My Son Cool

A Year In Flyers

2009-05-10T22:59:00.010-04:00

Matt's leaving SUNY PURCHASE!!! tomorrow after a solid year of hard work and studying so in the name of documentation and sentimentality we spent the afternoon cataloging all the show flyers and posters and other random shit we have collected over this school year. Everything has to come down. Here are some of my personal favorites:

Check out the whole tear-jerking process at the MYSONCOOL FLICKR or on facebook [PART ONE , PART TWO] which should work for at least a little bit. Feel free to send us photos of any we've forgotten to steal from the bulletin boards. Have a great summer everybody!

FREE DOWNLOADS:

- [MP3] Green Day - Time Of Your Life

- [MP3] Lee Ann Womack - I Hope You Dance

- [MP3] Cast of RENT - Seasons of Love

- [MP3] Sarah McLauchlan - I Will Remember You

- [MP3] Eve 6 - Here's To The Night

- [MP3] The Verve Pipe - The Freshman

Twin Sister Squidoo

2009-05-07T16:09:00.001-04:00

This post has transformed itself into a Suidoo Lens for the time being. Check it out!!@!

My Idol Is Dead

2009-05-01T16:31:00.004-04:00

It's ok, though, I have new ones.

Neil Friend* 8=====>----(((Senior Show)))

2009-04-21T00:56:00.011-04:00

It's springtime here at SUNY PURCHASE!! and everything is finally in bloom. The quad is covered in blankets and butts, and the tree are full of leaves and birds and shit. It's pretty nice. As a freshman here, I'm really just holding on for the last few weeks. I've got no big obligations besides the occasional essay or w/e and I'm enjoying all of my wonderful free time. However, for seniors, I would assume this is a a time of CRUSHING SIGNIFIGANCE. Senior projects are being presented and showcased LEFT and RIGHT, and the Purchase upperclassman are definitely feeling the CRUNCH of their academic obligations. Recently, Nick and I attended one such Senior recital; that of Neil Fridd's. It was a pretty ornate and luxuruixurious event, and a lot of the Purchase creepers turned out to support Neil, Jesse, and Dan. Neil is technically a sculpture major, but since Purchase is for artsy-fartsy weirdos, his senior recital was basically a Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt Show. TPDR, if you don't know, is a wonky group of guys, truly. Composed mostly on tiny keyboards and with 8-bit drum machines, the music is played live over an iPod, but it's always a big dance party so noone complains. Neil's lyrics are pretty confessional at times, and he has an amusing self-deprecating sense of humor that comes through in a lot of his songs. I've seen TPDR a number of times so I was used to seeing the goofy costumes, semi-abrasive screaming, and hysteric dancing, but some of the parents that showed up for Neil's performance were taking all of this in for the first time. Neil went to extra length's for this show however, and had been working in the Library of the Stood for the week prior to his show preparing to the utmost. Upon entering the redorated library I felt like it was my first week at Purchase back in September; the whole place was totally unrecognizable and awesome, and he even put stuff on the ceiling. Before the show officially started, the "Guitarmy," a collection of guitar players Neil culled throughout the day, played some classic acoustic sing-a-long songs, but not the kind theat make you wretch. The bioluminescent Adam McHeffey, led the assembled showgoers in a moving rendition of that one Third Eyed Blind song, and "Say It Ain't So" by Weezer was played and that was gnarly. Among the guitar army as well was the charming and well-groomed Greg Baldwin, as well as the fishy and funny Alicia Santiago.

Well, when the show started we all filed into the makeshift venue and enjoyed a couple of TPDR's greatest hitss. Then Neil called in the Guitarmy and all assembled there, we played the four chords Neil told us at the appropriate time and it was a smashing success. And then everyone got light up lazerswords. And then we walked by 15 television sets to the outside. And then we danced around with pizza and sparklers. And then we set off fireworks. And then Neil stood on top of a van and thanked us all very much. And then I said "Hey, great job, man." and Neil said "Thank you very much."

DOWNLOAD THESE!

[MP3] - Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt - Fast Forward Regrets

[MP3] - Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt - Snowday!

Twin Sister - Vampires With Dreaming Kids

2009-04-16T00:57:00.008-04:00

I need everyone to take a second to listen to Twin Sister. We mentioned these guys in the podcast and even played back a song of theirs but I have to admit I wasn't really familiar with their music until right about now. A few weeks ago I downloaded their EP free from their website/blog but I'm just sinking my teeth into it now and it's incredible. Their news feed is awesome, you can follow shows and they even post lots of downloads of demos and unreleased material, which I'm a huge sucker for. "Ginger" is by far my favorite song on the EP, it's full of barely there acoustic guitars and reverberating drums and nice twangy electric guitar and that oh so important beautiful singer. Check out their news, download the EP, or at least download Ginger, it'll all make you feel good.

Check out this video for "I Want A House," recorded here in SUNY PURCHASE!!'s own Whitson's Memorial Grand Staircase Sanctuary Palace.

[MP3 DOWNLOAD] - Twin Sister - Vampires With Dreaming Kids (EP)

[MP3 DOWNLOAD] - Twin Sister - Ginger

One If By Air, Two if By Blog

2009-04-16T00:24:00.008-04:00

That's right everybody, it's almost as if MY SON COOL had lifted its fledgling wings and is now soaring over SUNY PURCHASE!! in an RSS feed. You have given us your beautiful music, Matt and I have carelessly pieced it together into a podcast, and now we're giving it back to you. It's like giving your friends your christmas presents from last year except these are better.

Download it here (or just stream it)

Sounds great, let us know what you think and maybe there'll be more where that came from.

Also check out our new Last.fm in house player down there in the corner. Matt isn't signed up with them yet but I've been obsessing over my charts for about 2 weeks now and now you can check out what I've been trying so hard for everyone to see that I've been listening to (and stream it straight from the blog!).

Fluxus Saturday: Fucks Us- Matt, Anyway

2009-04-13T13:47:00.013-04:00

To be clear, Fluxus Saturday was two things:

#1. Rad City

and

#2. A long time ago

Well, I haven't posted anything for a while but who likes apologies? I've been busy with other stuff, but now I'm back and ready to roxx 'n roll! Speaking of roxx, Fluxus Saturday! The matinee show started around five, which was too early for some people, but the devout came out as they properly do to see the incandescant Jesse Cooper Levy play the arcade (?) at the Stood. Jesse sang his songs, some with the accompaniment of a small chord organ, and some simply a cappela. He read some poetry as well- it was very relaxed and fun- *intimate*.

After Jesse some more people showed up and packed the newly refurbished Sellar for Cameron Wisch Upon A Star's inauguratory set. Cameron recently redecorated and/or "fixed up" the Cellar at the Stood, and boy, is it tight. Physically, it's tiny, but it's also awesome, so it's okay. The walls are adorned with blue splatter, and the rafters (mere feet above yr head) are ramshackled with blacklights and a greenlight. Cameron capitalized on the room layout in key areas, and overall, it was a STRATEGIC and DYNAMIC performance! By harnessing the power of the black light through fluorescent paint and stardust, Cameron grew lumiscent, and came to know the meaning of AWESOME POWER! And he shared that knowledge with us- through math rock!! Also note: Cameron was recently part of the insane Gamehenge '09 collaboration, which is a reimagining of Phish through the eyes of over 100 musicians. Needless to say: check it out!

After we had all been enlightened, Cameron ushered us all over to the Whitson's Grand Cathedral where a pyschadelic performance was soon to be undertaken by the Pete McAwesome, with the help of a few of his dearest friends. There were three drummers; two were playing conventional drum kits and a third was banging soup cans and stuff. It was a really big production with some upperclassman whizkid running projections and about 10 people on the stage. The songs were really great and unlike anything I had heard from Pete before. Pete's music is really diverse; I've seen him singing sorrowful, alcohol-soaked acoustic ballads, and I've seen him as the frontman of huge musical enterprises, such as the one on Saturday. It was really impressive to see that many people coordinated together for the sake of one really epic jam. But all jams end, no matter how epic, and so too did Pee's set :(

But onwards and bloodwards to Landlords! I've seen them a bunch lately, but not always with the whole band intact. That wasn't the case for Fluxus and the vibes were as weird as ever. They too played in the Sellar, though they chose to forgo the blacklights, opting instead for a single green bulb. A trumpet made a short cameo, and it was totally overblown and distorted and sickk.

I saw Landlords this past Thursday on SUNY PURCHASE!!'s television channel PTV 69. They played WhaleHammer, a really gnarly/laffs talkshow on at 11 PM e'ry Thursday (sans singer). It was awesome though. Whalehammer is awesome.

*Sigh* Back 2 Fluxus :/

Well, Ghost Mall played in the Sellar too, and they were a cool electro-rocky band that got everyone singing along, even tho it was their first show ever! Great job guyzz <3> I only saw two-thirds of their three song set, but it was pleasant enuff.

There were also tons of awesome art installations as well. There was some artwork by Luke Anderson, a SUNY Purchase college student recently featured in the Submission. I especially enjoyed his stuff, which is really rich in iconic American imagery and stuff.

Now here: Tonz of videos pertaining to the evening.

Cameron Wisch

Elemeno Pete (FROM FLUXUS)

Landlords (FROM FLUXUS)

WhaleHammer

Christianity::Skinnerbox from Benjamin Korman on Vimeo.

Ghost Mall (FROM FLUXUS)

Open Mic Wednesdays At The STOOD

2009-04-10T12:25:00.008-04:00

First of all, everybody be sure to come to SOUTHSIDE tonight around 7 for Part II of the Culture Shock Battle of the Bands and bring lots of animals and virgins to sacrifice to Jeff Levine so that Weird Korea at least makes it to the finals tomorrow night. Here's tonight's lineup:

The Boomerangs
Bums and Drass
The City Strikes Back
Elemeno Pete
For Every Judas

Hey Hi Hello! (that might not really be the band but holy shit look at that guy)

In Tents
Major Potential
Olken
Silence the Feedback
Trails
Typhoon the Goon
Weird Korea
Wyldlife

Pretty awesome.

Myspace search really sucks. You're going to check out all of those links before tonight right? I did.

But more importantly, WEDNESDAY NIGHTS and the STOOD have transformed from quiet acoustic nights to well... quiet acoustic nights with INTERMITTENT BANDS! Thats right, now you and your fledgling band can come play at Whitson's under the tender care of Pete McAwesome and a new array of Stood gear, including a house drum set and amps and plenty of new mics. Weird Korea has played the past two weeks in a row and if everyone would just forget how we sounded the first week we'd be totally comfortable making this a weekly thing and you should too. The musixc starts around 9 on Wednesdays in Whitson's, so pick two songs and get there early to sign up if you're interested in playing.

See everybody tonight, come support SUNY PURCHASE!!! bands.

BONUS

2009-04-04T20:40:00.002-04:00

We had a little extra time yesterday after making our videos so we decided to throw a little something together.

New Videos

2009-04-04T14:24:00.003-04:00

With the help of my generous roommate Cam Kafura, we have created two new videos showing the individual music we make when we're not writing this blog.

Here's Matt's video, accurately portraying the dark, winding, reverberating staircase of his oedipus complex. For more, check out Weird Korea.

Also:

My video is essentially an ode to Take Away Shows, I played a one-shot take of one of my songs in the rain outside the music building. For more of my music, click here.

Weird Korea Tour Dates Posted!

2009-04-04T13:47:00.003-04:00

In the name of shameless self promotion, check out Weird Korea at Whitson's on April 23rd. We'll also be playing a slot at the Culture Shock Battle of the Bands on April 9th, 10th, and 11th, so come sell your body to Jeff Levin in the name of our music.

More Honorable Mentions

2009-04-01T23:34:00.005-04:00

This school is filled with awesome bands and really great music, so lumping everything into a list of 5 would do no justice to our community here. Here are my honorable mentions, bands definitely worth checking out.

MOVING MOUNTAINS

These guys have such a huge, developed and carefully constructed sound. They fill up rooms completely with both instrumental ambience and an army of an audience bobbing in unison from the hip.

MOKAAD AND THE FLEX POINTS

Funk isn't really my thing but this band is by far made up of some of the best musicians on campus and they really know what they're doing. They definitely put on a good show and get people to come out, yet they are apparently too funky to be found anywhere at all on the internet.

ZONA MEXICANA

I remember the first time I saw these guys it was at a Crossroads open mic and they were the first math band I've ever witnessed. Since then I've seen them numerous times and they grow on me more and more every time. These guys are touring this July and currently have more shows on their myspace than any band I can think of.

ELEMENO PETE

Pete's one of my favorite guys in the music department and he's involved in a lot of different projects so that should be all the more incentive to check them all out. Matt and I actually just saw Pete play earlier tonight at the Stood open mic with what I think was an entirely new band that was very loud and abrasive and great. Check out Pete's BLOG for news and updates and videos and lots of great stuff. Matt caught these guys last Saturday while I was setting up for my show a the CO-OP, so expect a more detailed post on their show sometime soon.

DATA DOG

First SUNY PURCHASE!!! band I ever heard. Data Dog mixes elements of acoustic indie and synth-heavy electro pop with a top coat of layers harmonies and samples. The cool thing about these guys is that they reproduce their sound very well in a live setting. Come see for yourself on this Saturday, April 4th, (at what appears to be an undisclosed location on campus) for their first CD release.

Bird Watching In America EP Release

2009-03-29T17:30:00.007-04:00

So I come on here and Matt is taking shit over. Well, Daddy's home. I haven't posted anything in a while, true, and I haven't even been to a show in a while, but that doesn't mean I haven't been keeping busy in the meantime.

This past week some friends of mine and I have been busting our asses to get some of my recordings together for everyone. So excuse my self promotion, but here are some of my songs.

We're selling these for $5, and if you're interested you can either ask me in person or send me a message on my myspace. If you just want the songs, you can head over to the Shack Attack Records website and download the tracks for free. By no means did I get this together on my own; my friends Josh Kirby and Spencer Alexander did a great job with the recording and the artwork, respectively. Also featured on this EP is Melissa Ahern on piano and vocals and Colin Mainella on trumpet. So please, feel free to spread that download link around and listen to some new music being made right here on campus... i'm awkward ;(

We Are Catamaran: 3P Revue

2009-03-29T15:04:00.004-04:00

Callum Plews is a music production major here at SUNY Purchase!! and is also the throbbing brain-cock behind We Are Catamaran, a loose collective-type group of musicians. Well, the other day, dear Callum gave me a couple of rolled cigarettes and a sneak preview of We Are Catamaran's upcoming album, which will be entitled Baby Anne Is In The Fireplace Part One. We Are Catamaran seems to be Callum's pet project, as the performers on each track vary, with Callum as the only constant element. One of the performers featured on this album is Emma Tringali, who, once upon a time, was a SUNY Purchase!! student herself, but has since dropped out to focus on her own musical ambitions. Another dropout (lol) on this album is the utterly fantastic keyboard Wizard Albert Goold. Albert and the total asshole loser drummer Nicholas Shapiro play on "First Fire," which originated as a recording made in their shared dorm room before Callum came in and mic'd everything up. The few songs I heard from the aforementioned/unreleased album/EP/3P, sounded pretty good, though there were a few moments when the production was just too swampy to really discern what was going on. I mean, I LOVE reverb. We all LOVE it. But you can't just put it on everything. For the most part however, the production is pretty well done, at least on the instruments. The shutter drums on "Second Fire" sound vaguely reminiscient of Radiohead's "Videotape," and the whole song just starts off like a disney musical; and then Emma and Miles Roxas come in, and, don't get me wrong, they have great voices, but the sound is overproduced, in my opinion, and something is lost in the layering of effects and whatnot. At times there is a lot happening, and it's all sort of midrange stuff, which makes it hard to concentrate on the swirling shit going around. Overall, however, I definitely see a lot of potential; and the music isn't cliched or played out, it is, at least, strange. So that's good. Also, any musicians looking for a producer, I would reccomend seeking out Callum, or his production outfit, DLR Studios.

SUNY Purchase!! Honorable Mentions

2009-03-26T14:48:00.005-04:00

Last week, I put up my top 5 bands list, and this week, Nick "No-Nonsense" Corbo, put up his. Now that we have had time to digest and sort through your overwhelming feedback, we are both ready to present our "Hon. Men." list; in my case, right now, and with Nick, who f-ing knows, right? But sorry to keep you waiting, germs- let the games begin!

BATTLE AVE TEA CLUB

Battle Ave Tea Club is a great bizarro-pop group that makes a really nice Canadian indie type of music. Influenced by Frog Eyes among others, the lead singer has a fairly idiosyncratic voice, but if you can get past that (and you should be able to), there is lot to like about this Purchase band.

LANDLORDS

Landlords are a very weird/shitty/dead kind of band. As a three-piece industrial noise outfit, this isn't yr typical Rihanna by any means. They're more sweet 'n sour (like Plain White Tees) and they can be 'lil ruff at times ;) Most of their songs just consist of a fuxx bass farting out long ominous notes to a death march drum beat while feedback screeches in from the guitar amp. It's very thick and swampy. It's sticky like mucous, and makes you feel weird about yourself. <3

TAMARIN

I've seen a couple of Tamarin shows lately, and, truth be told, they've all been pretty great. I saw them the other week headlining a show at Whitsons, and then a couple days later, performing songs by The Band, for the Greatest Show Ever, sponsored by the one and only Sam Schachter. Tamarin has a couple members of The Shakes in it, but is more country than those guys. They did a great version of a number of The Bands songs, and rly captrd the spirit of the whole thing.

Hump-Day Nite @ the Co-Op

2009-03-26T13:39:00.010-04:00

Spring Break: It's over guys. We're in school again. Shows. Shows. Showsss.
Last nite was the first official show of the second part of the second semester. To honor the occasion, SUNY PURCHASE MUSICIAN!! Cameron Wisch booked a fantastttttic show at the Co-Op, our campus' dear little xcoffeexshopx. I was tardy, as always, and caught only two of the bands- but WHO"S COUNTING??? LUL. Anyways, the first band I saw was Images, which was a cool shoegazey, new wavey, beach wavey kind of band. The "lead singer" had a crazy 12-string guitar and a couple really great pedals. It was droney in the sense that there was a lot of repetition at times, but the music was also very dynamic and organic. Images is really interesting because, as a three-piece, every member of the group is so vital to the sound. This also gives a lot of space for the individual instruments to make a pronounced contribution to the group. It was really cool how the polyrhythmic drumming put a different inflection on all the instruments. The songs had a tropical feel, yet were also sorta structureless. The performance was fascinating because the band had rigged up a projector that vroadcast right onto the band and it was so cool no doubt.

After Images ended their set, Cameron's math rock monster, Zona Mexicana, STEPED UP 2 DA PLAYTE. And boy did they knock it out of the park. I've been going to Zona shows for a while now, and I still just get more into it. Personally, it took a long time to figure them out because I've never really listened to ne "calculatorr rrock," so I had a hard time understanding, LET ALONE, dancing to, their shows. But now I've sort of got it figured out, and it's pretty exhilirating. Zona is another great three-piece, and it's great x3 because they're all really fantastic at their (respective) instruments. The music is so connotative of all sorts of really epic things; it's great music to pore over because it's all so meticulously composed and arranged.
I was tired after that so I let myself off easy, and treated my poor body to a series of delicious decisions at the Hub. NO REGRRETS/DIY MUSIC CONCERT AT THE STOOD TONITE/IT'S NOT THAT DIY

NICKS TOP FIVE!!!

2009-03-23T22:17:00.004-04:00

So a few days ago Matt posted a list of his 5 favorite bands at SUNY PURCHASE!!!! I was home feeling very lazy and unmotivated so I haven't put my list together until right now, and by doing so I've realized that our lists really overlap on many points, so it's best to look at both of them as a whole. This list is based purely on my tastes, there are still plenty of really awesome bands on campus that we'll feature later.

1. SPACE GHOST COWBOYS

This is a little sneaky; Matt didn't mention these guys because their singer is away and they won't be playing shows for a while, but as far as I'm concerned, they could run off pure momentum for up to at least next semester. I remember the first time I saw Aaron Maine play some solo songs at an open mic at The Stood and it made me so happy to hear everyone singing along to all the songs. I was pretty hooked at that point but it was nothing compared to when I saw Aaron play with the addition of the Reilly brothers on drums and bass. This three piece has definitely fixed its place as my favorite band on campus and my life seems emptier knowing they wont be playing shows in the near future. Check out their MYSPACE to hear songs from a new upcoming album.

2. KYLE GILBRIDE

Lots of my favorite campus music is in the form of our quiet singer/songwriters. Being in the music department I get to see and hear some really great songs before they hit the stage and I'm very thankful for that. One singer in particular is Kyle Gilbride, who plays in a quiet, almost atmospheric style that can take up a whole room in emotion and feeling. By the time Kyle stops playing (which is sometimes painfully close to when he starts) its like everyone has been hit by this big wave of sound that comes in such a small, simple package. I definitely implore anyone reading this to listen to see Kyle play at their first chance, or to at least listen to some songs on his MYSPACE. I'm pretty sure Kyle is also coming out with an album soon.

3. MELISSA AHERN

Melissa is a good friend of mine who spent last semester in the music department. She writes beautiful songs that mix styles of quiet, acoustic snapshots with classic jazz standards. Her live show definitely holds the same sort of atmospheric properties of Kyle's, often adding a tasteful upright bass or jazz style drums. Definitely check out her MYSPACE and keep an eye out for any new recordings.

4. ADAM MCHEFFEY

Adam's an awesome guy and he makes awesome music. He once covered one of my songs live and since then I can always hear him singing when I play it and it makes me so happy. Just before spring break Adam released with his new full-length, Let's Kick Fire. I haven't heard any tracks from it yet but I'm sure its all great. Not only should you ask Adam for one of his new CDs but you should ALSO go see him perform THIS THURSDAY, March 26th, at the Stood with Choral Pleasure and Jesse Cooper Levy. Check out some songs on Adam's MYSPACE.

5. OLKEN

Olken has by far undergone the biggest transformation since the beginning of this year. This group started early this year with a singer/guitarist and an accordion player frequenting the Stood open mics. Since then they have seen the addition of electric cello, bass and drums, creating a much fuller, more complete sound. I think these guys have a sound that combines early Murder By Death with The Arcade Fire. Like everyone else on this list, I'm pretty sure Olken is working on a CD right now, but until then, be sure to check out their MYSPACE.

So there's my top five, honorable mentions will be up soon!

SUNY Purchase!! Top 5 Bands!!

2009-03-20T00:58:00.007-04:00

Well, me and Nick are on spring break right now, and have been feeling pretty lazy 'bout blogging ya know? We decided that during this week-long hiatus from school we would take time to reflect and pontificate upon our experience with muzack thus far this year. We now emerge from the first few days of meditation and ponderance and offer up a list; a list that has names; and these names are BANDS, ladies and gentlemen. So now, without further ado, my (Matt Palmer's) list of the top five SUNY Purchase!! bands!!

1. The Shakes- a fantastic organ-driven rockabilly punk band with two panty soaking singers that croon and swoon and play awesome Sam Cooke covers.

2. Screwed Again- a clean cut bunch of 'prep-city rockers' that really know how to shake, and even roll! a little bit. Srsly tho, a really great nu-wave band that creates sing-a-long anthems out of the mny injustices of the MTA.

3. Twin Sister- a really very pretty band that combines chimey gutairs with the beautiful voice of a beautiful, blue-haired angel. There are other instruments (assuredly), but I've only got eyes/earz for you... O TRUE BLUE!!

4. Vince Vonnegut- a very interesting artist who, through his many delay pedals, drum machines, and rolling papers, creates expansive sonic landscapes with only his voice and his wazzle-twads.

5. Nick Corbo- singer songwriter, sweetheart, sincere student, honest citizen, passionate lover, righteous writer, hallowed heart-tamer, dragoon warrior, fire mage, LVL 70 Gnome on the Aleddriss server (PM him), and faithful LARPER.

Nick Corbo: EP Release on SA Records from James Madejski on Vimeo.

P.S. Other list cumming tomorrow!

Terra FREE

2009-03-12T15:48:00.010-04:00

All good things must come to an end right? How about the pretty annoying things?

I'm sorry to say that my quest for a meat free month has come to an end. I made it two weeks and all I have to show for it our these weird pictures of what I ate. It all ended with some pretty bad meals, I'll let you see for yourself.

1. Got this beauty at the dining hall a few weeks ago. I had actually been eating at the dining hall a few days in a row and though it was hard to turn down those beautiful chicken cordon bleu bagels, I restrained myself and it wasn't all that bad without meat. This meal actually wasn't as bad as it looks, it's essentially a flour tortilla with corn, beans and some sort of green rice. The bottom third is comprised of some really overcooked corn and something I think was called "California Casserole," I honestly couldn't tell you what that tastes like because I couldn't get myself to eat it. The sludge in the top right third is actually a mound of delicious scalloped potatoes. There's Pepsi in that cup and I had a piece of cheesecake for desert. All in all, not too colorful, but not too bad.

Overall Grade: B

2. This one, however, was really the soy tofu bar that broke the camels back. It's pasta from Terra Ve with broccoli and tofu. It wouldn't have been that bad had it not been drowned in soy sauce. One thing I've noticed with Terra Ve is that they often assume that anyone that eats there would much rather prefer an ocean of soy sauce to some meat. It was pretty bad, I just drank my water and didn't bother with my tiny chic pea salad. I was determined to call it quits.

Overall Grade: F

3. By dinner I had made up my mind. This turkey sandwich wasn't even that great but in it I could taste all the meats the future had in store for me and it was fantastic. Since then it's been all burritos and turkey burgers for me. I honestly feel a lot better, I was definitely not getting enough protein and by the end of this experiment my body was pretty pissed off. Well, more soy chips for Carla I guess.

Overall Grade: Failure

Well it was good while it lasted (it was ok), but if you feel so inclined, follow my vegetarian adventure HERE.

Space Ghost Cowboys at Whitson's Grand Ballroom

2009-03-11T09:56:00.005-04:00

It's been a very long time since Space Ghost Cowboys last played a show, but it'll be even longer until they play their next one. About three weeks ago, lead singer and guitarist Aaron Maine played his last SUNY PURCHASE!!! show this semester before hightailin' it on down to somewhere mysterious in the deep Southwest. Nick and I have been putting off this post for weeks because we both feel a need to do justice to this great band; to memorialize them as they so rightly deserve. SGC is a three-piece for the most part, with Ian Reilly on bass guitar, Jack Edward on drums, and, of course, the aforementioned Aaron Maines doing it all whoop whoop oh ya oh ya all right boo ya.

But, yes. As a freshman coming to SUNY Purchase this year I spent a lot of time trying to figure out the Stood and the Co-Op and all these things. I saw Aaron at a couple of open mics and thought it was cool that everyone knew the words to everything and everyone sang along. It wasn't until halfway through last semester until I finally saw him with his band. Though Aaron can do it all whoop whoop etc. I will always prefer his material with the band as opposed to his solo stuff. Don't get me wrong, it's fantastic and well-written and everything (it's the sort of stuff Nick creams himself over) but it's not anywhere near as dynamic as SGC's material. While the band is very tight, they do have enuff rock 'n roll sensibility to let it all hang out sometimes, and really indulge themselves, and the audience, in those sort of moments that have incredible emotional weight to them.

One show stands out particularly in my mind. I'm not sure exactly when, but it was probably in December, and I saw them close a bill in Whitson's Memorial Hall at the Stood. It was stuffy in Whitsons and I remember seeing Aaron cooling down by pouring vodka on his head and then taking a big swig from the plastic handle. He tossed it to drummer, they turned on a strobe light and it got INSANE. The show ended in a swamp of feedback, with the drum set trashed, the lead singer stumbling around the floor, eventually collapsing in a metal trash can that had previously been used for percussion, and the bassist obediently plugging along, giving the only sort of context he could to the debaucherous situation. It was utterly fantastic.

But at SGC's last show, the ambience was equally chaotic, if not a little more unified. A lot of people turned out for the show, and most everyone sang along to all the words, or at least pretended to try. By the time they played "Wolf" to close, the crowd was in a tizzy and I had soiled myself and cried my eyes out, but not neccesarily in that order.
It's not the same without 'em. I'll tell ya.

Space Ghost Cowboys:
Toothy

More solo-y stufff:
Scoundrel

School Project

We actually have some nice photos from this one, check them out HERE.

Shark's Roar, Cameron Wisch, and Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt also played that night. We'll be covering the rest of the show soon but you can check out more photos from that night HERE.

SUNY Purchase <3s you Deerhunter

2009-03-09T23:28:00.005-04:00

Nowadays around campus, there's been a lot of talk about the annual Culture Shock festival that's held here at SUNY PURCHASE!! in April or something. People say a lot of things about General Events Coordinator Jeff Levin, but no one can say that he's not a sophomore living in a Big Haus suite. Hey, he even got my favorite band Deerhunter for the show! Should be great!

PSYCH! He got the Dearhunter instead. But everyone already knows this because if you read this blog then you go to Purchase, and if you go to Purchase you know about Culture Shock (sucking), and if you know about Culture Shock you're "in the know," and if you're "in the know" then you read this blog. So it's all a big circle jerk ya know?

On that masturbatory note, get yr boners ready, cuz here's the AWESOMEAWESOMEAWESOME live video of my Deerhunter playing their hour-long set at Noise Pop '09 in sunny San Fran. Recorded in a quality that is entirely unlike the majority of YouTube live videos (AKA GOOD SHIT) this is a LITERAL GODSEND FROM GOD (AKA IAN CURTIS). It even has four brand new trax! OMG how did i evr get so luckyyyyy?!?!?!

Also: Check out the Deerhunter blog.

Blogotheque Favorites

2009-03-05T16:10:00.004-05:00

Mentioning BLOGOTHEQUE in my last post got me thinking about how I haven't visited the site in a while now. I really love what these guys do and the kind of music they feature. I usually prefer the video audio to the artist's actual recordings. Playing a Take Away Show is one of those goals I might be content with dying after I reached. I stumbled across this one this afternoon and I thought I'd feature it because it inspired me. Maybe we can make this a routine thing, I'll do the work fishing out the best videos and you sit back and enjoy them.

Johnny Flynn - Box

Johnny Flynn - The Box // A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

Pattern Is Movement @ The Stood

2009-03-05T14:33:00.010-05:00

Monster Machismo from Oneonta, NY opened up the show with some of the most technical music I've seen in a while. Every member of the group was constantly moving and performing multiple rhythms at once. Their singer/guitarist mixed complicated tapping rhythms and chord patterns with off-beat vocals and crowd sing-alongs like his head and his arms were from two different, constantly counting bodies. They played songs that were not only technical and impressive, but catchy and fun and fast paced. I heard that these guys were only in high school, which makes me hate them a little.

Following Monster Machismo was SUNY PURCHASE!!! favorite, Zona Mexicana. I'm not sure if I need to go into great detail about Zona, I think they might play more shows on campus than any other purchase band. However, I think that this was my favorite performance of theirs to date. Check these guys out this Friday night at the Stood for THE GREATEST SHOW EVER, where they'll be playing At The Drive-In songs with various other cover groups including Saves The Day, Nirvana, The Velvet Underground, Enya, and The Band. Check the event page for more info. While you're there ask these guys for a new CD of their real music.

Next up were Capillary Action, an ever changing, ever evolving progressive group that I saw once in my home town. I feel like this band is more of a living outlet for singer/guitar player Jonathan Pfeffer's compositions because he's been the only constant member since I last saw them. I think I preferred their first performance, before they developed this sort of jazz/samba/lounge/rim clicks on the snare drum sort of style. Their current line-up features a nylon string guitar, a trombone player with a ponytail, a girl playing accordion, a boomy stand-up bass and lots of auxiliary percussion. However, now that I'm listening to the songs on their myspace, many of them are much heavier and electronic. Maybe these guys change so much that you can't classify them, I say check them out for yourself.

I was about to head home and go to sleep when Pattern Is Movement set up and began to play. By the time I heard their first song I had decided to stay. I think this band has a really new, unique sound, which is something you hear less and less of. A two piece, Andrew Thiboldeaux plays an assortment of keyboards including a rhodes electric piano and sings in a full voice, almost broadway sort of style while Chris Ward literally beats the shit out of the drums, delivering some of the most well-rounded, full, complete and thundering drum sounds I've ever heard, it was great. We all stood in a very welcoming, friendly atmosphere while the band developed a sort of tonal atmosphere that really filled the room with each song, complete with drum blasts that you just couldn't get away from. Check out their myspace for lots of great stuff, including a documentation of the bands love for top 40 covers, and get this, not only a Daytrotter Session but also TWO BLOGOTHEQUE Take Away Show videos, which is really really awesome. All in all, a really great show.

I didn't take any photos so watch these videos!!

Monster Machismo:

Zona Mexicana:

Pattern Is Movement:

Terra Velable: The Day After No Meat

2009-02-27T13:19:00.012-05:00

Well I've made it past my first milestone, last Wednesday marked one week and I felt...weak. I actually felt like garbage and a cold that I've had since the beginning of this semester was really starting to flare up and I was prepared to throw in the towel after Cam gave me his 5 dollars (which he hasn't even done yet). However, with the help of some friends I realized that I had been going about this whole thing the wrong way, I knew I had to replace proteins but I mean, what's the worst that could happen? This is what WIKIANSWERS.COM has to say:

"Early symptoms of lack of protein are apathy, lethargy and irritability. When the deficiency of protein goes longer, you may see poor growth, swelling, abnormal hair growth, muscle wasting, and abnormal skin. A lack of protein also weakens the immune system and so it is easy to get sick. Eventually, a person would die."

Yeah, granted this is a little extreme for a week and a half of salads and cereal but it is important. So after a week I have a new outlook on this contest. Here are some highlights.

1. I'm a creature of habit, and I also eat more cereal than your average guy. If Kellogs for some reason started adding meat to their delicious breakfast line-up I would drop this contest faster than you could say "Frosted Steaks."

(The giant Pepsi cup is always filled with water.)

Overall Rating: A+

2. My new outlook includes more of an effort with protein substitution, so meet my new best friend, Mr. Vanilla Soy Super Protein Shake from Terra Ve. It has like 33 grams of protein in it so I feel like if I over-do it maybe I can catch up on last week right? My friend Sasha also told me that you can basically live off of chic peas, that they have enough fiber and protein to keep your body alive by themselves, so down the hatch. However, pared with a nice Cliff bar, this combination will potentially DOUBLE your meal price. I'll definitely be scrounging for flex points come.....April?

Overall Rating: A

3. Got a little hungry at the show Thursday night, so after seeing Zona Mexicana play, we decided to actually eat at Zona Mexicana. I'm a big fan of the Zona burrito so I just got it without any meat but also without any of those gross vegetables that they put in there. It honestly didn't taste that much different and it was just as filling. Top it with a Stewart's Root Beer and you're ready for more math rock.

Overall Rating: A

Stay tuned because at the end of this nightmare I'll be posting up EVERY SINGLE PHOTO of everything I've eaten for the past month and it'll literally be disgusting how much of it is just the same thing every day, I promise.

Tae Kwon Tuesday

2009-02-25T13:12:00.004-05:00

I will not lie. Tae Kwon Do has taken a toll on my soul. We practiced our choreography again and gave our kicks and strikes and whatever. Let's cut the bullshit! and get straight 2 tha good stufff.

Quotes
"Hahaha... Nice cats, fat cats."

and

"If you step off the railroad tracks, you fall into the universe"

and

"LIVE HANDDD!!"

Haiku Kwon Do
With an iron fist
I grab my opponent's throat
And crush it with ease

Haiku Kwon Don't
Like an ancient toad
I croak with emberous might
Kapow! You will die

Monday Nite at the Stood: A Man, A Bearded Man, A Play, Panama

2009-02-25T12:39:00.007-05:00

The one and only Jesse Cooper Levy approached me in the library the other day, and he told me that he had a show in less than 30 minutes. Naturally, I dropped everything, and ran to Whitsons with liquid speed. Jesse was opening for- get this- a "play." Unusual, I know, but bear with me. He played a couple of songs, some with guitar or mandolin, and some were just recitted acapella. Jesse is really a pretty clever songwriter and he performed an adapted version of "What If God Was One of Us" that had people lolling in the aisles. After him, an impromptu set by our favorite, Kyle Gilbride, in the newly redecorated Stood bathroom. He played on that wonky piano that is broken broken a lot a lot. But he's great? So it was great!!

After all the pre-play shenanigans, the she-play beganigans. It was a cast of three, all female, who go by the name The Missoula Oblongata and it took place at the world fair at an indeterminate time. I thought it was pretty funny, in that they had the crowd chant "A Man! A Plan! A Racoon! PANAMA!!!" over and over again. "That's a great palindrome," they said. I just died at that part. But the play was pretty cool, and very nice and short. Hooray!

Jesse Cooper Levy/Neil Fridd

Kyle Gilbride

The Missoula Oblongata

MOKAAD!! and Vaginas

2009-02-25T11:58:00.010-05:00

Last Thursday night began like any other: I rolled out of bed, wiped the semen from my eyes, and pulled on my boots. I headed out onto the blustery SUNY PURCHASE!! bluffs and stumbled my way across campus to that last refuge of harmony and debauchery, so affectionately called The Stood. Once there, I was overwhelmed by faux-feminine snacks of all sorts: clitoral cupcakes, fellopian finger-food, and gingerbread villas of violet vulvas are only a couple examples of the multitude of rude dude nutritious food that they had available 4 consumption. This was, after all, a benefit show for the Vagina Monologues, which you have definitely heard of before.

Now, because of my "condition" (have you ever seen Memento?) I have a hard time remembering all the insignificant/specific details of the night. It is also hard to remember because I'm writing this about six days after it happened- but when has that ever stopped me? :/

Anywayz, the first band I can remember seeing/liking was The Boomerangs, a country-pop group who I've been folllowing ever since I saw them at the Co-Op last semester. They have a pretty classic sound for the most part, but for the least part, they also have a pretty rad lead guitar player who adds a bit of a more modern sound to the mix. He plays a pretty lacerating guitar lead, and sometimes he stomps on that good ole' delay pedal, and then u kno it's gunna get EPIC!!1!

Some girl sang to an iPod. It was like... completely unmemorable. Next!

Aha! Finally, at last, I can gush about mothafucking Mokaad and the Flex Points!! They are a very good band, and really, really impressively sized. I didn't count but hey, it looked like there were 30 people onstage for the show. Well, it was actually about 10 or so- three horn players, one guy on keyboard that I smoked pot with at the beginning of school and then never saw again, one guy with a guitar and a goddam wah pedal, two backup singers (boner!), an awesome bass player, a drummer, and of course MOKAAD!! himself. They played pretty funky stuff, I mean, their second song was a Stevie Wonder cover, and they actually did justice to it. Because I'm an asshole, I was ready to hate them. A line in the first song was "When I wake up in the morning/I roll up some gangja," and, needless to say, that line elicited a deafening roar of stoned approval from all the pot-smoking loozers that love that kind of shit. I was not convinced. I will ruin the suspense now and admit that, yes, I did come around. Mokaad really does run a pretty great band, and it's really fun music to dance to. They just groove on one thing for like hours. And they bring all the hot girls out!

Check out all the photos HERE! God, it's like you were there too.

Terra Velable

2009-02-24T22:54:00.013-05:00

Last Tuesday, February 17th, I was eating a chicken parm sandwich that I brought to PURCHASE!!!'s Terra Ve when I started to think about the animal that I was eating and the sort of face it would have made as it was being killed and it made me feel really terra-ble. I've always considered being a vegetarian but I never decided to take that initial leap. None of my friends thought I could go without meat and we started placing bets as to how long I could last. Cam put down $5 that I wouldn't make it a week (Feb. 25th), Carla says $2 and I wont make it 3 weeks (March 11th), Maddie is cheap and will lose a dollar when I make it a month (March 17th) and Matt has the most faith in me with $2 on a month and a day (March 18th). Now, its not as if I'm a carnivore or anything so I have a pretty good outlook on making this 10 bucks.

The catch is that sometimes I eat alone and no one trusts my expansive will power, so I have to document what I eat on my phone and send the photos to Maddie after every meal, which so far has been more annoying that the meat restriction. I figured I'd have some fun with it and let everyone in on some highlights.

1. A simple veggie wrap from the Hub. Double pepper-jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, cucumbers, peppers and some oil and vinegar, cheddar Sun Chips and a pickle. On the way out I grabbed a large mint tea. Pretty good but if you move at all you have to eat again every 2 hours.

Overall Rating: B+

2. I made another rule for myself that at least one meal a day had to be a salad, because really how authentic would it be to eat pizza and cereal for a month? I got a small salad from the Terra Ve salad bar, with the usual; lettuce, cucumbers, chic peas, cheese, carrots, some sort of cream dressing and what I assumed were lima beans. Top it off with some yogurt that I'm pretty sure was spoiled and a big cup of water and you have my standard Terra Ve meal.

Overall Rating: B-

3. At the show Saturday night Matt and I left briefly in search for food and came across a nice homey KFC. Turns out KFC has a lot of meat products on the menu, so anyone not interested is left with sides; biscuits, baked beans, mashed potatoes with gravy, or mac and cheese. What oversized side is complete without a medium coke?

Overall Rating: C+

It's really easy to forget to take a picture of your dinner before you eat it, but I'll try to keep up and keep you updated.

Cheesy Bad-Joke Free Download:

[MP3] Bright Eyes - Eating (For You)

Cameron Wisch at The Silent Barn

2009-02-24T13:50:00.018-05:00

Last Saturday Matt and I were sitting on the quad, enjoying the less-than-freezing weather and minding our own business when we were approached by PURCHASE!!!'s own Cameron Wisch. Turns out Cameron was playing a show at The Silent Barn in Brooklyn that night. Having never been to Brooklyn myself, and having really enjoyed Cameron's performance the night before, Matt and I decided to tag along.

If you don't know precisely where The Silent Barn is you're bound to miss it, as it has no outside markings or decorations aside from an address number located above its double iron doors. Try to imagine if Whiston's Memorial Hall in the Stood was actually an entire house. We walked into an upstairs featuring a decorated entry way, a closed off room housing the venues one permanent resident, and an open living room/kitchen devoted to shows and band practices. Just like in Whitson's, the corner held a hierarchy of stacked couches and a curious looking living quarters for the resident cat. We carried Cameron's equipment down a thin flight of stairs and into the small basement that would house the evenings show. The basement was also very decorated, complete with original art, rickety wood floors and plenty of shaky seats.

The basement was relatively cold and empty when the first act started up. Grass Canyon sat in the dark with an ironing board full of mixers and pedals and filled the room with a sludgy, industrial, droning beat that slowly morphed and changed as the minutes ticked by. Those who weren't disinterested and looking around at the basement decorations were slowly bobbing their heads or shaking their knees to the trance beat. Next up was D Gookin who played drums along with pre-recorded songs from a laptop. After a very long sound check, (where the sole player in the group, Mike, took turns sampling every drink in the audience) I expected Gookin to share Cameron's experimental, mathy sound but instead he chimed in with a series of catchy, poppy, synth driven songs. Gookin's drumming was impressive when matched with the songs he played, but in a much less virtuosic style that Cameron's. Guy had a bit of a temper too.

Up next was maybe my favorite band of the night, The Joint Chiefs of Math. This two piece turned out to be two of the friendliest guys ever and on top of it they played really amazing music. Their guitarist had a pedal board unlike any I've seen, he played out of both a guitar rig and a bass amp, mixing the two sounds to fill up the lower registers. They mixed elements of mixed meter math with really catchy riffs and simple guitar lines. Definitely check these guys out.

The evening was sort of split into two halves, and the second half commenced after the Joint Chiefs with Antn Hrkwk. Another two piece, one manned an ipod, a mixer, a delay pedal and a theremin (!) while the other worked with a laptop and a projector for background video effects. I honestly have no idea where the music was coming from with this one, but wherever it was, it was really loud. After a walk upstairs to rest my ears, Eric Hnatow had already set up his electronics. We had gotten a bite to eat with Eric before the show and he seemed like a really friendly guy. Eric sang sometimes, jumped around sometimes, wore a sweatshirt covered in blinking christmas lights sometimes, humped his table sometimes but always carried a pretty nice, energetic disposition. By this point I had pretty much had enough electronic music and I was ready for Cameron's set to begin. With his trademark black lights set up, the basement took on a whole new feel, and the art on the wall started to really pop out. The show had thinned out by this time but what was left of the crowd was really impressed by Cameron's playing.

Check out all the photos HERE!!!

Folk Off Friday

2009-02-18T13:34:00.008-05:00

This is the most overdue blog post to date that I have failed to write. This show took place almost two weeks ago. Sorry, five people! Well, it was a pretty folked up night for me, I had to cover two shows at two different venues, and two of my friends I met at my SUNY PURCHASE!! orientation were playing. Coincidence? Yes. At the Stood, Emma Tringali was the main act, and she did not disapoint. Also, a SUNY PURCHASE!! alum, this show at Whitsons marked her first return to the alma mater she loved so much while she was here. Nope, she just couldn't wait to come back! Her set was a little long, and the vocals were a bit screechy at times, but, boy, she's got a gorgeous voice and a beautiful band to back her up. Olken opened up for her, and sadly I only caught the beginning of their set because I had to run to the Co-Op to catch my boyfriend's set. I, however, have seen them before, and I enjoy their more rugged take on folk music. Their uniqueness comes from having a really bad-ass accordian player, and having Kjartan Loberg Code on electric cello. Contrary to popular belief however, it is not "Kjartan's band," and I don't know if Kevin, the lead singer and guitarist, gets upset by that conception, but I would.

Anyway, at the Co-Op there was a stacked line-up. Keith Richards played and he really tore it up. Just choking, it was only Richard Keith and it was boring. After that was The Tale, a nice piano and guitar two-piece, and then last and least of all- Nick Corbo. It was a very pleasant set, Nick eschewing the "standard rock conventions" said "No thanks, sound man. I'll play this WITHOUT your help." And he did. He huddled the lot of us near the stage and without a mic or ANYTHING, he played the whole of his set with just his acoustic guitar and his acoustic voice. Highlights of the set included a cover of Daniel Johnston's classic, "True Love Will Find You In The End," and the Nick Corbo classic, "Painted Halls."

Emma Tringali (video by Callum Plews)

Note: Anyone curious as to what the freshman dorms at SUNY PURCHASE!! look like, just watch this video. These lucky cocksuckers have a suite!

Here is the Daniel Johnston song, for no reason other than that it is great, and this video is great.

For more photos from this event, check out the MY SON COOL FLICKR.

Tae Kwon Wednesday?!

2009-02-18T13:25:00.008-05:00

The world has fallen into chaos, thus I present this special edition of Tae Kwon Tuesday: Wednesday Edition

Well, not much to report this week. We learned jumping air kicks, that was mostly it.

Important to note- Every Tae Kwon Do class ends the same way. Our sensei instructs us to say "Tae Kwon Do! Chun Do Kwon!" and then to jump into the air, kick, and give a "spirited shout." Now, please, imagine 30 unathletic, disinterested, and generally cynical hipster scumbag asshole elitist douchebags AKA yr standard stereotypical SUNY PURCHASE!! pigheaded loser wannabe phony posers all attempting this in unison. If u dont think thatz funny thann cheq yr pulse, CUZ YOUR DEAADD!!

Quotes!

"I am Papa Tiger, and you are all tiger cubs"

and

"Like an accordian- explode."

Night of Broken Glass(es): Personality Crisis at Crash Mansion

2009-02-18T12:38:00.006-05:00

Last Thursday I left my cozy dorm room at SUNY PURCHASE!! to go traipsing through the wild New York City night in order to attend the one and only Personality Crisis show, hosted by Shapes at Crash Mansion in the city.

Full disclosure: I was mostly attending to see SUNY PURCHASE!! alum Nick Brennan perform with his band, The Static Jacks. It's totally alright though, because The Static Jacks happen to be an up-and-coming band that have given up the dream of "higher education" for the dream of being a "rock star." To that end, they have all dropped out of school (for now) and are in the process of playing tonz of shows in order to "spread the word" about their "band." I had heard their Bridges and Tunnels EP and enjoyed it, but it took seeing them live to really "get it." They sound like a combination of The Strokes, Tokyo Police Club, and the singer from Vampire Weekend. It's pretty straightforward- just some good ole' melodic, danceable, indie rock (pop). The have really awesome shoes, and that might seem completely irrelevant, but with this type of band, it's almost the most important thing.

After The Static Jacks was Shapes, a very enjoyable glam-punk band that I broke my glasses to. I've replayed the moment over and over in my head, the first song begins, I rush to the front of the crowd, and within SECONDS, my glasses fall off of my face and, seemingly are lost forever. I lie to people and say that I'm legally blind without them (not yet), but it was still a difficult task tracking my specs AND my hat down, but, rest assured, everything turned out for the best.
P.S. My glasses are made by Burberry. Maybe now you understand the gravity of the situation.
But also, Shapes are very good. The lead singer had a great crotch, and it was really accentuated by his golden spandex pants. Nice heels too.

BTW a band called The Hunt played first and they SUCKED. They sucked so hard, really. Just because you're all wearing fucking vests doesn't mean you can have a mullet, you old douche!

More photos from this show will be up soon on the MY SON COOL FLICKR.

Stop Stealing From SUNY Students

2009-02-12T17:45:00.001-05:00

I don't usually get too involved in politics but this has gotten me pretty heated. If you're a SUNY student you really need to take the time to read this.

"ALBANY (2/4/2009) – On Tuesday, Governor David A. Paterson and leaders in both the State Assembly and State Senate announced their support for a Deficit Reduction Plan (DRP) that directly taxes SUNY students in an attempt to close the 2008 budget gap. The DRP demonstrates neglect of the SUNY system, and complete disregard for New York students and their families by legislators in Albany.

In 2008 alone, SUNY funding was cut by $146 million. A $310 per semester increase in tuition was meant to minimize the effect of that decrease in state support. Instead, the $76 million that will be generated by the tuition increase will not be found on any campus or in any classroom. Rather, SUNY is left with a mere $7.6 million while the remaining $68.4 million will be used to cover up the spending mistakes of other state agencies.

Dean Skelos, the State Senate minority leader, referred to the move as "stealing" directly from students. What exactly has been stolen is not simply dollars, but the means to avoid growing class sizes, less qualified professors, reductions in course offerings, and almost no new instructional equipment at a time when more and more New Yorkers are attending SUNY or going back to school.

Jacob Crawford, trustee and president of the Student Assembly, said "SUNY students are not ATMs for the state. Tuition is not a tax. Yet, lawmakers seem convinced of the opposite. They have taxed each student in the SUNY system $279 as they have reduced state support for each student by $340. I never could have dreamed of such a gross misuse of my tuition dollars; we have truly seen the ultimate bait and switch in Albany."

The effects of this policy will be felt throughout the SUNY system. David Belsky, director of communications said, "This coup on student's tuition paired with the reduction in state support will lead to a lower quality of education than students paid for. For an ever growing number of New Yorkers, a SUNY education is the only affordable option in higher education. Unfortunately, the ineffectiveness of Albany has once again proven inefficient and outdated, and has completely marginalized an important constituency, a large voting bloc, and the future workforce of New York State."

SUNY students fear that with these policies, a decrease in the quality of education provided by the SUNY system is inevitable and unfortunate. Any increase in tuition should be used to ensure the quality of education now and that of New Yorkers for years to come.

The Student Assembly of the State University of New York is an organization created by Article XVII of the guidelines of the SUNY Board of Trustees. Empowering students throughout the state, the SUNY SA is committed to student life and assuring the representation of its members on the state and national level as well as throughout the SUNY system. For the latest SUNY SA news, visit www.studentassembly.org"

I was originally informed that the tuition program initially installed an 80/20 deal in which 20% of the addition tuition money would go directly to the student's SUNY school and 80% would fund NY debt. This proposition is rediculous as it stands, however, over time the proposal has escalated to 100/0. This means 100% of the money you're paying as a result of the recent tuition hike is being used for New York state debt and bailouts and none of it is going to your school or your classrooms. As an out-of-state student, I think that this is particularly preposterous, there is absolutely no reason to tax the students to fund the state.

The one action that I know we all can take right now is to sign the online petition against this program at STUDENTASSEMBLY.ORG

The goal is to reach 1,000,000 signatures in two weeks, which I think is entirely possible if people are motivated. Anyone can sign this petition, that means ask your friends, your parents, your aunts, your uncles, and your little sister. For more information, check the Student Assembly website and join the growing Facebook group.

ART CLUB!

2009-02-12T16:25:00.005-05:00

Last night I was convinced to attend an Art Club event in the VA on campus. I used to draw but it's been a while and I was reluctant to jump straight into a visual arts event, especially one where I might be surrounded by practiced artists and nude models. However, the night was totally different from what I had expected. Art Club might very well be the most cheerful and welcoming group on campus. The meeting included figure drawings of several performing musical artists, as well as some great Indian food. The fact that the figures where actually singers and musicians gave the already warm and welcoming atmosphere the feel of a very personal show. When I wasn't eating my first samosas or trying to get the shading on Pat King's hat just right, I could sit back with my friends and enjoy the great music. The set list for the night included brief performances by Neil Fridd, Pat King, Kyle Gilbride, Jesse Cooper Levy, Charlie Phillips, Choral Pleasure, Dandy Lions, Fields, Casey Chandler, Greg Baldwin, and Liam. You're going to check out all of those links right?

I didnt have a camera for the first two acts, so my stunning artistic interpretations are going to have to do for now. Neil Fridd was up first, he had his back to me so I couldn't draw his face but I could still hear him just fine. Neil usually plays under the moniker of The Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt, in which he gets the chance to flesh out his casio- beat-driven, heart on your sleeve, honest to god, indie electronic pop music into a beating, living, dancing fuzzy monster that always has some sort of magic power to make everyone around it move. Last night it was just Neil and a Casio; it was quieter and more relaxed, with Neil sometimes even singing up at the cieling, but the feeling was still there. Pat King came on second and while he usually plays with his backing band, The Designated Drivers, played 3 or 4 acoustic Bruce Springsteen covers which I can always appreciate. By the end of his set those who weren't taking in some of the delicious food were quietly singing along.

Next up was Kyle Gilbride, who is quickly becoming my favorite musical acts on campus. I feel like when Kyle plays people really come together; his music really creates a powerful mood that listeners can't help but be sucked up into. His quiet acoustic pickings and high-sung half-voiced melodies bring to mind Jason Anderson or Microphones in the very best ways. Keep an eye out for Kyle a new release from him in the next few months.

Up next were Jesse Cooper Levy followed by Charlie Phillips. I've seen Jesse perform a few times on campus but this was the first time I've seen him play with a group and I must say, it was my favorite so far. It was interesting to hear new arrangements of songs I've heard Jesse sing on his own in the past. Jesse always delivers a very fun, energetic, and motivating performance. Charlie Phillips followed with an eerie set of acoustic versions of what seemed to be very lead guitar-heavy rock and roll type songs. The acoustic set was enjoyable but check out Charlie's myspace for full band recordings.

Towards around ten o'clock I was about to get ready to leave when Choral Pleasure started singing. This was my first time seeing the Purchase all a cappella ensemble and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I'm usually not one for choral ensembles but this group is really unlike any vocal group I've ever seen, performing professional and student arrangements of current pop songs. One of the students involved created and performed an arrangement of the Radiohead song Arpeggi and it was definitely a great representation of the song. I would certainly suggest any skeptic to see the group live.

There was such a great set list for this event and I really wish I could have stayed for more but I did have to miss the last few acts. However, not only should you check out all the individual myspace pages for these acts, but you should also consider attending future Art Club events, they're every Wednesday night around 8 in the VA building. They're free, they're friendly and you don't need a contract or anything to go to just one if you want to test it out.

I was able to find some of Neil's music online, give it a listen and come dance at his next show.

- [MP3] Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt - Fast Forward Regrets

- [MP3] Terror pigeon Dance Revolt - Snowday!

Check out more photos from last night's Art Club event at the MY SON COOL Flickr.

CFTPA at NYU's Kimmel Center

2009-02-11T17:39:00.013-05:00

Well today spring was in the air, not to mention lots of love and a pretty strong smell of weed from the quad. With Valentine's Day rapidly approaching, some of us might feel a little down after seeing all the school sponsored festivities; chocolates and gifts for sale at Campus Center North, maybe failed attempts at speed dating last night, or my personal favorite, our schools new brimming cash crop, PurchaseSingles.com. But if you're feeling a little alone, why not consider spending Thursday night with Owen Ashworth instead of diving into a drunken holiday coma?

For those of you who don't know, Owen Ashworth is the man behind Casiotone For The Painfully Alone, out of Chicago IL. Ashworth's music has developed greatly over the years but still remains a fuzzy, static mix of 80's house beats and whispered songs of loneliness and remorse.

For those of you who do know, there will be a FREE CFTPA show tomorrow, February 12, at NYU's Kimmel Center (thats 60 Washington Sq. South, Rm. 802, Manhattan, New York 10012). It's all ages and free with a government issued ID. Other acts include Rings and Festival and according to the CFTPA myspace, there will be free cupcakes for the first 150 guests.

This winter I got really into Casiotone, I thought the music really went well with the dreary, snowy, Connecticut weather that piled onto me over Christmas break. Etiquette was my album of choice but I would really recommend anything he's released, keeping in mind that the CD's have become more accessible over time. There is actually a new release scheduled for March 10th, entitled Advance Base Battery Life, which is a compilation of singles and rarities from 2004 to 2007. A full archive of the Casiotone For The Painfully Alone discography is available on the band myspace or website.

Here are some great CFTPA songs to warm up this year's Hallmark holiday.

From 2006's Etiquette.

- [MP3] Casiotone For The Painfully Alone - New Years Kiss

- [MP3] Casiotone For The Painfully Alone - Cold White Christmas

From 2009's Advance Base Battery Life

- [MP3] Casiotone For The Painfully Alone - Graceland (Paul Simon cover)

Tae Kwon Tuesdays!!

2009-02-10T15:29:00.006-05:00

AT LAST: the second edition of Tae Kwon Tuesdays!! has arrived.

Yesterday, I arrived at the gym for my Tae Kwon Do class teeming with excitement and shaking from caffeine. I quickly took my place at the back of the group and looked in awe at the spectacular arrangement of white uniforms before me. We spent some time warming up and jogging; and then began the now casual practice of refining our mental energy. After we had thoroughly honed our ability to make an utterly unmovable "OK" sign with our hands we moved onto more serious business. LIKE SIDE KICKS!! But enuff nonsense?? Today I decided to compile a couple of things inspired or entirely derived from my experience on Monday!

Quotes!!

"Imagine your arm is a firehose- but instead of water, it's streaming mental energy into the universe."

and

"You may not be having any fun, but let's let these games continue."

and

"Now Catalina and Justina will pick me up by my elbows."

One fact about Tae Kwon Do!!

-the representative federation for the sport is the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF)

Haiku Kwon Do

Like an iron ring

I held together my fingers

Mental strength coursing

Haiku Kwon Don't

Like a dragonfly

Kicking someone's throat is my

Goal this semester

Call it Arson - Moth Wash: The Old Flames Seven Inch

2009-02-06T13:31:00.006-05:00

Call It Arson plays out of the Old Saybrook area of Connecticut, probably about an hour and a half from where I used to live. Being so close, they've become a local favorite, and rightfully so. I think they're one of the few musical acts around now that still make original music. You can tell that the individual styles of the members all contribute to the bands overall sound, which I always find interesting. They've managed to create a heavy aesthetic while retaining acoustic and folk rock elements to their songs; the harmonica and acoustic guitar are always as audible as the driving low end. Singers James Downes and Ryan White have very distinct, unique qualities to their voices that blend and mesh like they were from the same family.

They're one of the few bands in the area who are seeing some success, having shared the stage with bands like Cursive and The Appleseed Cast. On May 20th of 2008, Call It Arson released "Moth Wash: The Old Flames Seven Inch" which features a lonely two songs but comes with an MP3 download of all the files. Moth Wash is the latest of three releases since 2006, after "The Animal Strings Album" and "Call It Arson" a self titled, 10 track album. Look for Call It Arson on Kill Normal Records, alongside bands like They And The Children, Stab You In The Head and The Flaming Tsunamis.

Here are some of our first MP3 downloads on My Son Cool. These songs are great and everyone should hear them, but if you like these songs please support this band and their music. All of these CD's are available on the Kill Normal Website for cheap.

From Moth Wash: The Old Flames Seven Inch

[MP3] Call It Arson - There's A Way To Be On

From Animal Strings

[MP3] Call It Arson - Hoopin' & Humpin'

[MP3] Call It Arson - Animal Strings

I'll be totally honest, if I had my way I'd have different songs on here but we do what we can. You might not be able to download them, but go to the Call It Arson myspace and listen to "Eliza" and "Sharpie," my two favorite songs of theirs, just take my word for it. Both songs are beautiful and haunting in their almost anthem-like composition. "Sharpie" shares the mentality of "There's A Way To Be On," being the other track from Moth Wash.

Chris Listorti - Words That Suture Wounded Hearts

2009-02-05T02:32:00.004-05:00

So, there aren't any shows this week until Friday and I'm not about to report on my own performances, so for the time being I'm going to dig into the depths of my hometown music and bring up an artist I think everyone should really get to know.

I met Chris Listorti at The Space in Hamden a few years ago and he was really one of the most approachable musicians I've ever met. Since then I've played a number of shows with him and he continues to grow musically every time I see him. Chris is an incredibly talented musician with an innate musical understanding and a creative sound. I've grown accustomed to Chris' quiet, crafted, acoustic melodies but on his new CD, "Words That Suture Wounded Hearts," he's taken more of a full band approach which I really enjoy. Its refreshing to hear pianos, drums, organs and vocal backgrounds fill out old favorites into new, more complete recordings. I would stream some of the songs if I could but for now you can listen to a number of them on his myspace, and if you like what you hear I definitely recommend supporting this artist and ordering a CD. "On My Thoughts" and "Willimantic" are two great choices for new listeners.

Also, make sure you're at a show this Friday, Feb. 6th! You have two to choose from:

CO-OP @ 7:30

with Kelly Izzo, Richard Keith, The Tale (with Randy Fuentes and Laurie Anne Creus), and me, Nick Corbo

THE STOOD @ 8:00

with Emma Tringali and the Walk-Ins and Olken

Both shows are free.

In these next few weeks I'll be recording and releasing an acoustic EP with my friends from Shack Attack Records. When the songs are ready I'll try to find some way to get them up onto the blog but if not and you just see me walking around, definitely ask me about it and I'll get you a free copy. Until then come visit my myspace for demos and updates.

Tae Kwon Tuesdays!!

2009-02-03T16:38:00.000-05:00

Little known fact: I, Matthew John Palmer, am a certified green belt. I received this prestigious title at the precocious age of seven and have been training effortlessly for the last 11 years. This semester, I am taking the Tae Kwon Do class here at SUNY Purchase. I won't bore you with the details- just know that I am the second-ranked student in my class and am a rising star in the martial arts world. None of this, however, would be possible without my brilliant sensei, and for that I humbly acknowledge him, Whatever His Name Is. Always full of Ben Franklin-esque maxims and aphorisms, my prof. has many a time dropped mad knowledge all around my vicinities. Some of his more choice quotations from my most recent class include:

"Your feet are ice skates, and those ice skates are on railroad tracks- if you can imagine that"

and

"Never kick an apple off of a sword"

and

"Let me be you"

Next week on Tae Kwon Tuesdays!!

-Pictures from Tae Kwon Do class

-More quotes

-Nothing else new

Whitsons Sludgefest '09

2009-02-03T05:30:00.001-05:00

On the second Saturday of the new semester I once again found myself at the Stood, and then inside the holy chapel that is Whitson's Memorial Hall. I arrived at around 8:40, and because of the size of the bill, I missed the first 4 or 5 (!) bands. When I finally did get there however, Twin Stumps was the first band I saw. Although the lead singer was an absolute shitshow, the show, actually, was not a shitshow; and when it was, it was so in the BEST kind of way. The type of super-sludgy and slow tar music they played was conducive to a lead singer whose mic was unplugged for half of the set, and whom spent most of the time rolling on the dank Stood floor. There was a great atmosphere of carnal violence and brutish chaos, despite the fact that the lead singer's attempts to jar the crowd were lost in the dead space between the audience and the band. It is worth mentioning that all the bands I saw drew around 20 people at the most.

P.S. Their guitarist was bald.

Between bands, and just outside the Memorial Hall, were the hot ladiezz from For The Birds, a group that can be described in four words: "DIY feminist cultural activism." They were selling all sorts of zines and other artwork related paraphernalia. They were very nice, and I bought their merch by the bucketful, which was easy because everything was two dollars. There were also other DIY outfits, including the collective-based, No Guts No Glory prints, featured above.

The next band I caught was Rejouissance, a Brooklyn band with more of a melodic sense than Twin Stumps. A three-piece, they sported an acoustic guitar instead of a bass, which was interesting, and worked well. This extra guitar played treble-y high melodies, while the lead singer played a very coilly electric guitar. It sounded like he was playing with a quarter or something. Their songs were more structured than the last bands', but at times I missed the dynamics and volume of Twin Stumps and another sludge band, whose name I didn't catch. Also, and Nick made special mention of this to me, they all played sitting down. PUNK=DEADDD.

In conclusion, I only caught about two of the bands Saturday, and out of a total of 10, that's pretty pathetic. But hey, I'm only getting started, and by setting the bar so low on this, our first real entry, it'll be a piece of cake to exceed the expectations of our admiring peers and tireless rivals.

Also expect a little kick to the head tomorrow when I debut a brand new feature here on My Son Cool. No one reads this right now, but the suspense is absolutely deepthroating, don't you think Nick?

For more photos from last Saturday's show, check out the My Son Cool Flickr.

Outside The Womb

2009-02-02T04:49:00.000-05:00

This first post is undoubtedly going to be the most boring and most awkward post so lets just get it out there.

Our goal with this blog is to cover live and recorded music either produced, performed or premiered here at Purchase College. Coming from a town where live shows are a real commodity and playing opportunities are a myth, you can imagine how I felt stepping onto this campus and realizing the musical outlets that we could all take advantage of. I feel like all of the music that is generated on this campus really deserves coverage and appreciation, so thats really what Matt and I are going to try to do here. We'll be covering all of our favorite acts, inside and outside of campus, and neither of us are too proud to self-promote.

On that note, this Friday, February 6th, at 7.30 PM i'll be playing at the Purchase CO-OP with some friends. Here's a link for the facebook event, and i'll be sure to post the flyers for the show as soon as they're ready. Come to find out there is also a show at the Stood at 8 with Emma Tringali, Olken and Chris Moschetti and in all fairness, here's their event link as well.