Category Archives: Mixin’ it Up

Mixin’ It Up: May’s Playlist

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rilo-kiley-rkives-cover-art“I Remember You” Rilo Kiley – I really should just list the whole RKives album here, but that’s not how this list works. That being said, you should also check out “Emotional“, “Patiently“, “Let Me Back In” and “I’ll Get You There” My only complaint against the album is that it is not a reunion album and just a compilation of unreleased tracks.  Come back to us, Rilo Kiley!  This song just happens to be the track I have been rocking the hardest.  What can I say?  I’m a sucker for bouncy, happy songs.

“S.O.S. in Bel Air” Phoenix – I have been rocking this album pretty hard lately, as well.  There is something about Phoenix’s music that just make me want to dance!  You know?  Really let loose and dance like no one is watching.  This happens to be the track that I enjoy doing that to the most.

“Diane Young” Vampire Weekend – It must be the oncoming summer season that is really drawing me to all these peppy songs.  If you saw Vampire Weekend on SNL last week, you probably already downloaded this song, but in case you didn’t, I suggest you get this one and begin blasting it in your with the windows rolled down.  I know I have been.

“That Girl” Justin Timberlake – I know there are some haters out there for my boy JT’s latest album, and while it is not as good as FutureSex/LoveSounds, I enjoy the throwback quality of 20/20, perfectly exhibited with “That Girl” and my other fav from the album “Pusher Love Girl“.  Don’t hate.  Just get down and dirty.  It’s what JT would want.

Do-Nick-Jess-Get-Together-New-Girl-Finale-Video“I Always Knew” The Vaccines – If you saw the New Girl finale, you should not have to ask why this song is on the list.  Nothing like a good Nick Miller snog to endear a song to me.  How perfect is the line “Let’s go to bed, before you say something real” for Nick and Jess?  Also, the song is just plain catchy and cute.

“Blurred Lines” Robin Thicke feat. T.I and Pharrell – This month’s playlist was missing a good solid pop/dance track.  Then this song came out.  Have you heard this song?  I am incapable of not dancing to this song.  Please tell me that I’m not the only one.

“Romeo and Juliet” The Killers – This song is obviously old news because the original is 30 years old and this cover has been around for a few years, but it doesn’t hurt to remind ourselves of how perfect this song is.  Really listen to this song and tell me that it isn’t one of those perfect songs where every aspect just comes together to create music magic.  That is your homework for this post.

“Sunday Girl” She & Him – Admittedly, I have been a little disappointed with Volume 3.  I don’t think anything will ever live up to Volume 1, but this cover of Blondie’s “Sunday Girl” is pretty darn infectious and a definite highlight on this latest album.  “London” and “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me” are my other highlights if you were interested.

Random-Access-Memories“Doin’ it Right” Daft Punk – I feel pretty cliche listing a Daft Punk song from their new album, Random Access Memories because the internet seems to be pretty obsessed with it right now, but this song is LEGIT.  Check it out.  Definitely my favorite from the album so far.

“Back to Black” Beyonce and Andre 3000 – I have yet to see The Great Gatsby and I know there are mixed reviews on how the music works within the context of the movie, but regardless of that, the soundtrack for this movie is a pretty dang awesome compilation of music.  This is just one of many highlights on the album.  (Did not mean to have so many covers on the list).

– Ellen

Mixin’ It Up: March’s Playlist

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Boy_-_Mutual_FriendsThese posts take me a while to write, so let’s skip the chit chat and get to it.

“Little Numbers”  BOY – This is my number one pick that I’m pushing this month because I want more people to be as obsessed with this song as I am.  I just saw them them in concert this past Friday and they were so adorably genuine and just plum excited to be singing their songs for people.  Not to mention, the song is dang catchy.  I dare you listen and not start bopping your head or humming along by the last chorus.

“Heartbreaker”  Alabama Shakes – Last month began my love affair with Alabama Shakes.  I may be a little behind, but I have certainly made up for lost time over the past few weeks.  I love the Brittany’s voice and the sort of old school soul and garage band rock melding that they have going on.  Rather than recommend their two main tracks (“Hold On” and “Boys and Girls”, both of which I LOVE), I thought I would recommend the B-side-ish tracks that I really like.  “Heartbreaker” has all the possible passion that could fit into one song.

“Breakin’ Up”  Rilo Kiley – I had to include a Rilo Kiley song in this month’s mix because I am so excited for their new album that is coming out next month.  Like, beyond excited.  This is mainly due to the fact that they have not come out with a new album since 2007!  “Breakin’ Up” is a little more peppy than what I am expecting from their new album, but that doesn’t make me love it any less.   (The video I linked is this goofy, homemade video, but their dancing amuses me).

“White Nights”  Oh Land – While I don’t think I will ever be able to endorse Girls, I can safely say that I fully endorse the Girls soundtrack.  It has given me a few price gems, such as “White Nights” from this band I have never heard of.  It’s great.  Thanks for this, Girls, but stay away from Parks and Recreation Emmy awards.

“Velvet Elvis”  Alex Winston – While driving to the aforementioned concert this past weekend, my friend played this odd little song for me.  It is about a girl who is in love with a velvet portrait of Elvis.  I know what you’re thinking.  “Another Velvet Elvis song?”  But this was the earworm that would not leave after I listened to it, so I proceeded to buy and listen to it for three days, as you do with earworms.  Which brings us to present day, where I am still listening to it on repeat.

SLP“Girl from the North Country”  Bob Dylan & Johnny Cash– I’ve always been a mix girl rather than an album girl.  I am often made fun of for my eclectic mixes, but variety is the spice of life.  I think this is why I have always loved soundtracks.  They are mix CDs made by your favorite filmmakers and the songs have little music videos in your favorite movies.  Over the course of my three viewings of Silver Linings Playbook, this song has endeared itself to me.  Believe me, no one is more surprised than me to have two Bob Dylan songs in two months’ mixes, but it happened.

“Say You’ll Be There”  Spice Girls – I was recently discussing the value of Spice Girls with a friend of mine and I’m just going to come out and say it:  I STILL love the Spice Girls.  I bust out my Spice Girls albums on the regular.  They are just a plain ol’ good time and I am not going to hide in shame, so if you are in the LA area and you see a girl blasting this song in her car with reckless abandon, you’ll know who it is.

“Temptation”  New Order – I have encountered New Order a few time on my hipster movie soundtracks and have come to the conclusion that I love New Order.  Any time they are on a mix or soundtrack, that song is always my favorite song on the CD.  When I got the Perks of Being a Wallflower (I haven’t seen it, but why wouldn’t I usually like the soundtracks of hipsterific movies set in the 80s) soundtrack and saw that there was a New Order song, I knew that I was a goner.  Sure enough, I love “Temptation”.

“Skin”  BOY – Another sampling from BOY.  I had to include this song and link a video that someone took from the show that I went to because while I like the original recording of this song, I really loved the stripped down, melancholy version that they do live.  Now I can only wish that they will release this version somewhere so that I can download it and have it as my own.

“Always Alright”  Alabama Shakes – Another Alabama Shakes song, also featured on Silver Linings Playbook, because I just can’t get enough.  Seriously, watch the linked video and answer me this:  How cool is she?  I love her.

– Ellen

Mixin’ it Up: February’s Playlist

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justin-timberlake-grammys-2013-performance-watch-video-jay-z-jpg_105011I love my car, I really do.  It is practical and in pretty good condition.  If I had to have one complaint it would be that it came out the year before they started putting iPod jacks in cars, but after they stopped installing tape decks.  This puts me in quite the pickle for what to do about music, because I can’t do radio.

My solution to this quandry has been to make a mix CD (or two, or three) every month, just to keep things fresh.  The mixes are usually a mix of new songs and old favorites that I want to listen to that month.  While it can sometimes be a pain, it is also kind of fun to sit down and reflect on what is jiving with me.  It also ends up being like a sort of musical journal entry, because I can go back to my May 2012 playlist and be taken right back to that month.

I thought I may as well write about some of my top picks for each month, because I like to think I have somewhat good taste and it is certainly eclectic enough to strike a chord with a wide range of people.

“Thrift Shop”  Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Feat. Wanz – Yeah, I know.  Me and everyone else on planet earth.  But just in case, this one hasn’t ended up on your radar yet, you need to change that.  I have been listening to this while walking to my office from our parking garage and I have a really hard time not dancing.  I sneak in some moves and let people think I am moving to fight off the cold.

“All For You”  Sister Hazel – Whatever, don’t hate the playa, hate the fact that 90’s music is awesome.  This one came on my Pandora last week and I went and downloaded it right away.  It’s happy.  If you don’t end up singing and/or bouncing along to this song, you need to get over yourself.

“Boys and Buses”   Hayden Panettiere – Something you will quickly learn about me is that my TV/movie viewing dictates a lot of my music discoveries.  If you told me last year that I would be downloading a whole lot of country music, I would have laughed in your face, but that’s just what happens when you watch a whole lot of Nashville.  I enjoy the lyrical simplicity of this one.  Yeah, Juliette.  Boys and buses, DO have a lot in common.

“Brooklyn We Go Hard”   Jay-Z Feat. Santogold – Another download that came about after hearing it on TV, this one coming from the trailer for the upcoming 42 (the Jackie Robinson movie).  Side note:  As an extremely white girl, do I need to feel weird about blasting this in my car and bopping my head like I’m gangsta?

“Silver Springs”   Fleetwood Mac – Confession: this song was a blind spot in my Fleetwood Mac listening until it popped up on the recent covers album, Just Tell Me That You Want Me, being covered by Lykke Li.  While I discovered the song through that cover, nothing is going to compare to Stevie, right?  Right.

“How Come You Don’t Want Me”   Tegan and Sara – I just got this album (Heartthrob) and I am liking it quite a bit. I picked this song specifically because haven’t we all thought this at one point?  (It’s also a really good song).

“I’d Rather Go Blind”   Etta James – I may be weird, but there is nothing sexier to me than old school R&B.  There’s something about it that just…  just… just watch this dance to see what I mean without making things awkward.  This is a perfect of that languid, sexy, vibe that I’m talking about.  I’d rather go deaf than never get to listen to Etta James again.  (See also “Sunday Kind of Love”)

“Shelter From the Storm”   Bob Dylan – Let the record state that I do not like Bob Dylan.  His voice and general attitude usually annoy me, but when I heard this song in Warm Bodies I reluctantly fell in love with it.  There was just something about a zombie playing it to express to his human crush that he would protect her that really got to me.  (Another reason to not like Bob Dylan is that apparently he won’t allow YouTube play his music, but Vimeo got him somehow even if it isn’t the version I like).

“Suit & Tie”  Justin Timberlake Feat. Jay-Z – You guys, I love Justin.  Did you see him at the Grammys?  He is just so… cool!  Then Jay-Z just ambles up and does his thing and then goes and sits back in the audience with Beyonce.  No biggie.  I know that a lot of people are disappointed with this song, but let’s respect it for what it is: a pretty dang infectious hook with JT’s swagger.  I’m all in.

“Yer So Bad”  Tom Petty – I’ve been on a Tom Petty kick lately.  Well, really, for my whole life, but I’ve been digging into some of the B-Sides and this one is my current jam.  That strum in the chorus gets me rocking out every time and I love “Yer so bad, best that I ever had.”  Once you get past all the divorce and suicide, it’s a pretty sweet song.

Whew.  Click on the links and watch some videos (official and fan made).  What is your current jam?  I’m also interested in recommendations.  Aside from all those I have just listed, I am downloaded every song that is featured in Warm Bodies and I am loving all of them.  Check out the music and the movie.

– Ellen