Garth Brooks: Man Against Machine: Album Review

Artist: Garth Brooks

Album: Man Against Machine

Point of Purchase: Christmas gift, but it is available for digital download on GhostTunes.com

Thoughts: I was a little apprehensive about this album.  I mean on one hand, it's Garth, and he's never really disappointed me, even when he did his Chris Gaines thing, but the first time I head the song "People Loving People" it really annoyed me for some reason.  The more I heard it, the more I liked it, and that perplexed me. Anyway I added the cd to my Amazon wishlist and figured that I'd eventually purchase it, and one of my uncles ended up buying it for me for Christmas.  I opened it up a couple of days later and popped it in the player and listened to it 5 times in a row. It's that good. It really is best to listen to it in order even though there isn't really a continuous story going on, the songs just flow better (this is coming from someone who almost exclusively listens to music on shuffle).  If you're a parent, thinking of becoming one, or have friends with kids there are some songs that will sing right to your heart (Mom and Send 'Em On Down The Road) but in all honestly there is a song for everyone on this album. It might end up being one of my favorites.



Track Listing: Favorite Lyrics

1. Man Against Machine "This is where I make my stand because I can't stand it anymore"
2. She's Tired of Boys "She said I’m tired of boys/I’m tired of first dates/And I’m tired of toys/I want a lover who will understand/Someone who will touch me with a knowing hand"
3. Cold Like That "I could be the train for a change/You could be the one tied to the track"
4. All-American Kid “And the whole town cheered/And his mama cried/Another hometown boy/Made it home alive/Got his picture in the paper and the headline read ‘Welcome Back All-American Kid’/Yeah, this song is for those who never did/Come back all-American kids”
5. Mom “So, hush now little baby, don’t you cry/Cause there’s someone down there waiting whose only goal in life/Is making sure you’re always gonna be alright/A loving angel tender, tough, and strong/Come on child, it’s time to meet your mom”
6. Wrong About You “You were right about so many things/That I’m starting to think I was wrong about you”
7. Rodeo and Juliet “To thine own self be true is all she knows”
8. Midnight Train “It’s like I’m chained to a midnight train passing through”
9. Cowboys Forever “We've always been, it’s what we’ll always be/We’re cowboys forever”
10. People Loving People "Talk is cheap, but lies are free"
11. Send 'Em On Down the Road "You can help them find their wings, but you can't fly for 'em"
12. Fish “So I asked myself a question/That I knew the answer to/Is success a second mortgage/On a big house with a pool/Or is it a chair/The salt in the air/Wetting the line”
13. You Wreck Me “Tell me what I got to do/To paint me in/Your perfect picture”
14. Tacoma "I'm burning your memory/One mile at a time"

Album Review: Taylor Swift 1989

Taylor Swift: Shake it Off 

Artist:  Taylor Swift
Album: 1989
Point of Purchase: iTunes (pre-order baby!!)
Price: $12.99

Thoughts:  Okay, not even going to lie, I've been excited and on the edge of my seat for this album since I head "Shake It Off" awhile back... you know when Kelly Clarkson posted the link to the video on her Facebook page. I'm 33 years old and dancing in my seat like a tweenager.  Last night I watched an episode of the Graham Norton show simply because Tswizzle was a guest on his couch, and there's an InStyle magazine on my BF's couch that she graces the cover of. I feel like I should be embarrassed at the extent of my fangirlishness when it comes to Miss T, but really, I'm not.  I want to bake cookies and talk about boys with her... is that weird? Probably... I'm going to go ahead and embrace the fantasy. My name is Lauren, and I'm a Swifty. 

Track Listing/Favorite Lines:

1. Welcome to New York: Everybody here wanted something more
   Searching for a sound we hadn’t heard before
2. Blank Space: darling I'm a nightmare dressed like a daydream
3. Style: Cause You got that James Dean day dream look in your eye
   And I got that red lip classic thing that you like
   And when we go crashing down, we come back in every time.
   Cause we never go out of style
4. Out of the Woods: The night we couldn’t quite forget
   When we decided
   To move the furniture so we could dance
   Baby, like we stood a chance
   Two paper airplanes flying
5. All You Had To Do Was Stay: people like me wanna believe you when you say you've changed
6. Shake It Off: Just think while you been getting down and out about the liars
   And the dirty dirty cheats of the world
   You could have been getting down to this sick beat
7. I Wish You Would: I wish you know that I miss too much to be mad anymore
8. Bad Blood: Band-aids don't fix bullet holes
9. Wildest Dreams: Say you'll see me again even if it's just in your wildest dreams
10. How You Get The Girl: I want you for worse or for better
11. This Love: This love is a life back from the dead
12. I Know Places: Lose lips, ships sink, all the damn time, not this time
    Just grab my hand and don't ever drop it
    My love, they are the hunters, we are the foxes
    And we run
13. Clean: And that morning, gone was any trace of you, I think I am finally clean

Bonus Tracks: Ms Swift is releasing more songs to iTunes 

1. Wonderland: In the end in Wonderland we both went mad

This album is so fun, and well worth the wait... It's not on Spotify yet, or I would have linked the whole album, but seriously, go drop the $13 and get your own copy. You too could be getting down to this sick beat. 

Guilty Pleasures - Summer 2014 Playlist

Whether you're working on that base tan by the pool or seaside, this could be the soundtrack to your summer, 2 and a half hours of music that brings back memories of days/years gone by... or are so terrible you're embarrassed to admit that you kind of dig it. It's okay, plug in your earbuds and no one will know you're still grooving to NKOTB, the Backstreet Boys, and that you're still spicing up your life with the Spice Girls.

You can listen to the playlist in it's entirety on Spotify here.

Taylor Swift – 22
Train – 50 Ways to Say Goodbye
Prince – 1999
Green Day – 2000 Light Years Away
Britney Spears – ...Baby One More Time
98º – Because Of You
Taylor Swift – Bette Davis Eyes - Live/2011
Meredith Brooks – Bitch
Deep Blue Something – Breakfast at Tiffany's
Weezer – Buddy Holly
N Sync – Bye Bye Bye
Blondie – Call Me
Miley Cyrus – Can't Be Tamed
Hole – Celebrity Skin
Fiona Apple – Criminal
Sophie B. Hawkins – Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover
Hole – Doll Parts
Elton John – Don't Go Breaking My Heart
Glee Cast – Don't You Want Me (Glee Cast Version)
Taylor Swift – Drops Of Jupiter - Live/2011
Stevie Nicks – Edge of Seventeen
Debbie Gibson – Electric Youth
Rupert Holmes – Escape (The Pina Colada Song)
The Bangles – Eternal Flame
Backstreet Boys – Everybody (Backstreet's Back) - Extended Version
Mazzy Star – Fade Into You
Kenny Loggins – Footloose
Taylor Swift – Forever & Always
Gin Blossoms – Found Out About You
Christina Aguilera – Genie in a Bottle
Fleetwood Mac – Go Your Own Way
Marky Mark And The Funky Bunch – Good Vibrations
New Kids On The Block – Hangin' Tough
Train – Hey, Soul Sister
Nelly – Hot In Herre
John Mellencamp – Hurts So Good
Audioslave – I Am The Highway
Lisa Loeb – I Do
Tiffany – I Think We're Alone Now
Backstreet Boys – I Want It That Way
N Sync – I Want You Back - Radio Edit
Cassadee Pope – I Wish I Could Break Your Heart
Bill Medley – (I've Had) The Time of My Life
Vanilla Ice – Ice Ice Baby
Britney Spears – If U Seek Amy - Remastered
Whitesnake – Is This Love
The Cure – Just Like Heaven
Bon Jovi – Livin' On A Prayer
Kelly Clarkson – Long Shot
The B-52's – Love Shack
Selena Gomez & The Scene – Love You Like A Love Song
Madonna – Lucky Star
Hole – Malibu
The Bangles – Manic Monday
Hanson – MMMBop - Single Version
Counting Crows – Mr. Jones
Blondie – One Way Or Another - 2001 - Remaster
Garbage – Only Happy When It Rains
Hootie & The Blowfish – Only Wanna Be With You
Britney Spears – Oops!...I Did It Again
Paula Abdul – Opposites Attract
Michael Jackson – P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)
Incubus – Pardon Me
Miley Cyrus – Party In The U.S.A.
New Kids On The Block – Please Don't Go Girl
Lady Gaga – Poker Face
Backstreet Boys – Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)
Prince & The Revolution – Raspberry Beret
UB40 – Red Red Wine - 12'' Version
Good Charlotte – Riot Girl
Third Eye Blind – Semi-Charmed Life
Fiona Apple – Shadowboxer
Cyndi Lauper – She Bop
Beyoncé – Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)
Fiona Apple – Sleep To Dream
R.E.M. – Stand
Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories – Stay
Spice Girls – Stop
Eddie Money – Take Me Home Tonight
a-ha – Take On Me
N Sync – Tearin' up My Heart - Original Radio Edit
Brandy – The Boy Is Mine - Duet With Monica
Maroon 5 – This Love
Elton John – Tiny Dancer
Jamiroquai – Virtual Insanity
Wham! – Wake Me Up Before You Go Go
The Bangles – Walk Like an Egyptian
Spice Girls – Wannabe - Radio Edit
Miley Cyrus – We Can't Stop
Green Day – Welcome To Paradise
blink-182 – What's My Age Again?
Green Day – When I Come Around
Shakira – Whenever, Wherever
Billy Idol – White Wedding - Part 1 - Edit
Britney Spears – Womanizer - Remastered
Miley Cyrus – Wrecking Ball
Taylor Swift – You Belong With Me
New Kids On The Block – You Got It (The Right Stuff)

UPDATE:
also, if you're into Spotify, keep checking back, I've been adding songs to the playlist fairly regularly.

The Lumineers: Album Review

The Lumineers (self titled album)

Point of Sale: iTunes
Price: $9.99

Every time I hear this band on the radio I can't help but smile and turn it up.  It's pretty mellow, and has a bit of a retro feel to it.

1. Flowers in your Hair: CAUSE IT’S A LONG ROAD TO WISDOM /BUT IT’S A SHORT ONE/TO BEING IGNORED
2. Classy Girls: CLASSY GIRLS DON'T KISS IN BARS YOU FOOL
3. Submarines:  I HAD NONE SO I WILL DIE WITH THE SECRETS OF THE SEA
4. Dead Sea: I DON’T GAMBLE, BUT IF I DID I WOULD BET ON US
5. Ho Hey:  AND LOVE, WE NEED IT NOW/LET’S HOPE FOR SOME/CAUSE OH, WE’RE BLEEDING OUT
6. Slow it Down:  ONLY LOVE CAN DIG YOU OUT OF THIS
7. Stubborn Love:  THE OPPOSITE OF LOVE’S INDIFFERENCE
8. Big Parade:  ALL MY LIFE I WAS BLIND, I WAS BLIND, NOW I SEE
9. Charlie Boy:  LILLIAN, DON'T HANG YOUR HEAD, LOVE SHOULD MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD
10. Flapper Girl:  FLAPPER GIRL, FLAPPER GIRL/PROHIBITION IN CURLS/HAIR OF GOLD AND A NECK OF CURLS
11. Morning Song:  AND ALL THE PRETTY DAMES/THEY’LL HUG AND KISS YOU ALL THE SAME

Shakira: Shakira, Album Review

Artist: Shakira

Album: Shakira

Point of Purchase: iTunes

Price: $6.99
Description:  I wasn't super sure about this album at first, I'd pick it up every time I went to Starbucks, look at it, look at the price, then set it back on the shelf.  Then they sent me a code for a free download of one of the songs... Empire... and I loved it, I listened to the album on Spotify and loved it, then the album went on sale on iTunes, and I HAD to have it. (Impulse control? Minimal)

I don't even understand the lyrics to all of the songs, because I'm not bilingual, but even the ones that are in a different language are hypnotically beautiful. Her songs make me want to dance, sing along, I feel the pain in the sad songs, in short she gives you ALL THE FEELINGS. 

Track Listings:
1. Dare (La La La): Is it true that you want it, Then act like you mean it
2. Can't Remember To Forget You (featuring Rihanna): I left a note on my bedpost, Said not to repeat yesterday's mistakes, What I tend to do when it comes to you, I see only the good, selective memory
3. Empire: You're my wildfire every single night
4. You Don't Care About Me: Should have never helped, You become so powerful, But I saw a champion in your eyes
5. Cut Me Deep (featuring Magic!):I am covered in scars, Like a rose without thorns
6. Spotlight: And if they wanna make me pay now, Then go on, Cause loving you was never wrong
7. Broken Record: I've told you 700 times, I don't need to keep looking, My search is done
8. Medicine (featuring Blake Shelton): You make a war seem like such an easy game
9. 23: Just like an angel, so beautifully strange
10. The One Thing: My fairy tale comes true when I look at your face

I'm not sure what she's singing in these songs, language barrier and all, but I like how they sound if that means anything. 

11. Nunca Me Acuerdo de Olvidarte:
12. Loca por Ti

Album Review: Dierks Bentley: Riser

Artist: Dierks Bentley
Album: Riser
Point of Purchase: iTunes
Price $9.99

Dierks is one of those artists who whenever he has a new single out, I immediately download it, same goes with his albums, and when I found out a couple years ago that he was going to be playing locally I made sure I had tickets to the show. His sound never disappoints, it's real country music (thank you for not having Autotune anywhere on any track), but he has a rock and roll heart. He seems like a real guy who fame hasn't really affected much (listen to I Hold On for a little taste of that). He seems like someone who would be just as fun to be around off stage as he is to watch on. 

The songs have a range of emotion, broken hearts, true love, and summer party songs all show up on this album, it wouldn't be Dierks if they didn't.

If you want to give the tracks a test run, they're all linked through spotify, or you can listen to the whole playlist by clicking "RISER" up top. Per my usual format, I chose some of my favorite lyrics from each song to share with you.



Dierks Bentley – Bourbon In Kentucky: There ain't enough bourbon in Kentucky to make me forget you.
Dierks Bentley – Say You Do: Yeah baby, I'm begging you to lead me on, Say it feels good to be back in my arms
Dierks Bentley – I Hold On: Can you hear me baby? I hold on. 
Dierks Bentley – Pretty Girls: Silver cans up in the air, they're singing along
Dierks Bentley – Here On Earth: This world keeps spinning round and round, you're lying still in the earth
Dierks Bentley – Drunk On A Plane: I've got empty mini bottles filling up both of our trays, I'm getting drunk on a plane
Dierks Bentley – Five: Ten minute drive, this old truck's gonna fly I'll be there in five. 
Dierks Bentley – Riser: I’m strong enough to hold you through the winter, mean enough to stare your demons down, the hard times put the shine into the diamond
Dierks Bentley – Sounds Of Summer: It's the dust in the air, and the freedom everywhere, Can't you hear it coming alive?
Dierks Bentley – Damn These Dreams: It's hard to look true love in the eye and leave.
Dierks Bentley – Back Porch: Got a tin roof on the top just in case it rains, Got a kiddy pool off the deck for those hot as hell days
Dierks Bentley – Hurt Somebody: Well you ain't that old, but you ain't that young.
You've lived a lot, but you ain't quite done.


Enjoy!

P in a V Day Playlist

Please tell me you've seen Forgetting Sarah Marshall...

Anyway, Valentine's day is right around the corner and I thought this year I'd make a playlist that was more "Grooves to Getting it On" than last year's "Love Stinks" theme.

Hopefully you have a memorable February 14th, keep the candy stores, florists, and card makers in business.

Personally, I like to listen to my playlists on shuffle, so there isn't a real order or story to tell by the way the songs are listed below or you can follow the playlist on Spotify here

Billy Joel – You May Be Right
Bush – Comedown
blink-182 – I Miss You
Sophie B. Hawkins – Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover
Afrojack - David Guetta – I Just Wanna F. - feat. Timbaland & Dev
Tyler Hilton – Missing You
Led Zeppelin – Whole Lotta Love
John Mellencamp – Hurts So Good
Billy Currington – Must Be Doin' Somethin' Right
Blackstreet – No Diggity
Whitesnake – Is This Love
Sheryl Crow – Sign Your Name
Bell Biv DeVoe – Poison
The Cure – Just Like Heaven
George Michael – Roxanne
Dierks Bentley – I Wanna Make You Close Your Eyes
David Guetta – Titanium - feat. Sia
Sinead O'Connor – Nothing Compares 2 U
Boyz II Men – I'll Make Love To You
INXS – Need You Tonight

Zombies 2.0: A Musical Year in Review

It's time to post my musical review of last year, last year's playlist was called "Zombie Nights Year 1" in honor of weekly "The Walking Dead" viewings, so keeping with that theme, here is Zombies 2.0.

You can listen to the playlist in it's entirety here Spotify Playlist, or individual songs as listed.

Curtis Stigers & The Forest Rangers – This Life :This year I was introduced to Jax Teller and the rest of the Sons of Anarchy, needless to say it was love at first sight.
Taylor Swift – 22 :okay, really the parody of this song about being 32 should be here instead of Taylor's version, BUT this song always makes me tap my toes and sing along "You don't know about me, but I bet you want to!!"
Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Relax :Derek! You almost killed the Microneasion Prime Minister! Because there's always room for Zoolander.
The Goo Goo Dolls – Come To Me :This year one of my really good friends got married, and this was a song that really spoke to her, and it made it onto her wedding playlist. Plus the GooGoo Dolls are amazing and really earned their spot on this list.
V V Brown – Shark In The Water :never yell shark at the beach or fire in a crowded room... but sometimes a shark is disguised as a sexy man and you never know when he's going to take a big chunk of flesh from your heart and leave you chumming the waters...
Bloodhound Gang – No Hard Feelings :because really, it's NOT my job to fuck you on your birthday. #sorrynotsorry
Donna Summer – She Works Hard For The Money :so you better treat us right.
Hootie & The Blowfish – Only Wanna Be With You :Have you seen the movie Ted? If you haven't stop what you're doing and see it immediately. #AEIOU
Salt-N-Pepa – Shoop :Girls, what's my weakness? MEN!
INXS – Elegantly Wasted :there's really no other way to get wasted, am I right?
Sheryl Crow – Easy :this song just reminds me of summer time and working on my tan whether it be beachside, poolside, or in my own backyard.
Montell Jordan – This Is How We Do It :I'm kind of buzzed and it's all because...
TLC – Waterfalls :this song was the soundtrack to the 4th of July last year, while I was chasing fireworks :-)
Cake – Short Skirt/Long Jacket :because we're fast, thorough, and sharp as tacks
Jay-Z – Big Pimpin' :this song reminds me of the girls weekend at the Double Tree Fess Parker Resort in Santa Barbara... we were able to be Big Pimpin' without having to spend the Gs
Save Ferris – Come On Eileen :at this moment, you mean EVERYTHING to me.
Loverboy – Working For The Weekend - Remastered 2006 :aren't we all?
Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody :Party on Wayne, Party on Garth.

Album Review: Jack Johnson: From Here to Now to You

Artist: Jack Johnson

Album: From Here to Now to You

Point of Purchase: iTunes 

Price: $11.99

Thoughts: I almost bought the album earlier in the week at Target ($13.99 with two bonus tracks) but ended up putting it back because it wasn't on the shopping list (along with a lot of other impulse decisions that I decided against). The next day I found it on Spotify and listened to it... twice back to back. It's that good. It's probably one of my favorite JJ albums to date, and I love them all. 

Tracks:

I Got You: "Back when all my little goals seemed so important, Every pot of gold fill and full of distortion, Heaven was a place still in space not in motion"

Washing Dishes: "I want you to wonder what's my name, Because I need you to want me the same"

Shot Reverse Shot: "You're the rock and I'm the paper, You're the scissors I'm the rock"

Never Fade: "I tried to play it cool and attached no strings, But by the end of the day, I needed the whole thing"

Tape Deck: "We're just specks of love, directionless"

Don't Believe a Thing I Say: "Are we free or afraid, Of what we're told, Are we out of or under, Control"

As I Was Saying: "I've been erasing, Rewrote the second half like this, So my protagonist, Might find his way back home"

You Remind Me of You: "Your daddy gave you daydreams, And more cushion in your seat"

Radiate: "As you walk you believe, Every part of the dream"

Ones and Zeros: "In the future we'll be laughing at who we were right now"

Change: "Turning page after page after page, It gets stranger day by day"

Home: "this old trail will lead me right back to where it begins"

Album Review: Sons of Anarchy Seasons 1-4 Soundtrack, Various Artist

Album: Sons of Anarchy-Seasons 1-4 Soundtrack
Artist: Various
Point of Purchase: iTunes
Price: $11.99

I love this album, I think I listened to it pretty much exclusively for the first week I had it. I love Katey Sagal's voice (Gemma), I love how they took old songs and made them their own. I love how it fits the show so perfectly. The song "House of the Rising Sun" was rewritten for the show and it gives me chills. The song "Strange Fruit" is haunting. If you're a fan of the show this is something that needs to be in your music library.

I'm going to break from my usual quoting lyrics from each song, mostly because a lot of the songs should be fairly familiar to a lot of people, as for the ones that are unfamiliar, I'm not sure taking one or two lines out of the song would do any justice. My recommendation is to watch the show, then listen to the music they selected for the soundtrack. I have to say I was a little disappointed they didn't include the Dropkick Murphy's on the album because the Ireland portion of Season 3 was a pretty big deal, but overall I think they got it.


Curtis Stigers & The Forest Rangers – This Life
Katey Sagal & The Forest Rangers – Son Of A Preacher Man
Audra Mae & The Forest Rangers – Forever Young
Curtis Stigers & The Forest Rangers – John The Revelator
Lyle Workman & Bob Thiele, Jr. – Fortunate Son
Anvil featuring Franky Perez – Slip Kid
The Lions – Girl From The North Country
Billy Valentine & The Forest Rangers – Someday Never Comes
Paul Brady & The Forest Rangers – Gimme Shelter
Katey Sagal & The Forest Rangers – Bird On A Wire
Battleme – Hey Hey, My My
Alison Mosshart & The Forest Rangers – What A Wonderful World
Franky Perez & Los Guardianes del Bosque – Los Tiempos Van Cambiando (The Times They Are A-Changin')
Katey Sagal & The Forest Rangers featuring Blake Mills – Strange Fruit
Battleme & The Forest Rangers – House Of The Rising Sun
The White Buffalo with The Forest Rangers – House Of The Rising Sun - Season 4 Finale Version

Summer Sounds, 2013

These are the songs that are shaping my season so far. You can listen to the playlist on Spotify if you'd like. Enjoy!


Third Eye Blind – Semi-Charmed Life
Miley Cyrus – Who Owns My Heart
DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince – Summertime
Taylor Swift – 22
R.E.M. – Losing My Religion
Amy Winehouse – Back To Black
2Pac – California Love - Original Mix (Explicit)
Bruno Mars – Locked Out Of Heaven
Lady Gaga – You And I
Sublime – Doin' Time
The Notorious B.I.G. – Hypnotize
Blondie – Heart Of Glass
Deep Blue Something – Breakfast At Tiffany's
Fall Out Boy – Miss Missing You
Halestorm – You Call Me A Bitch Like It's A Bad Thing
Marilyn Manson – The Beautiful People
Billy Currington – Hey Girl
Fiona Apple – Criminal
The White Buffalo with The Forest Rangers – House Of The Rising Sun - Season 4 Finale Version

Album Review: Fall Out Boy "Save Rock & Roll"

 

 

Artist: Fall Out Boy

Album: Save Rock & Roll

Point of Purchase: iTunes

Price: (special deal) $7.99

 

I've been a Fall Out Boy fan probably since 2005 when "Dance, Dance" hit the TRL airwaves, I wouldn't call myself rabid, but enough of a fan to purchase an album without much knowledge of it. I have to say I was NOT disappointed. The FOB team put out a fantastic new album, in fact it's pretty much all I've been listening to since I downloaded it a couple nights ago.  You can listen to the album in its entirety on Spotify if you're not someone who likes to purchase music without giving it a test run.

 

1. The Phoenix: "dance alone to the beat of your heart"
2. My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up): "you're the antidote to everything except for me"
3. Alone Together: "Let's be alone together, (yeah), We could stay young forever"
4. Where Did the Party Go: "You and me are difference between real love and the love on TV"
5. Just One Yesterday (feat. Foxes): "Find yourself a new gig, this town isn't big enough for the two of us"
6. The Mighty Fall (feat. Big Sean): "I'm drivin' and I can't stop staring at my eyelids, but
Even though my eyes closed, I still see you, I just hope when you see me I'm not see-through"
7. Miss Missing You: "Sometimes before it gets better, The darkness gets bigger, The person that you’d take a bullet for is behind the trigger"
8. Death Valley: "What I've got will make you feel more alive,  I'll be your favorite drug, I will get you high"
9. Young Volcanoes: "Tonight the foxes hunt the hounds, And it's all over now before it has begun,
We've already won"
10. Rat a Tat (feat. Courtney Love): "If my heart is a grenade, You pull the pin and say: We're all fighting growing old"
11. Save Rock and Roll (feat. Elton John): "You are what you love, Not who loves you"

 

 

She & Him: Volume 3: Album Review

Album: She & Him: Volume 3
Point of Purchase: iTunes
Price: $9.99

I've recently discovered She & Him, I mean I know they've been around, and I've been a fan of Zoey's for awhile, but I've never really listened to their music until I got a free download from Starbucks a few weeks back and had to get the whole album for myself. It is different than the type of music I would normally listen to, but I have to say I've really been enjoying it, I've even added their other albums to my spotify playlists at work.



1. I’ve Got Your Number, Son: I’ve listened to enough of all your stuff to fill a book or two2. Never Wanted Your Love: All I know is I'm tired of being clever, Everyone is clever these days
3. Baby: As long as you need me you know I’ll never let you down
4. I Could’ve Been Your Girl: Cause I could’ve been your girl, And you could’ve been my four leaf clover
5. Turn to White: You’re a distraction from everything that I feel, And the good and the wicked things I do
6. Somebody Sweet to Talk To: You keep trying to forget about the good times
Does it make the fall a little better?
7. Something’s Haunting You: What’s a girl to do? 

When something’s haunting you

8. Together: And I like you but you think too much, And I don’t want to be your mother and your crutch
9. Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me: But they never stood in the dark with you, love.
When you take me in your arms and drive me slowly out of my mind.10. Snow Queen: I’m the dark, I’m the night, I would bark but never bite
11. Sunday Girl: I know a girl from a lonely street, Cold as ice cream, but still as sweet
12. London: Oh London, I love you, Where the clouds never go away
13. Shadow of Love: You and I, we told a story of love from our hearts, but it never came true, There’s no tomorrow for me and you
14. Reprise (I Could’ve Been Your Girl)

May is Magical

• Fiddler on the Roof: This spring the Pacific Conservatory of Performing Arts's Santa Maria theatre is under renovations and they are performing at other venues. The first weekend of the month my mom and I saw their production of Fiddler on the Roof.  The show was awesome, amazing, inspiring, and so much more. It was funny, emotion packed, and the musical numbers were flawless. I've seen their production of the play before years ago, and I can't even compare them. I felt like I had been catapulted into another place and time, I was part of the show. It is always a sign of a good show when they can evoke all of your emotions in a 3 hour window.... and get you to stand on your feet and applaud until it sounds like the roof is going to cave in.
• Birthday Celebrations: This is the year my best high school friends and I turn 32, and the celebrations have started out pretty fantastically. Even though we didn't go out and party like we may have done 5 years ago, we had an amazing time talking, eating pizza, drinking wine (or other cocktails) and playing board games (apples to apples, trivial pursuit, things, etc.), not to mention getting into heated debates over what it means to be an adult and standing by the choices you make.  My aunt also had a birthday this month and the family celebrated at the Olive Garden and had dessert at my grandparents house.  The food is what you could typically expect at this particular eatery, but I have to say my strawberry margarita was flawless. 
• Wedding Shoot: This month one of my best friends hired me as her second shooter (assistant photographer) for a wedding.  This is the first time I've ever handled my camera in a professional manner, and I have to say that even though it was hard work I loved it. I still have a long way to go before I'd do anything on my own (if ever), but it was such an enjoyable experience that I can't wait to do it again.

• The Departed: One of my favorite bands came to San Luis Obispo this year, they haven't been in California in two years, so this was exciting for me.  One of my friends that I haven't seen much since high school came with me and we had a blast. We started the evening with dinner and pre-show cocktails at the Creekside Brewery then made our way to SLO Brew just in time to see the main act The Departed come on stage.  They played all my favorite songs and more, this is truly an act if you get a chance to see live you should. Their albums are great, but they're even better live. Cody Canada, Seth James, and Jeremy Plato (and the other members of the band) play from the soul and it's evident in their concerts. 

• Memorial Weekend: This year Memorial Weekend held a lot of activities. First of all I am doggie sitting Miss Jersey Girl again, it was a sort of unexpected gig, but we get along great and it's nice to have a pup to watch movies with at night (and to get caught up on True Blood Season 5 just in time for Season 6 to start next month). My friend The Elitist came to visit with her boyfriend and daughter, and shenanigans ensued. We started the visit with a trip to the Klondike Pizza joint in Santa Maria were the little one was excited to throw peanuts on the ground, we forgot to inform her that she should shell them first, oh well, lessons learned. The next day we went to the Annual Strawberry Festival in the Village of Arroyo Grande with my mom where we got to eat Strawberry Kabobs (strawberries and brownies that were skewered and drizzled with white and milk chocolate) and then back to my parents' house for a Memorial Weekend family BBQ. After the BBQ we headed off to the hotel that my friends are staying in (if you're on the Central Coast of California, you should really consider staying at the Hilton Garden Inn in Pismo Beach, it's centrally located, near the beach, and everything that you would expect from a Hilton) for a little relaxation in the hot tub. Finally on Monday we all headed off for Solvang to finish out the weekend.

Spring Dreams, music for the season

I know you've all been patiently waiting for my Spring Dreams playlist... so here it is friends. Enjoy!

Tracy Chapman – Give Me One Reason
The Departed – Set It Free
Little Big Town – Tornado
Fall Out Boy – Chicago Is So Two Years Ago
Zac Brown Band – Chicken Fried
Nelly – Grillz - Dirty
Journey – Don't Stop Believin'
Aretha Franklin – Respect
Cyndi Lauper – The Goonies 'R' Good Enough
Fergie – Fergalicious
Survivor – Eye Of The Tiger
Keith Urban – You Gonna Fly
Steve Earle – Copperhead Road
Loverboy – Working For The Weekend
Blue Oyster Cult – (Don't Fear) The Reaper - Single Version
Social Distortion – Ring Of Fire
blink-182 – Heart's All Gone
Mark Chesnutt – I Don't Need Your Rockin' Chair - Version w/special guests
Cake – Sheep Go To Heaven
The Faint – Glass Danse

Album Review: The Band Perry: Pioneer

Artist: The Band Perry
Album: Pioneer (you can sample the entire album on Spotify prior to purchase if you're so inclined)
Genre: Country
Point of Purchase/Price: Gift, but I suspect iTunes $11.99

I've been thinking about purchasing this album since the moment I heard the song "Better Dig Two." When I went to the Brad Paisley concert over the summer, they opened for him, and I was transformed to a casual listener to a rabid fan. This band is awesome, and unlike so many artists out there today, I would argue that they're even better live than on their albums. The songs speak to your heart and mind, with a sound that is so unique. It's not traditional country, it's not pop, and it's not that Taylor Swift hybrid. Their song from their debut album "If I Die Young" still brings tears to my eyes 4 years after first hearing it... they have a gift, and I'm glad to be able to share their music with you.

Here's the track listings along with a some of my favorite lyrics from each song. Enjoy!

1.)  “Better Dig Two” -here lies a girl who's only crutch was loving one man just a little too much

2.) “DONE” -I'm through with you, la di da.

3.) “Don’t Let Me Be Lonely” -take the keys to my car and the keys to my heart and just drive

4.) “Pioneer” -I won't run when boys chase me, I won't rest where arms embrace me, I will love when people hate me, I won't hush, no you can't make me.

5.) “Forever Mine Nevermind” -all your lovely words, they were a curse, you piece of dirt, I trusted you, I trusted you, I trusted you
6.) “Night Gone Wasted” -I'm gonna save up some more money to spend on another night

7.) “I Saw A Light” -you were the very best feeling that I ever felt

8.) “Mother Like Mine” -the wars would all be over, because she'd raise us all as friends.

9.) “Chainsaw” -we wrote forever with a pocketknife, but forever's goin' down tonight

10.) “I’m A Keeper” -your daddy is a pistol and you are a son of a gun

11.) “Back To Me Without You” -I put my faith in you not knowing you would break in the end

12.) “End Of Time” -somewhere out there you're finding yourself, but back home it's the end of time

Album Review: Green Day 1-2-3

All three of these albums are available to sample on Spotify in their entirety. I've had Uno for awhile now, but I thought I'd include it with the two I purchased today since the three go together. Green Day has been one of my favorite bands since I was in junior high, their album Dookie was one of my very first CD purchases, and there was even a phase that I went through where I wanted to dye my hair electric blue and move to Berkeley. Thankfully my mom talked me down from that cliff, I'm not sure how well I would have faired with all those hippies ;-). They been there for me for many events in my life, whether it be driving around at 16 with my windows down and all my best girlfriends in the car with me rolling to McD's on our lunch break, I still think the best birthday present a guy I was dating gave to me was two guitar books to learn how to play the songs from Dookie and 21st Century Breakdown and a new set of strings, listening to their music after my little brother died in 2009, being 13 and arguing over song lyrics with friends during class, this band has been by my side for more than half my life. They are the ONLY band in my top 5 that I haven't seen live, and I'm so bummed by that, hopefully that will change in the future...probably not this tour, but I hope there are many more to come.

This time around since there are 3 albums from the same band, I'm not going to post my favorite lines from each song, but my favorite lines from the albums as a whole. That doesn't mean I don't like each song, just that some are more lyrically striking than others. I hope you enjoy the music as much as I do. 

Point of Purchase: iTunes

Price: $9.99

1. Nuclear Family
2. Stay The Night "I gotta know if you're the one who got away even though it was never meant to be"
3. Carpe Diem
4. Let Yourself Go
5. Kill The DJ
6. Fell For You "I had a dream that I kissed your lips and it felt so true. Then I woke up as a nervous wreck and I fell for you."
7. Loss Of Control
8. Troublemaker
9. Angel Blue
10. Sweet 16′
11. Rusty James
12. Oh Love

Point of Purchase: iTunes

Price: $9.99

1. See You Tonight "Maybe the time is not right, I won't be seeing you tonight"
2. Fuck Time
3. Stop When The Red Lights Flash
4. Lazy Bones "I don’t want your sympathy. I don’t want your honesty. I just want to get some peace of mind."
   
5. Wild One
6. Makeout Party
7. Stray Heart "Oh oh I'll hold your heart and never let go"
8. Ashley
9. Baby Eyes
10. Lady Cobra
11. Nightlife
12. Wow! That’s Loud
13. Amy

  

 

Point of Purchase: iTunes

Price: $9.99

1. Brutal Love
2. Missing You
3. 8th Avenue Serenade
4. Drama Queen
5. X-Kid
6. Sex, Drugs & Violence
7. Little Boy Named Train
8. Amanda
9. Walk Away
10. Dirty Rotten Bastards
11. 99 Revolutions
12. The Forgotten

Zombie Nights-Year 1 a playlist devoted to Girls' Night

 

 

Early February marked the "Friendaversary" of my Girls' Night buddies. I made a play list as party swag, and because it was so awesome I thought I'd share it with the rest of you... as usual, you can find the playlist in it's entirity on Spotify at this link:

Zombie Nights-Year 1

 

Or just scan through it here.

 

Jace Everett – Bad Things - Soundtrack Version
The Karaoke Studio – Better in a Black Dress (in the Style of Katie Armiger) [Karaoke Version] okay, so I have the real version of this song on the discs I burned, but this was the best I could find on Spotify.
Jennifer Paige – Crush
Billy Idol – Dancing With Myself - 2001 Digital Remaster
Kenny Loggins – Danger Zone
Queen – Fat Bottomed Girls - Single Version
Cyndi Lauper – Girls Just Want To Have Fun
Kanye West – Gold Digger
Letters To Cleo – I Want You To Want Me
Madonna – Like A Virgin
Bon Jovi – Livin' On A Prayer
No Doubt – Looking Hot
Beck – Loser
Pat Benatar – Love Is A Battlefield
Third Eye Blind – Semi-Charmed Life
LMFAO – Sexy And I Know It
Michael Jackson – Thriller
The Bangles – Walk Like An Egyptian (Album Version)
The Cranberries – Zombie