Matsumoto Sky

so long...

2006-05-29T09:20:00.000-07:00

This marks the end of the matsumoto chapter. my time has lately become too involved in numerous worldly activities and life/death adventures to continue my teachings, so i'll depart leaving this olde favorite behind for you to enjoy.

Mekons - Last Dance

science. it's what's for dinner

2006-05-18T22:36:00.001-07:00

Alton Brown is my new favorite pop culture cooking hero. He's got this show on the food network called Good Eats where he explores the origins of ingredients, explaining the chemistry behind the food we eat. recipes, science, history, tools. plus a quirky sense of humour. i realize i'm probably a big fan of this guy just like thousands of charmed grandmas nationwide, but i don't care. realizing i had the food network has helped me discover my inner-iron chef. gotta go, my peanut butta drop cookies are nearly completed.

yay, no cops!

2006-05-18T21:59:00.000-07:00

This past friday i attended a comedy show featuring michael showalter, eugene mirman, and leo allen. showalter co-founded The State, the cult classic sketch comedy show that ran on mtv in the early ninties. along with david wain, michael ian black, they formed Stella, a nighclub in nyc, and last year- a comedy central show with the same name. let's just say, this is some halarious stuff. i wished they'd stop being funny for at least a minute as not to sprain my jaw. check out eugene mirman's site, namely the videos section.
eugenemirman.com
+ michaelshowalter.com

march into the sea

2006-05-14T16:29:00.000-07:00

On only their sixth stop on an extended north american expedition, mono and pelican have perfected quite a show. It was a warm, sweet spring evening; Mono took stage at about nine and it was gorgeous. soul freeing, earth moving, and mind numbing progressions have forever propelled my body into a state of pure aliveness. Much better than initially expected.
As for Pelican, they were unreal. In their presence, even my shadow acquired the sensation of enchantment.

Pelican - Last Day of Winter
Mono - The flames beyond the Cold Moutain

hothouse jammin

2006-05-11T13:02:00.000-07:00

Some time between preparing custom fruit baskets for demanding senior citizens and replenishing the rapidly diminishing supply of bogo mangos, my partner of produce, Adrian, managed to write this sweet breath of air. through varnishing instruments made completely from banana trees, which are actually not trees at all, but in fact giant herbs, having no wood at all- his music is all that more fresh.
Adrian Lucero - The Good of Life

live - WILDERNESS

2006-05-07T22:45:00.000-07:00

This was such a transcendent performance. It’s twenty-four hours after the fact, and my ears are still happily ringing in sync with the assemblage of so much harmonizing cacophony. As the band glides smoothly from one powerfully flawless rock jive to another, James Johnson dances like I do every time I listen to the album in my room before my mother intrudes- slow nods, underwater tai-chi, and hypnotizing orchestration-style hand movements that magically call for that next progression. Welcome to Wilderness. Eu-fucking-phoric.

The Wilderness - Emergency

phew, what a dayz

2006-05-07T20:40:00.000-07:00

Me oh my. In the wake of birthdays, nine-to-fives, and exams, I completely forgot I even had a blog. Two rowed weeks gone and I left nothing but an awful sizzling rant about mtv. I’ve likely lost all eight of my day to day loyalist readers. If they’re still alive, I’d like to beg pardon for allowing your brains to wilt away like soggy, decomposing cabbages. The absence has left my own mind hungry for some [lightly sugared snozberries of] knowledge.
I recently got a new i-pod so it goes without saying, I feel way cooler now. I took time out this evening to gather up, organize, and eventually condense my music collection to ready the device for much importation. In my three hours of locating, then alphabetizing cds, I came across a bevy of olde stuff I hadn’t rewarded my ears with for far too long. Including Fog’s Ether Teeth. I couldn’t believe I only ever listened to this album once. Brilliance!

Fog - What A Day Day
If you need me call my lawyer...

+ Fog - CheerUpCheerily

yo momma tried

2006-04-25T18:30:00.000-07:00

Dear MTV;
For as far back as i can recall, you have been that shady dictator from the depths of my cable box- the very channel my grandfather blocked out upon my childhood visits, for he knew too well of the repercussions of a moment to many of your spring break bikini coverage! you, mtv- whose globe spanning influence and corrupt programing has since led to the demise of countless peers- reduced them to petrified stumps! zombiefied! no other evil on earth could make Paulie Shore appear so acceptably normal. you= dumbing down the worldwide youth since '81.

How i yearn for some entertainment, some knowledge, some diversity- and the multicultured theatrics of shows like "Date My Mom" and the latest intellect buzzkill, "Yo Momma" are nothing less than insulting. 'Bad' does not begin to describe these programs, it seems almost lazy- what they are is hurting America. i'll finish collecting these spontaneously realized understandings- after a glass of apple juice- in a publication i'll call mtv: will kill your children.

Happy Earth Day

2006-04-21T20:55:00.000-07:00

what's your ecological footprint?

Apparently, if everyone lived like me, we'd need nearly 4.5 planets. Go Earth!

my heartbeats

2006-04-17T15:15:00.000-07:00

So The Knife have pretty much been the eggy to my toast all day. Silent Shout is by far the greatest thing i have heard this year. Extraordinary techno trance lullabies straight from outer space into my low-lit, dusty bedroom. This album would go great as the soundtrack to a planetarium dance party; an event i plan on holding and calling "cosmic collisions: fuse your bodies"
To my delight, the domestic release of the album will be available via Mute Records on July 25th.

The Knife - Silent Shout
I'm listening to 'Silent Shout' during summer nights, riding my bruiser of a bike over the country club hills.

+ The Knife - One Hit

moments dreamed

2006-04-14T22:32:00.000-07:00

I am not a mechanical engineer. Why am I enrolled in a College of Engineering & Technology? Who told me to come here? Differential equations, thermo-fluid dynamics, and composite material science? This isn’t me. I am not savvy in the art of estimating minimal velocity increments required to launch a payload so many kilometers per picosecond under conditions of STP. Someone out there is, though. Somebody out there has such a calling and maybe one day they’ll discover something that’ll change the world. I don’t want to change the world; well, it’d be nice, but I’m grounded enough to understand basic concepts of probability. I just want to be happy. I want to make people happy. It’s been a long evening wandering the house asking self cerebral questions, craving prickly pear toast and looking for a jigsaw puzzle (search was bust), but I’m retiring and will continue to elaborate on this revelation tomorrow. If you think you have a good suggestion as to what I can do with my life, whether it be the golf ball marshall at your local driving range or travel to Africa, for...some reason, let me hear it. (Let’s try to keep the ideas payin the bills. I gotta family to feed)

Dave Longstreth - We Are Striving

fun with tracks

2006-03-30T12:18:00.000-08:00

The Undertones! a majorly definative band in my middle school journey to musical maturity. strong, impassioned songs about the fundamental importantance of chocolate, twistin', male modeling, and girls. what more did i need to guide me through those turbulent years of spiritual development.
The Undertones - Teenage Kicks

here be a cover! The Charming Snakes have owned my fucking week.
The Charming Snakes - Teenage Kut Out

"teenage kicks right through the night!"

The King cometh

2006-03-27T12:19:00.000-08:00

Many of you will recall just last year when BB king payed a visit to the Norva, and those of you who know me probably remember my cantankerous saltyness after coming so close to being there, and missing it. My disapointment only grew after a friend of mine told me that this year, after 60+ years of consecutive tours, This Year was going to be his last tour Ever and he's not coming anywhere near VA. But! i did a little research, and turns out it's just the blues legend's last World tour. he will continue his live performances in the US. Bless this man. Eighty years old, king of his domain, and still plays the blues with that relentless passion. time has no apparent effect but to only make him more cherished and relevant than ever. with an average of 250 concerts a year, BB's obviously alive in a grateful world who can't get enough.

here's a cut from a more recent album, Makin' Love Is Good For You, released in 2000. just to show you how much soul he's still got.
BB King - I Got To Leave This Woman

+BB King & Eric Clapton - Three O'Clock Blues
damn, songs like this make me wish i drank whiskey and played piano.

gettin nobler

2006-03-20T08:10:00.000-08:00

Blogging has really been pretty lame lately. It's not you. ok, maybe it is you, but i'm not angry. i guess it's partly my fault. i've suffered extreme unmotivation, deinspiration and possibly even feelings of non-jubilation. until today, i've been pretty bummed. here's a conversation i had with myself in philosophy last week:
me: you ever have that daydream where there's an emergency and you have to leave immediatley but when you go to back out of the driveway...
myself:...babies?
me: yes! you can't back up so you try getting out and tossing them aside, but they just keep crawling back! what do you do?
myself: wake up in a sweat.
but it's gettin better. just today i've done my taxes, subscribed to Newsweek, and had a banana for breakfast. i feel so much better. to top it off i'm leaving my grocery pushin position at the Teet to be the much more respected and highly idolized 'produce guy'. oh how awesome this is gonna be. No more coupons, stinkin bosses, and VIC cards- just me, my produce homies, my produce knife and produce leather pouch, and the produce.

The Knife - We Share Our Mother’s Health this song is so awesome. i haven't bought it yet, but the albums kick ass too. thanks guava!

+ everyone should check out Black Balloon. His blog is better than mine.

live - Mogwai

2006-03-13T17:36:00.000-08:00

Last week, i trucked it to Charlottesville to witness the living, breathing, loving beast that is Mogwai. This show was so unbelievably good [not to mention the stay overnight at a place with a vacant pool/jacuzzi, and bitchin cooked-to-order breakfast.] My friend and I got to the venue, after a relaxing swim, about 40 minutes early. To me, that was late, but we still ended up being the first ones in the door. I guess Mogwai fans prefer to stand on their toes and whip out their monocles. They opened with Auto Rock, the first track off the newest album, and had a nice mix of older and newer songs after that, but really, they could have played Rammstein and it still woulda been fuckin incredible.

folk death 95 - mp3

**mr. beast map this is the band's interactive tour diary where you can now find some photos i took at the show. just click Charlottesville. walla!

Conscious: Interview

2006-03-03T10:51:00.000-08:00

-For the record, who are you and where are you from?
Conscious The Renaisannce Man... Ha ha. Or just plain ol Conscious. I'm originally from Long Beach, Cali. I grew up between the Bronx & Harlem. Currently reside in theBronx.

-This is a prewritten interview, but what the hell, how are you doin Conscious?
I'm doin well for the most part I've been having a great year thus far. Right now I'm trynah lay low and get my self to 100%. I've been running around alot at night have a lil bit of a throat situation now. Lost my voice like twice in the course of 2 or so weeks.

-So, how'd you first get into hip-hop?
Hmmm... isn't it horrible when you ask someone a question and they can't answer. Well I'll say I really became totally immersed in it in like 98-99 of course before that I was listening to Tribe and Wu Tang during highschool but it was actually a few years after highschool that I really appreciated Hiphop for what it embodied. Listening to We Are Black Star and De La Da Stakes Is High, (My Favorite Hiphop Album to date) I basically was amazed by emcees spilling language on top of banging beats. One Day It'll All Make Sense was played until it was stolen. As was Extinction Agenda. I used to work in a theatre lighting shop before 2000 and everyday you'd hear Dr. Octagon blazing through half broken speakers.

-I'm actually headed to NYC for the first time in about a month, and I think most who haven't been there have this magical image of cultural explosion. What's the real hip hop scene in the nyc? How's it growing/expanding?
Currently, NYC isn't looking too great. We get a lot of folks that travel out here just to see where all this amazing stuff began. Folks from overseas sometimes literally think you're gonna see someone breakin in the middle of every street. I think it's cool to love all that. It's wonderful. But it's 2006. Time to evolve make forward movement. Unfortunately, New York is a town where we have an abundance of talent and an abundance of not so talented. Sad thing is though we have a lot of folks that want to be independent but aren't built to be that. Artists in general fall into like 3 basic catergories. Trynah get on. Talented with no business sense. Talented with business sense but no real team to push them forward. And then you have some katz that are all together and making forward movement. So you have 4 types actually.
There are individuals and groups attempting to reclaim some sorta control over our circuit. It's just gonna take a lot of work and persistance. Less crying about what's going on that they can't stand, more making things happen. The more we focus on what we can do and actually make steps towards doing it the better off we are and the faster we'll see apparant changes in the movement.

-Hip-hop in the mainstream today seems to be platinum albums, gold teeth, and rims- where's the counter-culture gone?
Back Underground.

-From my memories of high school lunch- kids are holding much hyped battles... the subject matter of which was never anything really wide open, just bust on the guy in front of you. Hip-hop is about togetherness, using your voice, and edgy-ness. Where'd all the hate-matter come from?
Ha ha Puffy created that term. Man, honestly I'm about making some good music so I won't even talk about the foolishness that is going on. Progress. I'll talk about that.

-You're music is rather uplifting, artful, and outside the box. any particular influences?
Life... Ha ha. Man whatever that energy in uni-verse funnels through me falls from my pen. Then you guys hear it. I'm thrilled you feel that it's uplifting.

-You and others recently played a tribute show for J Dilla; one of I'm sure many worldwide... howd that go?
I can honestly say it was one of the greatest experiences I've ever had. I'm happy I had access to a venue and I was able to get the word out on short notice. Word travels fast over the net. There are so many people that love J Dilla. I felt that it had to be done. I wanted to get folks in the same place and enjoy what he created. It was a great opportuinity to introduce a lot of progressive folks I felt needed to meet. Have to do it again next year.

-I read somewhere you dabble in improv? are there any other talents you've shed on society we should know about?
Yeah I do a lil improv. I actually have done a lil bit of acting(You can find me on the IMDB but if I tell you my government name I'll have to hunt you down and kill you). Some modeling. I'm in a catalog for jaskclothing (http://www.jaskclothing.com/) I started performing with poetry first about 6 years ago. I slammed. Did the Nuyorican thing. Never won a friday night spot. But performed there twice on friday. I got over not earning a spot through winning a slam pretty fast. I also paint and do various forms of visual art. Photography. There are some clothes on the way.

-What is freehiphopnow.com?
FHHN is basically a portal to information. A place to discover new artist and read new things. Educate! Enteratin! & Empower! is the motto. It all started though becuase a partner of mine wanted to give away his album. Funny we never gave away his album. FREE HIPHOP NOW really stands for free you mind. We're not attempting to force any ideaologies on visitors. Just push forward a progressive wave.

-Finally, any words of wisdom?
There are 2 kinds of people in this world. Those that make things happen. And the rest.
Take care of your health.
Be easy.

-Conscious, you're a quite the individual and i'm happy to have you enlighten me. take care friend.
You too.

Conscious Links!
consciouspodcast.com
consciousme.blogspot.com
yourmoneytree.blogspot.com
myspace.com/conscious

Band Of Horses

2006-02-22T10:47:00.000-08:00

Caught these guys some months back with Iron & Wine and was really impressed. I remember this show pretty well cause i took my younger brother, who i'd been trying to enlighten, and even he was pleased. They have a turned up Jim James like sound- echoy vocals heartfully sung miles away from the microphone. They've only made online demos and ltd.ed. tour eps available to the public, but their first full length finally makes landfall on March.21. Here's a cut from from their website where there's a few more demos that i think you'll enjoy.

Band of Horses - Funeral

+ they also just added a fifth member, Joe Narnone, of Seattle's Charming Snakes. Hmm...
++ just found the album version of the song, Download! damn, this song is the shit.

Psychic Ills - 'Dins'

2006-02-18T11:51:00.000-08:00

I try to talk about the records i've purchased recently, and that are, themselves recent. Since i'm usually spending my weekly pocket money on albums that passed me by, I don't post too frequently. But when i do choose to spotlight something, it's likely gonna be new, and gonna be something i think is pretty damn good. and this record is incredible. I'd burn you a copy, but the original told me I really shouldn't do that.

Another Day Another Night - mp3

Gonna do tha Cold Heat!

2006-02-16T17:47:00.000-08:00

I have an affinity for good funk. Always have- but never dove into the subject as much as i would like to. There's so much funk gold out there though, and as much as i'd like to be some crate-diggin seasoned funk fiend, i'll have survive this east coast suburbia gig first. Here's some choice tracks from Cold Heat: Heavy Funk Rarities 1968-1974, Vol. 1. If you digg, the attached booklet for this compilation is 28 pages of enough file photos and artist profiles to make me feel knowledgable.

The Detroit Sex Machines - The Stretch
The Soul Seven – The Cissy Thang
Leroy & The Drivers – The Sad Chicken

Jason Collett

2006-02-15T16:34:00.000-08:00

Jason Collett: Idols of Exile
Label: Arts & Crafts
Release Date: 02/07/06

Unlike Broken Social Scene, who pretty much take songs and EXPLODE them into complete awesomeness, Collett's solo work is more roots-rock influenced, but still amazing.
Tracklisting:

1. Fire
2. Hangover Days
3. Brownie Hawkeye
4. We All Lose One Another
5. Parry Sound
6. I’ll Bring The Sun
7. Tinsel And Sawdust
8. Feral Republic
9. Pavement Puddle Stars mp3
10. Almost Summer
11. Pink Night
12. These Are The Days mp3

Mogwai - Mr. Beast

2006-02-13T19:05:00.000-08:00

If anyone asks me what my favorite band is, I usually don’t provide a reply, just prevaricate round the bush- as if I’d be exiled to loneliness with only this band’s complete discography, so I better not fuck up. Well, ladies and gentlemen, I’m gonna go ahead and just tell you, my favorite band is Mogwai. And I really don’t think I need to provide any further explaination, because you just can’t argue. (Go ahead, try) The new album, Mr. Beast, will be released March First, and it is nothing less than incredible. 'it's bigger than words and lighter than pictures'. March 4, they'll be in Charlottesville. Bound to be the show of the year.

tracklisting:

1. Auto Rock
2. Glasgor Mega-Snake
3. Acid Food
4. Travel is Dangerous
5. Team Handed
6. Friend of the Night
7. Emergency Trap
8. Folk Death 95 mp3
9. I Chose Horses
10. We’re No Here

Jay-Dee passes away at 32

2006-02-10T19:00:00.000-08:00

...and i only just got to know his glory.

full story Here.

the dirty projector

2006-02-08T16:05:00.000-08:00

non-important gob: The week has left my pockets two dollars til next tuesday. no $ for new music meant diggin through rows of older stuff- something i realized i need to do much more often. I asked myself a lot of "why haven't i listened to this, i bought it like a month ago" questions. In the mix of rediscovery was The Dirty Projectors, "The Glad Fact" + "The Getty Address". Not to mention the solo release of the D.P.'s frontman and geniouso, Dave Longstreth, entitled "The Graceful Fallen Mango". importanter: Dave Longstreth [D-Lo] has one of the most unique and inventive styles to come out of the indie scene this decade. I-tunes classifies the D.P. as unclassifiable, i'll classify it as lo-fi bittersweet orchestrated whimsy aztec rock. D-Lo's voice croons, sinks, shouts, and moans across beautiful Segovia-ish guitar strums, fluttering flutes, and way more. On "The Getty Address", he has done a precise job in arranging recorded samples of orchestras and women's choirs + writing/recording his own, digitally deconstructing it all, and then sang over the reorganized parts. cool huh? yeap.

Jolly Jolly Ego from the Getty Address

+ Lay Down Restless Bones from The Graceful Fallen Mango

seja marginal, seja herói

2006-02-04T22:24:00.000-08:00

Tropicália was a movement in Brazil that lasted little more than a year (1968) and ended primarily due to the imprisonment and deportation of its two main protagonists, Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil. and that's about all i could begin to tell you about it right now. One thing about buying a record like this, you feel like an afficionado in the genre by the first few listens. It just grows on you. when i bought my first buena vista social club album, by track two, i was ready to light up the Cubans and toast to a new day cruzin round in a rusted out '47 Pontiac. Especially from an outfit like Soul Jazz- who continually do a superb job in producing records that give true followers everything they'd expect, as well as satisfy new comers with an in depth background- you really get a feel for the music. to truly appreciate it, one really should do a little history. with world music particularly, it's not likely for one to enjoy the music and not want to know more about the origins. if you are at all interested in one of these tracks, i definitely recommend a further exploration, you'll thank me.

i bought this album after hearing just the first track by giberto gil.
from Tropicalia, A Brazilian Revolution In Sound:
Gilberto Gil - Bat Mucuba
Os Mutantes - A minha Menina

February Love Mix

2006-02-02T08:42:00.000-08:00

It's a month full of cliches. Roses, bad poetry, and all around sappiness. But we don't care! As my Love-month gift to you and yours, i've compiled some of the Infinite songs that will likely end up on similar (but few superior) mixes. Now, i'm not tryin to get a lot of indie-cred on this one (Kids, every bright eyes song won't fit on one cd!), & that's not what direction i'm goin for.
Get it. Give it to your lovah.
[to download mix (.zip) right click HERE ]

Lovematic Directions:
01. Fruit Bats - "When U Love Somebody"
02. Bettye Swann -"I'm Lonely For You"
03. Bob Dylan - "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight"
04. Antony & The Johnsons - "Fistful Of Love"
05. Broken Social Scene - "Love And Mathematics"
06. Belle & Sebastian - "If You Find Yourself Caught In Love"
07. The Clash -"Lover's Rock"
08. John Prine - "Glory Of True Love"
09. Nicolai Dunger - "Something In The Way"
10. Elliott Smith - "The Biggest Lie"
11. Iron & Wine - "Love And Some Verses"
12. Jimi Hendrix - "Bold As Love"
13. Johnny Cash - "Straight A's In Love"
14. Norman Blake - "You Are My Sunshine"
15. Paul Simon - "Love Me Like A Rock"
16. Sam Cooke - "Sugar Dumpling (original version)"
17. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - "All Over Again"
18. Stiff Little Fingers - "Barbed Wire Love"
19. Waylon Jennings - "You Ask Me To"
20. José González - "Save Your Day"
21. Joe Brown - "I'll See You In My Dreams"

*upon listening, feelings are subject to change