Wednesday, May 30, 2007
An Annie Hall Moment
Remember (oh, yeah, I know you all do) one of the many still fresh and insightful scenes in Annie Hall, when this happens? How you wish you can be so lucky to have the expert, the author, the deed-doer right there to pull out from behind the stage?Well, in a recent post, I'd raved about wax.on wax.off's November 2006 release, A Lecture on Geek Mythology. This German group has 14 songs on the album, 13 are in English, 1 in German. I searched for the lyrics to Meine Mitbewohnerin with no luck. Alcessa even volunteered her translation services if I were to come up with the German lyrics.
Well, shades of Marshall McLuhan, who should have left a comment on that entry than the composer and leader of wax.on wax.off, Mr.Thorsten Rott!
If you don't mind, so that you minimize your clicking, here's Mr. Rott's full comment. What a great guy! Here's Mr. Whisky Prajer's post on A Lecture on Geek Mythology. He proclaims it the Summer CD. I can attest that cranking this baby up does (seem) to increase your car's horsepower.
"Hi there everybody,
a friend of mine came across this blog asking me to help you guys with the lyrics of "meine mitbewöhnerin" (notice the rock dots over the o). Well, here is a very rough translation:
"my new roomate (female flatmate/suitemate) looks kind of hot
but unfortunately she´s only dating jocks
she´s bringing a new one home every week
and it is getting worse, it is getting worse – I can hear them in my room
yesterday I secretly watched her take a shower
and stole her favorite pink pair of panties from the hamper
and every now and then I ´m sniffing them and dream about getting in her underwear
I dream of her when I touch myself
.. of my flatmate
for her I even sit down when I pee
.. for my flatmate
we now have an exchange student from Belgium living with us
but unfortunately she´s only exchanging experiences with other girls
but as real kind of guy a still think that I can convert her and make her mine
and in the meantime I hope I can watch them sometime
and I hold her hair back when she again has to throw up drunk at night
I take her to bed and when she is firmly asleep I look at her and touch myself."
Reading this now I have to say it is way less creepy in German. I guess the irony and most of the puns are lost in translation.
Best wishes from Germany
thorsten
And check out our blog at wax.on wax.off.
"
Thanks Thorsten for dropping by and gracing me with my Triple M (Marshall McLuhan Moment).
Labels: People, Recording Reviews
A Whirl & a Rant
Well, the famous Fistful of Euros Annual Best Blog in Europe Contest, Version #3 of the Satin Pajamas Awards, is officially over.
Due, I believe, to the temporary insanity of quite a few of his readers, the karmic mental telepathy powers of his two sons, and the unquestionable devotion of his lovely bride and her allies, as he puts it, the unstoppable force called the Polish maternal instinct, Mr. Sgazzetti over @ Isoglossia is this year's winner in the Best Expatriate Weblog category. Early in the competition, Mr. S. was sucking fumes at 1% of the total vote. He ended up with 41%, beating out Le Meg over at Le Blagueur à Paris, who finished at 30%. Le Meg was quite the worthy opponent and a winner in the Best Writing category, where she trounced the Gigantor of European blogs, My Boyfriend is a Twat. My personal take on this is that Le Meg, nominated in 4 categories, had spread herself out too thin, allowing Isoglossia to concentrate his efforts and his acolytes to vote for one category. Congratulations to both winners; we await the obligatory Satin PJ pictures. Le Meg, ever the sly one, opted for a body-double on her pose. Mr. Sgazzetti, I'm sure, will grace us with his presence; I'm envisioning something along these lines.
Thank you to all of the folks who stopped by in the last week and cast your vote for the eventual winner of Best Expatriate Blog. Another year, another winner from Slovenia!
Now, a short rant on the human condition.
This past weekend, a gorgeous Saturday specifically, the fam went up to Philly to purchase another futon and frame from the usual suspect. In lieu of a relation visiting form the Land of the Croats, new sleeping possibilities were in order. Having purchased the futon and accessories, we walked out of the store with the only thing we could easily carry at the time, the futon cover. Let me correct that last sentence; it was I who walked out holding the bag. A quite nice lunch at DiBruno Brothers on Rittenhouse Square followed our furniture acquisition. I, being what I thought of sound mind and body, placed the bag next to my chair, leaning against a wall. Seemingly overpowered by the tastiness of the lunch, we departed after an hour or so. I, sans bag. Driving home, I realized something was amiss. I squealled over to the side of the highway and searched frantically for the futon cover. Bumpkus! My ever-loving wife, possessing the vocal pipes of the Sirens, called up DiBruno's. Using her hypnotically persuasive tone and words, she easily persuaded the woman at the other end of the line to search the store and restaurant thoroughly. Bumpkus!
O.K., we decided to drive back the 8 miles we'd already distanced ourselves from the scene of my Personal Possession Management issue to aid in the search. Again, no luck.
So, here's my quandry. Having eaten in an upscale breakfast/lunch restaurant, one would think there's a different attitude or set of manners to be exhibited. I could understand, but not excuse, if someone saw the bag and walked away with it if if had cd's, clothes, cosmetics, etc. But a futon cover? What kind of morning did someone out there have to be blessed with such kismet?
"Hey Honey! I've got that feeling again and we need a futon cover. Cheap. Let me go to DiBruno's this afternoon and pick one up. Green o.k. with you?"
As life is a circle, someone's kismet is another person's Black Swan.
Or, perhaps, the powers of Le Meg were seriously underestimated by yours truly. Le Meg, please, don't hold my futon cover hostage! I voted multiple times for you in the Best Writing category!
Due, I believe, to the temporary insanity of quite a few of his readers, the karmic mental telepathy powers of his two sons, and the unquestionable devotion of his lovely bride and her allies, as he puts it, the unstoppable force called the Polish maternal instinct, Mr. Sgazzetti over @ Isoglossia is this year's winner in the Best Expatriate Weblog category. Early in the competition, Mr. S. was sucking fumes at 1% of the total vote. He ended up with 41%, beating out Le Meg over at Le Blagueur à Paris, who finished at 30%. Le Meg was quite the worthy opponent and a winner in the Best Writing category, where she trounced the Gigantor of European blogs, My Boyfriend is a Twat. My personal take on this is that Le Meg, nominated in 4 categories, had spread herself out too thin, allowing Isoglossia to concentrate his efforts and his acolytes to vote for one category. Congratulations to both winners; we await the obligatory Satin PJ pictures. Le Meg, ever the sly one, opted for a body-double on her pose. Mr. Sgazzetti, I'm sure, will grace us with his presence; I'm envisioning something along these lines.
Thank you to all of the folks who stopped by in the last week and cast your vote for the eventual winner of Best Expatriate Blog. Another year, another winner from Slovenia!
Now, a short rant on the human condition.
This past weekend, a gorgeous Saturday specifically, the fam went up to Philly to purchase another futon and frame from the usual suspect. In lieu of a relation visiting form the Land of the Croats, new sleeping possibilities were in order. Having purchased the futon and accessories, we walked out of the store with the only thing we could easily carry at the time, the futon cover. Let me correct that last sentence; it was I who walked out holding the bag. A quite nice lunch at DiBruno Brothers on Rittenhouse Square followed our furniture acquisition. I, being what I thought of sound mind and body, placed the bag next to my chair, leaning against a wall. Seemingly overpowered by the tastiness of the lunch, we departed after an hour or so. I, sans bag. Driving home, I realized something was amiss. I squealled over to the side of the highway and searched frantically for the futon cover. Bumpkus! My ever-loving wife, possessing the vocal pipes of the Sirens, called up DiBruno's. Using her hypnotically persuasive tone and words, she easily persuaded the woman at the other end of the line to search the store and restaurant thoroughly. Bumpkus!
O.K., we decided to drive back the 8 miles we'd already distanced ourselves from the scene of my Personal Possession Management issue to aid in the search. Again, no luck.
So, here's my quandry. Having eaten in an upscale breakfast/lunch restaurant, one would think there's a different attitude or set of manners to be exhibited. I could understand, but not excuse, if someone saw the bag and walked away with it if if had cd's, clothes, cosmetics, etc. But a futon cover? What kind of morning did someone out there have to be blessed with such kismet?
"Hey Honey! I've got that feeling again and we need a futon cover. Cheap. Let me go to DiBruno's this afternoon and pick one up. Green o.k. with you?"
As life is a circle, someone's kismet is another person's Black Swan.
Or, perhaps, the powers of Le Meg were seriously underestimated by yours truly. Le Meg, please, don't hold my futon cover hostage! I voted multiple times for you in the Best Writing category!
Labels: Blogs
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Shameless Shilling
Currently on the air on WVUD. You can tune in here. Here's where today's playlist will be posted by tonight.
Currently on? Sea & Cake's new Everybody.
Have a great weekend.
5/31/2007: The complete playlist for the Sunday, MAy 31 broadcast has been added to Morning After WVUD 91.3 Playlist. It's open for comments and questions.
Currently on? Sea & Cake's new Everybody.
Have a great weekend.
5/31/2007: The complete playlist for the Sunday, MAy 31 broadcast has been added to Morning After WVUD 91.3 Playlist. It's open for comments and questions.
Labels: WVUD 91.3
Friday, May 25, 2007
One Last Plea
Voting ends at the end of today for The Third Annual Satin Pajamas awards given out as a result of YOUR voting. Didn't have a chance to vote in the recent French elections? Then go here and vote for Isolglossia in the category of Best Expatriate Writing. He's only 2% points behind the tempting and Continental Le Blagueur à Paris.Your choices are Isolglossia, an American in Slovenia who's busy creating boys and DIY Mac Cases.
Or.
Le Meg over at Le Blagueur à Paris, who, while thoroughly entertaining, witty, and self-deprecating (Lots of bonus points for the latter) is, uhhmmmm...well she, ahhhh, she doesn't seem to enjoy drinking beer. Yeah, that's a good reason for voting for Isolglossia, a man thoroughly capable in the matters of Babies & Beer.
So, please. Two minutes of your time here and click on Isolglossia.
Often. Clicking often is a good thing.
UPDATE:
Le Meg over at Le Blagueur à Paris has made quite a tempting offer.
" le Meg said...
The Darko Lord of the Tween Devil Squad hath appeared!
And is he asking me to barter?
I would certainly cede the western territory of Expat if he were to allow me the small kingdom of Writing.
Call off your dogs Darko!
"
Aside from her "complementary" phrasing, I think her proposal is quite the Gordian Knot solution to this dilemna.
So, please vote for Le Blagueur à Paris in the category of Best Writing here. She does deserve to win at least one of the awards that she's been nominated for.
Labels: Blogs
CD Reviews
Thanks to a link from Mike Johnston over at The Online Photographer, I've added this CD Review site over to the right on The Daily Clicks. An interesting site of well-written reviews of music cutting over all styles and genres, from groups/performers that are familiar to ones that are in their own worlds, who the contributors to this site, Mr. Johnston, Bob Burnett, and Kim Kirkpatrick bring to the light of day. Well, my day, at least.
Studio M is another site I try to visit for reviews and for some great concert pictures.
Studio M is another site I try to visit for reviews and for some great concert pictures.
Penetrating the Blog Market
This site, pointed out by Copy Dude, (allegedly) gives you confirmation as to whether your site or any other inputted site, is being blocked by (mainland) China. Looks like my site is. I'm sure that is the reason why my visitor count is so low. That vast country, most of its inhabitants interested in my wordy detritus, is foiled from visiting here.
A problem that I've encountered with this site is that every site I've put in, my own, 2 Blowhards, Whisky Prajer, Isoglossia, New Yorker, Geno's Philly Cheesesteaks, Lewes, Delaware Tourist Site, or even that Urban Legend, Mr. Rogers, came up as URL Blocked.
How about Susanna Foo's Chinese restaurant in China Town, Philly? Come on, it has to be accessible from Beijing, right? Nope.
So, bumpkus seems to be the state of affairs of reading blogs in China. Anyone out there have any luck getting through to the land of all things supplied to Wal-Mart?
A problem that I've encountered with this site is that every site I've put in, my own, 2 Blowhards, Whisky Prajer, Isoglossia, New Yorker, Geno's Philly Cheesesteaks, Lewes, Delaware Tourist Site, or even that Urban Legend, Mr. Rogers, came up as URL Blocked.
How about Susanna Foo's Chinese restaurant in China Town, Philly? Come on, it has to be accessible from Beijing, right? Nope.
So, bumpkus seems to be the state of affairs of reading blogs in China. Anyone out there have any luck getting through to the land of all things supplied to Wal-Mart?
Labels: Blogs
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Sleepy Thoughts
My Ever-Loving Wife has been mentioning that my night noises have now increased in variety such that a catalog of my sounds is soon forthcoming. The latest one seems to be a whinnying sound that horses let loose when they are cheerfully sucking on sugar cubes. Blissfully aware of one singular taste.
"So, what are you thinking when you are in your equine state?"
"I'm not sure. I do recall queuing up. For someone or something. Or both."
"Pearly gates? CD release parties? Another social gathering"
"No, no. Something more important. Something that I'm lacking in my life now. It's an immediate thing, but I have to wait in line."
Isn't this pitiful! I'm in my own dream and I still have to wait. The expectancy of arrival; the most enjoyable part of any trip. I'm not sure if I ever get to the head of the line in these dreams. I check my pillow in the morning to see if there are mustard stains or remnants of greasy fresh-cut fries. Or....or just a slice of heaven.
This is my cathedral when I go up North.
Modest Aural Proposal
Another Sunday morning coming up, another Morning After is being planned. Some of the CD platter possibilities include:
Mike Mainieri
Hendrik Meurkens
Ozomatli
Ruben Gonzales
Sea & Cake
Jimmy Rogers
Roy "No Dale Evans" Rogers
...maybe even Southern Culture on the Skids (their version of The Who's "Happy Jack" is a well-played curiosity)
Charlotte Gainsburg, who was wonderful in The Science of Sleep, a movie so overloaded with creative ideas that its ending had to, IMHO, crash with a sigh. But, for 103 of its 105 minute length, it was a magical film. Highly recommended.
the ever-present Cassandra Wilson
and some Carla Bley and Charlie Haden for the the Memorial Day Weekend.
So, same time as usual, 9:00 am until 12:00 noon, EST. This Sunday, the last Sunday of May. Hope you catch some of the tunes. Here's the connection site on WVUD. Have a great weekend.
Pssst!
While I was over at YouTube, this wonderful item from 1965 came up. The Bill Evans Trio with "Waltz for Debby". Simply gorgeous.
Labels: WVUD 91.3
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Breakfast, the Civilized Meal
"Suzanne takes you down to a place by the river; you can’t hear the boats go by because it’s not really near the river, that’s just a rhetorical device; and you know she’s half-crazy, she wants to feed you tea and oranges – among other foods. Suzanne takes your hand and leads you into Cora’s; the sun does not pour down like honey because it’s winter and it’s so cold you don’t feel comfortable outside unless you’re wearing a special suit made of arctic sleeping bags and a fur-lined mask with plastic see-through globes to protect your eyeballs from freezing. You can’t hear the boats go by." (from The London Review of Breakfasts
A meal that I regularly mistreat and daily ignore is breakfast. Between the pull of my pillow and the yank of the front door, I minimize the mote of time between being fully asleep in bed and partially asleep in the car. A short glass of milk and I'm out the door from Monday through Friday.
Please don't get me wrong. I love breakfast with its civilization and slow spread of butter on bread. It's the time that I can't scoop together that gets in the way of its enjoyment. So, I wait for the weekend and its anticipated surprises of relaxation. I can always count on a solid multi-course endeavor at home or there's always the adventure of eating outside the house.
"One never knows does one?" is the synopsis of early morning fare. Most cooks like most folks are rather prickly early in the day, so quite a few of the former should not be entrusted with knives, eggs, onions, & heat. But, it's funny how a truly spectacular breakfast shares its top perch with the truly disasterous morning meal. Well, at least after one's stomach has settled.
I forgot how I came upon this older site, The London Review of Breakfasts. My apologies to the blogger out there who had originally linked to it form my lack of credit. Breakfast, like baseball, offers a keen-eyed writer the opportunity to make the description of the event as, or even more, interesting than the actual event.
This excerpt:
"For as long as I can remember Peckham has been considered “Up and Coming” – and Bellenden Rd is the embodiment of this warped ethos, having slowly removed the local smells and sounds and replaced them with coffee, yoga and higher house prices."
comes from this piece, "The Peckham Experiment", by Herby Banger.
This excerpt comes from an airport restaurant at Heathrow.
"Many breakfasts stand or fall on the quality of their egg. In this case however it was an egg masquerading as a trojan horse - a work of art behind which lurked a cowardly excuse for a breakfast. Even with the promise of exotic shores this breakfast was a disappointment, and today I learned the hard way that one should never trust a lady who sells prunes."
Most of the reviews here are from England but a few other places like Edmonton or Tokyo also pop up. Contributors include Poppy Tart, Egon Toast, Gracie Spoon, and Yolko Ono. The last review posted seems to be Feb of 2006, so I'm not sure how the reviews hold up to the fare. But it's lovely to read and reminisce of breakfasts not eaten.
Happily Corrected! on MAy 24th:
A comment by Mr. Malcolm Eggs on this posting helpfully pointed out that the most recent review was just a few days ago, May 21, 2007, on the Perfect Blend, Streatham. Not sure how I missed that one and a slew of others from 2007. The only thing left to do is to book a flight to the Merry Old Land and start gnoshing using this list. Here's the most recent review. Written by by Rhys Chris Peese, an excerpt:
"Don’t get me wrong. I’m all in favour of bringing café society to London. However, there should be a limit to the project, and that limit is somewhere just short of the A23. Nonetheless, dotted along the busy dual carriageway of Streatham High Road, each bar and coffee shop bravely puts out its tables, ready for breakfasters to enjoy the heady exhaust fumes with their bacon.
Perfect Blend is such a venue, although my flatmate and I decided to savour the monoxide from a comfy sofa by the open window, thus affording us the chance to enjoy the tangy aroma of disinfectant as we tucked into our breakfasts: by night this is a popular bar."
A meal that I regularly mistreat and daily ignore is breakfast. Between the pull of my pillow and the yank of the front door, I minimize the mote of time between being fully asleep in bed and partially asleep in the car. A short glass of milk and I'm out the door from Monday through Friday.
Please don't get me wrong. I love breakfast with its civilization and slow spread of butter on bread. It's the time that I can't scoop together that gets in the way of its enjoyment. So, I wait for the weekend and its anticipated surprises of relaxation. I can always count on a solid multi-course endeavor at home or there's always the adventure of eating outside the house.
"One never knows does one?" is the synopsis of early morning fare. Most cooks like most folks are rather prickly early in the day, so quite a few of the former should not be entrusted with knives, eggs, onions, & heat. But, it's funny how a truly spectacular breakfast shares its top perch with the truly disasterous morning meal. Well, at least after one's stomach has settled.
I forgot how I came upon this older site, The London Review of Breakfasts. My apologies to the blogger out there who had originally linked to it form my lack of credit. Breakfast, like baseball, offers a keen-eyed writer the opportunity to make the description of the event as, or even more, interesting than the actual event.
This excerpt:
"For as long as I can remember Peckham has been considered “Up and Coming” – and Bellenden Rd is the embodiment of this warped ethos, having slowly removed the local smells and sounds and replaced them with coffee, yoga and higher house prices."
comes from this piece, "The Peckham Experiment", by Herby Banger.
This excerpt comes from an airport restaurant at Heathrow.
"Many breakfasts stand or fall on the quality of their egg. In this case however it was an egg masquerading as a trojan horse - a work of art behind which lurked a cowardly excuse for a breakfast. Even with the promise of exotic shores this breakfast was a disappointment, and today I learned the hard way that one should never trust a lady who sells prunes."
Most of the reviews here are from England but a few other places like Edmonton or Tokyo also pop up. Contributors include Poppy Tart, Egon Toast, Gracie Spoon, and Yolko Ono. The last review posted seems to be Feb of 2006, so I'm not sure how the reviews hold up to the fare. But it's lovely to read and reminisce of breakfasts not eaten.
Happily Corrected! on MAy 24th:
A comment by Mr. Malcolm Eggs on this posting helpfully pointed out that the most recent review was just a few days ago, May 21, 2007, on the Perfect Blend, Streatham. Not sure how I missed that one and a slew of others from 2007. The only thing left to do is to book a flight to the Merry Old Land and start gnoshing using this list. Here's the most recent review. Written by by Rhys Chris Peese, an excerpt:
"Don’t get me wrong. I’m all in favour of bringing café society to London. However, there should be a limit to the project, and that limit is somewhere just short of the A23. Nonetheless, dotted along the busy dual carriageway of Streatham High Road, each bar and coffee shop bravely puts out its tables, ready for breakfasters to enjoy the heady exhaust fumes with their bacon.
Perfect Blend is such a venue, although my flatmate and I decided to savour the monoxide from a comfy sofa by the open window, thus affording us the chance to enjoy the tangy aroma of disinfectant as we tucked into our breakfasts: by night this is a popular bar."
Labels: Blogs
The European Vote
Thanks to the international theme of the Internet, we here on the other side of the Pond can cast our votes for this enthusiastic fellow. Well, o.k., not this fellow, but this fellow's proud dad, Mr. Sgazzetti of Isoglossia. He has been nominated for Best Expatriate Weblog in the Third Annual Satin Pajamas Award. Click on the link. Go down to the Fifth category. Click on Isoglossia and then click the vote button. He's currently lagging behind the leader, Loxias, who, while most probably an interesting fellow, is calling in old favors for a vote.
As his un-official self-appointed manager, I promise that should Mr. Sgazzetti win the coveted Silk Pajamas, not only will he wear them and have a photo posted to his site, but he will also invite all of us who voted (I'm taking names!) over to his villa for some of these served by these hands. I just need to wrok out my funding request for this celebration with FEMA.
So, vote early and often.
As his un-official self-appointed manager, I promise that should Mr. Sgazzetti win the coveted Silk Pajamas, not only will he wear them and have a photo posted to his site, but he will also invite all of us who voted (I'm taking names!) over to his villa for some of these served by these hands. I just need to wrok out my funding request for this celebration with FEMA.
So, vote early and often.
Labels: Blogs
Monday, May 21, 2007
He Really DID Mean Driver?!?
Unbelievable! There's been a huge misunderstanding. A misunderstanding that most certainly would have saved us all lives, time, money, and the loss of prestige in the World as we know it. This article hit me like a 2 X 4. My apologies to the President. He'd been telling us he wanted to be in the driver's seat. We simply didn't listen. We thought he meant to say, figuratively, that he wanted to be driving that humungous SUV model called the US of A. What he meant for us to understand is that he wanted to be in the driver's seat of this model.
No wonder he didn't understand why we weren't happy with his driving, well, at least driving of that US of A vehicle.
No wonder he didn't understand why we weren't happy with his driving, well, at least driving of that US of A vehicle.
If the Devil's in the...
...furnace, then he'd possibly be in Lucifer's Furnaces, to be exact. I came upon this name the other day as my company is having dealings with these folks. It seems the hottest that one of Lucifer's ovens gets to is 3200 degrees Fahrenheit. No, there are no models with the number "666". It seems even these boys in Warrington, PA have limits to their tongue-in-cheek humors.
This is now my favorite corporate name. It used to be Tanstaafl Electric Cable Inc. Everybody familiar with Tanstaafl, right?
This is now my favorite corporate name. It used to be Tanstaafl Electric Cable Inc. Everybody familiar with Tanstaafl, right?
Labels: The Salt Mines
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Sifting for Lagniappes
(Another Road Review) 
One of the side benefits of dj-ing at a college radio station is getting to listen to recordings a few weeks or even a month prior to their release. Cuts down on the anticipation and anxiety over a favorite artist's latest efforts. You can also listen to their songs prior to professional reviews being published thus shielding your brain from pre-concepts and CD-innuendo.
Another benefit is the Trash Bin most stations have. It's simply a plain cardboard box parked in a corner which is the repository of multiple extras of Cd's mailed gratis to the radio station. Cheap thrills. You scrounge through and come up with duds, mainly. But every once in a while, there's a gem. A Galactic thrown in the box was probably an accident, but....once in the box it's free. A Billy Bragg was buried underneath sedimentary cross layers of case-less Cd's. Even a Garage a Trois and a Pelican were found in the box.
On a previous shift, sifting through the box as the music played, I came upon this CD. Interesting cover art and pics of the three man band inside reflected a bunch of guys not too big on being serious.
Lyrics! The CD packaging had lyrics of all of the songs, save for the last one (which is sung in German, so printed lyrics would not have helped this particualr non-German speaking guy..although...Alcessa!! "How about some translation help?"), printed out. Printed lyrics are always a good thing if you're a fairly new or an unknown band. Why some bands have artwork inside of the CD packaging that does not include lyrics or band pictures or even a bankd listing is beyond me. It drives me nuts with bands like New Order, Tortoise, or Sea and Cake. Look, I get it. You're artists. But, aren't you musical artists? I bought the CD for the music, not the wordless photographs or sketches or paintings or mood swirls you've decided to pack the printed matter with. I would appreciate some information about the CD in the CD artwork/inserts! If you're not providing that info, I have to look it up on the Internet where I can also find a site to download the music for free. For Free. So, why not give me some recording info for the CD, which I'm willing, at least at this point, to pay for?!!
Harangue over.
A Lecture on Geek Mythology has 14 songs. 13 are in English, of which 8 either are titled with a girl's name or which has to do with a girl. One song is in German, Meine Mitbewohnerin being the title. I believe Mitbewohnerin is "female roommate" in German, so that means the band is truly over-concerned with women, in whatever language they're singing. Their site, wax.on wax.off site is here with their MySpace being here.
The band claims Weezer and The Ramones as their heroes/models and while you can detect traces of both of those bands in their perfomance style and their lyrics, there's a touch of the Spanic Boys and even (yes, I'm not reaching here) Fountains of Wayne, or at least, a rougher version of FOW. There's even a take-off ("Tell Your Mom") of FOW's Stacy's Mom. Not necessarily an earworm, but a nice effort.
The lyrics to most of the songs on the CD are catchy; the music, a three chord fifth gear drive from song #1 through #14.
"...that girl I loved in school thought I would make it far
now she's the one with the PhD while I still watch TV
and all of the friends I had, they're leading lives by now
got no ambition, my mom pays the tuition."
((I know I'll End up Being the School) Janitor lyrics.) Hmmmm, reads more depressing than it sounds. But, even when these guys are in the dumps, they refuse to bring you down with them, preferring to entertain you with their troubles.
It's been rather warm lately and with the high price of gas that equation Windows Up : A/C On v. Windows Down : A/C Off is now favoring the latter choice.
So.
Windows down, wind-through-the-car, crank-it-up, summer music. Well, except for song # 13, "Santa is a Pervert", not to be played loudly while at least you're in the car.
Start out with Lisa Marie & Renee. A gem on the CD is I Wany My Records back, which includes these lines:
"I gave you my comic boks,
my best sweater too.
I can't believe I even wrote this song for you.
I sent you letters with all of my pictures
even those of me & Lee Majors.
But you can keep all that,
Just give me my records back" , This song would go well as a bookend to Billy Bragg's Tracks of My Tears.
These German guys have got the American patter down pat, although it is enjoyable hearing their infrequent mispronunciation of key words done so emphatically as if to say, "My way is the right way." Thorsten Rott (is that a great R & R name or what?) heads up the trio, penning all of the songs and lead singer/guitarist on most of the songs. The CD was a freebie but I would have gladly paid for it after listening to it for the past 2 weeks.
One of the side benefits of dj-ing at a college radio station is getting to listen to recordings a few weeks or even a month prior to their release. Cuts down on the anticipation and anxiety over a favorite artist's latest efforts. You can also listen to their songs prior to professional reviews being published thus shielding your brain from pre-concepts and CD-innuendo.Another benefit is the Trash Bin most stations have. It's simply a plain cardboard box parked in a corner which is the repository of multiple extras of Cd's mailed gratis to the radio station. Cheap thrills. You scrounge through and come up with duds, mainly. But every once in a while, there's a gem. A Galactic thrown in the box was probably an accident, but....once in the box it's free. A Billy Bragg was buried underneath sedimentary cross layers of case-less Cd's. Even a Garage a Trois and a Pelican were found in the box.
On a previous shift, sifting through the box as the music played, I came upon this CD. Interesting cover art and pics of the three man band inside reflected a bunch of guys not too big on being serious.
Lyrics! The CD packaging had lyrics of all of the songs, save for the last one (which is sung in German, so printed lyrics would not have helped this particualr non-German speaking guy..although...Alcessa!! "How about some translation help?"), printed out. Printed lyrics are always a good thing if you're a fairly new or an unknown band. Why some bands have artwork inside of the CD packaging that does not include lyrics or band pictures or even a bankd listing is beyond me. It drives me nuts with bands like New Order, Tortoise, or Sea and Cake. Look, I get it. You're artists. But, aren't you musical artists? I bought the CD for the music, not the wordless photographs or sketches or paintings or mood swirls you've decided to pack the printed matter with. I would appreciate some information about the CD in the CD artwork/inserts! If you're not providing that info, I have to look it up on the Internet where I can also find a site to download the music for free. For Free. So, why not give me some recording info for the CD, which I'm willing, at least at this point, to pay for?!!
Harangue over.
A Lecture on Geek Mythology has 14 songs. 13 are in English, of which 8 either are titled with a girl's name or which has to do with a girl. One song is in German, Meine Mitbewohnerin being the title. I believe Mitbewohnerin is "female roommate" in German, so that means the band is truly over-concerned with women, in whatever language they're singing. Their site, wax.on wax.off site is here with their MySpace being here.
The band claims Weezer and The Ramones as their heroes/models and while you can detect traces of both of those bands in their perfomance style and their lyrics, there's a touch of the Spanic Boys and even (yes, I'm not reaching here) Fountains of Wayne, or at least, a rougher version of FOW. There's even a take-off ("Tell Your Mom") of FOW's Stacy's Mom. Not necessarily an earworm, but a nice effort.The lyrics to most of the songs on the CD are catchy; the music, a three chord fifth gear drive from song #1 through #14.
"...that girl I loved in school thought I would make it far
now she's the one with the PhD while I still watch TV
and all of the friends I had, they're leading lives by now
got no ambition, my mom pays the tuition."
((I know I'll End up Being the School) Janitor lyrics.) Hmmmm, reads more depressing than it sounds. But, even when these guys are in the dumps, they refuse to bring you down with them, preferring to entertain you with their troubles.
It's been rather warm lately and with the high price of gas that equation Windows Up : A/C On v. Windows Down : A/C Off is now favoring the latter choice.
So.
Windows down, wind-through-the-car, crank-it-up, summer music. Well, except for song # 13, "Santa is a Pervert", not to be played loudly while at least you're in the car.
Start out with Lisa Marie & Renee. A gem on the CD is I Wany My Records back, which includes these lines:
"I gave you my comic boks,
my best sweater too.
I can't believe I even wrote this song for you.
I sent you letters with all of my pictures
even those of me & Lee Majors.
But you can keep all that,
Just give me my records back" , This song would go well as a bookend to Billy Bragg's Tracks of My Tears.
These German guys have got the American patter down pat, although it is enjoyable hearing their infrequent mispronunciation of key words done so emphatically as if to say, "My way is the right way." Thorsten Rott (is that a great R & R name or what?) heads up the trio, penning all of the songs and lead singer/guitarist on most of the songs. The CD was a freebie but I would have gladly paid for it after listening to it for the past 2 weeks.
Labels: Recording Reviews
Monday, May 07, 2007
Luxuriantly Bad
In a previous post, I'd commented and referenced an essay by Joe Queenan in the NYT's Book Review of this previous Sunday. Basically, Mr. Queenan states in Why Not the Worst?, that "bad books have an important place in our lives, because they keep the brain active. We spend so much time wondering what incredibly dumb thing the author will say a few pages down the road. One caveat: As with bad movies, a book that is merely bad but not exquisitely bad is a waste of time, while a genuinely terrible book is a sheer delight."
One particular passage strikes very close to (my) home.
"Most of us are familiar with people who make a fetish out of quality: They read only good books, they see only good movies, they listen only to good music, they discuss politics only with good people, and they’re not shy about letting you know it. They think this makes them smarter and better than everybody else, but it doesn’t. It makes them mean and overly judgmental and miserly, as if taking 15 minutes to flip through “The Da Vinci Code” is a crime so monstrous, an offense in such flagrant violation of the sacred laws of intellectual time-management, that they will be cast out into the darkness by the Keepers of the Cultural Flame. "
Mr. Queenan is handy with the verbal sword, so be careful as to how close to him you stand.
Any real genuine stinkers in your past? One(s) you'd admit to paging through from hesitant beginning to glorious end? I'll admit that Clan of the Cave Bear and Scott Turow's Presumed Innocent were up a the top of the heap along with Bonfires of the Vanities. I can't think of a pseudo-historical novel at this time but I'm sure there was at least one, most probably a Slavic one dealing with Mother Russia, a man and his tractor, and a bank all coming together in a plot involving safe sex.
Or something equally bad.
One particular passage strikes very close to (my) home.
"Most of us are familiar with people who make a fetish out of quality: They read only good books, they see only good movies, they listen only to good music, they discuss politics only with good people, and they’re not shy about letting you know it. They think this makes them smarter and better than everybody else, but it doesn’t. It makes them mean and overly judgmental and miserly, as if taking 15 minutes to flip through “The Da Vinci Code” is a crime so monstrous, an offense in such flagrant violation of the sacred laws of intellectual time-management, that they will be cast out into the darkness by the Keepers of the Cultural Flame. "
Mr. Queenan is handy with the verbal sword, so be careful as to how close to him you stand.
Any real genuine stinkers in your past? One(s) you'd admit to paging through from hesitant beginning to glorious end? I'll admit that Clan of the Cave Bear and Scott Turow's Presumed Innocent were up a the top of the heap along with Bonfires of the Vanities. I can't think of a pseudo-historical novel at this time but I'm sure there was at least one, most probably a Slavic one dealing with Mother Russia, a man and his tractor, and a bank all coming together in a plot involving safe sex.
Or something equally bad.
Labels: Books
Friday, May 04, 2007
Dreaded Summer Reading
In anticipation of choosing the main Summer Reading item, I am tempted by the third book by Manchester's Mil Millington. I feel particularly masochistic, I guess. Stumbling upon his blog a few years back, I was smitten with his short biting bits. Most were gems; five minute max reading bon-bons. Mr. Millington was persuaded to write a novel. He wrote two, Things My Girlfriend and I Have Argued About (yes, the same title as his very funny blog) and A Certain Chemistry. I've read both books and, worse still, I had purchased them. I had wanted so MUCH to like them. I slogged my way through, believing in both books' cases, that the big laughs were just on the next page. They weren't. How could this have happened!?!? His blog is absolutely hilarious. Was the blog too small and limited a vehicle for him? Seems that is what he or his publisher thought. Why hasn't someone at the publishing company pushed him onto the short story direction? The Very short story direction. Work to your strengths, I always thought.
Now this book, Love and Other Near Death Experiences, is winking at me with heavily crusted eyelashes. I know our local library has ignored that look, so I'd have to pony up some of my own bucks for this. Twice Mr. Millington has disappointed me and the reviews on Amazon are of the general theme that this third child is "funny, but not as funny as the other two". Other two? Funny? I'll be taking a pass, I guess unless a freebie shows up on the front porch.
Mr. Millington, remember that Woody Allen movie, Stardust Memories? Woody's doing his usual kvetch about Life and what to do within its time-limited confines. A passing couple eye him and the guy spouts, "Make funnier movies!
Let me borrow that plea. Mr. Millington,"Write funnier books."
In the meantime, I think I'll be running my fingers over the rows of Peter DeVries. Now, there's a funny writer.
Now this book, Love and Other Near Death Experiences, is winking at me with heavily crusted eyelashes. I know our local library has ignored that look, so I'd have to pony up some of my own bucks for this. Twice Mr. Millington has disappointed me and the reviews on Amazon are of the general theme that this third child is "funny, but not as funny as the other two". Other two? Funny? I'll be taking a pass, I guess unless a freebie shows up on the front porch.
Mr. Millington, remember that Woody Allen movie, Stardust Memories? Woody's doing his usual kvetch about Life and what to do within its time-limited confines. A passing couple eye him and the guy spouts, "Make funnier movies!
Let me borrow that plea. Mr. Millington,"Write funnier books."
In the meantime, I think I'll be running my fingers over the rows of Peter DeVries. Now, there's a funny writer.
Labels: Books
This Sunday
Another weekend will be rolling around when I'll be dj-ing the 9:00 to 12:00 Morning After shift this coming Sunday on WVUD, the University of Delaware's radio station.
The weather here in Delaware promises to be in the gorgeous 70's and the Eagles fans' ire has dropped since the confusion of last week's NFL Draft, so calm, at least for now, will be in the air. In the spirit of maintaining that calm, I'm looking to include Ned Sublette, Brad Mehldau, Cafe Tacuba, Ry Cooder, Michelle Shocked, John Butler Trio, E.S.T., and Los Hombres Calientes in the mix.
Interested? You can catch Morning After here, this coming Sunday.
Addendum: May 8, 2007
Here's the playlist for Morning After of MAy 6, 2007.
Comments are always welcome.
The weather here in Delaware promises to be in the gorgeous 70's and the Eagles fans' ire has dropped since the confusion of last week's NFL Draft, so calm, at least for now, will be in the air. In the spirit of maintaining that calm, I'm looking to include Ned Sublette, Brad Mehldau, Cafe Tacuba, Ry Cooder, Michelle Shocked, John Butler Trio, E.S.T., and Los Hombres Calientes in the mix.
Interested? You can catch Morning After here, this coming Sunday.
Addendum: May 8, 2007
Here's the playlist for Morning After of MAy 6, 2007.
Comments are always welcome.
Labels: WVUD 91.3
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Needs ...
Borrowed from Gwynne, over at The Shallow End.
1) Go to Google.
2) Type in your first name.
3) Space.
4) Type the word, "needs".
Hit Return.
Post a blog with the key needs deemed for you.
My needs included the following.
Darko needs some Light.
Darko needs to find out why his destiny must be as it is.
Darko needs some cable television analyst to inspire him.
Darko needs to be traded.
Darko needs therapy avalanche.
Darko needs to be watched multiple times in order to gain a full understanding.
Darko needs Detroit’s big men to all snap knees! (I’m not touching this one)
Darko (with a name like that who needs enemies). (…straight from the Google Search, unchanged)
Darko needs his own move. (Been looking for that since I mis-placed my mojo)
Darko needs to grow up, listen up, and smarten up. (A popular refrain I’ve been hearing)
Darko's hair needs to be discussed. An intervention might be required. (Considering I need hair, an intervention would be greatly appreciated)
And finally…
Darko needs time to digest this information, and (so he)takes a walk.
Note Bene: This is a very small selection. It seems, according to Google, I personally have over 625,000 needs. That sounds about right, although quite tiring as well.
1) Go to Google.
2) Type in your first name.
3) Space.
4) Type the word, "needs".
Hit Return.
Post a blog with the key needs deemed for you.
My needs included the following.
Darko needs some Light.
Darko needs to find out why his destiny must be as it is.
Darko needs some cable television analyst to inspire him.
Darko needs to be traded.
Darko needs therapy avalanche.
Darko needs to be watched multiple times in order to gain a full understanding.
Darko needs Detroit’s big men to all snap knees! (I’m not touching this one)
Darko (with a name like that who needs enemies). (…straight from the Google Search, unchanged)
Darko needs his own move. (Been looking for that since I mis-placed my mojo)
Darko needs to grow up, listen up, and smarten up. (A popular refrain I’ve been hearing)
Darko's hair needs to be discussed. An intervention might be required. (Considering I need hair, an intervention would be greatly appreciated)
And finally…
Darko needs time to digest this information, and (so he)takes a walk.
Note Bene: This is a very small selection. It seems, according to Google, I personally have over 625,000 needs. That sounds about right, although quite tiring as well.
Labels: Self-Therapy
...and Wants
1) Go to Google.
2) Type in your first name.
3) Space.
4) Type the word, "wants".
5) Hit Return.
Record a blog with the key wants deemed for you.
My wants included the following.
Darko wants more than just money.
Darko wants to stay.
Darko wants to have African food for people to sample, but is skeptical that ARAMARK will approve it.
Darko wants revenge. (A good blanket statement)
Darko really wants to be a point guard.
Darko wants us to be a part of his reality because it is better for us.
Darko wants you to think he’s really deep. (Ouch!)
Darko want(s) to balance the cost with the need in the market.
And finally…
Darko needs to figure out what he wants to be. (Clever use of "need" and "want")
Note Bene: This is a very small selection. It seems, according to Google, I personally have over 634,000 wants. My wants outnumber my needs by 9,000 or 1.44%. Ain't it always the case.
2) Type in your first name.
3) Space.
4) Type the word, "wants".
5) Hit Return.
Record a blog with the key wants deemed for you.
My wants included the following.
Darko wants more than just money.
Darko wants to stay.
Darko wants to have African food for people to sample, but is skeptical that ARAMARK will approve it.
Darko wants revenge. (A good blanket statement)
Darko really wants to be a point guard.
Darko wants us to be a part of his reality because it is better for us.
Darko wants you to think he’s really deep. (Ouch!)
Darko want(s) to balance the cost with the need in the market.
And finally…
Darko needs to figure out what he wants to be. (Clever use of "need" and "want")
Note Bene: This is a very small selection. It seems, according to Google, I personally have over 634,000 wants. My wants outnumber my needs by 9,000 or 1.44%. Ain't it always the case.
Labels: Self-Therapy
Thoughts, while we're at it
O.K. One last needlee waste of time.
1) Go to Google.
2) Type in your first name.
3) Space.
4) Type the word, thinks
5) Hit Return.
Record a blog with the key thoughts you allegedly had.
My thoughts included the following.
Darko thinks he's just a troubled young man who's seeing odd hallucinations, but in actuality, he's the saviour of the human race.
Darko thinks he's Socrates! (Eureka)
Darko thinks Woody Allen’s Annie Hall is a cautionary tale about the futility of romance. (what I really thought was, that the movie was about eggs, cause we all need 'em)
Darko thinks Smurfs are asexual.
Sure, he's not an idiot, but Darko obviously thinks that to get elected, all you need is a smile and long eyelashes.
And finally…
Darko had more important thinks to do.
Note Bene: This is a very small selection. It seems, according to Google, I personally have only 265,000 thoughts. While my wants number 334,000 and my needs top 325,000, thinking is not what I seem to spend a lot of time doing, which explains a lot. But the Ever-Loving Wife knew this already as she was trying to figure out what I was thinking when satisfying me cd needs and wants.
1) Go to Google.
2) Type in your first name.
3) Space.
4) Type the word, thinks
5) Hit Return.
Record a blog with the key thoughts you allegedly had.
My thoughts included the following.
Darko thinks he's just a troubled young man who's seeing odd hallucinations, but in actuality, he's the saviour of the human race.
Darko thinks he's Socrates! (Eureka)
Darko thinks Woody Allen’s Annie Hall is a cautionary tale about the futility of romance. (what I really thought was, that the movie was about eggs, cause we all need 'em)
Darko thinks Smurfs are asexual.
Sure, he's not an idiot, but Darko obviously thinks that to get elected, all you need is a smile and long eyelashes.
And finally…
Darko had more important thinks to do.
Note Bene: This is a very small selection. It seems, according to Google, I personally have only 265,000 thoughts. While my wants number 334,000 and my needs top 325,000, thinking is not what I seem to spend a lot of time doing, which explains a lot. But the Ever-Loving Wife knew this already as she was trying to figure out what I was thinking when satisfying me cd needs and wants.
Labels: Self-Therapy
Rosebud...
... was on Charles Foster Kane's mind at the moment of his demise. Poor guy, that sled was probably perpetually in his head, running the under current of those singularly best childhood memories, when life was not a burden but an assumed snow ball of eternal happiness. Yeah, Kane had his newspapers to allow espousal of his opinion. But his deep inner thoughts? No, blogging didn't exist back then, so we are left without his long drawn out thoughts of his beloved sleigh. A shame.
Luckily, with the Internet and blogging, modern versions of Rosebud are accompanied by detailed inner-sanctum treatises. Where Kane had his Rosebud, Whisky Prajer has his 1987 Fisher Hoo-koo-e-koo. Not content with one Rosebud, it seems Mr. WP also had a Garry and now he's thinking of this.
WP! You can't be creating childhood memories when you're not, well, not a child anymore. Stick to that green clunker you've got leaning on the side of your house like a well-snockered patron of McSorley's.
Luckily, with the Internet and blogging, modern versions of Rosebud are accompanied by detailed inner-sanctum treatises. Where Kane had his Rosebud, Whisky Prajer has his 1987 Fisher Hoo-koo-e-koo. Not content with one Rosebud, it seems Mr. WP also had a Garry and now he's thinking of this.
WP! You can't be creating childhood memories when you're not, well, not a child anymore. Stick to that green clunker you've got leaning on the side of your house like a well-snockered patron of McSorley's.
Labels: Manly Advice
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Thinking Room
An interesting (and short) article here as pointed out by serotoninrain. Based on this, will companies have two types of conference/meeting rooms? One room, with low ceilings, for meetings where directive action is required as a result of getting together. Another room, with high ceilings, would be available when you're sculpting ideas. Or, do you simply have one conference room with a moveable ceiling sort of like the baseball/football stadiums that have moveable roofs to deal with different weather conditions. Only in this case, the ceiling simply moves up and down depending on the "action thinking" - "creative thinking" mix the meeeting leader desires.
We know that the manner in which a room is lit, painted, and heated/cooled will have an immediate affect on one's comfort and therefore one's thinking. How much more can a confined and controllable space like a conference room be alterred by a meeting conductor to sway the mental states of the participants? Are the interrogation rooms used by the US armed forces in Iraq and Cuba low-ceilinged or high-ceilinged? Does it depend on the direction of the questioning?
We know that the manner in which a room is lit, painted, and heated/cooled will have an immediate affect on one's comfort and therefore one's thinking. How much more can a confined and controllable space like a conference room be alterred by a meeting conductor to sway the mental states of the participants? Are the interrogation rooms used by the US armed forces in Iraq and Cuba low-ceilinged or high-ceilinged? Does it depend on the direction of the questioning?
A Dollop of Kudos
WP, a long beloved Canadian blogger, has seemingly and atypically (for himself and for the general Canadian mind-set) written a boast-post.
But, when you read what the blog post's about, it's obviously not crowing on his part. As Muhammad Ali once noted, "It's not boasting if you can do it." And what Darrell Reimer, the man behind Whisky Prajer, has done is write a well -reviewed collection of short stories. (I've been hitting the cymbals on this one since last Oct-Nov.)
Michael Blowhard, in this posting, superbly describes the collection of short stories. Mr. Blowhard suffers no fools as any visitor to his site would attest. So, for him to note of Darrell's book that,
"Darrell's an elegant and mischievous writer, he's an imaginative inventor of characters and narrative lines, and he's an inspired evoker of young-male experience. In a pro sense he has nothing to apologize for. But by going the Lulu route he has also made a choice to protect and nourish what's really distinctive and lovely about his writing. The result is a small miracle of unpushy quirkiness and sweetness. Reading "Youthful Desires" is like hanging out -- and just for the pleasure of it -- with a longtime friend. In 2Blowhards-land, that's high praise."
High praise, indeed and most certainly deserving of it. Youthful Desires can be purchased or downloaded here. Time to give Mr. Reimer your silent kudos by hitting the link.
But, when you read what the blog post's about, it's obviously not crowing on his part. As Muhammad Ali once noted, "It's not boasting if you can do it." And what Darrell Reimer, the man behind Whisky Prajer, has done is write a well -reviewed collection of short stories. (I've been hitting the cymbals on this one since last Oct-Nov.)
Michael Blowhard, in this posting, superbly describes the collection of short stories. Mr. Blowhard suffers no fools as any visitor to his site would attest. So, for him to note of Darrell's book that,
"Darrell's an elegant and mischievous writer, he's an imaginative inventor of characters and narrative lines, and he's an inspired evoker of young-male experience. In a pro sense he has nothing to apologize for. But by going the Lulu route he has also made a choice to protect and nourish what's really distinctive and lovely about his writing. The result is a small miracle of unpushy quirkiness and sweetness. Reading "Youthful Desires" is like hanging out -- and just for the pleasure of it -- with a longtime friend. In 2Blowhards-land, that's high praise."
High praise, indeed and most certainly deserving of it. Youthful Desires can be purchased or downloaded here. Time to give Mr. Reimer your silent kudos by hitting the link.
Labels: Reviews
