Siria’s June Playlist
Siria’s 2:05 pm June Playlist
Gray and gloomy is my least favorite backdrop unless it’s leading into dark thundery-lightning striking-full on rainstorms…and I’m safe at home. I can only take about two days max of that, I’m glad I got to escape it at least a couple of times this month.
If I didn’t know any better, I’d think Courtney Love had finally wrangled some deal with one of the remaining big-name studios and we are all on the set of an early 90’s Kurt Cobain biopic where they’ve somehow managed to re-create Seattle weather in Southern California. If someone finds the secret switch controlling this please completely disactivate or rig it so both the on/off only have one effect…sunshine during the day.
With that said, I blame the weather for this playlist.
Deftones – “Knife Party” (White Pony)
Johnny Marr and the Healers – “Another Day” (Boomslang)
If I had to pick between Marr and Morrissey, I’d pick Marr everytime. Yeah, yeah…let the stoning begin.
The Dandy Warhols – “Smoke It” (Odditorium Or Warlords Of Mars)
The Poor Excuses – “I’ll Do It”
Technically, I’m cheating by putting this on my list as I didn’t really listen to them at 2:05 pm…After listening to that Dandy Warhols’ song it made me think of LA based band The Poor Excuses. That made me go listen to them and that in turn made me wonder how they’re doing. Poor Excuses, how are you doing?
Sufjan Stevens – “Casimir Pulaski Day” (Come on Feel The) Illinoise
The Weeks – “Buttons” (Comeback Cadillac)
This Mississippi-based band’s members are all under 20 years old. Wonder if they’re tired of all of the Kings of Leon comparisons? Curious to see what they’ll sound like when they finally find their own true sound. I’m rooting for them.
Mint – “The Winter of 1985″ (Magnetism)
Meatloaf - “Rock n’ Roll Dreams Come True” (Box of Gold)
I’m not sure how Meatloaf snuck into my playlist?… but yes “Rock ‘n’ Roll Dreams” do still come true, even if it’s just temporarily.
ELO/The Move – “Do Ya”
I think I squealed when I heard the cowbell kick in I love Jeff Lynne’s vocals. More cowbell please!
Ace Frehley’s cover on Trouble Walkin’ is cool too though– in that big drums, big guitar kinda way and his version’s video has all of the perfect 80’s cheesiness (Do ya Do ya want the Ace?!), but sadly no cowbell. See for yourself:
Nuclear Assault – “Defiled Innocence” (Third World Genocide)
I don’t like all Thrash Metal, but I do like Nuclear Assault.
The Magic Magicians – “Bored Ticket Taker”
Finally a band from the area of gloomy weather and green green grass (Seattle). Confession: I hate band names that use the word Magic and they do it twice (all in one bandname!), but I do like this song.
David Bowie – “87 and Cry” (Never Let me Down)
I had not heard this song in forever, love this song.
Urge Overkill – “God Flinstone” (Americruiser/Jesus Urge Superstar)
Most people are most familiar with Urge Overkill for their cover of Neil Diamond’s “Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon” from it’s placement on Pulp Fiction
Rilo Kiley – “Portions for Foxes” (More Adventurous)
This is one of those songs I can pull out time after time and I don’t get sick of. It’s probably that demanding “C’mere!” that gets me 
.
Chris Isaak – “Solitary Man” (San Francisco Days)
Hmmm…apparently when the weather is gloomy I like to listen to Neil Diamond Covers? This is my favorite Neil Diamond song actually.
The War For Independence Part IV: Joss Whedon
“I’d rather have a show that a hundred people need to see than a thousand people want to see.”
“Always be yourself. Unless you suck.”
–Joss Whedon
I’m taking a break from my two-parter on Jon Brion, because I haven’t seen his Largo show yet. But I’m going this week (which, by the time you read this, will have been last week), so I’ll get back to him for the next one (which, by the time you read this, will have been the previous one).
About a year ago, I decided to finally cave and watch the entire series of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Ever since, I’ve been saying that my favorite six sequential words in the English language are “Written and Directed by Joss Whedon.” And that title had some stiff competition from phrases like “It was the best of times,” “To be or not to be,” and “Eric, here is a free beer.” But that Buffy marathon really opened the floodgates. I went directly from Buffy to Angel to everything else Whedon did, and even named my most (possibly only) prized possession—my viola—after the ship in Firefly.
Notes From Vivace’s June Playlist
Queen Kwong - “Out Out Out”
Go West Young Man – “Chinatown”
Beatmo – “Treasure Hunt”
Bobot Adrenaline “Radio Tikrit”
Dollyrots - “Because I’m Awesome”
Action Design – “Landmines”
Rick Waines – “Imagine”
NOTES FROM VIVACE – Out to See: The Shakers
I’m plugging my friend’s band. A friend of mine joined a new band called The Shakers. The band only has a handful of gigs under its belt – though they did travel as far as Philadelphia to play one gig. I missed every one of their earlier gigs. One of their gigs (or perhaps it was two) was off in Venice so an easy excuse on my part was that it was just too far away. On a recent night; however, they played at the Bordello, which is much closer to home. So off I headed to see my friend play in her new band.
What’s In My Make-Up Bag – Featured Make-Up Artist Laurene Alvarado
This month’s featured Make-Up Artist Laurene Alvarado shares some of her favorite products, product lines, and where to shop for them.
TRAffIK: What are some of your favorite staple products that you use?
LAURENE: SMASHBOX PHOTO OP UNDER EYE BRIGHTENER- This is by far one of my favorite products. Not only can it be used under the eyes, but I love using it lightly over the ‘t-zone’ to give the false illusion that light is coming thru the skin.
HiP High Intensity Pigments Jelly Balm by Loreal. It gives off great translucent color and it feels so soft, not sticky on the lips.
TRAffIK: What would your advice be for someone who has never worn make-up but wants to start?
LAURENE: Try a tinted moisturizer. Like ELIZABETH ARDEN SHEER LIGHTS ILLUMINATING TINTED MOISTURIZER SPF 15- I use this product on myself as well as others all the time. It gives just the right amount of coverage without feeling ‘makeupy’. It works great as a foundation alone too.
TRAffIK: What is your going out make-up process (either daily morning getting ready or nighttime)?
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Part IV – Jon Brion (Part 1 of 2)
The War for Independence
Chapter 4: Jon Brion
Over the last, oh, I don’t know, twenty years or so, a trend has emerged whereby rock and roll songwriters get to do film and TV scores. The first big example that comes to mind is Oingo Boingo’s Danny Elfman, who first became hugely successful scoring Tim Burton’s movies. Mark Mothersbaugh of Devo became similarly attached to Wes Anderson, Jonny Greenwood from Radiohead recently scored There Will Be Blood, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers of The Police have both done some scoring, and hell, even Toto and Queen had some success with Dune and Flash Gordon, respectively. But the one who made the transition with probably the least amount of mainstream success is Jon Brion (one might be able to make a case for Mike Viola, or somebody else, but I’m making a case for Jon Brion, so there).