They line up in row after row...

There is a major reason why i do not read Pitchfork. I do not like the idea of one website making or breaking a band. All those months of hard work writing melodies let alone lyrics. When was the last time you tried to write a song P-fiddle...or try a letter to a friend- or even a thank you card for that matter. None of this can be researched and I am sure they are all incredibly lovely people at heart. They write their opinions about things just as I do. The MAIN reason I do not read Pitchfork is because they are snobs. SNOBS to the core. They ignore a lot of good bands until they are popular enough for their standards. This usually comes about only after the band has been written about a million times by the 'smaller blogs' and Pitchfork is forced to pay attention due to sold out shows or NYC buzz. This is true. This can be statistically proven. Take for instance my beloved Fanfarlo. They are going to be huge. They sold out Mercury Lounge and had their show moved to Bowery Ballroom before they even had their single released. (*check-sold out show). They have the interesting indie details: the little girl in the bird mask on the cover of the album is Jonsi from Sigur Ros' sister---which is how the band got it's name. (*check-hipster cred) They have attracted the attention of writers who I do read and highly respect such as Culture Bully and I Am Fuel, You Are Friends. (*check-blog buzz from people who do their own research) All of this could mean nothing except for the fact that their music is fiercely beautiful and their album, "Reservoir" will be one of the best of the year. It will beat Grizzly Bear's latest and Deer Tick on my list. Before the band had the official video for their first single, "The Walls" they had four or five home made videos from their backyards which were just as classy and blog worthy as any Vincent Moon story. Still Pitchfork has ignored them. They played showcase after showcase at SXSW and over the month of September have a session scheduled with KEXP. Still...not good enough for Pitchfork. But crap bands like the Drums are? Seriously people. This is why I do not read Pitchfork. Because if you hold your breath and wait for them to decide whether or not something will receive enough hits you----my dear reader----are the ones who miss out. You will be late to loving an album that you could have been excited about for weeks, or a show that will already be sold out by the time it is posted. Which is why baby blogs matter-because after all if no one else is reading this but myself--I will still feel satisfied that I at least loved Fanfarlo from the very beginning. Who needs a 9.2 review?

"I demand you get into Fanfarlo as soon as humanly possible, assuming you haven't already."-Personal Sauna
Fanfarlo's Reservoir is due out October 6th.

FANFARLO TOUR DATES
Sep 14*Chop Suey*Seattle
Sep 15*Troubadour*West Hollywood
Sep 17*Popscene*San Francisco
Sep 20*Kungfu Necktie*Philadelphia
Sep 21*Bowery Ballroom*New York
Sep 22*The Bell House*New York

I've been living in a motel of sin but i wouldn't trade my life for the one you're living

There is something to be said about musicians who happen upon a time and place where they are able to play with other gifted artists. It happens all across the medium of what we like to term art. Van Gogh and Gaughan. Ensor and Rousseau. Hepburn and Givenchy. Scorsese and DiCaprio. We see the same thing in music. For example Cory Chisel's latest album, Death Won't Send A Letter. The first single off of this blistering and caustic record is "Born Again." If you do not feel for the track from the first listen then I invite you to watch the video. It is all the delicious aspects of the opening credits to True Blood. That same gritty-dust-between the teeth-spine tingling blessing of images brings Cory's song to life in a visceral way that nothing else could besides a live performance. If you do not realize how talented Cory is by this point then for shame. In a day and age where the Kings of Leon have become the bread winners for everything that is gritty, soulful, southern rock in roll the rest of us remember those albums they started off with. Those honest yarns about sleasing around with girls and drinking too much booze. Cory graduates with each cord he caresses on his guitar. But back to my former argument because I think that the key element on this album that helped push our dear singer to his potential is the presence and friendship of Mr. Brendan Benson. Touring with Jack White really does teach you a thing or two. We are luckier for that. I can only wish on lucky white stars at night that this continues to grow onwards from this...for we could all use a lot more songs such as this one. Thank you Cory.

Cory's album Death Won't Send A Letter is due out September 29th via Black Seal Records.

******CORY CHISEL TOUR DATES******
Aug 22- Madison Roots Festival-Middleton, Wisconsin
Aug 25- City Winery-New York, New York
Aug 31- Media Club-Vancouver, British Columbia
Sep 1- The Crocodile-Seattle, Washington
Sep 2- Peter’s Room at Roseland-Portland, Oregon
Sep 3- Strawberry Festival-Yosemite, California
Sep 14- Troubadour-Los Angeles, California
Sep 15- Downtown Brew-San Luis Obispo, California
Sep 16- The Independent-San Francisco, California
Sep 18- Casbah-San Diego, California
Sep 19- Martini Ranch-Scottsdale, Arizona
Sep 22- The Wiltern-Los Angles, California
*Jack White Tags
*Kings of Leon Tags

I got that those mobile robots that clean the floor

I got it all
Yes it's true
So why don't I get you
Oh
Simian Mobile Disco how I love you so. Only you could come up with lyrics that combine so many of my favorite things: grape kool aid, Peter Tosh, Bill Murray and James Joyce. Alright so maybe that doesn't sound so hard to do. Maybe you are doubting their cleverness. If so, then just listen for yourself. If it is does not tickle your funny bone or make you smile then you...are no friend of mine. But seriously, it is Friday and this song should make you happy. Just wait until you hear the rest of the album...can we say Beth Ditto you rock my world?!
Simian Mobile Disco Tags

Brooklyn Brooklyn Take Me In

So next week my boyfriend is moving from Charleston, South Carolina back to New York so we can collectively move into an apartment that will be *ours* somewhere in Brooklyn. Hopefully. Which I thought was a perfect time to listen to one of my favorite songs by The Avett Brothers, I and Love and You. The first few lines of the song are as simple yet delicate. Sitting at my desk searching through endless Craiglist it resonated with me on a whole new level and made me...hopeful. Enjoy.


Load the car and write the note
Grab your bag and grab your coat
Tell the ones that need to know
We are headed North
One foot and one foot back
But it don't pay to live like that
So I cut the ties and I jumped the tracks
For never to return

Oh Brooklyn Brooklyn take me in
Are you aware the shape I'm in
My hands they shake my head it spins
Oh Brooklyn Brooklyn take me in

The Avett Brothers are currently touring and have played with one of my other loves, Jessica Lea Mayfield. She spoke incredibly highly of them which is reason enough for you to go check them out.
**********TOUR DATES****************
8.21-Boulder Theater- Boulder, CO
8.22-Ogden Theatre-Denver, CO
8.25-Red Butte Garden-Salt Lake City, UT
8.26-Knitting Factory Concert House-Boise, ID
8.28-Paramount Theatre-Seattle, WA
8.29-Britt Festival-Jacksonville, OR
8.30-Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival-San Francisco, CA
9.1-HSU Van Duzer Theater-Arcata, CA
9.3-Grand Sierra Theatre-Reno, NV
**rescheduled for a 2010 date, TBA**
9.4-Strawberry Music Festival-Camp Mather, CA
9.5-Orpheum Theatre-Los Angeles, CA
9.17-North Charleston P.A.C-North Charleston, SC
9.18-Westobou Festival-Augusta, GA
9.19-The Moon-Tallahassee, FL
9.20-Bama Theatre-Tuscaloosa, AL
9.22-The Lyric Oxford-Oxford, MS
9.24-Minglewood Hall-Memphis, TN
9.25-Robinson Center Music Hall-Little Rock, AR
9.26-Cain's Ballroom-Tulsa, OK
9.27-Granada Theater-Dallas, TX
10.1-House of Blues-New Orleans, LA
10.2-Austin City Limits Festival-Austin, TX
10.3-Baton Rouge River Center Theatre-Baton Rouge, LA
10.3-Rose State PAC-Midwest City, OK
***rescheduled for a 2010 date, TBA***
10.5-Lovett Auditorium-Murray, KY
10.15-Rams Head Live-Baltimore, MD
10.16-Electric Factory-Philadelphia, PA
10.17-Terminal 5-New York, NY
10.18-House of Blues-Boston, MA
10.20-Englert Theatre-Iowa City, IA
10.21-The Barrymore Theatre-Madison, WI
10.22-The Canopy Club-Urbana, IL
10.23-Turner Hall Ballroom-Milwaukee, WI
10.30-Louisville Palace-Louisville, KY
10.31-Ryman Auditorium-Nashville, TN

I wish I could buy back the woman you stole

I have a confession to make. Pathetic as it may seem and self indulgent as well one of the reasons I have been so void on this little blog over the past year is because I got what I had always wanted-job wise-music industry wise-for the most part. Funny that it should work out that way and the result would be me not WANTING to write at all. Countless nights I would start drafts to share something i was listening to and loving and would walk away heartless and unfulfilled. This had never happened to me before. It was worse than writers block, worse than a broken heart it was like something had died. Now I know this sounds a bit over the edge and the worst part is it all became a realization to me this past Sunday...watching a movie. A girlie movie to be exact. I was happily enjoying Julie and Julia with the security of my best friend and avid supporter of all that I do and was teary eyed watching Julie blog her way through her idol's recipes. In the end all of her dreams come true. She becomes a paid writer for what she loves. All I ever wanted was to work for someone who when I recommended a band wouldn't make fun of me because there was a 'the' in the title, or challenge me for who they sounded like...or worst yet-just ignore me and then a year later be pissy when they couldn't get into a sold out Animal Collective show because all of the sudden they were popular and they felt they deserved to go even though they had hated on AC and Panda Bear for YEARS. (deep breath). But I digress. In the film Julie receives wind that Julia does not care for her blog. She is upset of course. It was at this point that I realized the same sort of heartbreak had befallen me and what upset me the most about the whole situation was something I could not even put my finger on. This past year I was able to help the one person I regarded as my music bible, my hero, my emblem of all the good in the music industry. At the same time mistakes were made, miscommunication and ultimately I was left out to dry all alone in the wind for these errors. This was all fine, it is a good lesson to learn and no one can support yourself but you. When it all comes down to it you either pick yourself up and move on and learn from it or you don't. The worst thing was that all of the sudden my joy of helping bands was lost in all of it. My ability to write a show review, to seamlessly blend into an audience and zone out, my confidence in discovering and recommending something new---all of these things that keep my job fresh and new for me and my feet happily skipping along to my ipod on the most depressing of summer days (if you lived in nyc this summer you would know what i mean) evaporated into thin air. I still do not like to buy into the generalization that everyone in my industry is a greedy, soulless carpetbagger and i never will. I believe that some of the most beautiful music i have ever heard came out last year in 2008 and we have many happy things to look forward to. I met my boyfriend working in an office where he was the only person who really took my recommendations seriously and talked to me about books. In this same office I met a girl who I admire beyond words and if I am ever able is one of the only people I would go to for starting a business with. Just this summer at Pitchfork I spent two hours with two bloggers I was meeting for the first time giggling and smiling with delight sharing music like we would have oreos in the first grade. This is why music makes my heart break. This is why it is heartbreaking to me when I cannot write about it. I am not sure where I will go from here but hopefully it will be a return to writing more often. For i miss it, more than my dream of working with that one person I had most admired. Which is what Julie realized in the movie in a way. Silly the things you realize when you aren't even looking for an answer.

And because if i could be a super hero, i would want to be Karen O.