First Post: Morocco

Hey David and the Internet,

Just got back from Morocco or else I would've posted sooner.

Saying it was awesome does a really poor job of illustrating what I experienced, so just as soon as I figure out how to use this thing I'll put up pictures.

We started in Marrakech, thrice the capital since the 9th century. Even it's name is pretty damn awesome.

Marrakech.

It sounds so other worldly, and in fact it really was. Morocco's unlike anything I had ever seen before. Maybe it's because we were there during Ramadan, all the restaurants were closed during the day meaning we had to stuff our faces during breakfast and rush home along with the rest of the city at sunset.

Maybe it's because the pace of life in the ancient medina (old section of the city) hasn't changed since centuries ago - there were actual blacksmiths in the iron works section of the souk (market), next to the wood carvers, weavers, and water sellers (who actually sold water! but only to tourists as everyone else couldn't drink till sundown) - all in a setting straight out of an Indiana Jones movie.

The Souk.

It could've been the call of the muezzin five times a day blasting from the hundreds of mosques throughout the city, or the fact that the traditional djellaba on a short squat person would turn him into an Ewok (not on a Moroccan though, as they are all tall, slim, long-limbed, very attractive, and very friendly).

Fes was equally stunning, maybe even more so.

Fes at dawn.

Only Istanbul and Cairo's medinas are larger than the one in Fes, but Fes is distinct in that the pace of life has not adapted to tourism. Case in point, caravans of mules are herded through the tight alleys forcing the Japanese tour groups to hug the walls in fear for their cameras.

Just one of the 9,500 alleys in Fes.

While preserving their way of life is super important, I wouldn't have minded if they decided to modernize their tanneries. It was interesting to see how leather is treated - long bath in ammonia to remove the hair, a couple days in pigeon droppings to soften it up, a final treatment in vegetable dyes to give it color - but it did leave a large area of the medina smelling of feces.

They did in fact sell ass-less chaps.

Anyway, while there's a dearth of concerts in my future, there should be more adventures coming soon. I head for Zurich on Thursday and I'll let you know all about it.

Looking for love outside the harem's chambers.

More pictures:

Morocco 08

represent...

So, as you all know, I have a bit of a fascination/obsession with my hometown of Baltimore. So, I wanted to share this video from a band named Wye Oak (on Merge records...Paolo, they actually just did a stint opening for your beloved Dodos). 

The video features the streets of Baltimore (mainly areas around Hopkins undergrad campus where I 

did my postbac year) and I really dig the song. They're sort of folksy, sort of indie, sort of awesome.

It's great that the Baltimore scene is really blowing up...with bands like these guys, Dan Deacon, Beach House, etc.

And, of course, lets not forget about the Wire and the Baltimore Club music it has brought to national attention.

I mean, who would have thought that Rolling Stone would name Baltimore the best Scene of 2008?

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/20200609/page/34

They even give a shout out to the Golden West and the best brunch ever. Fuck the Flying Biscuit or the Highland Bakery.

Yeah, I said it....Nothing touches the French Toast at the Golden West.

Nothing. And that's Baltimore for you.

new blog, new music

So, I figured we might as well get this blog up and running. I have nothing too interesting to write about at the moment, but I just heard a track by a new band The Welcome Wagon, who are produced by Sufjan Stevens, and got so excited about it, that I wanted to share.

The Sufjan influence is incredibly apparent, but I think it has something that I always thought was missing in Sufjan's music...the strong lead (here bluesy) guitar parts, which when interweaved with the horn section here, sounds nothing short of awesome. I might be a fool for a good horn section, but there's something about this track that I feel as though I'll be listening to it quite a few times over the course of the day...and maybe tomorrow as well.

I am very excited for this record to come out.

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/download/145621-new-music-the-welcome-wagon-prod-by-sufjan-stevens-sold-to-the-nice-rich-man-mp3-stream