Shogu Tokumaru–Rum Hee
Wednesday, April 29th, 2009
Thanks to The Yellow Stereo for sharing this. Read More
Sexiest Rockers
Thursday, March 26th, 2009
Nerve has a new feature on the forty sexiest frontwomen in rock. I have to say, I have a guilty love of things like this. It's like Magnet Magazine collided with People.
Apparently Nerve will have a corresponding article on sexy lead men, for those who are interested. Read More
Ft. Worth Ballet Shame
Tuesday, March 24th, 2009
Apparently, the Ft. Worth Ballet theatre has decided to cut expenses by cutting out their orchestra and playing pre-recorded music for the upcoming performance of Cleopatra. Perhaps worse, they're not letting the public know there will be a recording in the pit. Pretty disappointing stuff.
Info here. Read More
SXSW recap
Monday, March 23rd, 2009
My second full day at SXSW was if anything better than my first. I aspire to go to this thing until I am too old to decently be allowed through the doors. God knows I'm already older than most of the beard sprouting indie kids there now. Except, perhaps, at the Echo and the Bunnymen show... Shows: Viva Voce (Mohawk)--I found earlier work by these guys a letdown, but their live show has turned me around. I look forward to their new release. These guys are from Portland, and they sound like it--although they originate from the south, I'm led to believe. Very melodious, femme-fronted guitar pop. Good feelings all around. Peelander… Read More
SXSW Update
Saturday, March 21st, 2009
So, I have a blog, I'm at SXSW, so what to do but blog about sxsw? First, let me me just say, this has to be one of the world's greatest parties. This is my second time here, and if anything it's gotten better. It seems like every bar--and there are hundreds--is hosting some new it-band from Finland or Denton or LA or Louisianna. It's hard to see a bad show. The hardest part is choosing. So far, I've seen: Blind Pilot (Club DeVille)--The main guy has a lovely voice, and the songs are catchy, but it's a little too vanilla for my taste. Langhorne Slim (Club DeVille)--Fun Shit. The songs are of a predictable structre and the lyrics are… Read More
The Dead Weather Excitement
Tuesday, March 17th, 2009
I never got into the Raconteurs, and I was growing tired of The White Stripes, but I'm pretty damned excited about The Dead Weather, the new Jack White supergroup featuring Kills vocalist Allison Mossheart. These two are a match made in heaven.
MP3 Listening Test
Monday, March 16th, 2009
Last night I decided to test to see if I could really hear the difference between the original recording and a CD burned from an MP3 copy. My test track was the first movement of Sibelius' violin concerto played by Cho Liang Lin conducted by Salonen. It's a very transparent disc. I ripped it first at 320 kbs using EAC with LAME. On my system, which is pretty good (Rega Apollo, Creek 5350SE, Von Schweicker Mk2 speakers; for the dollar inclined, we're talking about 5k), I could not reliably tell the copy from the original when my wife, irritated at the request, put me through a blind test. When I ripped it at 256kbs using the same method,… Read More
A Love of Classical
Thursday, March 12th, 2009
My recent radio silence has been in part due to the fact that I seem to be incessantly busy with refereeing articles, grading papers, writing letters and evaluating applications of various sorts. But that is not all. Many of my previous posts have been inspired by the best of recent indie music, but in the new year I have let that interest lag considerably. Instead, I have become obsessed with the "classical" tradition in music--to the point that I have taken up piano once again and have been studying music as though I were back in school. Unfortunately, I'm simply not educated enough to write very informatively about much of this music.… Read More
If I had a heart–Fever Ray
Monday, February 16th, 2009Muzak Bankrupt
Thursday, February 12th, 2009
It's not just a metaphor anymore. The company responsible for setting Beatles tunes to pan flutes in order to hypnotize Gap shoppers is going under. I, for one, find this encouraging. Now, if only Michael Bolton and Kenny G would go bankrupt, this economy would have hit the crap trifecta! Read More