Jammin' Java: Glen Phillips

Last night I headed to Jammin' Java to see a Glen Phillips show. You might Mr. Phillips from his days of fronting the catchy and radio-friendly Toad the Wet Sprocket in the '90s. I was unfamiliar with his solo work, but judging by the fact that I'd enjoyed a lot of his Toad work and admired him as a member of the Mutual Admiration Society-- a side-project collaboration with Nickel Creek which released an album produced by Ethan Johns-- I thought I should check him out. I also wanted to head back to Jammin' Java, a place I'd remembered going to a couple times back in high school for some random shows.

First things first-- Jammin' Java is a lovely little venue. One shouldn't be deceived by its placement in a strip mall in Vienna, next to a Safeway. Upon walking in, you're greeted by a nice bar area where you can order coffee, dessert, food, drink, etc. The entire front area essentially functions as a coffee shop/cafe. But just past this area is the music venue, and it's set up just like a mini-Birchmere. From what I remember, the place has vastly improved and upgraded since I was last there. Tables up front and rows of chairs behind, it's another intimate venue with capacity for about 200.

We snagged seats close to the stage, enjoyed some delicious chili and cornbread, and waited for the show. Glen came out at 8 pm on the dot, and with a buzz cut and growing beard, looked quite different from his website photos. He made it clear early on that as a shy individual, it's odd that he entered a profession in which people constantly stare at him. There were moments where he stumbled over his words and made slightly awkward banter, but it became endearing once you realized how humble he was and seemingly uncomfortable with the attention he was receiving as a solo act.

What was nice is that he played 2 sets covering about 2 hours total, sprinkling in a few great covers--Neutral Milk Hotel, Van Morrison, Elliott Smith, to name a few-- between his solo work. The show was fun, but I actually didn't enjoy his solo music as much as I expected to. This may have been due to the unfamiliarity issue, but on the whole, I didn't connect with it. That is not to say Glen wasn't great to watch. In particular, his voice combined with the crisp and clear sound of his guitar-- a Lakewood-- sounded great when amplified in the intimate space. There were a number of solo songs that I enjoyed, but other highlights for me were actually when he covered Elliott Smith's "Between the Bars," Neutral Milk Hotel's "Two Headed Boy, Pt.2," and when he surprisingly pulled out "All I Want" from his Toad days and encouraged the audience to join in the chorus.

But consider this an uninformed, outsider review. In this case, I'm merely a "radio fan" anyway...

2005 Music Sampler

I've kinda been slacking in the music-posting department, so I'll try to make up for it here by posting a small sample of my favorites of 2005. Though there are still four months left in the year and a number of highly anticipated releases to look forward to-- including two yet-to-be-released Ryan Adams albums, alone-- 2005 has been an incredible year for music.

So now, though a seemingly impossible task, I'll attempt to capture that with a few of my favorite 2005 singles.


The Decemberists :: We Both Go Down Together

The more I listen to this band, the more I love them. With three solid albums, a number of equally impressive EPs, and the ability to put on an amazing live show, they are a top notch act and definitely in my current top 5. This song is from their latest release, Picaresque (Kill Rock Stars, 2005), an album that took awhile for me to fully appreciate, but which is now right up there with their other full-length discs.

The Magic Numbers :: Forever Lost

What I know about this band is that they have origins in Trinidad, New York, and London, they are comprised of two brother-sister duos, and they are releasing their debut album, The Magic Numbers (Heavenly Records, 2005), in early October which I am almost certain will be a hit. Though Pitchfork is usually hypercritical and full of pretention, they occasionally get it right. Pitchfork says: On their self-titled, full-length debut, The Magic Numbers are easy for your mother, grandmother, older brother, kid sister and their American Idol-obsessed friends to love, too. From what I can tell so far, they are dead-on. It's pure indie-pop grandeur at its best. My proof is the fact that Auddie and I blast this song when we're in the car and sing it at the top of our lungs. Probably a better summer album than fall, but either way, one of those albums that will be a sure pick-me-up on any grey day.

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah :: In This Home on Ice

Every year there's an obscure act that comes out of New York that gets overhyped on reviews and becomes the talk of the indie scene. This year, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, aided by their memorable band name, are that band. On their debut album, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, 2005), the band combines elements of '80s pop with tidbits of their modern contemporaries (Arcade Fire, even Interpol). In doing so, they've managed a unique sound of synths with gritty guitars and slurred vocals you won't be able to understand. But it's good, and despite drawing all these comparisons to '80s acts and recent indie gems, they've still established themselves as a unique band likely to be considered either over or underrated by the indie masses.

Sufjan Stevens :: Casimir Pulaski Day

Almost every indie geek knows of Sufjan Stevens' ambitious goal of releasing an album for all 50 states. So far, this midwesterner has succeeded with a Michigan album, and more recently, Illinois (Asthmatic Kitty Records, 2005), an album that has been widely touted as an album-of-the-year contender. Truth be told, I haven't sat down and listened to it in one sitting, nor have I really pieced it together as a story about the great state of Illinois, but musically, I've enjoyed a number of tracks. With his soothing, whispery voice and stripped-down guitar, Sufjan is really easy to listen to, but the music itself isn't as simplistic as the listening experience would imply. The instrumentation fits in so well-- trumpets, a backing choir, and a string quartet-- that they seem like subtle touches when you are listening.

David Gray :: Ain't No Love

I consider David Gray's music to be definitively fall. Which makes it appropriate that his seventh album, Life in Slow Motion (ATO Records, 2005), is to be released on September 13. This is a highly anticipated release since his last studio effort, A New Day at Midnight, dates back to 2002. Gray takes a chance on this record, as it's the first time he's chosen a real studio over his London apartment 'bedroom' to record. The result will likely to a more produced, bulked up sound, but I think it's a good direction for him to go in, and I can't wait to have this album as part of my fall soundtrack. (I'm guessing this track is the one most likely to be downloaded and enjoyed. Hopefully you all made it down this far...)


I think that's enough for now...Hope you heard something you liked!

Office Space

As I was waiting at the Metro station the other day, I picked up the latest City Paper and read the cover story entitled "The Drone Ranger." It's a hilarious-because-it's true (and therefore also kind of depressing) article written by Franklin Schneider about his experiences with real life Lumberghs. If you've ever worked in a cubicle (or are considering a job in which you might), this one's a must-read.


Current Music: Up All Night, by Counting Crows

JJR Wrap-up, MDB, Googlelove, Metro mystery

-As some of you already know, the past week has been busy and somewhat chaotic with my dad hosting a huge reunion for all his high school classmates. There were about a couple hundred folks in town from all over the country-- and world-- for a long weekend of parties and events (translation, lots of food). Quick observations: 1) My 'rents may be older, but they know how to party. They were probably out til 2 am and up by 8 am for a few days straight. 2) Huan's new nickname is officially "Binh Juniaaa." 3) Someone actually thought I was only 13 years old. Awesome. I can usually accept the 15, the 16, but 13? Good god! Hopefully that means when I'm 33 I'll look like I'm 23...

-I just watched "Million Dollar Baby" last night. That's right, after my boycott I finally gave in after hearing a number of "I know you hate Hilary Swank, but it's still a really great movie..." So I decided to pop it into the player and give it a try. Hate to say it, but I didn't love the movie. It was "fine," but I wouldn't go as far as to call it the movie of the year starring the actress of the year, and so on and so forth... Yes, great little drama about an underdog who wants to realize her dreams and become a successful boxer (this basic plot sounds all-too-familiar), but then a terrible and untimely tragedy strikes, and you know the rest. Aside from what I felt were "stock" characters, I also thought the countless dark and shadowy scenes were overdone. In fairness, I'm sure most of my critique is still heavily influenced by the negative bias I took into the movie, though there's no way I can quantify its effect. Bottom line is that it didn't really do anything for me. I didn't hate it but I definitely still don't understand all the hype.

-I think it's time for my next Google promo since I promoted a competing service the other day (Yahoo's Flickr). Google is officially attacking the IM market, and it looks like they've got some big ideas. Google Talk, which is in beta, "enables you to call or send instant messages to your friends for free-anytime, anywhere in the world." That's right, computer-to-computer talk, just like a phone, with a promise of a quality connection. I haven't tried this out yet, but I believe Kam and I will be experimenting in the coming days... Though I'm sure it will take a while for the millions of AIMers in the world to make the switch, I wouldn't be surprised if Google is able to successfully penetrate this market. I also wouldn't be surprised if Google discovered a new planet and took over the universe.

-This morning I witnessed the strangest thing on the metro. I boarded the train and was trying to find a seat. Since my ride from Springfield to Smithsonian is about 40+ minutes, I usually like to get the window seat that faces front with the chairs behind it facing opposite. (Yes, very OCD of me.) Today I sat down in the only one of these seats that was left. It was then that I noticed the most god-awful odor coming from somewhere in the metro car. I thought, "Geezus, no wonder this seat is free. Someone's got some B.O.!!!" It was really unpleasant, but I didn't see any other appealing seats that were available that would allow me to escape this pungent stench. After a moment of looking around (trying to find the source), I noticed the man across the aisle from me holding a raw onion in his hand. I definitely did a double take before I realized this was the cause of the odor. There he was, reading his newspaper like anyone else, but in his right hand he was grasping half of a raw, red onion. It wasn't like he was eating it (which would have been equally bizarre, but still easier to understand) or saving it for later (he had what appeared to be a lunch bag with food in it, so I assume the onion would be in there if that were the case)-- he was just holding it, so deliberately, as if he were trying to keep people away with its smell. Call me crazy, but something about knowing the odor was an onion and not someone's bad hygiene made it more tolerable, and I put my headphones on and enjoyed the ride into the city. Still perplexed about that onion, though. Any ideas or theories?


Current Music: Suedehead, by Morrissey

Join the Flickr revolution!

I finally discovered a better way to share and store my photos. Huan got all hyped up about Flickr last week, so I figured I should check it out.

Last night, I started my own Flickr account and uploaded a handful of photos. Note that Flickr is still in beta form, so any kinks will be worked out in time and the service is likely to improve. But as it stands, I think the free service is great. Sure, Ofoto (or "KodakGallery") or Snapfish work fine, too, especially if you want to load your photos to buy and print, but I like Flickr because it acts more like a personal photo gallery space. You can organize as you please, decide who gets to see your photos and download them, allow people to comment, add tags, and so on... It's like a little online community-- like blogging, yes, but communicating through photos instead of words.

I'll still be posting photos to the blog, but my hope is that I'll turn Flickr into a fun little photo gallery. For now, I'm starting with my favorite photos, and only ones that I've actually taken myself. That may change in the future... we'll see what happens. So go ahead, check it out, and when you decide to join, add me as a contact!


Current Music: Beautiful Child, by Rufus Wainwright

Happy Birthday, Kam!

I know I've done back-to-back b-day posts and I don't want this to turn into a forum for shout-outs, but this is one birthday I couldn't ignore, if only because Kam has threatened me for the past few months, and quite frankly, I'm scared of her (only half-kidding about that).

So here's my birthday greeting to my near-and-dear cousin, Kam (aka Tuti/Mai). Thanks for always providing fresh commentary on what you love and hate, what's cute or ugly, or most importantly, what you're currently knitting and how it turned out. But what I really appreciate most is knowing that you'll always have my back and kick ass/threaten/talk trash on command. It's good to have people like you as family :) Best of luck in the LOU!


Here's one of my favorite pics of me and Kam from our trip to Vietnam in Summer '04. It's clearly not the most flattering (are my eyes even open??), but it still reminds me of an awesome vacation.

And here's another, just cause I'm loving the '80s lately. How bout them bangs??

Happy Birthday, auntie!

Happy Birthday to my mom's youngest sister, Co Dung ("Zoong"), a fellow Leo and mom of the twins, Max & Mira.

Max & Mira were at the house today, and when they walked in, I asked "Do you know what today is??" to which they responded, "Mommy's birthday!" Then I proceeded to ask Max, "Do you know how old Mommy is??" and with a straight-face (leading me to think he actually believed it) he replied "Twenty-nine." I even joked with him-- did the whole "What? She's 12? or is she 130??" thing-- but when I finally and seriously asked again, he said his mom was in fact, a mere twenty-nine. Got to give you credit, Co Dung, for still being able to pull that off!! After all, I do still think of you as that hip, twenty-something aunt of yesteryear. ;)

And as a tribute to that wonderful era, here's one of my favorite photos of you from our glory days spent at Myrtle Beach. I figured the only way you'd let me get away with posting a bikini shot of you was if it was from 1985! Hehe...

Current Music: Chicago, by Sufjan Stevens

"Listen when, all of this around us'll fall over...

...I tell you what we're gonna do. You will shelter me, my love. And I will shelter you."
-"Shelter," Ray LaMontagne


The blogging has fallen by the wayside lately, but I won't fall out of the routine of at least writing about my live music experiences. Friday night I was back at the 9:30 club for a Ray LaMontagne show. Old readers might remember that back in the blistering cold of January, I was left standing outside the Ray show at the Iota club after an overwhelming and probably unexpected demand quickly filled it to capacity.

So Friday night's show was special not only for the music, but also for being a night of redemption after months of patiently awaiting Ray's return. While I would have preferred to have heard him in the more intimate setting of Iota (you'll understand why in a moment), the concert was excellent anyway and Ray really proved himself as an artist.

I arrived with my entourage (hah!) shortly before the opener came on. After enjoying the balcony view for the past few 9:30 shows I'd attended, I decided it was time to hit the floor and get right in by the stage, particularly for a musician like Ray. We managed a pretty good spot to the right of the stage, probably getting as close as ten feet from the front. The opener was Sarah Blasko, just one in a series of Australian artists to catch my attention as of late. The best way for me to differentiate her from her peers is to call her a much less weird, much more accessible version of Bjork. Though her mellow and ambient sound might not have been the best choice for getting us pumped up for the main act, it was still quite good and further convinced me that those Aussies have a bunch of good musicians hiding down under.

Ray took the stage around 11:30, fully bearded, hair growing out, and smaller in stature than I expected him to be (even after seeing him on TV). To say that he was soft-spoken would be an understatement. It was enough that we had to deal with an occasionally rude and fairly chatty crowd (in my immediate vicinity, we had people loudly belching and giggling during the show, and after a couple muscled their way in front of me to get close to the stage, they proceeded to act drunk and loudly debate--over the music--about what size t-shirt they should buy), but even when the venue was actually down to a hush, I had to strain my ears even to hear what Ray was saying. Apparently Ray doesn't like to chat much, and after fumbling over words and appearing somewhat uncomfortable, he said something to the effect of "now you know why." Where one would usually expect fun and playful rock 'n roll banter at a concert, from Ray we heard about his dark nightmares, the danger of self-destructive behavior, and the effects of drug abuse. It was a downer, to say the least, but it was also refreshing to hear an artist speak so candidly about the issues that haunt him or give him purpose.

Dark themes aside, when Ray had his guitar and hand and he opened his mouth to sing, it was completely different. When it came down to the music, he seemed to be okay, completely comfortable and in his own world. His passionate and honest voice filled the whole club and was a most beautiful thing. To hear him speak in barely-audible whispers, then to immediately hear him perform his music was simply incredible, and it made me appreciate his talent that much more.

Ray played a satisfying hour-and-a-half set before he left the stage. Album favorites and crowd pleasers like "Trouble" and "Shelter" were fantastic and a great way to get the audience into it. But highlights for me were a down-tempo version of "How Come" and the soulful "Forever my Friend." Ray also performed a new song, "Danielle," which really brought out the rocker in him compared with some of his mellow ballads.

Anyway, it was a great show. Ray's "sandpapery" voice is one-of-a-kind, and I really think (or hope, rather) that he's just scratched the surface with this debut album, and I can't wait to hear more from him soon!

All about Alias!

I may be four years late on this one, but I've finally jumped on the Alias bandwagon. I have to admit, last summer when I was repeatedly inundated with the annoying Alias promo for the new season (You remember, it went something like this: "What's your name?" "Ima... Ima Gonnakickyourass") with Lenny Kravitz's "Lady" as background music, I vowed I would never watch the show.

My, how things have changed! Thanks to Bi-Anh, who has so graciously lent me her seasons 1-3 Alias DVD sets, as well as all my friends who endlessly hyped this show and eventually left me no choice but to see it for myself and decide, I've become completely addicted to Alias. In fact, despite only being done with season 1 and 2 at this point, I might venture to call it the best show on TV. That's right, I'm talkin BIG!

After all, a show that could make me abandon all my anti-Jennifer Garner sentiments for feelings of near-obsession within 3 episodes has to be good, right? It's true. Jennifer Garner was perfectly cast as Sydney Bristow, easily convincing as the girl-next-door who could also lead a secret life as a CIA agent scary enough to make grown men cry. I try to fight the urge, but I constantly find myself wishing I was her-- the perfect combination of laid back/down-to-earth and absolutely badass.

Michael Vartan is equally impressive in his role as Vaughn, the vulnerable and sensitive, wears-his-heart-on-his-sleeve agent who, despite his somewhat scrawny appearance, can still kick some ass himself.

My favorite, though, has to be Bradley Cooper as the lovable Will Tippin. Who doesn't want a friend like Will Tippin? Ok, aside from the fact that I love his old school reporter style, with the tweed jacket, plaid shirts and tie, and those little wire-rimmed glasses, not to mention the essential 5 o'clock shadow and unkempt hair (he also has these incredibly piercing blue eyes), --whew!-- Will's genuine demeanor and his unrelenting desire to protect Sydney is endearing. You keep watching because you want to make sure that nothing bad happens to Will, either!

(images courtesy of alias-tv.com)

(Oh, this should have been assumed, but please please please hold the spoilers.. I still have season 3 and 4 to get through before I'm all caught up, and I'd hate to have the beans spilled on any exciting plot developments!)

Anyway, before I spoil too much for anyone who hasn't seen the show, I'll stop there. Silly wigs and outfits aside, and the occasional outburst that "there's no way this could ever happen," this show is an excellent model of TV drama. And as I've mentioned before, it's got fantastic music selections to accompany the storylines. J.J. Abrams is a genius (also responsible for "Felicity" and "Lost"). He actually thought of the premise of this show while working on Felicity, as he pondered how cool and more interesting the show could be if Felicity were trying to be a normal college girl while also being a spy.

The past couple nights I've actually had Alias dreams. They're a bit fuzzy, but I know they involve scary plots and me somehow being involved in the drama. Sadly, I wake up to discover that I'm not actually Sydney Bristow. I've also noticed the show affecting me in other ways. Just the other day as I was driving around in the city, I found myself paying close attention to simple human interactions-- the garbage man, couples chatting over coffee, man on a park bench, homeless man-- and wondering how often my seemingly mundane observations are actually secret CIA missions or meetings in progress!! Ok, I've taken it too far. Better quit before I get carried away...

Congrats Chrissy & Nate!

Last night was Nate and Chrissy's wedding in Georgetown. It was a fun time and a nice chance to catch up with some old friends from the past, from both Springfield and UVA. More importantly, it was the celebration of a great couple and one of those occasions where I genuinely felt overjoyed as I raised my glass to them. As was brought up many times last night, my brother was the one responsible for this joyous occasion. No, he wasn't the wedding planner, but he did introduce Nate and Chrissy about two years ago over a dinner where they immediately hit it off and eventually fell in love ("awwww...").

Though my feet are suffering today (question of the day: "Why do women subject themselves to wearing high heels that are so painful?") after all the walking and dancing, it was worth it!

Now for some photos (thumbnails):

[8/11] Ah, at last! Sorry for the delay...

Moments after officially becoming man and wife:

Me and my bro in his snazzy tux:

Huan and Molly:

As promised, a shout-out to Caroline (and Brian) for sending me their pics:

I just think if we keep out hearts together
I just think if we build on this trust that we have for one another
Maybe we can make this last a lifetime

Current Music: Forever my Friend, by Ray Lamontagne
Current Mood: lazy