"Michael" by Franz Ferdinand

Shuffle of the Day for 8/15/2006
"Michael" by Franz Ferdinand from Franz Ferdinand

I find it relatively amusing that a band that can have a song featured in Madden 2006 can also have a song about picking up guys at a dance club. Do you suppose that this could cause some confusion amongst the frat boys? "Michael" is part of the long string of perfect rock songs that exist in the confines of Franz Ferdinand. It is one of those albums that is a dance party in itself and if you don't like it, you're dead or lacking in, you know, a fun gene.

"Jesus Built My Hotrod" by Ministry

Shuffle of the Day for 8/14/2006
"Jesus Built My Hotrod" by Ministry from Psalm 69

Every once in a while, I get a spine-tingling sensation when the song comes up, and yes, my friends, today was one of those days. "Jesus Built my Hotrod" has to be in my all-time, top 10 favorite songs. Its hard to explain just why it is, but every time I hear it, I must turn up the volume. I would sing along if I had any idea what guest vocalist Gibby Haynes was singing. The video for it entirely too bizarre for words, but I do love Al (?) sliding off the end of his slide guitar. This song might be the pinnacle of early 90's industrial music, before it was drifted back towards synth-pop by Trent Reznor (that is, until he took his cue from Al and recorded Broken, one of the best 6 industrial songs recorded). Ministry went on to record a lot of bogged down, trivial music after this song, but at least we still have it to remind us that, at one point, Ministry knew how to make music.
A certain times in my life, "Jesus Built My Hotrod" seems like a very fitting song for me, moodwise. Its frantic, panicked and generally evokes a mood of total lack of control. Not that I'm in that sort of situation, per se, but instead whenever I'm frustrated or mad or something akin to that kind of mood, its a great way to work out a lot of anxiety. Its the perfect situational song that never seems to get old to me.

"9mm and a Three Piece Suit" by Catch 22

Shuffle of the Day for 8/11/06
"9mm and a Three Piece Suit" by Catch 22 from Keasbey Nights

OK, so, did anyone expect the third (fourth?) wave of ska to last for more than, oh, 6 months? Well, if you did, you were wrong. And as many of those Reel Big Fish, Bim Skala Bim and No Doubt (were they really ska anyway) make their way to the used bin, there are actually a few ska discs I still really enjoy. Beyond the Teflon Mighty Mighty Bosstones (well, if you're from Boston), I still get a kick out of the debut from Catch 22. All their songs songs were really fast and frantic, with a pretty amusing horn section (and thats the key) without being cheesy and gimicky. They sound like their having fun (and I think they were like 16 when they recorded this). Maybe its just nostalgia for those late nights on WCFM, but Catch 22 seem to be slightly impervious to the other trendy bands of the late 90s that just sound, well, silly these days.

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New Review!
Comets on Fire - Avatar

New Review

I've been trying to catch up on the backlog of reviews for TIG, and here's the first of this wave

Camera Obscura - Let's Get Out of the Country

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"Monkey Wrench" by the Foo Fighters

Shuffle of the Day for 8/10/06
"Monkey Wrench" by the Foo Fighters from The Colour and the Shape

Somehow, Dave Grohl has ended up with the longest post-Nirvana career. I mean, I guess Kurt took himself out of that loop. To my knowledge, Krist Novaselic busies himself in local Washington politics and flying his private plan around. Dave Grohl, no, he's still a rock star, whether it be with his Foo Fighters, drumming for Queens of the Stone Age, tooling around with Trent Reznor or anything a former grudge star would tend to do. "Monkey Wrench" was the first single from the Foo Fighters second album, a surprisingly well constructed disc that had two of the best songs Dave has done, the aforementioned "Monkey Wrench" and the truly great "Everlong". I'm also amused that "Monkey Wrench" has a very obvious swear in it that I never hear get edited out when its on the radio ("and all the shit/that somehow came along with it" from Grohl's shouted bridge). Most of the more recent Foo Fighters material has sounded, well, uninspired, but heck, Dave already has his place in the rock and roll Hall of Fame waiting, so he's going for the full McCartney career.

"A Peak in Time" by Cut Chemist

Shuffle of the Day for 8/9/06
"A Peak in Time" by Cut Chemist from The Audience's Listening

I sort of feel bad for Cut Chemist. He made his name producing for the Jurassic 5 when they were cool and indie. Now, they dump him so they can collaborate with who? Dave freaking Matthews. Talk about a total sellout move, you'd think Big Charlie Tuna would know better, but alas, such is not the case apparently. So, on the same day that the J5 released their latest, Cut Chemist-less album (to yawning reviews - 54 score on Metacritic), Cut Chemist released his own record to much better reviews (75). So who gets the last laugh here?
Anyway, this track from Cut Chemist new album is a RJD2 style dance/rock sort of hybrid that is a lot of fun and exhibits a lot more energy than the stuff I've heard from the new J5. It has a little bit of a dated feel, but these days it seems hard for any DJ type artists to not sound dated (unless you got certifiably mad like DJ Shadow). Its a great summer party track, which is good enough for me.

Shuffle of the Day, the return

For 8/8/2006
"Meaningless" by Magnetic Fields from 69 Love Songs
For the mood I'm in today, this song seems fitting. I've been struggling with trying to meet people in a new town. And by that, I put the emphasis on trying because its not something that comes very natural to me. So, although I know I should be going out and trying to get to know the town, I have this fear thats its all meaningless and its not something I can try to make happen. There's really nothing like Stephin Merritt for making you feel okay about, well, pretty much anything, so hey, it might be a fools errand but whatever. He makes "meaningless" sound like fun.

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Go figure

I forgot my iPod at home today. That's odd, isn't it?

So much for my schedule.
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Top 10, a new review and some catcher comments

Here is my current iPod top 10. Its a little, well, odd.
My iPod needs some serious restructuring...


10 Bad Education - Tilly & the Wall
9 Strasbourg - the Rakes
8 Blue Light (Engineers Anti-Gravity Remix) - Bloc Party
7 Grown So Ugly - the Black Keys
6 No Culture Icons - the Thermals
5 How We Know - the Thermals
4 Insistor - Tapes 'n Tapes
3 Your Kisses Are Wasted on Me - the Pipettes
2 Pull Shapes - the Pipettes
1 We are the Pipettes - the Pipettes

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New TIG review

Junior Private Detective - Erase

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Now that Jason Varitek is out, Javy Lopez is in, and Doug Mirabelli is injured, the Red Sox have officially run out of catchers. Ken Huckaby, with his impressive .205 average at AAA was DFA'd, and Corky Miller is the ONLY catcher at AAA Pawtucket. Here's my vote for Jason LaRue or heck, me.
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A little sunnier theme

Well, with the move to California, I've decided that the all-black theme of the previous blog just seemed kind of, well, down.

So, we've more to a more sunny theme and change the name to a little less geeky tone, but nothing much else as changed.
Except I'm going to be much better with updating now. Either that, or I'll fine have to admit that I'm just not that interesting.

Anyway, enjoy!

on sabbatical

the blog is on sabbatical until 8/5/2006.

moving will do that.

Slight update

I'm a little busy with moving and all, but I thought I'd post a iPod Top 10 ...

10 Hips Don't Lie - Shakira
9 Open Book - the Rakes
8 Pull Shapes - the Pipettes
7 Cocaine Blues (Live) - Johnny Cash
6 What Do I Get? - the Buzzcocks
5 Blue Light (Engineers' Anti-Gravity Mix) - Bloc Party
4 Bad Education - Tilly & the Wall
3 No Culture Icons - the Thermals
2 Insistor - Tapes n' Tapes
1 We are the Pipettes - the Pipettes

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Two reviews

Ok, I thought I'd post my new two reviews --

The Rakes - Capture/Release
Johnny Cash - American V: A Hundred Highways

Italy. Woo.

So Italy won the world cup. Woo.

However, what is interesting is the similarity between the World Cup trophy and the posters for Spielberg's War of the Worlds.

World Cup Trophy:


War of the Worlds:




I blame the Illuminati.

Oh yeah, California is hot.

Top 10 Update

It's getting increasingly odd. Sorry.

10 San Quentin (Live) by Johnny Cash
9 Dirt Off Your Shoulder by Jay-Z
8 Someday You Will Be Loved by Death Cab for Cutie
7 What Do I Get? by the Buzzcocks
6 Hips Don't Lie (Bamboo FIFA World Cup 2006 Remix) by Shakira
5 All Too Human by the Rakes
4 Open Book by the Rakes
3 Pull Shapes by the Pipettes
2 Cocaine Blues (Live) by Johnny Cash
1 Bad Education by Tilly & the Wall

Oye.

In California

I'm in Davis right now, looking for a place to live. I HATE looking for housing. I need my big payout so I can buy a place ... Ah, someday.

Anyway, my internet is sporadic (at a coffee house called Mishka's ... and how can I not think of Firefly at this point). We'll see what happens.

Have I mentioned how good Johnny Cash's version of "Cocaine Blues" from Live at Folsom Prison is? Honestly, when people complain that modern hip-hop is too violent, just have them listen to this gem: early one morning while making the rounds/I took a shot of cocaine and shot my woman down/I went right home and I went to bed/I stuck that lovin' '44 beneath my head.

Ah, Mr. Cash.

Look! A blurry pic of Mt. Shasta in the evening. Nothing like driving and shooting. Mr. Cash would be proud.

Back from the East Coast

Things I Like about New England:
- Dunkin Donuts, Dunkin Donuts, Dunkin Donuts everywhere
- Red Sox on TV

Things I Don't Like about New England:
- Humidity
- Humidity

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This should entertain a lot of you...my current iPod top 10

10 Rainbows in the Dark - Tilly & the Wall
9 All Too Human - the Rakes
8 As Far As the Eye Can See - Radio 4
7 San Quentin (Live) - Johnny Cash
6 Dirt Off Your Shoulder - Jay-Z
5 Someday You Will Be Loved - Death Cab for Cutie
4 What Do I Get? - the Buzzcocks
3 Hips Don't Lie (Bamboo/World Cup 2006 Remix) - Shakira
2 Pull Shapes - the Pipettes
1 Bad Education - Tilly & the Wall

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Two new TIG reviews
Calexico - Garden Ruin
Talkdemonic - Beat Romantic
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Off to Massachusetts and the fun begins

Well, I think we can safely say SOTD is on an extended hiatus. Sorry, it happens sometimes, and that sometime is right now. Little too busy/panicked/running screaming through the halls to feel like I'm producing anything but meaningless root marm.

Anyway, I'm in Boston for a week, then back to Seattle, then off to Davis, then back to Seattle, then back to Davis (for good). La la la!

Entertain yourself with...

A new review: Radio 4 - Enemies Like This (Hey, it's even a not so good review)

And...

This gem I found going through some old packs of 1990 Upper Deck Baseball cards. Ah yes, proof yet again of the unending torment that is being a Red Sox fan (or possible just being the goat of the '86 World Series).

Catch you all later!

Another new review

Jeez, I need to get some inspiration these days...

Anyway, another new TIG review

Rainer Maria - Catastrophe Keeps Us Together

I'm a liar

Ok, so I lied ... I haven't been able to get on the SOTD track, mostly because I can't concentrate with too many other things to get done. Sorry!

Two review to bide the time:

Art Brut - Bang Bang Rock N' Roll
Turn-Ons - Parallels

Enjoy!