People Get Ready

I agree with a recent reply by Mr. Pete B, please read it. The last post I had was written in a fit of frustration at two things: 1) Pitchfork is annoying me a bit because it holds so much influence over the music world; and 2) the Morrison album really isn't that good after all. Oh well.

So I'd be lying if I said I didn't read Pitchfork. Every day. It's a great source for knowing what's out there, what might be good, and what things might sound like -- I don't live in a vacuum. I agree that comparing a review with another is the way to go, the way to make a smart purchase. I would be lying if I said that half of my collection isn't from Pitchfork: it is. I just get disgusted by Pitchfork sometimes when it seems that an artist progresses or evolves in a direction Pitchfork will deem uncool or dissimilar from their previous output. And it is getting out of control sometimes. The Barsuk website had to counter the "0" Travis got for Travistan...that just doesn't usually happen from a bad review in Spin. Pitchfork welds crazy power over the indie world.

That being said, Pitchfork will continue to influence the way I look at music whether I like it or not. No other magazine or website is as comprehensive and complete as Pitchfork. And the articles from Dominique Leone alone are worth visiting the site every single day.

For those of you that don't want to visit the site, here are some alternatives:

Stylus Magazine
Dusted Magazine
Last Plane to Jakarta
Aquarius Records (it's a store, but they do a good job and there are sound clips)
Perfect Sound Forever (jury's still out on this one)
AllMusic
PopMatters

If anyone reading this has any other sites to view, I'd love to hear of them. Drop me a line at the end of this article.

ALSO!!! I will soon be posting my top 20-25 albums of 2005 list. (Hypocrite, yes. But, Brett how can you rank albums when you don't like a number system...) I am a huge fan of most listened to, most influental, best of lists and I, along with every other chinstroker/bore in the universe will be putting art in a numerical order to feel like I did something with my favorite albums of 2005. If there is something you think I should listen to, please post it in the comments section below. Thanks!

I always hated you

I really don't like the idea of PitchforkMedia anymore. They are undoubtedly becoming more anal-retentive with their increased popularity, directly a result of their new tastemaking position in the Rock Proper world. An album championed by Pitchfork will usually go on to be championed by countless others. An album detested by them will become trash elsewhere.

For example, two great albums have come out this year have recieved poor ratings. One was Pedro the Lion's Achilles Heel. Pitchfork gave it a 4.7. Why? What does a 4.7 sound like, anyways? Sure, I agree, like anyone, that there are good albums and bad albums, good art and bad art. But an album that genuinely captures daily frustration, ethical dilemma, and mental anguish as precisely and plainly as Achilles Heel is not a 4.7.

The other example is more glaring. It is Travis Morrison's Travistan. Now don't get me wrong, I was a HUGE Dismemberment Plan fan. I was expecting greatness. I got an album full of great relevance in today's political, social and personal enviornment. It wasn't perfect by any stretch, but what is? (Blueberry Boat, 9.6? I don't know...)

Pitchfork gave the album a 0.0.

What?

According to Pitchfork this album has no relevance whatsoever. This album holds no artistic merit. This album is UNLISTENABLE. This album is worse than Helmet's new one.

Sure you can take the lyrics out of context, as Chris Dalhen does in the review, and they'll sound cheesy. Travis Morrison's lyrics have always sounded cheesy by themselves. Just because Morrison isn't stringing post-modern non-sequiters together, doesn't mean he hasn't succeeded. His lyrics are more simple then ever but not worse for it.

I can't help but think that because this is from "that guy from the Dismemberment Plan" Dalhen gave this a horrible score. He wanted a Plan record and he got a relatively mainstream dance-pop record. Indie police to the rescue!

In essence I really see something dangerous going on. Pitchfork are finding it easier to blast relatively popular artists and bands than praise them. (See: Wilco, Pedro the Lion, Ted Leo). It's truly boils down to a frustrated writer with a national outlet and a fucking rating system for records. What is that?

The hype-machine that Pitchfork has become is reaching monolithic levels. Let's hope they use their power wisely.

[For a better, much more well-informed article about this same subject, please click here. It is written by former Pitchforker Chris Ott.]

An open letter to my job

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Voice of God

The voice is perhaps the most underrated instrument in all of rock music. Look through any bookstore and you'll notice: 4-5 guitar magazines, a couple bass mags, a few drum books, but typically zero vocal magazines.

Why?

My only reasoning is that people feel as they can change the way they play an instrument, but cannot change the way they sing. The voice is naturally formed and virtually unchangable, the only change being from the wear and tear of age. I don't know how old Jim James (of My Morning Jacket) is, but there is absolutely no sign of any maturing, just the golden vocal chords of God Himself.

On record, I've always been attracted to James' voice. Through numerous EPs (Chocolate & Ice, Split w/ Songs: Ohia) and a couple albums (At Dawn, It Still Moves--I don't have the Tennessee Fire) I've enjoyed a whiskey-sweet, floating voice capable of a mood I've never heard before. His voice is one that can fill enormous spaces and still be soft. It can fit perfectly into every song, but stand out at the same time. It is a voice that (for me) stands for the lush South on the brink of fall, that feeling of disappointment of another summer gone but simulateous excitement. James' voice is the only one I've ever heard capable of sadness and uplift at the same time in the same word.

While the records are great, James' voice is even better live. Now, I've never seen them, but their new record, Acoustic Citsuoca, captures the greatest possible picture of the band ever. Nothing but acoutic guitars, minimal backing and that golden voice. As the EP winds through backing gets more sparse leaving more room for James to sing. Even when he hits a sour note, it's not because of his voice, but his body that seems like it's unable to keep up with his voice. A voice frozen in time and perfect.

Of language

The man said:

"When I golf,
I don't need a pen,
but a pencil
with an eraser."

How many more times
will I hear this,
before I die?

Journey to the Center of the Universe

I would like to write of some new albums I have gotten, but I haven't completely absorbed all of them as of yet. To whet your appetite: Canned Heat - Cookbook, Issac Hayes - Live at the Sahara Tahoe 1973, Interpol - Antics, Hot Snakes - Audit in Progress, Lakeside - Fantastic Voyage, Joanna Newsom - The Milk-Eyed Mender, Devendra Banhart - Nino Rojo, My Morning Jacket - Acoustic Citsuoca, The Arcade Fire - Funeral, Jack Rose - Raab Manifestos, Necrophagist - Epitaph, Sunn 0))) - White 2...

But now...

I recently watched High Fidelity, a wonderful movie. It is undoubtedly among my top 5 favorite films, if not number #1. It's not a movie that is extremely unique to look at (see Steven Frears' 2003 entry, Dirty Pretty Things), but it is an incredible story based on a book by Nick Hornsby. I have never read the book and I don't really intend to. I don't need to.

For those of you who have not seen the film High Fidelity is the story of a man, Rob Gordon (John Cusack) who finds himself destined to be rejected by women, time and again. He sets himself on a journey to discover exactly what the cause may be.

Ironically, the cause is there the whole time. Instead of acknowledging fault or accepting responsibility for failure, Rob skirts the issue--himself. Rob's story is one of the contemporary adult male's all too common solipsistic tendencies. Rob can never remember how a relationship ends, only that he is the one hurt--end of story. Rob views himself as the subject of the sad pop song, continually wronged. The clincher comes when, after asking Laura if she slept with Ian, he sleeps with Marie DeSalle and asks, "What did Laura mean by, 'I didn't sleep with Ian yet?'"

Rob's situation is not too hard to imagine. Any person that exists in a relationship occassionally puts the blinders on, only viewing themselves and their emotions. It takes a long time and, sometimes, a big moment to understand that there are two people: a relationship requires push and pull, give and take. I only hope I can be so lucky.

A vote for the democrats...

...is a vote for more drugs! Look at this. The Kerry/Edwards campaign is offering, in their gear section, a daily pill holder. Take note that the pill holder is the first item under the "accessories" tab. This pill holder also reminds geriatrics with alzheimer's who to vote for.

Brain Bleed

At this current moment I am infatuated with guitars. Of course these comes in many, many shapes and sizes. From the pruned and polished pop-punk of Bad Religion or the Decendents, to the seemingly random napalm blasts of McLusky, the guitar is capable of many beautiful shapes and forms. But never does it seem as deadly, destructive, psychedelic and spinning tightly out-of-control as it does on Comets on Fire's blast from the past Blue Cathedral.

See, the guitar here is taking a sexy form. It's saying I will not be confined to a single noise and become a one trick pony. No, I will become what you most fear. I will become a person. I will stalk the earth and seem normal. One moment, I will spazz out, blasting you against the wall drenched in endless fuzz or freaking out like a kid having a hissy fit at a toy store. The next, I will buy you fields and fields of flowers, take you for a picnic. I'll sit and stare at the stars with you. Aren't they nice? I thought you'd like them. But I'm' not through. I don't like staying in place for a long time. That's why I'LL FUCKING RAM MY COCK DOWN YOUR GODDAMN THROAT, BITCH! Strap onto my fucking Harley, cunt, I'm gonna take you for a ride down to fucking Whiskey River. I'll do a fucking wheelie on your face, pussy.

Ok, I'm cool. Yeah, the Quaaludes are good. Needed that downer. Been so wired offa crank in the last couple a months, I never know what day it is. So, I'm bored, what's there to do? Acid. Yeah, I'll take a tab. Whoa this is nice listening to those organs....ooooohhhhhh fuuccccckkkkkk........that grape I was peeling, man, its turning into an eyeball, oh fuck they're all in my stomach all turning and burning and trying to fucking get out, man, i'm getting attacked by this fucking brutal sun its in my stomach oh shit. oh shit. the fuck is almost here man, man i can't stand it anymore its getting outta control nothing stops here anymore my fucking hair is made of snakes and spiders are in it trying to fucking kill me. no no no no chainsaw massacre fucking death blood maggots eating the silver eye of God.

Until I hit outer space. Then it made sense. Heightened, tightened. Yeah, its just like us, the Brotherhood of the Harvest, hanging out, growing together until we all have to blast off man, yeah. Wow. This shit is great,

It's nice to sit in silence.

I think It's wearing off, take a cruise in Sweet J's Camaro. Yeah, the main drag. Drag. That's it. All neon and no gas, man. Fuck it, I don't need that shit anyways, I'm my own man, right? Yeah, shit gets heavy, its always heavy. So why the fuck should I dig that cycle of heavy, man. Eat me, world. I'm light as helium. I'll have that happy ending, man. I'll be here for me if you'll be here for you, and vice versa. Yeah, ride it out right through the Blue Tomb. We'll never die, never. We're making it.

Hot Shyte

1. Spin writes, about R&B powerhouse Prince:

"In an interview with Dick Clark following a 1980 performance on American Bandstand, the Minneapolis iconoclast responded to a question about his career by inexplicably holding up four fingers and saying nothing."

Now that's some great research.

Also, download or buy "I Would Die 4 U".

And "Raspberry Beret".

While you're at it, maybe even check out "Diamonds and Pearls".

Actually, yes definitely check that and "I Wanna Be Your Lover".

2. Please check out this link and freak the fuck out. (Includes gnarly photos that may not be permissable for the work enviornment.)

3. Bad Religion have put out a new album The Empire Strikes First. Bad title, great pop-punk. I missed listening to this band. They sound like 7th grade (in a good, non-awkward, gonna-try-to-skateboard-and-meet-chicks way).

(I will be writing more in about a week after I visit my honey dips in Winston-Salem. I have found a job and will start work the day after Labor Day which will settle me into more of a schedule.)

Nationalism Whut, What?

[I recently finished reading Walter Abish's fantastic How German Is It for a second time. It is a book that deals with the issues of a country 30 years past WWII attempting to embrace a new attitude while still retaining something that is altogether German. Of course, there are problems with this, and Abish masterfully deals with exploring these inconsistencies, unavoidable Germanisms, and those things that aren't specific to any culture, but, at times, considered "German" or "American" or "x-ian". The following are some thoughts that I had while and after reading the book.]

-Nationalism is an idea used out of both pride and convenience. Something may be declared "German" when there is a group of people wanting to share in something. That is, when one is considered timely or precise, it is often times considered a distinctly German characteristic. But cannot another be as precise as a German engineer? Surely, these national characteristics are often times complicated by those who embrace them because they enjoy seeing themselves as exactly that. Convenience also becomes a simple way to explain things nationally that may not be done in more complex terms. It is a simple way of not thinking: "Why precision is a German trait!"

Nationalism is a difficult idea because many people subscribe to it on these blind terms that may be misleading. More and more, people in our contemporary society are seeing themselves this way, that, nationally, people act a certain way, that it is written into their DNA. This eliminates deviation and embraces stereotype, a difficult and dangerous notion. Also, anyone of any power can manipulate this idea of nationalism, hence, the way this novel ends with a hypnotism.

-Capitalism and democracy are two conflicting ideas that need to work together idealistically, but never do. The working force, responsible for daily labor and helping our country run, never exist in a visible manner until their voices are combined. Those that are in more vocal and powerful positions, of course, are more wealthy and always have the benifit of being heard. Therefore, democracy is essentially not in effect, capitalism is. (This is not to say I think its wrong. It just exists this way.)

-The nature of a thing: what is it composed of?:

"...What is omitted?
What is distorted?
What is clarified?
What is sensed?..."

Seemingly, all these things (plus many more) tend to comprise the actual make-up of something. But usually, something will remain left out, misunderstood, not comprehended, etc.:

"The passer-by took it for granted that Ulrich spoke German. He also, Ulrick assumed, took it for granted that what he had just witnessed was an accident, just as Ulrich took it for granted that it was not."

This miscommunication of sorts leads me to believe an absolute existence of something may not be true. How may we know of something if not everyone agrees, when there are multiple angles to view, when no one can be correct?

Now, there must be some absolutes. But are there? Is not a car a automobile, a lump of metal, a sculpture, and many other things? So particularly, with notions of personality, such as nationality, how can one be labeled German when they may, in fact, be American, but act stereotypically German, or be a German ex-pat? This labelization is not proven effective or necessary. This shows the limits of an imperfect language--the only possiblity is to encounter all possibilities, which, of course, is impossible.

Wake up!

"Three Flags"

So, I recently (on Tuesday) got back from traveling throughout Europe. It was a hell of a trip. I started in London and went to Brugge & Oostende (Belgium), Amsterdam, Prague, Vienna, Munich, Interlaken (Switzerland), Paris, San Sebastian (Spain), and Madrid. Two of my friends (BC and Jason) and I made the trip in about a month meeting up with two other friends of mine for about two weeks (Jesse and Anthony). We had a blast full of drinking great beer, seeing great things and meeting great people.

The best part was definitely meeting people. Since we were unknowing Americans, never having spent a signifigant amount of time outside the United States we felt it to be out duty to meet as many local people as possible from each place. While each person had a different outlook on life, most held the same view of the US: They fucking hate Bush.

Don't get me wrong: I hate him too. Only, mostly, their ideas are formed from a media very opposed to Bush, much like our ideas were formed around a Bush-biased (or used to be) media. That is, much of Europe is consuming their media in the same way people here watch Fox News: only, the stance is more lefty than ridiculous. It's incredibly interesting to see this happening all while these people proclaim that "most Americans are stupid".

That last comment gets to me. Fuck you! Europeans are just as uninformed as many Americans. Most of the Europeans I met were only concerned with bashing the current state of America without knowing enough to actually make intelligent arguments. Rather, it was a popular course of America-bashing most likely due to the fact that we are the most powerful country in the world, 30 years ahead of everyone, and they are not.

Repeatedly we would hear, Americans need to "get out of their bubble". I agree, but its not so simple. Other cultures and countries are not a short, cheap train ride away. We live on a different continent where plane rides are extremely expensive and only a very lucky few can experience what I just experienced. We don't have media outlets that prefer to cover international happenings because, really, the national media is concerned with what is happening nationally. That's what sells papers and gets viewers. (I didn't forget: the media's angle on fear is horrible and misleading. But that is an issue for another time.)

So, when I talked to a kebab cook about his feelings about his opposition to the Bush empire I started to understand something: it is now our time to step up to the plate. If you are informed (that means both sides of the political spectrum!) you must speak to people about politics. We cannot have blind agreement, we must be learned. America is a place that first made this possible, we must follow through. America is still beautiful, we cannot view our country as lesser because of one man. Don't listen to Michael Moore (though his movie has some very skewed points), read the newspaper. It's all there. Talk to people about this, make them listen, create an argument, admit when your wrong, and make your opponent submit when you outweigh him.

No one paying any attention to many forms of media these days will vote for Bush. So get them to do just that. Pay attention.

Five Alive! (No. 6)

This will be my last (sporadic) post before I will be gone for at least 5 weeks. I am traveling to Europe and will be incapable of making blog time. Have a good one.

1. Jackie Brown: This movie is absolutely fantastic. While many will say that its runtime is a bit long (only because the action isn't as well balanced as Pulp Fiction), this movie is never boring or over-staying its welcome. The storyline, based on Elmore Leonard's Rum Punch, never stops delivering top notch dialogue. The theme of adult love is expertly handled by Tarantino, with what it fully encapsulates: money, lust, and, most importantly, loneliness. Plus, add to that another impeccably chosen soundtrack (See: Bobby Womack's "Across 110th Street"; the Delfonic's "Didn't I Blow Your Mind"), Samuel L. Fucking Jackson, numerous references to shitty blaxploitation films (Dolemite is my favorite although its not referenced -- the worst (best) movie ever made) and I think you have a film that can stand solidly along side of Fiction.

2. David Cross - It's Not Funny: While some of his political stances aren't extremely sturdy, David Cross is undeniably funny. Basing most of his schtick around pissing on conservatives (Bush, Santorum, Lott, Christians, etc.) could be boring and trite. I'll admit it, sometimes it is boring and trite. But, when Cross gets a joke across, it is fucking hilarious. Like when he talks in Trent Lott's voice about how he had to talk on BET for his racist comments: "WHHHAAATT! The niggers have their own TV network? What kind of science fiction, Year 3000 bullshit is this!" Or his electric scissor and Family Circus bit. Or his bit about moving to the moon. Yeah, its pretty great, take my word for it. (See also: Mr. Show)

3. Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead: I am in love with this book. I haven't read something like this in such a long time. I can't put this guy down. I don't really want to describe it because you should read it. Plus, I'm not done.

4. Guided By Voices - "Glad Girls": What a great nugget of pop this is. Off of Isolation Drills and their greatest hits package. Nothing really much to this song, just one of the more well-produced, radio-friendly (among 100's of others) songs in Robert Pollard's career. "Hey, hey glad girls/I only want to get you high!" Oh, yes.

5. Iron & Wine - Live at the Khyber in Philadelphia: I went to this show with my brother and was absolutely blown away. I loved Sam Beam's records and, I have to say, I was very nervous about what he'd sound like live. Luckily, it was one of the best shows I've seen. Ever. Check this man's music out, it is fantastic. And check him out live, because he'll make everyone feel like they're transported to a barn somewhere in northern Alabama. Lovely.

Five Alive! (No. 5)

The Download These Songs Edition

1. Souls of Mischief - "93 'til Infinity"; Mos Def - "Umi Says": I had completely forgotten about these songs for a few years. The first: I was floating around on my computer and I ran across Modest Mouse's celebrity playlist on iTunes. On it there is a Tribe song and Isaac Brock (I assume) says my favorite is not this Tribe song but SOM's "93 'til Infinity". Undoubtedly, this is one of the best hip-hop songs of all time. Laid back and smooth like A Tribe Called Quest and sooo smooth. This is a perfect jam for the summertime. The second: I was at Buffalo Billiards in Philly with my brother playing some pool. We decided to play some music on the jukebox and I ran into Mr. Def's Black on Both Sides. I don't know much about the rest of the album, but I did really love this song (you may remember it from the Nike commercial). There's not much rapping going on--in fact, it's more of a jazzy/funky song. Another summertime hit--the vocals float like a cool summer breeze, smooth and easy.

2. DJ Shadow - "Midnight in a Perfect World": An absolutely unbelievable and essential track. This is a documentation of a man perfecting his art: it is a distinct possibility it is a documentation of a man perfecting the art of DJ-ing. (I can hear the X heads groan.) I'm slightly unfamiliar with the rest of Shadow's Endtroducing..., but I'm pretty sure most of the downtempo tracks on The Private Press were trying to grasp what this track fully realized. The slowly lumbering pace is perfect, the title is perfect, the creepy vocals are perfect, the orchestrated build-up is perfect, the vocal cuts ("Now-n-n-n-n-ow approaching midnight!") are perfect. This is, quite possibly, the untouchable pinnacle of (downtempo) instrumental hip-hop because, well, it's perfect.

3. Jackie Wilson - "(Your Love Keep Lifting Me) Higher and Higher": Who the hell is this Jackie Wilson character and how did he sneak so swiftly into my playlists? I've never heard another track by him (maybe I'm uninformed), but goddammit, this is right up there with the best of them: Green, Gaye, Mayfeild, whoever. I can see why some wouldn't like it: after all, it is kind of the optimist's anthem. But holy shit! I get fucking goosebumps when I hear this shit! "Com'on, sock it to me!" Once that bass gets rolling, man, everything just fits right into place. Smooth Soul strings and horns, smooth yet powerful vocals, and that addicting tambourine. Even if you don't like this song, put it on a mixtape. She'll love it.

4. Bob Marley - "Could You Be Loved": One of my favorite Marley tracks. Instead of starting out with the requisite Marley intro ("Pop! Puka, Puka.) of drums, this track (off of his last, Uprising) starts with that sexy little guitar line that ends up following the song wherever it goes. It gives the song that bouncy, I-know-your-swinging feeling. But then, as good as the verses are, the chorus comes. Music doesn't get much more life-affirming than this. One of the most pleasing parts to any song. I prefer the 12" version because its 1:30 longer.

5. The Clash - "Police and Theives": One of their best tracks, without a doubt. I first heard it in The Royal Tenenbaums (I think its when Eli Cash goes to score drugs with Margot in the car) and it immediately sounds like something you've heard before. But it isn't. It's a pretty perfect mixture of punk and dub. Another track whose 6 minutes do not seem long enough, I could listen this over and over.

Five Alive! (No. 4)

It's been a long time since I've done this, I know. But I've now graduated school and can devote some more time to it. Until, I get bored, that is.

1. Family Guy: This show is so damn clever. I know it's pretty typical to like it as every frat boy will tell you, but really it's one of the most entertaining things I've ever seen on television. I have the first two seasons on DVD, and I watch them almost every night before sleeping. Just hearing Quagmire's "All Right!" is worth the admission price alone.

2. Beans - Now Soon Someday: The hotness. I saw Beans with Prefuse 73 back in the fall of 2003 and I thought he was pretty good, but had a weird rhyming style that was hard to follow. He still mumbles his enormous vocabulary, but on record, I must say he sounds a lot tighter. The mix is much better than it was live and his production is much better than I could have expected. I got this after I saw the "Mutescreamer" video which freaked me out in a real great way. Only problem is, I neglected to see that the version I heard was not on this record. In its place are two remix versions by El-P and Prefuse 73. Let me tell you, these two songs alone are worth the price (a scant 8 dollars for 9 songs!). Really a great hip-hop record that doesn't overstay its welcome.

3. Religion in art: Been really getting into stuff that crosses the two boundaries. In particular, I've been reading Graham Greene's The Power and the Glory and listening to Pedro the Lion. Graham Greene is an incredibly masterful writer who depicts a "whiskey priest" in southern Mexico during a time of Communist rule when Christianity is forbidden. Ironically, Communism simply makes the country poor and limp while Christian goodwill strengthens a person's outlook and is more successful in creating a communist state than communism is. Pedro the Lion (like The Power... before it) uses religion not only as a source for salvation but of frustration. Control is a great album for this. (I haven't really absorbed Achilles Heel yet.)

4. Philadelphia: I really love my home. I've been with my girlfriend and we've been going in and out of the city. I must say, there are so many fun things to do and see here and not nearly enough time to do it. The city really has an energy all to itself that cannot be found anywhere else. The architecture is not particularly sexy, the people are sort of ugly, but somehow the city is really fun to be in. That and the people are ridiculous. And the accents. Ask a Philadelphian to say "street" or "oh yeah". They come out so dirty: "Oah yeh, it's oaver on fifth shtreet."

5. America's "A Horse With No Name": Even though it may be a complete rip-off of Neil Young this song is pretty hot on its own. The "La da da da da da da" chorus sends me for a loop every time, like I'm floating through space. Man, I can only imagine what this song was like in the early 70's...

Five Alive! (No. 3)

1. Vashti Bunyan - Just Another Diamond Day: I picked this up on a trip to San Fransisco and have been really getting into it recently. She's got a really soft, mystical sound to her songs along the lines of Fairport Convention or the Incredible String Band. The thing I really like about her sound is that it's so stripped down, yet it still sounds incredibly full and orchestrated.

2. Television: Not the band, but the device. In the past couple of weeks, I have been watching a lot and enjoying every bit of it. I know it's not good for you, it adds little to my life, and all that, but there is nothing better than watching The Fifth Wheel or Elimidate.

3. Jefferson Airplane - "Volunteers": I absolutely love this song. I really wish that I had the chance to live in the '60s to be a part of a revolution that never happened because the time made some of the greatest music that these ears have ever seen. "Volunteers" isn't the most mindblowing song, but a great radio anthem. I could imagine tons of high-schoolers loving this song.

4. Faces - "Ooh La La": I love iTunes. I was downloading some music and I couldn't figure out the name of the song I wanted, but I knew it was on the Rushmore soundtrack. (This song is at the ending credits, and one of the best uses of a song in a movie ever.) I clicked through the songs they had, and eventually got a 30 second clip of this. As soon as I heard it I got chills all over my body. So good.

5. The Election Year - Aren't elections exciting? I really can't wait to see all the coverage the presidental candidates are going to be getting in the next few months. Regardless of who you want to vote for, the sense of power the people are given through voting is awesome. Isn't democracy great?

Five Alive! (No. 2)

1. Dirty Pretty Things: I saw this one sometime last summer. At the time, I thought it was pretty good, nothing all that special. On the second (and third), times around, this movie really starts to fully reveal itself as an incredible multi-layered work of art. The story is based around a human organ trading ring, that is owned an operated in London's The Baltic Hotel. The movie slowly unfolds two characters lives and how organ trading is seen as an entrance in to the Western world by the means of acquiring a passport. This one is truly interesting (no matter if its false) and, with fantastic acting, very entertaining to watch.

2. A fresh tuna sandwich with provolone, lettuce and tomato: The tuna was unbelievably fresh, cooked just the right amount, so it was a nice soft pink in the center. The cheese was melted over top. This sandwich was so fucking delicious. Like a tuna melt, but a thousand times better.

3. Hunter S. Thompson: This writer is so fun to read. Most of his early stuff is not only entertaining but actually has the stuff good, well-informed journalism should have. I don't think I've ever been able to start one of Thompson's articles and have an idea of where he was going to take it.

4. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - Greatest Palace Music: So what's wrong with this? Pitchforkmedia.com, the indie superstore gave this one a bad rating for really no reason at all. What's bad about it? Bascially, Will Oldham has taken his back catalogue (that was under the name of Palace Music) and has recorded some fans' favorite songs in a very Nashville way. The songs are well planned and more orchestrated, only ocassionally sounding too slick. For the most part, the disc is very solid and any emotional impact is not lost in the rerecorded versions.

5. Sleep: I need some, and I haven't been getting it well lately. So everytime I do, its fantastic.

Five Alive! (No. 1)

1. Iron & Wine – Our Endless Numbered Days: I still haven’t stopped listening to this one yet. Everything, from start to finish, on this record is great. Soft and soothing, yet intricate and artistically developed. Like having a tall glass of lemonade with Bob Dylan (see #3).

2. Misery: I had forgotten how great this movie is. Kathy Bates plays the most disturbing role I’ve ever seen so perfectly—she definitely deserved that Oscar. The film does a really good job examining celebrity, middle-America ideals, and one’s reluctance to change. It’s certainly not the best movie I’ve ever seen, but you could do a lot worse.

3. Bob Dylan – “Lay, Lady, Lay”: Holy smokes. This song is so damn good. Simple, yet so classic. I listened to this about 15 times on today—I was trying to figure it out for the guitar, but I just got sucked into it over and over again. I hadn’t really heard this song before last weekend when I spent Easter in San Francisco. My family and I had just hiked a bit in Muir Woods, looking at some tall Sequoias and beautiful lush greenery. We were coming back in our rented silver Mustang, and it came on. I recommend listening to this song in that environment—crusing on a windy Californian road, about 60 degrees, overcast, the faint smell of burning wood in the air.

4. The Flamingos – “I Only Have Eyes For You”: Another one that I heard in San Fran. This time I was in a throwback diner, eating eggs benedict. There’s an incredibly huge sound to this song even though it’s not much more than a few drums, guitar, bass, and voice. Phil Spector must have produced this one—that watery reverb is spattered all over this song. It makes me want ice cream sundaes.

5. Kill Bill Vol. 1: I saw this on Wednesday night for the second time. It was so god damn good. Some of the most exciting action sequences I’ve ever seen, plus really great writing by Tarantino. Lots of really cool gender dialogue going on here (i.e. women’s roles, male sexuality, etc.). I cannot wait to see the next one tomorrow.

Note

Hi.

Starting tomorrow, Thursday (and, most likely, every Thursday thereafter), I will be creating lists of five things that are currently grabbing my attention. The focus will be music as always, but will not be limited to just that. I will quite possibly discuss films, books, magazines, and foods.

Until then, I remain your hopeful informant and entertainer,

Brett Baxter

::Iron & Wine - Our Endless Numbered Days::

The south has had a lot to offer to music. If one looks close enough, an argument can be made that the American south was actually responsible for a very large portion of pop music; namely rock n’ roll, blues, folk and country.

But one large question looms: why is it that music that sounds like it comes from the South often not even geographically close?

For example, Credence Clearwater Revival were formed in El Cerrito, Calif. Most of the “southern gentlemen” I know would take this group as one of their own.

But the list doesn’t stop there. The Band was from Toronto, the Grateful Dead was from San Francisco, the Byrds were from Los Angeles, and so on.

That brings us to Sam Beam, better known by his alias (and group’s name) Iron & Wine.

He too lives outside of the south, finding a home in Miami, Fla. But the music he creates is undeniably southern, using every slide guitar and finger-picked melody to its fullest potential.

Our Endless Numbered Days has truly advanced Beam as an artist. His last album, The Creek Drank the Cradle, was a more grainy, hushed affair that sounded personal yet distant at the same time, sacrificing modern production methods for a more timeless sound.

This time around, Beam has given up the four-track and has asked the tremendous producer Brian Deck to produce the album.

The effect is immediately evident. At once, the record feels more intimate and thought out because the warm blankets of fuzz are no longer there to hide behind.

Guitar parts are clearer, different instrumentation is immediately distinguishable and there is much more importance placed on percussion, which was practically non-existent on Creek.

The percussion gives Days an interesting vibe. On the opener “On Your Wings” and “Free Until They Cut Me Down,” we see a bluesy side of Beam that, until now, has been underdeveloped.

The result is something that sounds like Gram Parsons covering Captain Beefheart – occasionally becoming weirdly funky but still remaining down-homey.

While the percussive element is interesting, the most alluring element of any Iron & Wine song, by a long shot, is Beam’s fantastic voice. He sounds like a happier, breathier Nick Drake, but he can harmonize as well, if not better, than CCR.

On songs like “Sodom, South Georgia,” “Naked As We Came” and “Sunset Soon Forgotten,” Beam makes an impressive case for how powerful the human voice can be in creating emotion through tone and sound alone.

In addition to these timeless melodies, Beam writes lyrics capable of coming from any time period.

His characters face enduring issues from love to death to Christianity to war, things most anyone has dealt with and things that can be explored over and over. Iron & Wine’s Our Endless Numbered Days is as timeless as the area it borrows its sound from.

While the south may not have the most visible artists ever (although there are many exceptions), it can be proud of always inspiring some of the best art.

In this case, the brilliant traditions of Southern blues and folk music have come together seamlessly to create a simple masterpiece.

Sorry...

Sorry, I've been missing in action for about a month. Here's three reviews...I hope you forgive me.