And I'll take with me the memories
To be my sunshine after the rain
It's so hard to say goodbye to yesterday

There's some great pics of the NYC show here. Review coming relatively soon.

Happy Halloween!

from Electric Six's site:

We fly to New Zealand and Australia now, fueled by the memories of Canada and Florida and everything in between. Presumably when we get back, we will start to record another record. The cosmic ballet.....continues.....

Another album already? If I had no shame there would be a smiley emoticon here.

My provisional top 20 of 2005 currently has albums by Armand Van Helden and Moby on it. I'm really enjoying Death In Vegas' Satan's Circus from 2004 as well. It would be facetious to ask what is wrong with me (see blog title), but I am curious to know why the hell I'm digging these guys now, while unmoved by most big name electronic artists of today (I'm finally going to listen to Isolee in a bit). Then again, everybody's crazy for the new Robyn album, including myself, so maybe that 90s comeback isn't just radio-rock-related.

Slightly related, "Only" is my favorite Nine Inch Nails song since "Closer." More sighing than screaming, great nu-wave groove, and a verse about scab picking. I approve! The dude should make an entire album of swear-happy INXS tracks one of these days.

I'm spending a late October afternoon bowled over by Kimya Dawson albums and fighting the urge to turn on the heater (I'm one of those odd people who prefer 'too cold' to 'too warm'). I did the same thing last year. Different town, different state of mind, but using Hidden Vagenda and I'm Sorry Sometimes I'm Mean as blankets nonetheless.

Normally when an artist impresses me I can't wait to explicate what makes them so wonderful, but Dawson's songs are so uniquely affecting that all I can do is whimper a simile or too and shrug. Maybe I'll finally be able to explain what makes her The Bestest Twee Ever next October.

Christgau aside (and I don't usually trust his "they mentioned John Kerry! A" reviews), that last Northern State album sure got a bad rap, didn't it? I finally listened to the thing (Sara, I don't know what I'd be doing these days without your evergrowing music collection to intake, besides getting some work done) and it's pretty enjoyable! The nu-metal choruses on the Muggs tracks are a bad idea and there's nothing quite up to the level of "Vicious Cycle" or "At The Party," but the energy and themes are unique enough to make the album rewarding. I don't know how people can put up with Common or Sage Francis but not these three. Evidently All City sold something like 7,000 copies despite being on a major label (got dropped, obv), but thankfully they haven't broken up.

Speaking of Common, "Testify" has to be one of the most baffling hits in recent years. Braggadocio, misogyny, misanthropy, love pap, maudlinness, self-pity, incoherency - most awful tracks are still explicable due to selfishness and/or incompetence. But why did Common feel the need to tell this trite, hokey story in the first place? What are we supposed to get from the unexplained twist ending? Doesn't it contradict the sentiments of the previous verses? And how can any human being find the hook pleasurable? Common's supposed to be a highly intelligent rapper, what with the hat and all, but I'm still waiting for some evidence. I remember liking "I Used To Love H.E.R." in high school, but every track I've heard since has been some combination of forgettable, milquetoast and cheese.

From Patti Smith by Victor Bockris & Roberta Bayley:

"Unlike Patti's eclectic musical tastes, Robert [Mapplethorpe]'s soundtrack was spare, often consisting of a lone Vanilla Fudge album, played over and over for up to twelve hours at a stretch."

I knew he was kinky, but still...that's just wrong.

Will November 1st ever come?

Hearing one of your favorite songs of the year in a car ad is supposed to inspire a rant about commercialism, sellout, etc. etc. I do think people should realize the implication of innocuousness inherent in ad placements, but hearing "Don't Save Us From Flames" push Pontiacs just tells me I need to stop watching Fuse. The debate is irrelevant if you don't watch crap.

One positive aspect of flipping around BET, MTV, MTV2, VH1, VH1Classic and Fuse (plus McGyver on Spike - "I'M SICK OF YOUR GAMES, MURDOC!") this morning was catching the video for "Do You Want To?" twice. I love a good Gondry now and then, but I'll trade all the hi-tech gimmickry in the world for a video that actually sells the band. Jack White's little rascals aside, Franz Ferdinand are the only people on the MTV2 T-Minus Rock countdown who look like they'd be fun to hang out with.

I caught FF at the Tower last Friday (thanks, Keith!) and they earned every shriek. They're playful and caddish without being juvenile; unself-conscious, post-adolescent good time charlies who hint at intelligence rather than promise more than they can offer. You Could Have It So Much Better is pretty skimpy on the anthems, and I hope the next album will reveal it to be transitional, but they're still refreshing.

If I'd thought to take one, a picture of Keith dancing at Silk City to "Freedom '90" would be at the top of this post.

They're showing Public Enemy's "By The Time I Get To Arizona" on VH1 Classic! Before midnight! I feel old.

LIMP BIZKIT WATCH: "As for keeping you or anyone 'posted' on what is happening......I don't think that will happen in any fashion that will satisfy you all as a whole at any point in this lifetime." That's my Fred.

Blurbs! Blurbs! Blurbs!

At least one of these men has been called "ubersexual."

This article (props to the anonymous chappy who posted it on ILX) would have me running for the hills even if Rush Limbaugh wasn't stinking it up with his commentary.

"...Ubersexuals are men who embrace the positive aspects of their masculinity such as confidence, leadership, passion and compassion, without giving into the stereotypes that give guys a bad name, including disrespect toward women, emotional emptiness, complete ignorance of anything cultural outside of sports, beer, burgers and athletic shoes."

Can you think of five men who exemplify these traits better than Arnold Schwarzenegger and Donald Trump? They can't. Somebody needs to see True Lies and Marla Maples' pre-nup contract.

Anyhow, here's ten men I would consider ubersexual, in the sense that I have a mancrush for them, which qualifies as a sign of some superhuman level of charisma.

1. Josh Homme
2. John Reis
3. Howlin' Pelle Almqvist
4. Dick Valentine
5. John Mayer (when he's not making that scary live oh-face)
6. Ben Stiller
...I think that's it! Sorry, I'm picky.

If I keep this up, I should probably get a better camera. I know.


(click for larger, blurrier)

Admittedly, Turbonegro's songs weren't quite as fascinating as their stage banter, moves (there's one guy whose main job is to mince), costumes, balloons, confetti cannons and midget, but I don't often see that kind of show. It was appreciated. And the songs ARE good!

Top Ten Turbonegro Song Titles
"A Dazzling Display Of Talent"
"Back To Dungaree High"
"Blow Me (Like The Wind)"
"Hobbit Motherfuckers"
"I Got Erection"
"I'm In Love With The Destructive Girls"
"The Midnight NAMBLA"
"Rendezvous With Anus"
"Sell Your Body (To The Night)"
"Wipe It 'Til It Bleeds"

Amy Grant once choked a man to death with her thighs.

For an entire concert in 1996, Alan Jackson's mustache seemed an unusual shade of brown. He later swore it was chocolate milk.

Glen Campbell wanted to record a track called "Gallstone Cowboy" about his 1989 ailment but his label would not release it.

Cletus T. Judd has been employed as a song doctor for Robert "Mutt' Lange since 1998.

Trace Adkins once fucked a mother-daughter team in front of his road crew.

Clint Black said he would shoot Bill Clinton if he knew he wouldn't go to jail.

If John Michael Montgomery could have one superpower, it would be flight.

2/5ths of the original line-up of Alabama has questioned their sexual preference at least once in their life.

Hank Williams Jr. does not actually like any songs by Kid Rock.

Randy Travis is a Nazi.

Garth Brooks will not admit to having successfully finished the 72 oz. Steak Dinner at The One And Only Big Texan Steak Ranch, but he did.

After several failed attempts at e-mail correspondence with Christina Aguilera, LeAnn Rimes had a dream about kissing her at the American Music Awards and stabbing her in the face.

Shirley Hallman of Nashville, TN owns the only topless photo of Jon Brennan from MTV Real World Los Angeles. If Jon knew, he would have her killed.

Shania Twain doesn't understand why Ann Coulter is considered controversial.

Kris Kristofferson told Willie Nelson that "being snowballed" meant receiving oral sex from someone with ice in their mouth. Nelson's lack of awareness led to a confusing & traumatic experience with a groupie, who consequently spent the night in the local emergency room. Nelson broke up the Highwaymen, refusing to speak to Kristofferson again. Johnny Cash never quite understood what happened, and really didn't want to.

Woody Guthrie would have really liked "Wango Tango" had he been alive to hear it.

Uncle Tupelo actually disbanded because they sucked.

Tim McGraw has only had anal sex with Faith Hill once. It was his birthday.

Beck, trapped in the phantom zone.

"They produced it, and Benji and Joel jumped on the hook," Game said. "It came out crazy. It's crazy, it's 'hood and wild. Them guys are wild. I befriended [the Maddens] two VMAs ago. I met Benji backstage and we been friends ever since. Them dudes is crazy."

Crazy, crazy, crazy.



"Straight up, I'm from Waldorf, Maryland, you guys. Let's not forget that. You take shots, I take shots."

Wild!

I lied! More crappy live pix.



In the last week or so I've caught Annie, Black Dahlia Murder, Electric Six, the Faint and Gang Of Four (Jon King is smashing a microwave up there). That's just the headliners. The novelty of having so much quality live entertainment available to me hasn't worn off yet.

While VH1 Classic Presents Gang Of Four (oh, the irony) were terrific, opening act Morningwood, who play the kind of female-led major label new wave my roommate is nuts for - they should be named Debbie & The Dogmats or Lisa & The Ladykillers or Pylon Doing A Bad Imitation Of The Divinyls or something - almost upstaged them with psychotic demands for audience enthusiasm. Their forced retro-shtick and weak hooks couldn't have inspired the crowd to Clap If They Love Cookies, let alone take their clothes off and DANCE! DANCE! DANCE! as the unhinged singer so desired. A few unfortunate members of the crowd were brought on stage to bop nervously, get punched in the chest and be forced to make out with a plastic Santa. Gang Of Four was referenced frequently, lest we ran for safety. I spent most of the set hiding behind a wall, muttering for the band to please, please go away. I don't like to exaggerate, but this was Abu Gharib squared.

An album by some AC/DC cover band (that was not the voice of Bon Scott. I would know, trust me) was played between acts, and I had to wonder if they were intentionally recreating the early 80s marketplace so we could experience Go4 as the sweet relief they must have been at the time. While there's no way to revive the promise and potential of a group who's future has yet to be written, you can reaffirm what was accomplished and celebrate it. The words still sting, the guitar still slices and the rhythm section still makes it all look deceptively easy. I'd guess they were better then, but I know they're great now.

For some reason, my snarkage in regards to the new Skateboard P single didn't appear in the last Stylus US Singles Jukebox. Here 'tis:

Nice beat, but the vocal is totally Win A Date With Kimmy Gibler. [6]

If you know the Gibler, slap your inner child for watching crap.