Weekly Resolution: Patience is a Virtue

I'm not even mad at him anymore.

I decided to make a belated new years resolution. And, since I'm not 100% sure it will stick, I'm test driving it for a week.  I live in LA, you see.  And, traffic here fucking sucks.  It's not that I commute or that I have a long way to drive.  On most days, the furthest that I drive is about 3 miles from my house.  But, it's a stretch of pavement that sometimes contains the most frustrating drivers on the planet:

- Tourists
- Illegal immigrants
- Tour buses
- Topless vans explaining to groups of Asian tourists about why you can't turn right off Sunset Blvd after 10pm (this happened)
- Looky lou's
- Old Russians
- People looking for parking
- People trying to get discovered
- Giant SUV drivers who are scared to go over 15mph
- Construction workers/handymen who often have so much crap crammed in the back of their trucks, they don't want to pick up speed for fear that it will all come crashing out from behind them
- People who are scared of driving next to a city bus
- Texters
- Elderly

   ...to name a few.

I often get myself in a tizzy for what should be a leisurely 10 minute drive down Sunset Blvd.  BUT NOT ANYMORE.  I'm working on my patience this week.  Trying to keep my trigger finger from honking the horn.  That old lady who decides when there are 3 seconds left on the light to start shuffling across the street?  You go girl!  The topless van stopped in the middle lane of traffic pointing at the exterior of Guitar Center?  Park that thing anywhere!  The wannabe club promoter blaring Sasha & Digweed out of his BMW while texting and swerving all over the road?  Add me to your mailing list!  Because I don't care anymore.  I am ZEN.  Drive as slow as you want.  Stop at the yellow.  Don't make a right on red.  Roll your calls.  Catch up on emails.  I'm no hurry. 

One day in and I only honked once.  That's pretty good for me.  I wanted to honk at least five times.  I guess it's baby steps, but we'll see how it all sorts out by the end of the week.  Life is too short to hate on people the way that I have been...even if they are shitty drivers (and probably really annoying in person too).  We'll have to save that for the next resolution.

Ommmmmmm....

An Open Letter to Bob Lefsetz: Alabama Shakes Edition

Dear Bob,

First of all, you're wrong about Alabama Shakes.

I saw them last night at the Troubadour for their (over)sold out show and it was fucking awesome.    Despite what you think, lead singer Brittany Howard is the real deal.  She's got all the passion and soul that comes across in the Alabama Shakes EP that you didn't get.  In fact, she's got enough for the both of you (and me too).  The EP is pretty great, but live?  It's amazing.  And, isn't that what it's about?  The music?  I feel like you always say that.  Maybe you forgot.

From what I gather in reading your letter dated December 26, 2011, you don't think that Alabama Shakes has put in the hard work, that they don't have what it takes.  You left the window open saying you hope that they will be a success, but you doubt that they possess that special something.  Which I'm sure is your defense to all of those who saw them last night and are saying right now that you're an idiot.  Sorry, but you are.

You didn't really give them a chance.  You assumed solely because people were actually excited about them that they must not be good.  You were wrong.  Maybe you were thinking of Lana del Rey.  It was weird how people so quickly took time from their post-Christmas hangover to pile on with you.  Your bashing of them stirred up a shit storm from bands who had "never heard of them" on the road and also from the music industry "elite" of Alabama who couldn't help but draw parallels between your "10,000 hours" letter and the sudden hype around this band.  When I read those responses I couldn't help but think that they were just jealous.  Jealous because people are connecting with Alabama Shakes and really like them.  And jealous because Brittany Howard is going to be a fucking star.  Or, maybe because she already is.  I guess that doesn't fit into your paradigm of how you think things should go.  Well, I guess that's just too bad.

So, Bob, you can go back to listening to your Eagles records.  Rhinofy some John Hiatt.  Maybe throw back a couple of Harvey Wallbangers with your buddy Irving Azoff.  I'll be here.  Checking YouTube to see if anyone else uploaded footage from the show, drinking bootleg Four Loko and anxiously awaiting April 10th when Alabama Shakes' debut record Boys Girls will be released.

LYLAS!

Jeannie



And, here's a video from the Troubadour last night:

Way Back Wednesday: Wild Colonials

I got some sad news last night that a friend Paul Grillo passed away.  Not only was Paul someone who always made a good time better, but he was funny as shit and the only other person I've ever met that despised wearing pants as much as me.  I met him many moons ago when he worked at Geffen Records with my BFF and immediately loved him.  I, like everyone who ever knew him, was such a huge fan of his.  I have fond memories of being at our friend Teresa's wedding and having the best time ever, getting Jenna Elfman's mother drunk and making fun of people on the dance floor.  Hearing Wild Colonials makes me think of him.  Wild Colonials were a Geffen band and one of Paul's favorites (I'd also guess that he had a hand in getting this video made).  So, this post is dedicated to Paul.  He will be ferociously missed.

New Single: Dr. Dog

I was a little late to the Dr. Dog party.  For some reason, I thought they were in the same category as Disco Biscuits, moe. and other Grateful Dead-ish jam bands.  NO IDEA WHY because they are NOTHING like that.  Thankfully my friend Carlyn set me straight, otherwise I would have been missing out on a really great band!  With that, I'm super excited for their new album Be The Void coming out February 7th on Anti-.  The video for "That Old Black Hole" is just as fun as the song, though director George Salisbury described the video as "the product of two manic, mate-fueled days in studio with no less than 144 complete takes in a non-stop performance marathon. The hypnotic result of this process-driven experiment gives the viewer a brief glimpse into both the disorienting lyrics and the wavering sanity of the band members across the two-day session.”  Deep.  I just like how the song combines southern rock with sing-song-y pop to create a melee of good times. 

Catch Dr. Dog on the road this Spring:

02-01          Newport Music Hall        Columbus, OH         02-02          Granada Theater              Lawrence, KS          02-03          Boulder Theater               Boulder, CO         02-04          Urban Lounge                  Salt Lake City, UT         02-06          The Crescent Ballroom    Phoenix, AZ          02-07          Belly Up Tavern               Solana Beach, CA         02-10          The Orpheum Theater      Los Angeles, CA**    02-11          Regency Center Grand Ballroom   San Francisco, CA         02-13          Crystal Ballroom               Portland, OR         02-14          Neptune Theatre              Seattle, WA        02-17          First Avenue                     Minneapolis, MN       02-18          The Vic Theatre                Chicago, IL            02-19          20th Century Theatre      Cincinnati, OH         03-01          Mr. Smalls Theatre          Pittsburgh, PA         03-02          Headliner                         Louisville, KY          03-03          War Memorial Auditorium  Nashville, TN         03-04          Buckhead Theatre               Atlanta, GA         03-05          Workplay                          Birmingham, AL          03-07          Alabama Music Box         Mobile, AL          03-09          Stubb's Waller Creek Amphitheatre   Austin, TX          03-10          Fitzgeralds                      Houston, TX          03-11          Granada Theater              Dallas, TX          03-13          Blue Note                        Columbia, MO       03-14          Deluxe @ Old National Center   Indianapolis, IN          03-15          The Orange Peel              Asheville, NC         03-16          9:30 Club                        Washington, DC         03-17          Rams Head Live                Baltimore, MD        03-19          Higher Ground            South Burlington, VT          03-22          House of Blues            Boston, MA        03-23          Terminal 5                 New York, NY         03-24          Electric Factory        Philadelphia, PA         03-25          Electric Factory        Philadelphia, PA

Way Back Wednesday: Diana Ross

While I'm not usually one to play in Facebook games, I keep seeing posts about the #1 song from the day people were born.  So I thought that for this Way Back Wednesday I would seek out the #1 jam from way back when:  Diana Ross' "Ain't No Mountain High Enough."  For some reason I always thought it was The Turtles' "Happy Together" - not because I remember, but maybe because I like that song and I think it was released the year I was born.  Now I can picture my mom laying in bed, going into labor while watching Hawaii 5-0 (true story) and rushing to the hospital with Diana Ross blaring through the speakers; thus providing the soundtrack to the very best day of her life...I mean, hey...I was born!

Keeping My Ear On: St. Lucia

St Lucia - All Eyes on You from HeavyRoc Music on Vimeo.


St. Lucia is Jean-Philip Grobler, an ex-pat of South Africa that now resides in Brooklyn.  He released "All Eyes On You" as a preview to his self-titled EP which will be released on Neon Gold/Columbia in March, 2012.  St. Lucia EP is the first non-single offering from the record label that famously released singles from Passion Pit, Ellie Goulding and Naked & Famous.  I am a giant fan of the 80's new wave synth sound of "All Eyes On You" and can't wait to hear more!  "The Old House is Gone" might be my favorite of the bunch, so far:

New Single: Islands

So excited that Islands teased another new song today from their upcoming album A Sleep & A Forgetting to be released February 14th through Anti-Records.  "Hallways" is a good time and chock full of old-time saloon-y sounding piano and infectious percussion that makes you feel all giggly inside.  It's kind of the opposite of the previously released "This is Not a Song," which is somberly beautiful and full of melancholy.  Between the two shall meet, and I can't wait to hear more from A Sleep & A Forgetting which singer Nick Thornburn says, "is far more personal than any (record) I’ve made before.  I left New York and came to Los Angeles and there was this piano where I was staying.  And that’s where I wrote these songs. The record deals with loss, with memory and forgetting and with dreaming.”  This might be the first time I'm actually excited for Valentine's Day.

New Movie: Shut Up and Play the Hits

Seeing LCD Soundsystem at the Hollywood Bowl during their farewell tour was not only one of the best concerts of 2010, but it was one of my most favorite concerts ever.  It made me so sad that LCD mastermind James Murphy decided to throw in the towel on LCD, but grateful that I was there for their final Los Angeles show.  My friend Brian is so hardcore that he flew to NYC and went to the Madison Square Garden show.  I was so bummed I wasn't there in person, but glad now that all of the shenanigans were documented and put into the film Shut Up and Play the Hits, directed by Dylan Southern and Will Lovelace.  It was such a disappointment to LCD fans that the band was dismantled and this film should help to quench that thirst.  The film premieres at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, but no theatrical release date has been set.  The trailer alone gets me so hyped up, I CAN'T WAIT until the film is finally released.  "All My Friends" is my most favorite song by them. LOVE.LOVE.LOVE.

New Obsession: Blind Pilot

Even though their record came out in September of last year, I am currently on a non-stop listening frenzy of Blind Pilot.  We Are the Tide is flat out awesome and a little slice of perfection.  I can't get enough of the title track and found this version online and thought it was pretty genius.  The rest of the record is like a soothing cup of tea at the end of a bad day.  It lifts you up and makes you feel so much better...like a nap in a cloud.  Don't worry, I'm not listening to the same ten songs over and over again.  I've also wrangled their brilliant debut record 3 Rounds and a Sound into my fixation of all things Blind Pilot.  I saw them play at Spaceland when their first record came out and can't wait to see them when they come back again.  They aren't at Coachella, which hopefully means they'll be back in LA soon.  Yipppeeee!

Way Back Wednesday: Moodswings featuring Chrissie Hynde

I was gladly reminded of "Spiritual High" over the weekend when my fave spin instructor played it during class.  There were so many things that I loved about this song:  it has a certain Cocteau Twins quality to it (one of my faves); Chrissie Hynde frickin' sings on it (she's the best); and, it invokes this really romantic, sweet vibe (it was on my make-out mixtape for much of the early 90's).  After all this time, I couldn't believe that I remembered all the words.  It just gets me from the first word:

"Sounds
Like a signal from you
Bring me to meet your sound
And I will bring you to my heart

Love, like a signal you call
Touching my body, my soul
Bring to me, you to meet me here

Home, be the temple of your heart
Home, be the body of your love
Just like holy water to my lips
Yes, I do know how I survive
Yes, I do know why I'm alive
To love and be with you
Day by day by dayyyyy..."

Damn.  So good.  Wouldn't it be nice to have someone say that to you (and mean it)?!  Just throwing it out there...

New Fave Song: WU LYF

Forgive me if I'm late to the party, but I caught WU LYF performing "Heavy Pop" on Letterman the other night and these kids rocked it.  Not only are they super adorable, but I can't help myself with their synthy shoegazy lo-fi jam.  Now the only question is what is WU LYF?  Is it like, "WOOOO...LIFE!" Or is it like, "Wu-Tang Clan (for) Life?"  Either way, I live a Wu life.  WOOO!  I mean, Wuuuuu! **

I can't wait to check out their full-length Go Tell Fire to the Mountain (which came out last June...where the hell was I?!).  ANDDDD...they'll be at Coachella, giving me yet another reason to go. I like the non-live version too:



**Apparently WU LYF means World Unite Lucifer Youth Foundation.  --cue sad horn--

Coachella 2012 Lineup Announced

I love Coachella.  Love, love, love it! It's my "adult spring break" and something that I definitely look forward to every year.  All of my friends and I make our annual pilgrimage to Palm Springs, rent a house, lay out in the sun, drinks lots, see great bands and have the BEST TIME EVER. Some of my favorite concert memories have been at Coachella.  My favorite year had to be when the Pixies reunited, which was also the same year that Radiohead and The Cure played.  I had a photo pass that year, so I got to be front and center for the first three songs of all of them.  I seriously almost cried like ten times. 

So, I'm really excited that after months of speculation the 2012 lineup has finally been announced.  When I looked at the line-up initially, it seemed pretty good.  But, then I looked again....meh?  Where's the big "get" for the reunited band this year?  At the Drive-In is awesome, but they're no My Bloody Valentine.  No Pixies.  And, certainly no Smiths (which I have been praying for forever).  And, I'm a little annoyed by this "two weeks" bullshit.  Is everyone I know planning on going the same weekend?  Which weekend will be the best?  At the end of the day, I do want to go and will definitely do what I can to try to go.  But, with my recent "employment financial freedom," I have more to consider.  I've already seen most of the bands that I want to see.  And, I am willing to say that the ones that I haven't seen will be back and at a smaller venue.  Is that worth $1,000 to go out to Palm Springs for the weekend?  Does my hesitation mean I'm getting old?  (DON'T ANSWER THAT!!!) 

After I host a car wash to raise money to go, these are the bands I definitely want to see:

Friday, April 13 & 20

The Black Keys
Pulp
Refused
Mazzy Star
M83
Girls
The Rapture
The Horrors
Frank Ocean
James
Dawes
WU LYF
Other Lives

Saturday, April 14 & 21
Radiohead
Bon Iver
The Head and the Heart
The Big Pink
The Vaccines
Grouplove

Sunday, April 15 & 22
Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg (DUH)
At the Drive-In
Weeknd
Girl Talk
Gotye?

COACHELLA OR BUST?!

Way Back Wednesday: Cocteau Twins

I loooove Cocteau Twins!  No matter how old their music is, or how old I am, I don't think I will ever get over how their music consoled me during some of my most emo times in the 90's.  Sometimes it's hard for me to remember Cocteau Twins qualify as a Way Back Wednesday because I still love them just as much as I did back then.  Sometimes they slip my mind, but then something will happen and remind me of how awesome they are.  I was in a restaurant recently and "Carolyn's Fingers" came on and I immediately gasped and was taken aback with the wave of emotions that fled through me.  Damn, I love that song.  For today, I chose "Lorelei" because...well, it's just a "Lorelei" kind of a day.

New Single: Fun.

What I know about Fun. after watching their video for "We Are Young":

- I like to have fun.  Given their name is Fun., they probably like fun too.  We might get along.
- They sing a song about being in a bar and getting crunk, but they look like they're 16.  That's ok.  So do I.  (x2)
- It's pretty cool that Janelle Monae sings on "We Are Young."  She's awesome.
- Record labels still pay for really expensive looking videos.  They must think Fun. is going places.
- This song is emo as hell and I love it.
- How cute are they?
- I can totally see this song being an anthem, with everyone singing along when it comes on the jukebox.  (This often happens with Arcade Fire at one of my fave watering holes).
- They have a new record called Some Nights coming out on Fueled By Ramen on February 21, 2012.
- It still feels weird typing 2012.
- Who brought their teddy bear to a bar?
- Is it so wrong that I hope that 2012 brings me someone "to set the world on fire" with.  At the very least someone who will say to me:

"So, if by the time the bar closes
And you feel like falling down
I'll carry you home
...Tonight"

And, finally:
- I can't wait to hear more Fun.