2 posts tagged “be your own pet”

Listening
Since I bought my Coachella tickets, I've been listening non-stop to many of the artists who will be performing at Coachella. This week I realized I had enough of all those artists -- at least, for now. I now have a better idea of whom I want to see, as well as whom I can skip, at Coachella. Holy Fuck is definitely my must-see band of Coachella 2008.

And now back to your regular listening!

Last fall I made a conscious decision to stop listening to old music and pay more attention to new music and new artists. Some new music I really like now is:

1. Falling Off the Lavender Bridge - Lightspeed Champion
Lightspeed Champion is ex-Test Icicle Devonte Hynes. He's best summed up as a quirky, pop singer. His lyrics and song titles reflect a sense of humor (e.g., "Everyone I Know Is Listening to Crunk," "I Could Have Done This Myself").  It's refreshingly different.

2. Oh, This Old Thing? - Sleeping in the Aviary
I'm a huge fan of garage punk. Always have been, always will be. This album was recommended to me.  I was digging it for a solid week before I investigated any details of the band. To my great surprise, I learned that they're from Madison!  They have a gig coming up at The Annex, which I'm going to try to make.

 

It figures that the year I decide to leave Wisconsin for New York City, Madison becomes the new breeding ground for great bands!

3. Get Awkward - Be Your Own Pet
BYOP is another punk band that I like. I love their raw energy and untamed spirit. I'm praying that they'll be added to the Coachella line-up.

Writing/Editing
I'm currently finishing up editing an accounting book. BIG YAWN! The worst part of it is editing the math, which I totally suck at. I'm counting on the author to double-check his own math. (Get it? "Counting...math." *slaps knee*) I told the author that I need my fingers free to do math. Joke, but no joke.

I created a new feature for my Beastie Boys blog, Mic to Mic. It's a tumblelog. What the heck is a tumblelog, you ask? The creator of the tumblelog, Tumblr.com, explains it:

To make a simple analogy: If blogs are journals, tumblelogs are scrapbooks.

You can also look at tumblelogs as slightly more structured blogs that make it easier, faster, and more fun to post and share stuff you find or create. Blogs are great, but they can be a lot of work. And they're really built to handle longer-form text posts. Tumblelogs, on the other hand, let you easily and quickly post and share anything you find or create.

It's nice because I have it set up as a button on the blog. I intend for it to be an excursion from the blog when not much is happening with the band. The blog focuses on the Beastie Boys now; the tumblelog (titled "Wall to Wall," which is the companion lyric to "Mic to Mic") is a collection of stuff, past and present.

I also created a personal tumblelog at bboysgirl.tumblr.com/. I haven't done much with it.
 
Finally, I created a Selfportrait.net page for myself recently. Selfportrait.net is an artist networking site. I intend to use it as an online portfolio of my work. I think it will be particularly useful when I move to NYC and start networking with writing peers.

I spent literally two minutes creating a profile, so look at someone else's page to get a good idea what the site is about. I can see a lot of my friends who blog and/or do photography digging the site. 

Although I'm reluctant to build YET ANOTHER networking page because it's another thing to manage and waste time on, I think it's important to experiment with what's out there. 

Reading
My favorite reading of late has been KnowTheMusicBiz.com. I discovered this site because John Doe (X), who I am a HUGE fan of, is now writing a column for the site, titled WWJDD? (What Would John Doe Do?). I will soon be seeing John and his bandmates in X on their 31st Anniversary Tour. They're playing the Barrymore Theatre in Madison on March 21. I'm going to the show with my sisters, who are also X fanatics, and my friend Krista, whom I took to a John Doe solo gig last year.

Watching
My sister loaned me her dvd set of the first season of "Veronica Mars." I had never seen the show before. I just finished watching the season one finale.  I quite enjoyed the series. I might look for the subsequent seasons on dvd -- although everyone I've talked to about the show has said season one was the best.

Consuming

The weekend before Valentine's Day, my sisters, Krista, and I went to the Valentine Craftacular at the High Noon Saloon. The Valentine Craftacular is a craft fair created by "alternative types" -- you know, girls with tattoos and lip rings -- so it was a lot of unique handcrafted art and clothing. I purchased four items.

1. A handmade skirt:

I wanted something to make me feel pretty again. Winter clothing has made me feel like a big blob.

2. A handmade purse:

Funky pattern. Had to have it.

3. A knitted cap:

I liked the texture, color, and ornament.

4. A bracelet:

I used to read Richard Scarry books to my son when he was little, which is why I was drawn to the bracelet. It makes me think of my beautiful baby boy.

Wishing
I'm wishing to get healthy again. I fell on the ice a few weeks ago and did something bad to my foot. I had x-rays done, but they couldn't see any breaks in the bone. I'm going to have a bone scan this week. My foot feels as though someone has dropped a bowling ball on it. Not good.

This is a cross-post from Last.fm.

My Favorite Albums of 2006

1. Sonic Youth - Rather Ripped
Genre: Alternative
Favorite track: Incinerate

You can always count on Sonic Youth to produce something worth listening to. I played the heck out of this album this year. I think it's a lot easier to digest than most of their albums because the band focused on creating melodies and harmonies instead of avant-garde noise.

Lotta hooks on that album... 

2. Asobi Seksu - Citrus
Genre: Alternative
Favorite track: Thursday

Citrus makes me think of a sunny, summer afternoon in which I lay sunbathing and staring at the clouds with a Corona in my hand. (I prefer the analogy of cloud watching over shoegazing.) It's satisfying from start to finish.

3. Silversun Pickups - Carnavas
Genre: Alternative
Favorite track: Little Lover's So Polite

If music were food, Carnavas would be a tasty, filling meatloaf. The songs stick to your ribs. Silversun Pickups are fresh and different. (I don't accept the Smashing Pumpkins comparisons.) I think Silversun Pickups are destined for greatness. They pack a sonic punch!

4. The Veils - Nux Vomica
Genre: Alternative
Favorite track: Advice for Young Mothers to Be

It has been a long time since I've heard vocals that were unique and interesting. Singer Finn Andrews of The Veils offers just that. He sounds a bit like a British Jeff Buckley. There is drama in his voice.

I love this album. It would be my number one favorite album if I hadn't discovered it so late in the year. I'm still learning about The Veils and their songs. There's not a single throwaway song on the album. It's the album that I most recommend checking out if you haven't heard it yet.

5.  Peaches - Impeach My Bush
Genre: Electronic
Favorite track: Do Ya

I admire artists who are willing to make social and political comments with their music. In Peaches' case, I agree with her politics: IMPEACH BUSH (but not hers). Peaches is pure fun. She's the artist I most regret missing on tour this year. Her tour dates didn't fit my schedule.

6. Morningwood - Morningwood
Genre: Rock
Favorite track: Easy

When asked in an interview to describe Morningwood's music, singer Chantal Claret replied, "It's the kind of music you listen to when you're getting ready for a big night out." I thought that was a great (and accurate) description of Morningwood's music. It's a fun album. Chantal is the quintessential fun chick.

Alfredo Ortiz, who was the percussionist on the Beastie Boys last tour and continues to work with the band, is Morningwood's drummer. Fredo introduced me to his bandmates when I met up with him at the South by Southwest Music Conference in Austin, Texas, this year. We partied. They're a fun group.

7. MSTRKRFT - The Looks
Genre: Electronic
Favorite track: Paris

Death from Above 1979 is dead; long live MSTRKRFT! The infectious dance beats on The Looks made it easy to listen to over and over and over and over again. It's BANDSTAND!  It's got a good beat, and I can dance to it.

8. CSS - Cansei de Ser Sexy
Genre: Electronic
Favorite track: Mus Is My Hot Hot Sex

Cansei de Ser Sexy is an album that is best played really loud. Like MSTRKRFT's The Looks, it's a hip-shaking collection of electro-pop songs. Will I still be listening to the album in 2007?  Probably not. But I did enjoy it a lot this year.

9. Art Brut - Bang Bang Rock & Roll
Genre: Alternative
Favorite track: Moving to L.A.

You just don't find bravado much in music these days. I love singer Eddie Gargos' attitude. He sounds like he's holding a drink in one hand and a cigarette in the other when he sings. He's a modern-day Dean Martin.

"I'm drinking Hennesey with Morrissey..."

10. TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain
Genre: Rock
Favorite track: Dirtywhirl

Mixing funk with electronic beats, TV on the Radio is producing the most interesting art rock in music today.

11. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Show Your Bones
Genre: Alternative
Favorite track: Fancy

I <3 Karen O. Do I need to say more?

"Keyboard Money Mark" (that's what the goofy Beastie Boys call him) contributes his talents to two tracks on this album: "Fancy" and "Phenomena." I <3 Mark too. He saved my life in Japan once. Long story.

By the way, Mark has a new album, titled Brand New by Tomorrow, coming out on February 20.

12. Be Your Own Pet - Be Your Own Pet
Genre: Punk
Favorite track: We Will Vacation, You Can Be My Parasol

Thank Thurston Moore for bringing this band to the world's attention. I love Be Your Own Pet's attitude. Some music critics accuse the band of being poser punks, but they're wrong. I know punk when I hear it. BYOP are the real deal. It's all in their attitude.

13. Band of Horses - Everything All The Time
Genre: Alternative
Favorite track: The Great Salt Lake

This is perhaps the strangest album to be on my list because I normally don't listen to much indie stuff. I believe that I was introduced to Band of Horses when I attended the South by Southwest Music Conference in Austin, Texas, this year. It's a very polished album that's easy on the ears.

14. Editors - The Back Room
Genre: Alternative
Favorite track: Bullets

The Editors remind me of Franz Ferdinand. This album is a guilty pleasure. It leans on the pop side of alternative music.

15. Tokyo Police Club - A Lesson in Crime
Genre: Alternative
Favorite track: Cheer It On

Technically, A Lesson in Crime is an EP, not an album. I will be keeping on eye on Tokyo Police Club in the future.

16. Beck - The Information
Genre: Alternative
Favorite track: Nausea

What I said about Sonic Youth applies to Beck too. He always produces music that is worthwhile. The album came out at a busy time of the year for me, so I haven't listened to it as much as I would normally listen to a new Beck album, which is why it places where it does on my list. Normally, Beck is among my top 10 artists.

17. Forward Russia! - Give Me a Wall
Genre: Alternative
Favorite track: Eight

I like Forward Russia!'s energy. Their song-naming scheme (all numbers) is rather annoying, but I'll deal.

Honorable Mentions
1. Miho Hatori - Ecdysis
I'm praying for a Cibo Matto reunion. In the meantime, I'm happy to listen to sweet, solo Miho.

2. Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere
You're a liar if you say you didn't listen to this album a lot in 2006.

3. The Pipettes - We Are the Pipettes
Fun, girl-group pop

4. Twilight Singers - Powder Burns
Nobody talks or writes about Twilight Singers, and I don't understand why. They're really good.

5. Prototypes - Prototypes
French punk-pop

6. Ratatat - Classics
A great DJ album

Albums That Were A'ight But Didn't Wow Me Like They Should Have
1. Thom Yorke - The Eraser
What can I say? I expected more because it's Thom. I do like and listen to it though.

2. Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton - Knives Don't Have Your Back
See comment for Thom Yorke - The Eraser. Same applies here but replace "Thom" with "Emily."

3.  Lily Allen - Alright, Still
Sometimes I like Lily Allen's vocal styling; sometimes I find it annoying. I appreciate her more when I take a single song from the album and put it in a mixtape.

4. Lady Sovereign - Public Warning
Def Jam should have let Adam Horovitz produce the entire album. He would have done interesting things with Sov.  

5. Joanna Newsom - Ys
I like Newsom, but the songs are too damn long on this album. This is the age of the internet. People have short attention spans. Especially me.

Albums That Sucked Big Balls
1. Gwen Stefani - Sweet Escape
It's horrible, horrible, horrible.

2. Robbie Williams - RudeBox
It's laughable how bad some of the songs are on this album. Props to RW for name-dropping the Beastie Boys in the 80s tune and trying to do something different musically.

3. Fergie - The Dutchess
Who told that woman she can sing?