Good 'Ol Story Tellin' Songs

Undoubtedly, my dad has had a lot of influence on me over the years, for better and for worse. Beside a penchant for cursing and an affinity for cold beer, he managed to pass along a love of music as well. And, although we now have drastically different tastes in music (for the record, he currently loves Diana Krall, Delbert McClinton, Harry Connick, Jr. and most female country/western singers), I grew up listening to and loving Motown and Doo-Wop, The Grateful Dead, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard and numerous other staples of my father's youth. Despite our musical divergence in recent years, one lasting impression my early auditory experiences left me with is an appreciation for a good tale of heartbreak, a cheating lover, gambling loss, or alcoholic excess, particularly in the form of an old fashioned country/western ditty. This probably accounts for why, out of the entire catalog, my favorite Grateful Dead song is and always will be "Me and my Uncle".
Admittedly, I know very little of the much more contemporary artist Blitzen Trapper, but I recognize a good story-song when I hear one, and this one is as good as any I've heard in a while. Give it a listen and tell me if it isn't irresistibly catchy, and manages to be simultaneously modern and a throw-back to the good ol' days where songs didn't have to be about houses, cars, and so on.

Blitzen Trapper- Black River Killer


As and added bonus, take a listen to "Me and my Uncle", if you don't know it, or haven't heard it in a while. It's here for your listening pleasure.

New Young Dro

Clean Wit It. Head-bobbin'.

Brisco- Bitch I'm Me

A little guilty pleasure to get you poppin' in yo chair.

Una canción mas de este mañana

Harlem Shakes- Strictly Game

The Vanguard- Rio

Great song for those young folks in the summertime. Really. Don't believe me, it's right there in the song. Listen for yourself. official music video after the jump:

Battle Royale- Racecar

On the road...

Currently driving to Athens, thought I'd share a road jam with yall. Can't embed it from the phone bur follow the link below.
Deer Tick- Easy

Dicovery

New Album: Incredible.

Get ya Groove on... Fo Free! (courtesy of Bacardi)

So, in case you haven't heard, It's goin' down at Opera in Mid-Town Atlanta on Friday July 3rd. What is "it" you ask? It is one of my personal favorite electronic groups, MSTRKRFT (pronounced Master Kraft) with some extremely notable supporting acts, Matt & Kim and A-Trak. Prehaps even more notably is that it is free to persons over 21. to receive a free e-ticket, you must fill out a brief survey on alcohol consumption and give them an email address to confirm receipt of said ticket. You can do that here. It is general admission though, keep in mind, so if you plan to go, get there early, as they will only let in as many people as can fit. To see what you're potentially getting into, check out some of these songs:

Song of the Day

There's a lot of truth in this song, it seems. It's also beautifully performed, and I'm a sucker for bluegrass, harmony, fiddle... pretty much everything that makes this song great.

Song of the Day

I've been rockin' this song daily for about the last 3 months. I love it, plain and simple. The band is Its a Buffalo, of Manchester, UK. There's really not a whole lot to the song, but it puts me in a good mood every time I hear it. Enjoy.

One more song...

Here's another song I meant to include in today's "Song of the Day" post. I really like this one, by a band called Sea Wolf. Very interesting lyrics, etc, etc. Enjoy.

Music of the day

As music seems to be becoming an overwhelming trend in my posts, I figured I would make it official and try to make a "Song of the Day"-style post on most days. Today, which will probably not be unlike most days, I have a couple of songs that I would like to share with you. The first is from a Swedish band called Fanfarlo. They have a sound not unlike Beirut, an artist which has lately become one of my favorites. What it comes down to is essentially this: if it has trumpet or glockenspiel, I'm 50% more likely to like it. It really is a beautiful song, so please give it a listen.
The second song is by Everthus the Deadbeats, a band with very interesting members and sound. Give their song "Dinosaurs" a listen.

Art Brut makes your friday night sound weak

Art Brut is a British band that perform songs that testify to their dedication to the Rock 'n' Roll lifestyle. The singer has a style that mirrors that of Cake in that he doesn't exactly sing, and his sense of timing is impeccable. As you can plainly see in this song, "Mysterious Bruises" you simply can't hang with the likes of these guys.

The Blow is fun... for your ears

Two tracks I really enjoy from an artist I recently discovered. The Blow is a duo from Portland, OR and the singers name is Mikhaela Yvonne Maricich. Please enjoy.

R.I.P. Jay Bennett (1963-2009)

Jay Bennett, known mostly for his outstanding work with indie rock/alt-country band Wilco, died in his sleep May 24. Cause of death is still undetermined, but it was commonly known that he suffered from severe hip problems, and recently revealed through his myspace page that he was in need of hip-replacement surgery, but could not afford it due to lack of health insurance.
While inter-band tensions with frontman Jeff Tweedy forced him out of Wilco shortly after recording his 3rd album with the band, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, his influence on the band was undeniable and very fortunate for us who will be able to enjoy the music in perpetuity.
If you aren't familiar with the band, I encourage you to start with the YHF album, and I assure you that you will be glad you did.

MGMT+ Daft Punk= Unbeatable

This is a great video for a mashup of Daft Punk's "One More Time" and MGMT's "Time to Pretend". the DJ/ video mixer is Alfredo Lapuz, Jr. AKA DJ Immuzikation, well known for his own dance party sets as well as his work in Athens, GA band Velveteen Pink. He is also playing keys with Hank Sullivant (formerly of the Whigs and MGMT) in his latest musical incarnation, Kuroma.
Immuzikation will be touring with MGMT and Kuroma this summer as well as doing his own sets at Bonnaroo in June. If you are looking for fun at a premium value, you can catch Alfredo in action during Athfest, Saturday June 27th at the Georgia Theater starting at 9pm when Gift Horse*, Kuroma, Velveteen Pink and Immuzikation will perform what is without a doubt the must-see show of the weekend. Bring your stamina and your dancin' shoes.
*Shameless plug: website contains blurb from author's band review for last year's Red & Black Athfest preview edition.

Get on up and move

Take a moment to get on up and enjoy these two numbers from Suckers and Akron/Family, the former being described as "musical soul mates of MGMT", which translates into awesome.

Adam Asks A Republican

It should come to no one's surprise that I spend a lot of my down-time listening to podcasts, and one of my favorites is the Adam Carolla Podcast. I've wanted to showcase an episode before, but have had a hard time deciding which one to choose. Also, most of them are over and hour long, and for those of us that put in more than part-time hours, it can be hard to allocate that sort of time to a radio-esque program.
If you subscribe to Carolla's brand of humor, almost all episodes are guaranteed to please, but I found one that tickled my funnybone in particular. In this episode, Adam interviews Ohio's 19th District Rep. Richard Martin (R) and his wife Jazz. they discuss everything from his jump from the private to public sector, to raising handicapped children. Give it a listen here, or download it off of iTunes. It is definitely entertaining in the most absurd of ways, and vice versa. If you find yourself often defending the likes of Rush Limbaugh or Bill O'Reilly, you may be offended by this one, but otherwise it is very enjoyable. Conversely, If you find yourself desiring more of the candid politician, you can find it at his website Ask a Republican or search for the same on YouTube. Please enjoy.

Returning to an Old Favorite

Basketball and Swine Flu

After 18 years, the Atlanta Hawks finally managed to win a 7-game series and advanced to the 2nd round where they will face what is most likely their demise in the form of LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Hawks prevailed in what was, to most accounts, one of the least interesting playoff series in recent memory, especially when compared to the Celt's-Bulls series, which was easily one of the best. As an attendee of Sunday's game 7, I was thrilled that the Hawks won, but found myself hoping towards the end that Dwayne Wade would get subbed back in and sink 3's a la Flea in a MTV Rock 'N' Jock Basketball game. Does anyone else remember the 5-point basket that would come down from the rafters and hang temptingly at 25 feet above the floor? In blowout playoff games, I feel like this could be a very intriguing addition that could renew the drama in lackluster series such as the Hawks-Heat, where 20+ point margins of victory were rampant. I did revel in the fact that Pachoulia got a larger standing-o than Joe Johnson, and that they portrayed Zaza in a video at the half as Rocky taking on Apollo Creed (Dwayne Wade), complete with training sequences of him sporting a hoodie, air boxing. Simply brilliant.
In other news, just outside the friendly confines of Phillips arena, a deadly menace lurked, as "Fiesta Atlanta" took over Centennial Olympic park. The seething mass of illegals milled about, infecting one another to the tune of accordion-led mariachi music, and the tainted offspring frolicked in the water fountains in what was clearly fever-induced delirium. As threatening thunderheads loomed perilously above, merchants of death hawked their wares to unsuspecting victims desiring tacos, bebidas, and anything that can be mass-produced and stamped with a South American country's flag. I tried to warn others that the seemingly innocent celebration of heritage was in fact a cleverly disguised, overt attempt to hasten the spread of the pandemic H1N1 virus, but it was to no avail. My desperate cries were swallowed up by the drone of the nonsensical ramblings of the sick over the PA system. as I fled the scene, one gibberish phrase that was repeated ad nauseum became ingrained in my mind... "Hola Atlanta! Muchas gracias a todos por asistir hoy!" Obviously, I am fortunate to have escaped with my life. Check out the grizzly photos I managed to snap of the carnage.

The Beautiful Game

In honor of the upcoming UEFA Champions League semifinals match-ups next week (2nd leg)and finals match-up at the end of the May, here's a vid of the stars of my hopeful teams*, Man U and Barca.
*note: My Favorite teams, Valencia and Sporting CP did not make it. Valencia DNQ, Sporting CP got destroyed by Bayern Munich 12-1 agg in the first knockout round. I also prefer Real Madrid to Barcelona, but at least it's a Spanish team. And f**k Chelsea, BTW.
Also, if you missed it, please watch this goal Cristiano Ronaldo had against Porto, it's just ridiculous.

Damn Fine Stories

If you know me at all, you know that I love a good story. I, myself, am not the greatest storyteller; I'm too detail-oriented and they tend to drag on and on. I'm long-winded in general, I suppose. But, as I said, I do love a good story and The Moth organization celebrates excellence in storytelling.
They sponsor competitions all over the country, and storytellers come from all walks of life, from cops to writers to celebrities to voodoo priestesses. Some are funny, some are sad. Most put my stories to shame, and I have spent my life up to this point actively pursuing good stories. Here is one that I particularly like, about a young man who moves to New York and battles a crazy superintendent in a rundown apartment complex. It's the epitome of the old adage that sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction. If you like it, check out the podcasts on iTunes and subscribe. The new stories are always a highlight of my week.

Love me sumadiss

ESPN, Unicorns Don't mix

So, In case you haven't already heard about or seen it, some brilliant, but most likely now canned programmer/designer punked ESPN good with a classic Nintendo Konami cheat code redux(up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, enter). When entered on the ESPN.com homepage, a sparkly unicorn appeared. Press enter repeatedly, and they multiply, over and over until one's sparkly unicorn tolerance threshold is reached. Which, in my case is never.
If you're like me, you probably clicked on the link above and tried it for yourself, only to be disappointed by the lack of results. Unfortunately, once they learned of the glitch, the powers-that-be at ESPN were none too pleased with this fantastically flamboyant transformation of their site and put a stop to it. So, while you may have missed out on the opportunity to do it in real time, you can, thanks to a cache of old ESPN pages out on the netz, overrun the exciting draft day coverage with a stampede of rainbow-colored mythical beasts. Try it for yourself here.

Trying somethin' new...

So, I'm loving this Blip.fm thing. If anyone ever used seeqpod, (which seems to be down at the moment) it's the same basic premise: type in a song or artist and a complex algorithm finds a bunch of links to open-source files for whatever might fit the parameters of your search. you can then create a playlist for endless hours of enjoyment.
The difference with Blip.fm is that it incorporates a social aspect, allowing you to see what people with similar musical interests might also be listening to. The "props" and "credits" which you get and dole out, respectively, to other "DJ's" seems largely arbitrary, and at first seems like a way to coerce others to reciprocate with props or add themselves as listeners. To be honest, I have no idea what the difference is between the "listen" and "favorite" functions, but regardless, it is interesting how multinational/cultural the users seem to be. and you can find just about everything except the most obscure of musicians on it. Definitely worth checking out if you have some free time. And, of course, give my station a listen. Its not too bad, if I do say so myself.

Twitter, LoudTwitter, and me.

Thanks to the endless possibilities the Internet provides, it seems
that I can post my tweets on this blog via loudtwitter. This is very
experimental, but seems that I should be able to significantly up my
entries, at the very least. At best, well it should help me on my way
to achieving my mission statement more effectively. We shall see...

Hawks v. Wizards

So it was an awesome night. Met JoeJohnson, met Marvin Williams. Can't
wait til next time. Mobile blog= success. Booyah.

Warren Hamilton, III
678-778-7086

Joe Johnson

Celeb spotting

Spilt milk

There's no reason for crying over it, so they say. I, on the other
hand, drank a Baily's shot out of a chocolate shot glass, then
balanced a moist, warm piece of chocolate "paradise" cake on my arm,
Gran Marnier margierita in my right hand, and promptly dropped my cake
on Wallace's carpet. The animosity was palpable. I ate it anyway. 5
second rule dominates over pomp any day.

Traumatized...

The A-town dancers, a strong representation of the state of
American... stature, performed during the second quarter. Serious
reflection into dietary habits ensued.

Courtside chow-down

Mr. Breedlove's post winter emergence from hibernation.

Hawks game

First mobile blogging attempt-
Sitting 8 rows up at the Hawks game. Pictures will follow.
Starting 5 look good, Bibby is back! Wallace, the box bartender's
making good 'ritas. Pretty solid Tuesday night.

Warren Hamilton, III
678-778-7086

The Goal: Instantaneous Documentation of Awesomeness

Basically, technology now enables one to blog on the go, if one should choose to do so. And so I choose to do... so. I have no idea how this will go, so this will be a trial run for a while. In the meantime, the idea is for me to do cool stuff occasionally and post whilst in the midst of the fracas, whether it be a concert, town hall meeting, cock fight, or just your average week-long bender. Also, I can post while I go about my mundane daily tasks, if I have a random thought, piece together a blackout Memento-style, or just come across something I think will be of interest to someone, anyone else. Hopefully this will end up being as entertaining as I think it could be. Please, feedback would be great if ne1 (see what I did there?) has an idea, concern, or threat. I will hopefully post sometime tonight, assuming that something occurs that warrants a post. Pray that I don't die in a terrible car accident because I was smoking a cigarette while choosing a song on my iPod, writing a post, and making a left turn with my prosthesis, all at once. Let the great experiment begin!