The AMSPX List of 200 Favorite Songs for 2009

Over the past couple of weeks I've been working to compile my list of favorite songs of 2009. Here's what I've come up with... It's comprised of 201 songs this year. It was a good year!

1. Rich Doors – New Villager
2. Poison Lips - Vitalic
3. Kandi (Eat More Cake Remix) – One eskimO
4. Two Weeks – Grizzly Bear
5. Robots – Dan Mangan
6. Fresh Blood – eels
7. Ulysses – Franz Ferdinand
8. Life Is Long – David Byrne and Brian Eno
9. Pulling on a Line – Great Lake Swimmers
10. Fire Escape – Fanfarlo
11. Satellite Skin – Modest Mouse
12. Feed Me to the Wolves – Logan Lynn
13. All of My Days and All of My Days Off – A.C. Newman
14. 40 Day Dream - Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
15. Burning Your Glory – Logan Lynn
16. Sour Milk / Salt Water – Port O’Brien
17. My Propeller – Arctic Monkeys
18. Death – White Lies
19. Sometime Around Midnight – the Airborne Toxic Event
20. Sirens – the Whip

21. Brand New Day – Tim Myers with Lindsey Ray
22. Natural Disaster – Andrew Bird
23. Old Panda Days – Casiotone for the Painfully Alone
24. Black River Killer – Blitzen Trapper
25. Skin and Bones – Hello Dragon
26. Zero – Yeah Yeah Yeahs
27. Stronger Than Jesus – A Camp
28. Grounds for Divorce – Elbow
29. Finish Line – Fanfarlo
30. No You Girls – Franz Ferdinand
31. St. Georges – Salim Nourallah
32. Shine On – the Kooks
33. Maglight – Wussy
34. Young Atlantis – A.C. Newman
35. Animals – Sara Lov
36. She’s Got Me Dancing – Tommy Sparks
37. Astronauts – One eskimO
38. The Ancient Commonsense of Things – Bishop Allen
39. Happy Up Here – Royksopp
40. Now We Can See – the Thermals

41. Ambulance Driver – Hello Dragon
42. It’s Not Enough – Salim Nourallah
43. Lisztomania – Phoenix
44. Kiss with a Fist – Florence + the Machine
45. Autumn Beds – Modest Mouse
46. Moth’s Wings – Passion Pit
47. Dominoes – the Big Pink
48. A Beautiful World – Tim Myers
49. While You Wait for the Others – Grizzly Bear
50. Kingdom of Rust – Doves
51. Okay – Venice Is Sinking
52. Crying Lightning – Arctic Monkeys
53. O Shot – the Gay Blades
54. The Look You Give That Guy – eels
55. To Lose My Life – White Lies
56. I’m Confused – Handsome Furs
57. I Hit Another Wall – Tim Williams
58. OKNO – Phonograph
59. Middle Cyclone – Neko Case
60. Blue Skies – Noah and the Whale

61. Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up) – Florence + the Machine
62. Me No – Clem Snide
63. Turn on, Tune in, Drop Out with Me – Cracker
64. My Turn – Basement Jaxx feat. Lightspeed Champion
65. 1901 - Phoenix
66. Wicked Blood – Sea Wolf
67. Won’t Change My Mind – Liam Finn + Eliza Jane
68. Permanent Scar – O+S
69. While You Were Sleeping – Elvis Perkins
70. Jailbird – M. Ward
71. Song for No One – Miike Snow
72. My Unusual Friend – Fruit Bats
73. Bury You – the Beatings
74. Hi Fi Goon – Throw Me the Statue
75. How to Wait for a Very Long Time – Fanfarlo
76. Orange Shirt – Discovery
77. My Body Is a Cage – Sara Lov
78. End of the World – Matt Alber
79. Camp Out – An Horse
80. Fireflies – Owl City

81. Cheerleader – Grizzly Bear
82. You’ve Got the Love – Florence + the Machine
83. Yucatan Gold – Throw Me the Statue
84. The Collected Works – A.C. Newman
85. Just Impolite – Plushgun
86. Norman Bleik – I Was a King
87. Microphone – Coconut Records
88. Two Can Play – Eulogies
89. Coin Laundry – Lisa Mitchell
90. Kentucky Waltz – Manson Family Picnic
91. There Are No Goodbyes – Sophia
92. Something in the Water – Henry Clay People
93. Skip the Foreplay – Oh No! Oh My!
94. Ozone Street – Tim Williams
95. This Tornado Loves You – Neko Case
96. Heavy Cross – the Gossip
97. Eagles Don’t Sparkle – We Are Enfant Terrible
98. Robot High School – My Robot Friend
99. Sound the Alarms – Immaculate Machine
100. Fuzzy – Collective Soul

101. Lay It Down – Peter Bjorn and John
102. Today a Rainy Day – Arnoux
103. Fun That We Have – Julian Plenti
104. Got Nuffin’ – Spoon
105. Sing Sang Sung (Black Moth Super Rainbow Remix) – Air
106. Paralyzed – Starlight Mints
107. Summertime Clothes (Dam-Funk Remix) – Animal Collective
108. 107 – Hello Dragon
109. The Trapeze Swinger – Iron and Wine
110. The First Days of Spring – Noah and the Whale
111. Funeral Singers – Califone
112. Arsonist’s Blues – Good Night, States
113. Dark Neon - Wilco
114. Feather Bed – Fruit Bats
115. Everyday – Vetiver
116. Goodbye – Mutemath
117. Lemons, aka BigFishLittlePond - Amos The Transparent
118. Free Energy – Free Energy
119. A Happening – Hyperstory
120. When You Walk in the Room – Fyfe Dangerfield

121. Ambling Alp - Yeasayer
122. If It Is Growing – Fanfarlo
123. All We Want, Baby, Is Everything – Handsome Furs
124. Home – Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
125. I and Love and You – Avett Brothers
126. If I Could (You Know I Would) – Keygrip
127. The Good Life – Tim Myers
128. Wilco (the Song) – Wilco
129. The Fixer – Pearl Jam
130. Backfire – Mutemath
131. Natural – Starlight Mints
132. Bulletproof – La Roux
133. Bourgeois Shangri-La – Miss Li
134. Love, Etc. – Pet Shop Boys
135. Left Handed Girl – James Yuill
136. Bring Out Your Dead – Bluebrain
137. Rats – the Black Heart Procession
138. All the Pretty Girls – fun.
139. Long Way to Go – Liam Finn and Eliza Jane
140. Black and Milds - Cataldo

141. The Sun Ain’t Shining No More – The Asteroids Galaxy Tour
142. Beginner’s Luck – eels
143. Sunrise in the Land of Milk and Honey – Cracker
144. Here Are Many Wild Animals – A Camp
145. Oslo Campfire – Port O’Brien
146. Watch the Waves – Taken by Trees
147. Pa Pa Power – Dead Man’s Bones
148. Murderous Air – Tim Williams
149. Two Shocks – Brakes
150. Life Magazine – Cold Cave
151. Lovesick Teenagers – Bear in Heaven
152. Get Going - Headlights
153. Highway Song – What Bird
154. Ballad on Third Avenue (Beautiful Losers) – Ed Hale
155. Uprising – Muse
156. Dog Days Are Over – Florence + the Machine
157. Thinking of You – Pete Yorn
158. Strictly Game – Harlem Shakes
159. Cut Me Out – Nakatomi Towers
160. Phones Don’t Feud – Holiday Shores

161. The Day I Died – John Oszajca
162. Thunder$troke – Beaten Awake
163. Use Somebody – Kings of Leon
164. People Got a Lotta Nerve – Neko Case
165. Nothing to Worry About – Peter Bjorn and John
166. Office Days – NYCO
167. I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight – U2
168. Stars of Leo – M. Ward
169. Fangela – Here We Go Magic
170. Bodies - Robbie Williams
171. Lady Jesus – The Asteroids Galaxy Tour
172. Wrong – Depeche Mode
173. We Do What We Want To – O+S
174. Generator ^ Second Floor – Freelance Whales
175. Floating Vibes – Surfer Blood
176. (If You’re Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To - Weezer
177. Little Bribes – Death Cab for Cutie
178. Gravitate – Lou Barlow
179. I'll Fight - Wilco
180. No One Does It Like You – Department of Eagles

181. Concrete Heart – Great Lake Swimmers
182. Heavens to Purgatory – The Most Serene Republic
183. Robots Can F**k Your Sh*t Up – the Gay Blades
184. Tenuousness - Andrew Bird
185. Friends - Band of Skulls
186. Out in the Woods – Birds and Batteries
187. Social Development Dance – Pete Yorn
188. Meet Me on the Equinox – Death Cab for Cutie
189. In the Room Where You Sleep - Dead Man’s Bones
190. I’m Deaf and You’re Boring – You, You’re Awesome
191. The Violet Hour – Sea Wolf
192. I’m Not Likely To Change – Andrew Thompson
193. Be Calm - fun.
194. Love Vigilantes – Iron and Wine
195. Vapours – Islands
196. Walls of Jericho – Animal Kingdom
197. I Wonder Who We Are – the Clientele
198. The High Road – Broken Bells
199. Don't Haunt This Place - The Rural Alberta Advantage
200. Alone in This – The Shape of the Earth
201. I Love You But Goodbye – Langhorne Slim


Yeah! I made it to 201!

16 Favorites for 2009 (so far)

I'm feeling all listy (definitely not listless), so here's a list of my favorite 16 albums of 2009 so far (go out and buy these now):

01: "Reservoir" by Fanfarlo
02: "Tonight" by Franz Ferdinand
03: "Veckatimest" by Grizzly Bear
04: "Get Guilty" by A.C. Newman
05: "To Lose My Life..." by White Lies
06: "Middle Cyclone" by Neko Case
07: "Hombre Lobo" by Eels
08: "Lost Channels" by Great Lake Swimmers
09: "Constellation" by Salim Nourallah
10: "Face Control" by Handsome Furs
11: "It's Blitz" by Yeah Yeah Yeahs
12: "Sunrise in the Land of Milk and Honey" by Cracker
13: "Wilco (the Album)" by Wilco
14: "Black River Killer" EP by Blitzen Trapper
15: "From Pillar to Post" by Logan Lynn
16: "No One's First and You're Next" by Modest Mouse

The Real Girl (and Lars)

It's been too long between posts. Time flies...

I'm moved to comment on the film "Lars and the Real Girl," an impressive little film I saw for the first time last night. Sure, I'd heard about it when it was released and added it to my list of movies to see, but being the indie film it is, it never made it to theaters around this area.

I caugt it on Showtime last night and found it to offer most of the things I like in a movie: good acting, interesting and quirky characters, and a lot of heart. (Okay, sometimes I like explosions and sci fi elements in a movie, but that's in a whole different category.)

I won't do a full recap of this film, but what I liked about it is the levels of love it addressed--the need for love, the love of and acceptance by family, the love and acceptance by community, and, for lack of a better term, imagined love and loneliness. Lars is heavily introverted and delusional in his love of Bianca, a life-size doll he orders throught the internet and whom he believes to be a real girl. Initially his brother and sister-in-law, as well as the whole town, think this "relationship" is quite odd, but because of the love they all have for Lars, and upon the advice of his doctor, they go along with the premise. Eventually, they all sort of begin to think of her and treat her like a real person. (She even volunteers at the hospital.)

I was especially intrigued by how the community learned to play along and how Bianca became part of their lives in some small way, all because of their willingness to help Lars. I wish we could all be as understanding and accepting of all of our community members. Wouldn't that be utopian!?!

In the end and, I think, because of the love and support offered by the community, Lars works through his delusion and Bianca "dies." After the funeral, which the whole town attends, he seems more connected than ever to reality and the people around him, possibly even the real real girl that works in the cubical next to him.

This isn't a sappy or cloying film, but quite emotionally engaging while feeling real. I'm sorry I missed it when it first came out and am glad I caught it now. It might just be added to my list of favorites of all time.

Burning Books...

"Dort, wo man Bücher verbrennt, verbrennt man auch am Ende Menschen."
--Heinrich Heine

["Where people burn books, they also, in the end, will burn human beings."]

Let the Devolution Begin!

Okay, so I sort of devolved a little yesterday. It's all the fault of Record Store Day. I picked up two vinyl LPs, the classic "Temple of Low Men" by Crowded House and the Shins' "Wincing the Night Away." Apparently the planets were all aligned properly, there was a little money in the wallet to burn, and I wanted to support Record Store Day and my local independent record store, Budget Music in Grand Forks, ND.

Let me be clear: this DOES NOT mean I've forsaken CDs or digital music--I've just expanded my options.

There certainly is something about opening a new LP's cellophane wrapper and seeing the large glorious artwork. Now I need to hook up the ol' turntable to really hear if the sound is so much warmer. One thing I do not miss about listening to LPs is the wow, flutter, and dust pops. We'll see if that prevents me from purchasing more vinyl...

"We Have Their Bones to Comb Our Hair..."

So I got my hands on a copy of "Hungry Bird," the new CD by Clem Snide. I wasn't expecting to hear another CD from Clem Snide, as I had read last year they were breaking up. That was further supported by last year's solo record by the band's leading creative force Eef Barzelay. Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised to find this, what I understand to be, final capstone record.

"Hungry Bird" is full of the literate, melodic word pictures I've come to expect from the group. Clem Snide makes the kind of music I gravitate to: folkish, beautiful, sometimes delicate, but confident and often haunting, with a streak of irony and darkness. This CD is less overtly rocking than Barzelay's solo work of last year (which gave "Could Be Worse," one of may top 120 songs of 2008), but that's okay. This music has an calm urgency all its own. The tunes are evocative and raise the question of why this music isn't a part of some moving indie-type film--it would be perfect!

While songs like "Our Time Will Come," "Beard of Bees," and "With All My Heart" are right up there and ready for repeated listens, the first track "Me No" is instantly captivating. I've listened to it now about 15 times, and I've had the CD only a couple days. That track has a strong undercurrent of irony and a darkly subversive, almost apocalyptic tone. Still, it's simply arresting, and I wouldn't be surprised if it's on my 2009 list of favorite songs.

Thank you, Clem Snide, for releasing another set of excellent songs. Those of you looking for something for a hungry mind that you can sink your musical teeth into, look no further. Check out "Hungry Bird."

When?

So, when does history officially arrive? When do we get to hear professors extol the golden age of the G.W.Busch administration and the utopia the sprang forth from that "great leader's great leadership"? I'm curious! I'm waiting! Oh, that's right, we need to hit the undo button a few thousand times before we can progress.

President Obama, in my humble opinion, is moving us back toward a certain kind of sanity we haven't seen in eight years. How? Here are a few first steps he's taken: calling corporate bailout recipients on their lack of sensitivity in buying jets while receiving public funds; recognizing the Islamic world while attempting to refocus their attentiveness away from the "great achievements" of the few terrorists among them; moving toward equality for all citizens regardless of race or sexual orientation; reestablishing a policy that more fully acknowledges science and scientific inquiry; encouraging a respect and civility among divided parties in the hope of working together; appointing well qualified cabinet members and surrounding himself with the best and the brightest; making strides in lessening the influence of corporate lobbyists; speaking with eloquence and, well, acting presidential.

I look forward to seeing where we can go as a country under his leadership. Imagine what could have been done immediately if these initial steps hadn't been stifled by the "great achievements" of G.W. and his cronies.

When? Starting now!

120 for 2008

After reviewing my various lists (you know, those half-made lists mostly circling around in my head) I came up with my favorite songs of 2008. I had originally only had 108 when I first posted but forgot a few good ones, so this is the revised list (as of 1/18/09). It was a good year for music in my opinion; this is reinforced by the fact that I can't seem to stick with just 108. (And I meant it when I said every song on "Furr" is good. I think I included 12 songs here including some EP stuff of theirs.)

001. "Furr" Blitzen Trapper
002. "As Tall As Cliffs" Margot & the Nuclear So & So's
003. "The One I Love" Greg Laswell
004. "Lost Coastlines" Okkervil River
005. "Hometime" One eskimO
006. "Orphans" Beck
007. "Acid Tongue" Jenny Lewis
008. "I'm Not Over" Carolina Liar
009. "Right Hand On My Heart" the Whigs
010. "Love And Doubt" Slow Runner
011. "Supernatural Superserious" R.E.M.
012. "Gift Of Screws" Lindsey Buckingham
013. "All I Need" Radiohead
014. "Oxford Comma" Vampire Weekend
015. "Raise The Dead" Phantom Planet
016. "Two Ways Out" Darker My Love
017. "Five Years Time" Noah and the Whale
018. "Hard To Tell You" Dirty on Purpose
019. "New Years Eve" Wild Light
020. "God + Suicide" Blitzen Trapper

021. "Simon Courage Flees the Coop" Kay Kay & His Weathered Underground
022. "Magick" Ryan Adams & the Cardinals
023. "Rocky Took A Lover" Bell X1
024. "Gamma Ray" Beck
025. "He Doesn't Know Why" Fleet Foxes
026. "Sour Milk" Wild Sweet Orange
027. "Broadripple Is Burning" Margot & the Nuclear So & So's
028. "Stolen Shoes + A Rifle" Blitzen Trapper
029. "Bruises" Chairlift
030. "Around The Bend" The Asteroids Galaxy Tour
031. "Great DJ" the Ting Tings
032. "You, Me & The Bourgeoisie" the Submarines
033. "Eighties Movies" the Billionaires
034. "You Don't Know Me" Ben Folds with Regina Spektor
035. "The Beginning Of The Twist" the Futureheads
036. "Good Old Days" Lodger
037. "Pop Lie" Okkervil River
038. "Land Of No Return" Wild Sweet Orange
039. "Biko" Bloc Party
040. "Big Black Bird" Blitzen Trapper

041. "How The Day Sounds" Greg Laswell
042. "Time To Pretend" MGMT
043. "Man-Sized Wreath" R.E.M.
044. "Giving Tree" the Epochs
045. "House Of Cards" Radiohead
046. "Freeway" Aimee Mann
047. "Don't Do Anything" Sam Phillips
048. "Gumdrops" the Smittens
049. "The Wake Up Song" the Submarines
050. "Lost!" Coldplay
051. "Not Your Lover" Blitzen Trapper
052. "Carry The Weight" Denison Witmer
053. "Fashionable People" the Joel Plaskett Emergency
054. "The Right Place To Fade" Lindsey Buckingham
055. "Good Days Bad Days" Kaiser Chiefs
056. "Gather To The Chapel" Liam Finn
057. "I Am A Lightning Rod" Margot & the Nuclear So & So's
058. "Starry Stairs" Okkervil River
059. "Call It A Ritual" Wolf Parade
060. "Heath" Arizona

061. "Do The Panic" Phantom Planet
062. "Shut Up And Let Me Go" the Ting Tings
063. "Crimewave" Crystal Castles (vs. Health)
064. "Bad News" Dear and the Headlights
065. "That It Moves" Greg Laswell
066. "My Baby (Shoots Her Mouth Off)" Margot & the Nuclear So & So's
067. "Paper Float" Cassettes Won't Listen
068. "Keep Your Eyes Ahead" the Helio Sequence
069. "Signs" Bloc Party
070. "Naked And Red" Colour Revolt
071. "Bodysnatchers" Radiohead
072. "Dancing Choose" TV on the Radio
073. "I've Underestimated My Charm (Again)" Black Kids
074. "Angels And Weathermen" the Mommyheads
075. "Cape Fear" the Rosebuds
076. "Saturday Nite" Blitzen Trapper
077. "Last Words" Travis
078. "Black Fur" Fredrik
079. "White Winter Hymnal" Fleet Foxes
080. "On Our Way Home" the Silent Years

081. "Willow Tree" Chad Van Gaalen
082. "Silver Moon" Blitzen Trapper
083. "Violet Hill" Coldplay
084. "Mr. Richards" R.E.M.
085. "Lolita" Throw Me the Statue
086. "I'm Amazed" My Morning Jacket
087. "Gold For Bread" Blitzen Trapper
088. "Coast Of Carolina" Telekinesis!
089. "Crushing The Wheat" Blitzen Trapper
090. "Take Back The City" Snow Patrol
091. "Moody Motorcycle" Human Highway
092. "Go On, Say It" Blind Pilot
093. "On The Chin" the Gray Race
094. "Outside" the Secret Life of Sofia
095. "Could Be Worse" Eef Barzelay
096. "Singer Songwriter" Okkervil River
097. "Big Mistake" Tim Fite
098. "Inside A Boy" My Brightest Diamond
099. "Golden Age" TV on the Radio
100. "Color Of A Lonely Heart Is Blue" the Old 97's

101. "Going Down" Blitzen Trapper
102. "Troublemaker" Weezer
103. "The Usual Chords" Slow Runner
104. "Hollow Man" R.E.M.
105. "Paint Or Pollen" Blind Pilot
106. "Second Chance" Liam Finn
107. "I Will Possess Your Heart" Death Cab for Cutie
108. "Relief" Cold War Kids
109. "Cheap And Cheerful" the Kills
110. "Sleepytime In The Western World" Blitzen Trapper
111. "It's A Lot" the 88
112. "Quarantine" Phantom Planet
113. "A-Punk" Vampire Weekend
114. "Enemy Within" Frida Hyvonen
115. "Seeing And Believeing" Wild Sweet Orange
116. "War On Machines" Blitzen Trapper
117. "Heaven" the Swimmers
118. "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song" Fleet Foxes
119. "Love Dog" TV on the Radio
120. "I'm Not Crying, You're Not Crying, Are You?" Dear and the Headlights

Beards-a-plenty!

So I revisited, reviewed, revised (slightly) my list of favorite albums of 2008. I also expanded it to 21; we'll refer to this as "list bloat." Here's the definitive list. Congratulations, Blitzen Trapper! EVERY song on "Furr" is approved.:

1. "Furr" by Blitzen Trapper
2. "The Stand Ins" by Okkervil River
3. "Fleet Foxes" by Fleet Foxes
4. "Accelerate" by R.E.M.
5. "We Have Cause to Be Uneasy" by Wild Sweet Orange
6. "Three Flights from Alto Nido" by Greg Laswell
7. "Gift of Screws" by Lindsey Buckingham
8. "Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground" by Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground*
9. "Animal/Not Animal" by Margo and the Nuclear So and So's
10. "The Quantum Explorers" by Hello Dragon*
11. "I'll Be Lightning" by Liam Finn
12. "Oracular Spectacular" by MGMT*
13. "Dear Science" by TV on the Radio
14. "We Started Nothing" by the Ting Tings
15. "Glowing Bird" by Arizona
16. "In Rainbows" by Radiohead*
17. "Vampire Weekend" by Vampire Weekend
18. "Modern Guilt" by Beck
19. "Mermaids" by Slow Runner
20. "The Seldom Seen Kid" by Elbow
21. "Only By the Night" by Kings of Leon
*tracks released digitally in 2007, CD and/or vinyl released in 2008

A few things I noticed...

Lots and lots of beards:
Blitzen Trapper - 4 beards, 1 goatee out of 6 members
Okkervil River - 3 beards out of 6 members
Fleet Foxes - 4 beards out of 5 members
Wild Sweet Orange - 1 beard out of 4 members
Greg Laswell - 1 beard
Margot and the Nuclear So and So's - difficult to get a definitive, but looks like 3 beards, 1 goatee out of 8 members
Liam Finn - 1 beard
MGMT - 1 beard out of 2 members
TV on the Radio - 1 beard, 1 goatee, 1 moustache out of 5 members
Kings of Leon - at least 1 beardish thing out of 4 members

Lots of men. It's not that I'm not found of female singers or musicians (see the Ting Tings, the Rosebuds). If/when I get to a posting of favorite single tracks, we'll see some.

Mostly melodic, lyrical, pop-rocky, folkie stuff. Mostly. What can I say? It's what I'm drawn to...

You can never get a true consensus of what's the best, because everyone has his or her own tastes, but that's kind of the fun of these lists. Ah listy goodness!

The Joy of Laundromats

Since I've moved into my new house in June, I've yet to purchase a washer and dryer. That means every two weeks I load up the truck and make an exodus to the local laundromat.

At first, it seemed to be a bit of an annoyance to have to gather everything, load it in the truck, drive to the laundromat, unload the truck and do the washing. I've come to see the beauty of the process, however--especially if I make an early Saturday morning run. At that time I nearly have the place to myself. I can run 4 or 5 loads simultaneously and have nearly endless options for dryers. What used to take all night or afternoon, now can be done in about an hour and a half.

Thank you, laundromat! I may put off buying that washer and dryer indefinitely...

Top 12 Albums of 2008 (so far)

Okay, so my previous post go me thinking about the top albums of 2008 (I'll do a top 12 because there are 12 months in the year...and because they're my rules). Here they are, with the full realization that there are still 2 months to go:

1. "Furr" by Blitzen Trapper
2. "The Stand Ins" by Okkervil River
3. "Fleet Foxes" by Fleet Foxes
4. "Accelerate" by R.E.M.
5. "We Have Cause to Be Uneasy" by Wild Sweet Orange
6. "Three Flights from Alto Nido" by Greg Laswell
7. "Gift of Screws" by Lindsey Buckingham
8. "Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground" by Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground
9. "I'll be Lightning" by Liam Finn
10. "Oracular Spectacular" by MGMT
11. "Life Like" by the Rosebuds
12. "In Rainbows" by Radiohead
(okay, Radiohead released their album digitally in 2007, but the CD came out in 2008, and I didn't count them in 2007 because of that. Sorry, but, again, my rules...)

Album of the Year (so far): "FURR"

For the past month the album "Furr" by Portland, Oregon's Blitzen Trapper has been ceaselessly playing in my home, in my truck, on my computer, and in my head. It's become my favorite album of 2008. This was only further reinforced by a chance to see them live in Fargo, North Dakota, on Oct. 28. They were awesomely excellent!

I had downloaded a free promo mp3 of the title track in early September from the SubPop website, and that song immediately floated to the top of my singles list for the year. But when I got a chance to listen to the whole album, it seemed to me like this one would be an instant classic. Each track was better than the last. I have had a hard time finding a song on it that I don't like, and that's an accomplishment.

There are traces of Dylan, Neil Young, Pavement, 70s classic rock, a flourish of synth, a few electronic burbles, some neo-folk, even a Lynyrd Skynyrd lick here and there.

Of the songs, "Furr" and "God + Suicide" are my top two, but "Gold for Bread," "Sleepytime in the Western World," "Fire + Fast Bullets," and "Saturday Nite" are worthy as well...and then there's "Not Your Lover" and "Lady on the Water" too. Like I said, of the 13 songs it's been hard to find a song I don't like... And with each listen to the entire CD, I like all of them more and discover additional touches of interest.

Buy the album! Go see them live! You won't be disappointed.
www.myspace.com/blitzentrapper

Okkervil River might change your life (or not)

Last night I had the grand opportunity to see great live music in Fargo, North Dakota. It's not often that this part of the world gets to welcome a nifty cool emerging band like Okkervil River, so when I read they were performing only an hour from home, I alerted a couple guys I know who appreciate that kind of thing. We met for grub and beverages beforehand and got to the venue, the Aquarium, downtown Fargo, in plenty of time to see June Panic's Wife (i'm not too sure if that's the wife of June Panic or if June Panic's Wife is actually the name of the band, but I digress...)

Shortly after 8 p.m. the members of Okkervil River took to the stage and played a very nice set that lasted nearly two hours. They band just released a new album, so many of the songs were new material, but they played plenty from the album "The Stage Names," which was on several discerning reviewers' best of 2007 lists (including mine). My one disappointment: they didn't play my favorite, "Plus Ones."
Otherwise, it was a wonderful, swaggering rock-and-roll-alterna-country-folk affair.

The band has a sound all its own, but you can hear influences/similarities the likes of the Shins, Dylan, R.E.M., and the BoDeans. Great show!

Favorite albums - year by year

A challenge: listing a favorite album for each year of your life. Rather than select albums for the years when I was but a wee lad, I chose instead to list a favorite album (or albums in some cases where I just couldn't decide) for the years I actually purchased LPs or CDs. So here's a list for each year from 1980 on. Keep in mind these are favorites, albums I just kept (and keep) coming back to...

1980 - "Autoamerican" Blondie
1981 - "Time" E.L.O.
1982 - "The Golden Age of Wireless" Thomas Dolby
1983 - "Listen" A Flock of Seagulls
1984 - "Go Insane" Lindsey Buckingham
1984 - "Purple Rain" Prince
1985 - "Crush" O.M.D.
1986 - "Life's Rich Pageant" R.E.M.
1986 - "Revenge" Eurythmics
1987 - "Sign o' the Times" Prince
1988 - "Temple of Low Men" Crowded House
1988 - "Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart" Camper Van Beethoven
1989 - "March" Michael Penn
1989 - "Dolittle" the Pixies
1990 - "Flood" They Might Be Giants
1991 - "Woodface" Crowded House
1991 - "Out of Time" R.E.M.
1991 - "Fear" Toad the Wet Sprocket
1992 - "Automatic for the People" R.E.M.
1992 - "It's a Shame About Ray" the Lemonheads
1993 - "Zooropa" U2
1993 - "Star" Belly
1994 - "Martinis and Bikinis" Sam Phillips
1995 - "The Bends" Radiohead
1996 - "Fountains of Wayne" Fountains of Wayne
1996 - "Odelay" Beck
1997 - "OK Computer" Radiohead
1998 - "El Oso" Soul Coughing
1999 - "Magnolia" Soundtrack feat. Aimee Mann
1999 - "Summerteeth" Wilco
2000 - "The Man Who" Travis
2000 - "Discovery of a World Inside the Moon" Apples in Stereo
2001 - "Get Ready" New Order
2002 - "This Side" Nickel Creek
2003 - "Michigan" Sufjan Stevens
2003 - "Chutes Too Narrow" the Shins
2003 - "Long Gone Before Daylight" the Cardigans
2004 - "More Adventurous" Rilo Kiley
2005 - "Warnings/Promises" Idlewild
2006 - "The Dust of Retreat" Margo & the Nuclear So & So's
2006 - "The Trials of Van Occupanther" Midlake
2007 - "Twelve Stops and Home" the Feeling
2008 - "Fleet Foxes" Fleet Foxes
2008 - "Furr" Blitzen Trapper

Back in Minnesota

Back in Minnesota and working for the U of M, Crookston again. Feeling good about that decision, but missing a dear friend back in Colorado. That is all for now. More soon, I hope. Weird how life goes sometimes.

Good Advice...

"Live and let this whole thing go... One-hundred years from now it won't matter anyway." --Frank Orrall of Poi Dog Pondering

FOUR

So it HAS been a while since I posted. I've been busy, what can I say. To get back into this, I'm posting a short meme I got. Four things...

Four Jobs I have had in my life:

Marketing Director
Webmaster
Admissions Counselor
Farm Hand

Four Movies I could watch over and over:

Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Star Wars - the Empire Strikes Back
The Accidental Tourist
American Beauty

Four Places I have lived:

Lowry, Minnesota
Crookston, Minnesota
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Longmont, Colorado

Four people I talk with on the phone regularly:

My Mom
My Friend Karl
My Friend Chris
My Friends Alex and Holly

Four TV Shows I watch regularly:

Lost
Battlestar Galactica
The Riches
The Office

Four Songs I'm listenting to:

"Eighties Movies" the Billionaires
"You, Me and the Bourgeoisie" the Submarines
"Supernatural Superserious" R.E.M.
"Giving Tree" the Epochs

Four Favorite Foods:

Pizza
Spaghetti
Chili
Strawberries

Four Places I have visited:

Nova Scotia
Montana
Germany
North Carolina

Top 40 Favorite Songs of 2007

For some reason a list of my 40 favorite songs is a magic number. (Although, I do have a list of 100 that fits nicely onto 5 CDs). Here are my favorite songs of 2007 in relative order...

01. Phantom Limb – the Shins
02. Sewn – the Feeling
03. Plus Ones – Okkervil River
04. Hey Momma – Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground
05. Dirt and the Body – Hello Dragon
06. You Bring Me Down – Travis
07. Kookaburra – John Vanderslice
08. Chariot – Page France
09. Boyscout’n – Menomena
10. 1234 – Feist
11. The One – Trabant
12. Red Rabbits – the Shins
13. It’s Not True – William Fitzsimmons
14. Sing Like the Sun – Rotary Downs
15. Home – Great Northern
16. Die Alone – Ingrid Michaelson
17. Colors That Lie – Meowskers
18. Heart It Races – Architecture in Helsinki
19. Ghosts – Siobahn Donaghy
20. The End of the World – Hello Dragon
21. Halloweenhead – Ryan Adams
22. Broken Arm – Winterpills
23. Fire It Up – Modest Mouse
24. Ruby – Kaiser Chiefs
25. No Cars Go – Arcade Fire
26. Challengers – the New Pornographers
27. Fool That I Am – Kula Shaker
28. Wild Mountain Nation – Blitzen Trapper
29. Typical – Mutemath
30. Good Night – La Rocca
31. How Low – Jose Gonzales
32. Dark Matter – Andrew Bird
33. Strange – the Feeling
34. Candylion – Gruff Rhys
35. Stephen Hawking – Hello Dragon
36. July – Winterpills
37. Rotten Hell – Menomena
38. X’s Are Forever – Scissors for Lefty
39. Slow Show – the National
40. Sugar – Dan Wilson with Sheryl Crow

Greetings from Colorado

Well, if you didn’t already know, I’ve moved to Colorado. I got a chance to take a job at the University of Colorado at Boulder and decided to jump at that opportunity. I have always wanted to live in the Centennial State.

Backing up a bit, September and October 2007 were months of sweeping change for me.

In a matter of a couple of weeks I:

1)…moved to Colorado – I packed up all my stuff Sept. 20-27, loaded it up into a moving van and drove to Colorado from Sioux Falls.

2)…gained a roommate – Joe is my roommate. He owns a home about 15 miles outside of Boulder, and I rent from him. He’s a great guy and a good friend and has been working on renovating the house, so he gave me a good deal on rent. It hasn’t been too hard readjusting to sharing living space, but after living alone for so long, there was a little adjusting to be done…like remembering to turn off lights, etc.

3)…fractured my elbow – As I was loading stuff into a storage unit here in Longmont, I lost my balance and fell, with most of my weight on my right arm. After a 3 hour wait in the emergency room, it was confirmed that I had fractured my elbow. I wore a sling for about 6 weeks and am now finally getting back to close to the range of movement I had before the accident.

4)…started a new job serving as the assistant to the director of an NSF funded project – it’s been a good change.

5)…gained a four-legged roommate – in October, Joe brought home Noodle, who was an 8-week-old Jack Russell Terrier. She quickly took over the house and we now exist only to serve her. She’s actually a very smart and fun little pup—too smart for here own good, but a good little companion, nonetheless.

6)…started riding the bus rather than driving to work. The rush hour drive to Boulder from Longmont can take 40 minutes on your own, so I’ve made use of the free bus pass given to all University of Colorado employees and ride to and from work. It takes a little longer, but I haven’t bought a tank of gasoline since mid-October!

So, there you have it. I’m enjoying Colorado and the new job. I look forward to spring when I can explore the mountains and go panning for gold and other things.

More (almost) apocalyptic lyrics...

In this song the world really doesn't come to an end, but the author thinks about what it might be like in his situation and almost yearns for it.

The Temptation of Adam
by Josh Ritter
from the album The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter

If this was the Cold War we could keep each other warm
I said on the first occasion that I met Marie
We were crawling through the hatch that was the missile silo door
And I don't think that she really thought that much of me

I never had to learn to love her like I learned to love the Bomb
She just came along and started to ignore me
But as we waited for the Big One
I started singing her my songs
And I think she started feeling something for me

We passed the time with crosswords that she thought to bring inside
What five letters spell "apocalypse" she asked me
I won her over singing "W.W.I.I.I."
She smiled and we both knew that she'd misjudged me

Oh Marie it was so easy to fall in love with you
It felt almost like a home of sorts or something
And you would keep the warhead missile silo good as new
And I'd watch you with my thumb above the button

Then one night you found me in my army issue cot
And you told me of your flash of inspiration
You said fusion was the broken heart that's lonely's only thought
And all night long you drove me wild with your equations

Oh Marie do you remember all the time we used to take
We'd make our love and then ransack the rations
I think about you leaving now and the avalanche cascades
And my eyes get washed away in chain reactions

Oh Marie if you would stay then we could stick pins in the map
Of all the places where you thought that love would be found
But I would only need one pin to show where my heart's at
In a top secret location three hundred feet under the ground

We could hold each other close and stay up every night
Looking up into the dark like it's the night sky
And pretend this giant missile is an old oak tree instead
And carve our name in hearts into the warhead

Oh Marie there's something tells me things just won't work out above
That our love would live a half-life on the surface
So at night while you are sleeping
I hold you closer just because
As our time grows short I get a little nervous

I think about the Big One, W.W.I.I.I.
Would we ever really care the world had ended
You could hold me here forever like you're holding me tonight
I look at that great big red button and I'm tempted

Lyrics of the moment...almost like the end of the world

The song "Kookaburra" by John Vanderslice is amazing, if not more than a bit apocalyptic. Picked up his new CD this past week and played this particular song about 30 times.

"Kookaburra"
by John Vanderslice

Lightning shot from the sky
It breathed life into every, every living thing
It made you, it made me
It gave us the kookaburra
It gave us frangipane tree

From dusk to dawn and dawn to dusk
The sky will fill
with vaporized dust, raining
White on white, like streamers of dirty confetti
White on white, the Chrysler Tower had disappeared
White on white, the capitol dome was invisible
White on white, the hoisted flag had disappeared

It can't be stopped
Thunder clouds are tightening
In the sky tonight
We can't be saved
Electricity will scribble out
Your name

Lightning shot from the sky
It gives, it takes away from
Every living thing
It made you, it made me
It gave us the terrabyte
It gave us 117V

From dusk to dawn and dawn to dusk
The sky will fill
with vaporized dust, raining
White on white, like streamers of dirty confetti
White on white, the looming spire had disappeared
White on white, and the Bundestag was invisible
White on white, the hoisted flag had disappeared

White phosphor rain
And blackout bombs
Are falling out the sky tonight
We can't be saved
Electricity is crossing out
Your family name

It made you, it made me
It gave us the kookaburra
It gave us frangipane tree

Bands of the moment: A to Z

I'm feeling alphabetical, so here are my favorite bands/artists of the moment A to Z along with the album/music I'm currently listening to...with apologies to O, U, & X. (there are more B's, C's, M's, and S's, but only one per letter)

Adams, Ryan - "Easy Tiger"
Bad Plus, the - "Prog"
Crowded House - "Time on Earth"
Donaghy, Siobhan - "Ghosts" (single)
Eagle*Seagull - new stuff on MySpace
Fitzsimmons, William - "It's Not True" (single)
Guster - "Satellite" (EP)
Hello Dragon - new stuff on MySpace
Iron & Wine - "Boy with a Coin" (EP)
Junior Boys - "So This Is Goodbye"
Kaiser Chiefs - "Yours Truly, Angry Mob"
Lowery, David - new stuff on MySpace
Menomena - "Friend and Foe"
New Young Pony Club - "Ice Cream" (single)
O
Procession, the - "Musique Magnifique"
Queens of the Stone Age - "Era Vulgaris"
Rosebuds - "Night of the Furies"
Scissors for Lefty - "Underhanded Romance"
Travis - "The Boy with No Name"
U
Veirs, Larua - "Saltbreakers"
White Stripes, the - "Icky Thump"
X
Young Knives, the - "Voices of Animals and Men"
Zutons, the - "Tired of Hanging Around"

Fourth of July 2007 - We should all be so proud...

Happy Independence Day 2007! It's a day we celebrate in memory of throwing off the non-representational rule of a monarchy. Hmmm. Here we are in the year 2007 celebrating, and here's why we should all be so proud of our country and our current presidential administration (note sarcastic tone):

• Where once the U.S. was a nation of laws that applied, more or less, equally to all, we now have a nation where the cronies of G.W. Bush (read Scooter Libby) have their criminal sentences commuted or dismissed - it's great that we have a double standard that applies to G.W. and his ilk!
• Where once the U.S. was respected by most countries around the world because it upheld the Geneva Conventions and worked as a true partner, we now face scorn from even our closest allies because of our unilateral disregard for the Kyoto Protocals, our incursion into Iraq, and our waterboarding and other "not really torture" methods at Guantonamo Bay and Abu Grabe. Thank you, W. and company!
• Where once (read at the end of President Clinton's term) the U.S. was on its way to balancing a budget and having an actual surplus, we now face a national debt of several TRILLIONS of dollars.
• Where once there was a fairly distinct line separating church and state that allowed most people freedom of and from religion based on their individual beliefs, we now have a system of faith-based initiatives and further church-state erosions that give a distinct impression that evangelical Christianity is unofficially the official religion of the U.S. - people of many diverse faiths or none at all are now forced through taxation to underwrite evangelical Christians' religious activities.
• Where once the scientific acumen of the U.S. was second to none, we now face funding cuts and assaults on true science from advocates of the belief (not theory) of Intelligent Design.
• Where once we had three branches of government with an elaborate check and balance system, we now have a Decider-in-Chief who apparently has no regard for either the Legislatve Branch nor the Judicial Branch, as well as an extremely secretive vice president who claims accountability to none becaues he's not officially part of the Executive Branch.
• Where once we had the protection of habeus corpus to ensure fair treatment, we now have the potential to have that suspended if someone in the government even thinks you might have some vague tie to some "enemy combatant".
• Where once the U.S. was moving on a track to become an environmentally responsible world citizen, we now have taken a backward step, perhaps 40 years, via repealed or more lax environmental policies, partly because the administration still doesn't believe the more than 95% of real scientists who say global warming is reality and is not a good thing.
• Where once we had a media corps that actually questioned the veracity and motives of the government and corporate sectors, we now have a "fair and balanced" corporate media arm that pushes the agenda of its owner Rupert Murdoch and engages in what can only be called smear tactics of candidates not marching to its far-right conservative bent.

Okay, it's not all doom and gloom; we have made strides in equity for various minorities based on race, gender, and sexual orientation. And don't forget that we have the iPhone! But we DO have our work cut out for us. Let's get going, America. Happy Independence Day!

Remix Culture

I've been reading Lawrence Lessig's Free Culture - The Nature and Future of Creativity. It deals with the concepts surrounding copyright protections and free culture. He makes a strong argument that less control over what we can and cannot do with the things around us--our culture--nurtures a more "permissive" environment (not to be confused with "permission based" which requires that people get permission and/or pay to use those same things around us - i.e. copyright). A permissive, free or remix culture, subsequently, fosters a more creative spirit that allows its members to improve upon, change, integrate, or otherwise remix the intellectual property and works of copyright holders. It reminds me of collage work...taking bits and pieces of other things to create something new and innovative...or open-source programming...or mash-ups an remixes of music...

Learn more at www.free-culture.cc.

"Live through this and you won't look back..."

Lyrics and strangely beautiful video of the moment...

Your Ex-Lover is Dead
by Stars

God that was strange to see you again
Introduced by a friend of a friend
Smiled and said 'yes I think we've met before'
In that instant it started to pour,
Captured a taxi despite all the rain
We drove in silence across point champlain
And all of the time you thought I was sad
I was trying to remember your name…

This scar is a fleck on my porcelain skin
Tried to reach deep but you couldn't get in
Now you're outside me
You see all the beauty
Repent all your sin

It's nothing but time and a face that you lose
I chose to feel it and you couldn't choose
I'll write you a postcard
I'll send you the news
From a house down the road from real love…

Live through this, and you won't look back…
Live through this, and you won't look back…
Live through this, and you won't look back…

There's one thing I want to say, so I'll be brave
You were what I wanted
I gave what I gave
I'm not sorry I met you
I'm not sorry it's over
I'm not sorry there's nothing to say
I'm not sorry there's nothing to say...

Lyrics of the moment...

New favorite song of the moment... By a group called Hello Dragon

Dirt and the Body
by Hello Dragon

I’m taking it back
All of my gifts and pestilence
I’ll stay in my bed
Until I’m sure

This is all we get
The dirt and the body
We forgot the rest
And I have no idea where my comfort went

Up in the hills
The drums sound bigger than the moon
They buffet the rocks
Until they’re sure

This is all we get
The dirt and the body
We forgot the rest
And I have no idea where my comfort went

And the days go by
And we all stay high

This is all we get
The dirt and the body
We forgot the rest
And I have no idea where my comfort went

Why bother?

“Why bother?” Kurt Vonnegut, acclaimed writer who passed away this week had a great response:

“Here’s my answer: Many people need desperately to receive this message: ‘I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people don’t care about them. You are not alone.’”

There are a few people out there who make me feel like I'm not alone. Thank you, you know who you are.

What humanity does best...

I came across a quote in an article in the most recent edition of Paste Magazine. It struck me as quite an insightful observation... Humans are story tellers by nature, but this comment succinctly explains a lot of things like popular music, comedy, novels, visual art, movies, tv, videoclips, the Internet...

"...what humanity does best -- wasting each others' time in increasingly imaginative and enjoyable ways." --John Oliver, of The Daily Show

Four new bands you should know...

In my enduring quest to discover cool new music, I've come across four new bands that I really like. They are complex, yet tuneful! Check 'em out. I've included a link to the pages on MySpace, where you can stream a few of their songs.

Menomena - might be my favorite of these four... the CD cover/package for their latest release "Friend and Foe" gets bonus creativity points.

The Procession - are poppy and fun, vaguley reminiscent of the Beatles. Very tuneful and catchy -- and that's NOT a bad thing!

Future Clouds and Radar - have one of the coolest, strangest names for a band I've heard in a while. Their sound is very indie rock with interesting sonic flourishes.

Kay Kay and his Weathered Underground - another interesting name, another interesting band. I love the strings!

Quote of the moment...

"Believe those who are seeking the truth. Doubt those who find it."
--Andre Gide

I find it interesting that some of those who tell us most vehemently "what is true" or "what is right" are also the ones who aren't following it or living it themselves...

New Year's Resolutions - only 11 months to go!

Ten Things I Should Probably Do Before I Die:
(in no particular order)

10> Travel to Australia and New Zealand
09> Visit my ancestral homeland, the Czech Republic
08> Swim in a tropical ocean (including scuba diving)
07> Complete a painting I really feel good about
06> Run a marathon...or something
05> Tour a cave where various crystals grow right in the walls
04> Design the ultimate comic book super hero team
03> Listen to every song -- in its entirety -- on every CD I own
02> Tell all the special people in my life what they mean to me
01> Love someone and be loved by that same someone

Ten Things I Might Do If I Had More Courage:

10> Address negative people more directly
09> Continue work on a master's degree
08> Wear an authentic kilt
07> Get laser eye surgery so I wouldn't have to wear glasses
06> Write a blog entry sharing ten things I'd do if I had more courage
05> Be more actively political
04> Be more open to people
03> Skydive
02> Be more creative
01> Move someplace new

"...Dancing about architecture"

"Writing about music is like dancing about architecture"

This quote has been attributed to Elvis Costello, although it's said that Frank Zappa and Laurie Anderson have uttered similar statements. It's an interesting concept. I most recently heard it on a video link on the Shins' website where lead singer and writer James Mercer says it in the hilarious video segment called "The Interview". In the clip Mercer's alter ego then asks him to compare his latest album to a building, in this case "the Empire State Building", and subsequently to "dance" that building... Nice. Fun and funny.

To cap off the week of the release of the new Shins album, below are the lyrics to my new favorite song on that album--more cryptically beautiful poetry.

"Red Rabbits"
by the Shins
from the album "Wincing the Night Away"

Hurled to the center of the Earth again,
The place where it's hot, love,
You know, it hurts to breathe in,
And the watershed you balance on is begging it,
Well did he ever know,
Will he ever know?

The trees in the moonshine are a dark lattice,
So you catalogue every angle you notice,
In a vacuum you are charged to record this,
So you won't make it easy on me.

I can't go into this no more,
It puts too many thorns on my mind,
And the necessary balloon lies a corpse on the floor,
We've pissed on far too many sprites,
And they're all standing up for their rights.

Born on a desert floor, you've the deepest thirst,
And you came to my sweet shore to indulge it,
With the wan and drilling eyes of an orphan,
But there is not enough,
There is not enough.

Out of a gunnysack fall red rabbits,
Into the crucible to be rendered an emulsion,
And we can't allow a chance they'd restore themselves,
So we can't make it easy on you.

Undaunted, you bathed in hollow cries,
The boys with swollen, sunburnt eyes,
A reward for letting nothing under their skin,
So help me, I don't know, I might
Just give the old dark side a try.

Don't cast your whirling eyes on the shore,
'til we even the score.
I still owe you for the hole in the floor
And the ghost in the hall.
Who decides who paddles over the falls?
Yeah, who makes the call,
Who makes the call?

Well, I know there's an eventual release
From every scale of crime,
But the necessary balloon lies a corpse on the floor,
We've pissed on far too many good intentions held by clever sprites,
And they're all standing up for their rights.

3 for 3 with 3 more days...

And so Tuesday is the day the new album by the Shins is released, and I'm waiting in eager anticipation... The song below was released as a CD single in late December, and they have performed this on SNL and Letterman. Of course it's difficult to get concrete meaining from these somewhat cryptic lyrics, but it hints at overcoming superficiality and looking for connections...If it's any indication, the album will be wonderful!

"Phantom Limb"
by the Shins
from the album "Wincing the Night Away"

Foals in winter coats,
White girls of the North
File past one five and one,
The are the fabled lambs,
of Sunday ham,
The EHS norm.

And they could float above the grass,
In circles if they tried,
A latent power I know they hide,
To keep some hope alive,
That a girl like I could ever try,
Could ever try.

So we just skirt the hallway sides,
A phantom and a fly
Follow the lines and wonder why
There's no connection.

A week of rolling eyes,
And cheap shots from the trite,
And we're off to Nemarca's porch again,
Another afternoon with the goat-head tunes,
And pilfered booze.

We wander through her mama's house,
And the milk from the window lights
Family portrait circa '95,
This is that foreign land
With the sprayed on tans,
And it all feels fine,
Be it silk or slime.

So when they tap our Monday heads
Two zombies walk in our stead,
This town seems hardly worth the time
And we'll no longer memorize or rhyme,
Too far along in our climb,
Stepping over what now towers to the sky,
With no connection.

Oh whoa oh whoa oh
Oh whoa oh whoa oh
Oh whoa oh whoa oh
Oh whoa oh whoa oh

So when they tap our Sunday heads
Two zombies walk in our stead,
This town seems hardly worth our time
And we'll no longer memorize or rhyme,
Too far along in our crime,
Stepping over what now towers to the sky
With no connection

Shins-mania continues

Another great song with beautifully poetic lyrics from the Shins is "Pink Bullets". I think this is my favorite song from their second album, "Chutes Too Narrow". I love the imagery of the kites...I've read that it suggests two people so inextricably linked (literally tied by knots) that when it came time to break up, the only way was to sever their ties completely. Of course, the song has a hint of melancholy, like so many of their songs, but in this case the memories provide "warm light on a winter day".

"Pink Bullets"
by the Shins
from the album "Chutes Too Narrow"

I was just bony hands as cold as a winter pole
You held a warm stone out new flowing blood to hold
Oh what a contrast you were
To the brutes in the halls
My timid young fingers held a decent animal.

Over the ramparts you tossed
The scent of your skin and some foreign flowers
Tied to a brick
Sweet as a song
The years have been short but the days were long.

Cool of a temperate breeze from dark skies to wet grass
We fell in a field it seems now a thousand summers passed
When our kite lines first crossed
We tied them into knots
And to finally fly apart
We had to cut them off.

Since then it's been a book you read in reverse
So you understand less as the pages turn
Or a movie so crass
And awkardly cast
That even I could be the star.

I don't look back much as a rule
And all this way before murder was cool
But your memory is here and I'd like it to stay
Warm light on a winter's day.

Over the ramparts you tossed
The scent of your skin and some foreign flowers
Tied to a brick
Sweet as a song
The years have been short but the days go slowly by
Two loose kites falling from the sky
Drawn to the ground and an end to flight.

Countdown to Jan. 23...

I saw the Shins perform last night on Saturday Night Live. They performed their new single "Phantom Limb" and, later, their classic "New Slang". I had picked up the CD single for "Phantom Limb" a few weeks ago, and the song has grown on me. I only have two weeks 'til the new CD "Wincing the Night Away" is released. I cannot wait! Back to "New Slang"... I think it's a truly beautiful song with poetically oblique lyrics. See below...

New Slang
by the Shins
from the album "Oh Inverted World"

Gold teeth and a curse for this town were all in my mouth.
Only, I don't know how they got out, dear.
Turn me back into the pet that I was when we met.
I was happier then with no mind-set.

And if you'd 'a took to me like
A gull takes to the wind.
Well, I'd 'a jumped from my tree
And I'd 'a danced like the king of the eyesores
And the rest of our lives would'a fared well.

New slang when you notice the stripes, the dirt in your fries.
Hope it's right when you die, old and bony.
Dawn breaks like a bull through the hall,
Never should have called
But my head's to the wall and I'm lonely.

And if you'd 'a took to me like
A gull takes to the wind.
Well, I'd 'a jumped from my tree
And I'd 'a danced like the king of the eyesores
And the rest of our lives would'a fared well.

God speed all the bakers at dawn may they all cut their thumbs,
And bleed into their buns 'til they melt away.

I'm looking in on the good life I might be doomed never to find.
Without a trust or flaming fields am I too dumb to refine?
And if you'd 'a took to me like
Well I'd 'a danced like the queen of the eyesores
And the rest of our lives would'a fared well.

Lyrics of the moment: Needles in My Eyes

A recent rediscovery that just got lodged in my head this past two weeks...

Needles In My Eyes
by the Beta Band

Last night it was so good
I felt like crying, I felt crying
Last night though you looked so cold
I felt like smiling, smiling while I'm dying

Last night looked so good
Felt like crying, felt like crying
Last night though you looked so old
I felt like smiling, smiling while I'm dying

You left me cold, you left me cold
You left me cold, you left me cold
Needles in my eyes won't cripple me tonight alright
Twisting up my mind please pull me through the light alright

Needles in my eyes won't cripple me tonight alright
Twisting up my mind please pull me through the light alright
Last night I dropped my heart and
I never wanna see it again
Getting tighter with you all the time
I think I'm gonna my buckle my spine

I crept in and I stole your mind
I think I'm having trouble with mine
Crept in and I stole your mind
I think I'm having trouble with mine

You left me cold, you left me cold
You left me cold, you left me cold
Needles in my eyes won't cripple me tonight alright
Twisting up my mind please pull me through the light alright
Needles in my eyes won't cripple me tonight alright
Twisting up my mind please pull me through the light alright

101 Songs of 2006

Here they are: my 101 favorite songs, in roughly the order they fell on my "like-o-meter".

1 "Skeleton Key" Margot & the Nuclear So & So's
2 "Young Bride" Midlake
3 "Samson" Regina Spektor
4 "Chapters" Commuter
5 "You Only Live Once" the Strokes
6 "Young Folks" Peter, Bjorn and John
7 "Don't Be Afraid" Howie Beck
8 "Dart for My Sweetheart" Archie Bronson Outfit
9 "Night Drive" Jimmy Eat World
10 "That Time" Regina Spektor
11 "When You Were Young" the Killers
12 "Amsterdam" Peter, Bjorn and John
13 "On a Freezing Chicago Street" Margot & the Nuclear So & So's
14 "God Is Going to Get Sick of Me" Aberdeen City
15 "The Escape Artist" Mountain Con
16 "Settle Down" Breaks Co-op
17 "Obstacles" Syd Matters
18 "I Need Some Fine Wine…" the Cardigans
19 "Let's Call It Off" Peter, Bjorn and John
20 "Roscoe" Midlake
21 "Valerie" the Zutons
22 "Break Your Mama's Back" Slow Runner
23 "Dive" Babybird
24 "Plans" Grizzly Bear
25 "Number 1" Goldfrapp
26 "Gold Lion" Yeah Yeah Yeahs
27 "17 Devils" Starlight Mints
28 "The Otherside" Breaks Co-op
29 "On the Other Side" the Strokes
30 "Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is" Jet
31 "Work, Work, Work (Pub, Club, Sleep)" the Rakes
32 "Loughborough Suicide" the Young Knives
33 "Chinese Translation" M. Ward
34 "Timebomb" the Format
35 "Better" Regina Spektor
36 "The Killer" Starlight Mints
37 "Dead Funny" Archie Bronson Outfit
38 "Show You How" Lindsey Buckingham
39 "For Us" Pete Yorn
40 "Taking Chances" Platinum Weird
41 "You Could Be Happy" Snow Patrol
42 "Ever Thought of Coming Back" Kelley Stoltz
43 "Not Going Home" the Elected
44 "Go" OSI
45 "No Complaints" Beck
46 "Knights of Cydonia" Muse
47 "Over and Over" Hot Chip
48 "9 Crimes" Damien Rice
49 "Into the Open" Heartless Bastards
50 "The W.A.N.D." the Flaming Lips
51 "The Charging Sky" Jenny Lewis
52 "The Bird" Shawn Colvin
53 "Stand Up" Jet
54 "Skip to the End" the Futureheads
55 "Nothing Left to Lose" Mat Kearney
56 "Oh Shoplifter" the Stills
57 "Crooked Teeth" Death Cab for Cutie
58 "Monsters" Band of Horses
59 "I Should Get Up" Teddy Thompson
60 "Olé Tarantula" Robyn Hitchcock & the Venus 3
61 "Dress Me Like a Clown" Margot & the Nuclear So & So's
62 "Level" the Raconteurs
63 "Wolf Like Me" TV on the Radio
64 "Wolves" Josh Ritter
65 "Stromata" Charlotte Martin
66 "Cuckoo" Archie Bronson Outfit
67 "Hideaway" Rock Kills Kid
68 "Hang Me Up to Dry" Cold War Kids
69 "How We Operate" Gomez
70 "Coming Home" the 88
71 "Steady as She Goes" the Raconteurs
72 "Think I'm in Love" Beck
73 "Rusted Guns of Milan" Art Brut
74 "Here It Goes Again" OK Go
75 "Radiate" AverageSuperstar
76 "Little Black Cloud" the Cardigans
77 "Golden Star" My Brightest Diamond
78 "Someday Sometimes" Syd Matters
79 "Falling by the Wayside" People in Planes
80 "A Method" TV on the Radio
81 "Lowlife" Scanners
82 "The Illiad" Tapes 'n Tapes
83 "Flying Low" Willard Grant Conspiracy
84 "Dirty Knife" Neko Case
85 "Down on Rodeo" Lindsey Buckingham
86 "The Funeral" Band of Horses
87 "Bandits" Midlake
88 "Read My Mind" the Killers
89 "Pills in My Pocket" Fink
90 "Apocalyptic" Mountain Con
91 "Painted by Numbers" the Sounds
92 "As Four" the Concretes
93 "The Blues Are Still Blue" Belle and Sebastian
94 "Vision Valley" the Vines
95 "You Said It Before" Mojave 3
96 "Supermassive Black Hole" Muse
97 "Tchaparian" Hot Chip
98 "On a Neck, on a Spit" Grizzly Bear
99 "O Valencia" the Decemberists
100 "Joker & the Thief" Wolfmother
101 "Shores of California" The Dresden Dolls

...and this brings it to 21

Okay, I've been thinking more about it and here are 10 more (with no explanations) to add to the list of best or favorite albums of 2006.

#12 - "Return to Cookie Mountain" - TV on the Radio
#13 - "Rabbit Fur Coat" -Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins
#14 - "First Impressions of Earth" - the Strokes
#15 - "Syd Matters" - Syd Matters
#16 - "Are You Nervous?" - Rock Kills Kid
#17 - "Black Holes and Revelations" - Muse
#18 - "Without Feathers" - the Stills
#19 - "Supernature" - Goldfrapp
#20 - "The Warning" - Hot Chip
#21 - "Fox Confessor Brings the Flood" - Neko Case

My 11 Favorite CDs of 2006

Why eleven? Because we always want just one more, don't we? Why now? Because looking ahead at the new releases, don't expect anything too wonderful between now and January 1, 2007. That said, here are my favorite albums of 2006.

#11 - "Under the Skin" by Lindsey Buckingham
It took several years to release this, his most recent solo disc, and it was worth the wait. It's somewhat sparse, but full of life. Favorite track: "Down on Rodeo"

#10 - "The Information" by Beck
He continues to defy categorization and to meld genres into the new post-rock. Bonus points for the cool customizable cover concept! Favorite track: "No Complaints"

#9 - "Yellow House" by Grizzly Bear
Dreamy and a little dark, this is a complex album that expands with each subsequent listen. Favorite track: "Plans"

#8 - "Writer's Block" by Peter, Bjorn and John
Interesting harmonies, edgy and yet simultaneously retro, this Scandinavian group's release (available as an import here in the US) is insanely catchy. Favorite track: "Amsterdam"

#7 - "Everything All the Time" by Band of Horses
Five of the ten tracks on this release are top-top-notch! One even features my favorite alt-rock instrument: the banjo! Favorite track: "Monsters"

#6 - "Begin to Hope" by Regina Spektor
Left-of-center and highly literate rock for those of us who love melody and smart lyrics. Favorite tracks: "Samson" and "That Time"

#5 - "The Trials of Van Occupanther" by Midlake
What if 1977-era Fleetwood Mac was actually an alternative rock band that often sang about country life in the 1800s? They might sound like this. Favorite tracks: "Roscoe" and "Young Bride"

#4 - "The Sound Inside" by Breaks Co-op
This New Zealand trio creates extremely well-crafted post-pop with soulful vocals and occasional Crosby, Stills & Nash-y harmonies... It's available as an import. Favorite tracks: "Settle Down" and "The Otherside"

#3 - "Derdang Derdang" by the Archie Bronson Outfit
I would call this alt-twang-folk-punk, and I really like it. Favorite tracks: "Dart for My Sweetheart" and "Dead Funny"

#2 - "Sancho Panza" by Mountain Con
More genre-blending, this time with a little bit of hip-hop (and a little bit is more than enough). Favorite tracks: "The Escape Artist" and "Apocalyptic"

#1 - "The Dust of Retreat" by Margot & the Nuclear So and So's
I was a little disappointed in this alt-pop classic at first, but over the period of two weeks of increasingly frequent listening, I came to love nearly every song! I love when that kind of thing happens. Favorite tracks: "Skeleton Key", "Paper Kitten Nightmare", "Jen Is Bringin' the Drugs" and "On a Freezing Chicago Street"

Incommunicado

I have to apologize to my friends. Lately I've been incommunicado... This weekend, for example, I turned off my cell phone and just spent the weekend alone. I went out Saturday afternoon for lunch and stopped at Barnes & Noble, but otherwise I stayed at home, cleaned the garage and truck, and slept a lot.

I'm still adjusting to going off daylight savings time and that makes me just want to sleep. That and work has been so demanding. I sometime feel that I'm always put in the position of being in the middle of something. It's very draining sometimes. I know I had a couple of voice mail messages, but I was just not in the mood to talk to anyone. So I'm sorry for that. Be patient with me?

That and watching all the Sunday morning political shows has me in a very concerned and pensive mood. America cannot continue down the road 'king W. and his neocon cronies have led us. It verges on totalitarianism. I recall 'king W. said he was "a uniter not a divider", but all I see is him dividing and dividing, criticizing his critics, questioning the patriotism of anyone who disagrees with him, and telling half truths in order to manipulate the masses. I sure hope the masses of voters in America have opened their eyes and that they vote for change this Tuesday. Please!

Halloween 2006

"Halloween, strange things seen, ghosts may walk, skeletons talk...on Halloween"

I remember that line from a song back in grade school. Can't remember any more than that much, though.

This year Halloween is, again, quiet. That's fine. Back in my other life up north I used to host a huge Halloween party for adults. Funny how people eventually got into it. It sort of brought out the kid in everyone. I miss being that big dorky host!

So tomorrow is November 1, or as we Catholics know it, "All Saints Day", followed on Nov. 2 by "All Souls Day". It's also the time for the Mexican Day of the Dead, to celebrate the memory of loved ones who have died. Actually, although some see this as sort of morbid, it's a nice way to commemorate those we love and have lost in the past year. May our memory of them endure.

It's a nice day for a white wedding, it's a nice day to start again! (with apologies to Billy Idol)

Lyrics of the moment...Night Drive

I don't exactly know why this song resonates. It's from 2004 and I came across it as a "rediscovery" I guess. Hmmmm. "...You pierce my heart like a willing arm..."

"Night Drive"
By Jimmy Eat World
From the album Futures
(note: it plays on their main web page)

Lay back baby and we'll do this right
There's blankets in back we can use
I'll start the car, but we'll stay in park
The cold can kill us before fumes

Now's the right time for a good song
Got something to say what I can't
Do you feel bad, like I feel bad?
We'll pour us a road, we'll both drink and drive

Kiss me with your cherry lipstick
Never wash you off my face
Hit me I can take your cheap shots
Leave you with the love we made

Come alive on the driver's side
So close I taste your breath
Your lips go dry, but they're sweet inside
Wine must go right to your head
It'd be easy if you get mad
But three fingers point back to you
We could stay here
Stay out all night
No one will know, us and the moonlight

Kiss me with your cherry lipstick
Never wash you off my face
Hit me, I can take your cheap shots
Leave you with the love we made
I set my watch by a street-side clock
A needle in echo groove
You pierce my heart like a willing arm
Your ticking makes my blood move
There's no way out this fade out
Be happy to get what you do
Make him notice with both fists
Cause quitting alone will never get you dry

Never get you dry

Give me everything you've got now
I don't feel a single thing
Drag me out into the cold rain
Let it hover over me

Kiss me with your cherry lipstick
Never wash you off my face
Hit me, I can take your cheap shots
Leave you with the love we made

Hit me, I can take your cheap shot
Leave you with the love we made

Hit me, I can take your cheap shot
Leave you with the love we made

...yep, still here...

So, according to my mother, I arrived into this world at about 10 minutes to 9 a.m. 40 years ago on October 25, 1966. Now, 40 years later on the eve of this milestone (having trouble typing this without smirking), I am still here. Okay, whatever. They say these decade birthdays are full of retrospection, introspection and any other kind of -ospection you can name. Probably true, but I do that all the time anyway. I have absolutely nothing profound rolling around in my head at the moment, but that's also not particularly earth-shattering to hear...

..yep, I'm still here...

Lyrics of the Moment...

I wonder who the leader is with the gun and "a bible in one hand" and who says "everything is safe"...

God is Going to Get Sick of Me
by Aberdeen City

Caught, caught in the way
In the way of a bus
The lease is up. The lease is up.
They break our legs to prove a point
The lease is up. The lease is over

A bible in one hand, he makes decisions
The lease is up
Ordered his gun and its done and its done and done
An Hysteric at the top
Saying everything is safe
Ordered his gun and its done and its done
Ordered his gun and its done and

God is Going to get sick of me
And the accident
That takes the beat from my heart
Will look like it was my fault

Spend one more day backed into a corner
The lease is up
Impossible to lose support gets stronger
Each time something frightens them
You'll set it right
I know I know

God is Going to get sick of me
And the accident
That takes the beat from my heart
Will look like his
You said I get it, i get it, i get it all right
And that nothing can be taken and that nothing can be taken from me
After I've stopped waiting for an ambulance to come and get me

God is Going to get sick of me
And the accident
That takes the beat from my heart
Will look like it was my fault

Countdown to 40...

T-minus 9 days and counting and yours truly will turn the big 4-0. I can't say I'll be able to make an entry each day before then, so I'll offer this as the first installment in a series of personal revelations.

I am only days away from being a forty-year-old man and...
...I still read super hero comic books and watch cartoons.
...the kind of car I drive means nothing to me, as long as it works.
...I don't have a bald spot on the top of my head yet.
...$50 is a lot of money to me.
...one of my favorite foods is still pizza.
...opening a new CD and listenting to it is important.
...I'm not sad that I don't have any children.
...life for the next 10-20 years will be considered "middle age".
...I'm in better physical condition than when I was 25 thanks to lifting weights (but I could still stand to lose 10-20 pounds).
...my brother and sisters are all in their mid-50s.
...1982's "Tainted Love" is still my all-time favorite song.
...I'm glad I'm not a high schooler in today's world.
...even though I believe in God, I believe there should be a VERY STRICT separation between church and state.
...I still haven't found what I'm looking for (okay, U2 said it better).
...my expectation is that I will never be able to afford to retire.
...I'm still waiting for that special someone.

More to come (maybe).

Lyrics of the moment..

I attended the funeral of my Aunt Marianne today. It was sad. She was a very giving person. Sadder, still, was seeing all the sadness of her children and grandchildren, family and friends. Fortunately, she left a very positive legacy.

These lyrics seem appropriate for the moment.

Do You Realize?
by the Flaming Lips

Do You Realize - that you have the most beautiful face
Do You Realize - we're floating in space
Do You Realize - that happiness makes you cry
Do You Realize - that everyone you know someday will die

And instead of saying all of your goodbyes - let them know
You realize that life goes fast
It's hard to make the good things last
You realize the sun doesn't go down
It's just an illusion caused by the world spinning round

Do You Realize - Oh - Oh - Oh
Do You Realize - that everyone you know
Someday will die...

And instead of saying all of your goodbyes - let them know
You realize that life goes fast
It's hard to make the good things last
You realize the sun doesn't go down
It's just an illusion caused by the world spinning round

Do You Realize - that you have the most beautiful face
Do You Realize?

A new hero

Yep, it's official: Keith Olbermann is my new hero, joining Jon Stewart in that hallowed pantheon. What an eloquent journalistic commentary (along with a second by Stewart, an able satirist)! Follow this link http://www.bushflash.com/ and find the Oct. 6 entry, "Two Wonderful Moments in American Television". Both segments are awesomely timed and capture my feelings better than I can myself. How can any sane person disagree with what both Olbermann and Stewart pesent here?

What am I?

"...I'm not what I was or what I will be..." -Psapp, from the song Upstairs

The other thought for the moment is that I've grown to really hate being on the receiving end of mixed messages. Really.

That is all for now.

Awaiting new L.B.

Am very eagerly anticipating "Under the Skin", the new CD by Lindsey Buckingham. Check out some of the songs at his website. "Down on Rodeo" is exceptional, and "Show You How" is too!

October 3 is going to be an expensive new music week for me...not only new L.B. but also new releases from the Killers, Beck, Jet, the Decemberists, and Robyn Hitchcock.

We are what we are...

I came across a quote that I love today while surfing various websites:

"We are constantly invited to be what we are" -- Henry David Thoreau

I have always loved this quote. While it may seem somewhat fatalistic at first glance, it is not. The quote is beautiful in its simplicity. In my humble opinion it implies choice: we can choose to be what we are or we can pretend we are something we are not. At the same time, the observation in the quote doesn't limit us from trying to change and grow. It does imply that there are ways or "invitations" for us to grow that lie within our authentic selves. Things tend to work out to a kind of equilibrium of that same authentic self versus any false facade we might create.

Every day I see Thoreau's observation in action. I'm as guilty as the next person of occasionally pretending to be something other than what I am. But it seems that pretense tends to dissolve (often quite quickly, sometimes painfully), unless it fits with our authentic self and whatever joys, sorrows or limitations that entails. It seems those who are happiest have embraced who and what they are and continue to build their world around that.

When you were young...

Lyrics of the moment...I listened to this song 11 times in a row! (and still loved it!) Yes, "...And sometimes you close your eyes and see the place where you used to live...When you were young..."

While the CD won't be released for a while, you can hear this song at the Killers' website: www.islandrecords.com/thekillers/site.html. There are strains of Springsteen...not that that's good or bad.

"When You Were Young"
by the Killers

You sit there in your heartache
Waiting on some beautiful boy to
To save you from your old ways
You play forgiveness
Watch it now - here he comes

He doesn't look a thing like Jesus
But he talks like a gentlemen
Like you imagined when you were young

Can we climb this mountain
I don't know
Higher now than ever before
I know we can make it if we take it slow
Let's take it easy
Easy now, watch it go

We're burning down the highway skyline
On the back of a hurricane that started turning
When you were young
When you were young

And sometimes you close your eyes
and see the place where you used to live
When you were young

They say the devil's water, it ain't so sweet
You don't have to drink right now
But you can dip your feet
Every once in a little while

You sit there in your heartache
Waiting on some beautiful boy to
To save you from your old ways
You play forgiveness
Watch it now here he comes

He doesn't look a thing like Jesus
But he talks like a gentlemen
Like you imagined when you were young
(He talks like a gentlemen, like you imagined when)
When you were young

I said he doesn't look a thing like Jesus
He doesn't look a thing like Jesus
But more than you'll ever know

What can we learn from poor Pluto?

So what do we make of poor Pluto's demotion from planet to "dwarf planet" and striking from the list of official "full-blown, honest-to-goodness" planets? Well, work with me on this, but I find it interesting the Pluto is known as a god of the dead or of the underworld and, coincidentally, here in South Dakota we're struggling with a lot of death issues. There's the whole abortion issue, but also this week we are to witness the first person to be put to death in this state in over 60 years. So many folks who are "pro-life" are, perhaps, more accurately, pro-birth, because even though they are so staunchly against killing the unborn, so many of them are staunchly for killing the young man who killed another young man. They say it's justice, but I think it's still killing. Two wrongs don't make a right.

So what seems so black and white to some seems a bit grey to me. It's all in the catagorization, isn't it. Is it murder to kill the unborn or termination of a potential human? Is it murder to kill a murderer or justice? In either case the black and white issue is that something living is no longer living, erasing any and all potentials. The key is which is a person? When does a potential person become a person? When does an existing person lose the right to live?

So many of those who would arrest a doctor for performing an abortion are fine with a doctor (or someone else) performing an execution via injection. It's all in how you catagorize things, isn't it? Is Pluto a planet or a "dwarf planet" or an asteroid? There are always exceptions and shades of grey in this complex world and universe of ours. Isn't there usually an exception to almost every rule? A grey duck for every duck, duck, duck? A warm blooded reptile? A mammal that lays eggs? Infinite diversity in infinite combinations-let's respect that. Live and let live.

Very cool band websites

Below are some of the coolest band websites I've come across in the past few weeks. I love the fact that they are interactive, and their design values are very distinct.

The Shins: www.theshins.com
(newly redesigned to show the band in a library - click around for Easter eggs)

Athlete: www.athlete.mu
(okay, this one has been a long-time favorite - I love clicking on the wind-blown plastic bag)

Muse: www.muse.mu
(cool spinning branch menus!)

Guillemots: www.guillemots.com
(my current favorite! - very interactive and the day progresses - sun to moon, etc.)

Early August blahs...

Yep, I think I got 'em. Been restless and not sleeping well. The days are bright and sunny, but the nights are just lonely. Work is going relatively well despite all the challenges and stresses. There are enough successes to keep plugging away at least. I'm just not feeling great. I really notice the shortening of these beautiful atumn days. Maybe I just need a day off or a million dollars.

It's always been "adapt and win"

RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman wants Americans to believe it's never been about "stay the course" (in Iraq), but rather "adapt and win". This said after every Republican leader has voiced the mantra "stay the course" vs. "cut and run" like those weak-assed, anti-war weenies, the Dems, would do. More revisionism!

"stay the course" "stay the course" "stay the course" "stay the course" "stay the course" "stay the course" "stay the course" oops, we mean "adapt and win" "adapt and win" "adapt and win"

Repeat things enough and people will believe you, I guess.

That's why we forget that the main reason the U.S. invaded Irag was because it had "weapons of mass destruction" - wait, no WMDs were found? Ahem...

The reason we invaded Iraq was because we wanted to "depose a terrorist leader associated with Al-Quaida" - wait, no actual ties to Al-Quaida were found with Saddam? Cough...Ahem...

The reason we invaded Iraq was to "bring democracy to the Iraqi people" - wait, Iraq never asked for this while there are other countries, like Tibet, that have been begging for U.S. help for decades? Uncomfortable silence, then "stay the course," don't "cut and run" - wait we mean "adapt and win" "adapt and win" "adapt and win"! Add "9/11" "9/11" "9/11" "9/11" (waves flag).

Whatever! Obey! Dissent is disloyal! Questioning Our Leader is dangerous! War is peace! Freedom is slavery! Doubleplusgood! ...suspending your rights for the duration of the permanent war! 1984? 2006? Mission accomplished!

Lyrics of the moment...

This one is originally by Kate Bush, circa 1985, and recently remade by Placebo.

Running Up That Hill

It doesn't hurt me.
Do you want to feel how it feels?
Do you want to know, know that it doesn't hurt me?
Do you want to hear about the deal that I'm making?
You, it's you and me.

And if I only could,
I'd make a deal with God,
And I'd get him to swap our places,
Be running up that road,
Be running up that hill,
Be running up that building.
Say, If I only could, oh...

You don't want to hurt me,
But see how deep the bullet lies.
Unaware I'm tearing you asunder.
Ooh, there is thunder in our hearts.

Is there so much hate for the ones we love?
Tell me, we both matter, don't we?
You, it's you and me.
It's you and me won't be unhappy.

And if I only could,
I'd make a deal with God,
And I'd get him to swap our places,
Be running up that road,
Be running up that hill,
Be running up that building,
Say, if I only could, oh...

You,
It's you and me,
It's you and me won't be unhappy.

"C'mon, baby, c'mon darling,
Let me steal this moment from you now.
C'mon, angel, c'mon, c'mon, darling,
Let's exchange the experience, oh..."

And if I only could,
I'd make a deal with God,
And I'd get him to swap our places,
Be running up that road,
Be running up that hill,
With no problems.

say if I only could,
I'd make a deal with God,
And I'd get him to swap our places,
Be running up that road,
Be running up that hill,
With no problems.

If I only could, I'd be running up that hill.
If I only could, I'd be running up that hill.

Thank God for Jon Stewart

He's so good at exposing the hypocrisy of the Bush Administration...

In the case of stem cell research on embryos that would otherwise be discarded "the simple answer is that he [Bush] thinks murder is wrong...he doesn't want human life destroyed..." but in Iraq, where about 30,000 citizens "more or less" have died in the war, it's not murder, but rather "a lamentable...side effect".

Blurry

Whoah! Where does the time go? Tomorrow is August 1. It's been a blur! Wasn't it just a few days ago that it was May 1, and shortly before that, January 1? I'm told that the older you get, the faster time seems to pass because your relative experience is greater than that of, say, a five-year-old. I guess I see that. Summers used to seem to last almost forever.

Lately, work has been intense, and that's seemed to cause the days and weeks to fly past even more quickly.

This past weekend I sort of just crashed. Slept a lot on Saturday, even more on Sunday. Maybe the heat also contributed to it all, but it felt like I almost had no weekend at all. Maybe if I had had a reason to go out and actually do something it would have helped. On Saturday night I was invited out to see a local band with some friends from work, but I just wasn't up to socializing that night.

I guess I just need some more people in my life at the moment. I'm going camping this weekend with my good friend Karl, who's more like a brother, and some others. That should be fun, except for the 8 hours I'll spend on the road to and from the campsite. I'm really tired of living alone.

Do Not Fold, Bend, Spindle or Mutilate

Well, we've got our first virtual art exhibit online at the Pavilion now! It's an interesting show in that all the art has been created on or with computer punch cards. We received over 400 of them from across the world. I actually submitted one and it made the show. A very small version is shown at right.

Check out the show and let me know what you think. My submission is located in the "vertical" section.

Best post-apocalyptic sci-fi kung-fu cowboy video this year

The band's name is Muse, and they're from the U.K. Their new video for a song called "Knights of Cydonia" is the best post-apocalyptic sci-fi kung-fu cowboy video I've seen this year. If they made it into a TV series, I'D WATCH IT RELIGIOUSLY. Now I know on first mention you might not think these things go together, but I gotta tell you they do--perfectly. From the opening sequence showing a mustachioed rider galloping past a desert landscape featuring the Statue of Libery a la the Planet of the Apes to our hero's kung-fu training moves sequence to the holographic juke box to the damsel in distress's Buck Rogers space uniform and rayguns, this one has it all. There's even a unicorn!

To top it off, the song plays like a six-minute soundtrack to the 1970's version of Flash Gordon - complete with killer-Queen guitar riffs. The end roll credits "Production Finance Services by Euro Ballistic Rockets & Aerospace FilmCo, LTD." How utterly appropriate. What else could come from an album named "Black Holes and Revelations"?

Watch it here.

Check out www.muse.mu for more information.
Note: stills are screen captures from video! Check it out, buy the CD!

I wanna be a cowboy!

The Wal-Mart-ization of America

On my recent travels, I was struck by just how eerily similar all the Wall-Marts in America seem to be. In the last three weeks I've been back home in Minnesota, where I took my mom to the newest Wal-Mart Supercenter (she wanted to go), I've been to the two that are here in Sioux Falls, I checked out the store in Brookings, S.D., and I stopped at one in Spearfish, S.D., on my way to visit friends in Montana. It was almost scary to see that each of these stores was almost exactly the same. I joked with friends that maybe there's really only one Wal-Mart that exists and the doors are just magic portals that take us from wherever we enter into the Wal-Mart Zone.

Now I shouldn't be surprised by this, I know. All big-box retailers (Wal-Mart, Lowe's, Home Depot, K-Mart, Target, Best Buy, etc.) are like that in their own way, but it just became this sort of personal epiphany. In contrast, while in Bozeman and Missoula, I had the opportunity to spend some time checking out the character of the downtown of each city. Both had lots of smaller non-chain stores with lots of character. I found cool things you'd never find in a Wall-Mart, and the prices weren't bad. Rockin' Rudy's, the very cool music and "stuff" store in Missoula, totally rocked! I'd much rather support a locally-owned store or even a regional chain, knowing that I've contributed to the local economy rather than line the pockets of the richest people in Arkansas.

So why did I go into Wal-Mart in the first place? Well, among some of the things I collect are Marvel superhero action figures, and Wal-Mart has an exclusive line there. Unfortunately, they were all sold out. Generally, I really do try to support the locally-owned stores, but this was a special case.

If truth be told, I don't mind shopping at Target or Best Buy... Both are based in my home state of Minnesota, and from what I've read, both chains treat their employees and the communities they locate in pretty well, for a big-box store, that is. But if there was a Rockin' Rudy's here in Sioux Falls, I'd rarely set foot into Best Buy.

1,067 Miles...

I just drove 1,067 miles from Missoula, Montana, back to Sioux Falls, South Dakota. That's 1,067 miles and only stopping 4 times for gas and/or food. Very tired... Must get some sleep... More on my trip soon!