The Comedy Life of Brian
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Laser Tag
Here is a video from The Black Keys upcoming Dangermouse produced 'Attack and Release'. It really caught me off guard in the beginning.
Strange Times
Honestly I think after a pretty shocking first minute or so they wussed out and backed off of the laser tag hostage situation thing a bit, but the lines where the kids are panicking about people with real lasers are still pretty priceless.
Strange Times
Honestly I think after a pretty shocking first minute or so they wussed out and backed off of the laser tag hostage situation thing a bit, but the lines where the kids are panicking about people with real lasers are still pretty priceless.
Labels: Music
Who Needs CDs?
I'm tracking a fantastic trend in music lately where more and more artists aren't releasing their albums on CD but are instead finding alternate methods to distribute physical media to their fans. This year I've bought Radiohead's custom discbox and bought a vinyl only album from 'Attack in Black' that came packaged with a card providing access to the digital download of the album. Elvis Costello also announced this week that his latest album won't be released on CD and will carry a similar Vinyl / Digital format.
Furthering the trend, Vinnie Fiorello (primary songwriter of Ska/Punk legends Less Than Jake, and easily one of the primary influences of my creative life) has recently announced 'Paper and Plastick Records'. Here is the background in his words:
"Agree or disagree with me but as the digital age of music comes ripping in I find myself missing the art. I miss holding the record, I miss reading every single lyric printed and every name on the thanks list.
Paper and plastick started for the bands that still love visual art to go with the music they put out and for the artists that use their creative energy to produce a backdrop of art for record covers, tshirts, screen printed posters and every other facet of a band visually besides the music."
The plan is that they will also be doing the vinyl / digital thing, but including some form of artwork with the album. In fact, sometimes the art might be a completely standalone piece like a plastic toy. Being a big DIY guy and a collector nerd this sounds right up my alley.
Sounds like I'm going to be investing in a turntable again.
Furthering the trend, Vinnie Fiorello (primary songwriter of Ska/Punk legends Less Than Jake, and easily one of the primary influences of my creative life) has recently announced 'Paper and Plastick Records'. Here is the background in his words:
"Agree or disagree with me but as the digital age of music comes ripping in I find myself missing the art. I miss holding the record, I miss reading every single lyric printed and every name on the thanks list.
Paper and plastick started for the bands that still love visual art to go with the music they put out and for the artists that use their creative energy to produce a backdrop of art for record covers, tshirts, screen printed posters and every other facet of a band visually besides the music."
The plan is that they will also be doing the vinyl / digital thing, but including some form of artwork with the album. In fact, sometimes the art might be a completely standalone piece like a plastic toy. Being a big DIY guy and a collector nerd this sounds right up my alley.
Sounds like I'm going to be investing in a turntable again.
Labels: Music
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Having a tough day? Listen to this MP3 of the isolated vocal track for Van Halen's 'Runnin' With The Devil'. That should cheer you up.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Dear Apple
For weeks now I've wanted to buy music from 'Attack in Black' pretty badly. It didn't seem to be on iTunes, and I couldn't find it in stores (not even at the love of my life, Newbury Comics). So today I gave it another shot as I sat at my computer. Poking around Attack in Black's web site I realized that they were a Canadian band on a Canadian indie label. OK, so that explains why it was hard for me to track it down. But then in their discography they've got links to iTunes for the digital copy of their last couple of records. I click, and I'm brought to the Canadian iTunes store. They've got Attack in Black's entire back catalog. Cool. I go to buy their last two albums, but no dice. My US Apple account won't work in the Canadian store. And what's worse, I can't create an account in the Canadian iTunes store unless I have a Canadian billing address.
So here's my question for Apple - why does the country I'm from restrict the music I can purchase? You can't tell me its because of currency conversion - that's an easy problem to solve. And if it is a record label thing, they need to get the fuck over that (and all of the crazy outdated practices they are still hanging on to). If I could literally browse the world of digital music I'd open myself to some great new artists and I'd probably spend a shitload of money too. Don't you people want my hard earned money Apple and dying record labels?
So I ended up going to the web store for Canadian indie 'Dine Alone Records' and buying physical copies of the two full lengths. One on CD and one on vinyl (the only available format). Thanks to a really useful new practice I get the digital download with the vinyl. Looking back on it all, although I had to jump through some hoops I feel pretty happy about getting the physical versions of these albums and supporting the label directly. Plus, I've got more motivation to buy a record player (which I've wanted to do for a while).
Hey - super bowl!
So here's my question for Apple - why does the country I'm from restrict the music I can purchase? You can't tell me its because of currency conversion - that's an easy problem to solve. And if it is a record label thing, they need to get the fuck over that (and all of the crazy outdated practices they are still hanging on to). If I could literally browse the world of digital music I'd open myself to some great new artists and I'd probably spend a shitload of money too. Don't you people want my hard earned money Apple and dying record labels?
So I ended up going to the web store for Canadian indie 'Dine Alone Records' and buying physical copies of the two full lengths. One on CD and one on vinyl (the only available format). Thanks to a really useful new practice I get the digital download with the vinyl. Looking back on it all, although I had to jump through some hoops I feel pretty happy about getting the physical versions of these albums and supporting the label directly. Plus, I've got more motivation to buy a record player (which I've wanted to do for a while).
Hey - super bowl!
Labels: Music
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Best Albums of '07 (A Month Late)
Do I have the balls to post my '07 best of music list almost a month into '08? Hell yeah.
10.) Arcade Fire - Neon Bible - Look past the hype. This is a really good record. A stronger album than Funeral, but missing the shock that album had because everyone expected a knockout record here. This album is very visual to me. I see the story when I hear these songs and it evolves each time I listen to the record. Thanks to the last Wasteland Comedy Hour show 'No Cars Go' now has extra meaning to and runs the risk of getting me teary eyed every time. My one gripe - I feel like this band still hasn't hit their full potential and hasn't figured out how to capture their live show on record. When they do, we're really going to get our minds blown.
9.) LCD Soundsystem - The Sound of Silver - Kind of an easy pick as well, but this album is undeniably great. It isn't just some throwaway dance bullshit - this record has a soul and a bunch of songs that mean something. Not that you will notice that right away as you dance in your living room. Great use of live instrumentation. Only thing that hurts this record is a couple of skippable tracks. Highlights like 'All My Friends' more than make up for that though.
8.) Smoke or Fire - This Sinking Ship - Someone has to make a fucking awesome punk record, right? This year it was Smoke or Fire who follow up the solid 'Above the City' with a record that tops it in every way. Fun to listen to all the way through with some songs that flat out burn. If you still have a soft spot for late 90s pop punk or skate punk but hate most of today's 'punk' bands, you will probably dig this record.
7.) Maritime - Heresy and the Hotel Choir - 'We the Vehicles' was a great album - full of indie rock you can dance to by one of my all time favorite songwriters. This isn't that album, and at first that was a huge disappointment to me. What a grower this one was though. It has a bit more of a rock edge than past Maritime records, but it manages to cover all of the bases for this band. It calls back to some of the best eras of The Promise Ring, hits all of the things that makes Maritime a great band on their own, and also lays the groundwork for future expansion. Added bonus - this record got me to listen to 'Glass Floor', the first Maritime record which is actually a damn fine record in its own right.
6.) Motion City Soundtrack - Even if it Kills Me - First guilty pleasure on the list. These guys have been on a decline since their debut album, but even knowing that, their records are still undeniably catchy, sugary and fun. The record is produced partly by the duo of Adam Schlesinger and Eli Janney and partly by Rick Ocasek. Typically this would be the kiss of death, but not here for some reason. Great pop-punk stuff with some keys and moog mixed in. They should have canned the piano ballad though. This will be a great record to dust off again in the spring.
5.) Jimmy Eat World - I feel like I shouldn't like this band anymore. But I do. Boy do I ever. After the slight disappointment that was 'Futures' Jimmy Eat World bounces back with another really great highly polished pop record. Catchy as all hell - this one is a guilty pleasure that I still can't put down. Try to deny the sing along chorus in 'Electable (Give it Up)' or the first single 'Big Casino' (JEW always has a killer lead single).
4.) Weakerthans - Reunion Tour - If I was calling the shots, this wouldn't have been the record that the Weakerthans made to follow 'Reconstruction Site' - which was easily one of the most perfect records of all time. They pulled back the rock here, stopped worrying about being catchy, and didn't worry about all that concept album nonsense. Thats what it seemed like on the first few listens anyway. Then you realize that Reunion Tour is an extremely confident record with some of the best songs that the band has ever written. Added bonus - 'Virtue the Cat Explains Her Departure' is one of my favorite songs of all time. And John K. Sampson is still the greatest lyricist in rock right now. So there.
3.) Minus the Bear - Planet of Ice - Wow. A huge step forward for this band. The bands last record 'Menos El Oso' is possibly in my top 10 of all time, mainly because it is such a perfect easy listen (for me anyway). This on the other hand is a very different record. Challenging at times, well varied, more powerful, and more technical. 'Knights' is one of the catchiest, most danceable songs this band has ever created. After this record there really is no telling where this Minus The Bear will go next and I can't wait to find out.
2.) Interpol - Our Love to Admire - This album just clicked for me during a specific moment of my life this year when I was writing for 'Doc Severinsen and the Short Range Time Machine' and 'The Wasteland Comedy Hour'. I'd put it on every time I started writing and often listen to it on repeat. Without a doubt I have listened to this album more than any other in 2007. It is almost difficult to put into words why I like it so much - it is extremely well sequenced and the songs really fit well for me as an album but it still has some of the best standalone tracks of the year. It is also a more polished, poppy version of Interpol which just goes down easy.
1.) Radiohead - In Rainbows - Yeah. This is kind of a safe, easy pick but it really is my favorite album of the year. The whole download thing is an important event by itself, but this is the first Radiohead album I truly -loved- since 'OK Computer'. I could listen to this record endlessly. I think looking back in 10 years this will be one another record that I can associate with this time in my life (I remember listening to it before heading out to my wedding rehearsal) and it will also be a record that will be an important part of music history.
Honorable Mentions:
* Against Me - New Wave - Great ballsy major label bow. Just a little off balance as an album.
* Ted Leo - Living With The Living - Leo is back on track with this one.
* Chuck Ragan - Los Feliz - Great live record catching a moment in time.
* Dan Deacon - Spiderman of the Rings - Some really fun songs on here.
* New Pornos - Challengers - Their best album yet and the first that I really like.
* Gaslight Anthem - Sink or Swim - another great punk album. A little to derivative to make the top of the list.
* Big d and the Kids Table - Great Boston Ska and Dub
* The Shins - Wincing The Night Away - Their best album.
* Tim Armstrong - A Poet's Life - Shitty lyrics aside, this is a really enjoyable dub/rocksteady disc stripped of all of the expectations that a Rancid disc carries.
Need to listen to more:
* Les Savy Fav - Lets Stay Friends - I think I really like this record, just haven't been able to hear it enough yet.
At Work Music of the Year
* Pinback - Autumn of the Seraphs - Great background music.
Music DVD:
* Thursday - Kill The Houselights - Inspiring. Why are all the great bands from Jersey?
Best Import I Don't Yet Have:
* The Rumble Strips - Girls and Weather - Release the full length in the US! I've already worn out the US EP!
Disappointments:
* Bloc Party - A Weekend in the City - Falls apart after a strong first half. Don't be so serious dudes.
* Say Anything - In Defense of the Genre - Bloated double disc missing everything that made Max Bemis' first record great. Bring back the Gang Vocals!
* Rilo Kiley - This is fun, just not a great record.
* Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Some Loud Thunder - They didn't make use of Dave Friedman's production - thats a crime. This band just needs to have more fun.
* White Stripes - Icky Thump - I think I may have grown out of this band. This record does nothing for me.
* Wilco - Sky Blue Sky. Pitchfork nailed it. This is dad rock. Thats fine since Tweedy is a dad, but I don't want to hear it. Give me noise!
Bands I Think I Should Look Into This Year:
* Tegan And Sarah
* Attack in Black
* Iron and Wine
* The National
I love music. Can't wait to hear another hundred or so albums in '08.
10.) Arcade Fire - Neon Bible - Look past the hype. This is a really good record. A stronger album than Funeral, but missing the shock that album had because everyone expected a knockout record here. This album is very visual to me. I see the story when I hear these songs and it evolves each time I listen to the record. Thanks to the last Wasteland Comedy Hour show 'No Cars Go' now has extra meaning to and runs the risk of getting me teary eyed every time. My one gripe - I feel like this band still hasn't hit their full potential and hasn't figured out how to capture their live show on record. When they do, we're really going to get our minds blown.
9.) LCD Soundsystem - The Sound of Silver - Kind of an easy pick as well, but this album is undeniably great. It isn't just some throwaway dance bullshit - this record has a soul and a bunch of songs that mean something. Not that you will notice that right away as you dance in your living room. Great use of live instrumentation. Only thing that hurts this record is a couple of skippable tracks. Highlights like 'All My Friends' more than make up for that though.
8.) Smoke or Fire - This Sinking Ship - Someone has to make a fucking awesome punk record, right? This year it was Smoke or Fire who follow up the solid 'Above the City' with a record that tops it in every way. Fun to listen to all the way through with some songs that flat out burn. If you still have a soft spot for late 90s pop punk or skate punk but hate most of today's 'punk' bands, you will probably dig this record.
7.) Maritime - Heresy and the Hotel Choir - 'We the Vehicles' was a great album - full of indie rock you can dance to by one of my all time favorite songwriters. This isn't that album, and at first that was a huge disappointment to me. What a grower this one was though. It has a bit more of a rock edge than past Maritime records, but it manages to cover all of the bases for this band. It calls back to some of the best eras of The Promise Ring, hits all of the things that makes Maritime a great band on their own, and also lays the groundwork for future expansion. Added bonus - this record got me to listen to 'Glass Floor', the first Maritime record which is actually a damn fine record in its own right.
6.) Motion City Soundtrack - Even if it Kills Me - First guilty pleasure on the list. These guys have been on a decline since their debut album, but even knowing that, their records are still undeniably catchy, sugary and fun. The record is produced partly by the duo of Adam Schlesinger and Eli Janney and partly by Rick Ocasek. Typically this would be the kiss of death, but not here for some reason. Great pop-punk stuff with some keys and moog mixed in. They should have canned the piano ballad though. This will be a great record to dust off again in the spring.
5.) Jimmy Eat World - I feel like I shouldn't like this band anymore. But I do. Boy do I ever. After the slight disappointment that was 'Futures' Jimmy Eat World bounces back with another really great highly polished pop record. Catchy as all hell - this one is a guilty pleasure that I still can't put down. Try to deny the sing along chorus in 'Electable (Give it Up)' or the first single 'Big Casino' (JEW always has a killer lead single).
4.) Weakerthans - Reunion Tour - If I was calling the shots, this wouldn't have been the record that the Weakerthans made to follow 'Reconstruction Site' - which was easily one of the most perfect records of all time. They pulled back the rock here, stopped worrying about being catchy, and didn't worry about all that concept album nonsense. Thats what it seemed like on the first few listens anyway. Then you realize that Reunion Tour is an extremely confident record with some of the best songs that the band has ever written. Added bonus - 'Virtue the Cat Explains Her Departure' is one of my favorite songs of all time. And John K. Sampson is still the greatest lyricist in rock right now. So there.
3.) Minus the Bear - Planet of Ice - Wow. A huge step forward for this band. The bands last record 'Menos El Oso' is possibly in my top 10 of all time, mainly because it is such a perfect easy listen (for me anyway). This on the other hand is a very different record. Challenging at times, well varied, more powerful, and more technical. 'Knights' is one of the catchiest, most danceable songs this band has ever created. After this record there really is no telling where this Minus The Bear will go next and I can't wait to find out.
2.) Interpol - Our Love to Admire - This album just clicked for me during a specific moment of my life this year when I was writing for 'Doc Severinsen and the Short Range Time Machine' and 'The Wasteland Comedy Hour'. I'd put it on every time I started writing and often listen to it on repeat. Without a doubt I have listened to this album more than any other in 2007. It is almost difficult to put into words why I like it so much - it is extremely well sequenced and the songs really fit well for me as an album but it still has some of the best standalone tracks of the year. It is also a more polished, poppy version of Interpol which just goes down easy.
1.) Radiohead - In Rainbows - Yeah. This is kind of a safe, easy pick but it really is my favorite album of the year. The whole download thing is an important event by itself, but this is the first Radiohead album I truly -loved- since 'OK Computer'. I could listen to this record endlessly. I think looking back in 10 years this will be one another record that I can associate with this time in my life (I remember listening to it before heading out to my wedding rehearsal) and it will also be a record that will be an important part of music history.
Honorable Mentions:
* Against Me - New Wave - Great ballsy major label bow. Just a little off balance as an album.
* Ted Leo - Living With The Living - Leo is back on track with this one.
* Chuck Ragan - Los Feliz - Great live record catching a moment in time.
* Dan Deacon - Spiderman of the Rings - Some really fun songs on here.
* New Pornos - Challengers - Their best album yet and the first that I really like.
* Gaslight Anthem - Sink or Swim - another great punk album. A little to derivative to make the top of the list.
* Big d and the Kids Table - Great Boston Ska and Dub
* The Shins - Wincing The Night Away - Their best album.
* Tim Armstrong - A Poet's Life - Shitty lyrics aside, this is a really enjoyable dub/rocksteady disc stripped of all of the expectations that a Rancid disc carries.
Need to listen to more:
* Les Savy Fav - Lets Stay Friends - I think I really like this record, just haven't been able to hear it enough yet.
At Work Music of the Year
* Pinback - Autumn of the Seraphs - Great background music.
Music DVD:
* Thursday - Kill The Houselights - Inspiring. Why are all the great bands from Jersey?
Best Import I Don't Yet Have:
* The Rumble Strips - Girls and Weather - Release the full length in the US! I've already worn out the US EP!
Disappointments:
* Bloc Party - A Weekend in the City - Falls apart after a strong first half. Don't be so serious dudes.
* Say Anything - In Defense of the Genre - Bloated double disc missing everything that made Max Bemis' first record great. Bring back the Gang Vocals!
* Rilo Kiley - This is fun, just not a great record.
* Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Some Loud Thunder - They didn't make use of Dave Friedman's production - thats a crime. This band just needs to have more fun.
* White Stripes - Icky Thump - I think I may have grown out of this band. This record does nothing for me.
* Wilco - Sky Blue Sky. Pitchfork nailed it. This is dad rock. Thats fine since Tweedy is a dad, but I don't want to hear it. Give me noise!
Bands I Think I Should Look Into This Year:
* Tegan And Sarah
* Attack in Black
* Iron and Wine
* The National
I love music. Can't wait to hear another hundred or so albums in '08.
Labels: Music
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Tom Lennon (and others) Like the Bosstones
If you can get past the intro this is pretty fun to watch.
Embed code is broken for some reason, so here is a link:
http://www.mi145.com/index.html?episode=779
Embed code is broken for some reason, so here is a link:
http://www.mi145.com/index.html?episode=779
Labels: Music
Friday, December 28, 2007
Mighty Mighty
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Meeting of the Minds
Yeah, I would have loved to be in the room foe this conversation. Yorke and Byrne, just shootin the shit...
Labels: Music
Monday, November 19, 2007
My iPod on Shuffle
Here's what's coming up on my iPod on shuffle right now:
* Bouncing Souls - Hopeless Romantic
* Anti-Flag - A New Kind of Army
* Against Me! - Slurring the Rhythms ('
* Mission of Burma - Period (Never heard this song before...)
* Anti-Flag - This is the End (For You My Friend)
* Minus the Bear - El Torrente
* The Strokes - Automatic Stop
* The Autum Defense - Spend Your Life
* Rogue Wave - Like I Needed
* 311 - I'll Be Here A While
* Minus the Bear - Micho's Death Drive
* Fear Before The March Of Flames - Ten Seconds in Los Angeles
* William Shatner - Common People
* Lucero - And We Fell
* Patton Oswalt - Beautiful People and a Bridge Troll
* Stabbing Westward - Torn Appart (Why is this on my iPod?)
I'm heading home. Interesting that shuffle was so punk heavy up front and played a few bands twice. Mystery!
* Bouncing Souls - Hopeless Romantic
* Anti-Flag - A New Kind of Army
* Against Me! - Slurring the Rhythms ('
* Mission of Burma - Period (Never heard this song before...)
* Anti-Flag - This is the End (For You My Friend)
* Minus the Bear - El Torrente
* The Strokes - Automatic Stop
* The Autum Defense - Spend Your Life
* Rogue Wave - Like I Needed
* 311 - I'll Be Here A While
* Minus the Bear - Micho's Death Drive
* Fear Before The March Of Flames - Ten Seconds in Los Angeles
* William Shatner - Common People
* Lucero - And We Fell
* Patton Oswalt - Beautiful People and a Bridge Troll
* Stabbing Westward - Torn Appart (Why is this on my iPod?)
I'm heading home. Interesting that shuffle was so punk heavy up front and played a few bands twice. Mystery!
Labels: Music
Sunday, September 30, 2007
So Much For CDs
Radiohead have just announced that they are releasing their next album in 10 days without the help of a record label (at least for now). And apparently they are letting people pay whatever they want for it. This could be a pretty big moment in the continued collapse of the record industry as we know it. In any case, I'm going to be supporting the experiment.
Back to editing.
Back to editing.
Labels: Music
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Against Me! - New Wave
I'm really into the new record from Gainsville punk rockers 'Against Me!'. With a couple of skippable songs and a slightly too short running time it isn't perfect, but when it is on it contains some of AM's best work and features a brave new direction from the band - one that uses punk style and ideals as a springboard into some more interesting musical styles.
As is usually the case with Against Me! everything surrounding and supporting the record is almost as interesting as the record itself. Reaction to the record is highly mixed - fans tend to hate it, but critics and musicians who are new to the band tend to love the record. The Pitchforks and Stereogums of the world have gotten hip to it as well surprisingly enough. Lead singer Tom Gabel got arrested on tour for attacking a not quite detractor in a coffee shop. The DVD that is packaged with the special edition of the album is actually really great. The two videos that they released to support the record have been bafflingly horrible.
Most surprising of all however is that Ben Lee went and covered the entire album and put it up on his website for free download. I wouldn't call it a success, but I would give it 'interesting experiment' status. The new arrangements are interesting, but I'm not really into Ben Lee's music in general and he also really isn't true to some of the emotional shifts in the songs, thus making some of his versions sound empty to me. He did manage to make a couple of covers that come close to exceeding the already excellent originals though. 'Borne on the FM Waves of the Heart' becomes the pop ballad that we all know is hidden under a superficial amount of punk grit. 'Ocean' stretches the free association of the original and turns up the feeling of dark underwater echoes. Of course, these were the least Against Me! sounding songs on the record already, so it makes sense that Ben Lee was able to find success with them.
I'm hoping that Against Me! can continue to ride the turbulent wave of their first major label record into the experimental pop leaning directions that I sense from them. Time will tell.
As is usually the case with Against Me! everything surrounding and supporting the record is almost as interesting as the record itself. Reaction to the record is highly mixed - fans tend to hate it, but critics and musicians who are new to the band tend to love the record. The Pitchforks and Stereogums of the world have gotten hip to it as well surprisingly enough. Lead singer Tom Gabel got arrested on tour for attacking a not quite detractor in a coffee shop. The DVD that is packaged with the special edition of the album is actually really great. The two videos that they released to support the record have been bafflingly horrible.
Most surprising of all however is that Ben Lee went and covered the entire album and put it up on his website for free download. I wouldn't call it a success, but I would give it 'interesting experiment' status. The new arrangements are interesting, but I'm not really into Ben Lee's music in general and he also really isn't true to some of the emotional shifts in the songs, thus making some of his versions sound empty to me. He did manage to make a couple of covers that come close to exceeding the already excellent originals though. 'Borne on the FM Waves of the Heart' becomes the pop ballad that we all know is hidden under a superficial amount of punk grit. 'Ocean' stretches the free association of the original and turns up the feeling of dark underwater echoes. Of course, these were the least Against Me! sounding songs on the record already, so it makes sense that Ben Lee was able to find success with them.
I'm hoping that Against Me! can continue to ride the turbulent wave of their first major label record into the experimental pop leaning directions that I sense from them. Time will tell.
Labels: Music
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