Category: Music

Actually I chose the first song before shuffle on iTunes took over the mix. Shuffle mode is far superior than iTunes “Party Mix”. It’s quarter to six in the morning. I’m in no mood for the “Party Mix” although this coffee I’m drinking is doing its damnedest to have a good time.

In list form:

My Baby Just Cares for Me, Nina Simone

Hummer, Smashing Pumpkins

John, I’m Only Dancing, David Bowie

This Charming Man, Death Cab for Cutie

Ghiudi Gli Occhi, Caruso

I’ll Say She Does (1918), Al Jolson

Life on Mars?, Sue Jorge

My Old School, Steely Dan

Wish You Were Here, Pink Floyd

Geek USA, Smashing Pumpkins

The House That Dripped Blood, Mountain Goats

Punk Rock Girl, Dead Milkmen

Finally got around to upgrading WordPress. Wooo – 2.6.2 is the BEST WordPress yet. Seriously, keep the up the great work guys. Really, I mean that.

Just so you know, this isn’t gonna come easy. I do feel oh-so compelled though. We’ll just make the best of it.

Better than upgrading your blog’s software? Downloading the new Mountain Goats album. No it isn’t yesterday brand spankin’ new but it’s 2008 new. I believe it was released in February? Better late than never.

The album is titled “Heretic Pride” and it has 13 tracks (there is also a bonus track if you buy the entire album). By the time you reach the title track (the third track) you believe that this album is going to be on heavy rotation for the next 5 to 6 months. I mean with lyrics such as this who doesn’t want to believe:

I dreamt that I was perched atop a throne of human skulls
On a cliff above the ocean, howling wind and shrieking seagulls
And the dream went on forever, one single static frame
Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name

And I am this great, unstable mass of blood and foam
And no one in her right mind would make her home my home
My heart’s an autoclave
My heart’s an autoclave

Previous Mountain Goats albums have focused on themes of isolation, emotional trauma, addiction and loss (but not in a cheap Wal-Mart-ready emo way).  Same deal again with “Heretic Pride”. Basically when I ask my wife why she does not like The Mountain Goats she simply says, “too depressing.” I argue, “It’s a good kind of depressing! Cathartic depression!” She doesn’t buy it of course. The Mountain Goats is definitely not everyone’s cup of tea.

Typically the musical arrangements on a MG album are sparse (guitar, bass and maybe a piano?). “Heretic Pride” fills out that urgent sparseness with strings and organ- and backing vocals! Tastefully done too! No surprise that the album was produced by Scott Solter and John Vanderslice.

Here’s a great little press kit release of “Heretic Pride” in cartoon form:

Here’s a link to buy the album without all that nasty DRM embedded into your mp3. Yuck.

No DRM music over here – my brother would be so proud!

My favorite tracks from Heretic Pride:

-Sax Rohmer #1

-Autoclave

-San Bernadino

-Michael Myers Resplendent

You just know what kind of day you’re in for when you wake up with the Pixies “Bone Machine” in your head. You know that part, “He buy me a soda, buy me a soda and try to molest me in the parking lot! Yep YEP YEP YEP!”

That’s a little like me right now.

Last night I had a dream that I had met Jack White. He was lying on his back in a small rowboat playing guitar and singing while slowly drifting down the river. It was a bluesy tune and it sounded good to me.

I met with his friend on the shore and we watched him beach the boat. Jack White stumbled onto the shore and purposely smashed his guitar upon a rock. He then fell flat on his face.

I was told by his friend that they were working on a new album and asked if I might have any suggestions for material since it wasn’t going so well.

Of all the stupid things to have happened in the world, I rank Jimi Hendrix’s accidental overdose and subsequent death right up at the top.

Each time I listen to his music I feel like anything is possible and I don’t feel so badly about the mistakes I’ve made in the past.