It's Monday and music makes the difference...

Feels Like Home Ep #3 - White Fang "Feeling Shitty" from Into The Woods on Vimeo.

Musical Monday #15: The Weeknd

R&B + trip hop = fresh. Click it. Download it.

Musical Monday #14: Chemical Brothers

Wisely, Rachel and I decided to see Hanna at Cinemagic where the chairs rock. This proved useful for bumping to the Chemical Brothers soundtrack. Enjoy.

Musical Monday #13: Ke$ha

That was pretty nice of all the Enterprise guys to help Ke$ha out with her vid.

Musical Monday #12: PJ Harvey

I've been a PJ Harvey fan for a while. Uh Huh Her was one of the last actual CDs I bought back in 2004. I never really got into White Chalk, but her new album Let England Shake (aside from being generally quite good) includes one particular number that somehow made its way into my brain. "Last Living Rose" has this element of resigned European dignity mixed with the dark, self-deprecating humor I usually expect only from Germans. I guess it comes from the ability to romanticize shabbiness by idealizing former prowess and glory. Or taking ownership of both the delightful and the disgusting in one succinct anthem. The satisfaction comes in belonging to both. Anyway, I thought I'd pass it on. (The actual videos I found were kind of off the mark in terms of how I envision this song. It seems far more ironic and melancholy. Just listen.)

Musical Monday #11: Fist Fite

I've always kind of liked Fist Fite. Always meaning in this case, since I first saw them at Rotture a couple of years ago. There are times when they are pretty much...exactly what I want to hear. Anyway, I was delighted they were playing with Red Fang right above/after our Mighty Market with HasBeen in the recently deserted/about to be demolished Couch street building on Saturday. It looked exactly the way I felt. And it was fucking cold.

It's happening.

Total bummer that the HasBeen has to relocate to make way for gentrification, but hey. That's how it all works, right? Off to scummier digs until the ice cream shops and fancy restaurants start moving in...but before they do that come get yourself decked out head to toe in fancy frocks, discount HasBeen gear and pump your fists in the a-yer.

Musical Monday #10: Annie

If you've been cruising with me in the Ranger lately, you've heard this. To those of you who haven't, you're welcome. Having taught child dance for nearly three years, I was constantly on the prowl for good pop and hip hop with a positive message without profanity. Not an easy task when you take into account I also have to kind of like it/not be annoyed by it. In doing so, I found Annie. I never ended up using any of these tunes for choreography, but I was surprised to discover that her most recent album "Don't Stop" is good synthy pop with better than average lyrics all the way through. Plus she lives in Berlin, where all cool Scandinavians end up going at some point or another...

You, me, us, everyone. Musical Monday #9: Akron/Family

My first experience with Akron/Family was "Raising the Sparks" from 2005's self titled album, and something about the energetic hallelujah hippie sound nabbed me. I've had an eye out ever since, especially when they reappeared on Matthias' computer while cleaning the kitchen in Amsterdam one evening. It was 2009's Set 'Em Wild, Set 'Em Free and I listened to the entirety at full volume without regrets. Today I listened to their latest album, S/T II: The Cosmic Birth And Journey Of Shinju TNT, and it's...pretty good. I mean, I liked it. It just wasn't quite right for the mood or something. For some reason though, this song followed me home at the end of the day. Maybe because it's true. Enjoy.

Musical Monday #8: Starfucker

I read about Into the Woods a while ago, before I went to Amsterdam, I think. Although my interest was piqued (sans serif pseudo scandophilia with NW flavor, how to resist?), I thought it was just a video of Wampire in a mountain cabin. Turns out, this ragtag mob of PDX music documenting goons has been up to stuff! Also turns out they're not only prolific, they're good videographers. I could, and have already spent a considerable amount of time on the website watching videos (partly because some of the videos take so goddamn long to load). And look who I found! These familiar sounds were the soundtrack of my at-home existence for nearly two years...

It's important to have a place to belong, or at least feel like you do. It doesn't have to be the ultimate anything. It just has to feel like home. Thank you Vince and Josh, for making me feel welcome (back). And thanks Into the Woods, for keeping tabs and making our town look cool.

http://intothewoods.tv

Musical Monday #7: Iggy Pop

Not much to say except hanging out with your bff David Bowie in West Berlin of the late 70's fighting a heroin addiction and recording great albums must have been the real deal. Also purportedly the first artist to "stage dive" (wikipedia), Iggy is classic and so is this record.

Musical Monday #5: Miike Snow

Miike Snow, why are you inside my head? How did you know what it looks like in there? Just in case Matthias sends me home, will you marry me Andrew Wyatt? No? Oh, okay. I still like your music.

Musical Monday #4: The Hazards of Love

Yes. As you will notice for this musical Monday, I am recommending an album. The Decemberists are fine, sure. I like them. But I really like the new album, the Hazards of Love. The whole rock opera premise resulted in piece that reminds me of the Umbrellas of Cherbourg sans visuals, but in a dark and twisted Portland indie manner. Ambitious? A bit. But it works. It works well.

Musical Mittwoch #1

Is it cheating to use the German word for Wednesday for alliteration/convenience sake? No. No it's not is the correct answer.

Something about this video does it for me. It's the original version of Robyn's "Handle Me" from 2005 before they shot the slick, many-outfits-in-a-box-show (which I also like quite a bit). But the lofi simplicity, the darkness, those dudes. This really is the only one I could find, and I kind of love how the resolution sucks. Because Robyn doesn't.

Musical Monday #3: First Aid Kit

I...can't...help...it! They have their claws in me, there's something about them. Their voices really are that excellently brutal; I saw them Friday night at Mississippi Studios. Get behind it.

{Sasquatch Interlude}

Apologies for my abrupt curtailment of the Netherlands: Day by Day, but I absolutely must acknowledge the Sassy times had over Memorial Day Weekend. Can you say "SASQUATCH!"? Otherwise known as the P-N-Dub's most gloriously scenic wind-powered carbon-neutral music festival at the Gorge. There are many an amusing anecdote I might share, but I will simply start by summing up the experience in nine photos from which you may draw your own conclusions.

Also, my top five performances in descending order:
#1 the XX
#2 Dirty Projectors
#3 Vampire Weekend
#4 Tune-Yards
#5 Kid Cudi

Musical Monday #2: K'Naan

I usually am not all that enthralled by hip hop, but sometimes I head off on a search for child-appropriate things to play in dance class that I also like. Although he is often totally inappropriate for children, this is how I found K'Naan. He is so elegant. What I like most about him is that you would think he'd be one of those "peace and love" dance hall type world music rappers, but he grew up in Mogadishu and is totally hardcore. In addition to being totally hardcore, he is totally a poet. He tells it high and low, oscillating between a taut, do-not-mess-with-me rage and spinning a tiny glimmer of hope into a thread to hold on to. He is an excellent storyteller. Check out his tiny desk concert for NPR, "Fatima" is my favorite.

Musical Monday #1: Wildbirds & Peacedrums

Matthias introduced me to these guys quite a while ago. It wasn't hard to hook me on 2009's the Snake. I am such a sucker for both Sweden and good husband and wife bands (more on that soon...) so with their crazy atmospheric percussion and her witchy, wonderful voice they sort of have it all for me. I even went to see them open for St. Vincent not too long ago and her voice is just as stunning live. Click the pic, listen, love it. Do it.