Music for Lucia

I haven't written about the kid in a while. I guess that whole month of nothing but Lucia was even too much for me. Not to worry, though. I still give her lots of attention (even if I haven't written a letter in a while).

One development in Lucia's...er...development is her love of music. I've always played records for her and sang to her, but she has really shown an interest in anything musical lately. Besides playing instruments and singing her own "songs", she dances to anything on the radio. During transitions on NPR, she'll dance to the ten seconds of music they play. She's really tuned into the music.

As I said before, I sing certain songs to her, but I also play a ton of videos on YouTube. The following is a top-10 of her favorite videos. Some we sing to her at night. Others are just to be enjoyed on YouTube. Either way, she likes them all...

10. The Beastie Boys - "Hey Ladies"
By accident, I discovered Lucia's love for old school hip-hop. Then I discovered she particularly liked the Beastie Boys brand of hip-hop.

9. Feist - "1 2 3 4" (Sesame Street version)
I always thought this would be a great Sesame Street song and Feist pulls it off with ease.



8. MIA - "Paper Planes"
This track had Lucia shaking what her mother gave her. That was the correct reaction.

7. Guided By Voices - "I Am a Scientist"
We discovered Lucia's love of GBV the same day she discovered hip-hop. I have no idea how that works, but that's what happened.



6. "Clap, Clap, Clap"
I will never forget the morning we woke up to jazz on the radio. R snapped her fingers to the beat. Lu - for the first time ever - clapped her hands. Soon after that momentous occasion, I discovered this little video.



5. Dan Zanes - "Jump Up"
There isn't an indie geek/alt.country fanatic around who doesn't play Zane for his/her kid. Never mind the hair. You have to admit it makes you tap your feet.



4. Kimya Dawson - "The Smoothie Song"
This is a family favorite. The video doesn't do it much justice, but you get the idea.



3. Pavement - "Cut Your Hair"
She is my daughter. I've sung this song nearly every time I've put her down to sleep and she knows it like few others. I recently showed her the video and Lucia liked it even more.



2. "Mah Nà Mah Nà"
This is an absolute classic. This was also the first song Lucia recognized in another as it played with various instrumentation on NPR.




1. Kermit the Frog and Debbie Harry - "The Rainbow Connection"
We discovered this one while searching for Muppet and Sesame Street videos. I couldn't resist this classic moment on The Muppet Show. Both R and I sing this song to Lu whenever we try to put her to bed or soothe her. She dances to this video no matter how many times she sees it. Notice how loaded Debbie Harry seems.

See The Foundry Field Recordings Saturday (and some others)

I am terrible at supporting local music. In my youth, I was at every show or at least several every week and I never missed a local fav on consecutive shows. So, I've put in my time. At this point in my life, I'll just do the best I can.

That said, go to Mojo's Saturday night and see The Foundry Field Recordings do their thing for only a fiver. For this week's set, the line-up will be Billy Schuh (vocals/guitar), David Korasick (vocals/guitar/keyboard/trombone), Justin Nardy (bass), and Cody Mains (drums).

Then, the following Friday (the 13th), you should hit Eastside for Cpt. Captain. On December 12th, Cpt. Captain's label Yards and Gods release their second compilation. The party will be at Mojo's.

Most likely, you will find more info on both shows at Ravenous Horde, but I thought I'd do my part this evening.

Three Local Blogs You Should Read

I've mentioned some of these folks before, but it's worth mentioning again. COMO has a surprisingly high number of good bloggers. Of course, I mostly pay attention to the music blogs. Three blogs are so good that you should read them before you read this blog when in-search of the music 411.

Cool Dry Place
Although I don't consider this a blog in the truest sense (newspaper-affiliated), I do read Pete Bland's take on all things entertaining. In particular, Pete does an excellent job reporting the most ignored stories in the music scene here or the music insider's perspective. I don't always agree with his tastes, but I appreciate his insight and the use of an actual journalist degree in the blogosphere. Also, Pete does a nice job of keeping up with COMO TV tie-ins and films hitting the 'Tag that may have slipped under the radar. All that and he has the best collection of Western shirts this side of Kansas City.

A Ravenous Horde
I mentioned this blog in a recent post, but figured I give it more props here. Blogger Tina contacted me to let me know lim was now listed on her blogroll. Since that time, I've had a chance to check the blog out and am thoroughly impressed. It's everything I once wanted this blog to be but could never get together. There's a shit-ton of music info there, plus some nice coverage of the upcoming Citizen Jane film fest. It's all there. I just wish I had thought of it first.

Colossal Youth
From the ashes of the mid-MO rock blog Bathysphere, Colossal Youth has risen to provide us with more music geek porn to fill the void. The strengths of the Bath (rock show photography, underground rock immediacy, music-coverage-beyond-borders, etc.) are all here thanks to the efforts of former Bath-contributor Carrie. I'm glad she's carrying the flame as I need these kids to keep me young. In particular, check out the pics from Boomslang.

What are your favorite local blogs? What did I miss?

Taking a Breath/Stuff to Do

I had to take a breath for a second from this whole Lucia-everyday-thing I've been doing. It's actually kind of a metaphor for my life right now. Every minute, hour, and day is dedicated to that little girl. Sometimes I have to step back and take a breath. Like now.

There are some things you should be doing this week. They are as follows...

Tomorrow night (Wednesday), Chuck Berry (yes, that Chuck Berry) is playing a free show outside the Note on Ninth Street. The guitar legend usually plays a week in STL, but for this show he's coming to us. I don't know if I can sneak out to catch any of his set, but you should.

Crazy expensive Super Circle passes are for sale for the 2010 True/False film festival. Basically, you fork over $500 and get a few amenities. $200 of the price is a donation to the festival. I'd suggest waiting for the other passes to become available, but that's me.

Barry at the 'Tag will be tapping a cask of Schlafly Dry-Hopped APA Friday evening. There will be specials from about 5 on. The cask will be tapped around 6 or 6:30. The beer from the cask is free, so get there early, buy a drink to hold you while you wait, and load up on free APA.

The Foundry Field Recordings, Netherfriends, and Malone will be at Mojo's on Friday. The Foundry have a new album coming out one of these days. Their label mates Netherfriends return from their home in Chicago to have a go at a smaller COMO stage (they played the Note the last time in town). Also, locals Malone play some dandy alt.country. It's Mojo's, so it will be late.

That's about it for this week, but there's plenty more this fall.

On October 3rd, several bands from über indie local label Yards & Gods will take over Eastside Tavern for the night. I'm told that it will be "a fairly complete lineup unless someone from some band gets struck by lightening." For more info, you can check out the nice piece in the Vox on the label here.

I'm considering several other shows for the fall. Andrew Bird/St. Vincent and Grizzly Bear/Beach House play consecutive nights at the Note. The Decemberists play an outside show in October. Plus, an interesting show featuring Gogol Bordello plays as well. I have decisions to make before any of those shows sell out (which I doubt will happen before those nights). So, check the poll to the right and let me know which shows, if any, I should attend.

Also, if you are a COMO-ian, fill me in on what you've got going on in the next few weeks.

Keys to Indie Rock Geekery

If Lucia is going to partake in the same indie rock geekery (or snobbery) that dominates her father's life, she will need to follow some basic principles. Here is a list of keys to that geekery. If Lucia follows this advice, she too will know the joy that is indie rock.

1. Pavement, Bob Dylan, The Clash, or Sonic Youth are all acceptable bands on which to base your music collection. Really, these are the only ones. To stray too far beyond this list will adversely affect any music collection. You can like all kinds of bands, but your collection should be based on or somehow linked to these four acts. Other acceptable and like-minded acts are The Rolling Stones, Guided By Voices, The Replacements, and Pixies.

2. Vinyl is better, but be sure to have it all in digital format as well. Sadly, there will likely be very little vinyl available for Lucia as she gets older. Luckily, she has her old man's collection to raid. Vinyl has a softer sound that leaves room for all the bits and pieces (not to mention crackles and pops) not found on digital recordings. Of course, we are nomadic creatures and turntables don't travel well. So, there is certainly room for an iPod loaded with 10K+ songs.

3. A mixed tape/CD/playlist is your calling card. Well, cassette tapes aren't really utilized anymore. Hell, almost no one burns CD's anymore. The playlist one makes tells the recipient everything about you. So, choose wisely, sequence carefully, and always find a way to include a Beat Happening track.

4. Never go to a show wearing that band's t-shirt. This is more of a faux pas, but it's an important principle to remember. If you are at a Spoon show, everybody else there is a Spoon fan to some degree. A Spoon t-shirt at such an event would be redundant. Instead, wear a Radio Birdman or vintage Dinosaur Jr. t-shirt to show the route you took to Spoon or to show that you like even cooler bands.

5. Record labels do matter. I don't care what anyone else says or that major labels have squandered their social capital. It does matter that Arcade Fire is on Merge and that Okkervil River are on Jagjaguar. A label tells you about a band's ethics and commitment to independence. A label's roster can lead you to other bands of similar quality.

6. A band's best work is behind them at about album four or five. I am not going to tell you that a band's best record is their first. One does not have to look past bands like Nirvana, Sonic Youth, and The Flaming Lips to know that that is not true. Also, I won't tell you that a band's second album (the sophomore slump) is their worst. Weezer, The Shins, and Yo La Tengo disprove that theory. However, you should be aware that by the time a band records albums four and five, much of their edge is lost. Sure, some bands produce great work beyond the fifth album, but more of their releases after #5 or terrible than good. Take Wilco for example. Album four was Yankee Foxtrot Hotel. Classic. After that was A Ghost Is Born. I feel a downward trend about to happen. What happens next? A live album is followed by a record for Volkswagen and so on. It's the same story for most bands. Pavement's fifth album was also their last. They knew when to quit.

7. If you hate the album in the first two songs, the rest won't change your mind. Albums should be great by track four to have a shot at being a part of your rotation. Musicians should try to impress in the front end of an album. If the first two tracks are unbearable, the rest, no matter how good, won't make you forget that first impressions. Conversely, an album cannot be great if it isn't a third or fourth of the way through. I often judge an album in those first four tracks and I'm rarely wrong about what's left.

8. Make lots of top-5 and top-10 lists. Growing up, many people your dad's age and older learned to love music through radio countdowns and eventually end-of-year lists in magazines. This is how we indie geeks communicate our tastes. A top-5 list can show complexity and depth as well as superior listening ability. For example, my top-5 shows of all time are - in order from fifth to first - Arcade Fire in KC circa 2007, Archers of Loaf/Helium/Earwig at Stache's in 1995, Modest Mouse/764-HERO at Sudsy Malone's in 1997, Pavement/Dirty Three/Come at the Agora Ballroom in 1995, and The Flaming Lips (f/"Motor Away" as performed by Bob Pollard) in 1995.

9. Claim a favorite band by 20. This is similar to the idea that you should pick your favorite football team by age 8. There's no bandwagon jumping and you'll earn the respect of others as you stick with your team/band through thick and thin. Plus, once a band breaks up, you can reminisce how great they once were.

10. Whenever you find a band that you really love, accept that there was a band before them that did it better. You will inevitably run into that guy at a party who has to tell you how much better The Fall were than Pavement could have ever dreamed. That's OK, because Can and The Velvet Underground came before The Fall. The important thing here is that you acknowledge the obvious influences but add that your band took the form to new heights. "Pavement certainly sounded like The Fall, but they did it without any reputable drummers and added things like Moogs and Nasty's screams for a more dramatic sound."

Those are my ten. What are some things that you feel is important for indie (or any kind of) music geekery?

The Revinylization Project: Iron and Wine, White Rabbits, and Cursive

Iron & Wine - Around the Well

Music
There are few bands that one could envision would put out as compelling a rarities album as Iron and Wine. Lost in recent albums is the back porch feel of Sam Beam's whisper and faint slide guitar. Still, to this day, one of the most profound shows I've seen is Beam, his sister, and a guy switching between slide guitar and banjo play as hushed a show as one can imagine. You could hear a pin drop that night. That sound returns on this collection, including Death Cab and Flaming Lips covers. This record is essential Iron & Wine listening as far as I'm concerned.

Insert
The insert is a large fold-out with album artwork on the outside and lyrics on the inside.

Sleeve
The artwork features a painting of nearly as many records as one finds in the sleeve. It's both aesthetically

Extras
The free MP3 was included.

Record
This whopping LP includes three records of music. However, the third disc is one-sided, with the other side featuring a cool etching of more album artwork. I love it when bands do this.

whY?
Because you should know what this "band" sounded like before they embraced calypso or Hotel California.


















White Rabbits - It's Frightening

Music
I liked the White Rabbits first album. Sure, it sounded like every other Brooklyn band not featuring a turntable, but it also featured good, solid songwriting. This album sees the Rabbits developing into their own sound while holding onto quality songcraft.

Insert
The insert is simple. One side is a photo of a solitary drum in front of a dark background. The reverse side has the liner notes with "Britt Daniels" in big letters so that you don't forget that indie's King Midas produced this fine record.

Sleeve
The cover is a fine black-and-white blur of a drummer slamming away in front of an old piano. The black-and-white with simple white and red text remind me so much of a Spoon record.

Extras
There was no download (unless I missed it), but there was a CD with all the songs. That's something for the car. It's sort of odd how now the CD is the novelty. Things are coming full circle.

Also, I'm not sure this was intentional, but a 7" of "Percussion Gun" b/w the non-album track "Foxhunting" was included. I used to love singles. It's sort of cool Insound sends me one every once in a while.

Record
Classic, simple, black vinyl with simple label. I'm not sure if it's 180 gram, but it's solid.

whY?
If you're reading this blog, you're most likely connected to COMO in some way. The White Rabbits are from here and deserve some support. Besides that, they've recorded a really balanced and enjoyable record.


















Cursive - Mama, I'm Swollen

Music
I honestly haven't listened to Cursive in a long, long time. When I saw them play with Bald Eagle not too long ago, I didn't really listen to them then either. I think it's the fact that their crowds are so young. Hell, they were young eight years ago when I saw them before that.

Anyway, I forget how great this band can be. Sure, one could simplify their sound as "emo" or whatever, but it's way more layered, textured than that. Plus, Tim Kasher strings together themes of pain and loss better than most. The instrumentation is is varied and diverse without losing that rock edge. I think this album is a grower. I'll have to give it time before I give a final verdict, but I bet that it will rank high by year's end.

Insert
This album is loaded with extras and loads of stuff just falling from the sleeve. I'll start with the insert which is a giant book attached to the sleeve. The pages are hand-written (or scribbled) lyrics and liner notes. One can see why the kids love this band.

Sleeve
The cover is a dark and doctored photo of the moon over water. Coffee stains, some red paint, and other alterations give it an eerie feel.


















Extras
This album came with extras galore. I received both the digital download as well as a CD copy. That's the best of all worlds. Again, the CD is the novelty here. The download card is a credit card-like picture of the band on one side and info on the other.

Record
Red. The vinyl is red with some black marbled features. I love colored vinyl and this was a nice surprise.

whY? Well, Kasher is as a good a songsmith as there is in indie circles. A band that's been around, creating quality music as long as Cursive has deserves your dollar. Also, this album is easily the best packaged release that I've come across this year.

_____________________________

Since I ordered the Sunset Rubdown LP, I also received an MP3 of the album. I will reserve my opinion for after I have the entire package in my hands. However, as with most of the Wolf Parade/Handsome Furs/Frog Eyes/Sunset Rubdown material (sans Apologies to the Queen Mary), they're growers not show-ers.

COMO Music Happenings

Some things are happening in the COMO music scene this summer...


















White Rabbits will be on Letterman this week. They Tweeted, "Just finished rehearsing for Letterman. Tomorrow's gonna be a fun day. Time for bing..." One can only guess what "bing..." meant. It could possibly be hipster/New York slang for meth. They may also be referring to the late Bing Crosby. Whatever it is, the ex-pat COMO-ians are on tour to support their new record It's Frightening which comes out Tuesday. The boys return to Mojo's on June 9.

















Yards and Gods seem sort of quiet, but I could be just out of the loop. Either way, there still is a great selection of free and/or really cheap music at their site from several of the label's bands. With school out, it may be a quiet time for Y&G as well.

















Speaking of school being out...I'm really curious as to what will happen to the kids at the bathysphere. Though somewhat erratic in their output (like I'm one to talk), they were easily the most interesting music blog to come around in a long time (well, them and Hipster Runoff). I hope some of them failed to graduate or are at least a year or two away so that I may continue to bathe in COMO music scenesterism. That, and I never got out to see their band Tops play. I am a lame dad of an eight-month-old for sheez.


















Emergency Umbrella continues to plug away. Billy Schuh and most of Bald Eagle returned recently from a somewhat quiet tour, playing as The Foundry Field Recordings. Maybe you've heard of them. Anyway, Foundry should have an album out any day now. From what I've heard, you'll be hearing a Shins-ian take on love and loathing in COMO, but I'll save a full report when I get my hands on the completed project.

In other EU news...Sinkane just released his second full-length. There's a little buzz here and there, but it's mostly for the company Sinkane's Ahmed Gallab been keeping. The latest word has it that he's performing with Caribou for a couple of shows including the Flaming Lips-curated ATP.

Also, EU had a major coup while Foundry was on the road in Athens, GA. Dark Meat has signed with the label and should have a record out very shortly. From what I hear, it's supposed to be a ridiculously well-polished piece of art. Whatever it is or whatever score Pitchfork gives it, this album will be a pretty big achievement for Emergency Umbrella Records.

Not much is going on as far as out-of-towners coming to play in COMO. I mean, who wants to come here in July?

Mojo's looks dead except for that White Rabbits gig and another performance by locals Malone. If you see something on the line-up that looks good, feel free to share.

Willie Nelson and Ben Folds play Ninth Street for the Note this summer (but not on the same night). I have tickets to see Conor Oberst, but I fear I will be sadly disappointed. Lucinda Williams could be an interesting show in mid-June. Otherwise, I wish I lived in Lawrence.

Eastside Tavern's Clash of the Titans happens again this summer. Of course, I wonder who's still left to play, but it might be a nice diversion come July.

I haven't even bothered to check STL's or KC's concert schedules. It just doesn't seem likely that I'll make it to either city for a show all summer. However, if there is something you are going to see, write it in the comments.

Not much is happening this summer when it comes to music. I guess I'll have to catch up on my Revinylization Project and brew some more beer this summer.

Jason Molina and His Terrible Hawaiian Shirt

I haven't been out to see a show in a while. Luckily, someone reminded me that Magnolia Electric Co. was scheduled to play Mojo's last night.

Also playing was Old Light, an alt.country band from STL, and COMO local alt.twangers Malone. Both bands were good. Maybe I'm over being over alt.country. Old Light gave away a demo for signing their email list. They showed promise as a new band and won over a few folks with the free tunes. I know a couple of the guys in Malone and had been meaning to make it out some time to see them. They did not disappoint with their three-headed songwriting attack.

This all brings me to Jason Molina and his Magnolia Electric Co.

Molina showed up donning an ugly Hawaiian shirt. On top of that, he's rather short and has a receding hairline. I don't point these faults out to make fun of Molina, rather I want to illustrate just how regular he is.

This is why I love indie rock. The brightest and best artists are just regular Joes trying to make ends meet like the rest of us. It makes their work all the more authentic, accessible.

I was once talking to a friend about his encounter with his Tori Amos. As he struggled to explain how in awe he was, he turned to me and said "Well, you know how it is when you meet one your bands." I didn't and I don't. I've talked with tons of musicians who've I've also idolized, but I was rarely speechless or humbled...Well, except that one time I met members of Sonic Youth. I knew they were just trying to get my like me. They weren't better than me. I wasn't better than them. We were equals in a lot of ways.

My point is that I prefer things that are great but accessible, like indie rock or beer or whatever. You can enjoy the best indie rock and see the bands live without paying an arm and a leg just to sit two miles away. Similarly, I can drink the best beers in the world without spending a small fortune. This is how I like to live. I like things that can be great, yet accessible.

So, this brings me back to Jason Molina and his Hawaiian shirt. His genius was even more captivating in that bad shirt. Here he was: a regular guy. His songs, as always, were true. The meaning behind them held more authenticity knowing that he was capable of feeling the real human emotions found within his songs. All of this in that damn Hawaiian shirt.

Neither a Geek nor a Snob

The terms "geek" and "snob" get tossed around a lot these days. They're meant either as compliments or insults that describe someone who is obsessed with movies, literature, computers, wine, etc. A geek, the less offensive of the two terms, depicts someone who obsesses over something so much that basic social norms are ignored. Little else matters outside of his interests. A snob on the other hand, knows so much about her interest that she turns her nose up at anything that does not meet her incredibly high standards. She do this at the expense of others' feelings, putting her taste for things ahead of people.

Although I have been called both, I really don't fit either category. Despite my strong feelings and stubborn opinions on certain subjects, I have been able to break free of the constraints in which these terms circumscribe. In particular, I have been accused of being a geek or snob when it comes to my taste in music and beer, but I can prove that this is not true. I will admit that I have geeked out on a new album of turned my nose up at a bland beer. However, these actions do not limit me to either label.

Don't get me wrong. The world needs geeks and snobs. How else would we know what to consume if geeks hadn't done all the research and snobs let us make bad choices. I too partake in a bit of snobbery and geekery, so I see the appeal.

Beer has been my latest obsession. I've driven across state lines and had family bring me beer not available in Misery. I have a fairly large collection of beers just waiting to be tasted. Beers by Three Floyds, Dogfish Head, Stone, New Glarus, among others dominate my selection. I only drink these beers from the glass and I have even begun brewing my own.

However, fine, hand-crafted beers with intense flavors are not the only reason I drink. Just the other night, I had a Miller Lite with a friend who just welcomed two new additions to her family. Drinking that beer was not about the beer alone. We sat on her back porch, cracked open two cold ones, and shot the shit. That's all. Sometimes a beer just needs to wet your throat and act as a social lubricant. It doesn't have to wow you with large amounts of hops or a hint of raisins*. Sometimes a beer just has to be a beer while two friends talk about life.

Music has been a long-running fixation for me. I've gone without food and sleep in order to see some bands live. I've made regular trips to record stores every Tuesday when records are released. My homes have always been overrun with records and CD's. Among my favorites are such indie elites as Pavement, Sonic Youth, Arcade Fire, Joan of Arc, etc., etc. Hell, I have two other blogs just dedicated to my obsession with music.

The thing is, following bands, going to shows, and even just listening to records takes time and money I'm not willing to give up anymore. I'm missing nearly 75% of Pitchfork's end-of-year lists. I used to own those lists. People are telling me about bands. I can count somewhere in the neighborhood of ten or twelve shows I've not attended due to child care or the exhaustion associated with childcare. Lately, I find myself listening to the same albums over and over or just mindlessly playing the iPod on shuffle. And sometimes, I play the stupidest songs just to entertain my daughter.

What I've learned about these obsessions is that they shouldn't take the place of real human interaction or even the pure enjoyment of your interests. I don't want the fact that you didn't play Pavement at your party to keep me from hanging around to talk. It's not OK to turn down a beer from someone who invites you into their home. Sometimes holding onto one's mania keeps them from enjoying others, from enjoying life.

I don't want to shut people out because they don't share these interests with me. It's OK they like to listen to country music or drink Bud Light (although these factors can make things hard). I'd rather be, as a fellow beer enthusiast described, a "good snob" or geek. A good snob will share with you and provide you the resources to try something that might be better than what you're already into. A socially adept geek may take you to an event that demonstrates how excited a particular hobby can make them. It's really all about sharing and being a part of the community rather than shunning it.

So, when you see me or comment on the blog, realize that I am not limited to my interests. I would rather know you and share those interests than keep you out. And if you catch me being exclusionary, call me on it. I can take it.

*If you ever want to impress a beer snob, try something fancy and/or expensive and claim to taste raisins. It will impress every time.

The Effects of Music

I actually wasn't going to post this, but it's been running through my head all day. This something really had a profound effect on me. It had to with music and it reminded me why I love and obsess over music so much.

Let me set the scene...

Part of my job is to travel around central Misery to visit the teachers I train. I usually hang out with them during their planning periods to discuss inquiry or using technology or something like that. That's sort of how things went today, but the bell rang, effectively ending the visit.

I had some time before my next visit, so I figured I'd hang around and watch this guy's lesson. It was a class of eighth or ninth graders, I believe. After some bell work, the teacher began by reminding the class of the definition for a metaphor. He was going to give the students an opportunity to write metaphors about aspects of various pieces of art. He began with Van Gogh and Dali paintings before moving to music.

There were four songs used for the lesson: "Mmmbop" by Hanson, some metal song, a Miles Davis track, and "Biggest Lie" by Elliott Smith. I mention "Biggest Lie" last as it had the biggest effect.

"Mmmbop" was played first. The teacher made the connection with Hanson being the Jonas Brothers of the mid-nineties. The students laughed and made fun of the track. This was expected.

At this point, the students were really engaged and wound up. They were chatty, making fun of the art their teacher chose or some of their funnier attempts at metaphor.

Then, "Biggest Lie" was played. It hit me really hard as this may be one of his more prophetic pieces of music. The story of Smith's unfortunate death ran through my mind. I nearly teared up right there.

Suddenly, I realized the entire class was silent. They just listened and wrote. These kids know nothing of Elliott Smith. They had never heard of him, but they paid attention now.

The rest of the period returned to the same silliness. The kids went back to joking about the metal song and groaning about jazz.

The Elliott Smith song had an effect on these kids. A cold listen silenced them. There was no back story, video, or even picture of the artist. They just stopped everything to listen to the music.

One kid even wrote his metaphor about death.

Maybe I'm reading too much into this. Maybe I'm putting my own opinions and feelings on this song. Maybe I'm projecting just how important this song and its creator were to me in interpreting their silence as admiration. I don't know. I just know that it affected me.

Whatever your feelings about Elliott Smith or his music, you have to agree to the amazing effect great music can have on our lives. It's why we dedicate songs on the radio. It's why you and your significant other have "our song". It's why a computer company saved itself by creating the most innovative music player ever invented.

If music doesn't affect you, then you're soulless.

Below is a fan-made video for "Biggest Lie".

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.

Bathtime

I told you that I'd post something about music really soon...

The boys (and girls or is it grrrl?) at the bathysphere have done something I always wanted to do but never had the time, resources, or local music scene knowledge...They put together a compilation of music by bands from Misery.

The best part is that the rock comes free. You can go to their site here and download the MP3's starting tomorrow for free. Did I mention that it's free?

The other best part is that Bathtime (That's what they're calling it.) includes the following lineup of MO bands...
Burger Kingdom
Cpt. Captain (formerly NASCAR Diarrhea)
In Dark Trees
Nonreturner
Ptarmigan
and many more (not sure who they are)

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention the other bestest part is that there will be a Bathtime party (presumably sans any group bathing) at Slackers on April 11th featuring anywhere from 7 to 15 bands. It's free and you'll receive a hard copy of the album for free. Are you sensing a theme?

Thank god these bathysphere kids are rich enough to give away so much local music. (Actually, I have no idea whether they're rich or not. I'm just impressed that they're giving away so many free tunes.)

That's it for my local music PSA.

Searching for a Blogging Identity...or Blogdentity

I haven't posted much here lately. It seems I've had trouble coming up with topics and narratives to stick in this here HTML-for-dummies they call Blogger. Sure, I haven't had a lot of free time, but that's nothing new. I've found time to blog in the past. Recently, I have struggled in finding this blog's central focus or identity, a blogdentityTM if you will.

I feel that if I could identify what this blog's about, its main theme, then I could figure out what to write next. I thought long and hard about it over the past week. Two hours of driving for my job today was occupied with this puzzle.

Wordle provided my first clue as to running themes and word choice for lim. At first, I tried to use the blog's URL and feed to create a word cloud, but the results seemed skewed toward my most recent posts. To combat this problem and to provide a more random sampling, I pulled the text from about every 25 posts or so, skipping those that were primarily other media. The results can be seen below.

title="Wordle: random living in misery"> src="http://www.wordle.net/thumb/wrdl/683101/random_living_in_misery"
alt="Wordle: random living in misery"
style="padding:4px;border:1px solid #ddd">

I'm not completely sure what to make of the word cloud above.The words "one", "best", "new", and "album" seem to come up the most. "Misery" comes up about as often as "Oberst". "Ohio" and "Obama" to occur as often. No clear message is revealed. I would say that most of what I write is about great new music, but that doesn't account many for other aspects of my life.

Then I decided to check my Google Analytic numbers. Here is some of what I found...
I charted my blog's traffic from the day that Google Analytics has randomly chosen to archive (August 17, 2008) to the present. The highest peak happened to be the day Lucia was born. Apparently, there were a lot of friends checking the site over and over to see if anything had happened. Beyond that (and one random day last November), my numbers have gone up and down, generally trending in the 70-80 range when I post more often and the 40-50 range when I slack. Of course, today I've hit my lowest since September 27th when I was barely blogging at all.
I looked at the ten most visited pages. The main page with the latest post always ranks first, so I'll skip #1. The number two slot has been held down by the same post ever since I started using Google Analytics: "Contemplating Kenny Chesney's Gayness". Believe it or not, this was actually a post about a concert...a concert I never attended, but a post about a concert nonetheless. Next are posts about being an indie rock dad, hipster Christians, and my snarky take on a best of list in COMO. Aside from a couple of sad posts about a friend who committed suicide, various rants about COMO, and several parenting postings, the most visited pages on the blog overwhelmingly have to do with music.

On a side note, the combination of keywords that comes up the most has to do with the whole Kenny Chesney post. In fact, "kenny chesney gay" comes up almost twice as much as the next combination, "living in misery".

I don't know what any of this really has to do with lim's blogdentityTM. It does seem that music comes up the most often. So, maybe that's where I should turn when looking for new content. I did get a new record in the mail. (Guess which one and win a prize.) Maybe I'll post about that.

Either way, thanks for reading and continuing to keep me on your RSS reader despite my lack of production lately. This blog is approaching 500 posts soon. I'd hate to lose any readers because I have writer's block. Look for some new posts really soon.

In the meantime, I'm adding a poll for you to vote on your favorite lim content. It will be near the top right of the page.

Handsome Furs Mildly Enjoy This City

No, Dan Boeckner does not have multiple faces. It's just a crappy action shot taken with my phone.

Going into last night's Handsome Furs show at Mojo's, I did not really know what to expect. It was a Tuesday, St. Paddy's Day, and right in the middle of SXSW. The turnout was predictably low as young professionals opted to stay in on what may be our best evening of the spring so far. Plus, I was about to hear a two-piece band consisting of guitar, synth, and drum machine. It could have gone terribly wrong either way.

I had a pre-show beer at the 'Tag, a Coney Island Sword Swallower. It's a really good lager, hopped so much you may confuse it for a pale ale. Actually, the sad part of the beer is that I feel like I swallowed a sword as the morning-after hop breath has set in. It's still a good beer. I suggest head over to the 'Tag and have one before the keg is empty.

After unsuccessfully trying to talk some of those aforementioned young professionals to join me at the show, I ventured over to Mojo's all by my lonesome.

First off, let me say that Dan Boeckner and Alexi Perry are as handsome a couple as you might expect. Sure, they're not classically beautiful or attractive enough to be Real World cast members. No, their beauty is a rock n' roll beauty, an attractiveness that comes more from the gut than the face. They are rock 'n roll hot, way more compelling than the average model/actor. Maybe it was the sparsely equipped stage, but I was mesmerized by the couple/band's presence.

The Furs' style can be described as "post-Perestroika punk". There are a lot of kids in Brooklyn dressing this way nowadays, but Boeckner and Perry pull it off genuinely. This was no fashion show disguised as a concert. The Handsome Furs gave off the impression that they go to the bank in the same clothes they wear on stage.

There is no pretension here. The band was so appreciative of the crowd that did show and were friendly to the Vox reporters directly after the show. The club wasn't even half-full, but the Canadian couple kept thanking folks for the wonderful turnout.

Oh, and there was music.

Whenever I see a synth-heavy act, I shutter and worry that I will become bored watching "musicians" turn knobs and push buttons. A synth band is often just a step above the laptop-wielding set. If you recall, I hated - HATED - the Fuck Buttons with their card tables and MacBooks and Fisher Price tape recorders. There is something soulless about simply pushing buttons to make dance music.

The Handsome Furs figured out how to make the synth thing work. Besides the fact that they are compelling individuals, the Furs actually play their instruments and rock as they do it. I know this seems like a simple distinction, but it's really not. I go to shows to see and hear rock 'n roll, not to watch you play with GarageBand.

So, my point is that the music translated well to a live setting. Boeckner's voice and anthemic guitar playing fulfilled my yernings to rock, but he shared the stage with his partner. Perry rhythmically beat on synth and drum machines as if they weren't working. Together, the band played a show that deserved a larger crowd than COMO provided.

Last night marked the 16th anniversary of my first concert. I was as thrilled to be at a rock show in 2009 as I was in 1993. That's not an easy task for me as I keep going back to rock clubs in search of that first high, but Handsome Furs gave me a little bit of the thrill once again.

__

Scroll through my Tweets for the real-time story.

Some of the bathysphere kids were there. I'm sure they'll post something.

Link

The Vox folks will get to writing something up eventually.

The Revinylization Project: Handsome Furs - Face Control

Music
I don't know that I would have appreciated this record right after falling for Wolf Parade a few years back. Thanks to Isaac Brock's production, the first WP record really rocked. So much so that it made the band's various side-projects and last year's At Mount Zoomer really hard to accept. However, the overall body of their work demonstrates that they are more of a synth-heavy act as opposed to a guitar band.

Handsome Furs bring the hipster 80's love with Face Control. Besides the synthesizers all over the place, the band even throws in some sweet guitar riffs that scream "hair metal" or at least Guitar Hero. Their sound has really developed and solidified since the weird Plague Park.

Insert
The insert features some cool black and whites of the Handsome Furs couple in their travels and recording sessions.

Sleeve
Bold graphic design present a blown-up and highly cropped photo of a doberman in front of a bright red background and gold lettering. After WP's dud of an album cover, this is a striking contrast and graphic triumph...well, maybe it's just a really enjoyable album cover.

Extras
Nothing other than a digital download, for which I'm thankful.

Record
It's a typical record with the classic Sub Pop label. There just aren't many of those anymore. I'd say Secretly Canadian and Sub Pop stand alone in branding a record label.

whY
Buy this record because everyone should embrace the 80's-inspired hipster in all of us.

CultureBully
Snob's Music

The Revinylization Project: The Muslims - The Muslims

Music
I don't know what it is about punk/garage rock that continually recycles the same approach only to turn out great music time and time again. I guess it proves the idea that emotion is more important than skill or something like that. I think it was Calvin Johnson who said it, but I digress.

I kept seeing the Muslims all over the blogosphere. Finally, I listened to an MP3 somewhere and thought this was a band worth the investment. This record is their self-titled debut, featuring songs from several early seven-inches. The energy and naivete that comes with a debut is all over this record and I love it.

Insert
On what looks like the recycled back of a notepad, the liner notes are printed (to look as if type-written). The Muslims wish you the best as you have acquired their product and the tracks are listed, divided into sides A and B naturally.

Sleeve
Despite the fact that the outside is a plain white sleeve with almost no print, the design is a nice attempt at originality. Much like the Stones featured a working zipper on an album cover, the Muslims nailed three holes through the sleeve, making the impression they had been shot. to further the effect, the sleeve holding the record is bright red and the holes go through an inside picture of the band.

Extras
The design alone is a nice extra for me. Also, the record did come with the always-welcome digital download.

Record
Nothing special here. The label on the record is as simple and nondescript as the rest of the packaging.

whY
You should buy this record b/c you haven't purchased anything interesting in a long time. Plus, a name as currently provocative as the Muslims deserve some space in your record collection.

CultureBulley

The Revinylization Project: Bonnie "Prince" Billy

Music
One listen is not enough for an artist like Will Oldham. I am going to reserve the right to make further judgment at a later date. However, the songcraft and musicianship of this album is as good as any Oldham has put out. In that way, it reminds me a lot of the last Silver Jews record. "I Am Goodbye" is maybe my song of the year to this point...behind Animal Collective's "My Girls" and just ahead of M Ward's "For Beginners".

Insert
No card for a download fell from the sleeve when I shook it, but there was a poster (pictured below). Not enough bands put posters in their packaging. Of course, considering the age of Oldham's core audience and this record's appealing adult contemporary sound, I'm not sure if this was the best choice. I may hang it in my garage.


Lyrics are ingeniously included as photos of hand-scrawled notes pinned to a knotted-pine wall. On the reverse side of this insert is a photo of a life-sized dollar with the phrase "Seek the wolf in thyself" scribbled across the top. Wolves seem to be a regular theme in Oldham records.

Sleeve
The album does not have a ominous tone for the most part, but you'd never guess it from the cover. It's about the creepiest sketch of Oldham I've ever seen. Plus, the title is "Beware". The back side features an amateurish painting of an erupting volcano. Oh, and the serial number for the album is "dc666". I sense a theme.

Extras
I guess I already mentioned the poster. I should have waited to share it here. Oh well.

Record
The record features a colorful label. The watercolors match the volcano painting on the sleeve. Side A features colorful rings of green, blue, and red. Side B features the impression of a skull. Have I mentioned a theme?

whY
Will Oldham is one of our last untouched treasures. The man is incredibly prolific, but everything he puts out is soulful and beautiful. The first listen didn't take. However, I know enough about Oldham to realize that this record will be a grower.

Doubtful Sounds

The Revinylization Project: Songs: Ohia - Magnolia Electric Co.

Music
I avoided Jason Molina and his Songs: Ohia for a long time. I always tried to separate Ohio from that idea we were a state full of hicks who pronounced our home state "Ohia". It seemed as if Molina's band was poking fun at that. So, I wanted nothing to do with it.

Eventually, something I read or heard made me decide that I needed to check out Molina's work. I posted an inquiry on Twitter as to which album should begin my study. The Magnolia Electric Co. was the only suggestion.

The album really is amazing. Since I'm worse than a lazy rock critic (a blogger), I'll just make some lame analogies and comparisons. Molina is like Will Oldham who sings an octave or two lower and is backed by the Eagles. Songs: Ohia sound like the Jayhawks with better songs and a softer/gentler Uncle Tupelo. This album reminded me why I ever proclaimed love for alt.country...whatever that is.

Insert
The insert consists of more of the same artwork as on the sleeve and a photocopy of liner notes scribbled onto notebook paper. The artwork is really quite mesmerizing in its complexity and ugliness. It's very reminiscent of Okkervil River's album artwork. The pen and ink illustrations of strange ugly, mutated forms with bird-like characteristics all over are both haunting and strange. Steve Albini is mentioned as the one who recorded the album. Interestingly, Scout Niblett contributed to the record as well. The rest of the liner notes is a short letter from Molina cryptically explaining the composition process.

Sleeve
As mentioned in the insert, the artwork is truly menacing. You can see the cover above and the back side below for a better idea of what I'm saying. The inside of the sleeve features a slightly out of focus black and white photo of the band.

Extras
I wasn't expecting extras, but I got them anyway. There was a digital download that not only featured this really great album, but also featured all the demos for the record. The stripped-down versions of Molina's songs really expose them for the beauty within this work. Also, there is at least one bonus track in the download, but I'm too lazy to figure out the track's title right now.

Record
The record is nothing special. However, the Secretly Canadian label is pretty slick with its silver-on-white print job and snazzy, retro logo.

whY
You should buy this record because it really is a fine example of Midwestern alt.country. Plus, if you live in COMO, Mr. Molina is coming to town later this spring. This could be a nice preview before the show.

RIP Touch & Go

Some chalk this up to the recession. I sort of feel like it's a combination of Touch & Go's difficult (but brilliant) roster, the label's failure to keep up with new technologies and formats, and maybe it's just their time.

Touch & Go has been a big part of my life. They will be missed. Pour a drink for Touch & Go. They probably need it.

COMO Music

One thing I am slowly learning to appreciate in COMO is the music scene. Upon moving here, I was highly skeptical and rather suspicious. What could a town of less than 100k and full of transient college students have to offer in terms of local music? Well, it turns out that there's more here than I once thought.

The funny thing is that I'm not even getting out all that often these days. I guess that's the price I'm paying for fatherhood and a demanding work schedule. I've been meaning to get out to see the kids from the bathysphere and their band Tops, but that has yet to happen. Additionally, a buddy in Malone invites me out via Facebook and attends my happy hours, but I haven't found time for his gigs either.


I did catch Bald Eagle's opening slot for Cursive, but their label mate (and sharer of several band members) The Foundry Field Recordings are hitting the road. Check the dates and some tunes here, but be aware that there are new songs I'm not allowed to leak on this blog. So, check them out.

And while I'm missing all these bands, a whole commune of musicians is flourishing below my nose.


I'm talking about the promising cooperative known as Yards and Gods. There is some good, vibrant music here and I almost missed it. Luckily, Y&G's Michael shared some tracks with me today. Here's a quick rundown of the material I sampled...

In Dark Trees is the Explosions in the Sky for the ambient set. The band's track "Some Summer Night" leads off the label's compilation. Upon further investigation, I found that one could obtain the band's entire catalog for nothing, not including the 3 bucks for the compilation. I will have to check out the rest of the material, but this first track makes me very hopeful.

The Kinksy garage rock of The Makeouts fills the second slot of the comp with a needed jolt. The band currently has no other releases, but you get the feeling that they have an LP's worth of two-and-a-half minute gems waiting in the wings.

Nonreturner slips two tracks from their self-titled full-length into the comp. There's a real Radiohead thing going here, not like Muse, more Radiohead of the past two or three albums. Something about the production/recording feels shallow and quiet, but there's some intense stuff going on in the music itself. I've just started listening to their album and it certainly shows a more diverse output. Again, there is probably more to say on this band.

An acoustic number by Palisades follows, fitting better with the hippie vibe that goes with a co-op. However, Palisades mixes in some Lips-like warped samples and subtle organ work to separate it from flat, hippie, folk music. This material surprises me the most with its mix of warbly folk and alt-country that actually sounds fresh.

Ursus Arctos rounds out the label's compilation with some aggression and hollers, reminiscent of the Hives or Franz Ferdinand when these bands had the potential not to suck. Between Clash-like pop awareness, Ursus also includes some prog flourishes that remind me of a kinder, gentler Bald Eagle.

This label still deserves more exploration, but I'm pleasantly surprised by the output they've had in less than a year of existence. You should go to their site, donate, and agree with me on all of my points.

So, maybe COMO's coming around. I'm still not changing the name of the blog.