Weddin'

I'm less stressed now, sucka.

All the preparations paid in full. All of the procrastination in doing so didn't cost me. I had what I needed, and when the time came, I delivered.

Last Saturday was the wedding of my friends Jessica and Chris. 'This guy' provided music entertainment. I'll admit, once I worked out the rookie jitters, assuming the role of DJ Mikey V was hella fun. I learned a lot from the whole experience; how to make old people dance, how to shoot down requests to hear Soulja Boy, how to hold my liquor on the job, etc.

Chris, the groom, paid for a one-hour extension on the bar... and we all thanked him for it. This party was not meant to end around ten o'clock.

Congrats to my friends who got themselves 'all married up'. All my best goes out to Chris and Jess.

One More Time - Daft Punk
Curs in the Weeds - Horse Feathers
January Wedding - The Avett Brothers
Sway (acoustic) - Bic Runga

The madness continues...

Out tonight for more drinks, cigarettes, lovely company...

Have a great weekend, ya'll.

Dance Yrself Clean - LCD Soundsystem

It's been a couple of weeks...

It's been a fan-fucking-tastic July thus far. I went ahead and got entirely distracted from everything and anything. But, I thoroughly enjoyed myself while doing so. It's time to pick up the pieces and merge back into life as I kind of once knew it. This will involve making good with certain people again and pumping out the motherfucking jams.

We'll start today. Everything will once start. Something new and very good has happened to me and I'm finally ready to share myself with the world outside my apartment again. This can most conveniently be done via The Internetz.

Throw some Glimr your way is what I'm gonna do. Have at it, hoss.

Sunburned at Midnight - Glimr

Happy 4th!! (Boomy ones!)

Things are most certainly changing... and I'm excited!

I'll be off to 4th of July celebrations and fireworks at the local park on this, what will hopefully become, clear and starry evening.

No sour notes here. Refrained from giving you Soundgarden or Elliott Smith... nothing is fucked here. Good times ahead! Happy. Fun. Time. With an emphasis on 'fun'.

Light a Roman Candle with Me - fun.

Revisiting a mix from last year; Matt Pryor gets me

Life is a convoluted mess, at times. Expectations are killers. Immense complications require swift resolution. I can understand these things.

I've found myself enjoying a mix I made for someone two Augusts ago. It's funny that the mixes that you make for other people can actually be the one mix that you needed to make for yourself. You know that nobody would have appreciated it as much as you do.

So, with that, the last few days I've been enjoying this almost year old collection of songs that I can really identify with currently. Many things in my life run in one-year cycles. The need for this specific case of music therapy keeps the trend. The late-night walks home, the mornings spent alone with acidic palate-cleansing of a cup of black coffee, trips to work on buses in absolute thought evaporation; these are times I've been listening to "You're A Wolf" by Sea Wolf and "Jump Start" by The Hang Ups and "Lover's Spit" by Broken Social Scene.

I would have shared the whole mix with you, but it's for me...

But, I'll offer you one song that will always resonate with me; applicable to all situations deemed fucked or sticky. So once given to a girl named Linda, a mix completed on August 12th of last year; here's track one...

A Totally New Year - Matt Pryor

P L A Y List: Summer Songs

Summer is eight days old already. My last post was over a week ago. And, the last P L A Y List was quite some time before that. All of this means it's about time to give you something fitting for the new season.

Summer to me means a whole lot of nothing good. I dwell on the bugs and the allergies and the terrible Pennsylvanian humidity. I'm not a 'people person', so I enjoy a season when there are a whole let less of them out and about. I don't vacation often, and when I do, it's to some Northern city with a good music festival or bars that stay open past 2am. I'm not a beach guy. I don't dream of sand while listening to Jack Johnson or Jimmy Buffett.

While I could have given you something more subdued or depressing, you may have not appreciated it. So, I'm trying to keep a light, positive attitude; being that this summer, so far, has been unnaturally kind to me.

It's Summertime - The Flaming Lips
Go Jetsetter - The Postmarks
A Summer Wasting - Belle & Sebastian
Northern Lights - Bowerbirds
Bummer in the Summer - Love
Here Comes Your Man - Meaghan Smith
Cocaine and Ashes - Son Volt
Pain Killer (Summer Rain) - Turin Brakes
Nothing'severgonnastandinmyway - Wilco

Interpol/Twin Tigers at Mr. Small's... 'This is why I hold you... '

Interpol made Pittsburgh one of its few June tour stops with a performance last night at Mr. Small's Theater. With bassist Carlos Dengler recently out of the picture, former Slint player David Pajo joined Banks, Fogarino, and Kessler on stage for a celebratory set featuring plenty of choice cuts from the band's first two albums. No reason to believe otherwise, but let's hope Pajo is more than just a stopgap. Nice review of the show at spinner.com can be seen here.

Athens, Georgia's very own Twin Tigers lead things off with an impressive set before Interpol graced the converted church's stage. I've now found myself sifting through tracks off of the Twin Tigers' 2010 release, Gray Waves. Last night proved to be a thankful introduction to this band.

Lights - Interpol
Passive Idol - Twin Tigers

Les Shelleys preview

I wanted to follow up that last post with a little taster of what one might expect going down to the Les Shelleys show at the Thunderbird Cafe in Lawrenceville tomorrow night. I will be in attendance for the charming performance of one Tom Brosseau and one Angela Correa, playing together as the duo known as Les Shelleys.

I would describe them as an old-timey, harmonizing acoustic duet à la She & Him. Brosseau is a storyteller singer/songwriter from North Dakota. He's been known to write about his home state, having released an album titled Grand Forks--after the town he grew up in. Correa is from San Diego where she plays with her self-named band Correatown. Her music has been featured on television programs like Grey's Anatomy and How I Met Your Mother.

I've provided a quaint little number from their self-titled Fat Cat release... enjoy!!

Rum and Coca-Cola - Les Shelleys

Chipped/Chopped Ham

I feel like I've done Pittsburgh justice in my lifetime. I've lived here my whole life and I've pretty much done all of the things that I've wanted to do--things exclusive to this great city. Pittsburgh certainly has its charm, which makes it easy to embrace. The arts, the music, the food, the people, most definitely the bars; I've been to most places and enjoyed them.

On a music note, I've been to all of the good venues and most of the bad ones. While I am obviously too young to have experienced a show at the Electric Banana or the Crawford Grill or the Syria Mosque, I've seen my fair share of events at Club Laga and Graffiti and Metropol and Rosebud. I've been to Diesel before it was Diesel when it was Nick's Fat City. It's important to live in a city and know all the stomps. At least, I think so.

I've always wanted to clean up my list, so to speak; a list that I've comprised of all of the places I've yet to go and all of the things I've yet to experience. I knocked one off this morning and had breakfast in one of Pittsburgh's infamous diners--Isaly's.

For those unknowing, Isaly's is renowned for chipped/chopped ham. One site claims this deli meat to be one of Pittsburgh's original four food groups. Sliced paper thin, layered on a bun with a slice of cheese (and maybe some hometown BBQ sauce); this type of sandwich holds a very special place in this city's illustrious history.

One of the only surviving locations nestles in Pittsburgh's neighborhood to the north, West View. I've been spending a lot of time in West View lately and decided to have me some breakfast at the little hotspot diner on Perry Highway. Kudos to the service (four coffee refills in 45 minutes!), the food (ham and eggs with white toast), the decor (loads of wall photos of historic Pittsburgh, West View, and the defunct West View Park), and the overall feel of the restaurant. It made me appreciate this city even more to be there.

* * * * *

I'm gearing up for tomorrow's Les Shelleys show at the Thunderbird Cafe in Lawrenceville. After a few errands run, I'll be back home to further enjoy the new record from this duo. More on this show at a later date, of course!

Diamond Ring - Joseph Arthur & the Lonely Astronauts

(Perhaps, your very own introduction to) Richard Youngs

Before you do anything else, please check out this experimental British folktronica artist that I've been following for a few years now. I can't tell you how many times I've enjoyed playing his fitting autumnal track "Low Bay of Sky" and I am always looking forward to new records. The first one's off of Jagjaguwar's 2009 release Under Stellar Stream.

His name is Richard Youngs. And, we would all be happy if he toured more (although, it is noted that he finds playing live shows to be altogether stressful for himself).

My Mind Is In Garlands - Richard Youngs
Low Bay of Sky - Richard Youngs

Wasted Daylight

New from Stars...

Enjoy!

Wasted Daylight - Stars

Gultskra Artikler - Galaktika

Gultskra Artikler
Galaktika
(Other Electricities)
Rating: 3.3 of 5


Wordless music albums must rely on their sonic textures to achieve imagery. Moscow-based avant-garde artist Alexey Devyanin has the grasp on this. Under the name Gultskra Artikler, Devyanin has come out with Galaktika—an ambient voyage through the nihility of hope in space.

With looped noise obscenely interrupting each mix, each drone track on Galaktika is engraved with its own signature—developing the interpretive full-length as a whole. Disturbing echoed choir vocals groan unintelligible syllables during dissolutions before synthetic and tendriled percussion tracks make shapes until the glob of sound becomes distortedly congealed.

Galaktika gets about as close to terrestrial as earth’s orbit, but not nearly as constant or calculated. The record’s course drifts along in zero gravity; hurtling aimlessly and spinning dark-colored streaks of light across the dregs of visible space. Artikler’s long-player could even soundtrack the next Ridley Scott sci-fi production; such as the unwordly “Nanorobot” would prove upon one closed-eyed listen.

Artikler’s work is very cinematic in arrangement. Similar soundscape sequences to 2001: A Space Odyssey can be heard beginning “Sputnik”; evolving into the sine wave whirr that would dissipate into thin slishes at the end of the track. The mostly melodic and introspective synth progression of “Asteroid” follows, nearing the end of the album. What kind of angel the final track is named after, I can only fear to know.

Industrial burbles sounding like heavy metal doors heaving, cringing digital squeals clucking on like megacomputers thinking, multiple semitones wavering in and out; Gultskra Artikler’s Galaktika is an intrepid, riveting affair.

Galaktika - Gultskra Artikler

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Benadryl and the lull to come...

It's early on a Tuesday morning, but I like to think of it as late on a Monday night. But Monday is gone. And, such a strange day it was.

I was so tripped out at work from taking a Benadryl on an empty stomach. Work proved difficult afterward. Finally made my way back home to pass out for an hour and a half. Since I've awakened, I've been to the bar and back. Three beers down, I still feel like I'm moving in slow motion.

I wanted to post something fitting, so here goes...

Dragonfly - Low

Joseph Arthur at Liquid Sundays; five tracks that are new and awesome...

After a long workday yesterday, I decided to grab a coffee and a bite at the ol' donut shop and bullshit with my pal Bruce. I took with me the new City Paper, as I was going to catch up on the complete summer concert schedule here in Pittsburgh. Bruce and I chatted about sex, drugs, death, and country music; it was nice to kill two hours.

In the listings, a show this Sunday caught my eye. Joseph Arthur is playing (and painting) at J. Verno Studios on 3030 Jane Street in the South Side of Pittsburgh with Harlan Twins and Long Time Darlings as a part of the Liquid Sundays event. The show starts at 6pm. Five artists are featuring work in mosaics, photography, graphic art, and live graffiti. There is also a laser cutting display by Epilog Laser. Yuengling beer will be provided free of charge. 21 and over, and we're talking about $15. It's a must see.

www.liquidsundays.com

I was also delighted to see that The National are making a September stop to the 'Burgh (accompanied by Owen Pallett) and Broken Social Scene is coming to the Byham Theater in the Cultural District. A very exciting summer indeed.

I'll be glad to post more info upon request. Hope to see you and one or all of these events.

To go with the theme of 'new and exciting', here are five new tracks that may leave you wanting more...

Constellation Dirtbike Head - Tobacco
Volunteers - Megafaun
Congratulations - MGMT
Saturday Come Slow (feat. Damon Albarn) - Massive Attack
Thursday - Noisia

Pre-summer update and a song by Gary Higgins

Summer in Pittsburgh is well on its way. A few new interviews are in the works... and the review list keeps getting longer and longer. Lots to do, lots to do, lots to do...

The upcoming summer concert list is very eye-catching; with the likes of Mates of State, Interpol, Tom Brosseau, the Three Rivers Arts Festival, and many cool local bands donning the bill. Just came off fresh from a wild and crazy Of Montreal/Noot D'Noot show. More on those two bands to come...

I'm going to make an honest effort to keep things pretty simple for June, and I'm looking forward to it. I hope everyone is enjoying these last trickles of the spring and ready to jump ahead into the summer months. Memorial Day weekend has come and gone, and I'm in high spirits. Aside from the overly hot weather and annoying high pollen count in the air, this will be a very enjoyable and fruitful summer. Here's to all!

Looking For June - Gary Higgins

**Blog Neglect**

Picture Streets has been suffering from a big of 'blog neglect'. Let's carry it into the next month with something fitting...

Wait Til June - The Go-Betweens

The Young Friends - Hella

The Young Friends
Hella
(Moodgadget Records)
Rating: 2.9 of 5


A little different from their usual lineup of electronic artists, Moodgadget Records took a chance on a couple of adolescents making inviting beach pop with the release of Hella by The Young Friends. Three chords and three minutes mark the limit on seven summery songs.

The subject matter may not exceed any expectations from a couple of fresh-outta-high-schoolers, but a nice pop sensibility is ever present throughout. It’s true that the songs kind of bleed into each other; making it hard to remember one over another, but the naivety and charm in the delivery is somewhat endearing.

The vocals are mostly moaned out overtop of bright chinsy guitar lines that are a little too insistent—particularly on “North End”. The drumming is a bit lackluster and static in a ‘played via keyboard’ kind of way. But, the energy is still here.

The first track, “Be My Baby”, glides along some breezy guitar passages—making the most out of its repetitious choruses. The bass parts are undermixed and seem to exist out of necessity. The handclaps on “Riverside Kids” give the album a youthful merriment. Who knows, it sounds like it could have been a really fun album to record. Perhaps, The Young Friends could have utilized a tremolo box for the guitars on a track or two.

Certainly without the bookworm lyrical depth of Vampire Weekend, The Young Friends still put out singalong bouncers in a similar approach. Potential might be a dangerous word to use, but honestly, let’s wait until they grow up a bit.

Be My Baby - The Young Friends

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Full Coverage (Vol. 2: Bob Dylan)

It's a rainy Saturday morning... and about time to put up another issue for Full Coverage. This one's most surely a crowd pleaser--it might be early, but we're gonna do Bob Dylan.

* * * * *

There have been so many renditions of Dylan tunes over the years to include, and I didn't want to steal from too many selections from the well-put-together I'm Not There soundtrack. So, among classics are some fun ones... enjoy!

Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands - Phoenix
Lay Lady Lay - Magnet & Gemma Hayes
Buckets of Rain - Neko Case
It Ain't Me, Babe - Johnny Cash & June Carter Cash
Ballad of a Thin Man - Stephen Malkmus & the Million Dollar Bashers
Down Along the Cove - Johnny Jenkins
It's All Over Now, Baby Blue - The Places
Fourth Time Around - Yo La Tengo
Blowin' In The Wind - Marianne Faithfull
Early Mornin' Rain (Gordon Lightfoot cover) - Bob Dylan

'So I best be on my way / in the early mornin' rain.'

True Womanhood - Basement Membranes EP

True Womanhood
Basement Membranes EP
(Environmental Aesthetics)
Rating: 4.1 out of 5


Like a dirty mass of glacial ice, True Womanhood carves deep distinguishable grooves in the haunts of avant pop song confinement. Taking strange cues from bands like Slowdive, Sonic Youth, and No Age; the trio’s sound is sonically conglomeratic. The marriage of the ethereal with the guttural on their latest EP, Basement Membranes, will keep your head swimming like too many spoonfuls of Robitussin. You’ve got to love it when D.C. sounds this good.

The sour note dirge of the colossal second track “Dignitas” shifts from discordant guitar grunge into a gaze-y hypnotic bridge and back again—all to a steady timpani shuffle. Thomas Redmond’s vocals are a perfect match for this swatch of post-punk revivalism.

Cutting back in from the dreamy feedback spills are the whipping guitar chugs on the trembling “Rubber Buoys”. Perhaps the highpoint is appropriately right at the beginning of the record with the Radiohead-conjuring “The Monk”; featuring lines like ‘we tried and failed’ and ‘we eat our young’.

Aurally darker than some ears can tolerate, True Womanhood’s recent contribution to a UK compilation ("This is Wind Fucker") was eschewed on the grounds that it sounded like a ‘chant to the devil’. If curiosity doesn’t set in for you from there, I don’t know what it takes.

The Monk - True Womanhood
This is Wind Fucker (unreleased) - True Womanhood

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Judson Claiborne - Time and Temperature

Judson Claiborne
Time and Temperature
(La Société Expéditionnaire)
Rating: 3.3 of 5


When the transitions between seasons may leave you spiritless, sometimes there is solace in solitude. Chris Salveter aka Judson Claiborne understands this better than many. With his former slowcore band Low Skies on hiatus, Chris spent a lazy nine months spanning from summer of ’08 to early ‘09 writing and recording a second solo album—this time to be released on La Société Expéditionnaire.

Sauntering along in indie folk song format, Time and Temperature tosses in elements of bareboned neo-Baroque, alt-country, and Appalachian music. Through the vocal evocation of a weathered Jason Collett, Salveter spins yarns about waiting and wandering in pining romanticism.

In front of straggling guitar lines, Salveter sings ‘Baby, you can tell the songs so well to a stranger you don’t mind / where they’re from or what they’ve done or when there’s anger in their eyes’ on the simple and reflective “A Song for Dreaming”. The pronounced “Oh Cyril” comes next in sequence; following each sparse verse with a clement horn-sweeping chorus. “My How We Change!” and closer “Moonraker” are other ragged standouts.

What Judson Claiborne does with negative space is a marvelous achievement. Allowing the songs to promenade at their own intended speed lends the record a discreet maturity. ‘When the twilight spirit comes around, I’ll be somewhere nearing with my head to the ground’, he sings on the opening track. Salveter certainly understands the virtue that is patience.

As the cheerless inertia of the winter season slowly ferments into the halcyon swell of spring, Time and Temperature will accompany you in the gap.

Twilight Spirit - Judson Claiborne

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