tiger balm’s Neighborhood

... continues to accrue graphic goodness, day by day.

Amazing artist Nick Derington's on board, now,
gonna be providing a huge page of original sequential art.

Jon Adams of Truth Serum fame is working on a two-pager for the antho.

Lance Myers is putting his nonpareil talents to paper & ink for Minerva's, too.

Patty Leidy's working on an angst-ridden-yet-somehow-kawai tour de force.

And Angelica Brenner just showed me the roughs for her one-page comic.

And, textually speaking ...
I have an article due from Marc Savlov on Friday;
Marrit Ingman just turned in her terrific
"What the Alamo Drafthouse Means To Me" piece;
Kirk Lynn's new short story ~ that I commissioned so
it could be Nori-fied ~ is excellence itself; and Hannah Kenah
just finished recording her roundtable discussion with the Rude Mechanicals ...

Slowly, slowly, the edition accumulates ...

Just a day after Shando McCormick snagged me
for hosting duties for part of next Thursday's line-up at
the Out Of Bounds Improv & Sketch Comedy Festival ...

... I got a call from Paula Hanna of Riot Ink,
who asked me to be the featured reader at the next iteration
of their twice-monthly poetry reading series on that very same night.

No way, of course. 

But she'll be calling about some future spot in the months to come.

Ah, so much to do, so much to do ...

• 12:42 I'm trying to write ahead on some blog posts for work that will cover my upcoming vacation. I'm running a bit empty of ideas, tho. #
• 14:13 Suddenly, nose running & eyes watering. I hope it's not a cold :-( #
• 16:43 At the post office - I can't remember when I've experienced such persistent upselling. When I didn't upgrade delivery, she tried stamps. #
• 17:20 The nice big batch of gazpacho I made when it was in the mid-80s seems less inviting today when it's raining and 63 degrees. #
• 18:34 OK, now I really feel like I'm coming down with a cold. Darn it. Will try to fight it off with some extra sleep tonight. #
• 19:40 Listening to an amazing early live recording of Siegfried - just a year away from the Seattle Opera 09 Ring Cycle. #

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 08/21/2008 00:02:46  ♥ written by vu ()

Brothers and Sisters - Mason City

The Brothers and Sisters of L.A.

1 comment

There were a few albums that was released August 19^th that we have in house for review, so I'm working my way to clear out my queue.

I also wanted to remind you that Brothers and Sisters's album, Fortunately was also released. I reviewed this album a few months ago when I thought it was released in July.

I also mentioned that at that time, there was no touring information. Well the good news is that they've finalized their tour dates, so see if they're coming to your town below:

MAKEUPBREAKUP makeupbreakupband.com ♥ myspace.com Make Up Break Up - Blame Game I got a note that Fanatic is offering two new free downloadable tracks from electro dance-pop MakeUpBreakUp. This Providence, Rhode Island duo, Mikey Lamantia Jr. and Alexander Laorenza, have just released their EP, We Prefer Not To... last Tuesday, on SAF Records. It would seem that these guys are old friends, and in 2007, Laorenza moved to Rhode Island to concentrate on their music collaboration. Since making music, their songs comes off as sounding like 80s techno, but a little faster. It's not a surprise as their main influences seems to be from New Order. I did enjoy their title track, "Blame Game" (one of the free track), mostly because I like hearing Lamantia's (?) vocals. I only wish he has more lyrics to sing. Sometime hearing his voice on "Fall Her Love Trap", "She's Always X Rated", and "I Dream I'm Stone" reminds me of early 90s pop songs (like Information Society[W♥M] when they're doing their pop songs). It would seem that MakeUpBreakUp is currently associated with such retro acts as She Wants Revenge[W♥M] and The Faint[W♥M], and it's not a bad company to be in. I don't think they're as dancey or catchy, but given time, I can see a lot of potential in this band. Make sure to download the free tracks ("Blame Game", "Jungle City", and "She's Always X Rated") and if you love it, their EP is available for a minimum price at SAF Records. This EP is supposed to lead to their debut full length, and if the EP is any indication, I'll bet the album will be just as good or even better.

KELLEY MCRAE kelleymcrae.com ♥ myspace.com Kelley McRae - More of Nothin' As I've previously mentioned in the W♥M Video #10, I do enjoy gaelic singing-style - and Kelley McRae lives up to her Irish heritage. Well I'm pretty sure she's Irish, I think it's the "mac" that are Scottish, right? I guess it doesn't matter because McRae, is a singer/songwriter from Brooklyn, New York. Her debut album, Never Be received a four-star rating from Paste magazine. I like Paste magazine, they're one of the few magazines that I still see in newsstand at Barnes & Noble and they are generally into singer/songwriter type of music. They're also well-respected by everyone I know. Her latest album is Highrises in Brooklyn, just released yesterday on SonaBlast! Records. My favorite song off Highrises is the punchy soulful blues song, "More of Nothin'". I think this is such an outstanding song, but it really sounds nothing like her other more poppier songs ("Tomorrow", "BQE") and singer/songwriter-folk-type songs ("Highrises in Brooklyn"). If you like women-singer, definitely check out McRae. If you need songs recommendations, be sure to check out "Long Walk Home" (she sounds like in this song), the sweeping violins on "Fall", and the semi-biography song of "Sparrow" (this song sounds like it's about McRae's being a vagabond, traveling the countryside and always missing home). Sadly, it looks like she's just wrapped up her two month tour dates. She will appear again in Viriginia at Jammin' Java on August 23rd.

Links: www.weheartmusic.com weheartmusic.mypodcast.com

The Chronicle's Arts Editor, the redoubtable Robert Faires,
has assigned me to write the feature about Rubber Repertory's
The Casket of Passing Fancy, for our October 10th issue.

I'll have a length of between 2,000 to 3,000 words to work with.

I'm very happy about this,
and look forward to exercising my craft in ways that befit
what those Rubber Reppers have accomplished with their own.

The Chronicle's Arts Editor, the redoubtable Robert Faires,
has assigned me to write the feature about Rubber Repertory's
The Casket of Passing Fancy, for our October 10th issue.

I'll have a length of between 2,000 to 3,000 words to work with.

I'm very happy about this,
and look forward to exercising my craft in ways that befit
what those Rubber Reppers have accomplished with their own.

 08/20/2008 23:13:56  ♥ written by vu ()

What Laura Says - Illustrated Manual What Laura Says Tour Dates 21 Aug 2008 Tempe Marketplace w/ The Airborne Toxic Event Tempe, Arizona 22 Aug 2008 Wells Fargo Arena Tempe, Arizona 23 Aug 2008 ASU Memorial Union Tempe, Arizona 27 Aug 2008 The Rhythm Room ::: CD RELEASE!!! Phoenix, Arizona 30 Aug 2008 Mia’s Lounge ::: CD RELEASE!!! Flagstaff, Arizona 31 Aug 2008 The Avalon w/ DATH Salt Lake City, Utah 1 Sep 2008 The Black Sheep w/DATH Colorado Springs, Colorado 2 Sep 2008 Oz Cafe w/DATH Wichita, Kansas 3 Sep 2008 Maintenance Shop w/DATH Ames, Iowa 4 Sep 2008 The Bottom Lounge w/DATH Chicago, Illinois 5 Sep 2008 Rockstar at Peabodys w/DATH Cleveland, Ohio 6 Sep 2008 The Picador Iowa City, Iowa 7 Sep 2008 Jackpot Music Hall Lawrence, Kansas 9 Sep 2008 The Marquee Tulsa, Oklahoma 10 Sep 2008 Hailey’s Denton, Texas 11 Sep 2008 Stubb’s BBQ Austin, Texas 12 Sep 2008 Rock Bottom Tattoo Bar San Antonio, Texas 19 Sep 2008 Bar Pink Elephant San Diego, California 20 Sep 2008 SPACELAND Los Angeles, California 21 Sep 2008 Beatles Revolution Lounge Las Vagas, Nevada 23 Sep 2008 Blakes on Telegraph Berkley, California 26 Sep 2008 The Clubhouse w/DATH Tempe, Arizona

If only this band was called "What Lara Says", then I would've just assign the record to Lara for review. Thinks & Feels is What Laura Says' debut album from MRI Label and it just came out yesterday, August 19^th.

As far as I know, there are no Laura in this band, this is especially confusing because there is a woman singing on the opening track, "Couldn't Lose Myself If I Tried". This duet features an easy-to-follow, 1,2,3 beat that really sounds nothing like the country and blues song "Fashionably Moral" that follows it.

Just when you think you've got this Arizona, band pegged, they surprise you with a pop/piano number called "Illustrated Manual". Once they got me intrigued, I ended up searching online to find out more about this band - apparently NRP loves these guys.

NRP seems to generally like all-American/folk/roots music, and it's easy to see why they would like this band. It seems to me that What Laura Says are into antique music and movies. "Wish I Could Fly" sounds like it's an old-time Barber Shop song, while "Paradice" sounds like an old Cabaret (complete with cheesy sobbing in the song).

Looking at their liner notes, the band is mostly driven by two creative guys: Danny Godbold and James Mulhern (they write and sing on all their songs). The other three members (Greg, Jacob and David) is credited, but they don't list the woman singer on the first track, "Paradice", "Waves", "July 23", and "1000 Faces". Could it possibly be "the Laura" singing on these tracks?

So, anyway Thinks & Feels is out now at all online stores and catch them on tour!  Keep up with their news by visiting site.w♥m.

Links: whatlaura.com myspace.com/whatlaurasaysthinksandfeels

Favorites from the wedding of my nephew Tony and new niece-in-law (?) Erin, August 16 2008.   

Getaway 1

Sister Julie, me, brother John.  You'd never know we were related, would you?

Breakfast sibs

St.L. from Cahokia mound

Cahokia Mounds is very close to where Tony and Erin got married, in Collinsville, IL.    This is shot from the tallest mound, about 400 feet above the prairie - in the right middle ground you can see a smaller mound, and of course in the distance the city formerly known as 'Mound City', for the now-leveled remnants of the Mississippian culture that thrived here a thousand years ago.   At that time, the area was a native american city more populous than London.

Sibs

In our glad rags. None of my dress shirts button at the collar, suddenly.

Michael and Rose

This is Tony's elder brother Michael, with his wife Rose.    I didn't wind up with a shot of their toddler Gabriel.  

Happy Pete

Tony's dad Pete getting in to drive the getaway-mobile.   

Getaway

Love this one.  If you know Tony, you know the sheer relief flooding through him at this moment.

IMG_0413

My favorite Texans.   Basically, I'm very lucky in the matter of nieces and nephews.   Stewart was another photographic escapee this trip, along with Audrey and Judy.  

Pete'n'Julie

These two now have all three of their kids married off.    Can you tell?

Elements-required

I haven't decided what complicated curse this spell is for. I'm open to ideas.

ink & watercolour, 8x10 inches. This drawing appeared in Abracadabra, a book of over 30 collaborating artists who created artwork around the theme of magic.

its about imortality
Originally uploaded by geozila.

if you go to my link page at yahoo geocities you will see that i have signed up for many free websites and blogs in the last ten years ...yep there all free and there all suported by adds or something and some of them have bin there for ten years ...and even though i have never made a cent or paid a cent ...if these servers last for even one hundred years ..i have created some form of imortality for myself in cyberspace ...like the valley of the kings or the great pirimids ...in fact in the next add suported 200 years there is a posibility that someone will dig up my free site network and do a documentary on me and twice the population of this entire plannet today will see me