Things have fallen into a comfortable rut. I'm unremarkable once more.
I need to write a poem.
Also, Mike Hannemann owes me a Coke.
Patrick and Eugene - The Birds and the Bees. In this brave new world, I watch an unhealthy amount of television. Along the way, I see an even unhealthier amount of commercials. Sometimes, though, they're not so bad. Take, for example, the new spot for Volkswagen's relaunch of the Rabbit brand. What would normally be dismissed as a relatively unremarkable, if cheeky, attempt to jazz up an unremarkable, if cheeky, line of cars morphs into a winking ode to irresponsible merry-making with the simple inclusion of the track found above. Recorded in 2004 by British fusion duo Patrick and Eugene, the song, with its old timey vocals, plinky banjo, and mischevious trumpet/sax combo, has seen its fair share of duty in the commercial wars. To date, "The Birds and the Bees" has appeared in advertisements for Gordon's Gin, Payless Shoes, and now Volkswagen. Whether or not quirky pop music actually helps companies sell gin, shoes or cars, the song does make me want to strip to the waist and roll around in the grass. You know, for what that's worth.
Here's the ad, for those who haven't seen it, along with a couple of other amusing entries from (or, in the case of the second, on behalf of) everyone's favorite Führer-sponsored automobile company:
I was halfway through the Smokey Mountains when I realized what I'd forgotten. For anyone who doesn't know by now, last week was my summer vacation. The fam and I, along with my illustrious compatriots from the B-Squad, made the annual trek down to the Gulf of Mexico for a week of sun, surf, and red algae. Seriously. The stuff was everywhere.
Aside from the overabundance of certain sea flora, it was a relaxing week. We split our time between the World Cup in the morning and seeing the sights of South Florida in the evening. Here's a list of highlights, complete with links where applicable:
- Naples Winery. The finest vineyard in the state, and the only one authorized by the Florida government itself. We snagged a bottle of the Orange Blossom Honey Wine during a trip to their store at Tin City, and deemed it worthy. If you're a fan of any variety of fruit wines, be sure to check out the site above, as they ship all across the country (even to the oft-frozen wastes that are the Great Lakes states).
- Wooten's Everglades Airboat Tours . You know all of those stereotypically seedy, unintelligible fanboat operators that you see in swamp-based movies? Well, they're real, and they work at Wooten's. In all seriousness, if you've never been on an airboat tour in the Everglades, you owe yourself to check it out before its too late.
- The Cigar Hut. If our condo had been closer, I'm pretty sure I would've spent most of the week at the Cigar Hut. Ft. Myers Beach's only tobaccanist is right along the main drag, yet it always manages to maintain a distinctly local feel. We paid the Hut a visit on three occasions during the week, and each time the same guys were there, occupying the same chairs, smoking the same cigars, and having the same laughs as the time before. All things considered, it was refreshingly inviting, but that might just be the Macanudos talking.
- Sanibel-Captiva. We stay in Ft. Myers Beach when we go to Florida, but we always get sick of the tourist trap atmosphere that pervades the length of Estero Boulevard. Our escape traditionally came in the form of Sanibel and Captiva, two islands that, though nearby, managed to escape the overdevelopment of their neightbors. However, since our last visit in 2004, the twins had suffered major damage at the hands of Hurricane Charley, so our return was tempered with nervousness. Fortunaely, our fears were mostly allayed: while much of the natural greenery that gave the island its secluded charm has been blown away, our favorite man-made landmarks remain intact. These include Huxter's Liquors (which may have the coolest name I've ever heard for a purveyor of sin and vice), Matzaluna (try the escargot), and the Mucky Duck (check out hurricane pics here).
We started the drive home Saturday, finished Sunday, and took Monday and Tuesday off for decompression. Regular updates resume now, and begin with the Florida-related pair of songs that follow.
Chocolate U.S.A. - Bookbag. When it came time to find a Florida band for the update, I was almost stumped. Fortunately for me, fate decided to smile on me, finally willing Soulseek to produce results for this early-90s twee gem. Formed as Miss America in 1989 when most of its members were still in high school, Chocolate U.S.A. combined the psych-revival sensibilities of the community that would become the Elephant 6 Collective with equal parts grunge crunch and shoegazing swirl. The band was also multi-instrumentalist Julian Koster's first musical playground. On 1993's Smoke Machine, Koster (who would go onto greater acclaim as a member of both the Olivia Tremor Control and Neutral Milk Hotel) proves that he's also a capable frontman, turning out tracks with all the imprecise charm of a lopsided grin. The fact that the group only produced one proper album is, if not an out-and-out travesty, certainly unfortunate.
Guster - Satellite. And now, I present the official soundtrack of my vacation. Of the five CDs I bought last week (Mel Tormé, Hot Chip, Minus the Bear, Sun Kil Moon and Guster), only the last one stuck with me over more than one initial listen. I'm not sure what it is about the boys from Boston's new one, Ganging Up On The Sun, but it's latched itself to my brain and won't let go. The album reflects on isolation, desire, and that uncomfortable feeling that arises when you realize that you're just not comfortable anymore. This track, which is about as radio-ready as they come, compares the speaker's lover (or ex-lover) to a satellite: always around, always present, always unreachable. Remarkably, the sad realization brings more comfort than it banishes. That may be what makes the album click.
BONUS: Guster - One Man Wrecking Machine. There's a rueful sense humor on this album, one which pushes through the best on this track. As the singer reflects on revisiting the people, places, and ideas of youth, and the chorus hooks you by the bottom lip, you might get the feeling that this song does in four minutes what Garden State did in two hours. Then again, you might not. Your call.
If you like what you hear from Guster, then buy their album. As far as other tracks go, I recommend the single, "Manifest Destiny", which can be found at respectable blogs like Loudersoft. Enjoy, and see you tomorrow.
last night i found time to order a cd online, and i thought i'd share the purchase with you. I don't have much to say, cuz i'm lazy and really just want to update, but this music is great. chill, very indie, great melodies, great guitar lines, etc. the usual that makes up a great band.
Oceanographer - Cartographer the kind of music you'd want in-between bands at a loud rock show. it wouldn't put you to sleep watching, but you could rock it on the pod before bed. enjoy. oh, the record [on leaping from airplanes is the title] is only 10 bucks shipped from their website , so you should totally buy it.
Those two commercials have actually been two of the major highlights of ESPN 2's occasionally lackluster World Cup coverage. On the whole, things aren't that bad, but if I have to sit through many more matches called by Dave O'Brien and Marcelo Balboa, I may have to take drastic, undesirable action. Great acquisition on O'Brien, ESPN/ABC. Really choice. Fuckers. The David-Messing pairing runs a close second on the badness scale. If it wasn't for the occasional match handled by Adrian Healy and Tommy Smyth, I'd probably just watch with the sound off.
All complaints aside, the first round of group play has offered plenty of exciting moments. Here's my top five.
5) Furia Roja's Statement Game - On Wednesday, Spain silenced all doubts about its mindset coming into group play. A traditional underachiever in early games, the Spaniards exploded in a blast of fiery offense and cunning defense, slapping around Ukraine in a 4-0 drubbing. An added bonus of this game: with their defeat, the Ukranian squad replaced the United States as the current tournament cellar dweller.
4) Germany's Wild Ride - Germany's Wednesday night game against Poland had it all: grudges fueled by events both on and off the field, pre-game hooligan clashes, and some of the most exciting near-miss offense that the competition has seen thus far. During one attempted socring drive, the Germans were beaten by the corssbar not once, but twice. As time expired, the Poles, coming off of the Day 1 shocker against Ecuador, thought they had escaped Dortmund with a draw, but it was not to be. In the third minute of stoppage time, German sub Oliver Neuville slipped one past Artu Borac, ending the game and Poland's dreams of a second round appearance.
3) Battle For The Desert - So far, Wednesday has been my favorite day as far as overall action is concerened, and it's not hard to see why. Wednesday's thriller between Germany and Poland was only the second most impressive ending of the day. The first came during the second match, a game that matched the powerful (and highly paid) Saudis against Tunisia. As the last African country to start group play, Tunisia was the continent's last chance for a first-game victory. Though the former French colony led for most of the game, a late breakaway by Sami al-Jaber in the 84th minute gave the Saudis the lead and the game... or so it seemed. In the 3rd minute of stoppage, Tunisian Radhi Jaidi headed in a brilliant equalizing goal, stealing the win from Saudi Arabia and earning Africa its first point of group play.
2) Aussie, Aussie, Aussie - Monday, I only cared about one match: the USA's opener against the Czech Republic. Having spent the weekend partying with Mike Hannemann (Homer Glen, IL's own master of debauchery), I knew I'd need a good night's sleep in order to catch the game at my freshest. So, Sunday night, I set my alarm for 10:30 and hit the sack. In the morning, I woke up, ate a hearty breakfast, and settled in for what I thought would be an inspiring victory. After I stationed myself on Mike's couch, I called my friend Randy to see what was up. This game was the first thing he mentioned. Japan, after going up 1-0 in the first half, spent most of the game locking down the Socceroos defensively. The Aussies, who had never scored a goal in their entire World Cup history (1974's squad lost to East and West Germany and tied Chile 0-0), looked poised to continue their not-so-winning ways. However, once Tim Cahill broke the curse thanks to a well-timed blunder by Japan's keeper, the Aussies were ready to shine. In the end, the Australians scored not one, or two, but three goals, all of which came after the 80th minute. They now find themselves the centers of attention in a Group F that includes perennial favorite Brazil and former Cinderella Croatia. Not bad for the land down under. Not bad at all.
1) The Soca Warriors! - Teams like Trinadad and Tobago are tough to read. On the one hand, they're easy to doubt: this squad represents the smallest country ever to qualify for the World Cup, and is set as a 750-1 longshot to win it all. However, on the other hand, their natural grit, determination, and happy-to-be-here attitude renders them a likeable (and dangerous) underdog. No one knows this better than Sweden, who felt the brunt of the Soca Warriors pluckiness in their 0-0 draw on Saturday. While both teams played hard, Trinidad and Tobago manage to win by not losing, earning a point thanks to the Herculean talent of their goalkeeper Shaka Hislop. At time, Hislop (who wasn't even slated to start) played like a man possessed, blocking assault on his teams goal by a Swedish team that grew progressively more desperate as the afternoon wore on. TnT face England on Thursday, a game that will likely end their hopes of advancing. However, no matter what the outcome, for the fans of Trinidad and Tobago, this World Cup is already one worthy of remembrance.
I'll be popping up periodically to offer more thoughts on the World Cup as it happens. If anyone else is as into this as I am, may I recommend a companion: The Thinking Fan's Guide to the World Cup. Designed as a companion to this year's tournament, the book features literate, witty, and often thought-provoking musings about soccer and its place in the global community in the form of short essays about each of the tournament's nations. Pieces range from straight-out satire (Dave Eggers' examination of why the USA disregards soccer) to fan accounts (Ben Rice's wry examination of Australia's unfortunate status as an Oceanian team) to inspirational narratives (Courtney Angela Brkic's moving look at how Croatia's surprise success in the 1998 Cup helped foster the war-torn country's sense of post-independence cultral identity), and all offer a stirring testament to what the Brazilians call "the Beautiful Game". This one should be available wherever you are; if my local bookstore had it (they did), then yours will, too. If going outside isn't your game, then you can also find an online merchant here.
And now, some World Cup music.
Jim Noir - Eanie Meany. Remember earlier when I talked about how much I love Adidas' "José+10" campaign? Well, this song is part of the reason why I feel so fondly. Heard during the match in the second commercial, this bouncy track recalls the best moments of the now-defunct Welsh band Gorky's Zygotic Mynci. Noir's even-handed coolness chills everything out, while left guitars and a laconic bassline makes everyone want to forget soccer and lie in a sunny field somewhere. It may also induce frolicking.
BONUS: New Order - World In Motion. This is the sound of a) England's official theme from the 1990 World Cup in Italy, b) New Order's only #1 single, c) footballer John Barnes' rap debut, or d) all of the above. You have five minutes. No peeking.
Found via Pitchfork, this is just reprehensible. I hope the English team's hotel explodes. Then, and only then, can we talk about calling it even.
(However, the incredulous-looking robot that graces the screen around the :48 mark did manage to make my morning.)
Speaking of soccer, the World Cup is upon us. I was lucky enough to catch both matches out of Group A earlier today, including a Germany-Costa Rica game that was way more exciting than the final score might suggest. Unfortunately for the Germans, the victory doesn't change the fact that their team is populated with players who lookliketheycouldplayleadvillains in any given 80s Cold-War-xpolitation flick. Some of these men appear terrifyingly Aryan; the fact that they're grouped with Poland is merely frosting on the Inappropriate Joke cake.
Sports Illustrated has a World Cup blog that you can check out for all your soccer needs. The USA begins its journey through the "group of death" with a match against the Czech Republic on Monday.
Other cool stuff:
- This thread, found on Hipinion and inspired by this site, transcends the realm of words... literally. If you've ever watched the Simpsons and been even mildly entertained, click those links as fast as possible.
- Irish safety and all-around tough guy Tom Zibikowski makes his professional boxing debut tomorrow night, facing off against doormat and admitted Ohio State fan Robert "The Disciple" Bell. According to Notre Dame wunder-blog The Blue-Gray Sky, Bell has been stricken with a serious case of "trashtalkitis", a disease which compliments his atrocious taste in football teams. Here's hoping Zibby aids in his recovery by punching his mouth off.
- I'm off to Chicago again this weekend, so updates may be sporadic until next week or so.
When I was in high school, Yellow Magic Orchestra was one of the first hip bands that I found completely by myself. I was working on a feature story about 80s music for my school's newspaper, and decided to delve deeper than your average compilation. For two weeks, I scoured sites like Yesterdayland (now called Retroland) and InThe80s for clues as to what bands I needed to expose to my mostly indifferent audience. The results were a mixed bag: while most of the groups were either embarassingly dated (yet still enjoyable) synthpop acts (Haircut 100, Alphaville) or exceedingly emotional New Romantic groups (Ultravox, The Spoons), a few managed to make permanent homes in my collection. Of all these, Yellow Magic Orchestra remains my personal favorite. Mixing the best parts of Kraftwerk's cold electronics with an Eno-like knack for sophisticate pop, their influence is subtle, yet far-reaching. In 2001, Jennifer Lopez sampled YMO's verson of Martin Denny's "Firecracker" in her single "I'm Real". This month, merengue junky Señor Coconut is set to release Yellow Fever!, an album which recasts YMO's orientalist electronica in a decidedly organic, not to mention South American, light. More information on that can be found at undomondo. Meanwhile, in honor of all these things, enjoy this semi-supersized update.
Yellow Magic Orchestra - Firecracker. The cover that started it all. As the first song of substance on YMO's self-titled debut, this track offers listeners their first taste of the band's fusion of exotica and electronica. This new orientalism is bolstered by production that still doesn't sound dated 28 years later. This is the track I fell in love with.
Yellow Magic Orchestra - Absolute Ego Dance. One of my favorite titles of all time, this track is from YMO's second (and some would say best) album, 1979's Solid State Survivor. Here, the eastern flavor is emphasized once again, but the sythn lines are busier and more varied, effectively lifting the song off its proverbial canvas and casting into three dimensions. A great song for one of those manic days.
Yellow Magic Orchestra - Cue. Finally, a look at the softer side of Hosono and co. Sounding like something Roxy Music might've released if they'd all been robots in disguise, "Cue" is actually a song from one of Ryuichi Sakamoto's solo projects that was reworked for release on 1980's BGM. Unlike many of YMO's other ventures into English lyrics, such as unintentionally hilarious covers of songs like the Beatles' "Day Tripper" or Archie Bell and the Drells' "Tighten Up", their vocal work on this track actually helps more than it hinders. All in all, this is one of BGM's finest moments, and a perfect track for nights of unexplained but welcome melancholia.
BONUS: Since undomondo has the Señor Coconut front coevered, I figured I'd fall back on an old standby: videos. So, enjoy these promo vids from both Yellow Magic Orchestra and Solid State Survivor, featuring:
That, right there? I used to feel like that during the summer. Now, I wake up at noon, drink herbal tea, and spend more time in Lower Blackrock Spire than I do outside my house. Oh, how times have changed.
To those of you who've been biting your nails waiting to find out which satellite radio provider I ended up choosing: worry not, for your time has come. Today I officially signed up for a monthly contract with XM, and I've spent the evening getting acquainted with broadcasting of the land-free persuasion. The first, and basically only, channel I tuned to was #146: FIFA's 2006 World Cup Network. All in all, this coverage has me sufficiently pumped for Friday and the opening ceremonies. Last time the World Cup was on, I was in Charlotte, NC competing in the National Forensic League's annual national tournament. The pressure of competition, coupled with 9am rounds and a crushing time difference between the US and Japan, meant that live matches were essentially out of the question for me. This year, though, I'm a lazy, unemployed college graduate with literally nothing better to do than bask in soccer-mania. With that in mind, I'll get back to thoughts on other channels in tomorrow's post.
While XM does offer clear advantages over its competitors, I can already tell that I'm going to miss some of Sirius' exclusive channels. While not having NPR, PRI, or BBC 1 isn't the end of the world, it's enough to inspire and "aww, shoot" and a snap of the fingers every now and then. For instance, without the BBC, I never would've found tonight's band as early as I did.
The Fratellis - Henrietta (Live at SXSW). Readers, meet Scotland's next big thing. From the rowdy streets of Glasgow come the Fratellis, Britrock upstarts and proud owners of this week's BBC Radio Single of the Week. These guys scream conglomeration; their selective borrowing ranges from their sound (Supergrass' exhuberance, the Libertines' unpolished snarl, T. Rex's eccentricity) to their naming convention (much like the Ramones, members of the Fratellis have cheekily adopted their band name as a common surname). However, all this mixing makes for an enjoyable romp. This gets my early vote for the summer's finest mischief-making anthem. The studio version of "Henrietta" comes out next week. Until then, satisfy your Fratellis cravings on either MySpace or the band's official site. Fans can also sign up for the band's new singles club, and gain access to this and other exclusive odds-n'-sods-type tracks.
BONUS: The Fratellis - Creeping Up The Backstairs. This song, taken from the band's debut EP, is available on iTunes as part of a showcase for unsigned bands. However, since the compilation's release, the Fratellis have gotten the call up. Last October, the lads inked a deal with Shoot The Runner, a well-concealed subsidiary of Island Records. With tracks like this, it's easy to see why they were picked up by such a relatively high-profile label. With a stomping, rag-like rhythm and lyrics doused in the spirit of edgy merry-making, the song is quite a fun little ride.
Edit: The link for the second song is officially fixed, so grab away, you heathens.
since the plan broke up, I've been on the hunt for their heir apparent. - tyler
tyler posted this little comment lord knows how long ago, but now that i can post up in here (a mixup of epically stupid proportions), i thought i'd make the public aware of a band named so many dynamos, from missouri. these dudes "myspaced" (*slaps forehead at use of term*) me way back in the day, probably because i mentioned that i liked the dismemberment plan in my musical tastes. but these guys are the closest i've ever heard to the plan. at times, it's tough to distinguish between their vocals and morrison's spastic-ness.
(now come the links, just to mimic the previous post-age) and so it went for 2 years or so. until our last tour when we stayed at our friend caleb jehl's place, and tony noticed smd's first album, when i explode, amongst caleb's enormous cd collection. he promptly ripped it and through the means of networking, i was able to pull it from him and then ipod that shit.
tyler, if this doesn't remind you of the plan, nothing will. this mixes the keyboard of "the city" with the spasticness of most of ...is terrified. the rest of the album is about as comparable. i put this one under my belt during a leisurely walk around (dead) campus. this song/album ends with a staggeringly good line, but i'll let you find out what it is by listening. oh, yeah, and jason caddell mixed their record, too. <<------JEALOUS
In the interests of staying sane while in Kokomo this summer, I've taken to making frequent trips to the library. In the interests of keeping this blog updated, I've decided to share my reading list.
Here's the count so far, with no links and in no particular order:
Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain - Bourdain may be a pompous sonofabitch, but I've heard good things. Haven't started this one.
In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson - I'm a sucker for both travel narratives and Australia. Haven't started this one either.
The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks - A worst-case scenario book on everyone's favorite undead creature by the son of comedy legend Mel Brooks.
Annotations by John Keene - A graduation present from the girlfriend's parents. This one's deep.
New Poems by Kenneth Rexroth - One of the foremost translators of Japanese poetry into English during the 20th century, Rexroth has a gift for original verse, too.
The Decameron by Boccaccio - A classic. I made it 10 pages.
Get This Party Started: How Progressives Can Fight Back and Win edited by Matthew R. Kerbel - What has two thumbs and is totally fired up for the midterm elections? THIS GUY! (note to self: joke not as funny when people can't see thumbs)
And here's today's haul:
Of Love and Other Demons by Gabriel Garcia Marquez - I would reread Love In the Time of Cholera, but I'm already fey enough as is.
Collected Poems by Ted Hughes - Fortunately, I don't care for Sylvia Plath, so I'm free to enjoy her vastly more engaging ex-husband.
The Ha-Ha by David Kirby - A complete shot in the dark.The cover looks interesting.
Had Enough?: A Handbook For Fighting Back by James Carville - Did I mention I'm really excited for this fall's elections?
Big Sky Mind: Buddhism and the Beat Generation editied by Carole Tonkinson - I don't really like the Beats, so I hope this one changes my mind.
Now, I just have to read 'em all. More on that later.
As I mentioned in my last post, I made my bi-monthly trip to Luna Music last week, picking up all manner of intriguing releases in the process. Tonight marks the second of three Luna updates, and features songs from Tale of the City, Houston Party's collection of Philidelphia's finest indie pop revivalists.
Blood Feathers - Sea Legs. This is the sound of an alternate universe where Rhett Miller fronts Beulah and California, having broken off from the rest of North America, is a neo-hippie beach commune. Words like languid or sun-baked might be appropriate, but they fail to account for the marriage of warm country twang with Summer of Love tambourines. Blood Feathers remain unsigned, but you can check out their MySpace page right here.
B.C Camplight - Blood and Peanut Butter. When I was in college, I'd get crushes on random people that I saw during the course of my daily routine. One year, it was a girl who worked at the laptop checkout in the library. Another, it was a girl who folded sweatshirst at the bookstore. I never talked to any of these ladies, but if I had, and if I had Ben Folds, Burt Bachrach, and Carl Newman as my wingmen on that particular day, it might've sounded something like this. Consequently, I've had this on repeat for the last two days. Don't listen if you're not ready for a new addiction. B.C. Camplight's debut, Hide, Run Away, is available on One Little Indian.
Hi-Soft - Soft Rock. Remember that wacky alternate universe? With the Beulah 97's and California Island? Well, in that same universe, Joe Pernice was born in England, replaced Kevin Shields in My Bloody Valentine, did away with what he called "all this guitar noise rubbish", and started making respectable pop music. This, then, was that group's first single. Seriously. If these songs don't make you want to go die of sunstroke with your best friends in the middle of some overcrowded public beach, there's something wrong inside of you. These are the sounds of summer. Hi-Soft can be found on Chocohearts, and their debut EP, Amateur, is available in that site's shop area.
Today was a solid day. I finally made it down to Luna Music, Indianapolis' finest independent record shop/secret Guided By Voices command center. It was my first trip in months, and I left with a modest haul that I'll be sharing here over the next week or so. In addition to the music, which is quite choice, I also ended up caving to the impulse buy pressure and buying a Dunny, one of Kid Robot's designer vinyl inaction figures. The creatures come in a sealed, windowless box, and some are rarer than others, so the thrill of the unknown plays a large part in a person's willingness to shell out $7.99 for three inches of plastic. I ended up getting the lovelorn bunny, designed by comic artist Tara McPherson, seen here. Precious? You bet.
When I first saw the cover of Country Teaser's The Empire Strikes Back, I thought I'd accidentally wandered into Luna's nonexistant books on tape section. I also thought that Country Teasers were undiscoverd territory. I wasn't totally wrong about that second point. Though the band has been around the block (eight albums in 13 years), their latest, and most heralded effort, has gone virtually unnoticed by even the indie-est of American publications. This, quite frankly, is a shame. In a world where everyone is either overly earnest or too jaded to think, The Empire Strikes Back finds a middle ground that is both entertaining and thought-provoking. Described as "a concept album about race, England, and Star Wars", presented as a textbook, and infused with the musical spirit of like-minded acts like the Butthole Surfers, the album takes a hard look at the currents of racism that form the underpinnings of modern Britain's supposedly liberal society. The album is not always a comfortable listen; many of frontman Ben Wallers' personas offer frank invectives regarding race and class that may cause more sensitive scene kids to shift in their seats. However, when tracks like this one hit, they knock 'em out of the park.
Country Teasers - White Patches. On "White Patches", Wallers tackles a traditional topic: the culture gap between blacks and whites. In the hands of a more sentimental artist, this would end up sounding dated and shlocky, an anti-apartheid anthem two decades too late. However, Wallers takes a different route. Between images of urban warfare, Wallers breaks things down with a simple, self-concious examination of why black people don't come to his concerts. His deadpan delivery, coupled with the manic gallop and ominous organ peals provided by the rest of the band, gives lines like "When you fuck around with words/ You make the siuation worse" added weight. The band also gets bonus points for calling out indie kids for their obsession with certain hip hop acts, ruefully asking "How do you think Kool Keith feels?". How indeed. More on Country Teasers, and others, can be found at their label's page.
BONUS: Country Teasers - Raglan Top On Lonsdale Grey. The softer side of Ben Wallers, and the catchiest song about about a racially-motivated gang beating/murder that you'll probably ever hear.
Nothing about that video makes sense. With that said, the audience is easily the best part. Their big hair and ocean-esque gyrations look like a cross between a backyard wrestling crowd and Parrotheads who're already one too many margaritas into the night. In short, God bless the internet.
I've been home since Tuesday evening, and already I'm ready to go somewhere else. This wanderlust is compounded by the fact that I have no friends to visit, no destinations to conquer, and no creative alternatives that will alleviate my travel bug. So, during the down time, I do what I can: play Warcraft, drink malt liquor, and avoid the idea that grad school applications are due sooner than I think. I've also begun pricing satellite radio receivers. So far, I haven't really been able to find any compelling arguments for or against XM or Sirius. Aside from Howard Stern, they seems equally viable to me, so I'm kinda stuck at an impasse at the moment. Anybody have any suggestions?
I already have Saturday's update planned, so look out for that. Let's just say it'll feature a blast from the past and, if all goes well, will represent the first in a series of themed Saturday updates.
Burial - Distant Lights. There's a palpable tension around here at night. It's been hot since I got back, and sometime I like to go out for drives to escape from the heat. As I wind along the same roads that I've been coming down since high school, I've begun to notice how sinister the city looks at night. Factories sprawl out all across town, and, if you stray far from the painted neon signs of US 31, you'll quickly find yourself bathed in the amber light of industry. It's can be really unsettling. The light is a really unkind shade, the kind they use for parking lots that no one really cares about. The whole city buzzes in it. Even in the country, it radiates off of buildings in the distance. In that light, and with that heat, you can't help but feel pressed in by the night. Everything is ominous. All of this is a long way of saying that Burial makes the kind of music that might suitably accompany such a trip if you replaced Kokomo with London. A solid dubstep effort. Find more here.
Daedelus - Sundown. The complete opposite of the previous song. The person who recommended this track to me described it as the most organic-sounding electronic music that I'll ever hear, and he may be right. I tried Daedelus out with 2004's Of Snowdonia, but was left unconvinced. However, this is no longer the case. On his newest album, Daedelus Denies The Day's Demise, Daedelus' music breathes deeper and more confidently than it ever has before. Also, the Latin American influences are, for once, a welcome addition. Interested parties can hear more straight from the horse's mouth, or check out the label's page for more info on Daedelus as well as notable label mates like cLOUDDEAD, Aesop Rock, and Nobody and The Mystic Chords of Memory (who have a new EP out this week that features Devendra Banhart and the Long Lost clocking in for guest appearances).
