My Son Cool: CFTPA at NYU's Kimmel Center

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

CFTPA at NYU's Kimmel Center

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.