The City Veins

Just when you think you’ve seen it all.  Hillary Clinton just led the charge to close the nomination roll call vote at the Democratic Convention and to unanimously accept Obama as the nominee.  Who saw that coming?

Whatever her motivations, you have to give some credit to Hillary Clinton.  Her speech last night went above and beyond what Obama needed.  And this move today just left me stunned.  Given how bitter the primary got, I didn’t know she had this in her.  Either she is the ultimate Democratic team player or one of the most savvy politicians on the planet (probably a little of both).  Either way, I’ve really gained a lot of respect for her since the end of the primary and I have to say that I kind of wish Obama picked her as veep.  I mean Biden’s alright, but he doesn’t win any votes (see this for evidence).  Hillary might have pretty much ensured a victory in the fall.  I was all aboard the change train, but seeing how much Obama has stumbled since March, I’m starting to think there was something to that “she’s already been vetted” business after all.

I think that we spend a lot of time looking for the next new thing in music these days. I don’t have a problem with this tendency, in fact I hope to be the next new thing at some point. That said, I think it is good to look back and find things that were overlooked.

For example, I had heard a lot about Dinosaur Jr. for years, but I didn’t really start listening to them until a few months ago, and let me say that “You’re Living All Over Me” is a pretty awesome album. The songs are really good, but more than that, the album just sounds fantastic. It creates a world of its own. I have always wished I could pull that off with a recording.

I was looking over all of these top album lists from 2005. At the time, I agreed with most of the selections, and I still agree with a lot of them, but now I find the omission of Lee Ann Womack’s “There’s More Where That Came From” to be criminal. It has become one of my favorite albums of the decade. It is touching and witty in the ways the country music is supposed to be. It has humor and tragedy, and fantastic songs. It is pretty much a perfect album.

By the way, 2005 was a pretty great year for music. You have Spoon’s “Gimme Fiction,” Hold Steady’s “Separation Sunday,” “Apologies to Queen Mary,” “Illinoise,” John Legend’s “Get Lifted” and Kanye’s “Late Registration.” That is nuts.

I’ve been growing a little tired of guitar-driven rock lately (we’re still in love, we’re just taking a break so I can see other types of music) and I’ve been listening to a lot of WPGC and 93.3 these past few weeks.  The result is I have a fairly steady soundtrack running through my head all day, as hip-hop stations repeat songs even more frequently than rock stations.

Here’s a sample of what’s running through there now:

• Young Berg - The Business
• Usher - Love in this Club (if I hear three notes of that synth part, it’ll be in my head for weeks, BUT I do love this song, though I know I shouldn’t).
• T.I. - Whatever You Like

and a whole bunch of other songs I don’t know the artists for because hip-hop stations are even worse than rock stations at telling you who they’re playing.

Oh, and get your ass to Dahlak (1771 U St) for our FREE SHOW TONIGHT with our friends FEVER.  What else do you have to do on a Wednesday?  10 pm bitches.

10 pm.

I currently have 3 different video game systems plugged into my television and I only read comic books. Normally this isn’t a problem, but tomorrow I am getting braces and it puts these two facts in a whole new context. I am 12 again.

I agonized over the decision to get braces. The big problem for me was the thought of turning 30 and having braces. I am still not really comfortable with that idea, but the more I thought about braces, the more I hated my teeth, and that led to my appointment tomorrow.

I have been told that the type of braces that I am getting are not noticeable farther than 3 feet away from me. I don’t really believe that.

Oh, and I will have to wear rubber bands as well.

What does this mean for you gentle reader? First, I anticipate that the having metal on my mouth will propel me to Kanye Westesque heights, so you should take this opportunity to suck up to me now. Also, Wednesday at Dahlak will give you the first opportunity to come out and make fun of me in person!

HERE*     and     HERE

*(part of Rock-n-Romp)