Musical Songy Calendary Stuff Thing (of 2011!)
I hit a wall on writing up my Actual Real Serious Business Ten Albums list, so here is an idea stoled from georgieludovic to distract me. A Musical Calendary Thingy Where Months Have Songs And Stuff.
January
It was cold. Not a lot happened. I listened to The Decemberists most exclusively. It was alright. This song has 'January' in the title so is probably the best choice here, yyyyep.
maybe it will all come back to me
February
Still cold, bit rainy, went to London, it was Alright. Listened to a good song off the upcoming Mountain Goats record that didn't live up to my expectations. Life? Life.
two young savage things barely worth remembering
March
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes happened in March. To me. Super hard. In the Old Vic Tunnels beneath Waterloo station, where I experienced the best single show I've ever seen. Much like a mini festival in the catacombs, my only regret is that it doesn't happen every week. Magic.
and i'll love you for ever
April
It was in April that I started listening to Withered Hand, who definitely made my favourite album of 2009 and it's a bit of a shame I didn't realise it back then because like hell am I going back to edit my old end of year lists. One of my most listened records of the year, all a bit angsty but um yeah whatever.
other people are hell
May
Towards the end of 2010, I'd run across a wee video that introduced me to The Jezabels, who blew me The Fuck Away. After several months of holding my breath for UK tour dates, they rocked up to Cardiff in the middle of May and proceed to blow me away all over again at a distance of 3 feet.
so we go out onto the town to mess around
June
My year pretty much peaked in June, though I didn't really see it at the time. Every weekend away seeing great people, numerous great bands, topped off with the Flaming Lips. If I could live my life like any month of 2011, it would be this month. I hope such times come around again soon.
hope against hope
July
As July rolled away, I'd decided to escape the mists forming in my fool brain by taking a walk along the shores of Tarn Hows in the late evening sun. It was in this setting that I checked Twitter (ah, this is life in the future) to discover that Amy Winehouse had died, and was filled with an incredible sadness. Not so much because I was a fan (I wasn't, not really) but at the futility of it all, of a young and talented life ended far too soon.
and laughed at by the gods
August
All confidence deserted me in August. Too many doubts about life began to rise and swell, and only served to damage myself and others. Saw Edward Sharpe again: it wasn't as good.
and i knew no words to share with anyone
September
Purest. Hell. For innumerable reasons that will never be wholly shared. Dark music, in cold places.
bristling and ugly
October
Marginal recovery. A thankfulness for health, and a resolution to Do Better.
you said you hated my tone it made you feel so alone
November
I don't handle winter well as a rule, but after autumnal lows and with the assistance of people looking out for me, things turned out quite alright. Not such a musical month, but there was a second coming of Lana Del Rey. Who should by rights be awful, but is actually fantastic.
try to have fun in the meantime
December
And so the year concluded. With a lack of lists, a continuing uncertainty and oh hey Sharon Van Etten has an album out soon!
serpents in my mind
January
It was cold. Not a lot happened. I listened to The Decemberists most exclusively. It was alright. This song has 'January' in the title so is probably the best choice here, yyyyep.
Click to viewmaybe it will all come back to me
February
Still cold, bit rainy, went to London, it was Alright. Listened to a good song off the upcoming Mountain Goats record that didn't live up to my expectations. Life? Life.
two young savage things barely worth remembering
March
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes happened in March. To me. Super hard. In the Old Vic Tunnels beneath Waterloo station, where I experienced the best single show I've ever seen. Much like a mini festival in the catacombs, my only regret is that it doesn't happen every week. Magic.
and i'll love you for ever
April
It was in April that I started listening to Withered Hand, who definitely made my favourite album of 2009 and it's a bit of a shame I didn't realise it back then because like hell am I going back to edit my old end of year lists. One of my most listened records of the year, all a bit angsty but um yeah whatever.
other people are hell
May
Towards the end of 2010, I'd run across a wee video that introduced me to The Jezabels, who blew me The Fuck Away. After several months of holding my breath for UK tour dates, they rocked up to Cardiff in the middle of May and proceed to blow me away all over again at a distance of 3 feet.
so we go out onto the town to mess around
June
My year pretty much peaked in June, though I didn't really see it at the time. Every weekend away seeing great people, numerous great bands, topped off with the Flaming Lips. If I could live my life like any month of 2011, it would be this month. I hope such times come around again soon.
hope against hope
July
As July rolled away, I'd decided to escape the mists forming in my fool brain by taking a walk along the shores of Tarn Hows in the late evening sun. It was in this setting that I checked Twitter (ah, this is life in the future) to discover that Amy Winehouse had died, and was filled with an incredible sadness. Not so much because I was a fan (I wasn't, not really) but at the futility of it all, of a young and talented life ended far too soon.
and laughed at by the gods
August
All confidence deserted me in August. Too many doubts about life began to rise and swell, and only served to damage myself and others. Saw Edward Sharpe again: it wasn't as good.
and i knew no words to share with anyone
September
Purest. Hell. For innumerable reasons that will never be wholly shared. Dark music, in cold places.
bristling and ugly
October
Marginal recovery. A thankfulness for health, and a resolution to Do Better.
you said you hated my tone it made you feel so alone
November
I don't handle winter well as a rule, but after autumnal lows and with the assistance of people looking out for me, things turned out quite alright. Not such a musical month, but there was a second coming of Lana Del Rey. Who should by rights be awful, but is actually fantastic.
try to have fun in the meantime
December
And so the year concluded. With a lack of lists, a continuing uncertainty and oh hey Sharon Van Etten has an album out soon!
serpents in my mind