Onward and Upward

Justin Vernon and the Roots : "Perth"

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:33:16 -0600

Vernon got Soul.

petervidani: Concept Speedboat for Bugatti Veyron Buzz: “I‘d be...

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:09:58 -0600

Concept Speedboat for Bugatti Veyron

Buzz: “I‘d be pretty embarassed to show up at Cannes in a boat that didn’t match my car.”

Ben Kweller - Go Fly A Kite

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:47:34 -0600

Ben Kweller - Go Fly A Kite:

The other day I was trying to simultaneously figure out why people like Gotye and what happened to rock and roll, and then I heard this, which answered one of the questions.

Start every day as a producer, not a consumer

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:44:13 -0600

Start every day as a producer, not a consumer :

Great advice

Hear the new Ben Kweller record now!

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:52:00 -0600

Hear the new Ben Kweller record now!:

goodness.

fastcompany: Eric Fischer used geotagged tweets to create maps...

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:22:03 -0600

fastcompany:

Eric Fischer used geotagged tweets to create maps of the most highly trafficked thoroughfares in major cities.

Could Twitter Help Us Create Smarter Transit Routes?

This is fascinating (by 15XG, via kottke)

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 15:53:03 -0600

This is fascinating

(by 15XG, via kottke)

SOPA is just a symptom of the problem

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:25:41 -0600

The MPAA, RIAA, and others have deep pockets to continue to purchase bills in Congress, like you or I might purchase a cheeseburger.

The odds are that we won’t garner the same support if we go through this again, just due to natural fatigue.

What can you do? Change the ability of the MPAA and the RIAA to purchase legislation that meets their interests. Get involved by striking at the roots.

Click here to learn more, and defeat the source of the problem, because SOPA is just a symptom.

Gillian Welch | 2011 Tour Pictures

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:06:09 -0600

Gillian Welch | 2011 Tour Pictures:

Gillian and David’s whole life is through an Instagram filter. These are just the pictures.

Photo

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 09:15:05 -0600

courtenaybird: 5MB Hard Disk Drive, 1956 Things have changed

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 18:03:58 -0600

courtenaybird:

5MB Hard Disk Drive, 1956

Things have changed

"Kim Jong-il picked up a golf club for the very first time, and — as witnessed by 17 security guards..."

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 08:40:10 -0600

“Kim Jong-il picked up a golf club for the very first time, and — as witnessed by 17 security guards and reported by the state news agency — shot … 11 holes-in-one.”

- Kim Jong-il dead: Remembering the North Korea dictator’s golf skills | Sports | National Post (via tedroden)

What I Listened to Most in 2011

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 19:12:00 -0600

Here we go again. In no order, and not necessarily from the past year, just the most frequented.

UPDATED: Here is the Spotify playlist

1. Dawes : Nothing Is Wrong

One quick listen should make this pick make sense. Easily the most played, because the music isn’t built for one-time satisfaction. Here’s to more music that is built to last.

2. Ryan Adams : Ashes & Fire

This seems like an obvious pick for me, but I feel like he really earned it. Not a bad song in the bunch, produced by Glyn Johns, featuring Benmont Tench, Norah Jones, I could go on.

3. Bon Iver : Bon Iver

Just read every other top 10 this year. But really good. I am not sure that I could tell you about a song from it though. Best listened from front to back.

4. Fleet Foxes : Helplessness Blues

Deep, layered, intricate. I didn’t really love the first record that much, but they got me here. Very few spend this much time and attention on their music anymore.

5. Jason Isbell : Here We Rest

Songs from the South. Great playing and singing. Not sure you need any more reasons.

6. Gillian Welch : The Harrow and the Harvest

Gill and Dave took 6 years to make it right, and it worked. The running theme this year is timeless music. Or maybe the running theme is music that doesn’t care about trends. Or both.

7. Brandon Flowers : Flamingo

I got really into this for about three months. For some reason, a lot of people list the Killers as guilty pleasures or something, but I think Mr. Flowers has got it. Delivered with swagger — the world could use more showmen.

8. R.E.M. : Collapse Into Now

Swan song that brings it all together, sort of like my childhood wrapped into one album. Seriously underrated because they didn’t want to tour behind it and extend the record’s lifecycle (respect), but the songs are there. Stipe and Mills sound awesome. Start with “Uberlin”.

9. Blake Mills : Break Mirrors

I’m not sure I know any records that sound like this. He takes serious sonic leaps and combines them with abstract songwriting and somehow it all works swimmingly. Bonus points for landing the Lucinda Williams gig also.

And of course a rundown on the staying power of last year’s list:

1. Thad Cockrell - To Be Loved

this will probably end up being top 10 of all time. first I resented his new Leagues project, then learned to love it

2. Miranda Lambert - Revolution

still listening. new record is good, not great, but good.

3. Drive-By Truckers - The Big To Do

didn’t really touch it. they almost have too much catalog. never thought that would be a problem.

4. Sufjan Stevens - The Age Of Adz

still respect it, but it isn’t getting plays.

5. The Weepies - Hideaway

got more into the latest, Be My Thrill. So many good songs, so little time.

6. Kings of Leon - Come Around Sundown

this one might never get its due. textured rock and roll greatness.

7. The Silver Seas - Chateau Revenge

love it. cant wait for more.

8. Band of Horses - Infinite Arms

faded a bit. still waiting on THE cohesive record from these guys.

9. Spoon - Transference

starting to think Spoon is a one trick pony, where I like the pony, but i’m sick to death of riding it.

10. Francis and the Lights - It’ll Be Better

didn’t listen a whole lot, probably due to overkill on the first go-round.

China’s deserted fake Disneyland

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 08:39:00 -0600

China’s deserted fake Disneyland

The 45 Most Powerful Images Of 2011

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 09:40:18 -0600

The 45 Most Powerful Images Of 2011:

Expected less from Buzzfeed, but these are pretty incredible.

Made me laugh, didn’t make me want Denny’s in the...

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 11:17:04 -0600

Made me laugh, didn’t make me want Denny’s in the slightest. Though I am sharing it. Advertising win?

(via Denny’s: Always Open - Will Arnett - Video - Creativity Online)

"At the end of the day, blue-collar artists aren’t interested in propping up some nebulous idea of a..."

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 13:24:30 -0600

“At the end of the day, blue-collar artists aren’t interested in propping up some nebulous idea of a “music business” so much as they’re seeking to build and sustain a career for themselves that enables them to make art honestly, without unnecessary and outside manipulation or consideration (like what people will buy or what will play on the radio).”

- Derek Webb, in an interesting anti-Spotify pro-free music post.

"For better or worse, it is really not a part of our culture to look at things defensively. We rarely..."

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 10:22:26 -0600

“For better or worse, it is really not a part of our culture to look at things defensively. We rarely say, “Oh my God, we’ve got to do something about that existential threat.” Maybe one day we’ll become extinct because of that deficiency in our nature. I don’t know. We look at things through a different lens. We say, “Oh, here’s this incredible phenomenon called social networking. How can we be inspired by that to make our business better?” I hope we find something.”

- love this quote

Jeff Bezos Owns the Web in More Ways Than You Think | www.instapaper.com | Readability

"She’s Amelia Earhart and Jane Goodall and Joan Jett all rolled into one."

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 11:08:23 -0500

“She’s Amelia Earhart and Jane Goodall and Joan Jett all rolled into one.”

- On his wife and collaborator, Kathleen Brennan.

Tom Waits: The Fresh Air Interview : NPR

Goodness.

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 22:01:20 -0500

Goodness.