Me Against The Music: Tracks 61-82

For reasons of her own, Elle has decided to listen to every single song in her music library and record the experience. These are her notes. 

Tracks 61-82

 61. Flowers On The Wall - The Statler Brothers (Pulp Fiction)

I have an unabashed weakness for falsely happy songs with surprisingly depressing lyrics. Have you ever listened to what this song is actually saying? Someone needs a hug.

Me Against The Music: Tracks 37-60

For reasons of her own, Elle has decided to listen to every single song in her music library and record the experience. These are her notes. 

Tracks 37-60

40. Handel: Water Music - Presto - Richard Edlinger: Capella Istropolitana

It's really, really hard to be sad when listening to this. Believe me, I've tried.

A Few Questions For 'Jurassic World'

Dear Jurassic World:

I hope this letter finds you well. OK, let's not be coy -- I know it finds you well. You're the biggest movie in the world. You've smashed all the records and have the box office eating out of your CGI-d hands. A sequel is already in the works, and lots of people adore you and what you've done. Good on you. I wish you nothing but the best. And while you're enjoying all this success and good fortune, I have a few questions I'd like to pose to you.

Understand, I was excited when I heard about this movie. I love Jurassic Park. I even liked the sequels a great deal. And then you got Chris Pratt on board, and I was even more pumped. The trailers only helped matters. I mean, Chris Pratt as King of the Raptors? This is like all my dreams coming to cinematic life.

Then I saw the movie. And now I have some questions.

WARNING: This article contains spoilers. Literally all the spoilers, ever. I go through pretty much every single thing that happened in Jurassic World. I spoil it. I spoil all the things. If you do not want to see SPOILERS FOR JURASSIC PARK, PLEASE DO NOT READ ANY MORE.

Me Against The Music: Tracks 24-36

For reasons of her own, Elle has decided to listen to every single song in her music library and record the experience. These are her notes. 

Tracks 24-36

24. Antrozous - Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howard 

Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight trilogy has a soundtrack that ranks as one of my all-time favorites. It's great to work out to, great to drive to, and great to save Gotham to. Also great to attempt to destroy Gotham to. What? I'm just saying. You know the Joker was blasting this as he went around causing mayhem. 

It also eternally delights me that the track names are the Latin names for different species of bats. It further delights me that tracks 4 through 9 form an acrostic that actually spells 'Batman.' That is an attention to detail you can't overlook.

Me Against The Music: Tracks 11-23

For reasons of her own, Elle has decided to listen to every single song in her music library and record the experience. These are her notes. 

Tracks 11-23

11. The Click - Good Charlotte

When I was a wee lass (or at least a teenager with Manic Panic-colored hair and bondge pants direct from Hot Topic), I met the brothers Joel and Benji Madden at a local all-ages show. And they were lovely. Just incredibly nice and kind to all the emotionally stressed-out teens demanding their attention, and remarkably patient with the histrionics that ensued. They were polite and friendly and seemed genuinely flattered that people were so enthralled by their music. It was remarkable that these people we had seen on TV were so human.

Me Against The Music: Tracks 1-10

For reasons of her own, Elle has decided to listen to every single song in her music library and record the experience. These are her notes. 

Tracks 1-10

Now, as this is the first entry, let's make a few things clear: 

• I'm only discussing the songs about which I have something to say. That is why there are jumps in the numbers.
• This isn't a way for me to hide my shameful musical inclinations; the complete list will be posted on the sidebar for your mockery and derision. So enough stalling. Let's get to it, shall we? 

1. Halloweenhead - Ryan Adams

Oh thank God the first song is a good one. At least I'm starting out on the right foot, and didn't embarrass myself immediately. That will come later I'm sure, but for now I at least have the illusion of dignity and musical taste. For the record, Ryan Adams has uttered two of my favorite insults of all time: 'Fuck off into a black hole and die,' and 'Fuck off to a Nickelback concert.' He also loves cats. Ryan Adams is the best.

Me Against The Music: An Audio Retrospective

I love collecting things. I have a knack for it: comics, t-shirts, books and yarn just seem to accumulate around me. It's a gift (or a curse, depending on your perspective). And that's not even counting the seemingly endless digital copies of things I've acquired due to the wonders of technology. 

While some of my collections have come and gone (I still don't quite understand what the point of Pogs was, and precious few Beanie Babies have survived subsequent purges), a few have been steadfast companions. One of the oldest (and by far least organized) is my music collection.

Over the years I've collected music from countless sources: recommended lists, television soundtracks, random mixes, suggestions from friends, and free downloads were all my domain. I collected indiscriminately, first in cassettes, then CDs, and now in the form of MP3s. Over the years my collection has evolved to be mostly digital -- and it's still a mess. 

Whoever said that digital copies would cut down on clutter should have a chat with me. My music collection is baffling and somewhat frightening. I have no idea where a large chunk of my music came from, or what possessed me to add it to my listening rotation. Some are dubiously titled. A lot are damaged from the time I tried to save my collection from a dying laptop, and was only semi-successful.

And because of streaming music, I've neglected it for some time. It's easy, it's fun, and it's exposed me to tons of music I otherwise would never had heard. I've discovered new artists I love and can finally understand a lot of pop culture references that were baffling me (there are downsides to not listening to the radio for years on end). The only downside to this brave new musical world? My own music collection has been cruelly neglected.

My iTunes has grown dusty and decrepit from lack of use. If digital music could grow moldy, my collection would a science experiment. But no more; I'm going to tackle it head-on. I will listen to every track in my collection, and record the experience for your edification. 

The good, the bad, the one-hit wonders I still adore and the 'classic hits' I can't help but loathe -- all will be confessed to. I'll keep the ones I genuinely like, and let the rest go.  No matter how bad, shameful, or straight-up weird the songs may be. 

So gird your loins, kids: this could get ugly.