Must Love Music

VOTE!!!

2011-03-31T20:09:00.005-04:00

Vote for Coheed & Cambria (or your favorite bands, whichever!) in MTV's second-annual Musical March Madness!

Coheed Coheed Coheed!!!

Happy weekend!
Emily Noel

In Need of Change (And Some Nicki)

2011-03-13T20:43:00.006-04:00

This year has been nothing short of a revolution in my life, starting with July 2010 when I finished writing my second (still unpublished) novel, continuing with a very (socially) wild Fall 2010 semester, and ending with unforeseen good fortune in these first few months of 2011. That being said, I'm cruising for new ideas to spice up this blog. I can't keep reviewing stuff people have already heard, mainly because I don't have enough time or the means to track down new music before it gets released. By the time I review it, it's mostly old news. And besides, just doing a regular review is nothing cool - you could read that in Rock Sound or SPIN or whatever.

I guess I'm saying I need a new angle, somehow. Suggestions are welcome, although I'm really just wondering aloud here. To be honest, I'm kind of over this blog. It was created as 1) a hobby/distraction back in the Summer of '09 and 2) because I thought I wanted to review music for a living, like a columnist or something, but I don't want to do that anymore. But I suppose it's still a good hobby.

Anyway, if I'm gonna keep up with it, I might as well spill my guts about my latest musical crush: Nicki Minaj, the newest pop diva out to shock you with her ingenious (or maybe insane) outfits and hairstyles and - of course - music. You've all heard her featured in songs by other artists like Lil Wayne and Jay Sean, and with her debut album Pink Friday out somewhat recently, she's been the talk of the pop/hip-hop world. My favorite songs are those she is featured in, like "2012" by Jay Sean and "Bottom's Up" by Trey Songz, mainly because Nicki gets to sing the best lines.

But my favorite of Nicki's work actually doesn't come from Pink Friday. It's a song called "Girlfriend," which is hilarious and catchy and often gets blasted in my car and screamed back and forth with some of my best friends. Basically, the song is about your "BFF Girlfriend" (who is rather more than a friend) in which Nicki pulls off the most absurd lyrics, such as my personal favorite: "Would you like some rice with that? / We get a lotta cheese, no mice with that / I mean, I want some ice with that / No soda, where your owner? / Give ya license back, ho!" Does it make any sense? Not really, but it still sounds amazing. And the rather clever lyric: "Get them bottles of Rose, one Long Island Ice-ee Tea / Put my bracelet in the mirror, I see me, icy me - get it?" (And if you don't like it, too bad, it all sounds awesome when you're tipsy, in which case no one cares if it doesn't make any sense!)

I'm really not much of a rap fan except for some classic Eminem, but this chick's got attitude and she'll go far with it, despite the competition of the pop genre with goddesses like Gaga floating around. On the surface, Nicki's songs seem like they're all about partying, fame, and money...but there's a harshness underneath, a certain fiery aggression that I've only seen flauted in female artists like Missy Elliot - but Nicki goes above and beyond with her Gaga-esque flair for flamboyant fashion. Keep an eye on this star - Nicki Minaj isn't done shocking her fans and stirring up the critics, not by a long shot.

Hope you all had a good weekend,
Emily Noel

New Year, New Look

2011-03-10T14:55:00.004-05:00

Hey, Music Lovers!

It's been FOREVER since I updated but I've been busy with my final year of college, turning twenty-one, being social, planning my future (ha, what a joke!) and devoting time to other kinds of writing (mainly novels.) So excuse my nearly-year-long hiatus and let's pretend that I'm back online to stay. (Don't bet on it, though.) And also, can I just have a quick round of applause for the new layout? Just kidding. I had to design a blog for my computer class and I learned some new stuff I wasn't aware of when I originally made this blog, so I figure I'd update it a bit.

Anyway, even though I've been MIA, the music world has kept on spinning. Don't think I haven't been listening, though! I want to take a look at all the crazy fabulous music coming on the scene right now - starting with the one and only Lady Gaga and her latest single "Born This Way." If you haven't seen the cinematic, futuristic, attention-grabbing (or attention-seeking, as some critics would say) music video for the single, you can find it here. As all Gaga fans probably already know, her new album Born This Way drops on May 23, 2011. (It's been marked on my calendar since she announced it on New Year's Eve.)

A lot of people were strongly against Gaga's new song because it was too Madonna-esque. (Well, duh, guys, I mean every critic has compared the two of them in every way imaginable!) But just getting this out there right now: GAGA IS NOT MADONNA!!! Yeah, okay, they both love to shock their fans and critics alike; they have a flair for fashion and performance, and their music is basically in the same pop genre. But Gaga is her own person, a unique artist who knows her way around the music industry, and I admire her determination and dedication because she's not here to sell out, be famous, and make a billion bucks. She's here to please her fans and make a statement. And with "Born This Way," that statement is just a repeat of what everyone else has been telling you since you were in kindergarten: be true to yourself, be who you are, and love yourself. (But maybe, since it's Gaga saying it this time, people will actually listen. I wouldn't be surprised.) Gaga sings, "God makes no mistakes, I'm on the right track, baby, I was born this way," to a catchy synth-pop track. And maybe the lyrics are a little cheesy, but so what? Of all people, Lady G can afford to take the risk of being corny, because she's sending an admirable message.

I'll admit, when I first read the leaked lyrics of this song, I was dubious at best. It seemed like the same-old, same-old story about how everyone's a unique snowflake or whatever, and a blatant statement of Gaga's campaign for equality (which, by the way, I fully support.) And yeah, I can also admit that the song is a little cheesy, but I came to love it because it's clear from listening mulitple times, seeing a bunch of performances on live TV, and watching the music video that this is an important message to Gaga herself. It's plain to me that she wants her fans to feel the same freedom she does, to indulge in who they are and enjoy themselves. No matter what stunning mask, insane heels, or flashy outfit she's wearing, Lady Gaga seems to enjoy herself at all times - and hell yeah, I wanna feel that way, too!

So yes, maybe it's corny as hell, and maybe it's all been said and done before, but just remember: everyone was born a certain way for a reason, everything happens for a reason, and even if we all look different, we're really the same at heart. People tend to dismiss that sort of stuff as being too sentimental and idealistic, but it's true. We're just so busy complaining and being prejudiced against those who are different that we tend to overlook the obvious: we're all people, and we all feel the same things, more or less.

So if you haven't already checked out "Born This Way," get on that!

More to come soon! (I hope, if I don't forget the blog again!)
Emily Noel

Summer Reading - Part I

2010-07-26T15:57:00.002-04:00

Alright, so it’s not music reviews, but whatever. I’ve been taking a hiatus from obsessing over music this summer (I know, it’s tragic!) to focus on writing projects and expanding my literary knowledge. Here’s a sampling of my summer reading list so far. (There’s more to come, I just haven’t gotten around to reviewing them yet.)

Year of the Black Rainbow – Claudio Sanchez
Compliments of the deluxe edition of Coheed & Cambria’s fifth studio album, this action-packed sci-fi novel clearly bears the mark of Sanchez’s creative genius. You don’t have to know Coheed’s songs and the back story of the albums to appreciate this novel, although it certainly altered my interpretation of the album of the same name. Altogether a good read if you’re a Coheed fan and/or sci-fi geek.

The Silver Hearted – David McConnell
If you can get past the vague descriptions of everything and make sense of the setting, you’ll enjoy a brief adventure across several unnamed country with an unidentified main character bringing a shipment of silver to some mysterious private investor. Don’t hold your breath, though—half the time I had no idea what was going on, and although the ending was a real twist, it left me wanting to burn the book in a fit of rage for wasting my time. (In short I don’t recommend it, unless you like really, really bizarre stories about intrigue and political...stuff.)

The Host – Stephenie Meyer
Now, keep in mind—I was a Twilight fan about three years ago, but my real interest dissolved as soon as the fan-girls descended on the scene, so I’m not a huge fan of Meyer to begin with. The length of the novel alone was enough to turn me off—it’s unnecessarily drawn out in many parts, and there’s a myriad of extraneous characters. Over all, the novel’s biggest strength is the creepy concept of “hosts” invading the minds of humans and claiming control of their bodies—a mostly-original spin on a sort of post-apocalyptic universe. Not altogether a terrible read—I polished it off in two or three days and it definitely held my interest—but if you’re not one for long-winded dialogue and several pointless scenes where one’s mind tends to wander for a few pages, it’s not the book for you.

Her Fearful Symmetry – Audrey Niffenegger
If you’re a fan of Niffenegger’s debut novel The Time Traveler’s Wife, don’t get overly excited for her sophomore work: it’s a whole different kettle of fish. Nevertheless, Niffenegger does not fail to present us with instantly-lovable characters and a taste of London so rich that you’ll be downing cups of tea and booking your airfare to England in minutes. The story is wonderfully told but falls a little short at the end, almost as if the author’s attention wandered away and gave out suddenly. Despite the disappointing and somewhat depressing ending, you’ll be swept away to England with a mischievous set of twins and the ghost of their dead aunt in the most unexpected plot-twist.

Jumper Cable – Piers Anthony
Another one for the fantasy-lovers—if you’re new to Piers Anthony’s realm of Xanth, you might not enjoy this book. While I found it to be a delightful revisit with some Xanth characters who haven’t surfaced in awhile (I’ve been reading the Xanth novels since I was seven) new readers might not catch all the little repetitive nuances and references that make Xanth so special. Piers Anthony is definitely an acquired taste to say the least, but if you’re going to venture into Xanth for the first time, start with some of his earlier works (Faun & Games, Yon Ill Wind, and Demons Don’t Dream are among my personal favorites) before catching up with the newer novels. For returning Xanthians, jump right into this one—you’ll be surprised who turns up!

More to come when I finally finish reading, reviewing, and organizing my thoughts. This is, to be sure, quite the literary summer for me!

Happy Reading!
Emily Noel

Two Things

2010-06-29T17:09:00.004-04:00

Two totally random things:

First, the newest MC Lars music video for the song "Twenty-Three" and his new EP of the same name. I've been a big fan of MC Lars since Fall 2009 and "Twenty-Three" is the song that got me into him. It's a song about the suicide of a friend of his, and now Lars is working with AFSP (the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention) and donating his own earnings to the cause, to help prevent suicide, especially among teens. The Twenty-Three EP also features another of my favorites, "Hey There Ophelia" which is a somewhat humorous re-telling of Hamlet (which happens to be my favorite Shakespeare play.) So check out the Twenty-Three EP and the music video - and help the cause!

Another thing that caught my eye was news from Owl City - a new album to be released in July. It's not an Owl City album; it's Adam Young's earlier music. Hope it's as great at the Owl City albums!

Happy Tuesday!
Emily Noel

Most Mismatched Music Video EVER.

2010-06-18T15:17:00.005-04:00

So at this point in Summer 2010, I can assume the majority of you have heard Katy Perry's new single "California Gurls." (And if you haven't...well, get on that.) It's a great summer jam in my opinion, but then again I'm biased because I'm in love with Katy Perry.

But the recently-released "California Gurls" music video kind of blows my mind. "Candyfornia"? Let's be real. I mean, as much as I love watching Katy Perry put on half a dozen candy-themed outfits while Snoop Dogg detracts from the quality of the song in the background, I don't really see the correlation between California and a Katy Perry-themed version of the Candyland board game. But even though it seems ridiculous, I couldn't hate it because Katy's got even more pep and sparkle in this video. She may not be a show-stopper like Gaga, but she's got her own look, her own vibe, her own moves. Not to mention the quality - lollipops morphing into snakes, cotton candy clouds, incredible costumes - is pretty impressive. The video is cute, Katy's just as hot as ever, and the song is still a great beach tune for the summer no matter which coast you're on.

Happy Friday!
Emily Noel

Well, It's Been Awhile - Happy Summer 2010!

2010-06-17T16:09:00.006-04:00

Alright, I admit defeat when it comes to this blog. I haven't given up on it entirely, but my priorities have shifted, for sure. This year taught me a lot, and one thing it taught me is that I don't want to write for a music magazine. At least not right now. Actually, I don't really know what I want to do with my life at all - this year erased all prior notions for some reason - but my point is, I've been focusing more on my fiction writing these past few months, which is why the blog has been so neglected.

Anyway, I'm not doing a full-scale review right now, but I've had a lot of songs rolling around my brain for this last glorious month of this summer, so I figured I'd post a list of what I've been listening to, in case anyone is curious or is just looking for new music. =] Enjoy!

(PS - These are not all new songs that I've discovered, some I've known for a long time, it's just that they're relevant to this summer and what I've been listening to lately.)

My Summer 2010 Playlist (So Far)
"Devil in Jersey City" - Coheed and Cambria
"Constructive Summer" - The Hold Steady
"Be Calm" - Fun.
"Starlett Johansson" - The Teenagers
"Walcott" - Vampire Weekend
"Girls in Their Summer Clothes" - Bruce Springsteen
"At Least I'm Not As Sad (As I Used To Be)" - Fun.
"The End" - John Wesley Harding
"Majoring in Minors" - Sugarcult
"Atlantic City" - Bruce Springsteen
"Horchata" - Vampire Weekend
"Walking the Dog" - Fun.
"Wheel of Fortune" - The Teenagers
"Hey Soul Sister" - Train
"Get Out of My Head" - The Leftovers
"Summerboy" - Lady Gaga
"California Gurls" - Katy Perry
"Run Away" - Skyfox
"Banditos" - Refreshments

And that's about it for now...but hopefully I'll remember the blog a bit more often this summer and do some actual reviews.

Happy Thursday!
Emily Noel

Today Is My All-Time Favorite Day!

2010-04-13T16:40:00.002-04:00

I woke up to weak sun shining through my window. I blinked, content in the knowledge that I had a day off, until my evening Music & Poetry class, at least.

And then, I started smiling like a five-year-old on Christmas, because I realized today is the day that Coheed's fifth studio album Year of the Black Rainbow comes out. Of course, I pre-ordered the deluxe package months ago, and I was eager to see if it arrived on time, forwarded to my dorm from my house.

First, I finished all my errands and homework like the dedicated college kid I am (no, but really!) and then I all but sprinted to the mail room. To be honest, I didn't expect the package to be there, but when the mail lady showed it to me I think I almost fainted with joy. I kept thanking her and I told her how much I hoped it would come today and she laughed at me good-naturedly. And then I went floating happily back to my dorm, paced around my room in a frenzy for a moment, and finally opened it.

The deluxe package is beautiful. I won't go into detail describing the artwork and all, but it includes a full-color, hardcover lyrics book, a "Making-Of" DVD, the full-length prose novel co-written by Claudio Sanchez, the Black Card pass, and (of course) the album.

That's when the squealing and the excited jumping-for-joy began on my part.

Finally I calmed down enough to load the disc onto my laptop and my iPod, and then I laid down on my bed, closed my eyes, and put my headphones on. I stayed that way for a full hour, just absorbing the songs, occasionally looking at the lyrics book.

I still haven't fully absorbed the album because I only had time for one full listen so far. I was not disappointed with the album on the whole, but it is very different from Coheed's previous work. But hey, it's meant to be a prequel, so of course it's a new style. My two favorite songs off the album right now are "Far" and "Made Out of Nothing (All That I Am)." I'm very pleased with the album; I think it really shows the progress of the band.

And if that weren't proof enough of Coheed's success, today MTV announced that they won MTV's Musical March Madness Trophy! (Of course, I voted for them all the way - and apparently I wasn't the only one!) They beat out My Chemical Romance in the final round. The article can be found on MTV's site here.

Congratulations to Coheed and Cambria - now everyone go buy Year of the Black Rainbow!

Happy Tuesday!
Emily Noel

Another New Coheed Single, Another Amazing Day

2010-03-05T13:31:00.003-05:00

"Here We Are Juggernaut" came out yesterday! It is Coheed and Cambria's second single off of Year of the Black Rainbow, and I love it even more than "The Broken." A little more than a month until YotBR! Can't wait!

"Here We Are Juggernaut," like "The Broken," has a new sound to it in comparision to Coheed's last 3 albums. Actually, if anything these are sounding a bit like Second Stage Turbine Blade, their first studio album, but that would make sense because YotBR is a prequel to all the other albums. Even Claudio Sanchez's voice sounds different, less emotionally invested, I guess, but I like that because he's not portraying the same character anymore. (For those who don't know, the other albums centered around a story based on comic books written by Claudio Sanchez. This new album is a prequel to that four-part story, told over their last four studio albums.)

Anyway, I realize I've been falling behind on everything blog-related, but that's because of homework and the fact that I've been working on original fiction writing a lot more lately, which is okay because it means I haven't been slacking in general. Just slacking on the blog. But it'll probably pick back up later in the spring and definitely in the summer.

Happy Friday!
Emily Noel

Coheed's New Single + Top 5 (Round 2)

2010-02-15T17:54:00.003-05:00

Seriously, I can't handle the amount of new music I've been overloaded with (primarily because I now have a flock of iTunes gift cards with which to buy copious amounts of new music.) But I was SO EXCITED that I even forgot to update about one of the best things ever: Coheed and Cambria's new single, "The Broken."

Did I stay up until midnight to get it on iTunes? Obvs! (Actually, it was released a bit earlier than that, for some reason.) And...I have mixed feelings about it. It's good, but I guess it's just strange for me to accept something new of theirs after loving the other four current studio albums so much. And I hate judging albums on singles, so I'll just have to wait for Year of the Black Rainbow to be released. Besides, I have to keep reminding myself that this 5th album is a prequel to the others, so of course it's going to be different.

Anyway, I guess I'll post the lyrics from last week.

“Pull the Curtain” – Sum 41
“Something's wrong because I find the glamour in the dark side
In the dark side
(Where'd I go wrong?)
Cheap regrets, can't forget,
Falling victim to the debts
Still unpaid in my mind.

The one and only day has come,
I pay for all the bad things I've done.

It's gonna take me, you don't know tragedy
I've been to hell and back again to tell
Close my eyes and lay me down to sleep
I fear the worst, my beating heart ticks to explode
And my time is up so...

(Why can't I just lie?!)

Living dead awake, the horror show begins
So pull the curtains over me
Bring on the panic
The uncontrolled and manic
It's a free for all, kill them all, every last one of them, I don't care.”

---

Well, that’s cheerful, right? But I love this song because of the rage and pain in his voice. It’s really one of the most depressing songs I’ve ever heard; I can instantly get angry about something when I hear it, or if I’m already angry, I feel instantly justified in it.

“Mr. Brightside” – The Killers
“I'm coming out of my cage
And I've been doing just fine
Gotta, gotta be down
Because I want it all.
It started out with a kissHow did it end up like this?
It was only a kiss, it was only a kiss.

Now I'm falling asleep
And she's calling a cab
While he’s having a smoke
And she's taking a drag
Now they're going to bed
And my stomach is sick
And it's all in my head
But she's touching his chest now
He takes off her dress now
Let me go.
And I just can't look, it's killing me
And taking control.

Jealousy, turning saints into the sea
Swimming through sick lullabies
Choking on your alibis
But it's just the price I pay
Destiny is calling me
Open up my eager eyes
'Cause I'm Mr. Brightside.”

---
This is definitely in my all-time top-five songs of my entire life. It is probably one of the greatest break-up songs ever, and Brandon Flowers just has a way of making you feel the rejection coursing through every verse. It is super depressing and he sounds so resigned in it that by the end of the song I just end up feeling like rejection is fate.

“The Horror of Our Love” – Ludo
“I wake in terrorBlackbirds screaming
Dark cathedrals spilling
Midnight on their alters
I'm your servant
My immortal
Pale and perfect
Such unholy heaving
The statues close their eyes
The room is changing
Break my skin and drain me

Ancient language,
Speak through fingers
The awful edges
Where you end and I begin
Inside your mouth, I cannot see
There's catastrophe in everything I'm touching
As I sweat and crush you
And I hold your beating chambers
Until they beat no more
You die like angels sing.

Oh, the horror of our love
Never so much blood pulled through my veins
Oh, the horror of our love
Never so much blood.”

---
This is actually a really beautiful, haunting song to me, and I can never get over the imagery. I can just picture the darkness and lust taking over from the way he describes it.

“Sometime Around Midnight” – The Airborne Toxic Event
“As you stand...
Under the bar lights
And the band plays some song about forgetting yourself for a while
And the piano's this melancholy sound check to her smile
And that white dress she's wearing,
You haven't seen her for a while.

But you know...
That she's watching.
She's laughing, she's turning
She's holding her tonic like a crux.
The room suddenly spinning,
She walks up and asks how you are
So you can smell her perfume
You can see her lying naked in your arms

And so there's a change...
In your emotions.
And all of these memories come rushing
Like feral waves to your mind
Of the curl of your bodies,
Like two perfect circles, entwined.
And you feel hopeless, and homeless
And lost in the haze of the wine.”

---
This is another really powerfully emotional song, but I also can’t get over the imagery. It just paints such a vivid scene that it feels like I’m watching a film clip of some sort of post-break-up scene in a bar, every time I hear it.

“Higher Power” - Boston
“Let me love you
Take me home to your religion for the night
Let me touch you
Teach me how to see your vision through my eyes
Turn the pages
Tell my story, let me face another day
Safe embraces, I feel it comin' now
My captain's on his way.

Hey, my high power
The world is spinnin', but I'm not afraid
Yeah, give me the power
It's the beginnin', the beginnin' of another day.”

---
This is a really fun, upbeat song in general, but you can still get the message just by reading the lyrics. To me, it’s never really been totally clear if he’s talking about God or a lover, but I like it either way because it still refers to some sort of relationship on a sacred level, and having either one can make you feel invincible.

Happy Monday!
Emily Noel

Top 5 - Round 1

2010-02-08T18:26:00.005-05:00

So, for my Music & Poetry class we have to pick our top-five lyrics every week, and I thought it'd be neat to list them here, too, since I have to do it for homework. I've still got a lot of blog topics I want to get to, but I'm kind of lacking the ambition to do full reviews right now.

Here's last week's Top 5 lyrics.

“The Suffering” - Coheed and Cambria
“We have lived as a child would care,
With this vial to drink I dare
(Oh, where have you been, oh where have you been?)
Only to cry all alone with your taste on tongue
(Oh, where have you been if it hurts to be forgiving? Bye...)

Should we try this again with hope? (Bye, bye)
Or is it lost, give up the ghost.
And should I die all alone as I knew I would...
(Then burn in hell young sinner!)
If it was up to me,
I would’ve figured you out
Way before the year clocked out
Oh, I hope you’re waiting
Oh, I hope you’re waiting.

Listen well, will you marry me?
(Not now, boy)
And are you well in the suffering?
(You’ve been…)
The most gracious of hosts,
I may be invited, girl,
But I’m not coming in.”

Coheed and Cambria is my all-time favorite band, and this is my favorite song by them. Despite its depressing-sounding title, I think “The Suffering” is one of the most inspiring songs I’ve ever heard. There is a lot of back-story surrounding the actual meaning of Co&Ca’s lyrics, because all the albums are based on graphic novels, but to me “The Suffering” is about losing the one you love, yet waiting for them anyway. At this point, the main character of the song is discouraged that he can’t get the girl he loves, and he has a lot of regrets, but he keeps trying for her and she’s rejecting him. But the hope and desperation in Claudio Sanchez’s voice kills me every time—I’ve heard this song at least three hundred times if I’ve heard it once and I’ll never stop being obsessed with it.

----------------

“Constructive Summer” - The Hold Steady
“Me and my friends are like
Double whiskey, coke no ice
We drink along in double time
Might drink too much, but we feel fine!

We're gonna build something this summer
Summer, grant us all the power
To drink on top of the water towers,
With love and trust and shows all summer
(Get hammered!)
Let this be my annual reminder
That we can all be something bigger.”

“Constructive Summer” is really fun to drive to or just rock out to, and it’s my favorite song by The Hold Steady. It’s basically just about being with your friends and having a great time, even though a lot of other things tend to get in the way and get you down. This song is all about forgetting all that and just letting go and enjoying the little things.

----------------

“Miami” - Taking Back Sunday
“Miami, Miami, Miami,
Well, every hour on the hour (every hour on the hour)
You have to, you just have to trust me
Whoever I was then,
I can't ever be again.

The faith you found, I never felt (never felt)
The terror held in wedding bells
And comfort in there’s no one else
The truth be told I'm never gonna know.”

“Miami” is another fast-paced, rocking-out song, also perfect for driving. “Whoever I was then / I can’t ever be again,” always hits me hard because it’s so true; there are always certain events in your life that change you permanently and are totally out of your control. The last stanza I included is my favorite, because it’s about a fear of commitment and how sometimes it feels safer to be alone. Sometimes you’re too hurt to trust anyone, even if you secretly want to be in love again.

----------------

“Dark Blue” – Jack’s Mannequin
“We were boxing the stars
We were boxing (we were boxing)
You were swinging for Mars
And then the water reached the West Coast
And took the power lines (the power lines)
And it was me and you (this could last forever)
And the whole town under water
There was nothing we could do
It was dark blue.

Dark blue (dark blue)
Have you ever been alone in a crowded room?
Well, I'm here with you
I said the world could be burning (burning) down
Dark blue,
Have you ever been alone in a crowded room?
Well, I'm here with you
I said the world could be burning, now there’s nothing but dark blue.

If you’ve ever been alone,
You’ll know (dark blue)
If you've ever been alone,
You'll know (you'll know.)”

Aside from dark blue being (coincidentally) my favorite color, this is one of my all-time top-ten favorite songs because it reminds me of unforgettable nights in my past with unforgettable people, some of who stuck around and some who have slipped out of my life. To me, it’s about being totally lost in the moment of a perfect night.

----------------

“Goodnight, Demon Slayer” – Voltaire
“Tell the harpies that land on your bed post
That at the count of five, you’ll roast them alive
Tell the devil it’s time you gave him his due
He should go back to hell, he should shake in his shoes
’Cause the mightiest, scariest, creature is you.

But I won’t tell you, there’s nothing beneath your bed
I won’t sell you, that it’s all in your head
This world of ours is not as it seems
The monsters are real but they're not in your dreams
Learn what you can from the beasts you defeat,
You’ll need it for some of the people you meet.

Goodnight, demon slayer, goodnight
Now it’s time to close your tired eyes
There are devils to slay and dragons to ride
If they see you coming, hell they better hide
Goodnight, goodnight, goodnight
Goodnight, my little slayer, goodnight.”

The artist, Voltaire, wrote this song for his son to get over his bedtime fears of monsters and the dark. I love it because it’s humorous and cute to listen to as an adult, knowing that there are no such things as dragons and monsters. But the second stanza I included are my favorite because I sometimes I wish I was still young enough to believe in imaginary creatures, and innocent enough not to know about life’s real “monsters,” like all the people you can’t trust.

Happy Monday!
Emily Noel

Looking Back

2010-02-06T12:55:00.005-05:00

So, since I didn't blog for so long, we're going to take a glance back at what I didn't cover. Like the Grammy's last week. I'm not even going to say anything about who won what, because most of the artists that I love weren't even nominated (when Coheed and Cambria gets a Grammy, let me know) but I will say this: a lot of the performances were epic!

Top 3 Performances - Grammy's 2010
1) Pink - "Glitter in the Air"
2) Lady Gaga & Elton John - "Speechless"
3) Green Day and the cast of American Idiot the musical - "21 Guns"

If you didn't see any of these performances, I can't tell you how much you need to YouTube them or something. Pink's was especially phenomenal - she literally did glitter in the air, suspended above the stage in a nearly-nude body suit and sparkling heels. (Watch out, Lady Gaga! You have a contender for performance style here.)

Another topic that I never got around to was the end-of-2009 stuff. Rolling Stone came out with their “Top Such and Such of the Decade” issue, and I hated it, mostly because they chose really terrible stuff, and also because they CHEATED, because they listed multiple albums and/or songs for an artist. (Which I don’t think is fair.) So I made my own Best Albums of 2009 List, and I cheated, too. So there, Rolling Stone. See ya! (Also, RS lost more points in my eyes, because they put stupid John Mayer on the cover of their latest issue. To quote a friend and fellow JM-hater: “He makes me want to cut my ears off.”) But I made it super obvious by putting Coheed and Cambria as 1 and 2. No surprises there!

(And if I messed up and any of these albums are actually not from this decade...too bad. It's the decade I discovered them in, regardless.)

Emily Noel’s Top 50 Albums of the Decade:
1. Good Apollo, I’m Burning Star IV: Volume 1: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness – Coheed and Cambria
2. In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 – Coheed and Cambria
3. Two Rights Don’t Make a Left But Three Do – Relient K
4. The Black Parade – My Chemical Romance
5. The Great Burrito Extortion Case – Bowling For Soup
6. Everything in Transit – Jack’s Mannequin
7. Five Score and Seven Years Ago – Relient K
8. A Hangover You Don’t Deserve – Bowling For Soup
9. Move Along – All-American Rejects
10. Day & Age – The Killers
11. Folie a Deux – Fall Out Boy
12. Transatlanticism – Death Cab for Cutie
13. Underclass Hero – Sum 41
14. One of the Boys – Katy Perry
15. The Fame Monster – Lady Gaga
16. Boys Like Girls – Boys Like Girls
17. From Under the Cork Tree – Fall Out Boy
18. American Idiot – Green Day
19. Stay Positive – The Hold Steady
20. You’re Awful, I Love You – Ludo
21. Fun House – Pink
22. Absolution – Muse
23. Still Not Getting Any – Simple Plan
24. Take Offs and Landings – Rilo Kiley
25. Almost Here – The Academy Is…
26. All the Right Reasons – Nickelback
27. No Pads, No Helmets…Just Balls – Simple Plan
28. Stadium Arcadium – Red Hot Chili Peppers
29. The Airborne Toxic Event – The Airborne Toxic Event
30. Almost Human – Voltaire
31. This Gigantic Robot Kills – MC Lars
32. The Beautiful Letdown – Switchfoot
33. Louder Now – Taking Back Sunday
34. Extreme Behavior – Hinder
35. How to Save a Life – The Fray
36. Leaving Through the Window – Something Corporate
37. So Long, Astoria – The Ataris
38. Away From the Sun – 3 Doors Down
39. Remember Right Now – Spitalfield
40. Eager to Please – The Leftovers
41. Dreaming Out Loud – Onerepublic
42. Hopes and Fears – Keane
43. Two Lights – Five for Fighting
44. The Story and the Song – Between the Trees
45. Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge - My Chemical Romance
46. In Love and Death - The Used
47. All the Stars and Boulevards – Augustana
48. Ocean Eyes - Owl City
49. A Fever You Can't Sweat Out – Panic! at the Disco
50. Take Off Your Pants and Jacket - Blink-182

Okay, that's enough of that.

Have a great weekend!
Emily Noel

Gaga Leaves Fans “Speechless”

2010-02-04T21:32:00.007-05:00

So here—FINALLY—is my latest review. Sorry for the long hiatus!

But first, before I get to that, may we have a moment of silence for the break-up of Fall Out Boy? I found out yesterday, and I have to say...I'm crushed. I've loved them since the release of From Under the Cork Tree (I don't like the majority of their older stuff) and I can't believe it's over. I saw them live in June 2007, and that has to be one of the best shows I've ever been to.

Forget Pete Wentz!! He's the one that's leaving; I say carry on without him! Who needs him? Everyone thinks he's so hot, but Patrick Stump is all you need--he's the literal voice behind the band, even if Wentz is their image. Some reports claim that it's not a "real" break-up...it's just a "break." Either way, it sounds like no more shows and no new albums.

But...THREE CHEERS FOR FOB! Best of luck to them, no matter what.

And now, for the main event...

Lady Gaga’s sophomore album The Fame Monster hit stores on November 24, 2009. She describes it as more of a B-side to The Fame, but I describe it as…well, honestly? ALBUM OF THE DAMN YEAR!

Oh, yeah. Take that, Grammy’s 2010! I can’t believe Taylor Swift won album of the year!!! Yes, several of my friends have called Swift “a real-life success story,” and I totally agree. She’s pretty cute, and I find her music vaguely appealing in a girl-next-door-makes-good kind of way. But 1) I am NOT a fan of country, and 2) Lady Gaga is a STAR! She is a true performer, and The Fame Monster has just as much sizzle as it has super juicy steak. In other words, it’s well-rounded. It’s not just glossy-glam pop like The Fame.

The Fame Monster shows Gaga’s humanity and vulnerability. She’s not just another slick celeb looking for fame and money. It’s all about her fears and struggles with life’s challenges—with men, friendship, love, sex, the pressures of fame, and finding yourself. I have to admit when I heard “Bad Romance,” Gaga’s first single off of The Fame Monster, I expected more crazy dance songs. I didn’t expect such emotional depth, but The Fame Monster has that, and more. It has pain, let me tell you!

When I first previewed The Fame Monster, I was hesitant. “Dance in the Dark” and “Telephone” have normal dance beats and lyrics when you first listen to them, before you really know what they’re about. But then I previewed “Speechless,” and my God, she left me speechless. Just a thirty-second clip of the song on iTunes—that’s all it took for me to buy the album. And then “Speechless” went on repeat all day and all night, almost nonstop. Eventually I did get around to the other songs, and I love them all, too. But something about that song grabbed me.

It’s more of an acoustic song, and she performed it for Queen Elizabeth on a fascinating set that made me fall in love with the Queen of Pop, and she also played it at the Grammy’s with Elton John (while throwing in bits of “Your Song,” which is the only one of two Elton songs that I like.) Anyway, she wrote “Speechless” for her father, who had a serious heart condition and didn’t want have it fixed. I’ve heard her say in several interviews that the conversations she’d have with him over this time period would literally leave her speechless, and she was so distraught that she wrote this song as a plea for him to save his life. He did finally agree to have surgery, which she paid for, and last I’ve heard he is fine. In an interview with Barbara Walters, Gaga said the experience made her realize that she only gets one set of parents, and how much they mean to her.

“Speechless” broke my heart and then threw me into love with Gaga forever. She rips through the lyrics with pain and desperation that brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it (and it's been over two months since the album was released.)

MY FAVORITE VERSE:
“I can’t believe how you slurred at me
With your half-wired broken jaw.
You popped my heart seams,
All my bubble dreams, bubble dreams!
I can’t believe how you looked at me
With your Johnny Walker eyes,
He’s gonna get you
And after he’s through
There’s gonna be no love left to rye.

And I know that it’s complicated,
But I’m a loser in love, so baby,
Raise a glass to mend
All the broken hearts
Of all my wrecked-up friends!”

CHORUS:
“I’ll never talk again
Oh, boy, you’ve left me speechless,
You’ve left me speechless, so speechless!
And I’ll never love again
Oh, friend, you’ve left me speechless,
You’ve left me speechless, so speechless!”

It makes me cry every time. I think everyone knows what it’s like to worry and care so much about a close friend or family member so much that it hurts, because you’d give anything to save them from their pain or problems, but you can’t, usually. It’s the worst thing, and it’s real. So pay attention, all you Gaga-haters: she isn’t just a hot girl out on the dance floor. This girl knows all about real life situations—she may be an NYU drop-out and a former coke addict, but she’s crafted an amazing life for herself and now she’s one of the biggest icons for our younger generations.

Five Stars for Lady Gaga!
Emily Noel

P.S. – If you haven’t yet bought The Fame Monster and just want a couple of her new, lighter songs, I also recommend “Alejandro,” “Monster,” and “So Happy I Could Die.”

More Christmas Songs

2009-12-23T23:50:00.005-05:00

MORE TOP 5 CHRISTMAS SONGS:
1) "12 Days of Christmas" - Relient K
2) "Deck the Halls" - Relient K
3) "Christmas Canon" - Transiberian Orchestra
4) "I Celebrate the Day" - Relient K
5) "All I Want For Christmas is You" - Mariah Carey

And here's a bonus Christmas song, in honor of going green (despite the white Christmas we're having here.)

"I'm Dreaming of a Green Christmas" - MC Lars (feat. Jaret Reddick)

Check it out, go get it. It's funny. Though honestly, I was kind of over Christmas music this season. Anyway, I'm taking a break from work and life and everything, so...

Happy Holidays, everyone!
Emily Noel

A Very Notable Day in Music History

2009-12-18T13:25:00.002-05:00

Today, MTV declared Lady Gaga to be "Woman of the Year" for her 2 albums, her ingenious fashion sense, and incredible stage performances. And, I couldn't agree more! Congrats, Gaga!

In other news, I haven't yet had a chance to review The Fame Monster, but that will be coming up soon. This month has been crazy with finals and such.

Happy One Week til Christmas!
Emily Noel

An Early Holiday Present from Coheed

2009-12-07T17:58:00.003-05:00

As of 5pm (EST) Coheed and Cambria released their big announcement via their fan website, http://www.cobaltandcalcium.com/. The drawback? All of us dedicated Coheed fans crashed the site by all logging on at once, so luckily cobaltandcalcium.com took mercy on us and released the news via their Facebook.com fan page.

The News:
As of now, Coheed & Cambria intend to release their 5th studio album in April 2010, the deluxe version of which will include a full-length (prose--not graphic!) novel written by Claudio Sanchez. For more details, see cobaltandcalcium's Facebook fan page.

I hope everyone is as excited as I am. I already know that, no matter what happens on the release day, I am taking off school/work/any other obligation to get that album and listen to it on repeat for about a week straight!

I LOVE YOU, CLAUDIO SANCHEZ!!!! =D

Have a great week,
Emily Noel

MORE TOP FIVES!

2009-12-05T01:21:00.002-05:00

TOP 5 ALBUMS THAT I’M OBSESSED WITH AT THE MOMENT:
Eager to Please – The Leftovers
Ocean Eyes – Owl City
The Fame Monster – Lady Gaga
Traffic and Weather – Fountains of Wayne
Sorry For Partyin’ – Bowling For Soup

BONUS - TOP 5 SONGS BLASTING IN MY CAR TONIGHT:
“Pink Tux To The Prom (In Love With The 80’s) – Relient K
“Alejandro” – Lady Gaga
“Miami” – Taking Back Sunday
“Do You Remember?” – Jay Sean (feat. Sean Paul & Lil Jon)
“Three Small Words” – Pixie Chicks

SO IN LOVE WITH THE LEFTOVERS RIGHT NOW! (They're opening for The Queers tomorrow night at Maxwell's in Hoboken - tickets are $12.) Can't wait to get their album when I have $ again!

Rock out this weekend!
Emily Noel

Another Music-Filled Month

2009-12-03T19:22:00.006-05:00

I don't have a lot of time to post real entries right now because it's coming up to exam week and all, but I have been happily stumbling through waves of new music lately. (And it's only December 3rd!!!) I think I mentioned that I follow Jaret Reddick's podcast now (for those who don't know or remember, he is the lead singer of Bowling For Soup) and I picked up a couple of new good bands from the songs he played. One of these bands (my favorite right now) is The Leftovers, who are on Jaret Reddick's own label (Crappy Records.) And actually they are playing in Brooklyn tonight at South Paw--go look them up if you live in the city! Their hit single is called "Telephone Operator," and it is super catchy and lovable! Their latest album (the best from what I've previewed on iTunes; haven't bought any of their albums yet because I'm broke) is called Eager To Please and I think you should check it out!

You can watch the video of "Telephone Operator" on their website, or just listen to the song on Jaret's podcast.

The other bands Jaret introduces from his label are MC Lars and Skyfox. They're pretty good, too. From Skyfox he played this catchy little pop-rock single called "Run Away" from their EP called Twilight.

At the beginning of this year MC Lars released an album called This Gigantic Robot Kills. From what I've previewed of it, it's pretty funny, but the gem in the mix for me is "Twenty-Three," which is the song Jaret played on the podcast. It's one of the saddest songs I've heard in a long time, but I love it. It's about Pat Wood, a friend and former roommate of MC Lars. Wood committed suicide when he was 23, and so "Twenty-Three" is a tribute to him. I've had it on repeat for a good part of this evening; it's melancholy but I love it because even after 3 years it shows how such tragedies affect us. That kind of pain never goes away, but I'm glad MC Lars took the time to put that experience in a form that can help others who have lost someone that way.

Yeah, so, now that everyone is really bummed...

I also got Bowling For Soup's Merry Flippin' Christmas album (available ONLY by digital download from BFS's merch store) and it's pretty funny. Apparently they have 2 more Christmas albums due to be released fairly soon as well, but we'll see.

Hope you all have a good weekend!
Emily Noel

Top 5 Christmas Songs

2009-12-02T20:15:00.004-05:00

If you're looking for music to match this holiday season, here's my top five!

All-Time Top 5 Christmas Songs
“Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24)” – Transiberian Orchestra
“I Hate Christmas Parties” – Relient K
“Same Old Lang Syne” – Dan Fogelberg
“Believe” – Josh Groban
“Where Are You Christmas?” – Faith Hill

And also, I have to recommend my favorite Christmas albums: Deck the Halls and Bruise Your Hands and Let It Snow Baby, Let It Reindeer, both by Relient K.

Also, note that Bowling For Soup has released a Christmas album a few days ago; it's called Merry Flippin' Christmas, though I have yet to preview it because it's not available on iTunes, only by digital download from their merch store. But you can hear some of their Christmas album, PLUS a lot more, on Jaret Reddick's podcast, either by clicking here or by going to iTunes (for free, on either.)

Enjoy this holiday season! Stay warm! =]
Emily Noel

I Have A Mission For You All

2009-11-24T13:43:00.005-05:00

GO BUY THE FAME MONSTER RIGHT NOW. I previewed "Speechless" and it hit me so hard emotionally that I cried (yeah, I cry a lot about music, books, movie, and most forms of art--get over it, because I have!) and then I bought the album on iTunes 0.5 seconds later, and now I have to go to class, but I wish with all my heart I could skip it and just listen to Lady Gaga!

Okay, gotta calm down. I'll post a real review later. GO CHECK IT OUT!

AHHHHHH!
Emily Noel

Just Another Taste of Gaga....

2009-11-18T15:32:00.005-05:00

I think Lady Gaga’s music video for the new single “Bad Romance” is a just taste of what is to come in The Fame Monster (to be released this coming Tuesday!) The video is…different. It’s ugly, almost, but in Lady Gaga’s own mesmerizing way. I mean, I’ve heard some guys going, “She’s so hot!” and maybe I’m not qualified to judge that, but for me her beauty is in how easily she can alter her appearance. And when I say the video is “ugly,” I don’t mean that it’s repulsive, necessarily, it’s just that it’s not what you would expect from a Princess of Pop. But she’s already established that she isn’t the typical pop girl. Her goal seems to be to make her songs into works of visual art through music videos.

Most artists attempt to tell a story in their music videos. Some really great ones, or at least some of my favorites, are “All That I’ve Got” by The Used, “I’m Not Okay (I Promise)” by My Chemical Romance, and “So What?” by P!nk. You don’t have to like those songs to get what they’re about. Other artists just like to make videos that depict them rocking out in different locations, without any kind of storyline behind them. Most of Lady Gaga’s music videos do not have a storyline, or at least not a very linear one, except for the “Paparazzi” one.

As per her usual, Gaga changes her outfit and make-up at least 3 or 4 times throughout the “Bad Romance” video. And I must be honest: I don’t like the video, but only because it’s just not to my personal aesthetic taste, not because of her performance. And I’m not going to pretend to understand the storyline, if there even is one. I think it’s about her debut into fame and how she got her power, which basically explains the scenes with her struggling in the bathtub and then being encased in that spiky, glittery costume, and then ultimately combusting into flames at the end. My interpretation is that the video depicts her struggle with who she has become and where she’s going from here. The closing shot of the video, with the charred remains of a bed and her laying on it, seems to be (to me) her ultimate conquering of who she is and what she wants—all the power of Lady Gaga, be it the power of fame or sexuality or love.

There’s a quote I’m pulling from Rolling Stone’s June 11, 2009 issue that I really loved because I think it sums Lady Gaga up perfectly and really puts her statement out there point-blank. The article closed with her saying, “I operate from a place of delusion…. I used to walk down the street like I was a f—king star. I want people to walk around delusional about how great they can be – and then to fight so hard for it every day that the lie becomes the truth.”

I love that, because she imagined what she wanted to be, and became it. She wasn’t born Lady Gaga. She didn’t wake up as Lady Gaga. She made herself Lady Gaga, and I know she wants everyone to see that they can make themselves into whatever they want to be, too. I think that is her point in all of these seemingly eccentric music videos and fashion statements, bizarre face masks and dazzling make-up styles. I really don’t think she’s doing it for attention or because she’s insane. She’s called herself crazy and delusional in various interviews, but she says she fights that craziness when she’s working at what she loves—performing.

Give three cheers for Gaga – I can’t wait for The Fame Monster!
Emily Noel

Happy Friday the 13th!

2009-11-13T17:41:00.005-05:00

Happy Friday the 13th! Hope it hasn’t been too unlucky for anyone.

I’ve had a lot of Death Cab for Cutie stuck in my head lately, and I have no idea why because I haven’t listened to them in awhile. Incidentally, they wrote a single for the second Twilight saga movie, New Moon, called “Meet Me On the Equinox.” Did I get it? Duhhh! It’s a decent song, and although I am not necessarily a Twilight fan, I do have to admit the first movie had a fairly good soundtrack, what with their little nod to Stephenie Meyer’s love of Muse with the single, “Super-Massive Black Hole” in the vampire baseball scene.

Side-note: Stephenie Meyer directly influenced my interest in Muse, as they are her favorite band and she credited them for their inspiration in all of her Twilight novels. (And yes, I have read them all; I went through quite an intense vampire-romance phase in high school. I am glad to say I have left those days behind. I am no longer really a fan of the novels, though I can’t deny I loved them when I was seventeen.)

About 3 years ago, I was introduced to Death Cab for Cutie quite by chance. Their album Transatlanticism (2003) was given to me by a friend, and it remains my favorite of their albums (though, yes, I have given 3 of their other albums proper listens.) They are clever, I’ll give them that—but not really catchy. You have to pay close attention to their lyrics, and sometimes that’s what I love about their songs, but sometimes Death Cab can be a little too sentimental and intense for my taste. I love Ben Gibbard’s soft, breathy voice, but I have to be in the right mood for it. (Fun Fact: Ben Gibbard is also the lead singer of The Postal Service and—allegedly—married to my beloved, favorite American actress Zooey Deschanel.) In any event, although Death Cab do not make my Top 5, they make it into the perimeter of the Top 10, simply because of my love for Transatlanticism.

Anyway…I’m getting severely off-topic here. I’m not very focused today, sorry. The point is that basically my love of Death Cab = Transatlanticism only. If you like their other albums better, then by all means tell me to go re-listen. But some bands just have that One Good Album, just like some authors just have that One Good Book, and for me it’s Transatlanticism. My three favorites on the album are “Expo ’86,” “Transatlanticism,” and “Passenger Seat.” I love every song on the album, actually, but those are the ones that have remained my unchangeable favorites. Transatlanticism, as with most of Death Cab’s albums, is a compilation of tiny slices of life, which is what makes the songs so beautiful. They tell a story, but subtly, so that you have to interpret the meaning in your own way. My love of “Expo ’86” is a bit personal in that way because it pretty much sums up my love life; it is one of those songs that I would consider partially biographical, which is ironic because I fell in love with the song long before I’d ever fallen in love for real. My favorite bit is:

“Sometimes it seems that I don’t have the skills to recollect
The twists and turns of plot that turned us from lovers to friends;
I’m thinking I should take that volume back up off the shelf
And crack its weary spine and read to help remind myself.”

It’s fantastic, but love really is like a story, and you do have to go over the plot of your love in retrospect to see where it was flawed, because you can’t see what’s wrong when you’re in it. And then there is this bit at the end that always gets me:

“I am waiting for something to go wrong,
I am waiting for familiar resolve
I am waiting for another repeat,
Another diet fed by crippling defeat.
And I am waiting for that sense of relief,
I am waiting for you to flee the scene
As if you held in your hand the smoking gun
And on the floor lay the one you said you loved.”

Love it! That last line always kills me. (Haha.) As for the title track, “Transatlanticism,” there is this kind of lulling background rhythm to it that reminds me of that swaying motion you feel on a train. (In fact, on a recent train trip, I listened to it and it was very peaceful and comforting.) It’s a very beautiful song, very rich in imagery, that to me seems to be about a great flood (or possibly the Great Flood from the Bible or legends) but where people are grateful for this influx of water, for some reason, when it goes, “The people were overjoyed; they took to their boats / I thought it less like a lake and more like a moat.” But the trans-Atlantic part comes in when he sings,

“The rhythm of my footsteps
Crossing flatlands to your door
Have been silenced forevermore.
The distance is quite simply much too far for me to row
It seems farther than ever before
Oh no, I need you so much closer.”

And although I’ve always loved the song, I never really understood that long-distance desperation until last spring when I spent quite a bit of time on the other side of the Atlantic from everyone I love. And I discovered that it really was “quite simply much too far for me to row,” and I needed certain people “so much closer,” at times. In fact I couldn’t even listen to “Transatlanticism” when I was in England; I refused, because it hurt too much. And that’s another reason why the album is so special to me—it was given to me in 2006, but I never understood those songs until 2008 and 2009, when I was older and more mature, so they almost foreshadowed certain events in my future.

And, last but not least, my love for “Passenger Seat” is personal, as well. It’s basically about being driven home on some dark night, which reminds me of all the times I’ve ridden shotgun with one or another of my best friends. (Which has been quite often, because I didn’t get my full license until this past summer.) And “Passenger Seat” gathers up that feeling, but not in a “Woo-it’s-a-fun-night-let’s party” kind of way, but rather with a slow, gentle, sentimental little melody:

“I strain my eyes and try
To tell the difference between
Shooting stars and satellites
From the passenger seat
As you are driving me home.
‘Do they collide?’
I ask and you smile.
With my feet on the dash,
The world doesn’t matter.”

I’ve had moments like that; moments that are perhaps some of the best in my life. For me, it’s not always the destination of a drive that is the most fun, it’s the driving itself. And as much as I love driving, you notice more from the passenger seat because you can pay better attention to the person you’re with and what’s around you.

So, there you have a taste of Death Cab for Cutie (albeit maybe a little too in-depth.) I hope you enjoy their other albums, as well, as I really do wish that I liked them as much as Transatlanticism.

Party it up for Friday the 13th! (’Cause I sure am!)

Have a great weekend,
Emily Noel

Disclaimer: All re-printed lyrics copyright of Death Cab for Cutie.

Going Gaga!

2009-11-09T16:01:00.008-05:00

In case you hadn’t had enough of them, Bowling For Soup posted links to their first music video for Sorry For Partyin’ today, and of course it’s “No Hablo Ingles,” which in my opinion is probably the funniest song on the new album. The video is pretty clever; you can check it out here.

In other news, Lady Gaga released her new single a few weeks ago (October 26.) It’s called “Bad Romance,” but I avoided listening to it up until now because I’m not sure how I feel about her re-releasing The Fame. I mean, I feel like if you’re going to do a new album, then just do it. Don’t tack 8 new songs onto your old album and re-release it. But last night my best friend (Lady Gaga’s biggest fan) visited me, and of course he had to play “Bad Romance” for me, and I resisted it on the first 2 listens, but it wasn’t long before we were cruising to it and I was dancing and singing along. (I didn’t say I’m not impressionable!)

It’s big. It’s dramatic. It’s catchy. I LOVE IT. (And according to iTunes, I have played it almost 20 times today, and when I went out driving before, Gaga took major precedence over my stereo.) The chorus goes: “I want your loving and I want your revenge / You and me could write a bad romance/Oh whoa, caught in a bad romance.” My favorite lines are: “I want your love and I want your revenge / I want your love, I don’t wanna be friends!” and then the same lyrics repeated in French. She sounds powerful and intense in this song; in fact, my friend and I compared this single to her others and at some parts it sounds like a completely different singer. Could this be because of voice-changers and synths? Probably. But it’s also a slightly different spin on her old style. It’s definitely stronger, which isn’t surprising for someone with her stage presence.

It’s not my favorite—I still like her softer, more girly songs like “Summerboy” and “Brown Eyes,” while “Bad Romance” is definitely a flashy, heart-stopping dance-beat single like “Just Dance” and “Love Game,” which I am sure is what Lady Gaga was going for. She’s got style; I’ll give her that. Possibly she is certifiably insane, but part of me has to think she’s also a genius. I know those are very conflicting views, but it’s true. She’s not just another pop princess like Brittney or Christina, and she’s not the playful girl-next-door like Katy Perry, and she doesn’t have the sexy but bad-ass presence of P!nk. Lady Gaga is in a league of her own, if you ask me. Can she dance? Not in my opinion. Can she sing? Not live, from what I saw of the VMAs. Does she produce REALLY fun, catchy dance songs to rock out to in your car or when you’re prepping for a night out? Hell f—king YES!

Her music videos are nothing short of inspired—she is the queen of flashy costumes and make-up. I’d kill to have her designers and make-up artists. I mean, as far as beauty goes, I love Katy Perry’s cute retro styles and her subtle but always gorgeous make-up. But Gaga is all about the presentation. For instance, I love her music video for “Poker Face,” not because I love the song, or because of her questionable dance skills, but for her black-painted fingernails with poker card symbols on them, the sleek white-blonde hair, and the silver eye make-up. At times I am actually horrified and disturbed by her music videos. She can make herself beautiful or grotesque, but mesmerizing all the same. She makes her body a work of art when it comes to costumes and make-up; she changes her character based on the song and what the performance requires, and that takes skill. I do not think she is the most talented female pop singer of this age, but she is definitely taking the lead as a performer—that is her real talent.

But back to her music (as this is, after all, a music blog.) I will probably get The Fame: Monster on November 23 when it is released, because as much as I dislike female pop artists (P!nk and Katy Perry remain the only two I can tolerate—besides the Gaga, as one of my suitemates calls her) there is something about her music that I can’t resist. Last night, driving back from Stop N Shop with my friend, “Paparazzi” came on the radio, and let me just say that there is nothing better than singing, “Purple teardrops I’m crying don’t have a price/ Loving you is cherry pie!” to each other at 100-million decibels at midnight while cruising around eating cherry Dum-Dums and chocolate chip cookies. And that’s what is so great about her music—they’re not emotional or meaningful songs; you can just let go and belt it out. It’s just careless fun. At an open mic night a couple of months ago, some guys performed an acoustic version of “Poker Face” and we all sang along. It was great, and I got really into it. But those are her kind of songs, ones that anyone can sing—guys, girls, whoever—just for fun.

So keep an eye out for The Fame: Monster. I’m not saying it’ll all be good. I could very well end up hating it and writing a terrible review of it. But I don’t think people should judge Gaga as another dumb blonde pop-princess—she’s a talented performer underneath the dramatic exterior. And definitely check out the new single, “Bad Romance.”

My All-Time Top-5 Gaga Picks:
1) “Eh Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)”
2) “Brown Eyes”
3) “Paparazzi”
4) “Bad Romance”
5) “Boys Boys Boys”

Have fun going Gaga!
Emily Noel

Disclaimer: All re-printed lyrics copyright of Lady GaGa.

I'm Having A Thought Here

2009-11-04T22:15:00.002-05:00

Every once and awhile, I think I'm going to post some All-Time Top-5 Lists of songs, and occasionally some of my own mixes, just for flavor, I guess. (I just finished re-watching High Fidelity for about the eighth time; that's what gave me the idea.)

So, here we have:

My All-Time Top-5 Asking-Out/Just-Be-With-Me-Please Songs Ever
1) “Let’s Get It On” – Marvin Gaye
2) “I’d Do Anything” – Simple Plan
3) “So What Does It All Mean?” – West, Gould, and Fitzgerald
4) “Things I’ll Never Say” – Avril Lavigne
5) “Jenny” – The [New] Click 5

My All-Time Top-5 Most Painful Break-Up Songs Ever
1) “Famous Last Words” – My Chemical Romance
2) “Mr. Brightside” – The Killers
3) “The Velourium Camper II: Backend of Forever” – Coheed and Cambria
4) “Apologize” – OneRepublic
5) “Adrienne” – The Calling

Enjoy. More to come another time.
Emily Noel

All About The Party

2009-11-04T16:33:00.008-05:00

So here’s my very belated and much-anticipated review of Bowling For Soup’s new album Sorry For Partyin’. My classes and internship and some weekend trips back home seriously detracted from my writing time last month, which is a shame because for some reason October really got me out of my writing dry spell.

Bowling For Soup did not disappoint on Sorry For Partyin’. Let me preface this review by saying that I jumped on the BFS bandwagon in 2004/2005 with the release of A Hangover You Don’t Deserve and, more specifically, the single “Almost.” I feel pretty confident in saying that Hangover is the album that cemented BFS’s fame, even though they were pretty well-known and well-liked for their single “Girl All The Bad Guys Want” on their 1999 album Drunk Enough to Dance. (I mean, I remember my friends and I rocking out to that in eighth grade like we were the coolest kids ever, which we were not.) I have several of their older albums, and although they are pretty good, I feel like they didn’t hit their groove until Hangover. Their older albums are unpolished and raw, especially in the sound quality, and that’s primarily why I don’t like them. (I don’t know what you call it, but there’s a certain sound that some bands have, usually very new bands, and it’s just very raw and irritating to my ears, literally. I physically can’t listen to it even if I want to.) Though all the classic BFS elements are there in those older songs, they didn’t really start injecting them with the humor and “who-cares-be-happy” vibes until Hangover.

But I digress. From the moment I hit “play” on my iTunes playlist, I knew Sorry For Partyin' was a winner. Like…I actually cried while I was listening to it the first time; that’s how amazed and happy and touched by it I was. I mean, their EP in August and the “No Hablo Ingles” single indicated greatness, but come on—BFS producing a dance song?! Well, they did. The first track is, quite literally, “A Really Cool Dance Song,” which grabs your attention. It’s set to a typical “dance song” beat with that techno-y electronic sound, and at one point the drums drop out and Jaret Reddick goes, “It doesn’t sound good anymore!” which I thought was hilarious because synth does sound terrible in general; it’s so generic. But this song is not just for fun: pay attention. BFS has this insane talent of mixing truthful, serious matters in their crazy-fun songs. It starts off like this:

“We grew up in the suburbs,
Got guitars for Christmas
And started a punk rock band.
Then we travelled the nation
Became a sensation
In our ’82 Dodge van.

Now we’re getting older and much more sober
And we’ve got some big-ass payments to make
The wife wants a handbag
The kids need some college
And we just need one hit single to break
Get ready, here it comes!”

Then it slips off into BFS’s classic joking tone—they laugh at themselves, admit that they’d never really write a dance song; it’s not their style—duh—and make fun of those who do make dance songs. They even say, “Who the hell are we foolin’? This isn’t what we really do /We had to borrow this keyboard, we only listen to Motley Crue /But it’s gonna be really funny, ’Cause this song will be number one!” (And it is number one…on the album.)

Now, don’t quiz me. I haven’t interviewed Jaret Reddick (unfortunately!) so I don’t know if they REALLY had an ’82 Dodge van or if their kids are even old enough for college yet. But I’ll bet you there’s something in there that’s almost true. (Like if you’re familiar with their 2004 single “Almost,” which by the way is the song that got me into them—I guarantee you some of that song is true.) But regardless, even if it isn’t, that’s even better. To me, that’s a great band with some insanely creative lyrics, if you can make me believe them like they’re a true story.

My favorite is “Only Young,” which as its title indicates pretty much sums up what it feels like to be young. I really just like the upbeat melody and the chorus. It’s really not their best song lyrically or anything, but it captures the mood well enough. Anyway, I could go through this entire album and have something to say on every single song while writing “OMG JARET REDDICK I LUV U!” at random intervals like the crazed fan-girl I very well may be at heart, but I won’t. To be honest, I originally questioned the potential quality of this album (despite the EP and the single) because I didn’t think they could top their last album, The Great Burrito Extortion Case (2006.) And then when I realized how much I love Partyin’, I had to reconcile that with my love for Great Burrito, and pick a favorite. And then I realized—no, I don’t. They are two different albums. I tried to gauge which is funnier and which is more emotional, and I really don’t think you can. They’re both humorous and heart-felt. Did they kick it up a notch? Definitely. It’s not the same album as Great Burrito, by any means. There are a lot more little asides, which is so classic, lovable BFS, like in “If Only” and “Choke,” and some just-for-fun songs like “Hooray For Beer” and “I Can’t Stand L.A.,” but there are still a few serious, down-to-earth, make-you-teary-eyed songs, like “Everything To Me.”

So, long story short—yes, I listened to this album all the way through. NO SONG HOPPING FOR BFS! Never! And, you know, if I listen to an album the whole way through (and then replay it straight through again and again) that pretty much guarantees it an automatic A+. SO GO BUY IT, LISTEN TO IT, AND LOVE IT! Emily Noel approves.

And (in case you’re curious) these are my top-5 picks on Sorry For Partyin’ (Deluxe Version):
1) “Only Young” – Track 4
2) “If Only” – Track 10
3) “Love Goes Boom” – Track 11
4) “No Hablo Ingles” – Track 2
5) “Me With No You” – Track 7

And, on a very un-related side-note, I discovered this morning THAT I AM CLAIRVOYANT! Yes, it’s true! Really! No, not really—but it was a very weird coincidence that this morning I was thinking about my best friend who is a HUGE fan of Lady Gaga (she is his wifey—don’t mess) and how great it’d be if she came out with a new album. And when I went online not long after that, I discovered that Lady Gaga is re-releasing her debut album The Fame under a new title, The Fame: Monster on November 23, 2009. Apparently it will contain 8 new songs. So, we’ll see, but I’ll write more on Gaga in another entry—there will be one dedicated just to her (in honor of her biggest fan!) before the re-release, and then I’ll do a follow-up. =]

Enjoy your Partyin’!
Emily Noel

(Disclaimer: All re-printed lyrics copyright of Bowling For Soup.)

DON'T BE "SORRY FOR PARTYIN'"!!!

2009-10-13T13:27:00.006-04:00

OKAY, I WILL WRITE A PROPER REVIEW LATER THIS WEEK WHEN I HAVE TIME, BUT I JUST HAD TO SAY, I AM LISTENING TO BOWLING FOR SOUP'S NEW ALBUM SORRY FOR PARTYIN' REAL QUICK BEFORE I HAVE TO RUN TO CLASS AND OH-MY-GOD!

The boys did it again - they've produced another super hilarious, up-beat, catchy, PHENOMENAL ALBUM!

The real review will be a lot more coherent, I promise. Just...GO BUY THE ALBUM NOW. Do not stop, do not preview it, just BUY IT.

"If this collection of songs does not make you smile, you are quite possibly dead or a miserable person that should not ever be allowed to pet puppies or hold babies."
--Jaret Reddick, lead singer of BFS, about Sorry For Partyin'

WOOOOOOO!!! Awesome job to Jaret & the BFS guys! Love you!
Emily Noel

October: The Month of New Music

2009-10-08T21:15:00.012-04:00

So, in edition to Bowling For Soup’s new album coming out next week, Relient K just released a new album this past Tuesday called Forget and Not Slow Down. They have been my second-favorite band since my junior year in high school, and I am very in love with Matthew Theissen’s voice. My favorite album of theirs will always be Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...But Three Do, but Mmhmm and their 2007 album Five Score and Seven Years Ago were really great, as well, and no one should miss their super-stellar Christmas albums Deck the Halls and Bruise Your Hands and Let It Snow Baby, Let It Reindeer.

But their style changed drastically after Five Score. Over the last 5 albums (Two Lefts, Mmhmm, Five Score, The Bird and the Bee Sides, and this one) their songs have changed from the “you're invincible if you believe in something real/do what your heart believes in” vibe to a “I’ve lost hope, oh no, wait, I’ve found it again, but ho-hum” kind of sound.

Their last album The Bird and the Bee Sides / The Nashville Tennis EP, released in the summer of 2008, was mostly a lot of acoustic versions and demos of their old songs, which was fine, but at least it had a lot of new funny, catchy, nonsensical songs, which is really their trademark. Like the 2 thirty-second tribute songs to the old ska band Five Iron Frenzy, a joke song called “A Penny Loafer Saved Is A Penny Loafer Earned,” and a catchy little 1:01 minute track called “Beaming.” Basically, it’s just their usual funny songs with Matt Theissen’s amazing happy voice that I love more than anything.

But on Forget and Not Slow Down - well, don’t write off this album on the first listen like I nearly did. I was a little disappointed at first because I was hoping for the good old attention-grabbing songs (like “Be My Escape” from Mmhmm) and they just haven’t been writing those lately. This album is a little more serious and down to earth, but by the fifth track I realized they still have their same old sound at heart.

“Therapy” and “Over It” are my favorites on the new album, although I can’t stick to that because I haven’t given the album a thorough enough listen yet. “Therapy” has these really great opening lines that I love:

“I never thought I'd be
Driving through the country just to drive
With only music and the clothes that I woke up in.
I never thought I'd need
All this time alone
It goes to show I had so much
Yet I had need for nothing…but you.”

I can definitely relate to that, because I’m going through a similar feeling and phase right now. (And I don’t know exactly what kind of “you” the song refers to in context, but it seems kind of like an ex.) But the refrain is the best:

“This is my therapy
Let’s call it what it is, not what we were
With a death-grip on this life always transitioning
This is just therapy
’Cause you won’t take my calls
And that makes God the only one
Who’s left here listening to me.”

Which, again, is something I can definitely understand, especially now.

And honestly, I disliked “Over It” on the first few listens, because it sounded so depressing and Matt Theissen sounded really tired out and down, and that’s just not what I associate with his beautiful, happy, soothing voice. But the more I listened, I realized that their old spark is still there, and the same sweet, soothing tone of Matt Theissen’s voice comes back by the end of the song as its message picks up. The refrain goes, “I'm over it / Yeah, behind me now, I'm just over it / Yeah, I'm finding out I'm just over it / No, I don't know what's over just yet /But I won't go slow /And time can let the mind forget / Don't tell me you don't know, already,” in this slow, swaying melody. And Theissen really does sound “just over it” – just worn out and tired, but not giving up – just ready to move on. LOVE IT!

So check out Forget and Not Slow Down, even if you don’t think you’ll like it at first. I was skeptical, too, but my love and loyalty to Matt and the guys won out. It is somewhat different from the older albums, yes, but all bands evolve. (And I am very sorry, Relient K, for giving you a less-than-stellar review.)

Here’s a quick list of my old Relient K favorites.

My All-Time Top 5 Relient K Songs:
1) “In Love With the 80’s (Pink Tux To The Prom)” (Two Lefts)
2) “Falling Out” (Two Lefts)
3) “Who I Am Hates Who I’ve Been” (Mmhmm)
4) “Jefferson Aeroplane” (Two Lefts)
5) “Pressing On” (The Anatomy of Tongue In Cheek)

There are a lot of others, of course, like their more well-known ones “Mood Rings,” “Be My Escape,” and “Sadie Hawkins Dance.” But those listed are the ones that have really stuck with me over the years.

Happy Weekend, everyone!
Emily Noel

(Disclaimer: All re-printed lyrics copyright of Relient K.)

"Get Happy" About Bowling For Soup

2009-09-28T19:07:00.006-04:00

I’ve held back on today’s topic for about a month now, but today I discovered that Bowling For Soup’s new album Sorry For Partyin’ is coming out in about two weeks (October 13) so in honor of that, I’m writing about them, their latest EP My Wena, and the newest single (released Sept. 22) called “No Hablo Ingles.”

Bowling For Soup definitely makes my list of all-time top-five favorite bands, hands down. They probably come in at about 3rd place, after Relient K, but it’s a close call. This summer I read on their bio that they worked out mathematically the sad-to-happy ratio of lyrics in their songs, so that for every sad lyric they have so many more happy ones. I think that’s really clever (and it’s no wonder that lead singer Jaret Reddick has two college degrees and is such a phenomenal singer and songwriter) and I could not think of a happier, peppier, more life-loving band. Bowling For Soup’s songs are antidepressants, no exaggeration.

The My Wena EP came out August 7, 2009, and I got it not long after its release date. Normally I don’t buy EPs, or much care about them, but BFS is an exception. My favorite song on the EP is “I’ll Always Remember You (That Way)” because it’s about a guy and a girl looking back on their relationship, with the guy sung by Jaret Reddick and the girl sung by Kim Shattuck of The Muffs. They are each saying what they remember of their time together, but it is kind of funny how their perspectives differ:

GIRL: Do you remember the moonlight in my hair?
GUY: I remember pulling your hair
GIRL: I told my friends that it was love
GUY: I told mine you couldn’t get enough!

GIRL: I’ll always remember you
GUY: Always remember you
GIRL: The moon and the stars
GUY: The back of my car
GIRL: That song that was ours
GUY: The back of my car
GUY: The memories are different
GIRL: But we felt the same
BOTH: And I’ll always remember you that way.

I really love the realism in that. Everyone has a different view of how an event happened; nobody has the same memories, even in relationships. It’s kind of funny, because a lot of songs are all about “unity” in love, and thousands of songs say, “I’ll always remember you,” but Bowling For Soup takes it farther with the “That Way.” And it’s equally amusing because guys and girls really do have different perspectives, especially in relationships, and sometimes that’s the very thing that destroys them.

But I have to say, Bowling For Soup have REALLY outdone themselves on their newest single, “No Hablo Ingles.” It has the classic BFS humor and then some—basically the entire premise of the song is the joke that you can get out of any situation by claiming not to speak English. (If you can’t deduce that from the title.) Jaret Reddick and the guys are, as usual, off-handedly hilarious in their tone and use of lyrics, such as, “My teacher asked me where my homework was / And that's when I told her, ‘No hablo Inglés!’ / Policeman caught me doing ninety / And that’s when he pulled me over: ‘No hablo Inglés!’” And the chorus: “To make a getaway / It’s all you’ve gotta say! / (¡Cuatro! ¡Cinco! ¡Seis!) / ‘No hablo Inglés!’”

I really can’t describe all the humor of Jaret’s little spoken asides, though, so I really think you should just buy the single, or wait for Sorry For Partyin’ to come out on October 13th. (I can’t wait!!!) That’s going to be a very good day for me—just as Bowling For Soup intended. Because really, that’s what I love best about them: they just want everyone to be happy, and they make sure it happens with their music. (Just like they say in “Shut Up And Smile,” which by the title is probably a self-explanatory song.)

Happy listening! (Literally.)
Emily Noel

(Post title taken from "Get Happy" by Bowling For Soup. All reprinted lyrics copyright of Bowling For Soup.)

"I'm Leaving You My Legacy..."

2009-09-20T17:06:00.005-04:00

This morning at brunch, my friend goes, “So how’s that music blog going?” And I said, “…It’s going. I’m working on it.” But as you can see, I am kind of a slacker in the blogging department. I could say I’ve been taking some “mental health days,” but if that’s really the case then this is rapidly turning into a mental health semester, and that isn’t what I want. So blogging it is. (So here you go, KDB—hope you see this update!)

I have been listening to my favorite female artist a lot lately—Katy Perry. (Though for a side note, I have to say that I used to be a huge Avril Lavigne fan in 8th grade and high school. I still love her first album, but as of late I feel like she tried to change her style too much, just to fit in. Maybe she wanted the change—I don’t know. But I didn’t like her most recent album The Best Damned Thing. It didn’t have the same spunk and fighting spirit of Let Go or even Under My Skin.) Anyway, nowadays Katy Perry is my absolute favorite female singer. Her songs are so down-to-earth and real, but fun and “sing-able.” Obviously she has the standard radio hits “Ur So Gay,” “Waking Up In Vegas,” “I Kissed A Girl,” and of course “Hot N Cold.” Last fall, I was all about “Hot N Cold,” but all of her songs are so upbeat and catchy that you can’t help loving them. I was once addicted to her music video for “Hot N Cold,” and I still really love it—because really, who wouldn’t chase her husband-to-be around town for ditching her at the aisle? My favorite line is, “Someone call the doctor, got a case of the love bipolar / Stuck on a roller coaster, can’t get off this ride” because it sums up the very essence of commitment-fearing guys. Her playful use of words is what makes her songs so believable and fun.

I don’t just love her hits, either—I invested in her debut album One of the Boys and discovered that there is not a single song I dislike on the entire album. No song-hopping for me when it comes to Katy! My favorite non-hit songs are actually two of the more serious ones—“Lost” and “Fingerprints.” If you don’t have the album, you probably will not have heard them, but they’re very heartfelt and emotional. “Lost” is about being out on your own but feeling like you don’t belong anywhere: “So sick of this town pulling me down / My mother says I should come back home / But can’t find the way ’cause the way is gone / So if I pray, am I just sending words into outer space?” And then the refrain: “Have you ever been so lost? Known the way, and still so lost?” Those are words that I can really relate to, and I think it might be a feeling that a lot of young adults can sympathize with—once you get out on your own, you realize that freedom can be a lot harder and sometimes a lot more lonely than you ever anticipated.

“Fingerprints” is nowhere near as somber, but definitely has a note of seriousness to it, if only because it carries such distinct tones of defiance and pride. It is basically about being put down and told that you can’t make it and do what you want with your life, but rebelling and going for it anyway. (I do not know if it is a personal statement from Katy Perry in that way, but it’s relatable nonetheless.) Obviously, there are thousands of songs with the same message, but Katy’s catchy music and playful wording make it different somehow. My favorite line is, “’Cause I’m worth more than this / So stop writing prescriptions for my Ritalin / I can’t focus my attention,” because it really puts some individuality in there. The entire song, underlined by the refrain of, “I wanna break the mold, I wanna break the stereotype / Fist in the air, I’m not going down without a fight” and “I want you to remember me…I’m leaving my fingerprints on you,” is saying, “Don’t tell me what I can’t do, just watch and let me prove to you that I can.” I really like messages like that, especially in songs. Songs like that are really uplifting and empowering; even when you feel down, they make you think that maybe there is a reason to fight for what you want, no matter how hopeless it seems or how many people tell you can’t do it.

Now go out and buy One of the Boys—it’s so worth it! I love you, Katy Perry!

Thanks for reading!
Emily Noel

(Disclaimer: Credit for the post title - Katy Perry's "Fingerprints." All lyrics are copyright of Katy Perry.)

Emily Noel's Music Video Judgement

2009-09-13T21:51:00.005-04:00

In honor of tonight's MTV Video Music Awards, I'd just like to show you all the official worst music video ever, which I first saw at the Hard Rock Cafe in Cardiff, Wales this winter. Putting aside my personal dislike of Bono's music, I have not yet met anyone who enjoys this music video; it has no story arc whatsoever. If you do, please tell me why because I think it is the worst piece of visual art I have ever seen and yet it is continuously hiliarious to my friends and I.

And just for amusement, my all-time top-five music videos are:
Mr. Brightside - The Killers
Helena - My Chemical Romance
Apologize - OneRepublic
All That I've Got - The Used
So What? - Pink

Hope you all enjoy the VMAs!
Emily Noel

P.S. - I just flipped on the VMAs and saw Kristen Stewart from Twilight advertising the upcoming sequel New Moon. And then Beyonce came out half-naked, and I stopped watching. Especially because one of my roommates told me that Kristen Stewart is playing Joan Jett in an upcoming film. Why would anyone give Stewart a role of importance?! She was good in Twilight, but I can't see her playing that kind of role. Get Zooey Deschanel, at least! She could do it, I bet. But maybe I'm just biased.

Just A Little Movie Reviewing

2009-09-11T16:59:00.005-04:00

So Tim Burton’s 9 came out on Wednesday, which besides being a huge Burton fan, I am rather indifferent about, but Coheed’s single “Welcome Home” was in the trailer which I was SUPER EXCITED about…but it’s not in the movie, unfortunately. In other news, I am switching the blogging schedule to ONLY Monday and Friday. Mid-week is not my best time, which is why I skipped the actual 9-9-9 blog date.

Anyway, yesterday I re-watched one of my all-time top favorite movies, Almost Famous. It is basically a movie about how I wish my life would play out: a 15-year old kid who writes for local underground music magazines is hired to work for Rolling Stone and tours with a band called Stillwater. It’s a really incredible movie (with Kate Hudson and Philip Seymour Hoffman) and I never get tired of watching it. And it is also really amazing the way the music works within the story—like how his older sister (Zooey Deschanel—one of my favorite actresses—and by the way, does anyone else agree with me that she looks almost EXACTLY like Katy Perry? I swear they’re the same person) leaves home to become a stewardess and explains it by playing Simon and Garfunkel’s “America” to her family. I love that. Music is the best way to explain an emotion, sometimes. You just have to be open to listen. You can really learn a lot about a person by what they listen to or what they try to play for you.

Anyway, the music from the film (aside from including a lot of Elton John, who I can only take in low doses) is perfect. For instance, Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer” pretty much sums up Kate Hudson’s character, the stunning Miss Penny Lane, sometimes-girlfriend of Stillwater’s lead guitarist Russell Hammond. I believe Ms. Hudson is really the sparkle behind all the emotion of the film, in addition to the astounding choice of music. The lyrics “Blue jean baby, L.A. lady, seamstress for the band / Pretty eyed, pirate smile, you'll marry a music man” could not describe Penny Lane any better—she is in love with Russell, she is the soul of Stillwater and their biggest fan, yet taken for granted somewhat because of her groupie status. I would venture to say the movie is really as much about her as it is about William Miller, the boy journalist (played by Patrick Fugit.) The film isn’t just about William Miller’s journey across America and his adventures with the band, nor is it simply about the politics and trials of the music industry—it’s really about the undying love and loyalty of fans to their favorite bands. Long story short, I could not recommend any film more (except for High Fidelity.)

Happy watching & happy weekend!
Emily Noel

Mixing and Matching

2009-09-07T20:48:00.005-04:00

On the same day that I discovered the Vitamin String Quartet, I also found this really fantastic workout music. They are iTunes albums comprised of dance and techno mixes by various artists. There are songs adapted from movies called Fit Flix Workout Music and pop music workout mixes categorized by year; for instance, I bought a few tracks off of the 70’s and 80’s Pop Workout Music 2 album. There are lots of different ones to choose from though, and some of them are specifically designed just for cardio, like walking and running mixes. Occasionally I’ve made my own workout mixes for walking and running, but it’s really neat that they come pre-made on iTunes. If you’re looking for new workout music, definitely check them out.

My favorite is the Fit Flix Workout Music 1 album (136-148BPM Music for Moderate-Fast Paced Walking, Jogging, Cardio) which has 8 tracks of well-known songs from movies, such as “My Heart Will Go On” from Titantic, “Eye of the Tiger” from Rocky, and the closing theme from Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl—all set to techno. I also got “Sugar Baby Love,” “Baby I Love Your Way,” and “Lay All Your Love On Me” from 70’s and 80’s Pop Workout Music 2, which are also set to techno, of course. I think these are really funny and clever and I cannot wait to put them to use in my workouts. Interesting music always makes working out more enjoyable for me; it’s almost like setting a goal of how much awesome music I can listen to before I’m exhausted or it’s time to stop.

While I am on the subject of interesting music medleys, I can also mention one of Girl Talk’s albums, Feed The Animals. This very intense and creative mix was introduced to me by a friend on the way to a Coheed and Cambria concert a few months ago. The entire album is made up of parts of rap and hip-hop songs woven together with old rock classics. I am generally not a big fan of rap or hip-hop, but I can definitely respect the effort and planning involved in creating such mixes. For example, in the track “Play Your Part (Part 2)” Lil Wayne’s “Lollipop” is backed by some of the guitar parts of the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Under the Bridge,” and then “Pop, Lock, and Drop It” is set to Journey’s “Faithfully.” Feed The Animals made me think about what sort of songs I would mix if I had the proper software and knowledge to do so. It is really fun not to cheat by looking online for the parts, but rather to try to pick out the songs on your own and then check to see if you were right. But if you would like to see what songs the tracks are made from, you can see some fairly accurate lists on Wikipedia’s Feed The Animals page. (Found here—though I do not condone using Wikipedia as a trusted web source.)

Happy Labor Day!
Emily Noel

Happy Fall 2009

2009-09-04T14:19:00.002-04:00

Happy Fall 2009! And no, I did not cop out on updating the blog – I’ve just been uber busy moving into my new apartment at college for the Fall 09 semester, unpacking, and going to classes. So now I’m back on track, and unless some huge assignment or something throws me off, I’m going to stick to it.

Today’s topic is one that I’ve wanted to cover since I started the blog because I discovered this group on the day I started it. The group is not actually one group, it is a number of groups that make up the Vitamin String Quartet. From what I understand, there are several string quartets in Los Angeles, all of which produce covers of well-known groups, such as Abba, the Beatles, the Killers, My Chemical Romance, and many others. (Full lists can be found on iTunes, or if you just Google search the quartet.) The reason I discovered them was because they did a cover of Coheed and Cambria’s In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 album and I had to get it, of course. I was elated because In Keeping Secrets is my second-favorite Coheed album, and it was so interesting to hear the tracks without the vocals, synthesizers, and drums—just string instruments. When I listen to the cover of In Keeping Secrets I can almost hear the vocals overlapping the instruments, but it evokes a totally different feeling to the song. When Claudio Sanchez (Coheed and Cambria) sings, he injects a lot of emotion into his words. Some of the depth of emotion is lost without his vocals, because the instrumentals on their own make the mood sound more upbeat when Claudio’s lyrics make the song so much darker. It’s a really interesting and creative concept, so I highly recommend checking if the Quartet has done tributes of your favorite artists. It really puts an interesting spin on the songs, almost as if you’re hearing them for the first time all over again.

The album was so fabulous that I had to find out more about the Vitamin String Quartet’s tributes. I also got their covers of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” and Relient K’s “In Love With The 80’s (Pink Tux To The Prom)” because they both sounded really cool in purely instrumental form. “Don’t Stop Believing” is such a classic that I enjoy hearing it any form, but I had never heard it without the vocals before, obviously. The tune is clearly recognizable but the lack of vocals makes it a lot less upbeat and inspiring. “In Love With The 80’s” is still just as catchy, though, even if it does lack the beauty of Matthew Theissen’s voice. I plan to buy more of the Quartet’s tributes eventually because they’re so phenomenal.

Enjoy!
Emily Noel

Music from Travels in England, France, and Scotland

2009-08-26T23:36:00.015-04:00

When I was abroad last semester, I discovered that American artists are extremely popular in Britain. I had hoped to gain some new music while over there, but in a London souvenir shop on my very first weekend, I found myself listening to Enrique Iglesias’s “Do You Know? (The Ping Pong Song).” In pubs and on the radio, I’d often hear hit singles by The Fray or Kelly Clarkson. I did come across some “native” British music. There was a guitarist in Covent Garden in London playing Eric Clapton’s “Wonderful Tonight” and a few radio advertisements for Morrissey, a British singer and songwriter I happened to discover about a year before going abroad. (You might be familiar with him from The Smiths. He also recently released a new album.) On one of our last weekends, my friends and I heard one of Coldplay's old albums playing in a pub in Salisbury. It was one of those depressing ones where all the tracks sound the same. (Until “Viva La Vida” I was not a Coldplay fan, so my apologies to any Coldplay fans. They are not my taste.) But although I know those bands are native to England, I was still disappointed that I didn't hear anything radically unfamiliar. It seems that America and England have done an equal trade in band popularity.

But one of my theatre/literature classes led me to discover an intriguing medley of music in the play The Convict’s Opera, which is a modern adaptation of John Gay’s play The Beggar’s Opera. It was one of the first ballad operas of its time (circa 1728.) But The Convict’s Opera, which I was fortunate enough to see in Oxford, uses such modern day songs as “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” by The Proclaimers and Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain,” the latter of which included lyrics such as “With one eye in the looking glass” instead of “With one eye in the mirror.” But interestingly enough, my professors had never heard of The Proclaimers or of their one hit single. Maybe some of you have never heard of it, but it was a popular song in its day, and it even earned mention on Family Guy, albeit in a cut-away gag. I really loved The Convict’s Opera because it mimicked John Gay’s plot while including a modern twist, featuring prisoners on a ship bound for New South Wales who must put on a performance to keep up morale on their voyage, which is where the ballads come in.

Another of my musical discoveries abroad was a real attraction to French pop music. I spent Easter weekend in Paris, and on our first night my roommate and I took a walk to a corner pizzeria not far from our hostel. While our (very delicious) pizza was being made before us, I walked over to listen to the radio playing in the corner and take a peek at the stack of French CDs beside it. One problem: I don’t speak or read French, so I don’t know what the CDs were and I don’t know what the radio DJ was saying about the songs. Whatever those songs were, though, they were extremely catchy. I don’t care that I don’t understand a word of French—music is music. I still got the general idea with the beat and tone of voice. I have taken to searching for French pop music on iTunes, but with little luck so far. I did look into the French artist Camille, who did the single “Le festin” for the 2007 Disney/Pixar film Ratatouille. I have several of her albums now but (of course) have not yet managed to listen to them in full.

But the gem of my musical discoveries abroad is an album I bought in my favorite country in the United Kingdom—Scotland. I first heard this album in a souvenir shop in Edinburgh just across the street from our hotel. As I was flipping through racks of plaid hats, kilts, and flags bearing the crests of Scottish clans, I realized that I knew the tune playing—though it was only bagpipes. I turned to my friend and said, “Doesn’t this sound like ‘We Will Rock You’?” And she agreed that, yes, it did. I wanted desperately to know where I could find a bagpipe rendition of “We Will Rock You,” but I didn’t know how I would go about that. Maybe, I thought, I was just missing America and merely imagined that those bagpipes sounded like “We Will Rock You.” That was until the next song sounded suspiciously like “Eye of the Tiger.” I couldn't have mistaken both, despite the bagpipes.

Yes, it turns out that Scotland is home to a very wonderful band called the Red Hot Chilli Pipers (with two L’s in “Chilli”) who play such famous American hits as those I’ve mentioned, as well as Deep Purple’s “Smoke On The Water” (which incidentally is the first song I learned to play on guitar.) The next day in the Edinburgh Castle gift shop, I heard those familiar bagpipe songs again, and this time I was able to find a rack of CDs and was ecstatic to buy the Pipers’ Blast Live album, which features the American cover songs as well as some Scottish songs, such as “Hills of Argyll” and “Celtic Bolero.” It’s an interesting medley, but endlessly creative and delightful to listen to. For weeks after I returned to my college in Oxfordshire, I would sit in one of the libraries and hear from various other rooms the strains of bagpipes playing “We Will Rock You”—it seems that many of my fellow classmates discovered and loved the Red Hot Chilli Pipers as well. Even if you don’t like bagpipe music (and frankly, before finding the Pipers, I wasn’t too fond of it) you should check out their albums, which are also available on iTunes.

Happy listening,
Emily Noel

“My Theory Isn’t Perfect, But It’s Close”

2009-08-25T00:08:00.009-04:00

First, I’d like to give a shout-out to one of my best and long-time friends who left tonight for a semester abroad in Italy—bon voyage, mia ragazza! Party it up, take lots of pictures and, oh yeah—study, I guess. You’re going to have the best time of your life! Love you!

Secondly—yes, I know it’s technically a Tuesday entry, not a Monday, but it would have been on Monday except I was out late and then my laptop had a little bit of a meltdown and I couldn’t post in time.

So the other day a friend called and while we were talking I could make out music in the background, which I identified as the Red Hot Chili Peppers. It turned out to be their latest album, the double-disc Stadium Arcadium, which I acquired last summer. Unfortunately, I am sorry to admit that I have not listened to all of it. I have to admit a terrible flaw when it comes to music: after listening to an album all the way through for the first time, I tend to only focus on a few songs that I am instantly attracted to and ignore the rest, which is a constant source of annoyance to a lot of my friends. “How can you do that?” several have asked more than once. I don’t have an answer for this; I guess I just figure why waste time on songs that don’t really grab me when I can spend more time with the ones I love? It’s not a conscious decision; it’s just something I do. Of course, I will occasionally stumble upon these “reject songs” later, sometimes on the radio or played for me by a friend, and I’ll say, “Wow, what’s this? I love it!” And when I am told the song and artist, I say, “Oh, I have this album!” I usually get the knowing look: She’s had this song for years and never bothered to give it a second chance. Again. I generally don’t have this problem with EPs or short albums, but on one as extensive as Stadium Arcadium, I regret to say I have not given it all the attention it deserves.

But overhearing my friend’s background music led us to indulge in one of my favorite pastimes—discussing music! I love it so much and yet this happens to rarely with people that I really don’t know why I don’t actively try to engage people in the topic. Instead, I often bore my mother with long-winded descriptions of songs or bands or my idol, Claudio Sanchez, the front man of Coheed and Cambria. But it happened the other night, and I was very pleased. My friend told me how much he loves the Chili Peppers because their lyrics are often so in-depth and can be interpreted in a number of ways. He said you really have to give them a careful listen and pay close attention to get all the meaning. I definitely agree with that, but for me the Chili Peppers have such an easy-going beat to so many of their songs that I tend to just write them off as background music without paying much attention to the lyrics. Of course I know the old RHCP classics (because who could forget “Don’t Stop” and “The Zephyr Song”?) and about four years ago a friend gave me a number of RHCP albums. But, of course, I just picked out a few favorites, like “Don’t Stop,” and forgot about the rest.

So yesterday, keeping in mind my friend’s conversation, I made a point of giving the Red Hot Chili Peppers another listen. It seems that whenever a Chili Peppers song comes on, pretty much no one has to stop and wonder, “What band is this?” I think this is primarily because of Anthony Kiedis’s distinctive vocals, but also for that mellow melody I mentioned before that is such a trademark of many of their songs. As my friend said, they have a very unique sound that I have not heard elsewhere. I am not going to go into a RHCP back-story, because I know virtually nothing about their history as a band, other than that (I believe) they began in the early 80's (circa 1983) and are still going strong. But I do find it interesting that they have been able to uphold their own style for over 20 years without deviating too much in style, especially when so many of today’s bands can be mistaken for one another with sound-alike vocals and lyrics. And frankly, a lot of modern bands lack creativity. (I won't name names, but you might know what I mean--the pop boy bands or the screaming emo bands with uninspiring songs of unrequited love.) The Chili Peppers have held on to their own voice, and that is really something.

After listening much more closely to them yesterday, I have to concede to the talent of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. If you had asked me before this weekend what I thought of them, I would have said they are a decent band but not to my taste. I would have admitted that they are unique, but not extraordinary, in my opinion. But now I have come to think that they have been able to create something really amazing in their songs. One of my favorites off of Arcadium (skipping over the obvious hit-singles like “Snow (Hey Oh)” and “Dani California”) is “Wet Sand.” (And okay, yes, I am guilty AGAIN of skimming over a lot of the songs on Arcadium even yesterday—but hey, it’s a twenty-eight track album, and I’m definitely going to pay a lot closer attention to this band from now on.) Focusing on “Wet Sand” called to mind some of their older singles, again with the lulling melodies and the tapestry of lyrics that seem so simple at first-listen, but on reflection are actually a lot deeper than I originally thought. “Wet Sand” is actually a really beautiful song when you focus more on the use of the words, rather on just the simple phrases themselves—and to be honest, I am not even going to pretend that I understand it all. But the line, “I saw you there so unaware / Those hummingbirds all in your hair,” creates a beautiful mental image, and what about the lines that follow it? “The disrepair of Norma Jean / Could not compare to your routine / Balarama beauty goin’ toe to toe.” I really admire the ideas behind all the imagery in this song.

AND THEN! And then, as if the lyrics didn’t turn out to be fantastic enough, it really picks up at the last stanzas: “You don’t form in the wet sand / You don’t form at all / Oh, you don’t form in the wet sand – I do!” And it ends with a really fantastic guitar part that only adds another dimension to the Chili Peppers’ talents. If you have not given “Wet Sand,” Stadium Arcadium, or the Red Hot Chili Peppers a good listen, I definitely recommend that you familiarize yourself with them. Give those lyrics a good second look-over—you really might be surprised. Or, maybe you just aren’t as dismissive of spectacular artists as I am.

Goodnight, music-lovers!
Emily Noel

[Credit for entry title: lyrics taken from “Wet Sand” - Red Hot Chili Peppers.]

Tangent Thoughts

2009-08-21T09:54:00.008-04:00

I have decided that I need a structure to this blog and so I'll be writing every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. If I turn out to have less to say or one of those days ends up not working out, I'll change it, but for now that is the plan. Unfortunately for me, today is a Friday and that of course means I have to blog. But if I give up on the second day then I guess I'm not that serious about a career in writing about music. (Dream career: working for Rolling Stone or other music magazine.) But I am serious - I just have to prove it to myself this semester.

Fortunately for me and this blog, I have recently made several music discoveries. I won't discuss them all today, otherwise I'll probably run out of topics. But first, I'd like to give you a little bit more insight into what sort of music I like and what music means to me. (That kind of sounds like a 3rd grade essay: "What Music Means To Me." Oh well - the blog is kind of like an assignment, anyway.)

If you know me outside of this blog and you are not a random reader (which I assume you're not, actually, because I don't imagine that many others will stumble across this insignificant piece of arrogance) then you probably know that my all-time desert-island favorite movie is High Fidelity (John Cusack, Jack Black; a must-buy if you haven't seen it - don't even rent it, you will fall in love forever) because of its attitude toward music. It is based on the novel of same name by Nick Hornby, a British author who actually is coming out with a new music-themed book this September, to my ever-lasting joy. (Side note - I picked up several of his other books while in England; I highly recommend him, as well. He is extremely clever and funny.) Anyway, as much as I can't get enough of Hornby and as fantastic as the novel version of High Fidelity is, I have to say that John Cusack is what really gives the story a personality, or rather, makes Rob Gordon (the main character) come to life. He is a regular guy; he is that guy who sucks at love and relationships, which is pretty much every guy ever in my opinion. (Not that I can talk. Although I am a girl, if I haven't made that clear yet.)

But he also cares about music in a way that, until I saw this movie, I thought only I was capable of. (Not to be conceited, it's just that I have never met anyone who gets so into it.) I was unaware that there is this whole mass of people who will spend their afternoons tracking down old vinyl albums and still have record players and are into all that stuff. It's like they're tracking down lost memories, is what it sounds like to me. My dad has a record player that doesn't work and I want him to fix it. I think we sold most of our records at a garage sale like nine years ago, though, but I really like the idea from High Fidelity where Rob Gordon has shelves and shelves of records everywhere in his apartment. (I'm that way with books, though.) We also have a Victrola, which for those of you who don't know or are too young to know is the next step up from a gramaphone. It's this big wooden box that plays records just like a record player, though it only plays a certain kind. It won't play modern records. It's volume control are these two doors in front and the sound gets louder or softer depending whether you open them and how widely open them. Actually, I really hate the Victrola because the songs it plays are so, so old and tinny-sounding. But I think it's an interesting piece of musical history; without it, I wouldn't have my iPod. Besides, it's nearly a hundred years old and it still plays--I'll be lucky if my iPod makes it until next Christmas, and it's only two and a half years old.

Anyway, I'm getting severely off-topic. (Can you imagine if I was really trying to write for a professional music magazine and I lapsed off on a tangent about Victrolas? Fired much?) Back to High Fidelity. So Rob Gordon (John Cusack) is all about music. And I'm not going to give you a plot summary, you just really need to watch it and then watch it again because you might not fall in love with it the first time. I didn't, in fact, I can't even take credit for wanting to watch the movie of my own volition the first time I saw it. It was on some movie channel like TBS or AMC or something one day, and I only watched it because a friend once told me that it is a really excellent, really funny movie about relationships.

But to me, it is also more than that. Rob Gordon has this thing where he makes an all-time desert-island top-five list of everything--books, movies, songs, albums, artists, ex-girlfriends. Top-five break-ups, the ones that hurt the most. (I would so do that, if I had enough exes, which I don't. Although one of them would certainly be enough to fill all five spaces.) And his philosophy is that "it's not what you ARE like that matters, it's WHAT you like." I have to agree. Books, films, and music are really an excellent way to judge people in life. I'm not saying that's really all there is to it; obviously personality counts for a lot, too. But what if two people have ABSOLUTELY nothing in common? They're doomed, I think. But if they have ABSOLUTELY nothing in common EXCEPT a favorite band or book or film, then they could be saved. Maybe that one thing could hold them together. (I don't know from experience. But I like to think that it's true.) In High Fidelity, Rob and his girlfriend both love music, but his girlfriend starts to drift into the real world and become more focused on a "real job" as a lawyer. (Rob is the owner of a record store called Championship Vinyl. Did I mention that's another of my dream jobs?) But Rob says that their entire relationship is based on Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On." Personally, I think that would be really great if I was in a relationship based on a song or a love of the same band or book. It sounds dreamy and stupid to more practical people, I guess, but I never said I was practical.

Okay, back to topic—High Fidelity is pretty much my music Bible; it taught me that it’s okay to be an appreciator of music and not feel like a total poseur because I don’t play an instrument (although I have a Silvertone acoustic guitar that gets messed around on when the mood strikes) and I can’t read music and I haven’t even sung for an audience in over two years, and that was just for chorus in high school. High Fidelity made me realize that music can be a lifestyle without being your occupation. I am not going to be the next Jimi Hendrix or Joe Satriani and I don’t want to be—I’ll leave that to some of my very talented musician friends. Yes, I do dream sometimes of what it would be like to be able to play guitar on stage for a huge screaming audience, and it wouldn’t even be my own song, it would be something fun and upbeat from Bowling For Soup, or a great hit single that everyone loves, like Journey's “Don’t Stop Believing” or Blue Oyster Cult's "Burnin' For You" or—my biggest desire—something by my own desert-island all-time favorite band Coheed and Cambria. I could write several books on Coheed and never say all that I want to about how much I love them, so I’ll save them for another entry, or several other entries. Actually, they will probably crop up a lot in this entire blog, and if you don’t like them I hope that doesn’t turn you off this blog because I think that if anyone gave them a serious listen and delved deep into those songs you would fall in love with them, too, because they are all perfect. But more on that another time.

My point is, I know I will never live that dream of covering my favorite songs on guitar with a band in front of a huge audience at a concert. Even if I learn to actually play the guitar, I know deep down it is not my calling. I’m a writer, and that’s all I’ve ever been, but that doesn’t mean I can’t still be a music critic. Sure, I have a lot more to learn about it, and I don’t even pretend to be an expert. But I’d have an opinion and frankly, my idea of a soul mate is, on some level, someone like the character of Rob Gordon who I could discuss and argue music with from the moment I wake up until the moment I fall asleep, and it wouldn’t even mean anything, because what do individual opinions matter in the grand scheme of things? But it would mean something to me, because all I really want to do is discuss music. So, instead, I’ll talk about it in this blog, and probably no one will ever see it except maybe my mom and a couple of friends. But it’s a project and that’s what I really need right now…so whatever.

I guess that’s all for now. I’m already getting LOTS of ideas for this, more than I’d originally anticipated. I kind of went off on a tangent that I didn’t intend to with High Fidelity, but at least that provided somewhat of a back story to this blog in general.

Ciao,
Emily Noel

The First Day

2009-08-20T11:16:00.004-04:00

This is something that I have wanted to do for awhile and today I finally just decided to go for it. I figured, new semester, new challenges. Hopefully this will be a constructive writing project to complement my academic challenges in the Fall 2009.

On that note, a bit about myself - I am a junior in college majoring in Creative Writing. I have just returned from a semester abroad in Oxfordshire, England studying literature. The purpose of this blog is both a creative vent/mode of inspiration for my often-writer's-blocked mind as well as an outlet for my obsessive passion for music. I am aware that there are probably a million music blogs out there by emo teenagers and pop fans, but I hope that this can be more than that. I can't promise that I won't lapse into angst-filled rants occasionally, but I will definitely try to stay on topic. This is not an outlet like LiveJournal where I'll talk about boys and school and parents. Basically, I want to tie the two biggest passions of my life: writing & music.

Anyway, I'm getting off-topic already. Let's just hope I don't cop out and forget about this thing. My mentality for this semester is all about ACCOMPLISHMENT. That means "finishing tasks." For instance, I've written an entire novel (takes a bow) but I have yet to edit it. This semester is all about dispelling that kind of complacency.

So, if anyone is actually reading this, I hope you'll stick with me and are at least vaguely interested.

Happy reading (and listening, if you choose to follow along with the music I'll be talking about.)

Cheers!
Emily Noel