Our New Years Eve Plans

Wii not pictured.

Icelandic Ice Baby

Will I lose all music cred if I go out on a limb and say that I don't understand the collective obsession with Bjork and any and everything she does? I like her enough to have a few albums and some random remixes, stray track, etc. I liked her first album, but even that takes a little dedication for me to listen to in one sitting. Maybe it's her voice. Maybe it's the "artier than thou" attitude that seems to come along with everything she does.

Oh well, I made it through and feel better for it. It's like when you go for a run after not exercising for a few months and you want to quit the entire time, but when you finish you feel that much better about yourself. That's what I feel like when I listen to Bjork's music.

Otto Van Bismarck

This summer, our friends Chris and Adam (from one of the best bands that exists) came over from the Bellingham/Seattle for Dead Hipster's Friend Friend Friend Fest and introduced us to two bands who were playing in the festival. The second night of the Festival we invited both bands over to eat Burgers and Mussels, The Bismarck being one and The Russians being the other (who we'll get to in a few years at the pace I'm going). Both bands were charming and fun to hang out with.

After their set, The Bismarck opted to drive home to Seattle, so I picked up their two LPs to help them get gas money for the trip. This was way back when gas prices were insanely high. Their first LP, "What Price Victory," hits hard and has pacing that most bands wish they could match. Their second album, "Blood of Patriots," easily would have made it high up my favorite albums of 2007 if I'd heard it the year it came out. It's one of those albums that can only be described as epic. Definately worth paying any price to pick this album up.

The Bismarck definately doesn't bring the weak shit.

Jeffreys: The Next Viral Internet Star?

Probably not. But this marks the introduction of video to this blog. Sure I've linked to videos, but these are the first videos produced here our apartment. Darcy took these amazing shots with her cell phone, hence the quality.







Feel free to share with your friends and mock me for my falsetto voice. I take it as a compliment.

They Say It's Your Birthday...

Well, it's not my birthday, or anyone I knows birthday, but I just listened to Nick Cave's early work in the band Birthday Party. They aren't the easiest band to listen to, but they do really rock. It's weird to listen to Nick Cave being so loud, since he really mellowed out quite a bit after moving on to a solo career, but his new project Grinderman, is definitely a direct descendant of the Birthday Party.

Speaking of Birthdays, next up were Birthday Suits, an amazing duo from Minneapolis. I first saw these guys at the Raven, and have since missed them only by mistake or accident. The drummer half (Matthew) might well be the most talented drummer I've ever seen live. He plays these weird poly-rhythms that sound perfectly in time. And he has fun while he does it. The guitar/vocal half (Hideo) can't be contained by any mere stage. From the first note to the very last he jumps, runs, slides, climbs, kicks and crashes all over the place. But not in the hardcore punk way that you worry about him hitting your girlfriend or impaling himself on a mic stand. And also not in the fake scremo way that makes you think he reherses his flailing in time to the songs and has every move choreographed. If you ever get a chance, see Birthday Suits. At the very least, buy any of their cds or records you can find. Here's a picture I took of them at Total Fest a couple years ago.

Did I mention that it snowed a skiff last night? Then it melted. But I can hardly be counted as the first Missoula blogger to notice snow this year. I'm still waiting until I can take my shovel out for a spin.

The Weather Outside is...Actually Pretty Nice

It's now delightful inside, though. We just finished trimming our tree for this year. As an added bonus we got to be one of those people driving across town with a tree strapped to the roof.

If we get any snow this year it will be a "Christmas Miracle!"

Can I Kick It?

Yes I can. I love the smell and look of brand new Converse in the morning.

Still No Snow

Here we are two days into December and there still isn't any snow in the valley. Crazy. It's one of those gray, rainy days today, but that rain just might turn to snow at any time. I'm thinking today might be the day.

At least gloomy days are good for hunkering down and listening to some music. Right now Billy Corgan's solo album "TheFutureEmbrace" is playing. It sounds like a collection of B-Sides from his ex-band/current band Smashing Pumpkins' "Adore." I didn't really mind that album, and it had the bonus of showing Pumpkins' bassist D'arcy wearing a see-through, mesh shirt in the liner notes. "TheFutureEmbrace" would have been more aptly titled, "ThePastEmbrace," since it seems to showcase Corgan regressing to the late nineties. I can't say that I hate it, but the fact that I can't say I hate it embarrasses me quite a bit.

Last time I posted I was listening to Belle and Sebastian, who seem to write all of their songs in the key of that yellowish-white color you see in ancient Polaroid pictures. That isn't a bad thing at all, although I could do without most of "Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant." But "The Boy With The Arab Strap" and "If You're Feeling Sinister" are both great ways to spend a lazy afternoon reading to. Darcy has been obsessed with "The Life Pursuit" lately, and so I've listened to it quite a bit, and have to say I enjoy it. It's definitely their best post-2000 release.

Next up was Ben Folds Five. I like 'em. Sue me.

I endured listening to my own songs, which as a casual aside, are the only five-star rated songs in my iTunes library. Actually the only rated songs period. The finished songs are on my myspace page and the rest are not ready for public consumption yet. Or maybe ever, we'll see how it goes.

I listened to Beth Orton's "The Other Side of Daybreak" and Big Boi's "Speakerboxxx", neither of which were very interesting, besides two remixes on Beth's disc by Four Tet and Roots Manuva.

Then came Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys whose album I picked up because of the phenomenal cover.

Then came the funk. Bill Cosby and Quincy Jones put out an amazing jazz/funk album of songs from The Bill Cosby show. There's a great review and a link to "try" the album at the HIPtotheHop blog. When you get to the download page, click on "Request Ticket" then a download link appears.

I need to update more often to avoid these long, long posts.

These Paper Towels are Awesome!

Literally.

These beauties were 10 for $10 at Albertsons last week. The most awesome feature? I guess it is supposed to be the cookie recipe on each towel, but I would say it's the fact that they are a generous 2-ply. Awesome!