And It Rained All Night

Actually, it rained all goddamn day. It was oppressive. I'm not one of those people who like rain or who find it romantic etc, etc. In fact, I think the only people who actually like rain are people who have straight hair. I'm gonna make a sister site to Stuff White People Like called Stuff Those Lucky Bastards With Straight Hair Like. Anyway.

It was kind of nice to wake up to rain on my skylights this morning. However, as the sound of raindrops was chased away by thunderclaps, I burrowed under my covers for at least 15 minutes before I could muster the courage to get out of bed. Sometimes saying you have a crippling phobia is really not far from the truth.

Today, I bought my first pair of Chacos. It was a big step for me. I've reached the fundamental truth that I am a Chaco Girl and will likely never wear another pair of non-Chaco footwear for the next decade. In 6th grade, I had the realization that I was Flip Flop girl. Now a Junior in college, I am finally trading "up." Jesus. I also bought a pair of hiking boots. I couldn't have been dyke-ier if I had run across the street to the Home Depot and gotten a tool belt and some plywood. It's fine; no one shot me on sight.

Now, don't cry foul on me but I've been listening to some Discovery lately. Yes, the duo includes the keyboardist from Vampire Weekend; yes, that band is pretentious and overrated. (although, Cape Cod Kwassa is a really good song, like for reals). Anyway, Discovery is one-part VK keyboardist, Rostam Batmanglij and RA RA RIOT lead singer, Wes Miles. Does that redeem them in any way???

The band's first LP is pretty experimental--not all of the tracks work for me simply because they're overworked in that way that only experimental music can be (ie) their cover of I Want You Back. Some of the tracks are just weird--a remake of "Missing?" Really, Papi? Really?

However, one real standout for the band is the second track, Osaka Loop Line. I love the synth beat for this track--how it literally loops back on itself and seems to have an error. I imagine the needle getting stuck and then pushing through to create that rubbed vinyl sound. I also really appreciate the way they play with the time signature--the track is constantly speeding up and slowing down, with an extended slow-motion effect towards the end of the track. To me, it gives the feeling of starting/stopping, of being on the underground...or the Osaka Loop Line. Which calls to mind...

Transport, waterways and tramlines
starting and then stopping
disappointed people
the emptiest of feelings ~Let Down

Then there are the lyrics...the wanting and the missing and the bad timing and the bullet trains providing a background for the whole scene.

In Osaka I saw you last
your face pressed up against the glass
across the track you're lookin' at
as bullets passed behind your back
i tried to catch your eye...

I included some other tracks from the LP, just a few that caught my attention and didn't overwhelm me with DJ Look What I Can Spin tricks.

The Osaka/Tokyo theme of Osaka Loop Line and Orange Shirt set off a train reaction (hehe) in my brain which led me to Alone in Kyoto by Air. This is a track from Lost in Translation and I often use it on mixes as a way to pause between songs. It's basically a musical comma. Probs there's an actual term for that.

Then, of course, I had to end with Let Down--the namesake of my iPod. This is my favorite Radiohead song and it just so happens to deal with the fleeting-ness and emptiness of modern life.