I have a confession to make...

The Morrissey can suck it.
I hate his voice. I do. I'm sorry. In all it's whiny, monotonic glory, I liken it to a drunken, ex-lounge singer with a bubble in his throat. Hate, hate, double hate. I tried. I fibbed for years, singing and dancing along to some of The Smiths classics, which, of course, are tied to some wonderful times in college I wouldn't hesitate to relive. Nevertheless, the real excitement was never there and my perceived affinity for synthesizer pop was all a facade. I hope some of my friendships aren't severed because of this, but I can't live the lie any longer!
Sorry, Morrissey. Sorry.

Where the birds wait and the tall grasses wave

At times hearkening to muffled carols heard across a snowy thicket, Fleet Foxes cleverly combine captivating acoustics, smart lyrics, and bewitching harmonies on their self-titled album.

Though I must admit that I was initially put off by the seemingly anticlimactic tracks, I soon realized that this band had successfully drawn from some of my favorite artists; the strumminess of Iron and Wine, the distant, blended vocals of Simon and Garfunkel, the modern, catchy chant that The Shins capture so well. I dare say I am in love.

Perhaps the song that says it all is "White Winter Hymnal,"

replete with a fuzzy round and a driving tambourine. But it's the hallmark simple, yet figurative lyrics that attract me most. There is something in succinct, pastoral imagery that charms the most skeptical listener.

White Winter Hymnal

I was following the pack 
all swallowed in their coats 
with scarves of red tied ’round their throats 
to keep their little heads 
from fallin’ in the snow 
And I turned ’round and there you go 
And, Michael, you would fall 
and turn the white snow red as strawberries 
in the summertime

The First of Many

I must admit that I wasn't always the music enthusiast (snob?) that I am today. I've come a long way from the worship music on Sunday mornings and the hum of classical records seeping from my father's darkroom on which I was raised. I guess I owe it all to the emo-indie kids at my high school, not necessarily for their playlists, but for bringing me into the world of 'talking music' and subsequently encouraging me on my own quest for a musical taste.  It was that same music-talk that brought me together with my college buddies-come roommates-come best friends forever. 

I am currently on a great mission to find shows and follow artists in Cologne. But because my exposure to hole-in-the-wall venues, obscure music tastes, and small-town bands has somewhat waned since my move to Germany, I fall back on my old college comforts to get me through my musical slumps. I've actually managed to add a few decent artists to my library in the past 6 months due to the charity of mix-tape-sending friends, but finding great music through word of mouth here has proved difficult, at best. Could be due to the fact that my German language capabilities are nowhere near proficient....

And so, I begin my musical blogging journey with Bex's Top 20. These are the songs that never get old and have kept me company when no other music could through the last 5 years of my semi-adult life. They take me back to dance parties in dorm rooms, road trips, sunny days spent on the lawn, and the feeling of well-being I associate (however exaggerated) with my college days.

"Sodom South Georgia" Iron and Wine

"Heartbeats" Jose Gonzales

"Neon Golden" The Notwist

"Fake Palindromes" Andrew Bird

"Thirteen" Ben Kweller

"Still Fighting It" Ben Folds

"Just Like Heaven" The Cure

"Caring is Creepy" The Shins

"The Boy Done Wrong Again" Belle and Sebastian

"Triggering Back" Benoit Pioulard

"Long Haired Child" Devendra Banhart

"He War" Cat Power

"The Dress Looks Nice on You" Sufjan Stevens

"Say It Ain't So" Weezer

"Grass" Animal Collective

"I'm Looking Through You" The Beatles

"Take on Me" Aha

"Deceptacon" Le Tigre

"Glass Dance" The Faint

"Falcon Settles Me" Rogue Wave

Check em out.

Until next time...