Reason behind the reason: While in Seattle, a random stop at a cupcake place (Cupcake Royale) led to about 15 minutes of me hyperventilating. Why? Well, I was 99% sure that a band member from Daphne Loves Derby was working behind the counter. My not-so-supportive friends were making fun of me, saying that it probably wasn't him (though, in their defense, they didn't really know what the band looks like). Anyway, after the hyperventilation ceased, I was able to approach the member in question, who did indeed turn out to be a member of my beloved band. (Thanks to the bf for helping me approach him - though, I didn't appreciate the last minute comment of "I bet it's really not him, you're going to embarrass yourself!")
However, since it's been such a long time since I last kept tabs on the band, I was saddened to hear Spencer Abbott was no longer in the band, mainly because he wanted to figure out his own life, aside from the band :( Old news, and it made me miss the old DLD .. none of this Good Night, Witness Light stuff (which I didn't really dig, as mentioned in an earlier post).
Nonetheless, I still love the band. Their songs bring great memories for me, especially that of their pre-Good Night, Witness Light days. And yeah, not everyone has heard of them, or cares as much about them as I do .. but DLD 4 life, yo.
Here's a sample playlist of some of my favorite DLD songs; enjoy!
Sometimes I like to take a break from the everyday ho-hums of life. Different things inspire me to take some time off for myself, whether if it's from drama-rama, friends, family, and life in general. And when it comes to music, I've been known to be a bit of a music snob, but really, if a song has great lyrics, I'll probably love it (yeah, I'm a sucker for lyrics). Here are some songs that I am currently listening to.
Anyone Else But You - Michael Cera and Ellen Page This song is featured prominently in the film Juno. I would have to say that the song pretty much summed up the overall feel of the film, dealing with relationships. Originally by the Moldy Peaches, Kimya Dawson is also featured throughout the soundtrack, and just by listening to her voice, you'd be surprised that she is a 35-year old singer/songwriter. I was shocked to find out that the voice belonged to a girl; I actually thought it was a young pre-pubescent boy.
Sugar Skills - Wolftron Wolftron is a side project by Daphne Loves Derby's very own Kenny Choi. Don't let the name mislead you; even as a die-hard DLD fan, I was a bit skeptical when it came down to the name Wolftron - I mean, it sounds like an electronic-pop band name. But Kenny Choi released a bunch of songs to remind listeners that he's still that mellow guy who can do without all that jazz and pizazz from DLD's last album. Anyone who is trying to deal with this crazy thing called life can relate to his lyrics: "This time I want to take it slow and try to keep this life in line / Maybe fall in love so I can learn to love the night / We can sail the seven seas and just leave behind these ghosts of mine."
Not Myself - John Mayer Practically everyone has that one John Mayer song that made them realize how amazing he was. And yes, I said it. Personally, I thought that "Continuum" was a let-down, but listening back to his earlier albums reminds me how great he could be. Honorable mention should go to 83, Why Georgia, and My Stupid Mouth, but Not Myself is such a great song in its simplistic lyrics: "Suppose I said I am on my best behavior / There are times I lose my worried mind / Would you want me when I'm not myself? / Wait it out while I am someone else?"
Boston - Augustana The one complaint I have about VH1's attempt to expose a virtually unknown artist into airwaves is the amount of times you could possibly hear one song while watching one of their "I Love the 80's!" shows. I mean, that's the exact reason why I cannot listen to the radio. When Augustana's Boston was first put into play as VH1's "You Oughtta Know" featured artist, I was ecstatic. The song is great, with lyrics "I think I'll go to Boston / I think that I'm just tired / I think I need a new town to leave this all behind / I think I need a sunrise, I'm tired of the sunset / I heard it's nice in the summer, some snow would be nice." But damn you, VH1, for making such a great song become annoying.
Overdue - The Get Up Kids Influencing bands from Fall Out Boy to The Early November, Overdue is a favorite cover for bands who grew up listening to this indie-rock band. Fans and rockers alike can appreciate such heart-felt lyrics, which can be categorized as a bit emo: "Went on a limb for you / Capsized when I turned 22 / Did it burn as bad for you? / No bottle serves to soothe my wounds." Too bad the music video doesn't do the song any justice.
Show Show - Daphne Loves Derby Anyone who knows me can tell you just how much I love the band Daphne Loves Derby, and this list would not be complete without at least a song from them. I wasn't too happy with their last album, "Good Night, Witness Light," which made me forget why I fell in love with the band in the first place. But a few tracks still held that touch, and Show Show is one of them. The string instrumental in the intro of the song sucked me in (I love string instruments!), and who doesn't like a song of heartbreak? "If you'll be my love, I'll be your mistake / If you need your space, I'll face a distance / It's not that I'm brave, I just finally realized that / I've never, I've never been there for you."
In past posts, I've probably hinted at my love for the indie rock band, Daphne Loves Derby. Anyone who knows me has heard of my great love for this band.
Anyway, I wasn't really a big fan of their last album, Good Night, Witness Light, especially since On the Strength of All Convinced is one of my most favorite albums of all time. Just when I thought that Kenny and the gang were losing their touch, I found a demo of one of the many songs the boys have been working on - Flight.
Give it a listen. Let it soak in. Hear what the words say. I don't know how many times I have to stress the importance of words; that, my friends, is why I fell in love with this band.
Turns out 17 year old Nathan Trasoras auditioned to Daphne Loves Derby's "Pollen and Salt." Freaking awesome song. And the kid's dancing is pretty impressive. So impressive that the judges granted him a ticket for next year's show (because he's 17, he's too young for this season's show). He wins in my book.
Whether you love everything about Valentine's Day or loathe it, it's hard to escape what the holiday has become in our culture. In honor of your love or hate for Valentine's Day, Life in Boxes presents our picks for the best love and anti-love songs. You pick what you feel like listening to on this day (or any other day).
Jen's Picks:
Best Love Song: Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps Probably not a typical love song, but singer Karen O's pleas of Wait! /They don't love you like I do is desperate and heartbreaking. Anyone who has had to say goodbye to someone they love can relate to this song.
Best Anti-Love Song: Kate Nash - Foundations My favorite song at the moment, Foundations is super catchy and Nash is a fantastic storyteller. It's about being stuck in a relationship and not being able to get out of it- My fingertips are holding onto the cracks in our foundation / and I know that I should let go but I can't. Usually in songs like this the person realizes he/she's with the other one because of some redeeming quality; there's none here. This is an anti-love song at its finest.
Jorge's Picks:
Best Love Song: Yellow - Coldplay There's hardly a wrong answer to this. Love is not simple so depending on the situation there is a song for it. Like Maps, Yellow has the tempo and rifts that mirror heartbeats. While Maps struggles with saying goodbye, Yellow makes saying hello to your significant other feel new every time.
Best Anti-Love Song: The Weakerthans - Left and Leaving Wait for the year to drown / Spring forward, fall back down / I'm trying not to wonder where you are. A beautifully written song that cuts through you like a verbal scalpel. A sobering reminder that love ain't always grand.
Julia's Picks:
Best Love Song: Simple, Starving To Be Safe - Daphne Loves Derby Time for a double-header. Just to reiterate, I love DLD. This is the first song of theirs that I fell in love with, with it's simplistic lyrics about being in love with someone - before any sort of complications get involved: Oh, how can I survive without your love, and the hope you bring?/Oh, even when the world is breaking down/I know I have you, and that's all I need. Never has a song captured the simplistic nature of young love, with a simple strum of the guitar.
Best Anti-Love Song: Hopeless Love - Daphne Loves Derby The title says it all. We've all been there, thinking the same things: Hopeless love, why did you carve your home in me?/This broken heart is too weak to hold your weight/And how I regret the day we met/Help me forget your name. You said it, Kenny.
Yuri's Picks:
Best Love Song: Such Great Heights - The Postal Service This is the type of song that you think about immediately after you find someone that you really, really like because you think that everything between you two are perfect. So you really believe the lyrics, And I have to speculate that God himself / Did make us into corresponding shapes like / Puzzle pieces from the clay. Ah, young love.
Best Anti-Love Song: Song Cry - Jay-Z Jay-Z gets deep with this song about love lost. It may seem like he's just really sad, but when he says, I can't see it coming down my eyes / so I gotta make this song cry, you realize that he's probably just as confused as he is depressed.
I'll admit it: I'm a music snob. If a song doesn't sound good to me, then I'll probably never give the musician/band any play time. But if a song sounds good, and the album pleases these ears, I'll be one of the first people promoting a band to people who have similar tastes in music, or I'll try to play match-maker and try to find a friend a good album recommendation. Speaking on the behalf of all self-proclaimed music snobs, I say this: you can't blame me for knowing what I like [or not]. One album that I've been consistently listening to for the past 2+ years is Set Yourself on Fire by the Canadian indie band, Stars. Funny story: anyone who knows me has heard of my love for Daphne Loves Derby. About two years ago, I interviewed the lead vocalist Kenny Choi of DLD for an article in Hanwoori, the Rutgers Korean-American campus magazine that owned my soul. After the interview, I asked Kenny for some music recommendations, and he immediately spoke of Stars. Intrigued, I gave Set Yourself on Fire a listen .. and fell in love. I can honestly say that after recommending Set Yourself on Fire to a few friends, they became fans of Stars.
To say the least, Stars can be categorized as "indie pop" but with amazing, moving instrumentations, topped off with soft, yet powerful vocals. Their earlier albums can be said to have a bit more of a pop edge to it, whereas their more recent albums have been more rock-based. One word to describe Set Yourself on Fire: beautiful.
Give Set Yourself on Fire a listen, especially if you are one of the following: -a music-lover who is opened to listening all kinds of music -a fan of Death Cab for Cutie, Broken Social Scene, The Decemberists, The New Pornographers, Feist -a jazz/instrumental enthusiast -all of the above
Don't want to purchase the album without a little listen? Recommended Tracks include: -"Your Ex-Lover is Dead" -"Ageless Beauty" -"Calendar Girl" "Your Ex-Lover is Dead" - Stars
Reason: I love Daphne Loves Derby.
