The Forces of Evil

You know that scene at the end of Revenge of the Sith where Anakin is getting his legs melted off in the lava after getting his shit rocked by Obi Wan and Obi Wan is in angry tears and disappointment and he's yelling "You were suppose to be the chosen one!" and then he walks away with his head down?



That's what it feels like listening to Jack Johnson's Sleep Away the Static

Merry Christmas

"Remember, no man is a failure who has friends."

No Subject

Recently I had a night that was almost exactly like the song "Don't Think Twice It's All Right".


I say this because I'm listening right now to it and went, "Wait, didn't that actually happen to me like two nights ago?"

Last Wednesday's Playlist (except I forgot to post the last two weeks)

December 10:

Jane's Addiction: Just Because
Her Space Holiday: The New Kid Revival
Buena Vista Social Club: Chan Chan
Love is All: Rumours
Jenny Lewis: Trying My Best To Love You
Rufus Wainwright: Cigarettes and Chocolote Milk
Chuckanut Drive: Reno to Vegas
Starf*cker: German Love
Japanese Motors: Single Fins & Safety Pins
Jay Reatard: Sea Saw
Merle Haggard: Mama Tried
The Presidents of the USA: Some Postman
Vivian Girls: Tell the World
Ra Ra Riot: Dying is Fine
1990s: See You At The Lights
Ray LaMontagne: You Are The Best Thing
Noah and the Whale: 5 Years Time
The Moondoggies: Ain't No Lord
TV on the Radio: Stork & Owl
Gregory and The Hawk: Grey Weather
Johnny Cash: Flushed From The Bathroom Of Your Heart
Kimya Dawson: Happy Home (Keep On Writing)
Cold War Kids: Something is Not Right With ME
The Velvet Underground: Sweet Jane
The Little Ones: Morning Tide
F*cked Up: Golden Seal
Belle & Sebastian: Stars of Track and Field
Band of Horses: The First Song
Sufjan Stevens: Casimir Pulaski Day

December 3:

The Hold Steady: Massive Nights
Starf*cker: German Love
Cold War Kids: Mexican Dogs
Her Space Holiday: The New Kid Revival
Ra Ra Riot: Too Too Too Fast
Colin Meloy: Culling of the Fold
Chuckanut Drive: Reno to Vegas
Japanese Motors: Single Fins & Safety Pins
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin: Pangea
Cat Power: Naked If I Want To
The Emeralds: All My Love For You
CSS: Rage (Rat is Dead)
Okkervil River: Singer Songwriter
The Streets: Everything is Borrowed
Kellarissa: Night Wind
Merle Haggard: Sing Me Back Home
Blitzen Trapper: Gold For Bread
Horse Feathers: Heathen's Kiss
Land of Talk: Some are Lakes
I'm From Barcelona: Houdini
Iron & Wine: Upward Over The Mountain
My Morning Jacket: Gideon
Kimya Dawson: Tire Swing

No subject

There's something very "1984" about Costco that I can't seem to put my finger on...

gettin my nails did

The other day I went to a nail salon with my mom because she needed her nails did, and well, I needed a ride into town to get some shopping done. Two peculiar things happened there.

Now the nail salon was entirely run by Asian immigrants. Of what descent I'm not entirely sure. However, the female nail technicians had almost no issue psuedo-hitting on me in front of my mom, whom I was sitting next to eating a scone and drinking crappy coffee. I'm not sure how this was suppose to make my mom feel, but apparently she was pleased because she gave the woman a $20 tip (wtf?)

I prefaced the story about them being non-natives not because I'm attempting to enforce stereotypes (which I apparently do all the time...) But because it caused quite a stir in my attempt to sway the store owner's preference for Drew Carey over Bob Barker.

You see, we were watching The Price Is Right in between the storm coverage of what channel 8 labeled "Arctic Blast".

Besides the fact that dude fucking rocked my shit on price guessing, he refused to change his belief in Carey's dominance over Barker. But I realized about 20 minutes into our verbal battle royale that there is no substitute for growing up for 18 consecutive years with the comforts of Bob Barker always there for you every morning at 10 o'clock.

From what I gathered from our conversation I gathered this man was pretty fresh to the U.S. scene. He kept using his opening statement of "Bob Barker was too old" while I kept arguing "Drew Carey just isn't the same", and I realized that you really have to have stuck with the show for as long as I have to have the same preference, and other nations just don't appreciate consumerist game shows like we do.


If you ever get sucked into going to a nail salon with your mom, pray she doesn't go to one of those white chick salons. I guarantee you won't have the same experience.

Drunk. Alphabet.

I literally have not been home in 2 days.


A. The god damn snow. I don't care if it looks "like Christmas". I don't need or want to go 25 on the backroads. And it shouldn't last for more than the week it has.

B. Marines have the drinking tolerance of angry Irish dock worker in the 1930s, and expect nothing less of yourself.

C. The isolation I've experienced has been dwindling. But, man, that initial week here was very odd.

D. I've finally come to experience in it's entirety a Republican rant. Several times actually... with the phrase "Obama is a dip-shit!" included.

E. You can research and watch and read every piece of information about the Iraq War. You will never understand the war more than when you talk to someone who is about to relocate there in less than a month.

F. I really wish my sister would stop taking my IPod to listen to my Dashboard Confessional albums.

G. My Christmas spirit has disappeared drastically. It's become more like "Fuck you, you little consumerist whore" spirit.

H. Now don't get me wrong. I'm a fully admitted consumerist. But I'm not one to take the whole excitement associated with it and reciprocate it via blind lack of acknowledgment and paying $34.99 for the 5x7 framed photo of your son(s)/daughter(s) sitting on a strangers lap, who just happens to be dressed up like Santa.

I. I took more pleasure out of getting my family really expensive shit (including an attempt of financial rape via buying my friend's xbox 360 for 75% the original sticker price) than I have ever before.

J. It's incredibly difficult to do the following whilst drunk: smoke in a car that has no functioning windows, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, talk about anything other than politics and sex, not saying the "F" word, pool.

K. I've never seen such love and affection between two people in my life as I have with my best friend and his girlfriend. It's one those "makes you put some optimism back into your concept of love" loves.

L. Example: Several weeks ago my friend was concerned when he was in the middle of a conversation between his girlfriend and her friend. They were interested in getting their hands on some coke and he came to my room looking for advice. We proceeded to smoke for 20 minutes outside by the building. I simply gave him the advice I always do: "Nick, be a fucking man and go talk to her." To which he did. Several hours later he found me again with a big fat smile on his face (which I'm sure was associated with sex) and he told me that she had said (after explaining his concern about her doing coke) "I don't understand why you'd be worried about talking to me about this... The fact alone that you show this concern just makes me know that you love me that much more"

M. It's very difficult to have your heart melt in a manly way, but think I pulled it off. I think I used a lot of fist bumping...

N. Plus it makes me happy to see someone that genuinely happy after trudging through so many crazy bitches

O. My dad has no idea how to shop. None

P. My mom has no idea how to comprehend the fact that my dad has no idea how to shop. None

Q. My apologies if the punctuation and grammar isn't what it could be in this b. log

R.
S.
T.
U.
V.
W.
X.
Y.
Z.

tales of glory, wrecked metal, isolation, conservative ideals, community colleges, lo-fi music, non-smoking, and all natural fruit smoothies

Little ditty:

So the back-story here is I was on duty my last week of the quarter, i.e. all my finals were done by Tuesday at noon and literally had all the time in the world from then until the following Sunday at 7 am.


Well with my fucking luck it starts fucking snowing Saturday fucking night. Like, snowing. Sideways, fucking sideways. So i rush outside to maneuver my tire chains in the snow (with no clue how to whatsoever) as the other r.a. on duty is holding my mag-lite and freezing her ass off. and then i sled with collegues, watch more Dexter episodes, compare ourselves to the Beatles, etc.


So it's 8 am the following morning. My stuff is ready to go. In the trunk. My car has defrosted, I have scraped all ice, and I trudge my way through the snow and onto the freeway.


Things are good and the roads are increasingly more and more dry, so by Mount Vernon I pull off at a gas station, remove said chains and keep moving.

Well for reasons unknown the snow and ice actually get worse as I head into Everett. My wiper fluid is frozen, and the only way to clear the mud off my car is to drive near semi's that kick up snow and water for me to wipe my car with. Well it gets so bad that I end up having to pull over on the freeway to take napkins to the windshield in feeble attempts to clear up my vision.

So I do, and move on.


Now I get back in the car zoom onto the speed as the approaching traffic, and change lanes.


Now... I'm used to swerving on occasion when it's raining, but that's not what happened here. I literally loose control, swerve all the way left (thank god my 11th grade physics teacher told me never to brake when you lose control on ice)

then it juts me straight again, but this time i swerve exactly 90 degrees and am now facing right with my car.

then for reasons unknown my car goes back the previous direction and I literally 360 twice in a counterclockwise motion IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FUCKING FREEWAY.


how i didn't hit anyone else or the guardrails is beyond me.

well about 30 seconds later I realize "oh, right, I literally almost killed myself!" to which I violently shake as I pull onto the offramp, find the nearest grocery store parking lot, and smoke about 16 cigarettes, get a cup of coffee (which, by the way, if you ever almost die, it doesn't make for great small talk with the person in line, because I scared the crap out of the old lady in line who worked at the Top Foods.) and smoked about 12 more cigarettes.


Now several things saved my life that day:
1. The night before my co-worker wished me a safe trip home, to which I actually acknowledged mentally for the first time anyone has ever said that to me
2. I prayed the previous night asking for a safe trip
3. I smoked my lucky cigarette just before I left and was hoping it would bring me luck.


and now it's almost 2, I'm finally rested. I've had many beers with Vance and Nick. No one is home yet. and I have to get up before noon so I can have a chat with an old mentor about Barry Goldwater and how to rationalize my cynicism with being a conservative. And then we'll talk about realignment and how to privatize social security.


I really wish people wouldn't take a month...


Just being in this town for two days makes me feel very isolated from what I remember and enjoyed. To quote a recent email to a friend:

"But I think because I've been unable to really feel like I'm serving a purpose occupying this town that I feel almost shunned from this place. Literally nothing is holding me to obligation and so with this freedom and independence I'm kinda aimlessly wandering around battle ground. but because of this, i'm restless and can't focus on my readings or seasons of dexter to be watched."


hopefully it doesn't snow tomorrow so i can go see Milk.


and this whole post is to be read while listening to the mountain goats.



Goodnight, Moon.

Dermatology

If you ever so happen to arrive at a dermatology office hungover around Thanksgiving you will realize something:


-Paranoia sets in something awful.


because there was never a moment where you think "I bet that guy has herpes. I bet that grandma has a horrible rash. Who the hell knows why that guy is here... etc."


I guarantee that there is no such thing as a non-disgusting reason to go to the dermatologists office, and I doubt that anybody else there was there for an acne medication prescription like I was.


and I think that the sterilized jazz versions of 80s rock just adds to the intensity of regret after touching the People magazines sprawled amongst the end tables.


fyi dermatologists find heroin jokes HILARIOUS when you're getting your blood drawn

My thoughts on Quantum of Solace

Nit-Pickers: shut the fuck up and let me enjoy my James Bond.



and it's definitely not shocking to see that many Ford vehicles in a movie based around an evil environmentalist



...definitely can't pull off a peacoat like Daniel Craig, but I can damn well try

Driving Observations

uno:

when buyin​g an Infin​ity does it come with a manda​ted packa​ge of flyin​g acros​s three​ or more lanes​ going​ 80?


becau​se I saw at least​ 3 diffe​rent Infin​ities​ doing​ it


dos:

What the fuck is Kanye​ West singi​ng for? He sound​s like a skinn​y T-​Pain.​

ruine​d my first​ 20 minut​es while​ I was tryin​g to hear an actua​l rap song.​



and now I sit prete​nding​ to write​ my study​ guide​s for final​s and watch​ing Rick Steve​s'​ Europ​ean Chris​tmas speci​al.​

what a fucki​n'​ stud

I've been trying to sort my thoughts on paper and mentally to try and figure out what I believe and disregard.


as I've been making this transition I've come to realize that I've experienced so many things that I couldn't possibly comprehend anymore life altering experience without mental ooze trickling out of my ears.


But then I realized that I'm not even close.


I've still got to get married one day

and have kids

and learn to house myself outside of a campus.

Not to mention the 2 more years ahead of this one full of knowledge.



My brain is sooooooooo fucked.

Things I've learned in college (as of this week) Part 7

I think that Geology Majors are required to take a class strictly dedicated to making effective hand gestures when explaining semi-complicated to complicated geologic events and cycles.

Last Wednesday's Playlist

The Flaming Lips: Pompeii Am Gottergammerung
Cold War Kids: Mexican Dogs
Blitzen Trapper: Sleepy Time in the Western World
Buena Vista Social Club: Chan Chan
Secret Machines: Atomic Heels
Chuckanut Drive: Reno to Vegas
Jenny Lewis: Carpetbaggers ft. Elvis Costello
The Shaky Hands: Loosen Up
Electric Six: Formula 409
Ghostland Observatory: Piano Man
The Growers: To the Threads
Of Montreal: St. Exquisite's Confessions
Fleet Foxes: Ragged Wood
The Thermals: St. Rosa & The Swallows
The New Year: The Company I Can Get
The Little Ones: Ordinary Song
Takka Takka: Silence
The Streets: Everything is Borrowed
Noah and the Whale: 5 Years Time
Portishead: Hunter
The Spinto Band: Summer Grof
My Morning Jacket: Sooner
Mirah: Lonesome Sundown
Conor Oberst: Sausalito
Starfucker: Myke Ptyson
Wilco: Either Way
King Khan and The Shrines: Welfare Bread

Things I've learned in college (as of this week) Part 6

I'm pretty sure that geology professors are required to take a class that is strictly dedicated to hand gestures.

Fuck:

-Old dogs passing away

-Geology

-Moral obligations

-Wildfires in Santa Barbara

seriously

two crappy jokes

Uno

"So apparently they've lost contact with the Mars lander..."

-Dammit! Now I'll never find a Transformer!

Dos

"So apparently Obama's secret service code name is Renegade"

-So is my mom actually right in thinking he's a terrorist or is he just a huge Styx fan?

you're welcome...

...

The other day I was in environmental studies and i wasn't engaging myself at all (duh) and the prof began discussing something called "the big tuna experiment".


Basically it was this; Biomagnification is a word tossed around with this class a lot. Essentially it means the the older and bigger a species is, the more contaminants it will obtain over time from consistently eating the smaller fish that live shortly and contain small amounts of contaminants.

-in this case, tuna, as compared to albacore.


Now the experiment basically created a hypothesis saying that albacore (which is more expensive and more delicious) contains more mercury than tuna because of the biomagnification theory. They ended up being right.


But the only thing I could think about was Andy Bernard from The Office every time he said "big tuna".

and you thought it was going to be something phallic.... perv.

Did you watch Colbert Report last night?

Fucking Dan Savage was on! Oh, you didn't see it? It's ok I taped it for you.

is it just me?

or am i the only one who's noticed that everyone on tv FINALLY are pronouncing Nicholas Sarkozy's name right?

Radio Radio

What made Wednesday so great:


I've never seen a more postive appreciation for life on campus than I had on Wednesday of last week. Everywhere I went all I heard was "Happy Obama!". I just felt such an appreciation that I decided to reciprocate the happiness through the airwaves. So as I made my playlist for my radio show I decided to incorporate some punk/protest music.


I started things off with some Ted Leo & the Pharmacists (mild)

and went about my show preaching the words of the smiling faces (without violating FCC policies of course) and spent the rest of my off-air time trying to find the right Bob Dylan song.

So before my last song I played some Rage Against the Machine (Sleep Now With The Fire) and went back on the air to saying my closer. I talked briefly about the previous song and how it was a shame we didn't have Rage around for the last 8 years (at least in a major way). It then occurred to me while talking that I had realized that music won't have its zip in the near future and how it's a shame that our culture won't be as exciting because we just won't have the mediocrity we've had for the last 8 years which motivated us to say something and be exciting for the times. And with that I said the only thing fitting for a moment like this was "The Times They Are A-Changin'".

And with that song playing I signed off and wished everyone a happy week.


As I was about to leave the station the phone rang and the man on the other end said "Umm... I'm not sure if this is the guy who just finished that show and played the Bob Dylan... but.... thank you. And please tell me you're going to be on again soon because that was beautiful."

To which I expressed my appreciation. Because just hearing that made me realize that things will get better. There's no way it can't.

Last Wednesday's Playlist

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists: Who Do You Love?
The Streets: Everything is Borrowed
Blitzen Trapper: Sleepytime in the Western World
Noah and the Whale: 5 Years Time
The New Year: The Company I Can Get
The Thermals: Returning to the Fold
No-Fi Soul Rebellion: Let's Pretend
Cold War Kids: Mexican Dogs
Ra Ra Riot: Dying is Fine
Eagles of Death Metal: Wannabe in LA
Jamie Lidell: Another Day
The Little Ones: Let Them Ring The Bells
Starf*cker: German Love
Hot Hot Heat : Talk to me, dance with me
Department of Eagles: Around the Bay
Okkervil River: Lost Coastlines
Ben Folds: Kylie from Connecticut
Fleet Foxes: Ragged Wood
Fort Knox Five: How to start a Band
Portishead: Magic Doors
The Spinto Band: Alphabetical Order
Kimya Dawson: Happy Home (Keep On Writing)
The Broken West: Auctioneer
Jenny Lewis: Acid Tongue
The Uglysuit: Chicago
Rage Against the Machine: Sleep Now With the Fire
Bob Dylan: The Times They are A-Changin


This was one of my better shows and I'll tell you why soon.

Obama Blog

And so we're one day since the most historical event of this year has taken place (and California, Oregon, and Washington didn't even need to be counted!), the Christmas music is running through my bones, and I've been reminiscing.

-If I get one more "tomorrow everyone needs to shave their pubes, it's the last day of Bush!" text I'm gonna fucking straggle the person who sent it to me.

-During my menagerie of aimless CNN/MSNBC/FOXNEWS viewing late that night someone on one of the stations said that Obama recieved the congrats phone call from the current president (wait, he's still in office?). That HAD to have been the most awkward phone call I could think of (something along the lines of calling an ex-girlfriend to try and stay friends I'm guessing...).

and I never heard if Obama ever said at the end of conversation anything like, "So we're good, right? Like, I know I said a lot of mean things about you to my friends, but I didn't mean them. Come on, Bushy, you know we're alright, right?"


-It's odd because I never thought my drunken perception would actually predict exactly how things would turn out.

I'll explain. Last March I got incredibly sauced and was outside of my dorm and thinking over politics, and I thought to myself between thoughts of sleep and vomiting, "Ok so this is how it's gonna role out; Obama is eventually going to beat out Hillary. I'm almost postive. The Hilary supporters are gonna be sore but they'll eventually come to support him. That doesn't mean McCain isn't gonna try to sway them with weird attempts to grab them (and this was before Palin, mind you) but the way support is being thrust at Obama, there's no way McCain stands a chance. He'll win in a landslide for sure."

I was so fucking right. Lesson: Get drunk and think about politics.

-I'm so happy that when I see the future first lady, it's not going to be someone who looks like they're made out of plastic.

-After my Obama won I finally got around to starting essay due the following morning (at ~11:30 PM). The only things still left on were political wrap-ups. That is with the exception of a PBS marathon of Bob Dylan live shows from 1963-65. It truly was the most fitting thing to find on tv.

-And when I finally finished my essay at 1:30 I was so tired that I contemplated not brushing my teeth out of laziness. But I knew Obama would think of me.

I'll explain. Obama has been talking for many months now about how victory is for those who are willing to work for it. Victory wouldn't come easy and would take sacrifice. So I looked myself in the mirror and said "No, I may be tired and worn out from excitement, but this teeth-brushing is a sacrifice I need to make to help better this country. Yes we can."

Dental hygiene has never felt more patriotic.

Things I learned in college Part 5

Environmental Studies 101 should be renamed You-Are-Fucked-In-50-Years 101.


&


Vote God Dammit!

Last Wednesday's Playlist

Shout Out Louds: Hurry Up Let's Go!
The Shaky Hands: Air Better Come
Secret Machines: Atomic Heels
TV On The Radio: Halfway Home
Fleet Foxes: Oliver James
The Thermals: Returning to the Fold
The Mission Orange: The Longest Time
Cold War Kids: Mexican Dogs
The New Year: The Company I Can Get
The Spinto Band: Summer Grof
Portishead: Plastic
Eagles of Death Metal: I Want You So Hard (Boy's Bad News)
Ben Folds: Hiroshima (b b b benny hits his head)
The Crash: Pony Ride
The Thermals: I Might Need You To Kill
Jenny Lewis: Black Sand
The Subways: Shake Shake
The Moondoggies: Ain't No Lord
The Walkmen: Flamingos (Songs for Colbert)
Vampire Weekend: The Kids Don't Stand a Chance
The Streets: Everything is Borrowed
Okkervil River: Calling and not calling my Ex
Beck: Gamma Ray
Fleet Foxes: He Doesn't Know Why
Starf*cker: Myke Ptyson
The Clash: London Calling
Jenny Lewis: Carpetbaggers
The Shins: Kissing The Lipless
The Flaming Lips: My Cosmic Autumn Rebellion

Conversations with high people reading Craigslist

Me (watching Meet the Press last night): "You know _______, I'm really curious to see if Ted Stevens actually wins his position back. He's been the incumbent for like 30 years and still wields a ton of power But I wonder if 7 felonies can actually stop that dinosaur from keeping his job."

My baked friend (reading jokes on Craigslist): "What about Cat Stevens?"

Me: No, TED Stevens.

My friend: Oh.

Things I learned in college Part 4

Being a geology major would be a great reason to grow a huge beard.



...If only I could grow huge beards

God Dammit

There's a lot of jurisdictions that I allow when it comes to commercial success infringing on artistic expression and pop culture.

(the commercial takeover of the new James Bond movie for instance)



but there's two things that I CAN NOT STAND

1. Anything where Kurt Cobain's is used for parody (and I don't even like Nirvana that much)

2. Overall not using the title of a meaningful song to broadcast a horrible slut-trampled reality show.*

*Thus is the case with a show with murky-plotted S.T.I. infestation of whore-ity entitled "Redemption Song". Now, I'm ok with taking basically anything from the 80s but people need to STAY THE FUCK AWAY from true forms of art. And seeing that Redemption Song is truly one of the most meaningful songs, not only because of the emotional jerk of the chord progression but as well as the fact that it was Bob Marley's farewell before he had his life taken by melanoma, makes the Fuse network even more despiseable rapings of all things sincere and genuine in the is world.



fuck this pisses me off.

presidential cheese

I was watching telemundo on a sleeping pill last night.


And the screen directed my attention to two pieces of cheese

but with the faces of McCain and Obama.


and the abnormally attractive anchorwoman said only three words that resonated with me:


"elección presidencial y queso"



that's the last time I challenge my body against a pill made to knock you out.

Why I love Mad Men

1. Cinematography

2. The fact that they use no violence or language (albeit the graphic non-nude sex) and still have my full attention*.

3. The originality in the sense that they use 60's society as irony (both comically and dramatically)**.

4. The story-line moves as follows:
-Dramatic moment
-Dramatic moment with social irony
-Dramatic moment with cigarettes
-Dramatic moment
-Dramatic moment with cocktails
-Dramatic moment with cigarettes and cocktails

5. I want to drink and smoke constantly with the progression of the episode... and possibly wear a skinny tie.

6. It makes our grandparents look hip and attractive.

7. Jon Hamm in general. He makes me want to go through the stress of the Cuban Missile Crisis.

*Which is FUCKING HARD

**Example: During the season finale when Betty found out she was pregnant, you felt such disparity for her strictly for the fact that Don had taken off and living in the 60s as a single mother (which was fucking ominous to comprehend then)

Last night I was awake and Craig Ferguson wasn't on because it was Sunday at 2:00 AM





and I found that From Russia With Love was on, the only other Bond movie besides Goldfinger, Live and Let Die, and Casino Royale that matters.



And I forgot about how the fight scene from that movie is one of the most genuine things I've ever seen. Not just manly, but fucking authentic.






and tomorrow I'm going to list the reasons why I love Mad Men.

everything is more rugged in flannel

Last Wednesday's Playlist

William Shatner: Common People ft. Joe Jackson
The New Year: The Company I Can Get
Cold War Kids: Mexican Dogs
Kimya Dawson: Happy Home (Keep On Writing)
Starfucker: German Love
The Thermals: St. Rosa & The Swallows
Go Slowpoke: I Completely Understand
Okkervil River: Lost Coastlines
The Silent Years: On Our Way Home
The Subways: Move to Newlyn
The Fugees: Killing Me Softly With His Song
Eagles of Death Metal: I Want You So Hard (Boy's Bad News)
Fujiya & Miyagi: Knickerbocker
Albert Hammond Jr.: Victory at Monterey
The Cave Singers: Seeds of Night
Cold War Kids: Something is Not Right With Me
Beck: Orphans
Silver Jews: Strange Victory, Strange Defeat
Blitzen Trapper: Sleepytime in the Western World
Jamie Lidell: Wait for Me
Ra Ra Riot: Too Too Too Fast
All Girl Summer Fun Band: Something New
Wolf Parade: Soldier's Grin
Fleet Foxes: He Doesn't Know Why
N.E.R.D.: She Wants to Move
Rage Against the Machine: Sleep Now With the Fire

I heard

a cover of "Space Oddity" and "Dreams" that made me want to weep. One from a commercial, the other while I was trying to find the first song on the internet.




goddam Cat Power.

how the recession started

marriedtothesea.com

god dammit


i love keith olbermann's special comments


(i'm negating the post because I've already given you a taste)

?

It's exactly 12:30 PM and I just finished lunch. There's nothing really on TV but I do enjoy politics.


At this moment the Gubernatorial (that's a fancy word for "governor," dumbass) Debate and they (and I'm not kidding) if it was the incumbent's fault for losing the Seattle Supersonics (and not like economically, like an emotional undertone).


Rossi seems like a bit of a grease-ball.

Say hi to your mother for me

Saturday Night Live - Mark Wahlberg Talks to Animals

Last Wednesday's Playlist

The Lashes: Sometimes the Sun
Starfucker: German Love
Cold War Kids: Mexican Dogs
Jaguar Love: Highways of Gold
Flight of the Conchords: Business Time
The Crash: Pony Ride
Hot Hot Heat: Bandages
The Growers: To the Threads
Tobacco: Hairy Candy
The New Year: The Company
Yogoman Burning Band: Nightstride
The Fugees: Killing Me Softly With His Song
Barcelona: It's About Time
Okkervil River: Calling and not calling my Ex
The Thermals: Returning to the Fold
The Rosebuds: Border Guards
Fleet Foxes: Ragged Wood
Oxford Collapse: Birthday Wars
Ben Folds: Effington
Cold Ward Kids: Something is not right with Me
Portishead: Hunter
Ra Ra Riot: Too Too Too Fast
Beck: Chemtrails
Kimya Dawson: Happy Home (Keep on writing)
The Broken West: Ambuscade
Wolf Parade: I'll Be in Anything
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah: Heavy Metal

My Thoughts of "W"

It wasn't bad.  It just seemed to validate my thought that George W. Bush isn't evil, he's just average.

Production was great. Josh Brolin was phenomenal.  Elizabeth Banks made Laura Bush VERY attractive to me (probably shouldn't have said this one).  Overall B+.

But here's the weird thing:  I felt very relatable to W while watching the movie, and I think because of that I could understand why I found Laura Bush so attractive (that and the fact that she claims she likes to smoke and read for enjoyment).  Brolin portrayed W with such a charismatic demeanor that I subconsciously superimposed myself onto the screen.

I'd like to have a beer with that man.  Probably just an O'Douls.

And I want to give Colin Powell a big hug.

Also, the entire time I was watching the movie (especially during the discussion of the Patriot Act) I couldn't help but think that I was now under government surveillance watchlist for going to see that movie.  And they probably tracked my laughter during the movie to see what I found ironic.  And then I realized I payed with my credit card for the movie ticket.  Shit.

My dad asked me if I had any Portishead he could get a hold of

...and people say there's a generation gap.

i'll just make sure to include a pair of fitted jeans, a pack of american spirits, and a condom

...ew

have you ever read the wiki page for Steve from Blues Clues?

He's kinda badass...

ok so...

I've dedicated my friday night on duty to research



specifically the "Christmas on Mars" movie that The Flaming Lips have been working on for like 4 years.


and from what I've gathered:


it's going to be playing randomly starting around late October and is being released shortly after.



AND it's going to have Adam Goldberg, Isaac Brock, AND.... STEVE FROM BLUES CLUES!!!

oh and they have a trailer:







p.s. Jim Cramer is getting a LOT of publicity this week.

Last Wednesday's Playlist

My Chemical Romance: Welcome To The Black Parade
Starfucker: German Love
The Crash: Pony Ride
Jared Mess and the Grown Children: Bees
Fleet Foxes: Ragged Wood
Neko Case: Star Witness
Chuckanut Drive: Reno to Vegas
The Moondoggies: Ain't No Lord
Brazilian Girls: St. Petersburg
Ben Folds: Hiroshima (b b b benny hit his head)
Gnarls Barkley: Who's Gonna Save My Soul
Band of Horses: The First Song
The Growers: To the Threads
Tobacco: Hairy Candy
Kimya Dawson: Louie
Albert Hammond Jr.: The Boss Americana
Okkervil River: Singer Songwriter
The Secret Machines: Atomic Heels
Otis Redding: Shake
The Walkmen: Donde esta la Playa
Black Kids: Partie Traumatic
Beck: Orphans
Conor Oberst: Sausalito
The Broken West: Elm City
Blitzen Trapper: Gold for Bread
The New Pornographers: Challengers
The Velvet Underground: Heroin

I would talk more about last night's debate,


if there really was anything to talk about

I had the distinct un-privilege of recieving a free coupon to a meal at the newly installed Chik-fil-A on our campus.


The coupon was for (and i'm not even kidding you) a chicken sandwich and waffle fries.


So I timidly grabbed said chicken sandwich and waffle fries (and a dr. pepper or sumfin)



and i went up to the register and immediately wanted to go "Bitch, get me a chicken sandwich and some waffle fries. For free" and as I would say "for free!" i would whip the free coupon i had for my meal.



but I ended up just going "umm.. hey i have this coupon for a free meal... i... uh... i'm not sure if it's still good or not... but.. umm... here it is."




so she smiled, said it was still good and i ate my meal quietly whilst looking out at the view of the bay.






unforgivable

Smackdown with Keith Olbermann

You're his bitch

The rumors are all true

Starfucker is that good

also, listen to the show tomorrow night.  It's got extra baddassery tomorrow afternoon

Split Series - Jason Mraz - It's a lovely day
Uploaded by lablogotheque

phallicism

It's currently 9:09 and I am in my geology 101 class.


Today's lecture is about volcanoes



and I feel like a 12 year old with how easy I can make the penis correlation every time he uses the words "explode" or "squirt"

Last Wednesday's Playlist

The White Stripes: Hotel Yorba
Stereolab: Neon Beanbag
The Walkmen: In the New Year
The New Year: The Company
Fleet Foxes: He Doesn't Know Why
Battles: Atlas
Go Slowpoke: I Completely Understand
Ra Ra Riot: Run My Mouth
Okkervil River: Calling and not calling my Ex
Bears: Wait and See
The Cool Kids: What it is
Yogoman Burning Band: Chaka Chaka
The Crash: Lauren
King Khan and The Shrines: Welfare Bread
The Walkmen: Another One Goes By
Kimya Dawson: Happy Home (Keep On Writing)
Wolf Parade: Soldier's Grin
Tapes N' Tapes: Le Ruse
Conor Oberst: Sausalito
Lykke Li: Little Bit
Gnarls Barkley : Who's Gonna Save My Soul
Beck: Chemtrails
King Khan and The Shrines: Torture
The Moondoggies: Black Shoe
Fleet Foxes: Ragged Wood
Blitzen Trapper: Furr
Neko Case: Margaret vs Pauline
Mirah: Mt. St. Helens

Things I've learned in college (as of this week) part. 3

There is no way to describe what comfort Scrubs reruns give to me.

and i never seem to be around when they're on!

Things I've learned in college (as of this week) part. 2

Listening to "A Better Son/Daughter" by Rilo Kiley on a sunny day will make you laugh out loud in a group of kids you don't know.

because sometimes when you're on,

You're REEEEEALLY FUCKING ON!

inappropriate!

Month's back I posed the question to a colleague and eternal lover of mine a weird and deeply personal question (sort of inappropriately) via text message regarding the "death soundtrack"


a night prior I had been reading Killing Yourself To Live and the question was posed because of the excerpt regarding the author of Prozac Nation (the author's name is escaping me right now) and her desire to hypothetically kill herself to a song of her choice.


There was a long drawn out discussion as to if someone was legitimately going to kill themselves if they were worrying about the song they wanted to die to.

Which is a good question but I've decided that the question is merely trivial and the only ones who dwell on it are those either:

a. melodramatic

b. have vast music knowledge and are completely bored

(which in my case is mostly b)




anyways the bulk of my mind wandered for an entire workday driving through the state park on a glorified golf cart and i realized that suicide probably wouldn't be quick enough (negating guns or hanging) for just one song.

so my original decision if forced into said situation would be "Down By The River" by Neil Young, how I would do it probably bleed out, but I never could figure that part out.

so I got home and attempted to make a "goodbye" mix, which i had to stop because: 

a.  It's incredibly morbid and creepy to realize that you're actually making, essentially, a suicide mix

b.  It's really really fucking difficult

but as I was going through my collection I stumbled upon Beck's "Sea Change"

and I realized that the entire album is a giant kill-yourself-fest.

... also a good hang-over mix

so i've declared that anyone who is ACTUALLY  going to kill themselves to music is slightly on the pretentious side.

and it's damn near impossible to decide on a song OR an album

and I'd  probably something ironic or goofy

... probably  Kanye's "The New Workout Plan"

do work, son

wes anderson is sooooo damn funny

I revert you back to this because of his passing

I'm not really sure if I'm sad because Paul Newman died. It's not like he really effected my life past the year of 1975, albeit he was a phenomenal actor (enough to be in two of my all time favorite movies.)

R.I.P. you usually shirtless, talented, handsome bastard.


And now i re-revert to the most singlehandedly amazing piece of work in his career, which would also rank it in the top five of everything forever.



the last scene from The Hustler (which I also feels has a bit of closure and a great conclusion to a memorial to him in any instance)

Last Wednesday's Playlist

It was good to be back in the saddle.  It felt right and made me happy about my lost seat of glory.  So here we go again.

Apples In Stereo: 7 Stars

Okkervil River: Lost Coastlines
Black Kids: I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You
Old Crow Medicine Show: Humdinger
Fleet Foxes: Ragged Wood
The Black Keys: Your Touch
The Growers: To The Threads
Beck: Orphans
Kimya Dawson: Louie
Otis Redding: I've Been Loving You Too Long
Cold War Kids: Red Wine, Success!
Horse Feathers: Working Poor
King Khan and The Shrines: Torture
Devo: Whip It
Lykke Li: Little Bit
Albert Hammond Jr.: Gfc
My Brightest Diamond: From The Top Of The World
CSS: Rat is Dead (Rage)
Blitzen Trapper: Gold For Bread
Saul Williams: List Of Demands
The Walkmen: Donde esta la Playa
Tilly & The Wall: Chandelier Lake
Ra Ra Riot: Too Too Too Fast
Beck: Chemtrails
Ryan Adams: To Be Young
Rilo Kiley: Science vs. Romance

The Birk Economic Plan

It's very rare where me and my mom send e-mails back and forth that we agree on (i.e. the "secret muslim/obama hates america" emails with excerpts taken out of context)

but this time around I felt totally in agreement and thought I'd share the link.

Here it is!

Things I've learned in college (as of this week)

1. My poly sci teacher:

a. slightly boring

b. has a very shiny head

c. is more of a hipster than myself or fellow hipsters

d. vaguely resembles Howie Mandel (bald head AND soul patch)

e. makes me realize that all poly sci majors would make GREAT drinking buddies (as well as econ majors)

That Tina Fey skit with Amy Poehler about Clinton and Sarah Palin

Is a fucking juggernaut.

In three days it has surrounded the entire (small) population of this campus. AND I still haven't seen it.

But it's doing in three days what Lil' Wayne did in three months.

This man is Neil Patrick Harris:

And I could not remember his fucking name, WHICH, was brought up more times in one day than it had been in a year. 

AND I would keep doing the whole "oh, um... ok that guy from doogie houser... umm god dammit."

I really don't understand the appeal of marijuana...

It's almost too much too watch.

Want a good laugh?

Kate Perry is a whore

There's a difference between celebrating bisexuality and glorifying yourself to turn on the same guys who are into date rape and beer bongs.

Kate Perry is somewhere on the spectrum with tatu.

God Dammit.  America, you are stupid.

I am literally watching Sarah Palin lie to a crowd about what she's done for Alaska, and nobody is ostracizing this horrible bitch.

McCain has been molested by the pander machine.  Way to take that maverick appeal and sell it for the party that has nothing to do with it.

(This is a little outdated)

My biggest fear:

Growing up to be in a position in which I'm required to sell items based on themes having to do with a current event.

Such as basic cable commercials  claiming we have "Olympic-Sized Sales on Mattresses; Posturepedic, Spring, and Tempur Material" 

or radio commercials claiming a "Memorial Day sale you won't soon forget" when, in reality, you will the moment you change that dial.

Thank god I clean toilets for money.

My theory:

I think I figured out why he picked Sarah Palin.


ok stick with me here:

nyah:

nyah:

nyah:

Three Way?

I don't ever spell check my entries.

I'm in a crisis. It's something that has taken a hold of everything I think and torn it to shreds. It has kept me up at night and my diet, though usually generous and full, has gone down to a minimum. My family is starting to wonder what is making me upset, so I thought i'd finally start with the divulging.



I can't seem to figure out whether Good Will Hunting is the most brilliant movie I've ever seen or the worst movie I've ever seen.



There's no way it can be anywhere in the middle because there's something so confident about the style of that movie that i'm not sure that it's either:

A: So overwhelming with it's story that it makes the script seem completely tacky

or

B: Genuinely brilliant with it's storyline and character development.





-Nowak Attack may have exaggerated his distressed over the conflict

My new favorite game

It's called "Find the black guy in the crowd"


It's a lot more challenging when you're watching the Republican National Convention.



I found two.

Sarah Palin is soooo fucked.

summery summary

I acknowledge i still have exactly one week left of summer, but the major aspects of my summer have now diminished (my best friend leaving, no longer being employed, etc).  Anyways this is my grab ass list of shit that will make this summer nostalgic.

-The 12th Chapter from Part 1 in On The Road.  (The chapter where Sal Paradise meets Terry and they make love in the hotel room and fall in love before things go to shit for their relationship.)

-This Album Cover:

-The last 40 seconds of the song "Chemtrails" by Beck.

-This Music Video:

and three of you are now going "Why did he post that video again?"

-because this video is fucking hilarious and ridiculous, and so was this summer.

V.P.I.L.F.

I spent most of my final day of work (!) discussing with my co-worker Sen. McCain's v.p. choice of Sarah Palin.

We both came to the consensus that it was a bold yet very feeble attempt to try and sway the hardcore Hilary disciples. The pros and cons were weighed very delicately and we came to a gentlemanly consensus.

Then I got home and called one of my buddies over while i was watching some msnbc about Palin. So when my buddy finally made it over the first question to him was "Hey, Vance, what do you think about McCain's V.P. choice?"

He looked at me and then said without hesitation said

"Oh dude, I'd totally fuck her."

I love my friends.

Colgate for the Juggernaut

The ONLY superhero to ever pull off a mullet




interesting sidenote: while googling for an image of Captain Planet, I actually stumbled upon an online petition to bring back the show (and it was sponsored by Turner Corporation (WHAT. THE. FUCK)

The $250,000 Question

I posed this question to an anonymous colleague of mine at the mall the other day while walking past the underwear at American Eagle


And the question is the following:


Are these homosexual or overly/aggressively heterosexual?




We went with the latter 

Don't Smile.

Seriously I think I need an insulin shot just for watching this it was so sweet and adorable:

I guess I'm a little behind but still a sad day for rock has dawned.

This was Wolfmother, and they use to rock

You see that guy in the middle?

Yeah apparently the other two decided to abandon Wolfmother. My guess is the guy in the middle was a little controlling, but not much has been said about the breakup



Here's the actual story itself

Ya Daaaaamn Right

Rest in peace, Black Moses.  You were great to us in so many ways.

The opening ceremony

As much as I resent China's imperialistic government (hey like ours too!)  I can't deny how amazing their opening ceremony show was.  (15,000 performers & I think there's only about 14,000 athletes, but hey they have the people for it in that country)

I encourage anyone who didn't see it to come to my parent's house and watch it on tivo

The Year End List

And so we've come to the end of the year the last one of these I did was from June 07-February 08

So hence this is from Feb 08- June 08
(put yr thing back, flip it, and reverse it)

the reason I make uneven time intervals is because the bulk of my music knowhow is during the time period of feb-june. Plus it’s the meat of my school year so...ya know, whatever.

plus i find it futile and a bit cliche to just do an actual year end list when i don't actually talk about albums from this year.


ANYWAYS without further ado, I give you the best random list of albums that made my last two quarters HIGHLY enjoyable


Vampire Weekend (S/T) I know the buzz on this album was ridiculous but it was still an excellent album and is working its way into my summer mix

Death Cab For Cutie "I Will Possess Your Heart" this album wasn't anything new or groundbreaking but it was still very good and will probably one of those summer albums I get nostalgic about when I’m old.

Maplewood (S/T) Do you really want me to keep talking about this album?

Cat Power "Jukebox" & "The Greatest" And none of you will challenge me!

The Autumn Defense Kinda like Maplewood with a jazz flute. Everytime I listen to this with friends I must recite lines from Anchorman

Johnny Cash "Live at Folsom Prison" Because the only thing better than Johnny Cash singing is Johnny Cash singing to a bunch of felons. Mmmm……

Mono "You Are There" Do you ever listen to an obscure radio song and inexplicably love that song and then think “Oh man I must love this whole album” when in reality you really don’t care that much because it just hit you at a right moment? That happened here but for some reason actually DID I loved it. Japanese kids making ambient lo-fi very well. Great for studying and androgynous making out.

She and Him "Volume One" because I just like alternative country dammit! Also I never have been able to pronounce the girl’s last name. Yet my best friend/least cultured person I know ridicules me constantly ridicules me for it.

Bon Iver "For Emma, Forever Ago" when I want to cry like a girl

The Go "Howl On The Haunted Beat You Ride" one of those obscure albums that make you hate the state of the music market because this is the band that should have been the Jet of our era, and not have sucked so god damn badly.

Dead Kennedys "Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables" Because LA punk will always beat New York and Brit Punk. My History of Rock N Roll professor had a lot to do with me embracing this album

Grand Ole Party "Humanimals" the thing about this is I’ve loved this band for almost a year but I only just recently found their album. I can’t even begin to tell you how amazing this album is.

Rilo Kiley "Take Offs and Landings" Do you really need to ask why?

Les Savy Fav "Let's Stay Friends” This was so far up my alley that I was amazed that this never directly influenced my upbeat excited indie rock. Plus the resemblance between the lead singer and the lead singer of The Apples in Stereo is uncanny.

Nataile Portman's Shaved Head "Glistening Pleasure" I’m actually surprised I haven’t been more adamant about these guys. They had a dance party at our coffee house and I’ve never been gayer in my life

Nico "Chelsea Girl" Just because I love These Days on this album

Velvet Underground "Loaded" and "White Heat/White Light" Brought on by a discussion by my History of Rock prof about the song Heroin, which ironically is not on either of these albums

No Age "Nouns" for a man who's never enjoyed fuzztone or punk, a band to make me love both must be given my respect and honor.

Dr. Dog "We All Belong" the band that will go along the ranks of Cold War Kids and Sufjan Stevens. it's that good

Kimya Dawson "Remember That I Love You!" this album will always be accompanied by crisp cold sunny days wherever I shall go strolling. The best part of winter.

Yogoman Burning Band (S/T) This is the band that got me into the Bellingham music scene.

Wilco "Either Way" (Two things directly related to me loving this album, one was an article written by Chuck Klosterman, the second was getting sauced with my (ex)girlfriend and her friends while dancing to "Impossible Germany". I still haven't forgiven them for making fun of my dancing.)

The Thermals "The Blood, The Body, & The Machine" I get so exited when I listen to this album because I just love the fact that it sounds so dirty and yet so light and flaky. It’s the music equivalent to the hot pocket.

The Rosebuds "The Rosebuds Make Out" (I'm not sure why I didn't put this on my last list but it needs its cred)

honorable mentions:

Viva Voce "Get Yr Blood Sucked Out"
Born Ruffians "Red Yellow & Blue"

skinny love

#93.6 BON IVER - Skinny Love
Uploaded by lablogotheque

It occurred to me that on Saturday, June 21 someone brought up the topic of having sex with monkeys in conversation twice in one day.


The first was while sitting in someone's backyard smoking hookah.

The second was while watching a UFC match.


When it came to my realization early the next morning it caused me to dwell on the idea for 20 minutes and completely gross me out.

last wednesday's Playlist everrrrr

Spoon: Two Sides/Monsieur Valentine
Flight of the Conchords: Business Time
Al Green: Stay With Me (By the Sea)
The Watson Twins: Just LIke Heaven
The Marshall Tucker Band: Can't You See
Scissor Sisters: I Don't Feel Like Dancin'
Go Slowpoke: I Completely Understand
The Submarines: You Me and the Bourgeoisie
The Futureheads: Beginning of the Twist
Gnarls Barkley: Run (I'm a Natural Disaster)
She & Him: Why Do You Let Me Stay Here
Yogoman Burning Band: Chaka Chaka
Natalie Portman's Shaved Head: Beard Lust
The Little Ones: Unlock the Door!
Janis Joplin: Piece of my Heart
Weezer: Pork and Beans
Bon Iver: Skinny Love
Mason Jennings: Never Knew Your Name'
Mates of State: Now
Bonnie "Prince" Billy: So Everyone
Queen: Killer Queen
Someone Still Love You, Boris Yeltsin: Modern Mystery
Tokyo Police Club: In a Cave
Viva Voce: From the Devil Himself
The Kills: Last Day of Magic
No Age: Brain Burner
Tapes 'n Tapes: Say Back Something
Death Cab for Cutie: Your New Twin Sized Bed
The Decemberists: Here I Dreamt I Was An Architect
Dr. Dog: We All Belong

again, i'm still in love with dr. dog. i really am. and since this was my last show for the year, i decided to put in quite a few "requests"



hey everyone does it.


also now that i'm home and the wifi doesn't thrive as much my sporadic fucking mind, my blogige won't be nearly as fluid ( i made an attempt last summer to have as many posts as i do days in the month (so now it'll probably be once every couple days or so))

ANYWAYS i've got some brain burners cookin so... yeah


and listen to Go Slowpoke. it sounds like a young (and non-crazy) daniel johnson talking like a drunk guy who just broke up with a girl.

the new My Morning Jacket album

audible orgasm.

Last Wednesday's Playlist

The White Stripes: Hotel Yorba
Flight of the Conchords: Ladies of the World
Johnny Cash: Cocaine Blues
The Submarines: You Me and the Bourgeoisie
Bon Iver: Skinny Love
Janis Joplin: Piece of my Heart
Yogoman Burning Band: Chaka Chaka
No Age: Teen Creeps
Flight of the Conchords: Business Time
Billy Paul: Me and Mrs. Jones
The Futureheads: Walking Backwards
Bob Dylan: Hey Mr. Tambourine Man
Pastiche: The Cache
The Last Shadow Puppets: The Age of Understatement
The Little Ones: Unlock the Door!
Queen: Killer Queen
Midnight Juggernauts: Ending of an Era
Tokyo Police Club: In a Cave
A Faulty Chromosome: Jackie O
The Raconteurs: Salute your Salution
Mates of State: My Only Offer
Cadence Weapon: Unsuccessful Club Nights
Gossip: Standing in the Way of Control
Frightened Rabbit: Old Old Fashioned
Young Knives: Counters
The Black Keys: Psychotic Girl
The Watson Twins: Just LIke Heaven
The New Pornographers: The Bleeding Heart Show
The Velvet Underground: Sweet Jane
The White Stripes: We Are Gonna Be Friends


again, I had a three day obsession with White Blood Cells that melted into my show

It's a slow day for blogging, but this video should work

Bo Diddley 1928-2008

Rest in peace.  The inventor of rock n roll passed away from heart failure this morning at his home in Florida.

That's the last time I don't go to Sasquatch

i'm not sure what's funny about this, but it is

release calendar, anyone?

LINK OF THE WEEEEEKEEEK!

Youth and Young Manhood: Leave work early and listen to the Summer Records

Using "records" doesn't really mean anything because only douche-bags and dj's buy vinyl, but these are ESSENTIAL to laying in a pool and drinking beer and smoking cigarettes and having an affair with a family friend

(I watched The Graduate last night)

Wolfmother s/t -This is strictly to be used during driving long hot distances, and by long I mean enough to listen to the first five tracks.

Bread "Anthology"- Only to be used during camping.

Cold War Kids "Robbers & Cowards" - Good at any time, any place, hell... any chance you ever get

Boston s/t- Again, anyplace. But preferably on Fridays when you get off of work for the weekend. I converted a wangster to this album in less than 2 tracks with this album.

My Morning Jacket "Z" -preferably during naptime

Franz Ferdinand s/t -when swimming. specifically in a pool

Rilo Kiley "More Adventurous" -When driving at least 2 hours straight. To be played with:

-The Hold Steady "Boys & Girls in America"
-Pink Floyd "Dark Side of the Moon"
-Spoon "Gimme Fiction"
-Ted Leo & The Pharmacists "Living with the Living"

Spoon "Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga" -to be listened to between 4-6 PM Monday-Friday. Trust me.

The Shins "Chutes Too Narrow" -This CD never left my car. Ever.

Kings of Leon "Aha Shake Heartbreak" -only to be used while laying in a hammock

Beck "Sea Change" -When you wake up with regret on your to-do list. (I mean hung-over and did something awful regret)

Willie Nelson "Stardust" & Jenny Lewis & the Watson Twins "Rabbit Fur Coat" -When serenading women.

Wilco "Summerteeth" -two functions. late afternoon driving to your buddy's house OR on a first date.

-note: It may be used on ONLY ONE first date.  Album is void if used for any other women.

The White Stripes: "Elephant" "Get Behind Me, Satan" & "Icky Thump"-White Stripes is a staple. Every summer they seem to spawn a new album, and every summer it is the sun the my other music orbits around.

Okkervil River "The Stage Names" -When you feel like being obscene and emotional at the same time

Shout Out Louds "Howl Howl Gaff Gaff" -ok that's a lie.  Though it is a PHENOMENAL album, you need only to listen to "Hurry Up Let's Go" and you MUST play it full blast and drive 70 in a 40

Last Wednesday's Playlist

Libra's Rib: Green Eyed Girl
Flight of the Conchords: Business Time
Tokyo Police Club: In A Cave
Or, the Whale: Call and Response
Be Your Own Pet: The Kelly Affair
Yo La Tengo: Mr. Tough
Yogoman Burning Band: Chaka Chaka
No Age: Brain Burner
Does it Offend You, Yeah?: Battle Royale
Natalie Portman's Shaved Head: Beard Lust
The Growers: To the Threads
The Marshall Tucker Band: Can't You See
Ghostland Observatory: Dancing On My Grave
She & Him: You Really Got a Hold on Me
The Ramones: I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend
Foot Foot: Typhoid Mary
Frightened Rabbit: Old Old Fashioned
Libra's Rib: Why We Said Goodbye
Born Ruffians: I Need a LIfe
The Racontuers: Hold Up
The Okmoniks: I'm On my Own
Bob Dylan: Positively 4th Street
The Black Keys: Psychotic Girl
Vampire Weekend: Mansard Roof
Little Ones: Unlock the Door!
Bon Iver: Skinny Love
Wolfmother: White Unicorn
The Decemberists: The Sporting Life

Good God

I feel a little lame posting this, but WHAT THE FUCK!?!

spoileralert

I always forget how badass The Hustler is until I get done watching it.






I don't care if I spoiled the movie. You've had 47 years to see this movie

God Dammit Do I Love Married to the Sea

marriedtothesea.com

marriedtothesea.com

I was watching an MTV roundtable discussion (so right there, whatever) about the top ten hip hop artists of recent time.


and I heard the following:


"T.I.'s very hip hop, I mean his record sales would prove it."




...and people wonder why I don't take hip hop seriously

Last Wednesday's Playlist

Wilco: I'm a Wheel
Flight of the Conchords: Business Time
Tokyo Police Club: In a Cave
Death Cab for Cutie: Your New Twin Sized Bed
The Little Ones: Unlock the Door!
The Ramones: Beat On The Brat
Chuckanut Drive: Reno to Vegas
The Allman Brothers: Ramblin' Man
The Black Keys: Strange Times
Bob Dylan: Positively 4th Street
Natalie Portman's Shaved Head: Iceage Babeland
Grand Archives: Miniature Birds
The Raconteurs: Salute Your Solution
She & Him: You Really Got a Hold On Me
Yo La Tengo: Mr. Tough
Old 97's: No Baby I
The Kills: Getting Down
Unwed Sailor: Little Wars
Flight of the Conchords: Ladies of the World
Pharmacy: Little Toys on a Shelf
Jurassic 5: Quality Control
Jamie Lidell: Just a Little Bit of Feel Good
Born Ruffians: Little Garcon
The Cat Empire: Fishies
Billy Paul: Me and Mrs. Jones
Bon Iver: Skinny Love
Vampire Weekend: The Kids Don't Stand a Chance
Wilco: Impossible Germany


-this week ended up being a Wilco sandwich, partially because of my sunny disposition

Dependence on foreign horses

marriedtothesea.com

Last Wednesday's Playlist

The Strokes: Hard To Explain

Flight of the Conchords: Business Time

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin: The Beach Song

The Raconteurs: Salute Your Solution

Joy Division: Love Will Tear Us Apart

The New Pornographers: The Slow Decent into Alcoholism

The Little Ones: Unlock the Door!

Chuckanut Drive: Reno to Vegas

Jamie Lidell: Wait for Me

Tokyo Police Club: In a Cave

Willie Nelson: Whisky River (live)

Bob Dylan: Just Like A Woman

The Growers: To the Threads

Islands: The Arm

Belle & Sebastian: Piazza, New York Catcher

Yo La Tengo: Mr. Tough

Johnny Cash: Cocaine Blues

Born Ruffians: I Need a Life

Mott the Hoople: All the Young Dudes

The O'Jays: Love Train

Daft Punk: One More Time/Aerodynamic (live)

The Black Keys: Strange Times

Cat Power: Silver Stallion

Vampire Weekend: Mansard Roof

Flight of the Conchords: Ladies of the World

Bon Iver: For Emma

Sun Kil Moon: Like The River

El Perro Del mar: Inner Island

Sufjan Stevens: The Mistress Witch from McClure (Or, The Mind That Knows Itself)

Last Wednesday's Playlist

The Velvet Underground: Rock and Roll

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds: Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsen: Dead Right

Johnny Cash: Cocaine Blues

Born Ruffians: Barnacle Goose

Radiohead: There, There

Yogoman Burning Band: Chaka Chaka

The Black Keys: I Got Mine

The Kills: Last Day of Magic

El Perro Del mar: Somebody's Baby

Ghostland Observatory: Piano Man

Chuckanut Drive: Reno to Vegas

Bon Iver: Skinny Love

Mott the Hoople: All the Young Dudes

Eagles of Death Metal: Bad Dream Mama

Man Man: Rabbit Habits

She & Him: I Should Have Known Better

Cat Power: Metal Heart

Flight of the Conchords: Business Time

The Little Ones: New Branches

Bob Dylan: Hey Mr. Tamborine Man

Be Your Own Pet: The Kelly Affair

Lou Doucet & The White Falcon: The Lovecats

Vampire Weekend: The Kid's Don't Stand A Chance

Billy Paul: Me and Mrs. Jones

Marshall Tucker Band: Can't You See

The Flaming Lips: My Cosmic Autumn Rebellion

The Apples In Stereo: Same Old Drag

Last Wednesday's Playlist

Billy Paul: Me and Mrs. Jones

The Black Keys: Psychotic Girl

Born Ruffians: Barnacle Goose

Be Your Own Pet: The Kelly Affairs

Mott the Hoople: All the Young Dudes

The Ramones: Bliztkrieg Bop

Yogoman Burning Band: Chaka Chaka

Bon Iver: Skinny Love

She & Him: You Really Got a Hold On Me

Flight of the Conchords: The Most Beautiful Girl (In the Room)

The Love Lights: Harder to Attack

Lou Rawls: You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine

Times New Viking: Teen Drama

Bob Dylan: Like a Rolling Stone

Beastie Boys: Paul Revere

Peter Moren: Le Petit Coeur

Grand Archives: Miniature Birds

Jonathon McIntryre: Wishing Ring

The Black Keys: Strange Times

The Gossip: Eyes Open

Cadence Weapon: Unsuccessful Night Clubs

The Raveonettes: Hallucinations

Working For a Nuclear Free City: Rocket

Cat Power: Silver Stallion

R.E.M.: Gardening At Night

Flight of the Conchords: Business Time

Loretta Lynn ft. Jack White: Portland Oregon

Last Wednesday's Playlist

West Indian Girl: What Are You Afraid Of?

The Black Keys: Strange Times

She & Him: This is Not a Test

Flight of the Conchords: Business Time

Cat Power: Silver Stallion

Queens of the Stone Age: No One Knows

Idiot Pilot: A Day In The Life of a Poolshark

Yogoman Burning Band: Chaka Chaka

Billy Paul : Me and Mrs. Jones

Vampire Weekend: A-Punk

Peter Moren: Social Competence

Dwight Yoakam: Cryin' Time

Rilo Kiley: The Moneymaker

Bon Iver: Skinny Love

Sons & Daughters: Split Lips

The Beastie Boys: Girls

Be Your Own Pet: The Kelly Affair

What Made Milwaukee Famous: Cheap Wine

Dengue Fever: Oceans of Venus

Flight of the Conchords: Bowie

Leon Mitchison: Street Scene

Adam Green: Morning After Midnight

Sonic Youth: Superstar

Jamie Lidell: Wait For Me

Vampire Weekend: Mansard Roof

The Cave Singers: Seeds of Night

Flight of the Conchords: The Most Beautiful Girl (in the Room)

The White Stripes: I Want To Be The Boy To Warm Your Mother's Heart

Last Wednesday's Playlist

Cold War Kids: Red Wine, Success!
Adam Green: Morning After Midnight
She & Him: I Should Have Known Better
The Black Keys: Strange Times
Sons & Daughters: Split Lips
The Beastie Boys: Fight For Your Right
Yogoman Burning Band: Doot Doot
Black Mountain: Angels
Vampire Weekend: A-Punk
Bon Iver: Skinny Love
Arctic Monkeys: Leave Before The Lights Come On
Rilo Kiley: 15
Born Ruffians: Barnacle Goose
Jens Lekman: A Postcard to Nina
The Ramones: Beat On The Brat
The Black Keys: Lies
The Mumlers: Dice in a Drawer
Supersister: She Was Naked
Beach House: You Came to Me
Constantines: Our Age
Ghostland Observatory: Sad Sad City
Bob Dylan: Subterranean Homesick Blues
She & Him: This is Not a Test
Jens Lekman: I'm Leaving You Because I Don't Love You
What Made Milwaukee Famous: Cheap Wine
Mott the Hoople: All the Young Dudes
The Love Lights: Big Mouth
Radiohead: Sail to the Moon

Last Wednesday's Playlist

Vampire Weekend: A-Punk
Sons & Daughter: Gilt Complex
She & Him: This Is Not A Test
Jens Lekman: A Postcard to Nina
Matt & Kim: Yea Yeah
Pastiche: The Cache
Cat Power: Living Proof
Working For a Nuclear Free City: Rocket
Headlights: Cherry Tulips
Al Green: I'm Still in Love With You
Rilo Kiley: 15
Born Ruffians: Barnacle Goose
Jason Collett: Out of Time
Franz Ferdinand: Eleanor, Put Your Boots Back On
Adam Green: Tropical Island
Bonnie "Prince" Billy: The World's Greatest
Velella Vellela: Flight Cub
The Kinks: A Well Respected Man
Monade: Etoille
Matisyahu: Beat Box
Times New Viking: Teen Drama
Supersister: She Was Naked
Grand Archives: Miniature Birds
Ghostland Observatory: Heavy Heart
She & Him: You Really Got a Hold On Me
Cat Power: Free
Lupe Fiasco: Superstar

Last Sunday's Playlist

Scissor Sisters: Take Your Mama Out
Grand Archives: Miniature Birds
The Mumblers: Dice In A Drawe
Sia: Little Black Sandals
Daft Punk: One More Time
Chuckanut Drive: Reno to Vegas
Born Ruffians: Barnacle Goose
Working For A Nuclear Free City: Rocket
Headlight: Market Girl
Al Green: I'm Still in Love With You
Tegan & Sara: Like O Like H
Jason Collett: Out of Time
Franz Ferdinand: Eleanor, Put Your Boots Back On
Vampire Weekend: M79
Jens Lekman: Shirin
10 Killing Hands: Stupid Tourists
Velella Velella: Flight Club
Mott the Hoople: All the Young Dudes
What Made Milwaukee Famous: Cheap Wine
Lupe Fiasco: Superstar ft. Matthew Santos
British Sea Power: Lights Our for Darker Skies
Lonely Dear: Where Are You GoGoGoing To?
Jens Lekman: Kanske Ar Jag Kar i Dig
The Raveonettes: Dead Sound
Adam Green: Tropical Island
Rilo Kiley: Go Ahead

Bad Assery

#40.3 - The National - Start a war
Uploaded by lablogotheque

You're so vain...

Cheers to 60 years.  Happy Birthday James. I hope everyone celebrates your glorious 40 years of music by watching a sunset with a little bit of wine and politely making out with their significant other.  

Because isn't that's what it's really all about?

Last Sunday's Playlist

Black Mountain: Angels

Jason Collett: Roll On Oblivion

The Mumblers: Dice In A Drawer

Alberta Cross: The Thief & The Heartbreaker

The Roots: The Seed (2.0)

Chuckanut Drive: Reno to Vegas

Grand Archives: Torn Blue Foam Couch

Bonnie "Prince" Billy: The World's Greatest (R. Kelly Cover)

The Growers: Cold Heart

Headlights: Get Your Head Around It

Bob Dylan: Like A Rolling Stone

Karate Kitchen: Fernando

British Sea Power: Lights Out For Darker Skies

Iron & Wine: Resurrection Fern

Fred Thomas: Oceans Of

Kenny Smith & The Loveliters: Go For Yourself

Xiu Xiu: Under Pressure

Al Green: I'm Still In Love With You

SIA: Day Too Soon

Pieces of Peace: Flunky For Your Love

Born Ruffians: Little Garcon

Joy Division: Love Will Tear Us Apart

Working For A Nuclear Free City: Rocket

Cold War Kids: Red Wine, Success!

I believe in shoes and cars.

I've yet to understand how Kanye West emerged as this decade's pop culture style man.  He's got a Midas touch with everything from Daft Punk to Louis Vuitton men's clothing.  And giant curtain sunglasses.

But it's like one of the steps to recovery to me,  acceptance.  Only when you are able to accept that it will forever be a mystery of how that bald bastard became the Oprah of Hip-Hop, and made it acceptable for white guys to like it too (kinda)

now bask in the sexiness that is Kanye West and his choice of meaty women:

enjoy your day

Why haven't these guys gotten bigger?

The name of this band is GRAND OLE PARTY

Emerged from the forest fires and high taxes of San Diego, these three have some of the most moving aggresive lyrics, vocals, stage presence I've seen in a long time.  It's like the Yeah Yeah Yeah's if the didn't suck anymore.

What makes it worse is that it is damn near impossible to find their album "Humanimals" anywhere.  

Seriously. I had to rummage through my local college radio station to find it.

If you buy this albums online, you will not regret it.

P.S. Huckabee dropped out...