lolibrarian’s Neighborhood

 07/05/2008 19:24:36  ♥ written by derek ( / www.pegritz.com)

The Forms - Knowledge in Hand

The Forms

Seriously, is everyone in New York City in a band? The sheer number of musical acts to come that one city is staggering. However, given the filthy, overcrowded, damnear horrific condition of the Rotten Apple, it only makes sense that so many would turn to music to liberate them from the putrid reality of their surroundings.

The Forms' music is a perfect example of that escape-from-reality sound. The Brooklyn-based quartet of Alex Tween, Matt Walsh, and Brendan and Jackson Kenny have garnered a great deal of positive press for their debut album Icarus and self-titled follow-up--both produced by the legendary Steve Albini himself. For a band that's been together since 2000, their output has been scarce, but always high-quality. In many ways, The Forms sound rather like a cross between Coldplay and prog-rock, producing melodic indie rock in all manner of odd, nonstandard time signatures--which may be somewhat offputting to some listeners, but stick with them: the sound will grow on you. Even if the time-signatures are rather alien to pop music, the melodies are strong and easy to follow.

Unlike many The Forms focus first and foremost on songwriting, not on musical virtuosity, and this is apparent througout their self-tilted second album. "Knowledge in Hand" opens the album with a defining statement of the band's somewhat psychedelic, largely distortion-free sound, with a groovy layering of piano and guitars to back up a powerful lead vocal. "Bones" and "Blue Whale" are both stirling examples of shimmery pop-rock that recalls the glory days of 4AD while featuring a distinctly modern sound (mainly created by Albini's clean and no-nonsense production, which hasn't changed much since the 1980s, though it now clearly partakes of modern studio technology). At 3:50 long, "Blue Whale" is the longest song on the record, with most of the other tracks measuring only three minutes in length. This musical economy actually serves the band's melody-driven quality well, as there is no sonic "filler"--like extended guitar solos or bridges--in any of their songs.

However, this brevity also works against the music, in some cases. Many songs do not end, but simply fade out after the three-minute-mark as if the band just doesn't know how to bring them to a conclusion, so they just keep playing while Albini pulls the master mix fader down to zero. I wonder just how well this stuff translates live: if you can't figure out how to end a song, what do you do after the final verse is sung--just quit playing? And though none of the developed tracks themselves have any musical filler, there are two tracks, "Borges" and "Blue Whale (outro)" that, at less than a minute long each (the latter is only seventeen seconds long), seem to serve no purpose whatsoever on the record. They're not even sketches of songs. Quite frankly, I think they're simply studio outtakes the band decided to throw on the album just for the hell of it.

Nonetheless, The Forms is a very good listening experience whose etherial chords and atmospheric vocals will certainly open up a gateway in your mind to a prettier place. If your reality is bleak and crummy as any Brooklyn street, The Forms will gladly take you along to a much better realm.

Sadly, they have no live dates listed.

Links: theforms.org myspace.com/forms

My last post was somewhat inspired by one of my favorite Christmas specials, A Claymation Christmas:

So awesome.

edit: I was looking for the video on Amazon (hint: I want it!) and found this gem:

Cross stitch

I'm sick.

I rarely get sick.  Mostly when the seasons change.  Even then, that might just be allergies.

I'm sure I'm sick this time.

Maybe it was the flight back home.  Maybe it's the fact that California is on fire.  I just don't know.

The symptoms: stuffy nose, stuffy head, sore throat, headah-y, body aches, changes is body temp (hot! cold! hot! cold!)

The most annoying of them is the stuffiness.  A suggested Mucinex.  But there's a couple of problems.  I hate the prospect of mucus.  Like, I will say that I'm just completely stuffed up and congested before I admit to having an ounce of mucus in my body.  Weird and completely avoiding the issue?  Maybe.  But I don't get down with mucus.  He said it works.  But I don't have mucus (read: I'm in denial), so it won't help me.  The other thing is, he said you have to drink hecka water cus you can get dehydrated or something.  What if I don't drink enough water??  What if I get dehydrated in my sleep and wake up and look like this:

I forgot to drink water while I was taking Mucinex and now I'm all dehydrated. Like a raisin.

That's how I'll look if I take Mucinex and forget to drink water.  I'll wake up looking like a raisin.  (btw: that's Christie Brinkley with me, The California Raisin.  She's in the news lately, for putting her to-be-ex on blast about his swinging lifestyle.)

So, stuffed-up I remained cus I was too scurred to take the suggested Mucinex.

Until!  I remembered that I had nasal spray.  DUH!

That stuff works!  And it doesn't talk about the m-word (mucus) and it doesn't threaten to make me turn into a raisin!  Cha-chiiiiing!

Into the right nostril the little applicator goes. 

Except. 

I apply too much pressure to the bottle and nasal spray GUSHES into my nose.  BURN!  DROWNING-SENSATION!  CHEMICALS! 

But I have to put it into the other side, otherwise my right nostril will be a wind tunnel and the left will be the Hoover Dam.  The left side wasn't as bad as the right.

Some time later, while I can breathe, my nose is EXTREMELY sensitive.  Too much nasal spray!  Everything is making me sneeze.  The air is too cold for my nose, so I'm walking around my place holding things to my nose cus it feels like I'm getting a can of condensed air blown up it every time I inhale.  It's hard being all hot from the temperature, but having to hold my blanket to my nose cus it's freezing. 

I.hate.being.sick.

I was under the impression that there was a parade in Berkeley.  Cus most cities have a parade.  I invited my sister to the parade.  I told Lorelai, "Let's get ready for the parade."  I was hyping myself up for the parade.

Well.

Berkeley doesn't have a parade.

But it does have plenty of activities at the Marina. 

So, Lorelai, Liv and I grabbed some grub and headed down to the Marina.  We got there, learned there was no parade, and had fun anyway.

 
Here's a few photos.

Off to have awesome, awesome bbq at my parents' now.  Talk later  Be safe ya'll.  And Happy Fourth of July.

038

 07/04/2008 15:14:50  ♥ written by vu ()

Today is July 4^th, America's Independence Day. I have put together a collection of Americana/Roots music as theme. Some artists are not strictly in this genre, and to group them together might be unfair, so I suggest if you like what you read and hear, find out more about them on their respective websites.

Bruce Springsteen - Dancing In The Dark

Bruce Springsteen

4 comments

Of course, when you think of "America", the one name that really comes to mind is Bruce Springsteen. Since 1973, "The Boss" have been representing the everyman with his American heartland rock music. He's probably best known for his album (and song), "Born in the U.S.A." at the height of his popularity in 1984.

The album tied for "Most Top 10 Songs from One Album" award, alongside Michael Jackson's Thriller and Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814, with - count 'em - seven songs: "Dancing in the Dark" , "Cover Me" , "Born in the U.S.A." , "I'm on Fire" , "Glory Days", "I'm Goin' Down" and "My Hometown".

With an amazing string of hit songs, it's actually not surprising that find out that Springsteen's albums consistantly hit #1 on the Billboard charts, with eight #1 albums: The River (1980), Born in the U.S.A. (1984), Live/1975-85 (1986), Tunnel of Love (1987), Greatest Hits (1995), The Rising (2002), Devils & Dust (2005), and Magic (2007). With the exception of Jay-Z, all of the chart-toppers are no longer around (The Beatles, Elvis, and The Rolling Stones), so this is a pretty amazing feat for an all-American New Jersey boy.

By the way, I have never seen Springsteen live, but from watching SNL and reading about it, I get the impression that The Boss and the E Street Band plays an amazing, live show, full of blood, sweat, and tear.

CORY CHISEL thewanderingsons.com ♥ myspace.com Cory Chisel - Home In The Woods 1 comment The EP I have here is called Cabin Ghosts, and it's listed simply as "Cory Chisel", but I believe the full, and correct, name should be listed as "Cory Chisel & The Wandering Sons". There is also no cover art with the EP, so please note that the art that I used to represent them here is not the final CD cover. I tried looking up when the CD will be release, but I couldn't find any details of the details. I am assuming it will be release sometime in 2008 and/or only sold on tour. Listening to the EP, it sounds to me to be very Springsteenesque, especially when Chisel sings out, "The thunder roll, its angry heart, across my shoulders in the dark, maybe I'm losing ground" on "See It My Way". I am also guessing that the EP was recorded live as there's clapping from the audience inbetween the songs, but on some songs, the audio sounds too perfect (you can clearly hear everything, from backup singers to the quiet acoustic guitar). The song I was asked to use is "Home In The Woods", which I can understand as its lyrics and theme is about wanting to escape from the city and live in an isolated cabin in the woods - perfect for an EP called Cabin Ghosts. They are currently on tour with Joshua James. See tour information below. Jul 16 - The Intersection - Grand Rapids, Michigan July 17 - Club Cafe - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania July 18 - Radio Radio - Indianapolis, Indiana July 19 - Beat Kitchen - Chicago, Illinois July 20 - The Ark - Ann Arbor, Michigan July 22 - Shank Hal - Milwaukee, Wisconsin July 23 - Varsity Theater - Minneapolis, Minnesota July 24 - Waiting Room - Omaha, Nebraska July 25 - The Record Bar - Kansas City, Missouri July 30 - Toad Tavern - Denver, Colorado July 31 - Belly Up - Aspen, Colorado Aug 1 - Club Sound - Salt Lake City, Utah Aug 3 - The Triple Door - Seattle, Washington Aug 4 - Doug Fir Lounge - Portland, Oregon Aug 5 - Boardwalk - Orangevale, California Aug 6 - Hotel Utah Saloon - San Francisco, California Aug 8 - Casbah - San Diego, California Aug 9 - Hotel Cafe - Los Angeles, California Aug 10 - Rhythm Room - Phoenix, Arizona Aug 15 - Lawrence Memorial Chape - Appleton, Wisconsin Sep 13 - Red Rocks Amphitheater - Morrison, Colorado Nov 26 - New American Theater - Rockford, Illinois

SAMMY WALKER ramseurrecords.net ♥ myspace.com Sammy Walker - Another Sad Song About You 1 comment Sammy Walker is a folk/country singer/songwriter from Georgia (but I think currently in North Carolina?), was briefly popular from 1975 to 1977, with two of the albums on major label, Warner Brothers. It would seem he went into early retirement until 1994 with Old Time Southern Dream. Now, after 14 years since that release, he is back now with Misfit Scarecrow to be released on July 22nd on Ramseur Records. Walker has a very distinctive, southern, and clear, but aging, voice. Some of the melodies and lyrics really made me think of Bob Dylan. Since I don't have Walker's earlier works, I can only imagine what his earlier works might sound just like early Dylan. Walker's songs all tells little timeless stories, all told through the eyes of the protagonist. Sometime that person might be a corpse ("Will You Miss Me When I'm Gone") or a scarecrow ("Misfit Scarecrow") or a farmer ("Proud and Poor"), but they all tell epic tales. I really enjoyed "Another Sad Song About You", a song about running into someone from the past. It goes into great detail describing someone leaning on a lamp post: "a blue scarf around your neck, and a silver charm across your heart". Despite a timeless feel to the song, I did enjoy the modern references, in such lines like: "I heard about your brother, when the Twin Towers came crashing down." The country/blues song, "Someday I'm Gonna Rock and Roll", ends the album with a humourous tone. I get the impression that the song is really about Walker, himself. He must get a lot of people telling him he should do rock and roll, but he scoffs at it. If you want to make it today, You're gonna have to rock and roll If you want the big money You're gonna have to rock and roll I guess even old Jimmie Rodgers Would've even had to sell a piece of his soul Had to sell a piece of his soul. In case you were wondering why that line is so funny, it's because Rodgers is often considered as the father of country music.

FISKUM fiskum.com ♥ myspace.com Fiskum - Tom Wait's Bar and Grill Fiskum is actually from Minneapolis, and his album, Darkness/Fire/Dancing was released late last year. The first time I heard "Tom Waits' Bar And Grill", I thought of Harry Chapin's "Taxi", especially when he sings "and she says 'hi, how'd you been? I saw your call, I stopped on in'". With the title, you can tell that he is giving a little nod to Tom Waits, and, like Waits, paints a story about a chance encounter with an old close friend at a bar & grill. I later read Fiskum got the idea for the song from a short conversation with someone trying to "explain to his new girlfriend why he was seen hanging with his old flame." He wrote notes for each of his song on his music page, and this is for "Tom Waits' Bar & Grill": Northeast Minneapolis has dozens of neighborhood taverns where locals gather after work for a beer, for burgers, and maybe a game of billiards or darts. Places where softball teams hang out after the game. I used to frequent these bars often, and I visualize one of them – Tommy’s Bar–as the setting for this song. Its about a man who is torn between his old flame and his new girlfriend. There is a surprise at the end of the album, it's another version of "Winter Moon". The song looks like a live recording, and it's sung entirely in Welsh by an uncredited woman. You can find Darkness/Fire/Dancing at your usual location on Amazon and iTunes.

JOSEPH ARTHUR josepharthur.com ♥ myspace.com Joseph Arthur - Slow Me Down 1 comment Peter Gabriel saw something in Joseph Arthur, because he signed Arthur on his record label, Real World. Although he's no longer on Real World, he's releasing a ton of material on his own record label, Lonely Astronaught. Already this year alone these are the EPs that's already released: Could We Survive (Mar 2008), Crazy Rain (Apr 2008), Vagabond Skies (Jun 2008), and Foreign Girls (July 2008). At the rate he's going, he'll probably have three or four EPs released before his album, Temporary People comes out September 16th, 2008. I actually have only two of the EPs, Could We Survive, which seems to have a (anti?) war theme, and his latest, Vagabond Skies. There's something perfectly folk and pop on the lead song, "Slow Me Down", that you should check out. As you can hear on that song, it's not completely traditional folk. Such beat/loop machine can be found in the background of "Pretty Good Company" and "Second Sight". It's also nice to hear Joan Wasser (violins) doing some backup vocals on some songs, I hope she participate more in the upcoming album. I like what he's doing, bundling his limited art prints if you buy two EPs ($20). This is good for hardcore fans to collect his art, while at the same time give the second EP as a gift of music to their friends and family.

PS, this article took very long to write. There may be a part two later tonight.

Links: www.weheartmusic.com

How are you celebrating the 4th of July?

We have been True Americans today.  We got up around 9 AM. - a bit late for us.  We wanted breakfast food, so we took off and headed towards the Huddle House.  The Huddle House was packed and there was no parking.  I barked a curse and we headed to the Awful Waffle.  The Awful Waffle was packed, with people waiting.  We don't wait to eat at the Awful Waffle, so we left and headed for Ihop.  Ihop was also packed, with a line headed out the door for seating.  We did not stay.  On a whim, I decided that maybe the kick-arse bagel shop was open, so we headed downtown.  It was closed.  I got pissed.  We drove home and made breakfast ourselves around 10 AM and 30 miles later.  Our breakfast kicked arse.  We each had a bagel "egg in the basket."  That is, we made eggs in the basket with a bagel instead of a slice of bread.  I added cheese and ham to mine to make fully loaded breakfast sandwich - good stuff.  After eating, I had planned to do yard work, but we fell asleep.  I am now up and it is around 2 PM.  I am about to eat a couple of yams and then perhaps yard work.  We are barbecuing chicken, eggplant, squash, zucchini, asparagus, and tomatoes for dinner tonight.  We may pop a firecracker.

God Bless America.

I hate heavy perfumes or body products.  I don't wear perfume much, or scented body products.  If I do, I like things like lavendar (my fave!) or low-key earthy scents.

I especially don't like Bath and Body Works.  I used to get down with it and I know a lot of people love it, but it's just not my cup of tea. 

Well, I shoulda been paying attention to the anti-bacterial on my co-workers desk when I asked her to use some.  Cus it is Bath and Body Works and it is heaavvvvvvy!  UGH!  It's going to the back of my throat and into my nose and I'm already kinda sickly, so it's making it worse!  And it won't go away.

Beggers can't be choosers; co-worker was kind enough to share (whereas I don't keep my products on my desk, cus I'm selfish about those things).  But still. 

I smell like a teenage girl getting ready for a date or something. 

I left my iPod at home.

I feel like I left my arm at home or something.

I'm neeeeeverrrrrr without my iPod.  :(

Sleepy.

IMG00581.jpg

How long do you take in the shower?
Submitted by Strive2Be.

I take as long as necessary to clean meself.  Why the frell do you care?