Whitty

The Burning Dirty Band is there...

We're not skinny enough, whiny enough, or from Brooklyn enough to warrant a review, however.

LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver

Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga

Dr. Dog - We All Belong

The Good, The Bad & The Queen - The Good, The Bad & The Queen

Lots of candidates for that fifth spot- Menomena, Blitzen Trapper, Dinosaur Jr., M.I.A., Radiohead...

Liver & onions with steamed cauliflower. I will also be mixing Old Fashioneds for the darling lil' tikes.

Super Furry Animals - Mwng

The bounciest, giddiest elf-rock you'd ever care to hear (the sunny, irresistible guitar riff from "Dacw Hi" is like something left off of Abbey Road) is mixed in with somber, druid-like orchestral pop ("Sarn Helen" has a haunting, almost desolate build into an incantatory, spacious place. Cathedral rock!) It's ethereal and effervescent, and I have no idea what they're singing about. Maybe the Welsh keeps this album from receiving the recognition it deserves- some of the most lucidly phrased melodies in the entire SFA catalog.

Never in a cover band, but we've always sprinkled covers into our sets- somewhat of a necessity during the three or four set bar gigs we frequently played when first starting out. A selection:

Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere - Neil Young

Meet Me In The Morning; Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You; Tough Mama; Isis; I'll Be Your Baby Tonight - Bob Dylan

Are You A Hypnotist; Waitin' for a Superman - Flaming Lips

Five Years; Rock & Roll Suicide; Ziggy Stardust - David Bowie

Cut Your Hair; Grounded; Trigger Cut - Pavement

Hot Sauce - Son Seals

The Grobe - Ween

Echoes; Fat Old Sun; Country Song; Fearless; San Tropez; Astronomy Domine - Pink Floyd

One Way or Another - Blondie (the girls always love it)

Sexx Laws - Beck

Tomorrow Never Knows; I've Got a Feeling; Why Don't We Do It In The Road? - Beatles

Doreen - Old 97's

Don't Do It - The Band (based on their version)

Can't You Hear Me Knockin'?; Dead Flowers; Sweet Virginia; She's So Cold - Rolling Stones

Psycho Killer - Talking Heads

Hotel Yorba - White Stripes

We've done a few covers on a whim, usually learned at rehearsal the day of a gig and played once or twice- stuff like White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane, Hey Ya by Outkast, and Hymn 41 by Jethro Tull... I've probably played about 150 covers at one time or another.

Hey there Chicago VC'ers-

WNUR 89.3 in Chicago has spun some of our stuff on the Afternoon Freakout show (Tuesdays from 2-4 P.M. local time). If you felt like givin' 'em a holler, a request, or just want to tell them to turn that racket down, it's certainly appreciated.

Hope ya'll enjoyed our disc.

If anyone else wants a freebie- please post a picture of a lemur in this thread. Thank you.

i tuned out after reading this:

 

"Kid A, Amnesiac, and Hail to the Thief certainly had memorable moments and instances of greatness (well, alright, Amnesiac didn't...)"

 

guess you've never heard Pyramid Song...

'Twas a bit tongue in cheek. I give Amnesiac a hard time, because it is my least favorite Radiohead effort, and I'm not one to kneel at the altar of Yorke and praise every thing he's done. "Pyramid Song" and "Knives Out" are the best of that disc, I'd say (although I prefer the Flaming Lips cover of "Knives Out" to the original)

My review, first posted elsewhere:

I'll try not to make this transform into a review of OK Computer, which seems to inevitably happen when I'm discussing Radiohead. When you make one of the twenty or so best rock albums of all time, expect reviewers to bring it up on occasion.

 

Alright so what made OK Computer so damn good? Yes, it was experimental, bleak, and impeccably produced- all things that music geek types go wild over. But even more importantly, it was an album made by a great rock band. Kid A, Amnesiac, and Hail to the Thief certainly had memorable moments and instances of greatness (well, alright, Amnesiac didn't...) but the overall sensibility of these albums was... I don't want to use the term "cold", but there was a sense of automation at work, particularly with the rhythms often favoring digital, dark-sounding electronica drum patterns. With In Rainbows, we're hearing Radiohead the band at work once more, not Radiohead the post-modern assemblage of dystopian art.

 

Did I just say "digital, dark-sounding electronica drum patterns"? Yep, I think so. Well that's how things start up with "15 Steps", but this beat is more along the lines of something on an M.I.A. disc as opposed to say Aphex Twin. The guitar comes in, vaguely Afro-poppy, Thom's voice does his angelic haunting thing, and then we get some thoroughly awesome bass riffing to support the song's second half. Drums, vocals, guitar, bass (and some synth)? We have a rock band here! "Bodysnatchers" comes next, and the first five seconds are more lively than pretty much everything off Amnesiac. Jonny Greenwood brings in some banshee guitar wails. Phil Selway is playing drums again, and playing the shit out of them! This rocks.

 

"Nude" makes things a little more dreamy in that classic Radiohead way, with Thom's voice soaring and pained with non-intrusive strings and some simple bass octaves supporting him. "Weird Fishes/Arpeggi" returns to a rock backbeat with some hypnotic guitar culminating in a dark clatter of orchestral reverb and harried drum and bass. "All I Need" has the same low-end, minor-interval menace of "Climbing Up the Walls" with the introduction of xylophone adding to the unsettled creepiness. Cymbals slash and Thom goes for the high register, creating a classic Radiohead ending. "Faust Arp" is covering much the same mood as "Nude", and "Reckoner" goes on a little long letting mood triumph over more immediately gripping melody.

 

"House of Cards" maintains the melancholy, but it doesn't sound quite so Radiohead-like. I'm reminded of something that could fit onto Beck's Sea Change. A hint of a Latin beat drives things, while Thom's vocal melodies settle into the resigned, narcotic ambiance that permeated Beck's breakup disc. The strings and swells make this a thoroughly sad affair, but not a dreary one. "Jigsaw Falling Into Place" is one of my favorites here. The hummed opening melody along with the sprightly bass and spoke/sung verse build up the potential energy. More tension with the rising riff in the instrumental break and the apparition of high-pitched synth (or voice processing) wavering over the second verse. Thom's intensity escalates. Some more strings. Phil keeps the ride going. And there it is- the kind of visceral dark vamp that the band could probably extend for several minutes longer if they wished. A rock band again. "Videotape" closes things out on a somewhat solemn note. The piano and odd percussive fills aren't particularly engaging to my ears, but In Rainbows has already established itself now.

 

It's not another OK Computer. We're not getting another one. But we are hearing a more organic and looser-sounding Radiohead than the sometimes overwhelmingly despondent band of recent years. They aren't any happier by any means (not that anyone expected that) but the reciprocal musicality that defines great bands is more evident than it has been in a decade.

If you really want to entertain yourself, play all those YouTube clips simultaneously for some total Dylan chaos!

Let me take you on my rocket ship...

Put down "Victoria" as a strong contender for most under-appreciated British Invasion pop gem.

My pre-season prediction was Detroit over Arizona. I don't ever recall the difference in wins between the top team and bottom team being as small as it is with the NL playoff clubs this year.

I foresee the Rocks and Phils wearing out each other's bullpens. I want the Cubs to advance, but I'll stick with my preseason pick of the Snakes.

In the AL, I think the Angels turn it up and make a run, knocking off both the Sox and Yanks with some clutch Vlad hits and impressive relief work, and then winning a 7 game Series against the D'Backs.

Some of my better recent nature shots:

Alright, I'll give myself a whirl.

I play bass in the Burning Dirty Band. Our producer is Steve West, formerly of Pavement. Pavement was on the I Shot Andy Warhol soundtrack along with Wilco.

That was quicker than anticipated...

Rick Danko is a big influence on my bass playing. Not quite as ballsy as John Paul Jones, as flashy as John Entwistle, or as overtly melodic as Paul McCartney, but he deserves mention along with those titans. Silky smooth phrasing, oozing with soul, and deceptively funky. Danko brought it.

And despite being a massive prick, I think Robbie Robertson's bluesy slop-gnarl guitar style is absolutely awesome.

Ahhh Olive Garden... all the subtle culinary nuance of your grocery store's freezer section combined with the authentic Italian ambiance of Orlando, Florida!

Wednesday meant breakfast at Julia's in Wallingford. Recommended. I had a scramble with eggs, smoked salmon, scallions, and cream cheese. Plenty of wheat toast and preserves and coffee (natch) rounded things out. From there, we went down to the EMP and Sci-Fi Museum. Honestly, I was a little underwhelmed by the whole deal, but to be fair, I just didn't have adequate time to invest. I greatly enjoyed the guitar history exhibit, and jamming out upstairs on the instruments, but this place is intended for a lot of sitting and listening to the extensive interviews and archival materials housed there. If you have just a couple hours to browse around, it's not a complete experience, but neither is it a total waste of time. I'm not a massive sci-fi geek by any means, but seeing some of the Star Wars costumes and the police car from Blade Runner was a hoot.

Had to take a picture of this thing, too of course:

We headed across downtown to Uwajimaya in the International District to pick up some goods for dinner. The produce section in this Asian mega-mart is stocked with all manner of phallic vegetable exotica as well as fresh wasabi root (a mere 60 bucks a pound!) and the infamous durian, which I dared not try, though the thought briefly skirted by. We settled on prawns, some luscious tuna tenderloin, rice noodles, and bok choy. I threw together a pretty damn nice dinner: prawns sauteed with sake, garlic, ginger, and soy sauce; stir fried bok choy; noodles with a touch of soy, Sriracha, and toasted sesame seeds, and that most excellent bit of tuna brushed with soy, ginger, and Sriracha and seared for about 20 seconds on each side. That was good, but we craved more- off to Red Mill Burgers for a milkshake (chocolate-banana: the king of all shakes) and then a little stroll by Green Lake. I took some photos as the sun went down. This one is a little blurry and off-level, but I like it for some reason:

Another terrific day done. What's all this I hear about rain?

Thursday and Friday were my "free days" since Kevin had to return to work. Woodland Park Zoo made for a nice day on Thursday. The gorillas were playful and so was the tiger cub happily batting around an oversized ball like any other kitten. Some impressive birds on display too in the free-flying rainforest aviary. The toucans, hornbills, and great grey owls were also amazing to see. The arctic foxes are curious little things- one of the most intelligent looking faces on any four-legged animal. They look right back at you like an equal. Apart from the tiger cub, the other big cats do what most other big cats do in zoos, which is fuck-all. Nice to see a snow leopard though- one of the most beautiful animals on the planet.

I cooked dinner on Thursday night for my hosts: pork chops in white wine sauce (wine courtesy of the excellent City Cellars in Wallingford) with fresh dill and basil; local mini-potatoes with sour cream and dill; heirloom tomato slices (courtesy of the Wallingford farmer's market) broiled with basil and fresh mozzarella. After that goodness, Kev and I went to the Park Pub in Phinney Ridge for some excellent beers and free pool. Every bar in the city seems to have a dozen beers on tap. Choice is good. Not to boast, but we absolutely whipped all challengers in sissy pool (8-ball). All in good fun though- chatted with some locals (at least one of whom wore a George Bush war criminal shirt), and enjoyed a pretty hot two-piece band with a keyboardist and drummer laying down some demanding MMW-type stuff.

My last full day (after an early morning jaunt east on I-90 to Snoqualmie to see some deep evergreen country in the Cascades) was spent doing some gift-shopping, junk store browsing, and general wandering, mostly around Fremont, which was my favorite neighborhood of my visit. Some of that famous drizzle made an appearance in mid-afternoon, but I was happily in the vicinity of the George & Dragon, an English pub on 36th Street. It certainly smelled like a pub actually does in Great Britain and had the correct black timber accents and worn-to-hell dull red carpeting, so bonus points right up front. Celtic was on the TV and Boddington's was on tap. More bonus points. I ordered a chip butty which was accompanied with real brown sauce. Even more bonus points. I struck up a nice conversation with a fellow named Colin who was a Celtic FC diehard skipping work to catch the match. Cool guy- he's the one having a heart attack when it goes to penalty kicks for the green and white. Say "hi" if you're in the area. The drizzle fizzled so it was off to Gas Works Park to take in the view:

My last Seattle dinner had to be sushi, and I'm fairly sure Wallingford has a higher density of sushi joints than Tokyo. Kozue is where we went. I wouldn't rate it as spectacular by any means, but a spicy hamachi roll, some mackerel sashimi, and some miso make me a happy man. The bento boxes looked impressive- maybe next time...

Back to Sea-Tac in the morning, where I spotted one of the dancing girls from Gogol Bordello, who were in town for Bumbershoot. The airport bar cheeseburger was hands-down the most depressing meal out of what turned out to be an exceptional culinary visit. Back onto a big aluminum tube which zipped me over the prairie and back home.

I shan't forget you Northwest. The summer weather was pure perfection and the friendliness and vigor of the city were palpable. It was a lot of things this place isn't- liberal, educated, young, and packed with things to get into.

My top 5 in no particular order:

-sunset in the San Juans

-the bleachers at Safeco with beers and rally fries

-breakfast at Julia's

-getting lost in Pike Place

-spending a day in Fremont, browsing the shops and noshing

I posted this on another forum originally. An overly thorough outsider's perspective on the Pacific Northwest:

Part one

******

Many of the rumors are true.

-There is coffee all over the damn place. Seattle must be a very regular city for all I can tell. The one city in the country where one can drink Starbucks and claim to be helping out local business.

-It's liberal. You see "Impeach Bush" bumper stickers with the frequency one spies Dale Earnhardt stickers in these parts.

-White people, white people, white people! Nothing wrong with that of course, but it was odd to visit a large city and see so many ivory-hued faces dominating the landscape.

-Those white people seem very laid back and friendly, fitting in with the West Coast vibe. My only other Left Coast experience involved SoCal, where the easygoing attitude at times seems like an act. Actually that whole corner of the country seems like an act... but back on topic, the relaxed character of Seattle seems completely genuine. City crosswalks and intersections are orderly affairs- nothing like the agitated wildebeest herds back East. Even the record store clerks said "Good morning" and "Thanks" for God's sake.

My first sojourn into Seattle proper was brief, as we (myself, my good buddy Kevin, and his gal Julie) passed through the city on my first Sunday morning in Washington to head north to the San Juan Islands. Some patented drizzle speckled the windshield on I-5 past Everett, giving all the evergreens their trademark stoic Northwest look. Luckily, that would be the last of the wet stuff I'd see for a while. The sky was already clearing out as we lined up for the ferry at Anacortes. Again, no grumbling about "when the hell is it getting here?" or inordinate watch-checking- everyone was content to peruse the paper and sip some java. I had a latte as Kev and I strolled around the mud flats. Some seaweed looked to make an interesting photo subject:

Onto the ferry, and onward to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. We made for Lime Kiln Park (only whale-watching park in the country don't ya know?) and had a picnic lunch of salami sandwiches, Tillamook cheddar, and avocadoes. No orcas, but some porpoises and kayakers made an appearance on a gloriously sunny afternoon. The madrona trees captivated me. Gorgeous, abstract patterns in the exfoliating bark lend themselves to some macro shots:

A trip to South Beach (on pretty much the exact opposite end of the nation from that other, more famous South Beach) produced some driftwood for our campfire. The beached, bleached logs and twigs are copious here as are the fat rabbits lolling in the spacious, English-looking seaside meadow. From there, we headed to San Juan Park to set up camp. Beers by the shore seemed mandatory. Some seals bobbed up amongst the kelp, looking like plump meatballs nestled in spaghetti as they glanced at us before re-submerging. Did I mention that it's absolutely spectacular up here? This is what it started to look like as the shadows got long:

So ummm, yeah, that's pretty nice. Dinner consisted of fresh salmon with lemon, dill, onions, sweet peppers, and a heart-sputtering amount of butter. We roasted some corn wrapped in foil, too. My view whilst dining:

The sun set behind Vancouver Island, some fishing boats motored through, and we drank a few beers by the fire. A fox nonchalantly ambled through camp a yard or two away, paying us precisely zero attention as he attended to some pressing fox business. I took another walk down to the water as the near full moon arced overhead, and then retired for the evening.

I got up early to find that the breeze had died down, so I ventured back down to the water to watch for seals and enjoy the tranquility. This pic nicely sums up the stillness just after dawn:

Some more scenic drives around the island on Monday morning. Lots of geography for a fairly small speck of land. Some of the little valleys and farms on San Juan could pass for the more pine-strewn highlands back home in the Virginia mountains. We went to Friday Harbor for lunch before catching the ferry back to the mainland. Front Street Ale House does it right, kids. Enjoyed a hearty ale and a massive dose of Jalapeno Fish & Chips (made with a chili-beer batter and pieces of jalapeno in there too). Back to the mainland, but San Juan will stick with me for a long time. A beautiful spot that hardly seems like America at all.

Wallingford has a somewhat English feel with the narrow streets, little roundabout intersections, and gardens overflowing everywhere out towards the sidewalk- lavender, zinnias, hydrangea, bulging apples and pears, even figs. Lots of house-proud homeowners in this inviting neighborhood. Went to dinner Monday night at Djan's, a little Thai joint located in an old converted house. The overwhelmingly white interior was welcoming as I dug into some spring rolls, Panang curry, and brown rice. Cool (as in literally "cool" looking, temperature wise), simple decor and ambiance, attentive service, and reasonable prices. Oh yeah- the food is damn fine, and bursting with obviously home-tested flavor. After dinner, it was off to Murphy's, one of those not-particularly-Irish Irish pubs, but it did at least have live Irish music, darts, and stout on draught. We downed some stouts and watched John Lackey baffle the Mariners.

Tuesday began with a quick tour of Fremont in the morning. The troll, Lenin, and a pleasing lack of chain stores and restaurants were all in full effect. A stop in Sonic Boom satisfied my jones for riffling through the used CD bin, and used bins in Seattle are far more interesting than used bins in not-quite-rural Virginia. Went to the locks in Ballard later in the morning. Don't ask me how all the water stays where it's supposed to be. The salmon were running- big boys, too. The fish ladder was crowded with chinooks weighing several dozen pounds, carrying out their anadromous duties. I wish I had more time to explore Ballard, but downtown awaited.

Took the bus down to the heart of the city, under the monorail, past the original Nordstrom, where Kevin and I disembarked and made a beeline for the Pike Place Market. Fortunately, the human maelstrom I've observed when seeing this place on some travel shows was somewhat calmer than usual, it being a Tuesday after all. Nevertheless, the crowds were ample, the smells of seafood, deep fryers, fresh produce, and handmade candles lingered, and stalls were encamped in virtually every nook in the joint. It's the kind of place the word "bustling" was intended to describe. I bought some original watercolors for the lady-friend, eyeballed an awful lot of tempting berries, and retreated to the more placid lower levels to scrounge some lunch. World Class Chili is tucked down there, about the most unassuming place you'll ever find that touts itself as "world class". Looks like the same lunch counter that inhabits pretty much every town in the country. I got a bowl of hot Texas-style and cornbread served on a humble plastic tray. Ouch. The "hot" is no joke here- none of that wishy-washy "zesty" that the chain places always try to pass off as some sort of extreme taste explosion. This stuff was merciless, meaty, and pleasantly greasy. At least three other diners were regulars, as I heard the manager addressing each by name. This is a fun place for an unpretentious meal. Maybe stick with the medium heat, though.

More wanderings- down to Pioneer Square, where I noodled on some basses at Bass Northwest. Nice store, although I was hoping for more vintage stuff to check out. They specialize in the higher end stuff (some beautiful Alembics in there), but since I already have a higher-end new school bass, a purchase will wait until another day. Had a quick drink in a dive nearby with an ancient looking mirror and bar. Nice and seedy, even on a Tuesday in the middle of the afternoon. Took a walk around the waterfront and absorbed the sunshine which seemed to just spill out of every inch of sky that day. We went to meet up with some of Kevin's friends for happy hour at Contour in Pioneer Square. For a place that converts into a trendy late-night DJ hangout, the happy hour is remarkably down-to-Earth. Two-dollar drafts and an impressive $1.95 appetizer menu. The calamari was light and crispy (nice cilantro dipping sauce, too) and the tomato-honey-basil soup was superb, and the price can't be beat. You'd pay twice that for a few lousy jalapeno poppers at most places. Time to head down to Safeco for the M's/Angels game!

Safeco is a sharp-looking park. It doesn't quite have the distinctive character of the newer stadiums in Philly, Pittsburgh, or San Francisco, but the fans were enthusiastic after a 5-run surge by the home squad in the bottom of the first, and the overpriced Fat Tire was plenty cold. This was fun. We were perched up in the left field bleachers near the foul pole, affording us a great view of the entire field and the ensuing meltdown by the M's. Vlad Guerrero did some serious damage, spanking four hits as the Halos rallied for the 10-6 win. Like "Cowboy Up" for the 2004 Red Sox or the Rally Monkey for the 2002 Angels, Seattle's Rally Fries had become a totem for the 2007 team (at least until they began to free-fall during the week I visited...). I had to sample a portion during the later innings, to see if the mojo worked. I'll admit- they aren't the most spectacular cuisine you'll sample. They're basically (good) fries topped with that overly pungent garlic-in-a-jar, and served with an incongruous slice of apple to remind you of what state you're in while you assault your circulatory system. I ate the whole lot regardless, and enjoyed it thoroughly. No rally could be conjured though, and a lot of fans headed for the exits in the 8th inning. Fairweathers. We stuck it out to the bitter end, and headed home after a long day.

glad i'm not an orioles fan.

I still am.

I'll take 30-3 over those blown ninth-inning leads we've seen this season. The Rangers don't get bonus points for clobbering us by 27.

We O's fans revel in indifference.

When does Bedard pitch again?

I've always thought Built to Spill was a great name.

The worst out there right now has got to be !!!

Nope, try again. Someone needed to slap those guys around, because there was obviously a key moment when one of them decided, in all sincerity, that three exclamation points was clearly the frontrunner.

My own band has a pretty stupid name. Puts a lot of pressure on us not to suck too much.

Yep- your parents need Pink Floyd's "Interstellar Overdrive", the Velvet Underground's "Venus In Furs", John Coltrane's Interstellar Space album, and some second set Grateful Dead mind-assault involving some combination of "Alligator", "The Other One", "Dark Star", drums and feedback.

Add a whole pile of drugs and a liquid light.

Freak out.

So whatdidja think?

Easily my most bizarre encounter happened in Baltimore a few years ago when Matthew Lesko let me merge in front of him as we were leaving an Orioles game. He was driving a question-mark festooned Volvo. I shit thee not.

Edit to add: I was on Jeopardy in 2002, so I met Trebek of course. Remarkably tan and a genuinely bright guy from what I could tell.

"Don't Dream It's Over" by Crowded House has always been a slightly guilty pleasure of mine. Any song that uses the word "deluge" gets bonus points.

How did it take 3 pages for someone to mention Kind Of Blue? Good god, that album is perfect.

I just kind of assumed... It would be like saying "Hey, have you heard of The Beatles?" in the "what are you listening to now?" threads.

"All Blues" is gorgeous. Coltrane inhabits some other world- no idea how those notes just come tumbling out.

Thelonious Monk is a genius that deserves a close listen by keen-eared music lovers and especially musicians. Total stream-of-consciousness, playful melodies just spilled out of the man's fingers. His jittery, quirky timing and phrasing are something to behold as well. I love how he'd start his solos by re-stating the head melody, and then start gradually fracturing the notes, slurring the beat, generally treating his impressive harmonic structures like Pollock would treat a canvas.

Miles is the master- I especially love the electric stuff like Tribute to Jack Johnson, In a Silent Way, and of course, Bitches Brew. Sinister, ethereal, groundbreaking stuff- lots of parallels between late 60's Miles and the Grateful Dead's contemporaneous work.

Mingus, 'Trane, and Herbie Hancock all deserve a mention too...

As far as current jazz goes, guitarist Bill Frisell is my artist of choice, although "jazz" doesn't adequately describe what he does. Think Willie Nelson, Sonic Youth, King Crimson, the Black Keys, John Scofield (another modern-day jazz titan).... lots of lyrical, crystalline, even soothing (but not smooth jazz) sounds contrasting with wild, effects-saturated, looped freak-outs depending on his mood or album. Give Unspeakable or Gone, Just Like a Train a listen. He makes a very few notes sound very big and very important.