how is it even possible to be impressed by modern dancing when stuff like this exists? how was i ever impressed by chris brown's 2007 VMA performance when something like this is so clearly where the ideas came from? all the single ladies is the hokey pokey compared to these clips. what do the 2000's offer as their 'most talented'? doesn't it feel like we've gone backwards, that talent is just smoke and mirrors these days?

watching this makes me feel like the glass man from amelie, the berry brothers choreography is nuts, and i love it rematched to northern soul by marlena shaw. the second clip of the breakdancing is circa 1940. the third clip is just ok, but the song is good so stay tuned.

the berry brothers make this one look easy. if what happens at 1:30 doesn't make your jaw and stomach drop, you're not human:

watching all of this leaves me in awe, but also uncomfortable. if the people in these videos knew what would become of their inventions, the exploitation, re-interpretation and marketing thereof, would they still be smiling?
i don't know.

on one hand, i love youtube for allowing us to discover these lost treasures. on the other hand, seeing that third clip - the one of the berry brothers with the crazy jump, does ~20,000 views seem fair compared to record sales / viewership / sponsorship / paychecks in the millions? can't help but feel like the originals got the raw end of the deal in every way. i never even knew the name 'the berry brothers' until today.

this weekend i finally hunkered down and began recording with my awesome friend roy at the habitat

the results are two rough mixes so far, which i put up on my myspace music profile if you're interested in rough mixes:
"two weeks notice" and "the wait"
one features a glockenspiel, but that's all i'm going to say.

http://www.myspace.com/snoozer


also, yesterday i got to hold and feed a baby hummingbird.
so basically, spring is looking pretty good so far.

ok, so - my recording set up has been a disaster for the last year or so. thanks to my brother, it's pretty much on its way to being useful again.
song i recorded yesterday/today:
http://download.yousendit.com/8E533D0C08E2ECF5

speaking of playing and recording songs, today at 3pm in san diego, i'm playing as snoozer at my good friend roy's studio the habitat as part of the golden hill popluck.
http://www.myspace.com/thehabitat

also, the percussive nonsense in the background of the demo is my brother playing this:
http://www.fredflare.com/customer/product.php?productid=2631&cat=103

needless to say, despite what it says on fred flare, it is completely non-functional as a xylophone.

me and my scratchy voice are playing a house show here in san diego in two hours.

what do you other singers out there do to keep your voice ok from a sore throat? i've been consuming massive amounts of ginger and tea and ginger tea and those weird and kind of gross slippery elm throat lozenges for opera singers.

p.s. for anyone who wants to go and show me some love, it's at the habitat: 21st and broadway, with: adam powell (let's ride bikes) (member of red pony clock) and maybe a mystery guest?

i'm nervous about today's providence show.
i played in boston sunday night and it was scary.
know anyone in the area? please tell them!

today, tuesday, july 26th
on frasier terrace (across the street from the risd museum, approx 233 benefit st.)
free! 6:30pm. with:

snoozer: http://www.myspace.com/snoozer, http://www.boygirlparty.com/music
pants yell!: http://www.asaurus.org/pantsyell
the snow fairies: http://snowfairies.heartonmysleeve.net/

i promise lots of analog synths and toe tapping.


also! unrelated! thanks to those who caught and wrote me about my illustation in the new york times. it was pretty exciting to do some work for them, and super nice that so many of you recognized it. thank you!

slowly but surely, with the help of my bluebird, i've been finishing songs for a new record.

"two weeks notice" mp3 (2.3mb)

this one goes out to all my homies who just quit their jobs to pursue the self-employed life. (i wrote it when i did the same)
you may have to break out the headphones, but my new violin is all over the choruses.

exhibit a:



exhibit b:



ok, that last image has nothing to do with my record, but everything to do with the amazingly adorable fuzzy finchlets. they: a) can fly, b) make cute noises, c) are cute, d) are fuzzy, e) are awesome.

i can't believe how quickly the two fake sylvies and the fake fred have grown. we were going to give them away, but now we kind of want to keep them despite possibilities that we may become crazy bird people.

renegade craft fair is this week, which i'm sure many of you have been hearing a lot about. things seem to be falling apart left and right in preparation for the event, but for some reason, i'm completely not worried. but, if i don't make it to saturday, can someone please make a sign that says 'be back never' and put it on my table? thanx.