Been Away Awhile

Time elapses at a speed that can only effectivley be reflected upon. So no need for such apologies, instead I launch a new project entitled "REdBook." It will span the entirety of a sketchbook of 300 pages given to me by my mother 5 years ago. Seeing she is 1, 300 miles away, and the binding is already wasted on this thing, I figured I would post most of it here for her to enjoy, so as to also revive this long too dormant site. There is just as much short story/ abstract word assemblage as there is drawing. In future posts, the most important text will be reprinted here, though for this initial introduction, we will just give you some pages in their raw form. In these first selections, you see the Music Psycho (John Bauer) and I celebrating an anniversary of some sorts, in the secong page we name our "band", and in the third page we coolaborate on a multi media/ collage piece titled "Oh Fortuna". The last page is a precursor study foor a project I was doing on antique sheet music. Mom, and Dad, however long this may take, this is for you both. Thank You.

Now That Is How You Celebrate Independant Record Store Day

The third saturday in April, if you did not know, is Independant Record Store Day in America. Up until this year, I had never had the oppportunity to celebrate it properly. We decided upon Redscroll Records, in Wallingford, Ct. Arriving an hour after the shop opened, we found ourselve waiting in a line to get in for more than an hour, in blustery, cold conditions. Most people leaving seemed to be clutching various cuts of new release vinyl (& what seemed to be a preponderance of 7''). We headed straight for the used cd section, and the selection was immense. A lot of artists I was not familiar with, though I ended up culling a bunch of "first albums" I did not have. I scored Yes's first album "Yes", the White Stripes "White Stripes", X's "Los Angeles", Mike Gordon's "inside in", John Cale's first album "Vintage Violence". I also grabbed a great Bill Laswell "Sacred System Volume 2", Ween "Quebec", and the Firehose album "FromOhio." ( I did end up skipping out on a couple of new Fred Firth cd's I regret). A great experience, I would highly recommend it.

The work shown (pen/ink/colored pencil/w/c), is from the series "New Grant Street Tarot", it is titled "Death".

This is the image for the front cover of the 2010 Grant St. Press music sampler CD. It is from a sketchbook that my mother gave me a few years ago. It contains 250 leaves. Filling it up has been a minor vocation of mine since receiving it. The "Closing of the Grant St." film was finally completed, with a projectionists showing in late Autumn. It seemed to have been received fairly well, though sound levels were a bit of a challenge. The sampler is usually mailed out to friends of the Press usually in late November. This years edition may also include the film for those who did not receive thier copy at the opening. Maybe you've seen our biggest proponent, the smoking chimp, in the news as of late. His blog is nearing it's relaunch as well.

This pen & ink drawing from early 2004, is the official logo for all things Grant St. The film was finally completed and shown to a small audience to favorable opinion. At some point we would like to have a podcast on this site of the entire 45 minute feature. Though for now, it is best that I blow the dust off, and enter the waters slowly.

A BIT OF FINGER

The move is complete. The hallowed grounds of Grant Street have been vacated for climes of a higher elevation. It has taken quite some time to settle in, and here is a glimpse of the new studio space. It seems that maybe the old ghost of Maba may have hitched a ride down the street for so far it seems a very fluid space to create. The Press has a full slate of projects for remainder 2009, including: Post production of "The Closing of the Grant St." movie, the beginning of a film project with Grant St.'s favorite collaborator The Music Psycho, a small, public show of works on self destructing paper, and a second helping of The Sampler. It is high time to saddle up, as we have finally settled in.

Current Rotation:

1. Drive By Truckers: Brighter Than Creation's Dark: The loss of Jason Isbell allows the very Lucinda Williams-like Shonna Tucker shine brightly. Her songs of heartbreak and loss add a new dimension to a band that already had a few faces. Another fine DBT disc.

2. Songs: Ohia: Magnolia Electric Co.: Outing from 2003 (right before the name change,). Jason Molina moves over and lets some bandmates shine. Essential to your collection.

3. Sun Kil Moon: April: Mark Kozelek serves up the entire musical food pyramid on 1 platter, unless you have the early pressing with the 4 track bonus disc.

4. Sufjan Stevens: Illinois: An experience that mirrors watching a film, this album is very intriguing, \even if you are not from Illinois. The track "John Wayne Gacy Jr." is haunting.

5. Ween: The Mullusk: For a guy who likes his music to have a progressive slant to it, this watery song cycle is the Ween album for you. The Blarney Stone will bring a tear to yer eye.

The Audacity of Updating Your FaceBook Through Non-Verbal Expression: The Calcium- MIme Factor

Cracking open an Ommegang ( a small Belgium style brewery in Cooperstown NY that boasted a strain of yeast dating back many centuries, and an uncanny sense of pairing beer and chocolate), there namesake brew after 5 years of cellard in bottle fermintation. It's robustness bled to a bitterness that mirrored the taste that occured from the closing of the Grant St. studio. After this night the musings of the Grant St. illiteratti shall occur from a place that shall not inhabit the ghost of the sweet influence of Maba Davis. I thank her for all she has given me. As this was soddly enough the most active year for posts, I look forward to seeing what a change of atmoshpere will yield to the Press overall. I beleive "Change" is the catchphrase these dats.

Best Releases of 2008:

Honorable Mention: Gary Higgins: Red Hash Origanaly released in 1973 (though reintroduced recently through Drag City Records,) this alt-folk masterpeice deserves a new ear. A layered complexity that belies it's years.

5. King Crimson: Park West, Chicago: August 7th, 2008 Though re;eased only as a download through Discipline Gobal Mobile, Jesus himself would have to had a picked up a guitar for there to be a more important live album this year.

4. Sun Kill Moon: April A bit more aggressive, or assertive in the delivery, Mark Kozelek delivers the goods. Get the disc with the bonus EP.

3. Calexico: Carried to Dust A whirlwind of Americana with a nuance of Chinese or gypsy rythym section. Great listening!

2. TV on the Radio: Dear, Science If this is art-rock, welcome to your color theory class.

1. Modeski Martin amd Wood: Radiolarians 1 This was the album that turned our collective ear on it's end. If the world needed proof that satisfaction cometh not from i-tunes, this may be the savior of the album.

The Benefits of Sound Navigation and Ranging Vs. all of the Oceanic Mammalia, or are not Whales God's Creatures too.

Again opening the layman's guide to destroying our oceans,we come upon the chapter of "disturbing the echolocation capabilities of intelligent oceanic mammals. " "Though for maximum effect it is best to co-ordinate your efforts with the thick cloud of soot and chemicals stretching from the Persian Gulf to Asia."

The work here is India ink splattered onto Bristol board, then immediately hosed off to reveal the staining properties of the ink (as seen in 2 other works on this site.) Some white conte crayon was applied as well.

Current Rotation:

Songs Ohia /Magnolia Electric Co.: (2003) A terrific song cycle from Jason Molina, spans not only an eclectic musical, but emotional scale as well.

Col. Bruce Hampton & the Aquarium Rescue Unit: Live set from 1991, quite fit for any gathering of more than 5 people. That is if they are funkay.

Trey Anastasio/Bar 17: (2006) Mix of Trey's more popular styles, phish like exercises, and experimental prowess. At times quite funkay.

Gentle Giant/ Free Hand: (1975) Shulman brothers and accompianiment lay down a progressive master work

TV on the Radio/ Dear Science: An album of amazing textures. Unkempt expression in something that transcends art rock

Filibustering Until the Muckrakers Carpetbag

In this time of heightened political tensions, and economic uncertainty we must hold tight with our favorite tunes, and maybe now consider the haircut as an artform. The high-top fade as cubist expression, the mullet as surrealism, the bob art deco. Will knowing the origins of creation be able to help our future? As the world toils over fossil fuels we squander life's greatest, most important commodity. Clean Water.

Grant St. Convention Albums:

1. The Late Great Daniel Johnston/ Smotherd & Covered: If you have not seen the documentary "The Devil and Daniel Johnston", it is a really insightful look into the DIY ethic, and psychosis. His tapes are OOP, but here you get some of his best tracks, and a disc of covers by such notables as TV on the Radio, Beck, and Tom Waits.

2. Buddy & Julie Miller/ Buddy & Julie Miller: Nice tight husband/ wife roots rock. Interwoven through some terrific originals are Utah Phillips, Bob Dylan, and Richard Thompson covers.

3. King Crimson/ 40th Anniversary Tour Box: A collector's disc with the storied "King Crimson Big Band" performing 21st Century Schizoid Man. (Supposedly all the members of K.C. playingg all at the same time. Almost.) Some classic promo material, and a few choice improvs from'83 & '74. I was lucky enough to score this at the, show in Times Square, NY (8.16.08). Amazing.

4. Fripp & Eno/ Equatorial Stars: Scored this at the show as well. Robert Fripp's picking of wonderful melodies wrapped in Brian Eno's atomosheric architecture. This albume lulls you in, then picks up the tempo for the bottom half.

5. Leftover Salmon/ Live: Nobody, and I mean noboby can rip up a John Hartford tune like these guys. In this live disc Steam Powered Aeroplane gets the essential oils. In all, a gripping set of floppin' on the dock Salmon . Good enough to get any fire stokin'.

Hints of Oak, Licorice, Zagnut? The End of Music and Movies as we Know It.

A brief late night overture to the mass-conflicterati; or Wiki, Wiki, Wiki, throw your hands up in the air. The bright lights of some off-Broadway scene beckon, though the gravitational pull of the tides keeps us firmly tethered to shore. Nature is our only obstacle. The framed illustration is from early May 2003 (5"x7", pen & ink/w/c).

Current Rotation:

1. Phish/ Junta: Essential listening! For here the "meddle" that is Phish is forged. Quite honestly the studio material that most rivals the live recordings.

2. Porcupine Tree/ Fear of a Blank Planet: Knowing that Robert Fripp plays on this album, and their drummer Gavin Harrison is on the Crimson warm-up tour, this album was given repeated listens. This is one of those records that must be un-locked, but upon doing so you realize that the mantal of progressive rock has long been tranfered.

3. Meat Puppets/ Too High To Die: Early cerebral indie-gods deliver a tasty buffet of alternative rock, with the hidden track "Lake of Fire."

4. The Bluebird Sampler 1990: Besides boasting a who's who of hip jazz, this album feature's what I consider one of the all-time best tunes ever recorded, the May 17th, 1947 version of Jack Teagarden with the Louis Armstrong Allstars performing "St. James Infirmary."

5. Allman Brothers Band/ Shades of Two Worlds: Produced by Tom Dowd this muscular album furthers strengthens the argument that this was a truly lethal line-up for the band, on an album dominated by Dickie Bett's tunes.

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THE AMBIVALENCE OF NON-VERBAL EXPRESSION

Behind the scenes that is, documentary style, neuronic gold. Dancing to the news, or testing the depths of one's own spiritual river. The stillness that pervades the studio is the trojan horse of achievement.

The untitled painting (10"x10" goache on 140 lb. cold pressed paper) is part of a promotional poster for a collective art show opening this Thursday, June 26th. It's a Warholian embelishment of the host's company logo. No animals were killed and very little fossil fuel oil was used in its production.

Current Rotation:

1. The Sounds of the Sounds of Silence: Yo La Tengo An all instrumental performance for Jean Painleve's underwater documentaries and shorts. Masterful in its conception.

2. Trade Mark of Quality: Love As Laughter Available on their web site this album delivers on many levels, (not to mention they will deliver it to you for $10.00 out the door.) The opening track Coconut Flakes may go down as song of the year, and as the package may read home-spun, don't be fooled, these guys have been around for a decade and a half. This is must-have material for any listener of contemporary rock n'roll. Their new release "Holy" comes out today on Glacial Pace Recordings.

3. The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life: Frank Zappa 1988 tour with 12 peice band that self destructed after 4 months of being on the road. Unbelievably good...here, you can really get your ring of fire on.

4. Invisible Baby: Marco Benevento: Check out this post-fusionist hepcat's latest gig. A mind twisting album that will work that Sunday brunch crowd into a heaping frenzy of a meat pie.

5. In the Ever: Mason Jennings His first outing with Brushfire is nothing more than another Mason Jennings album. Another insanely listenable, groovy outing.

H.G. Wells Hadn't Listened To This... Or He's Killing Me Softly With His Song

Let us go back to 1974, Patty Hearst is kidnapped, President Nixon resigns, and Patti Smith invents punk music with her rendition of "Hey Joe." 1974 may stand as the greatest year for the release of rock music. Here are the personal favorites of the Press, not mentioning "Odds & Sods", or "So Far."

(The sketchbook entry: "Studying the Sun" 11"x8" is a watercolor sketch for a larger piece.)

On the Beach: Neil Young

Starless and Bible Black: King Crimson

Bad Company: Bad Company Natty Dread: Bob Marley Red: King Crimson Walls and Bridges: John Lennon Rock 'n' Roll Animal: Lou Reed You: Gong Before The Flood: Bob Dylan Burn: Deep Purple 461 Ocean Boulevard: Eric Clapton 1969 Velvet Underground Live: Velvet Underground Country Life: Roxy Music Rock Bottom: Robert Wyatt Pretzel Logic: Steely Dan Sally Can't Dance: Lou Reed It's Only Rock n' Roll: The Rolling Stones The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway: Genesis Irish Tour: Rory Gallagher Court and Spark: Joni Mitchell Roxy and Elsewhere: Frank Zappa Hatfield and the North: Hatfield and the North Rush: Rush It's Too Late To Stop Now: Van Morrison Heart of Saturday Night: Tom Waits Paradise and Lunch: Ry Cooder Diamond Dogs: David Bowie Sheer Heart Attack: Queen

A Map of Mental Function or the Spirit as Defined by Tangible Property

As the pedestrian wine buyer is lulled in by the "Peterman catalog-like" descriptions of their most curious vintage, the world roils with cataclysmic events. Cyclical in nature, or the result of man's tampering? 51% of insured adults on a steady diet of medication, and trace amounts of pharmaceuticals in the majority of metropolitan drinking water reservoirs has caused the Grant St. Apologetics to propose a new reality television show. "Dancing to the News." A contest based on one's ability to perform an interpretive dance based on that night's particular reading of the news. As performed in a "Mr. Goodbody" type, internal organ revealing leotard. We will see who steps up! And though the polar bear's pitch for cola has gone south, they may soon be able to oversee the drilling for fossil fuels right in their own shrinking habitat. The watercolor above Soulfish II (11"x7"; 1/23/03), is actually the accompaniment to a work previously shown on the Grant St. blog (11.03.05 Adventures In Carnalian Jewelry).

Current Rotation:

1. King Crimson: The Great Deceiver- Live 1973-74 (Part 1): A pivotal time for the Crim. David Cross's final gigs, unbeleivable tunes, great liner notes, terrific sound quality. Can't wait to score part 2, or it can also be purchased as a 4-cd boxed set.

2. Mogwai: Mr. Beast: Having been blown away by a bootleg of live stuff I picked up their latest album (already 3 years old). Though I hate to use cliches, they are the sound of Sigur Ros and Explosions in ths Sky combined. This Glasgow based outfit is as tight as they are complex.

3. Nine Inch Nails: Ghosts 1-4: I saw this album at Best Buy for $9.99, and knowing Adrian Belew was all over this instrumental double disc set, I picked it up. It's a great set. Though it seems at this price he is giving it away. Which is exactly what he did for...

4. Nine Inch Nails: The Slip: Having never been a listener until grabbing "Ghosts", I was turned on and tuned to the band website to find their (his) new album released for free as a download. It is damn good, and though I do not like the trend of giving away free music to unapreciative listeners, there's a lot of merit to what Trent Reznor is doing.

5. Grateful Dead: Aoxomoxoa/ Grateful Dead: There is no resisting PigPen era Dead, and of course "Grateful Dead" itself is another desert island disc.

The Precocious Nature of Tamping Olympic Fire, or the IPODYOUTUBEMYSPACEFACEBOOK Effect

Let us certainly dance with the stars, or cocoon ourselves in the warm embrace of portable media if we choose. Maybe lend an earbud to an hermaphrodite frog, or a shrunken Long Island Sound lobster,and rejoice in the cracking open of a brand new bottled water you recently purchased at the local price club.

An exerpt from the "Music Series" describes the piece above: ""Sometimes I Wake Up In the Sun" 11/04 (11"x8"), was a tie-in of all the pre-stated constituents with a more explosive backdrop. It was a great piece of wood , I was also using an extremely exaggerated brush style with the gesso base. The way the water media pooled in the valleys of those brushstrokes, it took on the appearance of an oil, and that at least was successful. A bit of graphic layout with pen and ink stylings seemed to add a contrastual element."

Current Rotation:

1. Ryuichi Sakamoto/ Beauty: This progessive masterpiece circa 1990 features Robbie Robertson amoung others. With Robert Wyatt and Brian Wilson together on the Stone's tune "We Love You." Your friends will thank you.

2. California Guitar Trio/ Whitewater: CGT focuses on some tight, melodic composition, at times quite Thrakishly and if you dig this, check out "California Guitar Trio With Tony Levin and Pat Mastelotto" for a real life affirming experience. That is an album that will deliver the shiver.

3. Oysterhead/ The Grand Pecking Order: It is good to hear the dulcet smashings of Stewart Copland's drum kit, and to no less accompanyment than Trey Anastasio and Les Claypool, (who himself has become somewhat of an enigma right before our very eyes.) Bless their souls for laying down these tracks.

4. Cake/ Fashion Nugget: This is without a doubt a true desert island disc. Irresistable from track one.

5. 13th Floor Elevators/ Going Up-The Very Best Of: Yes another compilation makes the list! And though any collection of late '6o' Elevators is good listening, this recent Brit import boasts a pained Roky Erikson reciting Dylan's "Baby Blue."

6. Jack Johnson/ Sleep Through the Static: Jack Johnson has his finger on the contemporary music scene. His new release is in a stylisticaly new direction while still retaining his signature vibe, and the fact he is releasing Mason Jenning's new album has me sold on the entire Brushfire Records scene.

The Romance of the Stimulus Act and the Art of Acheiving Your Central Dogma

We are currently trying to sell some new software, a video game called "Straight A Student." It has yet to catch on, though we are developing it further ( C- edition coming out this summer!) In the meantime we will offer our best in musical direction.

But first, this oil painting on canvas (24" x 38", 2005) was my interpretation of Modigliani's great work:

" Jean Cocteau" (1917), though the original is somewhat different, and without the acoustic guitar.

Current Rotation:

1. Robert Wyatt/ mid -eighties: some royal out-takes and all of Old Rottenhat.

2. June 1, 1974/ Kevin Ayers-John Cale-Eno-Nico and the Sporifics: with special guests Mike Oldfield and Robert Wyatt recorded at the Rainbow Theater in London.

3. Frank Zappa/ Trance-Fusion: In the spirit of Shut Up/ Guitar, nothing but ripping Zappa solos, though oh so cleaned up and contemporary sounding, with extra Chunga's Revenge.

4.Calexico/ Iron and Wine: A seven song E. P. from 2005 that grooves to the styles of the artist's collective, while at the same time pushing each other in new directions.

5. Ben Harper/ Lifeline: One hell of an album from start to finish. A huge departure from "Both Sides of the Gun", and really uncomparible to any recording in his catalog. This "road album" proves Ben Harper continues as one of America's most important artists.

A Forgotten Thank You to Kellie Lambert McQuire

It has been most of a year, and I have not given thanks to Kellie Lambert McQuire's most gracious mention of the Grant St. Press in her weekly column for the Republican American newspaper. She has been a true proponent of all things musical, and a breath of fresh air in an atmosphere where most critique has barely the constitution to make for proper bird cage lining. Though larger birds can be quite discriminatory. You can enlarge the image by placing your cursor over it and left clicking (this is the same for almost all images on this site, to your possible enlightenment or dismay.)

In a more somber note, "Harp" magazine has stopped the presses, and will discontinue production of what was probably the most relevant music magazine in the business. This is a toubling microcosm of an industry that is clearly losing it's way. R.I.P.

Current Rotation:

1. Gong: Gong Live: Pre '73 Angel's Egg, Radio Gnome, Daevid Allen stuff, with some serious Steve Hillage and company.

2. Moxy Fruvous: Live Noise: Having only the studio album: "Bargainville", this live set is a full realization of this band's capabilities, as these curbside crooners can rock out.

3, Adrian Belew: Desire of the Rhino King: Though I am usually hesitant to put deliberate compilations on my list, this album culled from Adrian's first 3 releases is a mind blower. A must listen for anyone who considers music seriously.

4. Sigur Ros: Heif/ Heim: The soundtrack to a visually stunning band documentary film and some alternate album takes makes for a short, but fulfilling double album.

5. North Mississippi Allstars: Hernando: If you don't know you better ask somebody! This band, that is a direct conduit to the ghost of R.L. Burnside, stretches out and digs the feel.