First Impressions

Every so often I go onto my music download site of choice and pour over the new additions. As I peruse the latest offerings I make a list of groups that stike my fancy. It might be the album name, the band name, or the album art, but something catches my eye about them so onto the list they go. I then plug the names into Google and usually I find the bands MySpace band site. Then I give a quick description of the music, a genre, and give them some arbitrary star rating, and a little check if I think I should dl it later. Its a fun way for me to find new bands and it is an excellent time waster when my day at the office is dragging. It looks a little like this.

Chasing Lights
The Saturdays
Models Make Music, Build-a-Pop 1


No Gift To Bring
The Almost
Moaner Droner w/ Occasional Rock, FLAalt Rock 2


Elektrik Massage
Fanger & Kersten
Stretching Out Electronically, Elctro/Ambient 3


You Can't Trust A Ladder
The Myriad
Moderately Rocking, Emo Mouse 2


Elf-Titled
The Advantage
Live From Your Basement, Chip-Rock 2


Together At Last And This Is Our Wedding
Mean Reds
Jump Kick Punch, Punk 2


Tin Cans With Strings
Far
Well Built Rock, Rock 'n' Roll 3


Jumping Hi-Fi Hammond
Jackie Davis
When Is A Hammond Ever Wrong, Ham und Jazz, 3 *


No More Inventions
Gunslingers
WTF Rock, Frenchie Punk Rawk 4 *


Hope Radio
Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters
Bluesy Blue Blues, Git'ar Blues 3


My Romance
Banu Gibson
Born Sixty Years Too Late, Your Nans Music, 3


Maybe I'm Dancing
Owl City
Airy Flairy Pop, One Man Band, 3


The Best Little Secrets Are Kept
Louis XIV
Creepy When They're Happy, Slick Rock 3

Running With The Beast
zZz
Texas Voices And Amsterdam Beats, Acid 3

The Bronx III
The Bronx
Rocking Forward For Us All, Rock n Yell 3


Groovy Booty
Timewarp Inc.
Yeah Just Like That, Funktro 3 *

The Potbelleez
The Potbelleez
Cat Empire Goes Clubbin', Dance 2


So there you have it. If you disagree with any of this, remember its my opinion so its never wrong, cause its just an opinion. And the lil * means its something I will prolly download.

Hope this was helpful or at least entertaining, 'cause it is easy and I will prolly do it again.

St. Paul Fadeaway

Not much is going on in St Paul, Minnesota right now. The city is preparing to host the Republican National Convention, but right now they are still just preparing. The convention kicks officially Monday morning, but with Hurricane Gustav whirling in the gulf and the debacle of Hurricane Katrina hanging over the Republican party, the convention may not start for several more days.

My role has been very limited so far. There have not been many productions in the city, so my time has been my own. Today I'm off to the Minnesota State Fair, and later I will go to the Minneapolis Saint Paul International Airport to shoot McCain's arrival, and hopefully his visit to the Larry Craig Memorial Stall.

In the meantime I wanted to throw some of the pics up that I have so far.

The incredibly awesome Sponge Bob Square Pants roller coaster at the Mall of America. Lots of fun! And ridden for free thanks to the power of the press pass!




Another view of the Mall of America amusement park. I believe that is a Dora the Explora Ferris Wheel.





One of several large American flags that are painted into the hills along the highways that enter St. Paul. I'm not entirely sure if this is for the RNC or if it is a usual patriotic display.




The road into the Xcel Center looks like a DMZ. Those are some heavy duty 7' iron barricades. They surround the entire center, plus the peripheral areas. They form a 3 or 4 square block perimeter. Its a little creepy. That orange thing there reflected in my shot, is my pass though. As long as I have that the nice men with the automatic weapons just wave me by.


Lucy and Linus Van Pelt say hello. In honor of Peanuts creator and Minneapolis/St. Paul native Charles Schulz, the Twin Cities had a series of these guys made up and painted by local artists. Here we have snowboard Lucy, and Super Linus.

Simply Awesome.

Something To See Here

I've always liked graffiti. Not because it makes a statement about culture, or because it helps me know which gang turf I'm on. I like graffiti because it breaks the monotony of the everyday landscape. Graffiti offers something new and fresh. By the time you get used to graffiti it gets painted over and then along comes another artist to throw their tag up.

Since I live in a neighborhood that is so close to Maryland College Institute College of Art (MICA), I am privy to a fairly large and diverse number of taggers. Most of the tags are just that, signatures. The larger pieces are painted over quickly by the very efficient Department of Public Works(DPW).

The undisputed king of Mt Vernon right now is Cuff Link. They have tagged just about piece of municipal property in the area. The style of the tags has improved noticeably since they first appeared. Here are some of the more recent contributions.


Just "Cuff" and AD, ya know in case you forgot your standing in the Julian/Gregorian calendar. The side of a mail relay box.







The full tag on a mail box. This looks like it was done with an actual paint brush or paint stick of some kind.







A bigger piece on the baement window of a board up.








Another mailbox. The arrow across just to draw your eye back over. I like the light blue on dark blue, very nice color choice. (sorry about the angle the blog has rotated the image for no good reason and I can't seem to change it. Argh!)







While Cuff Link is the most prolific tagger in the neighborhood they are not the only artist around.
Heist, here on a parking meter in silver paint pen, has a good number of tags up. They have been in decline lately though. I believe that they have moved on to bigger and better art projects.






I haven't gotten this one deciphered just yet, but they are an up-and-comer. Sntaks (syntax) is my best guest, but clearly here they love you, and me, and everyone else too. With the swish of a Sharpie they now claim this traffic light control box.





In addition to traditional tags in Sharpie and pain, graffiti artists use the sticker to bomb. Its more expensive to produce, but the speed of placement makes getting caught a much lower risk. I don't know how the sticker slapper ranks in the graffiti world, but my guess is they "ain't as street", as their pen and paint brethren. Just the same they do make for some good finds.

There are two seperate stickers here. Arab is the lower one. I believe they are affiliated with a local rapper. Ride's sticker above it is actually a really nice piece. The sticker is actually reflective. I guess they wanted to make sure that the sticker was seen noon or night. The cost of making this sticker probably explains the scarcity of them. I believe I have only seen two in my area. These are both on the side of a mail relay box.



Here is that Ride sticker again without the flash. It looks pretty normal.








Cuff Link will not be confined to pen and paint, oh no, they will do stickers, too. A low slap to a light post. Probably done casually as they were walking past and no one was the wiser.






Another up-and-comer, this one in the sticker category, and my personal favorite for placement I present the incomparable Tophat!

America!

Oregon is beautiful. Surrounded by mountains, and a stones throw to the ocean. A gorgeous state. I had forgotten how much I loved it out here. I really have to come back when I am on my own time, and with someone who would enjoy it as much as I.
The flight into Portland goes past Mt Hood, and is stunning, alas no photo! But I grabbed this in the car on the way to Eugene. Purple Mountains Majesty in the horizon.



Small town America where the flag still means something.










Sometimes that something means junk you need to do something with. I hope they dispose of that thing properly.



In Oregon you have a week to vote, and all elections are done by "absentee" ballot. You just drop the ballot in one of these nice boxes. You do so at your leisure, not only on the first tuesday of the first full week after the first new moon of the third financial quarter before 7pm, rain or shine, no excuses. So you know a bit more small 'd' democratic. Note Los Cabos in the background, some say they make the best chili verde for miles around. It was delicious.


And now some wild flowers...

On The Road Again...

I am leaving again to head out on the road. Its a long trip, six days, and I am looking forward to, and dreading the trip at the same time.

The tour begins in Baltimore, then a hop to SLC, and a hop to Portland then a drive down to Eugene, OR. Our first shoot is Saturday in Eugene. It, and all the other shoots, involves interviews with disabled Iraq War vets. Sobering to say the least.

My next leg will take me back to Portland, then a flight to Oakland. Oakland will be our second location, then Tuesday its off to San Antonio would-be-thieves of the New Orleans Saints. There we will do the last interview Wednesday, and I will visit the Alamo. Thursday its back home again.

I don't know if its not seeing Amy for so long, the importance of the trip for my job, a subconscious desire to not leave my house, or the heat, but I have not slept tonight. I leave for the airport in a few hours. I will definitely be sleeping on the plane.