The end of the semester draws near and I find myself buried under a couple of huge projects (which I’ll discuss at a later point). Anyway, I wanted to jot down some thoughts about recent events:

» About 2 weeks back my job hosted a panel discussion (”Music Writing in the Age of Convergence”). The usual suspects of the Old Guard decried their dethronement from the critical pedestal (for the record, some of us lowly bloggers can distinguish between D-sharp and D-flat, thankyouverymuch), alternative weeklies are still fumbling around in the dark, and the lone representative from an online site held its cards close to the chest. For the most part it was unsatisfying, leaving me thankful that I went back to school.

» In academic nerdom, Pew Research Center recently released a report on the growing gap between the values of lower and middle-class African-Americans [via ProHipHop] that’s raising some eyebrows. I’ll definitely give it a closer look soon enough, but a couple of quick thoughts upon first glance: 1a) It appears to be number-crunching of a survey with very little qualitative analysis. 1b) Some of the survey questions may be a bit murky (”Rap” and “Hip hop” are used interchangeably.) 2) There’s a lot of effects theory guiding the report, putting a nice amount of blame upon the shoulders of rap music and other media. But it’s there if you want to check it out and share your thoughts.

» Despite the lameness of the World Café Live, Pylon totally brought the rock Saturday night. Vanessa said there more people dancing here than at the NYC show, so score one for us — both shows were pretty heavy with the audience participation, however. Openers New Sound of Numbers sound like a cross between Delta 5 and ESG, sprinkled with psych influences. Yup, I approve.

The New Sound of Numbers, “Tuning the Air”
Buy: Cloud Recordings or Myspace (via SnoCap)

To commemorate the premiere of Project Runway’s fourth season — which I won’t be watching. I know, can you believe it? I adored this show so much, but I’m really sick of the overwhelming professional element pervading the series. If someone has a job for Ralph Lauren or whatever, do they really need this kind of show? I’m willing to wager PR’s shift towards professionalism (the never-forget child of the 90’s screams “SELL OUT!” inside of me) was the direct result of everything that ensued following Jay’s win and whatnot. So here’s a throwback to days when the winners weren’t seasoned industry insiders and, well, more closely resembling loose cannons — like every great designer should be:

Plus, how can you not love the early 90’s house keyboard? I’m thinking of making that my ringtone, just so that I can vogue all day long.

P.S. Jay McCarroll I freaking love you. Can’t wait for your QVC deal!

Really, what else are you going to do? Attend some lame ass hipster DJ party? Go to a bar? Allow me to remind you who made who — or more specifically, who made Y-O-U: Pylon. This group of Athen folks put out some amazingly gutwrenching but thoroughly danceable rock post-punk back in the tail end of the 1970’s (and onward). A band so great, R.E.M. covered them. Every person that’s passed through the doors of a Making Time is totally indebted to this group, in some shape or form. DFA Records has kindly reissued Gyrate very recently. It’s definitely worth owning.

I caught Pylon at the Music Hall of Williamsburg yesterday, mainly because last night’s bill was pretty much unfuckingbeatable — Pylon, Oxford Collapse, and Hugo Burnham from Gang of 4 as the night’s DJ. (Not that Saturday’s gig in Philly is lame; this was just better.)

I’m quite hesitant to attend reunion shows for a variety of reasons, but the main one being that a lot of reunited bands can’t resurrect the ghost of former glory. Last night though, I have a strong feeling I was sucked back into 1978. The band was tiiiiiiight! Vanessa sounds amazing. That voice. Oh my god, that voice. It was so worth it that I didn’t even notice they had played such a long set. And to the crowd, bless you my dear children, for dancing along. It was one big happening of freaking the fuck out.

The only crappy part is that it’s going down at World Cafe Live, which is probably my second-to-last least favorite venue in this city. At least MHW/Old Northsix’s industrial space made a nice match for jagged nature of Pylon’s material. Anyway, guess we’ll have to suck it up and get Cosi with Pylon. MOTHERFUCKING PYLON. PYLON!!!Q!!!!! Can’t you see how psyched I am to see them again?

SAT 11/10, Pylon at World Cafe Live, with DJ Shawn Ryan (of Hurrah) »

P.S. Beth Ditto — Vanessa Briscoe-Hays called and she wants her style back. F’reals.

while you were chilling
and going to dance parties,
guess what has happened?

THERE IS A BREW PUB
YOGA STUDIO, AND A
COFFEE SHOP! HELLO!

brew pub’s been open
for weeks and nobody’s smashed
the damn windows yet

like when trader joes
got a garbage compactor
and no one broke it

and what’s up with the
snot-nosed hipster fucks coming,
like they think they’re cool?

organization -
it’s not like rocket science,
it’s really easy!

get political,
take charge of the neighborhood,
or move the fuck out.

I’m still bummed no one has taken this to the next level with other poetic formats. I tried a cinquain!

Granted, the city blew its wad with primary coverage, but the lack of information & news about tomorrow’s election is disturbing. Subtext be damned, tomorrow matters. There are some crucial elections for judicial positions and more. If we want to make this city move forward, paying attention counts.

The Committe of Seventy has plenty of information and links to check out — it’s a good start. Check out the CP’s post on this as well.

I don’t believe in telling you who to vote for but I think you should vote, whoever your candidates may be. In the immortal words of Dave P, “LET’S DO THIS PHILADELPHIA!!!!!”

Kudos to Pilam for pulling off a creative and financially ambitious event last night; a good time was had by all, including myself. As a radio person, I am quite comfortable DJing for no one. (Funny twist: the thing I struggled with in my early days of radio was the nebulousness of the medium.) The small crowd that was there seemed appreciative, so thanks for sticking it out. Here’s an incomplete, very loose recap of my playlist, completely out of order except for the first two songs:

AC/DC, “Rock and Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution”
Girlschool, “Hit and Run”
The Rondelles, “Like A Prayer”
Outhud, “It’s For You”
Delta 5, “Mind Your Own Business”
Love Is All, “Kiss Kiss Kiss”
Tyvek, “Honda”
Yardbirds, “Puzzles”
B-52’s, “52 Girls”
Spoon, “Someone Something”
The Long Blondes, “Separated By Motorways” (12″ version)
Hi Beams, “Hyperactive”
Feelies, “High Road”
Pavement, “AT&T”
Royal Trux, “Delta 70 of Hearts”
Scrawl, “Green Beer”
ESG, “Moody”
Railroad Jerk, “Bang the Drum”
Pylon, “Feast On My Heart” (OMG they’re playing Philly THIS FRIDAY)
Let’s Active, “Every Word Means No”
Prinzhorn Dance School, “You Are The Space Invader”
Chandra, “Opposite”
Au Pairs, “We’re So Cool”
Lyn Collins, “Rock Me Again and Again and Again”
Gloria Jones, “Tainted Love”

Anyway, Murder Mystery were quite great in the sloppy indie rock way that a person like me could love. So if you like that kind of stuff too, check them out. The rest of the evening’s lineup was fantastic, too. Holy Ghost did a awesome job of mixing it up — as in, not playing all blog house (love this term!) — and their new single is worth picking up. Once Broadzilla nails their transitions, they will own this city. (LOL @ the non-beatmatching DJ of the night to be oh so critical.) Nice selection of deep disco cuts; I throughly enjoyed it! And Dave P brought the cocainesexjams, though was unfortunately cut short due to the arrival of Ye Olde Police.

Saturday night was nu-gaze blog hype du jour A Place To Bury Strangers at Pilam. If the system’s as bloated as folks claim, chances are this band’s next show in town will cost 15+ dollars — so five bucks is a paltry sum to get in on the ground floor. (Strange truth: the show was a benefit for breast cancer awareness/charities?)

OK, here’s one thing I don’t get: nu-gaze as a movement. Why are people talking like there’s some huge enormous shoegaze revival? It never left. Look at messageboards, the guitar pedal industry/racket, dance parties — people still get weak in the knees thinking about whammy bars and notes that quiver like a baby’s bottom lip. Maybe we were all too busy getting rad, covering up our shoegaze intentions with a pseudointerest in metal, or whatever that’s popular at this moment, but it’s been there all this time. I’m sure there’s some agenda-setting & cultivation theory I could cite here to explain why shoegaze has been suppressed, butyouknowwhatimtalkinaboutamirite?

APTBS were solid. They are not, despite Pitchfork’s claim, the loudest band in NYC. When I was younger, a concert caused me to lose my hearing for three days straight. I know loud. APTBS are loud, but entirely tolerable with earplugs. So chalk this up to a bunch of indie rockers being pussies. If they were such a thing, Pilam’s board would have gone up in flames after the first chord was struck. (Have you seen Pilam’s sound system? It makes Tritone’s PA look like the Wachovia Center. I think my shitty home stereo — which has only one working speaker — is more powerful.)

They also sound a whole lot like Loop. Yeah, Loop! That long-forgotten Creation band has been overlooked for too long; let’s make some Loop love happen folks. I mean, have you heard some of these “heavy” bands who get namedropped these days? All I ever hear — and what I loved last night — is loud, relentless, garage-drone-throb that was Loop. Loop, Loop, Loop.

But whatever. The band was not the highlight of my evening. It being “Greek Week” for the fraternities at Penn (yes, it’s weird to think of Pilam as one of those, but they are), every frat had party monitors at the door checking I.D.’s. Don’t ask why I went to crash another fraternity party with friends (watching a whole dancefloor of douchehammers fist pump along to “Stacy’s Mom” was penance enough, thank you; I have learned my lesson), but I did. The doorman would not believe my driver’s license was real, nor that I was 21. I’ve been cursed with looking young for my age, but seriously — SERIOUSLY FOLKS — I don’t look 18, 19, 20. I will just happily accept the ego boost and move along, thankyouverymuch.

This Saturday 11/3 I will get another shot at being 21 (forever?) when I DJ Pilam’s record release party for DFA artists Holy Ghost. Also on board are Dave P, the Broadzilla dudes, DJJJC and live musical act Murder Mystery. I know I’m the sore thumb on this bill, so screw the cocainesexjams†, my set’s gonna be a long distance dedication to that select segment of the audience who won’t get the special opportunity to make poorly-informed choices about their sexual partners. You’re my people. I promise to disappoint everyone else but you.

With that said, I think it will be a good time, it is BYOB and the Philafunk space is gorgeous. It’s a shame a piece of me dies every time I have to utter the venue’s name.

† with all due respect to Dave P that is. I mean, you don’t want me attempting c.s.j.; better leave it to the master, you know?

Found this quote from my journal about the very first radio show I ever did:

oh gosh, what a frightening experience of a radio show today. too many PSAs, not enough time to pick out records - but the rush! so good.

Today. 6-8PM. WPRB.com or 103.3 FM. Listen today and make a donation — support the good cause that is WPRB!

To borrow from the James McNew/Dump album, a plea for tenderness, folks: WPRB is quickly approaching on its inaugural membership drive, and please, I hope you’ll consider making a pledge.

Read on for details!

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