Stupid Sony ..

Argh, so I bought a reissue of Talking Heads' "Remain in Light" a few weeks ago. Out now on the DualDisc format - one side a CD the other a DVD with some goodies and the sort. Love the album, the videos are cool, but ... I can't rip it to my iTunes at work.
Jerks.

Yo La Tengo "I Can Hear The Heart Beating as One"
Led Zeppelin "Live Jan. 31, 1969"
Beck "Sea Change"

Only three albums today since I spent so much time trying to figure out why the Talking Heads disc wouldn't rip. Jerks.
the Zeppelin is an interesting disc. Great quality and you get to hear the band on the last night of its tour before heading home to England. Page and Plant rip it up on a 15 min. 'Dazed and Confused' with a cover of 'Train Kept A-Rollin' to open the show. Anyone want a copy? I'll burn it for you .. just let me know.

-DJr-

Meet tenderizer

Just another long day in 'paradise.'
More meetings and then we were told one of our designers is moving on up to the Chicago Tribune's 'RedEye' publication. Crap ... oh well .. loud music to numb the pain.

Rolling Stones "Some Girls"
The Flaming Lips "1984-1990 (A Collection of Songs ... blah, blah, blah)"
The Smiths "Meat is Murder"
They Might be Giants "Then"
Polyphonic Spree "Together We're Heavy"
Pearl Jam "Jan. 2, 1992 - Amsterdam"
Ramones "Loud Fast"

Dang, I love They Might Be Giants.
I saw them once in 1997 on a cold, wet afternoon at Purdue University's Slayter Center. I stayed for most of it, but was so cold and hungover from Grand Prix weekend that I just went back home to clean up from the party the night before. Their documentary "Direct from Brooklyn" was a great piece of work.
Highlights from "Then:"
"Put Your Hand Inside the Puppet Hand," "Don't Let's Start," "She's and Angel," "Hope that I Get Old Before I Die."

-DJr-

I should be working ..

But I just can't get in the mood.
With all the crazy talk that goes on around me and the copy machine and the rolling thunder of metal carts shuffling newspapers from one side of the building to the other, it's a wonder I haven't died from an intense migrain yet.
Anyway .. to drown out the noise ...

Wilco "Austrailian EP"
Hank Williams "Live at the Grand Ole Opry"
Matt Pond PA "The Green Fury"
Pearl Jam "Yield"
The Wrens "The Meadowlands"

Got my tix for two nights of Pearl Jam at the United Center. Now, if I can just figure out how to make the 30 mile drive in less than 3 hours time, that'll be a miracle.

Fit to print

So, in my spare time, I do screenprinting.
I spent all of Sunday printing invitations for Jerry Scott (he does the daily comic strip 'Zits') and today I've gotta head back downtown to print some posters for a developer. My partner in crime, Stacy Curtis, is up there now working away.
Music makes it better as we normally do printing for bands and the sort ... anyway, this is what I heard while I was in the studio basement Sunday and today while at my desk working away.

The Handsome Family "Milk and Scissors"
Wolf Parade "Wolf Parade"
Neil Young "After the Gold Rush"
Modest Mouse "The Moon and Antarctica"

Slaving for the man ....
Charles Mingus "Folk Forms"
The New Pornographers "Electric Version"
Sublime "10.21.95"

Stupid Bradly Nowell ... had to OD on heroin making Sublime a drop in the bucket of the potential talent and creativity they could've created. Three albums, and a 'B-Side' collection released after his death all sound as good today as they did while tapping kegs in college.

Wave that flag!

After a 'Hurray for us' corporate meeting today, I'm glad headphones were waiting for me at my desk.
My job's not all that bad, I just don't take well to meetings that could've been handled in an email.

Heard the new Black Keys album today, and it's as good as 'Rubber Factory.' Bluesy, jammy rock that I could give to my jam music buddys or my indie-rock friends. Not sure when it comes out, but I'd like to catch them on stage someday. I missed their last two-night stand at the Metro.

Anyway...
The Misfits: "Box Set-Disc Three"
The Black Keys "Chulahoma"
The Velvet Underground and Niko
The Walkmen "Bows and Arrows"
Ween "12 Golden Country Greats"
Band of Heroes "Everything All the Time"
Dinosaur Jr "Where You Been"

Ween ... good Lord the amount of ass they kick could fill a crater. "12 Golden Country Greats" doesn't even have 12 tracks - only 10! I love it!

Master of Birthdays

My sister's birthday was yesterday, so today I started out by listening to some Metallica. It's her favorite band. She and I went to see them in 2004. It was a great show - until they played some of that crap off of "St. Anger" - yuck.

Anyway ... the sister's list:
Metallica: "Kill 'em All"
Metallica: "...And Justice for All"
followed then by ...
Neko Case "Fox Confessor Brings the Flood"
Pedro the Lion "Pedro The Lion"
The Russian Futurists "Method of Modern Love"
Sleater-Kinney "One Beat"
The Flaming Lips "Trasmissions From the Satellite Heart"
The Mountain Goats "Sunset Tree"


The Russian Futurists album is somewhere between what Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Architecture in Helsinki are producing now...but not as good. I don't know how better to describe it than one listen I love it, the next, it's crap.

Oil me up!

So, I had lunch today at a supposedly great Italian cafe in Lansing Il., Not so great by my standards. A little too oily on the pasta. I feel like I'm 14 again with oil just pouring out of every pore on my face. I feel that I smell like oil too .. ick.

Anyway, no theme to the music today ...
Architecture in Helsinki, "In Case We Die"
Bill Evans Trio, "Portrait in Jazz"
Frank Zappa, "Saarbrucken 1978"
Iron & Wine, "Woman King"
Kings of Leon, "Aha Shake Heartbreak"


Zappa in '78, damn, I was three years old. What an odd performer bordering on genius. My wife hates his music, I love it, so I listen to it when she's not around.
Favorites from this show: "The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing," "Bobby Brown," "Saint Alphonso's Pancake Breakfast."

Neil before Zod

So I was at Costco picking up some steaks and the sort when I hit the DVD/CD section.
I saw one copy of Neil Young's "Rust Never Sleeps." So naturally I had to pick it up. For $9 you can't go wrong!
The Road Eyes setting up the stage, the acoustic set to open the show and Crazy Horse hitting the show made me wish I'd seen them more often.
Highlights for the disc:
"When you Dance, I can Really Love"
"Cinnamon Girl"
"Cortez the Killer"

Neil Young has been a favorite of mine for about 15 years. I've seen him with Crazy Horse once in '97 and on the CSNY tour 2000. Both shows made me wish I could play guitar. Plus, Neil kinda reminds me of my dad. Their facial expressions are similar when they are both in deep concentration. My dad on a project around the house, Young when in deep jam.

- DJr -

Two in one day?!

Holy cow ... yep, two entries in one day, and no one cares.
Anyway, while everyone around here is quoting Jim Gaffagen's 'Hot Pocket' skit, I'm waiting to leave.
Here's what got me through the day...

1a. Ben Folds "Speed Graphic"
1b. Ben Folds "Sunny 16"
1c. Ben Folds "Super D"
2. Built to Spill "Perfect From Now On"
3. Dr. Dog "Burn this CD"
4. Elliott Smith "Figure 8"


The Ben Folds EPs are fantastic. Covering The Cure and the Darkness with an attempt at Ray Charles too. I just don't like how I had to buy all three seperately. Whatever.
Built to Spill rule my skull when I just want to hear fuzziness.
Dr. Dog is possibly the worst name for this band. Their music is incredible and their opening track reminds me of an amalgam of Randy Newman and later Beatles.
Elliott Smith ... ouch. Everytime I listen to him now I think of him stabbing himself to death.

Weekend is here ... more Monday.

-DJr-

Ear Drum March 16, 2006

I really listened to all of this

1. Belle & Sebastian: "Fold Your Hands Child, You walk Like a Peasant"
2. Bele & Sebastian: "If You're Feeling Sinister"
3. Godspeed You Black Emperor: "Amazezine 7in."
4. Godspeed You Black Emperoro: "F#A# (Infinity)"
5. Arctic Monkeys: "Whatever People Say I am, That's What I am Not."
6. Andrew Bird's Bowl of Fire: "The Swimming Hour"
7. Rolling Stones: "Exile on Main Street"

On a Belle & Sebastian kick lately, even though I won't be a their show at the Riviera. I haven't picked up their new album yet, but next time I'm at Von's in West Lafayette or Reckless on Milwaukee in Chicago I'll do so.


-D-

Benedict loves menthols

Listened to the Smoking Popes 'At Metro' disc on the way to work today. It's nifty. April and I were at the show in November hooting it up for every song they played. 'Pretty Pathetic' is a highlight just for the monologue leading into the drum break. The sandwiching of 'Rambling Rose' is a great way to start and end the show too.
The DVD is of great quality. Not sure how often I'll watch it - probably twice in my lifetime - but it's a nice piece to add to the collection. Didn't see us on the film, but that's probably because no one was there to see us.

http://www.smokingpopes.net/

Bitty's won't shut it yo!

Since I couldn't concentrate with all the noise in my office, I wore headphonesallday until I went to the gas station to get a tasty sandwich.


Here's my playlist for the day:
The Eels with Strings
Iron and Wine: Woman King
The Pixies: Death to the Pixies
Modest Mouse: The Lonesome Crowded West
My Morning Jacket: Z

My Morning Jacket opens up for Pearl Jam at the United Center in May ... I'll try to get to one of those nights.

George Bush hates black puppets

So, I listned to Kanye West's 'College Dropout' album ... yeah, finally.
It's decent. I could edit it down a bit, and will probably skip the skit tracks, but I do that quite often with rap albums.
Fav. Tracks ...
Gold Digger - any song about a Prenuptial agreement gets a giggle in my book
Diamonds from Sierra Leone - A great track about bloody diamonds.
Hey Mama - Making you eat cereal with a fork to save the milk. Awesome.
I didn't like "Crack Music" though. Maybe it's a little rough for me, the only saving grace is that West throws props to Gil Scott Herron.

My first post

Ok, so everyone has a blog, well, almost everyone.
So, in my menial work environment, I listen to my headphones for almost the entire eight hour day.
My hope is to just post the albums I listen to and any thing else that comes up.
Maybe you'll see a pic or two ... but hell, I don't even own a digital camera yet.
Anyway .. enjoy, leave me comments if you want.
-DJr.-