Sugary Sweet Machine

"He wrote a pocket novel called the state that I am in..."

Wow, three months in 2006 and no posting? Well, that comes as no surprise to me, really. It's hard leading this semi-double live with Livejournal and a regular blog. I'd like to do music reviews again soon. Oh, and one thing of real significance: my boyfriend and I went to see Jeff Tweedy at The Fillmore last month and it was amazing! The man can really put it across. Sadly, I missed Colin Meloy back in January, but I think Jeff Tweedy may (maybe) have made up for it. And I'm really into Belle & Sebastian lately. I forgot how great If You're Feeling Sinister is. "Fox In The Snow" just kills me. The end. For now.

Now Playing: Belle & Sebastian, "I Don't Love Anyone"

posted by Miss A @ 8:47 PM 8 comments

My rant on Sufjan Stevens and my love of written freedom....?

I like that I've seemed to find something involving the internet that is scarcely read. No, I really do mean that. Imagine, multiple people reading this. (?!) Anyway, such lovely and occassionally sought after freedom does deserve the right attention, no?

When listening to this song, I really can't help but be mesmerized by it. Being able to humanize such a person as John Wayne Gacy Jr. is quite something. "He killed 10,000 people with the slight of his hand..." There's no doubt in my mind that this song puts such an artist in the limelight. I had a chance to see Sufjan (yes, really, it's pronounced SOO-F-JUN according to an article--no joke!) in a town not too far away during this past summer. Listening to this album as I do now, I can almost hear the sounds of me kicking my own ass for not being in attendence. There's something about a full horn section and Sufjan's use of the word "decatur" that really does something for me, I guess. And why would he be afraid of Nicholas Spark? Or does he mean nickels spark? Either way, it seems like an odd statement. I'll conclude my rant on Mr. Stevens by stating that he's got the looks and the talent to rock my socks anytime.


Now Playing: Sufjan (SOO-F-JUN) Stevens- "John Wayne Gacy Jr."

posted by Miss A @ 8:02 PM 32 comments

What would you know, you've got everything!

Instead of posting some obligatory, slightly boring 2005 list, I thought I'd just highlight some of my favorite films and records of this year. In no particular order...

Favorite Records of 2005:
The Mountain Goats- Sunset Tree
The Decemberists- Picaresque
Of Montreal- Sunlandic Twins
Morrissey- Live At Earl's Court
Andrew Bird- Andrew Bird & The Mysterious Production of Eggs
Magnolia Electric Co.- What Comes After The Blues
Athlete- Tourist
Sun Kil Moon- Tiny Cities
Bell x 1- Flock
The Bravery- The Bravery
Bright Eyes- I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning
Bright Eyes- Digital Ash In The Digital Urn
Crooked Fingers- Dignity & Shame
Aqueduct- I Sold Gold
Death Cab For Cutie- Plans
Eels- Blinking Lights & The Other Revelations
Idlewild- Warnings & Promises
Iron & Wine/Calexico- In The Reins
Sufjan Stevens- Illinois
Kayne West- Late Registration
Ladytron- Witching Hour
LCD Soundsystem- LCD Soundsystem
The New Pornographers- Twin Cinema
Ryan Adams & The Cardinals- Cold Roses

Favorite Recently-Viewed Films:
Capote
Shopgirl
Walk The Line
Secondhand Lions
In Good Company

I realize that I may have mentioned too many records for the year, but what can I say? There were a lot of good ones!

Now Playing: Holly Golightly- "The Luckiest Girl"

posted by Miss A @ 7:34 PM 0 comments

Where you been, man?

Okay, so where the hell did I go anyway? Good question. It's one I've been grappling with since my unexpected absence. Yes, I am indeed writing to myself here. I just can't seem to get into the swing of this blogger idea, really. There are so many things going on in my head, but I can't quite vocalise them. I wish I didn't make things so complicated sometimes. I really think I should just turn my phone off and deal with my own crap. Seriously. Bah! Bah I say. BAH.

Now Playing: The Decemberists, "Leslie Anne Levine"

p.s.
I'm seeing Colin Meloy in SF at the end of January. Thanks-so-very-much boyfriend!

posted by Miss A @ 8:55 PM 1 comments

This is not my life, it's just a fond farewell to a friend...

Maybe this reveals that I'm a sad bastard, but this month is the two year anniversary of Elliott Smith's death. I was too young to remember Kurt Cobtain's suicide very well (though I remember a little), and the last musician's death I can recall that affected me was Layne Stanley of Alice In Chains. So when I heard the news two years ago, it was right around my mom's birthday. (I remember it being within a few days of the 19th) Oddly enough, within a few days of the one year anniversary of Elliott Smith's death, was the death of one of my closest family friends. Hence October is an odd month for me now. In any event, no one around me understood why I reacted to this musician's death. I heard a lot of, "Well, he was just a musician, it's not like you knew him", or, "His music was depressing anyway, so was it really a shock?" I had answers to every response I got, even if they weren't justified. Whether or not I saw it coming, or whether Elliott Smith's music was depressing or not, mattered little to me. It's still the ending of a young life, one that had so much more to offer the world, and so much more talent to share.

I won't make any assumptions into what was going on with Elliott Smith at the time of his death, or even speculate on whether it was a suicide or not; that's simply none of my business. His family has made a lot of effort to keep his personal life private, which to me is how it should be. However, it's still eerie for me to now hear songs like, "Between The Bars", "Independence Day" or, "Fond Farewell" and not think about what was to come. "The potential you'll be/that you'll never see/images stuck in your head..." A lot of people tried to pick apart From A Basement On The Hill, the record released after his death. I know that journalists are supposed to write about these major events and such, but aren't these articles full of speculation? They had little to go on, except a fairly small discography that seemed to ask more questions than answer any. Then there's releasing a record after someone's death without knowing exactly how the artist wanted it; but that's another story entirely.

Yes, I am one sad bastard, if you can call it that. All I can do is keep Elliott Smith and his family in my thoughts, hoping that wherever (or whatever) he is, he's content.


Now Playing: Elliott Smith, "Fond Farewell"

posted by Miss A @ 8:41 PM 0 comments

With the roar of cars and the lulling of the cafe bars...

Reason #9 why I don't like Livejournal: really disturbing icons!
I was perusing a favorite LJ music community, when I stumbled upon an icon that read, "What a fuckin' wonderful world" and behind it was a picture of people hanging themselves. Yes, hanging themselves. I'm sorry, but who finds that funny? I found it quite disturbing. Sure, I had those lame, unjustified feelings in high school of "abandonment" and such, but come on. One day I will do a post about why I don't like Livejournal--and why I do.

In the meantime, I'm still recovering from last night's Angels/Yankees game. It was, hands down, the best game I've seen all year. Absolutely nail-biting, pitch-by-pitch gloriousness. Now this is why I love baseball as much as I do. And how elated was I to see the Yankees get eliminated in the first round of the postseason! Yes, I have a dislike for them that pales almost all others. I'm pulling for a Chicago/Houston World Series. That would be both unbelieveable and amazing. (But it's more likely to be Chicago and St. Louis, err.)

OK, that's it. "Legionnaire's Lament" is officially my favorite song by The Decemberists. Wow.

Now Playing: The Decemberists- "Legionnaire's Lament"

posted by Miss A @ 5:42 PM 2 comments

If it takes shit to make bliss, well I feel pretty blissfully.

Personally, things have been on the weird side lately. I decided to take a pretty big break from Livejournal (of which I was quite involved), I am with a wonderful and fantastic guy (who also loves me--um, whoa), I'm almost done with school, and I'm working part-time at the school. Oh, and my CD collection seems to be constantly growing, so much so that it never seems quite fully updated.

So, at the same time that I enjoy having so much to do--between Friday and tonight, I have cried twice. Now I'm not much of a crier, really. I can't figure out what combination seems to be leading to such a reaction, except horrible cramps for most of today, which messes up my eating and sleeping habits. I walk around consistently tired, both physically and mentally. I don't have anything resembling a real social life, and yet I'm 23. Sometimes I feel like a 30-year old trapped in a 23-year olds body. I feel like I don't do much of what other people in their 20's do: I don't drink (maybe 3-4 times a year), I don't smoke, I don't party, I don't have a ton of friends...and I wonder why I'm the way I am! Give me music, coffee, and my man in any combination and I'm content. (Maybe throw in a good concert too! Heh.) Is it so wrong to be anti-social? I interact with people pretty much all day long with work and school--but except for my weekends and once a week w/the best friend, I really don't get "out" much.

There's still so many things I want to do and/or try; finally getting my AA from a community college, possibly going to law school, start riding horses again, do something more with my piano playing/singing, live in the Bay area. I'm both frightened and excited about what awaits me when I graduate at the end of November. I don't know how many more "new starts" I can take where I've failed. But I'm determined to do something great with my nine months of education and good grades.

Now Playing: Modest Mouse- "Dance Hall"

posted by Miss A @ 6:19 PM 50 comments