Category Archives: Music

Songs of Tess: Bad Taste Mix

Austin

April 18th, 2023

April 18th, 2023

Welcome back to Songs of Tess! Hopefully this isn’t your first one, because explaining my own process is difficult, but essentially I’ll recommend songs (usually bad ones) in the vain hope someone, somewhere will get it.

These five songs I’ve pulled from my “CHEER UP” mix, which… may NOT cheer you up, but it was a mix I compiled for family car rides. Still explicit songs, because censorship is taken very seriously in my house (i.e. THERE IS NONE), but hopefully they’ll make you cheery or at least in a place to joke about my terrible taste.

Pretty Boy by poutyface

It’s kind of hard to describe poutyface‘s genre, other than “hard pop”, but the lyrics in this song alone will have you ignoring the almost too hard-beat of the song, and might make you laugh, if you also want testosterone to leave you alone.

Just a Little Bit by Kids of 88

If you were an unfortunate Teen Wolf fan — don’t worry, I was there for 3 1/2 seasons, I understand your pain — this song will sound familiar, but even if you haven’t, it’s kind of a nice little upbeat song about sex, basically. I love Kids of 88, and picking a song is difficult, so I chose a popular one to rid myself of the tragedy of choosing.

Sugar Daddy by Qveen Herby

So apparently Qveen Herby was in a band with her husband, and decided on a solo act (also backed by her husband), and honestly? Her solo work snaps. She’s a great singer, and dare I say, maybe a better rapper? Speed, diction, rhyming are all in play in most of her rap-led songs. I chose Sugar Daddy simply for the well-sung beginning about never minding what she had to do for her diamonds.

Burnin’ Up by Judas Priest

I always have an outlier on my list, and here’s today’s! There are a lot of Judas Priest songs I could have chosen, but I like the classical guitar solo midway through the song, and who can resist the vocal range of Rob Halford?

People I Don’t Like by UPSAHL

I normally wouldn’t recommend a song about not liking people — much less listen to it — but UHSAHL has a way with words to match the the subtle music we don’t get with poutyface and Kids of 88. In a sea of a lot of younger women making music (no complaints, I need a emlyn album stat), UPSAHL stands out, particularly her work on her Lady Jesus album.

Songs of Tess: Placebo

Austin

September 5th, 2010

September 5th, 2010

Apologies for skipping last week, though this is only for myself. I wanted to do it, and I had woken up with it on my mind, but completely spaced out the rest of the day. Go me!

And anyhow: you knew it was coming! :D

Continuing the Artist collection of “Songs of Tess”, Placebo is a british rock band, and my favourite of all time. Not only are their sexualities echoed in their music (the bassist is gay, and the leader singer is bi-sexual and very androgynous), but their music is not over and beyond, and quite simplistic (which is the opposite of « Blood Brothers, who are very extravagant, another reason why I chose Placebo next), and their mix of electronica – later albums, anyway! – makes me squee quite a bit!

I found Placebo from a friend – Melissa », actually – who played “English Summer Rain”, “Every You Every Me” and “Pure Morning”. I decided to download them, looking for new music, and a handful of other songs, and the rest as they say is history. Brian’s, the leader singer, voice is nasally, and I’ve heard that’s annoying, and they’re not everyone’s cup o’ tea, but if I had to suggest a band, Placebo would be one of them. Onto the epic playlist!

Quick note: I didn’t include their third album, Black Market Music, because I have yet to listen to it fully.

Nancy Boy from Placebo

A song from their self-titled debut album, and it never fails to send butterflies through my stomach. I’ve listened to Nancy Boy on current current Last.fm account » over 1,100+ times. It’d be a bit redundant going on and on about it being my favourite song, yes?

Does his makeup in his room
Douse himself with cheap perfume
Eyeholes in a paper bag
greatest lay I ever had

Every You Every Me from Without You I’m Nothing

This is what I think is their most known song, as it was featured in Cruel Intentions, though I didn’t know it was in the movie – a movie, I might add, I watched a number of times – and the sister didn’t either; she actually found this song through me!

Like the naked leads the blind
I know I’m selfish, I’m unkind
Sucker love I always find someone to bruise and leave behind

I think it fit Cruel Intentions quite well – the song depicts a… erm, not very calm relationship, but one both partners indulged in anyway.

Pure Morning from Without You I’m Nothing

Pure Morning is considered one of their more known songs, but I couldn’t resist slapping this up here!

A friend in needs a friend indeed
My Japanese is better
And when she’s pressed she will undress
And then she’s boxing clever

English Summer Rain from Sleeping With Ghosts

Sleeping With Ghosts was and is a beautiful album, there’s no other word for it. It had it’s rock, it’s soft song (every awesometastic album has this!) and enough individuality from the members, plus experimentation, that is was simply Placebo. “English Summer Rain” is my favourite song next to “Nancy Boy”, as it’s very soothing, but very… instrumental at the same time. Kind of hard to explain! /goes to lyrics

Hold your breath and count to ten
Start again, start again…

No idea what English summer rain is like, but… well, that’s Florida for you at the very least (insert rage!smilies here).

Sleeping With Ghosts from Sleeping With Ghosts

Sleeping With Ghosts is a really beautiful song in its own right, but the lyrics are quite awesome, and the music is so serene. You can look at this in a romantic light, or a platonic one – the latter being my sister; I kind of feel we are “soulmates”, and not just because were siblings. I know it seems extreme, but a) it’s me and b) I could listen to this song forever.

Hush
It’s okay
Dry your eye
Dry your eye
Soulmate dry your eye
Dry your eye
Soulmate dry your eye
Cause soulmates never die

The Bitter End from Sleeping With Ghosts

Most relationships I’ve ever seen – whether from a friend or a family members – have ended badly, or at least on a bad note. I, myself, have had a friendship that ended this way. Whether Brian, the lyricist for this song, realises it or not, songs like this go a long way. /teary eyed

From the time we intercepted
Feels a lot like suicide
Slow and sad, grown inside us
Arouse and see you’re mine
(See you at the bitter end)

Because I Want You from Meds

Meds will forever be my favourite album from Placebo – which, after Sleeping With Ghosts, says a lot! – not only for it’s electronic feel, but because the lyrics are darker, they’re grittier, and the music is just intense! “Because I Want You” is a little self-explanatory, but a wonderful song, nonetheless.

Fall in to you, is all I ever do!
When I hit the bottle, ’cause I’m afraid to be alone… tear us in two, tear us in two, tear us in two…

Infra-Red from Meds

According to Brian, “Infra-Red” is about getting drunk, thinking about something that happened, and dealing with the person(s) involved, coupled with everything that has happened to you. I can relate to this a lot; there was an instance where I did nothing wrong, and I’ve always wanted to confront the person involved about it. Not that I get drunk and do this or anything, but I know those emotions are in most people. :P

One more thing before we start the final face-off
I will be the one to watch you fall
So I came down to crash and burn your beggar’s banquet

If you are (drunk and) feeling vindictive and don’t want anyone to know about it, give it a listen – it was quite a balm for me when I was facing that situation!

Post Blue from Meds

The album “Meds” was apparently about substance abuse, being drunk, etc., so I kind of take “Post Blue” as a healthier (in the love department) version to “The Bitter End”, with a tragic turn (the graphic lyrics of drug use and sex).

It’s in the water baby
It’s in the pills that pick you up
It’s in the water baby
It’s in the special way we fuck
It’s in the water baby
It’s in your family tree
It’s in the water baby
It’s between you and me

It’s intense, to say the least, but I do love the repeated “I’d break the back of love for you”, because quite honestly, that’s romantic – something I’m sure Placebo probably didn’t intend. :P

Kitty Litter from Battle For the Sun

I have admittedly been lax on not listening to their newest album, but I’ve got a couple of ones I love, and “Kitty Litter” reminds me of old school Placebo. The repeated lyric, “I need a change of skin”, kind of explains the song, especially coupled with “Kitty Litter”.

The way you’re moving
Hips from side to side
Makes you all that I desire
Bathsheba of my choosing and I’m so unsatisfied
You’re all that I require

That is sadly it, and what a ride!

Songs of Tess: 90s Rock

Austin

August 9th, 2010

August 9th, 2010

Note the exclamation mark, because I finally found something I could blog with1, and it’s about something I do so love. Digressing aside, I was telling the Dad to play some 90s rock music, and it suddenly dawned on me – several hours after the fact, admittedly – that I could do that as a Music Monday type thing.

The parents raised the sister and I on everything. Classic, country, rock, pop – you name it. While they were partial (we all kind of are) to rock, they played The Beatles, Aeromsith, Missing Persons, The Police, KISS, Bread and Stevie Ray Vaughan, and I went on to listen to Everything the World Has Created (I like techno and rock the best, to be clear); the sister went on her Indie Kick of 2001 and never left it (I have no problem with that: she will still sit through my Lady Gaga, Spice Girls and Placebo playing marathons, whereas everyone else evacuates the premises). We grew up on everything, as said, and one of the family’s major indulgences is sitting down, sifting through our C.D. collections, and picking out some good ole 90s music, like Godsmack, Creed, Soundgarden – all that and more!

Also, it’s my way of avoiding labels. I have no problems with labels – one of my favourite bands, « Blood Brothers, would not, to all extents and purposes, fall under anything other than “screamo” or perhaps “hardcore” – and even embrace most of them, but I’m old fashioned a bit. I like the simple, “rock”, “techno”, “metal”, etc., I liked it when it was just [insert label here] without a large branch of subgenres. (To be clear, this is not to say some genres shouldn’t have this, or can’t – as I said, I accept them as a whole.)

Beautiful Disaster by 311 (Transistor; 1997)

The parents went to go see 311 in concert back in May 2009, and it was apparently one of the best concerts the parents have been to (which have been a lot). Threw in “Beautiful Disaster” for them; also, this was the only 311 song in my library that didn’t have SA’s vocals, and I’m all *sadface* about that now.

Beautiful disaster, flyin’ down the street again
I tried to keep up, you wore me out and left me ate up
Now I wish you all the luck
You’re a butterfly in the wind without a care
A pretty train crash to me and I can’t care
I do, I don’t, whatever

Pink by Aerosmith (Nine Lives; 1997)

One of my favourite 90s songs simply because when I thought I could wear pink and get away with it (read: couldn’t, can’t), it described me to a T (if I were a sex kitten always on drugs, that is); the Dad also wore his signature pink shirt when it came out. Pink is still one of my favourite colours~ (a reference, hey-ho!).

You could be my flamingo
‘Cause pink is the new kinda lingo
Pink like a deco umbrella
It’s kink – but you don’t ever tell her

Heavy by Collective Soul (Dosage; 1999)

I’m cutting it close to “90s music”, but a) Collective Soul reads 90s music and b) this has to be the greatest album ever produced, sung and played. I chose “Heavy” because of the vocals – Ed, the lead singer, distorted his voice in the chorus – and the instruments, because hot damn, the rhythm guitar, bass and drums are just so fantastic in this~

Hold me up to all whom you’ve deceived
Promises you break you still believe

Push by Matchbox 20 (Yourself or Someone Like You; 1996)

A sad song, I admit, but it’s Matchbox Twenty; M20 can’t really go wrong! I kind of look at Push as a window into (some) men’s souls; most songs out there are about men and their dirty ways, so I find it nice to see a song about both partners being in the wrong.

Don’t just stand there, say nice things to me
I’ve been cheated I’ve been wronged, and you…
You don’t know me, I can’t change
I won’t do anything at all

Plush by Stone Temple Pilots (Core; 1992)

I was going to go for Sex Type Thing (which may or may not have been again), but Sex Type Thing pushed the envelope of “90s music”, and Plush had such a rock sound to it. Plush‘s lyrics were inspired by both a past relationship of Scott’s, the leader lyricist and singer, and by a murder at that time.

And I feel that time’s a wasted go
So where ya going till tomorrow?
And I see that these are lies to come
So would you even care?

Also: YAY FOR THEM GETTING BACK TOGETHER! 8D I AM SO EXCITE, OMG!

And that’s it! :D You can find them at the « usual place!

  1. « I haven’t given up on my “Artist Collection” bit, I just want to keep things interesting (mostly for me) and less boring.

Songs of Tess: The Blood Brothers

Austin

June 21st, 2010

June 21st, 2010

Hey-ho, a “Songs of Tess” entry! Not that they are particularly interesting, but there you go.

I decided to go with the idea of choosing five songs per artists of the artists that have the most songs in my library. I don’t have a library to do this, however – I briefly considered creating a script for it, but I’m much too lazy to do it at this point – so I decided to split it up in five weeks, and choose ten songs from each artist. Yay! for more crazy Tess music.

Blood Brothers

I’m not a fan of the screamo or “harcore” genre by any means. In fact, it’s one of my least favourite genres, and in 2005, I declared I couldn’t stand Blood Brothers », because it was right around the time their fourth album, Crimes, was released, and “Love Rhymes With Hideous Car Wreck” was being overplayed. I caught “Crimes” off that album in 2006, and then declared they were the best thing to ever happen to music.

I decided to choose Blood Brothers from the many artists (with a good number of songs) in my library, because to me, they are the very epitome of screamo, and furthermore a “band” – they are eclectic with their lyrics, never shying away from any subject, and have quite the talent for playing almost every instrument known to man. Jordan and Johnny are the vocalists – the former holding a deep voice, and the latter holding a higher pitch, much like Brian, the lead singer of Placebo – with Cody, Mark and Morgan playing about 329575849 instruments (guitar, bass, drums and percussion being a select few).

You can listen to some of the songs « at the usual place – I’ll upload the rest of the songs tomorrow morning, promise!

“Doctor! Doctor!” from This Adultery is Ripe

When I see you walking all alone, I wanna cut the corners off your lips
I wanna shave the angles off your cheeks
I wanna wash the geometry off your face

It’s mostly about a sadistic Doctor, but hints the girl’s apparent obsession with looks and sex with the Doctor on the operating table. …yeah, I don’t even know either.

“Ambulance vs. Ambulance” from Burn Piano Island, Burn

You’ll never see your wife and children again
So tell us what it was going through your head
When you looked in, into their eyes and said “no thanks I’ll take the hooker instead”?

I look at Ambulance vs. Ambulance as a representation of our fucked up world, really, and I guarantee you, if you are into anything Blood Brothers do, this will be one of the many songs on constant repeat!

“The Salesman, Denver Max” from Burn Piano Island, Burn

My name is Denver Max and won’t you come sit on my lap
Because the only thing you own is everything you lack

The Salesman, Denver Max is about an older man victimising a (significantly) younger girl, but the lyrics also depict a generic abusive relationship, which is much more common than is given credit for. It’s kind of tragic and sick, but Johnny did a wonderful job with the vocals, and the melody is out of this world.

“Crimes” from Crimes

We’re just like those condom wrappers: used up, torn up, thrown away
And we’re just like yesterday’s headlines: drifting, floating, towards the blaze…

Crimes is one of my favourite songs of theirs, and not just because it was my introduction into their music, as it were! Not only is this one of my favourite songs that Jordan sang, but it’s one of their least hardcore songs. The lyrics are amazing – And if we rob the liquor store we could be in Tijuana by the crack of dawn …come on! – and the drums in this is just outstanding.

“Feed Me to the Forest” from Crimes

Was it just last night that I woke up to a snarling baby?
Did I hear it right?
He begged his mother, feed me to the forest!

Feed Me to the Forest always reminds me of a cross between Tom Waits and Lady Gaga – it’s got the electronica feel that Lady Gaga has, and the drumming beat and distorted sound that Tom Waits sometimes uses. Just a lovely sound!

“Live At The Apocalypse Cabaret” from Crimes

But scarecrow, I’m still alive
Who sewed me back together to watch the whole world writhe?

I know I say their melody is great all the time, but if I had to base a song off of strictly that, Live would take the cake. The piano is so stunning, it almost brings tears to my eyes; hands down, one of their best songs overall, not just off this particular album!

“My First Kiss at the Public Execution” from Crimes

Just five dollars to see a face explode, to see a man strung up by his throat
Come one! Come all!
If you look close enough you’ll see death’s machinery exposed

Public Execution notes the world’s – or America, anyhow – penchant for publicising executions (paparazzi and journalists anyone?), and getting off on it. The song is quite catchy, though, and makes you feel like you are at a public execution… in a carnival/fair type of way.

“1, 2, 3, 4 Guitars” from Young Machetes

Guitar two’s touch keeps ruining lovers for other lovers
Like jokers concealed in trick decks in our laps

Not quite about guitars – as is their way with most of their lyrics – the guitar and drums in this song is out of this world, and the song’s sound sounds very dusty, like a broken record (yes, that’s totally an in-song reference!).

“Johnny Ripper” from Young Machetes

The dull years drag the best days of your life through asphalt and glass
While summer’s favorite fathers birthing next year’s deadbeat dads

On rare occasions, the lead vocalists will only sing strictly by themselves in a song, with almost no (if any) back-up vocals. Johnny Ripper is ironically sung by Jordan, and depicts the movie Idiocracy – or, for anyone who hasn’t seen it, a bunch of dumbasses having sex, getting pregnant and not taking responsibility for it (of sorts).

“Street Wars/Exotic Foxholes” from Young Machetes

Brass boots, where has your gaunt gown gone?
Whose streets have you walked on?
Who did you meet? What did they say?
Is the world just a foxhole you watch from?

And I coincidentally leave you with a song about war (in essence), which isn’t the message I want to send, aha! Street Wars is fantastic to leave with, nonetheless, because the harmonising the vocalists do is very Beatles-esque, and the bass is just plain ole awesome!

Songs of Tess: Life

Austin

May 24th, 2010

May 24th, 2010

Before I go on, I just want to thank everyone for the beautiful comments on my last entry! ♥ I had no idea my photography was interesting to anyone but me (and Christina, because she lurves me), and it was great to see such encouragement from those I admire so greatly. *squeezes all of you* Oh! And I added “Notify Me of Follow-Up Comments”, so now I won’t have an excuse not to comment back. /throws confetti

I decided to not go with my initial idea of Songs of Tess (disclosed for now), but only because I liked this one, and wanted to lift people up without being a creepster. So, life; we all are have one – some in more ways than others I might add, but in no way less meaningful – and we all go through some shit – again, some more than others – and we all just sometimes want to give up, because it becomes too much.

Musicians are beautiful in the sense that they can create beautiful melody, but I think they’re beautiful for relating to us normal folks. For releasing songs that we can all say, “hey! I know what that feels like, and it’s not just overinflated fan service, either!”, and for making us realise we’re not alone in the way we’re all feeling and experiencing life.

Songs can be « found here, of course (note that one song is missing due to size and type of the file)!

Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked by Cage the Elephant

Probably one the best songs for “life”; it sums up what we all do for a living, but without stepping on toes in the process – I’m looking at you, Eminem.

There ain’t no rest for the wicked
Money don’t grow on trees
I got bills to pay, I got mouths to feed
Ain’t nothing in this world for free

It reminds me of my parents, who do exactly that. Well, not the whole wicked part, but doing anything to feed the sister and I, and pay the bills. It’s a great view on what we all glaze over ».

Return to Innocence by Enigma

Like a lot of bands – Collective Soul, Duran Duran and Stone Temple Pilots to name a few – I grew up on Enigma, and Enigma is still very strong within me. Return to Innocence is one of my favourite songs simply for it’s innocence.

If you want, then start to laugh
If you must, then start to cry
Be yourself don’t hide
Just believe in destiny
Don’t care what people say
Just follow your own way
Don’t give up and use the chance to return to innocence…

It’s a powerful song », and it’s impact on me after all these years stays unwavering.

Here We Go Again by OK GO

I kind of look at this song as my life’s anthem right now – here it goes again is definitely the saying of the century, and I know all of us have felt this way in some form or another.

I guess there’s got to be a break in the monotony, but Jesus, when it rains how it pours…

The lyrics » can be interpreted as a relationship – or relationships – gone awry but it’s just so correct in every thing I feel a good bit of the time!

Last Resort by Papa Roach

I asked the Dad once what he thought of Papa Roach’s new music, and he summed up it up perfectly:

With Last Resort, we all in some way understood – we have all once been desperate, have all been in that black hole, have all broken down. That desperation just isn’t there with Getting Away With Murder.

I could relate to Last Resort because I had felt all those things – I just couldn’t go on living that way… and yes, that was totally a in-song reference!

I never realized I was spread too thin
Till it was too late and I was empty within
Hungry, feeding on my chaos and living in sin
Downward spiral, where do I begin?

Gore and intensity aside », it’s stunning in it’s reality nonetheless.

Drag by Placebo

Oh, come on… it’s me, it’d be a crime if Placebo wasn’t here! That aside, Drag is a really, really beautiful song, because it’s a very positive song. Placebo stunned me completely, because I was totally thinking it was going to be a drag queen song… I was quite surprised!

You’re always ahead of the pack, I drag behind
You possess every trait that I lack by coincidence or by design
You’re the monkey I got on my back that tells me to shine…

While the person – Brian, the lead singer, in this instance, but let’s pretend! – is dragging behind », it’s quite clear how the person feels about the person always ahead. Absolutely adorable!

And of course, the end of my five songs! These were actually quite difficult to pick out, because I tried to stay away from the angst-ridden songs – which is sadly a lot – and try for something bright and… realistic? I’m up-ing the cheese factor here, guys!

Songs of Tess: Muse (I Suck at Titles)

Austin

May 17th, 2010

May 17th, 2010

For the next Songs of Tess blog, I was thinking of ways to include the English band Muse more than once, and not have it Muse-centred and well, needless to say, I did not come up with an excuse to have them more than once, so I went even further with the idea, and decided to dedicate this entry to an old friend, Melissa.

A trip down memory lane for those not in the know: I met Melissa in 2003, right after I started building websites. Out of the… say, seven/eight friends we all knew, she is the only one I’ve kept in consistent contact with. I’ve talked on the phone with her, co-owned websites with her, and knew her when she started the Muse obsession that would lead her to go around the USA attending their concerts1. I admit it: we’re not nearly as close as we once were, but she inspired me in so many ways back then, and she still inspires me now.

Melissa introduced me to Muse – insert aforementioned obsession here – as well as Bayside, and (unknowing to her) Placebo, my favourite band. Melissa is one of the amazing dedicated fans of bands that don’t give you the heeby-jeebies, and I will probably never be able to listen to Muse without thinking of her.

So! These are my favourite songs of Muse, all dedicated to Melissa, and not sorted alphabetically, but my relevance (my inner OC is dying inside right now, BTW)! Of course, you can « listen to them here.

Unintended (Showbiz)

I’m only listing this first, because it’s a beautiful song. It’s one of the first ones I heard, and it’ll never stop being a melody to my ears.

First there was the one who challenged
All my dreams and all my balance
She could never be as good as you

It’s a truly inspirational song to me, because a) we both (back then) associated it with Draco/Hermione, and while I’m a Harry/Draco convert, it’s still symbolic and b) it’s not a love-love story ». It’s a bit like, “yeah, I was in love before, but I’m in love with you now”… type… thing. WHATEVER.

Time Is Running Out (Absolution)

This was the first song Melissa introduced me to, and for that reason, it’s one of my favourites. That, and the lyrics are kind of sexy:

I think I’m drowning, asphyxiated
I wanna’ break this spell that you’ve created
You’re something beautiful, a contradiction
I wanna play the game, I want the friction

It’s a modern break-up song, but with a twist; you can clearly see the person’s struggle with their partner, and wanting to hack them to pieces, but wanting to save it, hence time is running out. Amazing! »

Bliss (Origin of Symmetry)

Bliss. It kind of says it all, really.

Everything about you is how I’d wanna’ be
Your freedom comes naturally
Everything about you resonates happiness
Now I won’t settle for less

The lyrics remind me of » my Mom, because she really gives off the beautiful vibe in this song. Sometimes you just need a pick-me-up song, and Bliss is very apt.

Knights of Cydonia (Black Holes & Revelations

Absolution is my favourite album to date from Muse, but Black Holes & Revelations is second, admittedly, and it was hard choosing. I stuck with Knights of Cydonia, because a) it’s music is the greatest shit ever, b) the music video was awesome and c) I love Knights, so the title captivates me2.

Come ride with me
Through the veins of history
I’ll show you how god
Falls asleep on the job

You and I must fight to survive »~! /in music heaven

I Belong to You (Mon cœur s’ouvre á ta voix) (The Resistance)

All the songs are fabulous on the new album, but I’m a lyrics nerd, and I Belong to You captivated me.

I can’t find the words to say
They’re overdue
I’ve traveled half the world to say
I belong to you…

I’m not big on French, but it really is quite catchy ». And I really love the piano in the song.

That’s it! And yes, those songs are all on separate albums, because I had to be OC about something.

  1. « Melissa has attended at least two concerts prior to this, each with years inbetween – as I will mention, we’re not as close as we once were, so this could be a larger number.
  2. « I’m easily dazzled; if you didn’t know this (or didn’t guess it), you don’t know me very well.

Music Monday: Songs of Tess

Austin

April 26th, 2010

April 26th, 2010

I started a “Songs of Tess »” edition to my Tumblr, and I really, really enjoyed it, so much so I decided to crosspost it to my regular blog, because most of us love music in our lives! …Well that, and because I like the sound of “Songs of Tess”, and just the ability to talk about music more in the entire blog, than just a small paragraph about how I somehow referenced a song in a title (which is still pretty awesome regardless).

I decided to name this edition of Songs of Tess “Songs of the Moment” – it was originally “Techno Thursday”, but a) I wasn’t feeling the techno vibe tonight and b) it’s no longer Thursday – and I’m sincerely sucking tonight, boys and girls, at titles.

Thanks to Larissa » (unknowingly, however), I managed to find something spiffy to display these songs for listening: « Songs of Tess: The Horrible Title Edition – take a peak, it’s amazingness!

Filthy Mind (Mount Rushmore Extended Mix) by Amanda Ghost

We originally heard this in the horror movie Valentine, and then in the infamous 10th episode of the first season of Queer as Folk.

A life with fools, this world is cruel
We never dispense with toys
Could you make a suggestion for an act I would enjoy?

I decided to list the Mount Rushmore remix, as this is my favourite out of the four remixes (including the original!) currently available. Nonetheless, I think the name » is apt, yes?

1, 2, 3, 4 Guitars by Blood Brothers

The Blood Brothers will always have my heart, will always be number one with their eclectic lyrics, screaming vocals and mixture of guitar, accordion and piano – among others. 1, 2, 3, 4 Guitars – which is very hard to type, I tell you! – is kind of fitting of the season, especially since it’s Spring.

The winter left town with
Some seventeen-year-old waitress
And Spring’s laying in a pile of
All the moments of our misadventures…

I may be biased, but this is a favourite », and this something, coming from one of those there’s-five-albums-that-wasn’t-the-only-good-album -type people!

Hot Mess by Cobra Starship

Christina » showed me – and by show I mean she subtly hinted – this song last night, and it’s been on repeat every since. I’ve always loved Cobra Starship, and I’m honestly surprised I’ve never heard it before this!

Well, you’re a hot mess and I’m falling for you
And I’m like hot damn! let me make you my boo
Cause you can shake it shake it shake it
Yeah you know what to do
You’re a hot mess

It reminds me of a lot of fanfiction characters – come on, we rarely, if ever, see men happy to be less than macho, especially in romance novels (let’s pretend we all read this). Hot Mess » is such a greatly different take on what guys normally like, and it’s a got a great beat!

Monster by Lady Gaga

Oh, come on – it wouldn’t be me if Lady Gaga wasn’t in some way included in this!

I wanna Just Dance
But he took me home instead
Uh oh! There was a monster in my bed
We French kissed on a subway train
He tore my clothes right off
He ate my heart then he ate my brain

Besides the obvious reference of her first-hit single and zombies (really, referencing is fan-fucking-tastic), Monster » is a little dark, but it’s very apt in the overall storyline.

Sex Type Thing by Stone Temple Pilots

I had to include one of their songs – they’re releasing another album! YES! FUCKING A. …Anyhow, one of their best songs – in both lyrics and instrumental value! – to date. According to the band, it’s an anti-rape song, and basically depicts how a man treats women – or men, too – by objectifying them. …Or something, I’m still on “I know you like what’s on my mind”…

I ain’t, I ain’t, I ain’t
A buyin’ into your apathy
I’m gonna learn ya’ my philosophy
You wanna know about atrocity, atrocity?

I’m the last person to take something very seriously – and this is clearly a fitting example of that. It’s a very hot song, and I’m so in love with the vocals. (Reading the lyrics » wins you brownie points!)

…and of course, this just makes me want to start of a playlist of “songs with the word ‘sex’ in it”, “songs with sex depicted in it” and “songs with ‘sex’ in the title”. IT WOULD BE NEVER-ENDING, I AM JUST SAYING.

Again: « Songs of Tess: The Horrible Title Edition. A playlist of songs to listen to! *throws confetti*

Then He Tells Me I’m a Creep

Austin

April 20th, 2010

April 20th, 2010

Heads up: Stone Temple Pilots reference in the title, hey-ho! I should totally get paid for musical referencing, guys, I really should.

Three guys moved into the house across the street from us, after being abandoned for…well, for longer than we’ve been here (a year in June). As mostly elderly people live in our neighbourhood, one of the three dudes – I’m going to call him Sam, as he’s 6’9″ and reminds me of Supernatural‘s Sam – Sam is the grandson of the woman who lived in the house before she died. He’s living with a college buddy – I’ll call him Dean1, because apparently he looks just like Jensen Ackles – and another friend – I’ll call Nick for Nick Swardson, since he’s quite the comedian.

They started coming over to the house to talk the sister and a friend, and when they came over Saturday my parents, being the chatty-patty’s that they are, were all like HAI COME OVER AND DRINK AND STUFFZ. You can imagine the next three hours, which involved Nick cat-calling to me to come out and meet them – something that wasn’t going to happen unless Gerard Butler was cat-calling me to come out and meet them.

For those who don’t know, I have severe social anxiety. I have anxiety attacks, and they affect for me for days after. I can’t control them, and it happens if I’m with a small group of people I know very well, or I’m in a grocery store surrounded by people I don’t. I don’t like anybody witnessing these attacks – it’s very stressful to the people around me, and it ends up making the situation worse – so I don’t go out around crowds, which if you guessed, is very hard to do, especially in the city. So, of course: I wasn’t leaving my room – which was, coincidentally or not – right outside the front porch2.

What’s been bothering the past couple of days, however, is not Nick threatening to not give up trying to meet me no matter what – he was rather intoxicated at the time, if not buzzed – or warning everybody he’d mow the yard nude3 and to get out the binoculars4 – it’s them hanging out in the front yard, which causes me to lock myself in the house, or in the backyard, away from where they can see me. I’m not afraid of them by any means, I just want to avoid the very-probable panic attack that will ensue.

Soooo-ooo-oo, I came up with a plan: as the men and their friends are consistently outside in their lawn chairs, I thought about going out into the front yard, sitting in the middle of it, and taking pictures of them – right in front of them. Not only would this paint me as a stalker and a huge creep, but it just might make them go inside long enough for me to not be afraid to actually be outside. The kicker: while I’d love to do this for shits and giggles – if their drunken behaviour was anything to go by, it’s likely they’d pose for me or something – I’d never actually do it. As I’ve been dodging the open windows in my own house, I quite sincerely doubt I’d ever get the balls to do it.

…I have been blaring Lady Gaga, Spice Girls and Britney Spears for the past two days, though. THAT’S SOMETHING.

  1. « Chris actually started calling him Dean-o!
  2. « WHY, HOUSE, WHY MUST YOU BE CRUEL TO ME? I kid, I kid! I’m the dumbass who actually chose the room.
  3. « …OK fine, I admit it, I’d definitely come out if he ever did do that (and proposition him? IDK, I’m unstable in the face of male nudity).
  4. « This was funny to just about everybody, as the Uncle and I had just been joking about spying on them with binoculars – my sassy zinger was to brag about having a mega zoom on my camera for pictures and zooming peekage, but that’s neither here nor there.

Doctor! Doctor!

Austin

January 29th, 2010

January 29th, 2010

I felt like using that title because it’s actually a song by The Blood Brothers », and you know me1, if there’s a reference to be made, it will be had.

But I’m not here to talk about The Blood Brothers, or how awesome they are, or how I cried at the news of their break-up, but in relation to this entry » by Rachel » about a doctor who played around with his bushy eyebrows, and repeated the process a million, billion times.

So, I didn’t feel sorry for her like the commenters clearly did, and I just LOL’d SO HARD I almost had a cramp in my side. Which, if I were the superstitious type, I’d think that today’s events were Karma LOL’ing at me and biting me in the ass, as the saying goes. So along with the Dad and the sister, I had an eye doctor’s appointment this morning, and I was the last to go. I go through the whole shebang with the Halle Berry-esque nurse, and the Doctor comes into my room first. From there, the nurse decided she would have this conversation rather loudly in the hallway outside my room:

Nurse: She’s just been dilated, you don’t need to see her first.
Doctor: Oh, she is? So, the other two are dilated.
Nurse: Yes, both of them are fully dilated, I just dilated her. You need to see them.
Doctor: OK, I’ll go see them since they’re both fully dilated.

So, after feeling like a fat pregnant lady — and feeling like the Dad and sister were pregnant as well, as they were talking about them — I was then told to wait “just a moment”, a moment that I am convinced turned into an hour. During that hour, I stared down a headpiece I swear came from The Silence of the Lambs2, and chastised my nurse internally at leaving a unlocked computer in the hands of hacker in the guise of a developer — but that’s neither here nor there, and for a different entry entirely.

I eventually did see my eye Doctor, where I would have convinced myself he was gay by his elegant and wide hand gestures and the way he consistently crossed his legs — except, well, my late Uncle had ravishing hand motions while being utterly3 straight and he did happen to be wearing a wedding ring. Of course, this in no way means I think my Doctor can’t be gay because he wears a wedding ring, or that I wrongly accuse others of being gay to myself — I’m just suggesting, in the future, that perhaps doctors should think about using terms such as “dilated” and the situations that surround them, as the sister and Dad got a kick out of hearing that they were pregnant, too.

(For the less than sarcastic variety, yes, they heard it from their rooms, too – and yes, we did laugh hysterically in the car on the way back.)

  1. « And if you don’t, you certainly should.
  2. « A headpiece he actually ended up wearing! Cue in the frantic heartbeat of trying to stuff down my laughter.
  3. « I use “utterly” because most of us still think he was in the closet.

All Hale Music (…momentarily)

Austin

December 7th, 2008

December 7th, 2008

For some random and obscure reason, Raine » inspired me to write a post on music. Yes, music; something I rarely (if ever) talk about.

I have to remedy this situation, now don’t I?

Music. Yes, something that can be both annoying and moving at the same time. It’s this way with anything else, really (art, movies/TV, sports), but what’s different, is we can be moved by the vocals of the singers (oh, am I resisting that fanlisting!), the lyrics of the song and yes, the instruments that make the symphony. What’s even more exciting is there are genres, such as Rock, Rap and Techno (…and classic, something I enjoy, believe it or not!).

The point of this post in general is how my music tastes differ from others. It’s not just one genre I’m partial to, it’s the exact opposite: what genre am I not partial to? My » Last.fm Top 8 Artists at my Last.fm » profile is so…random. Upon looking at the artists, you have (should) realize my artists are different. There are not two artists on the eight artist list that belongs in the same category (though Disturbed and Breaking Benjamin are probably the closest)!

What do I love about music? That’s the real question, really. What draws me to the various artists » I listen to? I’ve tried narrowing it down to vocals, instruments and lyrics; I’ve tried singling out artists by looks; I’ve even tried pretending which artists I could be (yes, men, too!).

Beat. Thinking. Flashing images of memories and future times. Perhaps that sounds like something Raine » would say, but it might just be true. If truth be told once again, I’m beginning to think I’m versatile in my loves for things, and in how much I can love in the category.