I'm Taking A Hiatus From Blogging

I'm taking a hiatus from blogging.
I'll most likely write blogs but save them as drafts for the time being.
It probably won't be long. But it will feel long to me. Because I do it all the time.
I had a rant last night about knowledge of modern music and how I feel far behind, yet there's no real purpose in developing more. My sister-in-law claimed that I was thinking too hard about it, which is an understatement. Afterwards I decided I needed to really start devoting time to songwriting. I had this whole big ordeal about how I'd quit music criticism to make my own music. Yet I still just critiqued music on my blog anyway. It ought to stop.
Lastly, my last semester was socially the most bizarre experience ever. I would say it was unsuccessful, but I've done much worse. I would say it was discomforting, but I've done much worse in that aspect as well. I had just taken a step down from spring semester's social ventures. A big step. We had this lesson in church about dating. Our teacher said we need to stop mastering the art of texting and work on talking in person. I rarely text, so I thought it didn't apply to me. Though I am bad at texting and don't like it, I was also bad socializing in person at this point of my life! What I do? Blogging. I then thought of the phrase: "How can I say 'I love you in a blog post?" It ought to stop. 
Here are some lyrics I've recently been working on:
Pining For The Past http://scottleft.blogspot.com/2014/10/pining-for-past.html
People As Objects http://scottleft.blogspot.com/2014/11/people-as-objects.html
I'd Be Worried Too http://scottleft.blogspot.com/2014/10/summertime-bluesid-be-worried-too.html

Wasting Your Days: A blog about "Kaputt"

I made a blogpost (a couple months ago) of my favorite songs of the last 5 years. It was kinda stupid. I already disagree with a lot of it, looking back. "Kaputt" by Destroyer was #2 on said list. Looking back on the past 2 months and- well- the past 5 years, I'd have to place this song at #1. My sentimental favorite on so many levels.

When I got my mission call to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in February 2010, I had to look up what bands were from there. I had no idea, but there were a few artists I had heard of from BC! Japandroids, New Pornographers, Black Mountain, Hot Hot Heat, Destroyer... bands I didn't know too well, but liked what I heard. I dug Destroyer's lyrics if anything.
Anyways, Destroyer released his album Kaputt on January 25, 2011. At this time, I myself was serving in North Vancouver. I would have never know this album was being released if we weren't serving around the walking music connoisseur and Vancouver travelogue (and LDS member) Liam Perry-Corbett. We were driving him from Capilano University to the North Van LDS chapel when he told me Destroyer released a new album. He said people were calling it his best work and they couldn't decide what genre it is so "they're calling it 'soft disco.'" I was intrigued, but had to wait over 14 months to hear it.
So I finished my 2 years of having 0 knowledge of what the broad-scope music scene sounded like. I quickly checked out all the Pitchfork-recommended music over the last 2 years, which surprisingly included Destroyer's Kaputt as the 2nd best album of 2011. I went into the album's title track expecting anything. I was watching the music video and was gulping due to its bizarre, mild sensuality and hot disco sounds- uh, should I be watching this? Then about 20 minutes into it, this boy walks in.

As he enters, so do the lyrics. The 9th word of the song is "cocaine." OK. The song only uses 59 words. Some other words tossed out: "America," "NME," "toga," "ocean," to name a few. Behind these words, we hear a driving disco beat with lush, smooth instrumentation.

So what is this song about? Dan Bejar (AKA Destroyer) was 38 when this album was released. He's been a notable indie songwriter since the latter half of the 90s; a true representation of the genre through-and-through. The music to this song didn't sound "indie" to me. Then again- between 2010 and 2015- has anything really sounded "indie?"

Bejar's genre has gone to ruin. Even (ahem) "hipster bands" are split between 80s synth-pop fakers and cheery folk chanters. It's like you can't have a unique 4-piece rock band anymore. From the liberal capital of Vancouver, an aging indie figure ends a song with, "I wrote a song for America. Who Knew?" That "who knew" sounds like it's being choked-up on the verge of tears. The worlds you've know and have been part of is selling out or dying off. Music publications. Kids looking for drugs. Prince, maybe?

Anyways, despite how upbeat this song is, I find it beautiful and very sad. The staggering. descending guitar part repeated toward the end. The fade-out of radio static. The saxophone and trumpet parts. The few synth-chords used that are hazy enough to sleep through. And as usual, nobody knows what the frick Dan is talking (singing?) about. It's rumored that he recorded the vocal part to this song while lying on a couch. This song is an obituary to indie rock and the true heart-felt, dream-following youth who followed it; living for the lifestyle and longing to one day headline clubs in Vancouver.
I have no idea what the music video is about, but I love it.

Ignition (Christmas)

Now,um,usually I don't do this but uh....
Go head' on and break em off wit a lil' preview of the Christmas....

No I'm not tryin' to be weird
But it's themostwonderful time of the year
I might just magically adhere 
To chubby dudes with white beards
That's why I'm all up in yo grill
Bustin' out "Jingle Bells"
Don't you dare eat those carrots
We got some snowmen to build

So baby gimme that fa la la la la
Lemme give you that la la la la
Ridin' my sled through the snow
Buyin' gifts at the sto'
Overpriced Tickle-Me-Elmos

It's the ignition to Christmas
I'll show you what's on my wishlist
Gimme more of gramma's fruitcake
Cuz this shiznit is delicious
Sippin' on hot cocoa 
Under the mistletoe 
Get some holly jolly 
Crankin' Bing Crosby and Perry Como 

(with jingling bells/tambourine) 
Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho 
Ho Ho Ho 

Don't take that Christmas tree down
Santa be comin' to town

This year I'm gettin' extra gifts

Cuz I lied and told him I have kids

All night and all mornin'
We're watchin' Christmas specials
I learned that Jesus was born in
Bethlehem, but not Bethel

So baby gimme that fa la la la la
Lemme give you that la la la la
Ridin' my sled through the snow
Buyin' gifts at the sto'
Overpriced Tickle-Me-Elmos

It's the ignition to Christmas
I'll show you what's on my wishlist
Gimme more of gramma's fruitcake
Cuz this shiznit is delicious
Sippin' on hot cocoa 
Under the mistletoe 
Get some holly jolly 
Crankin' Bing Crosby and Perry Como

Chestnuts roastin' 
As you fight with your neighbors
They say your Christmas lights are tacky
But that's just hate from the haters
Relatives are here

Ones you don't like

And your in-laws from Jersey

I hope that egg nog is spiked

And if you're a Jew, you celebrate Hanukkah 
And then in the fall, you got Rosh Hashanah
But you can rock Christmas with us if ya wanna
We got a tree and a menorah like Barack Obama

So baby gimme that fa la la la la
Lemme give you that la la la la
Ridin' my sled through the snow
Buyin' gifts at the sto'
Overpriced Tickle-Me-Elmos

It's the ignition to Christmas
I'll show you what's on my wishlist
Gimme more of gramma's fruitcake
Cuz this shiznit is delicious
Sippin' on hot cocoa 
Under the mistletoe 
Get some holly jolly 
Crankin' Bing Crosby and Perry Como

It's the ignition to Christmas
I'll show you what's on my wishlist
Gimme more of gramma's fruitcake
Cuz this shiznit is delicious
Sippin' on hot cocoa 
Under the mistletoe 
Get some holly jolly 
Crankin' Bing Crosby and Perry Como

Got this message for kids
From 1 to 92
If you've been a bad kid
No presents for you, you're screwed
Merry Christmas to all 

And to all a good night

This video aint got

Any copyright

2014: In Memories

(I had a 2013 background song about memories last year, so here's a 2014 memory song)

 Well, it's been a great year. Different than my mental rebirth of 2013. This year, life was better at times and worse at times. In which case, one might say I learned a lot this year: Went through the bad to experience some new-found joy. I've learned that I'm always consistently learning. 
The picture to the left was taken in Logan canyon during spring break. Gorgeous day. Gorgeous (?) facial expressions...

 In April, I ran my first half marathon! I trained by myself by running around Logan and Providence. I got a time of 81:04. This ranked me at 17th overall and 2nd place in my age group! This was my first race of any kind in over 4 years, so the numbers were shocking to me. The training experience was life-changing and I had no idea I had that kind of strength and dedication within me. 
I call myself a "runner" but I have little-to-no association with Logan's running community. I just run all the time in my 6-year-old running shorts. It's a great hobby that keeps you physically healthy and mentally stable. And, well, sometimes you get shinsplints that last forever. But the results of self-improvement are worth it.

I have a bias toward the first half of 2014. My neighbors (pictured to the left) became my dating experts and daily food source. Two of them got married over the summer!

I love spring in Logan, so I guess I'll have a bias toward the first half of 2015 as well. 

I still kinda miss 35th ward, where I was somehow able to befriend the whole ward and also got to serve in a couple Elders Quorum Presidencies.

A lot of stuff happened afterwards though, so you'll be seeing more pictures hereon out. 

My youngest brother graduated high school this summer and is now at BYU. I started a summer job with RISE spending time with individuals who have special (mental) needs. The picture on the bottom left was taken by an individual (they liked embarrassing me). For the first time since my mission, I got to see one of my favorite companions, Elder Graham McKenzie! He is in Lethbridge, Alberta, attending college.

I went on more outdoor excursions this year. I had a super cold camping trip in the snow with a few friends. To the right is Ryan Burt atop Naomi Peak. The picture below is myself atop Beirdneau Peak (starting from the bottom in May makes for a very difficult hike). I ran into bear tracks on some other hike. I discovered Green Canyon. Beautiful, epic times.

Had a family reunion in my home-state of California this summer. For the first time in over 4 years, each member of our family was together at the same time! My older brother Todd is at BYU now so we see him more, but Keith is still in Calgary, Alberta. I played guitar on a beach.

 I went to 3 concerts this year: Neutral Milk Hotel, TV on the Radio, Beck. I was up against the stage for NMH, where I learned Jeff Mangum looks like a guy from Duck Dynasty. The TVOTR show wasn't amazing, but I wore a funny shirt. The Beck show had hundreds of people. I was in the front and couldn't stand still due to crowdedness. I left with sweat sticking my shirt to my body and smelling of secondhand marijuana. Great experiences (shared with friends of course).

I started my fall semester in lots of physical pain. My doctor felt inspired to give me a blood test, where Iwas then diagnosed with bilirubinemia (excess bilirubin in my bloodstream that should be in my liver). I apparently still have it, but as long as I eat right and take some pain pills, I don't feel the pain.
The picture to the left was taken in Salt Lake City where I had an interview with the local arts magazine SLUG. Apparently it was the same day as ComicCon. Thus I took selfies with people dressed up in line. I then saw Catherine Hendrickson for the first time in over 4 years.
The next day, 2 blocks from my apartment, I got in a car crash. It totaled my '83 Honda for good. I loved that car and miss it. I had to quit my RISE job 6 weeks early due to no transportation. I've had to walk/bus around Logan since.

In October, my sister went through the temple for the first time to receive her temple endowments! She is currently in the process of graduating from BYU. That same weekend, we all attended the Sunday morning session of General Conference, which I may or may not have slept through.
I was assistant stage manager for USU's "Ah, Wilderness!" for the fall semester. I didn't know what stage managers did until then, so I needed the experience. It was humbling.

 

This is the first year of my life I've ever been excited about Christmas. I LOVE CHRISTMAS. I've been awaiting it for months. I think the change has had to do with me dealing with hard times and being grateful for all my joyful moments as well. I love Christmas lights at night and I love the fact that a Savior was born to this Earth and his given me a lot to learn and enjoy.
This picture's from 2013, but whatever.

The Redemptive Barenaked Ladies Blogpost

When I was 7 or 8 years old, I loved that one song on the radio about the Chinese chicken. From there, within a span of 10 years, we bought every Barenaked Ladies (aka "BnL") album ever released (and apparently still do, right Callie?). They were my favorite from age 8 to age 16. 

For all you people out there who like listening to different artists but don't care for going into weird underground crap, I guarantee you that diving into BnL is a safe, memorable, worthwhile experience. You will learn that they have storytelling skills. GREAT live show (from personal experience). Their unpopular stuff is often better than the singles. They are very diverse/talented musicians. And Steve Page has THE VOICE OF AN ANGEL. 

(watch video of him nailing 'O Holy Night' below)  

:(

In the past few years, the band has faded and my music taste is a million miles away (heartless towards past favorite "One Week"). Steven Page got in trouble with cocaine and left the band. Their next album sucked. 2013's Grinning Streak sucked less, but dang, I miss Steve.
I write this post out of redemption. Both for the band and for myself. I still look back at all their music in fondness and reminiscence. But most of my siblings think I'm a jerk when it comes to music taste. But here I claim that there is still some goodness in BnL. I now redeem both my critical attitude toward the band and redeem the band's career with this list of great/my favorite BnL songs!

Canada X10

Pre-list notes:
--My favorite Bnl albums: #1 Gordon (1992) #2 Maroon (2000) #3 I don't really care...
--Honorable mention: "Easy," "Bull in a China Shop," "I Can I Will I Do," "Jane"
--The top of this list is basically the Steve show.
--OK, screw it, I still secretly love Gordon.

**MY 25 FAVORITE BARENAKED LADIES SONGS**

#25 "Something You'll Never Find" Indiana, bandannas, bananas... cue the trumpet.
#24 "Helicopters" The story is totally fake, but it's really cool.
#23 "Sound Of Your Voice" Better than most new Weezer songs. + GREAT video.
#22 "Enid" Great horns section.
#21 "Pinch Me" I think they just made this song for money. But it definitely worked. + Cool outro.
#20 "War On Drugs" We had no idea how literal this song was when we heard it, did we?
#19 "Hello City" Ah, the swingin' sounds of Gordon! I wish the band stuck with that.
#18 "Straw Hat And Old Dirty Hank" Great fiddle playing + Cheeky stalker story = Clinches the list.
#17 "Light Up My Room" A suburban boy's love song with random imagery.
#16 "Testing 1, 2, 3" Thank goodness "Another Postcard' wasn't this album's only single, good grief...
#15 "Off The Hook" Great storytelling. And very sad. The production and themes of Maroon shine here. Affairs. Bloopy keyboards. Catchy. Cool finalizing guitar part.  
#14 "Lovers In A Dangerous Time" Any of y'all heard the original Bruce Cockburn version of this song? It's good! And BnL's cover takes a near-opposite approach. 
#13 "The Flag" I love the cello here. Beautiful, freaking depressing song.
#12 "The Old Apartment" The band's first US top-100 hit! Great riff; near-classic. Cool story to boot. And of course... Steve... 
#11 "Break Your Heart" So the lyrics here are pretty stupid. But you gotta love that sax part! And Steven's vocal work on the climax is probably his all-time best. 
#10 "Falling For The First Time" Maroon had energy. Ed's songwriting isn't always my favorite, but this is a lyrically cute love song with some instrumental chops. 
#9 "When I Fall" A love song where a businessman ponders death. My kinda music.
#8 "Wrap Your Arms Around Me" Great track. Do not dis this track.
#7 "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/We Three Kings" (w/ Sarah McLachlan) F'REAL THO.
#6 "Serendipity" Kevin only wrote a few songs for the band and I loved them all. This particular one has this very basic, alt-rock, joyful, summertime, nostalgic feel to it. Cool outro to boot.
#5 "Call And Answer" Beautiful song. Excellent lyrics. Great 90s alt-rock guitars. Love the piano, too. "REBUILD! REBUILD!" 
#4 "What A Good Boy" Possibly BnL's greatest lyrical triumph. This one still gives me the chills. I guess it's just a self-loathing love song, but dang, it's a good one.
#3 "Too Little Too Late" The band's best album opener. An excellent power pop riff. Heavy hand claps. A lyrical response to the band's unfortunate road to mainstream success. Yes boys, even now, you can be taken seriously.
#2 "If I Had $1,000,000" Here we have the band's comedy they'd carry with them the rest of their career at its best. Everyone knows the words. An All-Canadian Classic. + "Dijon ketchup" should be a thing.
#1 "Brian Wilson" The Barenaked Ladies are not just some band that crank out jokes to 4-chords, OK? This song has some humor in it. It also has some darkness. It's about an artist whose miles ahead of them. But for a few minutes here, they come close. A worthy, unique tribute.

Always.

"Of Death & Panera Bread": My Favorite Music of 2014!

I highly recommend listening to this video as you read. If you don't like reading, you need to watch it.

Future Islands TV debut  on Letterman

2014 was interesting year in music. This was my first entire year with spotify, so I listened to everything and anything I wanted. I went to two Twilight Concert Series shows, one where Future Islands opened for Beck. They performed their perfect songwriter's single "Seasons (Waiting on You)" which was easily one of the year's best songs and I got to see their singer do the classic dance to it (see video above).
It's hard to say what my favorite song of the year was, but "Seasons" is up there alongside the jazz-rap-electronica-fusion masterpiece "Never Catch Me" by Flying Lotus (ft Kendrick Lamar). The two big singles from Ariel Pink went beyond my high expectations: "Put Your Number In My Phone" was in my head for months; a lyrically friendly and stupid reminder of crappy poetry that sensitive 14 year-old boys think of when they ask a girl for their number the first time. "Picture Me Gone" is a personal modernized eulogy for a man whose always been behind the times. I was also a fan of the copy+paste singles "Can't Do Without You" by Caribou and Spoon's "Do You."

Flying Lotus (ft Kendrick Lamar) "Never Catch Me" video

Anyways, I'm an albums guy. I've been adding up top 25 lists all year for songs and albums. Problem is, I don't listen to every album in the world and I only came up with 23 I loved a lot (although Beyonce, Future Islands and Schoolboy Q had respectable releases). As for my songs list, most every song on there were from albums I listened to a lot, so it seemed unfair (didn't like the new Timber Timbre record, but "Hot Dreams" is great track). This year's list approach is different.
My favorite albums of 2014 include:
Beck Morning Phase (sunny, folky, 70s singer-songwriting)
Dean Blunt Black Metal (really weird, psychedelic, storytelling song blips)
Aphex Twin Syro (well though-out electronica)
#20 A Sunny Day In Glaglow Sea When Absent (light, poppy shoegaze)
#19 Ought More Than Any Other Day (lo-fi prog rock with post-punk influences)
#18 Open Mike Eagle Dark Comedy (comical rap; smooth beats)
#17 Caribou Our Love (fun, dinky EDM)
#16 Have A Nice Life The Unnatural World (abrasive, heavy, gorgeous, lo-fi shoegaze)
#15 Todd Terje It's Album Time! (synth-driven disco with tropicalia and Quincy Jones pit-stops)
#14 Spoon They Want My Soul (shiny bare-bones rock'n'roll)
#13 Freddie Gibbs & Madlib Pinata (great sampling, great verses, expansive hip-hop flavors)
#12 Perfume Genius Too Bright (piano ballads and assorted Bowie-esque flamboyance)
#11 St. Vincent St. Vincent (kinky pop and zany guitars)
#10 Grouper Ruins (whispers)
#9 Thee Silver Mt. Zion F*** Off Get Free We Pour Light On Everything (epic Canadian indie)
#8 Flying Lotus You're Dead! (an accessible, modern Bitches Brew... about death)
(my top 7 deserve some extra press...I have a hard time finding any fault in these albums)
#7 Ariel Pink pom pom

Ariel Pink used to be some underground hero that I never listened to or heard of. Since 2010, indie followers can't escape his name. So he comes out with pom pom in 2014. Looks terrible. The singles border between terrible and genius. I assure you, the entire album walks the same border. It's his most refined work yet and it still sounds hokey. This album is long and has lots of Zappa-esque moments. A guy who sings tracks like "Dinosaur Carebears," "Jell-O" and "Exile on Frog Street" can't be taken seriously. But "Not Enough Violence" and "Picture Me Gone" change that tone. "Put Your Number In My Phone" and "One Summer Night" is a cute combo. Both in and out of the studio, the guy's just jokin' around.

#6 FKA Twigs LP1

This album surprised me. I heard her material from last year and it just kinda sounded like someone quietly moaning over echoed beats. This isn't R&B! LP1, however, is. It's arguably the most innovative album released in the "alternative R&B" movement. The production is intense and technical. The hooks bounce between soulful and jerky. The instrumentation is colorful. The rhythms are industrial and experimental. The lyrics are about... sex? This is where the album's true mystery lies. The answer is "yes" on "Two Weeks." But others: "When I trust you we can do it with the lights on." "I came here to get closer." "So lonely trying to be yours." Creativity, mystery and ingenuity combines at last.

#5 The War On Drugs Lost In The Dream

I'm going to talk about Kurt Vile. I love that guy. Wakin' On A Pretty Daze was one of my favorite 203 albums. It was pretty. Kurt's former/rival band covers a missing base from Kurt's field of songwriting: Power. I must admit, I prefer Kurt's lyrical personality and acoustic guitar tone. But Lost In The Dream's best songs are hot and passionate: "Burning," "An Ocean In Between The Waves," "Red Eyes," "Under The Pressure." And yes, even the slower songs here are lovable. Here we have a character trying to find himself amid 80s songwriter instrumentation and ambient synth layovers. While the faux-indie kids are making stupid synthpop songs and wearing faddy sunglasses, this album is full of age and wisdom.

#4 Run The Jewels Run the Jewels 2

El-P and Killer Mike are two 39-year-old rappers. Most rapper's careers or talent will die off by age 27. They officially teamed up as Run the Jewels in 2013. What could possibly go right? Well, these guys actually believe they are the best rap duo alive. Mike and El share equal ground here. So for their sequel, they amplify the message: Being a thug is fun. Only if you're the one running the jewels. Everyone else is a (ahem) "f***boy." But everyone's invited to run the jewels. Girls rap about sexual dominance. Kids chant demanding respect. Zach de la Rocha rises from the dead. They enshrine the golden principles that have influenced rebellious children for years: LIE. CHEAT. STEAL.

#3 Swans To Be Kind

Wait- didn't Swans just release a scary, grandiose double album 2 years ago? The Seer, 2012? Doesn't To Be Kind just rip off of that?
No. With 5 tracks on each disc, this album treats each individual song as a monument. The topics aren't the Second Coming or being a lunatic. They sing about the sun, eternal love, oxygen, Howlin' Wolf, things we do, etc. Which makes this even scarier for me. The dynamic volume in tribute to everyday things is discomforting. Michael Gira's vocal delivery is ridiculous (from squeaking  "I'm just a little boy" to yelling "Your name is f***!"). This album is a symbol of your doom. And oh yeah- Album Cover Of The Year.

#2 Iceage Plowing Into the Field of Love

I don't know where to place this album. Anywhere from #1 to #7 seems appropriate. I remember hearing this for the first time after a long day of constructing and painting a sci-fi toy gun for my props class. It was raining. I was cranky. This hit the spot. Iceage's 2 previous albums contained 2 minutes punk-outs about negativity. This album is a 48-minute post-punk adventure about isolation and alcoholism. Elias Bender Ronnenfelt discovers his own vocal personality, not just and 80s goth-rock impersonator. The bass is staggering. The guitars crunch and slide. The extra instrumentation scattered throughout is marvelous. The lyrics are poetic and dark. "Whatever I do, I don't repent. I keep pissing against the moon."

#1 Sun Kil Moon Benji 

Mark Kozelek has told so many stories in his 47-year life, you think you've heard them all. Here we have one of the greatest storyteller albums of all time. Everything is deep and personal. The dark complexity of romantic relationships. The fear of death. The beauty of life all around you. Telling your mom and dad how much you love them. Seeing people who used to be unknown grow into stars (whether it's for murdering people or being the singer for The Postal Service). Giving Panera Bread to 70-something year olds who are destined for prison. Your dad's flirting issues with the girls at Panera Bread. Remembering movies you watched when you were younger. The death of family members and friends. The mentally handicapped girl down the road. Everybody deserves a song. On Benji, everybody gets one. 

Sun Kil Moon: "I Watched The Film The Song Remains The Same"