BubeTube #2

Everybody's doing it.

Muxtape
Note! This one is no longer available.

Fascination - The Human League
Chains Of Love - Erasure
The Way That I Found You - Ladytron
Hold Me Now - The Thompson Twins
Elegia - New Order
Are 'friends' Electric? - Gary Numan & Tubeway Army
Walking Away - Information Society
Nothing Better - The Postal Service
Homosapien - Pete Shelley
One More Chance - Pet Shop Boys
I Don't Believe You - The Magnetic Fields
Kiss Me - Stephen Duffy

I find this a little disturbing.

Which Battlestar Galactica Character Are You?

More on Battlestar Galactica. Created by BuddyTV

Chinese Democracy When?

What could be better than listening to the LONG AWAITED Guns N'Roses album Chinese Democracy this year? Enjoying an ice cold Dr. Pepper with it, that's what!

Beardo of the Week

Congratulations William T. Riker of the USS Enterprise. You are probably the first beardo that has his own collectible plate. Although, now that I'm thinking about it, maybe I will do a series of Beardo Collector plates. Hirsute men on china. There's no way this isn't going to make a million dollars!

Please enjoy this musical tribute to Riker. Warning: It uses the music of Right Said Fred. I did not want to be held repsonsible for that one. Okay:

Malkmus at the Vic

(Not an actual scene from the show, but where quality time was spent before and after the show, over at the L & L. Classy restrooms!) This is the only mid-sized theatre show I have EVER been to where the ladies line was no waiting, yet the men's went on and on. Why don't ladies like Malkmus? He is certainly handsome, but his music is very dudical, despite the presence of Janet Weiss and Joanna Bolme. The show was very heavy rock, and they covered pretty much the whole new album. While it sounded great, I feel like the show may have benefitted from a Pink Floyd Layzer show or something.

Reissue-o-rama-palooza-mania

Being slightly disenchanted with the current state of indie rock (I feel like everything new coming out sounds like the same three bands!) I am just going crazy with reissues! Yes, I am spending my hard earned money to buy music I have already purchased in the past! First up is the freaking gorgeous trilogy of Mission of Burma LPs and CDs from super awesome Matador. I opted for the LPs, and man, they know what they are doing! Signals, Calls and Marches, Vs., and (then) posthumous live album The Horrible Truth About Burma all look and sound like a dream! The LPs all include LIVE DVDs (which I haven't watched yet, but I think they are all three different full length shows), full size booklets loaded with photos and interviews AND codes for digital downloading. You might want to hold on to your original LPs though, these guys are HEAVY. The CDs include the DVD and CD sized booklets. Next is Gary Numan + Tubeway Army's already excellent Replicas Redux CD. You get the original album with a handful of B-side type stuff and a second disc loaded with "early versions". Also the prerequisite very interesting booklet with the same sorta stuff I mentioned on the MoB's. While a money grubbing major label (just kidding, I love you majors too) would charge like $25 for something that awesome, each CD will only set you back $14.99! (Those LPs are under $25 though, not bad!) Also out now are 4 Men With Beards Scott Walker LP reissues. While I have not personally bought them because my dear friend Paul picked up Scott-3 while on holiday in the UK for me and I got some weird Phillips reissue of 4, I have heard my coworkers playing them and they sound great. Heavy jackets and very faithful to the original sleeves (maybe better, the originals are really flimsy!) these are a must own for any sentient being with a turntable. I'm still thinking about the Whiskeytown Strangers Almanac deluxe CD, but with the vinyl coming out soon (probably without bonus stuff) I'll probably hold off. Next week the Lemonheads It's a Shame About Ray is out, expect me to gush beyond belief over that one.

Editorial: Hooray for the Racounteurs.

If you don't know the story, read this.

Good on these guys! I know I am probably in the minority here, but I do NOT want to hear a leaked copy of an album I am eagerly anticipating. I miss the days of midnight sales that mean something. I am doing my damndest to not listen to the upcoming R.E.M. album. I saw the video for the first single on MTV2 Sunday night, which is fine. I do not want to hear the album until I am looking at a thing that is that new album. It's going to be officially streaming on Facebook, but I'm not going to crack! I like that the Raconteurs are taking such care to get it out to everyone. Okay, so I have to give kudos to Radiohead too. While I'm kudoing, I'll sling some the way of the Black Crowes who got their latest album reviewed by Maxim magazine without sending out a single copy! Wait, back to the Ranconteurs. Take a look at that cover art, that must have taken longer to make than the whole album!

Does anyone know where this is?

This is the house Larry Appleton bought in the seventh season of Perfect Strangers. All the other major locations have been identified, but this one hasn't. Logan Blvd maybe? Lincoln Park?

Beardo of the Week

Congratulations, Zach Galifianakis, you are my Beardo of the Week. You are funny and make Tim and Eric Awesome Show Great Job just a little bit more awesome. Let's take a look at them together in this short film they did for Absolut Vodka. (Please note, if you work for Absolut and want to send me Vodka, I am over 21 and like those fruity ones.)

Will I EVER get to see Paul Williams?

My friends Paul and Brianne are in Australia. Freakin' Paul Williams is playing there! When oh when will he play somewhere nearby. Nearerby than the Grand Canyon. Branson, maybe? Ho-chunk Casino? Come on Paul!!

BubeTube #1

Inspired by the blocks of good music video programming on Sunday Nights I present to you "Sam O'Rama's Rack Presents BubeTube!"


1. Andrew Bird - "Imitosis" Official Video
Gee, this looks good! I actually saw it on MTV tonight, awesome!

2. The New Pornographers - "Myriad Harbour" - Official Video
Animated Dan Bejar. Neat!

3. R.E.M. - "Supernatural Superserious" - Official Video
Also saw this on MTV tonight. I am SHOCKED I really like it! Thax didn't like the album when heard it, so I was kinda worried.

4. Faith No More - "Easy" - Official Video
FNM and men in drag do a really good job on this Commodores classic.

5. Velocity Girl - "I Can't Stop Smiling" - Official Video
This was such a great freaking album.

6. Fuzzbox - "Love is the Slug" - Official Video
These gals should have been HUGE.

7. Bolshoi - "Sunday Morning" - Official Video
I dunno, I always liked this song.

8. Wilco - "Jesus Etc." - Official Video
Whoa, there were only 4 guys in that band for a while.

9. Thompson Twins - "Hold Me Now" - Official Video
This video takes advantage of 80s video technology.

10. Le Tigre - "Deceptacon" - Fan Video
UTTERLY BRILLIANT. Of course Jem is Kathleen Hannah.

11. The Magnetic Fields - "I Don't Believe You" - Fan Video
Set to clips from, uh, House. The TV show House starring Hugh Laurie. Dude, I didn't make it. I don't know!

12. The Monkees - "I'll Be Back Upon My Feet" - Fan Video
YES YES YES! Perfectly AWESOME!! Man these tv show fan vids are the BEST!!

13. The Osmonds - "Down By The Lazy River" - Live Video
People talk shit about the Osmonds, but look at them electrify the State Fair!!

14. The Brady Bunch - "Sunshine Day" - Official Video
You WISH you could write a pop song like this!

15. The Flat Five - "Kites Are Fun" - Live Video
Scott, Kelly and Nora nail those otherworldy harmonies.

16. Tarkio - ? - Live Video
Colin Meloy a long time ago.

17. Gary Louris - "We'll Get By" - Live Video
I think it unsynchs at some point, which makes it a little trippy, man!

18. "MacArthur Park" - Wayne Newton - Live Video
If you make it 'til the end you get a prize!

19. Ernie and Hoots - "Put Down the Duckie" - Official Video
features some amazing guest spots by Edith Prickley, Pee Wee Herman, Ladysmith Black Mambazo.. trust me.

20. Gnarls Barkley - "Run" - Official Video
Oooh yeah!

Magnetic Fields played a bunch of shows at Old Town School.

I was fortunate enough to attend the late Friday show. It was the oddest show I have seen, and I mean that in a good way. Stephin Merritt played only the bazouki. Astounding! The OTS was the perfect venue for the very quiet show. Felicity Shagwell was totally sitting behind us with Neil Gaiman. (I have since found out Stephin did music for something he wrote.) Oh yeah, the show. I had no expectations, and they were all fulfilled! A woozy lovely evening.

Addendum: Here's a little more -

If you're not familiar with the Old Town School it is a super intimate little theatre, there are maybe ten rows on the floor, and truly not a bad seat in the house. The sound is always amazing, and the show totally felt like some weird high school music recital, except with some of the most exquisitely crafted songs being played instead of the crap you would normally get at a high school recital. I had never seen TMF live (hell, I barely knew what they looked like, save for the pics in 69 Love Songs), and I guess they just do one super short tour when they put out an album nowadays. Stephin Merritt has some problem in his left ear and I guess applause feedbacks in his head and is really uncomfortable. I didn't know this beforehand, so I was a little confused as to why he put earplugs in following the songs. The dude only wears brown too. Oh, and he only played a Bazouki. I'll admit I'm a sucker for quirk, so I am totally won over now. The performance is not one that would come off in a rock club at all, and the audience was so quiet and polite during the songs. Which leads me to the Distortion issue: they played nearly every song off the album sans distortion. They were barely recognizable and extremely beautiful, especially Stephin doing lead vocals on "Nun's Litany".

Earlier in the week I saw Vic Chesnutt and Jonathan Richman at the Abbey, which is the oddest speedball combination ever. It was also a good show.

Larry and Balki worked here

Larry and Balki worked here
Originally uploaded by Sam O'Rama

apparently the Chicago Chronicle was owned by Cain. That almost makes sense. That fictional newspaper is not far from the actual Chicago Tribune, a block or two away.

Larry and Balki lived here

Larry and Balki lived here
Originally uploaded by Sam O'Rama

this is the apartment Larry and Balki lived in from Season Three onwards. It's at Clark and Dickens. I'm currently on the bus from there to the Chicago Chronicle offices on Michigan Ave.

Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks Real Emotional Trash

I decided that I miss rock. Malkmus is keeping the rock dream alive. At first I didn't think I was going to dig it. There were no fun sing-a-longy lyrics and keyboards like on Face the Truth which is now the album formerly known as the only Malkmus solo album I like. This is the one now! Sprawling, loud rock! Heavy!

Beardo of the Week

Off the momentum of that show and this Letterman performance, Liam Finn is Beardo of the Week. Did you know he's Neil Finn of (my favorite band that I'm really too young to like) Crowded House's son?! Watch this, really! Dave's intro about the really big CD is good too.

I vote for some Manlove

"It's important to have a congressman that understands our area."

Wow!

Liam Finn @ Schubas

It was so packed at the Liam Finn show that is as close as I could get. Dang, though, what a dynamic performer that kid is! (I can call him a kid, I am severely older than him). He is going to be a powerhouse, if he's not ruling the world in like ten years with his charisma and talent and presence and ability to drink then I no longer want to be a part of that world. It's like all pretty pop song, la la then total guitar flaily freakout! Drum freak out! Underneath all the freak out there is still a really great song though. I think perhaps he should have been the headliner, call me crazy.