Mixtape #7: Love, Love Love

Can't you just feel the love? This week I'm putting up my all time favorite love songs. In fact, now that I mention it, any song marked with an asterisk will be playing at my wedding. (So this gives you a little peek into the future.)

Track 1. The Beatles - "When I'm Sixty-Four"*: A very sweet and simple song, but has a huge place in my heart. Another one of my all time favorites (you're going to hear this a lot on this post.)

Track 2. Bright Eyes - "First Day Of My Life"*: I could think of a thousand words to explain this song. Sweet, vulnerable, honest . . . the list goes on.

Track 3. Billy Joel - "Just The Way You Are"*: No, don't expect this to be a different song by that other guy . . . is Barny Mars his name? Anyway, this was the first song on my list of wedding songs. (Is it weird that I've already planned all of this out?) This song explains true love in five minutes.

Track 4. The Killers - "Romeo And Juliet" (Originally done by Dire Straits.)*: One of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. Enough said.

Track 4. Foo Fighters - "Statues": This album has a very dear place in my heart. They took a bit of a different and softer change in this record, and I love it.

Track 5. Guided By Voices - "Teenage FBI": A very simple song. It brings up a problem that so many people can relate to. (Including me.)

Track 6. The Darkness - "I Believe In A Thing Called Love": This is a one hit wonder from a few years back. This song always makes me smile and laugh, but I do think it's also very musical. They remind me way too much of hair metal bands of the 80's.

Track 7. Stephen Sondheim - Company - "Being Alive"*: Without a doubt this is my favorite musical. The whole story of the musical is actually about marriage. And this song is sort of like the grand finale.

Mixtape #6: When It's Sleepy Time Down South

I fall asleep to music every night. It's a habit I've had for almost a year now. Usually when I fall asleep, I have all these thoughts floating around my head, taking my mind hostage, so I can never focus on just sleeping. These songs have always cleared my mind, and helped me out TONS.

Track 1. Louis Armstrong - "When It's Sleepy Time Down South": This was kind of the obvious choice, being that I live in the south, so that's usually where I am sleepy. (Wink wink.)

Track 2. Bon Iver - "Brackett, MI": This is an amazing artist. His music is so intricate and deep. This guy is definitely a keeper. I'm sure of one thing: you'll be hearing about about this guy for years to come.

Track 3. Iron & Wine - "Half Moon": The video doesn't do the song justice so I apologize. Sam Beam really took an interesting turn on this album, but it still has that old Iron & Wine charm. Also, the album art is absolutely fantastic. You can't see it very well in the video, so I'M BEGGING YOU to go to Google or something along those lines and look it up. It's AMAZING.

Track 4. The Ember Days - "Emergency": Half of their songs are instrumental, and totally beautiful.

Track 5. mewithoutYou - "Cattail Down": I don't think anyone would mind me saying that this band is . . . outlandish, but also amazing. One of my all time favorite albums. It's filled with folk instruments and food analogies . . . you'll just have to buy it and see what I'm talking about.

Track 6. Death Cab For Cutie - "I Will Possess Your Heart": This song is intense. I love how much it builds up and then just tears down. Probably the longest intro to a song, but it really erases your mind and you can just zone out. 

Track 7. Fleet Foxes - "Grown Ocean": I've actually stayed up all night listening to this album, so I guess this isn't exactly sleeping music in my case. But I do still find that it always soothes me. This whole album is phenomenal. Absolutely flawless. (Not to mention this beautiful video.) This also might turn out to be my favorite album of 2011 . . . Blog about that coming up soon!

Mixtape #5: Good Ol' Rock n Roll

Get ready for some head boppin' today. This may be my best mixtape so far. If you're like me, you can't resist just good, classy rock music. And that's what this mixtape is full of.

Track 1. The Hives - "Hate To Say I Told You So": This song is straight up in your face. I also think the video is hilarious for some reason. Extremely classy band.

Track 2. The Golden Dogs - "Yeah!": Please excuse the strange video. Apparently this amazing song has been on an extremely crappy TV show, but it was the only video I could find. Oh well, these guys are still awesome.

 

Track 3. Spoon - "Finer Feelings": I'm bopping my head while listening to this song. It's beat is contagious. I was introduced to this band by my cousin (you know who you are), and have loved them ever since then.

Track 4. The Strokes - "Juicebox": Their songs are so simple, but are still really complex and fun. These guys really fit into that "too cool for school" category. Turn it up and jam out.

Track 5. Arctic Monkeys - "From The Ritz To The Rubble": I put these guys right next to The Strokes being that they've actually covered a few of their songs. This particular band I was introduced to by my sister when I was maybe . . . 9 years old?

Track 6. Peter, Bjorn & John - "Second Chance": Such great rock music. And if you like this song, you HAVE to buy the whole record. It's one of my all time favorites.

Track 7. The Black Keys - "Tighten Up": These guys are straight up rock and roll. Period. Also, this video is pretty darn funny.

Track 8. Wolfmother - "Dimension": They remind me SO MUCH of Led Zeppelin for some reason. (I hope I won't get any haters from that statement.) The first time I heard this song I think I was 8 years old?  I think?

Track 9. Wilco - "I Might": Bob Boilen (from NPR All Songs Considered) described this band as the "best rock band in America." To be honest, I don't think he's to far off with that statement. Listen and you'll get what I mean and what he means.