Buvant tout mon whisky

Dear friends,

1. I am going to this on Saturday, tuberculosis be damned!


Found out what "petanqué" is and I am sad to report that it is not a type of crêpe. No matter, I will still show up dressed in a striped shirt/beret combo, a small, curlicued moustache drawn above my lip. I do so love a theme.

Plastic Bertrand cover to seek:

Ca Plane Pour Moi/Sonic Youth (YST link)

2. Jeff K has completed his wrap-up of the Neon Lights presents... show on 2/17. Where is my wrap up? Eh...Monday? Maybe?

Love, D

PS It is my fervent wish that Miss Melody Nelson joins Die Romantik onstage for a Serge Gainsbourg cover or two. (Crosses fingers)

you're like the snow that never comes

dear friends,

1. zzzzzz.

2. happy anniversary one day late to earfarm!

3. I will do a little write-up on last night's beg yr pardon/earfarm anniversary show possibly this weekend. it was good times, natch.

sadly, last night was my last BYP as crew member (cue bathetic strings). never fear, leaders phil & tina will be keeping the dream alive, & beg yr pardon will move to a way more party-friendly thursday! I hear the next show will feature feisty ladies the pill & local charmers up the empire. to stay in the know, befriend beg yr pardon on my space!

4. thanks to all of you who have left mp3 comments on d: undercover, it is much appreciated. if you have not, head on over there! speak up! don't be shy!

4. eira/gorky's zygotic mynci (yousendit)

loping & queasy, this song sounded like my walk to work from the train. every jostle from passing pedestrians was a major upheaval & I silently promised myself that the first thing I'd do once I got to my desk would be to drink my coffee & stare at nothing & no one until I felt better.

I don't know what the singer is saying, don't speak welsh. it could be about ponies in the rain or it could be about murder*. so going by intonation alone, the build-up to the chorus sounds like someone trying to convince themselves of something & failing, since the end of the "discussion" is a series of slightly frantic ooos & a long sigh of ah. more ambivalent recitation followed by fade out to a portentious radio feed. the sound of uncertain feelings & weather. today at least.

love, d

* of course, it's about neither.

when you grow up

dear friends,

because I am lazy & because tonight's host said it so well, this post is ripped straight from the beg yr pardon site.

"Hi, hey. What's up? Oh, sorry let me introduce myself...I'm Matt from EAR FARM. Know what you're going to do on Tuesday, October 10th from 7:30pm-12:00am? I'm going to tell you. You're going to come to BEG YR PARDON #10 @ The Delancey (168 delancey st. btw clinton & attorney). It's a special co-operative effort between Beg Yr Pardon and EAR FARM. We've joined forces to celebrate EAR FARM's 1st anniversary by putting together a great lineup and a guaranteed fun time.

For a $5 entry fee you will get to enjoy music from FOUR great bands, FREE baked goods, $5 all you can eat bbq (with vegetarian options) on the roof from 7-9, 3 kick-ass DJs from the band Mancino, and FREE BEER from 11:00 to 12:00. Doors open and DJs start spinning @ 7:30.

Even though you already have more than enough reason to come to this show, I'm going to give you some more info just to get you really excited.

The bands:

8:00 - Low Lustre

Music For Robots says: "They sound like early, "I Will Follow"-era U2, that grandstanding semi-punk band that came out of nowhere. They've got the melodrama, but they've also got the melody and passion to pull it off fantastically."

9:00 - The Midnight Hours

EAR FARM says: "If you're a fan of Creedence Clearwater Revival and/or ragtime fun then "Miss Marie" is one of those songs that'll grab you immediately. It's a two minute long romp through Southern tinged rock with dual male/female vocals that sounds like something you might hear from a band comprised of Jimbo Mathus, John Fogerty, and Nancy Sinatra."

10:00 - The Muggabears

The Deli Magazine says: "Crunchy, fun, mathed-out mixes, heavy on guitar and meandering vocals…the live show would most certainly be a treat."

11:00 - Mistakes

Subinev says: "...they still amaze me, not just because they’re talented, but, well, there’s something that they’ve got going on that I just don’t see in many other bands in NYC. I guess it could easily be said that it's just that I don’t go to punk shows anymore, so a little bit of excitement, fun, dancing, and audience participation can just make me fall for a band quite easily, but it's something more than that. Every one of their songs is really just so perfect, even when their bordering-on-ska side comes through. But at the heart it's all great rock n’ roll. Like '50's style. That, and they put on one hell of a show."

Now, check out the amazingly awesome poster below designed by Destroy Space:



So there you have it...your plans for Tuesday October 10th. See you there, and hey - be sure to get one of those EAR FARM magnets from me that everyone's talking about.

- Matt from EAR FARM"

word.

here's a little extra:

dancing blind/low lustre (yousendit)

miss marie/the midnight hours (yousendit)

kissing/the muggabears (yousendit)

rendezvouslezvous/mistakes (streaming)

love, d

let's get crunk

dear friends,

it’s friday. I’m going to be at the delancey tonight from 7:30 until 11:45 for this:



why? I booked it. so you know the bands are fly. $8 admission, $3 beers from 7:30 to 8:30, $6 beer + shot special from 9:30 - 10:30.

also, come check out dj earfarm who will be spinning before & between bands. he probably won’t be able to resist sexybackin’ at some point so put your friday party pants on & come on out!

holleration.

love, d

ps dzusa has a gig tomorrow in brooklyn, have no idea where or when but it probably gives that information on the draculazombieusa my space page. I'll try & update this later when my brain returns.

what will I do from now on?

1. other reasons

I would love to say that I was taking a leave of absence from soft communication 'cept I'm not sure how long that would be & without a definite time, I don't want to make any announcements. fact is, I do this when I'm at work (illegally & stealthily) & work's been hard lately, the way that work can be when it is demanding & deadly dull. so yeah, while my contributions to this here collective have always been slight, they're about to get slighter. blame it on the rain. all you other contributors, help a sistah out. pick up the slack.

2. other places

clap clap breaks down the differences between 90's indie sexuality vs 00's indie sexuality via versions of bull in the heather. nah, not really. but I just know that the mere mention of "indie sexuality" made someone's glasses steam up. you know who you are.

earfarm has a WAY more demanding job than mine but still has time to write about another quality song that is over eight minutes long.

ruined music was in the new york post! go to their website for additional tales of musical ribaldry, I mean misery.

stereoactive nyc is presenting beg yr pardon #7 tomorrow, & he has interviews &/or mp3s from all the bands on the bill.

3. other videos

don't know why by ko-stars feat. dean & gene ween was a song I closely associated with a big, bad ex. I listen to it now & scrunch my face into what I hope is a bemused look at how wonderfully overdramatic I got over a guy who really was just not right for me but I kept thinking could be by magic & a careful avoidance of the word "love." not really ruined music, though. I adore this song, & still listen to it now & again without fear of flashbacks. it's mine & not my past's.

sadly, I can't find a video for don't know why. instead here are three videos by jill cunniff & vivian trimble's other project, luscious jackson.

daughters of the kaos/luscious jackson



here/luscious jackson



ladyfingers/luscious jackson



jill cunniff is releasing a solo album this november called city beach. I can't wait to hear it. befriend her on my space.

love, d

I see you're under my diamond

dear friends,

1. firstly, an enormous congratulations to gabriel from BYP #2 alumns & gentlemen extrordinaire, takka takka. not only is this stellar fella going out on tour with cyhsy & soft communication favorites architecture in helsinki BUT he's also getting married this saturday*! I hope him & his beautiful bride-to-be have a perfect brooklyn day out in the blue & green!

2. secondly, matt earfarm posted up his BYP #5 re-cap & also our playlist. looking over selections, I noticed two things. we are shameless, shameless panderers of the highest order. I mean just look at the crazy dance party usa turn it took towards the end. & also (& this totally goes against the first point) we think the fall is so nice, we played them twice. go figure.

BYP #5 playlist (that's me in the bold)

"me plus one" - annie
this was actually not my intended start song but soundmaster bob needed to check the levels & I hit the first song on the list. a is for annie.

"lloyd, I'm ready to be heartbroken" - camera obscura

"melo do vitiligo" - bonde do role
I read on fluxblog** that marina from bonde do role took a bad fall at pitchfork but new pictures show that she is out & about, still performing, rocking a sling. she is a true playah.

"the city never sleeps" - the fall

"punker plus" - le tigre

"the continuing story of bungalow bill" - deerhoof

"jackson" - lee hazelwood & nancy sinatra
everybody knows I loves me some lee & nancy. I prefer this version of jackson to the carter/cash original (HORRORS!) because I buy that hazelwood is the most dissolute faux-country cad ever with his snarky "I doubt its." he's clearly leaving nancy by the side of the road. also, I adore those fade-out whispered "jackson"s. you pavement fans out there might notice the resemblance to the repeated "texas" bit at the end of texas never whispers. nice, eh?

"jackson" - brakes

"let down" - toots & the maytals
because matt had to play me like that & volley with that jackson cover, I had to counter with one of the most interesting covers I've heard of late, namely this version of radiohead's let down. it sounds like it wouldn't work but it does, especially the melodica intro. & while I wish toots had attempted that amazing split vocal thing at the end that yorke does where his "you know where you are" gets higher & higher, it's difficult to quibble when the man sings this tune with a conviction that belies the sunny reggae beat.

"wolf at the door" - radiohead

"911 is a joke" - public enemy
thom yorke once said this was a very sexy song. the natural response to wolf at the door, no?

"the bush" - special ed

"hot boyz" - dear nora & casiotone for the painfully alone
(NB: I had wanted to follow matt's selection with the seed by the roots & cody chesnutt. sadly I didn't have it. le sigh.)

when I first heard this version of missy's hot boyz I was dubious. because I couldn't tell if these whiteys actually liked the song or whether they were taking the piss. at some point or another, I decided to take them & their homage seriously. as seriously as that hard beat that punctuates the slack.

"20L07" - john & jehn

---

"pole position" - folk implosion

"rollin' danny" - the fall
because I love the fuckin' fall.

"crocodiles" - echo & the bunnymen

"99 problems" - danger mouse/jay z
full disclosure: when I first heard this version I was slightly underwhelmed. I had expected something way more terrifying in its awesomeness, since here are two incredibly visceral songs making out right in front of you like they don't care - it should freak you out or turn you on or BOTH. instead I was left with a merely a "huh." that being said, in a club, in the dark, with a drink, this hits the spot.

"standing in the shower thinking" - jane's addiction

"cut-out witch" - guided by voices
gvb! gvb! gvb!

"beetlebum" - blur

---

"tame" - the pixies
an easy one I know, but whenever this plays people hit the bar with a vengeance, in order to have something to hoist in the air during the final screams, I suppose.

"really bad weekend" - art brut

"two guys (for every girl)" - peaches
listening to eddie argos moan about his life, I started to imagine the kind of song he would write if he were set up on a date with peaches that went disastrously & hilariously wrong. coming soon to a theater near you!

"the journey" - fatboy slim

"see emily play" - pink floyd
had to throw one in for syd. & the monkey, who was patiently perched next to the dj booth all night.

"worked up so sexual" - the faint

"field day for sundays" - wire
angry that matt played the faint (I had desperate guys all cued up) I retaliated with an extremely short (but perfect) song. color me cruel.

"what's in it for me?" - brakes

"cope" - the futureheads

---

"plastic passion" - the cure

"handsome devil" - the smiths
george jezel was wearing a hatful of hollow t-shirt. this one was for him.

"trash" - new york dolls (very clever, matt)

"baby c'mon" - stephen malkmus
the guitar playing on this song is like being extremely drunk in good & equally inebriated company. no one's gonna rat you out the next day for playing the solo on a broom because they were accompanying you on table, I mean drums.

"astronomy domine" - pink floyd (request)

"wounded world" - mission of burma
I saw burma cover astronomy domine at irving plaza a few years ago. the monkey was mouthing along about oberon & titania & I thought, ah. must be floyd.

"scream team" - deerhoof

---

"let's go crazy" - prince
an old request from marts la reina. sadly, I think she missed it...(sob)

"into the groove" - madonna

"groove is in the heart" - deee-lite
how right you are lady miss kier.

"sexy back" - justin timberlake

"work it" - missy elliott
speaking of sexy back, missy wants you to keep your eye on her badunkadunkdunk.

"good enough for grandad" - squirrel nut zippers

"humpty dance" - digital underground
because everyone knows the words to this.

"so what'chu want?" - beastie boys

"talk to me, dance with me" - hot hot heat

"wanna be startin' somethin'" - michael jackson (matt faded out before the unfortunate yee-haw! moment. smart man.)

"the last time" - gnarls barkley (request)
a young lady requested gnarls. we aim to please.

"monday morning" - pulp

"love me or hate me" - lady sovereign (request)
phil byp requested some lady sovereign. I relate to this tale of midgetry.

"don't you want me" - human league

***

our apologies to the lady who requested muse & new kids on the block. we both almost had either on our playlists. yeah, that sentence makes some kind of sense.

also, my apologies for not playing cansei de ser sexy. I meant to play them at the end but ran out of time. if they ever let me do this again, I'm on it.

3. full circle? I think so! to hear both dj earfarm & takka takka rock the haus, be sure to attend crackers united presents friction on september 14th at sin-é. I will be there fo' sho'.

love, d

* last I checked, the first dance song had not been decided. my own personal choice would always be I wanna destroy you by the soft boys. I realize that not everyone shares my sense of humor so feel free to leave more appropriate wedding song selections in the comments.

** speaking of fluxblog, tomorrow is matthew perpetua's birthday so if you've ever snorted coffee through your nose after reading his entries (current favorite: "seriously, if you can't immediately tap into the raw, specific emotions of "Rusted Gun of Milan," "Emily Kane," and "Good Weekend," then perhaps we should just consider that you may be an unfeeling turbodouche") or downloaded an mp3 on his site, then run off & bought the cd, make your way over to fluxblog tomorrow & say thank you kind sir & happy birthday.

band to congratulate & go see live: takka takka

dj to do the wop next to while they play the beasties: dj earfam

I'm always staring at your smile

dear friends,

my left eye is twitching. I've had a ridiculous amount of coffee & I desperately need a massage by the brilliant but duosyllabic* susan of chinatown. in other words, a FINE beg yr pardon last night.

quick notes:

air waves started things off with a mesmerizing set of slow burners fired up by lead singer nicole's haunting voice. I'd describe it but I realize all the notes I jotted down make her sound like perfume: dark, woodsy & evocative. I'm sorry guys, I’m that bad. they're great however so go check them out STAT.

caught schwervon! some time ago when they played with diane cluck & I went up to them after their set, shook hands, mumbled & ran away as fast as humanly possible which is my standard rock show behavior if I like a band. fortunately, they did not remember that magical moment & I'm so, so glad they came out & rocked the faces with their prickly pop stylings. if you missed them last night, be sure to catch them on saturday, august 5th when they play at the bowery poetry club.

el jezel, el jezel, el jezel. they are my homies. I love them too much to be coherent about them in any type of way. they thrilled me with an old favorite, I know it & their fantastic cover of fascination street by the cure. judging from the audience response, I'd say el jezel deservedly won themselves some new fans last night.

via audio were last & slayed the crowd with their opener, presents, which I first babbled about in this post. live, the band were a revelation, so confident & full of charm, easily trading harmonies & instruments. jessica via audio has won my heart forever by being the first person in BYP history to pay homage to our junior high prom décor stylings by rocking a stunning tiered white dress. now if only we'd had spiked punch! visit them on my space & friend 'em up.

matt earfarm & I dj-battled all night between bands. there is a list of what we played which is in matt's possession & if he can make out my spider having a heart attack scrawl, those selections will be made public at some point. regular earfarm readers know that matt has fantastic taste & going toe to toe with him on the audio front was a real treat. I hope we get to do it again sometime soon!

to all those that were at BYP #5 last night dancing & listening, thanks for coming out! I had a ball. jot down BYP #6 on august 15th on your calendars. that night our bands are the fabulous cassettes won't listen, ezmachine, my teenage stride & animandible. dj duties are being handled by jeff k from merry swankster & matilda von crumbcake from sugartown it's gonna be banging. yes, I said banging. a new friend used a variation of that in conversation & now I can' stop saying it. curses!

2. speaking of banging, & this falls under "future banging", o'death has been enthralling me for some time now with their particular brand of moonshine deliciousness. & strangely, I use "strangely" since I am most emphatically NOT a tastemaker, subinev (aka contributor bryan), yeti don't dance, heart on a stick, indie-licious, & the music slut feel the same way. go read up about 'em. let me know what you think.

because I am sometimes lucky, o'death will be gracing my sorta birthday BYP show on september 26th at the delancey. joining them will be draculazombieusa (at o'death's request!) & mistakes (their new tunes are swoontastic).

I am currently looking for an equally banging out of town band to fill that fourth slot. expect a serious hootenanny.

love, d

* all she would ever say to me was "ay-ya" to express her dismay at my crippledom. alas, I loved her but I cannot afford her.

bands to see live: airwaves, schwervon!, el jezel, via audio, mistakes & o’death

check the guy's track record

dear friends,

1. I never did a review post of 7/18's beg yr pardon#4 show 'cause I spent most of the evening having a tiny nervous breakdown. outside of my private inner house of cards meets hearts of darkness debacle, the bands were a dream & djs the obsessive compulsive & fluxblog rocked the house. even in the face of rampant heckling by drunken latins in glasses demanding aaliyah. eh, I'm not naming any names.

like the slayer, when one falls another rises in their place so mark your calendar for byp #5 on tuesday, 8/1 featuring air waves, schwervon!, el jezel & via audio. I will be dj-ing along with dj earfarm & not mc-ing. everyone shout: thank god!

the "you are there" on BYP #4:

earfarm
fluxblog
crackers united
merry swankster

the BYP# 4 bands:

susu*
medic medic
the song corporation
pink noise

2. favorite videos from childhood, part five

big new prinze/the fall**



because I was one of those kids that never napped or slept really, I wound up catching this on late night tv while my mom slept on the other side of our apartment, completely oblivious to my 2AM viewing habits. this band & this song blew my mind & put me on the path of righteousness. it still sounds exactly as I remember: like a truculent drunk shouting nonsense as guitar quicksand/sludge slowly swallows him up. I love it.

love, d

* andrea susu gave me their new cd at the show & I've been cranking that like I had a pick-up truck. expect a blathering write-up soon.

** sadly, there is a brief voiceover interruption from whichever program this was cribbed from. my apologies.