So you may be wondering to yourself, "I wonder what kind of music Devin likes to listen to when he's ignoring his blog?" Well, aside from Sloan, I mean. Wonder no further, friends. Because through the magic of the internet, I am going to make a mixtape...for YOU. (That's right, other people might listen to it. But that mixtape is yours alone, gentle reader.)
In the old days, back when cars had cassette decks and people knew who David Schwimmer was, I would make mixtapes all the time, because I was excited to share music with my friends. Mixtapes with collage covers made from my mom's old celebrity & decorating magazines and liner notes that were pages long. But as technology expanded the mixtape fell out of fashion, and I never really caught up to making mp3 playlists or anything like that. Until now!
I currently have 3 mixes on 8tracks, and I keep wanting to get inspiration for more. So I am seeking suggestions from YOU. The reading public. If you want to hear a sampling of my music library, have a suggestion for a theme mix, or just want to throw down a mixtape challenge, please leave me a comment telling me just what you're looking for and I will do my damnedest to put together a mix tailor-made just for you. If you're interested in the kind of thing I've come up with so far, you can play the mix below for a little sample. When I have enough I will probably put up an 8tracks "Mix of the Moment" in the left-hand side of the blog. (I am thinking about giving the entire site an overhaul, but I think actually getting up content would be a good idea first.)
So check out the site, leave me a message, and enjoy the music. I will talk to you...eventually.
Showing posts with label audio. Show all posts
Showing posts with label audio. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 08, 2011
Thursday, May 08, 2008
What's Up Thursday - May 8, 2008
Offered without comment.
The Book - I've had the novel If Beale Street Could Talk (by James Baldwin) on my bookshelf for a while; it was one of the many books I rescued from my parents' storeroom before they gave them all to Goodwill. I just read it this week, and it was not what I'd expected from the cover. "A masterpiece about the love between a man and a woman..." it said on the cover: not my idea of a great read, if you want to know the truth. It made it seem like a high-class romance novel. It is decidedly not. It is about love between a man and a woman, but it is also about race and family bonds in lower-class New York City. It wasn't something I really liked, per se, but it was a well-written book. While I can't speak for the book's authenticity, it really seemed like Baldwin had captured the setting rather well, and the dialogue was top-notch. A good book, but not something I'd necessarily want to read again.
The Movie - GO SEE IRON MAN. Yea, it is good. Like I said to The Ninjas (Stolz and Stan), "Wow, who would have known that all you need to do to make a good superhero movie are good actors and not taking yourself too seriously?" Take THAT, Spider-Man 3.
The Drink - The Peach and I went to the Farmer's Market last weekend, and on the suggestion of a friend of mine I checked out Catfish Coffee Roasters, a local company that (surprisingly) roasts coffee. I picked up some coffee that was roasted the day before, and it did taste very good. I couldn't necessarily say that I found it so much more delicious than coffee that had been roasted in countries farther away and longer ago, but it was delicious and I would get more. But probably not the "Way Too Dark Roast". It's a clever name, but I don't like dark roasts that much in the first place.
The Podcast - I checked out the Most People Are DJs podcast when it was mentioned on Warren Ellis's mailing list, and it's rather good. The guy has good taste in music, and I found out a few good bands that I'd like to check out more. Worth exploring if you like off-the-beaten-track rock or electronic music.
The Real Life - I got a letter in the mailbox on Monday telling me that I passed my CASLPA exam. Funnily enough, I wasn't exited. I was just "not worried" any more. I didn't jump up and down, or say "YES!", or do a little happy dance. I just let out my breath and said, "Thank god." It was anticlimactic, but it's still good news.
The Book - I've had the novel If Beale Street Could Talk (by James Baldwin) on my bookshelf for a while; it was one of the many books I rescued from my parents' storeroom before they gave them all to Goodwill. I just read it this week, and it was not what I'd expected from the cover. "A masterpiece about the love between a man and a woman..." it said on the cover: not my idea of a great read, if you want to know the truth. It made it seem like a high-class romance novel. It is decidedly not. It is about love between a man and a woman, but it is also about race and family bonds in lower-class New York City. It wasn't something I really liked, per se, but it was a well-written book. While I can't speak for the book's authenticity, it really seemed like Baldwin had captured the setting rather well, and the dialogue was top-notch. A good book, but not something I'd necessarily want to read again.
The Movie - GO SEE IRON MAN. Yea, it is good. Like I said to The Ninjas (Stolz and Stan), "Wow, who would have known that all you need to do to make a good superhero movie are good actors and not taking yourself too seriously?" Take THAT, Spider-Man 3.
The Drink - The Peach and I went to the Farmer's Market last weekend, and on the suggestion of a friend of mine I checked out Catfish Coffee Roasters, a local company that (surprisingly) roasts coffee. I picked up some coffee that was roasted the day before, and it did taste very good. I couldn't necessarily say that I found it so much more delicious than coffee that had been roasted in countries farther away and longer ago, but it was delicious and I would get more. But probably not the "Way Too Dark Roast". It's a clever name, but I don't like dark roasts that much in the first place.
The Podcast - I checked out the Most People Are DJs podcast when it was mentioned on Warren Ellis's mailing list, and it's rather good. The guy has good taste in music, and I found out a few good bands that I'd like to check out more. Worth exploring if you like off-the-beaten-track rock or electronic music.
The Real Life - I got a letter in the mailbox on Monday telling me that I passed my CASLPA exam. Funnily enough, I wasn't exited. I was just "not worried" any more. I didn't jump up and down, or say "YES!", or do a little happy dance. I just let out my breath and said, "Thank god." It was anticlimactic, but it's still good news.
Monday, May 21, 2007
Pop Culture Moment: Mike Nichols & Elaine May
Lately I've been listening to a lot of old comedy albums that I found at the library. I've taken out some Bill Cosby classics (like Revenge, which is even better than I remember it), and Lenny Bruce (amazing when he's not ranting about his legal troubles), but I've been stuck on two artists in particular: Mike Nichols and Elaine May. Today Mike Nichols is famous director, with such films as The Graduate, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, and Angels In America to his credit. Elaine May is less of a household name but has directed a few movies (including the infamous Ishtar) as well as garnering two Academy Award nominations for writing (Heaven Can Wait and Primary Colours).
In the late 50s and early 60s, Nichols and May were well-known for their brand of improvisational comedy, and their performances on stage and on television were always a big hit. They put out three albums: Improvisations to Music, Mike Nichols & Elaine May Examine Doctors, and the Grammy-award winning (and my favourite) An Evening With Mike Nichols and Elaine May. Their repartee is amazing: they go back and forth with ease, and whether they're working off a script or from the seats of their pants they're always right on. It's not fast-paced standup comedy, nor the kind of improvisation you might be familiar with, but their cerebral humour rewards careful listening.
As I was enjoying a nice lazy long weekend, I decided to see how many of their performances were available online, and I'm happy to say that there are quite a lot of performances to choose from. I encourage you to take a few minutes out of your day and follow the links below: if you've never heard them before, like I said, they're a real treat, even if you have to go to the accursed YouTube for some of them:
In the late 50s and early 60s, Nichols and May were well-known for their brand of improvisational comedy, and their performances on stage and on television were always a big hit. They put out three albums: Improvisations to Music, Mike Nichols & Elaine May Examine Doctors, and the Grammy-award winning (and my favourite) An Evening With Mike Nichols and Elaine May. Their repartee is amazing: they go back and forth with ease, and whether they're working off a script or from the seats of their pants they're always right on. It's not fast-paced standup comedy, nor the kind of improvisation you might be familiar with, but their cerebral humour rewards careful listening.
As I was enjoying a nice lazy long weekend, I decided to see how many of their performances were available online, and I'm happy to say that there are quite a lot of performances to choose from. I encourage you to take a few minutes out of your day and follow the links below: if you've never heard them before, like I said, they're a real treat, even if you have to go to the accursed YouTube for some of them:
- Nichols & May at YouTube. I love "A Dentist In Love" and "Dating".
- Nichols & May at Rhapsody (U.S. only, dammit). I particularly recommend "A Little More Gauze" and "Adultery".
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