Tim Convy's Blog

a. i have a twitter now - @timconvy, but please continue to follow @ludorock and @redbirdrecords as well.

b. check out the new EP from Tommy & The High Pilots. They let me produce it which i totally didn’t deserve. (ps - the key to producing is to be the least talented person in the room. Therefore, I’m a GREAT producer.)

Anyway, it’s all acoustic and it’s awesome. You can get it all for less than $6 on iTunes. There’s also a pretty amazing cover on there if you buy it on iTunes. Hell, write a review. At least go preview the songs. How do i link on here? i’m going to try:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/sawhorse-sessions-ep/id430613667

c. I’ll be on tour with the pilots from Lincoln to Houston. Check out their dates @ http://thehighpilots.com/

d. I keep hearing rumors about a Ludo tour this summer. I hope they’re true.

Here we go, entry number 2. And fear not, my “best of 2010” is still coming…at some point. 
Today, I’d like to talk about TV. I watched The Golden Globes.  i enjoyed them quite a bit.  Highlights included Ricky Gervais, Halle Berry, and Trent Reznor.  Glee won a few things.  I had never seen Glee until recently. I always thought that I’d probably like it if I ever gave it a shot.  I like pop music, i like musical theatre, I went to high school, I tend to have a soft spot for semi-cheesey TV, and I think Jane Lynch is funny.  Finally a few months ago, i sat down and decided to take down an episode.  I truly hated every minute of it.  I can’t quite pinpoint why and if I tried, I’d probably sound like a pretentious musician or even worse: old.  I just didn’t like it.  And frankly, I think in their acceptance speech, everyone who won an award should have thanked auto-tune. ZING!  I’m not an anti-auto-tuner, buy any means and i think that most people who are need to find a better enemy like hunger, or poverty or something. But anyway, i just don’t think you should be able to HEAR the auto-tune on a show like that, that’s all.
And now, The Good Wife.  I watch The Good Wife.  If you’re laughing, it’s because you’ve never seen The Good Wife.  It happens to be a well-crafted, gripping legal drama. Seriously, give it a shot. But i do have one issue with The Good Wife. It’s a serious issue that in some cases has kept me from enjoying this otherwise very enjoyable show.  No character on this show ever uses any form of the word “call.”  As in “I have to make a call,” “I called him back,” “He called the office several times,” etc.  Instead, they use the word “phone” as a verb ALL DAY LONG.

“I phoned my landlord.”
“Did you phone the DA’s office?”
“She’s been phoning him all night, and he hasn’t phoned back once.”
“Hang on, I’ll phone her.”

It’s bad.  It sticks out, and once you’ve noticed it, it will drive you crazy.  The actors look SO uncomfortable every time they say it! I can’t figure it out.  Did someone lose a bet?  Is a writer from a part of the country where they say that?  Is there a part of the country where they say that?  The show is set in Chicago and filmed in New York.   I live in New York. People don’t say that.  I’ve spent a lot of time in Chicago and a lot of time with people who have lived there their entire lives. The don’t say that. They call me. I don’t think they’ve ever phoned me.  I need an explanation.
anyone?

Ludo shows comin’ up!
Friday Feb. 18 in Springfield, MO
Saturday Feb. 19 in Chicago, IL
and by the way, there’s this: http://fuckyeahtimconvy.tumblr.com
Did i start it? No, of course not. Do i love it? fuckyeahtimconvylovesit

2011 is here and a while ago I promised myself that i would start a blog in the new year.  it doesn’t seem nearly as important to me now as it did then, but… I promised and if there’s one thing i don’t like to do, it’s irritate my former self.  I’m not sure what this blog will involve but if it’s anything like my facebook status updates or occasional tweet, it’ll feature plenty of shameless plugs for my various musical projects….excited?  I’ll do my best to make it more than just that, but in all fairness: all that stuff is worth checking out!

  I figured I’d start this sucker out with some of my favorite things from 2010: albums, songs, concerts, movies, etc. But in my attempt at my first list, i came across a half-finished email that was clearly my favorite albums of 2009.  And it looked like i put some time into it, so i thought i’d lead with that while I continue to gather my thoughts for 2010.

In no particular order, my favorite albums of 2009…

1. Aim and Ignite by fun. http://www.myspace.com/fun
It’s as if 3 dudes from 3 different bands got together and said “let’s try to make Tim Convy’s favorite album of all time by tastefully combining all the things he loves about pop music that he was convinced could never exist harmoniously on one album.”  They did it.  It really is spectacular.  It’s so incredibly hooky, catchy, and poppy but somehow manages to avoid being lame or juvenile at any point.  Though a handful of artists walk that fine line, until hearing this record i never dreamed it was possible to be as hooky, as catchy, and as poppy without sounding like a Disney artist, a WB teen drama soundtrack, or Vampire Emo. (Which isn’t to say that fans of all 3 wouldn’t love them some fun.!)  But they do it.  It seems that they’ve borrowed from all the right places too. There’s many a theatrical influence, which is showing up more and more in pop music, but fun. executes their theatricality tastefully and creatively.  And who else do they borrow from? How about Electric Light Orchestra? Which has had me asking the question for months (including to every member of my family at Thanksgiving dinner): Why the hell don’t any bands ever rip off ELO?!?!?!  Probably because it’s hard, and scary… but fun. borrows from them wisely and with great results.  fun. bring the hooks, the theatre, the ELO and much, much more.  Listen to this album.
2. Wilco by Wilco http://www.myspace.com/wilco
You should honestly never believe anything I say about Wilco… ever.  I first listened in 1995. (Thanks John Duvall)  Things were going fine.  Their second album “Being There” and the show I saw them play on the following tour quickly made them one of my favorite bands, but still things were ok. In 1999 Wilco put out “Summerteeth” and I became as fascinated with them as I’ve ever been with any band. When they put out “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot” it was all over.  I was buying whatever this band was selling, and I had completely lost all ability to be objective. It’s not something I’m proud of, but I’ve fallen in love; I can’t be held responsible.  The good news is, I’m pretty sure Wilco is making some of the best music of any band out there, so at least I haven’t ‘lost it’ over a less consistent band.  But someday I’m sure they’ll make a record that’s less than perfect and when they do, i’ll be there to defend it, saying things like, “Guys, Wilco made it.  That’s why it’s cool. They know what they’re doing.”  Again, I won’t be proud of it…but i won’t know any better.
3. Novel Sounds of The Nouveau South by Ha Ha Tonka  http://hahatonkamusic.com/
I don’t know what to say other than they made a great album.  The best part about Ha Ha Tonka is that they have these superhuman musical strengths that if other bands possessed, they would surely beat the listener over the head with.  Not HHT.  Their strengths are used with taste and elegance, working only to serve the songs and ultimately the whole album.  Weakness?  The band is able to create real places with these songs, musically and thematically. These are places I’d love to spend more time in, but of the 13 tracks 7 are less than 3 minutes and not a one hits 4 minutes. i find i’m leaving too soon and dying to get back, but maybe that’s just what the Tonk’ wanted.
4.  The Boy Who Knew Too Much by Mika   http://www.myspace.com/mikamyspace
If the three members of fun. we’re a little gayer, a little more European, and listened to a little more Freddie Mercury, George Michael, and Madonna, they might make a record that sounds like this one.  It’s fun, catchy as hell, really theatrical, and makes me want to dance like I was a little gayer, a little more European, and listened to more Freddie Mercury, George Michael, and Madonna.  For me personally, sometimes it’s a bit too dramatic, sometimes it’s a bit too electronic, and sometimes it’s a bit too Madonna, but it’s got great songs - ballads, anthems and quirky croons -  it sounds HUGE, and goddamnit it makes me want to dance.  Also, I’ve always wanted to call an album unapologetic and I think this is the one. Here we go: Mika’s The Boy Who Knew Too Much is unapologetic.
5.  Mariachi el Bronx by Mariachi el Bronx   http://www.myspace.com/thebronx
The Bronx are awesome.  Mariachi is awesome.  Is it just that simple? Probably not.  Obviously it’s an amazing concept which is worth the listen / purchase right off the bat, but it turns out this album is pretty amazing. Yeah, like top 10 amazing.  Listen to it.
6. The Night Undoes the Work of the Day by Oh My God  http://www.myspace.com/ohmygod
Start listening to this band now and you will listen to them for the rest of your life.
7. Rhett Miller by Rhett Miller http://www.myspace.com/rhettmiller 
First solo album was great, second kinda sucked. This one is good again.
8. It’s Blitz by Yeah Yeah Yeahs http://www.myspace.com/yeahyeahyeahs
I didn’t know I liked ‘em either. This thing is really good though.
9. Everynight by Tommy & The High Pilots   http://www.myspace.com/thehighpilots
10. Worst Debut Album Ever by Without a Face    http://www.myspace.com/withoutaface

If this list had 3 more spots, they’d go to Prince, Elvis Costello, and Rancid.

So there they are, that’s my first blog entry! Hope to hit you with some “Best of 2010” soon. Thanks for caring… or pretending to.