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)