dissonance

Treasure hunting

If you're one of the people that I turned onto Frou Frou, I just wanted to let you know that Imogen Heap (the lead singer) has her own album now:

I've only heard Hide & Seek so far (beautifully rendered acappella song) and I'm impatient to get home and get the rest off iTunes.

If you're looking for more good music that flies under the radar, check out Auralgasms, whose specialty is "the discovery and discussion of under-appreciated artists".  A quick glance at their artist list is promising:  Flunk, Feist, Jem, Matt Pond, Aqualung, Rilo Kiley... everyone that I personally love and don't hear often enough on the radio.

And I'm glad I don't.

MMW @ HOB

I just have time to write about the Medeski, Martin & Wood concert I went to last week.

It was at the House of Blues and I went with Anson and it ruled.

It was one of the most musically diverse concerts I've ever attended.  The trio was able to spin out everything from classic jazz, to funk, to blues, to "weird shit"... all before intermission!

(By "weird shit" I mean that there was this one song sounded like spacey alien music and the percussion guy played stuffed birds that made bird noises when you squeezed their bellies.  Now, read that sentence again and tell me that's not weird shit.)

I picked up a really cool looking mouse pad too (created by one of the trio, Medeski??)

Next up at the HOB is Fiona Apple.  I don't care how angsty and depressing people think she is.  Her cd's have carried me through some of the hardest times in my life.  Tidal (my first CD purchase ever) was the first CD I played on my Macintosh IIvX and now I have Extraordinary Machine on my 'Pod.  Musical life comes full circle!

Fooweezies

Gahhhhh!

That's what I sounded like all night at the Foo Fighters/Weezer (Foozer?) concert last night.  Dang, that was one of the best large venue concerts (Cox Arena) I've ever been to!  I knew more of Weezer's songs but those Foo Fighters... they flippin ROOOCK!  A great highlight was when Grohl let the drummer (Hawkins?) sing a song while he played the drums.  I've never seen Grohl on the drums before (never really was a fan of Nirvana) but sheesh, is there anything the guy can't do?

Three stories:
1)  While in line for the beer garden there was this girl who was jjjjrrrrunk off her butt . She had lost all ability to stand still and would kind of teeter back and forth.  Obviously not a good candidate for the beer line and when some security came by to question her she and her friend pointed to a couple of other people behind them and said "We're with them".  Those people promptly replied, "Uh, NO, we DON'T know who they are."  Ok I just read that, not that funny so you'll have to just trust me that it was funny in real life.
2) I got a signed Weezer guitar pick.  I don't know who it's signed by but definately not Rivers.  It looks like the name starts with a J, but  I just figured out that Weezer doesn't have a band member with a name that starts with J.  I'll upload a pic eventually and mebbe someone else can help me figure it out.
3)  During Foo Fighters, I stood next to this woman who told me she had a fourteen year old son in the seated area (we had floor tix) and then 10 minutes later she busts out the mj. Classy.

Ben read my diary

I posted a while back about the pain caused by the song "Tiny Vessels".  Well Death Cab just came out with Plans, and the Tiny Vessels of this album is definately "Someday You Will Be Loved".

I once knew a girl in the years of my youth
With eyes like the summer, all beauty and truth
But in the morning I fled, left a note and it read
"Someday you will be loved"

I cannot pretend that I felt any regret
Cause each broken heart will eventually mend
And as the blood runs red down the needle and thread
Someday you will be loved

You'll be loved, you'll be loved
Like you never have known
And memories of me
Will seem more like bad dreams
Just a series of blurs
Like I never occurred
Someday you will be loved

You may feel alone when you're falling asleep
And every time tears roll down your cheeks
But I know your heart belongs to someone you've yet to meet
And someday you will be loved

You'll be loved, you'll be loved
Like you never have known
And memories of me
Will seem more like bad dreams
Just a series of blurs
Like I never occurred
Someday you will be loved

I think the folks over at SongMeanings.net got it right when they speculate that this could be considered the "Part Two" of Tiny Vessels.  Anyway, it gives me the same icky feeling. This line in particular just kills me:

But I know your heart belongs to someone you've yet to meet
And someday you will be loved

It makes me think, "I KNOW there's someone better than you out there for me, you don't need to tell ME, ya JERK!" (haha woah... bittermuch?)

I love Ben Gibbard but why are guys such bastards?

Before I bring this post into a pit of bitterness, check out Lani who concedes that I have good taste in accessories.

Oh almost forgot

I got tagged by tauntinghappyfunball to complete this meme.  Funny, didn't even know he knew I blogstalked him.

1) What is the total volume of music you own?

About 13 gigs, which totals to about 9.4 days.  At first glance, that sounds like a lot, but I think I have a lot of shitty stuff mixed in there as well.

2) What's the last CD you bought?

I think it was The Bravery, which was a while ago but people have given me music since then.  I got a lot on my To Buy Soon list:

• Coldplay - X&Y
• White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan
• Audioslave - Out of Exile
• Wicked Soundtrack
• Massive Attack - any
• Snoop Dogg - Doggystyle

I just need to channel my drinking fund into the music fund.  (Or maybe transfer from the food fund??)

3) What song is playing right now?

Right now the roommate is watching Real World so they're playing "drama booty" music.  But the last song I listened to was some remixed Bjork track my coworker gave me.

4) What 5 songs do I listen to a lot?

What iTunes tells me:

1. Love at First Sight - Kylie Minogue (it's good workout music, I swear!)
2. Elevator Love Letter - Stars (so cute)
3. Let go - Frou Frou (the Garden State factor)
4. Used to Love U - John Legend (very liberating)
5. Time is Running Out - Muse (great for singing in the car)

It's a good thing that iTunes has only tracked since last year. Otherwise, I have a sneaking suspicion this list would have a lot of 'Nsync. (not that there's anything wrong with that, they fuckin RAWK)

5) What 5 people will I pose these questions to?

People who have influenced my musical development (who have blogs)

1. Kungfuchu (because he introduced me to Bjork and should have good answers)
2. Matt (not that I expect him to read this far into my post)
3. John (even though I think he already did it)
4. Paddles (because it's been a month since she blogged)
5. Zach Braff ('cause it's good to have dreams)

Not caca

Normally I try to separate work-life and personal-life.  Sometimes I complain about having to go to happy hour with other people's coworkers, but I don't really mind actually. It helps to keep the separation apparent.

But I've slowly been "making friends" at work through strange ties that bind:  dodgeball and music.

Yes, I've joined the dodgeball league.  There's about 6 people from my work on the team.  Our first game is on June 16th.  I don't know what I'm getting myself into, but I have been informed there are drink specials prior to the game.  Aight den, I'm there.

Secondly, I discovered that my cube neighbor (sits behind my wall) is a huge fan of Stars as well.  We were walking back from lunch one day and she says randomly, "Well, when there's nothing left to burn you gotta set yourself on fire..." and I immediately screamed "Staaaarrrs!!".  Since then, she has introduced me to West Indian Girl and Out Hud.  She sends out occasional e-mails about upcoming concerts and entitles the e-mails "Not caca". 

Which is quite helpful because I don't really have time to be listening to caca music.

Anyway, next one is U.S.E. (United State of Electronica).  $8 at the Casbah if anyone in the SD area is interested (John?)  I haven't tried these links but I think you can hear them here.

Also, anyone listen to the new White Stripes album yet? So far I really like Blue Orchid and My Doorbell and debating getting the entire thing.

Ptooey!

I'm having one of those weeks where I feel like I will never have enough sleep for the rest of my life.

Last night I went to the brand spankin new House of Blues with a bunch of co-workers (it only took me 1.5 years to find people worthy of my audience) to see West Indian Girl.  We had heard that drinks at HOB were expensive-o so we did some binge-shot-drinking at Sushi Ra around the corner.  But it turns out that drinks were the same price so as a matter of principle we had to have about 3 more shots when we got to the venue.  The place was really nice! I'm going to add it to my list of places where I can tolerate concerts. It was intimate yet roomy, well air-conditioned, and interestingly decorated.

West Indian Girl was great!  I had a debate with one of my friends whether the girl singer is pretty or not. I think she is but she thought I was crazy and practically called her deformed.  What do you think?

The main act, Fischerspooner was... entertaining.  They had great costumes (lead singer wore what looked like a samarai suit made of garbage bags) and they even had dancers in weird grecian dresses.  The music was like 80's techno rock pop...  Hard to explain, but energetic and weird in a fun way.  But I had to get out of there after about the 4th song when they proceeded to spray beer and water out of their mouths and I got hit in the eye.  I'm pretty open-minded about music, but I have to draw the line at spit in the eye.   

We ended up going to Red C lounge (one of the diviest dives I know in SD, and not even that divey) where we danced ourselves stupid and had rounds of... water.  I really felt I was back in SD when the night of drunken festivities ended up at Los Panchos where I got an awesome bean and cheese burrito.  Yum!

Food, tv, music: happimi indeed

Guess who didn't get the memo that it isn't her birthday anymore?
Hint: me

Cindy brought me Phil's BBQ.  Hot damn that was good stuff.  Nothing like some ribs, chicken, and beer (with a good sprinkling of macaroni salad and beans) to celebrate a birthday yet again!

And just when I think it can't get any better, tonight was the season finale of House. Wee!

Oooh and someone introduced me to West Indian Girl.  Pretty good stuff. I'm gonna try and catch them at the new SD House of Blues next Thurs (opening for unknown Fischerspooner).  <-- That's an edit.  Wed at the Casbah is actually Out Hud, who I'm also planning on checking out.

Gnice gsite

Ever since I got the 'pod I've been scouring for new music and I've found a lot of artists I really don't think I would have without iTunes (yeah yeah, corporate shill).  Anyway, I'm very please to have found Gnoosic to supplement my musical discoveries.  You type in 3 bands you already like and then they give recommendations. I did it twice and came up with this list I'd like to check out. If you've heard of any of them, can you please recommend an album or song by them? Thanks.

• Mindy Smith
• The Dears
• BluMchen
• Portishead
• Jeremy Enigk
• Lucy Woodward
• Massive Attack (I've heard of them, but don't know what songs they have)
• Reindeer Section
• Idlewild

I'm a little PO'd they recommended Jennifer Love Hewitt but luckily they have a button that says, "I don't like it!"  I blame saying that I liked Kelly Clarkson and Justin Timberlake. They are exceptions, not the norm, I swear!

Soundtrack to soy chicken

Cindy and I went to this veggie restaurant yesterday and it was pretty good, but the notable thing about this place was the soundtrack that accompanied our lunch.  It was like all these weird old jams. At first it annoyed me but by the time the check came around, I was jammin.  I can't remember any of them except for this one:

We like the cars, the cars that go boom
We're Tigre (and Bunny) and we like the boom.

Man, that is an awesome song.

We like them short, and we like them tall,
We like them one, and we like them all.
They're always adding speakers when they find the room,
Cuz they know we like the guys with the cars that go boom.
And see my boyfriend really knows where it's at,
He's got 50 inch woofers all along the back.
He makes a comment on going to my room,
But I'd rather stay out with his car that goes boom.