So Much to Do

I think I'm gonna stay away from music news for this post. There's just a lot going on in my life right now other than music stuff. My schedule is getting more packed every day. So here's what's on my agenda:

1. I'm co-leading a bible study group at UAB in Blazer Hall every monday. It started last week and I'm really excited about it. I hope the interest around campus will grow in the coming weeks.

2. I'm also getting closer and closer to my trip in December to Romania. For those of you who want to know, the purpose of our trip is to take gift bags and toys for the kids over there. We plan to visit as many hospitals and orphanages as possible. We will also be donating any leftover funds to help students over there pay for a college education.

3. Classes started back recently, which has been crazy. Two of my classes are gonna be pretty tough, but I'm feeling more confident this year that I can buckle down and hopefully make all A's.

4. And also, while this pales in comparison to the other things on this list, I'm finally getting a mandolin. I've debated for a while, and I finally have the money to spend. So, I'm excited about that too. Although, school may hinder my progress for a while.

So that's where I am at this point. This looks to be a promising school year and I'm pumped. I guess we'll just have to wait and see how it turns out.

Back to School

Well, it's been hectic lately. School started back on the 18th. It's good to be back, even if I am living at home. Lots of new concert news to be excited about. The Avett Brothers are playing in Tuscaloosa, which I am extremely pumped about. Also, Fleet Foxes, Iron and Wine, Felice Brothers, and Ingrid Michaelson will all be passing through Birmingham over the next couple of months.

Perhaps the most exciting news (for me anyway) is the release of the new Great Book of John cd. This band is tremendously talented and have become one of my favorites. The best part, though, they're from Birmingham. Hometown heroes. They've been around for a while playing all the hotspots in Birmingham, and are now planning a cd release for sometime in late October. If you haven't heard them, it is imperative that you listen immediately. Check them out here.

This year in music

So, it's been an interesting year in music so far. Lots of interesting new albums from some of my favorite artists can only mean one thing: I've got a lot of concerts to go to. It's gonna be hard to top the first half of this year, but I've got a lot on my schedule. I'm gonna try to remember all of them.

So far this year, I've seen:
Josh Ritter
Ingrid Michaelson
Tom Waits (kind of makes the others seem obsolete)
Wild Sweet Orange
Matt Costa
Delta Spirit
The Great Book of John (best local band)
Stars
Band of Horses
Tyler Ramsey
The Felice Brothers
Justin Townes Earle
McCarthy Trenching
British Sea Power
The Triceratops (another good local band)

And plenty of other opening bands that I can't remember. But if that's not enough, I've already got plenty lined up for the rest of the year:

Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band (twice)
Jenny Lewis (possibly twice)
Say Hi
Ben Kweller
Okkervil River (maybe)


It's gonna be a good year to say the least, and I'm ready for it.

Wild Sweet Orange

Well, it's been a while since my last post. It's taken me this long to come back down after seeing Tom Waits. But now I'm back, and concert season is only getting started. Last Saturday I got to witness for the second time the greatest band to come out of Birmingham (that I know of). I'm talking, of course, about Wild Sweet Orange.

The guys have been gaining some attention across the country and even appeared on Letterman about a month ago. They had their cd release party at Workplay in Birmingham with other local bands, The White Oaks and Monarchs, opening. I have to say that all three bands were impressive. Extremely talented and fun to watch. WSO always play long sets, giving their fans every bit of what they paid for.

The band was in top shape, but the crowd almost made the concert unbearable. Apparently the band has a following of high school kids from the city where they grew up. These kids were obnoxious and obviously cared nothing about the music. They started a mosh pit and pushed people around like idiots. Toward the end of the show, one guy actually jumped from a fence onto the stage before ripping his shirt open and diving into the crowd only to find that no one wanted to catch him. So he hit the floor pretty hard, but jumped back up quickly so as not to tarnish his reputation as a moron.

In summation, the band was awesome, but should consider making their shows 18+. At least for my sake, anyway.

The Man, The Legend, Mr. Tom Waits

Okay, so it's been a while since my last post. I've been having trouble with my internets, but finally my online connection has been restored. That being said, I want to tell you about the greatest concert I've ever been to (this was better than the Flaming Lips, but in a different way). This past Thursday July 3rd, 2008, I witnessed one of my idols. A man full of creativity and individuality. This man, of course, is Tom Waits. I discovered Waits through a friend of mine. I have to admit, I was skeptical at first; his voice is quite unorthodoxed. But over time I learned to appreciate his music for its uniqueness. I hope some of you will give him a chance. Anyway here is the setlist from the show:

Alabama Theatre, Birmingham, Al.July 3, 2008

Lucinda
Ain't Going Down to the Well No More
Way Down in the Hole
Falling Down
Hold on
Chocolate Jesus
Cemetery Polka
Poor Edward
Lie to Me
Hang Down Your Head
All the World is Green
Black Market Baby
Frank's Wild Years
Misery is the River of the World
Tango 'til They're Sore
On the Nickel
Always Keep a Diamond in Your Mind
Innocent When You Dream
Jockey Full of Bourbon
Make it Rain
Jesus Gonna be Here
Cold, Cold Ground
November
Hoist that Rag

Singapore
Dirt in the Ground
Come on up to the House

I enjoyed the set he played. It was a variety of his music spanning most of his career. There were a few that I had only heard once or twice (Poor Edward, November), but the rest were classics I've listened to constantly for about the last six months. He wore a charcoal colored suit with giant boots which he used to stomp on his platform, kicking up white dust as he sang. He talked about everything from spiders, to weasels, and even family reunions. It was well worth the high ticket price, especially when you're on the front row (thanks Ticketmaster). I have never seen a man captivate an entire audience like that. It was almost overwhelming. All I can say is that I hope that maybe one day I'll get to see him again. I've got my fingers crossed.

Indie Rock Elitist

I came across this article the other day by accident and thought it was fitting for this blog. It explains, in detail, how to become an "Indie Rock Elitist" (which I have been accused of many times). Just read it for yourself.

How to Be an Indie Rock Elitist

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Elitism (n) - The belief that certain persons or members of certain classes or groups deserve favored treatment by virtue of their perceived superiority, as in intellect, social status, or financial resources.
If you wish to establish yourself as an indie rock elitist, whose opinions and views are so intimidating that they are to respected by all, then this guide is for you. It is not a simple task, but to the persistant go the spoils. Good luck.

Steps

1. Seek out influential indie albums (regardless of whether or not you enjoy them). Listen to and study them so that you're prepared for conversing with fellow indie rock elitists in the future.
   
2. When you run out of influential albums, try for the most impressively obscure recordings available. If you run out of ideas, you may need to begin listening to groups from other countries, in languages that you don't understand (eg: 60s French pop, popularly known as yé-yé). This is an important facet of advanced eliticism.
   
3. Choose one or two bands (of course, the more obscure, the better) to latch yourself onto. Compare everything else to these bands, and whenever possible, make a point of saying that "[selected band/song/album] is better."
   
4. If you're successful, fellow elitist wannabes will begin to agree with you. Whenever this happens, you need to say something along the lines of "I liked them first." This will help develop both your superiority and your bitterness (a staple of eliticism).
   
5. Establish yourself in your community as an expert on every music-related topic (it doesn't matter whether or not you really know what you're talking about). Once people begin to respect you, you'll need to start using stronger sarcasm and general rudeness to demonstrate your superiority.
   
6. If you're an introverted kind of person (many elitists are), do not fret! Discussing music in person is wholly unnecessary. The internet (online message boards, etc.) can be a fantastic tool for exercising your skills at condemning others' taste, as well as allowing you to learn techniques from well-established, expert elitists.
   
7. If possible, you may want to become associated with a group of like-minded elitists. Your ultimate goal is, of course, to be head of the pack. However, when you're starting out, it can be incredibly helpful to have acquaintences who are willing and able to back you and your opinions up. This will also allow you to form special "indie inside jokes" which will not only annoy others, but also increase your feelings of superiority and general indie compatibility.
   
8. As your evolution begins to take place, it's important to begin using new techniques to distinguish yourself. You'll need to change based upon current trends, keep surprising people with new styles of sarcasm, etc. Stay alert.
   

Tips

• If you're feeling guilty about your constant disapproval of others' music pallettes, simply remind yourself that you are truly superior, and you have a right to attack them in any way you see fit.
  
• Any situation is which music is being discussed, it's important to assert every opinion (baseless or otherwise) that you may have. Seize every opportunity, and you will quickly see results.
  
• No one is to be spared of your criticism. This is difficult, but if you slip up, no one will take you seriously. Gentleness can cause irreparable damage.
  
• While this guide refers specifically to indie music, there's an all-encompassing indie lifestyle that you may choose to pursue. Watching indie films (foreign indie films score extra points), wearing indie clothing, having indie hairstyles and eating indie cereal can all aid you in your quest to be truly indie.
  

Warnings

• People may question your taste. In such cases, just remember to drop as many names as possible, and never accept any criticism. Before you convince others of your knowledge and superiority, you must convince yourself.
  
• Indie eliticism isn't for everyone. You could become isolated from your friends (but then again, if they have bad taste in music, they're probably not true friends), generally despised, etc.
  
• Do not become distracted. As previously mentioned, the goal that you seek requires diligence. Keep your eyes on the prize, and remember that to be an indie rock elitist is to be truly great.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Start a Rock Band
  
• How to Be a Rock Chick
  
• How to Behave at a Rock Concert
  
• How to Choose a Guitar Amplifier for Rock Music
  
• How to Rock out
  
• How to Dance to Rap Music
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Be an Indie Rock Elitist. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

A New Direction

I've started getting into poetry and literature over the last few weeks and though that I would share some of my findings with you. Poetry, especially, has always been a love of mine. Mostly because it requires me to dig deep to understand what's being said. I'm not one of those people who can immediately grasp all the imagery and subtleties that lie within a poem. So here's a poem by one of my favorites, Emily Dickinson. I thought this would be a good one to start off with.

There is no frigate like a book
by Emily Dickinson

There is no frigate like a book
To take us lands away,
Nor any coursers like a page
Of prancing poetry.
This traverse may the poorest take
Without oppress of toll;
How frugal is the chariot
That bears a human soul!

My Music Playlist

Okay, so I finally figured out how to get some music on my blog. I've been listening to a variety of music lately, and this is just a sample. The only place, however, that the playlist would fit is at the bottom of the page, so you'll have to scroll down after reading this.

Hope you guys enjoy. Let me know what you think about the songs or any suggestions for new music. Also everyone can now comment on this blog, not just people who subscribe to it (which is no one).

Oberst vs. Dylan

Well, I think this makes me the 1,275,827,937th person to take on this comparison. I've heard numerous arguments before and against each musician. I even read an article yesterday claiming Eminem was the next Dylan (HA!). I think it's time to settle this debate once and for all.

To say that Bob Dylan is pretty popular is one of the greatest understatements ever made. The man is a legend. He's been making music for five decades and has shown no signs of decline in inspiration. I only wish I had been around during his rise to fame. To witness the man protesting wars and fighting for civil rights. Unfortunately, I wasn't.

However, I've been able to watch the maturity of another young musician from Omaha, Nebraska. The lead singer of Bright Eyes and now touring with The Mystic Valley Band, Conor Oberst has been recording since he was thirteen years old. Starting off with lo-fi recordings of songs obviously written by a thirteen-year old. But ever since his album, Lifted, people have started paying attention to this musical prodigy. His voice and music have both matured over the years and now he finds himself playing indie/folk songs about everything from politics to spiritualism. Politics only recently entered Oberst's cache of song ideas. His song "When the President Talks to God" was aired on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and immediately grabbed the attention of skeptics.

In my opinion, both men are legends. Each in his own time. I can never know what life was like in the sixties when Bob Dylan was king. I can only try to appreciate what music he has given me in my own time. I have to say that I can relate more to Oberst's material and that gives him the edge, for me. People will continue to debate this, but one thing is clear. Each person will have their own opinion, but there will never be a definite answer. People who grew up with Dylan immediately discredit Oberst and call it blasphemy to even consider, without ever listening to what he has to offer. While younger generations claim Dylan is outdated and irrelevant.

Both men are full of talent and amazing songwriters. To argue over who is better is pointless. Why not just enjoy the plethora of albums that these two men have given us? Seriously, I would take either one of these guys over the next Nickleback album that hits #1. Rather than argue who's better, let's just be thankful both are continuing their prolific music careers.

They've Gone Too Far

Ladies and gentleman, I have some very disheartening news to bring you tonight. As I was watching an episode of the Colbert Report it was reported that cookies are no longer the favorite food of children under the age of six. "Who has replaced the cookie?" you might ask. I'll tell you. It's none other than FRUIT.

Seriously, people. Fruit is good, but we're talking about cookies here. To make matters worse, they showed clips of the Cookie Monster from Sesame Street eating bowls of fruit. How ridiculous is that? I have no problem with people trying to be healthy, but this has really gone too far. No one is supposed to prefer healthy foods. They were meant to be a last alternative, only to be eaten if there were NO COOKIES PRESENT.

America may have let me down on this one, but I still have faith that we will continue to be the fattest country in the world. I mean, the amount of McDonald's in this country is slowly approaching the number of people living here. Think about that, your own personal McDonald's. Too bad they only serve salads and grilled chicken now.

This post is completely ridiculous and should not be taken seriously. My brain has been shut down for the day, but I knew that both the people that have been reading this blog needed to know what I was thinking at this exact moment. I hope this post opened your eyes to....if nothing else, the fact that you should watch the Colbert Report. It's one of the funniest shows on television. Really, go watch it right now.

Ladies of the Music World

Lately, I've come across a great variety of female musicians that have really impacted the way I listen to music. I thought it necessary to share my findings by compiling a list. While this is not intended to be an in-depth review of these artists, it is simply a starting point for others to discover their music. I have to say that I used to be a skeptic about female vocalists and thought them to be too "girly" and "poppy". While some are, others bring much more to the table. So here are my favorites:

1. Gillian Welch- I saw Gillian open for Bright Eyes in Nashville at the historic Ryman Auditorium and it was love at first sight. Her voice is captivating and contains that southern twang (although she's not southern) that really captures the essence of her music. Favorite Song: Annabelle.

2. Jenny Lewis- Whether she's rocking with indie group Rilo Kiley or harmonizing with The Watson Twins, Jenny Lewis always delivers. Her voice has tremendous range and can deliver a variety of musical genres. Favorite Song: Born Secular-Jenny Lewis and The Watson Twins.

3. Neko Case- Like Jenny Lewis, Case is a member of multiple bands. Although she is most known for her solo efforts, she also tours with The New Pornographers. Probably the most powerful vocalists I've ever heard. With a piercing voice that cuts through the silence and superb songwriting, she is the alt-country queen. Favorite Song: Maybe Sparrow.

4. Maria Taylor- Like Gillian Welch, I discovered Maria through the band Bright Eyes. She has done vocals on many Bright Eyes records and has two solid LPs of her own. With a new EP released this week, she's rapidly gaining popularity and has been featured on shows like Grey's Anatomy. Favorite Song: Smile and Wave.

5. Ingrid Michaelson- Rounding out the top five is Ingrid Michaelson. While she is a "pop-star", her music does reveal some indie influences, as well. Just off a tour with Josh Ritter, she is now headlining her own tour and catapulting to the forefront of the musical world.

Other Notables: Tegan and Sara, Cat Power, Stars/Broken Social Scene, Pricilla Ahn, She and Him, Regina Spektor, Nicole Atkins, and Tilly and the Wall.

Showers of Confetti

Last night I witnessed what can only be called the greatest thing that has ever happened to Birmingham, Alabama. The event occurred at the City Stages music festival in downtown Birmingham. The culprits were a group of people that call themselves The Flaming Lips. Now, if you haven't heard of them by now, it may be too late. Get to the nearest record store and buy three copies of each album.

The set included: a huge screen playing interesting video montages, a huge gong, strobe lights, and myriad teletubbies (yes, teletubbies). Lead singer, Wayne Coyne, possessed a megaphone that emitted a cloud of smoke into the audience. Not to mention he entered the stage in a massive bubble-ball and proceeded to crawl across a sea of inebriated adolescents whose parents were probably somewhere else in the crowd taking mushrooms. In addition to all of this, huge machines shot hundreds of pounds of confetti into the air throughout the show. Giant balloons filled with confetti traveled across the mass of deranged concert-goers before exploding like a paper-mache bomb. Before the show, their crew gave out hundreds of glow sticks which created a short-lived, mass hysteria. The purpose of the glow sticks wasn't made apparent until about halfway through the set when Coyne demanded that after the next song every glow stick should be thrown directly at him. As the song ended, anticipation built until finally the go-ahead was given, and a shower of fluorescence magnetically gravitated toward the stage.

They played what I would call a "greatest hits" concert. I can only assume that since they have never played in Birmingham, they decided to play their most popular songs to keep the audience engrossed. Their setlist included: The W.A.N.D., Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt.1, Race for the Prize, and Fight Test. Coyne urged the crowd to sing along throughout the show, and many did. Although I've never been a fan of people that sing in concerts, it seemed almost sinful not to join in the bliss that came from synching my words with those of Mr. Coyne.

In summation, the only word I can use to describe this concert is ecstasy (which is ironic considering a kid was carried out near me after an apparent interaction with the drug). The word "concert" just doesn't do justice here. I've been to dozens of concerts and this was like nothing I have ever experienced. It was like an acid trip without the acid. Which makes The Flaming Lips my new favorite drug.

The Happening

First off, let me say that I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. It was written and directed by M Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense, The Village, Signs) who happens to be one of my favorite writers/directors. His movies create an atmosphere of chaos and impending doom with the source usually unknown.
I've seen a lot of bad reviews and disappointed movie-goers concerning this film. I suppose this is due to the media hyping this movie as a Horror film, which it wasn't. The same thing happened with The Village. It was made out to be a gory, blood-filled, horror-fest, and fans were disappointed with the outcome. Why? Because it was a movie intended to scare you without using blood, guts, and gore.
I think Shyamalan did an excellent job with this film and would recommend it if you enjoyed his other works. I was impressed with casting for this film. Mark Wahlberg filled his role adequately, but was not spectacular. Zooey Deschanel, however, was impeccable as Alma Moore. One of her biggest roles to date, and she did not disappoint. She is rapidly gaining popularity, and I jumped on the bandwagon after catching her guest spot on the television series Weeds.
Overall, I would give this movie 8/10 and would definitely see it again. Just know that this is a typical Shyamalan movie intended to frighten with minimalism, not gore.

Blogging

This blog is intended for recreational purposes only. I plan to post movie and music reviews, random thoughts of inspiration, and whatever else I can think up. Feel free to email me with suggestions or ideas. More to come soon. Enjoy.