Date:	2006-10-20 11:29
Subject:	One Tenor
Security:	Public
Mood:	bouncy
Music:	Mates Of State - "Nature And The Wreck"

Sometimes I think about Pavarotti singing the strangest songs. He used to sing "Baby, One More Time" a lot. But this morning it was Deep Purple's "Space Truckin'". What's that about?

Date:	2006-08-31 19:37
Subject:	Lyrics vs. Music - it's not a cage match
Security:	Public
Mood:	chipper
Music:	"Blue Flower" - Mazzy Star (1990)

I am almost exclusively a music first kind of guy at the expense of lyrics. It's true. Often the words of a song could be the most cliched blather if the music rocks me. Of course, I'm impressed as hell if the lyrics have something to offer as well, but I'm more inclined to just groove to the riffs, the interplay of the bass & drums, the sound of the voice as opposed to the actual words.

But I've been listening to The Mountain Goats' new one (Get Lonely) recently, and I realized with John Darnielle, I am lyrics first all the way. Even in songs with the most basic of arrangements, his storytelling ability completely reels me in. The new one is all about the immediate aftermath of a breakup. He gets all the little details right. The making too much coffee, the talking to yourself because you're so use to having someone else there. I know, it sounds depressing, but there is catharsis in hearing this kind of subject matter dealt with not only intelligently, but often with a delightfully dry wit as well.

He's playing the Empty Bottle on September 16th. Check it out.

Date:	2006-08-09 21:28
Subject:	His Bobness
Security:	Public
Mood:	crazy
Music:	The Fiery Furnaces, "Paw Paw Tree"

Bob Dylan's new album, Modern Times, comes out August 29th. It will be his first studio album since 2001's Love & Theft. Don't let the fact that L&T came out on 9/11 frighten you. I'm sure it was just a coincidence. We have nothing to fear on August 29th. Well, no more than usual considering World War III has begun.

And then there's this iTunes business coming out in conjunction with the new album - 800 Dylan tracks in a "digital boxset" for $199. Now I'm gonna have the huge majority of those, but I'm wondering what the 42 rarities are that are supposed to be included. Not available separately of course. Will the goodies included therein entice me? Only time will tell. I've been trying to track down a copy of the 1971 45-only "George Jackson" for some time...

Date:	2006-04-18 16:08
Subject:	The Cure / Flashdance connection
Security:	Public
Mood:	curious
Music:	The Cure, "Play For Today"

Dear Abby,

Please tell me I'm not crazy. Whenever I hear the intro of "Play For Today" [originally released in 1980] by The Cure, I'm instantly reminded of "Maniac" [1983]. Is it possible that Michael Sembello was a closet Cure fan?

Signed,
Hoping to be "Cured" in Chicago

Date:	2006-04-17 19:13
Subject:	An Alphabet Soup...of mp3s!!
Security:	Public
Mood:	cheerful
Music:	Wilco, "I'm The Man Who Loves You" (live)

Thanks to Bilal for his fun take on this meme:

Total # of songs currently on the Creative mp3 player - 17,094

Most songs on my player by letter/number:
Numbers - 20/20 (26 songs)
A - Apples In Stereo (77 songs)
B - Beatles, The (312 songs)
C - Costello, Elvis (522 songs)
D - Dylan, Bob (394 songs)
E - Everly Brothers, The (68 songs)
F - Franklin, Aretha (49 songs)
G - Guided By Voices (103 songs)
H - Harrison, George (103 songs)
I - Impressions, The (17 songs)
J - Jam, The (90 songs)
K - Kinks, The (290 songs)
L - Lennon, John (89 songs)
M - McCartney, Paul (205 songs)
N - Nirvana (54 songs)
O - of Montreal (134 songs)
P - Presley, Elvis (263 songs)
Q - Queensryche (26 songs)
R - R.E.M. (212 songs)
S - Springsteen, Bruce (111 songs)
T - Talking Heads (74 songs)
U - Uncle Tupelo (30 songs)
V - Velvet Underground, The (54 songs)
W - Who, The (203 songs)
X - XTC (206 songs)
Y - Yo La Tengo (58 songs)
Z - Zappa, Frank (66 songs)

Date:	2006-02-01 13:18
Subject:	Feist at Park West, 1/27/06
Security:	Public
Mood:	pissed off
Music:	"Keep It Tight" by Single Bullet Theory

The show was amazing, but I wanted to relay something specific that stands out upon reflection.

Towards the beginning, she started a song ("When I Was A Young Girl", perhaps?) and forgot the words during the first verse. She stopped and proceeded to explain how she found out an hour before the show that WXRT would be recording the show for a future Sunday Night Concert Series broadcast. She confided to us that this knowledge had made her a bit more nervous than she would usually be. This was the turning point of the whole show. After remarking that she hoped this particular exchange wouldn't make it to the broadcast, she ripped into the rest of her set with abandon and had the crowd in the palm of her hand the rest of the night.

And she got Park West to turn on their disco ball for her cover of the Bee Gees' "Inside and Out"!

Date:	2006-01-24 14:03
Subject:	Super Tuesday
Security:	Public
Mood:	busy
Music:	Kate Bush, "Joanni"

No, it's not election season yet. It's New Releases Tuesday. An otherwise nondescript day of the week that is made just a little more tolerable by the possibility of new music to delight and astound.

Case in point, today's haul could include, if you were so inclined:

Jenny Lewis - Rabbit Fur Coat
The lead singer from Rilo Kiley steps out for a country-soul effort. For those of you that have More Adventurous, I'm guessing it may be in the "I Never" vein.

The Gossip - Standing in the Way of Control
Already 2 full lengths and an EP into their career, they are powerful, dirty, r&b flavored punk goodness. Lead singer Beth Ditto had gall bladder surgery last summer, and the band has a new drummer. Can't wait to hear where their hat is at.

Cat Power - The Greatest
Chan Marshall is shy. Stories of her stage fright are legendary. And her quiet storm style on record couldn't possibly prepare us for an album recorded with one-time members of Al Green's band and Booker T. & The MG's, some of the best to be found in Memphis or anywhere else, could it? But I'm betting she can pull this off.

Super Tuesday, people! Now be a good little capitalist and go to your nearest independent record store - vote with your wallets!

Date:	2006-01-23 13:33
Subject:	Colin Meloy tonight
Security:	Public
Mood:	sore
Music:	The Tain (Pts. I-V) by The Decemberists

Thanks to a wonderful Christmas present from Heather, we're going to see Colin Meloy tonight at Park West! Laura Veirs, very cool in her own right, opens the show.

When he's not touring by himself, Colin Meloy fronts the hyper-literate band The Decemberists. He puts his MFA in creative writing to excellent use, which doesn't sound the least bit "rock 'n' roll", I know. But who says you can't dance and think at the same time? Try listening to "16 Military Wives" or "The Infanta" from their latest album Picaresque and remaining unmoved. Not possible.

Confession: I don't always think when I dance. This leads to a lot of falling on my ass. But what's more "rock 'n' roll" than that?

Date:	2006-01-04 16:58
Subject:	Might as well "Jump"
Security:	Public
Mood:	contemplative
Music:	"The Wall" - Kansas

David Lee Roth on a potential Van Halen reunion:
"It definitely won't be rockers with walkers," he adds, seemingly indicating that a reunion is in the near, as opposed to distant, future. "Getting onstage and singing 'Dance the Night Away' -- let me tell you how difficult that isn't going to be."

You have to read it carefully, because at first you think man, it's going to be tough for this guy to get up on stage and sing one of the old classics. But he turns it around at the end and thumbs his nose at anyone who would doubt him!

Always the rock star, that one.

Date:	2006-01-04 16:54
Subject:	Kong
Security:	Public
Mood:	groggy
Music:	"Moondance" - Van Morrison

I admit to pretending that King Kong was Donkey Kong for most of the movie. The rest of the film didn't happen.

Date:	2005-08-11 11:15
Subject:	Tagged
Security:	Public
Mood:	mellow
Music:	Elvis Costello, "Battered Old Bird (alt version)"

I've been tagged by boldmoves, but so far the cooties aren't taking.

List ten songs that you are currently digging... it doesn't matter what genre they are from, whether they have words, or even if they're no good but they must be songs you're really enjoying right now. Post these instructions, the artists, and the ten songs in your blog. Then tag five other people to see what they're listening to:

In no particular order...

1. Sleater-Kinney, "The Fox", from The Woods [2005]
The lead track to their latest and greatest album. The guitars crunch like your favorite breakfast cereal (unless you're eating oatmeal, maybe?)

2. The Decemberists, "16 Military Wives", from Picaresque [2005]
Clever commentary on this great land of ours.

3. 20/20, "Yellow Pills", from 20/20 [1979]
Shimmering power pop.

4. Holly & The Italians, "Tell That Girl To Shut Up", [1980]
Loving homage to '60s girl group pop with extra sass.

5. Kate Bush, "Sat In Your Lap", from The Dreaming [1982]
Kate, when is your new album coming out already?

6. Sufjan Stevens, "Chicago", from Come On Feel The Illinoise [2005]
You can believe the hype. This track is typical of the album's epic grandeur.

7. Electrelane, "Gone Darker", from Axes [2005]
These ladies hooked me with their first album Rock It To The Moon, and their latest continues their way with guitars and found sound. In this song, an approaching train shares space with their axe attack.

8. Fiery Furnaces, "Smelling Cigarettes", B-side of "Crystal Clear" single [2003]
In which the protaganist witnesses her neighbor's ex-boyfriend getting ready to key her neighbor's brand new Camry. Will she stop him in time? Will the billboard truck run over his foot? You betcha!

9. The Kinks, "Mr. Songbird", recorded during the sessions for The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society, but not issued until 1973's now out of print The Great Lost Kinks Album.
No actual birds were harmed during the recording of this song.

10. Shoes, "Tomorrow Night", from Present Tense [1979]
These kids from Zion, IL knew their way around a melody.

Go!
spillshercoffee
cetacea
ke_jia
sarkastic
and another shout out to
duck2ducks

Date:	2005-08-10 16:41
Subject:	Go Flubs Go!
Security:	Public
Mood:	depressed
Music:	Sleater-Kinney, "Jumpers"

I suppose any Cubs' fans out there have given up long ago, but if not...today made 8 losses in a row, as they sleepwalked through a sweep by the Reds. They're at their low water mark of the year at 54-60. A perfect time to welcome the first place Cardinals into town!

Spring training 2006 is only 6 months away...

Date:	2005-05-13 15:13
Subject:	Gang of Four
Security:	Public
Mood:	pleased
Music:	David Bowie, "Moonage Daydream (Arnold Corns version)"

Last night the floor of the Metro was filled with balding fathers and their young offspring. And the hipster teens were well-represented too. All there to see a band who hadn't played together in their original incarnation for well over 20 years. I speak of Gang of Four and they were sensational in the second show of a two night stand.

These post-punkers from Leeds, England made one of my favorite albums of all time - 1979's Entertainment! The word timeless is thrown around a lot, but that album not only could have come out last Tuesday, it could be released 5 years from now and still sound futuristic. Anybody got a DeLorean?

Jon King's declamatory vocal style still melds beautifully with Andy Gill's slash and burn guitar. And the words can be just as chilling...

on consumer culture:

The problem of leisure
What to do for pleasure
Ideal love a new purchase
A market of the senses
-from "Natural's Not In It"

what "work" really means in a capitalist society, and what it can do to us:

At home he feels like a tourist
He fills his head with culture
He gives himself an ulcer
-from "At Home He's A Tourist"

Combined with Dave Allen's edgy bass playing and Hugo Burnham's stop-and-go drumming, the minimalist lyrics seemed all the more Brave New World. But in King's herky jerky dance steps and command of the mic (and in the camaraderie of the band as a whole), I saw hope, not apocalypse. And hey, they're the most fun Marxists you'll ever want to meet!

Their first 3 albums with the original lineup are all fantastic and highly recommended. Besides Entertainment!, which is being reissued with many bonus tracks on Tuesday, check out:

Solid Gold [1981]
Songs Of The Free [1982]

A great primer to check out would be the compilation A Brief History Of The Twentieth Century.

Date:	2005-02-25 13:06
Subject:	The Virtual Waiting Room
Security:	Public
Mood:	predatory
Music:	Television, "Little Johnny Jewel" (live)

At 10:00am today, individual game tickets went on sale for the Chicago Cubs. The team has set up a system for the people who don't want to wait in line at Wrigley on a workday to get a little bracelet potentially entitling them to the tickets they want. It's called...

The Virtual Waiting Room! Really! What does one do in the Virtual Waiting Room? Why, wait of course. Every 30 seconds it refreshes my browser only to put 30 seconds back up on the clock. I've been virtually waiting for well over 3 hours now and 4 games are already sold out. That leaves 77 others...

Of course, I'm doing plenty of other stuff while I wait, but it still almost makes me long for the days in the mid-eighties when you could waltz up to the park on most game days and score a pair. You know, like at U.S. Cellular Field.

Date:	2005-02-17 13:05
Subject:	In search of the lost chord...
Security:	Public
Mood:	working
Music:	Nick Drake, "The Thoughts of Mary Jane"

A long time ago, I was playing guitar regularly. Tish told me that "All The Right Reasons" by the Jayhawks would be a great song for Heather and I to sing and play. I loved the song (see their Rainy Day Music album) and proceeded to figure out how to play it. "Figure out". I'm more or less self-taught on guitar and my method for learning new songs is to just listen to them until my fingers find the right strings and the right spot on the fretboard. Doesn't always happen unfortunately. Anyway, this song wasn't too hard and we played through it a few times, liking what we heard.

Fast forward half a lifetime - Monday, Heather and I delved back into the book of lyrics and found "All The Right Reasons". I hadn't written down the chords. Whoops. By now, I knew the song well enough that I didn't have to play along with the CD. In a few minutes, I had the chords again and we were off. And it sounds sublime. There are few greater highs than sharing music (or whatever your choice of art happens to be) with somebody you love.

It has been an amazing year in so many ways. I learned so much more about who I am. I found out that Donkey Kong and Ms. Pac Man are still a lot of fun. But most importantly, I found out how lucky I am to have a new family right here in Chicago. My friends enrich my life in so many ways, musically, intellectually and more. Thanks to all of you!

[current music, "Seasons" by Chris Cornell]

Due to overwhelming demand, I am posting some recollections of my experience with half of The Who.

First, some history.

In the beginning, they were four: Pete Townshend, guitarist/principal songwriter/mystic.

Roger Daltrey, then lead singer/rock god, now beefy leprechaun. See Tish Hayes for further explication on that oxymoron.

John Entwistle, bass player ("Thunderfingers")/onstage anchor.

Keith Moon ("Moon the Loon"), drummer/force of nature/quite likely the funniest man in rock. Sorry Al Yankovic.

And then there were three: Soon after the release of 1978's Who Are You (easily their worst album until the release of 1982's It's Hard - it's a wonder that most punks, the Sex Pistols and Ramones included, basically gave them a pass even as they were trash talking the likes of the Stones, Pink Floyd and Zeppelin), Moon self-medicates himself into a stupor from which he would not recover. I was five years old. Already my opportunity to see the band in its full glory had passed. I kind of see their last hurrah as the 1975 UK tour but, alas, I was only two and not allowed out after 6pm.

Fast forward to 2002. In Las Vegas and about to kick off their sixth attempt at a farewell tour, Entwistle enjoys a little too much coke (self-medication not altogether ruled out) and passes on. Pete and Roger had seen this before. They had in recent years been employing Ringo's son Zak Starkey behind the kit and saw no reason not to substitute a seasoned session man (in this case Pino Palladino) for John. The Who had long been a favorite of mine and I had tickets to see them at The World Music Theatre [current corporate name intentionally omitted] in suburban Chicago.

Largely thanks to Pete's creative guitar work, the show was a blast. And an interesting side note - they did "Love, Reign O'er Me" twice because sound gremlins struck during the first rendition!

Word is that he and Roger will be heading into the studio in the New Year to record some new material. As The Who. Pete will forever be dogged by the words he wrote 38 years ago: "Hope I die before I get old".

Somewhat overlooked in all the hubbub over this season's flu outbreak is the effect it has had on one David Jones. Sorry, I'm not talking Monkees here. Perhaps in another post. No, I refer here to David Bowie, who's North American tour was to kick off a week ago. However, due to the dreaded flu bug he's had to cancel the first several shows with a promise to make them up at a later date. Now I know he's going to be healthy by mid-January when the Reality Tour hits Chicago but the part of me that thinks dark thoughts worries irrationally about missing yet another opportunity to hear an amazing performer. Let me tell you the one about seeing 1/2 of The Who...