The T-Shirt... What Happened and Where Do We Go From Here?

I wear t- shits. I love T-shirts. So soft. So relaxing. So casual. So made out of cotton; 100% hopefully. The T-shirt is the great chameleon of the fashion world. Ok, that makes no sense. Too much hyperbole?

In this day of casual clothing, it seems that the T-shirt can be worn for any occasion. It makes me sad that formal dress is out the door but fashion is a bitch mistress that doesn't care what you want or at least what I want. No one wants to dress in collared shirts, ties and suits anymore. The days of dressing in your Sundays best to catch a ball game on Tuesday is no more. Thank goodness social convention still tells women that when going out to the bars or clubs, a t-shirt doesn't cut it. Thank goodness that there is still some amount sexism in this country. Please pick up on my sarcasm. It is a shame that men have become lazy, classless and unimaginative with their dress. Please note that the previous sentence about men's fashion was not sarcasm.

I love T-shirts as much as the next guy. T-shirts have been the essence of cool. They are indicative of their generation. It's no accident that when you see a white basic T-shirt, blue jeans, leather jacket and some Converse Chuck Taylor's one might think of the greasers in the 1950's. Tie-Dyed shirts remind us of hippies and the 60's. The huge slogans that would be placed on T-shirts during the 80's and 90's. The lasting images of Marlon Brando, James Dean, Bruce Springsteen in a white basic T. There was the Frankie Goes to Hollywood T-shirts of the 80's and the "Vote for Pedro" Napoleon Dynamite shirts of the modern era. T-shirts have a lasting impression on the social conscience. It's not mystery that T-shirts have become human billboards for self expression, corporate agendas and fashion design.

But as I walk the corridors of my local shopping mall or when I bust a move on in the club, exercise at the the local gym or enjoy a casual night at the bingo hall, it seems that T-Shirts have lost their cool. I'll say it less politely... modern T-Shirts fucking suck. Designed by douche bags and worn by guys who don't mind acting like douche bags. Yeah, I'm talking about Ed Hardy shirts or shirts that have slogans like, "Compassion is the Essence of love" or "Triumph is brought by Might." Let's face it, Ed Hardy T-shirts look like crappy tattoo designs over neon colored shirts. T-Shirts with crap slogans that don't really mean anything are like unimaginative Hallmark cards that promote nothing or suggest anything beyond a shallow attempt at self importance. I don't understand why some people need to spend $3o dollars on a some Under Armour or Nike exercise T-shirt when you can buy 5 cotton white shirts for $10. That just seems dumb. I don't get T-shirts these days. There are shirts with New York City designs all over them being sold in the Midwest, worn by those who have never been to the NYC. There are guys wearing shirts with flower patterns but refuse to wear a light pink dress shirt. There are T-Shirt designs with foreign languages written all over them and no one has a clue what is being said.

What is going on? when did T-Shirts stop being cool because their designs were trying too hard to be cool? Why have them become so expensive? Yeah, I'm looking at you Giorgio Armani with your black Cashmere t-shirt costing over $1,800. Maybe that is a bad example. It is cashmere. Fuck no, that isn't a bad example. It's too dam expensive. Is it because it was made with the human dignity of the sweat shop workers in Asia that stitched the fabric with human hair and despair? I don't understand fashion. Apparently I don't understand this world where a cashmere T-shirt could be the down payment on a car.

What is going on? When did the T-shirt stop being the symbol of cool and casual apparel and become the symbol of douche baggery? I don't know. Maybe I am just being close minded. Maybe I don't see how bedazzling or rhinestones can be good for t-shirts or even washing machines.

What kind of T-Shirts do I enjoy? I like the plain. I like designs but let's face it. It's a T-shirt. It's casual wear so why try hard to be cool. I don't want to say that T-Shirts should be this or that but maybe I am. I think I am. It's a T-Shirt, relax with it. Do you get the impression that when you try hard to be cool you just succeed at being an ass. I enjoy humorous shirts. I enjoy shirts that represent my personality, where I come from or what I like. Silly, humorous, casual and geeky is the shirt I prefer. I don't know many people who wear T-shirts tattered in skulls, cobwebs, slogans that rip off mythology or the bible or display half naked woman that truly represent their personality. Like i said, i just don't understand fashion and what has dictated this downward step in design.


oh well, now some gratuitous photos of me in t-shirts.

Best Music of 2009!

Every year I write a blog discussing my favorite music of the year. I am a pretty big music fan so I feel entitled. I still buy music. Most people I know, even those in the music industry steal music. I am constantly reading about music, either through books or magazines. I go to shows, research and surf on the interweb.

This list comes with a bit of a disclaimer. I take the time to listen to a couple hundred albums a year but that is only a small percentage of music produced. I am not a magazine. Labels don't send me records to review. I don't get free copies or information pamphlets about bands. All my information comes from somewhat biased research and careful purchasing. I read the pretentious Pitchfork, the idiotic Rolling Stone and the middle ground Spin. I read WaxPoetics, Notion, and occasionally Source as well as other media outlets. Research also includes word of mouth. I have friends that work at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, record shops, independent labels and friends that dj as well as play in various types of bands. I love music and will try to find good music any way possible.

This my top ten along with other accolades.

when 2009 opened it's door, the music scene seemed filled with possibilities. In the the first couple of months there were records released by Bruce Springsteen and U2. When you start the year with two of your all time favorite artists releasing records, it's easy to get excited but those two records ultimately ended in disappointment. Another band, which I have disliked for much of their career released a record that would land on this top ten list the moment it was released. Some bands surprised me with their growth and talents, while others began their fade into obscurity. Some older relics churned out albums that reminds me of the mighty force that once was their music, while young folks debuted their talent to world, presenting the hope of tomorrows music future.

Thanks to the old guard for still making music that rocks. Thank you Raekwon, Slayer, Yo La Tengo, Dinosaur Jr., Wilco and Sonic Youth. Way to show the young kids how it is done.

Groups to look forward to, not on this list but worth taking notice. K'Naan, The Big Pink, The Avett Brothers, Major Lazer and Discovery.

Most overrated album of the year. The Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca.

Biggest guilty pleasure. Weezer - Raditude and that dam Taylor Swift Song, "You Belong with Me"

Most annoying musical occurrence. People who suddenly discovered The Kings of Leon and overplayed "Use Somebody." And the re-emergence of 90's low-fi indie rock... Yeah... I'm looking at you Japandroids and Wavves along with others.

Happy that hip hop bounced back this year. Brother Ali, Anti-Pop Consortium, Drake and Kid Kudi saving hip hop from an awful 2008.

Hooray for all the fantastic re-issues... from the Beatles to Kraftwerk, the Feelies to Devo, Beastie Boys to Big Star.

Honorary Album

Jarvis Cocker - Further Complications.

The role Pulp played in shaping the 90's Brit-pop explosion was pretty large. They never got the recognition that Oasis, Radiohead or Blur received but are no less important. Pulp hasn't released a record since 2001 but Cocker has not kept away. On his second solo release Cocker rediscovers what made his musical satire so appealing, frustration. Like Elvis Costello with his record, When I was Cruel, Cocker rediscovers angst and writes a record fueled by negative emotions in search for positive results. It would be Costello's best record in years and the same could be said about Cocker, with or without Pulp. Here, Cocker releases a certain rage about romance, sex, life, uncertainty, the upper class, the unknown future and the let down of being born.

The Top 10.

10. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart

Don't dismiss this album. It might be the closest thing to bumble gum pop for kids that wear skin tight black jeans, scarves in the middle of a hot summer, and feel they are too cool to be elitists. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart make the quietest up tempo rock that you can find. There is a tremendous amount of sophistication to this simple rock that seems fueled by teenage adolescence. The albums has touches of The Ramones, The Cure and Jesus and the Mary Chain. "A Teenager In Love" could havet come from Robert Smith during the Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me sessions. It doesn't stray too far from modern groups like the Anniversary or the Rentals either especially on tracks like "Young Adult Friction." They make it look easy. They also don't come off as egomaniacs or star crazed jerks like other NYC bands the Strokes, Interpol or the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. If you like catchy hooks, sing a long melodies, and music that doesn't make you dance but instead makes you hop, skip and jump then this record is for you.

9. Tegan and Sara - Sainthood

Chris Walla was smart to hop onto this indie pop mega train that is Tegan and Sara. In turn Tegan and Sara not only found their best bassist/keyboardist to date but also the best producer they've ever had. Walla produced their previous effort, The Con but the sound hadn't come together yet. For this record Walla filled in as bassist and drummer Jason McGerr came back for his second turn as the group's drummer. The stability of having much of the same group from the previous recording session resulted in the band sounding tighter than ever. It's their 6th album and their best. C'mon, how often does that happen? This album is filled with fascinating tales of falling in love and falling into the potholes of romantic inconsistency. It's not emo. It's hard to call it even indie pop. It's catchy and if they ever feel like selling out and given their music a slogan like "girl power" then Tegan and Sara would be huge mega stars.

8. Neko Case - Middle Cyclone

It's hard when the worst criticism of this album might be that it isn't as good as her last album. Neko Case doesn't really fall into a genre at this point in her career. She is not really country. She is not really folk. She is somewhere in between sober Lucinda Williams (but better) and early Sheryl Crow (but way better). She is Emmylou Harris with a voice that could eclipse a sun beaten desert and knock you over like a shotgun. This record has all the typical traits of any Neko Case album. It is filled with animal imagery, mythology and odes to nature. Even the somewhat corny, "Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth" has an elegance that lifts it above hippie lecture music. Case also benefits from playing with the same band and the surrounding cast that has toured with her and recorded much of, Fox Confessor Brings the Flood. Her band is able to match wits with her, allowing her voice to fill those large landscapes with life. The band doesn't allow her voice to strangle and dominate the rich country folk sound. She has a powerful voice but the band isn't there for decoration and Case never over sings but allows her voice to unfold over the tapestry of music. Not to mention that this record has the best album opener with, "This Tornado Loves You" and probably the best album cover.

7. Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest

It is always nice to see a band grow. It is always nice to see a band debut with a fantastic record and then follow it up with a better record. That is exactly what Grizzly Bear has done. Yellow House (2006) was a great start and with Veckatimest, Grizzly Bear has expanded on their chamber pop and improved on their formula for well structured song writing. They break free from the Radiohead or My Morning Jacket comparisons and invite some Beach Boys, primarily Brian Wilson and Neil Young comparisons. It's can be hard to place their sound but it is just as hard to ignore the bouncy, "Two Weeks" or rather rocking "I Live with You." Well as rocking as Grizzly Bear might get. It is not a total departure for the band. There are moments when the band sings and plays without any intent to get attention and then boom, a whirlwind of sound and harmonies. It is busy music and that can be a negative but it isn't in this case. It can be difficult to grasp but also wonderful to discover all the richness of its sound. Grizzly Bear might be the best harmonizing band out right now.

6. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

I'll be totally honest. I had never heard of Phoenix till this record. Pitchfork loves these guys. I can see why and after 4 albums, it is about time I took notice. I'm just amazed the Grammy committee didn't try to nominate these guys for best new artist. This french outift doesn't really rock but they do. They create pop songs based on slick guitar licks, shout out loud choruses, kicking drums and groovy bass lines. What more could you want? Not to mention, it's a pretty huge sound for a band that really doesn't rock or even jam out to ridiculous solos. It's irony free and fun. Romantic and bold. Maybe more bands should follow this formula. They aren't like other rock bands to push pop. These guys aren't trying to be Blur or the Dandy Warhols, Sloan or Fountains of Wayne. Thank goodness. No offense to two of the bands previously mentioned. Don't be fooled by the upbeat sound because these songs have a fair share of despair. It's a direct approach as many of the themes in the songs explore a balance between positive and negative forces. They also get my vote for best song of the year - "1901".

5. The xx - The xx

Comprised of four early 20's upstarts from south London, The xx released the sexiest record in a long time. The xx dabble in post punk fare with bass lines that ease into the song like a muttering heartbeats with sly and subtle guitar formations. Their sound is a culmination of things, 50's rock, cinematic modern soul, and post punk. It isn't entirely retro because The xx could be compared to other groups like Interpol or The Raveonettes. There is a simplicity to this record. There is an absence of sound on this record. It's a wide open sound that seems to only fill the corners of a dark room. The loudest track is the instrumental opening track. With singer/guitarist Madley Croft and singer/bassist Oliver Sim interchanging lyrics like contemplative lovers trying to find ways to construct and deconstruct their relationship but the singing never reaches a volume louder than a whisper. The songs are chapters, with each one like a snapshot into a love affair. It's a delicate and beautiful album.

4. Passion Pit - Manners

I might get flack for putting Passion Pit so high on the list but I've had so much fun listening to this album. It's sugar. It's pop alternative dance music. It's the playful puppy that Daft Punk could never be. It's the white New England geek chic that Chromeo could never be. It's funky. It's loaded with keyboards and synthesizers, without apology. It doesn't neglect the bass but doesn't rely on it to create dance grooves. It has an upbeat sound marinated in sincerity. A sound that is lacking in today's scene. The helium high pitched vocals of Michael Angelakos might be a little much to handle or harmonize alongside but resisting it's charm is a much greater task. It's sample friendly and hook saturated. I think Passion Pit would make the Avalanches proud, especially with the track, "Sleepyhead." Dance music might be the new direction indie takes. There are groups like Hot Chip, Justice, and Cut Copy making the dance floor safe for hipsters. There are also rock groups like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Bloc Party turning down the rock and turning up the techno. I think Passion Pit out does them all.

3. Mos Def - The Ecstatic

One of my favorite musical jokes on the sitcom 30 rock is after character Tracy Jordan ruins the national anthem at a sporting event, he proclaims, "who knew the national anthem had so many words. It's like a Mos Def CD." Mos Def... welcome back to musical relevance. He didn't have to sell his soul to Kanye West or Lil' Wayne. Thank goodness. He does it by taking the indie hip hop route. He gets Madlib, Oh No, and Mr. Flash to produce some of the tracks. Even Chad Hugo of the Neptunes fame produces a track. Mos Def isn't really like most other MC's. First, he is a better actor than any other hip hop star in history. Second, his diversity in sound, lyric approach and flow never came off as a gimmick. Mos Def does eclectic better than anyone else because it seems to come so natural to him. Here Mos Def explores afrobeat, jazz, samba, funk, and even raps an entire song in Spanish without sounding like a pretentious idiot. It has all the trappings of any other Mos Def album... topical lyrics about the war, the struggles of blacks in America, poverty, drug abuse, whack MC's, finding peace as well as happiness, a Dilla cut as well as a Talib Kweli appearance. Easily his finest record since Black on Both Sides and unlike so many other hip hop artists Mos Def was able to resist the temptation to consider this album a sequel to any of his previous work without merit. Way to go Mos Def for not tying to capitalize on your previous work and create something fresh but familiar as well.

2. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion

I know! It's shocking that this album is not #1. I knew this album would make the top 10 back in Feb. when it was released... I just didn't know where. It bounced anywhere from 1 to 7 until the very next album on the list came out in September, stealing the top spot. Since it has been the best album for much of the year I felt that it needed to take the second spot. I admit that until this album I was not a fan of Animal Collective. I still don't like a majority of their other releases. I don't like Panda Bear's Person Pitch, in which many draw comparisons. So how is this album so good? Is it dumb to say because it is mesmerizing? Yes, it kind of is. Is it a dance record? Not really? is it an alternative to chamber pop? not really? Does it combine psychedelic pop, tribal rhythms, squishy dub ambience with a space age lemony twist? Yes. Would it be interesting to hear a marching band or Men's Choir perform these songs? Probably, at least under the right direction. This is great music to march to or to lie still and drift off into the abyss. There wasn't a better summertime anthem this year than "Summertime Clothes." There is something animal, desperate but sweet about, "Bluish." The urban confusion buried in, "Lion In a Comma" along with the parental bliss of "My Girl" help build the uniqueness of this record.

1. Girls - Album

I love it. I love this record. I love the music. I love the 70's small budget light porn look of the book art and music videos. I love the back story of lead singer and songwriter Christopher Owens. It almost seems like an elaborate lie. My retelling of it might be incorrect thus building upon the myth of a kid born to a prostitute mother. The father runs away while he is an infant. Grows up in a cult and as a teen becomes a drug user only to be rescued by a millionaire from Texas. There are some vocal comparisons to Elvis Costello but Costello would bark, bite and on occasion over sing his songs. They do share a bitterness and sarcastic tone found in many of these songs about romantic bliss gone sour. Musically, Girls goes anywhere from Beach Boys California surf to early 90's Jesus and Mary Chain. Yeah, another band ripping off Jesus and Mary Chain... surprise surprise. Maybe somebody will finally start giving them credit for something. But that just scratching the surface. "Hellhole Ratrace" is the sick and tired of being sick and tired anthem of the decade and it sounds like a Spiritualized song minus the huge orchestra. On, "Headache" Owens sings with this croon that could out do Richard Hawley. "Morning Light" might remind you of Sonic Youth or wanna be Sonic Youth, Broken Social Scene. From the post punk opener, "Lust for Life" to the bluesy closer, "Darling" Owens primarily uses is rock to influence his music. He adapts so well to every genre, borrowing what he likes for his own particular brand of rock and roll. It's not new but it is executed at such a high level that it's lack of originality is lost on me. Like the title suggest, Girls is pretty much about girls. There isn't really much happiness in this record but there is a fair amount of hope. Owens sings with so much conviction that it is nearly impossible to reject his ambition. Owens doesn't supply any answers and asks a lot of questions. It is almost like he is urging you to believe in him or at least believe in his music without knowing what is to come next. A position i think, only someone with his background could relay with sincerity. Best record of the year.

goodbye 2009. goodbye decade. goodbye yesterday. Onward to 2010. Onward to today and tomorrow!

Happy New Year!

I am sort of confused on how to sum up 2009. The final year of a wacky decade and a rather frustrating year at that. I started the decade in Florida to move to Ohio to eventually move to Arkansas then back to Ohio with plans to possibly move to Austin, Chicago or southern California. In this decade I have had a four year relationship that was similar to the decade, up and down with it ultimately ending. I graduated high school and college but have little to show for it. I have had jobs, promoted and fired. I have traveled and I have stayed home. I have crazy stories and stories not worth writing about. I feel sad and relieved by the simple fact that my greatest achievement in the past ten years is that I am alive, I have my family and friends, and that I have not given up yet. I don't know whether or not to look down upon this idea with frustration or to hold my head high and acknowledge that things could be much worse.

I started this blog almost 2 years ago and I am not famous for it or anything of the sort. I ponder, I type and I express feelings that rattle in my noggin. I could go on and fuss about the decade or this past year but I won't. This past year was hard. I have a hard time remembering when the last easy year came. Many make resolutions for the next year. Many hope that the next year will be better. Many wish to explore the possibilities of what will come around the next corner, or on the next train in to the station or simply what happens the next day. I try to resist resolutions, or hopes or even the moments of contemplation for what lies ahead because it seems rather pointless. I do not know what to do but I simply try to do the best I can with what I've got. I can only plan so much. I can only want so much. I can only hope for so much. My life is vastly different than I had hoped 10, 5 and even 1 year ago. I have made plans and many of them dashed. I have had hopes with many of them crushed. I have wanted much and have been neglected. It is easy to look down at this life and call it a failure but I won't do that. I have a loving family. I have friends. I have a bit of happiness and hope that shines through thick feelings of despair. Not all is lost and at times when things do not go your way it is easy to lose sight of all the good that surrounds you. Sure, I have a lot to be angry about but there is just as much that pleases me, if not more.

with that in mind... I plan to continue writing in this blog. I enjoy it. No one reads it but it allows me to express myself in some way. I plan to double the output of the previous year or at least try for one upload per week. I plan to start a second blog that focuses on my true love, the cinema. I hope to dish out my opinions on fame, stupid t-shirts, award ceremonies, travel, fashion, douche bags (the persona not the cleaning product), mix cd's, baseball, doughnuts, and much more. There isn't much that I don't want to tackle. I hope you will come along with me.

In the following week be sure to check this blog out because I will be posting my highly anticipated best music of 2009 blog as well as an exploration on how t-shirts have gone wrong.


thanks you for reading and good day or night.