Riding in Cars with Music

i’ve been doing a little bit of driving as of late, and i’d forgotten how amazing it feels to drive on an early spring day, with the window cracked just enough to have the wind on your face, blaring whatever music makes you feel good. these are some songs that make me feel good. (and that sound great turned up loud enough to drown out the sound of my own tone-deaf warbling.)

Okkervil River, “Black.” my friend Zach (who has a fantastic music blog called Lady Godiva Cooked Meth) introduced me to this album several years ago in Chicago, telling me that he knew i’d love this sound. he was right. this is one of those albums that i will never tire of. and this is one of those songs that i play on repeat and sing along with so loudly.

MGMT is sort of the benchmark by which people who are beginning to dip their toes into the proverbial electro-indie-pop ocean measure their progress. they’re accessible, infectious, and as much as i wish i was so cool that i was unaffected by the urge to belt these songs out on the top of my lungs–i’m just not. i really love the Time to Pretend EP and really love the title track, along with my 2008 anthem, “Kids.” putting this EP on full blast with the wind in my hair on a sunny day is really a recipe for a shiny, happy PetiteAbsinthe. i can’t deny it. no use trying.

“Time to Pretend”

“Kids” (this video is so kickass. also of note is Joanna Newsom’s starring role in this video. let’s all take a minute a share a collective, swooning sigh for that wonderful woman. *SIGH*)

last, but certainly not least in any way, shape, or form is my love of loves, Iggy Pop, asserting his punk-rockerness alongside the electronic, danciness of The Teddybears. besides the fact that Iggy is sex on a stick and basically rules my “I-am-in-love-with-punk-rock-boys-forever-and-always” world, the lyrics in this song are absolutely perfect for singing on the top of one’s lungs:

“See me driving down the street/I’m bored with looking good/I got both hands off the wheel/The cops are coming”

now, go for a drive.