I Don't Care About The Car - a music suggestion post

This is definitely a music post. As I'm sure you know (at least if you've read a few of my posts) how much I love music. I wont get into that again. Not now, anyhow.

Anyway, I am so incredibly grateful to have such a passion for music, and the motivation to actually search for new bands and artists to listen to on a daily basis.

Right now, I'd basically just like to inform anyone reading this of a few bands to look at now and search for in the future, because I think that they could be legendary (or close to it), regardless of whether or not they make it to the "mainstream" music scene, so to speak. In no way do I consider myself as a professional music critic or anything, but I do believe I have good taste in music. So there's always that.

Now, Now Every Children

I heard about this group a few months ago but never really gave them a listen until last week, and then an even better listen last night. My favorite songs by them are Cars and the acoustic version of In My Chest, both available for a listen on their MySpace, which I've linked, just in case you didn't click on it already.

Not only do I love Cacie's voice (the lead singer...obviously), but just the overall sound of their music is something you don't hear everyday, which is always refreshing. They are fantastic in my mind, and a real inspiration to me, as a musician and otherwise.

Now for the faster, more dancy-ish stuff.

Unicorn Kid

I found this guy thanks to the Talk To Animals MySpace (I'll mention more about that down below..), and within the first 3 seconds of every one of his songs, my mind was completely blown by the catchy, awesome, dare I say it, amazing, dance/techno/electronica tunes. I haven't really found out yet for sure, but I believe it's just one person, and I think he's around my age, seeing as he's still in school. But regardless, he has a great talent for making great music to move to.

Unicorn Kid does a remix of a Talk To Animals song (available for a listen on his MySpace, as is linked above). Talk To Animals is pretty cool too, especially if you're kind of into the indie/hipster music scene. Which I guess all of these artists are for you in that case. They're all a bit different of a sound than what society as a whole is used to listening to, that's for sure. But that as very rarely a bad thing in my opinion. Anyway, they are definitely good for dancing to as well. And we all know (well maybe not all of us) how much I love to dance.

I think I may be a bit late to jump on this bandwagon, but Paper Route has recently found it's way into my life as well. Good tunes, for sure.

Also, Fun. has been on a few of my playlists as of late. Their last album, Aim and Ignite, is quite good. I love their sound, [just about] all of their songs are so catchy. The guitarist of Fun., Jack Antonoff, is also the singer for Steel Train, who just released a great album themselves.

As mentioned in one of my last posts, Sleigh Bells is just another one of many artists that has become a part of my musical life. They are definitely different, and may take some getting used to. Just don't cast them out right away if you aren't sure about their sound. I didn't like them at first, then I listened to them again a few weeks later and fell in love with their chaotic, good sounding noise. And then proceeded to almost blow the speakers in my car because they have so much bass in their songs and I have crappy sound in my car.

Let me know what you think of these artists! Be sure to give them all a listen, or at least listen to some of one song from each of them, yeah?

Happy listening, and later days.

Sugar On the Asphalt

Instead of watching the Mexico game right now, I'm sitting in my basement/room listening to Jimmy Eat World's first album and waiting for my laundry to dry. But aparrently Mexico is losing, so I'm not too bummed about missing it.

In 15 minutes I'm going to a work BBQ/party thing for Brick Oven. That should be...interesting. I'll just leave it at that.

Really, this post is kind of pointless.

Though I would like to say that I'm excited for Wrockstock in November. And on that note, I wish I could record my songs with more legit equipment than my one cheap condenser mic, ridiculously complicated and ghetto software, and classical guitar. But, alas, life is not always fair. unfortunately. But why can it not be??

I ask myself that all the time.

I suppose everything is possible, right? Perhaps the possibilities have just yet to present themselves in my life. Hopefully.

Okay, I'm going to go on a short tangent.

I want to play music. I don't care if I get played on the radio or only have a small group of fans or something, but I want to record an album with someone who can actually produce it, and I want to tour the US and Canada, at the very least. I think this has always been a suppressed dream of mine, in the sense that I've always thought it was a neat idea but I never saw it as an ideal thing to do.

But I have recently changed my mind.

I realize it's kind of a big ambition, but I've got the time, I'm only 19. I just want to live my life to the fullest, however cliche that may sound. But it's the truth.

Hmm. I need a drum set.

Later days.

Song of the Day: "Bleed American" by Jimmy Eat World

fact: The things I get the most compliments on are my purple jeans and blue watch. I'd like to thank Target for this.

Dance Dance Dance

Okay folks. Confession time.

I know for a fact that I'm not the only one who does this, but it's still weird to admit.

I dance. A lot. I know, I know. It's ridiculous, right? But I do, and I've even found that the times I dance the most are when I'm by myself.

I don't know if it's just because I feel more comfortable that way or what, but it's been getting out of hand, people. Whenever I cook/bake, I like to turn on music to listen to, and even when it isn't dance-type music, I dance to it. In the kitchen. While baking.

I dance when I clean my room to, which actually isn't too often, but still. Or when I'm bored, I dance.

In all seriousness though, I love dancing, even if I look like a total idiot. Though...no one is usually around to confirm that, so I could perhaps be an incredibly amazing dancer, who knows?

I'm not sure how many of you actually read my blog, but if you do you you know that I designate a "Song of the Day" every time I put up a new post. So here's my question to you: What is your song of the day? I want to know what you all are listening to. So leave a comment telling me what you're hearing, or what you wish you were hearing, or what your favorite thing to hear is.

Good night, and later days.

Song of the Day: "Crown On The Ground" by Sleigh Bells. This band is pretty darn unique. I like to describe it as good sounding noise. If you listen to it you'll know what I mean. Also, it is very much an acquired tasted, in fact, the first time I heard it I was kind of like, "What the hell is this", so be warned.

fact: I am legally blind without my contacts or glasses.

Rooftop Crows Nest In A Sea Swell

Today was a rather successful day in terms of creativity and friend making.

In the creativity corner (quite literally, considering that's where my little craft table is in my room) I've finally finished the homemade ghetto screens for the shirts I'm going to be making and selling at Wrockstock for Foundation of Fair Fortune. It took a little bit of trial and error to get to the finish line with this project, but it's worked out now, so all is well. Now I just need to actually get the shirts and print on them, which sounds simple enough, but I have this feeling that something is bound to go a little bit wrong at some point, knowing my luck.

Also, I need to finish my cross stitch project I started a few weeks back. I'm just about half the way done with it, and it's going to take another little while to finish. I'll have to tackle that this next week. Other than that, I just have the drawing I'm doing on a piece of cardboard with a Sharpie. It looks great so far, and I'm enjoying the mediums a lot.

As for the friend making, I went to a bonfire down in Arizona tonight, just across the border about 10 minutes. Even though we made the fire in the correct spot, the cops still came by and got made because we didn't dig a pit for it or something..? So they made us put it out.

Anyway, about half of the people there were friends of friends, but we all got along like we'd known each other before tonight, which was fantastic.

After the bonfire incident, we went to Denny's, seeing as it was 1am and none of us wanted to go home yet.

Now I'm home, and ready to go to bed...except that I still need to prepare a lesson that I'm teaching in Church tomorrow. But I think I'm just going to read over the lesson right now, and then finish prepping for it in the morning before the Brazil game comes on.

Until next time, later days.

Song of the Day: "That Was the Worst Christmas Ever" by Sufjan Stevens. Even though it's techinically a Christmas song, I listen to it all the time, because, well...Sufjan is amazing.

Film of the Day: The Three Musketeers (1993). Only now have I realized how bad of a movie this really is, but how I still enjoy watching it anyway. Also, why, if it is set in France, are there American and English accents only? No one in this film has a French accent and it kind of bugs.

fact: I learned how to roll pizza dough with the big machine thing today at work. I love working in the kitchen.

Hopes, Dreams, and Other Things

I've lately been questioning things. Mainly hopes and dreams, and the pursuit of such things throughout life.

People have always said, "Life's not fair." Well...why the heck not? Why can't life be fair? Who was the person that said it could not be fair, and who are they to continually tell me such? Sure, things happen and life sucks once and a while for various reasons, those reasons varying from little things to drastic life changing events, but why are there so many people in the world willing to accept that that is the way things are? You work through the tough, through the pain and hurt, the frustrations. You strive to find happiness once more, or if you've never had it, to discover it for the first time.

Life can be fair, there is absolutely no reason it should not be. Whether you are religious, or don't believe in any higher power beyond what is on this earth, there is no reason that you should not believe in something great like happiness, or love for that matter.

Ever since I changed my major to English, I've been second guessing myself, asking myself if this is really what I want to do. And I know it is, but why can I not do more? Just because it isn't typical to do more than one thing in life as a profession does not mean I can't do it in my life.

I signed up for a Communications Design class last night because I've been extremely interested in graphic design lately, and thought I could see if I enjoy the very basic essentials of what that specific degree and/or life choice has to offer. If so, I'm thinking I might get my masters in graphic design. I know I'll continue my education further once I have my bachelor's degree, I've always had that goal in mind, but it wasn't until recently that I decided to go in a completely different direction than what I'm doing now. I want to finish what I'm doing now, there's no doubt about that, but once I've graduated, I want change.

I feel like most people fear change a little bit, but are eager to have it in their lives all the same. I think this is why I want to live in so many places in the years to come. I want stability and continuity, but I can always do more. There is always more.

In conclusion...wait no. I hate that.

In the end.

Anyway.

In summation.

We all have the chance to live well, and we all have the ability to choose how to do that. So do it well, and, ultimately, be happy.

Later days.

This was kind of a rant of a blog post, my apologies.

Band of the Day: The Hidden Cameras. At the moment, I'm quite enjoying the song "A Miracle" and, though I probably shouldn't love it so much, "Steal All You Can M*********r". But if I were you, I'd at least give the first one a listen. I have yet to even come close to listening to all of their tunes. This is very much the kind of music I strive to make, personally. Just laid back and chill.

fact: Even during the ridiculously hot St. George summers, I sleep with a comforter on me. I like to be cozy.

Today Is the Day

The day that Toy Story 3 comes out in theatres.

I was talking with some friends yesterday about how it's been 11 years since Toy Story 2, and 15 years since the very first Toy Story movie. It's incredible how much time has passed, because it really doesn't seem like it's been that long.

That's really all I had to say.

And that I can't see the England World Cup game tomorrow because we don't have ESPN 2 or something. Bummer.

Later days.

Song of the Day: "Brooklyn is Burning" by Head Automatica

Film of the Day: School Ties (1992). Very good movie. Matt Damon, Brendan Frasier, Ben Affleck, Chris O'Donnell...quite good acting in their younger years.

fact: The only assigned reading I actually read in high school were The Advenures of Huckleberry Finn, Things Fall Apart, Romeo and Juliet, and Pride and Prejudice. Oh, and The Scarlet Letter, which nearly killed me. Everything else I either read bits and pieces of or didn't read at all, and I rarely used sparknotes.

ache.

I've had a headache since about 9pm last night.

No bueno.

I got some news from my bosses yesterday at work that I'm going to be trained in the bakery part of the kitchen this week. I was super excited because I've been wanting to learn more lately and this is the perfect opportunity to do so. The catch: I have to be at work at 6am. Which means waking up around 5:15.

As we all know, I absolutely despise mornings and generally tend to sleep in as much as my mom allows. In fact, it is extremely difficult to pull myself out of bed before 10am. I don't like doing it.

So I think this getting up at the crack of dawn (quite literally, unfortunately) thing will do me some good. Help to regulate my sleep schedule that has been out of whack for the last year and a half. Plus, I'm just excited to be able to learn all this new stuff and get a few more hours under my belt. It'll really help paying for Wrockstock to be a lot easier.

Speaking of traveling, I'm really thinking about going to visit Canada sometime next year. I would be going to, or around, Kitchener, Ontario, seeing as that's where Devin lives. I would love to go to Vancouver and Montreal too, eventually. I also need to start paying off the interest on my student loans. I also kind of want some new speakers for my car. And a drum set.

But, alas, money does not grow on trees, and I've recently come to accept the fact that not having everything I want right when I want it will make me happy.

Though I would be stoked to have a drum set right now.

I digress.

Later days.

Song of the Day: "What's It Feel Like To Be A Ghost?" by Taking Back Sunday

Although Taking Back Sunday was a product of my 'me wanting to be super cool by listening to super cool music' phase during 9th grade, I think that they are probably in my top 10 most favorite bands to this day.

fact: I own the first 4 seasons of Weeds and the first 3 seasons of Dexter on DVD, seeing as they are my two favorite shows, followed closely by Skins.

Simplicity

Ah, simple. Simple simple simple.

And now I've just been reminded of that one nursery rhyme about Simple Simon trying to buy a pie at the fair but not having any money to do so. Which has absolutely nothing to do with the point I was trying to make, yet I just took 2 minutes of my time to grab my 37 year old Mother Goose book off of my shelf to look that up. I LOVE having A.D.D. Except not.

Anyway, simplicity. It's a grand thing. My old art teach, Mr. Clancy, used to tell us "keep it simple stupid" whenever we were thinking too hard about something. I think he threw the "stupid" part in there just so that it would spell the acronym* KISS correctly. But regardless, he had a point, and not just with art, but with life in general. Keep it simple. Don't over think.

I'm not really a shy person, but people think I am because I don't really talk a whole lot when you first meet me (usually-there are occasions where this isn't really an issue; I guess it just depends). It's not that I'm shy, but I just don't really have anything to say, though I talk if I do have something on my mind that I want to share aloud. I don't like bombarding people with words and talking just for the sake of doing so. Obviously if I'm having a conversation I'm not going to be mute, I'm going to carry on speaking, but I feel as though so many people need to have noise around them all the time.

I am completely content with awkward silence.

Later days.

Song of the Day: "Own Your Own Home" by Rogue Wave

fact: I've seen Prince of Persia twice since it came out last week. And I'd easily see it again.

*I just had to type "letters standing for words" into Google because I could remember "acronym". It came up right away too. Three cheers for Google.

No Worries

I'm still here! I honestly kind of forgot about blogging for this last little bit, and the last few weeks have just flown by.

My life as of late:

I've been listening to an excessive amount of Tiesto, Danny Dementor, An Horse, Chiodos, and Rogue Wave. And of course Tegan and Sara. I don't think I ever stop listening to them, so that doesn't count. I also seem to be heading back to my screamo/hardcore/lots-of-double-bass phase. I'm okay with this.

I am still reading my 40 books! I'm only on book 15 right now because I'm such a slow reader, but I finished The Chocolate War last week, and it was AMAZING. Or at least worthy of being my third favorite I've read so far this year, after Hunger Games and Catching Fire.

I work about 2 to 4 days a week (generally it's closer to the 2 times a week mark) washing dishes until 1am. It's great fun. I wish I could do it every day.

I have been trying to play my Foundation of Fair Fortune songs a lot so as to learn them completely by the time Wrockstock comes around. I haven't signed up for the Willow yet, seeing as the signups for it just opened yesterday, but I'll probably get around to that today.

What I've been trying to do is play every song I've written for FoFF about twice through every time I pick up one of my guitars (I got a new guitar, I don't know if I have mentioned that here yet). That way I can hopefully perfect them to my liking, maybe change some lyrics or music, but just overall get a good feel for every one of them, since there are a good amount. Though I'm still not sure which ones I'll end up playing for my 30 minute set.

The last couple of days I've been working on a t-shirt design for FoFF. I came up with one I really like, so I'm in the process of making up some ghetto silk screens for it (like...really ghetto) to see if it'll work out. If it doesn't, I'm going to end up making something more simple, probably just some cool looking text.

I've also decided to record a demo EP to have available at Wrockstock, so that should be fun to work on.

Just this week, I've decided that I will be spending most of my financial aid/loan money for this coming semester on my text books and a new laptop. More specifically, a Macbook pro, most likely 15". So that should be exciting.

I'm also thinking about getting this set of bells that I spotted at a pawn shop the other day. And by bells, I don't mean like, church bell bells, but bells you play with mallets. They're basically a small xylophone, but made of metal, not wood and/or fiberglass.

That's all I have for you for now. I'll try to update again this week, I have a lot of spare time right now.

Until then, later days.

Song of the Day: "No You Girls" by Franz Ferdinand

fact: I wont be able to visit Ventura this year again until Christmas, most likely. There's a small chance of an October visit, but it's quite tiny as far as chances go. It's unfortunate, and kind of weird, that I can't go, because I still feel like it's my home, having lived there for basically my whole life, but I have to accept that my home is here now. Especially since I'll be here for at least 2 more years finishing school. After I graduate, I'm off to Canada. Or somewhere that isn't Utah. Preferably a blue state.