True Story

Hey guys, now it’s time for something completely different.  No, it’s  not just because I posted a random picture of a sushi clock.  I mean something new for my blog. But the sushi clock is funny huh?  Looks like it’s  Tuna past Squid O’Clock in this picture, and you know what that means…

Anyway, I will now be adding a section to my blog called “True Story”.  Whenever I encounter  something completely crazy, hilarious, and “only in New York City”  I am going to jot it down here.  Yesterday, I had such an happening.  Let me paint you a picture.

It’s about 6:30 PM, a nice but a chilly 55 degrees out, and I  decided to do a long walk down to Union Square.  When I get to Union Square I realize that I feel like writing in my journal.  I pop in my phones, whip out my journal, and start writing.  All of a sudden my pocket starts vibrating.  It’s my phone.  As I take the call I find out that there is some bad news, actually some upsetting news about someone close to me.   I get a little upset and get a little misty eyed.  I couldn’t help  it. As  I sit on the bench with my dark aviators covering my eyes, I  am confident enough that no one can see me tearing it up in public. I guess I was completely incognito (or maybe it’s just because I am sitting in the most crazy magnet prone part of the city) because out of nowhere  I feel someone standing in front of me (I am looking down at my journal now).  Into my nostrils comes the nice fresh scent of Campbell’s soup (could that be b.o.?,)  and cigarettes.  I look up and a bum is standing before me  smoking a cigarette. At first I look at him through dark colored specs like  “are you kidding me. Go away!”  Then  I notice that he has a sign.  It s a long strip of cardboard that reads:

” Can I be your sexy time Playboy?”

No, no. I shake my head, hoping he walks away. Then he pulls out another cardboard sign:

“I promise I am not as queer as Brad Pitt.”

What this means, I cannot tell you.

No, no, I shoo him away with my hand one more time. He leaves and  moves onto the next couple sitting on the bench next to me.

I think the debacle is over, which with him it is. I go back to listening to my music, and obviously  way over being upset  I decide that I am gonna chill out and listen to some tunes.  Just when I think crazy times in Union Square are over I hear a sound come bursting through my headphones.  The bum who was sitting about 2 yards away from my has awoken from his slumber.  He decides that it is time to wake up and  let the whole world know about Jesus.  But this is not just any kind of rant.  This is a singing rant. A singing rant in which the bum decided to sign to us all his lovely words of wisdom “Lord Jesus is gonna save you! He loves you! Just ask me. I know!!” He then stands up, unzips his pants, turns behind him and  takes a piss in the bushes next to the bench.

Oh, how I love New York.

True story.

Playlist Of Today

Some new and old, and just righteous.  Here’s how I’m feeling today:

1. Hysteric- Yeah Yeah Yeahs

2. Cuddle Fuddle- Passion Pit

3. Evangeline- Handsome Furs

4. Drive Away My Heart- Ida Maria

5. The Wizard- Bat For Lashes

6. Lovertits- Peaches

7. My Delirium- Ladyhawke

8. Get Off Of My Cloud- The Rolling Stones

Click on Icon below to listen

My Rhapsody Playlist

Bat For Lashes- Two Suns

While this album came out at the top of this month (April 7, 2009) it is still relatively new to the scene.  I have been absorbing it for the past few days and let me say- holy shit.  This is amazing! Not only is Bat’s driving and mainly only force Natasha Khan simply beautiful and interesting to look it, but her music can stand neck and neck with her aestheticism.  While I listen to her music I can see how she has been inspired and impressed by artists that are so near and dear to my heart-  Tori Amos, and PJ Harvey. Clearly, major players in the indie music scene for 2 decades now.  Smattered into her workings is  the whimsy of  even Sufjan Stevens, (whose musical sensibility I find to be very appealing) mixed with something newer and a bit more edgy like Ladyhawke. Whatever she is doing here, it is genre-less and just… wow spellbinding. Never mind while it is similar to this artist or that, it is completely her own thing.

This is not the kind of album you’re going to listen to when you want to groove or move, and perhaps not something you want to listen to when you are completely sad either.  It’s hard to classify what you’re actually hearing here, but if I had to say it was anything I would say it was Scorpionic.  After checking out Natasha Khan’s bio on wiki, I see that she is a Scorpio (and being ever the astrology scholar) I can say that her music is a product of such sentiment, especially  one of a female born and bred on music in the 80’s- 00’s.  Something tells me Natasha Khan would not have a problem with me making this insight.

While her first album was pretty darn cool, (interesting, albeit not as firmly connected musically as this sophomore release), this second album seems to be more synched with a theme, and the musical itself feels like it has more momentum and energy thrown ino this mix. The eclectic concoction of instruments really make a difference on the new album, giving it that standout sound.

Favorite Tracks: Glass, Siren Song, Daniel, Moon and Moon

Album Rating: 8 out of 10

Check it out:

Bat For Lashes- Two Suns (<— click to listen to album)

Naked In Front Of My Office

I dig Matt and Kim.  Although their “privates” get blurred out, in their newest video “Lessons Learned”, M& K run around naked in slow mo and surprise NYC tourists.  What makes it especially crazy is that it’s Times Square, and not  Nowhereville, OH.  I work in Times Square, and in fact, the video ends right in front of my office. (I can see our suite windows in the background right above Bubba Gump Shrimp). I know how crowded it gets down there, and they got balls (literally).  Of course you say “duh, it’s Times Sqaure, of course it get’s crowded”.  No, no no my friend. You have NO IDEA how beastly it gets.  I could go into a whole diatribe about what days are the worst, what months are tourist hell, and what corners are the most road blocked, but I digress.  Looks they filmed in winter too, which I give them even more props for.  Crazy buggers.

Sia & Lady Gaga

Isn’t it great when someone has a naturally beautiful voice? I have been into watching live performances lately. I really like to hear the real deal.

Below is is performance by Lady Gaga in Britain. Really like this performance. I like how she has a rebel spirit. It’s not all pop and shenanigans.  Good for her. Quirky bird.

Just A Quick Note

Dear Spring,

Thank you for finally coming out to play. I almost went mad. Let the trees bloom and the love flow!

Love,

Nic

Brooklyn Botanical Gardens

My New Favorite Scandinavian

So a friend of mine saw her live and recommended that I check this artist out.  I think his exact words were  “she was shamwow”.  I would have to agree.  This album has been on my playlist for a few weeks now, and I can’t get enough of it.  After doing a little wiki work, I  found that out lovely Ms. Ida Maria is from Norway, and about 25 yrs. old.  This to me already explains a lot about her music.  Why she has the brilliant little Scandinavian accent that distorts words like  “polished” and “cure”.  Something about that accent is very familiar to me and I thought “where have I heard this before?” Ah yes, it came to me.  Bjork. She even looks a little Bjork-y.  My favorite tracks right now are “Stella”, “I Like You So Much Better When You’re Naked”, “Drive Away My Heart” and “Oh My God”.  OMG clearly stands out as her first single, and speaks to an audience of  drug laden hipsters who may be too stoned to take any responsibility  for their  demolished love lives. Much of the styling of this song is akin to an anthem, which is a brilliant little thing that Ida does to reel you in and get you  hooked.  I could touch upon every song in this album and say that it is about sex, disappointment, and the silver lining in the whole situation, or you could just take a listen for yourself.  I am not one to really go for a repeatetive theme on any album, but on this one  it just works.

She definitely has a punk sensibility that really  meshes well with her sexy whiskey voice. Like I said, the lyrics to her songs are about the typical pangs of angst that one may feel about twenty-something love, nothing new to the indie punk genre, but no one can deny that this girl has her own style.  She can definitely write a good pop song, and I for one think that she has what it takes to branch out on her next record. I guess that’s a wait and see, but til then enjoy her first:

Fortress ‘Round My Heart by Ida Maria

All Points West 2009

Hmmm… it’s an easy choice for me. I think I am going with the Friday show.

Beasties, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Vampire Weekend?  Check, I’m there.

I dig MGMT,  and My Bloody Valentine is one of those acts that I really really should see. However, I don’t want to buy two tickets.  After all this is a recession!  Maybe I can score a freebie somewhere… Anyone? Anyone?  Echo and the Bunnymen is also pretty clutch but I am not down for seeing Coldplay.  Been there, done that several times, that was good enough.  But eh, if you haven’t seen Coldplay I recommend you see them at least once. They do a really nice light show, and from what I can tell it’s apart of their performance.

http://www.apwfestival.com/lineup/

Here is a pic took last year at APW. Oh summer, wherefore art thou?

Lyrics Of The Day

And I like sometimes to wave it high
Up where everyone can see
I’m a lady
Got my mind made up
Got my mind made up

I know I spend magic reel it out
Try to hold a light to me
I’m a lady
Got my mind made up
Got my mind made up

I like to watch the way the wind blows
What does it know that I don’t yet
Ooh, oh, look so pretty now
You’re just so sweet
Let’s see how far you can get
See just how far you can get

She’s so fine

-”I’m a Lady” by Santigold

Wow, I can get sexual too…

OK,  so I know the song (“Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too” by Say Anything)  is 3 years old, but I woke up this morning with it stuck in my head and I just thought-  “I never saw the video”.  I did see the video for “Alive With The Glory of Love” and I simply loved it, so I had to take a peak at this one.

(Unfortunately I cannot embed the vid, so here:)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpWGhCTw_l8&feature=related

I youtubed the vid, and there he was-  Mr. Angst & Energy in all his glory.  There is something kinda hot about all that energy. You can tell that Mr. Bemis was on the brink of tortured  angst and grown up sensuality. Is anyone else with me on this? In some shots he looks totally manly and in others I feel like I am peaking into his teenage hood. Either way this video is just so many things.  Hilarious, random, bizarre, mocking, and self loathing. Surely, it was apart of the emo rock scene that was rampant 3 years ago, but I think that Say Anything has a couple more punches left in ‘em. Their second release was kinda good… sorta similar to the first, but I am looking for more. I suppose it’s time for me to do some research and for them to put out something good that isn’t necessarily in “defense of the genre”.

I wonder if he still as tortured?  Most likely.  Past reports of his mental condition have always been a muck with strife and over the counter meds.  I mean really,  listen to the structure of most Say Anything songs.  They are all madly sassy,  shift rhythm and key frenetically-  music only written by a mad man.  Hmmm…  I think that’s kinda sexy (in a completely self damning sort of way).  Oh Max…you lunatic.  Rawr….