Folks, what is all this confusion about what is indie anymore? It has always been easy for me to know what indie is. It is a little more than punk, a little less than rock. It's that simple.
It is self-conscious of its aspirations. It would love to "rock" like rock but is worried about the attention that rocking could bring.
2.7.10
The Califonia Gurls video is more outrageous/hilarious/subversive/amazing than anything Lady Gaga has done
I am sick of this Lady Gaga is a serious artiste shit. Sure, the gal knows how to work the industry... if every other pop star had spent like, 5 years working in the industry before deciding to play it, it would be the same thing. I know her videos are supposed to be like high-concept/high-art/high-fashion or whatever too but like, all that shit is lost on me. I shop at the Gap.
Yeah, no, I'm way more blown away by Katy Perry's turn as an Oompa Loompa-style imp that has recently discovered her sexuality. In one scene, she is laying nude on a purple cloud, with shiny purple hair, and after mouthing the line "Sun-kissed skin/so hot we'll melt your popsicle," she covers her teeth with her tongue and looks knowingly at the camera. Like, "come on, I've never been much for subtlety." The plot of the video is just thrown away (i.e. Snoop Dogg appears to be her (literal?) "sugar daddy" and is seen dancing with her and the other Calif. gurls, but then Snoop is the target of a whipped-breast-cream attack that leaves his gummi bear minions incapacitated
Katy Perry's deliberate movements and wide eyes at the beginning of the vid, like while the viewer and also Perry are growing accustomed to this edible wonderland, are kind of charming.
A dress of bubbles? Fuck a dress of bubbles. Calif gurls has Perry donning a dress of that sticky paper candy (that skeeves me out, but still.)
I dunno, I guess what I'm saying is, I'm glad this video has almost 9.5 million views as of tonight.
Yeah, no, I'm way more blown away by Katy Perry's turn as an Oompa Loompa-style imp that has recently discovered her sexuality. In one scene, she is laying nude on a purple cloud, with shiny purple hair, and after mouthing the line "Sun-kissed skin/so hot we'll melt your popsicle," she covers her teeth with her tongue and looks knowingly at the camera. Like, "come on, I've never been much for subtlety." The plot of the video is just thrown away (i.e. Snoop Dogg appears to be her (literal?) "sugar daddy" and is seen dancing with her and the other Calif. gurls, but then Snoop is the target of a whipped-breast-cream attack that leaves his gummi bear minions incapacitated
Katy Perry's deliberate movements and wide eyes at the beginning of the vid, like while the viewer and also Perry are growing accustomed to this edible wonderland, are kind of charming.
A dress of bubbles? Fuck a dress of bubbles. Calif gurls has Perry donning a dress of that sticky paper candy (that skeeves me out, but still.)
I dunno, I guess what I'm saying is, I'm glad this video has almost 9.5 million views as of tonight.
29.6.10
Lyrics of "The Battle of Hampton Roads" changed so they fit my current situation
So I'm going back to Kennett Square. I do believe they've had enough of me.
So now I leave Philly my tail is between my legs/
After deep calms of pain we're drunk to the drags/
And now im heading south on 95 again/
And I'm as intellectually/financially poor as I've ever been.
So now I leave Philly my tail is between my legs/
After deep calms of pain we're drunk to the drags/
And now im heading south on 95 again/
And I'm as intellectually/financially poor as I've ever been.
17.6.10
Made up stupid nonsense words humans become attached to and use ad nauseam
I am pro-"meep"-ban. I fucking hate shit like "meep," some stupid onomatopoeia or idiom or colloquialism that enters the lexicon at the bottom of the popu-pyriamid, with like, band geeks or videogame nerds and then rises, meme-like, to the top, until a school principal gets to the point where they must institute a ban on the word. This isn't a first amendment issue. It's merely a ban on fucking nonsense. If I had any power, I also would not hesitate to stomp this shit out like a foot to cigarette butt for the sake of myself and my staff. SEE ALSO: FAIL AS NOUN
Story about "meep" ban: http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/BO129435/
Story about "meep" ban: http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/BO129435/
4.6.10
Primitive Burger King Gods
My best friend Christian is back in town! Christian goes to B.U. and the type of bro (as in best guy friend) that no matter how long it's been since you've been together last, you pick up right where you left off. You probably need something like that in your life, I think. Anyway, we've been breaking in my new abode with CASES OF PBR and FORTIES. Seriously, it's been a lot of fun. We went to a free screening of "Get Him to the Greek" last night (it's definitely a TBS: Very Funny. Partying-like-a-rock-star-humor rarely fails to amuse. Same goes for Britishisms like "jeffrey.") and dined at Burger King. Christian and I are pretty serious about fast food. So we're feasting on chicken sandwiches and "steak-house" burgers when, after easily ignored songs like "Bring Me a Higher Love" and a Carrie Underwood hit, this song came on and ruined my day with information. Goddammit. I love this song but hearing it at a BK on a rainy night at 10 o'clock? Whilst stuffing your face with sat. fat and processed meat? I HAD TO RESIST URGES TO CONTEMPLATE MY MORTALITY IN ORDER THAT I COULD ORDER SECONDS. It was some kind of music/fast food culture clash. I don't want to hear P.R.G. while I'm eating a burger under fluorescent lights. I don't really want to hear anything at all except the chewing noises that grimly connect us to the cattle we were putting into our mouths.
26.5.10
I WRAPPED UP COMMUNITY FOR A TV AND A GIRL
Thanks Kristen for letting me do that.
By far the show I was most fond of this season, or maybe any season ever (1), was NBC’s underdog/fanart-stimulator/Soup -host-vehicle/Channel 101-mastermind-masterminded/community-college-set Community. In 09-10, while most people were getting too-involved with the conclusion of Lost (2), I was trying to figure out how to make .gif files so I could join in all the fun people were having with the Community ensemble on Tumblr and Livejournal (3). Speaking really broadly: I liked the show a lot and I think it worked on a whole lot of levels.
(More specific now!) The show sometimes gave me butterflies and I think its first season excelled because it featured: a great ensemble led by a fairly-recognizable anti-Seacrest who is able to make my DAD laugh; an exaggerated but accurate portrayal of a few aspects of college that haven’t yet been beaten into a desk (classroom puns!); inter-character chemistry that became a shipper’s dream; fans that (I think probably) mostly experienced and expressed love for the show on the web; the Dan Harmon that listened to those fans; and Alison Brie.
A laundry list of stray observations that are related to most of the laundry-listed reasons above, written both now and over the course of the season:
READ THE REST OF THE POST AT KRISTEN'S BLOG, A TV AND A GIRL
By far the show I was most fond of this season, or maybe any season ever (1), was NBC’s underdog/fanart-stimulator/Soup -host-vehicle/Channel 101-mastermind-masterminded/community-college-set Community. In 09-10, while most people were getting too-involved with the conclusion of Lost (2), I was trying to figure out how to make .gif files so I could join in all the fun people were having with the Community ensemble on Tumblr and Livejournal (3). Speaking really broadly: I liked the show a lot and I think it worked on a whole lot of levels.
(More specific now!) The show sometimes gave me butterflies and I think its first season excelled because it featured: a great ensemble led by a fairly-recognizable anti-Seacrest who is able to make my DAD laugh; an exaggerated but accurate portrayal of a few aspects of college that haven’t yet been beaten into a desk (classroom puns!); inter-character chemistry that became a shipper’s dream; fans that (I think probably) mostly experienced and expressed love for the show on the web; the Dan Harmon that listened to those fans; and Alison Brie.
A laundry list of stray observations that are related to most of the laundry-listed reasons above, written both now and over the course of the season:
READ THE REST OF THE POST AT KRISTEN'S BLOG, A TV AND A GIRL
20.5.10
Lavis Bloke
I get to see Lavis Blake tonight who are "taking Philly by storm." I will probably heckle something like "What the fucks is your name a reference to?"(edit: to a homeless woman that squatted in the abandoned house next door. I see a trend! Omar, Lavis Blake... someone needs to start a band about "Spare some change for cup of coffee" Liacouras guy.)
I was really bummed when they took their old songs off their site in favor of some more Philly math-lite. It seemed weirdly self-conscious of them. This is another case of me reading way too far into the activity of a local band but, come on, it was kind of drastic. And though the guitars got noodly and open tuned, I've determined this isn't a turn for the worse. LB's place, now, (no longer outliers which, even though I know very little about the band past their Myspace page, I will declare them,) is somewhere between Spraynard's posi-stoke and Algernon's elated emoturity.
Dag Nasty-informed lyrics and annunciation in "On The Road" (which for some reason, conjures images of Fozzybear:)"We live and learn respect." "We live in library stacks" which is even better. Share some motifs with the 'nard dogs: "As the sun goes down/across those hills." Kyle, the singer, is seriously great. His shuddering vocal on "Era of Hopeful Monsters" gives me the chills.
I was really bummed when they took their old songs off their site in favor of some more Philly math-lite. It seemed weirdly self-conscious of them. This is another case of me reading way too far into the activity of a local band but, come on, it was kind of drastic. And though the guitars got noodly and open tuned, I've determined this isn't a turn for the worse. LB's place, now, (no longer outliers which, even though I know very little about the band past their Myspace page, I will declare them,) is somewhere between Spraynard's posi-stoke and Algernon's elated emoturity.
Dag Nasty-informed lyrics and annunciation in "On The Road" (which for some reason, conjures images of Fozzybear:)
18.5.10
Summer To-Do List, v.1.0
Cover awesome songs with one or more bands. 4 Non Blonde's "What's Up," Piebald's "King of the Road" with lyrics changed to be about my friends, "Roadrunner" with Kennett-related lyrics, "No Fun," etc.
Convince Failed Attempts at Facial Hair to play a full band set somewhere.
If Fest Chester actually happens, redefine frontman while leading a group of confused and susceptible musicians to local, single show infamy.
Have meaningful experiences while listening to: An Emo Diaries comp, Orange Rhyming Dictionary, This is Happening, another Spraynard all-nighter, etc.
Cook more, cook better.
Make my way to East Fairmount Park or equivalent around sunset any evening I can.
Fight loneliness with loud music, books, writing and, duh, other peeps.
Convince Failed Attempts at Facial Hair to play a full band set somewhere.
If Fest Chester actually happens, redefine frontman while leading a group of confused and susceptible musicians to local, single show infamy.
Have meaningful experiences while listening to: An Emo Diaries comp, Orange Rhyming Dictionary, This is Happening, another Spraynard all-nighter, etc.
Cook more, cook better.
Make my way to East Fairmount Park or equivalent around sunset any evening I can.
Fight loneliness with loud music, books, writing and, duh, other peeps.
17.5.10
Best Shit I've heard this year so far
With the impending release of This is Happening, I thought it'd be OK if I listed the best shit I've heard so far this year:
This is Happening
the Monitor
Transference
the Brutalist Bricks
Cut and Paste
That untitled Teenage Softies E.P.
The Skin Cells
Romance is Boring
All of these records are really really good. 2010 >2009
This is Happening
the Monitor
Transference
the Brutalist Bricks
Cut and Paste
That untitled Teenage Softies E.P.
The Skin Cells
Romance is Boring
All of these records are really really good. 2010 >2009
16.5.10
Facebook Status Lyric Atrribution
I hate it when a person uses a song lyric in their Facebook status without attribution. I am trying to change the world one status at a time but I'm worried I look like a douchebag.
12.5.10
Just watched a Philadelphia Independent Film Festival submission called "My Kidnapper." Definitely the type of doc I'd read about and would immediately feel like I had to see it, it's that interesting. So read about it.
TV Producer Mark Henderson, one of the six "kidnapees" experiences a kind of Stockholm Syndrome when he starts receiving emails from his Colombian kidnapper. Henderson and some other tourists were taken during a camping trip in the Sierra Nevada mountains by a group of Colombian revolutionaries. They were let go after a few months and then, not quite a year later, Henderson and his fellows start getting emails from the group, asking pretty mundane things like "what've you been up to since?" Their kidnappers became Facebook friends and invited them to weddings. For Henderson, staying in touch with his kidnappers and making the documentary with the other people captured seemed to take on a weird, 21st century therapy... Pretty wild.
Here's the trailer:
TV Producer Mark Henderson, one of the six "kidnapees" experiences a kind of Stockholm Syndrome when he starts receiving emails from his Colombian kidnapper. Henderson and some other tourists were taken during a camping trip in the Sierra Nevada mountains by a group of Colombian revolutionaries. They were let go after a few months and then, not quite a year later, Henderson and his fellows start getting emails from the group, asking pretty mundane things like "what've you been up to since?" Their kidnappers became Facebook friends and invited them to weddings. For Henderson, staying in touch with his kidnappers and making the documentary with the other people captured seemed to take on a weird, 21st century therapy... Pretty wild.
Here's the trailer:
11.5.10
Revessay: My off/on relationship with Spraynard's "Cut and Paste."
I loved Spraynard's first E.P. I guess, like everyone else, I had a Latterman-sized hole in my eardrums that had to be filled? But you know those Latterman comparisons are just lazy so that's the last you'll hear of that.
I think I started listening to that demo during that January warm-spell last winter... or was it late fall? Don't really remember. I remember trekking out to Cedar House, Sartaj in tow, hoping to catch them at an overcrowded shit show. Mimi had given them two thumbs up after seeing them play Fennario a week earlier. I guess we missed Spray, but thankfully got to see Factors of Four rock the kitchen before dealing awkwardly with a crackhead in some Baltimore Avenue Chinese restaurant. So the first time I saw Spraynard was probably at our house that following spring break... their sets haven't gotten much longer. They played the demo + a Plow cover.
A lot of time passed, from a local music standpoint. The buzz about "Cut and Paste" started, in my ears, mid-fall, when Mimi played me "Jay's Cafe," a C+P track that had its debut on "West Chester Nuclear Winter." The song is an instant classic, but yeah dude, my interest in Spraynard had definitely waned by this point. I think I probably had some post-Pirouette fear of band commitment. Factors of Four had yet to fail me (well, actually, they were broken up by the summer's end,) but I just felt too tired to get attached to anyone else. And my ambivalence toward Spraynard continued, through downloading C + P, seeing them play my house one or two more times, and the laser tag show...
READ MORE ON MY BLOG THAT WILL STRICTLY BE ABOUT LOCAL MUSIC RELATED STUFF (IF I KEEP UP WITH IT.) INAUGURAL ESSAY Y'ALL.
I think I started listening to that demo during that January warm-spell last winter... or was it late fall? Don't really remember. I remember trekking out to Cedar House, Sartaj in tow, hoping to catch them at an overcrowded shit show. Mimi had given them two thumbs up after seeing them play Fennario a week earlier. I guess we missed Spray, but thankfully got to see Factors of Four rock the kitchen before dealing awkwardly with a crackhead in some Baltimore Avenue Chinese restaurant. So the first time I saw Spraynard was probably at our house that following spring break... their sets haven't gotten much longer. They played the demo + a Plow cover.
A lot of time passed, from a local music standpoint. The buzz about "Cut and Paste" started, in my ears, mid-fall, when Mimi played me "Jay's Cafe," a C+P track that had its debut on "West Chester Nuclear Winter." The song is an instant classic, but yeah dude, my interest in Spraynard had definitely waned by this point. I think I probably had some post-Pirouette fear of band commitment. Factors of Four had yet to fail me (well, actually, they were broken up by the summer's end,) but I just felt too tired to get attached to anyone else. And my ambivalence toward Spraynard continued, through downloading C + P, seeing them play my house one or two more times, and the laser tag show...
READ MORE ON MY BLOG THAT WILL STRICTLY BE ABOUT LOCAL MUSIC RELATED STUFF (IF I KEEP UP WITH IT.) INAUGURAL ESSAY Y'ALL.
5.5.10
Animal Sounds
I still stand by my hyperbolic claim that Teenage Cool Kids are the best band of the decade. Click to 2:50 into this video and see why.
Also, who didn't love an underdog this tenth of a century? Arrested Development? Conan-as-Tonight-Show-host? Yankee Hotel Foxtrot debacle? Y100-to-YRock-on-XPN? Stuff like that.
EDIT:
They have fucking EVERYTHING a young rock fan wants these days: running and Malkmusite/mathy guitar lines, drones, kiss off lyrics (Savage, sneering in Art School Anarchist: "[So,] is there a reason for your sentimental streak, or have you just gone soft man?"), hooks/bababa's til the Texas cattle come home...
EDIT:
Maybe the problem is there aren't enough young rock fans around to appreciate?
Also, who didn't love an underdog this tenth of a century? Arrested Development? Conan-as-Tonight-Show-host? Yankee Hotel Foxtrot debacle? Y100-to-YRock-on-XPN? Stuff like that.
EDIT:
They have fucking EVERYTHING a young rock fan wants these days: running and Malkmusite/mathy guitar lines, drones, kiss off lyrics (Savage, sneering in Art School Anarchist: "[So,] is there a reason for your sentimental streak, or have you just gone soft man?"), hooks/bababa's til the Texas cattle come home...
EDIT:
Maybe the problem is there aren't enough young rock fans around to appreciate?
29.4.10
GOT ANY WHAT/May is coming.
May is coming, everyone.
I think this song, Liz Phair's "May Queen," the closer of her underfuckingrated sophomore effort Whip-Smart (and it IS whip-smart,) does a good job defining that end of year, up all night confusion that finals bring on. "Got any what?" Although Liz is probably talking about fucking rock and roll would-bes like Nash Kato, and, I don't know, finding relief that she's not their only booty call? That WOULD be a relief.
"Don't be fooled by him he's fine.
Rock and roll Ken doll,
He's a national end-all,
He's an on and off friend of mine ...
Where have I been?
Got any what?
Who have I seen?
I spy a May queen.
You were miles above me,
Girls in your arms.
The changing of her majesty's guard is truly amazing.
Got any what?
Disease, hashish, a mind,
Do I have any what?
Where have I been?
Got any what?
Who have I seen?
I spy a May queen.
You were miles above me,
Girls in your arms.
You could have planted a farm
With all of them hay-seeds...."
-Liz Phair (knows that May is coming.)
And here's a bonus. "Polyester Bride."
I think this song, Liz Phair's "May Queen," the closer of her underfuckingrated sophomore effort Whip-Smart (and it IS whip-smart,) does a good job defining that end of year, up all night confusion that finals bring on. "Got any what?" Although Liz is probably talking about fucking rock and roll would-bes like Nash Kato, and, I don't know, finding relief that she's not their only booty call? That WOULD be a relief.
"Don't be fooled by him he's fine.
Rock and roll Ken doll,
He's a national end-all,
He's an on and off friend of mine ...
Where have I been?
Got any what?
Who have I seen?
I spy a May queen.
You were miles above me,
Girls in your arms.
The changing of her majesty's guard is truly amazing.
Got any what?
Disease, hashish, a mind,
Do I have any what?
Where have I been?
Got any what?
Who have I seen?
I spy a May queen.
You were miles above me,
Girls in your arms.
You could have planted a farm
With all of them hay-seeds...."
-Liz Phair (knows that May is coming.)
And here's a bonus. "Polyester Bride."
14.4.10
'Lost' is awk
Loving the last season of "Lost" but one thing is bothering me. Every time a character interacts with Smoky/Not-Locke/Man in Black, I just feel like they're dancing around a MAJOR issue. Not-Locke is always talking about how he wants to leave the island and the rest of the cast (Richard, aside) is just nervously going along with the plan. Not-Locke HAS to know something is up, right? Like, his followers are totally dragging their feet on this "we're going to take the Ajira plane off the island" thing.
All they have to tell him is "Dude. Leaving the island sounds great and all and we want to help you out, but everyone else says you're THE absolute evil that will destroy the world and if you get off the island it will be the end of everything, or whatever... So I guess what we're trying to say is, like, good luck or whatever, we can't help you out anymore. The whole cork/wine thing..." Is that so hard?!
All they have to tell him is "Dude. Leaving the island sounds great and all and we want to help you out, but everyone else says you're THE absolute evil that will destroy the world and if you get off the island it will be the end of everything, or whatever... So I guess what we're trying to say is, like, good luck or whatever, we can't help you out anymore. The whole cork/wine thing..." Is that so hard?!
11.4.10
Wolf Party
Those wolf mechanics banging, indeed.
Class presentations
Insert easily drawn parallels between these two clips:
Ugh nevermind, clip is nowhere to be found. Jeff and Pierce's zany Spanish presentation on Community 102. Just watch this instead:
Ugh nevermind, clip is nowhere to be found. Jeff and Pierce's zany Spanish presentation on Community 102. Just watch this instead:
How do you fight it? We started our own radio station.
I will never forgive the teens and tweens of Noggin's target audience. They made a decision during the early double- zeroes: trashy composite sketches of a parent's worst nightmare or clever kids living the "making something out of abs. nothing in the suburbs"-dream. These, the teens weened on MTV's Laguna Screech and the post-90s Real World ("A number of different people in a house doing abs. nothing productive. Let the drama begin!") wanted something like the new MTV but packaged for middle school.
And, actually, that was it: The Big D. Drama. (I'm going to start using we, because I am not excluded, being that I was a tween/teen in the early aughts.) We, for some reason, wanted to look into an awful sort-of mirror every Friday night. And, for awhile, it was fun... until this point of "I no longer know who the fuck I am supposed to have empathy for." Radio Free Roscoe was a respite from/foil to Degrassi: The Next Generation's batshit fucking insanity. Both did have golden nuggets of realism buried in some (brilliant) middle-aged writer's vision of teenagedom.
RFR's of course was much more generous: marginalized, "voiceless" high schoolers will, enterprisingly, find their voice. It entertains me to no end and comes as no surprise that it sprung from the same mind that spawned The Adventures of Pete and Pete. And watching it, I get this kind of embarrassing sense of physically being uplifted (see also: listening to an especially funny Earles and Jensen call, or Rasputin Secret Police's "The Sacred Cup.")
Fine line between precious and awesome. I dunno. That's all I have to say about that for now.
And, actually, that was it: The Big D. Drama. (I'm going to start using we, because I am not excluded, being that I was a tween/teen in the early aughts.) We, for some reason, wanted to look into an awful sort-of mirror every Friday night. And, for awhile, it was fun... until this point of "I no longer know who the fuck I am supposed to have empathy for." Radio Free Roscoe was a respite from/foil to Degrassi: The Next Generation's batshit fucking insanity. Both did have golden nuggets of realism buried in some (brilliant) middle-aged writer's vision of teenagedom.
RFR's of course was much more generous: marginalized, "voiceless" high schoolers will, enterprisingly, find their voice. It entertains me to no end and comes as no surprise that it sprung from the same mind that spawned The Adventures of Pete and Pete. And watching it, I get this kind of embarrassing sense of physically being uplifted (see also: listening to an especially funny Earles and Jensen call, or Rasputin Secret Police's "The Sacred Cup.")
Fine line between precious and awesome. I dunno. That's all I have to say about that for now.
10.4.10
What is not to love about this video?
Well, considering it features Britt Daniel and Janet Weiss performing together on the same stage, there is abs. nothing to not love, only love love love forever. Let me marry this video.
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