the fruit of our labor

So here is the follow-up to the Sufjan Stevens entry a few days back. We launched the You Hear It First programs on said Stevens this afternoon and they came out really well. Check 'em out.

There are some really great Sufjan pix in the flipbook that goes with the story. I took the last two at a recent concert with Roland's camera.

an evening of illinoise-making

I went with Roland and the YHIF crew from MTV to check out Sufjan Stevens the other night. I would write something about the show, but Roland pretty much wrote enough for both of us.

I'll throw a link up to the MTV report once it gets published.

Connecting the dots

I just had one of those "moments" when a few things you've picked up in that past all come together with something in the presnet and make a revelation.

I happened upon an .mp3 by Aimee Mann, a name I've heard (and who's music I've heard) but someone who has never really registered for me. So, out of curiosity I cruised over to her site. It was one of the most amazinly beautiful and creative sites I've ever seen. Then I came upon her discography and it all came together. She did nearly half of the soundtrack for Magnolia - one of my favorite movies of all time.

I know Ben would be glad to know that I've finally come around to someone he really enjoys.

pedro the live one

Looks like Aaron got out to see pedro the lion (who's name leave's something to be desired, but who's live shows are groovy) last night and had a good time. I caught one of their shows once in DC and it was all that Aaron says it was.

If you've never seen them and they aren't coming to your town, you can get an entire concert they did here.

Alblum of the year

I've been listening to Over the Rhine's new alblum Ohio for a few months now. It's getting my pick for alblum of the year, I just send my nomination to the Grammy people.

This music makes me wish I grew up in southern Ohio instead of central Ohio. Just go ahead and listen to it. It will make you want to be the son/daughter of a coalminer who lost four fingers and his job and how that and appalachian religion gave you an unshakably complicated demeanor and inability to understand New Yorkers.

A nifty little video

I'm a little bit behind when it comes to the latest and greatest in music and theatre (or picture show, as the jackhammer prefers). So today I saw a music video by Radiohead which is a year or so old, but it was the first time I'd heard it.

This is an interesting band. They've got some thoughtful stuff going on. The song made me think about how complicated things get and how hard it is to know what's what sometimes. The video is really clever and it makes you think about what looks good and real and how it may not actually be that way all the time. It captures that feeling of being a bit player in a big game, but being held responsible for stuff you don;t know anyway.

You can see it at on MTV's site, it's about half way down the page on the left. The song is called There There.

In pitch dark I go walking in your landscape
Broken branches trip me as I speak
Just cos you feel it doesn't mean it's there
Just cos you feel it doesn't mean it's there
There's always a siren singing you to shipwreck (don't reach out, don't reach out [x2])
Stay away from these rocks we'd be a walking disaster (don't reach out, don't reach out [x2])
Just cos you feel it doesn't mean it's there (there's someone on your shoulder [x2])
Just coz you feel it doesn't mean it's there (there's someone on your shoulder [x2])
Feel it
Why so green
And lonely [x3]
Heaven sent you
To me [x3]
We are accidents waiting
Waiting to happen
We are accidents waiting
Waiting to happen