The Lisps, César Alvarez Letter; Dear Sarah Palin

The Lisps band member César Alvarez posted an awesome bulletin entitled "Dear Sarah Palin". His impassioned words give me hope. It is hard to even bring myself to write about or focus on music in this political climate. One of my latest posts reminded touring musicians to register and apply for absentee ballots. I was losing hope until I stumbled upon this bulletin. I think it is worth spreading around. 

Dear Sarah Palin, Thanks for reigniting a culture war. Thanks for turning this presidential contest into a spiraling race to the bottom. Thanks for lying to the American people over and over and over. Thanks for showing us that you don't care if it's a lie as long as it serves your purpose. Thanks for being demeaning and sarcastic and setting a new tone of vindictiveness. Thanks for refusing to take questions from the media or voters for nearly two weeks after your nomination. Thanks for lying about your record on energy. Thanks for lying 27 times (and counting) about your record on the "Bridge to Nowhere." Thanks for lying about your record on earmarks. Thanks for putting out a press release about your daughter's pregnancy and then calling the press sexist when they cover the release. Thanks for degrading community organizers who are some of the hardest working and most selfless people in our country. Thanks for degrading Habeus Corpus, which is one of the most sacred pillars of our democracy. Thanks for completely ignoring and effectively denouncing the idea of the separation of Church and State, which is another pillar of our democracy. Thanks for opportunistically praising Hillary Clinton while cynically denouncing nearly everything she has spent her life working for. Thanks for claiming that "God" wanted you to build a gas pipeline. Thanks for saying that the war in Iraq is "God's work," and invoking the specter of religious violence and holy war. Thanks for plunging Wasilla into millions of dollars of debt and raising the sales tax (which is one of the most regressive taxes there is). Thanks for firing people that don't agree with you and abusing your power as Governor. Thanks for going along with a whole slew of smears and attack ads (many of which are filled with blatant lies). Thanks for lying about selling your state's plane on Ebay and then billing the state for $93,000 in airfare during 2007 for you and your family to fly. Thanks for billing the State for your travel per diem while you were at home in Wasilla more than 30 times. Thanks for lying about Obama's authorship of legislation. Thanks for opposing major legislation for health care, education, and seniors. Thanks for slashing funding for Passage House, which is a transitional home for teenage mothers. Thanks for offering to change Washington, but I think that what you're offering looks much worse than what George W. Bush has already done. Thanks, but no thanks. If we want change in America we'll build it ourselves. Sincerely, César César Alvarez Blog Music Is Free Now

Great Song "I'm Sorry"

Obama Ad Features song from The National

The drums beat time instead of keeping time, reflecting moments captured in thought. They march forward with a steady tin beat and pulsate like a life source. Embedding the instrumental segments of the song "Fake Empire" by The National is the perfect backdrop for this Obama ad. It mimics the pulse of a campaign that has motivated people to organize and work for a cause. The life force of the Obama movement beats on from the grassroots.

Boxer review

o'death Acoustic Crackerfarm style

Crackerfarm's noted videos have their own unique sensibilities. This new video of o'death on a beach in Bermuda playing "Adelita" from their first release Head Home is true to form. Bob Pycior's ravenous fiddle playing is exchanged for a ukulele while David Rogers-Berry squats and beats a washed box ashore with broken branches. A comedy that seriously sounds so good.

                                            The Crackerfarm Aesthetic article and interview

Peasant, Bones Premier Fox

Painting Gauche and color pencil by artifact, me

Peasant's, music will be exposed to a large audience tonight on the season premiere of Fox's television show Bones. The song featured is "Raise Today," which is one of my favorites from his recent release On the Ground. I am not a big television fan but know how important TV placement is for musicians to have a viable shot at making a living. In another music climate Peasant's music would have airplay and immediate traction. So cheers, Peasant on your debut! MySpace My Review of On the Ground *this is the only time I will mention the Fox network (Fox Virus) positively.