In An Aeroplane With My iPod and Soduku Book

Some random tracks/images that just sound/look too darn good in the earbuds not to share and encourage you to seek these artists and albums because I'm just a nice guy with nothing else to do on a Saturday morning...

note: this song is probably not a tribute to famous asexual philospher Simone Weil

"Simone" is a liar. You pronounce her name "See-Moan-Ay" and she's a double-dealing, cheating lying dirty dog. Two-faced, too. If I wasn't up high in some airplane, I'd wanna scrunch up over my guitar and scratch out some wicked stereo feedbackish riffs over some retread psyche-drone just to get even with the bea-atch... (Calla: Strength in Numbers - tour)

I couldn't find a picture of The Besnard Lakes, so this picture OF Besnard Lake (rife at is with phallic symbology) will have to do

"Because Tonight" - Bobby has some brass knuckles in the inside pocket of his school letter jacket and Donna can feel them as he slow dances with her in the roadhouse. This was the song the band was supposed to play before Bobby pulled out those knuckles and went after Big Ed. (The Besnard Lakes: The Besnard Lakes Are The Dark Horse - currently on tour)

Daniels chomps down with some sharp teeth but finds he can't swallow until you look away

"American Pastime" - The guy who's girl was so into baseball that he had to write this breakup song for her. I don't remember the term "send a bullet across her spine" being some sort of sports phrase. (more bitter break-up music on David Karsten Daniels' Sharp Teeth - currently on tour)

Ian and Amy reveal true identiy as soul-sucking, corporate vampires

"Minding One's Business" I got both of The Evens new album at the same time but I find the first one way more interesting, experimental, together, cohesive (if that's a good thing) than the second one (Get Evens) which is more strident, less daring, more musically "competent" (if that's a bad thing) and, well, less interesting. It also sounds like the two songwriters are starting to go their separate ways and that's a bad thing cuz they really clicked together in the first album. Shoulda listened to it more when it came out, but oh well, there's still plenty in stock for everyone else to catch up. (The Evens: The Evens)

Deerhoof E.S.P. powers former guitarist's head explode - how sad, how bad
photo by Asha Shechter, NYTimes

"Believe E.S.P." Trying to avoid making lists but this new Deerhoof album is def. got me by the shorthairs for 2007's best overall CD. Don't know how else to describe except as an anti-breakup album (maybe DKD's album is still resonating in my head as I write this). It features some surpringly great arrangements, incredible drumming and percussion and some really wild multi-vocals and makes their "weirdness" go beyond just something "special" into something truly mindblowing. It's like the band blossomed from this little petite crooked tulip into a giant skyscraper-sized multi-hued sunflower in the space of two years. (Deerhoof: Friend Opportunity)

It's true that he was born this way...but don't laugh at him at least to his face

"Pocket Knife" Notable for several things - one being that this is one of the coolest one-man band songs I've ever heard and this, along with his stellar work recording harp for J. Newsom, adds yet another notch in Steve Albini's recording belt. (Phillip Roebuck: Fever Pitch)

Did someone say Kinky Vans?

"Kinky Vans" - A mindless meld (Pfork called it "derivative", ha ha) of what sounds like a live string quartet, classical guitar, piano with bleets and blats, instrument samples and a high pitched drum machine. It all should make as much as sense as the title and it does and it doesn't. But it's quite a pretty thing for floating above the clouds. Released in 2005 in the UK. (Tunng: Mother's Daughter and Other Songs - short US tour happening this week)


FINAL THOUGHT: "A mind enclosed in language is in prison." - Simone Weil