Friday Music Day

Friday Music Day: Sept 7, 2012

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A few things:
1. Dolfish is touring this fall. He's playing the "Amsterdam Bar and Hall" in/near downtown St. Paul on Thursday, Nov. 29. That's a week after Thanksgiving. I don't know what cover will be (if there will be). Also playing: We Are the Willows.

I mentioned Dolfish once before, but, short songs that hit like the best Fiction 59 Spookystories. He packs more weight, depth, humor, regret, and human weakness into a very affecting two minutes than I've heard just about anyone else fit into a full album. I guess it's singer-songwriter stuff, but his instrumentation isn't like that, and his voice sounds like a gruff woman. I dowloaded his one release to date, the free EP "Your Love Is Bumming Me Out," without any idea what was on it (I think HHT shared a bill with him in Columbus and linked to it), and it grabbed me and hasn't let go. I really think you should go download it now and listen to it. If you don't like it, you're out what...? $0 and 8 minutes. Anyways, I'm excited for this show, it's all I've got on my fall calendar so far (music-wise).

2. Animal Collective released an album this week and I haven't even tried to listen to it. Enthusiasm fades, I guess. SPIN had a list they compiled of 127 artists that inspired them (mostly musicians, but not entirely). I liked seeing Gas, the Orb, Basic Channel, Black Dice, and Vladislav Delay listed. I've never listened to Gas, but I've been listening to the Burger/Ink album the past week between Dolfish and Pete Tosh. (The Ink half of Burger/Ink is Mike Ink who is actually Wolfgang Voigt a/k/a Gas.)

3. I swear I had one more thing I wanted to say but, I guess not.

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Now please share your list.

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Classic Album Reviews: The Pogues — Rum, Sodomy & the Lash (1985)

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By 1985, punk rock was storming off in all sorts of musical directions. There was proto-punk, country-punk, art-punk, dance-punk, and hardcore-punk. One of the more interesting sub-genres was Irish or Celtic-Punk. Irish Punk was thought of as Irish folk songs or Irish folk-inspired songs revved up to a punk like speed. Locally, the band Boiled in Lead was a fantastic purveyor of traditional Irish music with a punk sensibility. Nationally, however, The Pogues were front in center and Rum, Sodomy & the Lash was the album you had to have if you were into Irish or Punk music.

The Pogues were a perfect Irish band: You had the lead singer, Shane MacGowan - skinny, horrible teeth, hard drinking, gravelly voice; a band with upwards of 7 to 10 members, depending on who was sober or healthy at the time, and a bunch of traditional Irish songs. The album was a blast with songs about drinkin', bleak industrial city living, Jessie James, war, lovers who left, and drinking. The album kicks off with The Sickbed of Cuchulainn an Irish romper sing-along. Dirty Old Town is exactly about what the title says: what it is like living in an old industrial-era city that is crumbling around you. The songs open with the classic line: "I met my love by the gas works wall..." You get the picture.

Other favorites include Sally MacLennane which again is fast, fiesty sing-along. I'm sure this was sung at many going away parties. The highlight of the album is The Band Played Waltzing Matilda which describes an Australian's horrifying experience fighting the Turks in WWI. One of the strongest anti-war songs ever written and it makes me think sadly of our soldiers coming back from Iraq or Afghanistan with broken bodies, never again able to dance.

The album is a fun, singable, danceable ride. The musicians are top notch and the songs are a great combination of old and new Irish songs. A bunch of these songs would be perfect for any party tape, wedding dance, or just to listen to get the blood pumpin'. For that reason Rum, Sodomy & the Lash I consider a classic album.  What do you think?

 

 

WGOM Fitness

WGOM Fitness: September 6, 2012

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Yesterday was a long, long day. I got up at 4:30, I was at work by 5:30 and left the office at about 8. I got home and I was tired. But, I stayed on the diet and I am down 0.5 pounds this morning. I figure that Mom and Dad's scale is about 2.5 to 3.0 pounds heavy, so I weighed in at 262.0, but I think on the home scale I'll be under 260.

Day 44
Weight: 262.0
Total Loss: 22.5
% of body weight lost: 7.91%

Keeping Track

Happy Birthday–September 6

Oyster Burns (1864)
Red Faber (1888)
Tommy Thevenow (1903)
Johnny Lanning (1910)
Harry Danning (1911)
Vince DiMaggio (1912)
Hal Jeffcoat (1924)
Fran Healy (1946)
Greg Olson (1960)
Roy Smith (1961)
Pat Meares (1968)
Derrek Lee (1975)
Micheal Nakamura (1976)

We would also like to wish a happy anniversary to Mom and Dad MagUidhir.

Continue reading Happy Birthday–September 6 →

2012 Twins Game Recaps

Game 136: Twins 18, White Sux 9

This one was a laugher. I went to a friend's to lend him my DVDs of <em>The Wire</em> right around when the game started. I got out of the car with runners on 2nd & 3rd, one out, and Konerko at the plate. When I got back to the car, Mr. Provus said the Twins were "leading by 4." I assumed that Diamond had wriggled out of the jam in the first inning and the Twins had a nice couple of innings. Then he said it was the bottom of the second, and the Twins were up 7-3. I was a bit sad I missed the first offensive outburst in... I can't even remember how long. But I turned the game on at home. Thankfully I was witness to that glorious 5th inning. I can't describe how wonderful it was, so I'll let the box score do the talking:

1. Justin Morneau walks.
2. Ryan Doumit singles on a sharp line drive to right fielder Alex Rios. Justin Morneau to 3rd.
• Pitching Change: Leyson Septimo replaces Dylan Axelrod.
3. Chris Parmelee grounds out, third baseman Kevin Youkilis to first baseman Paul Konerko. Justin Morneau scores. Ryan Doumit to 2nd.
• Pitching Change: Philip Humber replaces Leyson Septimo.
4. Trevor Plouffe triples (1) on a line drive to right fielder Alex Rios. Ryan Doumit scores.
5. Eduardo Escobar singles on a line drive to right fielder Alex Rios. Trevor Plouffe scores.
6. Ben Revere singles on a ground ball to right fielder Alex Rios. Eduardo Escobar to 3rd.
7. Jamey Carroll out on a sacrifice fly to right fielder Alex Rios. Eduardo Escobar scores.
8. Joe Mauer walks. Ben Revere to 2nd.
• Coaching visit to mound.
9. Josh Willingham singles on a line drive to right fielder Alex Rios. Ben Revere scores. Joe Mauer to 3rd.
10. Justin Morneau walks. Josh Willingham to 2nd.
11. Ryan Doumit singles on a line drive to left fielder Dayan Viciedo. Joe Mauer scores. Josh Willingham scores. Justin Morneau to 2nd.
12. Chris Parmelee homers (5) on a fly ball to center field. Justin Morneau scores. Ryan Doumit scores.
13. Trevor Plouffe singles on a line drive to left fielder Dayan Viciedo.
• Pitching Change: Brian Omogrosso replaces Philip Humber.
14. Eduardo Escobar flies out to left fielder Dayan Viciedo.

I tuned out before Swampsludge gave up a bunch of runs, thankfully, so in my mind this game was even more one sided. That was fun.

Remodeled basement. Same half-baked taste.