Music is Math

Viva Radio Electronic Mix

2009-11-09T18:19:00.000-08:00

My friend works at American Apparel and was sick of the music they play on Viva Radio. She asked me to make a playlist, only requirement is that it has to be 1 hour long. I've been going through an electronic phase since this phenomenal Fuck Buttons record, so that's the focus here.

Playlist to the right, tracklist below:

1. Avalanches - Two Hearts In 3/4 Time
2. Prefuse 73 - Perverted Undertone
3. Air France - No Excuses
4. Air - Brakes On
5. Flying Lotus - GNG BNG
6. Boards Of Canada - 1969
7. Delorean - Big Dipper
8. Radiohead - Meeting in the Aisle
9. DJ Shadow - Midnight Perfect World
10. Aphex Twin - IZ-US
11. Fuck Buttons - Surf Solar (7" Edit)
12. HEALTH - Crimewave [Crystal Castles vs. Health]
13. Hot Chip - The Warning
14. M83 - Couleurs
15. Squarepusher - Iambic 9 Poetry

Fuck Buttons - Tarot Sport

2009-10-17T16:56:00.000-07:00

_

Last night was the end of an incredibly stressful and long week. I was exhausted, could only think about sleeping, and was far from willing to go out. My friend bbmed, I debated, and finally conjured up the strength to open my blood shot eyes and head to Hollywood. How did I manage to pull it off? Tarot Sport.

On my way out I was trying to convince myself that I was not tired, trying to use mind over body, trying to fight my urge to turn around and pass out. Following a similar experience where I did not have energy to go to the gym earlier in the week yet worked myself to the bone while blasting this record, I put on the album at full volume. By the time "The Lisbon Maru" broke out into horse-like beat, then "Olympians" rang my head with noise and then released with a single keyboard riff on top of echoes, I was awake, ready to go and ready to party.

This is one of the most chilling and adrenaline pumping records I have heard in a very long time. Using layers, sounds, and pure volume, the Fuck Buttons have managed to pull off an album that will stick for years. It's ahead of its time, it is post-modern.

Where Dan Deacon layers his music to create contrasting sounds that end up straight forward and clunky, the Fuck Buttons use numerous finely tuned keyboards to create subtle textures that slowly build off each other to create a single final sound. At any point in time on this record listen very very closely. Separate the sounds into their own, alienate the 6-7 keyboards into each separate melody, and focus on the insane amount of detail that went into crafting this album. It is truly inspiring.

Each song is only comprised of a simple four chord progression, a 4/4 time signature, simple beat. The way they use such simple and familiar grounds makes the album beautiful. And ask any musician how difficult it is to write a song longer than 3 minutes without boring yourself and the listener. I know I couldn't do it in the short time I played music. And every notable song stretches out beyond the eight minute mark, and keeps us engaged.

Do yourself a favor, treat yourself, get this record. Listen to it loud. Coming in at one of my favorite of 2009, and up in the top electronica releases of the decade (is it even electronic?).

The children that will be graced by this music at clubs and raves will only be so lucky. You don't need ecstasy to feel the power of this music; The album itself is ecstasy.

Thom Yorke @ the Orpheum Theatre

2009-10-06T15:52:00.003-07:00

_

When Thom Yorke first came out with the Eraser I was living in London and was hardly amused. Radiohead was the band that changed my life and inspired me in ways no other musicians have, and the thought of Thom Yorke writing his own material made me relive the worry that I had post Hail to the Thief that the band was going to break up. My friend Sean and I had heated arguments about whether or not the album should exist, the merits, shortcomings, and mishaps of the album. To this day I will remember him saying "this is what Thom brings to the table, and for that we should respect his work."

It took three years for this album to hit me. I became inspired to listen to this album after hearing about Thom Yorke hanging out, sans Radiohead, in LA. On two different occasions I received text messages from friends telling me they were lucky enough to be partying at the Roosevelt where Thom casually showed up and took over the DJ booth. Along with the two recently pressed singles, these encounters inspired me to pick up his solo album again, and I loved it. It felt refreshing, something I had been blocking out and finally letting in. So when his two Orpheum shows were announced and later that day put on sale I was overwhelmingly excited to go, so I got tickets for both nights (let's not talk about what happened with Echoplex).

My hat goes off to whoever had the inclination to put together this band to present the material. Thom Yorke's The Eraser consists of simple drum machine beats and bleeps, atmospheric keyboards, melodic bass lines, with Thom Yorke taking the lead on piano or guitar and singing. Let's replace the drum machines with a drummer (REM/Beck collaborator Joey Waronker) and percussionist (Mauro Refosco). Let's have Nigel play the atmospheric keys and guitars. Let's put Flea, a modern legend, on bass. And let's put on a great show and demonstrate how excellent this material is.

Even though the original material was probably exclusively written and recorded by Thom and Nigel, the album, pulled off through this supergroup, sounded full and complete, as if this was the way it was meant to be heard.

My highlights include "the Eraser" "Atoms for Peace" "Harrowdown Hill" and "Cymbal Rush." The new songs were excellent as well, notably "Lotus Flower." Search Youtube, videos from these shows are all over.

My favorite new song of the night, "Super Collider":

Best Album of the Decade

2009-10-01T18:09:00.000-07:00

_

The end of the decade will mark eight years since I first visited Pitchfork. It's been a roller-coaster-- many great reviews, some bad ones, a number spectacular groups they introduced me to (the Avalanches, the Arcade Fire, the Knife, Deerhunter, to name a few).

It all comes down to this: Tomorrow, Pitchfork announces their top 20, and number 1 album of the decade.

But making a countdown, ranking artists, naming the #1 album of the decade, inherently makes no sense. Everything is subjective to where we are right now--what musical path that album, and ones similar to it, has carved. The problem is there is no way to tell the future, no way to tell what this same album will influence 1, 5, 20 years from now.

We tend to think of music as following a singular path. In our attempt to understand where or how an artist is inspired we pinpoint times, places, feelings, and other musicians to their work. And so when it comes to the closing of 2009, the first decade of the new millennium, we can look at what music was and is and find the albums that inspired them. But we can't look forward, and that is a fatal flaw to making and hardcoding this venerable list.

So far, the countdown is full of snippets like "...Mirrored didn't set any new trends: for the rest of the decade, indie mostly shifted back to its fascination of working against constraints..." and, about the Boredoms' Vision Creation Newsum, "...RECORDED A PERFECT RECORD FOR THE MILLENNIUM THE YEAR BEFORE IT STARTED," which is evidence of the obsession with the past and present. The writers need a way to materialize their album, to create this path, to explain how and why music sounds a certain way today.

Take a look at their top albums of the 1970's. David Bowie's Low, while an undoubtably monumental album, would probably not end itself at number one today. In 2004, when this list was created, the albums that Low influenced are notably different from five years on. I'm sure London Calling would have found itself at #1 at least once if this list were rewritten between now and then.

Don't agree with me? Think of what you would have said your top five albums were in 2004 vs now. I'm sure your perspective has changed drastically. Still don't agree with me? Look at their Top 2000-2004 Albums and compare it to the top albums they have selected just this week. They are not in the same order.

In one month, year, decade, I guarantee this list would change if it could. But it can't, the artists get the deserved and undeserved acclaim for their work.

So then who the fuck cares about what gets number one?

I do.

These guys are excellent, best of luck to them

2009-09-30T19:46:00.000-07:00

It's a very worthy shot at the music we all know and love.

Jesus H Foxx

Boulder Record Stores

2009-09-27T18:34:00.001-07:00

I spent the weekend in Boulder visiting my little brother at college. Other than remembering what it was like to be 18, I paid a few trips to the local indie record stores and found some great originals:

These would have been gone in 5 minutes in LA.

the Antlers

2009-09-22T18:49:00.000-07:00

_

I passed on this album a little while back due to the flurry of Pitchfork rave reviews that I disagreed with. I figured it would just be another disappointment. After running into a couple other websites that loved the album I decided to pick it up, and it was well worth it:

The album is gorgeous, I highly recommend.

Bored to Death Soundtrack

2009-09-20T20:47:00.001-07:00

_

Just saw the pilot of this new HBO series, Bored to Death. The episode was pretty solid and I am definitely looking forward to watching more this Fall.

Like almost all other HBO shows, the soundtrack is excellent. The one episode included I think three songs off of this historic album from 1980:

A failed writer taking on a second life as a private detective and getting himself into lots of trouble in the process. The minimalist and quirky musicianship complements his endeavors perfectly.

The battle against piracy is already lost, so what next?

2009-09-16T16:27:00.000-07:00

_
There has been considerable buzz about piracy over the past couple of weeks. Ed O'Brien supports it, claiming it displays a genuine interest an artists work. Lily Allen abhors it, saying that if this continues our only medium for getting music will be through mainstream television shows.

Yes, the record companies have been losing money from record sales alone. They have been forced to a cookie cutter business model that allows for virtually no artist development. But trying to fight piracy is like trying to fight underage drinking. It is illegal, it is punishable by law, but it is not going to stop.

Bands need to and have found other mediums to make money. They tour, they sell merchandise, they pull advertisements on their websites. Argue that this is not enough and I don't disagree, but there is a legitimate way to counter piracy, and Quietus did a great job of covering this issue.

I completely agree with this perspective. The second a band completes an album, sell it online. Both parties are happy; the producer gets their moolah, the cosumer get their product. It's a pretty simple business model.

HEALTH put out an interesting method of selling their newest album, Get Color. The band sold their LP online, and with it they provided fans with a coupon to download the album one month before the release date. I had no problem buying the LP-- I would get the product as early as anyone else. I would not have to wait an extra month for the fucking label to send me a hardcopy. I would not feel cheated.

So when Vampire Weekend (who I love and hate) released details of their second record, all I could think about is how I could get it before the January 12 release date. How about this XL: the second you announce the title, album art, and tracklisting for a long-awaited sophomore album, why not give fans the ability to pay .99 a track immediately?

Lightning Bolt fan art

2009-09-12T21:08:00.000-07:00

_
Set 2

Set 1

Volcano Choir - Unmap

2009-09-12T17:04:00.000-07:00

Collaboration brings the foundation of much of the great music of the past decade. Whether it is from artists sampling older works or the more general bands playing with each other, music has taken new routes by havings artists borrow and merge their styles. When Justin Vernon made the (I think purposeful) decision of producing an album with fellow Wisonsin musicians Collections of Collonies of Bees he knew that the contrasting yet familiar artists would produce an album that could tickle our musical fancies. Justin Vernon has one of the greatest voices in music, and combined with a talented instrumental group the album had potential to be epic. And they were right.

Husks and Shells dreminds ones of of the great work produece by the Books no longer than 5 years ago. Very melodic and equally beautiful, yet in a diffucult and non-parallel time signature. This song takes simplicity, in the form of one guitar line, to its peak, through the whole song. And the beauty is magnified by Vernons voice, familiar to all of us as a love-broken ballad yet shown to us here as Collection's instrument, subtly as both percussion and an atmospheric instrument. The song fades and follows, coming in and out of remnants of great beauty.

Finally breaking out of simplicity and ready to include the traditional percussionists is Sleepymouth. Following the general theme of the album is a repeditive guitar and keyboard following the high hat however in no way easily interpretable. The instrmentals formed in this song are very contrasting and layered and would make you believe that they dont qutie fit together, however, as Vernons voice kicks in and the music subsides, the melodies all of the sudden make sense and build, with the original percussion, and more simplified keyboards and guitars. The song climaxes to Island, IS, the most notable song of the record.

Island, IS is meant to be a song that influences the music to come. Taking much from minimalist musicians as Steven Reich and Phillip Glass, the music takes an expirimental approach to pop music and helps instill in us that music, and the further development of music, is not over. The song is epic in its own regard, not for the layered drums, guitars, keyboards, and melodies, or catchiness or simple brilliance, but rather that the song strikes a chord and makes us feel comfortable. This song could and will only be pulled off by Justin Vernon and his warm and soulful voice, full of emotion and depth, as is the music that surrounds and complements it. This is one of those rare songs that reminds us that there still is much to be discovered with music. And that feels, to say the least, refreshing.

As hard as it is to follow this song up, the group decides to take a more ambient approach, as a means to break up the record. The first two songs built to Island, IS. The rest of the album needs to calm down, and here Volcano Choir decides to follow with the airy Dote, which allows vocals, keyboards, and samples to carry the simplicity, and continue the album.

Here the guitars break and repeat, an arpeggiating keyboard follows, then the music subsides into an easy guitar note, then the original vocals come in with Vernon's voice as a complimenting and overpowering tone.

Mbira in the Morass gives us the simplicity we have not been asking for, with disturbing and sharp lyrics that remind us of his earlier works. The experience with sounds and shapes, love and lost, animals and wilderness, yet all performed by anarchy. Bells and out of tune pianos. Incoherent lyrics. This song leaves the listener uncomfortable, yet ends with a more follow-able out of tune melody that allows us to remember where the album took us before.

Cool Knowledge shows us the band is capable of beat boxing and even hip hop. Was it really all that simple all these years?

The next song, the brilliant Still, begins with a keyboard holding a steady pace, then the resonance is turned upwards and the uncoordinanteed guiar takes the show. The silence is broken by Vernons voice, along with harmonies, and the song continues in simplicity, as a blues track, a simple vocal harmony complimented by a simple keyboard, and the lyrics praise Vernon's state of being. Eventually electric guitars and drums take over the song, with a very slow and building release, more effects put in place, singing "I'm all in the world / I'm down on my mind".

The album ends with focus on the voice that built the album. In Youlogy, Vernon's voice is displayed with the assistance of his own choir. Simple, ambient, and powerful.

Vernon's voice struck a chord in me the first time I heard him. I knew this was nothing I had heard before, yet something I knew would change my life, and I was right. Complimented by strong instrumental compositions, it is proved proved that his potential goes beyond a folk/blues singer, and we have much to look forward to in the world of gorgeous melodies and heartfelt lyrics.

This would be great.

2009-09-11T21:55:00.000-07:00

http://jermainerogersshop.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=4&products_id=100&zenid=5505fa6cd20905fa84f6dfba7e4b81d6

And on the same note:

This is so bad, its good

2009-09-10T19:30:00.000-07:00

Watch the whole thing, seriously. If you can't handle it go to 2:45

FYF 2009

2009-09-07T19:54:00.000-07:00

Carbonas

Mika Miko

Fucked Up

No Age

the Black Lips

Great song, hope they pull it off

2009-08-16T17:07:00.000-07:00

http://www.jagjaguwar.com/onesheet.php?cat=JAG156

HEALTH

2009-08-06T17:46:00.000-07:00

I want to pay a quick tribute to HEALTH, probably my favorite new LA band right now. I talked about them a little while ago but that was before I owned their self-titled, which is far superior to their remix album.

I'll give the disclaimer that I don't think this band is for everyone, but if you can handle progressive music that is far from pop, subtly intelligent, and makes you clench your teeth, then I highly recommend:

This band’s debut LP is one of the most adrenaline pumping pieces of work I have heard in a long time. It resides somewhere between noise, electronica, and punk, and they do an incredible job of building their songs from beginning to end, and mashing the songs together. When I first listened it was exactly what I was looking for, however nothing like I had heard. The first four songs on their self-titled could have been one. And they all build up to the climax Crimewave, and that song is simply brilliant.

Crimewave - HEALTH

You should really listen to the whole album, because the progression to this song is perfect.

The album was recorded live at a small venue in downtown LA, the Smell. This makes the album perfectly raw and clean at the same time. That doesn't mean it sounds like a live album, because it doesn't. It just means that they can pull of all their material flawlessly live, which I've heard other fans attest to. Needless to say I'm excited for the show at the Troubadour in early September.

Not to mention that the design on all of their albums is beautiful and unique. Look at the LP:

This is partially to show off my setup.

Not coincidentally their new album comes out in September 7, and if you preorder the LP you get to download the mp3's a month early which is, wait a minute, tomorrow. Can't wait for this piece of work to come out, should be a great album to work to.

This band definitely has a monumental album in them. I hope for them, LA, and noise rock as a whole that they pull it off. I think they will.

MacBook Pro

2009-08-02T12:47:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting here listening to this relaxing piece of work, just rereleased on vinyl:

This is my first post on my new MacBook Pro. I picked this up today after some short endeavors and a quick personality crisis.

As a trader, I like to think I know "value," or at least I convince myself that I do. The easiest, and probably most practical, way to measure value is by how much it costs. So when it came to getting a new computer I compared the Macs and PCs side by side and realized I could get a PC with the same specs for $600 cheaper. This was enough of a reason to make me, a 4 year Mac user, convert back and purchase a PC.

I was really excited by this money I would save. This excitement pinnacled when I received it on my doorstep, yet sharply subsided. As ridiculous as it sounds, the computer was so ugly-- hideous-- that I could not get into it. With both my old beat up Mac and my brand new professional looking Lenovo competing side by side, I would still use the Mac. It was after a couple of days I realized that I couldn't make the shift, the Mac simply was too beautiful, simple, stress relieving, and pleasant.

So then what is value, Mr Cash Generating Trader? Value is making yourself happy, and many times money simply does not complete the picture. Spend the extra cash, get the extra product. I feel relieved.

This album is really fucking good. Krautrock at its finest. The members of Kraftwerk going haywire. The 70s would have been pretty cool.

New playlist

2009-07-29T19:33:00.000-07:00

Small sample of some songs / albums I've been listening to. Truncated.

Fuck imeem.

This came on TV last night...

2009-07-13T14:27:00.001-07:00

and is the most satisfying thing I have seen in a very long time.

Sum 41 and Good Charlotte, doing a Dennys commercial:

Glastonbury Day 2: Bon Iver

2009-07-05T18:25:00.000-07:00

Another headline evening spent at the Park, and another spectacular performance and memorable show.

Bon Iver came out in sweats and a tshirt, sporting a beard and his scruffy hair. He wasn't there to impress anyone, he was there to tell his heartfelt story.

Justin Vernon has one of the most powerful voices in music right now, as evident on his debut album and following EP. I was excited to see this live because I had only heard people raving about his performances and I was not disappointed.

Vernon's voice was inspiring, breath-taking. Better live than on the album. I found this video that someone else took, hopefully it gives you a good idea of how perfect his performance really was:

And then the true highlight of the show, and of my long weekend at Glastonbury: "Skinny Love".

I can't watch or post a video of this, it was too beautiful and I fear it will taint my memory. All I can say is that I was in another world. Every time the song stopped and starting I lost my breath. I didn't want it to end.

Glastonbury Day 2: M Ward

2009-07-05T18:11:00.000-07:00

M Ward is a true musician and performer, and if you see him live you will agree. His albums don't do him justice, because you can't see how involved and charismatic he is with the music.

I don't know his material that well but there was one song he played completely by himself, on acoustic guitar, where he busted out a 5 minute solo. He was telling a story with no words.

Glastonbury Day 2: Passion Pit

2009-07-05T17:22:00.001-07:00

I have always been cautiously optimistic about Passion Pit's debut record. I had the album on non-stop when it came out--I'm sure others relate as the music is very simple and catchy and touches on some familiar ground that is inherently easy to listen to and in many ways gratifying. However there was always something that irked me about the album that I could not quite put my finger on.

When I saw this band on the Glastonbury bill I knew I had to go and see how these young guys from Cambridge would pull it off. I got to the stage 2 hours before the show, sat through a relatively entertaining set by the Gaslight Anthem, and then squeezed my way to the barrier at the John Peel stage.

When Gaslight was done, Passion Pit set up their equipment (mostly keyboards) in a tightly wound fashion, not taking much of the available room on the stage. I understand they are most likely accustomed to playing very small venues and this was probably their biggest show yet. Subsequently, each member of Passion Pit sound checked their instrument and microphones, however not once did they test everything together. Both of these I attributed to inexperience at the time, however I didn't know how this would affect their show.

The band huddled, got pumped up, and then came on stage to impress a 20,000 odd crowd:

When Michael Angelokos first walked on stage I immediately noticed how nervous he was. He couldn't really look at the crowd and if so for only a second. No jokes and nothing to get the crowd cheering. He was not charismatic, he just looked like he didn't want to be there. Along with the cramped setup on stage, there was nothing really to keep us engaged.

As difficult as this was, it was not the main setback of this performance. The sound was terrible. The instruments overpowered each other, much unlike the album. The main keyboard players output was set way too high and every time he would play it would overtake the drums, the bass, the guitar, and most importantly Angelokos' voice. None of the songs sounded like they did on the album, more like a fuzzy unsynchronized demo tape.

To add to this, they messed up playing I think I counted 5 times. By messing up I mean the band was off for a beat or two. I think this was the drummer's fault; aside from not looking like a drummer at all (rather an elongated Rivers Cuomo) he didn't seem to play with much finesse, implying that he doesn't have that much experience. However with the sound being as bad as it was these hiccups might have just been because they couldn't hear each other.

Bad sound, bad execution, bad charisma. This was quite a painful experience, and by the end I wasn't even moving to the music anymore, I wanted it to end.

The one thing I can respect about these guys is that they did look like a genuine indie band. That can even be proven by the fact that they put on such a terrible performance. Maybe they got too famous too quickly? Maybe this venue was too large for them and they couldn't handle the pressure?

In any case, I am a firm believer that a band should be revered because of how they perform their music live, not by how they put it together in a studio. I think subconciously I knew this when listening to the album, and that's why the album irked me.

Passion Pit lost a fan.

Glastonbury Day 1: Animal Collective

2009-06-30T10:29:00.000-07:00

Animal Collective headlined the first night at the Park Stage. The Park is secluded from the rest of Glastonbury, and takes a good 20 minute walk off of the main grounds to reach.

When I originally saw this I had the feeling that the show would be smaller and more personal, and I was right. The stage was much smaller than most, and sits at the bottom of a rounded hill that envelops the sound the same way as an amphitheater. Perfect for all of the acts that I saw there.

This was easily my favorite stage of Glastonbury, and falls into one of my favorites of all time:

Full crescent moon.

Not to mention that this stage was absolutely perfect for this band. There was no display in the back of the stage, just a black sheet with a number of small lights popping out and a few large ones blazing through the band. Animal Collective set up their long and thin neon light sets, the only prop that assisted them on stage other than a few spotlights above. And it was perfect.

I managed to squeeze my way to the front for this one, primarily because I ventured off alone. To me, AC still remain the most important band right now, and I wanted to get up front. Seeing them up close at the Troubadour vs up top at the Wiltern made a huge difference, in fact I didn't enjoy the Wiltern show. Being up close made this another monumental show.

These are some of the best pictures I have ever taken of a band.

Their equipment:

Does that setup not scream at you "Animal Collective"?

And of course, them:

Fucking beautiful setup.

This show was nothing short of perfect. No hiccups, no sounds problems, no singing issues, the sound was great, they were into it, we were into it. I haven't seen Panda Bear rock out that hard, nor sound that good, so I think this was a particularly good show for them.

They played a mostly Merriweather set while throwing in "Fireworks" and "Slippy." My only complaint is that they didn't play "Leaf House," a song they have included every time I have seen them, and one of my personal favorites live. In addition English crowds love to dance and that song has one of the sickest buildups/basslines that would have made everyone go nuts.

But you can't have everything. This was as close to perfect as we're going to get. One of my two favorite shows of the weekend.

Glastonbury Day 1: Friendly Fires

2009-06-30T10:03:00.000-07:00

This band is fun, their performance was fun. Nothing spectacular, but fun:

These guys played their songs pretty well and had good energy, so my hat goes off to them.

Glastonbury Day 1: Fleet Foxes

2009-06-30T09:47:00.000-07:00

This is a band I have not seen yet however have heard that they are very good live, so I made the trek and squeezed through the crowd to see these Northwesterners play on a stage and to an audience that was way too large.

I think it was a mistake to put Fleet Foxes at the Pyramid Stage. The Pyramid hosts some 60-100k people, depending of course on the act, and is mostly tuned to mainstream rock or pop that gets you dancing and tapping your toes. You need someone loud and charismatic, not a group of singer-songwriters that are akin to playing shows in small clubs and bars.

Pecknold started with "I feel honored to be scared shitless of all of you." The crowd didn't laugh too much but I did. Remember who these guys were a little over a year ago? Neither do I.

All in all, it was difficult to really see these guys but their music did sound great. The guitars and harmonies were perfect as far as I could tell, but who really knows, I was a football field away.

Is that even them?

People were enjoying it, and singing along, but again really not attuned for 4 pm at the Pyramid. They should have been headlining the Park stage on the third night.

Glastonbury Day 1: Fucked Up

2009-06-30T08:29:00.000-07:00

Oh boy, here we go.

I don't know how to start describing how ridiculous this show was. I'll probably go in chronological order, trying to recapture the insanity of Pink Eyes / Damian Abraham's performance.

I found this today and fight it quite suiting:

Damian showed up to the stage wearing wellies, baggy shorts, a familiar hip hop inspired tshirt, and the Glastonbury pass around his neck. Holding a plastic bottle of wine along with a plastic cup shaped as a wine glass, he poured the wine into the cup, sipped it with one pinky sticking out, and then splashed the rest onto his face right before screaming at the top of his lungs for the intro to Son of the Father.

He ran around for a bit, still fully clothed, still screaming into the microphone, and then proceeded to climb the rigging and sing a full song while hanging with one arm, wellies still on his feet.

Shortly after coming down, he jumped off the stage and joined the audience, singing from right behind the barrier, grabbing the crowd into it. After a couple minutes he slipped and feel backwards, onto the floor, and into the mud. Keep in mind that it rained all night prior and the floor was far from solid. Instead of getting up, he just stayed there, and sang the rest of the song, on his back and deep in the mud.

When he got up his back was fully brown and he received a rambunctious cheer from the crowd. He took off his shirt, and commenced singing into the crowd, now shirtless.

At about this time Damian took a second to address the crowd. "People told me Glastonbury was crazy. But I had no idea how fucking crazy this place really is. People are literally living in human shit!" We all laughed, and the show continued.

By this point people began to crowd surf, and you guessed it, Damian wanted a piece of the action. This is from NME:

When the crowd realized they couldn't actually carry him (sweaty, harry, muddy, overweight) Damian fell to the floor, but again, kept singing. After getting up and mashing with the crowd for a little while he stormed through everyone to the back of the tent, the rear stage where the guys run the mixing board.

He was exhausted by the time he got there, which is understandable considering he was wearing wellies and had to push through some 20,000 people.

At this point we were lucky enough to catch sight of both his ass and his penis.

After singing a few songs at the back, he again pushed through the crowd to finish off his set at the front.

He closed with a couple more songs and an interesting bit. "I want to thank the security guards for letting me do all of this. I can't tell you how many shows I've been to where I've been kicked off the stage for trying to have some fun. Let's give it up for these guys." And they got their applause.

My friend Julian is convinced that they are going to make a training video for security guards titled 'What is wrong with this performance?' Let's be honest, this would have never happened in America.

It was a crazy show, and I'm pretty sure Damian knew it would be when he showed up.

Glastonbury Day 0: We Have Band

2009-06-30T07:39:00.000-07:00

There were only a few shows on Thursday, as the festival formally started Friday, however I managed to see one that I thought was worthwhile.

We Have Band made it to Glastonbury by winning a Q Magazine competition. They weren't kidding--they gave these guys four full slots in four days. And then they're off to tour Europe. It sounds a little bit fixed to me but nevertheless I wanted to see what the fuss was about.

After sitting through a painful hour with Maximo Park, whilst many English teenagers jumped up and down my back, We Have Band came on. A threesome wearing all white and consisting of a white guy on bass (mostly through effects), an Eastern European looking girl on vocals and keyboards/synths, and a black guy who stood while singing and handling percussion.

In case you weren't aware that the late 70s and 80s are back:

This band reminded me a lot of CSS, or other bands that are newer yet sound like they came off one of the New York Noise compilations. Very dance/electro/funk; beat, synth, and vocal driven. It's by no means excellent or groundbreaking, but fun nevertheless. I would recommend it to anyone looking to get their heart rate up before a night out.

I was impressed with the band's performance, they put on a good show. Their instrumentation was nearly flawless, especially with regards to the drummer. Standing up and playing a full drum set, while at the same time singing, is by no means easy, however he pulled it off. The female singer was suiting for this type of music and her dance moves kept the crowd intrigued. The bass player was rather subdued and typical and probably the only weak link to the performance, but it wasn't distracting and our eyes focused on the other two.

This is one of those bands that I could see hitting the main stream, at least for a short while. We should keep our eyes open.

Here's a tune, one of their singles, and gives a good idea of what their music sounds like:

Oh! - We Have Band

Glastonbury 2009

2009-06-30T06:45:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the end of a truly incredible event. The English know how to organize a music festival, and did it well in every way possible.

Getting to Glastonbury, UK, was an experience all of its own. Trecking down small country roads, with houses, walls, schools, and churches made of ancient brick from a local quarry. Beautiful countryside, green hills and valleys as far as the eye can see.

Once you park and set up camp, we began our walk from the campsite to the festival. Treading down the steep (and depending on the weather, muddy) slope to enter through Gate C gives a great view of the full grounds. Stages, stands, tents, and people span the entire hillside.

During the day:

And at night:

This wasn't a music festival, it was a contemporary arts festival. Whether it was circuses, comedy shows, street performers, smaller bands on side stages, pubs bars clubs and excellent nightlife, or kids shows, there was something for everyone. I saw toddlers and old men. As many people in their 30s, 40s and 50s as there were in their 20s. There were many families there, with their children, and I can understand why.

Of course, for me this was an epic experience because of all of the great shows I managed to see in one weekend. And with only one battery pack in my camera, I managed to capture quite a lot.

Over the next couple of days I'll post a series of reviews, in chronological order, for the most notable performances.

Grizzly Bear @ the Troubadour

2009-06-21T15:27:00.001-07:00

This was one of those shows that only happens once in a while.

Originally, Grizzly Bear were scheduled to play a show at the Wiltern, a venue 5x as large as the Troubadour. The Wiltern show was their biggest venue yet, and they sold it out. About a week ago, they announced a second secret show at the Troubadour. Seeing this band at a place like the Wiltern would be way different from a place as intimate as the Troubadour. With a band like Grizzly Bear, intimacy made all the difference.

Their harmonies were flawless, inspiring, and gorgeous. Ed Dioste sang about 6 inches away the microphone and projected his voice very calmy and subtly. They amount of power he was able to draw with such little effort was quite incredible. At times I was amazed that he was even singing because his mouth was barely open.

Daniel Rossen, notable for his excellent side project with Department of Eagles, seemed humble and relaxed. He had a smile on his face between songs, a solemn glaze while he played and sang. He seemed very content and to be enjoying himself. Maybe he felt at home, which would be suiting considering he grew up in LA.

Together, they put on quite a powerful performance. Their voices are so contrasting yet so familiar, and along with help from Bear and Taylor, built a wall of sound and voice that was mesmerizing. The singers switched between lead and backup, with 2, 3, or 4 singers at once, all members of the band sang at different times. This is all there on their albums, but less apparent. Seeing it live was a very different experience. Each singer seemed to have his distinct place in each song and buildup, and was necessary for the completion of the song.

Other than vocally, the musicians played their instruments flawlessly. True professionalism. Bear on the drums was nothing short of perfect, and as many drummers would agree his percussion is not easy to construct or replicate. Taylor and his bass carried every song, subdued yet deep and distinct. He threw in the wind instruments, flute and a saxophone, which complemented the vocals and melodies on every opportunity.

My highlight of the night was Knife, probably their most well-known song. After the buildup and builddown, then Dioste leading "Can you feel the knife," Rossen carrying the 2nd melody, the others the third and fouth, they hit their harmonies like a knife. It cut through your spine, leaving nothing but remnants of shivers.

The real virtue of being at a show like this is that it is where all of the closer followers of the band will show up. This was apparent last night. The crowd was extremely enthusiastic, especially this one guy that kept yelling things in between songs. Normally I would find this obnoxious, but for some strange reason it seemed very appropriate. "Grizzly Bear!" "Genius!" "You guys sound like fucking Thom Yorke and Jeff Tweedy!" The crowd, and the band, would smile every time this guy yelled something.

Grizzly Bear, and the LA crowd, had an excellent evening.

San Francisco

2009-06-15T19:12:00.001-07:00

Now that I have 1 job again and the Lakers are world champs I can finally have some free time. It's been a long stretch, some rearrangements on the trade desk then covering others while they're on vacation, all while depriving myself of extra sleep (yes, I go to bed at 9 pm) to watch the playoffs.

This past weekend I flew to San Francisco to visit my best buddy Dan from high school, see his world, meet his friends, etc. I had a blast. What a great place. So much life and character.

Most of my weekend had in one way or another to do with music. Maybe that's just virtue of hanging out with probably the most knowledgeable punk snobs I know. I learned about many bands and great records that I either passed over previously or never heard before. I am in the midst of making a punk collection that I will post on my blog, it will probably take a couple more months but I'll get it to you eventually.

The first night we hung out at this bar that could have been located in Echo Park, equally grungy and hipster, all with great taste. The DJ was this cute and charismatic brunette that had a killer collection of 7"s, playing tracks ranging from garage to psychadelic to punk. She laid off the soft stuff, and it was pretty killer.

We got pretty hammered, we being everyone in our group, and Dan and I set off to a different bar where we got free shots and beers. Why did I drink more? I don't know. But they were playing such bad music at this place that it was comical, so we laughed and drank. Dan called it a "bridge and tunnel" bar, not nj cats but oakland rather. Not a great place, but we knew the bartender and he hooked it up.

So I'd tell you the rest of my night but it was kind of a blur. All I know is that it was fun as hell. Don't mix whiskey and fernet and beer. I promise you will not have a good time the next day.

The next afternoon, after my 3 pm wakeup, was spent at a bar where Dan DJed. This was exceptionally cool because I got to sit there and listen to his tracks while him and the lead singer of his band narrated. Between talking and listening, I sat on my phone and made lists--albums I need, bands I need to check out, songs I need to revisit. I'll be busy for weeks.

Later on we drove out to the show, Jay Reatard and Thee Oh Sees at the Independent. Thee Oh Sees opened, who are now getting decent hype and I think they are somewhat worthwhile, but I have yet to own a record. The singer had a penchant for putting the microphone in his mouth while he sang or yelped. Interesting guitar work too, at times rocking the 12 string. We'll see how it sounds out of a recording studio.

Jay Reatard put on a pretty good show, although I have to say that the first time I saw them in LA was much better. Dan agreed, his last show was better, primarily because he threw a girl off the stage. That's what you get for fucking with his V. But anyways he played his songs crisp and quick, his drummer is a pretty sharp guy. Playing flawless drums like that for 30 odd minutes is pretty sick, especially with no breaks in between. For some reason they didn't play DOA both times I saw them, and yes, that's my favorite song of theirs.

The crowd was rather interesting. Not the group you would expect to see. Maybe because many came to see Thee Oh Sees. But some douche kept saying "Man, they sound like the Buzzcocks!" behing us, and anyone who listens to Jay Reatard or the Buzzcocks knows that the only similarity is that they fall within the same genre. On another note some fat girl grabbed my ass.

Jay likes to pull people on stage and this time it was no different. He pulled this kid on, gave him the guitar, and the kid was going fucking nuts, playing like he was the fucking star. When the show was over there was blood on the guitar because he strummed so hard and didn't have a pick. Pretty sick.

In the morning I made a stop by Haight and Amoeba before my flight. Amoeba San Fran. Better Rock LP collection than LA, and it's own punk section. That was perfect because most of my weekend picks were punk. The LA store is great, and much much larger, but I think I liked the store on Haight more. The layout was simpler and I enjoyed talking to the staff. Music snobs but didn't show it. I grabbed my Amoeba plastic bag, got into a cab, and took off. But yea, I'll be back sooner than later.

All in all I was frustrated to come back to LA, to my apartment, to the job. But that's virtue of having a great weekend away from things.

In one week I'll be off to London, and that's really all I can think about.

Radiohead and Finance

2009-06-04T10:12:00.000-07:00

This came on my Bloomberg last week. Pretty perfect.

King Khan and the Shrines @ the Echo

2009-05-31T20:00:00.000-07:00

This was a fucking mess. It was insane. They were so much fun, exactly what I wanted. The perfect evening, and one of those nights that I will think about for days.

From the first song to the last the band went crazy and wanted to make the crowd go crazy. Khan, with his various outfits and props, danced, screamed, sang, and knew how to handle the microphone like a 70s funk superstar. The guitar player, with the notable word "Indie" written on the neck, held the rhythm or lead with an enthusiastic smile. The keyboard player was throwing around his instrument like it was a guitar, holding it over his head and letting it fall on the floor. They even had a cheerleader waving pompoms or shaking mariachis purely for our visionary pleasure.

Most importantly, they were having a great time, and so were we.

The videos are great. Every time I watch them I burst out laughing.

Here's Khan coming out to start the night off:

They pulled a birthday girl on stage, gave her a pinata, then she threw it into the crowd and King Khan followed to make sure we smashed it:

Was the man-gina too much?

This was too funny to even summarize. One of the best videos I've taken, really shows how raw and fun this show was:

Shows like this remind me why I love live music.

Collage

2009-05-10T19:38:00.000-07:00

the Black Lips @ the El Rey Theatre

2009-05-03T16:49:00.000-07:00

I don't know if it was because I was drunk and didn't have to go to work the next day, or because the redesigned El Rey Theatre is one of the better venues I've been to in LA, or because the Black Lips put on an excellent show, but I can't get over how good of a time I had on Friday night.

The Black Lips are known for putting on rambunctious shows and I am glad I finally got to see them. It was really just a mess. The crowd couldn't keep off the stage. After the first song one guy decided to crowd surf, then another, and then more and more until the final song where the band was just swarmed.

It was really entertaining watching the security gaurds try to control the situation. When someone would jump on stage, either the fat white guy to the left or the short stocky Mexican guy to the right would try to chase them down only to see them jump off the stage. By the end of the show they kind of gave up. The one guy had a smile on his face as he was pushing person after person off the stage.

I really got the feeling that the band loved LA. They seemed to have a great time during the show, as if they had played shows in LA before that went well. But maybe they just do this everywhere. I'd be extremely impressed if they could put on a show this good at every stop.

Some great videos, we were standing at a really good spot and were able to see the stage very clearly:

Go to the 2 minute mark where the crowd is holding Jared up by his feet:

Unfortunately I missed Cole break his guitar after this last song. I stopped the video 2 seconds too soon...

Dan Deacon @ the Troubadour

2009-04-26T16:31:00.000-07:00

Dan Deacon is one of the most frustrating musicians out right now. This isn't because he is not talented, on the contrary I think he has both the ability and potential to release a great album. But he decides to produce music that is so unnecessarily cluttered that it becomes unlistenable. He manages to cram so many instruments and sounds into each beat that if he tried to place another *zip* or *ding* into the song your stereo would blow up.

So why did I got to his show? The first is because the show was advertised as "Dan Deacon + 13 Piece Ensemble." I thought it would be cool to see how this many musicians would pull off all of the layered sounds from the album. The second is because of how many people have claimed he is "amazing" live. Unbelievable! He sets up his equipment in the crowd and gets everyone riled up! But as the show went on I realized these are the two fundamental reasons why I don't like Dan Deacon.

So I made the weekday trek to the Troubadour to see if it was worth the hype. This is what I got:

I'm not going to shit on Dan because he's old and fat and bald. Only the second he can control. But there's another problem here. Dan is approaching his 30s and he appeals to young teens that shop at Urban Outfitters. I think this says a lot. Back to the show for a second.

After Futures Islands played their excellent opening set, Dan and co proceeded to set up their equipment and sound check. Dan was pretty aggressive when setting up, demanding things from his band mates, and they didn't seem too pleased. They didn't appreciate being told what to do, but of course were polite and abided.

Now on to his 13 piece ensemble. There was a wind instrumentalist, who played flute and saxophone, but you could not hear him at all. Then there were the 3 drummers, while talented, at least 1 was unnecessary (many times they were playing the same beat over each other). There were 2 bass players, I have no idea why. And the 3 xylophone/glockenspiel players were so mixed with each other that you could barely make out the melodies.

Let's take an abridged version of this band, down to 5, and I doubt anyone would have noticed the difference. In fact I would argue that the music would have sounded better. The same way that I would argue that the music on his albums would sound better if there was less going on.

Dan set up his stage in the middle of the crowd as usual. Throughout the show he did his typical gimmicks to get the crowd into the show, including pushing people to dance and cracking jokes here and there. So he got the teenage crowd pretty riled up, and they began to "pogo," a term coined in the 70s describing when young teens jump up and down incessantly like a pogo stick.

This pogoing got pretty aggressive to the point where I would almost call it a youthful hipster indie mash pit. Imagine that for a second. The pushing then got so intense that Dan had to say something in between songs. "Stop pushing, this is my life's work up here and if you keep pushing you're going to destroy it. I'll stop the show. This isn't a Pearl Jam or Rancid concert." I thought that that was really funny at the time, but the next day I thought about it more and realized how ridiculous this statement is.

If Dan is going to write music that inherently gets you pumped up, and then verbally encourage you to dance and go crazy during the show, then he can't complain that people are going to wreck his equipment because he sets it up in the middle of the crowd. There's a reason there is a stage, and he needs to make a decision. Either play softer shit or set your stuff up where you are supposed to.

Moreover, he said this in a joking fashion, but I sensed some seriousness to it. He seems fed up, this gimmick is getting old. He is getting old. He's been touring for weeks and doing this for years and he's had enough.

Want to know what I think? Dan Deacon needs to come down to earth and use his musical ability, which as I said I think is exceptional, to release a listenable album. And he needs to play his instruements where is is supposed to--on the stage. He can't keep this up forever. You can see through this shit, live or not, and all these kids will someday too when they begin to listen to things that they actually like rather than what others tell them is "cool."

My friend from work Josh Frankfort, who is a big fan of Bromst, asked me the next day what I thought of the show. I said, "I would have had a good time if I was 16 and I was drunk." Emphasis needed on the 'and.'

Future Islands @ the Troubadour

2009-04-23T17:53:00.000-07:00

I went to see Dan Deacon last night at the Troubadour and was blown away by the opening band, Future Islands. I'll start my first round of posts about last night with this group of musicians.

Future Islands are a synth pop band based out of Baltimore that I had previously not heard about before going to the show. Three guys, a drum machine / synth / keyboardist, a bass player, and the lead singer. When they stepped on the stage my friend Sabrina and I had no idea what to expect. For a second we thought it was going to be lame.

But this lead singer immediately tore the place apart. His powerful voice and body gestures, call them spazzes or what not, got everyone moving, and he was hands down intoxicating. He was completely into the music, singing and dancing and throwing the mic, fully animated.

Many times his voice reminded of Tom Waits, or other blues singers, projecting from the bottom of the throat, pushing all the air out of the body through the verse, then having to catch a breath. I don't think I've seen someone sweat so much during a show.

So I picked up their newest single and their one album and have been addicted to it for the past day. While I am not as big of a fan of the outright upbeat pop songs, even though his voice still projects perfectly, the album as a whole is worthwhile. There are two songs which are stunningly powerful:

Heart Grows Old - Future Island

Little Dreamer - Future Island

Here is a video of a song from the show, which unfortunately I can't find on their MySpace or on the albums I bought. Even though it was not their best of the night, it still gives a good idea for how excellent performers these guys are.

I'll talk about Mr Deacon another time.

Happy Record Store Day!

2009-04-18T16:58:00.000-07:00

I hope you made it out to your favorite record store today as they probably had events and new music and great deals. Here are some of my purchases:

Radiohead - My Iron Lung EP

So we all know Capitol has been raping and pillaging their material, but it's ok with me if they are re-releasing great EPs like this one, on vinyl. A great example of how many great songs came out of their recording sessions. The 3 extras didn't make the Bends. While I can understand this, considering every song on the album is incredible, just imagine if any other band released these B-sides. I guess it's not fair to compare anyone else's music to Radiohead tho...

All of their EPs were released for record store day so if you have the chance to pick some of these up I highly recommend!

Lozenge Of Love - Radiohead

Talking Heads - st

1977, one of the great years in music, one of the highlights of that year. And let's face it the Talking Heads brought the 80s (and much of the 90s and 00s), David Byrne and co lead the way. It all started here. Simply a classic, I'm very glad they re-released this album on vinyl for this holiday.

Psycho Killer (Remastered Album Version ) - Talking Heads

Jay Reatard / Sonic Youth 7" - Hang them All / No Garage

Limited edition 7" from Matador, I got the last one. Jay Reatard is the best punk band out right now. Sonic Youth. Can't post a song because it's brand new and I can't import it from plastic.

Tunes of the moment

2009-04-17T18:09:00.000-07:00

So let's add 3 to my list.

HEALTH

I'm late on this one, I know. I picked up their most recent lp and it somehow was exactly the record I was looking for. Stark funk/rock/electro/punk, the elements of each song build on one another, very layered and easy to rock out to. Sharp. I'm glad they're from LA, going to have to catch them after this European tour.

Triceratops (CFCF remix final version) - HEALTH

Two Door Cinema Club

Guilty pleasure, super catchy.

Quiet Village - Silent Movie

This is one of those albums that got passed up in 2008 but music snobs will find it and will remember it. Another collection of subtle samples, dreamy beats, and gorgeous melodies. Can be suited for a day at work or while you read a book or to a vivid scene in a movie, or whatever you fancy. Excellent album altogether, flows from beginning to end.

lp / cd is out of print (licensing reasons?) so get it quickly if you can.

Pillow Talk - QUIET VILLAGE

no Wavves @ the Echo

2009-04-16T16:50:00.000-07:00

Missed the show last night because of illness.

All reviews said it was excellent, my friend that went said it was fantastic. I'm really bummed. Going to have to see them next time around.

the Pixies

2009-04-14T18:44:00.000-07:00

I was introduced to the Pixies by too many people. At the time I started my journey into music the Pixies had pretty much laid the groundwork for everyone. Every band I loved mentioned the Pixies as an influence. Every music lover I knew mentioned the Pixies as one of their favorite bands. So was it difficult?

As an amateur, music like this hurts the ear. It's not polished, it's not fine. It's raw. And, most importantly, it's different. I didn't love it at first but somehow I knew it was brilliant and after that third listen it hit me. The stark guitar lines, pounding drums, yelping Francis, charming Deal, in one gorgeous form of artistic rock.

the Pixies took my journey to finding good music in a whole new direction. They were the first that allowed me to accept and furthermore seek out more unpolished bands. I'm sure every music lover has that one band that made them love more raw types of rock and roll. the Velvet Underground? late Rolling Stones? the Clash? the Sex Pistols? the Replacements? I don't know... Mine started here.

Like all great bands, they defined much of the sound of their time. They didn't sound like anything before them and brewed a wave of music after them. That is fucking epic. Do you know how hard that is to do? Neither do I.

It was only fitting that my High School life culminated with Coachella back in 2004, where the Pixies reunited and played to a crowd of 50,000 people screaming and cheering and loving every minute of it. Could they have filled a show that large back before they broke up? Probably not, but that's the beauty of art and influence.

That was one of the best nights of my life.

Hey - Pixies

Leonard Cohen @ Nokia Theater

2009-04-12T18:00:00.001-07:00

"The last time I was here was 15 years ago. I was 60 years old, young and full of dreams."

I was extremely surprised by this statement. He's 75. He should be, I don't know, doing what 75 year old people do. But he's touring the US, and then the world, and doing it as you would almost expect from one of the greatest singer-songwriters of all time.

Leonard Cohen managed to captivate a crowd of 7,100 people for over 3 hours. He did not look tired, he did not look old. He just sang his songs, played his guitar, cracked jokes in dry humor, and hopped on and off the stage with stride. He had energy and charisma, and put on a spectacular show.

My father, who accompanied me to the show, always said that he is the one singer from that time period that has not lost his voice. I was skeptical of this statement, because of his age, and was proven wrong. Although he projects his voice as he did with most of his 80s work, many years have passed and he still sounds flawless.

The band was excellent as well, a full ensemble of accomplished musicians, all in their middle ages and to say the least professionals. You could tell they each had been playing their respective instruments for at least 30 years. Impeccable support and great solo work, my highlights include the classical guitar player and the musician playing multiple wind instruments.

Unfortunately we were told not to record shortly after we started. Hopefully this gives you a good idea of how solid Leonard's 75 year old voice sounds:

Shows like this give me hope.

Ratatat @ the Palladium

2009-04-08T20:05:00.000-07:00

I spent the Sat night at the Palladium, what a crappy venue. Terrible design, way too spread out and flat. I felt like I was at a High School dance.

The funny thing is the staff searches you down to MAKE SURE you don't have cameras/recorders, so I stepped to the side and put my camera in my shoe, and got it in without a problem.

Anyways, Ratatat put on a great show as always, here are highlights:

Avalanches - Since I Left You

2009-04-05T19:47:00.000-07:00

This is a modern classic, every listen unveils new details, rhythms, melodies, samples, and other subtle surprises. One of those albums that only comes around every 10 years. Or ever.

I've revisited this recently and have introduced it to 2 people in the past week, one a fan of electronic and one a fan of hip hop. They both loved it, both said it is brilliant. I obviously agree.

I can't post one song, so here's the whole album.

Pitchfork broke my heart

2009-04-05T17:52:00.000-07:00

Just kidding. But seriously:

http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/12851-bird-brains/

I'm glad he enjoyed FIYA at least. I guess I will have to judge for myself when the lp comes in the mail in 2 weeks.

Merrill Garbus

2009-03-30T18:26:00.000-07:00

I stumbled across this musician Merrill Garbus last week who goes by tUnE-YaRdS, and I think she is absolutely incredible. Her music is very layered and complex. She has a tremendous ability to build the song up to climax at the end. Her voice is unique and powerful.

Keep in mind she is the only person in the band and the songs only have guitars, a drum machine (I think), and her voice. To my knowledge, she recorded the album on her own.

Imagine what she could to with great production, full electronics and synths to play with, and maybe some help from other like-minded musicians? Also, she was a musical theater major in college, so is bound to put on an excellent show.

I have a feeling we are going to be hearing a lot about Merrill.

Saturday Night and Books

2009-03-28T21:20:00.001-07:00

This reminds me of those fun college weekends-- studying on a Saturday night. I'm taking another bs (but necessary) government test to become a licensed equity trader, the 55. Taking a break here to post. Ironically I was watching Trading Places earlier today. Great movie, depicts how monumental Wall St. was in the 80s, it is way different today (aside from the crash).

In good timing, I received a great album today in the mail: Steve Reich's Music for 18 Musicians. The album is one piece, very ambient, spacious, and minimalist, and served as excellent studying music. Reminds me of much of Eno's late 70s ambient work. I already went through it 4 times. The artwork feels like the album:

On another note, I updated my playlist, to add some new and remove the truncated songs (sorry AC).

I heard White Rainbow from the DJ that opened for Animal Collective. I called the guy over and asked him what it was, he handed over the record, I wrote it down, purchased, and love it.

The Fever Ray is pretty good, and I think this song kills it. We all know she has an incredibly seductive voice, but this song just grabs me. I'm not sure why she decided to leave her brother out of this one, because I could see this album killing it with a backup creepy vocalist, but I will take it for what it is.

If you follow the music scene and you haven't been listening to Wavves then you've probably been living in a hole. A friend at work told me that he likes them but feels like he will get sick of them quickly. I said that it's not often that we get great pop punk bands, and to appreciate it. This song is off the first album, it's my favorite song of theirs, reminds me of the Liars with the minimalist beat and sharp guitars. A great piece of work.

And back to the Replacements again. Or Paul Westerberg rather. A very emotional song, a B-Side off of Stink most likely because it was in stark contrast with the rest of the album.

Enjoy.

Fuck

2009-03-26T19:15:00.000-07:00

Imeem keeps truncating my songs, pricks. I need my own url

Early 09 (and Late 08) Mixtape

2009-03-26T18:05:00.000-07:00

I'm doing this for the following reasons:

1. I want to sharing the music I like in greater quantity--these posts are too slow

2. I'm copying Amoeba

3. the VU don't belong in the same playlist as the Zombies

So I'm splitting up my music into my favorites of all time (subject to change) and the music I've been listening to in early '09 (and some late '08).

Animal Collective's Merriweather goes into one of my favorite albums of the decade and probably of all time but it really took over my life this year so it belongs in this list, for now.

It's been difficult finding the Replacements' Let It Be on lp so I've kept myself busy by buying their albums that I don't own, one being Hootenanny. This song struck me as very non-Replacements or Paul Westerberg but pretty interesting.

This is a Pandora pick, on my MSTRKRFT station, its pretty sick.

Frank Black, this brings me back to high school, and my Pixies days (which will obviously never end).

I picked the wrong Pretenders song earlier so I'm replacing it with this badass fucking piece of punk rock in 7/4. Don't forget to clench your teeth.

Follow with some more Jay Reatard, these guys put on a great show, and if they can stick around for a while I'm sure will be releasing some excellent tunes.

I revisited the Battles album when I picked it up from Turntable Lab in LA. Great sound quality and musicianship, I enjoy listening while s'ing a b.

Squarepusher never struck me but I think this song does. The drum beat is really precise and overlaps the keyboards very well. I was hoping for a more fulfilled build up but I can't get everything.

This Boards of Canada reminds me of why hip hop artists are dumb. It took Kanye West over a year to rob Daft Punk, why haven't they discovered Boards of Canada yet? These guys put out the sickest beats and catchiest simple keyboard riffs.

I think this version of Jigsaw Falling Into Place is better than the version on In Rainbows, what a cool drum machine beat and vivid guitar sound. Thom's voice always a plus.

They rereleased all of New Order's records and I've been fortunate enough to pick up Brotherhood. Bizarre Love Triangle is the track that stuck out most on first listen.

I've talked enough about the Zombies, they're pretty good, but I got sick of it quickly.

Bon Iver, obviously a breakup classic, I played this for a friend who was going through a breakup and it made her cry. I mean it's pretty powerful but I didn't realize...

I wasn't the greatest Grizzly Bear fan, I think they are good not great. I think the D of E is a superiour album to Yellow House and furthermore gives me hope that these well dressed gents will be putting out good music for quite some time. I'm a huge fan of the interlude on the album, I think that song is gorgeous, but it's not on Imeem and I'm too lazy to get it from my car right now. Sorry.

The Walkmen's You & Me is one of the best albums of '08. I spent a lot of time with this one when I started training at my job, those 110 hour weeks were funnnnnn

I revisited Wolf Parade's first album after putting it down for two years. I loved this one in college and I think the song Dinner Bells is incredibly powerful and sharp. When the song slows down at the end and the guitar is screeching in the background and the keyboard bursting back and forth I feel inspired.

And back to Radiohead, again, with the song that never made an album yet is brilliant. You could make a album out of Radiohead's b-sides and it would be pretty solid, no?

Brian Eno - Another Green World

2009-03-23T19:40:00.000-07:00

My first collector's item, I bought an original vinyl from the 70s and I'm framing it on my wall. Never to be played.

This is one of my favorite albums of all time, as evidenced by a song already appearing on my blog. The soundscapes Eno produces on the album are vivid and beautiful, and bring you to a totally different place. The album was released in 1975, and you can hardly tell.

I picked up this album at Caliban back during my sophomore year of college, per their recommendation. If you live in Pittsburgh and you have not been to this book/record store you are only cheating yourself. I remember marveling at the artwork on the cover before taking it back to my basement and playing it on repeat for hours.

The album tells a story, and flips between late 70s rock, ambient, singer/songwriter, and most importantly instrumental. The main word I could use to describe the album is colorful, and spacious. It truly does bring you to a separate place.

There are many notable cameos on the album. John Cale, known for his work with early VU, plays viola on a couple. Phil Collins, who played in Genesis, features drums. The most memorable is Robert Fripp, mainly known for his work in King Crimson, playing his signature guitar sound on "St Elmo's Fire".

I would not say this was my first introduction to ambient music, even though the album is not entirely ambient, but it was definitely my true introduction into this "type" of music. That is a hard statement to make because I don't think the album is classifiable. Kind of on it's own. After hearing the album I understood where this musical mindset came from that many bands have tried to replicate. You will understand too.

DJ AEIOU - Jeanjacket

2009-03-15T14:23:00.000-07:00

This album is pretty sick. Of course recommended at Amoeba, it's a live DJ set from this underground dj that I've never heard of and can't find online unfortunately.

It's rock n roll, its funk, its soul, even some new wave, what a great piece of work. Not the best mixing, but I think that is hard to do considering its not electronic and each song is very different.

I have only heard one of the songs on this album, the second, and as I'm constantly looking for new music these dj's I've been hearing recently have showed me plenty. There is hope!

I want to find out more about this guy so that I can see him in LA one of these days. Would be a great time I'm sure.

Of course its a long mix, so if you're impatient go to the two songs starting at about 22:00. Those two are my favorites.

Cut/Copy @ Club Nokia

2009-03-12T18:31:00.000-07:00

This was officially the first time I have gone out during the week with my new job (sadly). But I did it for Cut/Copy because their last album In Ghost Colours is one of the better albums of the decade.

The show was originally supposed to be at the Henry Fonda, and when I got an email saying that it would be in downtown in the new LA Live complex at Club Nokia I had mixed feelings. I was happy because the Henry Fonda has the worst sound of any venue I've been to in LA, and I was pissed because I would have to drive to downtown, where the drive home would take another 15 minutes off my already to-be-deprived sleep.

First off, Club Nokia was awesome. Besides being brand new and having excellent sound, the design of the place was great. The pit was more of a dance floor and was spaced perfectly around the stage, and the upper seating section (where my friend Shir and I decided to sit) was extremely close to the stage. That is partly because we managed to get seats in the VIP section and also because of the thought that was put into getting the most people possible close to the performer.

And of course Cut/Copy put on a great show. They're so foreign and so nerdy and so 80s and they rocked the house. Everyone was dancing, everyone was having a great time. It's impossible to sit still when you listen to this band. Here were some of my favorites in the order they played them:

Nobody Lost, Nobody Found:

Sands of Time:

Out There On The Ice:

This was a riot, Lights and Music, I love the shot at 2:27:

My one regret is not recording So Haunted, because their 10 or so minute version of the song was the best of the night. Next time...

I got home at 1 am, and of course had to get up at 4, so you can imagine how I felt at work today. It's 7 pm in LA now, and I'm going to bed.

White Light White Heat

2009-03-08T19:50:00.000-07:00

It took me probably two years until after buying this album to actually process it. Again, rewarding, but not for the faint listener. Very drug influenced and abstract.

I love this song. It is so. fucking. cool.

Animal Collective @ the Troubadour - Round 2

2009-03-02T18:12:00.001-08:00

I quickly finished my work Friday and scrambled to get in line at 4:30 pm for the Animal Collective show at the Troubadour. I was the 4th person there, ordered a pizza in line, and waited for 4 hours until the doors opened. Lots of 4's.

I was leaning on the stage, right on the front lines, at this amazing show. They blew me away. I'm so happy they rescheduled. Here are some videos I took. Enjoy!

My Girls, go to 4:20:

Leaf House, a classic:

Blue Sky, a new song:

Fireworks, as with most of their live shows, extended to 15 minutes long:

I put myself out there to see them at such a small venue. Probably the last opportunity I will have to see them up and close. It was worth every second.

Pitchforkmedia.com

2009-02-26T18:42:00.000-08:00

I want to take a minute to talk about this website, particularly because I've spent most of my music loving days with this publication.

After discovering the website in early high school, I came to appreciate them because they loved all of the new bands I loved, agreed with me on the bands that were overrated and plain bad, recognized the greatest albums of all time, introduced me to hundreds of new albums, and most importantly filtered out a lot of the music that probably was not worth my time.

I also want to talk about the website because of this. This guy says:

"Pitchfork, as this is one of those things that used to be cool, but is now not cool"

This is dumb, and maybe the writer of this blog agrees with me, because who the fuck cares if Pitchfork is "cool." This really pissed me off. Pitchfork started out as a indie music website, gained the status of a magazine, and then turned into a multimedia music broadcasting source. They play videos, interview all of the bands we would care about, show new music before it comes out, throw their own concerts, and most notably review every new album.

They became popular 3-4 years ago, and now they're not "cool"? Their popularity is because of their strong fan base, and their strong fan base is because they gained respect from people for thoroughly covering the underground music scene.

I understand others not liking them because they are pretentious, because they are as pretentious as it gets. But my argument is that they are allowed to be pretentious. They know more about music than pretty much any other writers out there, and they have managed to dictate the music scene from the ground up. Those two qualities warrant being pretentious.

That's not to say I agree with everything they say, as with anything I will have strong opinions of my own. They have blunders, they are not always right, but as a genuine music filtering source they are the best. Nothings perfect, but most of the time they come quite close.

Ohhhhhh Talking Heads - Remain in Light

2009-02-25T19:22:00.000-08:00

Let's finish off my first round of posts with the remaining decade on my list-- the often unappreciated 80s. the Talking Heads were responsible for much of the great and terrible music of the era, and even much of the music today.

This album is so crisp, it sounds anything but outdated, especially on vinyl and on my new B&W's. The album is characterized by sharp percussion, quick attacking guitars (at times 2-3 at a time), funky bass lines, multiple singers harmonizing over each other with David Byrne taking the lead, and Brian Eno's production.

I love how some songs start simple, some immediately start complex, and the instruments and sounds are added and removed periodically. All throughout, a minimal yet sharp and perfect beat carry the songs, and never stop. There's much going on, but the beat carries through, and makes you move your body.

This is the fucking 80s. Let's party.

B&W 683's

2009-02-23T19:49:00.000-08:00

I just bought new speakers. This is one of the many times I am reminded why I work so hard:

Van Morrison - Astral Weeks

2009-02-19T18:40:00.000-08:00

I've been waiting for this album to come in the mail for a week now. Since I set up my turntable, and since my last post, I have bought a decent number of records, but I really didn't want to write about any of them until I got Van Morrison's Astral Weeks.

Some say Van Morrison has the best rock and roll voice of all time, and that's hard to disagree with. His voice is his own instrument, and he treats it like an instrument. At times he can hit you so hard you feel it at the bottom of your spine.

This album is not easy listening, it's very personal. It's so personal that it's almost hypnotic. He evokes your imagination and your feelings in ways that no other musicians have. And it's really with just his voice...

His voice really carries the whole album. Every song is a poem, and every lyric can and should be read and analyzed.

Most notable is his ability to repeat simple words and phrases, with the vocal lines and projection fluctuating, for an extended period of time. He turns something simple into something so complex, it's really hard to explain but easy to feel when you are listening.

Probably one of the greatest records of all time, so naturally it's not possible to pick a favorite to post on the blog. Madame George is a classic.

She loves to love the love that loves to love the love. Huh? Just listen.

It's tough to write about this album, especially after this. But if you're looking for a great album and you have spare time to devote to this masterpiece then spend it with Van Morrison, it's incredibly beautiful.

On Vinyl: Battles - Mirrored

2009-02-14T14:51:00.000-08:00

This album is one big math equation. Lots of layered instruments. Not in 4/4. Excellent production and sound quality.

On Vinyl: Radiohead - OK Computer

2009-02-11T19:40:00.000-08:00

Obviously.

This was probably my introduction to good music, and definitely the album that made me love music. Although I was too young to hear it when it came out, I discovered this in early high school and instantly fell in love.

I was asked by a fellow music friend that I used to go to shows with in high school "which band changed your life?" I told her I didn't understand the question, I don't think any music in fact change my life. She told me to think of the band that I truly loved, the band that inspires me, the band that made me love music. Radiohead changed my life.

OK Computer started me on a journey to find good music. They made me look for bands that would give me the same uplifting feeling and would make the hairs on my arms and neck stand like they have so many times. I have had many successes and failures, but it all started here.

Through that search I have found it hard to find an album, as a complete album, that matches up to this one. It is the best album of the 90s, hands down, there is no question about any album that comes close in depth, musical ability through the instruments and vocals, and most important consistency. Every song on the album is excellent, and the album as a whole tells a story and flows from start to finish. There are not many bands in history that have accomplished such a feat.

The singles on the album, while great, are so well fitting into the album that it does complete injustice to leave these alone and simply listen to them on the radio. You must dedicate the time to listen through the whole thing. I don't pick through the songs, I listen from start to finish to get through their musical novel.

It's incredible to think of where Radiohead were before OK Computer, the monumental status that this album gave them, and the path they took thereafter. They match up as one of the greatest, most original, and brilliant bands of all time.

I really recommend dedicating time to this album. Pay attention to the layered guitars and piano, lyrics, feelings, production, and buildups that the record is so acclaimed for. It takes time to process, because the music is not simple, but that is always the type of music that is most rewarding.

On Vinyl: Television - Marquee Moon

2009-02-09T19:38:00.001-08:00

I never hear about this album, I don't know why. That's probably why it took me until my sophomore year of college to discover this band. I walked into Caliban Book Shop, my favorite indie record store in Pittsburgh (it wasn't even a record store just a small music corner in a book shop with very knowledgeable staff), and they were shocked that I never heard of Television.

The band's landmark album came in 1977, arguably one of the best years in music. 77 was defined by many experimental and punk rock n roll bands and Television finds itself right in the middle of the two. Trying to stick a type of music to the album doesn't do it justice, I think it's almost in it's own category, but rightly gets grouped into the progressive and punk music of that era.

The album has some of the most raw and incredible guitar work of any rock n roll album in the 70s, and probably of all time. Not jam-style guitar work, just very edgy and well crafted, melodic and overlapping, quirky and roughly produced, with simple drums, base, and keyboards to support. The vocals are perfect for the guitar, very edgy too, while some may find Verlaine's voice tough to listen to as they purposely leave the recording raw and the production low.

The vinyl catches many of the low polished sounds and makes it a pretty unique listening experience.

The whole album is incredible, there is not a bad song. Marquee Moon, the title track, has one of the quintessential guitar solos of all time, lasting over 5 minutes, with both guitar players playing off each other.

It's hard to find Good Music anymore

2009-02-08T15:56:00.000-08:00

I've been facing a dilemma recently: I average about a 1:4 good album to bad album ratio recently. Unfortunately I've exhausted all of the greats and am forced to search harder, and so many albums that I hear about simply aren't that great. So what to do?

I bought a needle and preamp and set up my brother's old turntable. I started buying vinyls that I already have heard and constitute some of my favorite music. Some of my next round of posts are going to be the vinyls that I'm listening to, kind of as a filtered guide of my favorite albums of all time.

I bought In Rainbows and it made me appreciate it more (if that's possible), mostly because of the way the album is broken up into 2 on vinyl. You flip the record and it starts with Faust Arp, how excellent.

The 1/5 I bought the other day was the Pretender's comeback album, Learning to Crawl. Very 80s and catchy, I enjoy the female lead very much.

Merriweather Post Pavilion; best album since Kid A

2009-01-26T17:42:00.000-08:00

I'm going to make a bold statement. Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavilion is the most important, and best, album since Kid A / Amnesiac.

I toyed with this conclusion about a week ago but had to think about it before posting it on my blog. I have listened to the album through and through about 50 times now and my conclusion stands.

AC has broken new grounds, probably the most important characteristic of a great album. The sounds, built from keyboards, synthesizers, light guitars, drum machines, samples, and most importantly vocals, contribute to a new form of music that is unclassifiable. Every song on the album has its place, every song sounds great, all the songs flow together into one meaningful piece.

The intro 'In the Flowers': The distortion and peculiar sounds reveal a 3/4 time signature arpeggiating guitar, "If I just could lose my body for the night," overcome with an explosive beat and keyboard set on high resonance covering the same guitar riff with it's own twist.

'My Girls': catchy and has distint melodies and rhythm, which can easily catch main stream attention. The rounds and harmonies take turns rotating octaves as Avey Tare and Panda Bear sing over each other, as they bridge between verse and chorus.

'Summertime Clothes': a tribute to the humidity of a NYC summer, follows another arpeggiating keyboard as well as a catchy beat and bass line. The bass line follows, then drops, then follows, then drops. Mostly sung by Avey Tare with the occassional spurts of harmonies by Panda Bear at the higher octave that ring and resonate in the ear.

'Bluish': The distorted guitar (maybe keyboard?) that form the backdrop of the melody make you feel like you are underwater. The song is about being infatuated with love, "I'm getting lost in your curls; I'm getting crushed out on the things that only I should see; They're not for boys they're just for me."

'Guy's Eyes': the ability of the singers to play off of each other. The song is minimalist in instrumentals, and focuses more on the raw ability of the band to carry the song through their vocals. Avey Tare and Panda Bear sing over each other in rounds that take their own patterns, then harmonize, then take their own patterns again. The vocal lines overlap each other, break off, then join at different octaves, then explode, its beautiful. You can envision the music.

'No More Runnin': the song is the slowest on the album, mostly characterized by the two singers holding a single harmony.

'Brothersport': MAN (actually I looked it up and its "Matt," but it sounds like MAN). Begins with a funky vocal line, great harmony, then a long bridge with arpeggios and a defined beat. The song carries the bridge for some time, culminates to the end of the album, and breaks off into the conclusion, beautiful repetition. "Keep it real Keep it real Shout out."

I used to refer to Radiohead as the "last great band." A few weeks ago, I never even thought I would question this statement. Animal Collective have released their best album yet, an album that is epic. This album will be copied by many, and will change music. They are artists; They are the next great band.

Animal Collective @ the Troubadour

2009-01-24T19:03:00.001-08:00

This is all I have

Jay Reatard @ the Echoplex

2009-01-24T00:04:00.000-08:00

I just got back from a crazy 3 piece punk band from Tennessee. Mr Kelley introduced me to these guys a month back, I got one album, Matador Singles, then another, Blood Visions, and I was hooked. The band reminds me of a modern Buzzcocks but crazier, punk that's fun yet angry and makes you want to break your face. I don't know what that means...

This band made me rock out so hard my hair was a mess, my shirt was sweaty, my neck hurt, my ears rang, and I needed to catch my breath. They played one song after the other, no break, flawless guitars and bass, even more flawless drums. They were sweating and kept spitting on the floor. Or maybe that was sweat dropping.

I was up front, on the barrier, kind of by accident, but fighting to stay up there was worth it. I haven't been that into a show for a very long time.

I talked to a photographer Scott Schultz who works for LA Record and he took many pictures. I will ask him for some to post.

Jay didn't punch anyone this time around.

For Frezza

2009-01-19T09:08:00.000-08:00

At work, on the holiday, not much trading going on, but much great music in my ears.

This new Animal Collective is excellent. They keep exploring new sounds and feelings with their music, I don't think I've heard anything like it. Original in many ways.

I can't wait for the show Saturday, I will take many pictures.

As for song selection, Bluish is probably my favorite song on the album (so far), although I love the In the Flowers -> My Girls intro and transition. I'll probably post another.

I missed this one...

2009-01-17T17:44:00.000-08:00

Between graduating from college and working 70 hour weeks, I seemed to miss this guy. Apparently his songs have made it on House and Greys Anatomy, but I don't watch either. What a great album.

I've been on a music binge lately, trying to pick up all of the music I missed while adjusting to the job.

On another note, two great shows coming up: Jay Reatard at Echoplex and Animal Collective at the Troubadour. I saw AC in London at the Astoria in 2006, their at-the-time biggest show yet, they were incredible, now I get to see them up and close. Probably the last time in a while this band will play at a small venue.

Alternative & Punk

2009-01-12T19:04:00.000-08:00

I started upload my music at work and realized that about 70% of my music iTunes classifies as 'Alernative & Punk.' I agree that I listen to mostly music that is alternative, and a lot of music that is punk, but it was interesting to see the proportion.

Although I like all types of music, I really like bands that explore new realms. Bands that can make songs sound incredible without a preset mold are bands that last. the Beatles and the Beach Boys for Pop. Miles Davis jazz. Bob Dylan singer/songwriter. the Rolling Stones rock and roll. Pink Floyd psychedelic. the Clash punk. David Bowie and Marc Bolan glam. David Byrne and Brian Eno new wave. the Pixies and Nirvana grunge. Radiohead. I'm leaving out dozens of great bands, probably on purpose, but I apologize in advance.

One band not only broke many new grounds but so happens to define my musical taste. They are the fathers (and mother) of Alternative, and they are the designers of Punk. the Velvet Underground.

The amount of new ground that this band broke is hardly surpassed by any other band. It's difficult to think of rock, punk, alternative, blues, psychedelic, glam, grunge, experimental, songwriting, poetry, rhythm, overlaying guitars, pain, revelation, feeling like shit, feeling badass, wanting to party, wanting to be in love, all your victories, all your regrets, wanting the day to be over, loving the day for just beginning, fucking everything without this band. Their albums will last forever. They are everything that is beautiful about music.

If you don't have their music get something, anything. If you don't like Lou Reed's voice listen again.

Amoeba Music Recommends

2009-01-11T18:43:00.000-08:00

I made a trip to my favorite record store Amoeba yesterday. Amoeba has the best selection and very knowledgeable staff. The only problem is that I don't really have a person I go to there for music recommendations, I just usually ask a random person filing disks.

I found a younger guy with some pretty badass 50's glasses for a recommend, and he threw me the Zombies Odyssey and Oracle, and album I had heard about and meant to get but never got to it. He described them as pop, but not soft, ie Belle and Sebastian, with balls. I really like Belle and Sebastian, but sometimes they're just too sappy, so I was sold.

A pretty cool description. I'm not sure if I agree with that completely, but I definitely agree with the reference. They remind me of the Beatles and the Beach Boys, and thats mostly since it was the same era.

It's a great album, I recommend it if you have not heard it. Here is a track that I think I have heard in a movie or commercial, but I can't quite put my finger on it.

Pounds of Coffee

2009-01-06T18:45:00.001-08:00

I've been out for a week. Took a 1 day vacation to spend new years in vegas, got back, and I have too much work to explain.

Before I left, Wednesday the 31st, I saw one of the most ridiculous things in the market since I started to trade. The GBP book got swept and moved 350 pips in 30 mins. 350 pips. For those that aren't familiar, a pip is .0001, so a 350 pip move is pretty significant.

The pound moved from 1.47 to 1.435 in 30 minutes. Imagine studying abroad in London and leaving your dorm in Kensington to get to the office in Canary Wharf. If you chose to buy your 2 pound coffee before the trip, it would have cost you $2.94. If you waited until after the trip you would pay $2.87. Talk about inflation.

Moves like this aren't normal, and while we're all waiting for the markets to calm down, which admittedly they almost have, there are events like these that are hard to explain.

I leave you with a song I heard today at work. This didn't make it on Kid A / Amnesiac, a testament to how talented this band is and how good the two albums are.

I'm going to log my songs on the right and create you a playlist. Hopefully I make these posts more regular.

Music and Math

2008-12-28T11:17:00.000-08:00

I decided I know a lot about two things: music and markets. Kind of a crazy combination no? The Beverly Hills High School indie snob turned mathematician in the good old PA and now back in my hometown as a trader. Not "traitor," I've had people ask me why I don't like my country on more than one occasion.

I went to an often unbearably challenging university on the east coast, Carnegie Mellon University, primarily because I knew I wanted to do math and secondarily because I wanted to keep my connections with music. The university has premier programs in both technical studies and the arts. The latter I did not pursue, as coping with the demands of getting a mathematics degree was enough to keep me occupied.

By some stroke of luck this small algorithmic trading firm located in Beverly Hills called EWT, came to recruit at CMU. So now I'm using my math aptitude to trade currencies, and I'm doing it at home.

Certain parts of me wish that I had persued music a little more in my life. I'm not a backward looking person and I'm very happy with the cards I have been dealt and how I've played them, but it's probably the most important hobby/aspect of my life that I never pursued seriously. This blog is my way of revisiting music.

I hope anyone that came to me for music recommendations over the years finds this, and enjoys what I put out. I'll post songs on this page-- the first, Brian Eno's the Big Ship, is a classic, off of one of my favorite albums, Another Green World. This song was released in 1975 and does not sound outdated. Read about Eno's accident that inspired him to release this album if you have the chance.

I'll also throw in things about myself, as well as comment on significant events that occurred in the market.

Enjoy!