NEWSFLASH! Smoking Is Cool Again!

I was unpacking some of my stuff and I ran across this lighter. I don't even smoke and I have found 2-3, probably a late night UDF purchase. Quality isn't amazing, but it pretty much proves smoking is cool again. What do you have to say about that S.T.A.N.D? Honestly though, that is the some of the most obvious marketing I've ever seen. It is almost embarrassingly obvious. I wonder how many loner/social rejects have come across this brand of lighter and gave it a shot.

/lights up

heh

Songs in my head today:

I had two things stuck in my head today at different times. The first is "My Body is a Cage" by Arcade Fire. I assume it was there because it's so damn good, and in honor of that I've found this neat little video featuring that very song set over scenes from an old western move, "Once Upon a Time in the West" by Sergio Leone. Here it is:



The other thing I had in my head was "Day Man," a 30 second song created by "Charlie" in an episode of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia." Not as serious as the first, but you better believe it's just as awesome ("master of karate, and friendship, for everyone!") I promise you'll be humming it :D



-R.D.

Kangaroos Are Wierd-Looking, And Apparently Relaxed

Have you ever driven down the street to stop at your local bike store only to be starred at by some wanna-be GaNgStER with a "hard" attitude? During this interesting confrontation, I was listening to an Outback Steakhouse ad being played on the glorious "Magic 105.7". Now I knew going into it that it was the Kevin Barnes (Of Montreal) jingle that for some reason exists. However, this time it was different. It was a Father's Day version... Now I love Of Montreal's power pop hooks and indie jams as much as the next guy, but damn. I hope to god he got paid a fair amount of coin for that tomfoolery. Ok, so this obviously got my musical juices flowing, and also caused me to kinda zone out and accidentally return a blank stare that he seemed to misinterpret for a "hard" gangS-T-A-R stare back. I wonder if he wanted to fight me for looking at him. That is pretty impressive, made me wonder what he was listening to. I want to get a hold of whatever it was, because it must be some damn intense stuff if that was his reaction. Then, in a sudden moment enlightenment, I realized he could be listening to Kevin Barnes on that lame ass Father's Day ad. This sensation quickly declined as I passed him in my car only to realize the bike shop had been closed for two hours.

No Rules, Just Right

I went to Ruby Tuesday's later on that night...gg Kevin Barnes, heh.

Not Just Another Nude Remix...oh wait...

So if you have been paying attention to anything besides MTV, you probably know about Radiohead releasing "Nude" to the public for remixization err something. I've listened to a few versions, and they come in a wide variety, from Holy Fuck's rather professional sounding to The Hipster Runoff's counter trendy mockery. But, after cruisin' through the blogosphere, this guy just brought the game to a whole different level, using archaic electronics.



Big Ideas (Don't get any) from 1030 on Vimeo.

Listening to "A Night at the Opera", Thinking About Mercury (uh oh)

I think Freddy Mercury was so popular with the ladies (and men, as it were) because he had the gift of SASS. While at mention of that word you probably were haunted with visions of Rosie Perez (and I sincerely apologize), that isn't at all what I mean. Freddie had ATTITUDE, and his singing was bold and ballsy. This comes from someone who has never seen a video of the man singing--and I don't need to. I can hear his intensity and his passion. But, you say, many singers are passionate and many sing very beautifully! True, says I, but singers today often lack a something, an invisible presence, and that is where I think this "sass" word comes in. When I hear Mercury singing I envision him getting all up in someone's biddness, snapping his fingers in their face and cracking a roguish grin. Weird vison? Yes...perhaps I can phrase it in a less repressed-emotion sort of way: If Freddie Mercury were on American Idol he would silence Simon, make that drunk woman fall off her chair, and make the stereotypically black man say something along the lines of, "dogggg you a bomb-diggit madman." (No offense intended). Modern rock doesn't exist without Queen, and Queen wouldn't be Queen without that not-like-a-barrio-girl-sassy-but-sassy-nonetheless lead singer, Freddy Mercury.

-R.D.

NEWS!: THE MARS VOLTA RE-SCHEDULE!

Ok, here's the situation, I stayed up way to late last night and woke up at like 12 to a phone call from an unknown number. To my surprise it was a recording, a recording that I would later discover had knowledge of the news I had been waiting for. The woman/machine voice told me that The Mars Volta Show on April 18th at the Newport has been rescheduled at a different time and venue. The show will now be held at the Lifestyles Community Pavilion on Sept. 12th! About time we hear something about these guys. Although, I did read somewhere on the Comatorium that someone talked to Omar at the Cleveland show. The guy said he seemed really down and disappointed about the whole situation. At first I didn't really believe it, but the wonderful ticketmaster machine lady told me that people with Newport tickets would be let in early, also there will be a separate line. So, apparently the band cares after all, and I can put my poster back up.

-tony

Random: Yeasayer featured on Pitchfork's "Don't Look Down"

So, I don't know if you've heard of pitchfork.tv... Ha, if you haven't you are probably living under a rock. Anyway, one of the coolest shows they have goin' is definitely Don't Look Down, where bands perform on some rooftop. They have had some pretty sweet artists in the past such as the Thermals, but this week is Yeasayer. They perform a five song set in the frigid weather, and it's pretty rad. Sorry if this is kinda redundant, I've posted quite a few live videos by theses guys, can't get enough.

Here's a vid for 'Sunrise', which sadly tops my video taken during the show a few weeks back. Make sure to check out the rest of the set over at pitchfork.tv