4.12.2007
God Bless You, Mr. Vonnegut
"I am, incidentally, Honorary President of the American Humanist Association, having succeeded the late, great science fiction writer Isaac Asimov in that totally functionless capacity. We had a memorial service for Isaac a few years back, and I spoke and said at one point, "Isaac is up in heaven now." It was the funniest thing I could have said to an audience of humanists. I rolled them in the aisles. It was several minutes before order could be restored. And if I should ever die, God forbid, I hope you will say, "Kurt is up in heaven now." That's my favorite joke." Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., A Man Without a Country (2005)
Labels: Men We Love
annamaria at 9:27 AM
3.28.2007
bomb.repeat.bomb
*Standard Disclaimer: Yes, I know, having a leaked copy of an album is both highly unethical (illegal, some might say) and possibly detracts from the experience of purchasing the album, ripping off the annoying plastic, and finally listening to the songs while perusing the artwork and liner notes. I say fuck that. It is a fangirl's prerogative to eschew the trappings of nostalgia-riddled rituals in the digital age. Oh, and I still bought the album anyway. On CD and vinyl.
Labels: Men We Love, Music
annamaria at 4:46 PM
1.13.2007
The President who cried wolf
Via
Labels: Men We Love, Politics
annamaria at 10:37 AM
11.13.2006
My fantasy boyfriend president won't make an honest woman out of me
DreamyU.S. Sen. Russell Feingold said he has decided not to seek the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008, saying his party's victories in the midterm elections have energized him to continue working in Congress.
Feingold, 53, is an outspoken opponent of the Iraq war, the USA Patriot Act and other Bush administration policies. He said Sunday that although he had explored the possibility of running, he has ruled it out.
"I never got to the point where I felt strongly I wanted to run," Feingold said. "Then I saw the result Tuesday and thought what a great opportunity to do my work in the Senate."
Feingold (D-Wis.) said he would keep an open mind if he were asked to join the ticket as the vice presidential candidate.
"If some nominee called me up and said, `You're the guy, I need you,' I would have to take that very seriously," he said.
Is it bad that I'm looking at the Democrats and wondering whose foot is nearest the grave?
Labels: Men We Love, Politics
annamaria at 1:05 PM
11.08.2006
Oh Happy Day!
Colin Sings, Annamaria SwoonsJubilation! That's the only word I can use to describe last night—Jubilation!
Kerri was my lovely date for the Decemberists show at Clutch Cargo's; terrible venue but fan-fucking-tastic show. Everyone on stage was lovely, and the audience much younger that I anticipated—I know that I'm approaching 30, but I really shouldn't be amongst the older members of the crowd yet, should I? In deference to the kiddies in the room, the show was a non-smoking event...Kerri and I audibly groaned when we saw the signs posted asking us to step outside to smoke. Here's something I've never understood—you're at a bar, presumably imbibing spirits, you're at a rock show, presumably listening to the devil's music, and smoking offends people's sensibilities? We're already going to Hell, why not light up on the way down? And before I get the “second hand smoke kills” lecture, so does drinking and driving (more and quicker!) but I've yet attend a dry concert aimed to prevent drunks from killing themselves and others. Fuck, listening to music at exceptionally loud volumes will fuck up your hearing but good—is the sound booth going to account for that, too?
/rant.
Besides the non-smoking thing (felt like I was in LA again!), the show was amazing. Really good mix of old and new, though I would have loved to hear When the War Came or Summersong live. I think I might be the only person that actually likes those songs, though! I was pretty excited to hear July, July! which was, to me, the biggest surprise on the set list. The Perfect Crime No. 2, hands-down my favorite track on the new album (indie-rock purists be damned! I like my Decemberists sounding like Steely Dan...and I hate Steely Dan!), was so good live I might never be able to listen to the studio version again. I noticed the arms-crossed-over-their-chests and imperceptible-head-bob-used-to-approximate-dancing hipsters even shook their asses a bit during that number.
Hurdy Gurdy Man
The highlight of the evening, and I think it's safe to assume that I speak for all Michiganders here (and it is Michiganders, Colin, not Michiganians), was not only ending the show with A Cautionary Song but having Chris, Lisa and John parade through the crowd with drums, tambourines and cymbals, which finally culminated in a reenactment of the beheading of Anne Boleyn. I'm so not making this up.
Oddly, all those paper lanterns were red, even the
one that appears to be white in this picture.
After the show, I figured nothing in the world could make me a happier girl...and then as I was driving home listening to the election results on NPR* I discovered that Rick Santorum lost his Senate seat. I don't know that I've ever felt such peace and joy.
----------------------------
*Thanks to Carina for sending me text message updates on the election results during the show, solidifying my nerd status once again.
Labels: Men We Love, Pop Culture
annamaria at 12:42 PM
7.28.2006
PS
Talk amongst yourselves today, dear friends. I'm leaving work in 15 minutes to go hang out with Clever Bethanne and Ted Leo. Hopefully, I'll have pictures of the show tomorrow. Play nice, kids!
Labels: Men We Love
annamaria at 11:13 AM
7.24.2006
Monday Music Blogging
I’ll start with the news that makes me only moderately piss-my-pants excited: New Scissor Sisters! Courtesy of the wonderful Dodge, check out the first single off their upcoming release, Ta Dah: I Don’t Feel Like Dancing. [Right click, save] The first time I heard this song, I was positive they were going to break into “Oh What a Night.” Fabulous.
And now onto the news that makes me so happy I’ve already begun to plan road trips throughout the Midwest just so I can revel in Colin Meloy’s adorableness for days on end: Decemberists tour dates! The Decemberists’ Relatively Unobtrusive e-Missive (RUeM) landed in my mailbox yesterday, and confirmed that the released date for The Crane Wife is October 3rd, and the tracklisting is as follows:
Want a preview? Stream it here and select date: July 22nd and time 6:23 p.m. Seattle’s KEXP was kind enough to play the first single off the album, the epic “The Island.” Pitchfork has the review. Also, check out the Decemberists’ MySpace page for a (relatively short) demo of “The Tain.”1. The Crane Wife 3
2. The Island
-Come and See
-The Landlord's Daughter
-You'll Not Feel the Drowning
3. Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then)
4. O Valencia!
5. The Perfect Crime #2
6. When the War Came
7. Shankill Butchers
8. Summersong
9. The Crane Wife 1 & 2
10. Sons and Daughters
Finally, here are the tour dates:
In bold are two shows for which I will most definitely be in attendance. Should I have some money to waste and vacation days to spend, I’ll probably relive my freewheeling youth and catch those Ohio shows as well.08-23 Seattle, WA - Woodland Park Zoo
* with Violent Femmes, Cake
08-26 Salem, OR - Oregon State Fair (Pet Aid 2006) *
10-17 Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom #
10-18 Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom #
10-19 San Francisco, CA - Warfield Theater #
10-21 Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern #
10-22 Tucson, AZ - Rialto Theater #
10-24 Austin, TX - Stubb's #
10-25 Dallas, TX - Gypsy Ballroom #
10-26 New Orleans, LA - House of Blues #
10-27 Atlanta, GA - Tabernacle #
10-29 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club #
10-30 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club #
10-31 Northampton, MA - Calvin Theater #
11-01 Philadelphia, PA - Electric Factory #
11-03 New York, NY - Hammerstein Ballroom $
11-04 Boston, MA - Orpheum Theater $
11-05 Montreal, Quebec - Metropolis $
11-04 Toronto, Ontario - Kool Haus $
11-07 Pontiac, MI - Clutch Cargo $
11-09 Cleveland, OH - Agora Theater $
11-10 Columbus, OH - Lifestyle Communities Pavilion $
11-11 Chicago, IL - Riviera Theater $
11-12 Minneapolis, MI - First Avenue $
11-14 Denver, CO - Paramount Theater $
11-16 Missoula, MT - Wilma Theater $
11-17 Seattle, WA - Paramount Theater $
11-18 Vancouver, B.C. - Commodore Ballroom $
# with Lavender Diamond
$ with Alasdair Roberts
PS—how much do I hate you, Salem, Oregon? The Decemberists and The Violent Femmes? So completely unfair.
Labels: Men We Love, Pop Culture, Women We Love
annamaria at 1:33 PM
6.02.2006
Yay! Decemberists news for nerdcore fans everywhere.
Matt Picasso is my hero. Seriously. Not only does that kid have fabulous taste in music (and a willingness to share all kinds of fun mp3s), but he tags it correctly so that when I download said music, I don't have to waste time re-typing the file name to sate my obsessive compulsive tendencies (what is so hard about the "artist name - song title" format that it continues to confound mp3 bloggers?). And he has news about the new Decemberists album! Check it out:
This one’s going to be really good, though. Undoubtedly the best thing we’ve done to date. And while that might smack of hyperbole (”didn’t they say that about the last record?” you well may be thinking. . .) we can guarantee that it, at the very least, will be decidedly above average. And what’s more, it’s going to be called The Crane Wife. Quite a title, yes? There is a happy glut of songs to choose from — some 22 in all at last count — before it’s wittled down to album-length, with a few of them clocking in at the >10 minute mark (always makes the label people happy).
I am a total nerd because I have October 3rd circled on my calendar already?
Labels: Men We Love, Pop Culture
annamaria at 9:50 PM
4.30.2006
Speaking truthiness to power*
Alright, I'm not sure exactly when I turned this into a video blog, but sometimes you just find things that are too good not to share. Like Stephen Colbert speaking at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner. I enjoy Colbert, he's not as consistently funny as Jon Stewart, but he fakes wingnut better than anyone else...even the wingnuts.part 2
part 3
A big thank you to Rich for pointing out that the video was already up on YouTube...apparently I was too busy watching more Derren Brown episodes to notice.
*Title shamelessly stolen from Editor & Publisher
Labels: Men We Love, Politics
annamaria at 8:45 PM
4.25.2006
Fool me — you can't get fooled again
Apparently, things need to be obviously satirical in order to bypass my inherent gullibility. Stupid StillFree douchebags.
Via Punkassblog.
And while we are on the subject of things I know to be hoaxes (sort of), check out the fabulous Derren Brown, mentalist extraordinaire:
And finally, an apology in advance of really, really light posting this week. Since Psycho quit, I've had to take on the responsibilities of her job as well as mine until we get a replacement for her. Not that her paranoid narcissism could ever truly be replaced.
Labels: Douchebags, Men We Love
annamaria at 7:43 PM
3.09.2006
Two more reasons to love Ted Leo
You already love him for being confident enough in his indie-rockitude to cover Kelly Clarkson and Bruce Springsteen, and his signature wristband and anti-war guitar just proves that Ted Leo is a man whose coolness is almost criminal--he's claimed so much of the cool for himself, there is a lamentable shortage for the rest of us. So, it is with heavy heart that I inform you that Ted is actually much cooler than we ever gave him credit for. Last night Ted informed the small crowd at the Blind Pig that he was going to be a little off his game that evening because he was upset to be missing the season finale of Project Runway. Yes, that's right, Cooler-Than-You Ted is a Santino fan. So, Project Runway haters, I do believe I have just been vindicated!
The other reason to love Ted? This bag:
While some bands content themselves with t-shirts and buttons, Vegan Ted encourages you to shop organic with this lovely canvas tote bag. And I thought the Decemberists onesie was cute...
Labels: Men We Love
annamaria at 12:53 PM
3.08.2006
A moment of levity...
Did I mention that I'm going to see Ted Leo & The Pharmacists tonight at the Blind Pig? So excited!
And for the Michiganders in the room--anyone planning on taking in the Franz Ferdinand/DCFC show on April 18th*? My stand-by concert date has cooled on both bands and isn't interested in going. Anyone want to accompany a lonely blogger for a fun-filled evening of indie rock goodness? I'll buy you a Guinness in honor of Ted's shirt.
Also for Michiganders (though non-Mitten State denizens are welcome too), Bethanne's theme for this week is "Say Yes to Michigan!" Go on over and score some songs from various Detroit and The-Rest-of-the-State bands.
*Edited because I got the date wrong.
Labels: Men We Love
annamaria at 1:32 PM
2.08.2006
Paul Weller hates you...
...Okay, maybe not. But he seems to hate everyone else. To wit, here are Paul’s thoughts on:
Singing a duet with James Blunt:"[I'd] rather eat my own shit".
Former Outstanding Achievement awardee Sir Bob "Wanker" Geldof: "What'd he win it for? Can't be for his music, man. I mean, if it's for his charity work in Africa then you can't knock it*, but Boomtown Rats, fuck off.
Sting: "Fucking horrible man. Not my cup of tea at all. Fucking rubbish. No edge, no attitude, no nothing."
and finally, Freddie Mercury: "He said he wanted to bring ballet to the working classes. What a cunt."
Well, I really can't add anything to that!
------------------
*Actually, Paul, you can knock it.
Labels: Men We Love
annamaria at 1:59 PM
12.12.2005
Why, Colin Meloy, why??
Apparently my Colin Meloy tour of LA will now include a stop at the infamous Capitol Records building...
Confirming a rumor that has been floating around the indie world for weeks, Decemberists frontman Colin Meloy revealed to Pitchfork this weekend that his band has indeed signed to Capitol Records. The deal follows a successful run with the beloved independent label Kill Rock Stars, which culminated in the release of the Decemberists' third (and best) album, Picaresque, earlier this year.
"The idea of reaching a wider audience has become really attractive," Meloy said. "It just felt like we had tapped out the resources of Kill Rock Stars. We could have stayed on that label until the end of time, putting out proper Decemberists records that sold x amount of copies. But there was a general thought after this last tour that the music and the stage show were evolving. We felt like there was an opportunity for something bigger."
Look, I don't begrudge any band the right to sign with a major label, and I'll be the last person calling my beloved Decemberists sell outs for signing with Capitol, but I can't help but feel this overwhelming sense of dread. There is no way in hell Capitol is going to let this band record 19 minute singles based on Irish folklore, and it is exactly that kind of artistic freedom that turned The Decemberists from your typical Portland indie rock outfit to a band that unabashedly uses a hurdy gurdy and records songs about consumptive paupers. You know, all of the things that I love about this band!
Damn you, Colin Meloy! You'd better fucking prove me wrong on this!
In good news, Meloy's going to be a daddy! Congratulations to both Colin and his supremely adorable girlfriend, artist Carson Ellis.
And check out a new-ish Decemberists track Like a Lion
Labels: Men We Love
annamaria at 1:35 PM
11.17.2005
Christians we like
Sometimes I feel like I’m a little too critical of Christians. I don’t mean to paint all Christians with the same brush, and lead anyone to believe that I think them all ignorant and bigoted. It’s the "Christians" that I can’t stand; fundamentalists who ignore Christ’s teachings about social justice in favor of focusing on a few punitive passages about homosexuality or who spend so much time absorbing Paul’s misogyny that they forget that one of Christ’s most trusted friends was a woman.
There are quite a few Christians in my immediate family, both Catholics and Lutherans, and I don’t think any of them are evil or stupid or hateful. I think they are wonderful people who simply believe differently that I do. And I can accept that, and accept them, despite our differences. I hope they do the same for me.
Every once in a while, I come across a Christian that I really like. Rich and I have decided that if more "Christians" were like Johnny Cash and Jimmy Carter, the world would be a much better place. Unfortunately, there are those who disagree, but rather than focus on them today, I’d rather talk about this guy:
To protest Virginia's laws banning same-sex marriage, [Pastor David] Ensign and the church's governing council decided recently that Clarendon Presbyterian will no longer have any weddings, and Ensign will renounce his state authority to marry couples.
[…]
"What we're saying is that in the commonwealth of Virginia, the laws that govern marriage are unjust and unequal," said Ensign, 45, who has served as the church's pastor since 2003. He said that the matter had been bothering him for months and that he suggested the policy to the congregation's leaders because his conscience would not allow him to continue performing legal marriages on the state's behalf.
The small church’s congregation (fewer than 100 members) have mostly supported Ensign’s decision. Couples wishing to be married at the church are given special "celebration ceremonies," and then told to see a local judge or justice of the peace in order to be officially wed. The Church's official statement can be found here.
So, I say, good on you Pastor Ensign! You show those fundies what a real Christian looks like!
Labels: Men We Love
annamaria at 10:35 AM
8.19.2005
Annamaria's Musical Math
The Decemberists + Squeeze = Giddiness Galore
Thanks, Rich!
Labels: Men We Love
annamaria at 1:15 PM
7.27.2005
I might have to rethink the Michael hatred
Yes, that is Queer as Folk star Hal Sparks and my friend Clint throwing up an "A" and "M" just for little old me! How fucking cool are my friends??
Thanks Clint!
Labels: Men We Love
annamaria at 7:28 AM
