katofi cafe

But Officer...I'm CUTE. :)

2009-07-25T12:58:00.002-05:00

I've always wanted to make a t-shirt that said this though I'm not sure if it would actually work in getting me out of a speeding ticket. The phrase just made me laugh. So thanks to my new zazzle account, I designed my "but officer, I'm cute" t-shirt and posted it for sale. I'm hoping somebody else buys it so I can earn enough royalties to buy one myself. Ahaha. I'm currently at the Toyota lounge waiting for my car door handle to be fixed so I had to amuse myself for the past couple of hours. Thank goodness for free wifi.

create & buy custom products at Zazzle

way basics

2009-06-20T22:00:00.003-05:00

I wanted to start a sustainability blog aggregator but I am not tech savvy enough to do it properly right now. I just needed a simple way to compile the plethora of sustainability-related websites that I've been stumbling on lately. Ordinarily, I blog about music but really, the point of this whole endeavor is just to write about what I like and what I'm interested in.

I recently moved into a new apartment and was trying to find some eco-friendly furniture that didn't cost me an arm and a leg. Naturally, I went to Treehugger for some ideas. That was when I saw the post on Way Basics, a California-based furniture company that makes modular furniture out of recycled paper! They call it zBOARD and apparently, the paper can withstand a lot of weight and is water-resistant. Way Basics is currently having their summer sale and you can get an extra 20% off when you enter in the promo code from Treehugger. I ordered the CubePlus3 and a small table and it only cost me $94 total. What's awesome about the concept is the modularity - you can design and customize your own units or systems of furniture. You can configure the furniture to work together any way you want. Check out the Design Gallery to see what their customers have done with their Way Basics.

new cold war kids: loyalty to loyalty

2008-09-06T15:52:00.003-05:00

I'm taking a short break in the middle of studying for midterms to post about the upcoming record for cold war kids. I've been so out of the loop that I didn't even realize that they have one coming out in a couple weeks. It's called "Loyalty to Loyalty." I have not been reading my music blogs lately so I had no clue it was about to be released.

Click here to sample the new record.

I've heard a few of these already from tour video footage floating around on youtube. The Kids have also posted their tour dates in support of the album. They will be playing at Lola's on October 23. Hopefully, the show doesn't conflict with something important in my academic schedule.

last flowers

2008-08-30T20:03:00.003-05:00

i know this isn't new but i wanted to share this video of last flowers from thom yorke's from the basement session. i've been so out of the loop with music news since i started grad school. i didn't realize that radiohead just finished up their north american tour in santa barbara. sad i missed the webcast. i hope it's not another 5 years before we get a new album.

radiohead dallas video playlist

2008-05-21T21:32:00.005-05:00

UPDATE: The videos actually do play continuously. I compiled all the videos I could find and recreated the Radiohead setlist as closely as I could for the Dallas show. I couldn't find Dollars and Cents and no decent video for House of Cards but everything else should be here. Now I can relive the night over and over again.

Radiohead Video: Live in Dallas - Wolf at the Door

2008-05-20T16:26:00.001-05:00

Thus far, the best video of Wolf at the Door from the Dallas show on May 18. Thank you so much to skysaw73 for posting this. Simply amazing. This is one of the many highlights of an incredible night.

radiohead bootlegs: live in dallas

2008-05-20T11:00:00.003-05:00

Radiohead Not for Profit just posted mp3's of the Dallas show on May 18 at the superpages center.

Get 'em here while they're hot.

radiohead dallas footage

2008-05-19T20:41:00.002-05:00

I've been scouring the internets for footage from last night's show. Very hard to find videos with both good audio and video. But here's a selection to help relive the memories.

15 Steps

Weird Fishes

Idioteque

You and Whose Army

this is one for the good days...

2008-05-19T15:59:00.005-05:00

DSC01530
Originally uploaded by christeeny

i am still giddy from the radiohead show in dallas last night and completely useless. have spent the afternoon looking at pictures and reading blogs for reactions to the night in lieu of actually working. thanks to christine for taking some beautiful photos of the evening. everyone is still in awe over being in such close proximity to radiohead. i was literally behind the first row of fans at the barricade. while radiohead are amazing at any distance, it’s so much better when you are only 10 feet away. you can see their facial expressions and feed off their energy. and you can go crazy with thom when he dances and mimic his movements and spastic dancing. it was epic. i am so in love with radiohead.

for more radiohead photos, check out christine's flickr account here.

new panther video: violence, diamonds

2008-03-08T23:12:00.003-06:00

mp3s du jour
Panther - Violence, Diamonds
Panther - Puerto Rican Jukebox

Bonus:
Panther - Puerto Rican Jukebox (Lips and Ribs Remix)

she and him

2008-03-05T18:42:00.003-06:00

Ever since I watched Zooey Deschanel sing "Baby It's Cold Outside" in Elf, I've been completely enamored with her. She's such an amazing singer and actress. So naturally when I heard about her project with M. Ward a while back, I got all excited. The release of their album, She & Him, Volume One, is nearly upon us. They'll be making an appearance in Austin on March 14 for SXSW.

mp3 du jour
She & Him - Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?

Sambassadeur

2008-03-02T23:52:00.004-06:00

I have soft spot for Swedish musicians. Especially the ones from Gothenburg. I have to thank Sally for bringing my attention to the gorgeous Swedish band, Sambassadeur.

mp3s du jour
Sambassadeur - Subtle Changes
Sambassadeur - Kate
Sambassadeur - New Moon
Sambassadeur - Between The Lines

Gloria Steinem, Rob Reiner and Chelsea Clinton to campaign at “LGBT Americans for Hillary” Event

2008-03-02T17:11:00.002-06:00

Gloria Steinem, Rob Reiner and Chelsea Clinton to campaign at “LGBT Americans for Hillary” Event (March 2, 2008)

When: Sunday, March 2, 6 p.m.

Where: JR's Bar & Grill, 3923 Cedar Springs Road, Dallas

via PegasusNews

This has got to be the funniest thing I've read all day. Mike Orren of Pegasus News put it best when he said that this sounds like a set up for a joke. So Gloria Steinem, Chelsea Clinton and Rob Reiner walk into a gay bar...

If I weren't about to cough up a lung, I would probably have gone to check this out for pure entertainment value.

Stand for Change Rally with Barack Obama

2008-02-18T23:17:00.003-06:00

Barack Obama will be making an appearance in Dallas on Wednesday. Normally I shy away from politics but I can't pass up the chance to hear Obama speak live. I'm sure it's going to be a madhouse so plan on getting there early.

Reunion Arena
777 Sports Street
Dallas, TX

Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Doors Open: 10:30 a.m.
Program Begins: 12:00 p.m.

The event is free and open to the public. Tickets are not required, however an RSVP is strongly encouraged. Admission is on a first come, first-served basis.

For security reasons, do not bring bags. No signs or banners permitted. Please limit personal items.

obama rally in dallas

2008-02-18T10:05:00.002-06:00

photo courtesy of Obama Dallas

I did not attend the Obama rally in Dallas but after seeing this picture, I realize that I need to get off my lazy ass and start campaigning. I have no idea who the guy in this photo is but this image made me tear up a little. If a guy on a respirator and wheelchair can take the time to prop up a sign with his foot to show his support at a rally, the least I can do is volunteer some time and do some phone-banking. The primary is just around the corner and it's heartening to see the people of Dallas show their support.

And now a gratuitous shot of the cutest little Obama supporter. Kind of makes me want to procreate. So adorable! (Disclaimer: If this child belongs to you and you want me to take down this shot, just email me. Don't mean to invade anyone's privacy.)

photo courtesy of Obama Dallas

it goes without saying

2008-02-06T22:36:00.000-06:00

On my flight back to Dallas, I picked up a copy of The New Yorker and read a great article by Rebecca Mead on the young composer Nico Muhly. The magazine dubbed him "The Maestro of Generation Y." The subtitle caught my eye because Amy just did a really fascinating presentation on Gen Y at the meeting in Georgia. Nico's intelligence and wit enamored me so much that I had to check out his music. Embedded below is an awesome video of "It Goes Without Saying" an animated video made by Una Lorenzen from Nico's debut album, Speaks Volumes.

I recommend watching the high resolution version here.

For more of Nico Muhly's compositions, check out his myspace.

coachella 2008 line up revealed

2008-01-21T19:50:00.000-06:00

20 Days
Adam Freeland
Aesop Rock
Akron Family
American Bang
Animal Collective
Architecture in Helsinki
Austin TV
Autolux
Battles
Black Kids
Black Lips
Black Mountain
Bonde Do Role
Booka Shade
Boyz Noize
Brett Dennen
Busy P
Cafe Tacuba
Calvin Harris
Carbon/silicon
Chromeo
Cinematic Orchestra
Cold War Kids
Cut Copy
Dan Deacon
dan le sac Vs Scroobius Pip
Danny Tenaglia
Datarock
Deadmau5
Death Cab for Cutie
DeVotchKa
Diplo
Dimitri from Paris
Does it Offend you, Yeah?
Dredg
Duffy
Dwight Yoakam
Electric Touch
Enter Shikari
Erol Alkan
Fatboy Slim
Flogging Molly
Gogol Bordello
Grand Ole Party
Holy Fuck
Hot Chip
I'm from Barcelona
Islands
Institubes Paris Terror Club feat. Surkin, Para One and Orgasmic
Jack Johnson
James Zabiela
Jamie T
Jens Lekman
John Butler Trio
Junkie XL
Justice
Kavinsky
Kid Sister w/A-Trak
Kraftwerk
Les Savy Fav
Linton Kwesi Johnson
Little Brother
Love & Rockets
Lucky I Am
M.I.A.
Madness
Man Man
Manchester Orchestra
Mark Ronson
Metric
MGMT
Midnight Juggernauts
Minus the Bear
Modeselektor
Mum
Murs
My Morning Jacket
New Young Pony Club
Pendulum
Plastiscines
Porter
Portishead
Professor Murder
Raconteurs
Reverend and the Makers
Rilo Kiley
Roger Waters
Rogue Wave
Sandra Collins
Santo Gold
Sasha & Digweed
Scars on Broadway
Sebastian
Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings
Shout Out Louds
Sia
Simian Mobile Disco
Slightly Stoopid
Sons & Daughters
Spank Rock
Spiritualized
St. Vincent
Stars
Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks
Tegan and Sara
The Annuals
The Bees
The Bird and the Bee
The Breeders
The Cool Kids
The Field
The Horrors
The National
The Streets
The Swell Season
The Teenagers
The Verve
Turbonegro
Uffie
Vampire Weekend
VHS or Beta
Yo Majesty!
Yoav

made in the dark

2008-01-20T11:43:00.000-06:00

Pitchfork posted the title track from Hot Chip's new album, Made in the Dark,which is out on February 5. If you download the track from EMI Records and give them your information, you’ll be eligible to win the new album and the new single “Ready For The Floor”.

mp3 du jour
Hot Chip - Made In the Dark

Hot Chip recently posted a Behind the Scenes diary from their video shoot of Ready For The Floor. Check it out below. For the finished product, click here.

oracular specatular

2008-01-19T11:11:00.000-06:00

The Yellow Stereo is giving away a copy of MGMT's debut album, Oracular Spectacular. Enter your name here by leaving your email with the folks at The Yellow Stereo.

Oracular Spectacular is currently available digitally on iTunes. The physical record comes out on January 22.

yeasayer

2008-01-18T23:48:00.000-06:00

Thanks to the fine people at The Granada, I just won free tickets to the Yeasayer show on Monday. Sweet! :) I only started paying attention to Yeasayer very recently but today, I downloaded All Hour Cymbals from eMusic. From what I've heard of the band so far, I'm pretty stoked to see them live. I'm not sure what it is about Brooklyn but so many amazing indie bands are emerging from that borough. I wish I had paid attention to the music scene when I actually lived there.

mp3s du jour
Yeasayer - 2080

I love how the band describes 2080 as their "artistic response to Don Henley's The Boys of Summer." It really is the perfect description of this song. Upon first listen, it feels both familiar and new.

Yeasayer - Sunrise

The band describes Sunrise as "an ode to titans and heroes and fretless bass solos."

radiohead: live at 93 Feet East

2008-01-17T00:11:00.000-06:00

The Radiohead webcast from 93 Feet East is already up in its entirety on YouTube. Click here to access the videos.

I highly recommend viewing this as a playlist. It will be almost like you were there.

All I Need

karaoke relapse with the thermals

2008-01-16T12:33:00.000-06:00

As part of their New York by New York event series, New York Magazine is hosting another edition of Indie Rock Karaoke with The Thermals as your back up band.

Here's the 411.

Jan 31, 2007,
8:00 PM
Studio B
259 Banker Street
Greenpoint, Brooklyn

Tickets are $20 and you can buy them here. You also get a New York magazine subscription with ticket purchase.

mp3 du jour:
The Thermals - No Culture Icons

Guardian Interview with Gael Garcia Bernal

2008-01-12T01:06:00.000-06:00

It's been a while since I've had a Gael fix so finding this Guardian interview from 2006 was a treat. I marvel at how somebody can be this beautiful, brilliant, and kind.

via The Guardian

The actor and director talks about his journey from stage school to working with some of the biggest names in Latin American cinema, why it is impossible to take the politics out of Mexican film-making and the 'cage of melancholy' that surrounds his country's cinematic tradition

mp3 du jour
Guardian Interview and Q/A Session with Gael Garcia Bernal

Transcript of Interview

radiohead wishes you a happy new year

2007-12-31T23:29:00.000-06:00

Radiohead's NYE webcast Scotch Mist is now up on Current TV. Enjoy the video below. Happy New Year!

peter bjorn and john: part ii

2007-12-08T17:21:00.000-06:00

Here's the second installment of footage that I shot at the Peter Bjorn and John show at The Loft. This video features the song Up Against The Wall with Peter channeling a bit of Ian Curtis towards the end. Dance, dance, dance...dance to the radio.

peter bjorn and john: live at palladium loft

2007-12-08T15:00:00.000-06:00

This is the first installment of video I filmed at the Peter Bjorn and John show on 11.24 at the Palladium Loft. The first song is an alternate version of The Chills and then segues into John singing a bonus track called "Ancient Curse" from the US version of Writer's Block. After watching PBJ live, I've discovered that I like John's voice the best. It would be lovely to hear him share more of the lead vocals. Peter is quite the showman and John is quite lovely and understated. My favorite track is probably The Chills because of the shared lead vocals. And Bjorn may be my favorite new bassist - he's one cool cat.

retread session: jose gonzalez

2007-12-05T01:17:00.000-06:00

Jose Gonzalez recently did a Retread Session in Austin. Check out the beautiful versions of "Send Someone Away" and "Abram" taped at the Blanton Museaum of Art. The audio and video quality are pristine. YouTube videos really don't do him justice. This is the closest thing I've found so far that captures the energy of his live performance. He's really quite mesmerizing.

No. 5 Jose Gonzalez - "Time to Send Someone Away" from Retread Sessions on Vimeo.

No. 5 Jose Gonzalez - "Abram" from Retread Sessions on Vimeo.

radiohead tour dates

2007-11-29T15:32:00.000-06:00

in case you haven't seen them yet...radiohead announced more dates for the european leg of their world tour. tickets are already on sale for the milan show and the two festivals in germany. most exciting news i've heard all day.

http://www.radiohead.com/tourdates/

black cab session: cold war kids "dreams old men dream"

2007-11-28T00:05:00.000-06:00

It's been ages since I've actually posted on the Cold War Kids. My obsession must be waning. Oh, who am I kidding...I still adore them. But I'm ready for more new songs. I first heard the new song "Dreams Old Men Dream" at ACL and it's sounding even better now that they've added strings. Here's the video of the Black Cab Session with Nathan Willett and a violinist named Marianne.

new peter morén -"i don't wanna talk to you" and "le petite coeur"

2007-11-24T11:17:00.000-06:00

Peter Bjorn and John are playing in Dallas tonight. I hope Peter Morén sings some of his new solo material. From the videos shot by this fan in New York, his upcoming solo album will be just as infectious and addictive as his songs with PB & J.

Peter Morén live at Joe's Pub - "I Don't Wanna Talk To You"

Peter Morén - "Le Petite Coeur"

More Video:

Peter Morén - My Match

Peter Morén - Missing Link

peter morén singing "take on me"

2007-11-24T00:16:00.000-06:00

Peter Morén of Peter Bjorn and John recently played a solo gig in New York at Joe's Pub. Watch the video above for his adorable cover of A-ha's "Take On Me". The visual is a bit shaky but the audio is crystal.

This next video below is an excerpt of a song from Peter's upcoming solo album.

For more footage of Peter Morén's solo gigs, click here.

Peter Bjorn and John are playing at The Loft in Dallas tonight. The Besnard Lakes support.

radiohead interview on bbc 6

2007-11-19T13:56:00.000-06:00

Thom Yorke and Ed O'Brien of Radiohead gave their first interview since In Rainbows released on BBC 6. Listen to it here.

From the Thumbs Down webcast: Ed dancing to Jorge Ben

Colin's DJ Set: "Uncertain Smile"

the darjeeling limited: Q and A with Jason Schwartzman

2007-11-17T12:27:00.000-06:00

white denim concert footage: fader sideshow

2007-11-14T00:00:00.000-06:00

I think Baebel Music may be my favorite new music addiction. Below is footage of White Denim at THE FADER sideshow. I've seen these guys play in Dallas twice already - at The Doublewide and then at Club Dada. They put on a phenomenal live show both times. I can't believe they're still unsigned.

Download some songs from their myspace here.

au revoir simone concert video + daytrotter session

2007-11-13T23:29:00.000-06:00

Baebel Music posted lovely footage of Au Revoir Simone's show at Webster Hall back in June with Voxtrot. Check it out below. The audio quality is first rate.

The ladies also recently recorded a Daytrotter session. Check out Sean Moeller's article and download the songs here.

part 2: radiohead webcast "thumbs down" videos

2007-11-10T11:59:00.000-06:00

A Tender Moment with Ed

Oh, Ed! Such a sexy beast, he is. Love it.

Thom and Adam - Rebranding and Intro to S7even spoof video

Faust ARP

radiohead webcast "thumbs down"

2007-11-10T11:06:00.001-06:00

I tried to watch the Radiohead webcast yesterday but only caught the tail end of it without sound. So sad. But then there was a brief moment where the audio kicked back in and the gentlemen of Radiohead were dj-ing and dancing and just messing around. I thought maybe they were rebroadcasting it but then it went away and I must be content to find snippets of the webcast via YouTube.

Pitchfork has a complete run down of the webcast here with tons of videos from various sources.

reckoner

Pitchfork posted video of the webcast finale. The first few minutes are what I was able to watch before the sound and audio went away. I heart Radiohead.

new futureheads "broke up the time"

2007-11-09T19:54:00.000-06:00

New Material

Ok folks
Here it is.....
Some said it would never come.(Fools....)
Some hoped it would never come.(679....)
Well now it's rising from the ashes of the old Futureheads like a most beautiful phoenix.
With more on the way, this is the first glimpse of the third record. The song is called 'Broke Up The Time', and it's available here for you to download absolutely free of charge.

mp3 du jour
The Futureheads - Broke Up The Time

radiohead "entanglement" testcast video

2007-11-09T12:47:00.000-06:00

When it comes to Radiohead news (especially tour dates), you must be vigilant. The one afternoon where I neglect to check Dead Airspace, they unveil sketchy details of a webcast they aired at 10pm GMT.

I have yet to watch the video but it's already posted on YouTube via Atease.

Part One

Part Two

mp3 du jour
Radiohead - "Unravel" (Björk cover)

emi to release 7-CD radiohead box set

2007-11-06T14:12:00.000-06:00

via ateaseweb

Following the announcement to release Radiohead’s new album ‘In Rainbows’ through XL Recordings in Europe, Radiohead’s previous label (EMI/Parlophone) is going to re-release all other albums in 7 CD Box Set, a USB Stick and as a digital bundle on December 10th exclusively through www.radioheadstore.com.

Oooo...so pretty. This is like the ultimate Christmas gift for a Radiohead fan. This box set would make a great companion to the In Rainbows disc box.

bamboo banga

2007-11-06T14:05:00.000-06:00

M.I.A. performing Bamboo Banga at House of Blues in Dallas.

Aziz Ansari's M.I.A. Story

2007-11-04T17:21:00.000-06:00

Tonight is M.I.A. at the House of Blues in Dallas. Since I can't find good video of Paper Planes, I'm posting Aziz Ansari's classic and hilarious story about meeting M.I.A.

If time permits, we'll also try to catch Of Montreal at the Granada.

band to watch: the black and white years

2007-11-03T22:47:00.000-05:00

The Black and White Years are an indie electro-rock band from Austin consisting of Scott Butler, John Aldridge, and Landon Thompson. They played at this year's SXSW festival and have drawn comparisons to Talking Heads without actually sounding like them. After watching the footage of their new song Steady As It Goes, I decided to check out more of their music. Based only on the four songs I've heard on their myspace page and the new song on YouTube, I can safely say that I like this band and want to hear more. After some research on the internet, I discovered that not much has actually been written about The Black and White Years. A search query on Pitchfork yielded no results which is surprising since the band's latest album is being produced by former Talking Head, Jerry Harrison. According to Wikipedia, the album will be released in late November and will feature the drumming of Steve Ferrone.

For an interview with the band, check out Ryan's Smashing Life.

While they don't actually sound like them, The Black and White Years deserve comparison to the Talking Heads in the way they elicit quirky embellishments and innovative arrangements while retaining a catchy, tap-along pop feel. Gently rubbing shoulders with an assortment of styles, random pianos, congas and synth strings are intuitively weaved in and out of every track, creating a lush, pop sound that's close to perfection. Anything but black and white, these five songs range in hue from "Run, Run, Run," a slow samba-tinged Caribbean jam to "Power to Change," which traces its lineage back to Blondie and the Talking Heads. Other cuts are more on the ambient side but even here vocalist Scott Butler invokes the David Byrne way of stuttering as he sings.

- Austin Music Magazine, January 2007

new black and white years: "steady as it goes"

2007-11-02T21:30:00.000-05:00

I must admit that I don't know much about The Black and White Years. They're one of those bands from Austin that somehow found their way onto my Myspace friend list. They have new song, Steady As It Goes, which they recorded at home. It sounds promising.

Lyrics:

steady as it goes. be you like an obelisk. have no fear of politics. your religion is all business. steady as it grows. be it like a pestilence.
have no fear of consequence. your position's altruistic./god speed, god.
there is a world in the balance. god have mercy,we are the snake in the tree playing out the same old story./steady as it goes. you can have it like you want it. hear no opposition. your position's one of wisdom.
steady watch it go. have it till your satisfied with it. have no fear of dying. your religion has a system./god speed, god.
there is a world in the balance. god have mercy, we are the pawns of the past, ticking out that same old hourglass.

mp3 du jour
The Black & White Years - Power to Change

viva radio sessions: control, black lips

2007-11-01T18:46:00.000-05:00

In conjunction with the theatrical release of Anton Corbijn's film Control, Viva Radio presents Complete Control Radio, an online radio series exploring the life and times of Ian Curtis and Joy Division. The shows aired from October 23 through October 30 but you can listen to the archived shows here.

Control opens in Dallas tomorrow, November 2, at the Magnolia.

The Black Lips will also be featured in a Viva Radio session tomorrow, November 2, at 4pm Eastern.

mp3s du jour
Black Lips - Not A Problem (Live from Tijuana)
Black Lips - Veni Vidi Vici (Diplo_Remix)

A Halloween Treat from Au Revoir Simone

2007-10-31T22:33:00.000-05:00

The ladies of Au Revoir Simone present...Haunted House.

mp3 du jour
Au Revoir Simone - Through the Backyards

Au Revoir Simone begins their European tour with Air on November 7.

concert footage: bishop allen @ the granada

2007-10-31T00:15:00.000-05:00

We finally got a chance to see Bishop Allen perform last week at the Granada. It was the last show of their US tour and even though the venue wasn't exactly packed for a cold Thursday night, Justin Rice and Christian Rudder filled the room with the warm glow of their indie pop. They are the nicest fellows. And smart too. Both of these guys went to Harvard. I finally found some YouTube footage to share from the concert. The first video features a fan singing Butterfly Nets since Darbie couldn't tour with them this time.

"Butterfly Nets" w/special guest Julie Cohen

"Click, Click, Click, Click"

mp3 du jour
Bishop Allen - Butterfly Nets
Bishop Allen - Click Click Click Click

suffer for fashion

2007-10-29T10:52:00.000-05:00

(photo credit: via pitchfork, photo by Leo Stefansson, taken at Iceland Airwaves '07)

Of Montreal is rolling through Dallas this weekend, playing an early show at the Granada on Sunday, November 4. I'm not particularly fond of the acoustics at the Granada but a friend told me that Of Montreal puts on one of the best live shows around. And I really want to hear Suffer for Fashion live.

mp3 du jour
Of Montreal - Suffer for Fashion

Peter Morén

2007-10-28T14:25:00.000-05:00

Peter Morén of Peter Bjorn and John has posted some of his solo material for an upcoming album on myspace. The new songs are called Twisted, My Match, and Reel to Real. Stream the songs here.

According to his myspace bulletin, Peter will be playing a solo gig at Joe's Pub in New York on November 19, 11:30pm. Make sure to check it out if you're in the area.

Peter Bjorn and John will be in Dallas on November 24 for a show at the Palladium Ballroom. The Besnard Lakes will support.

mp3s du jour
Peter Bjorn and John - Young Folks
The Besnard Lakes - And You Lied to Me

bishop allen at the granada

2007-10-24T23:56:00.000-05:00

Bishop Allen is playing at The Granada, Thursday, October 25.

mp3 du jour
Bishop Allen - The Bullet And Big D

PENultimate Lit Series featuring Sufjan Stevens, Noah Baumbach

2007-10-19T08:58:00.000-05:00

An Evening on Film & Literature

When: Sunday, November 11
Where: Southpaw: Park Slope, Brooklyn
Time: 7 p.m.

Featuring: filmmaker Noah Baumbach and writer Jonathan Baumbach; hosted by Amanda Stern

Literature & Music

When: Wednesday, Nov. 28
Where: Southpaw: Park Slope, Brooklyn
Time: 8 p.m.

Featuring: Sufjan Stevens and Wesley Stace/John Wesley Harding; hosted by Rick Moody

via paste

Having exercised his literary credentials earlier this year by whipping up an intro for the latest Dave Eggers-edited Best American Nonrequired Reading, soft-singing indie heartthrob Sufjan Stevens plans to speak at New York City’s PENultimate Lit event on Nov. 28. At some point accompanied by veteran British singer/songwriter and Pushcart prize-nominated novelist John Wesley Harding, presumably not during his presentation since it’s difficult to lend an ear to two booksmart musicians at once, Stevens will attack the subject of “What Makes Writing Matter in the 21st Century?”

Stay tuned for more details at PEN American Center.

radiohead world tour in may 2008

2007-10-18T21:53:00.000-05:00

via atease & billboard

Radiohead Returning To The Road In 2008

“We plan to tour next year, starting in May through to probably the end of the year. With lots of holidays in that period,” says Bryce Edge of Courtyard Management, the firm that manages the band to Billboard.com.

“At the moment we are talking with our agents in North America and for the rest of the world, trying to get a schedule which works for the band and works financially. They toured last summer almost for creative reasons, definitely not for financial reasons. And I think they quite enjoyed it,” explains Edge. “The next set of touring will be slightly larger-scale venues.”

Okay, so details are still a bit sketchy but I'm already planning my next vacation around Radiohead. Awwwwhh...yeah!

beirut's flying club cup videos on dvd

2007-10-11T20:50:00.000-05:00

BEIRUT - The Flying Club Cup from The Flying Club Cup
Uploaded by flyingclubcup

Flying Club Cup Blogotheque Videos To Be Released on DVD (via Pitchfork)

dining for darfur

2007-10-11T09:06:00.000-05:00

The SMU Human Rights Education program is inviting Dallas diners to eat out tonight, October 11, to help raise funds to help victims of the war in Darfur, Sudan. Dining for Darfur is a charity dine out event originally created by Andrea Strong, a food writer in New York City. The original event has raised over $50,000. SMU's Human Rights program is hoping to double that amount and raise $100,000. So eat up, Dallas. This is for a good cause. Participating restaurants include Taverna, Greenz, and Dream Cafe. For a complete listing of restaurants, click here.

control

2007-10-10T22:48:00.000-05:00

via Salon.com
Movie Review: Control

Stephanie Zacharek calls this film about Joy Division's Ian Curtis "one of the most beautiful movies ever made about rock 'n' roll." After watching this trailer, I cannot wait to see it. Alas, I can't find any upcoming release dates for Dallas. So far, it's only showing at Film Forum in New York.

also from Salon.com
Closer to Joy An interview with director Anton Cobijn

in rainbows update

2007-10-10T14:15:00.000-05:00

post download message from Thom on Dead Air Space

hard hats on..

hope you are enjoying listening to the download of In Rainbows.
its a relief to us all that finally its out there.
its been a mad couple of weeks.. as i'm sure you can imagine...

"I love pop music to death..... Most great composers rely on folk music. I rely on pop music.
I'm not saying I'm a great composer or that pop music is folk music. There's a whole endless thing going on out there.
You make your little pond but if your pond isn't connected to the river, which isn't connected to an ocean,
it's just going to dry up. It's just a little piss pool. I've lived too long to be happy in a pond."

I found this in WIRE magazine over a pint in the pub last night.. its Robert Wyatt

Thom

in rainbows

2007-10-10T00:47:00.001-05:00

Listening to it RIGHT NOW. The email from W.A.S.T.E. arrived in my inbox at exactly 12:35 am. Ahhhh!

UPDATE (1:28 am): Just finished listening to the album in its entirety. So beautiful. I love it. But what did they do to Videotape? I'm so fond of the version Thom sang on From The Basement. I don't think the studio version holds a candle to it. They slowed it down and added a marching beat in the background. It deadens the song, making it a pretty somber closer. When I first heard the song at their Los Angeles show, I thought it was one of the most beautiful things I'd ever heard.

Well, I really must be off to bed now. I'll listen to the record more obsessively when I get to the office later this morning. To all you fellow die hard Radiohead fans, I hope you're enjoying listening to the album for the first time.

THANK YOU FOR ORDERING 'IN RAINBOWS'.

THE LINK BELOW IS YOUR UNIQUE DOWNLOAD ACTIVATION CODE.

PLEASE CLICK ON THE LINK OR CUT AND PASTE INTO YOUR BROWSER TO OBTAIN YOUR DOWNLOAD.
IF YOUR LINK APPEARS AS TWO SEPARATE LINES, PLEASE CUT AND PASTE THEM CAREFULLY INTO YOUR BROWSER.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR PROBLEMS DOWNLOADING YOUR FILE, PLEASE CONTACT OUR DOWNLOAD CUSTOMER SERVICE TEAM: downloadinrainbows@waste.uk.com

WE HOPE YOU ENJOY 'IN RAINBOWS'

"help us don't hurt us"

2007-10-07T11:15:00.000-05:00

It's been a glorious week in music. First, the new Radiohead album. Then, I won Black Lips tickets from Gorilla vs. Bear. And...I found my iPod.

The Black Lips at the Palladium Loft was one of the best shows I've been to in Dallas in a long time. The crowd was insane -- people kept pushing each other around and one guy kept moshing and getting dropped. I never really understood why people mosh at shows, especially since I would never consider Black Lips to be mosh music. I feared for a my life at several points because you never knew if a fan would start careening towards you. I'm little and would probably get pummeled easily. When the floorboards started to shake, I questioned the structural integrity of the venue. But my fears were danced away and reassured by the music. Despite the raucous behavior they incited, the Lips were surprisingly subdued. From all the articles and reviews I had read about their stage show, I was expecting some antics from these gentlemen but I think it's more accurate to say that their music elicits the craziness in their fans. Despite the rowdy audience, the Lips appeared unruffled and dare I say...calm. They have a magnetic stage presence. My favorite catch phrase of the night was whenever Jared Swilley would say "Help us, don't hurt us". At one point he even asked the fans to stop pushing each other - "This isn't football practice." Ahaha. Comedy gold.

mp3 du jour:
Black Lips Session on AOL's The Interface podcast

Free Burma

2007-10-04T15:35:00.001-05:00

radiohead count down

2007-10-03T22:15:00.000-05:00

In anticipation of Radiohead's new record, I'm compiling a preview of each song that I can find. Here's the opening track, 15 Step, of Radiohead's upcoming LP, In Rainbows. This footage was taken from the second Los Angeles show at the Greek Theater that Speedy O and I attended. The video was posted by a fan named Colin.

15 Step

Bodysnatchers
Nude

Arpeggi/Weird Fishes

All I Need

Faust ARP (unreleased)
Reckoner

House of Cards

Jigsaw Falling Into Place/Open Pick

Videotape

karma power

2007-10-02T13:04:00.000-05:00

via nytimes.com

What Makes a Monk Mad

As they marched through the streets of Myanmar’s cities last week leading the biggest antigovernment protests in two decades, some barefoot monks held their begging bowls before them. But instead of asking for their daily donations of food, they held the bowls upside down, the black lacquer surfaces reflecting the light.

It was a shocking image in the devoutly Buddhist nation. The monks were refusing to receive alms from the military rulers and their families — effectively excommunicating them from the religion that is at the core of Burmese culture.

That gesture is a key to understanding the power of the rebellion that shook Myanmar last week.

radiohead lp7 - in rainbows

2007-10-01T14:02:00.001-05:00

by now, news of radiohead's seventh LP, in rainbows, is all over the internets. i found out last night via gorilla vs. bear and then clicked on radiohead.com/deadairspace to confirm that it was true. i literally squealed when i found out and nearly had a heart a attack when i found out it would be out in 10 days! of course, then my internet went down and i had to wait to pre-order my discbox. if there was ever a time to lament the weak US dollar, it was today when i realized that i'm paying approximately 80 dollars for the discbox with the pound being equivalent to 2.04 USD. but for radiohead, it's worth the dent in my wallet. i can't live with just a download copy even though it's pay what you wish.

And now, I must repost my favorite live video of Nude, which is finally getting a proper studio release on LP7.

ACL 2007 - Cold War Kids

2007-09-29T21:38:00.000-05:00

I finally started uploading my ACL footage. Here's the first installment.

Cold War Kids - Saint John

new hot chip: i became a volunteer

2007-09-29T16:10:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Paste Magazine for the heads up on a new Hot Chip song available for download on EMI Records UK.

mp3 du jour: Hot Chip - I Became A Volunteer

photo credit: magnusw on flickr

apartment story

2007-09-28T00:29:00.000-05:00

God, I love The National. I'm totally recycling this material from Pitchfork but who cares...it's The National. It must be shared.

***

in other news:
not sure what to make of this.

beirut video: la fete

2007-09-27T18:54:00.000-05:00

BEIRUT - Forks and Knives (La fête)
Uploaded by flyingclubcup

I know I just posted a Beirut video five seconds ago but this will make you smile. Whenever I listen to this track, I think that Zach Condon really should star in a musical.

Forks and Knives (La Fête) is the 7th song from the new Beirut album, The Flying Club Cup.

The Flying Club Cup will be out on October 10 via 4AD Records.

new beirut: cliquot featuring ed droste of grizzly bear

2007-09-27T18:34:00.000-05:00

BEIRUT -Cliquot - From the FLYING CLUB CUP
Uploaded by flyingclubcup

YouTube: La Fete (featuring Ed Droste)

I found out via Myspace that Ed Droste of Grizzly Bear is featured in this video of Beirut's Cliquot, the 5th track from his upcoming LP, Flying Club Cup. According to Ed's bulletin, Owen Pallett was out of town and they asked him to fill in. I had no idea Owen sang on this track. In retrospect, this makes sense because I thought Zach Condon sounded different on this track and thought it was just Owen's influence. Little did I know that it was Owen himself singing the song. And it all makes sense why I love the chorus of this song so much -- it's the part when Zach finally does join in and sing. It's just a swell of emotion.

It makes sense that Beirut and La Blogotheque asked Ed to sing on this track. From this video of Zach singing Grizzly Bear's Knife, it's obvious there's mutual admiration and respect between the bands. I bet they run into each other all the time in Brooklyn. It almost makes me want to move back to Bed-Stuy.

wake up

2007-09-24T00:11:00.000-05:00

An Arcade Fire show is never really complete unless you hear "Wake Up". Thank goodness for YouTube and the person who recorded this stunning closer to their ACL set. It reminds me again how awesome it was to sing with the crowd like that. The energy coming from the crowd was amazing. I love how everyone is holding their hands towards Win.

slow show

2007-09-22T22:54:00.000-05:00

After seeing The National at ACL last week, I can't get enough of their song, Slow Show, from their latest LP, The Boxer. This song is so beautiful. The National is such a captivating live band. I never would have thought they would translate so well in a festival setting. I'd like to see them in a more intimate venue but it's a testament to their skills that I felt goosebumps even from 500 feet away. I couldn't stop smiling throughout the entire set. When I first arrived at their stage, I just stood in the back and I noticed a young couple laying out on a blanket on the hill. Their actions and behavior complemented the music coming from the stage. It was kind of like my own live action music video for this song. I love to watch people and how they behave when they don't think anyone is watching them. It's voyeuristic, I know. But you see some of the most beautiful things in the smallest gestures and actions like the way they fanned each other or shielded each other from the sun. Eventually, I ambled closer to the stage and found my friends and I was transfixed for the rest of the show. Matt Berninger, the lead singer, is beautiful. I love the timbre of his voice.

pick up the phone

2007-09-22T16:00:00.000-05:00

I'm trying out file den as an mp3 host. This is just a test post. The Notwist are a German indie rock band that Speedy J introduced me to. The song Pick Up The Phone was featured on a season 1 episode of Veronica Mars.

mp3 du jour:
The Notwist - Pick Up The Phone

pour light is spent

2007-09-21T23:42:00.000-05:00

I saw Owen Pallett (Final Fantasy) open for Arcade Fire back in 2005. He's a beautifully weird and funny musician/composer. I'd never seen anyone play violin and sing at the same time. It's a little jarring at first and he makes some unexpected choices in his performance but my brother and I were both in awe of the guy. After the show, we got his CD, Final Fantasy Has a Good Home. I even asked him to sign my copy. I still have the cd jacket w/ his autograph but I'm not sure where the actual CD went. I think my brother still has it. In the video below, the good people of La Blogotheque once again capture a beautiful, funny, and unexpected moment with Owen playing the song Pour Light Is Spent in the streets of Paris.

#65.1 - Final Fantasy - Pour Light is spent
Uploaded by lablogotheque

new beirut video: un dernier verre

2007-09-20T16:45:00.000-05:00

via Youtube:

Un Dernier Verre (pour la route) is the 9th song from the new Beirut album, The Flying Club Cup.

La Blogothèque filmed each track of this album in Brooklyn, and will publish each of them on a dedicated website. The rest of the videos are featured on flyingclubcup.com.

ACL footage: Bjork - Hyperballad

2007-09-17T23:53:00.000-05:00

I will have my own ACL videos up sometime this week but for now I'll just link to some awesome Bjork footage from day one. She is the cutest thing ever. Her Icelandic accent whenever she said "Thank you" was precious. She even said "Gracias" at one point. I'm still not into her newer songs on Volta but she kicked ass on all the older stuff. The video below of Hyperballad was the highlight of the set. It features some great footage of Bjork dancing. I'm so glad somebody posted a video of this with good audio quality.

ACL: Day One

2007-09-15T02:22:00.000-05:00

I'm currently in Austin for my first ACL festival. We got off to a late start and didn't make it to Austin until 2pm. By the time we arrive at Zilker Park, Peter Bjorn and John were already on stage and we're stuck outside the gates trying to get in. Mobs of people everywhere and no lines to speak of. It took us nearly hour to get in. Luckily, we manage to catch PBJ's last song. Great energy. I will have to see them properly when they come to Dallas. After PBJ, we walk around and I get a bag of organic popcorn from "Children of the Kettle Corn". Awesome name but disappointing kettle corn.

After I grab my popcorn and organic guava snow cone, we head over to the WAMU stage where Sam's Funky Nation is playing. Never heard of them but they were not bad. Then Speedy J and I split up and he heads over to M.I.A. and I to LCD Soundsystem. James Murphy and company know how to put on a party. I was disappointed that I didn't get to hear "Someone Great" live though. Anne and I tried to go to their after party at Red 7 but it was sold out. I think Bill Baird, formerly of Sound Team, was behind us in line. He actually had a ticket so we let him cut in front of us. Later, I find out from Speedy J that we didn't miss anything. At least I was able to get some Homeslice pizza that night. Yum! I got the munchies after watching Bjork because so many people were smoking weed around me. Contact high. Not as fun as it sounds. I felt slightly disembodied throughout the set.

Will post some pics and video once I return to Dallas.

beirut take away shows

2007-09-12T08:55:00.000-05:00

So yes, I admit. I'm pretty in love with Beirut right now. I can't help it. Young Zach Condon has me completely enamored. Apparently, everyone is in love with the music too. Everyone's been downloading the mp3 of A Sunday Smile like crazy. I was going to break up the Beirut love by posting on the Liars take away shows but instead I'll link to more Beirut footage as our favorite French music blog posts two more new songs from Flying Club Cup.

via La Blogotheque:
Today, Beirut has grown from a solo bedroom project to a band of up to ten people ; it’s a band, but not a band. It’s a happy mistake ; a mess. A group of noisy, undisciplined, joyful people who took over an entire terrace on Oberkampf, gathering around the tables, spreading their instruments and cases, everyone playing songs in their own world... Such a messy, smiling anarchy that we thought we’d never manage to play the song.

And in the middle, there’s Zach. Frail Zach, with his skinny yet magical arms. One can read his excitement in them, as he communicates to his band through them ; a conductor, pointing to instruments and melodies as he sees momentum gather in the song. this had been one of the first times the band had played Nantes outside of the studio, and Zach looked as if he was explaining the song to his band as he was singing it, his arms dancing around his body.

#64.2 - Beirut - The Penalty
Uploaded by lablogotheque

a sunday smile

2007-09-09T12:56:00.000-05:00

And my love for Beirut grows. Here's some wonderful footage of Zach Condon playing with the Kocani Orkestar at La Blogotheque's first Soirée à emporter. There's just so much beauty and joy in his music. I read an article on Pitchfork the other day and found out that Owen Pallett (a.k.a. Final Fantasy) worked on the arrangements on Flying Club Cup. I knew there was a reason why I immediately loved this album more than Gulag Orkestar.

Condon on the sound of the new album:

I was listening to a lot of Jacques Brel and French chanson music-- pop songs shrouded in big, glorious, over-the-top arrangements and all this drama-- and that was in some sense unfamiliar territory to me. So I started buying new instruments and relying on things I wasn't necessarily comfortable with, like French horns and euphoniums, carrying these big, epic big brass parts that I used to do all on trumpets, and working with accordion and organ instead of all ukulele-- very much throwing myself in the world of classical pop music, I guess you could say.

(quote taken from wikipedia)

#60.9 - 60.10 - Zach Condon feat. Kocani Orkestar - Sunday Smile & Siki Siki Baba
Uploaded by lablogotheque

mp3 du jour:
Beirut - A Sunday Smile

wet and rusting

2007-09-08T11:16:00.000-05:00

I've been neglecting La Blogotheque lately and apparently, when that happens, you miss out on new Menomena and Liars take away shows. The highlight of the Menomena video is watching two Parisien toddlers jam to Wet and Rusting. Even the band declares it to be "the cutest thing I've ever seen." The kids have good taste.

#62.3 - Menomena - Wet and Rusting
Uploaded by lablogotheque

mp3 du jour:
Menomena - Wet & Rusting

cold hands

2007-09-07T22:43:00.000-05:00

The new Black Lips album, Good Bad Not Evil, comes out on Tuesday, September 11. I got into this band mainly because they wrote a song called "O Katrina" (yes, I am very self-centered) but after listening to the whole album, I've become such a fan of their music even beyond my namesake song.

mp3: The Black Lips - Cold Hands

Gorilla vs. Bear is bringing The Black Lips to Dallas on October 4 with a show at The Loft @ Palladium Ballroom. Mark your calendars. I hear their live shows are insane.

the flying club cup

2007-09-07T00:40:00.000-05:00

i've just gotten back from florida. i'm dead tired but i up listening to the new beirut and it is amazing. zach condon's voice is so beautiful. so young and so talented. must see them live. just checked the tour dates and no texas shows in sight. i may have to go to new york or chicago to see them. i can't get over his voice. so gorgeous. i liked gulag orkestar but flying club cup is even better. i loved this album immediately and i haven't even listened to the whole record.

Here's some footage of the adorable Zach Condon of Beirut performing Nantes.

Ian McKellen in King Lear

2007-09-03T00:06:00.000-05:00

via nytimes.com

Every Inch a King (and Buff, Too)

Man, I wish I were in New York to see this. I heart Ian McKellen.

good bad not evil

2007-08-31T22:16:00.000-05:00

I can't believe Gorilla vs. Bear hasn't already posted this but the Black Lips' new album is streaming on myspace now. Check it out here.

an afternoon of bliss

2007-08-05T23:38:00.000-05:00

Today is my mother's birthday and my last day as a 27 year old. To commemorate the occasion, I spent the afternoon at Bliss getting a carrot and sesame body buff and a double chocolate pedicure. I tried to convince Mom to go with me and get a treatment for her birthday but she didn't want me to spend the money. But once in a while, I think everyone deserves to be pampered and taken care of. I was kind of in a rush when I first arrived at the W. It's a nice hotel but a bit pretentious and the service can be spotty. I was rather peeved when I first got there. I drove up to the front of the hotel and waited for the valet but no one was paying attention so I parked the car myself and walked up to them with my keys and told them what spot I parked in. Needless to say, I did not tip the valet. I was in a hurry and didn't want to be late.

I jet up to the 16th floor and wait to check in while the woman in front of me takes an inordinately long time to decide what to get for her next spa appointment. By then, it was probably obvious that I was getting annoyed and just wanted to check in. The woman at the register finally took pity on me and led me to the changing room. I change into my robe and put away my stuff in a locker and head to the lounge to wait for my esthetician. In the lounge, they have a selection of light refreshments - brownie bites, crackers, cucumber, olives, and cheese. I munch on a little bit of everything and fill out my check-in form.

My esthetician, Renee, arrives after about 10 minutes or so and leads me to the treatment room. She explains to me how the body wrap works and then leaves for a few minutes while I disrobe and put on the "disposable panties" (basically, a really uncomfortable thong) that you have to wear during the treatment. I lie down on top of the massage table which is covered with this foil like sheet and cover myself with the blanket. The treatment begins with a carrot mulch and hot oil rubdown and then Renee drizzles some warm milk and honey on my skin. I basically am in a cocoon of carrot, milk and honey and wrapped up like a spring roll. It's actually quite relaxing. The heat is comforting. I lay there like that for about 15 to 20 minutes. I also have a cucumber eye mask on me which is quite soothing. After marinating in the carrot mulch, milk, and honey, I get rinsed off with a Vichy shower, which is the coolest thing ever. The contraption has 6 rotating shower heads that starts rinsing me off at my feet and works gradually upwards to my neck. I've never taken a shower laying down before. It kind of tickles. I couldn't stop laughing. In the next stage of the treatment, Renee rubs a sesame seed and sea salt scrub on me to exfoliate and detoxify my skin. And finally, I get another rinse with the Vichy shower.

As if the body wrap were not enough, I followed it up with a decadent double chocolate pedicure. It was my first pedicure ever so I didn't know what to expect. I just liked the idea of my feet smelling like chocolate afterwards. When I got to the pedicure station, they had a bowl of chocolate ice cream with brownie bites mixed into it waiting for me. I thought I was only going to get a cup of cocoa. The woman who did my pedicure cut my nails and did something to my cuticles. I kind of glazed out a bit during this treatment. Half the time I was eating my ice cream. My feet were really happy though. While the esthetician was working on one foot, the other one was soaking in warm milk bath filled with chocolate chips and chocolate oil. It smelled soooo good. My feet were buffed and smoothed and massaged. She also rubbed some salt scrub with chocolate oil onto my feet and shins. After everything was rinsed off, she painted my toe nails pink. My feet have never looked cuter.

Tomorrow's post will be a review of Alo, the new Mexican and Peruvian restaurant by the owners of La Duni. We took Mom there for her birthday dinner and I'm going again tomorrow for my birthday.

peter bjorn & john game

2007-08-01T23:11:00.000-05:00

'Click Here to visit the official PBJ Web Game'

katrina

2007-07-24T22:40:00.000-05:00

I've been terribly delinquent about posting lately but I had to share my delight in discovering (via Gorilla vs. Bear) that I now have a song.

You can watch the official video premiere of The Black Lips upcoming single, Katrina, on Gorilla vs. Bear. The video above is from The Black Lips performance at Easy Street Records in Seattle.

peter jackson and edgar wright say goodbye to the alamo

2007-06-30T14:28:00.000-05:00

Article: Remember the Alamo (drafthouse)

2007-06-30T03:03:00.000-05:00

Speedy J and I caught a free screening of the new Michael Moore documentary, Sicko, at the Angelika. Gah. Sadly, I wasn't really surprised by anything I saw in the film and it's pretty appalling. It basically reinforces all the things I already think about the healthcare industry. So ironic that we call it health care when it is in fact an industry that profits from keeping people sick and denying them the money for their treatment.

In an even more twisted sense of justice, Zacharek reports:

And in the movie's nutty capper, Moore travels with a number of Americans (including some 9/11 rescue volunteers with serious health problems) by boat to Cuba, where, via a somewhat circuitous route, he manages to secure free healthcare for them. The point -- not a wholly negligible one -- is that even in this exceedingly poor country, all citizens can get the healthcare they need. (In what can only be seen as a purely vindictive political move, the government is investigating Moore for violating the trade embargo against Cuba. Even scummier, the 9/11 rescue workers face fines of $65,000 each if they're found in violation.)

***

In totally unrelated news, I was watching some youtube footage of an acapella group, the Carleton Singing Knights (they have some great indie music in their repetoire - e.g. Grizzly Bear's Knife and Sufjan Stevens' Chicago). I became curious and wanted to find out more about the school so I go on wikipedia and find out that it's one of the top liberal arts schools in the country. So of course, I wanted to see how it compares to Vassar and went onto the wikipedia entry and discovered an interesting piece of music news. Apparently, I went to school with Victoria Legrand of Beach House. Such a small world. I feel like I have all these strange six degrees of separation/connections to the indie music world. Anyway, I wish I had known this bit of information when J and I watched Beach House play at The Amsterdam a few months ago. The Vassar connection would have been a good excuse to go say hello to the band.

Miscellany News Interview with Victoria Legrand

Video:

Beach House at SXSW 2007

young@heart

2007-06-25T23:10:00.000-05:00

Singing Seniors Redefine Modern Rock Songs

Young@Heart sing 'Fix You' by Coldplay.

via YouTube:

"This is from a documentary shown on Channel 4 in the UK called 'Young@Heart'; the name of the New England octogenarian chorus line. The performer here is Fred Knittle, who suffers from congestive heart failure. This song was intended to be a duet between Fred and another chorus member, Bob Salvini. Sadly, Bob died of a heart attack and it was left to Fred to carry the song on his own. If I'm correct, the people you see crying at 01:13 are Bob's family. The lady you occasionally see mouthing the lyrics in the audience is Fred's wife."

More video:
Young@Heart sing Sonic Youth's Schizophrenia

Authors@Google: Paul Hawken

2007-06-22T23:21:00.000-05:00

Environmentalist, entrepreneur, journalist, and author Paul Hawken discusses his latest book "Blessed Unrest: How the Largest Movement in the World Came into Being and Why No One Saw It" as part of the Authors@Google and Google.org series. This event took place on May 9, 2007 at Google's main campus in Mountain View, CA.

television snow

2007-06-22T22:12:00.000-05:00

Daytrotter never ceases to amaze with the quality of their sessions. Download their latest SXSW recording with Sparrow House's Jared Van Fleet.

End Scene Fade (Sparrow House)– original version appears on Television Snow

"To me, this song is about immobility and willed isolation and an uncertainty over whether or not anything will ever be done to allow movement or reaching out. It’s also about something more specific, though, isn’t it. This is the first song on my new “I thought it was going to be finished months ago” EP, _ Television Snow_."

- Jared Van Fleet

Blogotheque also has a take away show with Jared and his other band here.

yoga in times square

2007-06-21T12:30:00.000-05:00

As my yoga instructors always say, let nothing still your peace...

What better way to practice yoga than in one of the world's busiest intersections. I love it.

Yoga at the Crossroads of the World

arcade fire + lcd soundsystem

2007-06-21T00:16:00.000-05:00

Girl Talk will be playing in Dallas on 11/2 at the Palladium Loft. Sweet! I finally get to see Greg Gillis shirtless as he splices and mixes some of the decade's best songs.

In other news, some exciting tour pairings have emerged -- Girl Talk & Dan Deacon, Oh No Oh My! and Au Revoir Simone. And last but not least... Arcade Fire & LCD Soundsystem are confirmed to play Red Rocks on September 17 and the Hollywood Bowl on September 20. According to p4k, this will likely become a full-fledged tour this fall. Awesome! I can only imagine what would happen if they colloborated and played together onstage - imagine James Murphy singing "Someone Great" while members of Arcade Fire provide backing vocals, extra percussion, and a dollop of stage antics. Talk about some crazy energy.

Check out Us Kids Know for more ticket details.

ACL Schedule

2007-06-19T09:41:00.000-05:00

The Austin City Limits Festival schedule is out. Plan accordingly.

Day 1
Day 2
Day 3

radiohead teaser

2007-06-18T18:27:00.000-05:00

With news from the studio (via Ed O'Brien) that the new Radiohead album is "nearly there", it seems like everyone is scrounging around for any bit of news about our favorite Oxford quintet. Apparently, long time Radiohead producer, Nigel Godrich, posted the following album teaser "A Bit of Tape from the Studio" over the weekend. You can hear samples of "All I Need" and various tracks played forwards and backwards. Rolling Stone even goes so far as to "decode" the snippets by playing the snippets in reverse (see below). Nice effort but any rabid Radiohead fan will tell you that you're much better off downloading the live mp3's from their preview tour last summer. Even a rough cut of "All I Need" in its entirety is way better than listening to snippets of the studio version. There are some awesome new samples that I don't recognize but it's frustrating to listen to 2 seconds of greatness and have it jump to some other garbled sample that may or may not be played in reverse.

mp3's via Rolling Stone

The original MP3 Radiohead posted:

Rolling Stone's decoded version (played backwards)

mp3s:

A Bit of Tape from the Studio (original)
A Bit of Tape from the Studio (in reverse)

la sagrada familia

2007-06-12T10:16:00.000-05:00

Spiral staircase at La Sagrada Familia (Barcelona, Spain)
(all photos by Andrew, from Eurotrip 2005)

Warning: Trains Coming. A Masterpiece Is at Risk.

The architect in charge of efforts to complete Antonio Gaudí’s unfinished masterwork La Sagrada Familia says the building is threatened by a planned train tunnel. (via nytimes.com)

Interior of La Sagrada Familia

construction of pillars

headlights look like diamonds

2007-06-06T22:23:00.001-05:00

cold wind

2007-06-03T22:45:00.000-05:00

Arcade Fire playing Cold Wind at The Greek Theatre in Berkeley on June 1, 2007.

Oh, those lucky fans in the San Franciso area. The video above includes a little back story about Cold Wind, which you may recognize from Six Feet Under. I'm hoping that I will get to hear more Arcade Fire B-sides and rarities when I see them at ACL. I love Funeral and Neon Bible but it would be lovely to hear Cold Wind, Brazil, or any of the older songs like Headlights Look Like Diamonds.

Peter Bjorn & John - The Chills (Alt. version)

2007-06-03T14:43:00.000-05:00

Mematthew has a great selection of concert footage on YouTube. I'm really enjoying this alternate version of The Chills from PB&J's show in San Francisco. Although considerably slower than the original album version, the song still retains such haunting beauty. Love it.

Edit: I'm a dolt. I don't know how I missed this but PB&J are playing at ACL. Yay!

knocked up

2007-06-01T13:47:00.000-05:00

from nytimes.com:
Time Wasted? Perhaps It’s Well Spent

Movie Trailer for Knocked Up:

I've been on a Judd Apatow kick lately. I loved Freaks and Geeks and just started the Undeclared dvds last night. Watch the trailer for Apatow's new film, Knocked Up, shown above. It is hilarious.

in the back seat

2007-05-23T15:56:00.001-05:00

Here's the second installment of my Arcade Fire concert footage from the Chicago show on 5.19.2007.

concert footage: arcade fire

2007-05-23T01:27:00.000-05:00

Between the click of the light...and the start of a dream...

No Cars Go, Live in Chicago, 5.19.2007