Beat Meet: The Embarassment of Riches Edition

Since the holidays screwed up my blog week last week, ye olde inbox received a horn o' plenty's worth of stellar beats. And because i'm such a helluva guy, i'm going to share them with you.

Ah, Project: Mooncircle, how i love thee and thy dopish ways. Continuing with their kick ass Finest Ego series, this time up, the label features some of today's hottest Russian beatmakers doing their thing. Now, i know what you're thinking about Russian DJs, but, c'mon, man, that's racist. Allow me to confirm the fact that P:M yet again knocks this one out of the park, particularly on tracks by Pavel Dovgal and Shawalski. Here's what i'm trippin' on, though--how come all these foreign compilations only use English language samples? i'm just asking. Regardless, here's a little mini-mix to prove my point about just how good this bad boy is.

mp3: Finest Ego Russian Beatmakers Compiliation Mini-Mix

i can't tell you much about the Cutler beyond what you can read on their website yourself, other than that their latest, The Best Things in Life Aren't Things, is a stone cold groove, baby. Jazzy/funky instruments, cymbal-ic percussion and Charlie Brown sounding vocal samples? Yes, please.

mp3: PAYR (The Cutler from The Best Things in Life Aren't Things)

mp3: Sync Estate (The Cutler from The Best Things in Life Aren't Things)

You didn't think i was going to allow LET to falter in its goal of maintaining its place as THE leading source for heavily and probably illegally sampled children's movie beats, did you? Hells no, i'm not. So let's check out Pogo's latest update to his already classic take on Alice in Wonderland.

mp3: Alice (Extended) (Pogo from Deeper Down the Rabbit Hole)

mp3: Oyster Dreamland (Pogo from Deeper Down the Rabbit Hole)

i'm normally not a huge remix fan, but when one of my fave up and coming beatmakers is behind the board, what can i do? Here's oOoOO's take on Marina & the Diamond's "Obsessions." i've got to be honest, i'm not at all familiar with the original, but i sure as hell am digging the remix.

mp3: Obsessions (oOoOO Remix) (Marina & the Diamonds from Soundcloud)

If the cats at the WEDIDIT Collective give a song props, i'm going to have to give it a listen. So far, they have yet to let me down. And they maintain that streak with this Juj-recommended track by Ackryte. i'm assuming the instrumental is NOT about Ackryte's problems with the Alabama Police Department, but what the hell do i know?

mp3: Ackryte_x_AL_PD_-_Untitled (Ackryte from Soundcloud)

Is there anything better than "re-released" Dilla? Maybe "re-released" Dilla remixed by Madlib? OK, i'll buy that.

mp3: The $ (Madlib Remix) (J Dilla from Hella International)

Live Review: Cyndi Lauper at the 9:30 Club, 11-27-10

As a number of musicians "of a certain age" are apt to do lately, Cyndi Lauper has decided to do a "classics" album. Her genre of choice, blues, and the album in question is Memphis Blues, which she's currently touring.

Now, i'm about as big a fan of the blues as they come. Hell, i worked at the world's premier blues club all throughout college, so trust me when i tell you i know of which i speak. While i'm giving Cyndi full props for trying to bring interest to a criminally undervalued music genre, for the vast bulk of her show, i just wasn't feeling it. Her band might be worthy of the Friday night early slot that goes on during the free buffet. Of course, this is downright criminal when you consider that she's touring with none other than Charlie Musselwhite. i've seen Chuck countless times over the years, and normally he's one of the baddest harmonica cats you'll ever hear the pleasure of hearing. Unfortunately, he sounded largely tired and/or bored for most of Saturday night's performance.

i've decided to give the huge benefit of the doubt that the countless technical difficulties of the evening kept the band from ever finding its groove. Hell, you can't have Charlie Musslewhite on stage and not have more blues talent right there than the rest of the city had in all its juke joints combined. Still, Lauper must have gone through three or four mics, at least two sets of ear plug monitors and quite possibly one sound guy during the course of the roughly hour and a half set (with encore). Occasionally, on songs like "Rollin' and Tumblin'," Lauper would get hold of the track and really belt it out to her obvious and capable levels, but those moments sadly were few and far between.

Of course, all this went out the door for the encore, when Cyndi finally did a few of her own classics ("Girls Just Wanna Have Fun," "True Colors") before closing with an acoustic, stripped down version of "She Bop" that had the crowd rocking. Once the older material started, the room went wild, and, more importantly, Lauper looked like she genuinely was enjoying herself. Hell, i'm not too proud to admit the nostalgia factor is what had me and The Missus attend in the first place (this was the first show i'd taken her to in months, as The Missus isn't quite the fan of live music that her terrible husband is). If this energy had run rampant all through the night (that's right, i wrote it), this would have been a much different evening.

Lauper has gone from the oddly coiffed freak of the 80s to a powerful voice for the LBGT community, but let's be honest, a meaningful portion of the crowd was there to hear her tell her genuinely funny stories between songs. Fortunately, she used that time to point out some of the greats in the blues industry, from B.B. to Albert King. Fuck what you heard, this is what you need to hear. As so-so as the majority of the show might have been, a history lesson like that was more than worth the price of admission.

mp3: Unusual (Fresh Nerd from The Cyndi Lauper Beat Tape)

Monday Morning Meditation #64: Unless God Is With Us, All Is In Vain

These psalms are very intriguing. I had thought that perhaps I would polish off the remaining 25 or so this week, but no, I got hung up on the very next one, Psalm 127. Like so many of the other psalms, it is short and powerful. Like so many other psalms, it rings as true today as it did centuries ago. Like so many of the other psalms, it hit home, hard, beginning with verse 1, which reads:

Unless the LORD builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless the LORD guards the city,
The watchman stays awake in vain.

Unless God is with us, whatever we do is in vain. Moreover, without God, we are vulnerable. The imagery is perfect for expressing these thoughts.

Reading: Psalm 127

Meditation: An immediate application of this psalm to my personal life thudded into my consciousness with two feet hitting the ground, one foot being my life and work before conversion and the other being my life and work after conversion. I like to think that I have always been a good boss, not only in the sense of success but also in the sense of being supportive to employees. However, there is a different sense and feel to my experiences before and after conversion.

Before conversion, I had an excellent reputation for running a well oiled, competent, and productive enterprise where people are capable and generally happy. They felt empowered, primarily because I learned early on how to delegate, mentor, and empower. People were bonded, especially to me and to whatever organization I happened to be at. Sometimes we were bonded through fighting together against the establishment idiocies; other times we were bonded through vision and plans. I knew little about people's personal lives, with a few exceptions. That is as it should have been, I thought at the time. After all, we were at work to accomplish a professional mission, and we did that with rewarding success. What more could a manager want?

After conversion, I have an excellent reputation for running a well oiled, competent, and productive enterprise where people are capable, clearly happy, and at peace. They say that they feel empowered because they know I trust them, care about them, and will take the time needed to develop them. People are bonded not only to me but also to each other. While there are frustrations and goals to be accomplished, and while the establishment still takes some stances that appear idiotic to us, our bonds are not built in an us-against-them effort but in a loving approach that takes the starting point that everyone at all levels of our organization wants the mission to succeed and is basically a good person, that every person is needed and essential, and that we all need each other in very special ways at special times. I knew a lot about people's personal lives now. You see, people now use my open door policy not just to discuss work issues but also to share their personal concerns, insecurities, philosophies, needs, desires, and friendship. They even, at times, ask for prayer; those who are Christian sometimes they want me to pray with them. They talk to me about their families, their colleagues (how to love them better and work wtih them more effectively and harmoniously), and, in surprisingly more cases than one might think, regardless of their brand of religion, about their relationship with God. That is as it should have be in an organization where God's present is desired and felt. We have had prayed so often for one colleague or another, and we have had far more than our fair share of miracles.

I have found the answer to my unasked pre-conversion question, what more could a manager want? A manager could want God's presence in building the house and guarding the city. Ironically, the organization I built without God's help was dismantled by human hands four years later. This organization I am currently building with God's help may also be dismantled by human hands at some point in the future (although with 125% growth every year for the past five years, I don't think that is going happen any time soon), but if it is, what will not be dismantled is the house we are all building together with God's help. Some employees have retired during the past five years and some have moved on to other positions that pay more, but most have stayed in touch. Most are still willing to lend a helping hand, a sympathetic ear, a plaintive prayer. There has been set done a foundation that supports not just the work mission but also and more importantly the human condition.

Contemplation: That is far as I can go with you this Monday morning. I now retire to private prayer, repenting for those pre-conversion days when I mistakenly thought it all depended on me and pridefully thought that I could build an organization without God's help, to thank God for being with me and my colleagues as we strive to build not just a work organization but a workplace where God is an important part of the team, to praise God for the wonderful ways in which He always watches over us and the miracles He has granted our colleagues, and to ask God to help me remember that unless He is with my, my efforts are in vain, whatever it is that I am doing. Then I will move on to contemplation, my favorite part of the day, letting God take over the direction in which my relationship with Him moves.

I will leave you now to your prayer and contemplation. First, though, I would like to bring to your attention a Monday morning prayer post that you might enjoy:

Fr. Austin Fleming, priest of the Archdiocese of Boston and pastor in Concord, Massachusetts, posts a prayer each Monday morning that he calls "Monday Morning Offering." I enjoy his prayers very much. I think you also will find them inspirational. He has graciously given me permission to include a link to his blog on my Monday Morning Meditation posts. (During the week, he also posts great homilies and other thoughtful discussions. I enjoy reading those, too, as do readers of this blog who have taken the stroll over to his blog.)

For additional inspiration throughout the week, I would point out two sets of blogs: (1) the list of devotional blogs on my sidebar and (2) my blogroll, where I am following a number of inspirational priests and writers about spiritual matters. I learn so very much from all these people. I highly recommend them to you.

Singles Club: Bear In Heaven

Ooooh look, new stuff from Bear In Heaven! I don't know about you, friends, but those words bring a few extra beats to my heart. To celebrate the release of a remix record full of goodies from their most excellent Beast Rest Forth Mouth, the band has just offered up a remix of the killer "You Do You", as seen through the eyes of Brits Tropics.

To quoth BIH's Jon Philpot, the Tropics remix is "slow and bumping" and "kinda like Phil Collins." There you have it, friends. Bear In Heaven just wrapped up their last US tour of the year, but Australian compadres, they're soon to be heading your way. Make sure you make the boys feel welcome, won't you?

mp3: You Do You (Tropics Remix) (Bear In Heaven from Beast Rest Forth Mouth)

Spiritual Sunday #10: Angel of Beirut

For more Spiritual Sunday posts, I recommend that you wander over to the website of Charlotte and Ginger, who host the Spiritual Sunday meme.

Because I do not blog on Sundays -- keeping it as the sabbath -- I use older posts (forgotten perhaps but hopefully still good enough) from one or another of my blogs that seem appropriate for this meme. Yes, I know I could post on Saturday instead, but typically I can pulled in too many other directions to post on Saturdays, or I have a post that has been written in advance and posts automatically on that day. In any event, it seems to work to bring out the older posts that many have not read before or ones from other blogs I maintain that readers of 100th Lamb may not know about. Two weeks ago, I shared a piece of fiction I published a few years ago, The Merging, which danced around the presence of what might be considered an angel in the life of a young girl living on the California coast. As a follow-up, it seems appropriate to share the real-life story of what might be considered an angel whom I met in Lebanon: Angel of Beirut. I hope you enjoy it. I don't know what really happened. It would be interesting to know your interpretation of the event.

Wishing you a peaceful Sunday!

100 Shows of 2010 - #90: Liturgy @ Comet Ping Pong, 11/19/10

It is amazing sometimes what a change of scenery can do to the way one thinks about music. During my two and a half relatively awesome years living down in Richmond, capital city of the Commonwealth of Virginia, my musical parameters were expanded more than perhaps any other time in my music-loving life. While my time in Richmond was full of goodness, that one thing seems to take precedence over anything else: The Major Expansion of My Musical Sensibilities (yeah, it warrants all those caps, believe you me). Not only did I develop a deeper love and appreciation for important musical geniuses of the past, but so too did my cold black heart take a liking to a rather unexpected genre: Metal. After all, Richmond is a very metal city. Any given night of any given metal show, throngs of people will emerge to nod their heads and suck down can after can of PBR. The love that city has for that scene pulled me in, and while I'm still not ready to pledge full-on allegiance to the metal gods just yet, this proclivity towards warm fuzzy metal love meant I was way excited to see the much-buzzed about black metal glory of Liturgy as they ventured down from Gotham and played DC. My friends, it was hell on wheels. Which, as you might suspect, is a very, very good thing indeed.

MINI RECAP: Liturgy = Unholy Hellions! Overall Score: A

I knew, from the very first note, that this would be quite possibly one of the loudest sets I'd seen this year. I was equally excited by and horrified by this idea. The Richmond in me immediately loved them to pieces, full as they are of sonic abuses. They quite amusingly sent some kids fleeing from the room, whereas the litany of noise drew in others. "Fuck yeah," someone yelled after harrowingly heavy opening song "High Gold", and really, he got it in one.

I stood there, friends, totally enthralled, letting wave after vicious wave of fury and ferocity wash over me. During second song "Sun of Light" I decided this is a very, very good band. The way they can express acute agony and darkness through the furious slaughter of guitar riffs, or an anguished howl, is second to none. They were nothing short of overpowering. Unlike a lot of metal I've seen, though, there was a certain sense of control in their performance, and a definite sense of beauty somewhere there amongst the crushing blows of their musical assault. I'll liken it to, say, staring at a work of art you don't necessarily get. Jackson Pollock comes to mind. Some folks just don't see the beauty there in those splatters, but some of us do. And believe me when I say to you, friends, there is something very beautiful in the tortuous racket made by Liturgy.

The band seemed consumed by the task at hand at all times, stopping for only the briefest interaction with the crowd before resuming their mission. The songs were brutal, each and every one, but damned if I didn't love 'em all. In a way, I think they've raised the stakes. It's no longer just about how insanely, wake-the-dead loud you can be, or how you toss your long, flowing locks. These songs have purpose, drive and they made a delicate gal like me feel all a-twitter with fury. They killed their set seven ways to Sunday, and converted me in just six songs.

If you're even slightly intrigued by the dark arts of black metal, you owe it to yourself to check out a live Liturgy show. Hell, even if you hate metal, go see 'em. Just because.

mp3: Ecstatic Rite (WFMU Session) (Liturgy from Renihilation)

Winter Is Coming

From the Internet, shared by my sister. I just could not help myself -- I had to share it here.

The Farmer's Almanac is predicting a very cold winter. It must be true because the squirrels are gathering NUTS.

Three of my friends have disappeared. Are you O.K.?

7 Quick Takes Friday #47

See more 7 Quick Takes Contributions at Jennifer Fulwiler's Conversion Diary.

It must have been a really full week, and yet it did not seem so. However, as I sit here, trying to remember what I did, I cannot remember a thing except eating turkey yesterday at Old Mission and cleaning BIG pots and pans afterward. Oh, well, I will start with that and perhaps the rest of the week will pop back into my memory. Senior moments already? Or, just an overfilled memory?? (Ooh, I hope the latter...)

1. So, okay, yesterday. Old Mission Church puts on a feast for the entire town with donated goods. It looks like we fed about 400 yesterday, which, counting kids, would be 25% of the town. It is a good place and time for everyone to get together. The mission is the center of the town's life, and Fr. E is pretty much considered the town's father. (I think he looks at it that way, too.) Doah and Noelle came; Shane and his family had their own event in a nearby town with Lemony's family. I was able to snatch a couple of pictures. On the left is Donnie, Noelle, and Doah with a family friend, Bennie, who was working the serving line. On the right is Sr. Delores, who lives at the local convent for Sisters of the Atonement (Franciscan order) along with Sr. Maria, whom I have mentioned before. Sr. Maria was not in town; she went to the central valley to be with her biological sisters. It was, however, nice to have Sr. Delores, Sr. Catherine, and Sr. Mary Catherine with us at the feast. I believe some of the friars came down from the monastery at the retreat center since they usually do, but I missed the first wave this year -- had to pick up Noelle and Doah -- and so may have missed them. Saw some folks from there at Mass earlier in the morning, though.

2. Ah, now I remember Wednesday. It was a day of rubbing elbows with all the folks who work with me, which is really great. Too often I am at meetings at headquarters or at meetings in other cities. Being in Seaside the entire day of Wednesday and in and out of my office gave a different color to the day. All morning, the junior managers presented their programs to all the senior managers and some visitors, telling us of their accomplishments during the last quarter and their concerns for the next. That was a good discussion. The day ended with an all-staff meeting to welcome new faces and say goodbye to old friends moving on to other jobs through promotion or new positions.

3. It's working! Now I remember Tuesday! Tuesday was hell day. I had no less than THREE meetings scheduled at the same time for every hour of the day. None of them were my meetings, i.e. none that I had scheduled for my staff and could therefore postpone or cancel. Some were at headquarters (a 20-minute drive) and some in my building. Some were mandatory financial and personnel meetings; others were entertaining high-level visitors. I passed to my deputy all the visitors. That took me down to two meetings simultaneously, and I found other senior managers to take over those. Whew! Talk about exhaustion! (My sister says that she really likes the idea of triple-scheduled meetings because it gets them out of the way faster!)

4. Monday was a meeting day, as well, but also one of crisis resolution. My boss was grumpy, which did not help because he was trying to solve problems in ways that I knew were not supported by regulation. So, I had to maneuver around that approach. Also, one of my best and most essential senior managers had his pay level (which is about 50% of what he could make elsewhere) attacked by the head of the personnel office who is trying to remove the retention bonus I gave him when he was offered a job elsewhere at double his currently embarrassingly low salary. It seems to be a personal vendetta, and I am still working on trying to fend that off. I was really happy when time came for our prayer group.

5. Our prayer group is as much a faith formation as a time for prayer. We include both, as well as singing. We have just finished reading and discussing Richard Rohr's Things Hidden, from the point of spiritual direction (the co-leader of the group is a trained spiritual director which is likely why we have moved in this direction). We liked doing that so much that we decided to try out another book for the next few months, Warren's The Purpose-Driven Life. Has anyone read this book? It turned out that everyone in the group had the book at home, but no one had read it yet. Good candidate for our meetings! On Monday, we had a new member show up who was really hurting because of very recent trauma in the family. We spent most of the time, then, in prayer with and for her. It was appropriate timing and probably not a coincidence.

6. Sunday -- yes, I am remembering now -- we had a meeting of the Secular Franciscan Order at the St. Francis Retreat Center nearby (well, nearby for me -- I could almost walk the distance, but most members come from much farther away). I brought some sugar-free baklava (yes, there is such a thing -- order it from shilla.com), which everyone liked, especially the thought that it was not causing bad things for diabetic systems. Sr. Delores (yes, the same person pictured with Doah above) is our relatively new spiritual advisor, and she led a beautiful prayer service at the beginning of our meeting before we got into the experience sharing, Franciscan rule discussion, and baklava eating.

7. And then there is Saturday, and I am still pulling a blank. It would have been great had I stayed home and vegged out, but that is not me. Staying home is a vacation; the only time I get to do it is when I take a stay-cation. There is no better place in the world to be than in San Ignatio Since where I really was remains a mystery, at least for now, I am giving you a couple of pictures of San Ignatio to enjoy.

Wishing you a pleasant week -- and one that you will remember!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am taking the day off from blogging to attend morning Mass and then help out all afternoon at Old Mission's community dinner -- open to all, regardless of SES or church affiliation. I will also take some time during the day and evening to drop in to followers' blogs with Thanksgiving greetings.

Wishing you all a happy Thanksgiving!

The 2010 Obligatory Thanksgiving Mix

Gobble, gobble, kids. The Missus is working on a pumpkin pie, and we're headed over to Chez Parentals to partake of bird and one sibling invariably making another cry. Hope yours is jolly, as well.

From all of us to all of you, stay off my fucking lawn. And Happy Thanksgiving.

mp3: Joe's Turkey (Fatlip from The Loneliest Punk)

mp3: Twilight in Turkey (Raymond Scott from Reckless Nights and Turkish Twilights)

mp3: I Thank You (Sam & Dave from Roots 'n Blues )

mp3: Thank You (Led Zeppelin Cover) (Phish from 2010/10/30 II Atlantic City, NJ)

When You Make It...

A while back I was traveling a lot (for that matter, I still am) and my early morning and late evening times for contemplation became usurped by one urgent matter after another, mostly associated with work although some were home matters. My prayer time kept getting shorter and shorter, and my walking-around-the-mission time fully disappeared under the mounds of tasks I found heaped on me.

I truly missed my morning and evening contemplation, and taking a few minutes for prayer when I arrived at work was just no substitute. In fact, after about 30 seconds, invariably someone would knock on my closed door urgently with a non-urgent matter. Sigh!

"When will I have time to be with You?" I wailed to God at one point.

"When you make it," came the soft but distinct response. It was a short, simple answer that contained an immense truth and prompted an abrupt stop to my downhill slide away from the summit of daily quality time with God.

Of course! As a parent, I should have realized it without being told. After all, if we do not make spending time with our children a priority, the quality of the time that we do spend with them suffers, as does, ultimately, our relationship with me.

Interestingly, when I started again making time, deliberately, to spend in prayer, I re-learned what I knew previously: God gives us that time back. I don't understand how it happens, but I do know that I don't "lose" any time needed for other matters, home or work, when I deliberately set aside time for God. I do gain, however: contentment, happiness, calmness, better critical thinking, clearer problem solving. I wonder why I ever thought I could not afford to spend a considerable amount of time with God every day. The reality is that cannot afford not to spend a considerable amount of time with God every day.

Happy prayers to you!

Singles Club: Holcombe Waller

For some reason, today just feels like the perfect day to post about Holcombe Waller. The clouds are billowing over the sun and the blue of the sky in a tight, pillow-like mass, and the trees are losing crisp leaves by the minute as the wind snaps them off branch after branch. Why does that make me think of Holcombe Waller, you might ask?

Well, friends, I'll tell you why. There's something about Waller's voice, clear and spare and well-schooled in the fine art of road-weary troubadour-ing, that seems tailor-made for late Fall days such as this. "Risk Of Change" is a stark yet sweeping gem, eliciting wistfulness in no short supply. It's the perfect song for listening to on repeat and wallowing in those aching moments come and gone.

mp3: Risk Of Change (Holcombe Waller from the forthcoming Into The Dark Unknown)

If God Loves Me, Why Can't I Cook a Meal My Husband Will Eat? (Or, If God Loves Me, Why Can't I Get My Locker Open?)

Everyone knows that I cannot cook a decent meal. As for the rest of my homemaking skills, let us just say that my passing grade in Home Economics as a child were a gift from a teacher who liked me but not necessarily my homemaking ability. I think she just did not want to ruin my straight-A average, but maybe she gave me the grade for effort rather than result. When my kids were growing up, if I wanted to get them to do something, I would just have to threaten to cook dinner rather than have Donnie (husband) do that. Even as youngsters, they knew how to cook and how to cook well. (Their spouses love that.) As an adult, Doah wrote a book, "Mommy Poisoned Our House Guest." The topic of all the tales in the book, some of which I have excerpted from time to time on Mahlou Musings, is my sad lack of homemaking skills and the horrendous outcome of my attempts to use them. Unfortunately, the stories are as true as they are hilarious. Why I got missed in the distribution of talents that most women have, I may never know.

Every once in a while, though, I try to remedy the situation -- to no avail. On Donnie's birthday recently, I decided to make him dinner, freeing him from that daily task. He protested, but then realized that this was going to be my gift to him so he let me try. I had purchased some fresh squid; they are easy to cook. A salad and some vegetables, rolls, desserts -- voila! a great dinner! Except...it was, following historic patterns, not edible. Donnie made himself a toasted cheese sandwich, and, as happens in such cases, I ate the inedible meal just to prove something. (Just what I am trying to prove in these cases, I am not sure.)

So, I ask, if God loves me, why can't I cook? This question parallels the kinds of questions that my catechism kids ask: if God loves me, why can't I do X, why don't I get an A grade on my project or test, why can't I have Y gift or opportunity...i.e. why is life so tough sometimes? I love the book by Lorraine Peterson that attempts to answer this question: If God Loves Me, Why Can't I Get My Locker Open? I recommend it to all parents, catechists, and teenagers.

And then suddenly a possible answer begins forming in my mind. I cannot do things perfectly because I am human, ordinary. Not everything I want will go my way because it should not go my way because I am human, ordinary, and need to grow and learn. I need to walk in the path of the cross because it is that path that brings a different kind of life, one that leads to resurrection, one that is pleasing to God.

And so, finally, the life of Jesus comes to mind. He did not choose to live an extraordinary life, but an ordinary one, although the way he lived it was extraordinary. If he had not lived an ordinary life, we would not have the wonderful example of how we, as ordinary, human beings, can and should live. He gave us the example of how to live the way God would have us live, how to be servants to those around us, how to improve life for others, and how to bear our cross, whatever that may be, with grace and trust. He gave us the answer to the question that my catechism kids ask.

Oh, yes, now I know the answer. Why can't I get the locker open, cook a meal for my husband, receive only accolades, have no financial worries, birth only healthy children, etc., etc.? I cannot do those things precisely because God does love me! Just like God loved His own Son!

100 Shows of 2010 - #89: Twin Shadow @ Black Cat, 11/15/10

Of all the days of the week, Monday somehow requires good music most of all. Something with a little kick to it, of course. Something that feels a little like a party. No, make that a partay. And hey hey, my my, Twin Shadow was in town on a Monday. If anyone knows how to make a mundane Monday into a funtacular time, I'm pretty convinced it's them (well, George Lewis, Jr., & some amigos).

MINI RECAP: Twin Shadow = Cure For The Common Monday! Overall Score: B+

It was busy as can be down in the Black Cat backstage, patrons galore gathered to see what the buzz was all about. As soon as Twin Shadow began, the mystery was solved. This little conglomeration of good time kids knows how to show a gal a good time, that's for dang sure. Pleasingly all over the place sonically, the noisemakers pinged back and forth between crazy tropical-esque dance rock, Janet Jackson "Nasty Boys"-era spiciness, straight up infectiousness, and all sorts of synthy seduction. I mean, dancefloor dreamery? Shades of John Hughes flicks? Sass? You might could say I found it all rather enjoyable, to say the least.

The more I heard, the more I liked. And really, isn't that how it's supposed to go? I'd love to hear the Twin Shadow take on Nat King Cole's golden standard "Unforgettable", which I'm pretty sure was mentioned by the band during the set (unless I just made that up, in which case I might be a genius). I'm way smitten by the shimmer and feistiness of the overall affair, and would hazard a guess that the next time Twin Shadow comes back to town, it'll probably be somewhere with a much larger capacity.

I left the club with a smile on my face and sunshine on my mind. Go see Twin Shadow live whenever possible, y'all. Oh, and hey Europe. Twin Shadow is coming for you and your dancing shoes early next year! Be ready to drink and dance and have one humdinger of a time.

mp3: Slow (Twin Shadow from Forget)

Otherwise Engaged: Weekend

It is an unfortunate reality for the serious concertgoer that on occasion, there will be more than one show on any given night that you really, really, REALLY wanna go to. Since the vast majority of us don't own a time machine, nor have the ability to either clone ourselves or split ourselves in half (or thirds or quarters, depending on the night in question), this tends to present a problem. Difficult decisions are made based on a multitude of variables (perhaps some of you even make lists of pros and cons), and ultimately, a show is chosen. But those other shows are still gonna be killer, and I'd like to give a little face time to the shows that, while I can't go myself, are highly recommended all the same.

Tomorrow night, otherwise known as the night before turkey, is a seriously flummoxing evening. Too much to do, too much to see, too much to hear! If I wasn't already booked, chances are I'd probably be getting pretty dang psyched about this here Young Prisms and Weekend show over at the newly-minted Red Palace. I suspect much noice of a rather pleasing variety, which of course means a good time is sure to be had by all. If you're inclined to dig some abrasion with your music, well, this one's for you.

mp3: Coma Summer (Weekend from Sports)

Beat Meet: The Grown Folks, Younger Sister, Local, Remixed, Kills Less Porpoises Edition

Even (especially?) if it's a shortened week, gotta have a Beat Meet, right? This week's installment, for the most part, features a number of winner albums. Plus, we've got a couple of extra treats, too. Let's be honest, for our U.S. readers, you're going to need a soundtrack for the self-induced coma you're going to put yourself into come Turkey Day. Fortunately for you, this can be it.

i'm constantly bemoaning (bragging about?) the fact that we get a LOT of submissions here at LET. And as good a job as we try to do listening to everything, well, things are going to fall through the cracks, plain and simple. Sometimes, though, the Fates realize this will not stand. Such is the case with Durojaiye Versatile's The Fermented Sessions. When DV sent a follow-up email earlier asking what we thought of the album, i had to scramble, but i'm glad i took the time to listen the second time around. The wine label CD art pretty much sums up the experience--grown folks' grooves just right for a dinner party mentality. Don't be fooled into thinking this is NPR-approved, light stuff, though--while i'm sure they'd dig it, too, this is for beat heads.

mp3: Bree (Durojaiye Versatile from The Fermented Sessions)

If the Powers-That-Be had their way, we wouldn't be talking about Caroline here at the Beat Meet. The Mice Parade member and younger sister of J-Pop sensation Olivia Lufkin originally was signed as the next J-Popper sensation, but walked away from a huge contract to make the music she wanted to make. What we've got here is ethereal vocals over dreamy beats and occasional, crisp percussion. i calls 'em likes i sees 'em, and this is one to keep an ear open for when it drops on January 25, 2011.

mp3: Swimmer (Caroline from Verdugo Hills)

Oddisee is blowing up the world over, but as a Prince George's County native, well, we DC-area bloggers take special pride in this hometown talent. Were you a fan of his work with Trek Life on Everything Changed Nothing? Were you more interested in the grooves than the raps? Well, are you in luck today then, kiddo, as we've got the instrumentals here for your listening pleasure.

mp3: Ready to Live Instro (Oddisee from Everything Changed Nothing Instros)

mp3: Still Never Rains Instrumental (Oddisee from Everything Changed Nothing Instros)

Sure, that's all good and well, but where's your Glitch Mob fix? Well, i do happen to have the latest DJ Vadim remix of Fortune Days featuring Yarah Bravo & Pugs Atomz. So eat, eat, you jackals. When the album DownloadToDonate.org on January 12, 2011, all proceeds go towards Haiti relief programs, so enjoy this sample, and then do the right thing when the time comes.

mp3: Fortune Days (DJ Vadim RMX ft Yarah Bravo & Pugs Atomz) (The Glitch Mob from Drink The Sea - The Remixes Vol. 2)

And since it is a feast week for we fat assed Americans, what better way to close things out than with another Simple Recipe from our beloved Pro~Ef? Answer: there isn't one. Tell me i'm wrong when i tell you that all recipes are better when read over stellar beats. Can't do it, can you? Don't question your Uncle Terrible, kids. Just trust me on this one.

mp3: Dolphin Friendly Tuna Quesadilla (Pro~Ef from Simple Recipes Series)

Video Vixens: Fujiya & Miyagi

I will forever owe my love of and exposure to Fujiya & Miyagi to my adorable former roommate, Max. If it wasn't for Max, and his fondness for the glorious song "Ankle Injuries", I might never have been exposed to the seductive slink and the expansive shapeshifting of those F&M beats, not to mention some of the most come-hither vocals I've ever heard. Perish the thought indeed.

The Brightonian foursome is getting ready for a January album release, and in the meantime are giving us all nightmares with their new video. Ok, maybe they're just giving me nightmares. But come on. That dude messing with the Fujiya & Miyagi-alike ventriloquist dummies is seven shades of scary. The song itself is fantastic, all velvet and sexy somehow, despite talking about beating someone eight shades of black and eight shades of blue.

mp3: Sixteen Shades of Black & Blue (Fujiya & Miyagi from the forthcoming Ventriloquizzing)

Singles Club: Mogwai

Once upon a time, I wasn't such a fan of Mogwai. Yeah, I don't know why either. It seems pretty obvious these days that I would be into them. I mean, considering that they're a) Scottish, b) loud, and c) slightly abrasive, they are rather up my proverbial alley. Being a fan of d) all of the above, I finally saw the light, and embraced a modicum of affection for these sonic hellions.

It almost doesn't seem possible, but the band is preparing to release their seventh, yes seventh, full-length record. My, where has the time gone? I'm gonna go out on a limb here and predict that Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will is going to be loud, louder, and loudest all at the same time. To celebrate letting us all in on what their album cover is going to look like, the gents are kindly giving a song from said record away. Aren't they sweet? Have at "Rano Pano", won't you?

mp3: Rano Pano (Mogwai from the forthcoming Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will)

Free Music Friday--The Monday After the Fact Edition

What with it most likely being a short week here at LET this week (gobble, gobble, kids), i decided that if i let last week's Free Music Friday slip by, it probably would be at least another week before i got one done. Since nobody wanted that to happen, here we are with The Monday After the Fact Edition.

Validating our continuing love of all things Swedish, jj dropped a couple of freebie tracks last week, now with sample-y goodness from the xx and Akon!

mp3: let them (jj from Sincerely Yours)

mp3: i'm the one/money on my mind (jj from Sincerely Yours)

With his ninth solo joint, The Apollo Kids, hitting shelves December 14, Ghostface Killah decides to show you what he's got on the first single, "Together Baby." With a soulful sample on the hook, GK continues to slaughter on this one.

mp3: Together Baby (Ghostface Killah from The Apollo Kids)

Continuing their tradition of unearthing seldom heard gems, Light in the Attic knocks another one out of the park with Jim Sullivan's U.F.O. Utilizing the legendary Wrecking Crew as his backing band, the artist is shrouded in mystery. For our purposes, though, the sumbitch could write a mean pysch-folk-rock tune, and that's really all we care about here.

mp3: Highways (Jim Sullivan from U.F.O. )

Katy Goodman must have decided two bands simply were not enough, with the Vivian Girls / All Saints Day member dropping a new one as La Sera. First single, "Never Come Around," shares the same dream-pop vision as her trio, but without the wall of fuzz. Quite frankly, a welcome change of pace to my ears.

mp3: Never Come Around (La Sera from Never Come Around/Behind Your Eyes 7")

And to send you on your merry way, the Golden Filter remix of the Morning Benders' "Excuses" (incidentally, my favorite track on their Big Echo). Now with more dance floor-y-ness!

mp3: Excuses (The Golden Filter Remix) (The Morning Benders from their website)

Monday Morning Meditation #63: Reaping in Joy

This week I have continued to work my way through the Psalms, progressing from Psalm 122, which held some personal meaning for me, to Psalm 126, which also held some personal meaning for me. Especially meaning was Verse 5 of this psalm, which reads: "Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy." What a wonderful promise! When we are sowing in tears, joy is pretty far from our minds, yet how often do those tears ultimately turn to joy? Maybe not immediately and maybe not very soon at all, but over time things often change. More important, while in this life we may end up stockpiling the harvest of those tears, we know that we are promised that the harvest of the next life will be abundant joy.

Reading: Psalm 126

Meditation: The words in verse 5 brought back a memory that is three decades old. Back in my college days, I was invited by a professor of English who liked my writing to take a highly popular senior-level poetry writing course that would not otherwise be open to freshmen, if not because of prerequisites then because it was always oversubscribed. Nonetheless, my freshman composition teacher got me into it, and then I had the audacity to approach the professor and ask him to make an exception for another freshman, Al, a good friend of mine from Saudi Arabia whose poetry had been published in France (which he wrote in good French), Saudia Arabia (which he wrote in his native Arabic), and in the USA (in which he wrote in good English, more sophisticated and sensitive than most native speakers of English I knew were capable of writing). The professor agreed, and Al and I became partners, the two "babies" in the class, spending most of that semester together on the roof of my dormitory, writing poetry. (For those who might be wondering, I did not know my husband, Donnie, at that time.)

While my poetry was passable enough to get a good grade, Al's was brilliant. The one image that has never left my head after all these decades is his description of a woman in Vietnam (at the time, the US was deeply involved in that country, in the war that was called a conflict). In his poem, which he called "Lon Nui" (the name he gave to the woman), the woman, who had lost many friends and family members, as well as livelihood, to the war, was, in Al's words, "creeping about the fields gathering satchels of weeping."

Those "satchels of weeping" have come to mind upon occasion when some sad circumstance has evoked the memory of Al's poignant description. Now, having read Psalm 126, I see more than the woman creeping about the fields, I see her handing them over to God and God opening them to release rainbows of joy.

Contemplation: That is far as I can go with you this Monday morning. I now retire to private prayer, repenting for all those times I thought that the satchels of weeping were the harvest, not thinking that God's harvest would never be one of weeping, to thank God for the rainbows of joy that we can always ultimately expect, to praise God for caring always about what not only goes into our satchels but also what comes out of them, and to ask Him to help me remember that, regardless of what happens in my life, joy is what God wants for me. Then I will move on to contemplation, my favorite part of the day, letting God take over the direction in which my relationship with Him moves.

I will leave you now to your prayer and contemplation. First, though, I would like to bring to your attention a Monday morning prayer post that you might enjoy:

Fr. Austin Fleming, priest of the Archdiocese of Boston and pastor in Concord, Massachusetts, posts a prayer each Monday morning that he calls "Monday Morning Offering." I enjoy his prayers very much. I think you also will find them inspirational. He has graciously given me permission to include a link to his blog on my Monday Morning Meditation posts. (During the week, he also posts great homilies and other thoughtful discussions. I enjoy reading those, too, as do readers of this blog who have taken the stroll over to his blog.)

For additional inspiration throughout the week, I would point out two sets of blogs: (1) the list of devotional blogs on my sidebar and (2) my blogroll, where I am following a number of inspirational priests and writers about spiritual matters. I learn so very much from all these people. I highly recommend them to you.

Spiritual Sunday #9: St. Oswald's and Other Special Churches

For more Spiritual Sunday posts, I recommend that you wander over to the website of Charlotte and Ginger, who host the Spiritual Sunday meme.

Because I do not blog on Sundays -- keeping it as the sabbath -- I use older posts (forgotten perhaps but hopefully still good enough) from one or another of my blogs that seem appropriate for this meme. Yes, I know I could post on Saturday instead, but typically I can pulled in too many other directions to post on Saturdays, or I have a post that has been written in advance and posts automatically on that day. In any event, it seems to work to bring out the older posts that many have not read before or ones from other blogs I maintain that readers of 100th Lamb may not know about. This week I felt moved (don't know why) to share with you the story of St. Oswald (and the church named after him). The link is here; Falling in Love with Some Special Churches; you will find some other special churches there, too, and I hope you will take the time to go there and enjoy the pictures. However, I have pasted the St. Oswald story below. I hope you enjoy it. I can hear it and read it many times and still thoroughly enjoy it.

St. Oswald's, in Seefeld, Austria, has been made into a museum as a result of an incredible event that took place there. As the story goes, on the night of Holy Thursday 1384, a knight named Oswald Milser attended mass at this church. A man of great arrogance and pride, he approached the high altar with his sword drawn and a band of intimidating armed men, demanding the large host, the one normally reserved for the priest, for himself. The frightened priest handed him the host, and Milser remained standing as he took it. However, as soon as he had the host in his mouth, the knight sank into the ground up to his knees. Pale with terror, he grasped the altar with both hands, leaving imprints that can still be seen. The knight begged the priest to remove the host from his mouth. As soon as it was done, the ground became firm beneath him again, but the host turned blood-red. The humiliated knight rushed to the monastery of Stams, confessing and repenting his sin of arrogance. It is said that the knight thereafter befriended the poor and became a great servant to God. Anyone who ever has any doubt that God is present in His churches would do well to visit St. Oswald's and check out the fingerprints.

Wishing you a peaceful Sunday!

Singles Club: Tyvek

Tyvek is from Detroit. Detroit Rock City. Motor City. A city formerly great and thriving, now buried and burning in the continued morass of decades of depressingly painful decline.

It's probably safe to guess that this state of affairs has probably played a hand somewhat in the sound of Tyvek, and in this song "4312", a loud loud loud little mess of a song indebted much (to my ears) to Detroit's own Stooges and MC5, as well as the all-important forefathers The Ramones. It's catchy in the way that certain punk songs have the tendency to be, getting all sorts of stuck in your brain after just a few listens.

In "4312" Tyvek keeps it simple, keeps it loud, and keeps it awesome. The wash of lo-fi is as omnipresent as the shouty vocals and thrashing guitars. Something tells me this band is probably killer live.

mp3: 4312 (Tyvek from Nothing Fits)

100 Shows of 2010 - #88: The Dandy Warhols/Hopewell @ Ram's Head Live, 11/9/10

Over the course of this whole 100 shows undertaking I've tried rather hard not to double up on bands. I wanted to experience and cover as many different bands as humanly possible. But sometimes, well, I just can't resist. And who am I to turn down an invitation to what I already knew would be an amazing show? I'll tell you what, darlings, as good as the show was up there in Philly, this here Baltimore show blew it out of the water. So pardon me while I lather on for days about the excellence of this Dandy Warhols and Hopewell show, because it was fantastic with a capital fantastic.

MINI RECAP: Hopewell = Keeping Hope Alive! Dandy Warhols = Dandy As Candy! Overall Score: A

At first, Ram's Head Live seemed a strange, strange place for this show to take place. It's in this kind of surreal part of Baltimore, down by the Inner Harbor, that feels more like a Disney-fied Vegas than a place for indie bands of all shapes and sizes. But after this show, I don't know if it could have happened at any other venue in any other city. It was nothing short of one of a kind.

Up first, Hopewell. With the added atmosphere of some burning incense, they were immediately epic, just as they were in Philly and just as I would expect. The setlist was a carbon copy of the Electric Factory show, and yet everything sounded just a shade better here, a sentiment I extend not only to the bands but the crowd as well. The primal screaming that is "Over The Mountain" was more intense, the ferocity of "Trumpet For A Lung" more biting. Vocalist Jason Russo's smile, too, that emerges at times during certain notes of certain songs, seemed just a touch wider. In "Trumpet For A Lung", the soft glimpses of delicacy amidst the chaotic storm und drang of the murderous mess sounded quite possibly more glorious than I've ever heard. "We're working for you," sayeth Russo before the band ripped "Calcutta" to beautiful shreds for their final number. Their set was powerful, captivating, and pretty dang breathtaking. This, friends, if you haven't yet picked up on it, is a band you need to experience for yourselves. They'll show you darkness and they'll show you rays of blinding sunlight, and you'll love it all.

And speaking of loving it all, here come those Dandy Warhols. As with Hopewell, they too were infinitely more stupendous in Baltimore. They all also seemed in better humor than a couple of nights previous. Or perhaps, to quoth main Dandys man Courtney Taylor, they were feeling "zesty." I couldn't stop grinning the entire set, every song was a gem. Who doesn't love the breathy, stalker-lite vocals of the creepy "I Love You"? Or the bittersweet "The Last High"? Or the way Taylor can exude an air of total and utter indifference, in my mind second only to the foxy apathy of Blur's Alex James in the Britpop era? "Here's a zesty one for you," Taylor announced, before the band took on their biggun, "Not If You Were The Last Junkie On Earth". The back-to-back-to-back shimmy shake of "Shakin'" and "Horse Pills" and "Solid" got my motor running something fierce, and made me remember just how good a record Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia is. Buy it, y'all, unless of course you already know what's up.

During an impeccable rendition of "Boys Better" it hit me that Pete Holmstrom is an amazing, amazing guitarist. And it wasn't just because he can do the ole Pete Townshend windmill move to perfection. This man can straight up shred. He's got fancy guitars and works every one of them with immeasurable skill. "Good Morning" was flawless, the magic spell of fuzz winding and twisting me into a waking dream. Another treat was hearing the not at all oft-played "Cool As Kim Deal", another old school favorite of mine. While Zia McCabe and Brent "Fathead" DeBoer were gettin their bathroom on, Courtney strummed an acoustic version of "Every Day Should Be A Holiday", featuring a pretty fine singalong by we crowdspeople that put quite a smile on the face of Mr. Taylor-Taylor. Their 21-song salute of a set ended with "Country Leaver", which, if they had to stop playing, was a good way to go out. Sure, I would have loved to hear "Godless", or "Be-In", or "Hard-On For Jesus", but I can't fault what was played. Maybe next time they'll play for three hours instead of two...now there's an idea.

You would think that two brilliant sets by two incomparable bands would have been enough to call it a dandy of a night, but no, it somehow got better. Drinking next door at Mex well after the show ended, another treat was in store. Imagine, friends, an impromptu performance with sassy lass Zia on vocals (and shimmying), Courtney on drums, and Ralphie (host of the evening at Mex) on guitar. It was all rather silly, even before Brent took over guitar duties and a belligerently large man had to be dragged off the tiny stage by several Mex folks. But then, randomly, came Dick Valentine, of Electric Six fame. Don't ask me how, don't ask me why, but the cover of Def Leppard's "Hysteria" that this misfit band cooked up was fantastic. Driving home I asked myself if all that actually happened, and smiled when I could answer myself that yes, indeed it did. It was the only appropriate way to end the night, really.

The Dandy Warhols + Hopewell = guaranteed good goddam time. End of story.

mp3: Calcutta (Hopewell from Birds Of Appetite)

mp3: Genius (The Dandy Warhols from ...Rule OK)