I think i saw Ratatat in SF a few months ago, but i can’t remember who i went with (Ali? Aubs?). i do remember liking them a whole lot. i haven’t been to a show in too long. luckily i have a few tickets for April (Shins, Richard Buckner). so i’ll get back in the groove. quite literally.

the first is from Neil, who texted me early this morning to say that he’s having a snow day in NY, and had “Brother” from alice in chains (off of Sap). I loved Sap. i wish AIC had made more acoustic albums before Layne decided that heroin was the new pizza.

mine is “Pick up the Phone”, by the Notwist. which i may have actually used before. let’s see… no that was a different Notwist song. i can never remember when i used to listen to this album. i think it was mostly around 04-05, as i was wandering around NY hating my job.

odd song, overall level is much lower than the rest of the album, but it’s a nice guitar riff, and if they could still write simple beautiful songs like this instead of the layered monstrosities they’ve put out for the last 16 years, i think they’d be the best band in the world.

16 years ago? crap i’m old.

Room a Thousand Miles Wide – Soundgarden, off of BadMotorFinger
Shine – Collective Soul

i know, it seems like my iPod is only filled with early 90′s songs. but these were the first two that came up out of 3000. and yes, i have exactly 3000 songs in the ipod. i love soundgarden, and i liked collective soul, though more so before i realized that they were just a christian rock band that was somewhat subtle about it. or at least to me.

there’s something about the intro to this song that just makes me feel very serious about everything. i’m sitting here, watching youtube clips of Conan playing Serena Williams at Wii tennis, and it comes on, and pow! i’m in the middle of a battlefield, taking fire from the enemy. now that’s good songwriting.

so, here’s a question. how do you pronounce Notwist? i pronounce it “No-twist”. some people pronounce it “Not-wist”. anyone have a definitive answer?

Soundgarden – Jesus Christ Pose
Pixies – here comes your man
Elliot Smith – Rose Parade
Heart – Crazy on You
Portishead – Wandering Star

thank god. files are done.
now i can sleep.

When i was a freshman in high school, i drove to school with a junior named Jamie. He had the Pretty Hate Machine album and would play it pretty much every day on the way to school. There’s nothing like angry synth rock in a freezing cold car with no heat in December in Massachusetts.

A few years ago I went with Mike to the Franz Ferdinand show at Webster Hall in NYC. We got there about half way through the opening band’s set. usually i don’t love opening bands so much, but for some reason i really liked this one, even though i couldn’t figure out whether the singer was a guy or girl. Turns out they were the Delays, and the singer is a guy. great little indie pop band, nice harmonies and sugar sweet melodies. I’m not sure why they’re not huge yet.