Had a good time in Gatlinburg yesterday. It's been ages since the last time I was there and a lot has changed. Though Gatlinburg still retains a lot of its old mom and pop charm, you can't help but notice the growing commercialization sprouting up. It still is, however, a really beautiful place and if you've never been, you should go! It's better to go during the Fall when the leaves are changing.

You can view some of the s I took this way.

What made the drive over there so great? Well, the new Coldplay album certainly did! I've been hearing good things about this album but decided to resist temptation and download it before it was released. You know, I thought Parachutes was a pretty good album, but A Rush of Blood to the Head just rocks me, making it evident that Coldplay know what they are doing. Rare is a band's second album much better than an already good first album...

I also picked up Jazzanova's new album In Between. I've been really getting into the late night downtempo music that you can pop in the CD player when you're just lounging around with some friends late at night. This is some great stuff. Also check out Zero 7's Another Late Night mix which I've been enjoying for months but have never really given it the credit it deserves.

I'm too tired right now to write about this so I'm just going to copy and paste it from music industry site the tripwire:

Icelandic dreamy spacerockers Sigur Ros, who are weird enough as it is, singing in made-up languages and just being Icelandic in general, have announced plans for their third album. Being as Sigur Ros-y as they can, they've named the album ( ). Yes, that's right. Empty parenthetical symbols. Lord knows what people will call it. Parentheses, maybe? Who knows, but it'll be brilliant, no doubt. The album, the follow-up to 2000's epic Agaetis Byrjun, winner of the inaugural Shortlist Music Prize, is said to be darker and more raw than its predecessor. ( ), which was recorded in the band's studio (a converted swimming pool, no less) in Reykjavik, is said to be a 8-track album that clocks in at 70-minutes and has the most bare of cover art, with no credit information and no text in the booklet either. That's indie! Or something. The record drops October 28 in the UK and the next day via MCA here in the States, with a US tour to follow in November.

Looks like Pitchfork has quoted me about the recent discovery of rare On a Friday (Radiohead's name before they signed to EMI) demo songs.

For those who have listened to them, do you think they're real? I think they are, well, at least most of them. Some of them could be fake. Regardless, they all sound like crap, in my opinion. I'm so glad that Radiohead doesn't sound like that anymore! Still, it's nice to hear some of their early early work.

If you haven't heard them yet, you can download them here. I'm not sure how long they'll be up.

You know, I'm really looking forward to the new Beck album, which has been titled Sea Change. After listening to some of the new tracks (which you can listen to on his website), it appears that this album will be very similar to his work on the Mutations album, which is alright with me.

I'm also looking forward to his upcoming tour this Fall with the Flaming Lips. I saw him rock the Ryman Auditorium honky-tonk style back in 1997 with the Cardigans and thought the place was going to collapse!

Lalala.. that's all for now! ;)

What ever happened to JELL-O Pudding Pops? Man, those were the best, especially the Vanilla/Chocolate ones. They don't seem to be available anymore...

This week, which can only be described as being an off week for me, is finally over. My Grandfather had a heart attack yesterday and is in the hospital... it appears that he will be okay. He'll definitely be in my thoughts and I wish him a speedy recovery.

Mortigi Tempo is still down. My host will not allow me to continue to host a message board of MT's size cause of high cpu and bandwidth usage. So, it's time for a new home... We'll see how that goes...

In good news, I was delighted to learn that Jackie Brown will soon be released on DVD! It's about time! Also, I've been hearing good things about the new Coldplay album so I will definitely be checking that out.

Well, that's about it. I want to thank my friends for putting up with me this week and being there. Hehe. *Buys everyone a drink* :)

Crazy stop animation action located here.

It's not going to stop till you wise up.

I really need to get out of here... pronto.

It's always good to get away, away from the daily routines and struggles we all face. It does us well to just leave on a whim with a small pack towards the sunset and not look back. Though it is perfectly acceptable to go alone, you should never turn down a companion who is looking for an adventure. An open road, a road map, not caring where you end up... happiness...

Anyway, tonight American Analog Set and Her Space Holiday performed at Slow Bar and I am kicking myself for not going. Maybe next time.

Are any of you fine people out there fans of Self? If you're outside of Nashville, you may not be too familiar with them. Anyway, Self's head honcho Matt Mahaffey has done a couple of TV jingles which are pretty funny. You can download them here. The one for Jumbone is absolutely hilarious. I actually saw the commercial a week ago before I knew it was Mahaffey and laughed... Just a cute dog singing along... (link via yewknee)

Worked up a new splash page today.

Isn't it annoying to have a friend who doesn't have an email address? Come on, it's 2002! Even my Grandmother has one! So, whenever I want to talk with her, I have to use a phone... what is that? The settlers used phones... sheesh... get with the program.

LOL... Or maybe by living without an email address, she is more satisfied with her station in life and we are the ones who need to get with the program.

Haha.. excuse me for a second. It's been a crazy day and I'm just warming up... ;)

And I'm doing nothing wrong

Riding in your car

The radio playing

We sing up to the eighth floor

A rooftop, Manhattan

At one in the morning

And you said something

That I've never forgotten

Just when you've found it, it's gone

Just when you feel it, you don't

I've been told (thank you Aurora!) that Sigur Rós will be announcing some North American tour dates sometime in the next few days! Dates probably won't be until November, which is okay... I can save up enough money before then to hit as many shows as possible! Haha... I sound like my Phish friends.

Also, their new album, which they recorded in a swimming pool, will be out in October.

Had a pleasant day sitting on the banks of the Tennessee River near Clifton, TN when all of a sudden, a huge rain storm came and sent us running to the car. It was pretty remarkable. :)

I don't know why I haven't posted this yet, but I have been really enjoying the new album by the Flaming Lips... maybe too much. My friend Jesse put it right when he said, "The measured use of electronics recalls nothing so much as OK Computer, and in some ways Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots sounds like that album might have if Thom Yorke believed in God." I'll let Jesse tell you more about this masterpiece.

Have you ever been to a party or out somewhere where someone comes up to you and starts flirting with you and you can't seem to shake them? Are you too nice and find it hard to tell them you're not interested? Now you have a way out if they ask for your phone number! Tell the girl or guy you're from New York and give them the following phone number: (212) 479-7990.

Call it and you'll see why. :)

It's hard to believe that one year ago tonight I was in Toronto.