Thursday, December 22, 2005

Best news I've had in ages

NO MORE STRIKE

if you see me I'll be dancing to some Madonna for the next half-day or so.

O M F G

I cant believe I didn't see this until now.

Just trust me.

Watch this video.

That show's funny again? I must have missed the memo.

South Park Dave

There's a website where you can create your own South Park character.

I informed PTM the other day after creating my South Park Dave and he followed suit with a South Park Mike.

Here's South Park Dave:


the likeness is almost creepy.

Gimme Fiction

Sometimes, I write things that are not true and pretend they are true (see: my review of High Expectations/Low Results).

Sometimes, I write that are true and pretend they are fiction.

This is one of those times.


Update: Sorry, decided not to post this on the internet. But, I'd love to share this... if you think you might want to read it let me know.

Tuesday, December 20, 2005

Burma '06, volume 1

I have it on good authority that The Onion's War on Christmas Party, on January 13 at the Bowery Ballroom, will have a secret guest performance...

scheduled acts are the Wrens, Eugene Mirman, the Pontani Sisters, Zach Galifianakis, the Favours and MC Chris.

Secret guests are MISSION OF BURMA.

The secret's out. Cop tix here

Friday, December 16, 2005

How is he gonna smoke it up? It doesn't even make sense!

The Pitchfork Line of the Day seems to have just disappeared with no apologies. And while I likely don't have the discipline to bring it back in daily form, I need to address some of the brilliance from yesterday's "The 15 Worst Releases of 2005" by Ryan Schreiber.

The Line of the Day from yesterday unquestionably was:
"All heroes falter sooner or later, but most have the common sense not to send imitation Crazy Frogs to the mic to spout lists of 21st century home PC functions over production so phoned in it hangs up on you."

Other contenders included "How is he gonna smoke it up? It doesn't even make sense!," "only at the expense of all human dignity," and "This is some Dante shit."

but Ryan's real genius in this piece:
putting Matisyahu's record on the list, with no other justification than a quote by Sam Endicott. awesome.

Tuesday, December 13, 2005

I retire from blogging

because I can never equal this.

Monday, December 12, 2005

Genius

Best Craiglist post ever:
Hey Crackhead

Thanks PTM.

Sunday, December 11, 2005

Andy Rosen photos


Johnny Rotten
Originally uploaded by uground1.


Andy Rosen was taking pictures of England's punk scene when it all started, working as a rock photographer in London from 1976 to '84. A lot of his photos were stashed in his private collection, unpublished and unseen, until recently. Now he's posted some of them on his Flickr account, and he'll be updating it continually. I especially like some of the shots from his London Punks 1976 -1984 photoset, which includes not only Johnny Rotten, Peter Murphy, Siouxsie Sioux, and Malcolm McLaren but also Paul Weller, Simon LeBon and David Sylvian (among others).

Also, check out Andy's blog here.

This is essential viewing (and will become moreso as he puts up more material).


Thanks Flickr blog.

Friday, December 09, 2005

Quarterslot redux

counting down
Last night I made it out to see Quarterslot again at the Delancey. I arrived early enough to see Ism (who was surprisingly un-boring, for maybe half of their songs), but that was by accident. I just didn't want to miss Quarterslot's show (and also wanted to make sure to score a pre-show brownie).

Heidi had asked me to come by and take some pictures, since she liked the ones I took from the MyOpenBar party. So I went, camera in hand.

I did take some pictures of Ism, and though I've gone on record as saying they bore me, the band isn't bad live. If I weren't such a been-there, done-that music snob I'd think it was a pretty good show. Their by-the-numbers Muse cover had me pretty interested, though not much else was really up my alley... I took some pictures of them... I especially like the drummer, making faces and rocking out behind the kit at the back of the stage.

Sometime after they finished I went to talk to Heidi... it was really an introduce-myself, since she didn't know me before seeing my photos. I started to do that but she interrupted with "I know who you are!" and gave me a big hug. She offered me a brownie - which I accepted, but not before snapping a photo (I tried to get too fancy with the white balance, the lights were giving me lens flare... if she wasn't making 'seductive face' there'd be nothing redeemable about it at all). Oh, and her brownies are amazing. It's totally worth the cover charge for the brownies alone if you can scam 2.

Heidi was wearing this amazing Judy-Garland-in-The-Wizard-of-Oz dress, except the skirt was about 5 inches long. She completed the outfit with a pair of ruby-red heels.
My first thought when I saw this was:
"If I'm not dating Heidi, then she needs to tell my girlfriend where the Judy Garland fetish boutique is."

The show was excellent - better, even, than the MyOpenBar performance. I realized that I really like the things they do musically, but Heidi's charismatic, borderline-confrontational performance style is the biggest part of what makes them worth watching. So the show was really good but my camera ran out of batteries about 3 songs into the set... which means I have some good photos but I missed out on lots of great ones. I'm still kicking myself over that, because there were some shots I could have had later that were fucking unbelievable. I didn't have a spare battery with me and my camera wasn't charged... guess I forgot to plug it in the night before. Fuck. Sorry. I owe you one (readers, Heidi).

Check out the ones I did take; they're good, there just should be a lot more of them. Please, tell me what you think.
You can see them here.

Frankly, my dear


JOHANSSON HINTS AT RIFT WITH BAY

Guarantee you he said something like "Wanna take a ride in my Ferrari, head back to my hot tub, and bang?"

weather forecast

I'd like to quote Ben Popken when I say: "Coke jokes are the gifts that keep giving. Head."

Age of Consent

Trailer for Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette... I know Peter and the boys are a bit older than I am, but are they old enough to soundtrack the French Revolution?

Also, I'm still convinced that I should have Jason Schwartzman's career... every role he gets is another little dig at my Rushmore audition. On this one I'll give him a free pass since they're cousins.

thanks shitparade. I couldn't have thought of a title without you.

Thursday, December 08, 2005

Gawker Hipster Quiz

Gawker Quiz: Are You a Hipster? (Valid Only 12/05)

I won't tell you what I scored.

Wednesday, December 07, 2005

from friends at Fixed

Depeche Mode / Bravery Afterparty for their show at MSG
DJs: The Bravery, Justine D, Dave P
Open Vodka Bar from 10pm to 12am by Svedka!!!

Luke & Leroy
21 7th Avenue South at Leroy Street
10pm to 4am

rumor was the list is closed but I hear you're OK if you RSVP by 7 PM today at: getrad@igetrvng.com


also:

Saturday, December 10th, 2005
The FIXED Holiday Loft Party FREAKOUT!!!
w/ DJs JDH & Dave P, Cowboy Mark and very special guests!

FREE PABST BLUE RIBBON ALL NIGHT !!!

@ 69 W. 14th St @ 6th Ave
10pm, $7 at door or $5 with rsvp to: getrad@igetrvng.com (make sure to include event name in the subject line)

I majored in ‘Letters’


Today’s Village Voice published my letter on their ‘Homos on the Range’ cover story on Ang Lee’s new movie Brokeback Mountain. [Scroll down to read “Straight-up loving”] - Awesome.

Jewtastic

OJ Simpson: Not a Jew


“VH1 ALL ACCESS: SO JEWTASTIC”
Set your TiVos. Dec 19.
Thanks Jewlicious


Speaking of the Jewish People, I find it's easy to confuse Shimon Pres, Amir Peretz and Paris Hilton. If you share this problem then the Jewlicious folks have got you covered... this is a handy guide for keeping them straight. Please print out and place in your pocket as necessary.

The one I always fouled up (until now!):
Peres - Nobel Peace Prize winner
Peretz - Early Peace Now member
Paris - Skanky piece of ass


nope, still goy - why do you ask?
best,
Dave

Why I Am So Wise

This is the thing i forgot:

a few days ago i was in a bookstore killing time with Russo before meeting friends who were seeing a movie. (Actually, Mike and I were supposed to go with them but our friends bought tix ahead of time, while we - didn't). And I stumbled across a book entitled "Why I Am So Wise". I thought, this must be a joke, so I opened it up and looked at the chapter titles. They were:
"Why I Am So Wise"
"Why I Am So Clever"
"Why I Write Such Good Books"
"Why I Am a Destiny"
"Why The Ladies Love It"

ok, the last one was a joke, but otherwise those were the actual chapter titles. Russo thought the book's title should have been "Why I Am So Wise, Bitches." I think he's right.
That Nietzsche was crazy.

Sunday, December 04, 2005

ZX

On Thursday, when I should have been barely able to stand from the combination of my Wednesday + a busy day at work, I was convinced to go see ZX at the Knitting Factory. which makes sense, because Greg and I are pretty good friends. It was the best I've seen ZX... he seems really comfortable with the material and his string section is really good as well. His closing cover of Devo's Freedom of Choice is a pretty radical, stripped down reinterpretation. I'm looking forward to the album's official release... and there's talk I might be directing the video for the first single.

ZX was followed by Princess. Princess is... hard to describe. I think of Black Dice as being a band that has burned music history and is sculpting something new with the ashes. Princess is like a slasher in Rock and Roll Hall of Hame cutting off fragments and then pasting them on top of one another while rapping about nonsense.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/davelus/sets/1505847/

that's a start. nice to see Greg and Dustin and Ben and Cristina. it's already Sunday night and I don't have a party to go to on Monday night... someone should throw a party Monday night. say, at Cake Shop? I'll work on that.

Fuck You Tyra

I was seriously angry when Tyra and co. kept psychobitch instead of Kim on ANTM. But I didn't write anything about it because I've been either working or partying with little time for sleep or blog, so shitparade beat me to the punch (as well as writing better and more than I would have). all the links there are good ones, natch. so just go there.

Saturday, December 03, 2005

A picture's worth

lots to say to make up for the last few empty days... expect a blitz of posts over the next couple of days

Shindig was pretty fun, even if Anton wasn't anything special on the decks. hanging out until after 4 at Motor City with Flute (and a guy who cooks some great eggplant) was also.

finally cracked open Nick Z's book (inspired by his presence at Motor City Wed night)... so far I like it a lot a lot.
Update:Forgot to mention that Nick was hanging with Zach from the Fresh Kills, who was rocking the soundsystem that night}

speaking of photos, I took a photo of Merlin with his camera in front of his face that i really like:

check out his blog

I need to be snapping more photos... it seems I've missed a lot
next up: ZX back in NYC for a record pre-release show

Monday, November 28, 2005

GAWKERIZED

Gawker's Team Party Crash was at the scene of the crime last Tuesday for the MyOpenBar.com launch party. Not only did they snap my picture (with Ben Simington at my side), but they published it. Not as the headline photo (that 'honor' went to Heidi from Quarterslot) but just below the 1 paragraph of text.



Also a nice picture of Mr. Michael Leviton (also of the spectacular La Laque) manning the decks downstairs (and very well, I might add).

I spent most of the night listening to bands play or Michael DJ downstairs, so I missed talking to my favorite NYC DJ/crush upstairs, but was able to take some nice photos of my own. Of two bands I really liked: first, the impressive Fresh Kills for their Wire-y sound, and then Ms. Quarterslot herself for her photogenic erotic intensity. Check my pix at Flickr.

11 Glorious Days


It was good while it lasted.


And, I love this photo:

The caption:
"After meeting with reporters in Beijing, Mr. Bush tried to exit through a locked door. Realizing the mistake, he made a mock grimace, and an aide pointed the way. He joked: "I was trying to escape. It didn't work.""
Thanks, New York Times.

Also, I'll be buying this shirt soon. Maybe?

Good Johnny Boy News

The JB's got back to me... here's the scoop:

The album has a release date 28th Dec in Scandanavia... no mention of future release dates but the label putting it out in Scandinavia is Wild Kingdom, and the place to purchase it is at Sound Pollution.

How am I going to navigate a website in Swedish???

QC

Got home from work at 12:30 or so and proceeded to read the first 236 episodes of Questionable Content, and I couldn't recommend it more. Another few hours and I'll be up to date. I'm desperately fighting the urge to buy at TEH shirt.

Sunday, November 27, 2005

this is dedicated...

I'm putting up a YouSendIt of Johnny Boy's song "Johnny Boy Theme". Johnny Boy's album has apparently been completed for some time, but it's release has still not happened. When I last talked to Davo and Lolly, the album was expected to come out in Scandinavia in October, but that was in August, and as far as I can tell nothing's come of that yet. I've been desperately awaiting this for a long, long time. I really hope it gets sorted out quickly.

Check out the excellent label What's Your Rupture. I missed Love Is All at their show in NYC last week because I had to work.

I have no other news. Hope you had a nice Thanksgiving.

Tuesday, November 22, 2005

"Better Off Dead"

When I was little, I didn't know punk music.
Just like I didn't know what people eat for dinner in the Himalayas.
But eventually, it all filtered in through the airwaves, mostly through WZBC in Boston.
Their Top 90.3 Songs of All Time is arguably a list of the Top 93 Songs of All Time - punk or otherwise - as of 1998. (year-by-year lists available for '98, '99, 2000, '02, '03)
These lists were my guidebook, like finding a treasure map in the sand and being consumed by a desire for a shovel.

#20 on the list: "Better Off Dead" by La Peste

Stereogum has an mp3 of the DEATH FROM ABOVE 1979 cover, off their new record. I've been rocking it CONSTANTLY... so good it nearly equals the original.

He's also got the La Peste original, so get it if you don't know what you're missing. Essential.
Enjoy.

Monday, November 21, 2005

false return

The Observer tries to decode blogspeak

Prefix interviews some hyped Monkeys

Pitchfork News reclaims the Line-of-the-Day scepter:
“Hey Andrew, how about saying "And I hope Jeff will reunite Neutral Milk Hotel and record another album" at your next show? Please?”

MisShapes to move?
Update: this was just cited in BrooklynVegan... the parade is movin' up in the world.

Let the Boss make the Laws

Nick waxes ridiculous/insane on the new Strokes

Getting more and more genius every day… yes and yesser

Will Bowers just drops amazing tracks left and right for your mixtape pleasure


That's it for today... i don't even know where to start... GO TO THIS

Wednesday, November 16, 2005

Pete L'Official Line of the Day (Monday edition)

Seriously, he's the fucking champ:
"Less a song than a rebuttal to the prosecution, "Exodus" proves three things: 1) "Ja" is not short for Johnnie Cochran, 2) Johnnie Cochran is dead, and 3) Murder Inc.'s Irv and Chris Gotti are totally fucked."

though it was very nearly rivaled/surpassed by this comment left on the blog of everywheregirl Ultragrrrl:
"you just have reasonably commendable musical taste for everything that has been recorded since 1980 by dudes in eyeliner, but i think this stuff shakes it out just as hard." - lewi | 11.14.05 - 4:21 pm

Tuesday's Pitch was weak-witted (no Official P in sight), so here's the best I've got:
"The Strokes recently completed the video for First Impressions of Earth’s first single, "Juicebox". Far more entertaining than the song itself, the clip features David Cross as a clueless radio disc jockey, hot guy-on-guy and girl-on-girl action, and vomiting."
Really it's the "and vomiting" that makes it. But, I think vomiting is funny. as long as I'm not doing it.


EMI sent me an email because they have this "which rock star are you" game based on their catalogue... I got:
Pete Doherty
"Ok, you're ticking all the rock and roll boxes. You have been wild and wasted, you've been in trouble with the law and hang around with people who make a living from being beautiful. But without the tunes it's not big and not clever, so stop it right now."
and I thought Eddie Argos was harsh.


also, I finally got around to seeing some new movie trailers. the best:

Memoirs of a Geisha
I'm surprised by how excited I am to see this. Though the cast is... spectacular
Brokeback Mountain
Munich
Breakfast on Pluto
Neil Jordan directs Cillian Murphy in makeup in '70's Britain.
Match Point
My sources abroad tell me that this is perhaps the darkest, most psychologically adept movie of Woody Allen's career. For the 1st time in a long time it looks like he's doing a movie I would want to make and watch. (Plus, I'd go to the cinema to watch Scarlett Johansson make toast)
Also, The Libertine looks like it has potential... I mean, Johnny Depp and Sam Morton?


I also saw The Passenger the other day... which was cool, if not especially revelatory. there was lots to like about, to be sure. Maria Schneider's screen presence. the disorientation of the plot's first 15 minutes. The confusion over what inspires David Locke to become Robertson. And that gorgeous long take that is nearly the film's last shot, slowly moving toward and then through the window...

Tuesday, November 15, 2005

So I'm at the Guggenheim (that's in New York)

Saturday night continues... well into Sunday afternoon.


So, after negligible sleep and a long night out, I took the train from Williamsburg where I woke up to the Guggenheim on UES. I had a 1PM meeting scheduled outside the RUSSIA! exhibit and I meant to keep it.

There were some amazing works in the exhibit but it felt more than a little disjointed. It's hard to argue with seeing - in person - Malevich's "Black Square", or some actual icons painted by Andrei Rublev. Still, we (Jason, Nicole, and I) came away feeling more "Russia?" than "RUSSIA!"

I'm not even sure what to say about this... I enjoyed lots of the individual pieces but was nonplussed by the exhibition as a whole (considering how much it had been built up). It's also hard to spend 4 hours focusing on art if it's such a grab bag of styles and time periods... much more exhausting, say, then seeing Matthew Barney take over the building.

After the exhibit I bought tylenol and then we ate Italian food. Then I went home.

More art thoughts to follow? Actually, probably not.

Monday, November 14, 2005

Good Weekend

friday... plans to go to Stolen transmission / Art Brut afterparty fell through as I left work at 1230, went home, and somehow never made it out again

Saturday, I volunteered for the 'early' shift at work in order to make it out in time to see Art Brut at the Tribeca Grand. I got there around 11:30, and after 5 minutes or so in line made it downstairs. The guy at the door waved me in without bothering to check the list, and I headed immediately to the stage. There were already lots of people in front of me but I had a good line of vision and wasn't too far from the stage. By the time the band came out it was after 12:30 and the people in front of me had grown 6-8 inches, so I decided to leave my new camera in my pocket and concertrate on rocking out - I hate having to hold my camera high up in the air to get a shot of the band.

The band came out without Eddie and starting playing an AC/DC riff... Eddie came out and it turned into "Formed a Band"... they did this sort of thing all night long, interspersing bits of rock history into their songs (though generally it was Eddie's singing that did the referencing). Wait, do I remember this right? all these details are possibly wrong, though none are made up... it's my chronology that's at issue.

So, some out-of-order highlights as I remember them:

In "Formed a Band", Eddie changed the lyrics to say "We ARE the band, that WROTE the song, that made Israel and Palestine get along. Up next is India and Packistan. Easy - Peasy."

Eddie started off every song with "Are you ready Art Brut?" He had a killer thin mustache and wore a great hat and wasn't afraid of his untoned/untanned torso.

the pre-"Emily Kane" banter was about how he actually saw Emily Kane after writing the song for her and she thought it was a joke, and she laughed. And he sounded heartbroken as well as resigned.

oh, this is the best:
the intro to "Rusted Guns of Milan" was "This is a song about Valentine's Day, 2001." Then, mid-song, he went on an extended, detail-filled riff about his experiences of Valentine's Day 2001... which was as heartfelt and serious as it was ridiculous. It made me a little nervous with how filled with candor it was, yet it was riotously funny while also kind of uncomfortable. This one song proved that Art Brut is not ironic as much as it is serious. Perhaps better said, Art Brut should be the official soundtrack of the New Sincerity.

also, at one point Eddie said something like: "I have a very good memory for faces. And I'm coming back to New York. And when I do, I'm going to find you, I'm going to track down each and every one of you. And when I find you I'm going to grab you by the arm and ask you if you've formed a band. And if you say no, IF YOU SAY NO... I'LL BE VERY DISAPPOINTED. I'LL BE VERY DISAPPOINTED."

awesome pictures at Brooklyn Vegan.

I hate to disappoint... I'll have a band together by the time Eddie gets back.

Let me say that new guitarist Jasper Future is the new indie-rock matinee idol I'll never be. guy is gorgeous (he's the blonde, obviously).

I almost bought a "Popular culture no longer applies to me" T-Shirt, since I've been feeling that way for a year or two now. Some might think I make a play for hipness, while in fact I try to seal off my influences to create a singular culture that has nothing to do with the broader culture. Instead I came away with a "Modern art makes me want to rock out" shirt, which I put on under my button-down in the cab ride to Williamsburg (where I don't live).

After the show I called Casey to see where he and Fin were; they were at a bar in Williamsburg whose name I've forgotten (Roebling and Grand, right on the corner). I went out to meet them and got there around 1:30-ish. When the bar closed at 4 Casey and Fin and new friend Ashley were the only ones still rocking so we went first to buy beer, but since it was 4 AM on a Sunday we had no luck. Instead we went to a diner and ate a breakfast of sorts before going back to Ashley's place (a few hours before she was moving out). Casey went to crash in her bed while Fin, Ash and I sat on the couch and started watching the Family Guy movie... which lasted about 10 minutes until we all passed out. When we woke up it was light (was it light when we got 'home'?) and the menu sequence was on repeat and it was nearly time to leave the house and get breakfast (again). I wasn't hungry but drank a much-needed vitamin water and sat outside with Fin and Ashley while Casey went back to Queens to change clothes or shower or something. Fin and Casey had already planned a group badminton excursion in McCarren Park, but I had plans to meet Exeter friends at the RUSSIA! exhibit at the Guggenheim... to be continued...

Thursday, November 10, 2005

RETAHTED

free tribeca grand Art Brut show is SATURDAY.
finding new ways to look like an idiot seems to be a subconscious hobby at this point.

I’m pretty sure at this point that Pete L'Official has a bet with Dom and Julianne that he’ll win the most Line of the Day nods this calendar year. He’s definitely in the lead; every word of this review feels like a bid for today’s award.

Wednesday, November 09, 2005

Haven't read the NME in so long, don't know what genre we belong


Art Brut - best band alive
Art Brut fans - best week ever in New York
Art Brut in concert - best thing I'll be doing Friday Saturday
Art Brut in concert for free Friday Saturday at midnight, Tribeca Grand - best reason to email these folks immediately
Art Brut afterparties - one more reason to <3 Ultragrrrl



Yes I wrote that but don't tell anybody.

don't need to sing to me in french

see above

delay

real post to come soon... i've been very busy
but not too busy too recognize this gem.

see you soon.

go to an Art Brut show or 2 this week... Friday is the way to go. (get yourself on the list)

word is the ZX has finished mixing the album and is preparing to release... info to follow


sarah, congrats

best,
dave

Friday, November 04, 2005

I Live By Night

Juelz Santana line of the day:
"When will Bush stop bombing these people?/ He won't, cause his father was evil/ It's in his blood/ Pardonin' people/ Pardon me people: we s'posed to follow these people?/ Ptttch."

Also, there is some seriously ridiculous (and hence appropriate) R. Kelly-related discourse in Interrobang (?!) #10

awesome amazing song/band discoveries of the week:
FEMME GENERATION
Latst year's 6-track album Circle Gets The Square was really great. catchy postpunk/newwave + My Bloody Valentine guitars with a dose of Walkmen piano/keys magic. Tracks I've heard - available at their website, among other places - from the forthcoming BROTHERS AND SISTERS, ALONE WE EXPLODE (Jan '06, Permafrost Records) are really very good (though I think I like the old tracks better?).

"Truth or Dare" by They Live By Night
cop it here (still?)
this song is totally on repeat in my head/ipod/life. it's the perfect pop song by way of heart-on-sleeve jagged/fuzzy guitars, Walkmen drums and magic backing vocal harmonies. This and the new Madonna are my favorite songs right now.

these days I only listen to music I can compare to the Walkmen.

later today: the Julez Santana/Walkmen comparison. I promise.

I keep forgetting that there's a Schiele exhibit up at NEUE GALERIE NEW YORK.

X to play a show in New York: 12-09 - Roseland Ballroom

David Cross's David Cross impersonator response.
I used to hate Gawker but they've been slowly winning me over for the last year and a half or so. But now that they've shown me this... I have officially come around. It's even funnier without sound... at least i think so - I haven't actually heard it yet.

Update: Gawker was right. the sound is essential.

Wednesday, November 02, 2005

P-fork Line of the Day, 11.2.05

Today, a tie:


Choice A -

Speaking about Tony Conrad, the truly legendary experimental musician and filmmaker:
"Several Conrad ensembles featured some dude named John Cale, who co-founded some band called the Velvet Underground, which you may have heard "hip" people talking about at your local Urban Outfitters."

In context.


Choice B -

"Are bounds overstepped in calling Juelz Santana the best MC whose name rhymes with "bandana"? Think naught. Revel in it, despite (or because of) this: "I'm the shit/ Get me/ They can't get/ wit me/ I'm all that and a bag of chips(!)/ Yes, the chicks dig me.""

from today's review of the song "Pick It Up" by Juelz Santana [and featuring Lil Wayne]. by Pete L'Official (best psudeonym ever? or possibly just the odds-on fave for the Most Gangsta Pitchfork Name 2005)

you are so fucking serious


Rock! Paper! Saddam!



the best way to experience this particular news item is through this perfect blog post.


I'm like the 800th person to get on this bus, but the video for Hung Up is fantastic.



I'll be not giving a fuck at Moveable Hype tomorrow. if I feel like it.

Monday, October 31, 2005

This news is awful


Hey, Theo - What gives?

vicarious

SO, first of all, how cute was it to walk out of the subway on 7th Ave in Brooklyn and barely be able to walk through all the kids dressed as princesses, vampires, and witches. If only my camera was already here.

Also, I am sick. Not brutally sick, but enough that I feel awful and I'm not going in to work tomorrow. It's just a cold, so hopefully i'll be back at full strength in a couple of days. Which means - I skipped tonight's Mountain Goats show at the Knitting Factory, and I also skipped the Cake Shop Halloween show (bands dress and perform as their favorite bands). Can't wait to find out every detail of (both) Mountain Goats shows from Russo, and find out who was performing as Jesus and Mary Chain at Cake Shop. I wonder if i'll be better in time for Moveable Hype...

All sorts of other things:

Maureen Dowd had a great piece in this weekend's NYTimes Mag about Feminism and Relationships. One of the things she says is that men are intimidated by strong women. Which is both obvious and really stupid, as well as something totally foreign to me. Maureen's piece seems based at least in part in her own struggles to find a man not intimidated by her strong will/intellect (though it's anything but a personal essay). It's adapted from her new book "Are Men Necessary? When Sexes Collide," which comes out in November. I for one think she's incredibly sexy and would totally take her out to dinner if she'd let me.

Some more NYTimes stuff worth reading: the transcript of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's speech about how much he'd like to destroy Israel. I really don't like this guy.

Brighter news: The Times is finally hip to how hard Lisbon rocks. This reminded me that this is really the time for me to move to Portugal. the upsides are infinite. the lone downside: family pressure (grandmother, aunts, etc) to marry a "nice Portuguese girl" would go from subtle to overpowering. or maybe they're past that?

Remember Season 1 of America's Next Top Model? I had a clear favorite. Elyse is very smart and sooo gorgeous, has great taste in music/movies/etc (including an intelligent dissent on the virtues of the DangerDoom record!). She's modeling as a career now, apparently as a detour from the medical research she wants to pursue, and she's blogging about it here. It's awesome.


Pitchfork had a great feature today about how women (Cat Power, Fiona Apple) are treated with the fragile-damaged label while men in the same vein are viewed as geniuses. Basically it's a revealing hypothesis about Devendra Barnhart's hidden psychic wounds, and the walls he puts up to hide them. All of this starts with a personality typing of the characters in The Goonies. If you know who these people are (the musicians, not the Goonies) you should definitely read it. Pitchfork also had a nice interview with Antony. But nothing Line of the Day-worthy of late.

In my constant quest to discover new music, a lot of stuff gets downloaded, put in a folder, and never listened to. Well, not never, but the files sit there indefinitely. There's just too much new music coming in - cds, promos, mp3s, whatever - for me to possibly keep up. But this month I'm trying to wade through some of the huge stores of unlistened-to material sitting in my new music folder. So last night I walked around Park Slope while playing "Black Dice: Live at The Empty Bottle." And it's f'ing fantastic, exactly what I want from Black Dice right now. [I used to love them being the loudest band in the universe, full of noisy chaos and 'fuck you all' volumes and tones, but now that strikes me as less rewarding than their incorporation of ambient sound-construction.] The only problem is, I don't have any idea where I got it from, or when, or when it was recorded. Or for that matter, where the Empty Bottle is.

Update: apparently The Empty Bottle is in Chicago. that's a start.

Oh, and one more thing: "Scalito" is sketchy. I think this says enough.

Friday, October 28, 2005

Mixing, Testing, Drawing, Dancing



Annie's DJ Kicks record is finally out. Nick Sylvester likes it. And, surprise, surprise, I like it, too.



The new Get That Out of Your Mouth, "Questionable Content and the T-Shirt Driven Economy," is about indie comic Questionable Content, and the way it's the way that it's author maintains financial/creative independence. I love the business model and wonder if a narrative serial digital film website could operate on the same model (like an indie web soap opera). bandwidth is of course much more expensive, but it seems to me that it would be a terrific aesthetic endeavor. So... consider this the launch of my new project. or at least, it's founding concept.


I'm starting to get excited about Movable Hype 5.0. It's at the Knitting Factory on Wednesday, hosted by Aziz Ansari and Rob Huebel.
Bands: The Capitol Years, The Cloud Room, Snowden, Bravo Silva
Price: $10.00
Date: Wed, Nov 02
Starts at 8:00 PM


Test Icicles to play New York!
11-09 New York, NY - Cake Shop
11-11 New York, NY - Northsix (with Art Brut, The Occasion)
Art Brut and Test Icicles on the same bill?! A show at Cake Shop, where I've been known to drink free?! Yes!
This band is, uh, really good.
Pitchfork has the story.

Thursday, October 27, 2005

I Skip More Parties Than I Actually Attend

Didn’t make it to Shindig! last night. Why? Well, no one in my immediate vicinity could be convinced to go, and I intented to go anyway and meet people there, but I was tired at 930/10 and decided to stay in (this happens every night). Then, around 1230/1, I got a burst of energy that kept me up for 3 hours (this also happens every night). This proves that I should not be staying in and trying to sleep, but instead should be out attending all the parties I talk about and eventually skip. Because I’ll be up anyway.

If not the above scenario, then some other last-minute event always comes up that I end up moving to. At this point, if you want to see me at a party – even if I have raved about how great it’s going to be, and how sure I am to be there – you pretty much have to make a special request.

I haven’t had time to post a Pitchfork Line of the Day in a while, so I’m combining The Tuesday and Wednesday editions. So:

“This album will be over before you're finished reading this review. There, it's finished. Did you miss it? It's very short.”

Though Pete L'Official’s Peedi Peedi tryptich has some moments, too.

In today’s Pitchfork Line of the Day, a news article about Islands tour dates and their upcoming debut album quotes Nick Diamonds (of Islands, formerly of the Unicorns). From the article: "Diamonds dropped some hints about the upcoming album's contributors: "Everyone in the Arcade Fire, everyone in Wolf Parade, except for the drummers and Win Butler, everyone in Bell Orchestre, except for the drummer, we already have a good drummer."" Followed by:
"He added, "No one is allowed to step on J'aime's toes and Win's not allowed to step on mine." Yeah, that would really hurt, given how frickin' tall Win Butler is."

I pretty much still find it weird/awesome when Win gets name-dropped, so this had a big edge with me. It will probably stay surreal for quite some time. But I've been over that before. Although I also liked the use of the name “Super Awesome Fun Kapranos Machine” to describe Franz Ferdinand, party band. Superfantastiche.


This afternoon I’m off to buy a winter coat. I think it's about time.

Monday, October 24, 2005

ummm... yeah

Instead of having a saturday/sunday weekend, I'm now needed at work on Saturday. In exchange I get Thursday off. Which makes this even better than before:

"I got shot three times and my album comes out Nov. 22"


Cam'ron (aka Cameron Giles) shot in attempted carjacking.

Killa refused to hand over the blue Lamborghini, got shot once in each arm, then drove himself to the hospital.

if not for the DangerDoom line, this would be a contender for line of the day:
"If all this talk of carjackings and stuff has got you down, Pitchfork suggests watching the Killa Season trailer as a pick-me-up."

He's already out of the hospital.

Not even bullets can stop Cam.

Pitchfork line of the day, Vol. 2

This feature is for real starting now.

Today's gem:
"Doom and Danger Mouse are planning a tour for 2006, and Doom hopes they can have Adult Swim characters on stage and in costume. He told Billboard, 'I haven't met the human beings behind these voices, so to me, it's still just Meatwad. Everyone should be in costume. If I'm going to have them on the record, I have to have them on the tour.' The Smokin' Grooves tour meets Disney on Ice? Start hoarding LSD now."


Update: I can't believe I missed this from Friday:
"If my screenplay about two Japanese kids abducting Robert Pollard and ending up in a police standoff on a Chicago train ever gets filmed, no expense will be spared to ensure that 'Dream Baby Dream' plays over the closing credits."
- from the intense and moving "Puritan Blister #10: The Month In: Suicide" by William Bowers

Saturday, October 22, 2005

This Safire is Out of Control

"A pun is to wordplay what dominatrix sex is to foreplay - a stinging whip that elicits groans of guilty pleasure." - William Safire

William Safire?

Monday, October 17, 2005

theory/question

Is "I'm dying my hair" hipster for "I'm washing my hair"?

Faunts - High Expectations/Low Results

8.6 (on the Pitchfork scale)

When I was 23, I moved to a new city. Before long I met a girl I really liked. We started spending lots of time together, and soon we were taking steps down the road to relationship. After a few weeks of kisses in doorways and late-night Smiths listening sessions, we became official. Soon I was starting to love the way she shuddered when my breath touched her neck, or the look on her face as she watched the final scene of Mouchette. One night, after a few months of breathless enthusiasm, we met for dinner at a vegetarian restaurant downtown. She greeted me with an affectionate kiss and traced my lower arm with her fingers. We sat down to eat and, somewhere between the main course and the arrival of our dessert, she looked me hard in the eyes and told me that we shouldn't see each other anymore. I was dumbstruck with confusion; tears welled up in her eyes while she put on her jacket and left. I chased her down and tried to talk but she brushed me off. I called her once a day for the next few days but never had any of my messages returned.

About a month later she called. We talked for a few cordial minutes and I agreed to meet her for another dinner. We said hi with awkwardly-traded kisses on the cheek; over sushi she explained that she wasn't ready to invest in another relationship. I heard more about her old boyfriend, who had until now been just a combination of rumors and mixtapes. She decided again that we shouldn't see each other, not even a little bit. "It's just too hard," she told me, which sounded like it meant "I want you, but I can't want you. Not now, anyway, even though I know that by saying no now I'm probably saying no forever." She left, and I left, walking in opposite directions. As I neared the corner of the street, I turned to see her one more time, but she was already gone; the street was empty except for the shining light of the bar where we'd had our first drink. I spun and kept walking, taking a deep breath and a few rushed strides before looking up at the stars. Imagining thousands of others looking at the stars at that very moment, the air seemed clearer, and a wave of optimism surged over me. I realized the rest of my life started right now.

If I had had "High Expectations/Low Results" while all of this happened, it would have been my indespensible soundtrack to the wildly swinging emotions of those few months. "High Expectations" is the fade in: seeing her laughing, playing pool with her friends, putting Husker Du on the jukebox and singing along, leaving the bar and not knowing if or when I'd ever run in to her. "Instantly Loved" is the hazy memory of the night she brought me backstage to meet the band, the feeling I get watching her explode with glee at every new pose from the singer or kick of the drums. "Memories of Places We've Never Been" is our drive up to her parents' cabin, holding the steering wheel with my left hand and her with my right. "Place I've Found" feels like the week we spent apart, talking for hours into the night from faraway cities and wanting only to be in her arms. "Parler De La Pluie Et Du Beau Temps" is the return, the first eye contact to break the voice-only expectant waiting of the time spent apart, filtered through a French Film Noir where Mogwai, not Miles, provides the score. The first part of "Will You Tell Me Then" plays, on repeat, while our scene at the dinner table unfolds in piercing slow motion, switching to full speed once we exit the restaurant as the song's second section kicks in. "Twenty-Three" walks me home from our last dinner, starting with a deep breath and a glance to the sky. "Gone With The Day" is the sound of memory, the lost hope for beauty and the recollection of all things lost. Because, somehwere, deep down, I still hope she'll call and want to try again. "Low Results" drifts off to sleep as if dreams were my escape, my hope for the future and my chance at redemption.

High Expectations/Low Results would make a spectacular mixtape of its own; every song could roll over the closing credits of a melancholy Sofia Coppola almost-romance. It's the perfect comedown for nights that end at sunrise or for a half-year love, especially if you're not quite ready to let that night, or those glorious six months, go.









Time for honesty: Everything you've just read was a story; none of these things actually happened. But the metaphor works well even as the line between fiction and life is getting less clear.
You should also know that Friendly Fire Recordings, who's putting out this record, is run by my friend Dan. Which is why I'm reviewing this record, but not at all why I like it. I like it because it's terrific.

Thursday, October 13, 2005

Faunts listening party


Good ol' Friendly Fire... bringing the music and the free beer:

"This Monday, October 17, Friendly Fire Recordings and our friends at Fringe Benefits are holding a listening party in New York for our second release, the Faunts album "High Expectations/Low Results," which will be in stores on October 18. You and your friends are cordially invited to attend - it'll be a good time!

Mo Pitkins
34 Avenue A b/t 2nd St. & 3rd St.

7:30pm - FAUNTS LISTENING PARTY - FREE!
Be the first to hear Faunts' new album "High Expectations/Low Results" -
Shimmering walls of pink noise with dreamy, languorous guitar,
gently-treated vocals, and swimmingly beautiful melodies.

Plus *FREE BEER* from our friends at Red Stripe!

9pm - FAUNTS AFTERPARTY - $8
Featuring performances from:
Doveman
Dave Deporis
This Frontier Needs Heroes (ex-Mountain Men)

Both events are 21+
Red Stripe reminds you to drink responsibly."

*****

"Floating through the ether in a manner reminiscent of facets of Sigur
Ros, Red House Painters, and even late-period Radiohead, High
Expectation/Low Results buzzes and quiets, ebbs and flows. Similar to
the way the Icelandic landscape influenced the Arctic sound of Sigur
Ros, so, too, did the bleak Canadian tundra of Edmonton affect Faunts.
Epic soundscapes evoke feelings of chilling isolation and creeping
darkness... it's an emotive rollercoaster ride well worth taking" -
www.thetripwire.com

[Faunts are] "driving along the same star-lit road as The Smiths' "There
Is A Light That Never Goes Out," but these love-sick passengers are
lucky enough not to get hit head-on by that double-decker bus" -
Fluxblog (download a song; follow the link)

"Faunts do an excellent job of infusing their post-rock compositions
with warmth, rather than hiding behind a wall of feedback" -
www.splendidmagazine.com


I will post a review of some sort soon... I like the record but haven't had time to put pen to paper (finger to keyboard?) about it yet. Hopefully I'll have something by Saturday (if not tomorrow).

Wednesday, October 12, 2005

Pagoda shows Oct.2005

Mike Pitt is playing some acoustic shows (as Pagoda) this month... I knew this a while ago but was reminded today when i read it on BrooklynVegan.

What BV says:

"PAGODA is a band led by Michael Pitt and signed under Thurston Moore's Ecstatic Peace label....Michael has put aside the month of October to play special acoustic performances with Pagoda cellist Indigo."

Dates:

Sat Oct 15, 2005 - @ Tonic
Sat Oct 22, 2005 - @ The Hook (Brooklyn)
Fri Oct 28, 2005 - @ The Delancey


I didn't know about the Ecstatic Peace connection, but it makes sense, since Mike recently starred in a movie featuring Kim Gordon. [So... can Gus Van Sant share credit for the signing?]

previous Pagoda-related posts:
Last Days
Pagoda

feel like your beingwatched..

New post up at Dead Air Space.
Including lyrics fragments from new Radiohead song "Rubbernecks"

I can't get enough...

Tuesday, October 11, 2005

Great Literary Hustlers

New York Magazine - which I never read - has a phenomenal article entitled "Who Is JT Leroy? The True Identity of a Great Literary Hustler". If you have even a passing interest in JT's work this article is unmissable.

There's also a nice piece called "Why Intelligent Design Has To Be Stopped" that cites some of the scary religion-poll numbers I like to drop in conversation with rational adults (though not my favorite stat, that 1 in 5 Americans believe that the world will end in their lifetime).

In other 'read this now' news, I raced through these ages ago but never reported them here... (everything on this blog is on like a 2-week delay). 'SportsGuy', who writes for ESPN's Page 2, is the only thing that ESPN has going for it. He's brilliant. He recently started this (irregular?) feature called "Curious Guy." Here's how he described it:
"Welcome to a new feature called "Curious Guy," where I e-mail questions to somebody who's successful -- whether it's the GM of a baseball team, an author, a creator of a TV show, another columnist or whomever -- and we just start trading e-mails for an entire day. As with many of the new features I start up, you may never see this one again, or you might keep seeing it. I don't know. Let's see how this one works out."

So far Sports Guy has done only 2 of these, but I couldn't really have been more awed by who he chose, or more excited to read them. Bill Simmons has the best job in the world.

Curious Guy 1: Josh Schwartz
Curious Guy 2: Chuck Klosterman


Actually, I think Sasha Frere-Jones might have the best job ever. His latest "Pop Note" column is about the Swede-pop comeback of Robyn. When she couldn't get a major to bring her back, she started her own label.

Past Robyn news here (and, peripherally, here)

Konichiwa, Bitches.

Stylus Ranks Top 50 Movies of the New Millenium, Makes Mistakes

I just got around to reading the Stylus Magazine Top 50 Movies of the New Millenium.

The Kill Bill Vol. 2 review contains the line "Hell hath no fury like a woman shot and left for dead," which is pretty close to my previously-published "Hell hath no fury like a pregnant woman shot in the head and left for dead," which I will let slide because any idiot could have come up with that line, as it's pretty much the most obvious blog/web/filmnerd response to either volume of Kill Bill.

My real issues are with some pieces of the list:
- Russian Ark at 14??? Russian Ark is a one-trick pony with just enough muffled historical references to pretend to artistry. I like the formal and visual experience of a single-take movie, but even aware that I missed certain insider Russian-history references, I felt the overpowering hollowness at this film's core. (I might like to remake it, but there's no way it makes my top 50.)
- Elephant doesn't make the top 50??? neither does Morvern Callar? no 28 Days Later?? These are HUGE omissions.
- Underrated: The Pianist, Dancer in the Dark
- Overrated: Far From Heaven, American Splendor (should be closer to the bottom than the top of this list), In The Bedroom, Requiem for a Dream

All that said, most of their Top 10 movies are hard to question as belonging somewhere near the top.

Monday, October 10, 2005

YESYESYES NEW YORK!!!


Somehow I missed this but:

NO NEW YORK is being re-released on CD. comes out Nov. 15.
I can finally trade in my scratched CD copy of someone's cassette dub, and stop hunting through the compilation bins at every used record store I go in. Now I can actually buy a copy.


Some website - preferrably one run by people with more time - should have a 'Pitchfork Line of the Day' feature. So, possibly as the first in this (very irregular) series, I propose:

"You can also hear Lambchop main man Kurt Wagner warbling on "Give It", the latest single from dance music titans X-Press 2. That's gotta be weird: It's 3 a.m. at your fave superclub, you're grinding with Paris Hilton, and all of a sudden you hear Kurt Wagner. Must be the ecstasy."

To listen to the song without the ecstacy or without Paris Hilton (or both), snag it here. And maybe you'll get to hear it this Saturday (with one or both of those things?) if you go to this.

Friday, October 07, 2005

musics

Rogue Wave has a secret MySpace page with, um, secret new music. And it's pretty seriously awesome. Descended Like Vultures comes out Oct 25.

Some recent MP3 gems at Call Me Mickey. try the Clap Your Hands Say Yeah set from Morning Becomes Eclectic (also available as a Podcast from iTunes). or some new Bloc Party.

give Kelley Stoltz a shot. (but start with his MySpace page instead). No, better yet, get "The Sun Comes Through" from his The Sun Comes Through EP. courtesy of Subpop.

Jesus and Mary Chain reunion/single?

that's enough for now... oh except this:
New York Doll, the new movie about Arthur "Killer" Kane, comes out Oct 28 in NY and LA.

g'night

Monday, October 03, 2005

L'Shana Tova

Goodbye, 5765, Hello 5766.*


*Technically, this doesn't apply to me. My status is only honorary.

Friday, September 30, 2005

Apartment at the Mercury Lounge

This was just post-CMJ. my memory of it is hazy now, but here's what I've got.

Jean came to meet me but couldn't get in the door... I went in for Apartment and then met up with her again afterwards. I went in hoping for goodness but slightly fearful that they'd come off as Interpol-lite.

Verdict:
This band is amazing. They do mine some of the same influences as Interpol etc, but they're original as well as incredibly talented. They're spectacular performers, and use a hint of noise in the opens and closes of songs to add a bit of danger to their songcraft...

that, and david is my new idol. he's like the best of all possible frontmen. I could rave but it'll just sound like I'm going too far... which I probably am (but just by a bit).

GO SEE THIS BAND. I don't know if they're ever going to be huge but they sure are going to keep being awesome. [Probably both]. I was really impressed with everything they threw at me. I really can't even break down what works because everything comes together so seamlessly. It's the kind of praise I'll rarely heap on a band or a movie, but they are so very deserving. This goes not just for one song but for the whole set. The highlights were the moments when they were on stage.

I can't wait 'til Sarah gets me my copy of Patience is Proving.

Thursday, September 29, 2005

CMJ Fri/Sat

Fri -

Scenic
the last song of Windsor for the Derby (they're really good)
a set by Tyondai Braxton
Big Bear
Wilderness

Ty was great. Sitting on the ground as usual. I've seen him better but I enjoyed his set a lot.
Big Bear was really fucking loud. in a metal way, but artier. I'd call them "post-metal noise" but anyone in those scenes would say I'm using the wrong terminology. I'm afraid my knowledge of that stuff is all from the avant-side of things, so I don't know what the metal kids would say. but they were loud.
Wilderness - I thought I'd like them a lot. Instead, I only liked them. The one song of theirs that I know - "Arkless" - was the one I liked the best. Is it that I just need to get acclimated to their songs? Not really, since they all sound pretty similar. And the singer was moving like everything was in slow motion. he seemed to not be used to fronting a band, like he was trying to learn how. You should never be practicing fronting a band, you should just go up there and lose control... he didn't do that.


Sat -

worked late. 'til like 2 AM. met Jean at the Knitting Factory for CMJ closing night party. witnessed a bit of karaoke but mostly hung out in the Ladytron dj-ed upstairs. stayed out... late.

went into recovery mode until the Tuesday (I think) Apartment show at the Mercury Lounge... that deserves its own post. i'll be caught up soon, I swear.

Tuesday, September 27, 2005

Samantha = Deborah


Samantha Morton will be playing Deborah Curtis in Control, the Anton Corbijn-directed Ian Curtis biopic (based on Deborah's memoir Touching From a Distance) to start shooting in Manchester this fall.

Sam is such a perfect choice. There is a resemblance, but what I'm more impressed with is her incredible emotional depth and ability to transmit interior emotion on the screen. Sam is one of the best actors alive, and she's intelligent and gorgeous and amazing and I couldn't select a better Deborah Curtis. Perfect.

Monday, September 26, 2005

Dungen +

CMJ updates continue -

I was en route to Bowery Ballroom in a taxi after seeing Regina Spektor and Devotchka (which followed an early Lady Sovereign show). ...

getting out of the taxi and arriving at the venue, I was told that they weren't letting in any more badges. It was maybe 12:30 at this point, the show still 15 minutes from starting. I was told to go wait in a line with other badgeholders, that they were only letting in people with tickets. Which I did. After a while of waiting the show started, and I was still outside in line. Started conversing with some of my fellow badgeholding optimists, Greg, Jean(ne?), and another girl. At this point - or maybe just before the music began - the Bowery personnel told us that we could buy tickets and go right in, but they were not letting in any badges. I really wanted to see the show but I felt like saving my 15 dollars and taking a chance so I stayed in line, thinking that eventually we'd be let in. Conversation was good but understandably annoyed that we weren't being let in to see the concert. Greg runs ARC magazine; Jean was here because a film she worked on (shooting the making of documentary) was playing as part of CMJ - Brick. Anyway, eventually, after much dismay/confusion/annoyance we ended up being let in about 2 or 3 songs into the performance.

Dungen was really, really good. I wasn't that familiar with their stuff but I was really blown away. Gustav [Ejstes, who composed all of the music and, on the recordings, does most of the performing] was all over the stage, singing, playing organ, guitar, tambourine, sometimes just rocking out while the other musicians jammed. It was far and away the best Swedish psych-rock band I've ever seen at the Bowery Ballroom... ok anywhere.

there was a little bit of between song banter before/after [I can't remember] "Ta det lugnt". Gustav said that the song's title means "Take It Easy", and the guitarist said that it's hard to take it easy when you're playing guitar. That was pretty much the English spoken for the night, except for the occassional 'thank you' or something.

The best musical moment was actually the very end of the show. The last song ended with the typical cymbal-crashing catharsis of a rock-show finale, but then the drummer hit an extra beat. then another. then the guitarist played a riff. then everybody jammed for a few minutes. 'jammed' doesn't really capture the intensity or tightness of what was going on. It was spectacular.

After the show Jean Greg and I headed to Motor City for what was reported to be the Merge afterparty... though i didn't see anyone i know from Merge. I made some joke with Greg about this really being a SubPop crowd due to the hard-party style, but mostly it was just other passholders looking for an after-scene. Greg mingled; Jean and I sat on a couch. Eventually it got to be late [430? 5?] and they told us to leave.

That's the Thursday music update. Friday will get posted... tomorrow?

Russo, pay attention

Still tix available to see the (formerly secret) Mountain Goats show at the Knitting Factory on Halloween. With Grizzly Bear and Prayers & Tears of Arthur Digby Sellers. When the show was secret, they were listed as The Hospital Bombers. Nice touch. anyway, get tix here.

CMJ Thursday pt 2

After Lady Sovereign I raced over to Irving Plaza to see Devotchka and Regina Spektor. Actually, I wasn't sure if I'd stay for Regina's show because I didn't want to get shut out of the Dungen show at Bowery Ballroom. Anyway, I was excited for Devotchka, because I've really gotten into their gypsy/rock fusion thing of late (though I still think their version of Venus in Furs is more disappointing than amazing). They're the ones with the amazing song "How It Ends" from the Everything is Illuminated trailer.

Once I got settled David Byrne walked in and passed by on his way to the balcony. Soon after, Nick (the singer) came out carying a bottle of wine, whose cork he pulled out with his teeth. And drank straight from the bottle during the whole show. There was Nick (on electric guitar and vocals, and sometimes theremin), a drummer, someone who switched between accordion and violin, and someone who played tuba and upright bass. The songs were great but they were all the songs I already know... kind of like a 'best of' set. Which I liked, but i was hoping for a revelation. Still, a big thumbs up for the gypsy-rock fusion - and for any singer who raises his bottle of wine to the crowd before chugging 3 glasses worth mid-song.

Then I decided to stay for Regina since I had never seen her play live before, and because Dungen wasn't slated to go on until 12:45. She was really awesome. She also seemed really surprised to have this packed holuse of people desperately attaching themselves to every word, every breath, every blink.

I didn't know any of Regina's songs going in but I was really impressed. They're piano songs and some of them are love songs but her uncharacteristic delivery and her convoluted approach to narrative kind of sweep me away.
"Sampson" was really good. Her cover unexpected cover of Jeff Buckley's "Hallelujah" was spot-on. She also played some song about hearing November Rain twice on the radio because the dj was asleep... that song is awesome, whatever it is.
[you can stream most/all of her studio tracks at her website.]

after that it was into a cab to race down to Bowery Ballroom and try to catch Dungen.
to be continued...

Clocking on again

Jonny put up a new post on Friday at Dead Air Space. and by Jonny I mean Jonny Greenwood. Meaning - Radiohead is back in the studio. Good to know that Jonny's been exploring dub reggae... it makes me a) excited to hear new Radiohead studio-results, and b) less guilty about exploring obscure Houston hiphop producers or fresh dancehall ridddims instead of giving more attention to, say, Faunts.

More CMJ catchup-posts forthcoming, I swear.

Speaking of Houston hiphop, Bun B is awesome. download/stream "Draped Up" here.

Tuesday, September 20, 2005

When I say S-O, you say VEE. S-O, VEE, S-O, VEE

Lady Sov. at webster hall.

she comes on stage dressed in a yellow adidas tracksuit. some clown calls her a 'bloody chav' in a (bad) fake english accent. she says, 'yeah, i love it'. then shows off the Union Jack on her underwear and gives her own bottom a solid slap. take that, chav guy. (that Union Jack made one or two other appearances on the night).

she rhymes over a dj mashup of the instrumental versions of The Whisper Song and Hollaback Girl.

she spits faster than anyone (possibly including Twista?) on the crazily sped up version of Public Warning.

she leads the crowds in the call-and-response listed above

she just totally kills.

catching up

the CMJ posts and everything after will trickle in over the next few days on a show-by-show basis, I swear. - Dave

Thursday, September 15, 2005

CMJ Vol. 1

Last night went to see Asobi Seksu at Crash Mansion. Saw Dan Frantic there (as expected, they were the first band signed to his label). Was nice to see him if only briefly. He gave me a copy of the new Faunts record High Expectations/Low Results that I haven't had time to check out (due out October 18). Check out a Faunts track (via Fluxblog) here.

Controller Controller had to cancel for the show due to a burst appendix on the part of... someone from Controller Controller. Some really bad band played instead, i'v ealready pushed them out of my memory but it confirmed my belief that you should need a license to cover any song by Iggy and the Stooges. Asobi Seksu was as good as i've seen them. They've got 2 new poeple in the band... a new drummer and bassist. I really liked that the rhythm section was higher in the mix than the last show I went to. Apparently this was the first show with the new members, but I thought they worked well together.

I'm skipping The OC tonight to see Lady Sov instead. I really need a TiVo.

If I don't leave now i won't make Lady Sov. peace.

Tuesday, September 13, 2005

5 damn days, 5 long days, and at the end of the 5th he walkin' in like 'Haaay'

I got a confirmation today that my CMJ pass came through (thanks).
Which means I need to spend some serious time trying to figure out my
schedule this week. I'm currently working every day of CMJ including Saturday until late night - late enough that I won't make it to the DIPLO gig at Southpaw with Bun B and Spank Rock. Spank Rock is the genius behind the surprisingly-awesome-no-matter-how-dirty-it-sounds cut "Put That Pussy on Me" that kills it (get it here). I've got the pass and I'm on the list for a bunch of individual events. I think I know what I'm doing late Friday night, but otherwise, it's pretty much up in the air.

Smoosh is pretty awesome. Check out the video for "La Pump". I listen to it and all I can think is: These girls are sooo young, think what they could be doing in 5 or 8 or 10 years. My prediction: they'll be tagging in for Sufjan on, say, Wyoming or Arkansas. I feel like I should be sending them books by Rimbaud or albums by Ornette Coleman to expose them to other influences... or at least The Smiths.

My current playlist:
- George Bush Doesn't Care About Black People - The Legendary K.O. [produced by Kanye West and Jon Brion... sort of] (get it here)
- Wake Up (Live at Fashion Rocks, Radio City Music Hall) - The Arcade
Fire and David Bowie (at Banana Nutrament)
- Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt - We Are Scientists
- These Things - She Wants Revenge
- Between Us & Them - Moving Units
- The Police And The Private - Metric (from Fluxblog)
- Let's Get High (Alan Braxe Remix) - Benjamin Diamond
- Be Mine - Robyn

Please go out of your way to download the first and the last on the list.

Friday, September 09, 2005

Win Butler is My Hero

I only knew him a little bit, and we haven't had a conversation since high school, but he's now officially the most successful/amazing person I will ever know.
fashionrocks2
I just finished watching The Arcade Fire's performance on Fashion Rocks, with David Bowie playing with the band. Win and David split the vocals on "Wake Up". Most of the crowd didn't seem to care at first (except for Heather Graham, who seemed into it), but by the end everyone in the building was standing and clapping along to the beat of the song. I've missed all of my chances to see the Arcade Fire live, but they were spectacular, and I will not do so again.

I wasn't blogging in the era when their album Funeral took over my life. I can't think of praise high enough for it that doesn't sound melodramatic. So, please take me at face value when I say that it might be the best album of the last 5 years.

Do you want to run this ship?

Joss Whedon is back in effect:
Serenity

also:
Shopgirl trailer
Deathcab/Notwist soundtrack
and everything else I think I want in a movie right now

Wednesday, September 07, 2005

YEAH YEAH!

Pitchfork back in serious effect:

Johnny Boy Complete Album, Shop for Labels, Shoes

I guess they showed me. Then again, that's why they're the news.

Monday, September 05, 2005

GIVE

NOW.

Let's get serious.
if you can spend five bucks on a drink or a cab you spare that cash to SAVE PEOPLE'S LIVES.

ITLPD


Orson and Mike in particular will enjoy this:

International Talk Like a Pirate Day is September 19th.
website
history

Sunday, September 04, 2005

Kanye Represents

Kanye West on NBC: "George Bush Does Not Care About Black People"


Crazy-Kanye outdoes his statement on Live 8 about AIDS: "It's a man-made disease in the first place that was placed in Africa just like crack was placed in the black community to break up the Black Panther party."

And yet... some evidence suggests that the CIA was involved in dealing crack in the '80's (Iran-Contra, etc), and the press seems to think that if you're white it's not looting.

Pics, story stolen from JLT.


I'm coming around on the Caps and Jones mix, but I don't love when they throw in those 70's rock clips. There's obvious moments of hiphop genius, but c'mon boys, keep it gully.

Above us there is nothing above but the stars above.


5...4...3...1... Offblast!

More info on Zlad here and here.

Friday, September 02, 2005

On Returning


Chris Lemon-Red Nelson has a terrific interview with Diplo that just got published in The Boston Phoenix. Best thing I gleaned from that - Piracy Funds Terrorism Vol. 2 is closer than I thought.
Also, check out the September installment of the Lemon-Red mix series... I'm not so into the Caps and Jones thing, but CLR likes it, so give it a shot.


The company College Prowler publishes individual guides to 200 top colleges.
The books are written by current students for prospective college students, designed to answer questions like:
• "Is Wesleyan University the right place for me?"
• "Will I be happy at Wesleyan University if I decide to accept their offer?"
• "Should I even apply for admission to Wesleyan University?"

Best line from the Wesleyan edition:
"Is it true they have naked parties? Is it true they do drugs? Is it true they sip foreign tea and talk about socialism? Yes, yes, and yes."



JLT likes Kanye, and I like his pink sweater. Smart about music in '05.

Zach Vowell saw Jandek the other day and published a great review in Pitchfork here. (I, on the other hand, was shut out of tickets for the NYC show by about 30 seconds. again.)

The New York Times published a piece yesterday entitled The Pitch: A Series About Wacky Terrorists."
The opening joke: "Abu, Ahmed, Musab and Salar, a cell of Islamic terrorists sent to Chicago by a nefarious network resembling Al Qaeda, are getting chewed out by their murderous boss, just in from Afghanistan. (They have been spending the organization's money like crazy but haven't blown anything up.) Just then, two deliverymen knock on the apartment door, bearing a huge flat-screen TV."
I nearly fell out of my chair laughing. I described the show to my roommate and she said it sounded like "Arrested Development with terrorists." Which I guess explains why I like the idea so much. And also why it'll never get made. If anyone has a copy of the script for this show (called "The Cell"), please email me right away. If anyone knows Mark Jordan Legan or Mark F. Wilding, tell them it should be produced for the web and released on DVD. Stuff that risky won't fit on advertiser-supported TV, but that doesn't mean it's not genius.


I still haven't reflected on my favorite moments of (watching) the VMAs (on television), except for a brief wordless response to R.Kelly's psycho-ambitious-spoken-pop-radio-opera thing. So I have to get around to that. Sadly, MTV won't let me watch the VMAs on my computer because Windows Media Player's Mac version doesn't have DRM. maybe someone can hack the code and I can download the My Chemical Romance and Kelly Clarkson performances. Anyone?

It's really nice outside; I'm gonna take my iPod and Touching From A Distance and go lay in the park.

Oh yeah... Kate Bush has a new album on the way.

Sunday, August 28, 2005

Still Trapped

R. Kelly just finished performing a previously unreleased coda to Trapped in the Closet (on the VMAs) that is, frankly, at least as insane as Parts 1 through 5.

I can't even talk about it.

Saturday, August 27, 2005

This is not a music blog

As much as some people think so, it's really not. It's supposed to be me just talking about things that get me excited. But I've been trying to avoid personal stuff (except for the occasional vague hint). So that leaves pretty much my interaction with media, which is to say news/blogs/movies/music. The news is too serious and I'm not blogging about blogs and I don't see enough movies nowadays. Which turns out to be mostly music. So, um, yeah, it's a music blog.

Friday, August 26, 2005

Return the Gift?

x-news-gangoffour
So, I just streamed Return the Gift, and my first thought was Wow! This thought lasted through the entire first listen of the album. And my second... this is an improvement how?
The answer: because of the non-Entertainment tracks. and also the remixes/covers/etc that will be part of disc 2 (not streamable, though the Dandy Warhols' remix of "What We All Want" is streamable at the Gang of Four website).

And yes, i use this picture every time I mention them.

Wednesday, August 24, 2005

It's official:


"Things have been going crazy!
I've just been to New York, and met up with JayZ and Usher, talking about my music and releasing my album in America. Gonna go and do some recording in the States for some new tunes in October with Missy Elliot's people. So i'm gonna put the album out in both the UK and US at the start of 2006 with the new tunes from America."
- Lady Sov

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

Will someone tell me...

How is it possible that I'm scooping...

Pitchfork? (again?).
[I know, I should be over this, but I'm not.]

If they were at all useful, they'd be covering important stuff anyway.
At least they like the Flotation Toy Warning record (review here).
and Dominique likes Bjork's soundtrack to Drawing Restraint 9, the new moving picture project from Matthew Barney, which means I'll probably like it, too.


Is Pat Robertson serious? What is wrong with these people?