Mental Health Break

Thanks to Classically Liberal for the find.

Blast from the Past: The Music, The Message

Title: The Music, The Message (Amazon)
Artist: 7 Seconds (Official, MySpace, Facebook, Last.fm, Wikipedia)

In 1995 7 Seconds released their first, and only, album on a major label The Music, The Message. This would be the last in what I think of the band’s middle period. They started as a hardcore punk band in Reno, NV in 1980 and continued on that path through numerous 7 inch records, EPs, and three full length albums (well technically at the time it was two since Walk Together, Rock Together was originally released as an EP). The last album of this first period, New Wind, was a transition record that showed the hints of the direction that the band would take for the next ten years.

Following the release of New Wind in 1986, the band released the Praise EP that same year followed by Live! One Plus One in 1987 and Ourselves in 1988. These three releases showed the band heading into a post hardcore/emo type direction and would included the four piece lineup that would eventually settle into their current line up with Kevin Seconds on vocals, Steve Youth on bass, Troy Mowat on bass, and Bobby Adams on guitar. In 1989 the band released Soulforce Revolution as a three piece (Kevin taking on guitar and vocals). The album was much poppier than its predecessors and also reached # 153 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart (a fairly amazing feat for a punk band on an indie label in 1989). 7 Seconds then didn’t release any new material until 1993’s Out the Shizzy which saw the return of Bobby Adams on guitar and a new direction for the band musically. Shizzy had a crunchy, almost metal-like sound, which reminded me a lot of Kevin Seconds’ other band Drop Acid but apparently the music for the album was written without him (he said once in an interview that he had joined the writing process after the music was completed, writing the lyrics for the songs that the rest of the band had completed, and thought that they should maybe release the album under a different name because it was so different from their previous material).

Two years later the band joined a Sony Records imprint, Immortal, and released The Music, The Message, this time back to the three piece lineup. I first found out about the band signing to a major label in a Tim Yohannan column in Maximum RockNRoll. I would be lying if I said that I wasn’t disappointed to hear that one of my favorite all-time bands had been signed to a major in the midst of the mid-90s punk explosion, but that didn’t stop me from buying The Music, The Message on both CD and vinyl at the time.

Musically The Music, The Message is a straight forward pop punk/indie rock record not unlike Soulforce Revolution. What really stands out about this record is the energy level. During the previous middle period records the band’s music was good but the energy that had so defined their early release was just not there and The Music, The Message saw a return of said energy and hints to the next era in the bands music (their return to hardcore in 1999 with the Good To Go album). What stands out to me on this record, especially now 15 years later, is the reflective and thoughtful nature to many of the songs. Songs like “My List” are not only catchy but show real emotional growth, while songs like “Punk Rock Teeth” and “I Can Remember” showcase a reflection on the past that can only come from experience. The album (or the CD version at least) also ends with a new cover of Sham 69’s “The Kids are United” (a song the band covered early in their career) in which Troy, Steve, and Kevin share vocal duties.

Many people only follow 7 Seconds hardcore albums (the early ones and the newer ones), often dismissing the band’s middle period of music expansion. I think this is a shame because in many ways these records are just as god and vital as the bands hardcore releases and The Music, The Message is no different. For those who missed it at the time, I do suggest that you give it a listen now and see that this band was/is a lot more than blisteringly fast punk rock.

Science Fiction Becomes Science Fact?

In the truly amazing film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, characters are able to have their memories erased. Sounds scary and impossible, right? Well it maybe not any more. According to this story, scientists think that they might have discovered a way to make it happen.

From the story –

But now the fantastical journey can be seen as a cautionary tale. Scientists believe that they've figured out how to manipulate the brain and erase memories.

Time reports that researchers at Johns Hopkins University think that by removing proteins from the brain's fear center, they can permanently erase memories. This isn't to stylishly morph memories at the whim of the rich, but rather "to enhance behavioral therapy for such conditions as post-traumatic stress disorder."

Naturally, the cons of this procedure are being shouted loud and clear. Kate Farinholt, executive director of the mental health support group NAMI says: "Erasing a memory and then everything bad built on that is an amazing idea, and I can see all sorts of potential. But completely deleting a memory, assuming it's one memory, is a little scary. How do you remove a memory without removing a whole part of someone's life, and is it best to do that, considering that people grow and learn from their experiences?" Paul Root Wolpe, director for the Center for Ethics at Emory also fears the potential: "it's a troublesome idea to begin to be able to manipulate that, even if for the best of motives."

I hope that this never comes to fruition.

Jews on the Receiving End of the Most Religious-Based Hate Crimes

According to this story, 71.9% of those who were victims of hate crimes “were victims because of an offender’s anti-Jewish bias.” Next in line were Muslims at 8.4%, Catholics at 3.7%, and Protestants at 2.7%.

Finally Some Good News from the Government

I got the following as a Breaking News email Update from The Washington Post –

Breaking News Alert: Obama to announce pay freeze for federal workers, source says

This better include those leeches in Congress as well.

R.I.P. Leslie Nelson

Leslie Nelson passed away today in a Florida hospital. Rest well Leslie. I think that it is safe to say that Heaven just got a little bit funnier.

Currently Listening

1. “Life’s Too Hectic” by Blaster (from Blaster Cassette)
2. “Pop Star Queen” by Same Day Service (from If You’re Lucky)
3. “Napalm Beach” by Othermothers (from No Place Like Home)
4. “Your Place in Paradise” by John Moreland & the Black Gold Band (from Things I Can’t Control)
5. “My List” by 7 Seconds (from The Music, The Message)
6. “Never Coming Home” by Armchair Martin (from Who Wants to Play Bass)
7. “Slavedriver” by Jenny & Johnny (from I’m Having Fun Now)
8. “The Rack” by The Last (from L.A. Explosion [Bonus Tracks])
9. “Mr. Shepherd’s Bandage” by The Pavers (from Local 1500)
10. “More Adventurous” by Rilo Kiley (from More Adventurous)

Video of the Day

"Memories" by Weezer

Mental Health Break

Headline of the Day

This one made me giggle.

Headline: Fo Shizzle? Snoop Dogg to Perform at Royal Engagement Party

Gay Male Birds Forced to Hook Up with Straight Girl Birds

Two gay birds in a German zoo have been forced to mate with females. No joke.

From the story –

German zookeepers are forcing two male vultures who prefer nesting together to mate with females, sparking outrage from gay rights activists who accuse the zoo of discriminating against birds of a different feather.

The trouble began back in March, when Guido and Detlef, two Griffon vultures, decided to move in together. The lovebirds began crafting a two-man nest out of stray twigs in a communal birdcage at their zoo in the town of Munster, in northwest Germany.

Both birds are predatory males, but seemed to enjoy one another's company more than that of any female. They spent their days grooming one another with their beaks and fortifying their nest -- though other vultures occasionally stole their building materials, as if to spite them.

"They always sat so closely together. They defended their nest from the other vultures," the zoo's curator, Dirk Wewers, told The Daily Telegraph of Australia.

But Wewers explains their preference for one another as second-best. "A suitable female was missing and in such a case vultures look for companionship from the next best thing, even if it is a male," the zookeeper said. "Detlef looked for a bird of the opposite sex but settled with Guido."

Poor Guido.

Griffon vultures aren't classified as endangered, but the purpose of their captivity in zoos is to allow them to reproduce in safe environments, to eventually grow their species' numbers and release them back into the wild. Zookeepers decided that Guido and Detlef's living arrangements weren't helping that goal.

So last week, Guido was snatched from his partner and shipped 400 miles east to a zoo in the Czech Republic, where a new bride awaited him. In his place is a Czech temptress whom zookeepers hope can seduce Detlef.

"Detlef is reorienting himself now," Wewers told the Telegraph. But he acknowledged that so far, Detlef and the Czech bird haven't touched one another.

Gay rights activists held a small demonstration in front of the zoo, waving a rainbow flag and decrying the zookeepers for standing in the way of love.

"This is like in the dark middle ages, forcibly making a creature sexually re-orient itself by tearing its partner from its side," The German Herald quoted one protester as saying. Others said they worried that what's happened to the birds could one day happen to humans as well.

I can see it now, the anti-gay crowd is going to use this story as an attack on homosexuals (not that the gay community won’t use it to their own ends mind you). Let the hate-filled spin begin! *sigh*

Comics Review: DC Versus Marvel

Title: DC Versus Marvel (Amazon, Wikipedia)

DC Versus Marvel is a graphic novel collection of the four issue crossover series that brought together the two biggest companies in comic book history. The big event happened back in 1996 and also included the short run joint endeavor Amalgam Comics (a series of titles based on a mash-up of the two companies universes/characters). The story of the series centers around two cosmic entities, brothers, that were the embodiment of each universe. The brothers had battled in the distant past but had forgotten each other for over millennia (the result of a cataclysmic battle). Due to recent “cosmic events” the two brothers became aware of each other again and renewed their battle, this time though pitting the champions from each universe against each other, whichever universe had the most victories in the one-on-one contests would survive and the other be destroyed.

Overall this is an interesting and enjoyable collection but it left me a little flat. First off the idea of the cosmic brothers was an interesting one but that doesn’t explain the fact that, at the time, the DC Universe was a universe and the Marvel Universe a multiverse. Since I’m a bit of a continuity nut, this plot devise drives me crazy (plus there is also the fact that it is considered out of canon). I also have to agree with this review in that many of the battle are disappointing. I also have to agree with this review in that the series was very much a product of the times. I didn’t read comics much in the ‘90s but I have done my homework and know a bit about the era. Comics, like a lot of things in the ‘90s, seemed to try to be breaking with the past. Many of the classic heroes were gone and replaced with newer versions (Spider-Man and Green Lantern for example) and some of the classic heroes were extremely different than they had been (Aquaman for example). All of that having been said, the artwork in DC Versus Marvel is pretty good and the writing isn’t terrible so it does make for a fun read, despite the disappointed that it brings.

Currently Listening

1. “I’m So Bored with the U.S.A.” by The Clash (from The Clash [US])
2. “Skate or Die” by Teenage Bottlerocket (from They Came from the Shadows)
3. “Another Dead End Story” by One Man Army (from Dead End Stories)
4. “Under the Paving Stones” by The Like (from Are You Thinking What I’m Thinking?)
5. “Cookie Jar” by Barnyard Slut (from Space Age Motel)
6. “Sealed with a Kiss” by The Eyeliners (from Sealed with a Kiss)
7. “’87” by The Bouncing Souls (from Hopeless Romantic)
8. “Galileo” by Indigo Girls (from Retrospective)
9. “Graded on a Curve” by Face To Face (from How to Ruin Everything)
10. “In My Eyes” by Minor Threat (from Complete Discography)

Buffy’s Getting a Big Screen Reboot?

Sadly it is. Isn’t anything sacred?!?

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope that all is well with you and yours. Enjoy a feast and some time with your peeps.

United Nations Disturbing Anti-Gay Vote

In a disturbing turn of events, sexual orientation has been removed from the UN's list of discriminatory grounds for execution.

From the story –

The United Nations has removed a plea for lesbians, gays and bisexuals not to be executed in a narrow vote.

For the last 10 years sexual orientation has been included in a list of discriminatory grounds for executions – gay rights activists say the vote to remove that listing is “dangerous and disturbing.”

The UN resolution urges countries to protect the right to life of all people, calling on them to investigate killings based on discriminatory grounds. Sexual orientation was previously listed as one of these forms of discrimination, alongside ethnicity, religious belief and linguistic minorities.

Others protected by the resolution were human rights defenders (like journalists, lawyers and demonstrators), street children and members of indigenous communities.

But now sexual orientation has been taken out of the list. The amendment was supported by Benin in Africa on behalf of the African Group in the UN General Assembly. It passed on a narrow vote of 79 for, 70 against , 17 abstentions and 26 absent.

Some of those voting to remove sexual orientation were countries where gays are known to be or thought to be executed or summarily killed including Iran, Nigeria, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Iraq.

The UK, US, Australia, New Zealand and many European countries voted in favour of gays.

This is horrific. Thank the heavens that our country didn’t support the measure.

Thanks to Andrew Sullivan for the find.

The President’s Thanksgiving Day Proclamation

Yesterday on his radio show, Rush Limbaugh tore into President Obama over his Thanksgiving Day Proclamation. So what exactly did the President say in his Proclamation that set el Rushbo off? Take a look (and yes I am quoting it in its entirety) –

A beloved American tradition, Thanksgiving Day offers us the opportunity to focus our thoughts on the grace that has been extended to our people and our country. This spirit brought together the newly arrived Pilgrims and the Wampanoag tribe -- who had been living and thriving around Plymouth, Massachusetts for thousands of years -- in an autumn harvest feast centuries ago. This Thanksgiving Day, we reflect on the compassion and contributions of Native Americans, whose skill in agriculture helped the early colonists survive, and whose rich culture continues to add to our Nation's heritage. We also pause our normal pursuits on this day and join in a spirit of fellowship and gratitude for the year's bounties and blessings.

Thanksgiving Day is a time each year, dating back to our founding, when we lay aside the troubles and disagreements of the day and bow our heads in humble recognition of the providence bestowed upon our Nation. Amidst the uncertainty of a fledgling experiment in democracy, President George Washington declared the first
Thanksgiving in America, recounting the blessings of tranquility, union, and plenty that shined upon our young country. In the dark days of the Civil War when the fate of our Union was in doubt, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a Thanksgiving Day, calling for "the Almighty hand" to heal and restore our Nation.

In confronting the challenges of our day, we must draw strength from the resolve of previous generations who faced their own struggles and take comfort in knowing a brighter day has always dawned on our great land. As we stand at the close of one year and look to the promise of the next, we lift up our hearts in gratitude to God for our many blessings, for one another, and for our Nation. This Thanksgiving Day, we remember that the freedoms and security we enjoy as Americans are protected by the brave men and women of the United States Armed Forces. These patriots are willing to lay down their lives in our defense, and they and their families deserve our profound gratitude for their service and sacrifice.

This harvest season, we are also reminded of those experiencing the pangs of hunger or the hardship of economic insecurity. Let us return the kindness and generosity we have seen throughout the year by helping our fellow citizens weather the storms of our day.

As Americans gather for the time-honored Thanksgiving Day meal, let us rejoice in the abundance that graces our tables, in the simple gifts that mark our days, in the loved ones who enrich our lives, and in the gifts of a gracious God. Let us recall that our forebears met their challenges with hope and an unfailing spirit, and let us resolve to do the same.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Thursday, November 25, 2010, as a National Day of Thanksgiving. I encourage all the people of the United States to come together -- whether in our homes, places of worship, community centers, or any place of fellowship for friends and neighbors -- to give thanks for all we have received in the past year, to express appreciation to those whose lives enrich our own, and to share our bounty with others.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-third day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.

BARACK OBAMA

I’m sorry but I honestly don’t see a problem with this whatsoever. Yes there are things to criticize the President about but this isn’t one of them. Taking the time to rip the President to shreds over this is kind of pathetic actually. I know that it is Limbaugh’s job to tear the President, and anyone who isn’t conservative enough for his tastes, a new one but this is just reaching.

Interestingly and in a somewhat sort-of, kind-of related way, yesterday I had someone try to tell me that the Native American’s “got what they deserved” because they weren’t following God’s word. Needless to say I was floored.

Currently Listening

1. “Mass Nerder” by Descendents (from Cool To Be You)
2. “Wait for the Blackout” by Alkaline Trio (from BYO Split Series, Vol. 5)
3. “The Diamond Church Street Choir” by The Gaslight Anthem (from American Slang)
4. “Committed” by Jenny & Johnny (from I’m Having Fun Now)
5. “Sick of Myself” by Matthew Sweet (from Time Capsule: The Best of Matthew Sweet)
6. “Grey Cell Green” by Ned’s Atomic Dustbin (from God Fodder)
7. “Funny Face” by Stephen Egerton & Chad Price (from The Seven Degrees of Stephen Egerton)
8. “On and On” by Sinkhole (from Retrospectacles)
9. “Detroit Has a Skyline” by Superchunk (from Here’s Where the Strings Come In)
10. “Troublemaker” by Weezer (from Weezer [Red Album])

Picture of the Day

Thanks to Unreasonable Faith for the find.

Movie Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

Title: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 (Official, IMDB, Wikipedia)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and is one of the few books that I have read more than once and while the beginning is slow, then ending is phenomenal, so needless to say I have been excited about the final two films in the series (and I am extremely thankful that they decided to break this one up into two movies).

First off, I thought the film was excellent. Yes there were things that were cut and changed and condensed, but the spirit of the first half of the book was kept in tact. For the most part the film included the elements and characters from the book that I wanted it to and honestly I have no complaints, I’m not sure if those who saw the film but hadn’t read the book will enjoy it as much though.

Secondly, the film did a great job in the ending, something that I wasn’t sure how they would pull off. But both of the times I saw it this weekend, when the picture went to black after the final scene, you could hear the gasps throughout the theater. Needless to say, the movie gets your right to that point and then leaves you hanging. It was a brilliant move IMHO.

What I’m hoping to see in Part 2 is more of the Beedle’s tales (the telling of the Three Brothers was one of my favorite scenes in Part 1), the wandlore discussions, the battles, and the scenes with Snape. I am going to be very sad to see this series end but I’m looking forward to seeing it happen.

Currently Listening

1. “Brave New World” by Weezer (from Hurley)
2. “Pills & Smoke” by Johnny Two Bags (from Untitled 21: A Juvenile Tribute to Swingin’ Utters)
3. “Boxer” by The Gaslight Anthem (from American Slang)
4. “Cameo” by Devo (from Something for Everybody)
5. “Eating Me Alive” by Alkaline Trio (from This Addiction)
6. “My Pet Snakes” by Jenny & Johnny (from I’m Having Fun Now)
7. “Hold Me Down” by Minus the Bear (from Omni)
8. “Sunny Disposition” by Stephen Egerton & Scott Reynolds (from The Seven Degrees of Stephen Egerton)
9. “Brand New Shoes” by She & Him (from Volume Two)
10. “Victory Song” by John Moreland & the Black Gold Band (from Things That I Can’t Control)

Video of the Day

"I Believe In a Thing Called Love" by The Darkness

Video of the Day

"Going Underground" by The Jam

Why Can’t They Play Here?!?

Headline: Descendents confirmed for Groezrock 2011

I’m stoked to see that the Descendents are out and playing shows again, but lord what I wouldn’t give to see them play here in Oklahoma. Hell their guitarist, Stephen Egerton, lives in Tulsa so you’d think we could find some way to fly Milo, Bill, and Karl out for a show.

Scientists Trap Antimatter

According to this story, scientists in Switzerland have trapped antimatter atoms.

From the story –

Scientists may have been able to capture elusive atoms of antimatter, but don't expect that to lead to interstellar rocket engines or powerful bombs anytime soon — if ever.

Even as they announced the important advance in studying antimatter, they emphasized that science fiction uses of the stuff — like propelling the starship Enterprise in "Star Trek" or fueling a bomb in Dan Brown's book "Angels and Demons" — remain in the realm of the imagination.

International physicists at the European Organization for Nuclear Research, or CERN, said they had overcome a basic problem in studying atoms of antimatter. While such atoms have been created routinely in the lab for years, they tend to disappear so fast that scientists don't have a chance to study them.

But in a report published online by the journal Nature, the scientists said they'd been able to trap individual atoms and keep them around for a bit more than one-tenth of a second.

To a particle physicist, that's a pretty long time.

"For us it's a big breakthrough because it means we can take the next step, which is to try to compare matter and antimatter," the team's spokesman, American scientist Jeffrey Hangst, told The Associated Press on Thursday.

I wonder how long it will really be before someone figures out how to harness this stuff? With the way that technology continues to rapidly advance, I wouldn’t be surprised if it happens sooner rather than later.

Currently Watching: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

Title: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (Official, Facebook, IMDB, Amazon, Wikipedia)

There was a lot of hype leading up to the release of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World but then the film tanked at the box office. There’s been a lot of discussion online as to why the movie flopped but now that I’ve seen it I think I know why. First I think people may be getting a little tired of Michael Cera (IMDB, Wikipedia). Second, and probably more importantly, this is a film that has a very specific intended audience and is not something that can easily cross over to the masses, no matter how cool the trailer looked.

Scott Pilgrim… is a story of a young man battling, literally, for the girl of his dreams. In the film Scott, Cera, must defeat Ramona’s, played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead (IMDB, Wikipedia), seven evil ex’s in battle, video game style. The film is a combination romantic comedy, coming of age story with an extremely stylized look and a pretty good soundtrack.

There are moments in which this film really works and there are moments when it doesn’t and that is its biggest flaw. The cast is perfect but for some reason things don’t always click. I’m going to watch it again today to give it another chance just in case I missed something the first time around. Overall it is an enjoyable film for those who are either young adults, into modern indie music, or video games. Even though it didn’t do well in the theaters, I suspect this movie will receive a cult status in the years to come.

Wow…There is Still Some Good in the World

Headline: Homeless Man Finds and Returns $3300 in Cash

Video of the Day

"Candy" by Iggy Pop & Kate Pierson

Remaking The Wizard of Oz?

Cinematical is reporting that Warner Bros. is in talks with Robert Zemeckis to do a remake of The Wizard of Oz using the script from the 1939 film.

Money Quote –

Some stuff should be left alone.

I totally agree. For one thing there are already quite a few Oz projects in the works by various different studios. For another thing, if one was to tackle this story again I think going back to the original book would be a much better way to go.

Conservative or Liberal Political Quiz

I found this quiz while looking through some old posts today. I've always enjoyed these things and this one is pretty right on (though I do have issues with some of the questions).

You scored 38% which means you are

moderately liberal.


You believe in governmental action to achieve equal opportunity and equality for all but not at the expense of the rights of others and you're cautious of that. You believe its the duty of the state to protect civil liberties and individual and human rights.

Conservative or Liberal
Take More Quizzes

Currently Listening

1. “Sheep Go to Heaven” by Cake (from Prolonging the Magic)
2. “Last Time” by Doug McKean (from Concerto for Second Fiddle)
3. “Get Away” by Euclid Crash (from F.M.O.)
4. “While Men Are Dreaming” by Jenny & Johnny (from I’m Having Fun Now)
5. “Victory Song” by John Moreland & the Black Gold Band (from Things I Can’t Control)
6. “Brave New World” by Weezer (from Hurley)
7. “Not Like Any Other Feeling” by The Thermals (from Personal Life)
8. “Folsom Prison Blues” by Johnny Cash (from The Legend of Johnny Cash)
9. “Falling Out” by Stephen Egerton & Frank Daily (from The Seven Degrees of Stephen Egerton)
10. “Lingering Still” by She & Him (from Volume Two)

Video of the Day

"Book of the Dead" by The Staggers

Comics Review: Green Arrow: The Archer’s Quest

Title: Green Arrow: The Archer’s Quest (DC Comics, Amazon)
Author: Brad Meltzer (Official, What I Believe: Official Blog, Wikipedia)

Green Arrow (DC Comics Database, Wikipedia) has never been a character that I have followed but he has played a big part in a lot of the graphic novels that I have read lately (The Flash: Rebirth, Green Lantern: Rebirth, Blackest Night, Final Crisis) so when I was in the library looking for a new graphic novel to check out I came across Green Arrow: Archer’s Quest and man am I glad that I did!

The Archer’s Quest is a story arc that takes the recently resurrected Oliver Queen (a.k.a. Green Arrow) on a cross country hunt for some of his most personal and valuable possessions. He is joined on the quest by his former sidekick Roy Harper (a.k.a. Speedy) and is a combination road trip, quest, and coming-to-terms with life story that really gets to the heart of this character, growing up, and being a parent.

The arc was written by Brad Meltzer, who also wrote the amazingly griping Identity Crisis series. Meltzer did a tremendous job of developing and bringing to life a character that I, until now, knew very little about. Needless to say, thanks to this fantastic graphic novel, I will be reading a lot more of Green Arrow in the near future.

Currently Listening

1. “Still Be Around” by Uncle Tupelo (from Still Feel Gone)
2. “My Closed Mind” by Swingin’ Utters (from Dead Flowers, Bottles, Bluegrass, and Bones)
3. “On and On” by Sinkhole (from Retrospectacles)
4. “Take Me to Your Leader” by Mojo Nixon (from Gadzooks: The Homemade Bootleg)
5. “The Enemy” by John Moreland & the Black Gold Band (from Things I Can’t Control)
6. “18 Days” by Hagfish (from Hagfish)
7. “Heather” by Euclid Crash (from F.M.O.)
8. “My Marina of Remote Lakes” by Druglords of the Avenues (from Sing Songs)
9. “Modern Music” by Dead To Me (from African Elephants)
10. “Home” by Ben Lee (from Ripe)

Video of the Day

"Kick It Over" by Re-Volts

A Whole New Level of Burn Out

Lately I have reached a whole new level of I-don’t-care. I am so completely burned out on everything from work to my marriage that I am numb. About the only thing that gets me excited or energized is music, reading, and, sadly enough, working on my blog (spending time with my kids is also a lot of fun, when I’m not trying to rush them to get ready for school and whatnot).

Part of my problem is the fact that I tend to take everything personally. This is not a good personality flaw to have when you get verbally abused for a living. Anytime someone is upset about something, I try to help or at least listen. Sounds like a good thing, right? Well not always. There are times, especially at home, when I try to help and I only exacerbate the situation. So lately I have become distant, somewhat on purpose. I am an extremely affectionate person but that is often not reciprocated by my significant other. Now before anyone gets the wrong impression, she’s not a bad person. In fact she is a very good person and an amazing mother and student. I’m starting to wonder though if I wasn’t the right person for her. Our relationship has had a long history, with many ups and downs, and plenty of regret. I haven’t been the best boyfriend/husband in the world. For a long time I was very immature and insecure in our relationship. For one thing, she is waaaay to good looking to be with someone like me. For another thing she is the first and only person that I have ever been with, so a lot of the really immature relationship crap that people go through in junior high I was going through in my early 20s. Sexy, I know. We have been through so much and I love her dearly and more than anything I want her to be happy and have a good and productive life. I’m starting to realize though that maybe in order for her to do that I may need to be out of the equation. This of course is grossly complicated with kids in the mix.

On top of that, things at my job are hit-or-miss depending on the day. The company keeps piling more and more crap on our plates and I’m not sure how much longer I can keep a hold of it. Also they seem to want us to become more and more robotic with everything that we do. They will deny this of course and it is of no fault of the local management, they are getting the huge piles of crap stew dumped on them as well, but the fact is that they want us to blindly follow their scripts even when the scripts don’t fit the situations. Or when they monitor a call “for quality assurance” they will nit pick you to death and find some obscure script that you should have used at some point in the call and because you didn’t you failed to do your job. Oh and it turns out that even if you are meeting all of their goals (and there are a lot of them to meet) then you are not considered a good employee. You are essentially just doing what you need to do to not get fired. None of this I can control and I know that this is the kind of nonsense that you deal with in any big company. I also know that this is all that I am qualified for, on paper, and it is a very convenient place to work, location wise, so I shall put up with it. I do complain—as my boss likes to put it, even though I thought of it more as voicing concerns—a lot less than I used to and I certainly don’t do it as publicly as I used to, but that doesn’t mean that I am at all happy with the gig.

Add all of that up and you get a very overloaded and burned out Dave. In some ways being numb is a lot easier (it’s made for less conflict at home) but it sure doesn’t feel like living as much as just getting by.

Headline of the Day

Headline: If Bristol Wins 'Dancing,' Can Sarah Palin Win the White House?

Yeah…I have no idea what to say about this.

Currently Watching: Capitalism: A Love Story

Title: Capitalism: A Love Story (Official, IMDB, Amazon, Wikipedia)

Up to this point I have never seen any of Michael Moore’s films and honestly until I heard him in an interview on NPR around the time that this movie came out, I thought very little of the man. In that interview though he came off as thoughtful and intelligent and much less the polemic than I took him for and then very good friend recommended that I check out Capitalism: A Love Story. Like I, he didn’t have a very high opinion of Michael Moore but that changed after he watched this film. So I picked it up at the library yesterday and I am probably about halfway through it at this point. So far Moore has made some very convincing arguments and showcased some extremely disgusting situations.

Since I’m not done watching the film I really can’t pass a final judgment on it, but it seems to me that Moore is blaming these atrocities on the system itself instead of those individuals and companies in the system. As I’ve said in the past, the problem with capitalism isn’t capitalism but the capitalists. More to the point though, the system that we are currently living in isn’t capitalism, it is corporatism. Corporations rule this country. They have bought and paid their way into both of the major political parties and own most politicians. I’m not sure at what point we devolved from capitalism to corporatism but I hope and pray that we can find our way back.

Video of the Day

"S.O.S." by Lagwagon

Currently Listening

1. “The Hemophiliac” by One Man Army (from BYO Split Series , Vol. 5)
2. “Surrender” by Ben Lee (from The Rebirth of Venus)
3. “Gotta Be Free” by Mojo Nixon (from Whereabouts Unknown)
4. “Kick It Over” by Re-Volts (from Re-Volts)
5. “Truth Hurts” by Sixer (from Busted Knuckles and Heartbreak [EP])
6. “A-Punk” by Vampire Weekend (from Vampire Weekend)
7. “Rebel Yell” by ALL (from Before You Were Punk, Vol. 2)
8. “Take the Skinheads Bowling” by Camper Van Beethoven (from Left of the Dial: Dispatches from the ‘80s Underground Disc 4)
9. “Strongman” by Dropkick Murphys (from Untitled 21: A Juvenile Tribute to Swingin’ Utters)
10. “Go Your Own Way” by Seaweed (from Clerks)

The Bands That I am Really Excited About Right Now

Ever so often one discovers a band or artist and gets really excited about what is heard. There’s something in the music that just gets to you and connects to your feelings and your life. Since I’m a bit of a music junkie, this has happened to me quite a lot over the years. Currently there are nine bands/artists that I am really excited about. These bands have all seen plenty of time in my Currently Listening posts and all play truly outstanding music.

Drag the River (Official, MySpace, Facebook, Last.fm, Wikipedia)
Drag the River are an alt country band from Fort Collins, CO that primarily consist of Chad Price from ALL and Jon Snodgrass from Armchair Martin. For those unfamiliar with the alt country genre, it is a mix of country, punk, and rock.

Euclid Crash (MySpace, Facebook, Last.fm, Amazon)
Sadly Euclid Crash is a local band just called it a day and even though I know that there will be no new music from this pop punk, indie pop band, I can’t help but get really into their stuff.

Jenny & Johnny (Official, MySpace, Facebook, Last.fm)
Jenny & Johnny are an incredibly infectious indie pop duet. You can read my review of their debut album here.

John Moreland (MySpace, Facebook, BandCamp, Last.fm)
John Moreland is a totally bad ass alt country, rock ‘n’ roll singer/song writer from Tulsa, OK. You can read my review of his latest full length album here.

Red City Radio (MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, Last.fm, PunkNews.org)
Red City Radio is another local band that is putting out great music. They play a mix of post hardcore and pop punk (kind of like Hot Water Music meets ALL). You can read my review of their latest EP here.

Re-Volts (MySpace, Wikipedia)
Re-Volts are one of many side projects by members of San Francisco’s Swingin’ Utters, this one led by bassist Spike Slawson includes fellow Utters’ Jack Dalrymple and Darius Koski each on guitar and providing background vocals. The songs are a catchy mix of 77 style punk and pop punk.

Teenage Bottlerocket (Official, MySpace, Facebook, Last.fm, Wikipedia)
Teenage Bottlerocket is a tremendous pop punk band from Wyoming.

The Thermals (Official, MySpace, Last.fm, Wikipedia)
The Thermals are an indie rock, power pop band from Portland, OR. You can read my review of their latest album here.

Doug McKean (Official, MySpace)
Doug McKean is the former bass player for Cleveland, OH’s The CG5. He now plays solo and with the Suntmen and plays soulful rock ‘n’ roll ala The Replacements.

Mental Health Break

Video of the Day

"Will Work for Food" by Dramarama

The More Things Change…

The thing about politics and politicians is that often no matter how much the talk and campaign about change, nothing really ever changes. And more to the point, those who have power are never willing to let go of it. With that in mind, please consider the following from Ian Welsh –

...it’s not hyperbole at all to say that Obama is Bush’s third term. He has embraced Bush’s wars, Bush’s approach to executive power, Bush’s civil liberties doctrines and Bush’s economic doctrines. The differences exist, but they are not significant. In almost every way that matters, Obama took Bush’s constitutional order and institutionalized it, giving it a bipartisan imprimatur.

I voted for George W. Bush in 2000 and it wasn’t until I discovered his administration’s gross abuse of power via signing statements that I regretted my vote.

Fast forward to 2008. Barack Obama campaigned on a promise to bring change and sanity back to Washington. It became pretty evident early on that this new administration’s primary focus was centering more power around their party. In other words, nothing changed. In March 2009, the administration made a move to give the government the power to take over businesses it deemed too big to fail, then in July Obama broke a specific campaign promise when he used his pen to write a very Bush-esque signing statement. Needless to say I regret my vote and am exceptionally disappoint with our President and wonder where the name who gave that amazing inauguration speech has gone, but my regret isn’t the issue at hand.

The fact is that there is really very little difference in how this administration and its predecessor have run the business of the American people. They have both done whatever they can to increase the power of the government. So with that in mind, I ask you if you are at all surprised by this revelation –

The venue was the Oval Office. A group of British dignitaries, including Gordon Brown, were paying a visit. It was at the height of the 2008 presidential election campaign, not long after Bush publicly endorsed John McCain as his successor.

Naturally the election came up in conversation. Trying to be even-handed and polite, the Brits said something diplomatic about McCain’s campaign, expecting Bush to express some warm words of support for the Republican candidate.

Not a chance. “I probably won’t even vote for the guy,” Bush told the group, according to two people present. “I had to endorse him. But I’d have endorsed Obama if they’d asked me.”

To borrow a word made popular in recent years by someone whom I honestly can’t stand, both Bush and Obama are full blown statists. Granted they have slightly different views in how the state should wield its power, they both seem to whole hearted believe in the power of the state above all else. This smacks in the face of everything that this country was founded on. Granted I’m not one of those who believe that the federal government should do nothing, but I know for a fact that it can’t and shouldn’t try to do everything.

Here is the question that every partisan out there must ask him/herself. Each time that an administration does something to increase the power of the federal government, do you want those with whom you vehemently disagree wielding that power? If the answer is no then you should be against whatever policy is being proposed that would increase said power. Plain and simple. This was the point that I tried to make for years when Bush was in office and a point the got brushed aside by those on the Right. Well guess who is now clamoring and screaming about the increased power of the government? Funny how that works out…

Thanks to Peace Arena for the find.

Quote of the Day

"In the ninth round and in the 10th round, I looked at his eyes and at his face and I took pity on him, because his eyes were closing up," Pacquiao said. "He had really, really bad cuts around his eyes."

"I told the referee, 'Look at his eyes, look at his cuts,'" Pacquiao said. "I did not want to damage him permanently. That's not what boxing is about."

-- Manny Pacquiao

I don’t write much, if it all, about sports because I don’t follow sports but the Pacquiao vs. Margarito last night was apparently a pretty big deal (if based on nothing other than the amount of calls I took at work last night about the thing). According to the story I linked above, there were over 41, 000 people in attendance to see the fight. That’s a lot of people to go and see anything, let alone a boxing match. I didn’t realize that anyone really followed boxing anymore. Obviously I was wrong.

What caught my eye about this story was the headline on the AOL home page—Manny Pacquiao Shows Sympathy for Foe. That was enough to get me to click the link and scan the story until I found the quote above. It’s not often that people who make their living beating the utter piss out of people show any kind of compassion for their opponents, hell it’s not often that you get anyone to show any kind of compassion these days. Sad really…

Currently Listening

1. “Know Like Hurt” by Armchair Martin (from Hang on Ted)
2. “Heather” by Euclid Crash (from F.M.O.)
3. “Small Town Boy” by John Moreland & the Black Gold Band (Things I Can’t Control)
4. “A Reflection” by The Thermals (from Personal Life)
5. “Scissor Runner” by Jenny & Johnny (from I’m Having Fun Now)
6. “Searchlight” by Doug McKean (from Concerto for Second Fiddle)
7. “Smart Girls” by Weezer (from Hurley)
8. “They Don’t Make Gravel Roads Like They Used To” by Red City Radio (from Spinning In Circles Is A Gateway Drug)
9. “Tangerine” by Buffalo Tom (from Sleepy Eyed)
10. “I Quit” by Descendents (from ‘Merican [EP])
11. “Oxes & Horses” by Drag the River (from Primer)

Currently Listening

1. “Big Time” by One Man Army (from Dead End Stories)
2. “Have Nots and Heartbreak” by One Man Army (from Rumors and Headlines)
3. “Like Jack Dalrymple” by Filthy Thieving Bastards (from My Pappy Was a Pistol)
4. “Hopeless Vows” by Filthy Thieving Bastards (from Our Fathers Sent Us [EP])
5. “Gotta Be On My Way” by John Moreland & the Black Gold Band (from Endless Oklahoma Sky)
6. “Bastards of the Highway” by John Moreland & the Black Gold Band (from Things I Can’t Control)
7. “The Fear” by Lily Allen (from It’s Not Me, It’s You)
8. “Friday Night” by Lily Allen (from Alright, Still)
9. “Let’s Not Belong” by Paul Westerberg (from Stereo)
10. “Whatever Makes You Happy” by Paul Westerberg (from Suicaine Gratifaction)
11. “Guitar” by Cake (from Prolonging the Magic)
12. “The Distance” by Cake (from Fashion Nugget)

Album Review: Things I Can’t Control

Artist: John Moreland & the Black Gold Band (MySpace, Facebook, BandCamp, Last.fm)
Title: Things I Can’t Control (BandCamp, Amazon)

John Moreland is an alt country, rock ‘n’ roll singer/song writer from Tulsa and Things I Can’t Control was released in August for download. This month he also released a new EP entitled Hope Springs Ephemeral but I haven’t gotten a chance to get it yet (I just downloaded Things I Can’t Control this morning). I first heard of John Moreland through Stephen Egerton. Moreland provided the lyrics and vocals for the song “Abundance of Fluff” on Egerton’s amazing album The Seven Degrees of Stephen Egerton and after hearing that I picked up a copy of Endless Oklahoma Sky and was thoroughly impressed. Moreland has a voice that is deep and slightly gruff, reminding me of a cross between Jon Snodgrass, Chad Price, and John Mellencamp.

I had somehow missed the fact that Things I Can’t Control was released back in August—I did see something about the free download of the album in the OklahomaRock.com forums last week and made a mental note to get it—but while in my car yesterday I heard “Bastards of the Highway” on The Spy and was blown away (I realized that the this song that wasn’t on any of the John Moreland releases that I currently had and must have been on that album that I read about). Needless to say one of the big things on my list of things to get done on my day off (which is today) was to download the album. And holy moley am I glad that I did!

Right from the opening notes of the first track “Brothers & Sisters” I knew that I was in for a treat. Every song on this album is earnest, honest, and a testament to the heart and power of great rock ‘n’ roll music. This is the kind of record that you could play for all different types of people, not just the punk and alt country fans, and they would enjoy it. John Moreland is an excellent song writer and thanks to the help of Stephen Egerton in the production chair (and on drums) these songs shine with perfect production. It really is a shame that this record isn’t getting airplay across the country because it really is that flipping good. Fans of everything from Drag the River to CCR should do themselves a favor and give this album a listen.

YIKES!!!

What happened to Angelina Jolie? She looks downright scary now.

I remember the first time I saw her in the movie Foxfire and being extremely impressed with her performance, and while she certainly wasn’t skinny she didn’t have this nearly Skeletor-esque look that she now seems to be sporting.

What is it about Hollywood and society that takes perfectly beautiful ladies and turns them into skeletons?

I Totally Need This Shirt!!!

Granted it looks much better on Jen than it would on me butit is still rockin' awesome!!!

Thanks to JenX67 for the find (and picture; which by the way, she has tons of really good pictures on her blog. Just another reason to love and follow her stuff.)

Great Band Alert: Christina Perri

Hailing from the great state of Pennsylvania, Christina Perri is a pop singer in the vein of Lily Allen and Katy Perry. She released her debut EP, The Ocean Way Session, on November 9th and also released the single “Jar of Hearts” this year.

What actually drew me to her wasn’t the single but the song “Bang Bang Bang” (see below). This is an incredibly catchy pop number with Perri providing soulful vocals that remind me a bit of slightly raspy Zooey Deschanel.

Christina Perri - New Music - More Music Videos

For more information on Christina Perri check her out on her Official website, MySpace, and Wikipedia.

Thanks to MTV Buzzworthy Blog for the find.

10 Questions with Dave Klein (Euclid Crash, Wretch Like Me)

Dave Klein played bass in Euclid Crash prior to the band calling it a day last Saturday (which, as I’ve stated before, is a darned shame because that band was freaking great). Before that he played in the CO band Wretch Like Me and numerous other local (i.e. Oklahoma) bands. Currently he is working on a new project called They Stay Dead.

This interview was conducted via email in November 2010. For more information on Dave Klein and his music check him out on MySpace.

Photo by Ross Adams.

Dave: Euclid Crash played its last show on Saturday, which if I may add was a real shame. You guys (and gal) were an extremely tight band with great songs and I can only imagine the freaking fantastic record that could have been made with you and Stephen Egerton (I just think he would have been a perfect fit to turn your songs into an outstanding record). How was the show? How did you become a part of the group? What are your thoughts on the end of the band?

Dave Klein: I joined Euclid Crash in 2002 when I moved from Colorado back to OKC. I had been friends with Ryan [Costello] for a while and he needed a bass player. So, I hopped on. We played for a bit and then stopped for a few years before giving it another go last August.

I’m glad we spent the last year working on our sound. It gave everyone a chance to figure out what inspires them to play. And if that means we have to seek audiogasms from a different band or players… That’s fine. I’m a lifer. I’m not worried about my next gig. There always seems to be one.

The last show was fun. I thought Dead To Me and The Easy Lovers were great.

Dave: Euclid Crash opened up for Stephen Egerton’s CD release show back in May. What was that show like for you?

Dave Klein: Stephen Rules! I was stoked to hear about the new record. He’s pretty much amazing at everything he does. That show was all about buddies – buddies in the bands, buddies on the record, buddies in town for the show. It was awesome. I usually have to fly across the country to see a lot of those dudes. It was nice to have everyone in my town for a change.

Dave: You played in the CO band Wretch Like Me. How did you get involved with the band? What was the music scene like in CO? What was it like compared to the scene here in OK?

Dave Klein: I was a big fan of the first two albums, and had seen the band a few times. So, I knew the guys. I also knew Roy [Anderson – Guitar] from his old band out of KCMO. It was early 2000 when Jeff Matz left the band to join Zeke (he plays Bass in High On Fire now). I heard the rumors online and called in every favor I could to try out. I got an audition, didn’t totally blow it… and I got the gig. It was a blast!

The scene up there was awesome at the time. The musicians were so good. Even the guys who sucked, totally shredded. It was nice to jump into a microcosm of the industry. In town, there was the label, a studio, great techs, engineers for every occasion and pretty cool gigs. It was all DIY and all done with precision. There was no reason to leave town. ‘til I left, I guess.

I haven’t been a part of something like that since.

Dave: What made you first want to start playing music? Why the bass guitar?

Dave Klein: Well, I had the skateboard, the punk comp tapes from Keith Kostura and the ‘tude. It just seemed like the natural next step. I knew several guitar players and a couple of drummers, and apparently that thing with 4 strings was a Bass. It just felt right.

Dave: What other bands have you played in?

Dave Klein: Oh, geez… too many. A few of my faves are The Bi-Products(Edmond), Jettison(Kansas City), From Parts Unknown(OKC), and On Again(Edmond).

Dave: Who are the bass players that you look up too and have inspired you?

Dave Klein: Andy Palmer(Forced Entrée, These Enzymes, The Lunch Bunch) is, and always will be, the best Bass player I’ve ever seen. I’ve learned a lot from him over the years. He played stuff in High School that I’ll probably never be able to pull off. He rules!

I have a top 5 list of Bass players; they take turns in the #1 position: Mike Watt, Bob Thompson, Flea, Ed Urlick, Karl Alvarez. There’s something about their styles that has always resonated with me. I’ve stolen little bits of style from each of them to develop my voice… I’m gettin’ there.

Dave: One of the songs that you played at the final Euclid Crash show, Tory (EC’s lead singer) mentioned that it was one that you wrote. I have no idea what that song was called but I remember that I really liked it. How would you describe your songwriting? Is there a particular style or genre that you prefer to write in? What do you like to write about? Do you prefer writing songs on your own or with other band mates?

Dave Klein: That song is called ‘Darker.’ The lyrics are based on a haiku I wrote in college. The music came after listening to PegBoy all day in the car. It doesn’t sound like it, but that’s what went down. I like that one a lot… I guess it dies with Euclid Crash.

I never write on Bass… maybe a riff… but never a song. I usually write music by jamming over movies (The wife hates it). I think the pretty pictures open a part of my brain that helps me out. I write to my mood, and I’m REALLY moody, so the styles are all over the place. As far as writing with or without a band, I go both ways. Depends on the song.

Dave: This is a High Fidelity inspired question. What are your Top 5 favorite bands/artists, albums, movies, TV shows, books/authors?

Dave Klein: My number 1’s: Descendents, Revenge, Kentucky Fried, Buffy, Zen Guitar.

Dave: What’s next for you? (May I suggest starting a band with Euclid Crash’s drummer Jesse Smith? I think that would be an awesome project and one that I would be eager to follow!)

Dave Klein: Jesse and I have already talked about it. I’m open to almost anything, really. One thing that I’m extremely excited about is a new band called They Stay Dead. It’s me on bass, John Hernandez (Wretch, From Parts Unknown, Lunch Bunch) on drums, Ryan and Matt[Owsley] from Euclid Crash on Dueling Axes with Matt singing. We just started, but the first few songs are hard, fast and bad-ass. I can’t wait to unleash it.

The thing with Jesse will probably happen as well. I’ll keep you posted.

Dave: Any final thoughts?

Dave Klein: I’d like to take this opportunity to discuss the oppressive nature of Arizona’s proposed ID law…

Just kidding.

Yours In Bass,

David Klein

Myspace.com/davidkleinplaysbass

Currently Listening

1. “Cross Tie” by Avail (from Over the James)
2. “All Twisted” by CIV (from Set Your Goals)
3. “Last Time” by Doug McKean (from Concerto for Second Fiddle)
4. “I Love Rock N Roll” by The Jesus & Mary Chain (from 21 Singles 1984-1998)
5. “Silver Lining” by Rilo Kiley (from Under the Blacklight)
6. “Waiting for Somebody” by Paul Westerberg (from Singles [Original Soundtrack])
7. “One More Headache” by John Moreland & the Black Gold Band (from First Demo)
8. “Half of You” by Wakeland (from Magnetic)
9. “You’re Favorite Thing” by Sugar (from File Under: Easy Listening)
10. “Solitaire” by Wilco (from Wilco (The Album))

Currently Listening

1. “Boxer” by The Gaslight Anthem (from American Slang)
2. “Heather” by Euclid Crash (from F.M.O.)
3. “Animal” by Jenny & Johnny (from I’m Having Fun Now)
4. “Crimson and Clover” by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts (from Fit to Be Tied: Greatest Hits by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts [Reissue])
5. “Satellite of Love” by Lou Reed (from Walk on the Wild Side: The Best of Lou Reed)
6. “Wild World” by Me First & the Gimme Gimmes (from Blow in the Wind)
7. “Rapid Decompression” by Against Me! (from White Crosses)
8. “Lingering Still” by She & Him (from Volume Two)
9. “Kid Candy” by Seaweed (from Four)
10. “Modern Day Labor Anthem” by Street Dogs (from Savin hill)

A Question That I’ve Been Dying to Know the Answer to for Years

WHERE IN THE HELL ARE "MAX" & "RUBYS" PARENTS ?!

If anyone has the answer, then you are certainly smarter than I.

Jay-Z 2016?

It may happen. The rapper says he may run for president. I guess that answers Ben Lee’s question.

Currently Listening

1. “Breakin’ Up” by Rilo Kiley (from Under the Blacklight)
2. “Brand New Shoes” by She & Him (from Volume Two)
3. “Knock-Down Drag-Out” by Weezer (from Weezer [Green Album])
4. “Never Coming Home” by Armchair Martin (from Who Wants to Play Bass)
5. “It’s You” by The Epoxies (from Stop the Future)
6. “Deep End” by Sinkhole (from Space Freak)
7. “Birds and Bees” by Ben Lee & Mandy Moore (from Ripe)
8. “Bridge & Tunnel” by Re-Volts (from Re-Volts)
9. “After Hours” by We Are Scientists (from Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist)
10. “Smoke Like a Girl” by Swingin’ Utters (from More Scared)

OK Policy Blog Lists Oklahoma Lefty as One of 15 Favorite Local Blogs

A big thank you to David Blatt at OKPolicy.org for listing Oklahoma Lefty in his post Favorite Oklahoma politics and policy blogs!!! I am always humbled and thrilled to hear that people out there actually enjoy reading my ramblings.

The Oklahoma Policy Institute is a non-partisan group devoted to studying the local and state governmental policies and their effects on the people of Oklahoma. To find out more about the organization, visit OKPolicy.org.

Currently Listening

1. “In the Sun” by She & Him (from Volume II)
2. “This Mess” by Euclid Crash (from F.M.O.)
3. “Committed” by Jenny & Johnny (from I’m Having Fun Now)
4. “Power Lies” by The Thermals (from Personal Life)
5. “Run Away” by Weezer (from Hurley)
6. “I Need Feedback” by The Departed (from Untitled 21: A Juvenile Tribute to Swingin’ Utters)
7. “Left of the Dial” by The Replacements (from Tim [Expanded Edition])
8. “Can’t Get a Read on You” by Tinted Windows (from Tinted Windows)
9. “Angel of the Morning” by Barnyard Slut (from Space Age Motel)
10. “Leave Me Alone” by One Man Army (from Rumors and Headlines)

Video of the Day

"Girl Talk" by Euclid Crash

Can MTV Return to the “Glory Days” of Actually Playing Music Videos?

That is the question posed by the folks at Popeater.

My answer – I doubt it. Besides the only “glory days” that the network actually had was two hours on Sunday nights for a little show called 120 Minutes. Other than that it was a pretty bad influence on the music industry. Thanks to MTV one of the prerequisites for becoming a rock/pop star now is that you have to be beautiful. There was a time when rock stars were ass ugly (Styx anyone?) but the closest thing that we’ve had to an unattractive rock star in the past 20 years is The Darkness and they were little more than a one hit wonder.

CD Review: I’m Having Fun Now

Artist: Jenny & Johnny (Official, MySpace, Facebook, Last.fm, Wikipedia)
Title: I’m Having Fun Now (Amazon)

I’m Having Fun Now is the debut album from indie rock super couple Jenny Lewis (Rilo Kiley) and Johnathan Rice. The couple has put together an exceptionally fun indie pop record with songs that are catchy pop gems that should be huge hits but never will because they are too quirky and smart for the masses to get. That seems to be the Jenny Lewis curse. All of her projects attain large cult followings and she gets to appear on various late night TV shows but her music never breaks through to the radio airwaves. This isn’t a bad thing mind you. Her music is catchy and potent and I’m Having Fun Now is no different.

One comparison that is made a lot is to She & Him (Official, MySpace, Wikipedia), another pop fueled duet. Overall it is a fair comparison in that both Jenny & Johnny and She & Him are indie pop outfits consisting of one female and one male vocalist but the actual sound and texture of their songs is quite different. For one thing, Jenny Lewis and Zoey Deschanel have drastically different voices and in many ways it is their singing that is the backbone of each group. Also Jenny & Johnny have more upbeat songs on their album than She & Him have on their two records and while I enjoy a good ballad, I prefer my music to be at a quicker tempo.

If you are a fan of Rilo Kiley or Jenny Lewis’ solo material you really should give I’m Having Fun Now a listen. The album is really good and may even be one of my favorites of 2010. My favorite lyric from the record is “For God and for country, for Michael Jackson’s monkey” from the song “Committed.” That literally made me laugh.

Currently Listening

1. “Raised That Way” by Euclid Crash (from F.M.O.)
2. “Scissor Runner” by Jenny & Johnny (from I’m Having Fun Now)
3. “Alone, a Fool” by The Thermals (from Personal Life)
4. “Smart Girls” by Weezer (from Hurley)
5. “My Goodbye” by Automatic Loveletter (from Truth or Dare)
6. “Postcards from Home” by Doug McKean (from Concerto for Second Fiddle)
7. “Other Side of OK” by Drag the River (from Daytrotter Studio 10/20/2010)
8. “Spinning in Circles is a Gateway Drug” by Red City Radio (from Spinning In Circles Is A Gateway Drug)
9. “Ran That Scam” by Dead To Me (from Little Brother)
10. “Like Jack Dalrymple” by Filthy Thieving Bastards (from My Pappy Was a Pistol)

What Really Happened to the Dinosaurs

Thanks to Unreasonable Faith for the find.

Quote of the Day

Pity the poor agnostic these days, caught in the middle of an ever-widening gap between an increasingly assertive religious fundamentalism on one side, and on the other a new brand of atheism whose dogmatic certitude and zealous proselytizing make it appear more fundamentalist by the day. Where in the conflict between these two competing claims of absolute certainty—religious and scientific—is there room for the person willing to throw his hands in the air and say simply, “I don’t know?” ...

-- Reza Aslan from An Agnostic’s Manifesto

Thanks to Andrew Sullivan for the find.

Video of the Day

"I Saw the Light" by The Staggers

Show Review: Dead To Me and Euclid Crash at The Conservatory

Artists: Dead To Me (MySpace, Facebook, Fat Wreck Chords, Last.fm, Wikipedia) with Euclid Crash (Facebook, MySpace, Last.fm) and The Easy Lovers (MySpace, Facebook)
Venue: The Conservatory (Official, Facebook)
Date: November 6th

Last night Euclid Crash played their final show opening up for Dead To Me and Cobra Skulls at The Conservatory. This would be the second, and sadly last, time I’d get to see this great local band.

Before EC took the stage, the show was opened by Norman’s The Easy Lovers. The Easy Lovers played fairly straight forward punk rock ala Social Distortion and The Methadones. The band played a short set and was a solid opener for the rest of the show.

After an incredibly fast breakdown by The Easy Lovers, Euclid Crash setup (also very quickly) and banged out a nine song set that included old songs, brand new songs, and a Descendents cover. The entire set was great (even when Tory forgot some of the lyrics to “Coolidge”) and I was really sad that this was the end for this band. One great thing about seeing this band play was watching drummer Jesse Smith. This guy is amazing on the drums, easily the best drummer in Oklahoma, and probably the best drummer in punk rock next to Bill Stevenson. Bassist Dave Klein (formerly from Wretch Like Me) also was impressive. I’d like to see someone start a band with Dave on bass and Jesse on drums…that could be outstanding.

Up next was the band that I thought would be headlining, Dead To Me, but I’m glad that they weren’t because I was getting tired and ready to go home. Dead To Me is one of my favorite bands and I was super excited to finally see them live and they did not disappoint. The band rammed through songs from all three of their releases but mostly pulling from Cuban Ballerina and Little Brother. Bassist Chicken was fun to watch and had great back-and-forth banter with the crowd. Dead To Me has gone through quite a few lineup changes since starting and they are now on their third co-vocalist, Sam Johnson, who did a very good job with the songs and was a great showman. I have to admit though that I wish Jack Dalrymple was still in the band. Even with the absence of Jack, Dead To Me did a great set and I’m looking forward to seeing them again.

Up next was Cobra Skulls but I didn’t stick around to check them out. I’m old and was tired and saw the bands that I came to see so it was time to go.

One thing that was really great about the show was the crowd. The audience was devoid of hipsters or trendy kids and that was really nice. In fact the only other show that I’ve been to where I felt so in sync with the folks there was the Stephen Egerton CD release show (where I first saw Euclid Crash).

Thank you to Euclid Crash and Dead To Me for the great night and great music!

Currently Listening

1. “Watch Me Fall” by Uncle Tupelo (from 89/93: An Anthology)
2. “Blue” by Dead To Me (from African Elephants)
3. “Out of Luck” by The Methadones (from 21st Century Power Pop Riot)
4. “Take Away” by Big Drill Car (from Batch)
5. “White Guilt” by The Bronx (from The Bronx [Island])
6. “Monkey Wrench” by Foo Fighters (from The Colour and the Shape)
7. “Searchlight” by Doug McKean (from Concerto for Second Fiddle)
8. “Chattering Choir” by Drag the River (from Daytrotter Studio 10/20/2010)
9. “Coolidge” by Descendents (from ALL)
10. “No Surrender” by Roustabouts (from Midwest Rules, Vol. 2: You’re Weak, We’re Strong)

Coexist Sticker is Snide?

According to a local blogger, the coexist bumper sticker (which spells the out the word with various symbols, many being religious) is “snide.” The post was referencing a picture that is supposed to explain the “truth” behind the sticker’s message (originally found on Jihad Watch). The “explanation” is essentially that Islam wants to take over the world and Christianity isn’t a threat to anyone. Yes there are elements of Islam that want to take over the world, and those need to be stopped, but there are also elements of Christianity that have totalitarian leanings and if they were not held in check by the secular nature of our modern societies I suspect that many bad things would come of those tendencies. That however is not the point that I want to address.

When I first saw this sticker, I saw it as a message to Muslims, Jews, and Christians that we need to find ways to get along. The fact is that these three faiths have been at each others throats for hundreds of years and it needs to stop. All three hold a common heritage, all three share sacred stories, and all three worship the same deity, yet all three have tried to destroy each other at one point in time. Now I cannot say for certain what the intention of designer of this sticker was, no more than the person who made the explanatory picture, but I don’t see it as an attack solely on Christianity. If anything this is a sticker of hope. It holds a message that yes we can get along if we actually try, but it takes all parties trying to make it happen. And that is a message that is equally targeted at Muslims as much as it is Christians.

I guess more than anything, the way that one views this or any sticker is based on perspective and worldview. For those who believe in the culture war and think that Christianity is under attack from all sides, it makes sense that they would see a sticker like this as snide or annoying. We all have things that push our buttons. For years I was really annoyed by those “His Pain is Your Gain” t-shirts. I thought that they were over-the-top but admittedly that may have had more to do with the holier-than-thou attitude of the people I encountered wearing the shirts more than the shirts themselves.

Things like bumper stickers and t-shirts are interesting phenomena. Some display simple messages that are seem to be designed to simply express an opinion (the “I Vote By the Book” and yellow equal sign stickers come to mind) and some seem to be designed to be antagonistic (like the old “Impeach Clinton and her Husband Too” sticker). I have a friend that used to have a sticker on her car that said “annoy a leftist.” Now she is a super nice and intelligent person and a staunch conservative (more so fiscally speaking than socially). Well one day she was starting a new job and got berated by some guy for being a “knuckle dragger” (among other things). He didn’t know her from Adam but made the assumption based on the sticker on her car. That sticker is one that I would call antagonistic. Sure it is funny but it is also meant to get under peoples skins more than express an opinion (at least that is my assumption since I don’t know what the person who made it was thinking). Sometime I wonder if these antagonistic stickers and t-shirts do more harm than good. They spread divisive messages into an already divided populace and do nothing more than dig people in and squash dialogue. Then again maybe I’m giving these things more power than they deserve.

As for the coexist sticker, I’d actually like to get one for my car but I’m not sure where to locally pick one up. And on a final, somewhat related note; the funniest bumper sticker that I have ever seen my brother found once in a head shop, it said “Jesus may love you, but I think you’re an asshole.” That isn’t something that I would ever put on my car or hang up in my home but it is fitting for my heavy metal big bro.

Currently Listening

1. “If You Want Me To” by Cobra Skulls (from Untitled 21: A Juvenile Tribute to Swingin’ Utters)
2. “What’s Wrong” by Dead To Me (from Little Brother)
3. “Girl Talk” by Euclid Crash (from Nice People NMF Preview)
4. “Remains” by Re-Volts (from Re-Volts)
5. “They Don’t Make Gravel Roads Like They Used To” by Red City Radio (from Spinning in Circles Is A Gateway Drug)
6. “Little Bit of You in Everything” by The Rentals (from The Last Little Life EP)
7. “I Don’t Believe You” by The Thermals (from Personal Life)
8. “All Night Long” by One Man Army (from Rumors and Headlines)
9. “Trusty Chords” by Hot Water Music (from Caution)
10. “Only Chance We Get” by Gameface (from Three to Get Ready)

10 (More) Questions with Euclid Crash

Local power pop indie punk rock band Euclid Crash will be playing their last show Saturday night November 6th at the Conservatory opening up for Dead To Me and Cobra Skulls. The band reunited last August and had been playing shows and writing new music since but now they are calling it a day. I interviewed lead singer Tory Ayers last August and thought it would be fitting to do a book-end interview with her again on the eve of the band’s last show.

Euclid Crash is one of those bands that I really wish I’d gotten to see and hear more of. The one track I have of theirs, “Girl Talk,” is a mainstay in my playlist and is almost always on my MP3 player but I truly wish that I had more. The band released a CD before they broke up the first time and if anyone out there has a copy, I’d love to hear it (or if the band has one I’d love to buy it) and there are also plans for a digital release of new material (more on that below) that I am hoping to procure as soon as possible. If you are a fan of bands like Weezer, The Rentals, The Epoxies, The Eyeliners, or Scandal you should do yourself a favor and check Euclid Crash out.

For more information on the band check out Facebook, MySpace, Last.fm.

Photos courtesy of Grant Tatum.

Dave: You are playing your last show on Saturday November 6th at The Conservatory opening up for Dead To Me. Why is the band breaking up again?

Tory Ayers: Haha! That “again” makes me laugh! Really, there is no one good reason why. Life, I guess? We had been struggling for awhile to get all of us at practice at the same time and that was very frustrating to set time aside and then not all be there. We have quite a few new songs in the works but the amount of time available for 5 super busy (all hard working and 3 with kids and family’s) people wasn’t doing the creative flow any justice.

Dave: A few months back you had planned on releasing a digital EP. What ever came of that release?

Tory: It’s complete. Just not released. We really wanted to coincide the release with a show but getting us all available on the same date was an issue and then so much time went by that we were only playing live a couple of the songs we had recorded. I do plan to release it anyway on Itunes for free, sooner rather than later.

Dave: Back in May you got to open up for Stephen Egerton at The Conservatory. What was that experience like?

Tory: We were all very honored and excited to play this show. For me it was amazing to perform and have all these faces in music that I’ve been listening to since I was 16 actually there, watching! It was nerve wracking, and totally awesome all in one. And then of course we had a string break after ONE song and had to endure that unfortunate dead time while changing it. We had a great time though! And as always, it was amazing and a great time watching them all play. Drag the River, ALL, Descendents, Seven Degrees of Stephen Egerton, Less Than Jake, Scott Reynolds, Chad Price, Stephen, Bill Stevenson, Jon Snodgrass… All of these bands and names represent a really great time in my life. ALL we were missing (in my opinion) was Karl and Milo… (Ed. Note: I’d have to agree. That show was probably the coolest thing that I have ever been a part of and the only thing that would have made it better would have been the addition of Karl Alvarez and Milo Aukerman—and Dave Smalley—to the bill.)


Dave: How do you think your music was different this time around versus before the band broke up the first time?

Tory: After our reunion show last November, we agreed right away to drop the bubblegum pop sound. I really wanted to go a little tougher route. Matt, Ryan, and Dave had evolved in their writing and immediately had more rockin’ and more mature sounds. After years of not really hearing what we recorded and then listening to it a lot to gear up for the reunion show, there was plenty I wanted to change vocally. I don’t really know if I achieved it in our audience’s eyes, but I wanted to sing harder, with more aggression and feeling, resulting in writing a different style of lyrics that did mean more and that called for more aggression. I was more passionate and serious about it overall this time around.

Dave: Since the band has been back together, what shows have been the best and most memorable for you?

Tory: I really enjoyed the reunion. A ton of old friends and faces were there and if felt good to do those songs one last time. Of course the Stephen Egerton release show is at the top of the list. We had a good time at the Rock N Roll Garage Sale at the beloved (RIP) 66 Bowl. I enjoyed putting on an all girlyish show at the Opolis with Sephra, Ali Harter, BulletProof Tiger and us. Norman Music Festival was an honor to play as well. We had a great crowd and had a lot of fun!

Dave: How did Jesse Smith (Roustabouts) come to join the band on drums?

Tory: Matt Owsley and him had played together before and I guess they had talked a bit about playing again. We really wanted to progress our style and considered him to have what we were looking for.

Dave: Was there anything that you wanted to accomplish with the band that just never happened?

Tory: Well I’m sure if we all answered that question you’d get 5 completely different answers. But since I’m answering it, yes. This reuniting symbolized me taking charge of my life again and doing something I love. So for a minute there I really did see us touring at some point, not realizing the impossibility of that due to having a total of 6 (almost 7-Yay Dave and Kelli!) spawns coming from 3 of us. Now I think it served it’s purpose. It brought a little musical joy out of all of us, brought me back into what I love to do overall, and now it’s time to move on.

Dave: Any chance in the future for another Euclid Crash reunion?

Tory: Not unless Dave and Kelli plan on adopting another child from Russia…

Dave: What’s next for you and the rest of the band?

Tory: I hear Dave and Matt have been playing with local drum legend John Hernandez, Jesse has a couple of other bands going, and I have been working on a project with Justin Rice (Student Film) called the D.Whitfield Ensemble. Rianna Schofield (Student Film) and I are slowly but surely putting together an all girl thingy together to melt faces with soon enough. Ryan is taking over the IT world and I’m sure will take the place of Bill Gates and Steve Jobs by 2020, and all the while will be writing obscure and intricate rock ballads, that hopefully he and I will put to record one day…

Dave: Any final thoughts?

Tory: Thanks to our loyal friends and fans who happily accepted us the second time around. It was a great run and we had a lot of fun!
Thank you Dave for having interest in our reunion and our departure! You do a great service to the OKC scene and I hope you continue to!