A Post-Mess Mix.

Like the Count of Monte Cristo emerging triumphant from a bodybag flung out to sea, I am writing to you today from inside the cozy purple walls of Bostonia—having miraculously survived the dreaded Finals Week & thus officially graduated to Upperclassmanship. More importantly, I can now look forward to a summer of reading & sleeping & Photoshopping with young'uns—&, indeed, reviving my long-flagging Blogsmanship.

Though I have a bevy of entries fizzing at the tips of my fingers—from hardcore philosophical musings to gushing over certain actors' preeminent hotness—I feel like it's appropriate, as a smooth transition from this most brutal of sleepless paper-splosions, to post the playlist that buoyed me through this past week—which, in my humble estimation, is pretty clutch. Without further ado:

5-7-11: I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday.
[ ^ Download the whole mix! In order! Click! Oh man! ^ ]

Going Down—Gerome Ragni (Hair, 1968 cast).
Breaking Glass (Live, Montréal, 7/12/83)—David Bowie.
Get It On At Le Disko (T. Rex vs. Shiny Toy Guns)—The Illuminoids.
The Hollows—WHY?.
Your Woman—Cats On Fire (White Town cover).
Buena—Morphine.
Itty Bitty Piggy—Nicki Minaj.
Less Than Zero—Elvis Costello.
Werewolf—Cat Power (Michael Hurley cover).
Soldier Girl—The Polyphonic Spree.
Diamond Crowned Queen—Raja.
Why Do You Love Me—Garbage.
Secretly Jealous—Coyote Shivers.
Melody Day—Caribou.
Hey—The Pixies.
Rolling in the Deep (Jamie XX remix, feat. Childish Gambino)—Adele.
Between the Bars (Live at Largo)—Elliott Smith.
Never Be Lonely—The Feeling.
Baby in Two—The Pernice Brothers.
Reptile—Lisa Germano.
I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday—Morrissey.
There's Not a Step We Can Take That Does Not Bring Us Closer—Jason Webley.

Make Homosexuals Marry. (Especially If One of Them Is Mike White.)

It actually makes me really happy that the (Pre-Kiss vs. Hug) Cameron & Mitchell Strategy I described earlier—more snappily dubbed "Make Homosexuals Marry" by those leading the charge—is being put to widespread use. Because long-term, life-melding commitment—especially marriage, regardless of gender—is known to have a negative effect on any couple's rampant fun & passion; it's actually counterproductive for those who fear The Big Bad Gay Lifestyle to oppose such unions between same sex couples. I mean, sure, it's a weird, roundabout way to make a point, but it definitely works for me—especially in this video. (Especially because I love Mike White.)

(via World of Wonder)

Today's Headphone Fodder:

Earlier tonight, I trekked up to the world's nosebleediest seats at Boston's House of Blues (seriously: back row, third floor of a very vertical venue) in order to see Evelyn Evelyn, the conjoined twin sister singer-songwriters who caused some internet brouhaha (sp?) with their potentially ableist backstory. After the main act (& a brief intermission), Jason Webley did a two-song "set," followed by Amanda Palmer, who performed some lengthy monologues on the State of Her Awesome Life / Being an Artist / Being Back in Boston, with the occasional musical interlude.

Though I was so not into the way Amanda handled a lot of the backlash against the Evelyns (regardless of the fact that some of the nay-saying could seem overreactive to those not feeling it for themselves), I actually did end up enjoying the twins' performance. The standout of the night was, of course, the song I'd seen live over two years ago, before this concept was actually a Thing, with conjoined dress et. al.: the song called You Only Want Me 'Cause You Want My Sister, which is infectious & clever & includes a Heathers reference. Also, they do a super-acoustic (that damn ukulele...) cover of Love Will Tear Us Apart—which, though one is like to cringe when looking through an ableist lens, is actually really great.

Still, I walked away from the night unsatisfied—more than just oxygen-deprived from the altitude: I wanted (want, will want; every tense) more Webley. That man is such a force of nature, brilliant songwriter, wildly talented performer—&, for the record, he was such a friggin' gentleman about the whole "Ableism Ableism" kerfuffle. I admire & adore him & his music to the utmost of utmosts, &, though I desperately wished for more, I was so very happy that he performed two of my favorites: There's Not a Step We Can Take That Does Not Bring Us Closer, with its customary violins vs. trombones audience standoff, & Last Song, which he dedicated to his recently deceased grandmother. (RIP, forever & on.)

There were, in fact, two more Webley songs performed later in the night: one, the fun-but-simple Drinking Song as a group encore; the other, a duet with Amanda of perhaps my very favorite (tied with those already mentioned—& Ways to Love. & Dance While the Sky Crashes Down. & Map. Eleven Saints. Days With You. This is a hopeless game.):

Icarus.

Yes, this is our big-text, official Song of the Day—mostly because I love it, a lot, but it's also catapulted above the rest because I'm a little peeved at how Amanda has so co-opted it. It's not that she ruins the song, per se; I suppose it does suit her theatricality & piano stylings. I just... It's Jason's song! & it's not like he's such a famous, established band as Radiohead; I really wish they could let the song get by on its own (read: his) merits. Now, it's nigh impossible to find a version of it that isn't somehow Palmerized.