It should come as no surprise that, only a day and a half in, I'm already slacking on my daily posting requirements. I'm notoriously bad about updating this blog, and for that, I apologize.
Recommendation of the Day: The Fray
When The Fray released their debut album, How To Save A Life, in 2005, I was positive they'd become another one-hit wonder. "Over My Head" was a big song, and they managed to eek out another hit with "How To Save a Life", but I was pretty sure they'd never release another successful album. After all, I didn't find their sound to be all that exciting, and they reminded me a lot of the alt-rock bands that dominated the late-90s scene and were never heard from again.
After I heard their new single "You Found Me" in the chill-inducing preview of the new season of Lost, I knew I was wrong. I can't put my finger on it exactly, but something about The Fray's music makes everything seem ultra-dramatized and important, in a good way. One thing that's always drawn me to music was its ability to take the listener to an emotional state, and I can't think of a band that does this better than The Fray. Even if I'm sitting at my desk doing the most mundane things, the music makes me feel like I'm a movie. In other words, it's perfect trailer music.
Another thing I really dig about this band is that their upcoming self-titled album (out on Tuesday, February 3rd) can be pre-ordered in a premium physical package. For $19.99, you get the CD, an expanded booklet, a bonus DVD, and a set of collectible 4 postcards, all in a limited edition slipcase. In an era where almost everyone downloads music, illegally and not, I think it's refreshing to see bands taking the time and energy in designing a really special packaging for their fans. For the people that just want the files, I'm sure AmazonMP3 and iTunes will have sub-$10 versions, but I'm someone who has no problem dropping some extra coin for a nice tangible product, something I can't download.
Finally, I'm a sucker for piano rock...
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
Google Gears
Just found out that Google has a new piece of software called Gears which allows users to access their old GMail messages offline. This is generally the major limitation of web-based email providers and was the one hitch preventing me from switching to Gmail.com earlier and abandoning the janky Mac Mail program.
Very cool.
Google Gears
Very cool.
Google Gears
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Recommendation of the Day: #1
I must be having a bout of ADD today, I swear. Just like my last blog post ended in a wayyyy different zip code than I had originally planned, this one will do the same. When I was thinking about what I'd kick this new feature off with, I was dead-set on picking a certain band that I've been listening to a lot lately, who never got enough credit or popularity before they broke up in 2007. But I'm not gonna do that. I'm going to start off with a figurative bang; with some free music for all to enjoy. Without further ado, I present...
Recommendation of the Day: Copeland - Sony Connect Sessions
It took me a long time to get into Copeland. I bought their first album, Beneath Medicine Tree on the recommendation from some of the music websites I frequent, and was overall unimpressed. Nothing on the album particularly stuck out for me, and it sat on my iPod, untouched for the most part. I picked up the rest of their albums as they were released and loved some tracks here and there, but again, nothing really stuck with me. You'd have thought I learned my lesson, but once again, I picked up their newest album You Are My Sunshine when it came out back in October. As you may remember, I ranked it pretty high on my "Best of 2008" list and am now firmly on the Copeland train. More than any other band I've listened to, it definitely takes a few listens to get into this band. Trust me, I think it's worth it.
For my first Recommendation of the Day, I'm going to recommend and post their Sony Connect Sessions, recorded for Sony's online store before it closed down a few years ago. I figure that because I can't find the music anywhere else, it's safe to post here. Never has Aaron Marsh's voice sounded better, and I'm always a huge fan of the purity that comes from a single dude and an acoustic guitar.
Copeland - Sony Connect Sessions
Recommendation of the Day: Copeland - Sony Connect Sessions
It took me a long time to get into Copeland. I bought their first album, Beneath Medicine Tree on the recommendation from some of the music websites I frequent, and was overall unimpressed. Nothing on the album particularly stuck out for me, and it sat on my iPod, untouched for the most part. I picked up the rest of their albums as they were released and loved some tracks here and there, but again, nothing really stuck with me. You'd have thought I learned my lesson, but once again, I picked up their newest album You Are My Sunshine when it came out back in October. As you may remember, I ranked it pretty high on my "Best of 2008" list and am now firmly on the Copeland train. More than any other band I've listened to, it definitely takes a few listens to get into this band. Trust me, I think it's worth it.
For my first Recommendation of the Day, I'm going to recommend and post their Sony Connect Sessions, recorded for Sony's online store before it closed down a few years ago. I figure that because I can't find the music anywhere else, it's safe to post here. Never has Aaron Marsh's voice sounded better, and I'm always a huge fan of the purity that comes from a single dude and an acoustic guitar.
Copeland - Sony Connect Sessions
An open letter to the Dunkin Donuts employees at the Rockefeller Center subway station
Hey guys,
As someone who doesn't make a lot of money and tries to eat fairly healthy when I can (sometimes better than others), I don't visit you often. Although I love Dunkin Donuts coffee and find the stuff at work to be putrid, free coffee tends to win out in the end. However, when I'm feeling particularly famished or parched in the morning, I come say hi. I show up with my smiling face, am met with yours, and tell you my order. I don't think it's too difficult; I'm not like one of those Starbucks twits who goes on and on with my order, only to come back later saying it's not wet or foamy or hot or cold or sweet or liquid enough.
"Medium coffee with a little bit of cream and sugar, and a plain bagel with cream cheese please".
I would imagine this is one of the most plain, boring orders someone could make, and I bet you get a couple dozen similar orders on an average New York morning. Yet each of the last 2 times I have seen your pretty pretty faces, you have managed to mess up my order in the most unexpected, wonderful ways. When I came in last week, I received a special treat with my plain bagel: veggie cream cheese! Today, I got a cinnamon raisin bagel with plain cream cheese! Being the only one at the counter when the bagels are ready, I know I'm not getting someone else's meal by accident.
Now, I started this entry planning to critique and lambaste the Dunkin Donut employees for messing up my order twice in a row (I mean, really, how do you fuck up a plain bagel and cream cheese?), but I've had a change of heart.
For one thing, I realized recently that people tend to be much nicer in person than on the Internet, and that's a scary thing. Not all that surprisingly, people hide between the wall of anonymity that the web affords, and take advantage of that wall to say things they'd be embarrassed to say to someone's face. That being said, I think I'm a fairly nice person, and have never said anything about bagel mishaps. Perhaps Carlos has taken a look at my doughy figure and thinks that by adding veggie cream cheese and raisins into my diet, I'll get the hint and start eating better. Who knows, maybe I'll show up tomorrow and he'll give me a piece of celery and carrot juice.
Aaaaand this has turned into a long, rambling post that I now have no idea what to do with...
As someone who doesn't make a lot of money and tries to eat fairly healthy when I can (sometimes better than others), I don't visit you often. Although I love Dunkin Donuts coffee and find the stuff at work to be putrid, free coffee tends to win out in the end. However, when I'm feeling particularly famished or parched in the morning, I come say hi. I show up with my smiling face, am met with yours, and tell you my order. I don't think it's too difficult; I'm not like one of those Starbucks twits who goes on and on with my order, only to come back later saying it's not wet or foamy or hot or cold or sweet or liquid enough.
"Medium coffee with a little bit of cream and sugar, and a plain bagel with cream cheese please".
I would imagine this is one of the most plain, boring orders someone could make, and I bet you get a couple dozen similar orders on an average New York morning. Yet each of the last 2 times I have seen your pretty pretty faces, you have managed to mess up my order in the most unexpected, wonderful ways. When I came in last week, I received a special treat with my plain bagel: veggie cream cheese! Today, I got a cinnamon raisin bagel with plain cream cheese! Being the only one at the counter when the bagels are ready, I know I'm not getting someone else's meal by accident.
Now, I started this entry planning to critique and lambaste the Dunkin Donut employees for messing up my order twice in a row (I mean, really, how do you fuck up a plain bagel and cream cheese?), but I've had a change of heart.
For one thing, I realized recently that people tend to be much nicer in person than on the Internet, and that's a scary thing. Not all that surprisingly, people hide between the wall of anonymity that the web affords, and take advantage of that wall to say things they'd be embarrassed to say to someone's face. That being said, I think I'm a fairly nice person, and have never said anything about bagel mishaps. Perhaps Carlos has taken a look at my doughy figure and thinks that by adding veggie cream cheese and raisins into my diet, I'll get the hint and start eating better. Who knows, maybe I'll show up tomorrow and he'll give me a piece of celery and carrot juice.
Aaaaand this has turned into a long, rambling post that I now have no idea what to do with...
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Recommendation of the Day
From now on, I think I'm going to start a new "feature" of sorts on the blog: a Recommendation of the Day. Basically, I'm going to try to post something new EVERY DAY that I've been enjoying lately, and I'm doing this for a couple reasons:
1. It'll remind me that this darned blog exists and that some people read it on occasion. Not a ton, but a few. Basically, this will hopefully keep me on task.
2. There will be some sort of consistency for everyone who reads the blog. In the future, if you haven't been on here in a few days, you can safely assume that I've posted something since your last visit. I won't have something interesting or witty to say every day, but at least I'll say something about something...or something.
3. I like to pimp out a lot of things on this blog; basically, that's all I use this thing for. At least now I'll have a formal, consistent way of doing so, so that maybe I can use the rest of my time to post things that might be actually worthwhile or insightful (but probably not).
Knowing me, I'm thinking that most of these Recommendations of the Day will be music-related, whether it's a band I've been listening to / thinking about lately, a new album I've been spinning, or a song that's been bouncing its way around my brain. However, that doesn't mean I'll stick to music: movies, books, video games, no one is safe.
Because it's late and I want to watch an episode of The Wire before I go to bed, I'll post my first Recommendation of the Day tomorrow. Sorry to be a tease...
1. It'll remind me that this darned blog exists and that some people read it on occasion. Not a ton, but a few. Basically, this will hopefully keep me on task.
2. There will be some sort of consistency for everyone who reads the blog. In the future, if you haven't been on here in a few days, you can safely assume that I've posted something since your last visit. I won't have something interesting or witty to say every day, but at least I'll say something about something...or something.
3. I like to pimp out a lot of things on this blog; basically, that's all I use this thing for. At least now I'll have a formal, consistent way of doing so, so that maybe I can use the rest of my time to post things that might be actually worthwhile or insightful (but probably not).
Knowing me, I'm thinking that most of these Recommendations of the Day will be music-related, whether it's a band I've been listening to / thinking about lately, a new album I've been spinning, or a song that's been bouncing its way around my brain. However, that doesn't mean I'll stick to music: movies, books, video games, no one is safe.
Because it's late and I want to watch an episode of The Wire before I go to bed, I'll post my first Recommendation of the Day tomorrow. Sorry to be a tease...
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
Anyone have good sewing skills?
This is the current state of one of my favorite pairs of jeans:
What started as a tiny fray a few weeks ago has slowly grown into a full-on hole, constantly threatening to show the world way more than they bargained for (or maybe not.).
How in the world does something like this happen? Everybody knows that when I'm doing lunges as part of my daily "buns of steel" routine, I'm wearing day-glo bicycle shorts, not jeans. 'Tis quite a mystery...
What started as a tiny fray a few weeks ago has slowly grown into a full-on hole, constantly threatening to show the world way more than they bargained for (or maybe not.).
How in the world does something like this happen? Everybody knows that when I'm doing lunges as part of my daily "buns of steel" routine, I'm wearing day-glo bicycle shorts, not jeans. 'Tis quite a mystery...
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Coolest thing I've seen all day:
Photographer David Bergman took a 1,474-Megapixel picture of Obama's Inauguration. Not sure how/if that's even possible (I probably should have done some research before posting this), but fact checking is childish and overrated.
http://gigapan.org/viewGigapanFullscreen.php?auth=033ef14483ee899496648c2b4b06233c
The link takes awhile to load, but once it does, you can zoom in a ton with insane clarity. I could have fun with this all day.
Photographer David Bergman took a 1,474-Megapixel picture of Obama's Inauguration. Not sure how/if that's even possible (I probably should have done some research before posting this), but fact checking is childish and overrated.
http://gigapan.org/viewGigapanFullscreen.php?auth=033ef14483ee899496648c2b4b06233c
The link takes awhile to load, but once it does, you can zoom in a ton with insane clarity. I could have fun with this all day.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
Friday, January 16, 2009
Girl Talk
I don't really like hip-hop and dance music. Never have. It's not that I think it's inferior or lower on the music totem pole than the other rock-oriented music I usually listen to, It's just not my thing. Even the more alternative "socially conscious" rap (Astronautalis, Atmosphere, P.O.S) doesn't do it for me. That being said, I finally just started listening to Girl Talk and am totally kicking myself for not doing so earlier. I know, I know, I know, I'm way late to the party on this, and anyone who has been on the Girl Talk train for awhile will surely be shaking his/her hipster finger at me, but I can't remember the last time that listening to an album has given me such an unabashed schoolboy grin. I can't to hear what he comes up with next.
It's hip-hop, it's rock, it's pop, it's electronic, it's dance, it's everything in between. Pittsburgh DJ Gregg Gillis has masterfully taken snippets of hundreds of songs and mixed them together for a wholly unique music experience. Anyone who can mash up Ace of Base, Jackson 5, Outkast, Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, Temple of the Dog, and The Police is the span of 2-3 songs is a-ok in my book. Last year, he pulled a Radiohead and posted his newest album, Feed The Animals on his website and allowed fans to pay whatever they wanted for the album, even it was nothing.
Not a single second of his music is original content, but I guarantee it's nothing you've ever heard before. How much is music worth to you?
Girl Talk- Feed The Animals
It's hip-hop, it's rock, it's pop, it's electronic, it's dance, it's everything in between. Pittsburgh DJ Gregg Gillis has masterfully taken snippets of hundreds of songs and mixed them together for a wholly unique music experience. Anyone who can mash up Ace of Base, Jackson 5, Outkast, Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, Temple of the Dog, and The Police is the span of 2-3 songs is a-ok in my book. Last year, he pulled a Radiohead and posted his newest album, Feed The Animals on his website and allowed fans to pay whatever they wanted for the album, even it was nothing.
Not a single second of his music is original content, but I guarantee it's nothing you've ever heard before. How much is music worth to you?
Girl Talk- Feed The Animals
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
I also started my new job, nay...career at Atlantic Records today. As is the case when starting almost any new job, it's a total information overload at first, what with meeting people, filling out forms, getting email and phone set up, etc. and it's hard to imagine right now that I'll ever fully understand what exactly I'm doing. That said, I'm definitely starting to get the hang of things already and am ecstatic to be in a position to be able to make money doing what I love.
I can already tell that some areas of the job will allow me to be creative, and most importantly, turn people on to new music, for which I've been training my whole life.
I can already tell that some areas of the job will allow me to be creative, and most importantly, turn people on to new music, for which I've been training my whole life.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Bring Me Your Love
Just got back from seeing City & Colour at Bowery Ballroom. If you've followed this blog whatsoever or listened to me talk about music, you've surely heard me talk about how much I love Dallas Green and everything he does, and tonight's show once again cemented him as my favorite plaid-wearing, tattoo-sporting, bearded Canadian singer-songwriter. If you know me, then you know I love me some plaid-wearing, tattoo-sporting bearded Canadian singer-songwriters, so this is quite an honor.
Picked up a copy of the reissue of his first studio album, Sometimes, along with a neato t-shirt.
Picked up a copy of the reissue of his first studio album, Sometimes, along with a neato t-shirt.
Friday, January 9, 2009
After a lot of research and listening to people's advice and recommendations, I decided to pick up an iPhone yesterday. It's taking a little getting used to, seeing as how it's completely different from any phone I've ever had, but I'm definitely loving it so far. Please rec me some good apps.
Also saw Tony Dungy walking down the street today.
/random
Also saw Tony Dungy walking down the street today.
/random
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Not a huge fan of the screaming (or screaming, in general, for that matter), but Silverstein's new cover of OneRepublic's "Apologize" for the upcoming Punk Goes Pop 2 Comp is hilariously awesome.
http://www.myspace.com/punkgoespop2
http://www.myspace.com/punkgoespop2
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Crackberry or iPhone?
I posted this as my Facebook status too, but whatever. Hopefully I'll get some responses here too.
To complete my transition to "adulthood" (I use that term loosely), I need an appropriate communication device to flash around at the bar to show everyone how important I am. Thus, my dilemma: do I go with the tried-and-true business device that is the Blackberry, or do I hop on the iPhone train?
I'm a big fan of Apple products (over the years, I've had 3+ iPods, 2 Macbooks, and an iMac) and generally think that Steve Jobs and Co. can do no wrong. I also think that the iPod would be a more "fun" phone, what with all of the apps that Apple has. On the other hand, the Blackberry platform seems to be more established, especially as an email device, which is the main reason why I'm making the upgrade. That said, I have no proof to back up any of these assumptions, so please feel free to prove me wrong.
Comment here with your best argument as to which way I should go.
To complete my transition to "adulthood" (I use that term loosely), I need an appropriate communication device to flash around at the bar to show everyone how important I am. Thus, my dilemma: do I go with the tried-and-true business device that is the Blackberry, or do I hop on the iPhone train?
I'm a big fan of Apple products (over the years, I've had 3+ iPods, 2 Macbooks, and an iMac) and generally think that Steve Jobs and Co. can do no wrong. I also think that the iPod would be a more "fun" phone, what with all of the apps that Apple has. On the other hand, the Blackberry platform seems to be more established, especially as an email device, which is the main reason why I'm making the upgrade. That said, I have no proof to back up any of these assumptions, so please feel free to prove me wrong.
Comment here with your best argument as to which way I should go.
From SI...
And yet...They say your teams are a disgrace, and your city is dying. They say you are the past and you will never win again. And yet you are from Detroit and there is strength in that
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Monday, January 5, 2009
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Best of 2008
Now that I'm somewhat settled in New York, I've been thinking about getting back into this blog thing with semi-regular posts. We'll see how long it lasts. Hope everyone had a fun and safe holiday and New Years.
For my triumphant return, here's some of my favorite music from the past 12 months. I usually hate making these kinda lists because it generally takes hours me to do and really means nothing in the grand scheme of things. I have albums in my Top 10 List from last year that I haven't listened to since, so again, this list really means nothing, other then hopefully getting people to check out some new stuff.
10. Empires- Howl
9. Valencia- We All Need A Reason To Believe
8. Thrice- The Alchemy Index Vols. III & IV
7. Lydia- Illuminate
6. Jack's Mannequin- The Glass Passenger
5. The Offspring- Rise and Fall, Rage & Grace
4. Fall Out Boy- Folie A Deux
3. Bon Iver- For Emma, Forever
2. Copeland- You Are My Sunshine
1. City & Colour- Bring Me Your Love
Favorite EP of the Year
Monument Monument- Sleep Well When You Get There
Other Albums I've loved:
The Hold Steady- Stay Positive
M83- Saturdays = Youth
Augustana- Can't Love Can't Hurt
Anberlin- Never Surrender
Frontier Ruckus- The Orion Songbook
Paper Rival- Dialog
Other 2008 Albums I've only recently started listening to, and therefor can't really judge yet:
Good Old War- Only Way To Be Alone
Sigur Ros- Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
Gaslight Anthem- The '59 Sound
Ely Falls- Let Your Yes Be Yes
For my triumphant return, here's some of my favorite music from the past 12 months. I usually hate making these kinda lists because it generally takes hours me to do and really means nothing in the grand scheme of things. I have albums in my Top 10 List from last year that I haven't listened to since, so again, this list really means nothing, other then hopefully getting people to check out some new stuff.
10. Empires- Howl
9. Valencia- We All Need A Reason To Believe
8. Thrice- The Alchemy Index Vols. III & IV
7. Lydia- Illuminate
6. Jack's Mannequin- The Glass Passenger
5. The Offspring- Rise and Fall, Rage & Grace
4. Fall Out Boy- Folie A Deux
3. Bon Iver- For Emma, Forever
2. Copeland- You Are My Sunshine
1. City & Colour- Bring Me Your Love
Favorite EP of the Year
Monument Monument- Sleep Well When You Get There
Other Albums I've loved:
The Hold Steady- Stay Positive
M83- Saturdays = Youth
Augustana- Can't Love Can't Hurt
Anberlin- Never Surrender
Frontier Ruckus- The Orion Songbook
Paper Rival- Dialog
Other 2008 Albums I've only recently started listening to, and therefor can't really judge yet:
Good Old War- Only Way To Be Alone
Sigur Ros- Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
Gaslight Anthem- The '59 Sound
Ely Falls- Let Your Yes Be Yes
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