veronica mars

The Dunce Cap: Week of Jan. 5, 2015

in: heavy rotation

The Dunce Cap, Vol. 53: The things that used to mean so much to me have gone the way of dinosaurs – hopes and dreams and everything. (click on link to listen to mix via 8tracks or play above)

1. “Career Day” – The Format
2. “Silver Things” – Limbeck
3. “Her Words Destroyed My Planet” – Motion City Soundtrack
4. “Blacking Out the Friction” – Death Cab for Cutie
5. “Social Development Dance” – Pete Yorn
6. “(If You’re Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To” – Weezer
7. “Let Me Go” – Marvelous 3
8. “I Saw Lightning” – Telekinesis
9. “I Need My Girl” – The National
10. “Breathing Underwater” – Metric

Happy 2015, y’all! I’m still mostly listening to tracks from the past decade, though I admit I’m really hopping on the Swift train with the singles from her recent release. Just a few notes on these:

  • “Her Words Destroyed My Planet” has such a solid Veronica Mars reference in it; the whole track reminds me of being 17 and heartbroken and desperate to move forward (Justin Pierre’s near-yelp of “I’m learning to speak Japanese!” slays me every time), and it’s just great.
  • My sister and I are big Pete Yorn fans; I was 11 when I picked up musicforthemorningafter from Tower Records in Buckhead, and my father – tired of hearing it constantly – dubbed him “Pete Yawn.” His follow up efforts didn’t come close to his first record, but 2009’s Back and Fourth comes pretty damn close. “Social Development Dance” is a decidedly weird song – but I like it.
  • In September, Riot Fest brought an incredible line-up to Chicago’s Humboldt Park, including the likes of The National, The Hold Steady, Weezer, The Get Up Kids, Tegan and Sara and a whole slew more. It was, in short, fantastic. Ten artists played their seminal albums in their entirety, like The Get Up Kids’ Something to Write Home About and Weezer’s Blue. Somewhat surprisingly, the most captivating moment of the three-day festival was Metric’s showstopping finale; I caught the tail end of Metric somewhat on a whim and was bowled over by their haunting performance of “Breathing Underwater.” The studio version doesn’t quite do it justice, but it’s certainly a start.

Happy listening, and happy new year.

Dunce Flash: Week of 11/08/10

in: the press, in: viewing room

This has been quite the week. It’s been chocked full of disappointments and total excitements, to be sure, and it’s been a rather hectic and disappointing week on my end, but I am eager for the weekend. And, certainly, I’m thrilled to share with you five big pieces of news for the week.

Cee-Lo drops “The Lady Killer”

Can you say finally? I’ve been looking forward to this album from Cee-Lo for months, what with the tease of such a killer (no pun intended) lead track. I haven’t given the full thing a spin yet, but I’m hoping to do it this weekend, with (hopefully) a review to follow. In the meantime, PopMatters has a pretty thorough review praising “Fuck You,” noting the album’s sheer brilliance in nostalgic hooks and failure to maintain the musical throwback. [PopMatters]

Check out the video for “Fuck You” above.

Warner Bros. attempts to redirect obnoxious VM movie pleas (like mine!)

The cast of "Veronica Mars," Image courtesy of CW

Five months after “Veronica Mars” producer Joel Silver confirmed that the feature film project was dead, Warner Bros. created an official e-mail address where fans can send requests and open letters (cough) for a VM movie. New York Mag (unfortunately) (and rightly) believes this is simply a ploy to clean out the inboxes, but the move must say something – maybe the fans are really demanding some sort of conclusion. I say give it a shot. If you want it as much as I do, the effort certainly couldn’t hurt. [New York Mag via Playlist]

Daria Morgendorffer directs you through traffic

Good news! Now you can customize your GPS to have MTV’s most apathetic teen guide you to your destination. Daria Morgendorffer (of the eponymous ’90s cartoon) will be your guide! And remember: “There is no aspect, no facet, no moment of life that can’t be improved with pizza.” [Frisky via MTV]

Below, Daria on popular culture.

more exciting news after the jump

The Dunce Cap: August 16, 2010

in: heavy rotation

Marshall's very own Presidential Rob Scrawl!

The Dunce Cap, Vol. 21: You snooze, you lose. Well I have snost and lost. (listen to mix via 8tracks)

1. “I Hear the Bells” – Mike Doughty
2. “Everything Shines” – The Push Stars
3. “The Same Fire” – Bishop Allen
4. “How’s Your Sister?” – Flick
5. “Carry the Zero” – Built to Spill
6. “Shake the Sheets” – Ted Leo & the Pharmacists
7. “Banned (By the Man)” – Someone Still Loves You, Boris Yeltsin
8. “Wish You Were Here” – Ryan Adams
9. “The Lonely 1” – Wilco
10. “In the Beginning” – The Stills

This is an itty, bitty sleepy mix. Mostly. Let’s just say – this ought to be quite the departure from the past few mixes, so imbued with Craig Finn‘s sexy/raspy voice.

It’s been a hectic week here in Lalaland, and I’m jonesin’ for a playlist that’ll soothe my nerves – not increase them. There’s energy in these songs, sure, but there’s also a particular sonorous quality to each of these. Y’know, they make me want to sing along, still, but softly. Except “How’s Your Sister?” But that should go without saying, right? There’s a lyric “Now I – I’m just asking. There ain’t no reason for you to get uptight.” It’s an unnecessary little ditty. And it, of course, requires a louder voice. And, oddly, Flick is a band I can’t seem to find anything about online. This track is from the Cheap Date compilation.

But, seriously. There’s Mike Doughty (yes, from Soul Coughing. And, yes, this track is from one of the most famous scenes in this show I kind of like. Maybe you’ve heard of it. It’s called Veronica Mars.), and SSLYBY and The Push Stars (this sunshine-y song from the There’s Something About Mary soundtrack nearly makes up for the fact that a Google search for the band returns a glowing endorsement from Mr. Matchbox Twenty). It’s a pretty solid mix of tracks to make you smile and feel generally loved. Especially if you don’t pay too much attention to the lyrics. It’s all in the melody this week.

Happy listening, y’all.

Also – Reblogged from Confessions of a Pioneer Woman

The Pioneer Woman's dog Charlie

My dear pal Mike sent me this treasure. It’s from the The Pioneer Woman, a site I enjoy immensely. In this one, she combats the yawn-inducing country life with a little pet experiment. This one’s from June ’09, long before I started to read. It’s a major winner! Check it out at her site.

Dunce Flash: Tuesday, August 17

in: the press

Eek – I haven’t been blogging regularly, as I’ve been on a bit of a chase, journalistically speaking. I’m building a mystery, y’all know? Anyway. So much has happened recently, and I’ve been AWOL. Here are a few things that have led to incredible excitement.

It’s getting hard to keep pretending I’m worth your time

I’m not going to lie. The just-released video for Yeasayer‘s single “Madder Red” is weird. It’s kooky and certainly off-kilter, but it’s also sweet and tender. The gorgeous Kristen Bell of Veronica Mars fame is the leading lady in this video, which New York mag’s Vulture blog calls “the touching story of a girl and her pet blob monster.” And they’re not kidding. The object of Bell’s affection isn’t cute or cuddly but rather totally grotesque and absurd. It looks a bit like the inside of a body, with an oozingly bloody facial cavity thing and piercing blue eyes.

The video, directed by Swede Andreas Nilsson (a long time music video man behind songs by Fever Ray, José González and one of my personal favorites, I’m From Barcelona’s “We’re From Barcelona”) is certainly a bit creepy but it’s also heartwrenching. Check it out below, and definitely give Yeasayer’s full album, the incredible Odd Blood, a listen. [NY Mag]

Let it Sway

Springfield, Missouri's Someone Still Loves You, Boris Yeltsin

I really must have been living under a rock these last few weeks. Someone Still Loves You, Boris Yeltsin – one of my absolute favorite bands – just released a brand new album today. Their third LP, Let it Sway, is joyous. I’ve been a huge SSLYBY fan since their inception and the release of their first album, Broom, and Let it Sway doesn’t disappoint – it is refreshing. It’s hook-laden with ooh’s, aah’s and ear-pleasing choruses, and the feel is ’90s powerpop, recalling Built to Spill or a softer, more sing-songy Camper Van Beethoven. It’s a record of good-feelings and, while not as stellar as Broom, it has its standouts. Check out the lead single and title track “Sink/Let it Sway” below or give a listen to the anthemic attention-grabber “Back in the Saddle.”

The album is out today via Polyvinyl. [Paste]

Someone Still Loves You, Boris Yeltsin, “Sink/Let it Sway”

Weezer loses sense of irony – and gains indie musicality

Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo with album namesake

Weezer is going indie with their forthcoming eighth album Hurley. Rolling Stone reports the band will be channeling “Sixties pop” on the disc, to be released Sept. 14. The band isn’t merely changing their sound – they’re switching labels too. They’ve left their longtime label Geffen/Interscope and are seeking solace at California-based Epitaph, known for hosting bands such as Alkaline Trio (after their parting from Vagrant), Motion City Soundtrack and the Weakerthans. The album art, which Weezer also released last week, actually is a headshot of Lost character Hugo “Hurley” Reyes, portrayed by Jorge Garcia. I’m excited for their alleged return to indie. It’ll be a nice change of pace after the machine-like churning out of Top 40-ready records (though “(If You’re Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To” was entirely charming, thanks in great part to producer and lyricist Butch Walker). I’m eager for Hurley – even despite the cheesy (cheeky?) and dated cover work. And despite the rather paltry attempt at a first single, “Memories.” [Rolling Stone]

And in other Weezer news – guitarist Brian Bell hinted in an interview at the Mile High Festival in Denver that the band would be touring in support of their pinnacle album, Pinkerton, which has reached cult classic status since its release in 1996. This one is personally near and dear to my heart. Pinkerton remains one of my absolute favorite albums, and the band is releasing a deluxe reissue of the record October 5 on Geffen. Keep your fingers – and toes! – crossed that Bell isn’t just merely being a tease. [MySpace music]

Weezer, “Memories” (the first single from Hurley)

Open Season: A Letter to Rob Thomas

in: big words

Oh, Veronica Mars.

remember this track?


The Dandy Warhols, “We Used to Be Friends”

Okay, so I’ve been kind of absent from the blogosophere these past couple days, and, in full disclosure, I’m starting to look pasty and kind of crunchy like Kristen Stewart – except with facial expressions. I spent an absurd four days straight on my couch/in my bed, engrossed in the three seasons of UPN/The CW’s all-too-short Veronica Mars. That’s right – I watched all 64 episodes of Veronica Mars in the span of one long weekend. Needless to say, I was more or less a shut-in for those few days, but I remain unashamed. The show? Completely worth it.

I watched Veronica Mars off and on when it aired initially but never really regularly. And what a freaking shame. The show is one of the most brilliant pieces of small screen cinema I’ve ever seen. For those of you held captive beneath a rock for the last five years, Veronica Mars ran from late 2004 to mid 2007 and followed a female amateur private eye through the end of high school and the beginning of college. It was, by all CW estimations, a commercial failure – but it was a critical darling. And, within the first ten minutes of the pilot episode, I was utterly in love.

So, to kick off a brand new feature, Open Season, I’m writing an open letter to Veronica Mars‘ creator, Rob Thomas. Open Season will be an open letter to someone prominent in popular culture (or not, I suppose) about an issue that concerns or intrigues me. I’m maybe three years too late with this one, but I figure it’s never too late to write a love letter.

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