Archive for the 'music' Category
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Bunch of rad Yaz remixes. Diplo one especially. via Missingtoof.com.
Here’s the Hercules and Love Affair one they mention. Not H&LC’s best work, sadly.
While we’re at it, how about some Phil Collins? I know, I was surprised too.
“Fully working, manual record player made entirely of paper. To play the record the handle needs to be turned in a clockwise direction at a steady 331/3rpm. The paper conethen acts as a pickup, amplifying the sound enough to make it audible. (Record shown,
The Sound of Music 1965). – Simon Elvins. via KOMPAKT blog.
Fi-Hi : UBDJ – Urban DJ Mixer: Mixer.
This is the first mixing tool I’ve seen for non-vinyl formats that’s actually interesting. It’s cheap and portable, just like the things you’re supposed to use as inputs, and it leaves cueing and stuff up to the devices.
This would be amazing in a car, or as a theme to a party where everyone brings their iPods and are on the hook to mix.
It’s as forces are actually conspiring to make me miss that place– The Bell House got like 100x better the second we left. Still, though, no regrets.
What the link doesn’t mention is that Larry Johnson also performed, Sarah Vowell DJ’d, and that Kristen Schaal apparently played theremin while dressed in some kind of foam suit. Pretty awesome night when a GNR cover band is actually the lamest part of the bill.
Luckily, this morning, I was able to buy tickets to see both Sarah Vowell and Bell House regular AC Newman in Syracuse and Ithaca, respectively in the coming weeks.
A bunch of early 20th Century cylinder recordings are now available from the Belfer Audio Archive at SU, including this one:
boo.
…is how I was singing The Cure’s Fire In Cairo in the shower this morning, for some reason.
I’m really loving this deluxe edition of the Three Imaginary Boys album (which came out forever ago), I think it has jumped ahead of Head on the Door as my favorite Cure album. The extras on the 2-disc set are pretty good, but mainly I’m just happy about how crisp it all sounds… much better than my flimsy old Austrailian vinyl copy.
Dig those dancing Boston teens.
NY77: The Coolest Year in Hell
Kelly and I recently re-watched Summer of Sam, which I hadn’t seen since I before I ever moved to New York. That was a strange phase for Spike Lee, but a pretty good movie, I think, if a little too abrasive. Anyway, that plus watching Swingtown on Netflix has me once again devouring the 70s. Excited to see the P5 linked to this this morning. Great graphics. The Blackout clip is the must-see:
The top 5 (in order of awesomeness):
- Honeythistle Promo, the Sweet Divines Only 3 songs from this amazingly-unsigned Brooklyn soul revival outfit, but I have probably listened to this about 1,000 times. Seeing the Sweet Divines live will probably be what I miss most about living in NYC. We caught them 4 times this year, most recently at Joe’s Pub this week.
- Who Killed Amanda Palmer?, Amanda Palmer Amanda is the singer/pianist in Dresden Dolls, who also made my list. This one is my Fox Confessor Brings The Flood for this year.
- This Gift, Sons and Daughters Best effort yet from this Scottish band. They pronounce it “Thess Geft.”
- Rain, Joe Jackson Stripped down production and wailing vocals are my favorite thing. Anyone who sings at the top of their lungs gets much love from me (see Neko, Amanda Palmer, Jemima Pearl of Be Your Own Pet).
- Antidotes, Foals I couldn’t believe this was released in 2008– February seems so long ago. Minimal/Maximal math rock. One of the best shows I saw all year, Dan and I caught them at Union Hall (which I will also miss!).
I got to see each and every artist on top 5 list this year!
The other 20 (in no particular order):
- Night Drive, Chromatics Like an amazing soundtrack to all of the parts they edited out of The Hidden.
- Get Awkward, Be Your Own Pet Riot Grrl-channeling loud punk at its best.
- Casting Shadows, the Black Hollies Lush psychedelia from Jersey City revivalists. Listen to them play most of the album live on the Cherry Blossom Clinic.
- S/T, Jean on Jean Spacious and haunting folkishness from the Out Hud cellist.
- S/T, Vivian Girls What everyone else said.
- Live at Shea, The Clash Great selection of songs played at blistering speeds.
- No, Virginia…, the Dresden Dolls Especially “Dear Jenny”.
- Drippers, Black Moth Super Rainbow The only scratch-n-sniff release on my list. More nice and heavy synth-psych. There’s also a free release of additional material! (scroll down to July 9)
- Alpinisms, School of the Seven Bells Greg got me into this in November, been listening pretty much non stop since.
- S/T, Little Joy Strokesy enough to be great.
- ¿Cómo Te Llama?, Albert Hammond Jr. Also strokesy enough to be great.
- S/T, Hercules and Love Affair “Athene” was my favorite track released in 2007– I get to put this on the list since the album wasn’t officially released until 2008. I love you lazy disco.
- BITS, Oxford Collapse The kind of 90s-style loud indie rock that has been sorely missing for about 10 years.
- Beat Box, Glass Candy
I’ll say it again. I love you lazy disco. - Fantasy Black Channel, Late of the Pier Strange and suprising late addition to my list.
- Alight of Night, Crystal Stilts Kelly loves this. Joy Divisionist.
- Feed the Animals, Girl Talk Kind of an embarrasing entry, but I couldn’t get enough of this while running this year. & the price is right.
- Velocifero, Ladytron Ladytron never dissapoints but is terminally ignored!
- Luminarium, Tape The only experimental/ambient release in my 25– I’m trying to be more accessible.
- Vol. 1, She & Him Listened to this one a lot on long runs in Fredonia this summer.
- Partie Traumatic, Black Kids I know, I’m not supposed to like this, but I had it on my iPod and I realized that I never ever skipped any track from it. For like months. Then I put it on my shuffle for running… it’s still there.
Honorable Mention:
This years releases from High Places, Tobacco, Au, Chairlift, Ra Ra Riot, Ane Brun, Lykke Li, Bon Iver, Ladyhawke-with-the-e, Ladyhawk-without-the-e, Pit Er Pat, Women, Ellen Allien, Studio, HEALTH, Squarepusher, Black Mountain, Jamie Liddell, Fennesz, Titus Andronicus, Growing.
Kelly and I headed to Madison Square Garden last night to see both Davidson and UT win their games in the Jimmy V classic. Both games were great (especially Stephen Curry’s last few minutes against West Virginia) and got me excited for our next couple of months. UT played Villanova, who seemed to really lose their way in the last 10 minutes of the game. The crowd was mostly rowdy Nova fans, many of whom were incredibly drunk– I saw more fighting in the crowd than at any other sporting event (or rock show!) than I’ve ever been to. Our section of Texas Exes was pelted with ice and drinks as we ended the game with “The Eyes Of Texas,” and I can’t say I didn’t enjoy it a little bit when a bigger Texas fan dropped one of the worst offending Villanova idiots on his head in a particularly vicious altercation. This is, I guess, why beer is only sold at off-campus NCAA events. Ugh.
I just hope that the behavior of the Villanova fans is not typical of the Big East– we’ll be at a lot of BE conference games, hopefully, once we move to our new home in Syracuse next month. That’s right, we’re moving: I accepted a job at Syracuse University right before Thanksgiving. I’m really looking forward to it, and we’re heading up there this weekend to find an initial place to stay. I’ll start in early January.
Somewhat unrelatedly, on my way to the Garden to meet Kelly last night, I listened to this week’s The Moth podcast, which featured my hero Joe Jackson telling a story about his early days playing in pubs (a bit of the story is also in his great memoir, A Cure for Gravity). Thanks to J for making sure I didn’t miss it! I bring this up, because I keep meaning to post my top 10 or so albums for 2008… Joe’s Rain is definitely on that list.
Not that it was much of a choice. I’ve had to come to terms, over the last 4 weeks, with the fact that I am not able to run the NYC marathon this year. My strained leg is taking too long to heal, and there’s no need to push it. That’s the lesson I learned in Charlotte last year. Better to take the time off now than to risk worse injury just out of pride.
Luckily, I’ll just defer my admission to the marathon until next year. I’ll have to pay again, but I have little choice now. Oh well. I’m not beating myself up about it, just working hard to get back on my feet. Been to a few cycling classes, and have continued consistently stretching and practicing yoga. Sadly, my two favorite yoga classes at the gym got discontinued, probably because I was one of only 2 or 3 who ever showed up. Hopefully those teachers will be back at other times, they were my 2 favorites.
Relatedly, I finally got in to the physical therapist this week. It has been a nightmare to schedule these appointments, since I have to take off from work early to get to the office before they close. Visiting this place is like stepping back to the 70s. It’s basically a railroad apartment, mauve walls and brown trim, divvied up by orange, brown, and green striped curtains. Behind each curtain is a cot and an aged brown-plastic machine covered in dials. It definitely seems like more of a rehab-after-workplace-accident type place than a sports medicine practice. Thanks HIP! If it weren’t so close to my house, I might seek another place.
Anyway, they hooked me up to this shocking machine for 15 minutes, then gave me an ultrasound massage on my hamstring, and then I rode an archaic stationary bike that looked like a discarded The Price Is Right prop for about 6 minutes. Two feet from the bike was the receptionist’s desk… she was filing as I peddled. A strange place indeed. Perhaps I’ll get some pictures next time– have a few weeks of this ahead.
Oh, and I went to see My Bloody Valentine last night. They were terrific, and the fact that I brushed past J Mascis in the crowd would have made my 15 year old self ecstatic. Haven’t done much that would impress 15 year old me lately, so that felt good. (I can feel him shudder each time I put on my running tights!) The highlight for me was actually the extended noise break they closed with– it was overpoweringly, sensory-overload loud. Like thunder on pause forever. I was fine with earplugs, but people seemed to be losing their minds a bit. I can only imagine that this event had some negative impact on the Jersey Boys performance in the theatre next door. The highlight for Kelly is that she didn’t go to the show and therefore missed it.
Apart from not playing “Cupid Come,” they covered everything I wanted to hear. Alphabetcityblog documented the show way more carefully than I ever could have, I’m just glad I got their in time for the whole set, had a decent view (though this person had a better spot! — this was more like where we were), and was able to meet up with Jon and Melissa beforehand. Well worth the price.
My legs feel better today than they have in weeks. My left knee is still a little tweaky, but I when to a cycling class today and felt good as new. My leg actually felt better after the hour ended. It was nice to sweat without grimacing in pain, been a while since I did that. Stretched more and iced afterwards, and, as of 10pm, still feeling great. We’ll see how I’m feeling in the morning.
Planning to hit up a couple of more cycling and yoga classes this week, and then I’ll have some recovery stories to tell (I hope) when I finally get in to the physical therapist next Monday.
Sound wise, I just realized that my current (and several-months-standing) favorite band, Black Moth Super Rainbow, has a free EP available on their site to get us excited for the “Drippers” EP, which drops scratch-n-sniff CDs & 10″ vinyl soon. A few other mp3s on there site as well. Enjoy.