things unique

Originality, individuality and things unique appeal to me. I'm certain it has something to do with how average a person I am. I don't do anything to excess, I rarely break laws, I don't drink, I don't smoke, I've never done any drugs. I'm fairly bland - which is the reason some of my favorite bands / artist have such unique sounds. The problem with having a unique sound, it will assuredly turn some people off.

I've compiled a collection of songs by artists some people may hate just by the sound of either the voice, the lyrics, or the general sound... but all of these bands/albums/songs are favorites of mine.

easy to hate (download here)

laughing

It's good to laugh
Do you think there was any drinking on the set of this movie? The laughing is certainly infectious.

album spotlight: The Ache

We Ragazzi-the ache
Released November 19, 2002 - I first heard this album in early 2003. The first reaction is to lead singer/songwriter Tony Rolando's voice. He shrieks, he yelps and his voice is nasally, but once you get over it (or get used to it) you begin to start to hear how amazing this album is. It's certainly not for everyone, but it has stuck with me for over five years and I still can't get over how much ache this album contains. This is the best make out album ever created. It has a unique sound, is very creative and it's fucking sexy.
Both this band and album never made much of a splash. Lucky for me they all lived in Chicago when this album came out - so I got to see them play live a bunch. Soon after this album (their second of three) was released, the new drummer (Timothy McConville) moved to New York and they reunited with their original drummer Alianna Kalaba.
Of their three records, The Ache is the one that I return to the most, whether that's because of the intricate and smooth drumming, or the style and swagger, I'm not sure.
But here, in late 2002 the trio of We Ragazzi created a somewhat unknown masterpiece of guitar/keyboard/drums No Wave Make Outs

Grizzly Bear on Letterman

A new song. A new accompanying keyboard player. A poppier view of the world.
I can't help but love Grizzly Bear.

(more) Man Man

a Marx Brothers song:

#95.3 Man Man - Warmup 3 - The Love
by lablogotheque

the original (Horse Feathers)

No work

Rehearsals have started. The new longform team for the Curious Comedy Theater (tentatively called TIGERBEAT) had their first rehearsal last night. It went really well. 8 folks, all with a wide range of longform experience - playing together for the first time. I can't wait to see what the team does come show time.
i like this girl a lot.

back in the director' seat

I started my rehearsals for the show I'm directing for the opening season of the Curious Comedy Theater. The show is called POP! - it's based on the Neo-Futurists show titled Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind, where the cast does 30 plays in 60 minutes.
It's a great exercise is writing, performing, energy and a unique show. I'm taking the basic elements of it, but hopefully turning it into something a little different, or at least different enough.
I have a cast of 8 folks and a bunch of ideas for scene/playwriting. I"m really looking forward to this rehearsal process to see what we come up with. The show is going to be a lot of fun.
*but not as fun as this crazy Portland coffee house.

the Trons

It's true. Someday soon we'll all be replaced by robots...
Even your favorite band.

Half of 08

We're past the midway point of 2008 and a lot of great albums have been released this year. Here are my favorites so far, according to what I've listened to the most this year (averaged by how long I've had the albums).
10) Foals - Antidotes

09) Jamie Lidell - Jim

08) Flight of the Conchords - s/t
For a comedy album, this is really good.
07) Pas/Cal - I was raised on Matthew, Mark, Luke and Laura
06) Young Knives - Superabundance
I know very little about this band, but I really enjoy the first half of this snotty british rock album.

05) Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer
I'm pretty sure by the end of the year I will have listened to this album a lot more. It's very good, but I've been busy listening to the next four albums:

04) Deerhunter - Microcastle
(No image at press time) This technically hasn't been released yet, but it's so damn good!

03) Evangelicals - the Evening Descends
This was released in January and it's held up!

02) Man Man - Rabbit Habits

01) the Last Shadow Puppets - the Age of the Understatement For some reason I haven't been able to stop listening to this semi pretentious throwback britpop music.

indecision

I have had this album for about a month now - and I can't decide if it's innovative and great or a little too annoying to enjoy over and over... At least this video looks good. Any thoughts on Wild Beasts?

Internet Addict

I have been unemployed for over two months, which is not good for anyone or anything.
It has made me realize that I am an internet addict - and I don't really use it for much good. Sure, I email people and read news all the time, but ultimately it does me no good. I have applied for countless jobs online (if I had to count - keeping in mind I said 'countless', I'd guess twenty to thirty) and haven't heard back from a single one of them. My resume is not that bad, I've got a fair amount of skills. Bah, that feeling of uselessness setting in... how comforting.
On the plus side, I have discovered a lot of new music for free via the internet - so it's not a complete waste of time, or is it?

Hooray for me being a downer.
We also have a theater starting up - and just put our fall schedule together and are contacting everyone we wish to cast in those shows. Rehearsals will start in the next week. That's the sunny side to this gloom mountain.
One thing that hasn't changed...
I'm still twelve years old and stuff like this makes me laugh.

As well as this. I'm pretty sure this was the first season of Reno 911. I remember watching this at a rehearsal and laughing about it for days.


sigh.

BFFs Arlo & Frances

Arlo has made a new friend a few blocks away.
Sure, sometimes it's hard to tell whether or not Frances really sees Arlo as a friend... but he doesn't swat or hiss at him when we come walking by. Arlo has been interested in all the cats in the neighborhood, but has been getting the cold shoulder for a long time. I'm glad to see him get up the cajones to finally approach a cat and sniff friendly.
Who knows, maybe someday soon the two of them will make lunch dates or slumberparties and they can have giddy talks about girls and watch Meatballs on DVD!
Not right away, but give it some time.

the Return of Man Man

Holy Moly, this is great.

the Alternative Adoption Option

Finally using my free time creatively.
Put together this short film in less than twelve hours - and that includes sleeping.
We brainstormed the idea for half an hour, shot it in 40 minutes and I just finished editing and uploading it onto youtube:


I will clean it up and post it at higher resolution now.

Busy Weekend

My Father and step mother came to town this weekend. I had a great time showing them around my new town - and experiencing things for the first time myself. We went to the Blues Fest to see CANNED HEAT!
(that's them waaay back there on the stage).
Then we spent an afternoon at the Rose Garden
which is a pretty amazing and beautiful place, even two months after the prime bloom time (April/May).
Sunday morning we brought Arlo to the Mt. Tabor dog park
Where Arlo got to play with many different dogs, particularly a precious little French Bulldog named Addie: As well as this dopey li'l Pug: It was a great, busy weekend. It's always nice to see my Dad and Shirley. Plus we took them to our theater space and showed them our plans for the build out. Things are happening fast on that end, so it was nice to take a little time out over this weekend and enjoy our city.

Sell Out

Certainly my favorite Who album, and ultimately one of my most favorite albums - The Who: Sell Out, originally recorded in 1967, it's the third album the band released. A concept album made of songs interspersed with commercial the band recorded. The biggest problem the album had upon its release was the fact that they recorded commercials for actual products and companies. Most of the companies didn't have much of a sense of humor and countered with lawsuits which delayed the release of the album in America.
There was also some irony at the time of the album release, as the Who was actually writing and selling music for commercials for the man.

This collection contains the complete version of Odorono, mixed with the final chorus included at the end. I put that together myself because I love the song so much.
the Who: Sell Out

Happy Fireworks Day!

(stare at this for 30 seconds without blinking, then look away. America!)
I'm not that patriotic a person, but I thought I'd put together an America themed mixtape for fireworks day, which is what I called the 4th of July growing up.
the American Birthday Mixtape
David Bowie - panic in detroit
Bad Religion - american jesus
the Pixies - u mass
matt pond PA - new hampshire
Smart Went Crazy - dc will do that to you
Mates of State - beehive state
Modest Mouse - ohio
Jawbreaker - ps new york is burning
Tapes 'N Tapes - omaha
Sufjan Stevens - chicago
John Vanderslice - the golden gate
the Rosebuds - back to boston
the Decemberists - los angeles I'm yours
Death Cab For Cutie - lowell, ma
the Get Up Kids - anne arbour
the Dismemberment Plan - the ice of boston
Pavement - blue hawaii
Bishop Allen - last chance america
Elliott Smith - independence day
Spoon - chicago at night

Auditor

Apparently, I had to put on my intimidating face while auditing the auditions for our theater space. I didn't know I had such a scary look. Maybe I had been listening to this wonderful, but dark album too much:

Turn On The Bright Lights

Everything that's old is new again

I'm a fan of pop/rock music from the 60's for sure.
When bands of today recreate that sound, 9 times out of 10 the updated equipment they use takes a little authentic quality away from the sound. But here are the Bishops

a London trio who conjure the energy of the Who and mix a little bit of the garage sound of Love and the Rock attitude of the Hives. They released their self-titled album on Rough Trade records last year.
the Bishops

I'm a Wildcat

You better watch yourself.
Wildcat! Mixtape - featuring rock out songs dealing with issues surrounding Wildcats! (murder, mayhem, death, destruction and rocking the eff out)
Wildcat! mixtape
tracklist:
Ratatat - Wildcat
Fujiya & Miyagi - Uh
the Pixies - Bone Machine
the Bishops - Menace About Town
Dinosaur Jr - Freak Scene
Tom Waits - Cemetery Polka
Mephaskapheles - Doomsday
Pinback - Shag
the Sonics - Strychnine
J Church - Mary Provost
David Bowie - Panic in Detroit
Grizzly Bear - Knife (acapella)
Misfits - Horror Business
McLusky - The Wold Loves Us and Is Our Bitch
S Process - In its mouth a Murder, Oh MNML
the Make*Up - You + I VS. the World
Spoon - Revenge!
the Dismemberment Plan - Time Bomb
the Most Secret Method - Spill More Blood
Ben Gibbard - Thriller (live)