The Best Albums of 2008

so yeah. if you follow my blog, you know i already posted this like a week ago...but i just got an email from a record company "threatening" me to take down the downloads i had posted or else hahaha. So i had to take my post down, so here again, are my top 30 albums, minus the free downloads. sorry everyone, but by this time, i hope you already had them. and i'm too lazy to post albums covers too...it takes too long. thanks for reading!

1. Cut Copy – In Ghost Colours
when the year began, I had already heard plenty of tracks from “in ghost colours” but by years end, I didn’t think this masterful work would be the best album of 2008. When it comes down to it, much like vampire weekend, cut copy didn’t represent anything new with this album, but it is easily the most consistent album of 2008. If you know me, you know I’m an avid runner, and throughout 2008, there has not been a day when I haven’t run to this album. This 80’s dreamlike dance pop isn’t just one of the greatest dance records I have ever heard, but it largely puts other dance albums to shame. I am absolutely astounded by how much I have listened to “in ghost colours,” and NEVER gotten sick of it. Seeing them twice live, just added to my overwhelming respect for these Australian revolutionaries. With “hearts on fire,” being the greatest song of the year (wait for that list later) and songs like “far away,” and of course the irresistible “lights & music,” “in ghost colours,” represents the future of pop music. For god’s sake, I’ve heard the reject/b sides of this album, and I can’t stop listening to those either! (look for the bootlegs online). Cut Copy shocked me with their consistency, and the sincere beauty of their blissful keyboards which leave me dyingggg for more.

2. The Dodos – Visitor
I first heard this album driving up to santa barbara this year, and from when I left los angeles, there was no other album I listened to until I got there, or left there for that matter. This really is almost in a dead tie with my #1, but based on shear listenability, I chose to put it at my #2. These men from San Francisco have truly changed my outlook on acoustic music. Before I listened to this album, I was really only listening to dance/electronic in 2008, but “visitor” has opened doors to music I never before heard. Where the dodos succeed, is not just consistency, but lush beauty. They do things with acoustic guitars I didn’t even know were possible, and if you have ever seen their live performance, you know that they play with instruments attached to every body part (and I mean every body part!) I truly love every song on this album, from the opener “walking,” to the simple magnetic fields like “undeclared,” “visitor,” is truly something to be not just listened to, but experienced.

3. Deerhunter – Microcastle
before this album, I never really like deerhunter. They were one of those bands I didn’t “get.” I listened to their previous record, “cryptograms,” repeatedly, and could never get into it, but I instantly fell in love with “microcastle.” Not only is it just more accessible and listenable, but the message remained the same. Before this album, I had never been a fan of “dream pop,” but where this album succeeds, is the fact that you can either listen to this album while going to bed, or listen to it at a party. Despite me instantly liking “microcastle,” I had to listen to it repeatedly to understand what I was listening to. This album isn’t just fantastic, but mind bending and genre altering. How can I even describe deerhunter? They are just that fantastic in every way.

4. Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago
This album was written in northern Wisconsin in a hunting cabin for three months, and that is exactly what it sounds like. What comes to mind listening to bon iver, is a mixture of antony hergarty and jose gonzalez. A hauntingly different voice, that leaves you cringing in a corner. This is such a refreshing, yet horrifying album. Its almost a tear jerker, and no other album has had such an emotional impact on my life in 2008. I fell hard for this album at first listen, and have fallen harder after every listen since then. So simplistic, yet far from it at the same time.

5. Fleet Foxes – S/T
No surprise here. This album has landed at the top of so many lists, its probably will be called the best when all is said and done. But when I first listened to this album I didn’t care for it. It wasn’t until the third or fourth listen that I began to understand the haunting beauty this debut record entails. Think of fleet foxes as a mix between band of horses and wolf parade. Church like symphony that only sub pop can bring you. When I think of this album, I think of driving up the coast with my window down, or a late night campfire. A truly beautiful record that doesn’t represent anything new to the music world, but shows how good indie pop can be at its best.

6. Vampire Weekend – S/T
this one is going to be controversial. I know so many of you HATE vampire weekend, and a biggg part of me does as well, but what I have to admit is how truly fantastic this album is. Despite it coming out in January technically, I’ve had this album for almost two years, and it just hasn’t really gotten old. Despite vw going somewhat “mainstream,” how can anyone deny the swift, cunning simple beauty these young men have created? Vw is also surprisingly one of the most remixed bands of 2008 as well, I have at least 10 remixes of various songs from this record, and despite being on the cover of spin, or despite the various late night gigs they have played, vampire weekend have remained the most talked about band of 2008, and deserving at that (sort of).

7. Black Kids – Partie Traumatic
another controversial choice. I haven’t seen this album on ANYONE’S list, sadly probably due to pitchfork’s dismal review of it, everyone’s afraid to like it. But this album was nothing but fun loving sweaty dance rock. Not only are the melodies enduring and fun, but black kids proved what bloc party failed to do this year, showing how fun music can be without even trying. Seeing black kids in concert just further showed me how fun rock music can be. A truly just straight up fun album. Don’t look for any deep found lyrical meaning or profound political authority with this record, but just put on your dancing shoes and get movingggg.

8. Air France – No Way Down
I have never been a fan of m83, even with the hugeee success of “Saturdays = Youth,” but this album by air france is everything I hoped m83 would be. This record meets somewhere between cut copy and m83, where yes there is beautiful dance pop, but at times turns panda bear/album leaf-ish. A truly wonderful surprise, I wasn’t expecting to fall in love with this album, but I found myself listening to it over and over again. Humming the melodies and shaking my hips. Where sigur ros and others failed to succeed this year, “no way down,” is one of those records you can try to fall asleep to, but when its over, you have the energy to get up and dance. Boy, has that caused problems for my sleeping habits…

9. Foals – Antidotes
This album represents where death cab miserably failed this year. This was probably the most refreshing album of 2008. A wonderful record all the way through, with, with out a doubt the most thought provoking lyrics of the year. The best British debut since the almighty Klaxons toreee it up last year. This genre bending album was so brilliantly executed, it deserves to be higher on this list, but the other eight are just that much better. A wonderful debut, nonetheless.

10. Crystal Castles – S/T
to let all of you know, this album was originally my #4 album of the year. But after seeing them live on Halloween, I lost a ton of respect for them. Honestly, a horrible live performance. But who wasn’t on something that night, you know? This was the primitive spring/summer record. I remember driving everywhere with this album, blasting out my eardrums with the Nintendo like electronics. There is no denying how absolutely catchy this album is, and how you can’t help but rip your clothes off when it comes on. A wonderful, surprising debut from this Canadian duo who has blown up as much as Justice did last year. Now if they could just work on their live performance, 2009 should be a fantastic year for these two hipster gods in leather.

11. Dr. Dog - Fate
12. Beach House – Devotion
13. Frightened Rabbit – The Midnight Organ Fight
14. Grouper – Dragging A Dead Deer Up A Hill
15. The Magnetic Fields - Distortion
16. Friendly Fires – S/T
17. Born Ruffians – Red, Yellow & Blue
18. Hercules & Love Affair – S/T
19. Why? - Alopecia
20. MGMT – Oracular Spectacular
21. Midnight Juggernauts – Dystopia
22. Portishead – Third
23. Department Of Eagles – In Ear Park
24. Los Campesinos! – Hold On Now, Youngster
25. Wolf Parade – At Mount Zoomer
26. The Walkmen – You & Me
27. Santogold – S/T
28. Ra Ra Riot – The Rhumb Line
29. Lykke Li – Youth Novels
30. The Black Keys - Attack & Release

A Part Of The Weekend Never Dies...

a truly spectacular song, and album i may add. both are shoe-ins for my best of lists which i will go into better detail later. the video reminds me of the imploding social concerns in america today...
what an original title for a post eh? haha, well it seems that the only time i have, and the only time i can ever get a post done is at school waiting for my next class to start, so here i am. and oh do i have so many thoughts on life in general to share with so many of you...
november 4th was truly a day that i will, and i hope, all of you will remember for the rest of your lives. Despite your political views, it was a historic day that has been a long time coming. It makes me angry how self loathing we can be to onto other races. and despite america "accepting" a black man as President, it is obvious that many, many people still have a problem with it. and many, many people are just afraid to say, "i don't like black people." i mean think about it, a poll was done recently that shows that 91% of people would not be honest with a poll person if the question may have been controversial or demeaning to another individual. so i was afraid, that these people who have such horrible feelings towards a race would come to a head on nov. 4th. but, we were fortunate to once again be a country of progression and took another dyanamic move forward as a country. maybe i won't leave this horrid country anymore after i graduate? hmm. nahhh.
godddddddd i don't understand conservatives...really. i mustttt portray my dismay as a Californian with prop 8 passing. not just because my aunt got married to her partner, but because as Americans we have to accept the idea that if we ever want to move forward to an equal society, allllllllllllll people must be treated that way. it is an absolute atrocity to let people's rights suffer due to a bunch of religious fundamentalists. people say that they vote yes on 8 because god says that marriage should only be between a man and a woman. bullshit. now, i consider myself an extremely religious person, but whatever happened to separation of church and state? whatever happened to equality? whatever happened to what we accomplished as a country in the 1960's? Our country has long since moved past the times of dissonance against each other. i thought what was great about being an american was how diverse our culture was? the way prop 8 passed was so hurtful because it represented what government SHOULD fear most...that the power of religious oppression has taken over our democratic ideals. i have heard so many arguments for and against, but overall i just laugh, because what people are really arguing is freedom of equality and human rights. passing prop 8 makes the rest of the world aware that we are no different then those islamic terrorists who turn to the koran for guidance. they base their bombings off of whats in the koran and what is loosely based on muhammad's preachings, so does this mean that since god mentions in the bible that marriage should only be between a man and a woman thousands of years ago, that we must turn to that as our vision of a free society? Absolutely ridiculous. inconsiderate, and immoral.
but i must also mention my discontent with the post prop 8 vision. i don't mind the protests etc. as that is our right as americans, but blaming the mormon church took it too far. Despite my discontent with the funding provided from LDS, no one is to blame but ourselves as human beings. taking our vision as moral citizens and making us barbaric animals. using children as a defense to promote the initiative took it too far, and as Californians it just seemed easier to blame a particular church, because all the people share the same vision, despite the Catholic and various other churches also preaching to pass the initiative. but we can't blame them can we? there are too many of them, its taboo, and also impossible to blame an entire sect of Christianity.
our motives as Americans should be to show we can move away from old religious oppression, and into a more sincere way of life. as i said, i consider myself a very religious individual, but i do not let my feelings toward my faith guide my feelings toward humanity. you may say, i let god guide what i do in life, which is great, but do you think god would want to oppress others in a demeaning way? God mentions many, many times in the bible how all are created under the same hand, so why should all of humanity who was created in "his image" be treated unequivacally? It hurts to know that so many of you feel so strongly about this, and how this initiative passed. every other world power, besides maybe russia is very accepting of homosexuality, but what we are doing is what Iran is doing, further denying that homosexuality exists. As americans we are prolonging the inevitable, and i just hope that since we elected such a minority to office, that someday we can look at each other as equals, and not let our religious ideals guide our views toward human rights.
Californians - we give rights to pigs, but take them away from humans? God, i love this country.
Your opinions are welcomed, here or on facebook.
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The Change in Dance Music
if you only want to read politics, i'm done, now i'm on to what i care about most, music. halloween was truly a great night, despite filled with some missteps, it was a night i will never forget. but one thing, i need to talk about, as a lot of others have been talking about lately, is how commercial dance music and the genres surrounding it have become. while at hardfest, that became even more aware. as me and my friends just want to watch our fave acts, you can't help but be pushed around by some douchebags wearing football jerseys, or worse raider jerseys. in the past year, dance music has changed to appeal to the masses, in large due to the success of justice. justice has changed the genre forever, and despite raising the genre's record sales through the roof, the audience that has been turned on to dance and house are the people that hipsters attempt to get away from. i couldn't help but be angry when i stand in place, where i've waited for, for a long time, enjoying an amazing act, in soulwax, when i get pushed out of my place by a bunch of idiots who start screaming, "bring on justice!" with all due respect to justice, i love everything they have done for the industry, but they ARE NOT as good as soulwax, or many many other acts for that matter. but there is something about justice that appeals to everyone. whether it be the success of "D.A.N.C.E." or perhaps the mega hit "we are your friends," they have become gods in the genre, and i just don't understand why.
what bugs me is not only that myself, along with a lottt of other people are music snobs and don't like our music to become commercial, but its who likes it and why they care so much for this particular band that is so irritating. honestly, i don't think half of the people at hardfest knew who any of the acts were except for justice. but has justice been overrated from the beginning? i absolutely believe so. despite "cross" being a dynamic, and very important and well crafted album, it simply, is not thattt good. i think initially people liked it because it was a new sound that had never before been heard, but i listened to it just last week, and could barely make it through it all. the sound has been done, and redone, (better i might add). and its impact is no longer as strong as it used to be.
as "cross" has now been out for almost 2 years, justice are still touring the world, perfoming hundreds of shows a year, and not working on ANY new material. the funny thing is, justice is largely a US phenomenon. despite being big in their native france and elsewhere in europe, they are not nearly as well respected as others. in fact, i know many europeans that can't stand them... in short, justice have long outstayed their welcome, and i am very curious if they can outlive the sophomore slump. with new albums next year expected from dance powerhouses daft punk, i can only hope that they regain the title as kings, and hope that xavier and gaspard go into the studio, and don't come out till they please their initial audience, and stay away from the douchebag audience that have fallen in love as i once did...

ahhhh. well now since that is off my chest, i'm getting excited as we get closer to the end of the year, which meansssss best of lists!! i have already been preparing my three best of lists for this year, which include: the best albums of 2008, the best songs of 2008, and one i have been working hard on, the best albums of all time (1980 - present). i'm nearly complete with all of them, but the year isn't over yet, as we still have albums from kanye west (allegedly) and deerhunter etc. coming up.
as mentioned, i am a music snob, and you may have been able to tell by what i post on my blog. if you noticed, i don't post dance music, largely because that is the music that means most to me. i honestly hear, at least 50 remixes or covers, or dance anthems a week, but i only post those that i don't care if you like or not, because i always fear i will turn the radio on, and my favorite song will be playing. but despite this, my best of list will include a few of my dance favorites which will be available for download, so i will let you dance your pants off.
okayyyy so for music today, its justtt covers. the first is a classic modest mouse cover from ben lee. the next is an either you love or hate it cover of cold war kids. then a really fun klaxons cover and to close it out an always depressing ryan adams cover haha.
i think this is the longest post i've ever done...wow. well enjoy the weekend. thug life.

ben lee - float on (modest mouse cover)
florence and the machine - hospital beds (cold war kids cover)
kaiser chiefs - golden skans (klaxons cover)
ryan adams - times like these (foo fighters cover)

Halloween 2008

i loveeee john lennon and everything he represented, but i'm not a huge fan of his son's julian's solo work. But sean is different, this song is veryyyy symbolic, and how much he looks like john is creepy! i've been going back between this album and various new order albums for the past few weeks, because i loveeeee anything that has to do with joy division as you alllll know...
its strange because i don't realize how long its been since i post sometimes...since school is back in, and since i'm taking a full load, things are just more then stressful with this and with my life in general. i'm writing this because i have an hour before my next class starts, so why not eh?
so my life...
a week from tomorrow will be an uhhhhmazzzing night. a night that begin barely before midnight and will commense no earlier then 4am in my new favorite place in the worlddddddd, hollywood. i'm so mad i never before spent my time there, it is sooo ridiculously fun and adventurous. sure gas sucks sometimes but its worth it everytime. i'm glad now since i'm 21 i can enjoy so much more, but honestly, halloween is going to be insaneeeee.
so far i know a lottt of people going. so if you are going to the event of all events, HARDFEST then please call me. i'm sure i'll be there by midnight, or earlier, because that is when all the fun begins.
does anyone know if they have released a lineup list? because i can skip some of the bands, but i needddd to see smd, crystal castles, and of course JUSTICE.
i ordered my costume yesterday.....omg. its sooooooooo funny. wait till you see pictures. its going to be beautiful.
we are def in the best part of concert season my friends...seeing black kids a week ago at the mayan was wonderful. the first time i went to that venue, i wasn't 21, and it wasn't half as much fun as it is if you are 21. wow there is so much more to do and see, i now am deeply in love with that venue, i highly recommend it. you can check out the filter review of the show, HERE. my fave part is how she mentions how the crowd knew all the words to "this charming man" when it came on. hahahaha i was screaming it on the top of my lungs like i was hearing stephen patrick myself.
wow. 2 months till christmas. thats insane!
so it looks like i'm studying abroad in london this spring. i wanted to do florence, but london has a program specifically designed for poli sci students, so i can get all the credits i need and still graduate next winter, so i'm psyched. and i think my parentals may help me pay for it because it has to do with my career. there is this organization i've gotten pretty close to, and i would have a one year internship in jamaica/mexico for a semester, and then london for the last semester once i enter my master's program. but in order for me to get in, i need to have a feel for what the agency entails, so it would be the perfect opportunity to expand my career internationally into what i want to do. because god knows i am not staying in america after 2010, DESPITE the election results, which we now know will end in my favor. well i actually am still considering hawaii's grad program, and they have exactly what i want, but Canada and Europe are so much more desirable...i'm not one for the sun, as opposed to the cold and gloomy...
i'm really mad at myself for never really celebrating halloween pretty much at all for the past like 5 years haha. i mean its just weird to think, you can never, ever get that time back, so why spend it on the couch or working or something. ridiculous. if you are young, enjoy your life, don't be afraid to try something new, and don't be afraid to DANCE.
okay so for music today, i have three really fun covers, the first is a good cover of the wonderful vampire weekend but by the mystery jets. the next is a spectacular arcade fire cover in the late tradition of great girl singers i've been posting, like lenka and juju, this one is great guys get on it. And the last...oh morrissey my forever love. its a rogue wave cover of "what difference does it make?"
enjoy them loves. have a reallyyy great halloween, and call me.
yeahhhhh.

Mystery Jets - Blake's Got A New Face (Vampire Weekend Cover)
Sara Lov - My Body Is A Cage (The Arcade Fire Cover)
Rogue Wave - What Difference Does It Make? (The Smiths Cover)

Titanic Vandalism

wowwww. its been a long time since i last posted...i didn't realize it until one of my readers emailed me asking me where i was...well its been so long and so much has happened since that time.
Well first...my 21st birthday....i'm not going to say much about it, just that i danced a lotttt, and it was a lottt of fun. Check out my facebook for pics. sooo funny.
Now vegas was just amazing. not only can you buy 99 cent margaritas, but also just walk around drinking screwdrivers and shopping. The highlight was of course seeing the beatles, "love," which was absolutely mezmorizing, but winning over $200 playing roulette was pretty nice too. Now the dilemma is whether to go to vegas for halloween, or go to hardfest 2008 in hollywood. I mean cmon, justice and crystal castles??? ahhhhhhhh. I don't know!! Again, hilarious pics on the fbook...go check it.
okay...so one of the reasons i haven't had time to post is the gool ol' new school year. I know a lot of you are going to go wtfff when i say this, but it looks like i will probably just stay in pomona now...hahahahaaaaa After everythingggg it looks like i will stay, not because i don't want to head up north, because i reallyyyyy do...but because i checked my transcripts and since i took over 20 units every qtr last year, and because i took summer school and will again this year, i will be done by winter 2010. The thing is, i could move and get a minor so i could be there for longer, but if i move, i'm paying for it all on my own, so i'm thinking that i will just finish fast, with no minor, so then i could move immediately to grad school, (which i was going to anyway.)
one thing i've also discovered is how unimportant money is to me anymore. I always thought i was going to major in business, because thats where all the money is...but thats not important to me...i don't want to be stuck in America, i want to change the world, i want to travel for a living and make a difference. thats what i want to do, thats what i care about. Also, if i stay here, my mom said she would chip in if i wanted to study abroad, which i am for sure going to do this spring if i don't move. Its become either i move up north, or study abroad, and i think i'm going to choose to study abroad. There is nothing like living in a new environment on your own for over 10 weeks...
I've also come to realize, (in a week of a lot of thinking for me) that when i get out of school, i really want to move somewhere in Europe with nothing but the money in my pocket, because it would be life changing to live in survival mode, and i know it would change my perspective on life...
so i went to american apparel yesterday, and they asked if they could take pictures of me...(wtf?) So you may be reading the blog of a new aa model?? hahaha wohhh.
okay so for music tonight, i normally like posting my true love, dance/electronic music....which by far controls my itunes library...but since i have so much, it kind of gets repetitive, so i kinda like posting the songs i find great at the moment...
so the first song, is the new vampire weekend song, from "nick and norah's infinite playlist" coming out soon. Its a good song, hopefully this is the first of many new ones to come.
the next is probably the most covered song of any song in the past 5 years. its a great one, but still, god, i have posted covers of this song since i started this blog. Its yet another cover of young folks by pb & j. but this time by the kooks.
and the last song of course, i have to have at least one electronic song...and its my faveeeee remix(er) RAC, and a remix of the above video, for the virgins - rich girls.
thug lifeee.

Vampire Weekend - Ottoman
The Kooks - Young Folks (PB & J Cover)
The Virgins - Rich Girls (RAC Remix)

CUT COPY FRIDAY!! YEAHHHHHHHHH

My Last Week of Sanity.

I cannot rave enough about black kids. Their album, "partie traumatic" is truly magnificent. easily in my top 5 of 08.
1 week from tonight, the fun will commense in Hollywood and my 21st birthday.
And then the following week in Vegas will continue the celebration.
So i decided to make a facebook as many of you now see. And i don't know why i decided to do it now after all of this time, but it just felt right. And its great...catching up with old friends and such is amazing. so i'm glad i have it now.
I don't have that much to say tonight...just that i couldn't be happier with where i am right now. my life is a giant constant change, but i wouldn't have it any other way.
i am going to be completely honest....being a guy its hard to admit, and i know i mentioned this last week, but pretty much gossip girl is the best show everrrrr. Everyone should watch it. seriously.
Now for some political mumbo jumbo. I can't seem to understand why ANYONE can find John McCain an honest choice for President. He is suchhhh a douchebag, and he is identical to the president we have now, people just think that because he is a war hero that he knows America better. Bullshit.
Don't get me wrong, Barack Obama is far from a perfect candidate, but compared to that conservative idiot, he is gold.
In my opinion neither are really the right choice, but what can we do when our two party system gives no real people an opportunity to change the world. Neither want to change America, and neither are going to change America. Its all lies. But thats what America is, lies and insanity. But i swear to god, if John McCain is elected President, i am not kidding. i am moving to Canada. Hell, i want to move there anyway. so whatever. But i really think the political establishment is just trying to make this race look close when in reality, Obama SHOULD destroy McCain in the election, but whatev.
In my opinion, Ralph Nader is the best choice for America. but no one ever takes him seriously. Maybe its just because i care about the environment too much...
And that whole McCain choosing a woman thing is just a ploy to get all of the Clinton women who are pissed at Obama for winning so they want their votes. Ridiculous. She is horrible...but hot i must say haha.

okay. so for music tonight i have 2 great covers and a great live track. The first is a truly magnficicent cover of radiohead's high and dry, but by a great singer i found by watching the amazing movie, "the motorcycle diaries," which is based on che guevara's life. Well, this guy did most the music for that soundtrack in spanish, but this cover is truly one of the best radiohead covers i have ever heard, and thats saying something considering i have over 100 in my library as it is. The next song is a cover i can't believe i have never heard, despite me being a big fan. Its a DP cover of "Personal Jesus," but by the man himself Mr. Cash. And the last is a live version of truly one of my favorite songs ever, and i'm posting it to commemorate their new album entitled, "You & Me." Its the Walkmen, and "The Rat"
thuggg lifeee.

Jorge Drexler - High & Dry (Radiohead Cover)
Johnny Cash - Personal Jesus (Depeche Mode Cover)
The Walkmen - The Rat (Live)

Melodies & Desires

i loveeee her. A Swedishhh beautyyy. Spectacular album as well...you can find the link to the song below. gooood stuff.
less then 2 weeks till my 21st birthday...how exciting. Hollywood (my new loveee) and Beat It! afterwards, so if any of my wonderful readers plan on being in Hollywood on Sunday, the 14th, come to Beat It! and hanggg with me. I'm always on stage in the electro room hahaha.
So this week has been rather surreal for me. A great week nonetheless, but a week where old friendships were mended, and life for me continues to change.
I find myself rather angry (at myself) because i feel like i completely wasted high school and the beginning of college refusing to meet people and EXPERIENCE life. Life can only be experienced once, so if things aren't going the way they should be, then you really have to look at your priorities and where you are headed. If you are not completely certain, then just think about it....because you do notttt want to regret decisions you made 20 years from now...especially when i'm so fun now! haha
I really want to make a facebook....hmmm.
It is very hard to interpret where things are headed, life throws you curveballs and you have to either be ready or not. I was never ready for things that happened to me because i figured life would never change, but now look at where i am at. I swear to you, i am a completely different person. Despite me getting home at 8:30 in the morning on sunday hahaha (whattt a greatttt saturdayyy) I still (somehow) had the energy to go to church a few hours later, because that part of me never changes...
so hollywood insane costume party or vegas for holloween? idk!
okay...so i know the entire blogopshere shares my love, but there are others who laugh. But seriously, I LOVE GOSSIP GIRL. This is the best show everrrr and the premiere of season 2 is tonight! For those of you who think its stupid or something, the minute you watch this show you will be hooked! It is the absolute best, and sooooo much better then the OC everrr was. So do yourself a favor and watch it, you won't regret it...
okay so for tonight i have two lovely girls with really catchy songs and a great cover. The first is the song from the video above, the gorgeous Lykke Li and the song "Breaking It Up." The next is a song i never liked until i heard it in a club in Hollywood, its "I Kissed A Girl," from Katy Perry, but a really good remix. And the last is a cover of my fave mgmt song, its a cover of "kids" by the kooks.
Thug Lifeee.

Lykke Li - Breaking It Up
Katy Perry - I Kissed A Girl (Vanderbilt Remix)
The Kooks - Kids (MGMT Cover)

Tequila Sunrise

oh portishead...i love thee. This song is brilliant.
omg its been a month since i last posted? wow. Well so much has happened in the past month. My vacation was amazing, like seriously. I finally am figuring out who i am as a person. I know for sure where i want to be, but as an individual i feel everything is coming full circle. So yeah, the caribbean was amazing, wow. i have so many funny pictures you all must see, but i don't like posting pictures of myself, so eventually when i get a facebook or something i'll post them. I met so many great people and it was just beautiful. My tan is perfect i must say as well...Next year we are thinking another cruise, not sure where though. But thats also with me and blake going to spain next summer. ahhh hellllll yeahhhh.
so some things happened, and now i'm not moving till january. I'm kind of sad, but not so much, this leaves me more time to get things ready and still enjoy the holidays down here. So whatev. Not to mention all of the crazy fun that will ensue 3 weeks from sunday, for my 21st birthday!!!
Its really strange, i used to hate the taste of alcohol, but when i was on the cruise we were return guests, so there were a lot of open bar, free drink parties, and i started having a few, and then another, then another, then another, then another, and before you knew it, i was drunk for the first time EVER. Honestly, i used to never understand why people drink, i mean why would someone want to get drunk? But i never knew how good it feels! or how incredibly social i become. I mean i was talking to everyone, singing karaoke, it was greattttt. So i mean, this isn't going to be a normal thing for me, but once in awhile its a lot of fun. Like going to Hollywood tomorrow night, who's downnnnn?? Tito's tacos, and club bang, going to be a lotttt of fun. Gooooooo.
Vegas for my birthday is really going to be great. I am soooo excited. 3 more weeks, well 4 more till vegas, because i'm not going to vegas on a sunday...
Okay so now to music. Bloc party, who i saw in concert less then a month ago, unexpectedly pulled a radiohead and released their album YESTERDAY. After announcing it on Tuesday. The release, "Intimacy" is somewhat of a mix between "Silent Alarm" and "A Weekend In The City." I actually don't have it yet, but the digital only release is available now and the hard copy should be available by November or December.
I know what i want to do on Halloween. I know i am def going to celebrate it this year, i can't believe i haven't celebrated it in years, this year will be different though. Nonstop fun, and i already know my costume!! Okay but i really want to go to the "Hard Haunted Mansion," which although it sounds like a bad Halloween porno, its actually a hugeeee dance party in la. Featuring JUSTICE, CRYSTAL CASTLES, SMD, boys noize and a tonnn of others. Its a nonstop costumed extravaganza, so it sounds amazing.
I have a lot of other music news, but this post is too long so i'll get to the free music.
This post will have one song from 3 different genres. The first song i'm posting today, i've had forever but i remembered it recently when i heard it on a commercial. Its the amazing, one of the best songs of the 1960's, its the creedence clearwater revival hit, "have you ever seen the rain?" but a cover by Juju Stulbach. Really, really good. Next is brand new Vampire Weekend song, but a cover of Fleetwood Mac, its really good, vintage VW. Enjoy it. And last is a band i kind of stumbled upon accidentally, i love the person in charge of all of the electronics and his band called YACHT. But before he went solo, he was with a great girl as a part of a duo called The Blow. So this song is beautiful and the girl's voice is very pretty. Enjoyyyyyy. Wow this has been a longgg post, but it's my only one of the month so whatevs. Thug Lifeee.

Juju Stulbach - Have You Ever Seen The Rain? (CCR Cover)
Vampire Weekend - Everywhere (Fleetwood Mac Cover)
The Blow - True Affection

Winning A Battle, Losing A War. The MEGA Post.

i believe erland oye (the great dancer/napoleon dynamite lookalike) is one of the most brilliant songwriters of the 21st century. and thats saying a lot coming from me. Everything from the folky kings of convenience, to the beutiful soft electro of the whitest boy alive, to his solo work is all nothing short of brilliant. If you haven't heard the kings of convenience remix album, "versus" you really are missing out. a truly great work.
so i decided to stay in tonight, largely because this is an insane weekend for me in general. So its nice to just sit at home and take in everything that is going on...starting to get stuff ready for my cruise next week. I am sooo incredibly excited, out of any of the past 5 years, where i have taken at least one vacation (niceee) this year, i need one the most. This year has been so...strange i guess i would say. Some things bad, some things good, but definitely an experience nonetheless.
Okay so tomorrow is my grandparents 60th wedding anniversary. How cute is that? 60 years....thats unbelievable. One day i hope i will find a girl i want to be with every single day for the rest of my life....in due time i guess. So its a big celebration at my aunt's house tomorrow night, which is fun, all of my cousins and family from across the country will be there, my cousin from colorado, my cousin from france, so it'll be nice to see everyone.
And sunday, my mom has this what she calls "graduation" which celebrates the ending of these classes she has been taking to be in charge of this ministry, we are going for taps brunch, yummmm and then its time for me and my best girl-friend to head to downtown la for the sweetest event of the year, the annual American Apparel Party. Which has made a huge improvement from last year, because not only is it a flea market sale with a tonnn of stuff for a buck, but this year its an all out, all night party, with Sebastien Tellier dj'ing (who has provided one of the most impressive French dance albums of the year). So that should be fun, i'll be there all night, so if you are going, let me know! Everyone by now knows by complete obsession with aa clothing, strange the first time i bought regular aa clothes, i was buying large, and now i'm buying smalls, but xs fit well too! crazy!
thennn monday is the wonderful kele and bloc party, with another band i saw at coachella this year, "does it offend you, yeah?" Who i don't really care for to be honest with you, but still a worthy opener. So that show is at the glass house, which is amazing enough that a band of such high stature like bp is playing such a small venue. But then i looked at the calender of future shows, and OMG! CUT COPY playing there in oct? Vamp Weekend playing there as well? What the hell is going on? What happened to the days of the el rey and the mayan? perhaps the troubadour and the roxy? Or the fonda and the hob? No, lets play a little place in ghetto pomona guys! alright! Whatev. saves me on parking and gas.
so nothing much has changed in the past week, just continuing to be very busy. i don't know if i'll have time to post again before i leave on friday, but we'll see.
sorry i just have to do a couple quick record reviews. 2 that have constantly been on my mind

the dodos - visitor
this honestly, may be my favorite album of 2008 so far. A truly brilliant album. I have not stopped listening to it, really. The style ranges from beautiful acoustic ballads (below) to ambient klaxon-esque stuff. I cannot recommend this album enough, it is so different, yet so accepting and familiar. This song is one of the most beautiful, yet simple songs i've heard so far this year, sounds like it'd be on the juno soundtrack.
9.4/10
the dodos - undeclared

black kids - partie traumatic
as spin so elequently said, "no band has received this much hype since vampire weekend." And i'd have to agree, i have been hearing about them pretty much every week for months and months, and this week the group finally released their long awaited debut, and it does not disappoint. As spin also says, no lyricist has possessed such songwriting ability since morrissey, or stephen merritt (a la magnetic fields) arguably, and in my opinion, two of the best songwriters ever. But back to the album, it truly is great, mixing the go team! shouting vocals with beautiful vampire weekend melodies. A great debut.
8.5/10
black kids - hit the heartbrakes

wow, a lot of music today! i also have two, amazinggg covers for you. first, is a great australian singer, lenka, covering one of my favorite modest mouse songs, "gravity rides everything." A very interesting take on the song. And the other is a cover/remix of the greatttt 80's hit "take on me," where the singer sounds like ben gibbard, like a lot! enjoy everyone. I hope to post one more time before fridayyyy. Thug Lifeee.

Lenka - Gravity Rides Everything (Modest Mouse Cover)
Karl Kling - Take On Me (A-Ha Cover/RAC Remix)

Mixed Emotions

i <3> the rolling stones. Having their albums just gave me so much more significant respect for them. And this song is honestly, my favorite song of the entire 1960's. Omg. i just typed all of this and it all erasedddd.... ahhhh. Okay whatever.
Well, my life is changing constantly, i always think i know what i want and then something happens and everything changes...As mentioned last week , i thought i maybe wanted to stay here, but Urban doesn't want to pay me enough money, so i now am more sure then ever that i will be leaving. So thats exciting...
Well exactly two weeks from tonight, i will be on a ship in the caribbean with family and friends. No doubt, i will be in my standard cut offs, super v and fedora haha. seriously, i haven't worn jeans in a month...and i've cut up like 10 pairs of pants...and i'm thinking of doing more...hey maybe i'll post pictures of me in the caribbean with a martini in my hand or me parasailing? Or maybe not...
Last night i saw the dark knight at midnight. Going into it, i was hesitant because i didn't really care for the first one, and considering this one was 2 1/2 hours long, but this movie was truly brilliant. Heath Ledger gives one of the best acting performances i've ever seen, very well done. go see it.
Okay... so in commemoration of seeing them in a little over a week for like the 30th time, here is THE NEW bloc party single, "mercury" its like low carb strawberry beer, its okay. so as i mentioned, i love the rolling stones, and this soulwax remix of one of their hits is no exception, very well done. And last is the very fun original version of possibly the best justice song, and also in commemoration of the fabulous new black ghosts album, and also the upcoming new simian mobile disco release. Its the "we are your friends" original, "never be alone" by simian. Fun fact about the justice "we are your friends" remix, justice, before they were big, made that remix for a local french contest, where dj's entered their remix of "never be alone." The funny thing is, justice's remake, came in SECOND place. I have been trying religiously to find the first place finisher, but with no avail. I just found that funny because the justice version is one of the most widely used remixes i've ever heard, not to mention the most amazinggg.
nothing but love.

Bloc Party - Mercury
The Rolling Stones - You Can't Always Get What You Want (Soulwax Remix)
Simian - Never Be Alone

Robot-Phobia

daft punk - alive 2007. without a doubt the best live album i have ever heard. absolutely incredible, its been on repeat in my car for weeks!
wow! i haven't posted in two weeks! crazy. i guess so much is going on i don't really have time to post. Well, so much has happened in the past couple weeks, i may have made a complete 180 in my idea of where i'm headed...well ultimately i will end up in the same place, it will just take me a little longer. So okay...as you know i was having trouble finding a math class so i could transfer schools in enough time. Well i finally found a class, but there's a problem. the class doesn't end till aug 19th and i start school on aug 25th. So with sending transcripts and everything, that is reallyyyyy cutting it close. And i spoke to my advisor and she said that i would get dropped from all my classes, and when they got my transcripts i would have to try and add them all again...which sucks. not to mention housing problems, so i've really been stressing about this whole thing....but i skipped school on wed, and went up there for orientation, and it was 70 deg! and when i came back to corona that night it was like 100 haha. Ahh! sooo amazing. So i figured i would just deal with the stress and hope for the best. But then something happened...
a part of me has always wanted to stay here till january, because then i could test for my 4th degree black belt in december and i wouldn't have to deal with all this crap, but i was still set on leaving...until the one job that would make me stay offered me an amazing opportunity. Well its no secret i LOVE urban outfitters, and they called me and offered me a great job, the catch is, i would have to stay here. But if i stayed here until jan, i could transfer to the store near my new school. I would choose urban over nordstrom any day...mainly because i loveee everyone i'm working with, and the store is just that amazing.
so now i'm really struggling with the confrontation between the two....what shall i do????
Summer school has been okay...but i much rather be doing nothing haha.
RAGING WATERS tomorrow!!! omg i haven't been in so long...this is exciting!
i can't wait...i leave for the caribbean in three weeks and three days before i leave...BLOC PARTY!!! yet again...oh kele, i will be so close to you i hope you don't mind my homosexual remarks towards you. haha.
wow. its strange. i guess more people read my blog then i thought. i kid you not, on my last post i mentioned the university of phoenix, and a couple days later i got an email from someone from the school asking me about what i was planning to do...wtf??? hahaha
i really do enjoy posting. i hope to continue this until i change my blog completely....
someday soon...
two great songs. the first is from a guy who i have grown to like probably more then any one single performer in the world, beirut. throughout the past 6 months or so, i have constantly gone back to his albums and continue to fall more in love with them. so here is a greattttt cover of hallelujah, with that great 20 year old beirut spin on it. And the other is a great acoustic version of a great electronic song from an amazing australian electronic band, its "road to recovery," acoustic, from midnight juggernauts.
nothing but lovee.

Beirut - Hallelujah
Midnight Juggernauts - Road To Recovery (Acoustic)

Obama Said Knock You Outtt

i know i mentioned joy division last post, but i am absolutely in love with them, particularly ian curtis. Just watch this video, and listen to his voice and look at him. Just by looking you see that he is drugged or drunk and he doesn't look well. And it shows, as not long after this, he hung himself in his kitchen...sooo sad. I now have every jd album, and i have never heard a bad song from them. And to tell you the truth it fascinates me despite my love for interpol, how much they completely ripped off jd. And how other bands like bloc party and the arcade fire got the base for their sound. Amazing. Really.
sorry for not posting for awhile. To tell you the truth i didn't even realize i haven't posted until i got a few emails asking where i was. No, sadly i wasn't on vacation, just very busy with everything. It has been a crazyyy week, in both a good way and a bad way...
okay so first...my sister got engaged! That's exciting..he proposed to her at angel stadium exactly a week ago. Very cute. So that's cool, and then father's day was nice where i practically made the entire meal....i am seriously obsessed with cooking, i made dinner 3 times this week, i love it. I must say, i'm good too!
And then after father's day was my sister's birthday, which was also a sort of celebration for the engagement...which was also marked with a trip to glen ivy and a start of a beautiful summer tan haha. but then fear struck...
so the whole deal with my changing schools was done, as long as i completed a college math course. Now i never did a college math class my first year at cpp because i couldn't get one really, but since i didn't take one, i was supposed to take a placement test to place into a math class which would suck. But my advisor told me if i didn't want to take a remedial class, then all i had to do was take math at a jc, because i wouldn't have to take remedial. So i took his word for it, but when i was trying to register for stats at rcc, i was told i had to take the placement test (which i knew i would bomb bc i haven't taken math in 3 years) So i thought i was screwed. i mean i could try to place into college math but if i couldn't then i would have to take remedial in summer and not take college math till fall, meaning i couldn't transfer.
so as i was depressed all week thinking i wouldn't be going, i figured i would take the test, and i did which i didn't bomb, as i placed into college math (who knew i would remember all of that ish) but not the level of math i need. So i still wouldn't be able to transfer....so then in my despair i was left with one choice, find a school that didn't have the requirement. So after searching, i was left with one choice, my sister's school university of phoenix. I contacted the school and i found out that they are offering a class that i can take that would end at the perfect time. So maybe i do have hope?? They are offering a class that is exact to the one i need. So i called my "future" school today, and unfortunately all counselors were out of the office, but first thing monday i will know if this class is acceptable for transfer, and if it is...YAY!!
so i was going to talk about something else, but i forgot, so i'll just go to the music. i have two yyy songs on the word of them in the studio recording their new album! The first is a cover of "diamond sea" a song by the greatest indie band of all time, sonic youth. (i don't think i've posted this song before, but let me know if i have) and the other is a cover of the fabulous yyy song "maps" but done by the arcade fire. Enjoy, wish me luck, and get a nice tan in this heat.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Diamond Sea (Sonic Youth Cover)
The Arcade Fire - Maps (Yeah Yeah Yeahs Cover)

Love Is Like A Bottle Of Gin...

so i would normally be in class right now, but its finals week! I had a final at 7am this morning, now i'm home, and then i have a final at 6pm tonight! Ahh! sucksss not just that i have to drive back, but i am missing the laker game tonight. And this is a class i for sure have an A in. Its my last history class! awwww i love history...So yeah, and i took one yesterday, then i have two on thursday back to back and i'm goneee. Very exciting. Then i have a week before summer school, so i'll catch up on some movies and build my tan haha.
i have a couple of great movie recommendations...first "control" its the story of ian curtis, the lead singer of the amazing 70's - 80's band joy division who tragically killed himself when the band was at its peak. Seriously, a really reallyyyyy good movie. All in black and white and hearing joy division while enjoying a great movie isn't bad at all either. And the other is the amazing french movie, "the diving bell and the butterfly." 'It chronicles the life of the editor of Elle magazine in France, where at 42 he suffered a stroke, right after he signed a book deal for his autobiography. He was left completely paralyzed and unable to speak, but he still wanted to write his book. So with the help of an assistant, he wrote his entire autobiography by blinking! A truly amazing movie....go find it.
So i wish i was going on vacation now, but i still have a couple months, it kind of sucks that i don't have a summer vacation really, i guess two weeks all together, but its going to be worth it in the end. I wish i was 21 already though! This summer would be a lot more interesting...
so coldplay's new album comes out i believe a week from today? And i already have it. Its pretty good, but then again i've never been that big a fan in the first place. So today i have a fun coldplay cover of the amazingly catchy kylie minogue song, "can't get you out of my head." And the other song is a song i never really liked until i heard the cover. Now i may have not enjoyed goldfrapp at coachella, but i respect her musical ability, and her cover of the amazing klaxons song, "It's Not Over Yet."Goooooood stuff, and for those of you still in school, good luck...

Coldplay - Can't Get You Out Of My Head (Kylie Minogue Cover)
Goldfrapp - It's Not Over Yet (Klaxons Cover)

Alone, Oh God, My Heart...

i know this song is like 5 years old...i remember loving it my sophomore year of high school haha but i've fallen in love with it again, and the lyrics are amazingggg
and yet another week passes by...and we finally reach week 10 of the quarter. And my last week before finals and the culmination of my last quarter at cpp. All my final papers have been written, and now it is just time for studying and sending my final transcripts. My intent to enroll has been sent along with my housing request....strange i never thought i would find myself doing this, but here i am.
i am sooo excited for the nba finals...lakers v. celtics is a dreammmm match up.
i ran 35 miles last week...ahh helllll yeahhhh
i can't stop ordering stuff online...i LOVE zappos. they have everythingggg. And i love it because they have free return shipping. I just ordered a crapload of stuff from american apparel online, and i didn't like it so i returned it, but i had to pay like $10 bucks for return shipping. soooo stupid. and i just ordered some stuff from urban..it better fit!
i seriously can't own enough v necks, i won't rest till i have everyyy color and style haha.
i also have an obsession with cooking...i fancy myself a helllll of a cook. i never thought i would say that, but seriously, i am gooooooood. I can't really make desserts though, but i make amazing everything else haha.
Anyways, i'm kind of rambling on, so tonight i have two nice songs for you. The first is a great song by a great new band called neon neon. This song, instantly will catch you and make you dance, its a lottt of fun, a great song and an interesting album mixing hip hop, rock and dance. good stuff. And the other song i heard on the "oxford comma" ep. Its a really fun remix of the great song walcott. Enjoy...and lets get ready for summerrrrr.

Neon Neon - I Lust You
Vampire Weekend - Walcott (Insane Mix #2)

Asleep and Dreaming.

woohoo, another day free of anything. Sweet. Okay so i have had a pretty eventful few days. First, all hail morrissey. Another great hooligans performance. Despite the fact that it took us forever to get there. Really, it would have taken less then half the time it took, but we went through all the horrible traffic to get to tito's tacos...and finally, finallyyyyy we got there. And it was totallyyyyy worth it! And the best part was, we actually saw tito! Right when we walk inside...wow i was totally starstruck! haha. Gooooood food, i'm def down to go again soon.
So last night i spent yet another night in hollywood. But this time at the geisha house. Another place with reallyyyyy good food. When i first went i thought it was going to be reallyyyy expensive, but it was actually pretty cheap. And that, being one of the most popular restaurants in la, its a constant celeb sighting.
eek. kinda mad. If there was a small chance that i would stay at cal poly, i was supposed to register for classes on friday, but i found out that i was supposed to meet with my advisor last week, so i have a hold on my record so i can't register. hahaha Ahh whatever, i'm more worried about my other school registration.
so pretty much my ex gf bought me some v necks for christmas, in a large, and they fit. But i just bought some more in small. Amazing...i love it. If you or someone else where's a large, or a size 31 or 32 pant then come take some of my stuff because they are wayyyyy too big on me now. Now i wear smalls, and a 28 or 29 pant...yeeeahhhh 6 days last week i ran at least 5 miles...last night i did almost 8...
So here's the thing, i have kind of had this obsession with soy lately. Anything soy. Which leads me to think maybe i should go vegan for awhile? For sure i never have a desire to eat red meat everrrr again. And i very rarely eat chicken or turkey and stuff. I don't eat eggs, but i loveeeee milk. But if i love soy, then i can have soy milk. Honestly it seems like i really just eat cereal, which i eat EVERY morning. And i eat a lot of bread and grains. So it would be easy i think. I used to love cheese, but i don't eat it anymore because its really fattening. Strange how i'm like a health nut now, i stopped eating fast food months ago. I don't eat del taco anymore even! ahhh! but my only exception would be tito's a few days ago, and sombrero, because i loveeeeeee sombrero! I only drink water now too....or iced tea. I haven't had a soda in nearly 5 months.
I think i'm obsessed with american apparel. i loveeeeeee it! I just bought a ton of stuff last night...
Okay anyways...for today with the new spin magazine following weezer, i feel i should post a cover of my favorite weezer song. This is a really good acoustic cover of "say it ain't so." And last i have an interesting cover of my favoriteee death cab song "lightness." I know you may be used to ben gibbard's wonderful voice, but this is def a different perspective. Have a great week everyone.

Wakey Wakey - Say It Ain't So (Weezer Cover)
Bjorn Kleinhenz - Lightness (Death Cab Cover)

Does The Body Rule The Mind, Or Does The Mind Rule The Body? I Don't Know...

haha i just love this video because the first time you see morrissey he is shirtless in a tub....ohhh!!
The Sweet and Tender Hooligans..tomorrow night. Now for the past year or two, whenever i have gone to la, we have always talked about going to tito's tacos but never gone...but we are SERIOUSLY going tomorrow. I'm so excited!
I am amazed right now, this is the first night all quarter that i don't have any homework. Well any homework i had, i finished last night waiting for this stupid school concert i had to go to. And technically i would have some more hw but i'm not going to my last two classes tomorrow so i can get home, work out real quick and head on over to the city of angels.
This sucks, i have been laying out lately, working on my amazing tan, and i can't take it anymore. NONE of my swimming trunks fit anymore...when i walk, i have to hold them up...notttt cool. I have one pair that fits, because they didn't fit 6 months ago haha. I def need some more before the big cruise in aug.
The vegas trip for my bday is quickly working itself out...yeahhhhhhhh
I really can't wait for this quarter to be over...i am so sick and tired of being in my first class and i see the person i like least in this entire world, standing by the door waiting to come in. And how i have to walk out of that class as fast as i can so i don't do anything i would regret. I swear he does it just to make me mad, sometimes he just walks up and stares at me....man if i could read his mind i bet i know what he would be saying...but i don't want to think about that...he's just a douche bag that tried to ruin my life, but really just made it better...
Okay so i have to admit something...i was really curious who won that horrible american idol finale, only on the basis that i wanted to see if that little mormon kid would win, because i swear those mormons have take over the world! So i catch the last few minutes because those are the only that matter, and who do i see but GEORGE MICHAEL! God i love george, except for the whole soliciting sex in a bathroom thing... So seeing him made me want to post this amazing cover of "faith" by the boy least likely to...one of my favorite covers ever. And in the tradition of amazing vocalists, i have a cover of one of my favorite songs ever, its a cover of "bohemian rhapsody" by queen. And last, its a really short concise cover of "do you realize?" the classic flaming lips song, but done by beck.
Happy Birthday Morrissey! You Stole My Heart Away Many Years Ago...

The Boy Least Likely To - Faith (George Michael Cover)
Ours - Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen Cover)
Beck - Do You Realize??? (The Flaming Lips Cover)

What A Great Weekend.

best song ever. I wish it was louder though...
wow. So as i mentioned in my last post, i worked a retreat this weekend. When i went into it, i didn't know what to expect because its been a few years since my last one...but the minute i got there, it felt like home again. I had an amazing time, and it really felt like when i did my first retreat 7 YEARS ago...wow time fliessssss. And with all the lies and crap i have gone through this year, i needed it for myself too. So obviously, i needed a day to regain my strength...so today i spent sleepinggg and just doing hw until i go teach class in a couple hours...
morrisseyyyy 3 dayssssss yeeeahhhhhh.
i really really want to go see beirut on may 30th or 31st... words can't describe my love for that man who is like a couple months older then me...but i have angels tickets for may 30th....hmmm.
So my midterms are finally done, as i go into week 8 haha. I received my intent to enroll form in the mail for school this fall...now i'm just trying to figure out how positive i am of leaving...but right now its like 90%, so i think i might as well send it! AHH!!
i have a great job lined up the second i move too....so yeah. sweet.
the entire weekend just gave me more of a reason to leave...
eek so the week i come back from the caribbean in aug, i move into my apartment...wow thats cutting it close...but whatev.
okay so i'm going back electro tonight. The first is amazingggg. Its billie jean from mj but with spin on it...haha sooo sweet. The next is muse, and an amazing remix of their song muscle museum from an older EP... And the last i totally forgot i had! Its really short but fun, its kanye doing the hit from last year "young folks" Enjoyyy

DJ Schmolli - Justice For Billie Jean
Muse - Muscle Museum (Soulwax Remix)
Kanye West - Young Folks (PB & J Cover)

15 Minutes With You.

omg this was the funniest thing i've ever seen. haha.
wow. today turned out to be a crazy day.
First of all, a week from tomorrow, is may 22nd. You know what that means don't you? It's Morrissey's birthday! which means for the 6th time, me and the bwanka are going to see the sweet and tender hooligans in hollywooddddd. No matter what happens in the next few years, me moving away, and crap, this is going to be a tradition that continues for years to come.
and before we get to la to sing our hearts away...TITO'S TACOS!
and i got home tonight, after seeing Ironman...which was a very ok movie. everyone is making it seem like some amazing movie, but it was just average, better then most superhero movies, but all superhero movies are horribleeeee. Anyways, i got home and got a message from an old friend, asking me to work the retreat at st. matthews this weekend. Wow, a month or two ago, i began talking to people from church again and talked to them saying how i wanted to work retreats, and now i get the call! Its been so long, but i'm so ready...and going back to beach bums? Wowwwww i feel like i'm 17 again.
sorry, lately its been so hard to post because school is kicking me in the ass...2 2nd midterms tomorrow, 2 last tuesday, and 2 papers due daily...i have so much studying to do, i just don't have time for anything...but hey, whatever, less then a month left at cal poly, and i'm goneee.
Okay, so the three songs i'm posting are shins songs done live a few years ago. This is pre "chutes too narrow" You know the first song, but the other two i don't even know. They sound great though, and these are acoustic, when mr. mercer is at his best.
Go Lakerssss

The Shins - Caring Is Creepy (Live on KXCI)
The Shins - Pressed In A Book (Live on KXCI)
The Shins - Those Bold City Girls (Live on KXCI)

Its Not Over Yet

i love this band <3>
okay so i've listened to death cab six, count it, six times, and still, nothing. I think i may have given up...
okay now for a couple record reviews.
born ruffians - red, yellow and blue
i can't begin to explain my surprise love for this band. An overall incredible album, blending tokyo police club like beats with the flaming lips ambient nature. You cannot help but dance to this, the first great alternative album i've heard of 2008 roughly. Where tokyo police club fails, losing you in their music, the ruffians keep things interesting, always blending great melodies with fun lyrics. Really, very impressive.
overall rating: 8.6/10
born ruffians - i need a life
cut copy - in ghost colours
i know this album came out forever ago, but i feel i never really gave it its credit. Like i mentioned in an earlier post, i haven't heard an electronic album this good since cross. An truly unbelievable album, using incredible beats with beautiful melodies. You cannot help but go crazy dancing to every song on this album. And seeing them at coachella truly made me believe these guys are the future of electro. If you haven't heard it, please do and get ready to take your shirt off.
overall rating: 9.3/10
okay, so next week, i believe, death cab "officially" releases "narrow stairs" so tonight i will post some songs either related to or involving ben gibbard, reminding me of the good days of death cab haha. First, is ben gibbard doing a live version of all apologies by nirvana of course. Pretty good quality. And the other is a very fun cover of the wonderful postal service song, "we will become silhouettes" done by the shins.
So pretty much i got A's or B's on all my midterms. 5 more weeks and i'm done with cal poly and i'm on the move. Its crazy how fast life changes...i find myself trying to shrink all my shirts. As four months ago i was buying larges, i now find myself buying smalls. I am in the best shape of my life, and i am just enjoying where i am. Don't hate.

Ben Gibbard - All Apologies (Nirvana Cover)
The Shins - We Will Become Silhouettes (The Postal Service Cover)

Let's Get Physical.

its strange to hear french accents coming from them haha. I love that cross i must say.
pinkberry in corona is open! i noticed because yesterday was my moms birthday and we went out to dinner.....ahhhhh!
okay...so first thing is first...a couple of record reviews
death cab for cutie: narrow stairs
so officially this album doesnt come out for a week but in true kenny fashion i got my early copy. And i must say, this may be the worst death cab album i have ever heard. It is unfocused, not catchy, and somewhat annoying at times. A few weeks ago i expressed my discontent with "i will possess your heart" and how i can't stand that song. Well guess what, on this album, that is the best song. Yeah, seriously. Where death cab went right on "plans" was they blended there old sound, with their brand new studio sound, blending catchy beats with beautiful melodies. But on "narrow stairs" all of that is missing, and the sound, sounds like it was produced in a hotel room. I've listened to it twice so far, and i've gained nothing more from it. Very disappointing ben! btw, coachella performance, not good...very boring.
overall rating: 4.5/10
tokyo police club: elephant shell
on first listen of this album, i didn't know what to think. i liked it, but it didn't leave me as excited as "a lesson in crime." On second listen, i liked it more, as i recognized beats i didn't notice on first listen. On third listen, i began to really like it, as you notice the advancement in their maturity as a band, as their average age is 20, you see this band has a real future. Still not as good as their, ep, and at just over 30 min, you run threw the album 3 times before you get home from school haha, but you see their bold attempt at not being that one album wonder, and i must say, they succeeded.
overall rating: 7.2/10
with so much music to post i don't know what to....in weeks leading up to coachella i got so much stuff that wasn't coachella related that i didn't want to post, but now i have time to. The first song, is a coachella act that i saw for a few pendulum. I can't explain how much i love this song! it is unbelievable. i find myself singing it all day, everyday. With the release of this single, i now can't wait for their full length release due out next month. The other song, very funny, i wanted to put it up a few weeks ago, but again i was just posting coachella music. so i get back from coachella and guess what, they turned it into an ipod commercial! haha, yes, this is the song from the new ipod comm from the ting tings. I originally heard them because they are closely involved with calvin harris, but now they are blowing up! If you like the ipod comm. download this song...sooo catchy!
Okay...today is soo busy for me, but i thought i would post, because this is the only time i can all weekend. have a great day everyone. peaceee.

Pendulum - Propane Nightmares Highly Recommended
The Ting Tings - Shut Up And Let Me Go

The Day After...

overall, Coachella was the most amazing experience like ever. This post, i'm not going to post any new music,(per say) just a review of performances, and "best of "lists. I was unsure going into the weekend how i was going to deal with everything, but absolutely nothing went wrong, and everything turned out amazinggg. First, i had plans to stay at a girl's house, but i had no idea where she lived, just that she lived pretty close. But it wasn't until we began driving that i understood how close exactly. Okay, for those of you who have gone before, or went this year, you know how when you pass the ralphs shopping center, leaving coachella, you turn right on ave 50? We actually turned left, she had a house on ave 52! It took us 5 min basically to get home....AHH!!! amazing! I hope she goes next year so we can stay there againnnn. Friday was by far the worst day of the festival, and all the bloggers agree it seems like. Saturday and Sunday were somewhat tied, saturday was a lot more packed because of Prince, but Sunday was colder and less crowded with the best individual performances. Speaking of the weather, i was expecting the heat to be an issue, but it wasn't at all. friday, i didn't even sweat, despite being in the tents all day, it was not hot at alllll that day. Now saturday was probably like 10 degrees warmer with no wind, so at many points, like watching minus the bear at 2, was pretty miserable, but that was as bad as it got. And sunday, perhaps the coldest of all, where it didn't get hot until 6 o clock at night believe it or not. But as far as the events, they all culminated sunday night with JUSTICE.

this is actual video from last night i found, i was actually closer then this, but on the right side of the stage. I have never been so packed inside a building in my life, but i have never had a better hour in my life. Funny thing is, i notice a lot of people in this video! haha
TOP 10 COACHELLA PERFORMANCES
1. Justice - i can't explain the moment the second i saw the curtain open and saw the cross right in front of me. And when you hear the amazing bassline, and everyone barely being able to move still jumping and going crazy was just absolutely incredible.
Justice - We Are Your Friends
2. Calvin Harris - this performance was a close second. It was just a random performance before Prince, so there weren't that many people there, i mean don't get me wrong, it was still packed, but not like justice or m.i.a. packed. Amazinggg i have never danced so hard in my life...afterwards i actually had a side ache, no joke. and it didn't help that he sounded perfect either. Btw if you look at his performance on youtube, someone posted a video from one of the songs, and you can totally see me because of my beige fedora. haha go look!
Calvin Harris - Disco Heat
3. M.I.A. - a part of me wants to put this lower, it was sooo packed inside the sahara tent, i could barely move, and her not playing my favorite song bugged me, but her ending with "paper planes" made it all worth it. I must say the highlight of the performance/biggest stupidity move of the weekend, was her inviting EVERYONE on stage with her. Wow that kind of turned into a disaster haha.
M.I.A. - Paper Planes
4. Datarock - the definite highlight of friday was datarock. i love them, but wasn't expecting the performance they gave. so much energy, so much stamina, sounded great, and was even more danceable then the album. i ALMOST took off my super v for this one haha.
Datarock - Fa Fa Fa (Miami Horror Remix)
5. Hot Chip - to be honest, this was an amazing performance, but at the hottest part of the hottest day with soooo many people packed in the sahara made me not enjoy it as much as i would have liked. But regardless, amazing, and when they did "Over and Over" that was a definite festival highlight.
Amy Winehouse - Rehab (Hot Chip Remix)
6. Cold War Kids - i watched this entire performance in the blistering heat, but i didn't care, an amazing performance by a greattt band. The main stage was large, but it was comfortable, and when i heard "hospital beds" i went nuts.
Cold War Kids - The Soloist In The Living Room
7. Chromeo - as everyone was trying to crowd in for justice, this performance was insane. seeing both of them, was a classic, and hearing songs like "needy girl" and "bonafied lovin" left me unrestrained.
Chromeo - Fancy Footwork (Crookers Remix)
8. Cut Copy - i would have liked to put this higher, but the acoustics weren't exactly right. but as the first big performance of friday, it was amazing to watch and get ready for the weekend. To be honest i am now very mad i left early to catch the tail end of vampire weekend, because i walked in, got to the front, and then i felt a push as i see a few people trying to leave. And who is leaving? No one else but robin williams and my ex girlfriend. Wow that was awkward, but they didn't see me, neither did the two they were with. But i just smiled and kept enjoying the vamp.
Cut Copy - Lights & Music (Boys Noize Remix)
9. Stars - watching them at a very cool part of the day where the sun was blocked by a high number of clouds, singing all of my favorites was great. And seeing them on the mainstage, which i largely avoided for the weekend was nice.
Stars - Sleep Tonight (Junior Boys Remix)
10. I'm From Barcelona - a great unexpected performance. with 17 (that i counted) members this was just a confetti and balloon filled extravaganza. With sing alongs on a cool part of sunday was just inspiring.
I'm From Barcelona - We're From Barcelona
MOST UNEXPECTED PERFORMANCE
Fatboy Slim - i couldn't believe how amazing he was. And not to mention, i saw jack johnson do one song, before going insane. I was very surprised how little people were there for jack johnson, i saw the raconteurs earlier and they had a tonnnnn more people then jj did. So i was like where is everyone? So i get to the sahara tent, and it was absolutely packed. It made me so happy to see how many more people were at the fatboy then jack, YES! Now i've never been a big fan, but i got front and center (somehow) and when he started, he started with a willy wonka song. First with a clock, then going into "Come with me, and you'll be, in a worldddd of pure imagination." I don't know what that song is called, but it was amazingggg, as he had oompa loompas all over the screens. Sooo good, i would have put him in my top 5, but i didn't want to mention him twice.
TOP 5 INDIVIDUAL SONG PERFORMANCES
1. Justice - Genesis ---- I can't put into words my excitement when the lights turned out, the curtains open, and all you see is two shadowy figures and a giant cross leading into my favorite justice song. It was a beautiful moment that i will never forget.
2. Cut Copy - Lights & Music ---- This was great, out of all electronic songs out in the past couple years, this is one of the most catchy, accessible ones ever. And when it came on, wearing my cut copy 3-D glasses, i just went absolutely insane.
3. Calvin Harris - The Girls ---- i will never forget seeing calvin harris. It was absolutely invigorating. This song has always been my favorite, and him closing out his set with it just made the performance that more memorable. And me dancing with an asian short girl, that calvin specifically mentions hahaha.
4. M.I.A. - Paper Planes ---- the gun shots in this song, watching everyone's hands fly up was cuhhhrazyyy. And her, closing out her set with this song was again, great. And i was singing this song on the top of my lungs.
5. Cold War Kids - Hospital Beds ---- For over a year, i have loved this song to death, and hearing it just made the performance in the blistering saturday main stage heat that much more perfect and enjoyable.

Overall, i saw 14 bands a day, for a total of 42 bands. funny how that turned out. I must say, i have never seen so many gorgeous girls in my life. and I've never met so many people in 3 days in my life. I saw a lot of my readers there, but sorry people, i thought it would be weird if i walked up to them because you don't know what i look like. But this is def not the last time i will be going, i will now go every year, with even more people then this year. I mean, yesterday i met David Hasslehoff! THE HOFF!! who was right next to me and my friend watching Metric. She looked at me, and i looked at her, and we were like, is that the hoff?? haha and it was! but her camera wasn't working! AHH!!! So anyways, i hope you enjoyed the weekend as i did, and see you next year!

How Could Anyone Love Your Cold Black Heart?

midnight juggernauts! they are the very first band playing on friday, so i'll head straight to the tent and catch some beautiful jugg action.
2 days till the weekend. Exciting. I'm going to try and make this a quick post, as i have a lottt of studying to do, but we'll see how much i get done.
Okay, so "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," funniest movie EVER.
really really good, and i saw myself in a lot of those scenes. Sooo funny though, the first scene after him and his girlfriend break up, guess what music he has playing in the background, MORRISSEY. hahahaha
Go see it, and think of me.
A lot of big shows after Coachella, its just hard because i have to deal with moving and vacation and all of that ish. One i really want to go to is Beirut at the wiltern in may, but we'll see. i'm practically in finals.
It really sucks walking around school and the one person you would do anything to avoid you see everyday, and they talk crap on you constantly. i'm actually a good person, i give a smirk and walk away, but nothing like he does. its hard to believe he is so well liked, because really he's just an asshole.
but i only have to deal with that for 6 more weeks and thats it.
i'm sooo pissed. On friday, cut copy and vampire weekend, 2 of the top 5 bands i want to see the entire weekend are playing at the same time...ahhhh! And on saturday, death cab and hot chip are playing at the same time! noooooo! i think i'm going to have to pick the electronic music over the others.
okay so i'm posting 3 different genres and 3 coachella acts. This is probably the last time i'm posting before coachella, so i'm trying to mix it up. First is a boys noize remix of the AMAZING cut copy song, "lights and music." Next is a cover/remix of justice's phantom, but turned into a rap song by this rapper who only does justice songs....sooo good! And last is my hope that ben gibbard will bring dntel or jimmy tamborello on stage and bring a little postal service back. So i have ben gibbard doing "recycled air" acoustic.
i'm going to come back really tired and really tan, so remember to call me or look for me there. have fun everyone!

Cut Copy - Lights & Music (Boys Noize Remix)
Webbafied - Phantom
Ben Gibbard - Recycled Air (Acoustic) Highly Recommended!

I've Got A Lot Of Love To Give...

calvin harris! acoustic!! WOW!
i really shouldn't be posting, but since this is such an eventful week, i thought i would post as much as i can so i can post music relating to the week. Strange, i didn't have that much stuff to post, but now i have enough to post continuously every day for the rest of the year haha i won't, but i could!
I'm going to go see "forgetting sarah marshall" in like an hour...i'm sooo excited. i'm kind of curious to see if this movie was like my last relationship, where my girlfriend leaves me for some giant douche haaaa. We'll see, i'll tell you what i think next time i post.
i'm kind of scared i have sooo much homework, but in true kenny fashion i won't start it until really late tonight or tomorrow morning...eek.
i reallyyyy am liking the lakers chances....sweeeeet.
i just read a great article in spin about festivals, and what they have become. they had an interview with death cab, and they said at coachella they are probably going to play for an hour, and play just 3 new songs, because fans expect them to do their standards. sweeeeet. i really am worried about their new album, it doesn't come out for a month, but i pretty much have my copy. I'll do a review of it after coachella.
So tonight i have a few songs i'm posting. All coachella related. First, is death cab, doing "love song" a song written by 311....hahahahaha its sad to think people actually think that. btw THE CURE hollywood bowl this summer....another great bowl show...wow. Next is a muse song, who aren't playing coachella, but its the great song "map of the problematique" but its a remix done by does this offend you, yeah? who is a great coachella act. And the last is the one and only calvin harris, with a groove armada remix of the spectactular "the girls."
hopefully i can post a couple more times before friday, but we'll see. Goodnight lovelies.

Death Cab for Cutie - Love Song (The Cure Cover)
Muse - Map of the Problematique (Does It Offend You, Yeah? Remix)
Calvin Harris - The Girls (Groove Armada Remix)

1 Week Left!

so this week was not necessarily a bad week, just a really painful week. I'm not going to get into why, but i didn't get to work out ALL week. Today is the first day i'm going to be able to....it was driving me crazy, but i was in wayyyy too much pain to do anything. School is starting to get even more stressful then normal, i have 2 midterms on tuesday, and a paper due, then 2 midterms on thursday. eek. Its strange to think that this is my last quarter at cal poly, but its also going to feel really nice to walk and not have to worry about running into a hairy douche. When i get to school in fall, i'm changing my major to business, but since i've already taken so many poli sci classes i'm getting a minor in political science, so i'm almost done with the minor. When i went up to school last weekend, i fell in love with the business school, its sooo different and so much better then cal poly's. So thats exciting.
Busyyy weekend. Headquarters tomorrow all day, busy rest of the day today, thats why this is the only time i have to post is right now...
Why do people lie? I can't even remember the last time i lied to someone...but it seems like people do it constantly because they feel better after it. Just realize people that lying only leads to more lying, if you can't be honest with the person you "love" then your relationship will end sooner then you think...
1 week till coachella! Sweeeeet. I don't even like Prince, but cmon PURPLE RAIN! Remember, if you are going, call me! any day! we will meet up. I even here some of my northern cali readers are coming down for the weekend. I hope i'll see you there, even though you don't know what i look like. Sorry i don't like posting my picture, because i don't like who i used to be. Until i'm satisfied with my complete transformation, then sorry, i'm not going to post any pictures of myself. But i know what you look like!
Oh, a quick comment on the beach bums thing, yes i am happy with everything right now, and i know a lot of you were like i hated my last boss there, which was totally true, but its not my last boss there, he tried to commit suicide! hahaha But its my boss before him, a guy i called a true friend.
Okay so today i'm posting 3 count it, 3 prince remixes. All very well done, i hope you like them. I just wanna get up and dance and buy a purple blazer and perm my hair. Oh yeah. All i have to say is, I WANT DA PURP.

Prince - The Future (Mark Moore Remix)
Prince - Sign 'O' The Times (Fisher Preyes Remix)
Daft Punk vs. Prince - Harder Better Faster Controversy