#vexine

How is it September? September is supposed to be, like, in the future. Not the present.

As tempting as it is to lament the end of summer, one early-September event has me looking forward to the month ahead, and there are a few other links I wanted to share:

Today kicks off the @soundviewproject, a public art/music event in which Troy Gatrell of Clair Morgan and Way, Shape or Form will write, record, and mix five songs over the course of a month in full view of Broad Street passersby. (Yes, I was excited to pluralize "passerby," just as I would have been to type "attorneys general," which I guess I just did.) They're having a kickoff party tonight during First Fridays to celebrate. Definitely going to stop by at some point to check things out -- what a great idea, and it's being done to raise awareness of the importance of music education.

Do you like shiitake mushrooms but lament the lack of songs about them? Your prayers have been answered. (Thank you for the heads up, Travis!)

A friend gave me a copy of The Band's Anthology, which I hadn't even heard of, for my birthday. A Canadian pressing at that. I have Moondog Matinee, but I clearly don't listen to it enough, because their cover of "The Great Pretender" snuck up on me. It's awesome.

I reconnected yesterday with Big L's "Ebonics," which is exceptional. Steady Sounds posted a pic a while back showing they had a copy of The Big Picture in, and I really should have bolted over there.

Speaking of exceptional... Beyoncé's VMAs medley. Lordy. For whatever this commentary is worth, I just want to throw out there that I think what she did that night and what she's doing with this album are incredibly important. I didn't connect with the idea of a visual album before now -- I've enjoyed her self-titled album greatly without spending much time with the videos -- but Lemonade feels different. She's staking her claim to broader emotional and cultural territory while putting her image front-and-center, as if to say "You know that two-dimensional pop star you've been taking for granted? That smiling face you've seen a thousand times? You're going to see what it looks like when I'm pissed, because everything is not OK right now." Or, put more succinctly, "Who the fuck do you think I is?" I have a huge amount of respect for that.

Just two quick show recommendations for Saturday -- a Stranger Things-inspired 80's party at the Broadberry, and a great Camel show that will include My Darling Fury and Vexine.