two door cinema club

The Dunce Cap: Week of Aug. 1, 2011

in: heavy rotation

 

Dolly Parton by Dennis Carney

The Dunce Cap, Vol. 37: I want to run like vagrants hand in hand across this field. (click on link to listen to mix via 8tracks)

1. “Turn a Square” – The Shins
2. “Pumped Up Kicks” – Owl Eyes
3. “Fixed Gears and Broken Hearts” – Butch Walker
4. “Hospital Bed” – Ben Kweller
5. “Another Reason to Go” – Vetiver
6. “Stay Young, Go Dancing” – Death Cab For Cutie
7. “Costume Party” – Two Door Cinema Club
8. “Judy and the Dream of Horses” – Belle & Sebastian
9. “I Wish I Was the Moon” – Neko Case
10. “Stay…Don’t Go” – Spoon

Ho-ley ba-jeez-huss. There’s so much music comin’ out these days. There’s so much good music – I’m swimming in it. Well, that’s not totally true. I’m sitting here listening to Cake at maximum volume, caught up in the sensation of being a fluorescent adolescent, but I’ve heard murmurings of all the good tunes out there. I’m getting casually reacquainted, so you’ll notice this particular mix pairs some familiar tracks with newer gems from some well-established bands.

There’s also a pretty (no, seriously, really pretty) cover of one of the summer’s hottest tunes, Foster the People‘s “Pumped Up Kicks,” as well as a song from Vetiver, one of my very favorite acts. And a great bonus track from Butch Walker (who has a new album coming out 8.30!) with a line about cyclists. And an incredibly clever (and great) ditty from Ben Kweller (“This machine is so mature. It’s so much your – type.”)

All in all, a playlist I’m excited to listen to myself. Tracks n’ tracks n’ snacks n’ snacks n’ stacks n’… Thrills.

Happy summer. Happy listening.

The Dunce Cap: June 6, 2011

in: heavy rotation

The Dunce Cap, Vol. 35: You could drive a car through my head in five minutes, from one side of it to the other. (click on link to listen to mix via 8tracks)

1. “#1 Summer Jam” – Butch Walker
2. “Kick Drum Heart” – The Avett Brothers
3. “Something Good Can Work” – Two Door Cinema Club
4. “Shaken” – Five-Eight
5. “Rolling in the Deep” – Adele
6. “Hurricane J” – The Hold Steady
7. “Slow Show” – The National
8. “Mass Pike” – The Get Up Kids
9. “She’s in Love” – Fourth of July
10. “Here in Your Bedroom” – Goldfinger

Oh man, I’m so ashamed, guys. I crafted this pretty excellent mix weeks ago and failed to post it here in my blog. I’m guessing that – due to a slip in content and a subsequent slip in readership – there aren’t many of you out there at all miffed by this, but I don’t want to besmirch my good name. Any further, at least.

Regardless, my computer, trusty ol’ RuPaul, went totally kaput, so I’m working solely off of university computers. I’m still in town for summer session, throwing myself into some courses and attempting to regain some of the ground I lost these last few quarters. The point of this little exposition is this: I’ve got a lot to say but am currently lacking the general means to post regularly – and am fairly busy with classwork -, so please continue to bear with me. I’m hoping to get RuPaul up and running again soon, but, until then, I’ll be blogging when I can.

Anyhow – back to the mix. There’s not much to be said about this one. You’ll see I’m back to including both The Hold Steady and The National, and, I’m sorry to say, I don’t see this trend ceasing anytime in the near future. I just keep finding yet another track to fall in love with. There’s also a great track from Athens’ Five-Eight, an old Get Up Kids sing-along, the gorgeously talented Adele and, finally, a throwback from Goldfinger (that one goes out to late-night drives with the one and only CaCa).

I’ll be back soon with a long form piece about women in journalism; I’ve been using my phone to scour through so many excellent and thought-provoking articles by female writers, and I’m thrilled to report that, in my humble opinion, quality journalism is alive and well.

In the meantime, happy listening.