Friday, November 07, 2008
Holga
I've been enjoying diving into the world of Holga: a plastic toy camera, which shoots medium format film. Amanda got it for me for my birthday and it has turned out to be the perfect present. I thought I would share my favorite shots of recent Holga ventures.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Music's decision
A music obsessive like myself looks for experience in music. I look for a collection of music that comes from an artist's labor and sweat in order to bring their grand vision to fruition. Almost everything about our culture is eroding the enormous potential for music's transcendence and power. "Pitchforkmedia" labels OK Computer as the last successful "true album." Meaning this is the last LP to be collectively experienced as a whole because of its place in history and it's artfulness in creating a world in which one tracks cannot and should not exist without the ones surrounding it. What I mean by "it's place in history" is that this record came out right before the advent of the mp3 or at least the revolution marked by it. I agree with Pitchfork's stance that that was the last of it and it's near impossible that it will happen again.
We are at a place now where music simply isn't being experienced like it once was. There are a million different ways to obtain one piece of music, both free and bought. The release of the latest coldplay album, for example, has been received by fans and casual listeners in many questionable ways. When you get someone's opinion on this particular LP, something to the effect of: "man, they're just trying to be the next U2," they very well may have bought it at their local record store, brought it home, sat down, and listened to it through once or twice...probably not though. It's more likely that they A) only listened to the 30 second samples on itunes; B) downloaded lossy mp3's off bittorrent; or C) overheard it at a friend's house. The point is that a listener who sat down and listened to this album as it was intended to be heard and the listener described above are basically listening to different records. On the other hand, if this record were released 10 or so years ago, it is more likely that these two people would listen to identical physical copies of the record: same sound quality, same track order, etc...
So this state of affairs leaves music with a decision: do we fight the trend and cater towards the dwindling population of "album lovers"- those people who are now reverting to buying vinyl for its forced patience and experience?; or do we accept the industry's movement towards a pre-Beatles market where albums are seen as a collection of singles? This split in musical schools of the thought is not a new issue. At the turn of the century, classical composers noticed the general populace turning towards the immediacy of popular music and in return gave up on the idea of a "popular audience" shifting their focuses towards a more challenging, academic sound that would serve the "high-art" crowd that still attended their concerts.
The happy medium, which I believe Coldplay has mastered, is to make a record in which each song is amplified by their context but also engaging by themselves. Viva La Vida is a very well composed record in that it moves sequentially in such a way that is respectful and rewarding to the listener, but you also have songs like the title track, which can live outside of the record in, for example, an ipod commercial with great success.
We are at a place now where music simply isn't being experienced like it once was. There are a million different ways to obtain one piece of music, both free and bought. The release of the latest coldplay album, for example, has been received by fans and casual listeners in many questionable ways. When you get someone's opinion on this particular LP, something to the effect of: "man, they're just trying to be the next U2," they very well may have bought it at their local record store, brought it home, sat down, and listened to it through once or twice...probably not though. It's more likely that they A) only listened to the 30 second samples on itunes; B) downloaded lossy mp3's off bittorrent; or C) overheard it at a friend's house. The point is that a listener who sat down and listened to this album as it was intended to be heard and the listener described above are basically listening to different records. On the other hand, if this record were released 10 or so years ago, it is more likely that these two people would listen to identical physical copies of the record: same sound quality, same track order, etc...
So this state of affairs leaves music with a decision: do we fight the trend and cater towards the dwindling population of "album lovers"- those people who are now reverting to buying vinyl for its forced patience and experience?; or do we accept the industry's movement towards a pre-Beatles market where albums are seen as a collection of singles? This split in musical schools of the thought is not a new issue. At the turn of the century, classical composers noticed the general populace turning towards the immediacy of popular music and in return gave up on the idea of a "popular audience" shifting their focuses towards a more challenging, academic sound that would serve the "high-art" crowd that still attended their concerts.
The happy medium, which I believe Coldplay has mastered, is to make a record in which each song is amplified by their context but also engaging by themselves. Viva La Vida is a very well composed record in that it moves sequentially in such a way that is respectful and rewarding to the listener, but you also have songs like the title track, which can live outside of the record in, for example, an ipod commercial with great success.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Friday, March 21, 2008
April
Sun Kil Moon's "Ghosts of the Great Highway" is an important record to me.
I bought it senior year of high school while my friend Phil Byers and I were skipping school. We drove his parents' minivan into downtown Rochester and walked around for the afternoon. We walked from High Falls through the city to the Park Avenue neighborhood. The biggest event of our afternoon was strolling through the Museum of Natural History because we both agreed this was something we hadn't done in a while. This is, by the way, not considered a cool thing to do while skipping school. That idea didn't matter to us because the important thing was that we were free to do whatever we pleased: which was going to the effing museum! To balance it out, we also smoked pipes and went to hip poster and music shops.
In the poster shop they were playing the aforementioned record. I found out who it was and bought it used at the hip record shop we went to next.
This record is still nostalgic to me. It's one of the few records I feel so strongly attached to in this way. It is one of the few records from that long ago that I still listen to often. When I don't have the money to buy a new record I default to one of...let's say...5 records to listen to.
In the last year or so they have been the following:
1. Sun Kil Moon - Ghost of the Great Highway
2. Radiohead - either Amnesiac, Kid A, or In Rainbows
3. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - The Letting Go
4. Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
5. Feist - The Reminder
All that to say,
I was pleasantly suprised to find that Kozelek's new record is fully streaming here.
There's something about Mark Kozelek's voice and songwriting that imparts a certain nostalgia on it's own. This record feels like it came from that same time in my life in which I bought and fell in love with "Ghosts" for the first time. In other words: Instead of being disappointed by this record after the personal experience attached to the previous record, I feel like that connection is somehow extended.
This feeling is what separates good and great records for me. A great record feels like it came from a certain time and place, which is both familiar and somewhat mysterious to the listener. I feel this way about all of the records I listed above. I suppose what I'm describing is transcendence. I guess my only point is that this record is transcendent.
"April" is not a perfect record: far from it. At 80 minutes long, it can't help but feel long. The 10 minute opening track feels like a test for the listener patience. A bit pretentious, I suppose. However: this record, and kozelek's records in general, are all about atmosphere. For me, this is not a record I want to sit and listen to start to finish. This is the type of record I want to put on while driving long distance, while cleaning the house, or taking a nap. If you don't have "Ghosts," buy it immediately. If you already love that record, buy this one, or listen to it for free online.
I bought it senior year of high school while my friend Phil Byers and I were skipping school. We drove his parents' minivan into downtown Rochester and walked around for the afternoon. We walked from High Falls through the city to the Park Avenue neighborhood. The biggest event of our afternoon was strolling through the Museum of Natural History because we both agreed this was something we hadn't done in a while. This is, by the way, not considered a cool thing to do while skipping school. That idea didn't matter to us because the important thing was that we were free to do whatever we pleased: which was going to the effing museum! To balance it out, we also smoked pipes and went to hip poster and music shops.
In the poster shop they were playing the aforementioned record. I found out who it was and bought it used at the hip record shop we went to next.
This record is still nostalgic to me. It's one of the few records I feel so strongly attached to in this way. It is one of the few records from that long ago that I still listen to often. When I don't have the money to buy a new record I default to one of...let's say...5 records to listen to.
In the last year or so they have been the following:
1. Sun Kil Moon - Ghost of the Great Highway
2. Radiohead - either Amnesiac, Kid A, or In Rainbows
3. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - The Letting Go
4. Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
5. Feist - The Reminder
All that to say,
I was pleasantly suprised to find that Kozelek's new record is fully streaming here.
There's something about Mark Kozelek's voice and songwriting that imparts a certain nostalgia on it's own. This record feels like it came from that same time in my life in which I bought and fell in love with "Ghosts" for the first time. In other words: Instead of being disappointed by this record after the personal experience attached to the previous record, I feel like that connection is somehow extended.
This feeling is what separates good and great records for me. A great record feels like it came from a certain time and place, which is both familiar and somewhat mysterious to the listener. I feel this way about all of the records I listed above. I suppose what I'm describing is transcendence. I guess my only point is that this record is transcendent.
"April" is not a perfect record: far from it. At 80 minutes long, it can't help but feel long. The 10 minute opening track feels like a test for the listener patience. A bit pretentious, I suppose. However: this record, and kozelek's records in general, are all about atmosphere. For me, this is not a record I want to sit and listen to start to finish. This is the type of record I want to put on while driving long distance, while cleaning the house, or taking a nap. If you don't have "Ghosts," buy it immediately. If you already love that record, buy this one, or listen to it for free online.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Illness leads to blogging
Well I have been sick the past 2 days or so. I went to the minute clinic this morning to get tested for strep. The nurse there said my throat looked "mean" but the test came back negative for strep. I still got some antibiotics and am still quarantined for the day at least.
Amanda gave me a book of Bukowski poems for valentines day (!) so I have been reading some of that between movies and naps. I have been surprised by the beauty in these poems when the content is typically so ugly and raw. I have tried to read his fiction and have given up out of exhaustion and frustration. HIs poetry, so far, is much more focused and even sometimes hopeful!
"I have 2 bullets left and
use them
both.
nothing in the air but
clouds. nothing in the air but
rain. each man's life too short to
find meaning and
all the books almost a
waste.
I sit and listen to them
singing.
I sit and listen to
them. "
-from 'people as flowers'
"to fight for each minute is to
fight for what is possible within
yourself,
so that your life and your death
will not be like
theirs.
be not like them
and you will
survive.
minute by
minute. "
-from "the minute"
I have been thinking about why it is that my generation identifies with a character like Bukowski so well. Not specifically Bukowski but the archetype of a self-destructive, self-loathing, self-pitying persona. Bukowski might as well be Conor Oberst, Thom Yorke, or Bob Dylan. Last year, living with Evan, much of our conversation revolved around our generation and what that means. The "pathetic generation," we sometimes called it. I am starting to see that this analysis has a lot to do with being surrounded by artists here in Nashville. The fact that I am surrounded by artists and entrepeneurs exaggerates this position, I admit; However there seems to be a certain attraction to the idea of being pathetic, helpless and hopeless. I see this reflected in music, literature, as well as films: take the characters in any Wes Anderson film for example. I, personally, often have the overt desire to submit to the knowledge that I am helpless: I want to light a cigarette, buy a bottle of whiskey and feel sorry for myself (cue "The Wind" by Cat Stevens).
Amanda gave me a book of Bukowski poems for valentines day (!) so I have been reading some of that between movies and naps. I have been surprised by the beauty in these poems when the content is typically so ugly and raw. I have tried to read his fiction and have given up out of exhaustion and frustration. HIs poetry, so far, is much more focused and even sometimes hopeful!
"I have 2 bullets left and
use them
both.
nothing in the air but
clouds. nothing in the air but
rain. each man's life too short to
find meaning and
all the books almost a
waste.
I sit and listen to them
singing.
I sit and listen to
them. "
-from 'people as flowers'
"to fight for each minute is to
fight for what is possible within
yourself,
so that your life and your death
will not be like
theirs.
be not like them
and you will
survive.
minute by
minute. "
-from "the minute"
I have been thinking about why it is that my generation identifies with a character like Bukowski so well. Not specifically Bukowski but the archetype of a self-destructive, self-loathing, self-pitying persona. Bukowski might as well be Conor Oberst, Thom Yorke, or Bob Dylan. Last year, living with Evan, much of our conversation revolved around our generation and what that means. The "pathetic generation," we sometimes called it. I am starting to see that this analysis has a lot to do with being surrounded by artists here in Nashville. The fact that I am surrounded by artists and entrepeneurs exaggerates this position, I admit; However there seems to be a certain attraction to the idea of being pathetic, helpless and hopeless. I see this reflected in music, literature, as well as films: take the characters in any Wes Anderson film for example. I, personally, often have the overt desire to submit to the knowledge that I am helpless: I want to light a cigarette, buy a bottle of whiskey and feel sorry for myself (cue "The Wind" by Cat Stevens).
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Fav's of '07
Top Five Albums:
1. Sky Blue Sky - Wilco
2. In Rainbows - Radiohead
3. The Reminder - Feist
4. Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga - Spoon
5. Back to Black - Amy Winehouse
Top Five Songs:
1. The Underdog - Spoon
2. Hate it Here - Wilco
3. All I Need - Radiohead
4. Hurricane - Allie Peden
5. Sea Lion Woman - Feist
Top Five Movies:
1. Juno
2. The Darjeeling Limited
3. No Country for Old Men
4. I'm Not There
5. Waitress
1. Sky Blue Sky - Wilco
2. In Rainbows - Radiohead
3. The Reminder - Feist
4. Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga - Spoon
5. Back to Black - Amy Winehouse
Top Five Songs:
1. The Underdog - Spoon
2. Hate it Here - Wilco
3. All I Need - Radiohead
4. Hurricane - Allie Peden
5. Sea Lion Woman - Feist
Top Five Movies:
1. Juno
2. The Darjeeling Limited
3. No Country for Old Men
4. I'm Not There
5. Waitress
Friday, November 02, 2007
"Let me think about that for a while..."
I tend to get stuck on things. I have seen this film (The Darjeeling Limited) 3 times now. It seems to cater to my desires so well that I never want to leave the world it creates. I want the oppurtunity to go somewhere and hash it all out, so to speak. I often get the idealistic idea of picking up and going somewhere for an undefined period of time, leaving my cell phone, computer...behind. In my mind, I would leave a note for my loved ones...something to the effect of:
Dear loved ones,
By the time you read this I will be well on my way, my destination is undetermined, as is my time of return. All I know is I am heading west. Wish me luck in finding what I need.
love,
Mike
My plan is also to leave on my motorcycle which I will someday own.
I have been trying to write. Short stories for now but with the eventual goal of writing a screenplay of sorts. Film is something that I have always had a mild to severe obsession with and I often dream of creating one myself. I figure no better time than now to start trying.
Wish me luck in finding what I need.
-mike
Friday, August 03, 2007
Beauty in the spaces between...
I saw a film last night that made me very happy. It's called "Mutual Appreciation." It's about guy in his early 20's moving to New York to try and get his music career off the ground. Perfect, right? What's interesting is that nothing happens in this movie...seriously nothing...which doesn't sound like a good thing when I say/type it; However, this is the only film I've seen where this type of anti-narrative works reeeeeally well. All the characters are instantly likeable and always honest. The viewer is simply forced to assume that the real action of this story goes down between the cuts. Although I may not understand completely the meaning behind this technique, I know that I felt like I was watching a perfect representation of "our generation." So much of the conversation and relationships reminded me of myself and my peers that it almost made me uncomfortable. This is a much more accurate and honest representation of my generation than the exaggeration and idealism of, say, Garden State. I think I forgot to mention that this movie is hilarious. Scope it.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Jive on This
Once upon a time I was a youth group kid. I wasn't, however, a "youth group" kid...if you will...My friends and I did go to 3 youth group meetings per week, we did feel guilty about not asking each other about our "walks with the lord" enough, and we did look down on every poor, secular peer in our high school...but... we were "cool" youth group kids...this is how we were different. While most youth group kids would spend their spare time planning the next youth event, we would go fishing off in the sewage-infested water of Lake Ontario; While other youth group kids would sit home alone reading the latest John Eldredge book or doing their homework, we would be out filming each other embarassing strangers or jumping off playgrounds...
....ok the truth is that we weren't very cool...or we were REALLY cool...im not sure which. All I know is that we felt pretty damn good about ourselves given the fact that we weren't faced with the temptation to "party" or "swear" like the lost souls of our high school. I also now know that something in our bodies was telling us that we were a little off base...resulting in us forming a high school fraternity, which met weekly and consisted almost exclusively of us letting out our inexplicable aggression on each other in irrational competitions and "fat kid vs. skinny kid" medieval battles. Another interesting product of our spare time was the production of short videos. We would often shoot faux-documentaries about things such as "Publishers Clearinghouse training camp," and a fake boy band managed by our youth leader.
This is what brings me to "Jive on This." "Jive on This" is band formed as a side project to the band "Nudist Buddhist" whose principal members were Phil Byers and Chris Sterling. "Sleighbells" is a song we recorded at Parkminister church sometime in 2003 or 2004. It was completely improvised, we picked a key which allowed Phil to simply play any black key on the keyboard, I played drums and guitar, and Chris played bass. The following is the subsequent music video we filmed for the song. Enjoy.
-MIke
....ok the truth is that we weren't very cool...or we were REALLY cool...im not sure which. All I know is that we felt pretty damn good about ourselves given the fact that we weren't faced with the temptation to "party" or "swear" like the lost souls of our high school. I also now know that something in our bodies was telling us that we were a little off base...resulting in us forming a high school fraternity, which met weekly and consisted almost exclusively of us letting out our inexplicable aggression on each other in irrational competitions and "fat kid vs. skinny kid" medieval battles. Another interesting product of our spare time was the production of short videos. We would often shoot faux-documentaries about things such as "Publishers Clearinghouse training camp," and a fake boy band managed by our youth leader.
This is what brings me to "Jive on This." "Jive on This" is band formed as a side project to the band "Nudist Buddhist" whose principal members were Phil Byers and Chris Sterling. "Sleighbells" is a song we recorded at Parkminister church sometime in 2003 or 2004. It was completely improvised, we picked a key which allowed Phil to simply play any black key on the keyboard, I played drums and guitar, and Chris played bass. The following is the subsequent music video we filmed for the song. Enjoy.
-MIke
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Carl's Camera pt. 2
The purpose of the above picture is to document the historic micing of Ivan Colon's vocals from the back of a trash can. This is a production move that I am very proud of and the results can be heard on the opening track of Ivan's EP, "Despite the Atlantic."
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Winter Came.
Happy Valentine's Day. In spite of the fact that I spend this holiday alone (in the "Valentine" sense of the word) I feel at this moment that my heart is full and my mind is a bit overwhelmed. My Dad just left after spending almost two weeks helping me build up my new studio. When I say "helping me," I really mean discussing with me certain ideas and fantasies about how we could make the studio great, and then him doing it while I do other things. By the end I couldn't handle the amount of effort he had put into helping me out. It really looks amazing and I can't thank him enough.
The aforementioned "other things" I have been doing entail almost exclusively working on the Tyler James record. We are about 2 weeks into it and have 2 more to go. I've been able to fulfill a few of my dreams with this record. One of which is taking a great band and being able to record them live (which we did the first week at Sputnik). The Biv guys were able to help out with the live tracking which made for a relaxed and creative working environment. We trucked through 11-ish tracks in 5 nights (bass drums, organ, piano, and vox on most) with the help of whiskey, cigarettes, and coffee. It was a great time and I am grateful to have been a part of it. Now we're working at my new place doing random overdubs.
I've been throwing around some possible names for the studio. Some tentatives include: Ivy Road Studios, The Ivy, Beard Studios, Big Beard Recording...still working on it.
That's all for now.
Love and Respect. Happy Valentine's Day to all.
-Mike
Saturday, January 06, 2007
My best of 2006 (you should care about this...trust me)
Top 10 Albums:
1. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - The Letting Go
2. M. Ward - Post- War
3. Phoenix - It's Never Been Like That
4. Danielson - Ships
5. Beirut - Gulag Orkestar
6. Vollmar - Beach Blanket Vollmar
7. Band of Horses - Everything all the Time
8. Cat Power - The Greatest
9. Bob Dylan - Modern Times
10. Yo La Tengo - I am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass
(*note* - I am positive that Tom Waits' "Orphans" would be my #1 but I haven't had the money to buy it yet.)
Top 5 Songs:
1. "Chinese Translation - M. Ward
2. "Wai" - Bonnie 'Prince' Billy
3. "My Love" - Justin Timberlake ft. T.I
4. "Everybody Daylight" - Brightblack Morning Light
5. Beirut - Postcards from Italy
Happy 2007!
-mike
1. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - The Letting Go
2. M. Ward - Post- War
3. Phoenix - It's Never Been Like That
4. Danielson - Ships
5. Beirut - Gulag Orkestar
6. Vollmar - Beach Blanket Vollmar
7. Band of Horses - Everything all the Time
8. Cat Power - The Greatest
9. Bob Dylan - Modern Times
10. Yo La Tengo - I am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass
(*note* - I am positive that Tom Waits' "Orphans" would be my #1 but I haven't had the money to buy it yet.)
Top 5 Songs:
1. "Chinese Translation - M. Ward
2. "Wai" - Bonnie 'Prince' Billy
3. "My Love" - Justin Timberlake ft. T.I
4. "Everybody Daylight" - Brightblack Morning Light
5. Beirut - Postcards from Italy
Happy 2007!
-mike
Monday, December 25, 2006
Jesus Actually
Christmas day has come and gone and it was a huge success. Family, Friends, Food, Wine, Jesus, and Guitar Hero...for one day every year, life seems to be perfect. Here are some samples from my new Christmas Camera.
-mike
-mike
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Carl's camera
I've decided that I love old cameras. Especially semi-broken ones... ESPECIALLY ones with sentimental value. My grandfather's old manual slr, for example. Here are some samples.
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