Oh, Rude and Ungrateful Brand New Fans

A friend reminded me Friday night that I haven't written here in awhile, mainly due to school- it's senior year, what can I say?

Anyway, PropertyOfZack released an article earlier Saturday about Brand New fans being disappointed by their album choices for Friday night's sold out show in the band's hometown. Now, I shouldn't even have to go on further about how ridiculous it is that fans are disappointed by which albums this band chose to play. If you're a fan of Brand New and know their scarce history of playing shows in recent years, then you truly understand how ungrateful these so-called fans are. 

They finally decide to play a few shows, albeit on the coasts, in which they play two of their albums in their entirety. Two albums. In full. Brand New has released four albums to date, each holding 11 or 12 songs (not including special editions or b-sides). Fans attending these shows get to hear one of their favorite bands play at least 23 songs for them, aka a lot of songs for one night and one show. 

As a result of the rarity of this occasion, all of the shows sold out in a matter of minutes. The people I know who were planning to road trip to Friday night's show weren't able to get even a single ticket. The majority of fans were not able to get tickets obviously, so those who obtained tickets were the lucky ones. I'm sure these people were very excited for this show and had in mind which albums they hoped to be played, but I assumed they'd be happy to hear the band put on a great show regardless. 

I guess we assumed wrong. Due to this being a hometown show, many fans felt entitled to hear Brand New's first two albums performed live since they "made" the band. Are you serious? You know what y'all are entitled to? Hearing two albums played in their entirety by one of your favorite bands because that's what you paid for. There are so many people who would have loved to be in your shoes last night, myself included. The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me is one of my favorite albums of all time (my tattoo even references it), and Daisy is actually a good album if you give it a chance. Maybe they decided not to play Your Favorite Weapon or Deja Entendu because they knew there'd be a lot of fans there who've heard those songs over and over again since they've been there since the beginning. I don't know. Regardless of why they chose to play their two recent albums, fans got to hear them perform. I'm also shocked to hear that people were so pissed that they walked out once the guys started playing Daisy. You'd rather walk out of a show because the band didn't play the songs you wanted to hear that they never promised you than enjoy the rest of the show? Guess who's money was wasted? Not Brand New's. 

People always say how Brand New treats their fans poorly because they rarely play shows, but look at what happens when they're being "nice". While we can't be certain if Brand New picked their setlists in advance for these shows or if they choose the day of, it seems like the band treated the lives of those sour Friday night fans by treating Saturday fans to Your Favorite Weapon and Deja Entendu. Does that count as karma?

In the end, I hope that all fans are happy because the band is recording new music. Don't be a scrooge. Merry Christmas to all (who celebrate)!

Album Review: 'How Long' by Bradley Hathaway



Arkansas-based poet/singer/songwriter Bradley Hathaway's folk roots have returned for his first full-length album in roughly four years, How Long. I've been driving around Central Illinois with this album playing on repeat to get a good feel for it. It helps to take in the scenery of corn fields and falling autumn leaves while letting this album marinate. Shorter than your average LP (10 songs coming to a close at roughly 38 minutes), it is sweet, to say it simplest. It is considerably more folky than his 2010 EP A Thousand Angry Panthers and much lighter than 2009's A Mouth Full of Dust, but I think it's necessary for the subject matter of How Long. In my ears I hear a love album, and I remember why I fell in love with Bradley's words eight years ago.

Now, don't confuse my label of "love" as an album full of songs about falling in love and being so happily in love. This is about varying degrees of love and the desire for (or the discovery of) intimacy. Intimacy is not simply for romance- intimacy is about closeness to another being. These songs tell the stories of people who are searching for (or have already found) intimacy through various avenues.

The album begins with "Daddy's Name", a slow but fitting start to an album of such a soft nature. It sets the tone for the majority of the album, as most of the songs are not upbeat. This is followed by the album's first single "How Long", an almost conversational love song that asks "how long will your love last?" and ends with assurance of a love that will last for seasons upon seasons. I think it's the perfect title of the album, and the song does its title justice. As human beings, we are drawn to relationships, so it is only natural to wonder how long someone will love us when entering a romantic relationship with another person.
"Courthouse" is a lovely duet that I don't have enough words for at this time (it's currently my favorite from the album), but just listen to it, seriously, then you'll understand. For the long time fans of Hathaway, you'll be happy to know that he goes back to his spoken word roots with "He Drives". I've missed the way he performs his pieces with so much emotion, though this may be considered tame compared to the poetry and prose of All the Hits So Far. Although the name might be deceiving, "If I Should Die" picks up the pace on the record and will have you tapping your toes and harmonizing with the background singer(s).

The album ends with "You Look So Pretty", which has listeners waiting for more. Part of me likes that this song was chosen to end the album, but another part of me is sad that it's over. The only option is to listen to it again, obviously, since it's that good. "My words are few, my thoughts they number many" pretty much sums up my review of this album while quoting the final track. I don't want to spoil anything for readers because you need to hear this album for yourself, but know that this album is just a great listen overall- lyrically and musically.

To quote Hathaway's popular poem "Manly Man", this album is about people who "want to be loved, and have love, and give love. And not just that romantic kind either." And maybe I'm wrong, maybe I've interpreted this album all wrong, but I can't help but feel the love.

How Long will be officially released on November 5th, but you can pre-order the album and buy merch at http://bradleyhathaway.storenvy.com/. The album is also availble for digital pre-order as well.
Don't forget to visit Bradley on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bradleyhathaway

Upcoming confirmed tour dates:
October
28 North Little Rock, AR @ Mug's Cafe 515 Main Street 7pm
29 Jackson, MS @ Northridge Church 3232 N. State St 9pm
31 Nashville, TN @ House Show 422 Veritas St 7:30pm

November
1 Columbus, OH @ House Show 2131 Iuka Ave 7pm
2 Holland, MI @ Lemonjello's Coffee 61 E. 9th St 7pm
7 Port Huron, MI @ SchwonkSoundStead 1521 7th St 8pm
10 Hamilton, ON @ Barn Side Studio
11 Oneonta, NY @ SUNY Oneonta College Lee Hall 7pm
12 Clarks Summit, PA @ Baptist Bible College and Seminary Library 538 Venard Rd
15 Delran, NJ @ House Show 110 Lowden St 7pm
16 Madison Heights, VA @ Schoolhouse Venue 131 Old Colony Rd

Random Band/Musician Follower: Ben Landis

Ben Landis is a Los Angeles-based chiptune and pop rock artist who found me on Twitter within the last two or three days. My initial reaction was "this must be a spam account", but upon further inspection, I realized that this guy is legit. He is following almost half a million people and has over half a million people following him, so I figure that at least half of those followers must be real people. So I headed over to his Soundcloud page to have a listen.



Now let me first state the fact that I listen to chiptune/8-bit music, not as regularly as I used to, but I'd still call myself a fan of the genre. With that being said, I've heard a variety of artists who fall under in this genre, and Ben Landis sounds pretty generic to me, unfortunately. His songs sound like they literally came out of a video game, which is kind of cool in one sense, but very lackluster in another sense.

I'll give him credit though. He's done a nice job making everything sound smooth and not like a jumbled mess of chiptune sounds. It's not that easy to create chiptune music, especially considering the various equipment most of these artists must invest in to make their sound at least somewhat unique. Maybe he's still fairly new to the chiptune world, and that could be the reasoning behind his songs not sounding too creative. New listeners of chiptune will probably enjoy this as it produces a wave of nostalgia, most likely resulting in people scrambling to find their Game Boys and Nintendos.

His album Adventures in Pixels comes with a comic book of sorts as well, it seems. Now that is a creative idea indeed. Essentially, Ben Landis creates music that would be perfect as the soundtrack of a classic game. I'll be waiting for him to create tunes that I'd casually listen to while driving around town and such. Who knows, maybe Ben will be one of the forerunners of the next wave of the chiptune scene. He's got potential.

'Upstream Color': A Review

A few months ago, I heard the light buzz around Shane Carruth's latest film Upstream Color. Carruth wrote, directed, and starred in this film- the same exact route he took in creating his 2004 debut Primer. In my eyes, Upstream Color has the same confusion and mesmerism of Primer but with an obviously larger budget. I say confusion because if you saw Primer, at least 80% of the film's dialogues and jargon went right over your head since it is so science-heavy, and Carruth doesn't even try to reduce its language for the common moviegoer. While Upstream is a lot easier to follow as its subject is not time travel, it is still confusing upon the first viewing. 

I thought I understood what was happening during the first thirty minutes or so- a parasite, unrelated people with synchronized movements- but then I found myself puzzled as the film went on. Pigs, albums full of songs created with objects and not instruments, Walden, repetition- more elements that enter the film and seemingly have no clear connection with anything, but their purpose slowly becomes perceptible. By the end, things finally tie together, and you understand how everyone and everything is connected, but you tell yourself that you need to watch it again to fully understand well enough to explain the film to a friend (yes, I realize that I changed narrative view in this sentence). Overall, I enjoyed this film a lot, and I'm ready for Carruth to write/produce/star in another film that pushes my interest in science fiction by having enough dramatic elements to hold me over.

Visually beautiful and contextually perplexing, Upstream Color is a must-see for the independent film lover. If you're a fan of Primer, you better watch this film- that is an open threat- but I must warn you that this film is very much different from its predecessor, so it may disappoint some. If you like the thrill of Christopher Nolan's Memento, but you also desire to be challenged a bit more, then this is a film for you. 

The film is available to purchase in various formats here. The website also lists other retailers you can purchase the film from, including Amazon, iTunes, Best Buy, and Wal-Mart. 

You can also stream the film online on Netflix.

Video for a Day: "Bad Girls" by M.I.A.

"Bad Girls" by M.I.A.

So, I'm pretty much having post-Pitchfork withdrawals, and I'm trying to relive M.I.A.'s set of dancing with everyone and their sweat. Just pretend you were there with me if you weren't in the crowd.

Song of the Day: "Chicken Tonight (Doin' It Right cover)" by Daft Cluck

When I discovered this chicken cover of Daft Punk's "Doin' It Right" a month ago, I could not stop listening to it for whatever reason. Literally, the lyrics "Chicken tonight, everybody will be eating all the / Chicken tonight, everybody will be eating all the" is repeated the entire song, with random chicken noises in the background. I just laugh, and the song continues to play. Then I found out that one of my favorite 8-bit/chiptune artists is behind this ridiculously catchy cover- Sabrepulse. He (real name Ashley Charles) along with Shirobon (Mikey Cordedda) got together and gave every listener a good laugh- and the song has over 150k plays to date. The duo promised to do another cover if the song hit 100k plays, and they claim they're working on the follow-up. I'm excited for more Daft Cluck. Personally, I think the guys should cover most of Daft Punk's major hits, but maybe it's just me. Enjoy!

Random Band/Musician Follower: Halfmoon Mad

I've decided to do this new thing where I do a mini review of the random musicians who follow me on Twitter at least twice a week. Many of them are just looking for numbers, ya know, so they end up unfollowing you after a day or two, but some do stick around. So, I'll start with the random band who found me today.

Halfmoon Mad is an alternative rock band from good ol' Chicago. They're fronted by Joanna (who also plays guitar) who's joined by lead guitarist George, drummer Maxwell, and bassist Steven. I just listened to their song "Waiting", which can be found on their website. I'm not sure how I feel about Joanna's voice- I don't think she's a bad singer, it just feels a little odd for the sound of the band. Her voice isn't completely misplaced, but part of me feels like she could sing stronger, if that makes sense. They remind me of older Incubus in ways, older Pearl Jam, pretty much the '90s alternative scene. Regardless, the band isn't too shabby, so have a listen if you're into alternative. 

If you're in the Chicago area, their next show is this Saturday, July 20th at Beat Kitchen. 

Thank You, Instagram, For (Indirectly) Ruining One of My Favorite Camera Apps

I have a smartphone like many young people my age in today's society. I do not have an iPhone, so when Instagram first arrived on the mobile application market, it wasn't an option for me (*someone correct me if I'm wrong). Searching through my app store, I discovered a few camera apps with some snazzy effects. I downloaded three of them- Vignette, Retro Camera, and FxCamera.

I got rid of Retro Camera after a week or two because there weren't enough options, but I had a love-hate relationship with the fact that photos had to "develop" and weren't immediately available after taking them. After awhile, I started running out of space on my phone and realized that I didn't need both the Vignette and FxCamera app, so one of them had to go. Vignette was pretty much just Diana and Holga effects at the time (we're talking 2-3 years ago), and the photos weren't always the clearest, so it didn't make the cut.

FxCamera made me happy. With each update, more effects were added, functionality was improved, and it was fun to take photos. After Instagram hit the market, I still stuck to FxCamera because I didn't want to sign up for basically another social network of my random photos- that's what I have Facebook and Tumblr for. I didn't want to feel obligated to share photos with the world, and up until a week ago, I never had to.

The last two or three updates to this app created a change- requirement to create an account or sign in with Facebook/Twitter. Starting at least three months ago, the app gave you the option to create an account, or you could continue on to the filters. I would just tap "not now" and snap my one or two photos, then go about my day. With the latest updates, I can no longer use the app without creating an account. Since I refuse to sign up for this, I'll unfortunately have to delete the app. What a bummer.

From a developer standpoint, I understand why FxCamera now requires accounts be made to join the next photo-sharing network site. There are plenty of camera apps out there, and more people jumped on the bandwagon once Instagram got popular. FxCamera has to stay competitive, it has to stay relevant, it has to prove that it's better than Instagram by being a little more like it. The developers made a smart move, honestly, and I wish them success.

For me and thousands of other users of the app, we must now find another camera app that will simply let us take photos without posting them to some online profile where random people can follow and like every photo I take. People who are looking for another Instagram will love the updated FxC, but many of us stuck with this app to avoid another Instagram (because we all knew that other apps would follow). If FxC decides to make it optional again if a person would like to create an account, I'll reinstall it. Until then, I am on the search. Recommendations, anyone?

Video for a Day: "Genesis" by Grimes

"Genesis" by Grimes

This is one of my favorite songs by Grimes (stage name of Vancouver native Claire Boucher). Also, I'm just super intrigued by this video and it's kind of inexplicable. First, you're just like, "what is happening in this video?" but you don't stop watching it. Does it match the lyrics? Not at all, but I actually don't mind that. I like Grimes because she keeps things interesting, she creates what she desires in a male-dominated industry, and she's an inspiration for women (and men) to just be yourself. 

If you haven't read it already, check out her infamous blog post from April that resonates with many of us in this world, musician or not.

Video for a Day: "Falling" by Haim

"Falling" by Haim

Seeing this trio of sisters making pop music has me desperately wishing for siblings to form a band with. Good thing I have friends, right? Anyway, I like how catchy this song is- reminds me of a combination of '80s and '90s pop (support for this claim- "cause I'm a slave to the sound" line in the first verse). The dance moves from one sister aren't so reminiscent of those eras as much as they are awkward and borderline '60s. Maybe it's just the vibe I get, who knows. This video is more aesthetically pleasing than relating to actual lyrical content- what the video has to do with falling of any literal or metaphorical type is beyond me. Either way, if I end up downloading this song, it will end up on mix CDs for friends because dancing. Enjoy!

Remember Right Now- 10 Years Later

Ten years ago, Spitalfield's groundbreaking album Remember Right Now was released into the world. For those who were involved with the Chicago pop punk scene back then, you'll know this album, you'll remember this band. This is the album that got the band on the road. This is an album of memories, whether you were actually around for these songs or if these songs ignite your own memories of special moments in time- you grow and learn to appreciate moments as they happen, to really live in the now. Quick history on the band: they formed in 1998, released four albums, and played their last show in December 2007 (there have been a few surprise/secret shows since then though). If you don't remember either, maybe you recall the song "I Loved the Way She Said 'L.A.'." Hopefully that song jogged your memory, if not, here's the video:

Now that I've refreshed your memory or introduced you to a new song...

The band decided to get the original lineup together and do a short 10-date tour, playing this entire album from start to finish. 

I was lucky enough to attend their show at Bottom Lounge to kick off the tour last Friday (and I think I bought the very first ticket for the show right when they went on sale). Jon Walker (former member of Panic! At the Disco) and The Future Perfect (featuring Shane of Valencia) opened the show, and they were great. Jon Walker performed an acoustic set, singing sweet songs that would make anyone swoon. The Future Perfect played energetic songs, getting everyone pumped for the rest of the show; they even played two Valencia songs (including "Safe to Say") for all of the fans out there. Then came the band we were all waiting for. The venue was packed, and everyone was ready. The lights went out on the stage, a man walked out, and the old Bulls' intro song started playing. In case you don't know the Chicago Bulls intro:

So this guy introduced every member of the band with this song playing, just like each were an awesome Bulls player coming to court to kick ass. All of the guys reached the stage, made some great jokes, then jumped right into "Those Days You Felt Alive". Part of me wishes that I was up close to the stage, standing with the section of super excited fans who have been with this band since the beginning, but I was pretty content with standing in the back because I had more personal space. I wasn't even standing next to my friend anymore once Spitalfield started playing, nor did I really notice that at first (but that's how I am at concerts- too mesmerized by the music to be completely aware of my surroundings). You could tell that it'd been awhile since the guys had played these songs, but they still a great job for having not played together like this in almost six years or so. They had the perfect amount of energy and quirkiness between songs. Once they played the entire album, they left the stage. Of course everyone screamed for an encore, and we knew it was coming because no one took the instruments off the stage and it's a freakin' reunion show.

The guys returned to stage- Dan had on a baseball uniform, Mark was just in a t-shirt, and TJ had a long-haired wig with a sailor hat on. I was so humored by them, and they started the encore set with a cover of "If It's Here When We Get Back It's Ours" aka this song:

Following this song, they played four songs from Stop Doing Bad Things- "From the Desk of B. Larsen", "So I Heard You Joined a Convent", "Gold Dust vs. State of Illinois", and "Texa$ with a Dollar Sign". Coincidentally, those are four of my favorite songs from that album. I was crossing my fingers that they'd play "What Were You Thinking" as well, but ya know, I couldn't expect them to honestly play both albums all the way through. 

Side note: The fact that they chose to do four songs from SDBT and none from their last album, Better Than Knowing Where You Are, says something. To be honest, that album took the longest to grow on me, probably because it felt so different from the others. Granted, all of their albums sound different, but I think that's the album that just didn't go over as well with the old school fans. You can't please them all. I also feel like the band broke up due to some Victory Records curse that I (15-year-old me) figured to be the cause of three of my favorite bands (Spitalfield, June, The Junior Varsity) playing their final shows in '07/'08, but I'll save that for another post...maybe...

Friday, June 7, 2013 is a night that I will not soon forget. In fact, I'll probably never forget it. I never got to see Spitalfield when they were together before, so being able to see them that night marked one of my unwritten life goals- ya know those goals that are pretty much out of your control and you're only 15% sure they can be achieved at all (having a band reunite after so many years and actually attending one of their shows isn't always likely). Once Fall Out Boy announced that they were getting back together and releasing a new album this year, I hoped and wished for at least another of my favorite Chicago bands to reunite in the near future. Dreams do come true, y'all. 

Here's a video from that glorious night to finish off:

(Extra Reading: You can also check out my friend Brittany's interview with Mark at http://blogs.villagevoice.com/music/2013/06/mark_rose_spitafield.php)

Video for a Day: "Glockenspiel Song" by Dog Is Dead

"Glockenspiel Song" by Dog Is Dead

A friend introduced me to this song, even though I'd technically heard it on an episode of Skins a few months earlier. Regardless, I enjoy this song, and it's very youthful. It's so carefree. It's like, "yeah, we're young, and yeah we've made mistake, but you know what? We'll still keep living and having a good time. We refuse to let the bad times stop us from living." Have a listen and enjoy the video!

'Unmade Beds': A Review

I recently watched Unmade Beds, a 2009 film directed by Alexis Dos Santos, on Netflix (since they recommended it to me). Overall, I enjoyed the film, but the purpose of this post is to dive a little deeper into the specs of the film, especially after having read a few reviews of it.

A common point in some reviews was calling the film "hipster" in some fashion, which I'm not surprised by at all. I'm just not a big fan of using that term to describe films, music, or people in general. Relating to this, some critics said that it had no real plot and the whole "day in the life of a 20-something" story was not too interesting. So here's my take:

Plot: The main plot- the interconnection of two strangers' lives- is not a new one; we've definitely seen this before. Our main characters, Axl and Vera, are both in their twenties. Axl has recently arrived in London via Madrid in search of his father whom he has not seen since birth. Vera is in search of love, attempting to get over her last break up. Originally, I thought the characters would converge in the beginning of the film and grow some sort of relationship together, but that is not the case. They both live under the same roof (a type of art-house haven for nomads and jobless youth) yet only cross paths "knowingly" once. They do not have an actual conversation until the last 15-20 minutes of the film at a party at their house, but they are both highly intoxicated and cannot clearly remember the previous night the following morning. The film ends, in my opinion, predictably on Vera's end but not so much for Axl.

The film features the "typical" life of a twenty-something- party all night, sleep all day, go to work at a bookstore or small concert venue, have a few hours to go on an adventure, and repeat. It is true that many parts of the film are a bit cliche- Vera works at a bookstore, meets a very handsome and charming man at a bar, she looks "serious" most of the time or maybe slightly lost/disinterested; Axl randomly wakes up at the house after partying, finds his dad but does not initially approach him, can't remember a thing after he drinks. If we just looked at their lives as outsiders, minus the deeper interactions they have with others, I think this film would fall very flat because it's the same story line we've seen time and time again.

Outside of the story, I found the movie to be shot nicely, which even the critics agree with. So even if you get bored with the characters, at least the film is aesthetically pleasing.

Would I recommend this film? Yes and no. Yes, if you're a huge film nerd and are looking for something to critique and want to see a film different from your major motion pictures showing in most theaters. No, if you're just a casual movie watcher who isn't necessarily a huge film buff. Also, if you're not really into dramas, this isn't the film for you. Overall, it's not the most memorable film in the world, but it's not shabby, and it has a few great lines.

Reinforcing Negative Thoughts Through Social Media?

Most of us love social media (I don't want to generalize here)- this is how many of us communicate with others. We are becoming more and more dependent on various sites to keep us connected and updated with  our loved ones (or our favorite entertainers). One of the additional perks is the freedom of speech (which has  plenty of cons, as we all see on a daily basis). We can share our feelings and opinions in an open matter on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, blogs, etc. Lately, though, I've started to notice a trend (not in the "fad" sense) that's more prevalent on Twitter and blog sites like Tumblr- constant reinforcement of our thoughts/feelings through quotes and pictures.

Now, I'm not saying that these reinforcements are all bad, but I've especially noticed how many people who are feeling depressed, suicidal, having a low self-esteem, and other "negative" thoughts, will reblog or retweet quotes and photos that are consistent with the way they currently feel. To me, this reinforces a stunt in growth. How is one to get past those feelings when there are so many posts out there exemplifying how one feels?

I love Tumblr as much as the next person, but sometimes I get tired of seeing the same ol' posts that keep us stuck in the same mindsets, ya know? Sometimes I breeze over specific people's posts (reblogs, actually) because they all say the same thing EVERY TIME. It's like, we search for the posts that validate our feelings, and that makes it harder for us to move past these feelings. Examples:

• how much you're still in love with your ex
• how much you love someone you can't have in general
• how much you're "forever alone"
• anything relating to depression, feeling low, suicidal thoughts
• worrying about your appearance, feeling fat, needing to lose weight, wishing you looked prettier
• etc.

I think another issue that plays into this is how the internet (and the media in general) has created these "idealized" types of lives we're supposed to desire and whatnot. There are studies showing the link between social media usage and increased depression or dissatisfaction with one's life because we see how much "better" someone else's life is on a daily basis. It's the constant comparison game. Examples:

• "Why can't I just find a guy/girl who has the same music tastes as me?" (because music is the most important thing in out lives)
• "Why can't I meet a guy/girl who dresses like ___ and has interests in ___ and ___ and ___?"
• "No one wants to be my boyfriend/girlfriend."
• "I wish I dressed like her/him. I wish I wasn't so broke."
• "I want to move to (insert major city) and have a cute little apartment to share with a nice boy/girl."
• "I wish I were prettier. I'm so awkward and ugh."
• "I'm such a failure. I suck at school. Why am I even in college?"
• "Why can't I have a life like that?"
• etc.

Clearly, these thoughts don't help us in life. But many of us are not stopping to see how constant exposure to these photos/quotes bring our moods down. Sometimes, when I know that I'm feeling down, I may avoid Tumblr for awhile simply because I never know when everyone else is going to be in a "mood" as well and just reinforcing it. Yeah, someone else posting a quote expressing your current depressing feelings makes you feel less alone, BUT think for a moment if that's actually reinforcing your negative thoughts. We're making each other feel worse rather than uplifting our spirits.

People may disagree with my opinion, which is fine since this is an opinion that does not apply to everyone. I'm just asking people, mainly those who spend a lot of time on social networks, to consider the content they digest every now and then, and to think about how that content may be affecting them.

Video for a Day: "Valtari" by Sigur Ros

"Valtari" by Sigur Ros

Directed by Christian Larson

Beautiful. Simply beautiful. I just feel everything watching this video.

Top Albums/EPs/Mixtapes of 2012

A lot of quality music was released in 2012, and I probably didn't hear most of it. That being said, this list includes some albums that possibly weren't released during the year, but that's why this list is simply my top albums of 2012 and not simply the best albums that came out in the year. Without further ado, the albums (in no particular order) (**I'll add responses on each eventually):

The Season-  All Get Out

Channel Orange- Frank Ocean

Traphouse Rock- Kids These Days

Groceries- Mike Golden & Friends

The Science of Sleep- Chandler London

Hurry Up We're Dreaming- M83

Royalty- Childish Gambino

Sitcoms- Ace da Vinci

Lover By Day, Thief At Night- iFFY The Bad Man

Pabst & Jazz- Asher Roth

Attack on Memory- Cloud Nothings

Wildlife- La Dispute

The Shape of Punk to Come- Refused

2012, Oh Wow

I have a lot less to say about the year 2012 than I did 2011. So much happened in 2011, and 2012 was definitely lacking in as many positive/negative experiences, but that is okay. The year was good overall. Here are some of the happenings:

• spontaneous trip to Chicago and Pick Me Up Cafe with a few friends
• spring break in LA with one of my best friends
• seeing La Dispute and All Get Out on May 6th (and almost failing my psych final two days later)
• going to a conference for counselors and future counselors (was the only undergrad student there)
• getting rejected from an internship with Planned Parenthood the day before my interview
• connecting with a friend of a friend and spending at least twice a week with this person over the summer; it's like we built an intimate relationship without the physical or romantic aspects
• realizing that I'd fallen in love but that the person would never be mine
• growing closer with the English department
• growing a little distant from the Psychology department
• an increased interest in issues regarding sexual assault and rape
• many new music findings
• getting my first real job
• finally seeing Kids These Days perform live (and getting to see The Cool Kids again)
• giving second chances, even when I probably should not have
• lessons learned
• etc.

That's 2012 in a nutshell. Not too much. Onward in 2013.