Look what I just found. And downloaded for free here. Via this. I know its hard to imagine but I had some SERIOUS musical boredom. I think its cured.
On 01.26.10, In Findings, By Sarah
On 01.22.10, In Events, By Riley
Ithaca is gorges, unless it’s not summer, so for the past four months and for four months more (or until Slut Day*, whichever comes first) Ithaca will be dismal.
At least there’s some cool stuff going on around town. The Flaming Lips are coming to Cornell in April, which is the biggest deal since Built to Spill ripped apart State Theater in October.
But there’s more! The Avett Brothers, whose single, “I And Love And You” has been making girls’ panties drop people reluctant to fall in love for a few months now will be coming to the State Theater later on in February.
I&<3&U
This century’s Mark Twain will be visiting the State Theater in April. David Sedaris will speak to an audience, likely making us laugh, reflect, or eliciting a cheerful, “huh.”
April Seventh
There’ll be tons of great entertainment in Ithaca until Slut Day* arrives. Besides thacant, listen up to Aaron Terkel’s Concert Connection on WICB, everyday at 8:30, 1:30, 5:30, and 8:30 once again.
And hell, since we’re talking about public venues, stop by and donate a few cents to the Library Downtown – I mean look at this measly donation bin!
a single dollar? weak!
*What is Slut Day?
Well, lemme tell you a thing or two about Slut Day at Ithaca College. Waking up with the bright sun shining through the windows, and stepping out into the warm morning air with nothin but a t-shirt and shorts on. As you look onto the quad, it’s no longer just a patch of barren grass. Instead, on slut day, the freshly mowed grass is littered with girls dressed in scantily-clad (slutty) outfits, draped across every quad on campus. Now, this first exceptionally gorgeous day of spring, complete with the thermometers soaring above 70, every girl on campus gets the opportunity to shake off the winter rust, show off their bodies, and collect a little sun. Whether it be in a skirt on the grass, listening to music, or sprawled out in a bikini on their beach towel, just be sure you’ve got your sunglasses on today, because there’s enough eye candy laying around to make your eyes wander.
like this article? e-mail cbell1@ithaca.edu and tell him so!
On 01.21.10, In Contributors, By Sarah
A lot has been going on in this mind of mine. For a lack of many things, school included, its also been wandering. Through many car trips, a too long layover and boredom overall I’ve been exploring the inner depths of my iPod. That led me to an On-The-Go playlist 142 songs long. Which then led to more music boredom. Since I’ve been home here in Ithaca I’ve had nice time on my hands. Allowing for most of my afternoons thus far to be completely devoted to listening to music, an activity that is a constant in my life but is never really as deep as it has become over the last two days.
It begins with the fact, and a confession, of my past as a music lover. I used to be a close-minded classic rock fan who didn’t know better and never gave anything a chance. Right now, while stomaching the Breakfast with the Beatles show, I am on a personal quest to knock the Beatles off their pedestal in my life, and for those around me. I’m the ‘Beatles girl’ (as I’ve been told) and not until now has that bothered me. Recently I’ve been listening to what I used to consider modern music. Now it is just becoming common sense.
Here we have the Dirty Projectors.
Bitte-Orca
This band we play at the station. Although I did not start listening to them until my brother-in-law recommended them to me. My Christmas gift to him was a jump drive full of music that I acquired throughout the year. His personal quest is to find as much new music as possible. Through him and someone else close to me I have found something I never thought I would stumble upon, let alone go looking for. Its the idea that anything can be great. Just think, every band- and even more importantly- every song is someone’s favorite. So you can’t be too upset with something musically, because everything has a home.
This band, the Dirty Projectors have been putting out records since 2002- this record Bitte-Orca is remarkable. There is plenty going on there, bold and unusual unlike anything I’ve ever heard.I fall in love with it every time I hear them. Over the course of time I’ve never listened to anything as what I would consider as strange as this band. And I never thought I would genuinely love anything like this.
Almost even better is Yeasayer. This is a band that has one record from 2007 and their most recent, Odd Blood, is credited for coming out in 2010 (but I heard it all throughout the latter part of 2009.) The bravest band, maybe, that I’ve ever listened to. Odd Blood opens with a track that throws you off. Almost like you don’t expect what the hell the next thing will sound like. I was so familiar with just the one song the station plays and I had heard the full album two other times. It wasn’t until two days ago I got the full record and let it marinate that I realized that its better than crack. Each song as you listen to the full album impresses me and even though there is one in particular, all the songs are peculiar themselves. After enough time to digest you can see that it is technically a ‘concept’ album- but anything short of ordinary. Most people don’t even like it.
Odd Blood
Now right now there is something even more important to me. It is a revolution in my own life. A word that can never be used too lightly, its a revolution because I have these feelings about music as if I’m falling in love with it for the first time. As if I’ve never even heard it before. Something like this has never been this important to me. Bands that I’ve known of since high school and never gave a second chance, or second thought, are now some of the most important bands in my life.
I’ve been trying to love some in particular, like the Flaming Lips (coming to Cornell in April), since I was a senior in high school. Brian Walagorski introduced me to them. He also gave me the gift of life with giving me Yankee Hotel Foxtrot for the first time. I now know that this kid was way ahead of me. He knew that Wilco was his favorite band. I even remember him going to Chicago to see them (and thought he was crazy for doing so.) Wilco has become one of, if not, the most important band to me. This kid also gave me Yo La Tengo, which I have grown to appreciate. I forgot where Elliot Smith came from- whom I now am sincerely falling in love with. As well as The Velvet Underground. The Velvet Underground, as some ‘cant readers might know, are THE favorite of mine. I guess you could call them tied for first with Wilco. When I said this out loud to my sister, they could not believe it and thought I was messing with them. How could someone mess about something as serious as this?
Music has become so much more important to me. And I never thought it could gain any more credibility in my life. I’ve started a brand in my own head of ‘Euphoric Rock.’ Including a list of most of the above bands, it is a kind of music that makes you feel strangely happy yet disturbed in a way you cannot understand. Beautiful lyrics like poetry and voices that are choral and unexpected. Arrangements and musicianship that goes far too overlooked and a sensibility that continues to keep my brain interested.
Merriweather Post Pavilion
Since the ‘Best of 2009′ lists have been ranking Animal Collective all over their number one or two spot (in addition to friends and associates saying the same things) they are my newest band that I am venturing into. I want to see what the fuss is about, give it a chance even more. If this many people are talking about it, it has to mean something, right? This isn’t me trying to follow the crowd (or is it?) and I’m pretty sure this isn’t me conforming. Its just a message in my own brain telling me to snap out of whatever crazy bizarro world I was living in before and stop spinning the same things. Merriweather Post Pavilion is the one with the cool cover. A couple weeks ago I couldnt manage to get past the first few tracks. But with help from another friend, it seems OK and to be growing on me.
It has become more than the band members and their history. I find myself looking up information on these bands after weeks of listening to them. Right now its all about the music, recording and composition of what they want us to hear and in what order. It really is the music that I’ve found as if its been missing for all these years.
There is a lesson in this. I was so close minded for so long, listening to the same things, listening to the same manifesto of my father building the Beatles up to be more and more, without ever giving anything a chance. (Now I have to discover things like Nashville Skyline on my own, thanks to him. Thank god I did.) I couldn’t let anyone I know ever follow in these footsteps. I can’t imagine going through life without all of this, growing up without essentials and an open-minded variety. I just want to make sure that you go out and find something new. Stay on a station even if it bores you, tape a list on your wall of bands you’ve always been meaning to give another listen to, and listen to music with new people. Friends who study different things, have different views on everything from politics to clothing and friends who you never thought you’d meet can all influence you in ways I never thought they could. People with different interests and different tastes have had an incredible impression on me musically. The world of music just got a whole lot bigger. The list is endless. And everything seems to be falling into place.
On 01.18.10, In Findings, By Sarah
Sorry friends, for those avid ‘cant readers. After spending time setting up shop on my sister’s pull out couch in Cambridge and then making room in my sister’s bed in Steamboat Springs, CO- I’ve been blowing off radio break staff and traveling. Inadvertently, I’ve spent no more than four consecutive nights in any one place this entire break. With plenty of time to think I’ve had a lot of realizations and crazy adventures. Its been a great time for all involved.
Last night was the Golden Globe Awards. Here you can find a slide show of all the winners. Its the best, quickest way to get your information. Also, the New Yorker lets me fall in love with it every edition. A personal fave, if you’ve never read his writing I recommend it. Woody Allen pops up every once in a while and it just makes me glow. Even though he married his adopted daughter (which is totally weird and unacceptable) I still love him.
look at that face
Also, I’ve tried to read Youth in Revolt but it didn’t work out. Pawned as a journal then realizing it was actually fiction, I just couldn’t do it. But my sister’s excitement about the movie makes me think I should give the typecast Michael Cera a chance. Debroah Soloman did. Her ‘Questions For…’ column surprised me with this. A great interviewer at that, here is her latest…check it out.
Life has been all over the place. Home in JERRR SEEE and then back to the homeland of Ithaca tomorrow. Will be there indefinitely. (Well, maybe to Buffalo soon too.) I need to plan more adventures to see Wilco (sadly for the first time, but not the last) in Feb. and Dr. Dog by the end of the month. –If you haven’t started listening to Dr. Dog you’re crazy and our friendship is at risk. They are playing Syracuse on Jan. 30th and I am definitely going. Any fans who want to join, must. Their youtubes aren’t the best. But check them out: they pride themselves, or categorize shall I say, with dissonance, harmonies and minor chords. A favorite of mine, I can’t help but pass it along.
This semester brings shenanigans – so lets have some fun, eh?
On 01.03.10, In Quotes, By Riley
Recent quotes, from New Years, PPO and such…
“Don’t think I don’t think about it.” – Darius Rucker, former singer of Hootie and the Blowfish
“If I’m paying for conversation, I’m gonna be the one doing the talking!” – Brian Manning, to his taxi driver, post New Year’s Eve Bash
“3 count downs at 12, 1 and 2. Because that’s the best part anyway” – Invitation to Thunderdome MMX: New Year’s Eve
“Please, you can call me Janice…” – a composed Janice Sokol
“It’s David. DO NOT call me Mr. Sokol!” – an irked David Sokol
...ahhh its love at first sight!
Recently I have discovered how I can define my favorite bands. I mean it can be as simple as the fact that I like them best out of all the music that’s out there, but if you put some time into how it is personally definitive to you, you can have some fun. I’ve realized that my favorite bands are comprised of musicians that have gotten me to look and listen to music in an entirely new way. New ways that I could never have imagined without these minds. And I know we call it a top five, but right now I am stuck with just four. One of which is the Velvet Underground.
I’ve never discovered a band from an era that I thought I knew so well so late in the game. The Velvet Undeground is responsible for a lot of musical genres, movements, experimentation and adventures. People call them the first punk band. Their earlier records feature John Cale’s electric Viola droning in and out in sync with the guitars. They can appeal to everyone if you keep your mind open enough and give them a chance. I knew about them forever because they always ranked in the “…greatest of all time” lists. But I think it came at a later point when I was mentally ready for it. It was then that I realized how Lou Reed’s lyrics are like poetry.
The Velvets are not a mainstream band- and well, they are underground. Which sometimes makes their, I can’t find a better word here, memorabilia very hard to find and usually more expensive than you ever expect it to be. When I just saw this, I was excited at the thought of learning more about a band that only really loving fans seem to know anything about. But when I saw the price at $300, I was disappointed.
Of course coming from the New York Times Magazine, the Style Magazine nonetheless, it chronicles alternate record covers, ticket stubs, lyric notes, film stills and letters. It is a big book I hope to get my hands on soon. I have also recently discovered a love for cultural histories of New York City- and if you didn’t know, the Velvet Underground are a big contributor to that.
–Now, I read the biography of Andy Warhol and a lot of people associate this band with him. And I would like to set readers straight that he did fund and design their first imfamous record cover. He is also why Nico was included in the first place. She was a commodity (one of Warhol’s earliest muses)- she had to sing solo, or along with Reed, and be featured in the record of Warhol was not going to fund anything. This is how she won her American fame. She was already a popular German singer-songwriter.
Even though their music can be depressing, I truly, really love this band because the Velvets are the ultimate poets of the 60s. It is euphoric. Maybe that is due to Lou Reeds addiction to heroin, but I like to look beyond that. I recommend going for The Velvet Underground, the self titled record. Or even Loaded which is a lot of people’s favorites, including mine. Once you understand those, you can get the full effect of The Velvet Underground & Nico. One of the most musically layered and complicated records that exists. I now understand why it always made those “….greatest of all time” lists.
Do something new this break. New to your brain. Try out the velvets. I hope they don’t disappoint you. (Also, let me know how it goes.)
On 12.08.09, In Contributors, By Sarah
29 years ago today John Lennon was assassinated by Mark David Chapman outside of the Dakota Hotel on the upper west side of New York City. If you have not made it to Strawberry Fields, I recommend it. When my senior class in high school got the week off to go to Disney in Florida, I did the unnatural thing and stayed home. My dad and I spent one of those days in the city and seeing Strawberry Fields was one of our activities we wanted to do together. While we were there, we saw countless tourists just like ourselves, a man propose to his girlfriend and two homeless men who looked like they had experienced the full effect of the 1960s. Its a cool place to visit. Maybe next year I’ll make it on December 8th for the 30th anniversary. But I figured it would be cool to go at 40 and especially 50 years- which we will definitely see the day of.
Its a story among us Beatle fans that is kind of common sense once you reach a certain age. It is as memorable in comparison to ask ‘where were you when JFK was shot?’ Lennon and Yoko had returned from the recording studio. He was in the midst of making Double Fantasy. Released three weeks before his murder, its his best selling solo album and won him the 1981 Grammy for Record of the Year. Mark David Chapman was posing as a fan, trying to get his autograph and then he shot him. The story is unclear to me as to why MDC wanted to murder one of the most peaceful and beloved human beings. A movie was made about Chapman were Jared Leto played him and Lindsay Lohan is in it too. But that’s besides the point. The point is, don’t see this movie. I’d rather you read the Wikipedia article on him if anything.
Last weekend on the Breakfast with the Beatles show I did a feature of all John Lennon solo work and his best Beatles stuff. It was really fun, actually and very well received by my normal listeners. Although he is not my favorite Beatle (George is, of course) I still have a hard time recognizing his extreme amount of talent. After I read John by Cynthia Lennon, his first wife, I kind of lost respect for him because of how he broke Cynthia’s heart and was an absent father letting his family fall to pieces as he fell for this artist, Yoko, and continued on with life as if nothing existed before her. Cynthia even came home from a weekend away with girlfriends to find them sitting on their living room floor in their his & hers bathrobes. But every once and a while someone will remind me of why he was everyone’s everyone. This time I think it was explained the best.
The beauty about John Lennon as an artist is that from the beginning when you sat him down to interview him, or just to talk whether or not it was an audience of five or five million, he always poured his heart out. He treated everyone like his brother, being honest and pleasant just, literally, trying to make the world a better place. That is what made Lennon so likable. It is what continues to make him so lovable. Despite his many, many, faults and crazy life, he was a genius. But he was also a tortured soul. People of every generation will continue to fall in love with him and his music. Lennon just wanted to tell the truth and sometimes it really pissed people off (like when he said the Beatles were bigger than Jesus Christ- who can argue with that….?!) But the truth is the best policy, maybe not all the time. But it was for him. Lennon wanted truth, peace and love. I think we can give it to him.
Also if you are interested there is an exhibit going on at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Annex Museum in NYC commemorating his life in New York City- his favorite part of his life and his favorite city to be in. It opened this May and I’m quite sure it goes through next month. Every time I look for an end date, I can’t seem to find one. So check it out. Also, if you have not yet seen A Hard Day’s Night- watch it. Funnier than anything: it is English comedy before Monty Python. Also, Help! is also tremendously funny.
"are you listening to me, Lennon??"
So if you haven’t yet today, play a little Lennon. Do something he would do. Happy December 8th.
On 12.07.09, In Findings, By Sarah
There are a lot of subjects that a lot of people call themselves experts of. Rock and roll is one of them. A lot of people love rock and roll, you all know I do. We enjoy it every day. It inspires us to do whatever we are supposed to be inspired to do. It can act as a life narrative or just as a soundtrack to whatever you might be doing that day. You can find loads and loads of books on the subject of “rock and roll.” Sometimes its hard to weed out the ones that don’t get their facts straight, or the ones that are just kind of a jumble and don’t really have anything going for them. When such a topic is on the table its hard to filter out all the crap. Luckily- you have me.
Among the many books there are a lot of photographs. And every once and a while a great book comes out- and this time I think I have found it. I mean, its not the greatest book of all time on the subject, but it can provide time for your rock and roll imagination to adventure around in that crazy head of yours. Who Shot Rock and Roll, A Photographic History 1955 to the Present is a new book. And here is a new slide show of included photographs .
On 11.13.09, In Reviews, By Sarah
Them Crooked Vultures is Dave Grohl, Josh Homme and JOHN PAUL JONES.
Now you know. When any member of Led Zeppelin associates himself with something, or anything, it will not be shitty. And this band is anything but that. If you like rock music, loud grungey rock music and sexy rock music (ahem, Dave Grohl is supremely sexy) that is being released now, but sounds like it could have been released in the late 60s- you will enjoy this band.
Being released next Tuesday officially, the band released all the “videos” for it on their youtube account and their website. Lets face it- we will never pay for music again. Artists WANT us to hear their music, so they’re going to make it easy to get and easy to enjoy. So, go ahead. Enjoy. [Check out Scumbag Blues, Bandoliers, Reptiles]
On 11.07.09, In Videos, By Sarah