Sorry for the lack of a post today, but Karin and I are recovering from last night’s Death Cab For Cutie concert. I managed to grab a few hours worth of sleep and suffered through a full day of work at the office, so my mind really isn’t all there today…
But hey, it was worth it to see these guys live (for the second time!):
And if you were there, then I’d have to agree with Ben that seeing five individuals working out on the exercise bikes above the crowd would have been awesome
And so, the unthinkable has happened. My favorite band is getting back together.
Seventeen years after the release of their last album, Pop Will Eat Itself is releasing a new studio album entitled New Noise Designed By A Sadist. They will, of course, begin touring in October in support of the album, and a friend of mine just e-mailed me asking if I wanted to head on over to the UK to see ‘em live.
With the amount of tasks and training I’ve been getting at work these last few weeks the days are beginning to blur together. The week is over before I realize it. I swear I lost a day somewhere this week…
To psyche myself up for this weekend’s session of blu-ray films I thought I’d share just a few of my favorite movie quotes:
Would you classify this as a launch problem or a design problem? -Real Genius
Suppose you’re thinking about a plate of shrimp. Suddenly, somebody says “plate”, or “shrimp”, or “plate of shrimp”. No point in looking for an explanation. It’s all part of a cosmic unconsciousness. -Repo Man
Son of a bitch must pay! -Big Trouble In Little China
You mean, you’ll put down your rock and I’ll put down my sword, and we’ll try and kill each other like civilized people? -The Princess Bride
It comes in pints?! -The Lord Of The Rings: TFotR
Eat your cereal with a fork and do your homework in the dark. -Pump Up The Volume
Perhaps, on your way home, someone will pass you in the dark, and you will never know it… for they will be from outer space. -Plan 9 From Outer Space
And hey, it being Friday and all, I think I’ll pick up a few Artichokes on my way home tonight and listen to a bit of Tom Waits turned up to ’11′ while they steam away…
I stumbled upon this video while drunk surfing last weekend, and I’m not ashamed to admit that as the music play I swayed side to side in my dark library whilst waving a lit lighter above my head.
It’s nice to see that some of the old acts still have it. It’s also nice to note that OMD isn’t hiding behind or relying on reverb or audio tricks during this tiny concert, there’s no ego or pretentiousness present, nor a stipulation in their rider that demands excessive audio equipment, lighting effects, imported bottle water and a crystal bowl filled with green M&M’s. It’s just two guys, a keyboard and a couple of microphones…
Now this is a band that I’d gladly pay to see live. They’re much like Depeche Mode; still sounding amazing after all these years.
Hope everyone has a great 4th of July weekend! I’ll be tempting digit loss with a box full of illicit fireworks* and a case of Black & Tan. See you back here on Tuesday when I’ll either be posting from home or from the hospital
* If Social Intelligence is monitoring this blog, you do understand that this is a joke, right?
Another album in a long line of overlooked works of art, The Nails 1986 Dangerous Dreams is one of the most addictive collections of songs ever pressed to wax. This album slowly oozes from your speakers with all the grace of heavy fog and slithers around the room like a slow moving snake on acid.
Equal parts rock, goth, burnt-out bar band and psychedelia, Dangerous Dreams follows their previous offering which produced The Nails’ biggest hit “88 Lines About 44 Women”. Coming off that high, The Nails turned inward to confront feelings of isolation, wanting, religion and future fears, and they delivered one of the greatest unheard albums ever recorded. Standout tracks from Dangerous Dreams are “The Veil”, “Dig Myself A Hole”, “Hello Janine”, and the biggest hit “Things You Left Behind”.
If Live and Bauhaus had drunken sex in the maintenance closet of an abandoned recording studio, their unwanted offspring would undoubtedly sound very much like this album.
Dangerous Dreams is a testament that the 80′s weren’t all about synth-pop, Vans shoes and feathered hairstyles. Believe you me, you’d be doing yourself a favor by picking up a copy and giving it a spin. This is one of those rare bands who deserve a revisit from old acquaintances and an introduction to a new generation of music fans.
