The Fiona Apple Album Sony Doesn't Want You To Hear

The latest gaffe by a major record label: Sony has decided not to release the latest Fiona Apple album, "Extraordinary Machine," because, as far as I can tell, it "lacks a single." (Wilco showed us all just how much that matters, didn't they?) When Fiona's first album came out, I didn't count myself among her biggest fans, but I've given this new album a listen and I think it has its moments. The production is by Jon Brion (who has done some cool work, even though I lean more towards a Jim O'Rourke sound), and on a lot of the songs her voice has a real P.J. Harvey feel to it, so that should be enough to impress all the tough guys out there.

The entire album is currently available for (legal?) free download at this site. There is no guarantee written or implied on how long that link will last - who knows what Sony thinks of it. For those of us who don't like the guilty feeling we get in the gut from stealing music, it's possible to make conscience alleviating donations at Free Fiona that may result in her at least someday getting some sort of recompense for her work. Hey, Justin, give this a listen and let me know what you think.

Amazingly Cool Blogcards

I believe Vishal first told me about this incredibly cool artist/blogger out there, name of Hugh MacLeod, who creates what he calls "blogcards" on the back of buisiness cards or on buisiness card-sized stock. His website is gapingvoid.com. The blog itself has posts on marketing, blogging and creativity, and most of them are probably of real interest only to other marketing/advertising types, but the blogcards themselves are fantastic: funny and cynical and intricately drawn. There are archives, and I've spent hours linking through them looking for cards I haven't seen before. He also offers fine-art quality prints for sale at Easyart.com. Even though we're all poor, struggling students around here, I think these prints are great and I've already started saving my pennies for one.

Everyone Drinks Martinis

Everyone Drinks Martinis.

I'm geeking out on Flickr recently. I've uploaded a bunch of pictures there taken at bars (actually just one bar, you know which one) that I made using the macro setting on my camera. I think they look cool, but then I may not have all that many brain cells left.

Shane MacGowan Documentary DVD

It looks as though Justin is interested, so in the off chance that he's not the only one I'll post a short review of Shane MacGowan: If I Should Fall From Grace. This documentary was made in 2001. There is a good deal of interview footage with MacGowan, most of it incomprehensible, in which he definitely looks worse for the wear of his legendarily hard lifestyle. There is also snarky interview material with former Pogues bandmates, both sides essentially blaming the other for the breakup of the band. For those of us who fancy ourselves drinkers, it's impressive to hear in these segments just how many bottles of gin it would take for Shane to be able to take the stage. His wife gets some interview time, and she comes off as the perfect companion for any brave warrior who plans to go to the grave well-pickled. The highlight of the video is the music, though. As someone who was too young to really appreciate the Pogues in their initial release, I hadn't seen many of the old videos, and those are mixed in with some very lively concert footage and even a song by Shane's first band, The Nips.
I liked this movie enough to watch it twice and recommend it highly, either as a chance to re-experience some of the best music made in the 80's or just as a cautionary look at the dangers of poor dental hygiene.

HE is just SOOO cool

"SMU is like... fancy pants." It's a very good school, but they like themselves alot, if you know what I mean. Alright, I confess, I'm a serious asshole. I'm surrounded right now, not just by friends, but by other people as well. And I couldn't be HAPPIER. Jeebus H. Shit, happy St. Patrick's day, I'm a drunken shithead and a little drunk, as well. Anyone for another Irish Car Bomb?

Escaped From Prison Or A Mental Hospital - You Decide!

I've received so many complimentary comments on my mug-shot/profile photo, I thought I should return a little of the love by explaining just how I managed to pull off such a criminal (or criminally insane) look. In my youth, when what little remained of my soul was captured by that particular camera's lens, I had a luscious, thick head of hair that I kept meticulously trimmed with the #3 guard on my Sunbeam® brand hair trimmer. I chose that length because it made rubbing my head most closely approximate petting a farm animal. Bored with my natural, golden auburn color, I spent $7.99 plus tax on a bottle of Lady Clairol® "Platinum" hair coloring and went blonde. This and the fact that the photo was taken during Winter in Iowa explains the slight albino cast to my visage. The shirt was from my "Polyester Professor" line of thrift-store activewear. I was usually seen wearing such a shirt with a cardigan, but to heighten the thug effect I was sporting the a la carte look that night. The photo resolution is too low to show any of my earings besides the pirate hoop I wore. I believe I had 3 earings, a stud and a hoop in the left ear and a stud in the right, because social mores of the time dictated that heterosexual males have more left then right ear piercings. I can't apologize enough for the glasses. They look more like motorcycle goggles than anything I would be caught dead in nowadays. I guess I should mention, I had originally intended to take this picture in the black-and-white photo booth at The Deadwood, but since that one seemed to be perpetually out of order (including on one particularly unfortunate birthday that my friend Paul would remember well) I had to settle for the color booth at the mall. I suppose I should be thankful, since otherwise the sumptuous palate of this photo would have been a drab grayscale. And that's it. I'll happily reminisce about those days with anyone who remembers them, but only for the price of a beer.

Carpe Canard all new - With Cussing!

Most important post so far -- I've reconfigured the message board so that cursing is no longer "-beep-"ed. From this point on, cursing will be mandatory in all posts, as my feeble mind can cope with neither the subtleties nor intricacies of words containing more than four letters.

Saab 900 pimped out

Saab 900 pimped out,
originally uploaded by Brent Eaton.

Now this is more like it. The rad flame paint job, oversized wheels and low-profile tires, lowered hydraulic suspension... Of course you can't see the "kickin' " stereo system for pumping my white-boy music, but all the honeys on Welch Avenue will sure notice it. None of the ladies can resist mope-rock at full volume...

So visit Vishal's blog (captcliche.blogspot.com) and donate money to help make this dream a reality.

Saab 900 before

Saab 900 before,
originally uploaded by Brent Eaton.

So, if you've visited the Capt'n Cliche (aka Vishal) blog you've already seen this, but we're organizing a fund-raising drive to pimp out my ride. This is the before picture... nice car, a little conservative for a playa like myself, but a good place to start.

My Turn

I can't just sit by and watch Vishal (oh, oh... sorry, Capt. Cliche), Kriti and Danny Boy have all the blogging fun. So now I have one, too. Stand by for completely pointless opinions and information.