rootbeer is so fly. damn.
i think i spent most of midsems listening to the tom tom club and mariah carey.
i am spending most of finals listening to q-tip and kanye and the raveonettes' christmas ep thing.
i am pretty ok with all of those things.
best friends forever in st paul on the 21st, mpls on the 31st, or mpls on the 10th (but i'll be in nyc then).
lykke li in chicago on 7th february, or mpls on the 8th.
alright.
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Friday, May 30, 2008
jeffrey lewis and los campesinos! at the varsity theater
Wednesday night I went to see Jeffrey Lewis and the Jitters and Los Campesinos! at the Varsity. I didn't take a camera along because I wanted to have fun and not worry about getting really great shots and that sort of thing. It seems like a lot of dudes go to shows just to take the best photo possible, so you can search flickr and find plenty of snaps if you feel the blog reader's need for accompanying images. I will also describe the show for you in case you're lazy like me:
The Varsity is this real swanky venue. Don't get me wrong--it's beautiful, it's just really different from Bob's Underground (home of a cute little mouse/a space that also happens to moonlight as a coffee shop) or Gardner lounge, my normal show spots. The ceilings in Gardner are so low Family Unit's juggler couldn't get a proper juggle on (back when they were a full band). What if they had brought along a unicycle?! Tragedy. Well, they'd be golden in the Varsity, where they have real high ceilings, a disco ball over the crowd, and two chandeliers over the stage. I guess what I'm getting at is the difference between what I'm used to in Grinnell and what you'll find at the Varsity is the Varsity is nice. The bar's way out of the way in the back and the room itself is all deep reds the way a classic theater would be. There is even carpet! You'd never have that in Bob's or Gardner--too many stains. Anyhow, similar to both my regular show spots, the Varsity has couches! It's kind of bizarre having fancy armchairs and couches slightly raised and bordering the room, since I was expecting more of a tiled-basement with cigarette burn flame resistant blue 80s sofas, but the lounge area housed lots of adult hipster couples comfortably and chairs around the floor with little cafe tables made a pretty good spot to wait for things to get started. I met Chris there (I'm linking White People Music because evidently I like linking in this post) and he had picked up a sweet Jeffrey Lewis comic already. (I mean, he purchased it. For a fleeting moment I saw the comic on the table and thought Jeffrey Lewis had just left out some comics as reading material. And, while Chris and I agreed that would have been really adorable, we also agreed that would be ridiculous.) So I perused Fuff #3 (the purchased comic) while Chris went on a parking meter mission and we waited for JL and his pals to open.
Jeffrey Lewis is pretty much the sweetest and cutest and most fun ever. His singsong-ery manages to make sad or depressing or kind of awful things really appealing. Maybe appealing isn't the right word, but something like that is. The Jitters were great, too. The girl on mini piano (I think her name was Helen) reminded me of my friend Claire a whole lot because she sort of hunched up her shoulders a little bit while she sang. Mostly she had this specific Claire expression (like she has a funny secret), and on top of that she seemed excited and fun. JL and the Jitters played a few songs and some were fast and some of them were big and some of them were ballads but all of them were great. And there were lots o' videos. I especially liked "The History of Communism: Part Three (Russia)" because Chris and I had just been talking about Russkiland and how crazy it is. I tried to chant "USSR" as they prepared but I think Chris thought I was chanting "USA" because he kept saying things like "Better DEAD than RED." At one point JL played a sweet, simple song about friends and atheism and sort of sad things--it's one of his songs that sounds a little like Kimya Dawson's stuff. I don't know the name of that song or really very many of his songs because I mostly bought my ticket to see Los Campesinos! and so initially Jeffrey Lewis and the Jitters were just an added bonus. (I do know they played "Banned from the Roxy," at least.) It's kind of funny that I hadn't planned to see those kids as much as Los Campesinos! because it turned out I liked them best. I am starting to think that 54% of the time the best band opens.
Maybe it's just because JL and the Jitters opened and they seem so sweet and really excited and earnest about music (and that's probably because JL's songs seem to be more about messages through lyrics rather than sound), but Los Campesinos! sounded just like they do on their recordings, which was good, but they also seemed a little...high school or something? I like their recordings because I like certain aspects of high school mentalities (the pop-y music parts, mostly), but it's also kind of like LC figured out all of the hip things to do in a band (tight t-shirts, violin, glockenspiel) and then put together as many of their friends as they could get away with and then got hyped a lot (Pitchfork) based on their recordings (and probably also because they're from Wales and have nice accents even when they sing) so now hipsters want to see them and so they get to perform. The girls were wearing tights with just the right amount of holes in them and it was way too hot for tights, which always makes me suspicious. They put on a good show, I guess, but I didn't feel like they were really into what they were doing--more like into being rock stars? They definitely throw out a lot of energy, but it seems to be more about showmanship and a punk rock-esque attitude than a real commitment to music. But like I said, I could be over analyzing because it's kind of impossible to be as sweet as JL and the Jitters. Los Campesinos! did start their set with an inter-group call-and-response type count off and I liked that a lot. More people stood up once they started and a few even danced a little (evidently people in MPLS don't really dance at shows?) so that's a plus for LC, too. Oh! and lol, their drummer looked like Minkus from Boy Meets World, but older, shirtless, and, to quote Chris, "buff." I tried to find a good Boy Meets World era picture of the actor but evidently he's on that WB drama One Tree Hill now and the Lee Norris fansite I found requires registration to get to the gallery and that is creepy and further than I'm willing to go to help you figure out that allusion.
I ALMOST FORGOT THE BEST THING: we met the legendary KDIC Flock of Seagulls haircut guy at the show! He's a Grinnell alum and he runs a big music blog so he goes to shows a lot and we saw him between Jeffrey Lewis' set and Los Campesinos!. I recognized him from a Grinnell magazine article/the 80s KDIC staff photo so Chris and I went up to him to confirm his identity. I would link to his fancy blog here but I am afraid he'd find this post and read my review of the show and think Grinnellians are kind of dumb now. I'm not going to tag Los Campesinos! for this post, either, in case they do things like google themselves. I don't want to make them feel bad. . . And now I feel bad. I just remembered one of the LC girls was standing next to me during Jeffrey Lewis' set and when some of the songs would pick up I would dance a lot and she would hipster shuffle a bit and that seemed nice of her, given the lack of dancing in the crowd. I don't mean to be negative because I had a really fun night! It was just different than I expected.
The Varsity is this real swanky venue. Don't get me wrong--it's beautiful, it's just really different from Bob's Underground (home of a cute little mouse/a space that also happens to moonlight as a coffee shop) or Gardner lounge, my normal show spots. The ceilings in Gardner are so low Family Unit's juggler couldn't get a proper juggle on (back when they were a full band). What if they had brought along a unicycle?! Tragedy. Well, they'd be golden in the Varsity, where they have real high ceilings, a disco ball over the crowd, and two chandeliers over the stage. I guess what I'm getting at is the difference between what I'm used to in Grinnell and what you'll find at the Varsity is the Varsity is nice. The bar's way out of the way in the back and the room itself is all deep reds the way a classic theater would be. There is even carpet! You'd never have that in Bob's or Gardner--too many stains. Anyhow, similar to both my regular show spots, the Varsity has couches! It's kind of bizarre having fancy armchairs and couches slightly raised and bordering the room, since I was expecting more of a tiled-basement with cigarette burn flame resistant blue 80s sofas, but the lounge area housed lots of adult hipster couples comfortably and chairs around the floor with little cafe tables made a pretty good spot to wait for things to get started. I met Chris there (I'm linking White People Music because evidently I like linking in this post) and he had picked up a sweet Jeffrey Lewis comic already. (I mean, he purchased it. For a fleeting moment I saw the comic on the table and thought Jeffrey Lewis had just left out some comics as reading material. And, while Chris and I agreed that would have been really adorable, we also agreed that would be ridiculous.) So I perused Fuff #3 (the purchased comic) while Chris went on a parking meter mission and we waited for JL and his pals to open.
Jeffrey Lewis is pretty much the sweetest and cutest and most fun ever. His singsong-ery manages to make sad or depressing or kind of awful things really appealing. Maybe appealing isn't the right word, but something like that is. The Jitters were great, too. The girl on mini piano (I think her name was Helen) reminded me of my friend Claire a whole lot because she sort of hunched up her shoulders a little bit while she sang. Mostly she had this specific Claire expression (like she has a funny secret), and on top of that she seemed excited and fun. JL and the Jitters played a few songs and some were fast and some of them were big and some of them were ballads but all of them were great. And there were lots o' videos. I especially liked "The History of Communism: Part Three (Russia)" because Chris and I had just been talking about Russkiland and how crazy it is. I tried to chant "USSR" as they prepared but I think Chris thought I was chanting "USA" because he kept saying things like "Better DEAD than RED." At one point JL played a sweet, simple song about friends and atheism and sort of sad things--it's one of his songs that sounds a little like Kimya Dawson's stuff. I don't know the name of that song or really very many of his songs because I mostly bought my ticket to see Los Campesinos! and so initially Jeffrey Lewis and the Jitters were just an added bonus. (I do know they played "Banned from the Roxy," at least.) It's kind of funny that I hadn't planned to see those kids as much as Los Campesinos! because it turned out I liked them best. I am starting to think that 54% of the time the best band opens.
Maybe it's just because JL and the Jitters opened and they seem so sweet and really excited and earnest about music (and that's probably because JL's songs seem to be more about messages through lyrics rather than sound), but Los Campesinos! sounded just like they do on their recordings, which was good, but they also seemed a little...high school or something? I like their recordings because I like certain aspects of high school mentalities (the pop-y music parts, mostly), but it's also kind of like LC figured out all of the hip things to do in a band (tight t-shirts, violin, glockenspiel) and then put together as many of their friends as they could get away with and then got hyped a lot (Pitchfork) based on their recordings (and probably also because they're from Wales and have nice accents even when they sing) so now hipsters want to see them and so they get to perform. The girls were wearing tights with just the right amount of holes in them and it was way too hot for tights, which always makes me suspicious. They put on a good show, I guess, but I didn't feel like they were really into what they were doing--more like into being rock stars? They definitely throw out a lot of energy, but it seems to be more about showmanship and a punk rock-esque attitude than a real commitment to music. But like I said, I could be over analyzing because it's kind of impossible to be as sweet as JL and the Jitters. Los Campesinos! did start their set with an inter-group call-and-response type count off and I liked that a lot. More people stood up once they started and a few even danced a little (evidently people in MPLS don't really dance at shows?) so that's a plus for LC, too. Oh! and lol, their drummer looked like Minkus from Boy Meets World, but older, shirtless, and, to quote Chris, "buff." I tried to find a good Boy Meets World era picture of the actor but evidently he's on that WB drama One Tree Hill now and the Lee Norris fansite I found requires registration to get to the gallery and that is creepy and further than I'm willing to go to help you figure out that allusion.
I ALMOST FORGOT THE BEST THING: we met the legendary KDIC Flock of Seagulls haircut guy at the show! He's a Grinnell alum and he runs a big music blog so he goes to shows a lot and we saw him between Jeffrey Lewis' set and Los Campesinos!. I recognized him from a Grinnell magazine article/the 80s KDIC staff photo so Chris and I went up to him to confirm his identity. I would link to his fancy blog here but I am afraid he'd find this post and read my review of the show and think Grinnellians are kind of dumb now. I'm not going to tag Los Campesinos! for this post, either, in case they do things like google themselves. I don't want to make them feel bad. . . And now I feel bad. I just remembered one of the LC girls was standing next to me during Jeffrey Lewis' set and when some of the songs would pick up I would dance a lot and she would hipster shuffle a bit and that seemed nice of her, given the lack of dancing in the crowd. I don't mean to be negative because I had a really fun night! It was just different than I expected.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
garage rock
GARAGE ROCK HAS TAKEN OVER MY LIFE. I am going to overdose on Be Your Own Pet but I just can't stop myself, they're so good. Two of my friends and I have started a punk rock band (more pop-punk, I guess). We don't have a name yet because I keep objecting to their suggestions, but we have two songs and an idea for a third. I think I might try to convince them to go a little more garage rock than truly punk, because I am so into it right now. I also just like the sound better (that is, if I understand the distinction between punk and garage rock the way I think I do). I keep worrying that I am going to sing too cutely because I am so used to twee, but my friend Kath mentioned a few "chirpy" punk-y rock singers that I like so maybe that'll actually work out. I am worried that I am going to imitate Jemina's voice, too, but I'll try to keep that under control. She has so much attitude! In the best way! I really like that Be Your Own Pet is so noisy, too. That's why I wanted to start this band with my buds. I can't actually contribute much except lyrics (mostly things I shouldn't say in normal conversation) and vocals. But even with that, being noisy is so good.
Be Your Own Pet - Heart ThrobBe Your Own Pet - Bog
In addition to Be Your Own Pet's self-titled album and "Get Awkward," I have been listening to this compilation of West Coast East Side Sound, "The East Side Sound: 59-68," that I got from my library. It is so fantastic! Did you all know about the West Coast 60s garage rock scene? Why didn't you tell me? I'm going to highlight a few of my new favorites over a few posts and if you know anything more about any of them you should holla. I haven't been able to find much so far, probably because Gullbuy.com says "The East L.A. scene from the 1960s of Mexican-American bands is a vastly under-rated scene that is best remembered for hits like The Premiers' 'Farmer John' and Cannibal & the Headhunters' 'Land of a Thousand Dances.'" I'll try to find more tracks and information, but until then you should go find this album. It's from Dionysus Records/Bacchus Archives, c1996. I think it is actually part of a four volume series, so pick up whatever you can find.
First up, Las Dilly Sisters! (This post accidentally became a tribute to young, girl voices in garage rock. Yeah!)
From Radio Rumpus Room: "Las Dilly Sisters [are] a tiny yet tuneful pair of Mexican pre-adolescents who, back in 1968, covered the Standells' signature song in a most astounding manner." That's true--it is so astounding. I don't know why they started playing or who started recording these little girls with guitars but I am so glad they were rocking out as babies. From what I can tell, The Dilly Sisters were also on this 60s children's television program, Banana Splits, fairly frequently. The gag seems to be that every time the characters look outside (through a door or a window or a bananascope) they see the girls playing guitars accompanied by overwhelmingly cute sing-song voices. The camera usually ends with an overhead shot. I'm not really sure why this is supposed to be funny--maybe the characters get annoyed by them? If that's the case, it seems pretty mean--the Dilly Sisters are so cute! It seems like a silly show, so maybe it's just supposed to be absurd. Anyhow, some of the clips I found on YouTube are in Spanish, but it's hard to tell if they are dubbed or original because it's a H.R. Pufnstuf-style puppet show so the mouths don't really line up in either language. I have a feeling it was originally in English based on the voices used, though.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
new music
This is new music I like. Some of it is new, some of it is something I've liked and somehow lost track of, and some of it is really old but new to me:
http://www.myspace.com/tenderforever
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http://www.myspace.com/dntel
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http://www.myspace.com/tenderforever
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This really simple video is so obviously made in Paint but it's my favorite from my search for The Rolling Stones' "She's a Rainbow."
http://www.myspace.com/dntel
I like that this song sounds like it was recorded over the phone or in a pool locker room.
Dntel - Roll On (ft. Jenny Lewis)*
When looking for more information about Las Vulpess, this post at Edu's Worthless Blog was the only information I could find in a language I understand. Fortunately, everything written in that post is awesome and reveals how kickass Las Vulpess was as a group, if ever so briefly. Yeah!
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Oh, FYI, almost 5/6ths of anything good I ever listen to has come from this blog: buscate un novio. I don't really understand the text (like, at all), but the artists featured are so regularly awesome that I don't really worry about that anymore.
*
This is not new to me at all but I still love this song so much.
This is not new to me at all but I still love this song so much.
Listen List:
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Lykke Li - Little Bit
This song might be old but I still like both of these videos.
Live:
This one reminds me of my pals and the crummy coffee shop where I work and where my friends sometimes play music. It makes me think of fun times playing with maracas. I really like the part where she adds percussion by dancing so the instruments she's wearing strung around her neck clang together.
Official:
This one reminds me of different pals who are real good dancers and always look great. I really like the overexposure. My room last year would be sunshiney like that a lot. This year around 4 o'clock I get some nice overexposure sun if I happen to be around.
Live:
This one reminds me of my pals and the crummy coffee shop where I work and where my friends sometimes play music. It makes me think of fun times playing with maracas. I really like the part where she adds percussion by dancing so the instruments she's wearing strung around her neck clang together.
Official:
This one reminds me of different pals who are real good dancers and always look great. I really like the overexposure. My room last year would be sunshiney like that a lot. This year around 4 o'clock I get some nice overexposure sun if I happen to be around.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
rock 'n roll and r&b
I picked up a CD from the Listening Room of my library a few weeks ago. It is one of those compilation albums of rock 'n roll songs from the 1960s and it is so great. It is so great mostly because it introduced me to Bobby Freeman:
Not only do I love songs that promote a lot of flailing around and having fun, I LOVE songs that introduce new dance moves. Sometimes instructions within a song can go really wrong, but this is just perfect. It is a little uncomfortable watching the audience look so bored but it's actually in a funny way. Why are you just sitting there? Bobby Freeman is teaching you to do the Swim! At least the girls performing are awesome. You can tell they are thinking about how awesome they must look, being stony-faced and badass.
Some of my friends recently linked to the new Gnarls Barkley video for his single "Run." It is also great (both song and video), I think, and it really builds off of this dance show tradition.
As a longtime *N Sync fan (I'm not ashamed, I would totally be at a reunion concert), I really like the Justin Timberlake opening. Even without that, though, it is such a good video and song. There needs to be more dancing like this! Even if it is a spoof of Graffiti Rock.
Not only do I love songs that promote a lot of flailing around and having fun, I LOVE songs that introduce new dance moves. Sometimes instructions within a song can go really wrong, but this is just perfect. It is a little uncomfortable watching the audience look so bored but it's actually in a funny way. Why are you just sitting there? Bobby Freeman is teaching you to do the Swim! At least the girls performing are awesome. You can tell they are thinking about how awesome they must look, being stony-faced and badass.
Some of my friends recently linked to the new Gnarls Barkley video for his single "Run." It is also great (both song and video), I think, and it really builds off of this dance show tradition.
As a longtime *N Sync fan (I'm not ashamed, I would totally be at a reunion concert), I really like the Justin Timberlake opening. Even without that, though, it is such a good video and song. There needs to be more dancing like this! Even if it is a spoof of Graffiti Rock.
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