Keeping Awake

"You can't keep the birds of sadness from flying over your head, but you can keep them from nesting in your hair." - Sharon Creech

Song: Keeping Awake by The Innocence Mission

Art by Simon Nikola van Lierde

We are lonesome animals. We spend all our life trying to be less lonesome. One of our ancient methods is to tell a story begging the listener to say — and to feel — "Yes, that’s the way it is, or at least that’s the way I feel it. You’re not as alone as you thought."
-John Steinbeck

Song: 100 Years by Dr. Dog
Art by Stephen Kuykendall

Glósóli

Now that you're awake
Everything seems different
I look around
But there's nothing at all

Put on my shoes, I then find that
She is still in her pyjamas
Then found in a dream
I'm hung by an anticlimax

She is with the sun
And it's out here

But where are you...

Go on a journey
And roam the streets
Can't see the way out
And so use the stars
She sits for eternity
And then climbs out

She's the glowing sun
So come out

I awake from a nightmare
My heart is beating
Out of control…

I've become so used to this craziness
That it's now compulsory

And here you are...

I'm feeling...

And here you are,
Glowing sun...

Four Great Things

1. Oxford Collapse


2. R.E.M.'s Radio Free Europe being added to the Library of Congress. (As well as Howlin Wolf's Smokestack Lightning.)


3. Dead Man's Bones


4. John Wood

Where are we going, Walt Whitman? The doors close in an hour. Which way does your beard point tonight?
(I touch your book and dream of our odyssey in the supermarket and feel absurd.)
Will we walk all night through solitary streets? The trees add shade to shade, lights out in the houses, we'll both be lonely.
- "A Supermarket in California" by Allen Ginsberg

Song:
Elephant Gun by Beirut

Art by Eugene Atget

I Like It When

I can hardly hear what they're saying.

Meet The Aislers Set...


Song:
One Half Laughing

I'm Home

Fed the chickens
Smelled the cows
Visited Grandma
Planned a party
Saw the arboretum
Bought a cactus
Sipped my tea
Laughed with my sister
I'm home
I'm so happy to be home!

Today's dance around with happiness song:
Everything With You by The Pains of Being Pure at Heart

Grandpa & Grandma

Song:
Breakable by Ingrid Michaelson

Post inspiration here.

Occupation

How I feel about working at Wal-Mart...

Song:
Welcome to the Occupation by R.E.M.

A little harsh, I know. But you try it sometime.

I'm not sure if I was born like this or if I became like this because of my friend the painter, but when I look at something, the first thing I notice is the color.

-My Friend the Painter by Lygia Bojunga Nunes

Song:
Desert Fly by Nina Nastasia
This song isn't posted anywhere on the Web, so leave your email in a comment and I'll send it to you. Your comment won't be seen by anyone but me.

On the way down the hill we walked three abreast in the cobblestone street, drunk and laughing and talking like men who knew they would separate at dawn and travel to the far corners of the earth.
-The Rum Diary by Hunter S. Thompson

Song:
A Minha Menina by Os Mutantes

Cannery Row is the gathered and scattered, tin and iron and rust and splintered wood, chipped pavement and weedy lots and junk heaps...
-Cannery Row by John Steinbeck

Song:
Pepita by Calexico

Road Trippin'

Arizona road trip season has begun, and I can hardly sit still. I crave heat waves on asphalt. Sobe and water bottles collecting on the floor and under the seat. Acrid heat and a stuffy cab as the air conditioning finally fails. Subway sandwiches and Safeway and hysterical giggles. Bass shaking the cab. "18 is a good volume."

And Superior. Oh, Superior.
You can never have a road trip without Superior.

The following is a mix composed of songs I remember listening to on road trips with my sister and my friends. Old songs and good memories.
*Note: Click "Pop-Out Player".

Pictures of Houses

I'm still trying to figure out how to write about my wedding playlist. It took me four months to compile it, and it feels as though it'll take me even longer to describe it. Plus, I haven't been in a writing mood. How sad.

Anyhow, here is a sample. One of my favorite songs of all time. (Don't get too excited, I have about a million of those. For example, every single track on R.E.M.'s Eponymous is my favorite song of all time.) This song is, in fact, was the very first Tilly and the Wall track I had ever heard. Not exactly a love song. But most of the songs on my wedding mix weren't love songs. More like lovely and slow and time-stopping.

Goodbye, Mark

We'll miss you.

Coming Soon

I was hoping to set aside some time today to post about my wedding mix, but my first anniversary has proved to be as busy as my actual wedding day. Except with less joy and more homework.

So here's a song that didn't make it on my list, although I was extremely tempted to add it:

The Other Side of Mt. Heart Attack by Liars

I Know This Isn't a Love Song

But as tomorrow marks an entire year of being married to my best friend and the love of my life, I thought I'd share with you the last song I listened to the night before that beautiful day.

Let Down by Radiohead

Art by Focus5 Photography

Sweden Does It Better

I'm not really into Fleet Foxes.
I know, shame on me.
They are talented, but not really my style.
Maybe one day they'll grow on me...

But I still can't help loving this cover by the lovely Swedish duo, First Aid Kit.

New Camaromance Album!

Are you excited?
I'm excited!
I'm soooooo excited!

You can listen to it here.

Classic Camaromance:
Promises
Mixing Business With Pleasure
Sorry Baby
28 Balloons

Band Sites

Because of Myspace, Facebook, Blogger, and Twitter,
band websites have become pretty pointless.
A lot of bands have realized this.
And it's very entertaining.

patrickwatson.com
Song:
Big Bird In a Small Cage

landoftalk.com
Song:
BreaxxBaxx

oliviatremorcontrol.com
Song:
Jumping Fences

Here, Ma

Some cowboyin' music.
And other stuff.

Songs:
Red Clay Halo by Gillian Welch
John Saw That Number by Neko Case
The Last Steam Engine Train by John Fahey (instrumental)
Cattle Song by Eddie Arnold

Flower

I would not buy this game.
Yes, it's pretty cool that your character is a petal-filled zephyr.
And, yes, the colors are gorgeous.
But the music is so boring.
I know, I'm terrible.
The soundtrack was composed to relax you. It's supposed to mimic nature and correspond to your every move, blah blah blah.
But seriously. I've seen Barbie movies. It sounds like Barbie movies.

Now, if they replaced it with Galaxie 500, I would buy this game.

Song:
Pictures by Galaxie 500
Right-click the song, open in a new tab.
Play the video on mute.
Tell me if you agree. Or disagree.

Oh, GBV

Where else could I get my lo-fi psychedelic indie geek-love fix?

Um, no where.

Songs:
I Am a Scientist
Echos Myron
Gold Star For Robot Boy

Banksy

He shows up in the dead of night, creates a work of art, then disappears...

That is just too cool.

Song: Magic Trick by M. Ward

Art by Banksy

Blessed are the forgetful:
for they get the better even of their blunders. -Friedrich Nietzsche

Song:

True Love Will Find You In the End by Daniel Johnston

Picture Source: The Eternal Sunshine of Fred & Anne

Post made in collaboration with Alicia Baker.

Muriel

"She was a girl who for a ringing phone dropped ... exactly nothing. She looked as if her phone had been ringing continually ever since she had reached puberty."
-A Perfect Day for Bananafish by J. D. Salinger

Song: Teenager by Camera Obscura

Art by Cassia Beck

My Parents Were Awsome

As soon as I get that negative developed
my parents will be on this site.

Song:
I Believe by R.E.M.

Pictures from myparentswereawesome.com

le désert

Song:

Gone Under Sea by Electrelane

Art by Dorthea Lange

It Was Supposed To Rain Today

Hooray for the sun!

Song:
Don't Ask Me To Explain by Of Montreal

Art by Camilla Engman