heard that sound

music

John Maurer from Social D.
(Thanks Julie & Louise!)

playlist

Reel Big Fish
We're Not Happy 'Til You're Not Happy

I love songs with the down-on-your-luck, sad-sack lyrics, set to fast, romping, upbeat, hook-filled music. Think Face to Face or Less Than Jake. Reel Big Fish has a slew of 'em on this album, the best being "Don't Start a Band."

They also have a snarky cover of Social D's "Story of My Life" and a great drinking song called...you guessed it, "Drinkin'." Hey, drinking songs aren't supposed to be complicated.
streams

concert

Last Action Zeros, Same Day Service
Double Down Saloon, Las Vegas

Last Action Zeros ...more shouted choruses, growled melodies, and whoah-whoahs than you can shake a drumstick at. Same Day Service ...girl power a plenty.

playlist - best of 2005

Morningwood - "Nth Degree"
The Magic Numbers - "Forever Lost"
Spoon - "I Turn My Camera On"
Coldplay - "Fix You"
Motion City Soundtrack - "Everything is Alright"
Death Cab For Cutie - "Soul Meets Body"
Fall Out Boy - "Dance, Dance"
Beck - "Girl"
Gorillaz - "Feel Good Inc."
New Order - "Krafty"
Loretta Lynn & Jack White - "Portland Oregon"
All-American Rejects - "Dirty Little Secret"
Franz Ferdinand - "Do You Want To"

Updated: How could I forget...
LCD Soundsystem - "Daft Punk Is Playing at My House"
Kaiser Chiefs - "I Predict a Riot"

Blog of the month: Waiter Rant

Waiter works for what sounds like a very nice little Bistro in New York. It's got the usual stories about bad tippers, cheapskates, and the really clueless cheapskates. But it's not all complaining -- this guy loves what he does. He's perfected the art. Some people call it upselling, he calls it seduction. He gets to practice Jedi mind tricks and bring the bitchy young waitresses back down to earth. He even gets tipped in porn.

waiterrant.net

And you thought Google's satellite images were cool...

High-res aerial photos of the enitre California coastline. Pretty sweet.
californiacoastline.org