CBS buys Last.fm for $280M

If only other social networking sites like VIRB would just start using Last.fm for their audio scrobbling instead of making their own version...

Hype Radio

The popular MP3 aggregator - Hype Machine - now brings us blog powered, streaming internet radio - Hype Radio. All the tracks that end up in the stream are songs recently mentioned by bloggers listed on the Hype Machine. It's radio that's truly powered by the Internet.

Google Traffic

In case you're a little behind like me - Google blogged a couple weeks ago about their latest killer Google Maps feature: A traffic layer!

Little Miss Sunshine

I've been meaning to post about Lil Miss Sunshine since I saw it last weekend. I highly recommend that everyone check it out. The soundtrack is fantastic, and mostly comprised of music by the band Devotchka plus a well placed clip Sufjan's Chicago.

My one suggestion - don't watch the trailers before going to see the movie, you'll really be in for a treat.

Put a Feather in Your Cap

Is exactly what Conan should do after performing the hilarious opening montage for last night's Emmy Awards. Complete with Office confessional, House diagnosis, Dateline predator bust. The Office reminds me so much of My Office, I can't wait for next season.

Last.fm Beta

Last.fm Beta Dashboard



Last.fm Beta Profile

Graduation

Last weekend I went to Raleigh for Jeff's GRADUATION!! I thought the day would never come ;-). I hadn't been back to NC since Christmas, that I can remember. It always feels good to go back, even when I don't go home. I love Nashville, but I still miss NC a lot.

My flight left Nashville @ 6:45am on Friday. I got to the airport an hour early and the security lines were 10x as long as normal and wrapped around the ticket counters. My flight was leaving from the furthest gate and I made it through the security line with 5 minutes before my flight was scheduled to take off. As I was sprinting through the airport I could hear the final boarding call, but luckily I made it just in time.

Graduation was at 1pm in a middle school somewhere in the ghetto of Raleigh. It was long and boring as most graduations are, but it was nice to see him walk across the stage. Unlike Clemson, where everyone graduates together and gets their diploma from the President, NCSU has one main graduation for everyone in the RBC center (which we didn't go to) and then you have a separate graduation for your major where you actually get your diploma.

The rest of the weekend involved lots of naps, sushi, and 36 holes of frisbee golf. It was my first time playing on a "real" course with actual tees and holes/targets that weren't buildings or trees. We played all the time in Clemson, but we didn't have a marked course , just directions that had been passed along from one person to the next.

I returned to Nashville late Monday night. As I was walking to baggage claim I ran into an old friend from high school, Sara Fuchs, that I hadn't seen in years. She was flying from Alabama to Raleigh and she had a connecting flight in Nashville.

The only question left is now what? For now it's hard to say...

Sugary Sweet Sounds of Springtime

album art based on a travis matthew stearns design.

Spring is finally here! "Sun is shining, birds are singing, flowers are growing, clouds are looming and I am flying." What better way to celebrate than with a mix tape?!

Download Zip [Follow Link]

01. Of Montreal - Springtime Is the Season
02. The Rosebuds - Blue Bird
03. Oh No! Oh My! - Walk in the Park
04. The Triangles - Applejack
05. Apples In Stereo - Shine A Light
06. Islands - Rough Gem
07. De Novo Dahl - Shout
08. Mates of State - Goods (All In Your Head)
09. Architecture in helsinki - Frenchy, I'm Faking
10. The Spinto Band - Oh Mandy
11. The Avett Brothers - Talk on Indolence
12. Ben Folds (Five) - Kate
13. Jason Collett - I'll Bring The Sun
14. New Buffalo - Recovery
15. Belle and Sebastian - Another Sunny Day
16. Voxtrot - Soft & Warm

More Fun than Vacuuming!

They say if you have a blog you should post something on it at least as often as you vacuum...whoever "they" are. I have vacuumed at least 3 or 4 times since my last post, and I am getting ready to vacuum again, so I figured the blog is due for a new post. If you have some time to waste, just click on my South Park illustrated interpretation of myself and have yourself a good ol' time.

The most awesome (non-audio related) iTunes feature...print CD covers!

I can't believe that I had no idea this feature existed before tonight. I downloaded a program last year just for this specific purpose! I guess I never knew iTunes even had a Print feature. But it does! And it's awesome if you're looking for a simple way to print a front jewel case insert. I don't know who uses jewel cases much anymore, but I've used a mosaic program similar to this before when making mix CDs for friends. Read the full article at iLounge.com.

Essential Listening - February 7, 2006

I've had a leaked copy of this album since the beginning of December, but I hadn't sat down and listened to the whole thing from beginning to end until last week. Now I can't quit playing it, and it just gets better with every spin.

I made a point to leave work "on time" today so I could stop by Grimey's and pick up the limited edition super deluxe version of the album. The deluxe version is packaged in small, hardbound book style case and comes with a bonus DVD. The DVD has six songs from the record performed live in the BBC studios plus commentary from the band members. It makes me sad to think that in 5 years or so CDs will probably be as dead as the 8-track. It's not that I really care that much for CDs, but I'm a sucker for packaging. I guess I will just have to buy an ION USB turntable and start buying vinyl. The LP of this album is supposed to be very nice too. 180 gram vinyl, pressed at RTI with a gatefold sleeve.

*Click the album image to go the the Matador Website and listen to a free Quicktime stream of the entire Belle and Sebastian album "The Life Pursuit" and get a peak at the album art.


I also picked up a copy of the new Avett Brothers album, "Four Thieves Gone" while I was at Grimey's, but I haven't had a chance to listen to it yet. I've heard a few songs that have been floating around the blogosphere and they are all outstanding, but for some reason I still think that Mignonette will remain my favorite album.

Happy Tuesday!

Bonnaroo is looking pretty tempting.

Too bad tickets are close to $200.

2006 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival confirmed artists:

Radiohead; Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers; Elvis Costelo & the Imposters; Bonnie Raitt; Death Cab for Cutie; moe; Bright Eyes; The Neville Brothers; Bela Fleck & the Flecktones; Buddy Guy; Damian Marley; Ben Folds; Robert Randolph & the Family Band; Dr. John; Matisyahu; G. Love & Special Sauce; My Morning Jacket; Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder; Steel Pulse; Mike Gordon and Ramble; Dove; Cat Power; Medeski Martin & Wood; Nickel Creek; Gomez; Steve Earle; Blues Traveler; Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks; Dresden Dolls; Son Volt; Clap Your Hands Say Yeah; Jerry Douglas; Soulive; Rusted Root; Devendra Banhart Band; Donavon Frankenreiter; Mike Doughty; Sasha; Grace Potter & the Nocturnals; The Magic Numbers; Bill Frisell; Seu Jorge; Bettye LaVette; Dungen; Shooter Jennings; Rebirth Brass Band; Robinella; Andrew Bird; Steel Train; Jackie Greene; Devotchka; Wood Brothers; dios (malos); Toubab Krewe; Marah; I-Nine; Balkan Beat Box; and Cat Empire.

Many more acts will be announced shortly.

To find out more, visit Bonnaroo's official festival Web site at www.bonnaroo.com.

According to the article in the Manchester Times.

Four Things Meme

Four jobs I've had:
(1) Structural Drafter @ Hunter Structures
(2) Graphic Artist @ Advanced Labelworx
(3) Creative Services Intern @ Heidelberg USA
(4) Sales Professional @ RR Donnelley

Four movies I can watch over and over:
(1) Almost Famous
(2) The Garden State
(3) Fight Club
(4) Dazed & Confused

Four places I've lived:
(1) Laurinburg, NC
(2) Clemson, SC
(3) Kennesaw, GA
(4) Nashville, TN

Four T.V. shows I love like:
I really don't like TV very much, and I don't watch TV very much. I only get 6 channels...
(1) That 70's Show
(2) Grey's Anatomy
(3) How I Met Your Mother
(4) Scrubs

Four places I've vacationed:
I haven't really vacationed in a long time...
(1) Alaska
(2) Hawaii
(3) Jackson Hole, WY
(4) Sunset Beach/Bird Island, NC

Four of my favorite dishes:
(1) Jeff's Chicken Parm-Art
(2) Pretty much any 3 at a meat & 3.
(3) French Toast @ the Pancake Pantry
(4) My Mom's Chili

Four sites I visit daily:
(1) last.fm (seriously, more people should be using this service.)
(2) gmail (let me know if you want an invite)
(3) Nashville Zine (and a lot of other random blogs)
(4) Slick Deals (I just bought a laser level this weekend for 60% off!)
(Honorable Mention) Weekly Visit - Strong Bad

Four places I'd rather be right now:
(1) North Carolina
(2) In Peru with Anne
(3) At a show
(4) In bed (because it's late)

Four bloggers I'm tagging for this meme:
(1) Costa
(2) Will
(3) Kelly
(4) I don't have many friends with blogs. Does a blog aggregator count?

Ever had a song stuck in your head, and you don't know the name of it?

No fear! Tap your way to the answer here. If you still can't find it, help others and "Teach the Song Taper" by entering the song and artist name in the forms in the top right corner of the results screen. Happy Tapping.

What's an Intel Chip doing in an iMac...already?

I knew the Intel Macs would be released today at Macworld San Francisco, but I didn't expect the new Intel iMac to be released until mid-year. Looks like I'll have a new computer sooner than I thought. Estimated Ship Date: 3-4 Weeks.

Watch the Keynote Address

Other announcements made today:

Software
Mac OS X 10.4.4 software update
iTunes 6.0.2/Quicktime 7.0.4
iLife '06
iWork '06

Hardware
MacBook Pro


And on a random note...I've officially made it through an entire year as a working girl. Today is my 1 year anniversary with RRD.

Attaboy Merge!

This was my idea all along! I don't know if there's a very big market for it, but you can count me in!

" The old world has officially collided with the new, the iPod nano-toting city mouse has mated with Victrola-friendly country mouse, and Merge Records has devised a scheme to keep styluses fashionable well into the 21st century. The label has released the Clientele's Best New Music'd Strange Geometry in a format palatable to both vinyl aficionados and micro-music tech junkies. Jeepers! How can this be? Easy. It all comes down to a little marvel of human achievement known as the piece of paper.

Slow down, breathe, and appreciate: all LP copies of Strange Geometry include said piece of paper, which entitles the purchaser to a one-time download of the entire album in digital format, straight from Merge's state-of-the-art website. The label plans to do the same thing to the LP version of the forthcoming Robert Pollard solo record, From a Compound Eye, with both versions scheduled to come out on January 24. If the promotion succeeds, the label will continue with future releases. " -pitchforkmedia.com

"It's addictive, it's growing, it's free, it's music."

This site is old news to most by now, but I don’t know enough people using it so I thought I would post about it for all of those who are unfamiliar with the service.

Originally, there were two separate services. Audioscrobbler and Last.fm. Audioscrobbler is no longer a separate service, but now provides the power behind the Last.fm service.

You can build a Last.fm music profile using two methods: listening to your personal music collection on [insert music player of choice here...iPod and/or iTunes for me] with an Audioscrobbler plug-in, or by listening to the Last.fm internet radio service, using the Last.fm player. If you allow a song to play until the end using either method, those songs are added to a log that generates your weekly/overall top artist/track charts and calculates the artists for your "Last.fm suggests" recommendations. Your personal user page also displays your recently played tracks, and your neighbors- users with musical tastes similar to you.

The new Last.fm offers the ability to tag music, something that I haven’t really tried out yet. Tagging music takes effort and the beauty behind Audioscrobbler for me was that I didn’t have to do anything but install a plug-in and listen to iTunes as usual. If I was interested in checking out something new I could go to the Audioscrobbler website and it would list recommendations. The Decemberists are one of the first bands I can remember discovering through Audioscrobbler.

I could go on forever about the many other fascinating features on this site, but I don’t have the time or knowledge to do so, so I’ll just have to let you see for yourself. The point is, this is a site you should check out. Download the plug-in and forget about it. Come back in 6 months, look at what you’ve been listening to, and maybe discover something new. If you have the time, listen to Last.fm internet radio - it’s better than any internet radio I’ve ever listened to. It’s amazing how much you can learn about yourself from a collaborative filtering algorithm.

Check it out. Add me as a friend. Join the Clemson Tigers group (if you're a Tiger), or some other group. Do what you want. Let me know what you think.

The Dickey Wedding

Last night I was laying in bed trying to fall asleep and thinking about everything that has been going on in the past few months. I realized I haven’t posted in forever so now is as good a time as ever to write everything down.

First off...I’m pissed because my wireless card in my desktop isn’t working. Oh, it worked when I took it to the “genius bar” but when I got it home it still didn’t work. So I’ve been using my laptop for a few months now, which is a major pain in the ass to say the least. On top of that, I broke my space bar on my laptop last night so this post is really going to be a pain in the ass. Today I realized that the LCD on my iPod is also screwed up. It looks like I’m going to end up spending the weekend at the Apple store trying to get everything fixed since nothing I own works anymore.

Now that I’m done with my rant...

The beginning of this month I took my first two vacation days since I’ve been working for Donnelley. I flew to Raleigh on the last day in August to stay with Jeff for a few days before we headed down to Ocean Isle for Matthew and Sarah’s wedding. Jake got to say with his doggie park friends Miles and Piper instead of staying in the kennel, which made it a lot easier to be gone for a week. While I was in Raleigh I persuaded Jeff in to driving me to Chapel Hill to see Brian. We went out to Carburrito and then to some hole-in-the-wall bar downtown. I had never been to Chapel Hill before...I know, crazy...and I hadn’t seen Brian since graduation, so it was nice.

Friday after Jeff got out of class, we drove down to the beach. We stayed at my grandma’s house at Sunset, so we drove there first to change clothes. We didn’t go to the wedding rehearsal since we weren’t in the wedding party, but we did show up afterwards for the cookout. Jeff found one of my grandma’s gardening hats that he decided he was going to wear to the cookout. Towards the end of the night someone decided we should go to the beach. Matthew’s brother Chris decided to go swimming, which led to a couple other guys stripping down to their shorts and going swimming, which later led to Matthew and Jeff carrying me into the water fully clothed. It ended up being a lot of fun. The funniest thing was one of the brides maids, Mary Gray, and Matthew’s older brother, Jason, were sitting on the shore with everyone else who wasn’t swimming. After Jeff and Matthew took me into the ocean they went back to get Mary Gray and Jason and they both refused because they were “wearing designer.” Damn Sean Jean and Lacoste.

Saturday was the wedding. It was beautiful. If I ever get married, I could see it being something like theirs – casual, small... I hadn’t seen Matthew and Sarah since before I moved to Nashville so it was great to see them, along with Freddy, Jason, Jennifer, and everyone else that I hadn’t seen in over a year. We also got to meet Freddy’s new girlfriend. She was great, and they both seemed very happy. Jeff and I went to Big Nell’s for breakfast and ran into my Brooke Pullen, one of my old neighbors, and her 7-month-old son. It’s crazy to see people I graduated high school with that have kids.

Sunday we went back to Ocean Isle to see everyone one last time. Most of went to the beach for the morning. Matthew and I went skim boarding and I managed to body slam a little knee high kid into the surf. I felt horrible, but he took it pretty well. Jeff decided that the little bit of lawn that we have in front of the beach house needed to be mowed, so I called my dad to see where the gas can was. He told me where to find it but then proceeded to tell me about how the lawnmower was such a piece of crap that Jeff shouldn’t even bother with it, but it was nice to him to even think about it. I think he won some points with my dad just for the thought. Jeff decided to try the lawnmower out anyway. It didn’t take him too long to figure out how my dad had it jerry rigged and get it to work. My parents and grandma drove down from Laurinburg later that night and we all had dinner together. My dad was more impressed with Jeff getting the mower to work and mowing the lawn than I’ve ever seen him. My grandma seemed better then the last time I had seen her, which was nice.

Before I flew back on Monday, I had Jeff take me to the NCSU bookstore to buy a copy of Tiger with his student discount. I’ve had it for almost a month now. I wish my computer were in better shape so I could fully enjoy it.

The trip back to NC was a lot of fun. It brought back a lot of old memories. I wish I could have spent more time at the beach and with Jeff. It’s really hard seeing him once a month, but it really makes me appreciate what little time I do get to see him. The end of one visit starts the countdown to the next. Fall break...October 5th!


I think that's more than enough for one post. I'll write more later. Until then, enjoy some wedding pictures...


My Pictures

Freddy's Pictures

Karen's Pictures

A Fan...

So who are you a fan of?

The Lefsetz Letter
A Fan
by Bob Lefsetz
06 13 2005



Might bitch about the price of the ticket, but goes anyway.

Scours P2P sites for advance music, but buys the CD anyway.

Buys the CD the week it comes out.

Wants every live MP3 of the act he can find.

Hates a bunch of other acts. Non-fans don't give a fuck about other acts.

Doesn't believe in streaming services. He's got to OWN the music so he can show/tell others about it.

Would rather buy the CD than eat.

Knows the name of every band member.

Has memorized the credits. Knows not only who the producer and engineer are, but where the record was mastered. And wonders who the people thanked are.

Will go to the Website every day if the act updates it.

Will pay every last dollar to meet the act in person.

Does not travel without the band's music. Whether it be on CD or MP3.

Believes EVERYBODY would love the act's music if they could just sit down, play them the CD and EXPLAIN it to them.

Buys the next two albums even if they don't have hits.

Has traveled at least 100 miles to see the act.

HAS to go to the show. Just as long as you don't play the same market over and over without new material.

Wants MORE music.

Is not the person radio is programming for. He cringes when the station adds a track they've been listening to for MONTHS!

Will not go to see their favorite performer on a multi-act bill unless they love the other act(s). They fear the set will be shortened, and almost as bad, the audience won't be INTO IT!

Knows where the lyric sheet included with the CD/on the Website is wrong.

When confronted with a date or a gig on the same night will always take the gig.

Burns CDs of the act not to rip the record company off, but to turn OTHER PEOPLE on to the act!!

Not only visits the authorized Website, but the unauthorized ones.

Reads the message boards.

Is an expert on band/act gossip.

HATES when a band member is replaced. They have a relationship with each and every member. You might replace a band member willy-nilly, but it's like a death in the family to the fan.

Will buy the solo album of the frontman and/or songwriter.

Sings the act's songs in the bathroom. Both in the shower and in front of the mirror.

Cares if the act sells out. Ads are for the non-fan, they want to believe the act makes all decisions thinking about THEM first and FOREMOST!

Doesn't want to see the band hosting shows, even appearing live talking on MTV and VH1. For then the act is a slave to the grind, a corporate tool, they want to believe the act ONLY services THEM and their BRETHREN! Videos are all right, just as long as the band themselves are in it, not good-looking boys and girls acting out the lyrics.

Appearance on Fuse is okay. You can appear anywhere that's perceived to be underground or is not truly happening. But once you're in "People" or on "E.T.", watch out. It's all about your SOUL! They want to believe that if they ran into you in the hall at school you'd be who they think they'd like you to be.

Doesn't want his favorite to hang out with actors. Unless they're Johnny Depp, or someone who takes his/her work equally seriously and is cool.

Doesn't want their act to hang out at dance clubs.

Doesn't care if the act drinks or does drugs. Creating art is TORTURE! And, they believe that the normal, well-adjusted are not suited for the role, so they give acts leeway.

Doesn't want to be insulted from the stage.

Wants the live show to be LONGER!

Doesn't care how long the album is, as long as it's GOOD!

Doesn't want the act's inebriation to interfere with the live show.

Wants an autograph, however much you loathe writing them.

Doesn't buy the album because it includes a bonus DVD.

Doesn't have to own the live DVD. It's about the MUSIC, the shows they attended are etched in their MEMORIES!

Doesn't want to be ripped off. Oh, they'll pay exorbitant prices for live tickets and CDs, but they get a bad taste in their mouth if they feel they're being gouged, and ultimately, this causes the fan base to erode.

Probably won't join the authorized fan club. He sees it as a teen magazine group and a rip-off.

Will put a poster of the band on his wall. Younger fans want color, older fans want black and white, they want posters/photos that are dark, with MEANING!

Doesn't want the band's t-shirts sold at Hot Topic or any other establishment. Wants them only sold at GIGS! (Although they'll tolerate online/Music Today sales.)

Wants no t-shirt smaller than large. Preferably EXTRA large.

Would die and go to heaven if he could just get backstage, even if he wasn't allowed to get up close and personal with the act.

Doesn't want anybody listening to the act/going to the show who isn't a TRUE BELIEVER!

Wants to know absolutely everything about the act. Where they were born, how many siblings they have, where they went to high school, whether they were a cheerleader or a loner...

Doesn't believe in anybody without talent. Ashlee Simpson and Hilary Duff might sell records, but they don't have FANS!

Doesn't want to see the act in a fashion show, but DOES want to read a VERY LENGTHY interview with the band/main member wherein history, inspiration, motivation and the SONGS are discussed.

Likes a full-bodied personality. Likes an act that can say negative shit about something/someone.

Is always looking for more acts to become a fan of. But, it's not easy to pass their test, but when you do, fans are LOYAL!

Outside!

It’s official... I love Nashville! I miss Jeff, my family, and Clemson, but I’m really loving where I am now. When i first moved here I kinda wished I had found an apartment downtown so I could be in the middle of things. After exploring a little with Anne last weekend and some on my own this week I’ve decided that I made the best choice for me (and Jake). I live across the street from the Warner Parks. Edwin & Percy Warner parks combined are one of the largest city parks in the nation. I found out last week that they are building a dog park in Edwin Warner Park, which should be done in a month or so. So my plan of getting up at 5:30 to work out never materialized, but I’ve started a routine that I hope to stick to of taking Jake on a moderate 3 mile hike/trail run. I’ve been the past two days. It feels so good to be out and active again. Jake is finally a man. He lifted his leg to pee on a tree today for the first time in his 2 and a half years of existence. That’s my boy!

Last weekend Anne and I went mountain biking at Hamilton Creek, which is right by Percy Priest Lake. We had a blast. It was the first time I had ridden in at least 6 months and it kicked my ass to say the least. There were 2 loops, novice and advanced. Of course we decided to do the advanced loop. When I lived in Atlanta Anne came down to visit and go mountain biking once. We also went to a park with a novice and advanced loop. The advanced loop at that park was a joke, the one at Hamilton Creek on the other hand was not. It was a pretty sweet trail, a lot like Issaqueena but more rocky and less rooty. There wasn’t much elevation change, but the rocks made things quite interesting. There were plenty of drops and jumps. While Anne was here we also checked out the Natchez Trace Parkway. The northern terminus is on Highway 100 about 4 miles from my apartment. We drove a mile or so, but it was getting dark. The trace follows the path of an old indian “trace” 444 miles to Natchez, Mississippi. The Warner Parks have dozens of paved scenic drives and paved and dirt trails. Between the park and the parkway there are going to be plenty of places to work on being a roadie.