In the Last Six Months

Writing
Job
Resume
Job
Rock music
Job
Guitar riffs
Job
Plug-ins
How Stuff Works
Cooking
Mostly cooking
Resume
Camera
Not traveling
Speaking 
Podcast
Sickness
Old and busted 
Old clothes
Jump start
New jewelry 
Cancelled television programs
Poetry 
Darkness 
Binoculars 
Job
Endless crooked punctuation 

Home Address for Civil War

I haven't seen much of Adam since he put a cigarette out on my arm, but that's not because I hold anything against him. I'm happy that he's still doing music. I've always thought that he had one of the most amazing voices and it's also a lot more versatile than how he uses it. What's more is that he has the ability to willfully trim the fat so that even his most bombastic projects don't sound like something that has gotten out of control. 

Adam and his Sleeveless wife have been zipping around the country for the past couple of years playing music and wooing hearts. Even having a baby only slowed them down a little bit because they had to change it's diapers. Assembling a proper band, they call themselves Eros and the Eschaton, but I'll probably call them Adam and Katey's band because I think I know how to pronounce that easier. 

 Their songs range from delicate nu-indie synth charms like You know I Do all the way up to face melting feedback anthems and even the wonderful pop haven that rents space somewhere in between. 

 I'm looking forward to their album that drops August 17.

Band Names I Just Came Up With

I may have been drinking:*

The Benefit Concerts
The Nine Ten Does
Sushi Surprise
The Local Celebrities 
The Geographic Oddities 
Bed Knobs and Boom Sticks
Derrick Brown and His Ex-Girlfriends
Lazy River Jordans
Flat Tires
Spare Tires
The Other Spare Tires
Dog Ear and Camel Toe
Premature and The Ejaculations 
Firebirds
Priest Victim
Black Folks
Capitalist's Daughter
The Nether Regions
Hogwarts Remover
The Because I'm Whites
The Leftover Pizzas 
Circumcised Gentiles

Drunk Uncle's Niece
Native Americans Everywhere
Charm School
The Desmond Tattoos


*No, that wasn't one of the band names.

"Night Singers" Album Review

There are two main types of songs on Eric & Magill’s new album “Night Singers”. There’s the synthy dance anthem on one hand, and the melancholy acoustic anthem on the other. Despite this, and the fact that the album was written and recorded across continents and hemispheres, it’s impossible to say where the “Eric” ends and the “Magill” begins.

During the writing of “Night Singers”, Eric Osterman had move from the midwest to Brooklyn while Ryan Weber (Magill) and his wife Lussia were in Kenya volunteering working with the Peace Corps. The album reflects all of the emotional, physical, and interpersonal experiences involved with moving away from the familiar and into the new and the wild. 

The album opens with infectious guitar jangle and a rhythm that challenges the listener to refrain from head bobbing and ass shaking. Ten seconds into the album and we’re already excited for the adventure that we’re about to take, pumping our fists into the air in victory for taking that first step; ready for all of the wonder and marvels to come.

Yet by the third track, Calendars, Eric & Magill are painfully aware of the passage of time - both fast and slow. It could be that they are prisoners of their own situation asking how much longer do we have to be here. Or, just as easily, they could see the approaching end they don’t want to come, unable to slow the spinning earth.

It would be easy to assume that access to minimal equipment, and recording and mastering in places like a pickup truck or a hallway, might have a degrading effect on the quality of the recording, but that is not the case with “Night Singers”.  Even the sparsely arranged songs like Peaks and Valleys or the title track, still sound full and robust.

Lussia Weber’s haunting vocal contributions serve to add texture and depth - not just sonically, but lyrically as well - to the album, rather than just being a backing voice on any given track. 

“Night Singers” keeps the lush reverb and sing-along sugar of their first album, while fearlessly diving head first into new sonic territory. It’s a journey, it’s a roller coaster, it’s inspiring, and it’s heartbreaking. As the album closes it leaves us wanting more: not because it wasn’t satisfactory, but because it resonates so effectively that we want to savor that beautifully broken feeling of gratitude for just a little bit longer. 

Listen to and download the album here.

Wayne or Shine

Wayne Everett, who moved from Long Beach to NYC this year, is working on new music and says he hopes to have something out by the end of this year.

This could be a proper, albiet long-awaited, follow up to 2002's Kingsqueens.

Short Film

This is so good and reminds of my relationship with someone so much.  You try surprise them with something nice only to, well, you'll just have to see.

Totally Pro

Pro Guitar Shop makes the best gear demos around.  There are some exceptional ones out there, but these guys are always on top.  

Some other tops this week include BRONCHO on Thursday, Christian Home-Schooler's Science Fair on Saturday, and Jameson: every day in every way.

Recipe: Take 1

I've had several (3) requests to write up some recipes that I've made recently.  I'm nervous about writing a real, honest-to-goodness recipe, so I thought I'd start with something that didn't require cooking and only has a couple of ingredients.

1 Baguette
3T Olive oil
1T Balsamic vinegar
1/4 Cup Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine olive oil and balsamic in a bowl, whisking with a fork.  Stir half the parmesan cheese, then mix in the rest.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Slice baguette and dip pieces into mixture.  Enjoy as a tasty appetizer or midday snack.