no links to download

I want to keep track of my own lists, so I thought I'd repost without links.
albums released in 2008 gaining my favor:
Bound Stems - the Family Afloat I hope more people get on this band and album. Not only are they great people, but they have made one heck of an amazing album. For fans of Arcade Fire and Bright Eyes.

Department of Eagles In Ear Park Anyone who knows me knows about my infatuation with Grizzly Bear. Department of Eagles is Grizzy Bear's side project - mainly Daniel Rossen, but Chris Taylor and Christopher Bear also appear on the album.

Man Man - Rabbit Habits
Even though this album is a little more controlled then their past efforts, Man Man know how to make creative and enjoyable music. Seeing these guys play live will be one of the most fun nights of your life. They're nutbags and are able to make AMAZING music.

Parenthetical Girls - Entanglements
Local Portland arty band Parenthetical Girls have released a hypnotic little album filled with beauty and mystery - and while that description sounds pretty pompous, it kind of fits this strange band.

Evangelicals - the Evening Descends
When an album was released in January and continues to get play on my iPod and theater soundsystem, its got to be a good one. These Oklahoma boys (sometimes referred to as Flaming Lips Jr) - have a quirky indie sound. Fun and creativity smother this album.

Deerhunter - Microcastle With Microcastle, I can finally see what everyone saw in Deerhunter when they released their last album. I could not get into the drone, but this album focuses a little more on the creative basement pop. Spooky, mysterious and easily recognizable song structures make this an enjoyable album.

Wild Beasts - Limbo, Panto This is probably the most challenging album on my list. That lead singer (Hayden Thorpe) has a unique voice that borders on annoying at all times. I enjoy the creativity for sure. There are a number of songs on this album I LOVE, but there are one or two that I do not like... so I'm still a little on the fence...

Pale Young Gentlemen - Black Forest (Tra La La) This is the newest addition to my list. I've had this album for almost a month and I LOVE it. It's like Andrew Bird as a younger, full band (sans whistling). Lots of violin and cello, smooth vocals and clever lyrics. I want to see this band play live.

the Last Shadow Puppets - the Age of the Understatement I still can't get enough of these young, rich british jerks - making noir-flavored guitar rock backed by Owen Pallett conducting a London Orchestra. It's almost perfect.

the Shaky Hands - Lunglight It's really no wonder I moved to Portland. My second local band on my list this year, The Shaky Hands are one part Modest Mouse, one part bar rock and all parts good time. Buy this album. Heck, buy all these albums. I bet you won't be disappointed.

apparently...

I have broken some blog rules when I posted links to leaked records on my blog. Anyone who is online can find any of the albums I posted links to - it's not all that hard to search out, but I guess it's illegal to have an easy place to download them from.
Guess I can only post my own mixtapes to download. Dumb Dumb Dumb.
Mix For Internet Police
01 J Church - Bomb
02 fIREHOSE - Brave Captain
03 Johnny Cash - 25 Minutes To Go
04 Public Enemy - Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos
05 Modest Mouse - Exit Does Not Exist
06 Beauty Pill - Lifeguard In Wintertime
07 McLusky - She Will Only Bring You Happiness
08 Dirty Projectors - Police Story
09 Interpol - Not Even Jail
10 Bishop Allen - Central Booking
11 Gang of Four - I Love A Man In Uniform
12 Gang Starr - Code Of The Streets
13 Misfits - Bullet
14 Pegboy - Strong Reaction
15 Les Savy Fav - Who Rocks The Party
16 Holly Golightly - You Have Yet To Win
17 Mission Of Burma - That's When I Reach For My Revolver
18 Fugazi - Long Division
19 Wilderness - End Of Freedom

I realize this is a little extreme a reaction to what happened, but it makes me feel better, so humor me.

uh oh

I love dumb kitties in elizabethan collars.

keep going and going...

There has been a lot going on in my world. Working part time at Kobos Coffee in NW Portland, Running a Comedy Theater, Teaching at a home school facility (where I teach two improv classes), Teaching a longform improv class at the theater, performing in the sketch show (Will Work For Change), doing tech for the longform musical show on Friday & Saturday nights, Tech for the awesome show that I directed on Sunday nights (POP!), performing in the kids show (Sometimes Toilet Water) on Sunday afternoons, and coaching two improv groups (Dopamine and Brown Chicken Brown Cow).

Is that enough?

I kinda miss spending my down time with this little guy (even when he's peeing he's cute), but mostly - I miss spending time with my lady. (and us together with our little guy).

Arlo's voting

and he approves this message.

the Holidays are approaching

Know how I know?

New Music to Fall in love with

If you're a fan of Andrew Bird (and if you're not, you should be) you may find yourself falling in love with a new band I recently discovered. They're from Wisconsin and they call themselves the Pale Young Gentlemen. I don't know that much about the band other than that they're a seven piece band featuring 4 men and 3 ladies. They have a wonderful chamber-pop sound (stressing the "pop" much much more than the "chamber"). A lovely blend of Andrew Bird, the Decemberists, Belle & Sebastian and more of your favorite indie pop stars.
Their second album Black Forest (Tra La La) was released earlier this month and it is gorgeous. I'm reserving a spot on my 2008 top ten list for this wonderful record for sure.

Pale Young Gentlemen - Black Forest (Tra La La)

for Stacey

Things have been pretty hectic on the home front over the past four months (or longer) - so I'm ready to get things back on track. I know I have been short and impatient with you a lot more frequently and I'm ready for that to stop now. You have put so much work into getting this beautiful theater off the ground. I can't believe everything you have done. You mean the world to me - and seeing as how we should be getting on more of a level/steady ground, it should be easier for me to figure out my moods, my blood sugar and anything/everything else that makes me a jerk. I want all of this to work out. I want our theater to be a success, I want us to be together and I want us both to watch that cute little mutt of ours grow into a grumpy old man dog. I'm sorry my moods have gotten the best of me lately. I love you.

Barlo!

I haven't been able to spend as much time with my li'l muttly as I usually do (seeing as how I just opened a new Comedy Theater two weeks ago) - so I'm spending as much smush time with the little guy as I can.
Arlo's Mix
01 Q and not U - ten thousand animal calls
02 Primus - making plans for nigel
03 Iron & Wine - lovesong of the buzzard
04 R. Crumb & His Cheap Suit Serenaders - little rascals medley
05 Modest Mouse - you're the good things
06 Deerhoof - snoopy waves
07 Grandaddy - stray dog & the chocolate shake
08 Johnny Cash - dinosaur song
09 the Futureheads - hounds of love
10 the Make*Up - don't step on the children
11 Pavement - best friend's arm
12 J Church - mary provost
13 the Incredible Moses Leroy - fuzzy
14 Decemberists - I'm sticking with you
15 Superchunk - hyper enough
16 the Boy Least Likely To - little donkey
17 Danielson - two sitting ducks
18 De La Soul - keepin the faith
19 the Zombies - friends of mine
20 Of Montreal - springtime is the season

grrr

...watching the presidential debate right now.
Holy shit, does this guy frustrate me. I love the cover of the Willamette Week this week:
How can anyone see him as a good, well informed, articulate leader? Can their be a proper comparison between these two candidates? He talks in circles and says nothing important. He makes personal digs all he can, but Obama proves him wrong every step of the way.

Worried Noodles

I have been listening to the David Shrigley compilation called Worried Noodles a lot lately. It's very creative and features many of my favorite bands (as well as a bunch of artists I'd never heard, but now enjoy quite a bit). The song that hooks me in is this one: I don't know much about Christopher Francis, but he has made this song into the perfect mix of creepiness, cleverness and good soundingness. I love it.

David Shrigley is a strange artists who has books filled with quirky, off-center artwork and words. A bunch of indie artists recorded songs with lyrics written by Mr. Shrigley to accompany his book titled Worried Noodles.
A sample of David Shrigley's work:

no time for music

Sheesh,
I feel like I've been missing out on a lot of good music.
I haven't seen a live show in months and haven't had time to sit down and listen to any new music at all. I spend a few minutes every day looking for new releases (trying to stay on top of things) but listening to any of them is not an option. I try to sneak new music into pre-show mixes that play at the theater, but it's not easy when I'm not familiar with an artist - to know what to play... so I feel like I've been using the same ol' standbys. I need to change it up.
Shows have been going really well. The show I directed, POP! (my version of Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind) got through 29 of the 30 "plays". It's a fun, high energy show I wish more people knew about.

Originals or Covers?

Sometimes I prefer the covers of songs over the originals.
Sometimes bands do their take on the exact same version of the original song.
Sometimes they change it up completely and bring new life to it.
Last night, during my show - there's a sketch in which I listen to my iPod on stage.
It's probably better if I don't actually have music playing while the buds are in my ears, but I chose to listen to this song:

It made me think of the Scarlett Johannson cover of it:


I like them both, but the original is probably the way it should be heard.

Theater Opening

Tonight is the (soft) Opening to our new theater at 5225 NE MLK in Portland Oregon (MLK & Killingsworth). Come out to see some comedy shows!

Reserve Tickets from
the Theater Website

Or check out

the Theater blog