Thursday, April 24, 2008

Music Monday: In A Very Simple Way

Yeah, yeah. Sure, sure. It's Thursday. I know, but that's nitpicking isn't it?

This week's (and for all you know the next couple of weeks) comes from the past month of furiously trying to seek out new music, which is such a damn time consuming chore. The result is some new stuff, some slightly old stuff (by a month or so) but overall a great companion to the oncoming beauty of summer.

Music Monday: In A Very Simple Way

1. Port O'Brien - I Woke Up Today -- off the upcoming All We Could Do Was Sing. I heard this song on a Cornerstone Promotions sampler I got at SXSW. A little research tells me (and subsequently you) that this is about the third incarnation of this song... and it is so stinking catchy that I once spent an entire 30 minute car ride with it on repeat. In one month is has yet to get old. That speaks volumes for it's crafting. Port O'Brien is from out West (let's generally say NorCal), and have a release called The Wind and The Swell which I have not heard, but soon will (you should go ahead and go for it, too). All We Could Do Was Sing is out May 13th and is their first studio album. Something to look forward to in May (besides Iron Man, Indiana Jones and My Birthday).

2. Ruby Suns - Kenya Dig It? -- off recent release Sea Lion. Up for not only song of the year for me, but also title of the year. I recently had the pleasure of seeing them live twice, once at SXSW then on a tour they were supporting. As you can tell from the title, they are quirky and charming, and watching them live you find it hard not to fall for both characteristics. Not to mention they're a three piece! What sound they manage to create! Lead man Ryan McPhun is the genious that creates most of the tunes, Amee Robinson wears sparkly dresses and Imogen Taylor has an awesome name (and plays the flute). They're all multi-instrumentalists and they're all enviable in their own way. The whole album is pleasant on the ears, and hailing from New Zealand, they've managed to combine every possible sound you can imagine to create what I will forever hope the tiny nation sounds like. (note: if in fact, NZ does sound like Ruby Suns I want to live there)

3. Rademacher - If You Got Some Magic -- off of their first full length, Stunts. I heard this randomly somewhere, I don't even remember where, but it caught my ear and managed to stick around for the ensuing month and a half until I finally gathered the consciousness to look them up and find the track. I can't speak for the full album (soon I will though, you can order it here), but this song sounds about as timeless as a trip to the Grand Canyon (which hopefully stays timeless). They hail from Fresno, CA and have produced some EPs before Stunts (all by themselves). As soon as I get the full length in the mail, I'll let you know. Unless of course you want to go ahead and see for yourself (again, here).

4. The Boticellis - Up Against The Glass -- off of the upcoming Home Movies (I think). I know absolutely nothing about this band other than that they're from California. They sound like they're from England, and I love that. I also love this song, can't. stop. listening.

5. Fanfarlo - Fire Escape -- off of a single called Fire Escape/We Live By The Lake. These guys should become massive amongst the Arcade Fire-loving individuals in the States. I saw them at SXSW and, besides having a very cute violinist, they were almost too talented. They're from the UK and play tight, sophisticated pop. It's all happy. I almost can't say much more. Here's a little acoustic performance they did for the Tripwire during SXSW:



6. White Shoes & The Couples Company - Brother John -- off their self-titled album out on Minty Fresh. This band was THE surprise for me at this year's SXSW. I know they are a little gimmicky, what with the heavy 70's Indonesian film/lounge influence, but listen to this and tell me that it ain't catchy and fun to listen to. Seeing them live, which is a treat here in the States (they hardly ever come over as they're from Jakarta), is something else; and drummer John Navid is a freaking madman on those jazzy drums of his. Not to mention the overall sexiness of lead singer Aprilla Apsari. There are many tracks on the album worthy of your time this summer, while in the tropics, on the lake, at the local swimming hole, or just driving with the top down. You'll be smiling that's for sure.



Ahh, that felt good.

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Right In The Hole

Screw the Masters this weekend, here's the all-time best hole-in-one courtesy of my friend Dan.



Job well done, Dan.

Friday, April 11, 2008

Everybody Seems To Think I'm Lazy...

... I don't mind, I think they're crazy.


Two new reviews for things you should check out at your earliest convenience.

1. Joy Division - dir. Grant Gee -- the review pretty much speaks for itself. The film was amazing, and I wasn't really that much of a Joy Division fan before going to see it. It's just a genuinely great story to be told. I've heard rumors of it being packaged with the DVD release of the biopic on Ian Curtis, Control. Not sure though. Either way, check it out.

2. Bright Blue Dream - by {{{Sunset}}} -- I've already written a bit about the album on here, but here's a full review I wrote this week. It's a great piece of work and I think you should probably listen to it all the way through this weekend. {{{Sunset}}} @ The Tripwire.

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Also, I'll get to another music playlist next week. Got some pretty good tunes in the ol' quiver just waiting to pierce your heart.

Thursday, April 10, 2008

I've Got Nothing To Say But It's O.K.

Today is marks a heartbreaking day in music history. 38 years ago today The Beatles officially announced their break up. Sure each had their own successes with solo careers (personally I think George did it best), but no one ever quite reached that fevered success that all four collectively did in their mere ten years of existence.

The Beatles are a lot of things to a lot of people. I wasn't alive during their time, but they were what got me into music. I taught myself how to play guitar from their songs, I met the first person I ever loved while on a Beatles pilgrimage, and I've reconnected with people I was once friends with and made whole new friends through their beautiful melodies. They are my favorite band of all time, and I've spent many a day trying to learn exactly what they did every hour of every day they were together, hoping to somehow channel that into my own life. They've guided my creativity for years. Thank you Ringo, George, Paul & John.

I can't remember what book it was in, I think it was High Fidelity, that stated most clearly what The Beatles are to a lot of people. They are a constant, and despite the individuality and ownership within the band, the fans now own them. No matter what happens, you can always go home and be with The Beatles. No matter what anyone takes away from me, they'll never take The Beatles, they are mine. And they're yours, too. So take the time today to give at least one full album a listen. And remember to Smile. Wait, that would be The Beach Boys... how about - And remember to Love? Why don't you just Smile AND Love.

Sunday, April 06, 2008

Gordon Street? Ah yes, Gordon Street.

I once knew a girl who lived on Gordon Street, a long time ago when I was a young man. Not a day passes I don't think of her and the promise that I made which I will always keep. That one perfect day on Gordon Street. That's uh, five blocks up, two over.



Oh, how unfortunate it is that Charlton Heston has died. He was an actor that was true to himself, and gave us as the audience one of the most distinctive voices of all time. I've not seen anywhere near his entire body of work, 126 performances in both television and film, but from what I have seen has always made a lasting impression on me.

Growing up Catholic, going to Catholic schools, The Ten Commandments was required annual viewing, and despite what you may think about a bunch of Elementary school kids watching a film that's nearly three hours long, we all loved it. Heston's booming voice and lion's mane of a 'do in that film gave me the feeling that Moses could pretty much take on anyone or anything that came his way.

Of course the other film to be named here is Planet of the Apes. Of all his films this one was truly the one that got me geeked. Of course many will say that, and it's not like I'm a total nerd over the series, I've only seen the first two, but I think the circumstances in which you see certain films influences how you will react to the medium for the rest of your life. Planet of the Apes was one of those films that I saw as a kid really late one weekend night. You know those nights where you would just stay up and have the TV running while you continued to play with your Lego's, building a vast empire of red and yellow and green bricks. It'd be midnight and you'd be so tired because you never stay up that late. Then just as your interest in designing the space fleet for your moonbase begins to wane, on comes something that just pulls you in. Heston in space, crash landing in the middle of a desert, finding dead bodies. Oh yeah, and Apes that can talk. Damn dirty ones at that.

For a kid of 10 or 11, that is absolutely amazing, and I think because of that I have always had a certain predisposition to sci-fi. I still haven't become a sci-fi series reading, Star Trek quoting, card-carrying nerd about the genre, but damn if I don't get a kick out of most everything that comes my way. I'll always thank Chuck Heston and Planet of the Apes for that.

Of course there's many others to name. Ben-Hur was tremendous, Touch of Evil (the first "film school" film of Heston's I saw), The Omega Man, Soylent Green. Should I go on? It feels like I should, but there are so many. I would love to mention his cameo in Wayne's World 2. I know it's not Shakespeare or anything, but it definitely ranks up there in the top 5 film cameos of all time for me (a close 3rd to Bruce Willis in Loaded Weapon 1, with Peter O'Toole's cameo in the first Casino Royale beating the lot). Well that's the rambling for today. Just sad that Heston's gone now, up to that big maaaaaadhouse in the sky.

Friday, April 04, 2008

A Post of Laughter and Forgetting

So I've been just busy enough lately to not want to even log in here and complete a post with no links or pictures or video. There's been some events going on that's made me quite excited though, so let's at least get to those.

Stuff:

Went to AFI Dallas to check out a doc on Joy Division. I wrote a review of it for The Tripwire, it hasn't been posted yet, so if it does, I'll link to it. If it doesn't, I'll post it here. It was awesome.

Music:

{{{Sunset}}} - from the former bassist of Sound Team, Bill Baird. The new album released last week, Bright Blue Dream. It really stinking good. It also turns out to be one of those albums thats very influencial on your life. In the way that it makes you want to also create.

Which leads me to this...

My band.

There's a tentative title to it... Chris and Doug. That's mostly a joke, but it's the best thing we've got right now, and we needed a name so... there it is. Chris and Doug.

So far we've got three songs recorded as demos. Two of them are posted on a MySpace page, which you can find if you want. I don't want to link to it until we've gotten some better takes done. But the good news is, the bandmate, Dan, just got a job in Austin, so he'll be moving down here in the next couple of weeks. So there will be some serious happenings in the next month or so. Get ready. Well don't get too ready, because we don't want you to be an inappropriate amount of ready for when the time comes to actually show you the songs, for they may not require you to be quite THAT ready. So maybe just look forward to it a little. Sort of like a nice surprise that might spring up on you like a beautiful day. Not that we really sound like a beautiful day. That would be nice. I would say we probably sound like rambling. Rambling Pop Music. Neurotic Rambling Pop. Neurotically Unsure but Rambling Pop Music. That'll do for now. Thanks everyone.