Music is my aeroplane

Music has always been a huge inspiration for me. I've been going to gigs since the age of 5 (with mom, who was a total sport and indulged her music crazy rugrat) and don't go anywhere without my MP3's. I listen to music to wake, to fall asleep, to unwind and to get my motor running. Music is the single form of art I can never get bored of and fits every situation.

While I normally also listen to a lot of audio books or have a movie rolling on the background when working, I haven't been able to do that all spring. I've spent the last months doing my thesis which required a completely different kind of concentration then my normal work. It isn't a problem listening to someone read a book when painting, doing graphic design or coloring but it is a huge distraction if trying to write pages and pages of coherent text. So I ended up just listening to a lot of music. And I do mean a lot.

I've said often jokingly that I should have thanked certain bands in my thesis for inspiration. But it is actually no joke. I owe a lot to the people who have been musically with me throughout the gigantic project. So this post is a thank you to all the wonderful musicians and an ode to their music.

And if through posting all of these songs any of you get the bug to listen something new, well, that's more then OK with me.

There are quite a few bands I've listened to actively last months but one goes easily above all the other: My Chemical Romance. I've had most of their albums constantly in my MP3's for years and last year I "re-found" their album Black Parade. It is a concept album concentrating on the many faces of death. As I lost way too many loved ones last year, it felt fitting, and was in fact the only album I could listen to for quite some time. And even better, around the time I was starting to heal and felt the need for more up-tempo music at the end 2010 they put out their new album Danger Days. This whole album is as colorful and cheery as Black Parade was dark.
They were even kind enough to take their tour to Finland in March which really cheered me up. So thanks guys, you have a great timing!

This song is shot at their gig in New Jersey last night. It is one of my all time favorites from their first album I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love



Other band I played a lot while writing was the new Foo Fighters album Wasting Light.
I've always liked Foo Fighters, but there's always been some key ingredient missing to fall completely in love with them.  Apparently the ingredient  was this particular album. I fell in love as soon as they posted it on their website. And I never do that. It always takes me few listens to tell if I love an album or not. This time once was enough. The whole album is pure gold and already the best album of 2011 in my mind. Others can try and top it but I doubt they can.
I really suggest that you all go  to their page and listen to the whole album. I had a damned hard time picking just couple songs to post, it is that good.

So here's the first single White Limo



And my personal favorite I Should Have Known live@Dragonfly 02.04.201. Before hearing this song I didn't feel there was enough emotion in the lead singer Dave Grohl's voice. Now I know better.

The next band is something I checked out for laughs. The lead singer of Pretty Reckless, Taylor Momsen, is better known from the teeny tv-series Gossip Girl. When I read in a metal magazine about her reinstating herself as " a rock lead singer" I burst out in laughter. This teeny tiny litle blond was going to do rock? Hah!

I ate my words really fast. This girl can sing. She writes all the songs, sings and plays guitar on the album. Granted she is a useless actress but I really hope she has a long career ahead of her, considering she wrote this album at the tender age of 15... She is now a mature 17 year old who has been touring with the band for two years.

Here's a little something from their first album Light Me Up.

My Medicine

and Make Me Wanna Die



Those three are easily the ones most played in the last months but there's a whole lot of bubbling unders also.

But Mustasch deserves a special mention in this list. I saw them live few months back for the umpteenth time. After screaming my head off for an hour and singing along this particular song actually made me cry. It was the weirdest emotion as this song is far from emotional. Still, whatever it was, it worked. I came home feeling throughoutly clensed.

Mustasch - Bring Me Everyone

And what would any list be without Iggy Pop & The Stooges?



Or The White Stripes?



So there. This list could and should be a lot longer. But I'm fairly sure this is already more then enough for most :D

So thank you to all of you beautiful artists out there who make my life worth living. You rock.