Top Five Songs- April Edition

James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem

5. ("Who Loves The Sun?" - The Velvet Underground] Loaded apparently was Lou Reed trying to write an album full of popular hits. He succeeded. This is most pop filled, joyful (sounding) Velvet Underground song I’ve ever heard.

4. ("I'll Call B4 I Cum" - Outkast] Preceded by the "Kim and Cookie (Interlude)" on Stankonia (p.s.funniest interlude ever), I'll call B4 just sticks in your head and refuses to leave. I've been singing the chorus at every tennis practice/match since the beginning of the month, and let me tell you, it's a good way to weird/pysch out people. "Wait... did you just say cum? Why don't you just send it over? Out the blue? What the f*** are you singing about Joel?!"

3. ("O.N.E." - Yeasayer] - WHOO! BROOKLYN DANCE BEATS! YOU'RE JUST SO DELIGHTFUL! JUST SO, SO DELIGHTFUL!

2. ("Forest Families" - The Knife] - I bought the full album Silent Shout about a month and half ago, and I haven't stopped listening since (except to play other songs on this list). I've been listening to it in segments though, as to avoid getting burned out on Silent Shout and We Share Our Mother's Health (two songs that both share a 50 plus play count in iTunes). I bought the vinyl a couple month back too, so I've just used the sides to break section off the album. I love every section just like I’d love every kid if I had a family, but everyone’s got a favorite and mine is (Side B: Forest Families, One Hit, Still Light). It’s the apple of my eye.

1. ("Drunk Girls" - LCD Soundsystem] The first time I listened to this single I thought, this isn't what LCD Soundsystem is supposed to sound like. I was mistaken. It was what they're supposed to sound like, and they sound like quick-witted, snazzy, socially perceptive dance-rock. I've had LCD Soundsystem's Sound Of Silver for over a year, but I never really gave it a chance. I bought the single, put it in a playlist with Sounds of Silver, and I’ve been jamming in ecstasy since.

Joel Samson Berntsen (One Hit- The Knife)

I'm Locking Myself in a Cabin for a While

Tentative decisions are here. You’d think I’d be listening to Tentative Decisions.

Instead I’ve just been listening to Bon Iver’s For Emma, Forever Ago.

Four times through and still counting, and that's just tonight.

Joel Samson Berntsen (Lump Sum- Bon Iver)

Returning to Sender (Dexter and I)

Last summer ago I started watching Dexter (the Showtime series). And it was fantastic. But for some reason I stopped watching it around episode seven. Why? I don’t know; it’s just one of those things that happen.

(Side note: during the title sequence, I would always started craving eggs because of the high detailed and close-up shots of breakfast being made, so I started catering to my cravings and it became a ritual to make myself some eggs, pour a ton of pepper on them, and then start an episode of Dexter; it was one of the most satisfying things I’ve ever experienced in my life.)

This summer, I convinced my girlfriend to buy seasons one and two for college (Ah... I’m a tricky, tricky man). Anyway, she only recently started it, so I’ve started re-watching the first season, and I’m an episode away from the season finale. And man, as I said before, this show is freaking fantastic! Yes. The show is so good it warrants an exclamation point; it is really that good.

I know. I’m behind the times.

The first season? Man, you mean back when the Ice cream truck killer was still around? Geez, Joel. You really are behind.

Yes, this might be true, odd-speaking alter ego of Joel that only comes out in late night ramblings after prolonged viewings of Dexter, but that is not the point. The point is this; I think the ice cream truck killer is my favorite character on the show…

But you know he’s going to die…

Yes, it’s kind of anticlimactic…

But you still are deeply in love and involved with the show…?

Yes.

Well, then it’s all cool my brother.

Why are you talking like that now?

Like what?

Like William Baldwin in The Squid and The Whale.

My brother, I don’t know if anyone who reads this blog will get that reference… I think it’s time for you to get to bed.

But there’s Dexter to be watched!

But there’s work in the morning my brother…

Right, Right… damn your logic.

Say goodnight to the pretty folks my brother.

Goodnight.

Joel Samson Berntsen (Gouge Away- Pixies)

Party in the Castle Commons

We’re in the Shakespeare unit of College Composition. I’m enjoying it, mostly because how easily Shakespeare invents plausible conflicts and character motivation. I mean, almost every character goes through some sort of emotional dramatic character change that radically changes the plot or motivation in some important way.

My problem is the movies, the ones that have castles in them. There’s never anybody in them! In the climax of Hamlet, Hamlet, his mom, his uncle, and a friend turned enemy all are killed by getting stabbed, drinking poison, or getting stabbed with poison. And there’s only like fifteen people watching. Wouldn’t a giant dual with the most loved royalty of the land attract at least a couple more people than that? I’m sure this isn’t really realistic in a play because of the general lack of paid actors, but a feature film could easily fit at least fifty into a giant castle commons.

Anyway, that’s all I got for now. Here’s a clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Z9Ismh1elM

Joel Samson Berntsen (Meadows of the Sea - T.REX)

Gene Kelly & Jay-Z present: The Ascending A’s

While writing a couple papers, I listened to these albums in listed order:

Merriweather Post Pavilion – Animal Collective

The Grey Album – DJ Danger Mouse and Jay-Z

Begin to Hope – Regina Spektor

I threw some singles from Annie, April March, and The Animals in between each album. I guess I just really liked the letter A today.

Also, I threw a Jay-Z quote in my film analysis paper explaining why everyone loves Gene Kelly:

“Lockwood’s a liar, and the audience clutches onto that. They grasp at it and they love it, because he’s like them, he lies. He’s made it, and he’s made it big. In the flash of mere minutes, the audience is enthralled by this charismatic, sexy man because, once again, he reminds them of themselves, only he’s actually made it to the big time. He’s actually a silent film star. Just like Jay-Z once said in lyric, “all the hustlers love it / just to see one of us make it / came from the bottom to bottom to the top of the pot,” and that’s exactly why there’s an immediate liking to Lockwood.”

Etc, Etc, Etc.

Joel Samson Berntsen (My Girls –Animal Collective) one last time before bed

Top 5 songs that I keep playing

5. (Samson – Regina Spektor] It’s personal.

4. (Psycho Killer – Talking Heads] It’s a hell of a song, and I can’t stop singing it. Let’s hope I actually know how to sing it properly…

3. (Better- Regina Spektor] I’ve recently gone on a stint of loving her again. Not that I ever stopped loving her. The play count on That Time is at forty seven. The rest of the songs are severely under played, so now I’m listening to them. I don’t know why I didn’t listen to them earlier.

2. (White Heat / White Light – The Velvet Underground] WHITE LIGHT! WHITE LIGHT GOING MESSING UP MY MIND! WHITE LIGHT! AND DON CHA KNOW IT GOING TO MAKE ME GO BLIND! WHITE HEAT! IT TICKLE ME DOWN TO MY TOES!

1. (Dirty Harry – Gorillaz] I’m gearing up for Plastic Beach, so the Gorillaz are getting played an outrageous amount of times. And there’s just something about the first minute of Dirty Harry. Man.

Joel Samson Berntsen (Sunday Morning - The Velvet Underground)

Do Pop Stars Dream of Decaffeination?

"Why are you drinking a Mountain Dew," asked the kid in gray.

"You mean Mtn Dew," responded the older man, sounding like foreigner as he gurgled the sound of Mtn in his throat.

"Whatever it's called, shouldn't you be drinking coffee or something? You're like, what? forty nine? Isn't it time you stopped drinking that caffeinated devil's piss?"

"I'll stop drinking Mtn Dew," again the older man gurgled the Mtn awkwardly in his throat, "when you stop bobbing your head to Mylie Cyrus songs."

The kid in gray hung his head in shame.

Joel Samson Berntsen (a lipitor commercial on the radio)

Let's All Put On Giant Suits And Dance Around

Today is the last day of my Christmas Break. It’s been weird.

The night before, the last ‘night’ of break, was spent doing relatively nothing till about four in the morning. I awoke to my parents taking turns banging on my door yelling at me to get up or my sleep cycle was going to be screwed for school. Bah.

Anyway, I spent the rest of the day with a dear friend watching Stop Making Sense, the live concert film of the Talking Heads, who I’ve recently become infatuated with. I loved the movie. I have yet to come to any complete conclusions about it though, or Talking Heads for that matter. I’ll get back with you.

Joel Samson Berntsen (Los Campesinos!- You! Me! Dancing!)