chestnuts and fire, holly and hay

sufjan stevens - come on! let's boogey to the elf dance

tonight was my second annual holiday music show on warc. while i may have dreaded singing christmas caroles on christmas eve in the old days i've really grown to love holiday music, the traditional and the odd.

• johnny mathis - winter wonderland
• herb alpert - the christmas song
• sufjan stevens - come on! let's boogey to the elf dance
• the muppets - deck the halls
• asobi seksu - merrry christmas (i don't want to fight tonight)
• barenaked ladies - the dreidel song
• belle & sebastian - the 12 days of christmas
• the beach boys - run, run, reindeer
• pas/cal - last christmas
• paul mccartney - simply having a wonderful christmas time
• fall out boy - yule shoot your eye out
• run-dmc - christmas in hollis
• suburban homeboy - hanukkah hey ya
• usa for africa - do they know it's christmas?
• death cab for cutie - christmas (baby please come home)
• angelique kidjo - mutoti kwanza
• john lennon - happy christmas (war is over)
• happy clucking christmas - carol of the bells
• stan and wendy - it happened in sun valley
• leon redbone & zooey deschanel - baby, it's cold outside
• chris isaak - christmas on tv
• ron sexsmith - maybe this christmas
• britta phillips & dean wareham - old toy trains
• black tape for a blue girl - chanukkah, oh chanukkah
• fountains of wayne - i want an alien for christmas
• the eels - christmas is going to the dogs
• grandaddy - alan parson's in a winter wonderland

one of my favorite christmas tunes is "blue christmas" and there's so many excellent versions. so here's whose versions i played:

• elvis
• low
• bright eyes
• johnny cash
• chris isaak
• johnny mathis
• brian setzer orchestra

and to finish things off:

• barbara streisand - have yourself a merry little christmas
• low - taking down the tree

now i'm down in herald square, looking in the crowd your face is everywhere

freedy johnston - bad reputation

i can't believe it's been 7 years already. i think it's appropriate for the occasion to include some other lyrics from freedy's well known tune, recently covered by death cab for cutie.

suddenly i'm on the street
seven years disappear below my feet
been breaking down
do you want me now
do you want me now

memory's garden just came true

trouble - requiem

happy anniversary to you.

and now i realize i'm livin' like a trucker does, although i haven't got the belly

luna - california (all the way)



for the 7th fall i've begun my travels throughout the northeast for work. often a different hotel each night and usually a different style of toilet in each. i never knew there was such variety. for a while i've taken an interest in the design of bathroom fixtures so for the past two years i've decided to document my travels by photographing each of the toilets in my hotel rooms. my own odd version of a travelogue.

some of these recent posts were not actually written on the date listed. laptop troubles prevented the actual posting but these are the dates i intended them to appear.

well you got your father's hair, and you got your father's nose, but you got my soul, sadly, beautiful

paul westerberg- sadly beautiful

is there anything cuter, yet also as tragic, as a cat or dog with a cone around their head? our vet prefers to call them elizabethan collars. classy.



enid got her female stuff removed. bob barker would be pleased. she handled the surgery well and is just a bit more mellow than typically. she's even more affectionate than normal and attaches herself to you whenever she can as shown in the picture.

well, she's my best friend

dead can dance: american dreaming

i'm back from my trip to washington state. it was difficult to leave and it was one of the only times i've ever prayed for a canceled flight. this trip was filled with ever a vacation should have...fantastic friends, amazing music, delicious food and intoxicating drinks. and now back to the reality of work and school...

breaking everybody's heart, singing everybody's song

low: everybody's song

with this post i'm beginning a new format. as you may have noticed each title of a post is a song lyric. i realize my tastes may be a bit obscure so i figured i'd let everyone else in on the joke and include the artist and song from which each lyric originates. and in order to enact some type of grandfather clause here's a list of all the prior subjects and their source material.

• cause i can't write what i know, it's not worth writing: the wrens: this boy is exhausted
• i swear i'm gonna bite you hard and taste your tinny blood: the weakerthans: plea from a cat named virtute
• uniform printout reads end of line: queensryche: nm156
• my mind is filled with radio cures: wilco: radio cure
• i'll try to find you, left of the dial: the replacements: left of the dial
• turn up the radio, i need the music, gimme some more: autograph: turn up the radio
• wonderful radio, marvelous radio, wonderful radio, radio radio: elvis costello: radio radio
• i hear you singin' in the wire: jimmy webb: wichita lineman
• we hear the playback and it seems so long ago: the buggles: video killed the radio star
• could you give me a wish if i tell you what i want?: bob mould: wishing well
• i sincerely miss those heavy metal bands: wilco: heavy metal drummer
• i was in this drop D metal band we called requiem: spoon: sister jack
• i was talking to preachy preach about kissy kiss: the pixies: bone machine
• it appears i was talking to my own self: british sea power: how will i ever find my way home?
• upper middle class info maniac: jets to brazil: the frequency
• i was at a funeral the day i realized i wanted to spend my life with you: eels: p.s. you rock my world
• sunspots: bob mould: sunspots
• some like kk downing more than glenn tipton: sun kil moon: glenn tipton
• music for the bad boys, music for the good boys: damien jurado: white center
• she comes in near when i scratch under her ear: red house painters: wop-a-din-din
• is that your celebrated summer?: husker du: celebrated summer
• i'll put my bright ideas right back in my ass: portastatic: bright ideas
• hearing words of things unspoken, telephone is broken: trouble: psychotic reaction
  

hearing words of things unspoken, telephone is broken

i've been listening to a lot of metal lately, reliving my youth. thinking of the past if you will. or maybe i'm "in a metal mood." so i did an all old school metal show on saturday and really rocked warc. don't think anyone else was listening but i dug it and i renewed my love of some old bands and songs that i haven't listened to in years like cathedral and "rockin' with you." some stuff have never really left my rotation of frequently listened to albums (trouble, dirty looks, anthrax). stuff like grim reaper hasn't exactly stood the test of time but i dug for nostaligia. others like "needle in the groove" and roxx gang would have me running out the record store to buy if i heard them for the first time today.

• cathedral - violet vortex (intro)
• trouble - psalm 9

• judas priest - grinder
• grim reaper - dead on arrival
• dio - straight through the heart
• black sabbath - the shining
• iron maiden - still life

• laaz rockit - demolition (voiceover)
• queensryche - en force
• crimson glory - heart of steel
• fifth angel - fifth angel
• sanctuary - battle angels
• heretic - ...and kingdoms fall
• testament - hypnosis (voiceover)
• paradise lost - the last time
• cathedral - ride
• trouble - psychotic reaction
• armored saint - symbol of salvation
• anthrax - among the living

• exodus - the toxic waltz
• testament - trail by fire
• overkill - never say never
• laaz rockit - dreams die hard
• faithful breath - don't feel hate
• malice - rockin' with you
• tiger tailz - ballerina/livin' without you
• dirty looks - tokyo
• roxx gang - no easy way out
• fierce heart - out for blood
• mama's boys - needle in the groove

i'll put my bright ideas right back in my ass

• portastatic - bright ideas
• new pornographers - twin cinema
• sleater-kinney - entertain
• the arcade fire - no cars go
• frank black - i burn today
• death cab for cutie - soul meets body
• the zutons - zuton fever
• elliott smith - pretty (ugly before)
• clem snide - tiny european cars
• jets to brazil - little light
• dungen - panda
• rogue wave - 10:1
• the concretes - free ride
• damien jurado - paper wings
• royksopp - dead to the world
• sufjan stevens - john wayne gacy jr.
• kaiser chiefs - born to be a dancer
• sloan - if it feels good do it
• superchunk - art class (song for yayoi kusama)
• orenda fink - easter island
• paul bellows - tape deck classics
• nada surf - always love
• hidden cameras - i want another enema
• luna - chinatown (live)
• dressy bessy - side 2
• the brunettes - your heart dies
• modest mouse - float on
• silkworm - "don't look back"
• portastatic - power supply

is that your celebrated summer?

in honor of bob mould's newest album "body of song" tonight show will be all bob all the time in his various guises. a key for where each song comes from:

hd= husker du
bm= bob mould
s= sugar
lb=loud bomb

the tunes in italics are instrumentals that i played with running through the setlist or reading psa's.

• wishing well - bm
• paralyzed - bm
• celebrated summer - hd
• a good idea - s
• wishing well - bm
• without? -bm
• gee angel - s
• makes no sense at all - hd
• best thing - bm
• hardly getting over it - hd
• moving trucks - bm (live)
• soundonsound - bm
• theme (it's a perfect day) - lb
• surveyors and cranes - bm
• needle hits e - s
• wanted was - bm
• i apologize - hd
• can't help you anymore - s (live)
• high fidelity - bm
• sunset safety glass - bm
• new #1 - bm
• egoveride - bm
• hornery - bm
• stand guard - bm
• see a little light - bm
• tilted - s
• no reservations - hd
• if i can't change your mind - s
• days of rain - bm

she comes in near when i scratch under her ear

meet the newest member of our family. her name is enid.



one of the inspirations for her name:

music for the bad boys, music for the good boys

• damian jurado - white center
• sufjan stevens - chicago
• richard buckner - a chnace counsel
• bob mould - sunspots/wishing well
• mountain goats - dance music
• autumn defense - mayday
• tristeza - golden hill
• silkworm - penalty box
• pullman - same grain with new wood
• shipping news - louven
• one of the loudest tragedies ever heard - loaded gun
• oasis - love like a bomb
• arcade fire - neighborhood #2
• dio - gypsy
• wolf parade - and i am my father's son
• thunderbirds are now - the world is made of paper
• frank black - caribou
• the decemberists - 16 military brides
• superchunk - martinis on the roof
• of montreal - wraith pinned to the mist
• alaska! - stay
• oneida - lavender
• viva voce - the center of the universe
• silver scooter - blue laws
• enon - kanon
• pilot to gunner - 68 (jawbox)
• q & not u -collect the diamonds
• british sea power - plesae stand up
• portastatic - bright ideas

some like kk downing more than glenn tipton

• andrew bird & the mysterious production of eggs - measuring cups
• sufjan stevens - john wayne gacy jr.
• sun kil moon - glenn tipton
• josh rouse - it's the nighttime
• john doe - ready
• stan thiele - merry go-round
• clem snide - tiny european cars
• chris stamey experience - compared to what?
• sloan - the rest of my life
• the national - secret making
• saxon shore - november 16
• sleater-kinney - entertain
• oneida - $50 tea
• arcade fire - cold wind
• spoon - the delicate places
• kaiser chiefs - born to be a dancer
• constantines - arizona
• the hold steady - hornets! hornets!
• the white stripes - the denial twist
• the hold steady - cattle and the creeping things *
• hot hot heat - island of the honest man
• and you will know us by the trail of dead - will you smile again?
• dressy bessy - stop foolin'
• pinback - afk
• maria taylor - two of those too
• eels - hey man (now you're really living)
• stars - your ex-lover is dead
• channels - win instantly

* this was a mistake. didn't mean to play tunes from his band. especially since i don't really like them. it seems every magazine or newspaper i pick has a rave review of this album. so i keep trying to give it a chance but i don't get it. musically and lyrically they're pretty interesting but i just can't handle craig finn's monotonous vocals. don't think it'll be getting any more spins from me.

sunspots

Workbook: Bob Mould part 2

Ok well I'm guess I'm somewhat breaking my rule of each post title being song lyrics. But how can you quote a line from a tune that's an instrumental? I guess I could looks for guitar tabs for "Sunspots," the opening instrumental to Bob Mould's classic Workbook album, but that would be really dorky. So here's a slight variation on the rule. And I'm the only one that notices.

It's only appropriate that I continue my writing about Workbook around my wedding anniversary. This album marks somewhat of turning point in my life. If I made a timeline of my life the discovery of Workbook would be the dividing line between the Clock Girl era and my meeting Liz. Even though my meeting Liz wouldn't occur for another few weeks it sorts signifies to me this new life. It was the first album purchased post-breakup. Because of this, I wanted this album to part of my wedding day. When listening to music I tend to dwell on the lyrics, which according to some is the sign of not being a true music fan. I have to politely disagree, but I digress. I wanted to make sure any music I personally picked would fit the joyous mood of a wedding. Most of the music I listen to, and particularly my taste circa 2000, wouldn't exactly be appropriate wedding tunes. So I was struggling with a way to include Bob Mould in my wedding soundtrack, particularly this album. The perfect solution...an instrumental.

It took me a bit of time to convince Liz that "Sunspots" should be the song to be played as we are introduced and enter our reception but I was eventually successful. It was really the only piece of "my music" to be included in the wedding soundtrack and I was OK with that. This song, especially due to how much this album means to me, was enough. I knew that aside from Liz the only other people that would recognize this tune were two members of the wedding party, Matt and my Bob-introducer, Lizzz, as well as my friend Jen F. I told them all to pay special attention to our entrance tune since I knew they would appreciate it. The entrance music was appreciated but in a different way than intended. As we were gathering for our introduction in the Riverside Inn's hallway "Sunspots" hadn't started playing yet but there a siren blaring from a local fire house. Lizzz and Matt started laughing, thinking that I had chosen Black Sabbath's "War Pigs" as our entrance song.

If any Sabbath was going to played it would have been "Neon Knights" as Ronnie James Dio is the superior Sabbath singer.

Another somewhat amusing anecdote regarding "Sunspots." I was sitting in a hotel when traveling for work doing paperwork with the tv tuned to HBO playing in the background. I think I was going to watch Chris Rock. I hear a familiar song, and since these guitar chords are so ingrained in my memory I didn't really notice. And then I realized I was playing Workbook, it was coming from the tv. "Sunspots" was being used as the soundtrack for an HBO promo with arty black and white shots of the stars of their original programs. Now I didn't mind the tune that means a lot to me to be used to promote The Sopranos and Oz but it turned my stomach that it was included with shots of those wenches from Sex and the City. I just hope Bob used that paycheck towards recording his new album.

i was at a funeral the day i realized i wanted to spend my life with you

happy 5th anniversary to me and liz!

upper middle class info maniac

(i started writing this the saturday after the movie opened. finally got around to finishing)

well i wouldn't consider myself upper middle class but the sentiment in the song lyric fits this post and i'm bound by my self-imposed rules. can i be more of a stereotype? writing about a comic book movie? on a blog? the only think stopping me from being this guy is i'm married and don't have a ponytail.

i can't remember the last movie i was as excited about as this new batman film. perhaps ghost world? i saw it last night with excellent company. i had threatened to dress up to show my anticipation of the movie. instead i opted to only embarrass myself by pulling this relic out of the archives.



i would give it one and a half thumbs up. the half thumb deduction being for gary oldman's jim gordon being used somewhat as comic relief. i'm too much of a fan of both the actor and the character to not have his silly batmobile comments grate just a bit. the majority of the half thumb deduction goes to katie holmes. she's overexposed enough these days so i won't waste a link on her. prior to this movie she never made much of an impact on me. the only thing i recall seeing her in was wonder boys in which i found her rather forgettable. after checking her filmography on imdb i realized i've seen a few other films with her in them and was oblivious to her presence. not to spoil things for anyone that hasn't seen the movie, i almost stood up and booed during the bruce wayne/disposable katie holmes-character kiss. the only thing that stopped me was not wanting to embarrass my friends. was tempted to boo when her name appeared during the credits as well.

my main complaint with the katie holmes character is actually a fairly common film complaint of mine, particularly for action oriented movies. i first noticed and was annoyed by this plot device in druggy oliver stone's jfk. this device is the unnecessary romantic subplot. didn't care about kevin costner's dissolving relationship with his wife. i want single bullet theories and cyril wecht type stuff. (random aside...i was once at the same concert as cyril. it was a treat). i'm not someone that blanketly dismiss romantic movies. about a boy is a favorite movie and i greatly enjoyed it. i quite like love actually and hell, "love" is in the title so i certainly don't automatically dislike cinematic romance. my favorite movie of all time is really mostly a love story. but the love story aspect of those movies advanced the plot and added to the film, rather than being something tacked on to appeal to a larger viewing public. it's just such as transparent money grubbing scheme.

actually i take that back. i guess the katie holmes character does advance the plot a bit. but i can't buy her as the straight and narrow assistant district attorney. isn't she barely old enough to vote? couldn't they have found someone from one of the law and order shows to play that role? might i suggest mrs. bobby flay? really, my main complaint is that that katie's character is made out to be the impetus for bruce wayne to become batman. i know that's a total comic book geek type of complaint but i am what i am. isn't avenging his parents death and wanting to clean up his city enough motivation? it was for decades worth of comics and the other films so why not this one?

but still, i complain too much. i really did dig the movie. and i'll be lined up opening week for the next one. i thought christian bale was possibly the best at the dual role of bruce wayne and batman. the supporting cast was stellar. michael caine was flawless as alfred. while the character was slightly different, morgan freeman didn't disappoint as lucius fox. the variation on fox made it rather believable the average everyday multimillionaire could equip himself with a batcave and all the other gadgets to fight crime. that may be the first time i've ever typed the word "gadget." and how about that rutger hauer? nice to see one of my favorite 80s villain/antihero types still doing quality work. it was no nick randall or reinhardt heymar wulfgar but i enjoyed his brief screentime.

batman begins is a great flick. it lived up to my rather high expectations. it will make up for all the disappointment i know i'll feel when i see this summer's other big comic book movie.

it appears i was talking to my own self

here's a little photo from inside the dj booth

• the decemberists - eli, the barrow boy
• oneida - the eiger
• the arcade fire - crown of love
• fiery furnaces - spaniolated
• the album leaf - malmo
• british sea power - how will i ever find my way home?
• the one a.m. radio - what you gave away
• black heart procession - exit out
• red house painters - wop-a-din-din*
• ida - mine
• the receiving end of sirens - the rival cycle
• josh rouse - middle school frown
• destroyer - new way of living
• calexico - convict pool
• f.s. blumm - nie
• iron & wine - freedom hangs like heaven
• matmos - reconstruction
• andrew bird & the mysterious production of eggs - a nervous tic motion of the head to the left
• i am the world trade center - love tragedy
• caribou - pelican narrows
• telephone - sugar coated
• ratatat - seventeen years
• sonic youth - unmade bed
• the eels - son of a bitch
• dressy bessy - side 2

* i'm such a sucker for a sweet little tune about a cat. i swear, i'm just a few years away from wearing one of these.

i was talking to preachy preach about kissy kiss

i saw the pixies in pittsburgh last week. i haven't been to a show that size in an outdoor venue in quite a while. dispite some idiots in the crowd and it being really warm it was still as awesome show. probably top ten. that gives me an idea for another posting some time. it was able to take some pretty decent photos at the concert. here are some of my favorites.





you can view all the pics here.

i was in this drop D metal band we called requiem

after quite a dry spell i'll be going to two shows in as many night so i dedicated tonight's show to those concerts. thursday night the pixies in pittsburgh and friday night spoon and the clientele in cleveland at perhaps my favorite concert venue, the beachland ballroom. so it was all the pixies, spoon and related bands.

• spoon - merchants of soul
• the pixies - where is my mind? (live)
• the clientele - the violet hour
• spoon - sister jack
• the pixies - here comes your man
• britt daniels - you get yours
• the martinis - you are the one
• the breeders - i can't help it if i'm still in love with you
• frank black & the catholics - nadine
• the clientele - (i want you) more than ever
• spoon - the two sides of monsieur valentine
• spoon - the way we get by
• spoon - anything you want
• spoon - metal detecktor
• ben lee - away with the pixies
• sugar - a good idea
• milton mapes - in the corner where it all began
• the clientele - where the universes are
• the pixies - bone machine
• the pixies - debaser (live)
• the pixies - cecelia ann
• spoon - fitted shirt (live)
• spoon - advance cassette (live)
• spoon - decora
• britt daniels - let the distance keep us together
• the breeders - do you love me now?
• the martinis - invisible
• spoon - all the pretty girls go to the city
• frank black & the catholics - my favorite kiss
• spoon - was it you?
• the pixies - monkey gone to heaven

i sincerely miss those heavy metal bands

• the go-betweens - here comes a city
• zzz - lalala
• sun kil moon - pancho villa
• wilco - heavy metal drummer
• the eels - hey man (now you're really living) *
• the mountain goats - dance music
• portastatic - autumn was a lark
• hot hot heat - elevator
• the oranges band - fins for our feet
• the album leaf - essex (live)
• matmos - f/x (black sabbath cover)

show cut short due to a migrane.

* for awhile the eels were one of my favorite bands. i dug the music whether the album was released just under e's name, the eels, and even mc honky had its fun moments. but then came shootenanny. wow. what a disappointment. just incredibly dull. i'm happy to report that album was an exception rather than a new rule. i'm sure this tune will end up on many mix tapes.

could you give me a wish if i tell you what i want?

Workbook: Bob Mould pt.1




There are some albums I might listen to more often, even some I might like a little better, and then there are albums that have changed my life. Touched me in ways I can't really describe although that's what I'm attempting to do right here. These albums are like time machines. When I listen I'm taken back in time to that first time I heard them. Really heard them. Sometimes I've heard the album before in a superficial way but after a few more listens the songs become a part of me and I can't imagine a time when I didn't know these tunes by heart. Bob Mould's first solo album, Workbook, is on that short list of special albums. While it came it out in 1989 it took me until January 14, 1998 to discover it. For that discovery I'm forever grateful to one of my best friends in the entire universe, Lizzz.

Please pardon the subsequent emo-ness of this post but this album is very much tied to a particular event in my life. The night prior to my purchase of this cd I broke up with my girlfriend of nearly 5 and half years. Let's call her Clock Girl. CG for short, but she won't really show up much since this is mostly about me and Bob. And Lizzz. And Liz. Actually had the break up not occurred it would have been exactly 5 years and 5 months to the day that I had professed my feelings to CG. What can I say, I may not be good at math but dates tend to stick with me. Not to take things away from Bob Mould, but for a lowdown of what exactly happened this Shins tune offers a much more poetic summary than I could construct.

During this time it wasn't unusual for me to see Lizzz on her walk to where we both worked somewhere along Morewood Avenue, sometimes in the vicinity of the Cricket. It was a great way to start the day to share the last few minutes of my commute with her but on this day I couldn't rely on coincidence, so I arrived early, and much like a stalker or private detective waited outside her house for her to leave for work. While waited I rocked out to a little Queensryche, a prior melancholy, heartbreak favorite. Tracks 11 and on were particularly helpful for these situations. Perhaps it was this tune, or maybe the fact that I was waiting at her doorstep that she knew something was up.

I explained the situation and as expected she responded with exactly what I needed: a shoulder to cry on and the right amount of humor and sympathy. As we were about to head off to our respective offices she told me about a similar situation in her life and how Bob Mould's Workbook got her through the rough spot. I believe her exact words were, "It will help."

I knew this wasn't a casual recommendation so I needed to have this album soon. As soon as they were open I placed a call to the nearby Record Exchange. Things were coming up Milhouse. They had the album on cd and put it aside for me for a lunchtime purchase. Sadly it is an album that's relatively easy to find used. Every time I see a copy I'm tempted to buy it much the way I want to adopt every shelter dog or cat. And albums like this need a loving home. After completing the transaction on my drive back to work I followed Lizzz's advice and skipped ahead to track number 2,"Wishing Well."

Now I knew what she meant about it helping.

Bob's vibrant guitar and echoing voice were just what I needed. After the solo there's a line that stood out then, and continues to give me chills even after hundreds of listens.

There's a price to pay for a wish to come true, trade a small piece of your life.

I'm in my first car, a burgundy Nissan Altima, driving down Forbes. Stopped at the red light of the intersection with Murray like always. I never get that light. It's unseasonably warm sunny for mid-January and I'm beginning to think that things just might turn out alright.

I did something I hardly ever do, particularly with a new album, which is play a song again after listening to it. That's how much I connected with "Wishing Well" on first listen. And once I was back at work I called Lizzz to thank her. And even if I don't say it, I thank her every time I listen to this album.

end of part 1

i meant to have this picture be a part of the "i hear you singing in the wire" post from april. can't quite figure out how to go back in time and post photos to old posts. maybe some day. anyway, enjoy the fran.

we hear the playback and it seems so long ago

• mary timony - 9x3
• autuhn defense - you know where i live
• wilco - theologians
• mark kozelek - what's next to the moon (ac/dc cover)
• damien jurado - lion tamer
• okkervil river - for real
• hayden - hollywood ending
• owen - lights out
• iron and wine - call your boys
• the decemberists - we both go down together
• the go-betweens - here comes a city
• spoon - the beast and the dragon, adored
• spoon - fitted shirt
• husker du - celebrated summer
• the hold steady - charlemagne in sweatpants
• shout out louds - very loud
• mojave 3 - billoddity
• dead meadow - at her open door
• sonic youth - disconnection notice
• crooked fingers - twilight creeps
• decibully - megan & magill
• headphones - hot girls
• juana molina - no es tan cierto
• low - cue the strings
• architecture in helsinki - frency, i'm faking
• giant drag - cordial invitation
• asobi seksu - sooner
• nick cave - get ready for love
• f.s. blumm - nachhall/chroma key

i hear you singin' in the wire

i began this show a little late since i was returning from our cat francis' yearly vet checkup. i thought he might need a little pick me up so i started off with my favorite cat-oriented tune.

• the weakerthans - plea from a cat named virtute
• mary timony - 9x3
• spoon - my mathematical mind
• magnolia electric company - hard to love a man
• ida - laurel blues
• alaska - stay
• elliott smith - a fond farewell
• low - broadway (so many people)
• british sea power - in ended on an oily stage
• morrissey - how soon is now? (live)
• of montreal - so begins our alabee
• ed harcourt - kids (rise from the ashes)
• luna - malibu love nest
• iron and wine - woman king
• the evens - all these governors
• millencolin - farwell my hell
• the pixies - gigantic
• tori amos - cars & guitars
• sonic youth - kim gordon and the arthur conan doyle hand cream
• petra haden - armenia city in the stars
• john davis - me & my girl
• brendan benson - the pledge
• innocence mission - i never knew you from the sun
• the shins - pink bullets
• marbles - when you open
• south san gabriel - affections' the pay
• ani defranco - manhole
• they might be giants - prevenge

a special thanks to stacy and amy for actually listening to the show. it was unusual to have some requests that weren't for cheesy nu-metal. many thanks!

wonderful radio, marvelous radio, wonderful radio, radio radio

• soundtrack of our lives - transendenal suicide
• aqualung - breaking my heart
• the rosebuds - back to boston
• the fiery furnaces - here comes the summer
• dressy bessy - hey may
• stars - what i'm trying to say
• rogue wave - every moment
• american analog set - the hatist
• american analog set - immaculate heart
• the shins - baby boomerang
• john doe - hwy 5
• josh rouse - carolina
• drive by truckers - the buford stick
• paul westerberg - now i wonder
• lou barlow - caterpiller girl
• the decemberists - 19 military wives
• wire - in the art of stopping
• the evens - shelter
• the martinis - invisible
• clem snide - end of love
• the wedding present - interstate 5
• the blue van - product of dk
• sonic youth - peace attack
• all girl summer fun band - grizzly bear

turn up the radio, i need the music, gimme some more

• lou barlow - round and round (ratt cover)
• ida - laurel blues
• old 97s - won't be down
• spoon - metal detektor (live)
• and you will know us by the trail of dead - summer of '91
• matt pond pa - in the aeroplane over the sea (neutral milk hotel cover)
• juana molina - salvese quien queda
• asobi seksu - walk on the moon
• sugar - hoover dam
• earl greyhound - teenage kidnap
• stars - what i'm trying to say
• bloc party - tulips
• mission of burma - the setup
• wrens - i've made enough friends
• low - everybody's song
• autistic daughters - rainy day in june
• of montreal - disconnect the dots
• mates of state - goods (all in your head)
• her space holiday - the doctor and the dj
• antony + the johnsons - for today i am a boy
• man man - white rice, brown heart
• iron and wine - jezebel
• ac newman - drink to me, babe, then
• american analog set - aaron and maria (her space holiday remix)
• the last conservative - on to the next one
• anders parker - something new
• portastatic - noisy night
• autumn defense - written in the snow
• the shins - gone for gone (alt version)

i decided to end the night with some of the sweetest tunes i've ever heard. i am the queen of the village green. and gone for good accurately describes my life seven years ago. would be scary if it wasn't so damn catchy.

i'll try to find you, left of the dial

my second show of the semester. the rock was interrupted by a trip to las vegas. i played the killers tonight in honor of the much needed vacation.

• low - when i go deaf
• ivy - thinking about you
• the wrens - this boy is exhausted
• the minus five - the town that lost its groove supply (seattle version)
• clem snide - weird
• matt pond pa - i want to see the bright lights tonight
• the killers - jenny was a friend of mine
• wolf eyes - stabbed in the face
• dimmu borgir - lepers among us
• emok - trust
• shadows fall - stillness
• franz ferdinand - this fire
• kamikabe - track 5
• sonic youth -dude ranch nurse
• wilco - handshake drugs
• the go find - modern times
• lcd soundsystem - beat connection
• kings of convenience - homesick *
• duran duran - (reach up for the) sunrise
• ed harcourt - kids (rise from the ashes)
• l'altra - sleepless night
• eisley - telescope eyes
• elliott smith - don't go down
• destroyer and frog eyes - new ways of living
• and you will know us by the trail of dead - will you smile again? +
• chris stamey experience - compared to what?
  

* believe the hype....first time i've heard this band but they get much love in various zines and websites. very impressive. very catchy. simiarly, i'm trying hard to like lcd soundsystem but it's a little harder. i read a few interviews with james murphy of dfa/lcd (no not the testament/death guitarist unfortunately) and he seems like a swell fellow but his tunes haven't grabbed me. although about the last half of "beat connection" when the vocals kicked in was pretty sweet.

+ wow. it took a little while for the last trail of dead to grow on me. this tune is just plain awesome. and not in the 80's surfer dude type of awesome. it's so beautiful and epic it fills me with awe. there's about 4 different movementsin this one song and each little change gets better. at some points minimalist in a white stripes way and other times majestic like pet sounds/smile era beach boys. simply fantastic. could be another of the best of 2005.

my mind is filled with radio cures

tonight is/was my first radio show of the semester. every wednesday 6-8pm on warc 90.3. see the link the right for the station's web page. but our web broadcasting isn't working right now. hopefully that will be fixed soon.

i've always wanted a place for my playlists from shows. this is as good a place as any. beats the random sheets i have laying around. here's what i played on the first installment of "this boy is exhausted." yeah, couldn't think of another name. and i'm a little pissed that i couldn't find the wrens cd to play the namesake tune. damn borrowers. or theives.

• mates of state - drop and anchor
• the frames - fake
• superchunk - freaks in charge
• bloc party - tulips
• luna - broken chair
• skating club - san francisco
• elliott smith - a fond farewell
• brian wilson - heroes and villians
• destroyer & frog eyes - an actor's revenge
• q & not u - wonderful people
• matt sweeney & bonnie "prince" billy aka superwolf - my home is the sea
• leonard cohen - because of
• the arcade fire - neighborhood #1 tunnels
• low - broadway (so many people)
• the hidden cameras - that's when the ceremony starts
• the go find - summer guest *
• rogue wave - seasick on land
• lcd soundsystem - yeah (pretentious mix)
• lemon jelly - '93 aka don't stop now
• h.i.m. - wicked game (by request)
• local h - p.j. soles
• mastadon - megalodon
• magnolia electric company - don't this look like the dark
• the mendoza line - before i hit the wall

* this was my favorite new discovery tonight. just played it based on the review. wow. good stuff. mellow and synthy. hopefully this guy will make some postal service type cash. i'll have to buy it soon.

uniform printout reads end of line

i was quoted in a usatoday article about ipods. see link below. i'm an old school naysayer. the "cooing saleman" part is a little weird though.

http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2005-01-31-ipod_x.htm

i swear i'm gonna bite you hard and taste your tinny blood

so there's not much to do when you stuck in a hotel in your hometown aside from watch tv and take pictures of your cat.

 

 

francis in the motel 6 

cause i can't write what i know, it's not worth writing

so i'm not sure what to do about this blog. i only created it since i needed to create a blogspot account in order to make a comment on a friend's blog. i feel so 2005 dropping all these "blogs." if i ever figure out how all this stuff works i'll link to my friend's blog. since i had to create the account i figured, "what the hey," i'll just go ahead and make this blog. sure i've made blog posts in my head, even had the name thought up for quite awhile, but i figured it would go the way of all the movies i make in my head and short stories that are never committed to paper or computer screen. but if i have the account, might as well post something.

i'm not sure how often i'll write. or what i'll about. or if i'll even tell others about it. my secret blog. i've always struggled with sharing my writing with other people. i'd have to chew pepto tablets before having papers workshopped in college classes.* also in college, when i wrote for the paper i wanted people to read my columns and articles. but never when i was around. i preferred it to be anonymous. does it get anymore anonymous than a blog?

*after rereading this i've decided this is a lie. i don't really think i chewed pepto before writing classes when i was going to be workshopped. but i did chomp chomp chewy chomp pepto before other things that stressed me out so i'm leaving the lie in. i like the way it sounds. i think they call that literary license. or something.