Season 1, Episode 2: Rodrigo y Gabriella

Guitars! Jazz covers! Musicianship! Honestly, we barely talk about them in this episode, but still a fun listen.

Five for Friday aka Dirty/Clean

So my wife and son took off for the weekend leaving me all alone.  It’s rare that I get a respite from married life/fatherhood (save for showers and the hour or so before work), so I plan to take full advantage of it.  Or, at least I planned on it.  A game night was in the works, or possibly getting drunk and watching the Blackhawks (I know nothing about hockey and would merely lend moral support/color commentary), or even a movie night at home.  Then over the past week work has picked up, our garage door broke, I violation notice from the HOA arrived, and seemingly everything else in the world showed up on my doorstep.  I’m actually glad everything happened this week and not two weeks from now when I’m in Bonnaroo, leaving my wife to deal with everything along with our son.  My plans have now changed to cleaning and fixing everything possible before Tuesday.  So to power me through this, and maybe power yourself through whatever this weekend has in store, here are five songs to enjoy while you get dirty cleaning/fixing the brakes/gardening/etc.

King Khan & The Shrines-Bite my tongue

Parquet Courts-Black and White

Nick Waterhouse-Some Place

The Orwells-Southern Comfort(Rollo & Grady sessions)

The Sonics-Have love, will travel

-Robert

Five for Friday AKA I’ve got five on it

My son is running a fever, coughing, and in general doesn’t seem to be feeling well. I don’t know if you’ve ever taken care of a sick toddler but it’s not fun.  Tantrums one moment, a sack of potatoes the next. He runs around sneezing on everything, rubbing snot on handles (Not on purpose. He’s normal kid weird, not THAT kind of weird) and screaming because he feel like crap.  At one point I didn’t hear any noise and went searching for him, only to enter the kitchen to find him sprawled on the floor just laying there most likely because it was cool. On days like this I like to put on music that mellow, but still has some sort of beat to it in case my son gets the urge to dance.  So this Five for Friday(AKA I’ve got five on it) will be a group of songs that hopefully help you relax and get you in to a good head space for your evening.

 

Nujabes-Color of autumn

 

Handsome Boy Modeling School feat Cat Power-I’ve been thinking

 

Hiatus Kaiyote Nakamarra

 

Bobby Caldwell-What you won’t do for love

 

Pretty Lights-Change is gonna come

 

-Robert

 

 

My Top 5 Pixies Tracks

Hi folks, Chris here. We had a lot to say about now-classic upstart rockers Pixies in our latest podcast, and while we might’ve glossed over a few of our cherished gems, I figured, you know, I have access to post whatever on this blog, and John and Robert can’t really stop me I don’t think, so I might as well set down for the record what my top 5 favorite Pixies tracks are.

So:

1. Wave of Mutilation

2. Gigantic

3. Allison

4. Letter to Memphis

5. Here Comes Your Man

Quite expectedly, my picks gear more toward the melodic surfer rock bits of their catalogue than toward the abstract punk, but it has nothing to do with me being un-hip, I assure you. Notice how I didn’t even put anything up from Indie Cindy on there? That’s how hip I totally am. Really, though, I think Bossanova and Doolittle are my favorites of their albums, with the most tracks I can listen to regardless of what kinda mood I’m in. Don’t get me wrong, I can totally listen to Isla de Encanta and stuff, just, you know, not all the time. And it’s how I feel about a good portion of their stuff, really: I definitely have to be in the right frame of mind to jam at it for any period of time. I think I said that on the podcast, not sure, and I’m not about to fact-check my sources on this one. But if I didn’t, now I have, and it’s on the internet forever. You’re welcome.

Jeff Tweedy is releasing a solo album. I have questions.

Jeff Tweedy is set to release a new solo album in 2014 as well as a tour with an entirely different backing band.

As a Wilco fan, I should be incredibly stoked; however, I have reservations. About so many things. But not about how awesome it will be. It’s Jeff Freakin’ Tweedy after all.

So what is bothering me?

First of all, I read somewhere at sometime (real specific) that Wilco was in the studio in 2013 fleshing out a new album. I can’t cite my sources right now, but it was on the Internet, so it must be true. True enough, that is, to make Stereogum’s Top 100 Most anticipated albums of 2014 list at the beginning of the year, at least, among others.

So, was Jeff actually in the studio and all the rumors about Wilco being back in the studio centered around the solo album? Or, was a Wilco album attempted and aborted with a Tweedy solo album completed in its wake?

Again, I’m not worried about the album being terrible. I’m totally going to love a Tweedy solo album. But, as Chris and I discussed earlier this week when this news first hit – Tweedy is Wilco. Literally, as at least at one point, Tweedy was the only guy on the record deal.

So, why doesn’t Tweedy need Wilco when Tweedy is, in the eyes of many, in fact, Wilco?

Maybe, the answer is simple. John Stirratt and Pat Sansone may be busy with their new Autumn Defense record.  Nels Cline puts out a couple albums a year it seems himself or with the Nels Cline singers. Maybe he’s busy on a project. Glenn Kotche might be busy doing Delta faucet commercials.

Maybe the other guys are just busy. Probably the other guys are just busy.

Maybe Jeff just wanted to write a solo record. Totally reasonable, totally acceptable.

But its this possibility that they started something and it went wrong that sticks in my head.

If I believe Tweedy is Wilco, what have I got to worry about? There is an equal amount of former band members as there are current band members – and there are six current band members. Wilco has had many incarnations and survived, but over the course of the past ten years or four albums, Wilco has functioned as a unit with a set lineup and a much more collaborative spirit. Maybe it has been too long since a shakeup in Wilco and I am just complacent with the comfortable.

What have I got to worry about? It’s going to be awesome.

What are your thoughts on the new Tweedy album? Leave your comments below.

-John

After 8 years Jurassic 5 releases a new song….and it’s great.

Hip Hop collective Jurassic 5 have released a new song out of no where after 8 years of no new material and a break up.  The single “The way we do it” is produced by Heavy D (yes, that Heavy D) and heavily samples The White Stripes My Doorbell. The song also includes the return of Cut Chemist after striking out on his own and finding success with DJ Shadow. The group recently reunited in 2013, after their 2006 break up, to play Coachella music and arts festival and to begin an international tour with Dilated Peoples. If the name Jurassic 5 isn’t ringing any bells, you may know them for their 2000 hit single Quality Control. I can’t speak for the others of Static and Distortion but Jurassic 5 holds a place in my heart and I was very excited to hear they’re going back and tour with possible new music in the future. Comment below on your thoughts on Jurassic 5, the song, or anything else you may have.

 

-Robert

Season 1, Episode 1: Pixies

The Pixies AKA How many bands cite one act as their inspiration AKA Everyone loves Frank Black.

 

What I Learned About Bruce Springsteen

For our very first podcast ever, Robert, Chris and I decided to kick off our ragtag show by discussing the career of Bruce Springsteen, now entering its fifth decade. (Taking on “the Boss” is decidedly easier than taking on “the man.”)

I came into this quest with reservations, to be quite honest. I’ve never been the biggest fan of “the Boss” and I have always thought he was grossly overrated.

Once we decided to take on “the Boss,” that is when the show prep came into play. I listened to a lot of Springsteen over the past week. I’ve scoured the Internet watching music videos from the span of his career. I couldn’t get myself through as much of his music as Robert did, so instead I read articles and tried to get a pulse of what critics say about Bruce.

None of it really changed my overall perception of Bruce, however, I did gain new insights and appreciation for “the Boss.”

From my dining room table, the three of us discussed our views on Bruce Springsteen, blending the opinions of a casual Bruce fan, a Bruce naysayer, and a completely neutral perspective on “the Boss.”

Check out my Bruce playlist on Spotify:

Check out all of our podcasts on The Static Podcast page.

-John

So, this happened today…

The first podcast is in the can. More to come.

Season 1, Pilot: Bruce Springsteen

It begins.  Like the Wayne family being murdered in front of Bruce, or Uncle Ben dying before Peter, from tragedy we shall rise to become something greater than all of us.  Really we’re just three guys who like music.  We hope you enjoy!