Matchpoint's Mixtape #6

This week's playlist is faster and harder than usual, so beware. If you're not a fan of punk rock I implore you to still give it a spin--you might be happily surprised, especially by the lead track.

BTW, the Wedding Present is playing tomorrow night at Slim's and tickets are still available. I was fortunate to catch them last year at GAMH and they totally rocked beyond my expectations. But what amazed me was how thin the crowd was. The hall couldn't have been filled beyond half capacity. I guess that's why this time around they scaled back to the smaller Slim's, but apparently the Wedding Present doesn't have the draw to fill that venue either.

If you read into the band you'll discover they had 18 UK hits, but I bet not a single one made an impact in the US. It still amazes me that there can still be a big difference between the UK and US rock charts. I know I'm talking about a period 10-15 years ago, but stuff like this still happens today. Sometimes there's just a latency between markets (see Arctic Monkeys). And you can make the argument, which I won't challenge, that bands from both countries have fans on the other side of the pond (see Arctic Monkeys). But in an age where access to music and music criticism is unrestricted and without borders, the US and UK markets will become more homogeneous. Now, whether that's a good or a bad thing I can't tell.

But I digress...how about some music?



Mixtape






1. The Watermark High - Elliott
I can still remember listening in awe the first time I spun this 7". Still one of my favorite songs.

2. Character - Falling Forward
Ask and you shall receive. Falling Forward (pre-Elliott) make their way onto Rhapsody.

3. I'm The One - Descendents
One of the best "2nd wave" Descendents songs.

4. Two II - Weston
I almost forgot about this album, but was happily surprised when it showed up on the recently added list.

5. Corona - Minutemen
Some say that Double Nickels on the Dime is one of the greatest albums every made. Can't say I agree, but this track rocks.

6. The Road To Hell - Ink & Dagger
Deceased front man Sean McCabe was flipping crazy, which made for an incredible live show.

7. Venus (Live in San Francisco 1978 / bonus track) - Television
What ever happened to these guys?

8. Ariel Ramirez - Richard Buckner
Ok, so I stole this one from a VW commercial, but seriously, VW has great tastes in music.

9. Mannish Boy - Muddy Waters
Curve ball of the week. A co-worker of mine put together a blues playlist, which included this classic.

Tableside Credit Card Swipey Thing for Restaurants

I’m very impatient, especially after I've finished a meal. I eat quickly and when I'm done I want to leave. Sometimes I'm in the mood to relax and let my food digest, but this is the exception not the rule. There are two obstacles in my way from leaving when I want to: slow eaters and waiting for the check.

Also, think of this--why do you still carry cash? I know why I do: small transactions (< $5) and paying for my part of the tab at a restaurant or bar with co-workers and friends. Here’s my solution--what if paying for your bill was just as easy as paying for groceries at a supermarket? This is how it would work:

1. Three of my co-workers and I sit down for lunch at a table with a swipey thing (card reader).
2. The waitress stops by and takes our order.
3. The waitress goes in the back and enters our order into that touch screen computer. When she’s done the itemized order is beamed (via wi-fi or Bluetooth, take your pick) to our swipey thing at our table
4. While the four of us wait for our food, we calculate how much each person owes. We then swipe our credit/debit cards and enter how much we want to pay, including tip.
5. By the time we're done eating our bill has already been settled and we're free to leave.

Who benefits? I obviously do, but so does the restaurant. Since the wait staff no longer has to worry about billing, they are free to tend to other service responsibilities, such as making sure I have enough water in my glass. This will generate a better overall experience for the customer and higher ratings for the restaurant.

But the biggest gain is in higher table turnover. During the busy times of lunch and dinner, restaurants will service more customers if they no longer have to wait and calculate the check once they've finished their meal.

Everyone wins! Or am I missing something?

Now I just have to figure out what to do with those slow eaters...

Matchpoint's Mixtape #5

After several slow weeks, Rhapsody is finally starting to add some quality material. In addition to to new releases (Built to Spill, Belle and Sebastian, Arctic Monkeys), some of my favorite labels are starting to make a showing. Hardcore powerhouse Victory Records showed up a couple of weeks ago and added some bands I haven't heard in a while (Catch-22, By the Grace of God, Earth Crisis, Dead Guy). Also, Louisville KY label, Initial Records (Jazz June, Elliott), has added several albums to the Rhapsody catalogue, although I'm still waiting for Falling Forward to make an appearance.

Anyways, here's this week's mixtape.



Mixtape



1. Can't Get You Out Of My Head [KEXP Version] [Live] [Previously Unreleased] - The Flaming Lips
The Lips somehow turn this obnoxious dance hit into something more than tolerable.

2. Crashing Waves - Karl Blau
Found this one on the Said The Gramophone mp3blog. Google it.

3. Joga - Ben Gibbard/Ben Barnett
I love anything this guy does.

4. Have You Forgotten - Red House Painters
Lead track from this amazing album.

5. Goin' Against Your Mind - Built To Spill
Built to Spill, it's good to have you back. Where have you been?

6. Circle, Square, Triangle - Test Icicles
My good friend won't stop until I say something positive about this band. It's growing on me.

7. Wait And Bleed - Slipknot
Kick out your chair and start thrashing.

8. Halfway Pretty - Elliott
Finally, some Elliott on Rhapsody. I'm petitioning them to add more.

9. 1234 1234 - Catch 22
Indie rock needs to take a cue from punk rock and encourage more sing alongs.

You're the Best, Around!

Through your travels of randomly clicking around on the Internet, have you ever found a website that just made you say to yourself, WTF? A good friend of mine found one that I wanted to share with the rest of you. Pure genius. Enjoy.

http://yourethebest.ytmnd.com/

Matchpoint's Mixtape #4

I originally started this blog with no focus other then to explore the explosive phenomena of blogging. I wanted to immerse myself in the blogosphere and I felt the best way to accomplish this was to start my own blog.

However, almost as soon as I started blogging I realized in order for a blog to be successful it needed to add value. After some brief attempts at making this an elearning blog, I settled on publishing Rhapsody playlists, or the modern incarnates of mixtapes.

Far from a success, i've managed to reach a group of readers beyond my intended audience of close friends. Now that my blog is picking up a little steam, I plan on putting more energy into it. I've also been inspired by Naked Conversations, a book i'm currently reading about the blog revolution. Not to alarm my faithful mixtape series followers, but I intend to open this blog up to non-mixtape content. This is only an intention, not a promise. Hopefully my written word is as intersting as my taste in music. More to come...

And finally, this week's mixtape:





Mixtape
(Requires a Rhapsody subscription for full access)





1. Another Sunny Day - Belle and Sebastian
Enjoy this quality track from their new album.

2. Lola - The Kinks
Unfortunately, Rhapsody does not have The Raincoat's excellent cover of this song.

3. Wave Of Mutilation - Pixies
The slowed down version is starting to grow on me.

4. I Bet You Look Good On the Dancefloor - Arctic Monkeys
There's a lot of hype around this band. The jury is still out until I hear their full length.

5. Girl - Built To Spill
A simple, lo-fi track by Doug Martsch and the Spill.

6. Back To The Lake - Guided By Voices
For some reason reminds me of Friday the 13th the Nintendo game--go figure.

7. Destroy Everything You Touch - Ladytron
I've just been introduced to this band, which I believe are playing Coachella this year.

8. Organic - Philip Glass
This is getting me psyched up for the Phillip Glass Ensemble's live