Without comment.

letsdowords:

A portrait of an artist as a young man: James Joyce at age 22, roughly a year after graduating college and prior to the publication of any of his major works.

Schwhatup animal who is all over (southern) Montana.

oldbookillustrations:

American Bison, or buffalo.

John James Audubon, from The quadrupeds of North America vol. 2, by John James Audubon and John Bachman, New York, 1851.

(Source: archive.org)

If you take a listen to punctuationally challenging Fun.’s newest release, Some Nights, you’d probably pick up on the best opener-track after one, maybe two listens through. A flugel horn doubled by another instrument (which one probably depends on the performance) blasts through the speakers, making the crowd light up and scream before falling into the audible lockstep of “One Foot” and chant “Oh, oh ohhhh!” as Nate Ruess’s vocals spiral up and down.

On the night of April 21st, Fun. landed at the Boston edition of House of Blues, prepped by Miniature Tigers, a band itself well worth looking up. By all accounts, it started as life as usual in the live music world, an opener playing through a few songs from the most recent album, hoping upon hope someone is listening carefully enough over their conversation with the evening’s date to remember their name and look up the Myspace page in the following week or so. This night, the Tigers played a typical opening set of 8 or so songs before hyping the crowd for the main event. Then the listeners went back to their drinks and interlocutions for the usual half or so hour before the headliner takes the stage.

From there, though, that night was something a little different. While most big name acts will play a 90 minute, sometimes two hour set, Fun. played for only just under an hour. A detail to the night was conspicuous from the get-go, as the concert officially kicked off at 7, an oddly early time for a Saturday night. By the time the third “hit” in a row came through the sound system, it felt a little unusual. Why would they string together all the crowd pleasers at the beginning? Didn’t they realize they’d lose the audience somewhere along the 45 minute mark if they weren’t careful? Eventually, after a seemingly too-good-to-be-true set, Fun. struck up the Rolling Stones “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”, and it seemed things would be back on track, as covers are often code for time-fillers at live shows. As the song approached the finish with the crowd going the appropriate amount of crazy, it became evident this was the last song for the night. The band left the stage with the people continuing their noise, demanding an encore, which was gratefully obliged. After one last last song, it finished. That was it? Yes, sir, that was it.

So what is the case for the short concert? (Let’s forget for a moment that the cause here was scheduling.) My gut reaction as a money-paying ticket buyer was to be indignant. Less than an hour for a concert I’m paying for? Pish, posh. But as I thought about it during the ten minute exit from the House, I became okay with the idea. I never got bored, that was certain, and how many times had I attended a concert and been frustrated with songs I didn’t care for or even know? Many times, probably. In the end, there wasn’t anything to complain about, I heard what I wanted and nothing I didn’t. Most of the night drew on Some Nights, which plays smoothly, most of the songs maintaining the oddly familiar aura, one that’s hard to pinpoint, something akin to a strong and enjoyably complex “adult pop” LP alla Ben Folds, Mika, or mostly pre-Fame Monster Gaga (shut up, you know there’s something a little bit above average interesting about the singles on The Fame and “Bad Romance”). My only regret was that I wasn’t privileged to sit (the cheap seats, naturally) through more of the high energy concert.

Fun. has several more dates on its schedule for this tour, so I’d recommend checking ticket prices and investing the twenty or so dollars for a show that won’t disappoint—I doubt they’ll double book any more dates. And if you catch a good opener, too, give them a search, it’s the least you can do.

Can’t get over this song. Love it.

Miniature Tigers, “Boomerang”

ihavenothingtosayandimsayingit:

Hello there.

Google, look at you, all droll and stuff.

Calendar and dentist office art makers everywhere mourn the day.

jonathanbogart:

R.I.P., you idealizing, reactionary son of a bitch.

Then in my mind’s eye I see the bronze statue of the college Founder, the cold father symbol, his hand outstretched in the breathtaking gesture of lifting a veil that flutters in hard, metallic folds above the face of a kneeling slave; and I am standing puzzled, unable to decide whether the veil…

I would agree with several of these, but many not as much. And what about the Ballades? Interesting to like the 5th Prelude and not the 1st, they’re very similar. Glad to see Op. 55 No. 1 on there though, my own favorite Nocturne.

chopinek:

• Preludes:
• Op. 28: No. 4
• Op. 28: No. 5
• Op. 28: No. 7
• Op. 28: No. 15
• Op. 28: No. 17
• Nocturnes:
• Op. 9: No. 1
• Op. 9: No. 2
• Op. 9: No. 3
• Op 15: No. 1
• Op 15: No. 2
• Op 15: No. 3
• Op. 32: No. 2
• Op. 48: No. 1
• Op. 48: No. 2
• Op. 55: No. 1
• Op. 62: No. 1
• Op. 62: No. 2
• Op. 72: No. 2
• …

Thought-provoking. I am a believer that as long as you allow yourself to do what you want/need to do, taking opportunities presented to you to get ahead and make a name are not necessarily evil. Losing your integrity? That’s different. But taking advantage of jobs or “commissions” doesn’t mean that you are giving up your integrity, necessarily, it means you are making money. Those two things are quite different. This is neither to argue for or against Smooke, but only to point out that selling one’s art is not necessarily selling oneself out.

Something is actually really beautiful about this.

Oh my.

Tiny Desk Concert: First Aid Kit.

I’ll be looking out for more of these guys.

scottlava:

“When you’re a Jet, you’re a Jet all the way! From you first cigarette your last dyin’ days. ”