Paint the ceiling, part 3

I'm starting to figure out what we've gotten ourselves into with this ceiling, and it's putting me in a foul mood. Not really, but maybe it should. Today I finally got all of the paint removed from the ceiling, which means the hard part can start! We're left with a pretty dinged-up plaster ceiling over the concrete, which means I'll have to apply a skim coat. I obviously don't know how that's going to go, but I'm pretty sure it's going to be bad. The big question I have in my head is whether I'm going to have to do any sanding before I move on to the primer and the painting. Let's hope not, because XX hours holding a sander over one's head is not fun. So I'm pretty sure I will. (On the plus (?) side, our living room has never felt so large as it does at the moment!)

HOW LONG DO I HAVE TO WAIT FOR YOU?

HOW LONG DO I HAVE TO WAIT FOR YOU? by Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings.

Just about Woodstock again, briefly. Our new theory is that while the house we stayed in wasn't Big Pink, it was where Robbie Robertson stopped to get a steam shower (or something) on the way to Big Pink. No matter, The Rivals set up a little studio and laid down a few fun tracks, and everybody got to participate in the fun, and when it finally stopped raining, it was a lovely weekend.

One thing I did was to make a few CDs of music I've picked up the last couple of weeks. This week I'll share three of the songs that went over best with the gang.

The first is from Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings. Ms. Jones and co. have a brand new album out, called "100 Days, 100 Nights," which got me thinking about this music. My first instinct has always been proceed with caution. Her music has garnered a lot of praise the last few years, but I've suspected for the wrong reasons. "It sounds just like the 70s." "It's so awesomely retro!" Believe it or not, I'm suspicious of these nostalgia exercises in music (not to say hostile--I just think they rarely work as new or old music). But to be fair, everything I had heard from this group has been good, and so I finally broke down and ordered her last album, "Naturally."

How Long Do I Have To Wait For You? is from "Naturally," and I think everyone liked it. The remarkable thing about it to me is how busy the band is without over-filling the sound. There's plenty of space for Jones to do her thing.

LISTEN.

Photo: Woodstock (1).

Back from Not-Big-Pink

So that wasn't Big Pink, but we still had a great time up in Woodstock this weekend. We got back a little bit ago, and I immediately sat down and watched our match with Liverpool. What can you say? We weren't great, and I guess you'd have to credit Liverpool for that. And they took advantage of our slow start and grabbed a goal. But Liverpool really are terrible aren't they. A point that should have been three.

...Also, good thing Benitez has a grudge against Crouch, he was so much better than Torres it's untrue. Maybe Torres wasn't fit, but that tells its own story.

Mini-Ceiling Update.

Just a quick one. I got a sander from Brian & Caryn yesterday so I can finish prepping for the real stuff. The super finally came up this morning and said it's a big job, but he wants me to wait a few days so he can check on moisture levels in the concrete. He said I need to put one coat of pink something-or-other then two coats of primer and then I can paint. I'm gonna have to talk to him again because I don't remember exactly what he said, I was still a little dazed!

We're heading up to Woodstock in a couple of hours, where we're supposed to be staying in Big Pink, but some of us are suspicious that it's not Big Pink at all. No matter, should be fun. It'll be the first time the Rivals have been together since the wedding. We're getting back late on Sunday so the Liverpool match will have to be tape-delayed. No spoilers on Sunday please!

MAIS UM ADEUS

MAIS UM ADEUS by Toquinho & Marilia.

Last night I got an email from my friend Jason in London at about 9:15 p.m., leading to an electronic scolding from me. Five hours ahead of us, he really should be in bed by then. Fast forward ahead a few hours, and the last thing I saw before I passed out was another email from Jason, this one at 9:15 a.m. London time. Work that one out, but what I'm trying to say is I'm a little struggling today, so my commentary on this song is brief. It's a very soothing song, and here's how Loronix describes the album: "Musica Nova is that kind of album that saves your whole day if you take it for a hearing in the morning as your first thing you do." If only that were true. Have a good weekend!

LISTEN.

Photo: How long it takes (3).

You'll Never Walk Alone (But You'll Lose to Beşiktaş)

YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE by The Kop Choir.

Back when we were in Turkey, we went for a long walk through the city, getting lost a couple of times. At one point we went up a hill, and looked back down the hill, and realized that we'd just walked around a football stadium dug in right in the middle of the city, a stone's throw from the Bosphorus. It looked like a dump, but what a location!

That's where Liverpool went down to their second defeat of the season, both in the Champions League. I'm posting this selection from the Kop Choir (originally from a John Peel radio session) in honor of the Beşiktaş support, who were frighteningly loud on the TV.

Given the karmic laws, the European results mean that Liverpool will undoubtedly turn us over this weekend. But we'll just have to hope for the best.

A AGUA NEGRA DA LAGOA

A AGUA NEGRA DA LAGOA by Toquinho.

Music blogs come in different shapes and sizes. Some people are plugged into the music industry and most of their content is generated largely by freebie new material that gets sent to them. Some have their hands on huge, massive LP collections, along with the specialized knowledge that comes from years of collecting.

Of the latter group is a blog called Loronix. It's a Brazilian group blog that posts just incredible volumes of music every single day. Most of it out of print not just here but in Brazil. It's completely overwhelming, and so impressive. They need, and I'm not surprised if there are in fact, a whole substructure of blogs that cherry pick the best material and reposts it in curatorial style.

That's what we're doing today and Friday here. This track opens Toquinho's second solo album, and it's characteristic of its easy beauty. Here's how Loronix describes it (enjoy the slightly awkward English):

What a nice surprise! Toquinho is strongly associated with Vinicius de Moraes on a partnership that started in 1970 and last for more than a decade. What amazes me most in this album is that Toquinho is alone here and probably doing whatever he wants on the set.

We can listen Toquinho vocals on 3 songs, Agua Negra de Lagoa, Zana e Dobrando a Esquina, Jorge Ben duets with Toquinho on the legendary song Que Maravilha and Carolina, Carol Bela. Paulinho Nogueira is also here on Bachianinha #1 playing guitar with Toquinho.

Toquinho guitar playing is powerful and can be heard out loud throughout the entire LP.

LISTEN.

Photo: How long it takes (2).

One Two Three Four Five Six Seven

As soon as we hit four goals I had a feeling we'd end with seven. Seems like we have an affinity for seven goals over the years, against Everton, Boro, I think Pompey, (I should probably look these scores up but I won't). Hopefully it put a little fright into Liverpool but given their ability to spoil matches I'd be more than happy with a point (which would also let them maintain their "unbeaten" streak in the league). And even if we lose, what a run we've had to start this season! Nearly November, and only two points dropped, no goals conceded in Europe. Hats off to our kids!

CAROLINA CAROL BELA

CAROLINA CAROL BELA by Toquinho and Jorge Ben.

Let's ease into Monday shall we? I haven't posted anything from Brazil in awhile, and I feel bad for that. Yes, it's in a different language, but (to overgeneralize wildly) Brazilian music is some of the sweetest, most accessible music in the world.

Carolina Carol Bela is sweet and accessible indeed. Toquinho isn't exactly an obscure figure, but nothing compared to Jorge Ben, whom even us poor Okies have heard of! I have copies of the song on three different albums/compilations, and it's well enough known to have a big D&B single built around it, and a Youtube video! So I'm not giving you anything totally rare (that will come later in the week), but something you can listen to and enjoy any time.

LISTEN.

Photo: How long it takes (1).

CMJ Posts for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday

I still can't get them on the group blog, but I can get them on my personal page. I'm pleased enough with them, so go visit ova heeya. Still playing Ghostland Observatory in my head, and was thinking of doing a best of CMJ next week, but I'm a little burned out with all the "new music" so we'll keep up with the old music here.

Barren Saturday

I'm down in the canyons of Wall Street this afternoon, putting my time in, and deciding when and where to go later on for the last day of CMJ. I was think of dropping by a couple of houses, and then seeing if I can get into Justice at the new Terminal 5. Amy and I (and Philip and Meredith (of Girl Robot fame) and John and lots of others) saw Ghostland Observatory at Webster Hall. I loved it. I have a write up ready (at least in my head!), but I can't post anything at the imeem site at the moment for reasons that are unclear to me. I did manage to put up some photos, and if the technical stuff sorts itself out, I'll have two nights of reports to file. I might just post them here, who knows. (You can at least see my photos here.)

In other news, Boring Liverpool were gifted a win at Everton, and Boring Bolton were gifted a loss at Arsenal. (Roll on next weekend, but I'll be watching on tape delay.) And Oklahoma is in the fourth quarter trying to beat the vaunted Iowa State Cyclones.

SEE THEM GLOW

SEE THEM GLOW by Lake.

So speaking of yacht rock, guess who's playing B.B. King's tonight? If I didn't have CMJ duties...

A year or so ago this concept of Yacht Rock was sweeping the internet. This is basically just SoCal soft rock from the 70s, but it's all the congenial, gormless stuff that sounds good on a jukebox and that we love around here.

Stu sent us this track so we don't know much about it. Even though these guys are German, it's got the yacht rock sound down cold. Can't you just imagine a bunch of dudes in beards bobbing along with this tune if someone slipped it on at K&M Bar?

LISTEN.

Photo: All kinds.

Mr. Rogers at Iceland Airwaves 2007

You all know Stu. He'd be here covering CMJ himself, if he weren't in Iceland covering the Iceland Airwaves festival for the second year running. This year they've really gone mega, and Stu is the official video podcast presenter for the festival. You can see and hear him here. And if you're in Iceland this weekend, you can see and hear him in person--he's scored a Saturday night DJ set!

Family ties

My Tuesday CMJ post is up now. It ain't much, basically me seeing one band plus a random song or two from about four others, then bailing out and going home. Imeem's embedding music is still pretty cool, I'm wondering if I can use it on here...

...Family names noted without further comment.

More CMJ blogging

Here. I had a lot more to say about the music, especially the two Alabama bands, but I was really boring myself, so I left it out.