Working Out: The Music

Recently, I've been getting into really, really bad music. Well, bad according to my standards. I have been listening to mexican pop and recent top 100 hits. This is not me. It's just that you just caught up in it. The music industry knows what the public likes and that's how they know how to make a song popular. Something catchy and upbeat that you want to listen to again and again. So here is I Gotta Feeling by The Black Eyed Peas (I cannot believe I lowered myself to this), When I Grow Up by The Pussycat Dolls, and Lovegame by Lady GaGa. Why, you ask? Because I have recently discovered that my resistance on the treadmill augments by 15 minutes when I listen to Hot N' Cold by Katy Perry rather than Blood Bank by Bon Iver.

So I have come to the conclusion that I can divide my musical taste into two categories: The Working Out/Having Fun Playlist and The Good Music Playlist.

The Workout Playlist





I won't even bother analyzing the lyrics. They're all pretty generic.

Why Music is the Best Distraction and Helps With Anger Management.

Teenagers are often called 'rebellious', 'angsty', 'overly-dramatic', 'insufferable', etc... In fact, they are often mocked for using music as an escape, immediately being stereotyped as the typical spoiled and emotional teenager. The one who listens to 'emo' crap, writes poetry, and dreams of someday not being a loner and be admired by his fellow peers.

Example:

Dwayne in Little Miss Sunshine

I actually think that this stereotype is completely overrated and exaggerated. My point is: emo music. Is it actually emo? What is emo anyway? Is there actually good so-called emo music out there? Next, I will answer these questions.

Emo, according to UrbanDictionary (Also Known As the most hilarious definitions ever):

Genre of softcore punk music that integrates unenthusiastic melodramatic 17 year olds who dont smile, high pitched overwrought lyrics and inaudible guitar rifts with tight wool sweaters, tighter jeans, itchy scarfs (even in the summer), ripped chucks with favorite bands signature, black square rimmed glasses, and ebony greasy unwashed hair that is required to cover at least 3/5 ths of the face at an angle.

Emo, according to general knowledge: short for emotional. To me emo music, is simply emotional music. In other words, music that has emotion (feeling).

Here, I bring you some of my favorites from what I consider is music with feeling and what is labeled as emo.

23 - Jimmy Eat World
The Poison - The All American Rejects
Me and the Moon - Something Corporate
Lost and Found - Senses Fail
Your Guardian Angel - The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
The Unwinding Cable Car - Anberlin
Lust A Prima Vista - The Spill Canvas

"Die and succeed, I say it out loud but you just don't care."

RECENT DISCOVERIES

1. Girlfriend - Phoenix

Critically acclaimed band, Grammy award for best rock album. Enough said. Plus, not the usual and awesome lyrics.

2. I Can Barely Breathe - Manchester Orchestra

and then I saw your face
you're turning skin into a dirty secret
I watched the beauties, watched the fire
and the fire burn the beauty in their eyes

I always like songs that have a loud sound and the lyrics are like a little baby crying. Like the artist is just yelling to make himself bigger, but really, he's just small.

3. The Greatest - Cat Power

Once I wanted to be the greatest

No wind or waterfall could stall me

And then came the rush of the flood

The stars at night turned deep to dust

Please watch this film, I discovered this song while watching it. I was mesmerized. The storyline, the colors, the MUSIC, the words... It is just... wow.

4. Kiss With a Fist - Florence + the Machine

you hit me once
I hit you back
you gave a kick
I gave a slap
you smashed a plate
over my head
then I set fire to our bed

...

a kiss with a fist is better than none

This was on the Jennifer's Body trailer. Very cool song, crappy movie. Which was too bad, since I practically idolized Diablo Cody since Juno. Anyway, if I ever felt like killing someone I hated, this song would inspire me to do so.

A part of me has just died. *cue theatrical music*

Today, March 4th 2010, I missed the Coldplay concert (Viva La Vida Tour). I have died. Why? My father does not approve of rock music concerts. Coldplay is not even rock. It's like alternative. And kind of pop. Why? Because he thinks the only people interested in Coldplay are junkies (he LOVES Coldplay by the way), and those junkies are the ones attending the concert. And his daughter cannot possibly be around that kind of people (He said something along the lines of "They will spill something on your drink! Remember what I told you about the date rape drug? We can watch Taken again!!.. I never went to a concert until I was 40! You are not even 15, young lady." So I will not be attending any concerts (unless you count High School Musical On Ice a concert) unless I sneak out or until I am legal and I can do whatever I want.

Of course, I did not give up, I came up with all kinds of arguments, including: my birthday being a week away from the concert, at least four of my closest friends were attending the concert, research on Coldplay showing their music was healthy and good for you..etc. All to no avail. I was not going to the concert. It became final when the tickets were sold out not long after.

So today, March 4th 2010, I begged my friends to call me when they played Strawberry Swing (AKA my favorite song out of Viva La Vida). But I didn't really think they'd do it.

But they did.

This awesome person called me in the middle of the concert just when they were playing Strawberry Swing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I got to hear my favorite part of the whole song! I screamed and ran around all over my house just as I heard these majestic words come out of Chris Martin's mouth:

People moving all the time
Inside a perfectly straight line
Don't you wanna just curve away?
When it's such…
It's such a perfect day
It's such a perfect day.

So this definitely made up for the fact that there's school tomorrow and I didn't go to the actual concert.

"What's normal now, anyway?"

porcupine tree. porcupine tree. porcupine tree. porcupine tree. porcupine tree. porcupine tree. porcupine tree. porcupine tree. porcupine tree. porcupine tree. porcupine tree. porcupine tree. porcupine tree.porcupine tree. porcupine tree. porcupine tree. porcupine tree. porcupine tree. porcupine tree. porcupine tree. porcupine tree. porcupine tree. porcupine tree. porcupine tree. porcupine tree. porcupine tree. porcupine tree. porcupine tree. porcupine tree. porcupine tree.

Man, porcupine tree.

I love porcupine tree.

I won't shiver in the cold.
I won't let the shadows take their toll.
I won't cover my head in the dark.
And I won't forget you when we part.

Collapse the light into earth.

Isn't this enough to make you die and go to heaven!? Well, not yet. You haven't listened to it.

No words to describe it? No words.

Porcupine Tree is the kind of band that explores all genres, all crazy stuff, doesn't care for the commercial part of the music business, and might just make depress you after listening too long (in a good way). So I save Porcupine Tree for the once-in-a-while listens. It is too amazing to waste listening too much. You just can't let it burn out. In fact, according to wikipedia Porcupine Tree is:

a progressive rock band formed by Steven Wilson in 1987 in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England. Their music is difficult to categorize, being associated with both psychedelic rock and progressive rock, yet having been influenced by trance, krautrock and ambient due to Steven Wilson and Richard Barbieri's liking for the Kosmische Musik scene of the early '70s, led by bands such as Tangerine Dream, Neu! and Can.

Thank you, wikipedia. Nobody could have said it better.

Please, please, listen to them. I'm even putting up the really easy and pretty looking Amazon widgets now.

The only thing that makes it a part of your life is that you keep thinking about it.

BITTER BREAK-UP SONGS. :)

Just for fun.

I

Yeah, you still kiss me sometimes, but it's just on the cheek

You pull away so easily

And I still call you, but I get your machine

And we go to dinner, but you won't hold my hand

We sit at the same table, we don't play with our feet

Yeah we still go to dinner sometimes, but we don't sneak a kiss

When the waitress turns around

I'm only there so that you're not alone

Yeah, I'm pouring myself some whiskey, I'm going to get really f***ing drunk.

I'm pouring some whiskey right now, I'm going to get so, so drunk

That I pass out, forget your face, by the time I wake up.

IT'S COOL WE CAN STILL BE FRIENDS - BRIGHT EYES

II

Tell me what you wanted to hear.
Let me do the right thing,
Let me do the wrong thing.
If it's ever this clear.
I will only say it once.

Just let me turn the amps way up,
So you can't hear a thing.
And if I die tonight,
Then I guess I die tonight.
Let me go on.

Just say what you wanted to say.
I cannot stand these talks, dear,
They only get us nowhere.
It's never resolved.
We only run around.

You always tell me anyone,
Could be just like me,
If it's different time and a different place to be.
You would go on.

FALLING OUT OF LOVE AT THIS VOLUME - BRIGHT EYES

III

The day is breaking, we're still here
Your body's shaking, and it's clear
You really need it, so let go
And let me beat it, but you know

It's like a cigarette in the mouth
Or a handshake in the doorway
I look at you and smile because I'm fine.

ON TOP - THE KILLERS

IV

And the resentment rides high
but emotions won't grow
And we're changing our ways,
taking different roads
Then love, love will tear us apart again

LOVE WILL TEAR US APART - JOY DIVISION