Fun With My Car Radio

I drive a small-ish SUV that has a built-in GPS system, and within that computer screen thing (sorry, can't help but use the word "thing" when it comes to my car) I can access the audio controls.  A feature within the audio controls is the read-out of what songs are playing on each pre-programmed radio stations (I don't know the official name of this feature, but am under the impression that each radio station is responsible for sending out this information).

The "at a glance" feature only shows 1-2 words of the song title or artist, which sometimes makes for funny phrase combinations... so, with that, please humor me.

"Possess Somebody"

"Radio Boy"

"Rain Drugs"

"Think Music."  Okay, I will. :-)

Making The Mixtape: High School

Oh, mixtapes. I miss you.  You actually made the fine art of making a mix require effort.  Sitting by the boombox or stereo tapedeck, hovering over the pause and stop buttons... ah, those were the days.  I loved making mixtapes, whether they were for myself or for friends.  To get a mixtape from a friend always made my day - In this photo is one made by me, and the top one is made by a middle/high school friend, Jeff.  

Just a small sampling of Jeff's mix:

Bush - The Chemicals Between Us

Toadies - Possum Kingdom

The Verge Pipe - Photograph

Smash Mouth - All Star

Marvelous 3 - Freak of the Week

Lit - Zip-lock

Matchbox 20 - Real World

My Mix:

Edwin McCain - I'll Be

Need To Be Next To You - Leigh Nash

Hemorrhage (In My Hands) - Fuel

Pinch Me - Barenaked Ladies

Take a Picture - Filter

I Knew I Loved You - Savage Garden

As I think I've written before, my musical tastes have expanded and changed since high school ;-)  I am impressed with myself that I even still had these tapes, and don't really know why I had them in my apartment... but alas, they must mean something to me, right?  

Do you have any mixes from high school, or remember making them? 

Spotlight: Mayer Hawthorne

Mayer Hawthorne hates Nickelback.

I would totally draw hearts around MH, too. #justsayin

In fact, he hates them so much, that he staged his own online halftime show from the basement of his parents' house during the Thanksgiving Detroit Lions game in protest of Nickelback's performance.  I don't even watch football, but that was one halftime show that I needed to check out (I definitely wasn't going to be watching the Nickelback one, that's for sure).  His halftime show did not disappoint, especially when he brought his father out as a guest guitarist.  My cousin Yael introduced me to Mayer Hawthorne's music a few months ago, and I've been loving his 2011 How Do You Do album.  

2 highlights on that album:

1: "The Walk" - the beat isn't necessarily what you'd expect with these lyrics, which is partly why I like it. 

  

"From the moment that I met you, I thought you were fine - so fine

                                                                                               But your shitty f*#@in' attitude has got me changing my mind"

2: "Can't Stop" - Mayer Hawthorne PLUS Snoop Dogg? Sign this girl up. 

To check out his great medley of tunes that he rocked out with Rolling Stone at his halftime show, click HERE.  I don't think you'll be disappointed.  If you are, Snoop Dogg will kizzle your dizzle... or something.

In Concert: Brian Jarvis

 My friend Brian Jarvis (with drummer Jim Townsend) performed at Lasell College in Newton (Auburndale), MA last night, and I went to hang out/listen to some good tunes and get back in touch with my inner college freshman, hanging out in the Campus Center. Cozy place you guys have goin' on over there, Lasell.

The guys played an hourlong set and songs ranged from older Brian Jarvis Band songs to newly-written tunes and a Matchbox20 cover.  He told the crowd a little bit about "'Til I See You Again," which he wrote just after his father passed away two years ago.  His father taught him how to play the guitar, which pushed Brian further into pursuing his music career professionally.

"'Til I See You Again"

"Hardest Break"

Check out Brian Jarvis Band on Facebook and Twitter to get the latest updates on shows and the new album release!

#FunFact: Jim's cool drum box thing is called a cajone.  

#FunFact: Brian can't parallel park.  

Oops, how'd that get in there?  Anyhoo, I'm also now realizing that I didn't really get any photos of Jim where you can see his face, what with the cajone-playing and all. Sorry about that, Jim! I'll get ya next time. 

Making The Mixtape: "Moving Across The Country"

So, I'm not going on a road trip any time soon, but my brother will soon be making a move across the country soon, and it made me think about road trip mixtapes (yes, mixtapes - sorry, I can't help but call them mixtapes!), or even just the music that we listen to when we drive, are stuck in traffic to get through the craziness, etc.

Here's what's in my car right now:

MUSE
Ozomatli
Gone By Daylight
Eric Hutchinson
Foo Fighters

I'm working on a "moving across the country" mix right now for my brother... here's just a sneak-peek:

What would YOU put on a mix for someone making a big move/going on an adventure?

ShaZAM! (Or, What I've Shazam-ed Lately)

I've been loving having Shazam on my Blackberry (having the Blackberry, not as much... still in a fight with Sprint/Blackberry, but that's another show) - definitely helpful to discover tunes that I'm not familiar with!

Here's some songs that I've Shazam-ed lately:

Luce - Good Day 

My Morning Jacket - I'm Amazed

The Postal Service - Nothing Better

Robbie Robertson - Fear of Falling (with Eric Clapton)

Brett Dennen - Sydney (I'll Come Running) 


Have YOU Shazam-ed today?

"The 10 Worst Make-Out Songs"... and Maybe Some Good Ones?

I've been checking out the new-ish dating website called HowAboutWe, and while they have a lot of interesting date ideas, they have some interesting articles as well. The most recent one that came in an email was this:

"The 10 Worst Make-Out Songs"

Yes, folks, true story. We've all been there.  The mood is right, you hit your iTunes DJ up for some tunes, not really thinking of it... chicka bow chicka bow wow. . . and THIS comes on:

No, really. That is a real possibility on my iTunes DJ. Sorry BNL, I'll always have feelings for you, but not when I'm, uh, having feelings for someone else.

So, what music do you listen to when you want to not be thinking about Cotton Eye Joe or Aretha Franklin and you want to definitely be thinking of whoever your lips are locked with?

There are some websites that help you put playlists together for this purpose exactly! How helpful, internet.  Some examples include:

8Tracks: 'Give Me Goosebumps'
8Tracks: 'Slow Dancing In A Burning Room' Recipe
StereoMood - Romantic

What about you? Music? No music? What kind?