LCD

This was written on Saturday. Since my entire school seems to shut down during breaks, it’s only now that I’ve been able to find a computer (in a very uncomfortably crowded lab) and post this. So --

Hello readers loyal and first-time. Once again, there’s been a delay in posting. This time, I’ve been lucky enough to lose visibility on my computer screen. The LCD is fine; the brain part is fine, but either the backlight has burnt out or the inverter reached the end of its life. This I figured out on my own. However, while both parts are relatively small and inexpensive, they are obviously vital and apparently difficult to replace. So, until that happens, well, let’s just say there won’t be any updates for a few more days at least. (And I won’t be buying any records for a long time, either.) I’m sorry -- especially if you’re disappointed -- but even so, I bet none of you are as disappointed as I am. At least your computers still work.

My record player has been seeing an unprecedented amount of activity, and I even dug my discman out of the back of some drawer and hooked it up. I have a fairly good-sized CD collection, but I almost always put them onto and listen to music with the computer. Now, in its absence, I’m finding stuff I forgot I had, from back in my high school days. I’m about to put on Black Flag.

But anyway. In the meantime, there have been two shows which I have not posted here. The first, from Wednesday, 26. march, featured a playlist chosen and commentary provided almost exclusively by my sister, Becca (who spoke English). While it was a good show, I unfortunately am unable to remember much of what was played, and the only place the playlist exists is on my non-functioning, not with me computer. When I get the playlist figured out, I’ll post it. You can still listen to the podcast, though, and figure things out for yourself, if you so desire.

And then there was the Friday show. Spillelisten her:

1. No Radio – Dirty on Purpose
2. Let’s Pretend – Cinerama
3. Soundwaves – Attention Now! (NW)
4. Pretty Mary K – Elliott Smith
5. If I Could Cry – Jens Lekman (SV)
6. I Won’t Ever Let You Down – Jackson (DK)
7. If You Were Here – Kent (SV)
8. When I Get Home for Christmas – Snow Patrol
9. Hounds of Love – the Futureheads
10. The Sound of You – Mono Taxi
11. We Might as Well Have Stayed Young – the Enright House
12. Chains – the Raveonettes (DK)
13. Stop Breaking Down – the Rolling Stones
14. Shy – Tiger Baby (DK)

For those of you who just cannot get enough of my voice, this week I also guest hosted the following programs:

--Irregular Frequencies (actually, no podcast or playlist; sorry), on which Y La Bamba played live, and I did a terrible job of hosting

--Babylon Radio (podcast) (playlist), on which I played sixties music, and

--The first half of Live Friday (podcast) (playlist) on which I wanted to play glam, but wound up doing more of a music related in some way (that possibly makes sense only to me) to David Bowie thing. Ando, one of the regular hosts, arrived at about 530 and played a live Talking Heads album for the second half.

--DL--
Ashtrays Podcast (26. marts 2008)
Ashtrays Podcast (28. marts 2008)

God påske

Hope everyone had a good holiday. I won the family Easter poker tournament -- something to be proud about. But this morning, I realized I’d been so busy doing sound tech-y stuff at the Modern Age, and getting a ride arranged and traveling to said poker tournament, and even reading one of my sister’s horrible library books, that I’d forgotten to post Friday’s playlist. So, her er det:

1. On All American Winds – David & the Citizens (SV)
2. Annie Laurie – the Radio Dept. (SV)
3. Mouth – No and the Maybes (DK)
4. Defy the Odds – Ruined by Martin (DK)
5. Honeytrap – I Am Bones (DK)
6. Dance 3 – Kiss Me Deadly
7. Never Content – Air France (SV)
8. 33 1/3 – the Jesus and Mary Chain
9. While You Live – Adrian Orange
10. Electric Cave – Slumber Party
11. Itchycoo Park – the Small Faces
12. Shine a Light (Live) – Spiritualized

Kind of a… polarized playlist. Even though I’m out of town now, though, I’ll be back in time for the show Wednesday, which should be more even. That is to say, it should be more Scandinavian.

--DL--
Ashtrays Podcast (21. marts 2008)

I morgen

Tomorrow at the Modern Age: a special show presented in conjunction with KLC Radio. This should be a very interesting experience for me. Those of you who are long-time readers may remember that, prior to my affiliation with KPSU, I worked at KLC. So... I'm not sure how it's going to be.

The music, of course, should be good. Four bands: The Whips and the Whales, Dagger of the Mind (aka the Metal Shakespeare Company), Ghosts & Mysteries, and Will Carpenter's Towering Trees. Band links and more info can be had at the Modern Age site. Portlanders of all ages are welcome and encouraged to attend. See you there.

Der er ikke en titel

I apologize to everyone whose emails I haven’t answered in the past two months. Especially since my new years’ resolution was to respond to all emails within two days of receiving them. However. This afternoon I finished my finals, so tomorrow morning and early afternoon, I’ll be answering all my super, super late messages. Please don’t feel that the delay has anything to do with you. I am fond of you all. I just haven’t had any -- and I mean any -- time.

Her er spillelisten for i aften/s:

1. Cold Heart – Club 8 (SV)
2. Took You – Said the Shark (DK)
3. Roscoe – Midlake
4. Sickest Girl – Bertine Zetlitz (NW)
5. The Love Advice – Cake on Cake (SV)
6. The Quiz – Hello Saferide (SV)
7. Maple Leaves – Jens Lekman (SV)
8. Feelings. Getting Stronger in the Dark – Moneybrother (SV)
9. We Wanna Get Some Real Fun – Mono Taxi
10. Danger! – The Sound of Arrows (SV)
11. Magic M – Tiger Baby (DK)
12. Sad Song – Au Revoir Simone
13. Find What You Get – Bang Gang (IS)

I now have a horrible headache, so I will be heading home to bed immediately after this. Seems like these days, I always have a headache.

As far as downloads, Danger! is a new track being offered by Labrador to promote newly signed band The Sound of Arrows, who are purportedly originally from one of Sweden’s most boring towns (although now they're from Pop Heaven, according to myspace). The song, however, is certainly not boring. And the full EP -- with nine! tracks -- will be out in early May.

--DL--
Ashtrays Podcast (19. marts 2008)
Danger! (The Sound of Arrows)

Et helt år

Hard to believe I’ve been doing this for a year. But Friday marked the one-year anniversary of the day I started this blog. Wow. And, of course, me being me, Friday I had family here and was unable to find the time to do anything neat. Yesterday I was at work all day. So, yeah, I missed my blog’s first anniversary. (Unfortunately, there’s no less cheesy phrasing for that). However, in this case, that’s a good thing -- because now I have these. Happy anniversary / birthday / occasion of your desire, with love from Ashtrays, and courtesy of Said the Shark…

To be honest, I don’t have a favorite song, and I don’t think I ever have. From time to time I’ll announce one (usually pulled from an ever-changing roster of ten or so at the very top), and right now I have absolutely no qualms about saying that All You Want is still my favorite song. I can’t see how anything can get any better than that.

For those of you unlucky enough to not recognize it at once, All You Want is a song from Said the Shark’s first album (Always Prattling On About Wolves). Their second album, Silly Killings, comes out tomorrow -- 17. march. And while it’s already been established that no song will ever be better than All You Want, this new stuff sure comes pretty close.

I’ve heard just a little more than a third of the album (if that makes any sense), and this third, at least, is pretty gorgeous. It feels, in some places, a bit heavier than the previous album, with electric guitars taking a more prominent place than before. The distinctive Said the Shark sound is still there, however -- the chimes and soft percussion, the balance of the echo-y string quartet sound with stripped-down, often almost inaudible instrumentation -- and Maya Saxall’s vocals are as whispery and ethereal as ever. But her voice also sounds like an orchestra. I still can’t quite get my head around the fact that one of the best Danish vocalists right now is actually Canadian...

So. Another thing that’s already been established is that I am terrible at describing music. I am not even really that good at describing what music makes me feel. But if ever there was a perfect bathtub-and-candles album, then, from what I can tell, Silly Killings is it. And here are two tracks to keep: Paper Girl, which is the heavier of the two, and All the Rules, which I slightly prefer. Both, however -- actually, that should be all -- are easily preferable to the majority of the other songs I’ve heard this past year.

Please keep in mind that these will only be up for a few days, possibly a week, per the band’s request. If you miss(ed) the time frame -- or if you’d just like to hear more -- there are several songs streaming on the band’s myspace. And another of the new songs, the painfully gorgeous Shaky Heart, my favorite of the five I've heard, has just moved up to -- yes! -- number two on the Elektriske Barometer (‘alternative’ top 10 in Denmark) list. You can listen to (and vote for) it here. The text is all Danish, but you should be able to figure it out -- click the speaker-looking link. Unfortunately it opens only in WMP, so far as I can tell.

And, of course, remember the album is out tomorrow. If you’re in Scandinavia, you should be able to buy it in shops; if you’re elsewhere, you can buy it through Targetshop (if you’re able to bear the amazingly bad exchange rate).

Enjoy this. I am.

--DL--
All the Rules (Said the Shark)
Paper Girl (Said the Shark)

Travl i en god vej

I fredagses spilleliste:

1. Love No – the Teenagers
2. Palace Station – Melody Club (SV)
3. Adventure – Be Your Own Pet
4. Teach Me Tiger – Speaker Bite Me (DK)
5. A New Chance – the Tough Alliance (SV)
6. Transistors in My Mind – Leisure Alaska (DK)
7. To Live and Die in the Airport Lounge – My Teenage Stride
8. His Lyrics are Disastrous – Jakobínarína (IS)
9. Violent God – the William Blakes (DK)
10. Something Nice – Stina Nordenstam (SV)
11. Fake Lakes – Dirty on Purpose
12. Platonic Rate – Parsley Sound
13. In Basement Air – the Rainy States
14. 5:15 Train – A Sunny Day in Glasgow

Min mor og søster er her, så jeg har ikke tid for skrive mere i dag. Undskyld. Men du skal være her i morgen, fordi den skal jeg have nogen for min blogårsdag. Det vil være godt.

Også -- det nyt Teenagers sang er så, så godt.

--DL--
Ashtrays Podcast (14. marts 2008)

To programmer

I aftes var flink. Men jeg gider ikke lige engelsk i dag. Første, holdt (hvor siger man ‘hosted?’) jeg Tonys show (Irregular Frequencies) sammen med Arya. Tony ringede også fra Austin med en ajourføring om sin tid på SXSW. (Han var træt, og festivalen var sindssyg. (Kan man sige det for en ting?)) Mmm... Det hele ting var sjov. Og du må se spillelisten, eller downloade det som podcast.

Anden var mit program. Første 40 minnutere var ikke på AM fordi vores signal kommer fra et gymnasium, og der var en af deres basketbolspil at måtte have hørespil, så... Undskyld for det, men du må lytte til podcasten.

Og her er min spilleliste:

1. Sophia – epo-555 (DK)
2. Sing Bird – Oli Oli Oli (DK)
3. The Strawberry Festival – Oh No Ono (DK)
4. Enchanted – Patrick Wolf
5. Bad Cover Version – Pulp
6. Grammar – the Bear Quartet (SV)
7. Silly Crimes – the Tough Alliance (SV)
8. (Lack of) Love Will Tear Us Apart – the Honeydrips (SV)
9. Make Believe – Pixies
10. Nunca Estás a la Altura – Klaus&Kinski
11. Fallin' in Love – Sambassadeur (SV)
12. I Had a Guitar (Bjärton and I) – Pelle Carlberg (SV)
13. Longing as Lust – Jomi Massage (DK)

I morgen er et år af blogget (fordi jeg efterdatede min første post, fordi jeg efterdater alting). Jeg skal prøve at lave nogen spændende, men hvad, ved jeg ikke.

--DL--
Irregular Frequencies Podcast (12. marts 2008) -- med Arya og Sara
Ashtrays Podcast (12. marts 2008)

Hvorfor du skal ikke stjæle

I feel it is my duty as an mp3 blogger to inform interested Portlanders of this upcoming opportunity. It is a lecture on, to use the politically correct term, file sharing. This is the notice I got in the mail:

On Thursday [March 13] a presentation will be given to help students understand and deal with issues surrounding File Sharing of music, movies and software. This informative and interactive session will cover the truth about file sharing and its potential consequences. In addition, [PSU’s] Student Legal Services will describe the services and options available to you, if you are accused. The talk will be given by Saori Clark, Interim Assistant Dean of Students; Lissa Kaufman, Student Legal and Mediation Services; and Craig Schiller, Chief Information Security Officer.

When: 3/13
Time: 1:00-2:00
Where: Smith Memorial Student Union room 236, Portland State University

This event is sponsored by Portland State University, hence the references to students. I would assume, however, that non-students are welcome, too. Room 236 is not incredibly huge, so try to arrive on time, or at least early.

I would like to take this opportunity, also, to remind readers (especially readers who may be working as spies for the RIAA) that all mp3s offered through this blog are completely legal and supported by either the artist or the issuing label.

I will not tell you not to download things. I will never tell you things like that. You make your own choices. However. Please remember that while it is true that the illegal sharing of files hurts the industry far more than it hurts the musicians involved, it is still not something to be condoned, and you should strive to support those whose music you enjoy, whether by purchasing merchandise and/or physical albums or by attending their shows. If you are particularly well-off, you should do both.

There are many, many ways to legally listen to music without paying for it -- in addition to the free downloads on many band and label sites, there are more and more streaming services online every day. Plus this really old thing called radio. And if you really like something, I should think you’d be willing to pay a few bucks for it. I mean, you buy your cigarettes or whatever, don’t you?

Finally, remember, the mp3 is a low-quality, lossy format. I don’t actually know what the term lossy means, but whatever. Vinyl sounds better.

Forfalskninger? Nej.

This morning I woke up with an extremely strong desire to listen to The Lost Patrol Band. This despite the fact that I know absolutely nothing about them and had never listened to their music before. However, thanks to the wonders of the world wide web, I have now done so. They are considered the side project of The (International) Noise Conspiracy frontman Dennis Lyxzén, which is weird -- because about a year ago, I had a dream about the (International) Noise Conspiracy, too. That was before I’d ever heard them, either.

In case you are in a similar situation (and in case you ever happen to wake up with a desire similar to mine) they sound a bit like pop-punk, but not in the bad way. I think rather of the way that genre sounded when it was new, back in the 80s (although this band is now) -- kind of like Social D or something. Sort of ska-tinged, but again, not in the bad way. You may have their songs No Wonder, from 2006, as well as Feels Like Drowning, which came out on their self-titled debut a year earlier, and which I quite like.

Not sure when or how new music will be out. However, It’s A Trap! reports they have plans to change their name to avoid confusion and/or legal problems with (the actually pretty decent-sounding) New York band the Lost Patrol. I hate it when bands change their names, but so it goes.

--

Also, on a mostly unrelated note, tomorrow night (Wednesday) Arya and I will be co-hosting Irregular Frequencies on KPSU, while Tony (the regular host) is off at SXSW. We’re looking forward to it, and it should be interesting. Tune in at 6 pm Pacific – 1450 AM in Portland, or kpsu.org anywhere else.

I’ll put up a podcast link later, in case you’re in Austin, where this week it’s at… Yeah, there are a whole bunch of bands I’d love to see, were I attending SXSW, but it seems pretty pointless for me to list them all out here. Instead, I’ll suggest that, if you are attending, you make time to check out the Tough Alliance. They won’t be playing -- they don’t do that -- but they’ll be performing (two shows), and I imagine it’ll be pretty great. Maybe you think you’d rather see somebody more famous lip-synching and dancing around onstage, and you have the right to make up your own mind, but I personally can’t imagine any act that might be more entertaining.

--DL--
No Wonder (The Lost Patrol Band)
Feels Like Drowning (The Lost Patrol Band)
Silly Crimes (The Tough Alliance)

Sig det tre gange, hurtig

I fredagses spillelisten:

1. the Wonder – Figurines (DK)
2. the Engine Driver – the Decemberists
3. Current Acids – Shout Wellington Air Force (DK)
4. West – Menomena
5. 747 – Kent (SV)
6. G-Song – Supergrass
7. Maybe Tomorrow – Brian Jonestown Massacre
8. Blue Night – New Ghosts
9. Poetry Boy – Kind of Girl (DK)
10. Something Nice – Stina Nordenstam (SV)
11. Broken Drum (Boards of Canada remix) – Beck

If you didn’t catch it during the show (or if you, wisely, don’t pay attention when I talk), Menomena (from Portland) recently played a show in Copenhagen, with Shout Wellington Air Force as their opening band -- hence the placement of those two in the playlist.

You can download the entire show as a podcast here. You can also download Current Acids, which somehow failed to make it onto their Carry Yourself EP. Personally, I think it’s the best of their songs -- those I’ve heard, at least. Myspace also has four more tracks for download.

--DL--
Ashtrays Podcast (7. marts 2008)
Current Acids (Shout Wellington Air Force)

I aften

Hmm. Looks like I forgot to mention the Modern Age until now. Tonight's lineup: The Bugs of Lightning, Bumtech, Dance Terror, and Fade 13. Doors at 7, show at 8.

We are going to use the subwoofer and we are excited.

Askebægere -- på engelsk!

Here is what I played:

1. Hvor du kan bunde – Thunderbear (DK)
2. Kärlekskomplexet – Elenette (SV)
3. Strangers with the Same Dream – Particle Zoo
4. Dudley – Yeah Yeah Yeahs
5. Somebody’s Baby – El Perro del Mar (SV)
6. Hotel Room – Richard Hawley
7. Your Arms Around Me – Jens Lekman (SV)
8. Cobra – Oliver North Boy Choir (DK)
9. Sweet Child O’ Mine – Taken by Trees (SV)
10. Sad Transmission – the Raveonettes (DK)
11. These Eyes are Berries – Múm (IS)

I went to all the effort of talking in English -- and still no takers for the Jens Lekman show. I will try again next week, maybe, if there are still tickets left to give.

--DL--
Ashtrays Podcast (5. marts 2008)

Børne og hunde og gevær og roser

This morning I was looking at some French (I think) mp3 blog, which alerted me to the fact that Victoria Bergsman (ex-Concretes), currently working under the moniker Taken by Trees, has recorded a cover of the Guns n' Roses song Sweet Child O' Mine. An interesting choice for her, to say the very least -- but also a very good choice. It's really, really pretty, and I like the Taken by Trees version far better than the original.

This may not seem like saying much unless you know that during my middle and early high school years, I was very into that, er, louder kind of music. I nominated a Guns n' Roses song for my high school graduation song (of course it didn't win, and I don't remember what did) and they'll probably always be one of those embarrassing secret love bands for me. Something like that.

But anyway, the Taken by Trees cover is phenomenal, and the pace and orchestration of this rendition seem much more fitting to the lyrics. I have now played it about twenty-two times in a row. Although there's no download this time, you can stream the thing on myspace (along with its B-side, called Above You). If you tend to prefer youtube, there's also a video, although it unfortunately goes through only about half the song before cutting out -- and if you do choose this route, I wouldn't recommend actually watching the video. Unless you're really into dog grooming. I'm not.

As far as purchasing is concerned, it appears to have been released as a tour-only 7", so unless you are fortunate enough to be going to the Seattle show tonight (last stop on the (very short) tour), good luck finding a physical copy. Otherwise, mp3 copies are available through itunes. That's all for now.

Spillelisten

I’m exhausted already. Again. Also unusually cold. Hm. Things are strange.

Spillelisten fra i fredags:

1. Teletubbies Say “Eh-Oh!” – the Teletubbies
2. 2 Birds – Mugison (IS)
3. Sea Shell Mind – Oliver North Boy Choir (DK)
4. Siebsente Lektion – the Greenlandic Ragga Allstars (DK/France)
5. My Girl You Blush – moi Caprice (DK)
6. Black Magic – Jarvis Cocker
7. Teenage Hit Wonder – You Say Party! We Say Die!
8. Af Samme Stof Som Stof (Sandro Perri Remix) – Under Byen (Canada/DK)
9. Line It Up – Preston School of Industry
10. You Are A Knife – VETO (DK)
11. Get Black – the Ponys
12. At the Hop – Devendra Banhart
13. Hey Little World – the Hives (SV)
14. Ode to L.A. – the Raveonettes (DK)

My apprentice (Kelley) was here again, and about half the talking is her -- although you might be able to hear me in the background, defending the Teletubbies and telling her what buttons to push…

Also please know that, although I see nothing wrong with doing so, it’s not my intent to play the Raveonettes on every single show ever. Kelley picked that one.

--DL--
Ashtrays Podcast (29. februar 2008)