All posts tagged music

Pruning the tree of life

February 6, 2009

I’m taking a course in genetics and evolution this semester — a good month to start, no? — to fill in my biology background as I work towards a future involving neuroscience. So I am likely to post more about science here, and also less frequently.

Especially since I had an epiphany about “focus” last month. For most of my life I’ve sympathized with Sylvia Plath’s fig tree predicament, too engrossed in possibilities to fully realize any of them. But perhaps some process of maturation has culminated, because it’s become easier to prune away activities and possessions (tangible and electronic) that aren’t contributing to my goals.

(If you’re looking for inspiration along those lines, try the chorus of Saul Williams’ “Break” — NSFW)

PS — For the record, I do think one can be too goal-focused. (continue reading…)

Mystery Science Theater at MIT

January 19, 2009

I manned a video camera last night for a talk at MIT by two of the creators of Mystery Science Theater 3000 (Joel and Trace), which was pretty rad.

It was a little inspiring to hear about how the show started pretty much from scratch in Minneapolis/St. Paul and gained a local following, before eventually attracting the attention of cable networks. I often think about how much of a handicap it is for someone to do art somewhere outside of LA or NYC.

Also funny was hearing about confused feedback they received early on, from people complaining they couldn’t focus on the movies with all the snarky commentary interrupting. Reminded me of when in college I got one of the funniest guys on campus to write a fake, obviously humorous advice column for the school paper – people would hilariously complain that he was giving out bad advice.

In case you were wondering, the most disturbing (clip) and funny (commentary) MST3K clip they showed would have to be this one on how young women should dress themselves.

They also showed bits of the trailer to the 1972 ecological sci-fi film Silent Running, which formed part of the inspiration for the show. Joan Baez sang two songs for the movie (co-written by Peter Schickele of PDQ Bach fame, of all people), and here’s the one I like best:

I hear the talk may be on some MST3K DVD in the future, so be on the lookout if you’re a big fan…

Winter salt stains

January 10, 2009

The Leffot shoe store’s blog share some tips for protecting your shoes from road salt stains this winter:

The best way to combat the stain is to rinse the shoes off while they are still wet. If that’s not possible the salt will dry leaving a white stain, and the longer it’s left on will begin further damaging the leather.

Yes there are products made to remove salt stains, but I’ve always used a 50/50 mixture of warm water and white vinegar. Use a soft cloth and wipe away the stain, after the shoe is dry proceed to a leather balm or conditioner and then polish.

(h/t A Continuous Lean)

I don’t know which special products he had in mind, but I am as likely to use Lexol leather cleaner as his remedy, since I happen to have a big squirt bottle of it. Why? Because I needed some Lexol leather conditioner (rather essential), and thought, why not get the whole kit.

A commenter makes the sensible point that if you keep your shoes polished well enough (polish being basically wax), your shoes will soak up foreign substances less to begin with. Which stimulates my guilty conscience about not having polished my main pair of brogues myself.

As a former vegan I never thought I’d be write a blog post about leather care. More on that another time perhaps.

Something completely different –

Al Green, “Lay It Down”

December 31, 2008

Normally I dislike music by nice guys who sound like they finish last – or rather, I avoid it lest it compromise my psychological butchness (such as it is). But damn, I like Al Green’s last album, Lay It Down:

“Lay it down” –

“Just for me” –

“No one like you” –

And speaking of media posted in full to YouTube: I don’t be ticklin’ or nothin’…

Songs from a Colbert Christmas

December 25, 2008

Speaking of Christmas music, OMG, how hilarious was Colbert’s Christmas special? (Link goes to Google Video results.) I saw the tail end back when it came out, but only saw the rest of it today.

In case anyone else missed it too, IMHO here are the musical highlights (first two are PG-13, FYI) –

Willie Nelson spoofing the three kings:

I don’t have anything against singing traditional Christmas carols – I did it twice already this month, at a Quaker potluck and at a solstice party – but I do approve of post-religious alternatives emerging through the folk process.

And I suspect that funny songs like these are more likely to catch on than anything self-consciously written as a “humanist carol.” (Like how some people would rather praise the Flying Spaghetti Monster than explicitly identify as humanist.)

John Legend, “Nutmeg”:

I can imagine caroling that next year, can’t you?

If not that, perhaps Elvis Costello’s “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace Love & Understanding”:

(Supposedly this version includes the video, but my Firefox crashes when I click it)

Björk’s Christmas album

December 25, 2008

(Photo from bjorkish.com.net)

…doesn’t exist, but I’ve always thought of Gling-Gló that way. And turns out it was actually released on Christmas in 1990.

Here are three tracks, with English translations of the (Icelandic) lyrics:

Brestir Og Brak

Crackle and Bang

The commitees are bad, heavy is their load
we will however beat their asses
because we can delay the christmas to march
if only we want to

It is like I hear crackles and bangs
from the awesome power
when you, down in congress, whip their asses
with your thunderous mouth
yes, the ruralparty I break back
like a leaky wreck
yes, maybe I should
lift the house and blow off the green copper roof

Yes, it will make him happy
lighten his dark days
as the small children buy a ki-li-li-lo
of fruits for their belly
yes, merrily I will sing he-le-le-lo
also ding-ding-dong
It will all be sold out
though I seldomly find that we ever have sold enough!

No, it will make him happy
lighten his dark days
as the small children buy a ki-li-li-lo
of fruits for their belly, yes
merrily I will sing he-le-le-lo
and also ding-ding-dong

It will all be sold out
though I seldomly find that we ever have sold enough!
though I seldomly find that we ever have sold enough!
though I seldomly find that we ever have sold enough!

Bella Símamær

Bella the Operator

She’s Bella, Bella, Bella, Bella the operator
not quite born yesterday
she’s Bella, Bella, Bella, Bella the operator
knows something about everyone,
and tells you how long you’ve been on

In lovecalls right of precedence always applies
I ought to know best about that
in humor and beauty she eliminates all others
that Bella, Bella, Bella the operator

Hello hello
yes what is your name?
what do you want with me?
I don’t know you!

Hello hello
oh is that you!
I know you now!
let’s have a truce!
there, you win!

And her eyes are blue and deep and bright
she smiles heartily and laughs

She’s Bella, Bella, Bella, Bella the operator
Not quite born yesterday
More fun and beautiful than any other
Bella, Bella, Bella the operator

Hello hello
yes what is your name?
what do you want with me?
I don’t know you!

Hello hello
oh is that you!
I know you now!
let’s have a truce!
there, you win!

And her eyes are blue and deep and bright
she smiles heartily and laughs

She’s Bella, Bella, Bella, Bella the operator
not quite born yesterday
in humor and beauty she eliminates all others
that Bella, Bella, Bella the operator

She’s Bella, Bella, Bella, Bella the operator
Not quite born yesterday
in humor and beauty she eliminates all others
that Bella, Bella, Bella, Bella
Bella, Bella Bella, Bella
Bella, Bella, Bella the operator

Luktar-Gvendur

Lantern-Gvendur

He brought light in both his hands
around the town each night
lamplighter-Gvendur from long long ago

By his grey hair he was known
gleaming by the lanterns light
lamplighter-Gvendur from long long ago

He could be heard walking calmly and quietly
down every street during the night
his heart would smile with joy

If a young boy and girl
he saw, he would not light his lamp
leaving them in the shade of darkness

And he reminisced about his youth
and he looked back on his sweet love
when he hugged tight his sweet young girl

He brought light in both his hands
around the town each night
lamplighter-Gvendur from long long ago

A happy Festivus to all

December 23, 2008

I never tire of this track in the winter.

Evelyn Petrova, “December. A plot of land.”

French word of the day: ut

December 19, 2008

I logged into Google Reader for the first time in months, finding a sleek new interface, containing a new Anne Archet entry, containing a new word: ut.

Et puisque les murs sont aussi minces que du carton d’emballage, on peut tout entendre, des premiers soupirs au contre-ut orgasmique — fuck, on entend presque tes sous-vêtements tomber sur le sol.

Apparently it was the original name for C in solfège (you know, do-re-mi-fa-sol), taken by Guido d’Arezzo from the first syllable of Ut queant laxis, a chant for John the Baptist. In the 18th century people decided it was hard to sing and switched to do, but in French ut is still used for phrases like “contre-ut,” which I’m pretty sure means “high C”.

Here’s a recording of that chant (gets a little weird after the first round):

Raffaella Carrà, “Rumore”

December 19, 2008

If you’re in Boston, it’s a snow day, and via my friend Suse comes the perfect snow day viewing:

Prada in the spring

June 16, 2008

I made the following video – the Sex in the City trailer with an awesomely weird Japanese band as soundtrack – as a joke for my girlfriend, whose friend broke into her Facebook profile and filled it with Sex in the City references. (She detested the movie.) It syncs up surprisingly well, especially after 0:45 and 2:10, so I am posting it here for general consumption.

The track is “Refusal fossil” by Ruins.

Ddoom-tchak!