random tunes

Two tunes floating around my head this morning -- the first is Smile by Lily Allen, who I heard interviewed somewhere recently (maybe Sound Opinions? maybe NPR?) and really got grooving on her wonderful title LDN. Found her site and then her tracks on iTunes -- and had to laugh when I realized how dark and dire the majority of her lyrics are, wrapped inside such a sweet-pop optimistic sound.

I'm not in an unhappy relationship, and I'm miles away from an unhappily dissolved relationship, but still Smile brought it all back -- "it" being the time my philandering ex- moved to DC almost concurrently with the appearance of that snipper -- and yes, friends, I was, shall we say, "optimistic" that the two would meet up. That's just how bad those things suck. Smile brings the vengeance back without the pain -- or the murderous impulse. (I'm over it. Honest. Not so dangerous anymore.)

Also fresh in my head: Bright Eyes' First Day of My Life. Little bit healthier, for those who like their love sunny-side up.

I was introduced to this track by their video and I scored the recording right away. It still sends me over the moon -- but I had forgotten how sweet the video was until I came across it again on del.icio.us. Once the camera settles in for a long shot it doesn't move again, but instead a series of individuals cut in and out of the frame, all of them sitting on the same couch, all of them listening through headphones to the same track, all of them responding like human beings do to the thoughts, the ideas, the words that describe this thing called love.

Pure sweetness. (Blogliners click through to see the YouTube video -- because you know those things don't show up in the feed.)