Hiatus

Four months since my last post, and I drag myself back to the Blogger dashboard with my head hung low in embarrassment. Month after month moved past and after a few turns of the calendar it was so ridiculous that I'd been so neglectful that I thought it best to stay away.

Not even I understand that logic.

I'm still in Virginia and still working toward Colorado. There are a handful of factors contributing to my lack of motivation to post anything but frankly, I got nothing. So, until the muse finds me again please, dear reader, consider No Filter on hiatus, and to be continued . . .

Tuesdays = The Best Days

Tuesdays are great days! This is true for many reasons, but the best one is new music drops into our world on Tuesdays. I've been waiting for the release -- yes, people still do that -- of Dark Was The Night since reading about it a couple of weeks ago in the blogosphere. Perhaps you've heard about it too but bear with me as I think it's worth talking about just one more time.

Dark Was The Night is comprised of 31 exclusive tracks benefiting the Red Hot Organization – an international charity dedicated to raising money and awareness for HIV and AIDS through pop culture. This isn't the first time Red Hot has released such an album -- it's their 20th! This year's release was produced by The National's Aaron and Bryce Dessner and the laundry list of talent recruited to participate is enough to make any fan of indie music giddy. Inlcuding; Bon Iver, Grizzly Bear, My Morning Jacket, The National (duh!), Iron and Wine, The Decemberists, Spoon, Andrew Bird, Cat Power, Conor Oberst, Blonde Redhead . . . and, I could go on as the list is over 30 artists long. You can sample several of the tracks here but for such a great cause, and with so much talent crammed into two discs, why not run down to your local record store and pick up a copy. Or do it the new-fashioned way and (legally) download the tracks, lickety split.

Also contributing to Dark Was The Night is Beirut, who I just discovered. I'm not afraid to say that if you're a fan of Andrew Bird, Beirut will be right up your alley. Combining elements of Eastern European, folk, and Western pop the group, led by Zach Condon, have been making albums for the last few years. Condon plays the trumpet and ukulele and has a lovely voice that begs of you to listen. The ever shifting lineup of artists that makeup Beirut add cello, accordion, mandolin, violin, organ, sax, trumpet, glockenspiel -- oh, and drums. I love this mash up of sounds for lots of reasons but mainly because it's not something you'll find on your local top 40 station. This is the kind of music you have to fall in love with all on your own and not something that's shoved down your throat on your morning commute. It's brilliant, lovely and unique and I think I am in love. Don't dilly dally. Visit them here and sample the splendor. Start with the track Scenic World, move onto Elephant Gun, and keep on going.

Life marches on

I've come to my Blogger dashboard several times over the last two weeks and simply stared at the blank page. I've been holding out on you, and for that I extend my apologies. The quest for a job in Denver has consumed me. The waiting became nearly unbearable for awhile, as I waited for a group of hiring managers to decide my fate. Alas, the company I had a final interview and presentation with in Denver offered the position to someone else. Once the news came, I was calm and collected. I didn't have the best of feelings about the company or the group I interviewed with and in the end it was best that they made the decision for me.

Friday, two weeks after the face-to-face interview, I had a final phone interview for the other position I was being considered for. I have much better feelings about this one and afterward felt content in my performance. I had similar feelings after my interviews 3 1/2 years ago for my current position and am hoping my instincts serve me well.

After the stress and anxiety I piled on myself two weeks ago that resulted in a case of the hives -- yes, hives -- so much for my cool-under-pressure guise, I was an itchy mess. Now I'm cool as a cucumber and have faith that things will fall into place as they are supposed to.



Meanwhile, while trying to live in the present, I've been listening to State Radio's Us Against the Crown -- and loving it. It's a lively mix of alt rock and reggae that definitely gets the spirits up. I first heard the State Radio song Keepsake in an episode of Weeds late in 2007, promptly downloaded it and added it to a playlist but hadn't explored the band further until last week when they were recommended by Aime Street, a paid music download site I frequent. Us Against the Crown and Year of the Crow are available for purchase for just $5 each at the site. There are also tracks from each album available for free download.



Since ditching cable, I've been revisiting the box set of the HBO series Six Feet Under and have never been more thankful for having purchased it on an impulse while strolling through Costco a couple of years ago. I was a huge fan of the series which ran from 2000 to 2005, in fact I consider it one of the best television shows of my generation. The stellar writing, acting and camera work made it so much more than a TV show. It was like sitting down to watch a one-hour film every Sunday night. This cinematic feeling can be attributed to the creator and executive producer Alan Ball of American Beauty fame.

Six Feet Under's characters were relatable, even if you don't want to admit it, and the setting was unique in a family run funeral home. Each episode began with someone's death whose funeral the Fisher family would attend to. The pilot episode's first death is the family patriarch, Nathaniel Fisher. After getting hit by a bus in the new hearse on the way to pick up the elder son Nate from the airport on Christmas Eve, he drifts through each season visiting, aka haunting, his family when they least expected him but oftentimes when they needed him most. The subject matter was at points shocking and introduced themes and stories that, before Ball, had never been on TV. The theme of the show is that everything ends, everyone dies, and in the series finale, which I revisited last night, that theme proves itself in a perfectly lovely way.

Trust me when I say the series alone is worth the Netflix subscription. Many episodes are also available on HBO On-Demand. I promise that if you watch the first season you'll be hooked and will be scrambling for the next. You can read more about this fantastic series here.

My heart leaps

Whoa, has it been an emotional couple of days. I left Richmond Thursday afternoon on a plane bound west for Denver and two interviews on Friday. The first of the day, which I was able to schedule at the last minute, went very well and I left feeling confident and ready for the "big" interview later in the afternoon, which I also felt good about afterward. I spent the rest of my time on the ground in Denver exploring the city and . . . I adore it. Easy to navigate and gorgeous views at every turn and at the crest of every hill.

Amy, my Boulder resident co-host for the weekend, and I strolled into a great neighborhood I'd seen off the interstate called Lower Highland which is adjacent to an even better neighborhood called Lower Downtown. We happened upon an apartment community on the Platte river that I hope to call home when the fates find me a job. There are sprawling parks, walking and biking trails, yet it feels very hip and urban and just a short walk from Union Station, the lite rail, and downtown Denver. Oh, Colorado, how you woo me.

I reluctantly flew home early Sunday morning but Monday brought it's own load of joy when Andrew Bird rolled into Richmond to play a show at The National. My other friend Aimee, a big time A. Bird fan like me, saved me a first-come, first-serve seat upstairs and we had a great view of the stage. The show was fantastic -- best I've seen or heard of Andrew Bird yet. In fact, it goes down as one of the best shows I've seen, ever. The new material from Noble Beast was strong but the songs from Mysterious Production of Eggs and Armchair Apocrypha were what really blew me away. Bird, who brought his good friend Martin Dosh on tour with him again, was apologizing for a scratchy throat but other than a few coughs, I thought he sounded as lovely as ever. With his violin never far from his side, he played a solid set.

Bird and two of his bandmates came back for the first encore and he played an old-fashioned tune, un-plugged, on the violin which sounded more like a fiddle. It was a perfect way to end a Richmond show. But, that wasn't all. When he took his shoes, which he kicked off two songs in, off stage with him the second time we were sure the show was over, but the house lights never went up. He and his small band returned and when the first notes of Fake Palindromes lifted into the venue I was a mess of squeals and laughter. I could have exploded with happiness at that very moment. He was playing my all-time favorite from his lengthy songbook and all I could do was giggle with pure delight. I am still riding on a cloud after that show. Best $23 I've spent in months. Buy his music and if you have the opportunity catch him on tour, do it. The people in the know say that this may be your last chance to see him in smaller venues as the release of Noble Beast is expected to rocket him to the top. I wish him all the success he deserves but selfishly hope he stays modest and lovely, just as he is now.

Oh happy day

My cup runneth over. Here's why:

• Top of the list, and deservedly so, the inauguration of President Barack Obama. It was a great moment at the stroke of noon today to watch, along with 40+ of my co-workers, our 44th President take the oath of office. It was a lovely ceremony that I will remember for years to come. I trust good things will come from this administration.

• Secondly, last Thursday night as I was babysitting and struggling to stay awake through an episode of ER (no worries, the kids were snoozing in their beds) I received a phone call from my dear friend Jeremy from San Diego. He was in Miami on business and had just learned that for the second year in a row he was one of just a few winners of his company's annual, all-expenses paid, sales reward trips. This year's destination -- Costa Rica -- and he was inviting me to be his +1. If you were a No Filter reader this time last year you may remember that Jeremy took me as his guest on the 2008 trip to St. Maarten. As lovely, relaxing, and oh so very FREE to me that trip was this one proves to surpass all expectations. With so much to do (zip-line rainforest tours and spa treatments), see (day trips to Granada and spectacular beaches) and eat, I am sure to return to my real-life pampered, well-fed, and oh so relaxed. Thanks Jeremy for making me feel like a two time lottery winner!

• Then today, I receive a call from a recruiter in Denver following-up on a second phone interview I had for a Technical Trainer job two weeks ago. He was inviting me to Denver for a third and final interview. I am one of five other candidates who will complete a panel interview and a 20-min training "audition". I lost my head several times today trying to comprehend that I was making plans to be in Denver late next week and that my dream of relocation was closing in on reality. I was actually more nervous for the phone interview as I know that face-to-face I can really show my stuff. I try not to get too worked up over these things or as my mom would say, "too big for my britches", as I think a little modesty is good to hold onto in these situations. However, it's hard to ignore my confidence in my abilities and the overwhelming feeling that this might very well be the job I was hoping to find.

• Finally, on top of all this, I learned late last week that Andrew Bird is coming to Richmond on Monday, February 2. This will be the second time I've heard his lovely sound fill a local venue. The news of the show is the icing on my already tasty cake and 2009 is revealing itself to be a year of plenty. Woo-hoo!!

Let's Go goes national

I try to keep a running list of upcoming shows I want to attend in the Let's Go feature (to your right). Winter tends to be slow going for live music and my new budget has kept me from seeing all but the shows I prioritize as not-t0-be-missed so this list has been sparse as of late. Today though I was perusing Pollstar and thought I'd run a search on Denver and Boulder and as motivation to speed up my move I decided to start listing both VA and CO shows. I found handfuls of interesting shows in both places including an Andrew Bird show in Denver in late February and a Marah show in Charlottesville - ha! - on the very same day. In either city I find myself that night I suppose I win!

"Nomenclature is washing us all away"

I read this op/ed blog post from Andrew Bird today online at the The New York Times. Bird, along with other musicians including Suzanne Vega, Rosanne Cash and Jeffrey Lewis take turns contributing to a blog called Measure for Measure. Each post is about the process of song writing and creating music and the most recent submission is Bird, quite eloquently, speaking to his new album due out on January 20. His modesty astounds me. I relish reading about how he creates his unique and beautiful music. I've been a fan since first downloading "The Mysterious Production of Eggs" in 2005 in anticipation of his appearance at Bonnaroo -- which was phenomenal, even from the back of the steamy tent. It continues to be one of the best discoveries I've ever made and his subsequent albums remain favorites of my collection.

At the end of his Measure for Measure post there was an editorial note directing readers to a recent article in The Times Magazine going into further detail about his process as a musician and how he conceptualized and recorded his two new albums. I was a little disappointed to read that there are big plans from his record label for the new material to go "mainstream". Don't get me wrong, I wish him continued success as a songwriter, musician, performer and artist but I fear this mainstreaming might take away some of what is great and unique about what he does, and the label will radio-fy his sound to create a more profitable product, and that would be a real shame. I am excited for his new material and am enjoying my first listen of "Noble Beast" on NPR's Exclusive First Listen where you can stream the entire album. The violin, glockenspiel, whistling, and sampling machine are in full effect and that makes me very happy.

If you have the opportunity to see and hear Andrew Bird live, take it. Take it and enjoy every lovely, sweeping, magical minute of it!

Ring a ding ding

Well, Happy New Year friends. 2009 is here. I've been waiting for it since Bush won the 1st time and tis finally here! Bring it Obama. Bring it.

I have big expectations for this new year. I hope grand things happen for all of us.


Now, I poo-pooed the general new music scene of 2008 a couple of posts ago. I did not have nice things to say, and I am here to apologize for my misspeak. After reading all of the end of year Best Of lists -- from NPR to Paste magazine to the New York Times and into the blogger world I read -- several albums and artists kept popping up.

• Bon Iver's For Emma Forever Ago. Ridiculously perfect music for a snow day. The album was constructed and recorded in a cabin out in the woods of Wisconsin and that feeling is all over this record.
• The Dodos Visiter. Lovely indie folk pop. I listened to the entire album on repeat several times over the first time I played it.
• Vampire Weekend Vampire Weekend. Big fan. "The Kids Don't Stand a Chance" is a great little song. I got excited over the lovely strings and horns and the reggae vibe behind some of the tracks. I had no idea they were a band of prepped up, popped collar Ivy League grads. And, who cares? They make interesting music -- that I listened to for almost three days straight. Big fan.

The holidays and New Year brought lots of great friends home for a stay. From all points they traveled and it was grand to see them all. Always having to run to and from, making time for friends and family, and it always means so much when they spend a little extra time with you. My Boulder friends arrived yesterday (I hope) so the fun keeps going.

I don't really do the whole resolutions bit but, this year, I'd like to make an effort not to let everything in this world that's out of my control get me down. It's so easy to let the doom and gloom images and stories we see and hear ad nauseam on the news bring all of us down. While it's important to follow and be active in the world and the events that drive it, let's not let it consume us. When we dwell on what's terrible, it's harder to see what's not. We are what's good. And, there's a lot more of what's good in this world than what ain't.

Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.
~ Lord Alfred Tennyson