Rising Up Slowly and Getting Higher

On Augustana‘s self-titled third album, they opened new doors and kept open the ones we frequented. Beginning with the album design itself, Augustana was reigniting that love we shared for 2008′s Can’t Love, Can’t Hurt. The story the album tells begins with meet me at the water and ends knowing full-well You Were Made For Me.

The deeper, sentimental tracks are highlighted by exploding tracks like Steal Your Heart, Counting Stars, and Shot In The Dark. This is the Augustana we always knew they could be; letting go of a little of the angst, embracing solace, and refining their talents. Even if most won’t notice their lyrics or the magic of a minor chord, the masses will at least notice their more polished sound.

Shot In The Dark boasts their future and past successes, “rising up slowly and getting higher / i been livin’ with a hole in my heart / weighin’ down on me but i’m a fighter / i know i still got a shot in the dark.” They possess far more confidence and experience than six years ago and this album highlights the band’s true, unadultered sound. Hence: Augustana.

Toward the end of the album, songwriter Dan Layus croons- 

Your mama taught you what to love / But she never taught you how,

Well sinners sin with the saints / and givers give what they take, &

I’ll make it rain from an empty sky / if you just stay here tonight

And that’s the just the thing about this band; a band I feel so close to; as long as you’re listening, really listening, the album will click to the end and you’ll just understand. The best way to get an understanding of someone is to listen to things they say; in this case, those words are just accompanied with mean harmonica solos and instrumental guitar sections.

And years from now, I will not remember the second-rate band with whom they toured, or that the album didn’t receive enough acclaim, I’ll just love it the way it is. Just as I cherish their previous albums, this is enough for me. The second my ear recognizes Hurricane, I’ll be overcome by a sudden calm; taken to the place where I am free. Do you want to see it?

 Mimi

Ain’t No Rest For The Weasels

On Real World Wind in the Willows Season, Nany lost her long deceased estranged father, gained a stepsister, and came to her senses to dump her newt boyfriend, Adam. Realized this experience was supposed to include some kind of growth in the second-to-last week? Way to finally accomplish things on your to-do list!

The roommates had fun and didn’t bicker for a change; with Adam ignored and abandoned across the street from their hotel. Way to vacation on top of their vacation. Having a “crazy” time now, weasel boy?

Meanwhile, Mike Mike reconnected with his estranged mother, trying to cram two years of change into two days. None of the roommates’ moms seem to be in a good shape, or uphold remarkable histories, but at least Mike’s mom isn’t racing like Dustin’s. That woman is just addicted to her women’s competitive NASCAR racing…

Next week we will leave the wind behind in the willows and the most sickening couple since Knight and Jemmye…or Ty and Emily…or Ayiia and herself…will have to split up. No more Rescuers’ mouse fun for you two!

Mimi

How Totally Electric Feel

Everything about Foster The People‘s debut album, Torches, screams summer. Between techno blips and rumbling beats is the falsetto anthem complaining of a shot heart and of course flaunting you better run / better run / faster than my bullet. Domineering drumming only lets up for a soft piano-spun chorus, and then dives back in like a band member crowdsurfing.

FTP give off a very Cali beach vibe, a bonfire beach party possibly to symbolize torches, a rough current to accompany the melancholy tunes. The beach is hardly a place you want to leave just as you wish the album might not end but continue crooning to the beat.

The mood is undeniably upbeat and the choruses are chanted until the listener finds them either irresistable or unbearable. And that might just be the way of this band, too. They are unabashed, they’re playing music the way they want, and the resistance is squarely with them or against them; a line in the sand.

Mark Foster’s songwriting shines on tracks like Waste and Don’t Stop [Color On The Walls] and his style often mirrors that of MGMT. The most keen resemblence by far is between FTP’s Houdini and MGMT’s Electric Feel. But just as any artist, they will share similarities with others. Throughout this album I’m also reminded of The Drums and Phoenix. Maybe not groundbreaking work but a commendable attempt indeed.

Nevertheless, this band plays up each word and each chord with a sense of triumph and bravado, as if they have already accomplished a great feat in the music industry. No one can tell Mark Foster he isn’t winning, just go ahead and let him be the Charlie Sheen of Beach Pop/Synth.

“Count high low / don’t worry my eyes are closed

I’m the superman and it’s my show.”

Mimi

You’re Marrying a Robot – What the Hail!

Saturday Night Live delivered its most solid episode of the season on the final night and here’s a short synopsis how…

Nearly-cast member Justin Timberlake was hosting this week, accompanied by musical juggernaut Lady Gaga, and they delivered some classics. Starting the night off dressed in beer and wine costumes, the duo played out one of Justin’s classic skits; competing with Kristen Wiig, who was dressed as a drab teabag. Next we had What’s That Name, where Justin Timberlake was ultimately faced with naming a member of *nsync who was “not himself, Lance Bass, or Joey Fatone.”

Weekend Update presented us with a limp Really?! with Seth, and the ever-entertaining Get In The Cage with Andy Samberg’s spot-on impersonation of Nicholas Cage. Get In The Cage was once again starring guest Bradley Cooper, now pitching Hangover 2 (last time it was Source Code). At the end of Weekend Update, Seth’s special friend, Stefon, whisked him away to a summer vacation and left us with a smile. Really?! with Seth and Stefon would be smashing.

Another round of Secret Word, and quite a workout for Bill Hader tonight, this time Justin was a cheap 1960s magician. At this point you’re pretty impressed with the show. Adequate digital short, some newer material, and the show’s almost over. Expecting the final skit to be something like Kristen Wiig trying to throw something in the trash and instead dancing for five minutes, well, they sure didn’t torture us like that again.

We’re starting to think, after last week’s epic Ambiguously Gay Duo skit, that Jimmy Fallon never really left. And these were just the words we wanted to hear! Talkin’ it up on the Barry Gibb talkshow, talkin’ ’bout chesthair, talkin’ ’bout crazy-cool medallions, talkin’ it up. Barry Gibb indeed survived the rapture.

Mimi

Vacation Vacation

Real World, Wind In The Willows season:

Well, Moustin finally admitted it, calling Mike “the biggest weasel ever.” No, Whiskers, you are the biggest weasel ever.

Then the roommates were treated to a vacation on top of their vacation, personal concierge and all. As if they had worked so hard for it and the Hard Rock was just like living in the slums. Since Naomi couldn’t swim, she whined, “I can’t take this, I can’t take this.”

So Dustin took Mike’s legitamite advice as a harsh slight; got drunk, and threw his fists around. He tried to fight Mike Mike, who really wasn’t up for the fight but they wrassled for a while, that is, until Cooke slammed mouseboy to the floor.

Dustin decided Mike would soon miss their strong friendship, consisting of his hairstyling abilities…Nope. Mike’s doing alright and Moustin got to see those schoolchildren. That makes some happy critters.

Mimi

Brainwashed by a Sound

You’ve heard it. It’s featured in the Maybelline FIT commercial and it’s on basically every network, every hour. Buzzing with the overlaid words, “Don’t change me,” is the song Big Jet Plane by Angus and Julia Stone. The duo are rather eccentric, low-key Australian siblings fighting to prove their name in the music industry just like every other band. Lucky for them, their smooth, melodic whisper and slow, steady beat have been echoing through our ears for months. This might actually be a sign of the door opening for unknown artists through repetition of usually-hated commercials, like when The Temper Trap was featured in a Coca-Cola ad last year. Subtle brainwashing? Maybe so.

 

Mimi

The Good Loves Are The Crazy Loves

The spring finale of Gossip Girl was full of surprises, from ambiguously gay moments exchanged between Nate and Dan (“I’ll tell you later – I promise”) to the scheming of greatly unlikable characters. Russell Thorpe had captured Blair Waldorf within Chuck’s latest Bass Industry development but was thwarted in the first fifteen minutes of the show.

In the strangest and least likely turn of events, Chuck and Blair ended up at a Bat Mitzvah and celebrated with the commoner guests. Afterward, they reunited in their typical fashion in an empty room to the sounds of Adele’s recognizable moan.

Blair went to ‘fess up and break things off with her prince but Chuck Bass intervened and pushed the couple on with their engagement. Next time they are stuck in this love triangle might just be at the alter. Poor, clueless Louis.

Then shallow Serena made a lame, limp apology to both Dan and Nate for constantly toying with them…And little Serena brought their attention abck to herself. There was a lot of that.

Chuck’s parting words to Blair, after giving her up to Louis, were inspiring if not pre-determined. “Don’t let anyone tell you you’re not powerful.” “But I need to let you go. You need to let go.”

In the convenient May staple, “three weeks later” transition to goodbyes and talks of the future, Rufus announced that Russell would be serving 20 years, Charlie was getting shipped out of the city, and B and S once again filled us in on their summer plans, this time spent apart. 

Serena assured us she chose herself over any man but what would her summer have in store for but a man? Oh, to be a Serena Van Der Woodsen. Meanwhile, evil Vanessa published Dan’s book and was to reap the rewards in Spain, surprise surprise. Charlie turned out to be a con named Ivy (and, no, you only know that name from 90210), headed back to NYC with her hush money. And a positive-reading pregnancy test was abandoned in Blair and Serena’s bathroom. Any bets on a Baby Bass?

Mimi

Can You Call Me Serena?

On this week’s Gossip Girl, Jack and Nate helped Chuck plot against his new nemesis in an odd turn of events and then Nate ‘fessed up to Raina so maybe she won’t be so spiteful to him and Chuck anymore. Serena tried to warn Dan that Charlie was not as precious as she seemed but he didn’t take her word for it and then, boy, did the freak flag fly.

Charlie almost convinces to Dan to “do it on a desk”; Constance Billard’s principal’s desk, no less. That is, until she moans, “Can you call me Serena?” Wait-what, indeed, Humphrey. Way to go, making Vanessa look like the good witch. But then again, it’s not as if Dan Humphrey hasn’t kissed stranger suitors.

 

And next week, on the season finale, we look forward to Blair Waldorf being held captive! Things aren’t so Upper East Side anymore, now are they?

Mimi

Reaching The Sea

These are a few of my go-to music choices…

 

Francis by Coeur de Pirate (French Pop)

Beatrice has an absolutely lovely, beautiful voice. Mysteriously soothing.

 

Anything off Brothers by The Black Keys (Rock/Blues)

This album transports you to a spot in your subconscious you didn’t even know existed.

 

Underneath by Hanson (Pop/Rock)

The liquid melancholy dreams of this album make me feel more than any movie, album, or person could. Many of the songs are bluesy and sad, but a few are fiery bullets like Lost Without Each Other.

 

The Bear by Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers (Rock/Country)

Songs ranging from delightful; Shady Esperanto and the Young Hearts, to destitute; Lonely in Columbus, this album will keep you enthralled.

 

“On my door that drip and drop.”

A Chance of Rain by Bedouin Soundclash (Reggae)

Bright, crunchy chords; imagery of bright, sunny days and mandals.

 

Honey Come Closer by the Push Kings (stoner Cali tunes)

All I wanna do / is take it high with you / now black and blue / and blown away

 

Anything off The Sea by Corinne Bailey Rae (R&B/Soul)

A sad and touching album full of grief, renewal, and the peace of reaching The Sea. 

Call it what you may…

Mimi

Blair Waldorf: The Next Grace Kelly?

On Gossip Girl, the recent theme of royal weddings ended up in Blair’s lap and she had a sudden dilemma of who to marry, a subject many 19-to-20-year-olds face on a regular basis. Chuck Bass, slowly getting cut off from his friends (didn’t this happen already?) tried to, “use a rock to get out of  hard place.” Yet Blair not-so-surprisingly, chose royalty.

Meanwhile, Serena’s pointless, sneaky little cousin, Charlie, sunk her claws into Dan Humphrey and we kept Vanessa around for no reason whatsoever. Nate is fed up with Chuck. Raina is fed up with both of them. And Serena tried plotting against Blair but realized the plotting is more of a Blair affair anyway.

On One Tree Hill, the writers were trying to make us carsick, seasick, and morningsick. Flashbacks on top of other flashbacks, a couple flashforwards, and Jamie referring to himself as Casey…inside hs head. Nothing was happening in the present, mindyou, but a little league game where all the kids keep striking out.

Weak plot points for Alex, not pregnant, and Chase, who nearly missed the game because it was necessary for him to stand at an airport and think introspectively. Worse plot points for Quinn, who got a spray tan, and Clay, who was somehow most upset at Ian. And Nate and Haley were boring and still pondering the ways of Dan Scott.

But at least Brooke got pregnant before Alex. Way to go, Brulian. Looks like NYC will have to wait until never.

Mimi