woolie t.

I went to YouTube to see if a friend of mine had added any new home movies. Nothing new was there, but a couple of clicks later and I was watching this video of Josh Dirksen. There are just too many things about it that I find so delightful.

Snowboarding is one of my absolute favorite things to do (living in the deep south, though, makes it an extreme rarity). The music is groovy with a french flavor. The sound of the boards slicing through the powder is soothing. The occasional name display is a nice touch as well. And clocking in at just over a minute makes it the perfect quick pick-me-up.

Happy August Everyone!

Stressing over the perfect name for your band (or blossoming solo act)?

Where’s My Jetpack? has a novel approach: Google News.

Just scan the headlines and pick that which rocks the hardest. Looks like if you need some cover art, Jetpacks might be able to whip something up right nice too.

Here’s some great names I came up with using my locally filtered news:

• Summer Reading Program
• Tough Times For Tow Trucks
• Baked Peaches with Raspberries
• Salute to an urban general

You are the only thing in any room you’re ever in

Guy Garvey is a fantastic lyricist. The above is from Elbow’s most recent release, The Seldom Seen Kid. The song is Starlings, and its the first on the CD.

If I had to pick one for you to listen to, though, it would be One Day Like This. Listen to it and tell me it doesn’t force your senses to perk up.

‘Cause holy cow I love your eyes. And only now I see the light. Lying with you half awake. Stumbling over what to say. Well anyway, it’s looking like a beautiful day. So throw those curtains wide. One day like this a year would see me right.

Ever since I header it on All Songs Considered, “White Winter Hymnal” by Fleet Foxes has been on a pretty solid brain loop.
You need to listen to it. Here are two direct links to mp3 downloads:

one at at SubPop (content)

and one at Stereogum (content)

Update: I’ve since purchased the CD, and it’s awesome. Highly recommend. Twice now its served as the “house music” playing in the background of an early summer evening dinner chez moi and the family.

A couple of months ago, Thom Yorke was the “guest DJ” on NPR’s “All Songs Considered“. At some point over the past 10 years I formed an impression of him as holding his nose up and being a bit stand-offish. Maybe all the brooding images did it. I don’t know. But listening to him interact with the host made me realize I was pretty far off. He comes across as an extremely affable guy, very pleasant and down-to-earth. If you have the minutes, I’d recommend a listen.

Marketplace had an interesting story today about ownership of a school’s “fight song”. The particular song examined is Auburn University’s fight song, “War Eagle“. It was especially fun for me because Auburn is where I received my undergrad. The story opens with the song being played out of some unidentified trinket, which I’m willing to bet was this bottle opener (warning, linked site plays audio without asking). I’d bet on it because I’ve got one sitting in my kitchen.

»»» but wait, there’s more reading to do »»»

One of my favorite albums ever is Jeff Buckley’s Grace. It holds some hefty connotations for me, stirring feelings of love and heartbreak and the swirling glue surrounding the two. One of my favorite songs on that album (if not the favorite) is Hallelujah. So this Curious Cultural Journey of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” (via waxy links) was a particularly awesome read. There’s a little background on the song and its various versions, and then some references to its major jump in usage for various film and TV shows (mostly, as it turns out, in The O.C.).

The most prominent example is Imogen Heap, someone who I, at least, had not heard of since a cassingle was mailed to me in 1998. But Heap’s song “Hide and Seek” soundtracked the final moments of the OC’s second season, the slot occupied a year before by a full rendition of Buckey’s “Hallelujah.” This pairing was so successful that, for the finale of season three, the final moments were accompanied, once again, by Heap, this time covering –and, to be clear, I am not shitting you–”Hallelujah.” This is the point where the OC consumes itself whole, and it is a sickeningly gorgeous thing to watch.

(And by the way, if you’ve never watched it but plan to start, there’s a nice spoiler buried about ten paragraphs into the “Afterward”).

Did you hear? Major Labels Allow P2P Music Sharing on Qtrax:

Of course, DRM sticks itself out like a big red flag, and you know what that mean! Its time to head over to BoingBoing to see what Cory Doctorow has to say about all this (which I’m sure will be very interesting). So, free and legal PtoP music? I’m sorta excited.

UDATE: whoops!

»»» but wait, there’s more reading to do »»»

One thing Christmas brought this year was an iPod (nano), and as a consequence I have spent a little time in iTunes, specifically looking for stuff my seven year old daughter could enjoy. Free stuff. Low-and-behold (is it hyphenated like that?), They Might Be Giants have a podcast promoting their upcoming children’s CD, Here Come The 123s. I’ve watched the first six and they’re pretty awesome. Here’s the iTunes subscription link. I’m pretty sure my favorite song so far is Nonagon (from 1/18). Honorable mention goes to “Letter Shapes” from 1/11.

Many musicians have understood that all they need to make a (very good) living is to have 10,000 fans. 10,000 people who look forward to the next record, who are willing to trek out to the next concert. Add 7 fans a day and you’re done in 5 years. Set for life. A life making music for your fans, not finding fans for your music.
[emphasis mine]

Lesson number four from Seth Godin’s “Music Lessons”.

That last bit is something beautiful I tell you. It’s such a minor detail that means so much.

I was 14 and a freshman in high school when Wayne’s World came out. I’m willing to bet that its most lasting influence on a generation of early teenagers was its introduction of the music of Queen. Not to be immodest, but I had a killer Bohemian Rhapsody(#1 below) mimic I could belt out at a moment’s notice.

It wasn’t too long before I owned a couple of their CDs (A Night at the Opera and Innuendo). I really don’t remember how long that love lasted, but eventually (as all things new and musical) the listenings dwindled to “few and far between”. However, through a confluence of recent events, they are back on my playlist. I’ve really got to find my other two Queen CDs,

»»» but wait, there’s more reading to do »»»