Emotional Listening #12

Addicts and Drunks - Ghosts & Vodka (Six Gun Lover, 2003)
Showcasing the immense guitar playing talents of Cap'n Jazz's Victor Villareal and Sam Zurick, it's no surprise that Ghosts & Vodka is a musician's band. As much of a fan as I always have been of this bright, mathy, wanky, guitar-centric style of music, it took me until now to fully appreciate G&V's output. Releasing only one 7", one LP and a reissue (which is the focus of this blurb) collecting the two and adding an unreleased track, it shouldn't have been so difficult for me, considering how gorgeous and fun all of these songs are. Villareal's trademark noodly, waterfall guitars are ever present here, and Zurick's jagged rhythms present a great counterpoint. Add a tight rhythm section on top of that and you have quite a beast of a collaboration. I think that the initial hurdle for me to get over is the fact that there is no real variance on this sound throughout all of the songs. They just run together. However, now that I consider myself a fan of repetition in music, this isn't an issue at all anymore. Addicts and Drunks is an excellent collection of Ghosts & Vodka's minimal discography, and "It's All About Right Then" and "Futuristic Genitalia" are two of my all-time favorite instrumental jams.
Top jams: "It's All About Right Then," "Good Luck With Your Multiple Personalities," "Laser Guided by God," "Futuristic Genitalia," "Hot Dot Above, Tan Man Below," "Four Red Brains," "Cowboys and Sailors," "Doo Dee Doo Dee Do," "Bizarre Funeral"

Alien Lanes - Guided by Voices (Matador, 1995)
It's about time I get into Guided by Voices. Apparently I wasn't ready when I first purchased 1995's Alien Lanes a bit over one year ago. I felt that it was indulgent and obnoxious, in spite of a select few great jams (opener "A Salty Salute" still probably being the best). I also was completely overwhelmed by the 28 tracks cruising by in only 41 minutes. I feel much differently now. Still a little overwhelming, and yes, indulgent, I've come to terms with the amount of songs, and now I can regard the lo-fi guitar pop of Alien Lanes as a charming experiment in pop songwriting and recording. Somehow, each song sounds drastically different, and vary in quality by insane degrees. What a fun way to go about a record. Plus, I can take away 11 songs that I consider to be fantastic at worst. "As We Go Up, We Go Down" and "Blimps Go 90" revealed themselves as two of the album's strongest points, and "My Valuable Hunting Knife" probably rivals "A Salty Salute" as one of the greatest songs of the 90s.
Top jams: "A Salty Salute," "They're Not Witches," "As We Go Up, We Go Down," "Game of Pricks," "Closer You Are," "My Valuable Hunting Knife," "Striped White Jets," "Blimps Go 90," "Strawdogs," "Little Whirl," "Alright"

Pirate Prude EP - Helium (Matador, 1994)
A while ago, my buddy Matt encouraged in me an interest in Sleater-Kinney and the mid-90s era of the Riot Grrrl movement in general. This led me to download two full lengths from Mary Timony's Helium (which I am yet to spend much time with) and to purchase their debut, the Pirate Prude EP. I had pretty high expectations, and was still pleasantly surprised. I anticipated a badass, angular punk group not unlike Sleater-Kinney. Pirate Prude is more like a bad ass, heavy, mid-to-slow tempo, slightly emo take on the male dominated indie rock style of that time. Timony's voice is strong here, but undeniably melodically challenged, which can be distracting at certain points. The thick, heavy guitars and more than capable rhythm section make up for it, and the subtle flaws throughout the EP are sort of appealing. "XXX" and "Love $$$" are especially good songs. Timony certainly proves herself a force to be reckoned with on Pirate Prude, and I can't wait to dive in to the rest of her work in Helium and her newest project (with Sleater-Kinney members Carrie Brownstein and Janet Weiss), Wild Flag.
Top jams: "Baby Vampire Made Me," "XXX," "000," "Love $$$"

Real Estate @ The Magic Stick Lounge, 7/18/11

In preparation for the October release of their second full length, Days, I could not pass up the opportunity to see Jersey by way of Brooklyn band, Real Estate, live. The smaller, stripped down version of Detroit's Magic Stick, the Magic Stick Lounge, was an appropriate setting. The band's jangly and chimey guitars sounded perfect in that room, and though their sound is tame, it seemed like the boys were truly enjoying themselves with the intimate and enthusiastic crowd.

I couldn't really have asked for a better set. Real Estate played my two favorite jams from their 2009 self-titled debut, "Beach Comber" and "Fake Blues," plus "Suburban Dogs," which features some of the most gorgeous, shimmering guitars since, I don't know, early 2000s Death Cab for Cutie? Believe it. The highlight was probably their latest single and best song yet, "Out of Tune." Beyond that, their set was dominated with new material, and I had no complaints.

Real Estate are the perfect band to spend a hot summer evening with. Their ballads and more upbeat numbers have a lazy feel that is perfect for this time of year. I was really blown away by all the new songs, especially the one they opened with, which featured a wonderful extended jam that I never really wanted to end. The songs on Days seem to be more focused, upbeat guitar pop, and I am totally okay with that. I wouldn't be surprised if the album ends up being my favorite of the year.

2011 MLB Mid-Season Report

Ok, so last week reached the All-Star break and are now beyond the half-way point of the 2011 MLB season. Per usual, there have been some nice surprises so far, but not so many to make this season shocking or substantially more exciting than the previous. But, don't get me wrong. 2011 has been great so far. Pitching once again is proving to be the strong point of the entire league, and it is really fun to watch the results of that. Unsurprisingly, the Yankees, Red Sox and Phillies are looking like the absolute best in all of the MLB. Surprisingly, the Atlanta Braves are on their way back to that elite circle, the Tampa Bay Rays are still quite good after all of the players they lost, and also, the Cleveland Indians and Pittsburgh Pirates are in first place in their divisions (albeit bad ones)? Exciting stuff!

Here's how I predict the rest of this 2011 season to pan out.

AL East
1. Boston Red Sox
2. New York Yankees
3. Tampa Bay Rays
4. Toronto Blue Jays
5. Baltimore Orioles

The only real surprise in the AL East this year has been how good the Tampa Bay Rays have played in spite of the losses of Crawford, Pena and Garza. Hower, that doesn't mean they're getting a playoff spot this year, because they're not. This division will be an even tighter race in coming years, but things seem to be going exactly as I expected in 2011. I like how close things are between the Yanks and the Red Sox, but Boston is definitely the superior team this year.

AL Central
1. Detroit Tigers
2. Chicago White Sox
3. Minnesota Twins
4. Cleveland Indians
5. Kansas City Royals

The AL Central is just awful. Even though both the White Sox and Twins currently have losing records, either one of them could nab the title here. But, if the Tigers make a move for Carlos Beltran or someone of that ilk, or somehow nab an awesome pitcher, I think they'll sneak away with the division. That's not usually the Detroit way though, so who knows. Cleveland has been a pleasant surprise, but I don't see them running away with the Central. It should be a really tight finish.

AL West
1. Texas Rangers
2. Los Angeles Angels
3. Seattle Mariners
4. Oakland Athletics

They started off on a roll and are on another one now, but overall, the Rangers have been just about as good as expected. They're solid hitting combined with how good their young pitching has been should easily give them the AL West title. Jered Weaver and Dan Haren have been immensely successful if not Cy Young caliber for the Angels, but their hitting is whatever, so they shouldn't present any real challenge for Texas. Seattle's young pitchers are starting to look quite dangerous, and add Felix Hernandez, who is also quite young, on top of that and they might be competing more in the next few years.

NL East
1. Philadelphia Phillies
2. Atlanta Braves
3. Florida Marlins
4. Washington Nationals
5. New York Mets

Even though Roy Oswalt has underperformed and been struggling with injury all season, you couldn't really be asking for better performances from the other three Philadelphia aces. Roy Halladay should be on his way to yet another Cy Young award, while Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels have been almost as dominant. The Phillies definitely need hitting help if they're going to beat Boston in the World Series. Or, maybe if Oswalt gets healthy, they're pitching will be just enough. Atlanta is looking to be a serious roadblock for Philly this year and years to come. They're pitching has been insane, and apparently they have a few top pitching prospects still to be brought up. Florida should be better than they are. Jose Reyes has had an MVP caliber season so far for the Mets. I can't believe the Nationals are still at .500, but all that really matters is that they get Stephen Strasburg back next year.

NL Central
1. Milwaukee Brewers
2. St. Louis Cardinals
3. Pittsburgh Pirates
4. Cincinnati Reds
5. Chicago Cubs
6. Houston Astros

The Milwaukee Brewers are doing it pretty good this season, and I'll stand by my decision that they'll win the NL Central thanks to their immaculate hitting and improvements at pitching (which should actually be performing better than it is). St. Louis has done a good job battling all their injuries, and they've had some pleasant surprises in Lance Berkman and the outcome of all their bullpen drama. No one saw Pittsburgh doing what they're doing, and part of me thinks they'll keep it up, especially if they make a move before the trade deadline, but Milwaukee, St. Louis should overpower them. Cincinnati could too. I'm not sure what they're deal is, because they have quite the offense, and promising young pitchers, who aren't throwing so hot right now. The Cubs and Astros just suck, though Aramis Ramirez, Starlin Castro and Hunter Pence have been bright spots for their teams.

NL West
1. San Francisco Giants
2. Colorado Rockies
3. Arizona Diamondbacks
4. Los Angeles Dodgers
5. San Diego Padres

It's weird that the Giants are where they're at while Tim Lincecum's record is just barely over .500. They're pitching has been pretty sick though, and that is all that's going to carry them to another NL West title. The Rockies have been pretty disappointing, but they have tons of talent and are always a second half team anyway. Who knows, maybe they'll run away with the division. I'm perplexed as to why Arizona is so good right now. I'm not counting on that lasting. LA and San Diego are just about where I expected them to be, though Matt Kemp is having a monster season for the Dodgers.

ALDS
Boston over Detroit, 3-1
Texas over New York, 3-2

NLDS
Philadelphia over Milwaukee, 3-1
Atlanta over San Francisco, 3-1

ALCS
Boston over Texas, 4-2

NLCS
Philadelphia over Atlanta, 4-3

World Series
Philadelphia over Boston, 4-2

Now, here are my top three choices for MVP and Cy Young in each league.

AL MVP
1. Adrian Gonzalez, Boston
2. Jose Bautista, Toronto
3. Paul Konerko, Chicago

NL MVP
1. Jose Reyes, New York
2. Matt Kemp, Los Angeles
3. Ryan Braun, Milwaukee

AL Cy Young
1. Justin Verlander, Detroit
2. Jered Weaver, Los Angeles
3. CC Sabathia, New York

NL Cy Young
1. Roy Halladay, Philadelphia
2. Jair Jurrjens, Atlanta
3. Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles

My Valuable Hunting Knife/Little Dipper

Here are my two jams of the past week or so. They're both from 1995!

"My Valuable Hunting Knife" by Guided by Voices, from Alien Lanes (1995)

"Little Dipper" by Hum, from You'd Prefer an Astronaut (1995)

David Comes to Life/The January EP/Giving & Receiving/Terra

David Comes to Life - Fucked Up (Matador, 2011)
I wasn't sure that things could get much better from Toronto's experimental yet extremely accessible hardcore band, Fucked Up, than 2008's The Chemistry of Common Life. Well, I was wrong. Their first long player since (and it really is long) is even better in suprisingly substantial ways. If someone had a gun to my head and forced me to complain about one thing on David Comes to Life, it would have to be that perhaps the drums are a bit overproduced. Everything else concerning the record is damn near perfect. The guitars are ridiculously layered, bright, thick, and are just about the best sounding one could ask for. The rhythm section's masterful subtleties are easy to miss, which always makes for a fun listening experience. If it weren't for Damien Abraham's grunting and screaming, David Comes to Life just might have been an over the top pop punk album. Instead, it is an artful, intense, highly energetic, bright sounding monster of a hardcore record, and I haven't even had the chance to dive into the concept-y lyrics. Oh, and pretty much every song is really great too. I feel like it's been a while since I've been so excited about a new album.


The January EP - Here We Go Magic (Secretly Canadian, 2011)
So far, I've been pretty happy with Here We Go Magic's recent run of recorded material. The band's move from the moody and slight experimental folk of their self-titled debut to the tight and upbeat psychedelic pop of last year's Pigeons is similar to the progression that Grizzly Bear made between Yellow House and Veckatimest. The January EP is a good if not great continuation of the higher powered sounds of Pigeons, and it may even be an improvement. I'm not sure anything Here We Go Magic have done touches last year's kraut-pop masterpiece, "Collector," but pretty much every song on The January EP is strong. Opener "Tulip" features a nice, steady groove and probably the best chorus on the EP, but "Backwards Time" reminds me a little bit of an even more jittery Dismemberment Plan (with awesomely funky bass), and thus it is the best song here.


Giving & Receiving - Lake (K, 2011)
It's always nice when you randomly decide to take a chance on an album and it turns out to be a big deal to you. This occured to me with Lake's 2009 jamhouse, Let's Build a Roof, which I think was my sixth favorite album of that year? With the consistency of all of its 70s soft adult contemporary pop sounds and almost complete lack of Sufjanisms (with the exception of one song), Giving & Receiving should be the better album. But it's not, and I'm not sure if its because the outright jams aren't quite as good as the ones on Let's Build a Roof, or if its due to the loss of the element of surprise. Regardless, Giving & Receiving is a high quality boy/girl pop record full of smooth, subtle ballads not unlike those of Fleetwood Mac or even Steely Dan. "Roger Miller" is THE JAM.


Terra - Julian Lynch (Underwater Peoples, 2011)
I will not disagree with anyone who feels that Julian Lynch's music is boring. However, I cannot deny its beauty. It is ambient, artful, quiet and just gorgeous. That being said, Terra isn't all that different from its predecessor, and aside from two or three songs, there isn't anything all that memorable. I guess Lynch just makes some sort of special mood music where you can get lost in all the weird but pretty saxophone solos, guitar loops and reverb-drenched vocals. 2010's Mare is definitely better, but both are perfect to fall asleep to. I mean this in the best way. Honest.

Vineland/Skinny Legs and All/Push

Vineland - Thomas Pynchon (1990)
I really want to like Thomas Pynchon, but after two novels of his down now, I'm not sure that I'm capable of getting him. It's crazy to me that there exists a book that is more difficult to follow than David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest (which I loved), but Vineland is it. It started off more cohesively than The Crying of Lot 49, but as it is roughly 250 pages longer, it was even easier to get derailed by all of the intricate and bizarre plot lines. I have no idea how to even begin explaining what exactly took place within this novel. I can try, and probably cover all the bare essentials, but am not willing to put forth the effort. There are definitely some stylistic things to like, though. Pynchon's influence on DFW is pretty obvious (in fact, Vineland almost feels like a DFW novel as it dips into a plethora of genres and is post-modern as hell). A lot of Pynchon's imagery is entertaining if not beautiful, and his sense of humor is impressive (and at times right up my alley). I also think the subtle references to The Crying of Lot 49 are a fun little detail. However, the fact remains that Vineland was nearly impossible to follow, and that is a turn off.


Skinny Legs and All - Tom Robbins (1990)
Skinny Legs and All is only the second Tom Robbins novel I've read, and I think it's pretty safe to say that I probably don't need to read any more. All the charm and magic that was Still Life With Woodpecker is just obnoxious here. The weirdness of Robbins' writing style is still funny and entertaining, and I enjoyed if not loved the majority of the characters (major, minor and inanimate objects). Skinny Legs and All showcases a hefty amount of magical realism and absurdism, which is fine by me, but for some reason here it feels a little stale. I think that the greatest hurdle to get over is that Robbins has a lot of ideas concerning politics, religion, culture, art and sex, and it seems like he tried to compact them all into this 400+ page novel. Unfortunately, those ideas are way too many and too complex to really have any effect. It doesn't help that Skinny Legs and All features the usual intricate, multiple plot lines. It's hard to keep track of everything going on. In spite of all this, it was still an enjoyable read. I still look forward to spending time with Jitterbug Perfume, eventually.


Push - Sapphire (1996)
Tragic, depressing, graphic and utterly disturbing. These words usually describe books and films that I really love. However, Push may have been slightly too much. Not in the awesome way that American Psycho was, though. I don't know, I guess that here, Sapphire literally pushes the idea that beauty can somehow come out of even the most fucked up situations. However, the character of Precious Jones is in the shit a bit too deep, and the positive, inspirational side of this novel may be a bit too unrealistic. I apologize for being such a downer, but these were the first thoughts that crossed my mind when I finished. Aside from that, the writing, from a technical standpoint (not that I'm a pro, obviously) got a little annoying at times. Aside from all of that, I still thoroughly enjoyed reading Push. As I'm sure I've stated before, I love tragic and disturbing, and this, Sapphire's first novel, has those elements in spades. And despite my complaining of the somewhat forced hopeful message, the inspirational moments were pretty charming (albeit rushed and a little random). I'll admit that I'm ignorant regarding the writing of this novel. Is it based on a true story? I don't know. Whatever. Solid book.

The Recursive Girl

"The Recursive Girl" by Fucked Up, from David Comes to Life (2011)
Of the 18 tracks on David Comes to Life, Fucked Up's third and latest LP, literally half of them are in contention for my favorite song of the year. More on that at a later time, but until then, feel free to enjoy maybe the album's greatest jam.

Hold Me

"Hold Me" by Fleetwood Mac, from Mirage (1982)
Oh, I just wanted to share another song that proves exactly how hard Fleetwood Mac rules.

Gruesome Flowers/Idle Labor/Here Before/Helplessness Blues

Gruesome Flowers: A Tribute to The Wake 7" - Beach Fossils/Wild Nothing (Captured Tracks, 2011)

I'm not surprised that the two best Captured Tracks bands, Beach Fossils and Wild Nothing, got together for this tribute 7" to 80s and 90s Glasgow post-punk/indie pop group The Wake (who, after listening to this, I really want to explore their discography). Beach Fossils' take on "Plastic Flowers" is almost as good as anything on the stellar What a Pleasure EP, while Wild Nothing's version of "Gruesome Castle" isn't quite up to par with 2010's masterpieces. Still, Gruesome Flowers: A Tribute to The Wake is a nice hold-over piece.

Idle Labor - Craft Spells (Captured Tracks, 2011)

Craft Spells is yet another Captured Tracks group doing the whole 80s post-punk revival thing, and doing it well. Like the other artists on this particular record label, there are obvious nods to The Cure, The Smiths, New Order, Echo & the Bunnymen, et al. Craft Spells aren't quite to the level of excellence that Beach Fossils and especially Wild Nothing have reached, but Idle Labor is still a very good collection of moody, mid-tempo, guitar and synth oriented pop songs. I'm beginning to wonder if from here on out I'm just going to like absolutely everything that Captured Tracks releases.

Here Before - The Feelies (Bar/None, 2011)

The long awaited and hinted at return of classic jangly indie pop band The Feelies is finally here. And, for the first album from the band in 20 years, Here Before is surprisingly successful. The charm from their fantastic 80s albums is still there, just with more modern production and a slightly more tired feel. But, that's all ok, because the majority of the songs on Here Before live up to my expectations. Some even exceed them. The opening one-two punch of "Nobody Knows" and "Should be Gone" rank amongst the best of the best Feelies jams. Not my favorite record of 2011 or anything, but Here Before certainly is a welcome and much enjoyed listen.

Helplessness Blues - Fleet Foxes (Sub Pop, 2011)

After finally spending some good time with Fleet Foxes' latest, I must admit, I have a hard time noticing any substantial differences between Helplessness Blues and 2008's self-titled LP and the Sun Giant EP. When an album is as gorgeous as this, though, I'm not sure how much that matters. I can't really mention any tracks or instances on Helplessness Blues that stick out, but if you loved, or even liked, the band's 2008 releases, I don't see how you couldn't dig this. This isn't even close to one of my favorites of the year, but the modern take on folk music that is Helplessness Blues always brings on a soothing and enjoyable listening experience.

Emotional Listening #11

Return of the Frog Queen - Jeremy Enigk (Sub Pop, 1996)
It had been quite some time since I had last visited Return of the Frog Queen, Jeremy Enigk's solo debut. It's fun to imagine the shock of all those original Sunny Day Real Estate fans when they first realized how much of a departure this was from Enigk's involvement with that band. No, this is not a classic mid-90s emo album. In fact, it's much closer to that "freak-folk" stuff that was going on in the mid-2000s. Enigk's voice fits in perfectly with this take on folk music, which is more urgent than soft spoken. These songs are fuller than I remember them being, but just as unsettling yet beautiful. There is some sort of dark ages carnival or fantasy feel or something like that to the entire record, but somehow its charming, and overall, excellent.
Top jams: "Abegail Anne," "Lewis Hollow," "Lizard," "Call Me Steam," "Explain," "Shade and the Black Hat," "Fallen Heart"


Only Life - The Feelies (A & M, 1988)
I've been enjoying The Feelies' classic Only Life for a while now, and now is the time to finally write about it. Really, though, I don't have a ton to stay. Only Life is easy to describe: jangly, guitar dominated indie pop with peppy rhythms but sleepy vocals not too unlike Lou Reed (who's old band, The Velvet Underground, was definitely a huge influence on The Feelies). It took me a while fully understand this album's greatness, but I am so there, now. It's not perfect, but it doesn't need to be. I'm not sure why it took me until recently to realize exactly how awesome songs like "Too Much," "Deep Fascination" and especially "Away" are, while "It's Only Life" pretty much asserted itself as one of my favorite songs of all time right off the bat.
Top jams: "It's Only Life," "Too Much," "Deep Fascination," "Higher Ground," "The Final Word," "Away," "What Goes On"


Clouds Taste Metallic - The Flaming Lips (Warner Bros., 1995)
For several years I was under the impression that Clouds Taste Metallic was my second favorite Flaming Lips album (after The Soft Bulletin, of course). Don't think that's the case anymore, but it's still really badass. "This Here Giraffe," "When You Smile" and "Bad Days" are three of my favorite Lips songs ever, and every other song here is at least totally good. Aside from the typically great Wayne Coyne melodies, what really draws me in are those gnarly, distorted Frid-drums, and those chimey guitars that flow in and out of songs wonderfully (the best of which is showcased in "When You Smile"). I think I'm finally ready to admit that Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots is superior to Clouds Taste Metallic, but not really by much.
Top jams: "Psychiatric Explorations of the Fetus With Needles," "Placebo Headwound," "This Here Giraffe," "When You Smile," "Kim's Watermelon Gun," "Christmas at the Zoo," "Evil Will Prevail," "Bad Days"


For the Birds - The Frames (Plateau, 2001)
Thanks to be to my dawg and former bandmate Stephen Dahmer (via Alec Jensen, I think) for turning me on to this album back during my junior year of college. It's hard not to rolly my eyes at Dublin's The Frames these days since the main dude was in that Once film and is one half of that Swell Season group. But, miraculously perhaps, their 2001 album, For the Birds, actually is fantastic. Steve Albini worked with the band on it in some (unknown to me) capacity, and you can sort of tell, which is cool. When things get loud, the drums get Albini-esque and loud too. Anyway, For the Birds is a polite, dynamic record. There are slow, drawn out, constantly building ballads ("Headlong"), balls out rockers ("Early Bird"), and even a couple nice pop songs ("Lay Me Down," "Fighting on the Stairs"). For the Birds is chock full of outright jams, and even the album's secret track is great. If you your jam is somewhat safe but interesting, mostly mellow pop/rock with a little bit of experimentation, I'm not sure there's an album I can recommend any higher.
Top jams: "In the Deep Shade," "Lay Me Down," "What Happens When the Heart Just Stops," "Headlong," "Fighting on the Stairs," "Early Bird," "Santa Maria," "Mighty Sword"


One Time Bells - French Kicks (Startime, 2002)
Without question, One Time Bells, French Kicks', is a severely overlooked album by one of the most underrated bands of the past decade. It's not there best or anything, not even close, but it's still quite a debut LP, with the majority of the songs being at least great. Yes, French Kicks were a band in NYC when the whole garage rock revival occurred in the early 2000s, and it's unfortunate that they just get lumped in with that scene. They're way more like The Walkmen than they are The Strokes. Add some soulful vocal harmonies with that smart and quirky drumming, sparse guitars and cheesy keyboards and you have One Time Bells (and in essence, French Kicks). "When You Heard You" and "Crying Just for Show" immaculate show off the band's choppy, post-punk side (which they do best on this particular record), but are only the second and third best songs here. The plodding, full on R&B of "Close to Modern" takes the cake as #1 (which is funny to me because it is also the album's most subtle track). As much as I like One Time Bells right now, it's insane to think about how much better French Kicks got on their next two records.
Top jams: "Wrong Side," "When You Heard You," "Down Now," "Crying Just for Show," "Close to Modern," "Trying Whining," "Where We Went Off," "Sunday Night is Fair"

Bored to Death: Season One

Bored to Death: Season One (2009)
Finally got around to watching the first season of Jonathan Ames' Bored to Death with my housemates last week. Unsurprisingly, it was totally good. Surprisingly, it's not nearly as edgy as standard HBO fare.

Bored to Death is about a young author who struggles to write his second novel along with getting over his ex-girlfriend and decides to use the knowledge and insight he's gained from all the detective novels he's read to act as an unlicensed private detective. Quite the funny plot, if you ask me, and it actually works.

What I love about season one, aside from Jason Schwartzman being his usual self and Ted Danson's outstanding performance, is how near innocent it is. Sure, there's a smidge of hilarious violence here, and a touch of sexual activity there. I guess I mean that the events that take place, let alone Schwartzman's character and a good portion of his decisions within the story seem juvenile in an adorable and innocent way, which I think is the main thing that makes Bored to Death different than any other HBO show. Instead of grimey and defiant, it is simply fun, quirky and absolutely hilarious. I don't think it's the best television series I've ever seen or anything like that, but I thoroughly enjoyed this first season, and look forward to watching the next one.

Oh yeah, and that Zach Galifianakis is pretty funny in it, too.

Savage Night at the Opera

"Savage Night at the Opera" by Destroyer, from Kaputt (2011)

If you still haven't listened to Destroyer's Kaputt, then get with the program and at least listen to this sweet jam, please. The song gets especially awesome when the lead guitar riff finally comes in at around the 2:40 mark.

True Grit/The Crying of Lot 49

True Grit - Charles Portis (1968)

After quickly reading True Grit, it is not surprising that in 2010, the Coen brothers wrote and directed a modern film version. This western style revenge story certainly seems up the Coens' alley, as it is intelligent, dark, disturbing, clever and even quite hilarious at parts. The tough, young main character presents interesting contrast with her older, grittier companions of the law. It feels like the details of the story's antagonists were rushed, but that makes for some vague, mysterious villains, which is always cool. I love the way True Grit is written. It's almost as if you're sitting around a campfire in the wild west with an old, close friend who is retelling his or her most recent epic adventure. Plus, there were certain elements of the dialogue that made me chuckle out loud, which is always a bonus. True Grit didn't completely blow me away like I was hoping, but it is a very fun novel that is interestingly and well written, and I recommend everyone to take a stab at it at some point.

The Crying of Lot 49 - Thomas Pynchon (1966)

I had quite the difficult time following the seemingly post-modern classic, The Crying of Lot 49, which is the first Thomas Pynchon novel I've read. I feel that the fact that I was let down is my fault. I don't know if it was distraction, or that everything about the book caught me off guard, but I missed so many details (that I'm sure were crucial to the apparent charm of the story), and quickly lost the plot. I would pick it back up from time to time, but overall, I feel that this reading experience was lacking, and I definitely intend to give The Crying of Lot 49 another shot at some point down the road. There were still some things I liked about it, though. Pynchon definitely has a style and a way with the technical form of language that is very appealing. Most if not all of the characters were quirky if not totally hilarious, and they had awesomely funny names, like Mike Fallopian and Genghis Cohen, to name a few. Also, I was intrigued by how insane, detailed and entirely complex the plot was for a 150 page novel. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, I thoroughly enjoyed the ending, which definitely came out of left field, but in a really cool way. I am not proud that I went to Wikipedia to try to make sense of all that I was confused about in The Crying of Lot 49, but maybe that will have a positive effect on the next time I read it.

Suburban Home

"Suburban Home" by Descendents, from Milo Goes to College (1982)

Is it weird that as I get older, I am becoming more and more interested in pop punk? "Suburban Home" is one of the greats.

1984/Choke/Boys Will be Boys/Little Children

1984 - George Orwell (1949)

Aside from being slightly more complex and monotonous than I was expecting, George Orwell's 1984 was damn close to being exactly what I hoped for. Not my favorite dystopian novel ever (that would be Orwell's other classic, Animal Farm), it still succeeded at making me feel like an idiot for never having read it before. In roughly the same way as Animal Farm, Orwell's characters here are vague and a bit confusing, which, I think works really well for his style. Unsurprisingly, I was enamored with the eerie feel of pretty much every detail within the book, and a portion of the events were more unsettling than I was looking for (which is a pretty cool thing, I think). I wish I had read this back in mid-college, when I was especially obsessed with Animal Farm, for I think I would have appreciated it more. Still, it's about time I finally did it, and it was not disappointing in any way.

Choke - Chuck Palahniuk (2001)

A little closer to mediocre than good, Choke is shamefully the first Palahniuk novel I've read. His repetition of phrases reminds me of Vonnegut, but the comparisons definitely end there. Choke is an utterly twisted character study of a true anti-hero who is easy to hate. His addiction to sex is entertaining and leads to some juicy, disgusting text. The "choking" element of his character, where he purposely chokes on food at various restaurants to provide random people a heroic opportunity, and then benefits from well-meaning cards and donations of cash, is somewhat detestable but unheard of, and thus, fascinating. The stoner dialogues are humorous but often times confusing, meaningless and utterly stupid. I don't know. Choke was definitely an entertaining read, but I sure am glad that it was a quick one.

Boys Will be Boys - Jeff Pearlman (2008)

Jeff Pearlman's summary of the scandals and triumphs of the 1990s Dallas Cowboys dynasty is easily one of the best things I've read thus far in 2011. It was just as enjoyable to read about the game of football actually being played (granted, I'm a huge football fan) as it was to read about all the insanity that took place behind closed doors. Hookers. Weed. More hookers. Cocaine. More cocaine. Drunk driving. Dramatically tense business relationships. Even more cocaine and hookers. Most fascinating were the tense moments throughout owner Jerry Jones' and former coach Jimmy Johnson's partnership, defensive end Charles Haley's mental issues, his obsession with his penis, and just being an overall jerk, and the fact that Michael Irvin once stabbed a teammate in the neck with a pair of scissors (amidst all of his other ridiculous and disturbing antics). I already had a good idea about all of the sex and drug scandals, but it certainly was entertaining to divulge in all the juicy details. Fortunately, the game details were just as interesting as well as nostalgic for me, as this all took place during the time I was first getting into football, and I remember watching all of these Super Bowls. Irvin, Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith and co. had quite a run in so many ways throughout the 90s, and I loved all the insight and scandalous tales the Pearlman brings to life in this brilliant if not perfect book.

Little Children - Tom Perrotta (2004)

I had seen the film version of Little Children several years ago, and though I don't remember all the intricate details, it seems like it did a good job of capturing the feel and displaying the events of the book, which I ended up liking even more than I expected. With this novel, Tom Perrotta tells a dark, comedic tale of questionable marriage and parenthood, dominated by events such as extramarital affairs, child molestation, and dealing or reconciling with those in the midst of a seemingly normal suburban town. Some elements of Little Children are unsurprisingly (and probably intentionally) juvenile, but Perrotta offers up some interesting insight. More than anything, I enjoyed the wonderfully formed and incredibly flawed characters, and the events that take place within the story are dramatic, disturbing and funny in all the right ways. Also, it is so rare that a book has such an appropriate ending that is equally funny and depressing.

Igby Goes Down/Kick-Ass

Igby Goes Down (2002)

Written and directed by Burr Steers

The early 2000s seemed to be the prime time for dark, coming of age comedies about dysfunctional families, and that's exactly what Igby Goes Down. I probably would have loved this back in late high school or early college, but I'm just about ten years late and it was quite a chore to get through last night. In spite of the ensemble cast, the acting was pretty terrible. The biting, clever dialogue seemed completely forced. The cast seemed to have no chemistry whatsoever, and the characters reactions to EVERYTHING were unbelievable and absolutely ridiculous, making every single one of them detestable at best. I won't deny that Igby Goes Down had its moments, but they were few and far between.

Kick-Ass (2010)

Written by Jane Goldman and Matthew Vaughn, directed by Matthew Vaughn

My interest in and passion for film has waned considerably since I've become so obsessed with reading over the past couple of years, but Kick-Ass was completely refreshing. One of those rare films that I had very high expectations for and they were exceeded. The acting is good, not amazing, but that doesn't even matter as the film's feel and visuals are almost untouchable for this genre. Every character is lovable and fascinating in their own right, and the ridiculous concept comes across in an incredibly charming way. Unsurprising to me, what I loved best about Kick-Ass was the contradiction of these young kids (high school age and younger) being involved in such violent acts. The writing and direction breezes over this like it's no big deal, and this blows my mind. That being said, the violence is gratuitous but artfully done, let alone necessary. Overall, Kick-Ass is both fun and dark, if not completely messed up, thus totally up my alley.

Kafka on the Shore/The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

Kafka on the Shore - Haruki Murakami (2002)

What a wonderful conundrum. I feel like I understand the events in this novel as best as I possibly could, yet I have no idea how to describe in words exactly what actually occurs in Kafka on the Shore, the first Murakami novel I've read. I loved every single character, especially the two main ones. The novel combines gorgeous prose and magical realism with philosophy, mystery and sometimes even terror. What this book excels at is its imagery, unbelievability and creepiness (of which there is much more than I expected). The few complaints I have are that the dialogue comes across as a little too innocent and naive, and at some point (and I can't even place exactly where this happens) I started to lose interest in the story. That being said, Kafka on the Shore still ended up being everything I hoped for and so much more. This disturbing (in the best ways) story of love and companionship takes place in a world where cats talk, evil formless beings use human bodies and souls as vessels (which is so Final Fantasy) and our shadows or spirits act out our innermost desires. In other words, despite its imperfection, Kafka on the Shore is perfectly up my alley, and it did not disappoint.

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao - Junot Diaz (2007)

Despite getting an arrogant vibe from the author and not being able to read an irritating amount of the book due to having abandoned my high school spanish skills long ago, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao was still an enjoyable if not great read. Sure, all the Watchmen and Lord of the Rings references (along with all the other sci-fi and fantasy ones) sprinkled throughout helped, but the story was truly fascinating. Sometimes the shift in narrator and the vast amount of book that wasn't actually about the lovable main character got annoying. But, all that was made up for in other ways, namely in the fascinating events that take place (love after love lost and then finally gained, third world upbringings, magical realism-esque curses, attempted suicides, horrendous beatdowns, the footnote side-plot showcasing the backstory of the Dominican Republic dictator Trujillo, etc.). While I sort of hinted at and complained about the fact that the majority of this book focuses on characters that aren't the main one, Oscar, they are still interesting and likable ones who's plots were intense and twisted in their own wonderful ways. The passion evident in Junot Diaz's writing is a bonus, even if he's trying too hard to sound young, hip and informal in such a formal arena as a novel. Criticisms aside, there is way more that is good about The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao than bad, and I would recommend it to pretty much anyone.

Eastbound & Down: Season One

Eastbound & Down: Season One (2009)
Earlier this week, I decided it was time to revisit the first season of Eastbound & Down (especially since I had recently purchased it for a mere $9.99 thanks to a sweet Amazon deal). Unsurprisingly, I was reminded of how incredible this show is. Not only is this particular season an utterly flawless debut, its got to be one of the best television shows, period (and I haven't even seen any of the second season).

Obviously, the show is hilarious. But it is so much more than that. The plot and characters are complex, slightly to very awkward, deeply twisted and the funniest since Curb Your Enthusiasm's sixth season, or maybe even Arrested Development. Danny McBride's Kenny Powers is one of the greatest characters no matter what facet of media, let alone in any genre of tv show, in recent memory. Will Ferrell's minor role as Ashley Schaeffer is classic Will Ferrell. Most surprising (in the best way) is Steve Little, who plays the ridiculous, confusing Stevie Janowski, Powers' eventual sidekick. Everyone else is fantastic, and totally worth mentioning, but I'm running out of steam here already.

In case you don't know, Kenny Powers' story is that he is a former MLB relief pitcher who's career went to shit due to his anger issues, racist ramblings and addiction to partying and drugs. He ends up moving in with his brother and sister-in-law and their children and takes a job as a substitute gym teacher at the high school I think he graduated from. This first season showcases Kenny's insanely fluctuating, emotional and intense personality as well as his zany antics at trying to get back to the big leagues and reconnecting with his high school sweetheart, who at this point is engaged to be married to the high school's principle. Rereading all of that, it sounds like the show is just sad, and it is, but McBride makes it all so damn funny.

Eastbound & Down is a comedy of the highest regard, but what really makes it so near perfect is how dark and disturbing the story actually is when you get under all the humor. And, season one's conclusion is definitely one of my absolute favorite season-enders ever. You've probably all seen it, but if you haven't, please get with the program.

Party in the USA/Away

Here are seriously two more of my top jams right this second.


"Party in the USA" by Miley Cyrus from The Time of Our Lives EP (2009)
I assume I'm way late to this game, but for a while now, in my mind, there has been a three-way battle for best recent Top 40 pop radio song between Miley Cyrus' "Party in the USA," Katy Perry's "California Girls" and Kesha's "We R Who We R." After hearing it twice at the wedding reception for my friends Zach and Erin, and then listening to it repeatedly over the past few days, I have decided this rare honor goes to "Party in the USA." The melody is good throughout, but fantastic during the chorus, where it is also joined by some badass synth bass. For better or worse, I am not ashamed. The song is awesome.


"Away" by The Feelies from Only Life (1988)
Here's just another really great song by The Feelies that for some reason I just noticed when I was listening to Only Life the other night.

Feel Me Flow

"Feel Me Flow" by Naughty by Nature, from Poverty's Paradise (1995)

I'm not a hip hop guy at all, but I sure loved this jam in the fifth and sixth grades. I hadn't heard the song since then until last August, when Travis DJed Jensen's wedding and included it on the playlist. It reopened up a world of fondness and nostalgia, and unfortunately I hadn't gotten around to downloading the track for my own benefit until just the other day.

In spite of my having little to interest or passion for hip hop in general, "Feel Me Flow" fits in with the few songs of that style that I do really like. It's incredibly smooth and features a classic sounding soul sample (I have no idea what it is, though) that is actually quite beautiful. The melody during the chorus is fantastic, even if it's not sung especially well (which is my preference, anyway). Also, I'm into this more percussive, staccato style of rapping. I feel like we don't hear that anymore? Correct me if I'm wrong.

Lamb/The Doom That Came to Gotham/Visitations

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal - Christopher Moore (2002)

A fictional retelling of the life of Jesus Christ as told through the eyes of his also fictional best friend Levi (nicknamed Biff, here). In spite of this being only the second Christopher Moore novel I've read, it's safe to say that he completely nailed it here. The first three quarters of the book creates a wonderful backstory for Jesus. We obviously don't know anything about his life shortly after his birth until he begins his ministry in his early 30s, and Moore's imagination really runs rampant here in the best possible way. However, Moore mostly succeeds when he strays a little from his sense of humor and adds some humility and morality to the story. He gets a bit more serious than I ever expected of him, and it's really good stuff. Moore obviously studied up on the Bible amongst other sources, but all the fictionalized details are thoroughly enjoyable. Every single character, major or minor, is portrayed incredibly well. I won't deny that my appreciation for Lamb is boosted by my upbringing in the church, but I think absolutely anyone would be touched, challenged and at the very least find enjoyment in reading this. It is definitely one of the best books I've read so far in 2011.

The Doom That Came to Gotham - Mike Mignola & Richard Pace (2000)

Overall, this three issue mini-series is typical Mike Mignola fare, in my opinion. Rushed story, lots of holes, very cool imagery and religious/mystic symbolism. Visually, the series is quite fantastic. The way classic characters are used in this twist on the Batman story is pretty cool, even when the events they're involved in are completely inexplicable. Harvey Dent's role is the most interesting and disturbing (especially visually). And per usual, Mignola's monsters look pretty amazing. More flawed than I was hoping for, but still solid.

Visitations - C.S. Morse (1998)

Quick and easy to read, eerie, touching, tragic and gorgeous in every way. A tale and character study that questions morality, spirituality and life after death. Pretty heavy stuff for such a short book, let alone for one that features such innocent and attractive artwork. Pretty much loved it.

Emotional Listening #10

Apple O' - Deerhoof (Kill Rock Stars/5 Rue Christine, 2003)
Not surprisingly, here's yet another Deerhoof record for me to love and cherish. The only major difference I can hear between Apple O' and the record that followed it, Milk Man, is perhaps that the former is more cohesive. Otherwise, here is another, earlier example of Deerhoof doing what they do: bizarre, impressively complex guitar rock with high quality albeit overtly adorable vocal melodies. However, just like every other Deerhoof record that I know and love, it's the eerily beautiful guitar parts and the completely bat shit insane drumming that just kills me. It doesn't matter to me that between Apple O' and 2005's The Runners Four, nothing much changed in their sound. It still sounds fresh to these ears, because who else is writing and performing music this way?
Top jams: "Dummy Discards a Heart," "Heart Failure," "Flower," "L'Amour Stories," "Panda Panda Panda," "Hayley and Homer," "Blue Cash"

Where You Been - Dinosaur Jr. (Sire, 1993)

There was a time when I thought Where You Been was Dinosaur Jr.'s best album, at least out of the ones I'm familiar with. Then 2009 happened and Farm was released, and it has been my favorite since. Anyway, 1993's Where You Been is still really good. There's nothing out of the ordinary here. It is chock full of J. Mascis' slacker vocals and usual heroic guitar wankery as well as Murph's solid as hell drumming. "Goin' Home" and "I Ain't Sayin'" are standouts. "Start Choppin'" is not only the best song on the record, it is also my favorite of theirs, period. At some point soon, though, I need to start checking out the Dino Jr. records prior to this one.

Top jams: "Out There," "Start Choppin'," "On the Way," "Get Me," "Hide," "Goin' Home," "I Ain't Sayin'"

The Dismemberment Plan is Terrified - The Dismemberment Plan (DeSoto, 1997)

It has taken me too many years to come to terms with The Dismemberment Plan's second LP, The Dismemberment Plan is Terrified. I get it now, guys. Of course, it is zanier and much, much more flawed than Emergency & I and Change, and the band's subtle merging of punk and soul hadn't been fully realized yet, but there are definitely some highlights here. The record opens up strongly with "Tonight We Mean It," "That's When the Party Started" and then probably the best song here, "The Ice of Boston." Beyond that, things get a bit inconsistent. However, I was pleasantly surprised by "Manipulate Me," which most recently has ruled me pretty hard. The fact that Travis Morrison does more talking and yelling here than on the later albums isn't too much of a turn off. In fact, that vocal style is probably more appropriate for these songs anyway. At worst, The Dismemberment Plan is Terrified is simply an interesting transitional record. At best, it is some good, unique, arty and funky punk rock.

Top jams: "Tonight We Mean It," "That's When the Party Started," "The Ice of Boston," "This is the Life," "One Too Many Blows to the Head," "It's So You," "Manipulate Me"

This Week's Sweet, Sweet Jam

"Can't Make Your Life Better" by Lilys, from Better Can't Make Your Life Better (1996)

La Sera/Do Whatever You Want All the Time

La Sera - La Sera (Hardly Art, 2011)

2011 has already been a productive year for the members of Vivian Girls. Not only have they released their third album, but bassist Katy Goodman has joined guitarist Cassie Ramone in releasing music under a different moniker. La Sera is Goodman's solo project, and this self-titled debut is a very solid batch of mellow and dreamy guitar pop. The guitars jangle and the bass is unsurprisingly bouncy (which is Goodman's style), and the heavily reverbed vocals fit in perfectly. Overall, La Sera may be a little more mellow than I was hoping, but the variety of sounds and quality of melodies make up for that. Standout "Been Here Before" is especially catchy and memorable.

Do Whatever You Want All the Time - Ponytail (We Are Free, 2011)

Though I didn't love it, there were things I liked about Ponytail's 2008 breakthrough, Ice Cream Spiritual, namely the mathy song structures and time signatures, the incredibly fun and complex guitar work and the insane drumming. Thankfully, those carry over onto they're latest, Do Whatever You Want All the Time. However, there are other things that make this the superior record. Molly Siegel's obnoxious vocals are still irritating at worst and interesting at best, but overall are more tolerable. While the guitar lines are still very melodic and impressively intricate, but they're more tastefully done. The drums are still completely wanky, but in this case it almost seems completely necessary. In spite of all of this, it still sounds like the band has chilled out a bit, and the inclusion of dynamics definitely helps. Do Whatever You Want All the Time isn't something I can listen to all the time, but it is an enjoyable and interesting listen every time I do put it on.

Most Recent Favorite Song at the Moment #2

"You and I, Part II" by Fleetwood Mac, from Tango in the Night (1987)
1987's Tango in the Night is quickly becoming my favorite Fleetwood Mac album, and here is my favorite song from it. Am I crazy, or have a lot of the hipster jams been sounding like this these days?