So I’ve got my sweet summer blog looking more my own flavor. Hugely satisfying.

It’s the nerd in me that keeps me coming back to these code-a-website-tinker-with-jargon projects. I really enjoy the problem solving element. Trial and error. I’m working on getting a mp3 player on this blog.

Let me set the scene: it’s late, my favorite huge orange desk lamp (drippy orange ceramic base, huge cylindrical fuzzy lamp shade) is glowing, a stack of my favorite New York Times magazines that I picked through today have got me feeling artistically stimulated, and I’ve got a ton of new music from going to the library every day this week and checking out the max 5 cds.

Here’s a bit of what I’m rocking:

Hits of the Seventies: Blue Swede’s ‘Hooked on a Feeling” —you can’t deny that disco goodness. Whoever decided on creating that “oog-a chug-a” intro is a genius. 2.) Season’s in the Sun - Warble-y distorted guitars, goth-ish lyrics set to sunny melody: mmmm. There are a bunch of cover versions of this song, but the Nirvana video on the box set stands out in my mind as most intimate and endearing: Kurt on drums, Krist on guitar trying to find the riff, and Dave plodding through the 4 notes of the bass line.

Yeah Yeah Yeah’s “Mysteries”: ramble around the room guitar shake-up chased by Karen Oh! I avoided this album last summer because it sounded a bit too blue, but it’s growing on me. It’s still no Fever to Tell.

Queen: Radio Ga Ga: Insistent synth keyboards, piano chords that shoot toward space, and Freddie Mercury making the masses of Live 8 pump their fists.

Electrelane: To the East: This bassline is a pretty heavy handed lift from every Arcade Fire song ever, but it still makes me pull the curtains shut and dance around the room.

Best for last: I’ve been rediscovering my love for Animal Collective, and in the process I discovered Dan Deacon. Don’t stop the electronic loops, layers of noise, waves of rave-up catchiness, thrift store junk instrumentation. This stuff inspires me in every way. Here’s a link to some new Animal Collective supposedly coming soon: