The latest addition to my iTunes library is Meiko. She has an indie/folk sound with the sweetest voice. You can listen to her full album on her website, and also buy it on iTunes.

I posted a a Sports iMix on the iTunes Store today. This is the playlist I've been working out to. You can click through to launch iTunes, or check the song list below. Suggestions are always welcome... I was going for anything with a good steady beat to rock the Precor to.

My latest obsession: Musicovery: Interactive webRadio. It's still in beta, and their choice of artists looks to be somewhat limited (but good), but I'm digging it. You can play with a range of years for the music, "shades" of genres, etc.

<kimmie> i bought the latest NIN cd
<kimmie> it wont play in my PC or my car
<kimmie> which is the only places i have a cd player
<kimmie> i tried to force it under gentoo and it has no table of contents header
<genetik> probably because most cd players don't play CRAP

Sadly, this Dualdisc technology appears to be serious crap. The disclaimer that it won't play on many cd players is inside the packaging. Amazon replied very promptly to my email and has promised to refund me in full, despite their open package rule only giving a partial refund. Given how much I keep hearing this album sucks anyway, I'll just wait until I see them live next month.

The new Tori Amos album, The Beekeeper, is Tori minus the angst. Don't get me wrong... I liked her angst, but she's kind of grown up as I have. Still her wonderful, sweet voice, and it makes me happy. Especially cutely themed, with the songs split into groupings of gardens. The special edition also came with a DVD and a packet of wildflower seeds.

They Might Be Giants opened their own online music store. Currently there are only two albums listed, but this is a very cool way to support artists. Did I mention the mp3s are only 99 cents and not DRMd?

The new Cure album is soooo good. I've listened to it over and over. You need to own it.

Sadly, I listened the the new Clarks a few more times and I really and truly wanted to love it. Because I adore the Clarks. I thought it would grow on me. But I think I have to admit that Jeff was right. Weak. :(

w00t... The Clarks are going to be the musical guest on Letterman on Tuesday August 31. I still won't get to see them live for a while, but that's still something. Their new cd, "Fast Moving Cars", came out this Tuesday too... looks like it's time to make another Amazon order.

Having been bored with my music collection lately, I dug out an Amazon gift certificate that I had hanging around, and ordered Joy Division - Substance, which I am ashamed to say I didn't own before, and some feel-good German techno, Blümchen - Live in Berlin.

It's always nice when you think you're poor, and can go buy nice things with money you couldn't spend on anything else. I'm still hanging on to my Bath & Body Works gift certificate for an especially rainy day.

I just read over on Joey's site that Dave Blood, the bass player for The Dead Milkmen, committed suicide on Tuesday.

Did I mention Bill got me their DVD, 'Philadelphia in Love', for Christmas? *sigh*

Some more Trance GOA streaming goodness... Philosomatika. Loving it. Thanks DuCkTaPe :)

On an unrelated note... Candy is making me a kickass Mark Ryden skin because she rocks.

I've been listening to Digitally Imported radio so much lately, that I decided it was about time to support them. Not to mention upgrade my streaming from 96k to 128k. Also, you can email me at kimATpro.di.fm. And if you aren't into electronica, there's a classical and a jazz stream as well.

However, I noticed that my username and password are displayed in plain text in the stream URL as it connects. This presents a problem, as that is what my DoSomething Winamp plugin pings MovableType with. I need to tweak my plugin so it doesn't display that information. Until I do so, I'm using the WMP stream.

On a related note, I've had about 3 people send me this website: Ishkur, Guide to Electronic Music. If there was ever a question about just what kind of electronica you were listening to, he can probably answer it.

I picked up the new Moby cd, "Baby Monkey" tonight, which he released under his alter ego, Voodoo Child. Since I consider it a moral imperative to own every cd he releases, I listened to it on the way home. As promised, a straight forward dance cd. I've been on a happy hardcore kick lately, but I liked it. Moby's always experimental, and while I love all of his stuff, my favorite album is still "Everything is Wrong".

Oh, and Best Buy is evil because the movie "High Fidelity" called my name from the shelf, and it just happened to be on sale.

A music director at a local church has written an 11-movement composition entitled "Memoriam: A Requiem for Mr. Rogers" in honor of the late Fred Rogers. It will debut February 29th at St. Justin Church in Mt. Washington. The one-hour piece will be presented by Slippery Rock University's 25-piece orchestra and 65-member choir. It includes English, Hebrew and Latin lyrics, poetry and dramatic readings.

I'm sappy about these sorts of things. There's a second performance on Mar 2 at BC3; perhaps I could drag some fellow WC music dept alumni?

Pagewater cd release party. Saturday Dec 20 (tomorrow!) Nicks Fat City on the South Side, 5-9PM, All Ages. $6 at the door.

(South Park) Cartman - O Holy Night
Weird Al Yankovic - Christmas At Ground Zero

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Jazz saxophonist Buddy Arnold passed away from complications of open-heart surgery at age 77. You may not be familiar with him, but he played with a number of bands, including Tommy Dorsey and Buddy Rich. After a struggle with drug addiction, he founded the Musician's Assistance Program, to help other musicians fight the same struggle.

Sarah, Ed, and I went down to Nicks Fat City to see Down On Jane play a great acoustic show. Also, TonyJones opened. Stuck around and had a few shots with the band afterwards. Going to collapse into bed. More tomorrow...

Check out Stationwagon. A couple of the members will be at Busker's in the Strip tonight for open mic night. If for nothing else, go for the $1 Yuengling bottles till midnight. Plan on seeing the whole band Saturday June 14, at the Bloomfield Bridge Tavern, 9pm. It's 21+ and a $4 cover.

"Stationwagon is a rock and rollish band. Our attempt is to merge the styles of rock, funk, folk, jazz and a bit of classical. We are a multi-member band that includes a flute player (who sometimes sings and plays percussion), a bass player (who sometimes plays guitar, viola and sings), a drummer (who sometimes plays keyboard & percussion) and a percussionist (who sometimes sings and plays various whistles, flutes and kazoo - depending). Our influences include Freddie Hubbard, The Flaming Lips, Frank Zappa, Jaco Pastorius, Allison Krause, Primus, Bob Dylan, Lou Reed, Iron Maiden and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. We play originals and covers (most quite mutated), including instrumental and vocal numbers. We also play electric or acoustic sets."

I'm participating in Kymberlie's Spring "Burn It", where you burn cds of good driving music and exchange them with other people in groups. It sounds very cool, and I encourage you all to participate. I like making cd's for people. If you don't want to participate, you could always just make *me* a cd ;)

Preliminary List below...

when I was watching Third Watch the other night. It's actually not bad at all, but it's weird to hear him singing it. Personally, I think pretty much any cover of a NIN song is like blasphemy, but hey, that's just an opinion... even if Devo's cover was a little... "different".

BTW, dialup sucks, and the lack of ability to run any cables to my PC without creating some sort of hazard is causing me to have to use my parent's PC. I promise, I'm alive and well (with the exception of bruises from moving my furniture), but just waiting for my DSL modem and wireless NIC to arrive.

These first three notes will last for a year-and-a-half. It's a 639-year version of John Cage's 20 minute piano piece entitled "As Slow As Possible". I could never get into John Cage, but I was subjected to much of his music in my Music History 2 class in college. Maybe that's why I couldn't make it as a musician... I just don't get a lot of things that are done purely for art's sake.

uses heat and cold to tune the string. Since the wood of a piano is so susceptible to temperature and humidity, pianos are rarely actually in tune. (Sort of like an oboe :P ) Via Boingboing, I took an interest in this, being the music geek that I am. I once saw a performance at Westminster where the guest artist stopped the show twice, both for about 30 minute periods, to re-tune his piano. I don't have perfect pitch, but it sounded fine to me at the time. That picky gentleman needs one these pianos. The inventor posted some notes on his design on a newsgroup, as well as a much more detailed article, for you fellow music geeks.

I have had "God Shuffled His Feet" by the Crash Test Dummies stuck in my head all morning. It's a good song. But it's getting repetitive :P Earlier this weekend it was "Ground Control to Major Tom", thanks to Kevin and Pagewater.