Our lack of population density in east Idaho makes for some great fishing and, unfortunately, a pretty weak music scene.
Jay Farrar of Son Volt
Good bands rarely come through town, but one of the all-time greats showed up this month.
I was stoked to watch Son Volt play at our local ski hill. I've been a fan of Jay Farrar's music since Uncle Tupelo's early "No Depression" days. The band did not disappoint, busting out classics like "Drown," "Grindstone," "Windfall" and "Chickamauga."
Son Volt's set will go down as the highlight of my summer.
Trampled By Turtles
The Targhee Bluegrass Festival sweetened the pot this weekend with Trampled By Turtles, The Infamous Stringdusters, Greensky Bluegrass, Spirit Family Reunion and many others.
If this keeps up, I am going to be spoiled rotten.
Thought I'd check in with some initial photos of the fingers post-frostbite. The swelling has gone down significantly but the blisters are still out in full force. Feeling and color have come back to most areas in both hands, but my left ring finger, left middle fingertip and right pinky are still discolored and inflated. These are the areas to watch out for over the coming days.
Initial Stages of Frostbite in My Left Hand
The good news is that it looks like I am going to be okay, despite my foolish behavior last week.
It takes some time for that "textbook frostbite look" to set in. Apparently this is an example of what I have to look forward to in about 10 days.
I spent the afternoon at the vice while listening to Calexico's latest album "Algiers." I've been listening to the Tuscon-based band for about 10 years now and they keep getting better with age. While their earlier works have been heavily influenced by mariachi/Tejano music, "Algiers" features a lot of underlying country, folk and rock themes. They've certainly evolved as artists over the years. Not to worry, though - "No Te Vayas" offers up some old fashioned Mexican melody just like the good old days.
It amazes me the same nation that produced the McRib sandwich, multiple formulaic teen pop stars and "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" can also produce something as nuanced, rich and wonderful as Calexico. There is hope for us after all.
Listening to "Algiers" is like sitting on a porch in a rocking chair on a summer evening while smoking a fine cigar. You just take it all in and let it resonate - and it is beautiful.
I still think "Aerocalexico" is their strongest work, but this one is remarkable nonetheless. I highly recommend you check them out if you haven't already done so.
Last weekend's soiree with old friends in the park reminded me of how much I love road trips. Seriously, is there anything that says "summer in America" more than a road trip?
Without a doubt, the soundtrack is a crucial component of any worthy excursion; so bust out some brews, Doritos and/or Funyuns and get ready for the ultimate road trip soundtrack.
Son Volt, "Windfall" - After Uncle Tupelo's unfortunate demise, Jay Farrar knocked the ball way the hell out of the park with the opening track on Son Volt's first album "Trace." If this is not the greatest road trip song ever written, I don't know what is.
Farrar is one of the most gifted songwriters in American history. Rock critics have been kissing Jeff Tweedy's ass for decades, but Jay's the real prodigy. If there were any justice in the music business, he would be a billionaire.
Lucero, "Sixteen" - This is the video for "Sixteen" but honestly there are 20 or 30 Lucero songs that should be on this list. Just when you think Ben Nichols had used up every last hook, he comes up with a dozen more. This is Americana and it is what Memphis is supposed to sound like. Unlike most rock bands, these guys actually get better with each new album. Hell yes.
Built to Spill, "Car" - A great tune from Idaho's own Built to Spill. In 1996, I road tripped for two months straight across the western US with my friend Mike. We listened to "There's Nothing Wrong with Love" every single day of that trip. Sure, "Perfect From Now On" had been out for a few weeks, but our stoke on this album could not be quenched. I liked Tree People, but I love Built to Spill.
Their "Keep it Like a Secret" LP from 1999 is very close runner-up. See "Carry the Zero."
Lee Perry, "Blackboard Jungle" - After all these years, it's still hard to beat the Upsetter.
Jawbreaker, "Save Your Generation" - Yes, it's on a major label and no, it's not "24 Hour Revenge Therapy," but it's damn good. Shouldn't that be enough?
Beastie Boys, "So What Cha Want?" - This is as good as road tripping music gets.
The Pogues, "If I Should Fall From Grace With God," - Subaru used this song in a minvan commercial and now Shane MacGowan has a new set of teeth. It's a close race between this record and "Rum, Sodomy and the Lash," but this one also has "Bottle of Smoke," which has some of the greatest lyrics ever written. It is impossible to have a bad day while listening to this song.
Guided By Voices, "My Son Cool" - In the 1990's, Guided By Voices was 'the next Beatles,' except most of America didn't give a shit. In 1995, I drove from Gainesville, Florida to Atlanta and back again in one night so I could see Guided By Voices play before work the next morning. It was well worth the effort.
Robert Pollard wrote hundreds of songs and many of them are gems. This one is my favorite.
The Replacements, "Answering Machine" - I got to see the Replacements play live twice. The first time, they were completely hammered and couldn't play their instruments. I (reluctantly) saw them live again two years later and was blown away. Paul Westerberg can do no wrong in my book.
I came home late last night from a five day journey in Las Vegas for an annual work convention. After interacting with grown-ups in business suits all week and walking among the slot machine zombies, I was reminded we are completely and unequivocally doomed as a civilization. Seriously.
I was excited to get the hell out of Babylon and back to the flats for some therapy. Unfortunately, Idaho was experiencing another major cold front and it was a case of deja vu from last weekend, with freezing rain and temps in the '40's.
There's an old farmer's joke in eastern Idaho: "Around here we have two seasons - winter and July."
When Mother Nature is less than cooperative and the weather makes our friends at Blackfoot Reservoir too lethargic to feed, I have another "go to" spot in a different body of water with warmer water temperatures, benefiting from a natural spring. While it's great to have some relatively warm water to fish, the carp in this early season clear water are wicked spooky.
Fortunately, I was able to find a willing player in very shallow water before it started sleeting.
Here is the protocol:
1) Schedule work around fishing;
2) Schedule fishing around the weather;
3) Make it happen.
Sure, my family is at the top of the priority list, but they are in Ohio for another four days and it's Memorial Day weekend.
If it warms up tomorrow, it'll be carp at the reservoir. If not, I'll chase some trout. Probably a little of both over the weekend.
The salmonflies are hatching on the Henry's Fork River. While the Henry's Fork is one of the most majestic places on earth, I just can't get enough carp.
Let's face it, punk rock has sucked for a long time. But hardcore punk was pretty new and exciting to me as a teenager in the early-to-mid 1980's...especially the bands coming out of Washington D.C., Boston, Austin and Chicago. Miraculously, it all still sounds good to me after all these years.
Here is a very brief sampling of some of the best bands from that era.
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Although there are fifty-eleven MINOR THREAT videos on the internet, they all have terrible sound quality - except this one from the 9:30 Club in 1983.
See also: Marginal Man, Faith, Void, Rites of Spring
Dog bless Austin's own BIG BOYS! See also: The Offenders, Dicks, MDC
Boston produced militant straight edge bands like SS Decontrol and DYS and, at the same time, coke-snorting boozer bands like GANG GREEN. It was all good.
However, the greatest of all time was Washington D.C.'s BAD BRAINS. They were the best live band I have ever seen and they played both hardcore and reggae. It was all great and there was no one else like 'em. I was fortunate enough to see them play on this same tour:
Minneapolis had a great music scene back then and I was blown away by HUSKER DU on their "New Day Rising" tour in 1985.
NONE OF THE ABOVE (N.O.T.A.) put Tulsa, OK on the U.S. hardcore map:
Towards the mid-1980's, a few of the surviving hardcore bands evolved into a great post-hardcore genre. Chicago-based ARTICLES OF FAITH was perhaps the best band of its kind at the time:
Holy shit it was great being a teenager in the '80's.
For more information, Kill From the Heart is a great online resource which documents hundreds of 1980's hardcore bands from all over the world. It's a pretty remarkable collection.
See also Suicide Pills, a great blog featuring hundreds of hardcore bands from the 1980's and beyond.
I got word this morning there is a cool documentary that is about to be released on Boston's early-80's hardcore scene called "All Ages." It will feature SS Decontrol, DYS, Jerry's Kids, Gang Green, The Freeze, Impact Unit, The F.U.'s, Negative FX and Deep Wound. Hell Yeah!
Well, my plans to play hookie from work today and ride the cyclocross bike to an amazing spring creek got stymied by Mother Nature - lots of new snow and 20 mph winds. The spring creek will still be there on Monday.
Spending the weekend in Jackson for the annual kids Easter egg hunt and a bike tour through Grand Teton National Park before the crowds arrive.
Today's song of the day is "For Want Of" by one of Dischord's best bands - Rites of Spring:
Our lack of population density in east Idaho makes for some great fishing and, unfortunately, a pretty weak music scene.
