Caught Up In Circles…
Posted on December 15, 2004 at 3:02 pm | No Comments
Kinda sniffly today, got a little cough goin’ on, I blame the twenty degree winter weather that settled over the hub last night. But let’s not talk about the weather.
This is exactly what the doctor ordered: a new Ida mp3, called “Late Blues“. It’s vintage Ida, perfectly beautiful & heartbreaking, an early preview from their upcoming “Heart Like a River“, due to be released on Polyvinyl in late February. It’s so nice to have Dan & Liz’s voices together in my headphones again. So looking forward to the full-lengther.
Ida
“Late Blues”If I get lost along the way to meet you
If I’m more than a little late
If I get caught up in circles, chasing my own tail
If I trip up and fail you…If I let you down…
If I let you down…I can see the injury that accompanies the passage of years
I can try to rationalize the accumulation of fear
And the dreams that draw us on in pursuit of the end of the time
And the grace that eliminates the path…If I let you down…
If I let you down…In the night, the city’s quiet
From the rooftop we can see the moon rise high above the clouds
Just enough light to see our faces give expression to the words we thought but didn’t speak
Then you asked me a question that I won’t forget,
even if I spend my life trying to live up to what it means…If I let you down…
If I let you down…Don’t let it break down…
Don’t let it break…
When it breaks down…
Here’s some seriously excellent news for followers, friends, and future fans of Mr. Craig Gurwich (aka Summer at Shatter Creek). Just found out that he’s been signed to the wonderful Badman Recording Co., who will be releasing his next full length, titled “All the Answers“, this coming March. So psyched, for both Craig and the label. Preview the first song from the album on the SaSC mp3 page.
So the same alternate universe in which the Red Sox won the World Series also sends Pay-dro to an NYC team, and brings David “drink-from-the” Wells to Boston. Gimme a W! Gimme a T! Gimme an F! Bizarro, Bizzaro, I love you, Bizarro.
Ok, so I’ve come into an abundance of these early-free-screening movie passes, and I’ve got a minor dilemma. Tonight, there is no choice: A preview of House of Flying Daggers. Been waiting for that one for quite awhile.
But on Thursday night I have to decide between: Spanglish, Flight of the Phoenix, or Meet the Fockers. Or staying home entirely. Hmmmm. I’m leaning towards Phoenix, only because the Fockers smells suspiciously like a studio trying to cash in again with an unnecessary sequel, and Spanglish… well, let’s just say I’m not exaclty a Tea Leoni fan. Still, I’m open to suggestion. Convince me.
I have a very small amount of two things lately: Money & Willpower. Not a good combo when you’re walking into Newbury Comics on a Tuesday. Yesterday I grabbed the new extended Return of the King 4-disc set (50 extra minutes!) and the brand new deluxe re-issue of the Cure’s first record, Three Imaginary Boys. I’m a former Cure fanatic, priding myself in having pretty much everything they’ve ever done (including the vinyl of that import-only LP), but even I haven’t heard a few of the super-rare demos they tacked on this thing. Can’t wait for the expanded versions of Seventeen Seconds & Pornography.
Here, get your very own Cost of War counter for your site. Mine’s over there in the left hand column. And really, it’s the human cost that we should be counting, but will never really know.
I was a little bit bummed to hear that the Guided By Voices “Bee Thousand: The Director’s Cut” was only being released on vinyl. Until I discovered that you can also get a cd of it (if you buy the vinyl) for an additional $5. So that’s 27 bucks… hmmmm… my credit card needs to be hidden far, far away from me.
Speaking again of my lack of cash… I came one click away from buying that new Hot Snakes Peel Session 7”… I wanted it badly, but couldn’t justify 10 bucks for four songs. Figured I’d wait until after the holidays, y’know? Well, he who hesitates is a loser, because as soon as Pitchfork plugged it, they sold right outta the damn thing. All gone. So all I can do is whine about it here, and hope they repress.
Wow, someone actually discovered Amazon.com’s Customer Service Phone Number. Anyone who’s ever tried to find it knows that they don’t publish it on their website. Anywhere. Wonder how long it’ll take Amazon to change it now that it’s been revealed?
Hey, I just won an autographed copy of the Futureheads disc from Kingblind. How cool is that?
Classic. Despite this web page being in another language entirely, you only need to look at the pictures for a good laugh. I really wanted the mess to continue, just to see what they rolled out next.
PopMatters kicked off their very own Music Downloads page today. Take a gander.
Hey, didja know there’s actually a reason this place is called Bradley’s Almanac? Blame Colin. Sadly, I had to retire my old Madelines t-shirt this past week… I tried to wear it and it sorta dissolved right offa me. End of an era.
A Most Important Date
Posted on December 14, 2004 at 3:52 pm | No Comments
The holiday party at the Middle East last night was a mighty swell time indeed. Lotsa food, buncha people, friendly & familiar faces everywhere, and some hilarious metal/punk live band karaoke action.
High Rocktane was the backing band, and they definitely brought the rock-riffin-chops. The Descendents, Van Halen, the Cr�e, lots more. The cell-phone photo over on the right is some guy doing “Hot for Teacher“. The highlight was our friend Chris P. and his Lemmy impression on “Ace of Spades“, singing upwards into the mic… and if you know Chris, he is not a short man, so that was no easy feat. His intro was the best: “Up next is Chris. The guy’s pretty shitfaced, but he’s got spirit!”. Good times.
Randomness follows…
Set the TiVo: The Pixies are on David Letterman tonight.
Oh my, oh my. The reunited Slint is coming to Boston. March 20th at the Roxy, with tickets going on sale this Thursday. I’ll be click-click-clickin’ away.
Major congrats to Micki & Jason, who finished their very first marathon on Sunday. I’m in total awe of those two. Looking at the tracking results, it appears Jason kept up with Micki most of the way, but she left him behind a bit in the last leg. I’m dying to know what she said when she pulled away… “Eat my dust!” or the more kindly “Um, would it be ok if I took off?”. I’d imagine it was somewhere in the middle there.
Hey, when you’re partaking of the holiday shopping, you might wanna Buy Blue, and funnel your spending dollars to businesses that support Democratic candidates. It can be tough (especially when you bought a freakin’ house and Home Depot is unavoidable), but it’s good to stay informed either way. Amazon might donate 61% to right wingers, but hey, maybe your cash will be part of the other 40% that heads left.
My obsession with HBO’s The Wire couldn’t possibly get any more intense. I have a hard time writing or talking about it without getting all giddy. It is, without a doubt, the best show on TV right now, and probably my favorite drama ever (yeah, ask me again when I have some distance from it).
Right now, though, I’m completely caught up in the climax of season three. Sunday’s next-to-last episode had me riveted start to finish… just so brilliantly written, acted, and executed by all involved. How this show can continue to be ignored by award-givers (and much of the viewing public) is a complete mystery to me. If this really is the final season (it has yet to be renewed), I’ll mourn the hell out of it… although given what happened on Sunday, it sort of feels like the end. But please, oh please, someone say it ain’t so.
An article from The S.F. Gate wonders: ‘The Wire’ & ‘Arrested Development’: Too Smart To Make It?. Sad but probably true… keep in mind what this country did on election day.
A cool little moment from Sunday’s show, for those who didn’t recognize it, was a cameo from Boston author (and sometime Wire writer) Dennis Lehane, behind the desk at the Property Room…
“McNulty, Major Crimes”
“Sullivan, Minor Irritations”
Yeah, that’s him behind the girly mag. Word has it that Lehane is working on a new book that starts off in 1918, and us Sox fans know what that year used to represent.
For fellow Wire fans who are following along, and have already seen this past episode (you smart, smart people you), here’s a great article from yesterday’s New York Times (use bugmenot if you need to login later). I recommend not reading it if you haven’t seen any Wire… skip the spoilers and get the Season One dvds, asap.
The new Strong Bad Email over at HomestarRunner is particularly amusing, especially for all of us former college radio DJs. Um… uhhhhh… yeah. *dead air*… it, uh, sure is.
So why is this a most important date, you might be askin’? Well, thirty five short years ago today, the super-cool, totally-cute, highly-tolerant, never-boring, big-smilin’, animal-lovin’, ass-kickin’ girl I’m lucky enough to call my wife was born. There aren’t many more important dates to me than December 14th.
So happy birthday to ya, Aim. We’re so not old.