Chalkhills Digest Volume 15, Issue 1
Date: Monday, 5 January 2009
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 15, Number 1
Monday, 5 January 2009
Topics:
delurking to praise
Game Show Teeth
Clicks and Pops
"Generals and Majors" is the MySpace song of the week
XTC on AV CLUB, redux
Music, Best of 2008
What Time Devours
"The Man Who Sailed..."
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 26 Dec 2008 14:42:32 -0800 (GMT-08:00) From: ziglain@earthlink.net Subject: delurking to praise Message-ID: <28722603.1230331352076.JavaMail.root@elwamui-chisos.atl.sa.earthlink.net> hey there all chalk-folk, yes yes, my first posting in quite along time, but had to e-chime in to offer my praise of new york mitch's new album. i'm still digesting it, -plenty- here to sink one's teeth into (get it??). true, andy and dave's contributions are spot-on and tastefully done (natch). but so far i must say that track #1, "this is a song," is no doubt one of the most clever tunes i've ever heard. i was fortunate to hear this in demo form awhile back, but now with all the keen musicians adding their talents (you know who you are!) and all mixed and matched and mastered, why, it's nothing short of *splendid*. kudos to our own illustrious mitcharoo! my bass player endre tarczy and i are heading into vince's studio coming up to try laying down some neo-retro psychedelia that i've had swirling in my head for some time now. i have no excuses to offer for the delay in this project other than my laziness and general inertia. since my website was hijacked by a squatter with extortion intentions (true!)(but i got it back now), i'm currently trying to keep my myspace page updated since i can do this myself. if anyone's interested in old and/or coming up stuff: www.myspace.com/beckidigregorio peace to everyone everywhere (and to our world), --becki "If you're not happy with what you have, imagine not having it."
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 Dec 2008 13:33:17 -1000 From: Jim Smart <jimsmart1@mac.com> Subject: Game Show Teeth Message-ID: <D69C7B41-A482-455E-A90A-05BD5D7EBA85@mac.com> Ya'll should get yer mitts on Mitch's album "Game Show Teeth", if for no other reason than to appreciate the amazing skills of Dave Gregory playing creative guitar on the Man Who Talked Too Much. Ya have to hear it to believe it! Check it out here: > > http://www.reverbnation.com/meechmusic Jim
------------------------------ Date: Sat, 27 Dec 2008 17:27:40 -0800 (GMT-08:00) From: "Alex M. Stein" <alexmstein@earthlink.net> Subject: Clicks and Pops Message-ID: <33051394.1230427660980.JavaMail.root@elwamui-hound.atl.sa.earthlink.net> I've started a music blog called Clicks and Pops (http://clicksandpops.blogspot.com) which might interest Chalkhillians. Recent posts include a Dec. 25th entry about Tower Records in NYC and the "Thanks for Christmas" single, a celebration of Darlene Love (Holy Sacraments in the Church of Rock 'n' Roll), and an appreciation of Blotto (The 34th Most Important Band in the World). Happy New Year to all. (And congrats, Mitch, on finishing your album!)
------------------------------ Date: Sun, 28 Dec 2008 15:51:25 -0800 (PST) From: Todd Bernhardt <beat_town@yahoo.com> Subject: "Generals and Majors" is the MySpace song of the week Message-ID: <858840.95934.qm@web32007.mail.mud.yahoo.com> Hi: Over at the XTCfans MySpace site (http://www.myspace.com/xtcfans), the song of the week is "Generals and Majors." If you want to know how "The League of Gentlemen" inspired the song, or how the video came to be, check out the XTCfans blog site at http://blog.myspace.com/xtcfans. Generals and Majors always seem so unhappy 'less they got a war... -Todd, who wishes all assembled here a happy, healthy and solvent 2009
------------------------------ Date: Mon, 29 Dec 2008 13:08:43 +0100 From: don device <dondevice@noos.fr> Subject: XTC on AV CLUB, redux Message-ID: <B62D8FDF-805C-4186-B667-F8ED8CD7FF24@noos.fr> Chalkhellions, Once again, the ONION AV CLUB mentions XTC, including a clip of our boys playing 'Respectable Street' from the film 'URGH, a Music War' on their list of 23 films that should be available on Region 1 DVD but aren't. Nice clip, and they're right; it's a pity this film isn't available. Check it out, Number 10: http://www.avclub.com/content/feature/noflix_23_great_movies_not Also worth checking out is the clip from 'Decline of Western Civilization Part 2, where the lead singer of Poison (?) calls himself an alcoholic and a piece of shit whilst pouring bottles of vodka over his head. And we wonder why Andy quit touring! device out "and down he forgot as up he grew." ee cummings
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 30 Dec 2008 19:49:34 -0700
From: Thomas Vest <tvtwo@hotmail.com>
Subject: Music, Best of 2008
Message-ID: <BAY109-W17FD13C2861A856D08603DA1E40@phx.gbl>
Hello Chalkfriends
I see no one has put forth a best of list for music as of yet, so I humbly
offer my top 15 releases (in order):
1. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
2. Bob Dylan - The Bootleg Series Vol. 8: Tell Tale Signs
3. Black Kids - Partie Traumatic
4. Calexico - Carried to Dust
5. Helio Sequence - Keep Your Eyes Ahead
6. Black Mountain - In the Future
7. Grand Archives - Grand Archives
8. Kaiser Chiefs - Off With Their Heads
9. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
10. UNKLE - End Titles Stories for Film
11. Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - Cardinology
12. American Music Club - The Golden Age
13. Beck - Modern Guilt
14. Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan
15. Nine Inch Nails - Ghosts I-IV
A few notes on the top five:
I first heard Fleet Foxes from the Sub Pop website early in the
spring. They are very generous in letting you download free music
from their site to check out. White Winter Hymnal was selection
available by Fleet Foxes. I was blown away and have been since the
album was released in June. Their EP (Sun Giant) is also excellent
and contains what I believe to be their best song: English House.
While I have heard them more than I would like at work since the
summer started, I have not grown sick of them I think I like them even
more.
Some will say that it is not fair that I have included Bob Dylan in my
top 15 albums of the year as these songs have all been previously
released (from 89-06) & I will find no fault with that- however, these
songs did not make any of the official albums & further more, they are
just as good if not better. It was like getting a brand new Dylan
album that you were not expecting. My only disappointment is that the
special 3 disc edition of the record was $100 dollars kind of a rip
off if you ask me.
Partie Traumatic is the party/dance record of the year. Blacks Kids
simply got their synth/groove on with nary a track that did not make
me tap my foot, bob my head or snap my fingers.
Calexico s Carried to Dust is just beautiful. They sound like no
other band and are tragically underrated.
Keep Your Eyes Ahead by Helio Sequence is another Sub Pop (LABEL OF
THE YEAR) gem from this year. Strong all the way through and was in
the running for a long time for the #2 spot on this list. Lately is
heartbreakingly beautiful.
Other worthy releases this year:
1. Beach House - Devotion
2. Death Cab for Cutie - Narrow Stairs
3. Flaming Lips - Christmas on Mars (movie as well)
4. Flight of the Conchords - Flight of the Conchords
5. Joe Jackson - Rain
Musical highlights of the year:
1. After waiting 17 years to see American Music Club in concert, I
finally got to see them live. It was an 8 song set and while I
wanted more, I was happy to get what I did. After the show, I was
very fortunate to shake hands with Vudi & talk with him for a few
minutes.
2. I got over my phobia to old Robyn Hitchcock thanks to a co-worker
- great stuff in his catalog.
3. Funky 16 corners
Disappointments of the year:
1. Nine Inch Nails did not come to my hometown.
2. Nine Inch Nails album The Slip. It s still free, but a handful of
songs were keepers and the rest were fan only.
3. 4:13 Dream by The Cure was no where near as good as the
singles/ep's they released before the album came out.
4. I only added 156 titles to my collection. I would love to triple
that total sigh.
Trend to go away:
Well, not really a trend but I wish Coldplay would go the hell away-
absolutely sick of them and their whiny singer.
Album I wish purchased last year when it was out but missed:
Band of Horses - Cease to Begin <-- GREAT!
Albums I still want to check out from 2008:
1. Benji Hughes - A Love Extreme
2. Blitzen Trapper - Furr
3. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
4. David Byrne & Brian Eno - Everything That Happens Will Happen Today
5. Erykah Badu - New Amerykah, Pt. 1: 4^th World War
6. Gary Louris - Vagabonds
7. Individuals - Fields/Aqua Marine (Reissue from the early 80 s)
8. Lucinda Williams - Little Honey
9. Of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping
10. Ra Ra Riot - The Rhumb Line
11. School of Seven Bells - Alpinisms
12. Steve Jansen - Slope
13. TV on the Radio - Dear Science
14. Walkmen - You and Me
All the best to you all for a great new year to come,
Tv
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2009 11:03:31 -0800 (PST) From: "A.J. Hartley" <author@ajhartley.net> Subject: What Time Devours Message-ID: <50973.68.210.95.47.1230923011.squirrel@webmail.ajhartley.net> I don't know if this merits an announcement or not but this week my new mystery/thriller comes out. It's called What Time Devours and it is dotted with XTC references which have both plot and thematic function. The central plot concerns a lost Shakespeare play. Not your usual thing to post, I know, but how many mainstream XTC novels can there be? Available, as they say, wherever books are sold. Cheers A.J. Hartley -- WHAT TIME DEVOURS out Jan 6th 2009. "A fabulous thriller by an amazingly talented author... it surprised and transported me." David Morrell. www.ajhartley.net
------------------------------ Date: Sun, 4 Jan 2009 00:41:32 -0500 From: Ben Gott <ben@loquaciousmusic.com> Subject: "The Man Who Sailed..." Message-ID: <DE96C3DD-F7A1-4470-93D6-036D9B4C7E4A@loquaciousmusic.com> Hi gang, First off, Mitch Friedman's new album, "Game Show Teeth," is addictive. I'd check it out if I were you. Seriously. It also contains contributions from two guys named Andy Partridge and Dave Gregory. From what I've heard, they used to be in some New Wave band in the 1980'sPublic Image Ltd. or something. Anyway, go to Mitch's website (www.mitchfriedman.com) and listen for yourself! Secondly, I thought that, after almost 15 years of being an XTC fan, I had seen and heard everything. What a surprise it was, then, for this to pop up in my YouTube "Suggestions" pane: [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfRQGZUKS2Y ] Ain't the Internet grand? Happy New Year! -Ben
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