So, I bet you’ve all been wondering why my header is a picture of tombstones. As evidenced by my Dead Heads post, I like wandering around graveyards. I particularly love old crumbly cemeteries. Places that have really felt the hands of time.
The image in my header comes from a photo I took when I was visiting my amazing friend Matt in Ireland last spring. He was studying abroad in Galway and invited me to visit. I’m not sure he actually expected me to take him up on the offer, but let’s be real here. There was no way I wasn’t going.
While I was over there I did some photography with the family manual camera. I’m pretty sure it was a high school graduation gift to my father. The lens has a penchant for falling out, and there’s an annoying speck of something that doesn’t show up in the pictures but makes me crazy every time I look through the lens. I love that camera.
Here are some of the better pictures from the trip. Hope you enjoy.
Just for perspective, here's a rough map of the road I traveled.
The first two photos were taken in Dublin, where I started my trip.
One of the columns at Trinity College
A doorway at Christ Church
These next photos were taken at Glendalough, which is roughly between points A and B on the map, and right along the coast. The area is famed for its early Medieval ruins. The following pictures are of the monastery and grounds established by Saint Kevin in the 6th century. Try wrapping your mind around that number.
The old stone arches that lead you into the monastic grounds.
Tip toe through the tombstones
Perfect ruins
Basking in the glory
Huge monastic ruins
Perspective.
The Round Tower.
View of the Round Tower through a cathedral window
Close-up of the Round Tower. The tower is about 98 feet tall and the only entrance is about 12 feet up.
You might recognize this from the MOI tab... This is by far my favorite spot on the planet. I had to be dragged away with brute force.
Another view, this time without me clogging it up.
The next photos were taken at the Rock of Cashel. If you reference the map, we’ve now moved over to point C.
Perhaps my favorite photo I've ever taken. On our way up to the Rock of Cashel, we passed by a little stone arch set in the wall. I poked my head through and discovered this scene, one of the most beautiful passageways. Someday I'd like to go back and actually see what's on the other side of that gate.
Actually, here's the archway that led to the view captured in the previous photo.
My mom actually took this one, (and all of the ones of me, obviously). I remember her spending about ten minutes trying to catch those birds in flight because they kept landing when she was about to take the shot.
Look how thick the walls are.... No wonder it's still around. I should mention that it was built circa 1127.
More exterior.
Angles.
Here's a view of the cathedral that I'm particularly proud of.
Focus on the windows.
Also taken inside the cathedral.
Another favorite. View of the graveyard outside from the cathedral interior.
More ruins in the fields surrounding the Rock.
These last shots were taken at Ross Castle (point D on the map).
I mentioned a few posts back that I went to see Of Montreal with my friend Rachel. Well, here’s the blag post I promised I would write about it. Let’s start with a picture of the first time I saw them. It was at the same venue as this recent show, the Roseland in Portland. Also, please excuse the horrible quality of some of the photos in this post… They’re cellphone pics, what do you expect?
Of Montreal, the first time around
I know, I know, the photo is awful. But at least you get the feel of the concert. Vibrant, colorful, and chaotic. Of Montreal is considered to have one of the best live acts, and they certainly didn’t disappoint. When I saw them in 2008, among other stage antics, the lead singer, Kevin Barnes, stripped out of his white pants and turquoise sequin jacket and spent most of the show in a gold speedo. Later on, he was “hanged,” and painted red, only to be resurrected as an angel by emerging from a coffin to be covered in whipped cream and feathers. Yeah, that kind of show.
UPDATE: My friend Phillip who went to the 2008 Of Montreal show with me has generously granted me access to some seriously amazing photos he took at the show. Enjoy!
Kevin Barnes
More mostly nakes Kevin
Ziggy anybody?
My absolute favorite.
Hands in his pockets like he's no big deal.
GIANT HANDS
Note the pink-haired boxer.
Another personal favorite.
Annnnnd a cowboy.
So, as you can see, Of Montreal had a lot to live up to. And honestly, they didn’t quite measure up to their own standard.
One of the highlight’s of the show for me was the opener, Janelle Monae. Monae shouldn’t be opening for anyone. She has this raw talent and power that just blew me away. Here’s a picture of her performing, courtesy of Rachel.
Here’s a photo I stole from the Internet. I love her style.
Here are a few videos of her work. “Cold War” is my personal favorite especially with the Sinead style video, but “Tightrope” is equally fantastic.
After Monae wrapped up her set, the stage was redesigned for Of Montreal, and one of the most Surrealist concerts ever staged started. The real problem I had with Of Montreal’s performance was the lack of climax. Sure, last time I saw them they were insane, but as you can see by the pictures Phillip took, the show had a sense of build-up. This time around, the antics were still there, but the order holding it together was missing. Was it a great show? Oh of course, it was fantastic. But it wasn’t quite as good as the last time around.
Here are a few of my personal favorite Of Montreal songs, in case you have no idea who they are/what they sound like.
By the way, here’s a picture of me, pre-concert.
Before picture. You can't quite tell but I'm wearing all of the glittery eye makeup on the planet.
Memorable Moments: A giant Chinese dragon of dancers. A HUGE “fake” TV was wheeled on set and Barnes disappeared. A group of dancers all wearing giant papier-mache skulls sat down on stage facing the TV and rainbow bars came up on the screen. And then it shifted to a black and white live feed of Barnes walking up the stairs of the Roseland singing a number. And then there were the feather canons inside the papier-mache heads the dancers were wearing that sent feathers absolutely everywhere.
Music: The set was naturally heavy on False Priest material, but it also was big on Hissing Fauna, which was much appreciated. I was disappointed by the general lack of Sunlandic Twins, but I’ll get over it. I was also a bit surprised they didn’t play “Wraith Pinned to the Mist…” I mean, I’m sure they’re sick of it, but the concert seemed incomplete without it. I could tell just about everyone in the audience expected it as an encore, which would have really rounded out the concert. Instead we got two Michael Jackson songs (admittedly “Thriller” was a bit appropriate with Halloween just a few days later).
Rachel and I also made so friends at the concert. I present to you Ashley and Ian from the band Shake It For Grandma.
So yeah, that was good.
On the way home, once we navigated some monetary issues regarding paying for parking (I pimped Rachel out for cash) (not really, I sold a kidney) (okay, FINE, we borrowed money from a friend), we were dying of thirst. The following picture captures one of the few successful attempts at getting something from a drive-through on foot. They actually filled our water bottle for us.
I was the stooge walking through the drive-through. Rachel documented the moment.
Let’s get some after pictures of the show:
Covered in glitter and paint, yep yep
I'm so tired.
Overall, it was a great concert experience. Not the best show I’ve seen (that post is for another day), and not even the best Of Montreal show I’ve been to, but certainly a great time more than worth the cost of the tickets.
Another Les Mix. Get excited. Get crazy. Then wind it back down. This post’s theme is sort of folky. Hope you like. And remember, I’m always down to make a hard copy with sweet art if you want. All you have to do is ask.
Oh, and before I forget! As it turns out, quite a few people out there have been lurking around the blag (unless one person is just sitting at their computer refreshing my page). Don’t be shy. Comment, let me know what you want more of, let me know that you’re out there. Also, check out the MOI tab at the top if you don’t really know me, or want to learn some useless random facts about me.
Anyway, on with le blag.
1. Curs In The Weeds- Horse Feathers
I love the steady build-up and what they do with strings. That violin is stunning.
2. Hymn #101- Joe Pug
I feel like Joe Pug is sort of a modern Bob Dylan. Not to say he’s as good, just that he embodies that spirit. I like the way he sounds like he means his lyrics. And his lyrics are fantastic. “I’ve come from down the road,/And my footsteps never slowed./Before we met I knew we’d meet.” And the last verse? “And you’ve come to know me stubborn as a butcher./And you’ve come to know me thankless as a guest./But will you recognize my face/When God’s awful grace/Strips me of my jacket and my vest,/And reveals all the treasure in my chest?” That’s pretty powerful. I think we can expect some great music from him in the future.
3. Cinder and Smoke- Iron & Wine
Who doesn’t love Iron & Wine? This one always gives me chills.
4. Frank, AB- The Rural Alberta Advantage
5. Rain On- Woods
6. Golden and Green- The Builders and the Butchers
I don’t care if you don’t like any of the previous songs in this post. I don’t care if you don’t really listen to music. I don’t care if you don’t have ears. If nothing else, play this clip. I’ve known about The Builders and the Butchers for a while, but never took the time to look them up until recently. The video is amazing (I love the nod to Darger’sVivian Girls). The song is unbelievable. I really recommend reading through the lyrics on this one.
7. Matchstick Maker- The Bowerbirds
One of my favorite songs of all time. I was worried at first about only being able to find live videos, but I almost prefer this live version to some recorded options. The footage is beautifully filmed, and the lyrics are pretty incredible here too, “Branded skin, broken vessel/Took a job in the city/Making matchsticks/To start other men’s fires.” It’s hard for me to pull out one lyric from this one… “And the rule of the land is more like a strong suggestion/As this strong current begs for the open ocean” and even little details are gorgeous, “Gravity toils away.”
8. Skinny Love- Bon Iver
Another favorite of mine. Bon Iver has this incredible, wistful sort of sound that always reminds me of the woods in winter, quietly waiting for spring.
9. Train Song- Feist and Ben Gibbard
This track is from the Dark Was The Night album that came out last year. If you haven’t heard it, get your hands on a copy. Also, I think Feist and Ben Gibbard need to collaborate more.
10. Hands in Pockets- Laura Gibson
I first heard this in the Bistro (Willamette University’s student run coffee shop) last year and fell in love. Gibson is a Portland native who writes music alternating between charming and haunting. This is one of her more upbeat works, but the rest of her music is equally lovely.
What do my friends and I do when we have some free time? Lurk up cemeteries, of course. A few weekends ago we spent a rainy night fence-hopping into a massive graveyard. Ma chère amie Rachel took some really wonderful photos of our “Grave rave,” as she called it.
New type of post! Introducing Album Walkthroughs. In these I’ll be picking one of my favorite albums, discussing its merits and reviewing each and every track (I suspect this last clause will KILL me when I get to Joanna Newsom’s triple album, “Have One On Me”).
Keep in mind that this is all strictly my opinion. A lot of the things I’ll bring up are nostalgia-related. Which is certainly a big theme for today’s Walkthrough.
I’m starting with Neil Young’s 1970 album After the Goldrush. Here, have some cover art:
When I was a kid, my parents played seriously good music around the house. I won’t name specific albums, since I’ll probably be posting about them at some point and I know you all just LOVE surprises, but to give you a taste I grew up with the Beatles, Cat Stevens, Carole King, Janis Joplin, Simon & Garfunkel, and Bob Dylan among other great musicians.
After the Goldrush is one of the quintessential albums of my childhood. I remember listening to it with my dad and realizing just how wonderful music could be. I’m so grateful that my parents played those musicians for me as I grew up. Consequently I never went through the “Britney” or “boy-band” phases. I was too busy with my classic rock and folk.
I feel like this is a good time to post a picture of me from around the time in my life I was getting into this music. I give you le petit Hannah:
Little Hannah down the shore. What do you guys think of the bangs? I've been contemplating bringing them back (after about 12 years of retirement).
So, let’s start unpacking After the Goldrush, shall we?
Tack 1: Tell Me Why
Talk about a strong way to start an album. It’s a song about losing love, finding love, and coming to terms with yourself. That’s essentially the classical pop/rock trifecta. Young’s imagery is spot on. He always gets me with the second verse when he sings “Tell me lies later/come and see me/I’ll be around for a while./I am lonely but you can free me/All in the way that you smile.” It’s effortless and relatable, just like the rest of the song. Throw in that great little four note guitar lead-in at the beginning of the song, and you have the perfect intro to an album.
Track 2: After the Goldrush
When I first heard this album I had no idea what getting high meant. I didn’t know about the 1970’s. None of it mattered. The song is full of wonderful imagery and it sort of unfolds like a storybook. It was the perfect song for a kid to get into because it was magical. Knights, a queen, an archer and silver space ships? It’s like Robin Hood meets the future (incidentally Disney’s Robin Hood [the one with the foxes] was my favorite movie as a kid).
Track 3: Only Love Can Break Your Heart
Can you imagine a 7-year-old bouncing around the house singing along to a song about love breaking you to pieces? I wonder if there’s footage of that somewhere. I always liked the juxtaposition between the acoustics and the lyrics. It certainly isn’t the most upbeat song, but by Young’s standards, it’s positively cheerful sounding. The lyrics on the other hand play out a different story. Another relatable song that let’s you know, “hey, rock stars have a shit time with relationships too.”
Track 4: Southern Man
Oh.My.God. Talk about one of the greatest angsty transitions/intros ever. The song itself is a commentary on slavery and the inequality still rampant in the south. You can tell Young really cares. He isn’t just putting out another generic love song to make a buck, this is music created out of actual feeling. Plus, it sparked one the of the greatest rock “feuds” of all time.
Track 5: Till the Morning Comes
A sweet little song about waiting around for someone. The few slightly different lines are repeated, enhancing the notion of a busy mind waiting for someone to call. I always loved this one because it’s one of the few things that I’ve accidentally taught myself on the piano. Plus it’s got those rad trumpets. It’s also a nice cool down song after all the pent-up energy of Southern Man.
Track 6: Oh, Lonesome Me
The most mournful harmonica ever. This one’s easy to unpack. Breakup song. Done. The greatest thing about it is that harmonica. I also love how he describes being broken up with as being “set free.”
Track 7: Don’t Let It Bring You Down
I’ve heard that this track is an anti-Vietnam song, but I don’t know for sure. What I can tell you is that it has been and always will be my favorite song on the album. The imagery is dead on, the lyrics are spotless. Even as a little kid the images of that old blind man lying dead by the side of the road “with the daylight in his eyes” really moved me. And the chorus is great because it continues that flow of beautiful images, but eases up on the shivers you get from the dead man. “Don’t let it bring you down/It’s only castles burning,/Find someone who’s turning/And you will come around.” I also love the lines “Come on down/to the river of sight/And you can really understand,” in the second verse. And then the image of the red lights flashing and the sirens? Growing up, the first house I lived in was right near JFK Hospital and I have some powerful memories wrapped up in this song of those red light flashing against my window as the sirens wailed and the ambulances tore down Grove Avenue.
Track 8: Birds
Another song about lost love and future prospects. Really beautiful and slow. Lines like “Nestled/in your wings my little one/This special/morning brings another sun” are just too good to be overlooked. This might not be the most dramatic song, but it’s dependable.
Track 9: When You Dance You Can Really Love
Another bouncy track to bring you back up from the melancholy one preceding it. This time Young is back in the game.
Track 10: I Believe In You
This track is so lyrically complex. It deals with a seriously complicated relationship. There’s trouble, but everyone’s trying to slog through it. The main message is spelled out in the title. It’s also a great song because even though it deals with love, you can apply it to romantic love or the love you have for your friends.
Track 11: Cripple Creek Ferry
Another upbeat song, heavy on imagery that really puts you somewhere else. I’ve always enjoyed the way the song fades out at the end. Definitely a good way to wrap things up.
MUSINGS
All in all, I think nostalgia plays a huge role in my love for this album. I don’t know how I would feel about it if I hadn’t heard it 7 squillion times as a kid and made all sorts of associations with it. It doesn’t really matter though. I know some of the songs on it aren’t the best, but there are other tracks (hint: ones with video) that are spectacular.
So. I’ve been bad. I haven’t written for a few days. But I needed a break. Not just from blogging, but from everything.
On Thursday I went to see Of Montreal with my lovely friend Rachel. I’ll do a post on that as soon as I get pictures. In the meantime, I’d like to talk about how I spent yesterday. Because yesterday was roughly seven squillion kinds of awesome.
I woke up at 6:30 AM (which is just wrong, especially on a Saturday) and after a bit of delay, I got out the door and on my way to a major antiques, vintage and collectibles expo in Portland. I’ve been saving for this thing for a few months now, and it was completely worth it.
There were over 1026 booths.
I’m going to let that sink in for a moment…
Over 1026. It was insane.
I went with my fabulous apartmentmate Morgan, and my marvelous friend Shannon. We had a wonderful time walking around, and they were really good at helping me find things on my wish list to blow my money on. I got some fantastic deals and some really great pieces. Want pictures? Yeah, that’s what I thought.
Early 20's day dress. Several sizes too large, but I'm not sure if I want to do alterations on it.
1940's, leather, essentially mint. I'm in love. It's HUGE, but just small enough to work as a carry-on bag. Have I mentioned that I'm in love?
An Art Nouveau sterling wax seal stamp from the late 1890s. The stamp portion is blank, so I can have my own initials engraved on it.
A cute little 30s felt hat with great little veil and feather details.
Jackpot! 6 spoons from the 1904 flatware set that I'm collecting piecemeal. My goal is to eventually have service for 12.
A close-up of the pattern. It's called Fleur de Luce and it was made in 1904 by Community.
Sweater clips! Shaped like leaves!
By the way, it’s Halloween! Happy Halloween gents and ladies. I’m currently at work (I work in a library for those of you who don’t know), so I decided to dress today as a sexy librarian. Irony: I always dress this way. Halloween just gives me the chance to label it as a costume. Here are some outfit pictures though, to help satisfy your vintage lust.
You can’t see in the picture, but of course my stockings have black seams down the back. The sweater was purchased in one of my favorite antique shops in New Jersey. And the amazing dress is from the lovely Julie of Fab Gabs. Julie sells by far the highest quality vintage I’ve ever seen. You should check out her shop and buy yourself something special!
They’re (obviously) Halloween themed. The dangling pumpkins actually have little faces (I guess that would make them Jack-O-Lanterns, hunh). And talk about fuzzy, oh man…. SO FUZZY. I’m afraid to put them on because I might never want to take them off again.
I really do love socks.
My favorite type of socks are super hefty nordic-style ski socks. I used to leave them in the back of my drawer and only take them out when I went skiing. I’ve seen the error of my ways. Ski socks are fabulous. In winter, they obviously keep your feet insanely warm and comfy. In warmer weather, they serve as great house slippers.
I have a problem though.
So sad.
I wear my ski socks too much. I’ve started wearing holes in the bottoms. Perhaps I should…. BUY MORE! Problem solved.
Socks are good for more than keeping your feet toasty.
La la la, can't hear you
Did you know that sock puppets LOVE to give kisses?
MUAH
I think socks are really underrated. Socks can be beautiful, practical, and best of all, your friends.
Okay, so today I’m launching a new type of post: Les Mix.
Giving and getting mix CDs has really shaped my (ready for a lame phrase?) “musical identity.” A significant portion of you reading this post have either given me a mix or gotten a mix from me at some point in the past sixish years. There are some songs that I completely associate with certain people (MHS Christmas mix makers, I’m looking at you).
Les Mix posts will contain a ten song playlist, with video clips and write-ups on my thoughts of some of the music. If you provide me with a blank CD, I’ll burn you a copy of the mix complete with bonus tracks and awesome hand drawn cover art.
Let’s start, shall we?
1. Sun Was High (So Was I) – Best Coast
I got into a bit of a debate the other day about the merits of Best Coast, so I thought I should start with them. Normally I prefer music that makes you think, but Best Coast hits the nail on the head for me. It’s so refreshing after listening to “deep” music with broody lyrics and melodies. Best Coast cuts straight to the point, and still manages to sound solid. They epitomize the feelings we all have that are often poorly reflected in other pop music.
2. Floating Vibes – Surfer Blood
3. Gut Feeling – Devo
Yes, the video is in Italian. No, they don’t even get to the part of the song with lyrics. Doesn’t matter. It’s such a good song. I’m sure you almost fell off of your chair when you saw it was by Devo, because all anybody ever thinks of in relation to them is “Whip It” and the cone hats. Turns out Mark Mothersbaugh is actually talented.
And here, just because you asked nicely.
4. Paddling Ghost – Dan Deacon
Seriously great song and video. Deacon’s build ups are amazing. This is the sort of song that you might listen to and hate at first, but it’ll make its way into your skull and refuse to leave. Three days from now you’ll find yourself singing it in the shower, and realize you’re hooked.
5. Brothersport – Animal Collective
6. Psychic City (Voodoo City) – YACHT
I saw YACHT open for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs last year and was really impressed. Their live show is insanely dynamic and they had such incredible energy. And this video is tops.
7. Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) – Arcade Fire
I really need to do that Arcade Fire retrospective. I don’t care if Blondie did this already. It’s beautiful.
8. Soft Shock – Yeah Yeah Yeahs
9. Halfway Home – TV On The Radio
10. Islands – The xx
I love the “video purgatory.”
Hope you guys liked this… Give me some feedback! And seriously… Get me a blank if you want a hard copy.
So, I know that some of you have been looking forward to today’s post because I may have said it was going to be about socks. Don’t fret, you’ll still get your sock post. Just not today.
There is a very solid reason for my change in plans. I just got a package!
I like how the video says when the world is going to end. Good reminder.
Anyway, here’s the important package:
It's from mom and dad!
My parent’s send me the best packages.
I wonder what's inside?!
"Concert tickets," for those of you who can't read backwards.
I’m going to see Of Montreal on Thursday, but the tickets got shipped to my NJ address instead of my OR address. Glad they got here in time. Expect a concert blag.
Shall we continue unpacking this beast? Oh I think so.
Thanks for making it easier for me to stalk my favorite band!
Arcade Fire graced the cover of SPIN. I’m sure my dad contributed this to the package. I saw them for the second time a few weeks ago. Maybe I’ll do a retrospective concert post?
Rigatoni!
I don’t think I’ve told either of my parents how much I miss the Italian subculture from the east coast, but they seem to have picked up on it anyway. I don’t miss the guidos, but I would consider selling a kidney for a real slice of pizza.
Check out my peeps. The only friends I have.
This is the third year away from home that my mom has sent me Halloween themed peeps. This is the only time of year she ever buys them. Now that I think about it, it’s sort of odd that she doesn’t buy them during peep (Easter) season. She does, however, always buy a bag of those Robin’s Eggs malted milk balls.
Face palm (this goes out to you Gabe).
You’re probably wondering why I’m face palming here. Funny little story. When I moved into my apartment this year, my mom came with me. We rented a car to make traveling with all my luggage easier. We also went to Trader Joe’s. They sell the delicious biscotti pictured above. We bought four bags of the stuff, thinking it would be good to stock up on it for breakfasts, etc… I completely forgot about it, and literally only remembered I have it all when I saw this box in the package. If you live in Oregon and want some biscotti, hit me up because I now have five damn boxes.
Granola bars: Convenient snack. Very Tasty.
SHHHHHHH! I'm absorbing the calories.
A mysterious plastic bag!
I bet there's something exciting inside.
Headphones!
Shortly after arriving at school this year my normal little ipod headphones crapped out and I had to toss ’em. Thus, I’ve been using my giant Bose noise-cancelation headphones. Which is only really a problem when I go to the gym. It’s impossible to look like anything but a tool when you’re on a stationary bike with headphones the size of Russia. Now I can exercise like a normal person!
Mondays are so silly. At least they are according to my schedule. My weeks tend to start with a bang and end with a whimper.
What fascinates me about Mondays most is that they’re the universally hated day of the week. Every once and a while you’ll find someone who really loathes Wednesdays or Sundays for some personal reason (work obligations, most likely), but everyone seems to be unified in hating Mondays. I bet it’s an international thing too. I bet the whole world is united in hating that day of the week, if nothing else.
It isn’t illogical to dislike Monday… For most people it signifies going back to the daily grind after a (hopefully) pleasant break from reality. Even people who have work to do on the weekends usually prefer that time to the weekday crunch. On the weekend, at least you have more freedom in determining when to do your work.
What also really gets me is just how socially popular hating Mondays has become. There are tons of songs out there solely devoted to the art of being pissed off by/on Monday.
My personal favorite:
I’ve always loved Fats Domino because his smile can make anything better. This is my go-to song for those mediocre Monday mornings when I need some cheering up.
Of course there’s the classic “Manic Monday” by the Bangles, but you don’t get a link because I hate that song.
Even Wilco got onboard the Get Bent Monday train:
The Mamas and the Papas laid down “Monday Monday,” which you would think contained all the Monday angst out there (sung in typical 60’s sunshine pop style), but then Tegan and Sara had to go and one up them with this:
Personally I’ve always found the chimp creepy.
The Allman Brothers’ “Stormy Monday” is more of an ode to how much everyday of the week sucks, but they picked Monday for the title, so they get a clip in the blog. I expect you to watch all eight minutes and forty-nine seconds of this thing.
You get the point. Mondays suck. The only reason The Happy Days theme lists Monday as a “Happy day” is because you’re happy you aren’t Richie Cunningham.
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