the oh so quiet show

Sigur Ros listening parties:

9/7 New York, NY @ NYU’s Kimmel Center
7th floor lounge
60 Washington Square South
12:30-3pm, Open to NYU students only - FREE

9/8 New York, NY @ Seize sur Vingt
Presented by KCRW.com and Filter Magazine
8 to 11 PM, 243 Elizabeth St http://16sur20.com
FREE / RSVP
rsvp with full name and number of guests to nycontests@filtermmm.com

That’s pretty random. Clothing store has a listening party? …okay! The NYU lounge is a super-comfy place for sleeping. And Sigur Ros listening! Will they give out free stuff? GIMMEH.

I almost forgot that their concerts are coming up soon. Ooh. My brain’s slow. Time for sleep.

Looking at the Brooklyn Vegan Levy post, comments got a little batty. “When Levy fans attack” sounds about right. Chill. Eat some ice cream.

I like reading a music review that doesn’t say the same thing as 100 other reviews. Like Atomic Duster’s one for The Tourniquet:

bq. I don’t think I’ve used the word “woozy” since I was about seven years old, but Magnet have given me the opportunity to do so now, because I feel it perfectly describes the kind of music Even Johansen makes…Nice enough for putting on in the background. Play it to a drunken old tramp though and he’ll feel twice as dizzy and probably end up spewing in your shoes.

They also reviewed On Your Side. “…it’s mellow and…er…nice.” God, that sounds like something I’d write. Wait, that’s not very good…or is it?

Channel 4 has a pleasant chat with Magnet. I’m so easily amused:

bq. What’s the best thing you’ve ever found in a hedge?
A hedgehog!

If the NYU Mystery Concert is Arcade Fire, I will…kick someone. I’m sure it’s not. (Last year was The Shins).

The two free KEXP shows I want to go to are full. Okay. Bad luck.

CBGB benefit show in Washington Square Park?

update –> Yup, here’s more info. I’ll check it out for a bit if the area isn’t churning with students and other stuff, but it probably will be.

…It’s supposed to rain tomorrow. Hm.

Get ready for…RANDOM-NESS!

Magnet was bitten in the eye by a snake! Kinda. If it were actually his eye, he’d probably be in worse condition/blind, but it didn’t seem to be a big deal. If it were a big deal, I’d find it less funny. Translation courtesy of Erik:

A few days before the “Øyafestivalen”, he was at the Lost Weekend festival outside Bergen. After the festival he tripped an fell face to face with a viper/adder that bit him in the eye. That’s why his face looked a little swollen at the Øyafestivalen.

Quotes:

- I looked like I had been in a fight. And in a way I had. I just lost big time, laughs Even.

- I laughed my ass of because it was so special/weird/strange. I’m actually terrified of snakes. This is one of the most exciting things I have ever experienced.

It’s bad luck to fall on a viper/adder, but at least it was lucky that I didn’t get bitten in the actual eyeball. He got an antidote at the ER.

- I feel like the chosen one. I have never before heard of anyone that has been bitten in the eye by a viper/adder, så I feel really special. More specia lthan the music has ever made me feel.

MusicOHM has a recent Magnet gig review. It’s a little odd, as it’s seems half not-so-favorable/very favorable, but it’s interesting. If you want to hear “the raw, fulsome growl of a weather-beaten mongrel” (whoa, that’s a new description) in Even’s voice, Libido (Even’s previous alt-rock band) would be a better choice. Same pretty voice, but …different. He shouted more. Listen:

Libido - Supersonic Daydream [removed]

These Doves pimp coat photos made me laugh.

Dan Radcliffe is a hipster? …he has a fanclub and sends out newsletters? Wow, I’m behind the times. I’m a moderate Harry Potter fan (by that I mean I’ve read all the books a few times, except for the last one that I’ve read once so far–gimme a break–and I’ve seen all the movies a few times…that’s moderate, right?) but I haven’t followed the lives of any of the actors in the movies. Mm. Well. Yay for music! Should be interesting to see Jonny Greenwood and Phil Selway in the new movie, bwahaha.

Everyone loves Levy? …YAY! I don’t think they’re necessarily exciting or original, but a lot of artists I love aren’t exciting or original; I just happen to love them (and I fell in love in Levy after listening to them for about 5 seconds). Maybe I don’t want to be excited. Maybe I just want a fluffy pillow and some ice cream.

I like this song:

Levy - Matthew [removed]

…I like almost every song. Sounds happy. Doesn’t change much throughout. And it’s lovely! I don’t understand the Coldplay comparison, but I guess a lot of things can be compared to Coldplay. They’re like chicken, in the world of meats. (I didn’t mean to compare Coldplay to chicken, but I think I just did.)

bq. Pineapples, mangoes, wild rice, beans
Granola, cheetoes, caramel candy, popcorn
Ice cream, banana, fudge and some corn dogs
And mayonnaise, steak sauce, ketchup and mustard
Garlic, Kool-aid, Spam and some eggrolls

After seeing reading about meaty music, I thought about food-y music overall. I guess Weird Al’s Food Album is an obvious one (”EAAT ITTT, JUST EAT ITTT”) but I also thought of Beck’s “Steve Threw Up”. IT’S FUN, LISTEN:

Beck - Steve Threw Up [removed]

HAHA, VOMIT. Vomit is funny. Unless it’s coming out of you. In which case, it’s not that funny.

Beck’s music videos are really really cool. Really. Yes. Well. Most of them. It’s a wonder why he doesn’t have a DVD of videos out (not counting “Sea Change”) considering this buttload of videos he has.

Aaaaand that’s why you should check out the Beck Music Video Retrospective at this year’s Resfest, so you can bask in Beck music video glory on the big screen. It’s playing in NYC on September 17th at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center. You can buy tickets at ticketweb.

Mmm, now I’m interested in seeing Of Montreal. So I take a lookie at their tour dates…

And they’re playing at Northsix! On Saturday! On my birthday! AKA “DAY BEFORE MOVING INTO DORM-AGE”.

So I guess I’m staying home to pack, but I’m packing so I can live in NYC …more. But I’m bummed. If I paid more attention, I would’ve organized things so I could go on Saturday night, because that sounds like more fun than packing.

…
….
…..*mull*

[You are witnessing the thought-processes of my brain in all its uncensored and disturbingly moronic glory.]

Then again, the show seems to have sold out, so that’s good! But still. Damn. I’m slow.

They’re also playing at Knitting Factory on September 15th for CMJ. So that’s another possibility, especially since I have no CMJ things lined up. In the meantime I’m reading about a gazillion people who can’t see everything they want to see. Hm.

Sometimes you have to say something stupid like “ZOMG!”

…this isn’t really one of those times, but it’s pretty close. Of Montreal’s video for “Wraith Pinned to the Mist and Other Games” (made by Kangaroo Alliance, who need to make more stuff so I can point at it and go “AAHAHHAHA AHAAH” and stuff) is really really cute. Really cute. Like happy things bopping about and bright happy colors and simple shapes and more cute happy things bopping about. If it weren’t a music video, the audio would go something like “ahh!” and “weee!” and dinkly xylophone action. Or something.

At first I wasn’t really into the song even though the video goes very well with it, but now I really like it. Then I listened to more of their songs and THEY’RE ALL CUTE. CUUUTE. Or even…KYOOT. (To me, “kyoot” is like a more extreme version of “cute”.) Even though I’ve heard of Of Montreal, I never listened to them before. Maybe I would’ve paid more attention if their name were Happy Dinkly-Time Bop (wow, I just made…the worst band name ever). Time for me to catch up.

(Looking through my iTunes, I found out I had the song for this music video since…March. MARCH? It just APPEARED there? I’m scared. Or maybe it’s fate. …but I’m still scared.)

I found the video via Chris’ Music Snobbery. From his post, also check out the video for Faithless - Let Go. It’s really funny (or at least I thought so).

Listen to some new live Magnet songs on XFM.

Live Magnet doesn’t compare to anything else for me, but I’m usually dissatisfied with live recordings. It’s like maybe I happen to see him when everything goes perfectly…or they put something into the air. “The Pacemaker” sounds beautiful live, very different from the studio version, but I think “Hold On” and “Deadlock” lost something in the acoustic versions. I’d probably think differently about the songs if I had actually been there though.

The live version of Where Happiness Lives in minor key is one of my favorite live songs. I don’t know if he plays that version much anymore but I like it more than the original. Here’s one he played on WFMU from November 29, 2001 (a night I remember well because I left my radio on, enduring a crapload of brain curdling punk music to get to Even’s bit, and then I found out it was available online):

Magnet - Where Happiness Lives (WFMU) [removed]

I read Q magazine’s review of The Tourniquet, calling it dull and other stuff. I kind of agreed, if I had to compare it to On Your Side. …but then I listened to The Tourniquet a few times in it entirety and I still love it. Sooo. Hm.

…which disturbs me because it’s 8 minutes long and, what do you know, it’s past 4:30 AM…

I Am Ying (link works now!) by Furniture, a beautiful GYBE-type song, the kind that makes you feel…happy. Actually, it’s not really happiness, but it’s not sadness either. If you really like GYBE type stuff, maybe you understand. Another song you can listen to is Please, kinda My Bloody Valentine-ish, dinkly and pretty. Yup.

Furniture is a band from Malaysia (they also have a blog). I’m not familiar with music from that area, although I doubt many people from around here would be. Actually, I’m not familiar with any Asian music, as most of the Asian music I’ve heard is J-pop (not my thing), Chinese pop songs (like American pop songs, but in Chinese), or Korean rap (…oh my god…no, NO). Sad. Help.

Not really related, but kinda: for music from the Philppines (and other good stuff), check out Kristine and Luis are Listening.

This is kind of old, but I’m slow.

Even though I wouldn’t want to be married, nor am I a very lovey-dovey person, the idea of Sigur Ros lovey-dovey-ness makes me think, “Awwww.”

bq. it’s time for the annual sigur rós gossip column. orri and his girlfriend lukka were married last week on a beach in hawaii, just the two of them plus the hawaiian priest. georg and his girlfriend svanhvít were also married earlier this summer, by hilmar örn hilmarsson, their friend and head of ásatrúarfélagið, the icelandic religion of norse mythology. kjartan and maría (from amina) got married a couple of years ago in las vegas while on tour. jónsi also appears to have found his soulmate in his boyfriend alex. we’d like to congratulate all the band members on the happiness they’ve found, and hope it continues to be reflected in their music.

This fan interview with a 6 year old also makes me think “Aww.” When I was 6, I don’t recall listening to music that wasn’t Disney related. …perhaps it was a deprived childhood.

The latest DEAD AIR SPACE entry by Thom is especially entertaining.

“what do people write in blogs normally? […random thoughts…] i have absolutely no idea what i am talking about.”

That’s not too far off from how most people write, is it?

… …squirrel marshmallow.

Bob Moog passed away yesterday at the age of 71 from a brain tumor. His family set up a website following his battle with cancer at Caring Bridge.

Rest in peace. Bloopy peace. [via metafilter]

Even though “Moog” rhymes with “vogue”, I can’t help but say…moo-g.

I just read a bad review for “The Tourniquet” the other day but I can’t find it anymore. It was interesting because it had truthful points, except for the correlation between “sleepy music” and “bad music”. I don’t think that Magnet will ever make a party album (although it would be more likely than The Innocence Mission making one) unless it’s a…tea party?

“The Tourniquet” has been getting good reviews but reading the bad review made me think about how much I like it. In order of preference, I like “Quiet & Still”, then “On Your Side”, then “The Tourniquet”. I think I’ll always be bothered that seemingly no one has listened to “Quiet & Still”, which you can easily buy at Five One Inc, where it’s been for the past four years. Then again, I can’t really explain why I like it so much. It’s a good thing I don’t review music for a living.

Magnet is doing a crapload of tour dates in Norway.

Okay, I thought about it for a few minutes and every song on “Quiet & Still” just grabs me. Like….RAWR! But not. More like a quiet rawr. A warm fuzzy kitten. Yes, that’s it. Warm fuzzy kitten, lying on your head. OH, wait wait, I found a better visual: hedgehog baby. Listening to “Quiet & Still” is like being a hedgehog baby. God, those things are cute (DON’T TELL ME OTHERWISE).

Wow, brains don’t work well after 4 AM, do they?

Lastly, I love how Thom looks very very small in this photo in the woods.

I already mentioned that Levy is playing at a Arlene’s Grocery on September 14th for CMJ-ness but since it’s the One Little Indian showcase, BC Camplight is playing too. He is awesome and you should check him out. MORE HAPPY! (I think I just spoke Engrish.) And there are other artists who are probably good:

7:00 pm: BC Camplight
8:00 pm: Levy
9:00 pm: Without Gravity
10:00 pm: Deadman
11:00 pm: Jeff Klein
12:00 pm: Queenadreena

21+? Boo? Sad. Do they care? There’s always Feist.

“BEST THING EVER” ALERT!

Pete is the guy behind Casper Electronics, “Producing circuit bent sound gadgets and custom built musical instruments for the masses.” Don’t you love Pete? Don’t you want to be Pete? No? I guess it’s just me. He takes electronic instruments/toys, usually old and abandoned, and transforms them into much cooler things. And by cool, I mean they make lots of noises, sometimes mildly apocalyptic, sometimes glitch-tastic (most of the instruments have flash audio players at the bottom of the page). Look, CREEPY BABY HEADS!

Talking dolls are freaky and they deserve to be messed with.

If I had known about circuit bending in the beginning of the summer, I would’ve had had a more interesting past few months trying to ameliorate my complete lack of electronics-building knowledge. Doh. Anti-theory has a good circuit bending guide.

[Thanks Richard for the musical-toy-ness.]

That is a really ominous looking tree. It screams, “My gigantic branch is going to fall off and kill you. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, MOVE.”

I made that up. I don’t think the tree is talking. Unless it’s one of those “talking tree” music videos. You know…um. Those.

I decided to listen to Athlete because I hadn’t listened to them before and someone pointed them out to me. It’s like if someone offered me a new muffin that I hadn’t eaten before–I’d eat it, you know. I’m not sure what to think of Athlete yet; somewhat my kind of music, somewhat not. I first watched the video for Half-Light, not sure what was going on but thinking it looked pretty and weird (”Wires” is another one of those). After watching more of their music videos I found that they’re all pretty and/or weird. But can you guess which one I liked the most?

THE ONE WITH THE DANCING ATOM! HA HA HA! I mean, I like cute things. Watch the video for “You Got the Style” at ifilm.com. It would’ve been nice if there were more animation but the animated bits are very cute. So…if you don’t like cute smiling things, stay away.

I like Athlete’s music videos more than their songs. That happens, eh?

I just upgraded WP, so if something on this site isn’t working, that’s why. There are already messed up things…dammit.

…comes a blog. It is very Thom-like. With weird paragraphs and such that sometimes gives me the impression of convulsions.

(Actually it’s more from the brains of all the band members.)

I’ve watched Family Guy: Take On Me way too many times in the past few days. Most of my friends agree that this is hilarious and for some reason, Chris’ carefree wigglin’ dance and confused exclamation, “I DON’T KNOW”, amuse me beyond belief.

WHYYYY?!?!?! (This is where I’d play Chris saying, “I DON’T KNOW.”)

The bad thing about this video is that watching it excessively has caused “Take On Me” to comfortably snuggle itself into some nook of my brain that plays it ALL THE TIME, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD STOP IT STOP IT…I mean. Yeah. Please. Why is that song so catchy? I don’t even like it much. The music video freaks me out a bit and for some reason the lyrics “Take on me / Take me on” also bother me. But if I don’t pay much attention, it sounds okay.

Man, what’s with all the videos lately? There can only be MORE!!!

(Oh lookie, an A-Ha/Office Space mashie…damn.)

And thus concludes another “post that CJ will enjoy.” A little bit more news: Magnet is probably coming to NYC within the next…6 months. How about at least within the next 12 months? Huhhh? THE VAGUENESS COMPELLS YOU!

I don’t know (m)any people who’d be happy with an onslaught of Magnet press, but it’s in ENGLISH this time. And there are tour dates. …in the UK. But that makes me happy too. If you’re interested in Magnet at all, I hope you read all this stuff because I’m the slowest website updater in the world and I’d like to believe my effort counts for a teeny tiny bit of your time.

On Tuesday 16th Magnet will appear on Tom Robinson’s show on BBC 6 Music for an acoustic session and interview & on the same day will also appear on Lauren Laverne’s XFM show playing a solo session. “Hold On” is Lauren Laverne’s Single of the Week on XFM this week.

Magnet will tour UK in October as main support to Engineers. The dates:

* Sun 9th Oct: SOUTHEND, CHINNERY’S – 01702 467 505
* Mon 10th Oct: BRIGHTON, KOMEDIA – 01275 647 100
* Tues 11th Oct: BRISTOL, THE FLEECE – 0117 929 9008
* Thurs 13th Oct: LONDON, THE SCALA – 020 7734 8932 or 020 7403 3331
* Fri 14th Oct: NORTHAMPTON, SOUNDHAUS – 01604 250 898
* Sat 15th Oct: NOTTINGHAM, RESCUE ROOMS – 0115 958 8484
* Sun 16th Oct: LEEDS, COCKPIT – 0113 245 5570
* Tues 18th Oct: GLASGOW, KING TUTS WAH-WAH HUT – 0870 169 0100
* Wed 19th Oct: MANCHESTER, ACADEMY 3 – 0161 832 1111
* Thurs 20th Oct: LIVERPOOL, BARFLY – 0870 907 0999

Tickets also available online via www.gigsandtours.com.

Check out the latest press from the UK:

* The Times: Bergen, Norway - it’s the new Seattle
* NME: “The Tourniquet” review
* Music Week: “The Tourniquet” review
* NME: “Hold On” single review
* Manchester Online: “Hold On” single review

Time Out and The Evening Standard recommend seeing Magnet perform in London next Wednesday at 93 Feet East. The show is sold out, so we hope you have your tickets!

Like a really large box. That makes more sense now, right?

…okay, not really. I didn’t get much from this Oyafestivalen review but pictures speak louder than words. Unfortunately the picture can’t tell me why it exists. Semi-private Magnet performance in what could be a large container for garbage? I don’t think I’d be too quick to stick my head in there if I didn’t know what was going on, although I might be the perfect height for it.

Oh, Magnet, silly! What’s with the matching clothes? I think if Even and his band were to make an impact with their attire, they should dress in funny suits. His bassist could be a hot dog, guitarist could be a giant fish…okay, it’d be really hard to take them seriously. But it’s already hard to do that if they’re all wearing the same outfit!

MAGNET IN A BOX: not coming to a festival near you! Damn you, Öya.

I’ve never listened to OK Go before but check out this awesome video for “A Million Ways”, and by awesome I mean “features funny dancing that will make you laugh.” Like many other people, I’m wondering how many times it took for them to get the dance right the whole way through. It’s so much better than most super-slick music videos in my opinion. [via metafilter]

I’d want to see OK Go now just for more silly dancing. They’re opening for Rufus Wainwright at the Beacon Theater but I don’t think I’ll go since I’ve seen Rufus five or six times by now…he is fun though. Hmm. (scratches head)

For more silly dancing, check out super happy fan watching Clap Your Hands Say Yeah at the Southstreet Seaport. I can’t get into CYHSY (dude’s voice…makes my brain unhappy) but dancing fanboy has that down.

Here’s my favorite Overheard in New York of the day.