Alex in NYC
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Just a quick note to say Happy Father's Day to my fellow dads out there. To celebrate, here's a track by the mighty Life in a Blender that wonderfully captures the perspective-warping powers of paternal pride. Play it loud and give your own father a call.
We found ourselves back in Brooklyn yesterday for the birthday party of one of Charlotte's little classmates. Despite being a dyed-in-the-wool Manhattan snob, I have started to warm to Brooklyn of late, although I'm about a decade and a half behind everyone else, it seems. My old attitude was that as nice as it inarguably was -- it was still only Brooklyn. Nice, right? That all said, I'm as familiar with Brooklyn's byways as I am with say -- Shanghai's (read: not very). I knew Williamsburg for its rock clubs and Peter Luger. I knew Coney Island for Astroland, the Mermaid Parade and "The Warriors." I knew Brighton Beach for Neil Simon and ass-whuppin' Russian eatery, Primorski. I know Brooklyn Heights for "Moonstruck" and the age-old adage that "it costs more to live with a view of the ocean than it does to live in the ocean" (precisely the reason why real estate in this comely neighborhood often trumps Manhattan in terms of affordability). As picturesque pockets of New York City go, it's tough to beat Brooklyn Heights. Beyond that, Brooklyn was largely a vast mystery to me. I don't know my Red Hook from my Green Point.
I have more to say on this, but it'll have to wait.
The band was completely on fire, pardon the pun. Along with Erik Sanko of Skeleton Key filling on bass detail, Tod was flanked by a female trombonist (nothing adds mystique to a band like a female trombone player), a Sikh Londoner who played this massive drum (the name of which escapes me), a French drummer and a shit-hot guitarist. The set list was mostly stuff of the new record, The Golden Hour, along with some radically re-arranged renditions of a few old faves. The crowd was hugely into it. They playing tomorrow night as well at the Bowery Ballroom (with Skeleton Key opening). If you have the opportunity, you shouldn't miss them.
This is another of my favorite tracks of the new records. They played it last night and the room just came alive. The solo that closes out the song is so goddamn great I can't stand it. Play it loud.
Comments
thanks alex mate- dig it. lead singer sounds like he's got an accent? any thoughts from where? Who is "Tod"
Well, technically, Tod -- Tod [A] a.k.a. Tod Ashley -- is from all over. Born in North Carolina, but grew up in New Jersey, spent some time in Swansea, Wales. Most of life in NYC (Brooklyn) until about four years ago when he split from the U.S. to wander the globe, eventually bouncing between Bali and Istanbul. But he doesn't have an accent to speak of. He may appropriate one from time to time, though. After you've travelled that much, I suppose it must take hold.
Prior to Firewater, Tod was in the mighty COP SHOOT COP, who were godlike.
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MOGs That Trust Me (8 of 51)
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There's a whole world on this side of the bridge..
Brooklyn was my comfortable, happy home for 15 years but as soon as a Manhattan apt came my way I jumped the river and everything in my life went downhill from the moment I moved in. Right now I'd give anything to be back in Brooklyn.