Wow. I can't believe it's been that many posts, already. It's been 70 songs, three mixes (should I do more of these again?), 99 posts (not counting this one), ten books, more or less mentioned (six this year, so far), one novel written, and lots of words for this blog. I was planning on a big, happy, long post with lots of celebrating songs, but instead I'm going to leave you with another, classic shuffle mix, hopefully with better words than before I'll be sure to filter out and mention songs already loved and such.

The 100th Post Shuffle Mix (c)

1.Elliott Smith-Happiness Oh, Elliott Smith. The singer-songwriter of all singer songwriters, the king of tortured artists and shy indie kids, the genius behind the whole depressed, melodic acoustic guitars and my-voice-is-beautiful-with-those-chords-and-you-must-worship-it, ironically, singing, tinkling strings, stinging our hearts with his take on happiness...why don't you just stab us now?

2.Jimmy Eat World-Just Tonight Now, now, could this be any more perfect? What's a classic Bubble Death post without a fair share of Jimmy (and co. est. 1995). Memories, of picking up that record, stepping into a world of beauty and rocking guitars, of jumping riffs and solos as background noise, the anger, the bitter resentment "I'll give you anything but you want pain", the classic Jimmy vocals and the storm of crashing drums, guitars, beating off to that final moment, that ringing feedback, that amazing pop-rock-fake-emo-ness of the whole, gigantic, song.

3.Belle & Sebastian-The Stars of Track and Field Now no one's going to believe me when I say all of this came up on shuffle! Automatically! I had nothing to do with the fact that the first three artists to pop up are among my favorite artists, ever, and the fact that I adore this song to pieces! The classic Belle & Sebastian sound, all warped up and blended into this one song, all the anti-athletic, the bookish, quiet boy in the back of the class, all the sweet homely girl becoming a star, every belle and soft guitar, padded vocals and soothing horns, pounded into this one epic track of beauty and such a graceful awkward situation.

4.Junior Senior-Hip Hop a Lula If this were an actual mixtape, I'd be breaking one of the toughest rules. This sudden transition, from quiet and cutesy indie pop into ecstaic dance pop happiness, this energy, this crank of the volume and movement, this hip hopping, feet moving, hip shaking, lip mouthing the lyrics wrongly without caring, the tinglings and collective beats, the definite confidence and partybility present in these short minutes...it's pure entertainment.

5.Bloc Party-This Modern Love Ah, Bloc Party. Now here's a band I could comment on all day long. Overrated? Overhyped? Just right? Instead of arguing over the indie cred of the band, I'll step away to the music. The 80's (surprise, surprise?) keyboards, the soft, not so dancable but very cleverly done overdubbing vocals with that echoing effect, like a true pop song, revealing the soft, romantic side of these dance punk new comers? Or just a ring of what they could be, or what they're doing wrong, or the...you know, I think I rather give up on explaining.

6.The Decemberists-On the Bus Mall I don't even want to post this song because I'm sure all the hipsters and yupsters already own the CD and don't need one more blog post about another acoustic, story telling, love/hate Colin Meloy vocals, thudding, fanned out guitars and leading up to the choruses, with just that much more sound, that much more power, that much more theme and body to the already rather good song that, honestly, is impossible to write about in an interesting matter. Next.

7.The Unicorns-Tuff Ghost The only reason this track warrants an upload and "On the Bus Mall" doesn't, is because I can tie in the already broken and disappeared Unicorns into the up and blossoming Islands, and also, because writing about weird, fantasy inclined, effect and bass heavy indie pop is just something rather refreshing, no matter how many times you do it. I mean, just listen to those creaks and whines in the guitars! The cute spelling of the song title! The dangling verses, the crash of the chorus! All the better to remind us of a gem of a band long gone, and to be super hyped about Islands (which features two ex-Unicorn members, and which I didn't know about upon seeing them with Beck)

8.The Pixies-Oh My Golly! There is nothing I can say about the Pixies that hasn't already been said. They are amazing. They are inspirational. They are noise of the highest class, dirty grunge indie rock, alternative rock, 90's, crashing, thundering, powerful--but still so catchy, still so wonderful with their lingering melodies and choruses, still so brilliant in almost everything they do.

9.Of Montreal-My British Tour Diary I feel like I've already written way too much about Of Montreal...but damn it, why do they have to pop up? I think my media player is against shuffling up anything new. This must stop. I mean, as delightful and clever as their lyrics are, as glittery and dancable, light hearted and spirit rising, absurd and fantastic, bouncing and prancing, as clappable and sometimes even air-guitarable, this must stop. Just...after one more listen.

10.Kelly Clarkson-Behind These Hazel Eyes Okay, so I had to pick this last one. I had to end on my own terms, with my own song. With the beloved Kelly, with the beloved rawking guitars, with the beloved pop genius, with the beloved broken hearted, strong willed, mud straddled, high toned, perfect pop song. Yes, "Since U Been Gone" was amazing, too, but did it have this desperation? This emotional stress cranked up to 11, the polished finish, the shiny and clean exterior, barely straining the monster inside--too. much. bitterness. And, way, way, too much brilliance to leave out.

Thank you for reading this far, and for the next 100 posts to come!

Edit: apparently it's Taylor's 100th postdate too! Check out his cover link from Buddy Holly to Sufjan (bleh) Stevens.