Taylor Upsahl may only be 18, but she is a seasoned rock star. The Phoenix New Times wrote about how her musical talent “will blow you away” when she was barely old enough to drive legally. I must have been living under a rock because I hadn’t heard of the singer-songwriter until I caught her performing at this year’s Phoenix Rock Lottery.
My jaw dropped during the impromptu band’s cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams.” She. Killed. It.
Looking for a song to party to? How about study along with? Need a song to take your sex life to the next level? Here are thirty albums I enjoyed this year on one level or another, in alphabetical order. I spared you all the commentary and just included a song from each album.
It’s Valentine’s Day and that means there is a lot of love in the air. With the love comes a lot of music to aid in the wooing of significant others. Instead of putting on classics like “You Are So Beautiful” and “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” here’s a list of modern pop hits and some indie tracks to play instead.
1) “Just Impolite” – Plushgun
This synth-filled pop song has a catchy medley filled with cutesy lines like the irresistible hook “I walk the line like Johnny Cash / I made the bus in seconds flat / I called your line too many times / I’m not owantbsessed just impolite.”
2) “Crush” – Noise Ratchet (Mandy Moore cover)
Originally, I put in Mandy Moore’s original, but remembered Noise Ratchet’s cover from the Punk Goes Pop compilation is actually better. A great song to play for that person you simple have a crush on.
3) “Can You Tell” – Ra Ra Riot
It’s another song about yearning for someone, but still perfect to play for someone you just want to be with. Bonus for the simple, relatable lyrics, including: “What am I supposed to do / It’s hard to stay cool / When you smile at me / And I get nervous every time you speak.”
4) “Head Over Feet” – Alanis Morissette
Here’s one that’s not too lovey-dovey, but explains the feeling of being in love perfectly.
5) “Lovely Cup” – Grouplove
This isn’t a traditional love song, but it’s a unique metaphor. A terrific choice for having a fun dance party with someone you just can’t enough of.
6) “Iris” – Goo Goo Dolls
Movie soundtrack songs are the best. Instead of “I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing” here’s another choice that will make someone swoon for you. I mean that opening lyric (“And I’d give up forever to touch you”) is killer on its own.
7) “Fix You” – Coldplay
Perfection.
8) “Teenage Dream” – Katy Perry
Seriously what we all secretly want. “Let’s go all the way tonight / No regrets, just love / We can dance until we die / You and I, will be young forever.”
9) “I Just Do” – Dear and the Headlights
A terrific indie song filled with little moments that truly make up loving relationships like, “Calling to say hi on your break / In less than twenty words you made / My whole damn day and / Oh I just love you Oh I just love you.”
10) “Never Had Nobody Like You” – M. Ward
This one is for the one you’ve always wanted, but have never found. Bonus points for featuring Zooey Deschanel on backing vocals.
11) “Your Body is a Wonderland” – John Mayer
Ultimate panty-dropper.
12) “I Won’t Give Up” – Jason Mraz
Maybe things aren’t going well, but you just need the other person you’ll love them for always. This is it. It’s all a good song, but the chorus is everything: “I won’t give up on us / Even if the skies get rough / I’m giving you all my love / I’m still looking up.”
13) “The Only Exception” – Paramore
These pop-punkers really nailed it with this love song. We’ve all been hurt and said we’ve given up on love, but once you’ve found the one, you’ll want to play this to let them know.
14) “I’m Gonna Be” – Sleeping At Last
The Proclaimers really nailed it with this pop song, but Sleeping at Last made it into a hauntingly beautiful slow jam. For anyone how has half of their heart across the country.
I first met the gang from Grouplove on the sunny beaches of DeLuna Fest in October 2011. I interviewed them under the boardwalk and then watched them from the side of the stage as they melted faces. Afterward they invited me to dinner and beers in the hot tub where we talked about a lot that didn’t really matter to my feature on them, but it was all very interesting. What stands out most from that nearly two year old interview was frontman Christian Zucconi’s infatuation with Kurt Cobain.
Wow, I’ve been living under a rock, (okay, I’ve been living on a lake in Maine at a summer camp…) but I’m back with a new playlist. It has some new singles from some of my favorites as well as some newer bands I’ve been digging and deep cuts from not-so-new albums. No gimmick here; just songs to consider. Oh, surprisingly there are quite a few electronic-heavy songs…
Over the course of December, I’ll present a series of my own end of 2012 lists. Unlike many, I won’t give you a best of list because that’s no fun. Instead I’ll give you lists of my favorite things from 2012. Because let’s face it: the best stuff isn’t always what you love the most.
My favorite live bands of 2012:
(Note: I’ve only included bands I’ve seen live this year.)
It’s been awhile since I’ve done a themed-playlist. Luckily, I’ve been thinking of a few and this one is a set of songs that have beautiful ladies’ names in the titles. I’m not sure if I have perfected the flow yet, but this is as close as I’m going to get for the moment. he list features some popular songs from their respected bands, as well as some of my favorite tracks and even some I don’t listen to as much as I should.
You can enjoy the playlist here via Spotify. It is also availble via Rdio here. (Note: David Wax Museum and yellowbirddd are not currently on Rdio and have been left off…)
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.
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!
ADAM VITCAVAGE 