Listening: May 08

Above? Lyrics from Vampire Weekend's "Walcott." So cheeky.

I finally set aside In Rainbows because a healthy music diet should have a steady flow of new dishes.

Also, it was time to update the sidebar of my home page with recent favorites (a last.fm list isn't enough as I don't use iTunes that much).

I figured an archive of these selections might be nice to capture in an entry. So here goes:

	Madonna "Hard Candy" — A guilty pleasure. Madonna's latest strays away from fame angst and religion mumbling (largely), moving directly on to the dance floor. I thought Justin Timberlake's last album was one of the best of the year, so his presence here is quite welcome (no matter how calculated.) At times songs feel like old-Prince, old-Madonna, 70's disco (is that cowbell?) and something else. An appearance by Kanye just adds to the sweet ride. FAVORITE TRACKS: HEARTBEAT, MILES AWAY, BEAT GOES ON, DANCE 2NIGHT, VOICES
	Vampire Weekend — Some albums take a while to really sink into the brain. This is not one of those albums. The hooks sink in immediately. It's poppy, bright and brings some different instrumentation to the traditional indie-rock mix. I have no idea what these vampire kids are talking about in their lyrics (and I'm still not sure how they feel about the bears in Provincetown), but they usually rhyme and that's enough for me. FAVORITE TRACKS: CAPE COD KWASSA KWASSA, OXFORD COMMA, I STAND CORRECTED
	Bon Iver "For Emma, Forever Ago" — To balance out all the sunny stuff, I like to have a little mellow available. When the view out the window is overcast, this is currently what I'm playing. Mind you, it works on a sunny days to boot—adding a bit of urgency the day's soundtrack. FAVORITE TRACKS: RE: STACKS, FLUME, SKINNY LOVE, LUMP SUM
	The Breeders "Mountain Battles" — You're thinking, oh Chris, you've been brainwashed by listening to this album over and over (while editing the release party video). You may be right, but it still occupies a slot in my CD player and I give it a spin, often. Every single track has a decided vibe, with little details that creep out of the corners and tease playfully. It's always genuine, and a little weird in the good way. FAVORITE TRACKS: NIGHT OF JOY, WE'RE GONNA RISE, GERMAN STUDIES, ISTANBUL, WALK IT OFF, REGALAME ESTA NOCHE, NO WAY, MOUNTAIN BATTLES

Related: I'm looking forward to heading back to St. Louis this weekend, to catch The Breeders on tour.

Also enjoying these albums: Goldfrapp "Seventh Tree", The Black Keys "Attack & Release", Coconut Records "Nighttiming" - next on the list, delve into Portishead's "3".

A night of tv and a lot of ramble

Tom has this tool in the studio. It fascinates me. [ + zoom ]

None of these links open in a new window.

It's softly raining outside and I'm flipping through the channels, semi brain-dead from a productive day.

(this entry, written at 3:30am)

I see what's on the DVR, fast forwarding to get to Dooce on the Today Show only to knit my brows by the presence of Kathy Lee. The former Regis sidekick says things that displease me and I mentally replace all her words with "Cody needs a pony" to release tension.

The story continues "A night of tv and a lot of ramble"

And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon that is dreaming

At McDonalds in the outdoor eating area, this bird awaits scraps

Back in middle school we had to recite poems in front of the class. Not only that, we were required to dress up in some fashion, inspired by the work.

I try not to think about this very offten—if ever, but when I sat down to patch the day together with a photo, I kept seeing a raven instead of a crow.

Raven, being the title of Edgar Allen Poe's narrative poem was the one my friend Jenn selected back in those formative years. I remember she wore all black and looked like a beatnik.

As for myself? I crafted a canoe to wear about the waist, attached by suspenders. I bet there are pictures of this get-up somewhere, but I refuse to find them. Middle school was a particularly rough period for my physical being.

I memorized Sarah Bolton's Paddle Your Own Canoe.

An excerpt:

Nobly dare the wildest storm,
Stem the hardest gale;
Brave of heart and strong of arm,
You will never fail.
When the world is cold and dark,
Keep an aim in view,
And toward the beacon mark
Paddle your own canoe.

You might think it overly simplistic, but I think it bested the assignment's required number of stanzas. I probably chose it so I could walk around school with a miniature cardboard paddle though...

Current music: Bon Iver "Re: Stacks"

property line

This, a view down the street from the studio today

Sometimes I wish politics were this clear cut.

Other times I turn off the TV, radio, avoid newspapers and certain websites.

Wait a minute, politics are this clear cut.
.
Current music: The Rave-Ups "Positively Lost Me"

The Original Glow Machine

Apologies for the large file size above

I went bowling a while back.

My most recent memory of the game is on the Wii, and going through those virtual motions gave my shoulder some ache. In real life, the sensation is much, much worse.

As for score, a 5 year old beat me - and we had the bumpers in the gutters.

I'd still do it again for the cheap beer and classic typography. The whole joint was a time capsule and I wish I had my "big" camera to capture some of the awesomeness.

I did however, have a point-and-shoot at my disposal

Current music: Matmos "Polychords"

Another day, another NIN album

Sometimes it's best to leave things on the shelf, as a memory.

"It isn't necessary to imagine the world ending in fire or ice. There are two other possibilities: one is paperwork, and the other is nostalgia."
— Frank Zappa

(and no, there is not a connection between the title of this post and the image)

Current music: The Kills "Cheap and Cheerful"

The house hunt, an update

Decor that is not ours

Last off we were trying to get out of contract from a house that had more issues that we bargained for. Things settled last week and we (thankfully) received the earnest money back.

So now we're back to our normal Sunday routine of tours and open houses.

Today, some potential. We'll see how it goes.

For the first time, it wasn't raining and overcast. Maybe this is a sign.

Some folks take a walk in the woods for inspiration

I walk down the seasonal aisle.

Actually, as the weather slowly turns, going outside will win over all the shelves of bug spray, coolers, koozies, and whiffle ball sets.

Current music: Sonic Youth "Providence"

Taking the kids to Target

[ + zoom ]

I passed by this family earlier today while driving to lunch. They were crossing a four lane road and traffic was completely stopped to allow their passage.

A combination of timing and bad angles prevented a snapshot at the time, but the image burned into memory. Though concerned for their safety, the small event was ultimately filed under "things to smile about."

And this evening as I left a parking lot, I saw them again.

No excuses this time. I stopped the car and made with the camera.

Current music: Annie Lennox "Many Rivers to Cross"

hello pretty

And though it looks like spring, the forecast says my choice in shorts is a poor one.