Caren Explains the Best Songs of 2007, Volume 2

"I'm sorry that people are so jealous of me. But I can't help it that I'm popular."

And now we begin the next playlist of songs that hit the masses this year...

2007 Volume 2: It's Not My Fault I'm So Popular

"Grace Kelly," Mika
"Radio Nowhere," Bruce Springsteen
"Bubbly," Colbie Caillat
"Umbrella (feat. Jay-Z)," Rihanna
"New Shoes," Paolo Nutini
"You Know I'm No Good," Amy Winehouse
"Apologize (feat. OneRepublic)," Timbaland
"First Time," Lifehouse
"Extraordinary," Mandy Moore
"Hey There Delilah," Plain White T's
"Makes Me Wonder," Maroon 5
"The Story," Brandi Carlile
"Stronger," Kanye West
"Girlfriend," Avril Lavigne
"D.A.N.C.E.," Justice

Also, if it weren't so long and annoying to listen to, I would have included "This is Why I'm Hot"... instead, I will leave you with this amazing link from Village Voice and its accompanying diagram, because we all know I love diagrams.



Next up... 2007 Volume 3: Perfect for ABC Primetime TV

Caren Explains the Best Songs of 2007

Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! It's the end of the year! Wait... it's the end of the year? Where did it go?!

Well, in that case, that means its time for my 100 Favorite Songs of the Year. Yes, 100. No more, no less.

Some ground rules and disclaimers for my list:

1. There shall be no "repeat artists" unless an artist had projects under different names this year (ex. Josh Rouse recorded under "Josh Rouse" and "She's Spanish, I'm American" this year, so that counts as two artists ... "Kanye West" and "Mr. West" is one in the same)
2. If a song was released in 2006 but got popular in 2007, it doesn't count. We're only going on release dates here or else there will be lawlessness, and lawlessness means anarchy and there will be no anarchy on my blog!
3. I like what I like, and I'm sorry if you disagree. You are welcome to petition in the comments section here or on Facebook.
4. These 100 songs will be broken into six playlists: Best of the Best, It's Not My Fault I'm So Popular, Perfect for ABC Primetime TV, As Heard on the Blogs, My Mom Says I'm a Catch and Obscurity to Impress Your Friends
5. Each playlist will be made available via iTunes and posted for you, but in some cases, songs will not be available for sale on iTunes... because of this, I will try to provide links whenever possible to the hard-to-find or more obscure songs.

I will begin by sharing "2007 Volume 1: Best of the Best"... these are, in my humble but more informed opinion, the best songs of the year, in no particular order...

Blonde Redhead - 23
Wilco - Either Way
Fionn Regan - Be Good or Be Gone
I'm From Barcelona - We're From Barcelona
Josh Ritter - The Temptation of Adam
Avett Brothers - Die Die Die
Loney, Dear - I Am John
Dashboard - Modest Mouse
Ryan Adams - Two
Feist - 1234
Bright Eyes - Four Winds
The Arcarde Fire - Intervention
Bloc Party - Waiting for the 7.18
Radiohead - Nude
Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova - Falling Slowly
The White Stripes - Icky Thump
M.I.A. - Jimmy
The National - Start a War
The New Pornographers - My Rights Versus Yours
Iron & Wine - Pagan Angel and a Borrowed Car
Joseph Arthur & the Lonely Astronauts - Chicago
Band of Horses - No One's Gonna Love You
Andrew Bird - Scythian Empires

The best lyrics goes to Josh Ritter from "The Temptation of Adam"...

"We passed the time with crosswords that she thought to bring inside/ 'What five letters spell apocalypse?' she asked me / I won her over saying, 'W.W.I.I.I.' / She smiled and we both knew that she misjudged me."

Tomorrow, I explain: 2007 Volume 2: It's Not My Fault I'm So Popular

Caren Explains Where She Has Been

So I went MIA for awhile, which even my mother was quick to point out. But I'm alive. Since last we met, I traveled to Austin, Denver, DC, New York and I am soon-to-be-in Durham.

Hours of sleep I've logged: few

Friends I've missed: everyone

Concerts I've caught since last we met: 40

The Decemberists
Ryan Shaw
Joseph Arthur & the Lonely Astronauts
Manchester Orchestra
Kevin Devine
Peter & the Wolf
Oneside
Grace Potter & the Nocturnals
Golden Bear
Brent Keith
DeVotchKa
Ben Lee
Midlake
Bob Dylan
Patterson Hood
Common
Ghostland Observatory
My Morning Jacket
Andrew Bird
Fionn Regan
Aqueduct
Apples in Stereo
Morning State
Tyler James
Andy Davis
Interpol
Liars
The Booze
VHS or Beta
Winter Sounds
The Drownout
Homer Hiccolm & the Rocketboys
The Black Kids
Air Traffic
Tacks the Boy Disaster
American Babies
Harlem Shakes
Hallelujah the Hills
The New Frontiers
Chase Pagan
Office

I'm exhausted just typing that... if you want to know about any of them, let me know... I have plenty to talk about.

Here is a cool set-list that Jason snagged from Wilco's taping of Austin City Limits, and gave to me. Good friends are nice to have.



CK

Caren Explains: Bureaucracy at Its Best

My insurace coverage lapsed over the summer. I called the county Tax Commissioner's office to make sure they knew I had new coverage and to see if there was a fee. There was not one on record.

Then I moved counties and changed my address.

In some bizarre chain of events, the county mailed an insurace fee notice to my new address, but the postman delivered it to my old address, despite a very clearly written address... this happened twice.

Then I got my "Suspension of Vehicle Registration" notice, meaning I can't drive my car until it is paid.

So I call the Tax Commissioner's office of my new county. This is when I find out that I must do the following things to get my car registration back:

1) Pay a fee for moving to a new county (one mile from my old apartment)
2) Pay the vehicle registration fee for my lapsed insurance coverage (four months ago)
3) Get an emissions inspection, even though I had one completed less than a year ago (in case my car emits different fumes in one county versus another?)
4) Pay the sum of the fees in person (a few hundred dollars, not $25 as the suspension notice said)

Here is a Catch-22 for you... if my vehicle is suspended and I am not supposed to drive it, how am I supposed to get it to an emissions inspector? My suspension states that "operation of a vehicle with a suspended or revoked registration is a misdemeanor and may result in the impoundment of the vehicle by law enforcement if discovered."

Isn't the government then requiring I break the law in order to abide by the law?

That confirms it... I need to move to a city where I don't need a car.

Caren Explains: Kitty Dances to Music

Lauren and I are loading up her new iPod shuffle before she goes to France. As we started testing songs, Kitty ran up to the loft to weigh in with her opinions. Here is the play-by-play:

Fergie - "London Bridge"
This send Kitty flying up the stairs! She sat next to us and bopped her head along... she especially likes the "EXPLICIT" version... she's a big girl, afterall...

Kanye West - "Stronger"
Kitty threw up her paw in appreciation. Peace.

Peter Bjorn & John - "Young Folks"
Tapped her tail, seemed otherwise indifferent

Paul McCartney - "Dance Tonight"
Kitty had the same reaction I did: What the heck is this?! Paul McCartney?! Oh, well, I guess I like it... yeah, I'll dance... then she ran around the room poking her nose in everything with new enthusiasm and gusto.

Sufjan Stevens - "Come On! Feel the Illinoise"
Kitty seemed indifferent to Sufjan, too... maybe it just made her feel extra pensive... or sleepy... oh, if cat's could talk...

CK