Sault Ste Marie

'cool, the same me
pocket fallen through the floor
cool, the same me
flashing on the muddy water...'

Sault Ste Marie

Deadweight, by now

10+ hour day at work, feeling burned out. But, the night is mine--and all of tomorrow. Who's down for some draft beer and tasteless karaoke? Or else, maybe it's time to pop in that 'Net-flick'.

I always feel a wretch having Sundays off. Everything closing early, usually no good shows or happenings. A good day to sit in and get into some personal productivity, I must say. Perhaps, a day to check into the studio (bedroom) to demo off some new tracks for your listening pleasure (agony).

Growing family values?? Pshhhyeah right.

Alan Charing - Stitch

Alan Charing

Stitch

(LazyBone Records)

Rating: 3.6 of 5

Years after the deadlock of his last songwriting vehicle (A.C. Cotton), Portland troubadour Alan Charing has finally balanced himself on top of the dirt heap, with the shovel in his hand. The solo outing Stitch, his first release of any kind in six years, is the proof that he has let bygones be bygones with his inner demons. However, he did not completely go stag. Joining him on the project are members of Richmond Fontaine and of Laura Gibson’s band, with mixing duties assigned to Mike Coykendall.

Unveiled here, overtop of some plain ol’ rock and roll, are all of the loose ends tied together. Not having given a damn what anyone thought, Charing crafted the record that he wanted to listen to and no one else. His delivery is to-the-point, but not harsh. Charing can show that he knows how to shake it off with a little Dylanesque breeziness.

The first two cuts are choice--big meaty choruses and all. Charging in with the vinegary “Leftover Life To Kill”, Alan runs through his lines with a sneer. Segueing into the woozy, alley cat romp, “Cold Milk, Big Bombs”, Charing has got the whole dive bar swinging. He does not fall short too often here; just when you think he loses pace, the tempo recovers and the lag is gone.

Stitch tends to be a little too undeviating in instrumentation. There are a few strings or horns thrown in, but Charing keeps the format on lockdown with the ever-present accompaniment of rootsy acoustic guitar chops, bluesy lead, upright piano, and drums. It still makes for a hell of a good time on the second-to-last selection, “Whiskey Sours”. Other standouts include the meandering “Disasterpiece”, the darkly revealing quirk of “I Can Feel The Wheel” and the sticking point, “Long Goodbye”.

Stitch’s power is less showing than growing. Opening statements like ‘Something’s missing, makes no difference to me’ may leave you unimpressed at the onset, still the reward comes with patience. Clean your slate and go back to track one; this record’s captivation is only fully realized with repeated listens.

Long Goodbye - Alan Charing

The review posted at ZapTown

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P L A Y List - (one)

The snow dumping continues here in the 'Burgh. No worries. I will be off to see Horse or Cycle opening up for dream-popsters, Action Camp, at Howler's tonight (we may have a little more up on that show in posts to come). I was considering staying in, seeing that my co-worker Joe let me borrow his Netflix arrival, The Brown Bunny. I had the pleasure? Yeah, I had the pleasure of seeing that one in a small theater downtown during its limited 2004 US release. I've been fondly recalling the silence of the room during a particularly gripping scene, ahem! Anyway, my viewing companion and good friend, Sarah, strode out of there feeling slightly changed. I remember us both not wanting to admit that we actually liked Vincent Gallo's newest offering. Ah, awkwardness. Ah, memories.

Still lots of big things to come, here at psov. We've got the facebook fan page up and running, and our first 'Follower' (every blog must have its first post, hence, every blog must announce its follower). Thanks, Karen!!

And, finally, thanks to Andrew Duncan over at ZapTown for worlds of support!!

* * *

There's a ton of new music in the banks. I figured it was time to serve up some of the goodies, new and old, that's been splashing the walls.



A little P L A Y List for you...

01' Speed (Rush Ah) - ArpLine
02' Doubt/Hope - Wildbirds & Peacedrums
03' Please Don't Put Me on a Slow Boat to Trowbridge - Hugh Cornwell
04' January Wedding - The Avett Brothers
05' Silver Trembling Hands - The Flaming Lips
06' Last Flowers - Radiohead
07' Kingfisher - Joanna Newsom
08' Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey - Radar Bros.
09' Cold Milk, Big Bombs - Alan Charing
10' Quiet Little Voices - We Were Promised Jetpacks
11' I've Smoked Too Much - Lawrence Arabia
12' Everyday - Vetiver

Check out Horse or Cycle at MySpace!

Wakey! Wakey! - Almost Everything I Wish I'd Said The Last Time I Saw You...

Wakey! Wakey!
Everything I Wish I'd Said The Last Time I Saw You...
(Family Records)
Rating: 2.3 of 5

The halls of ivy are chock-full of college dudes and chicks, walking around campus with their Apple In-Ear Headphones on, listening to fresh brand-names of pop/rock. They watch their reality shows and coming-of-age television dramas. It's the accessibility provided through these mediums to allow talented young songsters, like Michael Grubbs of Wakey! Wakey!, to bleed onto the scene--one familiar soundtrack tune at a time.

The barely twenty-somethings who recognize him as 'Grubbs' (the bartender) on the young adult targeted, popular CW network program, One Tree Hill, will be the ones to seek out Almost Everything I Wish I'd Said The Last Time I Saw You....

From the upstart indie music scene of Brooklyn, Grubbs puts another foot forward into the limelight having polished off a healthy batch of piano-driven pop for Family Records. The anticipated debut from Grubbs' outfit, Wakey! Wakey!, is teeming with the charm and intellect that attracts the heed of the some of the youngest of Generation Y.

The brooding, brown study of songs like "War Sweater" (featured in a season finale episode of One Tree Hill) and the uplifting buoy of the title track represent the prominent parts of AEIWISTLTISY. Catchy, repetitive monosyllabic refrains on "The Oh Song" and "22" make for easy singalongs. But, to note, Grubbs' vocally-fit laments on hope and dignity lack the profundity needed to weightily impact the listener's affection. More so, it presents itself like affectation.

Channeling his best Adam Levine, hooky jams like "Feral Love" recall Maroon 5 in flavor and spunk. Tasting of a little Regina Spektor influence, "Take It Like A Man" throbs with Balkan-inflected anti-folk before reconciling to its chorus of Snow Patrol-sounding climax. Faint traces of James Blunt and David Gray can also be heard, at times, during the long-play of the record.

Grubbs, with his fingers on the ivories, plays to the gallery with his own shimmering variety of compassionate melodies. Occasionally, he prevails. The rest, however, is a cereal bowl full of theater pop.

War Sweater - Wakey! Wakey!

The review posted on ZapTown
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Up and coming...

 

Coming soon: possible feature interview with Radar Bros.

Also: album reviews on Wakey! Wakey! and Alan Charing, just to name a few!!

Keep your fingers crossed...

Clapton and the ever-changing guitar solo face

He pushed Michelob in the cheesily memorable "After Midnight" commercial back in '88, represented the new Honda Ascot back in '89. There was an ad for the Mercedes Benz G500 from the nineties, as well. Now, Eric Clapton (and Fender Guitars) partnered with T-Mobile to promote their latest 3G Smartphone. The annoying clip of the blues guitar legend, looking all campy and threadbare, is in hot rotation on network television. For the price of the phone, you could get a brand new B.C. Rich Warlock Revenge. I'm kidding. Why would you want that?

Eric's currently exchanging godly licks with Jeff Beck on their co-headlining North American tour. Don't get me wrong, the man's musical canon is infallible. He's led a tumultuous life of drug-use, alcoholism, controversy, and catastrophe. Maybe it just shows in his face, at times.

Other nutty pictures of "Slowhand"

Bell Bottom Blues - Derek & The Dominos

Buzzbits: New Porn

 

More buzz about on upcoming releases:

May 4th release date for Together from The New Pornographers.

A few details and free download 'taster' from Matador Records on the label website.

Matador Records

Your Hands (Together) - The New Pornographers

St. Vincent at Diesel (Sun. Feb. 21, 2010); live review

St. Vincent leveled Pittsburgh with a rallying set-list and blazing new arrangements. Annie Clark played 'crowd pleaser' tonight after promotion and equipment mishaps forced her to cancel the stop in Columbus scheduled this past Saturday.

Armed with her responsive Harmony Bob Cat, the mesmeric frontwoman catapulted into the set with "The Strangers" and flipped through four more of Actor's dazzling avant-rock titles--finishing with "Actor Out of Work" before turning back the clocks with "Jesus Saves, I Spend". She toned things down a bit with her majestic ode to Nico, "These Days". I wonder if the young crowd knew what they were in for, and that they were far deep in it already.

"Black Rainbow", a finer moment, but nothing compared to the hypnotic foxtrot of "Marrow". Annie, looking fanciful but deadly in her smart black dress, thunderstruck the crowd with her unabashed chops and pedal-work. She has a zillion of stomp-boxes on her board. A mental image of a smiling Robert Fripp, listening in, came to mind.

The band joined Annie after her encore solo performance of "Paris Is Burning"--locked-in for the diabolic closer, "Your Lips Are Red". Kudos to the enveloping volume of the audio and psychedelic lighting and stage work. St. Vincent kept our mouths full of blood; Annie giggling mad behind her craft, high and low.

Save Me From What I Want - St. Vincent

* * *

How remarkable were Wildbirds & Peacedrums! The Swedish husband-and-wife duo, Mariam and Andreas, slugged out a starchy collection of experimental anti-blues. Andreas kept steadfast on the kit, feeding Mariam's ambient vocal pageantry with dynamic shifts in tempo and texture. Mariam, careening over her steel pan, peppered each number with color and harmony--a true exploration of percussion this turned out to be. 

Featuring songs from their rapturous debut, Heartcore and acclaimed 2008 follow-up, The Snake (which I afterwards bought at the merch table), Wildbirds & Peacedrums are a live feat of strength. Look for good things to come!

There Is No Light - Wildbirds & Peacedrums

St. Vincent is playing...

 

Live at Diesel in Pittsburgh, tonight. 

With Wildbirds & Peacedrums.

...see you there.

Shellshag - Rumors In Disguise

Shellshag

Rumors In Disguise
(Don Giovanni)
Rating: 3.6 of 5

I had the opportunity to see this band open for The Slits at the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh the spring before last. Touring with the material off of Destroy Me I’m Yours, the Brooklyn-based duo tore proper through their set of hooky pop-punk dressed with lurching feedback and kitschy deadbeat swagger. Shellshag, no doubt, is a gripping live act. The head-bobbing dance party that ensued brought old-heads, acolytes of post-punk and younger revivalists together with each repeated two-and-a-half minute sing-along.

Fresh off their recent consummation with Don Giovanni Records, Shellshag is ready to put their second album, Rumors In Disguise, out on new release shelves across the states. After exhausting themselves on sixteen straight dates last summer with burgeoning scenesters and labelmates, the Screaming Females, Johnny Shell and Jen Shag entered the studio to scribble down fifteen songs of mid-tempo minimalist punk.

The feel of the album is a little dragging, but turn up the volume and you get the fuzz-drone snottiness and DIY brandish in full effect. Johnny’s riffing comes straight out of Ramones academia with a good taste of late-80s American Underground to go with it. Jen plays the kit standing up with about as much tit for tat as needed to propel the songs onward. The two forces come together in such exemplary moments as the vocal interplay on “Means That Much” and the mucky goofiness of “Get Right”.

‘Can’t fix it with just one pill’, Jen proclaims over a J Mascis-sounding rhythm guitar on “1984”. With the exception of the poppy uplift of “Resilient Bastard”, the cuts that Jen carries steal the allure behind the record. Frenzied and maniacal titles like “Wake Up” and “Dirty Looks” stick to the basics and deliver with raw innovation. It surely helps to make up for a few of Johnny’s more lackluster contributions.

Rumors In Disguise is, both, the latest benchmark for progress in communicative punk rock and the blueprint for things to come from this brazen two-piece. Keep one ear to the ground.

Resilient Bastard - Shellshag

The review posted on ZapTown
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'Any asshole can chase a skirt, art takes discipline.'

The weekend is upon us for some. It's a relaxing Saturday for many. Me? I have to go to work. It has been an enterprising week of both fun and toil. Decided to allow myself to be kicked out of bed early this morning. No simple task after the pool hall, drinks, and karaoke of the evening past.

A few more strolls on the guitar are being worked out. New material to come soon, I promise.

My Bukowski has been left to collect dust over the last week. I keep taking it down to the donut shop, intent on enjoying a little reading. No, I just end up bullshitting with Bruce or getting distracted with the annoying hand-tapping and beat-boxing antics of the one young attendant. Yesterday was more of the same. Bruce and I got caught up in some sci-fi marathon on television. After an engaging episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, I wondered what I was still doing there--my book still in the Barnes & Noble bag.

A few days back, I had forgotten it entirely when I made my way out to Niko's Coffee. A perfect opportunity to crunch out a few chapters had passed. Fortunately, I found me a CP (City Paper) to occupy my time. News Of The Weird entries have been a staple in my obsession lists of the past five years. This was a funny one:

'Crimestopper: In Frisco, Texas, in January, boutique owner Marian Chadwick, who was about to be robbed at gunpoint by a hooded intruder, pointed her finger at him and said: "In the name of Jesus, you get out of my store. I bind you by the power of the Holy Spirit." The man appeared stunned, then turned and walked out empty-handed, cursing. [Dallas Morning News, 1-14-10]'

Other notable news: St. Vincent is playing Diesel in Pittsburgh tomorrow evening. CP printed a neat little interview with Annie as their music feature. I've never seen her live, for as many appearances she makes in Pittsburgh as she has, surprisingly. I really enjoyed her last record.

A few new things of interest:

Tom Gabel of Against Me! is staying hopeful about the band's release of White Crosses to come in June. They're back on the road, look for updates on Gabel's blog I Feel Sick To My Stomach.

Broken Social Scene's Forgiveness Rock Record, co-produced by Tortoise's John McEntire, is due out May 4th. After five years removed from the biz as the full collective (three solo 'BSS Presents...' records have seen the light of day in that time), they're ready to crunch out some more of those jammy, post-rock inflected anthems. The new track is buzzing in my latest iTunes playlist.

World Sick - Broken Social Scene
Angel Echoes - Four Tet
Written In Reverse - Spoon
No Being Disgusting - Screaming Females
It's Automatic - The Go Find
Go Do - Jónsi
Brothers - Hot Chip
Love More - Sharon van Etten

Lawrence Arabia - Chant Darling

Lawrence Arabia

Chant Darling

(Bella Union)

Rating: 3.4 of 5

Using Lawrence Arabia as his allonym, James Milne’s rhapsodic lost-at-sea approach to his second full-length brings forth a break in the clouds for this winter season. Like a call of spring in the air, he is fleeting bristly brushstrokes of fervent orchestration with his trusty Technicolor palette. A tip-of-the-cap to Pet Sounds-era baroque pop, a gleeful arms-over-shoulders chantey, a galloping synthesis of bright instrumentation and somber inflection, Chant Darling is all of these things.

His falsetto gleaming on the first forty-five seconds of “Look Like a Fool”, with its dripping tenor, sounds marvelous. “The Undesirables”, with its refrain of cascading semitones, carries from the sour ending of the opening cut over into the bubbling single “Apple Pie Bed”. Its unrelentingly charming chorus matches blow-for-blow with the sprightly “The Beautiful Young Crew” and the understated “Eye A”. “Auckland CBD Part 2” is a tiny buried treasure here, not to be forgotten, with its beachy worldbeat feel.

The concept of the wayfaring stranger is backdropped by the brilliant eclecticism. The juxtaposition of Milne’s lyrical torment and the sunshiny production pleases à la The Format's Dog Problems. The dissimilarity is the presentation; the cover of Chant Darling has Milne looking desolate and weathered.

The focus unravels a bit with flounderings like “The Crew of the Commodore” and “Fine Old Friends”, but the pick-up intro of “I’ve Smoked Too Much” puts Milne back at the helm of the steering wheel. Highlighted by soaring harmonies, the painstaking elegy of “Dream Teacher” drops the anchor on this offering. To note, Milne’s voice here is somewhat reminiscent of former tourmate Will Sheff’s of Okkervil River.

A South Pacific fog seems to envelop the production at times, but the convivial humor and sweet sentiment wondrously collude in gluttonous delight.

Sometimes recounting the same brand of 60s guitar-pop idolatry as Olivia Tremor Control, other times Jonathan Richman; Lawrence Arabia is still striving to map out its course. The New Zealander is steadying his sights for shore this time. The journey is certainly an enjoyable one.

Apple Pie Bed - Lawrence Arabia

The review posted on ZapTown
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New review at ZapTown

It's been a busy couple of days so far, but everything is finalized and we're all systems go here at psov.

A new music review of The Unbearable Being of Likeness, the latest offering from Mike Coykendall, is completed and up for viewing at ZapTown--an online publication based out of Indianapolis. It has been my pleasure establishing a working relationship with editor Andrew Duncan and more music reviews are to come.

I'm leery to 'cross-post' the review here, so as not to offend my newfound colleagues over in Indiana. But, here is the link to check it out.

Mike Coykendall review
ZapTown

R.I.P. Jim Bibby (1944-2010)

With the first workout for pitchers and catchers scheduled for tomorrow at noon, Pittsburgh Pirates spring training is ready to begin. Many players and coaches already shipped south to Bradenton to get started and to slip out from the snow blanket that befell the city of Pittsburgh throughout February, thus far. But, all of this has come in the midst of sad news.

Former Pirates All-Star pitcher Jim Bibby passed away at the age of 65 Tuesday night of undisclosed causes. Bibby, who started Game 7 of the 1979 World Series, chalked up 111 wins (one of which a no-hitter) in his 12-season career with the Pirates, Rangers, Indians, and Cardinals.

In 1980, he finished third in the National League Cy Young Award voting with a 19-6 record and a 3.32 earned run average.

Our sympathies go out to his wife and two daughters.

Mike Coykendall - The Unbearable Being of Likeness

Mike Coykendall
The Unbearable Being of Likeness
(Field Hymns)
Rating: 3 of 5

The last five years proving he has kept quite busy in the recording studio with fellow Portlanders M. Ward, Richmond Fontaine, and Blitzen Trapper, Mike Coykendall is ready to do his own thing his own way again. Regarding a follow-up solo release (Hello Hello Hello that came out in 2005), he had not found the time until presently. Now hitting with The Unbearable Being of Likeness, he has squeezed out 33 minutes of collected songs and miscellany into a rousing, slightly psyched-out affair. But with repeated listens, it seems to come off a little more like egoism and borrowed semblance. Even the everted wordplay of the album title filches from Paul Westerberg-like jadedness.

The space-trip takes flight with the steam-gathering “Good One” and the subsequent nod to Spoon, the kaleidoscopic “Luna Mama Less Dip”. There is an appreciated attention paid to the order of the tracklisting here, with each different style interlocking like a dovetail joint. The paranoia of “It’s Raining Inside” is put to rest by the easy-going laziness of “Spacebaker Blues”. The mishmash of tracks like “Disco Next Door w/ Clicker” (complete with an Ebow-ed electric guitar quote of the ‘rum-pum-pum-pum’ bridge of “Little Drummer Boy) and the jovial moxie of “Flatlands” sets up for his more heartfelt offerings. These are the pinnacle moments, such as the tender and winsome “First Shot, Best Shot” or how the reverberated drones of “Something To Chew On” seem to lead befittingly into the beautiful and melancholy “Wonderland”—the album’s highlight and closer.

Songs like “Sold Your Closet Paintings” and “Bye-Bye-Baby-O” serve as enjoyable and carefree laugh-offs. It goes to show that sometimes all you need are a few sparse piano notes to complement the material. But no one is going to stop Coykendall from fiddling behind the control board this time.

First Shot, Best Shot - Mike Coykendall

The review posted on ZapTown

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Work hard; play hard

There's a good bit on my plate at the moment, and I'm quite hungry. Look for CD reviews and other new posts coming soon.

In the meantime, I'm finishing up some laundry and getting ready to ship off to work.

See you guys very soon...

Work Hard/Play Hard - Palace Music

Word of the Day

Waiting over an hour to catch the bus home from work in 20-30mph winds blowing wisps of snow is not fun. My roomie was kind enough to put on a pot of coffee back at the apartment for when I would come home. And, I eventually did, some time later. Curry was not happy to be held by me with my fleece jacket wet with snow. The wind chill out there is brutal. But, the Dunkin Donuts coffee is delicious. I've been thawing out ever since.

It's another Monday night in Pittsburgh. Winter storm watch all over Allegheny County. The Hop House will still be there, open and silent. It's free pool night again, folks. I'll be stepping out later for a little nineball. But first, there have been some recent developments in the world of picturestreetsofvienna.

I've recently been contacted by the guys over at ZapTown for a little networking opportunity. More on that as it comes off the wire. I've also twittered a bit with a groovy, up-and-coming band from Portland, Oregon--The Salesmen. Their release Cubicle Rock is in line for a little review coming soon here to psov.

Some concern in the blogger world has risen with the recent fall of great music sites like 'Pop Tarts Suck Toasted', 'I Rock Cleveland', and 'It's A Rap'. I've taken precaution and uploaded a 'sister' psov site at wordpress.com. I'll continue to post here on blogger and upload to wordpress periodically. You can never be too careful...

* * *

The word of the day is 'support'! And, I'm going to throw some of it out there to a few buds I know playing shows in the 'Burgh.

Local four-piece Horse or Cycle has been hitting a few venues locally with some fresh new material that they have been saving up for a promising future full-length release. No word on any date set, but recording sessions have lasted, intermittently, since the beginning of last winter.

They settle nicely in the niche of the new indie folk-rock sound that has been quietly smoldering in Pittsburgh over the last five years. Playing alongside fellow scenesters The Meeting of Important People, Donora, Lohio, Mariage Blanc, and Boca Chica; they've been playing with a little more vim and vigor. There has definitely been a sudden boost in gain on the amplifiers. In sessions, they've incorporated mandolin and acoustic guitars for a little bluegrass infusion with their oft under four-minute compositions. Live, they plug in and sing full on the mic.

I have an old demo given to me by Chris, who handles lead guitar, keyboards, and shares vocal duties with frontman Liam. The songs here are steeped in oldfangled storytelling. Liam's languid baritone recounts tales of disasters and critical moments with a blasé shrug. The organs sound like mating cicadas in the summer, the moog effects channel the sound of wind currents. Each track seems to wrap up without the drag.

Here are two off the demo, check 'em out!

Flood Season
Saxis Virginia

Horse or Cycle at MySpace

'But this feels so unnatural, Peter Gabriel too'

The man is keeping busy. Some of us have heard him working with Hot Chip with his quaint interpretation of 'Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa'. I'm sure the boys in Vampire Weekend were flattered. He's selling out major city tour dates and tweeting up a storm. But, with all of this, he's wrapped up in the studio and ready to put out a new record. Finally, I might add.

Peter Gabriel (the birthday boy today) is about to release Scratch My Back in a couple of days. It's a covers album with some very adventurous selections. I had the pleasure of previewing a few of the tracks off the record. It's certainly a direction I didn't expect him to venture into. Am I surprised to see him covering Radiohead and Regina Spektor? I think so. But, I really can't wait to listen to them. The Magnetic Fields cover is probably the same one he released years back on the Shall We Dance? soundtrack. I'd really like to hear his renditions of David Bowie's 'Heroes' and Neil Young's 'Philadelphia'. But I was blown away with his version of 'My Body Is A Cage' by Arcade Fire, and was, moreover, excited at his choice of doing 'Flume' by Bon Iver.

My Body Is A Cage (Arcade Fire cover) - Peter Gabriel
Flume (Bon Iver cover) - Peter Gabriel

* * *

Speaking of Thom Yorke and company, Stereogum reports that Radiohead may just have finished up a new album. See story here.

'What is this that stands before me... ?'

Heavy metal turned 40 today (and Mats Sundin turned 39). Yep, Feb. 13th 1970 saw the release of Black Sabbath's self-titled debut. That means that if you were age 20 when this album came out and got really into it and stayed a 'metalhead' all the way through, you'd be a 60-year-old metalhead today. Let's hear it for 60-year-old metalheads!

I swear I finally bought the record a few years back in a dollar bin, but I've seemed to have misplaced it. I'm kind of curious where all of my misplaced CDs go. I've managed to do a pretty good job of getting anything I lend out back. My 'Out-List' is growing smaller and smaller. Not that I had lent Black Sabbath out to anyone, in my memory.

Listening to the first track has me a little nostalgic. I remember back in high school when my friend Mitch told me that Electric Funeral (off of Paranoid) was the greatest fucking thing ever. And, ten years ago, when Primus did that cover of N.I.B. for the Nativity In Black tribute album. Or, watching the Behind the Music on Ozzy. I also seem to vaguely remember me as a child making my oldest brother laugh headbanging to Iron Man.

Switch it up a bit. So many great memories of playing NHL '98 over at Matt's trailer and schooling his ass with the Maple Leafs. The Mogilny-Sundin combo was pretty fierce. I have since declared Mats Sundin as my all-time favorite hockey player. The brother was so lethal in overtime. I remember that one commercial he did where he checked that kid into the window. And, the McDonald's commercial with Wayne Gretzky.

Anyway, we have a few other birthdays to share for February 13th.

Here are a few:

Feist is 34 today!

• I Feel It All

Robbie Williams, 36. (Not that we care.)

• Millennium

Henry Rollins turns 49!

• TV Party - Black Flag

Peter Gabriel, happy 60th!

• Excuse Me
  

Tennessee Ernie Ford, you would have been 91 today!

• Sixteen Tons

Two New Tracks

I'm off on a Saturday, it almost feels like a weekend to me.

Here are a couple of new tracks, have at them.

No Former
Dumb Ideas

Quarters are the future.

I'm currently saving money. It's a little scheme I came up with. I'm investing in quarters. I, literally, buy a buttload of quarters at a time to purposely dwindle my checking account and force myself to budget. Quarters aren't easy to spend, so my box of $250 is sitting in the corner of my room--untouched now for almost two weeks.

I can't seem to utilize savings accounts. I'm likely to link the account with my checking, and then my all of my money is so easily accessible. Not too good for me. But, with this bundle of quarters, I'm incapable of overspending it. I use it for bus fare (works like a pass) and bar touchscreens and dollar pool tables. It's actually very convenient for me. I've started converting all of my wallet cash into quarters, too. Not that I'm a 'cash-spender', but it really limits what I can do having such small denominations. I'm sure to never leave the house without my $5.50 change to secure my way to work and back. And, the rest just sits there. My own private little savings account. I can't believe how well it's been working so far.

I'm trying to save up to buy a nice acoustic/electric, and probably another CD shelf for my room. I keep checking the mail for my tax refund check, no dice so far. My roommate told me they usually deliver them on Mondays. Not sure if there's any truth to that.

Somebody at work was telling me that they know someone who is receiving nearly $12,000 on their tax return. This person qualified for some credit because he has three children, and presently, his wife is expecting twins. The only thing better than a twelve grand refund check? Not having kids.

Good news. After almost 30 hours, my iPod scan finally finished up having detected and fixed bad sectors on the disk. Hopefully, I can use it to record some new tracks very soon. Or better yet, it won't freeze up iTunes or my computer anymore. This might be pushing it, but I might even be able to sync it. I was kinda looking forward to that trip to the Apple Store, too. Haha.

I think the string of snowstorms have finally finished up. I'm scared to do laundry because the pipes may be frozen. My clean socks supply is running on fumes. I've got to get up early for work tomorrow, we'll see if I can pull something together. Looking forward to my Friday night and Saturday off. Dread, Valentine's Day is just around the corner...

Happy birthday, Jesse!

Pick Up The Change - Wilco
Valentine - Old 97's

Single off of the new Midlake album

Pitchfork gave the record a bad review. I haven't listened to the whole album yet, but this track is great. Even local radio station WYEP is on top of it. Anyway, have a listen.

Acts of Man - Midlake

'Copy Voice Memos to Desktop' my ass!!

I recorded some things today, which are seemingly gone (thanks to my iPod). It seems I'm unable to recover either of the two tracks I laid down--one of which I kind of liked. I'll have to try that one again sometime soon. For the rest of the day, I'm just not 'in it'. I, currently, have seven tabs of Firefox pages open pertaining to iPod troubleshooting. I'm tired of reading about resets and disk mode and whatnots. The iPod has upwards of a gazillion problems, so it seems. I bet the goddamn hard drive needs replaced on this fakakta piece of shit. A trip down to the Apple Store seems to be in my future. How difficult it'll be to refrain from telling the clerk how terrible their product is, and how we all (figuratively, almost all) bought one, and how they win this time!

I suppose it's still snowing outside, but it's too late to leave the house to do anything productive. My check will still be waiting for me at work tomorrow, my hair length will just have to be what it is today. I stocked up on cigarettes the other day, so next stop is the bar. It's free pool night and they have Smithwick's on tap. Good enough for me...

Curry is asleep on my bed.

There are some six inches or so of snow coming our way out here in Western Pennsylvania. I'm off from work tomorrow, so I think that I'll spend the day recording some new stuff and probably heading to the bar later on to shoot some pool.

I'm having trouble figuring out what to do with some of these instrumental pieces that I've been gathering. If I can get them down a little cleaner, I may be able to work with them. I'll throw them up periodically. Right now, I'm running through a few short-term goals for the next 24 hours--being that I'll probably consider myself 'snowed-in'. I'm gonna stay up for awhile (drinking canned beer) and work some ideas around. I'm aiming to wake up by 9am.

I hope the buses are running tomorrow, it would give me some motivation to leave the house if I want to. A few errands aside, I'll have plenty of time to devote to the guitar, and maybe, Bukowski. I finished 'Factotum' a couple of weeks back, and I'm in the middle of 'Women'.

I think everybody went to bed early. And, I'm pretty sure that the kitty is all 'played-out'.

I put one of the acoustic ditties up, check it out. I have some work (play) to get done for now. Until then...

Gathering Branches

Calumet City

Quick little something that I threw together on January 2nd, enjoy!

Calumet City

Song for Katarina

Picture streets of Vienna as you're comin' down,
Wet your hair from the gutter that's flooding around us
Castles built from sand--we're not safe and sound...

Careful so you don't get your heart caught inside
The door's shutting behind us; you need a pep talk
Your love is surfacing--we're not safe and sound.

We don't get up early--we stay up late
Nothing gets handed to us, we have to wait for
The call of love to sound--as it makes its way
Through the comedy of nothing.