Phoenix - If I Ever Feel Better

When I was shopping in Kensington Market this week, Phoenix came on the radio. It was a song I didn't recognize, but I recognized the lead singer's voice, so I asked, "Is this Phoenix?" And the lady working replied, "Ya it is. Some of their new shit. Their best album is there first." From this, I went and downloaded the first album, and it is pretty dope. Also, the radio station was hilarious, because (and I guess, they were playing more than one phoenix song) as the host, satirizing lameo hipster people, says, "the first phoenix song I played was from their first album, because I liked them before anyone else did. I don't even know if I like them anymore now that everyone does as well." I laughed, and left the store. Didn't purchase a thing.

Sylvia Plath reads her poem 'Daddy'

Born Ruffians - What To Say

With the new found time of Summer, I'm all of a sudden posting twice in a day. I sigh at the freedom.

Anyways, here is a new song from Born Ruffian's upcoming album 'Say It.' I'm not sure if this is my particular favorite, but most songs by this band take me a couple of listens to get into. They also re-did a version of a song that they had already recorded called 'Sole Brother.' I really like how the new version sounds, so here it is as well:

Frank Zappa - Bobby Brown

Boz Scaggs - Lowdown

Prefiguration of Lalo Cura by Roberto Bolano

New short story from new literary (and dead) sensation Roberto Bolano. Here is the first paragraph of a newly translated short story by him featured in The New Yorker:

It’s hard to believe, but I was born in a neighborhood called Los Empalados: The Impaled. The name glows like the moon. The name opens a way through the dream with its horn, and man follows that path. A quaking path. Invariably harsh. The path that leads into or out of Hell. That’s what it all comes down to. Getting closer to Hell or farther away. Me, for example, I’ve had people killed. I’ve given the best birthday presents. I’ve backed projects of epic proportions. I’ve opened my eyes in the dark. Once, I opened them by slow degrees in total darkness, and all I saw or imagined was that name: Los Empalados, shining like the star of destiny.

Read more: http://www.newyorker.com/fiction/features/2010/04/19/100419fi_fiction_bolano#ixzz0ly2TfQT5

Beastie Boys - Body Movin (Fat Boy Slim Remix)

First off, my exams are officially finished and for those of you who frequently read this blog should be happy to know that I should be posting more frequently.

Second, I was listening to this song, after leaving the pit of sadness that was my residence building on move out day. The song doesn't really empathize with any of the emotions that were being felt at the time, but maybe a message can be drawn, and that is: just be pumped that its now summer!

Cream - White Room

Black Lips - Dirty Hands

For those of you who care, I only have two more exams!

Telegraph Avenue - Something Going

I apologize to my four readers, I've been busy with exams. But trust me, this song is sick. I heard it in this used book store I was about to hand a resume into--and the funny thing is, I was slightly impaired when I walked into the store, and thus I was immediately dancing to the song, snapping my fingers. Why was I 'impaired' at four o clock in the afternoon? You see, I was offered a sip of my mother's drink, and well, you know how it is.

Hall & Oates - Rich Girl

High School Redux

Funny personal essay in New York Times. Here's the first bit, with link below:

Paul was one of my best friends in high school, but we drifted apart after graduation. We weren’t good about staying in touch, and it had been years since we’d seen each other. I blew off my 20th reunion two years ago. Don’t get me wrong: I love witnessing the ravishing effects of time on bodies that aren’t mine; it’s just that you have to go through so much lame small talk to see the train wrecks. But I really wanted to know how Paul was doing. We were close once. It felt wrong that we’d gone through 22 years of life experiences without talking. If we reconnected, I wondered, could we still be friends? Does the raw material for friendship remain intact despite decades of separation?

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/04/magazine/04lives-t.html?ref=magazine

Miike Snow - Animal

Cat Power - Sea of Love

In totally unrelated note, I would like to mention that I now I have a twitter account (and I am having so much fun.)

Charanjit Singh - Raga Bhupali

Ocarina of Rhyme (Rap Mashed-up with Ocarina of Time Music)

A friend of mine showed me this last night, and I figured that it would be best to share it with the rest of the internet (well technically it was already on the internet--so sharing it with the people who view this blog. Also by comparison, it would be an overstatement to say that this blog would count as the rest of the internet.) Anyways, enjoy.

Next Big Thing In English: Knowing They Know That You Know

Just read this article in the NY Times, pretty interesting. Here's the first paragraph (link to full article underneath):
" To illustrate what a growing number of literary scholars consider the most exciting area of new research, Lisa Zunshine, a professor of English at Kentucky University, refers to an episode from the TV series “Friends.”

(Follow closely now; this is about the science of English.) Phoebe and Rachel plot to play a joke on Monica and Chandler after they learn the two are secretly dating. The couple discover the prank and try to turn the tables, but Phoebe realizes this turnabout and once again tries to outwit them.

As Phoebe tells Rachel, “They don’t know that we know they know we know.”

This layered process of figuring out what someone else is thinking — of mind reading — is both a common literary device and an essential survival skill. Why human beings are equipped with this capacity and what particular brain functions enable them to do it are questions that have occupied primarily cognitive psychologists. "

Enjoy: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/01/books/01lit.html?ref=books