Songs I Am Thankful For (Part II - Black Friday Edition)

by Juno

This has got to be one of the niftiest trends the MnM staff members have participated in. There are fewer things I’m more thankful for than music (maybe processed sugar . . . yeah, definitely processed sugar). These songs are in no particular order, as they all hold a place equally in my heart . . . .

WOW. That was corny!

1.) Green Day, “Basketcase”-

We all have those days where we feel like we’re losing it, am I right? What better song to rock out to when you’ve got that feeling than a pre-sellout Green Day classic? It’s got the punk vibe, the catchy lyrics, and the enjoyably offbeat voice of Billy Joe Armstrong.

2.) Emilie Autumn, “Swallow (Oyster Mix by Punto Omega)”-

I’m madly in love with this woman, so when I first heard the original “Swallow” I was heartbroken to find myself bored by it. Then I stumbled upon this remix and all was right in my universe again. It breathes new melodic life into the hauntingly good lyrics without being too “dancy”; still retaining the psychotic soul of the victorindutstrial songstress.

3.) Sweet, “Ballroom Blitz”-

You can never go wrong with the classics, am I right? Of course. And fewer songs have more punch than this 70s gem. Energetic, in-your-face, and masterfully crafted this is one of the best songs of all time. No lie.

4.) Epica, “The Obsessive Devotion”-

Symphonic metal as a term sounds like an oxymoron, but as a genre it’s the epitome of Yin and Yang. Simone Simon, the talented mezzo-soprano lead singer, never fails to impress with her powerful vocals; the orchestral accompaniment, typical metal band instruments, and death growls are the perfect icing on this delicious Dutch cake.

5.) Johnny Cash, “One Piece At a Time”-

Probably the country legend’s second most humorous piece, following the Shel Silverstein-penned “Boy Named Sue”, it’s guaranteed to put a grin on your face.

6.) Arvo Pärt, “Für Alina”-

This Estonian minimalist/contemporary classical composer is one of the most respected in his field. This song, part of his “tintinnabuli” (from the Latin for “of bells” style) is absolutely enchanting. It reminds me of the Baltic State he hails from, painting a picture of a lovely dark winter forest. The simplicity and slow tempo make it one of the most relaxing songs you may ever listen to.

7.) P!nk, “God is a DJ”-

Ahhhh, the anthem of my middle school pre-teen years. While it was nice to have angsty music to relate to back then, it’s always refreshing to listen to a more upbeat song that fits you, and this was certainly mine. Not to mention she’s a contralto, which is always a bonus in my book.

8.) Koffin Kats, “Splatterhouse”-

This song reminds me of the chillingly good slasher film. If you’re a squeamish guy or gal then this band certainly isn’t for you, but horror/slasher/black comedy aficionados like myself will thoroughly enjoy this piece.

9.) Otep, “Menocide”-

If you’re looking for the ultimate girl power song, look no further. This female-fronted nu metal band’s lyrics are some of darkest you’ll ever hear, as they’re based on poetry and diary entries of their twisted-ly beautiful lead singer Otep Shamaya. This song came under fire and was billed by some as sexist towards men, but the singer released a statement saying that it’s not an attack on men, rather the disgusting and controlling sort of man every woman is unfortunately bound to encounter at some point in her life. Feminist metal at its finest!

Believe me when I say there are TONS more songs but I decided to cap it at 9, or else I’d get carried away. Happy Black Friday guys and dolls!

Songs I Am Thankful For

By Eryn Longstaff

Thinking back on the past few months since I last posted, I wanted to share a little of what music has been especially special to me. Here are a few songs and the bands that sing them that have made my life better so far this semester. I hope they bring a little joy into your hearts, too. And feel free to post in response any music that you are particularly thankful for.

1. Challengers by The New Pornographers

A few times a friend of mine and I contemplated what songs we would use if ever asked to create a soundtrack for a love movie. This is my first pick. I always picture this song playing in the background as a montage of a pair split apart scrolls across the screen.

2. Dog Days by Florence and the Machine

Slightly strange music video aside, this song is the epitome of happiness for me right now. It is so catchy and upbeat, I can’t help by find myself humming it through slightly boring days. It’s just a little flavor to add to the monotony of life. Besides, Florence Welch has such an awesome voice. I always wanna say “Preach it, sister!” when she sings J

3. Ghosts by Laura Marling

I love this song. It is pretty and tells a pretty awesome tale that I’m sure we all can relate to. There are many ghosts of lingering past feelings and relationships that always get in the way of moving forward.

4. White Winter Hymnal as sung by Kiersten Holine, Jeff Pianki, and Jaytee Royster

I couldn’t help but throw these three into the mix. The link above shows 3 people who put together this song while separated into 3 different states. I highly recommend looking any one of them up on youtube. That’s where I found them, and fell a bit in love with them. They are all really talented musicians in their own rights, give them a listen!

5. Hoppipolla by Sigur Ros

Recently I was asked what I thought was the most perfect piece of music I had ever heard. This song instantly came flooding into my mind. It is so beautiful and uplifting. The music video is also just another beautiful thing about it. If you haven’t heard of Sigur Ros yet, you are missing out.

6. The Funeral by Band of Horses

There is no denying that Band of Horses is a rising group on the indie music scene, and this song shows why. Their haunting music, and ability to convey such strong and meaningful lyrics with equally strong and meaningful melodies make them who they are. Sure, it isn’t the happiest of songs, but it always makes me feel hopeful.

7. Wake Up by Arcade Fire

You will hopefully recognize this music as the background for the promos for the movie Where the Wild Things Are. I had been a fan of Arcade Fire for a while, but this song reawakened that love I had for them. Can we just be kids again?

8. My Favorite Song by Skyler Stonestreet

Okay, this song is back to being light, acoustic, and pretty. Skyler Stonestreet is great for that. My roommate showed me her myspace site, and I instantly fell in love with this song. Yes, it has the qualities to be “my favorite song” hahaha.

9. I Feel It All by Feist

I adore this; it is so fresh and clean feeling. I think it’s an essential song for anyone’s music collection. My favorite line? “I don’t know what I knew before, but now I know I wanna win the war.” Fight on!

10. Two Weeks by Grizzly Bear

Again, pardon the slightly strange music video, but the song is soooo good! I can’t help but like Grizzly Bear and this song is one of my favorites they play. There is something just hypnotizing about the piano music in the background music and the backup singers.

11. Her Morning Elegance by Oren Lavie

To make up for the strange music videos to good songs, here is an AMAZING music video to a truly awesome song. Oren Lavie is the perfect musician to relax to, and this stop motion video always makes my day. Every now and then I forget about it, and then watch it again and time and time again this video blows my mind and makes me smile.

Well enjoy, friends! I’m thankful that you took the time to read!

-Eryn

Ps. I was serious, share the music you’re thankful for in a comment! Share!

National Geographic Music

If you love world music, or you want to explore the sounds of a particular region of the world, this is the site for you. Featuring streaming radio, video, and even free music weekly mp3 downloads, you can expect to find anything from Aboriginal music to Celtic music, Hawaiian Guitar music to Nordic Folk, or Reggae to Turkish Pop. I especially like that you can find the very earliest traditional music, but also modern world artists, such as New Zealand's Flight of the Conchords.

http://worldmusic.nationalgeographic.com/view/page.basic/home/en_US

~Ellie

A Very Potter Musical

For those of you who haven’t already checked out this YouTube sensation, I urge you to do so immediately. It’s absolutely hilarious… well, it is if you’re a Harry Potter fan. Chalk full of Hogwarts jokes and puns, this musical (created by the students of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor) is a must see for any Rowling fan. Purists, be warned! Some of the plot was altered in order to make the 4,175 pages that chronicle Harry’s life fit into a two hour musical. Spoiler alert! They do give away the ending of the story for those of you who only watch the movies. Check it out!

YouTube: A Very Potter Musical

(And while you’re there, watch the latest musical Team Starkid has created called “Me and My Dick”. There is mature content, so the creators and the staff here at Moxie & Mayhem advise that this musical be viewed by “big Starkids only”!)

~Ally

Editor's Note: The staff here at Moxie & Mayhem would like to wish our fellow writer and all-around-awesome friend Libby a very happy birthday!

NEW Music Video by Great Lake Swimmers ("Palmistry")

Here's a brand new video from Great Lake Swimmers. The short-but-sweet track "Palmistry" is off their latest record Lost Channels.

Great Lake Swimmers - "Palmistry"

~Ellie

Los Colorados - Hot and Cold (video)

Yes, this is a cover of a Katy Perry song.

But just trust me on this:

Los Colorados - "Hot and Cold"

~Ellie

Whitney Duncan

Recently I’ve realized the shortage of quality female country artists out there. As a country fan and a girl, this is aggravating to say the least. I refuse to admit that men have mastered country better than women (it’s based on feelings, for Pete’s sake). However, I do find myself listening to men’s country more often. Why?. Because they’re music is less sappy, to be honest. To me, quality country either has to be sweet, fun, or wild. And I believe I’ve finally found another girl artist to add to my, however short, list of fave country women.

I had to google Whitney Duncan, though I already knew her music, and according to Wikipedia, she was a runner up in the US A Network TV show Nashville Star, which no one seems to have ever watched (please tell me if I’m wrong). She hasn’t come out with many CDs yet, just some singles and some 5-6 song length CDs (two, I believe). Regardless, she’s good. She isn’t big yet in Nashville, or anywhere, but my bet is she will be.

My personal favorite song of hers goes under the sweet, fun category. It’s called “Skinny dippin” (and it has a video, boys). It’s a laid-back, relaxing, summer song that makes you wish it was hot again . . . and/or you had some hot Southern boy to go swimming with, um, regardless of temperature. “Saw the water through the trees/and the way he looked at me/with that sly Southern grin/and he said ‘I hope you know how to swim,” she sings.

Second favorite song is called “So Sorry Mama”. It’s a wild song. No two ways about that one. And any girl who’s got a wild streak in her can relate to it. It’s all about that one bad boy that gets to her, no matter how hard she tries to resist. “I know you raised me better than this/But how can I resist? . . . I’m sorry, Mama/So sorry, Mama!” she goes. We feel your pain, girl.

Song number three on my list is called “Southern Girl.” It’s a mix of sweet and sour. She defines herself a won’t-take-no-crap Southern girl; “I was born in the blazing sun/And I ain’t afraid of anyone”, she asserts, daring the boys to come and try things with her, “a stubborn girl with attitude.”

OK. My fourth favorite is borderline sappy. I’m sorry; it’s an exception. It’s called “Who Needs the Night”, and it’s an “I’m in love with you” song, but if you can stomach that, check this one out. But I’ll put it under the sweet category. “If you can make a day feel this right,/who needs the night?” she sings. I won’t elaborate, to spare you, however much I like the song. Enjoy it for a few seconds, appreciate it, try not to throw up, then go listen to her other music.

And one last song, which apparently made the charts, is called “When I Said I Would”. It’s a decent song too; I’ll second the opinions of those who put it on the top 100. She appeals to everyone whose heart has ever been broken, singing “when I said I would/Tell me what was I thinking/I gave my heart without even blinking”.

Anyways, enjoy.

~Libby