Goodreads

Goodreads might be better than Library Thing. Once you start rating books and browsing the stacks it's hard to stop.

Aaaaaahhhhhhh...

Great trip. Nice to be back. Finally feels like winter.

Mount Moriah

Sometimes you hear a song and you can't get it out of your head. So you listen to it over and over. And it just gets better. Usually, it's the simple songs that do it. A great if familiar melody, an interesting twist on a sound or phrase, something that appeals to the history of sounds in your brain but also offers something new.

This song, Lament, from Mount Moriah, is that song right now, from their fantastic debut album. They opened for Ume and Cursive at the Lux earlier this week, and I missed them. Didn't know anything about them. And to say the least, I'm sorry I missed this show.

(Thanks to Heather, though, for being nice enough to record a promo for KRBX and to give us the new record for our library.)

Nels and His Gear

This is totally geekalicious and worth every minute.

Shark, Jumped?

Might have been the Superbowl Finger Incident. More than likely it happened long before that. But it seems that MIA has finally become a caricature of herself.

I suppose I should listen to Bad Girls before I judge. But after Maya, and after everything since, I just don't wanna.

Yo La Tengo: Music for Films

I like to think I keep up with music.

That's a ridiculous statement and an impossible, foolhardy goal today. But still, from my pinhole view into the music's larger world, I feel like I tread water, at least. Especially with the bands within that tiny cross-section that I really care about.

So how does this happen? How does Yo La Tengo, one of my favoritest bands in the world, put two collections of amazingly gorgeous instrumental film soundtrack music out in the previous decade without my owning them or even knowing they exist?

The Sounds of the Sounds of Science came out in 2002, written to be played along with an installation of 8 short underwater ocean-going films by French filmmaker Jean Painleve. I don't even need to say anything more there, right? Yo La Tengo, instrumental music for underwater films? Their moody drony long-form wanderings have usually been my favorite parts of their albums.

Then there's They Shoot, We Score, a collection of music composed for 4 assorted short films and released in 2008. It's less of a piece than Sounds of Science, but that would be expected. But it's still gorgeous, moody, flowing YLT at their most comfy sounding. Definitely one for the stacks.

My point: When you think you know something, when you think you're current and have a grip and are really paying attention, you could very well be missing the best stuff for your focus on the big stuff.

Stuck a Pin In Your Backbone...

Eric Bachmann of Archers Of Loaf discusses and performs "Web In Front"

Eric Bachmann on Web in Front. Not a good song my butt.

Library Thing

Anyone use this? Seems interesting. Book lists, reviews, discussion, ties to local events... My reading list is evolving, and this might be a good direction. Anything better out there?

Sh*t Roadies Say

I won't keep doing this. But this is a good one.

Harrison Hollow Protected!

Kudos to the Land Trust of the Treasure Valley for coordinating the effort, gathering funds, and doing the hard work toward purchasing Harrison Hollow. And congrats to us, because now it's ours. Now the fun part--figuring out how it'll be used for years to come.

Headcage

This is exciting. A new EP from Matthew Dear. Not based on remixes of songs from his last album, either. New stuff. And it's good--slowed down a bit, slinkier than hard driving, but really good beats and melodies.

Sh*t Mixologists Say

I bet these things run their course in about a minute, but this one's pretty funny. Good to laugh at ourselves.

Happy Friday

Hope to see you here tonight!

Range Life: Extended Version

Hello out there in 2012 land. I've been away from this blog a bit, again, but that's gonna change, again. There are changes afoot, and the one that I want to alert y'all to first is that Range Life, on RadioBoise, is going long.

Starting in 2 weeks, on January 30, we'll be going 3 hours instead of 2. That means I'm on 8 to 11pm every Monday.

While this may not seem like such a big deal, it really will impact the playlists, along with the arc and general tone of the show. I get to stretch out a bit now, play more of the instrumental music and longer tracks that so often get bumped when I'm in the control room trying to cram everything I want to play into 2 measly hours.

Hopefully, this also means more thought about new music and trends in music and in what I'm interested in and listening to, which, again hopefully, means more words here about music. More of the actual dancing about the actual architecture.

So, stick around. Tune in, log in, hold me to it. I think this is going to be good.

Looking Ahead

Let the looking back be behind us.

Top Ten lists are great. Reminiscence and nostalgia are really nice this time of year.

But just like getting over the hump of the solstice and knowing that, even though it's tough to tell, the days are getting longer, I always love the feeling of turning that corner of December far enough to be able to look ahead.

There's a new year coming. I'll stop short of making resolutions just yet, but there's plenty to be excited about. Like: This veritable butt-load of new music I just got to sift through for the radio station. Much of it is me catching up (Amon Tobin, Christopher Willits, singles from Crystal Stilts, Daedelus, Bass Drum of Death!), but not all of it (Weekend, Ford & Lopatin, Prefuse 73) and there's lots more coming. Great to see we're on the radar of labels and publicists and artists, and the library is swelling. This will only get better.


Better: Theo is talking nonstop. New words every day, seriously. Cathy was delighted when last night he finally, clearly and without a doubt as to what he meant, said Mommy. The kid can melt your heart without even trying. And he climbs everything, including me. We are having a great time together, getting out a lot, spending time. The family's good.

Both grandmas are here these days, which is fantastic. It's so nice seeing Theo grow up with our moms, and his aunt and uncle, seeing them taking care of him and teaching him stuff.

And then, there's snow. Not much. But there was snow on the ground this morning. We must be optimistic here.

So, winter's here, 2012 is coming, and it's time to get ready for it. For all of it.

Fish Watch

Apparently, Edwards Greenhouse is Theo's new favorite place. I can see why.

Skiing on Streets

JP Auclair Street Segment (from All.I.Can.) from Sherpas Cinema on Vimeo.

I'm not big on ski movies, but this is amazing. And the soundtrack is pretty awesome too.

PNYE.11!!!!

Hey y'all, it's that time again. RadioBoise's 6th annual Practice New Year's Eve Party is this Saturday night, and it's gonna be a great one. Great bands, KRBX DJs, food, beer from Payette Brewery, and a whole lot of people who are really excited about their new community radio station.

Starts at 6:30 in the ground floor of the Empire Building, at 10th and Idaho. You won't be able to miss us. Hope to see you there!

Motian on KRBX

An update to the previous post:

Our man John McCarthy will pay tribute to the late and truly great drummer Paul Motian on his Wednesday morning radio show, Jazz: Beyond the Sky. I can say with all confidence that this will be a great show, so don't miss it. In fact, once you listen, you'll probably start tuning in every week. Bet ya.

Wednesday, 9 to 11am, 89.9fm and www.radioboise.org.

Paul Motian

I just read that Paul Motian died a few days ago. He was 80.

His passing is a huge loss for jazz and for drums. His playing was always remarkable and identifiable, loose and fun but never ostentatious or flaunty.

My first recording with him on drums was on a Montreal Jazz Festival CD with Geri Allen and Charlie Haden. It blew me away, and that led me to my favorite of Motian's recurring collaboration, with Joe Lovano and Bill Frisell.

This feels like a good time to cozy back up to my jazz records. They've been getting dusty lately, and that just ain't right.