Review | Jason Lytle : Yours Truly, The Commuter

In the sea of music that floats around the interweb, blogs, ipods and whatever the hell else we use to drown out the sound of our own shitty lives, good songwriters seem to be far and few between. Recent years has shown that Indie music is trending towards a fuller, more synth-tastic sound, less concerned with the lyrical content that the music is supposed to help deliver. It is what it is, and I'm not saying its necessarily a bad thing, but Casio's, 808's and Autotune on everything can frag-out my brain. (For more on Fragile-X syndrome, follow here).



Taking a step back, I have dived back in to my lyrical heros: Stephen Malkmus (of Pavement), David Bazan (of Pedro The Lion), Jonathan Richman (of Modern Lovers), and finally Jason Lytle (of Grandaddy).

http://www.americansongwriter.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/lytle.jpg

Well, just like the fambly cat, Grandaddy died a couple of years ago. Frontman Jason Lytle, the primary driving force behind the back, flew off the radar for a few years, going back to Modesto to do whatever it is you do in Modesto to keep from killing yourself
. I would gather it involves cheap 12-packs, small firearms, and varments/neighbors' pets.

Jason Lytle is back, a little less somber and seemingly no worse for the wear. Playing all the instruments on the records, Lytle opens with the title track explaining "Last I heard I was left for dead/ I could give two shits about what was said/ I may be limping, but I'm coming home". Feeling all too forgotten, he seems to fight against the odds (most likely imposed by himself) and come out swinging.

Lyrically, Lytle's schtick is his voice. High, calm and drained, he delivers sad, bleak portraits of life, but with a very subtle sense of humor and optimism that makes him night and day when compared to Debby-Downer, Bon Iver.

On Yours Truly, he sings of talking to the ghosts of his old pets, reflecting on "how things got so bad", and pretty much emotionally kicking the shit out of himself. Believe it or not, it's a good summer album. It plays like the Traveling Wilburies and sounds like it too if you don't stop to pay attention to the lyrics, but that's the rub.

Read his interview with NPR here.

The Captains didn't go down with these ships.

I have no legs, I have no legs...

New Art

"Scorch" by Josh Keyes

Art MoCo - Modern contemporary design & architecture

Ground Beef! In Americas kitchens!

let crying babies live!. in this world, what has it come to?
all these crying babies? and just not enough willis pie. but we can't all be living
on the stool. little jon didn't like this day, he said "life was hard this day" and was
later caught hiding under the rug in the dining room. experts say "he must have been trying to
hide the beef".

Photobucket

We Have Band - You Came Out

Sweet video. Over 4000 still frame images used. Catchy Casio-based tune as well.

First Abortion and Now Jews? What's next? The Jonas Bros? Please let it be so.

Shooting reported at Holocaust Museum in Washington

Honestly people, as horrible as this may sound, this recent string of targeted violence has a silver lining. It is evidence that these bigoted idiots are realizing that their numbers are dwindling and their cause is no longer culturally relevant. People have either gotten over their problems with Jews, people who can't take care of babies, Gays, Blacks, etc, or have much, MUCH larger issues at hand.

When people realize the winds are being taken out of their causes' sail, they panic and do irrational shit like this. So, is this bad that abortion doctors are being murdered? Yes. Is it bad that some idiot decides to open fire at the entrance to the Holocaust Museum? Of course. Is it a sign that the collective culture of America is changing? I think so.

As Jim Lahey put it best, "The winds of shit are changing".

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Gunfire at the entrance of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum wounded at least two people Wednesday, emergency officials said.

Gunfire was reported near the Holocaust Museum in Washington on Wednesday.

Gunfire was reported near the Holocaust Museum in Washington on Wednesday.

A private security guard and another person were wounded, according to officials of the D.C. police and fire department. A police official said one of the wounded was the shooting suspect.


Shooting reported at Holocaust Museum in Washington - CNN.com

Hard Ticket, Hard to Resist!

Clip from the 1987 film "Hard Ticket to Hawaii"

New Single | The Fiery Furnaces: "The End Is Near"

From their upcoming LP, I'm Going Away.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/images/artists/7col_in/2c916f95-f6ba-46fa-b9d8-dc0d9379f603.jpg

The Fiery Furnaces: "The End Is Near"

Old news is still cool news.



So first there was the Mosquito, the sound device that emitted high frequency sounds that almost anyone under 20, and almost no one over 30, could hear. The sound is so intolerable that after several minutes, the sound will drive you out of the immediate area. This device was designed to prevent crowds from loitering on the street and in front of unwanted stores, and it worked. But the latest anti-teenager device is much better, acne enhancing pink lights of course.
Another great idea, this time to drive kids out of an entire neighborhood.

"Residents of a Nottinghamshire housing estate have installed pink lights which show up teenagers' spots in a bid to stop them gathering in the area.

Members of Layton Burroughs Residents' Association, Mansfield say they have bought the lights in a bid to

curb anti-social behaviour.

The lights are said to have a calming influence, but they also highlight skin blemishes.

The National Youth Agency said it would just move the problem somewhere else. "


Extreme Pinatas


I've got a mouse in my house can i make it my pet?

Check to see if your mouse has a disease


Step 1

Check the eyes and nose for any type of discharge. If you see signs of discharge, then most likely your pet mouse has a respiratory infection.

Step 2

Watch the mouse's behavior. If you see one of your mice acting out of sorts that can also mean that they have a disease. You may see a decreased appetite or lack of activity.

Step 3

Assume that your mouse has a skin condition if you see it scratching or its skin begins flaking off. These signs indicate that the mouse has mites or lice.

Step 4

Separate the mouse if you suspect that it has a disease. You don't want the condition to spread to the other mice. Also, practice good hygiene when handling a sick mouse. Wash your hands, wear gloves and clean the cage that houses the sick mouse.


Step 5
Take your mouse to a vet. If you are concerned about a possible disease in one of your pet mice, then find a vet and ask her advice.

-ehow.com

If it's sick or broken. Pack up the car and drive to Bethesda, MD where you can see an expert.

If there's nothing more they can do, just add it to your collection of mouse angels:



Warning mice are dirty and carry HantaVirus befriend at your own risk

COLOGNE DESIGN FESTIVAL 2009: Lighting

Core77 / design magazine + resource / photos

Aqua Tower - Chicago

Here's a few views Aqua Tower in Chicago, Illinois by Studio Gang nearing completion.
aqua - jeanne gangA Daily Dose of Ajeanne gang's Aquarchitecturejeanne gang's Aquajeanne gang's Aqua

HIPSTER GRIFTER

TRASH MENAGERIE

mileycyrusfanforever

From Tech Crunch


Come 12:01 AM on Saturday, they’ll be open to all. So choose wisely when you pick a name — or it could well end up like that tattoo you regret later in your life if you pick something like “mileycyrusfanforever.” Facebook notes this in their own way:

Think carefully about the username you choose. Once it’s been selected, you won’t be able to change or transfer it. If you signed up for a Facebook Page after May 31 or a user profile after today at 3 p.m. EDT, you may not be able to sign up for a username immediately because of steps we’ve taken to prevent abuse or “squatting” on names.

National Debt by Country (GDP v. Debt)

3000 shots in Acapulco Ain't What It Use To Be

An army Hummer and a civilian-owned Mercedes Benz are shown after a shootout in a seedy area of Acapulco.
Nation & World | Acapulco gunfight: 3,000 shots, 18 dead | Seattle Times Newspaper

Basement Jaxx - "Raindrops"

If you never heard Basement Jaxx's seminal "Rendezvous" LP back in 2000, now's your chance to catch up with them with this club-pleasing track. Video is pretty nuts too.


iPhone 3GS: Waiting on my Obama-money.

iPhone 3G S announced: $199 16GB, $299 32GB, June 19

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