Negatives and Positives: Mix Two in a Series of Two... Well... Kind Of.

When I bum out, I bum out real hard. The irony of this is that right now, my life is perhaps the best it's ever been. A lot of negativity that I've been carrying around for a long time is gone and I've got a swell new job that you may or may not be aware of (Editor in Chief of Radio Free Chicago, represent!) and I've been integrated into a wonderful and vibrant local scene here in Detroit that has done nothing if not inspire me to write about music with the wide of ferocity of a much younger Amber, only with more experience on my side this time.

However, you don't have to know me long to realize that I set extremely high standards for myself. In my professional life, I'm tenacious enough to reach my goals and somehow know enough about how to deal with people to get the job done. In my personal life, however... Well, I'll leave you with the following anecdote: I was at a picnic on the water with my friend. He and I canoed back with a gentlemen from out of town. When said out-of-towner got back ashore, he asked another picnicker if "that girl ever talks about anything other than herself". (For the record, I'm pretty sure the only things I said about myself were said not to this guy but during conversation with my friend.) I've had a consistent lack of social skills, an overwhelming "weirdness" and have been a polarizing person since I was a young thing so this stranger's reaction doesn't entirely shock me and to be honest, it's more funny to me than anything, and it has nothing to do with any bumming going on. It's just an anecdote. The bumming, for the record, has to do with boys and family and all the stupid ridiculous shit that I feel the incredible need to have but cannot succeed at to save my life.

So I made that mix for Brent a few days back. As a companion, to lift everyone's spirits, I had decided to make a "Positive" mix to go along with the negative. However, I just wasn't feeling it. I tried, I did, but maybe the fact of the matter is that the bulk of my iTunes is music to bum out to or perhaps I just couldn't get in the mood to drum up enough positivity for a mix. So, instead, I made another bummer of a mix and I think I did the impossible: I made an even sadder mix than sad mix numero uno, a mix intended to be a sad mix to end all sad mixes. So draw the blinds, think about your most painful failed relationship, and get ready to shed some tears. This is one for the ages, with all the usual Hot Half suspects.

Editor's note: In lieu of the typical track listing I usually do, you get nothing. I would apologize but I'm not sorry.

I Guess I'm Young But I Feel So Weary

Reason To Not Drink Every Night For God-Knows-How-Long? You Emerge Feeling Like This.

01 Found - Bad Veins

02 Girls Are Always Wrong - Lightning Love

03 Collect Call - Metric

04 Anyone's Ghost - The National

05 Black Hole - She & Him

06 I'm a Broken Heart - The Bird and The Bee

07 Skinny Love - Bon Iver

08 House Fire - Someone Still Loves You, Boris Yeltsin

09 The Lottery - Emily Haines and the Soft Skeleton

10 Twilight - Elliott Smith

11 A Stone - Okkervil River

12 Maps - Arcade Fire

13 The Drinks We Drank Last Night - Azure Ray

14 Everything Will Be Alright - The Killers

Editor's Note: Yes, "Indier Than Thou" Amber included The Killers on a mix. Hot Fuss was a great album, she stands by that, and if you don't agree, you can shove it. And the "cover art" is snagged from Kurt Halsey again but considering how many of you out there have tattoos of his art, you probably knew that already.

Negatives and Positives: Mix One in a Series of Two.

So my friend Brent's been going through a rough time recently. It sucks because he's a good guy and he deserves the best. But that's how it goes, isn't it? Bad events, in my opinion, build character and that's why good people turn out so damn good. It's all uphill for Brent, whether he realizes it or not and for that matter, I've been going through a hard time as well - I'm trying my dardest to keep my personal turmoil off the internet but as a heart-on-her-sleeve music blogger, it's difficult at times, especially when my "personal voice" is my strongest attribute. So to sum up the going on's in my life in three short phrases, I'll just say that 1. I thought something was going well and it wasn't. I don't fully comprehend why but it could be worse.; 2. I, for all intents and purposes, have lost my mother. Words cannot describe it but "Red" by Okkervil River has been my go-to "Sob into a pillow late at night" song for lyrics like "I know I don't deserve supervised sight of her but each day becomes a blur without my daughter", and while I know my own mother doesn't think that about me, Will Sheff's lyrics have, for many years, and continue to make me hope that she does.; And 3. My life's been bipolar lately, and the roller coaster highs and lows have left me feeling dizzy and lonely. Professionally, I'm better than I've ever been. Personally, I've been in tears for one reason or another each and every day for the last week-ish, and that's saying something as I do not cry easily.

So when Brent requested a heartbreakingly sad mix, I was not only happy to oblige but I found the experience more cathartic than playing dress up in dresses that make me look like the offspring of Zooey Deschanel and Audrey Tautou's Amelie.

Don't be fooled by the occasionally jaunty tune (I'm looking at you, M. Ward!) on this mix. Every song here was deliberately chosen for it's lyrical content and instead of my usual Amber liner notes, explaining why each song is special, I'm instead including a single lyric summing up the song and, ergo, the reasoning behind it, although I do have to say that if there's one standout artist on the disc, it's Ann Arbor, Michigan's Gun Lake, who deserve attention and respect because they're criminally ignored by, well, seemingly everyone but me. But don't worry, I'll fawn over them many, many times via many, many outlets in the future, so much so that I'm sure you'll only listen to Gun Lake in the relatively near future in an attempt to shut me up. Then, of course, you'll fall in love and wonder why you've been wasting your time on trendy-indie folk-lite when bands like Gun Lake exist. But anyhow...

Numb My Heart

When only the saddest songs will do.

01 Novocain - Jeremy Messersmith: I could have been someone but now my name is just a ghost, my reputation's just a joke, and I can't cry.

02 In the Sun - She and Him: I'll just keep it to myself.

03 It Ends With A Fall - Okkervil River: All that kiss her just seem like puny suitors I can see through. None will do, no, not for you - It might as well be just us two.

04 Flume - Bon Iver: Only love is all maroon, gluey feathers on the flume.

05 New Resolution - Azure Ray: Move on, move on, there's nothing changing.

06 June - Gun Lake: Now you're only in my mind: An unfinished film I won't rewind.

07 All Cleaned Out - Elliott Smith: You're not really as composed as you appear.

08 It's Only Your Life - Kevin Devine: There's a world awake outside; but you can't see past the length of your nose, your biggest problems you're sure are your own.

09 Radio Campaign - M. Ward: Since the day that you've been gone, I cannot keep from cryin' so come back my little peace of mind.

10 Upward Over The Mountain - Iron and Wine: May the sunrise bring hope where it once was forgotten.

11 Twilight Galaxy - Metric: If you're not alright, come on and tell me, I'll take you someplace that you are.

12 Animals - Sara Lov featuring Sea Wolf: I never, never learned to swim until you came around and pushed me in.

13 This Side of the Blue - Joanna Newsom:I am progressing abominably; and I do not know my own way to the sea but the saltiest sea knows it's own way to me.

14 Sweet Marie - Ben Sollee and Daniel Martin Moore: It ain't right but what's done is done.

15 Red - Okkervil River: I know it's easy to have me but I have seen some things that I cannot even tell to my family pictures and I'm fully of fictions and fucking addictions and I miss my mother.

16 True Love Will Find You In the End - Daniel Johnston: Sorry, I just couldn't help ending the mix on a positive note. What can I say? I'm an optimist. While Brent hasn't elaborated on why he wants a mix so sad that it makes him want to die, I suspect it has something to do with a lady. Fact of the matter is that I know this advice doesn't help because it's the same advice I receive ad nausea and never heed but you're a wonderful, smart, witty, special, passionate guy, Brent. And it might take a while but that will prevail. I have hope for you. Even if you have to end up going to Iowa and marrying Jeff, as Daniel Johnston says, true love will find you in the end.

Don't give up hope.

You're a wonderful man.

Art, per usual, courtesy of Kurt Halsey.

A Mix. From Me To You.

Sunday, my family and I had a cook out at my grandma's house. Before I launch into the story at hand, you have to understand something about my family: They're not my biological family. They're my stepfamily. So I was robbed of growing up with their awesomeness, which is a shame because the other thing you need to understand about my family is that they bare a dangerous resemblance to the Bluths of Arrested Development fame. My grandma? Imagine Lucille sans liquor. My uncle? Well, he's kinda like Buster. I suppose that would cast my dad as Michael and my nephew is one-hundred-percent George Michael, in ways I could not say on the internet for fear of him or one of our respective relatives reading it and embarrassing the poor adolescent horribly. But, anyhow, I'm at this "get together" and somehow, the subject of flirting comes up. It ends up that flirting is something I cannot do and I had both my eleven year old nephew and my sister attempting to give me tips on how to, well, suck less.

Trying to make myself seem, you know, slightly less than completely socially retarded, I attempted to defend myself by saying "Well, I made a mix cd for the guy I like the other day!"

My sister's response? "What are you, twelve?"

Well, actually, I sort of am, because I think anyone past the point of puberty would have actually given the mix cd to said boy. Instead, I posted it on the internet in hopes he would hear would hear it like the socially awkward teenager I still am, deep down inside.

You see, my problem with "flirting" as an "adult" (I put these in quotations because I suck at the first one and refuse to believe I am considered the second one as music journalism leads to latent alcoholism and stunted emotional growth) is the following: I've been told I must be "demure". I, however, like when I talk, especially about music. If a guy bores me, if he can't hold a conversation with me that involves shooting names of obscure yet prolific musicians back and forth, any interest I may have had will wither fairly promptly. I've also been told to flatter in ways that just don't seem genuine. Why would I say I miss someone if I don't? It seems silly. And mix cds? Well, apparently they're best left middle school way. I, however, refuse, mainly because I'm one of those painfully quirky indie girls who uses mix cds to express her emotions because she's too distant and frightened of rejection to put it into words. So the latest bout of "I can't say it, so I'll let these more prolific people sing it" is as follows. Did it work? Well... It was well received as a mix. And let's leave it at that, shall we?

I Realize Why I Cannot Fly: Folk Music for Endless Summer.

01 At Home (Time Unknown): The Elected - You might remember this song from an Orbit gum commercial. It's one of the more charming things I've ever heard, albeit in a tongue in cheek way, and worth 40 seconds of your time. Fun fact? The Elected is Blake Sennet's other band when he's not busy with that Rilo Kiley nonsense. Additionally, I love to bookend mixes with two short tracks just to cap things off. This track gets a whole lotta play on mixes at my casa and I challenge you to find cuter lyrics than the ones that span the forty seconds of this tune.

02 I'm Always In Love: Wilco - Old Wilco always reminds me of summer. Additionally, those of you familiar with Koji will know this song.

03 Franklin Avenue (Acoustic at Daytrotter): Jeremy Messersmith - The only thing better than this song (which might or might not have alot of structural elements in common with Elliott Smith's "Bottle Up and Explode", which a pal and I deduced, albeit in a good way) is this song done live at the Horseshack.

04 Momentary Drowning: Young Coyotes - The song of the summer in '08, complete with handclaps, woahs, and a dreamy overtone that was produced before dreamy overtones were all the rage. Denver's Young Coyotes deserve a hundred times more recognition than they get.

05 Mamma Mia: Miniature Tigers - No Amber Valentine mix cd is complete without a novelty cover. Why do I like to procure a one way ticket to Smashed City and sing this song at karaoke? Because of this. THANKS FOR THE HUMILIATION, CHARLIE.

06 When My Time Comes: Dawes - It's only a matter of time before these young'uns hit it big, and I'm talking BIG. Catch the Dawes wave now. Plus, they reference Nietzsche, whether purposefully or not. FUCK YES.

07 Westfall: Okkervil River - My favorite band of the past ten years. This song's content gave my literal chills the first time I heard it.

08 Cake and Eat It Too: David Bazan - Bazan is the Jesus of indie rock. The only man to affect me more with their lyrics in time of need is Elliott Smith. Additionally, Bazan's Daytrotter session changed my life, no joke.

09 Sad, Sad Song: M. Ward - This man needs no introduction. (Almost) Everything he touches turns to folk rock gold.

10 Darkest Heart: Andrew Jackson Jihad - Another band that deserves more attention than they garner. True story: The best conversation I've ever had about morality took place with these guys outside Beat Kitchen, where A.J.J. just did an encore last night, an event I sadly didn't know about until mere hours before it happened.

11 Sun Sun Sun: The Elected - Loathe though I am to repeat a band, this song is magic. Sometimes, I feel as if this song sums up my life in a very real way: "I've made up for my mistakes... And I'm tired of being fucking patient but I wait, I wait." Thank you, Blake Sennet, for this song.

12 Another Radio Song: Okkervil River - Did I say I was loathe to repeat a band? Well, uh, the Okkervil River rule applies here. Will Sheff can do what he wants and he wants to be on this mix twice. There are lines in this song that affect me alot. It was down, for the second Okkervil track, between this and "Red". I went with this on account of catchiness however "Red" is and has been for a long time the veritable story of my life in song form through the perspective of someone else: "I took a dancer home, she felt so alone... She said 'I know it's easy to have me but I'm full of fictions and fucking addictions and I miss my mother.'" The first time I heard that, I felt as if I'd been sucker punched. But anyhow, this other song's cool too, you know, so yeah.

13 A Girl, A Boy, and A Graveyard (Live): Jeremy Messersmith - Yeah, I'm repeating artists all over the place. Whatever. This song is my current obsession, as I'm sure many of you noted. Why? Well, because if I had to sum my "love life" up in one song, it would be this - I'm no princess waiting for my happily ever after. Instead, I do feel as if I'm some sort of Frankenstein, waiting for a jolt to bring me back to life. Thanks, Mister Messersmith. You done good on this one.

14 Best For The Best - Josh Ritter: Ritter's a folk genius and will one day be revered for such. This track, off of his early and under appreciated The Animal Years, is nothing short of a gem.

15 Mr. November - The National: Sure, it's not quite folk but this is one of my favorite songs of all time. I won't fuck us over, scout's honor.

16 Drive Me To The Center - The Seedy Seeds: Another band more people need a big FYI about. Appalachian electro folk? It works, I swear.

17 Happiness (Acoustic) - Elliott Smith: If you've seen my arm, you understand. I've got lyrics to this song on my for the rest of my life and I don't regret it a stitch. All my tattoos are meant to be positive in one way or another and the way this song mirrors my life is slightly eerie. Elliott's mostly remembered for his morose ballads but the positivity of this song endures, past Smith's untimely death, and still resonates. It's another refrain like that "Mr. November" chorus I quoted, one that stirs something inside of me and makes me realize that things will be okay if I persevere: What I used to be will pass away and then you'll see that all I want now is happiness for you & me.

18 Labelship Down - Josh Ritter: The final bookend, a song fragment that's one of the catchiest things this side of Jon Brion.

Art via my "go to" mix cover artist, Royal Oak, Michigan's favorite son, Kurt Halsey.

Carnivals and Graveyards: Dissecting Songs.

Editor's Note: Originally, this started as a Facebook status update. It obviously got too long for that so I made it into a note but after it was written, I liked it too much to relegate it to "note-ville", and loathe though I am to post twice about the same song in a row, I liked this piece of writing and genuinely am curious about other's interpretations of the lyrics.

Some of you fine folks that may or may not reading this might have noticed that I can be single minded at times. And by "at times", I mean "all the time". The plus side of this is the fact that I've excelled at my career, having gotten very far in a very short period of time. The downside of this is that I easily get wrapped up in things and occasionally, other things go by the wayside. This has, since youth, been referred to as "spaciness" or "flightiness". Additionally, I can be very literate, which I think is a strange quality for an abstract thinking person to have.

Lots of musicians I've had the chance to interview have told me they want people to interpret their songs, that it doesn't matter why a song was originally written or what it was originally written about, but rather how a person relates it to their own life or situation.

A great example of this is "Carnival" by Kevin Devine. I had put SO much thought into the theory that that song was some great allegory for the "music business". I asked him about it when I interviewed him for the second time and it ends up I couldn't have been more wrong.

Analyzing things, I think, is in my nature. It's probably why, out of everything I've done, I've excelled the most at interviewing.

There's a song I've been obsessing over recently, a sad folk song by Jeremy Messersmith that I featured in the last post called "A Girl, A Boy, And A Graveyard". The song is a veritable treasure trove of things I love - Intricate guitar, lyrics so sad that they border on macabre romanticism, you know, the usual. After the lyrical set up, introducing the "boy" and the "girl", Lucy, in addition to that titular graveyard, Messersmith quotes Lucy as saying "I don't know how I'm supposed to feel. My body's cold, my guts are twisted steel."

Now what I'm wondering is: Do the quotations stop here? Is the following stanza from her, or Messermith's, perspective? The first chorus is: "I feel like I'm some sort of Frankenstein, waiting for a jolt to bring me back to life." Now, it could easily relate to either character. From Lucy's perspective, she's continuing her point from the previous line about feeling indescribably numb and lonesome. However, from Messersmith's, the song takes on the idea of Lucy's uncertainty "leading the boy on", with him holding on hope for a relationship that will probably never come to fruition, thus making him less of a bystander in the song's narration and more involved.

I am of the mind that the girl, Lucy, is the Frankenstein, and, to be honest, that's part of the reason the song appealed to me so much in the beginning. Not many writers would compare their heroine to something as conventionally "grotesque" as Frankenstein's monster. To be honest, however, Frankenstein has always been one of my favorite love stories. What can I say, I relate to the misunderstood underdog. Or, you know, baby killing, neck-bolt-ridden monster, in this case. (Other good Frankenstein songs are by Timber Timbre and Aimee Mann and to be honest, this realization is probably going to result in a "Monster Mash" mix in the near future.)

So that's my opinion on the song. My friend Heidi, however, is of the opposite mind, an idea I never entertained until last night when she brought it up.

So what's your thoughts? (And don't be a dick and tell me to look in the liner notes. I did that already. There are no quotations anywhere.)



Another Editor's Note: Messersmith has more lovely songs other than this one, this is just the one I constantly choose to focus on. Check out the two following tracks and see for yourself.





Artwork, per usual, by the man who holds the coveted position of "Hot Half Favorite Artist", William Schaff, of Okkervil River cover art fame.

ACCORDING TO THE MAN HIMSELF, Jeremy Messermith, the intent was for Lucy to be "speaking" both choruses. I'm happy with this because, as I believe I previously stated, I relate more to the feeling of being a Frankenstein than a princess, a girl pieced together from bits of others thoughts and theories and ideas, waiting for someone to think "Hey, this girl's something." So thanks, Messersmith. I'm happy to know I'm not alone, even if your Lucy is mostly fiction.

Detroit Rock City: Kickstand Band, Lightning Love, and The Daredevil Christopher Wright @ PJ's Lager House.

Editor's note: My two go-to photogs left this concert god-awful early so I'm using pictures of my friend Heidi's cats, Toby and Mittens instead of pictures of the bands.

So one thing that's been missing in my life since I've been in Detroit (Or as us "gangsters" call it, "The D") is a good bar. And when I say "good bar", what I mean is "hipster bar", basically, the Detroit equivalent of Cincinnati's Mayday. You know, a place where cool kids go to do cool things, with little to no pretentious bullshit and little to no airs being put on; so I was glad that I had trekked out to PJ's Lager House if only for the reason that I had found just that. I mean, I was also dang glad that I trekked out to PJ's because June 9th held a pretty special occasion: Quite possibly the most solid bill I ever had the chance to see was hitting my city. And you can believe me when I say that because I have seen ALOT of bills in my day but the fact that the always fantastic, surprisingly raucous The Daredevil Christopher Wright was sandwiched in between newcomers Kickstand Band and perennial favorites Lightning Love marked the first time that I knew going in that I would not be disappointed for a second.

That being said, I do wish that I could say some positive things about Kickstand Band but I found myself outside during the majority of their set. From what I heard, it was great, and when I finally did trek inside to the tune of co-vocalist Gordon Smith doing Rachel Leigh Cooke proud with a cover of Josie and The Pussycats' "Pretend To Be Nice", a Hot Half guilty pleasure for years, I was definitely pleased and a bit bummed that my need for nicotine had kept my on the back porch of PJ's, a bit too far from the fuzzy, sun soaked sound of Kickstand Band. The fact that their a fairly new outfit, however, bodes well for me catching the trio again in the near future around my proverbial hood.

The Daredevil Christopher Wright - The East Coast

The Daredevil Christopher Wright is the kind of band that, since my last time seeing them last autumn, I have been waiting eagerly to see again. I know a lot of people like to see bands multiple times but when you go to a lot of concerts and the whole experience of live music loses a bit of it's charm, bands you go for repeat performances get to be few and far between, unless we're talking about absolute favorite bands of ever because let's face it, I'd follow Okkervil River across the country if I weren't afraid I'd creep out lead singer Will Sheff with my constant staring at him, but anyhow, fact of the matter is that The Daredevil always puts on a superb show with the Wisconsin natives churning out a sound that's surprisingly loud and energetic for them being a Midwestern folk trio. Naturally, however, I was most pleased with the most subdued number in their set, a song written about the lasting affect of Elliott Smith's music on singer Jon Sunde, "War Stories", a song that I hadn't heard the band play before but had taken an immediate shine to upon first hearing In Defense of a Broken Back, the trio's debut LP, mainly because Sunde and I have an adoration for the late Smith in common, but also because the lilting guitar and heartfelt lyrics signify the tangible emotion of a musician losing their hero, and everyone loves a sad song. Well... This gal does anyhow.

The Daredevil Christopher Wright - War Stories

I feel as if I've seen the night's headliners Lightning Love is all walks of my life, and in varying degrees of sobriety as well. From an under-attended gig at the Majestic with Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin to a packed-to-the-gills New Year's eve show in Cincinnati, Lightning Love is a band I've come to appreciate for the following reasons, some of which I have probably stated before: One: Lyricist Leah Diehl sings songs about my life. That time I accidentally cheated on that one boyfriend I had meant to dump before? I've got "Good Time" to remind me of that. The time (or times) I lost a friend because I said something stupid while drunk and couldn't remember for the life of me in the a.m. why people were mad at me? Oh, hey, "Friends". And of course there's "Everyone I Know" to help me reminisce about, well, everyone I know. Two: The band gets better each time I see them, no lie, and getting to watch them in a crowd of thirty or so devoted local fans feels special because if there's any justice in awesome art, Lightning Love will be playing a lot bigger shows before long. They're just one ringing endorsement form Stereogum away from an opening slot with Miniature Tigers. (Yes, I'm totally only saying this because I really want someone important to take note of the fact that these bands would be a match made in indie pop heaven.) Three: I like to dance. And I don't get to dance nearly as often as I would like. However, put me in a Lightning Love show and it's game over. Did I dance until my feet bled this time? Yep! Thanks to that blister from a late night walk to the lake the evening before that popped! And I'm proud of that because no band inspires me to dance by myself like Lightning Love does. Ironically, the type of lookers that I usually find at Lightning Love shows usually inspire nothing but the utmost shyness in me but something about Diehl's self-deprecating and honest lyrics combine with the "hooks abound!" music melts any self-consciousness I might have.

Lightning Love - Good Time

I Love Jeremy Messersmith and You Should Too.

There's a million things I should be writing. CD reviews are starting to pile up. I've got three concert reviews languishing somewhere in "I'm Just Not Feeling It"-ville and being back in Michigan and trying to start a new career(-ish) has combined with socializing with new people to create some sort of "endless summer" that eats up more than a little of my time.

There's something to be said for all of it, for getting to know new people, for spending your days in the pool, and for languishing while reflecting upon your life with folk music, the last of which is my favorite hobby. So when I stumble upon a new musician who is absolutely perfect for languishing while reflecting upon my life with folk music, nothing thrills me more in the world and with Jeremy Messersmith, I've got just that.

I had the pleasure of seeing Messersmith with the amazing Brooklyn duo Kaiser Cartel last night in Ann Arbor and while I knew Messersmith's work beforehand, I wasn't nearly as familiar with it as I'm going to be in the future because, simply put... Goddamn. The man is the perfect combination of innovation, storytelling, and charming catchiness. In fact, I used my noggin to think up the absolute best comparison of not one, not two, but three artists I love that he has vague similarities to but, hey, I'm saving that for my review of his latest cd, The Reluctant Graveyard, although I might reuse the comparison in my review of the Kasier Cartel/Messersmith concert that I swear I will be writing in a few days.

But until then, I appear to be doing the classic Amber Valentine thing of attaching myself to one particularly strong song and being unable to listen to anything else.

"A Girl, A Boy, A Graveyard" lyrically reflects more of me than any song I've heard in quite some time. Sure, there have been tracks like Ben Sollee and Daniel Martin Moore's "Something, Somewhere, Sometime" or The National's "Anyone's Ghost" that have struck quite a chord with me in recent months but I've been lacking "that song", the type of song that could have been pieced together directly from quotes I've said, that tells the story of me awkwardly finding myself falling a bit for someone who may or may not ever be more than a friend, and I could delve into details, dissecting verses and lines, but instead I'm going to give you the following: A song, a video, and a quote. Because I think that speaks enough.

Jeremy Messersmith - A Girl, A Boy, and A Graveyard

"I feel like I'm some kind of Frankenstein

Waiting for a shock to bring me back to life

But I don't want to spend my time

Waiting for lightning to strike"

"I'm like a princess in a castle high

Waiting for a kiss to bring me back to life

But I don't want to spend my time

Waiting for just another guy"

A to Z Week: The Elected Through Iron and Wine

The Elected - Sun Sun Sun

On a whole, I feel like The Elected, side project of Rilo Kiley's Blake Sennet, has fallen a little bit short. Regardless, the album bore some true gems and even has E-omitee Stacy Dupree of Eisley backing Sennet on the charming "I'll Be Your Man". For me, however, The Elected holds a place in my heart for Orbit Gum commercial alum "At Home: Time Unknown" (A track which has started many a cute mix CD in past years) and this song, "Sun Sun Sun", a folk tune with brutal honesty and heartbreaking overtones that is right up my alley. What can I say? I like my music like I like my men: Sort of sad, with an acoustic guitar, and a few crushed dreams.

Feist - Mushaboom

From bummertown to cutesville, Broken Social Scene's Leslie Feist encapsulates the cuteness of having a megacrush in this tune, which apparently was on the soundtrack to (500) Days of Summer. I didn't see (500) Days of Summer so I don't know that for a fact. It's just what I hear on the street. If I were to make a mix of songs to say "I Like You But I Can't Say That Myself Because I'm Too Worried You'll Reject Me", "Mushaboom" would be featured. What am I saying? I have made that mix and "Mushaboom" was featured.

Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal

Best act from last year's Lollapalooza, hands down. Additionally, a Fox or two used to be in David Bazan's Pedro The Lion, along with Death Cab for Cutie's Ben Gibbard, who's married to the She of She and Him. How's that for indie rock connect the dots?

Gayngs - The Gaudy Side of Town

Recognize this voice? It's Bon Iver's Justin Vernon! In my opinion, his voice, while gorgeous backed by nothing but his acoustic guitar, is better suited for the borderline-raunchy Gayngs sound which is nothing if not music to make out to. I'd say more, but Gayngs needs more than a paragraph. Naturally, that means an ode to Gayngs is coming soon!

The Good Life - I Am An Island

I absolutely love when I can sneak a song lyric into every day conversation. The Hold Steady is easy and every time a drink is in my hand, it's all but guaranteed that a "Constructive Summer" quote will be spoken. The White Stripes are another popular one and the scathing "You don't know what love is, you just do as you're told." is probably my favorite insult ever. This Good Life track is another song that's permeated into conversation more than a few times with Cursive frontman and The Good Life singer Tim Kasher's naturally self-deprecating wit and so-overwrought-it-works "I'm a dull, jaded, selfish, abusive, dysfunctional fuck up." being the reply to the "What's wrong?" question on more than one occasion. For the record, I'm not dull. I am jaded. I'm not selfish or abusive but I am a bit of a dysfunctional fuck up. Nevertheless, this a damn great tune.

Emily Haines and the Soft Skeleton - Our Hell

My girl crush on Emily Haines is no secret but if it weren't for her stellar, slow, sad, self-deprecating solo album, Knives Don't Have Your Back, I wouldn't much care for the Metric frontwoman. I'll admit that the pairing of lyrics like "All we know how to do is forget how to do it right" and the sparse, melodic piano she almost always forgoes in Metric is a bit heavy and the album doesn't make for the greatest sunny day listening but during a gloomy day while you're reflecting about how much your love life blows, Haines composes some of the most perfect backdrops.

The Hold Steady - Stay Positive

From the band that brought you Amber's "Summer '08" anthem "Constructive Summer" comes another offering for the letter "H".

Interpol - Obstacle One

The early '00's brought us some real gems by way of New York and Interpol's one of my personal favorites, as you may have gathered. The sexiness of this song is as irresistible and if I were at a hip party (Probably populated only with people wearing black and white because what's hipper than that?) and I was leaning against a wall, talking to a guy, and this song came on, I would probably TOTALLY start making out with the guy. I can't guarantee that's a normal girl reaction to Interpol, however, so guys, don't take note.

Iron and Wine - Lion's Mane

Not all folk music is sad, kids! And not all dudes have such an epic beard as Sam Beam, Iron and Wine himself.

A to Z Week: Archers of Loaf to Daniel Johnston

Archers of Loaf - Web In Front

Naturally, any A to Z mix ought to start with Archers of Loaf. Heck, any mix of any songs ever ought to start with Archers of Loaf. Grungy and unfazed, Archers of Loaf, for me, perfectly encapsulate the lust that boredom brings that is occasionally mistaken for love. Eric Bachman may not be quite as revered as the frontman of the next track, which is a shame, because he continues to be great until this day, as heard with Crooked Fingers, combining two of my favorite things: Legends of indie rock and acoustic guitars. Regardless of what he's doing now, in 1993, he created something magical with Archers of Loaf. It's a shame more people can't sing along to this song with me.

Built To Spill - Car

Remember when I said that the next band was slightly more revered than Archers of Loaf? Well, now you understand, don't you? Built To Spill are inarguably legends of indie and no road trip is complete without "Car" when Amber's in the car. I wish I'd have been lucky enough to have "Car" playing the first time I got high. Unfortunately, however, I was one of those obnoxious "straight edge" kiddos in high school and didn't touch a single drug, thus robbing me of the mind blowing revelation that, man... If I could see movies of my dreams, that would be so freaky and cool.

Bon Iver - Skinny Love

I feel as if Bon Iver (Not "Bob Eye-ver", Miley.) is going to go the way of Neutral Milk Hotel and David Bazan. In ten years, I think mid-20's "cool kids" will be talking about how life changing the record For Emma, Forever Ago was, just the way I talk about Pedro The Lion's It's Hard To Find A Friend. And that's not unjust at all. In fact, the biggest compliment I ever received was from an ex-fella who told me that I'm the type of girl Justin Vernon (Not "Bob", Miley.) wrote For Emma about. Sure, he meant to say "Amber, you're a soul crushing bitch." but damn, that's a good record, and "Skinny Love" is the most accessibly gorgeous.

Broken Social Scene - Anthems for a 17 Year Old Girl

It really is an anthem, no joke. Also, this marks the first of three appearances by Metric frontwoman Emily Haines. Oops?

Cold War Kids - Hang Me Up To Dry

I can name two Cold War Kids songs. This is one of them. Why? Because it's catchy as shit.

Cat Power - He War

I used to love Chan Marshall, the lady behind the moniker of Cat Power, so hard. I used to listen to her records as if I were reading scripture. I used to write her song lyrics in my journal. But somewhere around the travesty known as her "breakthrough" album, The Greatest (More like the LAMEST.), my love for Chan soured and I now think of her as a long term ex-wife or husband: We had a great love once and she used to be wonderful. But I just can't look at her like I used to. The love is gone. But You Are Free is still a classic record, although, let's face it, Marshall should have quit while she was ahead. If you're knowledge of "Miss Powers" only extends the past five years or so, please do yourself a favor and download Moon Pix and You Are Free. That's how Cat Power's supposed to sound.

The Dandy Warhols - Bohemian Like You

Ah, the Dandy Warhols. Making fun of hipsters before making fun of hipsters was cool and using damn cool song titles while they're at it. Seriously - "Not If You Were The Last Junkie On Earth"?! Sadly irrelevant these days, the Dandys are a band that I would love to see make a hardcore comeback.

Dawes - When My Time Comes

True story: When I interviewed Dawes, I had intended to ask frontman Taylor to marry me as the last question. I chickened out at the last minute. But hey, there's always Lollapalooza? C'mon, he and I would make a DAMN good looking couple! No denying it.

David Bazan - Fewer Broken Pieces

My favorite Bazan song, hands down. I've been known to call the former Pedro the Lion frontman the "Jesus of Indie Rock". I stand by that statement. My love for Bazan is serious business. If you don't believe me, add me on Facebook and look at the epic argument I had with a friend regarding the genius of Bazan in a wall post. Don't like Bazan? Fine. But if you insult him to me, and you're in a band, don't expect me to listen to your music with much attentiveness. It's like calling Jesus a pussy to a hardcore Christian.

Daniel Johnston - True Love Will Find You In The End

If Bazan is the Jesus of Indie, Johnston is the uncle that isn't quite right but is a pretty awesome guy anyhow. Johnston, the subject of documentary The Devil and Daniel Johnston, suffers publicly from bipolar disorder and seeing him last year at the Metro in Chicago was one of the more special experiences of my life. The man's a living legend. And he's also fulfilled one of my personal life goals: Recording a song with Okkervil River frontman Will Sheff. Lucky man!