Work Hard Play Hard

I'm going to rant a little today. If you'd rather skip all my babble and just get to the downloading, feel free to scroll down a bit and download till your heart's content (*cough*douchebag*cough*). Otherwise, indulge me a little.
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So it's been busy and I'm glad it's Mother's Day weekend because it's been a while since I've seen my parents. Plus, there's something refreshing about going home -- my mom and dad could careless if I work in music or walk on water like Jesus. I'll always be their troublemaking little girl. So speaking of Jesus, Thurston Moore comes into the office the other day and we're chatting on the couch, right, but the only thought running through my head is "geez, he's tall, I wonder how tall he is because he looks really tall, and I wonder why I never really noticed just how tall he is until now, even though I've seen Sonic Youth like a billion times..." I kept staring at the top of his head and I'm pretty sure he got to wondering why I was eyeballing his head. Remind me to apologize to him the next time he calls. I'm an idiot.
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I've been working harder than I ever have before in my entire life which is saying a lot. But it doesn't feel like work because my boss Andrew rules, the people I work with are super cool, the artists/bands I work with are some of my heroes, and the music is amazing.
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Despite the hard work (or maybe because of it), I've been heading out to shows galore. I won't bother regurgitating all the blog reviews but most notable among them are Wednesday's Beruit (at the Knitting Factory) and Phoenix (at the Bowery Ballroom) shows. Most of you know I've harbored something of a shameless Phoenix obsession for years so needless to say, that show was flawless to me. Beirut, however, had a shaky start but all told, offered a great show. Aside from all the Beirut buzz, I'm completely wowed by him, a one-man band -- 19-year old Zach Condon -- who's so good it hurts me in 28 different ways. I know you all are going bonkers over Cold War Kids, and for a lingering moment a couple of months ago, I did too and posted a couple of their songs. But get over it. Eeesh.
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Beirut, on the other hand, promises to only get better by the time he's legal to drink at his own shows. My buddy James puts it nicely and I completely agree Beirut shouldn't be compared to Neutral Milk Hotel simply because it's a lazy comparison. I'm thinking more Devotchka or Magnetic Fields. In any case, here's his myspace.
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Beirut - "Postcards From Italy"
Beirut - "Mount Wroclai (Idle Days)"
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Buy the album Gulag Orkestar here.
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Other bands I'm listening to this week include The Mugs, The Futureheads (of course), Foreign Islands, Tokyo Police Club, Mapstation, The Television Personalities, Favourite Sons, and yes, Snow Patrol.
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On the electronic front, this bit of boogie-down disco by Al Usher (released on Ewan Pearson's label Misericord) has been playing on my iPod and computer for the past few days since it magically fell into my lap like manna from heaven. You'll be sorry if you don't download this because try as you might, you'll not find it elsewhere.  And I'm not going to repost it so get it now.
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Al Usher - "Gnanfou"
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I slept with the window slightly open and my apartment smelled like fresh rain in the morning. I love it. If you have some spare time and like reading rants, a blog I recommend is London Cokehead, the diary of a UK music producer/engineer. I like reading his heated diatribes about things like Cubase and Pro Tools vs. Logic (agreed, hardly anyone uses Cubase or Pro Tools in the studio... what is this? 1999??). Otherwise, have a great weekend and happy Mother's Day, mom!
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girls will be girls, too

Comments

[clarissa]

first, you're working with thurston moore? he's my hero.

second, i share your love for phoenix and beirut.

and third, you can rant whenever you feel like it.

[Kyle]

When is Thurston's new album coming out?

[Jess]

Love the Al Usher track. Nice way to spend the weekend!

Thanks for the rant!

[tom]

Bless your cotton sox for more Mr. Usher. The man is a gem and criminally under-recognized.

That London Cokehead dude, however, is a total wanker.

[tom]

... and were you kidding when you said no one uses ProTools?

Have you been in a professional studio lately? Have you seen Avid's stock price?

[Garrison]

I actually work in the studio with one of bands Sunny works with. Yes. Professional studio. I can't say what studio you're working in but around our parts here we don't use a whole lot of ProTools or any Cubase. Mostly Logic.

Just sayin'

[Morgan]

let me just say that thurston is a really nice guy. are you working on his solo album? beyond that, i understand that most large-grade pro studios use protools but mostly the shift is to logic. couldn't speak about cubase.

glad you're loving beirut too!

[dorian]

ahh the smell of fallen rain. you're a romantic sunny :)

[tiptop]

a nice capper of a post for the weekend!

[Betsy]

Isn't Thurston like 6'7'' or something?

[Reg]

I think we can agree that Logic is widely used as is ProTools (though I admit to a lesser degree). But who uses Cubase? Certainly not Mr Usher who keeps churning out the gems like a mofo. That's a real wildcard of a track you got there.

[ECC]

Hey so you dating anyone?

[London cokehead]

Thanks for the link..

[London cokehead]

Oh and Jess.. ~Fuck you!!

[Le Hague]

ewww, macintoshes. and i heard some germans use cubase. damn nihilists.

[London cokehead]

"ewww, macintoshes. and i heard some germans use cubase. damn nihilists."

And err, don't write shit in my name???

[London cokehead]

Actually, mis read... doh!!

[robson]

come now. only retarded nazis use cubase.

and i think it was tom, not jess, who was trashin' you London Cokehead. but i actually really like reading yer blog -- you've got a nice, laid-back way of telling it. don't let shit-starters bog you down.

[London cokehead]

Thanks..

[kerrigan]

yo, it's 2006......r u still using a Windows PC? that's cool if you're doing non-music and non-art/graphic projects but if u want to get the creative shit rolling, u NEED a mac.

[kerrigan]

but i agree with you about that cubase shit, bro.

[Le Hague]

haha apple=creative freight train rolls on. next we can argue digital v. analog.

[cancan]

unless you've been existing under a media-proof rock for the last five years, you're fully aware that mac = creative. no harm done, man, i'm sure your excel spreadsheet looks great on your windows pc but the music/art should be left to the mac users.

[XYZ]

the problem today is that too many people think that having cubase or protools, a few instruments, a nappy rehearsal space (probably in the music building), and a handful of songs is all they need to be a band. worse yet, they think they're in a band that's going places. that's a fuckin load of shit if i ever knew it.

i work at one of the major studios in nyc and i know and watch these bands that actually work hard in creating music, and making it what they want in life. if you're fuckin serious about making music, you gotta be creative yes but also keep up to date with technology.

don't throw me any fruity loops and shit. don't wanna hear any mumbo-jumbo about kindergarten-style cubase. as for my computer of choice, i use a mac coz it's what i know. i wouldn't change that though.

i vote for less bands, more talent. however, currently, it's the other way around.

fuck that shit.

[NO]

I second that vote!