MMJ
I saw My Morning Jacket last Thursday. One of the best shows I’ve seen, ever. Set list here.
I wanted the Tribe to knock the Black Sox out so bad yesterday.
Five Rifs for the Weekend
Below are five great songs with great guitar rifs to get you through your weekend and beyond. Parents coming next weekend. Mike is engaged. Mare about to have child. Justin is an African. George is a pig. Been almost a year since I heard from Lars. Best time of year right now. Warm, not humid, tourist gone. Going to NYC for the first time ever in Nov. Weird I never got there when I used to live only ten hours away. Happy Birthday Father.
The Thermals-Returning To The Fold: Play Now | Play in Popup Cherry Twister-'m Gonna Be The Lonely Boy Tonite: Play Now | Play in Popup The Walkmen-Lost in Boston: Play Now | Play in Popup Dinosaur Jr.-Start Choppin: Play Now | Play in Popup The Futureheads-Everything's Changing Today: Play Now | Play in Popup
1 Commenti was a sceptic at first but these miracles work
Looks like I skipped July, sorry for that. I spent two weeks of July in Alaska visiting Mary and Casey and did some amazing things up there. Great time and much too long to go without seeing them. Summer is going way too fast and I’m a little bummed that it’s August already. Tracey is back in Ohio at the moment visiting fam and friends. I’ve spent my time without Tracey keeping busy (beyond work):
That’s about it for now. Hi Brad, good to hear from you. And how amazing is this Q and Not U song below?
Back Yard (backyard)
After two years of delays and planning, we got our back patio area finished. Here’s a quick peek.
Finally, Songs 1-5 from 2007
Hey “people”, happy summer. Lets cover the highlights quickly, my work softball team is 7-1, I got to see the Hold Steady and the Whigs, we’re going to Alaska to see Mary and Casey in a little over a week, I hated Indiana Jones IV, loving Rescue Me season 4, I don’t have a Facebook account, I love Lost again, not sure about the new MMJ need more time, and I’m finally finishing this stupid top songs list.
1: Moving Pictures-The Cribs
This song is simple, I guess, but it works for me. It’s not overtly poppy, but riffy in a gritty way that I like. When I check my Itunes “Top 25 Most played”, this song and the next one are at the top.
2: Hellodrama-What Made Milwaukee Famous
How fun is this song? So what if it came out in 2006, or even 2004 actually, I didn’t discover it until 07. Dig it.
3: Doing it Right-The Go! Team
Jeb is going to hate this one, but I don’t care. This is sugar pop goodness that does not wear out. This is also a very nostalgic song for me because I got into it last September when the Mighty Pat Good (Tracey’s Dad) was really sick and toward the end. It was a great pick me upper.
4: Keep It Together-Aqueduct
More electro pop funness. This song has got a bit of 70’s ishness with a tad of “roller skating party”. I saw these guys in LA once and they closed the show with a brilliant cover of Don’t Stop Believing by Journey. Catch them if you can.
5: Feigned Amnesia-They Might Be Giants
It’s been a few albums since I’ve really been into TMBG. The Else was a fav from last year, and this song has a great chorus riff that I’m still addicted to. Enjoy the bliss riffage.
Moving Pictures-The Cribs: Play Now | Play in Popup Hellodrama-What Made Milwaukee Famous: Play Now | Play in Popup Doing it Right-The Go! Team: Play Now | Play in Popup Keep It Together-Aqueduct: Play Now | Play in Popup Feigned Amnesia-They Might Be Giants: Play Now | Play in PopupMadre Day
I know it’s late in the day Mom but Happy Mother’s Day! I wish we could have gone to Cleveland with you guys tonight. Even though you’ll read this after the fact I’m going to tell you now that I’ll call you on your way home from your concert.
6-10 from the slacker
I know it’s May, but I’ve got to finish this list. (Cheryl, I’ll be in Vegas this weekend for Rush!)
6: On the Bubble-The Broken West
TBW are from LA and bring the indie pop. Just listen to that opening part, B. Wilson’s influence fo sho.
7: Same Old Drag-The Apples in Stereo
More indie piano/keyboard rock. I adore pretty much everything that Rob Sneider does. Maybe this song has a bit of Koufax in it? Maybe not, definitely some 70s vibe going.
8: Post Soothing Out-Art Brut
These guys may be an acquired taste for some, but I really like em. I saw them open for The Hold Steady last year and they were a riot. The lead singer kept a great running dialogue/commentary/joke about Saved by the Bell going throughout the whole show. His knowledge of the show was impressive and alarming. You probably had to be there.
9: Between the Moon and the Ocean-Bon Savants
I heard this song on my Sirius radio and fell deeply in lust immediately. They be from Boston and the full length this song came from is some good stuff. Check it out.
10: Can’t Believe a Single Word-VHS or Beta
So, I still like this song, but I’m not feeling it as much as when I first made this list. I want to be true to my original intent though so it stays at number ten. It got overplayed on several radio stations out here, but it still grooves.
On the Bubble-The Broken West: Play Now | Play in Popup Same Old Drag-The Apples in Stereo: Play Now | Play in Popup Post Soothing Out-Art Brut: Play Now | Play in Popup Between the Moon and the Ocean-Bon Savants: Play Now | Play in Popup Can't Believe a Single Word-VHS or Beta: Play Now | Play in Popupall things are well, we’ll be alright, we have our looks and perfume (or songs 11-15 of my best of 2007)
Some quick updates:
…back to the list
11: Lotus-Minus The Bear
As you know great reader, I love the songs that pack several styles within one song, and I was happy to hear Minus The Bear do it on this song. This is the longest song on my list and I especially love it at the 2:34 mark when they jam out then head off in some Pink Floyd like direction. I admit MtB can be an acquired taste, but they work for me.
12: Impossible Germany-Wilco
I normally don’t listen to Wilco. I have all their CDs through various means and people. My friend Ken urged me emphatically to check out their latest. Though I did not like all of it, this song was a huge standout and turned out to be one of my favs of last year. The long jam out session that starts at the 2:45 mark is very chill and has rescued me on many stressful occasions at work.
13: Apartment Story-The National
What can I say, Boxer was one of the best CDs of last year. Picking a favorite song was not easy, but this one is satisfyingly melancholy and dreamy. I’m glad I got to see them in a 300 capacity venue for ten bucks last year cause I just paid 33$ to see them at the House of Blues. Buzz inflation is not cool.
14: Lolita-Black Francis
I love the Pixies and Mr. Blacks solo effort from last year was very Pixyess. I read rumors that the songs on Bluefinger were potential new Pixies songs if they decided to record again. They are still good and I like the female backup on this song, even if it’s not Kim Deal.
15: The Underdog-Spoon
I know it’s overplayed but I just love this song. Maybe it’s too easy to call out the Neil Diamond similarities with the sound and maybe this song even goes too far in ripping that vibe, but because they did it so well I’ll forgive them and continue to overplay it in my headphones.
Lotus-Minus The Bear: Play Now | Play in Popup Impossible Germany-Wilco: Play Now | Play in Popup Apartment Story-The National: Play Now | Play in Popup Lolita-Black Francis: Play Now | Play in Popup The Underdog-Spoon: Play Now | Play in PopupHave you ever dipped doritos in ranch?
It’s been almost a month of blog silence and it had to end. My job is bla bla, you don’t care. It’s been keeping me busy and we spent a couple weekends installing wood laminate floors in our downstairs rooms. It was quite challenging, but rewarding to get it done. Well, 85% done. There are some lingering issues to finish up, but mostly done and looking good. Last night Tracey and I met my brother Justin in Costa Mesa to see the A-Sides. The good part was seeing Justin and it was only 6$, the lame part was they only got to play half an hour and did not play any of the songs I wanted to hear. Justin will be back down in SD next weekend for his last days of Cali life. It will be sad to not have him so near but we are very excited for his adventure. You can catch up on that on his new site about moving to Africa. I’ll try to get back to my list of songs from 2007, but it feels dumb at this point. Latre.
I love third wave ska
The list continues…
16: See You At The Lights-1990s
With this song’s mention of snow right in the beginning, it gives me a warm feeling of being in NYC in winter, going out at night and running into a Strokes member and having a good time. Never-mind the fact that somehow I’ve never been to NYC, let alone met a Stroke, but that’s what I think of. Great, fun song.
17: Wasted Little DJs-The View
These guys are Scots and this song reminds me of my Ireland/Scotland trip a few summers ago. I also compared this song to a FIF song awhile ago, if you remember. Mike will.
18: Fading Into Obscurity-Sloan
I love Sloan. I got to see them last year at the SD HOB and they did not disappoint. You may or may not know this already, but I love songs like this one that are longer and are more like several songs in one. Get into it.
19: Disaster-The Besnard Lakes
There were a few bands last year I got into that really leaned on the Brian Wilson like voice to go with their indie rock, and I love it. If you dig this song, check out Panda Bear or the A-Sides.
20: Silent Places-Baby Dayliner
I saw the video for this song on MTV2 and was hooked. I played it for Justin and he was down. My file version is Itunes, and I can’t get mp4s to play on this site, so here’s the link for the video. There’s an Entourage dude in the video, which is really random to me.
See You At The Lights-1990s: Play Now | Play in Popup Wasted Little DJs-The View: Play Now | Play in Popup Fading Into Obscurity-Sloan: Play Now | Play in Popup Disaster-The Besnard Lakes: Play Now | Play in Popup