Ok, seriously this album is awesome. Lush harmonies and a sweet, fun-loving sound. I mentioned that these guys sound a lot like The Beatles. Well, I don't know if it's just their production on their newest release (they used a 24 track - thats all), or maybe it's the harmonies, but thats exactly what they sound like. Maybe with a mix of The White Stripes and The Mother Hips. My only complaint is that the album clocks in at just over 38 minutes. I absolutely HATE it when bands do this. Maybe it's not the band itself that makes the decision to short-change the audience, but everyone and their mother knows how much data fits on a CD. Add some downloadable videos or something! Anyway, from what I can tell, this Philly based band got a big push from My Morning Jacket's frontman, Jim James (shocking I know), when after being given a tape, he asked them to tour with them in their opening slot. I just can't stop listening to it!
The All Good Music Festival has released their preliminary lineup for 2007. Mo and I are about 99% sure that we are going. I just realized that the dates coincide with my other passion (poker, or more specifically the WSOP), but there pretty much isn't a very good chance that I will take part in it. This will be the first time that Mo and I have taken part in this festival, which, while camping sounds fun, may turn out to be 2-3 days of hellish looking wookies keeping us up all night, every night. The fact of the matter is, this lineup is stellar:
Bob Weir & Ratdog
moe. (plus late night all-star jam)
Keller Williams (with or without WMD's?)
Michael Franti and Spearhead
Les Claypool
Yonder Mountain String Band
STS9 (Sound Tribe Sector 9) (Late Night Set)
Lotus
Tea Leaf Green
Perpetual Groove
Assembly of Dust
PBS (Porter, Batiste, Stoltz)
Soldiers of Jah Army
New Monsoon
Wil Hoge
West Indian Girl
Lovewhip
Thursday Night - Early Arrival Performances
Dark Star Orchestra
Ozric Tentacles
Not that I absolutely HAVE to see anyone else, but if they added Umphrey's McGee I think think this festival would be complete. I know for sure that they will be adding a bunch more acts. I'd go for any and all of the following: Medeski, Martin, and Wood - Martin Sexton - Honkytonk Homeslice - My Morning Jacket (probably not going to happen) - John Scofield - Railroad Earth - The Greyboy Allstars - Soulive - ALO (Animal Liberation Orchestra) - Xavier Rudd - Leo Kottke - Benevento Russo Duo - Trey Anastasio (again wishful thinking here, plus played last year)...I guess I could go on and on...hell of course at this time I wouldn't mind seeing Dr. Dog on this list as well.
Speaking of this fine list of talents, another really cool band, that IS playing this year, is West Indian Girl. I have been intrigued by these folks for a little while. I stumbled upon them searching out electronica music like Zero 7. "West Indian Girl" was apparently a strain of LSD, how "heady" is that? Their website is actually pretty cool, and it has lots of videos. I really like this sound. Critics call it "Electronica", but I wouldn't want to lump it into that genre specifically. To me, it sounds like down-beat, lounge, trip-soul.
Finally, my father hooked me up with the latest Arcade Fire CD "Neon Bible", and although I am not all the way through it, I am having a hard time figuring out why HE likes them. I can't really figure out if I even like them, and you would think that my tastes in music, while similar to his, would be more...open. The lead singers voice sounds to me like a rip-off of David Byrne, which was what I thought of after listening to their first album "The Funeral". Both albums have been critically acclaimed, but it might be too experimental for me. There are many, many, fine songs on both albums, but the music is just not my cup of tea. I do find that the album is well put together, and I could easily listen to the whole thing without skipping a song, nor wanting to turn it off. But, if given the choice between this band or Dr. Dog, i'd go with Dr. Dog. I can't explain it, but maybe I will enjoy the band more after multiple listens.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Friday, March 09, 2007
New Band Alert - I think this is a good one!
Not the greatest website, but check out Dr. Dog. Their new album is called "We all Belong", and you can hear clips of some of their songs. I REALLY like this band. They have a very "old-timey" sound, but in a good way. This album almost could pass for a George Martin produced record from, say...1968 or so. Anyway this is another band that will be at, what looks to be an epic, Bonnaroo. I think, besides the inaugural show back in 2002, this looks like the best one, imho.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Masochism and "The Sweat"
Theres something about lowball poker. I have heard it said that the game is for masochists. The dictionary defines MASOCHIST as "someone who obtains pleasure from receiving punishment". This can be no closer to the truth. Even when I get to play the game live for nickels and quarters with friends, I still have to "set my hand" so that when I have a draw like 7432x, I have to "sweat" that last card i'm drawing to. It's just a longing for the feeling of peeking at the corner of that beautiful 5, giving you the nuts. It happens on every "street" and in every poker game.
You see the pros do it on tv. Hellmuth is famous for the way he looks at his cards, and there's a reason for it. When he peels that first card and puts his thumb over the corner, I know exactly what's going through his mind. And, the best part is that you get to do it again on your second holecard. That's one of the things that can make the game so enjoyable over a long period of time..."the sweat". In hold'em, you get the rush twice, and usually it's the second that is the most profound. When you see the first card is a six of spades, depending on your position and the texture of the table and what has gone on, you can hope for a 4, 5, 7, 8 or an Ace of spades, and finally another six giving you a "pair in the hole". The pros take it one step further...which they always seem to do. They call it "2 across" and "4 across", they see "paint" and make themselves guess at the hand, without actually looking at the whole card. What is it about this game that makes people come up with all of these unpleasantries, yet be so gratified about them?
When I play 2-7 triple draw online, I have to set my hand in order for the cards that I am drawing for to "fill" my hand. This is contrary to the more standard approach of setting your hand in order, lowest to highest like in a game of gin. It's almost become a lucky charm sort of thing. If I can't set my hand so that the cards fill, I am just not as eager nor am I confident that the hand will come to fruition.
After playing as many hands as I have in this game, the beats don't hurt as bad, and that relates to going on tilt. Everyone has a threshold, and it's hard to not let it get to them. I've had more #2's beat by #1's than I care to imagine. But those are the ones you remember, not all of the times you were able to put the beat on someone else. That is what I strive to remember everytime I sit down to play a session of lowball.
You see the pros do it on tv. Hellmuth is famous for the way he looks at his cards, and there's a reason for it. When he peels that first card and puts his thumb over the corner, I know exactly what's going through his mind. And, the best part is that you get to do it again on your second holecard. That's one of the things that can make the game so enjoyable over a long period of time..."the sweat". In hold'em, you get the rush twice, and usually it's the second that is the most profound. When you see the first card is a six of spades, depending on your position and the texture of the table and what has gone on, you can hope for a 4, 5, 7, 8 or an Ace of spades, and finally another six giving you a "pair in the hole". The pros take it one step further...which they always seem to do. They call it "2 across" and "4 across", they see "paint" and make themselves guess at the hand, without actually looking at the whole card. What is it about this game that makes people come up with all of these unpleasantries, yet be so gratified about them?
When I play 2-7 triple draw online, I have to set my hand in order for the cards that I am drawing for to "fill" my hand. This is contrary to the more standard approach of setting your hand in order, lowest to highest like in a game of gin. It's almost become a lucky charm sort of thing. If I can't set my hand so that the cards fill, I am just not as eager nor am I confident that the hand will come to fruition.
After playing as many hands as I have in this game, the beats don't hurt as bad, and that relates to going on tilt. Everyone has a threshold, and it's hard to not let it get to them. I've had more #2's beat by #1's than I care to imagine. But those are the ones you remember, not all of the times you were able to put the beat on someone else. That is what I strive to remember everytime I sit down to play a session of lowball.
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