Playlist: For a Breakup

We've all been there. Heartache, sadness, anger, spite, denial, loss of self-esteem. Break-ups suck, and the only thing that makes it better is TIME. Shit. A break-up is like a personal attack, any way you slice it, right? You're not wanted. You weren't chosen. You're alone.

Music helps, I promise. Some of my playlist:

Less Than Jake - "Great American Sharpshooter" - Hello Rockview (Capitol, 1996)

Unwritten Law - “Save Me” - Here’s to the Mourning (Lava, 2005)

Jimmy Eat World - "Gotta Be Somebody's Blues" - Chase This Light (Interscope, 2007)

From Good Homes - “Go Wild” (live from the Wellmont Theater, Morristown, NJ, 2010)

From Good Homes - “I am a Mess” (live from the Wellmont Theater, Morristown, NJ, 2010)

From Good Homes - “Drivin & Cryin’” (live from Community Theater, Morristown, NJ, 1996)

From Good Homes - “Relationships are Strange” (live from Community Theater, Morristown, NJ, 1996)

The Police - “So Lonely” - Outlandos d’Amour (A&M, 1978)

The Police - “The Bed’s Too Big Without You” - Regatta de Blanc (A&M, 1979)

Maroon 5 - “Makes Me Wonder” - It Won’t be Soon Before Long (A&M/Octane, 2007)

Alice in Chains - “Angry Chair” - Dirt (Columbia, 1992)

Radiohead - “Creep” - Pablo Honey (Parlophone/Capitol, 1993)

Radiohead - “Climbing Up the Walls” - OK Computer (Parlophone/Capitol, 1997)

Pearl Jam - “W.M.A.” - Vs. (Epic, 1993)

Grateful Dead - “Next Time You See Me” - Ladies and Gentlmen... The Grateful Dead: Live at the Fillmore East, NYC (Grateful Dead/Arista, 2000)

Linkin Park - “When They Come for Me” - A Thousand Suns (Warner Bros., 2010)

Incubus - “The Warmth” Make Yourself (Epic, 1999)

Florence + the Machine - "Heavy in Your Arms" - The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (Chop Shop/Atlantic, 2010)

Reel Big Fish - “Beer” - Turn The Radio Off (Mojo/Jive, 1996)

Amy Winehouse - “You Know I’m No Good” - Back to Black (Island, 2006)

Led Zeppelin - “Gallows Pole” - Led Zeppelin III (Atlantic, 1970)

Clowns for Progress - “Go Ask Charley” - Progress (Last Beat Records, 1999)

Anya Marina - “Satellite Heart” - The Twilight Saga: New Moon (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (Chop Shop/Atlantic, 2009)

Thom Yorke - “Hearing Damage” - The Twilight Saga: New Moon (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (Chop Shop/Atlantic, 2009)

Van Halen - “Hear About it Later” - Fair Warning (Warner Brothers, 1981)

Little People - “Eitheror” - Micky Mouse Operation (EMI Import, 2006)

Little People - “Start Shootin’” - Micky Mouse Operation (EMI Import, 2006)

These songs’ll get you from the sad bits (“Satellite Heart”, “The Bed’s Too Big Without You”, “Gotta Be Somebody’s Blues”) into the angry ones (“Great American Sharpshooter”, “Hear About it Later”, “Save Me”), with a few thrown in to make you feel better overall (“Eitheror”, “Beer”, “Go Wild”). Good luck, hang in there, and remember- there’s always someone out there who knows exactly how you feel.

the Suck Factor as it relates to weather

What a dismal, soggy day.

It's freakin halfway through May already, and we've had, what, 2 warm days this month? I guess it's no sweat (ha!) that I haven't gotten the rest of my summer clothes out of storage; it's been way too disgusting outside to wear all those light & flow-y clothes.

But anyway, back to the tunes.

I'm guessing a lot of you (who are you, anyway?) are like me, in that your mood can greatly influence your current playlists.

Let's take today, for example. It's gross outside, which- no matter how hard I try to avoid it- really makes me feel gross. On my way to the radio station, one of my recent purchases rolled up on my iPhone, and it actually made me feel better about a lot of things - purchasing the album, driving a beater, driving in the rain since 6am, the fact that it'll be crappy out all day (well, ok, nothing can make me feel better about that).

Them Crooked Vultures is drummer Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters, singer/guitarist Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age, and Led Zeppelin bassist/effects-master John Bonham. Grohl and Homme have worked together previously, as have Grohl and Bonham. Reportedly, Grohl "set up" Bonham and Homme at his own birthday party; the rest, as they say, is musical hist'ry.

If you were to scope the band's Web site, you might get an idea of how they sound: "It sounds like the guy from Queens of the Stone Age singing and playing guitar with the bass player from Led Zeppelin and the drummer from Nirvana. Now that music is getting out there, this one is sort of unnecessary but still..." (from http://www.themcrookedvultures.com/us/biography)

And I'd have to say that's a pretty fair description.

I will say, though, that I first decided that I could clearly hear early, vintage Led Zep in a lot of these tunes. As I got through a few more tracks, I could swear I was listening to Queens of the Stone Age; I even heard a few things reminiscent of early Nirvana.

I will admit- it took me a long time to like this record. I don't feel like much of today's new music is very good (with recording and producing technology reaching incredible heights, any producer worth his salt can turn even a drunk girl talking into the Next Big Hit. I know, it's a travesty to the whole industry, but it's the truth); I keep finding myself horribly disappointed with every iTunes download, unless it's a record from the 1960s-1990s. Plus, I really only get to listen to my music in my Jeep, which doesn't exactly allow one to truly scrutinize a performance.

However, once I got past the external homogeneity of this record (and believe me, it's the first thing you'll hear), I was able to appreciate the subtleties of its tonal makeup.

Homme favors fuzz guitars throughout, though each just different enough to get your head bobbing; his vocals laced with indifference and grit, accurately reflecting the attitude of the generation.

Grohl's drums are solid, as always, and his backing vocals, though rare, add just enough oomph for appreciation.

What I can't really understand, though, is why- with John freaking Bonham as bassist- there isn't a stronger thump and thrum under all that fuzz distortion? Of course, I don't really have great audio equipment in my old Jeep, but I believe in a bassline, and I just don't hear it on this record.

If you're looking for some new rock music- that's actually real, authentic rock music- you will probably enjoy this record. It's a solid slow groove straight through, with no cheesy pop melodies or ballads to ruin the crunch and hum. It's not like anything out now- you won't hear any Nickelback or Puddle of Mudd whiney, hooky, adult-contemporary-friendly sounds (refreshing!), and there's no screaming, growling, howling "vocals" to make you cringe.

I'd give it 3.5 of 5 stars. Go get it, listen for yourself.

musings

I have been listening to a bit of My Morning Jacket lately.

Something about MMJ reminds me an awful lot of the Twilight soundtracks; primarily, Grizzly Bear or Bon Iver & St Vincent.

Other albums and varying artists that I am spinning now include:

The Police - Zenyatta Mondatta; Regatta de Blanc

Classic Police. Z says "Stewart Copeland IS the Police." I personally am electrified by Sting's voice, but to each their own.

30 Seconds to Mars - This is War

This is a big change from "A Beautiful Lie", much more electronic. Not sure it's for the better, or just... very different.

Thom Yorke - The Eraser

I find this album similar to the relaxing beta waves in those "go to sleep faster" things. Not that it's a bore at all; I have no trouble falling asleep to it, but it also relaxes me on my ridiculous morning commute.

Railroad Earth

Excellent homeward-bound soundtrack. RRE's jumpy, jazzy bluegrass and small-town country warmth are just the thing for sore nerves at the end of the day. "Seven Story Mountain" makes me think of waking up on a weekend morning.

Anya Marina - Satellite Heart

I heard this chick in the New Moon soundtrack first. Then I downloaded the Daytrotter app from iTunes (free! and a great way to get exposed to new stuff!) and heard a song that very closely mirrors "Satellite Heart"... and then I heard it today in the supermarket, which was weird.

Lykke Li

Also on the New Moon soundtrack, I would love to hear more of her! Very dreamy-sounding, kind of ethereal and hazy.

Speaking of supermarkets... am I the only one who walks around the supermarket, singing aloud while I shop?

few and far between

Holy hell, guys, it's been a while, huh?

Sorry, I've been tied up on the job-search front, among other things.

Anyway... 

Artists to watch:

MGMT- Brooklyn-based Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden have definitely tipped the scales for new and exciting stuff. I've got a couple friends who just adore MGMT, telling me nearly every chance they get that I should really be listening to them. I agree. Their electronic pop displays the technological trend of today's music, but you will be hard-pressed to avoid bopping your head or tapping your foot along with their catchy, groove-able tracks. I recommend "Kids" and "Love Always Remains" from Time to Pretend - 2005, Cantora Records) to get yourself acquainted with the absolutely addicting melodies.

Staind- I know, I know, they've been around forever. But- two things I didn't know- they're from my mom's hometown of Springfield, MA; and their song "Epiphany" (Break the Cycle -2001, Flip Records & Elektra Entertainment Group) has got to be the most heart-wrenching track I've heard in probably months. Couple that with the fact that I've been reading Stephenie Meyer's Twilight saga this week (started the first book Monday, finished the fourth & final on Saturday night), and I've found the perfect sad-song, high-school-emotion-laden soundtrack for a week of introspection, evaluation, and probably too much mental digging for my own good. But hey, the melody of "Epiphany" is simply beautiful, hummable, and crystal clear.

Trey Anastasio- Yes, you know him as the lead singer for the groovy jam-band Phish, but did you know that he had a few solo albums? The only one I have is his self-title, Trey Anastasio (2002, Elektra Entertainment), but this album's still got to be one of my favorites for an instant mood-lifter. Its jazzy, jumpy melodies and contemporary, yet cool, vocals can make even the longest, grayest, wettest day seem like summer on the beach. The harmonies on this album, I'll pick "Drifting" as an example track (though the album is full-to-brimming with more), are sumptuous and smooth, perfectly matched to Anastasio's easy, everyday vocals. This album is just delicious, and so inoffensive, you'll think it was made for your kids. And yes, they'll probably like it too. Equally as flooring might be the majestic instrumental "At the Gazebo," with its regal horns, fluttering guitar, and dramatic strings, which makes me want to clap my hands and request the band play it again. Chills, friends. There are chills tickling my spine.

That's it for now. I'll try not to be such a stranger.

New Green Day hits stores today!

But I got it last night. I shall not reveal my sources. Call it an industry insider thing.

Today's the first I've heard the whole thing, and I only heard half of "Know Your Enemy" once on the radio, a couple days ago, actually.

But I'll tell you, barely a quarter way through 21st Century Breakdown, I already know it will join the list of forever-on-my-iPod-albums. 

I'm writing this during my first spin, so I don't have a whole lot to say about the individual tracks yet, but I can tell you that "Before the Lobotomy" and "Last Night on Earth" display a touch of Billie Joe Armstrong's notorious soft side, but in a much cooler way than lite-radio classics "Wake Me Up When September Ends" and "Good Riddance."

The only negative thing I can say about this album is that I'm not really sure I like the whole "rock opera," or one story broken into 18 similarly-veined tracks for the 2nd album in a row (especially after it's been so long in between releases- five years, was it?). I loved, and still really enjoy, listening to American Idiot, but Breakdown :almost: feels like we're re-living it.

And of course, there will be people who claim that Green Day's more evolved sound is crap and that they should have stuck to their formula from the early days (you'll hear similar arguments about Blink-182, Unwritten Law, the Offspring, Bad Religion, etc.). But see, people grow, get older, change their tastes, and acquire new influences. I've got to hand it to them, I think Green Day's sound has aged quite handsomely over the years.

If you like these guys at all, you should invest in the new album. For real. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

addendum

There are two more things I would like to say in the music-related category.

First, I have been listening to a lot of Jack Johnson lately- not my own choosing, my iTouch just throws it at me. My significant other is fond of saying that his iPod Nano "Jack Johnsons [him] to death." I wouldn't go quite that far, but I get a lot of it on my iTouch, and it's great for summertime top-down driving.

Also, as I sat in my friend's apartment this evening, I realized that listening to David Bowie is like hearing liquid gold covered in smooth dark chocolate, and everyone should do it once a day.

That is all I have to say for the evening.

I digress...

First and foremost, I'm going to rip off my pal Nik's site (www.pastadivingjeter.com) to tell you that:

Google insists that I mention the following:

• Google, as a third party vendor, uses cookies to serve ads on this site.
• Google’s use of the DART cookie enables it to serve ads to this site’s users based on their visit to this sites and other sites on the Internet.
• Users may opt out of the use of the DART cookie by visiting the Google ad and content network privacy policy.

Since there are ads on my page, they come from the same place, and heaven forbid someone actually has an issue with them, now you know. (Thanks, Nik, I knew you'd understand.)

In other news, I feel the need to share with you all some of the current job-search-frustrations I'm experiencing. Please feel free to skip this post entirely if you only came here to find out who I'm spinning this week (it hasn't changed since my last post).

As you may already know, I am unemployed. 

I was laid off on January 30, 2009, from a job I enjoyed, by a boss who did not want to let me go, but was left with no other choice when the economy continued to accelerate on its already rapid nosedive. 

Of course, after allowing myself a week or two of ruminating on my misfortune, I conceded that it was time to update my resume, and with a little help from my sister, I began actively searching for re-employment elsewhere. I'm over the feeling of personal injury one typically experiences during such a traumatic event, and have begun to relax a little, enjoying my time at home, and even considering it an extended vacation- but without the restaurants, fanny pack, and amusement parks.

I suppose I should tell you that previously, I was a buyer at a metal distributor. In layman's terms, that means I am mostly S.O.L for finding a similar position elsewhere right now, as most companies are looking to SELL tons of product, and if possible, not PURCHASE anything.

I have created "please-read-my-resume" profiles at multiple job board sites and attempt to "update" my professional summary (i.e., change punctuation or hit enter and delete- any activity is updating) at least twice a month, so that it stays fresh in the listings and attracts more views than the rest of the unemployed masses. 

If you've used monster.com lately, you're probably experiencing the same amount of disgust I am with their layout and search options. It's bulky. There are way too many things on my home page that I never use, search options are getting too elaborate, and, oh yeah, three out of five companies to whom I might want to send my resume require that I submit a full professional profile (with information identical to that which I have posted on monster.com) through their own Web site, using an embedded application such as Taleo, or something similar.

Reader, I ask you: What is the point? Why must I spend 20 minutes doing this again if the information is already available through the directing job site? If these companies are trying to ensure that I am not a robot attempting to flood their HR inboxes with phony applicants, then they would do better to team with monster.com and require applicants to decode a "Captcha" or other "type the symbols you see in this box to validate your authenticity as a human being" tool. Am I wrong? Think about this. If I send fifteen resumes a day, and only six of the receiving companies accept applications directly through monster.com, I have spent approximately three hours entering information that is identical to that of my monster.com profile!  Yes, I know finding a Good Job is important, but aren't there better ways to spend three hours that don't involve mass redundancy?

I'm sure you can understand why I try very hard to avoid monster.com, except for those two occasions per month that I log in and make a small adjustment to some random information that might help me get my profile at the top of the list again, even if it means I'm being contacted for out-of-state jobs for which I'm not really qualified and don't really want. 

You say I'm being choosy? You bet. I've had my share of "it's a job" jobs- mostly because it's what you do when you're not in school, and I needed to show my parents that I was actually "going to work" every day. I'm sure I don't need to explain, though, that most of those don't pay the bills. I went to college, which means that along with my education, I acquired a student loan. I don't own my Jeep, Citifinancial Auto does. I have auto insurance, rent, electricity, propane, and a cell phone that sap my meager unemployment check dry every month, and old credit card debts that I had just begun to eliminate when I lost my job. And as I refuse to be frustrated and miserable at my next job, you'd better believe that I won't settle for any old paycheck.

Am I bitter? Perhaps. Am I doing something about it?

Yes.

I am active on Facebook. Oh yes, it can be used as more than just an outlet for such drivel as "ohmigosh did you see who she's with now?!" As has been brought to my attention three times today alone (are you all trying to tell me something?), check your privacy settings. Yes, people are being fired due to questionable content on their Facebook pages, or being tagged in such a photo on a friend's page! Think of it this way- if you wouldn't want your boss or your mom to see it, either don't post it, or hide that s--t, homie!

Thanks to my dad, you can also find me at http://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleytphillips. This is one of my favorite social networking sites, because it's not overrun by horny teenagers, photos of your drunk roommates, or that ex-boyfriend you try to avoid at all costs. LinkedIn is all about real professionals making real networking contacts, without all the job-search-site mumbo jumbo.

And then there's Twitter. I'll admit it- I'm an addict. I tweet several times a day. I'm known as "Jeepsterette." If I think of something interesting, or find a good video, cartoon, or article, I share it. I keep tabs on some of the bands I enjoy, follow Tony Hawk's vacation and skateboarding endeavors, and I have met quite a few like-minded Tweeps, with whom I share my love for all things Jeep (incidentally, check out allthingsjeep.com, or jeepworld.com, should you require... well...anything Jeep). 

Through Twitter, I have met quite a few friendly faces who share their encouragement during my job search (thank you, it really is appreciated). 

All of the Tweeps I follow are adults, most of them are business-people, and as a result, I have been privy to quite a few good articles about the economy and other job search tools (did you realize you can actually use Twitter for this purpose?). I even attended a Webinar this afternoon on using the aforementioned "social networking" sites to further the search, thanks to a comment I left on an article by user "HilzFuld." 

The world is not so big anymore, thanks to these new networking tools. Yes, it is a little frightening to think that almost nothing is private anymore, but then, it's all in what you choose to share, is it not?