Ten Songs On A Thought: Ten Songs Evoking Nostalgia

It's easy to evoke nostalgia of a particular type...high school, childhood, fond memories, past loves, etc. But it's not easy to evoke a generalized nostalgia for something past. That's what this mix does! Each one of these songs will tailspin you into a non-specific nostalgia to match any reminiscing you might want. Ever.

Here is how this works (assuming I have any readers ever...It's been awhile. And generally always is between posts anymore): I choose a topic and write down the first ten songs that come to mind on that topic in no particular order. Then you do the same. Easy enough, right? I give you:

Ten Songs Evoking Nostalgia

1. Oh, Mandy - The Spinto Band listen
2. Modern Man - Arcade Fire listen
3. Sweet Disposition - The Temper Trap listen
4. Swansea - Joanna Newsom listen
5. Ceremony - New Order listen
6. In This Home On Ice - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah listen
7. Tickle Me Pink - Johnny Flynn listen
8. I Was A Kaleidoscope - Death Cab For Cutie listen ---the version linked here is an acoustic version I think fits the theme pretty well, but if you've never heard the original, look it up, one of my favorite songs by this band...
9. In The Aeroplane Over The Sea - Neutral Milk Hotel listen
10. Playground Love - Air listen

Ten Songs On A Thought: Ten Songs To Combat Postmodern Malaise

Okay, so postmodern malaise may be an exaggeration, but as someone who has been reading postmodern literature and theory for months at this point, recognizing the state that all people find themselves in whether they like it or not (a society controlled by the culture industry, surrounded by brands, the constant onslaught of technology, never lacking for inputs and signifiers, the constant fear of a world illuminated by news and maps and science and the internet, the web of a world now illuminated, etc). And it seems to me like an ever-growing number of songs reflect this frenzied discontent one feels with a world full of impulses and signs. So I decided to make one of my mixes about it.

For those who don't know, each week (theoretically. Really, it's whenever I get the impulse) I choose a topic and write down the first ten songs that come to mind on that topic in no particular order. Then you do the same. Easy enough, right? I give you:

TEN SONGS TO COMBAT POSTMODERN MALAISE

1. The Age of Adz - Sufjan Stevens listen
2. One Hit - The Knife listen
3. The Mall and Misery - Broken Bells listen
4. Ready To Start - Arcade Fire listen
5. Apres Moi - Regina Spektor listen
6. Sleepyhead - Passion Pit listen
7. Enjoy Your Worries, You May Never Have Them Again - The Books listen
8. No Ability - Dovekins listen
9. We've Got Everything - Modest Mouse listen
10. Symptom Finger - The Faint listen

Ten Songs On A Thought: Songs For Motivation To Finish Something You Started

I really like blogging. Genuinely, I do. But when I forget to do it, when I forget to be frequent or thoughtful and I temporarily abandon my blog, it makes me feel guilty, like I'm letting my...three? readers down by not posting and I have to post extra to make up for it. But I get overwhelmed by the thought of extra, and I never do it. It generally takes a stranger commenting on the blog content (thanks Twitter user @slowdanse!) to get me back in gear. And since I was really digging these ten song sets, I thought what better theme than...

For those who don't know, each week I choose a topic and write down the first ten songs that come to mind on that topic in no particular order. Then you do the same. Easy enough, right? I give you:

TEN SONGS FOR MOTIVATION TO FINISH SOMETHING YOU START

1. The Middle - Jimmy Eat World
2. Pass This On - The Knife
3. Daniel - Bat For Lashes
4. Alpha Beta Gaga - AIR
5. Come On! Feel The Illinoise! - Sufjan Stevens
6. 2 + 2 = 5 - Radiohead
7. Young Folks - Peter, Bjorn and John
8. Straight Street - The Fiery Furnaces
9. John The Revelator - Depeche Mode
10. The Island - The Decemberists

Ten Songs On A Thought: NaNoWriMo Edition

For those of you who don't know why I've been neglecting my blog lately, it's partially because I am really trying to get some personal business in order (substitute teaching license, graduate school applications, etc.) but also largely because this year I am, for the first time, participating in NaNoWriMo.

Now, you may not know what NaNoWriMo is. Conveniently, I will now tell you. NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month and is held each November. The goal is to write a novel (at least 50,000 words), start to finish, during the month of November. What I think is really a novel concept (no pun intended) is that the emphasis is not on producing quality work or rather, is not concerned with achieving immediate quality. The idea of the process is to get the words on page and really hammer it out so that at the end of the month you can say you're officially a novelist and then you have a wealth of raw material to work with.

I have never written a novel before. I have written a lot of moderately successful poetry (I've even been published a few times, which is nice) and I have also done some work with short stories, but it is really nice to have a specific reason to discipline myself and write this novel. As of right now, I am exactly 7,864 words in and I'm hoping to surpass 10,000 by the end of tomorrow. I don't know why I decided to take this on during such a busy month, but in a way, it is helping me focus and juice up my creativity so I can be more successful at other pursuits.

In any event, I think it's a really exciting organization. It's definitely worthwhile to encourage artistic creation for the sake of creativity and enrichment of human experience. If you would like to donate to this organization and help not only fuel this cause but also support their Young Writers Program, please go here.

In honor of my NaNoWriMo pursuits, this week's "Ten Songs On A Thought" features "Songs for Writing a Novel in Thirty Days" and I have encouraged other such folks to leave their thoughts. I encourage you to leave yours as well...any suggestion just might help power me through a couple hundred more words. For those who don't already know, the goal is to come up with the first ten songs that come to your head on the topic without an eye for editing or placement...kind of like a NaNoWriMo novel, no?

TEN SONGS FOR WRITING A NOVEL IN THIRTY DAYS

1. Pass This On - The Knife listen
2. Cast A Hook - Laura Veirs listen
   
3. Heartless - Kanye West listen
   
4. I Will Possess Your Heart - Death Cab For Cutie listen
   
5. How Low - Jose Gonzalez listen
   
6. The Wrote & The Writ - Johnny Flynn listen
   
7. Horse & I - Bat For Lashes listen
   
8. There There - Radiohead listen
   
9. Just Like Honey - The Jesus & Mary Chain listen
   
10. Swansea - Joanna Newsom listen

Note: I can't contextually explain the Kanye either, but according to iTunes, I've listened to it four times since beginning this process. And iTunes never lies.

Ten Songs On A Thought: Songs For When You're Snowed In

Something about being snowed in: it makes me introspective. I lay down on the couch with a blanket in front of the fire and the music I want to listen to is quiet and soft and pretty and maybe, sometimes a little sad. I was thinking of that today, because Colorado is enveloped in inches and inches of snow and while I realize this is similar to another topic (sweater weather, if you remember), I think music for being snowed in has its own vibe...the kind of music you listen to alone with headphones on when you feel like you have a chance to lay and think for awhile.

For those who don't know, each week I choose a topic and write down the first ten songs that come to mind on that topic in no particular order. Then you do the same. Easy enough, right? I give you:


TEN SONGS FOR WHEN YOU'RE SNOWED IN

1. Ambulance - TV On The Radio listen
   
2. Cinder and Smoke - Iron & Wine listen
   
3. The District Sleeps Alone Tonight - The Postal Service listen
   
4. Hide and Seek - Imogen Heap listen
   
5. New Slang - The Shins listen
   
6. Wet Ground - Sondre Lerche
   
7. For The Widows In Paradise, For The Fatherless In Ypsilanti - Sufjan Stevens listen
   
8. Joga - Bjork listen
   
9. Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) - The Arcade Fire listen
   
10. White Winter Hymnal - Fleet Foxes listen
    

Ten Songs On A Thought: Songs For A Sweaty Dance Party (Indie Rock Edition)

After watching the movie Fame (hold your laughter, it was free and entertaining for the cheesy movie it is), I remembered how much fun I used to have dancing when I lived in Germany and at clubs and parties during my college years. I guess I've liked dancing for a long time...I do remember trying to recreate music videos in the eighties when I was 4 at most. I, however, am not much on the skill front dancing wise. But I can't resist a good dance party.

My theme this week is "Songs For A Sweaty Dance Party (Indie Rock Edition)" because as soon as I tried to mentally compile my list, I knew it would be impossible to do so without somehow limiting genre. This also gives me an excuse to do other editions, which is ultimately very important to the success of this blog. Naturally. Also, I really want to underscore the word sweaty. Sweat is an essential part of any successful dance party, at least in my book.

Anyway, you know the drill. I mention the first ten songs that came to mind on the thought, without regard for order. Then you do the same. Simple, right?

Ten Songs For A Sweaty Dance Party (Indie Rock Edition)

1. Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt - We Are Scientists listen
   
2. Hummer - Foals listen
   
3. Electric Feel - MGMT listen
   
4. Young Folks - Peter, Bjorn and John listen
   
5. Banquet - Bloc Party listen
   
6. Worked Up So Sexual - The Faint listen
   
7. Heartbeats - The Knife listen
   
8. Oslo In The Summertime - Of Montreal listen
   
9. Cowbell - Tapes n' Tapes listen
   
10. Apply Some Pressure - Maximo Park listen
    

What about you? What are your picks? You can restrict genre if you like or you can be free-form. I won't restrict you with my rules, man.

Ten Songs On A Thought: Songs To Celebrate A New Start

This weeks theme for Ten Songs On A Thought? Songs To Celebrate A New Beginning. For me, this was about celebrating the fact that after 16 months of absolutely hating (loathing, abhorring, coming home from and crying about) my job at a local restaurant, I finally got the guts to quit, regardless of the financial outcome.

The idea behind this feature is, I'll write down the first ten songs that come to mind without any real editing, and I encourage you, the reader, to do the same. It's fun!

Ten Songs To Celebrate A New Beginning

1. Brand New Colony - The Postal Service
2. Independence Day - Elliott Smith
3. The Box - Johnny Flynn
4. Pink Light - Laura Veirs
5. Sleep The Clock Around - Belle and Sebastian
6. Caring Is Creepy - The Shins
   
7. Prescilla - Bat For Lashes
8. Oh, Mandy - The Spinto Band
9. Let's Get Out Of This Country - Camera Obscura
10. In This Home On Ice - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

What are your ten?

A Feature I'm Considering? Ten Songs On A Thought

So you know how cool blogs with lots of comment happy fans usually find some resourceful way to create common features? I tried the haiku polls, not sure I'll keep up with them since no one was cool enough to submit answers (if they're wanted, I demand that readers express demand!), but I thought I'd try this idea here. It's sort of like a mixtape. Sort of, I guess.

Basically, I'll present a thought or theme for the ten songs, and suggest the first ten songs that come to mind for that theme. There doesn't have to be any rhyme or reason to why the songs come to mind, they just do. I want to toy with the idea that music can provide a sort of sense memory or thematic element that isnt always present in the music itself. I then encourage you, the blog reader, to present your own ten. It's fun!

Ten Songs On A Thought
Songs That Feel Like Sweater Weather

1. White Winter Hymnal - Fleet Foxes
2. Blacking Out The Friction - Death Cab For Cutie
3. The Predatory Wasp Of The Palisades Is Out To Get Us! - Sufjan Stevens
4. There Is A Light That Never Goes Out - The Smiths
5. Us - Regina Spektor
6. No Surprises - Radiohead
7. The Dream Of Evan and Chan - Dntel
8. Crutch - Pinback
9. Blood Bank - Bon Iver
10. Oh, Comely - Neutral Milk Hotel

So what are your ten?