I hear her playin' that same old song

Sometimes music dictates the mood that I'm in. The first song I hear on the radio as I jump into my morning shower or the last song that plays before I turn the car off and walk into work can set my temperament for the rest of my day and guide all the music that I'll choose to listen to thereafter. It's almost guaranteed- If I hear Def Leppard's "Photograph" or Buckcherry's "Lit Up" playing on the radio as I get ready in the morning, it's gonna be a fun day. If I hear "Live & Let Die" then watch out- I'm probably going to be too much happy to handle.

But, if you know me at all, you'll know that sunshine and rainbows Kelli is not always sitting at the front desk waiting to shower you with happy. And on those more common days, like today happens to be, I have to search out the music that fits my mood instead of just letting it find me. 

The songs I've garnered today find their place on my "hear her playin' that same old song" playlist. Because, sometimes, no matter how hard you try to make it any different, everything just sucks and you have a "bad day again" (ha- get it? clever, i know). You could try and fight that dejected, broody mood that you're in (and maybe that's what "normal" people are actually supposed to do) or you could do as I do and just embrace it. Listen to sad songs. Feel sorry for yourself. Find lyrics that you identify with and let them trigger that cathartic cry. Then, pick yourself up and get over it. Move on. Wake up the next morning knowing that the radio has the potential to play that one song that can set it all on a different path. That's the beautiful thing about music; it's so powerful, so transcending, so capable of molding and shaping the way you feel into something you can comprehend and handle even when you can't begin to understand it at all.

"Hear Her Playin' That Same Old Song" 

A Selection From My Sad Day Playlist

Fuel-- Bad Day

 

"And she swears there's nothing wrong, I hear her playing that same old song"

Old and completely overplayed, I got really burnt out on this song when it first came out because it was everywhere for so long, and it got to the point to where it had no effect on me. I've fallen in love with Fuel again recently, though, and bought all their older albums and I've found myself being drawn to "Bad Day" again when my day is just that.

Staind--Take This

"I've always had to see, The brighter side of this so I don't lose my faith"

I think this is the ultimate break-up song. F*Face used to know that when I busted out Staind's Chapter V and skipped to number 10, things were bout to get real bad (or that they actually already were and it was time to start begging for mercy). Even now that I'm living in the land of single ladies, I still crave it when I'm in one of my feel sorry for myself moods.     

 

 Eli Young Band-- Guinevere

"She's got a handful of records that she turns to when she needs to land"

Every girl wants a song written just for them. I mean, really, what female doesn't want to be the muse that inspires something like "Wonderful Tonight" or "Layla?" I don't know that it's really a dream to be a guarded/jaded girl like the one in "Guinevere," but the fact that whoever she is had that much of an impact the writer that they had to write a song about her to work it out makes me pretty jealous.

One of the things that draws me to songs is their semblance to my own life, and I can definitely see a reflection of me in this one. I don't have any band stickers  on car (anymore), and I'm not sure how desirable of a parade I am to watch (unless you count the shit-show that I can occasionally be-- white girl wasted is pretty amusing to witness, i've heard) but basically everything else in the song reminds me so much of me and my faults. And so I listen, and I feel.  

Chasing Layne-- Silence

"and though your words are cold as stone, i'd rather fight with you than go it alone"

Everything superfluous aside, I love the music of the Layne. I don't know if it's because it is actually good or if it is due to the fact that I was so close to it for so long that it's almost a part of me. (I wonder if Pattie still listened to the Beatles after she left George? I need to re-read Wonderful Today and see if she says.) All I'm certain of is that it still hits me hard every time I give in to the urge to listen to it--especially "Silence." It captures the pissed-off stupid girl side of my sadness, and sometimes I just need that. 

Alice in Chains-- Nutshell 

 

"And yet I fight this battle all alone"

If I'm upset, this is the song I turn to. Sad, angry, emotionally bereft, whatever the bad feeling may be, this song is what I want & need to hear. Something about it is so painfully soothing, and there is no song in the world that makes me feel the way it does. This version from MTV Unplugged is my favorite version. Listen to it and try not to feel anything.     

ramble on: oct 19 -- 2001 edition

Taking quite the departure from my usual ways, I'm home doing homework instead of going out this Wednesday night. (And by doing homework, I of course mean listening to any random song I can think of on Grooveshark, looking up the lyrics of said song, and then YouTubing the video as my statistics binder lays open beside me on my bed.) I had a couple songs on my mind that i wanted to ramble about tonight, and when i realized that both songs were released the same year, i decided to do a little investigating to find a third from that year that i could also feature. Turns out, the year i was researching, 2001, was a gold mine of amazing music. It's probably important to note that i was in middle school that year, so it may go without saying that i was a 13-year-old girl and the songs that i loved (let's be honest, i still love) aren't exactly the most bad-ass cool-kid songs to admit to liking now.

Narrowing the list down was ridiculously difficult. I made a playlist on Grooveshark, appropriately named "It's like a middle school dance up in here," where i picked 76 songs full of memories, but there was no way I could put 76 videos on this blog. So I narrowed it down to a few of my favorites to feature here. Feel free to listen to the playlist i made and take your own little stroll down memory lane. (Seriously, this is the year the "Cha Cha Slide" came out. O Town was huge. And, the song that epitomizes middle school dances: "U Got It Bad." Don't act like you're not intrigued.)  

It's so hard for me to believe that these songs came out almost ten years ago, because i can remember so clearly listening to them over and over. I love so many of the songs that were popular that year, and it's those songs that really lay the basis for a lot of my musical memories. As overly-dramatic as this may sound, 2001 just might have been the year i fell in love with music... 

The Calling-- Wherever You Will Go

 Yes, i know. Basically, The Calling is just a glorified boy-band, made slightly less boy-bandish by the fact that they play instruments. I should probably be ashamed to admit that I love them, and that i adore this song. I should probably be even more ashamed to admit that I saw them live...and the most shameful confession: I bought a shirt that I still wear occasionally. Hate if you want, but this song is so pretty, and so undeniably catchy. The video also serves as a great reminder that you should never, ever get your boyfriend/girlfriends name tattooed on your body, nor should lead singer boys wear just one earring. Alex, darling, you look like a blond pirate. Or George Michael. Put one in the other ear, or just take it out.  

 

Default--Wasting My Time

Default is a bit more of a legitimate admission when it comes to my musical likings of 2001. They are a real band, and "Wasting My Time" is a real rock song. And it's awesome. The music is good and the lyrics are strong. Really, who can't identify with the idea of wasting time on someone or something. It's a simple concept, and makes for an amazing song. The video is the weakest link of the song. The singer looks so angry, and I guess that's understandable. He is shrunken down to particle-size and stuck inside a terribly computer generated watch. I feel angry for him. 

Sum 41-- Fat Lip

Yeah, I own this album. I admit it. I went through a brief punk stage on my way to developing the impeccable taste in music that i have now. "Fat Lip" was one of my first anthems of rebellion and independence, and not giving a shit about the fact that i liked the kind of music that i liked, even if that was different from what everyone else was listening to. Ahh, memories. It almost makes me a little teary-eyed... 

Days of the New -- Hang On

Love Days of the New. LOVE this song. It's got such an awesome groove to it, along with the band's signature sound. The acoustic guitar is so evident, over all the rest of the instruments, and is outshined only by the vocals.   

The Verve Pipe-- Never Let You Down

I didn't reccognize this song from way back when, but when i read the lyrics, some of them kind of floored me. I love when i can listen to a song and i feel like it's about me. This song did that for me. Plus, it's actually a pretty good song.(This video is a little shaky, but the sound quality is pretty good and it was filmed in Louisville, which i thought was cool)

 Nickelback -- Too Bad

I seriously have such visceral memories of this song. When I hear it, I feel, see, and hear 2001 all over again. I remember hearing the song and seeing the video first on Fuse, and it instantly became one of my favorite Nickelback songs (which still stands today). The real memories come from a middle school dance, though. I remember what i was wearing, i remember who i was with, i remember the dj (shout out to you if you actually read this one, f*face). I can close my eyes and see that night so clearly, and go to the exact moment when this song came on. When a song can do that for you, when it's powerful enough to instantly transport you back 10 years just by hearing it, that's when you know there is something to it. This is the Nickelback that I love, the older stuff that still feels real.

Evan and Jaron -- Crazy For This Girl

Yes, this is a straight-up pop song. If you can go ten years without hearing a song and still remember every word, that's a sign. It is so super cheesy, but I just can't help loving it. And you better believe I bought this single at the wal-marts when it first came out, and i most certainly still have it in my cd case today. What. a. dork. :)

Staind/Fred Durst -- Outside

One of the first Staind songs I loved, "Outside" is such a classic. I especially love the version in the video, with just Fred Durst, Aaron Lewis, and his guitar. It's so powerful (as is what is to be expected from Lewis) and when the two sing together, it gives you chills. It's the kind of song that makes you love music, in it's most raw and stripped down form.

ramble on: sept 9

if the change of the seasons has you craving new music just as much as you're itching to get your hands on the fall starbucks flavors (can you say pumpkin spice latte?), then you are totally in luck. a lot of big names have new albums coming out in the next few weeks, and it is shaping up to be one sweet fall for both your ears and your mouth. below are five new albums that are worth adding to your collection this autumn. enjoy!

Staind- Staind
September 13th

Self-titling an album (unless it's your first and you just aren't very creative) is setting the bar pretty high. When you're a band as epically huge as Staind and you self-title your seventh full-length release, you might as will be setting that bar on the moon.

The moon might be tough for other bands to reach, but for the rock-giants of Staind, it might as well be the back yard. Remember the old Staind that put out super-heavy songs like "Mudshovel" or, really, any of the songs from Dysfunction? Well, they're back. Now that Aaron Lewis has gotten his country-boy side outta the way and found an outlet for his softer songs, it leaves the band with nothing but music that is out to kick you right in the throat with a kick-ass new album.


"Not again" was the first single released off of Staind and it is getting major radio play right now, and as good as it is, it's only a taste of what the rest of the album has to offer. "Eyes Wide Open" is so, so heavy, and almost makes you think of "Mudshovel" especially at the beginning. "Wannabe" features Lewis busting out some Korn-like rock-rapping, which is so hard to adjust to at first that it's almost funny. But combine it with the multitude of different vocal sounds on this one song, that range from rapping to screaming to melodic singing, and you're not left with a terrible song by any means."The Bottom" has single written all over it, as does "Now" with its fresh yet familiar sound.

"Something to Remind You" easily takes the award for my favorite song on the album, though. It is so very Staind: depressing yet beautiful, with a sadness that sucks you in and wraps you around every single word coming out of Lewis's mouth. It is acoustic, with just a guitar softly picking and strumming in the background, but somehow out of the simplicity comes a masterpiece. It is one of those catharsis-initiating songs you just set on repeat and listen to over and over and feel way down deep inside. It is a perfect ending to a nearly perfect album. 

In "Wannabe" Lewis says, "I'm selling records," and my response to that is yes, Mr. Lewis, that is exactly what you are doing with Staind. If you like Staind at all, especially their older stuff, then I can't emphasize how much of a must-buy this album is. And to hold you over until then, you can find it streaming on ESPN.com at:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/thelife/music/news/story?id=6910484

Bush- The Sea of Memories
September 13th

Bush's new album, their first in ten years, brings back that familiar Bush-sound that no one has really replicated in their absence. That's probably due to the fact that the "Bush-sound" is, as described by singer Gavin Rossdale, really just his voice and a guitar. The Sea of Memories has both of those things, which basically guarantees any fans of the band will be satisfied, as will young'uns who may have only heard "Glycerine" or "Come Down" on the radio.  

The first single, "The Sound of Winter," is getting heavy radio play (i swear, i hear it more than i hear def leppard play on my fav rock station in lexington, so that tells ya it's playing a lot). I haven't tired of hearing it on constant repeat, though, because it is actually a really good song. It's rocking and catchy, and well, it's the sweet-angel voice of Gavin Rossdale, so you know that it's going to be pretty great. The video (below) doesn't do much other than prove that a) Gavin Rossdale is beautiful, b) Gwen Stefani is even more beautiful, and c) their blond angel sons are beautiful squared.

The entire album is available for preview on iTunes right now, and the minute and a half snippets lead me to believe that the rest of The Sea of Memories is just as good or better than the first single. 

"Baby Come Home"  features the lines that lend themselves to the album title.  There is something so identifiable in the words "I lost myself to the sea of memories, I lost myself to irreverent dreams." The chorus gets a bit repetitive, but the verses are that typical Bush that led you to become a fan in the first place. "The Mirror of the Signs" kicks off the cd, and is obviously an effort to write songs with a more modern sound, but one that is still heavy and melodic. Maybe my favorite song on the album, I can only hope that this one will be released as a single. The Sea of Memories  also features a gem-of-a-cover as the final song on the album. Rossdale's voice, an acoustic guitar, and the classic Fleetwood Mac song "Landslide" are a perfect blend.

Superheavy- Superheavy
September 20th

What do you get when you mix a Rolling Stone, Bob Marley's son, an British soul and r& b pop princess, an Indian composer, and an English pop-rocker? Other than introduction that is entirely too verbose, you get a song that can best be described as what would happen if you put all those sounds into a blender and pushed pulse until you get a sticky-sweet mess the color of Mick Jagger's suit in the band's video for their first song, "Miracle Worker."

 

Along with Jagger, Damien Marley, Joss Stone, A.R. Rahman, and Dave Stewart form the supergroup of the hour, SuperHeavy. This amalgamation of stars and superstars really sounds just like you'd think it would: a mix of Stone's smooth soul & Jagger's rocking vocals, with Marley's regae-spitting hooks, over a slow, poppy, exotic beat. It doesn't make any sense in theory, but somehow the result is really, really good. Honestly, I love it!

The sound that somehow emerges when all these styles blend in "Miracle Worker" is like that first drink of a cold diet coke, fresh from the golden arches- refreshing, cool, fizzy in your mouth, and pretty darn tasty. I don't know what the rest of the album would even come close to sounding like, and I'm doubtful that SuperHeavy will reach anywhere near the popularity of the Stones, but I can say this: "Miracle Worker" is a fun little diddy, worth downloading, just in case the rest of the album turns out to be crap :)

ZZ Top- A Tribute from Friends

October 11th

  
When I saw Filter in Lexington a few weeks back, they played a cover of ZZ Top's classic, "Gimme All Your Lovin" and, though it's hard to really examine a new song when you're hearing it for the first time in a little club where the band is turned up way loud, I liked it. When I got home, I saw a link the band had posted to their version of the song, and I liked it even more. Filter's cover takes the song to a completely new place, one that's really electronic and a little reminiscent of "Hey Man, Nice Shot." They really rock the song up, and it turns out to be a fitting tribute to a deserving band.

Filter's cover is just one of the tracks on the upcoming album, ZZ Top- A Tribute from Friends. It features an awesome lineup of bands playing the most classic Top songs, from "Legs" (done by Nickelback) to "Tush" (covered by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals). And even though i don't care for Jamey Johnson at all, his cover of "La Grange" is actually really good, as he blends his deep, southern country sound with the classic rock sounds that ZZ Top is so known for. Only Filter and Johnson's covers are available for preview now, but if the other songs are done nearly as well as the first two, then I'm very excited to take a listen to the new takes on Top's classic hits. A preview of the track listings:

1. Sharp Dressed Man - Steven Tyler, Mick Fleetwood, Jonny Lang, and John McVie (The M.O.B)

2. Gimme All Your Lovin' - Filter

3. Tush - Grace Potter & The Nocturnals

4. Legs - Nickelback

5. Cheap Sunglasses - Wolfmother

6. Got Me Under Pressure - Duff McKagan's Loaded

7. Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers - Coheed & Cambria

8. Just Got Paid - Mastodon

9. Rough Boy - Wyclef Jean

10. Waitin' for the Bus / Jesus Just Left Chicago - Daughtry

11. La Grange - Jamey Johnson

Chasing Layne- Sin & Regret
Available Now!

watch out for "the business"

 

The final must-have album of the fall is one that is pretty near and dear to my heart. Maybe it is because I have such a deep connection to the songs on Chasing Layne's newest album, Sin & Regret. I've been there for practices and shows, hearing these same songs (over and over and over) as they grew and developed, and I was lucky enough to be in the studio for some of the recording. I've had copies of countless versions of the songs as they went through this process, but finally getting the finished version of them in my hands, wrapped up all tidy in their little plastic casing, it's just one of those feelings of relief you can't describe. (To keep this short, I'll have to elaborate a bit more in a blog dedicated just to this topic, I do believe...)

I say this as unbiasedly as possible: This is seriously a good album (as it should be, after taking damn-near as long as Chinese Democracy took to finally be released). If you like girly songs, then "Riverside," "Silence" and "I Want it All" are sure to please. If you like your songs more manly and rocking, then you gotta hear "Dirt" and "The King." And you can't forget "On the Way" or "Hoodoo" (and now that I've named almost every song on the album, I think you get the point- there is something for everybody).

 Massive gayness, i know, but i was one proud publicist lady/gf/sister (lol)

You can stream the songs at http://www.facebook.com/chasinglayneofficial?sk=app_2405167945 to see what you think. If you like them, you can buy the album on iTunes, CdBaby, at Apollo PC in Glasgow, the Great Escape in Bowling Green, or from any of the band members, and of course from little old me. It's $12, but worth every penny :)     

Ramble On- February 15

Take This- Staind -- I think everybody has their "sad" song, the one that they turn on and play on repeat, and even though it makes you feel worse and probably provokes even more tears than you already had flowing, it still somehow makes you feel a little bit better. Maybe it's part of the whole catharsis of emotions idea. Maybe it's just a girl thing. Hell, maybe it's just a Kelli thing. All I know is that I do it, and "Take This" is the song that I always turn to. I adore Aaron Lewis, as has been previously stated in the last post. This really raw, emotional song is probably my favorite from Staind, and shows that parts of the band that make me love them. The music is simple but beautiful. The lyrics are real and so tangible for anyone who has ever just felt, well, tired. This song pulls me back when I think that I am on the edge, and after I get out all the tears and bad vibes that I have held inside, I just feel...relief. If you are in need of a song to help you feel the same way, I would be more than happy to share this one with you.

I And Love And You- The Avett Brothers  -- I had heard this song quite a few times before, and didn't hate it, but didn't love it until last week. I hadn't taken the time to soak it all in and really hear the words, and now that I have, I've gained an entirely new respect for it. The entire vibe of it, so chill and peaceful in the most melancholy of ways. I can't decide what the song is supposed to be about, whether it is a happy, lovey song or just the opposite. For purposes of my interpretation at this time, I'm going to choose the second option. I'll cite this line to back up my hypothesis (oh goodness, what has working on my master's done to me?!) :

"One foot in and one foot back, But it don't pay to live like that, So I cut the ties and I jump the tracks, For never to return"

Something about this song strikes me and draws me into it, maybe it's the back story to when i first really heard it. But that's really the great thing about a song. You can take it how you want, and relate it to whatever you choose, and no matter what, that song ties it back to those memories and helps your mind to keep them when others are slipping through the cracks. And that, my friends, is why i am so in love with music. 

Mourning- Tantric --  It's funny that I can remember the exact time that I first heard this song as well. It was actually at my first Tantric show, here in Lex. It was arguably one of the best nights of my life, as I had my first experience of getting on a real-live rockstar tour bus. I won't bore you with all the amazingly amazing details (though, if you are interested, you can find them in my Tantric show review blog) but basically, it was the coolest thing ever just chilling on the tour bus and talking with a band that I had been listening to on the radio forever.

The show itself was pretty great, too. When the band started playing this song, my friend who i was there with nudged me and told me to listen because this was a great song. So I listened and watched as Hugo, the singer, sat down at the keyboard and began to play and sing. I love the concept of the song, love the melody of it, and love the play on words. I especially love the emotion and depth of it. It is one of my favorites now, and I can't believe it was never more of a hit for Tantric. (And just as an aside, I'm reppin' my Tantric shirt today- so thanks again for that one, Hugo ♥ )