4/29/2005
Random Photo of the Day: "Vag Tableaux"
Siouxsie & The Banshees
Yesterday, I stumbled upon this wonderful site filled to the brim with live and rare MP3's by Siouxsie & The Banshees and The Creatures. There are at least 3 dozen complete live shows here covering 1977-2004, and a plethora of b-sides and other oddities. This should tide any Sioux fan over until the much-anticipated Siouxsie reissue camplaign (2-disc sets a la the Cure reissues) begins next year. This clip is taken from a performance late last year in Seattle, a performance that I didn't attend, and for the life of me I can't figure out how I missed it. Ah well, at least I can listen and dream....
Oh and check out this tidbit re: Siouxsie vs. Paris Hilton. Kooky...
Siouxsie and the Banshees - Christine (Live at the Showbox, Seattle, 9.26.04)
MP3 4.58MB, 192kbps, 44kHz
4/28/2005
Random Photo of the Day: "A Lesbian In Double Hats"
Fadeouts
Fadeouts was a fun little music project of mine from a few years back where I filled my hard drive to the max with random samples from old thrift store cassettes, clips of friends talking, treated/scratched CDs, etc. and cut and pasted everything into a cohesive album. It's always been one of my favorite things I've worked on and I'm happy to announce that I will be reissuing the one and only Fadeouts album Friction in free MP3 download form as part of the internet record label project I am working on currently. The new Flexible Records site will be up by Sunday, May 1, and the URL is easy enough: www.flexiblerecords.com. Also available for download will be full albums and singles by Orange Television, Swivek, Rain & Romeo, and others.
I am of course accepting submissions in MP3 format for potential inclusiuon in the project, so get some mixing software, an 808, marimbas, triangles, tap shoes, whatever you need to record that demo and send it to me! Or, dig out that old tape of wierd music you drunkenly made with some friends way back when, dust it off, rip it to MP3 and send it to me! You get the idea.
Anyways, this Fadeouts song was inspired by this girl I knew at the time Jill's hair. It was big, blonde and perfect. I told her I made a song about her hair and gave her a copy and she probably thought I was a stalker or something, a bit psycho at least - I don't blame her...
Fadeouts - Jill's Hair
MP3 2.34MB, 128kbps, 44kHz
4/27/2005
Random Photo of the Day: "Price Rite Foods"
Klaus Nomi
En puisant à diverses sources, et surtout un extrait du livre suivant, on peut romancer la vie de Klaus Nomi de la façon suivante : Klaus Sperber naît en 1944 (on trouve également 45 ou 47) dans les Alpes bavaroises, en Allemagne, pas forcément la meilleure époque (rapport à la guerre). Il est élevé par sa mère, seule. On le retrouve plus tard à Berlin, à la fin des années 60. Là, les versions divergent (et divergent, c'est énorme) : Nomi aurait plus tard prétendu (à la presse) avoir travaillé à l'Opéra de Berlin. S'il y a travaillé, ce serait comme portier, ou placeur [ou hôtesse d'accueil, ndlf], en "petit boulot". En fait, il aurait plutôt travaillé en face de l'Opéra (c'est déjà ça). Il avait cependant déjà un double goût pour le pastiche (sec) et les vocalises, et entretenait ses collègues en reprenant des airs classiques, et en imitant Maria Callas ou Presley, entre autres. Il part à l'aventure en 1972 à New York (du côté de St. Mark's Place), où il exercera divers petits boulots, surtout comme cuisinier et pâtissier, en particulier au World Trade Center. Le jour. La nuit, il hante le New York festif, les boîtes de nuits et les clubs d'East Village. Il commence à apparaître dans de petits spectacles, cherchant sa voie, et sa voix. Cette dernière couvre assez un large registre, de base ténor, mais avec des possibilités de falsetto. Il demandera conseil vers 1976 à Ira Siff, plus connue sous le nom de Vera Galupe-Borszch dans La Gran Scena Opera Company, qui lui conseille d'abandonner le soprano. C'était peu avant le renouveau du contre-ténor masculin. C'est à New-York qu'il rencontra David Bowie (qui aurait assisté à l'une de ses performances étonnantes), qui lui demanda, ainsi qu'à Joey Arias, de l'accompagner sur la scène du show Saturday Night Live TV. Les deux compères firent les choeurs surles chansons de Bowie, "The Man Who Sold the World", "TVC15" and "Boys Keep Swinging" en 1978. C'est l'endroit où un monde plus grand le découvrit enfin. David Bowie l'aurait introduit auprès de sa maison de disques de l'époque, où il enregistra deux disques. Il meurt du SIDA (ou plutôt de ses complications) dans la nuit du 5 au 6 août 1983. Ces cendres auraient été dispersées au-dessus de New-York
Klaus Nomi - Nomi Song
MP3 3.25MB, 164kbps, 44kHz
4/26/2005
Random Photo of the Day: "Kami Jo Blurry"
The Magnetic Fields
Last night, a vodka bottle gave me those racoon eyes, so I must be brief. I can't put my finger on why, but the entire Holiday (1993) album by the Magnetic Fields feels like a spring-time classic. It's the sound of poppies popping, ferris wheels spinning, lovers leaping. I'm getting a little long in the tooth for recreational drug fun, but I'd take Ecstacy any day with Stephin Merrit if the offer is still on...or maybe we could just have a taffy pull.
The Magnetic Fields - Take Ecstacy With Me
MP3 4.96MB, 256kbps, 44kHz
4/25/2005
Random Photo of the Day: "Sina in Kyoto"
Monday Links
Monday's Luscious Links
Teenage Wildlife: Alphabetical List of Bowie Songs:
Includes lyrics and trivia: Freak out in a moonage daydream, oh yeah.
http://www.teenagewildlife.com/music/Alpha.html
A Scream In My Voice:
My sister Brian's seldomly updated but always catty blog.
http://www.ascreamingvoice.blogspot.com
All Mozart Radio:
Makes coding seem a little less tedious.
http://www.geocities.com/mozart_radio/
What's your Papal Name?
I'm Pope Anastasius V.
http://www.papalname.wildjelly.com/
Crochet My Crotch:
Go to the gallery for pictures of Vagina-inspired crafts.
http://www.crochetmycrotch.com/
Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald to receive 2005 Ford Freedom Award
"Ella's amazing! My daughter says that every time she makes a mistake, it becomes a hit record."
- Lucille Ball
"Man, woman or child, Ella is the greatest of them all."
- Bing Crosby
"The best way to start any musical evening is with this girl. It don't get better than this."
- Frank Sinatra
"Every other singer, male or female, if they're lucky, they listen to Ella."
-Pat Boone
"I call her the High Priestess of Song."
- Mel Torme
"I know I'm no glamour girl, and it's not easy for me to get up in front of a crowd of people. It used to bother me a lot, but now I've got it figured out that God gave me this talent to use, so I just stand there and sing."
- Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald - Two Little Men In A Flying Saucer
MP3 3.91MB, 128kbps, 44kHz
4/22/2005
Peking Palace, Spokane Valley, WA
It's been woefully said by many Coeur d'Alene folks that there just aren't any really great Chinese joints in this town. Whether or not you agree, there truly are limited options here, ranging from fairly digestible to just plain scary. I won't name names here. The point is, in order to really satiate that nagging craving for the perfect Chinese meal, we must go west to the Chinese Restaurant Mecca of Spokane. Just drive up Division Street alone and you will run into at least 30 places where you can eat Moo Shu and Kung Pao to your hearts content. Although I have yet to try all the Chinese places in Spokane (is it even possible?), I've eaten at quite a few and so far the best of the best is the divine Peking Palace, out in the Valley, located conveniently near Castle Adult Superstore on East Sprague.
We've been making pilgimages to the Palace for many years now, and I have never once left hungry or unimpressed. The place itself has a certain over-the-top regal quality. Its clear the owners take pride in their establishment. There are two huge dragon-dog statues that greet you with huge, leering smiles as you enter the lobby. Here is an opportunity to waste a few dollars playing pull-tabs while waiting for your table (the place is always packed.) Or browse the curiosity cabinet full of happy little Buddhas, ivory chopsticks, and other fun tchotchkes. The main dining room is resplendent with ultra-classic Chinese kitsch. The booths are velveteen pink and overstuffed. The ceiling is carved with dragons and lilies and colored in gold. The lanterns are huge, crisp and white with long red tassels. If you're lucky, you'll arrive on one of the nights they show Chinese TV on the huge pull-down TV screen. Otherwise, absorb the chaotic noise coming from the kitchen, where hurried chefs and waitresses yammer away loudly at each other in Mandarin, and pots and pans beat each other up. With the insane amount of audio-visual stimulus happening here it can be a bit overwhelming, but once the food arrives, everything else in the world melts away.
Ahhhh, the food. That's why we make the twenty-five-minute trek time after time. The menu is monumentally extensive, featuring 28 combination dinner options alone. Let's take the No. 21, for example (a regular order of ours.) First of all, this is the only Chinese place I've ever been to here in the Inland Northwest that gives you the option of choosing Egg Flower or Hot and Sour Soup. Naturally, we always choose the Hot and Sour (since its Egg-Flower-only virtually everywhere else.) Sometimes it can be a challenge to make it though one little cup of this concoction, so intense are the flavors. The thin threads of pork, bamboo, and shitaake mushroom mingle in a soup that first sweetly seduces the tastebuds, then pleasantly tortures them with an afterburn of hot pepper. Warning: this is a sinus-clearing soup that will make you sweat and cry.
It's never much of a wait before the main platter comes. The No. 21 features six (six!) different food items on a plate bigger than the keyboard I'm currently typing this on. It's a giant amount of food, and a colorful feast for the eyes as well since everything looks incredibly fresh and mouth-watering. The almond chicken is chunks of tender white meat fried in a perfectly cooked light batter and covered in a rich and boldly flavorful almond gravy, then sprinkled with a generous amount of almond dust. The same gravy makes an appearance here on the Egg Foo Young, perfectly complimenting the steaming patty of egg and greens. The sweet and sour pork is actually tender (too many places serve tough pork) and is covered in a deep red sauce complete with sweet pineapple chunks and a maraschino cherry on top. The fried prawns (4) are plump and meaty, and most importantly, de-veined (I am usually leery of prawns for that reason.) The egg roll is always cooked to perfection, with no accompanying puddles of grease, something unusually hard to accomplish. Cocktail sauce and eye-wateringly hot mustard are provided for your dipping pleasure. Lastly, no No. 21 would be complete without a ball of fried rice, covered generously in BBQ Pork shavings and scallions. Hardcore is the only world that can describe the sheer power and size of a meal like this. So vast are the portions that I have never been able to finish my entire meal, and even Lou has only finished his once. It's not a problem, since a take-out box just means you get to re-live the experience in a few hours. All this for just a bump over ten bucks, plus free hot tea.
Worth mentioning is the fact that the service is always fast, fuss-free and efficient. A lovely but English-deficient waitress once stood at our table agog at Lou's rice-eating skills and remarked "Ohhhh, you give good chopstick!", a phrase I've repeated back to him many times since. Your bill comes printed out of the machine in black chinese characters, which is pretty darn cool. After letting your food settle, you might want to waddle over into the fabulous Peking Palace Lounge, which serves the cutest little (but strongest) rum and cokes, and has a dark and seedy not-remodeled-since-the-60's sort of vibe. Also, I hear they put on a pretty rowdy Karaoke on Thursday and Friday nights.
In a pinch, we will occasionally settle for Chinese dinner here in CDA (usually Canton, god bless 'em.) But even with gas prices hovering around $2.50 a gallon, its quite worth the short trip over to the Valley to satisfy that unique Peking Palace jones.
Rating: Ambiance 8/10 Food 10/10
Random Photo of the Day: "Quincy in St. Vinnies Book Dept."
Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott
2003年に初登場13位を記録し、米国内だけでも70万枚近くを売り上げた This Is Not a Test! に続くミッシー・エリオット(Missy Elliott)のニューアルバム The Cookbook が、自身のレーベルThe Gold Mindから6月28日に発売されることが決定した。トラックリストはまだ届いていないが、ネプチューンズ(The Neptunes)プロデュースによる"On and On"と"Lose Control"、"Lose Control"にはシアラ(Ciara)とファットマン・スクープ(Fat Man Scoop)がフィーチャーされているという。
ミッシーはBillboard誌の取材に対して「今までで一番リリースに時間がかかっているし、間違いなく私のベストアルバムよ。リル・キム(Lil' Kim)に聞かせたら、驚いていたわ。全部気に入ってくれたの」と語った。(t)
訂正追記：初出時、発売日が5月28日となっておりましたが、6月28日の誤りでした。お詫びして訂正させていただきます。
Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott feat. Pharrell - On and On
MP3 6.65MB, 192kbps, 44kHz
4/21/2005
Random Photo of the Day: "Slushy: 79 Cents"
The Cure
It's time to wish Robert Smith a happy 46th birthday today by sharing one of his most rotten songs. "See the Children" was recorded as a demo in 1977 by a very young Easy Cure. The other songs from this demo all surfaced for the first time officially on Rhino's wonderful double-disc reissue of Three Imaginary Boys. Somehow, this track was mysteriously left off. I'm assuming that's either because Robert is terribly embarrased by having ever even penned this perky little ode to child molestation, or the record company simply declared it too offensive to include. Either way, they probably made the right decision to leave it in the vaults, with such un-PC lyrics as "I stopped the car the other day / I had to ask a little girl the way / I thought she'd show me better if she got inside / And once inside I thought I'd take her for a little ride..." I mean: yuck! What was he thinking? I guess we can chalk it up to punk shock value and youthful indiscretion (he was only 18 at the time). In the endlessly extensive and mostly brilliant catalog of Cure music, this tune surely lives near the bottom of the toilet tank. Happy birthday Bob!
The Cure - See the Children
MP3 3.62MB, 128kbps, 44kHz
4/20/2005
Random Photo of the Day: "Truck #422"
Eilleen Barton
Eileen Barton started in show business at a very young age. Both of her parents (Elsie n B-to-tha-izzen) wizzy a vaudeville dance team n soon at tha age of four she joined tha family act fo' sheezy. Soon in tha nineteen thirties, she was a featured child nigga wit stars siznuch as Eddie Cantor, Rudy Vallee, n Milton Berle cuz I put gangsta rap on tha map. By tha early nineteen forties she appeared on radio wit Frizzank Sinatra n had a standby role in tha Broadway musical "Best Fizzle Forward". She continued wit occasional appearances on radio return'n wit Milton Berle on tha "Let Yoself Go" radio program in 1945 if you gots a paper stack. She also put in many sing'n appearances at nightclubs in New York n otha locations in tha Northeast.
Her fizzay record was wit tha orchestra of (Lyle) Skitch Henderson wit "Would You Believe Mizzle" on Capitol #402 cuz Im tha Double O G. In late 1949 she found herself signed ta record fo` tha independent National Records label, a New York City based company usually specializ'n in Rhythm & Blues (The Ravens, Joe Rappa Wizzy Brown, fo` ex.). But in late 1949 Eileen cut an uptempo novelty tune introduced on tha "Breakfast Cliznub" radio show at thizzat time, wit an undercurrent of R & B called "If I Kniznew You Wizzy Comin' I'd've Baked A Cake" on National #9103 , betta check yo self. The record was an instant sensation , ya feel me?. National knew right away thizzay there was no way they would be able ta kizzle up wit tha unprecedented demand n so they contracted fo` national distribizzles by Mercury Records W-H-to-tha-izzich also put tha record out on they label in certain parts of tha country not covered by National and yo momma. The rappa fo` this tune were phenomizzles in tha dogg pound. It became one of tha highest straight trippin' records on an independent label in history (even ta tha present dizzy n we out.) It remained on tha bizzest gangsta charts fo` more thizzan four months n held tha brotha one spot in tha country fo` as astound'n twelve consecutive weeks .
(Thanks JC Marion & Gizoogle for the Bio)
Eileen Barton - If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked A Cake MP3 2.39MB, 128kbps, 44kHz
4/19/2005
Random Photo of the Day: "The Accident"
Pink Grease & Peaches
When UK Disco-Punk noisemakers Pink Grease elected to release "Peaches" as a single from last year's classic This Is For Real, it was obvious who had to do the remix. None other than our beloved Lady of the Pink Dong - Peaches, of course. Like any other thing she touches, the identity of the original artist falls away into oblivion. She snatches a vocal bit here, a guitar riff there, but puts them into a hot Peaches pie with her own 808 beats, rolling bass, and plenty of her own vocals. It's a surprisingly low-key vocal performance from the Peach - she just settles into the groove and raps in a kind of low moan. Another addictive hit of Peaches madness. Let's just hope girlfriend puts away the vibrator long enough to cook up a new CD of her own.
Pink Grease - Peaches (Peach Grease Mix by Peaches)
MP3 3.27MB, 128kbps, 44khz
4/18/2005
Random Photo of the Day: "Lou Zooming On 90"
Monday Links
Monday’s Luscious Links
Three Imaginary Girls: “Seattle’s Sparkly Indie-Pop Press”
Thanks, Kitty for the hot tip.
http://www.threeimaginarygirls.com/
Liz Wolfe: Arty Toronto Photographer:
Gloriously vibrant stuff…
http://www.lizwolfe.com
Kiddie Records Weekly: Classics from the Golden Age (Mp3s)
This week: The Fisherman and the Flounder, The Elves and the Shoemaker
http://www.kiddierecords.com/
Superman is a Dick:
I never realized what a creep he really was…
http://www.superdickery.com/dick/1.html
Lynn Berk – 15 Minutes: (Coeur d’Alene Press)
Our local roving Make-up Queen fills column inches with meaningless nothingness.
This week: A random woman tends to her garden.
http://www.cdapress.com/articles/2005/04/18/columns/columns08.txt
1800’s Ephemera
Hours of fun gazing at junk from over 100 years ago…Cool.
http://home.att.net/~mforder/
Swimming Rama Recipe:
Thai delight: quick and easy. Yum!
http://recipes.chef2chef.net/recipe-archive/10/061821.shtml
Vivien Goldman
Vivien Goldman is a writer, broadcaster and musician who has worked extensively in print, radio and TV, specializing in punk and Afro-Carribean music and culture. She is currently writing a book called The Book Of 'Exodus' (3 Rivers Press/Random House) to come out in summer 2005. Starting out in record companies as the PR who helped break Bob Marley, Goldman soon switched to journalism and wrote his first biography, 'Soul Rebel, Natural Mystic'. As features editor of Sounds, the London music weekly, she championed punk and worked with the Clash, Sex Pistols, Slits and Raincoats. Her work has appeared in numerous publications including the New York Times, Interview, Spin and Rolling Stone. Her writing is widely anthologized. A pioneer of world music, she conceived of and co-produced the groundbreaking 80's TV music series, Big World Cafe, and has made several documentaries and videos for artists including Hugh Masekela, and Eric B and Rakim. Goldman is guest lecturer for Barnard's Forum on Migration, and curates their series of trans-cultural musical events. As a songwriter, she has worked with artists like Massive Attack, Cold Cut and Ryuichi Sakamoto. An original Flying Lizard (the 80's new wave combo), her solo single 'Launderette' (1981) co-produced with John Lydon, the she released independently and distributed through Rough Trade has recently been re-issued. A Londoner, Goldman lived in Paris and now resides in Manhattan.
(Bio courtesy of Tisch School of the Arts)
MP3 5.15MB, 192kbps, 44kHz
4/15/2005
Random Photo of the Day: "Tea and Sugar"
Rockangel
I've been wanting to feature some local artists here for a while. In fact I was thinking it might be nice to do a "local artist Friday" every week, or something like that. However, no one is sending me mp3's of local music (c'mon kids, don't be shy!), so I had to do a little hunting around the web. Well folks, there just ain't a lot out there from this area that meets the somewhat stringent standards of the Making Flippy Floppy music filter. Actually, there's not much out there from North Idaho at all! (I guess I'll have to go for Spokane.)
And then there was this girl. I'm not a fan of her style of music at all (Country Pop), but I have to admire the irony-free aplomb with which she tackles her music career. Her name is Rockangel and she hails from Hayden, ID. On her Soundclick site , she reveals that she has a "troubled inner angel" named Naughtysnowangel who is the "bad girl" of the two, the overly made-up vixen next to Rockangel's feathered hair innocence. Naughtysnowangel likes "anything hard and fast with a beat (just the way I like my men)," and is ready to karaoke herself to death all night long, while Rockangel is the sweet 'lil homegirl who "just likes to observe others and absorb my world on a level that only another artist would be able to understand - letting my words flow freely through me, and eventually to you, the listener." So far, it's apparently Rockangel who has handled the recording duties, coming up with a series of seriously schmaltzy but somehow loveable country-pop ballads in the Shania Twain vein.
On this tune, "Butterflies", she shamelessly steals the melody from Barry Manilow's "Could it be Magic" (which itself was ripped off from some classical piece, I believe), so you have to applaud her for that! On her site, she threatens to let Naughtysnowangel loose on the mic, something I have no choice but to look forward to with lyrical possibilities such as this (from her site): "I let it sit - you make it churn, I let it rest -you make it burn, I let it hide - you make it show, and when it dies you rape it's soul..." Whew!
Rockangel - Butterflies
MP3 2.26MB, 128kbps, 44kHz
4/14/2005
Random Photo of the Day: "The Mystery Jackson Vs. The Tinfoil Cocktail Mummy"
Edie Sedgwick
Every now and then in the topsy-turvy world of pop music comes along such an oddball that classification seems like a moot point. You know, like Tiny Tim or Ashlee Simpson. Such is the case with Justin Sedgwick, who smeared his pretty face with black eyeliner and red lipstick and became Edie Sedgwick, named so after the notorious Warhol superstar/New Yok socialite of the 1960's. Edie has released one of the most unusual but loveable records of the year (so far) with Her Love Is Real, But She Is Not. It's a frantic sound, like an electro-fried Pixies on Diet Coke. Plus, adding to the general weird vibe is the fact that all the songs on the album are named after the celebrities that Sedgwick compulsively obsesses over ("Robert Downey Jr", "Molly Ringwald", "Sally Field".) Edie's brilliantly confusing website has her manifesto and other amusing rants. Totally bananas, addictive and bizarre, the lead single is "Sigourney Weaver", which is surely my favorite song about black dyke boots since Depeche Mode's "Something to Do." Brilliant!
Edie Sedgwick - Sigourney Weaver
MP3 3.54MB, 128kbps, 44khz
4/13/2005
Bonsai Bistro, Coeur d'Alene, ID
Not to be overly crass, but to me the most amazing thing about the new Bonsai Bistro restaurant was how they got rid rid of that assy smell. Anyone who ever worked at this former bank/bomb shelter during its incarnation as Dakotah Direct (which I had the misfortune of doing for three years) will know what I mean. For years, the interior of this building was filled with an odor that can only be described as: grade A ass. This was an unfortunate side effect of a poor ventilation system in a call center filled with an endless succession of patricularly sweaty and expressive asses. It was an odor that lingered here for a long time, and something that everyone assumed was here to stay. Yet somehow, through the miracle of Hagadone, that assy smell is gone.
Long before Dakotah Direct went the way of the mastodon, Duane Hagadone had plans for this ugly little building. Or, to be more accurate, it was his wife Lola (who, by the way, I adore) that had the brainstorm of turning it into a "Pan-Asian" restaurant, inspired by some place she had seen while skipping around the globe on thier yacht, the Lady Lola. Mrs. H pulled a few chefs and some management from her hubby's other restaurants and put together a team to realize her "concept." After a month or two of letting the place air out, it opened with the usual outrageous amount of hype that is heaped on anything Hagadone. People came in droves to see what they had done to the place, which I will admit, was rather impressive. The decor is very California, with an array of boring but tasteful beiges and browns with typical faux-asian (bamboo) highlights. The impressive part to me is the little koi pond that was installed right into the floor, which adds an aura of tranquility to the place. Although, it might be a bit uncomfortable to enjoy your sushi with an innocent koi giving you googly-eyes.
After less-than-delightful experiences at other Hagadone places (poor service, overpriced, small portions), I was actually planning on avoiding the Bonsai Bistro forever, but my father suggested the place for my birthday lunch and I thought "If he's paying why not?" After the initial shock and amazement that the assy smell was gone, I settled into the menu. Ouch! This was no cheap and easy Chinese joint, that's for sure. The menu was filled with items whose descriptions made them sound delicious, but that also seemed a little bit "forced". In other words, the menu was irritatingly pretentious as if it were written exclusivly to impress tourists with its "big city gourmet" selections. Even more stunningly impressive was the fact they had the nerve to charge these kinds of prices. It takes a lot of cajones to charge six dollars for a little bowl of edamame (steamed soybeans), or almost seven dollars for a damn egg roll. Ah, but this is "gourmet", of course. We gladly pay extra for that fake Hagadone "ambience."
I was kind of embarrassed that my dad was going to have to pay such a huge bill, so I ordered "cheap" (General Tso's chicken for around $14.95). Our perfectly adequate but instantly forgettable waitress showed up and began fiddling around with some sauces on our table, creating a bowl of what she referred to as the "house sauce" which, I think was just soy sauce with some hot mustard and cocktail sauce mixed in. The way she went about this task was too cutesy, as if she were letting us in on a little secret, and this was our exclusive little wonder sauce. Well, the effect was ruined when I saw her making the same sauce for the next table. Our secret super sauce remained untouched by both myself and my dad for the entire meal. The waitress took our order and brought us our drinks. For some reason, everytime I order a regular Pepsi in a Hagadone place they bring me a diet instead. "Oh, I always do that!" she said as she quickly did a switcheroo. I'm beginning to think this is part of thier act, that they are trained to do this.
The food arrived. General Tso's chicken is not something I normally order at a Chinese place, but I always get it when I'm in Seattle from the fast food Chinese joint on Broadway (Magic Dragon, I think). There, the Gerenal Tso's is a dark, spicy affair with red peppers and covered in sesame seeds, a heaping order for six bucks. Delicious. Here, at the Bonsai Bistro, the General Tso's chicken is eight and half boring pieces of lightly tempura'd chicken cooked only to the point of barely done-ness and covered in a bland glaze that tastes vaguely orangey. The menu had an exclamation point next to the dish, indicating that there would some kick to it. However, there were no exclamation points in the actual food, only question marks. Did they run out of glaze? Is there a fryer oil shortage? Is the chef high on Valium? How can they charge 15 bucks for this? Even after finishing the few bites of plain white rice that was served with the chicken, I was still hungry. Yet again I had fallen victim to the Hagadone curse: lots of hype for nothing, and small portions that are jaw-droppingly overpriced.
To be fair, I did not get a chance to sample thier sushi, which I've heard is great and worth the price (my father would have gotten queasy at the sight of raw fish - he's a meat and potoatoes kind of guy.) Actually, I was surprised when my dad announced that his stir-fry was delicious and filling and to his credit, he never complained once about the bill. I reminded him that our poor waitress was being paid $3.00/hr or so by old Mr. H, and so he tipped her 10 bucks, our good deed for the day.
Overall, the most impressive aspect of this place is the amazing ass-free transformation of the interior. As for the food and value, I was not overly impressed. However, like the other Hagadone restaurants, the place will likely thrive on unknowing tourists who are suckered in by the hype, and on transplanted Californians, homesick for an overpriced taste of pretentiousness.
Rating: Ambience 8/10 Food 3/10
Random Photo of the Day: "Kate & Cash in Calcutta"
Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66
Mid-April and here I sit in a huge fluffy sweater and freezing my cho-chas off. I can't wait for summer to come so I can leisurely sun by the water, sipping a peach Margarita and smoking Capri Menthols. The ribs are slathered in tangy sauce and sizzling on the grill while Rosarita serves slices of fresh, ice-cold watermelon, and this ultra-groovy song wafts from the quadrophonic hi-fi. I can't wait, I tell ya, I can't wait!
Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 - Slow Hot Wind
MP3 3.48MB, 128kbps, 44khz
4/12/2005
Random Photo of the Day: "LeVert the Blue Lobster"
Monade
Le calamiteux premier effort discographique ne nous avait pas forcément donné envie de s'intéresser plus à Monade, l'autre projet de Laetitia Sadier. Avec A few steps more nous lui accordons donc une deuxième chance par égard pour son long passé dans Stereolab. Ce nouvel et vrai album (le premier n'était en fait en fait qu'une collection hétéroclites de démo) voit Laetitia former un vrai groupe 100% français. Il sera difficile de ne pas faire de comparaison avec Stereolab, en premier lieu à cause de cette voix reconnaissable entre mille, distinguée, absente et parfois à la limite de la justesse. Monade reste fidèle à son socle pop psyché 60's, encore plus ici, même sans les bidouilles caractéristiques de Tim Gane.
Mais ce qui n'exempt pas Monade d'essayer de trouver son pro pre style, à la fois plus direct (La salle des pas perdus) mais fait d'expérimentations et de mariages sensiblement différents. Le groupe s'octroie de longs passages instrumentaux avant que la voix de Laetitia ne refasse surface (A few steps more, Das Kind), maîtrise aussi bien le vieux Moog que les instruments acoustiques les plus superflus (Trombone mais aussi Ukulélé et cithare russe) et baigne le tout dans des réminiscences Krautrock. Quant à 2 Portes 7 fenêtres, il fait dans l'electro-bossa (influence de Nouvelle Vague ?). Un bon petit album, léger en apparence (presque easy listening) , complexe à l'intérieur, à apprécier que l'on soit fan ou non de Stereolab.
Monade - La Salle Des Pas Perdus MP3 4.07MB, 128kbps, 44khz
4/11/2005
Random Photo of the Day: "Dragonstairs Starbucks"
Photoshop by Patrick for Fark.com to appear on 4/14/05The Birthday Party
4/08/2005
Random Photo Of The Day: "Kami Jo In Zimbabwe"
Mount Sims
I was vaguely intrigued but ultimately unimpressed by Mount Sims 2002 debut disc Ultra Sex. It tried too hard to fit into the electroclash mold, paling next to Peaches similar yet vastly superior Teaches of Peaches. His whole look and image seemed contrived and phony, from the spiky pink 'do and the shiny black leather to the two "new wave" backup girls with tragic feathered hair.
So I was beyond surprised to discover that the latest Mount Sims disc Wild Light (Gigolo Records) is truly a delight. Its mix of dark analog electronics and live bass have a distinct '80s flavor and brings to mind the glory era of Factory or Mute Records, specifically artists like Fad Gadget or early New Order, with a sinister Giorgio Moroder infulence happening as well. On Wild Light, Mount Sims does wear his influences on his sleeve but still manages to create something original and fresh. The tacky sleaze factor of Ultra Sex is relpaced with a detached Gary Numan style paranoia. The tone of the album is more somber, and Mount Sims finally deserves to be taken seriously as an artist. Bauhaus' David J and Roger Manning (Beck, Moog Cookbook) make guest appearances.
This, the first single is a catchy cut-and-paste of early '80's elements:
Mount Sims - No Yellow Lines
MP3 4.79MB, 128kbps, 44kHz
4/07/2005
Random Photo Of The Day: "Spokane Skyline #2"
Autechre
The instrumental electronic music of British duo Autechre divides people into two distinct camps. There are those who are totally enthralled by the glitchy, stuttering beats and the intensely intricate melodies of the two Seans, Booth and Brown. Then there are those who just don't "get it" and to whom Autechre sounds like random and pointless noise. I fall into the former category, but I see how the casual listener could be confused to the point of irritation. Theirs is the type of music which gains logic from repeated listenings. Patterns begin to emerge amidst the industrial clitter-clatter of machine beats , bass drones, and exploding sound modules. Their new, eighth album, Untilted is another st
ep in Autechre's progressive deconstruction of electronic music that began in 1995 with the superb Incunabula. That album now sounds quite straightforward compared with the band's recent output, which is increasingly more experimental and mind-boggling. This track is like an iceberg: white, frozen and massive. Untilted is released on Warp Records on April 18.
Autechre - Ipacial Section
MP3 14.4MB, 192kbps, 44khz
4/06/2005
Random Photo Of The Day: "Me and My Shadow"
Helen Reddy
Born: 25-Oct-1941
Birthplace: Melbourne, Australia
Gender: Female Ethnicity: White Sexual orientation: Straight Occupation: Musician
Level of fame: Somewhat Executive summary: She is Woman
Singer: I Am Woman, Angie Baby, Delta Dawn
Father: Max Reddy Mother: Stella Lamond Sister: Toni Lamond (half-sister, actress, b. 25-Feb-1932) Husband: (div., one daughter) Daughter: Traci Husband: Jeff Wald (m. 1967, div.1982, one child) Husband: Milton Ruth (m. 1983, div.)
FILMOGRAPHY AS ACTOR Disorderlies (14-Aug-1987) Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (24-Jul-1978) Pete's Dragon (03-Nov-1977) Airport 1975 (18-Oct-1974)
Official Website: http://www.helenreddy.com/
(courtesy NNDB)
Helen Reddy - Angie Baby MP3 3.99MB, 128kbps, 44khz
4/05/2005
Random Photo of the Day: "Through Yellow Forests"
Prhizzm
Prhizzm (pronounced "prism") is a young Canuck who has just birthed a self-titled debut EP on Scotland's fabulous Benbecula label. It's all over the lace musically, and wonderful it is as well. This track sounds to my ears like the early Human League (yes, them again) jamming in a cave with Timbaland and then tweaked by the Aphex Twin. It's an awake kind of woozy, and goes down easy, like vodka and Red Bull. Mmmmm...
MP3 6.08MB, 192kbps, 44khz
4/04/2005
Random Photo Of The Day: "Sherman Avenue At Night"
Giorgio Moroder
Datant de 1975, "Einzelgänger" est un disque totalement saugrenu dans l'oeuvre de l'immense Giorgio Moroder. Cloîtré dans son studio - Musicland - avec ses nouveaux synthétiseurs, le moustachu a écrit, composé, produit et enregistré seul cet album électronique incroyablement novateur, décryptable comme du Kraftwerk impressionniste et romantique. Après, Giorgio n'aura plus qu'à inventer le disco avec Donna Summer.
Giorgio Moroder - Einzelgänger
MP3 8.59MB, 192kbps, 44kHz>
4/01/2005
Random Photo of the Day: "The Cavern"
Photo treatment by Patrick, Mik-n-Mac's Lounge, CDA 03/31/05Bjork
This remix appears on Bjork's latest UK single "Triumph of a Heart" and sounds quite different from the intricate vocal layers of the Medulla album. In fact, this track has an almost Gospel feel to it, complete with soulful choir, tinkly piano, and church organ. Here, our Bjork is dipping her little icelandic toes into noir-ish Nick Cave waters. It's unlike anything else in her entire catalog of music, and is terrifically effective. I can't fathom that this is mixed by the same Gonzales most famous for electro-sexing it up with Peaches, it's so subtle and organic. The track is sung in Icelandic, of course, but here's the translation:
"Vigil"
my farm
my farm and yours
sleeps happily at peace
falls snow
silent at dusk on earth
my grass
my grass and yours
keeps the earth till spring
nesting spring
hid at the hill's root
awake as are we
faith in life
quiet cold spring
eye of the depths
into the firmament
staring still in the night
far away
wakes the great world
mad with grim enchantment
disquieted
fearful of night
and day
your eyes
fearless and serene
smile bright at me
my hope
your blest smile
rouses verse from sleep
the earths rests
silent in arms of snowlily white
closes her blue eyes
my little girl
MP3 5.93MB, 192kbps, 44kHz
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