Forget What You've Heard

SEC Football Suspensions

2011-10-21T12:40:00.002-04:00

UGA's got thugs out for cheap shots

Vandy's taking cheap shots, too....

LSU Tigers have been using synthetic Marijauna (what is that? Hydroponics? Salvia?)

Tyrann "The Honey Badger" Mathieu is suspended for the game against Aubie this weekend.

In his honor, we present: The Honey Badger

New (Kind of..) Surfer Blood

2011-09-13T23:17:00.003-04:00

These Florida boys have a new EP, Tarot Classics, out October 25th with some new old stuff. You can listen to a new version of their B-side, Miranda (here).

American Goldwing and the Great NW

2011-08-24T14:19:00.003-04:00

Blitzen Trapper really churn out the albums.... American Goldwing is out next month. Just at work listening to the stream of it....

Makes me wanna head to the NW.... so does this....

"Is There a Ralph's Near here?"

2011-08-20T12:19:00.002-04:00

Lebowski Reunion kicks off the NYC Lebowski-Fest
The Dude abides...

Is Your Brain Working?

2011-08-16T14:31:00.002-04:00

Saturdays Surf NYC

2011-08-11T13:02:00.003-04:00

Anyone ever been to this place? Saturdays Surf NYC. I'm no surfer, and I'm no New Yorker. BUT, I've kinda got a crush on this place... Where else can you get Surfboards and Espresso? Costa Rica? Their Accessories are the fun stuff along with their T-Shirts....

Nintendo's Next System

2011-06-09T10:19:00.004-04:00

So, E3 is this week. It's pretty much the big nerdy video game conference each year. Is it as nerdy as Comic-Con? Close. Here is a clip from Nintendo's press conference showcasing the new system, Wii U. Pretty insane... That's the controller above, and that's Zelda below along with the clip showing more...

The Strokes on Ellen?

2011-06-01T21:18:00.002-04:00

CLICK HERE to see the Strokes make their daytime television debut. Ellen. How funny...

Happy Strokes Day

2011-03-22T10:07:00.003-04:00

FWYH has gone back to its original banner/header in honor of the release of the Strokes new album, Angles. Welcome back, fellas.

1 Week Until ANGLES

2011-03-15T09:54:00.004-04:00

The Strokes have placed Angles on full stream on their website (Click). One week from today, this new venture will be in the public's hands. As a Stroke fanboy from the get-go 10 years ago, I wait with baited breath. A four year hiatus with numerous solo acts (Albert Hammond's two albums, Fabrizio's Little Joy, Julian Casablancas - Phrazes for the Young, and Nikolai's NickleEye), the band is back together. After reading the review of 2006's First Impressions of Earth and the subsequent cover story in SPIN, I feared the worst. I was reminded of reading about the Beatles circa Abbey Road and the White Album. The boys of NYC are no Fab Four, but they were just as disjointed. Recording their parts individually with engineers and the like rarely being together as a band in the studio. Tensions were high. SPIN stated that this sounded like the last Strokes album. I agreed... While technically savvy, F.I.O.E. was a mess. Polished in many ways but in the end it seemed like lipstick on a pig. Nothing cures tensions like a lengthy Tour.... I was sure they were done. Apparently, we were wrong.

As I await Angles, I find myself back in 2005/6. Has absence made the heart grow fonder? For them? For me? For anyone? The recording process went down much like they did in '05. The band got together in the studio in NYC or in upstate NY at Hammond's place. The common theme was the lack of a lead singer. Julian was never in the studio as a creative force. In an attempt to lessen his hold on the "wheel" of the band, he stepped back. There are other creative voices at work in this group, and he let them speak. While the band laid down the tracks upstate, Julian was on tour promoting his solo debut. Later, he would step into famed Electric Ladyland studios in Manhattan to record vocal tracks that would be sent as digital files to the rest of the band. This situation had to make for a frustrating process. Lead guitarist, Nick Valensi, was the lone member without a solo effort. Did he like the idea of going rogue?

"I'm not a huge supporter of side/solo stuff. I'm of the opinion that you're in a band and that's what you do. If there's leftover material and time, then sure, by all means. But if you're playing material that you haven't even shown to your main band and you're just sort of keeping it for yourself, I'm not a big fan of that."

The band's original fan club started in 2001 under the guise Alone, Together (after the Is This It track). This moniker couldn't describe the state of the band any better... With the fourth album looming, Julian has his reservations.

Do you like the finished product?

Julian: "I mean... yes... It's a tough question because I think the whole point was that I was going to let things go so there's a bunch of stuff [on the record] I wouldn't have done."

Is this the last Strokes album?

Julian: "I definitely think there will be a fifth Strokes album. I mean, I hope so."

Time to hold my breath....

Death Cab for Beastie Boys

2011-03-14T16:09:00.004-04:00

Wha? Album art and release date confirmation has arrived from the both camps (Death Cab for Cutie and Beastie Boys). Ben Gibbard and Co. are ready with their follow up to 2008's Narrow Stairs, while Adrock, Mike D, and MCA are back with Hot Sauce Committee Part 2! Part 1 was shelved in 2009 due to MCA's cancer bought, but Part 2 appears eerily similar.... Either way, 2011 is shaping up well so far!

Beastie Boys - May 3

Death Cab - May 31

God Bless, Italy (not Galliano)

2011-03-03T00:02:00.003-05:00

Videos of the higher ups at J. Crew bombing around Italy - awesome...

About a SHOE (CLICK HERE)

About a THREAD COUNT (CLICK HERE)

How great to see people that take such pride in their work? (work that many Americans would snub their nose at) - Bravo, J. Crew - way to step it up the past couple of years...

and a silly video or two for a laugh

New PAINS of BEING PURE at HEART

2011-02-09T11:36:00.006-05:00

POBPAH are back with the first single off next month's new album, BELONG (March 29 - Pre-order)
The Pains of Being Pure At Heart - Belong by Slumberland Records
Gone are the Robert Smith influences. They've traded "Friday I'm in Love" for "Cherub Rock". 90's alt-rock is very apparent on this track. Hmmm....

The Strokes - Under Cover of Darkness

2011-02-07T18:40:00.004-05:00

***UPDATED***

Well the new album almost here - until then here IS

~~a teaser of~~ the 1st single....

Instant review? premature evaluations? GO!

New Fleet Foxes!

2011-01-31T13:30:00.002-05:00

Hallelujah! it's about time! It's out May 3rd- they're playing the Ryman on Friday the 13th of May!!!! Tickets on sale this Friday, February 4th.

Listen to the new song from SubPop below:

Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues by subpop

Little Barrie is back!!!

2011-01-20T10:49:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite bands of the 00's is also one of the most overlooked - Little Barrie. A vintage blues/classic rock trio in the vein of Spencer Davis Group (minus the horns) or Cream before them, Little Barrie debuted in 2005 with their Edwyn Collins produced album, We Are Little Barrie. Check the review on AllMusic.com. Barrie Cadogan is the front man. After years as a studio guitarist in the UK and a touring guitarist for many solo acts (Collins and Morrissey to name a few), Barrie put together his own group. Their music and sound are nothing short of spectacular. Great riffs, classic sounds, & very tight production make it all go down easy. At the end of the day, they're just cool. It's music that hip dads and hipster sons can find common ground. Designer, Paul Smith, didn't miss them apparently (here). They're from his hometown, Nottinghamshire, UK. Their second album, Stand Your Ground, came around in 2006/2007 with a little more fanfare from the press. Critical acclaim but no fanbase - happens all the time. Now they've been relegated to international releases. Their new album, King of the Waves, was just released in Japan. I have acquired it via the interweb. Nothings changed. They're still rocking. No one notices, but I advise you to give them a listen. They're a great addition to your iPod.

Here's a sampling from their first 2.
The entire new album follows.

Dr. Joshi - I'm yours once again

2011-01-20T09:29:00.006-05:00

In February 2008, I went through Dr. Joshi's Holistic Detox. 21 days. Whitney and I slaved through 3 weeks with no red meat, dairy, sugar, processed foods, wheat, pasta, nuts, white rice, bread, fruit (except bananas), limited vegetables (nothing of the nightshade family...tomatoes, potatoes, peppers etc), no fish except oily fish (you can have salmon, thank God), caffeine, etc. It's 21 days to revert your body from our normal acidic diet to a more alkaline pH. It sucks at first and temptation abounds. It basically should be called the no friends, anti-social detox, because eating out with friends is either impossible or a backbreaking nightmare. You have to drink warm water with lemon juice in the morning, snack in mid morning and mid afternoon, and drink some crazy ginger root/herbal tea/ grapefruit madness on your 7th and 14th day all the while making 3 squares that fall into the rules of Dr. Joshi. Based out of London, he was Princess Diana's personal physician and has been Gwyneth Paltrow's guru for years (she's not in shape at all.....she's Country Strong).

I'm four days in and this time the transition wasn't too awful. I eased into it. Last time it was party time up until the first day. Then about the 3rd day of the detox, my body shut down like I was kicking heroin. That day felt like detox. How am I doing? Coffee has been replaced by ginger tea, peppermint tea, chamomile (at night), and the occasional green tea (allowed but sparingly due to caffeine). I haven't done the hot lemon H20 in the AM.... All in all I feel great so far. No real temptation except for the chocolate all around the house and the workplace food.... You gotta take your lunch to work. You also have to get up at the crack of dawn everyday to prepare your breakfast and your lunch for the day (boiling water, chopping veggies etc). This weekend will be the true test of wills that I never faced in Boston. Tonight, I have Dental Study Club which entails of a nice steak dinner (curses!). I can't wait for my colleagues to hear me request the vegetarian option..... Friday night is the kicker. JP's Mexican restaurant birthday celebration.... crap. My favorite food on earth with have to be tip-toed around like never before. Have you ever gone to a Mexican restaurant and not touched the chips? If so, you have a problem and don't need to be in a Mexican restaurant in the first place! I'm going to have to be that guy (GIRL). "Can I have a piece of chicken, beans, no cheese, red sauce or tomatoes of any kind?" - YUM! No margarita, salsa or Negra Modelo either? Shoot me. I'll let you know if I survive.

PS - I have the book if you'd like to read it.....
No takers? Shocker!

Something to Look Forward To

2011-01-10T11:08:00.000-05:00

Tennis - Cape Dory (January)
Denver's Indie Rock married couple ala Mates of State make their debut after EPs in 2010
Iron & Wine - We Kiss Each Other Clean (January)
Sam Beam's major label debut
The Decemberists - The King Is Dead (January)
Overly dramatic theater club rock - Are you excited!
Cold War Kids (January)
Bar-room low end rock
Tapes n Tapes - Outside (January)
can the Minnesota Indie blog darlings reclaim the former glory? doubtful

Telekinesis! - 12 Desperate Straight Lines (February)
Death Cab's Chris Walla is back to produce the sophomore effort
The Go! Team - Rolling Blackouts(February)
Lead single, "Buy Nothing Day", features Best Coast's Bethany Cosentino

Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Slumberland (March)
More from the NYC group worshiping at the altar of Robert Smith and Johnny Marr
REM - Collapse Into Now (March)
Athens boys forge ahead
Peter, Bjorn & John - Gimme Some (March)
Swedish pop trio try to re-claim the glory of 2007's Writer's Block (will there be a whistle?)
The Dodos - Time to Die (March)
folk/arsty, percussion heavy trio return after touring with New Pornographers last year

Jeremy Jay (April)
wannabe Lou Reed is back with more coolness and skinny jeans
The Black Lips (April)
gar-age rock forged in the veins of Mark Ronson - can't wait

Fleet Foxes ?
who knows when and one can hope
The Strokes ?
production is through and they claim to be holding to the original March release plan...

Gorillaz - The Fall

2011-01-04T23:40:00.006-05:00

New Gorillaz album for Xmas - made by Damon Albarn while on tour with the apps on his iPad - Impressive!

Listen below !

Here are the Apps he used:
(for all you Apple crazies)
Speak It! / SoundyThingie / Mugician / Solo Synth / Synth / Funk Box / Gliss / AmpliTube / Xenon / iElectribe / BS-16i / M3000 HD / Cleartune / iOrgel HD / Olsynth / StudioMiniXI / BassLine / Harmonizer / Dub Siren Pro / Moog Filatron

- My Widget isn't working....
head over to Gorillaz.co.uk and have a listen
http://thefall.gorillaz.com/

The Willy's Top 10

2010-12-31T16:46:00.014-05:00

These are the real deal.

These ain't no "Slashies", y'all.

10. The National – High Violet
HV was a slow burner for me. It didn't have the pop of Alligator and didn't pull like The Boxer....at first. After some QT together, me and HV are copacetic. Every track blends seamlessly with the next. No song stands above the other. They stand together with High Violet being the ultimate product. I will say that "Bloodbuzz Ohio" is about the only thing I like about Ohio. The album is beautiful but beautifully sad like many of the National's efforts. Do not listen to this album if you are depressed, it may put you deeper. It would be a great alternative to the Smiths for that broken heart. Where was this stuff when I needed it back in the day?!? "I don't have the drugs to sort it out."

9. Surfer Blood – Astro Coast
I fought tooth and nail to get a first pressing vinyl of this at the beginning of the year - I got it! What a pleasant surprise. "Floating Vibes" made me feel like I was in high school again. "Swim" falls in line with the rest of the sunny songs this year. At times, this West Palm outfit reminds me of what My Morning Jacket would sound like if they were a band from South Florida. May be if they just "Take it Easy"?

8. LCD Soundsystem - This is Happening
This IS Happening. Every James Murphy project is a party. The party continues on, but let's be honest: Sound of Silver still reigns supreme. Regardless - at the 2:57 minute mark of "Dance YrSelf Clean", the party kicks into full gear and doesn't look back. "All I Want" is supposed to be the "All My Friends" of this album but never reaches those heights. For me, "I Can Change" has the most fun and the best hook to boot! House party anyone?

7. Magic Kids – Memphis
Guess where these kids are from? Their ode to their home is a power pop tour-de-force that is almost so sweet it's saccharine. "Superball" does something to you when you hear it. You almost spasm into full on noodle dance. "Hey Boy" sounds like a song your parents danced to at a middle school sock hop. The whole album sounds like a super group of the Spinto Band, Vince Guaraldi Trio, and the Boy Least Likely To produced by Ben Folds. Crazy.

6. Best Coast - Crazy for You
The companion piece to Wavves this year, Best Coast goes to beach less stoned with a female perspective. You'll be reminded of Hole's "Malibu". It's a whole album of Malibu. Less rough than Courtney Love's gnarl, Bethany Cosentino sings her simple guitar songs about boys, the beach, what it's like when you're here, when you're there, how you make her feel, and what she's gonna do about it. Simple. Straightforward. Don't think too hard. Just take it in and watch the sun go down. "When I'm With You", "Boyfriend", "Crazy For You", "I Want To"

5. Vampire Weekend – Contra
We know the place that the boys in cardigans hold in my heart. The returned with more of the same. You'd remember drinking "Horchata": here comes a feeling you thought you'd forgotten. "Cousins" fills that "A-Punk" sized hole in your heart. "Giving Up the Gun" is like nothing from their debut. It may be their strongest song, yet. "Holiday" deserves more than a Volkswagen and Hilfiger commercial (but I approve of both). "Run" and "White Sky" are classic VW. Sophomore's are never as fresh as debut's, but Contra stays in step with the original and surpasses in some areas.

4. Black Keys – Brothers
The all male White Stripes, the Black Keys, survived singer Dan Auerbach's solo career to put out one of their stronger albums since Rubber Factory. They've tapered back Danger Mouses production hands slightly, but his songs actually have the most bang for your buck. "Tighten Up" is one for the ages, while "Howlin' for You" sounds like a stadium anthem. And their "Next Girl" will be nothing like their Ex-Girl... They'll be her "Everlasting Light".

3. Harlem – Hippies
This is my pick. While it won't be on many if any lists this year. It's on mine. I love it. Garage rock trio minimalism that triumphs at SXSW. I listen to this one straight on through. "Someday Soon" has one of my favorite lines of the year. "Someday soon you'll be on fire, and you'll ask me for a glass of water. I'll say, 'nooooo'. You can just let that s**t burn." Please put me out? "Gay Human Bones" was the single. "Be Your Baby" swings with retro vibes and modern swagger. Each song wreaks of someone scorned. These songs are the rebuttle, the revenge. Whatever.

2. Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
After putting the dark themes of Neon Bible to bed, Arcade Fire triumph with what will likely bring them Grammy gold. The Suburbs returns to the neighborhoods of Funeral. "The Suburbs" sets the tone, while "Ready To Start" hits on all cylinders. I could go on and on about the whole album, but I don't have time and my hands are tired... "Rococo" and "Modern Man" power along like the rest of the album. "Sprawl II" is an interesting curve ball with lead singer, Win Butler's, bandmate/wife taking the lead for a Blondie channeling moment. Through and through The Suburbs are a joy.

1. Local Natives – Gorilla Manor
I'll be brief. This album slays. It was the kind of thing that you feel every blue moon when you hear an album - WOW. The Strokes - Is this It?, Vampire Weekend - s/t, Franz Ferdinand - s/t all gave me that funny feeling. It's back. Start to finish there's greatness. "Wide Eyes" opens your eyes and ears. "Airplanes" grabs your heart. "Sun Hands" makes you stomp. "World News" is a sign of the times. A surprise is their cover of the Talking Heads. "Warning Sign" would make David Byrne proud. GO GET THIS - NOW!

The Willy's #15 - 11

2010-12-30T15:47:00.001-05:00

Halfway home....

15. Blitzen Trapper – Destroyer of the Void
After showing us the Wild Mountain Nation in 2007 and wowing me and the masses in 2008 with Furr, these NW reindeer trappers return with more of the same. D.O.V. doesn't have the immediate appeal of Furr, but it grew on me. The Black River Killer ep last year provides a good segue-way to this album. At times, this can feel like the Revolver to Furr's Rubber Soul if you follow me. "Dragon's Song" reminds me of Elvis Costello. The title track opens the album like a rock opera (much like "Sleepytime in the Western World" did in 2008), and "Heaven and Earth" sums it all up. DOV seems like an ode to the old west in all it's vast beauty but also the emptiness that can be found there, too. It's western like "True Grit" and "No Country For Old Men" just not as dark.

14. Wavves - King of the Beach
Nathan Williams, the one man tour de loser, is back and stoned as ever. He is one hyperactive user though playing more like a meth addict. I didn't care for the overfuzzed mess of his debut. I also didn't like his public fisticuffs with the Black Lips who I fully support. With the help of a quality producer in Dennis Herring (Modest Mouse, Hives, Fiery Furnaces, Ben Folds, Counting Crows, Elvis Costello), Williams finally has some constructive criticism to sharpen his sound. "King of the Beach" kicks you off in an instant and makes you reach for your shades. "Idiot" will have you having Incesticide-era Nirvana flashbacks. "Post Acid" just continues the party. Catchy pop punk abounds. More is to come with Best Coast...

13. She & Him – Vol. 2
Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward are back again with more reverbed retro cuteness for you to be bop to. "In the Sun" is so cute it can only be outdone by the companion video that is an Indie "Hit Me, Baby (One more time)". While it doesn't seem as original this time around, Vol. 2 still has things to say. The Skeeter Davis hit, "Gonna Get Along Without You Now", translates well with Zooey's wall of sound. Folky Doo-Wop is here to stay?

12. The Walkmen – Lisbon
The Walkmen are still putting out the same product year in year out. This is probably their least angry output (I think there is only the trademark growl/yell on 1 song?). "Angela Surf City" has that growl, but it's one of the catchier songs this year. There was so much "fun in the sun"/beach music/summertime music out this year? "Woe is Me" will make you tap your feet. "Victory" sounds like most Walkmen songs - full on Afghan Whigs as the house band in Beautiful Girls. (What? Watch the movie-you'll hear it...)

11. Devo - Something For Everybody
Can this be right? Yup. I bought this on a whim and was blown away. Every last song on here is catchy. You feel like pulling out your Thompson Twins tapes and popping in your VHS copy of Weird Science. It is all 80's and fun as can be. "Fresh" kicks it off like the opening credits to your favorite 80's movie. "Mind Games" is like you fused your Atari with a 4-Track to make a song. "Don't Shoot (I'm a Man)" is like the Revenge of the Nerds got back together for a corporate anthem for their office space. Listen to the first half of this album. If you're not bobbing your head at that point, check your pulse. Guilty pleasure, what?

The Willy's #'s 20-16

2010-12-29T18:37:00.010-05:00

And now - on with the countdown...

20. Sleigh Bells - Treats
After digitally putting out one of my favorite songs of last year with no physical album/ep/contract to speak of, Sleigh Bells put out their proper debut in Treats. "Ring, Ring" is included on Treats in a new fancy studio version (albeit as "Rill Rill"). It's still catchy as ever. While that song is the most palatable, the rest of the album comes at you like a chainsaw through a megaphone. Lead singer, Alexis Krauss, goes from a faint whisper to a pep rally yell. The cheerleaders on the cover are somewhat ironic as this music sounds like pre-game music for skateboarding competition pep rally. "Kids" has got the punks ready...

19. Cornershop - Judy Sucks a Lemon for Breakfast
While this album technically came out last year internationally, it's domestic release was this year. Remember the song, "Brimful of Asha"? It was a Buzz Clip on MTV circa summer 1997. Well, it's the same fellas. While it came out in the winter, Judy Sucks a Lemon plays like the ultimate summer fun album. The whole album exudes cheery fun-in-the-sun. The title track will make you move, while the cover of Dylan's "The Mighty Quinn" will bring Phish to mind (their Live cover from years back...). Put on "Soul School" this winter and you may feel like your in a convertible with OMC singing, "How Bizarre". (Thank you to the band for autographing my LP - I ordered it from them, and I got an email saying the band would be back in town soon. If I didn't mind waiting, they could sign it for me...OK?)

18. The Dead Weather – Sea of Cowards
Jack White's umpteenth side project, The Dead Weather, comprised of Allison Mosshart of the Kills, QOTSA's guitarist, and Jack Lawrence of the Greenhornes returns with their second album in as many years. Still dark. Still bluesy. Still Dead. Jack moves from behind the drums on this one to take a little more stage light from lead singer, Mosshart. It ends up being more of a duet for the two. The high points/singles are not as strong as Horehound, but the album as a whole is better in my mind. "Blue Blood Blues" says it all. "Jawbreaker" breaks your jaw! This is my lawnmowing music. Riding around "shaking hips like battleships".

17. Spoon – Transference
Let's get it out of the way that Spoon is one of my favorite groups. Britt Daniel just does so much cool stuff with minimalism. That being said, Transference hits on all cylinders but lacks the appeal that was found in previous releases. Every song matters to Britt but may not matter to everyone. "Written In Reverse" could be any Spoon song. "Got Nuffin" reappears from its EP release. "Mystery Zone" was my favorite with this album being more of a mystery to me.

16. Sufjan Stevens - The Age of ADZ
Illinois this is not. Sufjan is back and weirder than ever, but it works. Like all Sufjan, this album begs to be listened to as a piece and not as individual tracks. The title track hits a lot of the themes. "Too Much" is a bit more approachable. There is little you can say to describe it... It's like he's been hanging out with Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood for the past couple of years. Hmmm?

The Willy's #'s 21-25

2010-12-27T17:41:00.013-05:00

We begin the Top 25 for 2010
in the heart and mind of me - The Willy's.

Hopefully, you'll get them!
(the albums, not the willies...)
Enjoy!

25. Yeasayer - Odd Blood
Odd blood indeed! With no Animal Collection bizarreness this year, Yeasayer can fill that void in your heart (yes, I know Avey Tare had an album). These space age dance grooves will have you shimmy shaking. While some of the album veers into strange, the high spots are loads of fun in the vein of Passion Pit's album last year. Check out the synth-y goodness of "O.N.E." and "Ambling Alp".

24. Belle & Sebastian - Write About Love
Oh, Stuart Murdoch how do I love thee? You let me down with your wannabe musical, God Help the Girl. Write About Love brings you back to my liking somewhat. While it may be heresy in the B&S circles, I think that Dear Catastrophe Waitress and The Life Pursuit are some of the group's best work. This album is not quite up to that caliber. There are some enjoyable songs, but like early B&S some of the album could lullaby you to sleep. Caveat: this album is not suited for long road trips. Failure to recognize this could result in bodily harm and trashing your car! That being said, listen to it in spurts on a lazy day. Download "Write About Love" and "Come on Sister".

23. The Drums - The Drums
The Drums blew onto the blog/hipster scene last summer/fall with their debut EP. "Let's Go Surfing" was one of my favorite songs last year and is still catchy to this day (it's intro is my ring tone). It appears again on their debut album this year. Songs like "Best Friend" and "Forever and Ever Amen" will have you finding your inner Robert Smith. The songs are upbeat in the theme of the EP, Summertime!, but the message seems to be anything but sunny. Therein lies their debt to the Cure - depressing, dark, loathing, and heartbroken. Yum.

22. The New Pornographers - Together
"Put, put, put your 'Hands (Together)' for the silver bullet maker!", screams the NP gang at the onset of their newest collaboration - werewolves are all the rage next to vampires! Carl Newman, Dan Bejar, and Neko Case are still making it work in their Canadian super group. "Crash Years" serves as one of the finer vehicles for Neko's voice that the group has ever put out. The album is good, but the great-ness is maybe not all there. It's a solid 3 1/2 stars. Enjoyable all over, but it's not the best they've ever done. It maybe would've been higher for me if they hadn't phoned in their show here in July... (in their defense, it was the last night of a long tour, and I'm sure they were tired...)

21. Jenny & Johnny – I’m Having Fun Now
What can we say, "We are suckers for Jenny Lewis." From the Wizard to Troop Beverly Hills to Rabbit Fur Coat, I've been all ears (and eyes). A duets album with boyfriend, Jonathan Rice, IHFN plays more like a sequel to Acid Tongue, Jenny's 2008 album. I actually like this better than Acid Tongue. "Scissor Runner" is a rocker. "My Pet Snake" is all fun. The two play well off eachother, but Rice's voice tends to be flat compared to the sharper, Lewis. The light is on her for sure, and he fades to the back with his "Switchblade". Regardless, it's a good run start to finish over and over again as it spins.

The Willy's 2010 - Honorable Mention

2010-12-22T17:36:00.006-05:00

The Willy's are back after a basic hiatus last year with me phoning the list in. With all the absence of Blogging this year by me, this is hopefully a sign of a comeback. Life is finally at a somewhat even keel. Keep your fingers crossed (or roll your eyes).

The Top 25 are still to come.
These albums were SOOO close but no cigar....

Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest
Bradford Cox and co. put out one of their more accessible releases from the Deerhunter camp. Halcyon Digest was a critical darling this year (as was 2008's Cryptograms), and you'll see it on everyone's list. For me, Deerhunter is quite the anomaly. When they're are on, I love it (see: "Revival"). Other times, I'm just bored or weirded out(see: "Earthquake"), and I listen to some weird stuff that will not make any of these lists.... It's a good album, just not one of my tops.

The Morning Benders - Big Echo
Big Echo falls into a similar world/vein with Halcyon Digest above, albeit slightly different. The high points are all over this album, but in the end it was never able to really keep my full attention (I'm a gnat, I know). You owe it to yourself to check out "Promises" and "Excuses". The music is very melodic, but sometimes it's just too chill...

Women – Public Strain
You'll see a pattern forming here. Public Strain is a commendable endeavor for Women, but like the 2 albums above: not a top earner in my heart. Don't get me wrong, I own this album and respect it, but it is not one that I will parade around on my iPod at the Y. The tones coming from their guitars at times may make you cringe a bit. I prefer their s/t album from a couple of years ago, but again it can be abrasive.

The Love Language – Libraries
The LL is less than a band and more of a man. This North Carolina outfit has constructed a more complete album than their s/t debut of 2 years ago. The reverb is turned to 11 like a My Morning Jacket record. This was the closest call for me on making the Top 25. "Heart to Tell" is one of the better songs I heard this year...

Girls - Broken Dreams Club (ep)
This is a pretty good release. I think I like it better than their full length from last year.... Pretty tolerable from start to finish, Broken Dreams Club would be in the Top 25 if it was a full album. As far as EP's go, it's top of the pops this year, and totally worth bending an ear. San Fransisco's represented well, and this isn't quite the depressing heroin binge that Album was (the song "Hellhole Ratrace" was quite aptly named). Even with the song "Heartbreaker", sounds like Girls hearts aren't breaking so hard anymore.

Brandi Carlile - Give Up the Ghost
Brandi's "story" came to forefront this past year with her official "coming out". Good for her. She lets it all out here. Give Up the Ghost was a staple in Whitney's car, and by gosh it is catchy as hell. "Dreams", "Touching the Ground", "Caroline", and "Dying Day" are some highlights, but honestly it's good through and through. I give a hearty recommendation. This was a last second addition to my list as I nearly forgot it. Had I remembered earlier, it would most definitely been in my Top 25. I'm just too lazy to move things around at this point!

The Fighter / The Town

2010-12-21T19:14:00.006-05:00

People always ask us, "Are there people really like that in Boston?".
You better believe it.

It has been an interesting year, 2010.... Can't say that I'll miss you - 2011 bring it on. As you may or may not know, we lived in Boston for the past 3 years and have made our way back to Tennessee. Boston has managed to stay with us and haunt us through film. One of favorite movies of the year, The Town, came out on DVD/Blu-Ray this week. I highly recommend it. Ben Affleck's 2nd time behind the camera doesn't disappoint. Unlike Gone Baby Gone, Affleck puts his acting shoes on for this ride. The Town follows bank robbers from the borough of Charlestown in Boston as they come to grips with their lives and the desire to get out the business once and for all. Affleck is good, but Jeremy Renner (Oscar nominated for The Hurt Locker) reminds me of lonely rides on the Blue Line on the T back in Boston. It's one of my favorites of the year with something for everybody. Go get this one. You won't be sorry.

This past weekend, The Fighter finally opened to wide-release. Straight out of the Boston suburb of Lowell, The Fighter follows the true story of two brothers struggling to bring honor to their city and their family, too. Mark Wahlberg plays Micky (with no - E) Ford, an up and coming boxer that is realizing his window of opportunity is shrinking, and he may actually be the boxing stepping stone he never intended. Wahlberg like Affleck a Boston native takes a back like Affleck to his stellar co-star. The other brother is Dicky Eklund, former boxer and the "Pride of Lowell" after allegedly knocking down "Sugar" Ray Leonard years ago in a fight. Eklund is portrayed masterfully by Christian Bale, who is a far cry from Bruce Wayne as the washed up, crackhead has-been. While Bale's thick Welsh accent may creep through just barely at times, his Boston accent and spot-on portrayal of Eklund are the stuff of Academy Awards (Get a look at the real Eklund and you realize that Bale even toned it down some in his version of Dicky). Amy Adams does a good job as the love interest, and Melissa Leo leads a gaggle of Massachusetts women (Mother to Ward, Eklund and their 7 sisters) that are all-too-real. The movie is very good, not great. It's the total opposite direction from Director, David O. Russell's last movie, I Heart Huckabees. Regardless, I recommend it - 2 thumbs up.

Black Lips recording with Mark Ronson

2010-11-29T15:08:00.005-05:00

While this fact has been reported previously, now we have some footage courtesy of Rolling Stone (click here). Mark now is looking like his sister Samantha.... New Black Lips album in April. Here's hoping it is awesome.

Weezer & Best Coast duet (awwwww!)

2010-11-29T14:51:00.003-05:00

Welcome Back!

2010-11-23T10:27:00.003-05:00

After closing earlier this year, the Groove has re-opened in East Nashville (what is it with East Nashville on here this week?). These posts are for you, Mrs. Gordon..... Oh, the Groove is an independent record store that sells actual physical music (some of which is vinyl). Welcome back.

The Good Wife Supper Club

2010-11-22T12:40:00.017-05:00

(this is the latest venture of a friend of mine from high school)

The Good Wife Supper Club is an experiment.
It is also a small group of food enthusiasts and seasoned cooks who are teaming up to do what they love – make dinner and share it with others!

Is it possible to eat with the seasons? Can our cooks find quality ingredients locally, so that they can prepare thoughtful, nourishing suppers? Can we establish a real network of suppliers that have names, faces and handshakes? And just as important, are there eaters out there who crave a fresh, seasonal, and simple approach to food?

The cooking of the GWSC has a deep connection to nourishment and community. Inspired by our pasts, the seasons, and homey traditional dishes we love. The Good Wife Supper Club will serve a family-style dinner every Saturday and Sunday night in a beautiful, historic home in East Nashville. The atmosphere is casual, warm and inviting.

How It Works
Saturday - 4 courses - 50 dollars
Sunday - 3 courses - 40 dollars

- Payment in the form of a one time membership fee is required to make a reservation.
- Please see our reservations calender and select the night you wish to come.
- Once completed, your name and number of people in your party will be added to our books for the night you reserved.
- Please arrive at 123 South 11th St., Nashville, TN 37206, at 7 o’clock PM.

- Menu changes every week. Sunday will be a modest version of Saturday. We suggest you BYOB.
- You will receive an email the Thursday before your reservation with the weekends menu and suggested wines that would pair well with dinner.

- Guests will be seated in our dining room at one of two long tables. Communal style
- You will always be able to sit with those you came with but you will also be sitting at a table with others you may not know.

- Please be prepared to eat what we are serving. We will not have substitutions available.

- Cancellations must be made one week in advance to receive a refund.

The seat is yours.
If you can’t make it, give it to a friend.
They’ll thank you!

Dinner for December 4th & 5th

Saturday, December 4th, 2010

Nibble: boiled peanuts

Garden salad with radishes, their tops, lemon and brown butter vinaigrette

Onion Soup

Braised front leg and shoulder of Venison with vegetables

Pear Tart with ice cream

Sunday, December 5th, 2010

Nibble: boiled peanuts

Venison Pate with crackers and garden salad

Venison Stew with carrots and mushrooms, homemeade bread

Pear Tart with Ice Cream

most produce is from Sulphur Creek Farm, Bells Bend, TN

The GWSC was created by Avon Lyons, a native Nashvillian, who graduated from Harpeth Hall and The University of Mississippi. After working in restaurants during her early twenties, she decided to become serious about cooking and enrolled in the internationally recognized Ballymaloe Cookery School, followed by a year living and cooking at the Rose Bakery in Paris, France, taking time to travel and eat all over Europe. Upon returning to Nashville, she spent two happy years working in the kitchen of Margot Cafe. Seeking to deepen her understanding of food and wine while cooking for others, she will gladly divulge recipes, insights and resources, so that together we may all become better cooks. She cannot overstate the influence of Alice Waters and her Delicious Revolution ideals – seasonal ingredients of the best quality, cooked simply and sensually, and shared with others at a warm and inviting table resonates within her.

She will not be doing this alone.
We are all so lucky that these friends are involved too….

Casey Dailey, chocolate maker at Olive & Sinclair by day, master of the radish by night, will be in the kitchen with me. His vision of food is grand, and will surely be present in every meal. His lovely girlfriend...

Brooke Gillon is a farm manager at Sulpher Creek Farm in Bells Bend, TN, and will be a great resource for beautiful, organic produce.

Robin Ridell is the wine lady, giving suggestions every weekend on what to drink with dinner. Aside from being one of the easiest people to talk to I’ve ever met, she is a fantastic hostess and strongly committed to local food through her leadership in Slow Food Nashville and farmers markets.

Lauren Vandervelde is a graphic designer, home cook and enthusiastic hostess. She will be the lovely brunette managing reservations and serving dinner.

They look forward to
seeing you at dinner...

Guess Who's Back?

2010-10-22T17:06:00.001-04:00

Just in time for Halloween... I'll try to finish the year strong with not a complete abandonment of this Blog...

For Football - Let's Re-visit These Guys

2010-09-28T17:26:00.000-04:00

Best Coast is the West Coast?

2010-09-13T19:53:00.004-04:00

I first heard the music at the onset of this year. I was intrigued with every 7" that came from Bethany Cosentino. With the release of her full length at the beginning of Summer, I was hooked. After seeing them in concert last night, I may have a crush on Best Coast (her stage name w/ buddy Bob Bruno & Ali from Vivian Girls). All of her songs that were overfuzzed in her early releases, now sound so much better live. If someone uploads last lights clips to the Tube, I will provide. Until then, here is some stuff from earlier in the year.

PS-If you like garage, sun pop, lo-fi etc. and haven't picked up BC - DO IT!

New Kings of Leon

2010-09-08T13:54:00.002-04:00

Radioactive!

New album, Come Around Before Sundown out in October!
http://radioactive.kingsofleon.com/

Sorry For My Absence

2010-08-02T15:49:00.003-04:00

This post goes out to Clayton Turner (who I never knew was on here). I'll be back tonight with some music. Sorry for my sabbatical. I had again thought about hanging it up. I thought Mr Holt was my lone reader.
Talk to you all soon.
- W

So Excited About...Inception

2010-06-08T12:27:00.010-04:00

It's almost like Kubrick has returned from the dead to do the sequel to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Christopher Nolan, who has wowed us with Insomnia, Memento, The Prestige and The Dark Knight, is back for another complete mind scramble from the looks of it. Dicaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, the always creepy Cillian Murphy and Nolan's secret weapon - Michael Caine. I CAN'T WAIT!!!! INCEPTION !!!!

Man vs. Flip Flop

2010-06-07T12:57:00.002-04:00

In honor of Bonnaroo this weekend don't be this guy....

Interpol Loses Style and Flair

2010-05-10T19:43:00.006-04:00

Interpol is set to release their new album this year and have recently made the song, "Lights" (click to download), available for download. As they map out a tour of the country in support, Paul Banks has announced that bassist, Carlos D, has left the band. Interpol has basically been an NYC drenched version of Joy Division since 2001. Their slow droning anthems to their driving beats have always tickled my fancy. However, I will say I didn't care for the last effort in 2007. "Heinrich Maneuver" was a great single with a clever play on words, but the rest of the album left me flat. Perhaps this lack of creativity and too many long stints on the road led to Carlos's departure. He makes up 1/2 of the rhythm section with drummer, Sam Fogarino, but he was 100% of the spark in Interpol. His base lines and runs are amazing as is his interesting take on fashion if you like the Crispin Glover look. No one wears a holster like Carlos. He had turned into this Western look in the past couple of years. Whatever. Did anyone buy Paul Banks side project, Julian Plenti? I did. It lacks a certain something - Carlos! Oh, sigh. This may be the end of Interpol as I need it....I know Banks is the main songwriter but it seems like so much for songs like "Obstacle 1" and "Stella Was a Diver". Boo!

Here is some of Interpol's finest interplays between Banks, Carlos and Sammy - Fantastic!

Local Natives/Suckers @ Great Scott

2010-05-10T02:50:00.001-04:00

Saturday, I had the pleasure of taking in a VERY intimate and SOLD OUT show of Local Natives at Great Scott (which is right down the street from us - I walked). Whit was down for the count, so I went solo. Suckers was the opening act. I got there way too early, apparently (9:45pm).I got to meet the Suckers and talk Nashville (they had just played the Basement below Grimey's before the flood). Very nice guys from Brooklyn with their debut album coming out in June. They put on a great show that I thought might best Local Natives - nope. LN took the stage and didn't hold back with 4 part harmonies and chants over pounding percussion and subtle riffs. It was amazing. I felt like I was seeing something revolutionary. I'm sure it wasn't and isn't, but I enjoyed it thoroughly. Here are some shots from my crappy phone and some better ones from the guy standing right in front of me (literally) with a better camera. What a show! Go get Gorilla Manor their album, now!

Here's "Wide Eyes" from the Show

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-09T23:10:00.000-04:00

Wolves On Parade

2010-05-06T13:08:00.004-04:00

New Wolf Parade

Out in June on Sub Pop - very nice!
Nice suburban Lord of the Flies cover....

Download MP3's
Ghost Pressure
What Did My Lover Say

The End of My Parents' Street...

2010-05-05T11:51:00.003-04:00

Hints, Allegations, and Things Left Unsaid

2010-05-04T19:37:00.027-04:00

Several times in life you are caught without a camera. It is rare these days with so much technology. With no iPhone, I'm relegated to the crappy cellphone camera as my real camera (Nikon sSLR) is too big to lug everywhere. Many of these times I've captured these moments but never shared. Here is a quick flashback to my Spring through blurry eyes.

In January, the addition to Tufts University School of Dental Medicine were opened along with our department's new clinic. 5 new floors - very nice!

views from Washington & Kneeland

--------------------------------------------------

One of my patients is a lobster fisherman who also works at Fenway Park. After finishing his implants, he showed up to his post op appointment with a plastic bag. He handed it to me and inside were 4 LIVE lobsters crawling all over each other and a bag of ice. Needless to say, I had all variants of lobster that weekend with the final meal a tip of the cap to George Costanza and Kosmo Kramer.

The concoction for the lobster steam bath

The lobster en route to the pot with a wink and nod to the bear

The finished product

The important parts

Lobster Scrambled Eggs

French Press Coffee

Biscuits to boot!

Kramer stays Kosher

---------------------------------------------

On our recent trip home, we also checked out many new things around Nashville that have popped up since we moved to Boston. Imogene + Willie in the Gulch is a clothing store/mini-factory/performance space transformed from an old service station where they make their own jeans. You want them made to measure: you got it! They also manufacture Ralph Lauren's RRL line of denim there which will fetch a nice price of around $400-650 for a pair of jeans. Crazy! And yet it sadly doesn't seem THAT crazy after being brainwashed in Massachusetts. Outside the store depending on the day of the week is a van that sells Tacos (Mas Tacos), and they are awesome! If you're ever on 12th and see the taco truck, pull over and grab a couple. It will be much better than that wrap you were likely to get at Frothy Monkey (loser!). I also went by Grimey's for Record Store Day to pick up some things and to hear the Alex Chilton tribute band with Eef Barzelay of Clem Snide and Grimey himself. At the same time, I unknowingly missed the Raconteurs playing live up the street at Jack White's Third Man Records on 7th (I drug Whitney by there before we left town to pick up the new Dead Weather's record.....she wanted to die). We also sampled some chocolate from Olive & Sinclair's in East Nashville - very tasty. Finally, we had dinner at Whiskey Kitchen right next to Jeff Fisher the night before the draft. Oh, we also managed to see most of our friends who we miss so dearly. Can't wait to be back!

Imogene + Willie

Imogene + Willie plus Ella the dog

Whit checking the merch

What a nouveau western feel

Steak Biscuits w/ 3 sauces and a Manhattan from Whiskey Kitchen

Fried Chicken with Macaroni and a Pink Lady of some kind @ WK

Mas Tacos Y'all from Mas Tacos!

Back lot @ Grimey's - 1 Yazoo Pale, please!

Yup...

Inside the Store...

That's all.....

Nashville, here we come!
July can't get here fast enough!
We'll miss ya, Beantown, but
my thoughts are with you, Nashville.
Dry Up.

-W

Long Drive Home/Quarterly Round-Up

2010-04-10T09:42:00.016-04:00

2010 is off to a bang, and my what a bang it is going to be when it's all said and done. In less than 90 days, I will be back in Tennessee with Boston in the rearview mirror. It's kind of sad, but not really. In truth, it's a relief and exciting to know that for the 1st time in 12 years I will be settled in one place with some permanence! For our cross country trek (Oregon Trail-style!), I couldn't think of a better soundtrack than what 2010 has already delivered. Can't wait to see what the rest of this year holds (IN EVERY ASPECT!).

Here are my favorite records for
the 1st Quarter of 2010:
(that I have PURCHASED)

Local Natives - Gorilla Manor
I've already spoken ad-nauseum about this one. It's great. Enough said. It's the follow up that Fleet Foxes still hasn't released.

Download: Local Natives - "Sun Hands"

Harlem - Hippies
This AZ band via Austin is keeping my love of garage/retro rock alive. Their major indie debut on Matador is step up from their last outing, Free Drugs. Matador Records a stalwart of American Independent Labels is under the Beggars Group that also owns stake in Rough Trade, XL, 4AD, and the now defunct Beggars Banquet. All those labels are putting out some of the best music available right now. Harlem is the latest addition to a long list of legends in independent music.

Download: Harlem - "Gay Human Bones"

Surfer Blood - Astro Coast
Is surf rock back? I think so. It is rising up along the same lines with the flower punk. Surfer Blood is NOT surf rock, though. It is something like a bastard child of the Pixies/Breeders with My Morning Jacket (don't attach too much to the MMJ reference - I say that only b/c the singer has vocals that are reverbed out the wazzoo - he is NO Jim James)
***THIS JUST IN*** - They are going on tour with Pains of Being Pure at Heart and will be coming to the Hi-Tone in Memphis and the Bottletree in the big, salty 'Ham. So you better get off your couch and check out what should be an amazing show. THERE!

Download: Surfer Blood - "Floating Vibes"

Spoon - Transference
One of my favorite bands is back for more with less. Scaling things back for a more raw/rough sound than 2007's Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, Transference is more along the lines of Gimme Fiction without going fully minimalist like Kill the Moonlight. (I still like Ga and Girls Can Tell the best!)

Download: Spoon - "Mystery Zone"

Vampire Weekend - CONTRA
Saw the ol' VW last week at the Orpheum. I feel like I've seen it all. It felt like your umpteenth Dave Matthews Band concert in High School. I fear the next time I see them will be like the one DMB concert I saw in college (snore........). Regardless, the show was excellent and fun. Contra is of the vein of if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Little studio tricks are toyed with (autotune), but it is still Vampire Weekend plain and simple. Spring has arrived and I believe it is time to put on my boat shoes!

Download: Vampire Weekend - "Giving Up the Gun"

She & Him - Volume 2
Zooey and M are back to sugarcoat your brains out! These little ditties are sappy as all get out, but they are good in their own simplicity. So, channel Phil Spector producing a Judy Garland/Patsy Cline duet album, put on your retro clothes (girls grab your favorite thrift store skirt and flats), prepare for a deadpan delivery and get lost in what sounds like music for a 70's Disney cartoon (Robin Hood, I'm looking at you....).

Download: She & Him - "In the Sun"

Let me tell you what let me down so far:

Gorillaz - Plastic Beach
The Soft Pack
BOOO! You could do better!

There is plenty of awesome other music that came out that I really like but haven't gotten around to purchasing, yet:

The Morning Benders - Big Echo
Dum Dum Girls - I Will Be
Los Campensinos - Romance is Boring
Beach House - Teen Dream
Happy Birthday - Happy Birthday

and on and on........

There is also a lot coming out soon to be fired up about:

MGMT
New Pornographers
The National
Avi Buffalo

and more!

It's gonna be a great year for us and for music!

Bad Kids - Kids Like You and Me

2010-04-03T10:52:00.009-04:00

Last week, I finally got to see the Black Lips in concert. They blew my socks off in 2007 with their live album from Tijuana and Good Bad Not Evil. They have come through Boston at least 4 times since we have been here - missed 'em every time... No more. I also finally graced the infamous Middle East in Cambridge. So many times I was gonna go to a show and.......nope. Done and done. Both were great! I was way late to the dance even in 2007. While I was in dental school in Memphis, R.A. Weinstock, the beatnik scenester in our class would always tell me to meet her and her crew at the Buccaneer in Midtown. King Khan and BBQ show were always playing there, and little did I know that the Black Lips were often in tow. I never made it - still bums me out, but I still have my King Khan/BBQ mix tape cassette that she gave me in the stereo to this day. It always warranted a trip to Goner Records in Cooper/Young. In the 00's, King Khan, the Black Lips, et al carried the torch the Brian Jonestown Massacre carried in the mid-90's. The flower punk, garage rock, drug scene, 60's soul revival is alive and well. It's basically like Sam the Sham being backed by the Shangri-La's. Watching these guys play, it feels like you have been transported to the sock hop diner on acid (really wouldn't know...).

On Pitchfork this week, they are streaming the documentary, We Fun, that follows the music scene in Atlanta circa 2005-2008. The Black Lips are primary players along with Deerhunter, Mastodon, the Selmanaires, and many others. I love a good music doc. It is in the vein of DIG!, except no rivalries or sadness. It's just people hanging out at house parties, clubs and talking about the scene (and how hey have a severe distaste of the scene in Athens). Check it out HERE if you like music.

Black Lips New Years Eve at the end of We Fun

Greenberg

2010-03-19T23:51:00.002-04:00

Noah Baumbach's latest venture comes out today. Greenberg appears to be simply the story about a man named Greenberg (played by a jaded Ben Stiller). He's a New Yorker who has moved to Los Angeles and dysfunction ensues. Probably a great casting with Stiller as no one plays the "guy who nothing goes right for" like him. Furthermore, comedians in serious roles almost always turn heads. The movie is almost as intriguing for the fact as the movie has a soundtrack/score by James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem. The preview below has "All My Friends" playing throughout - it is easily one of the best songs of the 00's.

I will most likely drag Whit to see this, and awkwardness will ensue. Have you watched Noah Baumbach movies? You worry about the guy's upbringing. His overly indie movies that usually feature 1 or 2 big names will usually have a couple of moments that will make you squirm in your seat (or make you unable to make eye contact with the person you are watching the movie with). Such I guess are the harsh realities of life? Too real for me sometimes. The Squid and the Whale, Margot at the Wedding, Kicking & Screaming.......awkward, awkward, awkward. I guess I can only stomach "watered down" Noah like The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (he wrote the screenplay). Check it out when it makes its way to your city, but don't say I didn't warn you....cringe.

Falling Stars

2010-03-18T21:14:00.005-04:00

Well, the day started with horrible news, and it kept on coming. Alex Chilton, the lead singer of Big Star, died of an apparent heart attack right on the eve of SXSW. Who is Big Star? They're basically a British Invasion act from the '70's that was really from Memphis. They are part Who and part Kinks (the windmill/power chord of Townsend with the wink in the eye of Ray Davies). You say, "Big deal....never heard 'em?". Well, I bet you have and didn't know it. Go to some music streaming site (i.e. - Lala.com) and stream #1 Record or Radio City. Better yet, go buy the 1992 compilation of the two albums on Stax (oh, Memphis....). I guarantee you will recognize at least one of the songs and say, "Oh.....I have heard them...". They are great. Much like Moby Grape (one of my all time favorite bands), Big Star is a highly revered American rock band in musical circles that your parents probably missed....

Bet you know this one.....for all the wrong reasons :P

(Well, when it rains it pours - Jesse James cheated on Sandra Bullock..... Oh, and flippin' Vanderbilt lost in the 1st round of the Tourney to Murray St. - Please, Thursday just end already - FML)

Sorry About Your Boy

2010-03-11T15:12:00.003-05:00

Well, as you know: He's friends with Merlin Olsen. The Hall of Fame lineman passed away today. Sorry, Ron.

I Wanna Dress You Up In My Love

2010-03-10T10:00:00.001-05:00

I was just scouring the interweb looking at clothes. I frequently like to look at clothes and also mock-vaca's on Travelocity, but I never buy anything (b/c I'm broke as a joke)! Here are some of my favorite items from the past 6 months. And yes, I'm not a real man. J. Crew really stepped up their game in the past year. I made my pilgrimage in December to the J. Crew men's store in the Tribeca neighborhood of Manhattan. It was a converted Liquor Store to men's shop (above). Speaking of NYC, I would kill to have something from Thom Browne's personal shop (below). On a more approachable level, Gant made shirts for our dads when we were little, but they still are making simple shirts that I love.

ANY Suit from Thom Browne

Gant Shirt from Barneys

Belstaff Roadmaster Jacket from Neiman Marcus and J. Crew
Thomas Mason Oxford Shirt from J. Crew
Classic Sperry TopSider Boat Shoe from ANYWHERE !!!
Asics Onitsuka Rooster/Tiger from ClassicSportsShoes
Prada Driving Loafer from Barneys
Ludlow Suit from J. Crew
Thom Browne Classic Tie from Barneys

I Just Threw Up In My Mouth

2010-03-09T18:44:00.003-05:00

Well, this is what I woke up to this morning: the new video for She & Him's "In the Sun". My apologies in advance to my wife whose eyes are rolling into the back of her head as she reads this. You thought Zooey Deschanel's Cotton commercial ("the touch the feel of cotton........ the fabric of our lives....") was nauseating? Look out! This video ups the ante and goes all in. Zooey dances around a school like the indie version of "Hit me, Baby (One More Time)". People, there's even a hula-hoop scene..... You wanna know the sad part? It's almost adorable... and cute.... Then you vomit..... again. Guilty pleasure? She & Him? Yup. Queen Zooey and King M. Ward sit on the indie throne. What a cool duo? Volume 2 of She & Him is out this month on Merge (order here).

Best Album Cover of the Year?

2010-03-02T22:35:00.002-05:00

new Black Keys in May - classic!

Local Natives, Too...

2010-03-02T19:41:00.002-05:00

Well, I've had a week with the Local Natives album, Gorilla Manor. It' s my favorite so far this year (even more than Spoon and VW). If you remotely like Fleet Foxes, you must bend an ear.

That's all -

The Inbetweeners

2010-02-21T13:05:00.004-05:00

Do you ever watch BBC America? Maybe you did back when Ricky Gervais et al were attacking the states with The Office for the first time. Obviously, that popularity led to the US spin-off with Steve Carell and the rest of his crew. Subsequent to that, the inevitable conversation always arose with someone saying, "Oh? I used to watch the British version. It was loads better". Great. The original almost always is better (except in rare instances-Jeff Buckley trumping Leonard Cohen comes to mind...).Back in January, BBC America debuted another BAFTA award winning comedy from across the pond, The Inbetweeners. It aired in the UK 3 years ago, and the US version is already in the works. It is no Office, but it is funny/enjoyable if you are into sophomoric humor. I DVR it each Wednesday night and watch it when there is nothing better on to watch. It follows 4 teenage guys going to school in the suburbs of London (West Hampshire?). The main character, Will (see why I like it?), is new to the school and has found a niche with Simon, Jay and Neil. While certainly not lowest on the secondary school food chain, they are most definitely not the "in-crowd" (hence the inbetweeners...). I will say WARNING: it is crass beyond words. Unless you are comfortable watching South Park or Superbad without flinching, this may not be your cup of tea. It is definitely TV-MA for it's language. Check it out, guys (and girls if you can stomach it).

anyone have Fifa 2007? Recognize that song?

The episodes also have interludes with one of my favorite songs of 2007:
Jack Penate - "Second, Minute, or Hour"

Sunshine In Your Hands

2010-02-19T17:03:00.005-05:00

I first heard this song last week. I'm sure I'm behind the curve, but I haven't been able to get it out of my head. Local Natives 2nd (or 3rd?) single off their debut album, Gorilla Manor (Buy It), is called "Sun Hands". The LA band is definitely channeling Fleet Foxes (big time!) with touches of Mando Diao (who has long been my favorite Swedish import). I've been waiting all week for my copy of their LP to come in the mail. I'll give some opinions when it finally arrives. You can download "Sun Hands" on iTunes or you can get it here:

On the Wings of Love....

2010-02-15T22:02:00.005-05:00

Well, I've solved the mystery of Vienna on the Bachelor.

It's David from the last Bachelorette in disguise.

That or they were separated at birth - I always knew she looked familiar! Her nickname, Sausage, applies even more now! Jake! You Moron! Look out! Einhorn is Finkle! Finkle is Einhorn!

J.D. Salinger

2010-02-02T20:43:00.000-05:00

JD Salinger died last week in NW New Hampshire away from the public eye - just like he liked it. Unable to cope with the limelight that came with the success of The Catcher in the Rye, Salinger all but disappeared from society. With the exception of a late 70's interview, the eccentric author was really never heard from again. In Salinger's mind, his writing was for his own personal enjoyment. Having to share these musings with the world was far to invasive for him. There is a line in Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park by Dr. Malcolm (that's Jeff Goldblum in the movie, kids...) that says, "What is so great about discovery? It is a violent, penetrative act that scars what it explores...". Salinger was most certainly scarred by his own discovery. Regardless, I'm sure he lived a very peaceful life out of sight.

Whether he wanted to or not, Salinger crafted one of the greatest literary characters of all time in Holden Caulfield. The insecure, foul-mouthed, prep school flunkie led readers through a vivid description of the span of 4-5 days that I may never fully comprehend. Considering it has been my favorite book from the moment I read it in 10th grade English, I wish I could sit around and talk about The Catcher in the Rye ad nauseum with others just to see what people pulled away from it. I read it about once every 3 or 4 years, and I'm back in it again as we speak still reaching for answers. It never fails to make me laugh, make me sad, and make me think. I feel like a leper holding the book on the subway each day as sadly, the book carries some negative connotation for me, too. The name Mark David Chapman may not register with everyone, but he was a troubled soul and obsessive to say the least. On December 8, 1980, Chapman made his way around Manhattan retracing the steps of Holden Caulfield and eventually ended his day at The Dakota apartment building. It was there that he gunned down John Lennon with his copy of The Catcher in the Rye at his side...
Nevertheless, this post is about Salinger. His writing was always vivid and his characters always numbing. Whether it was Caulfield, Seymour Glass, or Franny & Zooey, his lead characters knew how to hold your attention. Thanks to Seymour Glass, I am forever haunted/confused/disturbed by A Perfect Day For Bananafish (and Whitney is too after I gave her my thoughts on it.....). These characters may not have been your cup of tea, especially when it was required reading for school, but they deserve a second look. Like I said, I am plowing through The Catcher once again in Salinger's honor. Holden sure looks different to me at 30 than he did at 15, but I enjoy him just the same....

What really knocks me out is a book, when you're all done reading it, you wished the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it.

Holden Caulfield, The Catcher in the Rye

So it goes...

2010-01-21T14:25:00.002-05:00

In your final week, I bid you adieu mon ami!

Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A - START!

2010-01-12T11:10:00.005-05:00

Vampire Weekend's new album Contra is out today! (applause) Go get it!

NBC - You Bastards...

2010-01-12T10:58:00.002-05:00

Remember all the drama in 92/93 with Johnny Carson retiring, Letterman getting the shaft, and Leno stealing the show (the Tonight Show...). You think they would have learned their lesson - NOPE! Jay's show is abysmal. Conan's hasn't been great. Regardless, it's been 6 months against real shows @ 10pm (9pm God's Time) and an established show (Late Show with David Letterman). Nice mess NBC. No wonder you're dead last...

If only NBC really had Jack Donaghy.....

Left and Right In the Dark

2010-01-11T22:31:00.006-05:00

Friday I went to my 2nd concert in a row - solo. As Whitney and I drove home the previous Saturday from our now favorite Dim Sum brunch at Myers & Chang, we drove by the Paradise Rock Club. Across the marquee were the words, "Julian Casablancas: this Friday". I nearly drove the car into a hydrant. JC is the lead singer of the Strokes (arguably my favorite band of the oo's). His 1st solo album, Phrazes for the Young, came out at the end of last year. This was to be the opening night of his 2010 tour. Not sure how it wasn't sold out, but I got a ticket to the show (and then it sold out.......big time)Heading in I'll be honest, I was not expecting much. It was great. Like so many concerts before this one, it really made me like/enjoy the songs even more. There are only 8 songs on the album, so he had to pull some stuff out. They tried a new ditty they'd thrown together and some cover songs. That is where things got interesting. Julian said, "This next song........well I guess you'd say it's a cover.....#*$% it. You'll figure it out.....". A mellow, jazzy song ensued. He and only the organ player remained on stage. It wasn't until the chorus that the crowd realized what it was. It was the Strokes! "I'll Try Anything Once", the demo of "You Only Live Once", was right under our noses. By the second chorus, the whole audience was singing along. I thought I was recording the whole thing, but alas - No. There is a snippet of it that I'll post below. The 2nd cover left most of the audience dumbfounded. I was having a ball. It was a lounge singer/Jim Morrison-esque cover of "Velvet Snow" by the Kings of Leon (off Aha Shake Heartbreak - my favorite album of theirs - though I'm not a fan of that song so much.....). Solid nonetheless! Enjoy some crappy pics and some good and some dark videos - no good lights at the 'dise!

Here's a flashback: when these boys were young and untouchable...

PS- Brooklyn's own Tanlines opened - interesting if you crossed Animal Collective with African Pop........

The Willys Y2K9

2009-12-31T15:09:00.006-05:00

Hope everyone has had a nice year. Didn't it go by in a blink? Here are my Favorite ALBUMS of the year. The year started with a bang album-wise then ended up being a "singles" kind of year. Some great stuff came out this year, but it was an off year for me. I was really struggling to find 15 albums that I loved....and were worth this. I admit there is much I missed the 2nd half of this year, b/c I was insanely busy.

These were good, though....

Best of 2009

(in order for me)

Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

Animal Collective – Meriweather Post Pavilion

Pains of Being Pure At Heart – (s/t)

Black Lips – 200 Million Thousand

Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz

The Big Pink – A Brief History of Love

Passion Pit – Manners

The XX – (s/t)

Peter Bjorn & John – Living Thing

Julian Casablancas - Phrazes for the Young

Honorable Mention

Cass McCombs – Catacombs

Grizzly Bear – Veckamist

Karen O & the Kids – Where the Wild Things Are (OST)

Arctic Monkeys - Humbug

The Dead Weather - Horehound

Y2K Willy Singles

2009-12-31T14:40:00.004-05:00

Singles (50)

Top 15

1901 – Phoenix

My Girls – Animal Collective

Zero – Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Short Fuse – The Black Lips

Skeleton Boy – Friendly Fires

Everything With You – Pains of Being Pure at Heart

Dominoes – The Big Pink

11^th Dimension – Julian Casablancas

Listomania - Phoenix

Let’s Go Surfing – The Drums

Little Secrets – Passion Pit

Cousins – Vampire Weekend

It Don’t Move Me – Peter, Bjorn & John

Big Bills – Flosstradamus ft Caroline Polachek

Quiet Little Voices - We Were Promised Jetpacks

The Rest of the Pack

Plain Material – Memory Tapes

Answer to Yourself – The Soft Pack

Ring Ring – Sleigh Bells

Islands – The XX

All Is Love – Karen O and the Kids

Young Adult Friction - Pains of Being Pure at Heart

She’s Got Me Dancing – Tommy Sparks

Empire State of Mind – Jay-Z ft Alicia Keys

Lalita – The Love Language

Eid Ma Clack Shaw – Bill Callahan (SMOG)

I Wanna Kill – Crocodiles

Summertime Clothes – Animal Collective

The Fear – Lily Allen

Hi-Fi Goon – Throw Me the Statue

Little Bribes – Death Cab For Cutie

Bad Romance – Lady Gaga

Coast of Carolina – Telekinesis!

Deli – Delorean

In This Lonely Town – Jeremy Jay

I’m Confused – Handsome Furs

California On My Mind – Wild Nights

I Gotta Feeling - Black Eyed Peas

Walkabout – Atlas Sound ft Noah Lennox

People Say – Portugal. The Man

Wind Phoenix - Cymbals Eat Guitars

Games for Days - Julian Plenti (Paul Banks of Interpol)

Space and the Woods – Late of the Pier

Brandy of the Damned (Mark Ronson Remix) – Nickel Eye ft Wale

Poem Party – The Strange Boys

People Got a Lot of Nerve – Neko Case

Never Had Nobody Like You – M. Ward ft Zooey Deschanel

Oh No – Andrew Bird

Crying Lightning – Arctic Monkeys

Got Nuffin – Spoon

Treat Me Like Your Mother – The Dead Weather

Warm Hearts of Africa – The Very Best ft Ezra Koenig

Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Heads Will Roll

Merry Christmas !!!

2009-12-25T14:44:00.005-05:00

Hope you all have a wonderful day!

(thank you very much)

Είμαι πίσω

2009-12-06T12:55:00.003-05:00

"Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard are sweeter"

-John Keats

Narcissism

2009-08-17T02:11:00.002-04:00

Let's take a step aside for a moment friends.

Do you even see all the internet outlets we as a society subscribe to?

- Facebook
- Twitter (not I - kill me if I ever twitter)
- Blogs
And on and on...

With my 7 posts in less than 72 hours (I did them on purpose leading up to this - I tried to make a post for anything that crossed my mind), vanity is at a premium.

All of these "things" we do are riddled with narcissism. Twitter is the worst. How many different ways do we need to pat ourselves on our backs and affirm our sense of self-importance? Yikes. I'm as guilty as any. I love music and love to talk about it. No one is here to talk to me about it, so I just put it out there. I love it. I don't think I'm better than you (as far as you know). I just wanted someone to talk to. It's sad more than anything - all of these things. Facebook used to be a place to re-connect with friends. It has become an avenue to announce when you are "waking up", "feeling cranky", "partying like a rock star", "going to bed" etc etc....(btw, twitter, real original). Blogs are a pulpit for you to pour out your mind. It's your own column in your own paper. Who cares what we think? Who cares what I think? This blog is going private later this month - private as in non-existent. It's what it has become anyway. Just some food for thought, kids. Eat it up! I can't handle it anymore.

You're so vain....

Signing off for good for now.

It's been fun...
-W

Weak-end Wrap Up

2009-08-16T13:13:00.004-04:00

The 1st weekend of Premier League is in the books. Some surprises. Some boredom. Either way, it's good to be back. For the most part, it was a weekend of reminders:

- Arsenal year in year out plays the most beautiful football in the world. The are a treat to watch. No one maintains possession or passes with more precision. Tip of the cap to Arsene Wenger and Cesc Fabregas (6-1 over Everton!)

- Moneybags Man City began with a win, but the fact remains that they have a 2nd rate coach at best. He'll never handle all the ego at Ewood Park.

- Fulham began with a win for once. Portsmouth looks headed for the drop.

- Liverpool is painful to watch. One of the best strikers in the world (Fernando Torres), and they can't even get the ball to him. They've lost all their depth (who's your back-up striker? Veronin!?!). Glen Johnson looks promising.

- Rafa Benitez is not a good manager. I don't know how he breaks the colts, but it doesn't work. You can't live and die by the injury time goals. Terrible. Should've been sacked 2 years ago....

- Lucky breaks for Man U and especially Chelsea - 1-0 and an injury time winner respectively.

- Tottenham Hotspur look like Arsenal. Great moves by ol' Harry.

It's gonna be a good one. Come on Fulham! Wheel out the cannons for Arsenal, b/c they are in class form!

They're So Money, Baby

2009-08-15T17:00:00.006-04:00

So, I just stumbled upon this brother/sister trio from Camden Town, UK today. Apparently, I was late to the dance. They are in a time warp somewhere between 1930 and 1950 with Cab Calloway. They are cool cats for sure! I give you - Kitty, Daisy, & Lewis

Download - "Put the Kettle On" mp3

Let's Kick It

2009-08-15T09:00:00.001-04:00

The day my wife has come to dread is upon us. English Premier League begins today. Oh, how 12 weeks flew by. My fantasy team (Darjeeling United) is ready, and my Fulham Cottagers better be, too. So many quality players left the premier league this summer (read: Cristiano Ronaldo). Manchester City (the other Manchester club) was bought by an Arab Emirates group and used their cash to bring in everyone under the sun to a perennially average club. My team, Fulham, qualified for the Europa League and will be playing mid-week on the mainland. Can't wait to see the new clubs that were promoted (Burnley, Birmingham City, Wolverhampton) and the new faces that have come to England (Alberto Aquilani, Jozy Altidore, Yuri Zhirkov, Thomas Vermaelen). It's a long way to May. For those who still haven't caught the fever, look out it's more contagious than H1N1....

Feel free to click the link above and join the fantasy league, Pabst United. Commissioner Murphree will be glad to welcome you!

No One's First, and You're Next

2009-08-14T21:49:00.009-04:00

Modest Mouse is one of those staple indie bands. After what seems like 7 or 8 albums, they have mainstream appeal and still have the street cred to boot. Obviously, their breakout moment came with 2004's Good News For People Who Love Bad News and the hit single, "Float On" (for fans of that song just FFwd to the next track, "Ocean Breathes Salty" is one of my favorite MM songs). They continued with more of the same on the 2007 follow-up, We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank (did you know both albums were recorded in good ol' Oxford, MS?).

The other week, Modest Mouse released an EP collection of outtakes from these albums, No One's First, and You're Next. Leading up to the release of this EP, the band systematically released the songs on limited edition 7". And like a psycho, I bought them all. Now I'm bummed, b/c I have no reason to by the EP. Yet, part of me is driven to purchase it.... Did I mention I have a problem? That's like buying enough baseball cards to complete the set and saying, "you know I think I'll buy the box set". After all this, the songs are just OK. "Satellite Skin" is a winner. The rest are what they are - songs that didn't make cut for the albums. One of the last tracks is noteworthy, because Heath Ledger directed a video for it before his death. He didn't finish it, but his production company did in his memory. Check out "King Rat" just for Heath and take this EP for what you will. The critics seem to like it.

Modest Mouse

We Go To Some Concerts...

2009-08-13T07:48:00.000-04:00

Last week was a crazy week. It was my last week in clinic before things close up for the rest of August. Nevertheless, I didn't exactly coast into the break. I was doing surgery all day everyday up until the last moment. On top of that, I went to concerts Wednesday and Thursday night. After Arctic Monkeys on Wed with some friends from school, Whit and I went to Fenway Park Thursday for an evening with Paul McCartney. Surreal.

Arctic Monkeys was a great show. A huge band in Europe with a good following here, the Monkeys are playing in small clubs for this US tour. A band that could easily sell out 2 nights at the Orpheum was playing a club that is more like a Cracker Jack box. Awesome! (except that despite my best efforts it sold out even before the pre-sale went public - what? And I was left with my worst enemy - Stub Hub) Regardless, it was worth it and a once in a whatever chance. They blew the doors off the place. Their new album, Humbug, doesn't come out until later this month. It was produced by Queens of the Stone Age's Josh Homme (amongst others), and it shows. Humbug is a candy over in the UK (I'm guessing like a Werthers) that requires some time to get through to appreciate (just like this new album - thanks Russian Mp3 site....). Here are some pics I took with Whit's camera (no flash allowed...) of the band, me, John Mayer, etc. I tell you about Sir Paul after the jump.

Hey, Hey, they're the Monkeys...

Me and John Mayer

Alex Taylor

We Go To Some Concerts II

2009-08-13T06:25:00.003-04:00

Fenway Park is an American icon. Paul McCartney is simply an icon. Put them together, and I just black out. We are Beatles freaks (I know. Who isn't? Joe Pat....). We had a freakin Beatles cover band for our wedding. Obsessed much? Paul did not disappoint. He played for 2 1/2 hours with 2 encores! Plenty of Beatles hits were sprinkled throughout along with Wings and solo stuff that LBH, I was not down with. Highlights for me were "Back In the USSR" with communist/cold war paraphernalia flying across the screen behind him, "Something" on mandolin with a tribute to George (that's his song ya know - but apparently they wrote it together on mandolin - the one he played that night!), a solo "Blackbird" and an abbreviated "A Day in the Life" albeit sans John but amazing. Whitney really loved "Live and Let Die" with all the explosions and fireworks, "Paperback Writer", and "Drive My Car" (even though she wasn't revved up yet). Even "Jet" and "Band on the Run" were pretty good as far as Wings songs go.

Set List:

Drive My Car

Jet

Only Mama Knows

Flaming Pie

Got to Get You Into My Life

Let Me Roll It/Foxy Lady

Highway

The Long and Winding Road

My Love

Blackbird

Here Today

Dance Tonight

Calico Skies

Mrs. Vanderbilt

Eleanor Rigby

See the Changes

Band on the Run

Back in the U.S.S.R.

I'm Down

Something

I've Got a Feeling

Paperback Writer

A Day in the Life / Give Peace a Chance

Let It Be

Live and Let Die

Hey Jude

Encore:

Day Tripper

Lady Madonna

I Saw Her Standing There

Yesterday

Curtain Call:

Helter Skelter

Get Back

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band / The End

The man was bouncing around and playing with the crowd as if he was a Twentysomething. Pretty sure my wife would have left me for him in a heartbeat.
He's a charmer!
It was a magical evening, and one for us that we'll never forget!
Here are some highlights.

Hey Jude

(Please excuse the tone deaf people next to us)

Well, I Bet that YOU Look Good on the Dancefloor...

2009-08-06T06:20:00.006-04:00

(this is a teaser)

Last night's Set List @ the Paradise - more pics/videos/details to come

1. Pretty Visitors
2. This House Is A Circus
3. Brianstorm
4. Still Take You Home
5. Da Frame 2R
6. Dangerous Animals
7. Crying Lightning
8. Fluorescent Adolescent
9. Cornerstone
10. The View From The Afternoon
11. I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor
12. Leave Before The Lights Come On
13. Potion Approaching
14. If You Were There, Beware
15. Red Right Hand (Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds cover)
16. My Propeller
17. Only Ones Who Know
18. Do Me A Favour
Encore:
19. Secret Door
20. 505

My finger was inadvertently over the mic
(&%$# &%$#!),
so sorry for the muted quality on this one....

A Memo to Washington:

2009-08-02T10:54:00.006-04:00

"To do two things at once is to do neither"

- Publilius Syrus

Sorry to get political on everyone, but with all that Obama and the rest of congress are doing with hedging their bets on so many agendas we are doomed to fail in all pursuits. Health care, the recession, energy crisis/DUFO(that's dependence upon foreign oil - it's the new WMD....), the war, the auto industry/"cash for clunkers" and on and on.....not to mention all the jaunts around the world to shake the hands of leaders everywhere. Why is our country in a dead sprint to fix problems that didn't happen overnight and sure wont be fixed in that manner? How the hell are we going to pay for all this? No one knows? Well, let's just do it, and we'll figure it out later. Sure worked for the stimulus/bailout. Sorry for the cynicism. As I watch Meet the Press with Harold Ford, Jr. and earlier this morning Larry King with Ann Coulter on youtube - MAN! I want to shoot them both! Nausea ensues....

(thanks, Ignacio for the quote)

Let Me Tell You 'bout My Town

2009-07-28T20:42:00.013-04:00

I love that Dirty Water - Boston your my home!
Many thanks to my lovely wife who spent 2 hrs yesterday driving to Braintree to get our insurance stamp of approval and then spending another 3 at the DMV to get our new "fancy plates" - VERY NICE!

(Speaking of)
I was 0-2 on Red Sox games this year. We went 2 weeks ago with Jim "Moon" Burrough, and apparently he brought the golden horseshoe. The Sox dominated with a run filled explosion 12-8. We finally got to hear "Dirty Water". Here we are at the end.

Here is a shoddy wannabe bandstand with one of the worst lip-syncing jobs ever by the Standells, Boston's own little 60's garage band. Whenever the Red Sox win a game, this song plays promptly upon the last out.

Last Time (promise)

2009-07-24T10:53:00.004-04:00

(500) Days of Summer was very good. Not excellent or anything but highly enjoyable! You all should see it, and remember - "This is not a love story". Great songs/cast/story. It does lag in the bridge a bit, but all is well when you leave. We especially loved the faux-Truffaut French vignettes and dream sequences - look for Han Solo - that's all I'm saying!

Proust said, "On n'aime que ce qu'on ne possède pas tout entier"

We only love what we cannot wholly possess

True 'dat, Marcel.....
Boy, does that apply to this flick...

Enjoy!

The Halvesies - Part II

2009-07-19T14:42:00.003-04:00

Here's Part II of my 1st half of 2009. Bon Apetit!

The Thermals - Now We Can See
1st grabbing my attention with their album F*&^*&n-A years back, the Thermals were a Sub Pop staple. You know how I love Sub Pop. NWCS is their debut for Kill Rock Stars. Nothing changed but the label. Thermals purists will say they're not as hard as they once were. For me it's as fuzzed out as ever with a bit of pop tinge. The Thermals don't really sing. It is more of talking over fuzz. The title track "Now We Can See" has a recurring Oh, Wee, Oh, Wee, Oh chant for you that is fun. "When I Died" gets the album going with a ruckus akin to their last album, The Blood, The Body, The Machine. While this NW threesome may sound political with their words, they really could care less. Just sit back and enjoy the rock of it all (like "We Were Sick").

Passion Pit - Manners
Boston has had plenty of music through the years and here comes another. While they will never be an Aerosmith, maybe they can at least garner some attention. The buzz/backlash has followed them from the get-go when they dropped the song "Sleepyhead". One of so many DIY indie bands that have appeared over the last 10 years that have made their own steam, PP are better than CYHSY (the bar by which they're measured in my mind). Much like CYHSY, PP has a singer with a strange annunciation to say the least. "Little Secrets" is one of my favorite songs of the year and has a children's choir chorus that doesn't sound like some creepy Pink Floyd opera ala PB&J. The whole album is pretty fun musically, but again like CYHSY - can you handle the voice of the lead singer?

Strange Boys - ...And Girls Club
More garage rock? Yup! SXSW was abuzz this past spring waiting on these local youngins' to take the stage. Already a staple locally in Austin, they were set to unveil themselves to the nation. Slamming out bluesy rock that you could've made in your bedroom, the Boys have more than a "Poem Party". For some more retro garage, bend an ear to the aforementioned track and others like "No Way for a Slave to Behave".

Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Well, have we saved the best for last? Maybe. Maybe this will be the best of the year (not likely - but one of the best). These Versailles fellas have drawn the masses in the states, finally. "1901" is one of their best yet. "Listomania" could be one of the better songs of the year. "Lasso" is representative of the rest of the album - just plain fun pop rock. "Armistice" winds down a great album and leaves you thirsty for more.

Various Artists - Dark Was the Night
A compilation for the benefit of AIDS research put together by the brothers Dessner of the NYC band, the National. With contributions of nearly everyone, this comp is worth a listen. The list on contributors reads like a 00's indie rock all-star team. Check it out HERE.

Here are the ones that the jury is still out on for me.
"Near misses"

Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca
Please whale? My German is not up to snuff, but that is what I hear. Weird and good but not as good as Merriweather Post Pavilion.

Death Cab For Cutie - Open Door EP
Actually, this is worthy of the list, but it is only 5 or 6 songs. Great companion to last years Narrow Stairs. Check "Little Bribes"

Telekinesis - Telekinesis!
This one man band from North Carolina found acclaim from Death Cab guitarist Chris Walla. He went on to produce this debut with good results. Try "Tokyo" or "Coast of Carolina"

The Love Language - (S/T)
Yet another North Carolina upstart. This Wilmington attache is the brainchild of one man ala Telekinesis. While not the power pop they wield, TLL is a combo of Old 97's and the National with good results. This was my favorite "near miss". Can't go wrong with "Lalita".

The Halvesies - Part I

2009-07-18T20:51:00.002-04:00

Where in the world did 2009 go? I mean I know it's only half-way gone, but it is GONE!

Maybe it hasn't been the banner year for tunes that some years have been in the past, but we still have 6 months to go. These are my favorites. There are albums looked over and forgotten, so please give me a clue on what you loved that I missed. Not to mention, there are so many albums I wanted to buy and never did (Andrew Bird, M Ward, AC Newman, Lily Allen, Bill Callahan (SMOG), Grizzly Bear, and Wilco and on and on....notice my prejudice against solo artists, bear bands and wilco, apparently....)

In No Particular Order
(except chronological)

Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
I've spoken my piece on these weirdos. Can one look past previous sins and transgressions (Prospect Hummer with Vashti Bunyan, I'm looking at you...) to accept their crowning achievement? I guess so. Even with all the hype and backlash/sell-out talk, it's still a great record. "My Girls" is the best song of the year (arguably). "Brother Sport" and "Summertime Clothes" are tons of fun. It is one of those albums that despite your greatest desire to click FFwd on your CD player/iPOD - DON'T. This album is meant to be heard all together and straight on through. It is bizarre but beautiful.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - (S/T)
These Brooklyn scenesters were a breath of fresh air back in January. While fresh air, it had an air of familiarity. As I listen to this record, I always feel like I've heard it before. The album opener says it all: this band is a "Contender" for album of the year. It is the record that I has received the most repeat plays. The standout tracks are "Everything With You" and "Young Adult Friction". All the songs sound pretty similar. Their familiarity could place them in the 80's or now or even in 1994/1995 in something as lame as the Empire Records soundtrack. Regardless, you can enjoy it all no matter the year.

Black Lips - 200 Million Thousand
The Black Lips are my quintessential garage rock band. They sound like the house band/soundtrack to some obscure 60's or 70's B-movie or horror movie. Weaving the sounds of surf rock and garage into the Stones via the Troggs, the Kingsmen, the Sonics on down to the Standells. While this album does not reach the greatness of 2007's Good Bad Not Evil, it has grown into my heart. "Short Fuse" is one of their best songs bar-none and one of my favorites of the year. "Drugs" and "Let It Grow" are that B-Movie sound I was referencing. "Starting Over" and "Take My Heart" show they came to rock your sock-hop. After watching Grease last night with Whit and the Bear, I think the Black Lips are what the T-Birds would listen to if they were really as hard as they thought they were....

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz
A blitz indeed! This album comes out of the gate firing (and does trail off/falter towards it's conclusion). Much like the Killers debut years ago, the 1st half is good enough to make this album worth it. "Zero" starts you off with it's Miami Vice drum line harking back to the "Y Control" days of YYYs. Not letting up "Heads Will Roll" keeps it coming with a fury that almost makes you want to dance. No one wants to dance with me, so I'll dance with myself as per usual. They could only get better after the disappointing Show Your Bones years ago. "Skeletons" ironically shows their bones and softer side. With the coolest frontwoman in rock, Karen O, the YYYs just may have some staying power.

Peter Bjorn & John - Living Thing
After making one of the better pop rock albums of the year/decade in 2007, PB&J (isn't that fun to say?) were screaming for a slump. They almost did. With championing crys from the likes of Kanye West et al leading up this release, I couldn't roll my eyes enough. Then it came. Gone was the bright and shiny ideals of Writer's Block and in was the industrial scaryness of Living Thing. I was put off for sure and disappointed. I've given this album time it didn't deserve, and I now appreciate it. "It Don't Move Me" has become one of my favorite songs of the year. I can even tolerate "Nothing to Worry About" with its creepy children choir chant. In the end, this album sounds like an experimental Paul Simon album in the vein of Krautrock (or Kraftwerk). These Young Folks are bizarro but respected.

Crocodiles - Summer of Hate
These San Diegans (thank you Ron Burgundy) have been praised by some and derided by others as rip-off hacks. Some (ahem, Pitchfork) have gone as far as to pick apart every intro, verse, chorus and bridge to discuss which sound/band they were plagiarizing at that moment. Take your pick. Pick your side. I did. I like them. Pick which band you think they're ripping off. It's likely a band you've never heard. Therefore, it's new to you! (how many of you own and worship Jesus & Mary Chain - Psycho Candy? exactly!). "I Wanna Kill" is a fuzzed out song that was meant for summertime. Enjoy.

More to come tomorrow (Part II)
Here are some highlight songs from these albums today.
Voila!

Halvesies - Part I

To Die By Your Side Is Such A Heavenly Way to Die..

2009-07-17T06:48:00.006-04:00

Today, (500) Days of Summer comes out here and other major cities. It'll be everywhere next week. I hope it doesn't suck. It sounds like it's going to do for the Smiths what Garden State did for the Shins (have I already made that point...?). Let's be honest though, if you haven't ever checked out the Smiths (England's premier 80's band) then slap yourself. Go download some immediately. I recommend buying their entire catalog, but I am a bit crazy. The title is a line from "There is a Light that Never Goes Out" from the 1986 album the Queen Is Dead. Go check out a greatest hit compilation if you like (there are countless ones), but again the full albums are delightful. Lead singer, Morrissey, and lead guitarist, Johnny Marr, never made feeling melancholy so beautiful.

PS - My favorite song is "This Charming Man"

We Are Country Mice (aren't we?)

2009-07-15T19:14:00.005-04:00

I've been compiling my "Halvsies" awards for the 1st half of 2009 (BTW - where the heck did this year go?). I will post that hopefully this Saturday when I can finally breathe.

Before we get to that, let me tell you what is kicking off my 2nd half of 2009:

We Are Country Mice

This Brooklyn group is originally from the Midwest (read: Kansas/Wisconsin). They hit the NYC club scene earlier this year. Check 'em out on their MySpace****

**** If you like chill music, may I suggest the B-Side of their new 7" (Make Your Own Damn Fun), "The Ballad of John". If you are a little progressive, then "A Good Old Fashion Barn Raising" is for you. If you listen to both these songs, it is hard to believe that they are from the same band. Wicked Good!

Pre-Order this band's debut - HERE

Don't Stop ('til You Get Enough)

2009-06-27T10:14:00.009-04:00

Wednesday night, we had our department graduation dinner. The DJ only played 2 songs after dinner before we were turned loose into the night - "Bille Jean" and "Thriller". We danced about like the undead of Thriller. The next day, he died. I couldn't even write about this until now. I still can't grasp that Michael Jackson is gone. I guess he's been gone since 1992 in actuality. All of Wacko's lifestyle aside, he made some of my favorite music and was the artist of most of our childhoods. "Oh, what a cliche' post", a "Michael Jackson" trib. Who cares. He's gone like Presley and Lennon. Sadly, MJ didn't burn out. He had long faded away. I'm going to go put on the Off the Wall vinyl (that now, I wouldn't be able to afford off Ebay...). MJ, we're gonna rock with you (aaaaaall night) this weekend and on and on....

Goodnight sweet Prince...

Michael Jackson - Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough (Official Music Video)

You, Me and the 'Dise Makes 3

2009-06-21T16:33:00.002-04:00

I've only been to 2 concerts in 2009. What a shame. At least both shows were worth the trip. One was back in March (NME) and the other was this past Wednesday (Phoenix). Thought I'd share some thoughts, stories, and horrible cellphone pictures....

This past Wednesday, I had a wonderful time at the (locally) infamous Paradise Lounge with the wife in tow. She goes to shows with me against her will sometimes. I hope she enjoyed this one (thank you, Whit for coming with me!). The French band, Phoenix, had a sold out gig just a mile from our house. I have long loved Phoenix's Hall & Oates meets the Strokes flavor ("Strokes & Oates" is patented to Ryan Doyle). They found their way onto a mixtape of mine in the fall of 2004 with "Run Run Run", but they stole my heart in 2006 with their album, It's Never Been Like That. After the Strokes' album had fallen flat months before, Phoenix filled the gap in my musical soul as they had gone less synth and more stroke. Earlier this year, Phoenix made a surprising appearance as the musical guest on SNL when their new album wasn't due for months. In even rarer fashion, they got to play 3 songs rather than the normal 2 - solid! Their new album, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, came out last month and despite my reluctance to put it above INBLT, it may be their best album as critics the world 'round sing its praise. Check out "1901", "Listomania", and "Lasso".

Back on point - we had dinner a couple doors down from the club at Brown Sugar, a local thai restaurant. 10 minutes into our meal, I nearly knocked over my Singha as Thomas Mars walked in the door right in front of me (he's the lead singer for Phoenix and Sofia Coppola's baby's daddy) followed by the rest of the band. Pretty sure he could feel me staring bullets through him and was confirmed as Whitney turned to see him. I have nothing good to say to famous people, so Whit welcomed them/thanked them for coming to Boston when we left. "They were nice", she said. The show was good as they ran a tight ship. They have no accent to speak of and have NO fans in France, b/c they sing in English. People were packed in like sardines, and I'm pretty sure the fire marshal disapproved. They played all you could want hear with highlights from previous albums ("Consolation Prizes", "Long Distance Call", "Napolean Says") and the entirety of the new album.

The night was finished of with a 6 min version of "1901" (here's the 1st half) that had them stop and then pick back up their instruments for one last chorus clapping along with the crowd and coming into the crowd (security nightmare...). I was an old man with my ear plugs, but I took them off for that encore. What a show.

You, Me and the 'Dise Make 3 - Part II (but really part I)

2009-06-19T10:12:00.002-04:00

At the end of March, I made my debut at the 'Dise. I went to see a pretty great rock show. What a bill of buzz! It was the NME tour, so you'd expect nothing less (NME is the "new music" rag from the UK that basically overhypes anything and everything - and backlash ensues). I went for the opening act. I knew the other 2 bands but had little interest other than 2 songs I knew by each of them. Regardless, it's rare that you get to see 3 bands like this for $20 bucks anymore.

The former group, The Muslims (now the Soft Pack), were the opening band. The San Diego quartet rocked out in all their minimalist glory. Their entire "Muslims" EP was basically performed. 2 things that made me even love them more: 1) the lead singer plays an old Fender Bronco guitar (which is awesomely awesome), 2) the drummer plays standing up (nice....).

The second group was White Lies (who represent all that NME stands for - HYPE). They were fine and forgettable (I largely don't remember anything noteworthy). They're supposed to be the next Joy Division (sorry that was Interpol). I did laugh a lot during their set, because they were wearing all black and had this over dramatic light show and were WAY too somber/serious. Oh, and they sounded like the Dracula musical from Forgetting Sarah Marshall ("Van Helsing!!! Die! DIE! Die......I Can't"). Basically, I leaned against the wall with the people I came with singing vampire songs and laughing...

Rounding out the night was the Friendly Fires. Now, I'll admit that I did previously bash them on here back in August or September as a group that Zach Braff would tout. Their live set made me a fan. If not for their music (which is nothing too groundbreaking), I had to respect the energy. The lead singer was moving like a pinball. The club responded en suite. If you have never heard their song, "Skeleton Boy", check it out. It was their 2nd single that came out around the beginning of the year. You can't help but wiggle when you hear it. I was full on noodling to it live.

I'm On a Boat - Part II

2009-06-10T20:51:00.012-04:00

Look at me on that ___ ____ boat!!!

I'm the king of the world
On a boat like Leo
If you're on the shore,
then you're sure not me-oh
I'm riding on a dolphin, doing flips and ___
The dolphin's splashing, getting everybody all wet
But this ain't Seaworld, this is real as it gets
I'm on a boat, don't you ever forget!
Hey ma, if you could see me now
Arms spread wide on the starboard bow
Gonna fly this boat to the moon somehow
Like Kevin Garnett, anything is possible!!!

I'm On A Boat

2009-06-09T08:05:00.006-04:00

I was - all day Sunday. Me, W, Sawyer, Claire and T-Pain along with 20 something Humpback whales and the cast of Slumdog Millionaire....stinky!
The whales....not the Indians...

yes, that is my picture
it's rare that I post a pic that is not
from google
more to come!

Walcott, Don't You Wanna Get Out of Cape Cod?

2009-06-05T10:02:00.005-04:00

VACATION! Albeit, just for the weekend but VACATION nonetheless! We are headed to the Cape with team Sawyer this weekend, and I am fired up! Going to the Sox game tonight and Cape tomorrow! After the whale watching excursion on Sunday, expect the customary "I'm On a Boat" post. Time to get my seersucker on, grab a cotton cardigan, my Sperry boat shoes (no socks), and an ascott (chuck bass, what?!?). I'm going to be killing the Vampire Weekend all weekend and noodle dancing like there's no tomorrow!

"I'm on a boat and
It's going fast and

I got a nautical themed

pashmina afghan...."

Paper Towels

2009-05-30T14:31:00.002-04:00

I love me some ShamWOW - but they're no paper towels....

Pot Kettle Black

2009-05-25T22:19:00.009-04:00

Jay Bennett, former Wilco member, has died at 45. Supposedly, he was found this morning after passing in the night. Autopsy pending, I'm not one to lean on natural causes. This is a sad loss for the Bennett and Wilco families as he passed in the middle of further strife between the 2 camps. The longtime collaborator of frontman Jeff Tweedy left the band during the recording of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot in 2001 amid much ballyhoo shown in the documentary, "I am Trying to Break Your Heart". Some of Wilco's best music had Bennett's hands all over it. Personally, the band hasn't made as good of music since he left. Sorry. I haven't streamed the new one yet (and I hope it's awesome), but Sky Blue Sky and A Ghost is Born were just OK for me. Peaking with Summerteeth and YHF, there was nowhere to go but down. Jay Bennett left and burned out, but I guess that's better than fading away. Go in peace, JB...

"I myself have found a real rival in myself
I am hoping for a re-arrival of my health

It's become so obvious
You are so oblivious to yourself

You're tied in a knot
But I'm not gonna get caught
Calling a pot kettle black
Every song's a comeback
Every moment's a little bit later"

- "Pot Kettle Black"
from Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

Jay and Jeff having a meeting of the minds one last time...

Horses Horses Horses Horses....

2009-05-17T20:34:00.006-04:00

I came to terms with something this weekend. I love horse racing. Thank God I don't have a penchant for gambling (speaking of which, did anyone see Charles Barkley nail a spectator in the face 15 ft in front of him with his drive at the golf Pro-Am this week?). I always get fired up for the Kentucky Derby when May rolls around. I look for the Knob Creek or the Woodford Reserve and my nearest mint sprig. I love the build up and then the inevitable race. If NASCAR had no restrictor plates and was only 10 laps, I would be in like Flint. We also celebrate the movie Seabiscuit in this house - heck, it's got The Dude in it. I even tried this year to have a Derby party but couldn't make it happen. You can bet that next year it will come to fruition.Regardless, the Preakness took place on Saturday. As the second leg of the Triple Crown, all eyes were on the Kentucky Derby winner, Mine That Bird. Seeing as Bird was a huge upset win along the lines of Giacomo from years ago, not many were expecting a repeat performance. Even his jockey, Calvin Borel, jumped ship for another horse. He decided to ride Rachel Alexandra, a filly, who didn't even feature in the Derby. Apparently, she's the second coming. Looks like they were right. She took the lead from the 13th position (that's like the 8th lane in track - the furthest from the inside) and never gave it up. At the halfway point, Mine That Bird found himself dead last. Then much like the Derby, he flipped a switch. In the Derby, he went last to 1st squeezing through the eye of the needle on the rail. The other jockeys knew he was coming this time. The rail was shut off. MTB went to the outside and passed every single horse in the last 1/4 only to finish on the heel of Rachel Alexandra. Were this race another 100 yards, the Bird would have won - NO QUESTION. It was a great race. Alexandria became the 1st filly winner in over 80 years. Can't wait for the Belmont Stakes, the longest race of the Triple Crown. The Bird might stretch it out!

Summer Movie Preview (JUNE)

2009-05-14T20:59:00.004-04:00

This month finds us in the "salad" part of the meal. June is full of buddy comedies and RomComs for one of my favorite Nashville couples, Blalizabeth (hey, it's better than - Elizablake....this is what you get for being Brangelina for Halloween).

JUNE

1st up is Land of the Lost with Will Ferrell and Eastbound and Down's own Danny McBride. Even with all that potential, it's gonna take a lot to get me in that theater...

Sam Mendes of American Beauty fame pulls off a shocker with a comedy (with John Krasinski? What in the world?). Away We Go is an across the country misadventure of an expecting young couple searching for the perfect place to settle down.

While watching TV last night, we had a little chuckle with the preview for The Hangover. Old School's Todd Phillips is back with a troupe of B-list comedians that I love (Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms, Rob Riggle, Matt Walsh, Rachael Harris etc). Las Vegas bachelor party - GO!

All you My Big Fat Greek whatevers get excited! Nia Vardalos is back with Richard Dreyfuss (huh?) for My Life in Ruins. Get ready to awwwww (or vomit).

Ghostbuster Egon (Harold Ramis) is directing Jack Black and Michael Cera as 2 banished cave men in Year One. Hmmmmmmmm?

Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock star in The Proposal. I wonder what's it's about? I will from here on out affectionately refer to it as Three Weeks Notice....

Rounding out June is Transformers: Revenge of the Sith (wait?). I loved T-formers almost as much as GI Joe (hold your horses, that's July!). Didn't see the 1st one, so it doesn't look good for this one. Sorry, Shia the Beef.