True/False Bands
Besides being the premier documentary film festival in the country[1], True/False features a somewhat eclectic bunch of bands to not only serve as buskers, serenading audiences waiting for films to begin, but they often rock out at after-parties and showcases throughout the weekend, all over town. I was asked to blog some of these bands. I didn’t see every band, nor did I attend every show, but what I saw was overall pretty enjoyable. Here’s the rundown…
Buskers
Busking is when musicians practice and/or perform in a public place, often for tips. One of the unique aspects of T/F is the presence of buskers all around town and particularly in theaters. I saw 14 films over four days. Before every one of those films some busking occured. And I’ll admit, I’m a sucker for busking. So, my reviews are all pretty positive, but for various reasons. Here’s what I saw/heard:
- Bramble might be the quintessential busking band of this year’s fest[2]. Lovely harmonizing, acoustic layers, and ancient percussive methods carry a Bramble song to the heavens. Not jarring, but certainly not forgettable, Bramble put audiences at ease before learning about bloody mobile phones, the Black Power movement, and troll hunters. Support them on Kickstarter and keep your eyes open for a return to your favorite film festival.
- Columbia’s own Nature Walk take their sound from the Ozarks, rocking a traditional Americana groove and exploring both the darkness and hope in nonfiction film. The band set up much like Bramble, but the aesthetic was very different. Where Bramble was of the sky, Nature Walk tasted of the earth, making the experience feel all the more authentic and taking us all home to the backwoods and hills of southern Missouri.
- I witnessed Jeremy Freeze of Jerusalem & the Starbaskets provide two very different performances. Before To Be Heard, the gruff-looking one-time-Columbian played a somber set of country standards and originals. It was dark, Jeremy mumbled, but it seemed to set a serious mood for a pretty serious film. The old folk behind me complained a bit, but sometimes that’s what a festival likes this needs to keep it strange and abnormal. Of course, those old fogies missed out on the real fun as Jeremy spent most of his set before Shut Up Little Man! tuning his electric guitar and hollering out something about “fucking documentaries” and “fuck yeah, True/False.” He played one or two songs, tried to leave his guitar where the filmmakers typically stand after a screening, and walked off with 15 minutes to kill before the film. A volunteer convinced him to come out. Once Jeremy realized his tiny amp was all the way at the other side the stage area (maybe five feet away), he opted to just sing a couple of covers a cappella[3]. Evidence here.
- Richard the Lionhearted is another Columbian band playing the fest. Their brand of alt.country is the kind where every song just sounds familiar. That’s comforting. They also may have been the largest band (six-piece) in the fest’s smallest theater (Little Ragtag).
- Pearl & the Beard were often cited as the most impressive of the buskers. The Brooklyn three-piece may have also been the most versatile as they could quiet the crowd with soothing harmonies and fill a large venue like the Blue Note with the raw power of their voices. Seriously, this is one of the bands we could see some big things from in the coming years.
- Lizzie Wright was a most unlikely busker for The Redemption of General Butt Naked[4], but she was a welcome change-of-pace, nonetheless. Imagine a chipper Joanna Newsom singing Moldy Peaches songs about robot love and you’d land somewhere near Lizzie’s aesthetic. She’s new to Middle Missouri. I look forward to hearing her play around town.
- Mexi-Americana super-cute trio(?) David Wax Museum pulled a Arcade Fire and worked their way through the crowd at some point during their set[5], but what else should buskers do? Just stand around? The energy in their songs necessitated some movement if we were all just going to sit there. The NPR-darlings came to us from Boston and I hope they make it back next year as well.
- Dubb Nubb were billed as the “only twindie-pop band in America” and they weren’t lying[6]. The twins were the other act that sang like Joanna Newsom, but they harmonized, creating an effect only heard on Newsom’s overdubbed aural masturbations disguised as 30-minute “songs.” I digress. Dubb Nubb were quite good at aping Newsom’s vocal stylings[7] over acoustic guitar. I enjoyed it. My Joanna Newsom-loathing wife did not.
- Robert Sarazin, more of a storyteller than busker, closed the fest as is (becoming) tradition. He brought the house down with accompaniment from Maine’s Tough Cats before Life in a Day. The festival thrives on such personalities placing their own mark on the festivities and Robert has this talent of warming up the crowd for a grand send-off.
There were other events throughout the weekend, but I had my limits. I made some, but had to skip others. Here’s what else I saw/heard:
- Mojo’s A Go-Go featured one of the most diverse lineups you’ll find anywhere[8]. Despite that diversity, the upbeat, danceable nature of the three bands fit perfectly together. Haii Usagi opened the gig with their version of electro-thrash, calling up the ghost of Brainiac, sans vocals and guitar[9]. I once dismissed them as sounding too Animal Collective, but that was lazy on my part. Haii Usagi bring the bleeps and blips that drives and veers as opposed to superficially just addressing your need to dance the night away. I’m happy they’re local as it should afford me more opportunities to see them again.
- Also on the Mojo’s lineup was Chicago and Emergency Umbrella band Netherfriends. I saw them play an EU showcase a summer ago and Pitchfork last summer. Since that time, the band has really worked out the kinks. Danceable indie rock is not an easy thing to pull off without sounding fleeting, but Netherfriends is figuring things out. Netherfriends plays like Animal Collective[10] with soul and seemingly stuck in the seventies. This was truly a fun set. It was nice to see.
- The night’s headliner was Milwaukee’s Kings Go Forth, another in a long line of soul revivalists flooding the indie scene. This band was good at what they do and caused the crowd to dance up a frenzy like few I’ve seen in this town[11]. Honestly, I don’t get this new obsession with soul music and I’m not sure Kings Go Forth really changed my mind, but they certainly were entertaining.
- The other set I witnessed Saturday night (or Sunday morning) was that of Columbia’s Believers at a party I’m not allowed to tell you about[12]. There was certainly a palpable energy in the room created by the band as they ripped through a set that left folks wanting more (always a good sign). They’re like Vampire Weekend with balls, White Rabbits with irony, and The Walkmen if they wanted to sound like they’re from this century and not the last. This was a set that made me smile and that doesn’t happen that often anymore. This really was the best set of the fest. Too bad only a few witnessed it.
For those who think True/False is just about the films, you’re sadly mistaken as the music aspect is slowly growing into a major event of its own. I feel bad for those fest-goers who pay no attention to the buskers or avoid the rock shows and showcases. However, it just means there’s more room for me to attend, a practice I will surely include in future True/False fests.
This post originally appeared in The CoMO Collective, a site I am collaboratively working on with a few other Columbian bloggers. The only difference between that post and this one is that this one has some revisions and footnotes. So, consider yourself lucky.
Notes:
1That’s right. I said it. Name one that’s better. All I know is that every filmmaker who comes through talks about how much they love our fest or they say it’s the best documentary film festival anywhere. They don’t have to say that. I think that because it is primarily focused on documentary film, it gets about as much mainstream attention as docs typically get.
2Before this year, I would have tagged Brody Douglas Hunt as the quintessential T/F busker, but sadly, Brody didn’t make it out this year.
3I suspect he was a bit tipsy, but it was a happy tipsy. Nothing wrong with that.
4I described this film with two words on Twitter: terrifying penises. That’s all you need to know.
5This made it really hard to eat my burrito.
6What I mean to say is that they’re actually twins, possibly identical. I don’t know that they’re the only “twindie” act in America, but they certainly looked alike.
7Who would have guessed that folks would copy Joanna Newsom’s voice? I guess it shows that’s she’s more influential than we may have once expected her to be.
8Typically, “diverse” lineups include a bunch of white dudes and a hip-hop act. This was not the case. It’s possible to have diversity without hip-hop. Now, had they included some women on the bill, that would have made the lineup more diverse.
9This is something I would have assumed was impossible, but Haii Usagi made me think “Brainiac” the whole time. Really, that’s quite a feat.
10Sorry. This time the reference was meant as a compliment and was particularly apt. I recognize compare bands is lazy, but it’s also an effective way to communicate. Besides, I’m barely professional at this.
11We don’t dance here. I’m not sure why.
12It’s not just a secret, it’s a super secret party held at a secret location. You know you’ve been in a town for a long time when the the person running the door takes one look at you and says, “Zac, you’re okay to go in.” (Thanks, Mary!) I was on the list thanks to my role as T/Fweeter and music blogger/guerrilla journalist.
Free Association Blog Post
I have some things in the works and some other things I wanted to mention, but none of that is ready nor does it interest me at the moment[1]. So, for your reading pleasure, I will do a little free association blog post that will hopefully hit on some of the things not quite worthy of their own blog posts.
Looking for a new way to label my homebrew, I designed and ordered the following rubber stamp.
The plan is to stamp some big mailing labels, write in which beer is in the bottle, and slap those mothers on. It will save me from having to print out extravagant labels at Kinkos while providing me a uniform way to mark my own brews. A good point was made regarding the new name of my fictitious brewery: It’s better than naming it “Watery Domestic,” a name I never considered. For those of you not in the know, Treble Kicker was Pavement’s made-up label for their first few singles. They later just put it on every release, sort of for publishing purposes or something. I’m using it as the ideal moniker to connect my two loves into my homebrews[2].
Speaking of homebrewing, I did this collaboration with a friend. He used leftover malt to brew a pale ale and I supplied leftover hops[3]. We split the beer to see what we each could do with dry-hopping. I had several mishaps with bottling, making me label the caps “FML” or fuck my life[4]. The first bottle was opened seven days in at a homebrew tasting last weekend. It was awful, but the veteran homebrewers in the room assured me that waiting it out might result in a better beer. Well, I opened one last night and it is getting better. Hopefully it will continue to improve.
I’m also hoping that the new Bright Eyes’ album will get better. It’s supposedly the last album to be released under “Bright Eyes” and that might be for good reason. Conor Oberst appears to be all out of ideas at the moment. When he did that pre-emo, cathartic thing he did in his late-teens/early-twenties, he was supposed to be the next Dylan[5]. Really, it was some good stuff. Then, he released maybe his best folk album alongside a semi-electronica record[6]. Okay. Then, after a live album and a rarities collection, he went down the alt.country[7] rabbit hole, seemingly never to return. This would have been acceptable as so many artists do the same. Plus, he typically aligned himself with some excellent musicians. Alas, alt.country Conor was not meant to be. He released the regrettable People’s Key last week. I’m holding off judgement to see if it will grow on me, but I’m not hopeful[8]. At least the artwork and design of the record sleeve is interesting.
Speaking of “interesting” album artwork, I finally unwrapped Tennis’ Cape Dory. This album is everything that Bright Eyes’ “effort” is not. It’s fresh, moving, interesting, enjoyable, etc. Of course, one has to get over the awful, awful artwork on the cover[9]. It’s low-fi with that echoey, Phil Spector-ish doo-wop feel and retro vocals[10]. It reminds me a ton of Camera Obscura if they recorded from bedrooms instead of studios. Still, this will be a nice record to enjoy as the weather turns.
And as the weather turns, March approaches. I try not to write too much about the sports-ball in these parts, but I have to address this at least one time before March Madness descends upon us. My boys at Ohio State are the best college basketball team in the nation[11] and early favorites to win it all in March/early-April. They are lead by a core of experienced players that seem to have played in Columbus for 15 years as well as three freshman stars. One of those freshman is Jared Sullinger whose ass[12] keeps defenders off as he puts up 18 and 10 on a nightly basis. Look for Ohio State to make a deep run this year in the tournament.
Something else happens in March…
The first weekend of March in these parts is dedicated to the True/False Film Festival. It’s our very own documentary film festival and it’s the best thing that happens here every year. We have reservations to see somewhere between 16 and 17 films[13] over the weekend (starting Thursday), plus a few parties and live music in between. There will be a full report here and possibly more somewhere else[14]. It’s going to be an incredible weekend this year. I can just feel it.
… feeling it, I feel as though I’m about to have my mind blown. I’ll be imbedded in said festival like never before[15], there are some interesting records coming my way, and there’s a ton of beer on the horizon. So, there will be a lot to discuss here. Come back, even if you noticed the lack of footnotes in previous posts. They’ll be back. Don’t worry[16]. Sorry for the filler. I’ll wrap up the Archers of Loaf oeuvre on Wednesday, plug in something interesting about either beer, indie rock, or both on Friday, an preview the film fest next week.
Notes:
1In other words, I have several barely-started posts sitting there in the dashboard and another dozen or so ideas I just don’t feel like posting. This three posts a week thing is getting tough. Still, dear reader, I feel you deserve better than filler. However, that’s what you’re getting.
2Plus, the design and name scream punk/lo-fi indie rock. There’s no way that there’s a better (fake) brewery out there, anywhere.
3Using leftovers should have been my first clue that the beer would be questionable, but we carried on the experiment anyway.
4I’m worried that there was too much oxygen pumped into the beer, which is not a good thing. Consider that there is a reason beer is sealed in kegs, firkins, casks, bottle, or cans and not just sitting out in the open. There could have also been some unwanted bacteria, but I hope not.
5This never made much sense to me. Dylan’s the superior songwriter; Oberst is the better performer, musician. Still, I hold Oberst in high regard as a songwriter. For me, they are two very, very different kinds of rock stars/folk singers. Any comparison is silly, even lazy.
6The songs were okay, but the musical direction was a mistake.
7I realize it is 2011, but I think I have a statement to make on alt.country in an upcoming blog post. Oberst’s turn to the cow punk is not surprising, nor is the demise of Bright Eyes. I will explain once I piece together an argument with examples.
8Honestly, I hate writing bad things about musicians I like. They work too hard at what they do to be ridiculed by a hack with a blog like myself. That said, I feel it disingenuous not to be honest. I just try to make it a practice not to go on and on about bands I like letting me down.
9Just look at it. It’s awful. AWFUL!
10Actually, everything about this release is retro. The cover looks like it’s out of the early 80’s. The music is 60’s pop and the aesthetic is 90’s lo-fi.
11Some would argue that this is not the case as they have dropped two of their last three games. However, both of those games were on the road to the 2nd and 3rd placed teams in the conference. This was the meat of the schedule where everyone knew they’d lose some games. All I know is the next four teams on the schedule better look out as Ohio State will be on a mission.
12It’s big.
13I suspect we’ll fall short of this goal. That’s a lot of documentary film to watch.
14I’ve taken on a project to help another local blogger get a Columbia blog thing going. I’ve written a post and am formulating the next. I only have to post twice a month, so that shouldn’t be too hard. There’s one in the can on The Foundry Field Recordings, another in the works on a seminal album by locals Bald Eagle, and another will happen covering the music of True/False. It should be interesting.
15There’s the Lux pass upgrade, my name on a guest list for an exclusive party, and a Twitter account that’s not mine. It’s not as exciting as it might sound, but it makes me feel like I’m on the inside of this thing.
16Man, I haven’t had sixteen footnotes in forever. This feels good!
Beer, Indie Rock, and Fatherhood
When my daughter is asked if she drinks beer, she enthusiastically responds, “No. I will drink beer when I’m bigger[1].” And with whom will she drink this beer? Daddy, of course.
That’s enough to warm the cockles of one’s heart.
Lucia used to love it when I’d dip my finger in my beer and let her try some. She now regularly asks for a taste. I’ve backed out of the practice of letting her try every beer. There’s something perverse about it. Erring on the side of caution is probably the best move when mixing parenting and alcohol. Either way, she has a taste for beer, even at two. And I figure I can mostly expose her to the good stuff. Hopefully, industrial rice adjunct beers will taste like the swill they are after she drinks quality craft beers and homebrewsr[2].
I want my kid to know something about quality over quantity. I want her to enjoy a beer instead of just the high. She doesn’t have to be into beer the way I am, but I want her to appreciate flavor, aroma, and mouthfeel. She’s only two, so we have time.
Lucia has been to many more beer tastings and events than some adults I know. Some in the beer club have joked that she’s almost an honorary member[3]. When Hopslam hit town, she sat at the bar as I tasted my first sips of the sweet nectar of the gods[4]. Eventually, she will be the brewmaster’s assistant. I like to take her to brewpubs for lunches. Beer is part of our culture. It’s part of her upbringing
When it comes to music, she already listens to a fair share of good indie rock[5]. I’ve written before about how important this is to me, but it’s another thing to watch your child pick up on some of your music while choosing her own favorites[6] along the way. She certainly loves a good beat and memorable chorus with little concern for aesthetic. I suppose this is the beginnings of an indie geek in the making.
My girl probably knows more about vinyl as a preferred musical delivery system than most kids under 35. We talk all the time about records, their packaging, and my turntable. There’s real science there. Those little grooves look and feel like music instead of just a shiny disc we shoot with lasers. Records are textural, tactile. Two-year-olds dig that.
We spend most of our time together dancing and singing. There’s a lot of music in our house for people who have virtually no training in music. She consumes music and creates her own. Lucia is musical and I suspect will always be.
Why is this all important to me?
Well, part of it is a legacy. I love music and beer. I appreciate the finer aspects of both. I want these loves and attention to detail to live on through my daughter when I’m gone. I want a home for my records and glassware. I haven’t done much of any consequence outside of creating my kid. This is as good as it gets for me legacy-wise[7].
And there’s value to enjoying craft beer and listening to records. I try to appreciate craftsmanship that goes into these luxuries. An appreciation for the finer things is certainly a worthwhile character trait to pass on. It also causes one to pause when considering other consumables. We waste less and enjoy life a bit more. And who doesn’t want one’s kid to enjoy life?
Notes:
1This is a relative term for a two-year old.
2I figure this can be my strategy to combat the underaged binge drinking. If I only give my child good beer, she won’t give in to the temptations of the crappy beer served at high school parties a la John Hughes movies.
3She attended yesterday’s Super Bowl party and you didn’t. The girl is a beer enthusiast of the highest order.
4Of course, she mostly watched Yo Gabba Gabba on my iPhone, but those are just details.
5The Raincoats, Deerhoof, Sufjan Stevens, Pavement, etc.
6Mostly musicals like Annie and The Sound of Music.
7The realization is setting in that my greatest creation will be my offspring. I might as well raise her as best I can. If she can carry on just a few of the lessons I’m teaching her, I’ll die a happy man.
Cellared Beers and Stacks of Records During Snowpocalypse 2011
The kid enjoying a snow fort.
As previously mentioned, we here in Middle Missouri were blanketed under 18-20 inches of snow. For those who live in Minnesota or Alaska, this might seem tame, but by Missouri standards, it’s downright apocalyptic[1]. The snow stopped sometime Tuesday night/Wednesday morning and as of Thursday afternoon, most of my neighborhood was still trapped by the snow[2].
At one point, while shoveling some of the white stuff, a neighbor trudged by on a beer run. Apparently someone down the street with 4-wheel drive was offering a trip to the store. I told him that’s why I have a cellar. He kept on going.
Sure, there’s the allure of a collection, but a beer cellar is really just a place to keep your beer. Because of this cellar, I never have to go traipsing through the snow for a nice brew. In fact, since the storm, I’ve had a Schlafly No. 20 Vol. 1 Imperial Pilsner, Great Lakes Nosferatu Stock Ale, Founders 2010 KBS, Boulevard Dark Truth Stout, 2008 Bell’s Old Ale, Stillwater Cellar Door, Duck-Rabbit Milk Stout, and Boulevard Tank 7. That’s quite a variety of great beers I wouldn’t be able to find at any store. I was prepared for Snowmageddon without even preparing[3]. The cellar serves this purpose as well as if not better than it does simply providing space for one’s collection.
The same can be said for records. Although I haven’t put on as many records as I would have liked over the past week[4], the option has been there. I do realize that this is different in that people have access to an infinite amount of music online, but vinyl warms the cockles and pops and crackles in time with your fireplace. Few collections can help you pass the time the way a record collection can.
What did I listen to? Well, it was mostly new stuff (to me). The KC Accidental double-LP has seen a lot of time in this house already, but I’ve also been playing the new Iron & Wine as well as Destroyer’s Kaputt. To mix it up, I pulled out The White Stripes’ De Stijl and White Blood Cells as a way to assist Detroit takes it final blow and say goodbye to the band forever[5].
Blizzards give you time for such pursuits[6]. You either do something with it, or you suffer the cabin fever. So, in preparation for the next blizzard or other natural catastrophe, go fill a closet with beer and buy a shit-ton of records[7].
Notes:
1Columbia, a town of over 100,000 people, only has 18 snowplows. That’s not enough for 18 inches of snow.
2Just as I was about to dig a path to tracks left by neighborhood 4×4’s, a giant plow came down the street…and promptly got stuck at the bottom of the cul de sac. After finally working its way out, another plow made it’s way down the street…and promptly got stuck at the bottom of the cul de sac. The first plow pulled the second plow out.
3However, a little prepping would have been a good idea. I brewed some beer, but I started too late for this storm. Two batches are now in secondary dry-hopping. Also, my cellar is dwindling quickly. I’ve been more selective lately and a “shipment” from Ohio has yet to arrive. So, I had what I had and I made due.
4Two-year-olds with nothing to do make record listening rather difficult. I was lucky to play what I played.
5Honestly, I didn’t realize they were still a band.
6The beard still grows. I like how icicles form as I shovel snow.
7I intended to write something more substantial here, but I’ve been busy. Funny how much busier one can be when snowed in. Thank god my kid’s day care is open today. Otherwise, I don’t know how I would handle another day of this.
A Beer, A Record
Monday night, we all sat around waiting for the #snowpocalypse/#snowmageddon to happen[1], so I busted out some beer[2] and turned on some tunes. What follows is an account of those two indulgences. I’m not sure what either has to do with the other except that this blog is about beer and indie rock and that’s enough.
Schlafly No. 20 Vol. 1 Imperial Pilsner
We were supposed to have a cellared beer tasting this evening, but the (threat of) inclement weather caused us to postpone. I considered breaking out one of those cellared beers, but a bomber of a 10-12% barley wine is not always the best beer to have alone. Of course, the beer I pull out sits at 9% ABV, but it’s just a lager, right? Anyway, this beer provides me with a lot of topics to cover…
- It’s semi-local, as in it’s from St Louis. Schlafly makes a lot of your regular, everyday kinds of beers, but they venture out and brew something truly tasty now and again. Between their hoppier fair (APA, AIPA[3]), barrel-aged monsters (Imperial Stout, Barley Wine), and delicate Belgian facsimiles (Tripel, Dubbel, Biere de Garde[4]), I know Schlafly can brew a tasty beer. It makes it easy to support the Saint Louis Brewery when they do such fine work[5].
- It’s a special release. The Saint Louis Brewery is 20 this year and they’re releasing some special brews to celebrate. Most likely, this will be the only chance I’ll get to try such beers, so it’s good to snatch them up whenever they’re in stock.
- Although it’s a lager, it’s imperial, which means it’s big on flavor in one way or the other. The beer looks like a pale lager and smells bready like a lager. The head is rather thick and creamy, but not unusual for some lagers. Then, I tasted it…tons of bready sweetness in this beer, almost cloying[6]. Still, it’s way more satisfying and interesting than your run-of-the-mill pale lager.
- Speaking of lagers, there’s something about them that just doesn’t agree with me. I was never as sure of this as the time my beer club had an all-lager tasting. I felt so rough despite most of the beers measuring in at 5% ABV or less. I had that same feeling last night. Sure, it’s 750mL of a 9% beer, but I sipped it slowly as the evening passed and during dinner. Lager yeast just doesn’t agree with me[7].
- Not enough breweries paint labels directly onto bottles. While this is a pain for homebrewers, they make for excellent souvenirs[8]. Plus, it gives sort of an old-school feel to the drinking experience. It’s a little thing that has little to do with the beer itself, but it’s a nice touch.
KC Accidental – Captured Anthems for an Empty Bathtub/Anthems for the Could’ve Bin Pills
This re-issue of pre-Broken Social Scene material came out some time in 2010, but it fell off my radar somehow. I finally ordered it and the double-LP arrived late last week. Monday was really my first chance to give it a proper listen. I had heard this stuff before but never was able to spend time with it. And, like the beer above, this record gives me some topics about which to write…
- As mentioned above, this double-LP is a re-issue of two releases by pre-Broken Social Scene band KC Accidental. So many bands record and release material before they break big, and that material is often lost[9]. Eventually, bands are often able to give the material a proper release that allows fans to dive into their discographies even further. I am a sucker for this sort of material, especially when the original project is as good or possibly better than the current band.
- KC Accidental was more along the lines of a Rachels or Sea & Cake than what BSS currently represents. This worked out well in my house as my partner prefers Rachels and Sea & Cake to almost anything else I might play. The comparisons are uncanny. I was surprised at how much anyone could sound like Rachels[10]. Punk rock chamber music is hard to replicate, but KC Accidental did it. There are some rock songs, but expect Rachels-like indie if you pick this record up.
- This record is worth it for both BSS die-hards as well as people new to the Toronto collective. It’s certainly an important part of the canon for sure.
What have you been drinking or listening to? Please share in comments.
Notes:
1It did, something like 16.6 inches of snow as of 6 pm on Tuesday night. I haven’t heard the final tally, but they were talking in the ballpark of 20 inches of snow.
2I also wanted to note that I polished off a Great Lakes Nosferatu Stock Ale, Founders 2010 KBS, Boulevard Dark Truth Stout, and a 2008 Bell’s Old Ale Tuesday night. Let’s just say that I was plenty warm.
3One of the more underrated IPA’s I’ve had in the last year. I sort of expected it to always be around, but I haven’t seen it since its short run last year.
4All three of these beers are good to keep on hand for dinners and such. They store well, look nice, and pair with a variety of foods.
5Unlike a certain other industrial adjunct lager producer also found in St. Louis.
6That one’s for David. He uses “cloying” all the time. That and “vegetal.”
7I don’t know what it is, but it’s not because I drink too much. One lager can make me feel crummy. 750 mL certainly didn’t help. I’m beginning to wonder if it’s the sweetness, something I’m starting to pick up in every pale lager I try.
8I collect Stone bottles, but this will lose its luster once they begin distributing to Missouri. I have all their regular releases and am just missing a few of their one-off bottles. Still, they are cool bottles to collect with their gargoyles and unique narratives.
9Sometimes that’s for a good reason. Sometimes it’s too bad.
10There’s more rock instrumentation (drums, bass, guitar) than Rachels incorporate, but the influence is certainly heard.
Top Five Beers and Records to Always Have on Hand
The Hopry is starting a new series where they list top-5 beers that fill a particular need. The first post in the series focused on the top-5 beers you should always keep in the fridge. You can see their list and eyeball mine below. After that, I’m also including a list of top-records to always have around.
Keep in mind that these might not be the five best beers/records. The idea is to have every need covered with just the five selections. While I recognize my fives don’t have everything for everyone, it’s still my house. This is what I have to offer.
So, check it…
5 Beers for the Fridge
Boulevard Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale – Saisons are a versatile alternative to the over-hopped/hyped IPA’s and dirty, dirty stouts. They are light with a touch of tartness and spice, perfect for pairing with fish and/or poultry. This is easily one of my favorite saisons. Now that it’s available in 12 oz. bottles[1], it’s easy to keep some on hand for any occasion. I considered sticking The Bruery’s Saison Rue in this slot, but The Bruery is not available in Missouri and they only come in 750 mL bombers.
Ska Modus Hoperandi – One has to have a hopbomb around, right[2]? Modus is quickly replacing spots in fridges around Middle Missouri that were once held down by Bell’s Two-Hearted Ale[3]. The fact that this beer comes in a can makes it perfect for this list. Cans tend to keep IPA’s better than bottles and they’re easily stored. I eventually want a beer fridge and have fantasized filling the “can dispensers” in those things usually reserved for PBR and Coke Zero with some Modus.
Bell’s Expedition Stout – This is maybe my favorite beer. Bigger, blackerer, and full of molasses[4], Expedition is a go-to imperial stout that should be in every fridge and beer closet. Besides sipping on the good stuff, I periodically make ice cream out of this Texas (via Michigan) tea. The best part is that the ice cream recipe leaves me a half bottle to finish as I churn the creamy concoction.
Cantillon Kriek – I considered New Belgium’s La Folie for the token sour stand-by, but that only comes in bombers. Cantillon is the fine wine of the beer world and they sell their beers in smaller bottles for a somewhat affordable treat[5]. This beer fills the sour need as well as showing your guests that fruit does belong in beer from time to time.
Dogfish Head[6] India Brown Ale – This is the only beer not readily available in Missouri, but I try to have it around as much as possible. Besides being a really great beer, IBA is the perfect beer to pair with almost any food, especially those of the greasy, meaty variety. I essentially proclaimed that the most perfect pairing ever was a Booches burger and a DfH IBA and I still stand by that assertion[7]. The combination of hops cutting through grease and sweet malty goodness balancing the richness of the meat is too good not to experience at least once.
As you can see, my beer list is pretty diverse. The records didn’t turn out that way, but my taste in music is much, much narrower than my taste in beers. Just look at the blog’s title[8]. I identify a band but refer to beer in general. That can tell you a lot about this blog. Now, on to the records…
5 Records for the Turntable
Neutral Milk Hotel In the Aeroplane of the Sea – This is an absolute classic that will hold down a spot on my overall top-5 every time. No other record is as good a discussion starter as Aeroplane. Aesthetically, it has some folky acoustic guitar, trumpet flourishes, love for our lord and savior Jesus Christ… Really, everyone should own this album[9].
A Tribe Called Quest The Low End Theory – You need dance music? Wanna kick it old school? Your only black friend is over for dinner[10]? Drop the needle on this hip-hop classic and let the groove take over. Not only does your cred go up a notch for actually owning hip-hop record, but you own one of the most revered and highly decorated albums of all time.
Pavement Quarantine the Past – Put this one on for your kids and explain that this is what the nineties sounded like. Normally, I’d put a specific Pavement album (or possibly their entire catalog) on this list, but Quarantine the Past is a near-perfect compilation that spans the group’s run quite nicely. Now, you can expose your friends to Pavement without making them sit through every 7″ and reissue extra[11].
Slint Spiderland – At this point, my musical biases have gone over the top. Nearly all the nineties essentials are now covered with Spiderland joining the party. However, this album is diverse enough to handle both a dark mood and the end-of-the-evening comedown. That and like Aeroplane, this record offers plenty about which to talk. “Did you know that Will Oldham took the picture on the cover?” “Did you know that PJ Harvey answered the band’s call for a female singer in the liner notes?” “Did you know that there’s a children’s book created for the final track?” This record is a discussion-starter for sure.
Animal Collective Merriweather Post Pavilion – Want to lighten the mood while simultaneously raising the discourse in the room? Put on Merriweather Post Pavilion, one of the most cerebral dance records of the last decadea[12]. Plus, you can stare at the “moving” record sleeve all night long.
What are your five to always have on hand? Are my musical tastes too narrow? Leave a comment or three.
Notes:
1Interestingly, for those who are not familiar, Tank 7 is part of the Smokestack Series, celebrating Boulevard’s famous smokestacks bearing their name. The original series came exclusively in tall, like smokestack-tall 750 mL bottles. So, the move to 12oz. bottles was awkward, but Boulevard pulled it off beautifully as they chose a taller, sleeker 12 oz. bottle.
2This is rhetorical. Of course one must always have a hopbomb in the fridge/cellar. I have been known to go buy an IPA or DIPA even though I have a cellar full of perfectly good beers simply for the purpose of insuring that I have at least one hoppy beer around. And those are the beers I consume the quickest, so it makes sense to always have some around. Don’t question the logic. Go out and buy an IPA right now.
3Two-Hearted is still a perfectly acceptable option here, but Modus is newish around these parts and it comes in cans.
4I like bourbon, oak/vanilla, and chocolate in my imperial stouts, but molasses brings it. This preference is possibly due to my dad’s practice of pouring brown sugar all over his Cheerios. Yes. You read that correctly. The best part was when you came to the end and had nothing left but creamy brown sugar.
5The 750 mL bombers run in the $30 range. So, ten bucks for 12 oz. of really, really good beer is sometimes justified.
6Dogfish Head has been taking it on the chin as of late. It’s most likely a backlash from the Brew Masters debacle/nondebacle. Let’s get this straight. Dogfish Head makes some of the best, if not most interesting beers in craft beer. Additionally, founder Sam Calagione has maybe done more for the growth in craft beer aside from anyone named Michael Jackson or Jim Koch.
7Seriously, I challenge you to find another better pairing. Do it. Until you’ve had this pairing, you won’t ever understand the food and beer pairing. This is the standard. See if you can exceed it.
8It does seem to me that I judge music based on degrees of Pavement. I’m OK with that.
9In fact, I know several people who own it but don’t appreciate it. I suggest for those who don’t get it (and this may very well go for any so-called classic record) that they should read the book in the 33 1/3 series to get the context. If you can’t appreciate Aeroplane after that, there’s nothing I can do for you.
10Oh, I know my demographic: middle-class white folk who can’t seem to rid themselves of white guilt. It’s okay. Embrace your racism. I’ve made peace with mine.
11Doing so would be a perfectly acceptable practice as well.
12I don’t like dance music. So, I’m sure you could name a better dance record. Still, this album would have to be in your top-10 of the last decade.
Does Size Matter?
Boy, I can’t wait to see the spam this post attracts…
A hot topic in beer circles is that the Brewers’ Association has redefined “small” in order to keep one of their charter members, the Boston Beer Company (Sam Adams), under the label “craft beer brewer.” Sam Adams is huge, but they don’t produce nearly as much beer as the big industrial producers of rice adjunct swill do. Sam Adams founder Jim Koch once joked about how Budweiser or some beer producer like that spills more beer in a year than his brewery sells all together.
So, the move to redefine “small” makes sense. Sam Koch’s baby is all growns up, but she ain’t anything like the rice kings of beer. Still, Sam Adams doesn’t taste like it used to and this is probably related to the growth in Koch’s company. By Boston Beer growing bigger, it has giving up on some of its quality, not like the big brewers, but the change is palpable. Still, the BA needs a major player on its roster. It needs a company with the capital to pay for lobbyists and keep the craft brewing portion of the market vocal in DC. As long as the rest of the craft beer community stays small, Boston Beer Company will need to stay within the parameters of craft brewing.
For the BA’s purposes, size matters. They need a major player in Washington, in the industry. They need some muscle to take on the non-craft beer sector. Despite changing what it means to be labeled as “craft beer,” cheapening what it means to be craft, AB did what they had to do.
For Sam Adams/Boston Beer, size also matters. Growth is important for the company’s stability. The more beer they sell, the more profits they make. More profits fuel that growth. That growth dilutes the product. Still, they’re technically a craft brewing company.
Both BA and Boston Beer have paid a price to retain their status in the industry. The cost they pay is a hefty one. For the BA, the cost is the watering down, diluting what it means to be a craft brewer. By keeping Boston Beer in the club, the meaning of what is craft versus what is a mass-produced product is blurred. The BA begins to look more like AB. And Boston Beer grows to the point where their beer doesn’t taste like it once did. Somewhere, quality is giving way to to quantity. The relationship between BA and Boston Beer is both beneficial and detrimental.
Similar is the effect of bands moving on to major labels and/or reaching new heights in their sales figures. The music isn’t as immediate as it once was, not as clever. The material becomes drab and mundane in order to appease a new audience or label. Size and quantity kill quality.
It’s late and I won’t get to hyperlinking or footnotes. Leave some comments so that this conversation may continue. What do you think about BA redefining what makes a brewer “craft?” What about music? Does success or sales numbers have a detrimental effect?
Talking to Girls About Pavement
I’m currently reading Talking to Girls About Duran Duran by Rob Sheffield[1]. The premise is basically that the author has a million and one stories about trying to explain his love for music to various girls and women. He’s confused about how to talk to girls and music is all he can talk about. It’s a relaxing read before I go to bed every night. I like reading about others’ obsession with rock music. It makes me feel as though this coalition is bigger than I once thought.
The book got me thinking about my relationships with girls and women and the music over which I obsess. I haven’t normally had to explain a lot to the women in my life, but there have been times when I felt it was necessary. There is my sister who used to stay home from school and secretly dub all of my CD’s while I was at school or practice. Now, she influences my tastes as much as anyone. There are the infinite female friends who show me up indie-geek-style on a regular basis. Still, I’ve generally dated or pined over women who don’t share my obsession, at least not to the extent I do[2].
How does one talk to girls[3] about Pavement?
I mean, in the beginning, they were barely a band. Hell, throughout their history, Pavement was barely a real band. Only through years of familiarity and SM’s drive did they begin to resemble a seasoned and cohesive unit. Who needs rehearsal, right? Overdubs? What’s that?
How do you make sense of that? How do you get your girlfriend excited over a band that probably will tune their guitars for most of the set? How do you explain that you actually like Stephen Malkmus’ voice? Why does every song have an inside joke?
Eventually, I quit explaining. Maybe I’d make a mix tape or take a girl to a show, but I lost the need to explain myself. Simply presenting the band as is became sufficient. You can like them or not. I don’t care. I do.
Still, there’s this compulsive need to talk to girls and women about the things we love, particularly bands[4]. I don’t know what it is, but I do it. I’ll tell my partner about this new band or record. If she doesn’t care for the music, she’ll change the subject. If she likes the music, she’ll humor me. Even then, I can only talk for so long before she grows bored.
And it’s not just my wife. At some point, Pavement or some review I wrote on this or past blogs comes up in conversations with other women[5]. The conversation turns south either at the moment I hit over-saturation or I inadvertently insult someone’s favorite band. Still, I go on. I can’t stop.
Now, there’s a new girl in my life. She’s only two, but she’s incredibly responsive to music. Lucia[6] goes through phases with songs. Right now – and for quite a while now – she’s obsessed over Sufjan Stevens’ “Chicago” and she’ll periodically pick up on new instruments or sounds she didn’t notice before. Lu’s incredibly attuned to music.
Just the other night, she asked me to sing. She hasn’t wanted me to sing to her in bed for a while. So, I pulled out a song I’ve sung to her since she was a newborn: “Cut Your Hair.” She listened. Then, Lucia asked me to sing it again. I sang that Pavement song three or four times before I told her she had to sleep, but she was into it. My kid was into Pavement.
I’ll talk to Lucia about Pavement and other bands, but she doesn’t care. She knows that one Yo Gabba Gabba song gets her to move. She knows that she loves the chorus to Deerhoof’s “Milkman.” And she knows that she loves the “Ooh Ooh Song” daddy sings to her at night. It’s not important why. It just feels right. It makes her happy.
So, I start to wonder if I really do have to talk to girls about Pavement. Of course, like any kind of art, we should discuss it, but do we have to tear it apart and dissect every note and lyric? Probably not. Does it have a good beat that makes you want to dance? Can you sing with it? I think girls and women can get Pavement as much as I do. I don’t have to figure Pavement out for them[7].
It all makes me think of this Eef Barzelay[8] song, “Girls Don’t Care.” It can come off as condescending or slightly sexist, superficial and stereotypical at best. However, that’s not the point[9]. Listen.
Maybe so much talking isn’t necessary. Maybe we can just enjoy music or beer or whatever. Sure, part of the enjoyment is some nice conversation, but obsessing begins to dilute that enjoyment. The conversation and what consumes us should be the people with which we’re sharing the experience. The girl or woman (or whomever) you’re talking to is what’s important.
This explains a lot about my history with women. Now I know why so many girls lost interest in me when I talked about The Graduate[10] or played another Guided By Voices seven inch. That stuff is fine, but they were interested in me and possibly wanted me to be more interested in them. I guess I figured this out[11]. Hopefully, I’ll keep it in mind as my daughter grows up.
I haven’t finished Talking to Girls About Duran Duran [12],but I suspect Rob Sheffield comes to a similar conclusion.
Notes:
1This is significant for a couple of reasons. First, I honestly don’t read many books. I read plenty, but I have never had much patience for books. However, anything about indie rock, I tend to devour it. That and Sheffield’s last book about mixed tapes was really good.
2This isn’t completely fair as they’ve all had pretty specific tastes in music. Some good, some not so good. Currently, my partner likes stuff like Sea & Cake, Broken Social Scene, Arcade Fire, Rachels, Beirut, etc. So, that works.
3It should be understood by now that this doesn’t have to be about girls or women. It could easily apply to boys and men or anything in between. I’m just using girls/women because that’s how I related to Sheffield’s book. We’re boringly awkward straight dudes who could never talk to girls. That’s all.
4Although, I think this topic easily could apply to craft beer or homebrewing. When someone writes Talking to Girls About Beer, I’ll rewrite this post. Until then, I’m writing about bands.
5And by “other women” I don’t mean “other women I am fooling around with” just to be clear. It’s just conversation.
6Pronounced “Loo-sha,” not “Loo-see-ya.” I really wish the nurse at the doctor’s office would read this so that I wouldn’t have to correct her every time.
7I do realize the obviousness of this observation. Still, if it were so obvious, why do we boys feel the need to explain why this album’s great or that movie is brilliant. Don’t we prefer companions who figure this shit out for themselves? My point is that it must not be that obvious. It’s easier to make this assertion than it is to simply quit telling girls how to like music.
8An artist I obviously love as this is the second post in this blog’s history that purposely features his work. Interesting that I don’t have that many of his albums. Maybe that needs to be rectified.
9I’ll get to what it has to do with this post, but the song is more about idiot boys obsessing over things, aesthetics, and media. For me anyway, it’s not about simplifying things for girls. It’s about, well, I’ll get to it. Keep on reading.
10My favorite movie ever, but I’ll save that for a later post.
11Still, even after five years of marriage, I slip back into that mode of talking at my partner about this band or that beer. I’ll learn my lesson for real someday.
12I love how this sentence makes it seem as though I still talk about Duran Duran. Because I don’t. Really.
2010 in review
WordPress basically wrote the post below. I’ll supplement and interject with my thoughts throughout…
The stats helper monkeys[1] at WordPress.com mulled over how this blog did in 2010, and here’s a high level summary of its overall blog health:
The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads Wow. Apparently, slightly more than a post a week is considered “wow” by WordPress standards. I don’t know that I’d say the health is wow, but it is promising. I actually feel better about this blog’s potential than the last even though it had probably three times the traffic. Of course, I published three times as often and often criticized the town in which I live which didn’t jive with the locals.
Crunchy numbers
A Boeing 747-400 passenger jet can hold 416 passengers. This blog was viewed about 7,600 times in 2010. That’s about 18 full 747s. This actually doesn’t seem that impressive to me, especially when one considers that most of those view are by the same ten people.
In 2010, there were 64 new posts, not bad for the first year! There were 96 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 48mb. That’s about 2 pictures per week. Is it me or does that first sentence come off as condescending? Also, the pictures stat is irrelevant as my pictures are either stolen or are shitty iPhone pics.
The busiest day of the year was December 3rd with 153 views. The most popular post that day was The Ten Best Albums of 2010. This just encourages me to post more top-whatever lists of music. I guess you crave my opinion quantified in a top-10 list.
Where did they come from?
The top referring sites in 2010 were facebook.com, in-misery.blogspot.com, grou.ps, hungryhorde.blogspot.com, and twitter.com. This is interesting as my second-greatest referrer is my old blog. It sort of explains my fond memories of that blog and its readership[2].
Some visitors came searching, mostly for emo is dead, screaming girls, diy bed, lebron james beard, and vampire weekend contra. According to these search terms, I should be writing more about emo or dead genres, screaming girls, LeBron’s “beard,” and either an album that came out a year ago or the most blogable of the buzz bands.
Attractions in 2010
These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.
The Ten Best Albums of 2010 December 2010
17 comments
Emo is dead. January 2010
7 comments
Men and Beer November 2010
6 comments
Pavement and Girls July 2010
2 comments
Why? January 2010
1 comment
This aligns with the stats above. My readers love or I get the most traffic from top-10 lists, emo, beer, and Pavement. The “Why?” piece is simply my page explaining the purpose of the blog. It’s in terrible need of revision.
In the comments, tell me what you get from these stats. Should I write more about how dead emo is 5-10 years after it had already been declared dead the first time? Is this bog really wow or is there a better word to describe its health? What post from the past year stirred you to join my coalition?
Also in the comments, feel free to write a new description for my Why?/About page.
Notes:
1Not actual monkeys.
2Facebook and Twitter are just tools I use to garner some traffic. I use FB more, so it ranks higher. The Ravenous Horde link is interesting as Tina never updates her blog anymore. The other reference point is just my beer club. No doubt those guys are disappointed every time I post something on music.
Dudes with Beards
I’ve been giving this a lot of thought[1]. What connects dudes with beards? Why grow hair on your face?
One interesting insight from the comments under my original beard post was this:
We were out at a beer event the other night and a non-beer friend remarked on the correlation of beards on beer people. It’s pretty strange, but I’ve noticed it before as well.
[the beard] brings all the girls to the yard.
While I’m not sure the beard actually “brings all the girls to the yard” in the same manner as my milkshake[2], it is interesting that so many bearded faces are those of beer folk. I mean, the examples are endless, just look below…
And, since I focus this blog on indie rock as well, the beards in that scene are just as prevalent…
And there are guys who are just funny/bad-ass who sport beards…
So, what connects all these men? Is it sheer animal magnetism? Is it a shortage of razors? Are they putting extra testosterone in our Wheeties?
Honestly, I think we just like how it looks, makes us feel. Imperfections are easily covered. Our faces never grow cold while out wassailing. WE DON’T HAVE TO SHAVE.
In the end, does it really matter[5]?
Apparently, it does. This is now my second post on the subject[6]. Nearly everyone I run into comments on the beard. They either like it or they don’t. And for whatever reason, they feel the need to share their opinions on my facial hair. It’s as if I’m pregnant and everyone’s commenting on how large I’ve grown while they rub my belly and eyeball that bottle of whiskey and carton of cigarettes in my shopping cart.
The funny thing is that I’ll probably shave the thing off at some point mostly out of boredom. Every time I’ve shaved a beard in the past, it’s primarily to do with boredom. I’ll be done with it eventually.
But for now, it seems to be a hot-button topic here at Building Coalitions. What are your thoughts on beards? What’s the connection between beards? Why does a “beard” also refer to a partner of the opposite sex whose only purpose is to make you seem straight?
As always, comment below and provide me content.
Notes:
1Not really, but I couldn’t sleep and wanted to blog about something.
2My partner does not like it, but she’s tolerating it. For now. My kid loves it, but I may grow tired of her ever-improving grip.
3Yes, the Dude appears to be humping a Sam Adams’ Infinium. I plan to drink and review my own bottle sans fornication.
4Whiskey-drinking bro.
5No.
6And most likely last. At two posts, this is already overkill.
Beer and Pavement 
4 comments