I've been a member of this website Last.fm for about a year and a half now, and I don't know why I'm so obsessed with it. It's basically a Facebook for music lovers, letting people create profiles with the twist that it tracks all of the music you listen to on your computer and lists it on your profile. Sounds a little weird, I know, but for some reason it's very appealing.
It tells me how many tracks I've played (18,792 since I joined), the top artists I listen to (Sufjan is number 1) and the top tracks I listen to (number one is 'For the Widows in Paradise, for the Fatherless in Ypsilanti by Sufjan). It also has an up-to-the minute account of the last 10 songs I've played. The site then uses this information to create a world-wide-web of music lovers, telling me who I have the most similar music taste to (someone with the profile name y2penni is my musical match, though Ben is a close number 2) and letting me add friends, join groups, and all that fun stuff.
My problem with Last.fm is that I'm scared it's making music something a little more superficial than it is. I feel sometimes like I'm so focused on adding to my music statistics that it takes away from the quality and art of the music. Sometimes I'll leave a playlist going in my room while I go to class - just so I can add to my profile. This is a weird sensation to me. I mean, I guess it's not a big deal; I still listen to a lot of new music and appreciate good stuff. But with the addition of a record player to my room, I'm finding it interesting that I have this weird insecurity when I listen to the records because they're not tracking on Last.fm. That is weird.
Anyway, I'm not complaining about the site, but it's just an interesting note. Here are my Top 10 artists that I listen to, according to Last.fm (click here to check out my profile):
1. Sufjan Stevens (1,198 total plays)
2. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy (651)
3. Modest Mouse (539)
4. Elliott Smith (472)
5. The Beatles (458)
6. Tom Waits (440)
7. Radiohead (382)
8. Explosions in the Sky (378)
9. Wilco (368)
10. M. Ward (342)
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Bananarchy is online!
It's been a while, but finally my band Bananarchy is online! A video of one of our songs from a recent performance is on YouTube, and we now have a MySpace.
This stuff has been a long time coming; Bananarchy came to be at the end of last year. We've only played a handful of shows, but we've recorded a mix of the 9 or so songs that we've written and we also have a ton of video from our shows. It just took a while to get online. Also, I know it sucks that only one song is up on YouTube now, but I'm sure many will soon come.
If you're curious, Bananarchy was the brainchild of Will Deaton and Aaron Schlagbaum, who thought it would be funny to wear banana costumes and play punk rock. They sat on the idea for five years or so before all of the pieces came together. Now we are the premier fruit-based punk act in Athens! Alright!
So yeah I realize it seems like a gimmick, but I don't care because it's a heck of a lot of fun to play. So check out this video (not the best quality, but more will soon come) and see what you think! Oh and I'm the drummer...so you can't see me at all in the video, but you can hear me ok. Enjoy!
Mood: energetic, angry, hungry
This stuff has been a long time coming; Bananarchy came to be at the end of last year. We've only played a handful of shows, but we've recorded a mix of the 9 or so songs that we've written and we also have a ton of video from our shows. It just took a while to get online. Also, I know it sucks that only one song is up on YouTube now, but I'm sure many will soon come.
If you're curious, Bananarchy was the brainchild of Will Deaton and Aaron Schlagbaum, who thought it would be funny to wear banana costumes and play punk rock. They sat on the idea for five years or so before all of the pieces came together. Now we are the premier fruit-based punk act in Athens! Alright!
So yeah I realize it seems like a gimmick, but I don't care because it's a heck of a lot of fun to play. So check out this video (not the best quality, but more will soon come) and see what you think! Oh and I'm the drummer...so you can't see me at all in the video, but you can hear me ok. Enjoy!
Mood: energetic, angry, hungry
Friday, September 21, 2007
Denison Witmer...pretty impressive
Just got back from seeing Denison Witmer at The Front Room. I hadn't really heard of him before, aside from seeing his posters around Baker and having enough curiosity to preview some of his songs on iTunes. But then I read today that he's friends with Sufjan Stevens, and naturally I was interested. So I checked out the show, and he did not disappoint.
He has a very folky feel, as I kind of expected. It was just him and an acoustic guitar, which actually kind of distracted me... he played mostly very soft, gentle tunes that he described as 'sleepy,' and I just have a very hard time concentrating on live performers who are straight-up acoustic. The 'intimate' setting of The Front Room was appropriate, and his songs were spot on and catchy. It just dragged a little because they were all SO gentle. Maybe I was just freaking out from the 4 cups of coffee I had drank previous to the show. Who knows.
Anyway, I could tell the music had great potential and probably was better suited on CD, so it could be played when I was in the right mood. I picked up his latest, 'Are You a Dreamer,' as well as the double-CD 'Safe Away,' half of which is an acoustic/live EP. Turns out this was a great decision; both are awesome, and it's obvious I can focus more on them and appreciate them in the 'intimate' setting of my bedroom. I'll be soaking this stuff up for a while.
Cool thing about Denison Witmer too is that he has a website, http://www.happybirthdaydenison.com, where he has posted a ton of free live mp3s, most of which are similar to the show at The Front Room, straight-up soft acoustic folk (his records have some other instrumentation.) Pick these up and listen to them when you just want to chill.
Mood: chill, intimate, happy, reflective
He has a very folky feel, as I kind of expected. It was just him and an acoustic guitar, which actually kind of distracted me... he played mostly very soft, gentle tunes that he described as 'sleepy,' and I just have a very hard time concentrating on live performers who are straight-up acoustic. The 'intimate' setting of The Front Room was appropriate, and his songs were spot on and catchy. It just dragged a little because they were all SO gentle. Maybe I was just freaking out from the 4 cups of coffee I had drank previous to the show. Who knows.
Anyway, I could tell the music had great potential and probably was better suited on CD, so it could be played when I was in the right mood. I picked up his latest, 'Are You a Dreamer,' as well as the double-CD 'Safe Away,' half of which is an acoustic/live EP. Turns out this was a great decision; both are awesome, and it's obvious I can focus more on them and appreciate them in the 'intimate' setting of my bedroom. I'll be soaking this stuff up for a while.
Cool thing about Denison Witmer too is that he has a website, http://www.happybirthdaydenison.com, where he has posted a ton of free live mp3s, most of which are similar to the show at The Front Room, straight-up soft acoustic folk (his records have some other instrumentation.) Pick these up and listen to them when you just want to chill.
Mood: chill, intimate, happy, reflective
I realize this is nerdy...
Ok I've resisted making a blog since senior year of high school because I feel like it's kind of nerdy. In fact, I know it's kind of nerdy. And I'm sure I'll take a lot of flak for this, but oh well.
I'm starting this because I've been looking at other blogs for far too long and wondered what it would be like to share my own thoughts with an audience (even if that audience turns out to just be my mom...haha who am I kidding my mom doesn't know how to use a computer.)
Of course, for those who know me, they won't be surprised to hear that I'm going to primarily focus this on music. What I'm listening to, what I want others to listen to. I could talk about music for hours on end, and I regularly visit other blogs that do this same thing. So why shouldn't I?
Hopefully I'll regularly update this, but I honestly have no idea what kind of commitment I'll have to it. Basically I'm just going to share as often as I can what I'm listening to at the moment.
My life has a soundtrack. Find yours. I'll try to help.
I'm starting this because I've been looking at other blogs for far too long and wondered what it would be like to share my own thoughts with an audience (even if that audience turns out to just be my mom...haha who am I kidding my mom doesn't know how to use a computer.)
Of course, for those who know me, they won't be surprised to hear that I'm going to primarily focus this on music. What I'm listening to, what I want others to listen to. I could talk about music for hours on end, and I regularly visit other blogs that do this same thing. So why shouldn't I?
Hopefully I'll regularly update this, but I honestly have no idea what kind of commitment I'll have to it. Basically I'm just going to share as often as I can what I'm listening to at the moment.
My life has a soundtrack. Find yours. I'll try to help.
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