W.A.S.P. - Blind In Texas

saw this the other day.....

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Fire Poppers

In our constant quest for the perfect hot wing, I have found another alternative...

Every Friday now, it has become a tradition for me. I walk to Eden Wok on 34th and Madison and order the lunch special: General Tsao's Chicken. Its the best I've had in the city. Its spicy, lots of sauce, and lots and lots of chicken.

Two weeks ago, I went with Stephen, the Managing Editor at Stereophile, to Eden Wok to introduce him to my favorite Kosher Chinese food in the city. He opting for a different chicken choice ordered the "fire poppers." I asked, "what are they?"

He replied, "I dunno. They said they're spicy."

So we waited. I drank my Diet Doctor Pepper.

"#72!" My order was up. "#73!" Stephen's.

I happily ate my meal. Stephen devoured his and stopped before he finished and yelled, "That was delicious." To avoid any sort of social awkwardness, I did not ask to try my boss's food. We're not quite there yet.

I went to Eden Wok 2 weeks later (the previous week was skipped due to out-of-town travel) and excitedly ordered the fire poppers. I also noticed another part of their menu: Chinese Hot Dog. An egg roll with a hot dog inside, similar to rocket wrapps' wrap dogg. I'd save it for another time. I was on a mission.

"#70!" numbers at this place always fell between 60 and 90 somehow.

I brought my food to the table, opened the little plastic container and smelled something very similar to buffalo sauce. Could this be what I think it is?

It was. Essentially, boneless hot wings. Score!

Eden Wok useshigh quality Kosher meat and they fry it to perfection with a crispy but not brittle outside crunch and a juicy center. Also, you never find those sections of suspicious gristle. The Fire Poppers had a hint of sweetness, past the normal buffalo sauce taste, which just kept you eating more. It mixed well with the rice also. And as for the spicy quotient... I'd give it a 7.5. Not too spicy, but enough to tide you over without yelling at someone for telling you it was spicy when it really wasn't.

So do yourself a favor: head uptown to Eden Work and order the Fire Poppers lunch special with a beef eggroll (remember, its Kosher). It'll cost ya $11 if you get a can of soda too, but the food is enough to last you 2 maybe even 3 meals. Except with the Fire Poppers. You'll probably try and eat them all at once.

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I Just Wanted to Share the Experience.

My brother sent me this video last night. Its Paco de Lucia showing true composition skills.

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Shameless Self-Promotion

Hello readers. I know I haven't posted on CF in a while, but thats because you can see my current blogging at www.stereophile.com in the blogs section under the blog "Elements of our Enthusiasm." My current post about my new phono preamp is featured on the homepage.

Also! I've posted part 5 of my series of songs based on the Nintendo Gameboy epic The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening. It is titled "Marin (Hylian Love)". I hope you enjoy it. Here's jah link.

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I Think My Kidney is About to Explode

This is the painfully agonizing music video from the French electronic duo Justice. The song, appropriately titled, is called "Stress". I couldn't take my eyes of the screen but my intestines were churning.

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Bon Jovi for Pole Vault, Vivaldi for Archery

In the upcoming Beijing Olympics, there will be many magical moments to be captured. These amazing victories and painful athletic letdowns are only complete with a soundtrack. This article discusses how these milestones will be heard by the world. The answer includes wacky music search engines and Damon Albarn.

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Bright Eyes

So I know you all know the song "Total Eclipse of the Heart," but have you ever seen the music video? Bonnie Tyler's music video has fencers, ninjas, some alien being with glowing eyes, and serious 80s hair. Aaaaaaah! Freaking creepy!

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But Anyway (Updated!!!)

So I've been having random cravings for chocolate. Maybe I'm pregnant.

I've been considering changing the direction of this blog in many ways. I've accumulated top 5s from other writers to make this a Top 5 List only blog, but that might make it a little dull. I've considered random musings about my life, but that seemed a little emo. This post by itself is a little whiny, but anyway (cue John Popper harmonica solo)

I do have one random musing.

I had to buy some serious amounts of Japanese snack food today for my brother who is opening a sushi restaurant in Santiago, Chile called Fukai or deep. I went to the faithful M2M and purchased bags of wasabi peas, japanese nut mixes, and fruit gummies. Then I noticed something beautiful. Something glorious!

These friends, are Kasugai Chocolate Fruit Gummies. My intense love for chocolate covered gummies started with my initial love for gummies: gummy bears, gummy worms, pogo sticks, and pencil erasers. For about 4 months, I had been searching for Muddy Bears in movie theaters, but I never found them. I constantly asked my friend Ryan, like a 5th grader questing for the details of a first kiss, "What are they like? Are they as good as they sound? Chocolate covered gummy bears??"

I tried them at the Union Square Theater and was not let down, like many of us were by our first kiss. It was magical. But you can't find Muddy Bears everywhere. So when I found the Kasugai "Gumi Choco" Pack, I couldn't be happier. I was so excited when I got home that I ripped open the Apple Choco Gummies, and they exploded across my room . I suffered some shrapnel injuries, but Trickstar survived (pictured below).

The pack comes with four flavors: orange, grape, apple, and cherry. The cover characters depressed me. I didn't want to eat them, they were too cute, maybe a little tooooo cute.......AAAAAAAAAAARGGGHHHH!!!!!! GUMMMMMMMIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!

From the apple that I salvaged after the explosion, I felt like a little bit of chewy chocolate covered Red Delicious expanded like a hot air balloon in my mouth, flavor floating for taste bud to taste bud. The grape were a little 'artificial.' But what do you expect: its fucking candy! The orange kicked any sort of chocolate-covered-orange in the Naval. I have yet to try the strawberry. Its waiting for me back home while I update this article in JFK airport.

But anyway, everyone should head to their favorite Asian grocery store and see if they can find the "Kasugai Gumi Choco 4-Pack." If not, you can order them online here . Happy Eating.

Also, do yourself a favor. Download the song "But Anyway" by Blues Traveler. It'll match your gummy eating perfectly.

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Damn Pretzel Man!

Stew guides you through the whole thing. At first, I thought he would get annoying. Who the hell does he think he is? Narrating the whole story in song, and with an electric guitar!?

Stew ends up becoming your friend, and you learn to love Passing Strange, a new New York musical, the more it continues. You understand the main character's (not Stew) deepset attachment to music. Its a part of him, despite the fact that he's no good. The young man does performance pieces in Berlin, and love-making in Amsterdam. Stew steers you through the young man's life, city by city, and gives witty introductions to the characters, that you would likely think to yourself, but he's there with you! A guiding light. A shining beacon of truth. And then, he'll break the 4th wall and speak to you personally.

Throughout the musical, the youth, as he has no name, is searching for "the real." What the "real" world is like, outside of Crenshaw, the Los Angeles District. His journey makes him realize what is truly most important to him, a ((warning~~Made Up Word) monomythical model. During his enlightenment, Stew dictates a personal anecdote:

Stew: So I'm hanging with this man at the Telephone Bar in the East Village. Y'all know where that is?
Audience: (a low mumble)
Stew: Anyway, this man sells pretzels in Astor Place. You know, a pretzel vendor. So we were hanging out at this bar. And he tells me, "You know what your main character is looking for the whole time. The Real? Well the Real can't be found in the real world."

He continues to elaborate pretzel man's story until Stew responds moved: "Damn Pretzel Man. You're a deep motherfucker." When Stew shares this moment with you, its just you him and his guitar.

The music is stunningly fun and freakishly rocking. The participation, inclusion, and visibility of the live rock band awoke you to the music in the youth's head and made you part of Stew's creative process. Yet, due to this awesome live band is probably the show's biggest drawback: the steep learning curve. There's some adjustment time to not having fields of dancing lunatics clapping and jumping and screaming to your entertainment. The dancing in Passing Strange is much more subdued, personal movements of human beings and not lion kings. But you're not expecting this. You want shimmer and shine, but you get "the real." So, there's an adjustment period.

Anyway, Passing Strange rocks. period. You find yourself slowly falling into the "youth's" life and and stumbling into Stew's witty and insightful narration. Suddenly you're enveloped in a whole new world. The very reason we experience art. Yet the question as to what the experience is remains unanswered throughout the show (till the end, where these questions are kind of answered). Is art an escape from reality? Or the closest thing we can get to it?

Go find out for yourself. Balcony seats are only $66 bucks a pop and the Belasco Theater is pretty small so you'll still be able to see well.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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Slept in your overalls...

ahaha
Sometimes I think the new indie thing to do is to dump on indie stereotypes.
And it's still pretty funny.

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Music + Science = Sexy

I just stumbled upon an old interview with Questionable Content's author and artist, Jeph Jacques, found here. For those of you who don't know about my growing love with Questionable Content, it is a slice-of-life webcomic that follow a 20-something living in Massachusetts. Indie music humor can be found peppered throughout the five year archive. It's a good read, throw away a couple hours and check it out.


"What is your take on indie bands "selling out"? Do you think It's just a handy moniker for bands that just get too popular, or is there something else involved?

"Selling out" is the most ridiculous, overused, pointless term ever, pretty much. The only things that should matter when you listen to a band's music is whether you enjoy it or not- not whether they live in mansions or only four other people know they exist or whatever. If a band makes music I like, I'll listen to them. When it comes to somebody like Modest Mouse or the Flaming Lips, where they're on major record labels and making decent money off their music, I say good for them, as long as they're still making the kind of music they want to be making. I know first hand how difficult it is to make a living doing something creative- more power to anybody who can pull it off, regardless of their medium."

Your thoughts?

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My Space

Please be my friend.

Hello all my dear readers. I have opened up a myspace page for my music. I'll be posting songs periodically (that is after I record them). Please be sure to check it regularly, leave your friendly comments, and show any sort of love that you can.

Thanks,

Ariel

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California's okay but I think I might stay here a while...

I've been sitting on this a while, wanting to write something a little more significant about it, but I might as well just share it. The music video for Death Cab For Cutie's new single, "I Will Possess Your Heart".



I am really excited for the new album especially since "Gibbard claims that they have nothing to prove and that the band simply wants to make a record that they like." -- Behind the scenes

I am really digging this single, but don't think about it at all. I use it as great background music. Like if I were touring the world on public transit.

I'll see you all May 13th.

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Seraphim and seaweed swim where stick-limbed Myla lies

I know it’s late, but finally I get around to making my first real review. Entertaining the request of contest winner Julia, I decided to follow suit with so many other bloggers and throw in my two cents on Vampire Weekend’s debut album.


I first heard about this band around last summer when my friend Emily mentioned them in passing. I made the snap judgement of a local band with a stereotypical myspace page. They had some decent songs but I wrote them off. Then the momentum behind them just started to build and they took off. Is there anything left to say about them (aside from their bassist being Scott Baio’s nephew)?

Sure. It’s my duty to try and find it. So let’s check all the Afro-pop and Paul Simon comparisons at the door.

Like so many before me, I had to listen to this album more than once for it to really turn me. Part of me wanted to love it, so I could fit in with the in crowd. Part of me wanted to hate it, so I could fit in with the even more in crowd.

The album opens with a minimalistic vocal arrangement punctuated with several key piano notes. The rest of the band slowly fills in and introduces one to the sounds that one can expect as the album, as a whole, will go on. I don’t think there is a better track that explains the overall appeal of the band. Yes, there’s a degree of intellectualism but there’s a sincere playfulness that is so inviting, it’s hard not to smile.

I mean, they have a song called Oxford Comma. “Who gives a fuck about an Oxford comma?” Because I take special pleasure in trying to make heads or tails of English grammar rules (via harassing English majors), there’s a certain extra attraction I find to their second track. But in the words of the coolest persona in the music scene, High Fidelity’s Rob Gordon, “You gotta kick off with a killer, to hold the attention. Then you have to take it up a notch, but not blow your wad…” and I think this is exactly what Vampire Weekend has accomplished.

For the record, I am a supporter of the Oxford comma. It clarifies more ambiguities than it creates. I find it aesthetically pleasing by keeping order and continuity. I find it more proper. But that's just me.

Another personal favorite note is Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa. It’s enchanting and infectious. Enjoy it.

Where the album really loses me, unfortunately, is track 8, One (Blake’s Got a New Face). I find the chorus grating and it snaps me, quite harshly, out of the rest of the song. The vocals seem shrill and strained. It takes more concentration than one would expect to resist the urge for me to hit the skip button.

Despite this stumble, this is strong album from an upcoming band. What they do, in the grand tradition of pitchfork darlings before them, Arcade Fire, is kick the shoegazing crowd around a bit. The 90s are over and Lush isn’t gonna get back together. There’s no reason not to move around a bit. It’s wonderful party music.

But that brings me to an important point. While I find this album entirely energetic and playful, it is not dance party music. Let’s make a distinction: party music is fun, keeps people happy, is memorable but not overwhelming, you play it at a comfortable volume to encourage conversation. Some examples: The Arcade Fire, The Shins, Stars, or Guster. Dance party music is a little more energetic, typically played louder (think close talking and shouting or specifically moving to talk), and is instantly singable, especially in inebriation. Some of my favorite dance party beats: Daft Punk, Ted Leo, and anything pop-tastic (this implies everything from Kanye West, to Kelly Clarkson, to Third Eye Blind, to Rick Astley). At some point in the night, you keep drinking water not to avoid that hangover but because your throat hurts from screaming lyrics and your clothes are drenched in more sweat than your red plastic Solo can hold. If you’re not sweating this much, you’re doing something wrong.

Finally, one of the single most important aspects of any album for me is the closer. The Kids Don’t Stand a Chance successfully lulls me into a state of relaxation, like the friendly unwinding as your guests take their leave. There’s a mess to clean up now, but you’re just reveling in the afterglow of a successful night.

So, my thoughts? This is a good album. It’s not ground breaking but it’s fresh and new, so it kind of is. If you haven’t, pick up a copy; you won’t be wasting your money. It seamlessly fits in with most indie collections yet stands out on its own individuality. Though the buzz may die down, Vampire Weekend will be a band worth keeping an eye on. I have a feeling we’ll be seeing them in a few top 5 of 2008 lists at the end of the year.

Finally, written earlier this year:
http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2008/01/vampire_weekend_backlash.html
because who doesn’t love poking fun at hipsters?

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The Bitran Family: Top 5 Albums to Work/Study to

I gave a challenge to our writers to give me their top 5 albums to work or study to. Their interpretation of the use of the top 5 then followed with a list. In this entry, you'll find mine, my brother, and my sister's list with some glaring genetic correlation.

Alberto Bitran’s top 5:

These are my top five:

1) Dream Theater, Metropolis: Scenes from a Memory
2) Seu Jorge, The Life Aquatic (Studio Sessions)
3) John Coltrane, All grouped: My Favorite Things, Giant Steps, A Love Supreme
4) Luis Alberto Spinetta, Para Los Arboles
5) Sarah McLachlan, Fumbling Towards Ecstasy

This is for work, or in college or school doing homework (not for studying).


Debbie Bitran’s top 5:

here they are (in no particular order, except for number one...those two albums are actually my number ones):

1) Bela Fleck- Tales from the Acoustic Planet/ The Bluegrass Sessions: Tales from the Acoustic Planet (i listed both albums under one number)
2) Yann Tiersen- Le Fabuleux Destin D'Amelie Poulain (Amelie soundtrack)
3) Miles Davis- Kind of Blue
4) Lotus- Germination
5) Thelonious Monk- Round Midnight

This list is agreeable with ALL forms of studying: doing homework, busy work, just plain studying, reading, and all of the above. I have found in my few years of hardcore studying that listening to music is in fact conducive to studying; however, it is vital that the music be instrumental only -- no words. Words are distracting, and, unless you have an uncanny ability to concentrate, which some people do (example: my best friend marci...i'm convinced she has an adderall dispenser built in her brain), music with words will probably be counterproductive.


Ariel Bitran’s top 5:

Here’s my top 5.

1. Germination by Lotus: never-ending drums, spacey synthesizers, and honeyed melodies. No album is better to get your brain shifted into 5th gear. Mike Rempel’s sound-sweeping guitar pulls on the levers and pulleys in my prefrontal cortex and suddenly I’m a machine. Driven and destined. This ElectroniFunkaJamband expands on epic musical journeys that simply get me in the zone. It’s on both Debbie and my Top Five’s for one reason: the album is perfect.

2. Death and the Maiden by Takács Quartet: One of those random albums received in the acquisition between my brother’s music and mine freshman year, this string quartet’s performance of Franz Schubert’s Death and the Maiden provides a sense of adventure and grace to the studying process. When you hear the violinist breath into your ear, it is because he’s there with you struggling to beat that chapter. When he flips a page in his score, you turn one in your textbook and with every resinous bow across the cello, your highlighter slides across the page in such sweet squeakiness. At the latter portion of the album is another piece, Rosamunde I-IV, which is quite forgettable, compared to the exciting first half, but it’s worth the sacrifice.

3. Dead Set by the Grateful Dead: My old faithful of the set, I remember listening to this CD in my sweet CD/tape player back in the 6th grade while writing an essay about Redwall. Though many of the live cuts are edited, something many Dead fans may complain about, the choice cuts are juicy and the Dead boogie down hard. Instead of what could’ve possibly a slightly drawn out jam, you get song after song, keeping you moving. Brent Mydland’s Rhodes solo in the slowed down “Friend of the Devil” is transcendent.

4. Images and Words by Dream Theater: I don’t know what it is about double bass drum pedals, but they somehow make you write faster. This album has one of my favorite Dream Theater songs, “Take the Time” which encourages you to take it easy and not freak out, perfect advice while doing homework. Also, it has some of the most badass keyboard solos ever.

5. Boulevard by St. Germain: St. Germain’s brand of complex house jazz fills my need for pensive solos with a pulsing bass. Some beats are reminiscent of Dr. Dre, like the one on “Street Scene (For Shazz).”

I’d like to note that I cannot study for tests while listening to music, because I have to focus on my work. Primarily music is listened to while doing math-like homework, writing an essay, or any other busy work.

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Ryan Harrington's Top 5 Albums to Work/Study to

When I was first propositioned to make a list of albums to “work/study to” I was little dumbfounded. This is because I interpreted the “work” part of the question to be chores, like cleaning your car, tidying your room, washing dishes etc. Whereas studying is pour over textbooks and notes, reviewing concepts and formulas, writing out equations and solving problems. These are two different things, one very physical and one very mental.

After some deliberation, I went with the more clearly defined idea studying music, and sent off a quick list on my deadline, promising to get a full article in later (I’ve been neglecting blog duties on all fronts, sorry folks). As I worked on fleshing out this list, I realized that I shouldn’t just ignore my duties to you, gentle readers, just because I have “homework,” no, I should get serious about this. And ignore my homework. So, lucky ducks, you’re getting a big two for one deal here.

Now, many of you have read my earlier post (all three of you, perhaps) where I explained a little of my history with music. It happened to include a top 5 list of my favorite bands. Now, in general, what drew me to these bands can easily be identified by pop hooks, evocative lyrics, and an assortment of melancholy ballads and energetic singles amongst their repertoires. It’s easily accessible, yet can still be complex. This all very general because none of this applies to the music in this post at all.

Part of it is that music and mood go hand in hand in such a give and take relationship that it’s hard for music not to influence your mood and vice versa. So, I try and set strict parameters in discussions and avoid absolutes. Or maybe I’m just too scared to jump the fence and pick a side. Either way, you guys get two posts here: the first for gentle, solitary, and perhaps pedantic times, the other for visceral, energetic, and possibly sweaty situations.

The Top 5 Albums I study to:
5. Our Endless Numbered Days – Iron and Wine
There is a quiet, understated beauty in this album. The music has this sort of rustic, folksy charm that evokes images of log cabins and tall pine forests. I saw him live, and though it is not well reflected in his music, he is a very fun loving and endearing individual which always helps the music appeal to me. If I had to use a word to describe this, it would be tranquility.
Tracks to check out: Sodom South Georgia, Sunset Soon Forgotten

4. Mare Vitalis – The Appleseed Cast
Arguably the most upbeat of the albums on this list, which may make it seem a little out of place. Its draw is that its energy and rhythm are driven forward without being vocal centric. Typically, I love to sing along to songs and will get so caught up in what I am doing that I keep reading without actually paying any attention to the text at hand. Yet, I find that the varying intensity in this album perks my oft drooping eyelids without these distractions.
Tracks to check out: Fishing the Sky, Forever Longing the Golden Sun

3. Designing a Nervous Breakdown – The Anniversary
The keyboards are reminiscent of the classic video games of my youth. The vocals remind me of the cool, indie crowd I am still jealous of. The album itself brings back all sorts of memories from high school. Maybe I just listened to it a lot at home while dominating AP classes and feel like maybe, just maybe, the good student in me will poke through again. Maybe it’s just that the repetitive beats are a wonderful background filler that is not too obtuse. Who knows.
Tracks to check out: All Things Ordinary, The D in Detroit

2. Cease to Begin – Band of Horses
I was very hesitant to put this album on this list, especially so high; mostly because it’s still so new. It has over 50 spins though, on this computer alone, so hopefully the novelty has run its course and its sheer sticking power is what keeps drawing me back to it. There is a haunting quality about Ben Bridwell’s lyrics and voice that lingers in my mind and seems so empty. It reminds me of walking in cold, clear winter nights, the winds just howling.
Tracks to check out: No One’s Gonna Love You, Lamb On the Lam (in the City)

1. American Football – American Football
American Football is possibly one of my favorite albums of all time. If this band had a larger catalog, they may have climbed higher in my own ranks. While sounding eerily melancholy and slightly distant or isolating, I feel only a calming serenity wash over me and my mood strangely brightens. Emo lyrics are lost in the soft sounds and varying time signatures. It is this peace of mind that helps me focus rather than distract me, as I am prone to do.
Tracks to check out: Never Meant, For Sure.

The Top 5 albums to Work to:
5. Bleed American (or Self titled) – Jimmy Eat World
I have an unexplainable attraction to this saccharine album that just makes me want to get up and move. I scream along, jump around, and just get enthused. Though I am super awkward and shy, sometimes just cutting loose and having a good time wins out. And my absolute favorite thing is to crank this album and wash my car in the summer sun. It’s so simple, it’s beautiful.
Tracks to check out: The Authority Song, A Praise Chorus

4. Sorry About Tomorrow – Hot Rod Circuit
These are some really good sing along songs. For reals. They are named after a Simpsons quote. For reals. Okay, so I feel a little guilt because they’re kinda…well lame. It’s kinda lame, sure, but it’s a lot more fun. Draw your own comparisons because I don’t want to taint you with mine (which are kinda wrong).
Tracks to listen to: Cool For One Night, Let’s Go Home

3. The Body, The Blood The Machine – The Thermals
I think everyone reads those dystopian themed novels in school, either out of deliberate choice or part of a class. And I think it always makes a small portion of them, secretly, want to be revolutionaries. Rise up and lead a new era. And all that passion is conjured in this dystopian themed album.
Tracks to check out: St Rosa and the Swallows, A Pillar of Salt

2. Kill Them With Kindness – The Jealous Sound
I think the draw to this album is just how infectious it is. The riffs get in my head and I just want to move. Though all these albums have the occasional breather song, the one where you don’t have to be jumping and screaming the entire time, this is probably the tamest on the list. It’s just so goddamn catchy. Maybe I just can’t explain it properly.
Tracks to check out: Naïve, Does That Make Sense

1. Something To Write Home About – The Get Up Kids
I first got this album from my friend Dan, who has music tastes that are beyond impeccable, as a holiday gift along with a copy of, I believe, The Foo Fighters’ There is Nothing Left to Lose. Because The Color and the Shape is so amazing, I was really excited to get this other FF album but didn’t know what to make of this new band. Finally, I was doing homework one day and just put it into my cd drive. Ever since, I’ve been in love. This is so much of who I am: kinda loud and fast, a little emo, a bit childish. It reminds me of high school and that it’s okay to be young and stupid.
Tracks to check out: Ten Minutes, Close to Home

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Lots of Pork.

Everywhere you go in Hong Kong, the number one edible product is pork. There is no avoiding it, and attempting to keep Kosher there would be incredibly difficult. Our professor showed as a picture of some "premium grade beef" where the primary ingredient was pork. When you ordered chicken fried rice, guess what it came with, little pieces of pork. And while pork was everywhere in Hong Kong, music was not.

Sorry for the lame intro about pork. It really has nothing to do with music except for the fact that people care about digesting the pig more than musical notes in what HK dubbed itself as "Asia's World City." Asia is a continent rich in musical tradition, foreign scales, and unbelievably talented child prodigies, but the live music scene was a mixed bag of pork rinds.

On my first day there, I ventured out to find a digital camera. While making my purchase at King Dragon, I discovered a high-end audio set-up in the back portion of the store. After flipping out from some of the sweet equipment, the owner of the store played me some Stan Getz on his Boston Acoustic 303s. He was so proud of the fact that they were not made anymore. They did sound nice, and it was really the last I'd hear of good music in Hong Kong.

On my way out of the store, I asked some of the younger employees if there were any good live music spots in Hong Kong. They said no. I asked about any good jazz spots. They said no. Anything??

The owner responded, "Hong Kong is not the place for music."

I walked out disappointed, but I got a sweet camera. He was right though. I had read this in guides and online, but I would not be stopped.

On the second day of our trip, Jason took me to an Asian music instrument store which he had bought a Sanxian from on his previous trip. I learned to play his Sanxian over a couple weeks freshman year, and fell in love with it and wanted to buy one of my own. We arrived to the instrument store, divided East and West, piano or Sanxian, violin or guzheng, guitar or zither. The Chinese place such an important emphasis on maintaining their Chinese "essence" while adjusting to the changes of modernization. The ethereal harmonization of the guzheng really tantalized me. The store clerk bowed the zither a little and made it sing, but it could only play two notes! I needed something more involved.

Then, I saw it. I played it. I bought it. I asked what it was called. He said, "B'at." I carried it around for the entire trip. Played it at Buddhist monasteries, in Kowloon Park, and on the beach in Lantau Island. My connection to the B'at was deep and it became a part of my musical family. Its easy tuning of G-D-G-D made it easy to play, and it resounded with nearly Appalachian tones. I played the B'at like a bluegrass instrument and got some attention from the locals in the park. It was fun, and I had some Chinese essence in me. Maybe a little pork isn't too bad.

But nevermind my instrument, back to other people's. After many nights of going to sleep early trying to overcome overall exhaustion from an all-intensive trip and being 12 hours ahead of bodily-time schedule, I decided to go out and find some nightlife in the infamous Lan Kwai Fong (LKF) District. LKF is bar after bar after bar after bar each with a different theme. I had read that some of the bars had cover bands.

The first bar we went to with music was "Insmonia." After a beer, we headed to the back where a Filipino cover band was playing songs by Bryan Adams, AC/DC, and Bon Jovi. I guess cover bands are the same all around the world. The singer was talented and could really wail. And while I really wanted to hear the keyboardist take some mean solo, cause I knew he could, the real solo attention was on the shredding guitarist. He could sweep pick the dust of the floor, but I wish his guitar was not counterfeit. It was missing some markings that would definitely make it a Fender and it sounded way tooooo dark for a Maple fretboard and his relatively treble-ey settings on his beautiful tube amp. Despite my criticisms, he really was excellent and understood the international language of rock. I gave him a "rock on" sign and he stuck out his tongue like an East Asian Gene Simmons. A beautiful moment.

My final musical stop for the trip was the bar next door, an Irish pub which I noticed was playing some funky music. I went up to the DJ. His specialization was funky old-school rap and grooving beats. I requested some Parliament, and he was more than down.

Later in the evening, some of my classmates were unfortunately trying to start shit with the cool DJ because he wouldn't play Bon Jovi. I told the kid to go next door where the cover band wouldn't stop playing Bon Jovi. He didn't care. He asked the DJ, "What? Did Bon Jovi fuck your girlfriend or something?" Of course, the DJ got in his face and asked him if he wanted to get 'randy.' The Sternie continued provoke him to until the DJ's buddy came over and stopped any trouble from happening. Despite all the pork in Hong Kong, I know who the real pigs were. We ate, we drank, we brought nothing of value to the country accept for stupid kids at bars. If we could do better and listen to the sounds of the country, maybe the music would be a little better. Maybe an appreciation of culture instead of an appreciation of nightlife will enhance creativity between the two cultures. I'll be back searching for more and playing on the streets again with my b'at, trying to find the music somewhere.

Postscript: the b'at is actually called the Chinese Pipa and is a relative of the Iranian barbat. it is a relative to the lute, and incredibly difficult to tune.

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Lambada für Elise by Pavel Steidl

Guitarist Pavel Steidl rips Beethoven (not the dog) a new one with his rendition of Fur Elise.

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Moving Pictures

Filmcritic.com gives their opinion on what bands and artists they think should have movies made directly from their songs, in a similar style to Across the Universe. Bands that make the list: Radiohead, The Ramones, Nirvana, and Rush. Personally, I want to see the Aerosmith film about a girl named Janie, with a gun, on a killing spree. Check it out.

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Getting Better All the Time

Just a little followup to my review, I found this snippet while meandering around the internet about the use of Gomez in that Philip's ad back when the boys were just baby Brits. Apparently the guys beat out hundreds of other contenders for the Philips spot.

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I Know, I Know...

I know, I haven’t updated the blog in a week. But I’m back from a penalizing essay and slew of assignments to give you a round robin of upcoming album reviews. I gotta bunch of albums starting with the letter “A” for the next couple of weeks!

Abandoned Shopping Trolley Line by Gomez: Strangely, this album was my introduction to Gomez, and I fell in love with the sweeping Dead-like soundscapes of “Buena Vista,” but after listening to Gomez’s Bring it On, I learned their true strength is in melodic and innovative songwriting. So while “Buena Vista” can be a fun intro to anyone who’s into spacey music, Abandoned really shows Gomez’s strengths on some songs you’ll wonder even why they’re B-sides (as this entire album is, I should’ve explained that before…). Songs with those quirky yet catchy hooks you learn to love from Gomez include “Bring You’re Lovin’ Back Here,” “78 Stone Shuffle,” and the tasty alien-bossa-rock number “Flavors.” “Hit on the Head” is short and sweet, but “Steve McCroski” isn’t nearly short enough. Gomez, obviously in the midst of the electronic explorations, let the acid drop a little too hard on their heads with this one. It’s drawling and the loud whines sound like a cat stuck in a computer. But these are B-Sides, so you can’t be too harsh. Even though Abandoned Shopping Trolley Line isn’t an official studio release, there are some quality numbers. Go get Bring it On or In Our Gun first, preferably both. Then definitely buy this guy, sit down, put on “Wharf Me” and lose yourself.

Key Tracks: Bring You’re Lovin’ Back Here, Flavors, Wharf Me

My Favorite Musical Moments: Either when they steal a page right from the Grateful Dead's songbook with "Wharf Me" with that shimmering quivering guitar, or finally figuring out who does that "Getting Better" cover from the Philips commercials.

Rating: 3 1/2 Stars (out of 5)

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And the winner is...

So the first Cognitive Frequency contest has come to a close!

The lucky winner is Julia! You can pick up your calendar any time.
Because I thought more people would be interested than turned out to be the case, the second contest will be put on hold until a more interesting prize turns up. The final calendar will go to the first person to come get it.

My album review will come soon, promise.

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So the summer is eternity for you?

Here's your chance to have your voice heard and to score sweet swag to boot! The first Cognitive Frequency giveaway officially starts now!


So I am on the Insound.com mailing list because I like to browse their catalog of merch and see what’s selling hot that week. Insound is based in New York and primarily focuses on the ‘indie rock’ genre. They offer good prices and when there was a problem their staff was super helpful. Because they are relatively small, you get a sense of the staff and I like that personal touch. Plus when you order stuff, you always get tons of free cool stuff, posters, stickers, booklets, it’s a lot of fun.

When they added the option to buy albums from them digitally, I lauded their ‘Save the Album’ campaign, not providing single track download because I very much agree with supporting the fact that an artist took time to arrange an album in a specific manner. It’s part of their work too. A lot of famous bands helped make videos to support it to, including Colin Meloy.

So in a nutshell, I am a big fan of Insound. Check them out sometime.

Anyways, like I was saying, I got an email from them earlier this week and was browsing their site, when I came across their 2008 calendar. For one cent. Even though it is now March, making a sixth of the calendar kinda pointless, I couldn’t pass it up. In fact I bought the max limit of three. So I could start what would hopefully become a trend here at Cognitive Frequency: contests!

This beautiful 6” calendar not only features an awesome band each month (like Rilo Kiley, Hot Hot Heat, Minus the Bear, and Marnie Stern) but also marks important birthdays and milestone dates in ‘Indie rock’ history. Plus, each month feature a discount code, and a Guns N’ Roses fun fact! Everyone needs a little Axl now and then.

So I am giving the first of these beautiful calendars away to one lucky reader here! Here’s how to enter: Just post your name and three albums you think I should review. I’ll pick a winner, at random, sometime on Sunday the 9th who will win a calendar and maybe some other goodies with it (in the spirit of freebies) plus my very first album will be off of the list. Because this is also in part a stunt to help promote our blog, tell your friends to enter this contest and increase your own chances to win!

The next contest, which should go up tomorrow, will be a little more involved. I just need to work out some of the details.

In other news, I sadly had to miss the National playing at NYU but if anyone out there saw it and wants to write a guest review of the concert, please contact me.

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How to Savor an Album

During second semester of my freshman year of college, my brother gave me a gift. An incredible one: a hard drive loaded with over 60 gigs of music. Combined with my own music collection, that made way too much music. Thanks to the virtues of the NYU interweb, I also (and ashamedly) downloaded craploads from ourtunes, the iTunes sharing network. Again, I had way too much music. I couldn’t handle it. I cried for days. How was I to approach this cumbersome task of listening to everything?

Days passed and I still couldn’t handle the pressure. My body curled like a painful footcramp where you can feel your toes digging into your soles. I tried a bunch of crazy balls-to-the-wall approaches of listening to every song: alphabetical order one after the other, songs by track length, or any other funky way iTunes could organize my despair. I was so focused on getting through the music that I could never get into the music. There would be artists that I would want to keep listening to over and over, but my obsessive drive to finish my task stopped my natural musical urges.** My obsession died around the middle of the A’s during the alphabetical album crawl. A year and half passed, and I still barely recognized half of the artists and albums on my iTunes. Determined, I found another obsessive solution, but this time more enjoyable.

The new perilous and obsessive track was not much different from one of my previous ones. To listen to my music alphabetically, album by album. I would listen to each song over and over until I knew the words, could sing the guitar solos, and air-drum the rhythm perfectly. I haven’t gotten too far. I’m only about half-way through the A’s in a matter of 4½ months. But it’s paid off. I love my music so much more.

The greatest joy to be found in listening is by hearing out an entire album. I don’t care about the digital age and how it promotes the buying of ninety-nine cent single songs and that’s all people really care about, the singles, the singles, the singles, blah, blah, blah. That’s bullshit to me. Artists go on the road, and they write songs. Lots of them. Then they hit the studio and iron out the details. Every song on an album is one they care about, and they put it on the album because they feel it’s worth listening to. A song becomes much more when you hear that happy chord alleviating the pain from the previous painfully sad song, or that pulsing drive from drum and bass opening an album, or a subtle acoustic closer after a tragic harmonic denouement. These are things that matter to the artist.

This doesn’t mean you can’t love individual songs. You must. But understand that they have a role in your favorite artists’ greater expression. Once this is appreciated, you can more fully delve into those individual songs.

From the albums that I deep dig into and other personal favorites, I’ll be giving you my albums to savor, ones to hold close to you late at night, or to run out with during the fire. They’re albums that influenced my views on life and music and are essentially essential. So Fucking Important. These albums will be labeled thusly as savory.

If you disagree, bring it on. If you have an album that you find just as important, write about it. Don’t be shy. Coyness will not be allowed.

**Always listen to these urges. It doesn’t matter if there are demonic voices in your head telling you to listen to The Stooges or JoJo, they’re probably coming from some deep suppressed urges in your subconscious. The very same as the Freudian death drive. It’s what we need to survive.

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Come Join the Youth and Beauty Brigade

"Writing about music is like dancing about architecture - it's a really stupid thing to want to do." –Elvis Costello, amongst many others

I am glad to have been invited to this community, though as my opening quote may indicate, I am not quite sure how, exactly, I want to approach this. I guess the best way, I see, to start is at the beginning.

I was in sixth grade when I bought my first, of many, CDs. It was Ben Folds Five’s The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner (If I were being completely truthful, I’d talk about my adolescence and its relationship to ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic albums, but that is all together too commonplace and not quite as influential as one would imagine.). Honestly, a lot of Reinhold Messner would go over my head until much later in my life. I was compelled to buy it because my friend Dan DeMaria (who continues to shape and influence the music I listen to) had shared with me an album that his cousin had shared with him: Ben Folds Five’s Whatever and Ever Amen. Although I did not recognize it then, there was a technical proficiency on that album that still amazes me. I was young and inexperienced, so I trusted in my friend’s musical tastes. Yes, it would be the first of many times that I would give it peer pressure.

From there, I would spend the next two or three years influenced by popular culture, buying albums of catchy radio singles. It was at this time, I also started playing the bass guitar. And while my teacher was more than patient with me, both in terms of the music I listened to and the infrequency with which I practiced, I also began to explore the back catalog of the classic rock greats.

By the time I was in high school, my lifelong friendship earned me a place in a four piece garage band. Though we were young and relatively inexperienced, I stand by my position of weak link of the band. Either way, though, it was fun. We played a few shows at talent shows, for parties, or just because we wanted our other friends to be impressed with us. As Dan became more and more invested the whole singer/songwriter aspect of our band and explored more and more of the local music scene, he was exposed to more and more new and lesser known work. And subsequently so was I. So that began a long journey down the proverbial rabbit-hole in a world that was simultaneously Do-It-Yourself and extremely collaborative.

In case you couldn’t tell where this was leading to, some would consider my music tastes as "mainstream indie hipster with a side of mainstream indie emo” or some variation on related words. Though, as many that try to write or think about music, I hate labels. I’ve already written several papers, in varying degrees of scholarly quality, about the ever increasing arbitrary-ness of musical labels and divisors. I think I will save the rest of this debate for another post though.

Those of you who know me, know I find a certain pride in being a little elitist in my choices of music. But also know that I am not opposed to guilty pleasures derived from either nostalgia or just plain good hooks (I mean dance parties need music you can dance to).

It is my intention to share with you the best of both newly emerging and staple classic music of what was once seen as ‘indie’ and is quickly blurring that line with ‘mainstream.’ I am self-depricating and may mock many musical stereotypes, especially ones that I am guilty of. I enjoy music through concerts, dance parties, and as a soundtrack to whatever I am doing. I try to avoid dance clubs, music explication, and lining up Dark Side of the Moon to The Wizard of Oz. I am a big fan of Top 5 lists, and you are sure to see many from me. Here’s a couple now:
My Top 5 Desert Island Bands:
5. Rilo Kiley
4. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
3. Ben Folds Five
2. Death Cab For Cutie
1. The Decemberists

I’m sure I’ll explain my choices in another post, one that will, once again, reflect more upon me than the actual music.
5 Really Good Albums from 2007 (Though I am uncomfortable labeling them ‘Top 5’):
5. Radiohead – In Rainbows (I am pretty sure I would get kicked out of NYU if I didn’t mention them)
4. The Field – From Here We Go Sublime
3. The National – Boxer (Though I am critical of all the attention it’s getting, it’s not necessarily undeserved)
2. Bishop Allen – (As a high school and college student, I have a certain fondness for anything remotely related to TheSpark.com and, in a nutshell, this album is like Modest Mouse meets Mickey Mouse, all clever fun)
1. Band of Horses – Cease to Begin

So I hope you have an idea of my musical tastes, how I think, how I write, and if you’re interested in hearing more from me.

And, as a point of interest related to this whole notion of ‘indie’ music, Filter just ran an article about ‘Indie Music’ and ‘Indie Comedy’ with John Krasinski and The Shins (basically equating The Office to The Shins). And while I don’t agree with a lot of the content, it’s still a fun read because I would want to hang out with everyone involved in the interview (cross pimping: I also happen to run a newly emerging tv blog, for those interested).

“Some people talk about me like a revolutionary. That's nonsense; all I did was copy B.B. King.”
-Eric Clapton

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Novo Amor

I happened upon Roberta Sa on Pandora Radio. Her voice is beautiful, and so is she. Check it out. I'll look for an album so I can review it for the blog. Also some sweet Portuguese Guitar (I believe) playing. Novo Amor indeed!

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Driven to Tears

Music as diplomacy should be our next foreign policy. The New York Philharmonic got it right in North Korea unifying both parties not with sticks or carrots, but song. It is truly a beautiful story.

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Owner of a Lonely Heart

Move yourself
You always live your life
Never thinking of the future
Prove yourself
You are the move you make
Take your chances win or loser

Kudos to Jaimito for the awesome find.

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The Critical Period Hypothesis

"According to the critical period hypothesis, the brain of the young child is particularly well suited to the task of language learning."
-Psychology Gleitman, Reisberg, and Gross

So all my little chickadees here comes your exposure to the world of music according to me. Let this be your own critical stage with your young under-developed musical minds. There's so much out there in the world for you to listen to and feel good about yourself, or feel bad. But as long as your adolescent and nascent brains are developing a vast musical vocabulary, let me and the other contributors to this blog help drive your next CD, vinyl, or iTunes purchase (or free download but please don't).

We will provide album reviews, thoughts on music and how it affects our lives, thoughts on our own music writing processes, how songs and albums interact with our lives, the ways we rock out, and plenty of sweet articles/videos/quotes/excerpts about psychology, life, and music to always keep you informed on how the world works.

The contributors to this blog will include myself, Ariel (REL) Bitran, a good friend of mine Jamie (Jaimito) Straz who attends the UofMiami, a skinny Asian boy named Ryan (Ryan) Harrington, Kyle Deas, and members of my nuclear family: Alberto Bitran and Debbie Bitran. Hopefully, this diverse candidate selection will provide not only interesting musical vantage points but polarizing writers who all greatly dislike some of another's music.

So now put this link in your bookmarks toolbar so you can click on it everyday drooling, wanting to know more about how the contributors and I can enliven your lives with our melodic narratives. Do it. Now.

Insert cheesy music quote here: "Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without" Confucius

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