Bands I Wish Would Reunite So Lucia Could See Them

It seems to be all the rage this decade for indie bands of the 80's and 90's to reunite for a tour and sometimes a record or two. These were the bands I saw live the first time around or at least on which I cut my indie rock teeth. I wish many of them would reunite in maybe five years so that Lucia could see them as well. I say five years because a concert at this stage would only scare her. She will bee rambunctious and ready to dance in five years by my estimates.

Here's my list of top 10 reunions I wish Lucia could see.

10. Coctails
Before The Sea & Cake and before there was a Chicago sound in indie rock, there was Coctails. This band brought jazz to indie shows and had a huge influence on independent music. This is a reunion I'd also be very excited to see happen. I saw them several times in the mid-nineties, including their last jaunt in '95.

9.The Velvet Underground
OK. So, if this reunion happened again in five years or so, VU survivors would barely be able to stand on stage much less sound like they did back in the day. But it would still be cool, wouldn't it? These are the grandfathers (literally and figuratively) of punk and indie rock. Lucia should see such an influence on her father's record collection.


8. The Breeders
I had to get some ladies on this list. Besides, what band knows more about reunion tours than The Breeders? My other hope is that the Deal sisters would be cleaner than they've been for years so that they would sound like they did in the mid-nineties. Lucia needs some strong ladies to look up to. The Breeders first broke through in a time when heavy, masculine music was dominating music and they didn't do it with acoustic ballads. No, The Breeders rocked and partied harder than any of their male counterparts.


7. Pixies
While I'm on Kim Deal and her many comebacks, Lucia should see yet another quintessential band in indie rock history. I already saw Pixies on one of their reunion tours, but another generation needs to witness their greatness. She should know where Nirvana learned that loud/soft aesthetic or where Isaac Brock found his growl. This band, like most on this list, have had an enormous impact on the indie landscape. I want Lucia to know some of that history. So, we'll be there for the Pixies' fifth reunion tour.


6. Dinosaur Jr.
This band has been on a perpetual reunion. They've even gone so far as to record two albums (one was a typically bland reunion album; the second is reminiscent of their best word) since returning to the scene. However, I bet they'll grow tired of each other and break up again, just in time to reunite for Lucia's sixth birthday. They'll have to play outdoors, though. I can't risk Lu losing her hearing at such a young age.


5. Archers of Loaf
I really don't understand why no one is talking about an Archers of Loaf reunion. People just don't understand how incredible this band was live. Lucia knows "Web In Front" as I used to sing it to her while helping her get to sleep sleep. She should also know the sheer power that is Archers of Loaf.


4. Nirvana/Brainiac/Elliott Smith
I realize that none of these acts are no longer active due to tragic deaths, but wouldn't it be cool if they could come back to life just to play a Zombiepalooza or something? In all seriousness, Nirvana, Brainiac, and Elliott Smith were three of the biggest reasons I spend so much time and money on records and rock shows. I was lucky enough to see all of them live. Sadly, Lucia won't be so lucky.


3. Uncle Tupelo/Neutral Milk Hotel
These are two bands that I never saw due to discovering them too late, but I imagine it would be great to see them for the first time with Lu. Uncle Tupelo made my third-favorite genre, alt.country (whatever that is), possible and birthed two of my favorite bands of the past 15 years in Wilco and Son Volt. Neutral Milk Hotel recorded maybe the greatest album of my lifetime not recorded by Pavement. Seeing them together would be the ultimate father/daughter experience.


2. Sleater-Kinney
Too much sausage in this list. Possibly my favorite grrrl band ever comes in at number 2. I only saw them a few times back in the day, but they were so, so good live. The first time I saw Sleater-Kinney was in Amsterdam. Maybe if they come back, I can tell Lucia all about that trip.



1. Pavement
I know there has been recent talk of a Pavement reunion on the internets, but this really needs to happen 2015/16. Lucia will need to see what all the fuss is about after listening to my reminiscence of all the great Pavement records with the guy yelling in the background and the nonsensical lyrics or the terrible shows that were regularly hijacked my inadequate drummers and forgetful guitarists. She needs to know Pavement power. She needs to hear SM manipulate the lyrics and phrasing to his every whim. Lucia needs to know that Mark Ibold was in a band before Free Kitten or Sonic Youth. She needs to know Pavement.

The Revinylization Project: The Thermals - Now We Can See (and some overdue reviews)

Music
Though they have a "sound", I happen to think The Thermals write some of the best songs in all of indie land. However, this album lacks the oomph The Body, The Blood, The Machine carried with its unifying themes and undeniable passion. Still, the songs made my head bob. That should count for something.

Insert
Included is a good, old fashioned lyric sheet. White print on black. I'm a fan of the lyric sheet.

Sleeve
A collage depicting a swan on a bed of stars at night is the cover. Overall, the coloring is dark and drab, not really fitting for the album's feel. Of course, a closer study of the lyrics reveals darker themes and subject areas that may fit with the artwork than previously suspected.

Extras
The digital download is there. That's about it.

Record
Simple, black, elegant.

whY?
This album feels like a transition. The Body... was The Thermals' statement. Now, they have to figure out what's next. It seems that what's next is something more akin to Ted Leo with some harmony going on. I wouldn't be surprised to hear more instruments and see this three-piece expand by the next album.

The rest of this post consists of some records I've been meaning to review but have not had time to do so.


Pavement - Live
This record accompanied my deluxe copy of Brighten the Corners. If you never saw Pavement live, this record does little justice. Their live shows were often disjointed and messy. Sure, they were unforgettable, but it was rarely about the songs or the set list and always about the wager that they might not even make it through the show themselves. Somehow, they always did.

Various Artists - Dark Was the Night
I remember when Red Hot released No Alternative and Red Hot and Bothered back in the mid-nineties. The first featured a slew of up-and-coming bands making their moves from indie to major labels. The second collection had mostly unheard of acts still on indies. Red Hot's release in its 20th year contains thirty or so tracks from bands who would have felt right at home on either compilation. This one is certainly worth the cost.


The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
To me, this band sounds like they were raised on 80's Manchester, learned to play guitar in 90's Seattle, and record in 00's NYC. This is a good thing.

Wavvves - Wavvves
There's something to this wave (or wavvve) of lo-fi bands with plenty of punch and hooks-a-plenty. Wavvves are like No Age with keyboards and Times New Viking without the childlike whimsy.

Cut Off Your Hands - You and I
This album is fine. I actually have only had the chance to listen to it once. It seems the band has yet to provide the necessary files for my digital download to be redeemable. Assholes.


Condo Fucks - Fuckbook
Yo La Tengo have always had a knack for borrowing from the best sources (Cat Stevens, Daniel Johnston, The Kinks, Sonic Youth, etc.). So, it is no surprise that their garage rock alter-egos Condo Fucks should put out such a great rawk record of covers and originals not heard since the Condo Fucks fictitiously ruled Connecticut.

Antony and the Johnsons - The Crying Light
Antony has a voice not of this world. It's not something you'll put on every day until you wear it out, but you will play this record when you need something sad, something to make you feel.


Leonard Cohen - Songs of...
A friend bought this record for me for Christmas. I sort of forgot to mention it in this blog. I never really got Leonard Cohen until I listened to this record. No I get it. I don't know whether Wes Anderson has used any Cohen tracks for his films, but he should.

Ass Ponys - Mr. Superlove
The Ohio in me would not allow me to leave Vintage Vinyl without this record. "Mr. Superlove" was once covered by the Afghan Whigs back in the day. It might be one of my ten favorite songs ever.

Why Pavement?

It should be known that Pavement is my all-time favorite band. Although I generally try to listen to new bands and the latest releases, Pavement is one of the few bands I will choose to listen that hasn't released an album in ten years (aside from all their remastered/repackaged albums).

The other night, while driving two hours round trip for my job, I put every Pavement song on the iPod on shuffle. It the made the driving seem not so tedious and brought back a ton of great memories related to the band and their music. It also got me thinking about why this band over all others is my favorite.

So, I thought up a list of reasons. Here's my list of top-5 reasons to love Pavement based on the characteristics that each member of the band exhibited...in no particular order.

2. Bob Nastanovich
Nasty, as his fans knew him, was a bit of the X-factor one looks for in a band. He played a second set of drums and/or whatever else a song called for (tambourine, Moog, yelps, etc.). His musical contributions provided the band with that weird element that allowed for Pavement to remain unaccepted by the mainstream.

Nasty's youthful exuberance was contagious, almost Will Ferrell-like. Every live act needs some nut job hopping around and hollering in the mic. The other band members were either to laid back or too up tight to fill this roll, so Nasty had to step up with the energy. The most remarkable part is that Nasty's energy could be felt on record.

Bob was arguably the band's biggest sports fan. Horse racing was his specialty. He was such a big fan that he bought a house across the street from Churchill Downs. There are odd sports references throughout the Pavement catalog, meeting my need for jock straps in my music.

5. Steve West
Westy was an amateur drummer at best. Self-taught and hired to take the place of burnt-out Gary Young, Steve provided that DIY aesthetic present in early lo-fi Pavement recordings and helped it carry on throughout the rest of their albums.

Steve was also the calming factor for the band once Young departed. So many bands make the listener uncomfortable, agitated, angry, etc. Pavement, while not exactly soothing, makes you happy, causes you to giggle. The band's music doesn't make you want to do handstands on drum kits, pass out cabbage at clubs, or pull guns on Stephen Malkmus. For me, Pavement helps center me, gives me context and perspective. Steve West, like a good drummer (not great), does that.

Pavement is also a rather arty band, like Sonic Youth or the Velvet Underground. West once worked with Malk and David Berman (of Silver Jews fame) as a security guard at the Whitney. He was a blue-collar guy (at least in his work) protecting art. Pavement was a blue-collar band (with a pedigree) protecting art rock from the mainstream.

3. Scott Kannberg
Spiral Stairs was the other half of Pavements song-writing tandem. He was a bit of an underachiever, penning a small percentage of the band's songs. Pavement is also thought of as an underachieving band. In a decade of bands signing to majors labels left and right, Pavement was never signed. When their label Matador inked a distribution deal with Atlantic Records with the great hopes of providing a breakout act in Pavement. Instead, the band delivered the meandering and wonderfully strange Wowwee Zowee.

Kannberg rarely entered a recording session prepared to submit songs. Most of his tracks were afterthoughts left off the final cuts. The band often carried much the same reputation, rarely looking or acting like a true band with all the members spread out across the country.

4. Mark Ibold
If there is one thing that Pavement was, it was cool. Mark Ibold epitomized that cool. Rarely super emotional, Ibold held the band together with his steady grooves.

An interesting fact about Ibold is that he was one of the band's earliest fans. Thanks to the band's unpolished style and sloppy live shows, fans felt a connection to such imperfection. Ibold was proof that Pavement was within reach of its fans.

1. Stephen Malkmus
SM Jenkins had (actually, still has) this curious singing style where he is never quite on time and his lyrics feel more like free-form poetry than pop music. Such was most of Pavement's catalog. Avoiding rock cliches and traditional song structures, the band mystified both fans and critics. Usually, everyone hated a Pavement album when it first came out...that is, until the next one was released. Then it was considered a classic.

Malk also represented Pavement's pretentious, wise-ass side.The majority of the band came from some sort of upper-middle class upbringing and post-secondary education, making them both a thinking man's band beyond the constraints of pop music and culture.

Separately, the parts of Pavement have not added up to much. Together, they have created a brand of music that has lasted and still pulls kids in. These parts were all unique and vital to Pavement's success and legacy. Check my oeuvre blog I can't sing it strong enough and get the full picture of the Pavement legend.

The Vinyl Revolution (Again)

I overheard a report on Marketplace that CD sales are dropping, but vinyl sales have nearly doubled over the last year. The digital age has finally caught up to CD's. Soon they will go the way of the 8-track, LaserDisc, and HD DVD. However, the more important part of the story is the part about vinyl sales souring. Music fans are turning to vinyl in a digital age to fulfill that primal need that cannot be satisfied with more advanced technologies.

And why not? No longer are there the problems often associated with vinyl: portability and availability. The ability to take your music with you has been solved in two ways. First, many record labels (mainly indie, primarily Merge and Saddle Creek) are including codes for download with their vinyl releases. Now one may buy a record and download the album at no additional cost. The second way vinyl has been digitized is through the invention of several affordable turntables that convert the music to digital files. Sure, you may not have one of these turntables yet (if you have a turntable at all), but someone you know will have one soon. Then it will only be a matter of time before everyone is over at said friend's house converting their records to mp3 files.

Availability is really only an issue for true music fans who seek vinyl, but that may change. Indies have long championed vinyl, but record stores who still carry vinyl are either dying out or only stocking a couple of copies in this format. No need to worry. Online outlets such as Insound sell nearly every album on vinyl. Plus, with the combination of greater demand and people like my uncle who sold off his extensive collection of 70's and 80's rock and punk records, used record shops and eBay should be well-stocked for years to come in vintage vinyl.

Current demand is even beginning to outpace current production. Take Animal Collective's much anticipated Merriweather Post Pavilion. The band opted to release the vinyl version (with digital download) weeks before the CD is due in stores. My copy was supposed to arrive yesterday. Instead, I received an email from Insound explaining that they were already out of copies and that there will be a delay on my shipment.

Not to worry, I have an order consisting of albums re-issued on vinyl that should arrive by the end of the week. This is another thing bands and labels are doing: they are re-releasing albums that either never received the vinyl treatment or have regained cult status in a time of a vinyl comeback. This gives me a chance to revisit many of my favorites on vinyl hear them through new ears.

Personally, I prefer to listen to an album on vinyl. First of all, the sound is better. Sure, CD's and digital recordings are sharper and more precise, but you can't feel the music the way you can when the needle is dropped over the groove and it hisses and cracks at every empty moment. Secondly, one is forced to listen to an album in its entirety, or at least a half at a time. Artists record albums for a reason. The intention is not for the listener to skip around and only choose a few songs they like. Enjoy the whole thing the way way you sip a good scotch or puff a quality cigar.

I have made a commitment to share music with my daughter using the format. Of course, my current vinyl collection is about half of my CD collection, but that is changing. I've recently spent a lot of time on eBay scoring albums by Archers of Loaf and Pavement as well as an old Silver Jews 7". Insound now has a vinyl newsletter that updates me on the release dates for vinyl, new and old. So far, all my music purchases in '09 have been on vinyl. I plan to continue this practice throughout the year.

So, go dust off your old records, head down to the local record store (if there still is one where you live), or buy that record player at the garage sale down the block. It's time to join the vinyl revolution. Do it fast. I hear we're running out of oil and we can't make records without oil.

In the meantime, tell me about your vinyl love. Do you have a record that still takes you back to a better time as soon as you hear the needle on the groove?

Do you have a turntable? Do you have a turntable that converts records to mp3's? If so, can I borrow it?

Do you have a record that you're looking forward to buying in the coming year? Is there a great store where you purchase all your records? Or is this the first time you realized people still listened to records?

Whatever your connection, I'm all ears...or eyes as the case may be. Tell me in the comments what place vinyl has in your life.

Brighten the Corners

So, I joined this group on Facebook where members write about a memory stirred up whenever they hear a particular song. Some body's going to turn it into a book or something. I haven't posted anything.

I haven't posted anything because individual songs rarely, if ever, trigger many memories for me. I need a whole album to stimulate my consciousness. A song is too fleeting and may be tied to too many experiences. An album takes an hour of your life every time you play it. Those chunks of time either occur during very important moments of your life or when you want to spend some time reflecting on such moments.

Today, such an album arrived in the mail.

Actually, it was a re-issue of an old favorite. As Pavement have done with the band's first three albums, they released the re-issue Brighten the Corners: Nicene Creedence Ed. And if you know me at all, you know I sort of like Pavement.

BTC is not even close to my favorite Pavement album. (That title regularly rotates between Slanted and Enchanted and Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain as if I was a kindergartner picking up and dumping friends on a daily basis.) But, my fourth-favorite Pavement long-player is better than most albums in my mind. Besides, the record was released at a key point in my life.

The album was released on my birthday eleven years ago. It was my last semester as an undergrad. My girlfriend for most of those college years dumped me the previous New Year's Eve. I was preparing to leave Ohio for the Pacific Northwest for what I thought was forever, but it turned out to be less than three months. And I was afraid of what was going to happen after graduation.

I clung to the dissolution on SM's tongue. I hollered with Nasty. I recited lyrics with a student about her brother, Geddy Lee (not the Geddy Lee - their folks were big Rush fans). I wore my concert t-shirt featuring the skeleton escorting the lady from the album cover to my last day of student-teaching. I appreciated Spiral Stairs for once and only once. This was definitely the album of that moment for me.

This was the first Pavement album that was accompanied with a lyric sheet. Up until then, most Pavement lyrics were up for open debate and great skepticism. BTC was different. I spent hours studying those lyrics. It's probably why I can recite lyrics from this album like no other.

Used Kids had one of those commissioned street signs for the release of the album.

I saw the band twice in the support of BTC that year. I saw them at the Newport in Columbus. SM kept repeating "Stachies" over and over, referring to the club Staches where they had played five or six years before. At one point, SM stopped a song and proceeded to demonstrate to Steve West how the drum part should be played. Apparenly, Westie can't drum.

The second time I saw Pavement supporting the album was at the Odeon in Cleveland the following fall. Nothing super-memorable happened that night. Strangely, R and I bought a concert poster in Chicago a couple of years back which advertised the show.


I don't know what all these things have to do with each other, except that they all happened in 1997 when Brighten the Corners was originally released. This album will forever remind me of that year. It shaped many of the year's experiences as well as framed the others.

So, with the release of Brighten the Corners: Nicene Creedence Ed., I feel another year older, but I can remember those days between my college life and my adult one fondly. Thank you Pavement for being there and for creating my soundtrack for 1997.

The Top 32 of 2008 Project

Last year for the month of December, I reviewed the best 31 albums of 2007, one for each day in December. This year, I have decided to up it one and do the best 32 albums of 2008. Which means there will be 33 on next year's list and so on.

For all 31 reviews, I used a format similar to other record reviews I do. For this year's list, I plan to tweak that format a bit. To demonstrate the new format, I will review an older, more familiar album. Explanations are in italics.

Pavement - Slanted and Enchanted


Thirty-Two Words: Pavement's first go at a proper album is classic. Lo-fi and absurdity rule as the band blows you away with sloppy drumming, smarter than your professor lyrics, and a sly California wit.

I always give a number count of words in my reviews. Since I am reviewing so many albums in such a short time, I've limited the word count to the number of days in the month. This year, I'm adding one word to represent the number of albums in the list. BTW-I nailed this one on the first try without counting.

The Moment of Truth: Tack one, SM sings, "Minerals, ice deposits/Daily drop off the first shiny robe/I've got a lot of things/I want to sell but not here babe/You took it allllllll..."

This is a new feature. I figured that it isn't always one song that makes an album. What often occurs is a moment when the album hits you. It might be a guitar solo, a lyric, or what you're doing when the record is playing. You'll see.

Killer to Filler Ratio: 5:2

Albums basically contain two types of songs: killer and filler. "Killer" refers to your hit singles or at least the stand-outs on any album. The "filler" refers to all the other songs: Songs that segue from one part of the record to the next or simply fill space so that the track list reaches nine.

Having more killer than filler does not necessarily make a great album. Look at greatest hits compilations. They make for terrible albums. Consider that Guided By Voices' Alien Lanes is nothing without tracks like "They're Not Witches", "The Ugly Vision", "Auditorium", "Gold Hick", and "Ex-Supermodel" strategically placed between the album's more memorable songs. BTW-Alien Lanes' killer to filler ratio is a solid 23:5.

Be on the lookout for the top 32 of 2008. I will start posting on December 1st and finish on the 31st. Some days may feature one or more posts. Other days will be postless. For a review of last year's 31 Project, go here.

Random Media Posting

I had some things to post. Actually, I have to empty my tabs. Here are a few of the things I was saving for you...

Stephen Malkmus comes to town next weekend. I'm excited even if I don't get a chance to interview him.

Obama is raking in so much dough that he's purchased ad space on McCain's Straight Talk ExpressTM.
Luckily, my Broken Social Scene experience was not like this guy's.

Animal Collective have a new record to release. check out the cover. Try not to get nauseous.
For a limited time only, you can watch the No Wave documentary, Kill Your Idols. See, Pitchfork isn't that bad.

Speaking of cool, artsy rock and Stephen Malkmus, you should pre-order the Brighten the Corners re-issue and get lots of free stuff.

Dude's night(s) out gets started tonight. Stay tuned.

My Crush on Stephen Malkmus

Don't get me wrong. I love my partner, but I have had a crush on Stephen Malkmus for something like 15 years. It's nothing sexual...except who isn't turned on by dudes with guitars? It's nothing obsessive...except that I have a blog dedicated to his former band, Pavement. It's just a simple crush.

It all started 15 or 16 years ago when I first heard a special new band called Pavement. Almost instantly, I was drawn to the California drawl of the singer and his rather clever lyrical take on haircuts and heaven. I wore that dubbed copy of Crooked Rain Crooked Rain out by the time Wowee Zowee was released and I had my first opportunity to see Pavement live at the Agora in Cleveland.

A Malkmus live performance was something else. He'd intentionally reword lyrics and mess around with a song's phrasing as if he was bored, making each song distinct from the one the band recorded. His guitar playing could be described as sloppy punk virtuoso, but it always used classic blues riffs as its base. Once in a while, SM Jenkins, as he was also known, would make a sarcastic remark about a local venue or show Steve West how to play his drum part. The California slacker in him never allowed a Pavement set to be uninteresting.

SM was Pavement's primary songwriter. He entered every recording session with several nearly-finished songs in tow. Lyrically, SM teetered on the side of absurd with obscure cultural references and pot-headed wordplay. Pavement lyrics are profoundly poetic and amusing at the same time. SM is the one we can thank for this.

Vocally, SM is not what you'd call "classically trained," but the fact that he did sing, record, and sell out venues with such a pedestrian voice means something. It was punk that taught us you didn't have to have a great voice to sing rock songs, and Malkmus showed us you didn't have to have a great voice to sound good. The real draw of his voice was actually his off-kilter phrasing and spoken-word delivery. The California skater kid in his voice was just a bonus.

As a guitarist, SM has turned into somewhat of a showman, but it was the experimentation with Pavement for which he'll always be known. Back in the day, no one sounded like Pavement (unless you listened to Sonic Youth or The Fall). They had a perfect sound forever that is often copied, never duplicated. The guitar play between SM and co-founder Scott Kannberg was sloppy, ear-piercing, and a strange mix of equal parts jam band, punk noise, and 80's Brit jangle. Malk has begun to overdue it on recent albums with the classic rock guitar solos, but he still remains a top-notch indie guitarist in much the same way he is a valued vocalist.

There is something in how Stephen Malkmus writes and performs music that makes you feel like you could do it, but it also reminds you that you didn't. And he generally is a likable guy. My sister talked his ear off once. Malk didn't seem to mind. Plus, he's a father now, riding his bike around Portland, recording Dylan covers and being as cryptic as ever. He even has those school-boy good-looks that make all the girls (and more boys than will admit) swoon with indie rock delight. What is there not to like about Stephen Malkmus?

So, there you have it. I have a crush on Stephen J. Malkmus and I'm not afraid to say it. It's a long way off, but SM and the Jicks are set to play the Note on November 2nd. I will be there, front and center, yelling for "Summer Babe" or "Jo Jo's Jacket" and video-taping the whole so that my kid can see who invented early nineties slacker rock.


(Hopefully Stephen Malkmus doesn't Google himself and finds this post disturbing enough to cancel their COMO date.)

The Vastness of Song

While listening to my entire Pavement collection with the iPod set on shuffle, I realized that there were possibly just as many songs my favorite band recorded that I didn't know as songs I did. How could this be? Sure, I caught on to the band late (1993), but I was still able to be around for most of their best material and several shows. Besides the albums, I have accumulated all the EP's and deluxe versions of their LP's.

It seems that I let a few bootlegs and b-sides slip by over the years. Also, my neglect of one release (Westing by Musket &Sextet...) allowed several throw-aways and gems to avoid my notice. The band's catalog extends way beyond their albums and "hits".

This is true for a lot of bands. They have songs waiting in the wings or songs they've recorded, never to have produced a finished product. Bands throw extra songs on the b-sides of singles or as bonus material for overseas releases. It's really hard to keep up.

The funny thing is that this endless supply of songs is one of the things that keeps my attention. I want to find those hidden treasures. I like that there are three or four versions of "Here" out there. I also like that the vastness of songs allows for someone like Bob Pollard to write as many songs as he does without repeating lyrics, melodies, etc. (Of course, this doesn't account for why he sometimes would play a song twice in a set.)

The other thing the never-ending possibilities for songs provide me is that two people of somewhat equal intelligence, can have completely different opinions on music. Take my friend Chad and me for instance. We both follow and listen to a lot of very similar music. Gentlemen by the Afghan Whigs is a regular point of reference for us and we often are at the same shows (recently Spoon, The Walkmen, New Pornos, Wilco, etc.). So, we're not too far off. For the most part, I can't remember half of the other stuff he talks about, mostly because I'm not interested. However, when I've proclaimed my love for bands like a Joan of Arc, he shutters at the thought. We actually find bands all the time on which we have completely different takes.

Thankfully, music provides infinite possibilities that so many things in our lives do not. I look forward to the next Wolf Parade record or the next band to receive preferred status on Pitchfork or the next opener that blows me away. That's why I write so much about music. It's an unending source of material just waiting for my praise or criticism.

_________________________

In other Misery news...

Our great state legislature passed a bill declaring the ice cream cone as the official dessert of Misery. Just the cone? No ice cream? I'm confused.

Blogroll

Some of you have figured out that this is not my only blog. I write about and for my job, my interpretations of Pavement songs, memories of encounters with rock stars and memorable shows I've seen, and a few other things. The idea was to keep this blog somewhat focused, which has worked to varying degrees.

For those of you who can't get enough comoprozac ramblings, you should check out my other blogs. Here's a brief rundown of the blogs I write. The new goal is to post at least once a week on each blog in order to make them worth the read.

living in misery - This is the one that started it all. I'm over 240 posts in and I'm still not sure what it's all about. I complain about my home, ramble endlessly about music, and write about life in general. I guess it makes sense. To date, this is also my most popular blog. When I post, my numbers go up. When I post something really good, they really go up. (Although, I suspect a drop with this run-on of a mess.) This may be my pride and joy. I even have a few items at CafePress, not to mention a whole store at CP.

Mr. E. - This blog has now been started three times. It was originally on Edublogs, but they were going through some transitions and I grew impatient before bolting to the friendly confines of Blogger. The resulting blog was supposed to be a way for me to give my thoughts on my work in education, but it soon spiraled out of control as I walked a thin line between personal and professional feelings. The general tone and feel of the blog was way more negative than originally intended, so I deleted it. Although the original version still exists over on Edublogs, I have once again revived Mr. E. on Blogger. Now, my hope is to post weekly on an educational topic that's on my mind. This time it will be constructive and not cross lines of professionalism.

Suppl_eMINTS - Keeping with the educational blogs, I post periodically on topics and resources I think can help the teachers I train. This blog will really only interest those in education, but I invite everyone to check it out. Again, my new goal is to post weekly, which should be easier with the summer months approaching.

I can't sing it strong enough. - I discovered My Impression Now after reading about it on fellow Guided by Voices fanatic John Sellers' blog, Angry John Sellers. The idea of writing an interpretation for every GBV song stuck with me. It was ingenious. I wondered if anyone had started a similar blog about Pavement. After extensive research (aka a Google search), I discovered that no one had yet started an oeuvre blog for my favorite band. So, ICSISE was born. Again, this blog needs some posts. I've barely made a dent into Pavement's discography in comparison to other similar blogs, but I'm determined to post one a week until I'm through. I wonder which song I should interpret next...

Anecdotal - I noticed that I was spending too much time reminiscing about back in the day at all the rock clubs and such of my youth. This didn't jive with the "now" aspect of lim. So, Anecdotal was born. This has been the most fun blog to write. The posts are either too brief or too rambling, but that's how my memory works. Sometimes I run out of good stories, but I think that a weekly rehash of my indie rock lifestyle would stir up some good stories I've forgotten.

Besides the blogs I write on my own, I also contribute to several collaborative efforts. MMEET (or as I pronounce it, "mmmmmmmmeet") stands for Mizzou Men for Excellence in Elementary Teaching...or something like that. Our group is primarily made up of area elementary school teachers who happen to be male. The funny thing is that maybe two of us are actually teachers in elementary schools. The rest of us are either attending MU in order to teach, teach other grade levels, or are grad students. It's a hodgepodge of guys, but we are all interested in how gender affects teaching.

Digital Vittles may be the first blog that I knew the people who were posting. It's a foodie blog based out of Columbus, but has since spread due to so many of us getting jobs in other locales. When I say that it's a "foodie blog", what I mean is that we write about all things edible. There are restaurant reviews, recipes, shopping highlights, and general food-related discourse.

Famille à la Maison (or Family Home, I believe) was my attempt to bring my family into the 21st century. It has worked to some degree with my mom occasionally posting, but I have been the biggest contributor. Someday, I'll get them all to post something...maybe.

The final blog is dieta estúpida (stupid diet). This blog was started by my blogging friends Lovey and Pizza Cottontail. They and their friends were struggling with their waistlines and decided to support each other with a blog. What resulted is sometimes humorous, sometimes disgusting, but always self-affirming. I have never struggled with my weight until I started aging, became less active, and have suffered from too much stress...and probably drank too much beer. So, to struggle in a group of like-minded individuals has been great. Now, if we could all get back to blogging so that the weight loss can continue...

Why do I blog so much? Well, I suppose it's out of loneliness, but I prefer to see it as a way for me to make my own community where there is little. Sure, we have friends in COMO. I have made several new connections in recent weeks. The only problem is that I'm not around these people all the time. Additionally, my job has me isolated in my home office or on the road. I need more community, and the blogoshpere is giving me that community.

As part of my community, you should feel free to read the other blogs and leave some comments. You may also want to keep an eye out for the blog I will undoubtedly publish about my kid. I will try to keep up with all these blogs as best I can. Of course, living in misery will always be updated. I mean, it's the state I'm in.

Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks - Real Emotional Trash

Four Hundred Forty-Six Words: I've been dreading this review, somehow afraid that it'll ruin the affinity for which I hold Stephen Malkmus and his former band, Pavement. It was clear to me once I was able to listen to a continuous stream of the record (thanks to a pre-order promotion) that the album was not up to snuff. But I tried to listen to it over and over, hoping that it would either get better or I would finally discover why this SM release is genius. Sadly, I couldn't.

It kind of sucks.

While driving through rural Misery, it did occur to me why Malkmus' work, particularly while fronting Pavement, has overachieved to having a permanent spot in indie lore. His songs are often just mid-tempo rock songs with unconventional structures, poor drumming, off-tune whining, and cryptically interesting lyrics. Somehow, this formula worked, mostly because it was completely opposite of anything on the radio.

Real Emotional Trash only has a few of the mentioned elements: the songs are almost exclusively mid-tempo. The structures are pretty conventional. The drumming is actually on time and the singing is off-tune enough. The lyrics are sort of cryptic, but they're not very interesting (much like this review).

What's different? Well, probably for the first time since Pavement's first release (1989's Slay Tracks (1933-1969)), Malkmus actually collaborated with his fellow band mates. From seeing SM and the Jicks a couple of times, it is easy to see how the music evolves from a place of unconventionality to one of classic rock conventions. Proficient, democratic bands tend to make rather boring music.

Of course, I mostly blame the new drummer, Janet Weiss. Don't get me wrong. Weiss has to be one of my top-5 favorite drummers of all-time. The problem is that she's too good. The band is too tight and that usually leads to jamming and that's almost always bad. Pavement drummers were always mediocre at best, and that gave the band that unpolished, DIY feel that made them so endearing to their fans. The Jicks are just too good. Artistic proficiency typically means boring art and this album is so boring.

The other thing that has changed is Malkmus' entrance into parenthood. The spawn have left him boring and safe, two of the worst words ever used in describing a rock star. I fear that the same will happen to me as the fetus forms in R's belly as I write this post. I don't think parenthood necessarily means boringness, but it hasn't helped Real Emotional Trash one bit.

The album's not horrible. It's just a letdown coming from one of my heroes, but I can forgive him for this one...just this one.

The one song that makes it worth $17.95: "Gardenia"

Pitchfork Says: 6.8

#100

To commemorate my 100th post, I have decided to countdown the top five moments of living in misery history.

5. My First (Real) Comments - When I first started this blog, I thought that you posted some writing and people from all ends of the world wide web would somehow Google their way to your blog and leave amazing comments about what an insightful writer and modern-day Socrates you are. Well, that didn't happen. Instead, I got SPAM on my comments. I soon learned that you have to (1) set the security on your comments section, (2) read other people's blogs, (3) comment on those blogs, and (4) promote yourself endlessly. Eventually, bloggers and laypeople alike began posting their comments on this here blog, now 100 posts old.

4. Local Celebrity Status - One day in early June, I received this random email that included the following...

I ran across you on Flickr and then linked to your blog. I like what you are doing and hope you will share with the rest of us. We can list your blog under “local blogs” on our site and even take posts from it to feature in MyMissourian. Right now, I am looking for photographers willing to share their perspective on the Twilight Festival. No rules, just perspectives. Interested?

To make a long story short, I said that I was interested. Since then, the Missourian has run at least two posts and I've earned a mention in the Vox. I know that ain't much, but I'll take it.

3. Honorable Mentions - Thanks to all the networking and the blove (blog love), I have had some nice shout-outs from my fellow bloggers. The networking continues as a friend is planning on having me conference electronically with his college class to discuss blogging, web 2.0, and citizen journalism. I sometimes feel isolated here in Misery, but blogging has helped fill some of that void.

2. Spin-offs/Life-changing Effects - This one is odd. I recently started and ended a rather controversial blog about a local radio personality (and NPR in general) that ended in one friend being asked to leave and helping to create an untenable working environment. It certainly helped to change their lives and it affected me as well.

I've also begun other blogs with less-disastrous effects. My oeuvre blog dedicated to Pavement earned a mention on Fluxblog and is linked to several other oeuvre blogs. While it won't change any lives, it has given me a chance to write only about my favorite band in the world, Pavement.

1. 100 - #1 is lame, but I am kinda proud that I've made it this far. I've come a long way since my first post in August of last year and I plan to continue...as long as I can find time outside of my real job.

Where Do Hipsters Go to Die?

After my night of rockin' with the COMO Hipsterocracy and reading this article about indie rockers populating Hipster-mecca Portland, I have been contemplating where hipsters go to retire, or, more likely to die.

In the early aughts, many hipsters descended upon once-ignored Brooklyn due to its "affordable" rent and cool music scene. Those who did not leave their liberal arts colleges for NYC made treks to Seattle (post-grunge), Chicago, and San Francisco. Some have stayed in their college towns. Wherever they have landed, hipsters have inadvertently caused great gentrification by flipping ghettos into the affordable, artsy, indie rock centers of the urban universe. They have made it possible for gay men to gut and reconstruct dilapidated Victorian homes without fearing that poor people will dirty them or gay bash.

Now, hipsters everywhere are aging. Not since the Boomers' threat of mass retirement has this country had to deal with such a retirement crisis. Where will these hipsters go? Will there be art house theaters, indie rock clubs, and soy chai lattes? Can they supplement their income as greeters for your local art gallery or record store?

The reason I wonder about this is that I am somewhat of an aging hipster. I frequent the same clubs as the Hipsterocracy. I was at the last US Pavement show and the first Village Voice Siren Festival (Can you see my sister and me in the picture?). I've built my own Readymade meat cart bed. I own an American Apparel hoody and retro Pumas. Now, I am over 30, and that's over-the-hill in hipster years. Retirement and death are real concerns for me.

The next step is probably parenthood which will cause me change my lifestyle drastically. If we lived in Brooklyn (which we obviously do not), we'd prepare to move to...I don't know...a quaint, Midwestern college town, ideal for raising families. I'll have to navigate one of those SUV-size strollers through a crowd of younger hipsters in clubs and at festivals. I'll read blogs like Zooglobble for all the latest in indie kid pop. My hipster years are numbered.

So, when I go out to a rock show or check out the latest Jim Jarmusch flick, I'll look at that hipster girl pouring my beer and think, "I bet she'll retire to Portland once her bar tending days are over and hang out with her neighbor, Stephen Malkmus." Or that hipster guy looking all aloof and wonder, "Does he have a 401k plan?"

Like everyone, hipsters will grow old. Instead of our kids complaining about old, burnt-out hippies (well, that will never go out of style), they will go on and on about the old fart at the record store with the really tight black jeans and ironic t-shirt.

So, maybe it's time to consider the end of the hipster era. I mean, irony is dead. Why not prepare for the next sub-culture. Maybe b-boys will make the comeback they have been threatening for the last decade. Whatever group takes the place of today's hipsters, let's just hope that there is a nice place for them (me) to retire...or die.

Indie Rock Dad

In the most recent issue of Magnet, Phil Sheridan writes about his influence over his kids' musical tastes. In the commentary, Sheridan describes his efforts to turn his daughters into the same sort of indie snob he is by constantly bombarding them with all the essential albums of his life. He experiences some success as well as minor setbacks but finds that in the end, his kids were listening.

Since the beginning of time (or at least my lifetime), parents have tried to influence the musical choices of their offspring. Some of these parents have tried to shield their little ones from adult messages not appropriate for young ears, while others have simply tried to instill good listening habits that reflect their own tastes. My parents fit in the latter category.

My parents tried to steer us toward a variety of well-crafted music from their childhood and throughout by playing the records they loved and by programming every car radio to all of the oldies stations in both Columbus and Dayton. I remember them going through their Willie Nelson phase, exposing us to the virtues of true country music. I have since become a big fan of nearly anything featured in No Depression. Mom would play Carol King or Janice Joplin opening the possibility of strong women in rock to a boy who mostly idolized male performers. We learned to love the Stones and appreciate the Beatles. Motown was not left out providing soul and groove to our lives. Mom loved rock 'n' roll rebels, but could appreciate the subtleties of a heartfelt, acoustic piece. Dad loved to dance and sing with the music (usually slightly off time, but with plenty of style).

The 'rents had a tremendous influence on my siblings and myself. To this day, music is the linchpin (along with our blood) that connects us. The majority of our greatest concert memories were experienced with two or all three of us together. While my brother and I expanded our listening tastes throughout the early and mid-nineties, our little sister was making dubs of all our albums. My brother now plays in a band. My sister can't go a day without mentioning bands like the Arcade Fire or Sonic Youth or Pavement or whoever she's listening to currently. I write about music all the time on this blog and keep another blog totally dedicated to one band's catalog (an "oeuvre blog" I'm told).

And it continues. When I read the Sheridan piece, I thought of Dr. Fabulous and his new daughter. (I don't mean to disregard the mother, but I'm relating to the dad as a male...damned gender!) This dad doesn't have tastes like Sheridan's (or mine), but he has a pretty deep connection to music. I've wondered how he chooses which music to play around the house. I wonder what it's like to have so much influence over another human being's musical tastes. I mean, his daughter can't change the station or switch the cd. She's helpless to whatever music Dr. Fabulous spins.

I used to get really annoyed by parents who attended concerts with their kids. My dad's been to a Pavement show (where the bartender offered him some moonshine from beneath the bar) and both of my parents saw Guided by Voices with my sister in Chicago. I guess this didn't bother me, and it really doesn't bother me so much now that I'm close to the same age as some of the parents and to that point in my own life.

The day after I saw the Yeah Yeah Yeahs here in COMO (Karen O is a god.), I checked out their MySpace page to see if anyone had left a comment about the show. What I found was a very grateful father for the awesome show he witnessed with his two teenagers. At first, I was taken aback that this forty-something dad had a MySpace profile, but then I was touched. I knew how he felt. The show was super, but, more importantly, I understood how that dad felt to connect with his kids, to be a part of something that means so much to the human condition: music.

This post turned our sappy, but it holds a lot of truth. Parents want to influence their kids anyway they can. This is their legacy. This is how we live on forever by passing down traditions or interests to children. No other thing has influenced my life more than music. I'm obsessed at times. It informs my opinions, politics, relationships, my entire life. There is no other gift that I want to pass on to my children more than a love for good music...as long as it's my music.

(It should be noted that the YYYs' "Honeybear" came up on my iTunes while writing about the dad at the YYYs show.)

On a side note, Interpol was great last Wednesday in St, Louis. I took notes expecting to blog about all the frat boys, but alas, there was no time and it's old news by now.

Also, my mix made it onto Good Magazine's website with some nice commentary on their part.

Be sure to check out the new survey...

Miserable Top Ten

It was pointed out to me by a new member of the Mizzou family, J aka Dr. Fabulous (not my choice), that I may not be that miserable here in Misery. While I am not entirely happy with this little hole of a college town, I do have to admit that there are some redeeming factors of COMO and Misery. (Sorry, I think it's punny.)

So, to commemorate Dr. Fab's coming (along with his family, J & V), I will focus this post on the positives of the state I'm in. I present to you: The Miserable Top Ten!

10. It's a great place to raise children. I've heard this so many times and have witnessed so many babies being made (the result, not the process) that it must be true. The schools are good. There's little crime and plenty of parks. There are various family-oriented events throughout the year downtown. All that parents have to do is protect their kids from racial intolerance and "big fish in the small pond" syndrome. People love kids so much here, they often have children during their own childhoods.

9. COMO is exactly half-way between St. Louis and Kansas City. Of course, that means we have to drive two hours in order to reach a major city, but I'm trying not to be negative. I've seen some good shows at St. Louis' Pageant and hear that KC has plenty of decent venues. We have spent many weekend afternoons visiting Trader Joe's in the east and R heads west to get her hair cut. I grew up in a small town. I now live in a small town, but I will always love the big city. We have two in Misery.

8.Sedalia(!) is in Misery. It is the home of the state fair (Fried food on a stick, anyone?), great contemporary art, several good Mexican restaurants, the Guber Burger, and...well...that's enough, really.

7. Misery is a great pun to overuse. I actually came up with "Misery" when I was in fifth grade. We had to learn the state capitals, and I made up the mnemonic device "Misery in Jefferson City", although Jeff City is actually in Misery, but whatever. I got a 98% on the test thanks to the Misery pun.

6. Box Elder, MO. I have yet to find Box Elder, but it is a great Pavement song. "I'm takin' the next bus outta here./I'm gonna head for Box Elder,MO."

5. There are scandals-a-plenty in this town. The Paige Arena fiasco, Kenneth Lay Chair of Finance, Quinn Snyder's painful descent, students learning about the gay, the stupid debate over stem-cell research, and many more to come I'm sure. COMO is a small town with big-city controversy. It doesn't hurt that there are like 15,000 graduates of the J School with nothing better to do than dig up a story.

4. The Blue Note and Mojo's provide a decent amount of indie rock shows to satisfy my fix. I'm going to see the Yeah Yeah Yeah's next month in a club, so that's not too bad. As far as college towns go, it's not as bad as State College, but it's no Lawrence.

3. Breakfast. One can get a good breakfast in this town. Cucina Sorella is the second-best breakfast place at which I've ever eaten. Uprise Bakery serves phenomenal croissants filled with things like goat cheese and spinach, plus a good cup of coffee. Then there several local diners, if that's your thing. And, I wouldn't want to forget mentioning two Waffle Houses and a International House of Pancakes (IHOP). The coffee scene is adequate, and there's even a tea shop for the faint-of-heart.


2. The Ragtag Theater lives in COMO. I like me some art-house theaters. One can see great indie films while sucking on a spicy dog and slurping a Bell's Two-Hearted Ale. The best part is that they are moving to Hitt Street and expanding to two screens! Of course I've failed to mention the many events the Ragtag puts on at the Missouri Theater and Flat Branch Park, True/False (see below), and several free screenings of rare or forgotten films. Oh, I almost forgot the dude who sings old-timey before the flicks. AMC can't offer that!

1. True/False. Rarely does one live in a town that has its own film festival. Even rarer does one get to attend such a festival that is as community-based, non-corporate, and small-town as T/F. I saw 11 films at this year's event and plan to better that next year. The festival is loaded with hipster sentiment, small-town charm, filmmakers, indie bands, and free beer. Highlights for me have included The Devil and Daniel Johnston, Kurt Cobain: About a Son, and Life off the Grid: Living on the Mesa.

Now this isn't all I like about Misery, but it's some of the highlights. There is still some good beer in this state and a few kitschy tourist destinations (Branson, featuring Yakov Smirnoff?). I'm making due in Misery, COMO in particular.

In other news...

We move on the 30th. Come help us. There will be beer and pizza. I'm thinking of adding a survey to determine the beer choice(s).

I've begun another blog called I Can't Sing It Strong Enough. After reading Angry John Sellers mention the song-for-song interpretation of Guided By Voices' songs at My Impression Now, I knew I had to get in the act. After careful research (a couple of pages of a Google search) I found that there are no blogs dedicated to Pavement songs. I decided that I needed to fill that niche.

I'm heading to St. Louis on the 1st to see Interpol, and I'll stay in COMO to check out the YYY's (as mentioned above). I'm also currently considering the Blonde Redhead and Wilco shows in the September.