easy tiger.: making a list and checking it twice

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12/21/17

this isn't a "best of" list | 2017 |

i haven't done one of these in a while, which is a bit of a travesty. 2017 has been a superb year for music, + conveniently, life too. i got engaged, bought + renovated a home, spent more time with my closest friends that i have in almost 10 years, + joined a great team at work. all of this has kept me extremely busy with less time than usual to listen to music, but no complaints here.

so many of my old favorites put out new albums this year + several new artists came into my radar making this "best of" list one of the most difficult yet. let's start with the favorites though:

from an album standpoint, i would have to say slowdive. sometimes you come across music that feels like it was written just for you, and slowdive's first album in 10+ years did just that. it is so dreamy + i could not get enough.

this is always the tough one, but in terms of top song, i would have to go with "thinking of a place by" war on drugs. for those of you who don't know, nostalgia is my favorite feeling of all time + this songs just hits the nail on the head in that department. "everything hits at once" by spoon wins out for me for top live song this year. i hadn't heard it in years + was truly the highlight of a somewhat "meh" show. best show, by the way, was arcade fire at the metro.

in 2017 also continued my new + welcomed hobby of reading books about music. "meet me in the bathroom" by lizzy goodman was perfection. remember when i said i loved nostalgia? this book did just that. sadly, i wasn't in new york during the early 2000's, but i was in the suburbs of st. louis listening to heavy amounts of yeah yeah yeahs, interpol, kings of leon, etc. this book really rekindled my love for these bands.

lastly, in terms of new talent, i was very into japanese breakfast (also best song name) + kelly lee owens. then there's my favorite category for me -- the new to me artists. ariel pink wasn't totally unknown to me before this year, but got much closer to his full discography.

that was a lot. but there is more. here's the full list, in no particular order:

1. how do you sleep? || lcd soundsystem

2. road head || japanese breakfast

3. thinking of a place || the war on drugs

4. dam surfer || king krule

5. everything hits at once || spoon

6. anxi || kelly lee owens

7. shadow || chromatics

8. no i in threesome || interpol

9. slomo || slowdive

10. electric blue || arcade fire

11. nobody else will be there || the national

12. prom || sza

13. marilyn || mount kimbie

14. modafinil blues || matthew dear

15. baby || ariel pink

16. shine a light || shabazz palaces

17. noonside || yaeji

18. los ageless || st. vincent

19. dragon queen || yeah yeah yeahs

20. replica || the xx

21. the pilot || clap your hands say yeah

22. cutlass cruiser || tops

23. three rings || grizzly bear

24. andromeda || gorillaz

25. two thousand + seventeen || four tet

2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010

you can also hear my full list of 2017 contender HERE

12/12/16

this isn't a "best of" list | 2016 |

overall, 2016 was a much more mellow year for me musically. a lot of the songs on this list are a little on the sad side too. i don't necessarily think that was a reflection of my personal life, but i suppose i was a little more stressed than usual. 2016 completely flew by which is probably an indication that i didn't do the best job at taking moments to pause + enjoy things. instead i just sought solace in my headphones (not the worst thing).

2016 was a pretty solid year for music though. the highlight was hearing radiohead's "true love waits." years ago i came across a super bootleg version of this song by illegally downloading it on napster. to hear it again years later cleaned up + beautiful was the most unexpected + wonderful gift ever. no words could adequately describe how much love i have for that song.

this list isn't just about the new to 2016 songs though. equally as important to me are the songs that i may not have previously given a good listen to or might have missed completely that ended up being incredibly meaningful to me. this year i listened to a lot of broken social scene, blonde redhead, interpol, + yeah yeah yeahs. for whatever reason they all sounded so relevant. also, sharon van etten. holy cow. how did she fly under my radar for so long? lou reed's "street hassle" was probably my favorite uncovered gem though.

i have to also give a shout out to stranger things + the survive guys. i'm always on the hunt for something new when it comes to music + synth nostalgia did the trick for me in 2016. it didn't quite make the list, but clint mansell's score from the san junipero episode of black mirror is done in a similar vein.

here's the full list you've all been waiting for (or not)...

1. finder || moderat
2. shut up kiss me || angel olsen
3. it hurts until it doesn't || mothers
4. true love waits || radiohead
5. cranes in the sky || solange
6. a 1000 times || hamilton leithauser + rostam
7. kids || survive
8. it means i love you || jessy lanza
9. your love is killing me || sharon van etten
10. because i'm me || the avalanches
11. my plants are dead || blonde redhead
12. funeral pyre || phantogram
13. do you still love me? || ryan adams
14. five minutes || her
15. orlando || exploded view
16. somebody else || the 1975
17. big black coat || junior boys
18. 22 (over soon) || bon iver
19. shampoo suicide || broken social scene
20. ivy || frank ocean
21. no || nicolas jaar
22. wolves || phosphorescent
23. i+1 || luh
24. staurolite stroll || night moves
25. street hassle || lou reed

2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010

you can also hear my full list of 2016 contenders HERE

12/30/15

this isn't a "best of" list || 2015 ||

To be completely honest, 2015 was not my favorite year for music. My schedule did not allow for as much listening so that had a definite impact but overall it just didn't feel as strong as years past. Even some of my all time favorites (MMJ + Hot Chip, for example) failed to really excite me with any of their songs.

All was not lost though! There were a few gems hidden throughout the year. I have to say, the ladies really brought it in 2015. I don't think I've had so many songs sung, written, or covered by women on my list before. I also didn't have too many older songs that stood out this year. After reading "Girl In Band" I had Sonic Youth on rotation quite a bit. I also had to add "An Ocean Between the Waves" from War On Drugs even though it came out last year. This was my all time favorite song to see live + I thankfully got to do so twice in 2015. The rest are all songs that were either in heavy rotation or invoked some special feeling inside me. Enjoy!

1. Loud Places || Jamie xx

2. An Ocean Between the Waves || The War On Drugs

3. I Can Never Be Myself When You're Around || Chromatics

4. No One Is Looking At U || Nico Jaar

5. No Way Out || Warpaint

6. Pass Dat || Jeremih

7. All You Had To Do Was Stay || Ryan Adams

8. Teen Age Riot || Sonic Youth

9. Cause I'm a Man || Tame Impala (HAIM remix)

10. Just || Bicep

11. When You're Smiling + Astride Me || Father John Misty

12. Small Poppies || Courtney Barnett

13. I Can't Feel My Face || The Weeknd

14. Pretty Pimpin || Kurt Vile

15. Gimme All Your Love || Alabama Shakes

16. Cream On Chrome || RATATAT

17. Sparks || Beach House

18. The Three Sides of Audrey + Why She's All Alone Now || Nico Jaar

19. SeeSaw || Jamie xx

20. Morning Side || Four Tet

2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010

12/23/14

top shows | 2014 |

2014. The year I made it to 58 shows, 5 festivals + probably a handful more late nights that I may or may not remember well enough to have designated "I Was There" posts. My concert choices this year were smarter, more unique + a few definitely put me outside of my comfort zone (I'm looking at all you weirdo Phish phans). Some were pretty mediocre but more than enough were great. These ten top my year:

1. Blood Orange || Empty Bottle

2. St. Vincent + Future Islands || Chicago Theater

3. Arcade Fire || Unified Center

4. The Knife || Aragon Theater

5. Lindstrom || The Showbox

6. Phantogram || Lollapalooza

7. Chet Faker || Lincoln Hall

8. Beck || Pitchfork Music Festival

9. FKA Twigs || Metro

10. Classixx || Double Door

12/22/14

this isn't a "best of" list || 2014 ||

Another year. Another list. All songs (in no particular order) that meant a little bit to me this year. This year was a strange one + I probably relied more on music as a result of that. I can say that each + every one of these songs was in heavy rotation for me at one point or another.

1. Girl || Jamie xx

2. Silver || Caribou
3. Tomorrow || Future Islands

4. Two Weeks || FKA Twigs
5. Uncle ACE || Blood Orange
6. You || Bicep + Ejeca
7. Cigarettes + Chocolate || Chet Faker
8. Howling At the Moon || Phantogram
9. Sweetest Kill || Broken Social Scene
10. Going Out || Hospitality
11. Bad Kingdom (DJ Koze Remix) || Moderat
12. 1998 || Chet Faker
13. Under Pressure || War On Drugs
14. Prince Johnny || St. Vincent
15. Closer || J Wiltshire
16. A Dream Of You + Me || Future Islands
17. Skin || Grimes
18. Knowing You'll Be There (KiNK Remix) || Daniel Avery
19. Can't Do Without You || Caribou
20. Goodbye Horses || Q Lazzarus

I like that I have five years worth of top songs now:

2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010

12/7/14

mostly naughty but a little bit nice

Time for the annual wish list. I make decent progress each year but there are a few items that seem to be on my list every year. Will this be the year I spoil myself? I sure hope so!

Record Player
$499.00

This one is on my list again. Every damn year. In my defense, I did buy myself one this year but I had to return it. I have almost 100 albums yet nothing to listen to them on. It's quite ridiculous but this is 100% the year I cross this off.

Disco Ball
$50.00 or more

Yep, still want this. Same rules apply -- must be 20 inches at least or it's unacceptable.

Gypsy Water Eau de Parfum
$145.00

I'm running low one my current scents + this is at the top of my list. It's a bit pricey for something as unexciting as perfume but I use so little it is bound to last for a while

Ace of Swords Necklace

$85.00

Sadly, I won't look as cool at this chick wearing her Ace of Swords necklace from Bloody Mary Metal but I still want it. I tend to wear more gold lately so I want to make sure that when I wear silver it is a statement.

Vintage Rugs

various

I'm kind of obsessed with rugs. The problem is that they are pricey. I bought my ever so popular Souk rugs from West Elm three years ago but the luster has worn off + it's looking a little worn in. I'd love to move it to my bedroom + replace it with a more unique and colorful option.

A Critter

various

My entire life I have loved animals. It's a little silly that I just don't have one but I want a dog + right now I don't think I am home enough to be a good owner. So I've explored other options -- smoosh-faced kittens, chinchillas, + my latest obsession, hedgehogs. They only live for a few years + appear to be really low maintenance. They are the most snuggly but I think a hedgehog could suppress my puppy cravings for a couple of years.

12/19/13

this isn't a "best of" list || 2013 ||

Hopefully you guys have been following my blog long enough to know how exactly I choose the songs on this list. If you're new, you can read about the process HERE. It was tricky this year but I hope this list doesn't disappoint.

1. When A Fire Starts To Burn || Disclosure
2. Lady || Chromatics
3. Afterlife || Arcade Fire
4. Nightcall || London Grammar
5. The Thing || Atumpan (Todd Edwards remix )*
6. Perfect Time || Booka Shade
7. Metatron || Darkside
8. Breathe This Air || Jon Hopkins (feat. Purity Ring)
9. Hold On, We're Going Home || Drake (Holy Ghost cover )*
10. Running || Jamie xx + Gil-Scott Heron
11. Help Me Lose My Mind || Disclosure
12. Blood On the Leaves || Kanye West
13. Happy Be Fine || Poliça
14. Bridge So Far || Benoit + Sergio
15. Song For Zula || Phosphorescent
16. Made To Stray || Mount Kimbie
17. Objects Objects || Depthford Goth (Jamie xx remix)*^
18. Porno || Arcade Fire
19. Voyeur || James Blake
20. Bloodflood || Alt-J

*Not on Spotify playlist
^ You can hear this rcmix at the 55:30 minute mark

Again, these clearly aren't all necessarily from 2013 but I've actually got a pretty good representation this time. I could probably cut this down to a top 10 or top 15 of only 2013 songs but I don't feel right ignoring these few other great ones that I spent a lot of time listening to this year.

12/6/13

mostly naughty but a little bit nice

Every year I make my birthday wishlist + every year you guys fail miserably. Like to the point where I'm just buying myself the gifts I want. I crossed the Debbie Carlos print + Linus bike off my list from last year + I'm already making decent progress through my list for this year:

Stacks
$50.00-$100.00

On my wish list once again. One day I'll get around to treating myself to some pretty things. Until then, if you guys want to start the process, please, by all means, go ahead.

Frends 'Taylor'
$199.99

For how much I love music it is a bit surprising that I haven't invested in a decent pair of headphones ever. These may not be the best from a sound perspective but they sure are the prettiest. Priorities, people.

~~Artwork~~
$35.00-$100.00

I've been adding a few (1, 2, 3) pieces to my collection over the past few months so I'm satisfied on this at the moment. However HERE are a few more that I love + would like to eventually .

Disco Ball
$50.00 or more

Must be 20 inches at least or it's unacceptable.

Gypsy Water Eau de Parfum
$145.00

I love my Diptyque but I'm ready to mix my scents up a bit. I feel like this one just comes with a whole attitude adjustment when you wear it too.

Record Player
$499.00

This one is on the list again even though my collection of vinyl keeps growing. I'm being a snob on this though + I want the best. This will be my one big reward for myself for the year. I'm hoping to actually put my Santa money towards this one.

~~Mongolian Fur Pillow~~
$59.00

I only needed to spend about $5 to unlock the 20% off offer at West Elm but this was on my wish list + we should all know by now that I get what I want. No regrets with this purchase.

~~Leather Jacket~~
$300 or more

Does pleather count? Excuse me. Vegan leather. I was delusional to think that this would be the year I could splurge on both a coat + a record player. We all know my priorities lie in music. This is a nice affordable alternative though + it will definitely hold me over for the season. I've gotten quite a few compliments too.

For Love + Lemons Skivvies
$121.00

I just think this is so beautiful. It's one of the loveliest pieces of clothing I've ever seen + I want it on my body. It's okay buying pretty underthings for yourself but it's so much more fun if someone gives them to you.

Tom Dixon + Diptique Candles
$80.00 + $60.00

I like fancy candles. So sue me.

Gem + Mineral Calendar
$28.00

I plan to start my crystal collection sometime soon + this calendar is a perfect match for that. I know, I'm such a hippie but I like pretty things. Including rocks.

Alright guys. Time to step up your gift-giving game.

1/8/13

pretty resolutions

I'm a week late, but it's not too late to talk about New Year's resolutions, right? Here's a pretty round up of great resolutions from the crew over at Design*Sponge:

See more here + here.

I'll be sharing my own resolutions shortly.

12/20/12

this isn't a "best of" list || 2012 ||

Another year, another list. I'll go through my regular spiel to begin:

I'm not Pitchfork. As much as I like to think that I do, I don't listen to every album that comes out + on occasion, there are going to be some pretty great artists + songs that fly under my radar or don't get the attention they deserve until a year or two (or more) later. This list is not just new songs + may not necessarily even be my favorites, they just meant a lot to me this past year.

On that note, I'd also like to follow up with one of my favorite quotes from earlier this year:

"We know that rating music -- listening to it + calling one album better than another album -- is a fool's errand. Taste in art is purely subjective. Just because my ears happen to like something more than your ears doesn't make that something better than something you say you like."
-Paul Shirley

20 Most Significant Songs of 2012

1. "Intro" - Alt-J

2. "What I've Lost" - Benoit & Sergio

3. "Her Fantasy" - Matthew Dear

4. "Lost in Tokyo" - Koreless

5. "Red Moon" - The Walkmen

6. "Insane" - Flume (Featuring Moon Holiday)

7. "Field" - Mount Kimbie

8. "Reunion" - M83 (Mylo remix)

9. "Missing" - The xx

10. "Solo" - Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs

11. "Ride" - Lana Del Rey

12. "Another Girl" - Jacques Greene

13. "Obedear" - Purity Ring

14. "Genesis" - Grimes

15. "Oro y Sanrge" - John Talabot

16. "Feel It All Around" - Washed Out

17. "Don't Think" - Chemical Brothers

18. "1988" - Youandewan

19. "Constant Conversations" - Passion Pit

20. "Mama You've Been On My Mind" - Jeff Buckley

2011 | 2010

via.

5/18/12

IV.

Four trends I'm loving now...

I. Berber Rugs

II. Moroccan Trays

III. Juju Hats

IV. Wedding Blankets

If you're looking for more inspiration, check out the latest Lonny. It's absolutely gorgeous.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

3/29/12

on track

There's something about the Spring that just makes me want to get my life back on track. To be honest, sometimes I need that little extra push to get the things I want to accomplish crossed off my to-do list. I really liked this idea of having a weekly set of goals as a reminder of the things you want to get done. 6 tasks doesn't seem too tricky...

(DIY from Cornflower Blue Studio)

2/28/12

5 principles

(via Sarah Wilson's twitter feed)

1/9/12

this isn't a "best of" list || 2011 ||

You may remember my anti "best of" list from last year, so the time has come to revisit this list for 2011. Again, these aren't necessarily my favorite songs or even songs that came out in 2011, but they still mean something special to me & are beautiful & are worth citing.

20 Most Significant Songs of 2011

1. Intro - The xx

2. Lights - Ellie Goulding (Bassnectar remix)

3. Belfast - Orbital

4. Baby's Arms - Kurt Vile

5. We're All No One - Nervo (featuring Afrojack & Steve Aoki)

6. Holocene - Bon Iver

7. My Tears Are Becoming A Sea - M83

8. Night Falls - Booka Shade

9. Give Me More - Pance Party

10. CMYK - James Blake

11. Seek Bromance - Avicii

12. Ready to Start - Arcade Fire

13. When I'm Small - Phantogram

14. I'll Take Care Of You - Gil-Scott Heron (Jamie XX remix)

15. Slowdance - Matthew Dear

16. Drowning - Armin Van Buuren (Avicii remix)

17. With You Forever - PNAU

18. Hold On - SBTRKT

19. Someone Great - LCD Soundsystem

20. Velvet - Lykke Li (The Big Pink cover)

This list keeps getting more & more difficult to make. There are so many great songs & I stress out that I'm going to miss something special. As was before, each of these songs has a special memory associated with it & I love that I have this blog as a space to keep a record of them.

In addition to these 20 songs, I really couldn't write this post without mentioning Jamie XX's Essential Mix on BBC Radio 1. His 2 hour set is hands down the best piece of music I heard in 2011 & the amount of times I've replayed that mix is almost embarrassing. Sprinkled above, you can see that I've pulled out some songs from the set, but as a whole it is just phenomenal. Do yourself a favor & take a listen HERE.

Once again, 2011 was a stellar year for music & I've already gotten my hands on some great stuff in 2012. I hope you enjoy my list above & I'd love to hear what some of your favorites were.

xoxo

(via)

11/8/11

5 happy thoughts (re-visited)

Way back in July of 2010 I made a pledge to record 5 different things that made me happy each day. I know that sounds super lame, but it was one of the best routines I ever got in. I kept it up pretty well through April of 2011, but then got lazy, or unhappy, or something along those lines & quit for a bit.

I stumbled upon my lists a few weeks back & not only did they make me extremely happy, but they reminded me of some little details of my life that would have otherwise been long forgotten.

I've picked this little habit back up so I can remember just how I felt when the Cardinals won the World Series, or when I received a sweet text from someone special, or when I had a particularly amusing convo with my mom, and all that other good stuff. It also reminds you that there is always some good, even on the most miserable of days.

I highly suggest trying this out yourself. I think you'll smile when you look back on those little moments that amount to one amazing life.

(via)

12/27/10

this isn't a "best of" list || 2010 ||

With the year winding down, I wanted to make a list of the top 20 most significant songs of 2010. Please don't think of this as a "best of" list. While I personally love each & every one of the songs listed below, they all wouldn't necessarily be my favorites. It also doesn't include songs that necessarily came out in 2010. These are just 20 songs that really resonated with me this past year. The quote above perfectly captures exactly how I feel I get when I hear each & every one of these songs.

So without further ado, here's my top 20 songs of 2010. I love that I got to start with Girl Talk who I saw last New Year's Eve & end with Yeasayer who I will be seeing wishing I was seeing this New Year's Eve!

20 Most Significant Songs of 2010

1. Don't Stop - Girl Talk ♫

2. All My Friends - LCD Soundsystem ♫

3. Strobe - Deadmau5

4. Born Slippy (Nuxx) - Underworld

5. I've Got Your Number - Passion Pit ♫

6. Vanished - Crystal Castles ♫

7. In My Arms - Mylo

8. Man On The Moon (The Anthem) - Kid Cudi ♫

9. This Must Be The Place - Talking Heads

10. Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks - The National ♫

11. I'll Take Us Home - Matt & Kim ♫

12. L.E.S Artistes - Santogold

13. Heart Skipped A Beat - The xx ♫

14. Love That I Crave - The Blow (Strategy's Stata Club Mix)

15. No Turning Back - Gui Boratto ♫

16. In The Morning - Junior Boys ♫

17. I Need Air - Magnetic Man

18. Another World - Chemical Brothers

19. Love Like A Sunset Pt. II - Phoenix ♫

20. I Remember - Yeasayer ♫

I had a tough time narrowing down the list, but I'm pretty happy with the result. Every song has a story or memory to go along with it, so this is a pretty special post to me. I'm not going to share the reasons behind each song, but if you ask me I will probably tell.

Just a side note, 2010 has been a really great year for me, especially in regards to music. I've always been really into music, but 2010 took it to a new level thanks to the help of some friends with great taste & some really talented musicians. I've truly cherished every musical experience & I love that I have this blog as an outlet to share some of my favorites. Music Monday is hands down my favorite day to write posts!

The ♫ means you can download the song by clicking the "down" arrow on Soundcloud.

Ps. I get to cross something off my 100 List too! (#44)

(via Design Crush)