These Links Were Made for Breaking? III
In a surprising display of tight-fistedness, NPR prohibits anyone anywhere from linking to any part of NPR's Web site -- without their express written consent. This makes no sense. Like the Dallas Morning News, NPR is in the information business -- and it seems to be in their best interest that people go to their site. And it seems that links on other Web sites could, um, do drive some of their traffic.
I can understand their concerns with permanent links on a home page that incorporates the logo or other IP -- much less framing -- but linking to any NPR page in any way whatsoever? Sheer silliness to limit this activity. This is like Time magazine prohibiting people from putting the magazine on newsstands.
As before, my solution? Boycott. If I can't link directly to a Web site I'm interested in sharing with people, I'm not going to link at all. I encourage you to do the same. While I did include NPR's link permission request form, I did not fill it out, and I will not share NPR links in the future. They haven't earned our attention. Like Orb says, "What part of public don't they understand in the name National Public Radio?"
Cory Doctorow's involved in an active discussion of the legal implications of this over at BoingBoing.
Wednesday, June 19, 2002
Tuesday, June 18, 2002
Doctor, Steal Thyself II
Huh. So I just called my new doctor -- the primary care physician I switched to June 14 -- to schedule a physical. And even though Cigna could assign him as my PCP, he's not actually taking any new patients. Any new non-HIV patients, that is.
I don't understand several things. How can I belong to an HMO and have such troubles actually finding a doctor? How can Cigna assign a PCP if the doctor's not actually taking new patients? How can a doctor limit their practice to patients with HIV? It'd be good to have a doctor. It'd be good to get a physical -- I haven't been to the doctor in years.
I'm also not impressed by Cigna's customer service. I emailed the customer service rep back asking why they'd been able to assign me to a doctor not taking new patients -- and minutes later to inform them that their Provider Directory online wasn't working -- and I got snubbed:
"Thank you for your follow-up to your inquiry. This case has been completed by our Internet Customer Service Team. Should you require additional attention regarding this matter, please contact Member Services at the toll-free number on the participant's CIGNA HealthCare ID card."
What's the point in offering online customer service if they don't actually do anything -- much less answer questions -- outside of referring you to a phone number?
And... can anyone in the Boston area recommend a doctor? Especially if you're in Cigna. Email me.
Huh. So I just called my new doctor -- the primary care physician I switched to June 14 -- to schedule a physical. And even though Cigna could assign him as my PCP, he's not actually taking any new patients. Any new non-HIV patients, that is.
I don't understand several things. How can I belong to an HMO and have such troubles actually finding a doctor? How can Cigna assign a PCP if the doctor's not actually taking new patients? How can a doctor limit their practice to patients with HIV? It'd be good to have a doctor. It'd be good to get a physical -- I haven't been to the doctor in years.
I'm also not impressed by Cigna's customer service. I emailed the customer service rep back asking why they'd been able to assign me to a doctor not taking new patients -- and minutes later to inform them that their Provider Directory online wasn't working -- and I got snubbed:
"Thank you for your follow-up to your inquiry. This case has been completed by our Internet Customer Service Team. Should you require additional attention regarding this matter, please contact Member Services at the toll-free number on the participant's CIGNA HealthCare ID card."
What's the point in offering online customer service if they don't actually do anything -- much less answer questions -- outside of referring you to a phone number?
And... can anyone in the Boston area recommend a doctor? Especially if you're in Cigna. Email me.
NetWork III
It took three separate recommendations from different directions to get me to finally cross the threshold and check out Ryze, a business networking community. Now that I'm inside, I'm finding all sorts of friends and mutual connections. A search for "punk rock," one of my interests, only yielded three people, myself included, but one of those people is friends with someone I know -- who in turn is one of the people who recommended Ryze to me. Small, small world. I don't know how productive this service is in terms of actually helping people make business connections, but it's an intriguing concept that builds on the whole six degrees of separation notion -- and that'll help me think through the future of the Company of Friends.
It took three separate recommendations from different directions to get me to finally cross the threshold and check out Ryze, a business networking community. Now that I'm inside, I'm finding all sorts of friends and mutual connections. A search for "punk rock," one of my interests, only yielded three people, myself included, but one of those people is friends with someone I know -- who in turn is one of the people who recommended Ryze to me. Small, small world. I don't know how productive this service is in terms of actually helping people make business connections, but it's an intriguing concept that builds on the whole six degrees of separation notion -- and that'll help me think through the future of the Company of Friends.
Party to Record Releases III
Newbury Comics recently changed the terms of its E-Mail Club, which used to include a 5% discount in their stores, but they plan to continue their new release emails. In fact, with yesterday's mailing, they've changed the format slightly, and they're looking for feedback. For the most part, the new release emails aren't that useful, and I'm not sure why I haven't unsubscribed now that the discount is gone. Other than special offer and in-store appearance announcements, the emails are basically straight lists of record titles and prices -- no reviews, and not much information. I learned about the new Dillinger Four record two days after picking it up in the shop. So the trigger effect in terms of bringing people into the stores is diminished. It'd be much better to learn what was going to come out rather than what had just come out. Their Upcoming Releases page is still dated March, and ICE Magazine's new release information is consistently much more useful.
Newbury Comics recently changed the terms of its E-Mail Club, which used to include a 5% discount in their stores, but they plan to continue their new release emails. In fact, with yesterday's mailing, they've changed the format slightly, and they're looking for feedback. For the most part, the new release emails aren't that useful, and I'm not sure why I haven't unsubscribed now that the discount is gone. Other than special offer and in-store appearance announcements, the emails are basically straight lists of record titles and prices -- no reviews, and not much information. I learned about the new Dillinger Four record two days after picking it up in the shop. So the trigger effect in terms of bringing people into the stores is diminished. It'd be much better to learn what was going to come out rather than what had just come out. Their Upcoming Releases page is still dated March, and ICE Magazine's new release information is consistently much more useful.
Blogging About Blogging XXV
Starting at 6 a.m. PST, July 27, almost 45 people (so far) will blog for 24 hours without interruption to raise money for charity as part of Blogathon 2002. The rules say that participants must update their sites every 30 minutes. The rules also offer advice on how to stay awake for 24 hours:
Have friends over
Watch movies
Go for walks
Take a cool shower
Talk with other bloggers
Work on a project
So far, Amnesty International, Book Aid, Doctors Without Borders, and Planned Parenthood are popular charities. Most of the blog producers interested in participating -- you need to have three sponsors to be involved -- don't have any sponsors yet, so if you're interested, check it out. It's like Dance Marathon, only nobody's dancing!
Starting at 6 a.m. PST, July 27, almost 45 people (so far) will blog for 24 hours without interruption to raise money for charity as part of Blogathon 2002. The rules say that participants must update their sites every 30 minutes. The rules also offer advice on how to stay awake for 24 hours:
So far, Amnesty International, Book Aid, Doctors Without Borders, and Planned Parenthood are popular charities. Most of the blog producers interested in participating -- you need to have three sponsors to be involved -- don't have any sponsors yet, so if you're interested, check it out. It's like Dance Marathon, only nobody's dancing!
North End Moment XX
This morning, walking to work, I saw a man walking down the alley behind the Scotch & Sirloin building. Moments later, he was walking back in the other direction with several lottery cards, rubbing furiously. It looked as though he'd just gotten out of bed, thrown on some clothes, and put on a baseball cap to hide his bed head. But you know how it is -- sometimes you really need some scratch tickets at 9 a.m.
This morning, walking to work, I saw a man walking down the alley behind the Scotch & Sirloin building. Moments later, he was walking back in the other direction with several lottery cards, rubbing furiously. It looked as though he'd just gotten out of bed, thrown on some clothes, and put on a baseball cap to hide his bed head. But you know how it is -- sometimes you really need some scratch tickets at 9 a.m.
Rock Shows of Note XXIV
Oh. My. Goodness. I wasn't going to go to the show last night. Really, I wasn't. But after watching the first season of Mr. Show on the new DVD -- and just as the rain began to fall -- I decided it was a good idea to call a cab to JP to catch the Operators at the Milky Way. They were playing as part of CuriousBrain Imaginary Playground 2, a show blending live music and video screenings from the CuriousBrain Showcase 06. For the most part, the show was a screening of videos -- including a fun Freezepop video, a Fight Club-like hip-hop vid, and a Lovewhip music video -- but the musical acts were quite interesting.
First, I caught a violin/guitar/bass trio improvising -- it seemed -- to a video collage of street scenes and ominous facial features. Then, the Operators. Their set got off to a rocky start because Steph took a last-minute bathroom break, but Paul filled in on drums for a spell, even continuing to hit the tom as he passed the sticks to Steph upon her arrival. They played a slightly rusty set of favorites, including "Angie," whose video was screened as part of the show (director Bill Lovejoy was in the audience). And they hit their stride about halfway through the set -- which was good to see; the Ops are a great band when they're not hesitant or overly self-conscious. After their set -- and walking down the block to the convenience store and back trying to call a cab -- I returned to the club to beg a ride -- and to catch part of a lackluster performance by an Ani Difranco wannabe. (Not to be overly harsh, but that's how it hit me.)
Jen and Em were dears and gave me a lift home, where I unwisely called an ex before drifting off to sleep to the strains of the new Dillinger Four record. Harrumph. Shows. I should stay in sometimes.
Oh. My. Goodness. I wasn't going to go to the show last night. Really, I wasn't. But after watching the first season of Mr. Show on the new DVD -- and just as the rain began to fall -- I decided it was a good idea to call a cab to JP to catch the Operators at the Milky Way. They were playing as part of CuriousBrain Imaginary Playground 2, a show blending live music and video screenings from the CuriousBrain Showcase 06. For the most part, the show was a screening of videos -- including a fun Freezepop video, a Fight Club-like hip-hop vid, and a Lovewhip music video -- but the musical acts were quite interesting.
First, I caught a violin/guitar/bass trio improvising -- it seemed -- to a video collage of street scenes and ominous facial features. Then, the Operators. Their set got off to a rocky start because Steph took a last-minute bathroom break, but Paul filled in on drums for a spell, even continuing to hit the tom as he passed the sticks to Steph upon her arrival. They played a slightly rusty set of favorites, including "Angie," whose video was screened as part of the show (director Bill Lovejoy was in the audience). And they hit their stride about halfway through the set -- which was good to see; the Ops are a great band when they're not hesitant or overly self-conscious. After their set -- and walking down the block to the convenience store and back trying to call a cab -- I returned to the club to beg a ride -- and to catch part of a lackluster performance by an Ani Difranco wannabe. (Not to be overly harsh, but that's how it hit me.)
Jen and Em were dears and gave me a lift home, where I unwisely called an ex before drifting off to sleep to the strains of the new Dillinger Four record. Harrumph. Shows. I should stay in sometimes.
Monday, June 17, 2002
From the In Box: Music to My Ears VIII
The two friends whom I was concerned about offending in that last batch of reviews wrote back almost immediately:
I think much of the stuff you wrote makes sense. I actually feel like I do have a higher standard when I bring a song to the Operators. That said, I'm still proud of "Stars in Winter." I know that not everyone will like it, but that's the way it goes. As a side story, a friend called me last night to tell me how much he liked it. He later confessed that he was really stoned when he first listened to it. Hmm. Stoned or not, I hope you like it the next chance you give it. I'm of the opinion that it definitely is not a first listen album (whatever that means).
However, I wouldn't want you to know who I was from the record as most of the songs aren't about me. I'd be a rather uninteresting person if you could determine what I'm about from one set of songs. Still, even if you could figure it out, you'd probably be wrong. Much is fictional, some is twisted truth, and some is plain truth. I don't always speak directly. This is often intentional.
As an artist, I want people to interpret what they hear and give it their own meaning. Literal translation can be powerful, but I prefer the
subjective. The risk with this approach is that someone may not find meaning at all in your work. It's a reality I'm willing to live with.
That said, this set of songs (not all of them, but most) say more about me than anything else I've ever done. Unfortunately, I'm probably the only one that could give you the exact interpretation and meaning. I won't though. -- Paul Coleman
***
Yeah. If only you owned more Figgs records, you'd see how much I'm aping them as well. I don't know. I feel like Hall & Oates opening up for the Ramones in this city. Wrong place, wrong time. I'd rather play for soccer moms out in the burbs -- those types always seem to get the most out of the music, whereas around the scene, the focus is on competence and style. Most people who actually buy records (i.e. not rockers who get theirs for free) can't tell Bruce Springsteen from Tom Petty from Elvis Costello from latter-day Figgs (assuming they ever got the chance to hear them). It's about the singer and the song and the sound somewhat. I guess it's not taking you anywhere because I make music to be heard, not thought about. You can listen to the lyrics and get the song, but if you're looking for something cultural, it ain't there.
My comment on rockers getting free records isn't a dig at you being media -- it was more a comment about how people who determine the fate and marketablity of a record within the industry (journalists, radio people, record company people, booking agents) are the ones least likely to actually pay for a new record and thus make it marketable. There's nothing wrong with getting stuff for free.
But I guess I was surprised (not in a bad way) by the angle. My thing in the last year has sort of been to get over the musical aspects of my music and try to just focus on the lyrics and the singing and having a good time -- and to produce it like it's a new record instead of applying a set of retro standards to it. I even used Pro Tools to make "Destroyer." I guess I'm so naturally mired in the past that I just gravitated towards that anyway. It's always interesting to hear how someone else hears your music. Like, I've never owned any Buddy Holly, and Elvis Costello bores me, but everyone mentions the latter.
Anyway, I do appreciate your honesty. Too often, "local" music is the Special Olympics of rock and roll. I actually enjoyed hearing what you said, and in a way, it's satisfying that I was able to make someone think about that stuff while listening to the music I made.
Or maybe we're just ripping off the Figgs and it sucks. I don't know. I quit. -- Brett Rosenberg
The two friends whom I was concerned about offending in that last batch of reviews wrote back almost immediately:
I think much of the stuff you wrote makes sense. I actually feel like I do have a higher standard when I bring a song to the Operators. That said, I'm still proud of "Stars in Winter." I know that not everyone will like it, but that's the way it goes. As a side story, a friend called me last night to tell me how much he liked it. He later confessed that he was really stoned when he first listened to it. Hmm. Stoned or not, I hope you like it the next chance you give it. I'm of the opinion that it definitely is not a first listen album (whatever that means).
However, I wouldn't want you to know who I was from the record as most of the songs aren't about me. I'd be a rather uninteresting person if you could determine what I'm about from one set of songs. Still, even if you could figure it out, you'd probably be wrong. Much is fictional, some is twisted truth, and some is plain truth. I don't always speak directly. This is often intentional.
As an artist, I want people to interpret what they hear and give it their own meaning. Literal translation can be powerful, but I prefer the
subjective. The risk with this approach is that someone may not find meaning at all in your work. It's a reality I'm willing to live with.
That said, this set of songs (not all of them, but most) say more about me than anything else I've ever done. Unfortunately, I'm probably the only one that could give you the exact interpretation and meaning. I won't though. -- Paul Coleman
Yeah. If only you owned more Figgs records, you'd see how much I'm aping them as well. I don't know. I feel like Hall & Oates opening up for the Ramones in this city. Wrong place, wrong time. I'd rather play for soccer moms out in the burbs -- those types always seem to get the most out of the music, whereas around the scene, the focus is on competence and style. Most people who actually buy records (i.e. not rockers who get theirs for free) can't tell Bruce Springsteen from Tom Petty from Elvis Costello from latter-day Figgs (assuming they ever got the chance to hear them). It's about the singer and the song and the sound somewhat. I guess it's not taking you anywhere because I make music to be heard, not thought about. You can listen to the lyrics and get the song, but if you're looking for something cultural, it ain't there.
My comment on rockers getting free records isn't a dig at you being media -- it was more a comment about how people who determine the fate and marketablity of a record within the industry (journalists, radio people, record company people, booking agents) are the ones least likely to actually pay for a new record and thus make it marketable. There's nothing wrong with getting stuff for free.
But I guess I was surprised (not in a bad way) by the angle. My thing in the last year has sort of been to get over the musical aspects of my music and try to just focus on the lyrics and the singing and having a good time -- and to produce it like it's a new record instead of applying a set of retro standards to it. I even used Pro Tools to make "Destroyer." I guess I'm so naturally mired in the past that I just gravitated towards that anyway. It's always interesting to hear how someone else hears your music. Like, I've never owned any Buddy Holly, and Elvis Costello bores me, but everyone mentions the latter.
Anyway, I do appreciate your honesty. Too often, "local" music is the Special Olympics of rock and roll. I actually enjoyed hearing what you said, and in a way, it's satisfying that I was able to make someone think about that stuff while listening to the music I made.
Or maybe we're just ripping off the Figgs and it sucks. I don't know. I quit. -- Brett Rosenberg
Music to My Ears VIII
A four-pack of new record reviews! (I was feeling kind of bitter the night I wrote these, and I'm afraid I even take some friends to task. Constructive criticism, I hope.)
The Lot Six: "Gwylo" CD
The first song strikes me as a Fugazi knockoff, with its helter-skelter sections and emotive vocals. Almost three minutes in, the yelling turns to string picking and coughing, and the Guy Piccioto-like vocals emerge as most welcome, despite the ease of the comparison. "Styler/Stylee" is a piano-free Ben Folds-esque number with enough adequate verse-chorus divisions that I wish I were seeing them live until the dimuendo, which quickly morphs into a Cracker-like song structure with the onset of "Coincidence Reprise." Fugazi comparisons are rekindled with "This Is Entertainment," perhaps the strongest song, followed by the appropriately assertive "I'm into It." This is the best Fugazi-inspired record I've ever heard, but then comes "Last Flight of the Spruce Goose," a Herb Alpert-evoking number that then shifts into a more sensitive emo song. Where is this band coming from? They're not original enough to stand on their own, but they're not consistent enough to be a total rip off. I know which way I hope they fall. Espo Records, P.O. Box 63, Allston, MA 02134.
Model Kit CD EP
This is a Green Day-meets-Blink 182 wannabe knockoff that pleases me but fails to innovate beyond the mersh cliches. The second track, which is better than "All That I Need" with its chunka-chunk chorus, goes much further and is the kind of song that could be important -- especially with the melodic chorus in which "nobody cares." Then, the third song. It sounds like a Hip Tanaka concept that didn't get very far. As sweet and shallow as Model Kit's sound is, I think it's dangerous to ride on other bands' coattails -- especially when they're so short. Three songs aren't a lot to go on, but it might be nine minutes too many. Model Kit.
The Brett Rosenberg Problem: "Destroyer" CD
It's not until the second song, "My Girlfriend's Daughter," that I really believe Brett's earnestness, and given his age and status, it's probably a good thing. Brett's overly accurate power-pop song stylings are pretty transparent, and as good as his songs are, it's hard to move beyond his source material. It's all good stuff, but it's not enough. "Kelly Haas All Over Again" is a throw away (as inspired by real life as it might be), and "Always Hanging Around" is a studied, albeit labored potential hit. This could be a song featured in Rock 'n' Roll High School, and it's almost as though Brett knows it. While "Orange Line," which even Brett has kind of dismissed, isn't even worth mentioning, "The Wait Song" returns to the Who-meets-Buddy Holly inspirations that Brett so often draws upon. Power pop at its best and most saccharine yet satisfying. The second half of the record sets off with the quality "Shame on You," complete with Jed Parish organ a la Brett's last record -- a detail worth repeating. Rounding the record off, we have an Elvis Costello-inspired song, "She's My Baby Tonight;" a rather screwy ballad, "I Don't Really Wanna Fuck Things Up;" and the bluesy ending "Obsessed." I'm surprised and slightly disappointed that this isn't more important or interesting than Brett's previous record. The hooks are here. As is the energy. But the commitment? Why stay so strongly rooted in the past? Brett Rosenberg, P.O. Box 9231, Boston, MA 02114.
Sinkcharmer: "Stars in Winter" CD
"As Nevada Burns" is the first song of note on this record self-released by Paul Coleman, a fellow member of the Handstand Command collective. Even though Paul's vocals are mixed way too low, the gang pulls it off in the end. "20 Paces" serves as an interesting inclusion -- why not feature more songs written by these three? Might be better than the Operators or the Tardy. Might not be. Because I'm torn about Paul. The songs he does fronting the Ops are among their best. And their best songs are better than Paul's solo songs. There are a couple of pieces out of left field here: the Fugs-like alt.country thresher "Down to Dollars" and the lo-fi southern latitude lounger a la White Town "Ode to a Grifter." But those are iffy comparisons. The brief "Goosemayer" re-establishes Paul as a solo entity, as does the wonderful live staple "Rubber Legs." "Last Dance" reminds me of several northern California pop-punk ensembles, including the Ne'er Do Wells and the Potatomen, and Paul even embellishes and improves on many Twee Kitten-like concepts. But as much as I would like to say otherwise -- and as good as a songwriter Paul is -- this record just doesn't hit me hard. The reference points feel too wide ranging, and I don't get that strong of a sense of who Paul is. Sinkcharmer.
A four-pack of new record reviews! (I was feeling kind of bitter the night I wrote these, and I'm afraid I even take some friends to task. Constructive criticism, I hope.)
The Lot Six: "Gwylo" CD
The first song strikes me as a Fugazi knockoff, with its helter-skelter sections and emotive vocals. Almost three minutes in, the yelling turns to string picking and coughing, and the Guy Piccioto-like vocals emerge as most welcome, despite the ease of the comparison. "Styler/Stylee" is a piano-free Ben Folds-esque number with enough adequate verse-chorus divisions that I wish I were seeing them live until the dimuendo, which quickly morphs into a Cracker-like song structure with the onset of "Coincidence Reprise." Fugazi comparisons are rekindled with "This Is Entertainment," perhaps the strongest song, followed by the appropriately assertive "I'm into It." This is the best Fugazi-inspired record I've ever heard, but then comes "Last Flight of the Spruce Goose," a Herb Alpert-evoking number that then shifts into a more sensitive emo song. Where is this band coming from? They're not original enough to stand on their own, but they're not consistent enough to be a total rip off. I know which way I hope they fall. Espo Records, P.O. Box 63, Allston, MA 02134.
Model Kit CD EP
This is a Green Day-meets-Blink 182 wannabe knockoff that pleases me but fails to innovate beyond the mersh cliches. The second track, which is better than "All That I Need" with its chunka-chunk chorus, goes much further and is the kind of song that could be important -- especially with the melodic chorus in which "nobody cares." Then, the third song. It sounds like a Hip Tanaka concept that didn't get very far. As sweet and shallow as Model Kit's sound is, I think it's dangerous to ride on other bands' coattails -- especially when they're so short. Three songs aren't a lot to go on, but it might be nine minutes too many. Model Kit.
The Brett Rosenberg Problem: "Destroyer" CD
It's not until the second song, "My Girlfriend's Daughter," that I really believe Brett's earnestness, and given his age and status, it's probably a good thing. Brett's overly accurate power-pop song stylings are pretty transparent, and as good as his songs are, it's hard to move beyond his source material. It's all good stuff, but it's not enough. "Kelly Haas All Over Again" is a throw away (as inspired by real life as it might be), and "Always Hanging Around" is a studied, albeit labored potential hit. This could be a song featured in Rock 'n' Roll High School, and it's almost as though Brett knows it. While "Orange Line," which even Brett has kind of dismissed, isn't even worth mentioning, "The Wait Song" returns to the Who-meets-Buddy Holly inspirations that Brett so often draws upon. Power pop at its best and most saccharine yet satisfying. The second half of the record sets off with the quality "Shame on You," complete with Jed Parish organ a la Brett's last record -- a detail worth repeating. Rounding the record off, we have an Elvis Costello-inspired song, "She's My Baby Tonight;" a rather screwy ballad, "I Don't Really Wanna Fuck Things Up;" and the bluesy ending "Obsessed." I'm surprised and slightly disappointed that this isn't more important or interesting than Brett's previous record. The hooks are here. As is the energy. But the commitment? Why stay so strongly rooted in the past? Brett Rosenberg, P.O. Box 9231, Boston, MA 02114.
Sinkcharmer: "Stars in Winter" CD
"As Nevada Burns" is the first song of note on this record self-released by Paul Coleman, a fellow member of the Handstand Command collective. Even though Paul's vocals are mixed way too low, the gang pulls it off in the end. "20 Paces" serves as an interesting inclusion -- why not feature more songs written by these three? Might be better than the Operators or the Tardy. Might not be. Because I'm torn about Paul. The songs he does fronting the Ops are among their best. And their best songs are better than Paul's solo songs. There are a couple of pieces out of left field here: the Fugs-like alt.country thresher "Down to Dollars" and the lo-fi southern latitude lounger a la White Town "Ode to a Grifter." But those are iffy comparisons. The brief "Goosemayer" re-establishes Paul as a solo entity, as does the wonderful live staple "Rubber Legs." "Last Dance" reminds me of several northern California pop-punk ensembles, including the Ne'er Do Wells and the Potatomen, and Paul even embellishes and improves on many Twee Kitten-like concepts. But as much as I would like to say otherwise -- and as good as a songwriter Paul is -- this record just doesn't hit me hard. The reference points feel too wide ranging, and I don't get that strong of a sense of who Paul is. Sinkcharmer.
Newsletter of Note III
For the last five years, the Sacramento, California-based Tackett-Barbaria Design Group has issued a summer reading list. This year, there's a pet theme to the mailing -- consistently well-designed, friendly, and clever -- as the design firm's staff introduces seven dogs and three cats, as well as almost 50 books, some of which have to do with pets, natch. Some good titles to see in such a list: Hanif Kureishi's Buddha of Suburbia and Philip K. Dick's Confessions of a Crap Artist. Better than any holiday card or hello mailing that I've ever received from a professional service I employ -- and knowing Kim, makes me think that it's personal touches like this that make her firm worth working with. This year's summer reading list isn't online yet, but you can check out recommended selections from 1997-99.
For the last five years, the Sacramento, California-based Tackett-Barbaria Design Group has issued a summer reading list. This year, there's a pet theme to the mailing -- consistently well-designed, friendly, and clever -- as the design firm's staff introduces seven dogs and three cats, as well as almost 50 books, some of which have to do with pets, natch. Some good titles to see in such a list: Hanif Kureishi's Buddha of Suburbia and Philip K. Dick's Confessions of a Crap Artist. Better than any holiday card or hello mailing that I've ever received from a professional service I employ -- and knowing Kim, makes me think that it's personal touches like this that make her firm worth working with. This year's summer reading list isn't online yet, but you can check out recommended selections from 1997-99.
Event-O-Dex! IV
There are three Handstand Command-related events this week.
Tonight: The Operators play at the Milky Way in JP as part of the CuriousBrain Imaginary Playground 2
Thursday, June 20: The Anchormen play at TT the Bear's as part of Choo Choo La Rouge and the Fightin' Dogs' Singles Night
Saturday, June 22: Handstand Command hosts a rock 'n' roll yard sale complete with lemonade, furniture, and assorted nerd-ware
I'll be at least two of the three. Come if you can!
There are three Handstand Command-related events this week.
I'll be at least two of the three. Come if you can!
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