_some thursdays are like fridays_

ok. so it’s a thursday. and it’s the afternoon, which means it’s practically Friday. And Friday, well, c’mon. Pshaw. That just means you’re almost ready for a Saturday, then a long Sunday. Then pretty soon you wake up and it will be Monday all over again and you’ll say to yourself, “I almost had it that time. I almost held onto that weekend…..forever.” But you didn’t. And it’s Monday. So get up and go to work.

i say this all not because I want to prove that I know the days of the week in order (which I DID! so face!), but rather when we find we’re getting wrapped up in flipping through our Word of the Day (sesquipedalian: adj) calendars, we miss out on all this good stuff!

so raise your pints to fairies and shit!-or “Eternal Children”, if you wanna take the poetic route:

cocorosie, vashti bunyan, antony, devendra banhart

and let’s take a shot to Cubicle [day]Dreamin’:

The Morning Benders – Dreams (Fleetwood Mac Cover) this song is just g’damn beautiful. It was beautiful when it was first written and has finally got a cover worthy of its brilliance.

and cheers to, well…… Love. Cuz face it goddamn’t, even when it’s bad, it’s good:

The Morning Benders – Why Don’t They Let Us Fall In Love? – I enjoy this little romantic ditty because it reminds me of when records were made from tubes. Oh I said it, tubes. (“And yes. The cord is original without no frays….anyway.”)

DISCLAIMER: This last band -The Morning Benders- was passed on to me from Mimi. Their new album was recorded atop their bed, ergo “Bedroom Covers”. Thanks for the introduction, Ms. Zora.

(NOTE: It would behoove one to take note of my adherence to IWIYW blog protocol. Tek’dat beetches! Nailed it. Pah-eace…..think that’s all I got.)

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I was going to post a video…

But, after I watched it and listened to the song… I thought it was shitty. So, I’m just gonna talk about music instead.

I stopped listening to the radio a long time ago. I prefer to just find music online or through friends or through just hearing something passing in the wind. I did have a Sirius radio in my car for awhile. But, that car died. I got a new car and haven’t yet installed it… mainly because I have to re-subscribe and I don’t feel like spending money on something like that at the moment. Even if I miss Howard Stern (the main reason I wanted Sirius in the first place). So… back to the radio… I remember when shit on the radio mattered. That last sentence sounded like I walked 8 miles to school in blizzards with socks on… but, you catch what I’m saying right? Staying up late to tape the Stretch Armstrong & Bobbito Show…

I was talking to some girls that I work with (sorry if this is diary-esque, but it focus on music heavily, so that counts, right? Wait… why do I care?) and they had never heard of A Tribe Called Quest… never fucking heard of them. And these girls are only 6 years younger than me. That’s it. It’s mind boggling. Especially since one of them listens to good music. Radio now is just bullshit nowadays. Although satellite radio is doing it’s best… it’s still not enough. Anyways… I’m done rambling. Start spreading the music more. Start telling people about music. Start giving them the business…

Stephanie McKay- Jackson Avenue (Good throwback tune… nice simple beat… good vocals… good lyrics)
Ghostface- Wildflower(listening to this track reminds me when I lived in Connecticut for a short time… driving up the Merritt Parkway from NYC with however many pounds of weed in my car)
A Tribe Called Quest- God Lives Through (C’mon… seriously… how could these guys be forgotten?)

****the first mentioned video was a new one by The Streets… an artist that I really liked with his first and second albums… didn’t particularly like the third, but there were some decent tracks… but, the first video and single off of his new one… meh****

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Chain Links

Went to a couple shows recently (if you count standing outside the venue and peering in through a chain link fence ‘going’ to a show).

Exhibit A: Tilly & The Wall at The Echoplex – tap dancing, striped tights, crowd surfing, does it get any more fun?! No….no, it doesn’t. I’m not a giant fan of their music, but I highly recommend seeing them live. And if you can go with someone like Meghan, all the more fun!**

Exhibit B: The Ting Tings, Black Moth Super Rainbow and MGMT at McCarren Park Pool – music that makes you want to dance and start a revolution. It was raining and it was free — which is to say, wet feet, wet hair, waiting upwards of three hours to get inside the venue and battling hoards of kids who look like they’re auditioning for an American Apparel billboard. I wimped out, bailed on the line after two hours and went for drinks instead. Please don’t lose all faith in my live-music-going-abilities… I did make a second attempt to get into the show later in the day. I caught the tail end of MGMT, through a fence by the side entrance. Rob kindly offered to throw me over the fence, but I declined (with my luck, I would’ve gotten caught on a rusty piece of metal and died from a tetanus infection). Regardless of all forces seemingly against me seeing this band, I managed to enjoy every second of what I could see and hear!

**side note: Zooey Deschanel and Jenny Lewis were at Tilly & The Wall — they are painfully adorable and well coiffed.

Tilly & The Wall – Falling Without Knowing
Tilly & The Wall – Dust Me Off

The Ting Tings – That’s Not My Name

Black Moth Super Rainbow – Sun Lips

MGMT – Destrokk
MGMT – Time To Pretend
MGMT – Kids

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Starting out the week with a pop…

I’ve been hoarding some songs for a bit. Kind of like the way a chipmunk stores nuts for the winter… or is that only in Chip N Dale cartoons?

Workin' For Peanuts

I have no idea. It’s the summer. So, why should I be holding on to my nuts? I mean they get pretty sweaty and gross… too much of a visual there? They don’t get that bad actually. I keep them shorn and gleaming plus talc helps out a lot. I am going overboard… I’m sorry. Here’s some good poppy sounding tunes to start out this strange end of July week.

Rent’s due, motherfuckas…

Minor Detail- Canvas Of Life
Boy Crisis- Dressed To Digress
One Happy Island- Temporary Tattoo

And here’s a video. This is the former lead singer from Beta Band with his new group, Black Affair.

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_dog [fri]days of summer_

awhile back I was sucker punched in my [sensitive] abdominals by Mimi to get up from my seat and start con’tributin’ to this music appreciation class –IWIYW (shameless self-referential link).  After some trepidation and 3 more sucker punches later, she convinced me it was the right thing to do.

So. here I am. standing here in my flip-flops and dirty jeans and new to the group…(*cough).

“My name is Joshua…. And I… I love music.”

(*insert murmurs of discordant but overall welcoming crowd here.)

so here are some tunes from my Friday morning:

My Friend – Dr. Dog  (think poolside, mojitos and sunglasses that leave awkward tan lines)

Weekend Wars – MGMT (love this band. love this music. puts a shitty grin on my face.)

The Underdog – Spoon (super-fun song. just give into the trumpet section. don’t fight it. don’t make it weird.)
Finally…

I’d like to finish with a Haiku I wrote about my last break-up with a gir——- (*end communication*)

[UPDATE: I’ve already been admonished for breaking IWIYW formatting protocol. Changes will be assimiliated in the future.]

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Angry Santa

I saw Thurston Moore at a party last night. He must be following me around. As aforementioned, I last spotted him at a John Fahey show in 1990-something. Here are a few songs from the Fahey tribute album I Am The Resurrection:

Sufjan Stevens – Commemorative Transfiguration & Communion At Magruder Park
Fruit Bats – Death of the Clayton Peacock
Devendra Banhart – Sligo River Blues

And here’s something dope that’s unrelated (I just saw The Wackness, and I’m trying my best to see the “dopeness” in things….):

Santogold & Diplo – Get It Up (Radioclit Mix feat. M.I.A. and Gorilla Zoe)

(make sure to download the mix tape from the Wackness link above)

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Dear Diary…

Ha ha. Just kidding.

It’s Tuesday… or Wednesday. I lose track of the days. But, I don’t lose track of good music. Here’s some hip-hop for your ass or your ears… whichever you prefer.

Murs- Brotherly Love (the lyrics are great in this track)
DJ H2- Stage 23 (as promised, more Halo. Does the whole 8-bit thing well.)

And two classic tracks…
The GZA- Liquid Swords
Lady of Rage- Afro Puffs

I know this video is probably everywhere by now… but still want to share it for those that haven’t seen it…

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More Vashti

I spent some time in LA recently. Had a blast catching up with old friends and eating delicious foods that I crave on an almost daily basis but can’t find in NYC. Saw a great show (more on that later). Wore pink sequins, played flute and danced in front of a Norwegian black metal band (possibly more on that later??). I also took a trip to Amoeba (best record store on the planet) and bought some more Vashti Bunyan. From the looks of our I Will, If You Will blog stats, “Vashti Bunyan” is a popular search term bringing readers our way (along with “Bill Cosby sweaters“). Here is some more pretty girl folk for you:

Vashti Bunyan – Coldest Night of the Year
Vashti Bunyan – Train Song
Vashti Bunyan – Diamond Day

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Flashback Fridays- Orbital

These electronic greats started making music in 1989. They are two brothers; Phil & Paul Hartnoll. They aren’t together anymore. But, I had the pleasure of seeing them play twice. Once at the Roxy in New York City (along with Goldie and Money Mark… this was also the show where Bjork bumped into me) and once at the V ’96 festival in England. Both times, they were awesome. Just brilliant. They were one of the best live electronica acts. They pre-dated the whole Daft Punk thing, who owe a lot to Orbital. They improvised… made their songs sound different… made them longer, made the build-ups just… wheesh… amazing. I’m so glad I had the opportunity to see them live twice. If you talk to anyone who has seen them live, they will say the exact same thing.

So, here are few choice tracks that I enjoy.

Orbital- Impact USA (The Earth Is Burning) (This is my favorite song of theirs. And my favorite electronica track of all-time. And definitely in my top 5 songs of all-time. It brings back so many memories. It never fails in making me feel good.) This track is off of Orbital II and Diversions.

Orbital- Kein Trink Wasser (I love the opening of this track. The layers just keep on coming. The overlaying piano tracks… and then when it breaks… damn. So good.) This track is off of Snivilization.

Orbital- Science Friction (Ahh. Just a great song to drive to when the leaves are changing.) This track is off of Snivilization.

Orbital- You Lot (Love the vocal sample in this song. Christopher Eccleston from some movie… no idea which one.) This is off of The Blue Album.

Orbital- Spare Parts Express (I love that most of their songs are super-long. They take you on journeys while you listen.) This is off of Middle Of Nowhere.

Here is the video for “The Box” off of In-Sides. Tilda Swinton is the actress in the video… didn’t she just win an Oscar?

And another video… probably one their best live songs… incorporating Bon Jovi and Belinda Carlisle. This is for Halycon. Which is on Orbital II and another album as a live version… I think on the bonus disc for In-Sides.

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I wasn’t going to post… but…

I just had to share this song…

Hezekiah- Photograph (feat Santi White aka Santogold)

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Pete & Pete: Connections and Great Music

The Adventures of Pete & Pete was a show on Nickelodeon in the early nineties. The theme song to that show is in the video above. So catchy. So indie-rock. Mainly that’s because the band was formed by Mark Mulcahy. For the longest time, it was impossible to get that CD. I finally got it somehow. I can’t really remember. But, I was pumped. There was soooo much good music on that show. Plus, they had tons of musical guest stars… Iggy Pop, Michael Stipe, Kate Pierson, Juliana Hatfield… to name a few. The funny thing about that show is that it’s connected to a bunch of people I know. First… the girl in the show that played Ellen… she went to my high school. She was a year younger than me. 2nd… my friend Ken was obsessed with the show more than I was. He ended up going to college in upstate New York. Guess who his randomly selected roommate was? Older Pete. Nuts, eh? 3rd… Ken lived in my neighborhood in Brooklyn for a short period. We were walking towards some bar one night and who rides up on his bike completely out of the blue… Older Pete. Very bizzare… mainly because I didn’t believe him for the longest time. And 4th… my roommate at college, Jeff, lived in the town in Jersey where they filmed it. I know these are all random coincidences… but all the same.

Any-whoo… here are a couple of songs from the show and one from Mark…

Polaris- She Is Staggering (this is the same band that does the theme song along with a lot of other music in the show)
Chug- Flowers
Mark Mulcahy- Hey, Self Defeater

I AM THE STRONGEST MAN… ALIVE!

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Guillermo Scott Herren

Producer, Giullermo Scott Herren (aka Prefuse 73, Piano Overlord, Savath & Savalas or Delarosa & Asora), is not to be confused with Gil Scott Heron.

Prefuse 73 – The Class Of 73 Bells
Prefuse 73 – Living Life
Prefuse 73 (ft. The Books) – Pagina Dos
Piano Overlord – Walk Home
Savath & Savalas – Ya Verdad
Erlend Øye w/ Prefuse 73 – Every Party

Gil Scott Heron – The Revolution Will Not Be Televised

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Jonathan Richman is my hero

I’m glad Oliver posted the song “I’m Straight.” It’s my favorite Modern Lovers song. Here are some more faves:

Modern Lovers – Pablo Picasso
Jonathan Richman – I Was Dancing In The Lesbian Bar

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I need to see more live music…

I know it’s not New Year’s. I’m not making any kind of resolution. Basically, I am going to make a pledge to myself. I need to go see more live music. At least one show a month. Although, it’s difficult because I only have two nights that I can actually do it. But, I am determined to see more bands. So, if anyone is interested in coming with me or if anyone has any suggestions… let me know. I think I will try to go to Little Radio on Sunday… regardless of who is playing. Or maybe I should go to The Download Festival on Sunday instead. Regardless if I go to one or neither… I need to start going to more shows. And I’d prefer it if I went with someone else…

But, I get to be Han Solo…

Here’s some songs…

The Movies- Monumental Life
Pnau- Embrace featuring Ladyhawke (Fred Falke and Miami Horror Remix)
Mandrill- Two Sisters Of Mystery

And a video… just because I’m in a good mood.

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A Black Cat Didn’t Cross My Path…

I was sitting outside on a bench. Silently reading a book. Out of the corner of my eye, a dark object started to come into view. A furry creature. Not a goblin (I don’t think they have fur). It was a cat. A black cat. I can be superstitious for some odd reason. I try not to step on cracks (although there were times in my youth when I made sure I stepped on every single one), I throw salt over my shoulder, I kiss the clock at 11:11… I do a lot of stupid things like that. So, I noticed the cat. I noticed the path I was going to take to re-enter the building, seeing whether it would cross that path. It was creeping along slowly. It angled to the right of the quadruple glass doors and security pad. It spotted a hole in the meaningless chain-link fence protecting business enterprises from a stone wall. It turned back… took a glance… popped through the hole… looked back again as it meant to wink. Jumped up and crawled through the assumed small passageway between the buildings. It hadn’t crossed my path. Excellent.

I’ve had a lot of good luck lately. This was just another sign. And I’ve had a lot of good luck in finding good music.

Music helps me through the bad times, the good times, the blah times and the every day times. That’s why I like to share music. That’s why I enjoy the company of many friends, lovers and family. Well… maybe not many lovers…

Deep Sea Arcade- Crouch End
Jack Rose- Kensington Blues
Nas- Queens Get The Money (Over their heads, like a bulimic on a see-saw… fucking brilliant)
The Modern Lovers- I’m Straight

Here’s a video by a band from Los Angeles… I like the concept. I like the song. I should see them live… they are called “The Movies” (how appropriate)… the song is called… well, I think you’ll figure that out…

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