I’m Looking in on the Good Life I Might be Doomed Never to Find

Wednesday. I am having another busy day here and that is fine by me. The busier I am the less time I spend staring blankly at my computer screen counting down the time until I can leave.

I listened to Oh, Inverted World by The Shins this morning. They are another mellow alternative rock-type group (I dubbed this genre "melaltro" here) similar to what I have been listening to a lot of lately: Built to Spill, Death Cab for Cutie, Modest Mouse, etc. I believe I mentioned this in a previous post, but you may recognize The Shins from the movie Garden State. They played Natalie Portman's stunt doubles. No, no, no. They have a couple songs on the sound track, and if you remember the general mood of that movie then you can understand the despondent, melodic tone of this album. I would recommend them for a mellow evening at home or for a long, brainless commute to work at six in the morning. I wouldn't recommend them to get the party started, however, unless people who attend your parties tend to take a lot of ’ludes. Tracks of note: New Slang (of course) and Know Your Onion!

I Intentionally Wrote it Out to be an Illegible Mess

Tuesday. I have actually been pretty busy today (hence the late post). I have a big spreadsheet report that goes out on Tuesday, so I've been working on that today. Along with that I have had to do a lot of work approving orders and supplier requests now that I've gotten back into the actual receivables side of things again. Not exactly Earth-shattering excitement, but if it keeps me busy then I really have no complaints.

I listened to The Photo Album by Death Cab for Cutie this morning on the way to work. I really enjoy DCfC's album Transatlanticism, so I obtained this one to expand my knowledge of this band. Although I liked the album, it is not as good as Transatlanticism. This album came first, so maybe they hadn't come into their own yet. The style is similar to what I have heard before, so there was no real surprise there. Maybe that is what the difference is. None of the tracks really stood out for me. Again, it's not that the album was bad; it just didn't overwhelm me or rattle my universe or anything. Incidentally, I did learn that the lead singer/songwriter for DCfC writes his lyrics in complete, grammatically correct sentences. That has to be hard when trying to match up the words to the music. I'm surprised it doesn't all come out a jumbled mess. People around here have problems writing grammatically correct sentences when composing a simple email. I have to give some serious props for that one.

Best Not Talk Too Loud, You're Not as Smart as You Require of Them

Monday. Not much going on today. Another day (and week) at work. I am posting late today because I was hoping that I would eventually come up with something to post. Unfortunately, that did not happen. Sure, I could talk all about how I listened to Built to Spill's phenomenal album Keep it Like a Secret, but I have mentioned BtS several times before on this site so I think my views are known there. Is the day going just so super awesome that I have nothing to rant about? Well, no, not really. Sure, nothing too bad has happened today, but I didn't exactly find a wad of unmarked bills in my car seat this morning, either. I did read a good interview with Brett Easton Ellis regarding his new book Lunar Park over the weekend. I am a big fan, so I am very pumped to read his new book. I would tell you all about Mr. Ellis, but I am going to assume that you are all weary of hearing about that as well.

Things I'd rather be doing right now:

Training muskrats for a circus sideshow
Ironing my pants while still in them
Giving my cat a bath
Reading War and Peace (seriously, I've always wanted to just to say I did it)
Cutting my grass with a pair of child's safety scissors
Watching 5 solid minutes of any Paulie Shore movie. Ok, ok, I’m not that desperate…

Life Ain't Nothin' But a Good Groove, A Good Mix Tape to Put You in the Right Mood

Friday. Yeah! Not much going on here today. I am working on a spreadsheet right now, so nothing new there. Other than that, I am trying to approve vendor orders and handle insurance certificate requests, so I've actually been kind of busy.

This morning I had planned to listen to a punk rock band that had been recommended to me, but only 99.5% of the album magically appeared on my hard drive before it stopped. So close it's almost insulting. Very lame. Anyway, I had to fall back on my contingency plan, Check Your Head by the Beastie Boys. As faithful readers now, I tend to select something upbeat on Fridays to get my Friday started right. The Beastie Boys never fail in this aspect and are always sure to get me in a good mood (even when it hits me how long it has actually been since this album came out). This is probably my second favorite B-Boys album after Paul's Boutique. There are lots of good cuts on this album, including The Maestro, Finger Lickin' Good, and of course So Whatcha Want. However, I've always been curious about another one of my favorite tracks on this album, Professor Booty. In this song, the B-Boys call somebody out "... the one big oaf who's faker than plastic, the dictionary definition of the word spastic." The snaps continue after that, even. My friend A.T. asked me once about to whom they were referring to in this line, Russell Simmons? Rick Rubin? We didn't know. Fans of the B-Boys are probably aware of the ill feelings the B-Boys hold toward Russell Simmons, but I don't know if you would call his demeanor "spastic." He always comes across as the exact opposite to me. And Rick Rubin? Maybe... anybody out there know who this lyric refers to? Please enlighten me.

Mystified and Misshapen, Misinformed But Not Mistaken

Thursday. Today is website upload day so I have spent the better part of the morning working on that. I am moving the database over to the pick-up site right now, so everything has gone well so far. Of course, I've probably just jinxed it by saying that.

This morning I listed to Undermind by Phish. For those who don't know, this was Phish's last album prior to their breakup. I like this album, but what strikes me as odd about it is the complete lack of experimental tracks that were the focus of earlier Phish recordings. I mean, compare this album to, say, Junta, and Undermind sounds downright poppy. There are no You Enjoy Myselfs or Run Like an Antelopes on this album. Just short, mostly radio-friendly tunes. This is probably Phish's most accessible album, which again is odd since at this point they aren't looking to increase their fan base since they have had a very large hardcore legion of fans for years. How do these "Phish phans" feel about this album? I don't recall ever hearing about a big controversy or accusations of "selling out." Personally, I like Undermind. I don't know if it is my favorite, but there are some very enjoyable tracks on this one. The title track is very catchy, as is Connection. Access Me displays Phish's typical brand of humor as does Grind. So, I guess I'm going to leave this one up to you all out there. Is this album a worthy sendoff from this outstanding band, or has this aptly named collection "undermined" a former-great's previous work? Please comment with your thoughts and/or opinions. And I mean it. A couple of days ago I tried to elicit responses out of you all regarding the direction this site should take, and I didn't get one single comment. Not even the smart aleck comments I expected. Now, I know this blog isn't flooded daily with a deluge of readers, but I know there are at least a handful of you out there, I'm tracking you in the side bar. So, leave your comments. Please.

Out of the Context and Into What You Meant

Wednesday. Sorry no post yesterday, I was out of the office. Today is my eldest daughter's first day of school, so I had taken off yesterday to go to a school open house to meet her teacher, see the school, etc. I also took her to a doctor's appointment, so it was an action-packed day, for sure. Right now I am trying to catch up from my day off and working on a spreadsheet that I usually have out on Tuesdays. It's still not making the day go by any more quickly, though.

This morning I listened to Building Nothing Out of Something by Modest Mouse. I had been purposely trying to listen to other artists to keep from repeating myself, but I had simply gone too long without some MM, so it was time to bust them back out. For those of you out there wondering what the attraction is, consider this line that I found from a review of Building Nothing:

Loneliness, boredom, and random observations have been at the heart of Modest Mouse's skewered musical universe through all their releases.

See? They might as well be describing this blog. Anyway, Building Nothing is a collection of rarities, B-sides and alternate versions of previous MM songs. Despite a lack of connection between the tracks, the album actually comes off very well. Instead of a bunch of throwaways, these tracks are actually all quite strong. I would recommend this to someone who has heard Good News for People Who Love Bad News and wanted to expose him or herself to the earlier MM sound, which is a little different. I am still going with Moon & Antarctica as my favorite MM album, but this one is up there, for sure. Recommended tracks: all of them. Ok, ok. How about: Never Ending Math Equation, Broke, and Baby Blue Sedan.

Artists I am interested in but have no albums by:

Beulah
The Mooney Suzuki
An Angle

If You Don't Have a Point to Make, Don't Sweat It. You'll Make a Sharp One Being So Kind

Monday. Good morning happy campers, it's another wonderful week of work! And what do we have to look forward to today? Not much. My latest assignment is at a standstill until I hear back from other members of my department, so until then, more vendor database entries.

A while back I discussed Fiona Apple's in a review and promised that I would review her unreleased underground album Extraordinary Machine sometime in the near future. Well, the future is here, folks. This morning I listened to this album-that-never-was and I have to say that I was pretty impressed. The fact that this album was shelved because the record label thought it lacked commercial appeal just further bolsters my opinion that record label executives are idiots. Rich idiots, but idiots just the same. One of their arguments was that this album lacked a single. First, many albums have sold well without a top-ten single, and second, I heard some songs that while they weren't the bubblegum pop tunes you hear in the top-40, they didn't sound too far off from her previous work and those records went platinum. I could easily see Get Him Back as a single and other tracks were just as strong. Of course, this album smacks of Ms. Apple's style: despondent lyrics set to slow musical accompaniment. Orchestral pieces are often used to compliment Ms. Apple's piano playing, and I found this album to be well produced for a collection of songs that never saw the light of day (but resurfaced on the internet). If you like Fiona Apple's previous work, you will like this album. If you don't like her previous music then you are a misogynistic twit. Just kidding...

In other news, I am extremely excited to announce that one of my favorite authors, Brett Easton Ellis, has just released a new book entitled Lunar Park. I read a favorable review in the paper over the weekend, so I am excited to get my hands on a copy to decide for myself. Of course, having read all of his previous works, I would have read this one as well regardless if the review completely trashed it. I am currently in the midst of book right now, but look to see Lunar Park listed in the side bar soon.

So Many Questions I Can't Tell the Difference, Too Many Abstract Thoughts Now Wrestle in My Mind

Friday. Yeah! Lots of spreadsheet work today. Not much of a surprise there. We are still researching discrepancies, so once again I am having tons of fun with that task.

It was suggested to me after watching a guy being interviewed on MSNBC regarding his "restroom blog" (scroll down about halfway) that I need to come up with some kind of gimmick to increase readership of this website. However, from the beginning this blog was created with one focus and a strict structure. This blog details my boredom at work, and the structure dictates that I must describe what I am doing each day (to demonstrate the source of my ennui) and what selection of music I chose to listen to during my one-hour commute each morning (and why I selected it). If I have something else on my mind I may include that as extra. This focus has worked well so far, and provides me with a steady source of material to cover every day. I realize that this may be boring to some people, but I believe I already covered that early on in my disclaimer here. To do a change up now could fundamentally alter the nature of this blog and I don't know if I want to risk that. I have thought about the idea of starting another blog that would have a different approach. Instead of being a journal-type format, it would just pose crazy questions or odd things like that to try to elicit responses. I would just link the blogs together, hoping that would increase the readership of both of them. Of course, that would double my maintenance work. What do you all think? Please post your comments, ideas, and suggestions below.

This morning I listened to About Time by Pennywise. Pennywise is a So-Cal punk band. Faithful readers know that I like to get things started right on Fridays by selecting fast-tempo music, and today I was not disappointed. I first became aware of Pennywise during Sublime's heyday. That's not to say that the two bands sound anything alike, but they did hail from the same area and traveled in the same circles so I got wind of them by association. Pennywise recently appeared on the Sublime tribute album that I reviewed earlier this week, which is what put them in mind for today's selection. These guys play straight punk on this album, no thrash, no ska, none of that poppy junk they call punk on top-40 radio. As the title suggests, most of these songs are "about time." Now this may seem like a depressing topic to dedicate a whole album to, but actually the lyrics tend to be optimistic in nature. If you like punk rock and you haven't heard these guys, check them out.

Instincts Are Misleading, You Shouldn't Think What You're Feeling

Thursday. Today is website upload day, so here's hoping that all goes well. So far, so good, but I don't want to jinx it. I have been thinking that one way to cure some of my boredom around here is to re-brand my job function to a more relevant, contemporary description. So, from now on I am going to engage in X-treme Accounting, or "XA/R." I am going to spike my hair over the weekend and dye the tips blond. I am going to rip off the sleeves of all of my dress shirts and start wearing old-school Vans with my slacks. That should spark some excitement around here. Well, probably more for my co-workers since I would most likely end up an X-employee if I did...

When it comes to new music, I pretty much live under a rock. Since Clear Channel owns every output but the oldies station, I know I can't depend on commercial radio to provide enlightenment on anything new. When I'm close to home, I check out the local college radio station, and I can sometimes pick up some good tunes on there. They tend to be all over the board, though, so you can literally be listening to a hardcore punk tune, followed by gangsta rap then alt-pop. At least it's usually something new and different instead of the same old rotation.

In my younger years I would depend on word-of-mouth to find out about bands, but since now I don't have the luxury of that wide social network, I have had to find other avenues to expand my musical horizons. I know it sounds cheesy, but I often use Amazon.com to check out groups. It works like this: first I type in a band that I already like. Then I see what other bands they recommend, or what reviewers recommend. Another place to check is the "also bought" section to see what other albums people bought along with the one in question. Then, after making a list of the recommended bands, I search them on Amazon. Amazon allows you to sample almost every album on their site, so you can usually get 30-second snippets of each track to find out if the album is good or not. Sometimes that's all you need. If you are really lucky, there might be some free downloads on there as well.

Another place to check out is Music Plasma. This is like some kind of cluster/flow chart where if you enter in one band, it will map out connections to others. Sometimes I question the connections it makes, but it is still fun to play around with. I usually take a couple of suggestions from there and go back to Amazon to hear the samples. If all is good, I then move to add that selection to my collection.

The point of all of that? It is just a long, convoluted segue into how I came across today's band Death Cab for Cutie. They were recommended for fans of Modest Mouse. With a name like Death Cab for Cutie you would think they would be some kind of hardcore band, but actually they play the melodic alt-rock similar to Built to Spill and The Shins. I don't know the name of that genre, if there even is one. How about "melaltro"? That's what I think I will call it from now on. Anyway, DCfC is pretty good. I don't know if they are the caliber of Built to Spill, but I derive enjoyment from listening to them. Recommended tracks on Transatlanticism: We Looked Like Giants and Lightness.

Someday Everything Will Be Smooth Like a Rhapsody

Wednesday. I am trying to familiarize myself with my new account base. I have my work cut out for me since most of these accounts have balances way out there in the prior column. Of course, I was assigned these accounts to rectify that situation. It will be difficult since these types of accounts are handled completely different than the ones I handled prior to switching divisions, but I'm up for the challenge.

I listened to Bob Dylan on the way in to work today. I didn't wake up with anything particular in mind, so when I saw a Dylan playlist on my iPod I just decided to go for it. There's not much I can say about Bob Dylan that hasn't already been said a billion times. Everyone knows who he is and everyone knows at least a couple of Dylan tunes even if they think they don't. I would tell you all that my favorite Dylan tunes are Tangled Up in Blue or When I Paint My Masterpiece, but I'm sure some Dylan fanatic would scoff at me for not picking some obscure track on the B-side of John Wesley Harding or something.

In various parallel universes I am:

in a punk rock band
a former linebacker for the University of Tennessee
a history professor
the same I am now, but with a goatee
a huge Winger fan (I know, scary...)
writing a blog more than three people read
"one with the weasels"

It's Now or Never, Now's the Chance to Choose What You'll Regret

Tuesday. I have a lot of spreadsheet work today. I am also transitioning back into handling receivables, so I have that going on as well. I am excited to get back into the financial end of things. First, I enjoy it, and second, that is the pathway up the ladder. I will still be doing the A/R website and vendor database for now, so this will definitely increase my daily workload and hopefully cure some of this boredom.

I listened to Built to Spill's Ancient Melodies of the Future on the way into work this morning. I love Built to Spill. This was one of the bands I missed the most when my iPod was out of commission since I had neglected to burn any of their albums on CD. But I now have a new tuner so I can get back to listening to all of those files rendered silent before.

I've reviewed Built to Spill in a previous post, but they're so good I am going to discuss them again. Ancient Melodies is my favorite BtS disc. It starts out a little slow, but picks up speed as it progresses. Happiness is maybe my favorite track on this album, and Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss is so contagious I am sure to have that catchy hook in my head all day. The album ends on the beautiful track The Weather, which, in my opinion, is a good place to start if you want to get a good idea of what BtS is about in just one song. The songs are typically melodic, often with profound, elegiac lyrics. Built to Spill is also often noted for their musical innovation, especially odd chord changes and arrangements. Lead singer/guitarist Doug Martsch was even once compared to Hendrix, Clapton, and Page by The New York Times. However, I am not a guitar virtuoso like lampsidebriefcase, so I can't really comment on any of that. What I do know is that when I listen to them, my ears get happy, which is far more than I can say when I listen to these guys...

Wake Up in the Morning and it's Hard to Live

It's Monday and I am ready to rock and roll another week of work! Ok, not really, but I have to gear myself up somehow. I just finished one spreadsheet report that I started on Friday that took me forever due to a billing glitch discussed in previous posts. Now I'm going to dig into some collections issues, which is fine with me because I am getting back to what I loved doing prior to being brought on this project to do the website and database work.

I have some good news: when Mrs. darthjohn42 went out shopping this past weekend she brought home a new radio tuner for my iPod. Isn't she swell? It is for reasons like these that I am glad she has decided to stay married to me for eight years to this day. Happy anniversary, babe.

So, to try out the new tuner I chose to listen to the Sublime tribute album, Look at All the Love We Found (which magically appeared on my hard drive over the weekend), on the way in to work. Now usually I am a bit leery on tribute albums. I mean, sometimes they are really bad. Most of the time you get a couple of good tunes and the rest are either forgettable or downright awful. Take for instance the Led Zeppelin tribute album, Encomium. Big Head Todd did a great version of Tangerine, and STP did a decent cover of Dancing Days, but Sheryl Crow doing D'yer Mak'er? 4 Non Blondes doing Misty Mountain Hop? That's not only a disgrace, but that's enough to make your ears bleed. The Eagle's tribute album only bolstered my long-standing argument that they are really a country band and have no place on rock radio. So, as you can see, as a huge Sublime fan, I approached this album with great trepidation.

However, I am happy to report it's not that bad. There are some pretty good tunes on this one, though admittedly, some are better than others. Some of the more notable tracks include Jack Johnson's Badfish/Boss DJ medley, G.Love's take on Greatest Hits, Ozomatli's April 29th, 1992, and Pennywise's Same in the End. Get Out was decently covered by a group whom I have no prior knowledge, Bargain Music. After hearing this song I am curious to hear what their originals sound like. The only weak track I can recall is AVAIL's hard version of Santeria. Sublime has plenty of harder songs, so why they picked to cover Santeria, I have no idea. It isn't bad. It just seems mismatched. Perhaps a brand new take on a well-known song was the idea, but it just didn't seem right to me. Overall, I think if you are a Sublime fan you should at least check this album out. I don't know if this album will have mass appeal otherwise, but I could see a bunch of people buying it solely for the Jack Johnson track. Hey, if that inspires them to go pick up a copy of 40oz. to Freedom then the world indeed may become a better place.

They're Not Listening Still, Perhaps They Never Will

Friday. Yeah! Not much going on today. The website uploaded ok last night, so no problems there. I have a spreadsheet report to do today, which will take longer than usual due to the recent billing problem detailed in recent posts. That's ok because it will give me something to do. Other than that, not much else slated as of yet.

Today is Friday, and as you faithful readers know I try to select something really movin' to get my Friday started right. Today I picked NOFX. I've been doing the classic rock thing for the past couple of days so I though it was time to get back to some good ol' punk rock. Now my views on pop bands pretending to be punk rockers have been aired many times on this site, and there are some that would wonder why I would listen to NOFX while bashing these other poseurs. Well, first, NOFX is not one of these johnny-come-lately commercial acts. They’ve been around since the 1980s and found success in the early 1990s. They've paid their dues, plus I know they feel the same way I do, evidenced by the lyrics of this song.

What I like about NOFX is the lyrics. I can't help but smile while listening to them (according to wikipedia, they have been named the "funniest band in rock'n'roll" by the underground press, but I couldn't find any independent verification of that). They aren't funny in a Dead Milkmen way (who I also like), but funny in a more clever, smart way. Sure, they're no Bad Religion, but they do have some great political satire (incidentally, Brett from B.R. was instrumental in getting them signed on Epitaph Records) and the 18-minute masterpiece The Decline is phenomenal. Other songs worthy of mention are Linoleum, Pods and Gods, and an excellent cover of Don McLean's Vincent. By the time I got into work I was definitely ready for a good Friday.

In other news, I heard today that fellow CSU alum Bradlee Van Pelt has earned the second QB spot on the Denver Broncos' roster. Way to go Bradlee! Even though he has since cut his hair, soon all will know to Fear the Mu11et!

(sorry, couldn't find a good pic of a Fear the Mu11et T-shirt...)

They've Got a Name for the Winners in the World, I Want a Name When I Lose...

they call Alabama The Crimson Tide, call me Deacon Blues...

Thursday. Today is website upload day. When things go smoothly this is my best day of the week. When things go poorly, things can turn ugly fairly quickly. So far I have had a couple of minor setbacks, but nothing to cause any major problems. However, I haven't run the database macro yet to compile all of my data. I have a strong feeling that I am going to get a numeric overflow error today due to the addition of about 4,000 line items we discovered never released because of a system glitch. Now some of you more computer-savvy types out there might say that this is an easy fix and that all I have to do is "compact and repair." You are correct, however I am running this macro off a corporate server 800 miles away and when I try to do a compact and repair my computer usually goes blank for about an hour and then times out. So, when I get a numeric overflow error that means I have to call my IT liaison at corporate to do it for me. If she's out, then I am S.O.L. because we are the only two people in a company of about 8,000 people who have access to this database. Of course, everything may run well and all go just peachy. Here's hoping.

Today I listened to Steely Dan on the way into work. Now here's a band with all kinds of fun trivia. First, the name Steely Dan comes from a scene in this book(which I own and have read several times). To keep this a work-friendly site I cannot detail this scene for you so you will just have to read it yourself to find out. While the founding members of the band were in college, fellow student Chevy Chase often joined them onstage while performing. A former guitarist for Steely Dan, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, now serves as a a top advisor for the Department of Defense's Ballistic Missile Defense Organization. And the list goes on.

There are several things that make listening to Steely Dan enjoyable to me. First, I love the jazz/rock fusion. Sure, everyone and their optometrist have heard Reeling in the Years, but that doesn't truly showcase what makes them great. Listen to Hey Nineteen or one of my Dan faves Deacon Blues and you'll see what I mean. I also like the song My Old School, because Ellendale sounds like the song's Annandale, and I, too, have no desire to go back to my old school (which used to go up to junior high back when I went there). The lyrics are what really seal the deal for me, though. I have stated before on this site that well-written lyrics are what push a band into the upper echelons of darthjohn42's musical fandom, and Steely Dan delivers. They are intelligent and often ironically comical, sometimes bordering on campy to great effect. I won't say something as pretentious as "you either get them or you don't," but I will acknowledge that there is definitely a higher level there to be appreciated if you give them a chance. Kind of like listening to these guys.

Standing on the Side of the Road, Rain Falling on my Shoes

Wednesday. I was late in to work today. Not because I overslept or I took off time to go do something fun, but because I was sitting waiting for my car to be repaired. You see, faithful readers, a most unfortunate incident happened to me on my way home from work yesterday. As I was traveling northbound on the interstate on my way home last night, what appeared to be a piece of 4x4 lumber bounced out of the bed of the pickup truck in front of me. I ended up hitting this road obstruction immediately, blowing out my front right tire and bending the rim beyond repair. I wobbled home on the spare, and despite my efforts to locate a tire shop still open, they had all had closed for the evening. So, I had to get up this morning to have my vehicle fitted with a new rim and tires. No, I did not get Sprewell Spinning Rims, but whatever they had for the standard line (I did get some new, shiny hubcaps, though. Sweeeet). Either way, I much rather had spent the money on something else. You know, like a new radio transmitter for my iPod
or something.

Sorry, kids, but with all of the confusion and disruption of my normal morning schedule I forgot to grab music to listen to this morning, so I had to listen to the (gulp) radio on the way to work. It wasn't too bad, but I am still sticking with my anti-Clear Channel dominance stance. Just assume I grabbed something that I think is "pretty good" that has rockin' tunes on it and I used words like "awesome" and "phenomenal" to describe them. That should cover things until tomorrow.

Tuesday's On the Phone To Me

Tuesday. A co-worker told me yesterday that she thought Tuesday was the worst day of the week. According to her, on Monday most people have resigned to the fact that you have to get up and go back to work, etc., and can deal with it. However, on Tuesdays you are still in the beginning of the week, the past weekend has already worn off and the next one is still four days away. At least on Wednesdays you are getting over the hump and on Thursdays you are practically almost to Friday. Tuesdays are an island of misery all their own. Hmmm... Very interesting.

I am doing spreadsheets to get ready for the website upload on Thursday. I am getting added fun today because due to a system glitch a whole bunch of invoices haven't EDI'd over the course of several months, so guess who gets to manually add them in? I feel so lucky.

I listened to The Beatles' Abbey Road this morning. While the whole album is great, the second half is what I really dig. The whole series of songs from You Never Give Me Your Money to The End just flow amazingly. And while Ringo once said that Rain showcased his best drumming, I prefer his solo after Carry That Weight (some of you out there might recognize that sample from the Beastie Boys' Sounds of Science). Also, a bit of Beatle trivia for you all: Did you know that Come Together was originally slated as the theme for Timothy Leary's California gubernatorial campaign? I could also continue on with all of the “Paul is Dead” clues on this album, but I will spare you all (for now).

This album also has special meaning to me because it is the namesake of my second daughter. I already detailed here about how we named our first daughter Cassidy Lane. Well, when my wife and I were coming up with names for our second child, the name Abigail came up. I then joked that we could name her Abbey Road and then we could have two daughters named after streets (Cassidy Lane and Abbey Road, ha ha). The name stuck and now little Abbey Road is three and half years old. Sure, someday she might despise us for giving her that name, but I figure all teens hate their parents and at least this way we will be giving her something to focus her anger on...

No One Hears a Single Word You Say But You Keep on Talkin' Till Your Dyin' Day

Monday. Another start of another fabulous week at work. Boy am I excited. I realize that inflection is lost when one reads words in text, so just assume that I am evoking sarcasm. Not much going on to kick off this week. I am still waiting for the new assignments to come, so here's hoping that this will be my luck day. Or week. Or month. Until then, more vendor database entries.

Today I listened to Led Zeppelin II on the drive in to work. Now I know it is cliché to say things like "Led Zeppelin is the best rock band ever!" and stuff like that, but sometimes clichés evolve because it becomes ridiculous to continually state the obvious. Such is the case with Led Zeppelin. While whether or not they are the best rock band ever is arguable, their esteemed place in rock cannot be denied. I was in junior high when I first heard Zep, and of course the introductory tune was Stairway to Heaven. I was immediately hooked and very soon thereafter had their fourth album. The rest of the collection soon followed, as I just couldn't get enough. With my trusty copy of Hammer of the Gods readily available, I became a regular Zeppelin savant. I could tell you without hesitation who named the band (Keith Moon of The Who), which album was named after a song that did not appear on that album (Houses of the Holy), and even who was "Stu" in Boogie with Stu (Ian Stewart). There were some set backs along the way, however. My mom once made me take back a Houses of the Holy T-shirt when I was fourteen because of the "inappropriate" artwork on the front (I got a Swan Song one instead). That was pretty lame, for sure. This affront was somewhat made up for when I got the Led Zeppelin boxed set an xmas or two later. Those well-played discs still reside as an integral part of my music collection.

Although I was too young to ever see Zep in concert, I have seen Page & Plant twice. The first time I saw them all I wanted to hear was Hey, Hey, What Can I Do. The second time all I wanted to hear was one of my favorite Zep tunes, Tangerine. During both shows my wishes were fulfilled. There are two things that I could check off of my list of things to experience before I die. Next I need to visit Europe, see a University of Tennessee game in Neyland Stadium, and to make a pilgrimage to this place .

I’m Kicking the Plan Before the Plan Kicks Me

Friday. Yeah! I already finished one spreadsheet report I am supposed to do today. I pushed to finish it up quickly because the Big Boss Lady advised me yesterday that they would need my labor resources to work on a high-priority project that had to get out the door right away. So, here I am waiting and so far nothing. I emailed people, but no response. So, that was a complete waste of effort to crank out that other project. Now I am sitting here with nothing to do except more vendor database entries. Yee-haw!

I think the batteries on my desk clock are dying. It says it is 5:25. So, either I am way early or I should have left a long time ago. I am in favor of the latter. See you all later...

Wait... no one else is leaving... I guess I have to stay. Today I listened to Get Born by Jet. I chose this album because it has some rockin' tunes on it and I needed something rockin' to get my Friday started right. This album has several upbeat tracks on it, including Get Me Outta Here, Cold Hard B****, and the admittedly overplayed Are You Gonna Be My Girl. However, there are some noticeable slow spots on this album. Now anyone who has ever seen this cinematic masterpiece knows that there is a theory put forth that every band puts out at least one (w)ussy song so they can find out who the (derogatory term) are (this is otherwise known as the "Blue Oyster Cult Phenomenon"). However, even with this theory applied there are still several tunes of this nature on this album. What kind of band is this? I don't want to think I am listening to some rockin' band and find out I am listening to the next one of these lame guys. I guess this answer will be determined by the direction the next album takes.

Also, apparently there is a bit of a controversy regarding this band with people accusing them of ripping off The Beatles. The band openly admits that they are derivative, but their adversaries suggest that this is straight-out theft. The evidence: compare the album covers of Get Born and The Beatles' Revolver. Also, the Jet song Look What You've Done sounds a whole lot like Sexy Sadie from The White Album, complete with the "you've made a fool of every one" lyric included. Hmmm... I do think there may be something there...

You Want to be Free? Then Don't Speak Like a Slave to Me

Thursday. Today is website day. Well, last Thursday was completely lame so let's hope today goes a little better. So far, all signs are pointing that this will not be the case. We are getting some pretty heavy storms this morning that are apparently making everyone forget how to drive. I mean, what is the deal people? We don't live on Arrakis; we've all seen rain before so let's get a move on. It ended up taking me just under an hour to go the last 7 miles of my commute. Pretty sweet. Luckily, the big boss lady is very good to me and was quite understanding. Unfortunately the same does not go for branch management, who frown heavily on the slightest late arrival regardless of reason. However, I don't work for the branch I work for corporate so as long as the big boss lady is cool, I'm cool.

Today I listened to The Black Crowes on the way in. Due to the situation detailed above, I actually got to listen to them twice. I really like the Black Crowes. A lot of people might ask "Are they still around?" in which I would answer with an emphatic "Yes!" Those unfamiliar might think due to the scarcity of Crowes tunes on the radio that they came out with a couple of songs in '89 then faded away. However they have been consistently putting out quality tunes since then, not to mention touring. I have seen the Crowes in concert twice, and while both shows were absolutely phenomenal, I consider one of them to be one of the best shows I've ever seen (and I've been to a fair amount of shows). And despite her good looks, I would probably be more excited to meet Chris Robinson, honestly.

I chose The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion to listen to because I feel it is the Crowes' best album and I needed something powerful to kick off my Thursday right and avoid a repeat of last week. Although it couldn't keep me out of a traffic jam, I do think it at least made it a little more tolerable. The rousing My Morning Song just may be my favorite Crowes song. Other great tracks include Bad Luck Blue Eyes, Sometimes Salvation and a cover of Bob Marley's Time Will Tell. I also have a good concert story about Remedy, but due to space and content restrictions I cannot relay it here.

In other news, today is Repunzelgirl’s birthday, so I wanted to give her a quick shout out. Happy Birthday!

Embarrassed with Failure, I Try to Reverse the Course that My Tread had Already Traversed

Wednesday. This morning was busy since I had to crank out a spreadsheet that I was supposed to do yesterday but couldn't (see previous post). I'm finished with it now, so things have slipped back to normal levels of boringness.

Today I listened to Rift by Phish. I think the thing I like the most about this album is its continuity. Each song seems to flow right into each other as if you were listening to one long jam. The mood on this album seems to be different to me than others. While Billy Breathes seems more relaxed and mellow, and Hoist more bouncy and spirited, Rift to me comes across more sad and darker in mood. Horn, Lengthwise, and Fast Enough for You contain themes of loneliness and personal relationship loss. Mound and Maze address futility. The title track, Rift, deals with inner-conflict. Weigh, a song after my own heart, confronts boredom (along with some odd suggestions on how to cure said boredom). Sure, Sparkle is an upbeat tune, but if you listen closely the lyrics actually detail a situation in which one laughs so hard they "fall apart." Not exactly a laughing matter, if you ask me. Just in case you find yourself in this precarious situation, you would be best served by having read this.


Ok, I am having a lame day today, as evidenced by this lame post. I will try to be more exciting tomorrow. Maybe.

Cooling All the Blood to Slush That Congeals Around the Brain

Tuesday. This is supposed to be a spreadsheet day, but the extraction file that is supposed to pull down my data didn't run last night, so I have nothing to work with. So, until they can get that job run, I am left with nothing to do except to continue logging the vendor database. Tons of fun.

Today I selected Franz Ferdinand to listen to on the drive in. I figured I better review a newer group before I lost the attention of the coveted younger demographic. Anyway, if you don't know, Franz Ferdinand is the hottest thing to come out of Scotland since The Bay City Rollers. I first began listening to Franz Ferdinand for two reasons: First, as a history enthusiast I couldn't help but notice a band who shares the same name as this guy. (Would I buy an album just because of the band name? Well... in the case of this band, yes.) And while this Franz Ferdinand may not be starting another World War, they have been linked to the Sony payola scandal. Sure, some rock bands are mired in controversies such as substance abuse and hotel property damage, but pay-for-play? That's hardcore, man. On a side note, DJs were also paid under the table to play Britney Spears and Jennifer Lopez. I knew there had to be a conspiracy there. No one is really buying those records, are they? Eck.

The second reason I found myself possessing the Franz Ferdinand album is because I thought Take Me Out was a catchy single (little did I know then I was just a pawn in Sony's game of airwave domination). There was a lot of buzz about this album and I was looking for something new and fresh, so I procured a copy. These guys are pretty straightforward rock with no fancy samples or electronica added to the mix. The album is tight, though I feel some tracks are stronger than others. If I had any complaints, I would say that the song lyrics are lacking. A band can be good just on music alone, but one must master word craft if one plans on entering the higher echelon of darthjohn42's top music picks. So, all that being said, the album is pretty good, but not as good as say... The Moon and Antarctica by Modest Mouse (like you weren't expecting me to say that?)

Trade in Your Hours for a Handful Dimes

Monday. I am tired. Not much on the schedule today. I am going to try to get a good chunk of this vendor database logged today. I am aiming for an October deadline so I figure I better get moving while I have the chance.

I listened to The Doors on the way in to work. This was just a mix CD that I made a while back from some of my more favorite Doors tunes. One of the tracks included in this mix is 5 to 1, which I consider to be one of the greatest tunes of all time. This song delivers a powerful message regarding generational conflict that not even this song could rival. I've always wondered if I would stop liking this tune as I got older. So far that answer is no. I still find the message relevant and the music rockin'.

After 5 to 1, I considered The Wasp (Texas Radio) to be my next favorite Doors song. However, recently I have been taking a big liking to The Soft Parade. Don't get me wrong, The Wasp definitely still has a sting to it (I know, but I couldn't resist), but the more I listen to The Soft Parade the more I like it. The song has several change ups showcasing some of the best features of the Doors: Jim Morrison shrieking; poetic, allegorical lyrics, and even a funky disco beat during a portion of it. Also included in this mix is the obligatory Peace Frog. I really like this song, but I've often wondered about the beginning bass riff. If The Doors had no bassist, who came in and laid this down? Some session guy? The "fifth" Door, so to speak? What's his story? If anyone knows, please leave a comment to open up my doors of perception.

Well, that's about it going on here. Man, I'm bored today (as if that wasn't evident by this lame post). In other news, today is the anniversary of Jerry Garcia's birth (the anniversary of his death will be in 8 days). Why did I listen to the Doors instead of some JGB this morning? 'Cuz I totally spaced it until I got to work. See, this is why I'll never make Deadhead status. Pitiful.