More Music

As I have reached middle age, my tastes have turned mellower. Music with the complexity and drama of prog rock or metal perhaps, but with smoother and mellower tambres and gentler themes. More pleasant, less jarring.

Arthur Verocai, Joni Mitchell, Astrud Gilberto, and Hiroshima’s early work pretty much would sum up my current musical tastes…

That, and any Lindstrom and Prins Thomas (examples 1 and 2) and Todd Terje DJ mixes floating out there on the interwebs for that great italo-sometimes-proggy-fusion disco sound…

 

Here’s a tracklist of one of my favorite Lindstrom/Prins Thomas mixes: that Kat Mandu song is incredible.

LINDSTROM & PRINS THOMAS 28th of MAY 2005 Shibuya FM

KAT MANDU – WELCOME ABOARD
NEMESI – COSMICA(LINDSTROM & PRINS THOMAS REMIX)
CHICKEN LIPS – SWEET COW(LINDSTROM REMIX)
LORDY – THE WATCHTOWER(THE EMPEROR MACHINE MIX)
SPACE – TANGO IN SPACE
HAMMER – TUANE
THE ROLLING STONES – CAN’T YOU HEAR…(PT.II SLIGHTLY DUBBED)
CYMANDE – BROTHERS ON THE SLIDE(RUFFY AND TUFFY MIX)
ROCKING HORSE – LOVE DO ME RIGHT(RUB AND TUG EDIT)
MAJOR SWELLINGS – – NOID1978

 

When I got it, the file name was like 05050529-02.mp3. Oh yeah, it was linked from the Riff Raff column in the Village Voice. I liked that column, I think they fired the writer for making up a story though, does the writer have a new column or blog anywhere?  Oh, I guess it’s www.riffmarket.com

 

 

Ben’s Band of the Week #1: O’Death

Well, I’m going to ignore the official themes of this blog and start writing about music.  Mr. Trickle-Down’s tastes are just as eclectic as mine, so I’m sure we’ll hear from him as well.

 Thanks to this fantastic writeup in the Village Voice, I’ve been listening to O’Death nonstop for the last week.  It’s dark, dirty, evil country/hoedown music.  A little Tom Waits-ish too, but that’s a good thing.

When I get back to the US, I’ll order a real copy of their CD…but in China, your best bet for new music is here. 

O’ Death – “Down to Rest”

O’Death –  “All the World”

I will pay $5/gallon

Steven Levitt of the always enlightening Freakonomics blog has a good post on why we should raise the gas tax.   Amen, brother.

When I was last in the US, the price of gas was less than $3…I’m getting ready for the shock!

Picture Yourself in a Boat on a River

A study with very interesting comments on visualization (visualize yourself in the third person, accomplishing things etc) Interesting relations to the placebo effect

“This Is Your Life (and How You Tell It)”

This Study Could Help Upend Years of Economic Thought Re: Altruism

Is altruism “irrational” as many economists think, or is it hardwired in human brains?

This also leads the way to greater citizen participation in deciding where their tax dollars go: I think people should get a menu of choices of gov’t programs among which they can vote to allocate their tax dollars…

“Brain gets a thrill from charity: study”

by Julie Steenhuysen

How to Manage the Downsides of Globalization

OECD Warns Trade May Be Hurting Jobs, Wages

“That finding may not sound like news to critics of free trade or worried workers in the U.S. and Europe. But it’s notable coming from a bastion of economic orthodoxy, which champions open, competitive markets.”

http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2007/06/19/oecd-warns-trade-may-be-hurting-jobs-wages/

Also, slavery and indentured servitude etc is still a huge problem, even in places like China

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118219631919539470.html?mod=hps_us_pageone

AND
calls for outsourcing everywhere, just to stay competitive with everyone else who is outsourcing…

http://www.crmbuyer.com/story/FJnNWKPnQQtN7r/Margins-Eroding-Try-Business-Process-Outsourcing.xhtml

AND

“The Case for Taxing Globalization’s Big Winners”

“A new argument is emerging among the pro-globalization crowd in the U.S., the folks who see continued globalization and trade as vital to the country’s prosperity: Tax the rich more heavily to thwart an economically crippling political backlash against trade prompted by workers who see themselves — with some justification — as losers from globalization.”

“…using the tax code to slice the apple more evenly is far more palatable than trying to hold back globalization with policies that risk shrinking the economic apple.”

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118177155165934441.html?mod=hpp_us_editors_picks

Certainty and the Law, IPOs and Antitrust

Interesting read…policy consideration: a degree of predictability and certainty is very valuable in the law, especially when it comes to complex business decisions: too much uncertainty would be bad for business, hamper innovation in certain areas, etc.

Will the plaintiffs submit a complaint under the securities laws now, and if their complaint was only under antitrust laws, why didn’t they sue under the securities laws also at the same time?

Justices Harden Wall Street Armor

“Lead paint in this day and age?”

The China-made product hysteria now includes toys.  Read this interesting NYTimes article and find out why you don’t want to buy a ‘ghoulish fake eyeball toy’ for your kid.  The East Bay Express gets mad about Thomas the Tank Engine.

I’m curious where this ‘made in China’ fear will lead.  I’m predicting the Midwest US will start reopening all the factories!

If you own an armoured car, you are the boss!

How did Yang Xuekan extort 100 million dollars from people in Tangshan, China?  It helps to own an armoured car! 

Brief article from EastSouthWestNorth, which is the absolute best way to study China (if you can’t read Chinese).

Pictures of Yang’s other cars (and Chinese article) here. 

I should get into New Country

(a little off-topic here – sorry, Mr. Trickle-Down)

Jaded music industry veteran Bob Lefsetz writes an always-entertaining daily rant on his Lefsetz Letter blog.  For some reason, he’s been talking about a lot about New Country lately.  After reading his hilarious description of a Keith Urban concert in LA, I almost want to check some of this stuff out.  He estimates a 10-1 female/male ratio at the show…an amazing stat for a metalhead like me.