Finally have seasonal music mix worthy of writing about. Though other things were much more earth shattering and would make a more insightful things to remember, having a summer mix of music is always worth writing down for the archival snapshot.

The one thing I’ve always easily spotted was music. Picking bands that would likely jump to mainstream if only for a short time or become cult heroes. My young adult life resembled the movie High Fidelity with many trips to the record store, reading and hitting the clubs. Now with the computer at my fingertips I don’t even have to leave the house the record store comes to me. Another thing you can blame on the computer for isolating us from each other in favor of hours in front of the machine. But onward to the mix it’s getting to the vampire hours again and this time i can’t blame it on work.

The standouts are folks like Earlimart and Beck. Song For and Gamma Ray are perfect pitch summer pop songs. Both by well established names. Good summer should have at least two strong songs by people at the top of their game.

The new finds were Chromeo and The Joy Formidable, We are Scientists, Inaction is another killer pop anthem Ladytron, in French? The Great Northern is there mainly because I am obsessed with the intro and the voiceover in the Nissan commercials. By the time I found the song I was tired of it since it seemed to be a campaign with the heaviest media buying power I’d ever seen.

The Chap’s Dror Frangi, is older but 3Hive had this posted on their July page and the weirdness of it got under my skin, not too mention I’m sure very few folks gave it a listen way back in 2003. Very weird tune in that strangely likable way. And Windsor for the Derby a fair pop song from another new band i know nothing of. OK, this may be a longer list than I reasonably want to post the first time back, guess I’ll have to do shifts.

Noticed some of the new bands on the Fall list were getting good press Son Ambulance were just through town. They were at the Record Bar this week. As usual didn’t notice till after. I think Earlimart were through town as well. I haven’t gotten myself out to any live music in the last year, i rather miss it.

There a couple of classic to round this all out. How I love a good pop tune.

We are Scientists Inaction 2:32 With Love And Squalor

Chromeo, Whitey vs Chromeo Fly Whitey Mix 01-whitey-vs-chromeo-fly-whitey-mix.mp3 4:06 Me & My Man remixes

Beck, Gamma Ray 02-gamma-ray.mp3 2:57 Modern Guilt

Ladytron, BlackCat ladytron-blackcat.mp3 5:09

Earlimart, Song For 01-song-for.mp3 2:32 Hymn And Her

The Joy Formidable, Cradle Cradle 2:49 Demos

Great Northern, Home 03-home.mp3 3:51 Trading Twilight For Daylight

The Chap, Dror Frangi 03-dror-frangi.mp3 5:08 The Horse

Old 97’s, Dance With Me Old 97’s, Blame it on Gravity 2:42 Blame It On Gravity

Elvis Costello and the Imposters, NoHidingPlace 02-nohidingplace.mp3 4:02 Momofuku

Windsor For The Derby, Maladies 02-maladies.mp3 2:44 How We Lost

Pete & The Pirates, Come On Feet 02-come-on-feet.mp3 2:39 Little Death

Violet Vector And The Lovely Lovelies, Can You Dig It? 01-can-you-dig-it_.mp3 4:24 EP 1

Orillia Opry, I Lied 02-i-lied.mp3 3:43 Lighthouse For Stragglers’ Eyes

Locust Avenue, Skeletons 03-skeletons.mp3 3:13 Three O’Clock Target

Film School, P.S. 03-ps.mp3 5:13 AlwaysNever EP

Big Star, I’m In Love With A Girl 24-im-in-love-with-a-girl.mp3 1:48 #1 Record/Radio City

“Amazing” were the unprompted words of the people spilling down the stairwell of the West Bottoms Loft as I climbed them for the 2nd show of Night Moves, last Saturday night. Having made a the effort to be sure I was at this spot that night along with talking two like minded designers into joining me, for something I knew little more than it was supposed to be a happening, those were promising words.

The event was billed as performance art, music, dance, art exhibit, fashion show and opera all inspired by the 1979 architectural renderings of Bertrand Goldberg. It centered on a two night showing at Foundation, an architectural reclamation center (store) of Goldberg’s original renderings. Patrick Ottesen, the evenings host, organizer and Foundation’s main man was the proud owner of this collection of a never built adult wonderland in Orlando. The intricately detailed rapidiograph inked drawings were the backdrop for a performance by Los Angeles’ String Theory Production. Described on the Foundation’s web site as an avant-garde ensemble that transforms architecture into giant musical instruments, creating a unique landscape to each installation and performance.

Indeed it was amazing, I wished I’d brought a bus load of people. String Theory were a visual and sonic journey outside of what we normally expect. Having worked with clients who were avant-garde dance and chamber ensembles I have great respect for these collaborative events that intertwine the disciplines, and even more for those artists that are devoted to that mission. Bravo

It’s a full moon, and I should go to bed. But it’s been a bad day at Black Rock kind of Wednesday. And so I felt the need for something other than a crisis inside my head.
Looking for a guru to impart some secret flash wisdom I ran across this
http://www.myspace.com/harpscomplete

Randy Weinstein’s harmonica homepage. Ok so that’s nothing I would have thought to have found. But I was digging stumbling on this. I once took a Macromedia director class from Randy. Very good teacher for a very tough subject. Had no idea Randy was going to wind up a harmonica virtuoso. It’s great stuff. He apparently co-wrote a Harmonica for Dummies book as well.

I noticed He’s on tour in Europe at the moment, so I give up on my desperate search - and go for more lazy take my mind off my trouble surfing. There’s lots of links with great reviews on a newly released CD with a band called Hazmat Modine. Looks like the harmonica could be the next big thing.

Here’s a word list only of what i’ve compiled - mostly listening to SOMA FM’s Indie-Pop stream. Sorry no donwloads, for now I admit to a lack of technical expertise. Not to mention a good understanding of the etiquette and legalities. But i’m sure i’ll get that going soon, I still have dead links and lorem-ipson to clean up.

We Are Gods! We Are Wolves! 3:17 Le Loup

Down At McDonnelzz 4:01 Electric Six

Je Ne Te Connais Pas 2:59 Prototypes

Bad Shoes 3:14 Stagger Lee My Spacepage

Glass Parade 6:33 Black Kites, My Space page
a post at 3 Hive, great music spot

Scythian Empire 4:31 Andrew Bird - Played with Wilco here a couple of weeks ago

Velvet Guitar 4:23 Alejandro Escovedo

(Don’t Fear) The Reaper Blue Oyster Cult

Japanese Girls Robbers on High Street

Beat Down The Somnambulants

Timebomb Beck

My Twin Eleni Mandell

So Far We Are French Kicks

Sweet Salvation Bernadette Seacrest and Her Yes Men

My Twin Eleni Mandell

—— all of the above made the edit —- but there’s more

The Ritz OFFICE

Quit While you’re ahead Southeast Engine

Lost In The Plot The Dears

My Twin Eleni Mandell