It just hit me

Spring break starts tomorrow at one forty-five p.m. I wasn't really excited before, but now that I'm not sick, I think it's going to be AWESOME!!!!

I cannot stop listening to these albums...

The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place. Sheer beauty produced by one of the best, most underrated bands in the world. This is perfect for both background study music or intent listening. It never gets old and has more than twice as many plays as any other CD in my music library. I can always listen to this, no matter what.
Armchair Apocrypha. Any time I listen to Andrew Bird, I'm automatically transported into a cerebral world of irony and beauty. The music on this particular album matches his wonderful lyrics perfectly; it's just solid. It's a unique listening experience, too, and I can't seem to find a mood where I don't want to listen to it. Another album I can always fall back on, this CD will be stuck in my stereo for a long time.
At Dawn. Oh, my gosh, its close to country! It doesn't matter, though, because My Morning Jacket here makes some of the most solid, catchy, enjoyable songs I've ever heard. I can't explain why it's so good, but it has a sort of lovelorn, sadly content feel that makes it irresistible. It's a well-balanced album, too, running the gamut from acoustic guitar or banjo-only songs to full-blown classic rockers. I love it.
Little by Little. Harvey Danger snuck up on me with this one. When I first heard it, I really liked it at face value, but recently, its true brilliance has hit me. Musically, it is full of indie-pop gems, and Sean Nelson's voice is to die for. War Buddies is one of the smartest protest songs I own, and Little Round Mirrors may be one of the three most perfect pop songs I've ever heard. This is essential, and it's a shame it isn't better known. For now, I'll continue my addiction to this wonderful little band.
The Moon and Antarctica. I don't know what it is about Modest Mouse, but I just "get" them. I normally have a bit of an aversion to swearing in music, but Isaac Brock's lyrics are so down to earth and relatable that I find myself not minding the profanity. I'm still not sure whether that's a good thing or not, but nonetheless, I absolutely love this CD. The music is organic, yet cerebral, beautiful and edgy. It's probably their most meandering album (which is really saying something for a band that always has at least 15 songs on a full-length CD), but it's supremely addicting. Like I said, it strikes a chord with me, and it doesn't get old.


Also of note:
Centuries Before Love and War by Stars of Track and Field
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot by Wilco
The Lonesome Crowded West by Modest Mouse
Cotton Teeth by The Snake The Cross The Crown
The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me by Brand New
Redeemer by Norma Jean

I should write something here...

Maybe later.

English Project (Tim's Gonna Hate It)

I don't know how I cranked this out in two days, but I'm pretty happy with it.

Weird mood

Ever have that feeling of a sort of contented melancholy?
Like you're kind of down now, but you know it'll get better?
And then you smile at yourself for being so foolish?
The sadness makes you look around?
And time slows?
And somehow the world's beauty comes into sharper focus?
When two seconds ago you felt lonely, but now it's 'my me time'?
Small things become important?
Perspective returns?
And then you smile at yourself for being so foolish.

This is already a crappy week...

This will be the third night out of four this week that I don't get to bed before three in the morning. I need to figure it out. At least I have skiing to look forward to this weekend. :/

Words cannot express how excited I am for this.

Franz Ferdinand's new album drops on the 26th of this month! Here's a link to the first song off of it. http://www.twelvemajorchords.com/?p=1348 Stoked!!!

This is going to be a fun one...

I like lists and I haven't made one in a while, so I'm going to make one now about the best concerts that I've seen. So here we go.

#'s 11 & 12. Thrice and Brand New. I put them on here together because they're here for the same reason and it was the same concert These guys are on here simply because they sound so stinking GOOD live. Seriously. Thrice sounded even better than they do on their CDs. Plus, I hadn't really heard much of either band's stuff before I saw them perform and that was what got me into their music.

#10. Newsboys. I don't care how dorky I sound; I like these guys' music and they put on an awesome show. I can honestly say that they have the best lights I have ever seen, not to mention their drum platform and wonderful devotion to their faith. Plus, they simply know how to perform and they sound fantastic live.

#9. Project 86. Hot, bumpy, choking, noisy, angry, and intense, seeing P86 at Creation was so much fun. These guys' fans are insane. Theirs is a show that is more fun to participate in than to watch. That's not to say they're slouchy performers; they're just not the best (though Andrew Schwab gets right out into the crowd, egging on the violence and screaming). They sound good, too.

#8. MuteMath. These guys are so underrated, and as good as their recorded work is, it sounds even better live. When I saw them at Creation, there were only like two dozen people there at first, but these folks were RABID. Their performance didn't hurt, either; once I saw their drummer take out a roll of duct tape and wind it around his head to keep his headphones on, I knew we were in for something good. Even Tim liked them.

#7. mewithoutYou. Fantastic performers, these guys are so much fun to watch. Although when I saw them, they had a criminally short set, it was still a quality concert. They sound great; scratch one off the list of bands I need to see before I die.

#6. Andrew Bird. All I have to say is that I want to be Andrew Bird. It was fascinating to watch his incredible display of violin virtuosity, as well as how he looped everything in order to construct his songs one element at a time. He also took the time to stop and make jokes to the audience, which was quite nice. I don't think there is anybody out there quite like this guy. Overall, he is nothing short of jaw-dropping live.

#5. Family Force 5. These guys give a pretty unique concert experience. They interact with the audience a lot and they possess this goofy sort of energy that encourages lots of dancing, jumping, and singing from the crowd.

#4. Phil Keaggy. His was the single most impressive concert I have ever seen. No exaggeration, I don't think that there is another human being alive who is as good at guitar as this old man. When he was done, he literally got a ten-minute standing ovation. I think seeing him was one of the defining moments in my life. Well, maybe not, but it was still awesome.

#3. Showbread. Narrowly eclipsing Keaggy's prowess is Showbread's energy. I was giddy when they first came onstage and was not disappointed. I'll never forget seeing that keytar flying wildly through the air. There is so much movement that Showbread onstage kind of reminds me of an antill. I don't know how they don't hit each other with their instruments. Always entertaining, Showbead comes in at number three.

#2. John Reuben. Didn't see that one coming, did you? I have never seen another artist who gets the audience involved as much as this singular rapper does, and for that reason, his concerts have been the most fun for me to attend. He's witty, funny, and wild, his music is surprisingly good, and he sounds great live. Nothing like a good John Reuben concert to put you in a good mood...

#1. The Chariot. The top three were hard to put in order, but I put The Chariot at number one because they're like nothing I've ever seen. I mean, when their equipment first came into view, I did a double-take because it was so trashed! There was a huge gash in one of their big amps, the microphone was horribly dented, and the guy's bass looked like it was about to come apart. Then they started playing, throwing themselves (and their instruments) all over the stage in a manic fashion that I can't even describe. It was so fun to watch and they sounded surprisingly good, despite all the chaos. This sort of thing could only come from the South. It's great.

Hooray for all-nighters!

I'm such a good student.

2:15 P.M. Tomorrow

Thanksgiving break begins. I am so stoked.