np: "rise above" - black flag

so i'm reading one of the most enthralling books about music that i've read in a long time, Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes from the American Indie Underground 1981-1991. if you haven't read it, you should definately check it out if you have any interest at all in the independent music of the 1980's. each section is dedicated to one band, giving a detailed history of the band's indie years highlighted with thoughts from the members themselves and those dedicated to the scene. Black Flag, Sonic Youth, The Replacements, and Mission of Burma are just a few of the bands covered within.

while i'm at it, here's a few other music-related books i've read and enjoyed lately.

Let It Blurt: The Life and Times of Lester Bangs, America's Greatest Rock Critic
Old Gods Almost Dead: The 40-Year Odyssey of the Rolling Stones
Confusion Is Next: The Sonic Youth Story

enjoy.

np: "bowtie" - big boi

holy shit. this is album of the year worthy right here. this is most likely the most out there and best album i've heard all year, especially Andre 3000's disc. at first i was digging on Big Boi's half as my favorite, but suddenly in the middle of the instrumental cover of the jazz standard "My Favorite Things", it hit me how damn amazing Andre's side is. funk, soul, gospel, jazz, techno, rock... it's all here. i wish i had the words to do this thing justice, but i don't see either disc leaving my rotation for a long, long time. easily the hip-hop album of 2003.

np: "the ghost of a good thing" - dashboard confessional

i won't even get into the DC thing again. i like Chris and i don't feel guilty about it. because when it comes down to it, is it really any worse to like Chris Carraba for being cheesy and over-the-top than it is to like Andrew WK for the same reasons?
ranting aside, it is a beautiful fall day here in the northwest burbs. 70 degrees and sunny. i love autumn in this area, i'm going to have to make a trip down to Grant Park once the leaves change, i think it's beautiful to see the orange and red leaves framing the skyline. christ, maybe i shoudln't be listening to Dashboard now - i'm turning all emo and shit.
i made the trip to a local thrift shop this morning to dig through the vinyl crates. i didn't find anything too thrilling, but some things i couldn't pass up for 50 cents. ABBA's Voulez-Vous because... come on, it's ABBA and it was in really good shape. i also picked up a Dukes of Stratosphear album i had never heard, just because. and the other three i picked up mainly because the cover art is just so bloody awful that it rocks in a weird kinda way. the first two Boston albums, because those covers used to enthrall me as a child. and Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass' Whipped Cream and Other Delights. mostly because we just had a conversation at work about how this cover was the inspiration for the dude covered in clam dip on a Soul Asylum cover. take a look for youself. Herb Alpert and Soul Asylum. i love tribute covers like that.

np: "the aeroplane flies high (looks left, turns right)" - smashing pumpkins

in honor of the demise of Zwan, i'm listening to some of my favorite Corgan penned tunes of all time. i'm noticing i love the epics he's cranked out... "Drown", "TAFH", "Porcelina of the Vast Oceans", and the kick-ass live version of "Silverfuck" on Earphoria. but really, i want to talk about how fucking awesome the "Hey Ya" video is. seriously, that shit rocks my world. i don't know if it's the Love Haters, Dookie on the drums, or the girls shakin' it like a Polaroid picture... but definately one of the best hip-hop vids of the year. it's Outkast, should i expect anything less? i'm so hyped for the album, and i've been avoiding any of the leaked stuff until i can sit down and hold the actual album in my hot little hands. for now i'm plugged into Launch watching that video over and over and over again.... lend me some sugar, cuz i AM your neighbor. love it.

np: "dynamite" - ima robot

seriously, i've become addicted to this album in the last 48 hours. this is what this whole new wave of dancey/punk rock should sound like. catchy, funky, and fun as hell. i'm definately going to have to catch them live when i get a chance. on the other end of the spectrum, i gave the new Saves the Day album another chance, and i'll be damned if i don't hate it even more now. many of you would wonder what else i would expect, but it really is that horrible.

Ex-Girlfriends and Black Jettas
np: "12=3" - ima robot

alright, so it's been 2 weeks now without a reasonable update. and i'm not armed with a handful of excuses, i just have been struggling with where to go with this blog right now. i've been trying to keep it away from just being a journalish thing about my life, because honestly.. no one wants to read that all the time. i was kind of hoping to go with the music news and updates thing, but hell... this guy, this guy, and this dude all do it more often and far better than i have the time for right now. plus they got the hook-ups on those sweet looking designs that aren't blogger templates. so yeah, i'm kind of stuck as to where i can go with it. i kind of liked the review thing i had started, but i didn't feel they were in-depth enough to be worthwhile and i don't have the time to get that much more in-depth and update more than every week or so. and again, there are more sites out there that really do that reviewing thing pretty swanky.
but shit, i love music. i love thinking about it and it's always floating around in my brain. so i like the thought of having an outlet, but i'm stuck as to where to go right now.

and although i mentioned earlier that no one wants to read personal shit about me... here's a little bone for the old-school readers that sat through my bitching and moaning about being single posts. i'm actually seeing the most amazing girl right now, not too seriously yet - but it's been going strong long enough now that i feel pretty optimistic about things.

and to get back to the music, it was a decent little shopping spree for some new tunes today, so i'll share my thoughts on the things i picked up after the initial listens.

Saves the Day - In Reverie
ok, so i wasn't expecting much from this one. i saw them live once and used to enjoy Can't Slow Down and Through Being Cool back in the day. but now, Chris is over-reaching for Johnny Rzeznik type pop-glory and falls flat on his ass. and the endearing glimpses of teenage love anxiety that used to creep into his lyrics are completely gone, replaced with pure drivel. this one truly sucks.

Thursday - War All the Time
so sue me, i enjoy this sort of stuff from time to time... angsty without being completely overbearing, traces of melody, and better than average songwriting for the genre. this album is basically more of the same from the band, but a couple songs manage to expand on the sound established on Full Collapse and make for a decent listening experience if you are into the band at all. but if you hate 'em, this surely ain't gonna be the one to change your mind.

Ima Robot - S/T
picked this one up on a fluke, based on the positive word of mouth floating around the web and the sub-$10 price tag. and surprisingly enough, the most enjoyable disc i bought all day. it's more of that danced up punk that the kids seem to be into these days - think Hot Hot Heat type of stuff, but more fun lyrically. and damn if "Black Jettas" doesn't end up as one of my favorite songs of the year. fun, fun album.

The Rolling Stones - Sympathy for the Devil Remixes
this was exactly what i expected, a very hit and miss single. the Neptunes do an excellent job of subtley spicing up the original, with a more orchaestral ending and a kick-ass breakdown. the Fatboy Slim mix is pure crap though. he threw in some of his trademark blips and whooses that you find in about every single one of his mixes. it may work for the big beat shit he's used to, but it don't fly with the Stones in the least. the Full Phatt mix falls somewhere between the first two versions, doing a better job of spicing things up than Norman but really failing to make it an enjoyable listen like the 'Tunes. and of course, the original in all its glory finishes off the disc.

phew, and with that i'm out.

np: "i walk the line" - johnny cash.

so long Johnny, you will be missed. thanks.

np: "the lbs." - the delta 72
and then there were 9....
Bright Eyes gets the boot from the 2003 Shotlist Music Prize finalist list. apparently the album just recently broke the 500,000 sales mark, which is the upper limit for eligible albums. cool for Conor and all, but i really would have thought Turn On the Bright Lights was outselling Lifted.

Eponymous 2: Da Return
when i heard that R.E.M. was going to be releasing a greatest hits package for the post 1988 Warner Brothers years, i wasn't all that excited. i have all the album from that time period, so i figured there'd be no reason to pick up In Time. sure, there would be that obligatory new track to try and sucker me into buying it, but i would hold steadfast. well, after seeing the final tracklist - i'll be picking it up. two, not just one new track and two tracks from soundtracks that i never got around to picking up. here's the list, thanks to the 'fork for the hookup.

01 Man on the Moon
02 The Great Beyond [from Man on the Moon soundtrack]
03 Bad Day [previously unreleased]
04 What's The Frequency, Kenneth?
05 All The Way To Reno (You're Gonna Be A Star)
06 Losing My Religion
07 E-Bow The Letter
08 Orange Crush
09 Imitation of Life
10 Daysleeper
11 Animal [previously unreleased]
12 The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite
13 Stand
14 Electrolite
15 All The Right Friends [from Vanilla Sky soundtrack]
16 Everybody Hurts
17 At My Most Beautiful
18 Nightswimming

damn, yo. nice to see Up and Reveal getting some love, but one track from Monster? come on, it was a good album. they've probably got room for one more song, throw on either "Crush with Eyeliner" or "Strange Currencies" and i'd be happy with it.

Split Personality Crisis
Paul Westerberg is back with two new albums this October, both under his own name and the Grandpaboy alter ego. Come Feel Me Tremble, under his own name, is due out Oct. 21st but no exact date give on Grandpaboy's Dead Man Shake. maybe they'll slip some copies in the initial pressings of Come Feel, like they did with the Stereo/Mono package last time around.

Rave On
picked up the new BRMC and Raveonettes discs yesterday. haven't gotten to dig into BRMC yet, but took the Raves for a couple of spins last night. nice, very nice. hoepfully more later tonight though.

Vendetta Red - Between the Never and the Now
Epic, 2003
buy it here

Seattle transplants Vendetta Red come with the goods on their major-label debut, combining the best parts of hardcore and (gasp!) emo to pack a pretty decent wallop. Obviously haters of the whole screamo tip will be biased from the start, but for a genre overloaded with crap – this is a pretty solid release. Lead vocalist Zach Davidson and company boil down the essence of hardcore and combine it with some mighty guitar workouts, and thankfully avoid the most clichéd of emo lyrics. A little darker and harder than your standard TRL punk fare, Vendetta Red proves the genre isn’t a complete dead horse just yet.

NOFX - The War on Errorism
Fat Wreck Chords, 2003
buy it here

NOFX goes political? Not quite, although Fat Mike acknowledges America’s sad state of affairs as a motivator for some of the lyrics on the new album. Despite the Bush-provoking artwork and liner notes, the good time elder statesmen of punk haven’t gone all Anti-Flag on the latest release. The boys manage to protest American politics, while gently swiping at the angry left at the same time. Throw in some classic NOFX tracks like “Whoops, I OD’d” and “She’s Nubs”, and a hilarious take on aging punks, the boys put out one of their more solid albums of the past few years.

10 Finalists named for 2003 Shortlist Music Prize:
Interpol - Turn on the Bright Lights
Bright Eyes - Lifted or the Story is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground
Cat Power - You Are Free
Floetry - Floetic
Black Keys - Thickfreakness
Cody Chestnutt - The Headphone Masterpiece
Damien Rice - O
Sigur Ros - ( )
The Streets - Original Pirate Material
Yeah Yeah Yeah's - Fever to Tell

let's explore the process of elimination.

- Floetry, haven't heard this, so it's out.

- Cody Chestnutt, see above.

- Bright Eyes, i don't get this inclusion at all - and i'm a big Conor fan. but truthfully, this is one of his weaker releases. hell, i'd rather have seen the Desaparecidos up there.

- Damien Rice, a couple good songs - but mainly a slightly-better David Gray. meh.

- Black Keys, decent album - but just because it's a white duo, that doesn't make it groundbreaking blues.

- Cat Power, yawn. ok, that's a little harsh, but the more i (try to) listen to this album the more i scratch my head over the hype. girl can write a decent tune, but how about performing them like she cares?

- The Streets, the album was nowhere near as solid as it could have been. any album with filler should simply not be appearing on this list, and there's a fair share of crap layered between the great songs.

- Yeah Yeah Yeahs, another album that could have been much better. one of the minor letdowns of the past year, that's for sure.

and that leaves Sigur Ros and Interpol. i could argue the merits of either album deserving the $5000 prize, but in my mind it comes down to the album that is continually crawling back into my mind and my rotation. Interpol. yes doubters, it is that damn good. sounds like i'll have to get MTV2 before October 5th so i can watch the concert/award presentation.

thanks to Billboard for the 411.

np: "thunder" - wayne county & the electric chairs
a co-worker gave me a copy of the 10th Anniversary 1979-1989 of I.R.S. Records compilation today, and it's got some pretty cool shit on it. very early Police, John Cale, Cramps, English Beat, Magazine - neat little sampler.
i'm back after a little unexpected hiatus over the birthday/holiday weekend, and hopefully ready with more regular updates at this point. reviews of Vendetta Red, NOFX, Brian Jonestown Massacre, BRMC, and an expanded look at The Neptunes all hopefully to come within the next week.
for those that were wondering, it was a very good birthday weekend. had two most excellent nights of partying with the friends, a relaxing day with the family on Sunday, and i used the extra day to catch up on some housework and enjoy some new albums and quality bonding time with NCAA Football 2004 on my PS2.

The Mars Volta - De-Loused in the Comatorium
Universal, 2003
buy it here

I’ve seen “neo-prog” thrown out in regards to this album, and in a way it’s quite fitting. Overblown sense of scale? Check. Pointless noodling? Check. Inane lyrics that are supposedly telling a story? Check. Then it’s a pretty good descriptor because Omar and Cedric have churned out a prog album that only works about half the time. There are some interesting and effective instrumental sections on this album, but the supposed concept is so far buried beneath the “5 dollar words” strung together that the overall album falls a little flat. They have a great album in them, but this isn’t it.

Rancid - Indestructible
Epitaph, 2003
buy it here

It’s been said that the punk rockers don’t age well, but with their sixth album Rancid is out to blow that myth away. A new sense of maturity and nostalgia has snuck into the lyrics amidst the usual tales of being broke and rallying for political causes, but it doesn’t depart from the melodic core of what Rancid is all about. A somewhat expected break-up song from Tim to Brody appears, but the overall album manages to retain a sense of hope and love for life. “Cause through music we can live forever” – and as Indestructible shows, these guys will.

np: "tropical london" - rancid
i'll be posting the review for this album shortly, but i'm definately still enjoying it. as far as the reviews, the 50 word limit just was not going to work, so i gave myself some leeway and went with 100. maybe it's cheating, but it still made me struggle a little with getting out what i had in mind.
it's been an insanely busy week at work, and tomorrow is only Wednesday. it was bound to happen though, since we are shutting the office early on Friday for the annual golf outing. i suck at golf, but it will be nice to spend an afternoon outside consuming some alcoholic beverages. then it's on to a joint birthday party for myself and a friend. should make for a pretty good start to the weekend before heading out to celebrate my mom's birthday. which reminds me, i still need to head out to IKEA for her present. i despise shopping in that place because of the constant insane crowds, but luckily i know exactly what i'm looking for.

np: "agent orange skies" - kill hannah
wow, wow, wow. i saw the band that deserves to be the future of rock and roll this weekend. that's right, the Kill Hannah show was amazing. despite the 105+ degrees in the Metro saturday night, the boys in KH rocked the crowd hard and put on a great show for the hometown fans. like i said, i wasn't sure what to expect going into the show, but never in a million years did i expect to come away from one show this big of a fan. carrying on the glam/pop/rock tradition of Bowie, Duran Duran, Smashing Pumpkins, Suede, Garbage, Placebo and carrying it into the new millenium; these five guys showed just how powerful a true love for what you are doing can be. after the aforementioned heat and three opening bands, the crowd just exploded when KH took the stage and rocked it for all it was worth. "Welcome to Chicago, Motherfuckers", "Nerve Gas", and "Los Angeles" were just a few of the highlights of the night. remember this band, because once the major-label debut drops in October, Kill Hannah is poised on the brink of a supernova. it won't be undeserved success either, as the band has been working Chicago and the area for years - self-releasing three albums and a string of EPs, not counting the local hit "I Wanna Be A Kennedy". and to top it all off, the guys are just wonderful and very appreciative of the rabid fan support shown at the Metro. lead singer Mat Devine hung out for several hours in front of the Metro after the show, grateful to talk to any fan who wanted to meet him. i spent a few minutes talking to myself, and when i reached out to shake his had he grabbed me and hugged me instead. may sound a little weird, but the guy just seemed to be having the night of his life and wanted everyone to share in it. one of the most memorable shows by a local band i've seen in years, and leaving me hungry for more when they tour on the new album.

np: "around and around" - the rolling stones
ahh, some classic old school ABKCO Stones. i've just recently started exploring more of the '60s Stones, something i should have done a long time ago. i've had most of the '70s albums for years, but i never got any further back than Aftermath, which i got because i have always loved "Paint It Black", ever since it was the theme song for that old Vietnam show "Tour of Duty". that was one of my favorites as a kid, and if i remember correctly it was on the same night as that awful Max Headroom show. good god the '80s brought out some horrid shit.
i'm really looking forward to this weekend, fo' sheazy. Parker is coming back up from Atlanta, to see Kill Hannah at the Metro on Saturday and to celebrate his birthday. and mine too, i suppose, since it's in a couple of weeks. but you can bet there will be mass amounts of alcohol consumed and good times had. there always is when Parker is in town. i'm not sure how to feel about going to see Kill Hannah on Saturday. on the one hand, i always love the Metro and i've heard a lot of good things about KH. but at the same time, there's always the risk of running into a bad show since all the ones i have seen have been to in the past year have been good to excellent. i've also never heard a single KH song, and i'm gonna keep it that way so that Saturday will be a complete surprise to me. we'll see how it goes.
i've also decided to add a little something new to the viaChicago mix starting next week, putting even more focus on the music. i'm going to start reviewing albums from day to day, but not like the rare review that has shown up on this site so far. since i tend to become a little long-winded when i try to write my reviews, i'm going to limit myself to 50 words. yeah, i'm borrowing a page from the guys at 75orless, but i need to challenge myself to be a little more concise with my feelings and learn how to tear right to the heart of the album. i'm also not just going to be going over the latest releases, i'm going to be digging through my collection and writing a little about what ever happens to be striking my fancy at the time. maybe i'll even just reach in and pull out an album at random to see what thoughts i have currently. so stay tuned.

np: "who would've thought" - rancid
so Indestructible got me to pull out the other Rancid albums and take a look back. i really love the album this track comes from, Life Won't Wait, but i always thought of it more as Rancid's Clash tribute album more than anything. not that it's a bad thing, but the experimentation in styles just reminded me of Sandinista in a way. but the Rancid one is much easier to get through in one sitting than the Clash.
so not even one derogatory comment about my Dashboard post last time, i was expecting at least one. maybe i just managed to erase my last shred of credibility and scared you from ever coming back. wouldn't be the first time...

np: "carry this picture" - dashboard confessional
in a moment of brutal honesty here in which i will more than likely lose the respect of all three of my regular readers, yes i actually went out and bought the new Dashboard album today. yes i did. the most guilty of all my pleasures, i'll be the first to admit. and the one that none of my friends are shy to bring up when looking for a reason to embarass me. i can't explain my attraction to Chris Carraba, and no it has nothing to do with his boyish good looks. i used to spend hours writing crap "lyrics" in high school that would fit right in with his body of work. i'm not exactly proud of this fact, but it was my method of catharsis back in those days. when i first heard DC, it struck me just how much his lyrics sounded like those i used to write, and to be honest i kinda got a kick out of it. i'm sick, i know. i guess i just respect a guy who's got the balls to lay out those thoughts for the world to see, knowing full well he's not going to gain the hipster respect or admiration. in a twisted way, its refreshing to hear someone that's not out to impress everyone with his indie cred. there's something to be said for simple, heartfelt music now and then.
in other news, i kick-started my habit of going to the gym every day after work again this week. i had nearly forgotten how good it felt to feel all sore and sweaty, knowing that i was doing something productive with my time. i really feel like i can stick with it this time, now that i've gotten it worked into my daily ritual and the new gym is right on my way home from work. driving right by it gives me no excuses not to stop after work.

np: "date to church" - the replacements
this was a band i discovered far too late, of course they were pretty much broken up around the time i started to really get into music, so its not as if i would have found out about them in their prime. the 'Mats are just one of those bands that i should have gotten into far sooner than i did. i had read references to them many times and had heard quite a few of their songs without really even knowing it actually, but i never dug any deeper than that. it all came about as during a discussion with a friend about the Singles soundtrack. i commented how much i loved "Dyslexic Heart" and my friend asked me if i dug the other Replacements stuff. but at that point i didn't even know that Westerberg was the former lead singer of the 'Mats. he was rightfully shocked and told me to get my ass out and pick up some 'Mats albums as soon as possible. well shortly after this conversation, i read that the All for Nothing/Nothing for All comp was soon to be released. i figured that would be a great place to start, so i went out and picked it up and consequently fell in love. it was pop, but not quite. there was definately an attitude buried beneath the hooks and wonderful lyrics. it was a great place to start, but each of the 'Mats albums i have heard still contain many buried gems. so my advice to you, if you are like i was and haven't yet discovered these guys, do it now. you'll wonder just how long you managed to go without hearing one of the greatest bands of the '80s.

another random WinAMP post.

"Night, Nite" - Earlimart
"You Can See Me" - Supergrass
"Butcher the Song" - Cursive
"Late in the Day" - Supergrass
"Year 2000 Non-Compliant Cardia" - Mogwai
"Whatever" - Husker Du
"King & Caroline" - Guided by Voices
"The Straight and Narrow" - Spiritualized
"Everything's Going On" - Dead Meadow
"Suddenly is Sooner Than You Think" - Dntel
"Knees on Top" - Bikeride

np: "johnny ryall" - beastie boys
every single time i pull out Paul's Boutique i remember how fucking awesome and underrated this album is. it's up there with DJ Shadow's Endtroducing... as my favorite sample based album of all time. there are just so many great samples on this album, i couldn't even begin to name them all. classic rock, Public Enemy, Sinead O'Connor, old movies - they're all there. not to mention the hundreds of pop culture references all over this thing. luckily this thing came out when it did, because it would never be released today. there's no way they could have afforded all of the sample clearance prices now.

np: "teenage fbi" - guided by voices
it's time for another ten random WinAMP selections:

"I'll Never Forget You" - Husker Du
"The Bridge" - Clinic
"Everything's Goin' On" - Dead Meadow
"Alright" - Supergrass
"Run Run Run" - Velvet Underground
"A Magazine Called Sunset" - Wilco
"Hidden Track #1" - Bikeride (Morning Macumba)
"Native Numb" - Enon
"Late Nineties Bedroom Rock for the Missionaries" - Broken Social Scene
"Teenage FBI" - Guided by Voices

ahhh, WinAMP. it's like the IPod for us financially challenged types. except without the portability and such. i'm kinda bummed about this whole IPod free with a New Beetle thing though, how about giving those of us who have had service problems with out Beetles free ones too?

np: "c'mon" - junior senior
keep your Beyonces. your Sean Pauls. your Dizzee Rascals. your Ashantis. this is all the pop i'll need for the remainder of this summer. oh my god, this is like an orgasm in round, plastic form. seriously. this makes me want to jump up, strip naked, and dance all over the fucking place. but i'll spare you that image. this is honestly, without a doubt, the single most fun album i have heard in years. if i were to try and mix-up my own Junior Senior at home, this would be my recipie:

(2) heaping tablespoons of white boy funk
(1) steaming slab of psychadelic pop
(1) glimmering disco ball
(2) teaspoons of early '80s new-wave
(1) box of pure, granulated sugar
(3) cubes of shout-along choruses
and just a pinch of that gay sass

cook in the fire in the disco, fire in the taco bell for 45 minutes at 450 degrees.

serve hot, very hot.

np: "we looked like giants" - death cab for cutie
still enjoying the hell out of this new DCFC album, and still several months away from the official release. this is rapidly progressing towards becoming my favorite album yet, more so than even We Have the Facts..., which was one of those impulse purchases of a band i had never even heard of at the time. that album didn't do a whole lot for me the first couple of spins, but it continued to call out to me from my rack - begging to be listened to again and again. and since i usually heeded the call, i grew to love it. both "405" and "Company Calls Epilogue" made it onto several mixes at the time. The Photo Album was a decent enough release, but it never hit me in the same way as WHTFAWVY did, although i really liked the cover of "All is Full of Love" on the bonus disc. so now comes Transatlanticism and i'm falling in love with the band all over again.
so perhaps i was a little quick on the Pajo leaving Zwan comment last night, as that hasn't been confirmed just yet. but Paz is definately out. what's she going to do now that she can't ride the coattails of Maynard or Billy anymore? it's not as if she's that good of a bass player.
ahh, Pitchfork, why have you forsaken me? there's just something that's not clicking with me about this latest relaunch. i'm not sure if it's the color scheme, the breaking news header/map, or the new pop-oriented singles column, but it just doesn't quite sit right with me. and why the pop thing? the thing i liked about the 'Fork when i first discovered it years ago was the way it virtually ignored the mainstream. it was kind of like that cool older-cousin you have, the one that hates everything but still manages to turn you to some cool new shit. now its more like that annoying younger cousin who despite his addiction to Snoop and Biggie, you haven't abandoned all hope on because he still digs that new Sonic Youth. or maybe i'm just growing older and more cynical. nah...

np: "jesus i/mary star of the sea" - zwan
so it appears the rumors flying around Zwan and Pumpkins message boards are true, this may be the end of Zwan as we know it. both Paz and David Pajo have left the band to focus on other musical endeavors. although i admit i'll miss Pajo in the band, he was always buried in the mix and i'd much rather hear him doing more Papa M stuff than being buried by Billy. i'm not exactly sure what Paz will do now, since she's already been replaced in A Perfect Circle now. as far as Zwan itself, Billy once talked about it being a loose collective of musicians, but we'll see if that holds true and new cast members step up to take the place of the departing members. i'm hopeful that Sweeney sticks it out though, i really liked what he brough to the band and the two guitar attack was priceless, especially live.

np: "blue jeans" - bikeride
so tonight while driving home from my mom's house, i had a moment where i totally connected with an album that i hadn't before. i was driving in the country of rural Illinois, watching the lightning in the distance, and listening to Beachwood Sparks. for some reason it just felt like the perfect album to be listening to at that point. not too upbeat, but not to depressing either... just perfect for the end of the day i had today. it completely made me fall in love with that album, and leaves me wanting to check out the second album that i never got around to picking up. i love it when that happens. when an album you never fully appreciated just "clicks" with you at the right place and the right time.
so now i am back at the apartment, drinking a Killian's Red and listening to some sunshiney pop. not exactly sure what made me choose this album, but whatever works...

np: "ocean size" - jane's addiction
we decided to make today a cd Friday rather than a vinyl Friday with the boss gone on vacation. that way we could play the stuff that the boss man probably wouldn't get into. so earlier was my turn to try my hand at turning some more people on to Sigur Ros. i think it worked. and now it's time to rock out to some Jane's, the Kettle Whistle versions though. i've never actually heard this entire album before though, so it's kind of interesting. some of these buried gems shouldv'e remained buried though - that's for sure.
mark your calendars. October 21st. we get to find out just how real the Strokes are. from all reports i've read, it sounds like the band is really trying to expand upon the sound of the last album without going for an all-out change in direction. which excites me, for the most part. the last album, good as it was, tended to get a little "samey" sounding towards the end of the album, what with the ever-present Vocoder. a little tweaking can do this band wonders, and this album could make the band positively huge.

np: "blind" - tv on the radio
so the 'fork does it again. the Young Liars EP is really fucking good. not at all what i was expecting, much more laid back than i was expecting with the YYYs boys involved in it. give me a couple more listens to get a better feel for it, and hopefully i can put some words to my feelings towards it. the hidden track at the end, an acapella cover of the Pixies' "Mr. Grieves" is pretty damn cool though.
and in a more vain moment, i switched my pic from a few posts ago to a much more flattering one. enjoy.

np: "november" - azure ray
i picked up the Saddle Creek 50 comp the other day, and so far i'm enjoying it. i mostly wanted to check out the unreleased tracks by Cursive and Desaparecidos, but there's a lot of other good stuff i'm finding. Azure Ray has been the most enjoyable new band to me, i'm definately up on hearing more from them. a friend from Atlanta has been talking them up now and then, but i think it's more from having met one of the girls before. as for the unreleased stuff, i'm liking the hell out of "Take Me to the Hospital" by The Faint and "Popn' Off at the F" by Desaparecidos, the latter of which features some interesting clips from a reported talking about the beauty of a nuclear explosion.
this weekend was quite interesting, at least last night was. i got a call from a friend at about 10 saying that a mutual friend was coming out from Cincy and i was to meet them out. we went to a couple favorite Wicker Park spots and i had a great time. it was just one of those nights where everyone seemed super-friendly and out to have a good time. yeah, it helped that i met one of the most engaging girls i've met in a long time. she was out celebrating the completion of a dance program she helped put on at the Atheneum here in Chicago. we talked about our work and of course, music. she's quite the Radiohead fanatic and one of the few people that still genuinely loves Pablo Honey. anyway, i wasn't really trying to hit on her or anything, just enjoying the conversation. but she gave me her number hoping she wasn't being too forward. not at all. if nothing else comes out of it, she's an amazing person to spend an hour or two just talking with.

np: "neon golden" - notwist
one of the more creative ways to try and make it to the United States, but what disturbs me is that the truck was "sent to the bottom". typical American response, we don't want to deal with it so send it to the bottom of the ocean and it becomes someone else's problem. i can't help but think of the damage that a gas engine is doing down there.

np: "obstacle 1" - interpol
so i'm a very visual person. i like to associate images and faces with words i'm encountering. so just in case any of you are like me, here's a face to associate with this blog.

np: "knees on top" - bikeride
i had heard these guys on a comp years ago, but i never really got around to checking them out at the time, as i was not so much into the shimmery pop stuff back then. but in the years since, i've learned to appreciate the '70's nostalgic summery-goodness of stuff like this. today has been a pretty good day for some happy pop - Fountains of Wayne, The Tyde, The Shins, and Bikeride. it's enough to even put me in a good mood tonight.
or maybe it was from finally getting to see Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. i'm really surprised that NBC took a chance on a regular programming night after just one episode, but then again it is a "reality" show and we know the networks just can't get enough of them. but honestly, this is the only one i've seen that is worth watching. just seeing the effect those five guys had on Brian was amazing. i wasn't exactly sure about the fashion choices, then again i'm straight and i cold probably use the service of them just as bad as Butch. and i just loved the catty little comments. i'm sure they could have a field day fixing me up. any chance you want to come out to Chicago boys? let's just hope NBC does the smart thing and continues airing this show, for those of us without cable.

np: "know your onion" - the shins
longer update tonight, but for now i just had to share the results of this quiz. normally i hate these things, but this one was pretty fun:


You are Brian Molko. Can we sleep with you? Sexy
and in control, you don't exist for the
critics. Visit http://xrrf.blogspot.com - no
rock and roll fun to discover yourself more
fully.


which indie schmindie superstar are you - yes, you?
brought to you by Quizilla

np: "laid" - james
love this fucking song. the Best of James was one of the albums i picked up for a buck at a garage sale last weekend. it was well worth it for just this song. i never get tired of it. i had a version on a mixtape from years ago, but it was the "she only (sings) when she's on top" radio edit though. the song just doesn't work like that.
i've also been listening to a lot of Papa M stuff lately. i first heard some solo Pajo stuff on a bootleg of an open mic night with Billy Corgan, Sweeney, and Pajo did here in Chicago awhile back. it led me into checking more of the M stuff, which took a bit to grow on me, but now i'm really liking it - especially Whatever, Mortal. there's just something warm and inviting about the album, like Pajo just invited you in to sit on the couch and sip a beer while you listen to him play. this comes across quite well on "Krusty", when you can hear the TV in the background tuned to the Simpsons and even get a chuckle from Pajo himself at the show near the end of the track. good stuff. and some of the lyrics that come out of nowhere, such as "i could feel something growing between us / that stopped you from going down on my penis", from a lesser talent it would come across as childish and stupid. but Pajo turns it into an honest reflection on the relationship. or maybe i'm just reading way too much into it because i'm enjoying the shit out of the album.
and in other news, i am now the latest member of the ever-growing Friendster community. seems like a pretty interesting way to get to know people you might not otherwise associate with. we'll see how it works out.

np: "sidewalk serfer girl" - super furry animals.
love this album. and i'm very excited to hear Phantom Power as well. somehow i completely blanked on this one even coming out so quickly. sometimes albums seem to do that on me. i caught the very tail end of the video for "Golden Retriever" on M2 the other night, but not enough to really get a feel for the song. i've been hearing good things about it so far though. i really wish the SFA/Grandaddy tour was coming through Chicago, that would be a great show to see. maybe they will add some additional shows, since i missed Grandaddy the last time they were in town. of course, they were opening for Pete Yorn at the time, so it probably wasn't a huge loss.
today was another good day for a trip to the library, except this time it was all about the movies. the DVD selection isn't the greatest, but the VHS one is excellent. thank god i still have my VCR. up for viewing this week: Happiness, Night of the Living Dead, and The Tao of Steve. none of which i have seen, so it should provide some quality entertainment.

no music right now, as i have some sad news to share. 3 members of the Exploding Hearts were killed when their van rolled over en route from San Francisco to Portland this weekend. my thoughts go out to families and friends. this kind of death is always a great shame, but even more so when it's to such promising youngsters.

here's the story.

np: "california waiting" - kings of leon
quote of 2003:
"enemies are friends in reverse."
- gary busey
i'm with busey

np: "don't do me like that" - tom petty
work radio. meh. although i had an interesting experience on hold with Gateway tech support this morning. i was put on hold and i immediately blocked out the hold music and focused on my work, 99% of hold music is either jazz-lite or crap AOR music and not worth my time. but as i am sitting there, the slow realization that i am listening to "Obstacle 1" by Interpol hits me. nice. more companies need to have hold music like that.

those wacky Japanese are at it again. wonder if it will be a bigger hit than the six-day underwear?

np: "step out (live)" - oasis
yes, yet another guilty pleasure. i really got into Oasis back with Definately Maybe. i was just starting to discover Britpop - the Stone Roses, Blur, and the like. i heard "Live Forever" on the student station down in Champaign, The Planet, back in the days before it became a shitty Q101 clone. i was enthralled. it reminded me of the way the rock and roll used to sound when my dad was playing it around the house. no real angst, just rock and roll. i went out and bought the album right away, and it played a great foil to all the Seattle grunge i was playing at the time. then i discovered the magic of the import single and the magical Oasis B-sides. i think "Supersonic" was the first one i purchased, quickly followed by the other singles off of Definately Maybe, including the "Whatever" non-album single. i found most of the B-sides to be just as good as, if not better than, many of the album tracks. then, of course, (What's the Story) Morning Glory? dropped. even better than the first album. i'm sure i annoyed many people on my dorm floor that year with the amount of spins it got. i was hyping them so much to my friends that they were already sick of them before the radio overplayed "Wonderwall" and "Champagne Supernova".
Don't Look Back in Anger" even became the song i HAD to put on the jukebox everytime we went out to Flanagan's to drink. i gobbled up each of the imports as came into the local record shops. it even got to the point that a guy at Record Service would hold a copy for me when the shipment came in. of course my musical tastes were growing all over the map in college, but Oasis was always a steady presence in my life. through all the sub-par albums that followed, i was loyal to a fault. so yes, i still get every import single that comes out, even now that they've dropped to two or even one B-side per disc. and as before many of the B-sides are even better than the album tracks. which hasn't really been that hard to do. but Heathen Chemistry was a step back in the right direction, even though it's no return to form. definately an underrated album though, i just think the band's rep was ruined so badly in the public's eyes that no one really cared. that's fine. i'll endure the taunts and teases and sub-par releases, as long as Noel keeps dropping me a gem or two, no matter how hard they are to get ahold of.

np: "every day is a child with teeth" - liars
most likely still my favorite of the whole arty-punk thing sweeping through music over the last couple of years. there's just something off about these guys that makes them more exciting than 95% of thier current peers. the twists and turns through each and every song, let alone over the course of an album, leave you in a constant state of anticipation. Fins to Makes Us More Fish-Like has been getting a lot of rotation lately, and it's easy to see why. a version of "Grown Men Don't Fall in the River Just Like That" that towers over the album version with it's extened coda and further sonic trickery. i am very much looking forward to anything new these guys put out.
yesterday was a decent day for some cheap Best Buy albums, Poison the Well's You Come Before You and Motion City Soundtrack's I am the Movie each for less than 9 bucks. the Poison the Well major-label debut is wonderful, striking the perfect balance between hardcore chaos and gentle melodicism. i've never been a huge fan of hardcore - especially the more recent "screamo" stuff, but PtW and Glassjaw have managed to break through the din and suck me in. i think it's the fact that both bands have loads of musical talent and are able to float between rage and calm several times over the course of a single song. i guess i just like balance. all acoustic saccharine can get boring and a full half-hour of screaming gets just plain tiresome, but a nice blend of both will keep my interest. i haven't had a chance to listen to the entire MCS album yet, but it's one of the few albums i've bough in the last several years that i bought simply on the basis of hearing one single on the radio. i've heard "The Future Freaks Me Out" several times on woxy and enjoyed it every time. i saw the album for $7.99 yesterday and figured, what the hell.

np: "every time i look for you" - blink-182
a guilty obsession. sounds like the rumors are true, and Robert Smith is in the studio with Blink to add some vocals to Use Your Erection I and II. that could just be the best collaboration ever.

speaking of Fat Bob, i saw the Trilogy DVD at Tower this weekend. very tempting, but there's so much other stuff i need/want right now.

np: "b is for bethlehem - the promise ring
first the Pixies, and now this. wow. credit due to nerdball for this tidbit:

My Bloody Valentine Back in the Studio after 12 Year Hiatus

Sometimes news comes down the grapevine that's so good you have to spread the
word. Otherwise it would be an injustice to humanity. When word came to those
of us at Under the Radar that My Bloody Valentine have been holed up in a
Berlin studio we couldn't quite believe it. After all, the band hasn't released
anything in twelve years. Being the dutiful rock journalists that we are we
sought confirmation on the rumor only to be foiled again. Our source on this
bit of breaking news wishes to remain strictly anonymous. But he did confirm
the buzz.

My Bloody Valentine is finally back in the studio. As it turns out an MBV box
set is due out sometime this winter and Kevin Shields, Colin O'Ciosiog and
Bilinda Butcher are back in the studio to re-record a few songs for it. No,
there will not be a new MBV album, but the band is re-recording 5 songs they
had abandoned for the Glider EP. Originally the Glider EP was to be a full-
length album, but due to pressures from the record company Shields decided to
only release five songs as an EP because the other material wasn't ready to see
the light of day. The left over Glider songs were shelved and Shields and
company moved on to the never-ending Loveless sessions. As many of you know,
after Loveless the band went their separate ways (for whatever speculative
reason) and those leftover Glider songs remained on the shelf....until now.
Although there has been no confirmation on whether or not vocalist Debbie Googe
is also in on the new sessions it is a bona fide fact that My Bloody Valentine
will release Glider as a full-length album contained within the new MBV box
set, if all goes well.

Is it possible the seeds for a comeback are planted?

God, let's hope so!

By Marcus Kagler

np: "take it off" - the donnas
so yeah, i had to post again to tell you that i am in love. if anyone could hook me up, i would be forever in your debt. any of the four really, i'm not picky.

np: "hang on to your IQ" - placebo
yep, still on the Placebo kick. can't be helped. in bigger news, i just got back from Lollapalooza. i found out late yesterday afternoon that a friend was giving away free tickets she had won, so i took my little brother for his first concert. i had no intention of paying that much for a sub-par lineup, but for free... i had a great time. Queens of the Stone Age were VERY impressive, they rocked the crowd long and hard. as did The Donnas. yeah, the music is on the intelligence level of Motley Crue, but sometimes thats what rawk music needs to be. they put a lot of energy into the show, plus they played their cover of "Strutter" which i fucking love. Jurassic 5 was also really impressive, especially DJ Cut Chemist on the wheels of steel and the live drummer. Rooney was tolerable at best, they really didn't do anything to get the crowd going as openers. Incubus was also pretty tolerable, for as much of a non-fan as i am. they stretched out some jams and put on a decent show. we also snuck over to the second stage to see The Distillers put on a sub-par performance for them. Brody was fighting both illness and equipment problems, so they can be forgiven.
on the down side, my 14 year old brother was way tired and starting to get sick, so we left before Jane's Addiction came on. i am a little disappointed by that as it was my main reason for wanting to go, but since it was free and he was looking pretty ill - i'll get over it.

np: "summertime" - janis joplin
The Hardest Button to Button gets just this much more difficult with broken fingers, heal quickly Jack.

np: "how soon is now?" - the smiths
I am the son
and the heir
of a shyness that is criminally vulgar
I am the son and heir
of nothing in particular

You shut your mouth
how can you say
I go about things the wrong way
I am human and I need to be loved
just like everybody else does

I am the son
and the heir
of a shyness that is criminally vulgar
I am the son and the heir
of nothing in particular

You shut your mouth
how can you say
I go about things the wrong way
I am human and I need to be loved
just like everybody else does

There's a club if you'd like to go
you could meet somebody who really loves you
so you go, and you stand on your own
and you leave on your own
and you go home, and you cry
and you want to die

When you say it's gonna happen "now"
well, when exactly do you mean?
see I've already waited too long
and all my hope is gone

You shut your mouth
how can you say
I go about things the wrong way
I am human and I need to be loved
just like everybody else does

i'm far from the first to say this, but goddamn. this song could be the theme to my life.

np: "black eye" - placebo
to put it simply - great show. i admit that i didn't know as much as i would have liked about the band going into it, but they put on one hell of a show. it's great when you don't expect a lot out of a show and then you just get completely blown away. Brian and Stefan both played with so much energy and they played up to the crowd without going overboard or becoming just plain boring. and Brian gave some of the most priceless facial expressions, especially after this guy in front of me yelled out "I love you Brian!". they played a great mix of stuff, but nothing off the first album. some of the high points were excellent versions of "Black Eye", "Special K", and "Taste in Men", but my favorite moment of the night was thier cover of the Pixies' "Where is My Mind?" to end the second encore and the night. great cover of a great fucking song. if you've ever been on the fence with Placebo and get the chance to see them live, go for it - you will be converted.

np: "ceremony" - new order
Substance was just one of the many quality finds at my library recently. i'm simply amazed at the selection in the cd department. i also managed to get:

Big Star - #1 Record/Radio City
Stevie Wonder - Songs in the Key of Life
Stereolab - Aluminum Tunes
Liz Phair - Exile in Guyville
The Smiths - Hatful of Hollow

not too bad at all.
i'm hyped for the show tomorrow night, not so much because of Placebo, but more just because i always have a good time when Parker manages to come up from Atlanta. i really wish i had the time and money to go down there and visit him soon, i've always wanted to go there anyway - this just gives me all the more motivation.

np: "ladyfingers" - the fever
loving this song. another great track i heard on woxy this weekend.

just wanted to share the tracklisting that will get us through the drive from O'Hare to the Metro for the show on Wednesday:

1. Placebo - Taste in Men
2. Electric Six - Gay Bar
3. Placebo - Nancy Boy
4. Cex - Earth-Shaking Event
5. The Fever - Ladyfingers
6. Placebo - Special K
7. The Rapture - House of Jealous Lovers
8. The Faint - Glass Dance
9. Placebo - Pure Morning
10. !!! - Me & Giuliani Down by the Schoolyard
11. Placebo - Every You Every Me
12. The Rapture - Olio
13. The Kills - Fuck the People
14. Placebo - Bitter End

np: "golden retriever" - super furry animals
so this song really doesn't get me all that excited for Phantom Power, not like anything off of Rings Around the World. i'm sure i will still check it out, but that song just really didn't do all that much. i've been listening to a lot of WOXY on the net lately, and enjoying it immensely. The Decemberists, !!!, Starflyer 59, The Black Keys... i really wish Chicago could get their shit together and get a station like this. of course they had to go and ruin the great run with fucking Evanescence. but i guess no single station is ever perfect. anyway, if you are ever looking for a great station to listen to on the net... check out WOXY.

np: "the authority song" - jimmy eat world
guilty pleasure. here's a pretty interesting article about changing our National Anthem. just when the 'Fork starts to lose my interest with badly written reviews, they throw something up there like this that reminds me why i continue reading the site. definately time well spent reading and some interesting suggestions.
i think i'm skipping the Taste of Chicago this year and instead spending my afternoon at the less-populated and far cheaper Taste of Mount Prospect instead.

Happy 4th everyone...

np: "stabbing a star" - guided by voices
so since i've gotten ahold of Earthquake Glue, i've been on a huge GBV kick over the past couple of days. i've got all the major albums and EP's since Bee Thousand and i've come to realize that everytime i listen to them i discover something else to love about each one. some albums may have fewer gems than others and you may have to do a little digging, but they are there on each and every release. Mr. Pollard simply amazes me. more prolific that even Mr. Cuomo, but without the insane level of self-editing that plagues Rivers. seriously, some of the best Weezer songs have never been released... instead we get half-assed albums like The Green Album and Maladroit. i used to think they were both pretty damn good, but i still find myself listening to them less and less often as time goes by.
so i had the date, and it was.... meh. she looked really cute and we got along fine, but i just didn't feel the usual "date" vibes. if that makes any sense... oh well, maybe she was just having an off night. we'll see, she really seemed to want me to call her again, so i will and see how it goes from there. Finding Nemo was awesome, very likely to be my favorite Pixar movie yet. i laughed out loud several times, especially at the Ellen Degeneres fish's whale talking. i usually can't stand Ellen, but she damn near stole this movie. but overall the movie harkened back to the glory days on Disney... great story and wonderfully developed characters, but with enough humor to keep the older audience members enjoying it. and i'll be damned if it didn't even make me feel empathy for the characters. since i've gotten older i've felt myself becoming more and more detached from the stories in kids movies, but that wasn't a problem. the story was developed nicely, and i found myself really pulling for Nemo and his dad. i highly recommend it to anyone that enjoys a good flick, not just Pixar or Disney fans.

np: "my paper heart" - the all-american rejects
yeah, i like this album. no really, i do. it's like emo gone sugar-coated pop and there ain't nuttin' wrong with that. not overly whiny, no ridiculous lyrics... ok, yes there is, but not THAT bad. it's just a decent album for listening to on a nice summer evening such as this. i'm in too good of a mood to let something depressing take me down, and i don't want anything particularly challenging right now. i listened to the Mars Volta twice in the car on the way to and from a meeting today, i need to give my brain some rest time. i mean:

Cursed are they who speak its name
Ruse of metacarpi
Caveat emptor to all that enter here
Exoskeletal junction at the railroad delayed
Exoskeletal junction at the railroad delayed

come on. that's some $5 word using right there. not to take anything away from it, but i'll be very glad when they release the book that's going to explain the concept behind the album. i know it has to do with a friend of the band that died some years ago, but i want to dig a little deeper. lyrics courtesy of the comatorium.

np: "blueside" - rooney
quick update. this makes me happy. not so much for the music, but any increased exposure of Susanna Hoffs is fine by me. and she looks a little too happy to have been busted.

np: "moses? i amn't" - mogwai
another semi-disappointing release by Mogwai. not awful by any means, just not exactly what i was hoping for. of course, we can't expect them to go on making Young Team and Come On Die Young over and over for the rest of their career, but this just doesn't leave me with the sense of overwhelming awe that those two albums did. or maybe it's just the recent discovery of some of the Constellation releases, like Do Make Say Think or A Silver Mt. Zion. both of those bands gave me more of an emotional journey than Mogwai has been giving me recently. maybe it's just me, but i don't see any of those epic post-rock bands or albums as the type of thing that will "grow" on you. either they hit you immediately on the first listen, or they don't. i still remember the first time i heard Aegitis Bryjun, i just sat in the dark, breathless. of course not every album is going to do that to you, but i was hoping for a little more out of Mogwai this time around.

np: "section 1 (have a day/celebratory)" - the polyphonic spree
ok, so i just bought this one. i know that doesn't make me hip, since it's the re-release and not the original label one. but, i did get it for $7.99 and it came with a bonus 4-track disc. so that makes me happy. this stuff makes me feel so... so... happy, but like i'm gonna have a sugar comedown when it stops. sort of like The Flaming Lips on acid. wait, that's been done. by them. ok, like The Flaming Lips on grape Kool-Aid on a warm summer day in the park. with white robes instead of furry suits. yeah, that's it. and no blood.

np: "the size of our love" - sleater-kinney
everytime i pull out some S-K for listening, i always wonder why i don't do it more often. i didn't discover them until All Hands on the Bad One, but since then i've gone back and discovered the back catalog. someone needs to tell the Hot Topic teens that this is real punk made by real women, but i don't think all those Avril clones would understand. their loss.

so i decided to try my hand at writing another review, this time for the new Radiohead. i still don't feel as strong about my reviewing skills as i would like to, but i figure the only way to improve is to by continue writing them. and i feel that the writing is wasted without feeling that it's out there for others to read. so here you go, have a read if you'd like.

Radiohead
Hail to the Thief
2003
(Capitol)

Synthesis is the name of the game this go-round for Thom Yorke and the rest of Radiohead with the new album Hail to the Thief. There was little left for the band to prove to it’s audience, other than proving another great album was in the works following the unheralded streak of the last four. A lot of speculation surrounded this album, would it be a return to the rock based sound of The Bends as Thom had been saying (threatening?) in interviews, or would it throw the band’s sound even further into left field? The answer to both questions was a resounding… sort of. This album somewhat combines the soaring, epic qualities of the earlier work, while still retaining the sonic tweaking the band explored so well during the Kid Amnesiac period. But most of all, this album manages to prove that Radiohead is still one of the most exciting acts producing albums on a major label today.
Things kick off with “2 + 2 = 5”, a soaring track that builds slowly upon a computerized beat only to rage into full on rocker mode complete with real-life drummer Phil Selway. Thom warns us that “it is too late now / because you have not been paying attention” as the track almost veers out of control. The world is spinning out of control, but there’s nothing we can do short of sandbagging into a hole and hiding. While this isn’t exactly a overtly political album by the band, there are numerous subtle references to world events of the past 3 years right from the get-go. The lead track ends abruptly and takes us into the next two tracks, which serve as an excellent example of Radiohead’s skill at sequencing tracks. “Sit down, Stand up” ends with Yorke’s plaintive wailing about the raindrops falling, and “Sail to the Moon” rides on the waters in a giant ark to the moon.
Salvation isn’t to be found that easily, as Yorke makes it perfectly clear that we aren’t to escape the earth that easily. Evidence is erased and liars are being eaten alive as the innocent abandon hope to bunker down and protect their children. “Go to Sleep” and “Where I End and You Begin” speak to the paranoia of both the world at large and the narrator himself. It’s not made clear to whether it’s the evil government or personal demons coming to get us, but either way there is nothing we can do but try and survive. The middle tracks speak of good times ruined at weddings by drunken fools and sirens waiting to devour the innocent foolish enough to get too close. There is no salvation to be found anywhere, as Thom tells us in the lead single “There, There”. “We are accidents waiting to happen”, he warns, despite the title’s misleading clues of soothing. The remainder of the album only adds to this sense of fear and paranoia, “A Wolf at the Door” closes things off with the demons of the world at the door, but they haven’t gotten in just yet.
Lyrically, this album is one of Yorke’s strongest efforts since 1997’s OK Computer, with this album sharing that one’s sense of epic scale and excellence at setting a mood. Except this time, the enemy is not just technology but the world at large. Overall, this album relies more on a sense of strong song-writing, and less on the sonic trickery of the last two releases. While the Pro Tools beats and fidgeting are still present, they are more often repressed throughout Hail to the Thief, allowing the band to prove what can still be done five men still banging away on old-fashioned instruments. You’ll hear the previous mentioned drumming as well as Colin Greenwood performing actual (gasp!) guitar solos. What the album accomplishes best though, is the establishment of a mood, one that the listener can twist in nearly any way to relate to real life. While Thom’s abstract lyrics aren’t forcing an obvious political view down your throat, he is still waking you up to feel the paranoia.
The only disappointment that may be found in this album is the fact that the band really doesn’t try anything that new or original with their sound this time. While they are able to combine all of the strengths of the previous albums, it still lacks a certain feeling of precedent setting that usually comes with hearing a new Radiohead album. While there may not be single outstanding tracks such as “High and Dry” or “How to Disappear Completely”, this one manages to successfully create and establish a feeling from beginning to end. Hail to the Thief is better experience in one sitting, as a complete whole, rather than in bits and pieces. It falls short of the instant-classic status of OK Computer and doesn’t push far enough to sonically amaze like Kid A, but it certainly proves that Radiohead can still create a satisfying album that echoes the unnerving state of the world. And really, what else can we ask for in these days of disposable teen idols and forgotten next month party anthems?

np: "is she really going out with him?" - sugar ray
not as horrid as i was afraid that cover was going to be, but nothing to get all excited over. for some odd reason there seems to be one track from each Sugar Ray album that i completely adore, and it's usually one of the big singles, "Every Morning" or "Answer the Phone". i can't stand to sit through an entire album, but every now and then they've got a decent hook for a nice summer day.

so, what exactly is up with the California Music Awards? Green Day as Outstanding Group and Artist of the Year? all that for releasing a B-sides comp last summer? seems with the groups that actually did something worthwhile last year, they could have found someone more deserving. not to hate on the Green Day though, i'll still take any praise for them over the recent pop-punk any day. just not sure why 2002 was such a banner year for them in the minds of the Cali Awards people.

speaking of things i just don't get, why is it so wrong for the hipsters to just let the rock and roll be fun? this review of the Exploding Heart's Guitar Romantic makes them sound evil for being derivative. so what? it's honestly one of the most fun albums i've heard in awhile. sure it lifts directly from Joe Jackson, the Buzzcocks, and every other late-70's power-pop group; but does that have to be such a negative thing? "Sleeping Aids and Razorblades" and "Modern Kicks" are still bouncing around my head, those razor-sharp hooks ripping through my brain.

i got a quick listen last night of the new Guided by Voices album last night, sounds pretty solid after one spin. nothing stands out as particularly great, although "Apologize in Advance" and "The Best of Jill Hives" seemed to have struck a chord as they are the two i can remember offhand. it seemed to strike me that Bob is heading in the same '70s-rock direction that Malkmus took the Jicks on Pig Lib earlier this year. could the new Foriegner be far behind? although, after seeing this pic, i gotta wonder if the Mods are coming back instead. still, thats a great publicity photo.

np: "cicatriz esp" - mars volta
oh my god, is this album amazing. album of the year candidate for sure. i'll need some more time before i can get a more cohesive review up here, but i just had to share some of my early thoughts after about 4 listens. it's like they took all the promise they showed on the Tremulent EP and multiplied it a thousand fold. i am very, very impressed with this release.
so i broke down tonight and paid the buck a pill to get some Claritin, let's hope it works better than the cheap shit i was using before. i swear, today was the worst i have ever suffered from allergies before, and according to weather.com, the pollen count wasn't even all that high. i swear they just get worse with age.

np: "flowers" - the clean
allergies suck, can i just throw that out there? they were late coming in this year, but boy are they making up for the lost time. my nose is going to be rubbed raw soon enough. and i need a nap.

np: "big black car" - big star
one of the most underrated pop bands of all time, everyone should know and love the music of Alex Chilton. i was first exposed to his stuff through the Evan Dando cover of "The Ballad of El Goodo" on the Empire Records soundtrack. after a little digging for info, i read about Third/Sister Lover, and since then it's become one of my favorite albums to listen to when i'm in the mood for some old school pop. highly recommended if you've never heard of Alex Chilton. i mean, come on, how bad can a guy be if he gets a shout-out from the 'Mats?
in other music news, i'm going to see Placebo on July 9th at the Metro here in Chicago. my friend from Atlanta is a huge fan and he's flying up to see them, and taking me with. i've heard a lot of people say good things about this band, but i can't say i've ever really heard all that much by them. maybe the live experience will convince me to check out more of their work. plus, it's never a bad thing to see a show at the Metro. i love that place.

np: "the man comes around" - johnny cash
i admit that i am way behind in checking this guy out. the horrid nu-country that all the kids in my high school listened to scared me off of all country music back in the day, and unfortunately it kept me from discovering some amazing artists. thanks to my dad, i started listening to Waylon and Hank several years ago, but i just never got around to the Man in Black. i had read lots of articles about him before and i've always respected him, but i alwasy seemed to forget about him when i was in the record store. anyway, i got ahold of American IV today... and all i can say is "damn". if this is what the man sounds like now, i have to go back and check out his earlier stuff. this is what true, American country sounds like.

np: "jacknuggeted" - manitoba
so i finally sat down and wrote a long-form album review of this. the first review i've written in years, didn't quite turn out as i had hoped, but i'm gonna post it for the hell of it. comments are always welcome.

Up In Flames
Manitoba
(2003)
Domino

How many albums truly evoke the moods of a season? Sure, you may associate certain albums with certain times of the year due to repeated listens in a short timeframe, but how many albums upon first listen automatically take you that certain time? A select few are able to pull such a feat, but none as well or as distinctly as Manitoba’s Up in Flames. The man behind this album, Dan Smith, is able to perfectly reflect and transport the feelings of a lazy summer day directly to your ear from the minute you push play.
“I’ve Lived On a Dirt Road All My Life” kicks things off with a loud cacophony of various orchestra instruments as distorted vocals begin to float over the top of a slowly building beat. You begin to be reminded of an early 90’s shoegazer band, complete with vaporous vocals and droning guitars. But ever so peacefully, you start to notice your mind relaxing and floating away with the music. You get a sense of swirling excitement, anticipation of the day as it breaks. Excitement is in the air, although you can’t quite put your finger on why. The feeling continues over the next couple of tracks as flutes, saxophone, handclaps, frogs, birds, and a whole host of other sounds transport you through the summer air.
By the end of track three, “Hendrix with KO”, you are floating with the breeze and soaking up everything the earth has to offer on a beautiful day. As you are settled into the groove and letting the music just carry you onward, “Jacknuggeted” (the album’s first single), comes along and sends you soaring even higher into the atmosphere. You start to notice the first audible lyrics of the album and realize that this summer day isn’t just about fun and enjoyment, there’s also a sense of bittersweet loss mixed in. “I met you, then fell apart / Nothing more than a broken heart”, a voice whispers in your ear as you float through the clouds. But it doesn’t sound sad, it sounds as if the beauty of the day is slowly washing away the sadness of the night before and reassuring you that all is right with the world. Then the chorus comes in, sounding like a lost 1960’s summer classic complete with the “do-do-do-dos”.
Suddenly you realize that the beautiful day is passing you by and you haven’t accomplished anything more than floating around without a care. You have to find something to do so the day doesn’t feel like a waste. The ticking clocks and xylophones gently remind you that the time is passing and the day is to be lived, not just observed. Excitement swells through “Bijoux” as your mind races with the possibilities. Do you go for a swim? Call up some friends to enjoy this beautiful day with? There is so much joy to be pulled from the day.
As the album wears on though, you realize that you want to keep this feeling forever and you let it just wash over you, carrying you further into the sky. You float further and further as the beat carries you higher into the sky, but the sounds of dogs barking and children playing in the distance keeps reminds you that the earth is not too far away. Slowly you can sense the afternoon passing by and the evening begins to fall. You speed higher and faster as “Crayon” fades into the final track, “Every Time She Turns Round It’s Her Birthday”. You see a picnic below you, the track begins to slow down and ease you to the ground. A lazy melody encircles you as you join your friends at the picnic below. As you settle back to the earth, you get an overwhelming sense of wonder and excitement. The day has taken you all over the sky, now where will this warm summer evening take you? Gentle flutes break up the rapid beat that matches your excitement. Synths and distorted, distant vocals slow your heart back down and allow your mind to reflect on the day. It comes to a complete lull as you embrace yourself and the world around you, feeling enlightened for the journey you’ve been on. Suddenly you realize the journey isn’t over yet, as the rapid beat returns accompanied by floating sax fills that propel you into the setting sun, filled with the memories of a beautiful summer day.
This album contains a little bit of everything, but it’s balanced in such a way that the feeling of ease and serenity never completely leaves you. Manitoba has managed to create the perfect soundtrack to a lazy summer afternoon, whether it’s the first time you are hearing it or the hundredth. There is humanity to be found in laptops afterall. And perhaps even the perfect summer day.

oh yeah, big thanks to Phantroll over at Waking Ear for the help with the comments. go check his site out, much love for the Think Tank talk today.

np: "house of jealous lovers" - the rapture
finally. one of those arty-dance-punk bands that actually makes me want to get up and dance, especially this song. i am definately going to have to go check them out next time they come through. i got ahold of Echoes today and i am enjoying it immensely. i've been on a downloading spree tonight trying to check out some bands that i've heard a lot about but have yet to hear... Do Make Say Think, Four Tet, and Stars of the Lid mainly. i guess that's what reading fakejazz will do for ya. i was surfing through their album review archives and i was stunned by the pretty horrid critique they gave of Kid A. i don't know if they were trying to prove how "indie" they can be by trashing the hell out of it, but give me a break. yes, it is very derivative of the countless post-punk/IDM/what have you bands that have been doing that type of stuff for years, but it's also one hell of a good album. i mean, people had been doing pop stuff years before Pet Sounds, but that doesn't make it any less of an amazing album. not to say that Kid A is a modern day Pet Sounds, not yet anyway.
so i'm having a quandry about what to get my dad for Father's Day. he wants jeans. i'm not kidding, that's all he has told my sister, brother, and i that he wants. but that doesn't exactly sound exciting. i'm tempted to get him some more music since his collection is pathetically small, but he really doesn't ever listen to music. it's weird. i know he used to be into music when he was younger, he had a pretty decent record collection from what i remember. which he unfortunately got rid of just before i was old enough to stop him. anyway, the last cd i bought him was the ultimate Aerosmith collection thing, which he seemed to enjoy immensely, but my sister says he only breaks it out when he pulls the 'Vette out of storage. whatever. so i think i may end up getting him some fishing stuff. always a safe bet, but i am completely clueless when it comes to that kind of stuff.

np: "apple bomb" - deerhoof
this is a new band to me, i had remembered seeing the name in Pitchfork's year-end list last year, but i didn't get around to checking them out until the new album after hearing about it on a couple of message boards. this track is easily my favorite on the album, starts off slow and calming with some high-pitched "ba ba ba ba"s coming in, until the rest of the band just kicks in full force for a bit, then it just as abrubtly shifts back into the slow groove of the first part of the song. the loud part comes in as a total jolt once you have resigned yourself to the slightly off-kilter vocals and settled into the groove. then just as you are feeling the rocking out and get your head nodding a little - you're dropped back to the start as the track comes full circle. ok, i'm not the greatest in the world when trying to describe songs that appeal to me, just check it out for yourself.
in other music-related news, i compiled my list of the best albums of the first half of the year today. yeah, i'm a little early... but i don't see myself getting and having time to fully digest any more albums before the end of June. plus i just had the time to do it this week, and there's no telling when i will have this kind of time again. it was a difficult process, as i had over 60 albums to choose from this year - much higher than usual. so i humbly present to you my Top 40 for the first-half of the year:

40. The Sea and Cake - One Bedroom
39. The Music - S/T
38. Cat Power - You Are Free
37. Aerogramme - Sleep and Release
36. The Microphones - Mt. Eerie
35. Ani Difranco - Evolve
34. Rainer Maria - Long Knives Drawn
33. The Sounds - Living in America
32. Marilyn Manson - The Golden Age of Grotesque
31. Arab Strap - Monday at the Hug and Pint
30. The New Pornographers - Electric Version
29. Yo La Tengo - Summer Sun
28. (Smog) - Supper
27. The Libertines - Up the Bracket
26. Stratford 4 - Love and Distortion
25. Dead Meadow - Shivering King & Others
24. Deerhoof - Apple O
23. The Blood Brothers - Burn Piano Island, Burn
22. Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks - Pig Lib
21. Alkaline Trio - Good Mourning
20. Xiu Xiu - A Promise
19. AFI - Sing the Sorrow
18. Cursive - The Ugly Organ
17. Lightning Bolt - Wonderful Rainbow
16. The Postal Service - Give Up
15. Grandaddy - Sumday
14. Wire - Send
13. Calexico - Feast of Wire
12. 50 Cent - Get Rich or Die Trying
11. Notwist - Neon Golden
10. Ted Leo & The Pharmacists - Hearts of Oak
9. Exploding Hearts - Guitar Romantic
8. Prefuse 73 - One Word Extinguisher
7. Songs:Ohia - Magnolia Electric Co.
6. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Fever to Tell
5. Manitoba - Up in Flames
4. White Stripes - Elephant
3. Blur - Think Tank
2. Radiohead - Hail to the Thief
1. Zwan - Mary Star of the Sea

a few comments. i could have easily made a case for Blur or Radiohead at the top of my list, but as of right now the Zwan album still hits me in a way that the other two don't. i'm sure things will shift a little as all of these soak into my brain over the second half of the year. two recent albums i've gotten ahold of that could have made a strong showing would be Mogwai's Happy Music for Happy People and Mars Volta's De-Loused in the Crematorium, but i'll just have to save those two for the year end list. i really wish i knew how to add a Comments thing on here so i could get some feedback, but i'm not quite sure how to go about that. if anyone can help me out (if anyone is still reading), send me an e-mail at jon830@yahoo.com and help a brotha out.

completely un-related to music... i got an e-mail from the girl i met the other night. she wants me to meet up with her and her friends Saturday night, i'm really looking forward to it. despite the fact that i've got a minor crush on this girl, her friends are hilarious and they were fun to be around last weekend so it should be a good time.

np: "paperbag writer" - radiohead
one of the few bands out there that still manages to blow me away with the B-sides. the two on the There There single are no exception. i've been listening to all of my Radiohead B-sides tonight, simply amazing. does Thom ever write a throwaway song?
in honor of Radiohead B-sides.. here's a list of my favorite bands with the best B-sides, in no particular order.

Radiohead - word.
Smashing Pumpkins - The Aeroplane Flies High box set alone attests to this, some of the best Corgan-penned tracks ever haven't seen an album yet.
Oasis - one of those bands that doesn't waste the B-sides on complete crap. also the only band that i have bought every import single they have ever put out. the tracks have been getting slimmer with each succesive album, but there is still some amazing songs buried on the flipside.
Ride - another one of my obsessions lately, these guys put out some pretty excellent B-sides.
Blur - also a very talented B-sides band, but they tend to get a little more experimental on those tracks. rarely is it a bad thing though.

i'm sure there are a few more i am forgetting, but that's a pretty decent list right there.

np: "nothing better" - the postal service
i love this album. i love this song. i love the interplay between the guy and girl. sometimes i wish girls would provide me with charts and graphs as to why they don't want to stick around me, that could prove useful. and the line "you heart won't heal right/if you don't stop ripping out the sutures" is perfect. so until i get home and can envelope myself into Radiohead, it's been a glitch-pop kind of afternoon - Notwist, Postal Service. i think i'll follow this up with some YLT, Summer Sun in fact. a good album for a day when the sun can't fully decide whether it wants to be out or not.

np: "how to disappear completely" - radiohead
how much more psyched could i be about Hail to the Thief? answer - not much. i tried to hold out on listening to the leaked tracks, but i failed miserably. and despite having already listened to it numerous times, i'll still be heading out to pick it up tomorrow. i haven't been this excited for a new release since the Zwan album back in January. i've talked to a couple 'Head fans who have said they are disappointed in this album. how? are they even listening to the same album? maybe it's not as "experimental" as Kid A or Amnesiac, but lyrically i think Thom is at the top of his game. the themes and imagery on this album create such a sense of paranoia and gloom that i can't help but be enveloped by it every time i listen. i'm a big fan of the album already.

np: "pinch" - can
Tago Mago and Ege Bamyasi are two excellent albums. i've yet to delve any deeper in the Can library because i doubt either of these albums will be topped by anything else they've done. the roots of post-rock right here, if you ask me.
so i'm heading off to the heart of the city to go vinyl shopping tomorrow and i decided to make a couple mixes to accompany my journey, the results:

Post-Everything (for lack of a better title)
Vol. I
1. The Horror - RJD2
2. Ox Out the Cage - Cannibal Ox
3. Apple Bomb - Deerhoof
4. The Taut & Tame - Tortoise
5. Killing All the Flies - Mogwai
6. Dirty Pants - (smog)
7. But the Regrets Are Killing Me - American Football
8. Off the Rail - Notwist
9. You're Gonna Miss Me - 13th Floor Elevators
10. Dusty Nothing (live) - Dead Meadow
11. Anthrax - Gang of Four
12. Atmosphere - Joy Division
13. The End - Les Savy Fav
14. I'm a Pretender - Exploding Hearts
15. Yes, I Am Talking to You - Cap'n Jazz
16. In This City - Enon
17. Kanga Roo - Big Star
18. Surface Scratch - Calla
19. Else - Built to Spill

Vol. II
1. Liquid Courage - Pretty Girls Make Graves
2. Myxomatosis - Radiohead
3. East's Last Heart - Songs: Ohia
4. Run - Spiritualized
5. Jus 1 Kiss - Basement Jaxx
6. Earth-Shattering Event - Cex
7. Hermann Loves Pauline - Super Furry Animals
8. The La Song - Supergrass
9. Timorous Me - Ted Leo & The Pharmacists
10. Lonesome Cowboy Bill - Velvet Underground
11. Bob Dylan's 49th Beard - Wilco
12. Good Deeds - Owen
13. Black Path - Aerogramme
14. Apologizing to Mystery - Fog
15. Oh Yeah - Can
16. Sound & Vision - David Bowie
17. Why I'm So Unhappy - Dntel
18. Lonstocking - Lightning Bolt
19. Henry's Revenge - June of '44

should provide me with a decent soundtrack for the day....

np: "purify" - metallica
yeah, i said Metallica. holdover from my youthful days i guess. the "St. Anger" single about completely turned me off of this album, but i still decided to give it a try tonight. and the verdict is....... meh. it's not the "return to glory" it's been hyped as, but i really didn't expcet Ride the Lightning/Master of Puppets all over again. but they did move away from the Load/Reload direction, which is a good thing in my opinion. not that i was one of those people who freaked when they cut the hair, but those albums took that dorection about as far as it could go. the playing on this album is fucking incredible at times - especially on "Purify", but James has lost quite a step in his vocal abilities. it's as if he singes every song, even the harder ones, in that slower "Turn the Page" rasp instead of the rage of his early days. granted, the guys getting up there now, but this album would be about 10,000 times better with the old James singing.
speaking of new directions, Jewel. what the fuck? i've had a weakness for Jewel ever since Pieces of You, call me crazy. her last album wasn't all that exciting, but this was really not the direction i was hoping she would head. 90% of the new album is backed by beats and programming, a huuuuge departure for her. but, oddly enough, it almost works. she does manage to sound a whole lot more fresh than she has in years, but i'm not exactly sure if it's a freshness that i particularly enjoy. for what the pop-oriented songs they are, i'll gladly listen to this over Sheryl Crow or Avril any day, but i'm gonna miss the sensitive folkie.

np: "rome" - les savy fav
another band from the past couple of years that originally managed to escape my attention, but that i've discovered lately. i like to think of it as sort of the bridge between Fugazi/Jawbreaker post-punk stuff and Hot Hot Heat/Liars disco-punk sort of stuff. horrible descriptors i know, but it's the way i like to categorize these bands when i find the need for categorization.
nothing much else going on tonight, so this will be a relatively short post. i really wish i had something exciting to report, but what can i say? it was a monday. but a change is in the air, i can just feel it. maybe it's just the weather though...

np: "dead souls" - joy division
such a great song. i also really like the NIN cover from the Crow soundtrack, but Ian Curtis still really delivers on the original. i've been diggin' on the Division a lot these past couple of weeks. very depressing, i know, but it sort of helps to put things in perspective in a weird, twisted sort of way. things could be a whole hell of a lot worse right now. i've also been big into Ride this weekend. i picked up Going Blank Again, the Smile EP, and the import version of Nowhere that includes the Today Forever EP. great great stuff, i've been meaning to pick these up since i got OX4 last year and this was the first time i've found them all for a reasonable price. from what i've heard, i can skip out on Tarantula and still be quite satisfied. i've also had Carnival of Light for some time, so i've now got the car changer filled with Ride for this week's commute.
i didn't end up going to the Interpol/Enon street fest thing tonight - one, because i didn't feel like going alone and two, because it was fucking cold out today. i'm not sure i would have enjoyed it as much freezing my ass off outside. it really needs to start warming up so it can feel like summer.
well, i'm headed off to bed, i need to get to work early tomorrow and i'm just plain exhausted tonight after a long day of nothing much at all.

np: "seven days a week" - the sounds
i'm in love with this album right now. it's like someone threw Blondie and The Strokes in a blender, then sprinkled a little Duran Duran on the finished product. nothing fancy, nothing ground-breaking, just some good old fashioned '80s synth-pop thrown into the garage for some rockin'. definately better than The D4 or half the other groups in this wave of new bands. but on that note, i'm also enjoying the hell out of the Electric Six album right now. i don't think it's gonna last more than a couple weeks as a fun novelty type album, but it's fun as hell right now. other albums that i have to give props to right now as far as pure enjoyment... Prefuse 73, Fog, and any of the bands on the Nuggets comp. i know i'm a little late in that one, but it's a very enjoyable and worthwhile listen.
i'll really try not to bitch as much as i have been lately, but i've gotta get this last one out of my system. i had to pay almost $300 to get my car fixed today, much more than i could really afford right now. the oxygen sensors yet again. that's the thrid time so far i've had to have one or more of those replaced. and of course the dealership had to find something else to blame it on so that i'd have to pay for it. there's no reason an 18-month old car should be in the shop as much as this one has. ok, done venting for right now.
i was really hoping to go see Interpol play at a street festival here in Chicago this weekend, but i don't know if the finances are going to allow that right now. stupid car. plus i still haven't been able to talk anyone into going to the show with me. that almost worries me that i can't find any friends around here to go see Interpol with me. all my friends should want to see Interpol. i mean, it's fucking Interpol.

np: "disorder" - joy division
what a good weekend, i have to admit that much. i needed a fun one, and i definately got it. my friend Parker flew up from Atlanta to spend a few days with me, and we had such a great time. drinking, listening to music, record shopping... it was one of the most enjoyable weekends i've had in a long time. it was nothing extraordinary, but it was great to just have a laid-back kind of time with Parker. he's really a great guy and beginning to be a good friend. we hit some shops on the north side yesterday and i came across some great stuff. i found an awesome Joy Division jacket at a punk shop, for only $19. seemed like a sweet deal, and i literally had about 4 different hot girls talk to me simply because of the jacket. and you know that hot girls who know Joy Division are definately worth talking to. i also scored some cheap used vinyl to feed my fetish:

The Who - Who Are You
Stevie Wonder - Innervisions
Kiss - Rock and Roll Over

but the two best ones...
New Order - Power, Lies, and Corruption
The Smiths - The Queen is Dead

all for less that $20, i have to say it was a sweet deal. so far i'm trying to stick to picking up cheap vinyl that i don't have on cd. now i just have to work on getting a record player....

np: "jacknuggeted" - manitoba
so i'm finally all connected with the DSL in the new pad. about damn time too, i was going through internet withdrawal there for a bit. it's been a crazy couple of weeks for me with moving, work being hectic, and preparing for the wedding i'm in this saturday. i had the rehearsal and dinner for it tonight, and i have to say i am really looking forward to it. the wedding party is full of awesome people and it will be great to see Dan tie the knot.
musically... i have to admit that the Blur album has grown on me a bit since the last post. still not that amazing of an album, but better than i had initially thought. i'm really tired tonight so you get a short update, but i'll finish it off with a list of what i've been checking out lately.

The Stratford 4 - Love & Distortion
Ride - OX4: The Best of
Jets to Brazil - Perfecting Loneliness
Sahara Hotnights - C'mon Let's Pretend
Arab Strap - Monday at the Hug and Pint
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - BRMC
Manitoba - Up in Flames
Pearl Jam - Riot Act
Flaming Lips - Fight Test EP
Mogwai - Young Team