Anti-Love Mix 2013

Sadly, I didn't acquire much new music over 2012, so I didn't have a lot to drawn on when creating this mix. I ended up with a bit of a compromise - many of these songs are new to me this past year, but a lot of them are older songs that could totally have ended up on an anti-love mix somewhere along the line, but they didn't for some reason.

1. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve? by Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. As always, I like to start off the mix with less of an anti-love flair and more of that "do they don't they like me" cutesyness. As long as it's not definitely reciprocated. It's just too sad to start off a mix with something super dark. But don't worry. The sad songs are on their way.

2. I Want Somebody (Bitch About) by Kristin Chenoweth. You pretty much all know my dislike for country music, but, guys, it's Kristin Chenoweth. You can't go wrong with her. This is a cheerful enough song to go at the beginning of the mix but it's definitely in the "someday my prince will come" category of songs... and it's definitely about not having someone.

3. Come Back to Me from On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, sung by Brent Barrett. This year, I ended up connecting with a bunch of songs about separated lovers. (I am sure this is in no way influenced by my being in a long distance relationship since last May...) So here are a couple of them in a row. Although the songs occasionally imply the two are together, I find they work well if you imagine they're break-up songs as well.

4. Love Song Without Metaphor by Groovelily. I really like cheerful-sounding songs about sadness, loneliness, and melancholy, and this is one of those. Also, Brendan Milburn can sing anything and I'll believe him.

5. Come Back With the Same Look in Your Eyes from Song and Dance, sung by Linzi Hateley. The main character in this song is crazy insecure about a long distance relationship, to the point where it segues nicely into the next category which is bad relationships.

6. One More Night by Sam Tsui. My favorite cover of a Maroon 5 song that went crazy popular this year, and the song is almost as infectious as the toxic relationship he's singing about. The song's about not being able to really break it off from a bad relationship.

7. Not Like the Movies by Katy Perry. This may actually be my favorite Katy Perry song ever, a haunting tune about realizing that the relationship you're in is not at all the one you've dreamed about, and hoping for somebody better.

8. I Know You Won't by Carrie Underwood. A heartbreaking tune about being with somebody who clearly doesn't love you as much as you love him. I absolutely love the chorus... Carrie sings each line like some sort of mourning cry. This song kind of breaks me.

9. So Sick by Sam Tsui & Max Schneider. The first song I added to this mix, actually. I've heard the original version and, nope, I don't like it nearly as much as this one, which is much more vulnerable and sad a break-up song.

10. People Are Strange by Echo & the Bunnymen. A nice dark classic cover about how being and feeling alone makes everything else seem darker and worse too (even if it isn't). Such a satisfying song to listen to on whiny URL sorts of days.

11. Take Away My Dreams by Groovelily. I can't believe I didn't have this on last year's. It is possibly my very favorite depressing song ever, about wanting to give up on all your dreams. And like I said... Brendan Milburn can sing anything he wants and make me believe it. It is so very sad

12. Gloomy Sunday by Sarah McLachlan. And right on the heels of that, here's the song that QI deemed the saddest song in the world, and Stephen Fry doesn't lie to people. Apparently this song was blamed for a wave of suicides in the 1930s. While I find it mostly cathartic, I'd never want to end a mix with this song. But don't worry, the next song will put some of these dark emotions to good use.

13. You Oughta Know by Alanis Morissette. That good use is screaming out your anger. This is my very favorite "sing along with loudly in the car" song because it feels so very good to sing along with it. Of course, you have to learn the lyrics, otherwise you just end up going, "Cuz a dub dabba dub dubba mabe wubba nub ba ya OPEN WIDE, NOOOOO!"

14. Here's Your Freakin' Song by Bowling For Soup. They're awesome to sing along to angrily too. This one's passive aggressive snarky rather than... well, rather than "every time I scratch my nails down someone else's back I hope you feel it," and it's about a bad relationship rather than a break-up, but it's oh so satisfying for when you need a good anti-love song.

15. Build a Wall from Shrek the Musical, sung by Brian D'Arcy James on the original Broadway cast. A little milder than the previous two, but it's still cranky and wonderfully antisocial and painful.

16. Nicest Thing by Kate Nash. I absolutely love the sad violin in this (and usually I hate violins). I love the simple melody and vocals, and I love that the lyrics are so heartfelt and specific and clearly directed at an actual person instead of being one of those vague songs that really doesn't mean much of anything. This right here is my favorite unrequited love-specific song of the year. If you don't listen to anything else on the mix, check this one out.

17. Leap by Groovelily. Here's a rather more hopeful song. It's about being cautious and scared and afraid to try anything new... but for something like relationships, eventually you just have to go for it and leap. I hugely identify with this song and find it rather empowering.

18. Live by Paul and Storm. We're now getting into a couple of the sillier ones... and this one is a heartfelt song sung from a Dr. Frankenstein-ish sort of character wanting to create himself a girlfriend. It's very pretty and sweet... and goofy.

19. One Knight from Wonderland, sung by Darren Ritchie on the original Broadway cast. I've written about my irrational love for this show before, and this song absolutely had to be included in this song. It's sung in the style of a cheesy boy band ballad, and somehow it does exactly what boy band ballads are meant to do to girls... it melts me. I don't know why. It just does. I'm pretty sure it's 90% Darren Ritchie's voice.

20. Haven't Met You Yet from Smash, sung by Nick Jonas. A nice song, and I really enjoy the softer feel to the song (see, Nick Jonas, you don't always have to suck. Just stop doing big dramatic musicals that require you to not be poppy). I also wanted to end this mix on a hopeful note, as always.

If you want to download my mix in its entirety, you can find it here:
http://www.mediafire.com/?3dnk3g5nfu2et41

Happy February.