Resolutions

With the New Year fast approaching, it only makes sense that I would have a playlist for it. So, Happy New Year! Yes, this is preliminary. For once, I am ahead of the game. I have a few resolutions. Train for another half marathon, stay on top of my school work, and keep my house at least passable for company. That last one is especially important now that I have such entertaining capabilities - what with my new couch, TV, and Wii. Anyone want to come over and bowl? Inviting people over on a blog that no one reads probably isn't that effective. Another good resolution would be to keep up with my weekly playlist-ing. We'll see how that goes.

Before I share the playlist, I think I would like to share this conversation that I had with my mom and my little sister last week.

Mom: So Rissy, how did your end of the year evaluation go?
Me: I didn't get to have it yet. Mike pushed it back until next week. It's a little frustrating.
Madi: Well, at least now you'll have some more time to study.
At this point, there was an extended silence in which I shared a "look" with my mom and then we looked back at Madi. She is unphased... and responds as follows:
Madi: You haven't been studying... have you?
Me (incredulous): No Madi. No I haven't.

Ok, without further ado... Here is "Resolutions"

Auld Lang Syne - Straight No Chaser (an a capella group. They're really quite entertaining)
My Dear Acquaintance (Happy New Year) - Regina Spektor
The New Year - Death Cab for Cutie (Fine. So this is on everybody's New Year's Playlist. Sue me. It's a good song.)
Together We'll Ring in the New Year - Motion City Soundtrack
Same Old Auld Lang Syne - Dan Fogelberg (I do not regret this slightly embarrassing inclusion. You could do a lot worse than Dan Fogelberg.)
At Full Speed- Jack's Mannequin
This Year's Love - David Gray
Dust In The Wind - Kansas (What's a New Year Playlist without a little bit of melancholy? This is seriously one of my favorite songs of all time)
Running Out of Time - Hot Hot Heat (While markedly stylistically different than the previous song, isn't the recurring theme that we're all short on time?)
Sleeping In - The Postal Service (certainly what I'll be doing on New Year's Day, that's for sure.)

So there it is. You know, if you read this, you can actually tell me what kind of playlist you would like to see me take a crack at. Or, you could offer songs of your own for the playlist featured. Blogging. It's interactive. Go figure.

Rose Colored Glasses

I'm an optimist. I like seeing problems as opportunities. I think that good can be found in nearly everything. I have no problem being considered somewhat of a Pollyanna. I prefer to believe the best about people until they've given me reason not to do so. This doesn't make me any less intelligent or mature than others; it just makes me hopeful. So, in the spirit of optimism, I've created this playlist. Of course, it's entitled "Rose Colored Glasses" due to the sunny side up nature of the songs!

Beautiful World - Tim Myers
Be Gentle With Me - The Boy Least Likely To
Brand New Day - Joshua Radin
Hope for the Hopeless - A Fine Frenzy
Dream - Priscilla Ahn
Buildings and Mountains - The Republic Tigers
Charmed Life - Leigh Nash
All in All - Lifehouse
Soundtrack for Our Movie - Mae
In The Middle - Jimmy Eat World
Brighter than Sunshine - Aqualung
Hold Me Now - The Polyphonic Spree

Something about Christmastime

So, it's more like playlist of the whenever I feel like it. I apologize. I'll try to keep up better, I promise.

Since, 'tis the the season and all, this week's playlist will be comprised of some excellent Christmas music. Think of it as a way to enjoy Christmas music without losing your music street cred.

Here it is! Kudos to www.indierockcafe.com for pointing out some of these classics.

Carol of the Bells - Mae
In Like a Lion - Relient K
O Come, O Come Emmanuel - Sufjan Stevens
O Little Town of Bethlehem - Bright Eyes
Bethlehem Town - Jars of Clay
O Holy Night - Brand New
Do You Hear What I Hear? - Copeland
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - Death Cab for Cutie
The First Noel - My American Heart
So This is Christmas - Acceptance
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear - Sixpence None The Richer
Last Christmas - Jimmy Eat World
Happy XMas (War is Over) - The Polyphonic Spree (The Fray has a good version of this too)

Merry Christmas all!!!

Thanksgiving Mix

This one is mostly hymns... but they are done in a new way. These songs remind me a lot of the meaning of this time of year. There are a couple non-hymn songs on here... but they are still about being thankful for all the blessings that we have!

1. Gratitude - Nichole Nordeman
2. How Great Thou Art - Carrie Underwood (this one is BEAUTIFUL)
3. It Is Well With My Soul - Jars of Clay
4. Come Thou Fount - Quality Vinyl (My buddy's band in HS)
5. Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee - Passion
6. Be Thou My Vision - Jars of Clay
7. Amazing Grace - Chris Tomlin
8. Abide With Me - Pattie Page
9. The Wonderful Cross - Matt Redman & Chris Tomlin
10. My Song is Love Unknown - Matthew Smith
11. In Christ Alone - Matt Papa
12. How Deep The Father's Love For Us - Park Slope Church
13. Holy, Holy, Holy - Sufjan Stevens
14. Take My Life - Passion
15. Thankful - Josh Groban (In all fairness, he could sing the ingredients to a candy bar and I would be nearly moved to tears)

I'm calling it "Moving"

I'm starting this Playlist a week blog because I would like to find a new way to discover and organize all the music on my iPod. Also, I go through so many phases of what I feel like listening to that I can never keep track without some sort of record keeping process. I've looked back on some of my older blogs and journals and it has been really cool to see what I was obsessing over in the past. Yes, obsessing is the right word. That's how I do music. So this is really a blog for me but if someone else finds it and likes it, that's cool too. I'll try to keep each list between 10-15 songs for brevity and cohesiveness.

This week's playlist is called "Moving". These are all songs that I have heard either intentionally or by putting my iPod on shuffle that for some reason or another I really connected with. It's a really mellow list this week, and a little melancholy. That's cool though.

Matt Nathanson - "The Weight of it All"
Joshua Radin - "The Fear You Won't Fall"
Rufus Wainwright - "Across the Universe" (yes, I know it is a Beatles cover, but it is also outstanding)
Reindeer Section - "You Are My Joy"
Augustana - "Sweet and Low"(the acoustic version, specifically)
Death Cab For Cutie - "I Will Follow You Into The Dark" (when the album Plans came out, I could barely listen to anything else for a month)
Damien Rice - "9 Crimes"
Spill Canvas - "Lullaby"
David Melilo - "Wait For It"
Coldplay - "Fix You" (disclaimer: I don't really even like Coldplay. You'd think I would but I don't. Go figure. This song is beautiful and poignant though)
Atlantic - "Sleep Now" (note: this is my friend Josh's new band. Check them out at www.myspace.com/atlanticonline)
Snow Patrol - "The Planets Bend In Between Us"