Daydream Nation

Sunday night at the House of Blues - Dallas featured a great show of two bands that influenced many bands with their sounds in the 1980s and have continued with solid musical efforts since.

Meat Puppets
The Meat Puppets opened the night with a too short 40 minute set. Most people seem to know the band from the Nirvana Unplugged show from the early 90s where Nirvana covered two classic Meat Puppets tracks. They played both of those on Sunday (Lake of Fire and Plateau). Surprisingly I did not recognize any of songs off their new CD, Rise to Your Knees, which I do recommend. They did throw out an excellent, extended version of Up on the Sun which made the show worth it alone. The band was more fun, looser, and more comfortable from when I saw them at this year's SXSW shows. They did only reunite this year, but they are sounding very good now. They play again at the House of Blues in November, and I hope to see them there again. Meat Puppets CDs that I recommend are Up on the Sun and Meat Puppets II.

Sonic Youth
Here is an indie band that stands as a large influence on many bands. This year they've done a tour to celebrate their classic 1988 release, Daydream Nation. Sonic Youth started with a furious blast of guitar from Thurston Moore and the post punk vocals of Kim Gordon. Throughout the entire set, the crowd had arms lifted and hands were banging. They played a good portion of Daydream Nation, but also included some other choice cuts from their 20+ year catalogue during the hour and a half set (with 2 encores). Two of my favorites of the night were Incinerate and 100%. Those looking for Sonic Youth releases, I'd recommend Daydream Nation and Dirty.

A Long Way Gone

The autobiography A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Solider by Ishmael Beah is a fascinating, sad, and disturbing read. The book recounts Beah's adolescent years as a boy soldier fighting in the Sierra Leone civil war of the 1990s.

Beah begins by recounting days of youth enjoying his childhood and playing with friends. It all turns horribly wrong as soliders begin invading the towns, and he and his friends must run for thier lives. Beah went from town to town until he was finally taken by the army and forced into being a solider at the age of 13. Using a mix of drugs and intimidation, the army turned these children into killing machines. It's a tragic story exposed and brought to life by Beah's heartbreaking recollections.

Luckily Beah found a way out where so many perished. The book inspires as Beah finds his way out of the madness, but ultimatey reminds us of the evil present in our world. This is a highly recommended read.

Sad Sad City

If you're in any way, shape, or form familiar with the Dallas music scene, you understand the importance of yesterday's loss. Carter Albrecht was well known around here for his greatness in the local bands Sorta and The Sparrows. It's tragic the way that he died yesterday. I saw Sorta a few times and The Sparrows even more times and had always been impressed by them. Listening to Danny Balis of the Hardline, his bandmate and roommate, speak of him today set me straight on what a lot of the reports are indicating about him. I won't link to what was on the Dallas Morning News website as it appears to be a bit negative. I recommend reading what Sarah Hepola wrote that is linked on the Sorta web site.

It's a sad day for the Dallas music scene. My thoughts are with all of you out there who might have known him.

The Long Cut

I'm not much of a magazine reader. I'll pick different one's up from time to time based on a friends advice. My current trial is that of The Economist. Since I'm not willing to commit a subscription just yet, I pick them up when I can. Last night, I went into Borders Books to get the latest copy. When I checked out and paid my six dollars and some odd sense for one magazine, I received not one, but two receipts. The first was the smaller, denoting the details of my purchase. It was a bit long for what it was, but my attention shifted to the second one. It was much longer and filled with coupons and lots of "fluff". The two receipts totalled over a foot long. I checked what I had purchased - still one, seventy-five page magazine. So, why the long receipt? We are living in this age of reuse, reduce, and recycle and yet a corporation such as Borders cannot give me a reasonably lengthed receipt for one item.



I wrote to Borders regarding this and they got back to me rather quickly stating that they would make the suggestion to the powers that be. As for now, I am not shopping there.

Head Home

As many of you know, I will purchasing a home in the coming months. I decided to spend the first year of owning this home not only decorating and furnishing, but making it as energy efficient as possible. I know it is somewhat the "in style" thing to do. But I think it has a lot of benefits beyond saving the environment. I'd personally like to keep my water, electric, and gas bills to a minimum. If any of you home owners out there have any tips for me, I'd be glad to hear about them. I'll be writing about these changes as I make them when I buy the home.

The Absence of God

Talking religion is one my favorite topics. When I learned about and saw previews of the documentary Jesus Camp, I knew I had to see it. Jesus Camp is an inside look at Evangelical Christian America and its Bible Camps that occur throughout the nation. The movement has received quite a bit of publicity over the last few years with its perceived influence over elections.

I found the documentary to be very compelling. I didn't grow up in an evangelical household because Catholics just aren't (or weren't) evangelical. But I did find myself identifying with some of the negative messages that these children were being given surrounding Christianity - such things as sin, the devil, and repentance. In my adulthood, my spirituality has been mostly centered around positivity and empowerment. I was immediately sensitive to such messages and found myself disappointed in the adults in this film for making these kids feel so bad. Many of them were to the point of crying.

The run of the mill contradicting viewpoints that are widely held by such individuals were quite prominent throughout the film. The lead up from the evangelicals standpoint to the liberal Air America Radio talk show host opinion was clearly contrasted and hit a climax as they appeared on the radio show to dispute such points of view.

I'm not writing this review to pick on the Evangelicals. Rather, I am encouraging all to view this well done documentary to see what I believe to be a small fraction of the population that is perceived to be larger than they truly are. As someone who claims to be a social and religious liberal, I found it to be quite interesting and scary from a human rights standpoint. I don't personally read (nor enjoy) Harry Potter, but prohibiting a child from their potential enjoyment of it because there is magic within the story seems a bit ridiculous and irresponsible to me. But this is America, and everyone is entitled to their own opinion and philosophy of raising their own children. And that is what makes this documentary so interesting.

Sing For Me

I might be done with karaoke.

Per the request of a couple of friends, I went to McKinney Avenue Tavern last night for karaoke. I realize that the idea of it is that normal people who can't sing get up on a stage and make fools of themselves. I get that. I've done it several times myself after a few drinks. But I think that the MAT has become an enormous tool shed. There was a time when I could walk in there, know a few people, and have a great time. Those days are gone. The karaoke crowd has beaten that place down. I wrote a few weeks ago that I can't take Neil Diamond singing Sweet Caroline. I sure as hell cannot take some shmo singing it. As for my own singing, I got up there in the spirit of being a good sport and sang Nirvana's Lithium. Unfortunately, the only people in the bar that knew it were a few of my friends. Proof that the masses are, indeed, asses.

The only positive thing I can say about the place and the experience was that of the effort of a few girls there at the door taking donations for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. For a five dollar donation, the MAT would let you have happy hour prices all night. They should be commended for that. On the other hand, they let in some goon dressed up as Captain Morgan show up with a band of nookie girls to put on some lame ass pose contest to win a trip to Las Vegas. Tools.

I might also be done with cheesy bars.

Lollapalooza Day Three: I'm Still Alive

Day three was really something special.

Los Campesinos!
For me, skipping The Black Angels is pretty serious. But the first few songs I had heard from Cardiff rockers Los Campesinos! had me very curious as to what they sounded like live. They certainly did not disappoint. Each and every song was filled with lots of energy. I especially loved You! Me! Dancing!

Apostle of Hustle
I had heard good things about the Canadian band Apostle of Hustle, so I thought I'd use this opportunity to check them out. I gave them five songs to pull me in and by the fifth I was ready to leave. The first few sounded ok, but the fifth (coined as an intrumental, but I swear I heard lyrics) was what singer Andrew Whiteman described as a "song about a pony express rider, with a bag of weed, a bag of MDMA, holding the decapatated heads of Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and US President George W. Bush." While the idea neither pleases me nor offends me, the idea of a song being about that bores me.

Peter Bjorn and John
I was very excited to see this show and arrived at the Citi stage early because I thought that Lollapalooza had scheduled them on too small of a stage. I arrived early and eager to hear PB&J. Three songs in, the sound went dead and it appeared that the stage had no electricity. I waited for about ten more minutes for them to come back, but appeared that this was not going to happen. I was greatly disappointed, but not in the band. Too bad. I really hoping to see them again.

Modest Mouse
It was a tough decision to miss My Morning Jacket, but since they tour more often than Modest Mouse, the decision was made for me. Issac walked out on stage hardly recognizable as himself with a beard, glasses, and some silly hat. But it certainly sounded like him and the rest of the band as they reeled off song after great song from each of their last three releases. This should would have been outstanding if not for one thing - it was not loud enough. Granted I was sitting towards the back, I spoke to people that were much closer that had the same opinion. Either way, Modest Mouse with Johnny Marr is greatness.

Pearl Jam
I'll confess. I haven't listened to Pearl Jam since around 1996. I assume I probably wasn't much different than most of the people in the crowd in that aspect. Seeing the great Eddie Vedder walk out and play so many of Pearl Jam's great songs reminded me of a time in my life when music seemed different and more simple. It was a time before the internet, when finding new music was best done in your friend's car on the way home from school.

What's so amazing to me is how some of those Pearl Jam songs have, at least until now, stood the test of time. There were more that we all knew than we probably remembered that we did. They opened with Why Go, an early track from their monumental first album, Ten. Songs like Corduroy, Daughter, Elderly Woman Behind the Counter of a Small Town, and Evenflow were all crowd favorites. I even caught other people singing them as I was as I walked around. They closed their first set with Alive, their first single that I can remember. You could hear the crowd sing almost as loud as Eddie. My thoughts were, had Kurt Cobain hung around and Nirvana been there, we all would have been singing Smells Like Teen Spirit. Those two bands of that time were certainly of the same caliber and had the same impact. But it was great to hear everyone singing this song. These guys changed the course of music as we know it today.

The encore opened with Eddie playing the first few recognizable notes of Better Man, while letting the crowd sing the entire first verse. It was awesome how the words just flowed off of our lips. Another thing that Eddie got into was the campaign to keep BP Amoco from dumping waste into Lake Michigan. He even played a catchy little tune that went, "Don't go...to BP Amoco". Needless to say, the crowd loved it.

Lastly, the most memorable moment of the night came when Eddie did a third encore, bringing a veteran from the Iraqi War on stage to promote the ending of the war. Ben Harper then came out to join him in a song. The night ended in the two of them, along with several others, singing Neil Young's Rockin In The Free World.

I left Lollapalooza this year happy and proud. I was proud of someone from my generation (the of Gen X) to get involved and speak out on current issues. I was proud that it seemed that Eddie Vedder enjoyed every minute of that show. It showed on his face. And I was happy because music makes me happy. There are few subsitutes in this world that give me the same sense of joy. This was probably the best Lollapalooza Music Festival I have attended.


I'll have pictures and other festival commentary up tomorrow.

Lollapalooza Day Two: Turn On The Bright Lights

Day Two, you ain't no day one.

I'm From Barcelona
The much anticipated show from the Swedish band I'm From Barcelona was nothing short of spectacular. All members of the band came out and immediately began distributing balloons. I was sure this would be a fun show and no doubt it was just that. They played the full hour of songs from their debut album, Let Me Introduce My Friends, along with several other tracks. This show was a great way to get the day started.

Pete Yorn
It had been nearly five years since I had seen the great Pete Yorn. Since then, I had pretty much forgotten about him, putting his phenomenal debut album musicforthemorningafter, up on the shelf. He made me regret this and I will certainly be pulling it back from the shelf very soon. I also need to add his latest title to my collection. Pete Yorn put on one hour of great live music. I found myself singing along to many of the songs of a few years ago that I used to jam to. And in a comedic moment, he did a cover of Peter Bjorn and John's Young Folks, citing that someone had mistaken him for being the author the "whistling song". I was quite impressed with his rendition. And I'm sorry for abandoning you, Pete. But you are back in the rotation now.

Sam Roberts Band
I didn't catch much of this show and had never heard of Sam Roberts Band, but I did enjoy the few tracks I heard. They had a pretty good rhythm to their music.

Cold War Kids
Truth be told, the planners of Lollapalooza had this band on the wrong stage. They should have been at a much bigger stage because it was overcrowded. Meanwhile, Motion City Soundtrack were at the larger stage and did not attract as many people from what I could tell. However, Cold War Kids sounded much better than I remember them sounded at this years SXSW conference. I'll have to check them out again when I get a chance to actually see them.

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Gone are the days when I used to get up close to see CYHSY. They've become much too popular and for great reason - they're even better than ever. An hour long set of old and new favorites was as solid as any show I've seen from them in the last couple of years.

The Hold Steady
I promised a friend of mine that I would try my best to get in to this band. Musically, I thought they sounded great, but vocalist Craig Finn's voice is hard for me to get into. In fact, it almost ruins the sound for me. I'd like to hear him try singing rather than talking. Other than that, the performance was pretty good.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs
I'd been waiting to see Karen O and her band for quite a while now and this was my chance. A packed AT&T stage would not allow me to get up close, but I was able to enjoy this show from a distance as Karen O in her costumes sang and danced across the stage in her unique way. I really enjoyed Gold Lion, Date With The Night, and especially, Cheated Hearts.

Spoon
Seeing Spoon anymore is like going to see an old friend. Though it was raining and tons of people were walking around me to get to their next show, I enjoyed seeing and hearing Britt Daniel play the songs from their new release, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga. They mostly stuck to playing from their last three albums, which are all great. I could watch this band play everyday and not ever get tired of them. I only regret leaving too early to get to Interpol. They played my favorite song, Anything You Want, after I left.

Interpol
While I am sure that Muse had tons more people at their show, there was no way I was going to choose them over Interpol. And Interpol would not make me regret that decision. Fresh off the release of their third full length, Our Love To Admire, Interpol played what would become my favorite show of the day. The guitar Carlos Dengler sounded so amazing on each and every song that it is hard to choose a favorite. As always, the Interpol light show used solid reds, purples, and blues to illuminate the set. I especially enjoyed the encore of NYC and Stella Was A Diver And She Was Always Down. Interpol is one of the best live acts going today.

Lollapalooza Day One: Music's Got Me Feelin' So Free

Day one of Lollapalooza 2007 was definitely one to remember. Here are the details of each of the bands we saw.

The Fratelli's.
We arrived at Grant Park close to noon and made it to the MySpace stage about fifteen minutes into their set. As we walked up, they were playing their song Flathead, made famous by the iPod commercials that they have been featured on. I was hoping to hear Whistle for the Choir, but perhaps they had already played it before we got there.

Ghostland Observatory
The screechy voice Aaron Behrens and groovy rhythms of Thomas Ross Turner that make up Ghostland Observatory continue to get a crowd moving, even in the noon hour. Once again, they did not disappoint as they reeled off track after track of dance rock.

Son Volt
Since Jay Farrar reworked the band, he is writing and performing perhaps the best music of his post Son Volt days. They mixed in several songs from this years The Search and 2005's Okemah and the Melody of Riot. But of course, the band closed their set with the crowd favorite, Drown.

The Polyphonic Spree
It's been just over a month since that amazing show that I attended at the Granada in Dallas. Today's show was every bit as as great as that show as the band played mostly from the recently released The Fragile Army and included a few from The Beginning Stages Of... They stopped half way through their set and changed in to their classic robes to finish the set with When A Fool Becomes A King. This might have been my favorite show of the day. This band continues to bring lots of smiles to my face.

Sparklehorse
Mark Linkous and crew played a very typical show - not much from the new album, and loads from the first few albums. They did seem a tad uninterested in playing. I have to admit, I was surprised to see them on the bill since I did not think they were touring any longer this year. They finished the set ten minutes early much to the disappointment of the crowd. I did enjoy Painbirds, Spirit Ditch, and Gold Day though.

Silversun Pickups
I didn't catch much of this set. The singer's leprechaun voice and face scared me away. But I really do love their music. Had Blonde Redhead not been up against them, I would have stayed longer.

Blonde Redhead
My first time seeing this band in Dallas almost doesn't count. I knew none of their songs and had only heard the newest album one time. Since then, I've listened to 23 probably fifty times and I love every note of it. I was quite happy as the trio played many songs from that album and a few that I did not know. I really love the sound that this group has going right now. This time definitely counted.

Satellite Party
I was only partially roused by Perry Farrell's attempt to coerce a crowd over to see his sub par band that he created a few years ago. He played several unfulfilling Satellite Party songs while sticking in songs from his formerly great band Jane's Addiction and one or two from the less than satifying Pornos for Pyros. However, it was worth it to hear the Jane's Addiction. I kind of miss it.

LCD Soundsystem
I got really burnt out on this band fast a few years ago when they had their single Daft Punk is Playing at My House. Since then, I have tended to ignore them. I did learn that, despite looking like a bunch of ordinary white boys from Milwaukee, they have a pretty good sound and are actually from New York City. Perhaps I won't turn past the dial the next time Sirius 26 plays their music.

Daft Punk
I didn't want to see Ben Harper because I had seen him before. And I had never seen Daft Punk ever. But am I ever so glad that I went to see them. The guys came out and played atop a pyramid while wearing space suits. They turned me and everyone around me into complete and total spazzes as we danced wildly and enjoyed the amazing light show in the background. For an hour and a half, I thoroughly enjoyed their music. They seemed to keep mixing in pieces of their two most popular songs, Around the World and One More Time, until they played the entire songs. I really had a great time at this show. I am glad they were chosen as one of the headliners.


Day two coverage to come...

I'm The Best Seventeen Year-old Ever

There are some bands out there that just rock no matter what they do. The Wrens are one of those bands. Hailing from New Jersey and putting out a mere four records and a shared EP in the last thirteen years, they are regarded by their fans as one of the most underrated bands in indie rock today. In 2003, the band released perhaps their best album to date, Meadowlands.

I was fortunate to attend my second Wrens show on Friday night at Hailey's in Denton. I saw them two years before at the same venue and the show was one of my favorites of that year. As expected, the band did not disappoint. The show opened with singer/guitarist Charles Bissell singing and playing a solo version of This Boy Is Exhausted, before the band kicked in midway through the song to finish it out. Most of the show included songs from 2003's Meadowlands, such as Faster Gun, Happy, and Everyone Choose Sides. I was especially happy when they played my favorite song of theirs, Boys, You Won't. During the song, they invited members of the audience up, handed each a drumstick, and asked them to bang on the stage with them. As I moved closer, I noticed the drummer Jerry MacDonnell coming towards me. He handed me a drumstick and told me to get on stage. I gladly did and began banging on the stage while singing every word of the song. I got to keep the drumstick as a memento. The band played one encore and closed it with what I think is their best song, She Sends Kisses. They are done touring for the year, but I am hoping that they come around next year.

The first opening band was Austinites The Midgetmen. I found their rhythms to be quite good, especially their lead guitarist. However, the vocals from all three vocalists left much to be desired. The next opening band was Get Him, Eat Him. I had heard a little of their music before, but this was probably the most I had heard from them at one time. I was impressed with how well composed their songs are. I will most likely find an album or two soon and give them another listen.

July! July!

I remember when I first discovered the music of The Decemberists. It was early in 2004 when B had given me a copy of The Tain and Five Songs. I instantly fell in love with their music and would get to see a less-than-sold-out show at Trees just a few months later. Since then, I've seen the band something like seven times including Monday nights show at Summerstage in Central Park.

The sold out show lasted hour and forty minute show and included one very long encore. I was surprised how little they played from their most recent album, The Crane Wife. The suite called The Island sounded incredible and I was happy when they played Summersong. I was happy to get some of the older songs like July! July! and Oceanside. The first set closed with Sons & Daughters. It was awesome to hear and sing along to, "Hear all the bombs fade away".

The second set included what may be the bands two most fun songs in their catalog. First was Chimbley Sweep, in which Colin puts all the band members to sleep and then asks the crowd to sit down. And when they sing, "I'll shake you from your sleep", the crowd rises again. Then, to close the show, they played the crowd favorite Mariner's Revenge Song, asking the crowd to scream as if they had been swallowed by a whale. Both songs are fun to sing along to.

The Decemberists are one of the best live acts around. Singer Colin Meloy really knows how to entertain a crowd by getting them involved in sing alongs and other activities. The band always brings along a host of instruments such as a stand-up bass, melodica, and accordion. I highly recommend seeing them on tour.

Now Hear This

With the year just about half over, I thought it might be a good idea to write about some of the albums that have been released this year that have had my iPod spinning like crazy. Not included in this list are albums by some of the more well known bands like The Shins, The Arcade Fire, Modest Mouse, and Wilco. Those bands have all put out extraordinary albums this year, but I am sure that you are all probably listening to them already. So, without further ado...

Loney, Dear - Loney, Noir (Sub Pop)
I've written much about this Swedish band throughout the year. Their most recent release is perhaps their best. This is one of those albums where there is not a single weak track on it, with I Am John topping the list of great songs.

The Postmarks - s/t (Unfiltered)
This Miami band has a soft, melancholic sound mixed with a dream pop melodies. I fell in love with their music at this year's SXSW music conference and festival.

Blonde Redhead - 23 (4AD)
I've known about Blonde Redhead for years but never really listened to them. I picked up their latest album the day that I saw their show for the first time. I really dig this album as it has a consistent vibe the whole way through. My favorites right now are 23, Dr. Strangeluv and Silently.

Menomena - Friend and Foe (Barsuk)
This Portland-based trio really knows how to create a full sound going beyond just the traditional guitar, bass, and drums with horns and keyboards. The album is solid from start to finish with such great tracks as Muscle N' Flo and Wet and Rusting.

Low - Drums and Guns (Sub Pop)
I recently discovered this band despite knowing of them for years. I bought older albums of theirs and really enjoyed them. This latest offering is just as solid and chalked full of slo-core sounds as albums past.

Brandi Carlile - The Story (Sony BMG)
How dare I put someone on a major label on this list. However, I do believe that the lovely Ms. Carlile is quite a talent. In her latest release, she embraces her country roots to produce one excellent album.

A Good Laugh

If you need a good laugh, these two videos from Funny Or Die with Will Ferrell should do the job. Pearl rocks!

The Landlord

Good Cop, Baby Cop

List: Songs I Never Ever Want To Hear Again

I'm trying to include more of these random lists I keep coming up with. So today, I am giving you an impromptu list that I came up with last night. These are songs that beat me down. Some of them I used to like, but I just have heard them too many times and I cannot take it anymore.

1. Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond. I love many of Neil Diamond's other songs, particularly Love on the Rocks, but this one has beaten me to a bloody pulp. It's probably the most overplayed song ever and everybody sings it in bars.

2. Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd. It's the ultimate Freedom Rock song and it's annoying. It needs to be put to rest. Lynyrd Skynyrd has beaten us down for too long now. Please go away.

3. You Never Call Me By My Name by David Allen Coe. Northerns may not know this song, at least judging by the lack of enthusiam last fall when it was played by Band of Horses at a show at the Bowery in NYC. But everyone in the south sings this song to irritation every time it is played in a bar.

4. Anything by the band The Cult. I particularly can't stand anything off of the Sonic Temple album. But every bar I go into, some jerk has to play a song by this horrible band to drag down the energy in the bar. Why, I ask you? Why?

5. Stranglehold by Ted Nugent. Really, I could point to any song by Ted Nugent. Not only is the man a moron, but his music gives me multiple headaches at once. I won't put down his guitar skills though.

6. Sexyback by Justin Timberlake. Will people please stop overrating this song? I'll admit that the new JT* is talented, but this song is vomitous. He has songs that are infinately better than this but for some reason this one is horribly overplayed.


* "JT" will always be James Taylor to me.

Reach for the Sun

Saturday was my first experience in seeing the glorious Dallas band The Polyphonic Spree. I could only describe their music as joyously uplifting. I have enjoyed the band's music for years, but somehow I have managed to missed them all this time. I recently picked up their latest release called The Fragile Army, which I have come to love.

For the first set, the entire band of twenty-something members came out dressed in their black, army-like suits with hearts and crosses on them. They played mostly songs from the new album. I especially loved them opening with Running Away and shooting the confetti and streamers. It was a great way to start the show. However, I think the encore was the best part of the show as the band came out in their traditional robes to play songs from older albums, including my favorite Light & Day. I was also quite impressed with their cover of Lithium, perhaps my favorite song by the nineties band Nirvana.

It is hard to describe my feelings during this show. I was there with a good friend who loves the band and the music more than I do and it was great to be with her as we have not spent much time together. It was nice to find something we could share. I found myself wearing a huge smile and dancing. Their music illicits a certain emotion in me that makes me happy to be alive. I've often played it on days when I am very happy in joy and days when I am very sad to bring me joy. It was great to see them live and find out that they are every bit as great as I imagined. I cannot recommend seeing this band enough to all the readers out there.

Perfect From Now On

Since discovering (as well as admiring) the writing style of Chuck Klosterman, I’ve been trying to find more writers like him. One day, while perusing the aisles of The Strand Bookstore, I came across the book Perfect From Now On: How Indie Rock Saved My Life by John Sellers. The title, while piquing my interest, did give me a bit of chuckle in a nerdy sort of way. How Indie Rock Saved My Life? It sounds a bit contrived. But in reading the inside sleeve, I got the impression that Sellers and I share a passion for indie music.

I read the entire book over my recent vacation to Mexico. I could hardly put it down as I enjoyed each page of Sellers mixing a witty criticism for his favorite bands with his overwhelming desire to meet them and attend their shows. He describes his journey from listening to pop music to discovering such indie bands of eighties and ninties as Joy Division, The Smiths, The Replacements, and Pavement.

A good portion of the book is devoted to the discovery and love of his favorite band, Guided By Voices. I find it the story nothing short of fateful as he is introduced to them toward the end of band’s career by his then girlfriend. He then proceeds to validate his obsession by traveling to the band’s hometown of Dayton, OH to meet and party with the band and their charismatic leader, Robert Pollard. His admiration of Pollard is that probably that which I would equate to mine for such musicians as Wayne Coyne, Jeff Tweedy, and Thom Yorke. I can only imagine if I were in Sellers’s situation where he meets his unapproachable indie rock idol and can hardly speak to him. I meet some of my favorite musicians all the time, but I have yet come across one that I put on that pedestal like Ben Gibbard or Colin Meloy and have no idea just how I might react in such a situation.

I felt like I could identify with a lot of what Sellers writes in his book though I cannot say that I am terribly familiar with many of the bands that he admires. The appendices of the book include several lists (what is the deal with us indie nerds and lists?) and clever ideas such as a formula for calculating music preference. While I haven’t used the formula to quantify just how much I love my favorite bands, I find the idea amusing. My only criticism of the book is the (at times) overwhelmingly long footnotes. The quality of them is not bad, they are just too long.
I’d recommend this book for anyone who, well, enjoys reading this blog and has a passion for music. It is just a tad over 200-pages in its hardback form and a great read.

Infected: 28 Weeks Later

Horror movies are for the most part pretty lame these days. It's a genre littered with endless and unwanted sequels (another Halloween film later this year?!?), torture porn like Saw and Hostel, or unnecessary remakes like Black Christmas and The Hills Have Eyes. It's a relief and a surprise when a horror film comes out that to me is actually well made and worth watching. The recently released 28 Weeks Later fits the bill for me. It's a sequel, but one that works and builds on the original and isn't just a re-hash of the previous film.

Personally, I've always had a weak spot for zombie films especially George Romero's classic trilogy (the fourth film Land of the Dead wasn't that great). He brought a deft mix of social commentary and brutal gore together to make a thoughtful satire of our society. Through most of the 1980's and 1990's the zombie film genre suffered through a stretch of bad movies. It was quite a surprise when Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later was released in the U.S. in 2003. Director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland reworked the zombie tradition making it a disease spread through blood that causes an insatiable rage in those infected. The jarring, hand-held digital camera work added to the shocking brutality of the film.

When I first heard that there would be a sequel and that Boyle and Garland would only be producers, I was wary. However, director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo has put together a direct follow-up that uses the same style of film making but adds a whole new political commentary into the mix. Twenty-eight weeks after the end of the first film, the U.S. military has occupied London and blocked off a portion as a safe zone to start the re-building process. There are plenty of parallels to the Iraqi conflict in the film. And of course, things go horribly wrong when the infection is released back into the safe zone. Soon a small group of survivors are on the run not only from the infected, but also the military who will do anything to stop the infection from spreading. The eerie deserted location shooting in London makes a return here and just as before adds to the apocalyptic, desolate feel of the film. Granted, as in many horror films, there are some plot holes (like one zombie that keeps reappearing), but overall the film's mix of socio-politcal commentary, action, and location shooting make it well worth the viewing especially for fans of zombie films. A-

I Was in a Hurry When the Lights Went Dim

I was eagerly awaiting the start of The Rosebuds show on Tuesday night at The Cavern in Dallas, TX. I was a big fan of their 2005 CD, Birds Make Good Neighbors, which was one of my favorite releases of that year. This year saw the release of their just as good third full length CD, Night of the Furies. I had never heard opening band Land of Talk, but I enjoyed their music. Lead singer Elizabeth Powell provides solid indie rock vocals and displays a hint of PJ Harvey influence.

After Land of Talk played, I briefly talked to Rosebuds vocalist and keyboardist Kelly Crisp. The band had put together special tour CDs, and she created unique hand-made covers for each. I picked one she had made with flowers and fishing lures, and she signed it for me. I also asked her if they would be playing my favorite song from Birds Make Good Neighbors which is called Four-Track Love Song. Unfortunately she said no as the band didn't want to be held responsible for the crowd breaking into baby making.

For the new CD, the band was basically down to the duo of Kelly Crisp and Ivan Howard. For the tour they've beefed up to a five piece band and sounded fantastic. After some microphone difficulties at the beginning, they rolled through some songs off the new CD like Cemetery Lawn, When the Lights Went Dim, and Silja Line. The synth pop sound of their new songs really got the crowd into the show with many people dancing along (yeah even me a little). I really enjoyed the beats and sing alongs of Get Up Get Out and Night of the Furies. They played a large portion of songs on the new CD, but also kicked in a few solid numbers off the previous release like Hold Hands and Fight, Leaves Do Fall, and Boxcar.

The encore was really fun as Ivan and Kelly came right down into the crowd and played acoustic versions of I Better Run and Shake Our Tree. I briefly chatted with Kelly and Ivan again to wrap up the night and to thank them for a great show. Two very nice people and a band that deserves much more recognition.

Lollapalooza 2007 Schedule Released

I am excited that I will get to attend the third Lollapalooza Music Festival this year. I've been with Lollapalooza since it switched to the festival format in 2005. I am very excited about the trip this year as it promises good times and good music.

On Friday, if we get there early enough, I'd like to see the UK band The Fratelli's. I've heard a few songs here and there and they sound pretty good to me. Next, I cannot miss one of my favorite Austin bands, Ghostland Observatory. I wish they were playing later in the day though. It's been a while since I've seen alt-country geniuses Son Volt, but I think I will probably see them next. And after the short performance at Sasquatch, I must finally a full show from the Dallas band The Polyphonic Spree. There is no question that after then I will catch Sparklehorse. I really enjoy seeing them each time they play and they have been playing mostly older material. My biggest conflict of the day comes next as Silversun Pickups overlap with Blonde Redhead. I have been a fan of Silversun Pickups, but have yet to see them play. However, Blonde Redhead has put out one of my favorite albums of this year, 23. I'll probably catch most of both of them. I consistently miss The Black Keys on every occasion, but I am sure I'll catch them this time. I might require a break following all of this and the bands playing don't really do much for me. I have been a somewhat moderate fan of Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals in the past. Instead, I will probably go see Daft Punk to close out the night.

Saturday starts with a Swedish band I know very little of but I am interested in called I'm From Barcelona. I've been rather high on Swedish bands of late and am anxious to see what they have to bring. Next, I might try to check out Fields. They're another I know very little about but have heard a fair bit of buzz regarding them. Next, I might try to see indie rocker Pete Yorn, whom I have not seen in years, and catch a little of Minneapolis's Tapes N' Tapes. I'll probably take a little time to rest and then go check out Cold War Kids. I saw them a bit at SXSW but was not impressed. I seem to like their studio recordings, so this show will be the test. It is tempting for me skip Clap Your Hands Say Yeah since I just recently saw them to go check out The Roots, whom I have not seen since 2003. I'm not sure which one I'll catch during this hour. There is nothing that could stop from seeing the lovely Regina Spektor next. I have really taken to her latest album, Begin to Hope. I've been itching for years to see Karen O and Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Next up will no doubt be perhaps my favorite Austin band of all time, Spoon. Interpol is one of my favorite bands to see, though I have heard marvelous things about the fine work of Muse on stage. This will definitely be the most difficult decision of the day.

I would love to kick things off on Sunday with The Postmarks, who are a friend of this blog. Next, I'll take a break before I see the Heartless Bastards. My first conflict of the day comes up when another favorite Austin band, The Black Angels, play opposite a band a have a moderate to high interest in, Los Campesinos! I may go see either Annuals or Apostle of Hustle after that. I know very little of either, but recall Annuals being pretty good opening up for Blonde Redhead earlier this year. Following that, I can't wait to see the Swedish trio Peter Bjornand John again. The biggest conflict, perhaps of the festival, follows as both My Morning Jacket and Modest Mouse play opposite each other. I've seen both several times and Modest Mouse more recently. I'll probably end up seeing them because MMJ will play Austin City Limits this year. I'll probably pass on TV on the Radio as they have never done much for me. I, despite being at the tail end of Gen X, have never seen Pearl Jam. I haven't listened to album of theirs in almost ten years, but am mildly excited to see them as they were one of my favorites in the early nineties.

So, thats it. I imagine I'll hear some bands here and there that will only make this more complicated. I am very much looking forward to this trip as I am every year. It was one of my favorite weekends from last year.

Sasquatch 2007

It's been nearly two weeks since I returned from the 2007 Sasquatch Music Festival in George, WA. This year's festival promised much entertainment in a wonderfully scenic area and it certainly delivered. Some friends of mine (including B) and I boarded a plane from DFW Airport the day before the festival and flew to Seattle. From there, we drove cars through the beautiful Cascade Mountains until we reached The Gorge, where we set up camp for the weekend. The scenery in Washington state this time of year is absolutely gorgeous. In fact, the drive to/from George was perhaps the most scenic I have ever taken. The view overlooking the Columbia River and surrounding area was quite breathtaking.

The featured acts this year were the main attraction for us. As I looked over the handy fold out schedule that they distributed, I recognized very few conflicts. Most of the bands that I saw were bands that I had seen before. Here is a breakdown of what I liked and didn't like from the bands.


Loney, Dear (Wookie Stage, Saturday 12:00) - The Swedish band that I have recently grown to love kicked off the festival in a wonderful fashion. They sounded crisp as they reeled off song after song from this years Loney, Noir album as well as a few others from past albums.

The Blow (Yeti Stage, Saturday 2:10) - I was quite amused by this Portland-based duo. Singer Khaela Maricich brought her awkward demeanor and unfortunate storytelling in a most entertaining way.

Neko Case (Sasquatch Mainstage, Saturday 3:40) - Neko and her voice are still as beautiful as I remember them. I was glad to hear some old favorites and some new favorites from last year's Fox Confessor Brings The Flood.

Ghostland Observatory (Wookie Stage, Saturday 4:40) - I had such an awesome time bringing in the new year with this Austin-based duo that I just had to see them again. They were as great as I remembered. And as my buddy Jim says, "It's like they play the same song over and over again, but it's the same bad ass song." I couldn't agree more.

The Long Winters (Sasquatch Mainstage, Saturday 6:10) - I was glad they took the spot of M.I.A., who couldn't make it. I'm not sure who they are, but I definitely know and love the Long Winters. It had been years since I saw them open for the Decemberists and fell in love with their sound. I was glad to hear them play my two favorites of theirs, The Commander Thinks Aloud and Pushover.

Manu Chao (Sasquatch Mainstage, Saturday 7:35) - I didn't know who they were, but I swear they played the same song at least four times within their set. It was rather annoying. I didn't enjoy this band much.

Arcade Fire (Sasquatch Mainstage, Saturday 9:15) - The band that has defined music this decade for me was nothing short of stellar on the mainstage. They mixed songs from their two full-length albums, entertaining a very large crowd.

Minus the Bear (Yeti Stage, Sunday 2:10) - I had heard Minus the Bear's music before and liked it. But I had never seen them live. I was impressed and will be checking out more of their music in the coming months. They were fantastic.

Helio Sequence (Yeti Stage, Sunday 3:15) - I wasn't sure I had heard of this band before, but I certainly know of them now. I really enjoyed their sound.

The Polyphonic Spree (Sasquatch Mainstage, Sunday 4:20) - I had never seen them before but have been a fan for quite a while. They had to stop early because the ridiculous wind posed a safety threat to them. It was too bad because I was enjoying their show.

The Black Angels (Wookie Stage, Sunday 6:10) - They were much like I remember them from SXSW - a bunch of rock stars. I love how well they take their late-sixties Jefferson Airplane-like sound and are able to really portray the essence of it on stage. They were one of my favorites of this festival.

Jesse Sykes (Yeti Stage, Sunday 6:30) - I only caught a little of her show, but I enjoyed what I heard. I love her soulful voice and bluesy sound.

Spoon (Sasquatch Mainstage, 8:00) - They were delayed and cut short because of the fierce wind, but in what little time they had, they rocked. You can always count on a band like Spoon to put on a great show.

Interpol (Sasquatch Mainstage, 9:30) - They too were delayed and cut short because of the wind. It's too bad because this were probably the my favorite show of the festival. In case I had forgotten, the guys of Interpol proved they are still, indeed, great musicians and awesome performers. They didn't play much from their forthcoming album except for The Heinrich Manuever. I was quite excited to hear all of their songs, particularly the opening riffs of Slow Hands. These guys are getting better and better.

Beastie Boys (Sasquatch Mainstage, 10:30) - I only caught the first few songs because the cold wind had beaten me and made me want to go back to the campsite. But what I heard and saw was great. They (the Beastie Boys) have been one of my favorites since I was a nine years old. But since I had seen them before, I decided to call it a day.


Overall, I enjoyed the festival and the entire trip. I do have some criticism of it. For one, it is ridiculous that there is only a single admittance throughout the day. Most, if not all, music festivals distribute wristbands and allow you to go in and out throught the day. Also, the slow lines to get in to the festival were unacceptable. I also found the food options to be rather poor. Being a vegetarian, I have a pickier diet than most. I have found that in such an environment as a music festival that I have little trouble finding items. I am surprised that this festival of all of them had such poor choices. They also ran out of several items that they did offer. And last, but not least, the host of the festival, Sarah Silverman, was hardly to be seen. I think she introduced one, maybe two, bands. I did see her running around the festival grounds at one point. It was disappointing that she did not do more. She was definately one of the selling points for coming to this festival.

The verdict is still out on a return visit. I suppose that the list of acts will be a strong factor in my return to Sasquatch. But I consider this a really nice trip for anyone to make. The Pacific Northwest is a wonderful part of our country.

Mean-Eyed Cat

The Mean-Eyed Cat in Austin, TX is being pushed out by the city who is trying to re-zone the area as retail. Chris Marsh, the owner of Mean-Eyed Cat, needs 2000 votes to present to the city council to keep this from happening. You can add your vote here.

Alternatively you can attend the Rare launch party tomorrow (Friday, June 1) for Happy Hour at The Mean-Eyed Cat and sign the petition there.

The Coen Bros.

The Cannes film festival is currently in full swing and the Coen Bros. upcoming film No Country for Old Men based on the Cormac McCarthy novel recently premiered there. I'm a huge fan of the Coen Bros. films and quite enjoyed this novel too when I read it last year. I can definitely see how the dark elements of their previous films like Blood Simple and Fargo can match up well with McCarthy's novel.

The early word from Cannes is very good on the adaptation. Variety critic Todd McCarthy's review says, "A scorching blast of tense genre filmmaking shot through with rich veins of melancholy, down-home philosophy and dark, dark humor, "No Country for Old Men" reps a superior match of source material and filmmaking talent. Cormac McCarthy's bracing and brilliant novel is gold for the Coen brothers, who have handled it respectfully but not slavishly, using its built-in cinematic values while cutting for brevity and infusing it with their own touch is one of the their very best films, a bloody classic of its type destined for acclaim and potentially robust B.O. returns upon release later in the year."

I can't wait until it's US release in November.

Random Top 5: Things That Need To Go Away

Here are five things that I absolutely cannot stand anymore. This shit needs to stop. So, please people, quick whipping my ass with this stuff.

5. The Hard Rock Cafe - Does anyone go here anymore? I think the one in Dallas closed down. It's overpriced food, a bunch of guitars to look at, and you get to pretend that you're cool and know something about rock n' roll for ninety minutes.


4. T-shirts Describing Your Ironic Disposition - I cannot take these retarded hipsters that buy shirts at Target and Fossil that read things like "I'm Really Excited To Be Here". They need to open up an exchange so that these people can get t-shirts that are more accurate that read, "I'm Horribly Lame".


3. People Placing Bunny Ears Over Someone Else's Head -This is so childish and lame. Please stop it. Now. Everyone is laughing at you, not with you.


2. Hooters - Hasn't this restaurant run it's course by now? It's a tired bit and it isn't funny (or clever) anymore. Their food was never good and their calendar is lame and their atmosphere is boring.


1. People Hollering for "Freebird" at Concerts - These are perhaps the most obnoxious people on the planet. I have never once in all the shows that I have been ever heard a band acknowledge that horrible song and actually start playing it. In fact, I've heard Colin Meloy of The Decemberists actually make a call for that to stop. So, he's on my side too.

Like a Rolling Stone

With all the excitement of the concerts that I have attended lately, I almost completely forgot about the announcement of this years Austin City Limits Festival line up. This is unquestionably the most top heavy line up that I have seen in the four years that I have attended the festival. Topping the list of established acts that I am most excited about are My Morning Jacket, Muse, The Arcade Fire, Wilco, The White Stripes, and Bob Dylan and his Band. Of (what they consider) the second tier acts, I am most excited about Damien Rice, Spoon, The Decemberists, Regina Spektor, Devotchka, Ben Kweller, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, and Bela Fleck and the Flecktones. The lesser known acts that I think will be fantastic are Ghostland Observatory, Pete Yorn, Peter Bjorn and John, Yo La Tengo, Blonde Redhead, Midlake, The Greyhounds, and The National.

The producers of ACL have certainly sought after more established bands for this years festival than in that of years past. While the headliners of the past have always been rather big (Ben Harper, Coldplay, Tom Petty), I've never seen such an overwhelming list of names. On the other hand, I have never seen ACL have such an underwhelming list of up-and-coming artists. In my opinion, this was one of the things that set them apart. It could very well be that I am digging further into the musical landscape these days. There is quite a list of bands for me to get acquainted with between now and the weekend of September 14-16. I hope to see everyone out there as I think this will undoubtedly be one of the festivals of the year.

You Still Love Rock 'n Roll?

Attention Wilco Fans: If you’re like me, you’ve had a leaked copy of Sky Blue Sky for the last couple of months. Wilco has been so kind to allow for this happen by all but allowing it be downloaded from their website. Now, they are calling on all us fans to do the right thing and purchase the album on its release date this Tuesday. Here is a message from the band.

Greetings to you all from the east coast branch -- where we've been burning the midnight oil for months getting ready for May 15. And it is finally upon us.

By now, you know that next week is the official release date of Wilco's 7th album (or 9th depending on how you count). Hence the slightly serious tone of this note. Tuesday, to be precise, marks the US release of Sky Blue Sky on Nonesuch Records. If you haven't had a chance to listen to the on-demand stream, by all means click here and take it for a spin. We're pretty sure you'll enjoy the ride.

But once you've done that we hope you'll take a moment to reflect (see, I told you this was serious) on how this dynamic has worked over the years -- the dynamic between us and you. We (and this "we" means the band, first and foremost) expend a lot of time, energy and other resources trying to make this something you are not just a witness to, but a participant in and we genuinely hope you can feel that.

We've been asked many times if we'd consider changing the way we do things, usually by people who are convinced we'd be more successful if we did. And either out of stubbornness or something else, we keep refusing. Instead, we just do what we do and somehow it all works. We continue to make lots of music available free to all in the road case, continue to allow taping/photos at shows, and basically just try to keep the things we do charge for of a quality that make you feel like you got a bargain. You know, mutual respect and all that. We like the way it works... a lot. We really do believe in trying to keep as much of it as free and open as is humanly possible. That seems pretty obvious... but somehow it remains a slight novelty in the modern day music business. So much so that people continually mention it in their stories when they write or speak about the band or the somewhat sad state of the music business.

Anyway, what we're getting at here is that right now we need you to participate in a way that is part of what has made this nice little story work. We're actually asking you to please go out next week and do the right thing for Wilco. That is, vote with your feet and prove the band's faith well-placed and buy the record. It's available from Tuesday at all kinds of retailers everywhere. Ask for it by name. It's also available here, and for those of you who are more digitally inclined, here.

Fire It Up

The Seattle based band Modest Mouse has embarked upon their first tour since former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr joined the band and the release of their most recent album, We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank. I attended the show at the Nokia Theatre in Grand Prarie on Thursday night. If it was possible, Modest Mouse managed to top themselves from the last time I saw them two years ago at this same venue. I certainly had not spent enough time with the new album, but did recognize the great songs from it. They played many of the songs from prior albums that I have come to love over the years. The 2005 release Good News for People Who Love Bad News received more attention as they played several from it including The View, Float On, and Ocean Breathes Salty. For you long time fans of Modest Mouse who prefer the older albums, they seem to have all but abandoned playing the songs from the early days. In fact, the song Doin’ The Cockroach from the 1997 release Lonesome Crowded West was the only song pre-dating the 2004 release The Moon and Antarctica. I was pleased that they opened with one of my favorite songs, Paper Thin Walls and later played Tiny Cities Made of Ashes. Notables from the new album included Dashboard, We've Got Everything, and Fire It Up.

The clean, antiseptic confines of the Nokia Theatre presented them and the sound quite well. I have always been a bit skeptical of that venue due to the remote location and ridiculous price of parking ($15 per car for general parking). But they pulled a pretty good crowd who all seemed to be quite engaged the show.

Do You Carry Magnets In Your Pockets

Perhaps the best thing about attending an even like SXSW is the possibility of discovering new music. The last trip down proved to be one of the best for finding new bands, and one such band I discovered was the Miami based band The Postmarks. They were amidst the last few dates of their month long tour when I caught up with them at Club Dada in Deep Ellum on Wednesday night.

The show got off to a rocky start with some of the sound problems. Once those were cleared up, the band showed just why they have been getting some great press around the indie world lately. They played many of the songs from their self-titled debut album released on Unfiltered Records. I first purchased this album during their showcase during SXSW at Blender Bar. Since then, it’s been in heavy rotation on my iPod. Their dream pop style mixed with the soft vocals of Tim Yehezkely separate this band from the rest. When I dig deeper into the lyrics, they are mostly a rich, melancholy-like poetry about lost love affairs and broken hearts, reminiscent of some of the slower songs by Camera Obscura or The Cardigans. The smooth guitar melodies of Jonathan Wilkins also compliment the mood of each song.

B and I hung around after the show to talked to members of the band after their photo shoot. I praised them for their wonderful effort in putting on a great show despite being so close to the end of their tour. They all seemed in really good spirits as we talked to them about their tour experience and getting to be on KCRW with Nic Harcourt. I found it interesting that none of the band members are from Miami but all seemed to find each other there. Overall, I really enjoyed the show and would recommend going to see them on their next tour and picking up a copy of their album.

The opening act was the local artist Sarah Jaffe. I had caught her before with her band, Tomahawk Molly, but this was my first time to see her play solo. I was quite impressed with her bluesy-folk style as she created a great sound while playing only one guitar the entire show and having accompanying vocals on only a few songs. I’m a sucker for this type of sound so I was instantly into her music and picked up a CD after she played.

You Are Free

From time to time, I like to engage in a little irri-tainment (irritating entertainment). The combination of those two elements seem to do something for me. As I check my email today, I find one of the many Metroplex area show announcements for several of the theatres here in Dallas. One show I found interesting coming to town was (conservative blowhard) Sean Hannity's Freedom Concert. The word "concert" grabbed my attention. Who the fuck would play at an event hosted by such a cultural poison as him?

So, in my irritainment curiosity, I clicked on the link. It took me to a about a two minute video. The first two thirds of it was Sean signing autographs for those that seemed to worship him. Could this guy be any more vain? The the last third of it showed the concert. The list of acts includes Sara Evans (spare), Hank Williams, Jr. (had it), and...Lee Greenwood.

Now don't get me wrong. I love America. I love freedom, especially freedom that pisses off people Hannity. But has anyone ever gone further with less than Lee Greenwood? My second thought was, "ok, so he'll get up there and play 'God Bless the U.S.A.' and then what?" This song was played out a few months after its release in th 1980's and had a brief comeback shortly after Septemeber 11th.

I'm not a culture warrior (nor do I know what that means) and these things don't really matter that much to me, but if you're keeping score, the Democrats seem to have much better music at their festivals on a consistent basis. I think I could tolerate Al Franken for an afternoon if he had The Decemberists playing at his festival.

A Tangled Web: Spider-Man 3

I grew up reading Spider-Man comics and watching the cartoons. I've always been a fan of the nerdy Peter Parker struggling with everyday problems and learning that with great power comes great responsibility. The first two movies did a fine job of capturing many of the good qualities of the comic, especially Spider-Man 2, which I consider one of the finest comic to film adaptations. The third film opened at the box office huge, as expected, setting records for single day, 3-day weekend, and worldwide opening numbers. It makes sense since he's a popular character and because of the success of the first two films. However, this third film has several pitfalls which ultimately made the film a slight disappointment for me.

The main problem stems from the screen story by Sam and Ivan Raimi. I think Sam Raimi is a very gifted director with a solid style. The Evil Dead films and A Simple Plan are good examples of his directorial talent. However, his writing has been minimal with his last major writing credit being on the Coens Bros. film The Hudsucker Proxy back in 1994 and that is one of their weaker films. The Raimi brothers try to incorporate too many story lines and villains into one film. Based on articles I've read, they envisioned this as two movies that they could film back-to-back. When they could not come up with a satisfying conclusion for the third film to push into the fourth, they decided to mash it together into one film. I think this decision was the cause behind some of the sloppiness in the story and the way too long 140 minute running time.

In the main story of Parker (Tobey Maguire) battling his inner demons, the film brings in three villains for Spider-Man to battle. Each villain on their own have areas of interest, but they are never fully fleshed out. There just isn't time to build them up and make them more than just punching bags for the battle scenes. In the first two films the villains were integral to the story and were given time to develop as characters. Nothing like that here. The story tries to make you feel for Flint Marko (Thomas Haden Church) who becomes Sandman by giving him a sick daughter, but it just doesn't fly when the character has no consistency in his display of downtrodden guy vs. obvious villainous nature. Eddie Brock (Topher Grace) is just a selfish jerk, and the hatred within him leads to his becoming Venom, villain number 2. Finally, we get former friend Harry Osborn (James Franco) taking on his destiny from his father and seeking revenge. I can see how they wanted to use the villain's different natures to compare to Parker's own battle with his dark side when he is possessed by the black suit. The three villains representing varying degrees of evil: misguided, pure, and misunderstood. Ultimately, the haphazard way the different story lines are handled detract from an interesting approach. You would think that filmmakers would have learned from the Batman films of the 1990's that more villains usually just causes a mess. At least this movie handles it better than those Batman films.

The story is also not kind to MJ (Kirsten Dunst) or her relationship with Parker. The biggest "why did they do it" of the whole film for me was having Dunst sing ... twice. After Parker is taken over by the black suit, we know he is evil because he combs his hair into his eyes and starts walking down the street checking out women. The worst aspect of the black suit destroying the good in Parker is when he takes new character Gwen Stacy (Bryce Dallas Howard) to a jazz club. The scene that follows is camp of the highest order. My jaw literally dropped as I mouthed, "What the fuck?" during this scene.

Now the movie is not all bad. It is fairly entertaining and not just the action scenes which are first rate. Daily Bugle editor J. Jonah Jameson (J.K. Simmons) again provides some great comedy scenes. Topher Grace provides some good moments as Parker's rival at the Bugle. Screenwriter Alvin Sargent returned to co-write the screenplay with the Raimi brothers and the wit of his dialogue from the second film is pretty easy to spot. I think the movie would have been better had Sargent and Pulitzer prize winner Michael Chabon worked together again as they did on Spider-Man 2.

It's a shame that Raimi felt he had to make something "bigger and better" in the summer movie franchise vein. The formula for Spider-Man 2 really set a standard, and it would have been wise to follow it. In trying to out do himself, he's actually given the viewer less by making a tangled mess of ideas that while mildly entertaining just isn't fulfilling. B-

With a Ticket Stub In Your Hand

This concert ticket charge thing has become out of control. Ticketmaster has certainly earned their nickname "Ticketbastard" this time. I'm scratching my head today trying to figure out how a ticket to see Interpol that was $25 somehow came $41.16 when I went to pay for it. It's rare that I have to use them any more since most of the bands I see use smaller ticket retailer like Frontgate and Ticketweb. I give props to Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits for using Frontgate and giving fans the opportunity to get in early and pay no added fees.

One thing I did see was a whopping $3.50 was added, not to mail the ticket to me, but to email it to me. Does it really cost $3.50 to create a ticket in an Adobe Acrobat file and send it to me in an email? The cost of a CD is getting inexplicably higher and higher. How long will it be before the cost of going to see a concert gets to the point where those who really want to see it are discouraged from going because of all of this? I don't think that $25 is unreasonable to see Interpol, but I think to most people who are fans of theirs will agree there is a difference between $25 and $40. As someone who attends a lot of shows, I have to be discretionary in what I can spend and on what band. But I suppose as long I keep paying it and allowing Ticketbastard to get away with it, they will continue to charge it.

Tell Me Where You've Seen My Life

Annuals

Tuesday night at the Granada Theater started with opening act Annuals, a band from Raleigh, North Carolina. My only exposure to them had been the track, Brother, which Pitchfork had posted on their site late last year. They made a quick impression with an upbeat song featuring two drum sets and two keyboardists. Their set had some ups and downs in interest level for me, but when they kicked in the extra percussion (up to 4 guys playing drums), they really did rock and gave off a fun vibe. They finished off their set with the song Brother which sounded great. I found the set interesting enough to push me to pick up their debut CD, Be He Me.

Blonde Redhead

Blonde Redhead is an experimental indie rock band from New York that first formed in 1993. I first listened to them back in early 2005 when I ran across a copy of their sixth release, Misery Is a Butterfly. Their latest, 23, was just released last month, and it has quickly become one of my favorite CDs of 2007. This new release moves more towards dream pop with lush sounds, haunting melodies, and hypnotic vocals from Kazu Makino and Amedeo Pace. The band leaned heavily towards the new release playing excellent versions of 23, Spring and by Summer Fall, and Publisher. The trio's stage setup included a life sized horse statue that Makino used to sit on when she played keyboards. I was very happy to hear them play Falling Man from their last release as the first song of the encore. They finished off the night with the song Top Ranking featuring layered vocals from Makino.

Overall, it was a solid night of music that piqued my interest for Annuals and really increased my growing admiration for Blonde Redhead.

We're Safe and Sound

Friday night at the Granada Theater provided my fourth chance at seeing indie phenoms, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. I first saw them live last year when they played in Dallas at the Gypsy Tea Room, and then caught them twice at SXSW 2006. The band caused a stir in the indie scene with their late 2005 self released eponymous debut. Set around lead singer Alec Ounsworth's warbly vocals (reminiscent of David Bryne), the band adds a lively mixture of keyboards, drums, and great hooks to provide an enjoyable, fun ride through their musical world.

Their set on Friday provided a fairly even mix of songs from their debut and second release, Some Loud Thunder which was released this past January. They started with the playful, carnival-esque song Clap Your Hands! which marked the first time I'd seen them play it live. From the start I noticed the improvement the band showed in stage presence and how well the instruments sounded. The constant touring over the past year definitely showed off the growing maturity in their playing.

Although most of the songs on their second release fail to reach the joyous or trippy highs of the debut, the release in no way should be considered a sophomore slump. CYHSY played several of the stronger tracks like Love Song No. 7 and Emily Jean Stock. The song Satan Said Dance has been in their live routine since I saw them last year, and sounded really solid this time. I was happy to hear In This Home on Ice and Is This Love? off their debut. The best part of the night was the surprise second encore which featured a strong performance of The Skin Of My Yellow Country Teeth. The down side of the show for me was a weakness in the vocals. Now Mr. Ounsworth does have a unique style, but in the past I've been able to understand and follow his lyrics when seeing them live. This was not the case for several of the songs on Friday. That being said, CYHSY is definitely a band I recommend seeing for a fun night of live music.

Radiant Blue

It seems so long ago when Clap Your Hands Say Yeah stormed the indie world with their self-titled, self-released debut album. That was less than two years ago. Since then Brooklyn based band been on countless tours and self-released their sophomore album, Some Loud Thunder. In that time, I've been able to see them a total of four times, including the show at the Granada in Dallas on Friday night. It was great to see the band again and they were every bit as good as I remember them. They played about an hour long set mixing songs from each of the albums. I though the highlight of the set came towards the end when they threw down perhaps the best live version of In This Home On Ice. The band then gave the crowd two electrifying encores including the song I had been waiting for the entire night, The Skin of Yellow Country Teeth. The band has a few U.S. dates scheduled before going to Australia and then on to Europe.

If you aren't familiar with Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, their sound is a modern version of early Talking Heads. I'm sure their probably tired of those comparisons, but I will say that there is nobody else around today whose music sounds like theirs. It's a quirky, electic mix of keyboards and guitars with some excellent base lines. The voice of singer Alec Ounsworth certainly adds a unique dimension to their music.

The opening act was Elvis Perkins in Dearland. I arrived at the Granada a little too late to catch the entire show, but most of what I heard was good. I recall seeing this band at this years SXSW and not being terribly impressed. I have not really determined what about the band's indie folk rock really distinguishes them. But I'd by lying if I said I cannot get their song All The Night Without Love out of my head.

I'll Be Your Badger

If I could use one word to describe my relationship with the Minneapolis band Tapes 'N Tapes it would have to be "elusive". It was around a year ago, somewhere post-SXSW, that I discovered them from their self-released debut LP The Loon. It seemed like for the next few months that this album was all I listened to on my iPod. And in the last year, try as I might, I missed every opportunity to see them live. That was true until Friday night rolled around and I had a ticket to see them at the Granada. Truth be told, I was in a rather sluggish mood from the drinking I had still not recovered from two nights before. But if there is one that you can count on from Tapes 'N Tapes is a high energy live show. They played many of the songs I grew to love from their first album as well as some highly anticipated songs from an upcoming release. One of the unique things I found out about the band that night is that their drummer, Karl Schweitz, seem to give the band's sound that added depth that makes them unique. I left that show full of energy and feeling great.

The first opening band was local band Red Monroe. While I found the band to alright, the vocalist was not at all appealing to me. Next up was the New York band Harlem Shakes. My first exposure to these guys was quite positive. To be honest, B and I were playing some impossible baseball games on the XBox (or whatever) during the opening bands. I'm not much for video games and this baseball game proved it to me once again as B beat me in every match. I'm going back to reviewing concerts.

The Start of Something

We have arrived. This idea that spawned over this years SXSW has finally come to fruition. I, a veteran of the blogosphere, have had an itch to start writing again for some time and that itch was only making itself more apparent as great experiences have been plenty of late. B and I decided to start writing about all of our interests in things like music, movies, books, or whatever. Those that know us know that not only are our interest to be vast, but that we usually tend to be rather trailblazing.

We wanted to give this blog a name that represented us both. We each chose a word that has some meaning to us. Mine (Indigo) has been one of my favorite words as long as I can remember. Some of you reading might remember reading the child of the first project that this word inspired. For B, the word (Blvd.) comes from the title his favorite movie, Sunset Blvd. This ought to prove to be an interesting endeavor. The blog description comes from one our favorite movies.

I hope you all enjoy reading this as much as we will enjoy writing it.