Meanwhile . . .

this is how my cat, Astro, deals with all of the noise and commotion. By being deaf. And therefore happily oblivious to band practice, kitchen noises, or the vacuum (video of the latter to be posted when I get a chance).

Garage Band

I spent part of yesterday re-arranging my garage, which is also our band's practice space. We have problems - we can't all four see each other while practicing, the vocals can't compete volume-wise with the other instruments, and there is the ever-present threat of water coming from the leaky water heater or flooding in from the street. Such is the curse of the "free" practice space.

I can't solve all of the problems, but I figure there are some I can mitigate. I put the PA speakers on stands, giving us more choices of where to place them. (Now they will be behind John, our drummer.) This move prompted me to move other things around, and get lots of unused cables off the floor and hung on the wall. Here's the result.

Some of us sing, some of us sell cars

Here's a little duet from three Xmases ago in Portland - me 'n my cousin Avery. Luckily for admirers of cuteness, I am off-camera . . .

A star is born, eh? Meanwhile, our band is starting to record a demo in my garage. I've spent most of this evening firming up keyboard parts for a couple of songs written by Dream, our guitarist. Now I need to devote an equal amount of time to my own songs . . .

Homely home

I've finally installed my Crate & Barrel candleholder, with help from my neighbor Emily. Hanging over my new dining-room table, my living/dining room finally feels complete.

Back in business!

OK, Ok. 2006 and 2007 have passed, and I have no blog posts to speak of, other than a couple of random thoughts in a couple of MySpace accounts. My friends JVA and JHT are both blogging ahead full speed (esp. JVA), and I feel left behind.

Where to start? How about with a controversial "best-of" list? My friend Nick sent me this:


Let me geek for a moment. My music Faves of 2007.......

1. RADIOHEAD 'In Rainbows' - How brilliant was this album, the fact that everyone got to hear it on the same day at once was amazing, no advance reviews, or leaks. Nice one Radiohead. This album really moved me. Thom Yorke has one of the most beautiful voices I think. The band all play so great together. They are my favorite band ever.
2. FEIST 'The Reminder'
3. TRAVIS 'The Boy with No Name'
4. THE SHINS 'Wincing The Night Away'
5. JENS LEKMAN 'Night Falls Over Kortedala'
6. MODEST MOUSE 'We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank'
7. RUFUS WAINWRIGHT 'Release The Stars'
8. WILCO 'Sky Blue Sky'
9. BRIGHT EYES 'Cassadaga'
10. TRACEY THORN 'Out of the Woods'

11. SPOON 'Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga'
12. RILO KILEY 'Under The Blacklight'
13. THE THRILLS 'Teenager'
14. ARCTIC MONKEYS 'Favourite Worst Nightmare'
15. THE BEATLES 'Love' (I saw the Cirque show in Vegas, amazing!)

To which I replied:

Great list! I agree, at least as far as the albums on this list that I've heard.

But there is one glaring omission: Of Montreal's "Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?" Their best album so far, and right up there with the latest from Radiohead & Feist IMHO.

Will


What I neglected to mention is that except for Radiohead and Feist (and of course The Beatles), I've heard NONE of the rest of Nick's list, at least not the whole albums. Much of it doesn't interest me much - I'm over Modest Mouse, Tracey Thorne, Wilco, even The Shins. And don't get me started on Rufus Wainwright. I've been spending too much time making music (or attempting to) to listen to much new stuff. That, and I keep finding myself obsessed with old music, whether it's a band (Joy Division) or just a song ("Head Over Heels" by Tears For Fears).

I did quite like the LCD Soundsystem that JVA has loaned to me for months now. What albums would you put in such a best of 2007 list?