Hint of Disaster

All Conked Up

2008-09-09T19:24:00.002-05:00

I took today off work to spend with my family, because I didn't take any time off during the summer to do so. We spent a few fun hours at the Brookfield Zoo, and Melanie is now off meeting a friend for dinner.

I was helping Aidan get his pajamas on, and when he pulled his little jeans off, I saw that his legs are completely covered in little boy bruises. "Oh my goodness," said.

"What?" he asked.

I pointed at his legs.

"Oh," he said, "they're all conked up!"

Take me out to the ballgame...

2008-05-29T20:45:00.002-05:00

Sunday evening, Aidan and I took in a baseball game, just father and son. I had been looking forward to it, thinking about what a special thing it is to bond with my son. I worried for a while that day, because a few hours before the game a storm rolled through Auorora. The rain lasted only minutes, however, and did not prevent the game from being played.

We went to see the Kane County Cougars, the single-A team of the Oakland A's. Their stadium is about 15 minutes from our house, which is benefit number 1 compared to taking him to a Cubs game. Anyone with small children knows that sometimes the trip somewhere can waste precious "good behavior" time. Benefit #2 is the price of a ticket. I bought the best seats in the house, for $12 a piece. First base line, a little past first toward right field, 5 rows up. Benefit #3 is free parking. Benefit #4 is all of the activities they have for kids. Benefit #5 is having no one yelling "Soriano, you suck &*%$!!" I heard no foul language at the Cougars game, compared to the constant onslaught at Wrigley Field.

As we approached the stadium, we were handed a free sample of a Dunkin Donuts iced caramel latte. Aidan loves Dunkin Donuts, a love passed down from his Grandma, and he loves iced lattes, a love handed down from his mommy. Good start as far as he was concerned. We went to will call, picked up our tickets, and entered the stadium.

He actually exclaimed "Wow!" upon seeing the field, and immediately wanted to find our seats. I wanted to walk around with him a little, because we got there about an hour and a half before the game was to start. But we found our seats, watched a little batting practice, then went for a walk. We made note of all the concessions available, saw a little kids area with a giant slide and obstacle courses, and then sought out the souvenir shop. It had heated up quite a bit since the storm, and I felt my head burning already. So a got a Cougars hat, which was only $9.00!

Before the game, the crowd was invited down for autographs and photos with the players. I took a photo of Aidan with my phone, but being somewhat slow, I cannot figure out how to get the photos off of it to post here. After the photo, he turned to the Cougars dugout and said he wanted to go in there. I told him he couldn't, so he kicked dirt into it! Thankfully it was very chaotic, and I don't think anyone saw it. I guess it was his Piniella move.

By the time the game started, the sun was beating down on us from over the other side of the stadium. I now know that evening games should be watched from the third base line, because for a few innings I had to squint to see the field. Aidan had been acting tired, and for the first couple innings, he laid down on my lap. I thought this was the end for him. But as the sun went down and it got cooler, and as he made friends with Nick, the 4-year-old sitting behind us, he started getting re-energized. It was cool to see him interact with Nick; I told Nick's dad that they were peas in a pod.

The "skits" between innings featuring a bird called Birdzerk were probably Aidan's favorite part of the game. Birdzerk taunted the opposing players, he danced, he drove around the field. Aidan laughed and laughed, and when the game resumed he always asked, "Where did Birdzerk go?"

In the fifth inning Aidan told me he had to throw up; I thought maybe the heat, his Sierra Mist and the corndog were conspiring against his stomach. But when we got to the bathroom, he said, "I was just kidding, I don't have to throw up." Thanks.

In the seventh inning, while he was enjoying a raspberry slushie-type thing, he suddenly looked up and said, "Uh-oh, POOP!" We raced to the bathroom again, and this time it was not a joke. While using the facilities, he kept asking if Nick was going to use the bathroom after him. I was proud of the little guy for letting me know!

After the game, we were treated to a pretty cool fireworks display. Aidan kept saying, "I want a bigger and bigger and bigger one" while putting his arms wide in the air. And then after the fireworks, we were able to go onto the field to run the bases. He was so cute as he raced around the bases. I got a really cute photo of him between second and third, and another good one of him stepping on home plate. Again, the photos reside only on my phone.

Walking back to the car, he said goodnight to everyone we passed, even the police officer directing traffic. He said he couldn't wait to come to another ballgame, even wishing we could go immediately, right now, to another game. But he'd like it if Catie and Mommy could come to.

A Prayer from My Son

2008-05-28T16:41:00.004-05:00

At the dinner table last night, Aidan asked, "Daddy, is your finger ok that you drilled the way other day?"

I should explain that a few days ago I was installing new cabinet locks on every cabinet in the house so that Catie does not accidentally ingest cleaners), and as I was drilling into a cabinet door, the screw slipped and I drilled my finger. Nothing bled, it just hurt.

I told him that it felt much better. He said he wanted to pray for me.

He bowed his head, closed his eyes, folded his hands and said, "Dear Jesus, thank you that my Daddy's finger feels better. Amen."

I have never been part of a better prayer.

Downtown Shout Down

2008-05-23T22:21:00.003-05:00

I made a compilation for an ex-co-worker recently. We decided to exchange comps of songs that reference cities. His featured songs that all referenced Chicago, which I had considered doing but realized I didn't have enough songs about Chicago, or any city for that matter, to make a decent comp. So mine is all over the map, and, in fact, the globe.

I then created a playlist on my last.fm account, and discovered I could insert it into my blog!

So give it a listen, let me know what you think (unfortunately, when you press play, it automatically shuffles, and I did create it to be played in the order that the tracks appear), and see if you can figure out which cities are referenced in each (some, like An Open Letter to NYC, better be pretty easy to determine).

Hopefully I will get a chance to switch the playlist up now and then.

Friday iTunes Random Ten (while at work)

2008-05-23T22:19:00.000-05:00

Man or Astroman | Test Driver | Not even a song, more like a speaker test for A/V equipment
Billy Childish and Holly Go-Lightly | Let Me Know You | Great garage tune from Headcoats/Headcoatees genuises
Teengenerate | Mess Me Up | Awesome Japanese band singing in unintelligible English
Today Is the Day | Timeless | Another non-song. It's too bad this track popped up instead of an actual song, because I have been obsessed with this album lately
Mudhoney | Real Low Vibe | The title describes the way the song sounds pretty well
Gorilla Biscuits | Big Mouth | I didn't start listening to the Gorilla Biscuits until about 2 years ago, but these would have been great anthems for my high school years
Pixies | Gouge Away | Another album I discovered too late in life
The Infections | C'mon | X-Rip Offs on Rip Off Records
Offspring | Beheaded | This coincidentally played yesterday on my iPod also
Gaunt | Don't Tell | I really need to get more Gaunt stuff. I'm trying to sell my LPs, and replace them with CDs, like I Can See Your Mom From Here, Kryptonite, Whitey the Man, etc

Drop your pants here

2006-08-21T20:48:00.000-05:00

Why do dry cleaners always think this is funny to put on their signs?

It's a Girl!

2006-08-10T12:58:00.000-05:00

Melanie had her 20 week ultrasound on Tuesday, and the doctor informed us that she has a baby girl growing inside her. The baby looked great, and we got to see her profile pretty well, and we got a good picture of the bottoms of her feet!

Now our family can all go crazy buying girl stuff, although they may want to wait until she's born. You know, just in case.

More of my single dimension

2006-08-02T13:56:00.000-05:00

I recently gave a listen to "Remember Right Now" by Spitalfield. It is pretty emo, almost too emo. And it makes me think of Fall Out Boy, whom I hate. But I don't hate this like I hate Fall Out Boy, so I'll give it another chance later.

On the flip side of the coin, I didn't hate "Irresistible Bliss" by Soul Coughing as much as I thought I would. I remember the song "Super Bon Bon" from many years ago, and that song used to annoy me. The album as a whole isn't too bad, although it won't be in my top 50 or even 100 bands any time soon.

I never got to see The Smoking Popes live their first time around, and have yet to see them after their reunion, so "At the Metro" was nice to hear. A collection of songs taken from their original reunion show at the Metro for some festival that I cannot recall. Something about flowers. Forgive me for not looking it up. This is a solid collection of Popes tunes, and they sound terrific.

To round out the S's, Shellac's "1,000 Hurts" isn't nearly as captivating as "At Action Park." I still haven't heard "Terraform," so I can't say that nothing Shellac has put out has come close to their first 3 singles and first album, but this one certainly doesn't.

The Mekons are freaking amazing, at least from what I have heard recently. The "Teeth-Kill" double 7", "Work All Week" 7" and "The Quality of Mercy Is Not Strnen" LP are all awesome. The problem becomes the sheer quantity of material this band has put out.

I found a fun little album by Harry and the Potters called "Voldemort Can't Stop the Rock." All songs are about the Harry Potter books. The band is interesting, in that their website promotes certain books each month and they go on library tours. It's actually not bad indie rock.

And finally, I sold my Tortoise records years ago, but just got a few recently. "Millions Now Living May Never Die" is quintessential Tortoise. If you like post-rock stuff, you have to seek this out. Of course, if you like post-rock, you probably already have everything they've ever put out. The album makes me recall seeing Tortoise with UI and Labradford.

I'm so one-dimensional

2006-08-01T13:10:00.000-05:00

All I can ever think to post about is the music I'm listening to.

Recently, I listened to Black Flag's "Damage," which was exciting because I haven't heard it in quite a while. I own it on vinyl, but sold my record player on eBay last year. I recently came into the possession of a digital version, though, so all is good. Rollins is insane on this record.

I also just got the chance to finally hear Mission of Burma's fantastic album "Vs." I am in love with this record. I had previously only heard Pegboy's cover of "Revolver" on "Earwig," so it is a treat to hear the band that created that song. I still haven't heard the original of "Revolver," but maybe I'll find that someday.

After listening to Prince's recent "Musicology," I thought I would venture to listen to some older material. What a mistake. I got the "1999" album, and it is an absolute mess. Lyrically, musically, conceptually, just a mess. I felt dirty listening to it, so I kept skipping past songs. And the songs are all ridiculously long.

Green Day's "American Idiot" was refreshingly good. I've been a fan of Green Day for a long tome, but not a huge fan, just enough that I enjoy their music every once in a while. I didn't enjoy "Warning," though, so I never followed up on "American Idiot". That was wrong of me, since this album is arguably their best to date. The songwriting is just as catchy as on early albums, but also seems more mature and just better. I love the two songs that have multiple movements. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, though, do they rip off (or is it homage?) "Ring of Fire" in one of the movements of "Jesus of Suburbia"?

Lastly (from what I can recall over the last few weeks), the Rolling Stones "Exile on Main St" really should be required listening. The album is incredible, particularly "Ventilator Blues."

Music as of late

2006-07-05T13:35:00.000-05:00

I haven't been very good at keeping up with my "Album of the Day" posts. But I have been trying to listen to a new album almost every day anyway. Here's what's been on my iPod lately:

Prince - Musicology: Not bad, actually. I need to listen to old-school Prince before making a decision as to whether this is a good album from him. I enjoyed the title track a lot. I really dislike his use of "2" for "to" or "too" and his use of "4" for "for", i.e. "4oreign".

Beastie Boys - To the 5 Boroughs: Best Beastie Boys album ever. Seriously, I like it more than Paul's Boutique. Standout track is "Open Letter to NYC," a song that uses the Dead Boys' "Sonic Reducer" as its foundation. I listened to this for about a week straight.

Johnny Cash - American V: Brilliant album. I can't get enough of this one, either.

Beck - One Foot in the Grave: I never feel like listening to Beck, but am always glad when I do. Odd, no?

Slint - Tweez: I can't believe I never listened to these guys before. I had heard a few songs here and there, but never an album. This album is awesome, I don't know if it reminds me of Big Black, or if Big Black reminds me of Slint. I wonder which came first; I'll have to look into that. mewithoutYou has elements of Slint in their music as well. I'm listening to "Spiderland" now, but I think "Tweez" may be better.

Sonic Youth - EVOL: I should have bought all this band's output when I was in high school.

Shellac - At Action Park: I have this on vinyl, but sold my record player a while ago so I couldn't listen to it. Now that I can listen to it on my iPod, I'm reminded how great it is. Listening to this and Slint back to back is wonderful.

I can't remember what else I have listened to lately.

Another Album of the Day update

2006-06-16T13:00:00.000-05:00

Once again, I have listened to a number of albums lately, but have been remiss in writing about them daily. So here is a collection of music I have been listening to over the last couple of weeks:
The first disc of Johnny Cash’s "Unearthed" boxed set is quite a collection. A few songs show up here that I’ve heard before, like "Old Chunk of Coal," but for the most part it is all new. One of my favorites from the disc is "The Fourth Man in the File," which is preceded by a scripture reading from Cash. I would listen to Cash read from Leviticus.

I first listened to Two Gallants after listening to Cash, and thought they sounded remarkably similar to Cash. So I waited some time, listened to other stuff, and came back the them. Their album, "What the Toll Tells" still reminds me of Cash, especially the opener "Las Cruces Jail." To me, they stand somewhere in the middle of Cash, the White Stripes and the Gun Club. They have that folk-punk thing going on, where songs will start off with lilting guitars and then blow up into a controlled fury. The vocals have a passion and earnestness that reminds me of Kurt Cobain on songs like "Pennyroyal Tea" and "Where Did You Sleep Last Night." The kind of voice that manages to swell and fill the room on even a slow-tempo, quiet song.

I continued my pursuit of the appeal of the Beastie Boys with "Paul’s Boutique." I remember this album from my high school days, but it was mostly used as the soundtrack to my trips with friends to Taco Bell or the movie theater. It also reminds me quite a bit of my old high school art classes, because of the classmates there who were big Beasties fans. This is probably the first Beasties album that I like for the most part. The highlight for me is still "Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun," but that may be because it’s one of the few songs I recognize. I also really enjoyed the medley "B-Boy Bouillabaise." The album still has a lot of filler I could do without. I may have finally found the great Beasties album in "To the 5 Burroughs," but I’m not through it yet, so that will have to wait.

Finally, Last Exit’s "Headfirst into the Flames: Live in Europe," given to me by my friend Kendrick, who has also given me some stuff from Last Exit’s saxophonist, Peter Brotzmann, is amazing. The 1989 live album is a piece of avante-garde jazz genius. The band melds rock with jazz and I absolutely loved this.

Album of the Day - Art Brut "Bang Bang Rock and Roll"

2006-05-30T13:32:00.000-05:00

I finally listened to the full-length from this British band, and I like them quite a bit more now. Originally, I listened to their EP and the more somber, goth-tinged iLiKETRAiNS right next to each other. Listening to "Bang Bang Rock and Roll," I have a better handle on the unique aspects of their sound.

To begin with, the vocals do not really echo those of iLiKETRAiNS as I previously stated. They are a little bit like Aaron of mewithoutYou or Steve Albini, in that they are kind of spoken rather than sung, but they also veer into a Billy Childish type of sound. The British thing probably makes me think of Childish. But the instrumentation also reminds me more than a little bit of Childish, particularly his work with Thee Headcoats. Both bands have a similar sense of humor. Art Brut's "We Formed a Band" really sounds like it could be a Thee Headcoats song.

I'll definitely keep an eye out for these guys in the future.

Album of the Day - The World I Know: A Tribute to Pegboy

2006-05-24T15:19:00.000-05:00

Pegboy is one of the most important punk bands hailing from the Chicago locale. Featuring members punk rock legends Naked Raygun as well as the Effigies and Bhopal Stiffs among others, Pegboy was virtually a punk rock supergroup. Their albums overflowed with passion, brutal honesty and super-charged, anthemic choruses. Larry Damore displayed a penchant for writing unforgettable lyrics that needed to be sung along to.

A tribute album recently came out immortalizing and memorializing this great band. I don't know whether this tribute serves as a eulogy; whenever I hear the band is done, they show up for one more set somewhere. And everytime they decide to show, I do my best to make it out to see them. Last time I saw the band, Damore needed to sit through a couple songs. They were all a little older, some fatter than others. And some, Damore particularly, worse for the wear. Even so, they soldiered on, putting on one of the finest punk rock shows I've ever had the pleasure to witness. Plowing through a song like "Never a Question" would reawaken the young man in Damore, and give him the energy to go crazy for 3-and-a-half more minutes. He spends most of his time with half his body in the crowd, getting spit on by the fans (who are also a little older and a little fatter) who are screaming along with him.

The tribute album includes some gems, some clunkers, like any other tribute album. Some of the highlights are Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio doing an acoustic version of "Field of Darkness" and the Blonde Alibi giving "Sinner Inside" the hardcore treatment. I should disclose that I work with the singer from the Blonde Alibi, so I may be a little biased. I also really enjoyed Haymarket Riot and Vic Bondi, and, even though both of these do nothing more than ape the original, The Story So Far (with Denis from 88 Fingers Louie) and the Dutchmen both turn out performances that tap into the same energy that Pegboy did.

If you are already a fan, I would recommend picking this album up. If you are not a fan, become one. Pick up "Strong Reaction" and the "Fore" EP to begin with, then move through the rest of the catalog. I only lament that you are not likely to have the opportunity to see the band live. But then again, never say never.

1. "Method" - Vic Bondi
2. "Strong Reaction" - Full
3. "Louisiana" - Rollo Tomasi
4. "Mr. Pink" - the Phenoms
5. "Superstar" - Munition
6. "Through My Fingers" - Haymarket Riot
7. "Walk on Bye" - Deminer
8. "Spaghetti Western" - Shot Baker
9. "Planet Porno" - Dreadnok Ripper
10. "Blister" - My Big Beautiful
11. "Locomotivelung" - the Matics
12. "Field of Darkness" - Matt Skiba
13. "Sinner Inside" - the Blonde Alibi
14. "Never A Question" - Bill Henderson (from x ONE WAY x)
15. "Time Again" - Break the Silence
16. "You" - the Invisibles
17. "Still Uneasy" - Nine Lives
18. "Dangermare" - the Littleman Complex
19. "My Youth" - Lynyrd's Innards
20. "Minutes to Hours" - Robotboot vs. What's Missing From Your Life?
21. "Fade Away" - Don't Worry About It
22. "You Fight Like a Little Girl" - the Dutchmen
23. "Hardlight" - Dead Town Revival
24. "Line Up" - the Story So Far

Music of the Day - Art Brut, iLiKETRAiNS and Jesu

2006-05-18T12:33:00.000-05:00

I guy at work gave me a CD with a bunch of music. All bands I have never heard of, which is fantastic because I can go into each with a completely open mind. No genres to be biased for or against. Nothing to compare to prematurely. I wish I could approach all music this way.

Art Brut's EP "Emily Rose" has sort of spoken vocals over an arty type of punk rock. It makes me think of the band Catholic Discipline, featured in the documentary "The Decline of Western Civilization," but since I have not seen that since my high school days, the comparison may not be valid. I enjoyed the EP, and look forward to listening to their album "Bang Bang Rock & Roll."

iLiKETRAiNS is similar to Art Brut in the deep, British vocal department, but this vocalist gets a little closer to singing. He reminds me at times of Nick Cave. The music is extremely melancholic; I told my friend at work that I picture the singer looking forlornly out the window of a small apartment into the dreary, rain-battered London streets. The best track is "Terra Nova," which I guess is one of their newer songs. I don't believe the band has ever put out an album; it seems to be all 7" singles and demo cassettes.

Jesu "Silver" EP -- I don't even know how to describe this, but it was my favorite find. It has soft vocals, and walls of sound of guitar and drums and ambient synth. It is a beautiful sounding EP. I had heard that Jesu was a new project form the guy from Godflesh, but I wasn't familiar with that name. Then I looked Jesu up, and saw that it is also the guy from Napalm Death. You wouldn't believe how different this is from the sonic assault that was a Napalm Death song. I cannot wait to listen to this EP again.

Album of the Day - Sufjan Stevens "Seven Swans"

2006-05-11T13:24:00.000-05:00

All I have heard of Stevens is the Christmas EPs and when Kyle played Illinois for me, which I really liked, but it was purely background music. This is the first Stevens album to which I have listened with intentionality, and I must say I am underwhelmed. He seems to whisper all of the vocals on the album, which could be great on a couple of songs, but after a while I found myself wishing he could really belt out a couple of lines. It could be that he just isn't that kind of singer, which is fine, I just wouldn't be a fan.

I enjoy the instrumentation just fine, but not enough to make up for the vocals. I'll listen to Illinois again, and see what I think of that this time.

Albums of the past few weeks

2006-05-10T14:12:00.000-05:00

DJ Shadow - Endtroducing
This album is phenomenal. It's like Tortoise crossed with Nine Inch Nails crossed with Public Enemy. The avante-garde jazz meshes beautifully with the industrial and hip-hop sounds. Love it.

Eels - Electro-shock Blues
I have hated the Eels ever since I first saw an Eels video, probably back in high school. They were boring, and I hated that the frontman called himself E. Or maybe it was e. Either way, it annoyed me. But this album is pretty fantastic. Cancer for the Cure is my favorite track.

Cash - Unchained
Johnny Cash is the man. I love this album so very much.

Flaming Lips - Oh My Gawd!!!...The Flaming Lips
Weirder than Hear It Is, but still more rock n' roll than I was expecting. I could see myself finally becoming a real fan.

Beck - Odelay
I hated him in high school because of Loser, but I am slowly developing respect for him. A lot of his stuff reminds me of the Blues Explosion, so I can see why they had him remix one of their songs.

Gorilla Biscuits - Start Today and s/t
This is such an amazing hardcore band. I love Quicksand and Rival Shools, but never got into these guys. I wish I had heard this in high school!

I love coming home

2006-05-10T13:33:00.000-05:00

When I put the key in the door, I hear my son begin to giggle. I hear my beautiful wife tell him, "Daddy's home!" I open the door, and Aidan runs toward me, laughing, saying "Hi!" in a bright, cheerful voice. He grabs me around the legs, and I lean over to kiss Melanie. Then I bend down and kiss Aidan.

These are beautiful moments.

The last few weeks...

2006-05-01T13:30:00.000-05:00

I have yet to reveal the most important things happening in my life. I usually only have a few spare moments to throw together something about what I have recently heard, seen or read. But we have some important, tumultuous, anxiety-inducing, great things happening.

Mel and I last year attempted to move into a better home than we have now. Things didn't work out, and we decided to make the most of what we have. Between November 2005 and February 2006, we had our basement finished in order to add some extra living space to our otherwise crowded 2 bedroom condo. But again I got the bug to move, much to Melanie's "I wish he'd make up his mind" chagrin. I feel our family needs some extra space and though the new family room in our basement is nice (because of it we've been able to have some friends stay at our house for a weekend), condo living does not provide what I would like my son to experience. He loves the outdoors, but somehow 2 feet by 4 feet of grass does not quite cut it. He loves to run around and pound on things, but sharing walls with 3 neighbors precludes any truly jubilant expression of boyhood.

One more thing created in me a renewed desire to move: Melanie and are are expecting our second child. Tentatively due December 24th, this new reason to celebrate has awakened in me a need to give my family a better place to grow and play and learn and love. I cannot imagine keeping two dynamos of energy locked up in a tiny condo.

We just completed a whirlwind weekend rehabbing our kitchen in preparation for putting it up for sale. Crazy that after 5 years of saying "We should really fix up our kitchen," we are finally doing it just to sell it. Last Wednesday we tore out the old cabinets, then Thursday and Friday I laid a new tile floor. Saturday we put up the new cabinets and cut the new countertop, and Sunday we secured the countertop and sink and replaced the vent hood above the stove. The result is a completely new kitchen that looks fantastic. Our hope is we will be able to sell our house more quickly with this remodeled kitchen.

We also hope that we will find an affordable home to buy. If you know the market in the western suburbs of Chicago, you know what we're up against. We've been house-hunting and have seen some houses that are good candidates. We hope either that these homes remain on the market until we list ours or that similar homes come onthe market when we list. Either way, it will take a great deal of prayer and faith to get through this.

So celebrate with us the new life that is forming and pray with us for the future home of our family. Whether we find a new home or not, we know that God's way is better than ours.

Album of the Day - I haven't given up

2006-04-28T13:02:00.000-05:00

I just haven't had time to write recently.

I have listened to quite a few new albums. Cash's "American Recordings" is, as expected, a magnificent collection of songs. I can't get over the fact that he does a Danzig song.

The Flaming Lips' s/t EP and "Hear It Is" are both wonderful recordings. They remind me at times of the Melvins, which was unexpected.

I'm working my way through the 2nd disc of Outcast's "Speakerboxxx/The Love Below," but ahven't gotten through enough to say much.

X (the Australian band, not the Los Angeles band) has a fantastic re-issue of "Aspirations." I have never heard this band, but I do have a New Bomb Turks album that has "Good On Ya Baby" and I had no idea what band originally did the song. So it was great to hear this. The band is a snotty punk rock band in the vein of the Fun Things, the Viletones and the Sex Pistols. A really great find for me.

Lastly, I listened to the Raconteurs, featuring Jack White of the White Stripes. The Raconteurs sound more classic rock than garage rock. It's a very cool sound. I have a feeling I will listen to this one a lot.

Album of the Day - Outkast "Speakerboxxx"

2006-04-19T13:06:00.000-05:00

I have thus far listened to the Big Boi half of Outkast's near-epic (at least in length) album, "Speakerboxxx/ The Love Below." The album is ambitious and is one of the most sonically interesting hip-hop albums I have ever heard. I got so tired of all of the lazy rappers out there; you know the ones who just barely enunciate their sloppily written, intellectually devoid lyrics over the slowest, sparest most boring Casio-sounding beats. I love hip-hop artists who are daring enough to move beyond the dull percussion-only tracks and put in some guitar, piano, or any other instrument.

"Speakerboxxx" seems to be pretty standard in its subject matter, but Big Boi's lyricism and ddelivery is more ambitious. He creates metaphors and imagery that make me wonder where in the heck he came up with his ideas. I remember one line along the lines of "Hip hop's there to destroy ya/ Leave a mother****** open like a foyer." I scratched my head inquisitively, but it's creative.

There are more interludes than I feel are necessary. It seems like commercials cutting into a TV show. I especially wasn't too cool with the one that featured a little kid using the mf word. I'm not particularly excited about adults who find comedy in hearing children use profanity.

Overall the album, particularly musically, is fun to listen to. I appreciate the chances that were taken on this record.

Album of the day - Beastie Boys "Hello Nasty"

2006-04-18T13:03:00.000-05:00

I've never been a Beastie Boys fan, although for a long time I've thought maybe I should be. When I was a youngster, during their "Licensed to Ill" era, I was afraid of them. I lived in Maryland at the time, and I remember hearing about the Beatie Boys kidnapping people and taking them to a concert. I was only 10 at the time, so I guess I didn't realize it was a conteast, and the people being "kidnapped" were winners. A 10-year-old hears "beastie" and "kidnap" and certain thoughts fly through his head. Hearing "License to Ill" 20 years later, the album hasn't really aged well.

The only other connection to the Beatie Boys I've had was in D.F.L., and awful hardcore band that Adam Horowitz produced (and allmusic.com claims he was once a member). The band was awful on record (I got a free copy of "Proud to Be" from Epitaph Records) and awful live (I saw them open for Pennywise, I think). Just truly awful.

But this is supposed to be about "Hello Nasty," an album that kind of confirms that I'm not a Beastie fan. Some songs on the album are good, although I didn't pay close enough attention to tell you which ones I enjoyed. But a lot of the songs fell into a mediocre category, and some I thought were absolute filler. Nothing grabbed me on this record, and maybe it's the kind of album that requires multiple listens to truly appreciate. I didn't outright hate the album, because their combination of rap, electronic music and rock is not unpleasing to the ears.

I'll try to listen to "Paul's Boutique" soon, and that will tell me for sure where I stand on the Beasties.

Album of the Day, Part 2

2006-04-15T23:09:00.000-05:00

Godspeed You Black Emperor "Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven"

GYBE plays what I would describe as orchestral rock music. The only other album I can think of that compares to this is the Melvins' self-titled album on Boner Records. LYSFLATH is made up of four movements, all that seem to begin slowly then build to a crescendo before falling back to a melancholic, glacial tempo.

I listened to this while at work today, and the album had me enraptured. The work is both abrasive and beautiful. By the fourth movement, I felt the music welling up inside of me, and I wished that it could continue longer. Rare is the record that does not outstay it's welcome.

I will definitely give this more listens in the future, but first I have many more albums to go in my Album of the Day project.

Album of the Day - Fugazi "13 Songs"

2006-04-15T08:54:00.000-05:00

Another album I can't believe I haven't heard before. Comprised of the "Fugazi" and "Margin Walker" EPs, this collection of songs has to be among the classic, essential punk rock albums. Fugazi has been descibed many times using better words than I can conjure up right now, so I will not attempt it. Suffice it to say, Fugazi is amazing.

"Lockdown" may be my favorite song on the album. It is anthemic, aggressive and forceful yet melodic and tuneful. Actually, that seems to decribe the album as a whole as well. These songs get under my skin, in a very, very good way.

Capote - Can't Think of Clever Title for This Post

2006-04-14T13:22:00.000-05:00

Can a screenwriter and director make an interesting film out of the story of an author in the process of writing a true-crime novel? Watching someone hunched over a typewriter for two hours doesn’t stir thoughts of riveting drama. But some of my favorite films are about writers or the process of writing: "Wonder Boys," "Finding Forrester," "Barton Fink". "Capote" joins the pantheon of literate films about literary works.

The film opens when Truman Capote (Philip Seymour Hoffman) first reads a news item about the horrific murder of a Kansas family, and an idea for a new novel germinates. Accompanied by friend Harper Lee (Catherine Keener), Capote sets off for the Midwestern state, where he manages to endear himself to one of the accused murderers and work his way into close proximity of local law enforcement.

Hoffman, an actor of remarkable diversity, has previously given life to characters ranging from rock writer Lester Bangs (Almost Famous) to the lovable tornado chaser Rusty ("Twister") to gambling addict Dan Mahowney ("Owning Mahowney"). His Capote is a man of startling complexity. He is driven as much by his need to be the center of attention as he is by artistic excellence. He is that rare egotist who possesses abilities that back up his grand proclamations about his own superiority. He appears at high-society parties as the man whom everyone crowds around to hear what profundities he may deliver. Even as he is being celebrated for the earth-shattering power of the novel that he has not even yet completed, he finds it within himself to dismiss the success of his friend Harper and her novel-turned-film “To Kill a Mockingbird.”

Keener, in her portrayal of novelist Lee, provides a grounded complement to the self-absorbed Capote. She stands by him, offers him help and encouragement even as he scoffs at her achievements. Keener always brings a down-to-earth quality to her roles, and here is no exception.

The film moves between the wealthy and affluent circles of New York and the Kansas cell that accused murderer Percy Smith occupies. In both worlds, Capote is selfish and manipulative. Director Bennett Miller traverses these two worlds as easily as does Capote. The posh nightclubs and restaurants are juxtaposed with Percy’s dank, cramped cell; the exotic Spanish vacation home with the warehouse where death row inmates are executed. It is in the place where these worlds intersect that the genius of Capote, the film, and the egotism of Capote, the author, is found.

I wonder, though, whether the graphic depictions of the murders were necessary. While shocking and effective in establishing the gruesome nature of the slayings, the flashback sequences were essentially superfluous. The audience could certainly imagine that what took place in the farmhouse was unpleasant, and Percy’s account of the murders would have been no less powerful and revelatory in the absence of the gratuitous violence.

Good Night, Great Film

2006-04-14T13:21:00.000-05:00

"Good Night, and Good Luck" portrays that bleak time in America’s history when a Wisconsin senator steamrolled his way into the history books on falsehoods and rumor. By allowing us to see the events through the eyes and experiences of a limited group, the film brings a fresh quality to a story that, while only several decades removed, has already been told countless times. Rather than tell the story amidst ordinary American citizens, writers George Clooney and Grant Heslov choose to use broadcast journalism as its protagonist.

David Strathairn plays Edward R. Murrow as a man seeking to bring credibility, legitimacy and integrity to his role as a journalist. He is single-minded in his determination to seek out the truth, and considers dissent and disagreement to be the mark of a patriot. Strathairn’s every quality –voice, diction, posture, facial movements – turn him into a broadcast journalist. Likewise, George Clooney imbues Fred Friendly with an energy and a frenzy that complements Murrow’s more stoic, simmering fire.

As director, Clooney has enough confidence in his actors to fill the film with close-ups. The actor’s faces and their expressions seem to dictate the composition of the frame. There is little quick-cut editing in this film. True to the era which it describes, the film contains many longer shots, but Clooney modernizes the look with wonderful, sweeping pans. He uses the frame fully, finding beauty as much in close-ups as on long shots where the actors and the action seem likely to burst out of the frame.

"Good Night, and Good Luck" is not a fast-paced film. It is not likely to dazzle the viewer. Rather, its more labored pace and black and white photography allow the viewer to be slowly immersed in the atmosphere of fear and trepidation in which the characters live. Certainly, the film leads to questions about current events and the journalists who cover those events. The story lends itself easily to such a discussion, especially since McCarthyism has already been transplanted on various eras before and after its own time.

More than mere Office Space

2006-04-14T13:17:00.000-05:00

Company
By Max Barry
Publishing date: January 17, 2006

We have “The Office” on NBC. We have the new special edition DVD of Office Space. Many of us have the reality of working in an office, complete with cubicles and failing laser printers and confounding work procedures. So why do we need a new novel to point out the banality and ridiculousness of life at the office?

Stephen Jones, the new hire at Zephyr Holdings, finds himself promoted over other, seemingly more deserving candidates. Confused, he sets out on a mission to find out what Zephyr Holdings really does. He knows that his department, Training Sales, sells training packages. But their customers are all other Zephyr departments. When he discovers the truth, it’s all a little hard to believe.

At the outset, Company merely seems to use hyperbolic situations to say that office work is boring and meaningless. Yet as the reader digs into the book, we, like Jones, find much more going on. Author Max Barry captures the essence of office work, but then ups the ante for an incredible amount of absurdity. He lampoons the office furniture, the office employees, the decrees issued from Senior Management and edicts from Human Resources. These departments, and even some individuals in the departments, are always given Capital Letters, which helps remove their humanity.

At one point, a departmental assistant receives her annual review. Last year she was told it was no big deal, just routine, so she did not worry about it. Once in the review, however, she finds she is fired for, among other things, failing to achieve her goals. “What goals?” she asks her supervisor. “Well, you didn’t have any…During your last evaluation, we were meant to agree on goals for you, but we never did.” When the assistant responds that she would have met any goals had they been set, her supervisor responds, “Well you might have. It’s hard to say.”

Barry does move well beyond simple satire, however. His novel becomes a wicked version of Douglas Coupland’s Microserfs, a novel about working at Microsoft, meets Peter Weir’s "The Truman Show". His look at office inefficiencies moves out of simple observation and exaggeration toward a voyeuristic, somewhat sadistic view of the corporate world.

Barry utilizes an economical style of writing that suits the story. The novel is absent of any long-winded descriptions, and the characters mostly speak only what is necessary. The language is as stark as the cubicle farms that the employees work in. But I was confused as to why Barry continually refers to employees of a Seattle company being “sacked” (and sick employees are told to get a “doctor’s certificate”), until I realized that he is Australian. Other than that, Barry nailed working for a nameless, faceless American corporation.

Some of Barry’s examples of corporate bureaucracy are brilliant. In one of my favorites, an employee recounts, “Last month we had to sit through a presentation on redundancy, and it was a bunch of Powerpoint slides, plus a guy reading out what was on the slides, and then he gave us all hard copies.” Except, in my world, the Powerpoint presentation freezes up mid-meeting.

Too Much, Too Late, Too Bad It Was Published

2006-04-14T13:13:00.000-05:00

I wrote a number of reviews for books, movies, etc, for a webzine, but I'm not sure when it will see the light of day. So I am presenting them here for your reading pleasure.

Too Much, Too Late
By Marc Spitz
Publishing date: February 28, 2006

Sandy James –nee Sandy Klein – drums for the Jane Ashers, a band that split up during its original incarnation and nearly twenty years later reunited with unexpected success. The band becomes an “overnight” sensation, replete with all of requisite, clichéd trappings.

Spitz’s novel seems aimed at or around my generation – the thirtysomething set. He references all of the big musical milestones of my younger years, Nevermind chief among them. Yet the musical name-dropping (the novel itself is presumably titled after the New York Doll’s second and final paean to excess, Too Much, Too Soon) gets old after only a few pages. He mentions everyone from the Replacements to Helmet, The Gun Club to Material Issue. He even calls the band’s guitar player “young, loud and snotty,” which is the Dead Boys first album.

The characters are barely original, inspired or believable. The most interesting character is vocalist Harry Vance, Jr., who struggles to balance the surreal nature of rock success with the very real and more desirable wife and son he leaves at home. The rest of the cast Spitz rounds out with the usual cast of malcontents who wax philosophic while high on topics like whether one would go to jail in place of a shoplifting Winona Ryder.

Spitz peppers his novel with band anecdotes about life on the road, which were told better in everything from Legs McNeil and Gillian McCain’s Please Kill Me and Henry Rollins’ Get In the Van. I got so bored with the alcohol and cocaine abuse that I wished the band would break up again so we could follow Vance back to Dean, Ohio, and watch him learn to adjust to living out his other dream of raising a family. Instead, Spitz treats us to drunken fights, drunken apologies, and coked-up performances. Perhaps the drug use seems so cliché because it is true, but that hardly seems to justify writing a boring novel.

Too Much, Too Late is written as a memoir, but does not work as such. The memoir allegedly comes from the aforementioned drummer, but he frequently gives detailed accounts of events and conversations that he would not know about, much less be able to relate second-hand with any accuracy. James recounts, for instance, what happens in Vance’s home when he orders a new cat to replace one that dies, and bills it to the band. Vance would not have told James about that, much less in such detail. That Spitz decided to remain with his memoir gimmick reveals either how little he thinks of his readers or how little he thinks about his writing. I also had trouble at times figuring out who was speaking certain sides of dialogue, particularly when Spitz himself seem to be tripped up. During a Q&A between Vance, Jr and his newly re-acquainted father, Spitz mixes up some dialogue so that it appears Vance, Sr is saying that Vance. Jr. is now a grandfather.

It seems that Spitz, a writer for Spin, is too in love with his insider knowledge to be able to drop it long enough to craft a good story without pretension. There is a good story to be told in reuniting a band well past its prime, and it was told in the film “Still Crazy.” Rent that, and avoid this book.

Album of the Day - Wilco "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot"

2006-04-14T13:01:00.000-05:00

This is the album that Wilco recorded, clashed with Warner/Reprise over, and then took the album with them when they left the label. After the record was leaked to the internet, it was picked up by Nonesush (owned by Warner) for release. And quite a successful release, if I recall. Kudos to Warner for refusing to release, then buying back, such a fantastic album.

"Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" at first glance seems to be a pop album, with happy sounding instrumentation and easy to listen to compositions. But under the facade of cheer, there seems to be something darker at work. Some songs seem to get darker the closer you listen to them. I haven't looked at the lyrics for the songs, so I am not sure where they fit. And I have only listened to the record once so far. Maybe I will discover that I am completely wrong with more listens, but this is my initial impression. The jangly guitars mixed with more experimental noise-rock make an interesting, and to my ears a highly listenable, combination.

I particularly enjoyed the opening and closing tracks. Jeff Tweedy really knows how to begin and end an album.

Inspired by The Hamster - Words Are Wonderful

2006-04-14T12:51:00.000-05:00

"But why should you care what I think?" Nash watched her through the cigarette smoke. "Miranda." And he just said her name, isolated and with enough pause before it to not seem part of the previous sentence. She didn't say anything. She felt a seriousness she couldn't quite locate as either hers or his. But there it was, now, between them.

This passage from "Eat the Document" by Dana Spiotta is so good that I will even forgive the split infinitive. I love this novel so far, as much for what the story is about as how it is about. Spiotta is a talented writer; she has many moments that cause me to marvel at her word choice.

Album of the Day - Sonic Youth "Daydream Nation"

2006-04-13T12:41:00.000-05:00

Sonic Youth's "Daydream Nation" reminds me of my high school years. It came out a couple of years before I entered high school, but listening reminds me of staying up late to watch "Alternative Nation" hosted by the ubiquitously bespectacled Kennedy. It reminds me of discovering music with my friend Ken: my first time hearing Helmet, the Jesus Lizard, Velocity Girl, Mudhoney. I discovered all of this music around the same time. Sonic Youth never really came my way, though.

My first Sonic Youth record was 1994's "Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star." I believe my comments regarding the record were something to the effect of "This record is certainly experimental, but it is trash and gets no star." I'm sure I thought myself clever, as well. Turns out, I was neither clever nor correct. I simply lacked taste and a sense of history.

Now that I possess both taste and a sense of history (in my own opinion, of course), I now appreciate Sonic Youth. Yesterday and today marked my first listen to the incredible 1988 album, which hearkens back to a time when rock n' roll could alternately traffic in 3 chord punk rock riffs and chaotic noise and feedback. Sonic Youth excelled in merging avant-garde noise with traditional rock n' roll. Few bands today do it at all, much less do it well. If they do attempt to join the two, it comes across as self-indulgent and self-aware.

A few years back I read "Confusion Is Next" by Alec Foege. He writes about Sonic Youth and their music with such passion and fervor that I declared to myself that I would seek out their music. I would highly recommend reading the book, and listening to the music.

Album of the Day - Danger Mouse "The Grey Album"

2006-04-12T12:27:00.000-05:00

This collision of Jay-Z's "Black Album" with the Beatles' "White Album" is a beautiful sonic adventure. I will admit upfront that I have not heard either of the source albums, but I hope someday to rectify that. That said, this record is a fantastic combination of the two. At no point does anything sound forced or unrelated. The music fits the vocals and hip hop beats quite well. Wikipedia has the tracklist, including which Beatles samples were used for which songs.

I like Ike

2006-04-06T13:14:00.000-05:00

My friend Ken sent me a number of CDs recently, many of which were Ike Turner albums. The first I listened to, Dance with Ike & Tina Turner, is an amazing collection of instrumental 60's rock n' roll songs. I wondered what the heck Ken was doing listening to Tina Turner, but these tracks answered my question. Ike wrote some stomping, rocking R&B tunes that sound fresh, original and far more inspired than dreck that the kids are listening to today.

I also started listening to "A Proper Introduction to Ike Turner," which is made up of a number of songs from the 50's, showcasing Turner's band backing musicians like Jackie Brenston and Howlin' Wolf. This is the real deal, and my thanks to Kendrick for introducing me to these gems.

Oh, the Guilt

2006-04-06T13:06:00.000-05:00

The other day, on the way home from work, I called Melanie.

"What're you doing?" I asked.

"Aidan learned to take off his own diaper."

"Really?"

"And then he peed in his pack and play."

We had to end the conversation so she could wipe down his pack and play. Luckily, he had already thrown most of his toys out of it, so he didn't spray those down.

When I got home, I opened the door, and there he stood. "Did you pee in your pack and play?" I asked him. He looked down, almost ashamed, and grabbed himself, like he was mad at the responsible appendage.

He will hate me later in life for writing things like this.

He's a genius

2006-03-31T12:49:00.000-06:00

On Wednesday, I witnessed a display of enormous importance and impressiveness. Melanie asked Aidan where his eyes were. He pointed to his right eye and said "eye," only with a vowel sounding close to the "aah" that you would give a doctor. She then asked him where his nose was, and he pointed now to his nose, saying "no." She then asked him where his mouth was, and he...you guessed it...pointed to his mouth, saying "mou." Lastly, she asked him where his ears were, and he grabbed my ear (although he didn't say it).

I think he is a genius.

Another Watchmen Chapter Down

2006-03-30T14:10:00.000-06:00

Chapter VI is an unsettling work. In it we see a young Rorschach and the violence and abuse to which his mother subjected him. It is essentially a superhero origins tale, but one that is more richly written than most. Gibbons illustrates the violence with unflinching detail.

I don't have much to say, other than that Moore and Gibbons present a dark, disturbing, moving portrait of a vigilante.

Working through Watchmen

2006-03-29T13:18:00.000-06:00

I posted once at www.brendoman.com/andrew about starting to read Alan Moore's "Watchmen" graphic novel, and had said I would continue with updates as I progressed through the book. Unfortunately, other reading endeavors got in the way at that time. I have, though, once again begun reading it.

I think I noted in my other post how wonderfully Moore subvert the expectations of a superhero story, and how complex he makes the characters. These people are more than masked heroes, they have lives and thoughts and feeling. Reading through chapter 5, I am getting an even better picture of who these people are.

Some thoughts on the book:

In Chapter III, Moore has a really interesting set of panels. In the chapter, Jon is talking to media about himself, but members of an audience begin to get worked up. Meanhile, Laurie and Dan are out for a stroll and find themselves is a street fight with a pack of hooligans. In one panel, Secret service agents, or maybe just bodyguards, push Jon out of the studio saying, "C'mon, let's get out! The mob's getting aroused..." In the next, Laurie and Dan are shown after defeating the gang in an almost post-coital position. They are slumped with the backs against a wall, kind of leaning on one another, breathing heavy. Laurie pulls out a cigarette.

Chapter IV expertly captures Dr. Osterman's ability to exist in all points of his life simultaneously. The use of Jon dropping the photograph into the dust of the moon helps the reader to see how he views time. Moore uses the mixed up chronology to emphasize Jon's feelings as much as he uses it as a cool way to tell the story. In lesser hands, the scenes may not have been placed in such a way as to create maximum impact.

Finally, in Chapter V, Moore shows how deftly he weaves multiple stories and voices in one cohesive thread. Moore and artist Gibbons also reveal a stroke of genius: they utilize mirror reflections (combined with a mirrored panel structure) multiple times to serve the story titled "Fearful Symmetry" (with a quote at the end from Blake's poem). I also thought I saw the word "tiger" spelled "tyger" as it is in the poem, but when I went back through the chapter, I couldn't find it.

I look forward to the next chapter.

A Fresh Friday Random Ten

2006-03-24T16:32:00.000-06:00

I cleared everything off my iPod last night, and randomly loaded a new 1,044 songs onto it. Here's what it spit out this morning:

Paloalto - Pick Yourself Off the Beach
I got this CD, a CD single for "Fade Out/In," for free from Island/ Def Jam when I was trying to put out a compilation CD for a non-profit I was working with. Paloalto is very generic; imagine the most boring parts of U2 and Radiohead. They remind me a bit of Swervedriver (and any number of other early 90's shoegazer bands). This song puts me to sleep (in a bad way). This is full of parentheticals (isn't it?).

Compulsive Gamblers - I Call You Mine
I love all of the Oblivians related music. This is from a post-Oblivians release (as opposed to the pre-Oblivians Compulsive Gamblers material). This album is really great bluesy rock with earnest vocals and terrific rock n' roll.

Nirvana - Stain
I like the drums in this song, and the way they cut through the buzzsaw of guitars. I like that about pretty much all of Nirvana's songs.

The Donnas - Speedin' Back to My Baby
Back before the Donnas took themselves too seriously. I think this song was just as they were switching from the female Ramones thing to a more AC/DC type of sound.

Pere Ubu - Over My Head
From the live disc in their "Datapanik in Year Zero" boxed set. Seemingly as straightforward rock as Ubu is likely to get.

Cheap Trick - Oh Caroline
This is one of Cheap Trick's poppier songs. I've really become a Cheap Trick junkie over the years.

MxPx - Honest Answers
MxPx can churn out some fairly generic pop-punk tunes, and this is one of them. I like a lot of their stuff, but this is toward the bottom of the list.

Big Black - Bad Penny
Pretty much anything by Big Black is great. Pretty much anything by Steve Albini is great.

The Bollweevils - No Time
Fitting, since I am currently wearing my Bollweevils "Survive" t-shirt that I got in '94 or '95. The Bollweevils are one of my favorite bands ever.

The Modern Lovers - Dignified & Old
Jonathan Richman's terrific punk rock band. This is from the live album, "Precise Modern Lover's Order."

Rockin' out with my 17 month old

2006-03-23T13:03:00.000-06:00

For Christmas, I bought Aidan They Might Be Giants' "No!" I had recently discovered that they, and a number of other indie rock artists, began working in what might be called "kid's music." Listening to the CD this morning with Aidan on our way to his grandma's house, I realized how wrong this assessment is.

I already liked the album. We listen to it at home, and he likes to dance and clap and laugh along to it. But usually there is too much going on to enjoy the music. Usually, we are also playing with toys or reading books or running into the furniture (at least Aidan is usually involved in those activities) to listen intentionally to the music.

But this morning as we drove, I got a chance to appreciate it on a whole new level. At first blush, the album appears to be simply silly kids songs. But as I listened, I heard great songwriting, lyrically and musically. Songs like the buoyant rocker "Clap Your Hands" and the mellow, dreamy "Where Do They Make Balloons" transcend mere kid stuff.

The album would certainly appeal to fans of They Might Be Giants, but I think it would also appeal to fans of bands like the Flaming Lips as well. I look forward to discovering more kids music with my son.

My new Cocoon

2006-03-22T14:15:00.000-06:00

No, not the Wilford Brimley movies. I've been looking for a case for my iPod Nano for a while now, and none of them seemed to be what I needed. All I ever found were sport sleeves or arm bands, or the occasional "leather folio." I really wanted a case that could hold my iPod and some accessories. I was tired of worrying, for example, that my iTrip would fall out of my coat pocket, or that I would misplace my ear buds.

Melanie found a case on Apple's website called a Cocoon. I just got it yesterday, and so far it seems to be just what I wanted. It has enough room for my earbuds and iTrip, with a little room left over for the lanyard that came with it, if I wanted it in there, too. I don't know if I will have much use for it yet. Maybe if I use it while working out.

It's a larger case, for sure, but I care more about the extra compartment than about keeping it slim. Plus, I like that the case seems durable, whereas everything else I've seen seems merely cosmetic.

Just wanted to share my excitement!

A fun belated birthday

2006-03-20T13:16:00.000-06:00

My mother-in-law wanted to make a birthday dinner for me, and asked me what I wanted. I have a particular affinity for this taco salad that she makes. She usually makes some killer enchiladas with it, so that's what I requested. I was told that that was too easy to make, that I should pick something else. So I said, "How about Chateau Brion"? Lo and behold, we go to her and her boyfriend's house yesterday, and what are they making? Chateau Brion.

It was so very awesome.

iPod, Diversity Be Thy Name

2006-03-17T13:29:00.000-06:00

My iPod gave me a rather diverse random ten this busy, crazy, hectic Friday.

Strung Out - Rotten Apple
Bad Religion - Faith in God
Tom Waits - Dead and Lovely
The Milkshakes - Pipeline
Minor Threat - Cashing In
Chevelle - Comfortable Liar
Tori Amos - Winter
Los Diablos del Sol - Wild Sound
Public Enemy - Hell No We Ain't All Right
The Hives - Antidote

Do these all seem like they belong in one person's collection? Do Public Enemy and the Tori Amos work side by side? Would the Milkshakes have toured with Minor Threat (or for that matter, would Thee Headcoats tour with Fugazi)?

TOP TEN ALL TIME BEST ALBUMS EVER

2006-03-14T20:34:00.000-06:00

Originally posted 1/5/06 at my other blog:

Can you think of anything more ridiculous, unnecessary and impossible than creating a list of the top ten albums of all time? I have thought about this on and off for a few years, but have always come to the conclusion that the task was so overwhelmingly ambitious, and I have probably not heard enough albums, that I would be unable to create a truly comprehensive list. Even so, I have persevered past those initial doubts, at least to the point that I have come up with albums to fill the top five spots.

What are the criteria, then, to decide which albums pass muster? How to choose between a particular band’s second and third albums, if both are examples of artistic genius? I suppose a lot of it comes down to gut instinct, and, dang it, subjectivity. If album “A” is great but reminds me of the time I got sick at Taco Bell and spent the evening with my head in a toilet bowl and album “B” is great but reminds me of falling in love with my wife, I may be more likely to vote for album “B”.

I also must point out that I just enjoy punk rock more than any other genre. I listen to some other styles, but it hardly veers from rock n’ roll. I love blues, but to me that genre has more in common with punk rock than it has differences. Unfortunately, almost all of the blues I own is on “best of” sets and anthologies, so I am criminally unaware of a single blues album that I could put on this list. I also enjoy classical music, but Mahler never really released an “album,” so his 3rd symphony isn’t up for inclusion.

With that introduction out of the way, I present to you the first five albums in my top 10 albums of all time, starting with number five.

Anyone who knows me knows how much I love Project 86, so it should come as no surprise that they manage to crack number five on my top ten list. I first became aware of them sometime after their debut eponymous album came out, and a friend gave me a compilation with the song “Pipedream.” The song didn’t really do much for me, because it reminded me too much of Rage Against the Machine and other hard rock outfits that populated alternative radio at the time. I was much more into garage rock and “budget rock”, with most of my money going to Rip Off Records and Estrus Records bands. But for some reason I gave Project’s second outing, Drawing Black Lines, a chance, and to quote the band, “I’ll never look back.” Drawing Black Lines is a dynamic hard rock album that manages to be intense and intimate, universal and uniquely personal, catchy and completely original, all at the same time. This is an album that continues to be dogged with the nu-metal tag that is so much more than metal, and so much more than post-hardcore. The lyrical catharsis of songs like Me Against Me, and the spiritual thought behind “A Toast to My Former Self” are the tip of the iceberg for this album. I could write essay upon essay about Project 86 and their music. While I want to stress how important this album is, I hate to be like the many fans who accuse the band of peaking with their second album. I think their fourth and fifth records, “Songs to Burn Your Bridges By” and “…And the Rest Will Follow” are in many superior to this early effort, but both have songs that I could probably live without (“Circuitry” on the former, “From December” on the latter). Drawing Black Lines is brilliant, front to back.

Number four on my list brings us to not only my favorite style of music, but also my favorite band of all time. The New Bomb Turks are a punk rock band that defies the punk rock tag. I often describe them as a sped-up Rolling Stones. Their finest album can be found in 1996’s Scared Straight, the band’s third release. While their first two albums are classic punk rock staples courtesy of Crypt Records, the third record builds on the strengths of those two and goes beyond. The band introduces horn and piano, and employs a slightly slicker sound. I enjoy the clever lyrics of vocalist Eric Davidson, and since the band was made up of English majors I felt a certain kinship to them. As with Project 86, even though I chose the New Bomb Turks’ third album for this list, that is not to say that their later albums were any less incredible. In fact, their sixth and final proper record, “The Night Before the Day the Earth Stood Still” could actually be their finest album, but Scared Straight holds a special place in my punk rock heart.

I will shake things up a little bit with number three. Public Enemy brought a punk rock aesthetic to hip-hop and rap, and Apocalypse ’91…The Enemy Strikes Black, showcases their punk rock attitude better than many punk rock bands. This record contains so many now-classic rap anthems, from “Nighttrain” and “Can’t Truss It” to “By the Time I Get to Arizona” and Shut ‘Em Down” that it would be neglectful not to include it. Flavor Flav is the rhythm guitar to Chuck D’s lead, and Chuck’s booming voice imparts his lyrics with an immediacy that can’t be heard in the lazy drawl of any modern day, mainstream rapper. I felt like such a rebel listening to Public Enemy combine efforts with Anthrax for the re-recorded “Bring the Noise” and I still get excited over this record. Actually, the first show I ever saw when we finally got cable where I lived was “Yo MTV Raps,” and I vividly remember the video for “Bring the Noise,” which I saw before I even became a metal fan. So in a sense, Public Enemy could be credited with introducing me to heavy metal via Anthrax.

I keep going back and forth over the number one and two spots. Upon further reflection, I will award the number two spot to Iggy and the Stooges for their incendiary third and final album, Raw Power. This fiery sonic adventure filled with sweat, spit and blood was dismissed by virtually everyone when it was originally released. Many claimed that David Bowie’s production wrecked the album, but even with uneven mix Raw Power inspired bands all over the world. The band was volatile, and so were its records, and that volatility gave the records a sense of immediacy that defined punk rock in the early 70’s. A re-release of Raw Power in the late 90’s uncovered portions of the songs lost in the 1973 mix, and a more complex recording emerged from the ashes of raging punk masterpiece. “Gimme Danger,” “Raw Power,” “Search and Destroy”…these are songs that create legends and will live forever.

We need a drum roll for my number one album of all time…

Walk Among Us by the Misfits. This album is absolute perfection. All of the horror movie-inspired lyrics are entwined in some of the catchiest melodies you’ve ever heard. Glenn Danzig crafted incredibly concise, spectacularly bombastic songs, and there is no better collection of his songs than on this 1982 release. All of the choruses are great sing-along anthems, from “Twenty eyes in my head” to “I turned into a martian / I can’t even recall my name” to “This ain’t no love in / This ain’t no happenin’ / This ain’t no feelin’ in my arm” to “Brains for dinner, brains for lunch / Brains for breakfast, brains for brunch.” These songs become indelibly imprinted in your brain. Danzig had a talent, at least for the Misfits, for writing horror related songs that mostly refrained from going over the edge of poor taste, although the JFK-inspired “Bullet” from the “Static Age” album comes to mind as a notable exception. Mostly tongue-in-cheek, and mostly synopses of horror movies like “The Fly” and “Night of the Living Dead” or about horror movie actors like “Plan 9 From Outer Space” star Vampira, the songs on Walk Among Us stay more or less away from offensive material.

I love all of the pre-“Earth A.D.” Misfits material (I just never could get into their attempt at hardcore, although I listen occasionally; and I refuse to acknowledge the existence of the Misfits that Jerry Only started up without Danzig), but none of the other records can compare to the ferocious, melodic mayhem of Walk Among Us.

This list begs the question: what are your top 5 or 10 albums of all time? I'll continue to ponder to figure out what 6-10 are, and I would love to hear how badly you disagree with me.

The Absorbancy of My Brain

2006-03-13T13:09:00.000-06:00

The other day I told Melanie that her brain is like a Brawny paper towel, and mine is more like the other leading brand. She remembers so many things, like important dates, my pants' size, pizza toppings I like, who starred in what movie. I, on the other hand, can barely be counted on to remember my car keys, never mind where I put them the night before.

I wish I had a better memory. I try hard to remember to do nice things for her, and to clean up after myself, and to consider her needs, but sometimes I just plain forget. And it's not because I'm not thinking about her, because I am. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in doing something nice for her, that instead of thinking about what she would like, I think about what I would like if I were her and I do that.

The Third Decade

2006-03-12T20:54:00.000-06:00

Yesterday saw my 30th birthday come and go. I didn't really care too much about the milstone, until about a week ago. I started thinking more about how I will never again be able to say that I am in my 20s. How the hair I am losing will never come back.

But Melanie gave me a wonderful gift for my birthday: the full assurance that she loves me, even as I bald and age. She asked her mom to babysit overnight, so that we could stay out late like we used to do when childless. We dined at a fancy french resaurant, Mon Ami Gabi, in swank Oak Brook. We enjoyed the Oysters Du Jour, the best oysters I think I've ever had. A little cocktail sauce, a little horseradish, those babies were fantastic. My entree: Salmon, dijon crust, pommes puree, balsamic & chive oil. Mel's entree: Sea Scallops, whipped cauliflower, carmelized onion, raisins, pine nuts. They were both incredible. Then the server brought out a Profiteroles with a candle in it, and did not sing for me; "I did it all online," Melanie told me. "I requested no singing." She really knows me. We also ordered the Chocolate Mousse for good measure. Fully stuffed, we decided we would go see a movie.

We decided upon "Capote," because we were in the mood for an Oscar-award-winning performance. Minutes before the movie was to start, a large group of women could be heard in the hall, huge belly-laughs erupting from them. They entered our theater, which was very quiet due to the fact that we were about to watch a movie about a gay author writing about a horrific quadruple murder. They sprawled out around the theater, yelling to each other, announcing that they were "the loud section." Great. But I had a sense that they were in the wrong theatre. It must be my hyper-sensitive ability to read people. Then one of them stated talking about how we'd all be laughing, wouldn't be able to control it. Turns out, they were there to see that Tyler Perry Family Reunion movie, which was showing in the theater next to us.

The film was great, really tough to watch at times, but great. Hoffman was excellent as Capote. What a selfish man he was. I didn't know the stary of the writing of "In Cold Blood," and I was riveted. Great choice.

Melanie had also rented "Walk the Line," so we had an Oscar-nominee/winner evening. Phoenix really immersed himself into Johnny Cash. The music was fantastic, the acting was fantastic, and I'm a fan of director James Mangold.

The best part of the evening, though, was how Melanie shared her love with me: through some thoughts about our life and love that she wrote down and presented to me when we arrived home. It was really wonderful, and made a memorable birthday. So I am trying not to worry so much about what is behind me, but to treasure what I have.

Thanks, Mel.

iTunes Friday Random Ten

2006-03-10T14:23:00.000-06:00

I usually use my iTunes at home for my Friday Random Ten, where I fire up iTunes and see which ten songs come out. But I am at work, and only have my iPod. So let's see which ten songs are first up.

The Gun Club - Gonna Find My Baby
Nirvana - Turnaround
Mudhoney - Poisoned Water
Nirvana - Sappy
Dear Ehesus - A Woe
The Methadones - Ammunition
Nirvana - Dive (Demo)
Bad Religion - Eat Your Dog
Johnny Cash - Personal Jesus
The Tossers - Come Dancing

A lot of Nirvana songs, since I put my entire "With the Lights Out" boxed set on my iPod. Mudhoney in the middle of a Nirvana sandwich is pretty good eatin'. And I enjoy hearing Johnny's version of "Personal Jesus" follow Bad Religion. The Tossers aren't a bad way to finish off this week's list, either.

My Post "Post-Oscar-Wrap-Up" Wrap-Up

2006-03-09T13:34:00.000-06:00

A few thoughts:

Can't they just get rid of the best song category, and leave screwing decent musical artists to the Grammys? Where else can you have three completely disparate choices such as those offered (and aren't there supposed to be five? Were there really not enough good songs from films to fill the other two slots?) on Sunday. I refuse to believe that the Three 6 Mafia song was really the best of the year. Heck, I would've picked Nirvana's "Something in the Way" from Jarhead above any of those others, but I guess I don't understand what makes a song nominatable (like that word?). Actually, the hip-hop song used in the Jarhead ads was way better also.

Jon Stewart was great. Having his Daily Show writers was great. Those low-down campaign ads were great. Pointing out that Martin Scorcese has no Oscars after the Three 6 Mafia accepted their award was great.

I found it funny that they trash-talked DVD. Yeah, that DVD really screwed their box-office revenue, didn't it? Oh wait, no, it was probably "Dukes of Hazzard" that did it.

I still get excited about the Oscars. I could without all of the pre-show interviews, which are all crap except for Roger Ebert, because he manages to slide in some decent questions and astute observations even as the "who are you wearing?" commences around him, and I could do without the post-show party coverage. If I were an Oscar attendee, I would prefer to slip away after the show and get some fast food and rent a DVD and go home. That'd show them, wouldn't it.

I guess I get most excited about the possibility that the Academy will do the right thing (meaning, give all of the awards to the movies, cast and crew that I would). No other awards show has that opportunity, least of all the Grammys. I get excited to see someone like Phil S. Hoffman win for best actor. I like some of the speeches. I appreciate any speech where a winner thanks their spouse and children, and seems to mean it. I like the best live action short and best documentary winners, because they don't appear to have had any plastic surgery, and look like they could live in the Midwest and survive.

Finally: can't we just get rid of the best song category?

Hoist That Rag

2006-03-08T12:54:00.000-06:00

Today I listened to Tom Waits' beautiful, bizarre album "Real Gone." I hadn't heard it in a while, and this time I was particularly swept away by a song called "Hoist That Rag."

Well I learned the trade
From Piggy Knowles and
Sing Sing Tommy Shay Boys
god used me as a hammer boys
To beat his weary drum today

Hoist that rag
Hoist that rag

The sun is up the world is flat
Damn good address for a rat
The smell of blood
The drone of flies
You know what to do if
The baby cries

Hoist that rag
Hoist that rag

Well we stick our fingers in
The ground, heave and
Turn the world around
Smoke is blacking out the sun

At night I pray and clean my gun
The cracked bell rings as
The ghost bird sings and the gods
Go begging here
So just open fire
As you hit the shore
All is fair in love
And war

Hoist that rag
Hoist that rag
Hoist that rag
Hoist that rag

Waits sings this song with an urgency that sounds like his life depends on it. The song (and the whole album, in fact) makes me picture a somewhat cartoonish factory, with giant smokestacks spitting out balls of smoke while huge, grimy gears turn and turn. If you hear the album, maybe you'll know what I mean.

"Hoist That Rag" is either the quietest loud song I've ever heard or the loudest quiet song I've ever heard; it seems to exist somewhere in between. Or it could be the most beautiful ugly song I've ever heard, or the ugliest beautiful song I've ever heard. Of course, maybe I'm just in a mood to consider it the ______est _______ song I've ever heard, and it's all a load of hyperbole.

Since my employer hates my other blog...

2006-03-08T12:45:00.000-06:00

Some weeks or months ago, my employer decided it hated www.brendoman.com, where my beloved blog is hosted. It blocked me from my blog, disallowing us any contact. Now, when I go home, the last thing I want to do is sit in front of a computer. I mean, I sit in front of one all day at work, why would I want to do so at home? Meaning, I would post on my blog during my breaks. Citigroup's filter has pretty much put the ax through that.

But I suddenly remembered I had set this blog up, originally only to comment on my friends blogs. So I suppose I will post here, and hopefully still at beloved Brendoman. maybe I will try to transfer the posts I make here over there. But that would require me to sit in front of a computer at home, and while copying and pasting would be a heck of a lot faster than creating everything from scratch, I still don't want to sit on front of the computer at home. You may have gotten the gist of this by now.