Tess Wiley Interview

My final post of the year is an interview with Tess Wiley. She is the fourth artist I have interviewed in my "best of the decade" series. My Top 50 albums of the decade can be found here, and here is where the artists interviewed rank in that top 50:

Scott Hunter- lead singer of Poor Old Lu (The Waiting Room #9 of the decade)
Chris Simpson- lead singer/songwriter/guitarist of the Gloria Record (Start Here #1 of the decade)
Erick Newbill- guitarist of Fair (The Best Worst-Case Scenario #16 of the decade)
Tess Wiley- Super Fast Rock'n'Roll Played Slow #19 of the decade

Tess was first known as the rhythm guitarist in Sixpence None the Richer. She was in that band only briefly however, and has since come in to her own as a solo artist, releasing three full-length albums: Rainy Day Assembly, 2001; Not Quite Me, 2003 and Super Fast Rock'n'Roll Played Slow, 2007. (Links are to the cheapest way to buy each album.) Tess is originally from Texas, but has lived in Germany for the last decade. Her label home is Tapete Records.











AP: What are your top 10 albums of the decade?

TW:
10. Imogen Heap - Speak For Yourself (2005)

9. Dear Reader - Replace Why With Funny (2009)

8. Blumfeld - Jenseits von Jedem (2003)

7. Kid Koala - Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (2000)

6. Over the Rhine - Ohio (2003)

5. Emiliana Torrini - Fisherman's Woman (2004)

4. Feist - Let it Die (2004)

3. of Montreal - Icelandic Twins (2004)

2. Björk - Vespertine (2001)

1. Josh Ottum - Like the Season (2007) {to be released in America, Josh's homeland, in 2010}

AP: What are your favorite five albums this decade released by friends and bandmates?

TW:
5. Paul Bryan - Handcuff King (2003)

Paul produced my first record Rainy Day Assembly, having already worked with lots of better-known 90s artists from the Boston area such as Paula Cole. He now plays bass for Aimee Mann, among others, and produces and composes string arrangements with more and more known and respected artists. Check out his website.

4. Jason Harrod - Bright as You (2005)

I didn't exactly work with Jason except for a one-week tour of mid/east America in 2003. But we hit it off and I covered his song, featured on this record, called "Messed up Everywhere Blues" on my last record Super Fast Rock'n'Roll Played Slow. We both apparently have a thing for long song titles.

3. Sixpence None the Richer - Divine Discontent (2002)

I played with this band from 1994-1995. It was great fun but had to end, then they had a huge hit (four years later)! They are still close friends of mine, even if we don't get to talk much. I was fortunate enough to have been able to play four festivals with them here in Europe summer before last. I find so many of the songs so infectiously singable, and I was thrilled to see Leigh stretching out into songwriting territory. Isn't she good? Her record Blue on Blue is also a favorite of mine, but I only have five slots I can fill here.

2. Solomon Burke - Don't Give up on Me (2003)

Jay Bellerose, who played drums on this record, also played on Rainy Day Assembly. He's an unbelievably great and instinctive drummer and percussionist. Back in 2000, when we record Rainy Day Assembly, I was too immature to recognize the genius and wondered why he made such odd choices for each song. Once I heard it back, though, I was spellbound, not to mention humbled.

1. Jolie Holland - Escondida (2004)

Jolie was my first songwriting buddy. I met her in the Arnold Junior High orchestra in Cypress, Texas in 1988. I recall her sitting at the piano during dress rehearsal for the Christmas concert, "composing" pieces on the spot which were not seldomly quite melodic. We didn't work all that much together since we were only "kids", but we did throw a band together for a Houston arts festival, probably in 1992, just for the one show. We were called "Brass Buttons", after the Gram Parsons song. When I'd heard she had a record out I was impressed, and when I actually heard it, I was so incredibly stoked! It's so great.

AP: What are your current musical projects?

TW: Since my last release Super Fast Rock'n'Roll Played Slow, of which I'm still quite proud, I've made a record with a friend of mine here in Germany under the name Land der Lebendigen, which means "Land of the Living" and comes from Psalm 27. It's a bit of a worship record borne out of our playing at our church here in Giessen. We had created quite a fan base during our Sunday morning "performances" and had been encouraged for the past 5 or so years to make a recording. What with all the years of brewing this thought, interrupted with one baby after another, when we finally got around to it, it had become a much bigger monster than originally planned. But I'm very proud of it - it features a variety of instruments such as orgen, clavinet, a small choir, horns and a string arrangement from my Dad (Fletch Wiley) as well one from my friend Paul Bryan (see above). It is in German but nevertheless musically well worth a listen, if not merely to hear me sing in German (tee-hee).

Lately I've been getting asked more and more to contribute vocals to various projects, the first of which was a jazzy electronic duo from Bochum, Germany with a project called Leland P. They're in the process of making a new record which should be released sometime in 2010, when Essen, a nearby city, will be crowned "World Culture City 2010", and we're hoping to get in a bit of the action. I've posted a song at my Myspace site. This record, although also from Germany, is in English!

Another English-language German group with whom I'm working is Gregor McEwan. Oddly, another band with a man's name. The record, Houses and Homes, will be released 2010. And finally, at the myspace site for Steev Richter, I sing on the song "Seakeeper" with him.

The next plans for me are to disappear somewhere into the Black Forest in the new year to write a load of new songs for a new record, with the hope to release in the fall of 2010. Gotta get away from my two li'l boys so I can concentrate!

Tess Wiley Official Site
Tess Wiley Myspace
Land der Lebendigen Myspace
Leland P. Myspace

Erick Newbill (Fair) Interview

My next interview is with Erick Newbill, known best as a guitarist in the band Fair. While working in Aaron Sprinkle's shadow in Fair, he is a frontman in his own right, originally in the band Wes Dando and now with his new project, Subways on the Sun, which he mentions below.

Fair (L to R): Nick Barber (bass), Aaron Sprinkle (vocals, guitar), Erick Newbill (guitar), Joey Sanchez (drums, percussion)

AP: What are your top 10 favorite albums of the decade?

EN:
1) Mew - And the Glass Handed Kites
2) Blur - Think Tank
3) Muse - Black Holes & Revelations
4) Catherine Wheel - Wishville
5) Oasis - Don't Believe the Truth
6) Keane - Hopes & Fears
7) Kasabian - Empire
8) Rufus Wainwright - Poses
9) Gorillaz - Demon Days
10) Super Furry Animals - Phantom Power

AP: What are your top 5 favorite albums of the decade released by friends or bandmates?

EN:
1) Eisley - Combinations - Fair toured with Eisley back in 2006 and we had a great time. They are one of my favorite bands and I listen to their records all the time. I think they took it to the next level with Combinations.
2) Aaron Sprinkle - Bareface - Aside from playing together in Fair, we've been friends for 10+ years. Some of this album was recorded in the basement of my old house, and I have lots of fun memories of some of these songs being written and recorded, including meeting Joey (Sanchez) for the first time during the sessions. It's great music, and nostalgic - a perfect combo for me.
3) Lars Katz - The Veil - I've known Lars since I was in college. He worked as an assistant to Aaron in the studio for a couple years as well and has his name on a lot of big Tooth and Nail records. I worked with him on some of the production for this album, and love how it turned out. Lars is incredibly talented, having played all of the instruments on this record and writing incredibly interesting and inspiring songs.
4) Monarch - Lowly - We met these local guys a year or two ago because Nick (Barber) met their keyboard player at a local coffee shop where he goes all the time. They are one of the best bands I've heard in a long time and this record is excellent. We're hoping to do some shows with these guys soon.
5) Barcelona - Absolutes - These guys have been friends for a while and this record is so well crafted. We've played lots of shows together, and it's been great to see them become so successful with this album. They deserve it.

AP: What are your current musical projects?

EN: Fair has a new album coming on February 9, 2010. It's been almost 4 years since our last album came out, and over 2 years since we started record this one. I'm really excited about how it turned out. We stretched ourselves, worked hard on it, and learned a lot about ourselves in the process. I know it sounds cheesy, but making this record has been a huge time of growth for all of us personally and musically, and I'm hoping that comes across in the songs.

I'm also working on a new band called Subways on the Sun, doing the writing with my friend Lars Katz. We've been recording new songs since April, and posted a song on our MySpace recently that we are really proud of. We're having fun working together, and are excited to post more songs and see this band take shape. This will be a good outlet for something a little different musically in addition to what I already do in Fair. Nick Barber is going to be playing bass, and we're looking to round it out with a drummer and keyboard player to start playing shows soon.

AP: The 2009 Abrazos Cancer Benefit compilation has been released on iTunes, featuring the first Subways on the Sun song, "Softer Light." 100% of the profits benefit the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation; you can purchase it here. And here is a detailed press release for the new Fair album.

Merry Christmas

MP3: Eisley- Oh Holy Night

The Well of Saabliness

Saab is not dead yet. The clock is ticking on GM closing down our beloved brand—a tragic development, which the Sapphist Gazetteer reported on back in April. But there is interest from Spyker, an obscure Dutch manufacturer of high-end sports cars. We think this possibility would be highly appropriate. The New York Times reported yesterday that the Spyker deal is not attractive to GM because the plan relies heavily on Russian loans. I've also read some reports that the Chinese are interested. But nothing is close to final, apparently. I am saddened at the prospect that Saab could be no more, especially since—as one cruel but not entirely inaccurate friend pointed out— we have built a lifestyle around this particular make of auto. Go ahead, mock me. I admit: I am like a 16-year-old boy when it comes to cars. This one resembles my first (of four). And you never forget your first.

Chris Simpson Interview

Chris Simpson has been releasing music now for almost 15 years. He started with the band Mineral (1994-1998, two LPs), then the Gloria Record (1998-2004, two EPs and one LP), and now Zookeeper (2005-present, one EP and one LP). He is the lead singer/songwriter/lyricist/guitarist for all three bands. Recently Chris sent me four mp3s from an upcoming Zookeeper album and we did this interview to go alongside them. You will find these four brand-new Zookeeper songs on his Myspace site, but here for FREE (downloadable) at the bottom of this page.

AP: So these four songs are apparently from a new upcoming Zookeeper album, when can we expect its release? What label are you working with this time, if any?

CS: We aren't currently working with any label. We're trying to finish this record on our own budget/time scale, which is not necessarily the ideal way to work. The record should be expected as soon as it's finished.

AP: These new songs seem much slicker, more produced and with more intentional arrangements than first two Zookeeper releases, the EP and “Becoming All Things.” Was this intentional? Or is this just my perception?

CS: This is just sort of how things have been turning out. Originally, we wanted to record live but were in a small environment and were forced to multi-track. This leaves open the possibility of more focused production of each track.

AP: How has the songwriting process for you changed over the last 15 years, moving from Mineral to the Gloria Record and now to Zookeeper?

CS: It doesn't really feel like much has changed. Just trying to keep yourself interested sometimes necessitates moving through different eras and moments and possible inspirations. Basically, it feels just as difficult as always.

AP: You have always written what seem to be very personal lyrics, from GJS to I Was Born in Omaha to On Madison Way. Are your songs truly autobiographical? Would you mind explaining the lyrics or meaning behind one of the new songs? (My personal favorite of the new tracks is Mama Jean.)

CS: Interestingly, Mama Jean is one of the few non-autobiographical songs I've written, but I don't really know a whole lot about who it is about. I remember writing it and having a realization of the song, seeing it come very quickly, and knowing I'd need to clear my calendar for the night to deal with the documentation of the song. But it seems to be about dreams.
As for writing autobiographically -- in the Mineral and Gloria Record days, to some degree, it seemed to be the only way I could write. It's exciting to be able to experience some kind of freedom from that, although I think it still may be a very valuable way to write. It's hard to fault the honest approach -- writing what you know about -- but there's a point at which that seems uninteresting. And even if a little guesswork is involved, it seems more interesting to write about characters.

AP: Recently on MySpace you announced that a Japanese label is putting out a Mineral 7” compilation. Do you have any more info regarding this? How did this come about more than a decade after the breakup of the band? I have to admit that I think MD and February were two of the best songs Mineral ever released and it will be nice to be able to listen to them on CD for the first time.

CS: To clarify, this is not a collection of 7-inches, but both full-lengths and the 7-inches and a few covers -- a comprehensive release. Which is only supposed to be available for sale in Japan, but I'd think you'd be able to find it online once it's released. It happened because someone expressed interest in it happening. There seems to be an assumption that offers are turned down on a regular basis -- but an offer every 15 years or so is probably more realistic. February/MD is probably my favorite Mineral work -- I love that 7-inch and that period of time.

AP: After being in two rock bands, what is it like to play folk music? Do you see yourself playing in a rock band again?

CS: Yeah, that's funny. To me, Zookeeper is a rock band, but I definitely understand what I think is meant by the idea that it's folk as compared to rock... if, say, Mineral or The Gloria Record were rock. But it all feels the same to me; particularly this newer stuff. Zookeeper has rock songs and then sort of more atmospheric songs. It doesn't seem like Zookeeper is folk, per se -- but maybe it is and I just can't see that. I saw a DJ Shadow in-store where he said that someone asked him how he referred to his music, and he said something about how he grew up listening to hip-hop and loving hip-hop, so it would always be hip-hop to him, the same way whatever Eric Clapton did would probably always feel like blues to him. So maybe whatever I make will always be rock to me.

AP: Turn Off the Radio just named The Gloria Record’s Start Here the album of the decade for 2000-2009. What are your thoughts on this and the perception of the Gloria Record’s legacy?

CS: I think that's great. I don't know that I have a perception of people's perception of the legacy of The Gloria Record. I'd bet Start Here sold fewer copies than any other potential album of the decade. Ever. But it is awesome to make your list.

AP: What are your favorite albums of the decade?

CS: Favorite albums of the decade -- Well, I really like the Broadcast records, particularly HaHa Sound. I continue to enjoy the records that The Innocence Mission puts out. I really loved the first Beirut record and the EP that followed. DJ Shadow's Private Press. Wilco -- Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. The Radiohead records this decade have all been very good. I feel like I'm missing things that would be obvious if it was five years ago.

AP: What are your top 5 albums this decade released by friends or former band-mates?

CS: I would have to say (in no particular order):
Zykos - Keep It Light EP (Good friends with all of them from way back. Various members have played Zookeeper shows and played on recordings.)
Brazos - Phosphorescent Blues (Friends -- Martin is a great songwriter.)
Alex Dupree and the Trapdoor Band - Los Meridanzas (Alex Dupree -- Zookeeper clan. Alex regularly plays and records with Zookeeper and is a very gifted songwriter. Some of his bandmates play on Zookeeper stuff as well.)
Sad Accordions - Bad Year for the Sharons (Zookeeper clan. Seth Woods and Ben Lance regularly play and record with Zookeeper, and their other musical projects [including SA, Whiskey Priest, and Booher & the Turkeyz] are all fantastic. )
The Frames - For the Birds (Odd connection there. Was always a fan of their music. My then-girlfriend/now wife used to edit a music magazine and befriended their then-manager. Put us all in touch and found out Glen was a fan of Mineral. The Gloria Record played shows with Glen and one with The Frames on a midwest tour back in the day. Glen is still one of my favorite performers.)

New Zookeeper songs:

MP3: Mama Jean

MP3: Mary in the Morning

MP3: Rosemary, Etc.

MP3: Hey Boxer/Kid Gloves

Top 50 Albums of the Decade

I have been hinting at this post for awhile now, and originally thought I might wait awhile longer before posting it, but here you go, my favorite 50 albums of the decade. Lots of other blogs and magazines have been doing the same thing, and I had intended to make this post a little more fancy, but in the interest of time, I am just going to put it up. I am also working on my best of 2009 list, and a variety of interviews, and they are more important.

When I decided to make a list of my 50 favorite albums of this decade, I needed some way to narrow the field. So I made a rule than an artist can only have one album in the top 50. This way more great albums are mentioned, and my favorite artists don’t dominate the list. This is also why I decided to create my favorite 20 artists of the decade list, to mention all those other great albums. That said, here we go:

50. Cat Power- You are Free (2003)*

49. This Beautiful Mess- Temper The Wind to the Shorn Lamb (2003)*

48. Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova- Once Original Soundtrack (2007)**

47. Radiohead- Hail to the Thief (2003)*

46. The Flaming Lips- Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (2002)*

45. Patty Griffin- 1000 Kisses (2002)

44. Wilco- Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002)*

43. Rosie Thomas- These Friends of Mine (2007)

42. Cursive- The Ugly Organ (2003)**

41. Starflyer 59- Leave Here a Stranger (2001)*

40. Mogwai- Mr. Beast (2006)*

39. Explosions in the Sky- The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place (2003)**

38. Sleeping at Last- Keep No Score (2006)

37. Coldplay- Viva La Vida (2008)**

36. Neko Case- Fox Confessor Brings the Flood (2006)*

35. Pinback- Summer in Abaddon (2004)**

34. Mindy Smith- One Moment More (2004)

33. Brown Feather Sparrow- Wide Awakens Everything (2003)

32. Manchester Orchestra- I’m Like a Virgin Losing a Child (2006)

31. Blindside- A Thought Crushed My Mind (2000)

30. Zwan- Mary Star of the Sea (2003)

29. The New Pornographers- Twin Cinema (2005)**

28. Tegan & Sara- So Jealous (2004)*

27. Eisley- Combinations (2007)

26. mewithoutYou- Brother, Sister (2006)*

25. Sixpence None the Richer- Divine Discontent (2002)

24. Lovedrug- Pretend You’re Alive (2004)

23. Brandtson- Send Us a Signal (2004)

22. Pedro the Lion- Control (2002)*

21. Jimmy Eat World- Bleed American (2001)**

20. Luxury- Health & Sport (2005)

19. Tess Wiley- Super Fast Rock’n’Roll Played Slow (2007)

18. Jeremy Enigk- World Waits (2006)

17. Fiona Apple- Extraordinary Machine (2005)**

16. Fair- The Best Worst-Case Scenario (2006)

15. Arcade Fire- Funeral (2004)**

14. The Anniversary- Designing a Nervous Breakdown (2000)*

13. Mates of State- Re-Arrange Us (2008)**

12. Sufjan Stevens- Illinoise (2005)**

11. Cush- Cush (2000)

10. Over the Rhine- Ohio (2003)*

9. Poor Old Lu- The Waiting Room (2002)

8. Elliott- False Cathedrals (2000)**

7. Foutains of Wayne- Welcome Interstate Managers (2003)

6. Death Cab for Cutie- Transatlanticism (2003)**

5. Nada Surf- Let Go (2003)**

4. The Appleseed Cast- Low Level Owl, Vols. 1 & 2 (2001)**

3. Sunny Day Real Estate- The Rising Tide (2000)*

2. Thrice- The Alchemy Index, Vols. 1-4, (2007)**

1. The Gloria Record- Start Here (2002)*

(Only 24 of the 50 available on vinyl, as far as I know. And I have 15 of them.)

Making the decision for number one was far easier than I expected. It was my #1 album of 2002, and has stuck with me, musically and lyrically. The Gloria Record's Start Here is a flawless album, and was the pinnacle, and unfortunately final, release from the Gloria Record discography. My next post will be an in-depth interview with the lead singer/songwriter of the Gloria Record, Chris Simpson. Stay tuned...

My holiday gift to you

I found these two compelling sapphist musicians through links on Melissa Ferrick's myspace page:

Jordan Caress is a Nashville-based singer/songwriter. I love that town, and I love all the tattooed young women who work at Hatch Show Print Shop. Jordan looks like the type who might work there. The Tennessean describes her music as "a beautifully hazy batch of spaced-out indie folk." I like it.

Lyndell Montgomery is Canadian. Watch out for those Canadians. They're all, "hey, I'm chill" but, in fact, almost every Candadian I've met has been a bit of a head case. (Am I right? Can you allow me that one unfair generalization?) Fortunately, Lyndell Montgomery has put her issues to good use. I particularly like the song "Easy." She is a pleasure to look at with her hipster hair, broad shoulders, tattoos, and overall modern butch aesthetic. But I find one detail particularly interesting: Her profile image on her myspace page is a photo of her boyish self applying eyeliner. I assume the juxtaposition is deliberate. She seems interested in messing with gender roles. On her website she has a video exploring butch/femme identity (click "So the Story Goes") In another video, she wore a black shirt, a man's vest, and a lovely string of pearls wrapped rakishly around her tattooed wrist.

And, lastly, I don't know what the deal is with these two (btw, I think one of them works out at my gym), but this video is beautiful and adorable.

Clearly, Jodie adores Kristen

Knowing full well that I write too much about certain topics, I just need to call your attention to this remarkable video in which we see Jodie gazing adoringly, for longer than what might be considered socially customary, at her young doppelganger.

UPDATE: Okay, I just discovered the video has been removed from YouTube for copyright reasons. For those of you poor souls who missed it (which means you really need to peek at the Sapphist Gazetteer more frequently...), I will use my extensive journalistic training to describe it to you: Jodie Foster and Kristen Stewart are standing close together surrounded by people at what appears to be a red carpet event. Jodie is formally attired and looks otherworldly perfect (Caprica Six-ish) in a tiny, shiny cocktail dress. Kristen looks like a pretty but awkward teenager in jeans who'd rather not be at the soirée. Kristen is talking to Jodie and brushing her hair out of her face like a teenage girl, and Jodie is gazing at Kristen with intense attention as if she's the most fascinating creature Jodie has ever encountered.

Notes on Drag

I meant to write about this topic back in August, after just returning from Provincetown where I saw a disappointing drag show. What, you ask, could possibly be disappointing — much less disturbing — about a drag show? Isn’t camp intended to be fun, and, according to Sontag, meant to be “playful” and “dethrone the serious”? I know that some tiresome people tritely poke fun at so-called humorless lesbians, but, I have to be honest here, these drag queens in Ptown were the most bitter and mean-spirited girls I have seen since I unwillingly saw a promo for “The Real Housewives of [somewhere].”

Now, I don’t want to be too serious here about drag queens. As Sontag herself in her famous “Notes on Camp” pointed out: being “solemn and treatise-like about Camp… runs the risk of having, oneself, produced a very inferior piece of Camp.” Taking that risk into consideration, I sally forth.

The drag show I saw in Ptown in August 2009 was terrible for several reasons: 1. The drag queens were lip-synching. Simply inexcusable. Drag should not be karaoke-with-sequins — it should be a true performance; 2. They were raunchy. I know, I know, I know that I bring a bit of Miss Jean Brodie with me wherever I go, but still. Let’s strive for excellence, shall we? Raunch is where performers go when they fail to entertain and are left with no choice but to hold an audience’s attention with shock; 3. They were malicious and demeaning toward women, which I suppose could be a definition of raunchy, and this, again, strays from the realm of true camp. “Camp proposes a comic vision of the world,” says Sontag. “But not a bitter or polemical comedy.”

Now, you may be wondering, does camp = drag? No. Because I would argue that drag kings are entirely different from drag queens. Drag kings are sexual, drag queens are asexual. I mean, just look as this sexy one in Girl King. But that is a topic for another day. Nonetheless, a drag show featuring drag queens should be an exercise in camp. Otherwise, it’s just a man in a dress.

Dustin Kensrue - This Is War

This is the video for Dustin Kensrue's This is War, an original song of his off his Christmas album, This Good Night is Still Everywhere (on eMusic).

There is a great, brief interview with Dustin about the song's meaning on AntiMusic; and here are the lyrics:

This is war like you ain't seen.
This winter's long, it's cold and mean.
With hangdog hearts we stood condemned,
But the tide turns now at Bethlehem.

This is war and born tonight,
The Word as flesh, the Lord of Light,
The Son of God, the low-born king;
Who demons fear, of whom angels sing.

This is war on sin and death;
The dark will take it's final breath.
It shakes the earth, confounds all plans;
The mystery of God as man.

Best of the Decade: An Interview with Scott Hunter

As I have mentioned previously, I am working on a variety of posts to wrap up this decade in music. That started earlier this week with my top 20 artists of the decade. Today we have a short interview with Scott Hunter, lead singer of Poor Old Lu, Turn Off the Radio's #1 artist of the 1990s. Poor Old Lu did released one album this decade, The Waiting Room, in 2002, and you will find it high on my list of albums of the decade (which will be the final "decade" post, the last week of the year.) I also hope to interview a few more artists this month about their favorites from this past decade.

AP: What are your favorite albums of the decade?

SH: Here are my top 15:
15. Muse, Absolution
14. 16 Horsepower, Secret South
13. Editors, An End Has A Start
12. Switchfoot, The Beautiful Letdown
11. The Fire Theft, The Fire Theft
10. Jimmy Eat World, Bleed American
9. Radiohead, In Rainbows
8. Spoon, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
7. Sunny Day Real Estate, The Rising Tide
6. Neko Case, Middle Cyclone
5. Silversun Pickups, Swoon
4. Fiona Apple, Extraordinary Machine
3. Coldplay, X&Y
2. meWithoutYou, Brother, Sister (tie with Catch For Us The Foxes)
1. Over The Rhine, Ohio

AP: What are your favorite five albums from this decade released by friends or former bandmates?

SH:
Starflyer 59, My Island Having not been much of a Starflyer fan over the years, I was pleasantly surprised to hear My Island. The recording is great, the songs are well-written, and some of those melodies are almost obnoxiously catchy! Best of all, this album has helped me to track back and enjoy many of their previous releases.

Fair, Best Worst-Case Scenario What can I say here? To say that I "know these guys" would be a bit of an understatement. That said, this is a wonderful album -- from the album artwork down to the near perfect production.

Telecast, The Beauty Of Simplicity Josh White was our worship leader for a couple of years, so a few of these songs were very familiar to me before this album was released. It's not only an extremely great "worship album", it also happens to be a tremendous album all-around.

Sunny Day Real Estate, The Rising Tide
Truth be told, though, I was never really a fan of Sunny Day. In fact, it wasn't until getting a copy of The Fire Theft (which is great) that I worked back to the later Sunny Day catalog. Sadly, this album tends to be dismissed by longtime Sunny Day fans (and the band, perhaps), but I think it's the best work they've ever done. Perhaps the best Jeremy Enigk project ever.

For those "not in the know", Jeremy and I met back in junior high -- before Sunny Day, Poor Old Lu, or any projects of that sort. Our early incarnation was called "Tears Of A King" with Jeremy and I sharing vocals, Nick (Barber) on bass, and Aaron (Sprinkle) handling the rest. Fun times!

Acceptance, Black Lines To Battlefields (tie with Phantoms)

A strange addition to this list, since I'm really not much of an "emo" fan, but Acceptance had a unique sound. Definitely very "of the day", yet different... energetic, talented, and well written. My early release, unmastered copy of Black Lines to Battlefields was thoroughly played through.

AP: Could not agree more that that My Island is great Starflyer album, despite many fans disliking it. If you don't know, Aaron Sprinkle, lead singer/songwriter/guitarist for Fair was the guitar player for Poor Old Lu, and Nick Barber, Fair's bass player had the same role in Poor Old Lu. Another note, the artwork for the Best Worst-Case Scenario, designed by Invisible Creature, won a Grammy.)

If you would like to check out Scott's best of 2009 list, go to his blog.

Artists of the Decade

I am in the process of creating a variety of lists to sum up the 2000-2009 decade in music, and the first of these is my top 20 favorite artists of the decade. In order to make this list, the artist needed to be active for most of the decade, with frequent album releases and touring. For each artist I am listing all of the studio albums they released this decade. (I am not listing live albums, b-sides, EPs, etc.) I am also including my rankings for each LP the year it was released. One of the reasons I created this list is because on my upcoming top 50 albums of the decade I limited each artist to only one inclusion.

1. Thrice
   2001- Identity Crisis
   Top 10 of 2002- The Illusion of Safety**
   #2 of 2003- The Artist in the Ambulance**
   #2 of 2005- Vheissu**
   #1 of 2007- The Alchemy Index Vols. 1 & 2**
   #3 of 2008- The Alchemy Index Vols. 3 & 4**
   Top 10 of 2009- Beggars**
   
   
2. The Appleseed Cast
   Top 10 of 2000- Mare Vitalis**
   #1 of 2001- Low Level Owl Vols. 1 & 2**
   Top 10 of 2003- Two Conversations**
   Top 10 of 2006- Peregrine**
   Top 10 of 2009- Sagarmatha**
   
   
3. Jeremy Enigk
   #1 of 2000- Sunny Day Real Estate- The Rising Tide*
   2003- The Fire Theft- The Fire Theft
   2003- United States of Leland movie score
   #3 of 2006- World Waits
   Top 10 of 2009- OK Bear*
   2009- Sunny Day Real Estate Diary** and LP2** reiusses & tour
   
   
4. Aaron Sprinkle
   Top 10 of 2000- The Kindest Days
   Top 10 of 2001- Bareface
   #2 of 2002- Poor Old Lu- The Waiting Room
   #1 of 2006- Fair- The Best Worst-Case Scenario
   2010- Fair- Disappearing World to be released on February 9
   
   
5. Mates of State
   2000- My Solo Project**
   Top 10 of 2002- Our Constant Concern**
   2003- Team Boo**
   #2 of 2006- Bring it Back**
   #1 of 2008- Re-Arrange Us**
   
   
6. Death Cab for Cutie
   2000- We Have the Facts and We are Voting Yes*
   #3 of 2001- The Photo Album*
   #3 of 2003- Transatlanticism**
   Top 10 of 2005- Plans**
   2008- Narrow Stairs*
   
   
7. Nada Surf
   Top 10 of 2003- Let Go** (released in 2002 in Europe)
   Top 10 of 2005- The Weight is a Gift**
   #2 of 2008- Lucky**
   2009- Vinyl Box set containing all 5 LPs
   
   
8. The New Pornographers & Neko Case
   (I am cheating by combining them, but oh well)
   2000- NC- Furnace Room Lullaby
   2000- TNP- Mass Romantic*
   2002- NC- Blacklisted
   Top 10 of 2003- TNP- Electric Version**
   Top 10 of 2005- TNP- Twin Cinema*
   Top 10 of 2006- NC- Fox Confessor Brings the Flood*
   Top 10 of 2007- TNP- Challengers**
   Top 10 of 2009- NC- Middle Cyclone *
   
   
9. Jimmy Eat World
   Top 10 of 2001- Bleed American**
   Top 10 of 2004- Futures**
   Top 10 of 2007- Chase This Light**
   2009- Clarity** vinyl reissue (#1 of 1999)
   
   
10. Over the Rhine
    Top 10 of 2001- Films for Radio
    Top 10 of 2003- Ohio*
    Top 10 of 2005- Drunkard's Prayer
    2006- Snow Angels*
    2007- The Trumpet Child**
    
    
11. Sufjan Stevens
    2003- Michigan**
    Top 10 of 2004- Seven Swans**
    #1 of 2005- Illinoise**
    2006- Songs for Christmas 5CD box set
    
    
12. Eisley
    #2 of 2005- Room Noises**
    #2 of 2007- Combinations
    
    
13. Tegan & Sara
    2000- This Business of Art (don't own, never heard)
    2002- If It Was You*
    Top 10 of 2004- So Jealous*
    2007- The Con**
    2009- Sainthood* (yet to purchase, soon!)
    
    
14. Tess Wiley
    #2 of 2001- Rainy Day Assembly
    Top 10 of 2004- Not Quite Me
    #3 of 2007- Super Fast Rock'n'Roll Played Slow
    
    
15. Starflyer 59
    Top 10 of 2001- Leave Here A Stranger*
    2003- Old
    2004- I am the Portuguese Blues
    2005- Talking Voice vs. Singing Voice**
    Top 10 of 2006- My Island
    2007- Ghosts of the Future** 10 x 7" vinyl box set
    Top 10 of 2008- Dial M**
    
    
16. Arcade Fire
    #2 of 2004- Funeral
    Top 10 of 2007- Neon Bible
    
    
17. Brandtson
    Top 10 of 2002- Dial In Sounds**
    #1 of 2004- Send Us a Signal
    Top 10 of 2006- Hello, Control
    
    
18. Fountains of Wayne
    #1 of 2003- Welcome Interstate Manager
    2007- Traffic and Weather
    
    
19. Mindy Smith
    Top 10 of 2004- One Moment More
    2006- Long Island Shores
    2007- My Holiday
    Top 10 of 2009- Stupid Love
    
    
20. Coldplay
    2000- Parachutes*
    2002- A Rush of Blood to the Head*
    2005- X & Y*
    Top 10 of 2008- Viva la Vida **

Free Music of the Day

Downloaded three great songs/collections today for free (legal & free):

1. The Smashing Pumpkins- Song for a Son. First song from the 44-song project, Teargarden by Kaleidyscope, is up and free for download. (If you hadn't heard yet, all 44 songs will be free.) Pretty nice track, especially considering how bad Zeitgeist was.

2. Sleeping at Last- Christmas Collection EP. Seven songs from this great band on NoiseTrade. Lots of good stuff on NoiseTrade recently. If you follow this band closely, five of the tracks they had released previously over the years, but two are brand new.

3. Frontier(s)- Abul Abbas. The first song to be released from Chris Higdon's (Elliott) new band. Part of a Ear X-Tacy Holiday free download sampler. A Frontier(s) full length album is due in 2010.

The lovely Meredith Baxter comes out gracefully

Meredith Baxter has come out in the most admirable way: On her own terms, as a positive act, and with her dignity and gorgeousness intact.

The image of Meredith Baxter, or Meredith Baxter Birney as we knew her, is about as wholesome as it gets. But the appealing thing about her characters was they always seemed to have something serious going on beneath the distracting beauty and the soft voice. In a scene from Family, the 1970s TV drama, Meredith's character Nancy says to her mother, "You've always had my number, haven't you?" Honestly, you could watch this scene and be convinced the topic is Meredith's lesbianism. By the way, Meredith starred in Family with Kristy McNichol. Sapphic coincidence?

Meredith has been famous for a long time, which is one of the fascinating elements to her coming out. Everyone knows who she is. And everyone knows her as wholesome and extraordinarily pretty. Unbelievably, she's 62 (!) and still hot. I love her particularly for her role in All the President's Men, in which she played the wife of Hugh Sloan, one of Nixon's money men. When Woodward and Bernstein show up at her door, she says, "This is an honest house." And you believe her. You believe deeply that she and her husband are good and decent people even though they are Republicans.

According to the photos, Meredith's girlfriend Nancy Locke is blond, tanned, and ruggedly handsome like a field hockey coach. According to Meredith on the Today show, the girlfriend is a general contractor and drives a truck, in case anyone had any doubt that Meredith's GF is butch.

Baxter said she came out in part because she wants to help fight anti-gay legislation. "I'm not a political person, but this is a political act," she said. Baxter was visibly uncomfortable but admirably brave during the interview and said the decision to come out in a public manner was hard for her because she considers her personal life private. "To come out and disclose stuff is really antithetical to who I am," she said.

You can see the 8-minute Today show clip on YouTube. Or, for even more fun, watch her in this 1979 Preference by L'Oreal commercial: Because she's worth it.

Breaking News: Lesbians play hoops

The recent edition of ESPN magazine features a poll of college basketball players revealing their thoughts on coaches, overrated programs, etc. While reliably male-dominated, ESPN this time did not overlook female players. Their poll of women across the NCAA revealed that 60 percent of them said "Yes" to the question: "Do you believe you have any gay teammates?" Meanwhile, 17 percent said "Not sure," and 23 percent said "No." The 23 percent who said "No" also believe that simply wearing their hair in a ponytail makes them appear straight.

Birthday music

Music I got for my birthday:
The Crucified- The Complete Collection (2 CD/ 1 DVD)
The Beatles- The White Album (2 CD)
Brown Feather Sparrow- Brave (iTunes gift card)
Sojourn- Advent Songs (Free on NoiseTrade)
Andy Zipf- The Cowards Choir EP (Free on NoiseTrade)
Katie Herzig- Weightless (Free on NoiseTrade)

I was led to Andy Zipf because he is in a new band called the Lost Chorus. I became aware of the Lost Chorus because the band was started by Dirk Lemmenes (Stavesacre & Focused), Ryan Dennee (Stavesacre) and Alex Albert (Project 86). They have one song on Myspace, it is pretty good. Apparently those three guys had been jamming for together for awhile now, writing instrumental songs. They added Andy, who I was previoulsly unaware of, to be their lead vocalist. You can learn more about him here.

I had been wanting that Brown Feather Sparrow album for awhile now. I have their first two LPs, and they are excellent. I discovered them in 2003 when I saw them perform at Flevo Festival in the Netherlands. They are Dutch, and I would compare them to Over the Rhine or Rosie Thomas. Brown Feather Sparrow has better lyrics than both of those artist though; in fact they have better lyrics than most artists, period. Brave was released in 2008, but I never bought it because it has no US distribution and would have cost me about $30 US for the CD and shipping. It eventually appeared on iTunes, and today I finally took the plunge since I got an iTunes gift card for my birthday. If you like female-fronted, mellow indie rock, no one does it better than Brown Feather Sparrow.

Misc. music news

1. Sixpence None the Richer is set to record their next album in January 2010 with producer Jim Scott. For info on Jim Scott, check this out. His list of credits is at the bottom of that page, and it includes Johnny Cash, Wilco, Counting Crows and Red Hot Chili Peppers. In other Sixpence news, their best album, "This Beautiful Mess," just became available on emusic.

2. Fair finally has a release date for their second LP: February 9, 2010. It has taken them over two years to record, mainly due to the other things their band members are involved in. Fair is of course Aaron Sprinkle, Erick Newbill, Joey Sanchez and Nick Barber. Their debut album was my #1 of 2006.

3. Just found an informative interview with Myk Porter, of Brandtson and now Swarm of Bats. If you don't want to read it, the summary is that Brandtson is dead and Swarm of Bats is the remaining members full-time project. They have samples on Myspace which honestly sound terrible. They have recorded an 8-song EP to be released soon-ish, and I'll probably buy it out of loyalty.

4. Tess Wiley has been recording with the band Leeland P. I have never heard of them until now, but Tess posted two songs on her Myspace page, and they are terrific. The band has apparently been around for awhile, and this new album with Tess will be released next year.

5. My most recent purchases:
Built to Spill- There is No Enemy ($2 on Amazon MP3 with coupon through Friday)
Thao- Know Better Learn Faster (emusic)
Mates of State- Re-Arranged Remixes vol. 1 (emusic)
Led Zeppelin- Mothership (used 2CD set)
Mae- (M)orning EP- (Amazon MP3)
Flaming Lips- Embryonic (CD)
Avett Brothers- I and Love and You (CD)

Even Jodie plays the fool sometime...

A few months ago, in September, it was the start of the fall semester, and I was preoccupied. That is the only explanation for how the Sapphist Gazetteer missed the National Enquirer story about Jodie Foster's breakup with Cynthia Mort. This drama comes more than a year after Foster dumped longtime devoted girlfriend Cydney Bernard to be with the younger, swarthy Mort (see Sapphist Gazetteer post). The Enquirer reports that Jodie is "devastated."

But perhaps Jodie's gaze will fall upon another big handsome girl, Cherry Jones, a high-ranking lesbian with whom she is currently filming a movie titled The Beaver (I kid you not). Foster is directing and acting in this film—described as a dark comedy—playing an unhappy straight lady. For a glimpse of Jodie looking attentively at Cherry on the set in NYC, click here. Conveniently, Cherry Jones split from Sarah Paulson a few months ago and is apparently available for back rubs, snuggling on the couch, spooning, and other rebound activities.

But back to the Jodie/Cynthia breakup. What happened? The Enquirer pins it on Cindy Mort's return to an old flame, Amanda Demme, who bears a resemblance to Rosanne Roseannadanna. Demme is a nightclub promoter in L.A. who's been linked to Lindsay Lohan. You can read an unflattering profile of Demme that appeared in The New York Times a few years ago. Notice the article is accompanied by a photo of Lohan's ex, sapphist deejay Samantha Ronson.

Brandi Carlisle

I can't keep track of new music. I thought Lady Gaga was a transgender person until my students told me, no, she's just a girl who wears a lot of makeup. So I barely knew who Brandi Carlisle was when I heard she'd come out. Now she's my favorite new thing. Here she is singing something nice: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxxMHFIxCP4

The Kristen Stewart/Jodie Foster Parallel

When first we saw young Kristen Stewart rolling around tomboy-style on her scooter in the opening scenes of Panic Room, we could see she was destined to grow up to be much like her co-star Jodie Foster. According to a recent profile of Stewart in The New York Times, she and Foster still exchange Christmas cards and advice. Foster's tip to Stewart for navigating her burst into adult stardom is to protect her privacy. This is sage advice in a Hollywood landscape strewn with the wreckage of overly exposed young entertainers. But is it also particularly important advice to a young actor whose private life—like Foster's—is not what Hollywood wants in its bright new star?
Shhhh. Don't ask, don't tell.

Album of the Decade?

I am working on three lists to publish before the end of this year- best of 1996, best of 2009, and the top 50 albums of the decade. Would love some feedback on that last one- what is your favorite album of the decade (2000-2009)? Please leave a comment!

'Whip It' is a lesbian film, no question

While Ellen Page does not actually have sex with any women in Drew Barrymore's lesbian roller derby pic, our favorite little Canadian tomboy nonetheless does do the following (and this is just off the top of my head):
- Shares a bed with her girlfriend
- Wears army boots
- Indicates she can live without a boyfriend
- Flirts with Juliette Lewis (in a particularly electric moment)
- Longs to move to a city (a universally queer desire)
- Looks miserable in a dress
As you can see, the film clearly qualifies as a sapphic cinematic event.

Terrible Towel Maloiki

I posted this http://trueslant.com/jodydiperna/2009/10/21/the-terrible-towel-will-put-a-curse-on-you/
at True/Slant and I left to go to lunch.

There's a great little authentic Mexican joint about a block away called Mexico City. It tastes much more like the food that I've had in Central America than anything else I've ever had. It's on the corner of Smithfield and the Boulevard of the Allies, so give it a whirl if you're downtown. You won't regret it. At any rate, everybody who works there is latino and many of them speak little english. Soccer is on the tv, around the clock, really. They serve Fanta sodas. This joint is legit.

So I finish my post and walk down the street to get some banging flautas and the first thing I see when I walk in the door is a Terrible Towel hanging behind the register. I swear I snorted. Some days, I love Pittsburgh.

Here's the full post from True/Slant on October 21, 2009:

The Terrible Towel Will Put a Curse on You

The Tennessee Titans are 0-6 and their stock is falling faster than AIG.
Last Sunday they were beaten 59-0, a smack-down of biblical proportions, and as much as I was tempted to say that Patriots piled on (because we know that Bill Belichick likes to pour it on), that one was on the Titans. It looked to me like many of them quit. The defensive backs looked less interested in covering New England wide outs than I am in having botox treatments. It was embarrassing.

Yeah, yeah, I know. Ice and cold and snow. But both teams played in cold and snow and ice. This kind of performance from a team that played 10 games last year before dropping even one is beyond shocking. Nobody can figure it out.

So what in the Sam Hill is going on around here? What turned these world beaters into egg beaters?

Sure, Jim Schwartz left Tennessee to go coach the Lions, and Albert Haynesworth was lured by the deep pockets of Danny Snyder. But they’ve dropped their last eight games.

I think it’s something else, something supernatural, perhaps metaphysical and well beyond the power of ordinary human comprehension (or at least that of most NFL analysts) which has done in this Jeff Fisher lead team.

It all turned in one moment of the otherwise hugely successful 2008 season, for on a warm December Sunday afternoon in Nashville, the Titans defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers. And disrespected the Terrible Towel, unleashing a great scourge on the franchise.

They haven’t won a game since.

They lost the season closer to Indy, then were slapped around by the Ravens in the playoffs. This year, it’s been more of the same and getting worse daily. Behold the power of the Towel.

For those people from any one of the other 31 NFL cities, I’m sorry. I realize that a few thousand loud, obnoxious, yellow towel-waiving Pittsburgh fans descending on your fair hamlet like so many unwashed Visigoths is probably nauseating. I get it. But the Towel itself must be respected, for it is more than just a revered symbol for Steelers fans: it has black magic and mojo. It is a Pandora’s box of voodoo pain waiting for some unsuspecting footballer to open it.

In December, 2005, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, then of the Cincinnati Bengals, wiped his shoes with one. A few weeks later, the Bengals lost in the playoffs to the Steelers and missed the playoffs every year after. That Cincinnati now sits atop the AFC North – after Houshmandzadeh’s departure for Seattle – is only more evidence of the power of the Terrible Towel.

Don’t believe T.J.? Ask the Titans how things are working out since LenDale White stomped on it, Jevon Kearse wiped his shoes on it and I think I saw one of the Titans blowing his nose in it. All that got them was a dirty towel and a world of hurt.

A moment, if you will, about the Towel itself. In 1975, Myron Cope, writer, raconteur, radio voice of the Steelers, and Pittsburgh legend came up with the notion of the Terrible Towel. The radio station he worked for was looking for a gimmick and Cope thought it should be something small, light-weight, and portable, and also something that people had at hand or could purchase cheaply. He went on the airwaves in the lead up the 1975 playoff game against the Colts exhorting fans to bring yellow or gold towels with them to the game. In his memoirs, Double Yoi, Cope remembered those first days after the conception of the Towel:

“Mind you, I did not see the Terrible Towel as witchcraft to hex the enemy. It would be a positive force, driving the Steelers to superhuman performance, but if it experienced a yen for mischief and created fatal mistakes by opponents, I would tolerate that. Not entirely sane by now, I daily intoned on the air, ‘The Terrible Towel is poised to strike!’”

You must realize that this was Myron Cope, who stood all of about 5′ 5″ and answered calls to his radio show by saying things like, “You got Cope, what’s on your noodle?” in his inimitable style with a voice that, well, to say that his voice was like chewing aspirin while working a jackhammer just begins to describe it. His voice was a hefty, hoarse Midwestern cheerleader chewing concrete mix, a Yorkshire Terrier choking on a Milkbone, a small, feral woodland creature being run over on a bike trail. It was gravely and squeaky, flat and excitable; he sputtered and stuttered and stammered. Sometimes he lost the ability to form words at all and shouted out things like “Hmmm Hah!” or “Yoi!” He seemed to be tipsy during game broadcasts from time to time.

In short, he was an unlikely radio celebrity, but Pittsburghers loved him and he us. So in 1975, when Myron Cope told fans to bring yellow towels to the playoff game, they did. And the flag of a nation, the talisman of a nomadic tribe of fans was born.

Before you knew it, officially licensed Terrible Towels were for sale, the proceeds from which Cope signed over to the Allegheny Valley School which provides care for more than 900 people with mental retardation and physical disabilities, including Cope’s autistic son.

Steelers fans can tell ourselves that it’s for a good cause, but if we’re being honest here, it’s also a compulsion. People carry them to games and bars and drape them over their television sets at home. (Heck, I took mine with me hiking all over mountains and glaciers in Patagonia because, you know, indigenous people love when we do that kind of stuff.) Steelers fans are buried with their Terrible Towels, and new parents wrap their infants in them. It’s silly and stupid; it’s possibly obnoxious and it is most certainly ridiculous. But it’s bigger than all of us. When Myron died, locals spontaneously hung Terrible Towels from their windows and on their front doors. It just happened.

Cope told us that the Terrible Towel was poised to strike, but it’s more than that: the Towel happens.

So, sacrifice small animals on the altar of your team, pray that they kick all holy hell out of the Steelers, burn Ben Roethisberger voodoo dolls at the 50 yard line and post incendiary comments on Steelers message boards.

Just don’t disrespect the Terrible Towel. Lest ye conjure a great evil.