Dead Man's Bones

I saw a pretty darn amazing show at Portland's Mississippi Studios tonight. Dead Man's Bones played a spooktacular show with a local boys choir. The thing about this band (and album) is that it features Hollywood sweetheart Ryan Gosling. I'll tell you something... it would be awesome even without the name/fame/recognition from him. I can't find the right words to describe the event. It was haunting and nothing like I've ever seen before. This album is creeping its way up my favorite releases of 2009.

Naught EP's

I haven't scoured my collection too intently, so this shouldn't be the final version of this list, but... a lot of impressive EP's have been released over the past ten years. Here's my reviews of some of the best.
Decemberists - the Tain (2004) One heck of a concept album for an EP. Broken down into 5 pieces, the Decemberists tackled Irish folklore in this eighteen and a half minute masterpiece. One of their first forays into straight up guitar-rock music. It's impressive and moody and amazing to see them perform in a live setting.
Bishop Allen - July (2006) 2006 was a crazy year for Bishop Allen. They gained their popularity because they set out to write and record a different EP each month of 2006. They completed the mission successfully, signed to Dead Oceans and became indie sweethearts. In the middle of their EP releasing year - July came out and blew me away. Sure it's just four simple pop songs, but the range is awesome. Fun, creative music done really well. This is what made me fall in love with Bishop Allen. The Broken String solidified it - and Grrr... caused the relationship to end abruptly (it's not very good).
Pinback - Offcell (2003) I didn't know about Three Mile Pilot when they were originally together, but when that band split two wonderful bands were started: the Black Heart Procession and Pinback. Both bands create dark nightmare-like indie rock. The Offcell EP is Pinback at their most experimental (or close to it).
Modest Mouse - Everywhere & His Nasty Parlour Tricks (2001)
Spoon - the Agony of Laffitte (2000) The two songs on this EP were written in response (from what I understand) to how Spoon's brief Major Label A&R guy (Ron Laffitte) treated them. He made a lot of promises and followed through on none of them. Released on Saddle Creek in 2000. Laffitte later approached Saddle Creek band The Faint - about signing to whatever major label he was working for at the time. The Faint responded by giving him a copy of this EP. Awesome.
Pedro the Lion - Winners Never Quit (2000) I don't really know if this is supposed to be regarded as an album or not, but I always called it an EP. It is 8 songs in a concept-album like story that finds Pedro the Lion at their heaviest moment (A Mind Of Her Own) and personal/saddest (or close to it, we know what a downer David Bazan can be) (Bad Things To Such Good People). It is a great LP/EP, whatever it is.
Iron & Wine - Woman King (2005) I love Iron & Wine on record. Live (especially with a band like Califone backing him) he turns into a Jam-centric hippy, which I don't like. Woman King is a great collection of Iron & Wine songs. If you are not yet familiar with his (Sam Beam) music, start here.
HOME IV (Bright Eyes/Britt Daniel) - split (2004) I love both Spoon and Bright Eyes. To listen to these four songs, you wouldn't know that these two gents don't play together all the time. Both of them wrote two songs and let the other complete them. All four of the songs are great and you can hear Conor and Britt adding their specific sounds to all of them. This is a wonderful EP. Thank you, Ben at Post Parlo Records!
TV on the Radio - Young Liars (2003) This is where obsessions start. An a capella cover of a Pixies song by four black dudes from Brooklyn? Weird. Lots of layers and harmonies and studio reverb to make the hipsters sway. This is the way it's done. A unique sound from a bunch of talented lunatics.
Les Savy Fav - Rome (written upside down) (2000)
Speaking of lunatics. Tim Harrington is the craziest front man for any band around right now. Seeing Les Savy Fav perform live you always end up wondering "Is this going to have a heart attack?" or "Is he gonna get all the way naked?" or "What the fuck is he doing?". I've seen him drag a 12 foot A-frame ladder from backstage at the Metro and put it right in the audience, climb up it and sing. He also brought out a slip and slide and put it in the crowd at the Pitchfork fest... and slid on it. He's insane. This EP is a great showcase of that as well.
Beauty Pill - the Cigarette Girl From the Future (2001) Chad Clark and company are an anomaly. They sometimes make music, they sometimes don't. They sometimes go to the hospital for an enlarged heart and have to have a surgery which takes a long time to recover from. And most importantly - they create some of the greatest, most creative music that nobody has heard. I love everything Beauty Pill has released. This EP is where it began. If you listen to it, I guarantee you will love it too.

eating arlo

I love this little guy.

End of the Naughts

This December will mark the end of the naughts. The first ten years of the 2000's - and with that will come a lot of 'albums of the decade' lists. I thought I would try to start mine now - and see how it changes in the next two months. I've been reading the lists on Pitchfork and talking about bands and albums with friends at work. A lot of crazy things happened with music in the naughts ("naughties" according to Eddie Argos from Art Brut). Lots of genre-bending / genre-crossing / dancepunk / indie music becoming mainstream, etc. Here's where my list stands as of now. It's my top 20 of the naughts, or:
My Naughty Twenty
20) Doves - Lost Souls (2000) At the time I heard Doves, I was coming out of a ten year nothing-but-punk-or-emo-music phase. I had just left college and moved into the world on my own and was getting introduced to all sorts of new things on a daily basis. Doves opened me up to texture and layers and interesting sounds that weren't (necessarily) made by just a guitar, drums and bass. This album is responsible for getting me to appreciate music that isn't full of teen angst.
19) We Ragazzi - the Ache (2002) This is one that will most likely not appear on too many 'best of' lists - and it's a shame. Perhaps I was in the right frame of mind when this was released. It's dirty and sexy make out music. I'm sure most people would be too annoyed by Tony Rolando's voice to be in a make out mood, but not me. This is a unique album all about the drrrty, sxxxy side of love.
18) Cursive - Domestica (2000) Remember when I said I was listening to a lot of emo / punk rock in the 90's? Here's the tail end of it. I still listen to Domestica a fair amount and I enjoy it quite a bit. Sure, it's full of emo and breakdown comfort at every turn... but for some reason I love it as I continue on into adulthood.
17) Iron & Wine - Our Endless Numbered Days (2004) Sam Beam knows a lot about hushed, emotionally driven acoustic indie rock. Sure he may be a religious dude from Florida who sings (sometimes cryptically, sometimes right in your face) about the lord, but goddamn it's beautiful. There are moments on this album that bring me to tears.
16) the National - Alligator (2005) I was late to The National game. They were forced on me all over 2006 and I turned my head. It wasn't really until two years ago that I started getting into them. Then I was reminded of how good they were thanks to a friend's recommendation (thanks, Noah). This album has a lot going on with it and I love every minute of it.
15) Blonde Redhead - the Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons (2000) I probably have way more Touch & Go releases on my decade-end list than I should, but I can't help it. I interned at the T&G offices one summer in Chicago and I really love the label. Blonde Redhead (and specifically this album) sound like no other band out there. A pair of french twins and an asian girl making weird melancholy pop? I will take it keep it with me forever.
14) LCD Soundsystem - LCD Soundsystem (2005) That's right indie-kids. Dance it up. Don't be afraid to move. James Murphy gave the kids the what-for in 2005 with this dance album (and everything else he does for/with DFA). I remember hearing "Daft Punk Is Playing At My House" for the first time and having to find that song immediately.
13) Radiohead - Kid A (2000) This one will be near the top of everyone's list... and it's deserved.
12) Sufjan Stevens - Illinois (2005) Come on Feel the Illinoise.
11) Ted Leo & the Pharmacists - Hearts of Oak (2003) I saw Ted Leo a total of 4 times in 2003, in 3 different states. None of the trips were planned around seeing him, it just seemed like I kept running in to him. He is a great guy and Hearts of Oak is a perfect TL/Rx album. I will always have fond memories of this album and the summer of 2003.
10) Spoon - Girls Can Tell (2001) I was working for a record promotions company in 2001 - trolling the internet and posting about bands while listening to internet radio when "Lines In The Suit" came on. I immediately stopped everything to find out what it was. I quickly convinced a couple guys in the office to make a record store run. We all got in my green escort and took a trip to Reckless Records (followed by a Chipotle lunch) and I picked up Girls Can Tell. It was my introduction to Spoon. I soon discovered my neighbor also loved Spoon and he told me the history of the band and all their major label hoo-ha they went through. Every song on this album is perfect and they all fit together.
09) Dirty Projectors - Rise Above (2007) Great concept. Great harmonies. Great band.
08) Decemberists - Castaways & Cutouts (2002) This album and the 5 song EP that came out just before it began a two year crush on the Decemberists. I saw them at Schubas in Chicago four times. Schubas is tiny and they were incredible there. I have grown apart from this band over their past two albums, but I will never be able to deny my obsession with them because of this album. I never thought indie booknerds could make such amazing music!
07) Modest Mouse - the Moon and Antarctica (2000) If you are ever in a place where you're thinking about life and questioning everything, I'd recommend listening to this album. It won't give you any answers, but it will sure give you a darker, more fucked up perspective on the world and life in general. It's dark and lovely.
06) TV on the Radio - Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes (2004) These guys have grown so big in the past five years, it's pretty incredible. I never would have predicted that this band would become America's Sweetheart. The weird sequencing and drum machine beats with falsetto harmonies and strange yelps..? I don't understand how the music they create can be so good, but it is!
05) Interpol - Turn On The Bright Lights (2002) the modern day Joy Division released this masterpiece to a bunch of acclaim in 2002, landing them a good spot in the public eye. They have yet to get back to this particular sound, but this album (and the 'Specialist' B-side) are the best.
04) the Black Heart Procession - Amore del Tropico (2002) Dark and spooky tales of woe. Relationships are hard and the Black Heart Procession have created a soundtrack for your heartbreak. Yet another T&G band that I love. This concept album impresses me each time I listen to it. I don't know why more people don't love it as much as I do. Everyone else is just stupid, I guess...
03) Arcade Fire - Funeral (2004) I don't know if you have heard of these guys, but they're Canadian and they make music.
02) Andrew Bird & the Mysterious Production of Eggs (2005) This album was my number one in 2005 and it still holds up. Even though it has become a coffeehouse staple (it seems every time I spend more than fifteen minutes in any coffeehouse, Andrew Bird inevitably begins to play). Violins, whistling and creative lyrics make this wonderful album so damn good.
01) Grizzly Bear - Yellow House (2006) It should be no surprise to anyone who knows me that this album is my number one of the decade. It didn't make it on my top ten list of 2006 because I didn't hear it until January of 2007, but I have listened to it (most of the time in its entirety) at least twice a month since first hearing it. It is a gorgeous album of layered chamber pop perfection.

Naughts 09 Mix

Curious

Our Theater (the Curious Comedy Theater) celebrated its one-year anniversary on October 10. It's hard to believe we're a year old already. I have been at this theater every weekend for a year. We have seen the audiences grow and hosted a bunch of fun, out of town friends for a night and/or a weekend. We've had a fair amount of stress (of course), but for the most part - it has been great. I can't believe I'm here in Portland running a (fairly successful) non-profit comedy theater. If you haven't come to see a show yet, please do. I'd love to hear what you think about it.
Also - Arlo is still the cutest mutt in the world.

Holy Crap! Updates!!!

A lot has been happening lately, so I'll just get right into it.
First thing's first. Stacey has owned her 1994 Toyota Camry since... well, 1994. It has traveled across this country (from Boston to Portland and back and forth to Chicago from both of those places) a couple times over. Earlier this year the front driver's side wheel began to loosen up (not the nuts on the bolt, but the wheel on the axle) and has felt like it was about to fall off with each left turn. Finally the driver's side door handle broke off, making it impossible to open that door from the outside. Sounds like an ideal car, right? Well - we finally got us a new car. Introducing our 2010 Scion XB!
The color options weren't great, so we went with black. We know it looks like a hearse - thanks for bringing it up. For a new car, it's real cheap. For Rill. Cheap. Rill. We're able to put a fair amount down and have great monthly payments. So yeah. New car for us!
Second piece of news: I have officially began a clinical study of a constant blood glucose monitoring system. I have had diabetes for 20 years and something like this is amazing! I went in on Friday afternoon and got two sensor "implanted" (they weren't really implanted as much as "attached") on/to me. I often forget that they're there until I brush against them. They each keep track of the glucose level of my blood which I can read off a meter at the push of a button. This monitoring system is still in its early phases and I'm a part of the first group of guinea pigs to try this out.
It's not exact, but it's usually not too far off. I like this science stuff.

Along with all these things happening - I was hired to write for Rayman's Raving Rabbids 4 (I worked on 3 last year) again, so hopefully I'll be getting another trip to Paris soon. It has been a lot of work this past week, but I'm done with the first (of four) assignments so from here on out it should just be fine tuning.
The shows at the theater are going really well. We've had over 50 people in the audience at each of our mainstage shows (Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm). We tackled the Silent Film genre for Neutrino this weekend and did our second episode of our kids show today, which was taped for Portland Community Media.
The theater celebrated it's first anniversary yesterday. We opened our first show October 10, 2008. We've come a long way, baby!

slow to update

Who cares, right?
Things have been busy in Portland, Oregon.
The Hurly Burly Spectacular opened last weekend. It's the goofiest show we've done yet. I love it a bunch. I am exhausted at the end of this show. This is not one to miss.
This weekend we had guests from Montreal Canada. Uncalled For is their name - and they did a two person sketch show called "Today is All Your Birthdays". It was fantastic!
It was their (Anders and Dan) first time in Portland. After the shows Friday night we took them to the Hawthorne Foodcarts and Anders got his Dino Tarot read. don't ask because I'm not even sure what the hell happened (or is happening in these pictures)
I am mailing my contract to Ubisoft to be a "Consultant Writer" for Rayman's Raving Rabbids 4 (which is awesome).
Things are in a good place right now. I hope it stays this way for a while!