Join Jed Davis (the J) and Kevin Marshall (the K) for an evening of comedy, music, and performance! Featuring stand-up comedy from William Hughes, Henry Phillips, and much more. Part of Troy Night Out

WHERE: The Daily Grind (4th [...]]]> THE J/K FOLLIES
hosted by Kevin Marshall
with music by Jed Davis

Join Jed Davis (the J) and Kevin Marshall (the K) for an evening of comedy, music, and performance! Featuring stand-up comedy from William Hughes, Henry Phillips, and much more. Part of Troy Night Out

WHERE: The Daily Grind (4th St., Troy NY)
WHEN: Friday, July 27th @ 8:30pm

HOW MUCH: Pay What You Will (suggested donation: $5)‎

1. Pay what you will DOES mean free if you can’t afford it. Or even if you can drop literally a couple bucks. Five dollars is only suggested; not mandatory! And we will not pressure anyone. We’ll even accept candy.
2. This show fits the gap between the TNO activities that normally end a little after 8 and the Official Unofficial TNO After-Party at Daisy Baker’s that doesn’t kick off until about 9:30 or so.
3. YOU SHOULD ALL COME BECAUSE THIS WILL BE GREAT.
4. Make sure you go to http://www.jeddavis.com/ to get a preview (and hopefully download!) his new album, “Small Sacrifices Must Be Made!”

Speaking of that last one, you can listen to Jed’s new album streaming RIGHT NOW! Check it out:

The primary example is the glut of folk rock bands. At first I assumed it was specifically an Albany problem, but in looking at what’s dominating indie rock right [...]]]> One of the things I find as I get older is how little patience I have for musical fads and/or theatrics pretentiously masquerading as counter-culture art.

The primary example is the glut of folk rock bands. At first I assumed it was specifically an Albany problem, but in looking at what’s dominating indie rock right now, it’s mostly that tripe; childishly simplistic acoustic arrangements with an accompanying ukulele while some kid who grew a beard 18 months ago whispering high school notebook scribblings.

I was at one of those shows recently, and it was like watching the Muppet Babies cover Iron & Wine. And they’re supposed to be one of the better acts in this area.

I’m not one of those who demands that any and all rock have some fucking balls (though God there’s times when I wish it all did). But I do think that the folk rock movement of the last few years is based more on laziness, complacency, and cowardice than on any real effort to expand horizons or, even, to play good music. Because if it’s not fun and it’s not good art, then what is the fucking point?

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Here’s what I’ve been jamming to lately. I know saying it like that makes me sound old and unhip. Fuck you.

Twin Shadow – “Confess”

King Tuff – “King Tuff”

The Henry Clay People – “Twenty-Five for the Rest of Our Lives”

Fiona Apple – “The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do”

The Soundtrack of Our Lives – “Throw it to the Universe”

The Tallest Man on Earth -“There’s No Leaving Now”

Cadence Weapon – “Hope in Dirt City”

Mine, for what it’s worth:

I don’t even have the words, except to say that this shit put me on the verge of a nervous breakdown like Michael Douglas’s character in “Falling Down.” [...]]]> Every time I think I’ve heard or seen the worst thing in the world, the internet pops up and is like “OH YEAH WELL HOW ABOUT THIS?!”

I don’t even have the words, except to say that this shit put me on the verge of a nervous breakdown like Michael Douglas’s character in “Falling Down.” It makes the Wrestlerock Rumble look like Deadly Combination.

Here’s my own rap:
My name’s Kevin Marshall AND I’M IN A RAGE
I want Riff Raff and I WANT HIM IN A CAGE

See the shit for yourself. If you dare.

What the fuck were you all on about? It was fine!

It seems like all I’ve read about this film is how disappointed people were by it, or that they outright hated it. Sure, the dialogue was garbage and the character constructs were pretty lazy (“I’m here for the money” was [...]]]>

"Ooooooo...prettyyyyyy!"

I saw “Prometheus” last night.

What the fuck were you all on about? It was fine!

It seems like all I’ve read about this film is how disappointed people were by it, or that they outright hated it. Sure, the dialogue was garbage and the character constructs were pretty lazy (“I’m here for the money” was an oft repeated phrase; show, don’t tell, guys). It also seems like it’s trying too hard to prove to you how smart it is. (That’s a problem with a LOT of sci-fi, though. They get unnecessarily defensive in anticipation of not being taken seriously and as a result end up creating plot holes, confusion, and an overabundance of pretension.)

Other than that? The film was breathtaking. Visually astounding. The cast didn’t have much to work with, but they were more than capable. Between this and “Snow White and the Huntsman,” I’ve officially added Charlize Theron to my list of future ex-wives. What an amazing human being. For all the roles and acclaim she gets, she’s still underutilized. That’s how good she is. Also, Fassbender is fantastic as the android David.

Anyway, you need to see this film and you need to see it in theaters. There are a handful of scenes that were so aesthetically pleasing that I nearly cried and peed myself at the same time. Far from perfect, but what do you expect? Apologies if it was the film that it was instead of what you specifically wanted it to be, which is…”Alien,” I guess? But that movie was already made! Three of them, in fact. So quit your bitching.

“Prometheus” is probably the most underrated film of the year. Go see it and decide for yourselves and don’t listen to people who go on and on and on about how disappointed they were because blah blah who gives a shit if it’s an actual prequel or not?

In a weird way I’m glad that my expectations for this were so low, because it probably allowed me to enjoy it more. But I can’t help but be pissed off and frustrated at some of the venom spit at this film.

So, to make up for it, here’s some things I don’t like that you probably adore. I hope it pisses you off. FEEL MY PAIN!

THINGS YOU LIKE THAT SUUUUUUUUUUCK

• Radiohead after “Kid A” It’s great because they put soooo much work into it yet it’s so unlistenable! My pee is hard to drink, that doesn’t mean you should drink it just because I was extra careful to pee directly into the cup without spilling or wasting a single drop.
• The Flaming Lips I guess they’re wonderful if you’re one of those people that gets a chubby for anything that revels in its own proggyness. And Wayne Coyne’s kind of a dick. Dude, don’t fuck with Erykah. She’s better at everything.
• St. Vincent She’s okay but boy is that album dull. On a somewhat related note:
• Iron & Wine and the litany of indie folk shit they’ve spawned Chill the fuck out with the reverb and please stop whispering and start actually singing. This shit’s getting out of hand and quickly becoming 21st Century Yacht Rock. Speaking of which:
• 80s Music and especially Hall & Oates type Shit Remember when you were ashamed to be a Hall & Oates fan and didn’t revel in the irony like a dog rolling in another animal’s shit? I really, really miss that.
• Empire Records It’s nothing like a record store and the music was nothing like what real people who love music listen to. And Liv Tyler!
• People playing the ukelele and pretending it’s an actual instrument It’s fine if you’re fucking around at the house, but if you’re at so much as an open mic, it’s time for you to pick up and play an adult instrument.
• Zooey Deschanel What is up with that iPhone commercial where she whines “Siri, is it raining?!” as she’s looking out at the rain and then tries to order tomato soup? Is she mentally defective?
• The Departed Oh my God. Overacting up the ass, annoying accents, a stupid third act and an amazingly shitty final shot. Why do you like this movie so goddamn much? Is it that you just haven’t seen other (good) crime movies?
•  That food truck you went to for lunch and blogged about Congratulations on liking cheap street food that doesn’t taste like hot garbage. It’s great that we live in a time that is exactly like every other time, but now we have instagram and twitter and blogs where people pretend this is somehow a revolutionary concept.

Charlize, you are wonderful.

For me.

——————-

I’m done, for the most part, with Fix the World Week.  It started as a fun little experiment that I decided to do on a whim, but what I tried to make a [...]]]> Welcome to Fix the World Week. Each entry this week will be devoted to making the world a better place.

For me.

——————-

I’m done, for the most part, with Fix the World Week.  It started as a fun little experiment that I decided to do on a whim, but what I tried to make a fun satire piece using a negative ranty style just turned into negative rants without the fun.

But before I put this completely out to pasture, I do want to leave you with one more mission: support good local music and good local comedy.

By that I mean good. Do your part to exercise some quality control. Don’t like what you saw? Don’t go back. There’s no need to frustrate yourself with something you don’t enjoy simply because it’s local. Simply being there/here was never enough, and it still isn’t, and it never should be.

But if you go to enough shows, you’ll find something. You’ll find new bands, new singer-songwriters, and new stand-up comics that you’ll enjoy. Then you can follow them and support them.

For my part, I’ll be putting on shows with these good local comics and, if this little experiment at the end of July works out, good local singer-songwriters as well.

So keep it tuned here. I’ll be promoting things you might like.

It’s going to be a good summer.

The Gothamist has the full story on Bob Dylan’s appearance on WBAI radio in 1966 where he decided, against his best judgement, to take calls live on the air. It goes about as well as you’d expect.

It’s the mouth-breathers you’d expect. [...]]]> Perhaps more apt to say those people. As in loud-mouthed idiots.

"Jango? That can't be your real name, and you can't actually believe these stupid things, can you?"

The Gothamist has the full story on Bob Dylan’s appearance on WBAI radio in 1966 where he decided, against his best judgement, to take calls live on the air. It goes about as well as you’d expect.

It’s the mouth-breathers you’d expect. What’s remarkable, though, is how similar it is to what you read in the comments section of blogs and online articles; people who don’t really have a particularly unique perspective, solid critique, or original idea in their heads, but convince themselves otherwise before dialing in to the station. And forty years later, their children and grandchildren are leaving comments.

The times, they aren’t a-changin’ all that much.