Chronicles

In the few weeks I have before I start school again, I've been trying to catch up on some books that I have missed in the last year. I have been reading Bob Dylan's Chronicles for the past week and I am about two-thirds of the way through.
I remember everybody gushing about how revealing this quasi-autobio was when the book was first published. I find some of it interesting. Dylan has a tendency to get stuck and ramble on abstract philosophical points which I find absolutely boring and tedious. It is fun to get some insight on how some albums were made and what he was going through at the time. Later in the book when he is talking about recording Oh Mercy, he just sounds so self-important that it is a bit hard to penetrate.
Then again, he is Bob Dylan, he is important.
Overall I like the book even if Dylan is not the greatest writer.

Top 5

Not that anybody asked why there was no Top5 last week, but here is the return…

1. Steady as She Goes – The Raconteurs

I didn’t go to the show this week at First Ave., but my wife did and she is even more in love with Jack White than she was before. By all accounts, this show was incredible. I kind of wish I would have gone.

2. Solitary Man – Crooked Fingers

My guess is that Eric Bachmann got tired of people saying he sounds like Neil Diamond so he decided to confront the issue. A pretty straightforward cover except with a mandolin and a trombone (I think that’s what I hear). Bachmann and crew pretty much nail the song and as it turns out, he doesn’t sound as much like Diamond as you might think.

3. Street Car – Hayden

I think Hayden took a big step sound wise on his album Skyscraper National Park. The production sounds smoother than on the previous album, The Closer I Get. But what permeates through all his albums is the brilliant songs that musically and lyrically shimmer with longing. As anybody who knows me can attest, I am a sucker for a sad song.

I parked underground the night you left
It took me an hour and a half
To find my way back up above
There’s nothing up there without your love
Speeding out, filled with doubt
And heading home
Playing with the lines, thinking of time
And freaking out

4. Half a Heart – Bill Janovitz

As I said before, and as I’m sure I will say again. I’m a sucker for sad songs. The only thing that that makes these sad songs better are two-part harmonies – I’m a sucker for those too. I was looking through my music for things I haven’t listened to in a while and stumbled across this album. From one of my favorite bands of the nineties, Buffalo Tom, Janovitz has released a couple solo albums. This song is off the excellent, Up There. With him on this song is a singer named Chris Toppin. They sing beautifully together on bittersweet lyrics:

Oh half a heart, it only means it’s not over yet
Like the smoke that lingers in the air from your cigarette
Oh half a heart

5. That’s How You Sing Amazing Grace – Low

Another album I came across while perusing my music library. This is the opening track from their album Trust. I am usually not a big Low fan, but if I am in the right mood for it, Low can definitely kill.

Rockstar or Teddy Bear?

I just finished listening to the streaming archive of Mason Jennings' appearance on the morning's Midmorning program on MPR. I go back and forth on Jennings' new album Boneclouds. There are moments when I am into it, but mostly it either bores me or even invokes cringes. I can't question his integrity, I do think he is sincere in everything he does. I think maybe he is a little too heart-on-the-sleeve sometimes. There are certain songs on Boneclouds that I dig, but as a whole the album dissapoints me. I have to admit that I do hold Jennings' to a higher standard than most. I really think he can handle it though.

Having said all that. Whenever I hear him speak I just think he is so lovable that I just want to hug him. More than any other artist, I feel protective of him, like he is still a secret. I know that is no longer true. He is global. So it has inspired me to go back and give his album another chance.

Almost Chicago

I almost went to Chicago last week.

When I was asked if I wanted to go on a trip to Chicago, I thought to myself, "Yeah. I'd love to go to Chicago for a week on the company's dime. Sure, I'll work during the day, but at night I'll have the windy city at my disposal."

Well, when they asked me if I wanted to go to Chicago what they meant was, would I like to go to a really far out suburb of Chicago. I was asking around while I was down there and a local said, "Yeah its about 45 minutes drive to Chicago if there is no traffic."

I've been to Chicago enough to know that there is always traffic. So I spent the majority of last week in Chicago's version of Maple Grove. Fun.

It reminds me of the one time I went to LA for work. I was so excited to check out a city I had never been to before. I was only scheduled to be there for one night, but I figured I would have time to do something fun in LA. It didn't work out that way. I worked until 7:30 pm, got to my hotel by 8:00, then fell asleep in my clothes on the hotel bed. Awesome.

Juan Apagado is too strong

For some reason the MySpace profile of Juan Apagado was deleted in the last couple days. I have no idea why, I didn't recieve any emails notifying me of any issues with my account. Weird. I sent a message to the MySpace folks to find out why Juan was deleted. So I wait. Obviously, jealousy of my immense talent played a part in all of this.

Edit: Juan Apagado has reappeared. Strange.

Top5 - Giggin' edition

A very simple and plain Top5 this week. I’ve picked a song from all the people playing the Acadia on Saturday. Since this is my blog and I am narcissistic, I have chosen two of my songs. One from my old band, Bubba Loo Hugby and one from my alter-ego, Juan Apagado.

Don’t forget about the Acadia Saturday night.

1. On That Day – Jim Soule
2. 1995 – High on Stress (Nick Leet)
3. Heaven and Children – Brian Just
4. Hank – Bubba Loo Hugby
5. She Said – Juan Apagado

My Life with Radio

Driving home the other day I was listening to The Current as I often do. A song came on with what sounded like a 15-year-old girl singing, and I was like, "Man I know that voice from somewhere. What is it?"

Then came the chorus, "mmm-bop, badoodybop, mmmbop, fjaposidcho..." or something like that. Was I a)terrified, b)amused, c)suicidal, because for a moment I though I might like this song, d) all of the above.

answer: d

Thank you Mary Lucia.

Top 5

1. Coppertone – Duplomacy

All These Long Drives is an amazing album. I saw them live last weekend and this song stuck with me. Andy Flynn and Adam Egerdahl perform some devastating vocal nuances.

2. Forest Whitiker – Brother Ali

I’ve heard of Brother Ali for a few years now, but I haven’t really checked him out. I saw him once at First Avenue, but I was not impressed. I’ve changed my mind though. I don’t remember how I got the mp3 into my iPod, but it is there now and one day it jumped out and bit me.
To everyone out there who’s a little different
I say, “damn a magazine these is God’s fingerprints
You can call me ugly, but can’t take nothing from me
I am what I am Doctor, you aint gotta’ love me”

3. Dress Blues - Drive by Truckers
   

Mary Lucia has been playing this song on her show for a few weeks now. When DBT were last here, guitarist and singer Jason Isbell played this song live at the Current studios. This is a killer song about a young man dying at war and leaving his family behind. Don’t believe me? Check it out yourself.

4. New Resolution – Heartless Bastards

I am really digging this band. Singer Erika Wennerstrom has a voice as big as Dallas. I am usually into mopey depressing lyrics, but this is as hopeful as you can get. I guess, in addition to despair, I also appreciate people who can say Fuck You so eloquently.
My new resolution is to be
Someone who does not care what anyone thinks of me
‘Cause I don’t even like myself half of the time
And what’s the use in worrying what’s on other people’s minds

5. I Saw Her at The Anti-war Demonstration – Jens Lekman

I just saw that Jens is playing the Triple Rock in a few weeks. If I am around, I would like to check him out. He reminds me of local band The Deaths, in that he seems to revel in 60s psychedelic rock. Like The Deaths, he pulls it off sincerely.

Juan Apagado at the Acadia

My yearly attempt at rock stardom is coming up on July 22.
Thanks to Nick Leet for hooking up a kid.

Top 5 - New (to me)

What I have been listening to this week:

1. Catholic Boys – The Mad Ripple

Yes I have a man-crush on Jim Walsh. I don’t think I am the only one. Walsh’s songs are filled with as much heart as his articles have been for as long as I’ve been reading him. This is one of those songs where it is so simple, yet so beautiful, that you just find yourself nodding along thinking, “Man. I wish I had written that.”

2. Ghostly Feeling – Beight

I finally bought this album after downloading and falling in love with the song “Junior High Smiles” months ago. Brad Senne, the voice and soul of Beight, created a wonderful mix of introspective acoustic and powerful pop songs. “Ghostly Feeling,” I think, combines these two extremes skillfully.

3. Where the River Bends – Tim O’Reagan

This buzzed about album was finally released and rightfully received a fair amount of press. There is nothing mind-blowing on the album, but it is good. Big Beatles hooks highlight the songs, not to mention quite a bit of the Jayhawks’ sound as well.

4. Extraordinary Machine – Fiona Apple

I heard this song on Mary Lucia’s show last week and had to go and buy the album. This is an orchestral big band swing song. The rest of the album sounds like, well, Fiona Apple. I wish it sounded more like this title track.

5. Out of Sleep – Bubba Loo Hugby

Narcissistic? Probably, I am a musician turned writer I think it is part of the job description. Really, I am getting ready for my gig as my nom de guerre, Juan Apagado, July 22 at the Acadia. I was listening to this song that I haven’t played in at least five years and trying to figure it out. It should be a good time. It’s fun to go back and revisit songs that I haven’t thought about in a while. I played once last summer and before that it had been about 4 years.

Duluth

In writing my review of Wilco at the DECC Auditorium this past Sunday, I left out the opener, Black-Eyed Snakes. They were deserving of a write up, but there was so much Wilco to write that I just didn't have room

Black-Eyed Snakes were quite fantastic however. I could see the veins on Alan Sparhawks neck and forehead as big as extension cord wires from my seat in row L. That guy sings from his soul and his gut for sure. It was like he was posessed. My wife turned to me a few songs in to instruct me to buy this CD for her. Will do.

Duluth was OK. I knew we shouldn't have gone to Grandma's to eat, but we did and it sucked.

The toilet in my hotel room didn't flush.

The alarm clock in my room was set an hour fast, only me nor my wife did not notice. We got up an hour earlier than we thought we were getting up. We didn't realize it until we had already checked out and were waiting in the lobby for our friends with whom we drove up. So we had to kill an hour on a Monday morning in Duluth. It was all fun though.

Top5 - Wilco Edition

I am taking a little road trip up to Duluth on Sunday to see Wilco. I just saw that the Black-Eyed Snakes are opening. I think it should be a good time. I am writing a review for HWTS. I think this is my first review of a big national show like this.

In deciding on a top5 I had some tough decisions to make. It would take a lot more effort and time to come up with an actual best of list. So, here is the five that I thought of this morning. I intentionally discounted anything from the Woody Guthrie albums just because that would make my decisions that much harder. I did try to pick a song from each album, but I didn’t pick anything off of A Ghost is Born, because I still don’t really get that album. (Also, note that I am not sure what that EP is called, in iTunes it is listed as the Australian EP, but I always referred to it as the More Like the Moon EP and this is my blog so whatever I say goes.)

Have a great Independence Day weekend y’all.

1. Ashes of American Flags – Wilco (from Yankee Hotel Foxtrot)

I absolutely love the first verse of this song. It is so literal, but so beautiful at the same time.
The cash machine is blue and green
For a hundred in twenties and a small service fee
I could spend three dollars and sixty-three cents
On diet Coca-Cola and unlit cigarettes

2. Passenger Side – Wilco (from A.M.)

I spent a couple days visiting a friend in Alton, IL in the early nineties. This song reminds of that visit. Mostly because we were drunk the whole time and we didn’t have a car so we walked and bummed rides and took taxis all over this little southern Illinois town.

3. The Lonely 1 – Wilco (from Being There)

Another absolutely beautiful song. There is a heartbreaking sense of longing in Tweedy’s voice. It gives me the roller coaster feeling in my stomach just thinking about it.
When I get home, I turn off the alarm
I check the phone, no messages on
I play the ones from yesterday
I play your song just to hear you say that
You, you are the lonely one

4. My Darling – Wilco (from Summerteeth)

I do miss Jay Bennett’s contributions to the band, but I also appreciate that Tweedy is constantly searching for something new. As much as I like Summerteeth or Being There, I am glad Tweedy is not settling for making those albums over and over. It does seem that it has gone from a band to Tweedy and some guys who happen to be in Wilco at the moment.

5. Magazine Called Sunset – Wilco (from More Like the Moon EP)

Just a catchy as hell song that comes from the EP that appeared after Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. I can see why they wouldn’t include this song on that album as it sounds more like a Summerteeth era Wilco song.
There’s a magazine called sunset
And a tape machine that won’t let
Me ever forget this impossible longing for you

Top 5 - Summer Edition

In honor of the official start of summer, here are the top 5 summer songs.

1. Summer Babe – Pavement

Summer of 1995 is when my Pavement crush fully bloomed. At first, it was Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain, but then I explored the album Slanted & Enchanted. The songs on that album sound like a sweaty, sticky and humid summer day.

2. 405 – Death Cab For Cutie

I was unemployed the winter of ‘01/’02. What does that have to do with summer songs? Nothing. I did fall in love with Death Cab during that time though. This song about giving up and just going to get drunk resonated with me. I am no stranger to that feeling.

Misguided by the 405
‘Cause it led me to an alcoholic summer
I missed the exit to your parents’ house hours ago
Red wine and cigarettes
Hid your bad habits underneath the patio

3. Three Days – Jane’s Addiction

The summer before my senior year of high school I discovered Jane’s Addiction. They were so powerful and vulnerable at the same time. I remember riding around in my friend Aaron’s Mom’s car, looking for places to skateboard or just driving around killing time. This was our soundtrack.

4. Nuthin’ But a “G” Thang – Dr. Dre

Rolling around Denver in Buddy Keechel’s low rider pickup listening to all these hip-hop groups I had never heard of was how I spent the summer of 1993. The Chronic definitely got the most play. Remember back when Snoop Dogg was just a kid?

5. Stars and Stripes of Corruption – Dead Kennedys

The first punk rock album I ever bought. It came from Mother’s record and tapes at Pembroke Mall in Virginia Beach. It was a cassette tape and I think I bought it just after school let out for the summer in the year before, I think, 9^th grade. I didn’t understand the beauty of this song until a few years later, when I was jaded and cynical enough to empathize.

I'm not sure what to call this

This statue is in Boston Common.

Both Heather and I could not quite figure out what it is supposed to represent.

We were not the only ones standing around laughing and taking pictures.

I think they put it there just to mess with the tourists.

Please know this...

If we are in a meeting together and you use the word "guesstimate," please know that I am concentrating hard to send from my brain to yours electromagnetic daggers that will destroy you.

The word is simultaneous, not sim-u-taneous.

Tucson is city in Arizona, Tuscan is a form of Tuscany, a region of Italy.

Top 5

1. Why I Act This Way – The Winter Blanket

I’ll be at the Kitty Cat Klub tonight to try to review the Winter Blanket again. I’ve tried twice before, but for various reasons, haven’t got the job done. I’ve never seen a show at the KCK before tonight. I haven’t heard that much about it as a music venue either. I hope that it doesn’t piss me off.

2. Can’t Hardly Wait – The Replacements

The new “best of” by the Replacements came out this week. Maybe this is one of those music snobbery things, but I don’t really like “best of” albums. I like to hear albums as entire pieces of work, rather than a collection of singles. That’s not to say I don’t own any albums like that, it’s just that I would rather hear what was left off the greatest hits.

3. I Hate My Generation – Sloan

This is off my favorite Sloan album, Twice Removed. Honestly, I haven’t cared much for their other albums. The musical chairs version of singers always made me happy. I love good two or three part harmonies. I’m a sucker for ‘em.

What could you both possibly share?
Other than the color of your hair
Shawn said, “We both play guitar.”
Never even have to say a word
That’s the best thing that I’ve ever heard
You have left your fingerprint on me

4. Junior High Smiles – Beight

A friend told me about Beight a while ago. I downloaded this song from Beight’s myspace page and then didn’t pay much attention. Then it snuck up on me a few weeks ago. The falsetto during the chorus just makes me smile and think of sunny days in high school just hopelessly crushing on girls in the parking lot after school. Is that weird?

The way the water drips off of you
When we’re running from the bus to school
Makes me wanna run and hide
‘Cause I feel so shy, shy, shy, shy, shy-y-y-y
Run around you-oo-oo
Shy, shy, shy, shy, shy-y-y-y

5. School’s Out – Soul Asylum

This Alice Cooper cover begins Soul Asylum’s After The Flood live album. This is number five because my summer class end next Tuesday and I am so ready to actually enjoy summer instead of stressing about homework.

School’s out completely

Say What Now?

Last night, Kare11 ran a story about the Dixie Chicks' new album and how they are not backing down from their anti-W remarks a few years ago. Dan Wilson and Gary Louris each helped the chicks with some songs for their new albums. Kare11 reporter Scott Goldberg reported this and then somehow made the leap to Bob Dylan to Prince to Doomtree in the span of about 90 seconds. Apparently they are all purveyors of the Minnesotan protest song. The piece was fluff and a nice way to get the two most famous Minnesota musicians on the air. Oddly, Goldberg didn't have any comment from the Dixie Chicks, Louris or Wilson.

He also failed to mention that even though the Chicks have the number 1 country album on the charts, they are recieving no airplay from corporate owned country radio. Goldberg did mention that the chicks may have to cancel some concerts because of slow ticket sales. A fact the chicks themselves deny.

Overall this is a worthless story. There is so much good music in this town that if the television stations wanted to do an interesting story they would have no problem, but I guess they think the soccer mom from Minnetonka may not understand or appreciate that.

Top 5

It's been a busy week so I didn't have time to work a proper Top 5 into shape. Luckily there is the trusty shuffle feature on my iPod. So here is a cheater's edition...

1. The Ashtray Hearts – English

This is one of those local bands that I think should be huge. Their spare, alt-country sound just evokes heartache. Singer-Guitarist Dan Richmond’s and multi-instrumentalists Aaron Schmidt’s voices harmonize so well together that every word sounds absolutely sincere and immediate.

2. Broken Social Scene – Almost Crimes

It is 8:00 in the morning and my brain is not quite up to full speed yet. I can’t think of an accurate way to describe BSS. I will say that sometimes their music just irritates me and then sometimes I just totally dig it. It is very dependent on my ever-swinging moods.

3. Pearl Jam – Don't Believe in Christmas
   

PJ’s fan club single from a few years back. It has a heavy garage sound. I believe it is cover of a 60s garage band. (I think it is the Sonics, but I can’t be sure.)

Don’t believe in Christmas
Don’t believe in Christmas
‘Cause I didn’t get nothin’ last year

4. Stook – Deliverance From Your Eyes

I still need to make it out and see this guy. From the glowing reviews from the HWTS crew, I think the live show is probably something special. He definitely shows his skills on record, but I feel like he is one of those performers that would shine with the energy of performance.

I’ll be back time after time
Lead that straight and narrow line
Doesn’t anybody hear my cries
When I’m begging for deliverance from your eyes

5. Hayden – Woody

This is a short little love song from the vastly underrated Canadian folk singer. There is a live version of this song on Live at Convocation Hall where Hayden explains the origin of the song. He adopted a stray cat and each spring the cat disappears only to return looking disheveled and, “obviously up to no good.”

I am just sitting here
wasting my time
Til you come home
from your escapades
In the backyard
with your friends of late

I would be worried
if you didn't do this
every spring
when the grass grows
and there's birds and trees
and the sun shines
and you don't need me

Black T-shirt

I'd been meaning to share this picture for a few weeks now. This guy was at the Dad in Common CD release show at the Turf Club in May.

Back in Black

I was going to post some pictures from my vacation to Boston and Virginia, but I left my camera at my Mom's house. I should have some photographic evidence by the end of the week.

We went to a Red Sox game, visited my cousin, drank alot and spent a shitload of money in Boston.

We slept, hung out by pools, walked down the beach and enjoyed dinners bought by relatives in Virginia.

One interesting, if slightly uncomfortable incident to relay.

We went to Chicho's in Virginia Beach which is on the strip down by the beach. I used to go there when I would come home and have drinks and party. They have the best pizza in Virginia Beach in my opinion.

So we went there on a Wednesday night and it just happened to be Lifeguard night. They had some heavy metal cranked on the sound system, which I didn't really enjoy at all. But some people who did enjoy the music were the throngs of tanned young lifeguards. I would guess aged 21 or 22. Meanwhile, me and the wife sat there drinking our Corona and eating our pizza feeling very, very old. I think it is the first time I have felt like a tourist in my hometown. An old tourist to boot.

Okay maybe that story was only interesting to me, but aren't blogs all about self fulfillment.