Thoughts on Music as Magic, The Handsome Family and True Detective

Update:
Here's Lin's on the air intro which was later posted on the WXRT blog:

The HBO series True Detective did not take us completely by surprise. It came to us with the dynamic acting pedigrees of Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey. Set in Southern Louisiana, True Detective follows the investigation of an unspeakable ritualistic murder of a young woman. The images are haunting. They linger long after we’ve moved on from our television watching. Steeped in the mystery and menace of bayou country, this story unfolds through a series of flashbacks as contemporary detectives question Marty Hart (Harrelson) and Rust Cohle (McConaughey) about what was once thought to be a closed case. Rust Cohle shines as one of the more intriguing characters to ever grace a television screen. A vice squad burn-out with an elevated sense of justice, Rust is disarmingly intellectual. He speaks of phenomenology and parallel universes. As we all race towards the series conclusion, we are becoming aware of collusion, corruption, and a killer whose sickness we will never unsee. A show like this is all about tone and that tone is set by an opening song, a song that transports us to a nightmare.

Well said, sir. Well said.

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Thanks to WXRT for Handsome Family Drive Time Spin

This morning, Lin Brehmer, WXRT's morning guy—the guy everybody in this divided, segregated town loves—played The Handsome Family's "Far from Any Road" at 8:45—prime morning drive time. Not only that, but he teased it, and then front and back announced it, talking about the Handsome Family's Chicago roots and how important their theme music is for setting the tone for this special television show. He's been a long time fan of The Handsome Family, and he finally had the chance to play them on the show with the tightest playlist on the station.

Here's the letter I wrote to DJ Lin Brehmer and assistant program director Marty Lennartz, who recently made the song available in the XRT library for spins. I'm posting this because working in this business, being assaulted by the Internet's Worst Thing Ever every five minutes, or just living life can make it easy to forget why we fell in love with music in the first place and why it still matters. Hell, it saved my life in high school. Music saved my life.

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March 5, 2014

Lin and Marty,

That was really special this morning. With instant access to every damned song ever recorded, there is still something special about hearing "your song" chosen by a DJ and blasting out of the radio speakers...I always get chills. I'm not just talking about CTR stuff, but any music that has a place in your heart. Those times when it's always the absolute perfect time for Cheap Trick or Big Star or Black Dog, but you just hadn't realized it yet, and somehow the DJ just knew, and now it's pouring out of your speakers and filling the living room or the car and time stops for a few minutes and all is right with the world.

I remember lying in bed with Julia in our old apartment, having just purchased a shortwave radio so I would finally listen to John Peel on the BBC World Service. We always sent our stuff over there, and I'd hear back through the grapevine that he'd occasionally play it on his show. I didn't buy the little radio for that, though. I just wanted to hear his legendary show, and this was pre-Internet broadcasting. I could get the schedule but streaming was a distant dream. So Julia's reading next to me, and I'm about 30 minutes into that week's show, and Peel is rambling charmingly about I don't know what, and he suddenly says, "Oh well. Time for music. This is Flowchart on Carrot Top Records out of Chicago," and *BANG* the analog synths hit, and I get chills all over and shout out loud, and I'll never forget that moment. Part of me even imagines that I'll think of it as my life is finally slipping away.

This morning was like that.

So thanks.

Playing pop music via paper posters with conductive ink

Paper posters that play music via printed circuits made with conductive ink have been unveiled.

The prototype "Listening Post" poster is a guide to bands performing locally. The interactive poster plays a short clip of a band's music when a thumbnail image is pressed. Tickets can also be booked via the poster. The low cost of printing mean anything that uses paper or card could soon be much more interactive, said the poster's inventors.

Read more at BBC News.

The Power of Fear

Aside from whatever's been going on with The Cubs for the last one hundred and two years, it is my belief that there are only two emotional forces at play for homo sapiens: Love and Fear. Everything else inhabits a sublet from one of those two primary kinetics.

FUCK FEAR.

The Handsome Family on BBC

For the next couple days, you can hear the Handsome Family's interview with Marc Riley on BBC6 Music!



They stopped by the visit Marc on their town around the UK. The link will expire soon, so make sure to listen HERE now!

this day in sporting history...

While most of America spends the day thinking about taxes, in England, the sporting world is mourning the 20th anniversary of the worst sporting disaster in British history, an event not many in the US will know of, but throughout the football (soccer) world, today is known as "The Day Football Died"...

On April 15th, 1989, 96 Liverpool fans were crushed to death prior to the FA Cup semi-final with Nottingham Forest. To this day, no-one has taken responsibility for these deaths, even though it was the police who ultimately caused the disaster.
As a result of the Hillsborough (the name of the ground) disaster, there are now only seats at all stadiums in the UK, where previously the terraces were for standing, and the cost of going to a game for the average man in the street jumped about 300%. If you'd like a US sporting equivalent, imagine them doing away with bleacher seats in baseball stadiums, and replacing them with box seats at box seat prices.

On today's 20th anniversary, I still remember watching them pulling blue faced bodies over the top of barricades, whilst people behind them screamed for help...and all live on national television. The thoughts of what I saw still bring goosebumps to this day.
Over 30,000 people attended a memorial service at Liverpool's Anfield Stadium today, and the whole city was silent at 3:06 PM as bells tolled 96 times in honor of those who died. A great piece on how a whole city was effected can be found here.

While today is a true day to rejoice in American sports, in England today is known as one of the saddest days on record.

On any other day, Liverpool fans are not some of my favorites, having been chased by them on more than one occasion(!), but today, along with many other fans around the world, we all stand shoulder to shoulder...You'll Never Walk Alone.

For more insight, see this great article on the BBC...or this one from The Guardian.