Surprise!

Surprise?

SURPRISE!!!

Yes, hello everyone! Beet here, and I'm back only briefly for a few minutes. Since this winter break has started, Turnip, Lettuce and myself haven't been able to post because of the many stresses of everyday life. They may not post here again - at least not any time soon - but keep hope alive! I'm here to post anyway!

But what song and for what occasion? Today, well, tonight, I'm going to introduce you lovelies to the musical stylings of Wax. The song is called Stupefied, and I chose it for a reason. That reason has yet to be revealed. This is going to be a mystery post, meaning you must continue reading the post in order to figure out what activity this songs corresponds with. Here we go!

Stupefied by Wax is a great song. Wax is a rapper from the West Coast of the United States, and his music has been getting stuck in my head a lot more often than I thought. See, I went to see Watsky & Wax on tour, mainly to see Watsky, because I didn't know Wax very well. At the concert, Wax came on before Watsky, and all I could think was "Man, when is Watsky coming on?" In due time, he came on. I wound up taking to Wax just as much as Watsky.

BUT, knowing Wax's music a lot more now than I did then, I wish I enjoyed his set more than I didn't. To you, Wax, I apologize. Althought, I did pick up a CD after the show and instantly fell in love with it. I now understand why the guy in front of me at the show kept screaming "ROSANA!!! ROSANA!!! ROSAAANNAAA!!!!" It's a great song, and I don't think he played it that night.

Stupefied is an excellent Sunday song. So much for the game, because I just realized this five minutes ago as I was re-reading my post. Sunday, which is today, needs some good tunes to enjoy. This song is great for many reasons. It's a cute song about Wax being incapable of acting on a girl he really likes, but he says it in a unique verse,

If I came up to you, 

And asked you to dance with me,

Would you be my partner?

Stupefied means that someone is unable to think or feel, which how Wax is feeling about this girl he meets. Perhaps the most important aspect of the song that makes it great for Sundays is the tempo and the beat. Yes, Wax sings nothing about any Sunday, but the high notes being played throughout the song create a beautiful scene in your head. Green grass, laying on a lawn chair, and day dreaming about that special girl. It's a great feeling, and it's most appropriate for Sundays because Sundays are the designated days of which no cares are to be had. Here's a video of the song that you'll play and hopefully enjoy!  

YES, you're right! That is Wax on the image of the video. You guys are so great :D

So long!

Happy Sunday!

Have a Sundae!

[-Gaetano-]

Chase away the study session woes

I am a firm believer in having background noise when doing any activity. Other people may say it is a distraction, but I find that having absolute silence is the distraction. Considering finals week is almost upon us, I figured I would suggest the best song to study to. Intro by The XX is my pick for this, and I would like to thank Pandora for helping me find this great tune.



A key factor to this song is that it has no lyrics. You might think that I am crazy for enjoying a song that has no lyrics, but in fact, some great songs are mostly instrumental. Studies have shown that putting on classical music while students take tests have increased test scores. I remember my art teacher in middle school used to put on classical music to help “inspire” us.

In my humble opinion, classical music is mind numbing, but I find this song specifically to be wonderful when doing homework, studying, or for general background noise. You can argue that television does the same thing, but I always glance back at the screen when I’m watching television and doing work. Non-lyrical music is the best for this. This song may be short, but it’s very simple to put on repeat and not even notice the song ending or beginning.

I have yet to check out other songs that this band has produced, but they have received great reviews from critics, especially on their album xx. Recently, they contributed to the newly revived Great Gatsby movie's soundtrack.

I hope you all enjoy this pick!

-Rachel

"No one's ever gonna love you more than I do..."

Hello all! Happy almost Friday!

Today, we will be discussing the best song to fall asleep to.

I don’t know about you, but going to bed is one of the high-lights of my day. Unfortunately, I know many people who suffer from insomnia and find it difficult to fall asleep. Let me tell you, being relaxed is the key to falling asleep. It’s been recently studied that people who think about the future while they fall asleep will have a tougher time, and it is recommended to think about past events. Interesting, huh? Well, I know a great song to help aid your restlessness. “No One’s Gonna Love You” by Band of Horses is perfect for this pick. Do not let the title fool you, it’s a very, very romantic song and the melody is extremely comforting.



Band of Horses is a great band and they are relatively unknown. I find a lot of their songs to be relaxing. They are also great to put on while you do work that needs concentration or that needs a creative spark.

Not only is this a great song, but it’s one of those few songs that you can put on repeat and not get sick of. It almost becomes white noise, but the most soothing kind of white noise. This song has a repetitive melody and is has entrancing lyrics which are really helpful when you're trying to focus on a specific task; in this case it would be falling asleep.

The key to picking a song that will help you fall asleep is to make sure that it does not have a harsh melody that would jar you from relaxing, and also, do not pick a song where the lyrics will cause a severe emotional reaction.

I think this song fits the bill really well. Just listen to it. I have literally stared at my ceiling listening to this song. What do you guys think? 

Take it easy, relax, have a margarita, and, most importantly, have an A1 day!

-Rachel

WARNING: Silversun May Cause Sleepiness In The Sunshine

Good Tuesday to you, readers! It’s nearly 11 pm, and I should really be getting ready for bed! Alas, a working college student’s day never truly “ends”. Rather, it is bombarded with random naps at awkward intervals, an over consumption of caffeine products, and the trademark bleary -eyed stare.

It is for this reason that I have an infatuation with summer. Stress-free, sunny, beach-going summer! I spend most of my summer vacation gallivanting in the sunlight. Ironically, for years I’ve been known as “the Italian girl that doesn’t know how to tan.” Ever since I entered high school my skin became virtually resistant to sunshine! I could sit in the sun for hours on end and be lucky to have acquired barely a twinge of pink on my cheeks. Initially, the genetic talent meant less worrying on my part when romping outdoors. As I got older, it became tiresome being the whitest girl on the beach.

It is because of this disobedience of my skin tone that I began to make tanning a competitive sport. I’ll show those tawny-skinned beach bunnies! I told myself, lying outside day after day in search of the perfect tan. There was a day in particular, when the peak temperature for the day was somewhere close to 100 degrees Fahrenheit, that I spread out on my deck and soaked in the sunshine.

Perhaps not surprisingly, my tanning sessions are always accompanied by music. I find it difficult sitting still for long periods of time doing virtually nothing, so music was able to distract me from paying attention  to the seconds that ticked on by. My favorite band that summer – no, of all time! – was Silversun Pickups, a quirky band hailing from Los Angeles, California. I put on their entire discography and hummed gently to the tune.

In retrospect, perhaps I should have gone for a song by F.U.N., or the Ramones, or any upbeat band that wouldn't put me to sleep! There was one song in particular that knocked me clear out on that sunshiny day – “Three Seed.” This song makes your eyelids heavy from the first bass line. True to many of the songs on their album Carnavas, Three Seed maintains a steady beat throughout the entirety of the song. Unlike the rest of the album, though, Three Seed remains relatively stable in volume, only allowing for a short, yet intricate, guitar solo towards the end. Even the light use of synthesizers doesn't make the song any less relaxing. Personally, I find the combination of the heavy bass lines, synthesizer effects, and airy guitar riffs a perfect lullaby.  

Perhaps the only thing more alluring than the instrumental portion of the song is Brian Aubert’s soft, raspy voice. Compared often to Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins and Bert McCracken of The Used (and we all know how Corgan would feel about that comparison, or any comparison for that matter…) Aubert has an uncanny ability to make his voice impossibly soft at the drop of a hat. His voice has always been particularly soothing to me.

 I’ve found that the lyrics suggest a lament concerning regret; however, no one ever really knows what Silversun Pickups is thinking when they write these transient tunes. Evidently, the singer is removing a bullet from his head as he contemplates pictures of the past, alcoholism, and the fact that “the sums don’t add up at all.” As is tradition with all Silversun Pickups songs, the imagery never quite creates a fully comprehensive picture, but you can damn well feel everything Aubert wants you to feel as a listener. The lyrics in this song flow effortlessly, filled with alliteration such as this line:

There’s the line that is leading clearly feeding all the things I don’t believe in but I’ll step in once again
Cut the line to get closer to the source of all the things I’ll never belong to; step it up and sign right in again.

Do I know what he’s trying to tell me? Not really. But can I feel the somber emotions of regret and confusion that emanate from the guitarist’s voice? You bet I can!

Silversun Pickups has a way of making you fall into your own mind, getting wrapped up in the music, in the lyrics, creating images of oceans and summer homes and addition signs and… zzz…

            You guessed it, readers! That fateful day, this little turnip fell asleep while tanning in the sunshine… and became a fried vegetable. I’ve made a point to set an alarm when tanning outside and listening to Silversun Pickups simultaneously after learning that extremely painful lesson. I’ve considered writing to Silversun’s record company so they may put a WARNING: MAY CAUSE NARCOLEPSY sign on each album. For some funny reason, I feel like I may not be the first one to suggest it.

             Wow, all this writing about Three Seed is making me sleepy! I think I’m going to head to… head to… zzz….

(For the record, Turnip was not left in direct sunlight at the conclusion of this post.)

            

...zZzz.... Shhh, you'll wake the Applesauce!

Hey readers! 

How ya doing today?

Did you drink your coffee yet?

Are you hungover? 

Can't wait to take a nap?

I've got just the song for you!

For the next week we're going to be sharing what songs we all think are great for sleeping. So maybe you've come home from work at 11:30 PM, like myself, and all you can think about is crawling into bed. Then never getting up. Ever. I kid I kid, but wouldn't that be nice?

It's weird, but I've developed a certain habit before going to sleep. Ew gross, you're disgusting. I was going to say I always listen to my iPod and fall asleep to music. One might say I have a dependency on music to help me get to sleep, but honestly it's just a perfect time to listen to the music you didn't have time to hear throughout the day. I mean, you get into bed, you play that song by the Gorillaz, and you let the album play out because it was stuck in your head all day. 

Don't lie to me, I know you all listen to Slow Country by this fabulous digital band. You probably listen to it because you're all dedicated fans, you never listen to anything else, and you know how amazing the Gorillaz are. No? You- you DON'T know who the Gorillaz are? We can continue to be friends, but no more benefits. 

Anywho, if you haven't gotten the name of the song yet, I'll repeat it: Slow Country by the Gorillaz. They're best described as an English musical project, because live performances are not really "live." Instead, they put on extensive visual performances (check out this link) with fictional cartoon band characters; 2D, Murdoc Niccals, Noodle, and Russel Hobbs. The band usually features real artists singing in front of the holograms you just saw.

So why Slow Country? For starters, it's a slow song. No, it's not a slow dance song that you heard at your eighth grade dance. It starts off with sounds similar to gusts of wind, and they continue throughout the entire song. A soft bass guitar plays simple notes, rustling within the gusts of wind and into your eardrums. 2D's voice repeats a mellow, smooth chorus that'll have your heart rate down and your eyelids shut within a minute's time. Although there isn't a music video for it, here's a video of the song for you to enjoy, nonetheless:

Nine times out of ten, this song calms me down and puts me to sleep quicker than if I hadn't played it. Try it out, I think you'll appreciate the calm, relaxing vibe that'll envelope you until you're either asleep or ready to take a quick midday nap. 

--__--__--__--__--__--__--__--__--__--__--__--__--__--__--__--__--__--__--

But wait, what about the title of this post? "Applesauce?" Fine, I'll explain. At the dinner table, my mother put two cups of applesauce on the side for pork she had made. I dislike the combination, and my stepdad only wanted one. "Put it away," he said, "I don't want two."

My mother proceeded to make the cup of Applesauce waddle across the table, giving it a cute little voice. The cup expressed its feelings of being unwanted. So, my mother tucked it into an oven mitt sitting on the table. Yep, the Applesauce was sleeping inside the oven mitt on the table, and my stepdad and I saw the whole thing play out. He was about to make a comment until my mother cut him short saying, "Shhh, you'll wake the applesauce."

As if that weren't weird enough, I'll end today with sounds that people should make more often - just to liven up their day!

Rickity tappity bligadee,

Shmiggle diggle flip flop, 

Frapple dapple, 

Wiggle tiggle, 

Pip-pop!

Have a nice day everyone!

[-Gaetano-]

"And I Will Try to Fix You"

Happy Halloween fellow bloggers! I hope you all are enjoying one of the greatest holidays of the year. If you end up at my house, I’ll be answering the door dressed as a lazy college student who has too many papers to write … ugh.

Today we will be talking about being sad, and the songs that will make you feel less miserable! Has someone recently gut punched you in the heart? Cheated on you? Called you fat? Not answer your text? Well I’m sure you’re feeling pretty lousy. But let me tell you, that jar of Nutella you’re currently swallowing by the hand full will only help you for about five minutes. You know what would help you? Setting fire to your ex—ha ha just kidding. Listening to music is of course the answer to this question … and actually most questions. So, what song should you be listening to while you hold your pillow and sob? “Fix you” by Coldplay is my pick for this.



In the most artistic way I can break down this song, it’s kind of like the stages of being sad. It starts with a pretty slow melody and softly sung lyrics, which is like being depressed. Then … then it picks up and you can hear more instrumentals and more people singing and it honestly sounds pretty empowering. I feel like this song is more aimed at fixing yourself and picking yourself up than the clear cut translation of the lyrics. Finally, it ends in the gentle way that it started; however, the way it’s sung at the end is more reassuring and is like getting a hug from a friend who is telling you that you will be okay.

It was really difficult choosing a song that is the best song for heart break because there are so many wonderful songs that capture a different aspect of being sad. I chose this one because it’s not about self-pity, revenge or anger, and it’s not about how there is something wrong with you or the person that broke your heart. To me, this song is about how things will get better.

As my dad always says, time heals all wounds.

Happy Thursday and Happy Halloween everyone, have an A1 day!

-Rachel

First Loves Fall Hard

Good day to you, readers! This Tuesday is not one filled with miserable laments of how horrible every weekday between Monday and Thursday is. In fact, today feels like quite a good day to me! After a nice, quiet weekend down in Little Rock, Arkansas, I feel refreshed and able to participate in the around-the-clock motion of Eastern seaboard lifestyle once more.

                Arkansas… Arkansas? Why Arkansas?

I’ll tell you why – because every once in a while, you just have to pack a bag, hop on a plane, and see new people and places. At least, this is the rationale my good friend Rachel (not to be confused with “Lettuce-Rachel”) proposed to me when she insisted I head South to check out Hendrix College. After a nice long weekend filled with Southern cuisine, muddy corn mazes, Razorback jerseys and kittens hidden in dorm rooms (it’s a long story), it’s strange yet refreshing to be back on the east coast.

As an honorary Southerner (and Razorbacks fan), I feel particularly inclined to share with you a song by a wildly popular band from Tennessee. Despite front man Caleb Followill’s dramatic verbal assault against European fans back in 2009 (if you don’t know about it, you can read Caleb’s explanation for the rant here) Kings of Leon has always been a band that I’ve felt a particular connection to. For me their sound is deep, soulful, and manages to dig down to the rawest of emotions. Backed by Caleb’s heavily accented singing voice (ironically enough, his accent isn't all that prevalent in his speaking tone), Kings of Leon truly makes you believe their tunes were written for your ears only.

Maybe this is why I still find myself tearing up every time I hear Revelry. Revelry is a song that has touched me for a long time. Kings of Leon crashed into the pop scene the same year I fell in love for the first time. We were both good kids when we met, having come together through a mutual infatuation with music. We stayed away from drugs and alcohol, opting to spend our time watching movies, cooking, passing high school, and planning out our future. Even when the loss of a parent and financial crisis struck, we dominated these life struggles together.  Overall, we were a strong and content couple. I thought, as most foolish teenage girls do, that our relationship would stay pure and preserved, immune to the effects of temptation in the outside world.

We all have that one person in our lives that ends up falling from grace. For me, it was my first love. After meeting a “new group of friends”, the innocent boy I had dated for two years grew into a drinking, smoking, selfish and arrogant adult. It seemed as if I was witnessing a rapid transformation from human to monster right before my eyes. I struggled to remain unaware of the changes for a while, but one April Fool’s Day a mutual acquaintance approached me with the news that he’d been caught with another girl. Brokenhearted but not completely surprised, I decided to do what was right for me. As quickly as he had appeared in my life, my first love was exiled from it.  

As I sought comfort through music, as many of us do, Revelry seemed to illustrate the breakup from my ex’s point of view. Caleb laments,

"I get lost in the light, so high I don’t wanna come down 

To face the loss of the good thing that I have found"

Like Caleb, my ex seemed to delve deeper into the party scene as a way to distance himself from the realization that our relationship was ended. The lines, 

 “So I drink and I smoke and I ask you if you’re ever around 

Even though it was me who drove us right in the ground”

conjure memories of his insisting we meet up "just to talk" after the breakup. The suggestion of beer and cigarettes mirrors the image of my ex, cigarette dangling from his lips and empty bottles in the back seat of his car.

There is one line in particular that has always reminded me most of my fallen relationship. My mother, a wise and compassionate woman, constantly warned me that she believed my ex had a predisposition to go the “wrong way” if he wasn't careful. When it turned out this was so, she comforted me with the truth that sometimes a person cannot change their nature no matter much a couple may love each other. Caleb seems to know this truth all too well as he discloses to his own lost love:

"Just know it was you all along who had a hold of my heart

But the demon in me, we was best of friends from the start."

Perhaps the most painful truth in this song is that the lyrics do not suggest that a destroyed relationship deems the love illegitimate. In fact, he reminds us that, even from the heartbreaker’s point of view:

"So the time we shared it was precious to me

All the while I was dreaming of revelry."

In sum, Kings of Leon describes breakups as the inability to control one’s own selfish desires for the sake of another person’s happiness, no matter how much you may love that person.

Uplifting concept, isn’t it?

On that note, feel free to curl up on the couch, turn on Revelry, and sob about your own long lost high school romance – no matter how long ago it may have been. I find it particularly satisfying to sob at the end of the song, when Caleb extends the last syllable of “revelry” in that solemn country wail. Try it for yourself!

Until next week, readers! Hope you had your Kleenex closeby!

- Jenna "The Turnip"