Mix it Up

I love a good mixed tape. There is nothing better than having someone carefully craft a sequence of 15-20 songs just for your listening pleasure.

A friend and I were discussing music and I mentioned that oftentimes lyrics are not what hooks me to a song. It's usually the hook. Pun intended. But I know I have more soul than that so I've compiled a list of some of my favorite soulful songs.

If you know me at all, you know that any musical list I put together will have an unhealthy amount of Mayer on it. But I can't help, especially in this category. In my eyes he is lyricist extraordinaire so it was unavoidable. You’re lucky the whole list is not all of him.

Most of these songs are great for listening to after a break-up and you want to cry your eyes out because they really pinpoint feelings that come out of the situation. There are some feel good songs too. The common thread is they all have soooooouuuulllll….

1. Split Screen Sadness – John Mayer: The second verse is my favorite batch of lyrics EVER. It’s absolute poetry… “It’s only the air you took and the breath you left.”

2. Back to You – John Mayer: My number one favorite song of all time. Particularly, his earlier version on “Inside Wants Out” that is more raw, and I think much better than the over-produced version on “Room for Squares.”

3. Elias – Dispatch: This song paints a picture of life in Africa with Elias. He’s a real person!

4. The Day Forever Died – Matt Wertz: Nothing worse than a surprise break-up. The title is perfect.

5. Meaning – Gavin Degraw: Love gives us meaning in this crazy world.

6. Belief – John Mayer: “Belief is a beautiful armor.” Offers a unique perspective about how people’s beliefs and opinions can work for and against them. Check out this BA video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEgUUTkqRRQ

7. Learning to Fly – Tom Petty: Nothing better than a good ol’ coming of age song that makes you think fondly of the good times that have come and gone.

8. Lost Myself in Search of You – Matt Nathanson: About wanting a relationship so badly you’re willing to put up with too much crap and turn into someone who's no good.

9. Grace’s Amazing Hands – Dave Barnes: One word. Beautiful. Has to be an acoustic version to be enjoyed thoroughly.

10. Beast of Burden – The Rolling Stones: The epitome of a love song; you can’t have your man or woman bringing you down.

11. Tracing – John Mayer: Going through the motions in a relationship, knowing it’s not going to last because it was never that good to start.

12. Stay Away – Dave Barnes: It’s hard to get your own heart jerked around, but maybe harder to have it happen to a close friend because your hands are tied.
13. Slow Dancing in a Burning Room – John Mayer: Things have changed in a relationship, and you both know it, but neither of you want to end it, but know that it is coming. The title is absolute genius and says it all.
14. Hallelujah – Rufus Wainwright: How could I not put this song on here?

It turns out most of these songs are on my "Greatest Songs of All Time" list so I guess I have more soul than I thought...

YouTubilicious

Let's talk about YouTube. As of late, YouTube and I are having a torrid love affair. I can't get enough of searching for songs and seeing what pops up. I'm like a kid at the arcade with an endless amount of quarters.
But not everything I find puts a smile on my face.


When I search for songs it is inevitable that along with the "official music video" and numerous live recordings, there will be a frightening amount of home videos. These include lip syncing, sing-alongs, and the very scary a capella versions. What is curious to me is, what is their motivation? Do they think Simon Cowell is scouring YouTube for the next big thing? Is this the only way they see fit to artistically express themselves? I don't understand which voice in their head is telling them that it's ok to put such rubbage on the internet for all to see.


If you haven't taken time to peruse the neverending sea of musical waste, I'd like to share a couple of my favorites I've electronically stumbled upon.

The best part of the homemade goodies is the expression on their face at the beginning of the song. The music has cued up, but it's not time to sing yet, so they stare into the camera with an expression that says, I'm a natural performer. I am not intimidated.


This first girl is lip-syncing to the song "Mr. Larkin" by State Radio. Note the lead singer is male. She is female. Doesn't seem to bother her.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TByvvw93Opo


If you liked that, be sure to catch her seductive rendition of "Save Tonight." It will make you swoon.

Through further YouTubical research I found this enjoyable nugget of 90's pop. This girl does all the hits of then and now including "I'll Be" by Edwin McCain. It's deliciously breathy.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enJqb1OyrDE

These are some examples of the worst of YouTube. So what's the best thing about YouTube? Being able to watch music videos like this that will never be seen on MTV of VH1. It makes sorting through the trash totally worth it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ipo9SXBDLw0

On His Way Up?

Don't ask me how it happened, but through some sort of online search I suddenly entered Ryan Cabrera's Myspace page and was absolutely aghast at what I found.

Let's all take a trip down memory lane...it was 2004 and Joe Simpson, the business man/father he is, somehow convinced MTV to bring America into the life of his youngest daughter Ashlee's drama-ridden life. As if Jessica and Newlyweds wasn't enough for us. We got a front row seat to the ups and downs of her new life as a musician and her awkward, PDA-filled romance with Ryan Cabrera. It seemed so convenient that Ryan was also an aspiring artist who just happened to be getting national exposure because of his business...I mean romantic relationship with Ashlee.

What I remember most about Ryan is not his melodious voice or his killer guitar riffs--I remember his hair. It was out of control. To this day, I do not know another person (famous or not) who has the need to spike their hair to such heights. I mean it was out of control! And with the blonde highlights to top it off, only delusional teenie-boppers with their raging hormones could call him attractive. Needless to say, he needed a makeover.

Once he broke up with Ashlee and the rest of America realized he was a piece of crap musician, we didn't hear or see from our spiky-haired friend for a very long time. So what HAS he been doing for the past four years you wonder???

Reinventing his image.

Please observe the picture to the right. That is indeed the same strapping young man who wowed the world with "On The Way Down." Makeover much? Can you understand my utter shock when I saw the new Ryan Cabrera?!?! While he is going for the I-look-like-I-don't-care-about-my-looks-so-that-makes-me-super-sexy look, I promise you he spends more time time coloring his hair, scrunching it with various gels and mousses, and keeping his unshaven look shaved, then he ever did before with his flat iron and hair gel. Seriously. You can find more proof of Ryan's drastic changes at http://www.myspace.com/ryancabrera.

And to Ashlee...Pete Wentz is a major upgrade. Even with the eye liner. Good work.

Jumping On

I've jumped on the blog bandwagon. There are so many ideas and stories running through my head, it just doesn't seem fair to keep them bottled up. But I'm a little nervous about opening the hatch. Most bloggers still creep me out because of the amount of personal information they reveal to all who can connect to the wide world that is the web. Creepy. But I'll try not to let that hinder my new blogging life.

I'm going to start out my new life in blogosphere on a positive note and share something that will put a smile on your face and a spring in your step. What could that be you ask? Mr. Matt Nathanson. Wowsa. One of my most favorite musicians. He recently released a video from his album Some Mad Hope for "Come On Get Higher." Watch it. Love it. http://music.yahoo.com/promo-29644410