Playlist for Wandering

What's good everyone, I hope this blog post you voluntarily clicked on finds you well and enjoying...whatever it is you enjoy.

I just got out of an exam, and before I provide you all with musical nectar fit for traveling the globe, I feel the need to get something off my chest:

I might be a psychopath.

     I can't really decide if Patrick Bateman is horrifying or actually my inspiration....?


Oh... – you already thought so? Then allow me to remove any remaining doubt. Just this morning, while attempting to remember Malone et al.'s four requirements for successful crowdfunding operations and Crow's Foot notation for my Business Information final, an unnamed auditory assailant struck.

It started as a low cough every once in a while. No worries dawg. Everyone has to clear their throats every once in awhile. Shit's uncomfortable, no doubt.

Then the rifling of pages added to the growing cacophony. Really, sir? Pick a page and stay on it. It's not that hard. Once you finish a page, flip it over by grabbing at the stapled corner, lightly lifting it from the table, ever-so-gently perforating the corner, and laying the freshly minted white blank page down in front of you.

What's that high-pitched squeaking sound, by the way? Have you managed to harm a young mouse that came too close to your Whomping Willow esque symphony of bodily functions and overexaggerated mundane movements?

Oh...it's your pencil. Your cheap mechanical pencil. I sincerely hope you fail the exam. I'll take even a brief reprieve from this horrid sound as a cue that you've forgotten some piece of vital information and must take time to collect your thoughts. Hopefully, you forget everything, maybe even how to write, because that would be better than having to sit through another moment of your tortuous charade.

But no, you kept on adding layers of annoying sounds at more frequent intervals. You're like a DJ of Shit. If there was any overture that brought me to the climax of blood-boiling inner-rage, it was definitely the heavy sigh (since you're DEFINITELY the only exasperated soul in the room at this point), followed by a completely unnecessary sniffle, a cracked and brittle cough, and then another throat clearing. WHY ARE YOU EVEN CLEARING YOUR THROAT? It's not like we're giving a presentation here. No need to prepare your voice for speaking in a completely silent exam hall...

I legitimately started thinking of ways to commit murder in the least discreet way possible. I'm pretty sure no one else would care if I did since your intermittent transgressions drew more than a few stares from people who were probably thinking, "Holy Hannah, just shut the f**k up already," or, "Yeah? You all cleared up there, loser?" to themselves.

 If you're this person in class, the inside of your eyelids will be the last thing you ever see

In short, we all know someone like this. If you're looking at your computer going, "What are you even talking about, Drew?" odds are, you ARE this person. And you need to stop it right away because odds are, everyone HATES you.

Anyways, to issues of much less volatility and potential mental instability: new music is probably my favorite thing in all the land, as some of you know, and I've been enormously fortunate to be exposed to music on this trip which I otherwise would never have even thought existed. Seamus recommends Lisa Hannigan and Johnny Lange. Jordan introduced me to alt-J. Dan just plays "Ignition" (remix) by R. Kelly at every opportunity. And it never gets old. Luiz showed me Sashamon. Lautaro recommended Caetano Velasco. Joffery and Jeff got me on Drum and Bass, and Stefan on Deep House.

 Without a doubt, music's most important attribute is its ability to transport you to a different time, place, state of mind, etc. It allows you to access soothing memories, bolsters your self-confidence, and helps you remember "The Good Ol' Days" while simultaneously, getting you excited to go out and create new "Good Ol' Days".

So without further ado, here's the playlist we started making on the first night here in Rotterdam by just passing my computer around. I've commented on a few of my personal favorites. Check em' out, and thanks for reading. Next week's post will be coming from another continent, assuming we're all able to slog our way through the rest of finals week.

25 Bucks – Danny Brown (feat. Purity Ring)
Rella – Odd Future, Hodgy
Shabba – A$AP Ferg, A$AP Rocky
When I'm Alive - STRFKR
Rebound (Original Mix) Mat Zo, Arty
My People - Grizmatik
Booty Swing- Parov Stelar
        - The Paris Swing Box is an awesome album
Japanese Squeeze - Sashamon
    - One of the chillest songs ever
Latch- Disclosure, Sam Smith
The Golden Age - The Asteroids Galaxy Tour
     - The song from older Heineken commercials, so obviously, we love it
Supernova- Ray LaMontagne
Elevate - St. Lucia
Riptide - Vance Joy
Re: Stacks - Bon Iver
     - Best study/introspection song, been on repeat all week
You and I (Deadmau5 Remix)- Medina
Hit the Road Jack- Wynton Marsalis, Willie Nelson, Norah Jones
             - OMG, listening to it as I write this. Killer harmonica solo and Norah Jones might be an Angel
I Don't Know- Lisa Hannigan
King of Anything- Sara Bareilles
Makes Me Wonder - Gramatik
No Way Down - The Shins
Queen of California - John Mayer
     - Actually, used to hate on John Mayer because it was fashionable. But then I heard him play guitar, and even though he's a sexually-overactive d-bag, the man is a fantastically talented guitarist.
Detest- Not Fair
La Rumba Azul - Caetano Velasco
Work It Out- Dave Matthews Band, Jurassic 5
Grace for Saints and Ramblers- Iron and Wine
Step- Vampire Weekend
Nightcall- London Grammar
Steamroller Blues (Live) - James Taylor
Breezeblocks- alt-J
Rainy Night in Georgia- Ray Charles
   - Perfect for a rainy night anywhere in the world
A Boy Named Sue (Live, Folsom Prison)- Johnny Cash
    - The man's a legend
Shelter- Birdy
At Your Door- Chromatics
Tell Me (Clock Opera Remix)- Au Revoir Simone
Roscoe- Midlake

    Many more to come! Thanks again ya'll.

- Drew