B&W

How come things generally look so much cooler in Black & White?
This is from maybe 2 years ago? Me and Carrie G. in the Big Yellow Bus.

Magic, Jimmy!

2 minutes after I finished my "magic" act, I had a much better idea for a magic act. Perhaps I'll do it sometime. If I had made the Entire set SILENT and used notecards when I was talking to the audience member... it would have been much better.
I've never done magic before and I thought it was pretty queer the whole time, but I tried. I thought doing it in a 'character' would give me something to invest in. I am in 4th place now. One place lower than last week. boo.

Next week is our Writing/Musical Theater challenge. We've been paired up and we have to perform a duet from a Famous Broadway Musical. Crescent and myself are doing the song "You're the Top" from Anything Goes. We're emailing our ideas for the scene we have to write - that leads into the song.

Next Stop, Broadway!

thumping the tub

oh boy...

Yellow House

Geez,
I haven't been as obsessed with an album as I am with Grizzly Bear's Yellow House in a long time. I guess it's because of the movie City Of Lost Children and the sync up with this album. I had never seen that movie, but I watched it when I heard about the sync... which works for the most part. You should try it.
Ever since I did it, I have been listening to this album from front to back nonstop. It is a beautiful and perfect winter album. Horn of Plenty is nowhere near as good as Yellow House.
Do yourself a favor and pick it up. It's slow and a bit of a grower, but once it gets in your head... you won't be able to shake it.

Speaking of Shaking it...
I've been working on my next Impress These Apes challenge. A Dance. I had my friend Chrissy help me choreograph it. It's great. Stay tuned for the update.

Big Mean Arlo

So while I was at work, Stacey was at home winning a giant nail-clipping-wresting match with this little monster.
From what I hear, The battle lasted 30 to 40 minutes and had Stacey holding the monster in various positions in order to keep him both content (good luck) and in a proper cutting position.
Apparently, after all was said and done - Arlo hid for 15 minutes (to muster his strength) then came back for a rematch. He knew he was defeated, but he was ready for a second bout.
Stacey gave him his BIG MEAN KITTY and he ripped its ear open.

He's a cute little monster, that's for sure... but at least his nails are now trimmed.

Stan Dup

Week 2 of Impress These Apes.
Stand Up.
Bonus Points for:
Jokes about Men VS. Women
Jokes about White VS. Black
a Catchphrase you repeat at least 3 times.

I got all the bonus points and have moved up a rank.
5 out of 8.

Spiderland

Pitchfork posted today that there is a music festival happening in Spain this summer in which most of the greatest indie bands will be playing. The Primavera Sound Festival will feature (among others) Modest Mouse, Built To Spill, Low, Isis, Band of Horses...
but the most exciting news: SLINT.
After regrouping (after 10 years) this past summer, Slint played a few shows and stopped, saying they would probably never play again. They even went so far as to sell a lot of their instruments and equipment on eBay.
I think the bug has bit them again - as they are to be performing their masterpiece album SPIDERLAND in its entirety.

I wish I lived in Spain.

oh boy

Somebody was tired after a busy day of running and acting crazy.
After he gets all his craziness out, Arlo is a perfect baby.

the babies

With 2007 being my 'year of challenges', I have made myself a little too busy with projects, shows, rehearsals and everything else. I'm prepared to figure out what the hell I want to do with my life as far as a 'career' goes - so I'm diving head first into a bunch of projects that challenge me.
I get home after a busy day of work, followed by a show, followed by Open Court on Thursday to find these two cuties slumbering on the couch together.
2007 is shaping up to be cuter than 2006 already...

Watch me mess up my song. Apes Week 1

I made the music too fast and too wordy.
I know that now.

Week number 2 is stand up.
I think I'm going to be trying some character stuff.
We'll see what develops.

Arizona (the band)

In November of 2006 I was introduced to the band Arizona.
Holidays, work and everything else caused me to not really give them the attention they deserved.
www.arizonatheband.com
Welcome Back Dear Children - is the name of their album.
It's two parts experimental pop, one part psychadelia. The lead singer's voice is somewhere between Jack White and Brendan Benson (look out, Raconteurs) and the music structure is somewhere around Beulah.
They're a little hard to catagorize, as no two songs on the album sound all that much alike.

When I haven't been listening to the Who: Sell Out
I've been listening to Arizona: Welcome Back Dear Children.

also
Beirut has released a new EP
Lon Gisland is the name of it.
It's available for download at insound.com

Elephant Gun is a good song off it. The rest is short instrumental/full band stuff.
Good for the price.
And, it's Manuary. I'm growing what I call "the Stonehenge". tough...

Happy New Year.

I doubt 2007 could be any cuter than 2006... but we'll see.