DAMNIT!!!!!!!!!! I’ve been working on a playlist for proofreaders but not had time to search for more songs, and Music for Kids Who Can’t Read Good posts a playlist for the National Spelling Bee! Well-played, sir. I’m stealing some of your ideas for my list.

All songs Misanthrope-approved for working to, as long as they don’t distract you from your proofreading duties.

Oxford Comma – Vampire Weekend

Nothing Gets Crossed Out – Bright Eyes

Proofer’s mark joke! Some things do get crossed out. As far as Bright Eyes songs, it was either this or “You Will. You? Will. You? Will. You? Will.“

Parentheses – The Blow

You Could Write a Book – SSLYBY

Because everyone involved in writing/editing/using words for a living has a secret novel squirreled away in their desk drawer. Also, the line We need to proofread. You bet your ass you do!

Did You See the Words – Animal Collective

(thx, Music for Kids Who Can’t Read Good!)

Triphallus, To Punctuate! – of Montreal

Wrapped Up In Books – Belle and Sebastian

Interjections – School House Rock

Though “Conjunction Junction” would have been the obvious choice, I always liked this joyful little number about interjections. Hey! I love interjections.

BONUS! For all the editors out there. It’s got “edit” right in the title!:

Via Black Plastic Bag, of Montreal recently performed a new song for Rolling Stone. The song title? “Teenage Unicorn Fisting.” Steve Kolowich’s (fairly astute) assessment? “Like Flight of the Conchords, but on Acid.”

The song, which you can watch and listen to here, is definitely weird as fuck. I’d agree that it sounds like FotC in an almost deliberate way. And I’m not about to pretend I know more than 5 or 6 of Montreal songs. But I’ve heard “Alter Eagle” so, frankly, this weird-ass song (not weird ass-song) doesn’t surprise me much.

So, I’m employed now, as we all know. Superemployed, if you want the truth. I’ve got three jobs, and am looking for volunteer opportunities. What does this mean? Disposable income, baby! Yes, I plan to order contact lenses and buy a hamper so that I stop throwing my clothes all over the floor of my tiny bedroom, but once that’s gone, I’ve got money to spend on gazillions of tickets in this coming year.

So here are some bands I would like to come see (back) through DC that I’ve never seen before!

Gogol Bordello

These guys were in town really, really, really recently, and I didn’t get a ticket. Dumb! Also, the night they played, I went to the Velvet Lounge to see one of like five bands playing. They were listed second online, which usually means they play second-to-last. We walked in as the second band was setting up and found out the band I wanted to see had played first. WHATEVER, Velvet Lounge! Then I was waiting for the Metro and saw girls in Gogol Bordello sweatshirts, and heard someone playing a video she’d taken at the show. It sounded epic. Also, I love Eugene Hutz if only because I love the book Everything is Illuminated. I want to see the movie, I just haven’t yet.

of Montreal

I mentioned before that I almost went to see these guys in Paris, and now I realize that not going was one of the great mistakes I made in Europe. (Spending 3 days in Madrid was another!) Holy crap.

Beirut

Zach Condon is, like, my age, and I would totally make out with him based exclusively based on what his music sounds like.

Ha Ha Tonka

Technically, I saw HHT play about a song and a half when they opened for SSLYBY in Philadelphia, but that’s it. After the show, the singers for both bands were standing all by themselves holding HHT albums and looking pathetic, so of course I tried to be cool and really just looked awkward. John Robert Cardwell tried to trade me a CD for the t-shirt I’d just bought, but when I told him it was his band’s shirt, he rescinded the offer. Anyway, I promised to buy the HHT CD the next night in DC, and I did, even though I missed their set. It’s pretty good. I’d like to see them again, after they finish recording their new album.

I’m noticing that these are all bands of dudes. Can anyone recommend some new female artists to get pumped about?

Postscript, I tried to go see these guys in Paris in May for shits and giggles, but I didn’t know if there were tickets still available, and the guy at FNAC seemed to have no idea what I was talking about, and the venue was way the hell out from where I was staying, and I’d already stood outside a Vampire Weekend show in London a few nights before with no success (so I went to Brighton the next night and had my face rocked off… bitches!).

I kind of wish I’d gone, now. This video is crazy. Does anyone have this CD? I want it.