So what'd you have to do that for?

I was lucky enough to check out the Shudder To Think sorta re-union the other night. Craig Wedren and Nathan Larson joined each other on stage for the first time in about eight years at Mercury Lounge. Nathan came on about half way through Wedren's solo set and performed six Shudder songs with the Craig's band, which included former Shudder drummer Kevin March(who also played in GBV). The artists played "X-French Tee Shirt," "Red House," "Lies About the Sky," "No Rm. 9, Kentucky," "Day Ditty" and "Appalachian Lullaby," which featured vocals from Larson's wife, the lovely Nina Persson, of the Swedish pop group, The Cardigans, who also put out a great album last year. Wedren was funny, recounting stories about the first songs they wrote for movies, how the brief reunion happened and Larson meeting Persson when they collaborated on a song.

This was certainly one of the coolest and low-key re-unions in some time. I think we've been lucky enough to see a few really great bands re-unite over the past few years, Texas Is The Reason, the Jesus and Mary Chain, Seaweed, the Pixies and of course, the ill-fated, Police. If now we could only get Quicksand,Dismemberment Plan and Failure back together.

Came across this logo the other night. Kinda looks a lot like a band's logo if you ask me. I smell a lawsuit, HA!







Listening Pile:
As you might know by now, Les Savy Fav has an incredible new record entitled Let's Stay Friends that came out earlier this month. Praise the Lord! Its the first all new material from the band since 2001. Please go to the media section at their label, French Kiss now and check out "The Equestrian" and "What Would Wolves Do?". This band is awesome. They make great records, run their own label and play the most incendiary shows this side of old Trail Of Dead. I mean, come on! Who doesn't love a portly man running around kissing people and hugging them in bikini briefs? Who?

I Bring Her Home Everything I Want, Nothing That She Needs

Made my way over to Madison Square Garden the other night to catch Interpol playing their biggest NYC show yet. It's pretty crazy to think they are now big enough to play MSG, and not the Paramount Theater at MSG, but the main floor. You know, where the Knicks and Rangers play. To think, I remember seeing them 6 or 7 years ago at Brownies(R.I.P.) and Mercury Lounge. You have to give this band some credit, they've worked pretty hard and toured endlessly to get where they are. And what a great night for a fantastic show featuring the New York quartet. The band seemed perfectly at ease on the large stage at MSG. Sam, as always, was powerful and precise on the kit, Daniel's guitar soared all night long, as he was found doing his shuffling dance moves and White Guy rap on 'PDA'. Carlos, for once looked happy, posturing himself with his new urban cowboy look, all over the stage. Paul, always seemed reserved and never strained with his trademark monotone vocals, while busting out the black wristbands ala James Hetfield style. They rolled through a powerful set, trading new tunes from their solid new album, Our Love To Admire, with classics from the first two albums, such as 'PDA', 'Stella Was A Diver', 'Obstacle 1', 'Narc', 'Hands Away', 'Slow Hands' and 'NYC'. The audience went nuts when they played recent single, 'The Heinrich Manuever', and worked themselves up into a frenzy when they played singles from the first two albums.

Now, I will say, despite a great set from the band, I can easily do without seeing another concert at MSG for some time. At one point I found myself in a bar that wouldn't have been out of place in Hoboken watching the Yankee game. Strange.
And later on, as I tried to make my way down to the floor to meet up with friends, I ended up in some random hallway deep inside the Garden. I swear, I think the ghost of Ernie Grunfeld must have been following me around. Anyhows, a great show and certainly a good time had. I didn't see Liars open, even though I really wanted to. Cat P ower, seemed oddly out of place on the large stage, and I really don't understand what's up with that backing band. Makes her sort of sound like a bar band. Really it doesn't do her justice, as she's a great singer, albeit certifiably insane.

Listening Pile:
I've been meaning to write up something about the SoftLightes for some time now, but have managed to completely forget to even mention this band. Guys, I apologize. This band is great, as are their electro-tinged indie-pop tunes and videos. ‘Heart Made of Sound’ maybe their best jam, though it's one of many great ones, is a light tune with hints of faint piano keys embellishing the harmonies. The Softlightes, from San Diego, is the latest project from Ron Fountenberry, who's better known as The Incredible Moses Leroy. He put out a fantastic album a few years back, and has now resurfaced with a new band and sugary pop gems. Fans of Leroy will instantly absorb The SoftLightes, who continue where Leroy left off with their new album Say No! to Being Cool. Say Yes! to Being Happy. The album may have come out last winter, but it’s a great album and now there is a new ep w/ some remixes and alternate takes.

While we're here, I came acoross this Cadillac commercial the other day. I have to say, I was more than a little shocked to hear one of my favorite songs from the mid 90's as the background music. Yes, listen again. It's Hum, with their hit, 'Stars'. Very, very strange indeed. I was taken back by it. Add to that, the introduction by Grey's Anatomy star Kate Walsh and it's a strange moment in time. Cadillac is really reaching for a new crowd huh. I used to think only old men drove Cadillacs. Guess they are trying, desperately maybe, to change that.

And Your Words Came Just Like A Hard Rain

The Juice is loose, again! Seriously, from the Files of Police Squad:

"Thursday night just before 8 p.m., Las Vegas police responded to a call of a person as a victim of an armed robbery at the Palace Station casino," Dillon said. "The victim stated that one of the suspects involved in the robbery was O.J.
Simpson. The items that were taken were various sports-related products."

The items were in a hotel room at the casino, authorities said, adding that although they had seized many of the items they could not describe them.

Simpson told the Associated Press that the memorabilia were his and that he entered the room without breaking in to retrieve the items.

I bet he thought all that stuff was his. Didn't he feel the same way about his ex-wife? Was that out of line? Too soon? I kinda feel bad about that now. Man, has there ever been such a monumental fall from grace, as O.J.? Mike Tyson, Superman, Mike Vick, Webster or Wrestling? I think O.J. has got them all beat. Check out this timeline of his happenings since '94.

Anyhows, over the next few weeks we'll start seeing our favorite TV programs, and surely some new ones we fall in love with, debut on the tube. I have to say, I personally cannot wait for the new seasons of LOST, 30 Rock, The Office, Heroes, Friday Night Lights, How I Met Your Mother. Some new shows that look like they could be interesting, Chuck, Cavemen, Journeyman, Back To You, Pushing Daisies, and what could become something like the next X-Files, the Sarah Connor Chronicles, which has her on the run, trying to keep son John safe in order to save the future of humanity and hide him from the Governator. Also, looking forward to some old favs, like CSI and CSI Miami, Cold Case, Family Guy, and Law & Order.

New shows that look like they'll be on for a month then disappear, Cane, Dirty Sexy Money(despite what looks like a great cast), Gossip Girl, K-Ville, Big Shots, and even though I want it to succeed, Bionic Woman, plus anything on WB or UPN, .. Check out this fall tv preview thingy AOL has up. One thing that seems good about the fall TV lineups, less reality. Yes! I think we can all agree we could use less reality in our lives these days.

Listening Pile:
I've professed my love for the Swedish band, The Shout Out Louds before. And I'm about to do it again. They are back with their new album, Our Ill Wills. Two years after hitting US shores with their debut album, Our Ill Wills, Produced by Bjorn of indie-darling Peter Bjorn & John, is 12 wonderful songs of bouncy, gleaming guitar hooks on deceptively up-tempo pop songs, self-deprecating lyrics in a vocal stylings very, very similar to that of The Cure's Robert Smith. 'Tonight I Have To Leave It' kicks off the record jangly guitars and bursts of waltzing strings. The band dips into darker territory when keyboardist Bebban Stenborg helms the mic on the standout 'Blue Headlights' to deliver a sultry tune laid gently over simple, spare percussion and guitar. The Shout Out Louds have always worn their beaten hearts on their indie pop sleeves, yet they provide just enough mystery and spontaneity is what keeps things exciting, like the album’s awesome ending, 'Hard Rain,' a song that methodically builds into a cataclysmic ending that matches its title perfectly. Of course my favorite track is the bouncy pop gem 'Normandie,' about falling for a girl and well...sailing away to Normandie.

It's Always Someone Else's

The Whole Foods by us, just made it that much better to go to. Last week they opened the Beer Room. With 200 different beers, from pilsner and weisse to lambic and porter, they've got anyone's beer needs covered.
You can also fill a 64 oz. growler with one of six local beers on tap. The first one I went for was, Bluepoint No Apologies Double IPA. Malty flavor upfront followed by a pleasant caramel sweetness and it's got a crazy 10% alcohol content. It was pretty good to say the least.

So glad that the NFL came back this week. There's no better thing to do on a Sunday than be lazy around the house, kick back watch some football and take naps. Seriously, I can think of no better way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Anyhows, if you watched any football this weekend, you noticed the Patriots and Colts looked pretty good, as expected, and everyone else is basically playing for third place. Huge disappointments from New Orleans, Kansas City, and both New York/Jersey teams. I keep reading lots of pre-season picks saying the Jets and Giants should win 8-9 games, which I'm finding really hard to believe. I can easily see both teams not winning more than 7 games. Rutgers easily won against Navy on Friday, to start their season at 2-0. Not too shaby. And how about A-Rod. Think he's got something like 7 home runs in his last five games. Sick! Hope he continues to hit well going into the last month of the season and hopefully, the postseason.


listening pile:
Definitely my favorite album of the year, Fil m School returns w/ Hide out. The band has mastered a dark pop sensibility that reminds of you of all the best qualities of new wave, shoegaze, and alternative rock. With the help of Phil Ek, who mixed the new album, the band found a dense, layered, dark texture with swirling guitars, dreamy production and instrumental flourishes that the band incorporate almost perfectly into every song. The guitar intro of 'Dear Me' pretty much leads you into the compressed, noisy guitar and synth-drone atmosphere of the entire record. To say this album is shogaze is an understatement. Not only are there are some female vocals, courtesy of new bassist Lorelei Plotcyzk, but guest musicians, like Colm O’Ciosoig of MBV, help deliver the best shoegaze album not born of the 90's. This album kills from start to finish and certainly dispels any concern of a sophomore slump. Where their last album suffered from being a bit uneven, Hide out is an ambitious effort and easily the best headphone experience of the year. Somehow, the album ends on it's best song as well, 'What I Meant To Say', which could be the most rocking and complex song on the album.

I'll Be Sitting On The Left Side, You'll Be Sitting On The Right

Headed down to Webster Hall last night for a fantastic show, featuring the Birmingham, England quartet, Editors. The band seemed at ease as its piercing rhythms kept pace with the strobe lights, and melodic theatrics when singer Tom Smith traded in his Telecaster for a seat at his custom-made piano, all Chris Martin style. The biggest cheer of the set came during the encore with 'Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors,' a tale about death that impressively shifted from a soaring cascade of glacial guitar work into an anthemic chorus. They started off their set with the title track from their new album, An End Has A Start, which is one of the better songs on the new disc. They shifted through a powerful set, trading new songs with old favorites like 'Bullets', 'Munich' and 'Lights'. Even the new material sounded great in a live setting.

The Scottish trio, Biffy Clyro opened and received a warm reception, enough so to keep singer, Simon Neil, bare-chested the entire set as the group blurred between aggressive rock and roller-coaster power pop. They mostly played material from their exceptional new album, Puzzle, also their fourth, but did include "Glitter and Trauma" and "The Ideal Height" from their previous two albums. This band killed it live. They are finishing up their tour w/ the Editors and then hitting the road with the mighty Queens of The Stone Age, how about that. I cannot wait to see them again, and I'd be even happier to see them play a headlining show to play more of their older stuff. Love this band and finally happy to see them get their fair due here in the US, after getting huge love in their native UK. Puzzle which is available now in the UK & Ireland, will be released on September 18th in America. The album features the singles 'semi-mental', 'Saturday Superhouse', 'Folding Stars', 'Living Is A Problem Because Everything Dies' and forthcoming UK single 'Machines'.

is there anybody alive out there

Nice series win for the Yankees against Boston the other day, but what the hell happened last night. Big let down after a great 3 game sweep of the Red Sox. With about 29 games left in the season, each game takes on significant importance. Games like these against the Devil Rays need to be won. There's just no excuse. Phil Hughes did his best Mike Mussina impression last night. Ian Kennedy makes his major league debut today. Good luck to the kid.

The Bronx Is Burning concluded the other night, with the team winning the 77 Championship. Definitely thought the mini-series could have been a little better. Wish we would have gotten a little more Graig Nettles, Sparky Lyle, Ron Guidry and Lou Pinella. Some really colorful characters that were almost completely left out of the series. John Torturo was pretty good in the role of Billy Martin. That dude that played Reggie Jackson was not that great, in fact, i kept thinking of C. Thomas Howell as the Soul Man every time I saw him. I did think using actual news footage during the riots and blackout, the world series, as well as the Son of Sam slayings and the following of the case by police was a nice touch.

Rutgers football season started the other night against the mighty University of Buffalo. They won pretty easily, which is good. With all their success in the last two years, especially last year's Cinderella season, I think people have sort of forgotten that Rutgers was actually a pretty awful football team for some time. In fact, I think they won more games last year, than they did in the 4 years I attended Rutgers. I was talking to a buddy the other night about how lucky those kids attending now have it. We had nothing like that when I was there. It's gotta be a lot of fun. Hoping to get down there for the USF game in November. Bet that will be fun.

Listening Pile:
New Bruce Springstein track, Radio Nowhere is available as a free download at iTunes. It's a great track, from the Boss's new album, Magic. I really enjoyed his last album, The Rising too. This one is apparently a little bit more of a rocker and also features the E Street Band. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band have announced their first full scale tour of the US and Europe since 2002-03, starting in Hartford, CT on October 2, the release date for the new album. I have some friends that are all about this.