Friday, February 27, 2015

Music Friday: "These Things I've Come to Know"

A couple of new albums came out this Tuesday. The first is J.J. Grey and Mofro's Ol' Glory. The second album is James McMurtry's Complicated Game

I'm featuring a tune from McMurtry's album today, and it's "These Things I've Come to Know." This song reminds me of one of my favorite Jason Isbell tunes, "Streetlights." 

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Random Notes from a Crank

A) As I write this portion of the post, I'm sitting here at gate B14 as I wait for my plane to arrive to take me to Charlotte and then Greenville, SC for a conference. 

I suspect the flight will be delayed some because of the weather in NC. 

I haven't been in a book store in a while, so went into an airport bookstore and discovered Neil Gaiman has a book of short fiction out and David O. Stewart has a new book published called Madison's Gift: Five Partnerships That Built America. I really enjoyed Stewart's American Emperor: Aaron's Burr's Challenge to Jefferson's America. I suspect I'll be picking up those books soon but probably after I at least finish Wendell Berry's Our Only World.

B) It's been over a decade since I've been in the Charlotte airport back when I was routed through there for various job interviews in '02. I had forgotten how big the airport is. And hot. They have the heat turned up way too high. And it's full of slow walkers. As usual, the airport's white rocking chairs were fully used in the atriums. 


C) I'm here in Greenville, and it's snowing like hell. 

Friday, February 20, 2015

Music Friday: "Doesn't Remind Me" & "Show Me How to Live"

This week I've been listening to Audioslave a lot. I prefer Soundgarden by a wide margin over Audioslave, but the latter band put out some solid albums and great tunes. 

Today I offer a couple of my favorites.




Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Random Notes from a Crank

How depressing. I found out the other day that Marvel killed off one of the best comic book characters of all time, Wolverine. If you're guessing that I bought the Death of Wolverine, you would be right. 



Sad to see that badass go. 

The other day I danced in front of the dog when I was listening to Weezer's blue album. She stared at me with a weird look. Bitch...

Oh Oklahoma, you've got to be one the top five states that has the craziest legislators ~  and craziest residents because they vote for those morons. 

Saturday, February 14, 2015

[Belated] Music Friday: "Phosphorescent Blues"

I would have gotten to this yesterday, but I was just exhausted from being a keynote speaker, driving home from downtown Chicago in rush hour traffic, and then making it just in time to catch the last thirty minutes of the Daddy-Daughter Dance last night. 

But let's get past all this apologizing. 

The fine fellows of the Punch Brothers have a new album out. Check out the title track. 

Friday, February 6, 2015

Music Friday: "Wolves" & "Katherine Belle"

One album I'm looking forward is American Aquarium's new release, Wolves

So below is the title track of the album with "Katherine Belle" from Dances for the Lonely thrown in for good measure. 




Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Band Names Part Five

As I did once in 2012couple of times in 2013, and another time in 2014, I'm providing some band names I've thought of. 

Here they are:
  • Deflated Balls
  • Plausible Deniability
  • Vasa Deferentia
  • Obstructors of Justice
  • Age of Acceleration
  • Marrow Bone
  • Shady Ladies
  • Flag Decals
  • Boozeroonies
  • Barn Dancers
  • Mr. Pitifuls
  • Pixelation
  • Wire-Sewn Heart
  • Mind Riot
  • Dislike Buttons
  • Over-Sharers
  • Human Rain Delay
  • Russian Characters
  • Big Pink Machine
  • PEDs
  • Those Who Cannot
  • Stiffnecks
  • MIscreants