matt pond pa

The Dunce Cap: Week of July 16, 2012

in: heavy rotation

The Dunce Cap, Vol. 48: I can’t wait to say all the things you can’t see, all the things that make you better. (click on link to listen to mix via 8tracks or play above)

1. “Sunlight” – matt pond PA
2. “Like U Crazy” – Mates of State
3. “I Saw You Blink” – Stornoway
4. “Chloe” – GROUPLOVE
5. “You Wouldn’t Like Me” – Tegan & Sara
6. “Ten-Twenty-Ten” – Generationals
7. “I Won’t Spend Another Night Alone” – The Ataris
8. “Laura” – Girls
9. “Jack-Ass” – Beck
10. “Wicked Game” – James Vincent McMorrow

YES!, middle of July, summer swelter. I’m at a loss for words, mostly, about these ten. I think I’ll let them speak for themselves, though I’ll point out a few key things:

– Aw, yeah, matt pond PA. “I wish you would say/when I fuck up that it’s okay.” 
– Same with Mates of State. I really wanted to include, “Help Help,” but I thought “Like U Crazy” was more appropriate.
– I’m on a Tegan & Sara kick currently, and I refuse to apologize.
– I saw Generationals (and Pet Lions!) open last year for Magic Kids at Tomorrow Never Knows. They were incredible live, and I picked up a cool 3D poster (with glasses!) from the show. Got into the music a little later.
– I’m also rediscovering my love for the pop punk of my adolescence. My current gym playlist is a mix of The Ataris, Fall Out Boy and Something Corporate. I still adore The Ataris album, Blue Skies, Broken Hearts…Next 12 Exits. It’s replete with pitch-perfect pop culture references (Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure in “San Dimas High School Football Rules!” and “I’d rob a Kwik-E-Mart for you!” from this one) and soaring, rough sing-alongs.
– And, hell, I saw James Vincent McMorrow last week at SPACE here in Evanston. The venue – my home away from home – is an intimate one, which lent itself perfectly to McMorrow’s haunting, booming, Bon Iver-esque vocals (sorry for the oh-so-obvious comparison). McMorrow’s been performing and recording awesomely unexpected covers, like John Hiatt’s “Higher Love” and this, Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game.” I remember the video for Isaak’s original from when I was a kid; it was, and remains, one of the sexiest things I’ve ever seen in my whole life. And it was, if possible, sexier with McMorrow’s timbre.
– Finally, count the handclaps. I dare ya.

As always, happy listening.

The Dunce Cap: Week of Feb. 1, 2012

in: heavy rotation

The Dunce Cap, Vol. 42: My city’s still breathing (but barely, it’s true). (click on link to listen to mix via 8tracks or play above)

1. “No Action” – Elvis Costello and the Attractions
2. “Winter” – The Dodos
3. “Spit on a Stranger” – Nickel Creek
4. “Hearts and Minds” – Matt Pond PA
5. “Cotton” – The Mountain Goats
6. “Singing in My Sleep” – Semisonic
7. “I Think We’re Alone Now” – The Spinto Band
8. “I Already Miss You” – The Kooks
9. “Boys Don’t Cry” – Grant Lee Phillips
10. “Left and Leaving” – The Weakerthans

Elvis Costello, guys. I’ve recently rediscovered his 1978 album, This Year’s Model, and it’s been nothing but love for the original Napoleon Dynamite since. And Costello certainly knows how to start an album. So I took a page out of his book and launched this Dunce Cap with the same track Costello uses to start This Year’s Model. I think it was a good decision.

The rest of this mix has a few cover songs peppered throughout (an awesome Grant Lee Phillips cover of The Cure, as well as a cover of Tiffany’s ’80s hit – originally recorded by Tommy James & the Shondells – by The Spinto Band, and, of course, Nickel Creek’s excellent take on Pavement’s “Spit on a Stranger,” from their last album Terror Twilight), but I like to think the crowning jewels are the pair of tracks, The Mountain Goats’ “Cotton” and The Dodos’ “Winter.” Both have been spinnin’ round and round in my head for the last few weeks, and I’ve had a sticky note on this here computer to include them both on a mix. So, finally, I have!

Altogether, the result is a mix of heartbreak, sadness, bitterness and intrigue (and just in time for Valentine’s Day!), which may just suggest I’ve been watching a bit too much Gossip Girl during the day. Oops?

As always, happy listening.

The Dunce Cap: Week of Jan. 16, 2012

in: heavy rotation

The Dunce Cap, Vol. 41: You’ve been chosen as an extra in the movie adaptation of the sequel to your life. (click on link to listen to mix via 8tracks or play above)

1. “Shady Lane” – Pavement
2. “Modern Love” – The Last Town Chorus
3. “Dance Music” – The Mountain Goats
4. “I Still Remember” – Bloc Party
5. “Flightless Bird, American Mouth” – Iron & Wine
6. “Poison Oak” – Bright Eyes
7. “Round Here” – Counting Crows
8. “Honolulu Blues” – Craig Finn
9. “Heartbeats” – Jose Gonzalez
10. “Specks” – Matt Pond PA

Welcome back to the Interwebs, guys. It’s been a strange and winding road up ’til now, but I’m really starting to dig this reinvention thing. I know it’s become a bit of a cliche (though I prefer to term it a “mantra”), but I truly believe that, this time around, I woke up new. And what is Barney Stinson’s one rule? “New is always better.”

The site is looking more streamlined and – dare I say it? – professional, and I’m looking svelter, more confident and altogether happier. I’m getting back into the swing of this writing business, and I’m edging into that dangerously peppy territory wherein I just want to high-five everyone always. This mix isn’t really a reflection of that. It sort of is. Kind of. Okay, not all.

These ten really excellent tracks are a mish-mash of things I’ve loved recently. A handful of them (notably “Poison Oak,” “Flightless Bird, American Mouth” and “Heartbeats”) are rediscoveries, while some have been round n’ round my repertoire for years. There’s a more somber note to a number of these songs, but there remains a definite beauty to each one. The Last Town Chorus‘s take on David Bowie’s “Modern Love” is a sweetly feminine, muted departure from the original, but it retains the earnest sting of heartache. And, I’m starting to see a pattern, in that a fair number of the songs I listen to discuss finding god and losing ‘im, but that’s a topic for another time. For now, there’s also the excellent danceabilly-esque lead track from Craig Finn’s upcoming solo album; the lead singer from The Hold Steady named his album, out Jan. 24, “Clear Heart Full Eyes” after the television show “Friday Night Lights.” Such win. There’s also a great single from Pavement‘s 1997 album, Brighten the Corners, as well as truly exceptional Mountain Goats tune that I still can’t quite understand (though I suspect it involves alcoholism, domestic violence and euthanasia, with that last one a bit fuzzier and more ambitious).

As always, happy listening. And don’t you dare judge me for that Iron & Wine jam. It’s on a “Twilight” soundtrack, yes, but it’s also just really damn good.

Oh, and, Luke Perry, ♥, forever n’ always.

The Dunce Cap: Dec. 27, 2010

in: heavy rotation

Image from Toothpaste for Dinner

The Dunce Cap, Vol. 30: The sun is up – I’m so fizzy, I could burst! (click on link to listen to mix via 8tracks)

1. “Mint Car” – The Cure
2. “Sun in an Empty Room” – The Weakerthans
3. “Happiness Writes White” – Harvey Danger
4. “Graduate” – Third Eye Blind
5. “New York, New York” – Ryan Adams
6. “The Sweet Part of the City” – The Hold Steady
7. “Back in the Saddle” – Someone Still Loves You, Boris Yeltsin
8. “All the Young Dudes” – Mott the Hoople
9. “Work” – Jimmy Eat World
10. “Kick Some Ass” – Stroke 9
11. “You Gave Your Love to Me Softly” – Weezer
12. “Some Fantastic” – Barenaked Ladies
13. “Popular Mechanics for Lovers” – Beulah
14. “Magic Boyfriend” – Matt Pond PA
15. “Let’s Dance” – David Bowie
16. “Star Bodies” – The New Pornographers
17. “Doing All the Things That Wouldn’t Make Your Parents Proud” – The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
18. “Atlantis” – Donovan
19. “Sugar Daddy” – Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Broadway OST)
20. “More Adventurous” – Rilo Kiley
21. “To Be Surprised” – Sondre Lerche

Well, it’s the 30th Dunce Cap of all time, and it’s the last of the year – I feel like this should be a celebratory moment! As I talked about rather extensively in my last post, this is AN EXCITING BRAND NEW YEAR, and I am ready for all of the excitement and thrall I anticipate it will bring. This mix is themed!, and it’s really a sister post to the Dunce Cap’s New Year’s Resolutions.

Basically, these are 21 songs that I hope will define my 2011. You should mostly be able to catch the gist from the title, but a few may require some explanation and commentary. Many of these songs are actually kind of sad – they’re not literal representations of what I want, but they each have special significance to me. There’s also a division of sorts among songs. An explanation after the jump.

Continue reading →

The Dunce Cap: Nov. 8, 2010

in: heavy rotation

 

1898 Photos of Toulouse-Lautrec

The Dunce Cap, Vol. 26: You can’t remember someone else’s story. (click on link to listen to mix via 8tracks)

1. “Basement Parties” – Matt Pond PA
2. “House Fire” – Someone Still Loves You, Boris Yeltsin
3. “Relator” – Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson
4. “No Time” – Good Old War
5. “How a Resurrection Feels” – The Hold Steady
6. “Microphone” – Coconut Records
7. “Borderline” – The Flaming Lips
8. “Dear Prudence” – The Beatles
9. “This Boy” – I’m From Barcelona
10. “Every Moment” – Rogue Wave

Look at this classy photo series! These are photographs of famed painter Henri Toulouse-Lautrec poopin’ on a public beach. So excellent. [Buzzfeed]

What do you mean funny, funny how?

Watching “Goodfellas” on a Monday night? So excellent. For class. Really. An essay examining the musical score of Scorsese’s film in relation to the use of popular music in “American Graffiti” and “Boogie Nights.” What a delicious assignment.

Yeah. That’s it.

But you know, I’m funny. You think I’m funny?

This is a series of ten exciting tracks I’m just lovin’. No specific reason for including any of them. Just lovable winners. Particularly The Flaming Lips cover of “Borderline.” I actually had a killer conversation this weekend about Wayne Coyne and the Lips (and their proclivity for adult themes masked beneath sing-songy childish melodies), so they’re certainly on my mind.

Oh, and P.S. Netflix clearly knows me too well. Four of my most recommended TV shows? “Freaks and Geeks,” “Wonderfalls,” “Daria” and “The Middleman.” By far four of my favorite recent-ish television shows. Check ’em all out if you haven’t.

I promise you – Real, live, excellent postings to come soon. Y’know, not just mixes. Insightful and snarky pop culture posts are on their way.

Happy listening.

Dunce Flash: Halloween, Shy Ronnie and Newsies

in: the press, in: viewing room

Happy Halloween, readers!

There’s so much to talk about today, of all days. It’s Halloween, first of all, the most splendid of teeth-rotting holidays! I’m thrilled. My costume? Suri Cruise! Last year, I went sans costume, and the year before I was Lady Stardust, and the year before that, I was Gilda Radner. I’m getting more and more clever and more and more obscure.

Google celebrated this Halloween with a five panel Google Doodle. The full thing is below and is totally excellent. It chronicles the ultimate Scooby Doo mystery – the search for a candy thief. Gotta love Google and Halloween.

Google Doodle, 10/31/2010

And, for good measure, a Halloween tune. Or, at least, a song called “Halloween.” It’s more about a party and about relationships and about a bout of sadness. And, I suppose, my Halloween weekend was full of heartache and sadness – and rollicking fun and acceptance and hilarity too – , so it seems rather appropriate. It’s too much to go into now, but this weekend, I hope, I’ll tackle The Third Year Thirty in a more concise manner.

Happy listening.


“Halloween,” Matt Pond PA

The return of Shy Ronnie

Perhaps my favorite SNL skit of the last year, “Shy Ronnie,” a digital short co-starring Rihanna and Andy Samberg, returned to Saturday Night Live this week in the Jon Hamm episode.

The sequel to the video takes place in a bank in a hold-up called “Ronnie and Clyde” and is seriously gut-clutchingly funny.

Check out the video to the sequel below or watch the original “Shy Ronnie” on Hulu.

Vodpod videos no longer available.
“Shy Ronnie,” Saturday Night Live

Seriously. “Shy Ronnie” brings me such joy.

In other news

– Never thought I’d say it, but poor Christine O’Donnell. Gawker, you’ve left me a journalist ashamed. [Gawker]

– Dear Marie Claire writer,

At our worst, we may all think it. But never in a million years would we write it.

Sincerely,
The Girl with the Dunce Cap [Marie Claire]

– I’ve been meaning to say this for months – Matthew Gray Gubler, I love your new haircut. [Hell Yeah Matthew Gray Gubler]