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.

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.

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

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: 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


This Ain't A Love Song - An Anti-Valentine's Day Playlist

For all you singles, or for those of you who don't love Love Songs... here's a list for you this February. Personally, if it wasn't for my mom's birthday mid-month I'd try to sleep through the whole ordeal. Anyway you can find the playlist in it's entirety on spotify at the link directly below, or take a look at the songs featured. They aren't all "Go To Hell You Suck" songs, but they certainly aren't on NOW! That's What I Call Wedding Hits!! either. Have fun, dance it out, cry it out, and stuff your face with as many candy hearts as you can.


Not Your Sappy Love Songs - Valentine's Playlist

Duffy – Stepping Stone
Carrie Underwood – The More Boys I Meet
Miranda Lambert – Mama's Broken Heart
Dixie Chicks – Goodbye Earl
Bush – X-Girlfriend
Cake – I Will Survive
Britney Spears – My Prerogative - 2009 Remaster
Brad Paisley – I'll Take You Back
Cake – Sheep Go To Heaven
David Bowie – Let's Dance - 1999 Digital Remaster
Denise Faye – Cell Block Tango
Eve 6 – Nightmare
Roger Creager – A Pirate Looks At Forty
Fall Out Boy – Grand Theft Autumn/Where Is Your Boy - acoustic Album Version
Garbage – Only Happy When It Rains
Gary Allan – Tough Goodbye
Carrie Underwood – Two Black Cadillacs
Glee Cast – Total Eclipse Of The Heart (Glee Cast Version featuring Jonathan Groff)
Gotye – Somebody That I Used To Know
Green Day – Cigarettes And Valentines - Live
Halestorm – It's Not You
Janet Jackson – If
John Mayer – Friends, Lovers Or Nothing
Journey – Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'
Justin Moore – Bait A Hook
Kellie Pickler – Rocks Instead Of Rice
Kelly Clarkson – Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)
Little Big Town – Tornado
Mariah Carey – Shake It Off
Matchbox Twenty – Rest Stop
Miranda Lambert – Baggage Claim
Nirvana – The Man Who Sold The World - MTV Unplugged
R.E.M. – Losing My Religion
Roger Creager – Fun All Wrong
Shakira – Don't Bother
Soul Asylum – Runaway Train
Stone Sour – Wicked Game
John Mayer – Slow Dancing In A Burning Room
K's Choice – Not an Addict
Jennifer Paige – Crush
Counting Crows – A Long December
Toad The Wet Sprocket – Something's Always Wrong
Pistol Annies – Hell On Heels

this button cracked me up, couldn't NOT share it with you

Winter Playlist

I know that winter is far from over, but I thought it would be an appropriate time to add some music I've been listening to lately. Check back often since we still have a couple months to go I'll probably be adding to it as the weeks go on.

 

Winter Wonderland Playlist 2012/13

 

Kip Moore – Beer Money
Carrie Underwood – Some Hearts
Kanye West – Gold Digger
Florida Georgia Line – Cruise
Mariah Carey – Shake It Off
Third Eye Blind – Semi-Charmed Life
Letters To Cleo – I Want You To Want Me
No Doubt – Looking Hot
Ke$ha – Blah Blah Blah
The Offspring – Self Esteem
Lifehouse – Everything - Live In Studio
Stone Temple Pilots – Sex Type Thing
The Ataris – The Boys Of Summer
Bloodhound Gang – No Hard Feelings
Kelly Clarkson – Get Up (A Cowboys Anthem)
Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers – The Waiting
Gary Allan – Every Storm (Runs Out Of Rain)
Tina Turner – The Best
Beautiful Small Machines – Robots in Love
The Cardigans – Lovefool
Cyndi Lauper – Time After Time
David Bowie – Let's Dance - 1999 Digital Remaster
Dixie Chicks – Cold Day In July
Dropkick Murphys – I'm Shipping Up To Boston
Eve 6 – Here's To The Night
Eminem – Shake That
Lifehouse – Somewhere In Between

Awesome Autumn Playlist

This time I'm not adding the YouTube links, sorry, it just took a long time and I'm not sure that all of these songs will even be there...and I'm not cool with putting amateur covers of awesome songs on my blog. So if you're interested in the songs, all but Garth Brooks ones are on Spotify and you can listen to them to your heart's content for free. So without further introduction, here are the songs that have been rotating heavily on my play list the past couple months. Have a musical season friends. <3

• Green Day - Oh Love
• Jason Aldean - When She Says Baby
• Salt-N-Peppa - Whatta Man
• Michael Jackson - Thriller
• TLC - What About Your Friends
• Janet Jackson - Black Cat
• Gary Allan - Every Storm (Runs out of Rain)
• Jack Johnson - Banana Pancakes
• Maroon 5 - Fortune Teller
• Kristin Chenoweth - Witchy Woman
• Lady Gaga - You and I
• Al Green - Ain't No Sunshine (When She's Gone)
• Garth Brooks - Friends in Low Places
• Lil Jon - Get Low (To the Window, To the Wall)
• AC/DC - You Shook Me All Night Long
• The Cranberries - Zombie
• Guns N Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine
• Heart - Magic Man
• Jackson 5 - Dancin' Machine
• Ke$ha - Boots and Boys
• Kenny Chesney - El Cerrito Place
• Chevelle - Jars
• Miley Cyrus - Party in the USA
• David Guetta - I Just Wanna F
• Garth Brooks - If Tomorrow Never Comes

Not all of these songs have a specific memory attached to them, but a few of them do and I can't help but dance when I hear them.

Fall 2012 Spotify playlist... the Garth songs aren't on it because he's not on the site :-)

Summer Playlist: The Songs that Shaped the Season

As you take a look at the sounds of the summer, you'll see not all of the songs are new, in fact most of them are quite a bit older, but EVERY ONE of them holds a special memory from this year. Sing a long if you dare.... Just remember karaoke is always more fun with friends.


Sugarland: Settlin'
Kip Moore: Somethin' 'Bout a Truck
Little Big Town: Pontoon
Journey: Anyway You Want It
Thomas Rhett: Something to do with my Hands
Bon Jovi: Livin' on a Prayer
Cross Canadian Ragweed: Constantly
Montell Jordan: This is How We Do It
The Turtles: So Happy Together
Ludacris: My Chick Bad
Eric Church: Springsteen
The Lonely Island: I'm on a Boat
Kellie Pickler: Tough
Luke Bryan: Drunk on You
Wham!: Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go
Lauren Alaina: Georgia Peaches
Jack Johnson: Better Together
Dierks Bentley: 5-1-5-0
Phil Collins: In the Air
Billy Currington: Pretty Good at Drinking Beer
Wilson Phillips: Impulsive
ABBA: Dancing Queen
Kenny Wayne Sheppard: Blue on Black
Brad Paisley: Water
The Band Perry: All Your Life
The Animals: The House of the Rising Sun

Or if you'd rather the Summer 2012 playlist is mostly availble at this Spotify link.