Wednesday, January 30, 2008

A waste without a dream


Here's an old song that drifted through my head the other day.

And here -- first time on the Interweb, folks --- is a song that drifted through my fingers and vocal cords. Two songs, in fact. Enjoy them while you can, these products of my lowered inhibitions and compromised judgment, before I come to my senses and pull 'em. And if you do listen, by god, use headphones. For some reason -- and I think part of the reason is that I haven't got preamps and powered microphones and other 'fancy' recording equipment -- it doesn't sound good any other way, if, in fact, it sounds good any way.

Update 2-1-08: Too late!

***
--> Lookin' For Me Somewhere, BoDeans
--> Jill Can Drive (Trip Shakespeare), Me, intoxicated 1-29-08
--> Midwestern Arms (Dead Hot Workshop), Me, intoxicated 1-29-08

Saturday, January 26, 2008

I know you're gone, you were never mine


A chance tonight to catch up on some of the music of the last week. I love the songs that have this enveloping quality. Practically cinematic.

***
--> Dumb Blood, The Luyas
--> Love's Not Yours, Mike Bones

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Shut the fuck up. Get a fucking life bitch


It's not musically related, but this is sure one of the funnier mouth-breathing segments of Internet dialogue I think I have seen. Look on as everyone (well, almost everyone) tries to get this saddened Boston sports fan back on track. He's not an easy subject, though, as you will, "haha," see.
Yawkeeway2: Yes, I know this has nothing to do with football, but I am down in the dumps right now and I know all your fabulous posters out there on these boards can say something that will cheer me up!

Yawkeeway2: Unfortunetly saying the Patriots will win the Superbowl is not going to cheer me up right now! though I am hoping they do win it!

Govt0: Yo man I got you.

Yawkeeway2: Maybe just saying Bump over and over again will cheer me up....

Yawkeeway2: Nope!

Govt0: The Yanks paid all that money and still in da dumps.

Yawkeeway2: Yeah, having the Yankees do that is entertaining, good try though, not working! Appreciate the effort!

Govt0: No, problem man. I'm playing a role as part of a bet. Everyones giving me crap but I'm OK with it. Just try to keep it secret.

Yawkeeway2: Ok, I shall try and keep it a secret! haha, though I think it might have slipped out if people read this thread, :)

RDH2850: Patriots 18-0 going to the Super Bowl, again?
Boston Red Sox World Champions?
No, nothing??????

Yawkeeway2: it does work somewhat, but not as much as I need right now. Nice effort though! Thanks for trying!

Yadda, yadda. And so on. What an asshole. It picks up, though, after a while.
IrishEagle34: Do you know that flexible hose that screws onto the back of your oven... if you screw that off and put it in your mouth for about ten minutes I hear that helps.

Yawkeyway2: SOrry to hear that Y, but it does help a little bit! It sucks and to make it worse, I just found out that my roomate it going to aruba, man the hits keep on coming!

Jim Hellwig: Shut the fuck up. Get a fucking life bitch

Yawkeeway2: Wow, that was insane! if you dont like it, don't post on it! Moron!

Yawkeeway2: It's people like you who piss me off evenmore!

PUH-LEEZE, people! Stop pissing off this downtrodden fellow evenmore! Can you not see that his roommate is going to Aruba?! Man, the hits keep on coming!!!

Leave....(sniff)....Yawkeeway2....alone!!!!

DR. LIONS: So are you cheered up yet or what?you gotta let us know!

Yawkeeway2: I'm getting there Dr. Lions!

DR. LIONS: The moment of truth,is a show on FOX check it out.the questions are crazy!

Yawkeeway2: very true, I NEVER would go on that show, UNLESS i wasnt the one answering the questions!

Yawkeeway2: Thanks everyone!

Yawkeeway2: still unhappy though, haha!

The depths of shallow unhappiness are explored further in the pdfs. And I must say, it is a journey worth taking. As one subsequent contributor posts, "If it makes you feel better I just farted and sh-- my pants all at the same time. Now who's in the dumps?"

***
--> Part 1
--> Part 2
--> Part 3
--> Part 4 (so far)

Monday, January 21, 2008

Tell me do you miss me

Here are two more songs that go together like noisy little salt and pepper shakers.

Same trebley, piercing guitars, same smoky rhythm that you could sway to for, like, a week or so. You dig?

***
--> At Last, The Dø
--> 23 Minutes in Brussels, Luna (Live radio performance)

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Breaks my heart and leaves me sad


Bummer. Well, you have to hand it to the winners.

I was trying to think of a gracious song to post, and here's the first and only one that came to mind. And it's sung by the great screaming id of rock n' roll, too — fancy that.

It's been a hell of an awful last 12 months. What's the outcome of a football game to me, really?

***
--> Anna (Go to Him), The Beatles

The hours would never match


Silence is never more eloquent than in this Julie Doiron song, one of my all-time favorites.

Another first-ballot HOFer is Brendan Benson, for this more-exquisite-than-actual-Britpop slice of Britpop.

***
--> Oh These Walls, Julie Doiron
--> Metarie, Brendan Benson

Saturday, January 19, 2008

How the choice is made with a fresh resolve


Today's weather presents the Hobson's choice of stay-in-and-go-crazy or go-out-and-perish. It was minus-15 degrees earlier this morning, and minus-8 last I checked. Yikes.

I'm into presenting similar-sounding tracks lately, and here are two more. A good soundtrack to get the dance team suited up and rehearsing.

***
--> My Spine Is the Bassline, Shriekback
--> In One Ear and Out the Other, Fujiya & Miyagi

Friday, January 18, 2008

The whole world began to ring


Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..........

It's almost scary how similar — how almost *purposefully* similar — this Throw Me the Statue song sounds to Neutral Milk Hotel.

(NMH's "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea" album being unquestionably one of my "desert island" picks — one of those small handful of records that from the moment I heard them I wondered how life existed before them.)

That said, I could groove to this new tune pretty much all day.

***
--> About to Walk, Throw Me the Statue
--> Song Against Sex, Neutral Milk Hotel

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Look, here's another bruise I didn't see



Give it up a little extra for these bands today. They're risking hand injuries for your enjoyment.

Now, go dance jerkily around the room or something.

***
--> Shatner, The Wedding Present
--> Bomb. Repeat. Bomb., Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
--> Everybody's Got Something to Hide (Except for Me and My Monkey), The Feelies
--> Magic Toy Missing, Meat Puppets
--> Big Soft Punch, The Clean

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Nothing worse than an educated fool


Feeling self-critical and annoyed lately, so these fit the bill.

***
--> Funkier Than a Mosquito's Tweeter, Nina Simone
--> 99 Problems (Danger Mouse), Jay-Z
--> Inspiration, D.R.I.

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Wandering down the back streets of the world


It's possible I'll be in a crummy mood later -- depends how the football game turns out, I guess -- so I thought I'd post something quick now.

A day alone, no kids, means a day for a haircut, a day of laying in provisions. Some wine and beer, a few comic books, dish detergent and some sponges, a new wine glass (because last night, sitting at the desk, I set down on the floor an empty beer bottle....right through the top of an empty wine glass that was there first).

Came home to find my new t-shirt had come. Grin. I'm so easily pleased with such small, cheap things.

David Berman's Silver Jews aren't small and cheap, but they're shambling and rambling. I'm looking forward to the new album coming out later this year, as I am Stephen Malkmus', which has had glittering reviews, so here they are singing together this song that I'm not sure quite how to identify with.

"Advice to the Graduate" -- it's a back-and-forth, with Berman as the mentor, offering instructions on everything from the mundane ("sleep on your back and ash in your shoe") to the anachronistic ("always use the old sense of the word") to the actually useful ("the third drink will lead you astray") to faux-mystic hipster wisecracks ("on the last day of your life, don't forget to die"). Malkmus chimes in as the naif: "I know you've got a lot of hope for a new man."

So, which one am I? I've had cause recently to feel like both.

***
--> Advice to the Graduate, Silver Jews

Thursday, January 10, 2008

I am still filled with feeling


These songs are too cool to care what you think.

***
--> The Song Is The Single, BARR
--> Run, Run, Run, Warsawpact