Friday, July 31, 2009

Song of the Day 6/31/09

Ted Leo & the Pharmacists - Timorous Me

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Word Play

I was standing around the other day and could not help but overhear a strangers conversation. Really I only caught one line. They were asking the person on the other end to guess-estimate the cost of something. The word guess-estimate makes me chuckle. I realize I use a lot of foolish phrases but guess-estimate is one of the most nonsensical words.

A guess and an estimate are the same thing. In all fairness, a guess is not always logical like an estimate which is an educated guess. Still, the word confuses me. Maybe a guess-estimate means that if you are guessing then this is the best estimate. Maybe I am just too literal with my language. The word guess-estimate is a hybrid word much like hybrid fruits and vegetables. The hybrid has an essence of the original but it is not quite the same. Eating a hybrid tomato is not as satisfying as an heirloom but it passes just as guess-estimate is not a real word but it works.

Song of the Day 7/30/09

The Gaslight Anthem - Great Expectations

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Song of the Day 7-29-09

Hot Water Music - At the end of a gun

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Song of the Day 7-28-09

Elliott Smith - Enemy is You

Turning Up the Sound and Down the Quality

This song sounds like garbage. I find myself uttering this far more frequently than I did a few years ago. The garbage seems to be appearing on everything from the bands I abhor to some of my favorites. It starts with a muted sound from the drums or a fizzing sound like a cheap sparkler off the guitar and becomes something that is almost unbearable to the ear. It sounds as if you are trying to listen to your favorite song through a stereo where one of the speakers is blown out. My garbage issue is sound quality.

There was a little stir about this issue with Metallica's last album but ardent audiophiles were made out to be whining babies. If you cannot take the heat then get out of the kitchen. My reply is why do you need to turn up the noise, let the listen do that. Truth be told the issue of sound homogenization is quite common. Take a CD that you have recently purchased or a song that you downloaded and play it. Now take an older CD and listen to it. Notice how with the older CD you have to change the volume setting from time to time. Some parts are softer so you turn it up while some parts are louder so you turn it back down. With the newer recording notice that there are no adjustments to be made. On newer music the production company has turned up the lower tones so that they blend well with the highs. In doing this, the instruments' audio levels are all the same. The drums do not sound like they once did. Rather than hitting the listener between the temples it is as if the drummer is playing an empty milk jug. If the listener turns up the audio levels to compensate for a weak sound, the guitars go fuzzy and distorted because they are over the proper levels. In essence, modern production has created a cheap uniform mess of sound.

I write this not to create change, the music industry was bought and sold long before my time, but to inform. Not all music production has a cheap feel. There are still a lot of independent labels that are producing quality albums. It is too bad that audiophiles are tagged by the media as dorks when all we really want is superior sound quality.

Monday, July 27, 2009

Song of the Day 7/27/09

Hot Hot Heat - Get in or Get out

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Picture of the Week


Wish I did not have the Sunday night blues.
Can you guess the city where this street sign resides?

Song of the day 7/25/09

Badly Drawn Boy - Minor Incidence

Friday, July 24, 2009

An Open Letter to the Unemployed



I read a story yesterday about how the discouraged unemployment numbers are up. The discouraged unemployed are those who have stopped looking for work because they believe that there is nothing out there for them. I know a lot of people would say this group is lazy but it tears me up my inside knowing that people have given up. I grew up as someone who was a "have" rather than a "have not" therefore I am not in a position to judge. Still, I have had trying times and all I want to do is give these people a hug and say don't give up, this will all work itself out. If I could talk to these people here is what I would say.

Don't give up. All the news wants to talk about is how crummy the economy is these days, don't listen. Times are tough but so are you. You have made it where you are today because you know how to persevere. The news and media outlets want to count you out. They have already given you a reason to give up, "the economy." Do not let them. There are too many people who count on you and believe in you. I believe in you. The economy sucks but life does not.

Story: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/States-Where-the-Unemployed-usnews-3479448580.html?x=0

Song of the Day 7/24/09

Matt Pryor - Confidence Man

Perfect

Congratulations Mark Buehrle on perfection.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Song of the Day 7/23/09

Bloc Party - Letter to my Son

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Picture of the Week

What is in a Name?

I have had quite a bit of people ask me lately about the name of the blog. There are two things going on here. The first is that it is part of a song lyric from the Hot Hot Heat song "Get in or Get out." This is primarily a music blog, makes sense. The second part of the name is how the song lyric is used. The line from the song is, "the cost of living is a one way fare." Life is a one way fare. You only get one shot at life so make it count.

Society tends to play up the life is short angle a bit too much. I agree life is short but is it not too short to enjoy sitting on your couch in your Snuggie or marveling over the absorption power of a Sham-wow. Point being, some of the best parts of my life are found in the most inane moments. These are the moments where you try and tell someone a long drawn out story but end by saying, "you really had to be there." I will step off my soap box here but my point in all of this is not to get so caught up in all of the "Just Do it" and instead just find a way to enjoy your life.

Song of the Day 7/21/09

Foo Fighters - Exhausted

Calling Sufjan Fans

Sufjan Stevens will be releasing material in October. I purposefully left the word new out because although it is new to the general public, the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway project was recorded 2 years ago. To get the full details, click the story link below. New Sufjan is new Sufjan!

http://asthmatickitty.com/news.php?newsID=478

Monday, July 20, 2009

Song of the Day 7/20/09

Say Hi - Northwestern Girls

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Song of the Day 7/19/09

Nada Surf - Blankest Year

Friday, July 17, 2009

How to Argue

Is there a correct way to argue? I had an argument the other night and ended up feeling guilty. I wonder if I went too far. Did I cross the line when I kidnapped their Sugar Glider named Terrance or stole their grandmother's urn. All kidding aside, is there a way to have a positive outcome to an argument? One where both sides come away satisfied and there is no resentment. After reading "How to Win Friends and Influence People", I was convinced that arguments are pointless. I realize now that they are a necessity but I just wish they were easier.

Thursday, July 16, 2009


Death Cab for Cutie, Andrew Bird and Ra Ra Riot

Have you ever been to the Taste of Chicago? All in all it is a fantastic experience, one not to be missed but there are always headaches that go along with attending, ie the heat and humidity, long lines and traffic. Every year even if it is just for a moment you ponder how nice it would be not to have to deal with the headache. This is the best way I can describe the Death Cab for Cutie show at Red Rocks in Morrison, CO on July 14th 2009.

Death Cab for Cutie was on my short list of bands I absolutely had to see before I die. I have liked the band since I first heard, "We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes" but knew I would have to make some compromises. The first being that TicketMaster charged an exorbitant amount for its service fee. There was also the issue of the crowd. I had avoided last year's show of theirs at Red Rocks due to their commercial success for their album, "Plans." I secretly hoped that their popularity would wane a bit and they would play at a smaller club this year. It did not happen but I am glad I decided to suck it up and deal with the minor annoyances.

Death Cab was fantastic. They played a nice mix of old and new. Opening with Employment Pages was a brilliant move. The best thing about their set was that you could tell that they really enjoy playing live together. They chatted a little with the crowd and were appreciative of the big turnout. I was amazed with how crisp Ben Gibbard's voice sounded. Death Cab really knows how to make its fans feel special. The set ended with Transatlanticism and Ben Gibbard saying goodnight with the band's signature, "We're Death Cab for Cutie from Seattle Washington."

Ra Ra Riot and Andrew Bird were also very good. It has to be hard playing at a large venue where so many people are not paying attention. I felt bad. Ra Ra Riot and Bird are both incredible musicians and the majority of the crowd did not seem to care. The crowd was the most difficult part of the show. I have never been to a show where the crowd cheers louder for the newer material than the old classics. The crowd appeared to be lost when Death Cab played anything earlier than Transatlanticism. In short, I would highly recommend seeing Death Cab but understand that in a large stadium setting the crowd leaves a little more to be desired.

I realize I sound like a music snob but a good crowd can make or break a show. Still, the opportunity to see 3 bands that are as musically talented as these are well worth the minor annoyances. Dealing with headaches that are out of your control is just apart of being a good fan.

(Pictures to come soon)

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Death Cab for Cutie Setlist 7-14-09, Red Rocks, Morrison, CO

The show was good last night. I will write a longer review later today but wanted to post the setlist out there. I wrote it in the dark so some of the names are a bit difficult to read. I apologize if I put an incorrect name. Enjoy.

Death Cab For Cutie Setlist
Red Rocks, Morrison, CO (7-14-09)

Employment Pages
Heart is an Empty Room
New Year
Crooked Teeth
President of What
No Sunshine
Summer Skin
Grapevine Fires
I Will Posses Your Heart
Follow You into the Darkness
Title & Registration
Little Bribes
Cath
Fake Frowns
Long Division
Sound of Settling

Encore Break
Diamond and a Tether
Movie Script Ending
Soul Meets Body
Transatlanticism

Monday, July 13, 2009

Avoiding TicketBastard

For the past couple of months I have been pondering about how to get tickets to the Death Cab for Cutie show at Red Rocks. The are playing with Ra Ra Riot and Andrew Bird. Ticketmaster though it was reasonable to charge 14 dollars in service fees. I will not waste time complaining about Ticketmaster, that has been done countless times. Anyway, I found a ticket on Craigslist where I could avoid the service fees. I will report back after the show tomorrow night. I am pumped for it but am a little worried just because I have liked this band for years and hope the crowd is into the show and not just hearing "Soul Meets Body." Either way I am stoked to be able to cross a band off my "bands I have to see" list.

Friday, July 10, 2009

Shelter Dog of the Week - Cole


I am huge supporter of the Maxfund Animal Shelter in Denver. They are an amazing shelter. Every Friday I will post an animal that is looking for a new home. I do this because I care and I need to buy myself some time to write content. Enjoy

Name: Cole
Gender: Male
Color: Black
Fur Length: Short
Needs: Fenced Yard
Status: Ready for Adoption

To learn more about Cole or other great animals at The Maxfund Animal Shelter please click here.

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

HomeGrown


I have an obsessive personality. When I was a child it was sports. In fourth grade, I memorized every single major league baseball player's batting average. In 7th grade I switched to music. It was way cooler to be able to spout off about the next up and coming band than it was to recite Bip Roberts batting average. Also, it is much easier to work music into the conversation than obscure Cincinnati Reds players.

My new obsession is gardening. This is my second growing season with a garden plot and I cannot get enough. Last season all I grew were tomatoes. My wife made a valid point last season that having 10 tomato plants on a balcony that is a little larger than a coat closet was not a good use of space. Growing veggies on a rented plot from the city is fantastic. Above is our second batch of leaf lettuce and zucchinis. We have also planted corn, tomatoes, green/red peppers, carrots and broccoli.

I realize I sound like a food snob but the taste of home grown veggies is unbeatable. I really do not notice much of a difference except with tomatoes. Store bought ones simply do not taste like anything. This is another topic for another day though. I once lectured a complete stranger at the airport about the taste differences because she was curious as to why I was hauling tomato plants around the airport terminal. Her eyes glazed over right as I launched into discussing the importance of crawling around on all fours to examine every tomato leaf. Gardening is not for everyone.

As I wrote this post I was trying to think of how to tie this into music. Here is the best I came up with. Eating homegrown veggies is like finding new local music, it is easier to just listen to the radio or go to the store and buy what they have but there is nothing like listening to a great local act that you really had to dig to find. The stuff at the store will satisfy your needs' but there is nothing like the stuff that is in your backyard.

100 and Counting

Well, made it to 100 page views. Thank you to everyone who reads this blog. I will continue to provide you with quality material.

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Songs for a Night Owl

There is nothing like listening to solemn, pensive music late at night. It is the best part of the day. You can relax and the world just seems to slowdown. There is an indescribable stillness about the late night hours that makes everything feel a bit more peaceful. Here are 5 songs, in no particular order, that are great for the end of the day.

-Elliott Smith - Twilight

-Feist - The Park

-Jets to Brazil - Further North

-Colin Hay - I Just Don't Think I Will Ever Get Over You

-Sufjan Stevens - Casmir Pulaski Day

Picture of the Week

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Times they are a Changing

Why are bad albums from our favorite artists so disappointing? Sustaining a close connection with an artist over an extended period of time is no small feat. Some would say that there is not a connection at all or that your connection is all one sided, with the band doing all the work. This could not be further from the truth. Think about how many midnight album sales you have attended or the hours or even days you have waited in line for a primo floor spot for an artist's show. Fans are just as dedicated as the artists themselves.

Like any other relationship it is one that must grow and evolve. When I look through my Cd's I often wonder whatever happened to that band. It surprises me even more when I look up the band in question and discover that they have 3-4 albums out that I never realized existed. My first instinct used to be to run out and buy the band's latest album. Within the first five minutes of listening to my new purchase I would realize why I had stopped listening to the band. For one reason or another we had grown apart. A lot of people categorize this phenomenon as selling out. It is far easier to label the band a sellout and to move on than to accept that you and the performer's musical interests have changed. It seems like a more pleasant way to part than reduce ourselves to name calling. I understand it though. It is tough when you grow apart from your favorite performers. You have developed a bond. You feel betrayed but why not just enjoy the fond memories you have of listening to that performer. Like clockwork you will buy the next album of the performer with the hope that they have mended their ways and you can begin where you left off. Most of the time this is impossible because like everything else things change.