My Dad=Internet Star

I'm approaching the "100 Video" mark on YouTube. It's weird, exciting, and lame (all at the same time). In way I'm proud, but I'm not as proud of this as I am of my Dad. You see, my Dad is a minor Internet Star. My most popular video (titled "Paradise City Axl Rose Dance Viral Video") is my most popular to date.

It is my "Most Discussed" (30 comments, the latest coming in today) and the "Most Viewed" (with nearly 8,000 views). Five websites (not my own) link to it (including a few MYSPACE profiles). What is the allure of watching my Dad try to dance like Axl? I can't say. Some of the comments are negative...but the majority are surprisingly positive. Here is a sample:

"LOL, this dude rocks"

"YES!"

" BWAHaahahahahaha that is sooo axl rose lol"

Anyway, here is it again:



You rock Dad, you rock.

Earthshake-a

So a while back, we had a little quake out here in STL-land. I was going to make a stupid video "re-creating" the event (as I remembered it). It was going to be great, then...we had our stupid gas leak problems--and the thing never got made.

Here is the only clip I filmed for the project, enjoy (by the way, you can buy that bobble-head on eBay, I'm selling it as an experiment as a "Vintage Lincoln Bobble-Head." I'm asking for the moon, just to see if anyone is dumb enough to take me up on it):

T.P.C. Videos

The video for the awesome "Cheer it On":



And then...the crappy new single, "Your English is Good":

Elephant Shell

I've been a big fan of Tokyo Police Club for over a year now. I found 'em on MYSPACE one lazy afternoon while I was sitting in the dorms (basically a lifetime ago). Back then, the band was giving their three songs away for free. These songs ("Cheer It On," "Nature of the Experiment," and "Be Good") were tight little (very short) alt-rock gems. The band had a more refined Strokes-like vibe. I played them for a few friends, and they thought the band was good.

Then a few months went by, and by God...I saw them in Rolling Stone! The band's E.P. (kids, go look this term up) A LESSON IN CRIME came out, and was damn good--if you don't believe me, go back and check out my gushing review.

Months and months later, the band has finally issued a proper album: ELEPHANT SHELL. And I hate to say it: but it's too little, too late. Instead of tight little alt-rock gems, what we have is pseudo-intellectual, literary art-rock. *YAWN* A few months ago Vampire Weekend did all of this (and more) much, much better.

With songs titled "Tessellate" and "Listen to the Math" Tokyo Police club have effectively lost me. Some of the band's former greatness shine through, like on "Sixties Remake" (which recalls the earlier "Nature of the Experiment") and the single "Your English is Good." But for the most part, the songs are bland, uninspired, mindlessly repetitive, and overall soulless.

In short, ELEPHANT SHELL is a dismal, boring record. The lead-singer just can't carry a full album. His "unique" vocal-styling outstay their welcome. The band's cutesy twinkling pianos wear thin but the ninth track. The "what-the-hell-are-you-taking-about" lyrics get old.

This is a huge disappointment and a mess. I'd had great hopes for Tokyo Police Club...but I guess the critics (and myself) were only fooled by yet another 'flavor-of-the-month' band.

Jason gives ELEPHANT SHELL a "D-"

Guess What? It's B-A-A-A-A-C-K

That's right, today I got my XBOX 360 back from Microsoft. It only took a month, but I'm finally able to play HALO and ROCK BAND again! Me and Leah re-formed La La Munky and the Lucky Kitties tonight when I came home from work.



Much fun was had.

By the way, I'm still smoke-free.

I Smoked Today...

Nah, just kidding...I told you I could do this...

In other news: I caught some people having sex today in the racquetball courts. Uh, what else is going on? I'm working tomorrow (despite it being my day off). That's about it.

Oh, also--the more I see the trailer for PINEAPPLE EXPRESS, the more I think it's going to be the best movie this summer (sorry Indy).

Summer Concert Series: Show Number 2

Just got tickets for a concert next month--Bang Camaro @ Blueberry Hill (less than 2 minutes from our apartment!). They're a band the world came to know and love via Harmonix (Guitar Hero 2 and Rock Band). I just got my hands (don't ask how) on their debut CD and it's awesome.

"Push Push (Lady Lightning)":

Cold Turkey

Yep, it's that time once again. Time for me to quit smoking (again). Partly for health reasons, mostly for the money--it's time to give it a try. I started smoking back in 2003--the result of peer pressure. Not because I was taunted, per say...it was just that everyone I worked with smoked. One day I found a cigar in the security booth I was stationed at, and my curiosity got the better of me. It was downhill from there. Cigars are the worst things on Earth you could smoke. They cost more and smell worse than cigarettes. Which is why six months later I started smoking Camels.

I quit back in 2005 the summer before I moved to STL-land (and went to Hawaii). My motivation at the time was women. Ladies hate a smoker (for obvious reasons). I didn't start smoking again until me and Leah separated in the Spring of 2006. I "quit" last time by sheer force of will (and started up again because I lost my one excuse not to smoke).

Last night, at around this time--I had my last cigarette. For those of you who don't smoke, the urge--the physical urge to smoke, is this beautiful...deep...ache that alternates between the back of my chest and the tops of my lungs. It's a mental itch that actually feels good the worse it gets because you find yourself thinking "boy will it feel good when I scratch" (i.e. get a smoke). And it would feel good, of that I have no doubt. But I also know that I threw up last weekend after a day and a half of no smoking...so I know that if I went and bought a pack I'd feel worse and not better.

I've read that the first 72 hours are the worst, because that is when you must battle the physical addiction. I'm drinking shit-loads of water to combat this part. But that's not the hard part. You see, I am a terrible creature of habit. I get stuck in ruts/routines very easily. That's what makes smoking so hard to quit. I smoke to and from work. I smoke when I first wake up. This is just what I do. So, if I can overcome the physical dependency of nicotine...AND the ritual of smoking I'll only have one last hurtle: My friends.

Part of the reason I think I can succeed this go-round is that I'm not in college. My two best friends/classmates are smokers...and when I'm around them, it's damn near impossible to not smoke. English majors, for some reason, are HUGE smokers. I have never understood this, but this is (thankfully) no longer a factor.

So anyway...please wish me luck. Also, pray for Leah (the last time I tired to quit, she told me to never quit again) because she now has to deal with me.

Back Home

Well we're finally back home. We "moved" back in tonight at like 10:30. It's been a crazy couple of days...I've been (literally) living out of a duffel bag. Basically all weekend/week I've been dealing with this bullshit, allowing for absolutely nothing else. Today I had a "sit-in" (as my sister Amber put it) in the administration office of the complex...since those cowards refuse to speak to us, face-to-face. It worked (kinda), I got us a meeting on Friday. The gas pipes have all been replaced, but today they had to come in and clean the carpets (because the guys fixing the problem made a mess).

For the record: Moved out Sunday morning--moved back in on Wednesday night.


Can't wait to wear clean clothes/wake up in my own bed tomorrow.

P.S. CLOVERFIELD came out on DVD this week...have you seen it yet? It's fuckin' sweet.

Gas Panic: Part II

Hey everyone, the Limemonkey here...just checkin' in. My postings this week are probably going to be few and far between. We had some "fun" last night that looks to spill right out over the coming week. Last night, after coming home from a movie (FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL--which was hilarious by the way), we discovered that our apartment was FILLED to the BRIM with natural gas. Our dog lucked out, and wasn't killed--but if we'd stayed out later that might not be the case. Leah called 911 and the fire department came out--they shut the gas off. This was around 1:00AM. The apartment maintenance told us the Gas Company would come out and find the leak, then they'd fix it.

Sound familiar? Well at 3:00AM the gas dude showed up and told me (just like last time) that "we don't do that, we don't search for leaks...that's maintenance's job." Wow, somebody start playing "Stuck in the Middle with You" because that's where we are right now. Actually, where we are right now is another apartment (they gave us a key to one of their furnished show rooms). There is cable, but no Internet. Repairs aren't going to get started until Monday--and the Gas dude thinks they are going to be more than just a quick and dirty fix. So that means we might not be home for a while (I'm writing this in my study, we came back to pick up a few things for tomorrow). Anyway, I'll be able to check my email at work...but my cellphone is the best way to reach us.

Let's hope they sort this mess out soon...because it did a wonderful job of ruining my 3-day weekend (both this and Thursday's bit of fun) and I'd hate to see that trend continue.

5.2 Earthquake

We just had an earthquake out here in STL-land. It was B-A-D-A-S-S. It was only a 5.2 (or so they are telling me on the TV), but still it was pretty rad. More info as it develops.

UPDATE (with graphics!): Graphics from the US Geological Survey Website. Apparently what we got was an aftershock of a quake in Illinois--it only measured 4.5 (but was still really fun!). Please Mr. Tectonic-Plates, send us more of your shakey-shakes. I actually hope this whole town gets swallowed up...just kidding!







UPDATED...AGAIN!!!: Just got off the phone with Leah, she didn't know what the hell I was talking about. Apparently she'd heard about the original, 4:00AM quake but didn't know anything about the 10:14AM aftershock (that rocked my world). It's weird because her work is only a few miles away. Anyway--story of my life---Leah felt nothing.

Ab-Fab Video on the "Amen Break" the World's Most Famous (6-Second) Drum Loop

Thanks to David/Jamie for sending this my way...it's an absolutely fascinating look at how a no-name Jazz band's B-side changed our ENTIRE culture(sorta). It's also an interesting look at copyright law and the public domain.

Check-check-check it out...



Especially recommended to my Mom (who makes her living dealing with copyright/copyright-issues).

Gas Panic!

Wow. What a shitty day (and I haven't even got to work yet!). Leah had me get up early (like 9AM! I know!!!) to take her to breakfast. Did that. Got home, decided to clean the apartment before she went to work. As we were doing that, we had a knock on the door. It was the Gas company. Coming to shut off our gas. Because we haven't paid our bill in two months.

Exactly.

I pay my bills. I'm like my mother, I get them and I fucking pay them. I don't, however, pay my bills if they never get to me. For some reason, the Gas company decided to stop sending me bills (two months ago). I realize that I am partially to blame for this. After all, I guess it should have dawned on me that I haven't been paying them--but I'm a busy man.

Anyway, I refused to pay the lady at the door--so they shut our gas off. Then I called the Gas company. Then they told I had to call ANOTHER number and deal with a fucking idiot-robot computer to pay my bill. It was $245. I was paid yesterday ($500). This means that I am pretty much wiped out (considering my other bills). I called the Gas company back, and told them that I haven't been receiving my bills. I asked why I wasn't given any kind of notice prior to them just showing up to shut it off. She told me my notices were tucked inside the bills I haven't been receiving. The little shits living downstairs ripped off all the letters on the mailboxes, so maybe that's what happened??? Then again, Leah found her TAX REFUND CHECK out on top of the mailboxes a few weeks ago. Hmmmm. Makes you wonder.

So since I paid them their money, they sent a guy out to restore our gas. But he can't turn it on, he tells me, because we have a "small leak, gas is leaking into the concrete outside." Just our apartment, no one else. How long/how much has this leak cost us? Hmmm...makes you wonder. Anyway, he told me it was a hazard, and that I'd have to call our maintenance people and have them fix the leak before he could turn it back on. So I call, and the lady tells me they can't/won't do that because they don't have a leak detector. So I run outside (in my stupid white socks) and wave the Gas guy down...he put it best "you're stuck in the middle between us."

Yes. I am. So the maintenance guy (covered in tattoos) rolls upon us both (me and the Gas guy) and they have a nice, friendly chat (full of friendly curses). The apartment guy says they'll take care of the leak. The Gas guy says they'll come out and turn our Gas on once they do.

As I'm walking back into the apartment, I stopped and got the mail. Look what came today:



Ain't life grand?

"Supernatural Superserious"

New REM single:

Accelerate

I first "discovered" REM back in 1991, when my folks and I were watching Saturday Night Live. They were the musical guest, promoting their "breakthrough" album OUT OF TIME. My Mom went out and bought that record (on cassette tape), thus beginning a long love of REM. This is contrary to most REM fans. See, REM started out as a popular college band--that got "big" and sold out. Slowly, the band became more and more "pop" and less "indie-college-radio." To regain street-cred with their old audience, they put out NEW ADVENTURES IN HI-FI in 1996. That was the last REM album my Mom bought. In 1998, after the band's original drummer Bill Berry left, they put out UP (a really good techno-ish record). That was the last time I bought/listened to a new REM record.

Since then, they've put out two records...and I could care less. The band just seemed to be going through "the motions." Every few years put out a record, tour...repeat. Then I starting reading about how "REM was back." How the new record was loud, bombastic, catchy, and good. Then Little Steven played the band's new single "Supernatural Superserious." And it was really good.

Unlike previous efforts, ACCELERATE is a loud, raucous REM album...like we haven't seen since 1994's MONSTER. Sure, there are the obligatory acoustic/singer-songwriter-y songs ("Hollow Man" and "Until the Day is Done") but for the most part, ACCELERATE is a hard-charging electric guitar record. REM's always been a little "folky" you could say--with the major exceptions being MONSTER and UP, and now ACCELERATE. And that's just fine with me. I think this sort of formula shake-up is just what the band needed.

"Supernatural Superserious," is probably the best REM single since 1992. Like most REM songs, I have little to no idea what this song is about...but damn is it good. Catchy, with a fantastic bit of backing vocals (a bit of Beach Boys aping, like on OUT OF TIME)...with some awesome fucking guitar. The Beatle-esque "Mr. Richards" and the titular track "Accelerate" are also excellent additions to REM's songbook.

ACCELERATE is quick and dirty (only 35 minutes long), and only stumbles on the longer "slow burners." Songs like "Sing for the Submarine" and "Until the Day is Done" sound too much like earlier works ("Try Not to Breathe" and/or "Nightswimming"). Had these songs been left off, the album would have run much too short...but they still feel like heavy lead shoes compared to the lightning fast, hard charging rest of the record. Oh well.

Much has been made of the political content of ACCELERATE, and on some tracks ("Living Well is the Best Revenge" and the apocalyptic "I'm Gonna DJ" (which by the way rips off Blur's "Song 2")) it's more apparent than others. Maybe it's the mindless head-bobber in me, but I really didn't notice this aspect of the album. But it is REM, so there are probably endless layers. Overall ACCELERATE is great return to form by one of my all time favorite bands.

Jason gives ACCELERATE a "B+"

FITness

So this is week two of me trying to get into shape. I guess it's because it's getting nice outside...anyway everyday this week (and last) I've been taking a walk before work (one day it rained and I got all week, it was kinda fun). Then I go to work and do my thing, then I hit the gym.

NOW, I have two options here: I can work out downstairs in the Fitness center (at UMSL). I did this twice last week...and it was alright...but, to be honest it's a little creepy up there. All the lights off/no one up there. Leah doesn't like that because then I get home even later than usual.

SO, this week we're using the apartment's gym (which is only 30 seconds away). Thus far: I feel pretty good, but it's annoying how much time I use up on this fitness crap. 40 minutes walking, 30 minutes on the bike at the gym...that's like 6 hours a week!!! I could be...sleeping, or something...

Someone needs to come up with a way to work out sleeping. That's about all that's going on. I got paid today (wow $500, thank you). Oh, I found out that I don't have/get to work on Saturday (the gym is going to be closed). So that means I get a 3-day WEEKEND. I've been toying with going to KC to see my folks, but Leah reminded me that this weekend is Passover (what the hell is that? No bread, that's all I know...no bread). I was supposed to go out with my friends Katie and Paul tomorrow night, but that's not happening...so basically this weekend is going to suck. I guess I'll work out.

Loneliness=1980's Billy Joel

When I got my record player (about three or four years?) I inherited my parent's modest vinyl collection. Their record collection is pretty strange and erratic, but there was one artist they seemed to like--Billy Joel. How do I know this? Because more than one of his records survive.

Kids nowadays don't know shit about Billy Joel. People born AFTER 1993's RIVER OF DREAMS only know him as lame old white guy who is sometimes on the "classic rock" (read: Dinosaurs of Rock) stations. People from my generation know him a little better--the smug piano dude who sang "We Didn't Start the Fire" and got to fuck Christie Brinkley.

Kinda sad, because when Joel was young and hungry...all those years ago, he was really good at writing about loneliness.

Now that's not something a lot of people would want to be known for, but in the end isn't the job of any artist to distill the human experience? Say what you will about him, but Joel (brilliantly) understands the mindset of the lonely. In my book, that makes him a genius.

I'm sitting up, listening GLASS HOUSES for the trillionth time and I'm struck that out of 10 songs, 5 are about being alone/lonely in the world. I find that strange because when I think of Joel, I think of his sappy (somewhat crappy) love songs: "Just the Way You Are," "She's Got a Way," "She's Always a Woman." The list could literally go on...and yet, on this album (from 1980)--half the songs are almost the polar opposite of love songs.

It's no big surprise that the "depressing" half of this record is NEVER played on the radio (I'd never heard any of these songs until I set the needle down). All that ever gets played from this record is "You May Be Right" and "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me." Good songs, but emotionally vapid compared to "Sleeping with the Television On" (about two people who's hang-ups keep them lonely). I also find this song a fascinating bit of history because the song opens with the sound of the National Anthem followed by a high pitched "beep." It took me a long time to figure this out...then I remembered that at one time, TV stations actually went "Off Air."

Which, as I sit here at 1:00AM got me thinking--before 24 hour TV and Internet...what did people with insomnia do with themselves?

Anyway, go re-listen to GLASS HOUSES.

Madhouse ("The Soap Episode")

Sometimes I feel bad for Rusty--he's the only "sane" person in this apartment...

Case in point:

Bread as Therapy

Even though this is a public forum, I won't lie: I've been very depressed this week. Today, on my day off I got up and cleaned our apartment, then went to the store to pick up a few things. As you know, for St. Patrick's Day I made some Irish Potato Bread--the recipe I found in the St. Louis Post Dispatch is good (I've made it twice), but Leah hates it. Which is good for me...in a way (because I get to eat it all by myself). There is something about the process of making bread that both fascinates me and soothes me. I guess a more manly thing would be to polish guns or something...but that's not really my bag (baby). So instead, I bought some dry yeast and a loaf pan, and I baked. Simple white bread. The time it takes to do this is incredible (over five hours), and most of that time is spent simply waiting...and yet it fills me with such pleasure. The act of making something with my hands, the care required...the measurements of time and flour.

When I first started working, I had three jobs I wanted (because I thought they'd be "fun"): bookstore clerk, security guard, and music store clerk. I did two out of three (never found a job in a record shop) and for the most part, I enjoyed working those jobs. When I moved to STL-land, I was introduced to St. Louis Bread Company (by way of my best-friend Leah). For some reason (maybe it was the good food), I found myself adding "bread baker" to that little mental list. Alas, my pride (and BA) keep me from applying to a job where all I'd do is bake bread. But after today, I'd do it in a heartbeat (if it paid above minimum wage).

The historian part of me (that kid who, at the end of the day, just likes stories) is curious about the origin/history of bread. How the hell did we come up with it? I know a quick search of the Internet would yield me something close to an answer...but I'm not searching, not today. It maybe simple magic, but it's magic nonetheless. And right now, I need that more than anything:

GODFATHER script as "Pop-art"

I can't believe someone did this. The Limemonkey is a pretty big fan of classic cinema (thank you "Film as Literature"). Anyway, I was trolling around IMDB.com when I saw a link to this masterpiece:



It's hard to tell from this tiny pic, but that's the entire script of the first GODFATHER film. Usually I have no opinion of these sort of pictures (I really hate those puzzles that consist of 10,000 tiny pictures that all add up to make a larger one--they are so hard)..but this is pretty cool. You can read all about it here (you can click on the picture there and blow it waaaaay up to where you can read it).

New Kooks Single

"Always Where I Need to Be"

Konk

Follow-ups are a bitch.

There is this big music-biz/industry cliche that says bands always falter on their second album. This is not the first time I've written about this, and I'm sure it won't be the last. The truth is, most bands have their wholes lives to work on the "first" album. Then the success comes. The truck-loads of money. The contract that says, "do it again in six months or less."

Yikes. Talk about pressure, right?

Some bands emerge onto the scene with fantastic, amazingly good first records...only to be killed by "sophomore-album-blues." I'm looking directly at you Jacob Dylan (seriously, what the hell happened to The Wallflowers?). Anyway, I'd like to say that The Kooks have leaped over the terrible hurtle that is the second album...but they didn't. They almost did, but no quite.

KONK is a very good record, but it's nowhere near as good as INSIDE IN/INSIDE OUT. That record came out of nowhere, jam-packed with singles like a cool English breeze. KONK couldn't really best that record, not even if it was perfection because the surprise is gone. "The Kooks? Oh yeah, I know about them..." This is one of those records that, if you're already a fan--you will like it. But, if you missed INSIDE IN/INSIDE OUT you might wonder what all the fuss is about while listening to KONK.

Sure, there are hooks and head bobbing...but nowhere near the quantity as before. What's good: The Monkeys/Kinks-ish "Mr. Maker" and the "Do you think I'm Sexy"-like "Do You Wanna?" The jangly guitars are back and so is the syrupy puppy-love poetry. Maybe I'm just getting too old...but I was really digging "Shine On" until the line at the very end: "About your hair/ You needn't care/You look beautiful all of the time." Now I'm sorry, but that's some shit I used to write in the margin of spiral notebooks...in High School. That's not just weak-sauce, that's down right embarrassing. But chicks will no doubt swoon over it (just like in High School). And I guess that's alright, but this dude ain't buying it.

Anyway, there is one really amazing track near the end, "One Last Time." It's a short Shins-type bit of melancholy Indie-Rock. Also the last track "Tick of Time" reminded me of Beatles outtakes during the LET IT BE or WHITE ALBUM sessions (tambourines, acoustic guitars and giggles). And pretty much anytime anything reminds me of the Fab Four...it's a good thing. The lead single, "Always Where I Need to Be" is nothing to sneeze at but at the same time nothing to write home about (how do ya like that? Not one but 2 cliches in one sentence! Damn, why am I not a Nobel-prize winner again?). That's kinda how I'm sum up KONK as a whole...not great, but serviceable.

Jason gives KONK a "B-"

Note: This doesn't come out until next week, and when it does it's supposed to come with a second bonus-disc (with 7 additional new songs) that I was unable to..."preview" for free.

Weird "Elephant-themed" V-blog

Earlier this week, I posted a video dedicated to Amber...this one is dedicated to my OTHER "little sister" Lindsey (who likes elephants). I took this video back in October when I went to Grant's Farm with my parents (who were in town visiting).



"Overly-exciting music" provided by The GO! Team (the song is called "Junior Kickstart").

A (Probable) New Job

Well I had my interview today, and it went pretty well. The lady basically told me I had the job (if I wanted it), but that H.R. had to be the one to offer the position to me. She said they'd either call me later today or Monday. There are many factors that make this job better than the one I have now, let me count the ways:

1. Money. Let's be realistic, it's important. My salary will only increase by twenty-five cents, yes...HOWEVER, I'm going to be working 40 hours a week EVERY week. This is important because currently I work 35 hours a week--however I have only worked that much a couple of times (because of holidays, special events, etc.). So if you factor in the extra hours and the raise, it's much more money.

2. More experience doing something that's NOT security work. The new job requires nearly a month of training, all of which is paid for (and I'm to be paid to attend). This includes a CPR/First-Aid class, conflict resolution/avoidance, and a "Masters-level course" specifically pertaining to who I'll be helping...

3. Which brings up the third point: I will be helping people (which is what I wanted to do).

So what is this job? Well, essentially I'm going to be doing Social Work. I'll be a "Supported Employment Technician." The organization I'll be working for (non-profit) helps both children and adults who suffer from Autism. The people they help run the gambit of functionality, but the people I'll work with will all be those who are able to hold a job in the community. I'll be placed with people in my area, who I will take to work...I'll hang out, make sure that they're able to do their jobs. Four hours a week I have to spend in the office working on the case files/reports, but the rest of the time I'll be in "the field" helping these people try to live a normal life. I'll need chauffeur's license (which I think is funny), and I will be reimbursed for my travel/gas expenses.

I honestly can't believe I applied for, let alone am seriously considering accepting, such a job. However the benefits are good--more money, new and interesting work, new skills and things I can add to my resume. Plus I'll be doing something that matters more than the usual job. I can't really say that this is something I'd want to do forever, but right now...I feel like I'm pretty much wasting my life...I need to be doing something, anything NOT security work. So there it is.

What sucks: all the extensive training I'll get (which I'm glad is going to be available to me) is done once a month, the next session begins on Monday...which means I'm going to have to wait until next month to start working full time. Which means I'm looking at another 3 weeks at my current job. Also, they pay their people once a month (at the beginning) so I won't get my first full paycheck until June (yeeeessssshhhh!!!). But April is a "three-payday" month for me where I am now...so between that, and Leah's new job starting to pay her this month...we'll survive.

Limemonkey the case-worker, who'd have thought?

In celebration of "Summertime Concert Season"

Foo Fighters, "The Best of You"



Supergrass, "Alright"



I can't WAIT for this show...

Summer Concert Season...BEGINS!

Well you know it's almost summertime when the Limemonkey starts buying his concert tickets. The last show I went to was...ZZ Top? Yeah, that sounds about right. Anyway, it's been too long. I miss the crowds, the chaos, and the noise.

First up: July 20--The Foo Fighters with Supergrass (love both of those bands).

I'm also thinking about attending the Old 97's show coming up down here in The Loop. I've seen them before, but damn are they a good band to see live. I'm also seriously considering going to another "Dinosaurs of Rock" show later on at the end of summer. Here is the line-up: Journey, Heart, and Cheap Trick. Holy shit, I just crapped my pants. Yeah, Journey doesn't have Steve Perry in it any more...but Heart? And CHEAP TRICK??? Oh yeah, I am SO f-ing there.

Now all I have to do is convince Leah...

"Salute Your Solutions"

The new Raconteurs single:

Consolers of the Lonely

I must confess...I had no idea "supergroup" The Raconteurs were working on a second album--which is why me, and the rest of the music-loving world was shocked when it came out last week. Consisting of Jack White (of The White Stripes fame) and most/all of the garage band The Greenhorens, The Raconteurs play a crunchy hard rock. A bit like Led Zeppelin meets later Who records.

CONSOLERS OF THE LONELY is ragged, jagged, and bat-shit crazy. As an overall piece of music, I'd say it's probably the weakest thing White's name is attached to. But there are pieces of brilliance. First the bad: the songs aren't very catchy, Jack's voice is (somehow) screech-ier than usual, and the album has a few songs that just don't work ("Many Shades of Black" I'm looking at you). When I first heard "Many Shades of Black" all I could say to myself was "What the hell were you thinking?" It sounds like a fucking John Mayer song. I also really miss Jack's playful/weird songs that usually pepper a White Stripes album (which I know this isn't). The closest thing we get is the short little country-rock ditty "Pull This Blanket Off," which is good but too short. The album's last song, "Carolina Drama" feels like a forced "Rocky Raccoon" knock-off that misses the mark and lands in Jerry Springer territory. Ugh, it's not very good.

What's bad is really bad on this record ("Mandy Shades of Black") but what is good is really good. The album's bombastic single, "Salute Your Solution" and the almost New Wave-sounding "Attention" are both fantastic. Lyrically they're not much to write home about, but both feature some fantastic guitar work (this album is chock full-o-solos). I'm also particularly fond of the piano and harmonies on "You Don't Understand Me" (which almost sounds like ELO). I was also oddly moved by "These Stones Will Shout" for reasons I'd rather not share (how do ya like that?).

Overall, CONSOLERS OF THE LONELY is a lot like the band's first album, BROKEN BOY SOLDIERS--in that it's technically very well done, but just doesn't do it for me.

Jason gives CONSOLERS OF THE LONELY a "C"

Another Interview

Okay, I feel at this point that I should stop telling people I have an interview (this seems to jinks things) but I can't help it--I have an interview on Friday. Yesterday I had someone (a maintenance dude) totally lose his ever-loving-mind on me (for no reason) and I nearly walked out. I mean I really almost got in my car and just drove home. It was bad. I had to call the police.

Anyway, a quick call home to Leah set me straight...but the fire was once again lit under my ass to get a better job. So, this morning I had Leah wake me up, and I went at it (yet again). I have an interview Friday. The job is decent (I'll be getting a $0.25 raise out of the deal) but the most important things is--IT IS NOT A SECURITY JOB. And I'll be helping people. So you know tomorrow I'm getting a haircut first thing!

Everyone please, cross your fingers (or whatever) for me. I really need it.

In other news, my BABY sister Lindsey has a blog now! I know right? They grow up so fast...I'd share the link with you all, but for safety reason it is a private, invitation-only blog. Go Lindsey.

That's about it. I have some really cool ideas for the v-blog...but I am without a partner this week (Leah is off during the day for training at her new job). Also, I have about a 1,000 album reviews I need to work on (maybe I'll do that tonight while Leah is tossing and turning?).

This is not the greatest "Amber" video in the world...this is just a TRIBUTE