You Don’t Have to Wait to Revive It
First and foremost, let me apologize for the delay of this post. As you may or may not know, my computer has been out of commission for sometime, and it isn’t coming back. So until I get a new one, I am relying on my wonderful roommate Krysten’s powerbook to update, so pardon any future delays.
The past week or so I have been really into Chad VanGaalen. He is a Canadian artist - and when I say artist, I mean musically and visually - from Canada, on Sub Pop Records. I came across his first album Infiniheart in 2004, when it was released on Flemish Eye Records. That album is truly brilliant, with it’s wide array of sounds and styles, and dark, clever lyrics.
On August 22nd, he released Skelliconnection, which is an equal, if not more impressive accomplishment. Rumor has it that he recorded over 100 songs after Infiniheart was released, and he chose 15 of the best to make the cut. The album is very dense, like the first, and it took me about the same amount of time to really enjoy it (seven days - granted, I listened to it over and over for the week). As of now, I am thoroughly impressed with the song “Dead Ends”, which is included at the end of this post. If you live in Lawrence, and you don’t like Xiu Xiu (you philistine!), you should put forth your best effort to see him at The Granada on September 24th. He is opening for a far less superior (yet still vaguely enjoyable) band, Band of Horses. Here you can see the rest of his tour dates.
Okay, so it hasn’t really been a Chad VanGaalen binge entirely. I have, on occasion, listened to a few songs here and there besides him recently. A few of note are included at the bottom for your listening pleasure, including the new single from The Blow, and a wonderful song by The Long Winters, a band I don’t care for at all besides this choice cut.
Aside from all of this sharing of my ‘knowledge’, I want to talk about the show we hosted at The Ghost Parlor this past Thursday night. My band, Olympics, opened up for Emma’s Mine and Ad Astra Per Aspera. Emma’s Mine never fails to impress me with their dreamy, wonderfully composed songs. I always get sleepy, but out of comfort as opposed to boredom. Ad Astra Per Aspera destroyed everything we have ever done. I don’t know how a single band can be that powerful and strange, yet so endearing and accessible. They do what they do better than any other band I have ever seen. I am really thankful for them coming, and for all of the insane amounts of people that chose to spend a weeknight at our home. If that show is any indication for the future of The Ghost Parlor, we are in for many, many good shows.
If you don’t work this Monday, enjoy your extended weekend. If you do, enjoy your time and a half pay.
Listen to “Dead Ends” by Chad VanGaalen [on the LP Skelliconnection, released on Sub Pop].
Listen to “Clinically Dead” by Chad VanGaalen [on the LP Infiniheart, released on Flemish Eye, re-released on Sub Pop]
Listen to “Parentheses” by The Blow [on the forthcoming LP Paper Television, released on K Records]
Listen to “The Commander Thinks Aloud” by The Long Winters [from the EP Ultimatum, released on Barsuk Records]
September 2nd, 2006 at 8:49 pm
One: I miss you seeing you everywhere I go.
Two: I am thankful for the internet.
Three: I am experiencing some serious deja vu right this moment, and it’s creeping me out.
September 5th, 2006 at 3:54 pm
“Parentheses” pretty much made my afternoon.