the blisslist

adieu {October 18, 2008}

Argh. My blisslist banner is missing. My blog looks undressed.

fix my banner!
fix my banner!
fix my banner....ok?

I hate help tickets.

I'm at work on a Saturday afternoon, trying to get everything done before I head out of town. With brevity in mind, I took a break to make you a goodbye video. Yeah, the quality is horrid―I am not so skilled at the video-makery. I tried to talk into the microphone but my voice was really low. Hence, the ridiculous word-mouthing.

(but bunnies for everyone!)

xo. liz.

ps. Check out these fantastic tracks by Minneapolis-based Jeremy Messermith. Though I love his new album, The Silver City, I've selected 2 songs from his 2006 effort, The Alcatraz Kid. I am mesmerized by him & his artful lullabies.

MP3: "Beautiful Children" / Jeremy Messersmith

MP3: "Great Times" / Jeremy Messersmith

O, and make sure to click on the tape in the upper right before starting the video. Otherwise it will be a very, very quiet giftee.

 

dear pitchfork media, home of the gratuitously in-depth record review {October 15, 2008}

o guys—just for this, I want to nuzzle each one of you in person. Even the receptionist.

(and I've always wanted to visit chicago!)


(postcard by rarrar press. grrr!)

Here are my curiosities of note:

October
Her Space Holiday: XOXO, Panda and The New Kid Revival
Land of Talk: Some Are Lakes
The Decemberists: Always the Bridesmaid: A Singles Series - Volume 1
Ray LaMontagne: Gossip in the Grain
Shearwater: The Snow Leopard EP
Bonnie "Prince" Billy: Is It the Sea?
Beach House: "Used To Be" 7"
The Dears: Missles
Final Fantasy: Play EP
Frightened Rabbit: Liver! Lung! FR!
Of Montreal: Skeletal Lamping
Bloc Party: Intimacy
Fredrik: Na Na Ni
Snow Patrol: A Hundred Million Suns

November
The Decemberists: Always the Bridesmaid: A Singles Series - Voume 2
Au Revoir Simone: Reverse Migration
Deer Tick: War Elephant
Los Campesinos!: We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed
Belle and Sebastian: The BBC Sessions
The Killers: Day & Age

December
The Decemberists: Always the Bridesmaid: A Singles Series - Volume 3
Welcome Wagon: Welcome Wagon.

-----

I had no clue that Frightened Rabbit has a new release this month (a live effort, but still a new release nonetheless). My favorite Scottish artist is still Malcolm Middleton, but FR is a close second. I'll conjecture that their music is more consistent than Malcolm's—but when Malcolm nails it, his work is wryly dark and absolutely masterful. (check out "A Happy Medium," "Solemn Thirsty" and "Fuck It, I Love You" on elbo.ws.)

Why are thick Scottish accents so earnest & sexy? I've included a couple tracks off of Frightened Rabbit's very good sophomore effort, The Midnight Organ Flight. And just to remind everyone of my general ridiculousness, this album was produced by Peter Katis, who also produced The National's Boxer. Damn fine work, my friend.


MP3: "Backwards Walk" / Frightened Rabbit

MP3: "The Twist" / Frightened Rabbit

in the world of lizfrith, people belong in one of two categories: {October 10, 2008}

by Randy Reddig. (& my current desktop background. love it.)


This post will be brief (curt, even). I have to go out now and find a pretty dress for a wedding this weekend. Yep, I am about to get on the first of 11 planes this month ... Hopefully, my travel buddies will pool their resources and buy me this for my flights.

(just kidding, mom!)

Check out this tune by NY-based Department of Eagles (a side-project of Grizzly Bear's Daniel Rossen). There's something so sweet about it―yet it still has swagger & soul. (the good kind, not the James Brown kind). It has been the happy centerpiece of today's soundtrack.

And Los Angeles, I am yours until Monday. wink.

MP3: "No One Does It Like You" / Department of Eagles

are we human, or are we making really lame music? {October 8, 2008}

I really don't understand why so many folks are raving about The Killers' performance on SNL this weekend. I've read things like "amazing," "magical," and "very Duran Duran." I've seen the SNL clips and I think their new songs are, um, very meh. I've never been The Killers' #1 fan, but they can do a lot better. However, I do think this song has the potential to be remixed and sound okay on the dance floor.  Maybe the lyrics will make me cringe less after a couple of vodka tonics...

(someone call JUSTICE―that duo makes everything sound more awesome.)

MP3: "Human" / The Killers



(my reaction to the Killers' upcoming release.
great photo by blurbomat.)

But here's something that I do like a lot. Andrew Bird has a new song, and he talks about maths & harmless sociopaths & stuff. (with a few whistles too―lovely, lovely whistles that he also lent to Owen Pallet's upcoming EP, Plays to Please.) Andrew's new album, Noble Beast, will drop this January. Surely, a tour will follow...maybe after he finishes blogging for The NY Times.

MP3: "Oh No" / Andrew Bird

my head plays it over & over, don't interrupt me {October 7, 2008}

I am going to be on 11 planes this month. (that's a lot of pretzeled-appendage misery for a 6'1 spider-limbed girl to endure.)

In fair warning, October may be a little sparse with postings. I will either be stuck on airplanes, out of town & without internet access, or getting therapeutic massages to regain my posture. But despite my complaining, I think it's going to be a pretty fantastic month! And at the end of the day, I travel pretty well. My coping mechanisms involve chewing on lots of starbursts, listening to remixes, and re-reading Steven Levy's The Perfect Thing. Simple, see?


Image: "All I Need" by Danna Ray


Today's post includes a special two-year anniversary playlist. A certain piece of punctuation became a very permanent fixture―I got a small question mark inked upon my inner wrist two years ago today. My friend, Casey, amused the tattoo artists by choosing a moustache for his finger―otherwise known as the fingerstache (totally not him). It was an unforgettable day for several reasons―most explicitly, a day of sound decision-making. I wanted something meaningful & everlasting... and I chose that path with wide-eyed conviction amid a fading backdrop.

October 7, 2006: my head plays it over & over, don't interrupt me

1) "What the Snowman Learned About Love" / Stars
2) "Two" / The Antlers
3) "The Heartbreak Moment" / Her Space Holiday
4) "Ragged Tint" / Benoit Pioulard
5) "Lark" / Au Revoir Simone (Ruff & Jam remix)
6) "Moorestown" / Sun Kil Moon
7) "Handshake Drugs" / Wilco
8) "The Engine Driver" / The Decemberists
9) "Brainy" / The National
10) "Trapeze Swinger" (Live) / Iron & Wine

(you can also listen to the tape on my mixwit page.)

I could write a great deal about every one of these songs, but this post is getting lengthy. The Antlers and Benoit Pioulard are new finds, with these singles plucked from their upcoming Autumn releases. "The Heartbreak Moment" is a new tune from Her Space Holiday, and well, the rest of the collective is rounded out with a few older, sentimental favorites of mine.

Iron & Wine's "Trapeze Swinger" is a must-listen. I saw Sam Beam perform a stripped-back version at Bimbo's this past Sunday―and this song was especially heart-breaking & stunning. Both "Naked As We Came" and "Trapeze Swinger" made my lower lip quiver unexpectedly....I'll never, ever forget that concert. Sam Beam is a soft superhero to me.

(& it was great to see Alexa, Melissa, Jason, Amanda, Adam, and Doniece there―high fives.)

lizZle, jr—but not today! {October 4, 2008}

Dear God,

Nice work—staving off the forecasted downpour until Sigur Rós' final song, "popplagið." Mid-way through, a mesmerizing release of silver streaks swept the sky in a perfectly-timed, cinematic crescendo.

But to keep the balance you just had to place that towering, face-painted fella in front of me to block my view & distract me, didn't you? And although mr. crazy spent the majority of the concert swaying provocatively (in every possible direction) inches away from me, I don't think I was accidentally impregnated. And for that, I am very, very thankful.

Yours sincerely, (whew.)

Liz

p.s. Here's a song from the opening band, Parachutes. I thought this Icelandic 9-piece gave a solid performance, even though the Greek theater is way too large & expansive for their sweetly pristine instrumentations & fey vocals. I spent their entire set wishing we were at Bottom of the Hill or Cafe du Nord instead.

MP3: "Trees Turn into Forts" / Parachutes

(as colored confetti coats us from above...Sigur Rós invites Parachutes on stage for a rousing performance of "gobbledigook")

70% chance of showers {October 3, 2008}

Dear God,

Please don't cry on my Sigur Rós concert this evening.

Thank you for your consideration & catch ya on the flip side.

(maybe).

xo. Liz

MP3: "Saeglopur" (Mmmmathias Remix) / Sigur Rós

MP3: "inní mér syngur vitleysingur" / Sigur Rós

MP3: "Untitled 8 (Popplagið)"  / Sigur Rós

(graphic by BeautifoolTYPE.)

i have my moments {October 2, 2008}

I'm mid-way through I Love You More Than You Know, a collection of unabashedly honest (and neurotic) essays by Jonathan Ames. I discovered Jonathan in a round-about way—basically, I read an interview where one of my favorite bands mentioned his work as an inspiration for their latest album. I lit up upon reading this—yep, I'm a geek (and clearly over-preoccupied with understanding certain bands better).

I was on amazon within moments. Click, Carted, Sold.

(from one of my favorite typography inspiration sites, The Visual Dictionary)

Within the last few months, I've come to realize that I'm especially drawn to folks that have the courage to admit rather unattractive things about themselves. And I mean unattractive in the sense of being vain, self-involved, insecure, etc.—yet still bothered enough to verbally highlight the flaw. Really, my blog is a pretty self-indulgent endeavor,  a realization that embarrasses me regularily (and why the "single word in summary" post keeps disappearing and reappearing). Sometimes it's just not all about the music, man. But my favorite blogs tend to lay it all out there (eg. dooce, that night, & many others), and I love them for it. My favorite books do the same. Jonathan Ames doesn't portray himself in an attractive way—which is ultimately the charm of the book.

Today's song is especially embarrassing. My critical ear would never, ever recommend it. "Paperweight" is too pedestrian & formulaic, wrapped in illustrations of cutesy, hand drawn hearts—clearly, note card ideas of romance.

I love it though. It's off the soundtrack for The Last Kiss.

(& i'm over here blushing...)