BLOGSCHU

Don't try this at home

It's been ages since my last tasty morsel post, but I just have to tell you about the incredible dish I had last night at SPQR in San Francisco. 

Generally speaking, my favorite foods are simple, clean dishes made using the freshest ingredients. But when I go out, I don't want to order something I can make at home, which is why as much as I love pasta, it is not something I often order in a restaurant. Perhaps that is why it took me so long to get to this place, even though I've long heard great things about the handmade pasta and list of unique Italian wines.

Not to worry, there wasn't a single thing on this menu I'd dare attempt at home. Or have ever thought of making in the first place.

In an impulsive moment, I chose, and I quote, "Fettuccini smoked pasta, mendocino sea urchin, smoked bacon, quail egg."

I have no idea how you smoke pasta. And I am not a particularly huge fan of sea urchin. I've only had it once previously as uni nigiri at the insistence of friends who love the stuff. I remember thinking the flavor was nice and briny, but the visual and texture got me imagining it to be the tongue of some sea creature. So that was the end of that.

But for some reason this combination sounded so intriguing, and I figured the texture wouldn't be a problem in such a varied dish, so I went for it.

The dish was beautifully presented; the pasta wound into a tall, narrow beehive in a deep white bowl, with the tiny poached egg perched on top.  Slicing the tower in half to spread the yolk revealed a cache of diced bacon and sea urchin in the center. The combination of flavors was incredibly rich but somehow not overwhelming. 

It was absolutely delicious, and something completely new which made it even more exciting.

What was the last new thing you've eaten that has surprised you?

Gone And Forgotten

Sorry for the late post, I just made it to Cape Cod after a very long day of travel and my internet access has been a bit spotty. Happy mid-summer to everyone!

I recently lost every piece of music that I have ever owned. Every song that I ever purchased on iTunes, every CD that I ever burned and then gave to Goodwill, every sound that I ever recorded. All gone. 

While on vacation, the external hard drive on which I kept the 250 GB of media that comprised my virtual library was irrevocably damaged. The backup that I was sure I had been meticulously making every day at home turned out to be faulty.

It is painfully surreal to lose something like that. In the old days, beyond a fire destroying my entire house, I never would have lost all of my music. CD’s, cassette tapes, and vinyl records are physical conveyors of music. Now music exists ethereally in cyberspace, on hard drives, and soon, in the Cloud. 

Not only is my music gone but it is, for the most part, tragically forgotten. I have no documentation of every track I ever uploaded into iTunes. I remember most of what I have recently acquired but it’s harder to remember what I may have uploaded ten years ago. I mourn for the songs and sounds that I always took for granted: the kick-ass dance songs on the CD that I bought when I lived in Madrid, the obscure jazz recordings that I collected in high school, and the cherished recording of my daughter reciting the alphabet when she was two years old. 

The NY Times recently reported that the use of online resources has not only affected the way we store information but the way we recall it as well; essentially our memory facilities increasingly rely on computers and the Internet as our “primary external storage system.” We don’t need to remember anything when we’re conditioned to find it with the click of a mouse.

That’s scary. What happens if it all goes dark, if for some reason the servers that act as the “clouds” holding all of our treasured music and photos and knowledge suddenly conk out? We may be making a grave sacrifice in this conversion from tangible to cyber.

For now, I guess I have no choice but to make triply sure I back everything up properly and you should too. I have to give credit to Apple for allowing me a one-time restoration of all my iTunes purchases.

Not to fear, all of our Music Monday tunes are safe. Remember, the playlist is now accessible via Spotify. I shared directions on gaining access in last week’s posting. Remember to hit the “subscribe” link within the playlist to get the updated songs each week. Thanks to the hearty few of you who are already subscribing! This week, I believe that all of the tracks are available within Spotify so you should not have to download any MP3's direcly to your computer in order to enjoy them all. I will also provide links to purchase the music directly from iTunes when available.

Here are the tunes for this week’s Music Monday:

"Diamond Girl" by Big Deal from Non Sufficient Funds 
I have to laugh at myself because I came across this song in such a round about way. First, I was emailed a link to a song by the band Big Deal via My Spoonful, a blog that highlights up and coming independent groups. So then I went on Spotify and searched for them and found Diamond Girl by the band Big Deal. It took me a bit of time until I realized that these are entirely different bands, with the same name. Even though this is an old song (2007), I decided to put it in the playlist because I love the lyrics and the melody. 

"Hawaiian Air" by Friendly Fires from Pala
This song captures summer for me. I just love it. Friendly Fires is a UK band whose catchy new album Pala has been very popular since its release in late May. They also recently covered Lady Gaga's "The Edge of Glory" on BBC Radio. 

"Ritual Union (Tensnake Remix)" by Little Dragon from Ritual Union
Ritual Union, from the Swedish band Little Dragons, will be released in the U.S. on July 26th and it's been streaming in its entirely on NPR. There's been a ton of positive early press on this album. This version of the title song is a remix by German DJ/music producer Tensnake that was released as part of a four-track EP in advance of the full album release.

"Sail Away" by The Rapture from Sail Away-Single
The Raptures are NYC dance-punk veterans whose fourth full-length album, In The Grace Of Your Love, will be released on September 6th. This track premiered on stage during a performance by the band in New York. Note: Since I posted this, the single has been taken down from Spotify. If you want a replacement, you can download another pre-released song, How Deep Is Your Love, here and once it is in downloaded into your computer, you can play that in the playlist.

"Breakin The Chains of Love" by Fitz and the Tantrums from Pickin Up The Pieces
I close out with another fun-loving summer tune. I revisited Fitz and the Tantrums after reading a Lefstez Letter in which he waxes poetic about seeing them play recently at the Music Box in LA: "They’ve been hiding in plain sight. Waiting to break through. They’ve been on television, NPR, but still most people are clueless. But I don’t think that’s gonna last for long." They continue on tour this summer and early fall so try to check them out for yourself.

Cheers, Lisa

Spotify: Music Monday Playlist Remedy?

Pardon the mid-week interruption but I wanted to bring you fully up to date on our new Music Monday Playlist plan: we are going to give the recently launched streaming service Spotify a try. While it is not perfect, it will allow us to share music in a completely legal, 21st Century fashion. 

Spotify is a Swedish DRM-based streaming service that offers music from a range of major and independent record labels. While it has existed since 2008 in Europe, it has only been available here in the U.S. for less than a week. The current catalog offers over 15 million tracks with thousands of songs being uploaded every day. 

Yes, there are already services similar to Spotify in the U.S. such as Pandora, Rhapsody and Napster but Spotify is different in at least one major way: it has secured contracts with all the major record labels as well as some independent ones. You can also import songs you already own, integrate with your Facebook account, and share playlists.

For now, Spotify is invite-only unless you are interested in a paid subscription to access more options and get rid of the advertisements. As of the writing of this blog post, you should still be able to secure an invitation through this link. This invitation is courtesy of Bob Lefstez, an American music industry figure and author of the email newsletter and blog, the Lefsetz Letter, which is a must-read if you are interested in following the ever-changing music industry. He provides a great breakdown of Spotify here.

Once that invite runs out, you will have to sign up for the waitlist or you can sign up for an Unlimited ($4.99/month) or Premium ($9.99/month) account and get started right away.

Once you have your Spotify account, you will need to download the desktop client for Mac or Windows. If you have paid for a Premium account, you can also download the Spotify app on your mobile phone to listen to music on-the-go. 

Now to access the GunBun Music Monday playlist, open the Spotify desktop client and click here to subscribe: GunBun Music Monday 2011

I have added most of the songs that I have posted to Music Monday since I started blogging this past January. You will notice that some of the tracks are "grayed out." Spotify does have a finite catalog and not every artist has agreed to upload their music; however, if you have the track on your computer, as a local file, the song will play. If you don't have it, then I will always provide a link in the blog post to listen to the song via the artist's page or iTunes and you can decide whether you want to purchase it or not.  

I realize this might be a bit overwhelming but I hope that you'll give it a try. Spotify has a thorough FAQ webpage in case you have any other questions. I will keep a link to the old Playlist.com website available but please know that I will no longer be posting new music there.

The delivery of music is constantly changing. Who knows, once iTunes launches its Cloud service, we may be revisiting our playlist service here on Music Monday again! For now, let's give Spotify a chance and see how we like it. I feel good about the fact that it is a legal sharing site that in some small way rewards the artists when their music is played. 

And if it doesn't work then hey, you can say you were one of the "cool kids" for a brief moment.

Here are some new additions to the GunBun Music Monday playlist this week:

"I Followed Fires" by Matthew and the Atlas from Kingdom of Your Own
 My friend Rod introduced me to this band after he heard them play at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival this past June. This modern folk quintet recently toured with Mumford and Sons and lead singer Matt Hegarty's voice has been described as a "UK cross between Bon Iver and Ray LaMontagne." If you want to hear more, you can also download a session that Matthew and the Atlas recently performed at Daytrotter.

"Final Form" by Everything Everything from Man Alive
I discovered this band on...drum roll please...Spotify! The 2011 Barclaycard Mercury Prize nominated albums were announced yesterday and a playlist was promptly posted in Spotify with tracks from all of the albums. I listened to many of them on my Spotify iPhone app while I was driving around yesterday and this song stuck out. I'm sure that Adele is probably going to win but I am also routing for this alternative rock band and their debut album to find big success.

"Something About You" by Cary Brothers from Under Control
I'm embarrassed to admit this but I just learned that Cary Brothers is actually just one guy, not a group of brothers. I first heard Brothers on the Garden State movie soundtrack with his song "Blue Eyes." You might recognize his work from other movie and television show soundtracks because he has contributed to many. You can download a sampler of Brothers' new album, including this cover, on Noisetrade.

"Chapel Song" by We Are Augustines from Rise Ye Sunken Ships
This is one of those songs that I can't remember how I came across but it has been sitting in my "Gun Bun Possible" iTunes playlist for a few weeks now. I really like the sound of this Brooklyn based band and their story is quite compelling; you can read about it on their gorgeous website. Note: This song is NOT currently in the Spotify catalog so you will not be able to listen to it in the GunBun Playlist unless you have the track already on your computer. You can listen to it in its entirety here and download a copy of the track in exchange for your email address here.

"Tangie and Ray" by Fruit Bats from Tripper
GunBun friend Eric Johnson and the Fruit Bats are about to release their fifth album on August 2, 2011. I will be interviewing Eric for an upcoming blog post and if this video is any indication, I'll have lots of questions about the new album! You can pre-order the album here and download this track for free here. As with the above track, this is not yet available on Spotify so you will not be able to play it in the playlist unless you have downloaded the track to your computer.

Note: You do not have to join Spotify if you don't want to listen to the music as a playlist. You can simply click on the links I have provided above to visit iTunes or the artists' websites to listen to each song individually. If you'd like to listen to the old playlist, you can click here. Remember, I will no longer be posting new music there.

Cheers and thanks for your patience and understanding!
-Lisa 

Music Monday: Spotify

Hello Blogschu Music Monday fans!

I am in the process of reworking the playlist that we use for Music Monday. I have been waiting and crossing my fingers that Spotify would launch here in the U.S. soon and ta! da! I got my wish this past week. 

Right now, Spotify is allowing people to join through invites only. For a short time (have no idea how long) you'll be able to sign up for a special preview via this link:

www.spotify.com/lefsetz

I'll be back soon with lots more info but I wanted to get this out there as soon as possible. If that link is no longer active by the time you see this, go ahead and just sign up on the Spotify website to get on the waiting list.

I promise - more info and lots of great music are soon to follow!

Cheers, Lisa

 

Somewhere Between Imagination and Memory

Fourth of July #2, Independence, Missouri by Mike Sinclair
This image is courtesy of 20X200 which is one of my favorite places to buy art.

I am sitting in my parents' living room right now in my hometown of St. Louis, Missouri listening to the rumble of thunder outside getting closer and closer. Mother Nature's version of fireworks I suppose. Happy Fourth of July to my faithful Music Monday readers.

I am in the midst of a long spell here in St. Louis (at least, that's how I imagine the old timers would say it, "a long spell"). While my younger daughter is enjoying/enduring her first time at sleepaway camp in Illinois, I have decided to stay nearby. I've enjoyed getting reacquainted with some of my favorite things about the Lou: toasted ravioli, Ted Drewes (you're welcome Shake Shack devotees in NYC), Cardinals baseball games, and the sound of cicadas on a hot summer night.

I grew up on a cul-de-sac where we would spend the long summer nights playing outside for as long as our parents, and the mosquitos, would allow. And boy did we look forward to The Fourth of July. The annual Donne Avenue Bike Parade was not to be missed: red, white and blue streamers were twisted around the bodies of our Schwinn's and we stuck playing cards in our wheel spokes so that it made this wonderful clacking sound as we rode around in endless circles. Our parents would block off the bottom of the street, sink down in their lawn chairs (the kind that had the woven plastic webbing) and watch us ride around as the sun went down and the lightening bugs came out. Someone would have driven outside the county line to get a trunk load of fireworks which a few of the dads would set off while we all squealed with delight. It was pure Americana and I loved it every year. 

I went back to visit that street the other day. As they say, everything seemed smaller than I remember but I can still find the same cracks in the sidewalk that we used to demarcate the various levels of "rock school." I also drove the route that I used to walk to elementary school [seemed like it was 10 miles at the time, turns out it is less than 1], visited the pool where my mom would drop me and my brother off in the morning and not return to pick us up until sundown [frozen snickers for lunch, woo hoo!], and stepped inside the library where I would cool off on long summer days [hoping to find a corner where I could sneak a Judy Blume book in peace].

I realize that I've spent this week lingering somewhere between imagination and memory. The past is like that I guess. My memories of growing up here are simple, sweet and peaceful. I'm sure it wasn't always like that, but that is just how I choose to remember it - or imagine it. 

Due to ongoing licensing issues with Playlist.com, I was only able to upload two of the five songs for this week's Music Monday. Argh.

"Calgary" by Bon Iver from the new album Bon Iver
Bon Iver became a favorite of mine with their beautiful debut album, For Emma, Forever Ago in 2007. Since then, Bon Iver has become an official indie darling and has even crossed over to work with Kayne West on two tracks of his album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. 

"The Suburbs (Arcade Fire Cover)" by Mr. Little Jeans 
2010 saw the release of Arcade Fire's Grammy winning album The Suburbs, the title track of which has recently been produced as a 30 minute short film by Spike Jonze (which you can no longer view online in the US). Monica Birkenes better known as Mr Little Jeans is a Norwegian singer based in London who gives us a different spin on a song that I am always happy to hear.

Cheers, Lisa

Can't see the playlist below? Click here.