"There you are and here I stand, try to make you feel my hand."- Dinosaur Jr.

Top-shelf weather this weekend. We were entertaining Lopez' parents since Thursday. Which culminated in a very relaxing sit by the side of Walden Pond earlier this afternoon. Aces.

Been spending A LOT of time listening to the new Sonic Youth record Sonic Nurse. It's just enjoyable to listen to. I think I am starting to gravitate toward the good doctor's opinion that it is a bit tame, but good songs are good songs. No bones about it.

My latest review online is for a microhouse record by a Seattle-based chap who toils under the moniker Bruno Pronsato. His record is called Silver Cities, and I have to say that I found it quite enjoyable.

Also listened to The New Year record a lot as we drove around this weekend. I think in my Junkmedia review I might have gone a little easy on them in hindsight. Not that it is a bad record. On the contrary. But still, in certain places I get the feeling they aren't trying too hard. Oh well. That could just be the sounds of slackers slackin.'

Here is a tough issue. In Philadelphia, the school district is going around to its 200 or so schools and removing and cataloging the art on its walls. It turns out some of it is quite valuable, relatively. See, the schools are completely broke and in many places dangerous. So the district is thinking it could monetize the art assets to make better schools. But you can see the flipside of the argument coming already. Is it more important for a kid in North Philly to have a bit more leeway in the budget at his school? Or is it more important for the kid to have something beautiful in his surroundings, which in some places are pretty damn bleak. Read more about it here.

And check out this Pink Floyd footage, circa 1968, since you are just sitting there doing nothing.

You may have already seen this Wilco piece that gives too much background and too little attention to the new record. But it's still good. They got a lot of ink last week, but I felt very little of it was insightful. In fact, I can't think of anyone who had an angle that I was really moved by. Unfortunately, the Junkmedia piece fell into the category of doing very little for me. Which is too bad, I usually really like that writer and had hoped for more.

This is an interesting business story about a low-carb, sugar-free Tastykake (I know, what the hell is the point of that?!). Just well-written, blow-by-blow account of going through the process of solving a problem.

Just want to take the opportunity to pimp The Monkey a bit. The jazz cuts he has been hosting lately totally smoke. Give it a chance. You'll be pleased.

Here is a bit of a shocker. Something about late May always makes me want to listen to the Dead. Sort of a holdover from 9th grade, and freshman year in College to a certain extent. Last week I spun Two From the Vault
a few times. It's just a hot collection.

That is all.