owl a's

Nerves are building as the end of the semester nears. All I can seem to think about is the tiny, pixelated letter grades that I will receive this semester. I sit here surfing the web and editing my blog, when I have 4 papers to write and 2 photography assignments to finish by next Friday. I do this to myself e-v-e-r-y semester. It all will fall(fall) right into place. At least I like telling myself that.

The Books performed this at the Walker Art Center a few years ago. I remember one of the members saying he'd thought it would help his son learn the alphabet, but when he played it for him he just cried.

minnie soda

I love MPLS. It's a cultural epicenter that pumps out some of the best tunes around. I was reminded of this when I received a free Minnesota music sampler download through vita.mn and Copycats media based out of the Twin Cities. Out of all of the talented musicians on the compilation I have a feeling I will be listening to more of Peter Wolf Crier in the future the most. I think radio may be obsolescing due to ideas such as this...

busy b(rain)

I've discovered an obvious habit of neglecting my blog when I feel too busy or when I travel places for the weekend. Whether it's Park Rapids, Duluth, or Minneapolis I always come home and recap all of the wonderful things that took place. After recalling the experiences face-to-face with friends, all I feel there is left to do is regurgitate the stories onto this blog. I publicize them. Validate them. I think I have finally come to appreciate one of the many wonders of the internet tonight.

animal bebes

It's odd (no pun intended) that I haven't blogged about my favorite band of all time yet. Simply put, Animal Collective provides a transcendental musical journey with every listen. Normally, "favorite bands" is a title that is tossed around or attached to your most-listened to band of the month. But Animal Collective has been around to get me through some of the wackiest 7 years of my life, and for that I am truly indebted.

love

POP!

Iggy Pop is a modern day renaissance man with his successes in music, film, and art. He is best known for being the frontman of The Stooges, but continues to have a solo career and has done multiple collaborations with other musicians. In the acting realm, he has had roles in some of my favorite Jim Jarmusch films, Coffee and Cigarettes and Dead Man. He is an American Rock 'n Roll icon that I felt deserved some recognition. Rock on, Iggy.

This single reached no. 5 in the Billboard charts in 1990. Collaboration with Kate Pierson of the B-52's, "Candy"

public living

I watched the documentary We Live in Public a while back with some friends, and it has been permeating my mind ever since. Documentarian, Ondi Timoner, tells the story of "the biggest internet pioneer you've never heard of", Josh Harris. In the 90s, he was famous for conducting experiments involving the internet and how people will sacrifice privacy for 15 minutes of fame. It is a frighteningly accurate projection of how we share our lives on the Internet today and the psychological effects it can have on people. Oh, and the soundtrack rocked. It makes sense that it would though, considering Ondi Timoner also did the documentary Dig! on The Dandy Warhols and Brian Jonestown Massacre. With bands like The Jesus and Mary Chain, David Bowie and Sigur Ros in the soundtrack, We Live in Public provides a surreal, and arguably terrifying glimpse into the future of technology.

Trailerrr

deacon of dance

Another gratifying weekend in Minneapolis has left me feeling fresh and ready to conquer the remainder of the school year. On Friday I saw the electronic wizard, Dan Deacon, perform at The Whole on the U of M campus. The show was great, but what was greater was partying with Dan afterwards. Turns out he is among the shyest and nerdiest people I've ever met. Thankfully, there were plenty of malt beverages to ease the tension and we were able to dance and chat without any hesitations. I was flattered/borderline creeped-out when he started texting me relentlessly after leaving the party. But overall, the night was a total success.

golden

Put your hands on the wheel

Let the golden age begin

Let the window down

Feel the moonlight on your skin

Let the desert wind

Cool your aching head

Let the weight of the world

Drift away instead

These days I barely get by

I don't even try

It's a treacherous road

With a desolated view

There's distant lights

But here they're far and few

And the sun don't shine

Even when it's day

You gotta drive all night

Just to feel like you're ok

These days I barely get by

Loved ones confronting you about apparent personal flaws is a stressful and enlightening experience. I have been avoiding so many things and so many people lately, but I don't even realize it happening. Nothing seems to make sense right now, but the lyrics to "The Golden Age" by Beck seemed to strike some realized truths.

sleepyhead

Have you ever been so tired that you were unable to compose a cohesive sentence? Because that is the state I am in, right now. Another successful weekend passed; we wax and we wane. The last few days have been graced with good friends, bad decisions, wild car rides, and a whole lot of spunk.

Thankfully, Rio En Medio album "The Bride of Dynamite" was here to provide a peaceful soundtrack for the end of a most excellent weekend.

visiting friends

Few things please me more than having friends come to visit. Everyone seems to get in some type of autopilot party mode. Regardless of how little sleep we get, or how miserably we may treat our livers, the weekend unfolds great memories and rocking good times. And the sweet sounds of various Hood Internet mixtapes provide a wicked soundtrack through it all. Party on!

finn fatale

I'm in the midst of writing three essays for a Spanish Grammar course, and the serene sounds of Lau Nau are easing me through it. The Helsinki native singer/songwriter (Lau Nau being short for Laura Naukkarinen) is a trailblazer of the Finnish freak-folk scene, and inhabits a sound that is whimsical in its most outlandish form of the word.

del(ish)

Album artwork is one of those minor but finer arts in life. Just like judging a book by its cover, humans generally enjoy possessing things that are easy on the eyes. However, the raucous and squalid things are sometimes more interesting or likely to make you feel alive.

The High Places vs. Mankind album cover resembles what would be Hulk's vomit in your grandparent's shag green carpet. Yet the album surmounts the playful beauty of any of the band's previous work and introduces a fresh and credulous sound.

check it

miss mpls

I'm sitting at a library in the North Woods, but I'm daydreaming of Minneapolis. With schoolwork piling up, my mind keeps wandering to the busy street corners of Nicollet Ave. Seeing Julian Lynch perform at this gallery a few weeks back is still fresh in my mind.

check it

nothing to worry about

The ubiquitous nature of music has fascinated me since I was young enough to appreciate musicians like Raffi. More recently, listening to the song "Nothing to Worry About" by Peter Bjorn & John after hearing a gunshot followed by a car peeling off outside my house at 1AM brought some comfort to this evening.