Happiness is only real when shared

and there is no greater happiness than road-tripping with the perfect soundtrack. So here is yet another mix that supplemented my recent trip to California quite nicely.









1. California- Mates of State

2. Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?- She&Him

3. About to Walk- Throw Me the Statue

4. Bag of Hammers- Thao Nguyen

5. Always Where I Need to Be- The Kooks

6. Like Castanets- Bishop Allen

7. Death to Los Campesinos- Los Campesinos

8. Cherry Tulips- Headlights

9. California Dreamin'- The Mamas and the Papas

10. Heartbeats- The Knife

11. Here Comes Your Man- Pixies









and if that wasn't enough here is the all-time best mix I have ever made of soft songs for pretty night time driving. It definitely soundtracked the best moments of the trip.



1. I Turn My Camera On (amazing Spoon cover)- Rock Kills Kid

2. The Night Starts Here- Stars

3. Caring is Creepy- The Shins

4. Boneless- The Notwist

5. Plasticities- Andrew Bird

6. The Ghost Inside Our House- Cloud Cult

7. Heartbeats- Jose Gonzalez

8. Flume- Bon Iver (best new music find, hands down)

9. Gila- Beach House

10. Hopipolla- Sigur Ros

11. Waiting- City and Colour

12. Red and Purple- The DoDos

Top 10 desert island island mix

"The making of a great compilation tape, like breaking up, is hard to do and takes ages longer than it might seem. You gotta kick off with a killer, to grab attention. Then you got to take it up a notch, but you don't wanna blow your wad, so then you got to cool it off a notch. There are a lot of rules."
--Rob in an excerpt from "High Fidelity"

Although it might be pompous to assume that my musical tastes warrant a "Top [insert number] Songs Ever Made!" list, I like to think that my years of making mixes has paid off in some small way and enabled me to make a decent one. So here goes, my own top-10-desert-island mix:

1. We Looked Like Giants-Death Cab for Cutie
There's nothing like starting off a mix tape/c.d./playlist with this gem from DCFC. The opening notes are both subtle and attention grabbing, enough to make you want to keep listening but not too much excitement...there has to be some build up.

2. Easier- Grizzly Bear
Beautiful insrutmentals and quirky vocals take the mix to the next teir...a little bit more upbeat as the song winds it's way to an energetic chorus worthy of hip-swaying all leading up to song number 3.

3. Shade- Portugal. The Man
My favorite song by a band who manages to combine the perfect amount of abstract imagery and building notes that lead to an explosion of introspective indie rock. This is where the mix ventures into sing-out-loud-in-your-car territory.

4. Fireworks- Animal Collective
If song number 3 leads to singing, this song definately leads to dancing. You would be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn't feel like tapping their toes to this disconnected, but still cohesive song from one of the best and most unique bands currently making music.

5. Black History Month- Death From Above 1979
Ah yes, the climax of the mix. This song grabbed my attention in a snowboarding documentary and has been stuck in my head ever since. Power chords and screaming vocals pulsate as this song pours out the speakers and into your brain, where it will stay for days.

6. Between the Bars- Elliot Smith
A nice segue way back into the softer side of this mix, Smith's faltering voice and emotionally abrasive lyrics lull the play list back to a more subdued state of musical relaxation. The comedown is an important part of a mix and this song strikes a good balance as it leads the way back to mellow tunes.

7. All I Need-Radiohead
A brilliant song, sung beautifully by Thom Yorke on the band's album "In Rainbows", All I Need provides another stepping stone back into the softer side of my desert island mix.

8. Part One- Band of Horses
Just as the mix is cooling down, the jangly guitar intro of Part One is there to stop you from pressing pause and drifting off to sleep. Not too mellow and not too energetic, this song is a little pick-me-up number as the mix nears to an end. Plus the last line, "Every thing I do is for you...", seems to set up an opening for the next song.

9. East River, Berlin Wall- The Antlers
The Antlers is a great and highly under-rated band from New York. The eerie vocals and and soft pulsating keyboards all blend seamlessly into a perfectly chill song that was on repeat for days in my iPod.

10. To Be Alone With You- Sufjan Stevens
And finally, the song that brings it all home. The incredibly talented singer/songwriter/guitarist/any other instrument Sufjan Stevens created this song about a missing love and his soft voice and backdrop of calming guitar melodies wraps up the mix by providing a powerful, but extremely relaxing finale.

You spin me right round, baby, right round

For about eight years now I have wanted a record player and finally, as an early birthday present, I received one today.

It turned out to be perfect timing, as April 19 was National Record Store day. So, in lieu of this little-known holiday, I dutifully ran to the nearest Graywhale and stocked up on all kinds of vinyl goodies.

It seems silly in a world of mp3's and iPods to covet something so retro, but trust me there is nothing quite like listening to music from a record. Each sound is magnified and every crackle and skip makes it somehow more authentic.

Plus, my dad pointed out as we listened to his master copy of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon given to him by a roadie for the band, records force you to enjoy the ENTIRE album. Every song, every word, every note. There is no skipping with records, no picking and choosing. Rather than being bits and pieces made from hopeful hits, an album has to be cohesive and a work of art in it's entirety.


Unwittingly my dad had imparted some of the truest wisdom concerning the state of music today. It's tailored for those with musical A.D.D. who want a quick 2:45 song that fits nicely in an iPod shuffle play list. As I searched through my music collection I faced the sad truth, music just ain't what it used to be.

That's not to say all is lost, there is still quite a few bands out there who strive to make a record that exudes musical magic from start to finish. To them, I say thank you for making records worthy of playing from start to finish...preferably on a record player.

Going for broke

Nothing exceptionally new has been going on in the music world (well, there is that whole Madonna vs. Mariah thing, but you can check Perez Hilton's blog for that...) so instead it's time to discuss one of my biggest annoyances in the music world today- ticket prices.

Now, luckily I am a fan of somewhat obscure bands who play at broken down venues for around $8 a show. That I can handle. However, when bigger bands comes it boils down to eating for a month or attending a concert.

Take, for example, Death Cab for Cutie. Anyone who reads this blog can probably see that I'm a fan and, due to the recent hype, have written a few posts about them. From my experiences, the members of DCFC play amazing music but unfortunately put on a mediocre show. The first time they came to Utah, it was a free show sponsored by the University of Utah.

The band came again in 2005, this time playing at In The Venue to promote their new album Plans. I gladly forked over the $15 and enjoyed the show. To my slight disappointment front man Ben Gibbard hardly spoke to the crowd and reportedly copped some attitude with a local radio station during an interview earlier. Cest la vie, that's what happens when a band explodes right?

Fast forward to last month, when the band announced their upcoming North American tour with equally amazing band Rogue Wave opening for them. In an odd twist, the bands will be playing at Thanksgiving Point with tickets costing a whopping $38...$42 if you don't preorder them.

I get that a band has to make money in order to survive and a bigger venue+higher ticket prices=great business decision, but it's still a sad day when bands set out to make more profit at the risk of alienating their biggest fans. Yes, it's true, there are rising gas prices and a sinking economy to consider, but I can't help feeling a little nostalgic for the days of jam-packed shows and cheap tickets.

That being said, at least I am not a Kanye West fan and paying $83.50 to see him preform this summer at the E center... It could always be worse.

New Death Cab for Cutie single released today!

Exciting news in the world of music- Seattle-based indie rock band Death Cab for Cutie has just released "I Will Possess Your Heart", the first single on their upcoming album Narrow Stairs.

After reading this review, which claims Narrow Stairs is "terrifying and unsettling and liberating all at once — a record that sounds like a band throwing caution to the wind and just going for it", I have been counting down the days until I could hear it for myself.

So , like any Death Cab devotee, I waited anxiously in front of my computer screen Monday night willing the digital numbers to read 12:01 so I could have a taste of what Narrow Stairs was all about.

At 8:36 long, the song is indeed a deviation for the band. A darker bass line and disconnected piano melodies start off the song and continue for nearly five minutes into it. The raspy voice of lead singer Ben Gibbard joins with the lines
"How I wish you could see the potential, the potential of you and me
It's like a book elegantly bound, but it'll anguish that you can't read"
and soar into a more melodic sound that echoes Death Cab's usual style.

The good news is that the song does promise a different side of Death Cab. with less inhibitions and a more solid sound than the band's last release, Plans. I could see this song easily fitting into a more introspective and thoughtful record that lives up to the newly generated hype.

However, fans hoping for a throwback of 2003's Transatlanticism will be sorely disappointed. Lines like "You reject my advances and desperate plea. I won't let you, let me down so easily" come across more creepy than soulful and don't quite measure up to some of Gibbard's earlier insights on heartbreak and loneliness. The seemingly shallow lyrics are a little disappointing, but by no means is "I Will Possess Your Heart" a bad song.

Although fans might not be blown away by the first single, there is no doubt that May 13th and the release of Narrow Stairs can't come soon enough.

Portugal travels to Logan

Through some sort of epically huge act of the musical gods, Portugal. the Man stopped by to play a show at Club NVO in Logan on Friday.

Sprung from the ashes of Anatomy of a Ghost, Portugal. the Man presents an experimental and more inquisitive side of lyricist and lead singer Jason Gourley.

When I first heard that the band had scheduled a show here a few things went through my mind

1. Confusion. Club NVO is not usually known for booking popular or even semi-popular bands. Usually DJ Hardcorey is about the extent of the music scene at NVO.
2. Questions. Where are all the football players and sorority girls going to go to "get their freak on"? Is this a mistake of some sort? Is the world ending?and finally
3. Embarrassment. This one would hopefully be laid to rest if more than 10 people showed up... and it was.

A small crowd of about 150 kids showed up on Friday and gathered around the small stage to watch Portugal preform their magic. Although the turnout was not huge, it was perfect for dancing and enjoying the music without having to feel the sweat of the kid next to you soaking through your clothing.

As usual, Portugal. the Man put on an amazing show playing songs from both Waiter: "You Vultures!" and their latest release, Church Mouth. Bright lights illuminated the silhouettes of band members John Gourley, Zach Carothers and Jason Sechrist, casting their writhing shadows on the concrete wall of NVO. As Gourley's lyrics poured out, dancing in the ears of both new and devoted listeners, it was easy to forget all preconceived notions of "NVO shows" and savor the sounds eminating out of the band.

Major props to NVO for setting up such an awesome show and with any luck Logan may soon be on the music scene radar.

Mondays and memories: and emo kid manifesto

Today, as I was driving home, my ipod unexpectedly took me for a walk down memory lane via the band Bright Eyes.

I fumbled for the "next" button in a feeble attempt to shield myself from the barrage of laughter that would undoubtedly rise from my musically savvy friends before coming to realization.

I love Bright Eyes.

In recent years so-called "emo" music has gained a particularly bad reputation. When I first heard the melodic guitar and harsh vocals of Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst way back in 2001 I was 15 years old and this music was unique. So unique, in fact, that it took me a few tries before I really liked it.

This was before middle school children with a vast knowledge of photoshop and broken hearts drawn on their wrists vacated MySpace. Before troubled souls and starving artists blogged via Facebook.

I will admit I indulged in a few of the trends such as black converses with checkered laces, pink hair and an assortment of band pins (one of them bearing the slogan "cheer up emo kid"... har har har). That is, until every heartbroken 12 year old followed suit and turned everything I was into a ridiculous trend.

For a quick laugh, look up the word "emo" on wikipedia. It contains detailed pictures about how to perfectly sweep your black bangs across your forehead and a comprehensive list of the most depressing music available.

Unfortunately the outcome of the "third wave of emo" was that the music got lost in the stigma of being an "emo kid". Labels gained as much popularity as the music itself and suddenly everyone who listened to this genre of music was one and the same.

To avoid being stereotyped as "trendy", I quickly began replacing Bright Eyes with Animal Collective and Brand New with The Decemberists but here's the thing- I still love those bands. For me at least, they have withstood the test of time and bring back the best memories.