Goal: Become a legit Led Zeppelin Fan: Led Zeppelin IV/Zoso/Four Symbols/The Fourth Album

In case you missed it, here's my take on Led Zeppelin I, Led Zeppelin II, and Led Zeppelin III.

Today's album in review is the unofficially named Led Zeppelin IV.


1. "Black Dog"--One of the most recognizable Led Zeppelin songs. It uses an almost call-and-response pattern between Robert Plant's vocals and Jimmy Page's guitar riffs which gives it a very raw and emotional feel. Mostly, the guitar riffs and percussion use an insane off-beat rhythm that's just...gorgeous.

2. "Rock and Roll"--A hardcore rockabilly song. Not a favorite of mine, but a solid Zeppelin song.

3. "The Battle of Evermore"--This one is acoustically pretty and features the vocals of folk singer* Sandy Denny. Plant is the main vocalist with Denny as the "town crier". Apparently this is based on Scottish lore, but seriously, Lord of the Rings, anyone? Ring wraiths are mentioned.

4. "Stairway to Heaven"--The quintessential rock song. The length, variety of instruments, and quickening tempo all make it an epic. I'll be honest though, it takes about 4 minutes (halfway through) to really warm up for me with the addition of drums. Then at about 5:30, it gets into the section that's most enjoyable for me: Page's guitar solo, harder percussion, a new melody, and roaring Plant vocals make it the most exciting part of the song.

5. "Misty Mountain Hop"--Pretty sure it's about smoking pot in a park. Pretty cool harmony combining vocals, guitar, and electric piano. Very cool riff throughout.

6."Four Sticks"--A raw, aboriginal sound. The drums are hard and continuous (played with 4 sticks by John Bonham), the guitar riff keeps you on edge, and the rhythm is complex and erratic, kind of like a harder "Misty Mountain Hop". Also, Plant's vocals sound like they're distorted to a higher pitch in this song, which adds to the sense of crazy.

7. "Going to California"--This is one of my favorite Led Zeppelin songs. It's soft and acoustic, featuring several plucked string instruments (courtesy of Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones). The bridge has more passionate and forced vocals from Robert Plant, which is really the only edge in this song. I describe a lot of songs this way, but this is definitely a driving around with the windows down kind of song.

8. "When the Levee Breaks"--Based on a 1929 song of the same name, this is a soulful and powerful blues song. The guitar riff and drums keep it rock and roll, as does a key change into a major key signature a few times throughout. For how instrumental the song is, it's surprisingly engaging. The melody, key changes, and harmonica keep things melodic, which always hold my interest.

Overall Assessment: What a random mix of songs: hard rock, folk, rockabilly, acoustic, blues. As an overall album, it's probably a work of contrast rather than a cohesive idea, but it somehow works. Maybe not my favorite album, but consistently good, with the last two songs being some of my favorite Led Zeppelin songs.


*I love the combination of Robert Plant and folk music: check out his work with Alison Krauss.

Goal: Become a legit Led Zeppelin Fan: Led Zeppelin III

In case you missed it, here's my take on Led Zeppelin I and Led Zeppelin II.

Today's album in review: Led Zeppelin III.


1. "Immigrant Song"--This is Zeppelin classic. It's fast, hard, and wailing with insanely obscure lyrics. Plus, I always imagine Jack Black singing it in that sweet van, which can only improve my love of the song.



Also, I dare you to come up with a creepier sound than the vocals at the end of the song.

2. "Friends"--Blandly creepy. Tuneless guitar riff and random strings make up most of this song. It's kind of like the essence of Led Zeppelin without the spark.

3. "Celebration Day"--I usually skip this song. It's kind of like ELO's "Ma-ma-ma Belle" in that it's decent bluesy rock, but it's generic and gets kind of old.

4. "Since I've Been Loving You"--Another over 7 minutes foray into blues, but I love it. Feels like Stevie Ray Vaughn with the guitar-solo intro, and then goes all out ominous gospel. I can't express how much I love the theme chord progression. And did I mention organ?

5. "Out On the Tiles"--The return of a great guitar riff with a chorus that could have come from any rock band from the 70s and 80s, but it's cooler because it's Led Zeppelin.

6. "Gallows Pole"--Making folk songs awesome. Pretty mellow, but still passionate and even awesomer for including the banjo. I mean, can you get more hardcore than singing about how you're going to get hung?

7. "Tangerine"--Sounds completely like the Rolling Stones, especially the chorus that features messy harmonies.

8. "That's the Way"--A totally mellow song whose sentiment reminds me of Bruce Hornsby "That's Just the Way It Is" and Tupac's "Changes" except better. It's a taking-a-drive-on-a-Sunday-afternoon sort of song.

9. "Bron-Y-Aur Stomp"--The meaning of the title has some random story that includes a cottage or something, but mostly it's dark folk music with a drum beat. Also, I just realized that the song says "Ain't no companion like a blue eyed merle" instead of blue-eyed girl. Hmmm.

10. "Hats off to (Roy) Harper"--This song is an homage to Mr. Harper, but the distorted vocals are a little abrasive. The slide guitar is pretty awesome though.

Overall assessment: Interesting split between classic Zeppelin in the first half and folky, mellower Zeppelin in the second half. It's a decent album to have on while doing stuff, but not a favorite in terms of song writing.

Goal: Become a legit Led Zeppelin Fan: Houses of the Holy

In case you missed it, here's my take on Led Zeppelin I, Led Zeppelin II, Led Zeppelin III, and Led Zeppelin IV.

Today's album in review: Houses of the Holy. Several of the songs on this album are the impetus for my foray into Led Zeppelin fandom. So let's enjoy.


1. "The Song Remains the Same"--It always blows my mind how pop this song is. Pop with killer guitar solos and a more epic scope, but pop-ier than most Zeppelin songs. I would say it would fit very well on a Get Psyched Mix.

2. "The Rain Song"--This was one of the songs that convinced me to start my journey into Led Zeppelin music. It's a slower song filled with layers of instruments including strings and a piano in addition to the typical guitars and drums. It's long, but moves forward with a lovely minor-key melody that breaks into a powerful refrain toward the end and then softly eases us out the song.

3. "Over the Hills and Far Away"--This uses my favorite Zeppelin Classic Technique--start acoustic and soft and then bust out into an awesome harder rock middle of the song, and then leave us with a softer ending. Definitely a driving around sort of song.

4. "The Crunge"--I honestly don't know how to take this song. It's some sort of homage to James Brown. The meter in this song is insane and almost impossible to follow. Like most funk music, it's probably more fun to play than to listen to. Also, Plant's vocals sound weirdly distorted and the use of synthesizers instead of horns makes it sound more like Commander Keen than soul music. But if you appreciate crazy rhythm (shout out to John Bonham), it can be decent listen.

5. "Dancing Days"--Kind of like "On the Tiles", it sounds almost like a regular rock song, but with a haunting/hard core Jimmy Page riff. Unfortunately, this song also falls victim to the Commander Keen synth which instantly cheeses it up. But it's a good rock song, complete with a repeated "You know it's alright."

6. "D'yer Mak'er"--The title comes from a play on the word "Jamaica" (did you make her?) which exemplifies how fun this song is. It's raggae and Robert Plant has a field day with the vocals.

7. "No Quarter"--This song has grown on me. The instruments and vocals are distorted which makes for a very cool, grittier, and very layered sound. The best parts include an unaffected piano played by John Paul Jones over so many layers of of distorted instruments. But what really makes this song interesting to me is the catchy and deep guitar (bass?) solo.

8. "The Ocean"--Total guitar riff awesomeness and hard drumming that ends on a sweet doo-wop outro guitar solo. And if you listen close you can hear John Paul Jones and John Bonham singing harmonized backup at the end. Overall, a fun song to end the album.

Overall Assesment: Very interesting and more thoughtful music making on Houses of the Holy. There's a couple ridiculous songs that are outweighed by the successful experimental and classic Zeppelin sounding songs.

Goal: Become a legit Led Zeppelin Fan: In Through the Out Door

My takes on Led Zeppelin I, Led Zeppelin II, Led Zeppelin III, Led Zeppelin IV, Houses of the Holy, Physical Graffiti, and Presence.

I know y'all were concerned I'd never finish this series, but here it is, the last Zeppelin album (more or less): In Through the Out Door released in 1979.

1. "In the Evening" - Synthy and repetitious, this song is kind of boring. While Page comes in with some sweet guitar action at about 3:45, it's too little too late.

2. "South Bound Saurez" - One of the few songs that Jimmy Page had no part writing (he and John Bonham consistently showed up late for song writing sessions for this album), it's a fun and piano-heavy song. It's one of the more organic songs on the album, and I love that John Paul Jones really gets to shine through. Bonus awesomeness: "sha-la-la-la"s lead out the song.

3. "Fool in the Rain" - It was about 3 years ago I asked someone who this song was by and my interest in Led Zeppelin was piqued because it was so unlike the rest of their stuff I had heard. Little did I know it was mostly because Plant and Jones were the main writers for this album. Anyway, fun fact: the samba rhythm in the song middle was influence by the 1978 World Cup in Argentina. One more reason to love soccer. Also, some of my favorite Bonham drumming happens in the transition back to the original rhythm and temp from the samba.

4. "Hot Dog" - An English band doing American rockabilly. It's basically 1950s rock but with harder core(?) soloing.

5. "Carouselabra" - THIS SONG IS SO LONG! AND INCREDIBLY SYNTHESIZER HEAVY. Ahem. Back on track, this song reminds of "The Song Remains the Same" in that it's almost a little too upbeat. Unfortunately, it gets really repetitious and there's just not enough guitar to rock my socks off; it's hidden by obnoxious synthesizer insanity except for the merciful (although long) slow middle portion. At least they acknowledge the ridiculousness in the fact the song is named after carousel music.

6. "All of My Love" - This is the second song on the album that was completely written by John Paul and Robert. It's almost a little too synth-tastic for me to really get behind, mostly because the keyboard is set to "strings." If you're going to go synthesizer, use as a unique instrument, not as a replacement, you know. Anyway, it's kind of distracting from all the cool things going on musically, like the Spanish guitar solo in the middle. Also, this song features a key change, and it's kind of weird.

7. "I'm Gonna Crawl" - Speaking of keyboards set to "strings." The beginning of this song almost feels like a spiritual you would sing in middle school to a prerecorded track. Anyway, I really enjoy the swaying 6/8 time of the song that offers a great background to some prime Jimmy solo action which is a refreshing change from the rest of the album.

Overall assessment: It's unfortunate that the two musically harder members of the band were wasted and late during the recording of this album because it's missing the bluesy grit I love most about Led Zeppelin. There are some interesting songs on the album, but it suffers from a severe case of the synthesizers that prevents me from listening to it straight through.

Goal: Become a legit Led Zeppelin Fan: Led Zeppelin I

Now that my internet actually works (I was desperate for stuff to do for a couple days), I'd like to introduce a series about my Led Zeppelin fanhood. So far I've bought Led Zeppelin's first four album which are, predictably, pretty great. Since I've bought all of them used, I think most of them are from the original Compact Disc release in the early 90s which includes directions on how to care for a CD = Awesome.

Today's album in review: Led Zeppelin I.


Note: I'm no music critic/reviewer, and since Zeppelin history/folklore is so immense, I'm just going to share what I think of the album song by song, accuracy in assessment and other people's opinions be damned.

1. "Good Times Bad Times"--As one of the shortest songs on the album, it's a little more accessible than some of the other songs--especially since my taste runs on the side of smart, clean pop over other styles. It's a pretty straight forward, bluesy rock song with an addictive chorus and short guitar solos. Robert Plant has the perfect amount of whininess at the end of the song, and I mean that in a good way.

2. "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You"--This song is epic (in a "Stairway to Heaven" sort of way). Starting acoustic, it slowly changes into a breakdown as Plant continues to sing about how he's gonna leave his girl. The pattern continues until it's slow and quiet end. It's definitely a Zeppelin song to chill to.

3. "You Shook Me"--Led Zeppelin at its bluesiest. Unfortunately, I tend to like my blues diluted (think John Mayer), so something this consistent in style and tempo gets old pretty fast, especially since it's over 6 minutes long. But you got to love that they can pull off so much soul and incorporate so much organ and harmonica.

4. "Dazed and Confused"--Slow and full of some sweet guitar riffs, this song is pretty awesome. Plant's vocals really sell the song, although the groaning in the psychedelic middle of the song is just weird after a while. It picks up after a while into a pretty epic rock out (thanks Jimmy!). Overall, a song that's cool, but not that fun to listen to after a while (did I mention this one is 6:27 long?)

5. "Your Time is Gonna Come"--I love the organ in rock and it is featured heavily in this song. John Paul Jones has some serious organ chops; the beginning sounds classical. This is another shorter and friendlier song, complete with a sing along chorus (with heavy vibrato organ). A mellow, perfect rock song.

6. "Black Mountain Side"--"Your Time is Gonna Come" bleeds into this short musical interlude, which is one of my favorite songs on the album. The percussion feels ethnic and earthy (I'll shout out to John Bonham here since I gave every else a shout out) and matches the guitar's bluegrassy/sitar-y sound (it's an awesome blend). Very pretty.

7. "Communicatino Breakdown"--This is a hard and fast rock song (like 2 and a half minutes). It's a lot of fun.

8. "I Can't Quit You Baby"--Another slow, bluesy song. This one is shorter and sexier, and for me, a lot more interesting than "You Shook Me". I love Page's guitar solos and Plant's wailing vocals on this song because they seem more intimate and passionate, less paint by the numbers blues.

9. "How Many More Times"--Very guitar riffy, although gets into the same psychadelic/really long solo territory that "Dazed and Confused" gets into (this song is over 8 minutes long!). I like the middle section of this song more. Overall, I like the more upbeat tempo, bass heavy riffs of "How Many More Times" more than "Dazed".

Overall assessment: I like it. Definitely an album heavy on the blues. I doesn't feature my favorite Zeppelin songs, but indicates where the band would be going musically in the future.

Goal: Become a legit Led Zeppelin Fan: Led Zeppelin II

In case you missed it, here's my take on Led Zeppelin I.

Today's album in review: Led Zeppelin II

1. "Whole Lotta Love"-- A pretty awesome, gritty rock song. Gets way trippy in the middle, but wins you back in the end by going back to sweet guitar riffs. Robert Plant's vocals are insane and so hard core. Just great.

2. "What Is and What Should Never Be"--This song exemplifies my favorite type of Zeppelin song: mellow verse, rockin' chorus. Some nice distorted guitar solos, but what really wins me over is the bass line in this song. It gives it an overwhelming sense of chill.

3. "The Lemon Song"--Kind of Jimi Hendrix meets Blues Brothers*. Not my favorite, but has enough ridiculous double entendres to keep my entertained.

4. "Thank You"--This is one of my favorite Zeppelin songs. I love the organ so much. Almost as much as I love heavy rock bands going for a ballad. This song has both, so it's a win-win situation. It's a mellow, driving around sort of song.

5. "Heartbreaker"--Emo kids, take note. This is how you get back at your ex-woman--rock her out of your life with heavily distorted guitar riffs.

6. "Living Loving Maid (She's Just a Woman)"--Probably the closest to a pop song as you're going to get this album. I mean that in the sense that the song is way fun to sing along to. Sample fun lyric: "Alimony, alimony payin' your bills/ livin', lovin', she's just a woman!"**

7. "Ramble On"--A perfect rock song, a perfect driving around song: acoustic verse, light electric guitar killer bass line bridge, rocking chorus. Other great features: harmonizing guitar solo and references to Lord of the Rings. I say any time is a good time to sing about Gollum and Mordor.

8. "Moby Dick"--One of the catchiest guitar riffs I've ever heard featuring some cowbell. The only down fall is that the bulk of the song is drum solo, which gets a little bit old, but then the guitar and bass come back in.

9. "Bring it On Home"--The song sounds like what the title is: harmonica, blues chord progression. Then it randomly rocks out in the middle--12 bonus points!***

Overall assessment: Probably the most listenable Led Zeppelin album, by which I mean I can just sit down and listen to the album without skipping any songs. With the exception of "The Lemon Song", the songs are fairly short and pretty accessible. Well done sophomore effort, Led Zeppelin. Well done.


*My knowledge of blues is limited to occasionally hearing my dad's collection of Keb Mo, BB King, and Stevie Ray Vaughn. Forgive me.

**Exclamation point added. It's just so fun to sing.

***Note: I'm not actually scoring the albums. But this musical surprise is awesome.

Goal: Become a legit Led Zeppelin Fan: Presence

My takes on Led Zeppelin I, Led Zeppelin II, Led Zeppelin III, Led Zeppelin IV, Houses of the Holy, and Physical Graffiti.

I'm back, baby dolls! This time with Zeppelin's 7th studio recording, Presence. They recorded and mixed this album quickly and shortly after Robert Plant was in a serious car accident, making it a unique album in their repertoire.


1. "Achilles Last Stand" - They start off the album with this 10 and half minute epic. The militaristic drums and building bass of John Bonham and John Paul Jones line give the song its power. At about 4 minutes, Jimmy Page starts into the best part of the song where he gives powerful and resonant guitar solo. The only downfall for me is the vocal line, which lacks an interesting melody, although contains classically cryptic Led Zeppelin lyrics.

2. "For Your Life" - Like most of the songs on this album, this really shows off Page's guitar chops. It has a vague sort of riff that feels like a shadow of earlier ones, but the bridge* is lovely with it's fast work in unison to the bass. Plus, we get to hear Plant snort in mockery to the rampant cocaine use in LA at the time.

3. "Royal Orleans" - This is a kind of funny story told/sung about a transvestite and setting fire to a hotel room set to a funky beat. I don't really have much to say about this song because honestly it's kind of boring. Kind of riffy, kind of sung, kind of interesting ideas, kind of boring.

4. "Nobody's Fault but Mine" - Based on a traditional blues song "It's Nobody's Fault but Mine," this song achieves some of the power and drive that "When the Levee Breaks" does. Much of that has to do with Plant's harmonica playing, which is stronger than a lot of his vocals on the album (poor guy had to sing from a wheelchair). With a solid beat established once again by Bonham and Jones, and sweet solos by Page, it's a hard rock pleasure.

5. "Candy Store Rock" - Taking another walk down doo-wop lane, this song is a fun reimagining of 50s rock. Plant's vocals are echoey, the percussion is softer (although still more than just keeping the beat), and Page mostly keeps a swing-y feel to the song rather than a huge solo.

6. "Hots On for Nowhere" - This song is a lot of fun. The nonsense-word chorus and light drum and guitar work add to the levity of the song. In fact, it sounds more like Aerosmith than anything else, and I mean that in a good way.

7. "Tea for One" - The band itself admits that this is "Since I've Been Loving You Redux," but that's not a bad thing. It's bluesy and lonely and gives Plant something to work with vocally.

Overall assessment: It's not an easy or particularly enjoyable listen, but there's some good stuff here. Unfortunately, the good stuff seems more like cast offs from earlier days.

*And it kind of sounds like Pearl Jam or something. I can't figure out where I've heard a similar interlude. Listen at about 2:30

Goal: Become a legit Led Zeppelin Fan: Physical Graffiti

In case you missed it, here's my take on Led Zeppelin I, Led Zeppelin II, Led Zeppelin III, Led Zeppelin IV, and Houses of the Holy.

It's time for a little Physical Graffiti. A collection of songs from years of recording, this features some of the most diverse tracks from the band.


Disc 1:
1. "Custard Pie"--From the opening riff, we know we're dealing with a grittier, white trashier feeling album. Everything from the distorted guitars, to the harmonica, to the prominent drum beat contribute to this sex metaphor of a song. Not a favorite, but indicative of the rest of the album.

2. "The Rover"--This song reminds me of ZZ Top and the tacky sexuality that goes with it. Except Led Zeppelin isn't two creepy bearded guys*. The drum beat is insane and the guitar riff is slide-y (go with it). Again, not my favorite style, but kind of fun.

3. "In My Time of Dying"--Much like "When the Levee Breaks," this song blends old-school blues with modern rock. Page works the slide guitar and John Bonham shines on the drums yet again. I think I have a percussion-crush on this guy. The only downside to this song is that it's over 11 minutes long. I only have the patience for the whole song if I'm doing something active.

4. "Houses of the Holy"--Originally intended for the album of the same name, this song fits in better with the hard rock blues of this album. It almost sounds like they're performing live thanks to the simple and straightforward mix with the exception of Page's solos at the beginning and end.

5. "Trampled Under Foot"--John Paul Jones rocks the clavinet with a funky rhythm he attributed to Stevie Wonder. Bonham also contributes to the crazy and infectious rhythm, making this a fun song to walk around to**.

6. "Kashmir"--Positively epic: a Jimmy Page guitar riff, simple and hard drums from John Bonham, keyboard from John Paul Jones, real strings and horns, middle eastern instruments, and soaring vocals from Robert Plant mix together for a gorgeous mix of musical genres. Just gorgeous.

Disc 2:
1. "In the Light"--John Paul Jones' mad synth skills are on deep display in the first section of the song. While I still prefer more "natural" instruments, the synthesizer works here. The second section features an orchestral riff from Page and loud drums from Bonham gives it a large sound. The third section features an almost harpsichord sounding synthesizer and simple guitar line that counters the synth. The three sections repeat again for a lengthy, but satisfying rock song. Did I mention there's some sweet guitar with a violin bow action?

2. "Bron-Yr-Aur"--By far, one of the mellowest Zeppelin songs, it's acoustically gorgeous.

3. "Down by the Seaside"--Obviously inspired by Neil Young, it's a fairly mellow, electric rock song. The tone of the song goes from driving in the car to accusatory rock (go with it). Also, Jones plays some lovely electric piano.

4. "Ten Years Gone"--This is song with lyrics dedicated to a girl Robert Plant once loved. It sounds nostalgic, layered with guitar harmonies. The switch from acoustic to electric guitar feels like the difference between simply remembering and reliving an experience. The song then goes into an "accusatory rock" section with Plant pointedly talking to the audience (that girl?). I instantly fell in love with this song: soft with an edge.

5. "Night Flight"--Also sounds a little nostalgic with an interlude that sounds similar to one in The Who's "Baba O'Reilly." But it's also simply a rocking tune. We have Jones at the organ, and Robert Plant owning the song with his performance.

6. "The Wanton Song"--Featuring an aggressive riff from Page reminiscent of "Immigrant Song" and strained Plant vocals in the verses, this sounds more like an earlier Zeppelin song, although recorded for this album. I absolutely love the smooth, funky, organlicious bridge.

7. "Boogie with Stu"--This song is jam inspired by Ritchie Valen's "Ooh, my Head" and you can tell. It's a fun throwback to 1950s rhythm and blues with fun clap-sounding precussion, rollicking (!?) piano, and simple guitar solos.

8. "Black Country Woman"--An acoustic but drum heavy song like "Bron-Y-Aur Stomp," it has just heavy to keep me interested. It's an interesting mix of folk sound and typical blues chord progression. And really, the lyrics are a laugh.

9. "Sick Again"--This feels like the beginning of the album again. With more slide guitar from page and ridiculous drum rhythm from Jones, it's a funny and kind of trashy sound.

Overall assessment: This is an album that grew on me. The more I listen, the more I hear how each member of the band contributed and the intricacies of the music. It's diverse, epic, and comfortable to listen to.


*This is an example of when beards fail.
**Might just be me.

Post 100!

In celebration for my 100th post (it only took a year), I'd like to link to some of my favorite posts I've written so far:

There are 3 kinds of romantic-comedies: shockingly referenced Pirates 2 and 3 Ask a Ninja just like my 99th post. Full circle!

Two for the Road: A review of my favorite Audrey Hepburn movie.

Film Criticism: a Criticism: I'm probably a total hypocrite.

Titanic: Greatest disaster flick ever?: A post as epic as the film itself.

Actor Appreciation: Shahrukh Khan: Seriously, check him out.

All the President's Men: Consistently Good: I use the word man-locks.

Fighting Evil by Moonlight: In remembrance of Sailor Moon: Should I be Embarrassed?

Movies about dancers: In which I'm totally cheesy about dancing.

Let's review 1st Shop of Coffee Prince: I talk about my favorite Korean drama.

Goal: Become a legit Led Zeppelin Fan:

• Led Zeppelin I
• Led Zeppelin II
• Led Zeppelin III
• Led Zeppelin IV/Zoso/Four Symbols/The Fourth Album
• Houses of the Holy

Also, let me know what kind of posts you'd like more of (or less of). And no, I won't stop with the Led Zeppelin posts til I'm done.

College pop culture retrospective

In honor of my college graduation, I give a list of my favorite pop cultural finds of my college years. It's pretty random list, some of which is completely cliche, but here you go:

1. Bollywood. My freshman roommate started me on Bollywood films with Dil Chahta Hai. While in recent years my consumption has slowed down, they're usually good for a laugh or cry or just fun if you've got a spare 3 hours.

Om Shanti Om is fantastic. I never wrote a review on it, but if you love super-meta, making a movie within a movie, genre mixing movies, than this one is for you. It's funny, a little tragic, and randomly spooky. Plus, Hamlet and Singin' in the Rain references.

2. The Beatles. Like anyone who likes music, I've always loved the Beatles, but I owe a guy I will always remember as Hot Hot Brian in my psych class for pointing me toward Rubber Soul during a class presentation. After that, I was hooked to the Beatles' later (and more awesome) albums.

Seriously. Buy it. Love it.

3. Led Zeppelin. *cough*

Jimmy Page is inviting you into the dangerous world of Led Zeppelin fandom. Warning: it can be obsessive.

4. K-dramas. Next time in search for a corny series I might branch out from Korean dramas, but My Lovely Sam Soon was a good place to start.

I know right? From this picture alone My Lovely Sam Soon is already too adorable to resist. FYI, it's like a Korean Bridget Jones except way more adorable...adorable.
Shockingly, it's probably just as cheesy.

5. House. I have found that a good way to tell if you're going to like a roommate is if they'll sit down and watch an episode of House with you.

The original team smilier than they are ever on the show; I just love this picture.

6. Online television. I'm counting both legal and more sketchy means. It's so much more convenient to find catch up on tv shows since I got to college, and I love the internet for that.

It's like magic.

7. pandora.com. Check out this station that was developed from artists I discoverd on pandora. I now can enjoy bluegrass and other musical genres new to me.

8. Emo. Sometimes, it doesn't suck. But as a friend said, everyone has a quota of how much emo they can take. Personally, emo better come with some pop hooks or I'm out. Less offensive emos: Panic at the Disco (since they're either electronica or Beatles in their approach), Cartel (pop-y!), about 4 of My Chemical Romance's songs, about 5 of Fall Out Boy's songs, a smattering of others. But for the most part, still kind of a whiny/mediocre genre.

Do yourself a favor and never image search 'emo.'

9. The rock musical/opera. Possibly the best film genre possible in that the musical is usually good and the plot is usually preposterous. This magical blend makes sure that you feel both pleasure and guilt if you like it. Great examples: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Across the Universe, Tommy.

I was going to subject you to Mean Mr. Mustard's robots in Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, but thought better of it and instead I give you the Barry Gibb and his fabulous locks, the rest of the Bee Gees, and Peter Frampton in the film.

And in case you're concerned about what happens to Mr. Frampton...


Billy Preston magically appears from a weather vane to save the day! yay!

100 Favorite Songs: 26-30

Love gone wrong in the '60s and '70s

26. "Silver Springs" by Fleetwood Mac (1977)

"Silver Springs" didn't make it into the original cut of Fleetwood Mac's Rumours, but it just may be my favorite song on the (rereleased version) album. It's a beautiful piece of music with a cathartic "we would have been awesome together, idiot" message.

Personally, I'm not a fan of knickers, even though I'm a fan of period drama.

27. "Over the Hills and Far Away" by Led Zeppelin (1973)

I only let myself pick 2 songs per artist, so "Over the Hills and Far Away" is the last for Led Zep on this list. What can I say? I can't resist the soft beginning/rockin' chorus combo.

I can never get over how goofy Jimmy Page looks.

28. "Walk on By" by Dionne Warwick (1964)

I love Burt Bacharach.

My mom has some great Dionne Warwick was a total diva stories from 1970s BYU.

29. "Hello Darlin'" by Conway Twitty (1970)

When you're on the losing end of the break-up.

Where can I get that sequin guitar strap, please?

30. "Cecilia" by Simon and Garfunkel (1970)

This song has been stuck in my head since my 5th grade obsession with Bridge Over Troubled Water, and it hasn't gotten less awesome.

Can anyone tell me what painting this is? I just chose this video because it had good audio.

100 Favorite Songs: 1-5

So, I like the idea of doing a top 100 list, but some things just don't seem feasible. Like top 100 albums? Dude, Napster came on the scene during my formative middle school years defeating any chance that I'd buy complete albums of most musical artistes (sorry). And top 100 movies just seems like a lot of work to figure out what movies I have seen let alone rank them. But I figured out a lazy list of top 100: my top 100 songs .

Disclaimer: The songs picked have to have been good enough to be obsessed with at some point, but not so much that I'm sick of it now. Also, I didn't put jazz standards in since so many people cover those songs. In fact, the list is primarily rock and pop songs with just a dash of country and R&B. And I don't really listen to enough rap or techno or heavy metal to list any of those songs as favorites--sorry fans of those genres. Mostly, this is just to say that this list is completely arbitrary and an excuse to talk about songs I like.

So, in the order I thought of them, my top 100 songs, 5 at a time:

1. "Caught Up in You" by .38 Special (1982)

This hit from the extremely average looking .38 Special (when they still had punctuation) is an example of the perfect rock song. Perfect short intro, perfect verse length, perfect chorus with catchy enough melody to cover mistaken words, a perfect guitar solo (harmonizing guitar!), but most of all, a perfect bridge. This song may feature my favorite bridge from any song ever (at 2:13 and 2:53). I love the way they break it down with the unison rhythm of the instruments. I just love it too much!


Although the awkward flirting going on in this video dampens the song's effect a bit.

2. "I Want it That Way" by The Backstreet Boys (1999)

In the boy band war of the late 90s, I was staunchly a BSB fan (better music and better singers, duh). Their iconic song "I Want it That Way" is my favorite of their songs, and stands as a perfect example of how successful incomprehensible lyrics set to a catchy melody can be (the alternate version of the lyrics just sounds weird). Plus, it featured the voices of every one of the boys at some point in the song, including my beloved Kevin at the bridge of the song (of course).


'99 was also the summer I watched a ton of TRL. Worth it.

3. "I Can't Make You Love Me" by Bonnie Raitt (1991)

Best song if you're in the mood for a good cry. 'nuff said.


I have nothing to add.

4. "When the Levee Breaks" by Led Zeppelin (1971)

Led Zep at their grittiest. The drums are monstrous, the vocals are strong, the harmonica and slide guitar bring the sound out west while the guitar is a steady onslaught of awesome. It never feels like a 7 minute no matter how many times I hear it.


Great song to work custodial to, FYI.

5. "Baba O'Riley" by The Who (1971)

Also proving that long doesn't mean boring is the Who. There's such a perfect build to the song that gets more and more urgent as the song goes on, finally ending on a fast folk rhythm. And they use synthesizer so well that it sounds organic in the song. Seriously, a violin/synth duet? Brilliant.


Their live version with a harmonica is pretty great, too.

There's a reason these were the first 5 I thought of when making this list. From here on out the choices get increasingly more random. Until next time.

The Audacity of Rock: Part 12

Countrified blues rock.

My senior year of high school, I realized I loved country music. Sure, a lot of modern country music is more pop than anything, but I love me some slide guitars and twangy vocals. And when you combine a country aesthetic to rock grit, you've got yourself a perfect combination.

"When the Levee Breaks" by Led Zeppelin (1971)

This is one of my favorite Zeppelin songs where John Bonham's insanely hard percussion thrives and Robert Plant's harmonica soars. Not to mention a great vocal performance and some insane slide and electric guitar work by Mr. Jimmy Page. It's one of their long songs, but it never drags for me. They've got a couple of major/minor key changes, unique sound mixing, and a lot of passion that makes this just so cool to listen to.



"Ain't No Rest for the Wicked" by Cage the Elephant (2008)

With a more hip hop recitation of the lyrics on top of the bluesy guitars, this song is uniquely modern rock. The other stuff that I've heard from Cage the Elephant is kind of boring rehash of other bands, this song stands out as both catchy and fun because of the country blues arrangement.



Questions to ponder:
1. What makes country music so legit? (I'm talking old school country.)
2. How is it, in a world where real instruments and skill can be used to create bluesy-country-rock fantastic-ness, that Lady Gaga dominates the music scene? And why are her songs so catchy?

Click on the label below for more installments of The Audacity of Rock.

The Audacity of Rock: Part 7

Church organ intro.

I love the organ. A lot. But today I'm just going to be focusing on churchy sounding organ. Usually a song featuring cathedral-like chording at the beginning eventually starts to rock by the time the drums and/or guitars come in and/or take over, but by that point the organ has already sucked me in. Mostly, it's usually a hilarious attempt to make rock "edgier" by mixing it with sacred things...like the organ. For this collection of church organ songs, I've chosen fairly sterile organ parts (so not gospel church organ). We're also doing more than two generation, and I'm using Grooveshark because I find no need to use an example from a Zeppelin cover band. So here we go:



1. "Your Time is Gonna Come" by Led Zeppelin (1969)

I've probably gushed over John Paul Jones and his mad organ/keyboarding skills before, but they are on full display here. It's innocuous enough that it could probably be played in a church, that is before it starts to play the riff the guitar will later take up. It's an interesting blend of the blues anchored rock with a decidedly less bluesy intro by the organ.

2. "Let's Go Crazy" by Prince (1984)

Prince, being quite the showman, decided to not only give us a warbly church organ solo, but also a church sermon. This time, the organ segues into a pop song, hitting chords to the beat of the only coherent lyrics in the song, "Let's Go Crazy," proving that the organ can be both serious and catchy.

3. "Faith" by George Michael (1987)

I know this is The Audacity of Rock*, but how can you not include this song? This is entirely poppy and catchy and terrible all at once. With the blending of church organ and sexual lyrics, how edgy is this? Although Mr. Michael does give up on the organ as soon as the guitar comes in, demoting his song into acoustic ridiculousness.

4. "Like a Prayer" by Madonna (1989)

I've given up on the rock thing entirely at this point, but I had to include this song, what with its suggestive lyrics. But unlike "Faith," this poptastic single maintains the organ throughout the verses of the song, subtly changing chords in the background. Also double points for including a gospel choir**.

5. "Intervention" by Arcade Fire (2007ish)

The ultimate cathedral organ at the beginning of a rock song. It's majestic and actually reflects the lyrics of the song. It reinforces the power of "the church" to take over a life by remaining a strong presence with the other instruments. Also, a children's choir*** takes up the back-up vocals by the end. Love.

Questions to ponder:
1. How awesome is the organ? Why?
2. Are there any other examples of the church organ intro?


*I count Prince as rock for his leadership of a band and musicianship.
**Which is great idea for another one of these.
***I love choirs!

Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ,and 6 of The Audacity of Rock.

Medley of the day: Moving Out

I'm moving out of the apartment complex I've been at for two years. The last year absolutely sucked, which probably was partly my fault. My roommate I'd lived with my freshman and sophomore year and loved got engaged last summer and left me for good in October, leaving me somewhat friendless. I knew a couple of my roommates from before, but it wasn't the same. Who was I going to watch Bollywood movies or midnight clean the kitchen with? I almost moved, but decided even semi-friends was better than no friends.

Now, I'm officially moving, and in celebration, a medley of moving songs.

First up is the Beatles' "She's Leaving home". This one is about a girl leaving home to have fun, thus abandoning her parents. It's a beautiful melody with haunting back-up vocals by John.



This second one is "Going to California" by Led Zeppelin. It's a rather wistful song about heartbreak and moving on.



This next one is kind of loosely related to the theme, but I love it. It's a 2003 clip from Nashville Star featuring the adorable Miranda Lambert who has a gorgeous voice. She wrote "Greyhound Bound for Nowhere" with her dad (how awesomely country is that?). It's about leaving a relationship with a married man, but she's moving, so I count it as legit.



Last, one my absolute favorite Billy Joel songs, "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)". Tell me it's not the most fun ever to sing along to all the "ack-ack-acK-aCK-ACK!"s. Also, "He works at Mister Cacciatore's down on Sullivan Street".


Yeah, this is just some guy playing it on his turntable.

Medley of the Day: Thanksgiving Edition

Led Zeppelin's surprisingly sweet and organ-erific "Thank You".



For a dose of ridiculous funk, Sly & the Family Stone's "Thank You".



And here's a pretty legit Thanksgiving song. Eric Whitacre's "I Thank You God for most this Amazing Day" performed by Polyphony:



Happy Thanksgiving!

Medley in my head of the day:

"Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin combined with "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" by the Beatles.
These two actually go together, I swear.

The Audacity of Rock: Part 21

Amount of hair proportionate to the rocking.

Rock 'n' roll has had a long history of long/huge hair that somehow got lost in the 90s, but if you look hard enough, you can still find some fantastic locks. For this part, I'm ignoring the butt rock/hair band era because the hair was bigger than the rocking. Here are some legit examples.


"Black Dog" by Led Zeppelin (1973 performance)

The whole band is rocking some great hair in this kind of relaxed version of the song. While Robert's head of hair is always magnificent, I think the important thing to note is John Paul's grown out page boy. I should also note that costuming doesn't hinder the rocking, so rest easy when you check out Jimmy's get up.




"Bad Boys Running Wild" by Scorpions (1985 performance)

Dude. Scorpions were good at what they did, and they did it with some good locks on their head. This time, their locks are blowing in the wind (the winds of change?). Not even those striped pants can get in their way.




"Molly's Chamber" by Kings of Leon (2006 performance)

While Kings of Leon are now rocking significantly less hair, at one point they realized the potential that long hair could bring to their music. I don't think I have anything else to say except that I wish they'd kept the bangs.




Questions to ponder:

1. Will long hair ever come back unironically?
2. What rocker dons the most glorious head of hair?

Medley of the Day: Let's folk it out Edition

First up is a song from one of my favorite pandora.com finds: The Wailin' Jennys. They performed the song "Swallow" at the 2006 Pickathon Roots Music Festival in Portland, OR (shout out). Unsurprisingly, they sound awesome live. Favorite lyric: "Now come connect the dot me":



Let's get some Led Zeppelin in here with "Gallows Pole". According to the YouTube description this is "A 'Tribute' to the legend Jimmy Page!!" Yes a "tribute".



Okay, here's another Pandora find, "Too Easy" by Catherine MacLellan. I wish I could pull off that hair. Or have her voice. Really, I just think she's cool. Also, she's from Prince Edward Island = Anne of Green Gables = Gilbert Blythe = the love of my fictional character-filled life.



I'm going to include a Beatles song, "Mother Nature's Son", because I can. It's vaguely folky, with a nice dose of horn. Enjoy the random pictures: