juliamorizawa: thebrightsessions: For Joanie  Joanie - I know you and I know you’ve prob

juliamorizawa:

thebrightsessions:

For Joanie 

Joanie - I know you and I know you’ve probably spent the past five years working your ass off and doing nothing else. Which I appreciate of course, because, you know, here I am, but based on your CD collection (CDs Joan!!! CDs!!! What are you doing!?!? iTunes has existed for nearly 20 years), you haven’t been buying new music. I checked your computer too. You don’t have Spotify or anything (it’s this new streaming service that I don’t understand).

Just so you don’t think I’ve been sitting at home watching Netflix all day, I’ve also been catching up on the last five years of music. Sam and the boys have tried to get me up to speed on all things pop culture but there’s just so much. It’s been a big undertaking and I’m making this a family project now. You and I are both going to start listening to music that’s been released since 2011 (spoiler alert: pop music got gooooood). You need to know what’s going on in the zeitgeist, Joanie. You can’t just listen to Radiohead and The Beach Boys on repeat forever. (don’t worry, I got you an actual Christmas present, this is just a bonus)

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Dear Mark,

First of all, thank you for the playlist. I love it (mostly)! It took me a while to listen to it because I really only listen to music in my car while I’m driving and I couldn’t figure out how to listen to this playlist anywhere except on my computer. My car has bluetooth and a USB jack - do you think you can help me set it up sometime? I mean, is that even possible? Listening to iTunes in my car? ALSO, the website you used to make the playlist - well, it’s threatening to make me pay  and said my free listening time is over. But I didn’t want to put my credit card info in to start the free trial because then I have to deal with remembering to cancel it. Anyway could you burn the playlist onto a CD for me? Otherwise I’ll have to wait a week to listen to the last 2 tracks! Secondly, I never downloaded iTunes despite all the hype because it would have taken me months to upload all my CDs onto my computer, which I never would have time to do, so I figured there was no point. Also, iTunes and streaming music have RUINED THE ART OF THE ALBUM! Now artists don’t feel obligated to make great albums, they make great songs. Because they can sell a great song over and over again. So many artists are putting their songs on their albums in an order that maybe sounds nice but doesn’t tell the over-arcing story of the whole album, which you never would have been able to get away with 20 years ago. Remember that Modest Mouse album where you HAD to listen to the first 3 tracks back to back in order to get the full effect of all the songs? Remember that Fiery Furnaces show where they played their whole set non-stop? I’m out of date with music but I feel like those things just don’t happen anymore. Which reminds me, were you messing around with my cassettes? Because I noticed that Boyz II Men was sitting in front of Ace of Base, which doesn’t make sense because they’re supposed to be in alphabetical order. Also, didn’t I used to have a DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince album on cassette!?!? Please don’t tell me you stole that from me years ago and I never noticed and now you don’t know where it is.

OK, now for some thoughts on the actual playlist. 

• I think I liked the second half better than the first. Partially because of the songs, but also I think the tracks on the second half flowed together better.
  
• Of course I know about Hamilton. And, yes, we’re definitely seeing it when it comes to town. But, you know how I am. I haven’t listened to the soundtrack because I don’t like being familiar with the songs before the first time I see a show. So, thanks.
• Love Beyonce, but not all that familiar with her music. I’ve actually never listened to an album so I’ll check this one out. On my iTunes, if you can put it in my car.
• Please don’t ever mention Owen in one of your playlists, or any personal correspondence, for that matter, ever again. Thank you.
• I’ve heard that “Cool Kids” song a lot before, actually. Never looked up the artist though. And, yes, there is no amount of money or any promises you could ever make me to convince me to relive middle school or high school. 
• I love Lorde’s voice.
• I have mixed feelings about Taylor Swift. 
• I buy CDs on Amazon.
• Yes, I distinctly remember your emo phase. And I distinctly remember helping you learn how to paint your nails in the most efficient way. In fact, you’ve probably painted your nails more times than I have. 
• If the emo kids today are listening to these songs and artists, I think they’re doing alright. I mean, you can dance to that Panic! song. Then again, I shouldn’t talk - when I was in high school (or was it middle school?) emo kids listened to “Adam’s Song” by Blink 182 over and over again. 
• Yes, I remember that show and the kielbasa. I think that man’s name was Oleksander, but he told us to call him Zander. Remember how we imagined his entire life history based off that one interaction with him? He seemed nice, albeit, worn down. I liked him. I hope he’s OK.
• Love Lady Gaga, despite only being familiar with her stuff when she performs on TV.
• Damien would listen to Carly Rae Jepsen? OK…

Yes, I admit, I don’t really have any music from the last 5 years. Like I said, I only really listen in the car, and sometimes when I’m cleaning. BUT, have you heard of Nicola Cruz??? I heard this playing in a little cafe a couple weeks back and stopped to ask my server who it was: https://youtu.be/p1ps-ewxbYc

Oh, and last thing, I swear. Yes, yes I can listen to Radiohead and The Beach Boys for the rest of my life. Remember when we used to play “Kokomo” on repeat (on cassette - we’d have to rewind between every play) and we’d dance on my bed to it?

Love, Joanie