Hospitality//Friends of Friends

I saw this band in 2009 in the back room of a Bushwick bar with my pal EE. EE remembers:

"Early spring 2009, back room of that bar on Bushwick Ave. I remember cold weather, dirty carpeting, and a weird opening band."

Now, they've got Maeby in a music video where NY looks like LA and LA like NY. Movin' on up.

I post this track with some reservation, as it tends to get painfully stuck in my head and then I have to sing anything I can think of to get it out (most recently “Dignified and Old” by The Modern Lovers and “Billie Jean” by M.J.).

Actually, it's for the same reason that I hestitate, that I post—this track is insanely catchy. The bass is great, the horns are great and the singer's got a good 90s sound going on, a little like The Innocence Mission, yes? And of course, there's the idea of friends, friends and new friends, friends, friends that are old friends...well, we can all relate, can't we?

What else has been happening? Well, I don't know. Reading, writing, making music at home and applying to lots of jobs. Getting better at living here. Not driving to LA. Making new friends and keeping the old, one is silver and the other's gold.

Oh, somewhat related, are you as excited about this as I am?



Friends of Friends.mp3 [Thanks]

When I call,
you don't pick up anymore.

But I've got friends that are new friends,
And friends that are old friends,
And friends are enough.

The Strokes//New York City Cops

Yo, OSSers. How's it?

I've been feeling pretty conflicted lately. On one hand, in the words of the great Jackson Browne, "All good things gotta come to an end." On the other, in the words of my constantly approximating generation, "All good things kind of like might have to come to an end, sorta."

The argument with myself has been mostly going like this:

Me: You should stop writing OSS. You haven't even posted for over a month.
Me: Shutup. No. I love OSS.
Me: Then why have you abandoned it?
Me: I guess I just haven't really felt super motivated to write there for a while. I just got married! I'm focused on other things...like making money and creating new kinds of frozen desserts.
Me: Total sell out. You are no longer cool.
Me: I am definitely still cool.
Me: You're only resistant to shuttering OSS because you know you'll no longer be able to say that you write a music blog at parties.
Me: That is NOT true. I can stop whenever I want to.
Me: Whatever. It's not even relevant anymore anyway. Look at the new world we're living in. Spotify. Turntable. Nobody reads music blogs anymore, least of all your weird ramblings about weird shit. And you don't even listen to punk rock anymore.
Me: No way! I'm still totally relevant. And I do too listen to punk rock!
Me: Do not!
Me: Do too!
Me: Do not!
Me: Shut up!
Me: No, you shut up!

Wait...what?

As you can see, this was all very distressing. I was eager to compromise with myself and settle the thing once and for all. So this is what we...I mean I...came up with:

I am not killing OSS. But I am moving it to a greener pasture. No more daily posts, but hey, that hasn't been true in months anyway. Instead, I'll occasionally post links or videos for songs that I think are relevant or just awesome. And if you're still here reading, I'll still be here once-in-a while, writing. And if you're just looking for something to listen to, in between the static of the post web.0 world of Spotifies and Rdios and other music sites that have unpronounceable names, I'll still be here posting jams, a mere human being, capable of arguing with myself.

On another note, did you guys see this? Some good stuff there.

Of course, this song is still 100% relevant. Maybe now more than any other time in the last few decades or so:



New York City Cops,
They ain't too smart.

Joy Zipper//Check Out My New Jesus

OK, so I know I'm a few days late on this...ok...a week and a half. But I really wanted to post this song in honor of Easter. Because I think we all deserve a new Jesus at least once a year, regardless of our religious upbringings/beliefs.

As a person of Catholic and Jewish lineage, I have the maximum amount of guilt humanly possible encoded into my DNA. This is why one year I gave up guilt for lent. This year though, much like this Jesus post, I totally messed up my give-up-something-for-lent timing. Anika and I are currently not eating processed sugar, which is proving to be...let's just say...rough.

Seriously, did you know that there's sugar in EVERYTHING? I mean everything. Yogurt? Sugar. Tomato sauce? Sugar. All breakfast cereals besides Shredded Wheat? Sugar.

Back to Jesus, this song is about...well...it's about getting a new Jesus. Joy Zipper is a sweet little couple band from The Island. I guess someone compared their songs to a candy apple with a razor blade inside, which seems about right to me. Actually, most of my favorite music falls into this variety, or something like it. If it's not a candy apple/razor blade then it's a something else with a something else inside. Catch my drift?

Anyway, now I've waited so long to post this that another holiday has eclipsed the holiday about which I've been writing. Thanks, Cinco De Mayo. I hope you have fun drinking Coronas and eating Churros, two things I can't have due to obvious sugar content.



Check Out My New Jesus.mp3

Check out my new Jesus.
He talks and he walks if you want him to.
Nevermind the thorns.
They're only there to confuse you.

Mark Ronson And The Business International//Somebody To Love Me

Valentines Day is dumb, but love is awesome.

To that end, check out this super list of the year's best love songs by Nerve (and a dozen or so notable music types). I thought it would be nice to feature the song OSS contributed to the article today. So, without further ado, a popular song about the sometimes painful but distinctly human need for love.



Somebody to Love Me.mp3

I want somebody to love me.

Harry Nilsson, Ron Sexsmith//Good Old Desk

Today is my last day at the company I’ve been working for for almost four years. Crazy. I didn’t really expect it to feel traumatic, but it does a little. I suppose I’m terribly nostalgic under this thin veneer of snark when it comes down to it.

What ended up being the weirdest part was packing up my desk, so I thought I could discuss this song, a perfect ode to the virtues of the desk, and by extension, the dependable pleasure that can come with a job well done.

The original version of this song was written and recorded by Harry Nilsson (do you guys remember the unofficial Nilsson Week?) on his 1968 Aerial Ballet album. Speaking of work, the album was named after the highwire circus act of his grandparents. Speaking of the album, it features many Nilsson gems (and one tremendously popular cover—“Everybody’s Talking”), including the fantastic “One.”

An amusing tidbit from Wikipedia:
Guest-starring on Playboy After Dark, Nilsson told host Hugh Hefner the song was really about its initials... "G-O-D". Even though Nilsson later admitted that he was just joking around, it is still commonly believed that the song actually is about God.

It’s obviously not about God. It obviously is about a desk. The most wonderful desk, in its way.

I also came across this cover and very much enjoyed it, so thought I would post it here too. My stepbrother first turned me on to Canadian singer/songwriter Ron Sexsmith when I was in high school. I accidently saw him play a solo show in a church in Montclair, NJ, which was very moving. I think he does a great job with this tune…both versions are really solid in different ways.



Good Old Desk.mp3 (Harry Nilsson Version)



Good Old Desk.mp3 (Ron Sexsmith Version)

Such a comfort to know
It’s got no place to go.
It’s always there.
It’s the one thing I’ve got.
A huge success,
My good old desk.

The Excellents//Coney Island Baby

Today, A and I are going to get engagement pictures taken at Coney Island. Gay, right? But still, cute. You have to say, it's cute!

Coney Island is a magical place to me, filled with all my favorite things. Skee Ball. Soft Serve. Ocean Waves. Cotton Candy. Roller Coasters. Photo Booths. Freaks. Beer. And it's in New York City! And it's accessible by subway! Is it heaven? Yes! It is!

This song is about Coney Island and also about love, so basically it's exactly about my day today. And it's Doo Wop. Is it heaven? Yes! It is!

There's not much known about this group, but what there is to know can be found here.



Coney Island Baby.mp3

You're my Coney Island baby.
You're so precious and so sweet.
Since the day I met you,
My life has been complete.
You're my everything.
Soon, you'll wear my ring.
You're my girl.

Mike Doughty//Down On The River By The Sugar Plant

OSS: Where the Sweetness is Made.

A friend of mine put this song on a mix he sent me when I was living in London at a very sad and lonely time in my life. It really struck a chord then and when I hear it now in a bar or out somewhere, I still get a strong jolt of sense memory. It's about someone who feels disjointed and dejected, cut off from society and getting weirder by the second, which, coincidentally, was how I felt during most of my time in the UK.

You might remember Mike Doughty from the 90s band Soul Coughing, who had a few hits with a song about walking around in circles and something called "Super Bon Bon." Soul Coughing kind of ended in disaster, with Doughty addicted to heroin and the band dropped from their label. Thankfully for us, he was able to overcome his drug problems and have a successful solo career. I find that I enjoy some of his solo material more than his stuff with SC, which is a rare thing.

Judging by the references to "boatloads of bootleg Sean John" on Orchard St., my guess is that the "sugar plant" Doughty is referencing is the Domino on Kent St. in Williamsburg, BK. Want to see a picture?



Down On The River By The Sugar Plant.mp3

I pledge allegiance to my displacement.
My flag of doubt is unfurled.
And I’ll dream you up on a vast, dark coast,
Believe I see you walking toward me, arms outstretched like a Ghost
And I want to kiss you but I can’t,
Down on the river by the sugar plant.

The Sugar Plant: Domino Sugar was started in 1799 by William Frederick Havemeyer (the called Havemayer, Townsend & Co Refinery). By 1900, the Havemeyers had purchased five addition plants and renamed their East Coast sugar empire "Domino." William F. Havemeyer was also mayor of NYC through a lot of the 1800s, which is why there is a street named after him (right next to the street named after the guy responsible for the Brooklyn Bridge).

The Two Man Gentlemen Band//Chocolate Milk

Liquid Cavities: Monday Mail
What is Monday Mail?

Something about the end of summer really brings out my extreme sugar cravings. Thus, I am happy to announce Sweets Week here at OSS. I’ll be focusing on songs about or by bands that take their names from delicious things. First up: everyone’s favorite tasty beverage, chocolate milk.

Serious Business Records says:

The Two Man Gentlemen Band's hot, raucous, old-time Vaudevillian sound has made them an underground sensation. They traverse the country incessantly, playing hundreds of shows per year including recent dates with Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson.
Their style - musically & visually - incorporates elements of hot jazz, rhythm & blues, tin-pan alley, and western swing and their original songs consistently "prove that making old-fashioned music needn't be polite or predictable" (Time Out New York). They deftly balance lighthearted and often hysterical romps about reefer, wine, boy/girl parties, and chocolate milk with tender ballads of loneliness and fidelity.

This song espouses the simple beauty and ample benefits of chocolate milk. Cocoa beans and heavy cream are a basic but heavenly combo. It’s delicious. It’s nutritious (sorta). It’s fun. You can blow bubbles in it. You can do blow and stay up all night drinking it. All bases are covered in this old-timey ode to the syrupy stuff.

I mean, really, think about it. Milk. It’s so boring. Maybe it’s just because I’m an east coaster, but there’s no way I could ever just drink milk on its own. That said, add a little chocolate and I’m there. Rufus Wainwright is obviously also there. Two Man Gentlemen Band is also there. We’re having a chocolate-milk-appreciation party—me, Rufus, and the gentlemen. OK, who's bringing the straws?



Chocolate Milk.mp3

And who’ll fetch my amphetamines?
I will, I will, I will!
I might want to stay up all night, drinking chocolate milk.


Sweet Intention: My favorite candy store, hands down, is Economy Candy in the Lower East Side. Goetz Caramels? Check. Candy Cigarettes? Check. Nerds? Check. Giant Collectible Pez Dispensers? Uh, check.

The Velvet Underground//Stephanie Says

Hey sweeties. I’m going on a little hiatus. Until July 19th, this blog will be quiet, as my internet supply will become spotty and/or borrowed. I’ll be in Alaska. And you know what Lou Reed says about Alaska.



Stephanie Says.mp3

But she's not afraid to die.
The people all call her Alaska.

A Tribe Called Quest//Jam

Every so often, I’ll think to post a song by a group and be thoroughly baffled about which track to choose because so many qualify.

This is definitely the case with 90s hip hop phenoms A Tribe Called Quest. I can’t help but feel like there isn’t a single ATCQ song that would be a bad choice for this blog. Then, the problem becomes a common one for me: go with the obvious hit, which is often fantastic (and in this case would be “Can I Kick It,” complete with Velvets sample…or maybe “Bonita Applebaum”), something slightly more obscure (like, for example, “The Hop”) or the one that all the other artists/critics like (ie “Electric Relaxation”)?

In this case, I’m choosing to veer a little more toward the obscure, but mostly because I just can’t resist this guitar sample that serves as the hook in this song in combination with the plotline of the rhyme, which is a very well-crafted narrative.

Here’s what’s going down: it’s summer in the city and there’s a party. Oh, did I mention, you’re a teenager…and you just smoked weed for the first time? The party is awesome, but of course, the cops (ie “Jake”) show up. Shit. But it’s ok. You end up goofing off with your friends in a car at the end of the night.

Even though this song came out 15 years ago, it’s timeless. The season is right. Enjoy this at your next party, in your Jetta or while sipping a Heinken in your backyard/on your roof.



Jam.mp3

It was Friday afternoon in the middle of June,
Heineken bottle caps and the aroma of boom.
Around the time everybody had just got home from class,
Shootin dice, talkin shit, hopin the cash would last.
Yo, this was around the time when I didn't know no better.
Juney moved around in a tinted out Jetta.

Then he introduced me to that hydro smoke,
And I took one toke, yo, I almost choked.
See, I never smoked before and my nerves got shot.
Then he told me about the party at the spot jam rock.

One Sweet Song//Northside Showcase

Local Music Showcase
What's up with Local Music Fridays?

I know what you're thinking: SLACKER!!! For once, it's not true! Au contraire, OSSers, I have been busting ass to organize something VERY COOL with Karl Sturk and today we are kicking if off with four, COUNT 'EM, FOUR sweet songs. Read on:

One Sweet Song and the ever-awesome Karl Sturk are curating a showcase for next week's Northside Music Festival. Guys, this is going to be a really, really good time. As FIPS says, you've gotten really good at this whole blog-reading thing--maybe it's time to try coming to a show. Shake hands, drink beer and hear awesome music. Oh, by the way, tomorrow's my birthday...this gives you the perfect opportunity to buy me a drink!

The Glorious Details:

One Sweet Song and Karl Sturk Showcase
Sunday 6/27
Public Assembly in Williamsburg
Doors 7:30, Music at 8
$7

Featuring the Amazing Sounds of:

11 PM :: Ribbons [Myspace]



Jenny Logan, Sam Roudman and Jeff Ciprioni tear it up with a sound that's fast and energetic while also retaining something dark and brooding. This is their last-ever NYC show, so catch them while you still can.

"...delightfully reminiscent of the golden age of that dark weird post-punk." - OSS

"...the stripped-down fever-shivers and uneasy fidget of classic post-punk--think Joy Division, Orange Juice, Durutti Column, etc. But these two Cali transplants can also play the shit out of their instruments." - The Village Voice

Mp3: Screens.mp3


10 PM :: Palmyra [Myspace] [Official]



The unlikely combination of a fuzzy acoustic guitar, a retro analog synth, a trumpet, a jazz drummer and a detroit-style garage rocker take on well-made rock and pop songs.

"100% shameless self-promotion" - OSS

"The City, On Repeat, is a gorgeous set of songs with a warm, homey feel. " - Tandem Shop

Quiet Color

Mp3: Suicidal Female Poets.mp3


9 PM :: The Long Eye [Myspace]



Karl Sturk and Patrice Scinta expertly combine finely crafted songs with a gritty, lofi garage sound.

"Karl’s songwriting talent, ear for arrangement and musical ability more than speak for themselves." - OSS

Mp3: Palisades.mp3 (Demo)



8 PM :: Drunken Barn Dance [Myspace]



Scott Sellwood's delightful sometimes solo, sometimes full band highlights his songwriting and always promises a rollicking good time.

"Scott Sellwood, in addition to being a truly sweet dude, is a master of melody." - One Sweet Song

"Drunken Barn Dance evolved from a solo folk project of Scott's into an epic multi-guitar attack band reminiscent of Television, Wilco and the Grateful Dead." - Metro Times

Mp3: A Winter's Tale.mp3

Also, look forward to Northside Week next week. I'll be counting down the days to the festival's start and giving you tips on which shows you HAVE to see.

The Paparazzi//The Rococo Tape

You’re Being Followed: Monday Mail
What is Monday Mail?

It can be hard for me on Monday when I’m trying to peruse the old Gmail tag “OSS” to decide what to put up here. It’s not that there’s a lack of submissions. On the contrary, I’m totally overwhelmed by all the OSS mail I get. It’s also not that there’s no talent. There’s a lot of talent. It’s just that most of it sounds EXACTLY the same. I mean, really, the same. I find myself mostly just looking for something, anything, different. Please, send me something different. PLEASE. I’m sure you guys are all really nice, but I’ve had my fill of soft-singing indie rock boy singers whispering over acoustic guitars and trebly electrics. ENOUGH with the synthy dance tracks and remixes. With a few VERY VERY special exceptions, if you read this blog, you probably know that I think most of that stuff SUCKS. I want to hear songs that do weird things, that sound different. At very least, I want to hear something with a vision where that vision is fulfilled. Send me hip hop. Send me a track with a female vocalist that’s not cheesy. Send me something in a rare time signature. PLEASE. /end rant.

That said, here's this from the folks over at Serious Business Records:

The Paparazzi is the musical pseudonym of songwriter and rock auteur Erik Paparazzi, who has spent the better part of the past decade as a sideman with Cat Power's Dirty Delta Blues. His new record Rococo, recorded back in 2004, has finally seen in March 2010 thanks to Serious Business. Expect a lush and dreamy ride that harnesses the best moves of several purveyors of lost classics and lost weekends: Brian Wilson, Harry Nilsson, and Todd Rundgren.

Back in 2004 when The Paparazzi was performing regularly as a 7 piece band, they recorded the tracks for what was to become Rococo. But something was missing in the final results, and Erik shelved the record until 2007. On the road with Cat Power, he began remixing it on his laptop and wound up deconstructing many of the original performances and arrangements, sometimes drastically reinventing the songs. In so doing he gave new life to the project, and brought us a sonically stunning and wholly immersive record.

This is one to play through. From the first note to the last, Rococo thrusts listeners into a quasi dream state, conjuring rich images and soundscapes while reveling in pop thrills with enough happy accidents to subvert any hint of predictability.

There’s a lot going on here: a classic rock vibe and the licks to go along with it, a little bit of that indie rock fey aloofness in the vox, a hint of power pop, arrangements that ramble and change and morph. It’s not super crazy, but it is definitely enough. The Paparazzi knows what they’re going for. They got it.



The Rococo Tape.mp3

Popped in the tape deck
Your reddish pink cassette,
You have the voice of a juvenile delinquent.
And that surprised me.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs//Art Star

To be completely honest, I have absolutely no idea what is going on with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs anymore. I basically checked out after Fever to Tell, moving on to other things, figuring that their success probably was about to make them start sucking anyway. But when this first EP, Master, broke, it was totally amazing.

It was 2003 and I was working at a record store in Ann Arbor and my boss dropped in one day to tell me I should REALLY check this band out for their new New York sound, extreme buzz, crazy lead singer, screaming, etc. So, I did and man, the whole EP was weird and golden.

A bunch of friends and I went to see them shortly thereafter on a tour with Liars at The Magic Stick in Detroit. Karen O. really lived up to her reputation. She was so drunk and wild that she almost slid off stage a few times. Something about the band's sound and persona in that era was so perfect for my age--the raucous nights charged with booze, sexual tension and a special kind of youthful aloofness. I think, at that time, we all considered ourselves art stars.



Art Star.mp3

I've been working on a piece that speaks of sex and desperation.
I've been screwing on the tracks of abandoned train stations.

Swimming in Speakers//Serve Them Well

Monday Mail Gets You Married.
What is Monday Mail?

Quiet Color really knows how to throw a party. Back in October, they had an anti-CMJ party featuring bandfriends Grandchildren and a pre-mega hype Sleigh Bells at the soon-to-be-reborn? Market Hotel. In January, they had a circus featuring aerial acrobats and indie rock, all under the same roof (that roof being the one that belongs to The House of Yes). As if that wasn’t enough, they now want to marry you. No, not like Quiet Color+You=Forever. More like, You+BF/GF/Lifepartner=Forever.

Alex says:

'Quiet Color's Magic Wedding' will be taking place on May 21st at Monster Island and we're looking for a sweet couple to be the bride and groom. The band Swimming in Speakers is making the trek from upstate NY, joining a 4 band bill for the ceremony which will also include a slew of magicians to ensure things stay magical.

Quiet Color has garnered much press over the years due to amazing performances by buzzed about bands and unconventional Brooklyn parties. Fortunately for all of us, one of our writers is a certified Reverend (non denominational) and is ready to marry you at our next show!!!! We'll have special beverages for the bride and groom and of course your whole wedding party is invited!

Drop us a line with your photos, a bit about you guys, and we'll be in touch!

Or spread the word about our Craigslist ad.

So, is this how you pictured your wedding? Partying down with hipsters and bands and magicians at Monster Island? Here’s a taste:



Serve Them Well.mp3

In opposition, we will be apprehended.

Harlem Shakes//Strictly Game

I had been meaning to check out Harlem Shakes (Todd Goldstein aka ARMS is the guitarist) for ages. Finally did, and I'm not disappointed. On the contrary, I'm kind of addicted to their one and only full-length album Technicolor Health.

The album is filled with hooky songs that recall a more poppy/more accessible Animal Collective (yes, even more acessible than Merriweather). Not to say the album is perfect--it has its flaws. First of all, what's with referencing "game" and "the game" in every song? It works when you're watching The Wire, but not when you're listening to five white boys make indie rock. It just seems so...fratty? Yes? Second, the band publicly stated that they were trying to make something that recalled "90s optimism," which is sometimes nice and sometimes annoying.

That said, when it's not too poppy, it's great. The recordings are interesting, with thoughtful arrangements and the writing is really good (if you like this song, check out "Niagara Falls," which is downright beautifully composed).

Sadly, Shakes broke up last year. I always have this thing for recently broken-up bands. It's stupid.

This song, which walks the very thin too-poppy-or-just-poppy-enough tightrope with the precision of an indie Philippe Petit, is instantly likable. It's the kind of song you find yourself putting on repeat, and feeling a bit embarrassed about. The world isn't all sunshine and roses--that's for goddamn sure. But I suppose it's ok to pretend once in a while.



Strictly Game.mp3

I'm sick of slow rock.
I'm sick of quick quips.
Sick of holding onto nothing,
When I just want to hold your hips.

Harry Nilsson//Me and My Arrow, Think About Your Troubles

We interrupt your regularly schedule program for: two sweet songs and more to follow.

These songs/this album has been coming up a lot in my life. Also, I was thinking about it and these tracks will provide enough fuel for an entire week of jams, running the gambit from retro pop to hip hop and touching on two of my favorite (cultish) films in the process. Pair this with the fact that I’m out of town starting Thursday, and I think this means it’s time to run with it, even though the usual routine for today is Monday Mail…but hey, doesn’t this all sound exciting?

As you may know, I recently got my ability to play records back (sort of). This record is one of my favorites. The Point! is an animated children’s movie that was released in 1971. The animation is very much in the style of Yellow Submarine. It touches on themes of racism and existentialism and (shock) was my favorite movie as a kid.

Emily happened to have the record as a kid, but was totally unaware of the movie. I went out and tracked down the DVD in college, so we watched in one night. Actually, I have forced many of my friends to watch this movie over the years, sometimes while…ahem…intoxicated, with varying degrees of success in converting them to Point cultdom. Speaking of intoxication, this is what inspired it all:

I was on acid and I looked at the trees and I realized that they all came to points, and the little branches came to points, and the houses came to point. I thought, 'Oh! Everything has a point, and if it doesn't, then there's a point to it. – Harry Nilsson

Yes. Anyway, I brought this record out with me to my DJ gig a few weeks ago and played “Me and My Arrow” (about main character Oblio’s love for his dog) and “Poli High” (about the movie's competitive game, Triangle Toss) with some narration between. A guy came up to me expressing his extreme love for The Point. He told me that he never expcted to hear the song at the bar and that if I wanted this David Bowie record his dad had just given him, I could totally have it, because, hey, I was a DJ and he didn't even have a turntable. Did I mention that he was drunk? Still, this is what this movie does to people—compels them to profess love and to give random gifts to people they barely know.

It just so happens that Emily and I have also been covering “Think About Your Troubles” FORever (there’s embarrassingly old YouTube footage to prove it). We got to do it again on Sat. at The 50/50 with two ukes!

Final note: why didn’t’ anyone tell me about this?!

All the music on this album is oozing with extremely amazing pure wonderful catchy goodness. Please enjoy both of these tracks and expect another related and awesome song tomorrow.



Me and My Arrow.mp3

Think About Your Troubles.mp3

You can take your teardrops
And drop ‘em in a tea cup.
Take it down to the riverside and
Throw it over the side
To be swept up by a current
And taken to the ocean to be eaten by some fishes
That were eaten by some fishes
Then swallowed by a whale
Who grew so old,
He decomposed.

Unrelated: Darcy Turenne, a pro freeride mountain biker/TV host, gave us an awesome shout-out in her blog. Thanks for reading, Darcy.

That's Him! That's The Guy//Canst Thou Summon

BOO! Local Music Friday!
Tell me...what is this Local Music Fridays?

Oh my God, guys, tomorrow is Halloween!!! OOOOH, SPOOKY!

Last night, A. and I went to a Haunted House. It wasn't exactly that scary, but it was still a good time. Then, I bought some candy for tomorrow night's 50/50 show, which will feature David Martin of Michigan band That's Him! That's The Guy!

I never actually got to see TH!TTG! when I lived in Michigan, although my friend Travis told me they were awesome. Palmyra had the pleasure of playing a show with them before Joe moved out of town, which was quite enjoyable, even if it was at the worst venue in lower Manhattan.

I was really impressed with their beautiful harmonies and their pretty/melancholy (everyone knows that this is my favorite combo!) tunes. I hear that tomorrow David will be accompanied by some special guest singers. I'm totally geeked. Come out for music, the clanking of pipes in my basement, candy corn and cheep beer. Sure to please. Costumes optional.



Canst Thou Summon.mp3

The hook comes again.
Oh, Leviathan.

Billie Holiday//Autumn in New York

I woke up this morning in Park Slope, with light streaming in through a window that overlooks an overgrown garden of low-slumped bushes and just-changing leaves. The weather is beautiful. Not warm. Not cold. Sunny.

Autumn in New York really is the best time. Summer has always been my favorite season, but living in Brooklyn has put Fall in close competition.

As for Lady Day, she brings her signature moving and completely honest performance to this song. If you don't know all about her, you should find out more. I would also highly recommend reading her compltely insane and largely untrue autobiography, Lady Sings the Blues.

I've been stuck in all morning working, but this afternoon, I plan to take a stroll or a bike ride in Prospect Park, to enjoy the weather and the trees. Next weekend--who wants to go apple-picking?



Autumn in New York.mp3

Here on the twenty-seventh floor, looking down on the city I hate and adore.
Autumn in New York, why does it seem so inviting?
Autumn in New York, it spells the thrill of first-nighting.
Glittering crowds and shimmering clouds in canyons of steel;
They're making me feel I'm home.

10,000 Maniacs//Katrina's Fair

Uh oh. Now I'm on a very specific kick: this certain kind of sometimes a bit folky, sometimes a bit post-punk-inspired rock from the 80s. Can anyone stop me? I doubt it highly.

The stage is perfectly set for my big reveal. My very favorite band from the end of middle school until about the end of high school was the 10,000 Maniacs, who were pretty much just breaking up when I got into them. I know this is extremely nerdy to admit publicly (new tag: I Am Not Ashamed), but I fucking loved them with a passion that is almost unheard of for anything in my life now, let alone some fucking band that basically became adult alternative. That said, BECAME is the key word here, because they definitely didn't start off that way. They started off worshipping New Order and vintage reggae. They stood with bands like R.E.M. and The Pixies at the head of the college rock movement (which really was the forbearer of the later schism into indie rock (originally the righteous path, now totally irrelevant ) and alternative (the dark side?)).

The band was really broken by, you guessed it, the ultimate music diviner John Peel. Hope Chest, a compilation of some of their oldest material, is a stellar album. Amazing lyrics with vivid imagery. Weird sounds. Experimental recording.

Sort of sidenote: In 2001, I had the pleasure of doing a phone interview with Natalie Merchant for The Michigan Daily. We chatted for a few hours. She told me to read a book called Germs, which I finally picked up at The Newark Public Library booksale this year. It was really awesome to get to talk to a childhood idol. And although some of her solo albums are a bit corny, preachy and out of fashion, I kind of still think she's the jam. She's been amazing at supporting political and artistic causes in the world, which can be seen on her website. Apparently she's also in the studio again.



Katrina's Fair.mp3

Miss Lenora P. Sinclair,
Early for coffee in the pool.
"I'm resituating all your words."
Capital,
Space,
Colon
And paragraph.

The Ann Arbor Canasta Fix//Exactly What They Want, Spoon//Chicago at Night, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles//I Care About Detroit

On Jan. 1, 2004, I moved to London. It was a weird and mostly unhappy time for me. London is a fantastic place to feel alone and dour.

I didn't have many friends at the time, and spent most of my days wandering on the Thames walk, south of the river, going to underground queer parties, searching for ANYTHING that was open 24-hours (I was homesick), writing songs on my Martin backpacker guitar and visiting galleries and museums alone. Of course, I was also in school, so I did that too. My friend Ame and I also made a habit of getting quite drunk and taking insanely long walks at ridiculously late hours.

On St. Patrick's day of that year, Ame and Jen and I got very drunk on some kind of Bailey's rip-off we got at Tesco. We sat for a while, drinking, at Trafalgar Sq., where a Jamaican man kept asking us for sips. Eventually we made our way to Jubilee Gardens, near the Eye. There, Ame (who lived in Chicago at the time) exclaimed, drunkenly, somewhat ashamedly, but totally seriously, "THE MIDWEST IS HOME!" As it echoed out over the river and the cold British city, I thought, yes, the midwest is home.

And so, on that note, I'm going "home" this weekend, to play three shows in the Midwest. Each song today is a shout-out to one of the three midwestern cities we're playing in and will make us even-steven for the three days I won't be able to update OSS.

ANN ARBOR (Alias: A2, Ace Deuce, Tree Town)

Ann Arbor is where I lived for about six years, while I went to college and while I bummed around and did nothing after college.

This song is by the Ann Arbor Canasta Fix, which the riot-grrrrl inspired solo project of Shar McLeod, an (ironically) Austin, TX-based artist. Somehow Ali stumbled upon an AACF song and it ended up on a mix, many years ago. Here's a different, but equally awesome jam.


Exactly What They Want.mp3

Float like a butterfly,
Sting like a bee,
Sell your soul to Mohammed Ali!


CHICAGO (Alias: CHI, ChiTown, Chicagy)

Chicago has a high concentration of best friends and people who I think are awesome. It also serves up some mean street elotes, brunch and record shopping options.

Spoon (also from Austin) tells us about Chicago at night. I definitely have been to Chicago at night. Late, late at night. Often looking for some kind of 24-hour taco option.



Chicago at Night.mp3

But then she'd never been to Chicago at night before the fall
And it don't stop, not at all.
It falls all around
In the city, hits the ground.

DETROIT (Alias: The D, Motor City, Detroit Rock City, MoTown)

Detroit is the largest city in Michigan, although it's now a burnt-out shell of its former self thanks to 1. riots and 2. the collapse of the US auto industry. I saw many good shows and had many good times there during my time in Michigan. Highlights include: many Coney Islands, techno, Eminem, incredible street art, buildings you can actually see through and garage rock. You may remember that you should put your hands up for The D.

Here, my favorite MoTown artist Smokey Robinson tells us all the reasons to love Detroit.



I Care About Detroit.mp3

There are many reasons why one cares about a city,
Why you care about it's problems, its people and indeed, its very future
Is it friendly, warm, hospitable and are there good job opportunities, educational facilities and a cultural center?
Are you proud to call it your hometown?
When you come right down to it, I venture to say you'll all agree to a resounding yes when you're talking about Detroit.

Oh, and, our full tour schedule is here or here. Maybe we'll see you in the glorious midwest? Hope so.