Smoking Popes//If You Don't Care

Sometimes it's hard to figure out what makes you like a song. This one, for example, has tons of things that I would ordinarily find kind of obnoxious, but as a whole just really work: the vaguely pop-punk chorus; the occasionally overdramatic vocals that contribute to a proto-emo feeling. Still, it gets me.

This is one of those songs that can make me cry. Maybe it's the way that Matt Caterer croons those vocals. Maybe it's that you can actually feel his sadness in there. Or maybe it's just that we can all remember being at the point in a relationship that he describes and that just that remembering is enough to dredge up some serious personal melancholy.

To be honest, I don't really know that much about Smoking Popes, but I know I love this song. It turned up on the mix from a friend a few years ago and it continues to resonate every time I hear it.

A word of warning: please don't listen to this if you're actually going through a breakup. You will not make it out alive.



If You Don't Care.mp3

If you don't care, I don't care,
We don't belong together
Cause we don't belong anywhere.

If you're not sure, I'm not sure
What all these tears are falling for.
Let's decide not to care anymore.


***
Somewhat unrelated: I did a little guest writing for Nerve. You can check it out here.

Television Keeps Us Apart//Parent's House in '99

In '99 I was 16: Monday Mail.
What is Monday Mail?

Sometimes you have an itch and you just have to scratch it. Sometimes that itch is synthy music that’s kind of emo. Apparently that’s the itch I had to scratch today.

This reminds me of lots of things. The Anniversary, The Postal Service, Pedro the Lion, even The Magnetic Fields at certain parts of the song. The lyrics are nostalgic and sweet, a little naïve. They fit the music nicely.

Television keeps us apart aka Carl and Axel hail from Sweden. I can’t really tell you much more about them, except that you can download their whole EP for free here.

If you’re here you know how gray and rainy it is today. This track should keep you good company.



Parent’s House in ’99.mp3

We were young.

Death Cab for Cutie//We Laugh Indoors

Ok. Enough with the extended music inside jokes. Back to business…and the current business is the business of winter.

It’s been cold this year. The northeast has been blanketed with a fair amount of snow, especially compared to recent years past. All this pretty white frosting puts me in the mood for (in addition to ridiculous spontaneous snowball fights in Fort Greene) Death Cab for Cutie.

The Photo Album is one of my favorite winter albums and most certainly one I return to perennially, despite the fact that I am clearly opening myself up to the classic “Hey Emo Kid, how’s your girlfriend?” put-downs. Emo’s generally not my thing, but I do make certain exceptions…and the catchy hooks and biting wordplay of Ben Gibbard counts as an exception.

My first exposure to Death Cab was through Jill. She put this song on the February mix (February ’02, mind you) and also made me a copy of this album. I’ve never really liked any Death Cab stuff as much as I liked this album, which I listened to on repeat through what I can conclusively say was the most depressing winter I’ve ever survived. The music fit perfectly with the mood, which was grey, dreary, desperate, overdramatic and a little pretty, in its own sad way.



We Laugh Indoors.mp3

The days get darker and we wait for the direness to pass.

Chuck Berry//Your Driver, Spoon//Idiot Driver, The White Stripes//Big 3 Killed My Baby, The Anniversary//D in Detroit

Hey again, guys. Know how the car companies just asked for a giant bailout!?!?! You probably do.

The state of the American Auto industry is something I’ve always kept half an eye on, ever since my six-year stay in Michigan educated me to the peculiarities of the its culture (yes, execs and employees of different companies did segregate out into different neighborhoods—a tidbit I learned from Detroit aficionado, Dan Faichney) and economy. Indeed, Michigan, and more specifically Detroit, is like a mini ecosystem where the car is the only food in town and shit! Now all the cars are dying out! WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO!?!?

In honor of all the good, bad and the ugly of The Big Three and beyond, please accept these four sweet songs (playing a little catch up for upcoming vacation from internets):


I Want to be Your Driver

This song, which was put on a mix for me by one good, good friend, Emily Bate, harkens back to the good old days of the automobile. Shiny chrome! What a fine machine! AND IT REALLY COOKS!

This song may be a metaphor for…something? What do you think?



I Want to be Your Driver.mp3


Idiot Driver

And then…the hoard descended and everyone needed a fly ride! The highways swarmed and grew congested. You wanted to hit that souped up Honda next to you at full ramming speed!

CAN YOU SEE MY MIDDLE FINGER? IT IS POINTED IN YOUR DIRECTION!!!



Idiot Driver.mp3


The Big Three Killed My Baby

What would this post be without this song? Nothing, that’s what.

Those greedy sons-a-bitches keep churning out the shitty cars and ruining the lives of honest Americans, poisoning the environment, getting into bed with corrupt oil companies and generally sucking hard. At least they didn’t take your first born…or kill your spouse….er….nevermind.



The Big Three Killed My Baby.mp3


D in Detroit

Oh, as if killing your baby wasn’t enough…let’s not forget an entire destroyed city! Detroit was once the third largest metropolis in the country. It is now a burnt-out shell of urban hell. Your taxes, about to be hard at work.

This band is a guilty pleasure that I can trace back to high school. They're so good...for emo!



D in Detroit.mp3

Now will somebody please throw these guys some dollars!