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MUSIC

A Patriotic Push Play

Four years ago, the nation met Barack Obama in the 2004 Democratic National Convention Keynote Address. Near his conclusion, Obama made this statement: “Hope—Hope in the face of difficulty. Hope in the face of uncertainty. The audacity of hope! In the end, that is God’s greatest gift to us, the bedrock of this nation: A belief in things not seen, a belief that there are better days ahead. I believe that we can give our middle class relief and provide …

MUSIC

Please Push Play

Rising musician, Benji Hughes is not your typical pop star – the hair, the music, the lyrics, etc. Sure he may sing songs about love gone awry and girls in tight t-shirts, but what makes him so appealing is the charm that comes out of his humor. Check out “Why Do These Parties All End the Same Way.” I found it free online and soon enough was buying his other songs. If he is instantaneously charming, his music is instantaneously …

MUSIC

Push Play is Learning about Learning Music

A great recent album I’ve discovered is titled The Greatest Hits So Far by Learning Music – a band whom I had never heard of. What I learned is that Learning Music is a group of four to 20 musicians at any given time who began as a collaborative music-making project to create an album a month for a year (November 2006 to November 2007), which they recorded on a hand-held recorder thus being qualified to create a “greatest hits” …

MUSIC

Push Play Gets Political

Three years ago I fell in love with Emiliana Torrini’s Fisherman’s Woman. Her lyrics were soft, mournful and pretty. The album, however, never got much press and its most famous song, “Sunny Road,” was the only one most people would recognize. Her release last month, Me and Armini, has caused more of a stir. This album is more playful and experimental – hell, there’s even an electric guitar in this album, which is not something I’d ever imagine her diverting …

MUSIC

Push, Play, Repeat

Surprisingly, Fujiya and Miyagi’s latest album, Lightbulbs, was released rather quietly early last month. I say surprisingly because I find this album to be their best yet, and it took me two weeks after the release to find anything about Lightbulbs on the music blogs. The album is easily recognizable as an addition to 2006’s Transparent Things – except that Lightbulbs has a little funkier and jazzier beats while maintaining a sly and sexy texture with lead singer David Best’s …

MUSIC

Push Play Gets Freaky

Perhaps in name alone, New Weird America and Freak Folk may be my new favorite genres. When I came across the terms, I searched my iTunes and Rhapsody libraries to see if I had any songs that were categorized as such. I didn’t. “Didn’t,” however, is past tense. Devendra Banhart and Greg Rogove’s (of Power Mineral) side-project, Megapuss, was the assailant of my iTunes’ regular “alternative” and “rock” genre listings. The Stroke’s drummer Fabrizio Moretti is a tentative member of …

MUSIC

Leonard Cohen and Guilty Pleasures

As I was going about the hustle and bustle of my day (surfing through music blogs) I came across an oldie: Leonard Cohen. I gave an affectionate sigh of, “aww” and pushed play. I can’t say this for certain, but I want to trust my instincts that my favorite Cohen song, “Suzanne,” is about my favorite musician, Joni Mitchell. I am aware of their love connection, to put it awkwardly, and because my obsession with Mitchell makes me feel like …

MUSIC

Push Play: Volume 1

I’ve never quite considered myself a Led Zeppelin fan. When I speak to people about my record collection the immediate question that follows is “Oh, what do you have?” I tell them mostly old, some new. I like my collection, I say. Then they ask, without fail, “Oh, so like Led Zeppelin and stuff?” If they’re old, they’ll say misty eyed, “Yeah, I listened to them in my day. I bet you wouldn’t guess it now though, would you?” I …

Most Recent Music Comments

isaac arms avatar

UPDATE:  Evil Tents have regrettably had to cancel their appearance at tonight’s show.  Closing out this evening’s festivities at Mike N Molly’s will be the ambient noise drone project, Urbana’s own Marathon. Thanks for understanding folks; Evil Tents will be back at MnM’s later this month.  Raincheck.  Cool?  Cool.

{username}

An Acoustic Café Evening Tour always promises satisfaction, and with the talent Carrie brings, it will be more than worth the price of admission! Be sure to listen to deliradio.com/carrie-rodriguez to hear more!

isaac arms avatar

yes. hipsters and corporations.

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hipsters are people, too.

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Start the clock on when ward’s comment is deleted. Poking fun at the “hipsters” here is blasphemy, you know. At another site, someone—perhaps from here—was playing the usual card of “That band is well-known, so it must suck!” The resulting comment said: “Yeah, I remember the days…

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No fair. SP should get a buncha shit for listing The Duke Of Uke as… The Duke Of Yuke, Just like when all the hipsters cry foul and whine like hell if The Buzz make the same error (ie honest mistake). Put it back to YUKE ol’ Seth McFeinstein =)

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http://www.facebook.com/events/312332575464737/

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Saturday night—Soul Feud, Faster Forward, & The Great Divide at Bentley’s: http://www.facebook.com/events/268739666523864/

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https://www.facebook.com/#!/events/307124595987459/

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I’ve been posting videos from the cover up on the Electric Bitters youtube page. Here’s a link to the playlist if anyone is interested: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL31FBC811FFC6DCFD&feature=plcp

Most Recent Comments

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Pamela - Are the roasteries in Seattle as clean as CSR?  It always disturbs me a little that it is so clean in there.

JPSherrill avatar

Now you will be able to munch on pizza and shrimp cocktails in downtown Urbana (whilst a DJ spins?) after your dissolution of marriage http://www.news-gazette.com/news/business/features/its-your-business/2012-02-05/its-your-business-new-pizza-place-downtown-urban     Is this a franchise of a Reno pizza joint, or just a coincidence of name? http://www.blackrockpizza.com

{username}

Signs someone is “fishing” for a factual anchor: 1. Starts call to radio with: “I’ve been an Illini fan for (XX) years” or “I’m a diehard fan,” as if somehow that unverifiable claim will justify the 5 minutes of B.S. that follows. 2. Makes reference to KenPom…

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That’s what she said.

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Black dog and Siam terrace is where I always go after my divorces.

Mike Ingram avatar

Love CSR.  Apart from making my way through the regular roasts in 1/2 pound increments, I also like to pick up some of the little sample packets of the flavored stuff for when the lady and I feel like getting crazy.  Sticky Bun is pretty nice.

Rob McColley avatar

If you happen to be getting a divorce, or fighting a DUI prosecution, downtown Urbana is a great place to eat.

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HUUUUUUGE fan of their Black Velvet roast…It makes up about 75% of my coffee intake. LOL CSR is definitely one of those Champaign institutions that I brag about to people not from here. :-)

{username}

We like CSR too! We french press at home and I leave the lid off while it steeps—letting the ground beans bloom. Then, like in your tasting, I scoop off the top layer before pressing. We really need to invest in a burr grinder though, as I…

{username}

Confidential? In this state? Hahahahahahahhahahaha

isaac arms avatar

just confirmed:  there will be white russians served. the art abides.

isaac arms avatar

big lebowski at the art. mark it, dude.

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There’s a great video promo out for “Company” too: http://vimeo.com/36077847

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Wow, His Majesty took the time to answer your polite plea. It’s been a while since I spoke fluent arrogance, but allow this attempt at a translation: “I deeply regret the embarrassment…” = I wish we hadn’t got caught and it wasn’t a big deal really. “...and…

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I love the Guitars

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I had their tea at the Urbana Farmer’s Market when they first started out and it was great! Their tins recently caught my eye at Walnut Street Tea Company and my guests used it all up before I could even try it! Way to go Tiesta, stay…

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Im fine with missing ingredients and of course they fixed things what restaurant fights with the customer over things like that anymore. ( the way social media could affect them) My problem is that I am visiting you place of business within the first week of opening.…

isaac arms avatar

Thanks for that, Louis CK.

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Your call to stay pissed is precisely why global warming fanatics will fail.  Emotion has no place in hard science.  The problem with the issue of global warming is that is has been pumped full of emotion and politics, and the science is becoming a by-product. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204301404577171531838421366.html?KEYWORDS=global+warming

{username}

Clearly the Postal Officials in favor of this cannot make an economic argument, as this saves the post office $0.  What is their rationale?

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