There's a heaven, and there's a star for you.

Got to see an intimate performance by Daniel Johnston yesterday at Primary Wave's offices.
(Thanks Ryan).
20 or so people crammed into a little studio with Daniel, who played four songs,
including "Hey Joe" from his album "Hi, How Are You".
One of my all-time favorites.
Broke my little heart and saved my little soul.

Plus, Polaroid is going to be back in action.
Here's to all the good things staying alive.
Huzzah.

http://www.hihowareyou.com/
http://www.primarywavemusic.com/
http://www.polapremium.com/news?date=2009-10-13
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10375910-1.html

What do you want to see, what did you want to be, when you grew up?

Seeing my friend Hallie, among many things, makes me think of happy, somewhat-tinged-with-melancholy, dreamy music.
The new Atlas Sound album is full of that, in spades.
Especially this track featuring Noah Lennox, aka Panda Bear.

One of my favorite records of the year. Easily.
Big fan of Bradford Cox's music.
And have a listen to his Micromixes.
http://deerhuntertheband.blogspot.com/
I get lost in them on subway rides all the time.

http://www.4ad.com/releases/logos-0/
http://www.myspace.com/bradfordcox
http://www.kranky.net/artists/atlas.html

With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.

For me, this is the most beautiful album of the year: 
Riceboy Sleeps - Jónsi from Sigur Rós and his partner, Alex.
This track features the only know recording of the last castrato singer.

You've got such a psychic life to live.

Written and recorded when he was still in a mental institution, this song from Roky Erickson will always break my heart.
Hadn't listened to it in years, but for some reason it came into mind today,
in the midst of such a hectic work week where I've barely had a second to breathe,
where talk of Carl Jung and the charting of dream-life keeps interjecting itself into my thoughts.
Figured I'd better pay attention.

http://www.rokyerickson.net/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roky_Erickson
http://www.amazon.com/Never-Say-Goodbye-Roky-Erickson/dp/B00000GBR8
http://www.emperorjones.com/roky.html

Music is healing, I love the feeling.

Peep this little gem from Speech Debelle, the newest winner of the Mercury music prize.
Her full-length, Speech Therapy, is out now on Big Dada, one of my favorite labels.
Really impressed by the album and this track in particular is killing it for me at the moment.

http://www.speechdebelle.com/
http://www.bigdada.com/artist.php?id=142
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/sep/09/speech-debelle-wins-mercury-prize

My heart, slow down. Won't you beat a little slower? But don't stop. Never end your hunting. You'll see I'm lost without your rhythm.

As far as I know, "The Snake" from Wildbirds & Peacedrums has actually been out for sometime now,
but it seems to have gotten some kind of reissue/re-release lately,
which I'm all for, as it was a really tough one to find there for a while.
They're playing a number of times in NYC over the next few weeks,
including a show tomorrow night at Le Poisson Rouge with Deerhoof and next week with Fanfarlo.
"My Heart" is a song of theirs that I completely obsessed on when I working in London last summer.
I used to play it really loudly late at night at my desk
in the Wieden + Kennedy offices when everyone was already gone for the evening.
Oftentimes, it was after I had been out already with all my work mates for a few rounds of pints.
I'd be a little tipsy, turn it up and sing to myself and wonder where my life was headed.

Apocalypse Now (or quite soon)

http://www.wildbirdsandpeacedrums.com/
http://www.myspace.com/wildbirdsandpeacedrums
http://www.theleaflabel.com/en/artists/view/44/Wildbirds%20%26amp%3B%20Peaced...