Fillmore Jive

A meeting place for the bored, unemployed and/or musically inclined CONTACT James RADIO Perfect Sound Radio NOTEWORTHY BLOGS Perfect Duluth Day Shhh Bob Mould Resident Jason City Pages' Peter S. Scholtes Seattle Weekly's Michaelangelo Matos Nate Patrin's Hipster Detrius The Minor Fall, The Major Lift Fluxblog TinyLuckyGenius To Here Knows When Barrett Chase Predicate Nominative Mixbag of Musings DULUTH MUSIC The Twin Ports Music and Arts Collective TPmusic.org BANDS Amy Abts Black-eyed Snakes Haley Bonar Bone Appetit Both Crew Jones The Dames Dirty Knobs Pete Ekstam Fairweather Friend Giljunko i am the slow dancing umbrella The Keep Aways Low Portrait of a Drown Man Sight Like December Trampled By Turtles Words to a Film Score LITERATURE McSweeney's NEWS Reader Weekly Ripsaw News Transistor Transmission VINYL TEAMS T-Wolves Vikings Ripsaw Articles KUMD's Drew Squared Ripsaw Album Reviews Dirty Knobs Fair-weather Friend Paul Westerberg/Grandpaboy The Wrens The Glenrustles Xiu Xiu The Walkmen Both Bloodstool Northland Reader Articles Sight Like December Seed Math I Am the Slow Dancing Umbrella Archives 10/01/2003 - 11/01/2003 11/01/2003 - 12/01/2003 12/01/2003 - 01/01/2004 01/01/2004 - 02/01/2004 02/01/2004 - 03/01/2004 03/01/2004 - 04/01/2004 04/01/2004 - 05/01/2004 05/01/2004 - 06/01/2004 06/01/2004 - 07/01/2004 07/01/2004 - 08/01/2004 08/01/2004 - 09/01/2004 09/01/2004 - 10/01/2004 10/01/2004 - 11/01/2004 11/01/2004 - 12/01/2004 12/01/2004 - 01/01/2005 01/01/2005 - 02/01/2005 Blogger This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Thursday, February 26, 2004 Notables Two things that I saw today caused my still vodka soaked brain (bachelor party last night) to take note. First, I saw this and decided that I must begin writing that children's novel I've been talking about for so long. And then I recieved the press release below in an email. Mind you I've not yet read the story, but this made me laugh and begs the question, "Maybe it's the crimes that get the rappers put in jail?" IN THE BELLY OF THE BEAST: THE SOURCE EXAMINES HIP-HOP BEHIND BARS With Over 25 Rappers Currently Locked Up on Charges Ranging from Parole Violation to Murder, The Source Investigates Whether Rap Artists Are Being Targeted by the Criminal Justice System? March 2004 – Hip-hop fans savor the fictitious tales of lawlessness and debauchery many rap stars often convey in their music. However, there is a harsh reality that some of hip-hop’s biggest MC’s are facing – serious time. The March issue of The Source goes behind bars after the music stops to investigate whether rappers are being unfairly convicted and gets the lowdown on prison life with Slick Rick, Beanie Siegel, Mystikal, Ras Kass, Suge Knight and others in Operation Lockdown. Email James James | 2/26/2004 01:46:00 PM | Wednesday, February 25, 2004 Danger Mouse I've finally gotten around to downloading The Grey Album and have to say that, the first two tracks notwithstanding, it is absolutely amazing! If you don't believe me, I am not in the habit of using exclamation points, so...I strongly suggest finding this album on one of the many websites that are hosting the mp3's in defiance of EMI's cease and desist orders. Just Google Danger Mouse mp3 and you should be able to find a site in a couple of seconds. Original copies of The Grey Album (only about 3,000 were pressed) are going for upwards of $125 on eBay right now. I've got a real itch to get one, but in the meantime an mp3 cd will have to do. If you haven't heard of this story yet, go here, here or here. Playlist: Danger Mouse-The Grey Album(cd) Preston School of Industry-Monsoon(cd) Cheap Trick-s/t(lp) Email James James | 2/25/2004 02:38:00 PM | A Question For You Bloggers Now that I've got a new skin, how do I paste it onto my template so that I don't erase all of the stuff that I've got there now? The only thing that I'm really interested in are my archives, but it would be nice not to have to type all that other stuff as well. Should I just copy my existing template into a document? Someone please let me know. Thanks. Email James James | 2/25/2004 10:18:00 AM | Tuesday, February 24, 2004 Hey there... I forgot to mention that if anyone knows of anyone who has some free templates or anywhere you can find some cool ones I'd like to know. I've been thinking that my blog really looks like shit as of late. Actually, I've always thought that, but it has just been bugging me lately. Email James James | 2/24/2004 10:34:00 AM | Scrabble I've decided that I play waaay too much Scrabble. The past couple of days I've been averaging four games online a day. That's almost four hours out of my day spent playing a stupid game. It's nothing really, compared to the dudes who've dedicated their lives to the game, as documented in Stephen Fastis' book "Word Freak." The guys in that book need some serious help because they've crossed the line from obesssion to pathology. In other news...well, there is no other news. I've got a bachelor party to attend tommorrow for one of my old roommates and right now I am about to put some tickets on eBay to try and pay for getting that liquor blog online. Wish me luck. Oh yeah, check out The Dames' website for info on how to purchase Tony Bennett's Seed Math Vol. 2. I'm sure that if Vol. 2 is anything like Vol. 1, it's sure to at least freak you out a little bit. Playlist: The Microphones-Mount Eerie(lp) The Shins-Oh, Inverted World!(lp) Sonic Youth-Daydream Nation(cd) Email James James | 2/24/2004 09:53:00 AM | Monday, February 23, 2004 Interesting discussion There is an interesting discussion over at the ILM board that was started by Nate Patrin. The thread concerns Outkast's selection as Number One album for Speakerboxx/The Love Below(and single, for "Hey Ya!") in the Village Voice's annual Pazz & Jop Poll. The thread is extremely long and gets very boring in bits, but you can boil it down to one question: Do some critics-who primarily enjoy other types of music-choose Outkast soley because they do not wish to be labeled as racists? The discussion gets much more complicated than that, so check it out for yourself. What is interesting to note is that Outkast's last album, Stankonia, won both the best album and best single("Ms. Jackson") in 2000's Pazz & Jop poll. Maybe someone with more time will do a list on that year's poll. Personally, I liked the Outkast album, but didn't think that it matched up all that favorably to some of their earlier work. I don't listen to as much rap or hip-hop or whatever (the difference is a whole other issue) as much as I used to, but still like some of the new stuff that I hear. I have to admit that the Outkast album and the new Crew Jones ( these guys are seriously the shit!) were the only hip-hop that I listened to this year. Maybe it is time for me to branch out a bit more. Playlist: GBV-Propeller(lp) The Walkmen-Bows and Arrows(cd) The Microphones-Live in Japan(cd) Fugazi-End Hits(lp) Email James James | 2/23/2004 06:02:00 PM | Sunday, February 22, 2004 T-Wolves Go Down Down by two with 8 seconds left and the Wolves can't even get a shot off? That's poor hoops which just about sums up this afternoon's game. A disappointing loss which just goes to show not only how far the Wolves have to go, but also that the Spurs are a tough fucking team-especially defensively. Playlist: Sonic Youth-Daydream Nation>(cd) Xiu Xiu-Fabulous Muscles(cd) Kid Dakota-Get Her Out of My Heart (7" single) Email James James | 2/22/2004 04:02:00 PM | Go T-Wolves! I'm on my way to grab some lunch with a buddy and watch the T-Wolves big game against the Spurs. If they win this one, I think that they are a pretty sure bet to win the Western Conference. Also, I removed the link to the review of Amy Abts' CD Approach and Attack since it is no longer online. I've reprinted it below for anyone who'd like to check out the disk which, by the way, I highly recommend. (this CD review originally appeared in an edited version in the Ripsaw a while back and due to this being my first CD review ever I am not sure why I am reprinting it but whatever) Amy Abts Approach and Attack Self-released For the record, I’ve never heard anything that Bjork has done. I’ve got a pretty good idea of what she sounds like, mind you, but I’ve never listened to her music. Listening to Amy Abts’ excellent new record , however, gives me the distinct feeling that I heard Bjork before, because Abts’ voice sounds nearly identical to what I would envision Bjork’s to sound like. Abt’s voice is soothing like warm tea on a sore throat and suggests that she immigrated here sometime in the last decade. Though the accent may not be entirely genuine it is endearing and, indeed after listening to the album thouroughly, one could hardly imagine Abts singing in any other fashion.But, dear reader, a beautiful voice without the proper songs to sing leaves one with little more than the latest Christina Auguler\a record. Thankfully, Approach and Attack is blessed with songs aplenty that will appeal to not only the coffee house set, but the budding indie rocker in all of us. The highlights of Approach and Attack are studies in contrast. The title song is a hauntingly beautiful acoustic guitar and bass composition. As Abts’ falsetto floats above her carefully picked out, crystalline notes, one gets the feeling that it’s you she’s picking apart. Abts has seen approach and attack and you feel kinda bad, but kinda good at the same time. “Approach and Attack” make you feel all mushy and uncomfortable inside, but not always in a good way-and it works! On the other side of the coin, “For the Captain” should have been a pop masterpiece. Handclaps, jangling guitars, whistling organ deep in the mix and a propulsive, bouncing bass line (I strongly urge anyone with a soulful bone in their body to resist nodding your head and dancing to that bass line because you can’t) and sturdy drums are aided by an Abts vocal that makes the song nearly irresistable. The only thing missing, the one thing that could have really tied the song together, however, is blistering guitar solo. You know, like around the 2:15 mark right out of the breakdown? Just a little something to make Dave Davies remember the glory days. Ok, I agree, it’s a small complaint with what is otherwise an incredible song. The remainder of Approach and Attack generally follows those two songs on their respective paths: poppy, indie rockers and low-key acoustic fare. And while at first listen Approach and Attack might induce you to reach for a little something to balance yourself out, don’t fret. Just learn how to program your CD player so that you don’t miss anything. -James Maryland Email James James | 2/22/2004 10:22:00 AM | Saturday, February 21, 2004 Bright Eyes, Sonic Youth, and RIP Bone I've finally arrived home from the Cities and what a trip it was! Actually, it was really nothing out of the ordinary as far as Minneapolis trips go. I do, however, have some interesting news that should interest fans of Duluth's Sexiest Band: they are no more. That's right folks Bone Appetit-once Duluth's Worst Band-is breaking up. The news was broken to myself and my girlfriend by Hot Rod himself at a hick bar in White Bear Lake last night over Absoulut tonics and Budweiser. Apparently some kind of rift has developed between the Duluth members of the Bone and the MPLS members that has made continuing on impossible. The last show is going to be in Cedcar Falls, IA of all places on March 27 . I can't remember the name of the club now, but I know that The Dames played there sometime last year. I personally am making the roadtrip, and I hope to see at least a couple of familiar faces there along with me. After cocktails with Hot Rod, my girlfriend and myself made our way to our hotel, checked in, and headed on over to the Pantages. We arrived at 8:30 thinking that since the doors opened at 8 the music wouldn't start until at least 9. Wrong. M. Ward and Conor Oberst were playing as we stepped inside, got a couple of beers, and proceeded towards out seats directly in front of the stage. The whole night was really beautiful, but not exactly a big drinking show due to the fairly languid, lowkey pace of everything. Everyone was given their solo time, but there was a bunch of collaboration between everyone on each other's songs that was really cool. Highlight included Bright Eyes' "One Foot In Front of the Other" a couple of My Morning Jacket songs that I cannot remember the names of, and the finale, a group collaboration on Dylan's "Girl of the North Country." I also got some really great pictures that I am excited to develop. I was, however, really pissed that the stage guys wouldn't give me a setlist. I wanted to frame it beside the ticket stub and a picture for my girlfriend, but the guys said that they were not allowed to give the setlists away. I've never heard of this policy before and can only guess that they were raffeling them away to benefit cancer kids or something. After the show we hopped a cab over to the Triple Rock to catch what we could of the Dultuh showcase. We arrived just in time to catch the last four songs by Words To A Film Score. It was my first time at the Triple Rock and was immediately blown away by the sound. WTAFS always sound good, but this was unheard of. It's too bad that tonight is their last show as a 4-piece. Hopefully they can keep it together as a 3 or recruit someone to fill Nic's shoes. Due to my girlfriend not feeling well, we missed the Black-Eyed Snakes and walked back to our hotel room in the Holiday Inn, six blocks away. Today we had brunch with her dad, I picked up Sonic Youth's Daydream Nation (I've really missed this SY classic since it was stolen from me about 5 years ago) and Kid Dakota's excellent 7" Get Her Out of My Heart at Know Name Records, now here I am ready to slang booze on the hillside again. What a wonderful life. Playlist: See above Email James James | 2/21/2004 02:04:00 PM | Friday, February 20, 2004 The Fuck Yeahs I got a 7" promo copy of The Fuck Yeah's first release in the mail yesterday called No Farts, No Glory. I've never really been into hardcore, but these guys aren't really hardcore. There are some really good moments on it though the production is a little rough at times. The Fuck Yeah's are releasing it on Learning Curve Records which is also home to We Invented Tornadoes. Not bad company if I do not say so myself. I'm off to Minneapolis as we speak. Maybe I'll stop by the Root Cellar or Treehouse or No Name and get some vinyl. Or maybe not since I'm fucking broke. Wish me luck. Playlist: The Walkmen-Bows and Arrows(cd) Icewater Scandal-No Handle(cd) Email James James | 2/20/2004 10:09:00 AM | Thursday, February 19, 2004 Updates My lack of posts in the past couple of weeks has been pathetic. I've been doing a fair amount of job/soul serching as to what exactly I'd like to do with my life that has been consuming most of my non-work hours. I've got a goal (grad school for either creative writing or english lit) that is going to require me to save up a shitload of money for the next couple of years. Saving up that shitload of money is going to require that I find either a full-time job or something to add to the paltry income that I currently receive as a lowly liquor clerk. I've been trying to find a job in Duluth so that I can buy the house that I live in (currently owned by my father) which is located two blocks away from the University of MN-Duluth. It's a nobrainer rental property if I ever want to leave and presents my only realistic shot at becoming a homeowner in the next 5-10 years, as my credit is not the greatest. Also, my dad is going to give me pretty sweet deal. The job market in Duluth, however, is crappy at best so if I do not find something in the next month or so I am going to seriously think of just going anywhere and doing anything for the next 2 years in order to save up the money that I'll need for grad school. That's about it. In other news I just wrote a cd review (below) for the new monthly Ripsaw. I still, however, have no idea when it is going to come out. I've also gotten a couple of CDs that I'm going to review for the Northland Reader by Xiu Xiu and The Microphones that are both quite good. That's it from my neck of the woods. Tommorrow I depart for MPLS to see Bright Eyes, Jim James and M. Ward at Pantages, then mosey on over to the Triple Rock Social Club to (hopefully) catch The Black-eyed Snakes, Words To A Film Score and Fair-Weather Friend. It should be a good time. (set to appear in the Feburary(?) 2004 issue of the Ripsaw) The Glenrustles Demo Hits-’88-'93 Self-released The Glenrustles just may be one of Minnesota’s most under appreciated bands of the last decade. Birthed in the late ‘80’s in Eveleth, The Glenrustles eventually set up shop in the Twin Cities releasing four full length albums as well appearing on a number tape and 7” vinyl compilations. Demo Hits-’88-'93, containing tracks taken primarily from the band’s early days releasing now out-of-print tapes on Flowerpot Records, is a charged documentation of a talented young songwriter deftly maneuvering the Midwestern underbelly that fellow Minnesotan Paul Westerberg infamously celebrated half a decade earlier. The songwriter in question is Rich Mattson-still a, but also a member of Ol’ Yeller. From “Smoke Filled Room” to “Rock & Roll Prevails” and the no bullshit “Feel the Same,” Mattson’s early predilection with the catalogs of the aforementioned Replacement and Crazy Horse-era Neil Young are readily apparent. However, despite the similarities, Mattson's songwriting contains a whiskey buzzed charm that is infectious. So much so that by the third or four listen, bottle in hand, you want to get dirty like a Glenrustle too. -James Maryland Playlist: The Microphones-Live in Japan(cd) Xiu Xiu-Fabulous Muscles(cd) Preston School of Industry-Monsoon(cd) Email James James | 2/19/2004 07:24:00 PM | Email James James | 2/19/2004 07:24:00 PM | Thursday, February 12, 2004 QOTSA RIP It seems that Queens of the Stone Age are no more. Bassist Nick Oliveri has left the band because "a number of incidents occurring over the last 18 months have led to the decision that the two can no longer maintain a working partnership in the band." Damn! That's a real bummer because QOTSA are one of my favorite bands right now. In fact, I brought my little bro (14 years old) to a Queens show a couple of months back and he loved it. I'm not sure yet if Josh Homme is going to just recruit another bassist and continue on under the Queens name, but I think that since they've gained a pretty high profile over the past couple of years that it is a pretty good bet he will. Ah well, here's to them... Playlist: QOTSA-Rated R(cd) QOTSA-Songs for the Deaf(cd) QOTSA-s/t Email James James | 2/12/2004 01:58:00 PM | The Hold Steady I am still in a little bit of shock due to the fact that The Hold Steady are confirmed to play at Pizza Luce on March 14th according to their newsletter. For those of you not in the know, The Hold Steady are from Brooklyn and include Tad Kubler and Craig Finn from Lifter Puller. They are have just relesed their first album and are amazing! What a coup! Mucho props goes out to whomever booked them. On another note, I do believe with all of my heart that The Chappelle Show is (with apologizes to John Stewart) the funniest thing currently on television. Last nights show, an E True Hollywood story-type skit of Eddie Murphy's brother's life that included Rick James, killed. It was honestly debatable who was funnier: Rick James as himself or Dave Chapelle as a younger Rick James. I cannot remember the last time that I laughed so hard at anything like that on television. I was even switching back and forth between the T-Wolves game (that they won against the evil Jazz) to catch this. That is how funny this show is. Playlist: Guided By Voices-Demons and Painkillers(from the Hardcore UFO's Boxset) Email James James | 2/12/2004 09:51:00 AM | Wednesday, February 11, 2004 Northland Reader It looks as if I may be doing some writing for the Northland Reader in the not so distant future. Their new layout is a drastic improvement from the old one in that it is much easier to find things, is not as jumbled and aesthetically looks much sharper. Of course, the new layout had nothing to do with my decision to try to write for them. On the contrary, I would have tried to write for them anyway because I need an outlet for that energy now that the Liquor Clerk Blog thing is on hiatus for a couple of weeks. That and it looks like the "new and improved" Ripsaw is not going to be friendly to loose cannon cd reviewers. As far as the Liquor Blog is concerned, however, as soon as I get my tax returns back (which will pay off the plane ticket and two-day pass to the Coachella Festival that I purchased recently) the thing is a go-GUARANTEED. Playlist: My Bloody Valentine-This Is Your Bloody Valentine(lp) Guided By Voices-Propeller(lp) Bright Eyes-Lifted...(cd) Email James James | 2/11/2004 10:02:00 PM | Monday, February 09, 2004 Insomnia I have not been sleeping too well as of late. I have an idea why which I will expound upon later tommorrow. I've decided that, after finding the below map, I need to see more of this country. create your own visited states map or write about it on the open travel guide Playlist: none. my girlfriend is sleeping. Email James James | 2/09/2004 01:42:00 AM | Wednesday, February 04, 2004 It's Official! (probably) The Pixies are getting back together. Everyone can now breath a huge sigh of relief. Here's the story. Playlist: Sugar-Beaster Sonic Youth-Bad Moon Rising The Glenrustles-Demo Hits '88-'93 Email James James | 2/04/2004 11:44:00 AM | Monday, February 02, 2004 Email Problem Fixed (See Above) Email James James | 2/02/2004 06:25:00 PM | Email My email link seems to be messed up and I cannot fix it. If anyone knows the proper code it would be much appreciated. Playlist: Minutemen-Double Nickels on the Dime(2xlp) Thin Lizzy-Jail Break Mogwai-Happy Songs for Happy People Pilot to Gunner-Games at High Speeds The Glenrustles-Some Limited Edition CD of old shit that I got on Saturday at the Luce show The Rapture-Echoes Email James James | 2/02/2004 06:24:00 PM | This is Getting Retarded Here's a link to Pitchfork on Coachella, which is quickly becoming (each and every day it seems) the greatest fesival ever. It sucks that tickets are going to be so expensive. Email James James | 2/02/2004 11:53:00 AM |

Fillmore JiveAll Content Property of James Maryland. All Rights Reserved. 2004