Bruised

official music video- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KX2dVIyfWA

Chairlift is a popular band amongst the masses for obvious reasons. Their catchy tunes, bouncy beats, and kick ass lyrics (No, we’re not talking about Miley Cyrus, teeny boppers) have always succeeded in capturing people’s hearts, and it helps that they were featured in an iPod commercial.

The first time you listen to the song “Bruises,” by Chairlift, all that tends to come to mind is “blow jobs,” which I’m pretty sure is not appropriate for this class blog. But alas, I beg you to get your mind out of the gutter, and too appreciate this song for what it truly represents, which is a bruised heart, soul, and ego.
As a young adult I tend to live my life quite carelessly, because it is easier to feel indestructible than to admit my vulnerabilities. Unfortunately, when it comes down to it, and I’m left alone with my thoughts it’s easier to discover the numerous bruises I’m left with.

In my home town, I’m quite infamous for my parties (namely because I was a bad influence and I have a pretty kick ass hot tub), but with each morning after I woke up feeling empty, and very bruised. In fact, my friends and I got into the habit of showing off our war wounds the next morning, because we had either slipped all over the hot tub, fallen off swing sets, or even tried flying from the apt. roof. These bruises were hilarious, because they were something we could show off and laugh about the next day, what wasn’t funny were some of the true stories behind them. We used our physical bruises to hide the internal bruising we dreaded being left alone with.

Nowadays that out of control side of me has calmed down a little bit (much to the dismay of a lot of my friends), because I figured out that if I didn’t deal with my bruises head on, I would be shit out of luck every time I was left alone with my thoughts. Chairlift’s song “Bruises” acknowledges the permanent “black and blue,” that we all tend to hide behind, and exposes a true vulnerability. If she can acknowledge the bruising she’s been through in an iPod commercial, surely we all can take a moment to acknowledge our own bruises, and start to heal.

Let's have some "fun."

While choosing a song for today’s blog it hit me that I am an extremely selfish person. I knew when I started this blog that I had plenty of songs to write about, but what I had underestimated was how hard it would be to share these gems with the rest of the world.. I’ve always been protective of my music, because the last thing I want to do is to turn my new favorite artist into the next sensation. This protection comes from watching some of my favorites such as, Jason Mraz, James Blunt, and and Imogen Heap get blown up in the public eye… and it has hurt. Artists, who once gave the most amazing underground concerts ever, get turned into radio stars, who you can barely see in huge auditoriums all because of media just like this. Now don’t get me wrong, I am perfectly aware that my blog is not the only blog in the world advertising great music, or that I even am the first to listen to new artists, Music is one big linking chain of events, but I guess I just like to think that the artists I listen to are “mine,” and that they are different from all the stereotypical stuff blasting from most people’s cars. Ignorance can be bliss, but without any ado I will now discuss what most people are reading this for, the song “Be Calm,” by a favorite band of mine, Fun.

The song “Be Calm,” like any of Fun’s songs, is not a song that you can fully understand with one listening (in fact the first time I heard it I could only compare it to the soundtrack for Hunchback of Notre Dame). It is very catchy, but the strong rhythms and sounds tend to cover some of the hidden meaning behind it.

"As I walk through the streets of my new city
my back feeling much better, I suppose
I've reclaimed the use of my imagination
for better or for worse, I've yet to know
but I always knew you'd be the one to understand me,
I guess that's why it took so long to get things right.
Suddenly I'm lost
On my street
On my block

Oh why, Oh why
Oh why haven't you been there for me?
Can't you see, I'm losing my mind this time?
This time I think it's for real, I can see

All the tree tops turning red
The beggars near bodegas grin at me
I think they want something
I close my eyes, I tell myself to breathe

and be calm.
Be calm.
I know you feel like you are breaking down.
I know that it gets so hard sometimes.
Be calm.

I'm scared that everyone is out to get me.
"These days before you speak to me you pause."
"I always see you looking out your window."
"After all, you lost your band, you left your mom."
Now every single crack, every penny that I pass,
says I should either leave or pick it up
But with every single buck I've made
I'm saddled with bad luck that came

the moment I was baptized
or when I found out one day I'm gonna die
if only I could find my people or my place in life
a when they come a'carolin'
so loud, so bright, the theremin
will lead us to a chorus
where we'll all rejoice and sing a song that goes:

Oh be calm.
Be calm.
I know you feel like you are breaking down.
I know that it gets so hard sometimes,
Be calm.
Take it from me, I've been there a thousand times.
You hate your pulse because it thinks you're still alive
and everything's wrong
It just gets so hard sometimes
Be calm.

I don't remember much that night,
Just walking, thinking fondly of you
Thinking how the worst is yet to come
When from that street corner came a song
And I can't remember the man,
The panhandler or his melody.
The words exchanged had far exceeded any change I'd given thee."

This song is the anthem of my life lately, because with every single day that passes, and every problem that occurs I have to remind myself to “be calm.”

Lykke Li's "Tonight" sparks feeling.

I first came upon this masterpiece of a song this summer, on a long car ride home from my family reunion, when my brother decided to take over the Ipod cord against my protests. We have battled over Ipod time for the past several years, although I now reluctantly agree that his taste in music has been much better, and has molded my own tastes for many years now. My brother, who will inspire many posts on this blog, has always been at the front line for which music is “in” in the indie/underground rock scene, and most importantly which music excites the soul a little more than your typical crap on the radio. But this post is not about my brother. This post is about my relationship with this one particular song, Lykke Li’s “Tonight.”

So after hearing the song, I was very intrigued by its acoustics and mournful tone. Lykke Li’s voice seemed to wrench at my heart that was further protruded by the video. Now, let me say, I have never been a fan of music videos.. I think that they take away our own creative visions as listeners, but this video is different. Lykke Li comes onto a black and white screen, staring straight into the camera, wearing a simple black top and no makeup whatsoever ( in fact with the way her hair is slicked back from her face it is easy to assume that she has just gotten out of the shower). This sight is an automatic shock to most women, considering the majority of videos in the media try to gain our attention with flashy clothes, makeup, themes, ect. But not Lkkye Li. She starts the video emulating all of the vulnerability that the listener can hear in the music, and the lyrics of her song.

"Push my back, so I make sure,
you're right behind me as before.
Yesterday the night before tomorrow.

Dry my eyes so you won't know.
Dry my eyes so I won't show.
I know you're right behind me."

The hollow sound she starts off with as she sings the intro is almost haunting. She brings to light a common fear of being left alone at a party, but as you get to the second verse you feel that there is so much more history than what meets the eye. This bare girl across the screen is hiding her insecurities by covering her tears from whoever is joining her tonight. When the chorus chimes, in the last few times of “don’t you let me go, let me go tonight” I felt my own tears coming down, as hers fall too.

Each and every person that has taken the time to really watch this video has also been pushed to tears by the context and the susceptibleness of this song. As human beings, we all have the capability to feel lonely; it just takes a brave person to admit it.