Everything's alright forever.
Well, we have a house in Bloomington. After two weeks of potential turmoil, Andy, Drew, and I finally found a place that suited both our needs and our tastes. The landlady said that the house always seemed to get rented out to musicians; we're hoping this is a good omen for our upcoming project (tentatively titled Black Cops). Plus, it sits right along the bike trail, which means that none of us will have to drive in order to sample the wares of Indiana University. Overall, I think things are finally shaping up.
Speaking of Bloomington, I'll be heading down there tomorrow for Drunk Risk and good beers, followed by an appearance at my girlfriend's annual Indianapolis 500 party. As you might imagine, this might mean no updates until I get back. However, before I leave, here are some quick hits and songs to keep you satisfied:
- Cate Blanchett = Bob Dylan? So it would seem.
- RIP ska legend Desmond Dekkar, former Built To Spill drummer Andy Capps, and new wave/punk promoter Ian Copeland .
- This week's sign that things just aren't the way they used to be: Axl Rose not mauling Tommy Hilfiger like a hungry, braid-headed polar bear.
- The Conservative Top 50. If this is irony, then it's well-hidden.
Eleventh Dream Day- Pinwheels. Eleventh Dream Day may be one of the most important band I've never heard of. When I picked up their latest album, 2006's Zeroes and Ones, yesterday, I had no idea that I was buying into a band with 25 years of history under its belt. On "Pinwheels", Rick Rizzo is a bit more subdued than on the rest of the album, taking a more even keel with both his voice and guitar work. Paired with counterpart Janet Bean, Rizzo delivers an easy-to-swallow paean to summer living. It's nothing revolutionary, but it doesn't need to be: the song is a simple reflection of EDD's mastery of the post-punk formula. Its guitar-driven power pop cut with male-female vocals recalls followers like the Essex Green or Saturday Looks Good To Me, revealing exactly which pages these other current practitioners might've borrowed from EDD's book. Pick it up on Thrill Jockey.
Young and Sexy - Your Enemy's Asleep. In an odd example of synchronicity, another recent acquisition offers another example of how to expand upon the trails EDD began blazing in 1981. Like a less disjointed Mates of State mixed with a happier version of fellow Canadian Dan Bejar's bombast, Young and Sexy manage to both swagger and sway. On Panic When You Find It, performers Lucy Brain and Paul Hixon Pittman fly high above the meticulous chamber pop of their accompanists. The results, as heard here, often approach breath-taking. Melancholy has never felt so good. Panic When You Find It is available now on Vancouver's Mint Records.
Edit: Yes, I'm a fool, and realize that it's Eleventh Dream Day, not Eleventh Day Dream. It's fixed now. Go about your business.
