The Modern Log

Nothing lasts forever anymore

Jane — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:37:06 +0000

Thursday, October 29 to Monday, November 9.

I think this might be a personal worst.

I will man my post, but I won’t do as I’m told

Jane — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 02:20:24 +0000

To commemorate the fall of the Berlin Wall, I present one of Joel Plaskett’s songs that reference the Berlin Wall (yes, there’s more than one.)

This here is called “Through & Through & Through.” It’s on his triple-album Three (get it? get it!) and it’s terrific.

If you come to Union Hall in Brooklyn on Friday, you’ll probably get to hear it live and in person. You’ll really like it. I promise.

you really didn’t think it would happen

Jane — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:11:02 +0000

Last night, Fran Healy and Andy Dunlop of Travis did a show at Joe’s Pub, The Chronological Acoustical Journey Through the Travis Back Catalogue.

It was spectacular.

This here is “Driftwood,” which isn’t my all-time favorite Travis song (there are about six or seven different tracks that could fit that bill on any given day), but the bit that goes “And you really didn’t think it could happen/ But it really is the end of the line/ So I’m sorry that you’ve turned to driftwood/ But you’ve been drifting for a long, long time” (about 1:20 in) is pop music perfection, as far as I can tell. Listen and tell me I’m wrong.

After the show, we met Andy and were reacquainted with Fran (it’d been 12 years!) and we all lived happily ever after. The end.

your heart is in your art, and mine’s in new york

Jane — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 00:38:04 +0000

Eleven years ago tonight, I made my maiden voyage to Canada, for Chris Murphy’s birthday show.

So legendary, they made an album about it.

Happy birthday, Chris Murphy.

you won’t hear our songs on the radio

Jane — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 03:46:25 +0000

Joel Plaskett is playing next Friday, November 13, at Union Hall in Brooklyn. You should go. I will. I’m even skipping a sweet VIP theater event with free booze, THAT’s how important it is.

Good things come if you take the bait!

too dirty to clean my act up

Jane — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 03:58:30 +0000

Welcome to my glamorous existence. I really need to do something about this desk.

Related: The Fake AP Stylebook makes me happy. So does this.

watch you come alive

Jane — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:19:54 +0000

As a Rangers fan, my reasons to love Sean Avery are many and varied. And who could get into them all right now? His latest attempt to make our lives better is a website, which features glories like" target="_blank"> in-flight photos of the boys eating junk food in shorts.

You’re a good man, Sean Avery. And if a grown man wearing protective gear can’t take a few nasty words without poking you with his stick, well, he gets what he deserves.

Of course, I missed all of this (and election results), as I was sleeping. Oh well.

PS Eeeee! Mesmerise! Chapterhouse! Eeeee! (Sorry, I am very nostalgic this week):

how long will it take to get used to me?

Jane — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:40:08 +0000

Veronica was using that Facebook interview application, and it asked what flower I’d be. She picked a daisy. “Yay!” I thought, “James!” But she was thinking Marc Jacobs. Either way, a win.

Here’s James, the last time I saw them, at the Stone Pony. It was September 2008, and the set was amazing. The song I’m showing off here is one of my all-time favorites, “Don’t Wait That Long,” from Seven. It’s flawless. This video is quite good, but it does include all of the crowd sound you might expect. If you listen closely, you just might hear me hitting the floor, all fainty.

Watch more James (and gain a little perspective – James generally plays to crowds this size, not the Stone Pony. Also, Tim Booth used to have lots o’ hair).

you’re far too kind – don’t ever let it show

Jane — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:16:10 +0000

Behind me, a rerun of “Law & Order” plays (thanks, Mr. King!) and on a commercial break, an ad for some TV movie event or series or something is evocatively scored by the Faces’ “Ooh La La.”

Which got me thinking, I’ve been hearing a whole lot of “Ooh La La” in TV/movie ads these days. And of course, now I’d love to see someone do with “Ooh La La” and some other film what was done so beautifully with “Solsbury Hill” and “The Shining.”

The time is now, and the person is you. For your inspiration:

“Ooh La La”:

“Shining”:

And …. go!

it’s been such a long, long [week], i’ve got another one ahead of me

Jane — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 23:35:43 +0000

Mike Viola’s “Burn at Both Ends,” from an album to come soon, I certainly hope. I’ve been loving it (awesome) and living it (also awesome, but in the bad way) for a good long time now:

So yeah, as I’m burning at both ends, I don’t have time to sleep or eat actual meals or make myself look halfway decent on a daily basis, but here I am signing on for another November of NaBloPoMo daily posting – having skipped posting altogether since July. Why must I cry? Hey, why not!

Hold me to it, won’t you?