DJ O.G.ONE discusses his view of Portland Public Schools based on his time spent at Jefferson, and Barack Obama pops up twice over the course of this edition of Hang the DJ. In regard to his spinning skills, we get into how he came to find himself on the court of the Rose Garden, his mixtapes, and the back breaking labor of using vinyl as a medium and the rewards that come from it. Then there’s his sponsorship deal with Toyota Scion and producing for Adidas athletes including football star Reggie Bush and boxer Laila Ali and a host of other things. Stay tuned for the mugs of Michael Jordan and Cassie (yes, she’s that beautiful without airbrushing) and the wise words this upstanding citizen has on the topic of respect for others.

How did you decide on your DJ name? What’s your real name?
My real name is David Jackson. The DJ name O.G.ONE actually came from a program that some former gang members from O.S.P. had started with the idea of having various activities with the purpose of educating and motivating youth to stay away from the negative associations of gangs. The organization was called “Original Gangway.” Each member was assigned a number to establish a chain of command, which led to me having the numeral 1, because of my leadership and influence within the community. Well the program never really got off the ground the way that they intended and I really took a liking to the name, but didn’t want anyone to think it was gang related or influenced, so I revised the meaning to make it fit my own internal belief which is ONE.GOD. I’m just one who believes that that is where all success comes from.

What’s O.S.P.?
Oregon State Penitentiary.

As the Rapture say, “People don’t dance no more, they just stand there like this.” How often do you encounter this?
Ha! mainly with youth under 18, because for the most part the art of dancing doesn’t exist beyond the style of soft porn grinding. There was a time where people took towels to dances because the dances were so physical that it was a workout, but today most of the girls do all of the work being on the floor, booties in the air or literally on their backs and the guys are just standing there watching the show. Maaaaannn! I miss those days.

Ideal crowd?
People who come to party! Doesn’t matter the color or age, but people who don’t care about how they look, what they have on or whose in the room, they just want to let go and have fun… those are the best parties.

How do you feel about requests?
I don’t have a big problem with requests because I’m there for the people, but the only problem I have with requests is the approach; if you see that I’m right in the middle of a blend, just wait until I’m into the next record then hit me up or when I have a line of ten people all asking at the same time. Other than that, I love to get what the people are feeling Oh! Oh! Wait! One more thing! If I’m doing a slow jam set at the end of the night, don’t ask me to play NWA… lol

Do you have a story about a particular request or requester?
Maaaannn! So I had this guy who asked me to play Vanilla Ice at the NAS concert. WTF! He wanted to get me killed…

What do you think your most high profile show has been?
The highest profile event I think, for me personally, would be when I got a chance to make two national appearances on Rap City.

DJ O.G.ONE Rap City Appearance 2004:

You have a vast collection of celebrity pics that includes Mos Def, Rihanna, John Kerry, Twista ,T.I. and Bow Wow, among others. Do you have any celebrity stories? Memorable moments?
The most crazy story was when I DJ’d for Micheal Jordan.

Two days prior I totally tore my Achilles tendon. Doctor said I had to be off of my feet. My response to the doctor was that whatever he had to do to help with the pain, do it, because there was no way I was going to miss the chance to DJ for MJ.

So I DJ’d his party on crutches and when I asked for a picture with him, he looked at my crutches and said “you were playing basketball right?” I said “yep” and he laughed and said “you getting old.” I said said, “Mike you’re wrong” and we both laugh[ed]. So I really took that picture on one leg and in total pain.

Who do you most want to meet and/or get a picture with?
Obama! because that is a part of history.

What do you think of Cassie’s new single “Official Girl?”
It’s a good song, could be even better, but if they market it right and make sure that she has strong writers involved in the rest of her album she should do well.

How often do you do mixtapes? How important do you think they are for promotion in terms of yourself and artists who appear on them?
I try to do a mixtape at least three times a year, as a way to continue branding my name as well expose consumers to new music.

Do you DJ full time? What do you do outside of DJing?
No, other than spinning I also mentor high school & college kids through Self Enhancement Inc. I feel it’s very important for any artist/entertainer etc. to have a balance of giving back.

Did you have a mentor growing up?
Yes I did. It was the major part in getting me out of gangs in Los Angeles and showing me the importance of being a positive role-model.

In regards to your mentorship, what are your thoughts on Portland Public Schools right now?
I think that there are people in positions of power in the public school system that have overall concepts of what they think should go on in schools, but have no realistic idea of the daily needs of kids. Most spend time playing political games and in the end it’s the kids that suffer. Example: I have been mentoring kids at Jefferson High School for over six years and within that I have seen at least five different principals come and leave…. Now is that a kid problem? Or is that a district problem? I have also seen the district move good teachers who the kids love and respect, out of that school, just to replace them with individuals that if they had a preference Jefferson would not be the place they’d want to teach.

Where can we find you?
People can hear me every Sunday night on the Jammin Underground show on 107.5FM from 8 pm-midnight, hosted by STARCHILE. They can also catch me in the mix on www.swurvradio.com every Tuesday-Thursday nights 12- 1 am in the Booty Call Slow Jam Mix. People will also be able to find me at a lot of the Portland Trailblazers games this season as the Official Blazer DJ. Everything else is on the calendar on www.myspace.com/djogone.

To get more specific about the Blazers gig—did they approach you?
I’m good friends with team President Larry Miller as well as some of the players and it was just talking about ways to enhance the vibe at the games and of course I suggested O.G.ONE in the mix as well as some of the players wanting good mixes during warm up… so it was a collab.

DJ O.G.ONE during soundcheck at the Rose Garden:

How long have you been involved with the Blazers? I noticed you DJed a half time show earlier this year.
I have been doing special Blazer events for some time now, but more importantly I have built very positive relationships amongst staff as well as players, so the transition into now becoming the Official Blazer DJ is natural.

How’d you get your current main gig?
Word of mouth! I work hard, I’m professional, I treat people with the respect. I desire to get and I’m actually good at what I do, so in return I get pretty good gigs.

How long have you been spinning?
Over 20 years.

What drew you to DJing originally?
Love of music and DJing and producing was my way of expressing the love.

Working on any production projects now?
I just finished producing tracks for Laila Ali, Reggie Bush, and about four other Adidas Athletes for their training videos.

How did you come to be sponsored by Scion? To what extent are you sponsored?
Well, I won’t put all of my business out there, but it really comes down to what I do overall. I’m a DJ who is actively involved in community and strive to use my status to create a balance on the industries’ influence over youth. So Toyota/SCION and I teamed up with the understanding that having a fresh car influences kids, but for me the most important part is me being able to tell a kid that I didn’t have to sell drugs, disrespect anyone or be in gangs to get it for free, but in fact I worked hard, treated people with the respect I wanted and did good business… and that’s why I have a deal with Toyota.

What are your thoughts on vinyl vs CDs vs laptops?
Wow! Loaded question. The best way I can answer this is by saying this: I think anyone who dares to want to get respected as a DJ should start with vinyl period. Then after laying that foundation then graduate to more advance technology, because with wax, having to spend hours digging in crates, getting cuts on your fingers, breathing in the dust and having sore backs from lifting will give you a greater appreciation for the art of DJing. For those that just jump into Serato, CDJs, Laptops, and etc. first, cheat themselves out of being a part of a legacy. I love using both vinyl and CDJs [and] Serato. Serato has saved my many days of going to the doctor for back problems, and CDJs are easier for me to travel with, but no matter how advance technology gets, I would not and will not ever neglect my 1200s and my vinyl collection.

How much traveling do you do for DJ gigs?
I travel at least five times a year to different places to DJ.

Where’s your favorite place outside of the Portland area to play?
My favorite place to DJ is New York.

What songs will we find ourselves dancing to with you?
Depends, because I play for a variety of different crowds, but my most favorite party songs are:

1. Funkadelic - “Knee Deep”
2. Notorious B.I.G. - “Juicy”
3. Maxwell - “Don’t Ever Wonder”
4. DJ Quik - “Tonight”
5. Underground Favorite - Talib Kweli - “The Blast”

How would you describe yourself in five words or less, complete sentence or not:
Loving, respectful, stands for integrity

How do you describe the genre you play?
What makes you move…

Does your son have an interest in stepping up to the decks as a DJ?
LOL. My son likes music, [but] how he chooses to express it is still unknown and I wouldn’t push that on him because ultimately I have a purpose in why I DJ that goes beyond spinning records.

Who are your other favorite Portland DJs?
The Mighty Juggernaut; DJ Chill; DJ Wicked; DJ Evil One and Mello Cee, but I think Portland has a lot of great DJs period.

What do you think of the DJ scene with in Portland?
I think Portland has some of the best DJs in the world in terms of talent. I hate it that as a collective whole they don’t really work together and support each other. I don’t feel like any DJ in Portland should feel less of a DJ by showing love to other DJs. Be great at what you do, because nobody can be you. So if you hear O.G.ONE say he’s the number one DJ in Portland, it’s because I’m the best at what I do and no other DJ is doing what I do in this town. And I don’t just mean on the ones and twos, but by stepping out and being an example of how a DJ should carry himself/herself and be proactive in making change and being a positive contributor to the Portland scene period, not just be the person who just leeches from the town. The difference is, I think every DJ in Portland is the best at what they do and for those who focus on being haters it’s only because they hate themselves and want to project that onto others.

Links:
DJ O.G.ONESpace
DJ O.G.ONE official website
Self Enhancement, Inc.
Swurv Radio
JAMMiN 107.5

All photos care of DJ O.G.ONE Myspace

Case in point. “Black Friday” begins with a percolating Rhodes piano rising stealthily up from the shadows, soon to be yoked to the young drum whiz Jeff Porcaro as he lays down a solid, driving foundation for them to build this rocker on. The boastful protagonist has, for vengeful reasons known only to him, somehow schemed to cause the company he works for to go belly-up in spectacular fashion. “When Black Friday comes/I’ll collect everything I’m owed/and before my friends find out/I’ll be on the road…” Fagen chortles gleefully. The hot guitar that bulldozes through the number is deliciously brash and dirty and the solo is a scorcher. One of the many charms of this album is their use of no less than seven different axe men (see credits) to achieve their uncompromising goals, so trying to determine who played what and when can be a challenge unto itself. On the surface this fiery cut may seem to be no more than a standard bluesy rock song but when the chorus hits the whole complexion of the track changes. It’s a great opener, that’s for sure.

The excellent “Bad Sneakers” is next and it has a smooth, jazzy groove to flow in. The faux sitar effect is graciously subdued in the mix and Michael McDonald’s unmistakable voice in the harmonies adds a fresh timbre to the surroundings. The tune’s point of view comes from a poor individual who is in the frightening process of losing his marbles. “…I’m going insane/and I’m laughing at the frozen rain/and I’m so alone/Honey, when they gonna send me home?” he pleads. The guitar ride is exquisite. On “Rose Darling” Donald’s voice is a bit Dylan-like in its delivery of double-entendre words that I interpret to be an ode to self-stimulation. Giving himself a hand he sings “All I ask of you/is make my wildest dreams come true/no one sees and no one knows.” So much for subtlety, boys. The inventive chord structure and strong, cascading chorale make it work. “Daddy Don’t Live in That New York City No More” is a blend of R&B and 50s rock and roll spread over an easy, infectious rhythm. The street- level lyrics describe a con man that has either gone on the lam or now swims with the fishes. “Driving like a fool out to Hackensack/drinking his dinner from a paper sack/he says I gotta see a joker/and I’ll be right back…” Or maybe not.

The apex of the album follows and it is pure, hypnotic magic. Starting with enticing hints of the mystical aura that is to resurface years later on the “Aja” album, “Doctor Wu” is simply fantastic in its brilliant blend of expert arranging, use of melody and inspired individual performances. Fagen’s vocal has just enough wistful sadness to draw you into the world of a drug addict desperately in love with his narcotic and actually have you feel sorry for the sap. “Don’t seem right/I’ve been strung out here all night/I’ve been waiting for the taste/you said you’d bring to me,” he moans, “Katy lies/you could see it in her eyes/but imagine my surprise/when I saw you.” The song is poetry in motion and when saxophone legend Phil Woods leans into his instrument and pours out his passionate notes the whole thing ascends into the clear blue ether. You don’t want it to end. Nothing could comfortably follow that masterpiece so the light, Caribbean samba of “Everyone’s Gone to the Movies” fits into this spot as well as any could. The dark side of this duo loves perverts and this ditty about a guy who gets his jollies showing skin flicks to unsuspecting youngsters is right up their demented alley. It’s a decent casserole of sax, vibraphone and Latin percussion and includes a spicy Rhodes piano break.

For die-hard proggers the waltzing “Your Gold Teeth II” (the amazing first part is found on the “Countdown to Ecstasy” album) may represent the highlight of the proceedings. Piano, vibes and synthesizer color the cool intro and the tune sports a contagious modern jazz atmosphere that is undeniably intelligent. I have no idea what the song is about but the full chorus of “Throw out your gold teeth/and see how they roll/the answer they reveal/life is unreal” is very effective, the slinky guitar solo is engaging and Porcaro dazzles on the drumkit. The slow, bluesy swagger of “Chain Lightning” makes the listener feel as if he’s perched on a barstool in a smoky nightclub, sipping on whiskey and smoking Lucky Strikes. Donald croons “don’t bother to understand…” and I’ll take him at his word. Guest Rick Derringer spits out a defiant, spontaneous guitar ride that completes the scene.

The low point arrives with “Any World (That I’m Welcome To)” in that it is too straightforward pop for my tastes and offers nothing in the way of surprises. For a long time I didn’t think much of the album ender, “Throw Back the Little Ones,” but that’s because I wasn’t really paying attention. It has numerous changes of styles and rhythms coming one after another that fascinate and the abstract lyric content (“Lost in the Barrio/I walk like an Injun/so Carlo won’t suspect/something’s wrong here.”) just adds to the Zen of its oddness. The horn section’s brief spasm that appears right after the guitar ride is downright Zappa-ish and the bizarre piano run at the end will make you cock your head like the old RCA dog sitting in front of the newfangled gramophone.

I was so glad to get the reissue a while back because my vinyl copy suffered from thin, lifeless sound and the remastering job done for the CD went a long way in correcting that tragic flaw. (The technical gremlin attacks that bedeviled the recording of “Katy Lied” live in infamy. Donald and Walter were so traumatized by the experience that they refuse to discuss it to this day but you can check out Denny Dias’s retelling of that unbelievable horror story on the SD website.) Having escaped the rat’s maze of the spirit-breaking, record-tour-record-tour routine the labels demanded of their contracted property in those days, Steely Dan was at this point blazing their own trail and playing by their own rules. This album is not your typical combination of jazz and rock. It’s not typical at all. In fact, it’s more about progressive songwriting than anything else and that’s an area that I’ve always thought to be underappreciated in the prog world. Give it a spin.

by Chicapah


STEELY DAN Music Online:
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• AMAZON, find cheap, used and new stuff with the marketplace
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Liz Phair began the live rendition of her 1993 debut, Exile in Guyville, by thanking the 9:30 Club’s sold out crowd for its enthusiasm, which continued through the night. The 9:30’s DJ had warmed the crowd with hits from Guyville contemporaries like Urge Overkill’s “Positive Bleeding” and the Afghan Whigs’ “Gentlemen,” and expectations were high.

I’d first seen Phair on the original Guyville tour at Minneapolis’ First Avenue, and while that show was far from bad, the 15 years since the legendary album’s release have served Phair’s stage abilities well. Foremost, she now holds the guitar on her hip in true gunslinger form. At First Avenue, it was clasped under her armpit like she feared it would make a break for the exit, and she did her best to blend in with her touring band. At the 9:30 Club show, however, Phair stood out in front and engaged the crowd, hopefully putting the tired stage fright story line to rest.

After a carbon copy of Guyville’s third cut, “Glory,” Phair answered the question of many an audience member:

“By the way, no one is going to miss Obama tonight. Not on my watch.”

This led to wild applause, and then she ripped into “Dance of the Seven Veils.” Aside from a slight slip at the start of “Soap Star Joe”, the rest of the show was tight and professional. And Phair’s voice is as strong as ever, evidenced by the high notes she hit in “Explain it to Me.”

Guyville’s bold and raw lyrical content is often cited as the reason for the album’s greatness. I embrace that assertion, but it was always the album’s music that drew me in. She rocked on Guyville, and from the basement no less. It was also a refreshing antidote to the grunge movement. The highlights of last night’s show were “6′1″,” “Never Said” (with her touring band hitting the backing vocals just right) and the foot-stomping charge of “Johnny Sunshine.” The grooves on “Mesmerizing” were deeper than the album cut and came with double the swagger.

Two lucky fans were plucked from the audience to accompany Phair on the audacious “Flower”. Much blushing and giggling ensued. My favorite cut from Guyville, “Divorce Song”, however, lacked the recording’s final tight jamming frenzy. Instead, Phair used the album’s closer, “Strange Loop”, for displaying her ax skills, dueling with her touring guitarist.

Purist might say that some musical lines are borrowed, I just feel that the music displayed here is very pleasant, diverse yet mostly instrumental. From the wild and hectic opener “Suntower”, the listener is plunged into a sweet and very delicate “The Flower” which features some fine English vocals (which is not often the case with German bands, unfortunately).

Some pastoral moments combined with more rocking ones are a winner. Melody is never forgotten either. This band deserves the attention of any symphonic prog enthusiast. They had their influences of course, but to have the courage to release such a work in those progless times surely deserves high recognition.

Not all compositions are great of course (otherwise, this album would have been a masterpiece), but even in the weakest moments, “Amenophis” scores rather high (“Venus”).

The central piece of the album is of course “The Last Requiem”. A twenty-four minutes epic full of sublime guitar breaks (wild at times, atmospheric during others). The band (and the lead vocalist) being at unison. Even if it is deeply related to the early mid-seventies, the music is really enjoyable. But I belong to that generation (as to the blank one, but this is another story).

This epic will appeal to all early “Camel” fans. Emotion in the guitar play and fantastic harmony are mixed with some more (short) jazzy passages. Actually, this is the archetype of symphonic prog music (by far my fave genre).

Unlike many other bands of the time, “Amenophis” succeeded in being interesting throughout their effort. They can’t be consider as too cloned, like many others IMHHO. At least during this album which I consider as a very good one.

Four stars.

by ZowieZiggy


AMENOPHIS Music Online:
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Scenes From a Memory has a lot of variety in it. It has slow ballads like The Spirits Carries On and Through Her Eyes, but isn't afraid to pick up the tempo with blazing tracks such as Beyond This Life and Home. LaBrie's voice is great throughout the album and does a very good job conveying the mood of the story, while Petrucci is his usual brilliant self. This is the first Dream Theater album with Jordan Rudess on keyboard and he performs brilliantly. The rhythm section of John Myung and Mike Portnoy is rock solid as usual

The concept behind the album is a bit corny, it's what one would expect from a progressive metal band, but that can be easily overlooked as this is one of the finest prog albums ever. A worthy addition to any CD collection.

by dark_master108


DREAM THEATER Music Online:
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It's not everyday that you get two born and bred Texas dudes cranking out psychadelic, futuristic tracks the way the guys in Damaged Good$ do. If you had to compare them to anyone, think Andre 3000 with a bit of Kanye West on "Stronger." Check them out...

Bonus mp3: Damaged Good$ -- "You That's Righteous (A1 Bassline Remix)"

...then read their story after the jump.

Coool and Trak Bully were teammates on a basketball team at the University of the Ozarks in Arkansas. United by an affinity for Daft Punk, they immediately clicked, happy to find someone to relate to on a team of otherwise "shady cats."

They took turns bugging each other out with their music tastes. Coool, from Oak Cliff, and Trak, from Tyler, were shocked to have found common ground in their non-mainstream preferences.

Damaged Good$, though, evolved out of Trak's overwhelming frustration with things on his mind that he didn't know how to express. Coool, a long-time lyricist, encouraged him to write a few verses. Their first collaborative effort was less than stellar, but their second attempt, "Housewife," earned mixed reviews on Myspace. They decided to keep going and eventually earned the kudos of Arkansas crowds who would have otherwise been listening to Waylon Jennings.

The duo was approached by producer Xrabit to remix a track of theirs called "Killin' Em." Though apprehensive at first, all worries were thrown out the door when the result came in and floored the duo. As a result, they continued to work with him-and, eventually ended up receiving a contract offer from Big Dada Records (home to Diplo, among others).

Trak, forever the skeptic, challenged the label CEO to fly them to London for a face-to-face if they were serious. When it panned out, they were sold--and immediately began working with collection of European producers who "got" their sound.

Damaged Good$ is currently working on a tour schedule that is tentatively scheduled to kick off before the beginning of the new year--around the time their debut record is expect to be released. For an instant dose, catch them tomorrow night at the Fall Out Lounge for the D-Town Booty Bounce show, along with DJ Fishrpryce, Prince William, Click Claack and Scuba Team Go. 835 Exposition Park, doors open at 10 pm. --Quia Querisma

I swear if I read one more time, “Yes, that is his real name.” Come on writers and AP Press… you can do better. Seriously. Taylor Shaw- his name is a guitar maker. Chip Kilpatrick: If that name wasn’t made for radio DJ, I don’t know one that is. Garrett Kelly… well, not as easily “mocked”- but classy rock none the less.

I rant no more. Interesting article from The State on the state of Preston’s loving relationships.

link: http://www.thestate.com/weekend/story/505909.html

Music:Wild Sweet Orange’s difficult search for love

By OTIS R. TAYLOR JR. - otaylor@thestate.com
posted: August 29, 2008

Love isn’t always grand.

With a name like Preston Lovinggood, though, one assumes love would be a source of strength. Listening to “We Have Cause to Be Uneasy,” the intimately traumatic CD by Wild Sweet Orange, the band Lovinggood fronts, it’s apparent love hasn’t been easy to find. Lovinggood’s search for an emotional connection weighs heavily in his songs.

“Something that’s always fascinated me is this idea of home and how that’s kinda supposed to be what love is,” he said. Growing up, that wasn’t the case for Lovinggood, who found himself looking outside his family home for affection. “I remember as a child riding a bike to the cul-de-sac and smelling honeysuckles,” he said. “I thought ‘I can make it outside the house’.”

On “Sour Milk,” an acoustic strummer with a thumb-thumping pace and a tussle of noise, including accordion, Lovinggood lets listeners peek through the living room curtains. “Like ‘Hey mom, get to work on time’ / And ‘Hey dad, would you come home tonight?’ / And ‘The both of you, stop drinking so much wine’.”

In the chorus, he says of his parents: “They give us love that’s leaving. I don’t think that’s love.”

“That was one of the first songs I ever wrote,” Lovinggood said. “There was pain in the sourness of the family situation, a need for drama. “It’s been a struggle having real relationships that weren’t completely dramatic.”

Another relationship is recalled on “Aretha’s Gold,” the title of Aretha Franklin’s seminal 1969 album. The song also mentions Joni Mitchell’s “Blue.” Lovinggood’s last girlfriend got him into both records. About her, he says in the song: “You’re as tameless as the ocean / I want to love you but commotion.”

Has she heard it? “She loves the song,” he said.

Wild Sweet Orange, the Birmingham, Ala., band that also includes Chip Kilpatrick (drums), Taylor Shaw (guitar) and Garret Kelly (bass), melds Americana and folk with indie-rock’s alternative songwriting approach. The band has played “Late Show with David Letterman,” and its song “Land of No Return” has been featured on “Grey’s Anatomy.” Lovinggood sings: “And those voices of self-destruction / Could never begin in your head / Oh, and love is no illusion / Sometimes I can see it in your eyes.”

Love isn’t always grand, but at least it’s there.

Somewhere.

Reach Taylor at (803) 771-8362.

Tonight's the night. I've gven you previews and persuation related to the first three bands on tonight's Neon Lights bill at Glasslands Gallery in Brooklyn. The Beets will bring some ramshackle grage charm, the Capstan Shafts a fiercely intelligent, singular vision, My Teenage Stride has sharp edges played smoothly, but it's the Pains of Being Pure at Heart who bring the swoon. Head over heels in love with indie-pop as a genre and philosophy, POBPAH bring fierce intelligence and wit to their contributions. Plaudits have poured in from impressive commenters like the FADER, Dusted, the L Magazine, Stereogum, and Germany's apparently hipper version of Rolling Stone. Like any fuzzy pop band worth their salt, they are appreciated on a higher level in the UK, where they'll be opening for Peel show legends the Wedding Present on their upcoming tour. This is the last NYC show the Pains will play before heading back to the indie-pop mecca of Sweden. While they plan to return in winter, the land of herring and high cheekbones has permanantly ensnared stronger folk then they. Come tonight before its too late!

the Pains of Being Pure at Heart - "Young Adult Friction"

This most recent track from the band, slated for inclusion on their impending debut LP, is to my ear their best. The rhythm is winter-morning crisp, the vocal interplay between singers Kip and Peggy is gorgeous, and there's even a muscular guitar bridge. It sounds effortless and complex, at once. It also works the word "microfiche" seemlessly in to a story of library humping. It's sort of the perfect specimen of its type. Check this stanza; "I never thought I would come of age/ let alone on a moldy page/ you put your back to the spines/ and you said it was fine/ if's there's nothing really left to say."

the Pains of Being Pure at Heart - "Kurt Cobain's Cardigan"

While it would be uncharacteristic for the Pains to express their iconic love for Kurt Cobain and his shoulder-warming wardrobe, the cleverly take the next best tactic of aping Kurt's favorite band, the Vaselines. After an opening that gets the Pavlovian "Son of a Gun" juices flowing, Kip's "tweeverbed" vocals rush in to soothe the young, myopic, and lonely hearted. "It's the last night of our young lives, tonight." Well, at least until tomorrow...

the Pains of Being Pure at Heart - "A Teenager in Love"

If this one doesn't trigger a fey make out avalanche, I might be slightly disappointed. The remarkable thing here is the black humor, sincerely delivered, amidst a backbeat that would make Molly Ringwald do that one dance. The model for the success there is clearly Belle & Sebastian. They see B&S's confused protagonist, preoccupied with "S&M and bible studies," and raise them "a teenager in love with Christ and heroin." Not everyone's cup of tea, indeed.

--

So, the stage is set, the line-up elaborated on, the hours ticking away. If you haven't left town for the long weekend, I sincerely believe that this is the best show here tonight. Come, dance, drink, yearn desperately to make a connection with a foxy concert goer, and a) regret saying nothing, or b) feel guilty about your succesful dalliance. Go home and write a song about it. It's the indie-pop tradition. See you at 9.