Thursday, May 28, 2009

Jay Bennett


Jay Bennett's whole story is pretty sad, so the premature ending almost seems fitting. I definitely felt sorry for the poor guy. I met him twice during the Being There era of Wilco and he was incredibly nice.

Very sad.
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Saturday, May 23, 2009

re: Love For Destroyer

So after I express my love for Destroyer, he lays this one on us.

A Destroyer disco EP? A disco about the Bay of Pigs??

You know what though? I'm going to get it. For sure, I'm totally going to get it.
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Sunday, May 10, 2009

Love For Destroyer

So I was whining about how I don't seem to appreciate music like I once did. Maybe it's just the way I listen to music. I was typically only listening to music in the car. Not good.

A few weeks ago I decided to just completely surround myself in music. I started using my breaks at work taking walks around the Fan listening to my iPod. I have also been listening to music at work more. And also when I'm just sitting around on the computer. Listening more like I used to.

Of course, I buy so much music that I was listening almost exclusively to the new music in my collection. Last week I started on a project to get me back deeper than I had in a while. Just listen to everything by some of my favorite artists. Starting with somebody I absolutely love but might not appreciate the whole library, Destroyer is where I began. Overall, this was a completely successful project.


We'll Build Them a Golden Bridge

Destroyer's worst? Sure. It's his first though. As ridiculous as some of this music is, so much of it shows how great this music will become. It's more avant-garde than the more structured songs he'd be writing years later, but the lushness is still there under the noise.


City of Daughters

Lyrically this is Destroyer's first great album. As great as the music is, some of the sudden breakdowns into electronica or the synthesized horn instrumentals don't seem to make a lot of sense.


Thief

The perfect compliment to City of Daughters. Very similar musically, but still a step forward. "Mercy (We Had the Right)" has to be his best song up to this point in his career.


Streethawk: A Seduction

This is Destroyer's first masterpiece. This is why this project has some validity for me. When I bought this album, I didn't listen to it too much. Now after this listen, I realize just how amazing this album is. The most complete Destroyer album to date.


This Night

The Destroyer slacker album. It sounds like Destroyer backed by Pavement, or maybe Modest Mouse. Maybe his most underrated album. Or even his most overrated. It’s loved by some, and hated by some. I never really paid much attention to this album (too long), but with this listen I feel like I appreciate it for the first time. Further validation.


Your Blues

Oh, the midi album. How does one write an album full of songs with the melodrama turned to 10, then redo everything using mostly midi, and make it great? True genius.


Notorious Lightning and Other Works

Six songs from Your Blues re-recorded with Frog Eyes. Just unbelievably good. Like really, really good.


Rubies

Destroyer’s best. No comparison. This is simply one of the greatest albums I have ever heard. Years after I first heard it, it still sounds incredible. I wanted to make a list of my favorite Destroyer songs, but that’d be pointless since most of them are on Rubies. This should be an essential album for any good record collection. It’s a perfect album in every sense of the word.


Trouble in Dreams

It’s nearly impossible to follow up your masterpiece with another, but damn Destroyer comes close here. It took me quite some time to really get into this album, and I still don’t feel like I completely appreciate it. It is an amazing album though. Every song is very intricately layered, and the music sounds as emotional as anything Destroyer has released.
Destroyer is one of those musical experiences that many people will likely hate. Dan Bejar just sounds really weird. However if you get it… if you really understand how perfectly constructed his music is recorded, and how heart-wrenching his lyrics are, you can easily find yourself wrapped up in some of the greatest musical experiences you’ll ever have.

Favorite Destroyer Albums:
1. Rubies
2. Your Blues
3. Notorious Lightning and Other Works
4. Streethawk: A Seduction
5. This Night
6. Thief
7. Trouble in Dreams
8. City of Daughters
9. We'll Build Them a Golden Bridge

Buy them in this order:
1. Rubies
2. Streethawk: A Seduction
3. City of Daughters
4. Thief
5. Your Blues
6. Notorious Lightning and Other Works
7. This Night
8. We'll Build Them a Golden Bridge
9. Trouble in Dreams
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Friday, May 08, 2009

Ghost

From 1988 to 1993, five years when I was a kid I lived in a haunted house. Not just some “oh a noise I can’t explain” haunted house, but “oh shit why is there an old guy walking down the hallway in the middle of the night” haunted house. Legit stuff.

That’s a different story though.

A few weird things happened at our apartment in the last week. Eleven months we have lived here without anything weird happening. Then last Saturday after we got back from the bar, I was putting my glasses on the end table before laying down to sleep. As I did that, the fan on the table fell onto my arm then to the floor. I don’t think I touched the fan. Okay, granted, maybe I did touch it or hit the table causing it to fall. However, the fact that I specifically had to say “I didn’t cause that” made it a strange experience. Not too strange however. I did have a few drinks in me.

Then the next morning I was turning on my laptop on my coffee table. I reached for my wireless mouse under the table, when suddenly my checkbook came sliding out from under the table onto my foot. My checkbook close to the mouse, but not exactly right next to it. It was another of those “I didn’t cause that” moments. I really don’t think I touched that checkbook. It seemed to just come flying out from under the table. Again, maybe I did hit it or something.

Then Monday evening we were in our living room when we heard a big crash. We live in an apartment building, so that’s not uncommon. It really sounded like it came from our place though. We wandered around searching out the cause, when we came to the bedroom closet. Our humidifier that was on the top shelf was now on the ground, and water was spilled everywhere. Now I definitely didn’t touch that! Maybe somebody was jumping on the bed below us, or there was some kind of vibration that suddenly went through the building, or something.

It just seems really weird to have three weird experiences in three days. Am I nuts here? Or am I on to something?? I hope not. I think I’d rather be nuts.
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Thursday, May 07, 2009

Gaming

1:30am and I'm off to work in an hour. Severe weather coming through and I have to go in early. I decided to just forgo my usual sleep (nap?) for tonight in place of a late evening of gaming.

I have been pretty intensely playing MLB 09: The Show for a few weeks now. It's an incredible looking game and a great simulation of the real game. But that's the catch. Some people are really bad at baseball, myself definitely included. As much as I love playing this game, I suck really hardcore at it. Actually my record is around .500 and I have the best team ERA and AVG in the league. I also have the least runs scored in the league. It's because I swing at EVERYTHING. I just can't help myself. Most of my games end up 1-0 or 2-1. Eh, it's still fun. Very, very frustrating but still fun.

I did also pick up (finally) Left 4 Dead this last weekend after months and months of pleading from Steve. As much as I wished he was wrong about this game, he definitely wasn't. It's awesome!! I'm still learning the ropes before I take my game online, but I'll get there... just to get ripped to shreds by zombies. So many zombies! Hmmm. I have about 45 minutes before work. I can get a game in.
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