sweeeet!

noah lennox (aka panda bear) and i have the same birthday!!!

also i successfully shrunk my sabos winter skully!!!

yes!!

i love this song ... this version is teeeeeeiiiiiiii

look mom i just live blogged

so did anyone else just see that KFC commercial where they talk about flying in their chicken fresh and they ask ... "how do we know" ... cut to an actress who very emphatically informs the audience "i'm a cook and i work here" while the giant ACTOR PORTRAYAL notice in bottom right corner looms there completely debunking the entire message of the ad ...

like why did they even bother spending money to make that commercial?

are they just banking on the number of people who both a)like KFC and b) can't read ?

i dunno ... that commercial was ... interesting

liveblog terminating....

hahahaha ... beardo

shit, this was the first one of these i watched ... i'm not the biggest les savy fav fan ... but tim harrington is fucking dope.

updates

ok i've been slacking on updating this recently. Of course I think one thing that I need to be aware of is trying to find the right balance between consistently updating this space and having something pertinent to say. if i get on here and tell an amusing anecdote about how my nephew took a dump on my sister's head ... well yeah that would be funny but i'm not sure it would fit my intentions for having this blog.

anyways here is the news to me:

lykke li fucking sold out. so i'm not going. i'm pretty much fucking pissed because my boss wouldn't take the time to answer me one way or another whether it would've been alright to take off from work a few hours early in case the weather sucked. i understand he's stressed but

a) what the fuck difference is two hours on a friday afternoon going to make
b)i have been working my ass off for them and though he has made a lot of considerations for me because of that ... it seems like this was a really simple request ... i went into a rant here ... but erased ... see first paragraph of this post.

i bought animal collective tickets for the show in toronto. my boy parts are pretty much afire with anticipation. also, the current path through their work has gone: Strawberry Jam > Merriweather Post Pavillion > Feels > Person Pitch (Panda Bear solo proj). Insert the requisite "dude, **album title** is amazing" here. Yeah, i'm so fucking into animal collective right now.

Buuuuutttt.... check this!!!! Even though pforks album reviews are insanely pretentious and typically include a number of adjectives that I need to look up the meanings + compare and refer to albums / artists that I have never heard of thus requiring additional research ... I like the news editors because they seem way more of the typical "funny sacastic web editor" ... maybe that is lame of me to admit ... but dude, read that description, i was cracking up.

Also ... i fucking love the black lips. though i have now heard two songs off the new album ... and its not going to be good. I'm making that call right now.

EDIT: unapologetic marnie stern link of the day

presenting the inaugural Of Montreal video post ... the first of many more to come i'm sure

sports blaaaaaggggg

only because i know that two people that actually read this thing are also sabres fans:

check this if you at all give a shit about the sabres. If not, don't bother.

The yahoo sports hockey blog jake slips this fucking hella naive comment in that article about buffalo ... its pretty entertaining to see the sabs fans support their shit in the comments ... buffalo for the most part is a shit hole, but the people are incredibly resilient and proud, and in spite of everything I have great respect for that city. And perhaps that is part of the reason I converted to a buffalo city sports fan ... everyone loves the underdog.

quick update

go here to see something awful

go here to read something awesome


... lykke li sold out and so i'm not going ... lame

i began playing with sony acid pro 6 this weekend ... the band is starting ...

edit: also i don't get why death cab for cuties hates western ny ... another tour, another blatant avoidance.

also i am totally getting the new franz ferdiand album ... let the judging begin.

reader response: and reply

Comment:
"A good compilation tape, like breaking up, is hard to do. You've got to kick off with a corker, to
hold the attention (I started with 'Got to Get You off My Mind,' but then realized that she might
not get any further than track one, side one if I delivered what she wanted straightaway, so I
buried it in the middle of side two), and then you've got to up it a notch, or cool it a notch, and
you can't have white music and black music together, unless the white music sounds like black
music, and you can't have two tracks by the same artist side by side, unless you've done the
whole thing in pairs, and . . . oh, there are loads of rules."

-'High Fidelity' by Nick Hornby
Reply:
Using book/movie quotes to determine a set of real world ideals is like using one website to determine what music is good and what isn't .... hahahaha.

Anyways, there are definitely some good ideas there. I think the point is more related to the fact that the character cares and has put so much thought into making a mix tape, rather than the actual rules involved. That is definitely the part that I personally identify with (hence this blog?).

Comment:
and do you hear the Kid A in Loch Raven? ..good stuff.
Reply:
Yes

Comment:
dude. Banshee Beat is kind of kicking my ass right now. I love this. It's like Eliott Smith's schizophrenic side...
Reply:
Yeah man, this is like ... the song that epitomizes the validity of my concerns with MPP. I think the quote I had for you about this song the other night was something to the effect of "if i were an old school Animal Collective fan listening to MPP then Banshee Beat would be the song that I would look back at and would miss stylistically from newer animal collective music" ... or something like that. But yeah, feels is a great album. And that was like their 5th release. So much more left in the journey!!

Comment:
she totally kicks those other guys asses.
Reply:
I love the marnie. Dude, you should watch the whole show. Like, i'm not trying to say she is like the best musician or most creative or whatever. But she totally fuckin rocks ... with a smile ... and i find it sexy and endearing

Comment:
since when were u mr. sunshine pants?
Reply:
Hey man, why not? It was a really really really good day. Thanks for being around for some of it!

Comment:
dude. this is golden.

..i don't know how i feel about melding the albums too much. especially with the Bends. I feel like the sounds clash a little too much. But i dig the innovation. ... another thing. we need a bigger song at the #2 spot (see 'High Fidelity' on the art of making a mix tape).
This mix is good shit. i refuse to expand into a playlist.. that butchers the art..
Reply:
Dude, that playlist was the catalyst for my creativity this week. Like first off it was great bouncing ideas off each other. I had fun doing that. Second ... when I finally put this list together and listened for the first time ... it was amazing. It still is. I totally disagree with Nick Hornby regarding two in a row unless you're doing it for the whole mix tape. There are exceptions, rev green / fireworks is one of those. Both songs are great but the lead in to fireworks is even better.

Also, fitter happier as track 2 is key. Only because if you hid it further into the album there is less of a chance for the listener (at least this one) to skip over it, no one can be annoyed by an album at track 2, especially not coming off of peacebone. Then you get your segue into electioneering, jonny's guitar comes out fuckin blazing ... it works brilliantly. It is seriously one of the most fun playlists to listen to... loved it. Thanks again. BTW you never sent me what your final track listing was.

opposite day

minus the post from earlier today was pretty much the opposite from yesterday ... a bad day for bridges even!

I was at the post office and needed an employee's attention and I saw his name was Gene but instead I just said "sir" ... that sucked ...

also, like a bazillion things in music happened today and I could spend no time enjoying any of it. though, because of that AC / R-Head playlist fantasmo the other night I am in this f'ing incredible playlist mode now which is like ... eclectic or something

some of the new spillelisters:

ra ra riot
matt and kim
antony and the johnsons
bon iver

dude, plus did you see that marnie stern video yet? fuck, man ... she is so cool

plus did you see the my girls video yet? haha, fuck fuckitty fuck fuck ... shit man ... i just need to stay alive and able bodied till may 13th ... epong...

my passport application went in today, that means international shows are now fair game ...

... i'm just really glad to be done with work finally ... today was the suck long day...

attention

what the fuck ... i'm in love

today's announcments

I like Matt and Kim. I am excited to see them in Toronti ... opening for CutCopy

speaking of toronto ... random checked the lykke li tour sched this AM. Friday Feb 6th, the phoenix, I am totally interested in going. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE inquire if you too are interested in going ...

great day ... cont'd

so the more i thought about what i did today the better it got. I forgot to add

i made this list of like 10 things that i needed to get done and got almost all of it done in 1 hour.

also i got a haircut and i like haircut day.

thats all.

a great day ...

i woke up with this awesome new playlist .

then at work we watched the inauguration ceremony ... areatha wore an amazing hat.

then i listened to a this amazing mix of different music today ... Xiu Xiu (Women as lovers), Antony and the Johnsons (first listen here .. pretty different stuff than i'm used to), and Wilco (A ghost is born).

then later that day animal collective announced their tour ... a stop in toronto!

then i confirmed the AC date was 1. a saturday 2. a non-graduation influenced date ... so pretty much i am going.

then i got home and ran without headphones

then i enjoyed my playlist so much I shuffled everything from the bends, Ok computer, KidA, Amnesiac, Hail to the Theif, In Rainbows, Feels, Strawberry Jam, and Merriweather Post Pavillion into 1 playlist (6.5 hours of music for those of you who might be wondering). It was stirring.

then the news came that the Cut Copy tickets had arrived ...

Also today was great because of the great mood everyone seemed to be in. There weren't too many people that I ran into today that weren't in a great mood. Or at least it seemed that way. As lame as it really is, I enjoyed seeing so many of my friends celebrating today.

It was a really great day.

3rd post in the same day?!!

peacebone
fitter happier
electioneering
cuckoo cuckoo
paranoid android
for reverend green
fireworks
the bends
my girls
just
brothersport
airbag
my iron lung
daily routine
street spirit

i had a lot of fun doing that tonight.... thanks.

second ... and more epic random video post of the day ...

credits to s-ballz for passing this along ... this is like the perfect ... everything

random awesome live clip of the day ... thanks pfork

comment response

my first attempt to respond to Bill's comment was lost into the abyss of the interweb. Here is mys second attempt trying to recapture the ideas from the original, while adding other relevant ideas that came about in the mean time:

your sister is an old hat ... so there.

Ok, so I get it. Everyone uses radiohead as the comparator or the standard when trying to ascertain the relevance of insert pseudo experimental indie rock band name here.

I think my personal choice to use radiohead is warranted however since A) I do see distinct similarities (see original post) B)I am extensively familiar with radiohead's work which would thus give the comparison a more astute level of insight. Why would I try to use a band that doesn't have similar characteristics and/or compared to a band that I know less about? C)The reason why radiohead and the Beatles are so often used is because they are the rare exception of a band who's discography spans more than 2 or 3 albums, and covers at least a few different musical stylistic changes... but all with equal skill and fervor.

Calling someone out on that is like calling out Stephen Hawking for comparing a new idea to the theory of relativity ... wow, that sounds terribly pretentious ... I am certainly not the Stephen Hawking of anything ... its just an example to get the point across.

Moving on beyond the low ball tactics of the commenter ... and responding to the short and ill attempted detraction to the comparisons SJ to MPP ... I would actually agree that some of my commentary was a metaphorical round peg in the square hole.

1. MPP vs Ok Computer does not quite line up. Though I am current freaking the f out over MPP its cohesiveness as an album is lacking in comparison. I feel like OK computer, and pretty much every R-head album's best qualities is their ability to blend 10 - 12 songs together as one long amazing journey. I think MPP has some disjointed moments or perhaps. I think Strawberry Jam actually carries through pretty well as the segue between Reverend Green and Fireworks will make me shant. But MPP doesn't always keep me (the listener) involved and tied to the work.

2. The second point is that radiohead pretty much hit the ground running. It took AC like 5 albums to evolve into strawberry jam. However I think it would be tough to disagree that it was a great move to kind of go back to their older sound with more layering and less emphasis on the vocals. There's much more to explore in that realm. And they have real potential to fucking own the world ... however they would just need to follow my advice ... haha, actually that would be terrible idea for them.

3. The last point being that OK Computer is a better album than MPP. I would go so far as to say a much better album. Is My Girls as good as Karma Police? no. Is Taste as good as Airbag? No. Is Brothersport as awesome as Paranoid Android. Not even fucking close. The thing about MPP is that if you look back at the animal collective discography they're averaging an album per year, not including their side projects. After thinking about that a bit I kind of started to feel like the listeners were short changed on MPP. A lot of the songs on the album seem like the band had an idea, got it recorded, then moved onto the next song. Never looking back, never second guessing. And if that is really how they work then they are to at least be commended for taking a daring idea and sticking by it. However on a lot of the songs I feel like there was a bit more there that wasn't ever explored. The biggest example of this would be Taste. That song is fucking amazing ... but at about 2.5 minutes in it cuts to some (actually pretty sweet, and yes best listened to on some big ass speakers) weird electro sonic outro music. Every time I hear this song I am disappointed though because I felt like the energy in the first half of the song is completely swept away. Another downside is with the shift in focus away from the vocals, the vocal portions of the songs are sometimes underutilized. Or at least I know there is more creativity there as is evident from Strawberry Jam. However many of the songs on MPP take the opening theme of vocal styling and message and just repeat from front to back.

Layers don't make an album great. Its what the band does with them. And Animal Collective are pretty fucking amazing at putting together different soundscapes and generating some entertaining and interesting songs. The music on MPP just like that of Radiohead's albums is inspiring. Not to like change the world or anything profound, but more like, “hey there are totally bands out there that give a shit about carving out their own unique place” Its nice knowing that there are groups out there that can have more than one musical idea (read: album) where they try to put together something new, and interesting, and different from their other work ... and plainly succeed.

hell yes

Just read this on the pfork. Heyooo ... wow, that is going to be an incredible album. I'm f'ing pumped. Oh, and to be fair i did read about the album first on sgums but pfork one upped with the full track listing ... the battle for tony's musical attention continues ...

Also pfork earned the medal of jealous anger by posting these concert photos ... yealous ... muchos yealous ... notice no stops in WNY ... fuck all.


your assignment for today is: rock

SJ vs. MPP ... the battle begins

For anyone who comes across this blog, but who doesn't have any interest in animal collective or my ongoing addiction to their work I apologize for what must seem annoying and repetative. However as this is the most important thing musically going on in my life at the moment I feel like I really want to share my thoughts ... so with that

This post is in response to the following comment that was left on my board by ... Billius S. Billpun III on his thoughts on MPP ... "I'm totally loving how well layered this album is. And it's distinct sound throughout. But I feel like they lost some originality as I feel like the album starts to turn into the Flaming Lips (which probably explains the nice pfork rating..but you never know with those bastards). I feel like their more perhaps "mature" sound they achieved on MPP is not worth the sacrifice of the faux mathmetal cascade of Cuckoo Cuckoo they crafted on SJ. In other words, I need something more fucked up and forward moving to keep me going."

First off I agree with your observations that the album being well layered and how the album seems more "mature". I would add that I think there are substantial and important layers throughout Strawberry Jam as well. But that on SJ there was a heavier influence on vocals and the song structures being concise. Furthermore the pfork observation that MPP is AC's pop album breakthrough is completely false. SJ was that album for them. And its because of this "faux mathmetal cascade". From the little I know about Animal Collective though I would say that MPP is a return to their previous influences into the exploration of different soundscapes via electronic instrument, whereas on SJ maybe they veered off their usual path by focusing more on the vocals and rhythm of their craft.

An interesting comparision dawned on me yesterday as well. As anybody who knows me can probably guess I can always find the radiohead comparison in any situation ... this one is no different. So my thought here is that Strawberry Jam is The Bends. Both albums were the band's refinement of their style from previous album(s) which led to multiple "singles". Its hard for me to consider AC songs off of SJ singles because 1. No radio station I ever listened to played anything 2. I didn't start listening to the album until a year after its release so I feel like I don't "know" what it was like when these songs were first being listened to by fans.

But regardless. The bends was basically an album full of singles. SJ is the same thing in my opinion. That would make Merriweather Post Pavillion the OK Computer equivelant. Is anyone else totally fucking digging this comparison? Think about the things that Radiohead did on OK computer and what AC is doing on MPP. Eerily fucking similar ... more layers, more experimental, less concise, and not an album full of radio friendly singles ... and ... and this is probably the biggest point of contention ... the stand out songs on MPP are better songs than anything off of SJ ... just because they go further and extend the AC sound even deeper ... Is Karma Police a better song than Fake Plastic Trees ? Is Paranoid Android a better song than My Iron Lung ? I would say yes in both cases. I think the same comparisons can be made between SJ and MPP ... Peacebone vs My Girls, Brothersport Vs. Reverend Green, Taste vs Fireworks ... I'm not sure I agree as fully as I do about the Bends vs OK Computer ...

But I think the point remains that there is a similar evolution of sound in the two cases. Personally I'm really hoping this turns the next AC album into Kid A part deux ... so lets all praise Tony for his astute observations ... if we believe we can achieve ... haha lame.

quick news for yous

Today (jan 13th '09) at some point the new Fever Ray album will be available. I already have it ... i'm excited, why aren't you? Also that fuck buttons remix of If I had a Heart is pretty tight and I think I like it more than the orginial.

Black Kids are coming to Toronto ... not sure if i'm willing to take the trek ... i thought they were aight at Lolla ... but just 1 more chance to hear "i've understimated my charm (again)" seems at this moment like it might totally be worth it ... yeah?

If pavement reunites i will be going to see them

New MF Doom album this year? Yay for hip hop? The first single "ballsack" is pretty tight in that MF Doom sort of way ...

year of bridges is off to an unexpectedly fucking brilliant start so far ... thanks to those who have helped to contribute ...

2009-03-20

I'm super pumped. It looks like the cut copy show in toronto might actually happen! If you're reading this and at all interested the tix are only 15 dollars (canadian i'm assuming) . I'm not sure what the full details are at this point but I'm not averse to driving at all ... from what i've heard the show is being held at a venue named circa which i guess is not really all that big.

To me Cut Copy seems like a band that would command a large space for all the fucking incredible dancing that will surely ensue ... but dammit i don't care if you stick me in a shoe box i'm still gonna be partying my ass off when hearts on fire starts up ...

its going to be amazing ...

black cab sessions ...

if nothing else the walkmen clip is pretty f'n epic ... check this though other highlights include bon iver and lykke li

black cab sessions

moving forward

i have finally reached a point where my mind is finally become freed from the trap.

animal collective's work has been stellar. i was fully immersed for a moment. But as the recent posts suggested, my yearning for new and exciting took a bit of a detour. Though I have no regrets. I have found work by artists that made me first become introspective and now I feel like the reflection period is ending.

I can now begin to apply what I have learned moving forward.

A few of the bands that are on my horizons:

Ra ra riot

Matt and Kim

A reattempt with Atlas Sound

Finding the new black lips album though that first single is pretty f'n lame. I'm concerned there's going to be some let down there. Though their older work suggests at least 4 to 5 tracks that are going to be rock sickness ... and regardless a new release means a new tour means more of me getting really drunk and screaming for them to "play fuckin navajo already!!". Haha, what a dbag i am.

Also a small break in the bridges project. So far things are going great. However a small and private regression has occurred. However if nothing else this allows for me to develop ideas and actions in case it happens again ... which it will undoubtedly. If nothing else I want to be proud of myself for learning and growing.

I'm excited to also have recently begun a number of new creative expression avenues. Like, at any one time in my life I have never had so many different tools to which I can use to refine and expand the metaphysical self. At the moment I almost feel a bit overwhelmed and ill prepared. Too many bridges too quickly!! I'm ready though. And insanely excited!

mpp ... the update .. trois

the album as a collective work is beginning to settle in a bit ... but not quite yet. I can tell because certain song progressions are starting to become more noticeable. particularly between In the flowers and My Girls.

That being said, progress is slow as I burned a copy of Strawberry Jam to a cd so i could listen to it in my car and I bumped the shit out of that to and from work today ... all i can about that is don't be trying to hold in a d-kitten if you're about to rock out to Cuckoo Cuckoo. That song rocks some obscene weird shaky bass that could rattle a turd out of whale's ass...

merriweather post pavillion ... a chronological account of its impact .. 12 hours in

about 11 hours since first listening I can now say the following:

my early perception that this album is more laid back and less urgent than SJ. This is due to my tendency to focus so much on vocals. Its not necessarily voice, or lyrics, or intonation that I like, but more of the combination of all three and their combined delivery. Nothing is more impressive than a vocalist who uses their voice as an equally necessary and unique instrument to the overall tonal qualities of their music. And many a times its not the prettiest, but the most unique and the way they use their unique delievery to enhance their work ...

Anyways, that is a bit off topic as the point of my discussion is being lost ... the point being that in SJ vocals are much more fervent and up front ... and as mentioned since that is typically what I latch onto first in terms of learning about the qualities of a new album ... i found that so far MPP to be quite different from Strazzles and Jam ...

Other thoughts: This needs to be listened to on proper speakers. I was stuck using my bullshitters on my work laptop all day ... and after 1 listen after getting back home I can already say this album is a lot more urgency than i initially realized and will certainly hold its own against SJ in terms of its rockability ...

An early theory suggests that where SJ uses sudden unexpected and markable changes in sound and rhythm to keep the listener's attention, MPP seems not as concerned about this, and once the listener has made their initial commitment to the music, they probably won't need to stray because they're going to be captivated throughout ...

more on this ... holy shit ... yes ... more more more .... Animal Collective in concert '09 ... its a must must must ... see you in another 12

merriweather post pavillion ... a chronological account .. the first impressions from earth

i'm going to skip all the somewhat ancillary details and just say ... the blogs with the same title are in regard to the release and my personal reflection on a very heavily hyped album by animal collective ...

to me this is quite important to me because I've recently fell in love with the previous release


anyways below is my first impression ... an open correspondence

dude, i got merriweather post pavillion this morning ...

first imporessions: it doesn't hit me immediately like strawberry jam did, but i'm not sure if that was like the perfect aligning of like my mood, my recent influx of electro beats, and the fact that the album totally wasn't anything like what i expected. I now have expectations and so I think maybe I need to lose or reconfigure those before I can appreciate this work.

it seems a lot less energetic and a lot more spacey.

pfork gave it a 9.6 ... and called it their mainstream album ... lame.

a song for the bridges soundtrack

i feel like its time to ...

The Package Is Wrapped - Marnie Stern

2009 - The Year of Bridges

First off, congratulations ... you've made it to 2009.

As sappy as it may seem the older I get the more ambitious about life goals I become. Thanks to an amazing second half of '08 I learned a lot about myself and I'm rolling into '09 with more perspective and this growing support structure. For almost a decade my goals were mostly geared towards self preservation through seclusion from adverse elements of the world.

Over the course of the last few months though, and from no particular or singular event the evolution of myself has undergone some serious paradigm style changes. Honestly self reliance, self preservation, and self control really is a reliable course to stay. However the problem is that there really is only one shot at this thing, and so at the end of the ride, yes you made it the longest and safest, and with the least heartache, despair ... but the question really is ... would you rather live a lifetime as a lamb, or one day as a lion? I use that quote not as the basis. I'm not expecting to go out and become any sort of revolutionary. But as I've been affected by new people in my life, they have passed on towards me the desire to be that person to others that I run into. To inspire the good in people.

Being secluded from others is a selfish waste. Maybe its good that the media outlets are constantly bombarding us with the ill effects of mankind. Maybe we should no longer use that as our excuse to hide, but instead as our excuse to demand change.

Step one for me are my bridges ... right now I've become an island. A self contained and isolated spec on the map. Unsure and unmoving. Afraid to extend my borders into the deep and murky waters surrounding this vessel. You can't truly experience life without relationships. And it's time to start changing that.

What are some of the things I can do?

Reinforcing my existing bridges . My friends should be more aware of my respect and love for them. Disagreements and misunderstandings have in the past sent up barriers ... or more appropriately cause me to burn down the bridges we shared with each other. In a quite fully open expression ... my friends need to know that I care, and that I'm sorry. And even if things are not always perfect and nice, it should not affect that bridge between us. Sappy enough for you yet?

Building new bridges. Fear of the unknown. Fear of the unconventional. Fear of building and possibly losing everything you've put your time and life into. These are things that should not be weighed so heavily. If you're not trying, you're not learning. You're becoming stagnant. You're no longer looking to try and deepen your experience.

Helping support the bridges that not are directly connected to me. I'm not really afraid of what people think of all this. I realize it sounds a bit on the side of some ignorant poetic bullshit. Living as what I considered a realist, or a pragmatist has at least given me perspective as to what types of barriers lie out there on the pathways I am looking to. But i refuse to be deterred, and though I know I am in for a challenge, never more have a I been so certain that this is a challenge I can handle.

And more than anything I am looking forward to my bridges ... I hope you decide that you too are interested in building, fixing, extending, or re-strengthening bridges in 2009 ...