because, for nineteen of my twenty years on this earth, I've lived on the West coast of the United States, specifically California's beautiful Bay Area.
She & Him - Sweet Darlin' [mp3] as much as I love Zooey Deschanel, I really don't like Volume One by She & Him. I really like her singing voice but hate her songwriting. the only songs that I like from the album are the covers she does, and the one song she co-writes, with, you guessed it, Jason Schwartzman.
[this is in response to an anonymous comment left on this post]
in this post, I'll attempt to properly explain why I hate digital music so much, and why physical albums mean so much to me.
here goes.
everyone who's ever stepped foot in my bedroom is always taken aback by the stacks of vinyl, the shelves and drawers of cds (there is more music in my dresser than clothing haha), and the walls of posters. oh, and my closet lined with set lists. when I have my own house, I want to cover my walls with my receipts from record stores and my ticket stubs, both of which I always save.
it's kind of obvious that I'm a music enthusiast.
what's not obvious to most people is that it wasn't always this way. I always get really jealous when people talk about growing up listening to Zeppelin or The Beatles, because I didn't.
I went to a private Islamic school when I was a kid. my parents are super conservative, and they didn't believe in pop music. my older brother, always the first one to rebel, exposed me first to pop-punk like Green Day and Blink 182 and later into rappers like Tupac and Biggie. but soon, I wanted to explore my own musical terrain.
when I was 15, I started listening to alternative radio, and I would make mix tapes by recording tunes off the radio. then I discovered limewire, and started to burn entire cds.
this is how I came across Is This It. it's because I really liked the Franz Ferdinand single ("Take Me Out") that would always play on the radio, and wikipedia directed me to The Strokes, a similar band.
I'd also borrow loads of cds from the public library, and burn my favourites (like XO by Elliott Smith)
but anyway, I always felt guilty for downloading music, but I knew I'd get in trouble if my parents found out what I was listening to. I swore to myself that one day, I'd buy all of the things that I had downloaded.
so I compromised. I started buying as many cds as I could afford and hiding them, kind of like Lane from Gilmore Girls. I'd listen to my cds-- both burned and bought-- under my covers at night, and these albums spoke to me like nothing else could. they gave me hope that one day I could be free. I felt the same thrill reading the liner notes as I did when I read Ralph Waldo Emerson or Betty Friedan. it was nothing short of catharsis. I knew that my brain and my music would pave my path to independence. I had to break free of the mold that my parents wanted me to fill. Arab women are expected to get married and raise nice families. that always disgusted me beyond reason. I wanted something different.
when I went off to college (on a full scholarship to UC Berkeley), I raided record stores like nobody's business, mostly buying things from the clearance cd racks. I had a part time job, and every month, I'd go down and spend most of my paycheck at Amoeba, only saving money for concerts.
and then I started collecting vinyl, which made fulfilling the promise I made to myself (of purchasing the albums which I had illegally downloaded years prior) a lot easier. a lot of the vinyl that I've bought are records that I burned and really loved back in high school, albums that I still listen to. going to these record stores also exposed me to tons of cool new music, and at a dollar a pop, I could afford to buy 20 albums a week. it was pretty great.
I still download music illegally, mostly leaked albums, but I only do so to sample albums. albums that I don't like, I delete, and the ones that I do like, I buy (usually, in the more expensive vinyl format), or I put on a list to buy later.
at this point, my parents know about my music addiction. I'd slowly bring home some records each time I'd visit them from college, but now, everything's out in the open. it still bothers them, but we're all adults now, and I don't have to sneak out to go to concerts, like I did when I was 16. for the most part, they've accepted me as I am.
when people talk about how great itunes is, and how inconvenient and obsolete physical albums have become, I get really annoyed. for me, physical music was always a luxury, one that I had to hide for years.
do you remember that scene in the beginning of Almost Famous, where Anita sneaks the Simon and Garfunkel record into the house, and a few scenes later, William's thrill at discovering the vinyl that she left him? those two scenes affect me the most from the whole movie.
a lot of us have parents who not only think that people like Joe Strummer or David Bowie are worthless, and will never appreciate the art that they left behind, but like to tell their kids that these people will burn in hell, alongside people who idolize them.
and they have kids like me, who love music more than anything in the world, and who couldn't give a damn about a G-d who would punish people for wanting to appreciate good music, and who tell their parents that they would much rather spend an eternity in damnation with these "wicked" people than a minute in paradise with religious bigots like themselves.
and these kids write stupid blogs about music because music is their favourite thing in the world and they have pipe dreams of being music journalists which are crushed when they realize how hard it is to get paid for your writing. so they decide to keep it as a hobby instead, knowing that they at least have the power to share their favourite music with some strangers who might just understand their obsession with music.
but whatever. I don't think I've ever told anyone all of that. that's about as much information about my personal life as you're ever gonna get.
I'll end this post with the ever-so-famous scene from Almost Famous, when they sing Elton John's "Tiny Dancer" on the bus.
I always get shivers (the good kind) when Penny Lane says "you are home". that sums up everything about me perfectly.
I think Almost Famous will always be my favourite movie. and In Transit, of course.
I don't know everything there is to know about this band, and I won't pretend that I do. I only have one of their six albums (their second), Performance and Cocktails--a cd I picked up from the clearance racks at a record store because I loved the album art.
I subsequently fell in love with the cd, but never went and looked for more of the band's music. This is most unlike me, I think it was midterms to blame.
I do know that they have created one of the best covers that I have ever heard, which you can download below. A main reason that the cover is so good is because this band is a dead-on Welsh version of Foo Fighters. The steady drum beats; the guitar fueled, messy but moving songs delivered in an angst filled scream that renders both of you breathless. Oh, and the occasional acoustics of course.
As I dug around the internet for more info on this band, I realized that they sing the following song:
! I never knew that! I totally love that song. And this is why I love blogging about music. Because it helps ME discover awesome new things about bands I love. I think it's about time I delved a bit into the band's other five albums.
PS I'm really proud of myself. I've been consolidating my music collection and deleting things I don't listen to anymore. Over the last couple of weeks, I've gone from 69.5 GB to 38.46. I also have a stack of vinyl and cds I've gotta sell or give away. It makes shuffle a lot more pleasant and my computer is running a lot faster too. As Michael Scott would say, Win, Win, Win.
On pop music: "Why does everything that has to be big and popular suck? I got a problem with that, so I'm trying to do something about it." (Rolling Stone, 2003).
This makes me incredibly sad. I am a firm believer in records, not individual songs. One of the reasons that I cannot stand itunes is that people now only purchase the songs that they like, and therefore do not get the full experience intended behind the music. It's like looking at only a portion of a photograph or watching 20 minutes of a film or eating the crust of the pie. It's incomplete, and although it might keep you occupied for a moment, it doesn't leave any lingering satisfaction.
And it seems that this has affected the way that some musicians view their craft.
Thom Yorke says it'll kill the band to release another LP. Well how convenient, some of the industry's most creative people have gotten sick of their jobs. I guess creating music for crap films like Twilight is more appealing than the purity of art.
Don't get me wrong, I think Radiohead have done really great work so far. Kid A, Ok Computer and In Rainbows are all amazing albums. I just hate this decision. For me, I'd rather they didn't release anything anymore rather than only work on singles. For me, singles and EPs are for bands in their early stages, who are experimenting with their sound and trying to get gigs booked. They're also nice to satiate the fans' hunger for new tunes between albums. But they're never as good as the proper full length efforts.
But what do I know?
This will probably be the last time that I ever post about Radiohead. I'll just keep myself occupied with their old albums. I'm not interested with what they have to offer anymore.
I was really excited when I first heard about this new supergroup, consisting of Josh Homme on guitar and vox, John Paul Jones on bass guitar and Dave Grohl on drums.
yeah, it's gonna be epic. have I ever mentioned how much I love the concept of a supergroup? take a bunch of super talented musicians and force 'em to make a record together? sounds like a good plan to me.
an album and tour is forthcoming. I'll keep you updated.
"I'm in the process of figuring out what kind of show it's going to be," he said. "It's like anything, it's starting out probably a little bit too ambitious so we've got to figure out what we can and can't do and that will dictate how much touring happens. Ideally, I'm going to try to put on some over-the-top, amazing, Disney shows.
"Not Disney, but you know how they have some amazing rides where you feel like you're in a weird world, like the Epcot Centre or something? I'm not thinking of the big Goofy costume but I was thinking of how those rides make you feel with lots of set changes and stuff. But that might not happen and we'll do straight shows, I haven't quite figured it out yet, it's the next thing to do."
(of course they put the one thing that he takes back [disney] in the header...)
my only complaint is that they didn't do NYC Cops, but the set list is great. I especially love that they played "Trying Your Luck" (probably my favourite Strokes song...or "Is This It"...or "Under Control"...or "Alone Together"...or "I Can't Win"...oh no I've gotta stop before I list all of their songs)
as usual, Jules tells the crowd that they're great (he even sort of requests "encore" cheering hahaha!)
the sound quality is fantastic, and the vocals are absolutely perfect. I love this bootleg.
apparently, the forthcoming November reissue of Morrissey's singles was done without his approval, and he will not be receiving royalties. he therefore asks that you don't buy them. read more on NME
I should have posted about this when I first heard about it but I am spacey and stuff. In collaboration with Outside Lands, they'll play a nice full set at the greatness that is SF's Rickshaw on Wednesday August 26th. The gig is bound to be intimate, so catch it while you can, before the band gets too big and you're stuck seeing them at Oracle (ew.)
I was going through my external hard drive yesterday and found loads of Strokes goodies. the following interview, I'd never seen on youtube, so I uploaded it. enjoy!
BONUS:
I never get bored of watching that performance. sososososososososososo good.
I was wondering if one of you could do me a huge favour. according to this tomorrow's issue of NME has an interview with Julian Casablancas. I really want it. correction: I need it.
when they came out with the commemorative issue of The Strokes a few months back, I looked EVERYWHERE for it, but couldn't find it. nobody stocks NME. Fog City News used to but they don't anymore. I gave up because I was so swamped with school work but I never thought of using this blog to get my hands on one.
anyhow, all I need is for one of my UK readers to pick up the issue and send it to me (I'll email you my mailing address). I'll reimburse you in full (including shipping charges) via paypal.
any takers? I'd be really grateful. it's no secret how I feel about The Strokes.
these Beck covers keep getting more and more abstract. click HERE to hear "There She Goes". I think they're trying to capture the essence and spirit of the VU rather than be musically faithful.
Regina Spektor was classically trained and is well read. That essentially sums up why I love her. Her music blends beautiful arrangements with interesting lyrics that cannot be matched in today's world of music. Her piano playing is oddly haunting, and some of her songs could be mistaken for things meant to accompany silent films. She's kind of like a female Ben Folds--ridiculously talented at keys and always has a grin on her face. Her early work is more jazzy, but she constantly pushes the pedal with her songwriting, which is always innovative and fresh. I could listen to her forever.
She is based in NYC and is currently touring in support of her latest release, Far.
Here's the first track from her first album, 11:11
I just realized that the link to "The Modern Age" in the first post accidentally linked to "Red Light". it's been fixed, if you guys want to download "The Modern Age", go ahead and do so.
the band performed "Crying Lightning", and it was crisp and reeking of excellence.
Humbug is really growing on me--more than I thought it would. I even like it more than FWN now, even though "The Bad Thing" has got to be one of my favourite songs ever. in general, Humbug has less filler than FWN. also, it is irresistibly sexy. Arctic Monkeys - Crying Lightning (live, on Jimmy Fallon) [mp3]
PS I hate it when stupid late night show hosts mock me by holding vinyl copies of albums I really love before they're officially released.
PPS I've watched this video like five times in a row now.
PPPS if I looked as cool as Matt, I'd get laid a lot more.
this session was recorded via MOKB. it's really cool. well worth checking out. Craig "Dodge" Lile from MyOldKentuckyBlog.com, with help from the incredibly talented Jeff DuPont (audio) , Doug Fellegy (video), Tim Wilsbach (video) and Nate Karamanski (video), has created laundromatinee.com - a site that features the in-studio sessions MOKB records for its SIRIUS XM Blog Radio show (Tuesdays at Noon EST on SIRIUS 26/XM 43.
a couple of years ago, I went to Blake's in Berkeley to see these guys. I was originally supposed to go with a friend of mine who liked the band but ended up calling someone else, as my friend came down with a bad flu. neither of us knew the band, but we both enjoyed the set a lot.
PS I recently watched I Shot Andy Warhol, and it made me want to have lived in NY in the 60's even more than usual. good movie. John Cale did the score.
"I just wanted to write music that could touch people," he says. "A songwriter -- you play a few chords and sing a melody that's been done a thousand times, and now you're a singer-songwriter. I think it takes a little more than that to do something that matters. And I wish I could write a song where all the parts work. When you hear a song like that, it's like finding a new friend. Maybe you've been fucking alone and looking for someone, and when you find them, it's like everything seems better. I feel like sometimes great artists -- it won't politically affect anything, but it can make a crack in the ceiling and you can see a bit of light. You don't know what's gonna come, but you try. I think eighty-five percent of the fun is just going for it. And not going for it for your own gratification, but making personal sacrifices to do it right." Suddenly self-conscious about having waxed philosophical, he looks me in the eyes and laughs. "Or not."
fuck you DMCA. I specifically posted a live mp3. fucking aye, I recorded that video and extracted the mp3 from it myself. why do you have to take down my post?
assholes.
"how i wish you could see the potential of you and me it's like a book, elegantly bound, but in a language that you can't read"
it's amazing how a simple thing like liner notes will change how you perceive an album. I first listened to Narrow Stairs ages ago, I had downloaded it and was listening to it as I did some reading for school. I liked it, but nothing stuck out. it was no Transatlanticism.
I later listened to it more diligently in the days preceding the glorious concert, during which I heard most of the songs from Narrow Stairs performed live. I liked them a lot. but something was still missing.
today, I went to a record store and picked up a handful of goodies, including Death Cab's latest LP. I'm listening to it right now, as I read the liner notes.
the lyrics at the top of the post struck me, HARD. they are the opening lyrics to a single, called "I Will Possess Your Heart". even though I'd heard the song a dozen times, I never heard those lyrics (probably because four minutes of gorgeous instrumentals precede them).
but still, those are some of the most beautiful words I've ever read. and I was a freaking lit major in college.
I'm appreciating Narrow Stairs a lot more now.
I have this theory, that having a physical copy of an album can allow you to connect with it in a way that mp3 downloads will never match. my experiences with Narrow Stairs tonight only cement this.
so I implore you,
spend a little more time with vinyl or cds. read liner notes. know who wrote what songs and where the thing was recorded. all four members of Death Cab for Cutie contributed to "I Will Possess Your Heart".
and remember, most of our favourite musicians are fucking poets. let's appreciate the written word. it'll give you satisfaction that itunes will never be able to match.
I've never in my life purchased an mp3, and I don't ever plan on doing so. mp3s are for sampling. records are for keeps.
shivers and tears. that's all I ever get from The Strokes. oh--and joy, ecstasy and euphoria. for the record, they were the inspiration behind my blog name.
I saw this Oregon based duo (Brandon Summers and Benjamin Weikel) open up for Minus the Bear at the Fillmore a couple of years ago. What struck me most was their drummer.
When I looked him up, I found out that he was Modest Mouse's drummer circa Good News for People Who Love Bad News. Even now, as I listen to them, the technically proficient, highly evolved drumming is what sticks out.
I'd describe the music as electronic indie rock, but as that label would normally drive ME away, just listen and you'll understand.
"We had a good couple of hours [after the show]," he said. "We were up all night together. It was amazing really. I think we're gonna make a record and tour. Get The Libertines to take it to the next step, next stage."
we can only hope. their music is so incredibly boring I doubt anyone would even notice.
their lead singer said:
"We don't know what the future holds. It's weird, we're out of contract now so... we might take a year off, we might take three years off.... we might never make a record again or we might head straight back in and do a record. We'll see how we feel come the end of this touring cycle."
the band performed their lead single "Aint no Rest for the Wicked" last night. the volume is super low, so go grab your best pair of headphones and then experience a thrilling sensation that precious few bands can deliver.
BONUS: the band will be playing a free set at Rasputin in Mountain View on August 29th at 2PM. I'll see you there.
it was fucking epic. can't wait to see them in concert again. this youtuber was kind enough to upload the whole thing, but most of the videos have been taken down by the man.
entire setlist: 1. Pretty Visitors 2. Crying Lightning 3. Potion Approaching 4. Red Right Hand (Nick Cave cover) 5. Secret Door
The Strokes, live at Shaw Conference Center (Edmonton, Alberta) on 15 May 2006
I really love this concert, because Jules connects with the audience really well. he always does, but still. these guys are so great, so nice to their fans.
I've been waiting for this day forever and ever! I'm not the (patient) type to wait for proper release dates.
take a gander at what I've been listening to via last.fm in my sidebar and if you're interested, click HERE. I uploaded the files, so they're safe. I'm not the selfish type.
it's really, really good. not as good as #1 or #2, but still pure, pure genius. track 5 is one of the best things I've heard all year. like whoa.
he commented on their over-the-top spending on his BLOG:
"Those stadium shows may possibly be the most extravagant and expensive (production-wise) ever: $40 million to build the stage and, having done the math, we estimate 200 semi trucks crisscrossing Europe for the duration. It could be professional envy speaking here, but it sure looks like, well, overkill, and just a wee bit out of balance given all the starving people in Africa and all."
just another reason to love the Talking Heads man.
they are epically awesome in concert. they wayy surpass their recorded sound.
New York, NY Guggenheim 'It Came From Brooklyn' (August 14) New York, NY Central Park SummerStage (16) Morrison, CO Red Rocks - Monolith Festival (September 12) Cambridge, MA Middle East (18, 19) * Northampton, MA Pearl Street Downstairs (20)* Washington, DC 9:30 Club* (22) Philadelphia, PA Theatre Of The Living Arts (23)* Atlanta, GA Variety Playhouse (25)* Asheville, NC Grey Eagle Tavern (26)* Nashville, TN Mercury Lounge (27) Birmingham, AL The Bottletree (29)* New Orleans, LA One Eyed Jacks (30)* Austin, TX Austin City Limits (October 2) San Francisco, CA Treasure Island (18)
according to this NME article, the reason that the QOTSA frontman decided to work with the Arctic Monkeys is because he loved their lyrics. I guess that makes two of us.
"I was sucked in at first by the lyrics.Alex sounded like a rare poet playing music – he has a special gift for the gab"
"They’re progressing and moving forward trying to change, push themselves and push their audience which I think is rare in a lot of bands today. They’ve just got more relaxed with themselves - they’re comfortable doing what they’re doing. "
I've seen these guys in concert (at Bottom of the Hill ages ago), and they're muy excellente. the lead singer's voice has a quality about it that simply makes you drop what you're doing and pay attention.
Ray LaMontagne is a beautiful man. He is a folk singer with a gorgeous voice and a pure soul. He also happens to be my best friend's favourite musician of all time. Recently, she asked me to find her a handful of his demo albums. These albums all preceded 2004's Trouble, and according to my friend, Ray is "embarrassed" by the raw quality of these pre-label albums, which means he'll probably never make them public again. Thankfully, the internet is a great place, so I found them. One of my readers requested that I post them, so here they are. Enjoy! Acre of Land (2001) [zip] Green (2002) [zip]
the Sheffield band will be playing the songs from their forthcoming Humbug live as a transmission from their WEBSITE on Thursday at 9PM GMT, which means 1PM PST and 4PM EST
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