Little C: Bad Day Recovery Mix

Yesterday was not a good day. It happens from time to time, that the entire city of Los Angeles loses it's collective marbles. These days tend to start at crazy and culminate in me having to ask a woman to leave the woman's restroom where she was eating a rotisserie chicken "Gollum-style" with her bare hands ... True story.

In this metaphor I'm Frodo, horrified and unable to look away

So starting from the time my key hit the ignition on my way home tonight, I geared my musical tastes towards "recovery music" and tried desperately to forget all that had happened during the day. And after more than a decade of needing a specific set of songs for the days that make you wonder if you should have even bothered to get out of bed, I've got a pretty tight set of tunes that transition me back into feeling like a human. So I thought I'd go through a few of these for my post this week. 

1) Warbrain- Alkaline Trio

Perfect song to start off with. From the first lines (I can't go on, she said my head's too heavy. I need that song. Those trusty chords can pull me through) we are out the gate with these boys doing everything they can to fix my head. I should note that this list was almost "The Bad Day Recovery Mix as Played by Alkaline Trio" so just assume that Mercy Me, My Friend Peter, Blue in the Face, or If You Had a Bad Time can all just as easily have been the first song here and been just as effective.

 

2) Save Me- Unwritten Law

At this point in the day I don't want songs that are going to tell me that I will feel better in a little while. I want someone to one up me with a story of an even worse day. And bless their drunk little hearts, UL are always good for that. 

3) Black Me Out- Against Me!

This track is a pure hit of self righteous anger with a booming vocal that is perfect for scream/singing along to. At this point the volume on the stereo is all the way up and if I'm on the highway the windows of the car are down. In the same way that Alkaline Trio get me when I'm burnt out, Against Me! get me when I feel bullied by the world. 

4) Dog Eared Page- The Matches

Still a little angry, but way more melodic. A good transition into the back half of the meltdown. Plus I can start to feel pity for the guy in this song not getting the obvious hints that this girl has ditched him. Feeling sorry for someone else is a great way to stop feeling sorry for yourself.

5) LG FUAD- Motion City Soundtrack

And here we are in a song that curses and talks about depression openly but still manages to be... well... upbeat. At least melodically speaking. I can't listen to the last verse of this song (Sister soldier you've been such a positive influence on my mental frame) without thinking of my best friend, Bailey who helped me put together most of this list. 

6) My Blue Heaven- Taking Back Sunday

This fucking song. I go through lulls with this band when I feel like Adam's style is a little overdramatic, but this song always manages to squeak through the cracks and stay with me. As far as arrangement and production goes, TBS never did better than this. And as far as my emotional breakdowns go, this song can pull me through the roughest part of the day and get me back to being ready for actual human interactions. 

That's all for now. If I've left anything out, please feel free to let me know. Keep in mind that taste in music is like a finger print; no two people have the same one. 

Happy Listening,

Little C