Indie music, marketing, and Lana Del Rey.

Indie music, marketing, and Lana Del Rey.

Yesterday, Ryan of Stripmall Architecture asked: So, what do you guys think of #lanadelrey? — stripmall (@stripmall) February 8, 2012 I replied with a link to this tongue-in-cheek tweet I liked from a few weeks ago: How about you stop writing your unreported Lana del Rey think piece right now & start writing about one of the other 10,000 worthy artists? — Otto Von Biz Markie (@Passionweiss) January 20, 2012 Because Ryan is a measured and reasonable individual (who actually wanted opinions from his followers and wasn’t being tongue-in-cheek himself, something I mistook) he responded to that: @cygnoir I think it’s worth writing/having an opinion on LDR since she represents line of credibility in ‘indie’ music today.4 btr or...

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Posted on 8 Feb 2012 | Comments Off

History of lyrics that aren’t lyrics.

This is a clever medley! History Of Lyrics That Aren’t Lyrics – YouTube (via ze frank).

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Posted on 1 Jan 2012 | Comments Off

Year in review mixtape: swan fillet.

For this year in review, I want to do something different. I enjoy reading others’ questionnaires but didn’t enjoy filling my own out, and my “post the first line from the first post of each month” meme results bored me. This year just seems too big to summarize as I’ve done in the past. Once upon a time, I used to make mixtapes. I won’t pretend that they were any good, but I miss paying that level of attention to the music that moved me. So here is my year in review in mixtape form. No droll footnotes or quoted lyrics … just songs that brought pieces of me from there to here and reassembled them almost in order. I call it “swan fillet”.

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Posted on 30 Dec 2011 | Comments Off

Best. Drum solo. Ever.

We all love a good air-drum to Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight”, but the cumulative joy from that tiny riff can’t compare to Fred Astaire’s brilliance. (via MetaFilter)

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Posted on 21 Dec 2011 | Comments Off

I get knocked down, but I get up again.

This is the perfect antidote to the day I’ve had. They Might Be Giants covers Chumbawamba, via Matt, et al.

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Posted on 6 Jul 2011 | 2 comments

A song a day, day 30: your favorite song at this time last year.

From the song a day meme: your favorite song at this time last year. We made it! What a rollercoaster of emotion this meme turned out to be! I laughed. I cried. It wasn’t better than “Cats”, so there’s that. I like memes because they are quick prompts to be creative in the midst of homework slogging, but I am excited to be creative in a not-this way once more. Anyway, this meme is over and that is a good thing. My last choice is easy-peasy, because the only song I “loved” on Last.fm in April 2010 was this one. April Smith and the Great Picture Show — “Movie Loves a...

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Posted on 26 Apr 2011 | Comments Off

A song a day, day 29: a song from your childhood.

From the song a day meme: a song from your childhood. My childhood was filled with music. I remember listening to musicals like “Annie” and “Jesus Christ Superstar” and “Pete’s Dragon” and “Oliver” and so many more. I also remember listening to lots of classical music. But when I was very young, my favorite album to listen to was “The Point!” I can still recite most of it by heart. This was my favorite part. I still listen to this album when I am feeling small. Harry Nilsson — “Me and My...

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Posted on 25 Apr 2011 | Comments Off

A song a day, day 28: a song that makes you feel guilty.

From the song a day meme: a song that makes you feel guilty. This one was easy, I am sad to say. Grampa, I miss you so much. I did not appreciate you half as much as I should have when you were alive, and I look for you in every new person I meet. Heather Waters — “Wait for Me”

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Posted on 24 Apr 2011 | Comments Off

A song a day, day 27: a song that you wish you could play.

From the song a day meme: a song that you wish you could play. I have this funny idea that someday I will return to voice lessons and also learn the guitar. At that future point, I would like to play this song. I first heard Emily Picha’s song “So Long” but I do not remember where or when, exactly. These lyrics got me: and so long, dear this is a new moon, this is a glory day this is a 747 strutting down the catwalk to sail away “So Long” is from her first album, and her music has only gotten better. Recently I listened to “Westerly” for the first time and was entranced by her intricate yet not overwrought melodies. I want someone with proper music-reviewing skills to tell you about her music. At least one of you is...

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Posted on 23 Apr 2011 | 1 comment

A song a day, day 26: a song that you can play on an instrument.

From the song a day meme: a song that you can play on an instrument. I used to practice this so often on the piano that decades later I can still plunk it out. Mike Reno & Ann Wilson — “Almost Paradise”

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Posted on 22 Apr 2011 | Comments Off