May 12th, 2008 r8e8rcom
“Yo”, he heard them yell as they passed, not sure if it was directed at him. “Yo, man”, they shouted once more. This time he knew they were addressing him, but he continued his drunken phone conversation pretending not to hear them. As he heard them approaching he tried not to think about the kind of people that you typically meet at four AM on a Saturday night. He tried to reassure himself that maybe they just needed directions as he turned to see what he would have to deal with. “Yo, kid, lemme use your phone, we just got robbed.” the short scrappy one explained. The thick Brooklyn tinged Ebonics matched his over sized clothes, but not his pale white skin. “Yea, son, some black kids just took all our money.” his taller partner added, his face hidden by the shadow of his over sized baseball cap. “That sucks man. Alright, but lemme dial the number, what number you want?” he replied, wanting to believe their story yet still apprehensive. He began dialing the number when the scrappy one wrapped a rigid arm around his neck, pulling him close and grabbing the phone with his other hand. Not sure if the gesture was friendly or aggressive his hands began to shake nervously feeling the weight of the situation. Still locked in the scrappy ones clutches he could feel the taller one patting his pockets. “What the fuck man, just give me my phone back, I gotta go”, he impotently shouted, the alcohol in his blood slurring the words. “Yo, son, Ima ’bout to knock you out”, the tall one threatened. He thought about swinging first, but he knew his inebriated body wouldn’t afford him the energy or the precision for such a defense. He thought about being honest with them, showing them that he didn’t have any cash or credit cards, that he was probably more broke then they. Realizing that a cell phone and an ipod would probably be prize enough for these two he thrashed about, simultaneously grabbing his phone back and breaking himself free. “Where you gonna go”, he heard them yell as he turned and ran. He ran for nearly two blocks, his tired body somehow managing to keep a few feet of distance between him and his assailants.
Exhausted, his legs forced him to stop, hands resting on his knees laboriously sucking air into his chest. He turned slightly to see if they had followed, and watched them slow down as they drew closer. He wondered if he was too drunk and had possibly overreacted as he crossed the street just to be safe when he noticed a car pull up beside him. The window rolled down and a beam of light flashed out at him. “Hey, are those kids bothering you”, a voice from the car asked. “Fuck, man. Yeah, they are.” he replied relieved to see the blue and white cop car.
As he limped to his girlfriends house he thought about all the people on the streets that really needed help. He thought about all the beggars, the pan handlers, the hopeless dispossessed that simply desired a comforting word and some company. How it was assholes like these two that made us indifferent to the people on the streets that really needed help.
New FatCat band, kinda shoe gazy/noisey. Don’t know much else about these guys ‘cept that they are from Glassgow. These tracks are from their latest EP release on FatCat, Here, It Never Snowed. Afterwards It Did.
Mapped By What Surrounded Them
Some Things Last A Long Time
Walking For Two Hours
buy it here: Insound.com
-mark
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May 5th, 2008 r8e8rcom
In the days of my aspiring youth talk of an out of town college gig brought visions of well run shows with kids crowding the stage, professional sounds crews, and detailed riders where even the most obscure requests would be fulfilled. With time and experience these visions were replaced with memories of poorly run shows in large venues occupied by a handful of drunk kids eager to heckle, under skilled over confident stage crews, cafeteria food, and cheap beer. If we were really lucky maybe a night on some kids hardwood dorm room floor while he kept us up talking about his band and how “we should play some shows together”. While I will say both depictions are a bit unfair, I still have to admit that my general experience resembled that of the later rather than the former.
And so, it was with reluctance that I loaded a rented SUV to play a show at Harverford University last week. I packed myself in with my partners in blue album crime, an hour or so late due to a botched car rental experience. It only took another hour for my reservations to be further justified when we got a call from the promoters telling us that the show was cancelled due to a scheduling conflict with the sound crew and the consequent lack of a PA. Holding back a vindictive, “I told you so”, I listened quietly as we resolved to continue the trip to pick up the already cut check. A borrowed PA, drum kit, bass rig, and another few hours later we were rocking out on a campus sidewalk with a wall of kids crowding around us, everyone singing and bouncing along. And just like that all was well. Its frightening how seductive a good show can be. I think Michael Corleone said it best, “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in”
http://www.vimeo.com/978231
Wolf Parade is an indie rock band from Victoria, now based in Montreal. Wolf Parade was formed when Spencer Krug (Sunset Rubdown, Frog Eyes and Swan Lake) was offered a gig supporting Arcade Fire. He called Dan Boeckner (Atlas Strategic, Handsome Furs) and they wrote songs with a drum machine before calling Arlen Thompson to play drums. Hadji Bakara joined in 2004. Dante DeCaro (Hot Hot Heat, Johnny and the Moon) joined in Summer 2005 as second guitarist and percussionist. These tracks are from their upcoming album, At Mount Zoomer, scheduled for release on June 17th 2008 on Sub Pop.
Call It A Ritual
buy it here: insound.com
-mark
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May 1st, 2008 r8e8rcom
When I was in the third grade I was enamored of Katie Kibbler. Looking back now I can laugh at all my feeble attempts to engage my crush and make my feelings known to her without giving myself away to my peers and risking social ousting. It’s funny how dreadfully important it all seemed at that age, even funnier to be reminded of what it was like to be a kid with a crush heavier than the weight of his years. One story in particular, however, still conjures the hot sting of shame I felt then when I think about it.
It was during one of those silly school fund raisers that pit student against student to see who could sell the most overpriced useless shit just to win more useless shit. I planned a sales route that required me to pass Katie’s house at least five times. Each time I passed I contemplated knocking on her door, each time imagining a different scenario. Would I wow her parents with my extraordinary sales skills, leaving them in awe of such a successful, highly motivated young boy that they would insist I date their daughter? Would I abandon the ‘impress the family’ tactic and go straight for the girl, take her into my nine year old arms and kiss her passionately right there on her stoop? Each pass building my confidence as the imagined outcome grew more and more appealing. Finally on the fifth pass, I sauntered up to her door, cool as can be, when a wave of panic swept over me and I found my self face to face with her screen door. Where was the doorbell? Should I open the screen, what if it was locked? Should I knock on the screen door? Do I use the knocker, or do I simply wrap my knuckles on the door? If I knock, how loud should I knock? As I scanned the entrance for a doorbell my eyes rested on a small sign in the front window that read, “NO SOLICITATION”, in big red letters. I can’t say that I knew what that meant at such a young age, but I imagined it meant something like, “Don’t bother us. Go away now.” Wouldn’t I be soliciting them with my sales pitches? Wouldn’t I be soliciting Katie with my romantic attempts? Wouldn’t I be soliciting her attention even if I simply asked if she could come out? Left without options, my pride lost to a screen door, I turned and sulked my way home.
The Notwist is a German indie rock band. They have been very strongly influenced by the electronica scene, along with the other groups of Morr Music. Te band formed in 1989 in Weilheim, near Munich. In 1990 they recorded their self-titled debut, a grunge-metal oriented LP. The album Neon Golden (released in 2002) put them on the map for American listeners, with its heartfelt sentiment and catchy tunes. These tracks are from their upcoming record, The Devil You And Me, scheduled for release sometime in June this year.
gone gone gone
boneless
gravity
-mark
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