Rogue Wave
Bought a great CD this weekend. Rogue Wave is a hot Bay Area band often compared to the Shins. "Kicking The Heart Out," a nice burst of melancholy acoustic pop, is a free download on iTunes this week. Recommended if you like Elliott Smith. Out Of The Shadow was out on the band's own label last year, but got rereleased by SubPop this summer. Check it out.
Last night we watched the VMAs. Could've used more Britney, less off-key Hoobostank. We texted Ultragrrrl halfway through and she revealed she MET the Olsen twins. Lucky bitch. It's funny to think Bette Midler hosted the first VMAs. MTV should've flew her out to Miami to mix it up with Lil' Jon.
We're watching Cara's kitten Peapod this week. I was very opposed to the idea, but I have to admit she's pretty cute. She's mischievous and likes shoelaces. We've renamed her Claus Von Bulow. I think she's scared of me.
This is also the post where you can bitch about the RNC.
Posted at 8:15 AM
hoobastunk really effed up their already shitty song...how come they didn't get booed like John Kerry's daughters?
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The VMA's were the worst thing I've seen in years. Terrible stage layout, wierd camera work (their filming of Usher's opening performance was just... bizarre and totally made it look like he was lipsynching... which, I s'pose, he could have been), HORRIBLE venue (I feel bad for all the fans who got to look at peoples backs all night) and awful celebrity turn out. As much as J.Lo might call it her second home, obviously a lot of other celebs don't care much for the city.
Also, I have memory blanks about it. Like, when did Mandy Moore and Marilyn Manson do any thing? And since when was the Polyphonic Spree performing??? (I missed half of it because I either didn't know/forgot they were coming on).
And: Rogue Wave? I saw them open for AC Newman.. I was far more impressed with the first opening band, The Neins. Rogue Wave was kind of bland and uninteresting. Kind of like Shins wannabes. That being said, though, maybe their album is a lot better than their live show.
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I'm with Sara. That was the worst production I've ever seen. You could tell that a lot of the performers couldn't hear themselves (thus the bad lip-synching from Usher and the dreadful Hoobastank vocals, though who's to say Hoobastank would do better if they could hear themselves), and the camera-work/visuals were entirely too seizure-inducing.
My big question: why was there no host? It would have given the show the tiniest bit of cohesion, so I might not have had to watch it eyes a-goggle in horror. I'll be the first to admit that I flipped to the Olympics closing ceremony... watching the Greek War dance was far better than watching Jessica Simpson convulse during those high notes of what I used to consider a half-way decent Robbie Williams song.
P.S. My impression was that the crowd wasn't booing the Kerry daughters, they were booing the Bush daughters, as evidenced by Vanessa Kerry (she's the blonde one, right?) trying to inconspicuously shush the crowd with her hand while the Bush twins appeared on screen above them. Apparently other news sources tell a different story, but who trusts the news these days anyway?
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i think there was a 10-90 boo-cheer mix for the kerrys. considering 40% of those attending the VMAs probably didn't know who they were (what, are they like, from 'big brother 2'?) it's more like a 1:5 boo/cheer ration.
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I listened to Rogue Wave throughout the weekend. It's a great CD- admittedly very Shin-ny, but really pretty indie pop all the same.
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so i'm not the only one who noticed the shotty camera work. there definitely needed to be more dave chappelle.
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the thing i hated most (and this says a lot) is the fake crowd in front of the stage.
get out your towels, here is shaq.
get out your sponsor-paid cell phones for jessica.
carry that unfunny dude on a raft.
chant "tony hawk"
hold up the usher signs.
pretend to be just regular, average audience members.
bleh.
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also, an award for best video game soundtrack? i mean, i know these awards have nothing to do about music, but at least everyone faked it. with this award, it's put in the open.
was this supposed to be a tie in to that failed mtv show where they interviewed video game characters?
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I liked Wayne Coyne, the Spree, Gwen Stefani.
Is Jojo really 13? She seems so much older.
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The PA guy should have been shot. I mean, Hoobastank is terrible by nature, but when Chaka Khan is so off-key you want to kill yourself, you know the monitors are completely effed. Also, Alicia Keys's breasts were distractingly prominent and unattractive.
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re: rogue wave - i don't really hear the shins in it. and bear in mind, it was recorded something like 2 years ago, well before the shins could really be considered to be very influential (i think i saw the Shins open for a half-empty club for Preston School of Industry around that time). being in the bay area, i've gotten a chance to see rogue wave live a bunch of times, i really like'em. and they have a bunch of new tracks they've been playing live that are fantastic.
vmas: i lasted about 30 minutes. the graphics were terrible. that's usually the one thing they do decently for that clusterfuck, and they even messed that up.
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2004 is just the worst year for music (so far) so i'm not surprised that the VMA's were anything but horrible.
Music is so bad, I've stopped downloading it
but yeah Stereogum...Jojo is rocking some serious Gary Coleman steez
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Can't the VMA's just go away? Please. . .anyone? Bueller?
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This Rogue Wave is really great. Thanks for the headsup.
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I don't live in New York or anything, but the RNC sucks. It's got traffic backed up all the way down here in Virginia.
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no kidding re: Chaka. my husband, from the other room, asked what that horrible sound was. I didn't recognize her, we assumed it was some talentless hanger-on, and then when they said who it was, we were both shocked! she sounded DREADFUL!! also despised JLo's hat (didn't she wear it a few years ago to a similar awards show?).
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OMG the protesters! Now, ordinarily I would have applauded every last person on a bicycle at 7:00 pm on Sixth Avenue on Friday, because what a cool idea, but I WAS PICKING UP A RENTAL CAR TO HELP MY FRIEND MOVE TO BOSTON at the time and was f-ing scared out of my mind that I would run one or more of the bicycle people over. Why you gotta ruin my night because of the convention? Aaaaugh! It was so stressful and nervewracking.
Stupid convention. Stupid people who swerved in and out in front of my car. I was so afraid to hit someone and really hurt them.
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yes, the VMA's sucked. God, they were just plain awful.
Rogue Wave, on the other hand, is a different story. I discovered them through the Indie Pop Rocks! radio station through iTunes a couple months ago, and I really love their album. I've heard reports of them not being very good live, but whatever, their album is really good.
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hilarious!
love,
jason mulgrew
internet quasi-celebrity
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The VMAs were horrible.
I vow to never, ever watch them again.
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Re: Roguewave
actually saw them open for The Shins (and Calexico) back in June, were pretty good, album shows promise anyway. wasn't too impressed with them live however.
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I didnt even watch the VMAs, thats how bad they've gotten. But in response to critical mass, its hilarious. They jammed up a city that is already horribly jammed up. Also, Eff-Bush and the t-shirts with Bush and the red circle with the line through it are so the new trucker hats. Just vote! Don't make politics a fashion statement. (sarcasm) I can't wait to see Ashton in an eff bush t-shirt, he really has captured the spirit of the american youth (sarcasm).
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Hey, CarterM- I'm with you re: the eff Bush paraphenalia... BUT... those items should be declared verboten AFTER the republicans leave town. As an NY'er, I'm angry on SO many levels that they had the audacity to came here and milk 9/11. I take small comfort in causing them discomfort. And the RNC tourists DO get uncomfortable when they are confused on the subway in Midtown and they only person they can ask for directions is wearing an anti-RNC shirt.
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Peapod for President! Vive la revolucion!
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Oooh, the RNC tourists are *uncomfortable*...that really accomplishes something. Good work, late.
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I like Rogue Wave a bunch...it's not clear why they keep getting the Shins comparison...they are more organic, rawer-sounding, and less poppy to my ears. (I like the Shins, too, b.t.w.)
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i was trying to figure out how everyone found out i met the twins! whoa!
the vmas were even more boring in person. it was filmed in a stadium and you never saw panning crowd shots because the seats were empty. i will say that i was pretty impressed by the production tho. you can't see it on tv, but they actually did an impressive job... i mean, apart from the lack of pitch control, the lack of REALLY STRONG star power (no brit, no justin, no madonna... not even federline!?), and lack of intimacy due to a GIGANTIC ARENA.
some of the parties were fun tho.
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They were soooooo awful!!!! the worst awards show by far!
why was it so incredibly LOUD?!? to the point of ear bleeding deafness??? the screaming pre teen girls...the intro/outro music...the announcer shouting in our faces...
and alicia keys drowning out stevie wonder's harmonica playing...that's rude
did he know she had on sunglasses too??
only if he felt her face
arghahgagaaah
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oh jeez bob...
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How about the 30 seconds per band that was alotted for the yellowcard / jet / hoobastank thing? Is the pop attention span really only 30 seonds long? Should we all start writing 30 second long songs? jeez.
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I heart Jason Mulgrew.
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Check out another free Rogue Wave song, "Endless Shovel" over at betterPropaganda: http://www.betterpropaganda.com/artist_page.asp?id=416
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does anyone know where you can get a clip from the VMA performance from Hoobastank?? I saw it and it was horrible, but some people need the proof!
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i think there was a 10-90 boo-cheer mix for the kerrys. considering 40% of those attending the VMAs probably didn't know who they were (what, are they like, from 'big brother 2'?)
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