keep calm and listen to beach house

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Keep Calm and listen to Beach House.

spring time jams

the perfect playlist for winding down

Want to listen to this playlist? Simply click here.

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I'm not even a little bit embarrassed to admit that I love TSwift's song I Knew You Were Trouble. But, I do feel a lot better about listening to it when it's someone else covering it. One of my favorite covers of this song is by Walk Off The Earth. Seriously, check out some of their other videos. They are crazy talented. 

Mixtape: winter roadtrip edition

You'll have to excuse my low quality, slightly askew photos and graphics lately. Relying on my Ipad and phone to make my posts is very frustrating. If anyone has any apps to recommend please do so! Until then, you'll have to bear with me for awhile until I can get a computer and Adobe back into my life!

So anyway, here's my winter roadtrip mixtape that I will jamming to all the way to Lusten!

Loving The Lumineers

I was immediately obsessed with The Lumineers the second I heard Ho Hey and their newest single is 

even better. You will not regret checking out the rest of their EP, trust me.

I'm realllllly banking on them being at Lollapalooza this year. 

honorable mention: Flowers In Your Hair, my personal favorite

Babel

Mumford released their new album Babel just in time for fall. Their music is perfect for the chilly weather and beautiful scenery. Yesterday I was on a walk with Boyd at one of our favorite parks in Woodbury. I was listening to my music on shuffle and Mumford's cover of Simon & Garfunkel's The Boxer came on while I watched the sunset. Couldn't have been more perfect. Actually, no I take that back. It would have been perfect if Alv was there with us :)

Ear Candy: Alex Clare

I heard this song on the Microsoft commercial only once, but it was when my friend Kate showed me the full length song that I fell in love. What a voice! Figured I'd share it with ya..

Spring Jams Playlist

Some songs that have been on repeat on the iPod lately. And yes, you're reading that right: it does say Justin Bieber- that is a hot-ass track!

Lolla Spotlight: Of Monsters and Men

My excitement for Lollapalooza is out of this world. I've been aching to go to the 3-day music festival in Chicago for the past couple of years. It's never been able to work out for what ever reason but THIS YEAR I will finally be going! Have you ever been to a music festival? They are some of my most favorite memories. Music seems to be so much more entertaining outside in a dirty field or park while surrounded by sweaty, wasted people. I realize that might not make it seem too enjoyable, but trust me when I say it's fantastic.

Until the festival in August, I'll be sharing with you some of the bands that will be at Lolla this year. First off, Of Monsters and Men.

song: Love Love Love

(quote about from song: Little Talks * picture source: imgfave)

Skinny Love

Ok, I'm partial to covers. Sometimes people do the song justice, while others completely slaughter it. I came across Birdy when I heard her cover of Shelter by The xx. I couldn't believe that a 15 year old could have such a hauntingly beautiful voice and such great taste in music! I know people are very intense when it comes to Bon Iver especially Skinny Love, but I think Birdy did a great job.

All you hater are just jealous of her pipes.

What do you guys think of it?

Ear Candy

60 Minutes with Adele

Can Adele and I just be best friends already? She is me and I am her, minus the british accent but I'll gladly develop one of those ("fank you"). This 60 Minutes interview is so great and refreshing - people can finally see how real Adele truly is! Alvi & I have been obsessed with Adele since the first time we heard Chasing Pavements years ago.

Day 7: Love Songs

There are so many great love songs out there. It's so hard to pick just one all-time favorite. There is one song, though, that is very dear to my heart. That is Groovin' Slowly by John Butler Trio. Alvi got me into JBT before we started dating and we decided that it was very fitting to have this as "our song". We even saw him in concert in Denver, Colorado! It's cute, it's funky, it's ours... so to me it's perfect.

What are some of your favorite love songs? Do you and your significant other have a song?

Maybe some of these songs will spark the love inside:

Mixtape: Ladies

source: imgfave

1. Dessa - Dixon's Girl

2. Tristan Prettyman - Shy That Way

3. Florence + The Machine - Lover to Lover

4. Adele - That's It, I Quit

5. Lissie - Worried About

6. Fiona Apple - Paper Bag

7. Jenny Lewis - Rise Up With Fists

8. Rihanna - You Da One

9. Sia - Paranoid Android

10. Duffy - Syrup & Honey

Music Spotlight: Atmosphere

It was my brother who first introduced me to Atmosphere. They're a local hip-hop group consisting of rap artist, Slug and DJ/Producer, Ant. They have been around since 1989 and continue to create amazing music to this day. Slug, 39, has had some reoccurring themes in his music, which all relate to moments in his life. The themes consist of women, sex, drugs, alcohol, and life lessons.
I have numerous reasons why I enjoy Atmosphere's music. A big reason is because it makes me so proud to know that Minnesota can produce such talent! Slug and Ant have a large appreciation for their hometown state and often rap about the area. (Which is also fun, because you can yell "I KNOW WHERE THAT IS!" when they say She lived out in Richfield, right off of Portland.
Another reason that they are continuously being played on my iPod and in my car, is because of the great stories their songs tell. Slug is a lyrical genius! He captivates you with his words and then Ant keeps your entertained with his hot ass beats. It's... unbelievable. These boys deserve all the success in the world. This right here is true talent.

Music Spotlight: ADELE

When it comes to breakups, fights, and well, sadness in general, the artist I turn to is Adele. I'm not saying she's a depressing person but the majority of her songs are about heartbreak. That girl must have the saddest heart of all time. My hope is that her next album (which hopefully will be 23, when she turns 23 years old) will be more about falling in love. The girl deserves it!

Anyway, I decided to dedicate this Music Spotlight to the soulful singer. Did you know she's been nominated for 6 grammys this year?  That is quite the accomplishment for someone who once said "I don't know what's going to happen if my music career goes wrong. I haven't had a proper job." (source: her bio). Rough life, right? Yeah, well lucky for you Adele, the world is crawling at your feet and cannot get enough of you. (side note: radios should all be punched in the face for over playing her music).

I love her music, pretty much every single song to be exact. I decided to make a playlist of some of her songs. I hope you enjoy her beautiful voice as much as I do. In case you were curious what grammys she has been nominated for they are:

Record of the Year - Rolling in the Deep
Song of the Year - Rolling in the Deep
Album of the Year - 21
Best Pop Solo Performance - Someone Like You
Best Short Form Music Video - Rolling in the Deep
Best Pop Vocal Album - 21

The 54th Annual Grammy Awards will be held in Los Angeles on February 12th.

10 Most Played Artists in 2011

I went through a lot of musical phases in 2011. I had a moment where I listened to nothing but female powerhouses like Adele and Florence and then I went through a hip-hop phase where I listened to local MN rappers, like Prof and Atmosphere. Below is a list of the top ten artists that had the most plays in my Itunes, next to each artist is a link to a song of theirs.

1. Adele ( just shy of 300 plays actually, yikes). Her on Letterman performing: Make You Feel My Love
2. Florence and the Machine (almost 200 plays). My Boy Builds Coffins
3. Prof. Anomaly
4. Incubus (They'll always be on this list, I'm sure). Zee Deveel
5.  Mumford & Sons. Roll Away Your Stone
6. Atmosphere. The Number None
7. The Black Keys. Your Touch
8. Lissie. Worried About
9. The Beatles. The Fool On The Hill
10. The xx. Heart Skipped A Beat

5 Songs On Repeat This December

I realized that I haven't done a "5 Things" in a while sooo..... Here is a playlist of 5 songs that have been on repeat all December. As you can tell, I've been having a Florence + the Machine obsession so I kept it done to one song off of her new album ... and a remixed version (by xx, who I also love) of an old song. I can't wait to see what music catches my attention in 2012. 

2011: A Look Back

I cannot believe that 2011 is already over! I know I probably say this ever year but, THAT was the fastest year ever. I mean, it seriously feels like I just went to Chicago to ring in 2011 and now here I am, in boring-ass Minnesota trying to decide how to appropriately celebrate the beginning of 2012...and the end of the world. (Anyone believe the Mayans?) 2011 was a strange year for me. I had a lot of "endings" and it is not until just now that things are starting to begin again for me. I ended major friendships,  graduated college, left a city that I had been living in for over four years and so much more. But, I cannot forget some great memories that I made this year. I decided to write a post looking back on some of those:

In March, I went to Puerto Vallarta with my cousin Vinnie, his girlfriend, Britni, and his parents. We spent the entire week poolside enjoying the sun and relaxation. We had stayed at the resort before, so we know all the ins and outs. I would go back in a heart beat.

I went to many concerts in 2011. Some that I attended were: Soundset in Shakopee, MN; Mike Posner in Minneapolis, MN;Atmosphere at Target Field Stadium; Atmosphere's Welcome to MN Tour in Mankato, MN; Prof in Mankato, MN, and Heiruspecs in Minneapolis, MN.

I hope to attend a LOT more in 2012.

Of course, living in Minnesota means that you live at cabins and on the lake all summer long. I'm fortunate enough to have a great family cabin, as well as plenty of friends with cabins.

Some friends and I drove to Lawrence, Kansas to visit one of my greatest friends in the world.

The first couple out of our friends finally got hitched! I'm so happy for them :)

I live in Minnesota. OF COURSE, I went to the State Fair. It's a sin not to.








And what year wouldn't be complete without a college graduation and big move home? This will be quite the adjustment but for now, it's what needs to be done. Can't wait to save some money.

I hope that 2012 brings every thing you guys wish for! Anyone do a new year's resolution? Or better yet, anyone actually STICK to their new year's resolution? I hope to this year.