Throw it all at me, I can shrug it off

Today was a really long day. It had a lot of ups and a lot of downs. All in all I am extremely tired and I don't feel like writing a whole lot. However that doesn't mean I won't leave you without a straight jam to get you through a day like today.

So what would be a good couple songs to leave you with. The first one is a classic, The Rolling Stones doing "Beast Of Burden." It's an amazing song, and it always puts a smile on my face. The lyrics are great, on a day like today, I am really feeling this song.

The second tune is a little newer. I found this band a couple years ago on the soundtrack for something. I wasn't really sure how I felt about it. The more I thought about it though, it is one of the most uplifting songs I can think of. Not sure how many people know of the Polyphonic Spree, they are a little "different." This is in the sense that they feel like a cult, and have the precense of a band like Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros, just really really crazy. The song is "Hold Me Now," and it's really helping me get through today. Don't forget to enjoy!

"Beast Of Burden" by The Rolling Stones from Some Girls (1978)

"Hold Me Now" by The Polyphonic Spree from Together We're Heavy (2004)

-S

Placid as I melt in to the sea

This song isn't really comparable to anything else I know. It's The XX's "Crystalised" (intentionally spelled wrong, I think not). The driving guitar really powers through the song in a way that you get a little out of Modest Mouse's "Dramamine" but not nearly as pretty and just as hypnotizing. What stands out most about "Crystalised" though, is the vocals. They are incredibly haunting in a way that you hear with bands like The National or Bon Iver in some cases. I really don't know much about The XX except for the fact that they are from England.

The day I heard this song I was working my first Pre-J gig at the radio station and one of the hosts told me to try putting on this song. I was instantly struck by how beautiful it was. I'm not sure I love it, or even like it for that matter, but it is certainly striking.

Something just grabs you right from the start and doesn't let you go until the final wind down and the really classy fade at the end, its like a breakdown, that is the only way to describe the close which comes just as softly as the intro. One of my favorite parts was the overlap of vocals in the last minute, it is really awesome and pretty powerful to listen to as an effect. Hope you enjoy!

"Crystalised" by The XX from xx (2009)

-S

P.S. Try and check out the whole album, it was rated one of the best of the year 2009 by Rolling Stone.

Sunday Soundtrack

Each week, on Sundays, I'm going to attempt to make a 7-Song playlist, I'll try and keep it on the acoustic side for a softer Sunday, so I guess here it goes (in no particular order of course):

"Dead Flowers" - The Rolling Stones
"Liar" - Built To Spill
"Walden and the Willow Tree" - The Dimes
"Mr. Solo Dolo" - KiD CuDi
"Baby Bitch" - Ween
"Intentions Alone" - Olympic Symposium
"Cornerstone" - The Arctic Monkeys

— S