Julie's iPod

Rebellion (lies)- The Arcade Fire
Billy Liar- The Decemberists
Lars & Margo- David Torn
Till The Sun Turns Black- Ray LaMontagne
Come Pick Me Up- Ryan Adams
Young Pilgrams- The Shins
Saeglopur- Sigur Ros
Pittsville- Sufjan Stevens
The Heart of Life- John Mayer

John Mayer? What? If I were playing "One of these things is not like the other" he'd probably be the odd man out on this list. For the most part, what I listen to isn't on the radio, no one has ever heard of them, and some of their names are a tad challenging to pronounce. I generally shy away from "mainstream" music; my taste is not a conscious effort to be different, it just happens to be what moves me. So how did John Mayer end up there?

About five-ish years ago, while driving around the Garden State (New Jersey), feeling particularly frustrated with my overly sexualized, inappropriate, insane, and insanely demanding boss, I was rummaging around my car for a tissue when I came across an abandoned CD in the glove compartment, left in there by the nanny before me. I rolled my eyes as I looked at the title scrawled in the cutsy handwriting I'd always wished I'd had was "John Mayer Mix," with a smiley face and a heart. But for lack of any better music, I popped it in and thus began my musical love affair with John Mayer.

Somehow, lyrics I would have deemed to cheesy to bother with before made sense to me, melodies comforted me, and seemed to cradle every emotion I seemed to carry. Homesick, lovesick, ecstatic, indifferent, he seemed to be able to nail those feelings exactly. During a particularly rough patch while living in Jersey, I would often lose myself driving on the Jersey Turnpike, shedding a few tears and singing with John. I loved it, I loved him. He understood my every plight. Ultimately, I decided "Yeah, the man has talent." He became my ultimate guilty pleasure.

Just this last week, he played at Usana, and Katie bought me a ticket for my birthday (Bonus! I got to see Steve Lamb, too!). Love, love, loved it. The man did not disappoint. And while John Mayer may not have the "clout" of that of a more underground or indie artist, he will forever remain on the playlists of my iPod.