Song of the day 4/7/2011

It is very important that you buy the first British Sea Power record “The Decline of British Sea Power” and listen to it over and over again.

I remember buying this and Dance of Death by Iron Maiden at Sonic Boom in Capitol Hill one evening in 2003, then things get fuzzy. There was a pub quiz, at which I don’t think we (and I don’t remember who “we” were) did very well also there was the lager – this was uncommonly, shockingly, deviously strong and the drunkenness sneaked up on me without my consent. At some point I got home (still carrying the CDs) and thought “I’ll just lie on the floor for a bit, before I go to bed” (nope, no idea). Around 7am I woke up, ran a few self-assessment tests and decided that I would not be going into work that day.

Instead I spent the next few hours recovering and listening to this.

British Sea Power – Something Wicked



Dance of Death didn’t get much of a look-in, it’s not a great Iron Maiden album – in fact there’s some disturbingly right-wing ideas expressed on it. Another painful step on transition from “liking metal” to “liking indie".

Bonus! Death Cab Video.

You may or may not have heard, Death Cab For Cutie did something novel and interesting yesterday - they shot this video in one take with a live audience watching via streaming video on their website (EDIT: Not on their website - via UStream). (Disappointed that they chose 4pm PST, so no, I didn't actually watch the live webcast.)

I'm not a huge fan of the song, I'll admit, but I think this is an interesting way of generating media attention and getting fans engaged - I certainly felt overwhelmed with the amount of coverage this got on Twitter and the local music outlets that I follow.

The UStream channel reports 24,433 total views - it doesn't compare anywhere near real TV viewership (As a data point of comparison -- The OC which played role in launching DC/FC - at it's worst averaged 4 million viewers per episode) but 24k viewers for a 4 minute video shoot doesn't seem that bad.

(I'm trying to think of other things to compare it to - is this a success? a flop? an interesting proof of concept? suggestions?)

Song of the Day, 4/6/11

Stars | A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

A beautiful version of one of my favorite songs (Your Ex-Lover is Dead). The album "Set Yourself On Fire" came out in 2004, and I discovered it in spring of 2005, not long before I left for Lincoln. After breaking up with my college boyfriend, I used to listen to this record and had this elaborate fantasy in my head about how bumping into him would somehow be like this song.

There'd be snow. It'd be the bitter, dry, bone chilling cold (......................that we don't have in Seattle.) There would be taxis, frosted streetlights, maybe a car wreck. "I'm not sorry I met you, I'm not sorry it's over, I'm not sorry there's nothing to say."

Really, this song ended up being much more about me from 2005-2007: "Live through this, and you won't look back."

SotD 4/5/11 - Jens Lekman Medley

This video is a medley of "I'm Leaving You Because I Don't Love You" & "The Opposite Of Hallelujah." I was just looking for the first song but when I came across a recording from the time I saw him at the Crocodile and I had to use that version.

I love this song because it's a break-up song but there is no blame or drama in the lyrics. It didn't work out, and it's time to move on.

Song of the Day, 4/4/11

Love Somebody from Christian Sorensen Hansen on Vimeo.

No comment.

Song of the Day, 4/3/11

Oh hey! First post of April!

Sorry, I've been kind of overwhelmed the last few days with the latest Seattle Rock Orchestra concert (which, was probably one of my favorites to date) and an overdue trip up to Bellingham.



I found this record in my old closet. I kind of forgot about this one. (oops.)

I was so moved by this record the first time I heard it years and years ago, and I wonder what happened that made me give up entirely on music like this. Falling in and out of love, with people and with sounds, what made me start getting obsessed with the artificiality of electronic noises, and start chasing the honesty of folk bands filled with sad voices and acoustic guitars.

If I can piece it together, I'll tell you. But for now, I'm back where I started, haunted by a critical mass of strings and where they can move you. And drop you.



So let's lie on the floor tonight, drink some cheap wine, and listen to Godspeed until it feels like the whole world is spinning around you. I promise it's a really great idea.

Tonight at the Triple Door!

Seattle Rock Orchestra accompanies Shenandoah Davis and Kaylee Cole!!

It's gonna be GOOD.