NaBloPoMo

Supermoon

Omni – Supermoon

I had never heard of Omni before I saw them opening up for Franz Ferdinand back in June. I liked them and felt like they would be a lot of fun to see on their own for a full set when people aren’t impatient for the headliner. They’re from Atlanta. You could tell, couldn’t you? I mean that in the best possible way, in case that wasn’t obvious.

Once upon a time, that fact would have been enough for me to plop down probably up to seven dollars on their record. I have a pretty decent collection of records by bands who came from Georgia or North Carolina, or who had their album produced by Mitch Easter and/or Don Dixon, or mastered by Greg Calbi, was on DB Records, or 688 Records, you get the idea.

There is an original copy of the Method Actors Dancing Underneath sitting down the street in the M bin of my local (mostly used) record store. It’s $14. I haven’t bought it because that seems like a lot for just five songs. Besides, I feel pretty safe in leaving it there because I’m pretty sure that I am the only person likely to buy it. It’s been sitting there for a couple of years now and I keep pulling it out to see if the owner has realized that it’s not moving at all and maybe he should drop the price. He has not.

Now the price of a new record is rarely less than $20. I’m not begrudging bands for charging that much, given the costs to make and distribute them, to say nothing of how little they make from the streaming services, but it’s far less likely that I’ll take the plunge. The album this Omni song comes from was released in September so I couldn’t have bought it at the show anyway but I’m more likely to buy a record at a show because I am under the (perhaps mistaken – more to come on this another day) impression that the band will net more money this way. Come back this way, Omni! I’ll come see you and buy some stuff!

Summer

Buffalo Tom – Summer

One of the radio stations that I listen to has a regular feature where they pair up a beer and a song, Brews and Grooves. Sometimes I miss it because I’m already too far out of range by the time it comes on but I was running late this morning and managed to hear it before I got too far away. The dj was talking about how the beer was a nice crossover from the lighter summer beers to the heavier fall beers and it just so happened that I already had some in my fridge at home; Harpoon’s Flannel Friday. To accompany this end of summer/beginning of fall beer, and flannel, he picked a 90s band and a song about summer being gone.

I have to give the dj credit on this one. I usually agree with his assessment of the beers (though my own preferences are a little narrower than his) but now and then I feel like the song choice is not quite as strong a match as it could be. But today and yesterday were unseasonably warm and I was even walking around outside both days in a sleeveless shirt, in November in New England, with the leaves crunching under your feet. Plus, Flannel, 90s. So, yeah. Buffalo Tom’s Summer and Harpoon’s Flannel Friday. I put it to the test this evening and I fully endorse this match.

When the song was over, the dj came back on the air and was talking about how a friend of his from Texas or someplace like that had never heard of Buffalo Tom. He said he hadn’t thought they were just a New England thing, he thought they were more well known across the country, but maybe not. I feel like my opinion is disqualified in this situation because even if I was living in DC when I saw Buffalo Tom, I came from New England.

Anyway, just to round out this nice little flashback Friday vibe, I got out my stub from that Buffalo Tom show at the old 9:30 Club and snapped this picture. Cheers!

Prove

NE-HI – Prove

There are a couple of bands I’ve heard this year that are new to me but there’s a familiarity about their sound, and that’s ok with me. Sometimes you just want to hear something that scratches a particular itch.

Recharge & Revolt

The Raveonettes – Recharge & Revolt

So, here it is November again. NaBloPoMo. And I have a blog that has been gathering dust. It has seemed frivolous to spend my evenings writing about music in the way that I do when our country’s very existence has been hanging in the balance. Most of the time I just felt so drained from getting through the day and staying on top of what is going on that I had nothing left to say. Also, where to begin? The sheer volume of unbelievable crap, and the dizzying pace that it came flying at us, was overwhelming for someone like me who often used current events to steer my song choices.

Music is still my outlet though and I needed it more than ever. I upped my concert attendance. For a while I thought I might be able to see 50 bands this year for my 50th year* but my budget and family obligations put a damper on that goal and I think I’ll probably come in around half that number by year’s end. In a year that has seen the violence unleashed at concerts reach terrifying new heights, it is perhaps an odd thing to pursue. My children are alternately worried, embarrassed, and maybe occasionally jealous that I go to as many shows as I do but it’s worth it. It’s always worth it. It has never been more obvious to me that life is short and that sharing in the magic that is a really great concert is one of the high points. Especially now.

I don’t know where the forces of evil draw their energy from to keep up the onslaught they are unleashing on us but I know where I go. If I can’t make it to 50 shows, maybe I can at least pump out 30 days of posts to make up the difference.

*Holy crap I had to add a new category – 50s! Gulp!

2+2=5

Radiohead — 2+2=5

Nothing like a more than 13-year-old song to perfectly illustrate the situation we find ourselves in at the moment. How are we supposed to grapple with a society where 2+2=5? I really feel like it’s coming. It’s just a matter of time. So much of what Orange45 says is just completely false and millions of people either believe him or don’t care that he lies incessantly. Not to mention our public education system, which is already falling short, will soon be decimated. How can we restore the value of truth? How we can get people to care if someone is lying? How do you teach children not to cheat or plagiarize when there is no reason for them to not do so?

Can we maybe get out ahead of him and start rumors designed to focus his outbursts in favor of the outcomes we want to see? Tweet that the CEO behind DAPL, for instance, was once overheard saying something about O45s hair being fake, or whatever. Just make it up, that’s what they do. Then instead of 3 a.m. Tweets about how the press isn’t being nice to him, he’ll blast the oil barons. Any other ideas?

Kick Out the Jams

MC5 – Kick Out the Jams

I’m still wildly depressed about the election and completely at a loss as to how to prevent all that seems inevitable with a narcissistic toddler as our president-elect. I truly don’t know how the country will survive. Truth and facts don’t matter. Nothing anyone says seems to have any effect. For each and every cabinet position, the worst person imaginable is being suggested.

As I sat here wondering what we can do to avert this disaster, I came to think about Manuel Noriega. Remember when he holed up in the embassy and they tried to smoke him out by playing loud music? Well, maybe it’s time to “kick out the jams, motherfuckers!”

Call Off Your Dogs

Lake Street Dive – Call Off Your Dogs

I’m not sure what I watched that put Lake Street Dive in the queue of suggested videos on YouTube but here we are. It’s back to work and school tomorrow, early mornings and the dark drive home. I am not ready. Maybe some sunny tunes will help.