books you'll never see on Oprah's list

Here's a list of books I bet Oprah will not be recommending on her show or website. They are in no particular order or subject matter. I haven't really considered the possibility that some of these books may or may not have been mentioned by the guests on the show.

I have moved the list over to the sidebar and will continue to update it on a regular basis. Also, if you want, just send me your favourite books for consideration.

Peace, Love and Understanding

if you could read my mind...

it seems our dreams
turned into smoke
and scattered by the wind
in this small life.

it seems you were a beacon
to find my way in the dark
of night, where my steps
brought me in this small life.

it seems that life never ends
no matter how quickly it passes
you by, like your name i wrote
in the sand before the waves.

it seems the first kiss is the last,
the one i search in every passing
face, a sun breaking through
the clouds in this small life.

the summer...

...doldrum days are here as we head into the final summer month, August. With only about 150 days left before the end of the year, I'm trying to spend as much time as I can enjoying the beautiful summer weather and the beaches of New England. Especially since winter here in the Northeast is really not all that far away.

i've gotten...

...lazy these past few weeks and haven't posted for some time. My apologies, the Oscillation Overthruster was out of order. So here it goes, some updates from life in the Northeast.

For the July 4th weekend, and of course, Canada Day, I visited the North Shore. More specifically, I spent time around Cape Ann (Rockport), and went a little further up to Ipswich, where it is believed to have the best fried clams in New England. They do! Ipswich-Essex is also full of parks and the home of Crane Beach - two miles of white sand and clean waters. Oh yeah, and some rocks too!


For those who don't know, Rockport is an artists' colony in Cape Ann. Very much a tourist trap, and up until, and including, the weekend I was there, a dry town! Now, after 70-odd years restaurants and other such establishments are allowed to serve alcohol on their premises. Imagine that! I wonder how did the artists managed to get any work done then?

The beaches though were nice, some were off to the side and away from all the crowds, and the water was nice and clear. Late afternoon, early evening swims were the best, looking at the sun slowly going down, and then rushing out to get the camera and capture to other than just memory such fine sites!

the world...

...is a terrible place, if when the leaders of the most powerful and richest nations in the world gather together in order to try and help others less fortunate, despite their political and ideological differences, and a bunch of nameless cowards take on innocent people by slaughtering and maiming them on their way to make something better of themselves. But, despite all that, despite these violent acts of cowardice, humanity will never give up, humanity will continue to strive towards improving its condition on this planet, and will never surrender to extremism.

Peace, Love and Understanding

Happy Canada Day and ...

...Happy July 4th to all!

As a Canadian living in the US, I am celebrating both holidays. Being spending few days around the North Shore. See all y'all (ha!) upon my return.

what music now: Royksopp's "The Understanding"

Royksopp's new CD "The Understanding" contains the song "Only This Moment" that is already a hit in many clubs around the world and will probably be the summer song in all the clubs, especially around the Meditteranean. Check the video here.

Here are some lines from the song:

Only this moment (Holds us together)
Close to perfection (Nothing is out there)
No one to guide us (Lost in the senses)
Deep down inside I know our love will die.

Only this moment (Holds us together)
Lost in confusion (Feelings are out there)
Scared of the ocean (Doubting intentions)
Deep down inside I know our love will die

Stay or forever go
Play or you’ll never know
We haven’t decided
You can’t deny it’s all you’ve been waiting for

Stay or forever go
Play or you’ll never know
Your spirit’s divided
You will decide if I’m all you’ve been waiting for

...

The CD opens strongly with a trademark Royksopp lush keyboards arrangement called "Triumphant", and is followed by the first single "Only This Moment". As I mentioned above, this song will be one of the most played songs this summer, with its soulful lyrics, sun-drenched melodies, and etheral vocals from the band itself and newcomer Kate Havernick. The rest of the new CD follows in similar steps as their debut, "Melody A.M." but without really copying their previous sound. Check "Follow My Ruin", which has an interesting hook sounding a little like a song from a very well known American musician who has been in trouble with the law until recently. The rest of the CD continues with songs made for the summer. Check out "Beautiful Day Without You", "What Else Is There", the robotic "Circuit Breaker", "Alpha Male", a tribute to both Pink Floyd circa "Wish You Were Here" and Tangerine Dream, and "Someone Like Me" sounding similar to Air's jazzy electronica.

"The Understanding" will be officially released in the U.K. on July 4th, July 12th in the U.S. (it's already out in Japan), and for those of you in the rest of the world, June 28th, according to the band's website.

Peace and Love

if you could read my mind...

The days of summer are here, and there's nothing different than the summers I was used to in the South - hot, and sticky humid. Just the way I like it, full of mischief, the type of mischief that speaks of untold promises in the languid, humid days to come.

A walk under the green shade of the trees in the park, or a seaside stroll helps a bit to cool things down, keeping tempers and feelings moderate. And then a late afternoon shower comes. But the heat remains...

And the ghosts return...

When the room is quiet
The daylight almost gone
It seems there's something I should know

Well, I ought to leave
But the rain it never stops
And I've no particular place to go

Just when I think I'm winning
When I've broken every door
The ghosts of my life
Blow wilder than before

Just when I thought I could not be stopped
When my chance came to be king
The ghosts of my life
Blew wilder than the wind

Well, I'm feeling nervous
Now I find myself alone
The simple life's no longer there

Once I was so sure
Now the doubt inside my mind
Comes and goes but leads nowhere

Just when I think I'm winning
When I've broken every door
The ghosts of my life
Blow wilder than before

Just when I thought I could not be stopped
When my chance came to be king
The ghosts of my life
Blew wilder than the wind
(David Sylvian, Ghosts)

Speak Low

Speak low when you speak, love
Our summer day withers away too soon, too soon
Speak low when you speak, love
Our moment is swift, like ships adrift, we're swept apart, too soon
Speak low, darling, speak low
Love is a spark, lost in the dark too soon, too soon
I feel wherever I go that tomorrow is near, tomorrow is here and always too soon
Time is so old and love so brief
Love is pure gold and time a thief
We're late, darling, we're late
The curtain descends, ev'rything ends too soon, too soon
I wait, darling, I wait
Will you speak low to me, speak love to me and soon

Kurt Weill / Ogden Nash

Iris Across Water

One warm, breezy afternoon,
she comes into the garden,
bright sunlight casting shadows
on the wall...
sees her reflection in the quenching pool
and wonders, "who tended the irises so
in her absence, and when did the birds
nested here again?"

what music now: The National - "Alligator"

This is the third release by The National a NYC-based quintet. Not having heard a great deal from their previous releases, this is definitely an impressive CD. One critic has said that even thought they are in essence a New York band, they don't sound like their contemporaries (Interpol, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs for example). However, they do owe some of their sound to such 70's New York seminal bands as Television, Lou Reed and Velvet Underground. But, that doesn't mean they are copying someone else's style. On the contrary, this is highly accessible and energetic American rock music, with thoughtful, poetic, lyrics and a slightly alt-country sound. Often compared to Nick Cave and Leonard Cohen, although Joy Division's Ian Curtis is closer, Matt Berninger sings songs of lost love, heartbreak and remorse("You should've looked after her better/You should've looked after her more/You should've locked the door").

I find it hard to mention any bad ones, so standout cuts include "Looking For Astronauts", "Daughters of the Soho Riots" (How can anybody know/how they got to be this way/You must have known I'd do this someday/Break my arms around the one I love/And be forgiven by the time my lover comes/Break my arms around my love), and "Baby, We'll Be Fine":

Baby, We'll be Fine
All night I lay on my pillow and pray
For my boss to stop me in the hallway
Lay my head on his shoulder and say
Son, I've been hearing good things

I wake up without warning and go flying around the house
In my sauvignon fierce, freaking out
Take a forty-five minute shower and kiss the mirror
And say, look at me
Baby, we'll be fine
All we gotta do is be brave and be kind

I put on an argyle sweater and put on a smile
I don't know how to do this
I'm so sorry for everything

Baby, come over, I need entertaining
I had a stilted, pretending day
Lay me down and say something pretty
Lay me back down where I wanted to stay
Just say something perfect, something I can steal
Say, look at me
Baby, we'll be fine
All we've gotta do is be brave and be kind

I pull off your jeans, and you spill jack and coke in my collar
I melt like a witch and scream
I'm so sorry for everything

Also check "Karen", "All The Wine" and "City Middle".

forgotten lyrics...

I thought I might remind some of you of lyrics from the not-too-distant past, lyrics that make more sense now...

So let's start with Toronto-based The Pursuit of Happiness and don't be afraid to send me your own favourites. I promise to post them.



I'm An Adult Now
Well, I don't hate my parents
I don't get drunk just to spite them
I've got my own reasons to drink now
Think I'll call my dad up and invite him
I can sleep in till noon anytime I want
Though there's not many days that I do
Gotta get up and take on that world
When your an adult it's no cliche it's the truth

'Cause I'm an adult now
I'm an adult now
I've got the problems of an adult
On my head and on my shoulders
I'm an adult now

I can't even look at young girls anymore
People will think I'm some kind of pervert
Adult sex is either boring or dirty
Young people they can get away with murder
I don't write songs about girls anymore
I have to write songs about women
No more boy meets girl boy loses girl
More like man tries to understand what the hell went wrong

'Cause I'm an adult now
I'm an adult now
I've got the problems of an adult
On my head and on my shoulders
I'm an adult now

I can't take any more illicit drugs
I can't afford any artificial joy
I'd sure look like a fool dead in a ditch somewhere
With a mind full of chemicals
Like some cheese-eating high school boy

'Cause I'm an adult now
I'm an adult now
I've got the problems of an adult
On my head and on my shoulders
I'm an adult now

Sometimes my head hurts and sometimes my stomach hurts
And I guess it won't be long
Till I'm sitting in a room with a bunch
of people whose necks and backs are aching
Whose sight and hearing's failing
Who just can't seem to get it up
Speaking of hearing, I can't take too much loud music
I mean I like to play it, but I sure don't like the racket
Noise, but I can't hear anything
Just guitars screaming, screaming, screaming
Some guy screaming in a leather jacket
Wooah!

'Cause I'm an adult now
I'm an adult now
I've got the problems of an adult
On my head and on my shoulders
I'm an adult now

upcoming events: synch - electronic music & digital arts festival

Here's something for those of you that may be in Greece during the very early part of July:

The event takes place between July 1 through July 3 and features more than 60 Greek and foreign musicians, djs and vjs on 4 different stages. It takes place at Lavrio, itself a historic industrial site, once the home of Greece's first electric power plant, but now the home of The Technological and Cultural Park. The guest musicians are far too numerous to list here, but I will include the following non-Greek ones: Tortoise, Hiroshi Watanabe, Jori Hulkkonen, Swayzak, and the legendary TuxedoMoon among many others. More details can be found in the event's website, Synch.

Cape Cod

spent couple of days this Memorial Day weekend at Cape Cod, re-familiarizing myself with the sea. Got in the car on Saturday with few choice CDs and did the "On the Road" thing, except that I had the comfort of my own transportation. Still, I started driving without any maps or directions, just following the road sign pointing me towards the Cape.

The sea and I are old friends. Older I think than I can remember. I have always been captivated by the enormous secrets she's hiding in her depths, and quite often weary by her. I knew a woman who was the same way, her soul an ocean, her eyes a deep blue sea that dragged me in its depths unbeknownst to me. And willingly I let myself be dragged by the currents of her charm. But that's the stuff for a later story.

what music now: coldplay's "X & Y"

It doesn't matter how many times I listen to this, whether it's the bootleg live versions of some of their new CD's songs, or songs from the actual studio CD, I continue to be impressed by the artistry exhibited in some of the tracks. "White Shadows" must be one of the best songs they've written (although it's a bit reminiscent of U2's How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb.

Let some of the lyrics do the talking:

When I was a young boy
I tried to listen
and I wanna feel like that
little white shadows
that sparkle and glisten
I'm part of a system plan

Do you ever feel like
there's something missing?
things you'll never understand
little white shadows that blink in the distance
part of a system plan

When all our fears are waking up
all the space they're taking up
I said I cannot hear you, you're breaking up

Or how about "What If":

What if I got it wrong
And no poem or song
Could put right what I got wrong
Or make you feel I belong
What if you should decide
That you don't want me there by your side
That you don't want me there in your life

Then there's "Talk" with that somewhat familiar opening guitar riff. Alright, so the opening does sound like Kraftwerk's "Computer Love", but the song is strong:

Under the great North star
Try to work out where you are
In the silence of the sea
I don't know where I'll be

In the future, in the past
Going nowhere... much too fast
When I go there, go with me
When I go there, go with me

Although the version of "Talk" I'm currently listening has different lyrics:

So you take a picture
of something you see
In your future
Where will I be?

So you don't know were you're going and you wanna talk
You feel like you're going where you've been before
Let's talk
Let's talk

Let's wait for the official CD to come out. In the meantime, enjoy the bits and pieces.

Love, Peace and Understanding

warning shots...

...were fired right from the start last night at Roxy in Boston. Warning shots that the show was going to be hot!. Thievery Corporation took the stage for their last North American tour date before hitting Europe, and Eric Hilton and Rob Garza brought their eclectic mix of Jamaican reggae, Indian chanting, electronica, and Brazilian bossa nova into life with the help of a large band. The results may not have been as crystal clear as their recordings are, but the music had SOUL! And all the guest vocalists, veterans from TC's CDs delivered.

The night's playlist featured songs from every CD Thievery Corporation has put out, including 2005's "The Cosmic Game". The show's most lively moments were when the Brazilian singer (pictured on top) came on stage for her rendition of the songs previously featuring Bebel Gilberto on the CDs. She is as talented as good looking. Also, guest vocalist Sleepy Wonder (heard on "Warning Shots" and regular Notch brought the house down through numerous tracks including "Warning Shots", "The Richest Man in Babylon", and "The State of the Union".

A few more pictures:



Peace and Love

sunday...

"Sunday was a bright day yesterday/
Dark cloud has come into the way"

So says Moby couple of CDs back. And man, was Sunday ever full of dark clouds! The threat of rain was everywhere; you could almost feel the crackle in the air, although the rain never came. So I spent the day walking around Boston, in the Public Garden to re-descover nature in the heart of the city, at Newbury Street and at Beacon Hill where I made a much-deserved stop at Sevens Pub for a bite and a Guinness, or two, or three...

Awww, ain't that a cute little critter?



Sevens pub is small, dark, and it has everything that a pub should have, Guinness on draught (or draft - whatever spelling you choose, it's still Guinness!). Great bunch of people working there, very friendly. Will probably visit again as their pub food selection is quite tasty.

Tomorrow night is the Thievery Corporation show and it promises to be a good one. The two DJs always manage to bring to life their samba, jazz- and world-influenced music to life with the help of a solid collection of live performers. More to follow after the show.

Love and Respect!

Nooorm...serotonin, and the crooked E

Ah to be in New England! The home of the Patriots, the Bruins, and of course the Red Sox. The place where tea should be in fashion more than coffee, the place where not to own a boat, not to have gone to Harvard, and not to have a vacation home on Martha's vineyard all seem improbable. New England, the place that immortalised sitting on a stool in a dingy basement pub for hours upon hours drinking beer, and indulging a postman with his trivia instead of letting him, well, do his job and go postal.

By the way, I wonder what that Greek flag is doing in the background. Hmmm...

It's another rainy weekend here in Boston, imagine that! Funny how things work out, no? Relatively sunny and warm days during the week, only to have rain and cool winds over the weekend. I did manage to get in my 7-mile run along the Charles this morning though, before the rain came, and all that serotonin flowing through really made me feel better during the rest of this bleaky day.

A cup of coffee and reading for a bit at a cafe in the afternoon also made the trick. Except that I was reading The Smartest Guys In The Room - The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron, the most accurate account of what happened in that company. And how do I know that? Let's just say that I too fell for the illusion that was Enron, a carefully guarded, but not well constructed illusion. Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind have done what no other author who wrote about the despicable actions of those few individuals responsible for destroying the lives of so many have been able to do. I don't know if I can count myself in that same category as those guys. I would hope that I am smart, but I guess not that smart to really see the Enron culture for what it really was: an island of cut-throat, irresponsible competition amongst its own divisions, and even members of those divisions.

I picked up the book when it fist came out few years ago, and started reading it only to put it down in disgust as I was reminded of the ugliness that was prevalent there. Now, with the movie out, I felt compelled to finish it and put that sorry episode behind me once and for all.

The rest of the afternoon turned out better once I finished and put that book down. Virgin Radio helped a lot as well, while I continued to drink my coffee and finishing this post, especially as the DJ was playing Ultravox's "Vienna" and U2's "One".

Love and Respect

thievery corporation update

Here's a tidbit from Thievery Corporation:

"Thievery Corporation continues to blur boundaries and defy genre labels. This weekend the group's Rob Garza and Eric Hilton will guest host MTV2's Sunday night "Subterranean" show, the successor to the famed "120 Minutes" and a launching pad for artists ranging from Franz Ferdinand to the Killers and everyone in between. The show airs on MTV2 on Sunday night at 12 midnight. For those of you unable to see it then, you can see it online at MTV2.com starting on Monday."

TC will be making an appearance at The Roxy in Boston on 5/23, and I will be posting my thoughts on their concert (and hopefully pictures) after that.

life is a minestrone

Well, there you have it:

"Love is a fire of flaming brandy
Upon a crepe suzette
Let’s get this romance cooking, honey
But let us not forget
Life is a minestrone
Served up with parmesan cheese
Death is a cold lasagne
Suspended in deep freeze"

And that's that!

Let's see if anyone knows or remembers where this comes from, WITHOUT googling it.

The lyrics above came to mind while ruminating on the meaning of life, and also while I was listening to a relatively new band Thirteen Senses. Their debut CD, "The Invitation" is one of those CDs that is extremely listenable, with its piano melodies, epic guitar harmonies and vocal choruses. One may want to toss this band in the same category as Coldplay, The Perishers, Athlete, etc., but that would be too hasty. The music Thirteen Senses offers is inspired from another era which existed briefly during the 1970s. That was the time of the "Poor Man's Moody Blues", a.k.a. Barclay James Harvest, and Al Stewart's "The Year of The Cat". Check "Into The Fire", "Thru The Glass", "Gone", "Do No Wrong", and the almost pastoral "Automatic" as a fine representation of music with feeling.