The Useless Critic 2.0

I'm pretty in love with this Lissie cover, and I know that I put that Haim song on everything. I KNOW. But it feels so good to me right now.  Should I be weirded out Haim is doing stuff for McDonald's? Eh, probably.

I think this synthpop band from Scotland could easily get annoying, but right now they are not at that point (thank god). So I can get on this gravy train. She's cute in an indie Audrey Hepburn way. THIS IS NOT MY PICTURE They sound a little like Paramore at times. Of course that worries me, but these Scots do some far superior stuff.  SUCH AS: AND Good stuff, no? I WOULD NOT LIE TO YOU. Anyway, their debut album " The Bones of What You Believe " just came out (in the last week).  Check it  out- and keep your EYE on these GUY(s). I was trying to rhyme there; it didn't work. :(

Song of the Day RIP Giant Drag. I loved Annie Hardy in high school. I still love her; she has no idea how cool she is. Support Giant Drag/Annie Hardy

Song of the Day Laura Marling is way talented. People say good things about this album, and it's finally growing on me.

Song of the Day :/ On a positive note, LOOK AT YOUNG GWEN. Wow. She became an ab model in the past 20 years, no? Abs. I also slept like three hours.

This is one of those nights I endure every few months in which I get no sleep at all. I first started getting these last year, and had what (lack of a better term here) one would call "stomach spasms" to accompany them. All I know is I have yet to keel over from one of these episodes, but boy are they unnerving. I was asleep for two hours, then I woke up, then I thought "My stomach feels weird and my skin is hot." Then I remembered I had eaten shrimp tails - NOT SOMETHING I DO OFTEN - tonight, and had eaten exceptionally later than I usually do. I've been up reading and playing with Smores, who likes to curl in a ball on my lap and purr, and sometimes she pees, but I have yet to be so blessed tonight. I was going to call my Mom and ask her if I was dying, like I do every other day, but I think she's still asleep. I was bit by a spider last night. I know because I woke up with what can only be described as a faux vampire bite on my arm. I have been research...

Just wanted to remind you guys that 2 Broke Girls returns for its third season tonight at 9/8c on CBS!! Unless you live outside the United States, in which case you'll have to resort to good ol' Pirate Bay, like me. In the meantime, here's the hilarious trailer for tonight's episode: I literally can't wait. I do intend to continue with my weekly recaps, so stay tuned! Also, I still think CBS should officially hire me (as in pay me) to promote their show. Just sayin'.

oh hello Oh Land long time no see (haha, get it, because you are wearing an eye mask!) My love for Oh Land is eternal. I keep thinking I'm over her and I don't need to be so geeky about how much I like her music, but, let's face it: I am never over her. It's Sunday evening and I'm preparing for a week full of work with the added bonus of being sick. So I could sit here and write a very profound, thought-out review, or I could just spew words. I choose to spew words. Much love to my Nanna. And your mama, respectively. The last time I did this was to the Wild Belle album . Onwards: 1.) "Bird in an Aeroplane"- It's odd to admit this, but this is my favorite song so far. And I never really care for album openers! It's haunting, minimalist... it's very Oh Land in the fact it's so creative and so unique, it's hard to find another act to compare her to. Except Bjork. A+ 2.) "Renaissance Girls"- Ah, yes. The first big sin...

Song of the Day I am not very much for this band nowadays, but "The First Days of Spring" is a gorgeous album. 

Song of the Day Oh, Matt Berninger. Never change.

Song of the Day You'll never get away from the sound of the woman that loved you. BONUS:

OH SHIT IT HAS HAPPENED. The new Oh Land album, "Wishbone," is streaming. Streaming! And not like MTV's website or some punk's blog (cough) but ON THE NEW YORK FUCKING TIMES . That is BADASS. And it features appearances by Dave Sitek (TV on the Radio), Sia and Dan Carey. All in all: This is fantastic. Expect a review soon; especially since we've started our Tweeting again. AHHHH I'M SO EXCITED HERE'S ANOTHER PICTURE

Some of these won't apply to you, but #10 applies to us all as human beings. 10.) Nicolas Cage as Miley Cyrus in the "Wrecking Ball" video Kim sent this to me and I have no idea what to make of it. I can't stand Miley Cyrus and wish she'd disappear. However... this. This. Jesus. 9.) The new Washed Out album, "Paracosm." It's a gorgeous experience. I don't think I like it as much as "Within and Without," but I definitely am enjoying it. This is, in my opinion, the best track- "All I Know." It's like a less bombastic sequel to "Amor Fati." Ernest Greene is such a talented guy. He makes music from a genuine place, and I appreciate that. 8.) I'm writing a lot again. I'm almost done with a short story and I started this blog , which has been incredibly therapeutic  Every time I have written something, I have felt a lot calmer. Except the one entitled "Her." That one hurt.  7.) G...

Song of the Day This song always chokes me up. That's embarrassing to admit, but that's also why I never listen to it that much. Except tonight. You know. :/ I power through until Tuesday. All I can do.

Song of the Day These next two days are going to be an emotional hell for me.  "Will you wait for me?" :/

I've never VLOGGED before, and I'm aware I look sweaty/frazzled, but it's just because I'm imagining Drew Carey. Oh, am I imagining Drew Carey! p.s. Penny is the sweetest pig. Ever.

Song of the Day Cut Copy is coming to Phoenix on Nov. 6 at the Marquee Theater. To me, it's a sign from the indie rock gods. I'm going with my good friend Frank. Perhaps I will dance...but probably not. 

Song of the Day I know it's a bit cliche now, but it's still a gorgeous song. Between Syria and the 9/11 anniversary, what a weird feeling this AM.

Song of the Day Prevrat, from Kansas City, sounds like if Joy Division and Gary Numan merged. It's a little jarring at first, but then it gets under your skin. You can actually download his album "Symbols" for a price you name (even free). Released in April of this year, you can also stream it here .  Sounds like he has a bright future ahead of him. And that is one interesting video...

Song of the Day I love this song. It's very happy, which should make me sick, but it doesn't. It makes me feel euphoric on some level. I know, I'm a bit of a sad mess right now, but at this moment in time my hair is perfect. :)

Presenting:

Song of the Day Why does everyone want to dance to this song? I could never - no matter how remixed - not associate this song with wistfulness and nostalgia.  When I was in San Diego last weekend, I heard this song a lot. Albeit, sped-up to sound like some horrible techno thing all the kids are listening to these days. Which robs the song of its very tender heart. In San Diego, I also threw up the most I have since I was a little kid. It was a mixture of seawater and alcohol. I kept running into the waves when I was out in the ocean because I felt it was pretty cathartic. (I did get thrown once though- I've never swam in the ocean before so I guess that's to be expected). Then I got that shit in my mouth, then I got drunk that night, then I threw up all the next morning. I actually threw up in a trapezoid shape around this parking lot of a sushi restaurant we went t0. One corner, run, one corner, run, one corner, run...vomit at every stop. A couple was watching me for a...

This story really piqued my interest today. Rochus Misch was loyal to Hitler until the very end. I mean not in a YAY NAZISM way, but in the way he always spoke highly of Hitler. As in saying at one point: " He was no brute. He was no monster. He was no superman. " Wow. Huh.  I'm kind of puzzled by this man (and RIP, he seemed like kind of a nice dude from what I read about him). He claimed to not know ANYTHING about the Final Solution... and how would you be Hitler's assistant/bodyguard/around him 24-7 and not have an inkling of that information? Misch seemed very sincere about all that, but to me it just seems way unlikely. It makes me wonder about the whole good vs. evil in people dilemma. I know we are all a composite of good and bad, but few of us are responsible for genocides against groups of people we deem unworthy or lesser-than, somehow. Still: Are you guilty by association when you are in cahoots with true evildoers? Do you remain responsible as a...

I hope you kind of enjoy this. It's not all sad asshole music. I put Robyn on there. "Courage"- Anne Sexton It is in the small things we see it. The child's first step,  as awesome as an earthquake. The first time you rode a bike,  wallowing up the sidewalk. The first spanking when your heart went on a journey all alone. When they called you crybaby or poor or fatty or crazy and made you into an alien,  you drank their acid and concealed it. Later,  if you faced the death of bombs and bullets you did not do it with a banner,  you did it with only a hat to comver your heart. You did not fondle the weakness inside you though it was there. Your courage was a small coal that you kept swallowing. If your buddy saved you and died himself in so doing,  then his courage was not courage,  it was love; love as simple as shaving soap. Later,  if you have endured a great despair,  then you did it alone,  getting a transfusion from the fire,...

Song of the Day Because I am afraid of the light. :(

A More Personal Reflection (Bear with Me) This past month has been the worse month of my life so far. I have had a nervous breakdown back in 2011. I remember sitting in the Megabus and feeling like things could not get worse. And for a while, they were okay. There were bad times scattered in between. But then they got great! And then they were good. Things got a little shaky for me in March. Then I witnessed a string of bad events happening to my friends and family members, wondering what the hell was going on with the world. I am too sensitive; I take other people's pain like it's my own. It's a good quality in theory but it can get you down quite easily. The first person I was ever seriously in love with said "You need a filter. You can't feel things this intensely." I was like BULLSHIT but she had a point. Obviously, because here I am four years later remembering that conversation. My Dad's health started failing in July more than before, and by...