music, media & other random musings

Memorial Day Ramblings

I just bought music for the first time since.. I seriously have zero recollection. 2008? 2009? I've been renting music since 2002? 2003? (If anything this writing has confirmed, my memory and previous knack for remembering dates no longer exists.) Rhapsody was my choice then, as the pickins were slim. Today it's one among many. But back then, mobile wasn't an option. So I used Rhaposdy as my daily radio station, then decided what I had to own for that trip between work & home. Now subscriptions live seamlessly and ubiquitously and I usually have no need to buy. Almost. Vampire Weekend and the National's new releases arent available on Rhapsody or Rdio - my two primary accounts. They are on Spotify, but I only have the free account, so it won't stream into Sonos. LIke I said, almost seamlessly... . So what choice did I have?  Well, lots actually.. I chose Amazon, and took advantage of using Amazon Cloud thru Sonos for the first time. Oh, those little geeky details make me so very happy...  As for the music... only half into Vampire Weekend - which I really really dig. Can foresee it being on the proverbial turntable for a while. Amongst a few other goodies waiting in line - Daft Punk & Wild Belle to name a few - which I'm psyche to hear...   

Back from the college graduation of my oldest neice, Jessica. Great reason to celebrate - and we did. My

brother and his crew came in from LA and my sister's family - including the new graduate - were also all there, of course. There's something about family - and siblings - that if you're lucky enough to have, get along with and truly like - is a bond that just can't compare with anything else. Not even your very best friends - including those you grew up with. Frank Bruni wrote a timely piece on the subject on Sunday. I feel very lucky to have my siblings in my life - along with their incredible kids who I adore unconditionally and their spouses, which through time have most definitely become more brother and sister than in-laws. It makes special occassions that much more special...

The themes of graduation: completion, sense of accomplishment, the future & all its possibilities.. all powerful, meaningful. But if those kids in the graudation class were anything like me - they have zero idea what any of it means right now. Majora Carter gave an amazing speech: be uncomfortable was the message. Live outside your comfort zone, strive for more. I found it super moving. (More so than the less authentic, rambling Josh Whedon - albeit with similar themes - which was disheartening as he is paid to be a storyteller)... But not sure if that kind of sentiment can sink properly into the bones of a 22 year old. They're still trying to figure out what their comfort zone is. At least I was.. 

Week ahead: Psyched to try a Citi Bike - just activated; more Breaking Bad. Late to the party - but with NetFlix you're never far from a new TV drug. This is mine. Season 1 was SOO good.. Season 2 begins tonight - for me; On the TV note, Mad Men is wacky this season. Still incredible. But definitely odd.

Looking forward to a short work week ahead - what's not to like... Summer has officially begun - and i DO love that summer feeling - and Jonathan Richman. Download 01 That Summer Feeling

 

Shuffler.fm

Not exactly clear how these guys found me, but I got an email yesterday and clicked through. It's all together possible I saw something about it, submitted my email, and summarily forgot - as I do that often. Either way, glad I got the email. 

As I found out, Shuffler.fm was developed by a bunch of guys in Amsterdam, through their company called tone.fm, an interactive media & entertainment agency focused on developing products and services for web & mobile. My kind of company...  Looks like the site has been up and running for about a year or so, so I'm a bit late to the party. But as they say, better late than never. I've only started playing with Shuffler, but I've already started integrating it into my music listening/discovering routine. 

The general concept: Shuffler.fm aggregates audio from thousands of music blogs and organizes by genres. The genres are essentially radio channels. When you click on a channel, you are directed to a blog post which streams one of the songs mentioned in that post. Whereas hype.fm integrates music, Shuffler adds the context by landing right on the post it came from. The music plays through their own player at the top of the screen. If you click through to the next track, the screen also moves to the next blog site the music is being hosted on. Or when the song ends, it does the same. It's all pretty smooth.

In addition to it being a great discovery engine, with great mixes, the site is integrated with Tumblr.  If you decide you want to follow the blog you're on, just hit the + sign in the player and you're set. So while finding cool new music, I'm finding new blogs and growing my Tumblr follows. You can also tweet track, "like" via Facebook, add to Google+, StumbleUpon or email.  And it's also integrated with Last.fm, so you can turn on scrobbling. 

Another nice feature is the ability to play a favorite blog as a continuous mix and the ability to "fave" tracks - both features ex.fm already does really well. The fave feature is awesome - I use it so when I'm working, so I can quickly tag a track and then go back and listen to more of that artist when I have the time. Also Shuffler has a nice search engine to find blogs and/or artists. And the iPad app works pretty much the same as the site, a little more streamlined. All well integrated. 

Shuffler is a cross between hype.fm, ex.fm, We Are Hunted and Flipboard. 

The one big feature missing is the social component. I can follow a blog, but can't follow (or find) any friends who are doing the same. I assume if their user base grows, these features will be added. 

One little bug.. I was listening to a track and decided to check out another genre from the pulldown menu and was taken back to the home page. But I hadn't psued the music and the music was still playing - yet the player is gone. Doesn't stay persistent on the home page. I had all these browsers open, and the music streaming through Sonos speakers, and couldn't figure out where the music was coming from. Had to close all the shuffler.fm tabs and start again. Minor issue…

Overall, fun new toy. 

Music 2011

I've been incredibly slow moving into 2012. Not sure what the cut off date is to wish someone you haven't seen since December a Happy New Year, or when a top 10 list for the previous year is old news. I imagine the expiration date has passed on both. But as I said, I've been moving slow... Might be because I've been busy reading/listening to everyone else's 'best of' lists from last year. Late or not, here's my "what I was liking in 2011" list - in no particular order. 

Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues

The Decemberists - King Is Dead

Beirut - The Rip Tide

M83 - Hurry Up We're Dreaming

Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost

Real Estate - Days

Youth Lagoon - The Year Of Hibernation

J. Mascis - Several Shades of Why

James Vincent McMorrow - Early in the Morning

Yuck - Yuck

Blind Pilot - We Are The Tide

Cults - Cults

Wiz Khalifa - Rolling Papers

Ben Kweller

My sister and brother-in-law had a big bash last Saturday night out in Amagansett to kick off their "turning 50" celebrations. They always throw great parties, and this was no different. Exept this one was at the beach and they had live entertainment - Ben Kweller. He's a total sweeheart & was great fun to see live.. for me, a first. For the last week I've got Ben Kweller in the head, and it doesn't seem to be subsiding.. 

Smile of the Day

It's hard to imagine any film today that would pull together Daniel Stern, Kevin Bacon, Steve Guttenberg, Mickey Rourke, Timothy Daly and Paul Reiser - or even a small combination of any of them. Such an oddly weird, diverse bunch. But once upon a time the mix was perfection. Diner is truly one of the all time great films. (Link is to Janet Maslin review, 1982.. she liked it too.) 

I can't remember the last time I saw it, but I've had it in my head for a while and downloaded for my flight - and what imagined would be a probable delay - to LA. But since I never got on that flight, this lazy day felt like the time. Don't usually choose the ipad to watch at home, but it really does look so damn beautiful, and the film, still worthy of the 'classic' rating. 

Some of the most fantastic dialogue ever, it's hard to choose the standout scene, but Daniel Stern's "Jazz" gets the top slot. Another once upon a time ago, Shrevie embodied the passion of any true music fan and his collection, me included...

Nostalgia

Thursday night I went to Joe's Pub with my friend Rich to see Justin Currie play - an artist we worked with at A&M many moons ago. So many moons ago the label actually existed.... Justin and I were good friends - and for a short time more than good friends. I hadn't seen him or his manager, John - also very dear - for at least 15 years, and it was a real treat to see them both, catch up.

As is often the case when meeting up with old friends, except for the time spent inquiring about each other's friends and family, it felt like the conversation picked up right where it left off. But while watching Justin play, hearing familiar songs, standing next to people as familiar - I felt myself looking down on it all. I was consciously trying to "be there," to be in the moment, but found it incredibly hard to do. At first I remember thinking, maybe I'd had one too many tequilas - that the Mexican cloud was somehow impairing my ability to see and feel clearly. But I made the official call, that wasn't it at all. Yeah, sure, maybe heightened the sensation, but this wasn't the same 'floating above a conversation' feeling. It was more similar to the feeling I've experienced when visiting an old house I grew up in or walking a street I played kickball on for years. All so familiar and recognizable, but also a fleeting spark, something unable to grasp, touch or completely embrace.

A few years back I visited the sleep-away camp I'd spent eight summers. I loved camp - everything about it. The summer sun, my friends, the countless 'firsts,' the sports & competition, and even the pathetic playing fields right out of Meatballs... And on that day, I sat there on 'the hill; as we fondly called it, trying to connect to that time and place, to be present, to relive it - maybe. But somehow the years stood in the way. I sat looking down at the pine trees, through to the pool and the dining hall, thinking I know I'm physically here, as countess memories rushed through me, but it was just that - one bundle of sensations, with nothing I could hang on, or define. I felt close, but not close enough. And being at that show the other night, I felt the same way. There, but not. Present, but distant. 

Some people pooh pooh the whole nostalgia thing, reasoning that by somehow having the bittersweet yearning of the past, it is by definition the opposite of moving forward. I refuse to see things so simply black and white - at least with regards to this. Generally, I'm a big proponent of the moving forward, but I also love a rearview mirror. I always have - even when I was younger and didn't have as much to look back on. Remembering the people in my life, who I was, how they made me feel - about life and myself - I find somewhat grounding.

As I stood at that show, it wasn't as if I was wishing I could go back to that time and place. I did love those days, those years. But they were a long time ago - a time when I made mistakes I wouldn't make today. The beauty of age.... Standing there I really felt quite happy to be in the here and now, enjoying the reune with people from the then. Maybe it's true, for a moment, I was trying to feel it again - to relive that time, that connection I had with those people, the true feelings I had about them, myself. But standing in the disconnect, I realized that it doesn't matter how much you remember (or don't - having to be reminded about the many details you've forgotten), or how easily the conversation comes to life after all those years - or even how many tequilas you drink - you can come close, and enjoy the past, or at least the memories and the people from the past, but you can never really relive it - not really.

I don't know if it's good or bad, or even why. I've just found it is.

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

American Idol Still Sings

I can't claim I've ever been a loyal Idol watcher. In fact, aside from watching a few episodes here and there, the only full season I ever watched was Season 2, when Ruben Studdard won and the last shows of Season 5 when the winner was Taylor Hicks. (Now both to be found in the pages of Where Are They Now?)

However, when Ellen DeGeneres started, I tuned in. Definitely am a fan of hers - at times, she makes me howl - but I'm not such a devoted fan that I ever watch her show, or follow her in any other way. I was just curious about the dynamics of the new judges together, and about how a show starting on it's 9th season adapts. And then I got pulled in. Skipped some of the audition shows, but since the final 24 have been chosen, I've been a loyal DVR watcher. 

Generally, I find Reality Television, not only abhorrent, but unwatchable. I know lots of people who love Top Chef and America's Top Model, and apparently much of America likes Biggest Looser. And, of course, I've seen episodes of all those - tuned in to watch a few, just because I do - but would never care, or dare to continue watching. Zero interest. 

From the beginning, Reality Television was the cheap answer to expensive-to-produce TV fare, a need which spawned an entire genre of formulaic shows. Sure, all of the procedural shows - from Law & Order to House to CSI - are also designed so that we know exactly what will happen between each commercial break. Yet somehow the formulaic nature of those shows, are comforting, as opposed to inane. We know they're scripted shows, with actual actors that we've gotten to know over the years. I do realize everyone watching reality shows know they aren't actually real - and just don't care. They're attracted to the car-wreck of it all. But I just can't suspend my own reality enough to make watching despicable people in ridiculous situations even the least bit compelling or interesting to me. 

But then there's Idol. Of course, it too is formulaic. And I'm sure that there are even more 'scripted outcomes' behinds the scenes than I'd care to know about. But here, I'm okay with my own naivety and suspended reality. With Idol, the formulaic aspect of the show is neither comforting nor inane. It's just the framework to let the real drama play out - whether or not these kids have any talent. We're not forced to watch petty bickering behind the scenes, made to believe they are real conversations when a camera crew is right there in their face. We just get to watch, week after week, to see if these people can actually sing, can perform, feel comfortable on the stage, progress over time and might actually look and sound like an 'American Idol.' You can't fake that, with or without cameras. 

And most of the time, through their (enormous number) of votes, American seems to get it right. From what I've seen this season, they certainly have. Again, is there some fakery behind the scenes? Does the show really go by the votes? Don't know. But I don't really care. I think the enjoyment for everyone is judging for themselves and seeing whether or not they're in sync with the rest of America - and the judges. Simon is of course almost always right on. And clearly, Ellen's role is to play the opposite of that - the nice one. Randy, somewhere in the middle. And Kara, clearly the Next Simon. Not as harsh in her delivery, but as honest. If it's true he's off the show next season, she just may be able to pull it off without him. 

Although the judges are part of the show, part of the fun, bringing their own drama, (not sure what's up with the flirty thing between Kara and Simon... sometimes a bit over the top), it still isn't about them. It's about the talent - or talentlessness - of the potential Idols. Which is why with or without Simon, I think the show can go on for many seasons to come. I can't say I'll be watching every season, but they have me hooked on this one. I'll be watching til the last Idol sings. 

Chiddy Bang "Opposite of Adults"

Revolutionary

Alright, in the scheme of the entire world, maybe a bit of an exaggeration. But in my world, Extension.fm has, in one morning, already radically changed the way I browse and listen to music online. If that's not revolutionary, I don't know what is. 

This is how it works: Extension.fm is a Chrome extension. Once installed, it creates your own personal mp3 listening library. Go to a music site, like Pitchfork or Spinner, and Extension.fm finds all the mp3's on the page. The extension icon tells you how many tracks were found. And if you click on the button, you can choose to play one of the tracks, queue one, play all or queue all. And the mp3's immediately and seamlessly play within Extension.fm. But the real beauty - they are also automatically added to your library. What this means is that you don't have to listen to anything right then and there. In the background, Extension.fm browses each of the sites you visit, finding any songs you come across and automatically adds them to your library. When you go back to your library, you can browse through by artists and albums, or click on individual songs to play, queue or buy, which takes you directly to Amazon to purchase & download. 

For me this means, every morning I can briefly open up all my favorite sites, queue up all the tracks, close the windows, go back to my Extension.fm library and click play. Hours of listening pleasure, without the hassle. Revolutionary. 

It is smart, intuitive and elegant and simple. And does almost everything what you want it to do. I'd like a feature that allows me to "favorite," so while I'm multi-tasking and hear something I like, I can quickly tag it so I can come back later, listen again, purchase, etc. 

Almost daily, I'll try out new tools or applications I stumble upon. Many deserve a slight pause. Maybe a nod towards interesting. But the key, and the real barometer, is whether or not I feel compelled to use it, to incorporate it into my digital routine. And most of the time, the answer is clearly no. But Extension.fm, love at first use, and a resounding yes. 

If you go to the site now, it asks you to enter your email address for an invite. After I provided mine, I got the invite in a few hours. So don't hesitate. I tell you - Revolutionary. 

Today on Morning Becomes Eclectic

Today, live on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic, 11:15am PST will be Angela McCluskey. 

Angela McCluskey, a Grammy nominated artist, hailing from Glasgow, Scotland, first achieved recognition in the early 90's as the singer of the much adored LA band, The Wild Colonials. I personally spent many a nights at Cafe Largo, enraptured by the energy of her and that voice. And it is that voice - so powerful it almost knocks you over, while simultaneously soothing your soul. 

As a person, Angela is a force of nature. When she walks in a room, all eyes turn as lights dim and lit candles suddenly appear. You get this feeling she's bringing a different century with her, a time when great artists sat together in cafes arguing passionately about the very meaning of passion.

In a different lifetime she might have been a great painter or a great writer. In another epoch, perhaps a courtesan or being that she's Scotitish, maybe even Boadicea herself. 

Just be thankful, that in this life, she is a singer.

Angela's new solo record, You Could Start A Fight in An Empty House, is out. And a google search will reveal some of her most popular tracks, but here's a few personal faves....

(You Could Start A Fight in An Empty House) You Let Me Down

(The Things We Do) Sleep On It

(The Things We Do) Know It All

(You Could Start A Fight in An Empty House) Friend

(Fruit Of Life) Heaven & Hell

(Curio) Don't Explain

(You Could Start A Fight in An Empty House) A Boy Like You

And at 11:15am PST (that's 2:15pm to NYers), click through to KCRW and listen live to Angela McCluskey.