worlds are colliding!

A bit of a lazy post today, even more so because I also posted it to my FB page, but it's too good not to immortalize on my blog.  I'm not sure why this song doesn't get more play time over here, as it's a great one-even happens to be my ring tone.  I love how CM seems to be enjoying himself so much-is this something he would have done pre-conscious uncoupling? It's also funny to see his enthusiasm next to Caleb, who is not exactly the most dynamic front man around.  Love it all.

atlas

Any fresh material from Coldplay is newsworthy on my blog, but I'm especially excited about this one because it was written specifically for Catching Fire.  

paying respect

RIP Adam Yauch.

i know this sun will set to rise

I sat poised over my laptop at exactly 9:58 yesterday morning, two minutes before the presale for Coldplay tickets began.  As is usual in these situations, my back was tensed and ramrod straight.  My credit card number clearly memorized.  My mind plotting the diagram of the stage and which side had the best view.  I would not be defeated this time, Ticketmaster/LiveNation/supplier of concert tickets.

The good news is that I did manage to obtain tickets.  It's tough, obviously, to get great seats when buying for group, even a small one like ours, but the alternative of not sitting together is dreadful.  It looks like I'm going to have to use my "wait a few months" strategy to improve upon our otherwise fairly forlorn seats.  Take note, Coldplay.  This is what happens when you wait a veritable ETERNITY to return to the US for a tour.

For the record, Mylo Xyloto isn't my favorite album (that would be Viva la Vida), but I'm warming to it day by day.  Besides "Paradise," I'm really loving "Hurts like Heaven" and "UFO."  I should also say that I'm still rattled every time I hear Rihanna's voice on "Princess of China."  Something wrong about that.



P.S.  I feel that there was some illegal substances involved in the production/conception of this video.

Christmas Lights

A fitting first December entry.

there are times I think I couldn't love them more...

It's a bit much that I'm writing about them now, considering they have a new song entitled "Christmas Lights" coming out on December 1st. Clearly, I'll have to write about them again then, even though by that time I should be fully immersed in my paper for fall quarter. I can't help myself.

Thank you, Steve Jobs.

BE STILL MY HEART!

P.S. There is another version of the video which includes Chris's witty commentary before playing the last song. I loved it, but the quality isn't as great.

winter playlist

It's time for something new.

cosmic love-florence + the machine. I cannot stop listening to this song. Yes, it's a bit quirky and alternative, what with the strumming harp and the slightly discernible sound of fireworks popping at the end, but the anthemic, passionate crescendo it builds up to is irresistible. Not surprisingly, Florence is a British import. I'm drawn like a moth to a flame to all things British. I'm an Anglophile.

i'd rather go blind-beyonce. Something deep down in my soul said, "cry girl..." SO soulful, so good. I actually haven't watched the Etta James biopic, or really listened to the original version of the song. I'm simply stuck basking in Beyonce's version.

roslyn-bon iver (feat. st. vincent). I admit, I'm including the song that accompanies the most PAINFUL moment in New Moon, the Edward and Bella break up, which inevitably always leaves me with a nauseous pit in my stomach. The song is delicate and beautiful, however, trademark Bon Iver.

why do you let me stay here?-she and him. In case you didn't know, I feel an intense adoration for Zooey Deschanel. I find her absolutely delightful. Both musically and theatrically.

molly's chambers-kings of leon. I debated quite some time about the KOL songs that I wanted to include on my winter list. I'm obviously incapable of making a playlist without them these days. It was only after watching my concert DVD for the fifth or sixth time that I was able to settle on "molly's chambers", the perfect vehicle for Caleb Followill's raspy, yet lush vocal stylings.

eet-regina spektor. Regina Spektor is the very epitome of quirky. I caught her set at Austin City Limits a few years ago and found myself completely captivated, though I worried that her wide grin and slightly goofy laughter might be drug-induced. (Yes, I know, a bit judgmental of me)

kids-MGMT. Already popular, and already used in various bits of foreign advertising. Still delicious.

destiny-mary j. blige. I think we've already established that I'm a sucker for a well-selected soundtrack or accompaniment to a movie trailer or television scene. This tune isn't new, but provides the background to the original Precious trailer, and every time I hear it, I feel uplifted and hopeful. Bonus points to the song for belonging to the same album as "Family Affair", one of my FAVORITE songs of all time.

seven nation army-white stripes. Pretty Cheap Dress will be proud when she sees this. I was inspired after reading her "Best Music of the Decade" post.

dominoes-the big pink. My beloved sister-in-law turned us on to The Big Pink, and my SH played it constantly for the first few days after our revelation. She obviously has good taste-they'll be featured in this year's Coachella lineup. By the way, they're British. Of course.

duet-rachael yamagata. A sweet, simple love song. Makes my heart break a little.

cure for this-golden smog. I was perusing ITunes one day when I stumbled upon this little gem...OK I ADMIT IT! It's what plays in the opening credits of Sunshine Cleaning! Clearly, I am easily manipulated by music and the movies!

D.O.A. (death of auto-tune)-jay-z. I had been listening to "Empire State of Mind" for quite some time, fully intending to add it to my winter playlist, when our best friend Jakob (otherwise known as our future Joey, with an apartment built over our garage), pointed me in this direction instead.

crawl-kings of leon. I realized that I have never mentioned a track from the album that has made the Kings famous, so I thought I'd add this totally rockin' one, which is one of my faves. I can't help but wish that they were still a carefully guarded secret, not the kind of HUGELY successful juggernaut that means tickets are sold out practically, and unreasonably, before concerts are announced. (I'm talking about you, Live Nation, my NEMESIS!)

no one's gonna love you-band of horses. This song may single-handedly bring me to a devotion of Band of Horses.

you only live once-the strokes. Yet another song that's not new, AT ALL, but is simply new to me. We (the song and me) were introduced via a mix lovingly gifted to me by our beloved, dear family friend Naomi.

teardrop-jose gonzalez. Haunting, melodic, and addictive. It should come with this: WARNING: Listener may find herself lost in a reverie of musings about life. May not be safe for driving.

things I don't understand-coldplay. Here's a thing I don't understand: How, as an utterly faithful, dare I say DIEHARD fan, did I not know about this B-side until approximately one month ago, YEARS after the release of Speed of Sound? It's shameful. SHAMEFUL!

follow through-hotel lights. I like this one a whole lot-it feels like a good "starting anew" song. Perfect for right now.

all these things that I've done-the killers. Don't worry. This isn't another example of being "late to the party," despite the relative age of the song. I just happened to hear it whilst listening to Pandora recently, and my appreciation was reignited. The first time my best friend (who you all now know as Pretty Cheap Dress) told me about The Killers it was in reference to this song. She, as is her charming trademark, told me about loudly singing the lines "I've got soul but I'm not a soldier" so I was quick to recognize this song when I heard it. At the time, I was lounging in the backseat of my brother-in-law's car, either going to or coming from the "shore", as the beach was affectionately known in Jersey (now, due to the insane popularity of the reality show, EVERYONE knows the Jersey Shore). Such a nice, fond memory.

BONUS TRACKS:

halo/walking on sunshine and it's my life/confessions-glee cast.
I finally gave into the Glee craze one very late night as I was burning the proverbial midnight oil, toiling away at a research paper about Daniel Defoe. I was initially distracted by a single youtube video, which then turned into a night of watching Hulu clips and then a marathon of episodes. These two songs, from the Mashup episode, are my favorites from the series so far.

autumn playlist

I've moved on. I've put aside my beloved summer playlist in a quest for greater musical horizons. I've decided that "taper jean girl" is so last summer and clearly indicative of my curious love for the movie Disturbia and its dashing young star, Shia LaBeouf (the song was prominently featured in the flim). I've opted to seek out newer, cooler, acts, the more hip and up-and-coming types that frequent Austin City Limits and Bonnaroo. I've turned to my musical guru, Pretty Cheap Dress, for assistance. I've...

Who am I kidding?! As IF I could turn away from my twin musical loves, Coldplay and Kings of Leon. That delectable summer playlist has continued to spin on my simple school stereo and comfortably blare from my Ipod each day on my drive to school. It just so happens that a few new favorites have emerged, warranting the creation of an autumn playlist.

I'll confess immediately that the New Moon soundtrack features heavily on my autumn playlist. Setting all Twi-obsession aside, it's AWESOME, and I highly recommend that you download it immediately.

meet me on the equinox-death cab for cutie. This song was the first release from the soundtrack, a hint at great things to come. It's not typical Death Cab fare, in my humble opinion, but still a very cool song. It's possible that I may be biased because of the gratuitous film clips in the video, but I actually think it's very fitting.

bang! bang!-the knux. One of the two songs from my free Austin City Limits 2009 download. I could not stop listening to it.

zero-yeah yeah yeahs. If I was a responsible, fit person, this song would definitely go on a "Workout" list on my Ipod. Right now, I use it to pump myself up when working on paperwork.

strawberry swing-coldplay, left right, left right (live album). No list I make will ever be devoid of Coldplay. This song is the epitome of sweetness. I feel overwhelmed with affection every time I hear the thunderous, yet subtle, opening strains.

the bucket-kings of leon. My playlist is, once again, very KOL-heavy. Part of the reason is that I would like to expose the general public to KOL's earlier stuff. I think this album (Aha Shake Heartbreak) is their best, even though I'm totally sucked in from the minute I hear Caleb Followill's voice. He could be singing about garbage, and I would still be enraptured.

song for you-alexi murdoch. A really sweet, simple song. I've been listening to Alexi Murdoch for year, and I'm always soothed.

lasso-phoenix. Pretty Cheap Dress was MOST impressed by Phoenix when she attended ACL this year. Of course, I immediately checked them out, and was pleasantly surprised, as usual, by her apt review.

monsters-hurricane bells. I can't wait until the release of the first Hurricane Bells album. Thank you, Chris Weitz, for finding Hurricane Bells, and spreading the love!

red morning light-kings of leon. An offering from the very first KOL album. I haven't been to a concert yet, but I hope when I finally get the chance that they play at least two or three from their first go-round.

i gotta feeling-black eyed peas. Is it lame that I heard this song for the first time at a wedding a few weeks ago and totally dug it? It's probably been playing on the radio for days, maybe even months. I'm so out of the proverbial loop.

sweet disposition-the temper trap. By far, the moodiest, coolest song on my autumn playlist. It's a discovery from the 500 Days of Summer soundtrack, and I can't wait to hear more from them.

a white demon love song-the killers. It's kind of quirky, but that's to be expected from The Killers. I'm into it. Plus, the Edward and Bella connection is so obvious!

in the middle-mat kearney. I have a soft spot for this song, and I can't explain exactly why. Mat Kearney is an interesting guy, and his songs are always unusual. "No parachutes, or safety nets here..." Awesome refrain.

pistol of fire-kings of leon. A perfect example of why I was plunged into a dangerous KOL addiction. Is it pathetic that I know Caleb's first name is Anthony?

there is a light that never goes out-the smiths. "To die by your side is such a heavenly way to die..." Yes, I discovered this classic gem when watching 500 Days of Summer. I've listened to it over and over, so much that I can repeat each word longingly, and perform a perfect imitation of Zooey Deschanel in the elevator, sharing her affection for the Smiths with a soon-to-be-smitten Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

you belong with me-taylor swift. I love her. She's darling, a total gem. PLEASE DON'T CHANGE, TAYLOR!

slow life-grizzly bear. Give this one a chance. I know that you'll hear the opening strains and feel doubtful, but the chorus is so moody and delicious that you'll immediately know why I had to include the song on my list.

wavin' flag-k'naan. My second ACL discovery. I was attending the wedding of a dear friend during this year's festivities, but I continue to be impressed at the selection of unique acts. I wish I had been there to hear K'Naan-I'm sure I wouldn't have been disappointed.

mystery in the making-eli young band. Long ago, Pretty Cheap Dress told me that I would love this song. She is never wrong. It's the bit of country on my list.

forever-chris brown. Let it be noted that I do NOT endorse Chris Brown and his abusive ways. I simply could not leave it off the list, when the song "forever" is so permanently imprinted in my brain as a connection to Jim and Pam.

Lovers, keep on the road you're on...

I have made no secret of my love for that incredible, source-of-all-that-is-good-and-pure-in-the-world-of-music band of Brits we all affectionately know as Coldplay. Yes, I've paid many precious pennies to ensure that I take in their performances, downloaded every speck of song I can find, followed not one, but MULTIPLE groups on Twitter relating to them, ruthlessly terrorized those who denigrate them in any way...I'm kind of hardcore. About Coldplay, anyway. It should come as no surprise that my fifth concert was, yet again, one of my most memorable life experiences.

Incidentally, our seats were the best I've had yet, providing a fabulous view of the band and Chris Martin's marionette-like moves. Of course I cannot leave you without a few of my favorite images, AND videos! You should know that both Jess and I concluded that the only negative aspect of the otherwise perfect evening was that the crowd was somewhat lacking. Granted, we'd never seen CP in an outdoor venue before, so that could have had something to do with it, BUT STILL! You should know that in the videos, it's me that you hear screaming as the opening strains of the songs emerge from the stage. The sole, shrill, scream in a lackadaisical crowd. Also, the videos are somewhat Guy Berryman-centric. I am not sure how that occurred. Hmm.

What appeared to be an eagerly anticipating crowd. Sadly, only about 3/4 of them joyously celebrated through the evening.

First song. I'm pretty sure it was "Violet Hill." I was beside myself with glee, so I'm not entirely certain.

"Fix You." Be still, my heart!

"Yellow." Always sheer perfection, and of course, the quintessential audience favorite.

I'm honestly not sure about the song, but I love the picture. I love watching Chris play the piano.

"Viva la Vida"!!! SUCH an amazing song to see performed!

My favorite song off the new album, "Lovers in Japan"-those are the thousands of paper butterflies shooting out towards the audience. We captured quite a few. I was quite competitive about them, actually. I might even have leaned out of my own aisle just so that I could have a blue one.

I don't know, but I fear it's possible I might wither away (musically, that is) in all the years left before they head back to the studio to make another album. They're the best.

I must trudge back to the living room (AWAY from the computer), so that I can finish Little Dorrit, which is truly wonderful and deserves my full attention. Perhaps I"ll turn on some Coldplay while reading?

P.S. Sound quality isn't so great in the videos, I know, but it was LOUD and I also am no whiz at editing. It's my humble attempt to capture an AMAZING memory!

"I thought he looked more like a Carlos."

I have been wiling away the hours of this past week with my kindred spirit and best friend, Jessica, otherwise known as Pretty Cheap Dress. There are loads of things to post about, including my nothing-short-of-amazing-and-incredible FIFTH Coldplay concert, which I've already briefly teased, but for now, I'm just going to relax with my Sweet Husband (yes, the elusive meaning behind my frequent SH abbreviation). We devoured thick, juicy NY strip steaks for dinner, which I prepared for the grill with a light coating of olive oil and an EXTREMELY liberal shower and subsequent rubbing of coarsely ground pepper. Among my SH's many talents is a great grilling sense-not only were the steaks perfectly medium, with a crisp outer crust and a delightfully juicy, reddish-pink middle, but he also managed to give the side dish of grilled asparagus the exactly-right mild char. Accompanying our meal was a simple arugula salad that I livened up with chunks of pecan and crumbles of my new favorite find at Trader Joe's-white stilton with apricots. I've seen it many times as I longingly admired the cheeses, wishing desperately that they were somehow all made miraculously and simultaneously healthy and cheap, but I never actually thought of purchasing it until Jess and I were putting together a picnic for our trip to Napa. In three words: Best. Decision. Ever. I'll be buying this cheese as long as they sell it at my beloved TJ's.

In the name of being equitable about all information related to a certain franchise that I'm borderline obsessed with, I feel that I would be remiss in not sharing the latest New Moon still, despite the fact that I'm unequivocally, absolutely Team Edward, THROUGH AND THROUGH. Should there even be teams? If you've read the books, however, you'll recognize that this image is utterly legitimate and true to the story, teams or no. Which does make me happy.

In other pop culture news that I can't escape from, Jillian the Bachelorette has made the VERY poor decision (IMO) to eliminate quirky, adorable Reid, the ONE bachelor that (a)did not waffle between work and true reality love or (b)does not give a vacuous, glazed-over stare whenever hard questions arise or seems to think that his only flaw is that "ab number eight is not as defined as the other ones" (Had to steal that HILARIOUS line from Lincee). How could one not heart Reid, with such spoken gems as "Is this going to be in Spanish?"-said when receiving the infamous forego card whilst in Spain and "I have two wives."-tart response when Jill was pressing him for info about sleazy Wes's cheatin' past and present. I miss him already, and am already disappointed aboot the finale. I don't even know if Lincee's antics could make me watch it.

Finally, Jess came through YET AGAIN and inspired even more new musical fascinations. If you must know, I've been compulsively replaying "Death" by the White Lies over and over ever since she told me about them. Love it.

Coming up in the next few days: garage organizing, breathlessly racing through the hundreds of pages I have left in Little Dorrit, and hopefully catching Harry Potter. Clearly, my movie theater anxiety precludes any attending of a blockbuster like Harry Potter, which made $100 million in the span of 24 hours, until there has been an adequate amount of time for the lines and bedlam to settle down. I think I'll wait until Sunday. A hint from the hilariousness that I watched this week with Jess, a safe several weeks after its premiere? "I added 4 more wolves to my wolfpack...4 wolves, running around the dessert..."

Look how they shine for you...

Dusseldorf, Day 4

When I woke up to a blanket of clouds and a dreary chill on my third day in Germany, I immediately decided to stay local for the day. Our hotel, as it turned out, was located a mere ten-minute walk from the Alstadt (Old Town), which, even in the rain, seemed so much more manageable (and familiar, by this time!) to me than hopping the tram, taking an illegal ride to the train station, and schlepping my stuff onto a train and then into Bonn. Illegal because, for the life of me, I couldn't figure out the ticket-purchasing process, and despite the fact that there were a plethora of people on the tram each time, I shied away from asking. For some odd reason, I found myself inwardly cringing at the thought of being identified in approximately 1.2 seconds as a tourist. And since I look Germanic enough to pass for a native, I opted to hop on the tram breezily, surreptitiously avoiding the tiny red box that passengers used to validate their tickets.

After making that not-at-all difficult decision, I had a luxurious morning, lounging in bed with a whole pot of coffee just for me before I took a hot shower and headed out to see a bit more of Dusseldorf. By this time, I'd walked down into the Alstadt for dinner twice, and fortunately, the sights that I elected to visit, the Goethe Museum and the Hofgarten, were just a bit past those charming cobblestone streets.

I marked a path towards the Goethe Museum first. Although most everyone would recognize him as the author of the play Faust (including me), Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was a tremendously significant figure in Germany's literary history, so I considered myself lucky that such a lovely museum devoted to his life happened to be located in Dusseldorf. He never actually lived in Dusseldorf, but visited frequently, and the collection of his works and artifacts is quite impressive. I was able to see Goethe's own copies of Grimm's fairy tales, correspondence between Goethe and his friends, lovers, and teachers, even a page from his personal agenda, shakily written just before his death. He never completed the tasks listed on the page.

A highlight of the museum was a peek at a first edition of Faust, and a Salvador Dali sketch, submitted as possible artwork for a publication of the play.

I strolled through the Hofgarten, which is essentially a large park spanning many city blocks, on my way back to the Alstadt, where I planned to find something reasonably priced and somewhat delicious for lunch. I opted to head straight towards the water, on a street that I had not crossed before, and I was rewarded with incredible views across the river. There was a beautiful promenade right next to the water, and I sat on a bench for a while with my book, though my hunger eventually overcame me.

Food in Germany had thus far been a big disappointment, although the various forms of breads I encountered were outstanding. My mother-in-law, a native Dane (and thus accustomed to various European cuisines), encouraged me to try the simple native specialties, bratwursts and wienerschnitzel, so on this day, footsore and starving, I was thrilled to find a little restaurant in the Alstadt with a small spit in its front window, which carefully turned, blistering the sides of bratwurst. I immediately ordered one, and was thrilled to discover that it was ensconced in a crusty white roll. I ate it in about five minutes, right there in front of the window, where I was sheltered from the rain that had begun to fall. It was GOOD. Vaguely spicy, with a crisp outer coating over the juicy sausage, made even more delicious by the roll. I could easily have devoured two, but I restrained, walked through the Alstadt a bit more, stopping to take note of Coldplay's presence in Germany

and eventually stayed the afternoon in a kitschy, funky cafe, where I had a heavenly hot chocolate, read more of my book, and tried to justify eating another bratwurst for dinner.

All in all, it was a great day.

Buyer's remorse...

is something I do NOT have! Yes, after many fruitless searches and failed attempts at obtaining BETTER Coldplay tickets at that accursed site known as Live Nation, I finally emerged victorious. In my possession are the BEST tickets to a Coldplay concert that I have ever had (and this will be my fifth time!). My loving husband, who has generously supported my excessive ticket buying-I know no cost when it comes to Coldplay!!!-suggested that I wait a few months after the tickets went on sale to see if any seats had been released, as a common ploy of these venues is to hold seats in order to get the most money out of them. Lo and behold, almost two months after I purchased lawn seats, the only seats I could get, I clicked right through to the premium seats. My palms were sweating and my fingers shaking as I raced through the purchasing process, with a ticking clock, LITERALLY, flashing at the top of the screen, warning me that my precious tickets would be released if I could not finish my purchase in 3.5 minutes! (Well, actually, it was 10 minutes, but it sounds much more exciting to say 3.5.) I felt like the Jack Bauer of ticket buying! I do not regret one anxious moment, or one penny, as I know it will all be worth it.

A treat for me, AND you, my favorite song from Viva la Vida:


I've got goosebumps! All I need is to hear the merest strains of that song, and I can't believe I'm so lucky as to be able to go hear it live, once more!

"If you love me, won't you let me know..."

Just thought I would commemorate my purchase of Coldplay concert tickets for the SECOND time on the Viva la Vida tour by sharing this clip of their performance from last weekend's Grammy Awards. I. Love. Coldplay. As if you weren't already aware of it, my dear loyal few :) I'm not at all ashamed to admit that when I received my copy of Lynn Hunt's Inventing Human Rights for spring quarter, all I could think about was that Coldplay had also used Delacroix's Liberty Leading the People for cover art. Or that I follow not one, but two Coldplay groups on Twitter.



I love how Will Champion (drummer) gets SO into this song!

Merry Christmas! (from Coldplay and me :) )