tegan & sara

The Dunce Cap: Week of July 16, 2012

in: heavy rotation

The Dunce Cap, Vol. 48: I can’t wait to say all the things you can’t see, all the things that make you better. (click on link to listen to mix via 8tracks or play above)

1. “Sunlight” – matt pond PA
2. “Like U Crazy” – Mates of State
3. “I Saw You Blink” – Stornoway
4. “Chloe” – GROUPLOVE
5. “You Wouldn’t Like Me” – Tegan & Sara
6. “Ten-Twenty-Ten” – Generationals
7. “I Won’t Spend Another Night Alone” – The Ataris
8. “Laura” – Girls
9. “Jack-Ass” – Beck
10. “Wicked Game” – James Vincent McMorrow

YES!, middle of July, summer swelter. I’m at a loss for words, mostly, about these ten. I think I’ll let them speak for themselves, though I’ll point out a few key things:

– Aw, yeah, matt pond PA. “I wish you would say/when I fuck up that it’s okay.” 
– Same with Mates of State. I really wanted to include, “Help Help,” but I thought “Like U Crazy” was more appropriate.
– I’m on a Tegan & Sara kick currently, and I refuse to apologize.
– I saw Generationals (and Pet Lions!) open last year for Magic Kids at Tomorrow Never Knows. They were incredible live, and I picked up a cool 3D poster (with glasses!) from the show. Got into the music a little later.
– I’m also rediscovering my love for the pop punk of my adolescence. My current gym playlist is a mix of The Ataris, Fall Out Boy and Something Corporate. I still adore The Ataris album, Blue Skies, Broken Hearts…Next 12 Exits. It’s replete with pitch-perfect pop culture references (Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure in “San Dimas High School Football Rules!” and “I’d rob a Kwik-E-Mart for you!” from this one) and soaring, rough sing-alongs.
– And, hell, I saw James Vincent McMorrow last week at SPACE here in Evanston. The venue – my home away from home – is an intimate one, which lent itself perfectly to McMorrow’s haunting, booming, Bon Iver-esque vocals (sorry for the oh-so-obvious comparison). McMorrow’s been performing and recording awesomely unexpected covers, like John Hiatt’s “Higher Love” and this, Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game.” I remember the video for Isaak’s original from when I was a kid; it was, and remains, one of the sexiest things I’ve ever seen in my whole life. And it was, if possible, sexier with McMorrow’s timbre.
– Finally, count the handclaps. I dare ya.

As always, happy listening.

The Dunce Cap: May 09, 2011

in: heavy rotation

The Dunce Cap, Vol. 33: But a weekend in Utah won’t fix what’s wrong with us. (click on link to listen to mix via 8tracks)

1. “Boy” – Ra Ra Riot
2. “New Drink for the Old Drunk” – Crooked Fingers
3. “Rill Rill” – Sleigh Bells
4. “I Know I Know I Know” – Tegan & Sara
5. “Wake and Be Fine” – Okkervil River
6. “Barely Breathing” – The Hold Steady
7. “The Mess Inside” – The Mountain Goats
8. “Dreams” – The Morning Benders
9. “Rappin’ 2 U” – Das Racist
10. “Do You Mind?” – The XX

Happy spring, readers! It took long enough to get us here, but I am ridiculously excited for sunshine and warmth and sundresses to come my way. It has been, as I always apologize for, way too long since I last blogged. It seems like a lifetime has passed since I last made a fun li’l Dunce Cap, and, in some ways, it has been. I’ve been riding a crazy-fast wave of adventure in the last few weeks, and I haven’t felt this light and blithe in years. It’s hard to even begin to explain what I’ve been up to. There was the strip club debauchery, the familial daytime drinking, the lakeside fireworks, the Journey to the End of the Night and the Mud Olympics and post-event rock climbing and Lake Michigan rinse. Then there were the plans to rappel, the unbelievable sleep schedule, the hours and hours in cars with friends, the wind in my hair during day drives and the spring in my step, well, always. It’s amazing how shockingly different this quarter has been from the last, and I can’t say I’m sorry for the drastic change. Last quarter sucked.

This mix is just…a mix. There’s certainly a recurring theme throughout all of my previous mixes, and I think it’s surely something about love lost, but these are also just songs I really like. There’s something about “Barely Breathing,” off of The Hold Steady‘s Heaven is Whenever, and about “Rappin’ 2 U” by Das Racist which just remind me of, well, me (the latter pays homage to “Young cocoa butter,” my nickname in high school, and talks of Coca Cola and Conde Nast magazines). And I adore The Morning Benders‘ cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams,” which is just stellar. Seriously. This is a mix of songs I’ve just been digging, and I hope you’ll like it too.

Coming up (maybe even tonight!), details on my rising status as a fashion maven; my newfound obsession in television title cards; and much, much more.

Happy listening and hella happy times!

The Dunce Cap: Dec. 13, 2010

in: heavy rotation

Image courtesy of nataliedee

The Dunce Cap, Vol. 28: You are too young to put all of your hopes in just one envelope. (click on link to listen to mix via 8tracks)

1. “If She Wants Me” – Belle & Sebastian
2. “Temporary Title” – Butch Walker
3. “Adventures in Solitude” – The New Pornographers
4. “Southtown Girls” – The Hold Steady
5. “Miss Sweeney” – Weezer
6. “Dark Neon” – Wilco
7. “Love You To” – Yim Yames
8. “Breakin’ Up” – Rilo Kiley
9. “Back in Your Head” – Tegan & Sara
10. “See You” – Saves the Day

I really ought to start making themed mixes again. It gets tiresome, putting ten tracks together to make a disjointed collection. What can I say about these tracks, really? I like ’em. I like ’em quite a lot.

Mainly, this is a mix of the same ol’ artists I listen to week in and week out. I think I’ll take this break to explore music all over again. I’ll bring you some exciting new artists and tunes soon enough.

Tomorrow, news/sites/videos.

Until then, and as always –
Happy listening.

The Dunce Cap: May 10, 2010

in: heavy rotation

Image courtesy of nataliedee.com.

The Dunce Cap, Vol. 7: ‘Cause no one ever looked as vogue as her, in green. (mix via 8tracks)

  1. “Bloodbuzz Ohio” – The National
  2. “In Green” – Volcano, I’m Still Excited!!
  3. “Mr. Moon” – Kate Micucci
  4. “Jenny and the Summer Day” – The Avett Brothers
  5. “All My Friends” – LCD Soundsystem
  6. “Astair” – Matt Costa
  7. “You Wouldn’t Like Me” – Tegan & Sara
  8. “Burrito” – Pete Yorn
  9. “She’s Got You High” – Mumm-Ra
  10. “Too Little, Too Late” – Grizzly Bear

It’s starting to smell a bit like summer! Except, you know, not in Chicago, where the weather has shifted back into the dreary 50s-ish twilight monsoons. But in normal places, even at home, the shift is noticeable, and fidgety students are eager to frolic in sprinklers and devour ice cream cones (hence the photo, lawlz). Or maybe that’s just me.

My point is – there are four weeks left before I can begin my TBA summer adventures, and these songs are helping me get there just a little faster. There’s new National and some super-adorable Pete Yorn, as well as a Volcano, I’m Still Excited!! track that strongly reminds me of summer camp 2006. It’s a fun little mix with a great JoJo cover – the original is nearly unrecognizable – which, I’m sure, will inspire you to run, not walk, to the Cupcake Mobile! It’s ten thousand times better than your shotty old ice cream truck, I promise.

Do a little dance, and happy listening!