A year in retrospect (or my poor excuse to write a 'Best of 2011' music post)

I've moved three times in the last eleven months – DC, Austin, Chicago – and each brings with it some fond music nostalgia. Combined with it being that time of the year for 'Best of 2011' type posts, thus, a 'Best of 2011' blog is born.

Part 1: DC, or how I learned to stop worrying and love the politicos

First, a National Mall/North East Capitol Hill/U st./National Gallery of Art/Lucky Bar/Ben's Chili Bowl/Tryst/9:30 Club/Cherry Blossom Festival/Teddy Roosevelt Island/Prime Meridian Hill-shout out, wha-what!

In the DC phase of this year, I was really into singles, especially ones that made me want to hop around and dance during my morning commutes on the Metro. Sadly, this sort of thing is frowned upon in DC (but all the more reason to do it, in my opinion).

"Animal" - Miike Snow


"Lost in the World" - Kanye West (Feat. Bon Iver)


Part 2: The Lone Star State Strikes Back

First, a Zilker Park/Sonic/Highland Mall/Trivia Night/Spider House/Magnolia Cafe/Barbarella's/Amayas/6th St-shout out, wha-what!

Oh, Austin. I specifically remember riding out one of the worst droughts in Texas history driving in my dad's car with failing AC listening to tUnE-yArDs and public radio. I still get a bit sweaty thinking about how hot that summer was.

"Powa" - tUnE-yArDs


"Kid Logic" - This American Life


Part 3: Is it pronounced Chi-cago or Shi-cago?

First, a Willis Tower/Lincoln Hall/Second City/Deep Dish/Promontory Point/Art Institue/Bourgeois Pig/Fisher Building/Dinkel's Bakery-shout out, wha what!

I've been absorbing as much of the midwest culture as I can. Sufjan is the best example of a muscian who obesses over writing songs about a geographic location, the culmination of this being 'Come on! Feel the Illinoise!' From the album alone, I have enough knowledge about the state to pass a grade school Illinoise history exam, this summarized in the sentence, 'Stephen A. Douglas was a great debater, but Abraham Lincoln was the great emancipator.' Love it.

"Jacksonville" - Sufjan Stevens (filmed at ACL - my Austin and Chicago worlds collide)


"The Tallest Man, the Broadest Shoulders" - Sufjan Stevens


2011, it's been a pleasure, an absolute pleasure.

See you next year, folks!

Holiday Hypocrisy

I suppose it's officially time to admit that the holiday season is in full swing and that Christmas is upsettingly soon. In keeping with the season, I'm sharing a little bit of both the Grinch and Cindy Lou Who sides of my inner music critic. (Awwwr.)

First, GRINCH: the times when my deeply cynical, sarcastic, Seinfeldian streak makes itself known. During these moments, I'm usually just chillin', listening to the radio while I roll out pastry dough for my latest fattening holiday pie, and BOOM. One of those awful, cutesy songs pops on and ruins my retro-domestic good mood. If you don't know what I mean, chances are you're a normal, well-adjusted person. Congrats!

Well, norms, if you're curious what it's like on the dark side, here are a few examples.

Michael Franti - "Sound of Sunshine"

Grinch Tilly says: Put on some shoes, asshole. For real.

Bruno Mars - "The Lazy Song"

Grinch Tilly says: As charming as shoving your hand down your pants is, I would appreciate you truly committing to this lifestyle of never leaving your house. Like, ever again.

Train - "Hey Soul Sister"

...and I feel compelled to include the equally repugnant "Marry Me"

Grinch Tilly says: All I want for Christmas is for Train to realize they're over 40 and go away.

BUT WAIT - the plot thickens! ...I am a gigantic hypocrite. I listen to some seriously fluffy music of which Ms. Lou Who herself might approve. Observe:

She & Him - "In The Sun"

Tilly Lou Who says: I think she would really appreciate my penchant for holiday pie baking. (Also I may or may not be obsessed with Zooey Deschanel. You know how it is.)

Aaaand sometimes I just like to get my estrogen on. You know, Moulin Rouge style.
"Elephant Love Medley"

Tilly Lou Who says: What do you do when you can't decide between the cheesiest, sappiest love songs of all time? LISTEN TO ALL OF THEM AT ONCE.

Ok. Let's get real. Here's the lamest, sappiest skeleton in my musical closet: DA BIEBZ. (Like you didn't see this one coming.) Here's a LUDA-cris (har har har) holiday single of his.

"Mistletoe"

Tilly Lou Who says: It's like candy for your brain. You know, if candy could have an illegitimate babymakin' scandal.

It must be this same cotton-candy quality that makes such songs irresistible to residents of Whoville and beyond; it's an escape, a way to turn off your higher brain function and succumb to the sweet, foot-tappin' grooves of muzak-al oblivion.

Would you look at that? I suppose I've finally reached my peace with the "Hey Soul Sister"-s of the world. IT'S A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE YOU GUYS.

On that note, enjoy the holiday buzz and whatever terrible songs make you happy this time of year.

Tilly

2G1K Reunion - Deep Dish style

A little over a year ago, the 2G1K gurlz traveled across the East coast for a long-awaited rendez-vous in New York City. From there we headed to DC for the Rally to Restore Sanity (or Keep Fear Alive, depending on which side of the aisle you stand). Despite getting to the rally late, not actually being able to see/hear a thing in the crowd, and eventually taking refuge in the Museum of Natural History's food court, it was a jolly good time.

FLASH FORWARD a year later - 2G1K reunion in Chicago!



We wined, we dined, we...wined again. Tilly saw Thom's new life in the Windy City; and what a life it is! L trains are pretty neat. You know what else is neat?

ADORKABLE ENGLISH BANDS. Like Metronomy. Yeah, we saw them in Chi-town. It was awesome. Even more awesome than our initial discovery of this English gem at SXSW back in 2007 (seriously, 2007!!), where we saw the original all-synth, three-man band make a push-button light show.

[Archival photo-documentation.]

Nowadays, with a new lineup (and more instruments!), Metronomy puts on a great show - lights included!



Tired of 2g1k's permanent Metronomy-gasm? Well, then HOW DARE YOU.

...I suppose we could compromise by recommending Metronomy's opening act to you: Class Actress. Hailing from Brooklyn (don't they all?), this duo puts out dreamy, sultry synthpop that's definitely worth a listen.

Class Actress - "Journal of Ardency"


Class Actress - "Keep You"


Experiencing life in a new city, seeing the sites and going to a good show.

Now that's classic 2G1K.

City of the Winds

Dearest Tilly,

The moment you returned from the New Yorke, I was uprooted by a powerful gust and sent to the City of the Winds. This city is much different than my life in The District or even our hometown in the great Lone Star state. It is a place of grit and grime. It is a place of wires that go on for miles, lights that fill the night, and buildings that kiss the sky. Chicago – city of the damned it is, and it is in this damned city that I now take residence.

My daily life is nothing of the norm that it once was. The people I surround myself with are the seediest creatures of human life; from iron mill workers to bootleggers to social media experts, I find myself in the company of a surly bunch. The following video is an accurate portrayal of the life I now live.



After exhausting days of labor, the only thing one can do in this place is to go to the streets and let the music revive your withered soul. Music pulses through the veins of these Chi-town cats. It is the kind of music that drags you out of bed at night, the kind your mother always warned you about. Well, maybe not your mother Tilly, but my mother certainly did. "Stay away from those vagabonds, those riff raff who associate with violins and guitars and keyboards and drums," she would say to me. "Nothing good will come of it."

She also warned me about the dangers of not doing your laundry on a regular basis and for this I am rather thankful.

But the music Tilly, the music. Here I am away from home, away from my mother and look at the creature I have become. The music has consumed me and I ain't never coming back, especially after hearing Chicago native Andrew Bird's sinful jazz compilations from his aptly named 'Bowl of Fire.'

"Depression-Pasillo" - Andrew Bird


"Shake It and Break It" - Preservation Hall Jazz Band & Andrew Bird


Complete smut! Heed my mother's warning and stay away from the city, Tilly, lest you lose your purity. It is too late for me.

Although, if you do happen to come to the city let's visit the Art Institute of Chicago.

As always, give your mother my regards.

Sincerely,
-Thomas

In the Windy City [insert narrative here]

I'm moving to Chicago soon [insert story of a girl from the hill country moving to the big city]. I've packed t-shirts and snowboots, my laptop and camera, and not much else. I'm not sure what to assume of my life in the windy city, but I look forward to whatever lies ahead [insert cliche personal discoveries, life changing decisions, lack of sleep].

I love the following examples for their representation of Chicago. First up, Wilco's "I am trying to break your heart." On its own, the video stands as a good introduction to Chicago aesthetics 101.



Next up, Ferris Bueller and The Beatles' "Twist and Shout." What suburban youth doesn't fantasize about their own Bueller-ticker-tape parade moment?



And of course Sufjan, how could I ever forget you (and Karen O?!).

"Maps to Chicago" - Sufjan Stevens vs. Yeah Yeah Yeahs



I'm ready for this place [insert Chicago, Windy City, Chi-town].

Tilly and Thom's Favorite Things - Hot & Sweaty Summer Edition

To say it is a little hot outside would be an understatement and so us 2G1K gurlz have some tunes to cool you down. So sit back, crank up the AC, pray for rain if you're Gov. Rick Perry, and get ready for some sweet songs to beat the heat.

Thom:

This summer has been the summer of tUnE-YarDs (or is it Tune Yards, or TuNe-yARDs, or TUNe-yARDS?). It is powerful, raw, fun fun stuff. The first song that got me going for Tune Yards is the song 'Bizness.'



The band's fantastic, ukulele-playing, leading lady Merrill Garbus has put a temporary rift in indie-music that does not promote some sort of dancing. Need more kinetic proof? Just listen to the seductive-slow-dance-to-the-point-that-it-is-kind-of-dirty inducing "Powa."

"Powa"


mmmph.


Tilly:

Mmmph, indeed! (Thom's on to something there.) But sometimes I want some music with a few more miles on it. Like, 35 years of miles, ya herd? I'm afraid modern indie kids don't often appreciate music older than themselves. Hopefully I'm wrong, but if not, here's a late great musician for homework:

Warren Zevon. He had macabre wit and impeccable songwriting skills, which created some of the best lyrics (and songs) of the 70s and beyond. The most successful of these songs was "Werewolves of London," from the 1978 album Excitable Boy. Enjoy the killer lines (pun intended!) and adorably hokey werewolf while watching the video below.

I saw a werewolf drinking a pina colada at Trader Vic's; his hair was PERFECT.



After a lifelong phobia and avoidance of doctors, Zevon was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer in 2002, but he took it in stride. During his final public performance, on David Letterman, he incited nervous but genuine laughter in the audience by declaring that he "may have made a tactical error in not going to a physician for 20 years" and that he was "reminded to enjoy every sandwich" in the face of his illness. He worked hard to finish recording The Wind, an impressive and collaborative album, before his death in 2003.

So kids, check out ol' Warren, and remember to enjoy every sandwich.

Until next time,
Tilly & Thom

Comebacks

Hello all!

I'm here to tell you about the grand return of Cold War Kids, Metronomy, Peter Bjorn and John, and (I daresay most importantly?) 2 GIRLS 1 KEYBOARD! We are going to stop being deadbeat 20-somethings and start writing more often. Starting now.

Cold War Kids: Mine is Yours


It's been 3 years since Loyalty to Loyalty, the most recent album from solid 2g1k favorites Cold War Kids, but it didn't make much of a splash back in '08. I've previously noted this lack of Cold War Kids goodness, but they have returned!

Mine is Yours is a new but really good sound for them. A little less Southern bluesy, a little more inspirational, a whole lotta catchy and pretty tunes! It's worked well for the band--they have gotten popular enough to make an appearance in little ol' Albany, NY at Tulipfest 2011, which I had the pleasure of attending. Look carefully below, and you'll see a great example of a native Albany college student in all his douchebaggery.



Here's a few of my favorite tracks, since oddly I've never loved the single which has made them so popular of late, "Louder than Ever."

"Finally Begin"


"Sensitive Kid"


***

Metronomy: The English Riviera


Metronomy, how we have missed you! Thom and I are pretty big fans. Thus the three year wait since Nights Out has been sad, but The English Riviera has arrived...and it's magical.

As with Cold War Kids, this album represents a newer, more refined sound for the band, but with very good reason--the departure of one of the original three band members and addition of two new ones! Gabriel Stebbing, or as I sometimes call him, "The Hot One," amicably left Metronomy, then Gbenga Adelekan became the new bassist and Anna Prior the new drummer. (GIRL DRUMMER FUCK YEAH.) See them below in the music vid!

"The Look" (showcasing the quintessential adorable Metronomy music video style)


"Everything Goes My Way"


***

Peter Bjorn and John: Gimme Some


Just like the sandwich, PB&J always satisfies. Though only two years after their great album Living Thing, Gimme Some is really refreshing. It brings back the upbeat, hypercatchy, quirky strangeness of their golden years, complete with endearingly imperfect English lyrics.

"All art has been contemporary, dig a little deeper"
...well said, young Swedes!

"Second Chance"


"Dig a Little Deeper"


Hopefully some of these songs strike your fancy! Stay tuned for a soon-to-come Favorite Things post from both of us.

Until next time,
Tilly

The Hero's Homecoming

Dearest Tilly,

I am home, I am home, I am home: what a wonderful thing to say. A magnificent thing to say. The best thing a person can say. Yes, there were points when I struggled during my time in The District and I even became frustrated with the prospects of returning home. But Hell, I made it Tilly. And it is great to be back.

After leaving your good company in The New Yorke, I arrived safely in Austin by aeroplane. As soon as I set foot off the vessel I heard cheering Tilly, cheering. All of the inhabitants of this great city were there to greet me with accolades and ‘hurrahs’ and warm loving embraces. It was a homecoming fit for a queen. It was the hero’s homecoming.

The crowd engulfed me as I got off the landing strip and into a motorcade; I was driven past the hill country, past Zilker Park, past Auditorium Shores; I was driven into the heart of the city, straight down Congress Avenue. A marching band proceeded ahead of me and tickertape fell from the sky. We surged ahead to the Capitol, and it was there that I met the Mayor. Wearing his top hat, monocle, and unwavering pride on his shoulder, he grasped my hand and placed something in my palm. It was a key, and not just any key, but a key to the city itself!

And then, a dirigible flew overhead and fireworks shot through the air. It was grand Tilly, absolutely grand; there is nothing in the world as beautiful as this city of ours. I celebrated in the streets with the inhabitants from dawn until dusk and right as the sun was going to bed, who should serenade me but those lovable ragamuffins and precious scamps - Weezer. They knew I had arrived and played a fanfare, a selected group of their songs and the entirety of the Pinkerton phonograph record.



Stay strong Tilly, for it is only a matter of time before you escape those cowardly Yankees and join me in Austin. I look forward to your return; Austin looks forward to your return.

As always, give your mother my regards.

Sincerely,
-Thomas

Austin - who needs that place?

I'm serious. I've lived there my entire life and now that I'm gone, I can proudly state I do not miss it. Not. One. Single. Bit.*



Let's start with the obvious: the heat. Saying it is hot three hundred and sixty four days out of the year is not a stretch. It permeates your very being. You just sweat and sweat and sweat everytime you go outside - and this is only in April. Just wait until that late-July/early-August heat saunters in. Your pores become a gelatinous oozing blob unless you take refuge in Barton Springs, which I do not miss at all. In comparison, it has not even broken eighty-five degrees in DC yet; this is what a real spring feels like. Yeah, that's right Austin. Seasons. You may have heard of them?

Another thing I don't miss about Austin is that void chunk of land the city seems to associate itself with called 'Texas.' Jeeze, just thinking about that place, like all of it (and there is certainly a lot of it), makes me glad to be out of there. If you want to go to another place it takes nearly an entire day of driving. In DC, I can go through two other states - just on my bike! And if I'm feeling really adventurous I can take a four hour trip and be in this little place you may heard of called New York City. If I spend the same amount of time driving in Texas I can get to Abilene. Woo hoo.

Really, Keep Austin Weird? I've heard that sooo many times. Let's just stop it already and grow up a little. The motto where I live now is Keep DC Straight-Laced, Obsessively-Heteronormative, and Moderate-to-Somewhat-"Wild" on the Weekends and people here like it like that! As soon as I got here I exchanged my skinny jeans for dress pants, ironic t-shirts for matching blazer and skirt power-suits. Haven't looked back since.

Sure there are things about Austin I miss, but that doesn't mean I haven't found replacements that are just as good. Take music for example: I absolutely love that stuff. In Austin I would go to shows all the time, spend all my money and lose my hearing. I had to buy earplugs because I saw too many shows. In DC I don’t have to worry about that, and now I have a new object of obsession in my life – sports. Sports sports sports sports sports. That’s all people talk about here, all the time. Sports teams from the East coast to be exact. Never has caring about sports teams from Virginia played such an active role in my life. Honest to God, Virginia. Luckily, I really like sports. Otherwise, that stuff would get real old, real fast.

Here are some bands that are from Austin and are OK, I guess. Although, I’d recommend this great native DC band called Good Charlotte. If you think bands from Austin are good, these Good Charlotte folks are going to knock you out of the ballpark. See that? I made a sports reference.







"That's the Way We Get By" - Spoon


"A Stone" - Okkervil River


"Introduction" - Voxtrot




*I lied. I really really really miss Austin but can’t afford a plane ticket home. I miss the heat – it is still like forty degrees here. I don’t think it will ever be warm again and I’m freakishly pale. Also, Texas is a beautiful state and the people are welcoming and friendly there. And I miss Austin’s weirdness, I do I do I do; you don’t realize the things you take for granted back home. Finally, I absolutely despise sports, especially teams from Virginia. People here overlook the fact that collegiate-level sports detract substantial resources and time from academic institutions and give athletes biased and preferential treatment, while condoning inappropriate and sometimes criminal activities they commit outside of athletics.

And Good Charlotte? Really DC?

NXNE

Living in the frigid north instead of my sweet, hipstamatic hometown of ATX has a few hidden benefits. Oddly enough, a really good radio station is one of them.

Don't get me wrong, 102.7 WEQX FM is not perfect, but good LORD is it great. Austin is somehow both overrun with musically talented hipsterfolk AND lacking in a single, all-purpose radio station which caters to them (within which I humbly count Thomas and myself). Ridic!

So today I bring you a few gems which this rad upstate NY station has played in the last week (FYI: "rad upstate NY"? generally an oxymoron). My douchey alter ego would also like me to point out that I discovered these songs before I heard them on the radio. OK guys? I found them first.




Fitz & the Tantrums - "Moneygrabber"
A super stylin' motown-revival soul band. I'm including their performance on Conan's new show so you can see singer Noelle Scaggs' TOTALLY RADICAL DRESS. I want to go to there.




Puscifer - "The Mission"
Milla Jovovich, whatchoo doin' gurl? Oh, being a super badass singer? OK then. Proceed.






Two Door Cinema Club - "What You Know"
These electro-indie Irishmen are absolutely presh. I want to squeeze the singer's rosy little manchild cheeks, don't you? (The bassist is another story altogether. I'll have one of those to go, please. Mmm!) Anyway, TDCC is getting a lot of attention right now, especially having just rounded out their tour with the glory of Austin that is SXSW. Join the [dance] party!




*BONUS VIDEO! After watching "What You Know," notice anything similar to Metronomy's "Radio Ladio" video?! I did! In both vids: awkward Great Britons awkwardly playing music while being awkwardly surrounded by primary-color-clad hipster-chic girl(s). In terms of suaveness, the winner of this bout must be Metronomy, alas - TDCC, next time, avoid the contrived kiss on the cheek from the music video dancers, eh?

Enjoy whatever you're listening to these days, my friends. Hopefully some of these great bands will make it into the rotation.

Tootles,
Tilly

The sparrow has hit the window

Dearest Tilly,

This message must be read by you and only you. It is of utmost importance that its contests not be leaked, and that no one else be able to understand its coding. I repeat now what I once told you, should a situation like this arise: the sparrow has hit the window. May God help us all.

I am unable to give you specific details about my location at this time. Doing so would compromise an entity far greater than anything else in this nation of ours. All I can tell you is the jungle cat has left its perch in the eucalyptus tree. And it is cold on the jungle floor. Very, very cold. This jungle cat might need to buy more lotion because its paws are getting chapped.

What work brings me here? My mother once told me the story of a man named Atlas, a man who carries the Heavens on his back. The greatest minds, the purest truths, concepts we call love and euphoria - all of these things rest on the shoulders of this great man. Well, sometimes Atlas needs a cup of coffee or for papers to be filed and so a noble fledgling must do it for him. A person so pure and humble that they do this work for long periods of time and for no pay. I am that noble fledgling.

The earth is beginning its orbit towards the sun, and with it I look forward to your arrival in this place. We will meet at the third largest rotunda when the sun is at 68 degrees in relation to its crest - then and only then. Come too soon, and I will not be there. Come too late, and the consequences will be so dire I cannot list them here. Well, I don't really like to wait around. That is it.

As always, give your mother my regards; however, please do so through self-destructing stationary.

Sincerely,
-Thomas

"The Bagman's Gambit" - The Decemberists

In their own words

I'm shallow. For realio. For all my weak faux-hipster guises, I know after listening to the first 15 seconds of a song if it's going to be my next obsession of the week, lyrics and all that meaningful shit be DAMNED.

But sometimes, my instincts are spot on! Songs that sound rad in 15 seconds turn out to be totally effing rad the whole way though. It's almost like talented musicians got together and, like, thought about it or something. Those creators of awesome hooks also seem to be good at words too, or at least enough to please me (which may not be saying much).

EXEMPLARY EXAMPLES! (You are most welcome!)

Let's start with DORKY lines and make our way towards SUPER BADASS lines.



"all i want is a DeLorean"
robyn, time machine






"you in your kerchief, and me in my hat, we can settle down for an afternoon nap"
the features, the idea of growing old






"i need you to go down to the slurpee station...and get me a DRANK"
ghostland observatory, codename rondo




"modern science, i put my faith in your capable brains"
the black and white years, to modern science






"they seem wild but they are so tame"
arcade fire, rococo






"yeah, all the white girls trip when i sing at sunday service"
the dead weather, blue blood blues




Lurve,
Tilly

P.S.: This is time capsule from 2010 because I wrote it so long ago and was too lazy to post (ergo the staleness of the music choices).

Karen O is cool

You're at a party. Karen O is there too. It is at one of those houses on the east side that is trendy among young people, but you are fine with your place on the north side. Great parking though if you lived on the east. You still have not found anyone to talk to so you inspect the decorations on the wall and the magnets on the fridge. There is a postcard from Cancun. Karen O says something in the corner and the party guests laugh. You wonder what it was about. Probably something cool.

You pace around the party. You want to talk to Karen O but she is surrounded by that art-school/east-coast type who complain and smoke and smoke and complain. You know she is not like that but you are still afraid to start a conversation with her.

You check your watch and then go into the kitchen to make yourself a drink. A sprite/cranberry juice/vodka concoction. Not very cool.

"Hey, [insert your name]." It is Karen O. "Pass me a Shiner." You do. She opens the drink without a bottle opener and you take a sip of your drink. It is too strong.

"Is that your scooter out there?" You are caught off guard. Most people call it a moped even though it is not and you do your best never to correct them, but mopeds are under 50cc; your scooter certainly is not. You answer yes.

"What kind of gas mileage do you get with it?" You explain to her that you get about 60 miles per gallon, although you never check too closely. Either way, you only spend about two dollars to fill it up and that you do know.

"Wow. That's cool."

Karen O takes a sip of her beer. Her friends call for her. "Nice talking with you." She walks away.

You take another sip of your drink. It is still too strong.

Karen O is cool.


"Let Me Know" - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

"Heads Will Roll" - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

To Tilly, wherever you are

Dearest Tilly,

I'm not sure whether or not you will get this message, for the carrier pigeon I attached it to was showing signs of fatigue. I can only hope that the sprightly creature will make its way northward without being consumed by a large gust of wind or house cat.

I hope your travels to The New Yorke were successful, and that you find yourself now in good health. I can only imagine that your apprenticeship at the Center for Control of Maladies and Other Indispositions has you performing rigorous duties. Make sure to keep stock of leeches and chamomile. And if all else fails in your attempts to control the dark spirits, remember my kind advice - fire, lots of it.

Currently, I find myself safely stationed in a nearly impenetrable fort, also known as my parent's house. My own quest for an apprenticeship has not been favorable, but I have not lost hope. I even have some free time now, and have taken up leisurely activities like botany and taking pictures of Nala, my closest companion.









Although things have been well for me, I can not say the same about the rest of our comrades. Our numbers are dwindling. Just last week one of us was banished to work in the labor camps of the USSR. I have yet to hear contact from her, so I am assuming all hope is lost. The rest are in fairly good condition, but as the months grow colder, I feel that they will be lost to the nearby academic institution.

If I do not receive word from you, I will not worry. My only fear is that as this letter makes its way northward, it will be lost in the bureaucracy of the liberal Yankees that you now find company with. Stay strong Tilly, and so will I.

As always, give your mother my regards.

Sincerely,
-Thomas

Biebertime!

Justin Bieber: pre-pubescent Canadian teeny-bopper pop sensation. AKA: Bieber, Biebs, The Bieb, J-Biebz, Biebasaurus, etc. (OK maybe the last one is just what I call him.)

Bieber fever has swept the nation and it now sweeps 2g1k!! Sort of. Let me 'splain.

First, we have The Biebs and his silly sugary-pop song "Baby." In the video seen below, Biebs romances a girl who looks at least 5 years older than him--guy/girl dance-off included!!!1!11!! omg like wow. Watch any other Biebvids, and then you'll see this is a steady, creepy trend.



And then we have "Heartbreaker" by other (superior) Canadians MSTRKRFT (which consists of one half of the former Death from Above 1979), which rocks fo sho. It really helps that John Effing Legend sings! That guy is magical. Check out the video below:



...But what do you get if you put these two together?!?! Something FAR better than "Baby" and as fun as "Heartbreaker," thanks to DJ CJ Milli! It sounds like what "Baby" should be to be an interesting song. Great for ironic hipster dance jammin'!!

"Heartbreaker/Baby" - Justin Bieber vs. MSTRKRFT, CJ Milli Mix

Finally, here is another example of what happens when Tilly has too much time and access to the interwebs and MS Paint. Enjoy, Bieberluvvers!!



Love,
Tills

New Wave, New and Old

I've always been sure that I would have made a totally radical 80s teenager. I would have been wearing an off-the-shoulder turquoise sweater over a pink leotard, leg warmers, and a puffy side ponytail, and jammin' out to Depeche Mode, Talking Heads, Devo, and probably a good helping of Pat Benatar and Nena. I just know it.

I may have missed out on that opportunity, but I sure as hell won't let it stop me from being bitchin' now! So I've prepared for you a little smattering of some of my favorite New Wave-y tunes, as well as some modern descendants of the synthesizing gods of old.

Witness the synthy wonder that is New Order! Seriously New Wave. Seriously awesome.
"Bizarre Love Triangle" - New Order


Oh, Gary, honey--you are safest in your car. It's ok.

And speaking of cars...how about The Cars? Yes please!
"Just What I Needed" - The Cars

Aaaand THE SAFETY DANCE cannot be forgotten! They just don't make music videos with medieval dancing midgets like they used to, huh?



*******************************************************

In the good old 2000s/2010s, we have a different style going on, but some bands admirably carry on the sounds of the 80s.

Thom and I got to see We Have Band back at SXSW '09, when they only had demos. Their recently released album WHB demonstrates their love for catchy, bold, synthy songs--and for making crazy cool music videos!



In the vein of Cut Copy, fellow Aussie band Van She makes some great stuff with a mix of 80s fabulosity and modern style. I'm giving you this song in particular because it's great, and was OBVIOUSLY written for me because there are no other Kellys in the world.
"Kelly" - Van She

But I think Austin's own Built By Snow takes the 80s cake. They embrace all things 80s and video-game-nerdy with a passion that rivals the 80s itself!



Keep the 80s alive! Love,
Tilly

(OH and my 80s alter ego would also have been Ferris Bueller's girlfriend. Really.)

Nerds make the best music

Most of you must have noticed the influx of insanity that is SXSW over this last week! Austinites said "Hello!" to a plethora of pretentious Brooklyn hipsters wearing all black (isn't the world over that yet?!), to which the hipsters replied, "Fuck you." Ahh, tourists.

But thankfully awesome music and free food/drinks were just as plentiful as the hipsters, and Thom and I partook as best we could. I was hindered by my minor-ness and couldn't get into the venues or enjoy the free beer that Thom could...and so I would like to formally apologize here to Thom for my 21st birthday being but two weeks away. Will you ever forgive me? :(



Of the free shows we did see, one of the best was from one of Austin's very own bands, the 80s-nerd-fabulous Built by Snow. We have blogged about them before, over a year ago. And not once had we seen them until now! Oh the shame.

We totally made up for it since they absolutely rocked the robot socks off of Fado Irish Pub on Friday night! After announcing themselves to hail from Tokyo, Japan, they played some catchy tunes from their most recent release, Mega, and a couple of experimental new ones. When the small crowd cheered them one for "one! more! song!", they returned to kick ass with Devo's "Girl U Want." They were nerdy, hilarious, and fun, and they have earned a 2g1k stamp of approval for all-around awesomeness.

"Something in 3D" - Built by Snow
"All the Weird Kids Know" - Built by Snow

As Thom and I get back to SKOOL this week we'll be posting here about our other SXSW experiences, including bands like:

-Neon Indian
-Memory Tapes
-Dam Funk
-The xx
-We Are Scientists
-She & Him

And other adventures like:

-Mildly famous people sightings
-Window cats
-Tripped out LSD guy

Stay tuned and keep rockin'!

Blast from the [recent] past

Hey kids,

Tilly here. As we haven't posted in a bit, I thought I'd share with anyone who stopped by 2g1k a little of what I've been enjoying lately. Interestingly enough, the songs I've been enjoying lately are not so new, but not so old either.

I'm ashamed to admit it, but I have to indirectly thank the Twilight sequel New Moon for the discovery of this first song. Terrible movie, terrible acting, but with a fantastic soundtrack. One of the songs was a compilation between St. Vincent and Bon Iver, which I've posted in the past. If not for that song, I might never have discovered Bon Iver's music in general, and I'm so glad I have now. Here's a beautiful sample of the album released in '08, For Emma, Forever Ago.

"Skinny Love" - Bon Iver



Also, I've been simultaneously jamming to a very different flavor of music...the danceable wonder that is Of Montreal! I knew they'd released a new album in 2008 (called Skeletal Lamping), but I never got my shiz together and checked it out. A couple nights ago I heard the unmistakable bass line that could only mean Of Montreal, and realized what I'd been missing. Here ya go!

"Gallery Piece" - Of Montreal



Happy music hunting to one and all!

Love,
Tilly

December, Part One: Chillin'

Well, hello there, gentle readers! I hope you've been enjoying the cessation of finals since we last spoke--I know I am.

...But wait, there's even more to celebrate! That would be the fun that is the scarf, Snuggie, and Christmas season. What could be better? December is a cool month in so many ways. As it gets cold and I have to find all my warm clothes in the back of my closet, I enjoy shifting my music along with the season.

As wonderful as it is, I don't listen to Christmas music exclusively for an entire month (though I often contemplate it). My other music tends to be cool in a less literal, more modern way. I love to enjoy the cold weather (and five minutes of snow in Austin!) while listening to some contemplative, creative, and beautiful music like this. For each song I've given a little intro as to why I find it so captivating. Feel free to comment with your opinions on the songs, and what songs you are inspired by in this weather!



"Unison" - Bjork
It builds from a very calm start to a lovely crescendo of Bjork's signature strange, interweaving voice and loops of beats and sound. It's delicate and interesting, just like its Vespertine album cover you see above.

"The District Sleeps Alone Tonight" - The Postal Service
A classic chill-out tune. To younguns like us, it can almost be considered vintage indie-pop, and that makes it even more thought-provoking!



"All I Need" - Radiohead
This song makes me melt! I nearly did when Thom (blogger Thom) and I were lucky enough to see the real Thom (Thom Yorke) & Co. in Houston and they played it. It's so romantic and sweet, which is almost odd coming from Radiohead.

"The Maker Makes" - Rufus Wainwright
This song has a bit of an unfair advantage compared to the others; it is from the Brokeback Mountain soundtrack. Brokeback Mountain, though extensively made fun of, is one of the best and most heartbreaking movies I've ever seen. This connection, as well as the simplistic beauty of the piano and Rufus's voice make it one of those songs that I have to stop and absorb when it comes on shuffle.

"We Might As Well Be Strangers" - Keane
I could have posted almost every Keane song on this entry and it would fit, but this one is particularly poignant and pretty. The boys of Keane always hit the mark--catchy but with substance and composition. Love 'em!



"Lisztomania" - Phoenix
Phoenix has a really great ability to combine fun, poppy sounds with interesting and charming songwriting. The video for "Lisztomania" showcases their wide-eyed fascination with the centuries-old roots and aging relics of their native Versailles. This is a great studying-art-history song, I've learned from experience...it really makes you think about history.

"Roslyn" - Bon Iver and St. Vincent
"Roslyn" is a beautiful end note to my winter playlist, because its ethereal, haunting, folk-infused harmonies linger well after the song is over. Good luck trying to match it with your own voice, though--I've tried many times unsuccessfully, though had great fun doing it.

Keep listening to whatever you love! It's why we blog and it's why you read our blog, right? Have fun.

Love,
Tilly

December, Part Two: 'Tis the Season

This time of year, I love to listen to warm-and-fuzzy Christmas music, especially the songs that I remember hearing all the time as a kid. Putting up the perty fake tree and baking scrumptious blackberry tarts just aren't the same without Silent Night in the background. Of course, I don't if everyone listens to a Boyz II Men version like me...but now they can! It's a capella and pretty much the best thing that has come out of the silly R&B 90's boy band trend.

"Silent Night" - Boys II Men

And we can't forget some old classics, like Blue Christmas and The Chipmunk Song. Who doesn't love The King and Alvin?!

"Blue Christmas" - Elvis Presley
"The Chipmunk Song" - Alvin and the Chipmunks

As we get further into the Christmas season, I hope all of you lovely readers are enjoying yourselves and spending time doing whatever you love to do. I will be decorating the humble Tilly n' Thom abode, baking, and being an all-around June Cleaver stereotype--minus the husband-obedience.

Merry Christmas!!

Love, Tilly