One Word For You, Man:

Beirut.

You should check out their latest album: The Flying Club Cup.

It's like Neutral Milk Hotel, Devotchka, Andrew Bird and some one else I'll remember in a little while all got thrown in a room and were told to work something out. Anything. Any little something. But they came out with a big something. An important something. I should really try their first album now.

The Levs

Dude, I don't get it. The Levellers are so freaking awesome. And yet you can't even get mildly excited about them. It drives me up various walls in various venues. I just got Levelling the Land from Lala and it is my Album of the Year for 1992 (check LOWAG, I'll make the announcement). So, why do you hate them? WHY WHY WHY?

Plural of Serum

That Plural of Serum Cahoone is really great. That Couch Song, especially when done live on KEXP, is a real hearttugger. I recommend her highly. The Call Stamp of Approval. Too bad's she's from 2006. It would be nice to include her on the best of 2007 list. Alas.

5 men whose voices I would rob

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Copy Cat

If you were in a band would you deliberately put things in your songs that corresponded to or resembled songs or parts of songs from artists you like?

I totally would!

Let's say...

...you get a call one day and someone on the other end of the line informs you that you can take over the voice of any singer of any band. All you have to do is choose the artist and away you go.

My top three or so contemporary artists who's voices I'd steal if I could and why:

1. James Mercer So clear. Such great range. So unpretentious. So simple.
2. Timothy Booth Pretty much the British version of James Mercer in my mind. If I was much of an expatriot Timothy would be number one. Booth was the first guy I heard sing where I consiously thought, "Dude's got a really great voice."
3. Rob Zabrecky (Possum Dixon) Like James Mercer but on amphetamines.
4. Britt Daniel He sings every song in such a kick a**, f*** you! way. If I had that voice I'd strut around town like the fate of everything awesome was riding on my shoulders.
5. Nick Diamonds (The Unicorns, Islands) Young, fresh, jovial. Pretty much everything I'm not.

My top three or so artist from the past I'd steal if I could:

1. Paul McCartney Great. So great.
2. Paul Simon See: James Mercer. Only 50 years ago.
3. Frank Sinatra "The Voice"--even if he was a mobster. Who knew?

Depeche Mode is King

I mentioned this to you earlier...I spent a good six hours with Depeche Mode's music over two nights. It was a make or break time for us. I came out of this six hour discussion with one clear thought ringing in my head: Depeche Mode is still awesome (except for the cuts off Speak and Spell where David has a really bad lisp...how did that get past the producer and let's all thank Vince Clarke for leaving the band and taking his terrible sunny pop with him). So, I'd like to publicly apologize to Depeche Mode for ever doubting them and I will not ignore them like I have for the past 4 years. I still think the concert I saw in SLC when I was 18 was the worst concert I've ever seen, if only for the fact that it lasted about an hour and a half when they still had a good 15 great songs in them. My expectations were so high and they were cruelly crushed. Adrienne would disagree as she thought the Happy Birthday to Martin was off the charts brilliant. I believe Mike vowed to never see another concert again after that one.

Album(s) of the Year: Dos Mil Siete

In times like this I go to iTunes and check the stats. The numbers are don't lie, my friend. They tell me exactly what I've listened to the most this year and, therefore, what the album or albums of the year should be.

Okay, so I just checked the stats and maybe I need to do a bit of interpreting here. The album with the most listens isn't necessarily the album of the year, I realize. So first I'll do it by stats and then by what I think is album of the year.

Most listened to albums of 2007

The Shins: Wincing the Night Away
Of Montreal: Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
Spoon: Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Okkervil River: The Stage Names
LCD Soundsystem: Sound of Silver
Battles: Mirrored
Iron & Wine: Shepherd's Dog
The National: Boxer
Arcade Fire: Neon Bible
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists: Living With the Living
The White Stripes: Icky Thump
Wilco: Sky Blue Sky

So. Those are the cold, hard stats. Do they lie? No. Isn't that great?! The numbers just can't lie! The part where I morph from statistician to clairvoyant, though, is when I look at that list and determine what should be the top album of the year.

Album(s) of the Year: 2007

Okkervil River: The Stage Names
Of Montreal: Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? (Was held back from Number One by the ridiculously indulgent 12 minute "The Past is a Grotesque Animal.")
Spoon: Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (Was held back from Number One by scattered moments through out the album that returned to sound and style from Gimme Fiction.)

• The biggest blindside was Battles. Oh, and LCD Soundsystem. I'm not into math rock or electronica but their albums really lit me up.
• The biggest I-don't-want-to-say-let-down-but-I-can't-think-of-another-term was The National Boxer. I know people love it and there are times I really, really do, too, but just not overwhelmingly as a whole.
• The album I listened to a lot at first but not very much the rest of the year was Wincing the Night Away.
  
• The album I really, really need to listen to more of is Sky Blue Sky. There. I've said it. I need to listen to it more. But you've got to understand it bores me, okay? Bores me.

As I do every year I feel like I've forgotten some amazingly awesome album and someone's going to say, "Dude, you totally forgot about the amazingly awesome album!!" I did sort my iTunes by year so there may be some that slipped through by not having a year listed in their information. So there's that excuse if I've forgotten anything.



Now that that end of the year stuff is over I wanted say a thing or two about BSP. "Atom" is a great song. Very great. An I-feel-I-should-write-a-movie-just-so-I-could-put-this-song-into-a-
crucial-scene good song. And concerning the rest of Krankenhause--I'm surprised at the big-sounding guitars. And BSP remind me of Pink Floyd. There you go: three things about BSP.

It's November which means...

What are your top albums of the year? I sadly have not listened to many new albums this year, even though others have hailed this as a year of wonderful music. So, pretty much I'm stuck haveing to decide between Wilco, Radiohead, and British Sea Power.

In listening to the Editors, I'm struck by how they've managed to push two of their best tracks to B-Sides while leaving obviously more inferior tracks on the album The Back Room. What makes it all the more striking is that if these tracks had been placed on the album, they would have provided variety for an album where my main criticism is that it sounds the same.

I'm plugging the song "Let Your Good Heart Lead You Home" as one of the saddest, most haunting songs on record. Yes, that's right. Let's see it opens with the bleak lines of

You let the dark in, somehow
I feel the winter more now, more now

And then ends on this note:

Once you've gone girl, you can't come back
I am worried about you

It's quite a song. A song to shout about. "You Are Fading" is quit the corker as well. You should really like the Editors. I wonder if I made a Interpol/Editors mix if anyone who had never heard them could tell the difference. The funny thing is I don't care. If two talented bands make music that sound similar, that's great. I often find a sound I like and then search in vain for someone who sounds similar.

Krankenhaus: An Omen?

If the new BSP album next year is an extension of the Krankenhaus? EP, then it will not only be the best of the year, but it could be legendary. This is a good chance to go legendary. Two solid albums in the books, excellent live performances, it just feels like they are ready to launch into the stratosphere. I've been eagerly awaiting anything new from them because of this potential. The Krankenhaus? EP shows it. They're ready. I haven't had such giddy anticipation for an album in years. Really. Think about if you knew that one of your Nine was going to be released in February. That's what I'm feeling right now.

Music Here and There

I don't branch out very much in my music listening. I know that's really jacked up, though, because when I do I always find something I like. i.e. LCD Soundsystem. I'd listened to them before I saw them open for Arcade Fire but I'd written them off quick as lightening. Then I saw them and was impressed. I came home and started listening to them and, hey, what do you know? I really like LCD Soundsystem. Shame on me.

I don't know how music critics do it. The folks at Pitchfork must listen to hundreds of bands a week. Do they get to the point where it's easy to know what is good and what isn't without spending a week or a month on an album? Do they ever write a review that cans an album only to realize a year or two later that they were completely wrong? I mean most of the time it takes me a good five or six listen-throughs of an album to even begin getting a feel for it--let alone if I like it or think it's good. Of course, there are the magic albums where I immediately know I love them (Alligator, Hissing Fauna, Who Will Cut Our Hair, Chutes, Gimme Fiction, ). Usually I have to listen and listen and listen and listen. And I guess, after looking at that last sentence, maybe I just don't put in the time to get to know new music.

I've never listened to more music in my life than I did in 2005. I listened to everything that came out. I listened to everything than anyone would recommend. The fact of the matter is I just don't have the time to live my whole life like that. I was listening nearly every minute at work and maybe an hour or two at home at night. Now I don't listen at work very closely (my music plays in the background--no headphones). And when I get home I want to listen to the stuff I know I like; I don't want to have to work through an album, you know? I just want the release of familiarity.

But what would I be missing out on if I didn't put in the time? Okkervil River. Ted Leo. Spoon. Sufjan. AMFM. Wilco (who I know I'm still missing out on because I haven't put in the necessary listening time). Those are some of my favorite bands. And the ones I've had to work the hardest at getting to know. And the bands I listen to now instead of listening to new music. They've risen to that place. Maybe I've gotten to a point where I know what I like and I don't have to pressure myself to listen to everything like I did in 2005. Maybe I can let the music come to me instead of going out and searching every corner for it. That'd be great. I could put on Islands and not worry about what else I should be listening to instead of Islands.

Recent music I've been listening to

I think I've mentioned I've been trying to go through a lot of music that I have that I don't know to well to see if I really like it or not.

So far:

Like: Rainer Maria, Midlake, Dismemberment Plan. I listened to "Change" the other day and felt this weird excitement. I felt as if I KNEW I was going to like them, but I couldn't until I listened to the album a few more times. But I could just tell that a future listen was going to be awesome, when I finally got it.

Ne feelings: Andrew Bird, Pedro the Lion. Both drifted by. I was most disappointed by Bird ebcause I thought I liked his album last I listened to it. Not so much, I guess.

In other news, I still love Sam's Town

Okkervil River @ Kilby Court, SLC, 9/12/2007

Setlist:

Plus Ones
Lady Liberty
No Key, No Plan
The Latest Toughs
Red
Song of Our So-Called Friend
Hand To Take Hold of the Scene
Unless It's Kicks
Black
A Girl in Port
Our Life is Not a Movie, Or Maybe
A Glow
For Real
Westfall
Encore:
The President's Dead
Last Love Song For Now

RE: Tough Songs To Listen To

I agree with "John Wayne Gacy, Jr" and "Black" and I think the ones I'd add are:

"New Slang"--"Turn me back into the pet I was when we met. I was happier then with no mindset." That line devastates me. Probably the saddest all around song for me.
"Fake Plastic Trees"--"It wears her out," "It wears him out," "It wears me out."
"Palmcorder Yajna"--"If anybody comes into our room while we're asleep I hope they incinerate everybody in it." Yikes.
"The War Criminal Rises and Speaks"--"They found a lieutenant who killed a village of kids. After finishing off the wives he wiped off his knife and that's what he did." "How did I climb out of a life so boring into that moment?" Morally devastating.
"Glenn Tipton"--"I buried my first victim when I was nineteen...." Double yikes.

There are also some songs that give me a desolate feeling but I couldn't really pinpoint why: "Red Right Ankle," "He's Simple, He's Dumb, He's the Pilot," "Lullaby" by James, " "Country Feedback" by REM and "Radio Cure" by Wilco.

OR and BSP

Way to corrupt your kid, man. I will say that I'm jealous about you being able to go see OR. Bring back some good stories. I wish I could see them but what with them playing on Sunday here, I don't see that happening. So, when you go, at least sing along to the end of John Smyth Allen Sails. At least go that far. If you don't, you'll know you're a tired old man awaiting retirement and valium pills to sleep through the pain.

As for me, I believe I'm going to learn about British Sea Power. Yes, they are coming to America to a small club in DC. Should be fantastic. 13 bucks. That's worth it just to see Please Stand Up, which I will most graciously do when they play the song (I plan on sitting on the fetid floor up until they sing the lyric "Please Stand Up" and then I'll leap to my feet).

I mentioned this to you before, but what Conor Oberst is to others, Will Sheff is to me. Will's such a storyteller. Look at those lyrics. I think I thought this as I was listening to Down the River of Golden Dreams and then it was reinforced with a day of listening to The Stage Names. There are some songs I can't get over, namely the one track that no one, not the blogs, not the message boards talks about, that track being Savannah Smiles. It rips me apart every time I hear it. It's difficult to listen to. This is why Sheff excels, singing from the perspective of a middle-aged woman whose daughter has either become estranged or committed suicide (it's not quite clear). But it breaks you apart. There's something so sad about her husband going and watching TV with the lights out, and her turning off the radio.

Which brings me to the List of Tough Songs to Listen To That Are Great:
I don't have them in any order yet, but they exist. You could really put anything here...like Lord Anthony is a tough song on a day when you're remembering junior high.
John Wayne Gacy Jr - Sufjan Stevens.
The Chalet Lines - Belle and Sebastian
Savannah Smiles - Okkervil River
Black - Okkervil River

I forgot the other one I was thinking about! How awful.

My Cool Kid

I watched this video a few minutes ago:

Emily (who's playing Wii at the time) says, "Who sings that song, Dad?"

"Their name is Okkervil River. Do you like this song?"

"Yeah!"

The video finished and Emily paused the game and looked over at me. "Can you play another song by that band, Dad?"

I smiled. "Sure thing, Em." I played this:

"Thanks, Dad," she smiled and said.


On a similar note, I'm buying my OR ticket tomorrow. I'm pumped, man. I'm really pumped.

On the New Blog Name and Sundry

Awesome new blog name. Definitely my favorite so far.

So my last post where I talked about my lost "One" t-shirt drove me to listen to Achtung Baby today. Man what an album. One of my favorite parts on that album is on "Zoo Station" where Bono sings, "Alright. Alright. Alright, alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright. Hey Babe. Hey Babe. Hey Baby, hey baby, hey baby, it's alright, it's alright." I don't know why I like it so much. Bono just sings like such a bad dude.

Other listening today:

Depeche Mode--Songs of Faith and Devotion
Mates of State--Bring It Back

I fell asleep to Portishead last night. Usually that means "I was listening to music when I fell asleep last night." But last night it meant "They put me to sleep." Nice one, Dummy.

Post Mission Fury

Here's what my mission president told me in my final interview:

--Stay busy when you get home. Get a job, go to school--something.
--Get married. "Three months after getting home is too soon. Three years is too late."
--Go to the temple often (i.e. monthly).
--Serve in the church.

And that's it. Nothing about the RM re-acclimatization into society. Nothing about real life. Nothing about what's going to happen and what to look for. Nothing about not selling off or giving away the awesome things you had before your mission. (I had this really great U2 "One" t-shirt...

...and I gave it to my ex-girlfriend's roommate. I flipping kick myself for that one. MY EX-GIRLFRIEND'S ROOMMATE! AAGGHHHH! And I had that awesome R.E.M. t-shirt from the Monster tour like the one Stipe's wearing in the "What's the Frequency Kenneth?" video:

That one went to DI. D freakin I. AAGGHHHH! All in all I dumped about 15 really great band t-shirts. Damn you, 1997 Josh. Damn you to hell.) Nothing about not thinking spiritual things were pretty much going to stay the same as they were on the mission. Nothing about not selling your music collection for pittance. Pittance!

I may have told you this but I dated a sister from my mission for awhile after I got home. I had actually been her zone leader. I saw her out of the blue one day at UVSC and then she called me up asking for a ride the next day and then it's like we were on the fast track to marriage. I even went to the freakin opera with her. Ugh. The things I did in that first year. Except getting married to Dana. That was great, obviously. I mean the stuff I did under the skewed mission vision is what kills me.

MGs

I tried listening to Get Lonely yesterday and it felt like a rehash of Tallahassee. I was so disappointed. Even the lyrics sounded the same. Maybe this is because Darnielle was coming off of Sunset Tree which is a perfect album. Maybe it's because I will compare all of his new work to Sunset Tree. I'm not sure. I'll have to listen to it again. Maybe I can make a compilation album "Tallahassee Lonely" that combines the best versions of the same songs on the two albums.

I am absolutely eagerly awaiting any moment I have to listen to new Okkervil River. And to think that you can just drive up north to see them play at Kilby. Incredible.

I'm still baffled that you lived 21 years and never EVER heard one story about a man returning from his mission and selling all his CDs only to regret it three days later. I thought that was a given. Wasn't that the subject of one of the devotionals in the MTC? Didn't your mission president give you two pieces of advice...1) Get married ASAP and 2) Don't sell your CDs"?

Okay, I Finally Have My Five

After very much thought and deliberation I finally have my albums narrowed down. Not that I wasn't thinking about it but there were hundreds of discs I sold so it was hard to narrow it down. I could've even made the list based on discographies instead of single discs. Here they are:

1) The Cure Disintegration. Everyone knows Disintegration is great but I was so eager to get away from goth I fire sold it and everything else Cure I had.

2) Depeche Mode Violator. Perfect album.

3) INXS Kick. What a great album. I thought I was too cool for it. I was wrong. Warning: the stupid skateboard on the cover is totally deceiving.

4) Smashing Pumpkins Siamese Dream. I was trying to decide between this and Nirvana Nevermind which I also sold. It was really, really close but SP won out. "Cherub Rock." Cherub freakin Rock.

5) Crash Test Dummies The Ghosts That Haunt Me. I know, I know, "CTD?" This album was great. So different. So strange and awesome. CTD should go down as the progenitors of The Decemberists and Arcade Fire.

Some notable discography* sells: The Cure, Nirvana, U2, Smashing Pumpkins, Violent Femmes discography save Why Do Birds Sing?, Pearl Jam, The Doors, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, and more.

*Discographies as of 1995

Tegan and Sara eat at Teriyaki Bowl

I only listened to the first three tracks, and I thought tracks 2 and 3 were excellent. Track 1 was a throw away track. I mean, who puts time and effort into making a 1:30 minute track? Should we list the great sub 2:30 minutes songs? I can think of one: Song 2 by Blur (2:02 I believe).

Worst CD sales you ever made

What were the 5 best CDs that you sold for 2 bucks at a place like Disc-Go-Round?
My list:

1) Definitely Maybe - Oasis. Seriously, I cannot believe I sold this. I ended up buying it back

2) Superunknown - Soundgarden. I sold my teenage years when I sold this album

3) Dookie - Green Day. Okay, so it had a lot of cursing in it. But the cursing on certain songs that I didn't listen to doesn't compare to the joys of She, Welcome to Paradise and When I Come Around. I can't believe I don't have Welcome to Paradise any more. It should be my theme song out here. Once again, I sold my teenage memories by selling this.

4) Throwing Copper - Live. I want to hear Pillars of Davidson again. I want to hear White, Discussion again. What was I thinking?

5) Under the Table and Dreaming - Dave Matthews Band. This was actually a decent album. I really liked it. But I hated how popular they had become by the third album, that I wanted nothing to do with them. There was nothing worse than hearing Emily Howe singing the wrong lyrics to Ants Marching during Channel One in Health class in 10th grade. Maybe that's why I sold it

I'm Taking a Sick Day Today

I've had a head cold brewing all week that finally took over last night so I'm home for the day. But I was wondering if you listened to the Tegan and Sara album and what you thought. I had a dream last night I was working at Teriyaki Bowl thanks to our conversation yesterday. Stupid TB.

Super Cool Possible Band Name

Spoken Like a True (Fill In The Blank)

I Need To Send a Letter

Dear AT&T:

Nice commercial featuring Mates of State.

I'm still a Verizon customer, though.

Many thanks,

Josh

"Sharry, Can I Borrow Your Smallville CD? Thanks. I'll Get It Right Back After I Rip It To My Computer."

Oh man, I can't imagine you borrowing a cd from Sharry. That's the tops, man.

That song/video is money. I love the "Guided By Voices" sign hanging above the band. Minimalist bliss. Does that singer look like Sir Paul McCartney or is it just me? That song is on Buffy? No way. Say it ain't so. Oh well. I think I may just have to revisit GBV. I'm sure I'm in the indie minority for not already loving those guys. Whatever. You can't push me around, you pretentious hipsters.

Someone tell me why.

GBV

I really can't say to myself, "why didn't I find these guys sooner?" because I've tried listening to them before and I only liked Best of Jill Hives. So, I was stunned when I launched this the other day. Just stunned. The live version is really different from the album version, but I can't find the album version that isn't accompanied by a lame YouTube video, so this will have to do. Besides, this encapsulates what I like about looking back at 90s Indie Rock. They look like a bunch of squares, but they aren't really trying to. They have no image. I might like these guys forever now. I might like them another week. I'm fascinated with how my taste in badns can shift in a manner of moments. The other day I realized that my like for the Flaming Lips has peaked and is now on a downhill slope. I expect it to level out with me liking Do You Realize??, Yoshimi, Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell and a couple off of the Soft Bulletin. But the rest of the stuff is beginning to grate. I'm sure somewhere, Sufjan Stevens (Seth the Peruvian) is crying. Well, I'm sure Sufjan is crying because he made a song so delicate that it broke and he'll never have that recipe again.

It's almost shameful to like this song because it was on Buffy, I guess. How embarrassing is that? It was like when I found out that Sharry Wadham the Music Librarian also liked Remy Zero because they sang the theme song to Smallville. I had no idea that Save Me was the theme song. My moment of utmost musical shame came when I asked Sharry if I could borrow her CD, because she was hipper than I.

Here's What I think About Stiff Kittens

I've always liked wearing hats. Especially baseball hats. And to me the perfect hat--indeed any hat worth wearing--is a pro fit hat, none of this one-size-fits-all crap. I want to wear what the pros wear and you've never seen them wearing a one-size-fits-all hat. The worst of the worst hats are the ones that have the mesh on all of it but the front panel and are adjustable to top it off. In the 90's I felt like my fellow hat enthusiasts and I fought against those stupid mesh hats with the adjustable straps. And it worked. We got professional quality fitted hats and no one wore the stupid mesh hats with the adjustable straps. So guess what becomes popular in the mid-2000's? Stupid mesh hats with the adjustable straps.

So. How does this relate to Stiff Kittens? We talked earlier about how I despise the time in my life where I thought Depeche Mode and The Cure were the greatest things in the world. I hate that pseudo-goth, superficial, romanticized crap. And now there is a part of me that cringes every time I head Dave Gahan's or Robert Smith's voice even though I know they and their bands made some good stuff (see Violator and Disintegration). So, that DM/Cure sound is the flippin hidious trucker hat on my soul. And when I hear a song like "Stiff Kittens" that I've never heard before but has even the hint of DM/Cure to it I fight it. Like I said earlier in the IM the song was growing on me. And it's not like it was bad. I just have some barriers I have to escort it through before I can enjoy it. Meanwhile, I'm still collecting awesome music and wearing professionally fit baseball hats.

I Hate Crap Like This

That Photo of Charles is Classic

What's HMV?

And you've got to be right in the idea that Russians are smiling their way into American culture. One of these days it's going to be Red Dawn all over again.You don't erase 50 years of Cold War angst overnight.

Follow-up

This would be a good time to mention that in 2003, my friend BJ and I signed Charles up for a Russian mail-order bride website. I think we used this solemn viola picture that's on his website and he got a couple of responses. They really respected his viola playing or something. Anywho, it was great fun. I think he turned off a lot of women by saying he was religious, but he got a couple that were like "I very religious and will make wonderful wife to priest".

The man who

Harry and Regina walk into a bar...

Harry Potter's chewing on my soul. I think he opened up a link between his mind and mine, because today at work, every word that began with a D turned into "dementor" and I started writing something and it came out Harry Potterish (about memories or something, certainly not TANF-related). Christina think I got Imperiused. I think I shouldn't have stopped at page 500 last night and should have just plowed through until the end. But seeing how I woke up at 3:50 AM yesterday morning to drive to the Shenendoah Valley, I thought it best to go to stop at 2:00 AM last night.

So, every girl loves Regina Spektor. It's just how it is. Once I found out she was Russian, I knew something was suspect. What Russian women have been imported to the US? There was that Russian woman in "From Russia With Love" who really got James Bond into a spot of trouble and then there were the 14 year-old lesbians in T.A.T.U driving 200 K/HR IN THE WRONG LANE!!! So, I distrust Russian women. It's got to be some Putinish plot, this whole Regina Spektor thing. I'm glad I went to elementary school during the Cold War to get the fear of Russians instilled in me. The kids nowadays grab up Russian stuff like cursed chocolate cauldrons. I guarantee that Regina Spektor's next album will have all the girls singing "I love Lenin I love Stalin, they're better better better better bettter bettteeeeerrrrrr!"

Harry Potter / The Darkness In My Life That is Regina Spektor

Remember when I said I was going to post last night? Well, Harry Potter stuck again. We went to Order of the Phoenix. Such a cool movie. I like that they're getting so dark, now. I don't know if you've seen it but the battle scenes in the Ministry at the end were awesome. And Sirius Black is awesome. He's probably my favorite character in the entire series. Him and Snape. It was cool to see Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix Lestrange. I think HBC could be the leading woman in every movie I see for the rest of my life and that'd be okay with me. She's money.

As per music, I've been thinking about Regina Spektor. My wife and girls love her. I mean l-o-v-e love her. They have all the songs memorized and they all sing along. I feel like an idiot and I sit there and curse her in my mind. The lone ray of light that pierces the darkness in my life that is Regina Spektor is the fact that she's a classically trained pianist. I think that's awesome. Makes she seem more legit. Which at the same time undermines pretty much 100% of the bands I listen to.

Yet I listen.

You and Guster: Mortal Enemies

In a similar vein, you and Guster should be great pals, especially their earlier work on acoustic guitar and no-stick drumming. How organic can you get, Whole Foods? And yet, you can't swallow them. So strange to me. It's like when I had a home teaching companion in my first married ward that was the embodiment of me and yet we couldn't have a decent conversation beyond, "Oh, you like everything I like and are the same as me in every way? Cool".

Oh, believe me, I've tried

I have tried for years to like the Smiths because of all the things that you've mentioned. Wavering between wussy and awesome, literate cool lyrics, and ultimately, the clincher, being British should really put them at the top of the list. And yet, I struggle. I have their "Singles" purchased specifically for Panic and There is a Light That Never Goes Out. I return to them once a year and once a year I sit through 50 minutes of *shrug* "Eh" and 20 minutes of "Niiiiiiiice". I keep trying to put my finger on it and I think this last time I finally realized why they don't do it for me. All their songs sound the same to me. Same dynamics, same rhythms, same Morrisey blabbing his way around bizarre lyrics that seem fresh at first but on repeat are merely annoying. When How Soon is Now? comes on you, it's arresting because it sounds so different compared to the rest of it. There is a Light...is really the same as all other Smiths songs, it's just the best version of the same song they did fifty times over on four albums. That's what I think of them. I also think I lack the historical context to appreciate what were for non-new wave fans in 1980s Britain. I've read a million times about Johnny Marr's guitarwork. I never blown away with it, but I guess if you were listening in the 1980s and you compared Johnny Marr to say, Duran Duran, I'm sure he looked brilliant.

Here's What I Don't Get:

You should be the world's biggest fan of The Smiths. I mean, really. They're British, they waver between wussy and awesome, the lead singer has such a unique voice and no one really listens to them. It's like the perfect storm for you.

Seth the Peruvian is Sufjan Stevens Only I Don't Have the Photos to Prove It

Evidence #1: They look the same. Same hair, face, build. They're the same.

Evidence #2: I never saw them together in the same place.

Evidence #3: Seth and Sufjan both start with the letter "S."

Evidence #4: Seth the Peruvian always talked about Sufjan.

Evidence #5: They're both of ethnic decent.

Evidence #6: They're both religious. Seth was always talking about his mission and about church. It's well known that Sufjan sings about religious themes.

Evidence #7: Seth wanted to work in the music biz as a producer. Sufjan worked in the music biz as an artist/producer.

Evidence #8: Seth played the piano in a band. Sufjan is a multi-instrumental genius.

Evidence #9: Seth introduced me to Pitchfork Media. The day he did the top news story was about Sufjan performing somewhere. Seth told me to "check him out."

Evidence # 10: Seth was always wearing those butterfly wing things around:

Conclusion: Seth the Peruvian and Sufjan Stevens are one in the same.

Man Cannot Live By Bread Alone

I can see that similarity. Bread is great. They have great guitar work. The guy's femmy voice gets a little too femmy for me to listen for any extended period of time, though. But "Everything I Own" totally rocks. And "Aubrey" is great, too. Great enough to name your daughter Aubrey.

White Stripes and Fathers / Bread is all right by me

I once thought that my dad would like the White Stripes, so I sent him Apple Blossom. I received an e-mail the next day saying, "It sounds like they are trying to imitate this band". He had attached a song by the Beatles. I had never thought the White Stripes sounded like the Beatles or were trying to sound like the Beatles for that matter. My dad did listen to a couple off of Wilco's latest album and thought that Jeff Tweedy was trying to channel John Lennon. You might think that my dad is stuck on the Beatles and both he and my mom will probably admit that they have liked no band better than the Beatles. But one time I played Radiohead for him and he said they sounded like Bread and lent me his Bread cassette. The horrible thing...Thom Yorke DOES sound like the lead singer of Bread with an English accent. Facing a crisis, being at risk of having the image of one of my favorite bands destroyed, I made a command decision. Bread was all right. I had to say they were all right. If I made fun of them, I made fun of Radiohead. So, Bread is all right. Just like the kids.

My Dad Rocks To The White Stripes and Doesn't Care Who Knows

My father is great. We've had a good relationship most of my life. We talk about sports and books and movies and our families. We've hiked and fished together. We've re-roofed several homes together. We've traveled to New York, California, Canada and Texas together. When I was a teenager he even told me that if I was going to experiment with drugs or alcohol to come to him and we'd do it together. I'm still not sure what that means but it was cool that he said it. However, there's one thing we have never agreed upon: music. He likes classical and religious music. I like a different kind. So, I'm blown away last year when he asks me to make him a cd of my indie bands. And I'm blown away again when, two weeks later, he asks detailed questions about the songs and the bands. And I'm blown away six months later when he asks me to make him another cd with more music that I listen to. And I was blown away again last month when he sends me an email saying, "Have you heard of The White Strip[es]? I just listened to some and thought they were pretty good. Sounds like something you'd like." Yeah, I know, blown away. So I told him I know the Stripes and that I'm actually going to their show this fall. He asks me to make him a cd with their music. I do. Then last Saturday we went hiking to the top of Y Mountain. I pick him up at 7:00 a.m. He gets in my car, ejects my cd out of my cd player and puts in the White Stripes cd I made him. "These are some of my favorite songs." He went through, "Pretty Good Lookin," "Hello Operator," "Apple Blossom," and "Dead Leaves" before we got to the trail head. We hiked. When we got back to the car he continued on to "Hotel Yorba," "We're Going to be Friends," "Little Ghost," and "My Doorbell," until we got back to his house. Blown away. And just when I didn't think I could get blown away any further or more or whatever we sit down at his computer at his house a couple days ago and he buys a ticket so we can go to The White Stripes together.

My dad and me. Going to The White Stripes. Together. Crazy.

"I gotta tell you dad I'm a little surprised. Of all the bands I've ever listened to I can't believe we're going to see The White Stripes together."

"Well, I haven't listened to very many of your bands."

Blown away.

On a similar note I've been listening to Icky Thump. I love the track but don't have much love (yet?) for the album. I'm pumped to see them, though. Rock me Jack and Meg. Rock me hard.

On a not so similar note, the hike to the top of Y Mountain is freakin awesome. I mean it. The hike to the Y is hell. I hate it. But then the trail goes south into Slade Canyon and through some really cool rock formations. Then it goes through some very nice aspen groves. Then pine groves. Then some beautiful, lush meadows as it leads to the summit. One of my favorite hikes I've ever been on. I took this on my cell coming around the edge of the canyon from the Y.

I had a goal to hike Timp on my birthday next month but I'm not sure I'm going to make it. I had some trouble completing a couple hikes because my diabetic limbs failed me. Oh well. I've already hiked more this year than I have in 12 years. Yippee.

What has happened to Live?

Remember when they were releasing dark albums featuring such gloomy tracks as The Dam at Otter Creek or Lakini's Juice? Those were some great days for Live. But what's this latest drivel? Just heard this track Nobody Knows, thought you should see some of the killer couplets

I was on a street with a common name/i prayed for love yeah i even begged

This is repeated twice

like so much rain it fell/and pierced my brains

Love piercing brains. And he was singing it all sappy. It was terrible. He's so mystical that Ed Kowalchtryrghk or whatever his last name is.

On a completely positive note, I heard an All-American Rejects song, Night Drive (acoustic) which really surprised me. It didn't have the same feel as all other AAR songs, which was good. I know you claim I love them, but I really don't. Honest. Well, okay so I kind of like them. I didn't think I liked anything off their second album because it sounded like a bad retread of the first, but then this little song appeared. Maybe there's hope for the Rejects. We must all pray for hope for the Rejects.

Micro Cuts

I still remember the moment I first heard this track. I was sitting in our apartment in London listening to Origin of Symmetry for the first time reading some book when suddenly these unworldly vocals burst out of the headphones. I sat transfixed. Then I grabbed my sister and said, "Listen to this! It's amazing!" She just said, "Weird" and moved along. I felt like I had just uncovered one of man's great accomplishments and no one would acknowledge it. And no one did until I got home and played it for Charles T. Martin who loved it. We would listen to it loudly and try to sing along with it. In my Miata. With the top down. People in the cars next to us would laugh. I thought they were laughing with us. In retrospect, they probably just thought we were gay (two men in a Miata singing a song in falsetto???!!! What was I thinking????)

Begrudingly, I accept that Muse might sound like Radiohead once in a while. But it's only the vocals in the first couple of albums. The musical structure itself is very different in my mind. Much more metal-influenced. The bass and piano play much more prominent roles in Muse's music and they haven't wrapped themselves in a disgusting cloak of technology like Radiohead has. Thus, to me, Radiohead's later albums feel ice cold, whereas Muse feels warmer.

Micro Cuts is so odd too, what with the strange little outro at the end with the bass bouncing between speakers. It really is totally different from the rest of the song. I will say that the two loud guitar jabs pre-chorus do seem lifted from Creep now that I think about it.

Ticket to Ride Europe is where it's at. It's so much more fun to butcher the names (I'm building to Effluvium).

Micro Cuts and Mickey Mouse Ears

So I'm listening to Micro Cuts right now. I don't know why but I think it sounds like a cross between Rush and Queen (aside from the fact they sound like Radiohead's sibling). But I don't listen to either one of those bands so I don't know how I came to that conclusion.
You're right, though, regardless if I like it or not, I've never heard a song quite like that. Sometimes I wonder about how much you love Muse. I mean they sound so much like Radiohead. I'm sorry. I'm sure you get so tired of hearing that--especially from me.

I had this funny dream last night that stemmed from our IM yesterday. It started when my family came over to your house. And when I say family I mean not just me and Dana and the girls but my folks and my sisters and their families. The whole Sorensen clan. And we'd just gotten back from our trip to California so we all had on Mickey Mouse ears. We were all squished into your old apartment here in Provo. And I was asking you about the differences between the American and European versions of Ticket to Ride. Christina and the boys were no where to be seen. I'm not sure what that means but there you go.