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Sunday, April 12, 2015

Mix Tape of the Day: April 12, 2015 - Mika!

I can't wait any longer. I want to do my Mika mix now! (Note: I've already featured my favorite songs, "Origin of Love," "Happy Ending," "Rain," and "Elle Me Dit," but the rest are just as great.)

1. Grace Kelly - Mika (2007)

Mika kicked things off with this "introductory song." It was part of his autobiographical first album. "Grace Kelly" focuses on his struggle to become recognized as an artist, and it highlights what makes him unique as a performer (even if he has to rely on his similarity to Freddie Mercury for a bit). His voice and fun energy instantly appealed to me and I was a fan for life.

2. Lollipop - Mika (2007)

Even Mika can make a song about disappointment sound fun.

3. Love Today - Mika (2007)

Need a song to start your day off right? Mika's got you covered.

4. Any Other World - Mika (2007)

But it's not all fun and games. Sometimes you need a Mika sad song. This is the song I usually listen to when something good is coming to an end (like when I was leaving Australia).

5. Big Girl (You Are Beautiful) - Mika (2007)

Before Meghan Trainor was all about that bass, Mika had his uplifting ode to the big bootied among us. Written for his mother, Mika felt it's nice when everyone feels good.

6. We Are Golden - Mika (2009)

For his second album, Mika brought his lust for life back and created a worthy successor for his first album. It's more of the same, but we love the same.

7. Good Gone Girl - Mika (2009)

Yes, I could have gone with "Blame It On the Girls," but I prefer this other "Girl" song on the album. It's more fun.

8. Touches You - Mika (2009)

I once listened to this song with a friend and noted that "I have no idea what this song means, but I love it."

9. Kick Ass (We Are Young) - Mika vs. RedOne (2010)

More movies should have Mika create their signature songs! They'd be so much cooler!

10. Stardust - Mika (2012)

While the first two albums were magnificent, I really feel that The Origin of Love is Mika's strongest outing so far. Strangely, I preferred a lot more of the non-singles this time around. Even though this one became a single, it was a remixed version with another artist and I enjoy the original a lot more.

11. Overrated (Acoustic Version) - Mika (2012)

I went with the acoustic version for this choice because when you want a sad Mika song, you want it to be pure. Funny how after all his other songs promoting the joys of love, this one calls it overrated. Yet, none of his songs feel untruthful. That's just what love does.

12. Love You When I'm Drunk - Mika (2012)

I love Mika when he's having fun. And it doesn't get more fun than this.

13. Popular Song - Mika ft. Ariana Grande (2012)

Using the Wicked song "Popular" as it's inspiration, Mika and Ariana come down against their former bullies and change what it means to be part of the "popular" crowd. I can't wait to see what Mika's next album will bring!

Saturday, April 11, 2015

Mix Tape of the Day: April 11, 2015 - My Favorite Songs of All Time (100th Post)

Wow, we're already at my 100th mix! Well, I knew I had to do something special, so I've decided to go with my personal top 13 favorite songs. Now, in 99 days, I've featured a lot of my favorites, so I'm sure that a couple of those would belong on this list as well, but I purposely tried to avoid my absolute favorites so that I could feature them all together. The following are my top 13 songs that I just know will remain my favorites all my life, in some way or another.

13. Thirteen - Big Star (1972)

In high school, a friend told me that this song reminded him of me and ever since then, I've adopted it as my official theme. I truly feel that my life as it is today is all because of the events that happened when I was 13-years-old. This encapsulates me perfectly.

12. In the Hall of the Mountain King - Edvard Grieg (1867)

I'm a big fan of classical, instrumental pieces that tell a story. "Mountain King" rises above the rest because it also incorporates my other favorite aspect of music, the slow build to a rousing climax. I love choreographing visual stories to music (like in Fantasia) and this one provides me with so much to work with. Whenever it pops up in a movie or TV show, I'm happy.

11. I Miss You - Blink-182 (2003)

I know this one gained some attention this year when comedian Nathan Fielder asked someone to create a 10 hour loop of Tom DeLonge's verse because, I admit, his voice is quite whiny. But I enjoy the song for those magical chords. And sure it's a depressing, bitter grievance of unrequited love filled with references to The Nightmare Before Christmas (a.k.a. the perfect song to play at Hot Topic), but sometimes you just have to have a song like that in your life.

10. Delicate - Damien Rice (2002)

I like to listen to this on the beach while my CD player dies.

(This song always reminds me of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" which gave me great difficulty, as I love that song, but couldn't settle on the best version to include. Then I realized that this song hits me a lot harder than that one. A great song for when you just need to get those emotions out.)

9. Float On - Modest Mouse (2004)

Let's raise the mood a bit. Thanks to a Weird Al polka medley, I discovered this song. I remember thinking that part of the medley was the coolest so I sought out this track and it instantly became one of my favorite songs. It reminds me of younger days when a hopeful future is ahead of you and whenever I'm in a funk, it helps get me out.

8. Tubthumping - Chumbawamba (1997)

But if any song is going to make me happy, it's this one. Pure fun all around. I don't care if you're sick of it, this is my ideal night out song.

7. I Wanna Dance with Somebody - Whitney Houston (1987)

If any song's going to get me up and dance, it's this one. Fortunately, it plays at nearly every dance occasion. (I really wish that Grouplove would release a cover version of this song. They always play a short version of it live after their similar-sounding "Tongue-Tied" and they have so much fun singing it.)

6. Somewhere Only We Know - Keane (2004)

I'm going back to that heart-wrenching nostalgia now. It's a perfect song.

5. Nightswimming - R.E.M. (1992)

My favorite R.E.M. song from my favorite R.E.M. album. Like with "Somewhere Only We Know," it reminds me of summertime nostalgia, except it's a false one. This represents the memories I wish I had. And, apparently, that's part of the meaning of the song if you read about it's origins. And it's just a piano, strings, and Stipes voice. For a small song, it sounds so big. I always find that I respect a musician more if they not only cite R.E.M. as an influence, but cite this song as their favorite.

4. Origin of Love - Mika (2012)

Mika is like a rich dessert. I always have to sample a little bit of his music at a time because every song of his impresses me more than the last. For the longest time "Happy Ending" was my favorite Mika song, but this one dethroned the champion (and interestingly, he often plays the two back to back live due to their similar sound). But this one is just perfect. It really captures the "love is a drug" theme in its sound and it builds to an amazing finale. Love in it's purest form.

3. Chicago - Sufjan Stevens (2005)

This was the official song of my college road trips to Chicago. And whenever I visit my favorite city nowadays, you know I'll listen to this song. Sufjan Stevens just crafted a masterpiece filled with joy and sorrow and everything in between.

2. Only Time - Enya (2000)

I've shared some fun songs and some sad songs, but this is just a beautiful song. It transports me to a dreamlike fantasy whenever I hear it. So peaceful, so relaxing.

1. Zombie - The Cranberries (1994)

As much as I love all the songs on this list, nothing will ever beat "Zombie." The first time I heard it, I knew. Dolores O'Riordan's voice just took a hold of me. If you know me, you probably know that this is my favorite song, so I'm sorry for the lack of surprise. I once had a roommate who would play this song whenever she wanted to summon me to come talk to her. That's how much this song is a part of me.

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Mix Tape of the Day: March 10, 2015 - En Français!

After debating several topics, I settled on a day devoted to French songs. Only now do I realize that this would have been a perfect day for Super Mario music. Oh, well! C'est la vie!

1. Je veux te voir - Yelle (2006)

Yelle may be the biggest French electronica pop star of our time. I'm not quite sure how fierce the competition is, but her first hit single is perfectly catchy and loud. Brings me back to my European clubbing days that I never had.

2. Ça plane pour moi - Plastic Bertrand (1977)

Don't worry, this song is supposed to be nonsense. If you need a song for the soundtrack of your wacky dumb-Americans-in-Europe comedy, this is the song for you.

3. Dominique - Sœur Sourire (1963)

My father grew up in Belgium and France, so I had to hear this song often for some reason. I find it amusing that it was the song played nonstop at the mental asylum in American Horror Story. It even reminds me of "It's a Small World."

4. Comptine d'un autre été : L'Après-Midi - Yann Tiersen (2001)

Or if you just need some mood music for your quirky French indie comedy, here is a lovely piece.

5. Non, je ne regrette rien - Édith Piaf (1960)

Here's one of the most famous classic French songs. You should already be familiar with it, but I won't hold it against you if you didn't discover it until Inception.

6. La mer - Charles Trenet (1946)

And I feel this is the other must-listen classic French chanson. It's been used in multiple movies and TV shows as well (especially those associated with the ocean, like Finding Nemo or LOST). I just find it so pleasant, especially when it underscores a day at the beach.

7. Paris - Delerium ft. Aude (2004)

Those Canadians are at it again with their ambient music. Heavily inspired by Pachelbel's Canon, this song reminds me of Paris at Christmastime. Probably because I listen to it a lot at Christmas for some reason.

8. Ta douleur - Camille (2005)

Thanks to the great SNL "Les Jeunes des Paris" sketch, I was introduced to this delightfully quirky song that involves cutesy raspberries and wretching to signify life's pain.

9. Toi + moi - Grégoire (2008)

It's hard to gauge what's considered popular or not in foreign countries. I have the feeling this one was fairly popular when it came out. It's your typical love song set to those magic four chords. But it's in French, which makes it dix times better.

10. Jolie Coquine - Caravan Palace (2008)

This electro-swing track is so charming and fun! I'm glad that my friends discovered it independently of me, because it deserves to be shared with as many people as possible.

11. Hello - Martin Solveig ft. Dragonette (2010)

Okay, this is in English, but French DJ Martin Solveig is behind it. Thanks to the likes of Daft Punk, it appears many French and European DJ's are making their way towards the Western Hemisphere. And if they continue to produce work like this, I'd be a happy kid.

12. Adieu - Cœur de pirate (2011)

Canadian Cœur de pirate is becoming quite the star and I've enjoyed every song of hers I've heard thus far. I picked "Adieu" because it was fun, but "Comme des enfants" was a very close runner up!

13. Elle me dit - Mika (2011)

Ah, here's the reason I wanted to have a French day. I wanted to listen to more Mika!

Saturday, February 14, 2015

Mix Tape of the Day: February 14, 2015 - 13 Valentines

I've had some pretty memorable Valentine's Days in my past. And so, I've collected the love songs that remind me of my past. I'll spare the details for privacy's sake, but each of these songs I associate with a particular Valentine from my past. This is basically the soundtrack to my life.