Welcome Back!

Hello everyone out there in cyber space! (Well, really just Justin DLC and Marco, for the main part) Sorry, I haven't updated in a while. So much going on lately.

Well, here's the skinny:

My hair was long and now it is short.

School year is coming to an end, and once again I am looking for a job. The city has a hiring freeze on, so I need to look in the private sectors and at charter schools. Fun, fun.

I've been writing and recording a ton of music. You can follow these developments, as well as download free music at my other blog page: anagentofchange.blogspot.com.

I'm trying to get in the habit of writing every day and actually finishing one of these novels I am working on. (Cristina) My biggest problem is that I seem to have trouble focusing my ideas, and as soon as I work on one, I get more inspiration for a different book. I'll work on that.

That's about all for now. New York Summer coming up quickly! That means a thousand free and interesting things to do. I will keep you posted!

For those of you who are fans of mash-ups or remixes, this will get your body moving. This mash-up that Minty Fresh Beats put together single handedly made me give hip-hop another chance. This album combines Radiohead, of course and Jay-Z. It's really really well done. You can download the whole album for free right here.

I'm scoring a movie...

Well, sort of. I've been asked to score a part of a short film for a final project for a friend of mine at Borders. That's about all I know about the film, except that I know what I'm doing for it...

More to come later...

Music I'm excited about...

New music I'm super excited about...

Tallahassee's own Look Mexico has picked up a new member and released a short, but amazing ep, Gasp Asp. You can pick it up here.

The disk marks a significant change in the quality of the production. The sound is now a lot fuller, and fills the space quite nicely. The addition of a fifth musician has not in any way detracted from what I feel to be the bands most endearing quality - and that is to weave different musical ideas together into one cohesive piece. If this is any indication of where the band is going I am even more excited about their future than before. Did I mention Justin used to be roommates with one of the founding members? Or that I've played with this band a couple of times? Or that they are successful in music and I am not? Oh, well.

They are also coming out with a 7" split with Fake Problems called Under the Influence. You can check out the song on their MySpace. It may sound a bit familiar...

Just as exciting is the upcoming release from Anathallo, Canopy Glow. Anathallo has been one of my favorite bands since I saw them live at Big Daddy's way back in my freshman year (six years ago now!) This album is sure to be amazing. November 18th, 2008! Seriously, YouTube this band right now. Do it. Watch: A Holiday at the Sea. Be blown away.

Back from the Future...

Hello to faithful readers, and visitors alike. Sorry about the long absence. I just wanted to drop a line and let you know what's been going on in my life recently.

I'm still working at Borders. Yes, I know, I thought I'd be in a school by now as well. It seems the economy is in a sling right now, and teachers aren't as 'needed' as they once were. For now I'm exploring different avenues to get into a school. Everybody from family and friends, to my Borders supervisors and even random customers have been really supportive in my search for a job. Hopefully it will happen soon. I miss the classroom.

So, why haven't I been on in a while? Well, to tell you the truth my attention has been diverted. I have been working diligently at finishing one of the many books I've started - and this one is actually growing on the page! I'm happy to finally have something out on paper, even if I think it is total rubbish. I'll post when I finish the draft and you can share your unfiltered opinions.

In music news I've been writing feverishly. Since moving to the city I've written two eps and two lps which I've actually been recording. I've finish recording one of the eps and will post soon. I've also been working on recording my parts for the Bombardiers album. Hopefully this cross country recording project will keep what was an awesome experience alive. I have faith and trust in my band mates. So much so that I've started writing material for the second album (before we've recorded the first, ha!) Seriously, I could never hope to work with a better group of musicians or friends, so I hope it continues to grow.

Since my last post, Justin and Lauren came up and visited. It was great to see them and I do hope Jus keeps his promise to follow me to the city eventually. He calls me his "lifemate" and for good reason. He and I have always been musically connected and he's one of the best roommates I've ever had; next to Johnny and my wife, of course.

Stephanie's Dad also came to visit. We had a fantastic time taking him everywhere we love to go in the city. I think he enjoyed the visit (and the weather) almost as much as we did! I wish we could see our families more often. Hopefully the next visitors we have are the Brooks' and then Stephanie's Mom and Sister, Cristina.

Last but not least, Steph and I have both been sick for the past week with the creeping crud that has been going around the city. I hope it stays far away from you.

Long overdue shout outs: MARCO, Cristina, Shawn, Elaine, Mary, Caroline, Corey, Vikki, Brenda, Tom, Justin, Matt, Justin, Ben, Nick, Jayce, and Dylan!

(Feel free to call me out and harass me if I missed you)

MARCO is in caps because he will be the first to see this!

Goodnight! Hopefully I will talk to you soon!

New York City Music Scene

So, I haven't really had the time to explore the scene around here very much yet. I know, I know. We have gone to a Philharmonic concert and thought about going to about five shows, but we really didn't want to spend the money. I just missed Vampire Weekend, Dengue Fever, Feist, Ween, and Spoon. Steven Malkmus and the Jicks are playing this weekend for free along with Broken Social Scene and Islands (and a bunch of other people, see poster below). Battles is coming up in Central Park on SummerStage. All Points West is coming up, and I'm really really looking forward to that (and I already have tickets).

I guess what it comes down to is that I just have to get out there and check it out. Here's an article on the NYC scene I found interesting.

I did go to Guitar Center and play this baby the other day. Beautiful.

The Popheads - Eat Supermodels

Here's your chance to check out the new Popheads album Eat Supermodels for free! Simply click here, and download the songs. The Popheads are a Tallahassee band who play a curious mix of psychedelic rock and electronic alternative. They also wear furry pants. Seriously. I got to play with them once at the FSU Reservation. They put on an excellent show, pants and all. They are also good people. Check them out!

Soup Mix - July 2008

I thought I might put together a compilation of music I think you should hear this month. Download these songs and give them a spin, I dare you!

01. Bright Eyes - Train Under Water
02. Devendra Banhart - Seahorse
03. Sea Wolf - Black Dirt
04. Feist - Sea Lion Woman
05. Voxtrot - Kid Gloves
06. Islands - Swans (Life After Death)
07. Desparecidos - Greater Omaha
08. Coldplay - 42
09. The Postal Service - Recycled Air
10. Rilo Kiley - The Moneymaker
11. Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton - Mostly Waiving
12. India.Arie - The Heart of the Matter
13. Whiskeytown - Excuse Me While I Break My Own Heart
14. Denison Witmer - Castle and Cathedral
15. Iron and Wine - Resurrection Fern

Here's the breakdown:

01. Bright Eyes - Train Under Water - This is the quintisential Bright Eyes song about New York City from an album that is absolutely obsessed with The City. I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning will probably always be my favorite Bright Eyes album. It's flawless in its flaws. This song always made me want to visit Greenwich Villiage. Now I can.

02. Devendra Banhart - Seahorse - Banhart is not an artist for those of you who do not love ecclectic music. He is pretty all over the place, as is this track. Banhart has a knack for combining classic rock, soul, afro-carribian beats, latin music, and acoustic folk. Listening to Seahorse is like ridining a rollercoaster - It is slow to begin but takes off at the top of the arc. For more "different" music check out the rest of Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon.

03. Sea Wolf - Black Dirt - Another song that seems to have many different phrases to it. I first heard this on the listening station at Vinyl Fever and bought the album Leaves in the River fifteen minutes later. This is just sensible indie pop with catchy hooks. I made the mistake of listening to it as I set up my classroom one morning, and was singing it for the rest of the day.

04. Feist - Sea Lion Woman - Don't get me wrong, I love Feist's first album, Let It Die, for all of its jazzy acoustic goodness, but she has really found her groove on her latest album The Reminder. This is my favorite track off the album even though I thought the mantra in the song was "see the light" and not "sea lion" for months.

05. Voxtrot - Kid Gloves - Voxtrot got some pretty bad reviews for their first full-length, self-titled album. Not because it was bad, but because it wasn't as amazing as their three self released eps. The hype was too much for this baby. I thought the album was actually a lot more solid and fluid than the eps, but what do I know? This is the track to listen to off the album. It combines emo sensibilities with piano licks and jangly indie rock guitar. Great songs.

06. Islands - Swans (Life After Death) - I've included this song not necessarilly because I even like Islands all that much, but because it is an excellent subway riding tune. It's one of those songs that seems to keep up with the train and blend its sounds into the the music. It is also another song with extreme phrasing. I'm going to have to try that out here when I start recording again.

07. Desparecidos - Greater Omaha - Desparecidos combines my love for Bright Eyes with my love for loud obnoxious punk rock. This album, Read Music/Speak Spanish, simply rocks from start to finish. I wish the Desparecidos would do another album or a tour or something, but they unfortunately are not.

08. Coldplay - 42 - I know I've already pushed the new Coldplay album, but you've got to give this song another listen. Yet another song with sweeping phrases on the list, 42 sums up the new Coldplay rather well. It starts off with a great beat, typical Coldplay chords and lyrics, then launches into a rollicking instrumental of a midsection. The ending is a gang vocal party followed by typical Coldplay falsetto and piano minimalism. Perfect.

09. The Postal Service - Recycled Air - I picked this song from an album of great songs, Give Up. Another band that will unfortunately not be recording again, or so they say. This is the pick of the litter because the imagery in the lyrics is just so phenomenal. See for yourself.

10. Rilo Kiley - The Moneymaker - I know, I know. This album was not at all what Rilo Kiley fans were expecting. But Under the Blacklight seriously grew on me after I gave it the chance. The Moneymaker drops a great bass line, and I love the soul in Jenny Lewis' vocals. Give this album another chance, you won't regret it.

11. Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton - Mostly Waiving - I first checked out Emily Haines and Metric because Andrew Burgess told me I had to. I'm glad I did. This is my favorite song off of the Emily Haines album, but if you really want a treat, check out her their EP and the remix of this track. It's pretty spectacular.

12. India.Arie - The Heart of the Matter - A break from the rest of this list. I have always really like India.Arie, and heard this cover on the Sex and the City Soundtrack. We played it on the overhead at Borders over and over and over. My wife plays it over and over. It's a great cover. Does the song justice.

13. Whiskeytown - Excuse Me While I Break My Own Heart - This is the song that turned me on to alt-country. I wish I could write music like Ryan Adams. The lyrics and the instrumentation of this song are so self depricating you just want to twang along and shed a tear. This is as close to emo as country music gets. I love it.

14. Denison Witmer - Castle and Cathedral - Denison Witmer has a quiet way to say big things. This is just one of the many great tracks from Are You A Dreamer?. I'd pick up that album if I were you. For a great alternative verison of this song, check out Denison Witmer featuring Rosie Thomas.

15. Iron and Wine - Resurrection Fern - Lastly, Iron and Wine wraps up the mix. I had the pleasure of seeing Sam Beam perform with his band earlier this year. Iron and Wine is one of the artists I needed to cross off of my "must see this band live" list. Even though he is originally from Tallahassee and plays there at least once a year, I never managed to catch him until this year. The show was pretty amazizng. A bit more jam-bandish than his recorded material, but good all the same. This is my favorite track off of The Shepherd's Dog. The imagery in the lyrics, like most Iron and Wine songs, tell a vivid story. This probably has something to do with Beam's background as a film professor at Florida State.

I hope you enjoy my selections for the month. Let me know if there's anything I must absolutely hear. I'll start working on next month's list.

Look Mexico wins Subway Band of the Year Award!

Riding the subway this morning listening to This is Animal Music, Look Mexico's full-length, I realized that it was the quintessential subway soundtrack. I know this is a bold statement, but hear me out. The screeching of the brakes, the sound of the cars going over the tracks and the drums and bass all seemed to line up at one point on the 6 line from Manhattan to Brooklyn. I was staring off into space looking out one of the windows and I saw my reflection in the foreground while other cars, platforms, and people rushed past in the background. It was just a really cool New York moment for me.

Later on I was listening to Anberlin's Cities and the album really made sense to me for the first time. I don't know if it was because I had never truly listened to what the lyrics were saying or if it had something to do with being in the city for a week, but it just seemed to fit. Not bad for a band from Orlando, Florida. Just a coincidence I'm sure, but when the song Godspeed came on I was standing on the corner of Lexington and 51st. ..."Lexington, cross your veins"...

The Bombardiers

Probably what I will miss most dearly about Tallahassee will be my band - The Bombardiers. It seems, like most good things that have happened to me over the past year, that it was tragically short-lived. I have never felt a connection with a group of guys musically or personally like I have with them. I wish I could take them with me. Hint, hint.

Alas, life gets in the way of such things sometimes. For the moment, there is one thing to look forward to - we have at least one show left. You can call it my farewell Monticello show. It's this Friday at The Shop in downtown Monticello. Music comes rifiling out those doors at 8:00 pm. We are planning on recording both the audio and video live - so come out and share in this experience with us.

Anyone seen August Rush?

I think the most surprising aspect of the city is the way it sounds. Outside of our hotel room a chorus of car horns, revving engines, and voices rises up from the street. I have never heard so much music in my life. Walking down the streets in Brooklyn was like walking right through a Putumayo compilation. The countless ballads of Brooklyn oozed from open apartment windows and passing cars.

Early Sunday morning I stepped off of the subway and right past a Baptist church, which was really just a small room in-between the corner deli and a Chinese take out restaurant. The power of the music flowing out of the open door into the street vibrating the walls and nearly knocked you back a few steps. The organ was a wall of sound, and the only way to describe the vocalist voice was deeply deeply soulful.

Heading back toward the city, I began to notice a lot of people carrying instrument bags. Some I recognized - guitars, a stand-up bass, a banjo, violin. Still others were more intriguing built into shapes I had never seen before. While waiting for my first subway to emerge from the tunnel I stood and listened to a Chinese man playing an instrument I had never seen before. It was played like a cello, but was skinny and had a huge resonator at the bottom. I have no idea what it is called, but it sounded like the soundtrack to every movie you have ever seen that takes place in an Asian country.

Across the tracks on another train, I caught a crowd gathered around a man feverishly drumming on a set of ten-gallon buckets. The intensity and intricacy of his drumming reminded me of Justin. The crowd was really into it, and so was I for that matter, but the 6 train came and cut me off from the spectacle. I could still hear his steady heartbeat over the roar of tracks.

In the park where August Rush played, street performers had set up all over the place. The first act I caught was a six-piece reggae ensemble. It was a strange combination of reggae, rock, rap, ska, and had a violin player. It was - alright. Later in the same spot I would catch these guys:

As I headed out and back to Brooklyn for one last time that night the diversity of the city really struck me for the first time. Sitting there on the subway, I saw more different types of people in one spot than I had seen in a long time. My train was a, at the risk of sounding cliche, melting pot of races, sexualities, economic status, nationalities, ages and cultures. The sounds of the train hissing through the tunnel and the steady clacking of the tracks were joined by the myriad of languages being spoken on that particular car. I closed my eyes and let the sound of it all wash over me.