hoshizora

So! I've been working on and off on an Avatar FST for months. I'm pretty much never going to top the ones I've seen various friends come up with (yeah, EK and Ali, you know who you are) but it's been bugging me for a long time, so I'm finally calling it finished and uploading it.

You can download linked tracks individually or the whole thing as a zip! ENJOY.

1. Highnoon, DJ Shadow

A dark, urgent instrumental piece to kick things off. This is, broadly speaking, a Seasons 2 and 3 playlist, where things start to go badly for our heroes.

2. Push Push (Lady Lightning), Bang Camaro

They start to go badly largely in the form of a certain blue flame-wielding, lightning tossing sociopath. Oh, Azula! If badassery has a guitar riff, surely this is it. (This would make a great AMV, incidentally.)

3. Hands, The Raconteurs

Girl, you got those hands that heal
Help me get in touch with what I feel
'Cause you understand, and you sympathize
And you know me best, it's no surprise
That when you're with me
There's a light and I can see my way
When you speak to me
It's a song and I know what to say

Uh, yeah. This is pretty much the ultimate Aang/Katara song, as far as I am concerned.

4. I Wish I Was the Moon, Neko Case

Last night I dreamt I had forgotten my name
'Cause I had sold my soul but awoke just the same
I'm so lonely
I wish I was the moon tonight

Oh, Sokka. YOU USE JOKES TO HIDE THE PAIN. Truthfully there's another Sokka/Yue song that I like even better, but it was an Apples in Stereo number and I'm already using a different song by them elsewhere, so by the ridiculously strict rules I set for myself, I used this Neko Case piece instead.

5. I Got Nobody Waiting For Me, M. Craft

I've got nobody waiting for me
There's no one that I have to see
Any time, any place that I said I would be
Finally I'm free and I'll be anywhere

Gotta listen to this one to understand that the singer (i.e. Zuko) may be free but man. Freedom sucks when nobody gives a god-damn. (catiechu first pointed out this song's Zuko-appropriateness.)

6. Young At Heart, Tom Waits

It's hard, you will find
To be narrow of mind
When you're young at heart
You can go to extremes with impossible schemes
You can laugh when your dreams fall apart at the seams
And life gets more exciting with each passing day

Oh, Iroh!

7. Another Perfect Catastrophe, Firewater

Oh wouldn't you love to be my partner in crime?
So many tricks that we could try
So if you wanna find out what it would feel like
to be my co-conspirator
Open up the door and step inside

When retreat is not an option
And remorse just ain't your style
There must be something left to do
Because every tragedy is a comedy
Unless you are the victim
Then you're just another monkey at the zoo

This song works well for Jet's obsession with Zuko -- and for you crazy shippers, is also a tango. This is maybe the single most appropriate song in this mix.

8. Bird Flu, M.I.A

Big on the underground, what's the point in knockin' me down? Everybody knows I'm already good on the ground

I just want to say that finding a song for Toph was nearly goddamn impossible, but I do think that Toph would really dig M.I.A. Also this song is idiosyncratic, badass, and unconcerned with propriety. NOT UNLIKE THE BLIND BANDIT.

9. Gas Panic!, Oasis

'Cause my family don't seem so familiar
And my enemies all know my name
And if you hear me tap on your window
You better get on your knees and pray

Aw, Zuko. Don't worry, buddy! Things are looking up! We're almost to the Apples in Stereo song!

10. Titanic Vandalism, The Go! Team

This one goes out to all the girls of Avatar. Never change. Just stay awesome.

11. Energy, The Apples in Stereo

Oh the world
is made of energy
And the world
is electricity
And the world
is made of energy
And there's a lot inside of you
And there's a lot inside of me

...aaand this one goes out to the HAPPIEST FIRERBENDING PALS EVER, AANG AND ZUKO. And yes, it is gonna be alright.

12. The Underdog, Spoon

But you won't hear from the messenger,
don't wanna know bout something that you don't understand,
You got no fear of the underdog,
that's why you will not survive!

Fire Lord Ozai == SO VERY FUCKED.

13. Invincible, OK Go

When they finally come to destroy the earth
They'll have to deal with you first
And my money says they won't know about
the thousand-fahrenheit hot metal lights behind your eyes

Fire Lord Ozai: "OHSHI--"

14. Look Up, Stars

Your boy is like a memory
Some sense of touch and a melody
Your girl, she's a renegade
A hurricane that keeps you there, safe

You're cold, maybe you just missed the sun
You fall, feeling like its just begun
So far, keeping it together's been enough
Look up, rain is falling, looks like love

...And now, HUGS FOR EVERYBODY.

Here's a big zip file.