Saturday, July 02, 2005

Saturday's Playlist #3   This week I put together a playlist for a hangover, or just a lazy Summer day.  This is mellow music that nonetheless has charms to soothe the savage breast.  Another playlist will be up next Saturday.  Ya'll come back now, you hear?   Hangover Music   1.  Tullycraft-Stowaway  Tullycraft is a great twee pop-punk band out of Seattle, and this may be the song you need to complete your mp3 collection. 2.  The Weakerthans-Psalm for the Elks Lodge Last Call  Never mind the mediocre song title.  This is a song of genuine beauty. 3.  Postal Service-Such Great Heights  This song first came out in 2003.  It was the song of the year. 4.  Future Bible Heroes-Hopeless  I heard this song on the radio years ago, and since then I've had little snatches of it get stuck in my head, but I had no idea who played it.  Well, it was FBH:  one of Stephin Merritt's bands. 5.  Honeybunch-Mine Your Own Business  This is just a song I like. 6.  Damon and Naomi-E.T.A.  These two Galaxie 500 survivors are still making good music, but this is from their first full-length album, about a decade ago. 7.  Rilo Kiley-With Arms Outstretched  Rilo Kiley is one of my favorite bands right now, and while this is the only song available for legal download, it's also one of their very best. 8.  The Lovekevins-Blame the English  Not feeling so good?  Have a hangover?  Blame the English…you'll feel much better. 9.  The Elected-Greetings in Braille  This is the other band of Blake Sennett, one of the people from Rilo Kiley.  10.  American Music Club-Another Morning  After a ten-year hiatus, one of America's best bands is back together. 11.  Badly Drawn Boy-Something to Talk About  You probably remember this song from the movie About a Boy.  Or from the radio; or from the CD.  This is a song you should already know about, but in case you don't… 12.  Matt Devine-Hey is for Horses, Ben Lee-Don't Know What You've Got  This is a split download; Matt Devine has been a sideman, producer, or engineer for a number of bands.  "Hey is for Horses" demonstrates he really should sing more often.  The Ben Lee performance is a cover of a Pet Chop Boys tune; there's just a touch of menace to the song the way Mr. Lee plays it, and with that touch of menace, we'll call it a playlist. 2:49:21 PM    comment []

The Minnesota Senate Race:  The Democrats   Earlier this week I wrote about the President's poodle, the dismissable Republican Representative Mark Kennedy, who is running for Minnesota's open US Senate seat.  Now, I should introduce you to the Democrats seeking the seat.  It looks like it will be an expensive race.  Patty Wetterling, who responded to the kidnapping of her son Jacob by becoming one of the nation's most prominent and effective child-safety advocates, is running for the Senate seat.  She first ran for office last year, against, ironically, incumbent Rep. Mark Kennedy.  She showed the ability to raise lots of money and demonstrated a steep learning curve, despite being ultimately unsuccessful.  She lost fairly close in a fairly conservative district; she would be expected to do better statewide. But Hennepin County Attorney Amy Klobuchar is expected to win the Democratic nomination.  She's also an excellent fundraiser, and is very popular in Minneapolis, the largest city in the state.  She's also a much more experienced politician than the formidable Ms. Wetterling.  Another Democratic candidate, Kelly Doran, may be a factor due to the ability to self-finance his campaign.  The fourth candidate, Ford Bell, is a non-factor. 10:32:20 AM    comment []

Quote for the Day, 7/2/2005   "The Socialist who finds his children playing with soldiers is usually upset, but he is never able to think of a substitute for the tin soldiers; tin pacifists somehow won't do…Human beings don't only want comfort, safety, shorter working-hours, hygiene, birth-control, and, in general, common sense; they also, at least intermittently, want struggle and self-sacrifice, not to mention drums, flags, and loyalty parades."   -George Orwell 5:05:07 AM    comment []