Entries from April 2009
Two points of order this morning. First, here is the link to Dave’s post on Beirut over at Breakthru Radio:
Breakthru Radio Post: Thursday
And second, we’re on their Anatomy of a Blogger show today. It’s up now; give it a listen through their site, but be forewarned: we sound like assholes. I thought that they would have edited out the part where I said what question we were answering, but I guess not. What can you do? It’s still pretty cool I guess.
I tried to find a direct link, but can’t figure it. So, if you go to their site, click on “Program Guide” on the right hand side of the page, and then click “Anatomy of a Blogger” under Thursday, and our show will load right up for your cringe-worthy enjoyment.
We had them use a few of the songs we’ve posted, but we also have some tracks we haven’t talked about here. You can get the playlist on the site as well, but we’ll get it ready for you at some point. And finally – when you say the name of the blog, it’s “pan” as in the frying type, not “pon” as in de river – at least that’s how we say it. Anyway, back to today’s post:
About two-thirds of the way through the season finale of Chuck this past Monday, my girlfriend turned to me and asked: “Why is it that we like this show?” Perhaps it was the wedding-planning CIA agents that finally got to her; I couldn’t give her an actual answer.
When I think about it, however, my answer should have been, and is simply this: the show is entertaining. It has a plot that is completely implausible which doesn’t require me to think, a hot heroine who we see on occasion in her underwear, characters who are both interesting and flawed, and the show can be charming and hilarious in the same episode. That’s why we like this show. (Plus, Zachary Levi seems like he’s cool as hell, unlike that whiny other Zach I watch on Scrubs.)
The fact that Chuck uses great music to augment its best scenes makes it that much better. Here’s some of the music that was used in the finale. Slow Club is in the same vein at The Moldy Peaches/Kimya Dawson, and this particular track is excellent. I’d heard the Blind Pilot track, but Gramercy Arms was new to me. It’s excellent as well. And even if you don’t watch the show, you’ll enjoy these.
Gramercy Arms – Looking at the Sun (mp3) from Gramercy Arms
Blind Pilot – 3 Rounds and a Sound (mp3) from 3 Rounds and a Sound
Slow Club – Christmas TV (mp3) from Christmas TV [single]
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Categories: Music
Tagged: Blind Pilot, Chuck, Gramercy Arms, NBC, Slow Club, Television
Here’s the link to our post over at Breakthru Radio for today. Read up:
Breakthru Radio Post: Tuesday
And here’s my sunshine inspired post for my 1000 Minutes project. If you’re in Rochester, I’ll have you know I wrote this on Monday, when it was much more apropos.
21. The Push Stars – Everything Shines (mp3) from After the Party (2:22) [Time Remaining: 919:59]
Everyone has one of their own – a band that you love so intensely that you rise and fall with every bit of news about them. You watch crappy television shows and or movies just to hear their song used, and analyze later if it was used properly. You see them each time they visit your town, and are actually a bit hurt if you’re unable to, despite the fact that you see them numerous times per year. You tell all your friends about them. You make best of CDs for your sadly uninformed friends. You’re probably annoying.
The Push Stars were that band for me. I dragged plenty of people along to their shows, have seen them upwards of 30 times or so I’d imagine, and generally am/was a nerd about their music. The band made glittery, jangly pop/rock, and found moderate success, with a track on the There’s Something About Mary soundtrack, opening for Matchbox 20 and Great Big Sea.
And while they’re no longer first in my heart (I’d have a hard time awarding that coveted spot to any particular band these days), they are still excellent to listen to on sunny days and when the weather turns warm, like it has here this past weekend. This particular track is one of my favorites. It’s a monument to my slowly slipping away youth captured by a band I always thought should have made it bigger than they ever did. And don’t tell me they sound like Counting Crows.
22. Sonny Jim – Can’t Stop Moving (mp3) from Can’t Stop Moving [Single] (3:21) [Time Remaining: 916:38]
I can often succumb to hype. For this song, it turned out to be believable. I may never hear another song from Sonnington James (now going by the moniker Sonny J), but really I don’t need to. This song will always make me happy, and for that I’ll be forever grateful.
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Categories: Music
Tagged: 1000 Minutes, Andy, Breakthru Radio, Sonny Jim, The Push Stars
We here at Tympanogram are “Bloggers of the Week” over at Breakthru Radio, so we have doubled up on posting all week. We’ll have our normal stuff like we do every week here, plus over there we have posts about our favorite albums of the year thus far. Also, we’re going to be guests on their “Anatomy of a Blogger” radio show, so when we nail down the details about when that’s going to be up, we’ll let you all know. (I think it’s on Thursdays, but I don’t know for sure.)
Here is the link to the post for today:
Breakthru Radio Post: Monday
As for the New Releases, the list is following. Young Love should be interesting; “Find a New Way” kept our’s collective asses moving for a while after we heard it. Other than that, Wilco’s DVD, Ben Lee and Bob Dylan, and not much else. A couple tracks after the list. As always, check Amazon for more.
Bob Dylan – Together Through Life
Wilco – Ashes of American Flags (DVD)
Ben Folds – Presents: University a Cappella!
NOFX – Coaster
Ben Lee – The Rebirth of Venus
Violent J – The Shining (Really?)
Thee Oh Seas – Help
My Bloody Valentine – Loveless (LP)
Great Big Sea – Up (Re-release)
Pulp – This is Hardcore (LP)
Young Love – One of Us
Here are a couple tracks to get your week off on the right foot.
Young Love – Find a New Way (mp3) from Too Young to Fight It
Wilco – Wishful Thinking (Live) (mp3) from Ashes to American Flags (DVD)
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Categories: Music
Tagged: Breakthru Radio, New Releases, Wilco, Young Love
I’m feeling kind of lazy this Sunday morning. The weather is beautiful; we had a thunderstorm here last night, and it’s feeling like summertime has arrived, although savvy Rochesterians know better than that. It could snow at any minute.
Here are a few tunes I’ve been listening to with some regularity over the past few weeks. It’s kind of like our weekly smorgasbord, but without the food references and picture of a fat kid. Put ‘em on your portable mp3 player, and take ‘em out for a walk. Enjoy your Sunday. Get off the computer.
Death Cab for Cutie – My Mirror Speaks (mp3) from The Open Door [EP]
Conor Oberst and The Mystical Valley Band – Nikorette (mp3) from the forthcoming Outer South
The Black Keys – Her Eyes Are a Blue Million Miles (mp3) from Covered, A Revolution in Sound: Warner Bros. Records
Categories: Music
Tagged: Conor Oberst, Death Cab for Cutie, The Black Keys
The amount of music I have by Ryan Adams is ridiculous. In fact, I could probably write an mp3 blog dedicated solely to his music and have enough material for at least a year or so. (I won’t be doing that, in case you were wondering.) In fact, because space on my computer is limited, I have literally 18-20 CDs of music by him that’s not immediately accessible to me on my computer.
But last night, after I turned off the Mets game out of frustration, I was scrolling through my iPod, listening for something to write about, and I came across all of my songs by Mr. Adams. And here are two of my favorites of his extensive list of b-sides and alternates. One you’ve heard in a different form, the other you may not have heard at all. Who knows? Maybe he won’t record anymore, and we’ll never hear a new song from him. We’ll all just have to live off of compilations released by his former labels. Let’s hope not.
Ryan Adams – La Cienega Just Smiled (The Suicide Handbook Version) (mp3)
This is a simpler, prettier version of a song I liked in its released version. It seems a lot more sad, too.
Ryan Adams – Hypnotixed (mp3) from the UK/Japan release of Rock N Roll
Fans of Ryan Adams are divided on how good Rock N Roll actually is. (Great album? Or greatest album?) I personally like the album a lot. “So Alive” is an incredible song, and it’s worth the album’s price in and of itself. (There are other good songs on there too, however.) This track is one I’m surprised wasn’t on Rock N Roll, because I would put it in the Top 3 of Ryan’s from that era. (And, yes, it’s spelled with an “x,” not “z.”)
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Categories: Music
Tagged: B-Sides, Ryan Adams
Today’s installment of my 1000 Minutes Project has me looking back over what I’ve already posted, and feeling a little bit surprised that I’ve not even knocked out a tenth of my allotted time. In addition to my surprise, I’m proud we’ve made it to ten weeks of doing this. The project has spawned at least one fan that we know of, and maybe it’s made you think a bit about the importance of the music in your life. Or maybe not.
I’m feeling sentimental today. Let’s get after the tunes.
19. Modest Mouse – Missed the Boat (4:26) from We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank (mp3) [Time Remaining: 926:52]
Modest Mouse purists will probably berate me for this choice. There are certainly songs that are more representative of the band’s quirky style, these purists I have invented would argue – something off of The Moon and Antarctica perhaps? And while they are undoubtedly correct, the sentiment expressed in this particular song reminds me to be appreciative of the time/family/friends with which/whom I have been blessed. Not that I need a Modest Mouse song to do so, but it’s just so crushingly perfect when Isaac sings: “I know this of myself/we’ve listened to more of life’s end gong than the sound of life’s sweet bells.”
20. Alex Lloyd – Bus Ride (mp3) from Watching Angels Mend (4:31) [Time Remaining: 922:21]
“Bus Ride” is a mixtape staple of mine. I mean, really – what woman wouldn’t love a guy who meant it when he said, let alone sang:
“If you want to take the world on now I will be right there beside you. And if you wanna sleep the whole day through I will be right there beside you?”
I was listening to the song recently when my girlfriend called me out on that last part because I hate sleeping in. (Gasp!) Doesn’t matter. I’d do it if she really wanted, but I wouldn’t be happy about it.
Listen. The song builds and builds until just after the three minute mark, when it finally becomes overwhelming. And you can feel it right in your chest.
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Categories: Music
Tagged: 1000 Minutes, Alex Lloyd, Andy, Modest Mouse
It’s a decent week for new music; the Chester French and Camera Obscura albums are tops on our radar over here, but maybe you like Buju Banton like our good friend Travis, which is why it’s on this list.
