idaft

i'm not very good at this daft punk game yet but lord knows i'm gonna be playing this shit till my fingers are numb and i get it right. 

creepy videos, awesome band

i showed chappaboogie these videos by one of the best new bands out there, fever ray, and she got freaked the fuck out. i personally like the second one, when i grow up, but the first video is much spookier. cheers.

mark it dude, lebowski fest

lebowski fest might be coming to austin. no official word yet but they have gone there in the past and i wouldn't be surprised if they came back. who's coming with me?

in completely unrelated news, king khan and the shrines have a new video for 'land of the freak'. i love this band, i missed them when they played in denton but i assume they'll be back here promptly.

recent beer order

mikeller - simcoe single hop. mikkeller - beer geek brunch weasel. mikkeller - it's alive. new belgium - dark kriek. new belgium - la folie. goose island - bourbon county stout. russian river - pliny the elder.

official record store day par-tay

everyone clear your fackin' schedule. good records in dallas is having a free party to celebrate record store day which is april 18th. there's gonna be free beer, free food, and a free concert. here's a list of the bands. erykah badu's cannabinoids and white denim are worth it alone. there's also some record store day exclusive vinyl's available. basically, it's going to be a fucking awesome day. 

barsuk

some new stuff from the barsuk lable. my new favorite band, the wooden birds. their album is supposed to drop sometime in may. this is their second single off said album.

the wooden birds - sugar

and viva voce's new single devotion

viva voce - devotion

guitar tips

the mad genius captain beefheart has given us some amazing music throughout his illustrious career. now he has given us his 10 commandments for playing guitar. this guy is either the smartest man in the world or bat shit crazy. i'm still undecided.

Captain Beefheart's 10 Commandments of Guitar Playing

1. Listen to the birds. 
That's where all the music comes from. Birds know everything about how it should sound and where that sound should come from. And watch hummingbirds. They fly really fast, but a lot of times they aren't going anywhere.

2. Your guitar is not really a guitar Your guitar is a divining rod. 
Use it to find spirits in the other world and bring them over. A guitar is also a fishing rod. If you're good, you'll land a big one.

3. Practice in front of a bush 
Wait until the moon is out, then go outside, eat a multi-grained bread and play your guitar to a bush. If the bush dosen't shake, eat another piece of bread.

4. Walk with the devil 
Old Delta blues players referred to guitar amplifiers as the "devil box." And they were right. You have to be an equal opportunity employer in terms of who you're bringing over from the other side. Electricity attracts devils and demons. Other instruments attract other spirits. An acoustic guitar attracts Casper. A mandolin attracts Wendy. But an electric guitar attracts Beelzebub.

5. If you're guilty of thinking, you're out 
If your brain is part of the process, you're missing it. You should play like a drowning man, struggling to reach shore. If you can trap that feeling, then you have something that is fur bearing.

6. Never point your guitar at anyone 
Your instrument has more clout than lightning. Just hit a big chord then run outside to hear it. But make sure you are not standing in an open field.

7. Always carry a church key 
That's your key-man clause. Like One String Sam. He's one. He was a Detroit street musician who played in the fifties on a homemade instrument. His song "I Need a Hundred Dollars" is warm pie. Another key to the church is Hubert Sumlin, Howlin' Wolf's guitar player. He just stands there like the Statue of Liberty-making you want to look up her dress the whole time to see how he's doing it.

8. Don't wipe the sweat off your instrument 
You need that stink on there. Then you have to get that stink onto your music.

9. Keep your guitar in a dark place
When you're not playing your guitar, cover it and keep it in a dark place. If you don't play your guitar for more than a day, be sure you put a saucer of water in with it.

10. You gotta have a hood for your engine 
Keep that hat on. A hat is a pressure cooker. If you have a roof on your house, the hot air can't escape. Even a lima bean has to have a piece of wet paper around it to make it grow.

weekend update

i went to austin to see my favorite band in the entire world, american analog set. they played friday at club deville as part of the sxsw music fest. in honor of the 10 year anniversary of their album 'the golden band', they played it in it's entirety. chappaboogie and i got their early because this is probably going to be the last time they ever play together and we happened to see the handsome furs, an electronic rock duo from montreal, that played their goddam hearts out. i never really paid attention to this band prior to watching them but they put on a hell of a show. 

the handsome furs - i'm confused

i know this picture blows, i'm just trying to show how goddam close we were

plus i feel like such a tool taking pictures with my phone. 

amanset slowed the groove down as they do best. playing at the same venue where they played their first show, everyone in the band was smiling and having a genuinely good time and i really got the feel that even though they were truly enjoying themselves, they all knew that this was the end of an era. i did spot a fan on the opposite side of the stage who was singing along and crying at the same time. i felt like weeping also but i was so excited just knowing that i was at what i can only assume is their last show ever.

you can still get your fill of amanset style music with lead singer andrew kenny's new band, 'the wooden birds'. the sound is reminiscent of amanset.

here's a video from the golden band which teaches us bicycle safety

when i got back to fort worf, the lost nation brewers concocted an imperial ipa recipe that is retardedly hopped. over a pound of 5 different varieties of hops. just look at this hop bill

1.5 oz - Chinook (Mash Hop)
2.5 oz - Warrior (90 Min.)
.5 oz - Chinook (90 Min.)
1 oz - Simcoe (45 Min.)
1 oz - Columbus (30 Min.)
2.25 oz - Centennial (Flameout)
1 oz - Simcoe (Flameout)
3.25 oz - Columbus (Dry Hop)
1.75 oz - Centennial (Dry Hop)
1.75 oz - Simcoe (Dry Hop)

if you're not a brewer this may not mean much but let's just say that's a lot of fucking hops. the beer will be done in 5 weeks and needs a name. suggestions are welcome.

the power was turned off today so i picked up a book. ender's game came highly recommended by fuckmurder mcgillicutty and i done finished it pretty much all in one sitting. so yeah, i liked it. i'm not really into the whole sci-fi thing but this book grabs you by your space rocket testicles and doesn't let go till you reach saturn.

after expanding my brain parts, i went back to the lost nation brewery and tried beer with different ingredients such as pepper, sassafras, and grapefruit. suggestions are also welcome on different beer ingredients for the next batch. 

nme c86 + dong

nme's infamous c86 mixtape is available for download on chocolate bobka. if you don't know what i'm talkin about, read it here. word

also, i saw the watchmen last night and it was pretty incredible. plenty of dr. manhattan's lower manhattan, if ya know what i mean. 

i'm going camping, later bitches.

mucho importante

firstly, grizzly bear are gonna be at granada june 16th. secondly, there's a tron 2.0 coming out and daft punk is scoring it. thirdly, i just poo'd myself.

ram on L.A.

aquarium drunkard has a new compilation album available for free download here. a handful of los angeles artists have covered paul mccartney's 1971 solo album, 'ram'. 

mix tape

i was going to make a mix cd for everyone that is going to come to the oatmeal stout release party (i know it's gay but it makes me happy so fuck off) but since i figured out how to put songs on this bitch for you to download i'm just going to make my mix tape on here. happy listening.

blk jks - lakeside
fever ray - when i grow up
vega - well known pleasures
ty segall - the drag
the phenomenal handclap band - testimony
sgt. dunbar and the hobo banned - a walk through charles mingus's garbage pile
shirley ann lee - theres a light
miami horror - don't be on with her
the gay blades - bob dylan's 115th nightmare
cfcf - crystal mines
black joe lewis - gunpowder
ben sollee - only a son
amanaz - khala my friend
the presets-if i know you
papercuts - future primitive
mt. st. helen's vietnam band - anchors dropped
cotton jones - blood red sentimental blues
mayer hawthorne - when i said goodbye
starfucker -florida

buddhist buildings

apparently some buddhist monks have built practically a whole city out of used beer bottles. i'm pretty sure i could top that with all the beer bottles i've gone through.

in unrelated news, ...and you will know us by the trail of dead put on an amazing show last night and played my favorite song, will you smile again, that i just can't get out of my head.

trail of dead - will you smile again

songs from the grave...

elliott smith has another posthumous release. they're unfinished recordings and covers from 'basement on the hill', a nice addition to an already amazing catalogue. go here to get the nice and tidy zipped files.

...and you will know us by the trail of dead

best math class doodle ever. the cover of ...and you will know us by the trail of dead's century of self, who will be performing live this thursday february the 19th in the year of our lord two thousand and nine. tickets are here and they are only $12. if you try to convince me that you are doing something more important on thursday i am going to call you a liar. listen here, you will love them or my name isn't gomer pyle.

darwin month

so darwin day has come and gone and i was too busy going to swedish furniture stores and riding my bike to get around to letting everyone know that yesterday was darwin's 200th birthday. i am assuming that the 4 people who read this blog already know that it's darwin day but it got me thinking. we should dedicate at least a month to recognize ol' chuck. i'm just sayin, his discoveries have changed the way we see our planet and gave rise to many other findings and theories that have since been proven as fact. so i'm not going to worry about missing his birthday, i'm going to celebrate his legacy all month long. who's with me?

green eggs and haaaaaaaam

hilarious mock science show on adult swim called 'look around you'. 

in unrelated news, i like this song florida by starfucker

radiohead at the grammys

for those of you that missed it, radiohead performed live last night at the grammys with the backing of the USC marching band. 

omar's gone solo

omar rodriguez-lopez of mars volta fame has put out another solo album. so for those of you that enjoy the hard rock of omar and can't stand the screeching banshee cedric bixler-zavala, you may like this.

Private Fortunes - Omar Rodriguez Lopez

quiz

for those of you that have about 15 mintues to kill or want to join the swedish armed forces. try this out.

time machine

the buffet libre dj's have a ton of delightful 70's, 80's, and 90's era songs remixed by some of today's best artists. check it out here, yo. word to your mother.

bonnaroo 2009

the lineup for 2009 has been announced on their website. if anyone wants to go, please, please let me know as i would also go with you. yeah, the camping sucks but it's so worth it. 

coachella announced their lineup not too long ago but seeing as how i am a dirty hippy, my vote leans towards bonnaroo. 

tweedy covers radiohead

wilco's frontman covers radioheads' 'fake plastic trees'. it's sublime. 

i heart daft punk

an acoustic cover of daft punks 'digital love' by alphabeat.

flight of the conchords

flight of the conchords are on tour and will be at the nokia on may the 5th in the year of our lord two-thousand and nine. tickets here. the new season is funnier than the last. watch it here absolutely  free. oh yeah, the very canadian eugene mirman will be there also.

speaking of groundhog day....

my good friend jgroves, who loves the groundhog holiday sent an e-mail to his friends this morning proclaiming his love for the event. it goes...

Okay, campers, rise and shine, and don't forget your booties 'cause it's cooooold out there today.  That's right, woodchuck-chuckers, it's Groundhog Day!!!  I know what you're thinking, it's still just once a year, right?  Well right now the question on everybody's chapped lips is the same: do you think Phil is gonna come out and see his shadow?  Well he already has, and you can find out his prediction here:

http://www.groundhog.org/prediction/index.php

Someday we'll all have to go to Punxsutawney together to witness this truly miraculous event.  Sure it's covered on the news, but this is one time where television really fails to capture the true excitement of a large squirrel predicting the weather.  If you're disappointed with Phil's prediction then consider this.  When Chekhov saw the long winter, he saw a winter bleak and dark and bereft of hope. Yet we know that winter is just another step in the cycle of life. But sitting here emailing the people in my address book and basking in the warmth of their hearths and hearts, I couldn't imagine a better fate than a long and lustrous winter.  On this, the Day of the Groundhog, let us all say a prayer and drink to world peace.  Happy Groundhog Day.

jgroves

an extremely moving piece. thank you.

merry groundhog day

my morning jacket has a fabulous new song on the 'dark was the night' charity album that i mentioned earlier. it's not too shabby. here are two other stand outs that i thought you might enjoy. you can make your own widget with the compilation songs here.

trotting the globe via harlem

sadly broken social scene cancelled their show last night due to illness. that's alright, harlem globetrotters should be just as good tonight in dallas. this looks like some good fun though.

oldies but goodies

i happened upon this website numerogroup.com, and it has the best rare finds from unheard of singers and bands. lots of r&b, soul, and funk. one of my favorites is shirley ann lee's 'there's a light'. the website is full of treasures that i'm sure everyone will enjoy.

mog.com

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be there or be square

speaking of concerts. broken social scene is this friday at house of blues. come one, come all. it's gonna be a wicked good show.

animal collective samples the dead :: update

here's a better quality version of the song from ac's bbc session. also animal collective tickets are on sale now here. who's coming with me? tickets are only 20 kids.

What Would I Want Sky (BBC Session)

where the fuck have you been andrew?

the creator, lead singer, guitarist for my favorite band of all time american analog set,  mr. andrew kenny, has a new band. there's been some radio absence from american analog set with the exception of their christmas single winter birds which you have as track 1 on my holiday mix tape if you were cool enough to get one at my christmas party. 

his new band is called the wooden birds and is very similar to what american analog set sounds like. andrews vocals are definitely recognizable. they have two songs up on their myspace at the moment and have tentatively planned to release a full length album in the spring. call me gay but i'm so happy to hear his comforting voice again. 

nostalgic

this is one of chappacabra's and my favorite songs. one of the illest bands in the world, hall and mother fuckin' oates. 

speaking of 80's music. everyone needs to check out the new single 'well known pleasures' from vega. i can't stop playing it.

animal collective samples the dead

so i saw on gorilla vs bear that during their tour, animal collective have been playing new song after new song even with the recent release of merriweather post pavilion. the latest of these songs tentatively titled 'what would i want sky' has a vocal sample from one of my favorite grateful dead songs 'unbroken chain'. oh, what a glorious world we live in.

brewers pick :: update

yesterday at majestic liquor, i came across 4 bottles of dogfish head 120 minute IPA. i'm cellaring (putting in my closet) 3 of the bottles not to be opened for a year or two and opening one for everyone to try at my oatmeal stout release party. time and date of party is yet to be determined. 

additionally, i saw on the side of the bottle that the 120 is continuously dry-hopped once a day for a month. that's borderline bat shit crazy. 

the dead on tour

the dead are on tour this spring. for anyone who doesn't know who that is, it's the grateful dead original members minus pigpen and jerry garcia for obvious reasons. unfortunately they aren't coming anywhere near texas. so if anyone wants to surprise me with an early birthday present. tickets are a measly $135 for a priceless show. if anyone wants to travel to denver colorado may 7, please let me know as this will greatly increase my chances of actually going. i'll drive and supply the pot.

black cab sessions

i heard of this site a while ago but never really got around to visiting it till tonight. it's called black cab sessions and has quickly become one of my favorite sites that i check constantly. basically the idea is to have a band and/or person play in the back of a london cab, kind of a modern day 'live and unplugged'. everything has been stripped down to the bare minimum and it's fantastic. i'm sure there are a lot of singers on there that you have never heard of but click on their session anyways, i've seen them all and none of them have disappointed. please please do yourself a favor and watch these. 

on repeat

two songs i've been listening to all day ::

here we go magic : tunnelvision

and fleet foxes : mykonos

patriotic mix tape

a small record label based out of los angeles, vosotros, is feeling all kinds of patriotic today, enough to release a free mix tape of some classic national tunes. the mix tape is called yes we puede and if your spanish is a little rough puede translates to 'can'. it's available for free download here. happy inauguration day. 

obama brew

as we all know and are thankful for, obama's inauguration takes place tomorrow and brewers have been hard at work trying to commemorate this event. there have been several attempts to put his face on the label of some craft brewers bottles. unfortunately i don't think that this is allowed and therefore they have become just a really good idea to sell beer to those drunk liberals. 

nature

"there are some who can live without wild things, and some who cannot... like winds and sunsets, wild things were taken for granted until progress began to do away with them. now we face the question whether a still higher 'standard of living' is worth its cost in things natural, wild, and free. for us the minority, the opportunity to see geese is more important than television, and the chance to find a pasque-flower is a right as inalienable as free speech."

aldo leopold

a sand county almanac

red hot compilation

a compilation album called dark was the night is being released soon to help raise funds and awareness for HIV and AIDS. this compilation has pretty much every indie band you can think of and they are releasing a new track every day till the album releases feb. 17. the first track is deep blue sea by grizzly bear. 

bike laser

some new technology out there to help out the bike enthusiast who is worried about getting hit by cars. some geniuses have come up with laser lights that you attach to your bike and make everywhere you ride a bike lane. being from the great state of texas where assholes purposely try to hit you in their big ass trucks, this is definitely some technology i could invest in. or maybe it will just give those rednecks a bigger target to hit. 

war of the stars

i've never seen a star wars movie either but i imagine that this is pretty close

Hunter S. Thompson flick

it's about damn time they get working on 'rum diary'. this movie was announced in 2005 and they are just now starting to work on it. i'm way stoked to finally see it though, if it ever actually makes it to the theaters.