Category: music

I Don’t Think So, Upstart

So, you know that I love Pandora, right? I love that you can go onto the site, enter the name of an artist you love, and within moments be listening to your very radio station based on your own taste. I love that that radio station will introduce you to new bands that you’ve never even heard of, and maybe your friends have never heard of either. Then, as I have done on this blog on several occasions, you can share your stations with the world. What’s not to freaking love?

And did I mention the sweet iPhone application that makes it possible to listen to it anywhere you go that has wi-fi or cell reception? Better reception than XM for sure?

The genius of the thing is how it works. You see, every song in the Pandora library has been analyzed by a musician. Hundreds of musical attributes are taken into consideration when matching and suggesting songs. And it constantly learns from your feedback.

Well, this week I learned about a new site, called NuTsie.com. They also claim that they can introduce you to new music based on bands that you like. They’ll also allow you to upload stuff from your iTunes so that you can listen to it on any computer, which is kind of cool, but you have to download some software to make that work, and I don’t like that one bit.

By the way, their VP of Business Development was a founding member of The Presidents of the United States of America, which is a decent band.

But they’re a little cocky. They’ve apparently issued a challenge, saying that they want every Pandora user to go to their site and use it and then vote on which is better, Pandora or Nutsie.

They also issued this obnoxious press release, stating ““The Music Genome Project sounds cool in theory but I trust my friends and fellow music fans to help me find new music more than I trust some geek in a cubicle.” Um, excuse me? Some geek? THEY’RE FREAKING TRAINED MUSICIANS!!!!!

OK, calming down now.

Anyway, so I went to the site. I futzed around with it a little bit. And it made me think of David Letterman a little bit.

Top 10 Reasons Why Nutsie is in No Way Better than Pandora!

Deal’s Gone Bad
The A.K.A.s
Maldroid
Go Jimmy Go
The Phenomenauts
The Aggrolites
Nellie McKay
Two Gallants
Westbound Train
Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings

These are ten artists that I based stations on Pandora around that I could not find on NuTsie. And they’re not just any ten artists. They’re some of my favorite artists. They’re some of my favorite people, too.

So nice try NuTsie, but Pandora rules, and you simply drools!

Recovering

I’m having a public appearance hangover.   Yesterday was a big day of being out and about, and today is the opposite.  I’ve spent most of the day on my couch, dozing off.     The only thing I did get done was a little bit of shopping.  I got my shoes for the wedding I’m in at the end of the month.  I’m really happy with the pair I found, and they were only $10.

But definitely, after yesterday, I needed a “Me-day.”   

Because yesterday was a lot of performing in front of people.   For the first time in about 12 years, I played music in public.  The band played a block party in Alameda yesterday afternoon, which was our first time playing out.   I was pretty nervous about it, but according to the small group of friends who were there, they couldn’t tell.   I guess I can still put on a good game face.   I was just glad that none of the little kids tried to come up and touch the horn while I was playing.    

And as if that wasn’t enough putting myself out there, then we went to karaoke last night.   It is official – I do not know all the words to “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend.”   Also, I always forget how low my voice is until I try to sing.   

It was a fun day, over all.

It was good to get that first public show with the band out of the way.  Now I’m looking forward to booking a real gig that I can tell all my friends about, and possibly even get paid for a little.  Of course, whatever we get paid will go right back into the band.  We need to make CDs and T-shirts we can sell and make more money that we will then put right back into the band again.   This is not a money making proposition.

Now, I’m spent, though.  I think I’m going to make myself some dinner, and I might watch a DVD or something.  

Just sayin’.

You Wanna Listen – Aug 12

PLW’s Crush Radio Pandora Station of the Day!

I haven’t posted one of these lately, but I just made this new station of songs I loved when I was about 10, and first started having crushes on boys. It’s heavy on Freestyle.

Let me know what you think of this one! Also, post some of your stations in the comments. (Lemme know if you don’t know how to do that.)

Just Wanna Cruise

I want this day to fly by as quickly as possible, because I’ve spent my next to last $15 on a ticket to see The Aggrolites and Struts tonight.  As the day is going by, I’m getting more and more anxious.  It’s been a while since I saw The Aggrolites, and going to see The Struts is always a good time.    I just want this day to go by a little faster.

It’s kind of slow around here.  The scary thing is, we’ve hired another person in my sub-department.  I am glad that the company is looking to grow and staff aggressively, but I wonder if there’s going to be enough trafficking to go around.   I shouldn’t worry about that, though, as it’s someone else’s problem, really.

Anyway, so I really wish I was a little more busy so that the day would be over.  Then I could go home, eat some bean stew, maybe blow on my sax a bit, and then put together an outfit for tonight, do my hair and make-up, and be on my happy little way to the show.   A lot of my friends and bandmates are going to be there, too, so it’ll be double the fun.

What’s better then Reggae and R&B on a Tuesday?  Absolutely nothing!

Just sayin’.