Astronaut - Beach House - Devotion - 2008

I can hardly think of a better song for a dark and rainy Monday than this little gem. Beach House has an oddly appropriate name. Rather than sounding like the music you hear at the beach though, they sound like the feeling of being stuck in a beach house on a cold and rainy day, of looking out at the ocean and wishing you could swim in it. Droney organ, super slow girl group harmonies, and lead singer Victoria Legrand's lethargic angel vocals all work to add a great soundtrack to this gloomy 4/20.

This is my brother's last night in town, so I'm gearing up my liver for one more night of drinking...then Shani shows up. One of these days I'll get some rest, honest...

Astral Weeks - Van Morrison - Astral Weeks - 1968

Man, now that I am done writing about my epic drinking adventure across Europe, I have no idea what I'm supposed to write about on this thing...

I mean, I suppose I could actually talk about...you know, the music, but Jesus, Van Morrison is a bitch of a place to jump back in. I mean, sure...Van's the man and all, but there is so much godwill lost on the number of times you've heard Brown Eyed Girl at your local theme park. Granted Astral Weeks is about as far from that Van as you can get, but still...

I suppose I could talk about the fact that spring seems to have sprung, the sun is out the temperature is up and breasts and legs are back on the menu...but you've heard all that before.

I could mention that my parents and my brother are in town and that we went to Peter Luger's last night for my dad's birthday where we gorged on meat and my mom lost a tooth. Or the plan for the evening to get my brother drunk and laid tonight with the hipster skanks in Williamsburg.

But fuck it, it's a sunny friday and my brain is already out the door and my ass will soon follow. Semi-regular service to commence later.

All Is Full of Love - Bjork - Homogenic - 1997

So the other night I went back to the local beer gardens to celebrate our new neighborhood option for outdoor drinking. One of the girls that lives in my building came out and decided to throw out the "I can drink you under the table" challange. Now not to seem overly chauvanistic, or like a giant asshole...but there was just no way this was possible. This girl 11 years my junior, and from suburban philly was just not going to take me. Two shots of Wild Turkey and she was out of the game. This did however result in a fair amount of comedy. I tried to wrestle a bassett hound, despite not being a regular smoker I had 4 cigarettes, and then I paid our skinny-hipster-in granny glasses waitress $10 to rap for us. This is on a wednesday night mind you.

The sad thing is, this sort of thing happens to me frequently...I'm not sure why women want to try to outdrink me...and why I can't say no to the challange. Clearly I have issues.

More Bjork, being Bjork

All In A Day - Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros - Streetcore - 2003

Sign It's Spring #1 - I saw two apartment supers spraying off the sidewalk this morning as I was walking to the train. At a certain point, one of them jokingly sprayed some water at the other one and I thought to myself "Yes, it is the season to spray people with garden hoses and run through sprinklers" Good stuff.

Joe Strummer's solo stuff tends to be not that interesting, and occassionally down right banal...but this song actually has decent energy and a hook. Worth a listen at least.

Alarm Call - Bjork - Homogenic - 1997

So, I have to go back to Indiana for my father's birthday. I haven't spent nearly enough time with my fam lately, so I shouldn't be so bitter about it however...I will be missing a 77 degree sunday in NYC...the first one of 2008. Spaghetti string tank tops and short skirts will line the streets, outdoor drinking will be in full effect, and I will be making a turban out of paper towels while playing Risk with my dad and my brother. I will be surrounded by corn and old relatives, while my friends eat, drink and be merry.

There is no justice in this world.

Anyway, Bjork when she still knew how to write a melody. Good stuff.

Alameda - Elliot Smith - Either/Or - 1997

I started writing this yesterday, when I was full of energy and spring time enthusiasm. At the time, Elliot Smith was too morose, too wistful and sad for my mood and I was going to write all about how ES had invented the quiet indie boy voice and how his death had given him a certain cache that I'm not entirely sure he earned...but today, dead tired from a late night of fun and a long day at work, wired from too much coffee, but wiped out and listless...and with no bed in my immediate future, Elliot is exactly my mood.

Don't get me wrong, there are Smith songs that inspire me (Baby Britain, Cupid's Trick, Bled White, among others) but this quiet whispery Elliot is rarely my choice...but it takes days like today to remind me of their uses.

Ain't Never Been Cool - Lucky Soul - The Great Unwanted - 2007

It's the first 70 degree day of 2008 in NYC. If I haven't made this abundantly clear, I'm a huge fan of the spring. Everything is better in the spring, aside of my stupid allergies. Can't wait for sidewalk drinking though. Good stuff.

So, this is Lucky Soul sounding a bit more Martha and The Vandellas than The Supremes this time, which is appropriately spring-like. And no darlin', I ain't never been cool either.

Aeroplane Blues - The Black Keys - Rubber Factory - 2004

So, all in all I had a pretty spectacular weekend, but one of my favorite parts (well, that I'm telling you all about anyway) happened on Saturday afternoon. After watching my beloved Arsenal pull of an amazing comeback (down a man, and two goals with less than 1/2 an hour to play...comeback to win 2-3) I went with my buddy to a local pub and sat in the back yard with a couple of beers. As we basked in victory, I couldn't help but enjoy the kick off of my favorite season of the year...outdoor drinking time. Few things are better in this city than sitting on a sidewalk, in the sun, with a cold beverage and watching the world go by. I love this shit. After the long hard slog that is winter, it's finally time to participate in my favorite past time.

The only thing that could have made the experience better would have been some cool tunes. The Black Keys would have worked. Their laid back bluesy stomp is just about perfect for outdoor drinking. Bring it on, boys.

Act of the Apostle II - Belle and Sebastian - The Life Pursuit - 2006

As a result of my questionable drinking decisions I was wide awake at 545 this AM. After a few hours of trying to make myself go back to sleep I finally just decided to get up and go to work a little early. It is amazing how much going into work as little as 15 minutes earlier increases the traffic on the train. It was easily three times the usual number of people on the 2 this morning from what I'm used to at my usual leisurely 915 departure.

But one of the advantages is that spring is finally almost hitting NYC. In the Midwest we knew it was really spring when we saw the first robin. Here in the city we know it's spring when we see the first spaghetti string tank top. Now, in the world in which I am king, there would be some sort of law that stated when the first girl to exhibit bare flesh of the season arrives on the subway, she should not be crowded around. People should step back so we can all enjoy the view. Needless to say on the crowded subway this did not happen, so I spent a lot of time rubber necking like a jackass.

I guess I needed this moment of shameless heterosexuality to justify the fact that I've now written about to B&S songs in a row. Not particularly my favorite song on this album either.