Monday -- New Year's excitement coupled with half-marathon race recovery. http://www.newyearsdouble.com/
Tuesday -- Back to work and a tech blog about Spotify. http://www.spotify.com/
Wednesday -- Ran out of words - thank god for dogs.
Thursday -- KFC in NYC, are you kidding?
Friday -- here we sit, working for the weekend!
Friday, January 6, 2012
The Daily Listen - January 6, 2012 - Charlotte Gainsbourg "Stage Whispers"
The Daily Listen is a brief commentary on my auditory adventures. With music, as with everything, I am claiming no critical superiority, as over the years I've learned that despite stylistic preferences, music must also sit with you at various times (time of day, season, mood, etc.) to gauge its proper impact. In other words, I may not encounter the same listening experience as you, simply because our days are managed differently.
Charlotte Gainsbourg
"Stage Whispers"
Released -- 12/2011 -- Elektra Records
http://www.charlottegainsbourg.com/
When your dad is Serge Gainsbourg, the king of French pop, and your mom is Jane Birkin, you're dealt quite a hand from the jump. And having been in the public eye for most of her life, Charlotte Gainsbourg certainly has taken full advantage with a successful acting career and more recently, outstanding musical offerings.
Having paired up with Beck on her previous effort, 2009's "IRM," Gainsbourg is back with the double-LP, "Stage Whispers." The first half of which focuses on new studio material that is a solid continuation of "IRM." Gainsbourg effortlessly moves between glammed runway strutters and breezy cafe pop. "Stage Whispers" can be the soundtrack from Saturday night to Sunday afternoon and Gainsbourg would've been an excellent addition to the Danger Mouse, Daniel Luppi collaboration, "Rome."
The second half of "Stage Whispers" is where things get more interesting. With a stellar band in tow, Gainsbourg's cool demeanor and steady voice mix tremendously well with the fuzzed out guitars and post-disco rhythm section. The result (at times) reminds me of Patti Smith and at other the Talking Heads. The hands-down highlight though is a breathless cover of Bob Dylan's "Just Like a Woman." Akin to "Femme Fatale" by the Velvet Underground, this version is simply stunning and worth the extended listen alone.
Charlotte Gainsbourg
"Stage Whispers"
Released -- 12/2011 -- Elektra Records
http://www.charlottegainsbourg.com/
When your dad is Serge Gainsbourg, the king of French pop, and your mom is Jane Birkin, you're dealt quite a hand from the jump. And having been in the public eye for most of her life, Charlotte Gainsbourg certainly has taken full advantage with a successful acting career and more recently, outstanding musical offerings.
Having paired up with Beck on her previous effort, 2009's "IRM," Gainsbourg is back with the double-LP, "Stage Whispers." The first half of which focuses on new studio material that is a solid continuation of "IRM." Gainsbourg effortlessly moves between glammed runway strutters and breezy cafe pop. "Stage Whispers" can be the soundtrack from Saturday night to Sunday afternoon and Gainsbourg would've been an excellent addition to the Danger Mouse, Daniel Luppi collaboration, "Rome."
The second half of "Stage Whispers" is where things get more interesting. With a stellar band in tow, Gainsbourg's cool demeanor and steady voice mix tremendously well with the fuzzed out guitars and post-disco rhythm section. The result (at times) reminds me of Patti Smith and at other the Talking Heads. The hands-down highlight though is a breathless cover of Bob Dylan's "Just Like a Woman." Akin to "Femme Fatale" by the Velvet Underground, this version is simply stunning and worth the extended listen alone.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
The Daily Listen - January 5, 2012. Mark Sultan "Whatever I Want," "Whenever I Want"
The Daily Listen is a brief commentary on my auditory adventures. With music, as with everything, I am claiming no critical superiority, as over the years I've learned that despite stylistic preferences, music must also sit with you at various times (time of day, season, mood, etc.) to gauge its proper impact. In other words, I may not encounter the same listening experience as you, simply because our days are managed differently.
Mark Sultan
"Whatever I Want"
"Whenever I Want"
Released Simultaneously - Fall 2011, In The Red Records
http://www.marksultan.com/
Unlike Justin Bieber, Mark Sultan needs no swagger coach. He is a doo-wop, garage-rock, punk-rock bad mofo that oozes cool with every yip and howl. Come on, when you have the panache to release two albums simultaneously, "Whatever I Want" and "Whenever I Want," that take influence from the Zeros to the Dave Clark 5, and Bobby Fuller 4 to Kiss, you're getting cred points out the wazoo in my book.
Probably best known as BBQ from the much-hyped King Khan and The BBQ Show, Mark Sultan has been around for some time revving up trash can rockers, trademarked always by his enthusiastic holler and bare-bones instrumentation.
"Whatever I Want" and "Whenever I Want" are no different. Both coming in at roughly 39 minutes a piece, the two albums stroll you through a revival of 50s-influenced rock and doo-wop, 60s-pysch meltdowns and 70s-punk nihilism that (for the most part) don't feel worn out. Sultan typically loses steam towards the end of his efforts and these two are no different, but by the time you're ready to jump ship, the album's are starting over.
Mark Sultan
"Whatever I Want"
"Whenever I Want"
Released Simultaneously - Fall 2011, In The Red Records
http://www.marksultan.com/
Unlike Justin Bieber, Mark Sultan needs no swagger coach. He is a doo-wop, garage-rock, punk-rock bad mofo that oozes cool with every yip and howl. Come on, when you have the panache to release two albums simultaneously, "Whatever I Want" and "Whenever I Want," that take influence from the Zeros to the Dave Clark 5, and Bobby Fuller 4 to Kiss, you're getting cred points out the wazoo in my book.
Probably best known as BBQ from the much-hyped King Khan and The BBQ Show, Mark Sultan has been around for some time revving up trash can rockers, trademarked always by his enthusiastic holler and bare-bones instrumentation.
"Whatever I Want" and "Whenever I Want" are no different. Both coming in at roughly 39 minutes a piece, the two albums stroll you through a revival of 50s-influenced rock and doo-wop, 60s-pysch meltdowns and 70s-punk nihilism that (for the most part) don't feel worn out. Sultan typically loses steam towards the end of his efforts and these two are no different, but by the time you're ready to jump ship, the album's are starting over.
A New York Slice
God love 'em, my parents are on a trip to New York City to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary. Congratulations to them! Seriously, that is a true feat.
They are (obviously) very excited and have a busy schedule of touristy agenda items -- Broadway rendition of Sister Act, Ground Zero, Macy's, etc.
During their vacation, I am watching their dog, Rusty - an aging wiener dog - periodically letting him out to do his business, feeding the fish, making sure the house doesn't burn down. So like clockwork, I get a call from my mom checking in on the dog -- everything is fine.
"Well, how's it going?" I ask. "Great, we're on a hop on/hop off double-decker bus tour. Right now we are eating lunch at the KFC on 42nd Street."
"Mom, for god's sake, you're in New York City! At least get a slice of pizza and don't make it Sbarro."
"Chicago is famous for pizza, not New York."
"Sure it is! It's thin and floppy, you should try it."
Googling the KFC on 42nd Street you will find that this location is actually semi-famous. A few years back, as a gesture of good will (and promoted by Oprah), KFC planned to give out free chicken. It was denied by KFC o-fficials, but apparently there was a chicken riot at this location, following a sit-in from customers cashing in on the freebies. Perhaps this was the beginning of the Occupy movement. Who knew that chicken had such sway?
While she is correct that Chicago is famous for pizza (Giordanos anyone?), I want to tip my hat to the New York style slice. For anyone reading that is in (or will be in) New York City, here is a list of the highest-rated, most famous pizza places in the Big Apple:
http://gonyc.about.com/od/restaurants/ss/Best-Pizza-In-New-York-City.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaKuT3dIwfc
They are (obviously) very excited and have a busy schedule of touristy agenda items -- Broadway rendition of Sister Act, Ground Zero, Macy's, etc.
During their vacation, I am watching their dog, Rusty - an aging wiener dog - periodically letting him out to do his business, feeding the fish, making sure the house doesn't burn down. So like clockwork, I get a call from my mom checking in on the dog -- everything is fine.
"Well, how's it going?" I ask. "Great, we're on a hop on/hop off double-decker bus tour. Right now we are eating lunch at the KFC on 42nd Street."
"Mom, for god's sake, you're in New York City! At least get a slice of pizza and don't make it Sbarro."
"Chicago is famous for pizza, not New York."
"Sure it is! It's thin and floppy, you should try it."
Googling the KFC on 42nd Street you will find that this location is actually semi-famous. A few years back, as a gesture of good will (and promoted by Oprah), KFC planned to give out free chicken. It was denied by KFC o-fficials, but apparently there was a chicken riot at this location, following a sit-in from customers cashing in on the freebies. Perhaps this was the beginning of the Occupy movement. Who knew that chicken had such sway?
While she is correct that Chicago is famous for pizza (Giordanos anyone?), I want to tip my hat to the New York style slice. For anyone reading that is in (or will be in) New York City, here is a list of the highest-rated, most famous pizza places in the Big Apple:
http://gonyc.about.com/od/restaurants/ss/Best-Pizza-In-New-York-City.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaKuT3dIwfc
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
It's a Dog's World After All
Sgt. Pepper is a Whippet. Born just prior to Halloween three years ago, delivered by Santa on Christmas Eve 2008, he's been a steady companion ever since and a terror to the bedroom carpet, front door, two couches and back door blind.
Whippets are known for lazing around most of the day, with great bursts of energy as-needed. He and I walk a lot and rarely does he go off the leash. I like to run, but can't get past a decent sprint compared to his 30+ mph barrel.
On Wednesdays, in honor of Wordless Whippet Wednesdays, on the blog whippetsnippets.com, I will post a picture of Sarge. Perhaps he will say cheese to the camera.
Here's his normal daily position - lounging in the chair next to mine dressed in his thunder shirt to reduce anxiety -- www.thundershirt.com.
Whippets are known for lazing around most of the day, with great bursts of energy as-needed. He and I walk a lot and rarely does he go off the leash. I like to run, but can't get past a decent sprint compared to his 30+ mph barrel.
On Wednesdays, in honor of Wordless Whippet Wednesdays, on the blog whippetsnippets.com, I will post a picture of Sarge. Perhaps he will say cheese to the camera.
Here's his normal daily position - lounging in the chair next to mine dressed in his thunder shirt to reduce anxiety -- www.thundershirt.com.
The Daily Listen is a brief commentary on my auditory adventures. With music, as with everything, I am claiming no critical superiority, as over the years I've learned that despite stylistic preferences, music must also sit with you at various times (time of day, season, mood, etc.) to gauge its proper impact. In other words, I may not encounter the same listening experience as you, simply because our days are managed differently.
Wye Oak - Civilian
Released March 2011, Merge Records
http://www.wyeoakmusic.com/
Fitting in the stylistic bucket of indie folk, Wye Oak is a two-piece, boy/girl band, hailing from Baltimore, MD. The band, whose name is a salute to the state tree of Maryland, combines elements of modern folk and 1970s-influenced Laurel Canyon pop, with shoegaze washes of distortion and dreaminess. The output is pleasing, though not entirely attention-demanding. While "Civilian" has its moments -- the jingle-jangle of "Holy Holy" and the vocal slide on "We Were Wealth" are well played -- bands such as The National, Band of Horses and Beach House offer more.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AT8woKspY8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmjMFPSLXI4&ob=av2e
Wye Oak - Civilian
Released March 2011, Merge Records
http://www.wyeoakmusic.com/
Fitting in the stylistic bucket of indie folk, Wye Oak is a two-piece, boy/girl band, hailing from Baltimore, MD. The band, whose name is a salute to the state tree of Maryland, combines elements of modern folk and 1970s-influenced Laurel Canyon pop, with shoegaze washes of distortion and dreaminess. The output is pleasing, though not entirely attention-demanding. While "Civilian" has its moments -- the jingle-jangle of "Holy Holy" and the vocal slide on "We Were Wealth" are well played -- bands such as The National, Band of Horses and Beach House offer more.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AT8woKspY8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmjMFPSLXI4&ob=av2e
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Spotify Me!
"Four hundred dollars for a digital Walkman," I asked? "You're out of your mind!"
I can vividly remember telling the sales rep at Comp USA as much in what must've been late 2001 or early 2002 when they tried to up-sell me on an iPod. "I'll stick to my amazing collection of vinyl and CDs," I thought to myself with an air of snobbery.
That was probably the first, last and only time, I was a late adopter to the transition of digital music. When I finally did get an iPod I jumped in head first, ripping CDs with the fervor of a Southern Baptist preacher, telling Jessa that "this will be a weekend project." Three months and a very frustrated wife later and I just about had the CDs taken care of. Have never bothered trying to rip the vinyl to MP3.
My music buying habits soon changed too. Though I never whole-heartedly embraced the iTunes store, I loved Emusic. That is until Spotify came around.
If you talk with me regularly, chances are I've recommended Spotify to you. I love it. With few exceptions and some gentle quirks, it is an amazing platform for listening to what is ultimately the world's largest smorgasbord of music. And with its new integrated App Finder, the experience just keeps getting better.
Not afraid to have my guilty pleasure hits-of-the-90s broadcast to everyone, I like the idea of the public playlist. I like the snarky comments I sometimes get from my friend list on Facebook. I like seeing what my friends are listening to and using that as a source to find new music.
But no, that's not all. Spotify couldn't help itself. It went and raised the bar recently with trending playlists, Spotify radio (much like LastFm), Songkick Concerts (a handy app that scans your playlists for favorite artists and gives revelant tour information), Rolling Stone Recommends (quick links to their top 500 songs of all time, etc.), The Guardian (reviews from The Guardian music critics) and my favorite, Pitchfork (which allows me to skip the Pitchfork site altogether and get to the highly-rated releases and reviews), among many others.
To say the least, I am excited for what's to come in 2012 with Spotify and discovering a ton of new artists.
I can vividly remember telling the sales rep at Comp USA as much in what must've been late 2001 or early 2002 when they tried to up-sell me on an iPod. "I'll stick to my amazing collection of vinyl and CDs," I thought to myself with an air of snobbery.
That was probably the first, last and only time, I was a late adopter to the transition of digital music. When I finally did get an iPod I jumped in head first, ripping CDs with the fervor of a Southern Baptist preacher, telling Jessa that "this will be a weekend project." Three months and a very frustrated wife later and I just about had the CDs taken care of. Have never bothered trying to rip the vinyl to MP3.
My music buying habits soon changed too. Though I never whole-heartedly embraced the iTunes store, I loved Emusic. That is until Spotify came around.
If you talk with me regularly, chances are I've recommended Spotify to you. I love it. With few exceptions and some gentle quirks, it is an amazing platform for listening to what is ultimately the world's largest smorgasbord of music. And with its new integrated App Finder, the experience just keeps getting better.
Not afraid to have my guilty pleasure hits-of-the-90s broadcast to everyone, I like the idea of the public playlist. I like the snarky comments I sometimes get from my friend list on Facebook. I like seeing what my friends are listening to and using that as a source to find new music.
But no, that's not all. Spotify couldn't help itself. It went and raised the bar recently with trending playlists, Spotify radio (much like LastFm), Songkick Concerts (a handy app that scans your playlists for favorite artists and gives revelant tour information), Rolling Stone Recommends (quick links to their top 500 songs of all time, etc.), The Guardian (reviews from The Guardian music critics) and my favorite, Pitchfork (which allows me to skip the Pitchfork site altogether and get to the highly-rated releases and reviews), among many others.
To say the least, I am excited for what's to come in 2012 with Spotify and discovering a ton of new artists.
Monday, January 2, 2012
My Feet Hurt From So Much Butt-Kickin'
Mid-July, 2008. I am on the floor of my closet writhing in pain. I am surprised I didn't throw up. My phone is in the office at the front of the house (the closest is the furthest possible point from the office). I begin to crawl, unable to stand after having unnaturally twisted and subsequently breaking my left knee.
It was most certainly not supposed to happen this way. I was on a two-week vacation of sorts, between jobs and had just finished the first week and the final honey do. I was going to start an awesome weight-loss and exercise plan the following day, finally getting myself into shape. Now I am the hospital being sized for a brace, crutches and eventually a three-scope surgery, removing 6cm of broken knee bone that will never grow back.
It was one of the best things to ever happen to me.
The recovery and rehab from the injury was grueling to say the least, but it gave me something to focus on. At first it was simply lying on my back, trying to lift my leg. It felt like a million pounds and the moment of incredible pride when I accomplished that feat was awesome. Eventually it was losing the crutches and walking to the mailbox, to the next street and back, to the park, to the pond, to my parents house a half-mile away. Soon I found myself walking substantial distances multiple times throughout the day - sometimes 12 miles total. My eating habits cleaned up and I lost a ton of weight.
But that wasn't enough. Having long thought I would never run again, I reluctantly gave it a try. I couldn't believe my knee didn't fall apart and more over couldn't believe my shin splints were gone. Amazing!
Much like the walking pattern, I started running -- mostly short distances to start, soon adding up to semi-respectable miles.
It was snowing last January when I started training for my first half-marathon. It snowed a lot (for Texas) last winter, but despite it, I trained almost to perfection and completed a half-marathon last March. Since then, I have completed three more, most recently yesterday, conquering the New Years Double challenge (www.newyearsdouble.com).
Running organized events is a load of fun and the process of training is actually pretty fun. That said, after a full year of running, it has begun to get a bit monotonous and I am looking forward to a much-needed running diet. I am digging deep into the Men's Health fitness apps and will be spending most days in January in the gym lifting and doing cardio. February 1 I will start run-training to again complete the Rock n Roll Dallas half-marathon -- this time hopefully achieving my two outstanding half-marathon goals...1) run the entire way and 2) finish in under 2:10:00.
Here's to a healthy new year no matter what you decide your focus will be.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
Happy New Year! Hope you're prepared to die.
December 21, 2012. Not sure what's to come, but if you read or watch almost anything, we are to believe that a kaleidoscope of craziness is supposed to rear its bad-ass head on we poor earthlings, sending us to the hereafter.
Of course, I trust the Mayan calendar as much as I trust that Doctor Emmett Brown will swoop back from the future in the Delorean and save us all. But alas, it's fun to play along. And whether it's the impending Mayan doomsday calendar date, or a zombie apocalypse, we can all probably stand to be a little more prepared.
First though, it's important (I think) to know what we're up against. Spending an amazingly little amount of time with my good friend Google, I found that the following are our (Americans) biggest threats:
Gulf Coast Tsunami, East Coast Tsunami, Heat Waves, Earthquakes in the Midwest, Supervolcano, Los Angeles Tsunami, Asteroid Impact, New York Hurricane, Pacific Northwest Megathrust Earthquake.
Sounds, to me, like we all better learn to surf with all the giants waves coming this way. That and invest in some sunscreen for the impending heat waves. Bring it on!
But what about the real survival tips if things get really out of hand, you may ask. For this I consulted Wired.com's article on surviving a zombie attack. Here's what I found particularly insightful:
Know your zombies -- be it natural zombies, supernatural zombies, alien zombies, creep down the street or whomever, I think the important take away is to spend a brief moment trying to understand your adversary.
Stock up on some weapons -- rifles apparently are more accurate than handguns, so Wired recommends a rifle with any ammo larger than .22 caliber. Good luck packing that in your messenger bag!
Keep your head, stay cool and keep moving -- this you can put into practice daily. In other words, get fit fatty. Herbert Spencer and Charles Darwin may've been onto something after all.
And of course, for when the proverbial shit hits the proverbial fan, you're going to want a 72-hour emergency meal and survival kit.
These look cool and who wouldn' want some Mylar-pouch teriyaki for noshing as a warm-up to noshing on your neighbor:
http://www.providentmetals.com/deluxe-survival-kit-emergency-food-and-survival-supplies.html
Lastly, the end of the world wouldn't be nearly as fun without a butt-kickin' soundtrack to jam to until your iPhone battery runs out. Here's some selections from my preferred playlist:
Iggy and The Stooges -- Search and Destroy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-ImJh7HAMU&ob=av2n
The Misfits -- Astro Zombies
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TA6P6ErY4mk
Drowning Pool -- Bodies
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sO_QntXc-c4
Ramones -- SLUG
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xD_qCUHSvZw
Riverboat Gamblers -- Don't Bury Me..I'm Still Not Dead
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rZFGetJG9U&ob=av2n
REM -- It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eyFiClAzq8
Happy surviving!
December 21, 2012. Not sure what's to come, but if you read or watch almost anything, we are to believe that a kaleidoscope of craziness is supposed to rear its bad-ass head on we poor earthlings, sending us to the hereafter.
Of course, I trust the Mayan calendar as much as I trust that Doctor Emmett Brown will swoop back from the future in the Delorean and save us all. But alas, it's fun to play along. And whether it's the impending Mayan doomsday calendar date, or a zombie apocalypse, we can all probably stand to be a little more prepared.
First though, it's important (I think) to know what we're up against. Spending an amazingly little amount of time with my good friend Google, I found that the following are our (Americans) biggest threats:
Gulf Coast Tsunami, East Coast Tsunami, Heat Waves, Earthquakes in the Midwest, Supervolcano, Los Angeles Tsunami, Asteroid Impact, New York Hurricane, Pacific Northwest Megathrust Earthquake.
Sounds, to me, like we all better learn to surf with all the giants waves coming this way. That and invest in some sunscreen for the impending heat waves. Bring it on!
But what about the real survival tips if things get really out of hand, you may ask. For this I consulted Wired.com's article on surviving a zombie attack. Here's what I found particularly insightful:
Know your zombies -- be it natural zombies, supernatural zombies, alien zombies, creep down the street or whomever, I think the important take away is to spend a brief moment trying to understand your adversary.
Stock up on some weapons -- rifles apparently are more accurate than handguns, so Wired recommends a rifle with any ammo larger than .22 caliber. Good luck packing that in your messenger bag!
Keep your head, stay cool and keep moving -- this you can put into practice daily. In other words, get fit fatty. Herbert Spencer and Charles Darwin may've been onto something after all.
And of course, for when the proverbial shit hits the proverbial fan, you're going to want a 72-hour emergency meal and survival kit.
These look cool and who wouldn' want some Mylar-pouch teriyaki for noshing as a warm-up to noshing on your neighbor:
http://www.providentmetals.com/deluxe-survival-kit-emergency-food-and-survival-supplies.html
Lastly, the end of the world wouldn't be nearly as fun without a butt-kickin' soundtrack to jam to until your iPhone battery runs out. Here's some selections from my preferred playlist:
Iggy and The Stooges -- Search and Destroy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-ImJh7HAMU&ob=av2n
The Misfits -- Astro Zombies
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TA6P6ErY4mk
Drowning Pool -- Bodies
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sO_QntXc-c4
Ramones -- SLUG
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xD_qCUHSvZw
Riverboat Gamblers -- Don't Bury Me..I'm Still Not Dead
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rZFGetJG9U&ob=av2n
REM -- It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eyFiClAzq8
Happy surviving!
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