goodbye quincy.

quincy: Feb. 18, 1998 - Nov. 22, 2007. (sorry, no photo). best dog ever. it's total crap that dogs don't live as long as humans.

october album notes and recommendations

beirut "the flying club cup": as always, beirut makes me feel like I should be wandering down a european brick road, overhearing street musicians and music from cafes.

* bon iver "for emma, forever ago": you've got to let this sink in a bit, it doesn't take on the first spin. but really, it's worth it to play it a few times. he may be using cliche chord progressions, but geeze, he does it well. best listened to when inexplicably depressed or missing someone.

chromatics "night drive": slow 80s dance music. the title of the album is actually amazingly appropriate.

* phosphorescent, "pride": if the music on this album assumed a tangible form, it would either be wind or a rocking chair. I just mean, the album exudes a kind of nuanced, calm, peaceful movement like wind. kind of reminds me of iron and wine.

**radiohead "in rainbows": ah, yes. and just in case you've forgotten, this is what professionals sound like. LOVE IT.

saturday looks good to me "fill up the room": review to come; I haven't gotten my hands on it yet.

scott walker "and who shall go to the ball? and what shall go to the ball?": so the question is, where do compositions that are a cross between contemporary-classical and indie-avante guarde-experimental fit in? I stuck down O'rourke's 52 minute work several months ago...and this 4 movement work seems to fit in the same non-category category...but, I actually enjoyed this one. is it because rather than one exasperatingly long piece, it's broken down into 4 movements? maybe.

sir richard bishop "polytheistic fragments": meditative. I wouldn't really be recommending this album, except for the spanish guitar/latin music influences, which are great. the pentatonic uses, I could do without (mainly because I admittedly just don't really understand them).

stereo total, "paris-berlin": this music is great fun, if a bit formulaic. no idea what they're saying, but who cares? images that come to mind: super mario brothers, french people in tokyo, and hello kitty. I think you need only listen to a few songs at a time, otherwise it's sort of like sensory overload (you know: seizure inducing)

sunset rubdown "random spirit lover": more of the same from Krug, but good nonetheless.

* the deadly syndrome "the ortolan": ballad type songs, good balance of instruments. nostalgic. this is a really really great first album - I can't wait to hear their next. and yes, ok, they do sound a bit like arcade fire at times, but they are good in their own right.

the mabuses "mabused": pop/rock/blues/70s music/lots of other stuff. layers of instrument lines, but without getting messy. and after a 13 year silence. really, an enjoyable album.

most disappointing this month: band of horses "cease to begin"

art auction at the bemis center, November 17

people 7

"what I mean to say is...."

hmm....

"for example..."

"well, have you considered...?"

"hm..I hadn' thought of...."

why are you taking pictures of me?

some AACMers at the velvet lounge, november 9th

P.S. rumor has it the jazz showcase will re-open in the spring in printers row.

halloween reflections

now that the halloween festivities are over, I wanted to announce my favorite costume for this year: the woodmen building. yes, someone showed up as the second tallest building in omaha - and claimed he got it at a mall in Florida...