. I'm bigger than these bones."

Slothrust

I'm pretty sure every new artist/song I come to love lately comes from a TV show I watch. That being said, I was introduced to Slothrust through this show, You're The Worst. 7:30am is the freaking theme song and I fell in love with it immediately.

This band doesn't have a fucking Wiki, so I'm not entirely sure they even exist...but since I just bought their album, Of Course You Do...of course they do. One song I'm sad isn't on that album, because it's fabulous, is In A Sexual Way. There's something so appealing to me about Leah Wellbaum's low honest voice mixed with that grungy bluesy sound...because it deeply reminds me of the Pixies. It's hard for me to explain how fruitless my struggle to find music like this usually ends up anymore. It just hasn't been existing since the 90's. So, shout-out to anyone who, like me, has a deep aching need for that 90's sound but isn't actually the same stuff you've been hearing the last 20 years...look up these motherfuckers and get hooked!

Oh Land

I have recently become crazy into this Danish show, Rita. The theme song, Speak Out Now by Oh Land, is wonderful. I can barely understand it, but it's awesome. Oh Land was a surprisingly neat find and I might have to check out some more Danish music. I'm also pretty fond of Renaissance Girls right now.

Change Is Hard - She & Him

"I listened when they told me, 'If he burns you let him go,' but change is hard, I should know...I should know."

Maps - Maroon 5

Another great song by Maroon 5. I swear I'm not sure why I used to hate them so much in high school. Possibly because Adam Levine wasn't super hot just yet. Anyway, the video for this song is a little bit more intense than theirs normally are, and it has an Irreversible theme to it. All it needed was a rape scene and a pregnancy test to psychologically scar millions of fans.

May induce psychological scarring.

As I understand the lyrics, this is about two people in a relationship, but one is sort of never there for the other. But the other keeps going back to them. Because...fate? Lack of self-respect? Dat ass? Who can say. If Kelly Clarkson were singing this, it would definitely end with an inspirational "I'm better off without you". And of course Carrie Underwood would kick the shit out of his car. But Adam Levine is just like, "Ain't nothin' I can do!" Why are the pretty ones so dumb? So yeah, the song is actually much more uplifting while accompanied by the video.

And then there's that part that reminds me of Leslie Knope..."But on that road I took a fall, oh baby why did you run away?" Hahahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaa......I've been watching too much Parks & Rec.

Closer - Tegan and Sara

I am oh so obsessing over this song right now. I was binge-watching BoJack Horseman on Netflix and the last episode ended with this song. I'm like, "Is that Tegan & Sara?" One Google search later and yes, yes it is. I love Tegan and Sara, this song came out in 2012, how have I not heard this song before? In any case, I love the 80's feel, the "typical" but perfect harmonies, and of course the lyrics. It's so bubbly I could hate it, but I totally do not.

a single from the album "Heartthrob"

Girls and Boys

I have had two songs stuck on me this week with similar (ish) themes. Where love is concerned, we all the same, because love is not a choice.

1. Girls/Girls/Boys - Panic! At The Disco

Apparently an homage to D'Angelo's "How Does It Feel." While I've never heard of D'Angelo before today, all I can say is thanks for ripping him off, Brendon Urie. I really, really like my skinny white boys/girls. Ha. Anyway, this song seems to be about a guy liking a girl who hasn't made up her mind whether she wants him or a girl. Who doesn't love a bi girl? Indecisive. I love it! Love is not a choice...!

Definitely going in my "maybe" list of songs I might sing.

2. Girls Chase Boys - Ingrid Michelson

Also an homage, this time to Robert Palmer's "Simply Irresistible". I like Ingrid's version about 20 million times more, mostly because I actually like her song, and also because her dancers are hotter. The comments section for this video is also hilarious because just about everyone is like "Boys are in make-up, I don't understand. It makes me feel gross." I happen to like boys in make-up, so I don't really understand what their deal is, but whatever. The point of the song is that we are all the same when it comes to love.

Chandelier - Sia

No one seems to understand how obsessed I am with this song. It has been stuck in my head for about 3 days now, with no sign of unsticking. I have loved Sia since I first heard I Go To Sleep on an episode of Dollhouse, and while Chandelier is very different in both tone and style, it does have a similar effect on my mind. That is to say, I can't get it out. And I love the lyrics, with a dash of narcissism, because they are very much like something I would write. But better.

Party girls don't get hurt

Can't feel anything, when will I learn

I push it down, push it down

I'm the one for a good time call

Phone's blowing up, they're ringing my doorbell

I feel the love, I feel the love

1,2,3 1,2,3 Drink

1,2,3 1,2,3 Drink

1,2,3 1,2,3 Drink

Throw 'em back til I lose count

I'm gonna swing from the chandelier 

From the chandelier

I'm gonna live like tomorrow doesn't exist 

Like it doesn't exist

I'm gonna fly like a bird through the night

Feel my tears as they dry

I'm gonna swing from the chandelier

From the chandelier

And I'm holding on for dear life

Won't look down, won't open my eyes

Keep my glass full until morning light

Cuz I'm just holding on for tonight

Help me, I'm holding on for dear life

Won't look down, won't open my eyes

Keep my glass full until morning light

Cuz I'm just holding on for tonight

Sun is up, I'm a mess

Gotta get out now, gotta run from this

Here comes the shame, here comes the shame

And then there's this:

Rude - Magic!

Can't get enough of this song today. Even though I find the act of asking someone's father for their "hand" sort of offensive, like a woman is just property transferred from one man to another. Like a woman couldn't give permission for herself. But, you know, whatever, it's super catchy.

Rumi and the Whirling Dervishes

Run from what's comfortable

Forget safety. Live where you fear to live. 

Destroy your reputation.

Be notorious.

-Rumi

I'm not sure why, but today, I just really loved this poem. Rumi is a favorite of mine, that I often run into on Pinterest, but oddly enough I've never looked him up before today. Which led me to another amazing thing. After his death, Rumi's son and followers founded this religious order, the Mevlevi Order (Order of the Whirling Dervishes) that are famous for this dance, the Sufi dance, also known as the Sama Ceremony or the Dervish Dance.

Something about it is just so beautiful and calming to me. And just what I needed this week.