Some Good Things: A List of Happiness

• I preordered a vinyl copy of Nite Jewel's new album and it initially came warped (thanks USPS, ya jerks), but the company (and possibly Nite Jewel herself) apologized and offered to send me a new one. I just got my second copy and it was autographed (my first was, but I wasn't expecting the second copy to be)! 

• My recent health issues (see last entry) have pushed me to eat better and get right into exercising. I also am planning to see a cardiologist to double-check some things. (Exactly what is going on will be detailed in due time. I want to wait for things to pass before I talk about it in full)

• My new supervisor is awesome! He has been caught up to speed on my health issues and also is going to help me (and many of my colleagues) look into other career opportunities. I'm thinking of either working for scheduling or Quality Assurance. 

• The case/lang/veirs album is absolutely f***ing magic. I cannot wait to see them in August!

• Lazy Game Reviews (LGR) did a hour-long video of just him building a computer and it's so much fun to watch. 

• Natalie Goldberg's latest book reminds me of two things: writing is awesome and I really need to get into meditation. 

• Meg Turney, one of my two girl-crushes*, has her own Patreon and Twitch accounts now. I may sign up to be a donor soon. And also for LGR, PushingUpRoses, and Brad Jones (The Cinema Snob). 

• Shura and Bat for Lashes' new albums are out! And I'm still waiting on my preorders. UGH.

*Yeah, what of it? (The second girl-crush is Rosario Dawson, BTW)

When the Internet Has Good Ideas

From one of my favorite websites, I found this really neat idea of writing out what you're currently up to, something called a "now page"; the invention of a gentleman named Derek Sivers. So yeah, that sounds like a great idea. Didn't take me long to create it, but will I keep up with it?

Go check it out here (or click the new link on the top of the blog page)!

50 Favorites

As y'all know, or, don't (but you know now), my goal is to get to 50 posts. It makes sense then that I want to list 50 random favorite things. So... enjoy?

Best of 2013: Book Edition

Before you go all "where the f*** is The Goldfinch, you insipid bibliophile?"*, yes I didn't finish much of the big releases of last year. I'm sorry, I really am. More to myself, but still to the few readers that wanted to know what I thought about Doctor Sleep (actually, I'm not fond of it, more on another day) and other big -timers. Either way, here is eight books released in 2013 that I did love and want you to check out (if you already haven't).

8. Eminent Hipsters by Donald Fagen
  Short yet sweet and funny like the author; ...Hipsters is less of an extensive memoir and more of a collection of autobiographical essays. They still get the point across about Fagen, a portrait of the artist as a young man (get it?). I really love Fagen being portrayed as that grumpy professor the students all love but the faculty hate. A great afternoon read.

7. NOS4A2 by Joe Hill
  Oh look, Stephen King's son wrote a damn good book. It's about biker chicks, space and time being ripped apart by random objects, and a strange-ass serial killer! And yes, that is my selling point. Go get it and have a blast.

6. Odds Against Tomorrow by Nathaniel Rich
  If there was any new book I was eager to read, it was this one. And thank goodness, it was worth the wait, the time and money used to get the book, and the reading experience. It is a strange one, following a young man with a tendency to predict major disasters. When he foresees a major hurricane-like storm hitting New York City, it becomes a tale of survival atop a dissertation on corporate life and the nature of tortured geniuses in this century.

5. Storm Kings: The Untold Story of America’s First Tornado Chasers by Lee Sandlin
  Warning: this is my inner meteorologist about to geek out here. At first, this book was a little slow, but as you get past the first two chapters, it picks up with the speed of an unexpected windstorm. This book is not only a hidden history uncovered, but a humbling reminder how meteorology as we know it is still a young science. It is a marvel it has gotten this far, who knows what the future holds?**

4. Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys
  Oh my God, a YA book that isn't an insufferable mess! The story follows a young woman living in the red light district (Storyville) of New Orleans and her attempts to escape her abusive mother and a housekeeping job at a brothel while applying for a prestigious college; all the while solving a strange murder mystery atop that.

3. Turn Around Bright Eyes by Rob Sheffield
  Yep, also talked about this one here before. But, my opinion didn't change. It is a funny and wonderful look into the world of karaoke and the people who love to sing despite the lack of training. It is also an intimate look on how Mr. Sheffield found new love in a woman who would love karaoke as much as he did. Loved it, just as great as his previous books.

2. Angelopolis by Danielle Trussoni
  Man, I hate getting into series in progress. I already talked about this book to a lesser extent, but I will reiterate one thing: DAT ENDING. My God. Where is the last book, Ms. Trussoni?!

1. Adulting by Kelly Williams Brown
  Thank all that is heavenly possible for Ms. Williams Brown. Thanks to her, I have regained faith in my generation and especially women my age. This book is just plain wonderful and I wish it was around when I was younger, but what ya gonna do? It is full of wonderful advice, so good that I just reread it this month! Go buy it and read it, then go enjoy her blog.

~

This post was brought to you by a photo of me on the Eiffel Tower, circa 2010, taken by my sister:

I still have that jacket, believe it or not.

~

Side note: After reading Night Film, as I briefly talked about here, I have to say one thing to Ms. Pessl: you just had to kill the supernatural angle that late in the game, didn't ya?

*If I had finished The Goldfinch in time for this list, Ms. Tartt and Ms. Williams Brown would be sharing the literary crown, as Ms. Teng and Ms. Calvi are already doing for music.

**God, I still want to be a storm chaser and this book didn't help at all.

Best of 2013: Album Edition

Okay, here we are. Everyone has already released their best-of-the-year lists. And like everyone else, I have lists of my own. Yet, it is late and not as varied in some multimedia departments. I only saw two movies of worth: The World's End and Pacific Rim, so no movie list this time. But I do have enough for books and music, as always.

So to kick things off, here are my ten favorite albums of the year!

10. AMOK by Atoms for Peace
  I originally wanted to name this as my album of 2013, but future releases would knock it down this low on the list. I see the ordering in lists as arbitrary, so it being here isn't a bad thing at all. So Atoms for Peace, which is several members of Radiohead and a Radiohead producer, made their debut with this fine album. It contains the minor hit "Default" and my personal favorite "Ingenue". Hope to hear from them again. Until then, will there be a new Radiohead album?

9. Nepenthe by Julianna Barwick
  Man, don't you love it when favorite artists make new albums every couple of years? Yeah, I do too. When I heard Barwick was releasing something new in 2013, I was very excited. Of course, she delivered with another excellent, haunting album full of evocative songs. I know people have done this kind of music in the past, but it's nice to see it revived and appreciated in the 21st century. Favorite track: "Pyrrhic".

8. The Worse Things Get, the Harder I Fight, the Harder I Fight, the More I Love You by Neko Case
  After falling in love with Middle Cyclone, I eagerly awaited her latest release. It helped that I follow her on Twitter and she talked about the album a ton prior to its release. Once I popped it into iTunes and gave it a listen, I knew that she was someone I can count on to release quality material, even after long breaks between albums and tours. Though I cite "Wild Creatures" as my favorite song, "Nearly Midnight, Honolulu" is quite powerful and haunting in its simplicity. Like Case, I hope this kid will break free from their mother and know that they are loved by those less cruel.

7. Nature Noir by Crystal Stilts
  God, I wish this band (like everyone else I like) were more popular. Everyone badly wants another Joy Division. For some reason, The National are cited as the American reincarnation of the iconic band. Ehhh... Crystal Stilts can kindly take that title and run the eff away with it. You see, everyone thinks Joy Division is a lot more grandiose than they really are. They're pure rockers. And at least, Crystal Stilts sticks to that part and do it very well. Their latest is no exception. Favorite track: "Future Folklore".*

6. Ice on the Dune by Empire of the Sun
  After hearing the first single "Alive", I got a little worried. While I did like it, it didn't grab me until repeat listens. Nonetheless, I feared the sophomore slump from my favorite Australian dance duo. I took the plunge and bought the album regardless of my fears. I found them to be unfounded. With tracks like "Surround Sound" (I think it's great, shut up) and "Old Flavours", "Alive" was just an outlier in the whole package. I am glad that "DNA", my favorite track, was released as a single. The video, though, left a lot to be desired.

5. and that's your time by THEESatisfaction
  I didn't buy this album until early this month, but I badly wanted to count them in this list. Of course, the risk is 'what if the album isn't that good' when doing something like that. Nope, no sophomore slump for these Seattle ladies! I was a bit surprised to see their new album without a label backing (wonder what happened?), but I wanted to support them regardless. Indie acts need the support of their fans more than ever as they journey into self-releasing. I am proud to support them with my patronage and fangirlism. Favorite track: "Queen Country (4 Women)". Close your eyes and get swept away in the beats and rhymes.

4. Heartthrob by Tegan and Sara
  I'm no spring chicken with these dynamic ladies, I knew of their existence long before this album. Yet, it took this to get me to finally listen to their music. And I have to say I am not only very impressed, but I look forward to digging into their catalog. I understand that their earlier works aren't as electronic and poppy, but hey, they can go electric and still rule acoustic, right? And it also helped that this album was played over and over at my job. Favorite song: "I'm Not Your Hero".

3. UZU by Yamantaka // Sonic Titan
  I forgot who or what introduced me to this band, but whoever it was... thank you. I've been wanting a solid metal group to patronize. This Canadian act mixes heavy metal, prog rock, and noh theater costumes and concepts to create a beautiful blend of artful music that captures the listener and sweeps them away into stories that are gorgeous and horrific. Favorite track: "Hall of Mirrors". Rapping section FTW!

2. We the Common by Thao and the Get Down Stay Down
  Again, Bitch Magazine gets the kudos for introducing me to this band via their music reviews. After reading it, I sought out the album as soon as possible. It is such a solid, rocking album with wonderful undertones of country rock and soulful singing done by the band's namesake. Favorite track is "City", though "Holy Roller" will always remind me of walking down the sidewalks of San Francisco.

1. Tie: Aims by Vienna Teng and One Breath by Anna Calvi
  As before, women are crowned the music rulers of 2013.
  Teng makes her glorious return after taking a few years off to attend grad school and finish with a Masters degree. That, along with the recent sociopolitical environment (which was more prevalent since she moved to Detroit), inspired her to make a passionate plea for various causes: the 99% movement ("In the 99"), wasteful delivery systems ("Landsailor"), and trying to live in a city falling in despair ("Close to Home"). Favorite song: "Level Up". And sadly no, I didn't contribute to her Kickstarter video. I would've, but money was very bad at the time.
  As for Calvi, her return is marked with passion, but for different reasons. Mourning the loss of a beloved family member, she takes these emotions and channels them into an album that is not only beautiful but so heartbreaking. It's been a while since I heard an album this intimate. The moment I hit 'play', I knew this wasn't like her first album. And that is a very good thing. Favorite song: "Piece By Piece".

~

So there ya go. 2013 was a solid year for music**. Hope 2014 continues that streak (which seems like it so far). Thanks to all the musicians who put something out this year and to the newcomers that took the big leap.

This post was brought to you by my theme song of 2014***:



*Wow, not much of a review and more of a ranty-fest on The National. I don't really dislike the band at all, I think "Anyone's Ghost" and "Conversation 16" are amazing songs. I'm just tired of the myth that Joy Division were proto-emo. They weren't, y'all.

**Though funny enough, some music critics have called 2013 one of the worst years in recent memory. Well, that's what happens when you listen to crappy music stations. You have to look for the good stuff. I hope to prove that it isn't the equivalent of pulling hen's teeth.

***When I said this on Twitter, Vienna Teng favorited it. Needless to say, it made my day.

*meme does not belong to me*

Random-Ass Facts about My *Newest* Novel Project

Yep, it's that time again. I'm working on something else, which y'all will know it as Dolls. And yes, might as well share with y'all some stuff about the project.

• This used to be a Silent Hill fan fiction before I took the arduous task to divorce it from its source. It took me two years, on and off, to do it.

• Its original title was An Absence of Innocence.

• I first started writing this when I was 19. And here we go, 7 years later...

• It is set in my home state of Texas, though in cities I haven't been to since I was a kid (Houston and Galveston).

• The full current title came from a Sylvia Plath poem.

• Remember when I said three characters from another story made an appearance in Spiders? Well, the three are in this novel.

• The two main characters have the last names of Buckingham and McVie. And unlike Spiders, this was a coincidence. I had the characters created for separate works originally, but when I had them join forces... well, there you go.

• The name of the neighborhood that the main characters live in used to be the name of the town they lived in the events of the fan fiction: Briar Lake. It was supposed to be half a day's drive away from Silent Hill. Now it's a fictional neighborhood in Houston.

• One of the main characters has a former dream job of mine: record store clerk.

• Some of the nightmarish elements in the story were loosely inspired by dreams I had, especially my run of nightmares about haunted houses I had when I was 19.

• Here is the novel's theme song ('cause we gotta have this too): 

Thank you for your time to indulge me concerning a novel project that no one may actually read in its final form for about eight years.

Here, have a LOL:

*meme does not belong to me*

Five Songs I Love That Didn't Make the Transfer from Studio to Live

Have you ever loved a song so much that you were so damn excited when the band/musician came to town, you were intrigued and almost too giddy to hear what it sounded like live? Yeah, I know that feeling. Thank God a few songs I love did make the leap from studio creation to fantastic live performance. Unfortunately  not all of them did. And boy did it hurt. You wanted to shield your ears from the sacrilege and run to the nearest bathroom to cry. Here are five songs that made me want to do just that.

(I only could think of five songs, though I'm sure I can think of more over time.)

5. "Me and Sarah Jane" by Genesis
For some reason, the live performance lacks a certain fullness that the studio version had. It doesn't seem as melancholic yet bouncy. The live version makes it sound like a half-assed love song.

4. "Go Insane" by Lindsey Buckingham
Mr. Buckingham, I have only one request for you. No, I won't ask you to play "Soul Drifter", that ain't ever gonna happen. Instead, I beg you, play this song not as some wimpy acoustic solo thingy, the song is angry and loud. Make its legacy be that, not some toned-down goofiness.

3. "Is it Any Wonder?" by Keane
Oh man, when I saw this earlier this year, when it came time for this song, it hurt so much to hear the keyboard effects just tumble all over the place. After that, it wasn't as bad. But still, man, sometimes this is why I hate it when musicians use fancy effects on the studio recordings 'cause the live version ain't ever gonna be like the original.

2. "Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)" by Talking Heads
Damn, did this one suffer a nasty journey to the stage. It lacks the whomp of the studio performance. It's seems almost, in a strange way, too muted and mellow. This song is not f***ing mellow. It's the bust-down-your-door intro to its native album!

1. "Little Lies" by Fleetwood Mac
Yep, my all-time favorite song did not make the leap from studio to stage without suffering big time. The performance is so anemic that it makes me want to send it a local blood bank. And who's the joker thinking he could sing Lindsey Buckingham's part? And my God, whose genius idea was to have them damn backup singers? 'Bout ruined it just by themselves.

~

What songs broke your heart when you heard 'em live? Post it below and we'll have a cry!

Random-Ass Facts about My Current Novel Project

While hard at working on A Wilderness of Spiders, I came up with a random thing to procrastinate on... a random list of facts about the project.

Read at your own discretion (or boredom, same thing).

• This was LOOSELY inspired by my time as a bridesmaid for my best friend's wedding. It was thankfully not chaotic and tragic like the events of the novel (it was actually a huge blast and there was a mariachi band). And maybe the movie Bridesmaids, even though I have never seen it. I heard it was good...

• An addendum to the first fact: none of the characters were based on anyone I knew in the wedding party. Everyone was awesome and drama-free!

• One of the main characters was loosely inspired by my little sister. She approves of this. :D

• The novel plays with the legend of how bridesmaids were supposed to be the guards of the bride in tradition. 

• Yes, there is a stab at Fifty Shades of Grey. You're welcome.

• The main character listens to this song as she travels to the bride's place. I love this band.

• I may or may have not deliberately named three characters after two Talking Heads members and The Cars' drummer... o_o; (You get a prize if you guess the connection to two of the musicians!)

• An early title for it was Nowhere to Hide and then West End Girls (after the Pet Shop Boys song).

• It is supposed to be my attempt at a feminist mystery/thriller. I want that genre to exist so badly. Get on it, writers! I don't want to invent it!

• It takes place about two weeks before the 2012 elections. So when I was planning it, I had no effing clue who was going to become President. I wanted to capture the pre-election tensions going on around the time. (Not times we all want to recall, eh?)

• It takes place in the span of ten days. The prologue and epilogue are the exceptions, taking place in late 2004 and in mid 2013, respectfully.

• There wasn't supposed to be a wedding scene, but I added it in after thinking of it as a "deleted scene" and realized how awesome it would be if it was actually in there.

• I created my first atheist character in this novel. She's really awesome.

• The common connection that three of the characters have is a shared love for the music of The Band. And yes, they listen to The Last Waltz a lot in the novel.

• One character names "Gangnam Style" as her favorite song of the year.

• One of the police officers was named after a suggestion by my little sister's friend. Shout-out to her!

• Three characters from a previous novel idea make cameos in here. WTF, y'all? Stay in your own universe!

• And finally... this is the novel's official theme song.

Have I sufficiently bored you yet? No? Then go look at some LOLcats or something. Why are you still here? Here, have a random picture.

*meme does not belong to me*

Best of 2012: Book Edition

Since I'm gonna do these lists on here now, I'm not gonna add too much review nor link them to my bookstore's website. Instead, I'll let you use your favorite source for books (indie stores, library, audiobooks, e-books, borrowing from someone, etc.) to find these titles.

So here they are, my favorite books of 2012! Enjoy!

25 Things You (Likely) Don't Know About Me

~~

1. I am the only person amongst my friends and family that hated Sucker Punch.

2. I air-guitar left-handed, yet I’m right-handed.

3. My liquors of choice are rum and whiskey. Vodka and tequila, no thanks!

4. I love Peter Gabriel solo more than in Genesis, yet I love Phil Collins in Genesis more than solo. (Bonus Genesis factoid: I prefer the Hackett/Banks/Rutherford/Collins era [Trick of the Tail and Wind & Wuthering]).

5. If I could dress as one musician for my stage costume, I want to dress like Phil Manzanera from Roxy Music’s performance of “Ladytron” on The Old Grey Whistle Test. Those glasses are f***ing awesome.

6. I would love to learn how to play both banjo and bass.

7. According to my friends and family, I’m excellent at gift-giving.

8. I taught myself how to write (in general), braid, and juggle.

9. Before becoming a serious writer; I used to write Looney Tunes and Silent Hill fan fiction as a hobby. And no, none of it was sleazy. Or can be found on the Internet.

10. The books I have successfully recommended to customers are The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka followed by Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt (5 times for each of them).

11. Thanks to my sister, I’m now a hot tea drinker. My preference is green tea with honey.

12. I became a feminist when I was 21.

13. As of today, I have been published 3 times.

14. I was told once by a creative writing classmate that my writing wasn't good because the language wasn't "profound" nor were the words "12th grade level". Hey buddy, Hemingway on Line 4 for you.

15. I would like to write lyrics for a rock band.

16. If I could travel back into time to see one concert, it would be the entire US Festival in 1982. (Second place goes to Talking Heads in Tokyo, Japan in 1981).

17. Regarding item 16, I have been told by a few that this was an excellent choice.

18. I'm planning to cosplay as the Nostalgia Critic at an anime convention.

19. I am starting to collect nail polishes. God help me.

20. My best friend's upcoming wedding will be the first wedding I will ever go to. And also the first where I am part of the bridal party.

21. I'm pretty superstitious. I believe in wearing and carrying lucky things (like rings and jewelry), looking out for lucky numbers in things (like lotteries), and in omens. However, I don't believe in astrology.

22. When I was a kid, I wanted to be either a meteorologist or an animation director; almost just as bad as I want to be a writer now.

23. I'm really sensitive to the smell of house paint. It makes me gag.

24. I started calling microwaveable bacon "lazy bacon", beginning a trend in my house. My parents even list it as "lazy bacon" on their grocery lists!

25. I have named all my fountain pens after British writers. The Pelikan is Angela (after Angela Carter), the Waterman is George (after George Eliot), and the Retro 51 is Brian (after Brian Jacques).

100 All-Time Favorite Songs (with bonus tracks!)

After working on this for over a year, I have finally compiled a list of 100 of my all-time favorite songs. I have tried to have at least one song per artist and an equal amount of male and female artists. Unfortunately, there is a large amount of white artists vs. artists of color (something I'm currently working on).

How this is gonna work: all the songs will be linked to YouTube, either to the music video or the actual song or an excellent live version (I will indicate "music video" with an asterisk and a special note if it's a live performance).

If (and when) I get more time, I might go back and add some commentary.

These are the songs that didn't quite make the list, yet still deserve mention:

105. "Another One Bites the Dust" by Queen*
104. "Golden Haze" by Wild Nothing
103. "Ladytron" by Roxy Music (live on The Old Grey Whistle Test)
102. "Steve McQueen" by M83
101. "You Get What You Give" by New Radicals*

~

Now, the 100...

100. "Dirty Laundry" by Don Henley
99. "There's A Light" by The Doobie Brothers
98. "Ride A White Horse" by Goldfrapp*
97. "I Don't Feel Like Dancin'" by Scissor Sisters*
96. "Army of Me" by Björk*
95. "Mohammad's Radio" by Warren Zevon (live on The Old Grey Whistle Test)
94. "Brainpower" by Freezepop*
93. "Looking At the Invisible Man" by The Dead Weather (live at Third Man Records) (may not be an epilepsy-friendly video)
92. "Powerless (Say What You Want)" by Nelly Furtado*
91. "Aeon" by Lacuna Coil
90. "You Can Have It All" by Yo La Tengo (only cover song in the entire list)
89. "Superstition" by Stevie Wonder (live on a TV show in 1973)
88. "Copy" by Plastics
87. "My Big Hands (Fall Through the Cracks) by David Byrne (live with Talking Heads in London)
86. "Baba O'Riley" by The Who
85. "Girl, You Have No Faith in Medicine" by The White Stripes
84. "Mothers, Sisters, Daughters, and Wives" by Voxtrot
83. "Private Idaho" by The B-52's* 
82. "L'Elephant" by Tom Tom Club (skip to 2:13)
81. "After the Glitter Fades" by Stevie Nicks
80. "Electioneering" by Radiohead
79. "Undertow" by Warpaint*
78. "Spoilt Victorian Child" by The Fall
77. "Cities in Dust" by Siouxsie and the Banshees*
76. "L.E.S. Artistes" by Santigold* (may be too violent for some viewers)
75. "Crucify" by Tori Amos*
74. "Birdhouse in Your Soul" by They Might Be Giants*
73. "The Caves of Altamira" by Steely Dan
72. "Sunny Came Home" by Shawn Colvin*
71. "Raspberry Beret" by Prince and the Revolution (may not be epilepsy-friendly) (see bottom for special note)
70. "Watercolors" by Nina Gordon (please refer to a legal music source for clips)
69. "Conversation 16" by The National (see bottom for special note)
68. "Go-Go Gadget Gospel" by Gnarls Barkley*
67. "The Fallen" by Franz Ferdinand*
66. "Fight Test" by The Flaming Lips*
65. "Middle Cyclone" by Neko Case
64. "It's Too Late" by Carole King
63. "Hurricane Drunk" by Florence + the Machine
62. "Savoir Faire" by Family Fodder
61. "California" by Brenda Weiler (please refer to a legal music source for clips)
60. "Walking On a Dream" by Empire of the Sun*
59. "Rapture" by Blondie*
58. "Lady Writer" by Dire Straits* (my namesake, y'all!)
57. "Brandy Alexander" by Feist*
56. "Green River" by Creedence Clearwater Revival
55. "Come Together" by The Beatles
54. "Whole Lotta Losin'" by Monsters of Folk
53. "Put Your Records On" by Corinne Bailey Rae*
52. "Couldn't Stand the Rain" by Mindy Smith (featuring Amy Grant) [please refer to a legal music source for clips]
51. "Haiti" by Arcade Fire
50. "Tom Sawyer" by Rush*
49. "White" by Charlotte Hatherley*
48. "Suddenly I See" by KT Tunstall*
47. "Worms" by Beth Orton
46. "Never Say Never" by Romeo Void*
45. "I Will Follow You Into the Dark" by Death Cab for Cutie*
44. "Mirage" by Ladytron*
43. "Helena Beat" by Foster the People*
42. "Eliza" by If By Yes (featuring David Byrne)
41. "Welcome to the Machine" by Pink Floyd* (may be too violent for some viewers)
40. "The Nightfly" by Donald Fagen
39. "Nightwatchman" by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (live version, skip to 1:17)
38. "Haunted" by Poe
37. "That's Just About Right" by Blackhawk*
36. "Darkness" by The Police (forgive the video, it's goofy, but it had the music intact)
35. "Land" by Patti Smith
34. "Is It Any Wonder?" by Keane*
33. "We Didn't Start the Fire" by Billy Joel*
32. "See No Evil" by Television
31. "21st Century Schizoid Man" by King Crimson (lyrical content may be too violent for some)
30. "My Dark Hour" by Steve Miller Band (please refer to a legal music source for clips)
29. "Sleep Alone" by Bat for Lashes*
28. "Walkin' After Midnight" by Patsy Cline
27. "Love Don't Live Here" by Ladyhawke
26. "Through Being Cool" by Devo*
25. "October" by Broken Bells
24. "Munich" by Editors*
23. "September" by Earth, Wind & Fire* (may not be epilepsy-friendly)
22. "Panic Switch" by Silversun Pickups* (may not be epilepsy-friendly)
21. "Tears of Pearls" by Savage Garden

Here it is: the final twenty. The songs that, if they didn't exist, my life would be a sad and music-less one. The songs that will make me squeal like a teenage girl if I hear them out in the world. The songs I will stop for if their music videos appear on TV, even if I've seen it a hundred times. The songs that you can find me humming under my breath as I shelve books. The songs... okay, you get it.

20. "Losing My Religion" by R.E.M.*
19. "New Dawn Fades" by Joy Division
18. "San Jacinto" by Peter Gabriel (live during the Amnesty International Conspiracy of Hope Tour)
17. "Think Too Much (A)" by Paul Simon 
16. "Train in Vain" by The Clash
15. "Man With a Gun" by Jerry Harrison*
14. "King's Lead Hat" by Brian Eno
13. "Venus in Furs" by The Velvet Underground
12. "Hope On Fire" by Vienna Teng
11. "The Sensual World" by Kate Bush*
10. "Long Way Down" by Goo Goo Dolls* (the video is not epilepsy-friendly, here is just the song)
9. "Little Lies" by Fleetwood Mac*
8. "Maybe Tonight" by Nicole Atkins*
7. "Amsterdam" by Guster*
6. "A World of Madness" by Akira Yamaoka (only instrumental in the list and only song from a video game)
5. "Keep It Dark" by Genesis*
4. "Anyone Can Be Somebody's Fool" by Nanci Griffith (please refer to your favorite legal music provider for a sample...)
3. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears for Fears*
2. "Soul Drifter" by Lindsey Buckingham (live on David Letterman)
1. "Houses In Motion" by Talking Heads (live in Rome, with Adrian Belew on guitar!)

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There you go, folks. Enjoy!

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Special notes:

"Raspberry Beret": For some reason, finding the official video proved difficult, so the Pop-Up Video version will have to suffice. Sorry, y'all.

"Conversation 16": I did not link to the original video because it is probably one of the most offensive things I've ever seen. Yeah, thanks, just perpetuate that women presidents would be goofy and incompetent.