So since I have started writing about my adventures with Sloan and throwing in some music now and then, I can tell Sloan is developing an interest in music, among a million other things. She is very curious about things here lately, asking a ton of questions all the time. The ones I can’t answer I usually send her to Kristen (my secret is out now). Here lately she is starting to be quite the actor/singer at the house. A lot of the time she is dancing in her room or in front of us, or putting on a concert in her room (yes she does charge us admission to get in). Did I mention she is a great road manager as well?

With her curiosity, and due to the fact it was plastered everywhere in the world, she asked us about the King of Pop. Well, first question of course, is that a boy or a girl? A valid question for a six year old about MJ. We told her that was indeed a boy, and although we know he looks strange, he is a boy. The next thing was what kind of music. I had to admit I probably haven’t listened to MJ probably since high school or even Junior High. I had to go and do what everyone else did last week, and download some of his music. Honestly, you can’t go wrong with his music, he did earn his nickname as the King of Pop. Of course, Sloan loved it and we have been listening to it off and on this past weekend, while she dances in the living room. (I have to burn her a CD she can listen too)

I guess the biggest part of this, is that I learned that even though I can’t stand pop music, all of it isn’t that bad. (I do still hate the fact that the Jonas Brothers have now been on two Rolling Stone covers.) I went through my phase of listening to pop music when I was young, which it led me to other areas of music after that. There only a few musicians that a world of people can gravitate too, like the Beatles, Elvis, The Rolling Stones, and Michael Jackson. I can remember the Jackson 5 cartoons as a kid, and his “short movie” videos. (Although after watching said videos, I sometimes wonder how I thought that was cool) I guess Sloan taught me something this weekend, don’t be so quick to judge things. I guess a rule of thumb I learned, is you should listen to an album at least seven times, before you pass final judgment. Although you won’t catch me giving the Jonas Brothers or Lady GaGa, seven listens (or one for that matter), but due to Sloan I will at least give it a chance. (Don’t worry, I won’t be getting a tattoo to commemorate MJ’s death)

Music for this week:

Well, I am now going back and forth listening to music that I should have got a while ago, to stuff that just came out. So with that said here are four albums for this week.

Manchester Orchestra- Mean Everything to Nothing
I have had mixed feelings for a while about this band, I really loved their song they released (I’ve Got Friends), but it started getting over played and I started to dislike it. I gave in and got their album, and I like it. There are a few songs I don’t like, but over all not a bad album. Listen too I’ve Got Friends and My friend Marcus.

Iglu and Hartly- & then boom
Well this band is a little different than what I like to listen too. They are a mix between electronic/hip-hop/ and New Wave. I still need to give this one a few more listens to know if I like them or not. It would be great at a house party, not so much in a work environment (still feeling out what people can tolerate). Overall not bad, but needs a few more listens. Listen to In this City and Whatever We Like.

Silversun Pickups- Swoon
This is their second album, and I love it. Their first album Carnavas was great, and I was worried they might not come back as good with the second album, well thank you Silversun Pickups for not letting me down. If you haven’t got their first album, I would grab that one too. Some people say they sound like early Smashing Pumpkins, but I think these Cali guys have their own great sound. Listen to Panic Switch and There’s No Secrets This year.

Santogold- Santogold
Ok this is one of the albums I should have bought, but dragged my feet for, well let’s just say about a year. I gave in to peer pressure and got the album, and I have to say I am not disappointed. Love this album, and regret not getting it earlier, she is a nice new sound that you need to hear sometimes, just to get out of a rut. Listen to L.E.S. Artistes and Lights Out.

The song remains the same

I have to begin this week’s blog with an apology, I am writing this as best as I can due to the fact that my trusty (or once trusty) laptop is sick this week and getting looked at by the IT folks at work. This however is not an apology for my writing skills (or lack there of at times). With that said, let’s get on with this week’s blog.

I am starting to find a pattern with my blogs and seeing that a lot of them are mostly about my family or my past. Not to mention a large part of them so far is about my adventures with my daughter and the adventure that is our lives together. As some of you know (the two outsiders that read my blog don’t know) my wife is in nursing school right now, so she is unbelievably busy and spends most of her time studying and working. So therefore much of my time is spent at the level of a five year old (which I hate to admit is probably my level a lot of the time). Of course this is not a bad thing because you get to play and act silly and no one looks at you weird, or so I think.

A large part of spending time with Sloan is that she is very interested in random stuff. Since Father’s Day was last weekend, she was wondering about the present that she and Kristen got me (Via me getting the permission to buy a ticket to see Pearl Jam at the ACL Festival). For quite some time she has been interested in seeing a live show with me. So I have been trying to figure out a kid friendly show to take her to, that isn’t the Jonas Brothers, Hannah Montana, or High School Musical. This is a work in progress and when I do find something I will let you know.

Her first question about the greatest rock band in the world (Pearl Jam for those that didn’t know) was what kind of music do they play. Then she asked if she could see them. Seeing I am a fan of the aforementioned band, I do have a concert DVD of them. This will be one of our home activities this week is to watch some of the concert to see what she thinks. This is coming on the heels of us watching some footage of Bonaroo this past weekend and the education of the Beastie Boys on her young mind. My favorite part of the education is that she started using her imaginary turntables to scratch while Mix Master Mike did the same on the TV. (Yes that made me a proud father at that moment)

Sloan being like this makes me remember being the same way with my sister when we were younger. My sister is seven years older than me, so at certain times in our upbringing she got to educate me on music. Some of the education I liked, some I didn’t like and laugh at her to this day about it. (That would be her whole 80’s music days) The first time she showed me a concert on the VCR (yes I am that old) it was Led Zeppelin’s “The Song Remains the Same”, while babysitting me one night. That was a turning point in my music life, I was then hooked. Of course I still made the horrible music choices that youth make, such as rushing out to buy Another Bad Creation’s album, not to mention BBD (Poison still has a soft place in my heart), and of course my short odd love affair with Poison. Once I was in high school she gave me two more musical gifts my senior year, she gave me Alice in Chains “Dirt” and Pearl Jam “Ten” for my birthday. So you can trace my love for Pearl Jam to my sister trying to get me to listen to something other than hip-hop in high school, and to that I have to say Thank you. (I still listen to hip-hop that didn’t change) I hope I can some how pass the gift of music on to Sloan or anyone else for that matter.

This week’s music:

Thanks to some friends that opened my eyes to something new, I now have a crap load of music to listen too, and for your benefit I get to let you know about all the music. Here are three albums for this week.

The Gaslight Anthem- The ’59 Sound
I don’t know why it has taken me so long to listen to these guys. I have had people constantly tell me to check them out, and I finally did. I have to say I am not disappointed, this whole album is awesome. Just a great sound, and they rock, check out the song Miles Davis and the Cool.

Metric- Fantasies
Ok, I have for weeks talked about getting their new album, and well as you can tell I have. Let me say, I do have a small love affair with Karen-O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Well Emily Haines has now moved to the top of the list. This album does not disappoint, it is a great refreshing sound. Almost one I have been looking for, for a while. One of my favorites right now, you should check out the song Help I’m Alive or Sick Muse.

Nada Surf- Lucky
This album was recommended by someone to me and I have had the chance to listen to them. This is a nice laid back album, something I can put on at work and have a nice mellow mood for the day. I really like this album from the first song to the last. It makes me feel like I should be on the beach relaxing. Check out the song Whose Authority and Weightless.

Father's Day

I am at a loss of what to write about this week. Seeing it’s summer and for me everything seems to slow down to a nice crawl, I should just have a million things running around in my mind to write about. Truth is at the moment, I don’t have much for this week. So as I sit here and type the first thing that comes to mind is the fact that this weekend is Father’s Day weekend. The one thing that I am most proud of is the fact that I can say I am a Dad. Not that I didn’t have any help in the process of becoming a father, seeing that I have a very funny, beautiful wife that I was lucky found me amongst the 15 guys she was around that night in Colorado Springs. (For the eight years we have been together I seem to add two or three to the story each time I am asked.)

The other thing I am very proud of is we have raised a much grounded and well rounded kid so far (I am waiting for the teen years to get here). Sometimes I wonder where she gets some of the hilarious things she does, but none the less she is a great kid with the largest, softest heart I think I have ever seen. I can honestly say that she is very much a daddy’s girl. God love her, she loves going to sporting events with me (seeing she was basically born and raised in a baseball stadium, plus I have to take advantage of it now before she gets older) and at times will at least listen to the music I listen too. What surprises me the most is; she actually will pay attention and listen to the music. Granted half the time she won’t like it, or sometimes she surprises me and will point out how much she likes the new Coconut Records song when it comes on. Overall I do try to make sure if we are at home or in the car I listen to a broad spectrum of music. She does surprise me at times with what she catches on too, and at times if I was six, Green Day or the Ramones would sound funny and weird to me as well.

The one thing I take advantage of the most is that at this point (other than her two grandpa’s) I am the only person with male genes that is the center of her universe. She does like to mess with me at times, just to get a reaction. We do love to mess with Mom, although I know Kristen knows when it’s time for me to tuck her in, there isn’t much calming down coming out of a room of screaming and laughing, but Kristen never objects to us playing around before she goes to bed. Being a Dad has its ups and downs (diapers, her being tired and grumpy, worrying about her, etc.), but it is one of the best accomplishments I have ever had so far. (I am still waiting for the teen years!)

Music for the week:

Frightened Rabbit- The Midnight Organ Fight

Just got turned on to this today, while reading my favorite column/blog of the famous Paul Shirley. I will probably buy this album this week, everything I have listened to so far, I am not disappointed, and he hasn’t steered me wrong just yet. (Side note, if you don’t read his ESPN column about music you should, he is very funny, and played basketball as well he also has a book that has been out for a while.)Listen to a great song by them here.

The New Pornographers

If you haven’t discovered this band from British Columbia, you should. I really like these guys and have for a few years now. Challengers is their newest album, but I would also recommend Electric Version (From Blown Speakers is a great song, so is The Laws Have Changed.) I guess I am just recommending a great band this week instead of an album.

Working out (or maintaining your husky weight)

I have been trying to get back on track and working out the past few weeks, and trying very hard to get back to eating healthy. As some may be shocked about this, but working in sports you don’t always have the chance to eat healthy. Between a steady diet of pizza and hotdogs for pre-game meals for the people working from the beginning of fall until the end of the spring, I got off my working out and eating right kick. Trust me I was doing great too, losing up to 20 pounds before I got back to working five nights a week during baseball season. So now I am back trying to get back up on the wagon to start working out and eating healthy. Basically, I haven’t gained weight, but I like to think of it as maintaining my “husky” build the past few months. It’s hard work to keep this athletic physique that I picked up working in Minor League Baseball. The late night B.S. sessions I had with the coaching staff had its perks; it just didn’t help me from not gaining weight.

One of my main dilemmas I have when I go work out is what to listen too. Mostly everyone that works out has a playlist they have to listen too. Well I will put this out there right now (Kristen can probably agree to this), I am a little anal to have a playlist to work out too. I mean what do you put on there? Something like Rage Against the Machine, Metallica, Mastodon, and At The Drive-In? Maybe you like to mix up the hard stuff with a little hip-hop. Seeing I have 2,757 songs in the iPod (I feel I should give my iPod a name), I find it hard to make a playlist to work out with.

Well, last night while working out, I got side tracked often to change songs or find songs I wanted to listen to. Thus extending my work out, all the while making me think I was really putting in the hours at the gym. On a side note, I did get a good workout in, and I did get to listen to some good music while doing so. So to me it was a win/win situation at the gym. The one thing I kept thinking about is why I couldn’t just settle with one band or why I just couldn’t let the shuffle do its work and pick songs for me to listen too. (Yes, Kristen does have to listen to my often weird questions and conversations at home.)

I am not really a “gotta get pumped up” person when I work out. I also don’t need the laid back “cool down” music after a work out either. I do have my favorites to listen too, Jay-Z, Girl Talk, Pearl Jam, Rage, The Ramones, Iggy Pop, Radiohead (when I ride the bike). I guess I am looking for something new to listen too at the gym. Does anyone have any ideas for me? Also I am open for ideas to name my iPod, preferably a female name.

New Music for the week:

I am actually at a loss this week; nothing out there has me wanting to buy it. I do have a running list of albums I want to buy. Iron and Wine, Metric, and Coconut Records are on the top of the list. For a friend I am going to check out the band Dr. Dog as well. I am not much of a singles guy, but here are some songs I think everyone should check out. (side note, if you have not got the Phoenix record, do so now. They are going to blow up, and I knew about it before Rolling Stone)

In This City- Iglu and Hartly

Ain’t no rest for the wicked- Cage the Elephant

You Know I’m No Good- Amy Winehouse (yes she is a crack head, but you should buy Fade to Black)

10 A.M. Automatic- The Black Keys

Beyond here lies nothin’- Bob Dylan (makes you feel like you are some seedy road side bar)

I’ve been loving you too long (to stop now) - Cat Power (this is a song to put the kids to bed, and lock the door)

Graduation Day, movie awards, and randomness

Well, today is the day that I have to say my little girl is growing up. Tomorrow I will have to comfort her mother while we sit at the first of her many graduations through her life. I am a very proud Dad knowing that she has been a very good kid all year long at school and has now bee deemed fit to go to first grade. At least she didn’t follow in my footsteps and get sent to the principal’s office or sat out in the hall like I did my first year of school. Of course that was because of my friends influence, I keep telling Kristen that I was an angel. Sloan has been asking me lately about when I graduated. I tell her about my college graduation, and my high school graduation, I can’t remember my kindergarten graduation or much of it anyway.

The memory that has stuck out the most for me is my high school graduation, for a few reasons. 1.) We picked (or our teacher’s influenced us to pick) the most horrible song of the year, “End of the Road” by Boys II Men to be our class song. Why did we not be smart enough to pick “Smells Like Teen Spirit”? I blame myself for the fact that I was at times musically blind at that point in my life. Hell if it was up to some of my friends we would have picked “Back to the Hotel” by N 2 Deep. Shame on us the class of 1993 for bad music decisions. 2.) I also knew at that point in time that I would no longer have to live for any lengthy extended period of time in my hometown any more. (You can tell this by my Sh*$ eating grin I had on my face as I received my diploma.) I don’t regret my time at AHS, I do miss a lot of my friends, but it was time for me to move on to the big city. I deemed myself fit to experience life on my own, and I have enjoyed every minute of it so far.

I just hope that as Sloan grows up that she can have the same fun (most of the fun) that I did in high school. I hope she has a lot of fun in college, but not too much fun like I did. I hope she continues to love school as much as she does now. I hope everything stays new and interesting to her as it does now. I am a very proud Dad this week, but my little girl is getting big, but hopefully not too big for Mom and I.

The MTV Movie Awards- I can’t believe I am even writing about this, but I had to watch it the other night. Due to the fact that the Kings of Leon were going to be on the show, and if you haven’t listened to them by now, well shame on you. There were two things that stuck out to me while watching it and trying not to throw up. 1) The movie “Twilight” took home all the awards and the two main actors were so horrible trying to be “cool” it was pathetic. Not to mention the douchebaggyness (yes I just made that up) of Robert Patterson. 2) And the fact that MTV had to set up the whole Bruno/Eminem thing to have something sensational. (Yes kids, it was all made up) I am going to sound old here but, MTV just isn’t cool anymore. When I was younger it was cutting edge with music videos (yes they actually played music at one time) and shows like Bevis and Butthead, Jackass, and the fact they didn't have to make up something to be sensational. MTV you now suck as a channel. The only saving highlight of the show was Kings of Leon, and they even looked like they didn't want to be there.


This week’s music:

Keane- Perfect Symmetry
This is the English band’s third album, I have to admit I haven’t been a huge fan of theirs. Under the Iron Sea was a good album, and at the time I didn’t get much into them after the first listen. Over the past month or so I have kept hearing their single “Spiralling” being played on Alt Nation on XM and have grown to like it. Much to my surprised knowledge, Kristen had actually got their new album. So I put it on the ol’ iPod and gave it a listen. I have to say this album is really, really good.

Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs- It’s Blitz!
I am a big fan of YYY, and if I wasn’t married, Karen-O would be in the top five women I would want to date. From the first song of the album to the last this album is great. Of course, I am a fan, but the sound they have on this album is so much different from the last. I would absolutely recommend to anyone they should get this album.