My Love For Califone and Mascarpone.

Song of the Day is..."Funeral Singers" by Califone.

I always talk about how much I love Califone. They really are one of my all-time favorites but I have never shared music of theirs on here nor have I expressed my love for them. So here I am today, listening to some old music and some new music. My heartstrings always choose Califone. 

What a week. It's been rough, I tell you what. I've been very excited to write but it has been difficult finding time to do so. Between meetings, keeping up with getting things together, keeping things in order, lack of sleep and recent news of me losing my job in two weeks, things have been a little hectic. But we're okay. 

Ah Califone. What a tremendous band.  They have been around since the 90's but it wasn't until maybe 2006 that I started listening.  They are considered an experimental rock band, much like Flaming Lips is labeled in that they use abstract sounds and a non-conventional rhythm that distinguishes them from other rock bands.  They also do creative projects along with their music that sets them apart artistically, such as creating films to go with their music, their latest project released in 2009 was All My Friends Are Funeral Singers which is what you see a clip of in the video posted above. 

This album is a followup from their 2006 album Roots & Crowns which is a wonderful album and was the first album I had heard the year my baby was born.  The band is named after Califone International, which is a sound equipment manufacturer.  The band is made up of former band member front man for Red, Red Meat Tim Rutili and he created Califone just as a solo side project.  He loved the idea of rotating contributors from members from his former band and just other Chicago bands, where Califone was founded. Band members include the founding forefather Tim Rutili (vocals, guitar, and keyboards), Joe Adamik (drums), Jim Becker (banjo and violin), and Ben Massarella (percussion).  Fun fact:  Each band member is a multi-instrumentalist. I don't lie when I say I know good music.

Rutili claims that Califone's general purpose for sound is to tell a story that is inspired by tales, silent films, elaborate stories that take you places. They are eccentric and dreamy, non-synthesized and pure. And it's true that when you hear an album from start to finish, it's like reading an epic novel that just flows continuously from song to song giving purpose and intent to each strum.  Every chord has a role. Every musician is a player on the stage in your mind.

Collaborative projects include working with some fantastic musicians and under unique and beautiful circumstances, most of which people do not know about.  For example, in 2002, Tim Rutili and Ben Massarella collaborated with Modest Mouse front man Isaac Brock and others to release the album Sharpen Your Teeth under the band name Ugly Casanova.  Members of Califone also made significant contributions to also another beloved band of mine, The Fruit Bats' 2009 album, The Ruminant Band: Tim Rutili contributed vocals to the title song on the album, and Jim Becker provided vocals on the songs "Feather Bed" and "Flamingo", and guitar and fiddle on the songs "Tegucigalpa" and "Feather Bed". Members of Califone have also contributed to past Fruit Bats albums.  I also love that Califone helped record Iron and Wine's 2011 album, Kiss Each Other Clean.  The list goes on and on. Besides these amazing contributions to other musician's star-studded careers and high-selling records and well-known albums, they have created some unique and creative and awesome films including documentaries about bullriding and directed films telling stories of their music (I guess that's art imitating life or life imitating art, something like that). They are just so interesting and insanely talented. It's brilliant stuff. You can read all about their contributions online and check out their work and what it means.  Little do the rest of us know...

I love them.

Speaking of love, I mentioned mascarpone in the title because I honestly feel Italian these days. I have replaced my habitual drinking of their wine to eating their sweets. I thought I would be model thin by now but it's not true. I am not. I am loving every bit of this new love for sweet, rich, and creamy things, most of which happens to be Italian.  It does not help that there is a gelato cafe right next to the sober house and it does not help that there is a gaggle of Italian men sitting out front, desperate to tell me about how amazing their country is.  I have learned about tons of Italian cooking and I now even tune in to watch "Lydia's Italy" where I watch chubby Lidia Bastianich in her kitchen cooking with none other than real ingredients and fattening ones - the stuff I cook with. She uses so much better and cream and more butter and the one thing I have learned about that is the new love in my life - mascarpone.  What's funny is that when I was typing Califone in the title of this post, I giggled inside thinking about how much it looks like mascarpone (really pronounced mars-cu-pon-y) but with a subtle lift on the end like you're a real Italian.  It is an incredible ingredient. My goal is to get fat and happy. She looks the part. She's not huge, she's just frumpy and I know that the man in her life is happy as is she.  I think I might be jumping off of an unnecessary cliff with this little description of my guilty pleasures and recent newfound weaknesses. Ha.

IN OTHER NEWS:  As of Tuesday, miss Punk Rock Poet Hero Patti Smith released her new album Outside Society.  How excited am I? Very. Also I plan on buying her book, Just Kids, which won the National Fiction award for 2010, when I graduate from my program as a gift to myself. I plan on flying to a secluded beach and reading it cover to cover in one sitting. Anyone want to help me reach my goal? ;-) Man I love her.  She really is the embodiment of cool for me.

Other things happening - one is that The Decemberists are performing a concert as I type this (well, it's probably over now) at Edgefield.  Some friends were headed to see them. I'm sure it was a lovely show on a perfect summer evening. Can't wait to hear all about it.

I believe this weekend Uh Huh Her is playing at the Wonder ballroom.  They just came out with an album I believe. They're a geeky girl duo who plays electronica-ish, duo pop, Client rip-off, bubble gum punk which is dancy, lively, and sexy. It's fun.

Oh the weekend! How I cannot wait! I will not have Scarlett with me which is a travesty but I will make the most of my time. I have not had a solo weekend in so very long and I am looking forward to serious productivity and time to just grasp the fact that I have been recently notified that I am soon to be unemployed.  Yes it's happening and I have no idea what steps to take first and I just need a minute to think. Until then, ironically enough, I will be working harder than ever these next couple of weeks because of losing my job soon and so with that, I need some time. Some real time. The weekend will go by quickly but it will be quickly replaced by a photo shoot next Wednesday with one of my great loves, Miss Sadie Rose who will be in town from California to shoot for her vintage clothing site. I get to be a model and a makeup artist! I will feel so fancy and important. Something fun to look forward to for sure. And also, first Thursday will be next week and I could use a day of running around with some friends for that, so hopefully we can organize. I have some wonderful things coming up and the coolest part? I'm not self-destructing or even feeling insanely stressed because of this. In fact, I see it as a blessing in disguise, even if it means I am homeless for a while. I have been through much worse.

But on a more serious note, besides Califone and the love for new music, I have learned an awful lot about real love lately.  I have been raving about a commencement ceremony speech delivered by Jonathan Franzen, the brilliant fictional writer who carried the unconventional wisdom of awesomeness this last summer to graduates of Kenyon college.  I have been thinking about what it means to really love another, how spectacular and amazing and awesome it is and how to really find your center, your integrity, your self-worth in an age full of narcisistic consumers and superstars in our own reality television drama pasted across networking sights such as Facebook and the like. 

Favorite quote of the week:  "Love is really about a bottomless empathy born out of the heart's revelation that another person is every bit as real as you are...To love a specific person, to experience their troubles and joys as if they are your own, you have to surrender some of yourself."

Goodnight.

Finding Perspective in Nature and Passing Moments.

Song of the Day is..."White Daisy Passing" by Rocky Votolato.

Not only do I adore this song, but I thought it was a perfect album to listen to in the evening sun driving back up to Portland after dropping my baby off after an exceptional eye-opening weekend in the wilderness.  Scarlett had complained that we didn't play enough games while camping so after pulling into Eugene, I decided I would take her to a nearby park and pretend we were still camping while sitting on the grass playing Memory and Candyland for another couple of hours. At one point, I had a rush of emotion come through me and this happens sometimes when Scarlett and I are on the exact same page, having the exact same experience and I know the feeling is pure love. Like at its core. I told her I never wanted the day to end and I realized this was the truth. This song came into my head and I decided to sing it to her while holding her under a tree swaying in the gentle breeze. It was a beautiful moment.

Rocky Votolato is an interesting musician. He will remind you of many artists, some of whom you may love and some of whom you may feel bored with. I can't explain my likeness for him really, except that he is admired by many of my favorite musicians and also has interesting influences. I feel like he appreciates aspects of life that I feel are important and him and his wife star in the video above only to reveal what I feel is true about the man - he is down to earth, loves his wife of ten years and makes life look purposeful and meaningful. I really love the video. It makes me very happy to watch.

For those of you unfamiliar with Rocky Votolato, he is an American singer-songwriter. He is originally from Dallas, Texas but was moved to the Pacific Northwest as a teenager, which is where I feel his music fits so perfectly. His music sounds like the northwest.  Because he left the South, he decided to change directions musically and decided to pick up a string guitar and start writing songs with a heavy folk influence, however his influences are mainly punk rock.  In high school, he was very much drawn to punk rock culture and credits his favorite bands as Fugazi and Jawbreaker.  The acoustic folk tunes did not start right away. He was still determined to play more hardcore punk music until later changing his focus.

Rocky formed an earlier band called "Lying on Loot" that eventually disbanded in 1996 where he then started playing under the name "Waxwing" and then Rocky's younger brother Cody soon joined the band on second guitar.  They were signed with Second Nature Recordings and released their debut album For Madmen Only which showed elements of post-hardcore and created a strong local following.  They released two more albums yet Rocky felt restless.

He began writing songs that did not fit this aggressive mold and wanted to write songs more appropo to working with musicians such as Damien Jurado, Small Brown Bike, The Get Up Kids, The New Amsterdams, etc.  These musicians were excited to work with him and even some of Seattle's finest musicians appear on his albums such as Red Stars Theory, Sharks Keep Moving, The Blood Brothers, Death Cab for Cutie, Pedro the Lion, and Rosie Thomas from Sub Pop records.  His producers for his work include a long A-list of contributors such as Matt Bayles (who produced Pearl Jam and Murder City Devils) and Chris Walla (who produces Death Cab for Cutie). 

Rocky has eventually found his calling musically with his self-titled album released in 1999 called Makers where you see Votolato branch out recording almost all songs live and with a country sound and folk-esque musical combinations.  It will be interesting to see what he does next.  For now though, this song is my ultimate.  "White Daisy Passing" is officially a song to commemorate my time with Scarlett, the most important person in my life, while living a moment that will pass and be stained with a quiet lullaby of Rocky Votolato. 

IN OTHER NEWS:  I was just informed by my beautiful friend, Amanda Aries-Alton, that the Doug Fir located on Burnside St. here in Portland has free Sunday concerts with a supposedly fantastic happy hour.  What a wonderful experience! So if you have a free moment on a lazy Sunday, check it out and I am sure it will satisfy the Sunday blues.

Also, has anyone heard the new Jane's Addiction material? God love Perry Farrell but I'm not sure I would buy a new Jane's Addiction album and they are one of my favorites.  I just feel Jane's Addiction without the addiction part of it, might be a white knuckled experience.  I have heard about three tunes and it wasn't bad but it's not the feeling I have when I hear "Jane Says" or "Been Caught Stealing". Ah, the 90's. I know people want to replicate them but we just can't. As with all other times in our lives. The experience cannot be redone. I am the Queen of this concept. I have tried and tried and tried to give myself the same feeling - if I feel good, I want it again and again and again. And because of that, I became an alcoholic, a loser in the game of stable healthy relationships, and a desperate seeker of self dealing with existential crises almost daily heading full speed into my 30's. 

DJ shadow is talking about doing a new album which is excited for all of you dubstep house music late night dancing-loving music lovers out there.

Also this week hopefully I will be reviewing Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks (Pavement frontman)'s Beck-produced album Mirror Traffic.  I'm really excited to hear it and hope it lives up to its expectations in my head.

Speaking of Beck, he is celebrating his 15th year in the music industry trying on pretty much every hat there is to wear in the world of musical show biz.  He has produced, directed videos, written songs, performed with some of the greats, collaborated with musical geniuses worldwide and has covered the gamut of musical emotion from the start of his first album through to the current selling millions upon millions of copies of each one, being recognized even back in 1997 for best album of the year with Odelay.  Cheers to you, Beck!  Also celebrating their 15th year of awesomeness is ?uestlove, drummer for The Roots.  Also a fascinating story to read up on. Talented men fo sho. (yep, I just said that. Both of them make me want to use street slang when singing their praises).

Camping with Scarlett and Annie this weekend gave me a much needed sense of self and how un-important I am, how not special I am, how much I am a part of the bigger picture.  I can't tell you how much I love watching waterfalls, the ever continuous flow of pressured water while knowing it will never quit. We will leave the falls, we will drive back home and it will continue to flow. Almost every cycle in this world is circular and I do not feel we emphasize that enough in our culture.  Water being sucked from the earth into the sky only to be released back onto the earth to melt, return back to the bottom to be snatched up again by the sky.  Beautiful.  Something is happening to me. I'm just starting to get it. It will be a long time before it finally manifests itself inside of me but until then, I have alt-country, folky music telling stories of purpose and revealing secrets of time and experiences. 

Miike Snow is Not a Man, Wednesdays Are For Wolf Parade, and Things I'm Looking Forward To

Song of the Day is...."Black and Blue" by Miike Snow.

I realize I posted this yesterday on Facebook but I'm telling you, dubstep is taking over my world this week. How do I go from indie folk rock to drum and bass? My life in a nutshell these days.

So again, I apologize for not writing sooner. I realize in order to fulfill my dream of writing and keeping this blog alive, I have to be more consistent with writing. That's even when I feel really tired (like I do now) or when I'm in the middle of work (like I am now) and even after lots of sun, running around, taking care of house stuff, going to meetings and back home to get what some people call a nap. It's a lot but this is important to me. So here I am. I will be more calculated about what I write about and how often. Thank you so much to all of you who actually read this and care about why I maybe haven't written. It's awesome to be thought of. My teacher/mentor at school this morning was hoping I wasn't drinking or drunk last weekend as I missed a couple of days of school. She was relieved to know that it was to catch up with myself and get things done that I really need to get done. It's important for my sanity and to keep myself from going downhill. I dig productive time alone. Probably the best time there is for me at this juncture.

As far as this music, it's just really got me going. I feel a bit like my old self when I listen and some like my new self.  To give a brief introduction, for those of you who do not know about this band, Miike Snow is not a person, but a whole band consisting of three Swedish men who are brilliant musicians collaborating with other musicians on techno/drum&bass/trip hop/dubstep projects namely Britney Spears, Madonna, Kylie Minogue, and Kelis just to mention a few.

They were given a best dance song Grammy award for Spears' "Toxic".  Now, this would not be a likely choice for my music collection but my musical tastes are budding, being born since I can actually keep my eyes and ears open, crystal clear, to hear what is being played. Before, I was not doing this. I was stuck in my ways and my habits. No more. Even this morning, I listened to the jazz special on NPR. It was a wonderful way to beat traffic while sipping hot tea and watching the sun come up.

Don't think that I have gone off the beaten path too much. On the same CD in the same traffic jam today, this followed:

This is an incredible video, if you have not checked it out yet.

***OMG. I just spent an hour from when I started this looking up an animated music video that I cannot think of the name of. This is frustrating. I am going to have to end my blog here. It's almost 12:30. I have to get up in 4 1/2 hours to finish work and get a move on for school.***

I can't wait for school to be over. I can't wait to go on a vacation in my lifetime again. I can't wait to watch Scarlett excel in school. I can't wait to have more time with friends. I can't wait to work out every day, in some form of another, so that my body feels worshiped and cared for. I can't wait for there to be just enough time in a day where I feel like my ducks are in a row. But just for that day.

Wishing can be dangerous. Not feeling grateful is dangerous. And feeling in the moment is difficult. At the meeting tonight, I shared about denial, how people live in a fantasy world in order to avoid feelings. In fact, I have been reading a lot about this concept and it just clicks. This is what I have been doing for god knows how long. I am ready to live in reality now. A lovely reality. And a hard one. It's really the only one I've got now, isn't it?

Goodnight.

Sounds of Ptown, The Brightest Star, and Indie Folk Rock. Was I Always This Way?

Song of the Day is..."Go On and Say It" by Blind Pilot.

I can't stop listening to Blind Pilot. It was Portugal. The Man for a long time and now it has shifted to Blind Pilot. I could feature every song of theirs in this blog but I won't. Just a few to keep you interested and excited to see them perform.

I've been afraid to write lately. I just had that realization as I sat down to do this entry. I've been so antsy to be regularly writing again as I was when I started but some things have taken over my life and I feel a bit trapped.  I have so much in here but a bit nervous to somewhat construct the words or reveal what I want.  Being selective about your feelings, emotions and ways of expressing yourself is a difficult balancing act. Something I have never been very good at.  The smoke alarm is low on batteries and I hear it chirping in the background distracting my every 30th stroke or so on the keyboard.  I look like a mad musical scientist hunched over this keyboard with three screens in front of me all displaying different things. I have Blind Pilot playing on one screen, Wilco's "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart" documentary on silent on the third screen and in the middle, the blog screen sectioned by the article about the riots in London.

I am like a zombie at the moment. I am on four hours of sleep so that I could enjoy the company of Mr. James Mercer and his new traveling band, The Shins, play in an intimate setting at the WOW Hall in Eugene, Oregon. After the show, I hung out a bit with new lead guitarist for this tour, Jessica Dobson, who is the most kick ass chick in rock right now.  So that left me with a couple of hours of shut-eye after returning home at 1:30 in the morning. Of course I couldn't come down from the high for a while. I had to write a little bit about it, had to process it all, post some pictures on FB, and listen to a few of their songs before bed.

I realize a lot of people can't keep up with the ever-changing members of The Shins but who can. The Shins is a project of James Mercer. He is a solo artist with a few featured collaborative artists. I have talked about his work in earlier blogs describing his contributions to independent rock and roll. Having gotten a jump start from fellow band, Modest Mouse, The Shins were catapulted to stardom from the movie Garden State and that helped Mercer continue the project and diligently create more and more albums. He has rotating band members as back up music for his vision, learning to play every chord he has written, sing every note he has written, and produce every sound he has envisioned. His new band consists of Joe Plummer, drummer for Modest Mouse, Ron Lewis from Fruit Bats, the tried and true punk veteran, Dave Hernandez, and now a new addition of lead guitarist Jessica Dobson, an extremely beautiful and uber talented woman from Seattle.  With a group like that, all of them are icons to marvel at and the sound was incredible. I always say James Mercer might have the best voice there is right now but this leads to me introduce the rival voice, in my opinion, Israel Nebeker, from Blind Pilot.

Blind Pilot is a band from none other than Portland, Oregon (how f-ing lucky am I to live here?) 
They are considered an American Indie Folk band (a category I so desperately desperately love).  The group's single, "Go On, Say It", was chosen to be a Single of the Week on July 7, 2008 on iTunes potentially yielding approximately 2 million downloads.  As of July 22, 2008, their debut album, 3 Rounds and a Sound, has reached number 13 on the Billboard top Digital Albums chart.

This band is so very Oregon.  They even broke out of their shell to expose themselves as a band for the first time touring by bicycle.  They did an entire Northwest tour in 2008, biking from Bellingham, Washington to San Diego, California using custom bicycle trailers to carry their equipment.  After getting some recognition, they (Israel Nebeker and Ryan Dobrowski) decided to add four more band members completing their six-piece sensation.  The band now consists of Israel Nebeker as lead vocalist, Ryan Dobrowski (drums and backup vocals, co-founder of Blind Pilot), Luke Ydstie on upright bass and backup vocals, Kati Claborn (banjo, dulcimer, backup vocals), Ian Krist (vibraphones), and Dave Jorgensen (keyboards, trumpet).

They decided to embark on a U.S. tour in 2009 and this has launched them to stardom quickly.  With the folk sound of the Northwest gaining more and more popularity, they seemed to find a niche right at the right time and have catapulted their way to the top opening for bands like Counting Crows, The Hold Steady, and The Decemberists.  Their resume includes a long list of big name music festivals as well as theme songs for finale seasons of both Californication and Chuck with "3 Rounds and a Sound".

Feeling successful and ready to take bigger strides in the music industry, they decided to release on iTunes a live EP featuring a cover of Gillian Welch's "Look at Miss Ohio" and what was deemed a new release at the time, "Get It Out".   The EP was mixed and recorded by Tucker Martine, best known for his work with The Decemberists, Death Cab for Cutie, and R.E.M.

They have announced this year that they will be officially releasing their new album, We Are The Tide, on September 13, 2011.  I absolutely cannot wait for this album.  You will receive a sneak peek of this album in almost its entirety at MusicFest NW this year at the beginning of September.  Don't forget to get your tickets soon!

I really cannot believe that my favorite bands at the moment are all from Portland, Oregon.  Even another one of my favorite bands, Starfucker, premiered their new video at The Red Fox on Albina on Sunday evening.  I unfortunately was in Eugene for the evening, so I was not able to preview it with the other fans, but I'm sure it's amazing. One of these days I will feature some of my favorite videos and I venture to guess they hit high on my favorite videos list. They are quirky and fun and of all synth hop bands, they use sound to the umpteenth degree, to its fullest extent, to make the best sound ever.  They are incredible.

Also, don't forget to purchase an Y La Bamba ticket for this Friday at the Doug Fir.  I am sure tickets are selling fast and they are also a mesmerizing eclectic band from up here in NoPo that I featured on the blog a couple of weeks ago.  I will be at the concert this Friday cheering them on.  Other Portland bands to look out for that are mind-blowingly awesome are:

1.  The Decemberists.
2.  Gossip.
3.  The Dandy Warhols.
4.  M. Ward (from She & Him).
5.  Floater.
6.  Y La Bamba.
7.  Portugal. The Man.
8. Starfucker.
9.  Blind Pilot.
10. Pink Martini.
11. Quasi.
12. The Thermals...

I could go on.  Of course Elliott Smith will always be remembered as a true Portlander.  Remember old bands like Hole?  Courtney Love is from Portland and there are many popular bluegrass bands that gained popularity over the last few years like The Foghorn Stringband, Jackstraw and the Water Tower Bucket Boys.  And so many bands have relocated here that it's hard not to call them ours such as The Shins, Modest Mouse, Spoon, and Sleater-Kinney.  People flock here because they have an audience that adores them, will give them a small town feel of coziness, a bigger city full of great neighborhoods and tons of venues, along with the rolling hills and majestic mountaintops of Oregon hovering over the city.  (If that's not a sell, I don't know what is).

IN OTHER NEWS:  I just read that Bob Dylan and Jack White (are you breathing?) are recording some of Hank Williams' "lost" songs that were never originally done by Hank himself. Need I say more? I'm freaking out. Can I just get a little itsy bitsy taste? The entire set will feature other artists but these two caught my eye most certainly.  The songs have been crafted from old notes they found in Williams' leather briefcase.  It will be titled The Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams and will be released on October 4th from Dylan's personal recording label.  Sweet!

Radiohead has just announced today that they will be releasing a remix collection soon? God love Thom Yorke but can we just hold the phone for a minute? They just came out with an album that I am still digesting and will take some time to digest more of.  He has collaborated with several surprising artists in the recent past, including Jay-Z to create Jaydiohead and other bizarre eccentric projects.  A remix collection? If you wait until 2012 or 2013, I promise I will be looking forward to it.

Watch the Throne, the highly anticipated collaborative album for Jay-Z and Kanye West is now out in the world released exclusive for iTunes.  For all of you rap lovers out there, I am sure this is music to your ears to know this has been finally made available to their ginormous audience.  Happy listening!

For those of you lucky enough to have landed some expensively awesome tickets to Lollapalooza this year, I'm sure you're still reeling.  From Coldplay to Best Coast to Portugal. The Man (who had all of their equipment and tour van stolen off the premises :-(  ), it was an event to remember I'm sure. The photos have finally been released so the rest of us who cannot stand crowds that large even if we had all of the money in the world, will be able to see what the hell really went down there.

These gray days have gotten me kind of down. I realize we have had like a total of three weeks of sunshine in the last few months. It's hard sometimes but then other times, it really makes me appreciate this American folk indie music I previously mentioned I loved.

I really do.  And I always have. I have always been this way. Sad and happy simultaneously and I think this is the music that I flock to so readily, easily, just naturally like it was written for someone with feelings like mine.

This summer is the summer for Bon Iver's new and old album, Blind Pilot, Joe Purdy, Iron & Wine solo album and Iron & Wine with Calexico album, and Califone.  I just feel cozy and warm listening to this and hope you feel this can help ease some of the cloud-filled sky blues.

Music really does change the feel of everything, even the weather, and my soul - even when I feel like things are really tough and I can't think straight. Then I let Bon, Joe, and Sam do the thinking for me.

Finding Friendship in Portugal...The Man (that is), Loss of Kick Ass Chick Bands, & Happy Anniversary to MTV

VIDEO of the day is...."Sleep Forever" by Portugal. The Man

Upon reading a review of Portugal. The Man's album "In the Mountain, In the Cloud", I came across a critic comparing them to The Beatles with their song "Sleep Forever".  I saw that they had released their official video for this song and came upon this video montage. It is artistically beautiful and disturbing. If you are sensitive to weirdness, don't watch it. But I do think it is brilliant. As well as this album.  I have not owned an album like this in a long time, where I become eager to listen to it again and again and again.  I never get tired of it.  I also love that almost every song on this album is a parenthetical expression.  No joke, if you look at the titles of the songs, it is followed with a parenthetical side.  It is almost as if I created these titles for them (as my thought process tends to read something like a bunch of deep expressive feelings followed by a disclaimer or side note).   It is a permanent fixture in my player and now I know every song, every lyric, every beat, and sound.  I was afraid I was going to get really tired of it there for a minute but now I realize it's not really possible as it has been a couple of weeks of nonstop listening. I have been out of touch with other music which is reason 1 of why I have not been writing, as well as being good to myself and figuring out how to simplify my schedule which is reason 2 of why I have not been writing, and because I have been spending time cultivating new friendships - ones that I know will carry me far into my life, which is reason 3 of why I have not been writing.

With that, I apologize for the disappointment from others expressing that this is the only way they know what is going on with me and what is more flattering, I have had people say they have no idea what to listen to these days without my suggestions. Now, I don't mean to toot my own horn but I think it's pretty awesome that my friends look to me for new music ideas. I've always thought they were pretty good but that's me. Now I see my friends as saints but for them to see me even in a similar light, is awesome and exciting.

I have so much to say, I have no idea where to start. It has been almost a week since my last entry and that's crazy. But my schedule has become even more intense in other ways (the good ways so it's okay but still insane).  So here it goes:

I would like to introduce the band I talk so highly of, whose album I praise time and time again but have never introduced you to. Maybe it's because I figure everyone does know them, especially MY friends. Portugal. The Man has finally received the credit they have so rightly deserved for quite some time.  People have been listening to them a lot longer than I have. I was just recently introduced to them (June 2010) but I have a girlfriend who has owned everything they have ever done.  She loved them so much and so I would hear their music on in the background of her apartment as we did DIY projects giggling like 16-year-olds.  Annie, I miss your apartment and those nights of drunken craft making.  Then I dated someone last year who had lived with them, would consider them exceptional friends, introduced me to them and then took me to one of their concerts. It was amazing, really.  I could say that I fell in love with them just because my significant other at the time was quietly whispering/singing every word they would sing.  It was a beautiful feeling. I remember thinking, "I think I'll like them".  But it wasn't until this album was exposed that I fell out of like and deeply in love.

Described as an American psychadelic rock band from Portland, Oregon, Portugal. The Man consists of Alaskan natives and Portland metro area natives (go figure as I swear that the only people who live here in this city are either from Alaska or Portland. I'm not kidding).  With the exception of Jason Sechrist and Ryan Neighbors who are both from the area, they were born and raised in Wasilla, Alaska and all have eventually ended up here in the City of Roses.  Starting out on indie labels for their first few albums, they have just recently been signed onto Atlantic Records, which is a major feat and impressive for a few kids making it in Oregon.

If you've heard Anatomy of a Ghost and loved the unique, distinct, incredible vocal range sung with the group, you were sure to follow John Gourley's sound as he made his way to forming Portugal. The Man.  Anatomy of a Ghost was started by Gourley in 2002 with him stating he had no singing experience at that time whatsoever.  Sadly, the band broke up and Gourley decided to start a side project with Zachary Carothers on bass to form what we now know as Portugal.  They were the original MGMT using drum machines and synth-loops to create a full band sound effect with just the two of them.  It worked.  Before long, they caught the eye of Wesley Hubbard, Nick Klein, and Harvey Tumbleson.  From there, they bid a long-awaited farewell to their native Alaska and set sights on the City of Bridges, Portland, Oregon.

Once in Portland, Klein and Tumbleson left the band and Sechrist hopped aboard.  Having just released their sixth studio album (and the first one since signing with Atlantic Records), it has been a whirlwind climb to stardom.  They are recognized worldwide now for their talents and loyalty to the 70's funk/rock era.  With Gourley's John Lennon-esque melodic tone and a Robert Plant-ish falsetto wail, it is no wonder that rock icons such as John Hill (who also produced M.I.A. and Santigold) picked Portugal to work with but also Grammy winner Andy Wallace for mixing (you might know him as being a mixer for some of the greatest names in rock and roll history including Nirvana, System of a Down, Jeff Buckley, Rush, and Paul McCartney).

They began headlining with some of the greatest musicians for their U.S. tour including Rocky Votolato (one of my favorites), The Photo Atlas, Play Radio Play, Tera Melos, and The Only Children to name a few.  No small potatoes.  Before Atlantic even, they were brainstorming production ideas with the likes of Pixies and Radiohead record producer, Paul Q. Kolderie.  Guess the fans had to have seen this coming.  As the resume became more extensive, so did their music repertoire.  Having booked shows all over the world, Portugal. The Man broke out of the indie label mold and onto the main stage with interviews on MTV and scheduled records with studios from El Paso to England.

Speaking of MTV, today is MTV's 30th anniversary! Can you believe it? It gave birth to a new generation of TV and music junkies in 1981 and is responsible for shaping much of my youth. From Beastie Boys' "Sabotage" video to R.E.M. singing "Everybody Hurts" and "Losing My Religion" I saw them all for years.  I remember them like I saw them yesterday. I remember the game show, Remote Control and Lip Service. These shows would come and go and the music just stayed. It was full of great videos and Adam Curry delivering breaking news. I will never forget the announcement of Kurt Cobain's tragic suicide or when Marky Mark and The Funky Bunch broke up.  They are years to remember.  In third grade, I remember Madonna's "Justify My Love" video being labeled not suitable for prime time television hours, so it was moved to after midnight. I would set an alarm and sneak out with the HUGE pair of headphones that my dad kept in his office, and walk out to plug them in and touch the screen, eyes wide, mouth agape.  This is how I learned about sex.  Happy Birthday MTV. Your programming is awful now but I can't help but be thankful for still delivering some music knowledge to the younger generations.

IN OTHER NEWS:  Katherine Whalen of The Squirrel Nut Zippers is releasing her debut album in August called "Madly Love" where she will be featuring her new band, Katherine Whalen and Her Fascinators.  New material with her striking voice has me all excited. I will most certainly be purchasing this album and looking forward to it.

Wild Flag is releasing a hot new album from Riot Grrrl Records.  For those of who do not know Wild Flag, they are a hot psychadelic punk rock chick band comprised of pop-punk royalty Janet Weiss and Carrie Brownstein (both formerly of Sleater-Kinney), Mary Timony (from Helium), and Rebecca Cole (from The Minders).  I'm seriously surprised Carrie Brownstein is even able to record anything since her project, Portlandia, has been accepted to extend for another season.  But I'm stoked to hear it.  Man I miss really really good chick bands.

Speaking of chick bands, it was brought to my attention that Lollapalooza this year is injected with some serious testosterone.  This year has an all-male headliner list consisting of Eminem, Muse, Coldplay, and the Foo Fighters.  There are 136 acts total playing the concert series this August, and only 41 have even one woman in the band.   We have incredible female performers right now, too, with Zee Avi, Grace Jones, Asa, St. Vincent, Dum Dum Girls, Ladytron, Zola Jesus, and Bjork, all releasing albums and sprinkling the male dominated rock world with a little estrogen.  I will be checking out some of these female artist albums coming up and will let you know what I think.

For now, In the Mountain, In the Cloud has been a dream.  I am so stoked to have it.  It will remind me of this time where I have cultivated some serious relationships with other women in my life.  It will remind me to be good to myself.  It will remind me of the biggest transition in my journey thus far and really attacking the plans that I've always wanted to make.  I am finding friendship in this album.  I am finding myself.