#30 The Cave - Mumford and Sons

Today, being a Saturday and me not being as poor as I thought I was (yippee!) was a shopping day. It shouldn't have been - I'm still a bit poor!

Had a lovely brunch with a friend and the wandered the streets where things just seemed to beg us to buy them. I ended up with some new foundation (got home to fond that flatmate had bought the exact same one!), mascara, new tights and cardy and the wonderful new album from Mumford and Sons. It's quite pretty and folky - which I am not usually fond of - but I really really like it.

#29 Papillon - Editors

I love this band. I love this song. I LOVE this video.

Perfection in a nutshell. Wonderful Friday, so bring on the long weekend!

#28 Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - Elton John

I haven't been sleeping at all well recently. I'm talking about that 'it's 2 am and I am still awake' not sleeping. It is not going down too well. I like my sleep a lot. But instead of getting my beloved 8 hours (ok, it is more like 9 and a half hours) a night, I have been watching my clock tick over at hours of the night that no one should have to see.

To make matters worse, work has been incredibly quiet this week, so my brain has gone into some sort of permanent shutdown through the toxic combination of tiredness and sever under use. I think that it thinks that I don't love it any more. I do! I love it as much as I could love any (rather crucial) part of my anatomy that decides whether I continue with this breathing thing or not.

Tonight was my big, planned out 'get to sleep early' night, but, as I write this, the Arcade seems to be playing host to some sort of insane sounding art instillation based on epic soundscapes, noises from the subconscious and things that just sound like the possible offspring of a giant dinosaur and polar bear coupling. It is loud. It is weird. And it has been going on for 2 and a half hours. Not happy.

One thing that does help me sleep - Elton. This song in particular. Dreamy (pun intended). I'm going to try and find my happy place.

#27 All That She Wants - Ace of Base

I got an email from Flatmate this afternoon. All it said was "Ace of Base is on the radio. Put this in your blog". So, for Flatmate, today is AoB day.

Actually, I only just realised that they are Ace of BASE rather than the more punny Ace of BASS. Interesting. Well, actually, that is a lie, it's nowhere near the land of interesting.

Anyway, The Base....

#26 Boy Lilikoi - Jonsi

I couldn't get to sleep last night. It may have been the balmy summer heat, or maybe I just had too many things to think about. Either way, today was one of those days where you wake up, think you are good to go, and then about half an hour later, you realise you are incredibly sleepy and will be of no use to anyone. Success!

Along with my walking dead impersonation, a friend got made redundant - which, let's face it, is always fun, we had a trade me-inspired fashion show at the flat and I perfected the chocolate chip cookie recipe I've been using once and for all (the secret - more sugar, less flour)

This song has been floating around in my head for a while. It's lovely and happy and pretty much like a warm summer day for your ears.

It's from the singer of Sigur Ros. Now, I love Sigur Ros quite a bit more than a lot. Mainly because they are Icelandic (dream destination - like Mars, but closer!) but also because they make amazing, beautiful, pure, charming, challenging music. Their DVD (sorry, movie review time) Harf/Heim (should check sp. but too hard) is stunning - again, it's Iceland. Of course this song is about a boy who resembles a Hawaiian fruit. Too literal? Perhaps.

#25 My Old Man - The Walkmen

I saw my dad today. He decided to head up here for a couple of days, so we have a bit of a family catch-up dinner thing. My family is not your standard cookie cutter experience. We, like most families I guess, are a bit messed up, a bit distant, a bit weird. Flatmate actually asked me the other day why I didn't see my brother more, considering he lives about a 5 minute drive away from me. The thing is, it's cool when we do catch up, but to be honest, we don't have that much to say. That sounds a bit sad, I guess. But it's not really. I think about him a lot, and I'm sure he thinks about me, and it's all good. When we see each other it's fun and we have a great time, but I don't think we would know what to do with ourselves if we did it all the time.

Anyway, it was a really nice evening - regular occurrence or not.

#24 Part of your World - The Little Mermaid

This move has A LOT to answer for in my world.

I think it probably explains my love (and obsession) of being ginger - damn you Ariel.

We we watching Enchanted tonight (I really didn't enjoy it the first time I saw it, but now I understand the joy of Amy Adams, it was a bit easier to watch) and Flatmate said it reminded her of The Little Mermaid. She was kinda right.

Anyway, this blog will not turn into a film review everytime - it is becoming a trend these days!! Tomorrow will be about real life. Promise.

But until then.....take it away Ariel (there are words and everything - so sing along!!)

#23 Let Her Dance - The Bobby Fuller Four

Fantastic Mr Fox is pretty much happiness. I saw it this evening and it was brilliant. I usually like Wes Anderson films, but they can sometimes be a bit too twee and trite for their own good. But Mr Fox really is brilliant.

Best movie I have seen in a while.

And, as per usual, the soundtrack is a delight.

I couldn't decide between this track, The Stones, Beach Boys of the fun Jarvis Cocker track. I decided to save Jarvis for another day.

#22 Hallelujah - Damien Rice

Yes, I know. Mr Cohen is the King of this song. I know. But I adore Damien Rice. He is just so lovely.

Just saw someone do this on American Idol (eeek new season!!) and it made me revisit and old favourite.

Thanks American Idol.

#21 Headlock - Imogen Heap

I finally bought my ticket for Laneway tonight. Excitement. It's going to be such a fun day. I cannot wait.

Today was a fun day. Had meetings all day at work, had a delicious lunch, it rained and then it stopped and I spoke to people that I haven't spoken to in a really long time. Delight all round.

Now, let's bring on the weekend!!

#20 The Killing Moon - Echo And The Bunnymen

I just wrote Echo and the Bunnymoon. Must be early.

Got some albums (finally) for the collection yesterday. Guess I am studying up for Laneway Fest, which is in a couple of weeks. It's going to be amazing.

That hair!!

#19 You've Got A Friend - James Taylor

After a VERY busy day, I have had a lovely evening.

First, I caught up with a friend from high school that I haven't seen for about a year. It was nice to remense about old times, old friends as well as getting up to date on everything that has been going on in the last 12 months. Why is it though, that everyone elses lives seem to sound way more interesting than your own? Well, mine does anyway. Maybe I need to invent some extravagant stories?!

Anyway, after that catch up, I got a delightful visit from my favourite friend - the one I spent New Years with (cupcake party girl). We haven't really hung out since our trip, so it was fun to hang out, drink some beer and gossip...mainly about David Tennant!

She did raise an interesting idea. She has family in the UK and was thinking of having a bit of a trip over there winter 2011. And she would quite like me to tag along. Got to say, I am VERY tempted. I would die for another little UK jaunt. It's been far too long since I was there. And I could go to Top Shop for real! Ahhhh excitement

#18 Lump Sum - Bon Iver

Having one of those days/weeks/months where you think back over things and wonder. Not about anything in particular, just, well, stuff.

Guess it's just that time of year. Or maybe I'm desperate for distractions from silly work or something.

Anyway, this song, or the album that it comes from, totally takes me right back to a certain time and an exact place.

It's funny how something can do that to you. If you want to remember something, and all you have to do is listen to 3 and a half minutes of music and there you are. Like time hasn't moved.

Nice.

#17 A Hard Days Night - The Beatles

Oh Sunday. Why, you really must be the most depressing of all the seven days. That is sad. For you, mainly, but a little bit for us too.

Yes, that typical "crap it's Monday tomorrow" feeling has well and truly set in. Lame. I've not done any of the work I brought home to do this weekend, which means that this week is going to be a little bit horrid. All my own doing of course, but I just didn't feel like sitting and doing work-work when I could be hanging out and watching the final episode of Blackpool (what will I do with myself now - I think I have exhausted all David Tennant options now!! Eeek)

But tonight was made a little bit brighter by a collective flat viewing of A Hard Days Night. Genius stuff. It has even inspired us to have a 60's themed party. The idea of boys in suits and skinny ties and girls wearing a lot of eyeliner is quite exciting! And think of the playlist for the night. Delight!

#16 My Heart Will Go On - Celine Dion

I saw Avatar tonight. I had heard amazing things about it, and with my work being what it is, we've sat back and watched in (jealous) awe of how well it's done.

So my verdict? It was pretty fancy to look at - we saw it in 3D - but the storyline really is just Pocahontas. Not that that is a bad thing at all. James Cameron does like to make his masterpieces long though, right? By the end of this one I was getting more than a bit fidgetty. I say bring back intermissions at the movies. Such classic idea.

Anyway, Avatar. You can guess what's going to happen even before you walk into the cinema - again, that's fine, no surprises means you can pay attention to the visuals rather than trying to keep up with what's going on theme-wise.

One thing that was felt like it should have been there, but wasn't.....

This song

#15 Valerie - The Zutons

Horrah Friday! Horrah still no mumps. I'm thinking I dodged that bullet well and truly.

Touch wood.

Today - since I had summer hours at work - I spent the afternoon getting my hair done. It is a lovely (even!) shade of perfect ginger now. Delight. It's always nice to go and be dealt to by a hairdresser. The magazines, the endless cups of tea, the massaging chair. That's right, the place I went today had an amazing massaging lazy-boy chair at the basin. It was brilliant!

Anyway, according to google, redheads don't supply a hugely deep well of inspiration as far as songwriting goes. That being said, one of my fav-o songs does sing (ha ha see what I did there!) the praises of the humble ginger....it was a tough choice between this version and Amy W's, but originals usually win in my world.

#14 Party in the USA - Miley Cyrus

Good news. No mumps yet. So, so far so good.

I managed to make it through yet another day of work, although it was not looking promising this morning - my boss was trying (very passive aggressively) to make me go to the doctors. Probably not a bad idea, but why deal with all the drama when there is nothing they can do for you?

Anyway, I am starting to get over this sickness (whatever it may be) and am looking forward to the weekend.

And little Miley has been stuck in my head all day.

#13 My Humps - Black Eyed Peas

I have the mumps. Well, I might have the mumps. My New Years traveling companion rang me this morning with the news that she was swollen like a chipmunk, and since I never had them as a kid, I might just get a bit chippy myself.

Awesome!

I thought I was getting a cold. In fact I still hope I'm just getting a cold. Please let it just be a cold. I don't think I can pull the chubby check thing off.

This is the song that I was taunted with all day by my workmates.

Very funny.

#12 Fix Up Look Sharp - Dizzee Rascal

It's Big Day Out day soon, but sadly I am not going this year. I thought I was going to be working, but turns out Im not. But I am being a good girl and saving my cash-o-la.

If I was going, Dizzee would be right near the top of my must see list. I saw him last time he was here and it was a-mazing! Hot, sweaty and dance-tastic.

Plus I keep hearing this on the radio all day everyday.

#11 Crazy Little Thing Called Love - Queen

No real reason, except I love Queen.

This song always makes me think of Cliff Richard though. Bit weird.

#10 Undercover Martyn - Two Door Cinema Club

Did next to nothing today. Great Sunday.

Did listen to a bit of Radio One while lounging and reading ALL the Sunday papers. Managed to hear this cool track from a Northern Irish band with a cool name.

Fun.

#9 Coin Laundry - Lisa Mitchell

There really is nothing quite like a sunny Saturday afternoon. Especially when it is spent in the park with some of my favourite people.

Today was one of those perfect days.

I was woken by my darling flatmate who had got up extra early and been to the markets, and so had arrived home with lots of fruit-shaped treats for me. Mmmm smoothie-a-rama!

Then it was one of my loveliest friends birthday today. She had the inspired idea to have a cupcake picnic and it was a delight. She made the most amazing vegan cupcakes (about 60 of them) and iced them all in the most beautiful colours. All that, plus she brought her puppy along!

Wonderful day.

Little Lisa Mitchell reminds me of fun playtimes like today. Just super cute.

#8 Cousins - Vampire Weekend

Yay Friday!

Holy gosh it's been a long short week. Everything that could have gone wrong (at work, anyway) did. So I was more than glad to get out of there a bit early today.

I spent my extra few precious free moments eating raspberries and blueberries while sitting in the sun watching the world and Letterman.

This was on it.

I was slightly disappointed, since in almost all the photos of the band, the singer could more than pass for Roger Federer's twin. Not so much when he's moving. Shame.

Anyway, fun times for the weekend ahead.

#7 These Boots Are Made For Walkin

I have a confession to make. I am in love with David Tennant.

Serious, proper love.

I watched his last ever Dr Who episode the other day and cried like a little girl. It was a bit embarrassing really. But it was SO sad. And he is SO good.

And so, with Dr Who over, the youtube stalk began.

The journey through far-too-short clips of David's perfect career reminded me how good a program Blackpool was. It managed to combine crime, pokies, singing, dancing and glitter. All the good things in life. Well, not the crime - crime is never good. Unless you're Ashley Judd in that movie about trying to kill her husband. Or Robin Hood. That's probably another Russell Crowe-based post though.

Anyway. Now we have the (deeply, and probably for a very good reason) buried vocal wonder of The Doctor, dance routine included.

#6 Nobody move, nobody get hurt - We Are Scientists

Had such a rubbish day at work today, there was a fair-to-good chance that i could have gone a little crazy postal.

This song basically sums it all up.

Can't wait for the weekend. I have a date with a cupcake picnic in the park. Yay. Until then, sleep is very high on the to-do list.

#5 Artisan Guns - Autumn

This album has been stuck in my car stereo for, oooh, about 6 weeks now. Mainly because I am a lazy person who thinks that swapping one disc for another is just too tricky.

But also because it is a very pretty, delightful set of songs.

We had this going almost the whole way to and from Gisborne on and off.

Soundtrack.

This song makes me happy and sad and want to sing along really really, inappropriately loudly with some air guitaring AND drumming.

I still haven't seen them in the flesh - I keep missing them by minutes every time I try.

One day.

#4 Scattered Black and Whites - Elbow

I love Elbow. Guy Garvey is a magical magical word magician.

This song is off their first album - Asleep in the Back - and it is genius. But then all their albums are.

Scattered Black and Whites is Garvey at his best: wistful, thoughtful, a lingering (just a little bit) in the past, which is exactly how I felt today - I'm suffering a little bit of post NYE withdrawal and REALLY don't want to go back to work tomorrow. Boo!

#3 Elvis Costello - She

Just watched Notting Hill for about the hundredth time - me and the flatmate were craving a bit of Hugh after reading an article discussing the many endearing qualities of all the 'silver foxes' out there.

Hugh is very worthy in our books. Fact.

And so it was a choice between this song by 2009's Timberland (he seemed to crop up on almost every album released last year - it was very odd for a while there) and the ever magical Ronan Keating. It was a tough choice.

#2 In This Light and On This Evening - Editors

Day two and I haven't given up yet - yay for me!

After getting back from my New Years road trip spectacular, having a long overdue shower and a proper sleep in a proper bed, I started to go through my (many) photos from the week away.

Oh the memories.

The absolute highlight for me was seeing Editors again. Everybody has their band. For me it is Eds. I've saw them about 2 years ago on their first trip here and we have been having a swirling, whirling passionate love affair ever since. We talk, we laugh, we cry, we dance. They get me and I get them. We are soulmates.

So, to say I was pleased to hear they were coming back is a bit of an understatement. I thought I was going to cry like a little girl. I very almost did.

This track is the first off the new album (of the same name), the first they played on the 29th and an epic tune.

I can almost guarantee that this will not be the last you hear from these boys over the next year...so brace yourselves.

#1 La Roux - In For The Kill

First song for the year.  I picked this since it was the first song I heard in 2010.

I have this deal with the universe that I can stick my ipod on shuffle, turn on the radio, whatever, and the first song I hear will have some psychic ability about my day.  I'm hoping my senses have failed me this time - I flippin' hate this track and would hate it to have any bearing on what should be a pretty huge year.