Enjoy Your Worries

The Maestro

2010-08-03T15:04:00.001-07:00

When the content genuinely warrants it, repetition can really be a beautiful thing.

This and That

2010-07-03T08:24:00.000-07:00

It's quite unfortunate that I haven't kept a better record of all the shows I've seen throughout the years. I would, however, like to try and do a better job of it in the future. So here's what all I've seen over the past few weeks...

June 11 - Frog Eyes@ The Frequency (Madison, WI)
June 14 - Tony Allen (of Fela Kuti)@ Pritzker Pavilion (Chicago, IL)
June 17 - Megafaun@ High Noon Saloon (Madison, WI)
June 19 - CocoRosie@ Barrymore Theatre (Madison, WI)
June 21 - The Books@ Pritzker Pavilion (Chicago, IL)
June 23 - Sam Amidon @ Mercury Lounge (New York, NY)
June 24 - Holy Ghost, Neon Indian (DJ)@ Le Poisson Rouge (New York, NY)
June 25 - Jonathan Meiburg@ The Whitney Museum (New York, NY)
July 2 - Toro Y Moi, High Places@ The Whitney Museum (New York, NY)
July 2 - Glass Candy, Mike Simonetti (DJ)@ Highline Ballroom (New York, NY)

"Spirituals" Interview

2010-06-10T13:34:00.000-07:00

I recently conducted an interview with the man behind the Portland-based electronic project, Spirituals. Here's what he had to say:

Full name, age, and hometown?

Tyler Tadlock, 25, born and raised in Pearl, Mississippi, just outside of Jackson.

When did Spirituals start?

About three or four years ago I was playing a lot of improvisational drums with some friends in the south and decided to put a few of those recordings online. At the time I called it Tyler Tadlock & the Spirituals, spirituals just standing for anyone who would have happened to be performing along with me–never with the same configuration of musicians, and sometimes just by myself. That's kind of where the idea of making music on the computer came about. I'd record some free improvisational drum solo and try to ad some weird synth stuff to it in the first take/listen. At the time I was just getting into Four Tet and Manitoba and that sort of stuff.

What instruments do you play and what kinds of equipment do you use?

Drums are my primary instrument when I'm not doing Spirituals stuff. Spirituals was a sort of experiment with producing and composing on the computer so that I could try making music out from behind the drum set. Being a drummer sometimes is limiting when it comes to composing, it not being much of a melodic instrument. I like writing on the computer because I get to visually work out the arrangement. I use Ableton Live mostly, mainly because it is so intuitive. I've never been a tech-head so it's user-friendly nature was perfect for me. I hate getting creatively derailed by having to stop and learn a program. I don't like having another step between my ideas and putting them down. Although, having worked with it for a few years now I'm discovering how much it's capable of. It's a great piece of software.

What role does sampling have in your work?

Sampling makes up a majority of the sounds you hear on the record. I tend to start a song from one sample that catches my ear and either find other samples that compliment it or record some of my own. Then it just sort of evolves into many different things until I'm happy with it. Sometimes a melody idea I have might come first and I'll record that, but a lot of the time it's a sample that gives me ideas.

Does Spirituals plan on performing live anytime soon?

Yes, soon.

Hints of early Manitoba, Four Tet, and even an occasional Battles-type of feel are definitely prevalent in your writing. All of which are extremely dynamic but can be difficult to categorize because of their broad range and constantly evolving sound. You never know what to expect from those kinds of musicians and that makes it hard to have these definitive labels attributed to their brand of electronic music. That said, do you feel that your music can be placed within a specific genre or two? Otherwise, how might you classify Spirituals in five words or less?

I would classify Spirituals as indie-twee-shit-gaze.

No, I try not to think too much about genres in regards to my own stuff. Genres are necessary for communicating a very vague idea of what the music might sound like, but I don't rely on a set description of music. I never really set out to write a minimal techno song or anything like that. I might write a track that sounds more like one genre than other tracks next to it, but I wouldn't pin the whole project down to one sound. I usually just tell people electronic, because I make it on the computer.

What do you hope to achieve with Spirituals? Are there any underlying themes within your music?

I think from the start I wanted Spirituals to focus on different sound textures and how they relate to one another within a composition. I love juxtaposing something like a close-mic studio sounding guitar with sounds from the street. Two things you wouldn't hear together, but somehow they relate in texture. That sort of stuff interests me, and it's a quality that I think is represented in the music.

Tell us a bit more about your record coming out this month. Is this going to be a proper full-length? Will there be a vinyl pressing of it?

The self titled full-length will be coming out on Waaga Records on June 22. Waaga is primarily a digital release label, so there may not be a proper pressed release of this one just yet.

How did you get in touch with Waaga Records?

A friend of a friend of a friend.

So you're a Portland transplant via Jackson, Mississippi. Why'd you leave home and what do you miss most?

I had opportunities here on the west coast and my fiance was here in Portland. Everyone should leave home at some point.

I really miss fried catfish. And boiled peanuts.

What was the music/art scene like there? Anybody you'd like to mention?

The music/art scene in Jackson is small, yet vocal. People get so excited about anything and everything, which is something unique to small cities I think. When not much is happening, what does happen tends to get the attention of everyone. The quality of what goes on in Jackson is up there next to anything here in Portland, although there's a lot more of it here of course. My good friend Johnny Bertram just came out with a record I played drums on. He writes some incredible folk-sounding stuff. Super genuine guy and it shows in his music. He's a big supporter of the local scene.

What's one thing that most people might not know about Jackson, Mississippi?

I don't know if too many people know anything at all about Jackson, Mississippi.

Prior to Spirituals, did you have any serious collaborations and/or solo efforts?

I've always been involved as a drummer with other bands. I played a lot with some friends in Jackson. I used to write music with a good friend Jonathan Scarborough, who currently is pursuing his solo stuff. Also played a lot of free improvisational music with William Thompson and Chris Alford who are currently in New Orleans.

What inspires you outside of music?

Visual art is a big interest of mine. I was doing a lot of mixed media painting in college and still do when I have the time. Another side of that is graphic design, which is my day job. Aesthetics of all sorts have always inspired me. Seeing something that could be turned into or considered art, when it's not necessarily designated as such, is where I tend to draw a lot of inspiration. Those ideas also bleed over into the music I think. It's that kind of interest in turning old things into new things that got me into sampling.

Are there any current trends in music that you just don't understand or can't get into?

I'm not really into a lot of stuff that boasts about shitty production quality. There have been several reverb-ish, effect-heavy bands lately that tend to overdo the effects so much it's distracting to the music. I can see what people like about it though. Sometimes it's an interesting sound, but it's easy to pick out those doing it simply because it's what's getting hot right now.

Oh yea, and autotune should have never been invented.

Which trends do you feel are a bit more justified?

I think it's incredibly easy nowadays to get a hold of new music and/or to make it yourself. Because of that, all of these bedroom recording artists are popping up everywhere and it's fantastic. I don't know if I'd call it a trend, necessarily, but there are more folks performing in each others houses it seems than at clubs and bars. It's like people go for the music and not for the drinks. The whole self-recording thing also can encourage a lot of cool sounds created by folks who may or may not have made them intentionally.

What are five records you've been listening to lately?

Soft cat - Wildspace (label mate Neil Sanzgiri writes some beautiful stuff)
Happy Apple - Happy Apple Back On Top
Talib Kweli and Hi Tek - Revolutions Per Minute
Clutchy Hopkins - The Story Teller
Floating Points - Love Me Like This/Shangrila

What does the rest of 2010 have in store for you, regarding Spirituals and otherwise?

At the moment I'm working on getting a live set together for Spirituals, and will start playing some shows soon. Also I'm working on a project with my fiance, Shelby Sifers, called Peacock Dreams. We hope to crank out a record by the end of the year.

Thanks, Tyler and best of luck with the upcoming record and all of your other future projects. For samples from it, help yourself to the mp3s below:

Spirituals - Wanderings
Spirituals - City With Soul

Here They Come

2010-02-16T19:40:00.000-08:00

LA's Local Natives released their debut record "Gorilla Manor" stateside today (it's been out for a few months in the UK) for those of you into Neil Young and that new wave of Americana-infused indie rock that has become so visible over the past few years. Highlights from their full-length include the perfectly written opening track, "Wide Eyes," with it's melodic guitars and captivating hooks that resemble those of a more reverb-heavy The National, rhythmic "Sun Hands", the beautiful "Cards and Quarters", a cover of the Talking Heads' "Warning Sign", and the string-filled ballad, "Who Knows Who Cares." Actually, wait, the whole record is really good. I hear many of the big-hype, "it" bands of the last few years echoed in Gorilla Manor and yet Local Natives still somehow manage to fill a void in that all too familiar world of airwave-friendly rock. For every bit of Grizzly Bear in Gorilla Manor, there's equal parts TV On The Radio and Fleet Foxes. Critics might eat them up for having such similarities to their predecessors but the Local Natives' brand is just too well executed throughout their debut for it to be held against them. Currently the band is in the middle of a European tour which will then be followed by a week in Austin where they're sure to win over plenty of SXSW-goers just before they play Coachella in April to thousands of sunburnt parents, their rebellious teenage children, and every other Southern Californian that's ever bought a Jay-Z cd.

Tucsonans ought to check them out a couple days after they play Coachella, at Solar Culture on April 20th, which also just happens to be the same day that the new Caribou record comes out. If interested in purchasing the Local Natives record, buy it from their website or your local record store. Or download a lot of it illegally.

Charles Spearin

2010-01-03T11:28:00.000-08:00

Charles Spearin - The Happiness Project

The Happiness Project | MySpace Music Videos

I've been meaning to post this for months now but maybe it's better that I've waited seeing as one of my many new years resolutions is to be happier. Hope some of you enjoy this as much as I do.

golden reverb

2009-11-18T09:28:00.000-08:00

Waking up to Beach House's "Norway," a track off of their upcoming record, is not such a bad feeling. Listen to it on their myspace page here.

Oh, and the Portland Cello Project is playing at Plush tonight with Thao and The Get Down Stay Down and David Schultz. The Generationals play at Club Congress tomorrow night with Monster Pussy and Neon Indian will also be playing a show at Congress on Saturday night. So there's that.

R.I.P. Jerry Fuchs

2009-11-10T00:44:00.000-08:00

Sadly, one of my favorite musicians whom I can recall having seen play and had the pleasure of meeting, passed away this last weekend. The same Jerry Fuchs that I wrote about a few months back and then saw play at Club Congress in October with his band, Maserati, was involved in an elevator accident in Brooklyn late Saturday night. He died shortly after being taken to the hospital that morning. Jerry was 34 years old and a veteran of the music industry, perhaps best known as the drummer of !!!, Maserati, the Juan MacLean, and Turing Machine, while also collaborating with Holy Ghost!, LCD Soundsystem, and others.

Death always seems premature, especially when someone has so much going for them. In the three times that I saw Maserati play and a rather vague recollection of seeing a Juan MacLean show prior to those, I can honestly say that Jerry was truly the greatest, if not the most inspiring, drummer I've ever seen perform. Never have I been so infatuated with a band's percussion to the extent as I have when watching a Maserati show. Growing up, we all have heroes, idols, mentors, and favorite players. Jerry was like a favorite player of mine and I have a feeling that I'm not alone in that.

It's not everyday that you meet somebody like Jerry Fuchs. Though our conversation was limited only to a little over half an hour or so when we spoke after Maserati's set in Tucson last month, he immediately struck me as someone who was extremely kind, knowledgeable, passionate, and above all, down-to-earth. Under most circumstances it would be strange to refer to such an acquaintance as a friend of yours but after having the kind of exchange I had with Jerry, I'm not sure if I could appropriately refer to him as anything other than that. He was just that kind of guy. Thanks for the memories, buddy.

Maserati - Live at the Middle East 2 from Scott Wessen on Vimeo.

New York Times article on Fuchs' death
Rolling Stone article on Fuchs' death
Village Voice article on Fuchs published in '07

Warpaint

2009-10-28T00:22:00.001-07:00

Warpaint - Stars from Adam Harding on Vimeo.

Finally some Los Angelites doing something different AND doing it right! -- (yeah, all coming from a Los Angeles native, haha) -- Hate to be so critical but after the past year of the genre, that whole Southern Californian, noise-pop, surf-rock thing is really starting to wear on me. I'd been hoping that the region had more to offer than No Age, Wavvves, Abe Vigoda, Mika Miko and that neverending slew of bands and well, surprise, surprise, apparently they do. And it's not electro either. Don't get me wrong: each of the aforementioned bands seem like great people and all, especially the No Age guys, but it can get tiring seeing one sound and one small music scene dominate such a large and what-should-be much more diverse landscape.

Upon hearing the three young girls from L.A. that comprise Warpaint, it's apparent that their sound doesn't quite fit into that scene, at least not categorically speaking. At times they produce an airy, and ultra-reverby, Beach House-esque feel, most notably on "Billie Holliday" off of their recently released "Exquisite Corpse." On the album-opener, "Stars", however, they establish a more immediate and darker, Bat for Lashes or even Des Ark meets a sort-of early Sigur Ros shoegaze theme but without leaning too much towards either end of that whole spectrum. The majority of their debut EP is overwhelmingly moody and though we rarely ever see them produce too much buoyancy, the energetic "Krimson" is a discernable exception and proves that the girls are also cabaple of breaking out of their somber, dream-like state when the occasion presents itself. Another reviewer noted the possibility of them "usurping Chan Marshall's throne" at some point down the road and to be completely honest, I don't think it's really such a long shot unless of course they find themselves inclined to a remarkably altered sound from what is heard on "Exquisite Corpse," and damn, is it exquisite. Anyhow, they play in Tucson at the always great Solar Culture this Sunday, November 1st. Those of you in town should go.

motion screen pictures

2009-09-02T01:54:00.000-07:00

inspiring videos as of late:

...shot by Heath Ledger just before he died. REALLY handing it to the bastards that make up the whaling industry

Beni "Maximus"

BENI - Maximus
Uploaded by MaisonKitsune. - Explore more music videos.

ALICE SIX MAFIA

thanks for this one, tyler.

Teengirl Fantasy "Portofino"

Bibio "the making of 'Sugarette'"
The making of Sugarette

play it loud, play it so, so loud.

2009-08-16T02:02:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to write about my adventures at the Pitchfork Festival last month for a while now but think I might prolong writing about it until my next post since it's two in the morning already and I could probably write a short novel on the weekend. Great. Glad I did that earlier when it was that much fresher in my mind and actually somewhat relevant.

SO, what's good? For starters, this whole thing that Mr. Bon Iver has going on with fellow Wisconsinites, Collections of Colonies of Bees, in their latest joint effort known as Volcano Choir. Serious business for some soft-spoken Midwestern folks. On their own, both groups are some of the best around at what they do; it's just unfair how good they are when combined. Volcano Choir's " Island, IS " will no doubt be getting more than it's fair share of rotation in my living room for many, many weeks to come. It's music like this that helps me breathe better. Their full-length record comes out next month on Jagjaguwar records. One of the better records of '09? I hope.

On another note, I'd like to thank Tucson for cheating us out of a proper monsoon season this year. I think we got a total of one week of rain. Maybe two. So, um, is summer almost over? Will fall come early this year? Will there be a fall? Whatever the case, less heat and the end of summer typically translates to more shows. Shows such as...

-August 24: Woods, Dungen @ The Rhythm Room (Phoenix)
-August 27: Death Vessel, Fruit Bats, Golden Boots @ Plush
-September 6: Calexico @ Club Congress
-September 22: Frightened Rabbit, The Twilight Sad, We Were Promised Jetpacks @ Plush
-September 24: Telefon Tel Aviv @ The Rhythm Room (Phoenix)
-September 28: Bon Iver, Megafaun @ The Rialto Theatre
-September 29: Asobi Seksu @ Plush
-September 30: !!! @ Club Congress
-October 6: A Hawk and A Hacksaw @ Solar Culture
-October 9: These Arms Are Snakes @ Plush
-October 14: Mono, Maserati @ Club Congress
-October 24: Why? @ Club Congress
-October 31: Le Loup @ Plush

and many others I'm surely forgetting. Not bad for little Tucson, Arizona. Wow, the week of September 22nd - 30th should be a great one. Sleep time.

late, late nights

2009-06-30T12:12:00.000-07:00

great state parks - the more i feel alive... from nickjett on Vimeo.

Thanks to Nick Georgiou, Andrew Busch, and Zach Lihatsh for the impromptu outburst of noise that we created late last night/early this morning. You guys were great company. It's really too bad, however, that there's no documentation of the evening other than a few "morning after" photos of my living room and some really pissed off neighbors. God, I love summer.

Sigourney Rose

2009-06-27T17:37:00.001-07:00

too good.

Ný Batterí ['Popp í Reykjavík'] from sigur-ros.co.uk on Vimeo.

Is that? No. Wait...

2009-06-26T11:48:00.000-07:00

So I was logging some time on the computer this morning when I stumbled upon this video of a MSTRKRFT performance with John Legend that aired on Letterman a few days ago. The song itself is nothing more than catchy, albeit cheesey, r&b-tinged pop music, and while it's nothing to write home about, I couldn't help but notice one of the live members present in it. Shadowing John Legend for the duration of the song is drummer Jerry Fuchs of Maserati, and previously, !!! fame. Maybe it shouldn't come as all that much of a surprise considering how frequently he works with other artists but it just wasn't the kind of song that I expected to see the guy collaborate on in front of a Letterman audience. John Legend and MSTRKRFT were an unlikely enough pairing to begin with; seeing Fuchs just made it that much weirder but, man, does that guy have crisp style!

Anyways, here's the video:

and a reference picture of Fuchs in action, just to make sure I'm not seeing things.

Speaking of Maserati, the band will be coming back to Tucson this October with Japanese post-rockers, Mono, for a show at Club Congress which should be quite a site to see despite the fact that Congress might be one of the most unappropriate venues for a show like this to be held at. Whatever the case, tours like this don't exactly happen everyday. The last time each band came through Tucson was 2007. Both played at Plush, each on their own respective tours, and they left us with two of the best shows of the year. This time should be no different. See you on October 14th, folks.

making my world go 'round

2009-06-22T20:29:00.000-07:00

I've been phone-less for three or four days now and I'm slowly realizing it's kind of nice. I mean, to a certain extent at least. Nobody to answer to, no calls to screen, no screen to call... So, for the few people who read this, friends or otherwise, I guess I'm just wondering what everyone is up to. As for me, well, I just got home from a pretty strange day at work, I'm about to have a few drinks at home before going to see Sunset Rubdown at Plush tonight, maybe shower, currently blasting Zaza's "Always On", Hi-Tek's "Thug Luv", and Cut Copy's "Strangers in the Wind" from my speakers (gotta mix it up from time to time), looking forward to riding my bike in the morning, cooking dinner later tonight, and a bunch of other stuff. Wow, so I guess this is my new livejournal account.

You probably already have the Cut Copy record but can listen to Zaza here and Hi-Tek here since I don't have any mp3s for you tonight. Thanks for reading, friends.

Arrangements

2009-06-21T15:13:00.000-07:00

I've posted his music before but I just can't get over Volker Bertelmann's unique take on the prepared piano, who records under the moniker Hauschka and hails from Dusseldorf, Germany. A film documenting part of a live performance from Hauschka, an interview with Bertelmann, and an array of rural German scenery was recently shot and released by Andreas Huth. The wonderfully-put-together footage can be seen below:

How much material is contained in a tone?

We live in a world that won't last forever

2009-06-15T23:18:00.001-07:00

"Tokyo" photo by Rhian Sheehan

Can't say I hear good music from New Zealand too often. Rhian Sheehan of Wellington creates some pretty unreal ambient soundscapes though. His newest album "Standing In Silence" was just released a few months ago. Everything I've heard from it so far is extremely impressive. Here's a video for one of the tracks on that record which was filmed in Tokyo:

Holiness

2009-06-08T21:07:00.000-07:00

Not like anybody is going to read this in the next two hours or the next two years for that matter... BUT y'all should go see Holy Fuck tonight at Plush in the desert(ed) town that is Tucson. Dudes are sorta good; you won't be sorry.

treadmills and hairspray

2009-05-26T12:28:00.000-07:00

...

Stevie Nicks - Stand Back

DAAARRRN

2009-05-10T21:56:00.000-07:00

Love me some 80's.

Futurecop - Karate Kids (video by TNUC) from TNUC on Vimeo.

I think Miyagi, Swayze, Rad!, and The Breakfast Club provide just the kind of light at the end of the tunnel inspiration we need in recessions like these.

Oh, hey.

2009-05-10T19:39:00.000-07:00

Wow, I guess it's been a while since I've written anything. Soooo back in March I went to Austin for my first SXSW. You could say it was an alright time. There were definitely a few highlights but due to the free beer which I seemingly kept stumbling upon all week long, I can't say that I maintained the most vivid recollection of all of them. Here's what I do happen to remember:

~following this Danish band around to each one of the four shows they played that weekend

~Peter Broderick's humble wizardry

~singing along with some guy from Vermont's cover of R Kelly's "Relief" on the 17th floor lounge of Downtown Austin's Hilton hotel

~getting a little bit loose to Rio de Janeiro's best dj's in some weird, ultra-plush, upscale bar

~the celebration that is Akron/Family. I've got a feeling that those guys aren't capable of having a bad time.

~seeing Handsome Furs back-to-back with American Analog Set at the Insound party. I know, sounds strange, but it was perfect.

~Jerry Fuchs from Maserati. That guy is a monster. Well, the rest of the band is too but Fuch!

~This Will Destroy You

~sad, ol' Daniel Johnston. To be honest, the majority of his set was quite miserable to see but somehow it was completely redeeming when he played "Living Life."

~the chaos ensuing from hundreds of kids piled on top of each other at the No Age show at Ms. Bea's.

~hearing about how one of my childhood BMX heroes, Joe Rich, challenged my friend Erin to a bike race after she left one of the shows we were at.

~Whole Foods on Lamar and an incredible coffee shop/cafe near South Congress which I've since forgotten the name of.

And lots more, of course. Unfortunately my camera wasn't working so I failed to actually document most of these things, though I'm pretty sure there's gotta be sufficient pictures and videos of a lot of the shows considering how packed things seemed at this year's SXSW. All in all, the weekend was a great time and I wouldn't have changed a thing, though it definitely felt nice to come home after what was basically a non-stop 96-hour music festival and a combined 24 hours worth of driving, over the course of five days or so. Maybe next time I'll actually write about the experience sooner and not come home picture-less. Thanks Erin and Jennifer and Adan for the company, and Carla for letting me crash on your floor. See you next year, Austin. Hopefully.

Denton, Texas comin' on up

2009-03-07T00:04:00.000-08:00

Sleep Whale from mom the band on Vimeo.

Griffey Jr.

2009-03-02T01:00:00.000-08:00

circa '86

Slow Dancing Society - This Lilac Life

Mike

2009-02-21T04:16:00.002-08:00

Darn.

2009-02-18T01:28:00.000-08:00

I've never really been one for cover songs but I've made a few exceptions lately. When I heard this a couple of days ago it instantly became the highlight of my week. I guess this is what growing up in the '90s does to you. For some Feist-meets-Jazzy Jeff gloriousness, check the link below:

Kay Pettigrew - Fresh Prince of Bel Air

Okay, I'll promise not to post any more covers for a while. I think I've met my quota.

Cleast Eatwood. Yeah... Cleast Eatwood.

2009-02-10T20:18:00.000-08:00

I've lost count of how many MGMT remixes, covers, and mash-ups I've heard this past year. Cleast Eatwood's brand new take on Electric Feel, however, might just be my new favorite of the bunch. The Stockholm twosome pull off what's basically an a cappella version of one of the most celebrated songs of the year, if not the decade.

MGMT - Electric Feel (Cleast Eatwood remix)

another good one:
MGMT - Electric Feel (Emil & Friends remix) (added on 2/26)

"you are already in heaven"

2009-02-10T14:16:00.000-08:00

K Records' Lake will be playing here in Tucson, Arizona at the Hanger on March 15th. It should be a grand ol' time. Check them out if you're not already going to Plush to see Say Hi and Viva Voce or to Solar Culture to see The Mae Shi that same night. I think I'm going to try to see all three. Maybe.

update: MONSTER PUSSY will also be playing with Lake at the Hanger on 3/15. You should go.

Brooklyn Girls

2009-02-06T11:06:00.001-08:00

Au Revoir Simone - Sad Song
Uploaded by Cooperative-Music

Telefon Tel Aviv

2009-02-03T03:01:00.000-08:00

(Charles Wesley Cooper: April 12, 1977 - January 22, 2009)

It's 4:03 in the morning right now. Since I can't fall asleep, I felt inclined to share with everyone what is sure to be one of the more memorable releases of the new year. Two weeks ago, Telefon Tel Aviv's Immolate Yourself was released, the electronic duo's first proper release since their 2004 effort, Map of What Is Effortless. Telefon Tel Aviv's Joshua Eustis and Charles Cooper have been making music under the Telefon Tel Aviv alias for a decade now and likely would have continued to do so for quite a while longer were it not for Cooper's tragic and untimely death. Cooper passed away two weeks ago on January 22nd near the Chicago neighborhood, Wicker Park. He was 31 years old.

While the fate of the band is now uncertain, there's no doubt as to what kind of impact Cooper and Eustis have left on the world of electronic music over the course of their career. The two most recently released a compiled remixes record in 2007 following two acclaimed full-lengths, Fahrenheit Fair Enough and Map of What Is Effortless. In just the past five years, TTA have collaborated with an eclectic mix of musicians including the Loyola University Chamber Orchestra, Nine Inch Nails, and a plethora of others. Their collaborations were so varied and their music so influential that it wouldn't be much of a stretch to suggest that the mark they left on the world of IDM/ambient electronic music was not unlike that which Dilla left on underground and independent hip-hop prior to his own early departure a couple of years ago.

Telefon Tel Aviv was one of a few bands along with Four Tet and Prefuse 73 that really got me into the whole electronic thing back when I was in high school. It's because of this introduction that their music will always have a bit of a nostalgic impact on me. Eustis and Cooper's sound was personified by their beautiful ambient soundscapes with hi-fi and often glitchy trip-hop-styled production, a sound which the duo can distinctly call their own. Cooper is survived by his family, his many fans and friends, and Joshua Eustis, the other half of his long-time musical passion, Telefon Tel Aviv. Rest in peace, Charles.

Telefon Tel Aviv - The Birds (mp3 from Immolate Yourself)
Telefon Tel Aviv - What Is It Without The Hand That Wields It (video from Map of What Is Effortless)

---Header photo is via Josh's flickr

Once more

2009-01-22T02:52:00.001-08:00

After what I thought was sure to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity when I saw them last May, Copenhagen, Denmark's Efterklang is making a return to Tucson this coming March. They'll play at Plush (again) on March 11th with touring band member, Peter Broderick, who will be sure to hold his own when he opens up for the band with his solo show throughout the tour. If you haven't already heard Efterklang or Broderick, you're really missing out. Efterklang is undoubtedly one of the most eclectic bands around. They blend electronic music with classical instruments, a touch of folk, pop, and what I'd classify as choral music. And they pull it off. The music that five or ten of them create often sounds like it's being backed by ten times that many people. I've definitely never seen or heard anybody like them.

Almost everybody in the band sings and from what I remember, they're all multi-instrumentalists too; Broderick might just be the most individually talented of the bunch, or at least that's the feeling I get from the amount of quality releases the endlessly ambitious 21-year-old already has under his belt and his numerous collaborations which span from Horse Feathers and Loch Lomond to Library Tapes, Efterklang and even the upcoming M. Ward record. Pretty impressive stuff for such a young musician.

I'd expect that the Efterklang/Peter Broderick tour will be one of the highlights of the year for all those who are lucky enough to see it. If the band's last stop through Tucson was any indication, they'll probably surprise a lot of people who aren't so familiar with them. Though I don't exactly expect to be given a shaker and asked by Efterklang's guitarist, Frederik, to join them on stage for my favorite song "Chapter Six" again, I have no doubt that they'll be just as buoyant and energetic as they were the last time around. There. Are you convinced?

Efterklang - Cutting Ice To Snow from Rumraket on Vimeo.
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Finally...

2009-01-22T00:47:00.000-08:00

Anyone who knows me, or has known me over the course of the last five or six years or so, knows that I'm notoriously late when it comes to just about everything. Setting deadlines for myself, I've realized, is entirely useless. That said, I'm actually not doing too bad on this one considering that I'm only four or five weeks behind virtually every other music blogger that wrote about their favorite music from the past year. Initially I was contemplating not even compiling a best-of-2008 list at all, for a variety of reasons. The most foremost of which has to do with my perpetual indecisiveness. I have no doubt that I'm going to type up this list and then in a day or two, or a week or a month, I'm going to want to make more than just a couple of changes to it. But I won't. I mean, I could but it wouldn't count if I did something like that.

As for what my criteria was for the list, well, it consisted of a lot of things. What I considered the most in rating these records was how well written I thought the entirety of each record was, how creative it was, the music's ability to span across genres (though this may not have always been relevant), how it compared to previous records from the artist, and lastly, how frequently I listened to each record. There are probably a lot of other things that factored into my opinions that I'm not really mentioning here (for example, how underrated I think some of these artists are) but I'll spare you most of that and let you figure out some of these things on your own.

By no means was the last year an especially exceptional year for music (comparatively speaking, at least) but that's not to say that there wasn't some really incredible music put out over the past twelve months. So, yeah, here are what I thought were the best records of 2008:

10. Peter Broderick - Home

9. Born Ruffians - Red, Yellow & Blue

8. M83 - Saturdays = Youth

7. Hauschka - Ferndorf

6. Horse Feathers - House With No Home

5. Sigur Rós - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust

4. This Will Destroy You - This Will Destroy You

3. Hammock - Maybe They Will Sing for Us Tomorrow

2. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago

1. Sam Amidon - All Is Well

Ten more great records from '08:

Beach House - Devotion
Nico Muhly - Mothertongue
Goldmund - The Malady of Elegance
Mount Eerie & Julie Doiron - Lost Wisdom
The Mae Shi - Hillyh
Tape - Luminarium
Helios - Caesura
Xiu Xiu - Women As Lovers
Joan of Arc - Boo Human
The Notwist - The Devil, You + Me
Hot Chip - Made In The Dark

note: for the record, I'm not including Radiohead's "In Rainbows" in this list. While it technically came out on January 1st, 2008, many of us already had it before then and therefore, included it in our best-of lists from last year. I am, on the other hand, including Bon Iver's "For Emma, Forever Ago" because although it was independently released in 2007, the full record wasn't widely available to the masses until Jagjaguwar re-released it earlier on this past year (yeah, as hard as I tried, I couldn't actually get a copy of it until this past February or so). Finally, you probably noticed that there was no Fleet Foxes or TV on the Radio on this list. That's intentional. While I really enjoyed seeing both bands live this past year and have enjoyed both of their latest efforts, I didn't think either deserved anywhere near as much praise as most critics gave the two this past year. On one hand, TV On the Radio has been established as a relative "mainstay" by now and though they put out a quite interesting record with "Dear Science", I'm reluctant to call it their best yet. Fleet Foxes, on the other hand, were probably the most hyped band of the year. They're still very young and while they put out two great recordings this past year, again, I didn't feel that either deserved as much praise as most critics gave them. Maybe in a year or two, I'll feel differently. Speaking of hype, it might not be such a bad idea to include another section in which I elaborate on my feelings about Vampire Weekend, Deerhunter, and No Age, three more of the critics favorites from the past year but if I started that, I'd have to take it a step further with some type of "Records I'm Most Sick Of Hearing About From 2008" list. I won't do that though. No, I'd rather write about glass-is-half-full type of things tonight.

Feel free to leave a note with your own list(s), criticism/praise of mine, and/or any other comment(s) you may have.

ok

2008-12-29T21:34:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, songs never get old.

The Microphones - "The Glow Pt. 2"

I took my shirt off in the yard
no one saw that the skin on my shoulders was golden
now it's not
my shirt's back on
I forgot my songs
the glow is gone
my gliding body stopped

I could not get through September without a battle
I faced death
I went in with my arms swinging
but I heard my own breath
I had to face that I'm still living

I'm still flesh
I hold on to life with feelings

I'm not dead
there's no end
my face is red
my blood flows harshly
my heart beats loudly

my chest still draws breath
I hold it
I'm boiling
there's no end

"Hey young man, what's good?"

2008-12-29T00:36:00.001-08:00

Here's what's been doing it for me as of late:

1. sub-40 degree weather in Tucson
2. peanut butter granola
3. a clean house
4. "Daily Routine" from Animal Collective's upcoming record
5. my departure for China/Thailand tomorrow morning
6. college graduation money
7. stories from No One Belongs Here More Than You by Miranda July
8. 3:00 A.M. BMX sessions with Ben Shapiro
9. The Weather Underground documentary
10. Jan Sochor's photojournalism

And can someone please get me a TENORI-ON?
.

There's snow on the mountains

2008-12-27T19:19:00.001-08:00

So I considered posting a list of some of my favorite Christmas songs this week and while that sounds nice and fun and all, I decided that I'd be better sharing the next best thing: a semi-relevant video of Mogwai playing a song of theirs, "Christmas Steps", live.

It's really old, yet no doubt one of the better songs they've written. I recently got to see them play this song on their last tour, which I imagine is quite a rare thing since it came out on "Come On Die Young" in 1999 and I'm pretty sure that they tend to stick to playing mostly newer stuff on the road. Definitely one of the best songs I've ever seen, though I'm not really sure if it has anything to do with Christmas because, well, Mogwai doesn't exactly articulate these things in their music. Whatever the case, it's quite moving but since the video may not completely do it justice, you might want to find a download of it elsewhere.

Sorry, it was cheesey, cheery Christmas music or Mogwai playing their brand of Scottish, prog-inspired post-rock, really loud and really hard. I hope some of you enjoy the video half as much as I do.

The Justin Vernon Show

2008-12-17T19:44:00.001-08:00

Bon Iver just dropped a track or two from their forthcoming Blood Bank EP which will be out sometime next month on Bloomington, Indiana's finest record label, Jagjaguwar. Of course this is good news considering that literally everyone loves these guys. The EP will be released much to the anticipation of converts of For Emma, Forever Ago and thousands of other newly-inspired Letterman fans.

"Blood Bank" says a lot. It's late-night; it's early-morning; it's euphoric and it's dismal; it's equal parts log cabin and bus station. But it's brilliant and still sounds like it was probably written in a cabin. I can't help but think that there will be no turning back for this master songwriter and his band for a long, long time.

Bon Iver - "Blood Bank" (from the Blood Bank EP)
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February; Februarie; Februari; Febrehttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifro; Fevereiro; Février; Febbraio; 二月; กุมภาพันธ์;

2008-12-16T22:19:00.000-08:00

The annual Tucson Gem & Mineral Show is an event which the majority of people I know very rarely look forward to. Each year it comes to Tucson, snowbirds and gem collectors alike flock to our small town in the Sonoran desert from all over the world. In all reality, these people create more headaches than anything for locals here. City streets become saturated with heavy traffic and disoriented drivers, while restaurants and local businesses pose an even greater inconvenience. For the first time, however, I might actually be looking forward to this year's gem show. Not because of the gem show itself, of course, but because of a music festival being put on over that corresponding weekend.

I've been listening to Prefuse 73 for the past five years now and still have yet to see the man perform so I couldn't be more excited for his show at the Rialto Theatre on February 7th. Guillermo Scott Herren, the genius behind Prefuse, lives in Barcelona, Spain and creates a blend of hip-hop inspired IDM and downtempo electronic music. While he has continued to put out some extremely innovative and eclectic releases over the years, I feel that his peak, so to speak, was when he released One Word Extinguisher in 2003. Additionally, however, I was similarly enthusiastic about his collaboration with The Books on the more recent Reads the Books E.P. released in '05.

Over the years, Herren has made quite a fuss about the hot topic of music piracy. With Herren being one of the more outspoken critics of "illegal downloading" this side of the music indusry, I've tried to overlook his relatively conservative views on the matter and have learned to love his music regardless of them. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed pirating his other project's Savath and Savalas' Folk Songs for Trains, Trees and Honey off of BearShare a few years ago. C'mon, Scott, if your gripe with music piracy is truly about supporting the artists, try going a bit easier on us: I mean, I am paying $30 to see you play in Febuary.

The fifth annual "Gem and Jam" (blah blah blah blah) will also be featuring who I'm assuming will be the events headliners, Ghostland Observatory. The Austin, Texas natives put on one of the best shows I've seen all year at San Diego's "Street Scene" festival this past September. Their energy, or at least that of the duo's peculiar vocalist, Aaron Behrens, is quite a spectacle to see. Still, Ghostland Observatory is one of the few bands that I've really enjoyed seeing but for whatever reason have not spent much time listening to. I guess I'd just like to think of them as more of a live band.

The festival will also be featuring Elliott Lipp's live band who will be playing the same night as both Prefuse and Ghostland. In other news, I'd like to reward the festival's graphic design staff for creating one of the most unattractive fliers ever. I don't know what it is about the promotion of shows around here but maybe the designing of better-looking fliers would help aid Tucson's generally meager show attendance. That's all. Have a nice Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Maybe enjoy those other days too.

Believe.

2008-12-09T02:06:00.000-08:00

Anthony Burr & Skúli Sverrisson - We Shall Be Sure Of Not Going Astray
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we speak in tongues

2008-12-07T16:10:00.000-08:00

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Inspiration for the day

2008-12-01T12:03:00.000-08:00

"Sinatra"

"Django"

(via Ian Johnson)
click on pictures for full image

"Terrorism doesn't have any religion"

2008-11-28T03:45:00.000-08:00

Along with many others, I wish for the safety of the Hindus, the Muslims, the foreigners, and all other innocent bystanders currently stuck in the crossfire transpiring in Mumbai. For those who haven't yet heard about the atrocities committed around the city over the past seventy-two hours or so, you may want to read an article or two about the crisis, including a first-hand account of it:

Mumbai under siege! Maharashtra under red alert

The Hunted: 'We Were Ready to Die'

(via indiatimes)

Sigur Rós - Ný batterí

Give a little more than you'd like

2008-11-27T18:03:00.000-08:00

This is what's coming out of my speakers tonight:

Beach House - Holy Dances
Beach House - Gila

Thursday evening

2008-11-27T15:42:00.000-08:00

Seen those new Air Jordan's yet? Scope them here.

Love them remixes

2008-11-24T17:11:00.000-08:00

Here's a new remix of a Cut Copy track I've been feelin'.

Cut Copy - Far Away (Damn Arms remix)

And a couple-weeks-old Bloc Party remix by MMMathias from Berlin.

Bloc Party - Signs (MMMathias remix)

Lastly, I still can't get over that "The Kid's Don't Stand a Chance" remix that Chromeo just put out. It's amazing how much I love that jam considering how much I hate Vampire Weekend.

Vampire Weekend - The Kids Don't Stand A Chance (Chromeo remix)

Ms. Alaska wishes us all a Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-21T15:12:00.000-08:00

Why is this not surprising? I guess I've come to expect nothing less of Governor Palin than to go about talking in front of a camera while multiple turkeys get slaughtered 10 feet away from her over the course of a few minutes. I mean, it's almost as hard to watch as that other video of our Vice President speaking to folks in Mississippi after Katrina and that one of him at the Nationals game and that other guy at another Nationals game and well, most of the youtube videos of our beloved GOP favorites. But I digress; let's not get too sidetracked. The point I wanted to make is that Thanksgiving is one of the worst holidays that Americans celebrate (God, I'm sure this is going to go over real well with most people who read this). I think that in theory the holiday seems alright but I find the practice of it quite disgusting.

First and foremost, no other country than Canada celebrates it, which makes it one of those distinctly North American celebrations. You know, like the Daytona 500 or the annual Canadian Seal Hunt. It's as if Americans love it for no other reason than because, well, it's American; some contend that we're blind followers of religion in the U.S., and I've gotta say, I don't disagree.

Is it then valid to ask, "why can't we practice giving thanks more often and not just once a year?" And why do nearly a quarter of the 300 million turkeys slaughtered each year in the United States need to be killed for the fourth Thursday of every November for us to express this? Could we not adopt a tradition which promotes adopting abandoned and needy animals instead, giving them each a good home while sharing this occasion with our family and friends? Would a tradition like this not be a better way of expressing thankfulness, respect, and compassion for others? Is a proposition like this really too idealistic? Am I that crazy? Probably so.

Watch more videos at PETA.org

I hate to break it to my turkey-eating friends out there but when you eat turkey (and other meat, for that matter) you associate yourselves with people like these. The people that I speak of, writing on the linked message board, make some real convincing claims like this one: "PETA is a communist organization full of smelly hippies who look, and smell like animals. Nobody likes cruelty to animals, but I'll have a steak for dinner and love it. Notice they never think its cruel when people are starving."

Dare I begin analyzing this claim piece by piece? I'll try to spare elaborating on the obvious but that last bit definitely got to me since in it is one of the most common misperceptions and misunderstandings associated with vegetarianism and veganism. In addition, I find it ironic that people make such broad accusations and yet go on about eating their "steak for dinner, loving it" and then partake in absurd Thanksgiving feasts in which they likely help themselves to five courses and two helpings of each throughout the night. I'm not saying that this is my sole intention as a subscriber of veganism but let's face it, if you truly want to keep others from starving and additionally leave as small of an impact on our environment as possible, start thinking a bit more about what you put on your plate this Thanksgiving and what implications that may have on you, those around you, and those starving this holiday season that we all seem to be so concerned about. If you need more reason to mix up this Thanksgiving and opt out of turkey at the dinner table this year, here's ten more reasons you may want to do so. As always, thanks for listening. Please leave a comment or two if you'd like.

Oh geez, BMX bikes!

2008-11-20T21:15:00.000-08:00

Sorry, I haven't been able to help myself ever since I found out how to embed videos so here's a few more (in chronological order, of course).

"Get yo hair did, son"

2008-11-17T20:40:00.000-08:00

I had an epiphany a couple days ago: After months of complaining about my hair getting in the way of my face every five seconds, it occurred to me that the best way to get rid of the mess is to corn row it. Maybe you've heard of the style. Check out my main boys, Mr. Iverson and Mr. Anthony, reppin' it and holdin' it down for the Nuggets.

While we're at it, here's R. Kelly (full name: Robert Sylvester Kelly) giving a shout out as well.

Also, apparently it's OK for white people to do it too. Alex Gonzalez had a gnarly experience with the corn last year (I'd post a picture or two of his business if I had them). Be expecting "before and after" pictures of yours truly as soon as this materializes. My friend Kate McHugh has already volunteered to take on the stylist role so as soon as she has a minute or two, I'll be done up nice.

Kids These Days

2008-10-28T12:30:00.001-07:00

Walking On A Dream

2008-10-24T19:15:00.000-07:00

1987 marked the year that the Steven Spielberg directed "Empire of the Sun" was released. If you're unfamiliar with the film, I highly recommend you see it. It's been years since I last saw it but I still remember it being quite inspiring. Fast forward 21 years later. An Australian pop-duo by the same name is formed. The band's reference to the movie is likely no coincidence: the guys recently filmed a video for the title track from their first record in Shanghai, China. Disregard the fact that the "Empire of the Sun" refers to the Japanese and not the Chinese; I guess you can't win 'em all.

By the looks of it, the "Walking On A Dream" video will probably be a contender for one of the best of the year. It's photography and production are top notch, though I may be a bit biased considering that the city in which its filmed is where my dad has lived for the past decade. Whatever the case, I haven't been able to get enough of the video ever since I first saw it a few hours ago. Three minutes just isn't enough!

"we are always running for the thrill of it thrill of it
always pushing up the hill searching for the thrill of it
on and on and on we are calling out and out again
never looking down I’m just in awe of what’s in front of me"

Music trends come and go. For the past few years, established folk and indie artists like Broken Social Scene, Sufjan Stevens, and Iron & Wine have all been hugely influential, setting trends, and paving the way for contemporaries of theirs. This year, however, we've seen the MGMT's and the JUSTICE's of the world transform the music industry into one which revolves around substantially less. These artists, with the help of a few djs and a seemingly out-of-nowhere culture accompanying them, have made electronic music, disco, and stripped down pop music almost as popular today as it was during the late 70s and 80s. While pop music has certainly been a staple of American music culture for the better half of the past century, it was only recently that the world of independent music became more and more acceptant of it.

Empire of the Sun have the potential to succeed in both independent and mainstream circles, though it wont be too long before they are embraced by much larger audiences if they keep making music like this. They bring to mind Tegan & Sara-esque vocals, David Bowie style face-paint and eyeliner sported by frontman Luke Steele, and the musicianship of the immensely popular twosomes, MGMT and Ghostland Observatory, as well as Melbourne, Australia's infamous Cut Copy. I'm thinking that these characteristics can be attributed either to heavy doses of drugs or something in the water in Australia. Or both. If all the above sounds a bit strange, you're right: it definitely is. But it's good-strange. I promise. And if you've got a second, I also recommend checking out Nick Littlemore's (one-half of Empire of the Sun) other project, Pnau.

Two-sawn

2008-10-23T20:56:00.000-07:00

Each fall/winter Tucson has a couple of week-long strings of quality shows followed by a period of virtually nothing for what seems like another few seasons and then some. Tonight, tomorrow night, Sunday night and Monday night are all good nights to go out and catch some of these. While CMJ is going on back east and the rest of the country is deprived of most young touring bands as a result, we have Greg Gillis aka Girl Talk tonight at the Rialto Theatre, Portland's best Talk Demonic at Plush on Friday night, Salt Lake City alt-country, Band of Annuals, at Plush on Sunday night and Norman, Oklahoma's Evangelicals at Solar Culture on Monday night. The following week aint so bad either. Yeah, I can't complain too much about that. See some of y'all there, Tucson?
(Band of Annuals)

Grizzly Fantasy

2008-10-11T03:46:00.000-07:00

Everybody needs good mo(u)rning music; Owen Pallette knows this. Here's his re-interpretation of "Don't Ask" by Grizzly Bear.

Final Fantasy - Don't Ask (Grizzly Bear cover)

"It's a call
I fell into your arms that night
Don't ask
It's the time we had apart to sort things out
Just don't ask
It's the work you saying you're doing
But baby, I don't even ask
It's the love that came undone between us
and nobody ever asks
There's a place and time for everything I know
Don't ask
But when I'm around you still I lose control
Just don't ask
You suggest the struggle goes both ways
but baby, I don't even ask
I just wish you had a little faith
but I'm learning not to ask"

Banksy in NYC

2008-10-10T12:58:00.000-07:00

For fans of world-renowned British street artist, Banksy, it's an exciting time to be in New York right now. As for those who can't stand the man, good luck trying to escape his presence; he's pretty good at making it known wherever he goes. As usual, the Banksy-related shit-talking has already begun and I don't anticipate it dying down until long after he has left the city and is well into another who-knows-how-long hibernation back in the UK.

In the past, Banksy has veered in and out of the public eye, often producing large quantities of work and exhibiting them, followed by relatively long periods in which we hear nothing about him. The controversy behind his work and his identity have consistently made for news headlines ever since the world's most famous celebrity couple started buying six-figure pieces from the artist last year.

This month, a Manhattan-based storefront has been functioning as the artist's most recent gallery space. Entitled "The Village Pet Store and Charcoal Grill," the exhibit there includes a headphone-wearing monkey watching television, a pair of floating fish fingers in a fish bowl, hot dogs under heatlamps, a rabbit draped in pearl necklaces stationed in front of a vanity mirror, and chicken nuggets intact with legs sipping ketchup. Apparently the faux pet shop has fooled quite a few window shoppers and has even enraged passer-byers, causing some to express their disapproval regarding "the conditions" in which the animals are kept there. See how it's all pulled off.

Though critics often attempt to illegitimate his work, noting his inability to take himself seriously, time after time, Banksy brings to the table important (political) issues that the masses simply prefer not to preoccupy themselves with. His decision to theme his most recent exhibit around "art that questioned our relationship with animals and the ethics and sustainability of factory farming" demonstrates this.

Meanwhile a great debate ensues over the "I Love NY" rat mural that was just painted on the side of a four-story building in Soho. While it's been established that Banksy did not in fact paint the mural himself, there's still questioning as to whether or not he had it commissioned by Colossal Media or whether it was solely intended to be a rip-off of his other iconic rat images and meant to promote an entirely different show at the Deitch gallery.

Worth noting is the emergence of all the Banksy haters and skeptics recently. Perhaps they're even in the majority, but it's more likely that there's just a few too many disgruntled geeks currently dominating Banksy message board discussions, while the rest of us sit back and laugh it all off. Whatever the case, I say kudos to the man for keeping things interesting. He's one of the few contemporary artists who can produce work with virtually any medium and make it speak louder than any other artist in the world today. I used to compare him to Andy Warhol, proposing that he was the modern-day equivalent of Warhol; anymore, however, it's safe to say that Banksy has established an identity that is entirely unparalleled, and it would completely undermine his artistic capabilities to group him with any one movement or artist of our time. So how about we quit doing that?

The Twelves!

2008-10-10T01:12:00.000-07:00

There's something to be said for those who turn really terrible music into something that's actually worth listening to. Good remixing can do quite a bit for songs that may otherwise have little or no life to them. The Twelves, in my opinion, are good remixing at it's finest. Check out the Brazilians re-working New Young Pony Club's "Get Lucky" and Radiohead's "There There."

By no means do either of the above songs qualify as "terrible music" though much of the other music that the band has worked with is, or at least was, prior to The Twelves working with it (see: Kylie Minogue or The Virgins, whose remixed track is below).

I knew that Brazil was home to some alright street art in recent years and has had an OK soccer history, but until I found out about these guys a few months back, I knew nothing about the country's current music scene. Thanks to The Twelves, we now have a better idea as to what's been going on in Rio de Janeiro as of late. I just hope the guys keep doing their thing.

A recent playlist from The Twelves looks something like this:

1. Zeigeist - Humanitarianism (The Twelves Replay)
2. Radiohead - Reckoner (The Twelves Replay)
3. Mirwais - Naive Song
4. Of Montreal - Gronlandic Edit
5. David E. Sugar - To Yourself
6. The Virgins - Rich Girls (The Twelves Replay)
7. Daft Punk - Voyager
8. Jupiter - CHIP
9. Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal (The Twelves Replay)
10. Metronomy - Heartbreaker
11. The Twelves - Works for Me (The Twelves Replay)
12. Lykke Li - Dance Dance Dance (The Twelves Replay)

And sounds something like this.

More Mp3s...

The Twelves - Works For Me

Yelle - Ce Jeu (The Twelves remix)

The Virgins - Rich Girls (The Twelves remix)

Alright, OK, Sure, Yeah.

2008-10-10T00:05:00.000-07:00

Not friends of mine. Sorry.

But Metronomy on the other hand... They sorta do Hot Chip's "Made In The Dark" thing but better, so I'd say that they're definitely friends. Yeah, I like them.

Metronomy - The End of You Too

Metronomy - On Dancefloors

Metronomy - Heartbreaker (video)

Proud Texans

2008-09-28T17:41:00.001-07:00

Every so often a well-established band will put out music that, for one reason or another, goes virtually unheard. It's especially surprising when much of the material on releases like these give proper full length records a run for their money. What I'm referring to is Explosions In the Sky's "The Rescue EP," which was quietly put out in the fall of 2005 on the band's longtime Temporary Residence label. The recording was the 21st release of the label's Travels In Constants subscription series. The concept behind it was simple: the band was to record one song per day over the course of eight days. Though many of its songs are quite a bit shorter, and therefore less dense compared to most of their others, the EP on the whole is very well written and coherent. For some insight as to what influenced the writing of each of the songs and how they were recorded, read the band's description of the eight day process at the bottom of the linked page.

Since its release, I still have yet to hear much talk about "The Rescue", most likely due to its limited pressing and the minimal promotion of it. Recently, however, the band posted all of the songs from "The Rescue" as free downloads for those who hadn't yet been able to find a copy of the EP. Two of my favorite Explosions songs are on this recording: Day Five and Day Eight. I find it nearly impossible to keep from smiling when listening to Day Five. The song is without a doubt one of the most optimistic and inspiring the band has ever written.

While in Austin three weekends ago, I had the pleasure of having a drink with Explosions' drummer, Chris, and guitarist/bassist, Mike, at Emo's prior to seeing another band's show there. Both were extremely friendly and modest, and talking to them reaffirmed my future status as a lifelong fan of the band. I remember seeing them play at Solar Culture in front of a couple dozen people back in December '03 and still regard it as one of the best shows I've ever seen. Below is a picture from that night (via chrisnj's site).

In front of a slightly larger audience, I saw them at Lollapalooza this past summer and took a video of "The Only Moment We Were Alone" in its entirety. Don't mind the fact that I was a mile away, everyone around me was clapping off-rhythm, and the bluriness of it all. If you'd prefer, buy their record instead, and spare yourself of watching the above, or opt to watch a better live version of the song.

Some words on animal cruelty

2008-09-26T15:36:00.000-07:00

This video documents my biggest gripe with the fashion industry today. Regardless of what's to be said about the "typical PETA commentary" in it, the images throughout the film clearly speak for themselves. Upon learning more about the origins and the production of the clothes and accessories that many of us wear, I hope that more people increasingly start to question their fashion-related consumption habits.

Just a couple of years ago, after being approached by PETA, the NBA stopped using traditional leather basketballs and switched to synthetic leather basketballs in place of them. Rapidly successful campaigns like that of the NBA case give me hope that change can often be a lot more attainable than it seems. That said, speaking out and sharing videos like this with as many peers, clothing designers, and retailers as each of us can, is a crucial and necessary step to ridding the (fashion) world of as much cruelty towards animals as possible.

If you are someone who is already contributing to the resolution, thank you. If you haven't yet, but feel the need to do so, then please help educate those around you to whatever extent you can. We all know right from wrong; defending animals is just a matter of following through with our convictions. When it comes to speaking out for animals, it's imperative to act sooner than later. For those of you that have information on related sources or campaigns, or feelings and experiences that you would like to share, feel free to do so in the comments section. Thanks again.

That's Heart: Volume I

2008-09-25T11:34:00.000-07:00

George Brett going for it.

Recently I've been collecting quite a few old baseball pictures of some of my favorite players, teams, stadiums, and a variety of other baseball-related stuff from my childhood. Most of these images date from the mid '70's through the early '90's and document what I see as one of the better era's in baseball's history. Though my perception may be a bit biased considering my mere twenty-two years of age, there's no doubt that the integrity of the sport in previous eras was far superior to that of the past decade which has been tarnished by amplified egos, performance-enhancing drugs, and outrageous nine-figure contracts. In the future, I plan to document my affinity for this era of the sport with occasional posts of some of the images I have come across and particularly enjoy. Here's my first:

top to bottom:
Ricky Henderson,
Joe Carter (in the '93 World Series),
and Kirby Puckett (at the Metrodome)

Samamidon & Nico Muhly

2008-09-22T02:48:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of gems that I recently dug up. Well, actually they're here and here.

Sure Sam seems a little bit delirious in his video but I think most of us often find ourselves feeling similarly. I can't help but think that his expressiveness only enhances the music in "I wish I wish." In fact, it's easy for me to see a little bit of myself in Sam's peculiar character here. Feelings of eagerness and earnesty are both apparent in Amidon and I imagine that I too probably appear in a state not unlike his when struggling with such conflicting emotions.

Certainly Amidon does what he does heaps and bounds better than most other folks around but his playful mannerisms almost warrant critics not taking him seriously. I, however, think that he's worthy of praise regardless of how crazy he comes off in his frivolous home videos. As for Nico Muhly's work, there's not a whole lot I can say that will do it justice. It's simply as animated as it is frantic. Just listen.

Nico Muhly (right) and Sam Amidon (top) play together in both Sam's band, Samamidon, and Nico Muhly. This year, both musicians have released records on their Bedroom Community label.

While Muhly and Amidon's take on performing are clearly quite different, they somehow maintain to play beautifully together.

"Thank A Cop"

2008-09-17T01:04:00.000-07:00

I just got home from an extremely pleasant fourty five minute run-in with some of "Tucson's finest" and now that it's over, I can attest to just how blessed Tucson is to have such fine law enforcement in this town. In all seriousness, I truly do wish that I could have that last hour of my life back. There's nothing like the feeling of standing on a sidewalk next to three squad cars, their flashing lights, and a team of cops staring you down, drooling at the thought of writing you a ticket, despite being certain of having not broken the law which they are citing (or attempting to cite) you for. I probably shouldn't be taking the time to write this right now considering the heavy workload I've had hanging over my head recently but I couldn't help myself tonight. Below is a synopsis of the incident.

I was heading back from the Tuesday Night Bike Ride, riding my bike south on Stone Ave. and approaching the downtown Tucson Police Station when I casually leaned back from the handlebars to let my back stretch for a few seconds. Out of the corner of my right eye, I had noticed a police car in the driveway of the station but remained in my upright position, not thinking twice about the car. Seconds later, lights were shining on me. I hadn't even ridden an entire street block, between McCormick, where the police station starts, and Cushing, where the Police station ends, before the cop had targetted me. I immediately started to think to myself what I was being pulled over for. After getting off of my bike, I approached the car to ask the officer what I had done. Soon after, I had been informed that I was going to be given a citation for not riding my bike with my hands on the handlebars. I was shocked. For better or worse, I was unable to hold back my disbelief for why he had just pulled me over and began to openly express my frustration with him regarding the matter.

Fortunately, my friend Dwight was driving by right after I had been pulled over and stopped to see what was going on. I'm pretty sure that he was in just as much awe as I was when I told him the reason for my detainment. Ten seconds hadn't passed before he told me that he would come right back with Erik Ryberg, the infamous Tucson Bike Lawyer. The corner where this was taking place, Cushing & Stone, is conveniently located just a street block away from Erik's office and since he was in the neighborhood, he was able to show up within minutes after Dwight had left to grab him. Erik kept me good company for the majority of the episode, sharing jokes, and acting as moral support.

It didn't take long before Officer Portillo, who had pulled me over, had learned of my general disapproval of the amount of time which he and his fellow backup team - two additional squad cars - were dedicating to the case of a law-abiding cyclist. The officer asked for my ID, copied down my information and had started writing me a ticket when I asked exactly which specific law it was that I had broken. He must have spent ten or fifteen minutes looking through his book of statutes attempting to find the one which he had in mind, before asking the apparent expert "bicycle enforcement officer" who had just arrived on the scene. The other officer confirmed that there was no such law and the two agreed that they had gotten it mixed up with that "other" law stating that cyclists should not ride with both hands off of their handlebars when carrying an object in one hand. After being questioned by the officers as to whether my bike was a "ten-speed," a "single-speed, or a fixed-gear," I walked home with Erik, ticketless, and yet, still quite annoyed.

What was perhaps more upsetting to me than the false accusation on behalf of the police was how the whole procedure was carried out. First off, there was no mention of issuing me any type of warning. Furthermore, throughout the entirety of the ordeal, Officer Portillo made no mistake of keeping his car parked, much to my liking, in the bike lane with both his engine and lights running. For fourty-five minutes. And this is standard procedure. I've witnessed the same thing when being pulled over in a car before. Meanwhile, gas is still under $4 a gallon so who cares, right? I mean, the money's not coming out of the officer's pocket so what incentive is there to conserve a little bit of gas? Maybe when oil hits $150 or $200 per barrel, TPD will get with it and work on, you know, that whole going green thing. I guess all I'm doing here is restating my belief that the law enforcement system has it all wrong on all accounts: Their increased targeting of bicycles, their apparent misunderstanding of cycling laws, as in my case, and their consistent disregard for the practice of conservation.

It's my belief that each of the above issues could be easily improved with just a little bit of effort on behalf of the TPD in the future. If there is going to be increased enforcement of bicycles around Pima County, the laws should be clearly understood by the officers enforcing them. If the laws are especially relevant to road safety and the cycling community experiences difficulty abiding them, then perhaps it would be worth posting more enforcement signs as a safety measure (although I'm sure that the police wouldn't want cycling-related ticket revenue to decrease too much). After all, it seems that the majority of motorists still aren't aware of many traffic laws. Is it, then, maybe worth requiring more driver's education classes before issuing and renewing licenses to drivers today? Don't get me wrong: I think the same thing should probably go for cyclists too. Maybe it's time that all cyclists are required to enroll in safety classes prior to getting an operator's license so that everyone on the road can commute safer. That's another story, though.

In the end, here's what I learned from the police Tuesday night: Don't ride without, um, hands on your handlebars? Or as Mr. Portillo and his co-workers put it, don't ride "without handlebars" on your bike. Hmmm, OK. Oh, and don't forget, never ride your bike equipped with front and rear lights. In the bike lane. In front of a police station. At night. Ever. It's common knowledge that there's typically never any crime around the greater Downtown Tucson area passed 10 p.m. or so, and as a result, TPD has made sure to keep the community safe by resorting to serving justice in another way: by hunting down and harassing those sweaty, long-haired, anarchistic, law-breakin' cyclists.

Anyhow, I'm sure Erik had plenty of other things to be doing with his time tonight so I just wanted to say thanks, Erik. And thanks, Dwight, for helping me out as well. Both Dwight and Erik are part of what make Tucson so unique, and in my opinion, the two of them are some of Downtown Tucson's most important assets. Please support them whenever you can.

Lastly, I've included some video footage of what cops do best: keeping us safe and out of harm's way.

Tape: Luminarium

2008-09-16T19:48:00.000-07:00

Hear Here.

Chicago Chicago Chicago

2008-09-14T18:22:00.000-07:00

For those familiar with the work of Tim Kinsella and that of his sometimes-bandmates and family members, Mike Kinsella and Nate Kinsella, it may come as no surpise that the Joan of Arc outfit has released yet another record this year. Kinsella and co. put out more music every half decade than most musicians do over the course of their entire careers. The record entitled "Boo Human" came out in May, just weeks after the release of "Going to the Bone Church," by Make Believe, another project of Tim Kinsella's.

Part of what's so appealing about Kinsella's musicianship is how vastly different each of his primary bands are: Make Believe, being the rowdier, less-constrained of the two, with Joan of Arc remaining its more polite, controlled, and accessible counterpart. Stylistically, the former equivalent of Make Believe was Owls, having shared virtually the same lineup, but falling somewhere in between the other two in terms of their liveliness. Joan of Arc, on the other hand, could be the most unconventional of all of Tim Kinsella's ventures, considering that every time they put something new out, it's not perpetual of their prior work. To some ears, this characteristic steers them clear of Joan of Arc; others, like myself, regard this as rewarding every time a new record comes out: "Boo Human," being no exception.

Joan of Arc - A Tell Tale Penis (Video)

Over the course of the past ten years or so, both Tim Kinsella and his brother, Mike, have established themselves as two of the most clever and well-versed songwriters around. Along with their respective bands and enduring work ethics, both have become staples of Chicago's diverse and energetic music scene. Mike Kinsella's solo project, Owen, is full of humble, apprehensive acoustic guitars, sometimes accompanied by electric guitar, bass, strings, and calculated percussion. The multi-instrumentalist Kinsella plays each instrument so well that it's often difficult to establish whether he's a better guitarist or drummer. His skill pertaining to every aspect of his music, from the production of it to its execution, has set him apart from all other acoustic acts today, creating a sound distinctly his own. Do yourself a favor and listen to "Good Friends, Bad Habits" at Owen's myspace page.

Meanwhile, Tim is much more well known for his membership in Make Believe and JOA than his criminally overlooked solo work. I have a feeling that he doesn't mind too much though. If you've ever seen him play live, you'll understand that he sings and that apparently, is just what he is meant to do.

Joan of Arc - White Out (from the "How Memory Works" LP)
Joan of Arc - A Tell Tale Penis (from "Boo Human" LP)

Owls - Everyone Is My Friend (from "s/t" LP)

Make Believe - Pat Tillman, Emmitt Till (from the "Of Course" LP)

Owen - A Fevor Analog (from Daytrotter Sessions)

September Thirteenth, Two Thousand and Eight

2008-09-13T01:48:00.000-07:00

Horse Feathers.

Horse Feathers - This Is What

Yeah, their new record is great.

Das Leben ist schön

2008-09-09T12:21:00.000-07:00

Hauschka - Freibad

Video

Illinoise

2008-08-09T18:59:00.001-07:00

In continuing with my tradition of making lists, I figured that compiling one which touched on a few of the higlights from my past week in Chicago might not be such a bad idea. As one could imagine, summer in Chicago is generally a lot more fun than summer in the desert. That said, the midwestern humidity and the costliness of having a couple of drinks each night were two things that definitely did not contribute to this "best of" list.

So, presented in no particular order...

Good times in the Windy City

1. Late night commuting on the 'L' and the characters that enhanced such experiences (beatboxers, rappers, etc.)

2. Walking off of the Addison 'L' stop only to see Wrigley Field just a few footsteps away

3. Chicago's own Temptation non-dairy ice cream

4. Meals at the Chicago Diner: in particular, the "chicken parmesan" sandwich which I ate at least 4 or 5 times this past week. I still think it's completely bizarre eating something that looks so much like the real thing.

4.5. Jake's blowup mattress. Thanks, bud.

5. Seeing Michigan ave. packed with what seemed like hundreds of thousands of people screaming, yelling, and clapping each night after Lollapalooza

6. A free, mid-day Tortoise show in Millenium Park at the Pritzker Pavillion

7. Having lunch two tables down from Sam Beam of Iron & Wine in a downtown Thai restaurant

8. Sunrise along Lake Shore Dr.

9. Falling asleep at the gate of my departing flight in Midway ten minutes before it left and waking up to a missed flight

and also...

Best sets of Lollapalooza

1. Radiohead
2. Rage Against The Machine
3. The National
4. Broken Social Scene
5. Explosions In The Sky
6. Chromeo
7. Foals
8. Yeasayer
9. Holy Fuck dj set
10. Iron & Wine

For videos from a few of the above sets, see http://www.youtube.com/nicholasantonjett

Personal favorites from the weekend were seeing The National's "Fake Empire", Radiohead's "Videotape" and "Idioteque", Gnarls Barkley covering "Reckoner", Explosions In The Sky's "The Only Moment We Were Alone", Broken Social Scene's "Cause = Time", Foals' "Electric Bloom", Yeasayer's "2080" and Chromeo's "Bonafied Lovin." I know I'm forgetting like 30 others and all of the crazy dj sets I saw at the Perry's stage but oh well. Ok, that's all I got. Thanks for reading.

A Belated Best-Of 2007 Post

2008-01-02T22:20:00.000-08:00

As usual, I'm behind the ball on things but tonight I made a point of finishing and posting a list or two of my favorite music from the past year since, you know, I kind of listened to a lot of the stuff. Feel free to post your own lists in the comments. Enjoy...

Top 75 (yeah, 75) Songs of '07

75. She Called Up - Crowded House
74. Sun In An Empty Room - The Weakerthans
73. Impossible Germany - Wilco
72. Personal - Stars
71. Crooked Legs - The Acorn
70. Cold Cold Night - Ceremony
69. Yadnus - !!!
68. Parasols - Plastic Operator
67. Leyendecker - Battles
66. You! Me! Dancing! - Los Campesinos!
65. None Shall Pass - Aesop Rock
64. Torch - Pinback
63. Exact To Me - The Sea and Cake
62. A With Living - Do Make Say Think
61. As The Stars Fall - The Cinematic Orchestra
60. Two Kinds - Film School
59. The Underdog - Spoon
58. Wound Up - Office
57. Boy With A Coin - Iron & Wine
56. The Mending Of The Gown - Sunset Rubdown
55. Take You For Granted - Karl Blau
54. Echoes - Digitalism
53. Sherry And Her Butterfly Net - The Most Serene Republic
52. Falling Horses - Efterklang
51. Wet And Rusting - Menomena
50. Mmaj - The Octopus Project
49. The World Outside - Maserati
48. Astrology Days - The Lymbyc Systym
47. Apartment Story - The National
46. Past In Present - Feist
45. Sing! Captain - Handsome Furs
44. Outside Of This Car, The End Of The World - Le Loup
43. My Piano - Hot Chip
42. Double Up ft. Snoop Dogg - R. Kelly
41. The Glory - Kanye West
40. Burying Luck - Minus The Bear
39. Mer Du Japon - Air
38. The Dress - Blonde Redhead
37. Skinny Love - Bon Iver
36. Back In Your Head - Tegan And Sara
35. Nantes - Beirut
34. Blasts Of Holy Birth - Lewis & Clarke
33. Down The Line - Jose Gonzalez
32. Double Dolphins On The Nickel - Mice Parade
31. Sing Again - Chris Walla
30. Split Needles - The Shins
29. So Far To Go ft. D'angelo - Common (J Dilla track!)
28. Silent - The Field
27. DVNO - Justice
26. My Moon My Man - Feist
25. Northwestern Girls - Say Hi
24. Mirador - Efterklang
23. La Dilettante - Hauschka
22. Ghost Under Rocks - Ra Ra Riot
21. MaryJo - Brazos
20. Pictures Of Trees - Inlets
19. Ring Them Bells - Sufjan Stevens
18. 2080 - Yeasayer
17. Buy U A Drank - T-Pain
16. Candy Sun Smiles - Oh Astro
15. No Cars Go - The Arcade Fire (if this even counts as 2007)
14. Infinifold - !!!
13. Be The Air We Breathe - Lewis & Clarke
12. My My - Menomena
11. Pink Light - Laura Veirs
10. Your English Is Good - Tokyo Police Club
9. Weird Fishes/Arpeggi - Radiohead
8. Tbtf - Kevin Drew
7. In Mind - Do Make Say Think
6. Fake Empire - The National
5. Electric Feel - MGMT
4. A Paw In My Face - The Field
3. Hands In The Dark - Chromatics
2. I'm A Flirt - R. Kelly
1. All My Friends - LCD Soundsystem

Best Remixes of '07

10. D.A.N.C.E. (Paste Black Remix) - Justice vs. Data
9. I Want Your Soul (Fake Blood Remix) - Armand Van Helden
8. Gravity's Rainbow (VanShe Tech Remix) - Klaxons
7. DVNO (LA Riots Bootleg) - Justice
6. Anti-Anti (Treasure Fingers Remix) - Snowden
5. Be Good (RAC Remix) - Tokyo Police Club
4. As Above, So Below (Justice Remix) - Klaxons
3. It's The Beat (The Teenagers Remix) - Simian Mobile Disco
2. Time Won't Let Me Go (VanShe Tech Remix) - The Bravery
1. 1234 (VanShe Tech Remix) - Feist

Top 20 Records of '07

20. Beirut - The Flying Club Cup
19. The Cinematic Orchestra - Ma Fleur
18. Digitalism - Idealism
17. Efterklang - Parades
16. Sunset Rubdown - Random Spirit Lover
15. !!! - Myth Takes
14. Tegan And Sara - The Con
13. Efterklang - Under Giant Trees EP
12. The Lymbyc Systym - Love Your Abuser
11. Feist - The Reminder
10. Le Loup - The Throne Of The Third Heaven Of The Nations' Millenium General Assembly
9. Hauschka - Room To Expand
8. Victor Bermon - Arriving At Night
7. Lewis & Clarke - Blasts Of Holy Birth
6. Mice Parade - S/T
5. Kevin Drew - Spirit If...
4. Do Make Say Think - You, You're A History In Rust
3. The Field - From Here We Go Sublime
2. Radiohead - In Rainbows
1. The National - Boxer

Good Night.