Holidays and Insulin Shock

I've posted about my love of cake before, but in honor of the holidays I'm posting one of my favorite sites, http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/ They have some great and hilarious holiday cakes for your enjoyment.

Also, check out recent baking enthusiast John Mayer's latest entries on Interfaith Baking, and check out some of the cool cake pictures that fans have sent in. Link here.

Merry Christmas to all! Diets start Friday!

More Required Listening

I avoided listening to Raising Sand, Robert Plant's collaboration with Alison Krauss, for a long time. It just seemed too odd to work. For those who don't know. Robert Plant was the lead singer of Led Zeppelin, probably best known for singing Stairway to Heaven and generally inspiring Heavy Metal. Alison Krauss is probably best known as the poster child for Bluegrass music and was heavily featured on the O Brother Where Art Thou? By all rights this shouldn't work. Who even suggested this collaboration? Well, whoever it was is a freaking genius because their album together is one of the greatest things I've ever heard. Highly recommend that you sample some tracks.

As I Lay Dying

I managed to get sick midway through my tax final. Thankfully, I didn't know anything about the subject anyway so it didn't affect my performance. I'm just hoping for that All important C-. At this point, my motto is C's get degrees.

Before finals, I went and dropped a wad on Amazon's mp3 shop. For those of you still downloading from iTunes or pirating from limewire, get with the times. Amazon is where it's at. The music is DRM free. Restricted music is so last year, as is getting sued.

As I've basically been stuck at home in bed waiting out the chills, dizzyness, headache, and crazy David Lynchesque nightmares I haven't had much to do except zone in and out of consciousness while listening to my iPod. So, without further ado, here's the latest recommendations for your download list.

Old 97's- Question and Murder or a Heart Attack

What's that you ask? When did I get into alt country? Get with the program, peeps. Alt Country is where it is at. The Eagles, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, if they were around today they'd be lumped into the Alt Country category. Don't forget that Wilco emerged from the remains of Uncle Tupelo, which was the poster child of the Alt Country movement in the 90's. That said, I defy you to find anything as catchy as Murder or a Heart Attack. I love this song. It gets caught in my head and keeps me company all day long. Kind of like the voices which tell me to burn things.

Apologies, but youtube only had a decent video for question. Still a good song, but not AS good.




The Helio Sequence- Lately

The best thing to come out of the White Stripes revolution is the realization that a band only needs two people. Sorry Bass players, but most of you are just glorified metronomes. Anyway, the two man line up is about where any similarity with the White Stripes ends. The sequence sounds a lot more like Coldplay with Bob Dylan as the frontman. It's good stuff.



The Kooks-Always where I need to be.

Yet another example of Indie Rock being more than whiny dudes with an acoustic guitar. I'm a bit of a latecomer to the Kooks, as they've officially become so buzzed about that they're essentially mainstream at this point (They have an actual music video. Sellouts!). I don't care, I don't have any street cred that needs preserving.


Neutral Milk Hotel- In an Aeroplane over the Sea.

Speaking of whiny guys with acoustic guitars...

I've always thought the best musicians were the ones who could hold their own in front of a crowd with nothing but an acoustic guitar. NMH is pretty much from forever ago, but it's amazing how unknown they remain in most circles. Bonus points for the horn solo in the middle.

The National-Mistaken for Strangers and Fake Empire

I was going to post the video for Mistaken but then I found out that it was directed by a guy named, I'm not making this up, "Thread Count." I'm not going to lie, it's pretty much killed the song for me. Maybe enen the band. Too bad because they were really good. Here's the band live on Letterman.


Ra Ra Riot-Can you Tell

Darn it, picking between favorite Ra Ra Riot songs is like picking between you children. St. Peter's Day Festival is also a treat. This band is one of my recent favorites if for no other reason than they have an electric cello and it actually sounds good. And you know my feelings on cellos. They are the audio equivalent of Sylvester Stallone's acting.

Beirut- Scenic World I've heard a lot about Beirut and I've been meaning to give them a spin for a while now, but I've resisted because they have an accordion player. Generally, I feel that the Accordion is like Tom Waits voice: It has no place in music. (Cue angry emails defending Tom Waits). I'm happy to say I was wrong and that Beirut is completely awesome. As synth music seems to be catching on more it's good to hear some novel and organic sounds.


Panda Bear- Comfy in Nautica From unorthodox instruments to no instruments. Panda Bear's A Capella + Sound Effects song is insanely catchy (or is that kitschy?). The song is good enough that I will forgive the dude for stealing the title Panda Bear, which I had long intended to be my Rap Name. I'll also forgive him for using sound looping in his live performances, but I have to tell you that it was likeing finding out there is no Santa Clause.

I didn't like the normal video for the song (skateboarders?), so I replaced it with this one full of Indiana Jones scenes.



Ben Folds- Fred Jones Part II

An oldie, but a goodie, and often overlooked. No one does depressing like Ben, and this song is one of his better forays into Melancholy. The sad tale of a man who's life has passed him by and finds that his usefulness is gone. I included this clip because it features the random and unintentionally hilarious cameo by the dude from CAKE.



The Weepies- The World Spins Madly On

Darn it, this group is like Buckingham Nicks, but mellower. This makes me wish I had the original Buckingham Nicks record on Vinyl. Anyone who wants a good Christmas Gift idea for me, there you have it. Okay, back to the Weepies.

No, wait, we need to go back to Buckingham Nicks. How is Lindsay Buckingham so under appreciated? He was the lead guitarist for one of the most successful groups of all time and he is a guitar savant. He's never mentioned on anyone's top guitarist list and that's just criminal. He's released two solo albums in the past couple years and they are as good as anything Fleetwood Mac did post-Rumors. How is he the least famous member of that group?

Okay, back to the Weepies. I'm telling you, this group has major upside. Look for them to continue to sell their ethereal, mellow tunes to undeserving movies for the next several years, or join a formerly well thought of power blues group fallen on hard times and transform it with their pop influence culminating in a best selling album fueled by divorce and Mick Fleetwood's cocaine habit.

Please ignore the fact that this video was taken from a total chick flick.