Things I Will Apparently Put Up With To See The Flaming Lips

As part of Washington D.C.’s Earth Day celebration, The Flaming Lips headlined a less-than star-studded lineup to help bring awareness to the now-named ‘Green Generation.’ Of course they didn’t go on until 5pm, a mere 5 hours after the event kicked off at the National Mall. To kill time until Wayne Coyne and his clear inflatable ball came out, here are things I will apparently put up with just to see The Flaming Lips:

1) Shitty Weather

2) Chevy Chase: If you would have guessed in 1976 which member of Saturday Night Live would end up having the most success surely Chevy Chase would top the list. Turns out that while Murray, Belushi and Ackroyd have become legends, Chase has become an painfully unfunny hack spokesman — dolling out lame jokes and bland statements about how saving the environment is, you know, ‘good.’

3) Hippie Doodah-ing: Includes Hula hooping, ribbon twirling, self-dancing. Somehow in high school and early college, it didn’t seem nearly as annoying to see grown adults acting like impish fairies amazed with bright colours and simple childlike activities. In one instance, a woman who had been twirling ribbons all afternoon gave her toys to an actual kid to play with. And yet sadly she then didn’t know what to do with herself, staring longingly at the ribbons like a former smoker who doesn’t know what to do with their hands anymore.

4) Matthew Modine: We couldn’t think of a single movie he has ever done. Why is he famous?

5) moe.: Yikes. One song said to be inspired by Hurricane Katrina was particularly terrible, lasting about as long as people in New Orleans have been waiting for their FEMA trailers.

6) The heavy-handed appropriation of Obama’s Change message: Look, we all know that President Obama is well, President, which is, by my estimation still a pretty great thing. We all know that the environment is a good thing, issues like climate change are very real and scary and should be taken seriously. Likewise, events like Earth Day, especially in D.C., can be great ways to bring awareness to green causes.

But, as bad as this sounds, I’ve found that more and more, it’s getting sorta annoying to hear over and over about how things are so much different now. Have we hit the point where it doesn’t quite as ring true as it once did?

In one amazing non-statement — although to be fair, one of many during the day by a variety of speakers — Chevy latched onto the popular, yet increasingly meaningless ‘yes we can’ mantra by asking the audience ‘Isn’t it great Barack Obama is President?’ Well, yes, of course. “Isn’t it great that food is delicious?” I asked back.

7) The Flaming Lips: They opened dramatically with Coyne taking to his giant inflatable ball and being tossed in the crowd, then segueing into a stellar “Race for the Prize” complete with confetti guns, smoke machines and all that.

But it was hard to believe that The Flaming Lips would take two of their best songs, “Fight Test” and “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots” and turn them into ballad-like lullabyes for a crowd waiting around in overcast, cold, windy and wet weather.

There were a few other good renditions of “The W.A.N.D.” “She Don’t Use Jelly” and set closer “Do You Realize?,” but set fell flat overall, Then again, a free Lips show is still a free show, so cannot totally complain.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFLA_U99g4s[/youtube]

Compare and Contrast: Vanderslice’s ‘Too Much Time’

I’ve already gushed about John Vanderslice‘s fantastic new album Romanian Names a few days back, (I’m also in the midst of writing a piece for NPR Music about Vanderslice, so stay tuned for that). But I came across a few videos on YouTube that really show off one of my favorite songs off the record, “Too Much Time.”

On the album, the song takes on a much darker tone, a bit of a mix of electronic and new wave perhaps; almost Cure-like.

But as you can hear in these various versions below, Vanderslice has obviously toyed around with the arrangements for the different live settings. I always find it interesting to hear how a song progresses from its beginnings to how the production ends up on the final album. Take a listen:

Striped down, acoustic version for KEXP

A less striped down version with violin:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1r1RAzjV9U[/youtube]

A fuller version with The Magik*Magik Orchestra:

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/3073010[/vimeo]

NPR Song Of The Day: Papercuts, ‘You Can Have What You Want’

Papercuts' 'You Can Have What You Want' is out now.  (Courtesy of the artist)
Papercuts’ ‘You Can Have What You Want’ is out now. (Courtesy of the artist)

Here’s a new Song of the Day essay about Papercuts’* song** “You Can Have What You Want” from its new album, You Can Have What You Want. To read the full review and hear the song click here!

Continue reading NPR Song Of The Day: Papercuts, ‘You Can Have What You Want’

Holy Shit! It’s Science! — Explaining The Internal Hair Generation Core

by Michael J. Katzif, M.D.

For most adult males, male pattern baldness is a chronic and sometimes deadly medical problem, and for many, facing the inevitable depreciating hairline can cause a variety of unwanted side effects, both physical, mental and domestic: sunrash, dandruff, declining sense of self worth and ambition, and unsightly hair in sink. Over thousands of years, mankind has attempted many a remedy, to mixed results, from the powdered wig, to the toupee, to the spray on hair foam, to the hipster shaved head.

But many of the afflicted do not know what causes this highly scientific social health phenomenon: the Internal Hair Generation Core. That is, until now.

The Internal Hair Generation Core — known amongst medical experts as hairuslapsus generatus — is a previously unknown organ that serves as the human body’s central hair creation system. Located in the torso, somewhere between the lungs and the large intestine, and nestled sweetly against the bladder and liver, this system is the fulcrum of all hair found externally on any human-derived mammal.

Other hairy mammals, such as the common house cat, warthog or rat, as well as some marsupials like the rare, assumed extinct Tasmanian Wolf (see below figure), have similar systems but of course, since these species have hair all over their body, it functions in quite a different way.

emThe now-extinct Tasmanian Wolf had a hair generation core similar to humans/em
The now-extinct Tasmanian Wolf had a hair generation core similar to humans

The Internal Hair Generation Core essentially creates millions of incredibly long hairs and distributes and stretches these long strands throughout the body in all places where hair is expected to grow in Earth humans.

One interesting discovery is that for every hair that might sprout on one’s head or arm, there is another hair somewhere else on the body that corresponds to the ‘other end.’ That is, if you pull one hair, without accidentally breaking the strand, you are essentially pulling the hair through the entire body, passing through the hair core.

For example:

— Pull a beard hair and it pulls the same strand from the pubic region (medically referred to as ‘bathing suit area’).
— Pull a head hair and it pulls from the ass region
— Pull a leg hair and it pulls a hair from the arm region

So on, and so forth. This is highly medical and technical sounding, so consider the following analogy: Imagine the ‘spaghetti scene’ from the Disney classic, Lady and the Tramp where they both eat from opposite ends of the same noodle. Just like that.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_h0n0MTuzA[/youtube]

Note: We decided to show this clip overdubbed in Dutch to appeal to all the various Germans and Netherlanders in the scientific community.

Please consult the following diagram for a visual representation of the Internal Hair Generation Core.

As you can see, this system spreads hair strands not only from the core, but also each individual larger strand sprouts smaller, more refined hairs that we see externally from the pores of the epidermis layer of our skin.

Now that we know this, we can fully explain the aging behaviour of balding. Simply put, balding is not the act of losing hair on one’s head, but rather, head hair receding to other parts of the body and sprouting elsewhere as nature would determine the most needed location. This is why it is called a ‘receding hairline.’

In some males, this process begins as late as middle age, for some in mid-to-late twenties. Some scientists believe this is determined as a healthy mixture of biology, heredity and environment. For the afflicted who are experiencing receding, the hair often shows up in a few locales: back, buttocks (medically referred to as the ass), or toe knuckles.

Consider the following case study. This biological victim experienced early head hair receding behaviour (see figure one). But upon deciding to grow a beard, it was determined that the subject’s head hair was not, as previously believed by unwieldy and outmodeled science theories, falling out, but rather being redirected to the face (see figure two). It is thought that the cold winter climate of the subject’s living environment (thought to be in the urban Chicago area, thanks to carbon dating and geo targeting tests), was the catalyst: Simply put, in order for this sad weakling to survive the cold, the specimen required facial protection and warmth.

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
<em>figure 2.</em
Figure 2.

Thanks to our modern scientific testing team, who tediously and meticulously experimented on unassuming specimens in their natural states — sports bars and hunting grounds — we now know that male pattern baldness is not a shameful act of whimsy brought on by the fickle nature of some god-like entity — something our previous Presidential administration had declared publicly. Instead it is something that can be embraced, controlled and redirected manually with highly advanced thin spandex-like suits to plug hair sprouting hotspots in unwanted areas (i.e. toe knuckles). Three cheers for Sciences!

Next time on Holy Shit! It’s Science, we tackle the misunderstood ramifications of the increasingly popular, and economically responsible, time travel staycation.

Best Song I’ve Heard All Day: Reminds Me Of Flotation Toy Edition

The Antlers

(part 611 in a 1001 part series)

The first thing I listen for when I put on a new John Vanderslice album is the production. Sure Vanderslice is a great songwriter, great arranger and all that, but his sense of crisp pop production is phenomenal… he’s one of the best out there. Vanderslice’s new album Romanian Names — his first on Dead Oceans, after six on Barsuk — very well could be his best. It’s full of catchy melodies, swirling analog synths and computerized beats and yet still fairly melancholy.

This song here really reminds me of a great band we haven’t heard from in a long time, Flotation Toy Warning.*

“D.I.A.L.O.” by John Vanderslice
[audio:https://hellocomein.com/soundbox/HelloShuffle/bestsongallday/JohnVanderslice_DIALO.mp3]

*Note: This is NOT, as our very own Aryn Crowley thought, Flotation Toy Warning, but John Vanderslice. The song just had certain qualities that reminded of the other band. For those who did love Flotation Toy Warning’s 2004 album, they reportedly are set to finally release a followup later in 2009.

RPM Challenge 2009: Hello Come In, ‘You Can’t Find Your Way Outside’

Hello Come In's 2009 RPM Challenge album, 'You Cant Find Your Way Outside.'
Hello Come In’s 2009 RPM Challenge album, ‘You Cant Find Your Way Outside.’

We know it’s been years since you’ve heard from the crew over at hellocomein.com, but fear not young maidens and noble gentlemen, the beast has not been slain permanently. After our year-long hiatus, we’ve had a productive month of February, and created the newest edition in the ongoing melodrama: You Can’t Find Your Way Outside.

This undertaking was written, performed, and recorded (mostly) in the month of February for the famed RPM Challenge. For those unaware, the RPM Challenge, costs no money to enter, does not provide any winnings of millions for the best entries, and really, is merely a catalyst to inspire people to get out of their nightly taco-flavored-Dorrito-fueled reality television watching lifestyle, and get them to make music for the sake of making music. The rules are simple: you have the month of February to completely create either 35 minutes of music, or 10 songs — whichever comes first.

Listen to our attempt at greatness: Some songs are pure genius, while others only part genius. But it’s safe to say that you will either be crying from joy, or despair, or not at all, after listening. The point of the project is not true perfection of the final product, but the process of creating and making music. We hope that comes across in these new songs.

Please leave comments here in the blog about what you love/hate/don’t care about, to help encourage us to create again, or give up for good.

Thanks and good night sweet princes.

~Aryn & Mike
Hello Come In — Chicago & Washington D.C. Divisions

Click here to DOWNLOAD the full album.

Tracklist:

1. White Walls
2. Half Awake
3. The Winch
4. The Academy Of Birds
5. Yellow Matter
6. You Are The Sea
7. Why The Oceans Matter
8. This Is A Fire
9. Music Box

Produced by Mike Katzif
Recorded and Engineered by Aryn Crowley and Mike Katzif
Mixed and Mastered by Mike Katzif and Hello Come In
at Hello Come In Studios, Washington DC & Chicago IL; February 2009
Artwork and layout design by Mike Katzif
Cellos on “Yellow Matter” by Thomas Pierce
Special Thanks to Greg Johnson, Robin Hilton, and our dozen fans.
All Songs by Mike Katzif, Aryn Crowley and Hello Come In, Copyright 2009

Tom Jones Performed 10ft From Me At Work Today

And it was totally amazing… What a showman!

UPDATE 3/2: For those who care to watch Sir Tom Jones in action, video is now up.

I think Robin’s write up is incredibly accurate: While Jones has accumulated quite a reputation as schlock and cheesey moves over the years — not to mention spoofed by Carlton on the Fresh Prince — there is no denying why this incredibly talented guy rose to the top. Even in this intimate setting I think he really sounded great, was very genuine and was quite the showman.

Best Song I’ve Heard All Day: Best Known Unknown Edition

The Antlers

(part 567 in a 1001 part series)

Last week I was introduced to a great new unknown band called The Antlers. The new album Hospice is a dark orchestral and electronic pop album that recalls Arcade Fire’s bombast and the quivering and mannered voice of Antony. The song that sold me was the opener “Kettering.” But this one below really blew me away this morning while eating breakfast and reading the news; it’s much more joyful and upbeat musically, though of course a hint of sadness in the lyrics.

“Two” by The Antlers
[audio:https://hellocomein.com/soundbox/HelloShuffle/bestsongallday/Antlers_Two.mp3]

UPDATE 3/11: Just saw The Antlers perform live tonight at The Black Cat for probably 35 people tops. We were taping the show for NPR Music to put up at a later date, but all I can say is wow. Going in, didn’t know what to expect: For as intricate and full a sound they have on the album, I was curious if they would be able to recreate it live, or if they would adapt the material. Many bands like this often end up a tad underwhelming or pale in comparison.

But The Antlers — with only 3 members (guitarist\vocalist, drummer, keyboardist on a Fender Rhodes) — managed to capture the songs but expand upon them in new ways…usually in a wash of guitar feedback and heavily distorted Fender Rhodes fed through a myriad of pedals and a Korg mini synth. Although the set was quite short, it definitely was pretty great. They’ll be a really good band if they keep it up. I shall post a link to audio when the concert goes live on NPR Music.

Here is the one photo I took:

RPM Challenge 2009: Weekend Progress Report

Spent most of this weekend out of town and in airports and hotel rooms. But I did have a chance to mix a bit during that time and spent most of today recording. Here is the progress report:

Half Awake (v4a) — Finally tracked verses two and three… not sure about a few lines here and there and might retrack if there’s time… But otherwise, I’m calling this one relatively done: Warts and all, it’s as good as it’s likely gonna get.

“Half Awake” v4a by Mike Katzif
[audio:https://hellocomein.com/soundbox/hellomusic_mike/HalfAwake_v4a.mp3]

****

Why The Oceans Matter (v3d) — Here’s a song Aryn wrote and bumped over to me to start mixing and adding a few things on my own. Not quite there yet, but it’s different and has lots of potential. He has a few more in the works but I’ll let Aryn chime in here later about this if he so desires.

“Why The Oceans Matter” v3d by Aryn Crowley (MK Mix)
[audio:https://hellocomein.com/soundbox/hellomusic_aryn/WhyTheOceansMatter_v3d_MKMix.mp3]

****

Slack Stringed (v3a) — Another shelved and long forgotten song, now refreshed and reworked in honor of RPM. Aryn added some drums to this and will add a bit more sooner than later. I am also planning on refining my lyrics for this (half written, still untracked) so stay tuned…

“Slack Stringed” v3a by Mike Katzif
[audio:https://hellocomein.com/soundbox/hellomusic_mike/SlackStringed_v3a.mp3]

That’s all for now…