static and distance

stop. now go.

2006-04-19T03:09:00.000-04:00

walk, don't walk
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

static and distance has moved!
i've decided to streamline a bit, mostly just pictures and tunes, keeping it trim on the words.
leave the babble to the rest of 'em.

wanna visit the new home?

click click click click click

singsweetbird mixtape no. 3

2006-03-28T18:30:00.000-05:00

vibrating at a higher frequency
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

vibrating at a higher frequency...
LISTEN/singsweetbird mix3

seefeel.climactic phase 3
my bloody valentine.touched
aoki takamasa + tujiko noriko.vinyl words
arab strap.cherubs
minizza.winning a battle, losing the war
stereolab.prisoner of mars
broadcast.tears in the typing pool
lali puna.grin and bear
beck.broken drum (boards of canada remix)
brian eno.deep blue day
brian mcbride.a gathering to lead me when you're gone
boom bip + nina nastasia.the matter (of our discussion)
bjorn olsson.mellanspel

hope you like. thanks for listening.

you can see it fading fast

2006-03-12T15:28:00.000-05:00

pink
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

steely dan
from the album
can't buy a thrill
LISTEN/reelin' in the years

hello! glad to report that i'm in good spirits once again. had a fantastic week starting with our birthday celebrations (pj's is the day after mine) last weekend, thanks to everyone who sent happy birthday wishes and helped make this turning one of the best yet. and then spring decides to say an early hello and reward us with two bee-yoo-tee-ful days in a row. it's been too long since i've felt the sun at 73 degrees. winter is on its last legs, and springs official inception is just a little over a week away. outdoor barbeques, frisbee in the park, layin' out with a book and a tallboy, rooftop parties, camping trips on the weekends... so looking forward.
this entries music post is a song that came up a couple times last weekend, first at the belle and sebastian after party at royal oak (lame!) and then a drunkenly superb karaoke version by mitch and jenny at congee village the next nite. i know i've heard this song a dozen times in my life but never really picked up on how brilliant it was until it played on the dancefloor and over the loudspeakers at royal oak that nite. at first i thought it was thin lizzy (not so far off a mistake in my opinion, but listening to it again, donald fagen doesn't sound much like phil lynott). now that i like steely dan does this mean i'm officially over the hill?

the boy in the bubble

2006-02-20T19:19:00.000-05:00

682 gate
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

karl blau
from the album
beneath waves
LISTEN/into the nada

been stuck in bed for the last five days struck down with a fever. got outside a couple times to go to school, but other than that i've mostly been laid horizontal underneath many layers and shut in from the rest of the world passing by. you'll be glad to know that i'm feeling much better today, not quite 100 percent but more like 93. lying in bed afforded me time to catch up on some reading (almost finished with 'in cold blood' which is both chilling and thrilling), spend quality time with the cats, watch the winter olympics (short track speed skating is my new favorite sport), and cruise the aimless roadways of the information superhighway. came across this funny comedian, who poses as a republican senator from ohio, while looking at this other more famous comedians site. another click to funny is this clever site that can be read as both humorous and offensive. and how cool is this little animated thing from japan. those japanese! and did you know that conan o'brien is like a rock star in finland. check out this finnish tv footage of the ladies going crazy. ah, the things you can find. endless really. no, really.
i also found this great song by karl blau. blau is associated with that whole scene up in anacortes, wa. and has played with little wings, microphones, mount eerie, thanksgiving, etc. i read somewhere that for this song he basically had this african pop track that his friend had given him some years back, transfered the recording directly onto tape for the first track and then just tracked over it eventually removing the original and adding his own lyrics and extra little weird noodlings. kinda like tracing a picture. this other blog had the right idea when they said it sounds like a hidden track off paul simon's 'graceland' (albeit much more stoned and goofed), which is not a bad thing at all.

not fun in the wintertime

2006-02-09T17:27:00.000-05:00

church organ III
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

belle and sebastian
from the album
the life pursuit
LISTEN/another sunny day
LISTEN/song for sunshine

we had it coming. just a week ago people were talking about how wonderful the weather was. "feels like spring" and "maybe that's all the winter we're gonna get" were often heard phrases. but that was just wishful thinking. even punxsatawney phil saw this coming, a prediction made when sighting his own shadow. let the late long winter begin. i'd much rather have gone without those pleasant 50+ degree days and just gotten this chilly shit over with. but now i'm afraid winter will draw itself out, getting in the way of a much longed for spring. i think of the weather a lot, and the seasons too. i blame the cold dreary winter for this long face i wear and my rotten disposition.
it's a good thing the new belle and sebastian came out this week to help lift my spirits up.

welcome to the hotel 682

2006-01-29T20:20:00.000-05:00

sweet face
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

phantom planet
from the album
the oc mix 5
LISTEN/california 2005

more visitors from the left coast this week. brother ted and angie, of poketo fame, have been hanging out and taking in the new york life. lots of good eating and late nites these last coupla days. highlights so far include free friday at the moma, amayo's fuarkistra at zebulon (a lowlight was getting a whole glass of red wine spilled on me), belgian fries w/ wasabi mayo at pomme fritz, fried fish, jumbo shrimp, steamed mussels, and garlic pork at the best thai restaurant in new york city sripraphai, and a quick visit to ps 1, even more specifically the john kessler installation (amazing!). oh, i almost forgot, ted's interperative dance to the theme song from the oc was pretty darn amazing as well.
as a sidenote, isn't this the sweetest picture of eliot. her little sad eyes looking up. she stayed tucked under those blankets for a good little while. so cute!

favorite albums of 2005

2006-01-04T19:10:00.000-05:00

favorites 2005
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

(i meant to post this before the new year, but i was in the desert. in any case... from left to right, row by row. in no particular order.)

various/ folk is not a four letter word - they call this 'acid folk'. freaky, funky and freewheeling. not at all like joan baez. matt sweeny and bonnie 'prince' billy/superwolf - what oldham relese wouldn't make the list. matt sweeny brings the licks. broken social scene/self titled - songs that could be top 40 if they wanted to. but they'd rather be dense, crackling workouts fulfilled through production know how. colleen/golden morning breaks - antiquated instruments chime, ring, and resonate. intimate music like no other. the soundtrack to your dreams. animal collective/ prospect hummer - with vashti bunyan. albums like this and last years 'sung tongs' show the band at their best. electrelane/axes - brings to mind early 90's britain. guitars and drums sound like they're being played two inches from your head. rock propelled by momentum.
silver jews/tanglewood numbers - quite a return after the previously so so 'bright flight'. his voice got stronger, and rougher around the edges. he's finally singing like he means it. konono no.1/congotronics - amplified thumb pianos and metal percussion played through junked speakers found on the street side. need i say more? spoon/gimme fiction - i've never really like these guys, but i love this album. really stripped down rock with sexy sexy vocals. stripped down and sexy is, like, the perfect rock n roll formula. sufjan stevens/illinois - a grand gesture for sure. but aside from the breadth and thematic premise, sufjan can spin a damn good yarn that at times will educate and at others heartbreak. broadcast/tender buttons - broadcast bring what they can carry from the studio into the bedroom. a hazy, dreamy, wondrous collection uplifted by trish keenan's soaring vocals. windy and carl/dreamhouse + dedications to flea - first album in five years doesn't stray too far from the formula of albums past. but when the drone is this good and shifts in time/space perception this effective, there's nothing to change.
akron family/self titled - midwest to new york transplants who wear many hats. boys who play shirtless together and aren't afraid of a group hug show their many styles and let the creaks and crickets insulate their music. various/dirty laundry - subtitled 'the soul of black country'. james brown, curtis mayfield, bettye swann and a many notable more bring some deep soul to heartbreaking country cuts. kronos quartet with asha bhosle/you've stolen my heart - the queen of bollywood revisits classics with new classical favorites kronos quartet. at 72, bhosle sounds beautiful as ever and kronos provide a devoted and impassioned setting. various/folk and pop sounds from iraq - another unearthed gem from sublime frequencies. music collected over years of travel and digging, released for cultural prosperity and a broader understanding. plus the shit rolls with such raw ease and grace. smog/a river ain't too much - bill callahan is my favorite lyricist. this latest album proves why. his voice has aged well and guitar playing steped up. jim white (dirty three) on drums and joanna newsom as guest are big positives. bright eyes/i'm wide awake and it's morning - this was a reluctant choice but sorta undeniable. conor oberst decides not to over emote and duets with emmylou harris which are two very good career moves.
deerhoof/runners four - shows a diversity unseen before. probably due to the level of collaboration (everyone sings! everyone writes!). deerhoof give more room for the song and composition along with their always present musical prowess. various/cult cargo:belize city boil up - soul and funk by way of belize. drums and bass thump hard in the front, horns punch brightly, guitars scratch undeniable shuffling rhythms. the fourth in a handful of amazing and varied (gospel country, post punk, southern soul, power pop)releases by the numero group label. another six comps already planned for 2006. look out. sound directions/the funky side of life - explained as a yesterdays new quintet offshoot. characterized by madlib's raw, dense and stoned out production. classic hard and sweaty funk brought fresh through a magicians slight of hand. jamie lidell/ multiply - sittin' on the dock of the bay with a laptop in hand. soul brought back from decades past, more than convincingly performed by a white brit, and made up to date with subtle electronic(a) charges. jens lekman/oh, you're so silent jens - a collection of rarities recorded from his teens and on. lekman creates mini pop masterpieces often with just samples and a ukulele. songs about heartbreak, longing, loneliness and rocky dennis. brian mcbride/when the detail lost its freedom - slowly shifting, endless guitar loops drenched in a blanket of dreamstate by stars of the lid guitarist mcbride.
scout niblet/kidnapped by neptune - quiet loud, quiet loud. versus chorus verse. a formula not to be fussed with. her strained vocals and big crunchy guitars brings to mind kurt cobain, more so than the often (and less accurately) compared chan marshall. various/love's a real thing - subtitled 'the funky fuzzy sounds of west africa', this is more stylistically varied than most 'afropop' or 'afrofunk' comps. along with the funky and fuzzy comes percussion heavy doses of mild psych and afrosouljazz. ennio morricone/crime and dissonance - mike patton's icepac label releases this double disc collection of morricone scores culled mostly from italian thrillers rather than spaghetti westerns. at times loose, groovy and totally out there, more often chilling and eerie. morricone takes you down the darkened corridor, where around the corner a man with black gloves waits with glinting knife in hand for the delicate flesh of a damsel in distress. various/yellow pills - another winner from the numero group. a collection of rare 80's power pop that have a punky appeal along with their saccharine spike. mostly bands with short names like luxury, the bats, tweeds, kids, the trend and speedies. teenage kicks fueled by the beatles, badfinger, bigstar, the flamin' groovies, etc. bjorn olsson/'the lobster' - fourth solo album by soundtrack of our lives guitarist. beautiful instrumentals that imagine a dusty landscape, forgotten towns, and a forever setting sun. heavily indebted to morricone's spaghetti western soundtracks. black mountain/self titled - mix this in with a classic rock format and see if anyone notices. like most great albums from the 70's, tracks on side a should serve well for beer commercials where side b demands the black light be turned on.

we wish you a meowy christmas

2005-12-25T00:19:00.000-05:00

warm wishes
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

jingle cats
from the album
meowy christmas
LISTEN/jingle cats medley

merry christmas everyone! hope y'all are spending your time well with loved ones, having a relatively (ha!) easy time with family, or just enjoying the vacation days off that the holiday provides. remember, start the drinks early, it's allowed today, and don't eat too much turkey, the tryptophan will kill your party streak, and just say no to nog.
i remember first coming across the jingle cats cd while working at streetlight records in sf. i believe kevin was the one who first played it. there's also a companion cd that features dogs. the same ones that make a guest appearance on meowy christmas! it's not as good, unless of course you're more of a dog lover. what always blows me away is how perfectly in tune these cats sing. perfect pitch!

i killed the party again

2005-12-22T17:57:00.000-05:00

yellow like me
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

jens lekman
from the album
oh, you're so silent jens
LISTEN/black cab
LISTEN/f-word
LISTEN/the wrong hands

three days in and the transit strike is over. i must say i am relieved although it was quite fun biking in and out of the city in the chilly weather, making my way across the brooklyn bridge along with thousands of other undeterred new yorkers. it maybe hard to understand what the complete shutdown of public transport does to a city like new york, a city where over 7 million people rely on it daily, to people not living here (like you car people in la!). in a word, it made everything crazy. sections of avenues completely closed, usually bustling strips were desolate, auto traffic resembling that of a city like bangkok or saigon (okay, maybe not that crazy), and the masses of people walking, rollerskating, and bicycling to and from their engagements in the freezing cold at even the oddest hours. it's only when you're without such service that you begin to realise how important said service really is. moving on...
christmas is only days away! pj and i had these xmas cards ready for print and mail but seemed to have no time to do either. we'll have to send them as ecards which is definitely not as fun as recieving a card in the mail. sorry about that, we'll be more on top of it next year. looking forward to california, spending time with family and basking in the warm cali sun.
let's talk about jens lekman. i have a big giant crush on this dude. the type of dude crush usually reserved for guys like johnny depp, legolas (the character, not orlando bloom), and ewan mcgregor. not only is he damn cute but also a seemingly sad/sweet soul. you can pinpoint musical/lyrical similarities quite easily (jonathan richman, stephen merritt, belle and sebastian, beat happening, maybe morrissey), but the comparisons are really only knee jerk as jens brings his own quirky, sentimental, outsider sensibilities to the table. refreshing and beautifully crafted pop lyrics so simple and smart (and it's not like i can't stand/to see you with another man/i just don't want to see good love/fall into the wrong hands) it's a wonder they've never been heard before. plus he's swedish, and i just love scandinavians. check here for a bunch of unreleased mp3s.

there's lightning bolts in my chest

2005-12-13T00:43:00.000-05:00

spinning
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

akron/family
from the album
angels of light & akron/family
LISTEN/future myth
from the album
akron/family
LISTEN/i'll be on the water
LISTEN/afford

goodness, christmas is fast approaching and just like every other year i have little clue as to what to get many of my loved ones. the best thing would be just to go out there, survey the stores, and do some shopping. but it's awful out there with the crowds and the cold. who wants to suffer that. i've already picked out a few things online, but i feel weird about doing my shopping virtually. it's like i'm giving into the technological age with all its convenience and ease and social avoidance. but online shopping can be pretty fun as well as dangerous (just a click of a button!) and i do like recieving packages, especially ones you have to sign for. if, by chance, you're bashing your head in over what to get moi *smile* then look no further than here and here *wink wink*. but really, a little love and a nice big hug is all i really need this holiday season.
now onto the music portion of our post. last saturday a nice group of us went to tonic for the akron/family record release show. these guys are current faves. they really possess this comfy, intimate, earthy vibe on record but live they were like this manic, uncontainable band that sought no boundaries and threw themselves all over the map. one minute leading a campfire singalong with just voice and banjo, the next cranking overdriven guitar towards squalling walls of feedback, then something more plaintive, emotionally soaring with shimmering atmospherics, back to some head smashing rock riffage that could only come out of youth spent with cheap beer, bad weed, and black sabbath, and most enjoyably a spare cover of neil young's 'for the turnstiles' played half naked in the middle of the floor and sung along with much of the crowd. definitely one of the most perplexing yet exhilirating shows in recent memory.

between your love and mine

2005-12-04T20:37:00.000-05:00

first snow
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

galaxie 500
from the album
this is our music
LISTEN/listen, the snow is falling

it was near the middle of the nite when i walked towards the kitchen for a glass of water. the shades had been down in my bedroom, so whatever was happening outside was unknown to me. it was a cold day, but not much colder than the day before it nor the day before that. but when i went for that glass of water my sight shot through the kitchen window and straight out to an unexpected and beautiful snowfall. the first snow of the season. about an inch had piled up before i caught on. what a special moment, such a wondrous sight. i was sad not to be able to share the moment with pj, she was all the way over in austin where it was probably 70 degrees out. but she's here now, and i'm so glad 'cause now i have a sled buddy.
watching the snowflakes slowly drift towards ground last nite immediately cued this song in my head. it's a song originally written by yoko ono. galaxie 500 rework it a bit to make it sound like, well, a galaxie 500 song. i do prefer this version, probably because it's the first one i heard, but most likely because it's so darn dreamy. and for me dreamy is simply irresistible.

this is not your sawtooth wave

2005-11-15T23:59:00.000-05:00

very zen, don't you think?
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

broadcast
from the album
tender buttons
LISTEN/michael a grammar
LISTEN/corporeal
LISTEN/tears in the typing pool

my heads been hurting a lot lately. it feels like whatever happened to hold my brain in place has gone slack causing the poor guy (my brain) to knock around my skull in discomforting ways. worse than a headache and closer to what i imagine the onset of a brain hemorrhage must feel like. of course i'm being dramatic. but seriously, i don't know if lobotomy's are still in practice but i've been considering the emerging diy surgical craze of trepanation.
it's been a long time since we last spoke. what have you been up to? what? oh, you wanna know wassup wit me? well, i can go over the more memorable bits. nothing too flashy. i did end up watching the lonely guy (see previous post), pj brought it back from upstate after her weekend visit with dad. wasn't as funny as i remember it, but actually was kinda sad. i think the parts i once thought were hilarious as a kid aren't so much anymore because they ring a little too true. there's nothing funny about being a lonely guy, lemme tell ya.
went to this arty storytelling exploration event at mccarren pool a week or two back. that was fun. jenny brought these really delicious brownies that she shared. yummy. the pool was built sometime in the mid 1930's and once claimed title of largest swimming pool in the nation. it's been neglected for decades now as the city decides on what it wants to do with it (fill it with water? duh). upon survey, we thought it would be a bangin' spot for a rave. but the city probably benefits more from throwing dudes in jail that happen to be chillin' poolside with a coupla brews than from actually pouring money into a free public space for the community. the numbers just look better.
hmm, what else? my good friends in invisible came all the way from portland or., en route for their first us tour. they rocked the cozy confines of pete's candy store and later that nite i rocked the sidewalk with my vomit. good times.
i'm writing too much and not about so much. the only reason i like to do these posts is so i can put up some of my favorite music. which, by the way, will include some sweet sounds i picked up at the wfmu record fair recently. but first things first. pj and i went to see broadcast on thursday nite and they were as great as ever. the new album is so very hot and anyone who thinks otherwise needs to get there head drilled(see above). michael a grammar is the #1 non-dance dance song of the year as well as the dang hardest tune to get out of your head (that is, if you wanted it out).

did you try a fern?

2005-10-29T01:01:00.000-04:00

scout niblets n' bit n' bits n' bits
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

scout niblett
from the album
kidnapped by neptune
LISTEN/lullaby for scout in 10 years
LISTEN/newbury port

just me and the cats tonite, pj headed upstate for the weekend. makes me think of that movie the lonely guy with steve martin. i've been meaning to rent it but have a feeling it's not as good as i remember it. probably not as funny as the jerk but likely better than shopgirl, which i saw last weekend and pretty much blew.
but, you know what didn't blow? the scout niblett show at the mercury lounge on wednesday. she wore an oversized blue blazer with black vinyl pants, unzipped cowboy boots, reflective construction worker vest, and (un)usual blonde wig. todd trainer, who keeps time with shellac, was the only accompaniment on drums. he beat on those drums hard and looked like he was going to eat his set when things really got rockin'. they played loud and intense at times, moving some folks to bang their heads and raise their fists. and her songs remind me of nirvana, especially with her cracked, strained vocals. the performance was sorta like minimalist grunge (ha!), which is exactly why i liked it so much.

why some things didn't suck in '96

2005-10-12T01:43:00.000-04:00

Originally uploaded by third uncle.

dj shadow
from the album
endtroducing
LISTEN/building steam with a grain of salt
LISTEN/changeling - transmission 1

the summer has most definitely gone, its lingering heat in the early fall has given way to day after day of rain, grey skies, and leaf littering wind. the nastiness kept pj and i indoors most of the weekend, only venturing out a few times to drop stuff off and pick stuff up. oh wait, we went on a jog sunday nite to balance out all the laziness. 3.35 miles around the park. supposedly we're gonna do this every other day and get all strong and healthy and shit. i bet i last til' next week before the motivation hits empty. i'd love to prove myself wrong though.
enough with all this talk of fitness. as vicious and rotten would say, "it's bo-ring!"(sorry, recently watched 'sid and nancy'). one thing i can't go without on my morning commute is my ipod. a magazine or book is fine, but i get distracted. some bumpin' tunes and a set of headphones do a great job of shutting out the the world around and helping time fly. as of late i've been fairly narrow in my listening patterns, usually a playlist of various songs i've downloaded the nite before and, when all else fails, anything by dj shadow. it's strange i just can't get enough. it's perfect in the morning, not too chill as to put me right back to sleep and not too crazy as to freak me out first thing. it's good too that i haven't really listened to 'endtroducing' since it first came out nine (!) years ago. nearly a decade later and it still sounds fresh and completely mindblowing. many since have tried to emulate, but it's with this album that shadow not only set a standard, but also set an unbreakable bar.
on a related note, y'all should check out this video i've linked here. this teacher in minnesota arranged a few tracks off of 'endtroducing' for his high school percussion ensemble. they performed two tracks, 'building steam w/ a grain of salt' and 'changeling', before a live audience and just absolutely killed it. the video is about ten minutes long but worth a full viewing. especially because they're so young, dorky, and cute and by the time they segueway into 'changeling' they're totally warmed up and hitting it tight.

i was not in your arms for long

2005-10-06T22:17:00.000-04:00

how animals move II
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

john parish
from the album
how animals move
LISTEN/absolute beauty is an absolute curse
LISTEN/stable life

it's thursday nite and the oc has been bumped in favor of the major league baseball playoffs. no new episodes until november. my heart hangs heavy.
oh, did i tell you about last weekend? brother tom, rose, and the kids came out to visit. tom was part of this big group art show in the east village. each artist was given a blank circus punk, those furry bowl pin shaped things that you throw balls at, and asked to do their creative good on them. tom's can be seen here. i think his was one of the best, in my unbiased brotherly opinion.
this was also the first time any and all of the family clan had ever been to new york. thay all had a great time, elie even said she wanted to stay another two weeks(!). pj and i had a blast showing them around. i like it when i have the chance to play tour guide, a revived sense of enthusiasm and wonder for the city takes hold, feelings i often lose sight of living here on the day to day. good to keep things fresh.
the picture above was taken at the natural history museum. it's a posed picture, i had an exact idea of what i wanted, which was a copy of the album cover for 'how animals move' by john parish, this weeks post. i put this on a few weeks back when zach was in town after having not listened to it since it came out a few years ago. it sounded fantastic, kinda filling in a certain void i've been having with music lately. an emotional one, i guess. something to do with the beautiful weepy violin that begins each side and the impact of lines like 'when everything came tumbling down/hold onto the stable life she said' when sung with such moving nonchalance. also reminds me of my time in san francisco, living in my little studio apartment in the loin, playing this quite a lot, damaging it a bit, giving my slightly warped copy to tony, and buying another because i liked it so much. filling that void.

the great kitty takeover

2005-09-21T23:44:00.000-04:00

two new to the fold
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

chuck berry
from the album
the great twenty eight
LISTEN/roll over beethoven

tommy james and the shondells
from the album
the best of...
LISTEN/mony mony

missed my promise of a post a week by missing last weeks. had no time when there was a rock band to house. the kingdom came all the way from portland OR to show off their rock chops to a new york city crowd at last weeks cmj fest. very well behaved boys, even took out the trash and recycling. couldn't ask for better houseguests.
speaking of rockstars and such, anyone catch the finale of rockstar/inxs? didn't think so. i, sadly, had been following for the last couple months and pretty well predicted the outcome. the hasbeens basically picked the guy who sounded most like their former singer michael hutchence. marty was my man though, a sweet guy with actual (well, relative) talent. it's probably better for his career that he didn't win. pj developed quite a crush on marty, and i can't blame her. he's like a rock n' roll ralph fiennes. did i ever tell you that inxs kick was the first lp i ever bought? i still have it and still rock it every now and again.
the biggest development as of late has to be the addition of two new kitties to the 682 house. long seperated simone, pj's cat who had to stay in san fran these last two years, has finally been reunited with the ol' family. pretty little thing. then there's beethoven, or 'oven' if you prefer, who's staying with us for the next six odd months while his mom rachel (of littlepants fame) settles in her new home of london. kitty situation has been a bit tense, a lot of hissing and growling and paw swiping. we keep tellin' them all to just chill and give peace a chance but they don't seem to pay no mind. crazy cats.

i want to see the bright lights tonight

2005-09-07T21:22:00.000-04:00

i want to see the bright lights tonight I
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

ken boothe
from the album
darker than blue
soul from jamdown 1973-1980
LISTEN/is it because i'm black

pamela and i have caught a serious case of tennis fever since the us open has been in town. it's been getting in the way of our workday, nite matches start late and usually end just before one, which isn't such a bad bedtime when you don't account for the walk home from the neighborhood sports bar (no cable love at home) and the few beers had at said bar. still got home earlier than the nite we actually went up to flushing meadows and took in a couple matches, the last of which we sat courtside (any of y'all see us on the tv?) we don't just watch, but we bet as well. last nites match of clijster vs. williams won me a delicious three course meal at our favorite (as well as john tuturro's!) neighborhood restaurant al di la. i'm betting on clijster all the way, completely taken by her all out approach and spidey split slide style. anyone out there differ? let's bet dinner on it.
couldn't think of any songs to post with a tennis theme (anyone?) instead i've decided to post this cover of the classic by syl johnson redone by ken boothe and turned into dub reggae classic itself. because, outside of 40 love, all i've got on my mind is new orleans and the sad ugly truth concerning race, class, and the 'politics of benign neglect'. a song to those swept up in this suffering, to kanye west for not representing the views of nbc and its affiliates, and to my friends in central lockup. as for the answer to johnson and boothe's question? your damn right it is.

blue, blue, electric blue

2005-08-31T01:17:00.000-04:00

visual music
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

asa chang and jun ray
from the album
jun ray song chang
LISTEN/tabla bol
LISTEN/radio-no-youni (comme a la radio)

boy, it's been kinda hard keeping up with these blogposts. it may not seem like much content but with all the image and audio uploading and coming up with something sorta interesting to talk about, and all the links that sprout from that, it can actually be quite time consuming. but i love doing it, especially when people leave nice comments (hint, hint). i think i'll try to put up one post a week. that seems reasonable.
well, my weekend getaway lifestyle continued with a brief 24 hour stay in washington dc to visit my terribly missed pj who's been working at the library of congress for the last week and a half. we saw a lot in the short visit, walking late at nite visiting most of the major memorials and monuments and taking in the free museums during the day. the greatest treat was the hirshhorn museum where they're currently showing an amazing exhibit titled 'visual music'. very awesome. although there are some works that are purely visual, like abstract paintings that express movement and music, the majority of the exhibit is dedicated to experimental film/video/animation that exists symbiotically with sound/music. i was most struck by the work of john whitney and his son john whitney jr. whitney was a pioneer of early camera animation as well as visual/sound sync invention (early 1940's). he continued well into the latter part of the century, working in computer animation very early in the 1960's (!) spurred on by grant money given by ibm. a true innovator, whitney's own work is a heady mix of day-glo psychedelia and multidimensioned formality mixed in a kind of swirling cosmic animated field. all three pieces shown were driven by traditional sitar music accompanied by tabla, further deepening the spiritual space he sought to expose. rather than pull out my ravi shankar records (who whitney used in one of the pieces), i decided to go with this idea of the traditional and contemporary and post these two tracks by asa chang and jun ray. a trio from japan, they incorporate tabla and electronics in ways that are completely their own. modern music made by modern means but anchored (more or less) by the modes of traditional tabla music.

weekend b!+@#*$

2005-08-23T02:02:00.000-04:00

weekend dock
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

the electric prunes
from the album
i had too much to dream (last night)
LISTEN/train for tomorrow
from the album
release of an oath
LISTEN/holy are you

the last few weeks have been kinda busy. the weekdays filled up by school and the weekends taken up with a lot travel as of late. after montreal was a trip to los angeles and just last weekend was spent on the jersey shore. off to dc this coming saturday and camping in eastern virginia the following labor day break. suppose i'm fitting in as much vacation time as i can before summer surely fades away.
picked up these two electric prunes lp's while in los angeles, fitting since they were from sunny la. there's a lot of strange history in this group, things like constant lineup changes and a start that was similar to a band like the monkees, in that they were basically fronts for working la songwriters/producers who held most of the artistic control. though they did play on their records and never went the tv show/kiddie pop route. after their first album they were given a little more say in the songs and were able to stretch out and work with other producers. the first of the tracks is one of the few off their first album that was actually written by the group. the second was composed and arranged by david axelrod and you can definitely hear the influence as their former psychedelic garage sound gives way to axelrod's heavy funk beats and evangelic baroque stylings.

can you spare some bubblegum?

2005-08-08T22:36:00.000-04:00

fight the power
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

the plastic cloud
from the album
the plastic cloud
LISTEN/civilization machine

just got back from a long weekend in montreal, visiting our fine neighbors in the great white north and celebrating k-luv's 30th birthday. a lovely city with a very european feel, especially in the old historic district and, of course, its french speaking people. did a lot of walking around the city, their subway system not as extensive as new york, but with much cuter trains. had good times watching the penguins at the biodome, dancing to dj birthdayboy at main hall, hooking up $3 (canadian $'s!) weed on saint laurent at four in the morning, vegan thai at chu chai, and french canadian cowboy karaoke at the 'ouestern bar'. good times. after i got back i was looking for some good canadian music to post. i was happy to find out that this album by the plastic cloud qualified, although not quebecois but from eastern ontario. this record was recorded in '67 and, in my opinion, should be regarded as a classic of the psychfolkrock era. unfortunately, these guys were from canada (i bet things would have been different if they came up in, let's say, the bay area scene), and didn't ever get their due props, only released this one album, and have fallen into relative obscurity. dig it.

out of the ground into the sky

2005-07-28T00:48:00.000-04:00

suntree I
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

nirvana
from the album
xxii ii mcmvciv
live in rome
LISTEN/drain you
LISTEN/school

nirvana? am i going through an early midlife crisis? well, yes i am, but this isn't the reason i'm posting these teen angst faves. tonite pj and i saw the new gus van sant movie 'last days', a film based on the final moments of kurt cobains life leading up to his suicide (or murder for those less convinced). as with van sant's more recent films like the previous 'elephant', the movie is carried by a meditative, near placid pace that accentuates mood and an arresting realism over conventional plot development or narrative arc. like 'elephant', a film based on the columbine shootings, there's no real need for storytelling, the historical events already well ingrained. we know quite well that there will be no happy ending. and again like 'elephant' this was a bold move as far as subject matter for van sant to make. if you grew up with cobain's music and resulting iconism then you probably have pretty strong notions of what kind of person he may have been. i think this would be quite a challenge for a filmmaker, especially with a pop culture figure as huge as cobain was and still is. but van sant's stumbling and mumbling blake (not kurt, only 'based' on him) as played by michael pitt, never tries to state more than he knows he reasonably can, but simply puts to vision a sensitive impression of a disconnected soul on his last days on earth.

broader than broadway

2005-07-23T02:37:00.000-04:00

shinehead
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

roy ayers ubiquity
from the album
he's coming
LISTEN/we live in brooklyn baby

digable planets
from the album
blowout comb
LISTEN/borough check

one of the best things about being in new york for the summer are all the free events. since we last spoke i've gone to see femi (son of fela) kuti at central park, a premier screening of werner herzog's 'grizzly man' with the director on hand, and roy ayers at von king park in bed-stuy (fort greene to you real estate agents). femi was no fela, it's not fair to compare but it's also hard not to. his version of afrobeat is faster and slicker than dad's, a feel some may dig but no me so much. his energy was great though and anything even slightly resembling that classic afrobeat rhythm makes me happy no matter. herzog brought a laugh out during the post screening q and a of 'grizzly man'. when asked what the purpose of the film was, he dryly cracked, "i don't know. what is the purpose of children?" it was also learned that the first time he ever used a telephone was at age 17. and roy ayers in bed-stuy. i wasn't sure what to expect from the 64 year old, his best material over two decades behind. it was a mixed bag, mostly an icky kinda smooth jazz punctuated by soprano sax, but also some groovin' funk shit that sounded really good, especially coming from a buncha old timers and a white boy drummer. sad that they didn't play 'we live in brooklyn baby' considering they were playing in the heart of the borough. plus, i really believed they had to since the song, and its sampled/rapped/revised permutations, have been following me around and flooding my head for the last couple weeks. if anyone has smif n' wessun's 'home sweet home'(another song that samples the ayers' track) please send it my way. i'll love you forever for it.

hot fun in the summertime

2005-07-11T21:48:00.000-04:00

this is a wall
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

jamie lidell
from the album
multiply
LISTEN/new me
LISTEN/what's the use

today was hot. its nearly ten in the nite and i'm still sticky with sweat. it's currently 90 degrees according to the weather people. a slight drop from the 95 degree day. i love weather like this, the mind numbing heat, the appreciatively sweet relief in finding a nice spot of shade, a strong fan, or a cold beer. love all the summer activities too, like bbq and smashball with pj by the lake at prospect park, catching an outdoor hop fu screening at the bandshell, and strolling through soho to the barry mcgee show at deitch projects. the gallery space was pretty big and carried a lot of his work. the first thing you see after walking through the entrance, which is actually the back end of a truck's trailer that's been laid on its's side, is a crashed and graffitied stack of automobiles piled ceiling high. at this point you can only say "whoa!" or "oh my!", or "holy...", or something like that. and as impressive a sight this is, it's only the beginning. there's also a small tower of monitors and wires that serve as a video installation, a shed built out of panels painted with brightly colored geometric shapes, and the actual inside of a public restroom with one in a number of animatronic graffiti guys tagging the long scrawled mirror. it amazes me that one person can work with so many different ideas (like painting, video, photo, sculpture, mechanics, massive installation) and create something so incredible, skilled, and distinctive. if in new york then you should go and see yourself, if you can't make it then you can at least look at more photos here.
going along with theme of summer fun, here are two tracks from jamie lidell off his recent release multiply. lidell can bring the funk, 'new me' summons the powers of james brown and fela kuti, and the soul, showing a little white boy wonder in the slow grooving, blue-eyed burner 'what's the use'. white boy is sincere, none of this irony drenched beck type soul, and pulls off a classic sounding record that also delights with its freaked-out and fresh production.

swing low sweet jewel encrusted chariot

2005-07-05T01:49:00.000-04:00

mountain goats II
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

the mountain goats
from the album
the coroner's gambit
LISTEN/jaipur
from a live performance
LISTEN/trash(suede cover)

with pj away in kentucky, its been just me and eliot here to celebrate the fourth of july. well, this is not entirely true. i had to leave sweet eliot home tonite to meet up with friends downtown for a special independence day event put together by rooftop films featuring a set by john darnielle, otherwise known as the mountain goats. the large open outdoor space seemed an awkward match when set against darnielle's rousing, often burning, confessionals. and while it's true that a smaller venue would've proved a more fitting showcase, it was actually really cool to see him perform on a rooftop in downtowm brooklyn on such a nice nite. he also mentioned how it was the first time he's played solo in three years, which probably accounted for number of old songs he decided to play. one of my favorites was 'jaipur', the first song from the album the coroner's gambit. my scalp buzzed and my heart skipped in favor when he sang out the opening verse...
i was having visions of sugar pastry
cooked up in clarified butter
i tried to turn my visions into prayers
but i built my castle way high up in the air
yeah i came to the gates of the fabled pink city
hungry, and tired, and cold
swing low sweet chariot
chrome tail pipe shining bright as spun gold

dominican twang

2005-06-21T01:53:00.000-04:00

hold on to your hat
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

luis segura
from the album
disco d'oro
LISTEN/yo quiero hablarte

been quite awhile since the last post. pj and i just got back from a week long vacation in the dominican republic last wednesday, a week long that in reality felt like a week too short. we spent most of our stay on the northeastern samana peninsula surrounded by lush tropics, green mountains, white sands and clear warm waters. we ate and drank well, mostly fried fish with plantains or rice and beans washed down with a large bottle of presidente. oh, and they have this fantastic drink, or concoction may be a better word, called mamajuana which is dark rum mixed with honey and a special blend of tree bark and root distilled for months under wet earth to be drunk for the promotion of sexual virility and fertility. the drink was like firewater, to be sipped cautiously, but left me feeling fuzzy and buzzing and quite possibly, um, virile. dominicans love their drink, almost as much as they love their merengue and bachata music, which can most always be heard blaring insane out of trucks, comedors, and discotheques at ear damaging volumes from day to early morning, from the biggest cities to the sleepiest coastal outposts. the song here is in classic style from the "papa de bachata" luis segura, courtesy of captain's crate, a favorite music site that everyone should check out for the best in deep, rollicking, grooving, funking shit from around the world.

the milky delight that invited us all

2005-06-03T00:02:00.000-04:00

mcgyver o'brien
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

jeff magnum
from the album
live at jittery joe's
LISTEN/engine

i'm still recovering after the raging memorial weekend that brought six, yes six, of my old OC pals from the elementary school days to new york city. i'm sore in places that i didn't know drinking so heavily could make you sore, and my head is still stuck in a muddle of sorts. interestingly enough, beer is the only thing that can soothe my aches and clear my mind. the cycle continues. the reunion was a success, the boys haven't really changed too much and it's nice to know that none of us are in a real rush to become proper adults. disappointed that no one got naked this time. did i just reveal too much?
the picture on the right was taken in the lobby of nbc studios. coincidentaly, or perhaps it was written in the cosmos, these are two of pj's greatest all-time loves (i come nowhere close in the ranking) shopped shoulder to shoulder amongst many other nbc characters of reality and fiction. when she was in the sixth grade she would write macgyver (richard dean anderson) letters addressing him as rick ('cause they're real tight like that), declaring that she was his biggest fan and asking him for advice on boys. for real. i think she might kill me for telling you this.

perfect strangers

2005-05-18T01:23:00.000-04:00

me & cousin larry
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

as mercenarias
from the compilation
the sexual life of the savages
LISTEN/inimigo

it was real nice having cousin larry in the big city this week. we go way back, best friends in the fourth grade, playing bonks adventure, crawling the underground tunnels, coppin' hugs from mrs. nerney, shooting each other with imported/illegal japanese pellet guns, knockin over the kitty litter, singing about firecrotch. he's been thinking about moving out here, and although i would love it if he were here and i think that he would adapt exceptionally well to new york city, it's hard for me to persuade him to leave good ol' san francisco, a city i still miss a ton and consider one of the sweetest most beautiful places in the world. but he would really love it here. especially all the great record stores, a few of which we shopped around in today. it's a real joy to see a friend drop four hundred dollars on records in a matter of a couple hours. just imagine the possibilities of a full day spent shopping. really though, there's no better way to spend that hard earned cash (although a few other vices come close in the running). i thank him for inspiring a purchase of my own today, this cool new soul jazz compilation of brasilian post-punk, 'the sexual life of the savages'. i spotted it within his healthy pile of newly bought vinyl and just couldn't resist picking it up myself for the absolutely eye-catching cover and soul jazz's goldmine reputation.

good morning to the new world

2005-05-13T01:21:00.000-04:00

the graduate
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

silver jews
from the album
starlite walker
LISTEN/advice to the graduate

hurray! hurrah! pj has finally done it. she is now a master of the arts. a certified moving image archivist & preservationist. how fancy! i'm so damn proud of her, knowing (well, not in the way that she really knew) what she went through these last couple years to realise such achievement. so many sleepless nites, the baggy eyes, the mind racking determination, the greying hairs. her work and perseverance has been total and i truly believe that she and her MIAP cohorts will do great service in preserving our history, a true benefit for our often unconcerned, and speciously assumptive, automatic society. history does not sustain itself, it's the efforts of the sympathetic few that ensures our story will continue to be shared. so, write to your government and tell 'em we need to allocate less money to ill-advised wars (oil and drug alike) and put more money towards the arts and preservation! a culture is at stake, and so is our personal livelihood! the girl's gotta work. lord knows i'm not bringing home any bacon.

happy birthday brother tony

2005-05-11T03:13:00.000-04:00

tony
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

david bowie
from the album
hunky dory (rykodisc re-release)
LISTEN/quicksand (demo version)

there's too much to say or maybe there's nothing i can say, so i'm not going to say it or try to. well, i can say this. it was 37 years ago today that my beloved brother tony was born. tony has given so much to so many people in this time. for me he has shaped a tremendous amount (if such a thing can be measured) of who i am and how i see it all. most everything i love, am inspired by, believe in, laugh at, cry over, etc. are all an outcome of big brother tony's influence. all the other shit like my laziness, impatience, selfishness, and occasional dips into asshole behavior are all purely troy. which, i guess, is to say that everything good is all thanks to tony tu. and this includes one of my greatest loves, music. tony flipped my world around sometime in '95 when he gave me the first of a handful of life altering and affirming mixtapes. on that tape was this demo version of bowie's 'quicksand'. it devestated me then and continues to do so to this day. is there a song that i come back to more that still steals my breath and puts a lump in my heart with guarantee everytime? probably not. i listen to it now and that lump in my heart has changed its shape, become enormous, and my breath has gone and run away from me.

gardening at night

2005-05-04T23:02:00.000-04:00

pretty flower makes pretty picture III
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

bobby womack
from the compilation
dirty laundry
LISTEN/bouquet of roses

roscoe holcomb
from the album
an untamed sense of control
LISTEN/fair miss in the garden

sun city girls
from the album
box of chameleons
LISTEN/moonflower power

it's been a little while since my last post. my better half,pj, her computer decided to poop out on her just days before her big brain-sucking thesis paper was due. my mac stepped in for relief, processing strong under the constant type key bombardment of her studious assault. her mac came back from repairs today and alas my baby compy is back in daddy's arms. anyways, on with the content. landlord dan keyed me in on the big plant sale happening at the brooklyn botanic gardens today. offering use of his membership card he rightly encouraged me to go and check it out. this served as a good reason to visit the gardens, a place i've never been which is really silly considering i live, like, a mile away from it. by going i discovered yet another neighborhood gem and another undeniable reason why park slope is just so lovely and why i'm so happy to live here. the japanese cherry blossoms were still in full bloom, pink bunches swaying gently with the wind. and long stemmed tulips, like this here picture i took, of all pattern and colors just beginning to open up their petals. there were other people snapping close ups of flowers like myself, mostly asian like myself (who would've guessed?). i felt like i belonged. oh, and the plant sale was something else! i picked up a hanging chinese ivy prayer plant, an aurora borealis succulent, an early budding spathiphyllum, and a gorgeous broad-leaved 'moonlight' philodendron.

singsweetbird mixtape no.2

2005-04-27T01:39:00.000-04:00

Originally uploaded by third uncle.

LISTEN/singsweetbird
mix2

sunra dialogue...
can.iwantmore
atmosfear.dancingin
outerspace
ebotaylorjr&wutawazuri.
mondosoulfunky
discotheque.discospecial
ryuichisakamoto.lagos
bis.lovewilltearusapart
danielwang.berlinsunrise
annie.chewinggum
(headmanvocalremix)
outhud.itsforyou
agreenman.sundaylove
ofkind
neworder.thevillage(edit)
gracejones.privatelife
rollingstones.feelonbaby(instrumental)
monade.lacarlottedel'humanite

*i like comments. tell me if you like!

dirt and blood

2005-04-22T19:39:00.000-04:00

color
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

antibalas
from the album
talkatif
LISTEN/hypocrite

i've been meaning to go see antibalas for the longest time now and their month long thursday nite residency at tonic meant that i had eight chances (two sets per nite)to get my lazy bones in order and hop on the F train to the LES. so, after another smashing episode of the OC i put on some comfortable shoes, grabbed a couple beers for the train ride and headed on over to manhattan for the ten o'clock show. the group was thirteen members strong, all squished together on the tiny tonic stage. they had no trouble swaying the crowd from the get-go with their irresistable beat and rolling funk. it was good to see people dancing, i really wanted to join in but was a few drinks short of courage. the set ended with members of tv on the radio joining the orchestra for afro-beat renditions of a couple of their songs (count 'em, 16 people now on the tiny tonic stage!). really just a perfect way to end the show, everybody on that stage and so many on the floor moving and sweating, smiles stretched wide across the face.

i'm only joking. seriously.

2005-04-20T16:20:00.000-04:00

fred tomaselli
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

black mountain
from the album
s/t
LISTEN/druganaut

bro, what's the date. ohhh, no way!
when i lived in santa cruz (NoCal) i sometimes would take the bus up to the UCSC campus making sure i would reach the top of the hill by 4 o'clock. i would do this only when low on cash and, um, goods. with my ears to guide me i would use the twenty minutes to find a proper drum circle where the twirley college hippies would be congregating cross-legged in the meadow,and passing the peace pipe with no discretion. nice company really, always offering a hit and able to pound out a hypnotic groove once the smoke had settled. what a strange town to live in for those few years. things never really changed, day to day, month to month, year to year. all the same. like the clock stopped ticking at some point in '68 and the place hasn't heard a tock since.

a song for saturday III

2005-04-16T20:08:00.000-04:00

sylvester
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

sylvester
from the album
stars
LISTEN/ineedsomebody tolovetonight

sylvester is considered a disco legend whose popularity sparked with the dancefloor hit "you make me feel(mighty real)". he started performing in san francisco in an all-male transvestite vocal group called the cockettes. great name. he played in a couple bands, like the sly stone influenced happy-hippy-funk group "the hot band", before settling into his solo sylvester persona. he had a string of charted hits during the late 70's disco boom and was celebrated for his flamboyant energy, sophisticated charm, and most importantly amongst the gay community for his openly acknowledged homosexuality, a boldness rare for performers during the era. this track comes a couple years after his peaked popularity and favors the emerging cool of electro over the waning thump of disco. a hot track, no doubt.

dude, did you hear that?

2005-04-15T03:12:00.000-04:00

mush
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

hawkwind
from the album
doremi fasol latido
LISTEN/space is deep

future pilot a.k.a. vs the pastels
from the
series 500 12"
LISTEN/hurricane fighter plane

dmbq
from some album?
LISTEN/go go evil

file under "stoner rock"? well, that could work although i think these tunes could handle a little heavier. file under "face melt"? yeah, that's better. hawkwind are often heralded as the fathers of space rock. this makes sense considering a good amount of their songs are about leaving this earth, and traveling through the outer depths in their "great space mother". it's a more deserved take on the genre tag considering most groups deemed space rock these days don't even sing about outerspace let alone greet their fans as "star warriors". this album features "lemmy the lurch", better known for his next band motorhead and mik "the dwarf leader" who is credited with playing "generators and hot electronics". the future pilot a.k.a. vs pastels track is a cover of a song off of the red crayola masterpiece "parable of arable land". this version is delight full of throbbing bass, echoed vocals, and the sounds of revved up jet engines. dmbq are a japanese band who've been around since the mid 90's that i know little about and had heard only recently. but hearing this track has convinced me to buy all nine of their previous albums.

talk to me baby

2005-04-13T23:34:00.000-04:00

Elmore James
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

elmore james
from the compilation
guitars in orbit
LISTEN/talktomebaby

seeing m.ward last monday at southpaw has further convinced me that he is today's bruce springsteen. i really think so and i know i'm not the only one. well, there are differences.he plays much shorter sets than the boss and may not be as at hand with his showmanship, although he does earn points for knowing to get real close to the front row during solos, and for trying to charm a girl from the crowd onto the stage during his soft rock, "to all the girls i've loved before", serenade "fuel for fire". my favorite part of the show came when he and the band took up to covering elmore james, adding a sweet guy/gal call and response part while shouting "talk to me baby", the declarative title. you can probably find this song on a dozen of james' compilations, all most likely bearing the title "elmore james:king of the slide guitar" or "the slide guitar king" or "the guitar slide king", something like that. any recording is bound to be good because james never recorded a dud. every performance i've ever heard has been astounding. he always sounds like he's giving it everything he's got, totally raw and rollicking. i read somewhere that he had a background in electronics fixing radios and would use those skills to modify guitar amps to go much louder and just sound really fierce, especially so for the time. a professed influence on luminaries like chuck berry, hound dog taylor, brian jones, jimi hendrix and so many others,elmore james is the delta blues and a forefather of rock n' roll.

kumuamkia mzulu

2005-04-11T01:20:00.000-04:00

Originally uploaded by third uncle.

a.k. salim
from the album
afro-soul/drum orgy
LISTEN/salutetoazulu

another beautiful spring day in new york. the dread chill of the winter season is finally behind and the pay off begins. spent the day in prospect park, like so many others, coasting around on my yellow schwinn. happened upon the drummers grove and stopped off to take in the rhythm and dance. the drummers sounded awesome, there were probably thirty of them accompanied by a few flute players and a couple fine gentleman sax players. my first thought was how bad i wanted to sit in, (quietly)joining the drum. my second thought was of this record here, above and to your right. A.K. Salim's Afro-Soul/Drum Orgy. gosh, if the title isn't enough...

a song for saturday II

2005-04-09T15:42:00.000-04:00

Originally uploaded by third uncle.

roxy music
from the album siren
LISTEN/bothendsburning

now my course is plain as day
running bold across to play
both ends burning with a strange desire
that feeds the fire in my soul tonight
i will dance the night away
living only for today
both ends burning while you're counting sheep
hell - who can sleep in this heat this night?
tell me will I ever learn?
it's too late, the rush is on
both ends burning and I can't control
the fires raging in my soul tonight

*thanks to stephen for bringing this song to mind

the BIG 8

2005-04-08T23:51:00.000-04:00

happy 8th elie!
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

i'd like to wish elie a happy eighth birthday. elie is the best. an amazing young lady who is just so much fun to be around. i wish i were in long beach to party with her. well, uncle sends his love and warmest birthday wishes...

xoxo
LISTEN/sugarcubes_birthday

a song for saturday I

2005-04-02T03:01:00.000-05:00

Originally uploaded by third uncle.

the go! team
from the album thunder,lightning,strike
LISTEN/huddleformation

i've decided to put a song up for this day we have here. this today. saturday. a song that should make you happy all of the day. something to wake up to, while pouring yourself a bowl of cereal. getting ready for that first free day in five. and perhaps later in the nite, something to put on after dinner to work off those extra calories. and at the midnite hour, something to bop your head around to, white lightning in hand.

banksy

2005-03-26T18:50:00.000-05:00

bansky
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

so, this is pretty rad. banksy is a street/graffiti/whatever artist from britain. last week he paid a visit to four major museums here in New York, the MOMA, MET, Brooklyn Museum, and Natural History Museum with some paintings of his own to display. diversions were created and, with the help of some super strong glue, the paintings were hung relatively inconspicuous amongst the other "fine and time-honored" works. read news here. some pieces were discovered within the day, some not for several days. the art itself is incredible. personal/political works camoflauged as victorian period pieces, warholian pop art, and entomological specimen. check out the official banksy site for more info and pics.

fire of space

2005-03-24T17:30:00.000-05:00

fire of space
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

fire of space are, as someone put it, nyc's premier instrumental, avant-garde folk opera. featuring members of brooklyn's own fela-inspired antibalas afrobeat orchestra, fire of space play a spiritual sort of music, one that lends itself graciously to ecstatic bursts of joy. a heavenly rich cacophony taken from devotees as strong as john coltrane, alice coltrane, and sun ra. throw in an affinity towards traditional folk musics of eastern europe and india and you have a moving music for today, steeped in the revelations of yesterday, long lost in the live spaces of the nite until now.

LISTEN/FireofSpacelive@theluckycat

chicago sights & sounds

2005-03-19T20:32:00.000-05:00

crown fountain
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

spanish sculptor jaume plensa created the crown fountain in millennium park.
it's composed of two, fifty-foot-high illuminated glass block towers united by a black granite pool measuring 232-feet long by 48-feet wide. the fountain's interactive nature is derived from an ever-changing, year-round exhibition of lights, electronic images and cascading water.

LISTEN/ChicagoTransitAudio

singsweetbird mixtape no.1

2005-03-08T00:40:00.000-05:00

mixed up
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

dialogue...
roxymusic.remake/remodel
13thfloorelevators.earthquake
softboys.dothechisel
letonmite.macdonaldobservatory,
theskieswereerased
swellmaps.thehelicoptorspies
eleventhdreamday.drivingsong
ledzeppelin.bonzosmontreux
liquidliquid.bellhead
gracejones.pulluptothebumper
georgeduddley.gatesofzion
chaansiangphin.wasangampar
(couldyouloveme)
sandybull.gottabejuicy(oritaintlove)
maureentucker.spamagain
noiseaddict.iwishiwashim
buddyholly.everyday
train outro...
LISTENsingsweetbirdno.1

songsinthekeyoflove

2005-02-17T23:07:00.000-05:00

songsinthekeyoflove
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

a valentines mix for my special someone. posted a few days late...

beyonce - crazy in love
figurine - let's make our love song
cure- love cats
yesterdays new quintet - send one your love
supremes - i hear a symphony
george jones - lovebug
troggs - with a girl like you
sondre lerche - love you
curtis mayfield - the makings of you
aimee mann - save me
scout niblett - to much love to do
edith frost - give up your love
velvet underground- i love you
songs:ohia - sweet release
big star - i'm in love with a girl
zombies - the way i feel inside
postal service - we will become silhouettes(matthew dear mix)

neko case @ the bowery ballroom

2005-02-14T03:29:00.000-05:00

neko case
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

our backyard

2005-01-26T01:46:00.000-05:00

prospect park
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

chai yo

2005-01-22T00:18:00.000-05:00

chai yo
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

gezuar. genatzt. prosit. op uw gezonheid. saude. kong chien. na zdravi. skal. proost. fee sihetak. tervist. kippis. a vortre sante. auf ihr wohl. eis igian.
okole malune. kedves egeszsegere. a la sature. kampai. kong gang ul wi ha yo. i sveikas. salud. kia ora. mabuhay.
na zdrowie. a sia saide. noroc. na zdorovia. iechyd da.
cheers.

saturday january fifteenth adobe books

2005-01-14T13:51:00.000-05:00

tony1
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

sontag
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

adobe books and the backroom gallery present...
legacy
opening january 15 7-10 pm

TONY VADAKAN
photographs from the series 'missed connections' and other works

VERONICA DEJESUS
memorial drawings

WILL YACKULIC
'finest pure' new works by yackulic and collaborations w/ joe pollard

the FINCHES perform at 8:30

eleanor harwood curator

3166 16th st.
san francisco

www.adobebooks.org

winter activities

2005-01-12T18:13:00.000-05:00

pamisthemostbeautifulfigureskater
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

ice skating at wollman rink in prospect park. little kids falling here, there, and everywhere. i fell once. pam moved with the grace of an elegant swan, as you can well see.

rememberance

2004-12-31T02:33:00.000-05:00

Originally uploaded by third uncle.

out on the storefront of
dog eared books in
san francisco.
drawings by veronica dejesus.
thank you so much for this.

tinkerbelie

2004-12-31T02:24:00.000-05:00

elie
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

a christmas gift
from
grandma v.
my young 'baby' niece
looking so sparkling nice.
what elegance!
such bubbley fabrication!
striking attitude!

yo la tengo @ maxwells

2004-12-23T05:10:00.000-05:00

yo la tengo
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

pamela and i went to the last show of their eight nite chanakuh run at maxwells in hoboken, nj. calvin johnson opened and the feelies joined them on stage for the encore. much fun. yo la's set started with the velvet underground's 'can't stand it' and ended with one of my favorite vu songs, 'i found a reason'.

mystery fortune

2004-12-19T21:13:00.000-05:00

fortune
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

i got chinese takeout (wonton soup) last wednesday and recieved this fortune. the next nite pammy and i decided to get more chinese (egg drop soup, spring rolls, vegetable dumplings, vegetarian general tso's chicken) and my cookie gave me the same fortune as the nite before! wild, yeah!?! i feel like i should definitely take the advice, but there lies one problem. what are my fortune cookies trying to tell me? what is this business with tiger cubs? let me know what you think, post a comment.

favorite albums of 2004

2004-12-14T05:01:00.000-05:00

Originally uploaded by third uncle.

amps for christ 'people at large'...
henry barnes is amps for christ, formerly of man is the bastard. he makes his own guitars, jacks up ones he already has. there are pictures in the inner sleeve of these creations, wires intersecting, circuit boards exposed. genius electrician. these serve as conducters, that is, channels to somewhere out there, something spiritual. filtered through nimble ragas, hardcore boombox blast, scottish lament, auld lang syne as played thru a mini fridge. expansive and cultured, political at its best.

Originally uploaded by third uncle.

animal collective 'sung tongs'... everyone who owns this loves this. undeniable stuff, and that's hard to come by these days. experimental w/out pretension, they're here to please you not play you. softly strummed, maniacally devised, underhandedly tripped, brought tender thru such exquisite harmonies. 'winters love' is my favorite. i've put it on at least three mixes i've made for friends. i can't resist. it sounds like brazil and brooklyn gone on a romantic getaway.

Originally uploaded by third uncle.

br. danielson 'brother is to son'...
daniel smith from the danielson famile goes out on his own, sort of. the famile is still there helping out but the record feels more personal, more about daniel's day to day struggles, family love, faith in god. this is the accesible danielson record if there ever was one, he even sings in a (relatively) low register. catchy as, er, hell too. evangelicism as pixie hooked, campfire sing-a-long, muppet rock. there are very few out there as pop-compositionaly twisted or directively wholesome as the danielsons.

the-tigers-have-spoken
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

neko case 'the tigers have spoken'...
not a proper album but rather a rip roaring live disc. tracks taken from a few different shows, backed by a full band in fellow canadians, and sweethearts of the rodeo, the sadies. case carries such a powerful voice which translates especially well in the heat of a live set. a handful of covers including a commanding version of loretta lynn's 'rated x', two old favorites, and a version of the first song she ever wrote.

Originally uploaded by third uncle.

comets on fire 'blue cathedral'...
third album from bay area psych sensations finds them digging into even deeper colors of late 60's/early 70's hallucinatory, proto metal, acid rock. this is tripped out rock n' roll, yes, but not flowery by any means. hell-bent psychedelic, punk fueled, huge and intimidating. there are lighter moments, airy interludes, whole approaches lifting you steadily towards the fire. like a slow roast. oh yeah, and noel von harmonson's echoplex.

Originally uploaded by third uncle.

deerhoof 'milk man'...
deerhoof, i'm confident, will never cease to amaze me. an absolute marvel, singular in their field. every album, every show they seem to get simultaneously tighter and looser, like they can read each others minds more clearly and are more relaxed for it. rock in e.s.p. milk man is crisp, like clean, thoughtfully constructed, a sheeny pop record full of little tinkles here and there. the guitars they talk to each other, sometimes say the same things using different voices. the stories are straight off a fairy tale, albeit one i've never read. the drums make me feel like navin johnson trying to find his rhythm.

half-smiles-of-the-decomposed
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

guided by voices 'half smiles of the decomposed'...
a final departure to be proud of. similar to the previous 'earthquake glue' in sound and line up, but more consistently hitting. there's not a dud on the album (which is a lot to say for a gbv album). anthemic, triumphant, full of pollard's flipped lyricism. hardcore fans complain of it being too produced for gbv, but to me it just sounds like a collection of cared for songs rather than a bunch of toss offs. superior to the who's 'it's hard'.

spooked
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

robyn hitchcock 'spooked'...
there was a miss america contestant from ohio named robin hitchcock, this a friend had mentioned to mr. robyn hitchcock. robyn found this amusing and started playing the gillian welch song 'miss ohio' during live sets. this led to the idea of getting ms. welch and partner david rawlings involved with hitchcock's latest album "spooked'. an unlikely arrangement, but one that makes sense on record. the mood is laidback, with that warm living room sound. just a few newly acquainted friends picking up their acoustics, setting a folk stride, singing about love and living in the trees, covering dylan, name dropping condoleeza rice. a new reflection on americana as seen through keen british observation.

Originally uploaded by third uncle.

jason molina 'pyramid electric co'...
the latest installment of an everchanging moniker. molina's last brought forth 'magnolia electric co', the fullest band he had ever assembled and the most electric. those neil young comparisons finally within reason. with 'pyramid electric' he takes a few steps back and offers an album stripped to the most bare songs:ohia elements, voice and guitar. a collection of songs that have that one take, this a demo, sound. no frills. the strength, and our reward lay solely in the songs. fine with me. jason molina could sleeptalk in a microphone with the sound of passing traffic going by and i'd be happy. includes one of his best songs (and titles) in the cautionary 'honey, you better watch your ass'.

we-shall-all-be-healed
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

mountain goats 'we shall all be healed'...
john darneille is and has been the mountian goats thru many albums and many years. his early records were really quite intimate, as it is with recording with only you, your raised voice, an acoustic guitar, and a portable four track. his last couple albums (on 4ad) have included flourishes. drums, bass, pianos,strings, more guitars. multitracking. but the essence has stayed the same, the storytelling gotten stronger. he's an american songwriter of the highest defintion. reeling images about the dark inbetweens, stolen moments, chance occurences, cryptic foreboding, suspicious cargo, nites at the travelodge.

young-prayer
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

panda bear 'young prayer'...
of the aforementioned animal collective. his second lone record, now with the help of fellow animals. so beautiful it relieves my back pains. i like listening to this one during subway rides, pretending everything is alright, like we're all listening and healing. this is what this is, a healing record. soulful in the least obvious ways, panda bear invites you in and asks that you simply listen. listen to the way that every vocal line is in harmony with every piano run, every guitar melody a compliment to the other, every breath a tingle down the spine.

papercuts-mockingbird
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

papercuts 'mockingbird'...
i love the bay area. the papercuts are from there and, for whatever reason, they sound like it. maybe it's the informality, or the mood of quiet celebration. the diy aesthetic, the feeling that comes with getting together a bunch of friends and recording an album in your studio garage. the papercuts love the reverb, the hollowed snap of the snare, really long and drawn vocal lines. fans of cass mccombs will undoubtedly hear the similarities (jason quever the songwriter in the band produced those cass recordings). i'm also reminded of fellow bay area popsters the aislers set. although maybe more morricone than morrissey.

calling-out-of-context
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

world-of
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

arthur russell 'world of arthur russell' and 'calling out of context'...
this year was, in a quiet way, the year of arthur russell. three reissues from three seperate labels, all totally awesome and quite different (on a whole and from one another). russell was most active in the early - mid 80's as both an avant cellist and leftfield disco producer. yeah. 'calling out' showcases most of his experimental work, layered cellos, echoed vocals, a buried dub pulse. 'world of' has found release on soul jazz records and fits their mold more so. dancey numbers that bring to mind minimal funk/disco, afrobeat, and a sweaty new york underground. criminal that it has taken most of us this long to hear such perfect music.

bows-and-arrows
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

walkmen 'bows and arrows'...
blah blah blah, the NEW new york, hype hype hype. but, wait, they actually live up to it. so very rocking that i can't help but feel like i'm sixteen again (even though i'm far from it). really perfect driving music, although dangerous when air drumming. infectious really. they were on 'the oc' too! enough said, right? hmmm...

all done!

oh tannenbaum

2004-12-09T00:22:00.000-05:00

kissmas tree
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

six foot douglas fir, freshly trimmed.

Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree, of all the trees most lovely.
Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree, of all the trees most lovely.
Each year you bring to me delight, meaning in the Christmas night.
Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree, of all the trees most lovely.
Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree, with faithful leaves unchanging.
Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree, with faithful leaves unchanging.
Your boughs are green in summers glow and do not fade in winters snow.
Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree, with faithful leaves unchanging.

in the realms of the unreal

2004-12-08T04:06:00.000-05:00

darger angel
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

there's been this great attraction towards the work of henry darger as of late. i've been aware of him for some time but have only recently been drawn in. maybe it's because i'd decided to learn a little more about him, some background which lent itself to intrigue and fascination. he never recieved any notice in his living life. all his work, which included a 15,000 page fantasy tome and over half a centuries worth of paintings were found by his landlord when clearing out his apartment after his passing. he had no known friends, no audience. he created for himself. find out more by checking out this site, if you'd like...
a page about henry darger
there's also a movie by jessica yu called 'in the realms of the unreal' coming out just before christmas.
www.realmsoftheunreal.com

tri danielson!

2004-12-07T18:26:00.000-05:00

danielson 2
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

danielson famile at northsix in williamsburg.

danielson
Originally uploaded by third uncle.

goodwholesomefun.
i only had one beer. only needed one. the sing-alongs, clap-alongs, and jesus love kept me on top and high on life.