I’m so tired, but I have to mention that David Byrne and Sufjan Stevens performed one song together tonight at the 826 NYC benefit. I am reviewing the show for Pitchfork soon, so I won’t write too much about it. But I WILL RELIVE IT IN MY DREAMS.
I’m so tired, but I have to mention that David Byrne and Sufjan Stevens performed one song together tonight at the 826 NYC benefit. I am reviewing the show for Pitchfork soon, so I won’t write too much about it. But I WILL RELIVE IT IN MY DREAMS. Kidding. Who needs dreams when Stereogum has shaky video? And I have subpar audio:
David Byrnes And Sufjan Stevens – Saginaw, Michigan (Lefty Frizell cover
Edit: Pitchfork is so totally on it too! Who else was there?
Three Legged Race, Eagles Of Hair Metal @ Tonic | July 22 2006 The L train was down, and I was working on more useless internet crap, so we missed the Bushwick arts thing, but still got to catch Keith Fullerton Whitman as part of the Eagles Of Hair Metal (with Alan
Three Legged Race, Eagles Of Hair Metal @ Tonic | July 22 2006
The L train was down, and I was working on more useless internet crap, so
we missed the Bushwick arts thing, but still got to catch Keith Fullerton Whitman as part of the Eagles Of Hair Metal (with Alan Licht, Mike Berstein, Greg Kelley and Tamio Shiraishi). Didn’t stay for Prurient or Death Unit, but did see other act Three Legged Race compose pulses with what looked suspiciously like Mark’s inherited dictation machine. That made me want to try to do something with his dictation machine, which just today we were talking about putting on craigslist. Mark preferred Three-Legged Race, but I think I liked the Eagles better. He likes things more composed, and I guess I like things less so. Standing outside before the show, we saw maybe 5 rats in 30 seconds, flitting between an abandond lot and the underside of a parked car, and I kept on thinking TLR was the sound of those rats turned up and transposed a few octaves. If that holds, then Eagles of Hair Metal were their insides, fatty and sludgy, guts glugging back and forth during the short sprints. ‘Cept for Shiraishi’s little sax puffs, which sounded like when you blow up a balloon, hold it between your fingers, then let go.*
Noise shows sometimes make me uncomfortable, because even at regular shows when I say we’re on the list, the door guy/girl(!?) will still look at Mark and ask for his name, even if I made the approach. “I’m-with-him” vibe is so much stronger when you’re surrounded by hims.
* Or it’s the sound of KFW’s beard.
I did my first track review for Pitchfork this week. It’s on Thunderbirds Are Now!. I like them, really. I’m a featured contributor to Nylon magazine this month. I did an interview with the Grates, then was interviewed by someone for the blurb at the front. They asked
I did my first track review for Pitchfork this week. It’s on Thunderbirds Are Now!. I like them, really.
I’m a featured contributor to Nylon magazine this month. I did an interview with the Grates, then was interviewed by someone for the blurb at the front. They asked me what my favorite brand of jeans is (it was their denim issue) and I was so tempted to say Jincos or Sears Tuffskins.
I saw the Grates a couple weeks ago here at Mercury Lounge. I had interviewed Patience, their lead singer, over the phone while she was still in Australia. I was barely able to keep up with her, because she talks so quickly, changes subjects on a dime, and, well, has a really meaty Australian accent that didn’t sound so clear over my vonage phone. Plus, I was doing the interview at midnight EST, so it’d be easier for her. In person Patience is exactly the same— after the show there was a group of people talking to her, and they’d say three words to her before she’d get so distracted and excited about something else that she’d move on. It wasn’t rudeness, she’s just a little OCD. Nylon took their own photos of the band in Australia, and I thought it and my interview turned out well.
In my contributor’s bio, it says “Jessica Suarez always knew she wanted to be a music writer,” and it was so weird to read that on a glossy page that I turned my eyes away. Mark and I went to see Wayne Koestenbaum read (Brandon Stosuy told us about it), and during introductions he asked me what I do. I got flustered and said, “I’m just a music writer.” “What kind of music?” “Just indie rock.” Someday I’ll be comfortable with it.
Koestenbaum’s reading was awesome, by the way. I’m going to start telling people I’m him.
Also: Now that I’m all on new WordPress wheels, I’m going to update more. Seriously.
My review of Kevin Blechdom’s “Eat My Heart Out” is up on PopMatters. For the little album picture next to my review, PopMatters used the ‘safe’ album cover, not the one that Kevin Blechdom used (her record label made her change it if she wanted North American distribution), it’
My review of Kevin Blechdom’s “Eat My Heart Out” is up on PopMatters.
For the little album picture next to my review, PopMatters used the ‘safe’ album cover, not the one that Kevin Blechdom used (her record label made her change it if she wanted North American distribution), it’s below. I talk about it in the review, so I’m kinda sad that it’s not the one they used. It kind of helps with the point I’m trying to make with the review. So here it is, in all its bleeding heart glory (gory?)