some of us can only live in bubbles

norway norway norway

This song has been out for a while, as a precursor to the release of 'Teen Dream' several weeks ago. This video mixes the song with live clips of the group and shots of 'Valerie and Her Week of Wonders.' The upbeat tempo of this song doesn't wuite match the quiet strangeness of this film, but it makes me smile nevertheless.



Also, this is a Czech film, not Norwegian. But who is keeping track at this point anyway?

pressing

I never update with newly released music. So why should today be any different? It has been a difficult week. And a difficult week deserves a difficult composer. I don't feel that this song is 'difficult,' though. It is soothing and sad. (For the record, I find all composers difficult.)

It somehow fits both my snow flurried drive home from work on Tuesday and the cold but sunny commute today. Why must winter be so hard? Even small peeks of sunshine that should be refreshing have a melancholy quality to them. Night will fall and the cold will soak back in.



Here is a song by Nico Muhly. When your hot little baby tears get the best of you, try to add an air of sophistication to them. Maybe you are crying for a reason, something bigger than just being frustrated and overwhelmed. Maybe not.

Nico Muhly - A Hudson Cycle

Love keeping busy, love keeping busy at any old cost

Needless to say this blog has been a ghost town for the past few months. I could attribute it to working or all out laziness... Or a combination of the two?

There have been many things I have wanted to share in the past few weeks. But today I have to post this new Fiery Furnaces video for 'Even in the Rain'. It has John Oliver of the Daily Show in a cameo portraying Rip Torn. And Matt and Eleanor do a sweet high five in the midst of a piano break down. Yeah!

The Fiery Furnaces - Even in the Rain from Thrill Jockey Records on Vimeo.

I'm Going Away is out now on Thrill Jockey Records.

I found the P

It's finished!



I found the P is a 56 page black and white handbook on making art, finding inspiration and fighting doubt and despair. It is finally finished and available for sale now. It includes 18 black and white illustrations that showcase my work from the past three years.
Click here to buy from Etsy.com

I found the P is almost entirely hand written in my writing and thus is difficult to read at times. A print version will be available at some point in the near future.

plain and simple, in that order

Little Wings - So What?

I moved to this new city. "So what?" you might say. Still, I haven't found a job. And I get lost on city buses but love to take the trolley. It is easier and I ride backwards everywhere watching everything get smaller and sucked into the distance. Woosh woosh so what!

I went to an interview downtown and changed into dress attire in a broken down McDonald's. I ate a sandwich after the call simulation and interview was completed. I drank chocolate milk and watched people wait for a bus. So what.

I went to a sports bar and drank gin and tonics where they told me "hey, it's always happy hour here!" and I said uh-huh so what, so what. We ran to the T before it got dark so I wouldn't get lost. We made it! Sarah fell asleep on the train and we almost missed our stop and the operator said $2. I shoved it in the little machine thinking "so what..." but I had spent $6 total taking the T that day.

I walked down to BP or AM/PM to get a half gallon of milk. The first time I left the house in two days! I could not find my keys. Tearing apart my room, I emptied all of the bags and purses I had used in the past four days... No sight of them. Finally I went to my front door and opened it. There the keys were, jingling in the deadbolt. I laughed and thought 'so what'.

i'll mess up my color just to feel you correct it

Recently I read a way to make a simple home air conditioning system. It involved one large bag of ice, a powerful fan and a tray to empty the bag of the ice into. After placing the ice in the container, turn the fan on high. The coolness put off by the ice rises into the air and is blown into your face by the fan. This can be pretty messy and only lasts a short while.

If you are searching for other ways to cool down this summer, I suggest Melbourne, Australia's The Crayon Fields. Forming in 2002, the band put out their first LP in 2006 called Animal Bells. In September they will release their second full length called All The Pleasures of the World.



Reminiscent of The Beach Boys and The Zombies they are a great way to shake down this summer. Click on the links below to download your own 1960's pop cool. No fan required.

Crayon Fields - Voice Of Paradise from Geoff O'Connor on Vimeo.

The Crayon Fields - All the Pleasures of the World
The Crayon Fields - Living So Well

you'd stay home, oh, if only they'd let you

I will preface this by saying I usually like books and writing in general not because they are good, but because I somehow managed to read them. That somehow by reading them and making it through the texts they become 'good' to me.

So sad, really.

But I am pretty sure that JD Salinger is good. I'm sure of it. And I love Nine Stories. Mostly I love "Uncle Wiggily in Connecticut."

1948. Things were very different then. But parts of this remind me of how I manage to reminisce about college. The dialogue reminds me of the way memories are recollected together, especially among women.

I'm not saying that in my life I have much to do with either of these characters. But I am vastly interested in them.

"Well, wudga marry him for, then?" Mary Jane said.

"Oh, God! I don't know. He told me he loved Jane Austen. He told me her books meant a great deal to him. That's exactly what he said. I found out after we were married that he hadn't even read one of her books. You know who his favorite author is?"

Mary Jane shook her head.

"L. Manning Vines. Ever hear of him?"

"Uh-uh."

"Neither did I. Neither did anybody else. He wrote a book about four men that starved to death in Alaska. Lew doesn't remember the name of it, but it's the most beautifully written book he's ever read. Christ! He isn't even honest enough to come right out and say he liked it because it was about four guys that starved to death in an igloo or something. He has to say it was beautifully written."

***

Belle & Sebastian - Put the Book Back on the Shelf

best of: gentleness

I love Loney, Dear. And I have written of him, of them at least one time already.

"To be able to cope with life you have to see the dark side...
And we need sad music."

Emil Svanängen



I really enjoy this short documentary on the band. I enjoy the way he speaks... There is something about the way a non-native English speaker explains things. It is special, always poetic and straight to the point.



Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy this mP3. I think this has a much different tone and tempo than any previous work by Mr. Dear.

Loney, Dear - Airport Surroundings

weeping rock, rock

It is a signal morning in some ways.

Even though it is 1:13pm. Even though I haven't showered or brushed my teeth.

Even though they say they don't like poetry--they don't like love poems.

I wake up in the worst ways.



Circulatory System - Signal Morning 2

I'm melting okay

It's usually the cold weather that spikes the forever running sap of my bottoming out in the areas of love, tenderness and overall efghuuuooooh.

However, on this rare June evening, sticky with the ceiling fan's ineffective twirlings, I find this bullshit seeping out of me. Frustrated, forlorn and still tinged with the red of pillow marks from a five hour nap, I can feel the usual ache that seems to follow me.

Drink, drink, drink all of the wine in the world and all of the pink champagne. It's what happens to you in the evening, in the night, when there is nothing but hums and whispers and sighs.

Drunkenly, I seem to find the perfect life-encompassing metaphor in the differing advice provided in what to do in case of a bear attack.


drawing by Paul B. Drohan

Some say to tower your hands above your head, making your body taller and larger in hopes of intimidating the bear. This way, the bear will see you as an equal threat, or even a greater one than he. Somehow he will know to continue on.

Conversely it has also been advised to curl your body into a small, lifeless ball. That by somehow folding your arms and legs you will make yourself seem as tiny as possible, disappearing into the forest green. To play dead, taking shallow breath upon shallow breath until the bear believes, and often you as well, that you have ceased to exist, or never did in the first place.

And as we all go on living and dreaming, I find myself stuck between the two plans, waiting for my bear attack to see what it is that I really am.

-----------------------------------------------------

The Softies - Stormy Weather
Bishop Allen - Butterfly Nets

Scener ur ett äktenskap (1973)

I wanted to write a little bit about the genius of Ingmar Bergman's Scenes From a Marriage. I'm not classy enough to have seen many of his films so this is my introduction to him. This began as a television miniseries and then they cut it down to make a movie. Both are available... I happen to be watching the mini series version.

I wanted to find a video clip but I cannot find any with English subtitles.

It is so good and so intense and I really do recommend watching it. And unlike these stills, it is in wonderful 1970's color film.










Ingmar Bergman shooting Scenes From a Marriage with Erland Josephson and Liv Ullmann.

And some accompanying Swedish songs. One by the Acid House Kings, a great Swedish pop outfit. Another by the one and only Jens Lekman.

Acid House Kings - Save it for the Weekend
Jens Lekman - Psychogirl

fan made video contest winner

I haven't been updating much since I've been super busy. but this is one of the best things I have seen in a while.

and god knows I love that m83.



to read about the the teenage design collective that created the video, click here.

they call them killer whales

Two new videos from two upcoming albums that will be some of the best of 2009, surely. First we have Neko Case's "People Got a Lotta Nerve," followed up by Camera Obscura's "French Navy."

Neko will be in Columbus, Ohio on April 23rd at the Newport. Is anyone going? I might need a ride...

in the flesh

I have been listening to some very good live Final Fantasy tracks. They make me very happy and excited. If you haven't listened to Owen's 2 new EP's 'Spectrum, 14th Century' and 'Pays to Please' yet, you should.

This live track is a rendition of 'Hey Dad' and flows effortlessly into 'The CN Tower', with much excitement from the audience. It is lovely.

Final Fantasy - Hey Dad / The CN Tower (Live from Denton, TX)


courtesy of tomcramond

nana grizol

honoring my music blog unbeknownst to them! via their Myspace page.



They are playing Pittsburgh tonight. I just fed my dog ham sandwiches. Hey, her food is in my father's car. And I don't eat ham, so no loss.

Alas!

Nana Grizol - Circles 'Round the Moon

heart of chambers

Beach House - Heart of Chambers

This video is beautiful. I felt compelled to capture some still images. I love all of Beach House's videos... Go here to watch them. Directed by Victoria's brother, Alistair Legrand.

oldies station

It's Thursday! And why not hear a song entitled 'Thursday' on a Thursday? It's Asobi Seksu.. Off of the great CD entitled 'Citrus'. This is not exactly new. 2006. But it's a first listen for me. And I just realized they remind me of a poppy Slowdive which means I feel like I died and went to heaven.

Asobi Seksu - Thursday

Another old school track I've been digging on is this Ms. Case track entitled "Margaret vs. Pauline." My sweet grandmother's name is Pauline. But everything is not easy for her, as this track claims.

Neko Case - Margaret vs. Pauline

Mirah, Grizzly Bear, Final Fantasy and Camera Obscura releases coming this year.

Right click and select 'Save Link as...' to download tunes.

ready for a funeral

There is immense pressure to change everything about myself and my life currently right now. Get out of this house, maybe out of the town.. And to get out of debt and find a job.

But all I can think about are kitchens. And bookcases. I just have a huge need for bookcases and even more clutter. I could just let things engulf me and hide under them forever.

Winter makes the worst of us sometimes. We have to dig deep to find the part of oneself that can remain motivated.

These songs are not of positivity. I haven't cracked into that piece of myself. I'm working toward it. Instead, this is a stuck in maple syrup on repeat backwards drowning in it. DOS computer games. Sigh.

Dirty Projectors - Finches' Song at Oceanic Parking Lot
Kid Cudi - They Prayer (featuring Band of Horses' 'Funeral')

the best compilation. ever.

I am very pleased to write about a new two disc compilation coming out on February 17th. It's entitled Dark Was the Night. Here is the official info:

Aaron and Bryce Dessner of The National produced the album, and John Carlin, the founder of the Red Hot Organization was the executive producer. A total of 32 exclusive tracks have been recorded for the compilation. It will be available as a double cd/triple vinyl/download and will benefit the Red Hot Organization - an international charity dedicated to raising funds and awareness for HIV and AIDS. Red Hot was founded on the premise that even without a cure, AIDS remains a preventable disease – and music is a great vehicle to raise money and awareness for it. This is the 20th year of Red Hot, and this is the 20th release!

Tracklisting--

THIS DISC (DISC ONE):

1. "Knotty Pine" - Dirty Projectors + David Byrne
2. "Cello Song" - The Books featuring Jose Gonzalez
3. "Train Song" - Feist and Ben Gibbard
4. "Brackett, WI" - Bon Iver
5. "Deep Blue Sea" - Grizzly Bear
6. "So Far Around The Bend" - The National
7. "Tightrope" - Yeasayer
8. "Feeling Good" - My Brightest Diamond
9. "Dark Was The Night" - Kronos Quartet
10. "I Was Young When I Left Home" - Antony with Bryce Dessner
11. "Big Red Machine" - Justin Vernon + Aaron Dessner
12. "Sleepless" - The Decemberists
13. "Stolen Houses (Die)" - Iron & Wine
14. "Service Bell" - Grizzly Bear + Feist
15. "You Are The Blood" - Sufjan Stevens

THAT DISC (DISC TWO):

1. "Well-Alright" - Spoon
2. "Lenin" - Arcade Fire
3. "Mimizan" - Beirut
4. "El Caporal" - My Morning Jacket
5. "Inspiration Information" - Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings
6. "With A Girl Like You" - Dave Sitek
7. "Blood Pt. 2" - Buck 65 Remix (featuring Sufjan Stevens and Serengeti)
8. "Hey, Snow White" - The New Pornographers
9. "Gentle Hour" - Yo La Tengo
10. "Amazing Grace" - Cat Power
11. "Happiness" - Riceboy Sleeps
12. "Another Saturday" - Stuart Murdoch
13. "The Giant Of Illinois" - Andrew Bird
14. "Lua" - Conor Oberst with Gillian Welch
15. "When The Road Runs Out" - Blonde Redhead & Devastations
16. "Love Vs. Porn" - Kevin Drew

Look above and two of the songs above are linked to MP3s for your previewing enjoyment. The compilation's MySpace will be streaming a new track from the double disc set every day:

http://www.myspace.com/DarkWasTheNight

I encourage everyone to buy this compilation. It's going to a great cause and has so many phenomenal tracks!