Skritch Skritch Tap Tap

Eleventh Dream Day “Making Like A Rug” New Moodio is...

Tue, 07 May 2013 20:57:43 -0500

Eleventh Dream Day “Making Like A Rug”

New Moodio is Eleventh Dream Day’s “lost record,” a parallel world version of El Moodio. It is also the snapshot of a band at its peak. Recorded and mixed in just a few days, there is an urgency and excitement that courses through these songs played by a band empowered by freedom and possibility.

Chicago’s finest, and they’re still crackling and ripping, 20 years later.

Yo La Tengo.

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 07:20:54 -0500

I’m skritching again. Actually, I never stopped. I just stopped posting on tumblr. But here are some words on an excellent show I saw 2 1/2 months ago now..

Setlist:

Acoustic
Ohm
Two Trains
The Weakest Part
The Summer
Ashes On The Ground
The Point of It
Cornelia and Jane
I’ll Be Around
Sugarcube
Center of Gravity

Electric
Cherry Chapstick
Is That Enough
Before We Run
Autumn Sweater
Tired Hippo
Paddle Forward
Nothing To Hide
Ohm
Tom Courtenay
The Story of Yo La Tango

Encore
Gimme All Your Lovin’
One PM Again
Nowhere Near

Encore 2
Time Fades Away
What Can I Say

Gold Stars For Robert Boy. I recently uncovered my kindergarten...

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 11:24:52 -0500

Gold Stars For Robert Boy.

I recently uncovered my kindergarten report card. They don’t make them like that anymore.

Record Fair Aftermath (7” version).

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 08:10:32 -0500

Record Fair Aftermath (7” version).

Coloring Outside the Lines. While Easter-ing at my parents, I...

Sun, 31 Mar 2013 20:56:06 -0500

Coloring Outside the Lines.

While Easter-ing at my parents, I came upon some pages that had been pulled from coloring books and given as cards/gifts in my quite-youth. Even then, I knew.

XTC “Easter Theatre” Easter… in her bonnet...

Sun, 31 Mar 2013 06:42:55 -0500

XTC “Easter Theatre”

Easter… in her bonnet
Easter… in her hair
Easter… are the ribbons
She ties everywhere

Happy springtime!

Happy 60th Birthday, Robyn Hitchcock!

Sun, 03 Mar 2013 21:11:50 -0600

Happy 60th Birthday, Robyn Hitchcock!

The Dentists “I Had An Excellent Dream” Since tumblr...

Sun, 27 Jan 2013 18:49:17 -0600

The Dentists “I Had An Excellent Dream”

Since tumblr has for the moment deigned that an mp3 file is not an audio file (wtf), uploading this from a ripped file from The Dentists’ indispensable compilation, Dressed was not possible. So you can stare at the cover to Some People Are On The Pitch They Think It’s Over It Is Now while YouTube does its thing.

By the way, I did have an excellent dream this jingle jangle morning. 9 1/2 hours of sleep will facilitate that.

‘The Last Catholic In America’ was the first...

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 21:05:42 -0600

‘The Last Catholic In America’ was the first “adult” book I remember reading cover to cover. It was introduced to me by my junior high school English teacher, Mr. Skerritt, who, like my parents, was a product of south side Chicago Catholic grade schools. He read chunks of it to us in 7th grade—the clean parts anyway. The rest of it I had to read on my own, and I did. It was funny and bawdy and filled with dirty words, or at least it seemed so to a 12 year old. Now, thumbing through the yellowed pages of the original paperback, it’s rather quaint, and almost has me nostalgic my CCD classes (I was always a “public”). Almost.

The author of ‘Last Catholic,’ John R. Powers, died today. Thanks for the laughs, John.

Jimmy Jules and the Nuclear Soul System “The New...

Tue, 01 Jan 2013 10:01:27 -0600

Jimmy Jules and the Nuclear Soul System “The New Year”

I didn’t post any Christmas music here this year. Actually, until a few days ago, I hadn’t posted anything at all here in months. But tucked on the tail-end of one of my favorite holiday compilations of recent years, In the Christmas Groove, is this bit of new beginnings, positive-thinking, feel-good, disco-soul. Oh, yeah!!

Just remember kids: “Only the strong survive, there’s just no time to fool around and jive.” Oh, yeah!!

Happy New Year!

The Replacements “Swingin Party” Happy birthday,...

Mon, 31 Dec 2012 21:31:50 -0600

The Replacements “Swingin Party”

Happy birthday, Paul Westerberg.
Happy New Year’s Eve, everyone. Bring your own lampshade.

The terrible twilight tyranny of symmetry.

Sun, 30 Dec 2012 08:33:37 -0600

The terrible twilight tyranny of symmetry.

Sign of the times.

Sun, 30 Dec 2012 08:30:45 -0600

Sign of the times.

Here’s no surprise: Having a whole bunch of books about...

Sun, 30 Dec 2012 08:22:56 -0600

Here’s no surprise: Having a whole bunch of books about sketchbooks and journaling doesn’t make whole hoot of difference in actually sketching and journaling. Or at least posting them on tumblr.

Yes, they have Culver’s in Illinois, but my travels to...

Fri, 07 Sep 2012 14:03:05 -0500

Yes, they have Culver’s in Illinois, but my travels to Wisconsin are not complete without a Butterburger.

Heaven 17 “Crushed By The Wheels Of Industry” Happy...

Mon, 03 Sep 2012 10:08:34 -0500

Heaven 17 “Crushed By The Wheels Of Industry”

Happy Labor Day, everyone!

Herb Alpert “This Guy’s In Love With...

Sun, 02 Sep 2012 22:09:30 -0500

Herb Alpert “This Guy’s In Love With You”

I’ve heard some talk
They say you think I’m fine

In memory of Hal David (1921-2012), who wrote many great songs, most of them as lyricist to Burt Bachrach. Like this one which I love beyond measure.

Divine Fits.

Fri, 31 Aug 2012 10:33:12 -0500

It seems fitting with the release of Divine Fits debut this week to post about their fourth ever show.

The Posies “Everybody Is A Fucking Liar” I said at...

Fri, 31 Aug 2012 05:44:04 -0500

The Posies “Everybody Is A Fucking Liar”

I said at the start of this 1 1/2 forlorn years ago that I wasn’t going to post about politics. But…you know.

Let’s throw it all in
And think of a place to back up
And begin to build something a little higher.

Peter Blegvad and Andy Partridge “Sacred...

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 23:01:01 -0500

Peter Blegvad and Andy Partridge “Sacred Objects”

Two of my favorite creative people of all time. Together again. Gonwards can’t come soon enough. Sing it, tired bird.