I <3 show calls

I don't know who first came up with this tradition - to call people during a middle of show so that they could hear their favorite song or whatever, but THANK YOU. My friend Chrissy does it pretty regularly, so that I get to keep in touch with a couple of my favorite bands even though I'm way out in the middle of nowhere and can't go to the shows.

Tonight she called from a Greatness in Tragedy show to let me listen to Beginner, which btw is only my favorite song by them. It was fabulous, you would think that this wouldn't work, and it probably wouldn't at really big concerts (if you were close). But this is great. Yay for random surprises.

I swear the band list will be up soon, just been a little sick and busy with "finals" lately.

The Shins - Pressed in a Book

"Pressed In A Book"

Doted on like seeds planted in rows
The untied shoelaces of you life
Nutured all year then presssed in a book
Or displayed in bad taste at the table
Problems arise and you fan the fire
While there's a wild pack of dogs loose in your house tonight.
Cut from bad cloth or soiled like socks
Add it up and basically people never change.

They just talk and make plans in the dark
Or make haste with ideas that can't help
But creep good people out
As you talk to me too much you're assuming
We don't always want what's right.

Did i strike the right set of chords? you're annoyed.
The goal is to ignite you then move on.
You feel ill at ease. you got no squeeze.
And the wise cracks won't make you more stable.
You've learned you lines to scale and to time.
Why must i remind you now i'm only less able.
Cut from bad cloth or soiled like socks
We're ordinary people we can't help but to change

As we walk and make plans in the dark
Or make haste with the boy who can't help
But creep good people out.
As you talk to me too much you're assuming
We don't always want what's right.

Two fallen saplings in an open field.
Snow padding gently on an empty bench.
An old woman's jewelry lying unadorned.
Colo nesting robins allied for the first time.
I know when you hear these sappy lines
You'll roll your eyes and say "nice try".


I highlighted my favorite lines in this song - plus the way James Mercer sings them is just awesome. I've been really feeling this song lately - I have no real need to pick it apart and review it, because it just speaks for itself about life and how it changes w/o you wanting it to.

Review: Black Tie Dynasty

Black Tie Dynasty - This Stays Between Us

This is a great little Dallas based band. I saw them about a year ago with iSOLA, and some other band. I really liked them at the time, but I didn't pick up a cd until the other day in Dallas when we were in CD World (which by the way is such an awesome place). I saw it for like 5 dollars and was like, hey I liked them, I'll get this. Definitely a good buy. Mostly I remember rocking out with the bass player, who had more energy than I would hopped up on speed. He was jumping around and picking (which always impresses me because I think it’s a touch hard) like a mad crazy person. I had the most fun watching him just play and have fun. Plus he had a cool haircut ;).

This cd is definitely a jam cd, with a whole lot of music, but not cluttered up with too many words. All the songs tie together, and while you are listening, it's like one long 30 minute track. I really like it, but if you are in the mood for a cd with the normal highs (fast songs) and lows (slower stuff), you won't get it here. Each song kind of does this, but they are all very similar - and that would be my only complaint about this cd.

Crime Scene - I love the synth on this song, it's a good slow head bobbing song. But in the middle, it totally surprises you and speeds up and becomes a silly dance song. I like that it switches speed in the middle because it's a fairly long song, and it's a good way to keep it interesting. Plus the bass player kicks in and like I said before, awesome. The weird, but fun lyric here is, "It looked like a crime scene, covered up in ice cream."

Die - Very repetitive, yet effective. I love the harmony on this song, not sure if it's the guitar player or a double of the singer/keyboard player.

Ghost of a Secretary - Please can I steal this bass player? This song starts with such an awesome (yet easy) bass line. Very cool. This one blends into Southern Girls, which honestly you can't tell the difference they have the exact same background track, only now this one has more lyrics - and the harmony is to die for.

Updates

I added a band list link on the side there - it is a list of indie bands I want to listen to, but haven't gotten around to yet. You know how much fun it is to discover a new band? Right, and I have list. :) I'll let you know how it goes.

Also, I added a link to my Amazon wish list (and this is totally umm, selfish? of me) - if anybody has the urge to ever buy me cd for fun. :P

CD's I've aquired recently that kick ass:
Garden State
White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan
Oasis - Don't Believe the Truth
The Shins - Chutes Too Narrow, Oh Inverted World

others - I'm blanking at the moment. Ok! I should be getting my killer's tickets soon!

CD Review: Lifehouse

Artist: Lifehouse
Album: Lifehouse
Release: May/June 05

I've been a pretty big fan of Lifehouse since No Name Face and Hanging By a Moment, but this album rocks. Unbelievably. I like it because while it is alt. rock, it is definitely on the softer side of it. Definitely not like the new Audioslave cd, which has a classic hard rock feel. No, this Lifehouse album is sentimental. It's a good album for emo days, while not being emo music I think.

Noteworthy Tracks:
Come Back Down - Very sweet. Reminds you of that yearning you have for someone that's gone or left your life. Jason Wade can seriously tug at the heartstrings.

You and Me - this song means so much to me that I just can't describe it. I guess it's something personal going on in my life, but this:

"I can't keep my eyes off of you
All of the things that I want to say just aren't coming out right
I'm tripping on words
You've got my head spinning
I don't know where to go from here"

is just bam, great songwriting. The violins are a perfect touch, the slow ballad is remeniscant of Hanging by a Moment, which makes my day, cause I love that song. Probably my favorite song on this album.

Blind - great acoustic guitar mix at the beginning, very twang that sets up the rest of the song. The chorus shows how great his range is, and there's a great great little guitar lick during the bridge. I love the rythmn of this song.

Speaking of rythmn All in All has that great fast talking rythmn to it also - perfect with the strings, especially what I assume is a cello or stand up bass bowed. Very nice.

Days Go By - reminds me of Blind a little bit, same feel a little faster, lots of range.

Undone - I'm not quite sure why I like one, but it's awesome, I think I just like the upbeatness of it all.

The rest are awesome, but it's not anything I haven't already said. I give this one double points for being heartfelt and Jason Wade can sing to me anyday.

Show Review: 6.11.05

Show Review: 6.11.05 Dallas TX SouthFM/Canvas/Benchwarmer/Deep Ella

Canvas was the first band we really paid attention to, partially because it had been a while before since I had seen everyone, so I was running around taking pictures and saying hi. Anyways, shorter set than the night before, but still good. I like Paint the Roses, and that song I mentioned previously, but I can't figure out what the name of it was. Chrissy and I had a good time dancing in the front, and I love when the players notice you are rocking out and smile at you (yay Julian!). Good show, good show.

SouthFM played second tonight, and it was even better the second night. Paco played an acoustic version of The Game, which was beyond beautiful (and I got some pictures). Kirk from Greatness in Tragedy (who is awesome BTW) came and sang Surface with them, which was amazing (literally) and I love Kirk's voice. The set was very good, they started with Vesica Piscis, which was a different feel and very rockin'. The show was very upbeat, so it was good to be able to totally dance like woah. The after show mishaps are listed on my regular blog about Cafe Brazil.

Pictures are here

Show Reviews: 6.10.05

Show Review time!

6.10.05 - Odessa TX, SouthFM and Canvas
SouthFM went first, and it was blazin' awesome. I really enjoyed the set - I did miss getting to hear the "sleep with me" song (The Game), but they played every other song I love and enjoy. My favorite was probably Surface - they are doing a new section in the middle of it that is just incredible. Very impressive. Oh, and how I love fog machines - they do too. I got a couple of cool pictures of it, which are upload link at the end. Before the World Will End is always one of my favorites, along with Where Did You go. They've been covering Addict (by K's Choice), and while they played it a bit slower than I like, it was so awesome. Paco has a really good voice to cover the "oh-oh" parts in that song.

Canvas also had a good set. I wasn't into it as much because they played a lot of new stuff (cd release that night). The new stuff was really good though, I just had a hard time enjoying stuff I didn't know. I think they were a bit out of it too, because Joseph was acting a bit weird even for me. Brad saw that I was taking pictures of him, so he posed which I thought was amusing. 4 Days Awake and All About You were my favorite ones - and the new one about playing pool, and needing to leave town. It was different than their normal songs, which made me like it.

The after show sheenanigans were the best though. There were firecrackers (at least bass players will protect bass players ;) ), pie, roast beef, crazy plumber's butt (which involved a bet to pinch it), strange guys asking me about my shirt, everyone complimenting my hair, some hotel things I won't even mention...wow. We had a great time.

Pictures to be found here

Concert Weekend Plans

(side note: I just bought my killers tickets! YAY happy dances!!)

Friday Night:
Odessa, TX - Dos Amigos
SouthFM
Canvas

Saturday Night
Dallas, TX - Curtain Club
SouthFM
Canvas
Benchwarmer
Deep Ella (! YAY !)

IF you're in one of these cities, head out because it's good bands and good people. I'm about to take off for my fun filled road trip adventure, but first here's some lyrics for the road:

"The sun and moon are trading places
And no one seems to notice
We've only a few moments
Before the world will end

I dont know where you are
Or how you sleep at night
If you can sleep at all
Under this quiet sky
With only a few moments
Before the world will end
And no one seems to notice"
- Before the World Will End, SouthFM

I'll have pics and a review of the shows when I get back!

The Beginning

First off, I love this design, and when I have some free time I'm going to tweak it some for better access, add some comments/links on the sides and stuff. This was done by Maystar - who's an incredibly talented artist that I admire.

That out of the way, here's what this is. Part 2 of my revamp to my website (this being the first). I found that I was displeased with my old music pages, after having gone through about 3 of them. I just couldn't seem to get across what music is to me and what it does for me. All I could do is show people that I was involved and what I liked. But that's not enough for me it seems. Let's first say this:

MUSIC IS MY LIFE.

Whew. That's a big admission. Don't get me wrong, I love psychology, school, people, reading, etc etc - but nothing seems to pervade my life like music does. It moves me, inspires, and helps me through rough times. I couldn't define who I am with out including music in there. There will always be some way that I'll be involved with it.

So, this journal is the outpouring of that. Shows, reviews, talking about what moves me in artists, songs, albums - that sort of thing. Pictures too - yay for a new camera. But before I move on, there are some people worth mentioning who make it all worthwhile:

Thanks to Lauren/Chrissy/Jared - who've persauded me to come to shows, lent me their music, housed me in different cities, been some of my best friends throughout the past year (jesus, it has been a year since that fateful houston night!), I can't live without you guys, and going to stuff just isn't the same otherwise. To the bands that I've made friends with, who've let me in to see the inner workings of it all, and helped my band make it's start. To people who've loaned me cds of bands they thought were awesome - Cynthia (for my alt rock), Steve (for the Stones and Modest Mouse), and David (oh my god, can I have your whole indie collection, kthanks). But most importantly, to my parents - for getting me into band, all those lessons, money and energy put into the HS/College years, for understanding that their daughter isn't crazy for wanting to go to rock concerts, dye her hair blue, and pierce strange parts of her ear. (Ok, maybe a little crazy, but still successful). Thank you. And I'm done being sappy, now onto the music!