Seven Most Beautiful Songs I've Ever Heard - Parte Trois

The Seven Most Beautiful Songs I've Ever Heard

Over the next week, I will be blogging the seven most beautiful songs I've ever heard. The genres span from indie rock, like the selected track below, to gangsta rap, to arena rock. What I consider beautiful may be different than readers, but I think that all of these songs are amazing in their own rights.



"In The Beginning" from K'Naan's The Dusty Foot Philosopher, is one of those tracks that does more for its genre than it can hope to receive. It is characterized as a hip/hop track, but I feel as if it every song in the album should be reorganized. True, songs like "Soobax," and "If Rap Gets Jealous," are maintain stubborn connections to traditional rap, however, others, like "Voices in My Head" and "I Was Stabbed By Satan," remind listeners of a Mos Def, Talib Kweli-esque vibe. Some tracks even are akin to Eminem tracks, like "Strugglin'."

But this post is about, to me, the break-out track of this 2005 release. "In The Beginning" was most recently featured as the play-out track from the film Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay. The song seems to celebrate general freedom, the idea that someone can do anything at anytime without fear of punishment or opposition. It's startling how much I thought this was some sort of hidden Eminem track when I first heard it, but what sets the two apart is K'Naan's obsession with world music, the inclusion of instruments that span the globe. His raspy voice may remind listeners of a Stephen Marley, but don't expect a groovy stoned-friendly track. This is not for those who want a relaxing reggae mix. This song is designed to be blasted on the beach, preferably with a game of wiffleball or beach volleyball. It's a very summery song.

It's no surprise that it was featured in a montage of stoners running through Amsterdam trying on masks and the absurdities found in the film.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uq0pygjQK74
just the track!

part duex!

The Seven Most Beautiful Songs I've Ever Heard

Over the next week, I will be blogging the seven most beautiful songs I've ever heard. The genres span from indie rock, like the selected track below, to gangsta rap, to arena rock. What I consider beautiful may be different than readers, but I think that all of these songs are amazing in their own rights.





Now I'm not one for BritPop, I feel as if it seems The Kooks seem to hit a particularly genius stride with their latest single "Shine On" from Konk. They are talented, and they aren't very adhesive to that "sexy, British accent" image. They're quirky, fun, and just all around very cheery to have around. Bubblegum BritPop aside, what makes this particular track stand out is the precisely what I've come to despise about British indie music, ironically enough.

The Wombats, Arctic Monkeys, and The Kooks have their base, and typical radio friendly hits, media darlings for the punk rock stations across the US, but "Shine On" is precisely the catchy hit that makes a band truly famous.

Now to what I love about this song. There's so much! The steady beat, along with the friendly and familiar tambourine, makes for a nice walking pace, fantastic for singing along in the car. In fact, some of what goes into my choices, is precisely where and how I listen to these songs. In this case, "Shine On" is a fantastic sing-along song while driving to work, or class, or a cheery ballad while walking around the neighborhood. From the "hand that feeds," to the "sha-la-la's" this song is catchy and pretty in every way. Oh, and fellas, don't let the fact that it's in a Michelob Ultra commercial kill this song for you. Chick beer needs an anthem, too.




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOHCmr8shWc
official music video!!!!

The Seven Most Beautiful Songs I've Ever Heard

The Seven Most Beautiful Songs I've Ever Heard.

Over the next week, I will be blogging the seven most beautiful songs I've ever heard. The genres span from indie rock, like the selected track below, to gangsta rap, to arena rock. What I consider beautiful may be different than readers, but I think that all of these songs are amazing in their own rights.



7. "Is There A Ghost" is the lead-off track to Band of Horses' second album Cease to Begin. It was featured as a Myspace download in August 2007, and eventually became the first charting single from the album. It reached the 34th place on the Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks List, and was also featured in Rolling Stones' list of the 100 Best Songs of 2007.

What makes this particular track notable is that despite the repetitive lyrics, this song revels in it. Quietly starting with a arpeggio-esque lick, lead singer Ben Bridwell comes in, singing in his trademark My Morning Jacket-esque voice. After the second repetition, the song immediately picks up its pace, rolling heavily to almost double the previous tempo. Power chord critics may say that this indie song does nothing different than your typical Green Day record, however, that's what makes this song brilliant. It's an indie song that takes a typical punk rock element and makes it something different. At 2:30, when the simple lick comes in, it's ultimately satisfying, and the sudden drop when the song ends, leaves you wanting more.

Highly recommend this song for fans of quiet contemplation, or perhaps those who wish for another addition to their indie collection.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JK716RqoUms (The Music Video)

Alright so I've decided to change this blog to fit more of a purpose, instead of just describing my day. This blog will now be a movie review/sports analysis blog. Yeah, yeah, I know, like the millions out there, but as a fat, white, suburban college student who loves beer, I know a little about both.

So with a bang...

The Dark Knight.

Holy shit, was this movie phenomenal. Not even a joke, guys. If you haven't already blown a cinematic load in the hair of the guy sitting in front of you, or keyboard, whichever; go see this fucking movie. You'll hear a shitload about how fucking awesome Heath Ledger was, and how Christian Bale was an awesome Batman, and how his voice was weird, and it was a little long; blah blah blah.

I'm going to give you a reason I've heard from no one else. Two-Face. Even if Heath Ledger never existed, and the Joker was permanently in "Here's Johnny" mode, this movie would've been fantastic just because of Aaron Eckhart.

For those who've seen Thank You For Smoking, Aaron Eckhart can play the not-so-good guy roles. That's exactly what Two-Face is in Dark Knight. Harvey Two-Face is a man who was becomes who he is for understandable, albeit unrealistic, circumstances. In order not to give too much away, go into this movie expecting the unexpected. Leave no stone unturned when taking it all in, and the fanboys will love this movie. Look for the coin.

All-in-all, Dark Knight was a 9.8/10. Ten minutes could've been shaved off the side, and there was little resolution for many characters (you'll see what I mean). But those are very minuscle complaints literally finely-combed from an otherwise extravagant movie going experience. Oscar nomination anyone?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tx7TBprJ1Q

that's it.
nope, that's it.
don't argue with me.
watch it.
thank me later.

blog in list form.

two dates to remember?
november third and fourth.

why?
decemberists concerts.
"the long and short of it."

where?
boston, the orpheum.

movies to watch at my crappy security job.
the last kiss
three kings
shawshank redemption
l.a. confidential
boogie nights
lion king
top gun

why?
haven't seen it. it's a zach braff movie. i have to.
it's just fucking awesome.
who hasn't watched it a million times? who isn't tired of seeing it?
i'm confident that this would kill two hours. hahaha get the pun?
mark wahlberg.
don't laugh. look at the cast list of that movie again. PACKED with stars. and like REAL stars, not like bullshit "madagascar" stars.
the only tom cruise i can stand. also has the best theme ever. and no, not "danger zone."

search "uc men's octet" on youtube.
select any song title.
be amazed.

oh.
and anything involving "redubbing" and old 80's cartoons is totally worth checking out.

"listening to the whistling of a train at station
odds are it will never reach its destination"

i hate my dorm room. The way it's set up just bothers me. For example, the only way my roommate and I can fit our beds in are side by side and against the walls. This is inconvenient because my bed hits the electrical outlet where the high-powered fan is plugged. Now while the fan is awesome at three in the morning, when I'm asleep and tossing and turning in my egg-crate-less bed, I accidentally knock the plug out of the outlet, rendering my temperature relief useless. Then I wake up at 7:30 to a sweaty mattress and plug it back in, but it doesn't help me because I'm already up. I'm just angry at the outlets position. It doesn't make any sense. If I were to stand with my back against the wall, the outlet would be over my knee and smack dab in the middle of my thunder thigh. If it were just an itty-bitty-bit lower, it'd be purrrrrfect.

My neighbors annoy me. They're all the gangster kids who think it's normal to blast Timbaland as loud as they can at 10 in the morning. I'm asleep. I don't want to wake up to "The Way I Are." I want to wake up to Guster's "Satellite." I designated that my song on purpose. I wanted to hear Guster. Not Timbaland. Not to mention it's TEN O'CLOCK in the FUCKING MORNING.
Who wakes up at ten to listen to music?! I wake up at 8:30 to go to CLASS. I don't do it for shits and giggles. I don't wake up when it's dawn and the fucking rooster crows. I don't wake up when the televangelists demand that I renounce my evil ways.

Which brings me to another, but just as annoying, topic. Since when was it rational to call your COLLEGIATE SON at 8:00 in the morning! When you saw your son get up no earlier than TWO IN THE AFTERNOON, what makes you think that I wouldn't rather get up five minutes before class started?

Sigh.

Add those gripes to two parking tickets, a speeding ticket, a 100 dollar gym membership, the fact that my class tomorrow starts at 9:30, the fact that on Saturday I have to leave my dorm at eight in the morning for a tee time way too early. Nine o'clock. Sigh.

Later.