Happy Valentine's Day from No, The Moon Ain't Romantic

I know everyone has different feelings about Valentine's Day as a holiday. It has never particularly been one of my favorites, so I can relate to anyone that doesn't feel like listening to love songs today. However, it's hard to deny that there is a whole lot of good music out there that's appropriate to today. Therefore, I couldn't resist putting together a list of a few. Here are 6 of my favorites along with a particularly good quote from each song.

For any Parks & Recreation fans (and really if you aren't, you should re-evaluate some things in your life), the picture on the left is from this site. They've got quite a few good ones, so check them out. I've also found some cool Valentine's in these places if you like Lost, Community, Fringe,
or just generally nerdy things. Anyhow, onto the music!


First Day of My Life by Bright Eyes

Yours was the first face that I saw
I think I was blind before I met you
I don't know where I am, I don't know where I've been
But I know where I want to go

I'll Be Yr Bird by M. Ward

Then when there's no one to care
I could protect you like I've always been there.
I'll become your bear.

Such Great Heights by The Postal Service

I am thinking it's a sign
That the freckles in our eyes
Are mirror images and when we kiss
They're perfectly aligned

Kathleen by Josh Ritter

All the other girls here are stars, you are the Northern Lights
They try to shine in through your curtains, you're too close and too bright
They try and they try, but everything that they do
Is the ghost of a trace of a pale imitation of you

(What an insanely good way to start a song...)


We're So Far Away by Mae

Did you know how you would move me, did you know?
Did you know how you would move me?
Well, I don't even think so,
but the moment's magic swept us away.
And it's so close, but we're so far away.

(I really wish I could find a non-live version of this song, but this one is pretty good. This whole album is gorgeous and really recommended if you haven't heard it)

John Hughes Endings by Hanalei

Two arrows struck when their eyes first crossed paths
They were paralyzed by each other causing cupid's content
He broke the stare shyly, she brushed her hair from her face
They were pulled to each other by the center of the room

John Hughes Endings
(I hope this player works, but it is way too hard to find Hanalei's music. It always frustrates me that they aren't bigger. One of my absolute favorite artists.)

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As a little bonus, that I forgot about until right before posting this, here is Colin Meloy covering Sam Cooke's classic "Cupid"

Road Trip Music

Often times I put off writing new posts because I realize that I will make them take too long by writing too much, so I want to wait til I have more time. The post about music listened to on our road trip is one that fits the bill and has been put off for a couple weeks now. So, rather than risk not getting around to it, here's a short little recap of the albums that filled our ears during our 6+ days on the road.


From Burlington to St. Louis:

Valencia - This Could Be A Possibility
Dustin Kensrue (from Karl's iPod, so I'm not sure what album)
Brand New - Deja Entendu
Brand New - The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me

Karl and I have a very specific overlap in our musical tastes, specifically in the pop punk/ska area (along with some similar stand-up comedy that we fit in over the trip). I usually tend more towards indie folk/indie rock type artists and Karl towards more heavier rock type music, but we focused more on the overlap that will tend to be the underlying theme of most entries on here.

Driving around St. Louis:

A Best of Bob Dylan mix that I made (and apparently tricked Karl into putting up with)

St. Louis to Cincinnati:

Streetlight Manifesto - Somewhere in the Between
The White Stripes - White Blood Cells
Mike Birbiglia - My Secret Public Journal
Motion City Soundtrack - My Dinosaur Life
Sugarcult - Start Static
Sum 41 - All Killer No Filler
Louis CK - Hilarious
Coheed & Cambria - Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Vol. 1

Cincinnati to Indianapolis:

The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound
Flight of the Conchords - Miscellaneous songs
Flipsyde - Flipsyde (old school Twin Cities ska!)
Houston Calls - A Collection of Short Stories

Indianapolis to Madison:

Senses Fail - Let It Enfold You
Taking Back Sunday - Tell All Your Friends
Taking Back Sunday - Where You Want to Be
Streetlight Manifesto - Everything Goes Numb
Blink 182 - Blink-182
Lucky Boys Confusion - Commitment

The Taking Back Sunday double entry was mostly just due to neither of us paying attention when the first album ended.

Madison to Iowa City (after dropping off Karl):

M. Ward - Post-War
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
The Tallest Man On Earth - The Wild Hunt
Frightened Rabbit - The Midnight Organ Fight

If you're familiar with the artists, you can see a distinct shift in music after I dropped Karl off. I enjoyed the music up to that point, but was itching to get back to what I listen to more often, so the rest of my drive home consisted of listening to four of my favorite albums ever (that if I ever do a top albums post will come up again) along with some of the Twins game that was on at the time.

And to actually give anyone who takes the time to read this something to listen to, here's a cover of Postal Service's "Such Great Heights" done by Streetlight Manifesto. I don't have the CD in front of me, but I remember in the liner notes Tomas Kalnoky, the lead singer of Streetlight Manifesto, said that when he first heard "Such Great Heights" he immediately thought he wanted to hear his horn section try to play the intro.



Here's the original song too (which is by The Postal Service, not Iron & Wine!) for good measure:



Enjoy!