6/23/2008

monday's mandatory music (pt 8)

its monday, schools out, and a chill has hit the air in sydney. winter is fastly approaching and when contemplating what to hit you all with for my 1st disc back from my extended hiatus i only had to go back to this time last year and think about the cd that consumed my june, july, august, and september until i got to see most of the tracks of bishop allen's 2007 release entitled 'the broken string'.

now like a lot of music in my life (more so when i was growing up rather than in the past 3-5 years) i was introduced to the brooklyn based rock, movie, sparknotes.com band by my older brother, jmc. 'jam' as we (me) sometimes (almost never) call him put me onto bishop allens 1st cd, 'charm school', one weekend in new york back in late 2005. i was hooked on the band and got even more hung up on the group during their extensive ep project in 2006 where they produced an ep per month.

all of my fandom and hype towards these indie rock/art legends fronted by 2 harvard grads, justin and christian (who looks a lot like 'jam' at times), culminated with the release of broken string. their sophomore album starts out with a lyrical master piece entitled 'the monitor' describing a historical battle during the civil war with ties to the old brooklyn armory. the track transfer happens seamlessly from 'the monitor' to 'rain' an upbeat pop tune that has demonstrates bishop allens playful musical nature paired with their image driving lyrics. the next track is probably what i would dub the album single, 'click click click click' which has made it onto tv through you guessed it a digital camera commercial.




'chinatown bus' the track not the cheap mode of transportation between major cities dotting the eastern seaboard is the next song on the album that approaches themes of different cultures and their interactions. the salsaie spanish themed tuned 'like castanets' really highlights the literature foundations to bishop allens lyrics. 'butterfly nets' is a soft tune featuring darbie (the female member of the band) on vocals singing about chasing, catching, and releasing a particular butterfly and the comfort it brings. the short stripped down tune following 'butterfly nets' is called shrinking violets and features justin on a banjo that makes you wonder why he doesnt pick it up more.

'corazon' is the last track i will discuss (i am omitting the last 3 tracks because i need to make dinner for my roomies ... i am going with the slam dunk simple quesadillas). its a freaking fantastic song with a string driving beat littered with strong piano chords that play as the setting for the story of how the band found the piano on the side of the road abandoned by a school and adopted to complete the band. i mean these guys could not get any cooler. the cd will set you back 15 bucks but you will get so much value out of it ... im serious on this one!

click click click click


had ducked out of the rain
into miaria's wedding day
and i sat there with her friends
and with her family
and i was happy

i wasn't someone they'd invite
because i didn't know the groom
or know the bride
but when i stood next to her brother
for the photograph
he was laughing

take another picture with your click, click, click, click camera

sure, i've got pictures of my own
of the people and the places that I've known
here's one: i'm carrying your suitcase
outside of alphabet city

but in someone else's life
where maria is a wife
i'm on the mantle in the corner of the photograph
smiling pretty

take another picture with your click, click, click, click camera

are you tired of where you've gone?
and you think you might belong
in a moment when you step out of the rain?
and you've ended up in someone else's frame?
and they're memory now is never quite the same
and they never even thought to ask your name

take another picture with your click, click, click, click camera

6/22/2008

its been a while ...

sorry. while my head was above water for a little time, i had to re-submerge in order to finish the semester off with a great effort. unlike my undergrad years where i would scrape by with a chip and a chair, my postgrad semester has been one where i actually do the research, i read ahead, and i feel confident going into exams. i love it. ill keep you posted when grades get posted towards the middle of next month.

in the mean time ill update you on some music (we might see the debut of the chicago sextet that has change the way i look at music and maybe some aussie music as well), talk to you about some good books ive had the chance to pick back up now that im not crushing foreign policy reviews and critiques (cs lewis' chronicles of narnia and flannery o'connor's the complete stories are the 2 sitting next to my bed as i type), and we will be able to talk about some movies and some food ...

i am looking forward to my break and getting recharged and getting back into the blog

6/13/2008

my head is above water ...

so i only have to finish my take home international security exam (1 x 2000 word response and 1 x 1000 word response) and then take my politics of the world economy class exam next wednesday night and then i will officially be 1/2 way through my masters degree. i am in good health and good spirits. i have been on a steady listening diet of wilco and jeff buckley (thanks to the coffee shop and jblackwood). i appreciate all the kind words, good thoughts, and loving prayers that have sustained me to this point! 5 days to go!

pretty legit spot for a study break ...





6/12/2008

beirut - 'nantes'...

amazing song, super video, and awesome city ...

6/10/2008

poor places ...

do you have a song that you can throw on and listen to on repeat for what seems like hours and never grow tired of the same words, chords, and sounds? you know that song that just picks you up when you need to be lifted or wallows in the depths that you like to embrace from time to time or puts that smile on your face when youre walking and the sun is shining? ... i have a song like that, poor places by wilco

it's my father's voice trailing off
sailors sailing off in the morning
from the air-conditioned rooms
at the top of the stairs

his jaw's been broken
his bandage is wrapped too tight
his fangs have been pulled
and i really want to see you tonight

there's bourbon on the breath
of the singer you love so much
he takes all his words from the books
that you don't read anyway

his jaw's been broken
his bandage is wrapped too tight
his fangs have been pulled
and i really want to see you tonight

someone ties a bow
in my backyard to show me love
my voice is climbing walls
smoking and i want love

my jaw's been broken
my heart is wrapped in ice
my fangs have been pulled
and i really want to see you tonight

and it makes no difference to me
how they cried all over overseas
when it's hot in the poor places tonight
i'm not going outside

they cried all over overseas
and it makes no difference to me
when it's hot in the poor places tonight
i'm not going outside

it's hot in the poor places tonight
i'm not going outside
i'm not going outside
i'm not going outside

6/04/2008

live from the library ...

where i have moved to for the past 3 days and will be living for the rest of the week. i am so glad that in the midst of studying for my 3 finals and getting 2 research papers done, that the country has come to its senses and allowed for obama to claim the nomination. even over here people are stoked to see this tiny step in the right direction for the us.

good on ya barack

6/01/2008

a new experience ...

last night was a 1st for me. i was taken into a part of sydney that i have very little experience with and know very little about: chinatown.

my escorts were none other than glush, my army buddy from class, and the future minister of finance for japan, and the chinese girl who married an american foreign service officer. the locale was set, red chili restaurant, and the experience was going to be hot pot style dinner.

we get to the restaurant and have to climb through 3 stories of diners most - like 98% of them who arent speaking english and are asian (a very good sign) until we finally arrive at our table. our table sat 8 with 2 people on each side around and a giant square shape hole in the middle. the hole was filled after a while with a giant golden dish that was divided into two sections with liquid in each. on section had a clear broth with herbs and spices in it and the other side had a red broth with herbs and chilies floating in it.

the dish was placed in the hole and the heating element was turned on and the liquid came to a boil. in the liquid we were able to chuck anything we wanted in there. shaved beef, lamb, tripe (beef intestine), chicken wing, tofu, chicken heart, liver, kidney, any type of mushroom under the sun, bean curd, veggies of all sorts - and let the food poach in the delicious goodness of the hot pot broth.

i opted to stay with only the food from the hot side of the dish because the combination of the flavor and the heat made for a deliciously addictive dinner. then the funniest thing happened (it was later explained to me by glush and the chinese girl who married an american foreign service officer) i started getting loopy. conversations took on a silly tone and were hilarious in their nature. i was intoxicated (i only had 3 beers during the meal - for those who know me; thats not intoxicating) off of food. so what they explained to me is that a mixture of the heat, the green tea, and small amounts of alcohol cause a chemical reaction in your brain that releases a large amount of endorphins. it was awesome. i mean here a culture has stumbled upon (although the stumble has taken thousands of years) a natural, communal, safe, and fun way to get high with food!