Sufjan Stevens just happened to be playing in The Bean to coincide with friend Ashley's birthday -- actually a great show that made me realize we really need 1. a confetti gun and 2. a balloon drop at our next party.
Extra credit:
HAPPY DAY (and 30th year,) ASHLEY! Since 11 is my lucky number, your birthday is the most auspicious.
Tonight, Cho and I attended a concert with the most docile, politically correct, crunchy crowd EVER -- thanks, Weepies, for giving me my first-ever opportunity to see a couple giving each other back massages in a "caring", completely non-sexual way, at a show. <Shudder>
I fear it's going to take some time to detach the imagery from the music in my mind. There's probably a whole blog post here, but like I said...mental space needed first.
The Avett Brothers at House of Blues...fantastic
The Life is Good Festival today was great! (We saw Dr. Dog, Ziggy Marley, Grace Potter, and Ben Harper.)
As a young Blogorelli, Poison's "Open Up and Say...Ahhh" played in heavy rotation on my tape deck...so imagine my excitement when Mom-orelli told me that Bret Michaels was playing at the Heinz Field Rib-Off this past weekend while The Prof and I were home visiting! Though I feared Mr. Michaels might have lost his skinny bop, nope, he's still got "it."
Extra credit:
Before the Riboff/Concert, we stopped at the Rivers Casino for a cocktail
Here we go Stillers!
The ribs were ok...we chose the Kansas City booth and waited almost THIRTY MINUTES for our half rack (?) with (canned) cole slaw, beans and (cold) corn bread. Hmm. I guess if there's a next time, I'll try a different vendor and maybe the BBQ chicken?
The Avett Brothers have been on my radar for a few years (esp when I was listening to North Carolina-centric artists before my 30th birthday trip to Asheville) but their new video about the cycle of urban development is spectacular. Artist Jason Ryan Mitcham altered a single painting 2,600 times (about ten alterations to the painting equaled one second of film.)
You just have to watch the video -- but first, check out the "making of" short, it will increase your appreciation tenfold.
Today, I went to a park right next to work, laid down on a bench and watched the sky (and world) go past me. Ok, I may have fallen asleep a little too.
Later the same night, Mark and I went to the second of our concert doubleheader, Tom Petty at Comcast Center...I felt the same as in the park. But that feeling may have been the secondhand pot smoke.
The first night of secret double-header concert date nights from The Prof. Tonight, David Gray + Ray LaMontagne
Extra credit:
(ps: the show = spectacular)
Admittedly, not the best night for surprise date night with The Prof. I shored up, had some gingerale and crackers, and saw a great show by She + Him at the House of Blues.
Date night to see Justin Townes Earl, who was very good and very Southern. He kept saying "Oh the hell," which I may appropriate.
I'm always searching for new music but usually don't have the energy to be very comprehensive, so I was interested to find We Are Hunted -- which touts "the 99 most popular emerging songs in the world."
You can listen to the song, and then buy (from Amazon, iTunes, InSound) if you choose. I haven't explored a ton, but like the concept and noticed a lot of artists that I didn't recognize...and I few that I did.
"Horchata or orxata is the name for several kinds of traditional beverages, made of ground almonds, sesame seeds, rice, barley, or tigernuts (chufas)." (from Wikipedia)
The photo I saw looks like a big jar filled with any of the many creamy-textured liquids that one would not want to drink. On a more positive note, Horchata is also the first track off the band Vampire Weekend's sophomore effort, "Contra," which NPR is streaming this week.
You know how I love a quality drinky, but I'd go for option two in this case, Inter-net.
Or Giada.
Brother-elli annouced last week that his new band has both a name and webpage: Landline. I love the name, since I've tried to get a land line in my last two apartments but have been twarted by that damn concept known as practicality. Also, contemporary land lines don't actually run through the telephone wires anymore -- they are all cable-based. For a band name, though, the concept works perfectly: something wanted purely for frivolity and entertainment, unlike the droning necessity of cellular communications (I'm talking to you, users of the speaker phone option.)
Anyway, I'm really excited to check out Brandon and the band when I go home in May to take care of wedding "stuff" -- the show will definitely be a much needed distraction!
Who knew? Little Stevie Martin is not only a writer and comedian...but he also plays a wicked five string! His new album, "The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo," is on current rotation around the house here. Mark is working on playing along, and I've even worked up a little tambourine beat to go along.
I just got tickets to our first concert of 2009 -- the Mountain Goats with John Vanderslice, accoustic!
"We are going to light out for the Territories in a van with two acoustic guitars, some notebooks, our soundman Brandon and a pouch full of charms against ill omen. We are going to get elemental. We are going to stomp our feet and hammer at the strings until we get what we want from them. We, a couple of guys named John, are going to tour, is what we're going to do. We're going to stand alone onstage and play our guitars and sing old songs & new, and then we'll probably play together. We are going to sit side by side with our acoustic guitars like two out of the five guys on the Five Man Acoustical Jam album, only with fewer Tesla songs. Because the whole point of playing an acoustic guitar is not to unplug. It's to get raw and draw blood."
I am SO excited, partly for all the acoustic goodness and partly because the show is not at The Middle East like the previous two times we've seen the band in concert. The Somerville Theater = seats, beer, and no need to get into an aggressive elbow match, or pour my beer into someone's backpack in retaliation for assholian crowd behavior.
New Year's week means some of my favorite things -- end of the year lists! My goal while I cozy up to The Prof and cook some hearty beef stew to welcome 2009? I will listen to as many of the Pitchfork and Paste Magazine's Top 50 Albums of 2008 as possible before the clocks strike midnight!
Pitchfork's 50 Best Albums of 2008
(top five)
5. Okkervil River - The Stand Ins [Jagjaguwar]
4. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago [Jagjaguwar]
3. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend [XL]
2. Sigur Rós - Med sud i eyrum vid spilum endalaust [XL]
1. She & Him - Volume One [Merge]
. . . . .
Paste Magazine's 50 Best Albums of 2008
(top five)
05: Deerhunter - Microcastle / Weird Era Cont. [Kranky]
04: Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours [Modular/Interscope]
03: No Age - Nouns [Sub Pop]
02: Portishead - Third [Island]
01: Fleet Foxes - Sun Giant EP/Fleet Foxes [Sub Pop]
ALERT: new Blogorelli boy band crush!
It's been quite a while since I developed full fledged swooning over a boy band (OkGO=my last,) and I was starting to think I'd lost that loving feeling. Luckily, local duo and Harvard alums Chester French have revived me. Called "retro pop preppies" by the media, Maxwell Drummey and D.A. Wallach, darlings of Pharrell (he signed them to his Star Trak/Interscope label after C.F. rejected another offer by Kayne) are rocking my workdays.
The band is named after sculptor Daniel Chester French, sculptor of the John Harvard statue (yes, the one with the lucky foot) in Harvard yard. Plus, 23-year-old Drummey recently married 19-year-old British socialiste Peaches Geldof in a Las Vegas ceremony after dating for only four weeks, which gives me a new reason to read the Daily Mail online again! (Peaches-related articles are listed here.)
Spin Magazine named C.F. one of the best new bands of 2008, and they've even made Stereogum cynical:
"Then we have the Ivy League rock of Harvard grads Chester French, which is funny when you ricochet it off the Ivy League rock of Columbia grads Vampire Weekend. But Chester sound more like Weezer-lite than lite-Graceland. That, and they're not very good. They had a song on Entourage, though, and Pharrell signed them to Star Trak/Interscope. So, yeah, they'll show us. Take a listen at their MySpace. One of them majored in African-American Studies. That's not a joke."
I CANNOT WAIT for this album to release! Until then, I'll just continue my addictive and looped listening of the four catchy songs on Chester French's MySpace page.
<contented sigh>
I haven't mentioned Brother-elli's band in a bit, but am glad to report that he's embarked on a new project: The Singles Collection. Basically, he's recording one song at a time and posting them on the Ruckus & The Trousers' MySpace page. (Check the tunes out -- they're catchy! "Listen Up" is my current favorite.)
Perfect instant aural gratification to help speed you through this week before the holiday.
The masses may recognize Ms. Deschanel as the quirky character in movies like Almost Famous, Eulogy, Failure to Launch, and as a shower torch singer and deadpan Santaland inhabitant in Elf.
Turns out that the ingenue is a singer in real life, too, as half of the L.A. cabaret group 'If All the Stars Were Pretty Babies' (with fellow actress Samantha Shelton). Now, she's in another duo: with songwriter M. Ward as She and Him...and releasing an album in mid-March.
Hear preview tracks through this link or this MySpace fan page.
I've been listening to the 'leaked' (?) tracks on my commute and in the office. Verdict? Solid. Personally, I like Deschanel's speaking voice, sort of dark and rich with a sweetness underneath and unique inntonation. Her singing is very similar...like a shot of espresso poured atop a scoop of Belgium chocolate ice cream.
or not, for participants in Saturday's No Pants 2k8.
(photo from The Boston Globe)
Anywhoo, for those of us more reluctant to drop trow in public, we can still privately enjoy the quirky tunes of Songs To Wear Pants To. Maestro Andrew will whip up a song based on a suggestion (for free, if he likes the ideas you submit) or for money (and you get an MP3 of the song.)
Some recent hits on the list:
SONG #0021: CELTIC TECHNO BURRITO
Instructions:
I think you should write a song about a man ordering a burrito and being extremely intimidated by the size of it. The music should be Celtic techno, or any other blend of two genres that would not be caught eating a burrito together.
SONG #0291: MUFFIN PUFFIN (Paid Song)
Instructions:
Late-period Beatle-y rock...I have a cousin who has a list of words she finds hilarious. I'm looking for a song that simply lists them. There should be a chorus that begins the song with the words "muffin puffin" repeated a few times. I'd like the first verse to list the words fork, tree, knob, tub, frilly, chimney, and pudding. Then a second verse with the words custard, coupon, emu, llama, shmeejay, and flapdoodled.
Guess my parallel to that song would be called "Scanty Panties"
<shudder>
SONG #0026: A RAP SONG IN WHICH NONE OF THE LYRICS CONTAIN THE LETTER E
Instructions:
How 'bout a rap song in which none of the lyrics contain the letter "e"?
SONG #0292: DINOSAURS ARE SWEET
Instructions:
Dinosaurs are sweet. Please write a song about how sweet they are. Include your favorite kind, and either a soulful piano or organ.
Sounds like a Ween song. Unless...Barbarian Baby King, did someone learn how to use his mother's computer?
(note the dinosaur jammies)
I loved the response to last year's post about the All Songs Considered Listeners' Best CDs, so I surfed on over there to see if the 2007 list was ready yet. The ASC list is set to post on December 20, but they linked to another "best of" list (from WFUV 90.7 FM, Public Radio from Fordham University in New York City) that I thought looked pretty good. Thoughts, anyone? I've only heard #5, #7, and #9.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
WFUV Best Albums of 2007
1. At My Age by Nick Lowe
2. We'll Never Turn Back by Mavis Staples
3. Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga by Spoon
4. In Our Nature by Jose Gonzalez
5. Back to Black by Amy Winehouse
6. Country Ghetto by JJ Grey & Mofro
7. In Rainbows by Radiohead
8. West by Lucinda Williams
9. Sky Blue Sky by Wilco
10. Live at Massey Hall 1971 by Neil Young
* * * * * * * * * * * *
ASC also links to a list from WXPN 88.5 FM, Public Radio from the University of Pennsylvania, of Top 10 Kids' CDs of 2007. I understand from the mams and paps I know that it's particularly hard to find albums both kids and adults can stomach over MANY listens. In fact, I'm gonna to buy the BBK a few of the suggested albums for Christmas.
Listen to "Poopsmith Song" by Over the Rhine from For the Kids 3...totally addictive! I was singing the chorus non-stop all last night at home.
"Poop in the potty, poop goes in the potty
Poop in the potty, poop goes in the potty
Not in the yard, you're on your honor
Don't go gettin' no ideas from the neighbor's weimaraner"
We're listening to a great album in the office right now by Gotan Project. They're a Parisian-based group who combines electronica and tango. In fact, their name consist of the letters in "tango" rearranged.
The sound is a great accompaniment to the work day: upbeat with catchy rhythms, lots of variety, and a healthy dose of accordion (that last one is mostly for me.) Seriously, though, G.P. is worth checking out as listening to them make me feel like I'm on a funky fresh vacation to Buenos Aires via Montmartre. My co-worker's husband discovered the group through Last.fm, "The Social Music Revolution," which I coincidentally mentioned round these parts almost exactly two years ago!
The Polish Princess informed me last week that we might attend a costume party during my visit to the 'Nati, and I immediately went into a silent panic about my costume. She and The Mad Hungarian always brainstorm the best get-ups (hello, Zuul/the Gatekeeper and Vinz Clortho/the Keymaster from Ghostbusters!)
Last week, during a session of late night web surfing, I had a sudden epiphany -- I could go as Feist in her "1234" video (now famous from its iPod commercial appearances.) My haircut certainly fits the bill, although I might need to acquire BANGS to truly achieve Feist's look. Hee hee.
Otherwise, all The PP and I have to find on our Friday afternoon jaunt to my favorite OH thrift store, Village Thrift, is a blue sequined strapless jumpsuit, a silver belt, gold lamé heels, a ruffian hipster dance troupe wearing colorful costumes...and my nerve.
It's no Dwight Shrute bobblehead costume, but hey, at least I'm trying here...
Speaking of the "1234" video, this little piece of (small) cinematic accomplishment is a must see. Kudos to director Patrick Daughters for not only making "a dance extravaganza that starts rather silly simply and then gets amazingly complex — both in terms of choreography and cinematography"...but doing it in ONE take! Seriously, I even bought the video on iTunes so I could bask in its poppy perfection.
<jazz hands>
F E I S T !
My brother and the Trousers (Eli + Eric) have come and gone...totally rocking the Abbey Lounge on Sunday night! They also played an impromptu acoustic set on our porch that afternoon, during which at least 15 people stopped at our front gate to listen and/or comment. As a result, I predict that we will now be known on our close knit street as "that young, unmarried couple with the porch band." I loved the Jonathan-Richman-in-There's-Something-About-Mary feel of it all though.
Since two of the other bands canceled right before the show, R&tT played for almost an hour -- a total treat for me! I must admit, however, that the lame lack of attendance by basically everyone I invited (except for Bobby Crocker -- woot woot!) brought me down a bit in the beginning. Their loss, I guess, since the set sounded awesome and my brother exhibited total stage presence.
I may or may not have had my world tambourine playing debut...none of us who actually saw the show are ever gonna tell.
A few shots:
Just a quick shout that Brother-elli's band, Ruckus & The Trousers are playing a show THIS SUNDAY in The Bean to support of their new album, "Cartoon Lightning"! The album drops tonight at a release show in Pittsburgh and is much-hyped. (Well, in my little world, anyway.)
Did I mention that R&tT are great live? They might even "change your life." Heh heh.
PLUS you can hang out with the Blogorelli crew at Abbey Lounge, drink a PBR or whatever cheap beer is tragically hip right now, and support a local (Pittsburgh) artist who put his complete heart and bank account into his music.
Hope to see ya there, Inter-net!
Ruckus and The Trousers
Abbey Lounge, 3 Beacon Street, Somerville MA
Sunday, August 19 2007, 9 pm
Every year, I swear, since I actually visited Graceland in 2001, I've somehow missed Elvis Week. Luckily, this year I got a heads-up and did some research on how I can celebrate here in The Bean. Through Meetup.com, I found this:
"Hi my name is Dan Pelly and I present a Elvis Presley Day Monk Pelly the King of Elvis Tributes , performing the best Elvis Tribute around on Sat 9/18/04 in Newton Ma. It is our 25th Silver Anniversay pass the wordpelly57@verizon.net or 617-592-5081"
Hmm, or I might just watch The '68 Comeback Special and cook an Elvis-inspired recipe.
Read the "official" complete FAQ for answers to all your hunka hunka burning (love) questions about Elvis Week in Memphis.
"Radio Oh La La features French-language music from the 50s, 60s and 70s, with a few excursions into chanson and pop music."
Need I type more? I thought not. On her supercute mod-inspired Franco a GoGo site (streaming since March 2005,) DJ Natashka serves up a mix of music that's perfect with morning coffee, weekend brunch, Sunday supper or weeknight cocktails. Basically, once tuned in, you'll have this podcast on whenever you're at home. Or at least I have since I discovered the site...so for the past three days straight. LOVE IT!
I'm starting to hear some repeats, which I like for familiarity's sake. But once my child-like attention span wavers, I definitely look forward to digging into the archives.
Just a heads-up that Brother-elli, otherwise known as Brandon, is in the studio in Pittsburgh recording a new album. It's called "Cartoon Lightning," and he's doing some online publicity by posting a new mp3 per day on Ruckus & the Trousers' MySpace page. Each song is recorded at home, and mixed using GarageBand. Ain't technology grand?
Anyway, head over and take a listen -- there's only one song up so far so you're getting in at the start gate on this Hype.
Two weeks ago, while attempting to negotiate my apartment's parking lot after The Bean's lovely snow>sleet storm, I looked down and noticed something on the ground. Amid the icy indentations, there sat...an iPod Nano?
Some of you might say that the various items I've been using in an attempt to "Believe the Hype" have detoriated part of my brain (and tooth enamel,) causing me to hallucinate. But I looked again, and there the little white rectangle sat, clear as day amid the slush. Of course, I picked the poor little thing up and took it inside to my apartment, where I dried the case and investigated for possible clues to the owner's identity. Suddenly, I became Harriet the Spy, or...Encyclopedia Brown?
After finding no engraving, no record of the equipment number on the Apple website or LostIpods.com, I totally lost interest and put the iPod aside for a few days while I attended to my two other abandoned "children" -- Wundercabinet and the AIGA BoNE Show. Nancy Drew would probably bitch-slap me but, hey, I had a lot of stuff going on last week. Then a few days ago, I plugged the orphan iPod in and after a charging session, I found my first concrete lead -- a name. The iPod was, unimaginatively, named "Jeong Jun's!". Hmmm. This might be an open-and-shut case.
Since I am all tech-savvy, I did an inter-net search and came up with a few possible owners. Luckily, the first URL I clicked on took me to a MySpace page of someone named, yes, Jeong Jun...who answered the question, "Who sleeps with you at night?" by replying "My iPod." I was pretty sure that I had my guy. My "17-year-old male from Somerville MA" guy.
I sent an email to the MySpace address and, the very next day, received this reply:
Hi,
This is Jeong Jun Seo,,aka Vincent.I got your message from myspace, and I lost my iPod a week ago. My girl friend tried to run to Havard Sq. then I think She dropped it. Ipod should set up by Korean since Im Korean. and I have bunch of list that order by number such as 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12 and there will be playlist named "Billboard". and this info will be critical !
Thanks,
Vincent
I returned his message and last night JJ/Vince and his girlfriend came over to get "Jeong Jun's!" I met them downstairs and they were very cute -- all clutched onto each other and tentative. As I handed the iPod to him, Vince smooshed some bills into my palm and said enthusiastically, "Thank very much!!!" Then they turned and sort of shuffle/ran away down the block.
Just call me Good Samaritan-orelli...
The whole episode gave me a warm feeling during this Lenten season (of which I have yet to participate in by either going to church or giving anything up.) Well, a warm feeling and mp3s of such current musical staples as Gwen Stefani's "Sweet Escape" or The PussyCat Dolls' "Wait a Minute" -- part of the entire critical Billboard playlist that I "borrowed" with the help of Senuti...
a girl can only be so 'good' on any given day, after all!
(Below: Jeong Jun Seo, aka Vincent)
Continue reading "Vincent, My Korean Digital Music Muffin" »
On Sunday night, Bostonist Jon and I hit up the all-ages Lily Allen show at Axis. Now, I may be getting on in years, but to me there's nothing like a show where you can drive into town at 8:15 pm, park, get in the door and buy/consume a few rounds before the main act takes the stage promptly at 9pm, then be home watching the E! News Report by 10:41 pm.
Besides discussing whether empire waisted dresses make all women look pregnant, we started to wax nostalgic about our high school days and, in particular, the 2 Tone / Ska bands that we both went to see back in the day. Allen draws on some traditional ska influences, like The Specials and her band includes a brass section -- which, for me, makes a show. Well, ok, a brass section and some solid gossip-fueled controversy...both of which Allen has (she portrays a "chav" image to the media but apparently grew up in an affluent family, with famous Brit parents.)
Anyway, predictably, Jon and I decided to pull out all the stops and start skanking it up about halfway through the show. Since Bostonians hardly bob when viewing live music, we may have stood out. But I realized -- who cares? -- I had two gin+tonics in my stomach and a boyfriend waiting at home. In other words, I was tipsy with no one to impress.
And FYI to my fellow concert-goers...that sample at the beginning of "Littlest Things"? It's Pierre Bachelet's Emmanuelle In The Mirror and Theme From Emmanuelle (from the film, yes, Emmanuelle.)
For the past two weeks, I've forgotten to mention that my dear brother Brandon, aka "Ruckus" of "Ruckus & the Trousers," is on tour in the South, Midwest, and Northern Atlantic states. Due to my absentmindedness, you can only catch him live now if you are lucky enough to reside in Columbus, Lakewood, or Kent, Ohio. (There's a sentence that I never thought I'd type.)
Regardless, he posted four new accoustic songs on the R&tT MySpace page. Download the mp3s and enjoy! (Psst: "I Saw You Today" is my favorite and, no, none of the songs are about me.)
Bobby Crocker listens to NPR, and All Things Considered, in particular, religiously. When he alerted me to the fact that All Songs Considered recently posted a Listeners' Best CDs of 2006...well, I just knew it must be quality. If not, Mr. Robert C. Tobin would then have to admit he was wrong in recommending the list, and RCT never admits defeat. Don't trust me? Then get into a debate with him about the death penalty and report back here.
Without further adieu...
NPR Listeners Pick the Best CDs of 2006
10. Regina Spektor: Begin to Hope
9. Tom Waits: Orphans
8. Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins: Rabbit Fur Coat
7. Cat Power: The Greatest
6. Joanna Newsom: Ys
5. TV On the Radio: Return to Cookie Mountain
4. M. Ward: Post War
3. Bob Dylan: Modern Times
2. Neko Case: Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
1. The Decemberists: The Crane Wife
Other NPR-related lists to check out:
Will Hermes' Top Ten CDs of 2006
Meredith Ochs' Top Ten CDs of 2006
John Richards' Top Ten CDs of 2006
Now, out of this list, I've listened to #1, 3, and 8 multiple times. I just bought #2 on iTunes Music store. I heard of #6 and 7 but felt only mildy interested. Anyone strongly suggest that I buy any more of these "Best Ofs" for the holiday pilgrimmage back to PA?
That's right -- Brandon is going to be on the radio TONIGHT! I can't wait to listen. Details are below, and don't forget to check out pictures, live videos, and sounds here and at these other fine sites: MySpace / YouTube / PureVolume.
<Swelled with pride>
Blogorelli
+ + + + + + +
7:30 PM
WBVR Penn State Beaver Radio
Monaca, Pennsylvania 15061
We'll be playing acoustic and doing an interview on Penn State Beaver's Internet Radio Show "Off the Mainstream" w/ Casper & DJ Fizz.
Listen online at http://takeoff.to/wbvr
I've never seen Timberlake dance in heeled boots, so I think the outcome of this cage match is fairly obvious...
* * *
Prince took the stage to entertain the crowd at a post-Emmy Awards party. He yelled to the massive crowd, "For whoever is claiming that they are bringing sexy back, sexy never left!"
* * *
SNAP -- that's right, your Highness, everyone knows sexy can't leave any place where you didn't bring it!
(Timberlake boasts in his new hit single "he's bringing sexy back.")
Is lesbianism still "so hot right now"? Hmm. Regardless, I'm nursing a serious summer crush for Lily Allen. This UK-based rapper/singer has been called the "male Mike Skinner" (that would be The Streets main man, FYI.) And it's true -- she's just a pitch-perfect pop phenom! We're talking hand claps AND tambourine AND swears...can someone say "heavenly"?
Now, if you're all anti-Patriot Act, pehaps go somewhere, download a bunch of her songs, and start listening to them on repeat immediately. More Ann Coulter? Play it safe, surf over to the official Lily Allen site, then wait to buy her album on import when it debuts July 17 in the UK (lucky British bastards.) ...ya puss.
I'll only add two things: Blogorelli used to love dancing to her ska during junior high, and Lily's "My First Mix Tape" is MORE than worth the bandwidth.
(Below: Lily Allen, so bad-ass that it's almost painful to watch her drinking out of that paper bag)
A long time ago, I watched "Belle and Sebastian – Fans Only" with Cho + Bobby. I'm not normally into movies about bands because they usually seem a bit self-serving and precocious. However, in this case, "Fans Only" was completely fascinating…because the docu-pic showed that the members of B&S are every bit as peculiar as any listener might hope them to be.
Then today, I received an email from the organizer of a design book club I try to attend every few months, with the possible selections for March. The list included:
Put The Book Back on The Shelf
(Belle and Sebastian songs interpreted by several sequential artists)
"Now, the band's colorful lyrics and gorgeous, full-bodied melodies have provided Image Comics with the inspiration for a new kind of comics anthology. With the full-color, 144-page PUT THE BOOK BACK ON THE SHELF, a stellar collection of independent comic creators and cartoonists put their own spins on a cross section of Belle and Sebastian's songs, crafting stories inspired by the band1s music, drawn from the band's entire catalog." (from the Image Comics site)
---
Finally, I remembered hearing last week that B&S have a new album out, called The Life Pursuit. Now, all of these things are either completely coincidental OR a divine message that it was a damn good thing I bought a ticket to see B&S at Avalon tonight. Did I mention that The New Pornographers are opening? Yes, the show is indeed going to r-a-w-k, even if we do have to go on the "all ages" night since Bobby has class the night of the "21+ show." At least we be able to eschew standing positions near the side with a clear view of the band…since all of the frosh will be smashed against the stage.
It's MATTHEW…winner of the First EVER Blogorelli Official Contest!
Were I Bob Costas doing commentary on the "Life Cycle:: Relationship" contest, I could say that Matthew's dominance was not at all surprising. He has, after all, medaled numerous times in various music mix events, earning extra points from the judges this past New Year's Eve. That's when he presented some of us with a four disc compilation based on an essay he wrote about the three phases of twilight.Yes, there are three: civilian, nautical and astronomical. (Of course, there was a "Prelude to Twilight" which started the whole set. What can I say? He's a pro.) I still can't pry the discs out of my player at the office.
The winner's mix is simply titled LifeCycle of a Relationship with the Clinically Depressed
True, a solemn competitor, but as Matthew explains, "Please excuse the dour spirit that surrounds this little playlist. I'm afraid it became a channel for some of my sullen moodiness that surrounds Feb. 14 and all of its attached personal and Hallmark connotations. If I had had my choice, something happier would have been produced but alas, it was not to be."
No need to apologize...music is probably a healthier outlet for romantic hissy fits than bourbon, even though you would be hard pressed to convince *me* on that point.
Thanks for playing, Mr. G. — and expect your iTunes gift certificate to arrive by the end of the week!
(option+click on link to download songs on a Mac, and I think it's left+click on a PC)
---
LifeCycle of a Relationship with…the Clinically Depressed::Playlist
1. "Ancient Modern People" by The Coral Sea
2. "Kissing Families" by Silversun Pickups
3. "November" by Azure Ray
4. "Hollow Heart" by N.Lannon
5. "Once Around the Block" by Badly Drawn Boy
6. "Your Misfortune" by Mike Doughty
7. "The Hollows" by Matt Pond PA
8. "Waterfront (or The Sinking Road) by The Black Heart Procession
9. "We're Already There" by Mazarin
10. "We Can't Work It Out" by Biirdie
---
The "composer" on NYE06, right after he conjured the top off a champagne bottle and me, all drunkety-drunky-drunk.
i can't believe that it is a new month, the third month of summer -- happy august!
although it is 90 degrees here with mucho humidity, i EMBRACE the weather, because at least being hot culminates in a nice, overall glow from the slight glisten of sweat. plus i am wearing a cute new vintage frock today. it makes me happy.
don't know if anyone checked out my music list last month, when i listed *all* of the Pusk Kings cds as ones you must listen and dance to...but the band unexpectedly disappeared a few years back. luckily (and just in time to be my summer boy band crush), the lead singer Carrick is back with a new effort -- Everybody Else!
there's hand claps, pop-esque lyrics about girls, and also Carrick himself...who is definitely my longest running rock boy object of affection! YIPPPEEE!!!!! everyone should give a listen and then write an email and get them to come to boston so i can throw myself at the stage.
God and Comcast willing, I should have cable internet at my new apt within the next week, and thennnn I can really blog up a storm...including IN DEPTH coverage of both weddings so far, new photo albums, and some visual spruce-ups.
until then, a short story...
once upon a time, when I was a teenage Blogorelli with a pixie cut, doc martens and magazine pages from Sassy taped to my closet door (i know, the little details really take ya back, don’t they?) i absolutely LOVED juliana hatfield.
we really “connected,” except, me being an adolescent from western Pennsylvania with no angst or past messy relationships to speak of, we were as far from relating as possible. well, she did write a song about an imaginary sister and my mom made my brother dress up as a ballerina for Halloween once when we were little so that she didn’t have to sew two separate costumes. still, i had all of her albums and went to several shows, always buying t-shirts. (to me, buying t-shirts shows real love...cause i’m no one’s billboard, baby)
then she sort of disappeared for a while...then today on the train, i saw in the paper that she has a new record, so i went to check out her in-store performance during lunch. it was good...except that i couldn't see what she was wearing (a detail that i always prefer to know). but i bought the cd and so far it has her smooth soft-spoken-girl-singing-loudly vocals and tambourines, so i approve...
**TECHNICAL NOTE: can everyone view the page ok, or are the columns all messed up? (there should be 3)**
god, how much do i love popular culture?
the answer: as much as the ocean is boundless and puppies are cute.
apparently, the group Outkast is giving false instructions about shaking it "like a Polaroid picture!"
(gasp!)
luckily the folks at Polaroid have taken it literally and updated the "answer" part to this question on their website. this brings up a few questions in my mind:
- does anyone actually take real Polaroids anymore?
- did we *ever* follow the advice about not shaking them?
- can we shake it like anything else then?
