The Look Back

Back in the swing of things at work. This week really didn’t feel like the first “Christmas” week for some reason. Probably because it is completely contained within the month of November and some scrooges just can’t do Christmas in November. This weekend should kick things into full gear though with a number of Christmas specials and events going on.

Burial – Archangel

I’m a little late to the party on Burial. I had one other track from his previous release in iTunes that I remember liking but don’t know where it came from. This entire album (Untrue
) feels like one extended track and is some of the best “chill” music I have come across this year. I’ve listened to this album now at work 3-4 times this week alone and will continue to do so. It doesn’t require a lot of thought but one shouldn’t construe that as a negative in this sense. The back story on Burial is also rather interesting because there isn’t one. He doesn’t grant interviews (apparently he does) and says he wants the music to speak for itself and that people get too tied up with the artists when the music should come through more. I respect that to no end.

Yeasayer – Sunrise

These guys are getting a lot of blogger love as of late. I’m a little late to the party but like what they are doing. (When I say “late to the party” I mean I’m only reviewing it probably a month before the release date the way blogs go these days.) Similar in respect to Animal Collective and I guess a little Grizzly Bear but it is definitely a unique creation. I’m not sure about the staying power of this track or any others off the album but it is one of the better experiments I’ve heard in music this year. I guess you could say it is a fitting follow up in some ways to last week’s Fuck Button’s track.

Bonnie “Prince” Billy – I Came Hear to Hear the Music

I think Mr. Oldham is now in the lead for the most music on The Looking Back. This coming from his new release of covers, “Ask Forgiveness”. I love that album title as it is something we seemingly reference every week in the office. The old cliché, “it’s better to ask forgiveness than permission” which is often times so true in my line of work. Landscape architecture aside, this is a cover of an old song by Mickey Newbury. I’m not familiar with his work but he is apparently a very well known and respected Nashville legend. I find this album much more approachable for people who have yet to get into any of Will Oldhams previous 2.3 million recordings. (Yes, that is a confirmed number from my calculations.)

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers – Here Comes My Girl

This is in place of a country track this week. It still fulfills the original premise I had when I started posting a country song a week. Those songs all are part of my upbringing to some degree. Many had the Rolling Stones and the Beatles; I had George Strait and Lori Morgan. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers goes back to the summer of 1993 when I first heard their Greatest Hits album. You know the one with “Last Dance with Mary Jane” on it. I first heard it on the way to a week long camping trip with my cousin’s family. We probably listened to this tape 20 times for some reason. I don’t know if it was because I heard it that many times or what but I was hooked. It could have easily gone the other way but luckily it didn’t.

Leon Redbone & Zoe Daschanel – Baby, It’s Cold Outside

From the Original Soundtrack to Elf, Grace’s favorite Christmas movie of all time. Until this movie I never liked this song. Zoe Daschanel doesn’t really do anything new with the song, other than sing it naked in a shower. I would have preferred they included another take on this where you actually hear Will Ferrell come in at the end but I guess that will be a wish I have to ask Santa for.

Two days early and two extra songs for Thanksgiving week.  I’m off until Monday, enjoy the rest of the week and keep checking out our photo competition between David, Cory and I.  Happy Thanksgiving.

Fuck Buttons – Bright Tomorrow

I’ve listened to this song WAAAAAY too much over the last couple days.  The steady beat, the fuzz, the fade into Wolf Eyes like noise, I love it!  I don’t know much about these guys other than it is a couple guys from England and they make similar music to this.  Happy Thanksgiving, your grandma will love this.  On a side note, do you think in 50 years our children will be listening to supersonic beats that aren’t even audible to the human ear?  What will future youngsters do to try and piss off us then aged humans?  Or will it regress and banjo picking be back in vogue?  Oh wait, Sufjan…

Hello, Blue Roses – Shadow Falls

Oh Dan Bejar, how I love your music. (This time with girlfriend Sydney Vermont.) His current band of the month is Hello, Blue Roses with said girlfriend and this is from the upcoming album split with Frog Eyes on Absolutely Kosher.  This track was purposely placed after the Fuck Buttons track as you will notice the beats coming in and out on the same hits.  Listen for yourself. 

Tegan and Sara – Back in Your Head

Just when you think all the little guitar and piano hooks have been covered in the last 100 years of popular music you get this simple piano pounding.  I’ve never been a Tegan and Sara fan but this song got me and I downloaded the album.  It isn’t half bad.  “I just want back in your bed” is what I kept hearing even if the name of the song obviously contradicts that.  I think both work in this context.  In a lesbian way, of course.

Rademacher – Letter to Fresno, CA

I would not call Fresno a small town but it really isn’t a big city either.  I still understand what they are referring to about “city kids” being “caught up in the nothing that creeps into their heads”.  Overall it’s somewhat sentimental referring to the city and the girl.  Yet you wonder what it really means when the song is called “Letter TO Fresno” and the verse says, “Letter FROM Fresno”.  Where is he?  Does it ultimately matter? 

Ted Leo – Since U Been Gone/Maps

This is several years old now but I have heard the Kelly Clarkson song numerous times in the last few days as she will be singing during one of the halftime shows during Thanksgiving.  I love this cover.  I’m not a huge Ted Leo fan but he really pulls this one off and I’m still waiting for a proper recording.  The bridge to “Maps” by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs is also very appropriate to the context.  Unfortunately the song still reminds me of a certain troubled individual. 

Louvin Brothers – The Drunkard’s Doom

Damn, how often will you find a song about someone getting drunk and then coming home to find their infant dead?  Then having to console your wife about how said baby is now in Heaven.  Ahh, the Louvin Brothers.  Sadly Charlie didn’t play this upbeat ditty last month when I saw him live. 

Sufjan Stevens – Lo How A Rose E’er Blooming

You can officially listen to Christmas songs after you finish your pumpkin pie tomorrow.  I believe that it is officially recognized by the North Pole and various other governing bodies.  They also sanction the putting up of Christmas decorations as of dusk on Thanksgiving as well.  That being said, Lo How A Rose E’er Blooming is one of my favorite Christmas songs as of the last couple years.  This and the version by Fiest are two of my all time favorites.  I have always heard/sung this song at Christmas since I was small as it was a staple at First Mennonite Church in good old Paso Robles.  It was on the list of “songs that really aren’t Christmas-ey enough” for my mom. 

As you can read in previous posts a fair amount has happened since my last Friday Mix. One trip to Michigan, one trip to Chicago, one trip to Greenbuild, one stolen Canon 20D camera, one stolen 24-70 f/2.8 L lens, one new Canon 40D camera, back in OC for a week. Ahh, music.

R.E.M. – What’s the Frequency Kenneth? (Live)

My favorite R.E.M. song. I had no idea about the back story of this song involving a lunatic who mugged Dan Rather in NY and when questioned by interviewers he said, “Kenneth, What’s the Frequency?” R.E.M. liked it and went with it. Same as how mainstream radio picked up R.E.M., liked it, and fed it to the masses during the mid-90’s. I’m not complaining as they are one of my favorite groups of the last 20 years. This track is taken from their recently released official Live album which is quite good. Most of the hits are there and the sound is impeccable.

Sufjan Stevens – The One I Love (Live @ SXSW)

The first rule of mix tapes/cds/mixes is you don’t put more than one song by the same artist on the playlist. Sure, we’ve all seen any number of excuses but you just don’t’ do it. There is always another song that will work just as well and therefore not make your mix null and void. In this case I had to go with Sufjan’s take on “The One I Love” originally recorded by R.E.M. It’s one of those songs that everyone knows and loves and thinks it’s so sweet and genuine. These people have never actually listened to anything besides the chorus. If they had they would see it is anything but a love song. Sufjan really doesn’t do anything but reinforce the sentiment everyone seems to get from this song with his muted acoustic take on the song. Nor does he provide any help when he starts out saying, “This one goes out to the one I love..” A great take on the song none the less and I guess ultimately music is art like anything else and is only as good as what people make of it. If you want to think this is a touching love song you can play at your wedding and disregard the “fire” sentiment, go right ahead and boogie on to some Top 40 R&B afterwards.

The Octopus Project – Truck

Sadly, another OiNK discovery. (BTW, if anyone has a www.waffles.fm or www.what.cd invite I would be GREATLY appreciative.) Instrumental track of the week is also starting to be a regular here on the mix so this fulfills that requisite. Upbeat, fun, simple. I don’t know much else about this song or band.

Bonnie Tyler – It’s a Heartbreak

I have a lot of songs in my iTunes library. Currently my desktop has 86GB and my laptop has 27GB. I usually sort songs by “date added” but somehow my iTunes library on my laptop became corrupt and I had to re-add everything in April of this year. Long story, somewhat shorter, I was playing a song this week and all of a sudden this song came on. I have no information as to who she is or where I managed to download this song. She has a great voice, nice and raspy, and the song writing is a little generic but not too bad. I’ve listened to it quite a few times and still enjoy it. I really wish that library wasn’t corrupt so I could tell something about why I downloaded this in the first place.

Dwight Yoakam – Come on Christmas

Combo track this week. Country and Christmas. I’m going to be posting at least one Christmas song from now until the last post of the year. This comes from the only Christmas album Dwight Yoakam has recorded in his career. It seems like every country musician in the modern era has managed to record a Christmas album as if it were a part of their contract. (Which it might be.) This album doesn’t really catch me like I thought it would since it does involve two of my favorite things, Dwight and Christmas. This song is a little sad but a nice little song to get me thinking about The Season. Enjoy and get ready for many more.

Sorry for the lack of a Friday mix last week. I was preoccupied with both Greenbuild and my camera and 24-70mm f/2.8 L series lens being stolen Wednesday night. I promise a new mix on Friday and some more interesting posts that don’t involve me panhandling for money through PayPal.

The Wiebe Camera Relief Fund (through PayPal, of course) ((more on the story http://photo.jhwdesign.com ))

*UPDATE* Someone who obviously needed a camera much more than I did decided to assist in the process and stole my 20D and 24-70mm f/2.8 L series lens on Wednesday night.  (11/7/07) I’ve since ordered a new 40D body and have yet to replace the 24-70.

Of course I hadn’t filled out all the insurance paperwork yet and thus I’m out of luck.  Let this be a lesson to everyone with expensive camera equipment…GET IT INSURED! The best I’ve found so far is a renters insurance policy through State Farm or specific camera insurance through the National Press Photographers Association.  (www.nppa.org)

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Up until last week I was using the first camera bag I ever bought with my 20D, the standard Canon backpack. Nice but not easy to get anything in and out of in the field. Keep in mind the following camera goodies I currently own: (Going from memory here.)

-Canon 20D body (Replaced by a Canon 40D body)
-Canon kit lens 18-55mm (throw away lens at this point)
-Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX (wide angle lens)
-Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 L Series (best all around lens Canon makes. Ask anyone. I <3 this thing!) (So did some scumbag who stole it.)
-Canon 50mm f/1.4 (sharpest lens I own. Scary to think what the f/1.0 might be capable of.)
-Canon EF 100-300mm f/4-5.6 (telephoto that I never use. This really needs IS anywhere past 150mm anytime besides 12pm-1pm on a sunny day)
-Canon 100mm f/2.8 (Macro lens. This is the most finicky lens I own. I’ve gotten some good shots but when I really want to get in on something there is so much precise focusing I need to do that I can’t get it focused 75% of the time. I need to shoot more with this thing to get the hang of it.)
-Lensbaby 2.0 (toy lens that definitely has its place in my bag anytime.)
-Lensbaby wideangle and telephoto lenses
-Lensbaby macro kit
-77mm filter set (I’ve only really used the circular polarizer so far. Filters really aren’t needed much now thanks to Photoshop)
-Canon 580 Speedlight flash. (One of the pieces of hardware I definitely haven’t used enough in the last year. It has a strobe on it for pete sake. Think of everything you could do with this.)
-Canon remote shutter release (A must have for any night shots.)
-Walmart tripod. (Purchased this back in 1997 for an old camcorder we had. It was $20 and probably some of the best money I’ve ever spent.)
-Joby GP3 Grillapod Tripod (Flexable, small tripod that is bendable and can grip to fence posts etc. I’ve mostly used this inside so far but it is a great tripod that is extremely flexible, no pun intended.)
-5+ compact flash cards 4GB-512MB (I mostly just use my 4GB card but still download the photos as much as possible to avoid any corruption problems.)
-USB 2.0 Universal Memory Card Reader (I have a USB 1.0 card reader as well but it is EXTREMELY slow in comparison and will take up to 40 min to download a full 4GB compact flash card. Definitely worth the $15 to get one of these if you have a large memory card)

Having all this stuff is great but it is rare I would need all of this when traveling. It isn’t practical at the very least so I wanted to find a bag that would be both strong enough to carry quite a bit and also convenient enough when walking around. I found that bag:

Lowepro SlingShot 200 AW

This bag is hands down the best bag I’ve ever used. You wear it like a messenger bag but the strap is padded and very comfortable to wear all over. I’ve used it for three days now and have had absolutely no complaints. The feature that made me decide on this bag was the fact that you don’t have to take the backpack off in order to get your camera or lenses out, you just swing it across your shoulder and go. You have easy side access to the camera which alleviates one of my biggest complaints about my previous backpack, having to take it off to get a new lens or put the camera away. With the SlingShot you just twist and return the camera. 20 seconds while walking. BRILLIANT!

On my current trip I have my 20D with 24-70mm lens attached (lens hood attached but needs to be screwed back on after taking it out of the bag.) in the main compartment. Then I have my 50mm 1.4, 10-20mm and lensbaby set up included. I feel this gives me the greatest felxabilty in shooting virtually anything.

One last thing about this bag that I only remembered to appreciate today. The All Weather cover this has built in. It started raining today when I was going to Detroit. I just put on the AW cover and didn’t worry about the rain.

If you need a great walking around bag this is it, no question.

I had to stay an extra 45 min at work to get this posted so I hope everyone (all 2 of you) appreciate it.  I’m now off to Ann Arbor/Chicago to visit the girlfriend and take in Greenbuild.  I’ll see you all next week, hopefully. 

The Blood Brothers – ambulance vs. ambulance

One of my favorite live acts of all time.  I’ve seen these guys numerous times and they always bring more energy than should be allowed on a crappy stage in Anaheim’s industrial area.  (They seem to play Chain Reaction a LOT) Sadly, I have heard numerous rumors that they have decided to call it quits.  This isn’t official yet but they are on an extended break right now and will make a final decision around the first of the year.  This song is my favorite coming off of the Burn Piano Island Burn CD.  The video is another stand out reminding me a lot of the movie “Bringing Out the Dead” which is one of the more underrated Scorsese movies of all time. 

Oxford Collapse – Please Visit Your National Parks

The indie rock anthem for the time being.  Another one of those songs that I have used for my kickball at bat music.  They are currently recording the follow up to last years “Remember the Night Parties.”  This is another one of those “albums about your late 20’s” that I love so much.

Sambassadeur – The Park

Swedish popsters that I have no idea how I found.  I know I downloaded a few tracks somewhere last year and fell in love.  I forgot about them until recently when their new album “Migration” came through my favorite dead pig.  Great pop song that just jumps out at you and makes you smile.  While the lead singer isn’t exactly overcome with hysteric emotion the background sure is. 

Lyle Lovett – L.A. County

Lyle turned 50 years old yesterday, November 1.  Happy Birthday to my favorite modern country musician.  This is a murder ballad reminiscent of “Folsom Prison Blues” where Lovett’s narrator kills his ex-wife and new husband on their wedding day with his “old friend”.  The steel guitar again comes through very well and you get a great upbeat near the end of the song.