Simon & Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water

Remember February 1970? That was a cold winter. Simon & Garfunkel make no bones about it, this album is for the winter. Came out in February and look at that damn cover. I think Paul is being attacked by a Yeti from behind. Anyway, I popped this album on last week. I'd say it's been a couple of years since I listened to it and man, it brought me back. There is not a single bad track, besides "Bye Bye Love", but that's a bonus CD track, so it doesn't count. 

My favorites? "Keep the Customer Satsified", "Cecilia", "The Boxer", and shamefully (Thanks Dr. Zach Braff for ruining it) "The Only Living Boy In New York". Can't forget "Baby Driver". Shit, did I just mention the whole album? Yeah close to it.

Ok, the only weirdness of this album is the track order. It's like S&G made a 11-Sided dice with all the track names, smoked a splif (they would have had to make the dice first before smoking or maybe the dice idea came from another stoner experience), and then rolled the dice. It starts off with "Bridge Over Troubled Water" which initially you're like "Why would you start an album off with the most depressing song? This is clearly 'last song' material. And then by the middle of the song you're like they're geniuses!" THEN, a few more tracks go by and you think you just put the album on shuffle. So, the flow is strange. But, it is clearly a hit–at the Money Store. 

Joanna Newsom - Ys (2006)

OK - let's just say up front that this is most certainly not a rock record. Let me also guess that you will either love or hate this record, and that's fine, I'm expecting disparaging comments for this one, but I stand by my choice, this album is great.  Her voice is more palatable on this album as well.  

You're like, I didn't know Marty liked Modest Mouse. Well, I'm not a fan. But, this new track is hot. Plus, it's got Johnny Marr (Smiths) and James Mercer (Shins) on it. It's got a Psycho Killer vibe to it.

[audio:mm_florida.mp3] 

Oh snap, pulled the wool over your eyes Danny Noonan. He gave me a sample of the new Dinosaur Jr album and now I'm writing about it. Oh well, I gave credit where credit is due-due, right? Anyway, it's the first album with the original lineup and comes out in May. I would love to say they have matured and it's totally different than anything Dinosaur Jr. has put out. But instead, it's Dinosaur Jr. being Dinosaur Jr: good alt. tracks with mascis guitar solos.

[audio:beenthereallthetime.mp3] 

Yesterday the inevitable happened. My iPod died. It would have been 4 years old this April. It had a good life. From lonely subway rides to dance parties, we've been through a lot.  It felt like yesterday, that I opened that box and held it in my hands for the first time. The touch of its metal back against my naked palms. My sensitive thumb-touch scrolling through it's wavy album tracks…

Anyway off to the Apple store.

Grizzly Bear - Yellow House (2006)

Check out this album folks, I'm liking it and that's all you need to know.  These guys get lumped into the "psychadelic -folk" category, but its much more subdued and lush than that implies.  Think Iron & Wine meets Radiohead on Valium.

Should be the name of the new album for Dr. Dog. But that would be stupid. Instead they went with We All Belong. Here's a fancy track from it:

[audio:drdogmyoldways.mp3]

[audio:m_ward_togohome.mp3]

i haven't really been all that in to new music for a long long time.  i've pretty much had the same response to the question "what have you been listening to?" for the past 6 years.  i hear about new bands like, what is it - clap your hands somethin or other? - and when i listen to bands like that, they sound good, but i so rarely feel moved, ya know? i can't explain what exactly happened, but i lost most of my interest in music.  part of it is just that i started to feel totally inundated by bands.  we've all talked about this before, but the internet and the mainstreaming of indie/punk rock have removed a lot of the joy of finding new music . i'm sure there's tons of awesome stuff out there, but after a while,  simply stopped searching for it.  at first it really bothered me - this indifference to the thing that used to mean the world to me.  but eventually, i just got used to it.  but today i heard something that really really moved me.  it's by M.Ward - i've heard his name mentioned before, but i've never stopped to listen closely.  ya'll have probably already heard this, but holy shit, i think this track is totally fucking beautiful.     

Just started watching this season's Extras. Little more slapstick and a little more depressing at the same time. Funny all around. Oh, so to make it music related here's a clip of David Bowie on Extras.

NEW Ted Leo is coming out soon. Here's a track from the new album Living With The Living:

[audio:The Sons of Cain.mp3] 

http://superalright.com/work/movs/otherMusic.mov  

this one's actually funnier. it kinda has that "brother x has no mercy for those who misbehave" feel to it. 

I saw this diamond commercial during the Christmas season, but didn't realize it was Cat Power. And, that it's a cover of Cat Stevens. Anyway, old news:

Danny Noonan and I are rolling out the red carpet and heading over to the 2007 Plug Awards hosted by David Cross (who I bumped into fairly recently at the world famous Cherry Tavern). Anyway, Stephen Malkmus will be playing. So, get your tickass boys and ghouls! Oh, it's at Irving Plaza.

* Stephen Malkmus w/ Janet Weiss (Sleater-Kinney) on drums
* Deerhoof
* Tokyo Police Club
* Silversun Pickups
* El-P

Here's some helpful links:

Irving Plaza

Service-Charge-Up-The Wazoo-Ticketmaster

Plug Awards

UPDATE: 

The rumormill tells me, "Basically from what I heard, all the other bands play about 15 minutes, some indie music awards are given out by david cross, and then Malkmus plays for about an hour." Malkmus is playing at Maxwell's the next day on Sunday. The shit sold out in a day.

Secret Machines - Now Here Is Nowhere (2004)

I've been loving this album recently.  It's a few years old but new to me - very heavy percussion, arena rock power, with moments of psychadelic brilliance. Think Flaming Lips with balls. Sure it's derivitave as hell, but what isn't?  I also like that this is not just a collection of songs, but rather it holds together as a coherent album. Be sure to check it out.

ok i can play this game… i am in orlando florida, in resort hell.  friggin resorts.  they came up with this great idea to have a bunch of hotel rooms around a man made lake that smells like puke.  fuck yeah mickey mouse.  if it's man made, then how the hell can they be elements? ok so the point of this blah… is my FIVE STAR rating songs that are on my itunes as of january 6, 2007… here we go, let's see where we go with this.

billy by bad religion. billy was a lunatic just like his old man.

[audio:14 Billy.mp3]

cover's blown b &S duh, of course… i have to be honest, but redundant.

[audio:01 Your Covers Blown.mp3] 

we are the sleepy heads b&s

[audio:07 We Are The Sleepyheads.mp3]

electric reneissance b& s

[audio:05 Electric Renaissance.mp3]

well fed fuck born against

fortunately gone breeders

[audio:07 Fortunately Gone.mp3]

why can't i touch it buzzcocks

serrated edge dead milkmen… just a right wing pidgeon from outer space.  hey do you guys know who mori amsterdam is?  mory amsterdam can make a saine man crazy, mory amsterdam can make a nice guy kill.  so who is ari halmerstam?  they mnamed a bridge after him going to the brooklyn bridge. 

 i must go now.  i need to consume.  with all that consume of consumption.  i swam today though, can you say u did that?  i am up to the D's.