Me and my friend iTunes.

I recently bought a bunch of songs on iTunes and made a cd. In case you didn't already know,

iTunes is rad.

I am an addict. It is so simple yet simply amazing. First off, I am greatly affected by music. Thinking about a song or an artist, wishing I had a cd, wishing a cd I had wasn't scratched, these thoughts race through my head ad nauseum. Every thirty minutes. I wish I was kidding, no I don't, I love it. I breathe it. From an early age.

Fifth grade I started playing the alto saxophone. It’s the easiest of the saxophone family. It looks hard but it’s not. But it’s not a glory instrument either. The saxophone by itself is a bit awkward unless you’re Kenny G. By himself he can be pushy or pressed but with all the other pieces, the timpani and the brass, the alto saxophone makes perfect sense. Sometimes I wish I had picked one of those glory instruments, the trumpet or the piano, but I guess playing the saxophone helped me see the bigger picture.

The bigger picture is enormous. And if you let it, it will make you want to be a rock star.

Standing in front of sixty kids playing musical instruments and waving your arms in front of them, directing their pitch, their pace, their volume; listening from day to day as cacophony eventually turns into something beautiful and almost tangible is a good long way from being a rock star but it’s pretty stinking neat in its own right.

The bigger picture almost always involves a really good, solid bridge. A solid bridge and a solid vocal. And mystique. Curiosity. A good song is like a good date or a well-played hand in cards. It is a good date and a well-played hand. It’s not pushy and it’s also not a sure thing. It cannot be formulaic but it doesn’t necessarily have to generate this larger than life coup de grace either. The bigger picture is framed in subtlety.

So here is the cd I made that makes me wish I could play something well.

Mr. Brightside - The Killers *** so good
Float On - Modest Mouse
Take Me Out - Franz Ferdinand *** tempo is an undeniable member of the band
what's wrong with you - Kimmet & Doug *** look out… I called it.
California - Phantom Planet
The District Sleeps Alone - The Postal Service
* - Martha Wainwright *** Rufus’ sister, haunting voice
Cannonball - Damien Rice *** a month ago “O” lived in my cd player
Pink Moon - Nick Drake
Close Your Eyes - Jump, Little Children
Such Great Heights - The Postal Service *** huge fan of this song
The Sound of Settling - Death Cab for Cutie
If She Wants Me - Belle & Sebastian *** Brian Christens turned me on to this
Bye Bye Baby - OK Go
Move On - Jet
Somewhere Only We Know - Keane
Last Nite - The Strokes
Give a Little Bit - The Goo Goo Dolls *** I know it’s a cover but I can’t help but smile
The Shining - Badly Drawn Boy *** wow
Vindicated - Dashboard Confessional

With the exception of Kimmet & Doug, you can get all of these on iTunes, and you should, immediately. Once you have, call me and we’ll start a band.