Here Comes the Hotstepper

My friend Madison G thinks I need to blog on a specific topic and stick to it. Like Health, Music, Knitting, Seattle, etc. I can see her point but I'm uncomfortable with this because I think I'll get bored. Hopefully this doesn't bother anyone and we can carry on in our blissful unfocused state. Hao ma?
Today I wanted to catch up on the music scene that's been in my ears. When I was busy with graduate school I really fell off the music wagon and am just getting back on.

Albums:I finally got the Pinback "Autumn of the Seraphs", Nada Surf "Lucky", and Radiohead "In Rainbows" albums. Oh, and an sample LP of Home Video which I'm very excited about because it has one of my favorites on it, "That You Might." But, the turn tables aren't working properly right now and haven't had a chance to hear it. Home Video has been a frequently played album ("No Certain Night or Morning") as of late. They have some of the clean melodic components of Radiohead (esp. the vocals) that I like without the other Radiohead-ness that I'm not as crazy about. I'll get to that later. So, Pinback. Pretty dang good. "Blue Screen Life" is still my favorite but I'm taking well to this newer album, esp. "Good to Sea" riff that sounds like guitar harmonics. Its a fresh sound for them but it compliments their strong bassline. Plus, who doesn't like the line "oh, no. I hit ro-ck bottom."? They were just in town but we couldn't go- sad. We had tickets for the symphony as it was Valentine's Day and I wanted to hear the New World Symphony at Benroya Hall. The scales were tipped for the symphony because last time Pinback came to Seattle to the Showbox it was like they had been drinking Red Bull all day and their laid back coolness was invaded by some alien hyperness. I swear they finished the show in a half hour. Or maybe that's when I stopped listening and wished they had just piped their CD into the speakers. Anyway, happy to hear this album, enjoying it, and will make it to see them next time they are in town IF they promise to play like they mean it and not that they just want to get off the stage. OK boys?
Next, Nada Surf. Ah Nada Surf. Matthew's voice has some of the sweet qualities of Paul Simon's. Not to mention they are people you just wanna be buddies with. My moment in the sun was sabotaged by none other than myself- I'll explain. I was taking night classes for my M.A. and was frantically driving down from Bothell to downtown when I realized I wouldn't make it. I was on the other line on some important phone call and I saw that Paco was on call waiting. I decided just to finish my call and call him back. Little did I know he was buying Matthew a beer and had him on the other line, coaxed to talk to me because it would "make my year." Yeah that sucked when I found that out. You better bet I answer my call waiting now. Anyway, "Lucky" is catchy. "Let Go" is still my favorite. "Blizzard of '77" is sad but beautiful not to mention fun to play along with on the guitar. That album seems more meaningful than Lucky. But Lucky is fun. "I Like What You Say" seems like the most classic, Nada Surf happy go lucky style. I will get to see them in March when they come to the Showbox- can't wait! I have tickets to both nights...

Radiohead "In Rainbows". I didn't have high expectations. I'll tell you why. A few reasons. 1) I'm not a cult-ish Radiohead fan and part of the reason why (besides that they just don't beat my drum in that way) is that any band with a cult-like following seems inaccessible and that's unattractive. 2) My favorite is Hail to the Thief, and its been awhile since then. I figured they would take it in a new direction and not revisit that style. Also, when you can be confident enough to offer your albums for any "name a price" you're at a point where your ego has a life of its own and you're willing to take risks. I'm not saying that's bad, but who knows what gets produced when that happens. BUT I was happier listening to this album than I had thought. I definitely like when they lean more electronic than when they lean rock, so the beginning of the album to me is better. Pretty chill. Clean. Enjoyable. Even maybe a tad accessible;)

Shows: Got to see Angelique Kidjo at the Moore Theater. From West Africa she now lives in Paris. Shes been around for decades but I only learned of her in 2002. I still think her Black Ivory Soul is her best album, I highly recommend it. She's a ball of fire! Her album covers always make her seem so serene, but Paco and I couldn't stop giggling at one point when she got the dominantly middle aged crowd on their feet and shaking their behinds shamelessly. Even high up in the balcony we had "seat dancers" all around us. Down on the floor, though, was middle-age pandemonium. She had half the audience get on the stage at one point and dance while she sang "Afrika" (a great song from Black Ivory Soul). Really, for Paco working a 12 hour day we still couldn't help beaming with her good vibes when we walked out.
I mentioned above we'll be seeing Nada Surf soon as well as Cut Copy and Ladytron. When Cut Copy opened for Franz Ferdinand was one of Paco and my first dates. I knew I found a quirky guy when he mentioned right before our date that he had run into a guy on business who was bored and in Seattle for the weekend so Paco invited him to meet us at the show LOL. Sorry I don't like to use LOL in the blog but I had to. Anyway so our 3 person date was fun. Paco also decided that we would convince this innocent traveler that I was Courtney Cox's "sister." We pulled it off without a hitch and had fun in the meantime. Not much else to the story except how fun it was to try to believably answer all his questions about her.

I'll finish with my favorite show this last Fall. Dolores. She's been my woman since 8th grade.

http://www.doloresoriordan.ie/

Small audience at the Showbox (doesn't anyone still revere the Cranberries?!), we figured she would do all her own solo stuff (which is still fantastic), but she also added some greatest hits and I almost passed out. Paco was entertained by my child-like awe. Anyway, love her.

And we're done.

Live well,

B