Sometime Around Midnight, A Playlist

I read one of the most amazing novels recently, it was called "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" and it was spectacular. Not only the words and the format of the novel (it's entirety is letter after letter from the narrator to an anonymous "friend") but there is a lot of really amazing music referenced through out it. The narrator, Charlie, discovers music as a way to help him cope with life, with bands like The Smiths,The Cure, Fleetwood Mac and David Bowie, all of which, I love.  One of the monumental songs in the book is "Asleep" by The Smiths, one of my favorite songs of theirs, and it was sort of in my head the whole time I was reading.

 That song, as well as "Hurt" by Johnny Cash, "Sometime Around Midnight" by the Airborne Toxic Event and "The Embrace" by (my favorite band) AFI have been swimming in my head for weeks now, and are all deeply personal songs for me. Sad songs are always more beautiful to me, I'm not entirely sure why; maybe it has something to do with their frailty or vulnerability, but they seem to move me more than sugar-coated bubble gum pop (although I've been known to like that as well!).  

Lyrically speaking, I'm drawn to these darker themes. I think everyone experiences these moods now and again, maybe I experience it more than others, I'm not sure. But listening to it (and don't refer to it as "emo" for the love of everything!) doesn't make me feel sadder, it actually does the opposite. Maybe because it makes you feel like you're not alone in the world, like someone out there gets you, gets what you're going through. And that's very comforting to me. Though not every song on this playlist is like this.

The song "It's Time to Begin" by Imagine Dragons is really inspiring, which I think I needed desperately to combat the moodiness and sadness of those other songs. Without making a conscious effort to do so, there seems to be several themes running through this mix, one of which includes the idea of sleeplessness/restlessness. It's funny when you're just picking songs that you're into at the moment, they're like pieces of a puzzle, and until you finish it, you don't realize what the big picture looks like. I guess that's why playlists are so personal. Like I've said, they're basically diary entries, which is kind of a scary thought. 

Nonetheless, hopefully this mix get's me through the week, which is part of the reason why new mixes always come on Monday; I need something for the work/school week!

[Author's note: Clicking on the title of the playlist will bring you to listen to it (for free) on Spotify, if you have an account.]

Sometime Around Midnight

1.It's Time- Imagine Dragons
2. Too Close- Alex Clare
3. Undisclosed Desires- Muse
4. Sometime Around Midnight- The Airborne Toxic Event
5. Hurt- Johnny Cash
6. Rolling in the Deep- Go Radio
7. Losing Touch- The Killers
8. Mexico- Incubus
9. The Embrace- AFI
10. Little Talks- Of Monsters and Men
11. Valentine's Day- Linkin Park
12. Starlight- Muse
13. Stay Away- The Honorary Title
14. Jenny Was a Friend of Mine- The Killers
15. A Deep Slow Panic- AFI
16. Counting Stars- One Republic
17. The Zephyr Song- Red Hot Chili Peppers
18. Stockholm Syndrome- Muse
19. Pardon Me- Incubus
20. The Face Beneath the Waves- AFI
21. Asleep- The Smiths