Featuring Some of Your Favourite Words - From First To Last

I just died.  I have literally just blown my own mind.  While I claim to know everything about music (or almost everything), learning five minutes ago that Skrillex is actually Sonny Moore of From First To Last fame has actually blown my mind to kingdom come.  In what world do things like this happen?  The lead vocalist of an old, emo post-hardcore band grew up, grew out half of his hair and learned how to use a Mac.  Skrillex...y u do this to me?  Though I can't say I enjoy his electronic-dubstep-debauchery, I have to admit that I was a big fan in his post-hardcore days.  Dear Diary, My Teen Angst Has A Body Count was the soundtrack to my '05, and among the emo gems that echo with industrial (dare I say, a precursor to Skrillex?) sounds would be today's featured track.

Featuring Some of Your Favourite Words.

Though Sonny retired from post-hardcore because of vocal strain (among other things...ahem....solo project....ahem), I kind of wished he would have stuck around to belt it out like he does here.  Ironic, as he laments here's to playing tug-of-war with my vocal chords.  "Featuring..." emerges as a catchy number, somewhere in the vein of Hawthorne Heights, but it's Sonny's vocals that make it.  It's that simple.  But hey, at least he loves what he does now.  You need to listen to know what I'm talking about, so get to it!  On a final note, the final note of this song will forever remain a highlight of music in my life...

Throw this paper into fire, and take me with it.

Quiet Dog - Mos Def

One thing I want to assure them, if they think I'm gonna change or compromise my attitude and my way of life or in my expression or in my goal towards politics, they are making me stronger, and I am much much stronger now.

I've always liked a good, stripped-down rap song, and I've always liked Mos Def as both an actor and a rapper.  He makes "Quiet Dog" anything but quiet, however.  The beats are pared down, but that's all the better to let Mos's words shine, and once again, proof that rap isn't just about loud bass and all that jazz.  This is something different from Lil Wayne and Whiz Khalifa and everyone else out there, and that's why Mos Def is going to be around for a loooong time.  Besides, haven't you seen The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy? 

LYRICS: Oh Thee 73 - Felix

Friday night is the worst night to be alive
Will you help me get out of the firing line?
Still no word from the sisters
Too good for this line
No word from the sisters
Tell me tell me tell me that we're still tired

Sitting on the songs of the back of the bus
It's the best and the worst for both of us
Sitting on the songs of the back of the bus
It's the best and the worst for both of us

Electro, how retro
Dancing at the disco, I am the tempo
Then you know that you're getting old, 'cause you're growing cold
Say what you will, I will see you in hell
Where we're all, where we're all right now
Where we're all, where we're all right now

All of these years
For my sins, for my sins
Sit yourself down and I will get me a pen
Your draw your tattoos and I will ink them in
On your arms, on your skin
All over, all over
All of these years
For my sins, for my sins
Sit yourself down and I will get me a pen
Your draw your tattoos and I will ink them in
On your arms, on your skin
All over

Isn't it funny how you spit all the bad words out
There in the blood as they flow out of your mouth

Oh holy molar, you can be my savior
I will thread you on a string and wear you as a treasure
Under my jumper, under my jumper
The bass beats down and the drums get bigger

Friday night is the worst night to be alive
So shoot me down and we'll all feel fine
Still no word from the sisters
They're too good for this line
No word from the sisters
One God loves, her sticks shine bright

Sitting on the songs of the back of the bus

It's the best and the worst for both of us
Sitting on the songs of the back of the bus
It's the best and the worst for both of us
Sitting on the songs of the back of the bus

It's the best and the worst for both of us
Sitting on the songs of the back of the bus
It's the best and the worst for both of us

The Brave Little Toaster

Computer troubles keep me from truly enjoying my time on the internet, and laziness keeps me from going upstairs so I can see today's Top 10 on my ipod.  But who needs a Top 10 list when you have music from the creepiest, most disturbing children's movie ever (though Fern Gully scarred me good)?  Not you, is what I say.  So this afternoon, enjoy the four songs that defined my childhood, and morphed me into the person I am today.  Yeah, it's messed up, buy what can we do?

Victory Song - Ensiferum

Folk metal Sunday!  Well, "Victory Song" was scheduled for a little earlier in the month of June, but the important thing is that it's here now, and there's no need to worry yourself any longer.  I did recently stumble upon the Finns of Ensiferum, and was pleasantly surprised by what I found.  If folk metal should be anything, then it should be epic, and that's exactly what they're best at.  They've got gems like "From Afar" and "Raised By The Sword," but it's clear to me that "Victory Song" is bounds above the others.

Clocking in past the ten-minute mark and vocals coming in close to four minutes in, we've already got the beginnings of a great epic in "Victory Song."  Harsh vocalist Petri Lindroos puts power into every growl, but that doesn't stop the clean-vocal-near-chant of the chorus to shine.  Soon you'll be uttering swords in our hands, we kill each and every man who dares to invade this sacred land as you make your entrance anywhere.  And the guitars?  There are no words to describe such wonders.  "Victory Song" is really just the perfect song all around, for the folk metal monger in all of us.

I Won't Play - Gossip

After first hearing their new single "Perfect World" way back when, I couldn't resist picking up Gossip's latest album, A Joyful Noise during my last Wal-Mart excursion.  These indie-dance-alt rockers are just too catchy to pass up.  In fact, it was an especially difficult task to choose just one more song from the album to feature (so don't be surprised if another post comes out).  I settled on "I Won't Play" for a few reasons, as it would seem, though there was serious competition from "Into The Wild," "Involved" and "Move In The Right Direction."

"I Won't Play" has a few things I like in a song.  One, a strong female lead in Beth Ditto, who I've started following on Twitter and is still one of my heroes.  Two, even though it pulses with bass, "I Won't Play" is a little bit subdued, or subdued enough for my liking.  Then you have the strong instrumental side, the vocals that won't quit, and all in all, a well-rounded song that you shouldn't pass up.  Hell, just don't pass up the whole album.  Go out an buy it.  I don't always go out and buy a full album, but when I do, I never make a bad choice.

Orifice Origami - Reptar + LYRICS

I'm back after a 3 day absence, and I have to say, I went through a bit of blog withdrawal during my time off.  And even though now that I'm back home and settled, I'm anxious to get back to my baby (this blog).  Even though my laptop is decommissioned for the time being, I'm on the family desktop with Youtube as my guide and the saved playlist on my ipod to remind me what comes next.  And wouldn't you know it, today's choice comes from Georgia's own disco dusters Reptar, with their always-fun-always-stellar "Orifice Origami."

The beginning of "Orifice Origami" is what initially drew me in; it's the entrance music I'd like to follow me everywhere I go.  Though as the indie rockers continue into the four minutes of greatness, you realize this is more than entrance music.  This is good regardless.  Think of this as Foster The People, but with a rocking twist that'll have you drooling.  From personal experience, "Orifice Origami" grew on me as I continued listening, and I think it'll grow on you too.  If not, get the thing that is growing on you checked out; we're all worried about you refusing to see a doctor.


Something's not right here
What is it missing?
Gold under pebbles, throw it away
I was the last one pondering, caught up in the revel

Pellucid in disarray
Stacked under water
It's like the backgrounds lost
So I don't know where we started
Thumb said I am running away, I was raised to stick around, and be a fool
This way
Addy wrote verses that blew my mind
They were folding wandering all the time
The last of them roses burning away
It's a sophisticated process you just can't bottle, ok?
When I was one

Something's not right here
What is it missing?
Reacting the same but we don't know what the facts say

We take our medicine at night
I can't control it, what do I do?
Stay in the background, run around and try to console you

Suddenly what can I say?
Through the pillow my head reaches an appalling state
Do you remember the doctor's name?
No, it's going to be a long night anyway