The Zimmermann Note

From the Liner Notes From Animal Collective’s Merriweather Post Pavilion

Merriweather Post Pavilion is an outdoor music venue in a place called Symphony Woods in Columbia, Maryland. It was designed by Frank Gehry in the 1960’s, and they’ve been having concerts there from 1967 up through today. We used to go to shows there while growing up and have fond memories of times spent on the lawn. For most of the time we’ve been playing together, both in Animal collective and the years before, we’ve tried to make music that would be deserving of an amazing outdoor listening experience. As both a name and a place, Merriweather Post Pavilion represents this for us.

I think whenever you make a statement like I did that this album is the best album since Wilco’s ‘Yankee Hotel Foxtrot’ that you essentially are left with your dick in your hand; sorta like a first date when you blurt out ‘I Love You’. You better be under some heavy drugs or completely inebriated for such a comment to fly. Most times, you will get a weird look and “Well . . . it was interesting . . . before you crawl into the corner of your bed contemplating the misery and your ineptitude among other things.

However, I was neither on any smack, ludes, hash, or any banned substance which would make me blurt this out. . . just me myself and my trusty computer screen here to guide my way.

There is a point in the first song on Merriweather Post Pavilion (MPP), exactly 2:31 into the song that it just explodes in your brain.  A moment of pure ecstacy and delight that could in some cases make the rest of this album insignificant. There can be no more pure moments in rock and roll but at that moment, two minutes and thirty one seconds into this song where you picture thousands of people at a show feeling that same energy.  That everything is peaceful and perfect and alright in the world.

If I Could Just Leave My Body For The Night . . .

The rest of the album is not insignificant and leads the listener into its hippie cauldron of bliss.   However, this is not a hippie album by any measure but an album that transcends styles and ideas at a more universal approach. I was bundled up this week during the cold Midwestern weather walking to work. . . it was sunny, frigid, and MPP was blaring on my iPod and the streets were silent, as if I was having a Vanilla Sky moment. As cold as it was as my eyelashes were freezing together, I could not help but feel the warmth of the music.

MPP is a progression of Animal Collectives sound mixing the best from their last work, ‘Strawberry Jam’ and Panda Bear’s ‘Person Pitch’

MPP is not a dance album but you want to dance to it. Its an electronica album but you would not think of it as true “Electronica” because its almost organic human characteristics surrounding the music. The lyrics are not going to blow you away as it is not doctorate level poetry but who says that it has to be?  Do lyrics have to provide us with some deeper meaning in life or is it the construct to mesh with the music that is provided on the disc? Not everyone can be Dylan, not even  Dylan himself.

Do I think that there was a reason that the CD of this album is intended to be released on January 20^th for a reason? I would guess that the Inauguration of President-Elect Barack Obama has something to do with it. MPP offers that same hope and optimism that should be

The album probably has 5-6 really standout tracks which, depending on the fan you talk to will give you a different answer. The opening track, In The Flowers opens the album up, setting the mood as described above and is followed by ‘My Girls’ a moment of pure bliss pop electronica.

‘Bluish’ is its love song, the lyrics ‘lucid’ and dreamy as the music while ‘Lion In A Coma’ is all about beat and rhythm featuring the ethnic African beats while still sounding fresh and receptive. Brothersport ends the album in a frantic pace, as the dance rhythms take you over.

I would suggest the best listening experience would be to either crank these tunes up very loud to appreciate the heavy bass or wear headphones and get drowned out in the summer atmosphere.

While we are only in January, I am going to be hard pressed to find a better album this year. Something will really have to jump up and surprise me to beat this from start to finish and if it does 2009 would expect to be an amazing year in music. 

2008 became a very difficult year to review in my opinion. It might have been that there was very little that caught my ear this year, however, I believe it has more to do with the subpar music that came out this year compared to 2007. Who knows, in a year I might be saying the exact opposite. Comparing this years top ten to last years, there would probably be 4 albums that match up to last years top albums, and two of those bands (Deerhunter and Of Montreal) were on last years list as well.

I guess I could offer a glimpse of last years music in a trance-laced podcast I put together of some of my favorite tracks. You can download it here.

2007 Podcast of Best New Music 

I have not figured out if I will do one this year or not. I planned to do it this weekend but fell ill.

10.   Beach House –Devotion  – Continuing on their ‘devotion’ to slowcore and shoegaze. Fans of ‘Low’ might appreciate their music tranquilized before they do the same to themselves.  

9.     Fuck Buttons – Street Horrrsing – For me this electronica album makes it for its uplifting premise.

8.     TV on the Radio – Dear Science – TV on the Radio is bringing funk back to rock and roll. This is on the edge like Prince was in the early 80s, with great guitars, dark landscapes and great vocals.

7.     Lou Reed – Berlin: Live at St. Ann’s Warehouse – While this is a live album, I really think that it finally makes “Berlin” right. This is one of my favorite Lou Reed albums, albeit not his happiest release ever.

6.     Vic Chestnutt, Elf Power and Amorphous Strums – Vic Chestnutts unique vocal talents and words matched with Elf Power’s music is worth the effort.

5.     R.E.M. – Accelerate – Surely not their best album but this is not half bad with some of the best tunes they have written in years.

4.     Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes offer that beautiful folk pop that will make groups like Simon and Garfunkel and the Mamas and Papas jealous.

3.     Deerhunter – Microcastle/Weird Era. Cont – I am not sure which of these albums is better but presently it would have to go to ‘Weird Era. Cont’ with its beautiful ‘Calvary Scars LI / Aux. Out’, a 10 minute droning guitar piece.

2.     Portishead – Third  – Sometimes when bands take long breaks, their reunions are a mess. That is not the case here. Portishead reinvents their trip-hop style making it feel current.

1.     Of Montreal – Skeletal Lamping – Kevin Barnes writes another masterpiece in my book with Skeletal Lamping. Probably not the type of album that you want your kids to listen to but definitely the most difficult album to get your hands around. While there are 15 tracks on the album, it’s actually closer to 150 as they piece together snippets of  20-40 second songs to form this album. Barnes continues on his 70s retro flair on this album, albeit there are plenty of pop moments throughout, just no singles!

My real #1 however, is R.E.M. – Murmurs Deluxe Edition. This album released on it’s 25^th anniversary makes note that nothing even comes close in comparing the standard and quality this album had compared to the music today. Murmur was an album that changed music for the better. Included here on the second CD was a great live show from the era to give fans an idea of what R.E.M. sounded like live during that era compared to the album. There is not a bad note on this album. 

I think that the first question you have to ask yourself is why you are supporting Hillary Clinton.

Are you supporting her because she is a female?

If so then what does that mean to you? Do you believe that her being female that she will support women’s rights? If so what exactly does that mean?

Having anger or spite over an election that was clearly lost is not the same as feeling that you have somewhat been stolen the election which was clearly not the case. Say what you want about Florida and Michigan but both of those states should and will not come into play. This is nobody’s fault. This was not Barack’s fault or even the Democratic Parties fault.

If it is about her being a woman then is it all about that or something else? Is the belief that she will support womens rights and if so will John McCain do a better job of this in the future?

Voting for spite based on an election Clinton clearly lost is not smart when it comes to your future as well as your family and friends.

Voicemail has gotten to the point where callers have treated it like a virtual State of the Union. I cannot believe how many people will call and leave 5 minute voicemail messages and presently I just do not have the patience for this.

In the old days voicemail used to cut off at a certain point, but not any longer, especially at work. These new phones that we went to just go on and on and I think people call with the intent of leaving voicemail messages such as this.

The other problem is that these people ramble on about their lives and then when they get to their phone number they race through the numbers so fast that you can hardly understand them. 

So a word to you all. Leave the voicemail brief. Leave your name, your number and a brief reason as to why you are calling. That is all that is needed.

I am a big Barack Obama supporter, however, one of the historic areas that Barack Obama was able to gather support and votes was by using social networking sites to gather support. As the Washington Post called him “Social Networking King” and other sites championed his cause, he was not only the first black person that will be nominated for a Presidential Primary he was able to build up support from the bottom-up. This is much different from convential organizations that are organized from the top down and describes the premise of this book.

Clay Shirkey’s argument is that we are in a communication revolution. With the advent of the internet, it is becoming much easier to form social groups to organize much better than we could years ago. It is becoming much cheaper to publish material for the entire world to see. For example, this blog, (outside of where it might be censored) is available everywhere in the world and is costing me very little in terms of distribution costs. It is a point in history, that Shirkey explains that we must all be aware of. If we go back through the history of time we realize that there have been those points that have allowed for a greater ability to communicate with each other.

What is different about this revolution is that it is the first time that industry is playing a lesser and lesser role in the ability to communicate and form groups.

If you think back 20 years ago it would have been difficult for a presidential campaign to organize like they could now. It would have to be from the top down, organizing in every city and state as there were not those mechanisms for groups to form on their own. Money would have to be spent organizing locations where they would speak and that information would have to distributed in such a fashion that would ultimately be very expensive to do so.

With tools such as Facebook, however, groups can form very cheaply and at no expense to the organization. Their support is more run by the group themselves rather than from the top which allows for very little guidance necessary.

We see this with tools like You Tube, Facebook, Myspace, Flickr and Twitter to name a few, some of the group forming tools available on the internet. We are also faced with a wide array of information that does not come from conventional sources. A blog for instance might post photos from Myanmar, to show how the government is withholding information or the London Terrorist Subway Bombing photos can be posted on Flickr at the moment of it happening, not just as a way to inform friends that an individual might be okay but to inform the public as well of the disaster as it is happening. Media is not just limited anymore to those corporations that have in the past accustomed to control it.

As successful as the Obama Campaign has been, one of the bigger attacks against the campaign was a video of the Rev. Wright that contained snippets of some of his sermons at the Trinity United Church of Christ. Seinfeld’s Michael Richards probably did not think that anyone would be pulling out their cellphone and video recording his racist hate filled speech at a couple of blacks in the audience. However, once that went to Youtube and was seen by millions, Richards became faced with a dilemma of his own.

Not only are social networks able to be formed but those networks can connect individuals with common interests. For example, the rise of Open Sourced Software became predominant once people had the ability to communicate freely. Where a topic like open source becomes so important is that it allows the users the ability to access the source code and manipulate and or create additions on their own. WordPress (This blog too) for example is open sourced which means that there are hundreds of people working on applications in order for it to work with other applications. Where open sourced differs, is that failure is free. Like other open sourced software, there is no cost for WordPress. Unlike business when there is a cost for any failure, there would be none for WordPress as it is run by dedicated users that support the product. This is needed for innovation as we realize that not every idea is going to be successful. Industry on the other hand has a harder time dealing with failure.

Shirkey’s book should have not just interest within the tech circuit but read by anyone in any industry trying to get a grasp of the tools of the 21st Century.

As an American, for the past 35 years I have seen our nation grow more divisive with each passing year. Red states and Blue states seem to have walls built up and rather than tearing them down we constantly fight and bicker rather than believe that the other side has any logical argument.

As an American, I have always considered myself a bit of a moderate Democrat. As I peruse the three final candidates for election on the Democratic end I want to bring a candidate into office that I believe will be able to work with both sides of the aisle and to bring upon a new chapter in American history that does not look to divide this country but bring it together.

Our country has been wounded by the attacks not from 9/11 but the attacks that have gone on by both sides of the aisle that look to take down the other side with dirty politics.

Carolyn Kennedy wrote in an op-ed piece in the New York Times which described her feelings about Barack Obama as associating Obama with her father, John F. Kennedy. In my opinion, Obama is this person that can bring this nation back together.

On the issues alone, Clinton, Obama and Edwards are all pretty similar.  So for me it came down to who I thought was not just going to inspire me but inspire someone that does not always agree with me.

One of the things that I have noticed in the past 8 years of Republican leadership is that either you are “Good” or you are “Evil”, you are “For Us or you are Against Us”. This divisiveness has created more harm than good. It has taken our friends and made them our enemies.

That is the element that our great nation needs. That is the element that needs to heal our country of its differences and inspire and truly lead our great nation. As I listen to Barack Obama speak as he did last night in South Carolina I am reminded that even we as individuals have become just as divisive and willing to not listen to the other side. Here is a man that has passed this message wherever he has gone, since catapulting himself in the national spotlight nearly 4 years ago when he spoke at the Democratic National Convention.

What has strengthened my resolve for Barack Obama is how he has handled the attacks by both Hillary and Bill Clinton who have tried to paint him as a Black Candidate rather than a candidate. I have always felt support for a candidate not based on their race, gender or ethnicity but their ideas and values.  The last two months have seen me as well go from having a positive opinion of both Hillary and Bill to an overall negative one.  It has gotten to the point where I have questioned whether I could vote for Hillary in the general election if she was the Democratic candidate.

I believe that Hillary Clinton is an intelligent viable candidate for the Presidency.  In the manner in which her husband was a former president would have offered this country the unique experience of rebuilding the country.  What has discouraged me is Bill Clintons lack of empathy this election cycle that has turned me against both of them. I was a big Clinton supporter for years but cannot get past this element that is threatening to divide the Democratic party.

In talking with other people what really has strengthened my beliefs is the idea of so many young people that have been inspired by Barack Obama. I speak to the older generations specifically about this of who do you want to lead our country. Think to yourselves not what your vote means to you but what it means for your children and grandchildren. We see a leader that has different ideas and values of what it means to be president in Obama.

I have listened to many people get driven to tears listening to his speeches which reminds me that politicians still have the ability to move and influence rather than bicker and fight. Barack Obama is the first candidate that I felt has spoken to me and that is why I am supporting him for President of the United States.

With all the problems with our world, I know that there is always one constant in the world that we can always trust and abide by. Rock and Roll.

Rock and Roll, under all the shit that goes on in our lives is the constant. It is what allows our blood to flow, to breathe and see tomorrow.

It is not as Peter Buck might say just a couple of chords and a cloud of dust. Jeff Tweedy said that music was his savior and he got his name from rock and roll.

If I ever went into a coma I would want those around me to put my headphones on, to turn on the Ipod and let the songs breeze through my brain, for then I would be in paradise.

I miss walking around the neighborhood listening to music. I miss the idea that this constant in my life in viewing the moving pictures, images and thoughts are gone. All I have is a blank white computer screen that grasps my inner thoughts.

Rock and Roll is the nectar, the sweet and bitterness. The sour tasting apple, the sweet ripe orange filled with the seeds of growth. In the same way that Adam and Eve bit into the apple, we are both filled with pleasure and sin at the same time.

I can always be counted on though to save me.

Which reminds me, one of these days I still have to write an article about my favorite albums of 2007. The R.E.M. stuff has taken much of my time and while there are tons of politics posts floating through my head, putting a list is imperative in the next couple of days.

Read the Mitchell Report

I have scanned some of the pages to see if my favorite players are on it. Of course the bombshell is that both Roger Clemens and Andy Pettite are on it but also includes the likes of Miguel Tejada, Eric Gagne among others. It will be interesting to see what the fallout from this is.

It is also interesting to see how different players have been treated regarding it. Jason Giambi came clean and for the most part has not had the issues that could be surrounding him now. Tejada has denied involvement as has Clemens and Pettitte earlier when their names were brought up.

What is notable is the amount of New York Players past and present that have been on the list and we are not even close to naming some of the Florida players, (Ivan Rodriguez anyone?)

For some players the punishment of being on the list will be enough to keep them out of the Hall if they were not going to be a shoe-in. Clemens is another story entirely as he has in the last 5-6 years gone to lengths that many figured would never occur again. Clemens 354 victories especially the numbers after 40 are pretty amazing.

Is he Hall of Fame Material though? What is happening with baseball is the crippling aspect that our greatest players have also been the greatest failures. The list goes on and on. Pete Rose, Bonds, Clemens, Palmeiro, Mark McGwire etc. have all cheated the game one way or another. Should they be welcomed into the Hall?

The other question of course would be the borderline cases of clean players? Are their numbers more impressive now?

Frank Thomas should be a shoe-in based on his no-steroids approach. His 500 Home Runs and counting will mean much more today than maybe in years past. Also it should be mentioned that since we do not know the full extent of all the steroid abuses over the years, how do we treat anyone in that category? Can we assume that just because A-Rod isn’t bloated that he could be a roids user as well? As Mitchell explained, this report was only based on the findings that had become known and does not mention the number of people that might still be using Steroids, or even Human Growth Hormone which at this time is still not detectable in drug screenings.

I am happy to see that there were no significant names on the Sox that were listed. Jim Parque was listed although it seems that was done after he left the Sox.  His career ended over the fact that he got injured and could not throw a fastball above 88. I have a feeling this is why he went this route. The other player, Scott Schoenweis was also listed as having drugs sent to Comiskey but he was always a bum anyhow and had a bad attitude.

I must be mad. Kenny Williams is just receiving lumps of coal on his voyage of reassembling the team this offseason.

Listing of Grievances

1. Not signing Torii Hunter, albeit 90 million is a lot for him.

2. Not getting Miguel Cabrera in a trade, which really would have opened the floodgates for additional trades.

3. Losing Kosuke Fukodome to the Cubs even though they offered more money to Fukodome.

4. Losing out on the Aaron Rowand Sweepstakes. They did not want to give him a 5th year.

Fact is that the Sox have little to offer this offseason. They made a lot of predictions of big things but the Kenny Williams bandwagon must be losing his focus. All I can say is that some of the stuff that went on with Buerhle and Dye could have rubbed off on other players. I can also see why Rowand was not going to waste his time only signing a three or four year deal, however, at the same time, Rowand will have difficulty even getting close to those numbers in San Fran. That team has no offense period compared to the protection he got from the high powered Phillies.

 Still I am thinking of getting a season ticket package this season. 13 games would be really awesome. 

From Silicon Alley Insider 

Basically the YouTube Clips from the Zeppelin shows have become blocked and the claims are that this is from Warner Bros., however, there seems to be no official word regarding this as of yet why this is occurring.

Interesting story nonetheless and something to follow-up on.