The Year of The Dirty Projectors

Jimmy Fallon's reaction to The Dirty Projectors' performance of "When the World Comes to an End" is exactly what I was thinking. "Yeaaas! How did you do that?!?" It's amazing how the girls just started this song off like a well-oiled music machine. It's like someone hit play and this three voiced instrument just up and went.

I was never really a huge fan of The Dirty Projectors' earlier work, but this seems to be their year. Bitte Orca has definitely grown on me. I believe "When the World Comes to an End" was originally a collaboration with Bjork performed at Housing Works back in May. Dave Longstreth has honed his skills at making amazing vocal arrangements (such as above) and showing off Amber Coffman, Angel Deradoorian, and Haley Dekle's capabilities as individual singers as well as their collective efforts to blend as one instrument. 

I also love the Dirty Projectors for the way they play with time. "Useful Chamber" is easily my favorite track on the album. The best part for me comes in around 3:10 with that well-oiled vocal machine moving from pure tone voice to the head voice. Moving from one section to another comes off so effortless for The Dirty Projectors and the 6 minute + song wouldn't be complete without all of them.

The Best Tuna Sandwich You Will Ever Taste

This is by far the tastiest Tuna sandwich you could ever possibly sink your teeth into. The combination of garlic and olive mixed with artichokes, tuna, and a kick of lemon really make for an explosion of flavors that pair very nicely together in your mouth. Introduced to me by the boy next door, (ay Ray Ray!) I went a whole summer without it until Sarah came back to NYC for a week and made it for dinner! 

The picture above (provided by Food Network) doesn't quite do the panini justice. The olive puree is much darker. Plus, you can't taste or smell that picture, either!

Below is the secret recipe. Feel free to check out more multimedia (such as Giada showing you how to make this sandwich in a video) here: 

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 3/4 cup pitted kalamata olives
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 (6-ounce) cans tuna in olive oil, drained
• 1 (12-ounce) jar marinated artichokes, drained and coarsely chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (16-ounce) ciabatta bread, halved horizontally
• 1 tomato, diced

Directions

Puree the olives, oil, garlic, and zest in a food processor until smooth and spreadable. Blend in the mayonnaise. Toss the tuna, artichokes, lemon juice, and pepper in a medium bowl, keeping the tuna in small chunks. 

Hollow out the bottom and top halves of the bread. [Personally, this isn't really necessary.] Spread the olive puree over both cut sides of the bread. Spoon the tuna and artichoke mixture onto the bottom half of the bread. Sprinkle the tomatoes over. Cover with the bread top. Cut the sandwich crosswise into 6 pieces and serve. 

Toast it up in the oven on 350 for 5 minutes or less, and you've got a done deal. This sandwich is HUGE and can basically make for three meals. Guess what I'm bringing for lunch tomorrow? ;)   

Another Reason to Love Warp Records

Home to Aphex Twin, Autechre, Gang Gang Dance, Prefuse 73, and Grizzly Bear, Warp Records continues to be a home for fresh sound. In June, Bibio released Ambivalence Avenue on Warp. I can't seem to get enough of his two songs, "Lover's Cravings" and "Fire Ant," which I will most likely be eating oatmeal to tomorrow morning. With most of my song obsessions, I will have to let this run its course on repeat for at least a week...

Little Joy

Little Joy is too cute. They're playing in NYC at Webster Hall on October 2nd. Since Fabrizio Moretti's in the band, it does sound like the Strokes (and how can you not love the Strokes?), but maybe The Strokes on a Tropical island. Even though Little Joy wasn't around during my Cyprus 2007 trip, it takes me back to the Mediterranean. Oh, Limassol!

Dithering: Jonny Greenwood: Sasha Frere-Jones : The New Yorker

Dithering: Jonny Greenwood: Sasha Frere-Jones : The New Yorker: "MP3s might not compare that well to a CD recording of, say, string quartets, but then, that’s not really their point."

The New Yorker Dithering Series should be an interesting one to read. When my over-ear Phillips headphones gave out in March, I began coming into the office with my giant Sennheiser headphones connected to my iPod. My boss commented, "Why on earth would you connect those headphones to your iPod to listen to awful quality mp3s?" Well, mainly, out of convenience (because I had no other headphones and I hate the feel of ear buds) and secondly because they acted as ear muffs in the long winter. BUT, in reality, the sound quality of mp3s fare pretty well today.

When I'm commuting to work half asleep in the morning, I just want to zone out to the guilty pleasure that is Rihanna instead of acknowledging the fact that I'm squished between someone who just delayed our train by catching the doors as they were closing, and the people awake enough to yell at him. The combination of gigantic headphones and a pocket-sized device, complete with days of music longer than I would be able to survive in a desert, get the job done.

This isn't to say that I don't care about sound quality. I still prefer listening to CDs and Vinyl at home (oh, if I could only transport my record player from Seattle to Brooklyn with those huge old 1970s speakers!). When my iPod decided to stop working in April (2009 has proved to be the year that all the electronics I bought in 2005 are calling it quits), I resurrected my Discman. Connected to Sennheisers, the sound is full and enveloping. I was hearing things I didn't realize existed in Grizzly Bear's Veckatimest. Unfortunately, Senor Discman only lasted a week in my New York City commute.

So, we arrive back at the fact that convenience and portability play more of a function in the consumption of music than ever before. But, perhaps for those still nostaglic for days before, you can go with this?

New Find via Labor Day BBQ Soundtrack

HOLIDAY SHORES popped up as background music during the BBQ we had at the house yesterday. Hailing from Florida, it's no surprise that the band is light and carefree. Maybe I was the only one that noticed, but it seemed to complement my burger, mexican corn, and cranberry tart pretty well !

Everyone's told me how anticlimactic turning 22 was. I was pleasantly surprised! If the delicious food and warm company is any indication of the year to come, this should a very good year. :D

Sleep Warm

This is an odd, but somehow romantic combination.



Cornelius' version is like Disneyland. I particularly like the jagged synths in the background...