Charles Peterson

As part of my exploration of Seattle music, I have inevitably learned about other things, like record labels like Sub Pop and K, the popular places to perform, like the Crocodile Cafe, and the cool university to be at, Evergreen State.
One of the other interesting things I have discovered is the photography from the era, particularly Charles Peterson, who use to work for Sub Pop. Through Sub Pop, he had access to some incredible musicians, many before they were famous.
Peterson's website is here, and there's pictures of more current stars, like Andre 300, LCD Soundsystem and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

Watson the Robot

This is a test video for Jeopardy, one of those shows I love to watch when I get a chance. (I love trivia.) In February, they're planning on having two of the top contestants go up against a robot, shown in the video.
I find this really fascinating. I want to know what the green spinning image on Watson the Robot's screen is all about.

Midtown

In addition to falling in love with cities, I've been known to fall in love with neighborhoods. My own childhood neighborhood, the areas around my Grandmothers's homes, Tavistock Square in London, even a certain corner of MSU's campus have become significant to me. Of course, these places are significant because I spent a lot of time there, because I know have memories of being there.

Every once and a while I find myself at a certain place and I realize I'm just loving what the place looks like. (Usually this is followed by how stupid I was not to bring my camera, because of course I want to take pictures.) The neighborhood in question was Midtown.

There's something perfect and antique about this neighborhood. Most of them are older homes and apartment buildings are from the turn of the century. Some of them are uncared for, but their are ones that are, and there's something very livable about them. They look like they need to be lived in.

We passed by the Forest Arms, which made me sad. In 2008, the Forest Arms, an apartment complex, burned after being recently renovated. Looking at it now, I noticed that there were hanging plants from third floor windows, which, coupled with what looks like a still damaged building, was poetic. Damaged buildings should always look like new life is springing from them.

When I think of the Forest Arms, I also end up thinking about the Hard Lesssons's The Arms Forest. It's named after this same apartment area. I love the album, and seeing the building always makes me think of this.

Album Finds

I like Mindy Kaling's Things I Bought That I Love. She hasn't updated in ages, which is heartbreaking, because I've always enjoyed reading her posts. In honor of that, I've decided to start a new series as part of this blog where I talk about how much I love something. Every music fan has their favorite places to get stuff. I'm a big fan of Elizagoth in Stratford, Canada. But one of the best places in Lansing, Michigan is Flat, Black and Circular.
I happened to be about a week ago. Although I've been known to buy stuff there, what I like to do best is go through their two shelves of free stuff that's just there to be taken. It's a little like treasure hunting, because you have no idea what good or bad things you're going to find. I found a ton of stuff, but I'm just going to go through a few highlights.

The Carpenter's Voice of the Heart, which was released as their last album after Karen Carpenter died. I really like one of the songs off of it, "Now," which was the last song she apparently recorded.Galaxy 30: 30 Pop, Jazz and Classical Musical Selections.  This is picked up because of the design, which is often what guides me to really great music.  It includes Patti Page's "(How Much Is) That Doogie in the Window," which was always a song that delighted me as a child.  Also included is "Parade of the Wooden Soldiers," which is sort of fun.Hamlet.  This appears to be music from the play.  I love Shakespeare, but I was disheartened to see that this was just half of its case, not the album itself.  I'm planning, once I collect enough of these destroyed covers, to put them up in a cool geometric design, so this will be part of that pile.Traffic's John Barleycorn Must Die.  I picked this album up because of the name.  Like the Hamlet one, there's sadly no actual album, but it does have this great picture inside of the band.  It looks really cool, and I can see it hanging on my wall somewhere.  It was apparently their best album chart wise.Remember how great...? volume II.  A collection of jazz songs.  So far, I'm loving it.  It's hard to hate on an album that includes Tony Bennett singing "Because of You."  The piano in that song is so beautiful and understated, and then the song totally turns into something upbeat.The Columbia Album of Cole Porter.  Cole Porter is one of those composers I always wanted to get into but never did.West Side Story.  I love this musical, though it's been at least eight years since I've seen it live.  It appears I stumbled upon the recording from the original Broadway cast (not the movie.)  "Something's Coming" is such an underrated song, though like everyone else, I'm enamored of "Tonight."West Side Story's Dynamic George Chakiris.  Continuing on the theme, I found this delightful thing.  He was one of the bigger talents in the movie.Little River Band's The Net.  This one I picked up, again, because it had a cool design.  On further inspection, it also has been stamped by Capital Records for Promotional Uses Only, so on a collector's note, it's even cooler.  There's something very old school about this music.  I like it.The Chameleons UK Tears.  Again, one I picked up because of the design.  It's a wonderful kind of ugly, with this sea green color thing going on.