What should we do there?

I dunno, but whatever you do there stays there.

Ride the coaster at New York, New York! Watch the fountain and walk through the indoor gardens at the Bellagio! Eat dinner at one of the fab restaurants at Mandalay Bay (or just walk through as it's really cool)! Go on the Star Trek ride at the Hilton and then have a drink at Quarks!

I'm very hard pressed to pick a favorite Coen Bros.

In music news, though....

I have recently heard on the radio a very pretty ballad by a band out of Texas called Blue October. The song is called "Hate Me," and is a sort of final love/wish you well letter from the singer to an ex-girlfriend with whom he had a stormy relationship at best.

Is very pretty, as I said, but because of the lyrics, it is also hands down the gut wrenchingly sad song I've ever heard.

Also, there's this song "Crazy" by a new outfit called Gnarls Barkley, made up of Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse (both of whom I'm only vaguely acquainted with). I LOVE THIS SONG! It's got this wonderful groovy, mellow hip-hop vibe, crossed with an absolutely awesome 70's Motown sound.

You can hear it on the web stream at their official site.

Perfect Sunday morning album: the new Calexico, Garden Ruin.

For fans that have not listened to it yet, it is very different than previous albums. I'm on the last track and I don't think there has been one song without vocals. It is a much more straightforward alt country with some spanish and french lyrics thrown in to mix stuff up album than some of their previous soundtrack to a western albums. Just perfect so far. If I didn't have so much other new music I want to listen to today I would just play it again.

Just bought it yesterday.

Just bought it yesterday.

Awww, man! I liked you. And now you're dead. Fuck. Condolences to E & A.

Still working in Boston, but I've gone from 18-20 hour days to 12-16. If today stays quiet I'll try to finish & post my mix liner notes. Going to KC next weekend w/ DW & MIL to see the in-laws. Apparently my cousin by marriage is Iris Dement's neighbor & they've struck up a friendship. Schedule permitting I'll get to meet her, which is an even more exciting prospect than the KC bbq tour the cousins have planned for me. Probably back to Boston after KC so my semi-regular posts won't resume for another couple weeks, but I wanted to say hi.

Have a terrific trip, Joe.

And now you're dead.

Now that I am dead
my agent finally said
he wanted to have lunch with me.

Now that I'm deceased
my record sales increased,
I'm making lots of royalties.

I'm a composer decomposing,
I'm on the Rockers' Roll of Fame.
My songs, the critics are praising,
Yes, they even learned to spell my name.

Now that I've expired
my picture's in The Enquirer,
psychics claim to contact me.

Now that I have kicked
the Rolling Stone has picked
my albums as the best that be.

They all say that I was over-stressed
since the break-up with my wife.
But their payment plan was not the best...
My check was in the mail all my life!

Since I'm pushing daisies
lawyers who were lazy
are negotiating deals.

Now that I've been boxed
they say my music rocks.
It's taken on a new appeal.

Too bad my genius was discovered
after my coffin was covered.
But I'm forever grateful for eternity
now that my video's on MTV.

Death always seemed so rash,
but now I have lots of cash!

Now that I'm dead,
I can finally make a living!

Howdy, Joe! I may have actually bought it yesterday in the way you mean. Stepped on a rusty screw while cleaning out the shed, and I can't remember if I had that booster shot 8 years ago when I started grad school. Besides stiffness and inability to swallow, the other symptoms of tetanus include irritability and headaches, which I would figure are indistinguishable from my usual sparkling personality. So, we'll know somewhere between 2 days and 3 months.

Anyway, lemme know when you get done with all this Boston stuff. Hope you enjoy KC. Say hi to Robert Altman if you see him thereabouts.

Have fun in KC, Joe. Oh, how I miss KC BBQ. Rosedale on Southwest Blvd. and any of the many Gates franchises are my favorites. And you should try to go to the Jazz and Negro League Baseball Musuem complex at 18th and Vine. It's not unusual for Buck O'Neil to be there to greet visitors in person. Nothing is better in the Spring than walking around the Plaza if you've never been (KC has more fountains than Rome, really). Oh, and the statue garden at the Nelson Art Museum. And KC has a great zoo, and Lawrence is only 35 minutes away! OK, I'll stop.

Now for some Sunday New Music Three Second Reviews

The Flaming Lips At War with the Mystics: Crazy, spacy, political and must-be-listened-to-on-headphones. A grower that I like about 50x more on the third listen than on the first. Wayne seems to be trying to test the limits of how strange and offputting he can make a song and still throw such catchy and fun hooks in at the last second that it totally redeems itself.

Built to Spill You in Reverse: I am soooo happy that Doug eschewed his recent fixation with reggae for a straightforward rock album. I.Love.This.Disc. It starts off strong and gets stronger. It's old-school BtS jammy without being noodle-y at all. The five year wait has been worth it!!

Wilderness Vessal States: This is the second album from one of my favoritest new bands of 05. They are the strangest mix of P.i.L and Fugazi and ... I don't know .. some other band with strange lyrics, a howling lead singer and really unbelievably great drums. It's not as good as their self-titled debut album but it has the same really raw and inspiring creativity that I loved so much. I am pleased with it - but not blown away.