Oh, the Places I've Been

A Places Mix
I decided to pick my songs based on the places I've been. For the past three years, traveling has become a minor obsession of mine. Every time there is a long weekend, I try to plan a trip. Every summer I traipse off to places I've never been, because why not?! My goal is to see all fifty states and ten Canadian provinces before I turn thirty. I'm twenty-six now. I've got twelve states and one province left. This is entirely reachable.

(I only read Evan's introduction before I made my mix, so I won't know if we overlap until I post this.)

1. The Lemonheads - Pittsburgh
Anyone who's been in the same room with me for more than five minutes probably knows that I'm a) from Pittsburgh and b) love Pittsburgh. People don't believe me when I say that Pittsburgh is one of the best cities in the country (and now that I've been to a lot of cities, I can say that with certainty). I'm trying to convince Evan to move there with me when he's back from Singapore. That is the best idea!


2. The Promise Ring - The Jersey Shore
I put "The Jersey Shore" second on my list because I spent a week there nearly every summer growing up. I used to know Avalon, NJ, like the back of my hand. I haven't been in years, but I miss my summers there.


3. The Wombats - Moving to New York
This concept is currently ruining my existence in Boston. One of my closest friends here is moving to New York this fall, and I couldn't be sadder about it. Honestly, I don't see the appeal in moving to NYC. It's expensive, a billion other people are all trying to do the same thing as you, and people are fake as shit. It's also a nonstop tourist nightmare. Sorry, I'm never moving to New York.


4. Sun Kil Moon - Carry Me Ohio
Pittsburgh is only an hour or so from the Ohio border, but that doesn't mean I went there often. In fact, I can think of only three times I've been to Cleveland: 1. In high school with my friend Ashley to see the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland right after it opened (her mom drove, I bought an Our Lady Peace CD in the gift shop. 2. In college my brother and I drove to Cleveland to see The Get Up Kids at the Grog Shop (we were nearly carjacked). 3. This summer the Rowland Family drove to Canton to see the Football Hall of Fame and onward to Cleveland for my second visit to the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame. Really no need to ever go to Ohio ever again.


5. Editors - Munich
My first trip to Germany happened the summer before my senior year of high school. My high school German teacher was the leader of the trip, and all I remember doing was walking from dawn until dusk and never eating. Never eating because German food is the worst. I survived by hoarding the breakfast rolls in plastic bags and sneaking off to McDonald's for McFlurrys whenever I had the chance. I bought The Get Up Kids' Something to Write Home About in Munich. Because it was the international release, it had four extra songs on it, which made me feel really cool and awesome when I got back to the states. I am a nerd.


6. Vampire Weekend - Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa
My first experience in New England was Cape Cod. I came up with my college boyfriend to meet his family and then check out Boston. You know, to see if it was a viable place to live once I'd graduated. What's weird is that a few years later, I found out that I have a half-sister. Who lives on Cape Cod. About five minutes from the house of my (now) ex-boyfriend's family. My life is full of weird.


7. The New Amsterdams - Idaho
I just went to Idaho! You might think it's a myth that Idaho is all about potatoes, but it really is! I might have only been in the state for all of three hours, but I saw so many potato-related things. Including the World Potato Exposition. There was a lot of road construction. I did not like that part of Idaho.


8. Band of Horses - The Great Salt Lake
And from Idaho, we drove to the Great Salt Lake. Let me tell you about the Great Salt Lake. That is, let me lower your expectations: The Great Salt Lake has a "shore" that is chockfull of sharp rocks and shell bits that you have to walk across to get to the water. This "shore" at low tide was nearly the length of a football field (ouch!). The Great Salt Lake has been overtaken by mosquitos. They're in the air. They're in the sand. And they cover the surface of the water. I'm itching just thinking about them! The Great Salt Lake smells like shit. Seriously - like a big, fresh turd. But the awesome things about the Great Salt Lake is the floating. It is pretty awesome to literally SIT in the water.


9. The Get Up Kids - Campfire Kansas
I also went to Kansas this summer. Stopped in Topeka. Saw the state capitol building. Saw the Westboro Baptist Church. Saw a street corner where there was supposed to be a giant meat cleaver. Got back in the car and drove onward to Kansas City, MO.


10. Bishop Allen - Oklahoma
You'll never believe it, but in addition to seeing Idaho, Utah, and Kansas on this summer's journey, I also made time for Oklahoma. It's pretty flat there.


11. Desaparecidos - Greater Omaha
I thought Omaha was going to be my mecca for tall, skinny, moppy-haired boys. Maybe we went to the wrong places, but there were few good specimens. We did go see Saddle Creek Records. Rob bought vomit-flavored jellybeans. And I also bought a t-shirt that read "emOmaha" with the state of Nebraska shedding a tear. I should have bought that fucking t-shirt.


12. The Decemberists - Los Angeles, I'm Yours
Los Angeles, I'm not yours. In fact, I hated you. I have never been to a more vapid or traffic-riddled place. I shall never return. (Though I must admit, having a picnic and watching a '70s horror flick in a cemetery was pretty tops.)


13. Matt Pond PA - This is Montreal
Ahhhhhhh, Canada. I love you so! Quebec, I kind of like you the least. Maybe it was the shitty hostel we stayed in, or the fact that I was tired beyond belief by the end of a 21-day train trip around North America. I love your poutain though! Why hasn't some enterprising Canuck brought that into the forefront of American food movements?

14. Ryan Adams - Chicago
I've only been to Chicago once. And my trip was only four days long. But - WOW. That is a city I could move to tomorrow. I've never been so quickly enchanted by a place. The lake, the culture, the neighborhoods! Of course, I was there in July when the summer is sweet and sweaty. Maybe I should visit in the winter when people are miserable and cold.


15. The Magnetic Fields - Come Back From San Francisco
San Francisco is another city I could fall madly in love with tomorrow. They've got steep hills and pet cemeterys. Honestly, what is not to love?


16. The Japandroids - Rockers East Vancouver
I've been trying to find an excuse to put a Japandroids track on a playlist since Sad Songs. I fucking LOVE THIS BAND. They make me feel like I'm seventeen again and back in a sweaty venue bouncing all of all the energy in the room. They're from Vancouver, which automatically makes them awesome. Vancouver rocks. It's beautiful, progressive, and F U N. I cannot wait to go back. And I cannot wait to see these guys play Great Scott. Holy shit. Cannot wait!


17. Bloc Party - Kreuzberg
If I could move tomorrow to anyplace in the world, it'd be Berlin. More specifically, to Kreuzberg. We stayed at a hostel right on the edge of Kreuzberg, right next door to an anarchist squat. Kreuzberg feels like South Oakland in Pittsburgh or Allston in Boston, but completely bombed out and restarted. This song is perfect and reminds me of a glorious five days back in the summer of 2007. Please, everyone, go to Berlin. It's the best place.


18. The Walkmen - Lost in Boston
This is literally how I feel. Where I will go next? (Oh yeah, Quebec City. Next weekend. I told you I take advantage of every four-day weekend that comes around!)


Thanks for listening! If you happen to live in the following places and want me to sleep on your couch or floor or backyard (I have a tent now!), please let me know!!
- Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Lousiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Maine, Wisconsin, and Newfoundland/Labrador