State Radio- Mr. Larkin, Not 'The Notebook'

Disclaimer: I have a penchant for chick-flicks. I don't know why. I also have a friend that enjoys chick-flicks. For the sake of anonymity, let's say his name is Smate Crawlloway. See, there's not much to do sometimes when "Redbox" is your only option and 'Dear John' is the only available movie.

Absolute imperative to watching a chick-flick while in the presence of another dude.
NO EYE CONTACT.
As we watched 'Dear John' at NO TIME was there ever any eye contact. We are men. We are comfortable in this fact. However, we did not look at each other. Maybe there were droplets of tears coming from Smate's eyes during certain scenes, maybe there weren't. Our eyes were always forward, always on the screen. Total silence. Someone ejected the disc when it was done. Someone drove it back to the Redbox.

I did not see 'The Notebook' with Smate. But I did see it. In the movie theaters. You do not need to know anymore than that.

State Radio's Mr. Larkin has a similar 'Notebook' feel to it if you follow the lyrics closely. Of course, it's sometimes hard to follow the lyrics, just because the musicianship on their tracks is top notch. I've seen State Radio live once. Once is not enough. Maybe they will be offended that I've made such a parallel were they ever to read this. Know this: I. Am. Sorry. Couldn't help myself. Had to get it out there.

State Radio's lead singer, the former lead singer of Dispatch (devastated when they broke up, I must say) has elevated and enhanced his lyric writing with great passion and a heightened social awareness as a member of State Radio. 'Mr. Larkin' is off their 2006 album 'Us Against the Crown'. Their albums susbsequent are also must-haves. This is a kind of "throw back-ish" selection for the blog, but hopefully more of you will look into them.

Disclaimer II: I went to college with the bassist's brother. (Shout to @fatpay, and FatPayInk...follow him on Twitter and Facebook). This was my fortunate introduction to State Radio. It sometimes happens this way; I can't be out in front of everything the way Hannah is.

So when Mr. Larkin is asked won't you give me this try? I feel like I'm asking the same question about this blog. Perhaps Hannah is right, that this is only reaching the "inner circle" (for now?), but eventually, maybe it reaches the masses. So thank you for doing your own part in reading and enjoying.

And giving me this try.

 

Happy Mother's Day with Ryan Montbleau

My brother and I often sit and laugh, looking back on our childhood and our [somewhat] untraditional, [somewhat] crazy, [entirely] wonderful mother. We were the only kids who had homemade curries or falafel or crepes in our Disney lunch boxes instead of PB&J or Chef Boyardee. We’d hover over our trays, hoping the other kids wouldn’t see and feel the need to probe for further explanation. I was the only 2 year old girl in rolled up jeans and plaid flannels, what I am currently wearing as I type this at 24 years of age. She wouldn't dream of cutsie dresses and bows. And the first songs I remember learning the words to were not Old McDonald or Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, but those from Paul Simon’s Graceland album – still one of my favorites.

And people wonder why I am the way I am today.

I thought about asking for Mom’s help with this post, thinking she could be a guest blogger of sorts, in honor of Mother’s Day. Really, though, I already know what she would suggest to the masses James’ inner circle - after all, I am my mother’s daughter – and I don’t feel like explaining the technicalities of blogging and youtube to a woman who spends more time talking to me on the phone in order to figure out how to talk to me via webcam than she does actually talking to me via webcam.

So from my mother (and I) to you, here is Ryan Montbleau.

Happy Mother’s Day.

Sam Quinn + Japan Ten

I was going to post a review of the new Fleet Foxes album, “Helplessness Blues,” that came out this week. The post was finished, complete with a strong opinion and an even stronger (if I do say so myself) mustache metaphor running throughout that would make my middle school English teacher very proud. After writing it, though, I thought better about posting it. There is certainly a time and a place for music reviews. But my half of this blog is not the place. Maybe you would read it and agree or decide to check out the album or what have you. I’d then pat myself on the back for a blog well done. Or maybe you would read it and think I was full of it. And that would be okay too. I’d smile and be thankful that there are lots of different opinions in the world, making life that much more entertaining, and move on with my day. So, in the end, who cares what I think about “Helplessness Blues.”

Besides, I wouldn’t even be saving you any money by offering you a sneak peak. You can listen to the album in it’s entirety (for free!) here: Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues

Instead, I’m going to do you an actual favor in the form of Sam Quinn + Japan Ten, a band that you probably wouldn’t just happen to stumble upon or see hashtagged (James, is that correct vernacular?) on twitter. Sam Quinn is one half of the former everybodyfields (Jill Andrews, the other), who broke my heart when they broke up in 2009. Their album “Nothing is Okay” is one of my favorites of all time. It is so utterly, simply, beautifully painful to listen to. Every word hurts. It physically hurts me inside. Sometimes I think I’ve played it enough times to be numb to it, but I am wrong every time. I wallow in it for hours, a glutton for the punishment, because the album is just. that. good.

Jill Andrews and Sam Quinn both have solo albums but his just has that intangible something that made me love [and hate] [and keep running back to] “Nothing is Okay.”

I enjoy this, I hope you do too. But maybe you won’t. And that’s okay too.

Not from the Commercials: Phoenix- Lasso

Fear not (unsuspecting)masses (all 12 of you in America---Hi there!! and 2 of you in Germany---Guten Tag!!). If you've been wondering, "When will he get off this bands-from-the-other-side-of-the-pond kick?" today you have your answer.

Not today.

Making it three for the last three posts (We Were Promised Jetpacks- Scotland, Two Door Cinema Club- Northern Ireland) today's band, Phoenix, hails from France.

And I know what you're thinking: Phoenix? He can't mean Phoenix? As in the band that said "yes" more times to allowing Lisztomania's use in product and sit-com commercials than the girl that sat in the front row of English class senior year?

Waaait for it...You know the one...Moving on.

Naturally, then, the reaction is, "What on 'Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix' is worth my reading and listening time?" Well, funny you should ask. I've thought about that for you. And it only occurred to me after listening to all of 'Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix' this weekend with someone else (as I turned it on naively thinking it would be harmless enough) to realize that 'Lasso' is sneaky in all the ways that 'Quiet Little Voices' isn't.

I put on Phoenix for the upbeat bass, the not so heavy guitars, and the voice of a lead singer that iPod thought it could easily market across all demographics. So really, how penetrating could've the music turned out to be? Let's just say when 'Lasso' came on I definitely had a I-won't-turn-this-if-you-don't-turn-this moment that I know I felt, and hoped the other person didn't.

Fact is, when your main song is used for hocking mp3 players, the world might never know there's something more to your band. Heck, you even win yourself a Grammy despite "selling out" to the mp3s gods. Life is good. Until you drop lyrics like Forever is a long long time when you've lost your way on the unsuspecting masses; causing them to trip as if on uneven sidewalk cement during their afternoon stress-relief jog, drop their precious mp3 player, and helplessly watch as it cracks on the uneven sidewalk cement like a walnut.

Appropriately, in its current condition, the mp3 player closely resembles not only the cracked, uneven sidewalk cement, but also your post-'Lasso' view of Phoenix.

So, in that sense, I can't really tell you if I like 'Lasso' more because I didn't hear it on every commercial for a solid nine month rotation, or because it speaks a clearer truth than I ever could when it says Forever is a long long time when you've lost your way to the person you're listening to it with. Hoping they didn't hear the same.   

Phoenix- Lasso (Live at Stubb's)

We Were Promised (an explanation) Jetpacks- Quiet Little Voices

I've thought about the setup of this blog. Should I put the video first? Let the people see and listen to it? Would they like to listen to it as they read the entry? Should I put the lyrics I'm going to use first and then the video both at the top? Just the lyrics at the top and save the video for last? Do I even need lyrics? You see, it goes on and on like this, and I'll save you from all the rest.

And there are those of you that don't even care much for the setup at all, but have been wondering from the outset, "Just what does he mean by 'Outside the Parentheses'?" Well, it's kind of like putting the lyrics and the video at the very beginning; if I had told you everything about this infinitesimally small piece of webspace and everything that goes into its making from post #1; would you even still be here? Well, maybe (hopefully).

So your explanation goes something like this--I had to write a paper and all the important, background information I wanted to give my reader wasn't necessarily important to the main thrust of the paper, but the reader needed to know about it in order to connect-the-dots to my conclusion. As a result, the connect-the-dots information went inside parentheses, normally at the end of sentences or wherever I could squeeze useful information in.

And I thought, isn't this perfect? So much of what we want to say in our daily interactions, when we clarify our off-hand comments, draw conclusions, and generally keep conversations moving with one another from Point A to Point B relies on facts that we assume (inside the parentheses) to get where we want to go. Outside the parentheses.

And then I thought, isn't this perfect? Here I am, doing something I've been doing forever. (I'm young again.)

The subject in We Were Promised Jetpacks 'Quiet Little Voices' lets us in on some of those inside the parentheses facts: (I'll fall for you...I'll die for you...I will run for you, I'll come for you). And even with that desire, the result is only a 'quiet little voice.'

It is quiet. It is strong. It is purposeful. You can hear it every time lead singer Adam Thompson's voice sings the chorus. Those voices, the actual words, are different for all of us. You know the desire in his voice; and maybe, just for a minute, you find yourself singing the chorus. You already know the words.

Put your headphones on for this song. Turn the volume up. Loud.

It will take you back to that place.
You will remember when you last used that 'quiet little voice.'

For me? (I'm young again.)
When I said things like, (I'll come for you.)
First. Instead of second.

Two Door Cinema Club- Live From Coachella 2011 and a Hamster

I had envisioned big things for this blog; followers, accolades, prizes, segue to writing for Rolling Stone. You know, all of the visions of grandeur that normally go with signing up for some free webspace and having (virutally) unlimited access to bands and musicians via YouTube. It only made sense that effort should have been commensurate with that desire. But, if you saw my first post, you would've predicted (as I did) that it was going to be my first and last post. 


I had envisioned a grand entrance, announcing my motivation behind starting the blog (love of music), my goals (export love of music to the masses one video at a time) all the while sprinkling in personal anecdotes to engage my readers (at last count 7, and I think that's 3 views for me and 4 for Hannah, but more on her later). To put it plainly, my first post was half-assed, but I'm not deleting it. I love the song, and from here on out, that post will be the motivation to do better. That is the bar ladies and gentlemen, and the bar is set low...very, very low. 


As for Hannah? She finds great music and even finds a way to weave a journey for grilled cheese into the storyline. That is what I'm working with...and that bar, ladies and gentlemen is set high...very, very high. 


It just so happened that the weekend I spent in the library (grad student about to graduate! moving back home! more blog posts!) a few weeks ago was the one in which YouTube broadcasted various bands at Coachella. Needless to say, little (if any) work got done. I did, however, get the chance to see some amazing bands play live, so kudos to YouTube for the live streaming. Among them? Two Door Cinema Club. Loved the performance, loved the lead singer's voice, and as you'll come to find out; I'm a lyrics guy. The lyrics have to be there, and I loved them too. These jumped out at me, the very first lines:


In a few weeks
I will get time
To realise it's right before my eyes
And I can take it if it's what I want to do


The world is suddenly full of possibility, the prospect of graduating and forging my own path. Plus, the peppy beat that TDCC provides is a great source of energy, even for those situations when I've felt like a hamster on the grad school wheel. I believe these guys could convince that grad school hamster that he could run the wheel through his glass enclosure, out of the library, and onto the street. I am very close to running that wheel through the glass, if it's what I want to do. 


Their performance was my final motivation to start this blog. Hannah encouraged it that same weekend, and now here we are. I'm going to try to get her to blog on more than just a weekly basis, and until then, I'll be using the opportunity (and free-ish webspace) to continue posting and refining a blogging craft, until I can infuse a great band with a grilled cheese sandwich. Without much further ado, I present to you Two Door Cinema Club- "What You Know--Live From Coachella 2011."

   

Lost in the Trees

Last year, after a series of unfortunate events involving a very handsome drummer and a very small town (I think it’s best if I leave it at that), I swore off supporting blogs and public internet communications of all varieties. So when James came to me and suggested we join forces to start a music blog to share feelings and opinions and new music finds with the masses, I was not thrilled about the idea. But, alas, he and his sneaky lawyer ways had me convinced pretty easily.

After this blogging hiatus, I had high hopes for the first of my contributions. I wanted to set some high standards for what was to come. Maybe I’d go with some sort of theme each week or try to see a live show every week and write about it. Maybe I would pick the best new album released each week and research the band. Or maybe, just maybe, I would take too many cheap tequila shots in premature celebration of Cinco de Mayo and be too hungover to even think about anything except finding the perfect grilled cheese sandwich, a feat that would span hours and miles across the greater San Diego area and render my evening completely useless.

So here it is. My first post. Slightly less ambitious than I had hoped and far more anticlimactic. No theme, no review of a live show, no wit or charm by any stretch of the imagination. Just a video of a band that I truly love and that I truly believe you will love too.

Lost in the Trees.

Luckily, in my opinion, there is not much that needs to be said about this band. The music simply feels good the way it moves around inside of you. As if the tiny, inconsequential moments of your life could feel as epic. And, if you should be so lucky to be within a day’s drive of their live show, it will be worth every penny you spend on the gas. Unlike my grilled cheese.