Welcome to my side of the 'net. I ruminate over music, books, movies, places, or people that have somehow made me what I am or continue to influence me to this day. I usually post links to mp3s of songs I find interesting.
ATTENTION:
The mp3s linked to this site are for evaluation and sample purposes only. The files are only hosted temporarily, so if they're unavailable, it's gone for good. If possible, some of these links are sourced back to the musicians's official website. Please make sure to support the musicians featured herein by buying their records, going to their shows, and purchasing their merch.
If y'all have been wondering where I've been, you can now also track me on Facebook. Be my friend out there. I do more of the microblogging effort over there where I give my two cents about more than just music.
I'll still post here from time to time. That's when the urge hits me to compose something/anything more long-form.
Phonogram is an Image comic book created by Kieron Gillen and drawn by Jamie McKelvie. What's great about this book is that it captures what it's like to be a music fan. The book takes it to another level. The characters end up having powers that are related to the music they spin or listen to--the hypnotic effect one gives to somebody else--a shared connection.
The first series, Rue Britannia, focused on Britpop and how much it was celebrated. It also imparted a more literal explanation of why it should stay dead...at least for now.
The present 7-issue story arc deals with events surrounding one evening close to the end of 2006. Musical references run rampant from Elastica to CSS to The Pipettes. I was particularly intrigued at how Scandinavian pop singer Robyn was also mentioned in this lineup. I finally broke down and picked up her namesake album. My conclusion: this is the record that Black Eyed Pea Fergie tried to make and miserably failed at duplicating. The songs on this album were bangers all over the European charts. In the US? This stellar collection of music was barely even given any attention.
Here's Be Mine! as just one example out of the set. This can give Kelly Clarkson's Since You've Been Gone a run for it's money
I'll have to admit that Wilco's Sky Blue Sky album didn't get much play on the personal stereo. Walkin' seemed to be the only standout track in the set. The band now returns with Wilco (The Album). This group of songs from Jeff Tweedy and his crew really changed things around in terms of arrangement and disposition. The songs are definitely lighter and more bouncy. Check out the rather humorously titled Wilco (The Song) which opens the record and sets the overall tone of the collected set big time.
Them Crooked Vultures is a fantastic supergroup that's made up of Dave Grohl, Josh Homme, and the legendary John Paul Jones. What's got me really psyched about this band is that Dave is back behind the kit, hitting really hard. Another is that we get to hear John Paul Jones play heavy rock again like when he was with Plant, Page, and Bonzo.
Here's some footage from the Pukkelpop festival in Europe. The song is called Elephant. It is huge.
If you link up to their Facebook account, you'll be swept into the deluge of viral shit about where they are, what they're doing, and what merch is available for purchase.
If you want to check out the latest Radiohead track These Are My Twisted Words, you can head over here to pick up the free download. The band continues with the experimental route on this tune. I'm well pleased myself.
We eagerly await every Quentin Tarantino film that makes a theatrical debut. His latest film Inglourious Basterds (yes, note the spelling) is no exception.
Part of the fun about QT's movies is anticipating the soundtrack. Once you get your hands on the new collection, you can't help but speculate where in the movie a particular song will be used. This time around, I'm trying to figure out where David Bowie's Cat People (Putting Out The Fire) will be inserted.
All will be revealed by Friday as every fan's patience gets rewarded.
A few weekends after the Capitol Hill Block Party, we were compelled to attend KEXP's annual barbeque. For the first time, the event was free to the public and was held at the Seattle Center Mural. Bands on the list included Japandroids, Cymbals Eat Guitars, Champagne Champagne, and Born Anchors. The main draw for the day was Viva Voce and Dinosaur Jr.
Too bad I missed Japandroids (we'll do a feature on their music at a future post) but I ended up picking up a white vinyl edition of their Post-Nothing album.
By the time I got to the venue, Cymbals Eat Guitars were past the midpoint of their set.
A quick trip to the merch counter after their set yielded booty that, apart from the Japandroids album, included a grey Dinosaur Jr t-shirt which will perhaps be worn by yours truly until tattered. After a quick ATM trip, it was back to the front side of the stage to check out Portland's Viva Voce. This was my first time to see the band as a four-piece. The group's general sound is now fuller with Kevin switching to bass duty and the addition of Evan Railton on drums and Corrina Repp on guitars, triggered percussion, and Theremin. Classics like Alive With Pleasure take on a much grittier sheen. The performance below is off the love letter to their hometown, Rose City.
Then of course, there's the band everyone came to see, Dinosaur Jr. Their show was pretty much a greatest-hits display that included classics like Wagon, Feel The Pain, Out There, Freak Scene, and even Just Like Heaven to close out the set. By the middle of the show, a pit came to happen. Slam dancing and crowd surfing became part of the menu. Welcome to the '90's.
My ears rang by the end of the set. You can see from the photos how close I was to J Mascis' rig. Small note to gearheads: the setup included double speaker full-stacks for 2 Hiwatt heads and 2 Marshall heads (I think the Marshalls were both JCM 800s) and 1 Fender Twin combo on the side.
The trio will return to Seattle in the fall for another engagement.
Thank you, KEXP for giving us the opportunity to see some quality bands live for free. That's why I donate when I can to your cause.
A few weekends ago, I was able to steal myself and get over to the annual ritual of standing around the cross-street in front of Neumos to catch a few bands strut their stuff at the annual Capitol Hill Block Party.
I was really there for the most part to see the Seattle debut of The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart. I really like the songs off their debut record enough to see what they're like onstage.
That evening, I also got to (literally, since there wasn't a good vantage point to see) hear the hyperactive punk stylings of Portland's The Thermals, the queer-friendly dance-rock of Gossip, and Sonic Youth's guitar mangling.
I hope the folks that organize this event could perhaps build a taller stage next year so that everyone could get a good view of the performers.
One of the directors that made geek chic, John Hughes, has passed on due to a heart attack. You'll know his work from films like Home Alone and Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. I know him more for the teen classics like The Breakfast Club, Some Kind of Wonderful, and Pretty In Pink.
