After much peer pressure from Chris and plenty of deliberation on my end, I've decided to start writing again for a more "professional" publication, this time local online culture zine Smile Politely. "Several of my friends are doing it, mom, so why can't I?"
Anyway, I'll be doing a thrice-weekly music column under the old Jukebox Upchuck name, as well as a weekly sports column. I believe the site is officially launching within a few days, so check the link and enjoy more of me, as well as others' blogs about food, music, art, news, etc.
11.29.2007
11.14.2007
Why no Sharon Jones?
An astute listener picked out the Sharon Jones track in my soul/funk set at Mike 'n' Molly's and wondered why I hadn't included Ms. Jones and her Dap Kings on HORNS! Well, I had to hold something back for Vol. 2. (Like, maybe 70+ songs.) If you haven't checked out her new album, 100 Days 100 Nights, and you call yourself a fan of good soul music, then you have no excuse for living. Get ye to a record store, pronto.
The Budos Band, also on the Daptone label and featuring some overlap with the Dap Kings, is fucking tight, too. Check this shit out (scroll down a bit for the video).
The Budos Band, also on the Daptone label and featuring some overlap with the Dap Kings, is fucking tight, too. Check this shit out (scroll down a bit for the video).
11.07.2007
10 random thoughts as Fall settles in (for good?)
1) I, for one, have been pleased with the colder temperatures of late. With the chill comes a higher heating bill, but also blankets, portable heaters, and possibly the use of our tiny wood-burning stove -- all of which I enjoy.
2) I'm done working 70+ hours a week. DONE I TELL YOU!
3) I DJ'ed at Mike 'n' Molly's on Saturday. Thanks to those that came out. It was my first time DJing in a bar in, well, I'm not sure. Maybe three years? Has it really been that long? Seems like it, or maybe longer. I split time with DJ Hellcat and had a good time. Spinning for 2 hours was just about right. My soul set was especially spectacular, I thought.
4) The Bulls at 0-4 are doing nothing to help their "keep the young nucleus together" cause. Not with Kobe lingering nearby. Sure, the Bulls get off to a slow start every year. That's a given, just like Kirk Hinrich picking up his third foul before the half and Andres Nocioni overreacting to every whistle against him. But I for one had bought the hype that this year's team was going to make some noise -- immediately. They have more depth than you can shake a stick at, but all I've noticed over these first four games is the team's many flaws, ballhandling and transition D chief among them. Last night against the Clippers, Skiles stuck with an offensively-challenged bunch for too long in the second half. They were shutting down Los Angeles on defense, but couldn't score on offense. I'm of the opinion Chicago should trade away a couple of its younger core for a talented 4/5 who can score in a multitude of ways. But screw Kobe ... he can rot in L.A.
5) Don't tell anyone, but M and I are doing a college fantasy basketball league using Big 10 players. My idea, but she's game. The draft is tonight!
6) I didn't make it to 10 on my last list, so I'm feeling the pressure this time around to really push it. Hmmm... Hey D-Finn, thanks for the suggestion of Kashi TLC. It has added some welcome variety to snack time at work.
7) I haven't heard much feedback on HORNS! Like, dislike? Should I get busy on ORGANS!?
8) Am I the only baseball fan that has zero interest in the A-Rod sweepstakes? With the Red Sox winning another World Series, I'm now well past my quota of big-market, Eastern seaboard baseball coverage. The Yankees got a new manager. Torre's in L.A. Curt Schilling re-upped. SO WHAT! The Cardinals have made enough moves over the past few weeks -- picking a new GM (blah) and bringing back La Russa (blech) -- to keep me somewhat interested in the hot stove league. But I can do without the constant updates on Scott Boras' richest client, thankyouverymuch.
9) I have four words for the Big Ten Network and Comcast: STOP SCREWING THE FANS! I'm glad that one of you will eventually "win" this stupid "argument" about who has the best interest of the fans in mind (and both of you will go on to make money hand over fist). But in the meantime, can I pretty please just watch some thrilling exhibition basketball without having to drop $25 at a bar?
10) I'm taking all next week off from work. If you're around town and would like to get a drink, holla.
2) I'm done working 70+ hours a week. DONE I TELL YOU!
3) I DJ'ed at Mike 'n' Molly's on Saturday. Thanks to those that came out. It was my first time DJing in a bar in, well, I'm not sure. Maybe three years? Has it really been that long? Seems like it, or maybe longer. I split time with DJ Hellcat and had a good time. Spinning for 2 hours was just about right. My soul set was especially spectacular, I thought.
4) The Bulls at 0-4 are doing nothing to help their "keep the young nucleus together" cause. Not with Kobe lingering nearby. Sure, the Bulls get off to a slow start every year. That's a given, just like Kirk Hinrich picking up his third foul before the half and Andres Nocioni overreacting to every whistle against him. But I for one had bought the hype that this year's team was going to make some noise -- immediately. They have more depth than you can shake a stick at, but all I've noticed over these first four games is the team's many flaws, ballhandling and transition D chief among them. Last night against the Clippers, Skiles stuck with an offensively-challenged bunch for too long in the second half. They were shutting down Los Angeles on defense, but couldn't score on offense. I'm of the opinion Chicago should trade away a couple of its younger core for a talented 4/5 who can score in a multitude of ways. But screw Kobe ... he can rot in L.A.
5) Don't tell anyone, but M and I are doing a college fantasy basketball league using Big 10 players. My idea, but she's game. The draft is tonight!
6) I didn't make it to 10 on my last list, so I'm feeling the pressure this time around to really push it. Hmmm... Hey D-Finn, thanks for the suggestion of Kashi TLC. It has added some welcome variety to snack time at work.
7) I haven't heard much feedback on HORNS! Like, dislike? Should I get busy on ORGANS!?
8) Am I the only baseball fan that has zero interest in the A-Rod sweepstakes? With the Red Sox winning another World Series, I'm now well past my quota of big-market, Eastern seaboard baseball coverage. The Yankees got a new manager. Torre's in L.A. Curt Schilling re-upped. SO WHAT! The Cardinals have made enough moves over the past few weeks -- picking a new GM (blah) and bringing back La Russa (blech) -- to keep me somewhat interested in the hot stove league. But I can do without the constant updates on Scott Boras' richest client, thankyouverymuch.
9) I have four words for the Big Ten Network and Comcast: STOP SCREWING THE FANS! I'm glad that one of you will eventually "win" this stupid "argument" about who has the best interest of the fans in mind (and both of you will go on to make money hand over fist). But in the meantime, can I pretty please just watch some thrilling exhibition basketball without having to drop $25 at a bar?
10) I'm taking all next week off from work. If you're around town and would like to get a drink, holla.
10.24.2007
On seeing Jens Lekman and a sky phenomenon
On the drive to Bloomington, Indiana to see Swedish pop sensation Jens Lekman, we experienced a hint of what Jens once sang about in the song, "Sky Phenomenon".
you stare at the sky, colors reflecting in your eye
could it be, what they call the northern lights
but here and at this time of year
it's like someone spilled the beer all over the atmosphere
One of the most vibrant and surreal sunsets I've ever witnessed coated the belly of low-lying clouds seven shades of orange. Trees in the distance, all turning colors already, became almost red in tint with bright orange leaves appearing to be aflame. It was simply stunning, one of those rare glimpses of natural beauty that we are afforded in this region where topography has hit the snooze button. Five minutes later, just as we completed our trip through the psychedelic forest, we ran smack into a rainbow. Not a wimpy embarrassed-for-itself rainbow, but a bully of a rainbow, punching through the clouds and arcing through the sky. Tim thought he saw its other leg land in the horizon. Then we saw it, much to our disbelief -- a second rainbow, nowhere near as prominent as the first. We joked that god wanted our trip to see Jens to be a special one, giving us a wink and a nod to Jens' very own song.
I would never recommend going to Jake's in Bloomington to see just any show. For Champaign folks, it's much like a marriage of the Canopy (with its obnoxious screens on either side of the stage) and a crappy campus bar like C.O. Daniels. A sign at the entrance let us know that if we so chose, we could return the next evening for beer pong.
Jens was spectacular. Playing with a 7-piece backing band of mostly women — with a horn and string section and a sampler — he went through a lengthy set of songs from his new record and old favorites. The new stuff really begs to be seen live, where his energy and charisma can work its way inbetween the notes to chart a new course for each song. He neglects his more melancholic material for the brighter moments, then sells the audience with the same sort of witty asides that form the basis for many of his songs. Jens is uplifting in concert. It's fun to watch him hit his stride as he transcends comparisons to Jonathan Richman.
The drive home couldn't have been more a lesson in opposites. While I slept most of the way, I was awoken by a loud thump as we crossed state lines. Tim had run over the remains of a deer that was strewn across most of the highway. A few miles down the road we pulled into a rest stop to determine the damage. I'll spare you the gory details -- of which there are plenty -- and let you know that while Tim's car was by and large unscathed, he did take some of the deer with him.
I don't know what message to take from the night's ending, so I'll leave it be.
If you have the chance — no matter if you are familiar with his music — go see Jens. He's a rare find.
you stare at the sky, colors reflecting in your eye
could it be, what they call the northern lights
but here and at this time of year
it's like someone spilled the beer all over the atmosphere
One of the most vibrant and surreal sunsets I've ever witnessed coated the belly of low-lying clouds seven shades of orange. Trees in the distance, all turning colors already, became almost red in tint with bright orange leaves appearing to be aflame. It was simply stunning, one of those rare glimpses of natural beauty that we are afforded in this region where topography has hit the snooze button. Five minutes later, just as we completed our trip through the psychedelic forest, we ran smack into a rainbow. Not a wimpy embarrassed-for-itself rainbow, but a bully of a rainbow, punching through the clouds and arcing through the sky. Tim thought he saw its other leg land in the horizon. Then we saw it, much to our disbelief -- a second rainbow, nowhere near as prominent as the first. We joked that god wanted our trip to see Jens to be a special one, giving us a wink and a nod to Jens' very own song.
I would never recommend going to Jake's in Bloomington to see just any show. For Champaign folks, it's much like a marriage of the Canopy (with its obnoxious screens on either side of the stage) and a crappy campus bar like C.O. Daniels. A sign at the entrance let us know that if we so chose, we could return the next evening for beer pong.
Jens was spectacular. Playing with a 7-piece backing band of mostly women — with a horn and string section and a sampler — he went through a lengthy set of songs from his new record and old favorites. The new stuff really begs to be seen live, where his energy and charisma can work its way inbetween the notes to chart a new course for each song. He neglects his more melancholic material for the brighter moments, then sells the audience with the same sort of witty asides that form the basis for many of his songs. Jens is uplifting in concert. It's fun to watch him hit his stride as he transcends comparisons to Jonathan Richman.
The drive home couldn't have been more a lesson in opposites. While I slept most of the way, I was awoken by a loud thump as we crossed state lines. Tim had run over the remains of a deer that was strewn across most of the highway. A few miles down the road we pulled into a rest stop to determine the damage. I'll spare you the gory details -- of which there are plenty -- and let you know that while Tim's car was by and large unscathed, he did take some of the deer with him.
I don't know what message to take from the night's ending, so I'll leave it be.
If you have the chance — no matter if you are familiar with his music — go see Jens. He's a rare find.
10.15.2007
10 random thoughts after an exhausting workout at the gym
1) The gym experiment is still a functioning reality. Unlike past attempts at joining a gym, which have imploded after about two weeks, I'm well over a month into this gamble and still going strong. What can I say ... Maybe life after 30 is all about polishing the guns?
2) This past weekend I made a mix for my oldest brother, who just turned 50. (I know, that's as old as some of your parents.) It's full of things he listened to in the early to mid '70s: Zeppelin, Creedence, Cheap Trick, ZZ Top, The Stones ... plus some things I felt like tossing in like The Kinks' "Victoria", Big Star's "Don't Lie to Me", and The Band's "The Weight". Here's the mix cover.
I gotta say, I'm on a roll with mix covers.
3) Searching out new snacks for work is one of my part-time hobbies. I've stumbled upon Peanut Butter Filled Pretzel Nuggets, and I have to wonder how snack time at work ever existed without them. They don't get my fingers messy, so I don't need to worry about using the keyboard while eating them. And they're delicious!
4) I got an e-mail from Tracy McGrady today:
Hey, it's T-Mac.
You can always watch me light up the
scoreboard for the Rockets. But when you
play Yahoo! Sports Fantasy Basketball,
you can watch me light it up for you, too.
I’m ready. Are you?
See you soon!
Alas, T-Mac, you will not see me soon. I'm opting out of defending my fantasy basketball crown this year to catch up on my reading list, among other things. Maybe I'll still make it to your birthday bash, though?
5) Has anyone else heard any of the songs on the new John Fogerty record? No, I'm not kidding! It's seriously fucking good. KEXP played a track from it, an anti-war garage rocker in the vein of Neil Young's Pearl Jam revival days, that totally floored me. He's going to be this year's Loretta Lynn, just you watch. It's available at Sam's Club, in case you just want to pick it up the next time you run out to get a huge tub of Peanut Butter Filled Pretzel Nuggets.
6) Bright Eyes. Man Man. Ryan Adams. Andrew Bird. Fiery Furnaces. Ween. Mount Eerie. Melt Banana (at the Highdive!), The Black Angels, Kevin Drew, ...Trail of Dead, The Mountain Goats, Spitalfield, Xiu Xiu. These are just a few of the shows that have recently come to town or are coming in the near future. Shows that I've seen in town in the past four months: ZERO. I'll be going to a few of these, though. Plus Jens Lekman in Bloomington, Indiana!
7) I've been listening to Sam Cooke's Night Beat a lot lately. It's a great fall record -- subtle, sometimes sparse, a tad on the heavy side. I first heard the album several years ago on a trek to Denver to see Jon. Then I picked it up a year ago and for whatever reason -- probably because it's a good downer record (in that it's got a bit of upper hidden within the many moody ballads) -- I've been playing it non-stop over the past week. You should pick it up. It's not like his pop stuff -- "Cupid" or "Chain Gang" or "Another Saturday Night". It's infused with more of a studio session jazz feel, but like I said rather sparse and contained. And his voice has rarely sounded more spiritually anxious.
8) Fuck it, not gonna make it to 10. Too hungry.
2) This past weekend I made a mix for my oldest brother, who just turned 50. (I know, that's as old as some of your parents.) It's full of things he listened to in the early to mid '70s: Zeppelin, Creedence, Cheap Trick, ZZ Top, The Stones ... plus some things I felt like tossing in like The Kinks' "Victoria", Big Star's "Don't Lie to Me", and The Band's "The Weight". Here's the mix cover.
I gotta say, I'm on a roll with mix covers.
3) Searching out new snacks for work is one of my part-time hobbies. I've stumbled upon Peanut Butter Filled Pretzel Nuggets, and I have to wonder how snack time at work ever existed without them. They don't get my fingers messy, so I don't need to worry about using the keyboard while eating them. And they're delicious!
4) I got an e-mail from Tracy McGrady today:
Hey, it's T-Mac.
You can always watch me light up the
scoreboard for the Rockets. But when you
play Yahoo! Sports Fantasy Basketball,
you can watch me light it up for you, too.
I’m ready. Are you?
See you soon!
Alas, T-Mac, you will not see me soon. I'm opting out of defending my fantasy basketball crown this year to catch up on my reading list, among other things. Maybe I'll still make it to your birthday bash, though?
5) Has anyone else heard any of the songs on the new John Fogerty record? No, I'm not kidding! It's seriously fucking good. KEXP played a track from it, an anti-war garage rocker in the vein of Neil Young's Pearl Jam revival days, that totally floored me. He's going to be this year's Loretta Lynn, just you watch. It's available at Sam's Club, in case you just want to pick it up the next time you run out to get a huge tub of Peanut Butter Filled Pretzel Nuggets.
6) Bright Eyes. Man Man. Ryan Adams. Andrew Bird. Fiery Furnaces. Ween. Mount Eerie. Melt Banana (at the Highdive!), The Black Angels, Kevin Drew, ...Trail of Dead, The Mountain Goats, Spitalfield, Xiu Xiu. These are just a few of the shows that have recently come to town or are coming in the near future. Shows that I've seen in town in the past four months: ZERO. I'll be going to a few of these, though. Plus Jens Lekman in Bloomington, Indiana!
7) I've been listening to Sam Cooke's Night Beat a lot lately. It's a great fall record -- subtle, sometimes sparse, a tad on the heavy side. I first heard the album several years ago on a trek to Denver to see Jon. Then I picked it up a year ago and for whatever reason -- probably because it's a good downer record (in that it's got a bit of upper hidden within the many moody ballads) -- I've been playing it non-stop over the past week. You should pick it up. It's not like his pop stuff -- "Cupid" or "Chain Gang" or "Another Saturday Night". It's infused with more of a studio session jazz feel, but like I said rather sparse and contained. And his voice has rarely sounded more spiritually anxious.
8) Fuck it, not gonna make it to 10. Too hungry.
10.08.2007
Wes' new film
Until today, I had not checked out the trailer for the new Wes Anderson flick, The Darjeeling Limited. It looks like a typical Anderson flick/script, which means I'll go see it. It doesn't hurt that he's using a couple of my favorite Kinks songs in the trailer. God I love The Kinks. Most underrated band. Ever.
10.07.2007
In my nature...
It's in my nature to over-analyze my past writing. Yesterday I flipped through some old issues of Skyscraper and was left cringing at my features. My reviews, on the whole, were okay. But my features I did detest. Just now I re-read some older blog posts on now-defunct blogs, and again I cringed after reading my thoughts. I find myself objecting to style ... content ... opinion. Eh, I suppose I should just accept myself as my own worst critic and leave it be. Most writers have glaring flaws that eat away their insides.
M pointed out that a rapper named will.i.am used a similar concept on his new release to my three-disc comp Songs About Girls. Of course, his songs are original. Plenty of others in the recent past have used the same title for an album. Our good man William is the third in the past two years. At any rate, if anyone else wants to use HORNS! for the title of an LP, go for it. But know going in that your album will suck compared to mine.
And that in two years time, I'll cringe when I read this.
M pointed out that a rapper named will.i.am used a similar concept on his new release to my three-disc comp Songs About Girls. Of course, his songs are original. Plenty of others in the recent past have used the same title for an album. Our good man William is the third in the past two years. At any rate, if anyone else wants to use HORNS! for the title of an LP, go for it. But know going in that your album will suck compared to mine.
And that in two years time, I'll cringe when I read this.
10.03.2007
10 random thoughts while watching postseason baseball
1) Is it too late to make my predictions about the postseason considering that two games are in the bag already? Eh, fuck it.
Rockies in 5: I love the Rockies' hot streak, but I think the Phillies will make a series out of it. Their offense is too good not to. But their pitching stinks, save for Hamels.
Cubs in 4: Two pretty darn good pitching staffs, but the D-Backs aren't a good offensive club. The Cubs have effective starting pitching, a solid if unspectacular pen, and Alfonso Soriano.
Red Sox in 4: I like the make-up of the Angels pitching staff and think they'll tame the vaunted Red Sox lineup for one game this series. But the Red Sox are just too spectacular a team: their pitching is unbelievably underrated.
Cleveland in 5: I'd like to think the Cleveland pitching staff — which is quite good — can contain the Yankees offense. But the men in pinstripes scored 968 runs this season for a reason. (They can hit.) Still, I'm giving this one to the Indians. Something tells me they're due, and they have homefield advantage. This should be a wild series.
NLCS — Rockies in 6: I'll be puking on myself by this point in the playoffs. I hate the Cubs. This is a weak group of NL teams. Big Z and Angry Lou can't stop Mr. Helton and Mr. Holliday. Troy Tulowitzki as the secret weapon!
ALCS — Red Sox in 5: I just think the Sox are gonna roll through the playoffs. 'Nuff said.
World Series — Sox over Rox in 6: How long will a Big Papi home run travel in the thin air of Coors Field? There's no humidor known to man that can keep Ortiz out of the right field upper deck.
2) Now for my sporting life: I beat Emily in tennis. Yay!
3) The HORNS! mix just needs me to get off my lazy ass and finish the cover design. I haven't come up with anything that thrills me yet. But the mix is good.
4) Talk amongst friends has me leaning toward ORGANS! next over STRINGS!
5) Back to sports: The Cards fired GM Walt Jocketty today. That was a big surprise. I can only hope it means the end of the La Russa era. Pretty please.
6) Speaking of eras, how about the Ron Zook era? Hells yes baby! Thanks to Alan, M and I had fourth-row seats on the south endzone goal line for the Illini's win over Penn State. It was a blast — from the State fan dressed up as JoePa to the 90-yard kickoff return for a TD to the football team celebrating in the student section after the game.
7) I missed the Deerhunter show this week. Jenny and I actually talked about going, we're out on the town just waiting for the show to start, then realized that it was a 7 p.m. start and had ended already at 10. Figures. I bitch so much about shows starting late on weeknights, then miss the one show that started early. It would help motivate me and my memory if there was actually a weekly worth reading in this town.
8) Ten of the last fifteen albums I've bought have been comps. Comps are the new 45s for me — a perfect proving ground for new bands. (Of course, most of the comps I'm buying are the sort that feature old bands so rare that I couldn't afford to buy their full-lengths anyway, even if I was lucky enough to find them.)
9) Just a quick shout out to Wan and Finn. It's a perfect night for a backyard ice cream social and I'm sad that it's not gonna happen.
10) Guitar Hero 80s ... I will own you soon.
Rockies in 5: I love the Rockies' hot streak, but I think the Phillies will make a series out of it. Their offense is too good not to. But their pitching stinks, save for Hamels.
Cubs in 4: Two pretty darn good pitching staffs, but the D-Backs aren't a good offensive club. The Cubs have effective starting pitching, a solid if unspectacular pen, and Alfonso Soriano.
Red Sox in 4: I like the make-up of the Angels pitching staff and think they'll tame the vaunted Red Sox lineup for one game this series. But the Red Sox are just too spectacular a team: their pitching is unbelievably underrated.
Cleveland in 5: I'd like to think the Cleveland pitching staff — which is quite good — can contain the Yankees offense. But the men in pinstripes scored 968 runs this season for a reason. (They can hit.) Still, I'm giving this one to the Indians. Something tells me they're due, and they have homefield advantage. This should be a wild series.
NLCS — Rockies in 6: I'll be puking on myself by this point in the playoffs. I hate the Cubs. This is a weak group of NL teams. Big Z and Angry Lou can't stop Mr. Helton and Mr. Holliday. Troy Tulowitzki as the secret weapon!
ALCS — Red Sox in 5: I just think the Sox are gonna roll through the playoffs. 'Nuff said.
World Series — Sox over Rox in 6: How long will a Big Papi home run travel in the thin air of Coors Field? There's no humidor known to man that can keep Ortiz out of the right field upper deck.
2) Now for my sporting life: I beat Emily in tennis. Yay!
3) The HORNS! mix just needs me to get off my lazy ass and finish the cover design. I haven't come up with anything that thrills me yet. But the mix is good.
4) Talk amongst friends has me leaning toward ORGANS! next over STRINGS!
5) Back to sports: The Cards fired GM Walt Jocketty today. That was a big surprise. I can only hope it means the end of the La Russa era. Pretty please.
6) Speaking of eras, how about the Ron Zook era? Hells yes baby! Thanks to Alan, M and I had fourth-row seats on the south endzone goal line for the Illini's win over Penn State. It was a blast — from the State fan dressed up as JoePa to the 90-yard kickoff return for a TD to the football team celebrating in the student section after the game.
7) I missed the Deerhunter show this week. Jenny and I actually talked about going, we're out on the town just waiting for the show to start, then realized that it was a 7 p.m. start and had ended already at 10. Figures. I bitch so much about shows starting late on weeknights, then miss the one show that started early. It would help motivate me and my memory if there was actually a weekly worth reading in this town.
8) Ten of the last fifteen albums I've bought have been comps. Comps are the new 45s for me — a perfect proving ground for new bands. (Of course, most of the comps I'm buying are the sort that feature old bands so rare that I couldn't afford to buy their full-lengths anyway, even if I was lucky enough to find them.)
9) Just a quick shout out to Wan and Finn. It's a perfect night for a backyard ice cream social and I'm sad that it's not gonna happen.
10) Guitar Hero 80s ... I will own you soon.
9.24.2007
10 random thoughts while listening to Tim Buckley
1) Who is, I may add, far superior to his offspring.
2) Pointless rant: My password for my e-mail account is way too long. I fuck it up about half the time, then curse myself and start over again. I've had the same password for about three years, so why haven't I changed it? "They" tell you to change it up at least once a year. I guess I'm just too lazy to remember a new one. It's far easier just to retype it over and over again.
3) My M googled my name tonight and on like the seventh page -- after a whole bunch of work-related entries, old music reviews, and fantasy sports crap -- was a comment someone had left in response to an M. Dodds review that got picked up by the Springfield weekly of the Living Blue's last album. The commenter called her something along the lines of the worst music critic of all time and then ripped me (?) for comparing the Living Blue to Blue Cheer and Mudhoney. This person was pimping Tummler, so they're clearly one of the hard rock fanatics that lives around the area that had also read my unrelated praise of the Living Blue and felt that the old Octopus/Cityview snubbed hard rock/metal bands. Which is mostly true. But largely because most (local) bands in that genre happen to suck. Which is not to say that Tummler sucks. But the thought process went something like this: Why say something negative if you're only going to discourage some naive person from checking out said band -- or at least that's what I was often told. The one time I did rip some Alice in Chains soundalike a member of the band sent me the strangest, mistyped, drunken slab of hate e-mail I've ever received -- even stooping so far as to call me "gay". The rage-stricken fool later apologized. Thinking back on that, I should have written about that scene more often, if only to receive such poetic wall art.
4) I'm moving into a new office soon. It's much larger than my current office, and will afford me some privacy. That means I can finally listen to more music at work!
5) Speaking of offices, who's excited for the new season of The Office? Me!!!
6) Thoughts on Superbad: not the funniest movie I've seen in five years, as others have claimed, but not far from it. The entire kid-draws-dicks tangent was simply brilliant -- odd enough to be true enough to be hysterical. And it plays right in to the homosexual undertone to the film.
7) If you live in town, then you should play some trivia this Thursday. Unlike the excellent Drink 'n Think at Mike 'n Molly's, which the Grumpy Dougs will one day win, this trivia night is a one-time affair put on by some friends who are tirelessly trying to keep WRFU on the air. (As you may recall, D-Finn and I used to DJ for the low-power station.) They're trying to raise an insane amount of money to get a new off-site tower for their antenna so that once again I will not be able to get good reception at my house. Anyway, that's another matter entirely. I'm going -- and you should too! It's Thursday at the Esquire at (I think) 7:30.
8) Time to put on something not named Tim Buckely. How about The Move? Sure, sounds good.
9) It seems like forever since I've made good use of my backyard deck. That will change this week as the temperature dips into the 60s while the sun is still out.
10) Tennis: I finally beat Chris! I'm a little late in my bragging, as he has since beaten me yet again. But, hey, I finally beat Chris! It was a momentous occasion to be sure, which is why I'm glad I captured it by taking a victory lap around the net. Now, if I could just beat Emily...
2) Pointless rant: My password for my e-mail account is way too long. I fuck it up about half the time, then curse myself and start over again. I've had the same password for about three years, so why haven't I changed it? "They" tell you to change it up at least once a year. I guess I'm just too lazy to remember a new one. It's far easier just to retype it over and over again.
3) My M googled my name tonight and on like the seventh page -- after a whole bunch of work-related entries, old music reviews, and fantasy sports crap -- was a comment someone had left in response to an M. Dodds review that got picked up by the Springfield weekly of the Living Blue's last album. The commenter called her something along the lines of the worst music critic of all time and then ripped me (?) for comparing the Living Blue to Blue Cheer and Mudhoney. This person was pimping Tummler, so they're clearly one of the hard rock fanatics that lives around the area that had also read my unrelated praise of the Living Blue and felt that the old Octopus/Cityview snubbed hard rock/metal bands. Which is mostly true. But largely because most (local) bands in that genre happen to suck. Which is not to say that Tummler sucks. But the thought process went something like this: Why say something negative if you're only going to discourage some naive person from checking out said band -- or at least that's what I was often told. The one time I did rip some Alice in Chains soundalike a member of the band sent me the strangest, mistyped, drunken slab of hate e-mail I've ever received -- even stooping so far as to call me "gay". The rage-stricken fool later apologized. Thinking back on that, I should have written about that scene more often, if only to receive such poetic wall art.
4) I'm moving into a new office soon. It's much larger than my current office, and will afford me some privacy. That means I can finally listen to more music at work!
5) Speaking of offices, who's excited for the new season of The Office? Me!!!
6) Thoughts on Superbad: not the funniest movie I've seen in five years, as others have claimed, but not far from it. The entire kid-draws-dicks tangent was simply brilliant -- odd enough to be true enough to be hysterical. And it plays right in to the homosexual undertone to the film.
7) If you live in town, then you should play some trivia this Thursday. Unlike the excellent Drink 'n Think at Mike 'n Molly's, which the Grumpy Dougs will one day win, this trivia night is a one-time affair put on by some friends who are tirelessly trying to keep WRFU on the air. (As you may recall, D-Finn and I used to DJ for the low-power station.) They're trying to raise an insane amount of money to get a new off-site tower for their antenna so that once again I will not be able to get good reception at my house. Anyway, that's another matter entirely. I'm going -- and you should too! It's Thursday at the Esquire at (I think) 7:30.
8) Time to put on something not named Tim Buckely. How about The Move? Sure, sounds good.
9) It seems like forever since I've made good use of my backyard deck. That will change this week as the temperature dips into the 60s while the sun is still out.
10) Tennis: I finally beat Chris! I'm a little late in my bragging, as he has since beaten me yet again. But, hey, I finally beat Chris! It was a momentous occasion to be sure, which is why I'm glad I captured it by taking a victory lap around the net. Now, if I could just beat Emily...
9.23.2007
HORNS! is done ... almost
The research for HORNS!, a mix two months in the making, is complete. From over 100 songs, I whittled the tracklist down to 22. I think I'm happy with the sequencing, which means all that's left is to design a cover. I often feel this way after completing a mix, but this particular one rings truer than others: This is probably the best mix I've ever made. The research was far more challenging than on Songs About Girls; with that one, I had only to select songs with a girl's name in the title. With this mix, I had to listen to a LOT of songs to ensure that the horn parts were memorable and the song was to my liking. Basically, I listened to a healthy portion of my record collection.
Now it's on to new territory. ORGANS!, anyone?
Now it's on to new territory. ORGANS!, anyone?
9.11.2007
10 random reasons my back hurts (or not)
1) I never thought my back would actually be fucked up at the age of 31. But it is. Mostly, it's my lower back and it's all my fault, the result of 8+ years of bad posture at the desk job. So ...
2) M and I joined a gym. My past gym exploits have been laughable and ugly. (Seriously, old naked men are both.) The new gym features none of that, and possibly I'll stick with it this time. My back reminds me on a nearly daily basis to get to the gym by screaming at me in the morning and at night. Since I'm in no shape to throw down 3 grand on a new mattress set, I'll have to settle for weights and stretching.
3) Tennis: I suck. I've finally found a sport that I really like and have little natural ability to excel at. That's not saying much, really. There are plenty of sports that I know I suck at — say, football — and hence I've never given those sports much of a chance. Then there is basketball. I could go an entire calendar year without touching a basketball, then hit the court and at least do a good Dickey Simpkins impersonation. A few times out, and I'm a regular Horace Grant. But tennis is another story. There's no Roger Federer hiding inside me, but the sport is a lot of fun regardless and gets my competitive streak fired up. If only I could learn some fundamentals, like a forehand or a backhand for example. My serve is actually my best ally. I've been playing once or twice a week, and so far I'm basically oh-for-the-world. I have a lovely tendency to get up 3-1 or 3-0 and then lose 6-4. I chalk my inconsistency up to said lack of fundamentals, and hope for the best next time out. At some point, I just have to get better, don't I?
4) Beans. They don't really cause back aches, per say. But I suddenly enjoy them in varieties previously foreign to me. M's white bean salad is delicious! There, I said it.
5) Superbad was funny. Who knew the best character plot line of the year would come in the form of a kid overcoming his sketchy past as a dick-drawing maniac?
6) Big Ten Network. Fuck you. Comcast. Fuck you, too.
7) Research on the HORNS! mix is nearly at end. Lo and behold there's hardly as much new(er) music in my collection featuring horns. I'm troubled by trying to mix the old with the new, while still maintaining a congruency. Then there's the whole issue of Chicago apologists.
8) I just finished Ladies and Gentleman, the Bronx Is Burning. Good book. I wonder if the ESPN miniseries will hold up. The book wanders for large segments of time away from baseball to deal with rioting, bankruptcy, politics, and the Son of Sam. I'm guessing ESPN knows their audience and stuck with the Yankees for the most part.
9) We just went through massive layoffs at work, which is saying something when you work in an office with 20-some peeps. My department has been reduced to just me (the editor) and a designer. Good thing the title list is shrinking too, even if it's not significant enough. My guess: We'll be out of business in five months. I hope I'm wrong, but having gone through this process in my previous job at the newspaper, I have a pretty good feel for this sort of thing.
10) Guitar Hero II was an unexpected hit at a recent party. M even digs it! I had never played the game prior to receiving it as my surprise b-day gift from M. It's incredibly addictive — and fucking hard. I can't play a lick on the hard level, despite being pretty good at medium. My pinkie is just not used to such workouts. (Insert joke here.)
2) M and I joined a gym. My past gym exploits have been laughable and ugly. (Seriously, old naked men are both.) The new gym features none of that, and possibly I'll stick with it this time. My back reminds me on a nearly daily basis to get to the gym by screaming at me in the morning and at night. Since I'm in no shape to throw down 3 grand on a new mattress set, I'll have to settle for weights and stretching.
3) Tennis: I suck. I've finally found a sport that I really like and have little natural ability to excel at. That's not saying much, really. There are plenty of sports that I know I suck at — say, football — and hence I've never given those sports much of a chance. Then there is basketball. I could go an entire calendar year without touching a basketball, then hit the court and at least do a good Dickey Simpkins impersonation. A few times out, and I'm a regular Horace Grant. But tennis is another story. There's no Roger Federer hiding inside me, but the sport is a lot of fun regardless and gets my competitive streak fired up. If only I could learn some fundamentals, like a forehand or a backhand for example. My serve is actually my best ally. I've been playing once or twice a week, and so far I'm basically oh-for-the-world. I have a lovely tendency to get up 3-1 or 3-0 and then lose 6-4. I chalk my inconsistency up to said lack of fundamentals, and hope for the best next time out. At some point, I just have to get better, don't I?
4) Beans. They don't really cause back aches, per say. But I suddenly enjoy them in varieties previously foreign to me. M's white bean salad is delicious! There, I said it.
5) Superbad was funny. Who knew the best character plot line of the year would come in the form of a kid overcoming his sketchy past as a dick-drawing maniac?
6) Big Ten Network. Fuck you. Comcast. Fuck you, too.
7) Research on the HORNS! mix is nearly at end. Lo and behold there's hardly as much new(er) music in my collection featuring horns. I'm troubled by trying to mix the old with the new, while still maintaining a congruency. Then there's the whole issue of Chicago apologists.
8) I just finished Ladies and Gentleman, the Bronx Is Burning. Good book. I wonder if the ESPN miniseries will hold up. The book wanders for large segments of time away from baseball to deal with rioting, bankruptcy, politics, and the Son of Sam. I'm guessing ESPN knows their audience and stuck with the Yankees for the most part.
9) We just went through massive layoffs at work, which is saying something when you work in an office with 20-some peeps. My department has been reduced to just me (the editor) and a designer. Good thing the title list is shrinking too, even if it's not significant enough. My guess: We'll be out of business in five months. I hope I'm wrong, but having gone through this process in my previous job at the newspaper, I have a pretty good feel for this sort of thing.
10) Guitar Hero II was an unexpected hit at a recent party. M even digs it! I had never played the game prior to receiving it as my surprise b-day gift from M. It's incredibly addictive — and fucking hard. I can't play a lick on the hard level, despite being pretty good at medium. My pinkie is just not used to such workouts. (Insert joke here.)
9.07.2007
Being a fan these days isn't easy
This morning's Post-Dispatch web site displays the obvious complexity. Is it possible for a newborn star to be reborn in less than a month? If you've read the Daily News story then you know what all the hub-bub is about. Baseball can't catch a break. Its fans can't catch a feel-good story. And now I can't even enjoy the small sample of this season that's been enjoyable for me, the Cardinals fan. Or can I? Can I just block out the suspicion? Can I justify that prescription (regardless of its legality) as part of Ankiel overcoming a bunch of significant injuries and attempting to battle back to the majors as a hitter? Do I believe that he is now clean, accepting that we may never know because baseball doesn't test for HGH? What a fucking dilemma. And all it does is distract from a great pennant race between three mediocre teams.
Up until today Rick Ankiel has been the opposite of the typical jock storyline of 2007, which is to say he hasn't been in trouble with the police, in and out of court, beating his wife, being a reckless, gun-toting idiot. He has figures in his life — like his dad — who fit that mold. Yet he rebelled from that stereotype, seeming unbeatable, invincible, able to do the impossible and walk that thin line.
I'll need some time to process this. Being a Cardinals fan hasn't been easy after the McGwire hoopla. I didn't know if I would ever be able root as hard for a team or a player again after that. And then came Rick Ankiel. And then came his scandal.
I hope someone gives him the best advice of his life: Be honest. Do it for yourself. Do it for the game you love. Do it for your fans. Do it to be a real hero, to set an example for all the other players around you who are too chickenshit to own up. Tell us why. Maybe your reasons are legit. Maybe you did stop using when HGH was banned. Or maybe you didn't. Either way, just tell us the truth. It can even be your interpretation of the truth. Just speak. Now. Please.
8.28.2007
Repeat after me...
Five hundred. As in POINT 500:
.500
The Cardinals will try to reach that magical, mythical level tonight against the Stros. For those keeping score at home, STL hasn't been at (or above) .500 since April 16. It's hard to believe that we're still in this crawl to the finish in the N.L. Central, that we've still got meaningful work to do as we near September. Much like last year, the credit goes to the young'uns for keeping us going when it matters most. Here's to you, Ryan Ludwick (above), Yadi Molina, Brendan Ryan, Rick Ankiel, and ye who possesses a truly nasty knee buckler, Adam Wainwright.
.500
The Cardinals will try to reach that magical, mythical level tonight against the Stros. For those keeping score at home, STL hasn't been at (or above) .500 since April 16. It's hard to believe that we're still in this crawl to the finish in the N.L. Central, that we've still got meaningful work to do as we near September. Much like last year, the credit goes to the young'uns for keeping us going when it matters most. Here's to you, Ryan Ludwick (above), Yadi Molina, Brendan Ryan, Rick Ankiel, and ye who possesses a truly nasty knee buckler, Adam Wainwright.
8.17.2007
10 random thoughts on a boring Friday afternoon
1) It's really difficult to stay awake post-lunch when you're working on a spreadsheet. Try it sometime.
2) Research is well underway on my new mix, HORNS!, which I hope to have completed before the end of September. You will want to own this mix. It will be guaranteed to fill the dance floor every time you put it on.
3) For the longest time I've been looking for something representative of Sweden's psych scene circa the early 1970s. I've heard International Harvester/Parsson Sound, but they are too proggy. I've been searching for something more song-oriented, and I've found it in Pugh Rogefeldt. I've got his first two records now, and they're fucking tops. It's easy to see how Dungen was influenced by this dude. Unfortunately, he will not be featured on HORNS!.
4) I still like tennis, but my twisted ankle has prohibited me from playing for a couple weeks. I think that's going to change this weekend.
5) HBO has canceled John From Cincinnati. After sticking with it for the entire first season -- I'm one of the few to have done so -- I have to say I won't miss it one bit.
6) Flight of the Concords, however, is another story. HBO better keep it on for a second season. There's not much reason to watch HBO other than it, and Big Love, which has avoided the dreaded sophomore slump. Nothing tops AMC's Mad Men, though. It's spectacular.
7) The Cards could actually be in first place after this weekend if everything breaks their way. How fucking weird would that be, considering that this team has been littered with walking dead for weeks now.
8) The Illini are supposedly making a decision on Jamar Smith by the start of the semester. Reporters are saying he will either be suspended for a handful of games and then allowed to play this year, or he will be asked to redshirt this season (which sucks, I suppose, but allows him to maintain an additional year's worth of eligibility). Being booted from school/the team is apparently not an option. I'm still a bit baffled by the school's handling of this entire situation, but I'll reserve further comment until the verdict is made public.
9) I briefly got my hopes up for a Jens Lekman show at The Highdive, which I had heard was "in the works." Ain't gonna happen. It's sad when the last show I was excited about in this town was Jose Gonzalez (that's not the bad part) at the Courtyard Cafe (that is) almost three months ago. Whatever happened to the mildly intriguing stream of concerts we used to get in Champaign-Urbana? Why have the priorities of our local promoters shifted to bringing in run-of-the-mill indie crap and repeat performances from shit bands? No one gives a fuck about raising the standard if it doesn't have an immediate impact on the bottom line. I seriously wonder how much the lack of good concerts in this town has contributed to my lazy music-mindedness over the past year or so.
10) M and I are planning a trip to NYC in October. If it goes through, it will be my first time spending significant time in the Big Apple ... ever. How the hell did I make it to 30 years old (fuck, almost 31) and never really visit NYC?
2) Research is well underway on my new mix, HORNS!, which I hope to have completed before the end of September. You will want to own this mix. It will be guaranteed to fill the dance floor every time you put it on.
3) For the longest time I've been looking for something representative of Sweden's psych scene circa the early 1970s. I've heard International Harvester/Parsson Sound, but they are too proggy. I've been searching for something more song-oriented, and I've found it in Pugh Rogefeldt. I've got his first two records now, and they're fucking tops. It's easy to see how Dungen was influenced by this dude. Unfortunately, he will not be featured on HORNS!.
4) I still like tennis, but my twisted ankle has prohibited me from playing for a couple weeks. I think that's going to change this weekend.
5) HBO has canceled John From Cincinnati. After sticking with it for the entire first season -- I'm one of the few to have done so -- I have to say I won't miss it one bit.
6) Flight of the Concords, however, is another story. HBO better keep it on for a second season. There's not much reason to watch HBO other than it, and Big Love, which has avoided the dreaded sophomore slump. Nothing tops AMC's Mad Men, though. It's spectacular.
7) The Cards could actually be in first place after this weekend if everything breaks their way. How fucking weird would that be, considering that this team has been littered with walking dead for weeks now.
8) The Illini are supposedly making a decision on Jamar Smith by the start of the semester. Reporters are saying he will either be suspended for a handful of games and then allowed to play this year, or he will be asked to redshirt this season (which sucks, I suppose, but allows him to maintain an additional year's worth of eligibility). Being booted from school/the team is apparently not an option. I'm still a bit baffled by the school's handling of this entire situation, but I'll reserve further comment until the verdict is made public.
9) I briefly got my hopes up for a Jens Lekman show at The Highdive, which I had heard was "in the works." Ain't gonna happen. It's sad when the last show I was excited about in this town was Jose Gonzalez (that's not the bad part) at the Courtyard Cafe (that is) almost three months ago. Whatever happened to the mildly intriguing stream of concerts we used to get in Champaign-Urbana? Why have the priorities of our local promoters shifted to bringing in run-of-the-mill indie crap and repeat performances from shit bands? No one gives a fuck about raising the standard if it doesn't have an immediate impact on the bottom line. I seriously wonder how much the lack of good concerts in this town has contributed to my lazy music-mindedness over the past year or so.
10) M and I are planning a trip to NYC in October. If it goes through, it will be my first time spending significant time in the Big Apple ... ever. How the hell did I make it to 30 years old (fuck, almost 31) and never really visit NYC?
8.09.2007
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