46: Wokring for the Weekend

So Panera is going well enough. Sure, I wear the same pair of mom khakis (HUGE crotch) and rotate one of three polos that I don't actually wash so much as spray down with toner (that's like cleaning. it has tea tree in it!), but the people seem good enough. We're a motley band of underachievers but then again, how inspired would you if worked at Panera?

I suppose the thing that bothers me the most there is not the free drinks people take, because let's face it, I do not care enough to properly charge people half the time --though I was rewarded the other by a cute man's joke:

What's a vampires favorite holiday? (cue lip biting where he thought he fucked it up)
Fangsgiving

that's right. The surest way to my heart is a nervous twitch and a corny dad joke-- or the giners digging through those too-sugary pastries we sample, but the muzak versions of songs they play. Van Morrison's "Crazy Love" does not need to become sweeter or softer. Nor "SOmwhere over the Rainbow". I'd be fine with classical. Hell, I'm fine with silence. But the shy cello and violin renditions of "Have I Told You Lately" and "Home on the MOTHERFUCKING Range" is unnecessary and annoying. I can't decided what's worse- this, or the top 40 pop I'd listen to at Dunkin Donuts.


No, that's not true. Dunkin music was much worse, if only because I can tune this music out.

But as I search for a coffee shop job, I'm realizing that music really does make the work environment for me. I mean, when I think about jobs I've loved, it's because I could play what music I wanted, within reason (Lush, Mary's Pence). When I think about jobs that I've tolerated, it's because I could listen to podcasts or something on headphones (Board of Ed filing). When I think about jobs I've hated, it's usually because of the music and not because of the people I've dealt with- thus, compare my work at the Green Leafe to Dunkin Donuts or that law firm with its softjazzyrockmiddleagepop. Ulgh. Vomit.



However, I have been on a music binge lately- satisfying cravings not only for Super Black Market Clash and the Moon is a Broken Lightbulb (Elliot Smith B Sides), but also letting in bands I don't quite know (but now love) like Starfucker. I guess that might even things out.

42: Beauty of a Beat

So it's me, the bartender and one customer at the bar. I'm on my laptop, he's on his phone, and she's doing crosswords. But we're all popping to my glam rock mix. I love music.

33: Wop A Din Din

Feeling exhausted lately, which shouldn't be surprising. I suppose it's the flu scare on campus, combined with that every present threat of mono that circles through the realms of the young quick to swat cup and kiss. Probably nothing, just a whole lot of candle burning.

Music helps. Music always helps.

Fuck It, We're Through
Old Crow Medicine Show- Wagon Wheel*
Whiskeytown- Excuse Me While I Break My Own Heart
Wussy- Airborne
Rilo Kiley- A Better Song/Better Daughter
Camera Obscura- Lloyd, I'm Ready to be Heartbroken
Johnny Cash- Jackson **
Wilco- I Am Trying to Break Your Heart
The Mountain Goats- Standard Bitter Love Song #4
Joshua Radin- Sundrenched World
Sea Wolf- I Made a Resolution
Belle and Sebastian- Fuck This Shit
Elliott Smith- Clementine
Fields- If You Fail, We All Fail

(all I need now is to get my hands on some Red House Painters to complete it)

*fun fact- this is the closing song at the bar
**fun fact- when searching for Johnny Cash at WCWM, check both under the Js and the Cs. He's filed under both. Bob Dylan on the other hand, is only under D

30: Aleta Mix

Baby Please- Jurassic Five
We Celebrate- Ghostface Killah
Hey Ladies- Beastie Boys
Move Your Feet- Junior Senior
Clap Song- Audio Imagery
Flyentologist History Month (El_P v. DFA1979)- DJ Million Dollar Snake Babies
Friday Night- Girl Talk
A Little Bit Cooler- The Cool Kids
A Day at the Races- Jurassic Five
Roc Boys (and the Winner Is)- Jay Z
Flashlight Fight (Featuring Chuck-D)- The Go! Team
Galang- M.I.A
Body Moving- Beastie Boys
Zombies Walk!!- Sufjan Stevens v. Kanye West
Lindsey Lohan- Spank Rock
Chicks and Dicks- Junior Senior

Basically, a fun mix to get yourself up and at them, or to play in the background of your very own gangaster movie starring Tatum Channing or Channing Tatum or Chatum Tanning or whatever that so-called pretty boy's name is.

13: Autumnal Mix

For curling up in bed, or in a warm sunny place, with a mug of tea and your headphones.
It's a little sweet, and soft. But that's fall with a cup of chai and a toasty scarf.

TV- Headlights
You're a Wolf-Sea Wolf
Teenage Kicks (Undertones cover)- Seabear
One of these Things First- Nick Drake
Lump Sum- Bon Iver
In the Hot Hot Rays- Fleet Foxes
Anthems for a Seventeen Year Old Girl-Broken Social Scene
Hotel Song- Regina Spektor
Rescue- Seabird
I Am Warm and Powerful- Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin
A Little Lost (Arthur Russell cover)- Jens Lekman
Kiss Me Again- Jessica Lea Mayfield
Chelsea Hotel #2 (Leonard Cohen cover)- Rufus Wainwright
Lover's Spit- Broken Social Scene

11: Autumnal

Fall has really set in lately- the weather has been dipping through the fifties and sixties, making it perfect jeans and scarf weather (which basically holds through the winter for me too). I've listening to Nick Drake all morning, which just adds to the mood.

I want to curl up on some leaves and go to sleep.

10: Jens Lekman

Saw Jens Lekman in concert last night- it was good. Mostly him and a guitar, with a CD player to help out with some of the backing instrumentation. It wasn't great- I liken it to seeing Jose Gonzalez, where it mostly sounds like you expect everything to sound. With Gonzalez though, there was a different, more reverent crowd energy until the last song which became this massive sing-a-long (currently searching for the song). There was swaying.

There was also a massive amount of hipster fashion. We're talking feetie leggings, headbands, semi-wedding dresses, sweaters without pants- and when the announcement came that Girl Talk will be playing in February, I could see the wheels begin to churn in so many heads, planning the outfit. I suppose my bitterness is unfounded, mostly because it's not bitterness. I understand that people do look at me and occasionally think hipster, and I know that the very essence of hipster is to be disparaging while denying your own conformity. I guess what it comes down to money. I shop in thrift stores cause I don't have tons of money. I listen to a lot of indie rock, but I also love Van Morrison and Jackson Browne.

Oh well.

I went to a party after the show with some people from work, and got to watch other people dance from the comfort of a couch, which is less antisocial than it sounds. If Ireland has taught me anything, it's that you have much more fun being ridiculous on the dance floor than rehearsing your moves in a mirror.
Jens Lekman showed up to the pary, which created an odd mood. Suddnely everyone in the back headed inside, and the whispers started. 'Have you seen him?!' 'Jens is here!' 'Oh god, I hope I get to talk to him!' I went in for the bathroom, and saw him talking to a few people, with a cluster a few feet away, looking for all intensive purposes like they were waiting in line. He came outside, so did everyone else. I ended up splitting. It reminded me too much of that scene in Almost Famous.

8: Biking in the Dark

Tonight I'll be working another late night shift, so from 8:30 pm to approximately 3 am. I have yet to see anyone throw up, but I've seen fights, I've seen people pass out, dance on tables, make out with someone's mom, play quarters into a pitcher (really? really?? no seriously, really?) and break up. I've beer spilled on me, elbows to the stomach and I've stepped on a lot of toes. It's not that bad though. It's a whole lot of jump and movement, and then long moments of waiting, but it works out.

What I like the most is the ride home. Yes, I should get a ride from someone. No, it's not safe for anyone to bike at 3 am. However, it's a well lit road and there's rarely anyone on it. I keep to the fringe, and I (illegally, yes) go against traffic so I have more control on anyone who be swerving my way (yet to happen). I love how abandoned it is, with only hotels and shut down pancake houses. I love being able to sing along to my music (posted below is an updated playlist, Saving Face, previously seen on the website). I can de-stress from the spilled beer and awkward conversations with old men, or drunk men; I've been figuring out dialogue lately, and bits of poetry; mostly though, I just listen to music and let that clean out my head. More and more I'm taking solace in the moments where I don't have the overrepresented script going, and more and more I'm finding that exists when I have music on.

Saving Face

the Airborne Toxic Event- Sometime After Midnight
Kings of Leon- Sex on Fire
Radiohead- the Bends
Yo La Tengo- Little Eyes
the Coral- Being Somebody Else
Blitzen Trapper- Furr
Joy Division- Love Will Tear Us Apart
the Clash- Straight to Hell
Damien Rice- Creep (Radiohead cover)
the National- Daughters of the Soho Riots
Damien Jurado- Gillian was a Horse
You Say Party! We Say Die!- Monster
Kevin Devine- Whistling Dixie
Bon Iver- the Wolves (Act 1 and 2)
Stars- Personal
Submarines- Brighter Discontent
Silver Jews- Suffering Jukebox
Steve Wynn- Manhattan Fault Line
Jessica Lea Mayfield- Kiss Me Again
Keren Ann- Lay Your Head Down
Radiohead- Electioneering

5: Covering Up

I can't quite explain my love of cover songs. The best I can do is point to how it makes it possible for anyone to at least put their own spin on an amazing song, even if they didn't write it themselves. One of my favorite things about listening to music is picking out songs I think deserve, need, cry to be covered and imagine who would do the best job of doing so.

I'm a nerd.

My top five?

Final Fantasy- Song Song Song by Broken Social Scene
I love how this song starts with a disjointed drum beat, that's really just a bow on strings. This song just sounds like someone breaking down and building themselves up, only to fall back apart. If there's anyone who can capture that, it's the collective voices behind Broken Social Scene. I'd be intrigued to see how the could take what's a fairly expansive song and blow it up.

the Rolling Stones- Gimmer Shelter by Kevin Devine
God bless Merry Clayton. Her scream makes the song. As for Mr. Devine, his scream turns songs like 'Just Stay' and 'Cotton Crush' from plaintive to heart breaking. Kevin, make it happen.

Broken Social Scene- It's All Gonna Break by Pedro the Lion OR Jose Gonzalez
Favorite Broken Social Scene song? Yes. Do I love all 10 minutes of it? Yes. Do I want to see what would happen if you brought it down to just one voice? Hell YES. Why the split between artists?
A. Pedro the Lion is no more. So even in theory, chances of this are unlikely. But should for some reason, the PtL gentlemen see fit to reunite for a single cover song, chose this one! Oh please, chose this one!
B. Jose Gonzalez can do a mean cover. I have full faith that he would do a (dare I say?) righteous job. But I'd love to see someone a little more unexpected or underplayed behind the healm on this one.

MGMT- Kids by Regina Spektor
Strip this down to the synth and the lyrics, and you have a decent song. Spektor could bring the heartbreak, and the hipsters would bring the standing there with their arms folded. Which is normal; I hear if hipsters break a sweat, an angel loses its wings. They're so considerate, those elf ears kids.

Van Morrison- And It Stoned Me by Kristoffer Ragnstam. (My favorite Van Morrison song. Of all time. And, I love this Sweede. Seriously, he has some great Van Morrison -eque instances on his albums, and I think he could do this baby justice. Or else. And by or else, I mean I tie him up in my bedroom and force him to be adorable and Sweedish for me only. Warned!)

Top Covers:

• "Kid A" (Radiohead)- John Mayer (I hate myself for saying this, but he does a really strong job. don't know if I give him more credit on basis of the other shit he's released, or because it's a strong cover, but this song somewhat redeems the waste of tabloid space he has become)
• "Yeh Jo Halka Halka Saroor Hai" (Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan) -Jeff Buckley (I love Jeff Buckley. I do, I really do. But I can openly admit that the man spends way too much time sometimes blowing songs out of proportion. However, sometimes that works (his cover of "Je n'en connais pas la fin" is another fantastic example of this). The way his voice soars and breaks totally makes up for an eight (8!!) minute cover of 'If You See Her, Say Hello")
• Knocking on Heaven's Door(Bob Dylan) - Antony and the Johnsons (heartbreak. pure. simple)
  
• 'Hand on Your Heart' (Kylie Minogue)- Jose Gonzalez (like I said, he knows his covers)
• 'Jump into the Fire' (Harry Nilsson)- LCD Soundsystem (try not to dance. I dare you)