Top 5 Videos for Melancholy Insomniac Nostalgia

These are videos I would rather watch than attempt to work. I would go so far as to call them my 5 favorite videos right fucking now. Not all of them are official because that doesn't really matter, does it? How many artists have made shite videos of fantastic songs? And for some reason, right now moody songs set to film noir appeals to me on a very visceral level.

Top 5 Videos for Melancholy Insomniac Nostalgia

"Violet Hill" - Coldplay: The way that Chris Martin looks at the camera near the end makes me forgive him for x&y, as does the way he thrusts that hammer towards the camera to his phenomenal drum beat. and that faded out sepia is, somehow, intensely moving for me, as are his clumsy steps in that snow.



"Bohemian Like You" - The Dandy Warhols: my mother has pictures in this washed out 70s film. she is not naked in them. i do not think this video could be better for this song. i do not think i could know every single one of those people more than i feel i already do.



"Slow Show" - The National: This is a Godard film, Masculine Feminine, which I will now see. When the frames slow down, you breathe deeply.



"I Will Possess Your Heart" - Death Cab for Cutie: I believe that this song, and this video, may be briefly perfect. watch how melted snow flies off the drums.



"Lucky You"- The National: I don't know what film noir movie this is, but it's about 12:21 am and I have so far watched this three times. All that movement and the close-ups of that girl's cheek. I love nothing more than any video camera that caresses faces in fragmentary focus: just one cheek, then just the brow.

good morning, midnight -- november 24, 2008

I have a belief that mixtapes exist for three main reasons: the mixtape for a new relationship, the mixtape for a break-up, and the mixtape for a fucking awesome night. This is the third. To be specific: the nights that start off awesome and then somehow just manage to constantly take the most awesome, least plausible route, until you end up somewhere surreal, unbelievable, and ... awesome. And you think, "if I ever forget this, it would have to be because of a head injury."

Note: title is taken from a novel by Jean Rhys named Good Morning, Midnight. There is absolutely no overlap between subject matter. Her novel is about an alcoholic woman in Paris. Mine is about rocking good times. All they have in common is alcohol.

original track list:
01. "Campus" - Vampire Weekend (s/t);
02. "At & T" - Pavement (Wowee Zowee); *
03. "On to You" - The Constantines (Shine a LIght);
04. "Halfway Home" - TV on the Radio (Dear Science...);
05. "Of Moons, Birds & Monsters" - MGMT (Oracular Spectacular);
06. "Tbtf" - Kevin Drew (Spirit If);
07. "The First Big Weekend" - Arab Strap (The Week Never Starts Round Here);
08. "You Only Live Once" - The Strokes (First Impressions of Earth);
09. "Camaro" - Kings of Leon (Because of the Times);
10. "Slow West Vultures" - The Mountain Goats (We Shall All Be Healed);
11. "The Killing Moon" - Echo & the Bunnymen (Donnie Darko OST);
12. "Highway of Endless Dreams" - M83 (Saturdays = Youth);
13. "The Story Of" - Yo La Tengo (I Am Not Afraid Of You and I Will Beat Your Ass);
14. "Civil Twilight" - The Weakerthans (Reunion Tour);
15. "Stay Put!" - The Blood Arm (Lie Lover Lie);
16. "Massive Nights" - The Hold Steady (Boys and Girls in America);
17. "Le Pastie de la Bourgeoisie" - Belle & Sebastian (Lazy Line Painter Jane);
18. "Fighting in a Sack" - The Shins (Chutes Too Narrow);
19. "Don't You Evah" - Spoon (Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga);
20. "All the Wine" - The National (Alligator);
21. "New Country" - The Walkmen (You & Me); *
22. "Tinsel and Sawdust" - Jason Collett (Idols of Exile);
23. "Gold" - Interference (Once OST);
24. "Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)" - The Arcade Fire (Funeral);
25. "Ibi Dreams of Pavement (A Better Day)" - Broken Social Scene (s/t).