I thought the performance at the VMAs was visually interesting, but the song was kinda boring and disappointing. I kept expecting it to break out into truly mind-zapping territory, like "B.O.B.", or something. I felt similarly about the mp3 at first, but then I found myself listening to it like twenty times in a row whenever I would cue it up. Now I realize it is fairly mind-zapping precisely because it does not try too hard to do so. It remains low-key and restrained despite the obvious urgency and desperation. Dumb analogy, but in that way it reminds me of the Boss's Nebraska.
Anyway, if you haven't heard it, download and give it a listen.
I figured DJ would get this; guess he's out of the office today?
So Will Sheff of the band Okkervil River hypes Still Flyin' on Pitchfork today. They must take good care of themselves, 'cuz he thought they was a bunch of kids. What he says:
>> Favorite New Band
We were flying to Australia, and I was sitting on the plane next to this girl, and I struck up a conversation with her. She said, "Why are you going down to Australia?" and I told her I was going to play a festival, and she said, "Oh, I'm going to play the festival, too!" She was 19 or 20 years old, and it turns out that she plays in this band called Still Flyin', who we saw play at the festival, and it was the most fun I've had at a show in quite a while. It's just about the least pretentious music you could ever imagine. It's about 15 to 20 kids on stage-- and I mean kids, too, like 18 to 24-- and they're playing this kind of party ska music. It's extremely imprecise, they're throwing boogie boards into the audience, it's very, very silly. It's just about the least critic-friendly music you can imagine, but it's very fun to watch and you kind of have to surrender to it at a certain point. I really enjoyed seeing them. And we've actually played some other festivals with them.
So tomorrow at 7:30 AM I hop on a bus and head down to New York City. Over the next four days my brothers and father and I shall:
1. See the UNC - Rutgers game in New Jersey on Thursday night; 2. Drive overnight to Cooperstown and spend as much time at the MLB Hall of Fame on Friday; 3. Go see one of the last ever games at Yankee Stadium on Saturday, when the Yanks host the AL East division leading Tampa Bay Rays; 4. see the Patriots take on the Jets in New Jersey.
I scratched that last one 'cuz I can't make it. Dad and the bros will be there, but I'll be on another bus headed back to Boston.
I was surprised by her speech. It was like listening to some talk radio asshole, what with all that condescension and snarkiness. I'd think that would only drive away all but the Republican base, who they don't have to worry about losing anyway. Hopefully the GOP won't successfully scare the media away from doing their god-damn job, but after these last eight years there's no reason to expect otherwise. Anyway, all around this whole Palin thing is pretty damn cynical and embarrassing.
¶ posted by darkness at 10:45 AM
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
things I've written
1. in last week's Weekly Dig: a review of the great video game Braid; 2. in this week's Flagpole: a review of the new Clawjob ep Manifest Destiny; 3. also in this week's Flagpole: the latest Singularity column, with reviews of vinyl singles (including one 10-inch, which kinda runs counter to the thing's subtitle, but we're working on that); 4. in this week's Weekly Dig: a review of the video game Too Human, which is currently not on-line, but will be linked to whenever possible.
¶ posted by darkness at 5:33 PM
MESMERIZATION ECLIPSE RADIO:
Elliott is on AM 1690 the Voice of the Arts on Monday nights from 7-9PM for Radio Undefined
Crews is on WXDU on Tuesday mornings from ten to noon
Dark doesn't want to own her, but he can't let her have it both ways.
Cocaine Bref is proud of his island heritage & will riff with you.
Elliott is sufficiently breakfast. PS3 ID: ATLbloodfeast
Crog works in the bullshit industry in Hollywood. He was born on May 7th, 1978.
Jerkwater Johnson (friend to CT Jake Motherfucker) lives in San Francisco. He likes snacking, and the Mets, and is the proprietor of a bar called Duck Camp.