Music Makes The World Go Round

I love music. I'm a believer there there is a song for any occasion no matter the mood or situation you're in. I've loved music ever since I was a kid listening to anything my dad was a fan of, hence my love for Billy Joel, and since then have listened to pretty much every type of music with open arms and a chance on my play list. I've gone through phases listening to a certain type of music for months on end until I got hooked on something else from classic rock to classical piano and everything in between. I take that back. Everything in between except country, country you are terrible, anyone who can take music about drinking and women and make it that bad has some serious issues in it's genre.

Music has been my catalyst to happiness on numerous occasions. With that being said I figure what better way to introduce my first post about trying new things and making small changes to brighten up your day then with some music! I've compiled a list of some albums after I asked around what people are listening to right now that they would recommend for others to check out along with a few of my own, and hopefully with a little bit of luck you'll find something on this list that you will enjoy!

Slight disclaimer, I haven't listened to everything i'm listing so if you hate something listed just remember that old saying "Don't shoot the messenger!"

1. Travelers in Space and Time by The Apples in Stereo - Indie Pop, a band I found out about because of a video that had Elijah Wood in it, but very glad I stumbled upon them. Cool robot voices + up beat music = fun to listen to.
2. The Resistance by Muse - Alternative Rock, fifth studio release album by Muse. Not to sure what else to say, they're Muse, they're awesome.
3. Played in Space by Something Corporate - Piano Rock, this actually worked out in my favor as I had a hard time deciding what album to put down. This is a best of album being released later this month.
4. What to Do When You Are Dead by Armor for Sleep - Alternative Rock, another great band, their second album. Band unfortunately broke up in 2009.
5. Drunken Lullabies by Flogging Molly - Celtic Punk, a seven-piece band ranging from boisterous punk to somber they hit such classic Irish topics of love, death, and of course drinking.
6. The Beautiful Letdown by Switchfoot - Alternative Rock, fourth studio album released in 2003 that really got them known and into mainstream.
   
7. My Dinosaur Life by Motion City Soundtrack - Pop Punk, fourth studio album released this past January. Mostly pop they fit into a few genres, this album is associated with punk but undeniably pop with clever lyrics.
8. Runnin' Wild by Airbourne - Hard Rock, often compared to AC/DC they've had a few songs in some video games like Rock Band and Madden 2010.
9. Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix by Phoenix - Alternative Rock, one of the few good things to come out of France besides fries, bread, and kisses, this is their fourth studio album and well worth checking out.
10. Them Crooked Vultures by Them Crooked Vultures - Hard Rock, self titled debut album by rock super group formed by John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin,) Dave Grohl (Nirvana, Foo Fighters,) and Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age.)
    
11. Oracular Spectacular by MGMT - New Wave, home grown Brooklyn based band named the 18th best album of the decade by Rolling Stone odds are you've heard one of their songs and don't even know it.
12. We Don't Need to Whisper by Angels & Airwaves - Alternative Rock, 2006 debut album led by Tom from Blink-182.
13. Fearless by Taylor Swift - Country Pop, all that country bashing aside anyone that cute that can make a song about Romeo and Juliet is OK in my book.
14. Legend by Two Steps From Hell - Production Music, production music company whose music has been used in such trailers as Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, The Dark Knight, and Star Trek.
15. Blue Album by Weezer - Alternative Rock, debut album from way back in 1994. Absolutely amazing album with every song being awesome. I'm just glad someone else recommended it because it broke my heart not to list it myself!
16. Wires...and The Concept of Breathing by A Skylit Drive - Post-hardcore, first full length album released in 2008. Noted for frequently referencing Final Fantasy.
17. Where You Want To Be by Taking Back Sunday - Alternative Rock, if you didn't know them before 2004 you did after. They had songs on the Spiderman 2 soundtrack as well as opening for Blink-182 on tour.
18. Hearts for Bullets by Ayria - Electro-industrial, Canadian club and rave music, did a few minor tours in the US of A. Something besides hockey and maple trees for them to be proud of.
19. OK Computer by Radiohead - Alternative Rock, acclaimed as one of the landmark albums of the 90's this album gave them their greatest international fame.
20. Worship and Tribute by Glassjaw - Post-hardcore, the album mixes a handful of genres but leans towards experimental rock with a poppy punk feeling.
21. Sticks and Stones by New Found Glory - Rock, third studio album and first with a major label after leaving Drive-Thru Records. Definitely a change from their previous two albums, little more rock then pop-punk.
22. Lights and Sounds by Yellowcard - Alternative Rock, known for their use of a violin in their songs this is their fifth studio album and takes a turn away from their previous pop-punk sound for a more edgier rock feel.
23. Stay What You Are by Saves The Day - Indie Rock, third studio album and first with a major label. Has some great lyrics and a few of my favorite songs including a music video with muppets!
24. All Hour Cymbals by Yeasayer - Experimental Rock, debut album from Brooklyn based band that got positive reviews from Entertainment Weekly and toured with MGMT and Beck in 2008.
25. Control by Pedro the Lion - Indie Rock, third full length album released in 2002. It's a concept album that covers topics such as infidelity, parenthood, greed, violence, and fear of death.
26. We Are the Night by Chemical Brothers - Trip Hop, sixth studio album debuted at #1 on UK album charts and #65 on Billboard's 200. Won a Grammy for Best Electronic/Dance Album.
27. Myths of the Near Future by Klaxons - Dance Punk, Mercury Prize winning debut album released in 2007 and was listed in the musical reference book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.
28. Volume Two by She & Him - Indie Pop, Zooey Deschanel's second studio album released in March 2010, debuted at #6 on Billboard's top 200.
29. Go by Jonsi - Baroque Pop, Icelandic debut studio album released just this month debuted at #23 on Billboard's top 200.
30. ...Is a Real Boy by Say Anything - Pop Punk, considered by the band to be their first official album it was released in 2004 and are mostly identified by their sardonic literary sense of humor.
    

If you've got any other bands that you're currently listening to that you think others would really enjoy by checking out please feel free to comment and let me know! ∞

The Power of Video Games

Ah the joy of video games! They've been an intricate part of my life for at least the last 20 odd years, and can make you laugh, cry, and scream in rage. You can kill a few hours playing a shooter like Call of Duty 2, maybe kill a few months with a RPG like Final Fantasy XIII, or hell you can even spend the rest of your life married to a Nintendo character. They can even make you a sex addict. Seriously! Apparently the Nintendo Wii can do just that:

Amanda Flowers, a 24-year-old from Manchester, claims that a Wii Fit injury has turned her into a sex addict.

After falling from her Wii Fit board, Flowers reports that even minor vibrations--such as from a food processor, she says-- "turn's her on." She was told by a doctor that she had suffered a damaged nerve that has provoked "persistent sexual arousal syndrome."

"It began as a twinge down below before surging through my body. Sometimes it built up into a trembling orgasm," Flowers says, according to the Daily Star's article "Nintendo Wii Made Me A Nympho."

Although Flowers' injury isn't one you see every day, doctors in the UK reported frequently treating patients for Wii-related injuries. According to the Fox News article, "up to ten people a week are being hospitalized with injuries caused by playing Nintendo Wii games."

Granting nerd's wishes since 2007

So you mean there is a girl, a real girl complete with vagina, who likes video games, knows what a food processor is, AND is addicted to sex? Well played Wii, well played. ∞

Source: The Huffington Post

"My First Day"

Writing a blog has been something i've wanted to do for a while but I never really felt as if I had a good idea for one. It's crossed my mind every now and then for a few years but seemed to be popping up more and more often from seeing Julie & Julia last summer to reading my friend Matt Shafeek's blog (formerly about his year off from video games, now about his life with the return of them, great read) the past few months. Still not knowing exactly where to begin I started to put more thought into it.

What would Tyler Durden do?

He'd probably give you a chemical burn using lye and then say something really clever like "It's only after we've lost everything that we're free to do anything," but you make do with what you can get away with. Essentially I want to do the same thing and help people realize that they aren't as limited as they think, and that even a small change can make the day exciting again. I've never been very good at solving my own problems or cheering myself up but i've noticed I seem to do a pretty good job at helping others with their problems or cheering them up, so I figured what better way to do that then to write a blog. That was when I finally realized I had been sitting on a good idea for a blog all these years and just never realized it, laughter and complete randomness.

The past few months i've been trying to change the way i've been living my life by being more open, trying new things, and overall not being such an ass. I said to myself "Self, how can I talk about the changes and new things i'm trying in my life, get people to broaden their own horizons and at the same time help them realize that even when things aren't going the way they planned they should focus on the positives, something I personally fail at?" Am I going to do so with the cunning use of flags? No! I'm going to give you things to do and try with the cunning use of lists and articles and self-deprecation in the only way I know how; crude, sarcastic, and with a soupcon of humor.

I promise not to burn your hand. ∞