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Archive for February, 2014

B. J. Novak–“”The Man Who Invented the Calendar”” (New Yorker, November 4, 2013)

Posted in B.J. Novak, Funny (ha ha), Metallica, New Yorker, Rodrigo y Gabriela, The Office, Tiny Desk Concert on February 9, 2014| Leave a Comment »

CV1_TNY_11_04_13Brunetti.inddSOUNDTRACK: RODRIGO Y GABRIELA-Tiny Desk Concert #30 (October 19, 2009).

Iryg have seen the names of Rodrigo y Gabriela for quite some time, but I never knew what they were about.  I assumed they played world music or something (shame on me).  They are a Mexican couple living in Dublin and they have several albums out.  When the Concert opens, Bob Boilen says that the first time he heard them, he was blown away.

And I was too.

Holy crap.  Rodrigo and Gabriela play nylon string acoustic guitars, and they play them like nobody I have ever heard before.  Gabriela plays a lot of percussive sounds with her strings and the body of her guitar.  And Rodrigo is all over the map–doing heavy metal chords (they play Metallica’s “Orion” on their debut album), and flying solos in addition to flamenco notes and even sound effects.  It is a  stunning display of virtuosity and melody.

My only complaint about this Tiny Desk Concert  is that it is too short!  I need to hear more.

They play two songs in about 12 minutes and each one is amazing.  They dazzle your ears as they play, and watching them do it is even better.

[READ: January 5, 2014] “The Man Who Invented the Calendar”

B.J. Novak wrote for and acted on The Office.  This comic piece is about the man, well, who invented the calendar.

The tone of the piece is contemporary with lots of current phrasing–fun with anachronism.

But it is also a funny idea of him deciding to make the calendar starting January 1st. He says he came up with the idea way back on Day After Day After Very Cloudy Day.  His initial plan: one thousand days a year, divided into twenty-five months, forty days a month.  Easy.

At first, the man is enjoying the compliments he’s getting–a guy who says he’s going to organize his life around it.  And Alice says she doesn’t know if she’s busy, she’ll have to check her calendar (wink).

But of course, complaints start to build.  By January 30, people are sick of January.  So all the months will just have 30 days instead.  Or maybe 31.

Soon enough, Alice is his biggest supporter.  Then things get weird on February 14th.  (more…)

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Donald Antrim–“Fed” (New Yorker, November 4, 2013)

Posted in Depression, Donald Antrim, Food, John Vanderslice, New Yorker, Tiny Desk Concert on February 8, 2014| Leave a Comment »

CV1_TNY_11_04_13Brunetti.inddSOUNDTRACK: JOHN VANDERSLICE-Tiny Desk Concert #29 (October 7, 2009).

Ivanderslice only know about John Vanderslice from NPR.  He’s an artist that Bob and Robin have talked about him forever.  They play a song of each of his new albums, so I know quite a few of his tracks from over the years (he has put out ten albums since 2000).  And yet I have never seen his name anywhere else.  I’m fascinated by this, because he must have a following or he wouldn’t still be recording.  Turns out Vanderslice created a recording studio called Tiny Telephone where many big name alternative bands have recorded.  He also recently finished a Kickstarter campaign to create his own label which was hugely successful.

Most of his songs I find are nto that memorable at first.  But after two or three listens, all of their amazing features come out and the songs become wonderful–full of unexpected layers and instrumentation.

The Tiny Desk Concert contains four songs from his then recent album Romanian Names.  his band consists of two acoustic guitars, a bass guitar, a flute and saxophone (often playing in a way that sounds very un-sax-like) and a drummer who is playing a Surdo drum–the kind usually used in parades.  It is a deep resonating drum (especially when he gives it a good loud whack).

The four songs are diverse (within the confines of the band, of course) and passionate.  Vanderslice’s voice is pleasant, but it’s the way he uses it around the melodies (and especially the big minor chords that really sets his stuff apart) that makes these songs sound great.  Like the way the “still wide-eyed, you” section builds in “Romanian Names.”  The saxophone playing what sounds like a guitar solo is very very cool in the second song, “Forest Knolls.”  “Too Much Time” is a more upbeat song (it’s neat to see the cool percussion he gets out of one drum).  The final song “Sunken Union Boat” makes good use of the flute.  It’s a great set and makes me think that Romanian Names would be a good place to start with his studio albums.

[READ: January 5, 2014] “Fed”

Antrim’s story is a personal reflection.  He talks about the breakdown he had a couple of years ago.  He also talks about suicide (see, food stories always seem to be about something else).

The doctors were worried about him when he left for home–being older and by himself seemed like a dangerous way for him to live at the moment.  This was especially true as he was having trouble with coordination, which mean that cooking was out of the question.  This made things even worse because Antrim loved to cook.  (more…)

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Zadie Smith–“Take It or Leave It” (New Yorker, November 4, 2013)

Posted in Food, KEXP 90.3 FM--Seattle, WA, Lee Ranaldo, New Yorker, Sonic Youth, Zadie Smith on February 7, 2014| Leave a Comment »

CV1_TNY_11_04_13Brunetti.inddSOUNDTRACK: LEE RANALDO AND THE DUST-Live at KEXP (December 8, 2013).

leeThis show was recorded before the holidays in 2013.  For some reason, it wasn’t posted online until Jan 31.  But whatever the reason, I’m glad it was featured.

During the dissolution (or whatever) of Sonic Youth, much has been made of both Thurston and Kim’s new projects.  But Lee Ranaldo tends to get lost in the shuffle (which is probably how he likes it).  During the break, Lee has been plugging away on two solo albums.  His latest one, with The Dust, is more of a band effort, with contributions from everyone: Steve Shelley (talk about getting lost in the shuffle, poor Steve) on drums, Tim Lüntzel on bass and Alan Licht on guitar.  Licht plays some wonderful guitar solos and sounds (although Lee handles most of the weird sounds).  I think what’s interesting about these songs is that although they feel like Sonic Youth, they have a “pretty” guitar solo which really changes the overall feel of the song.

Ranaldo has written (and sung) some of my favorite Sonic Youth tracks.  I always assumed that his tracks sounded great when they were balanced with the rest of the album.  But these songs sounds very Ranaldo and they are all fantastic.

The first song, “Keyhole” is part beautiful melody and part beautiful noise.  Ranaldo writes chords that work perfectly together and yet which don’t sound like an obvious pairing.  And his vocal phrasing is always perfect for the music he makes–his voice is not spectacular but it is really quite perfect.  The second song, “Off the Wall” has the most commercial-sounding chorus I’ve heard from a Sonic Youth alum.  I almost don’t like it, although the rest of the song is very cool.

They play a cover of The Velvet Underground’s “Rock n Roll” which fits in perfectly with their sound (even if Lee doesn’t hit the falsetto “fine fine” notes).  The final song, “The Rising Tide” is perhaps my favorite.  Clocking in at 10 minutes, this song is expansive and full of textures and sounds.  It goes in a  bunch of different directions and is really fantastic.

There’s a very long interview in the middle of the four songs, in which we learn what Lee has been up to, about how Hurricane Sandy affected him and about The Dust’s tour in India.  Lee’s an engaging talker and the interview flies by.

I don’t have any of Lee’s solo albums, but I think this one Last Night on Earth (and it seems like perhaps the previous one, Between the Times and the Tides) are total keepers.  You can watch the whole show below.

[READ: January 5, 2014] “Take It or Leave It”

I was surprised and pleased to see a piece from Zadie Smith in here.  Her article is mostly a comparison of take out food in New York and in London (or more broadly, the U.S. and England).

She tells how the first time she ordered Chinese food in New York, she wondered why the delivery guy just stood there after getting paid.  So she closed the door on him.  Her companion was shocked.  They just don’t tip delivery people in England.  British people grumble about it when they come here and have to tip.  They say that people should be compensated fairly for their work (although Smith notes that no one actually says if delivery boys are fairly paid in England) .

She says that a guy comes to your door, gives you food, gives you change and leaves (sometimes without even taking off the motorcycle helmet).  And they never say to have a nice day.  (“Have a good one” is the best you’ll get). (more…)

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Lena Dunham–“Deliverance” (New Yorker, November 4, 2013)

Posted in Food, Girls, Lena Dunham, New Yorker, Raphael Saadiq, Tiny Desk Concert, Tony! Toni! Tone! on February 6, 2014| Leave a Comment »

CV1_TNY_11_04_13Brunetti.inddSOUNDTRACK: RAPHAEL SAADIQ-Tiny Desk Concert #28 (September 28, 2009).

saadI’ve heard the name Raphael Saadiq for years.  I’ve seen his name in print in many places.  And I always assumed he was a word music artist.  I had no idea that he was an R&B artist who was in Tony! Toni! Tone! (a band about which I know nothing except their name).

I’m not a fan of R&B, so I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this Concert very much.  But man, it is a great session.

I have to assume that it’s the acoustic guitars (with the amazing guitar work by Rob Bacon) that rein in some of the trappings of R&B which I tend to dislike.  But I was also really impressed with how great his voice sounded.  Especially knowing that he was in a dance artist (with implied studio trickery), his voice sounds amazing stripped down this way.  He plays three songs, “Love That Girl,” “100 Yard Dash,” “Sure Hope You Mean It” and each one is great.  I love the way he gets the office to sing along on “Sure Hope You mean It” (even though they’re not ready).

I’m tempted to listen to him in another setting to see what he sounds like outside of a Tiny Desk, but I’m afraid to spoil how much I enjoyed him here.

[READ: January 5, 2014] “Deliverance”

I don’t really know much about Lena Dunham. I know she writes Girls, and is the new It-Girl, but I’ve never seen the show and I’ve read very little else about her.  So I didn’t really have any expectations upon reading this.

I learned a bit about her past and her family, but primarily I learned that she and her sister (like so many of us) loved take out food. (more…)

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Gabrielle Hamilton–“Family Meal” (New Yorker, November 4, 2013)

Posted in Food, Gabrielle Hamilton, New Yorker, Pixies, Tiny Desk Concert on February 5, 2014| Leave a Comment »

CV1_TNY_11_04_13Brunetti.inddSOUNDTRACK: PIXIES-Tiny Desk Concert #334 (February 3, 2014).

pixiesI had been planning on going in reasonable order with the Tiny Desk reviews, but when The Pixies come in, you throw order to the wind and move on.

The Pixies!  Holy cow.  I saw them many many years ago opening for The Cure (a great show).  And I’ve loved everything they’ve done.  I was a little less than excited with the reunion (2013 was a little too mcuh with the reunions) and I didn’t love “Bagboy” their first single (but that may have been because Kim Deal wasn’t in the reunion).  But I really like the two new songs they play here.

And, as it turns out Paz Lenchantin fills in for Kim Deal’s role quite capably (she plays violin and sings vocals here).

So, yes there are three songs.  “Greens and Blues” appears on the new EP2 (I haven’t heard the EPs).  It’s a mellow acoustic song (at least in this version) and sound like classic slow Pixies.  “Silver Snail” is so new it hasn’t appeared on an album yet.  It’s another slow song, but it has that kind of sinister slowness that the Pixies do so well.  And then they bust out “Monkey Gone to Heaven” in a mellow acoustic version that is ever so much fun.

It’s pretty great to see them reunited, and I may just have to check out those EPs too.

[READ: January 5, 2014] “Family Meal”

I didn’t realize until reading this essay (one of five on a food related topic), that the “theme” of these essays is “Take Out” (it says it right there at the top of them).

And this may be the most unusual version of food take out I’ve heard of (as the poor delivery boy confirms at the end of the essay).

But, as most good food stories do, this one starts talking about something else entirely.  Turns out that Baby T showed up on time for work at the restaurant, but she was bloodied and confused.  So Gabrielle took her to the hospital. (more…)

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Akhil Sharma–“Butter” (New Yorker, November 4, 2013)

Posted in Akhil Sharma, Food, New Yorker, Telekinesis, Tiny Desk Concert on February 4, 2014| Leave a Comment »

CV1_TNY_11_04_13Brunetti.inddSOUNDTRACK: TELEKINESIS-Tiny Desk Concert #27 (September 21, 2009).

telekinI know of Telekinesis only from NPR.  They have a couple of albums out, but I think I only know one song of theirs.  And I don’t know it that well.  This Tiny Desk features only two members of the band, singer-songwriter Michael Benjamin Lerner and guitarist Chris Staples.

They play four songs in 11 minutes (they are quite brief).  The songs all features pretty melodies, and the singer’s gentle voice. The electric guitar is used sparingly and only to play delicate riffs. This works especially well on the first song, “Plankton.”  Meanwhile the second song, “Coast of Carolina” has catchy bouncy guitars right from the beginning.

The other two songs are “I Saw Lightning” (which is very sweet) and “Rust” (which is very short).  I didn’t love any of the songs and I honestly couldn’t remember them long after listening, but I found myself listening to this show a lot.  And I enjoyed the songs each time.  I’m curious what the songs sound like not in a Tiny Desk setting.

During the brief interview with them, Lerner says he daydreams about better places when he writes songs and that when he wrote the songs from this album, the studio smelled like Grunge never went away.

[READ: January 5, 2014] “Butter”

I wasn’t expecting another issue with five of this brief essays from writers I know (The October 14 issue had the last batch).  I’m not sure how many more issues will have these type of things, and I’m not sure if will review them all.  However, there were a few authors I liked in this group.  Plus I’m intrigued by the food writing in these essays.

And this first one proved to be such an unexpected topic.

Akhil Sharma grew up in the United States.  His older brother had been brain damaged in a swimming accident and his family took on the full responsibility of his recovery .  It was pure family loyalty and that loyalty made them all pretend that taking care of him was not an awful task (even though it was).  Akhil’s lunch from home often came in the bags that his brother’s medicine came in.  And while he was ashamed of this, he also felt it was his duty of loyalty to not be ashamed by this. (more…)

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Dave McKean–Celluloid: An Erotic Graphic Novel (2011)

Posted in Barenaked Ladies, Dave McKean, Graphic Novel, Group of 7, Kevin Hearn, Photo Essays, Rheostatics, Sex, Short Books, The National, tagged on February 3, 2014| Leave a Comment »

celluloidSOUNDTRACK: RHEOSTATICS-Group Of Seven Live, Ottawa, ON (October 21 1995).

vesely This concert, available from Rheostatics Live, is a recording of the band playing their Music Inspired by the Group of 7 live.  I’m not sure how many of these shows there were, or even if this is the show in its entirety (it seems like it, but there’s no intro, and maybe there was more after the set?).

At any rate, the Group of 7 album is almost entirely instrumental–scored music that is certainly rock, but quite different from typical Rheostatics fare.   In this live setting, we have piano,  upright (and bowed) bass and cello.  And yet it is distinctly Rheostatics.  Band friend (and Barenaked Lady) Kevin Hearn plays piano (he joins them on many of their live shows) as he helped them compose the original soundtrack.

The band doesn’t say much during the set.  In fact, they don’t talk at all until the half way point, when Bidini introduces everyone and talks about how they came to write this music.  He talks about crossing Canada and is generally a jovial fellow.  And then he talks about the reworking of “Northern Wish.”

The Group of 7 album is probably my least favorite Rheostatics album because it is basically a score (I do like it, and think it’s a great audialization of the Group of 7, but it’s not like their proper albums).  And there are some beautiful songs here.  One of the most interesting is “Boxcar Song,” which has a great riff.  It also includes the reworking of “Northern Wish.”

Incidentally the album’s tracks are just listed as one through twelve, but they have gained names from live shows.  And they don’t match up exactly with the album in this concert setting, as this makes it seem that the final song is the long waltz, which it isn’t.

Anyhow, this download isn’t a top ten.  Unless you really like the CD, in which case this is a must hear.  The show includes the samples from the album and a bunch of very interesting takes on the songs.

For a brief news story on the collaboration, check out this from CBC’s The National from 1996.

and part two

[READ: February 2, 2014] Celluloid

I actually assumed this was a new title, as it just came across my desk the other day, but I see that it is three years old.  I’ve always admired McKean’s work, which I think is grotesquely beautiful.  His characters always seem somewhat pained, and the angles of his lines are often harsh.  So I was really unsure what to expect in an “erotic” story from him.

The fact that one of the first few pages states that this book is not to be sold to anyone under the age of 18 should let you know that by erotic, they mean explicit. (I did notice that the caveat was buried a few pages in, though).  And, indeed it is.  Far more than I imagined it would be. (more…)

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Michael Cera–“My Man Jeremy” (New Yorker, November 25, 2013)

Posted in Acting, Canadian Content, Canadian Music, Funny (ha ha), McSweeney's, Michael Cera, New Yorker, Rheostatics, tagged on February 2, 2014| Leave a Comment »

CV1_TNY_11_25_13Viva.inddSOUNDTRACK: RHEOSTATICS-Bathurst Street Theatre, Toronto, ON (October 7, 1994).

07Oct1994This show was broadcast on the radio, and indeed, this is an encore broadcast that you can download from Rheostatics Live.

Anyhow, it begins with people raving about the Rheos on the radio.  And then the band kicks in.  The set is 45 minutes, although I assume the original must have been longer.  Why?  most of their shows are longer and this feels like it might have some cuts for commercials and whatnot.

They play ten songs, and it’s alike a highlight reel of their earlier music: “Take Me in Your Hand,” “King of the Past,” “Queer,” “California Dreamline,” “Soul Glue,” “Claire,” “Northern Wish.”  But it’s also got its far share of goofiness: some improvs and the resolutely silly “Full Moon Over Russia” and “Alomar” (which sounds really tight here).  It’s a great set and a great introduction to early Rheos live music.

[READ: January 29, 2014] “My Man Jeremy”

Everyone mostly knows Cera as an actor (who I’ll see in anything).  But he’s also a writer.  His previous piece in McSweeney’s was very funny.  And so is this one.  Although now the two published things I’ve read by him were both about being an actor, so maybe its time to broaden the range a bit.

Anyhow, this is basically a set up about text messaging.  He opens by explaining that people ask him is he has any funny stories about texting (this part is in italics).  Then he tells us this tale about Jeremy.  The text messages are written straightforward, with interjected comments by Cera as he “studies” the exchange.

It begins with a text from an unknown number “Sup you coming to this thing?”

Michael writes back.  “Hi oops I don’t know this number.  I’m Michael, who is this?”

Now, this isn’t especially funny, but it did make me smile to think that anyone would respond to a wrong number this way.  At any rate…. (more…)

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Simon Rich–“Guy Walks into a Bar” (New Yorker, November 18, 2013)

Posted in Canadian Music, Funny (ha ha), New Yorker, Rheostatics, Simon Rich, tagged on February 1, 2014| Leave a Comment »

CV1_TNY_11_18_13Tomine.inddSOUNDTRACK: RHEOSTATICS-Kingston, ON (July 7, 1991).

07Jul1991Yesterday I wrote a letter to the Rheostatics.  In part this was inspired because I just found out that the Rheostatics Live site has added some new concerts for download (and a really fancy one for purchase, which I’m pretty excited about). I thought I had posted about a bunch of the free downloads from Rheostatics Live, but evidently I had only done one or two.  And since I’m on an inspired Rheostatics kick, it was time to revisit some of these oldies.

This is the earliest show they have on the site.  And it was, until recently, the only one with Dave Clark on drums.  (A new set of shows that I haven’t heard yet is from that era as well).  I have to admit that I find Dave Clark to be a terribly distracting/borderline really annoying member of the band.

While the Rheostatics songs aren’t “serious,” they are certainly powerful (some of them anyhow).  And Dave seems to put all kinds of silly nonsense in them.  I don’t mind (and it was probably fun to see live) the goofing between the songs.  Like when they begin doing the improv that they call “Jerkin’ Around.”  But to interject nonsense during the songs, especially something as intense as “Horses” (which is not great in this rendition anyhow), it’s a major distraction.

This is an otherwise interesting show, as they introduce some “new” songs (ie. ones that would come out on Whale Music).  And there are some funny things.  Like in the “Green Sprouts” song they throw in some Rush lines (and lines from “Tom Sawyer” in “Jerkin’ Around too).  But otherwise this feels like the Dave Clark show.  We even get “Dave’s Poetry Moment,” about which, whatever.

The sound quality is good, except for some interruptions in the last two songs and a fade out once Dave asks if someone else can sing “When Winter Comes” because his voice is shot.  Overall, this is an interesting historical recording, especially given the era, but it’s not my favorite show to listen to.

[READ: January 29, 2014] “Guy Walks into a Bar”

Simon Rich always makes me laugh.  And he often surprises me by making me laugh about things that seem like they couldn’t be funny.

Many years ago in a writing class I wrote a serious story and I ended it with “and then he turned into a bar.”  I don’t really know why I threw the lame joke at the end of the story, I think I wanted to see if I could get away with it.  (I didn’t).  Well this story/joke is based on the old, old joke about a bartender who has a genie and a twelve-inch pianist. (more…)

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