The Herbert Bail Orchestra

Hallo,
I have been wanting to talk about this band for a long time now. I had the privelage of seeing them near the end of 2011 in Brooklyn and have been listening to them regularly since. It is great eclectic hipster rock that draws from many traditional folk wells. The inclusion of the accordion is an awesome touch and brings a longing and pain to the words that few modern (computer instruments) can. find the link to their EP Here. You will not be sorry for checking them out. Enjoy my friends and let me know what you think.
Cheers!
Clint.

My Bad (don't vote for Astro)

Astro ended up in the bottom two a couple weeks ago and although he is 15 years old, he reacted like an undisciplined 5 year old. His lyrics and performances would have you believe that he is mature enough but, this episode proved he is not yet ready to handle a five million dollar recording contract or the fame in-tow. So I retract my earlier post, please don't vote for Astro. Hopefully he will be eliminated from the X Factor and will use the valuable life lesson as a driving force to produce great art in the future.

Legendary Duet: Sunny Side of the Street, feat. Tony Bennett and Willie Nelson

I don't know if any of you have had time to listen to Tony Bennett's new album Duets II. Quite frankly it is amazing. It marries classic Tony Bennett lounge music jazz with masters of the their current genre. Each song is basically amazing in its own right and requires a level of talent from each vocalist and musician. No slouch could possibly participate. This is possibly why the record was number one on the charts for a time in 2011.

I chose this particular song because two masters of their craft collide head on for almost three minutes of true perfection. For those of you that don't know Willie Nelson all that well, in another life he would have sang and performed strictly jazz. Alas fate and fame would only allow he conquer the world of country first. So he ponytailed up and he is now arguably the king of outlaw country and he now sings whatever he damn well pleases. In the past he has released several jazz albums and they did become a mild success, but never quite the success that I believe this duet with Tony Bennett has established. This version of On The Sunny Side Of The Street is truly the work of Two Living Legends.

A few years ago I worked on a show where Tony Bennett was the talent and daily I regret that I had to miss it to "put out a fire" on another part of the project, but because he was a part of it he had donated one of his paintings and one of my jobs was to ensure its safety and to have it framed. It was pretty fun walking the street of Manhattan with an original Tony Bennett painting to the framer of his recommendation in midtown. Possibly my best midtown memory to date. I'm glad to see that after 60 some years in the music business he finally got his number one album. Go Tony Go. We want a duets 3 asap.

Cheers!
Clint.

Happy Birthday Jeff Buckley

So today I woke up knowing that it was my dog's birthday but I had no idea that it was also Jeff Buckley's birthday which is just ridiculous since, as you guys know, I named my dog after him. Anyways I figured that he deserved a post today.

Astro - Lose Yourself

Let's make one thing clear, I don't watch X Factor that often but...the first episode I saw I did not take this kid seriously. I saw this performance last week and now I think he is awesome. If you're into this show, vote for Astro.

Long Live...

(note - this is from two weeks ago... ...time flies) Scene: I'm sitting in a hotel in Boston, drinking my 3rd or maybe 4th Harpoon Imperial IPA, and Scorcese's Beatles doc comes on HBO.

Now, I have to preface this conversation with some context. I am a Beatles fanatic. I recorded the late 90's Beatles Anthology on VHS and watched it (and by "it," I mean parts 1-2... ...starting with Rubber Soul, which I consider their tipping point... ...which is when they started doing drugs.... ...which was TOTALLY cool.... ...or at least i thought... ...think... ...thought... ...think... ...thought... ...) weekly.

What i thought as i watched this awesome documentary was:

1. Brian Epstein and George Martin wore suits and ties to the studio every day. EVERY day.

2. I can't imagine what it would have been like to be a teenager during the 60's. Your teenage years are undoubtedly when you are most impressionable in all ways. Music is no exception. In fact, I would argue that the ages of 12-16 are the years when you are more likely to develop your lifetime musical tastes than any other period in your life.

For me, this period was dominated by Led Zeppelin, Pearl Jam, and the aforementioned Beatles.

When I was watching this film, I couldn't help but think "this is my parents' band." I just happened to embrace, relate, and adore them. It made me wonder if I could ever really love the Beatles the way my parents did...

The first time I heard the Strokes was 2001. At that point, they were pretty new, and the SOUND was something that our Coldplay/Dave Matthews/Bob Dylan/Pavement world had not yet heard. It's not that I am better able to relate to Julian Casablancas than a kid who graduates high school on 2012... ...it's just that for 2001 Clay, it was new, exciting, and groundbreaking. For 2012 kid, "Is This It" is probably a really great album that also has some killer Girl Talk remixes.

None of these thoughts diminish my view of the Beatles in any way. If anything, it fills me with more of a sense of wonder about them. It makes me wonder, "what is my Beatles-love ceiling?"

Eric Clapton said it best when he was asked if he was ever jealous of one of his best friends in the world, George Harrison (keep in mind that this was during the "Clapton is God" phase - there was no single force bigger than Clapton at this point in time).

Clapton's reply? "It was the BEATLES. Come ON!"

I have no Idea what the point of this was, except maybe a small tribute to the best band of all time, and an expression of my awe that it's possible that I could love them MORE than I do now.

Band: TV on the Radio - Song: DLZ - Album: Dear Science

Hola,

As per usual my new musical influence can be sourced from another form of media. This seems to be an increasingly regular occurrence for me. My new favorite show in the world to follow is Breaking Bad. When this show first aired in 2008 I saw both the Pilot episode and episode 2. I was so grossed out by what happened in the second episode that I had to stop watching...until Netflix released it. Now, I can't stop watching it. It is the craziest, saddest, funniest and strangest show I have ever seen and the acting is spectacular, which explains why it has been such a critically acclaimed show.

This is the story of how I came to find the album Dear Science by TV on the Radio. The song DLZ was used by Breaking Bad to communicate Mr. White's return to being a totally violent Bad Ass, bad decision making crystal meth dealer. A tragic story of a terrible person, but the story couldn't be more interesting and no song could have better communicated his circumstance. I hope you like DLZ as much as I do. The album is definitely worth a listen and DLZ is definitely a smart addition to any music catalogue.

Cheers!

Punkadelic

Zach, although I have not gotten into the new Girls album yet (maybe just not enough energy for me), I love your Gang of Four pick. Punk is great, in the way that it's great to take a shot of whiskey - it kinda burns and it makes you feel a little weird, but it also makes you feel a little more real and awesome than you did in the 5 seconds before you were exposed to it.

The Stooges. I Wanna Be Your Dog. Yep

Gang of Four: Damaged Goods

It has been awhile since I have said anything. I've been obsessively listening to the new Girls album and I will reiterate that you should at least give it a shot.  ANYWAYS, I got turned onto Gang of Four while reading Simon Reynolds new book, Retromania (Not finished yet but its been interesting so far). I've always had a proclivity toward punk for some reason and since this is post-punk I figured that I needed to give it a listen.  I bought the album Entertainment! (love the exclamation point) and immediately enjoyed it. This is my favorite song from the album but its full of high quality cuts. Hope all is well.

Drive Soundtrack

Spin Article

I know you all aren't movie buffs, but this movie is definitely worth seeing. Ryan Gosling is awesome in it and it moves much like an old western in my opinion. The violent tragedy looms as the story slowly plays out to this definitely badass soundtrack. Be sure and check out both videos. There may be someone you recognize in the Movie review.

Latro Bros!

Sweet Carolina

This is a good version of this song and supports my theory that a good song is still a good song through a telephone. Recording quality doesn't matter.

Music, Comedy and Wieners are the new boobs

2119161843 by YardieGoals

September 15th, 2011

Jenn is totally wiped out for Jay and I'm up and unable to sleep yet. I make it all the way through Leno and he presents LMFAO. This means nothing to me, but I stay tuned in on a hunch. At this moment in entertainment history Music, Comedy and Wieners collide in a cosmic moment that sent me laughing so loud the downstairs neighbor started banging on the ceiling. That signal to shut up failed miserably as I continued to uncontrollable laugh at these party anthem clowns. They definitely rocked the party that rocks the party and these guys would be nuts to see live...literally...you would probably see their nuts. There are already reviews and opinions of the song and video all over the internet and they were pretty much accurate. A lot of nearly naked dudes prancing around and shaking it. Pretty funny stuff.

This entire topic brings me to the point of the comedic wiener...I thought about saying, "the tip" but this is already a weird enough subject. I don't know when it was, but in the last few years there have been as many wieners in movies and mass media as there have been boobs. This seems a little strange to me, but I do think that most of the wiener scenes in mainstream media are all jokes...graphic jokes, but jokes none the less. I definitely am a person that finds wieners and fart jokes and basically any other crude comedy funny...to a point and there is definitely a line where those jokes get boring. I believe it was my friend Kyle that said wieners are the new boobs. I can't say I agree as boobs are no where near as funny (except for the ole' lady boobs in There's Something about Mary) as ding dongs. I'm not really sure if this line of joking is appropriate for everyone, but I don't have kids yet so I figure I'll keep laughing out loud until I do and who am I kidding probably after that as well. Peckers are just funny things. Way to capitalize on having wieners LMFAO. They are all pretty much a joke these days as women are currently running the world. I guess females aren't so AMAZON and they don't reside on the moon any more, which makes me happy. They are way better organized than I am, along with a whole slew of countless better qualities. I guess for now I'll just continue to laugh at the wiener jokes and be a dude.

On a final note the best part of the whole video is when Jay does his standard go out and say hi and shake the band member's hands. This time he shakes the band member's member. Subtle, but hilarious.

LMFAO you probably won't be remembered for much, but when the human species is extinct (probably soon) and aliens discover our planet they will find a copy of your music video during their archeological dig...and I'm ok with that.

St Vincent Arrives

So I bought the new St Vincent album on vinyl which ended up being a great experience. The record arrived two days after the release date so I didn't have to wait very long to listen to it. Anyways what I did not realize was that it was going to be a colored vinyl and boy was I pleased.

What a delightful surprise!

Oh well, I thought I'd share a music nerdgasm.

Classy rock

So, I'm finally going digital with my music collection. After countless hours of loading CDs on to iTunes, I realized, "there is so much music I haven't listened to in so long that is so good. At some point over the last 20 years - I'm not sure when (although I imagine it was probably at the intersection of Napster and college) - I think I stopped listening to the old favorites and started endlessly searching for new things. Not just new things, but wannabe-hipster things I secretly hoped nobody had heard of (I blame SPIN).

I still love and see vast importance in finding new things to listen to, and still get a little smug when I find some obscure band I can act nonchalant about being the only one to have heard...

...but I hope I don't ever forget how equally important it is to make sure I remember to make time to listen to the greatest electric guitarist of all time.

Girls: Vomit

There are so many things to love here. Girls new album came out today. Haven't gotten a chance to listen to all of it yet, but so far its fantastic. I mean, its hard to explain, but every song just feels right and does exactly what you want it to. I especially love the first guitar solo in this song because its like hes trying to control this longing and by the end of the solo everything just falls apart. I hope you guys like it as much as I do. Even though that might not be possible.

PS: I wrote the title as Girls Vomit without any punctuation in between and I thought that might be a little misleading. Made me chuckle.

The Smiths Cemetery Gates

So this is probably my favorite Smiths song and I thought some of the lines were especially fitting for today.

St. Vincent Surgeon

So I was really late getting to the St. Vincent party but I've been listening to her songs from the new album as they've come out and they've all been fantastic. I'm linking my favorite. Its called Surgeon and its fantastic. Give it time to really bloom for you. Oh her album comes out next week. Pick it up because its going to be epic.

The Last Song by Tim Halperin - Camera Op Anton Seim

Hola mi hombres.

I wanted to share this great song by Tim Halperin because my great friend Anton just passed through New York a few weeks ago and was telling me all about his experience Camera Operating on this project. I gave the song a listen and I thought it was beautiful and I really loved the video too.

See Anton's comments about his experience here.

Great work my friend.

Cheers!

Maroon 5 - Moves Like Jagger

YUP! I did it and I don't care what anyone thinks. I like...nay I love this song and I can't stop humming it...whistling it and I definitely can't stop attempting to move like Jagger.

Thing is I don't love this band. Not really my vein. I don't own any of their music aside from this one. What I wanted to talk about was the very fact that every bit of major or memorable travel I have done since 2004 is punctuated with a Maroon 5 song. The last summer of my college career they hit it big...or it was the first time I had heard them and I got to hear them over and over and over and over and over, one more, and over while traveling Europe. The song at that time was This Love. It drove me out of my mind. I couldn't go in to an Italian eatery without hearing this mess. It was so over played I almost went totally nuts. Had I not been abroad I probably wouldn't have minded the song so much.

This year the travel was not quite so extravagant, but memorable because I was with Jenn in SC and FL luckily avoiding Irene and like my summer of 2004 Maroon 5 had our and everybody else's ear this summer with Moves Like Jagger.

So whether you like Maroon 5 or not there is something to like here even if it is only a happy whistler to help pass the time while you are doing the dishes or cleaning your place.

Happy whistling.

Clint.

Lucky Now From the album Ashes & Fire available Oct 11th

Lucky Now by ryanadams

Thank you BrettyC for hipping us up to this one. I myself also love me some Ryan Adams. He speaks to Southern Western Plains Outdoorsman Country Boy Part of Myself I always wish I was. I can barely wait for Oct. 11.

The Strokes and The Jarv

My song for this week is a cover of the Cars song Just What I Needed by The Strokes+Jarvis Cocker. This is a pretty great cover. Happy end of August. I hate the sun.

Weezer & Radiohead

So this is one of the strangest things I've seen in awhile. Weezer covers Paranoid Android in this video. Not a bad cover by any means but its just really bizarre seeing Weezer play a Radiohead song. I like covers and this is an especially fun one. Also the most liked comment on the youtube comments is priceless. Enjoy.

If you have any interest in R&B

This dude named The Weeknd has released a couple free mixtapes that you can download on his website. I think they're pretty good but I had to get used to listening to R&B since its what everybody at my last job liked. Anyways, check it out. Its free and you can get it here.

Learn How To Love...Slide Guitar

Derek Trucks guitar playing will change your life. Sure Steve Vai can play every note on the guitar in 3 seconds but, what has he done for you lately? Listening to Derek Trucks play slide guitar is like getting a massage. He understands supply and demand; the more notes there are, the less they are worth.

Video Games

So I was at the bar about 10 days ago and I was just hanging out with my friends when suddenly a girl walks up to me and complements my atari tshirt. For numerous reasons it took me a second to realize that I was just hit on for having a nerdy tshirt and this girl continues to talk video games with me. I thought that I would have been able to thrive in that situation but I had no idea what I was doing because she was hot and we were talking about video games and it all just felt really backwards. Anyways I got her number but I never heard from her again. I'm still not even sure if any of it actually happened but oh well. This whole night reminded me of a song that I heard recently also called video games.

I'll Fire (Netflix) When I'M G'Damn Good and Ready To Fire!

I'm quitting Netflix because they don't have Top Gun. F you Netflix!!

(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To by Weezer from the 2009 Album Raditude

I would think that the concept for this song would be able to go unspoken and that maybe women would just understand. Leave it to Weezer to point out the globally obvious and produce a kick-ass song about the situation.

I was chilling with my girl at Bailey's Irish Pub on the UES for Laundry night and heard this song for the first time. I don't know how it got by me, but I'm sure that I had the same preconceived notion about the album that I have about every Weezer album. It couldn't possibly be as good as any of its predecessors, but again I stand corrected. I love this song and I hope you do too.

PS. paragraph one is written in Jest and does not in any way reflect the view of the writer or contributors of this blog...ok, well...maybe a little. Winky eye.

Ty Segall

So I've been mia for a few weeks but I couldn't really find anything that I thought was good enough to post. This has changed. I'd read about Ty Segall when his new album first came out but I didn't immediately go out and get it for some reason. Eventually I folded and I couldn't be happier for it. Great psych rock sound. Pretty damn 60s.

Paddle Easy Friends

While the world of Indie Rock is full steam ahead in 2011 the self proclaimed “Less is MORE” mantra of the Austin based Whalers’ new album Paddle Easy is here to blow your skirt up. The Whalers’ new EP Paddle Easy would suggest they have done anything but “paddle easy” while producing the tracks for their new album. With a strong start in 2010 they have grown in nearly every conceivable way. This eccentrically mellow wild bunch has contributed their individual sounds to create a catalogue as diverse as their Texas Triangle roots. Take the early 90’s grunge beat of Milos Bertram and drop in dueling guitarists Dan Martin and Kyle Rother that fight and drive the Whalers simultaneously forward and top it off with front man Gus Smalley’s Jaggeresque country rock vocal arrangement.

Cheat On Each Other

Lighthouse

Paddle Easy

Pixel in Your Picture

Vagenda

CATCH US ON:

Mad Mackerel - http://madmackerel.wordpress.com/2011/02/03/introducing-the-whalers/

“how good was that?”, before hitting repeat. It really is good stuff and it means The Whalers are our first favorite new band of 2011.

Indie Soup Runner - http://www.indiesouprunner.com/2011/01/endorphins-mix-big-wave-riders-summer-fiction-tori-black-whalers-and-more.html

Sad Songs

Sad songs is a good theme. Here is one that gets me choked up.

Tears of a Clown

So NPR did an episode a few weeks ago about the saddest songs ever (worth a listen), and it got me thinking...

In no particular order, here are the top 5 songs that will always make me cry - not necessarily because they are sad, but because they touch some sort of nerve.

Which Way Your Heart Will Go - Mason Jennings

True Love Will Find You in the End - Beck (Daniel Johnston cover)

Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley (Leonard Cohen cover)

Question - Old 97's

The First Day of My Life - Bright Eyes (and the video is similarly brilliant and heart-wrenching... ...and yes, I cried like a baby when I watched the video to make sure it was the right link)

Happy/sad/happy Sunday, everyone.

C

Apple Of My Eye

The first time I listened to this song I was DJing at KTCU in Fort Worth and my special guest of the night was my best friend CK down visiting from Mizzou. We brought in some cold beers and Jack Daniels and got drunk while broadcasting over the air to the surrounding Fort Worth area. It was one of the best memories of my life. We said and did things I probably should have been fired for, but no one was the wiser. Somewhere I have a recording of that show. It is sitting there collecting dust and looking for a moment to reappear in time to embarrass us unexpectedly. I rarely laugh as hard as I did that night.

From that night until now Apple Of My Eye occasionally returns to regular play on my iPod or stereo and collects some new meaning for that moment in time. The last few weeks I have been working extremely hard on producing an event in New York and my girlfriend (one of our five dedicated readers) volunteered her and her friend's time to helping me execute this monumental (in my life) event. So the evolution of this song has maintained its old meaning to me, but also collected new experiences.

Just in case you don't know you are the Apple Of My Eye.

Off topic: Does the cat in the video represent something or does Ed just really love bald cats?

Cheers and happy hunting for your apple.

Clint.

Another Day, Another Compilation

This time it is the Strokes that are being commemorated with a cover album. Haven't listened to it yet, but I'm really looking forward to it. Here it is.

Allman Bros. - Whipping Post

We heard this song in Ft. Worth and I've been on a big Allman Bros kick so here it is. Lots of things to envy here: guitar tone, guitar chops, and Gregg Allman's voice is awesome.

July 24th

Hello gents and world I guess. This week my song is by a band with one of the worst names of all time but I bought their debut recently and I've been enjoying it thoroughly. This is "How Can You Luv Me" by Unknown Mortal Orchestra.

Nirvana

Spin released a free album today of various artists covering Nevermind. You can get it here. My favorite of them is Jessica Lea Mayfield's cover of Lounge Act. I'd like to know which cover you guys like the most.

Night and Day or Night and Day?

I never really have Sinatra phases. I just always love listening to him. Night and Day and One For My Baby are probably my favorite two songs, but there are honestly countless Frank songs that I love and I own probably 90% of what he has recorded.

He is so big in fact that while I attended college I felt it necessary to take a course that was dedicated completely to the collective works of Sinatra. To this day I do not believe there is, has been or will be a greater celebrity. He literally conquered all mediums of his day and as you can see has even conquered the internet after his death. Like The Babe he is a Legend and "Legends never die."

Like I said, Night and Day is one of my favorites, but which version? I know my favorite version is from A Swinging Affair, but what do you think? Would you rather hear the beat beat beat of the tum tum tum? While you listen to both and cast your decision I would read the article by clicking the link below. He is a Legend for a reason and this is just the latest article proving that fact.

Cast Your Votes Here.

Cheers!

Lessons in Loyalty. Read me!

Music Books

I thought this was pretty interesting. Its pitchfork's 60 favorite music books and a bunch seem pretty lame but theres some interesting stuff here.

Guitar Solos

When I was thinking of a theme to go by this week I decided to do a great guitar solo. This comes from an album that I was really into a few years ago and I have literally not listened to it since but I always loved this version of Over the Hills and Far Away.

For the Record - Off the Record

I love this band. I love this album. I love this song.

Happy Sunday, everyone. No deep thoughts this week - I just have been really enjoying female singers lately. Sounds funny, because it makes it sound like I normally don't enjoy female singers - that's not it. I just generally don't enjoy music from female-fronted bands as much.

But lately, there's been a wave of them that I really dig - Sleigh Bells, Adele, Buke and Gass, Florence and the Machine, about a third of the Belle and Sebastian songs, and this week's pick - Cults.

Creepiest video ever, creepiest lyrics ever, and the sweetest poppy song I've heard this summer.

Robot Riley

Okay sorry, I've been slacking on my posts. Robot Riley is a guy who used to have some of the best youtube posts around. I think he has since moved to New York (Clint you should look him up) and been doing improv or something up there so he doesn't post as much and hasn't had any gems in a while. I just found his latest post where he talks about the new Strokes album so I think it fits perfectly on the Music Mashup Experience. I've also posted one of his greats from a few years back. Enjoy!

Fighting for Freedom

I'm flying home from Fort Worth Texas alone after spending one of the best Fourth of July's in my life with my best friends, their wives and my family and the song Emma by Emmanuel Jal comes on my iPod as I'm reflecting on the simplicities of my life provided by this country. While my mind races, the Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks appear outside of my double plastic paned airplane window and I realize that I could have been born anywhere, but fate, luck and God had other answers and because of that I would be born and raised during the hypothesized peak of The American Civilization and for that I am greatly thankful, but realize that there is an entire world beyond the borders of our country that need help. Do not get me wrong, there is plenty to be done right here in our own country and that is the place to start, but as President FD Roosevelt almost said,"...that great power involves great responsibility." I couldn't bring myself to let Grandpa Ben Parker have that one.


In a world where Emmanuel Jal and Ishmael Beah's exist there are many ways to contribute to spread hope to a planet in need of Liberty and Freedom. It could be as simple as purchasing a pair of Tom's Shoes so that one more African Child has a pair of shoes for his journey to school everyday, because in other countries education is seen as an avenue to a better life and is not taken for granted. It is also possible to lend a hand to organizations such as Invisible Children. Together We Are Free found in the DVD section of their website is currently a favorite documentary of mine and it is only a glimpse of the Rock Star Movement Invisible Children is creating to help provide for a people in need of Freedom. These examples are all from one continent alone, Africa.


As an American it is not always possible to drop everything to save the world and without a doubt I am one of these people, but because of the Freedom given us we have the right to enable people around us to take the steps our lifestyle's will not allow and that is what I like about Nile Rodgers' spin off of the We Are Family (yea, that song) Foundation's Three Dot Dash. They have created a workshop that enables children from around the world to move forward with projects of their own that create change within their communities so that one day our Earth will find Peace and Freedom.


I don't think that this is the most brilliant song musically or lyrically, but the message of needing help and taking it when it is provided has rarely been communicated so passionately. I think the message is pretty simple my friend. Help when help is needed.

July 4th yay!

Ok so I was thinking what I would post this week and I decided on trying to find a great fireworks song. This is the one I came on and there might be a chance that I posted this last year but I dun care.  I love how it builds slow and eventually just blows up.  Sorry about the video its the only studio version I could find.

Happy 4th Everyone

Well, it's not Sunday, but I'm packing now to go to DFW to see you loons tomorrow, so this is just going to have to be premature.

4th of July is an interesting holiday. My cynical side tries to reconcile the fact that it's really two different things. It's an excuse to have a few dozen beers and light Chinese paper-wrapped gunpowder packets in our sunburned hands while burgers burn on the grill. At the same time, it's also the date of our nation's independence.

At this point in our lives, we've done a little traveling and decided that we wish America had...

England's history

Mexico's fish tacos and reposado tequila

France's art

Bahrain's natural resources

Canada's friendliness

The Netherlands' tolerance

Belgium's beer

But when it comes right down to it, no other country has what the United States of America offers its citizens. I actually felt disappointed the other day when I was at the doctor's office (reasonable and safe health care provided through a job that I was able to secure and maintain due to a relatively stable economy) and the internet on my phone (instant access to information at a rate far superior to most developed nations) was going slow.

There's plenty to complain about here - from Glenn Beck and Keith Olberman to Ke$ha and Casey Anthony. But what can we really bitch about? At the end of the day, we are able to dictate what our future holds. Globally, this is the exception, not the rule - more than we realize.

This current mood of patriotism got me looking for a great American song...

Fortunate Song... ...angry

Born in the USA... ...cynical

Proud to be an America... ...I'm sorry, I just can't do it

So, enjoy "America" by Simon and Garfunkel, a wonderfully simple song. Happy 4th of July everyone.

Let's Vote

Where did you sleep last night From Nirvana Unplugged in New York or In the Pines is a song that constantly comes and goes in my head. The song is a Leadbelly Original, but has become a rock n' roll/ Bluegrass/ Folk standard from the first time the notes vibrated from within the acoustic body of Leadbelly's guitar.

Naturally, the first time I heard it was the Nirvana version and it has also been a classic version ever since. Typically if I'm not humming or screeching the Nirvana version I'm singing a Bluegrass version performed by the Sheriff of Good Times and the rest of those attending his weekly jam.

Whelp, Put her to a vote and I want to see some good Chatter on this one.

Latro!

Monday June 27

So I was going to do a song off the new Bon Iver album but the one I wanted wasn't on youtube. Alas, I'm doing my favorite from the last album. As slow and tormented the entire album sounds I think this song sounds like wonderful resolution even if it might not be the most happy of endings. I like that sometimes you just have to move on and the last verse just nails that.

Well, Clint's door picture was inspiring. So here is a collection of doors and windows that we saw in Helsinki, Stockholm, and Tallinn.

Some were from houses, some were from castles, some were from churches, and some were from fortresses. They all had their own little story. Somehow it made me think of one of my favorite Bob Dylan songs, Tangled Up in Blue. It's a song that seems to me like a thousand little stories from one giant life.

Dave Brubeck Quartet - Take Five

Well, I'm on another Jazz kick. Here's a classic! Sadly enough I just now realized that the title is "take five" probably because the song is in 5/4 time, which is awesome.

Fathers Day

My song for this week is a heavy one. I was on my way home from Norman today and I didn't really know what to listen to but Neutral Milk Hotel is like my warm blanket so its what I decided on. This is the last song on this album and the first verse is the only one that has to do with dads but its pretty good. Anyways its a sad song and I hate to be the downer of the group but I just love this band.

Happy Father's Day Dad! I love you tons and can't wait to see you soon. Keep Rockin' Your Dockers!

Hola Hombres,
The attached picture is one that I took while cruising the streets of New Orleans with Jenn (My Girl). For some reason while walking around this blue door captivated me. Jenn got frustrated because I went all Austin Powers and spent 30 minutes trying to lay out the perfect photograph of this door. With one minor crop via photoshop I got exactly what I was aiming for. Anyway, I love New Orleans and usually I would have picked a Clay Kindred classic to fill this song, but it was on our music mashup 2010 track list so in the great tradition of diversification I chose my second favorite song about New Orleans. On another note I don't know what my problem is as of late, but as per usual I have chosen and oldie but a goodie. Enjoy Van Morrison and THEM performing Baby Please Don't go, best featured in the film Wild at Heart.

Back in the game!

I missed you guys! Why it took me so long to get on this bandwagon, I have no idea... ...but I'm here now.

My Summer music so far has been the new Fleet Foxes and Bon Iver, but my favorite has been Raphael Saadiq - that's right - the Raphael Saadiq from Tony Tone Toni

The category iTunes gives him is Neo-soul, which I want to be snarky about... ...but it's really a great description. It's just really really fun, catchy, smart music.

Enjoy dudes!

Cousin Corona by Yuck

So I've been actively trying to find a new summer album and I've been very unsuccessful so far but anyways this is one of the bands that I've been listening to on repeat lately. This is a bonus track which I usually don't end up liking very much but this one really popped for me.  Pretty good throwback alt sound I thought. If you can think of good summer music to share please for the love of god do me a favor.

Sherry by Franki Valli and The Four Seasons

So here it is. The Four Seasons being from Jersey and all, I can barely get away from these guys. It is kind of like Sinatra. Regardless, I love both Sinatra and The Four Seasons for very obvious reasons (They've got organ pipes for lungs that could blow the roof off of any domicile or enclosed structure for that matter), but the reason that I chose this song for my post this week is because Franki Valli and The Four Seasons have been appearing in my life on a frequent and random basis lately. I guess seeing Jersey Boys on Broadway doesn't really constitute as random, but I didn't pick the musical. It was totally awesome. Especially the scene when we got to be back stage at one of their concerts. The second reason is because I spent last weekend on The Jersey Shore in Wildwoods (That is what the sign says, but everyone calls it Wildwood. New Jersey is a strange place, but what a fantastic weekend) and on the boardwalk playing about every third song was a Four Seasons track and this being probably my favorite of their catalogue I chose it. I hope you don't mind turning the clock to 1962 when it was first released on September 15 as their first number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100. It feels like yesterday.