Tag Archives: childish gambino

‘Oh, the Places I’ll Go’

Time for another themed playlist. This time around it’s all about songs that have places in the title. It starts off pretty pop-rocky, goes through a folksy-Americana period and ends with a synthy-electro phase before ending with a rap song by Childish Gambino. Of course. I’ve included links to a Spotify playlist and a Rdio one as well. Enjoy, y’all.

  1. “Tallulah” – Company of Thieves
  2. “Country Lane” – Telekinesis
  3. “Greeley Estates” – Gospel Claws
  4. “From Finner” – Of Monsters and Men
  5. “Couer d’Alene” – The Head and the Heart
  6. “Portland” – Middle Brother
  7. “Dead Sea” – The Lumineers
  8. “Massachusetts” – Ra Ra Riot
  9. “Santa Fe” – Beirut
  10. “Desert Plane” – Tapes ‘n Tapes
  11. “Colony” – Now, Now
  12. “Perth” – Bon Iver
  13. “I Follow Rivers” Lykke Li
  14. “We Almost Lost Detroit” – Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.
  15. “LES” – Childish Gambino

*Note: Gospel Claws is not on Rdio…so go to Spotify for the complete playlist.

‘Crackpot Mind’

Made another playlist. This one really didn’t have much thought to it and I’m not sure about the flow yet. There’s a lot of slower jams (what else is new?) and some artists I’ve never included in a 15 song set. I’m also too lazy to link all of the bands, so you’ll have to Google them yourself.

The title of it comes from one of the first lines from the first song. Enjoy.

  1. “Lunatic, Lunatic, Lunatic” – Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s
  2. “second wind” – yellowbirddd
  3. “Dane to Another Tune” – First Aid Kit
  4. “Yellow Brick Road” – Angus & Julia Stone
  5. “Missing Things” – JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound
  6. “That’s My Baby” – Sleeper Agent
  7. “Dead Sea” – The Lumineers
  8. “Sloom” – Of Monsters and Men
  9.  “Cheerleader” – St. Vincent
  10. “Hold You Down” – Childish Gambino
  11. “I Know Places” – Lykke Li
  12. “Prehistoric” – Now, Now
  13. “Gold Mountain” – Slow Club
  14. “Won’t Back Down” (acoustic Tom Petty cover) – Company of Thieves
  15. “Down in The Valley” – The Head and the Heart

My 5 most anticipated albums of 2012

Paste recently posted our 25 albums that the staff is looking forward to. My main man Tyler compiled the list and I had a hand in writing two write ups. One was my most anticipated album of the year (which is Paste’s 13th) and the other was just because I’ve been doing a lot of write-ups on the band.

Anyway, I’ve decided that I need to give you my five albums I’m most looking forward to.

5. TBA Mixtape – Childish Gambino (TBA)
Donald Glover recently posted a blog saying that a mixtape was coming soon. While it’s still up in the air about when this would happen, it sent me into a frenzy. I’m trying to get a hold of his publicist so that I can get confirmation. Needless to say, a follow up to my favorite album of 2011 so soon would be the ultimate gift.

4. TBA – David Wax Museum (TBA)
I recently interviewed David Wax and Suz Slezak, and they told me their ideal release for the follow up to last year’s Everything Is Saved would be September. Their last album was one of my favorites from 2011 and I’m excited they want to make a more concise sound so quickly and are pushing to get another set of songs out by year’s end.

3. The Lion’s Roar – First Aid Kit (Jan. 24)
You won’t have to wait long for this album. These Swedish sisters sound like they’ve been playing Americana since birth and have nearly perfected the folk singer-songwriter skills. What makes the album special is that it takes classic American folk, but uses Swedish influences that put a unique spin on what you’d expect.

2. The Lumineers – The Lumineers (March)
I’ve already obtained an advanced copy, and can promise you this will be a favorite for many of you. Think Edward Sharpe, but less kitschy and more solid. It takes an autobiographical approach to a mixture of emotions and adds layers of fun sounds that have become quite popular in recent years. I can already count four possible singles off of it, but the rest of the album is just as solid.

1. Rot Gut, Domestic – Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s (March)
When wouldn’t a Margot album be my most anticipated album of a year? I was shown the album cover during an interview (which will turn into a feature in March) with Richard Edwards a few months ago and he told me I was the first person outside of the band and close friends to see it. I’ve been eagerly awaiting this and loved the acoustic versions I witness Edwards play in Florida of “Prozac Rock” and “Coonskin Cap.”  It took me a bit to get used to Buzzard, but now that I know what to expect…boy, oh, boy! March can’t get here fast enough

‘Letter Home’

Lately I’ve relied on the good nature of friends to allow me to stay at their places while I lead what I’ve been calling a “homeless chic” lifestyle. I’ve been on the search for income, but that’s another story for another day. Needless to say my sleep pattern has been off because of a lot of aspects of my life have been pulling me in all sorts of directions and crashing.

But I digress.

Last night I got the three and a half best hours of sleep that I’ve had in a long time and I guess my body decided that four a.m. was an appropriate time to wake up. Throughout that time I thought of a new mix I wanted to create and just finished it up. I tried to pick out lyrics that helped explain my search of a home and a better understanding about where I’m going in life.

I’ve accompanied the track listing with lyrics I pulled out. It’s weird, looking back on them I realized that I think a lot of the “you’s” that are mentioned are some sort of home, or in some cases they’re me.

Its title is ­Letter Home; here it is.

  1. “Letter Home” by Childish Gambino – Camp
  2. “Rivers and Roads” by The Head and the Heart – The Head and the Heart
  3. “Lucky Guy” by The Belle Brigade – The Belle Brigade
  4. “Won’t Go Quietly” by Company of Thieves – Running From a Gamble
  5. “Plant a Garden” by TW Walsh – Songs of Pain and Leisure
  6. “To a Poet” by First Aid Kit – The Lion’s Roar
  7. “Look What You’ve Done To Me” by David Wax Museum – Everything Is Saved
  8. “Call It Off (Live) by Tegan & Sara – Get Along
  9. “Mistaken For Strangers” by The National – Boxer
  10. “Never Let Me Go” by Florence + the Machince –  Ceremonials
  11. “bare bones love” by yellowbirdddd – missing
  12. “Cookskin Cap” by Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s – Live From DeLuna
  13. “Cruel and Beautiful World”  by Grouplove – Never Trust a Happy Song
  14. “L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.” by Noah and the Whale – Last Night On Earth
  15. “Home” by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros – Up From Below

Here’s some lyrics that stood out from each track:
  1. “You’re the only girl that I have ever wanted, every other girl is trying to be you”
  2. “And they’re going to better places, but our friends will be gone away”
  3. “Seems like a hell of a way to start out for me: walk right in and cause such misery”
  4. “I will not go quietly! I will not be silenced!”
  5. “I cannot stress this point enough: plant a garden when the going gets rough”
  6. “Oh, there’s nothing more to it; I just get through it”
  7. “I stay right where I am for the sake of this love”
  8. “Maybe you would have been something I’d be good at”
  9. “Make up something to believe in your heart of hearts so you have something to wear on your sleeve of sleeves”
  10. “Though the pressure’s hard to take, it’s the only way I can escape. It seems a heavy choice to make”
  11. “But now the world is getting smaller and i’m losing track of the days”
  12. “Keeping my ears warm, breaking my heart”
  13. “If it seems like we’re falling behind, we’re just slippin’ and tuggin’ from the mouths of our mind”
  14. “You’ve got more than money and sense, my friend, you’ve got heart and you go in your own way”
  15. “Home is wherever I’m with you”

My favorites of 2011

Here are my favorite albums, television shows and films of 2011. Enjoy.

5 albums:

1. Camp – Childish Gambino
A great first “official” album from Donald Glover that might not be as good as his EP, but offers a unique look into hip-hop: no  samples, no overhyped collaborations, just Donald and his friends doing what they do best.
For fans of: doing shots of whiskey, Asian girls, self-conscious revelations
Top tracks: “Heartbeat,” “Backpackers,” “Kids (Keep Up)

2. Happy Hour at Sprigg’s: Volume One – Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s
Richard Edwards is a master when it comes to crafting songs and it’s a real treat to hear him do a set solo and acoustic to appreciate songs from the “new Margot” era.
For fans of: wool-knit caps, intricate stories, raw honesty
Top tracks: “A Journalist Falls In Love With Death Row Inmate #16,” “There’s a Freakshow Downtown,” “Freakflight Speed”

3. Never Trust a Happy Song – GROUPLOVE
This group of friends just wants to have fun and that’s exactly what they do on this poppy album. They don’t take themselves too seriously, but they have serious skills
For fans of: laying on the beach, grabbing a bite to eat with friends, staying energetic
Top tracks: “Lovely Cup,” “Slow,” “Betty’s a Bombshell”

4. Everything is Saved – David Wax Museum
Mexicana-folk which contains slow, melodic songs as well as flashy upbeat songs. David Wax and Suz Slezak are unique indivuduals who have provided a unique sound.
For fans of: traditional folk, quirkiness, history class
Top tracks: “Unfruitful,” “Yes, Maria, Yes,” “Lavender Street”

5. Running from a Gamble – Company of Thieves
Amazing vocals, epic guitars and rocking percussion. They’re the most non-traditional traditional rockers around. The album is good, but the group is leaps and bounds better live.
For fans of: hand claps,  cinematic adventures, falling in love for all the right reasons
Top tracks: “Never Come Back,” “Gorgeous/Grotesque,” “Syrup”

5 shows:

1. Community – NBC
What is there to say about this show? It’s clever and the pop culture references are on another level. While the characters are sometimes caricatures, it works for the show and Abed perhaps the greatest character in this millennium. The only thing that can stop this show is the looming TBA return for the third season. NBC better recognize that the viewership is skewed because Nielsen ratings are a conspiracy.
Favorite episodes: “Advanced Dungeons and Dragons” (2.14), “Regional Holiday Music” (3.10)

2. How I Met Your Mother – CBS
It’s Friends, but smarter and more complicated. I love the mystery even though a lot of fans are growing weary of how long it has been dragged on. Even if discovering who the mother truly is has taken a backseat, the characters are still some of the realest on television.
Favorite episodes:  “The Perfect Cocktail” (6.22), “Ducky Tie” (7.03)

3. Dexter – Showtime
Whether the recently-wrapped sixth season was the best in the series or not is not even a real question (it’s not). It may have been slow, but I don’t mind slow. It built towards the biggest plot development since Rita’s death. There’s two seasons left and the finale was basically a pilot for the remaining 24 episodes.
Favorite episode: “Just Let Go” (6.06), “This Is the Way the World Ends” (6.12)

4. Wilfred – FX
It’s not amazing, but it’s interesting. I appreciate the freshness of the comedy and find the dark undertones to be surprisingly pleasant. The first season has a lot of bumps along the way, but it’s another show that will become a cult hit.
Favorite episodes: “Acceptance” (1.04), “Anger” (1.08)

5. The Killing – AMC
Sure, the show relied on a ton of red herrings and the first season finale frustrated me, but I can not wait for the second season to premiere. If you haven’t checked this out yet, I’d give it a shot.
Favorite episodes: “Pilot” (1.01), “Vengeance” (1.07)

5 films:

1. Midnight in Paris – Sony Picture Classics
I’ll be the first to admit I haven’t seen a lot of films this year. It’s sad, I know, but even if I saw all of the Oscar-favorites, I still believe Woody Allen’s comedy would be my top choice. It captured my desire to be in a different time period and explores delicate emotions that I connect with so well.

2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two – Warner Bros.
Okay, let’s be real: Harry Potter was my life. Without JK Rowling’s epic saga, I’m pretty sure I’d be a different person than I am now. It opened my eyes to a new genre. I hated the idea of the boy wizard up until a certain age and while I may have been late to the party, I never looked back.

3. Super 8 – Paramount/Bad Robot
Nostalgia. That’s why this film works so well for me. It’s time period is prior to my lifetime, but the emotions evoked are timeless. I feel we all want to go back to our childhood. We all want to relive that moment that changed our lives forever. This film is more than whether or not the monster was scary or not. So stop whining about how cheesy it looked.

4. Martha Marcy May Marlene – Fox Searchlights
I always like these dark, non-linear films. I initially thought, “Eh, I would have liked to see this story told in a traditional way” but then realized it wouldn’t have worked. If you have seen this film, let’s talk about…well, the entire film. I have a feeling I read it a lot differently than most.

5. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – Columbia/MGM
Maybe this made the list because I just saw it yesterday. I love the mystery of the first novel/film. I wish the rest of the trilogy was more like this, but understand the story is more about Lisbeth than anything. I just rather it not be. Rooney Mara’s transformation was terrific. I viewed her as the cute girl next door, but not anymore. She blew me away.

I promise I’ll blog more in 2012. Until then!