Vacation, Family, Friends, and traveling the world

So this past week we went on vacation, actually the first vacation I have ever taken as an adult that wasn’t just an extended three day weekend. Yes, I do understand that mostly everyone has taken some sort of vacation once becoming an adult with a job that isn’t an hourly wage. Well, for those that are trying to catch up with what I have been doing (or those that don’t pay attention) my previous job consisted of working all summer and having most of the fall and some of the winter as the slow period. Long story short, long hours, little pay, and little pay hindered our vacation excursions.

This past week we actually got to go on a vacation (yes, a vacation in Oklahoma). There were a few perks for the vacation; 1) Kristen got to go with us for a change (she is in nursing school and it’s hard for her to leave at times), 2) My Mom’s cooking (According to Sloan, most of my Mom’s cooking has the title of “world famous” attached to it.), and 3) Seeing family and friends. We stayed with my parents to see one of my Uncles that I haven’t seen since high school and to have an impromptu family reunion of sorts the day before we left. I got to see family that I haven’t seen since high school. It was great to catch up with every one.

So we did the usual touristy (if that’s a word) things in Oklahoma. Being from there I have never got to be a tourist in my home state. One of the days while we were there I made plans to see some old friends in Norman to catch up, rehash old memories and have some drinks. Plus this was the first time I got to show off Kristen to everyone. Once we all got together I realized that me being away from all of my friends I felt I lost a little of who I am and was along the way. I have made a ton of friends since I have been moving around for my profession, but you never realize that there are friends you just can’t replace.

With me moving around, a lot of them I have lost touch with along the way, but being closer to home I have now got the chance to get in touch with them. I feel we caught each other at a crossroads at this point. Two of them are moving off to start their life in San Francisco, one is planning on moving to California, and another one is about to start an epic adventure as world traveler. We are all envious of the later, he has decided to go off the grid for a while and to me recharge and see the world. For me I am trying to figure out myself as a family man and as an individual, I guess this is probably a common struggle for everyone.

After hanging out the other night, I realized that I dearly miss my friends, most from this area and some along the way as we have traveled. I sometimes feel there are pieces of me that I have lost along the way, and I don’t want to turn into someone I am not. I did figure out this week that my friends and family are the folks that put that piece back in me and remind me that I am still me, and they don’t let me forget who I am.

This week’s music:
As I was hanging out with my friends, they let me know that I actually had some influence on them (good and bad) and they let me know that music I got them interested in was part of the influence. So Matt and Dave check out this music and let me know what you think.

Miike Snow- Miike Snow
This is a Swedish band that just put out their debut album this summer. The song Animal caught my ear about three months ago and I decided to check them out. I really like them; it has to grow on you. Some people compare them to Animal Collective, but I have to say they are more on the pop side of Animal Collective. Check out the song Animal and Song for No One.

The Dead Weather- Horehound
Another band for Jack White and a new sound as well. A lot of people are getting tired of Jack White and his many bands, but I say go F yourself. I feel the White Stripes were getting a little stale, and then he came out with the Raconteurs. Now he started the Dead Weather and, man this album rocks. Check out the songs Hang you from the Heavens and Treat Me Like Your Mother.

Coconut Records- Davy and Nighttiming
Jason Schwartzman, he can act and has a great taste in music. He started the band Phantom Planet and now formed the band Coconut Records. Sloan and I got hooked on the song Microphone about five months ago and we love it. So I decided to give them a chance and got both of their albums. This band is slowly climbing he charts as one of my favorite bands. Check out Microphone and Nighttiming.

Tokyo Police Club- Elephant Shell
I stumbled upon these guys a few years ago with A Lesson In Crime, and when they released Elephant Shell I wanted to check it out. I really like their sound, they can compare to Vampire Weekend with a little Strokes mixed in. Check out the songs Your English is Good and Tessellate.

Another one bites the dust/And the count down begins……….

Last week I read some more horrible news, another great record store that helped me through ups and downs during college has closed its doors. After 28 years of being open Randy’s M&M in Edmond is closing down. One of my first few blogs I wrote was about spending a day at the record store, it is one of my favorite things to do (although Kristen and Sloan hate it), but it reminds me of the hours I would spend after work or after class in college going through stacks of music looking for something I didn’t have or something that was recommended by friends.

There was a Randy’s right down the street from my apartment and where I worked in college (for the Interurban crew that reads this) and I would either stop by on Tuesday’s on my way back from work or school to check out what was there. I had a hook up there so I would get a discount (hopefully this didn’t cause the closing of the place in the long run). Now Kristen can start tracing back the steps that allowed me to amass the collection I have that we have now lugged around five states and counting now. It just sucks that some of the places I can remember going to are now starting to close its doors.

Of course I realize that due to our convenient digital age we can now not interact with anyone at stores and buy everything over the internet. I am not going to lie; I do this with our Netflix account (mostly due to me hating Blockbuster) and now with iTunes. Yes, I will agree that going to iTunes and typing in a band and getting everything they have put out with one click of the mouse is awesome, but it is also fun to get out and go to the store and find something rare (yes iTunes does not have everything). Plus it’s when you get around the same people at the store and them recommending something else to you. I guess it’s just the nostalgia busting out in me now, figuring out what my parents did and knowing things are changing and nothing can stay the same. Randy’s thanks for hooking me up back in the day, (also thanks for the discount) you kept me in music while in school.

And the count down begins……….

Well the summer is starting to come to an end for everyone. Kids are getting anxious that school is about to start and for me the chaos of athletic season is about to start back up. Also, for Kristen and me daycare is going to get back to a reasonable price (I now wish I would have gone into that business, I may have been able to retire by now!).

That also means one more thing to me, closer to the ACL Festival. I got some calls and texts yesterday about the schedule coming out, and the unfortunate news of MCA (let’s hope he gets well soon, so the Beasties can get to making more music). So I am now in planning mode for the day I am going, which I feel might be one of the best days of the festival. I do wish I could catch KOL, Bon Iver, Lily Allen (yes, she is on my list), The Knux, Phoenix, Dr. Dog, Flogging Molly, Levon Helm, Mos Def, and the Decembrists; but I get to catch two of my all time favorite bands on Sunday Pearl Jam and Ben Harper.

Yes, I am a dork (most that know me know this), and yes I have printed off my schedule for the day and put checks by bands I am going to check out and x’ed through the bands I will not make it to (mostly country). I am now going to have to get a play list going with all the bands that are going to be there so I can brush up on the old and the new. I am very excited, I don’t think I have gone to an event this large since Horde Festival, or maybe the Rock Fests that the Katt in OKC put on during the summer (did get to finally see Stone Temple Pilots there). So excuse me while I am getting a little gitty thinking about seeing Eddie Vedder in person once again. For those that are jealous and can’t go, don’t worry I will take a lot of pics. I am also pumped for the slight chance one of my boys from college might be going with. What sucks is I still have two months to go, how can I contain this excitement? (Plus Dan Auerbach and the Dead Weather are going to be there)

New Music for this week:

Well, I am starting to get a little back logged with music that I have. So I think I might play a little catch up this week and unload a ton of bands for the one or two readers that care. So Daniel, Darrin, Travis and Carrie here you go………

Iron and Wine- Around the Well
This I have been hearing and reading about for months and I (as I normally do) dragged my feet because of all the critical acclaim it got. (Yes I am that snobby music guy) I did love Shepherd’s Dog, so I broke down and gave this one a listen. It is mostly stuff they have recorded and haven’t released or didn’t make albums. I have to say the acclaim was correct; this is another really good album by them. I usually give you a few songs to listen to, but this whole album is great.

The John Butler Trio
A few weeks ago a blog I read the person mentioned The John Butler Trio. I have his newest album Grand National and I really like it. He suggested his album Sunrise Over Sea to listen to as well. So I have given it the good ol’ listen to and it’s really good. So I dug deeper and started listening to some of his older stuff. I am not disappointed so far, for those that haven’t listened to this Australian trio yet check them out. Listen to Daniella, Use to get high, and Company Sin.

I am going to give you two that I didn’t like, don’t want to offend anyone, but I didn’t like these and won’t write much. The new Peter, Bjorn and John album, not big on it like everyone else is, it’s alright. The Shiny Toy Guns new album got me with Ghost Town and I thought this was going to be good, after that it lost me.

The Raconteurs- Consolers of the Lonely
Ok, I am a big Jack White fan, I got the new Dead Weather album and it is awesome. I know this album is old, but one of my favorites. If you don’t have it shame on you, go get it.

Shwayze-Shwayze
Another old album, but this album is very catchy. Totally reminds me of something that I would listen to on the beaches in California. I really like this album, can’t go wrong with the songs Corona and Lime and Buzzin’. Yes it’s old but perfect for the summer.

Sonic Youth-The Eternal
Ok, I will admit it, I haven’t been a huge fan of Sonic Youth. It’s not that I don’t like them, but I just never got into them. I have always loved the song Titanium Expose, and a few others. I guess it’s one of those, “I have plenty of bands I follow and I don’t need another one,” (yes horrible excuse) I did get their new album due to them being at ACL, first few listens and I like it, I think I will need more to really like them. Check out Thunder Clap (for Bobby Pyn).

The new Mp3 player and win for Dad

So a few months ago Kristen and I gave Sloan an old beat up Mp3 player and loaded it with her music (which consisted of 90% Hannah Montana). It was on its last leg, so it didn’t last long after her numerous plays of “The Best of Both Worlds”, and it finally gave out on her. So I have dodged the subject for a while, until we found Kristen’s semi-new Mp3 player she no longer uses, and I spent this past Sunday once again brushing up on my Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus music knowledge with my six year old.

So the two of us sat down at my computer and started the process of loading her cds into her new Mp3 player. As of right now, I got her three new cds of the Jonas Brothers, the new Hannah Montana, and Miley Cyrus. (Yes it did kill me to do this) So we began loading her Mp3 player with her music. I did sneak some songs in there to make me feel better, such as Matt and Kim, Michael Jackson, and a few others. With her hovering over me the whole time, telling me what numbers (since she does not know all the names of the songs…….yet) and I took the orders of my daughter and put her songs on there.

As soon as I was done (to the numerous questions of “are we done yet?”) she quickly grabbed it out of my hand and started listening to the music we put on there. She lay down on the couch and sat there for easily an hour and listened to each and every song. Telling Kristen in a loud voice what song was playing, of course we had to tell her what volume to listen to it. I think I have forgotten to mention it was one of her “concert days” and she was dressed in her Hannah Montana costume the whole day. (yes even when we went in public) So this past week I went from the uncool Dad (I tried to give her a kiss and hug in front of her friends), to the coolest Dad ever with the gift of music.

Watching how she acted reminded me of the first time I got my first radio (boom box if you will), walkman, a portable cd player, and my first home stereo (and yes I just dated myself, while I am sitting here listening to 3 feet high and rising). I listened to my music like it was the first time I heard it, each time I got a new music player. I know deep down that my days of “Coolest Dad Ever” will not out weigh my days of uncool Dad, but I will take this week as a win for me. I know here in not long it will be hard to be the coolest Dad when the teens hit. Of course I have brainwashed Sloan to thinking she can’t date a boy until she is 20, so win for me so far.

(I just want to check in with some of my baseball friends and let them know, yes I am still alive. Yes I do know my Metropolitans are stinking right now, and are struggling as a team. Its ok, after this week’s all star game the season starts new again and I feel that they are going to do some good things. It’s the Mets, 1986 was the last time we were the best team in baseball, so be easy on us.)

New Music for this week:

I do this each week for a way to keep in touch with my friends that read this, and for us to know what we are listening to. I guess is some small way it’s a way to keep up with each other, I want to say this again, in know way am I an expert on music.

White Lies- To lose my life
This band had my interests when I say they would be at the ACL Festival the same day I was attending. So I decided to give them a listen to brush up and know some of their songs before I go to Austin in October. They remind me a lot of The Killers; I think it’s the voice of the lead singer. This album is wearing on me since I have been listening to them. Check out the song To Lose My Life and A Place To Hide.

The Black Keys
Last week I mentioned Gomez and put down their whole catalogue of music. The Black Keys are probably in my top ten bands I listen to constantly. I love these guys, and it just so happens Dan Auerbach (lead singer) is going to be at the ACL Festival the day I am going, so I am pumped to catch his set. If I gave you an album to start with I guess it would be their newest one, but every album they have is great. They are a great Indie-Blues band, how can you go wrong with blues from two white boys. Check out the songs Psychotic Girl, I’ll Be Your Man, When the lights go out, and 10 A.M. Automatic.

The Black Keys Albums:
Chulahoma
Thickfreakness
Rubber Factory
Magic Potion
The Big Come Up
Attack and Release

Mos Def- The Ecstatic
Ok, I am a hip-hop junkie, I grew up on hip-hop and I will probably be in the rest home with tattoos, wearing a baseball cap, and wearing some adidas. Sloan just has no idea what she has in store for her at that point. With that said, here is someone I love and forgot about. Mos Def release his newest album a few weeks ago, and I have to say it’s not bad. I love east coast hip-hop and always have, due to Run DMC, The Beastie Boys, Biggie, Jay-Z, De La Soul , and of course Mos Def. Listen to Auditorium, and Supermagic.

Street Sweeper Social Club
I can’t tell if I like this just because I am still having withdrawal symptoms from not having Rage Against the Machine around right now, or that I do love hip-hop. This is a little side project between Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine’s guitar god) and Boots Riley of the Coup. I do like it, but it makes me feel that Zack De La Rocha should be laying down the lyrics on the album. Listen to Clap for the Killers and Nobody Moves (till we say go).

Wilco-Wilco
So you guys are getting an album that just came out this pas week. My boy told me to listen to Wilco’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and I gave it a listen. (yes I know I am a horrible person for not listening to Wilco) An amazing album, I have to say. So I gave their new album a shot this week, and after the first listen, it is awesome. I will go out and say this could be one of the top albums of the year. I am sure there will be some more coming out (Pearl Jam), but so far this and Phoenix are in my list. Listen to Wilco (the song) and Sonny Feeling.

the basic freedoms

I usually try to keep things light hearted and fun on these blogs, but the other day I watched something on HBO that got me to thinking. It was called “Shouting Fire: Stories from the edge of free speech.” I like watching documentaries, most of the time it’s ones about sports or music, but I really wanted to watch this one. I love history, and I also love seeing how people think. This one made me think the past few days, it touched on a lot of topics ranging from gay rights, to opinions of 9/11, to us being dumb Americans and thinking everyone from the Middle East are terrorists and people protesting the way our government got in the past eight years. It also scared me a little to see some of the statistics of how people feel that our Freedom of Speech should be censored in certain situations, because they felt it wasn’t a topic that should be discussed.

I often watch stuff like this and try to apply it to things I love or feel strongly about, and I guess that is what scared me. Some people feel music, art, speech, and what ever they feel needs to be censored should be, without consideration for the rest of the country and world for that matter. As I was watching this I kept thinking how stuff I love could vanish if we didn’t have the right to express our views. For instance, one of the things I love, music, would be hit hard. I mean, music would go back to the stone ages if you couldn’t express your views or thoughts. Think about it, no Beatles, no Elvis, no Led Zeppelin, no N.W.A, no Pearl Jam, no Chuck Berry, no Jackson 5, no Disco (wait, that would have been a good thing), you get my point though. Also, think about sports, in our day and age, athletes can express themselves on the field of play and in the media. If you censored sports or took them away in general, could you imagine the riot that would ensue here? One of the main things I think about is how this would not only affect me, but my daughter. If there is one person in our house that expresses her feelings, it is her. She loves to do “arts and crafts”, sing, and has a huge imagination. I would be sick if people tried to tell her she couldn’t do that stuff anymore, because they didn’t like it.

Of course watching this also came the week of the 4th of July. I feel this is a great holiday. Not many countries get to celebrate the day some brilliant men got together and declared they wanted the right to form a country where people get freedom of expression, speech, religion, and the chance to follow their dreams. I feel people forget about this, and forget that not all people feel or think the same things. I sometimes need to remember that as well, I just wish everyone could remember that.

(sorry for the serious blog this week, just felt I need to get that off the chest, not so serious blog next week, I promise)

Music for this week:

Man do I have a lot of music for you, for this week. I don’t know where to start. I will start off with a band I wish I would have found earlier than I did.

Gomez
This is an awesome band from England. I think I have listened to everyone of their albums since I got their newest release A New Tide. The one interesting dynamic of this band is they have more than one lead singer that will sing on their albums. Ian Ball, Ben Ottewell, and Tom Gray will sing on different tracks. So far I have not been disappointed when listening to their albums. Since I am new to this band I say start with their newest album and go from there. Check out the songs Mix, Little Pieces, and Natural Reaction.

List of Gomez albums:
Bring it on
Liquid Skin
In Our Gun
Split the Difference
How we operate
A New Tide

Passion Pit - Manners
These guys are from Cambridge, Mass, and are an electronic band. Don’t let that scare you off, it use to for me. They are a great up and coming American band. Their first EP was a collection of songs that the lead singer wrote for his then girlfriend for Valentine’s Day. This is their first full album, I have listened to it a lot the past few weeks, and I love it. Check out the songs Little Secrets and Moths Wings.

Matt and Kim – Grand
I have heard the song Daylight a few times on the radio, and so I decided to give these guys a listen. I use the term “guys” loosely, seeing their name isn’t a play on words, it’s literally Matt and Kim making these punkish melodies. My first few listens I like it, but it will have to grow on me. Check out the songs Daylight and Good ol’ Fashion Nightmare.

Lily Allen – It’s not me, it’s you
First off she is probably in the top ten list of female musicians (don’t worry Emily Haines, you are still #1). So after last week’s article, I gave in and listened to some Pop music. I have always wanted to give Lily Allen a try and figured this was the perfect reason. American pop to me is, well…….horrible. I have to admit, I really like her and her music. For one, she drops the f-bomb in songs (kind of like you had me at hello); on top of that the songs are really good. Check out the songs The Fear and Him.