In Love With Songza

Posted on November 21, 2012 by dangermonkey

I am probably one of the grumpiest, finicky people when it comes to music. Sometimes I absolutely hate every song I own in iTunes, other times I just want to hear one song or nothing, and then there are the times when it is absolutely nothing that I want to hear. I like what I like until I don’t like it on any given day. (How is that for poetic prose?) I’m always on the lookout for “new to me” music and was in the midst of one of my musical slumps when a co-worker suggested Songza to me. I gave the name a side-eye, but decided to check it out as this particular co-worker knows his shit when it comes to music. He owns more CDs than any person I have ever met, has every iteration of the iPod that comes out, and still rocks the vinyl. Music would be his religion if he wasn’t already affiliated with a religion. I envy that sort of passion. Also, his cat tweets, so that is all kinds of awesome.

Songza is a playlist app & website, but with no ads like Pandora. Even better, it has a concierge service that offers playlists based on day, time, and mood. This is the aspect of the app I use the most.

Clicking on the concierge will offer up a menu like this:

Yes, putting on your party dress gets an option. There’s also a sexy times option on some evenings. Bow-chicka-wow-wow!

Ahem. So, let’s say it’s Unwinding time. Let’s get some music to just hang out at home and let the crap of the day dissipate into the void.

WUUUUT? You mean there are more options? It’s not just “relax and that’s it”? No! See, there are even subtle moods in the mood of relaxing. The geniuses behind Songza have figured this out. I’m going to click on “A Rural and Rustic Evening”, because who doesn’t want that in the suburbs with a house full of puppies with errant bladders?

Oooh. Three different playlists to choose from after that. Personally, Harvest Moon is one of my absolute favorite playlists- “A collection of warm acoustic songs, handpicked for enjoying the crisp autumn air, fall foliage, and hot apple cider.” Well, they had me at hot apple cider. This playlist does not disappoint. Sometimes I relax so much that I fall asleep. No complaints there since the only weird place that has happened was in the parking lot of a physical therapist’s office off an extremely congested street. I take that as a win.

This is hands-down my favorite music app out there, and so easy to handle. Not that music apps are notoriously difficult to handle. Well, AOL Radio was. It was ridiculously squirrelly. How’s that for an endorsement? Use Songza! It’s not squirrelly!

Violin Dubstep – Lindsey Stirling

Posted on November 12, 2012 by dangermonkey

Today, I was going to retell tales of wondrous adventure and impossible feats of the human spirit. However I am stricken with a stomach bug, so instead you get to watch this video of violinist Lindsey Stirling. On top of being a fantastic violinist, she does some groovy dance moves. This is one of my favorites, but her Skyrim and Game of Thrones pieces are also worth a watch. Oh hell, watch all of them. They are all good stuff.

Soundgarden – King Animal Trailer

Posted on September 18, 2012 by dangermonkey

I can’t tell you how much I hope this doesn’t suck. I’m the type of person who will disagree that grunge ruined music (I mean seriously, did anyone remember some of the stuff coming out of the 80s? Hair bands anyone?), so Soundgarden reuniting in the first place is like Christmas happened. Now they just need to sound like Soundgarden, not like that “Live to Rise” nonsense. I take that back; it was okay, but not good and not Soundgarden-esque. It was “Listen to the local rock station morning show with my free t-shirt on and their bumper sticker on my car” okay. (And for the record, I do none of those things. I hate morning shows, I hate radio t-shirts thanks to working in radio, and I drive a lease, so no stickers.)

Another thing that has me confused: since when do they do trailers for an album? Is that a normal thing? I can’t recall ever seeing one before. It’s cool and yet seems rather old tech in terms of music promotion. I dig it though.

I went to a concert once

Posted on June 21, 2012 by dangermonkey

And this happened:

I’m not sure what this guy’s story was, but he was rocking a furry hat in a crowded concert venue. He owned that shit.

Also during the show, I convinced myself that we had inadvertently sat at a table with a swinging couple. The fact that the lady — the complete stranger of a lady — took the husband’s and my picture did not help ease my concerns. I announced to my husband that I was not doing sexytimes with these people. Adding to the awkwardness of the situation, the following convo happened:

Man: The last people that sat here said they were heroin addicts. I don’t mess with that shit
Husband: (joking) I prefer Crystal Meth myself. [cue laughter]
Man: (clearly not joking) Me too man. It’s been a while, but me too.
Me: (slowly backing my chair away)

I’m sure they were actually normal people, albeit with a checkered past, but hey…music makes the people come together, or some shit.

My name is Eddie Vedder

Posted on June 13, 2012 by dangermonkey

I’m not sure what I’m more impressed/shocked about…that this guy sounds remarkably like Eddie Vedder, or that he was able to decipher the lyrics of “Yellow Ledbetter”. Plus, there’s this weird transition between normal guy auditioning to Eddie clone throughout the video.

And I wouldn’t be lying if I said sometimes I ask the husband to do his Eddie Vedder impersonation. Ahem. For kicks, of course.

Mellow Morning Music

Posted on February 13, 2012 by dangermonkey

I heard this driving into work. Mixed with the waking sun and the frozen landscape, it just seemed like the perfect wistful morning melody, with just a tinge of sadness. Not so much sadness, but longing.

Awkward Music

Posted on December 8, 2011 by dangermonkey

I was born in the late 70s. I was a child of the 80s. But I really grew up in the 90s. I would argue that the 90s produced some of the best music EVER. No, not this. Or this. I’m talking the grunge and alternative scene. Nirvana. Smashing Pumpkins. Soundgarden. Alice in Chains. Crash Test Dummies’ Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm. (Kidding. But it’s still better than Ace of Base.)

I would love to claim that I was right there in the scene, rocking my flannel and not showering, but alas, it would not be true. Even back then I couldn’t deal with not showering, and that’s before I developed my tendencies. The flannel was a yes though. Sometimes.

Truth is, I’ve always had an issue finding my place when it came to music. In grade school, I made myself like New Kids in the Block just to feel like I fit in. And then I ended up liking them anyway. It was such a disaster. I should have stuck with the metalheads and called it a day. The music was so much better. In high school, I once again found myself with the type that listened to metal, grunge and alternative music, so I did listen to it around them. But in my own time? Showtunes. No shit. Showtunes. And singers of showtunes, like Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman. I even had a big band phase. Oh, and the House of Pain phase. All of this may sound fine and dandy now, but not as a teenager! I am amazed that I even had a social life listening to freaking showtunes. (This is pre-Glee, so there’s no way to excuse it. I’m assuming they do showtunes in Glee. I’ve never had the inclination to watch it.)

It got a little worse after high school Showtunes, still, but now I was into some pop music. Pop music like No Mercy. I’m embarrassed to even admit this, but I owned a cassette of “MmmBop”. It later broke my cassette player in my car, which was probably life trying to tell me something.

At some point in my 20s, I finally escaped bad pop music. I ending up having an angry chick music phase (lots and lots of Ani Difranco) which got me through some tough times. I think it was the rise of Napster that really truly rescued my bad taste. Well, that and the former WOXY, who introduced me to some really awesome bands. I just wish it hadn’t taken so many years to find my groove.

I’ll leave you with this awesome tune from House of Pain – “Shitkickers”. Man, I was such a badass.

My new fav song and zombies

Posted on November 4, 2011 by dangermonkey

My latest mental musical obsession is, oddly, the theme song from the Dead Island trailer. The song was composed specifically for the trailer by Giles Lamb, who sounds like he should be British. Not actually sure if he is or not, but I’ve been corrupted by too many episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the staunch belief that no one non-British would name their child “Giles”.
The piece is fairly simple and somber, with just piano and strings. Somehow it touches me.
It’s also the first time I realized that I am terrified of the zombie apocalypse. I mean, sure I have a contingency plan, but damn…zombies are kinda scary. I’ve often prided myself on my non-emotional attachment in the emergency situation, but I’m questioning how I would handle zombies on an emotional scale. If you think about it too long, it becomes a dreadful vision.

Also, I drank earlier, which could explain my fear of zombies being amplified. This usually happens.

Oh and the game? Not too bad actually. It’s set up as a quest/reward structure which is good if your a fan of that format ala Fallout and Oblivion. The free exploration has some limits and trucks are a bit of a bitch to get the hang of driving but once you do it’s all fun happy zombie plowing times. Turning on some of the NPCs would be nice too, cause some of them can be annoying!

I condone nothing!

Posted on February 21, 2010 by dangermonkey

A conversation with my husband while watching a movie with Sean Bean:
Him: “What’s that movie where he’s beating up women and dragging them by their hair and shit?”
Me: “My fantasy.”
Him: “…”
P.S. Lady hitting is wrong, people!

Yeah, I’m a ruff ryder too…for Jeezis

Posted on November 25, 2009 by dangermonkey

I saw this on BoingBoing and couldn’t contain my glee. A Christian rap group and a song about the Christian “side hug”.

Now, there are a few things I’m a bit hazy on. First, when did a normal hug become pornographic and “impure”, unless the normal hug involves humpage of sorts (and how often does that happen amongst friends?) I can see how perhaps large breasts could interfere in the hug, but if you got a problem with something like that possibly leading you to the so-called “dark side”, you need more help than a Christian side hug could provide. What gets me the most about the song is that it’s universal whether men are hugging each other or a man/woman combo (no mention of woman on woman, but something tells me the guys rapping wouldn’t have a problem with that). If I’m understanding their thought process correctly, guys need to side hug so the chances of their dicks touching is non-existent. Because dicks touching could turn them gay….??? Wha??
Second, I don’t really understand why Christian rap exists. Being a ruff ryder with Christ’s love seems completely contradictory, but hell, what do I know? One day in another post, I’ll expand on my run-in with the Christian music scene.
Third, what the hell is a side hug anyway? Is that like the shoulders touch opposite shoulders horizontally? I almost am tempted to sneak back into the non-denom labyrinth (again, will be explained in a future post) just to experience the side hug for myself. Only, to make it better, I throw in a side hug with an ass grab. YEAH! Didn’t think your little side hug plan completely out, did ya??
Fourth- does George Lucas know these assclowns are raping the Imperial March? How the hell does that tie in with the whole Jesus theme?
Watching the video, it really confirms something for me. I’ve always realized to really get the crowd pumping, all one has to do is walk out and yell “AWWW YEAH! [insert current year here]!” Works every time.