. passion pit .

i've done it haven't i? i am now aware of the fact that i have been feeding you electro bands for most of this blog. i always tell myself i don't really like electro, but i guess the truth is, i do. i will be mixing it up and putting a little wider genre out there...but not today. for today i will introduce you to passion pit. the electro of all electro bands.

my lovely older brother matthew took over the computer the other day to show me this band. i half listened and then told him to go away, for i was in pursuit of another band (who will be disclosed in the near future). but later that day, i heard my younger brother listening to an amazing song. after a couple seconds, i realized it was what matthew had been trying to show me earlier.

by the end of the day, my whole family was running around, listening, singing, and dancing to this song (my family finds it necessary to have a dance party every time we're in the kitchen together. i love it).

well here's passion pit for ya. this band is...american! go figure. they're from the lovely land of massachusetts, and formed about three years ago. it all started because the lead singer wanted to write a couple songs for his girlfriend for valentines day. the guys who make up this band have the coolest names ever. check it. Michael Angelakos (lead vocals/keyboards), Ian Hultquist (keyboards/guitar), Ayad Al Adhamy (synth/samples), Jeff Apruzzese (bass/synth bass) and Nate Donmoyer (drums).

Funny thing, the band used the name passion pit, as only a project name. it's a term reffering to drive in theatres back in the day. cause we all know what goes on at drive in theatres... anyway. the name was awesome and it stuck. so go check em out. here's the song my family won't let leave my ears. s i c k.

sleepyhead by passion pit

. skullcandy .

i love music. have i said that yet. but a huge part to music is the way you listen to it. i may have one of the scariest cars in the world, missing bumper, peeling paint, skewed alignment. but you better believe, the second that car was in my hands, i went straight to best buy, and bought myself the best stereo i could afford at the time. a jvc stereo with an aux ipod hookup. cause that's where its at.

the only way i can listen to music is full blast. consuming every part of me, so i can't think about anything else. so i can sing at the top of my lungs and not be able to hear my off key voice distort the song. but there's a line. and it's one notch. my stereo can be at a 48 volume level, and the second it hits 49, it's too much. but 47's not enough. it's different every day, for every song, and every mood.

but why does this all matter? why do you care? well honestly, you probably don't, but i thought you might care about what i'm listening through.

first off i have my trusty sony's my daddy bought me at a sony vending machine in the JFK airport. i love them. they cradle my ears and let me feel like i'm the only person in the room. i used to not be picky about what earbuds i put in my skull, but once i got these babies i never went back. the standard stock buds kill my ears now, and don't even give a third of the listening experience as the sony's. and they're super affordable, just thirty bucks. (they have a lower grade but equally great pair of buds for twenty dollars.)

next up are my new babies that i got yesterday. the skullcandy low riders. yes. a dream. it's like the shins are playing in my room. all i have to do is close my eyes, and they're there. (as a disclaimer, my brother would like you all to know that he also owns these and supposedly loves them more. debatable. ) they can be yours for a so-worth-it price of forty dollars.

so if you're shoppin around for a new listening apparatus, go buy these. the ear buds are great too. legen.. wait for it.. dary.

happy listening.

here's a little video to power ya through the holidays.

love the veronicas

. forest world .

i have a lovely sister named niki whom i dearly love. she's gorgeous and amazing and smart and lives in provo. she's had quite the array of housemates over the years, which i usually have no problem with, and life goes on as they come and go. but last year i met quite a wonderful creature. her name is sam. and i love her. she's hilarious and fun and downright breathtaking. we've had our adventures and i love her to death. through our journeys, it has been mentioned in passing that sam has an electro pop band. i thought, cool, and didn't think much of it.

but one fateful night, i was sitting in my sisters house, tired as can be, with no energy in my body whatsoever, when my sister grabbed me and said we had to run drop by a party. i said no. why would i subject myself to a house cramped with dozens of people i don't know, all trying to be somebody special in this world. but, as usually happens, niki won.

when we arrived, it was exactly as i predicted. i pouted and shoved myself into a corner of a couch, with questionable stains, and tried to look as unapproachable as possible. of course, one person would have none of this. out of nowhere, and in a blur, sam came and excitedly hugged me and loved me and said she was so happy i was there and then in another dainty blur, was gone.

a few minutes later, i felt something in my feet. a thud. i felt it again, this time in my heart. a third time, in my finger tips. i closed my eyes, and let this familiar feeling take over. music. as i listened, this sound took over and found its way into every crevice of that cramped house, and into the soul of every person there. just then, the most haunting, delicate, inspiring voice came on. i had to see who these people were. i stood up on the couch, only to see my little sammy rocking the core of that party. it was forest world.

the second i got back home i found their fanpage on facebook and got a link to their site. and guess what, you could download their songs right there. so i did. and i loved it. usually i'm not a fan of the electro world so much, but this is different. so please. go to their site. download their music. love their album super bright skullz. and since my birthday was on wednesday, as a present for me, donate a couple bucks to their band. they're giving you their music for free for goodness sakes. anyway. this is my heart.

my personal fave is holy knives. cuts me deep.

don't be ashamed if you catch yourself staring at this man sean. he's gorgeous. it's only natural.

. blow .

ignore the band name. this girl is awesome. her electronic beat is contrasted by her pure voice. but boy is she hard to dig up stuff on. her real name is Mikhaela Yvonne Maricich. and amazingly enough, she's not from canada. she's actually from the states. portland, oregon to be exact. she's changed her band name multiple times, and never really got into producing her music much. she has a few albums here and there. but when i found her, it was love. my friend and i were sitting in my car, going through my ipod, when i came across the band name blow. (how it got on there in the first place i'll never know. my ipod is a vast black hole.) anyway, we picked the song that sounded most interesting, some chocolates. after ten seconds, we looked at each other and knew, this was something else. but sadly, since it's hard enough finding information about this band, it's even harder finding music samples. so here's a song i don't really listen to much, because it's not her best stuff. but it's a taste. but please please please go find the songs:

some chocolates

parentheses

pardon me

bonjour jeune fille

hey boy

(fun fact, Khaela is also a visual arts artist, best known for her paper sculptures, which happens to be the name of her album)

. a christmas (play)list .

three days til chirstmas. my butt is glued to this chair, as a result of shopping for thirteen hours yesterday. i don't think i can move. i hurt in places i didn't know could hurt. and so, here i am giving you, a little christmas playlist. none of that chipmunk crap...ok maybe a little chipmunk.. well here it is. christmas in a list.

andrea bocelli - angels we have heard on high

mannheim steamroller - wassail, wassail

the bird and the bee - carol of the bells

alvin and the chipmunks - all i want for christmas

josh groban - silent night

mariah carey - joy to the world

faith hill - little drummer boy

chicago - god rest ye merry gentlemen

here's a tiffany's commercial featuring the bird and the bee: carol of the bells. i heart tiffany's.

. things i love .

passion behind a voice

singing in my car

finding a new band that moves me

a perfect burrito

my SONY headphones that transfer me to another world

when my little girl asks me to come tuck her in and kiss her goodnight

unconditional, impossible love

the history of love

fires

peace of mind

virginia

my mom

writing letters

the person these songs are for

. first aid kit .

So my snister (of course) introduced me to a new blog called rockstar diaries. check it. At first I was a little hesitant.

Until:

1. I realized the woman loves photography

2. I found she has great taste in...everything and

3. I discovered this band.

.first aid kit.

i know i know, i say this about everyone. but daaaang can these girls rock. these homely sisters (did i just say that?) can walk around with a guitar and their voices and draw crowds in an instant. They are swedish, and are just plain good at what they do. watch for them. they will be filling your silence soon enough. i think i say too much on this blog. so for once, i'll let the music do the talking for itself.

. lights .

Not a flash light. Not a lighter. Not a spot light. . . it's LIGHTS.

My dear snister Ahlin helped me find the light by introducing me to one of her best songs in my opinion, DRIVE MY SOUL. This song helped me get through some seriously bumpy times. I listened to it so much, that the little kids I nanny

had all the words memorized by the end of the summer. She is amazing.

Now don't get me wrong, I can appreciate a solid man voice like the next person.. but there's something about a girl rockin out that makes me feel powerful. And that's exactly what LIGHTS is all about. This 22 year old beauty has been singing and writing music since she was just a youngin. She's from the great land of Canada (surprised? don't be. the majority of artists I'll be talkin about are krazy kanucks. they're might be a little out there, but boy can they sing). The girl loves anime cartoony stuff. Which is hilarious and awesome at the same time. So don't let her music video turn you off. It's a little funky. Just let the music move ya. She's one of those artists where her face doesn't match her voice. Honestly when I first saw this video I thought she looked like a little punk. But I've heard some interviews with her and she seriously LOVES what she does. She's adorable.

Anyway... her real name is Valerie Poxleitner. Hence her name. . . i think my font just changed..it's ok. just mixin it up. anywho.. My point is, that this girl is amazing. She writes all her own music, which is pretty sick. It's a little techno pop (now don't be scared, it's not that kind of techno) that'll get ya goin for the day. You can often find me at a stoplight, singing SAVIOR at the top of my lungs while onlookers..look..on. ok. I'm going to bed. Hasta la vista. Go download SAVIOUR, DRIVE MY SOUL, LAST THING ON YOUR MIND, I OWE YOU ONE, IT'S OVER CASANOVA, and FEBRUARY AIR. In that order. Then come back and post a comment telling me that your life is now a little better. Ok I kid.

.TLC Tuesday.

Yes. You heard it. TLC Tuesday. Every Tuesday I'll pick a person, any person I deem worthy, and make them a little playlist of songs I think, or know they'll like. If you'd like to be spotlighted on TLC Tuesday just shoot me a little email at ginag14@gmail.com or comment on one of my posts!

Well to start off TLC Tuesday, I'll pick an easy person. This is a person I absolutely adore. More than she knows. I rarely get to see her, but every time I do, it's quite a treat. So this one's for you-

::Leah Marie::

Such Great Heights - Iron & Wine

I Want You - Fefe Dobson

Silver Lining - Rilo Kiley

I'll Have to Say I Love You In a Song - Jim Croce

Missing You - Tegan and Sara

Caring is Creepy - The Shins

Wait it Out - Imogen Heap

The Call - Regina Spektor

I love you woman!

. stars .

k. We're going to take this nice and slow. We'll start off with a crowd fave (I hope).

Welcome to the world of the Stars.

This Canadian Pop Group sprouted from a young seedling in the great land of Toronto. A while later they transplanted to New York, where they changed (my) America forever.

Amy Millan's haunting voice often fills the air in my little car, drowning out all worries. While Torquil Campbell's soothing words make everything a little better.

Some of their songs can be a little sketch, I'm warning you. But here are a few clean crowd pleasers to get you through another day:

Ageless Beauty

Death to Death

Elevator Love Letter

Heart

Your Ex Lover is Dead (personal favorite)

Romantic Comedy

Violent

and many many more...

I could go on forever. They are the sound of my soul. Here's a little sample of this lovely group. Enjoy.