Baker's Dozen: Interview with Loon Choir

(image from Loon Choir's website)

Baseball manager Leo Durocher once said "Take a look at them. They're all nice guys (people), but they'll finish last. Nice guys (people). Finish Last." I don't think Durocher had Loon Choir in mind when he uttered these words back in the 1930's. After all, the "nice" people that make up Loon Choir (Derek Atkinson, Nicole Yates, Jamie LeClair, Khary Byron, Dan Larmour and Brad Sheffield) are finishing anywhere but last. Their track "New Forewarnings" was firmly etched in the fifth spot on our Pancake Perfection Mix. Recently I had the chance to interview, via email, Loon Choir in our latest installment of our Baker's Dozen Interview Series.

TB: What is the story behind Loon Choir?

Loon Choir: We formed in early 2009 and clicked right away; we recorded a home-made EP and were playing shows by spring. We set our sights on not sounding like any one other band or even genre. Each member of the band brought their own list of influences (from dance and hip hop to folk, grunge and art rock) and the LC sound tends to reflect this. We made a "proper" record with producer James Bunton in early 2010 and have been playing regularly since. We thrive on the passion and energy which is put into the music and given back by audiences at shows.

TB: 2010 marks the two year anniversary of the band. What has amazed/impressed/surprised you most about what you've been able to accomplish or do in those two years?

LC: I think what has amazed/impressed/surprised us the most is how many great bands there are out there fighting the good fight. It has been really amazing to share the stage with some bands we had already been fans of and also to learn first hand about great bands we didn't know.

TB: May saw the release of your first full length ("proper") record Expansion Forces. Almost six months later, do you still feel the same way about it as you did when you released it?

LC: We are still very proud of EF and feel it was a great collective effort to record it with the production support of James Bunton of Ohbijou. However, we are very excited about our new songs and are looking forward to recording and releasing them in 2011. We learned a lot from EF in terms of production and promotion while there are things that we will do again on the new album, there are some things we will certainly try to do a little differently.

TB: Some of your songs, lyrically, revolve around nature. Why is this?

LC: As a band, we all feel strong connections to the natural world and reflecting that in song is important to us. Also, from a poetic perspective, we tend to use natural images to convey and symbolize other emotions and interaction that we are writing about.

TB: Loon Choir was nominated in the Xpress Best of Ottawa 2010 Reader's Poll in the categories of Best Band, Best Album and Best New Band. Obviously you don't start a band to receive accolades and awards, but what would it mean to you if you had been able to win one (or all) of the categories?

LC: We were quite honored to be nominated in the Xpress Best of Ottawa 2010 Reader's Poll. While we didn't win, we feel it is a reflection of our local community recognizing the hard work we put into the music and for that we are very grateful. No, we don't make music for awards and accolades but they are significant in getting our music to new audience so we definitely appreciate the recognition when it does come our way.

TB: You've played shows at a number of cafes. What do you like about the cafe scene?

LC: Cafe's are great to us because small spaces (packed with people or not) make for intimate settings to demonstrate our art. We occasionally will play acoustic based shows with out drums and obviously the cafe scene marries well with that. Most importantly, we find that at cafes there is often a strong sense of community, an appreciation for the arts and a willingness to give something new a chance.

TB: How have fans and casual observers responded at your live shows?

LC: We have been really fortunate to have great responses from audiences at shows and this definitely goes a long way in keeping our positive energies high. We are not making much (if any) money at most shows, so having people showing genuine respect and appreciation for what we do is often the most significant reward from a show.

TB: You mention on your website, loonchoir.com, that you performed with a number of bands including Ohbijou, the lovely feathers, Pree, Rubik, Minto and the Ghost is Dancing. What have you picked up from watching these bands perform?

LC: More than anything, we've learned that letting loose and trying to play in the moment goes along way in making shows more authentic feeling; which usually equates to a more entertaining show for the audience.

TB: Speaking of your website, the design is very unique. It features a variety of bright colors and sketches of the band members. Then, each link is decorated with band reviews and lyrics written on lined paper. Where did the idea for this set up come from?

LC: The idea for our website mostly came from our web-guru and bass player, Jamie LeClair.

TB: It seems that promoting other bands, venues and booking agencies is pretty important to you as you have a section on your website entitled "our friends" with a thoughtful write-up on each. Why share the love? Shouldn't the site be for shameless self promotion?

LC: We're nice people.

TB: What are Loon Choir's plans for the rest of 2010 into 2011?

LC: We are doing some touring before the year is over throughout South Eastern and Western Ontario. In the new year, we intend to record and release a new full length album, which is pretty much all written and ready to go! We plan on playing even more shows in 2011 and we're hoping to establish a strong presence on the summer festival circuit.

TB: Does Loon Choir get the chance to do much cooking? Any special recipes you care to share?

LC: The girlfriend of our synth player is a bit of a cook/baker and has provided the band with a few delicious cakes and sweet treats for the road. The hit single being her white chocolate cranberry granola bars...I believe the recipe is a secret :)

TB: Famous Last Words?

LC: Is a great book by the brilliant Timothy Findley.

Note: Until we can pry that secret recipe away, here is a possibly similar one.

Here is another Loon Choir track:
Loon Choir-Bricks

And the previous one:
Loon Choir-New Forewarnings

Buy Expansion Forces here.

Drugs, Sasquatch and Tofu: A Monologue About Jumpiter's Four Stories Down

It seems like only yesterday (or August) that I was talking to Brooklyn native Jumpiter about his new record Bad God. You remember, it is the one where the vengeful god kills off a guy's girlfriend repeatedly over multiple lives. I hadn't yet gotten everything out of Bad God when Jumpiter, aka Sean Schuyler, informed me that he had a new one. Say what?
Like its predecessor, Four Stories Down has the same grungy energy, stabbing guitars and clattering hi-hats. It also doses out lyrics dealing with familiar foes of death, lost love and heartache. Despite the similarities, Four Stories Down is its own album with its own issues to deal with. It plays out like a detective movie with three main events littering its tracks. A couple of kids overdosed, there was a hit and run and then a shootout at a race track. Are these events connected? And what do Sasquatch, Yeti, Siberia, the Stranger Malloy, Robert and the Superintendent have to do with all of it?
Jumpiter's albums are full of songs that are short fun blasts that leave you breathless. The fact that he links them together in an interesting narrative is like icing on the cake or corn starch on the tofu. He tries some different things here: a click track and a countdown stand out, as well as more backing vocals and a few slower moments. But overall, the feeling remains the same. Tell a story, fuzz up and distort the sound and make a record that you can bounce your knee to. While Jumpiter's albums are meant to be listened to as a whole, the stand out tracks seem to be "Robe", "Sideswiped from Behind" and "Bongwater."


Four Stories Down is best served with little pieces of food that you can pop in your mouth as you listen. Some might say M&M's or popcorn but my suggestion would be salt and pepper tofu.

Download Four Stories Down, for free, here. Its price makes it perfect for Buy Nothing Day.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Have a great one...

GOBBLE GOBBLE - Wrinklecarver from Jheri Evans on Vimeo.

No Bake Pumpkin Pie chilled with Zion I, Rebelution, The Knocks, Chiddy Bang and Vonnegutt

Since food and music are two of my passions outside of teaching, I try to incorporate them inside the classroom as much as possible. My kids and I dance every Friday and on special occasions (usually holidays) we work with food. For the past four Thanksgiving's I've made no bake pumpkin pie with the class. There's nothing special about this recipe but it is easy to prepare in school, fun for the kids and they enjoy the taste. Well, most of them do.

No Bake Pumpkin Pie

(printable version)

-1 1/3 cup skim milk
-2 cups canned pumpkin
-2 boxes instant vanilla pudding
-1 tub whipped cream
-1 tsp cinnamon
-18 individual graham cracker pie crusts (or two whole ones)

1. Mix the skim milk and canned pumpkin in a large metal bowl. Stir well.

2. Add the vanilla pudding and cinnamon. Mix until ingredients are combined.

3. Add the whipped cream and mix again.

4. Spoon the pumpkin mixture into the pie crusts. Smooth the tops with a knife. Chill in a refrigerator for four hours.

Aside from Michael Jackson, my class seems to like to move the most to songs that combine hip-hop and dance beats. They like the way it makes them move. So, in honor of them, here are three that I've been enjoying and that I know they would would dance to, if they were a little cleaner.

Zion I featuring Rebelution-Many Stylez (Zion I has a new album out, Atomic Clock. Get it here.)



The Knocks-Dancing with the DJ (Chiddy Bang Remix)

Vonnegutt-Going Home (full length, next year. For now...it's the appetizer)

Monkey Bread slathered with covers by Cassettes Won't Listen, Horse Feathers, Weed and Foxes in Fiction

As I mentioned previously, J-Fur's birthday was on November 14th and to celebrate I made her breakfast in bed. The sweet ying to the rest of the breakfast's yang was monkey bread, a dish that I had not heard of until our friend Betsy baked it up four years ago. This was my first try at making it myself and I loved how fun the recipe is. To make monkey bread, you break up pieces of dough, douse them in cinnamon and sugar and then piece them together in a cake pan. It was sort of like playing Tetris or building a log cabin, both of which I'm an expert at.

Monkey Bread

(printable version)

-3 packages refrigerated biscuit dough, cut into quarters
-1 cup sugar
-4 tsp. cinnamon
-1/2 cup unsalted butter
-1 cup brown sugar
-3/4 cup walnuts
-1/2 cup raisins

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease an angel food cake pan.

2. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a ziplock bag. Working six pieces of dough at a time, place into the ziplock bag, seal and shake until dough is completely covered. Place into angel food cake pan. Continue working six pieces at a time and lining the pan until all the dough is gone.

3. In a small saucepan, melt the butter with the brown sugar over medium heat. Stir until well combined. Add the raisins and walnuts and stir again.

4. Pour the raisin mixture over the monkey bread making sure to cover each piece of dough. Use a knife to smooth out the mixture.

5. Place the bread in the oven and bake for 35 minutes. Allow to cool for ten minutes before removing the angel food cake middle from the rest of the pan. Pull apart the bread to serve (no need to cut).

It's not that there isn't great music coming out because there is. I attribute it more to the fact that there are also some great covers coming out. Since this dish is covered in butter and raisins and nuts I'll do it again (for like the second time this month). All covers.

First it is Weed and Foxes in Fiction teaming up to take a Katy Perry song and make it even dirtier than the original (I'm talking soundwise, not lyrical).

Weed and Foxes in Fiction-Teenage Dream (Katy Perry Cover)

Then there is the scratching and clicking of Cassettes Won't Listen impersonating Matt and Kim. Almost better than a pumpkin latte dude. Almost.

Cassettes Won't Listen-Cameras (Matt and Kim Cover)

Finally there is Horse Feathers asking Nirvana to lighten up, slow down and blow a little sunshine out their instruments.

Horse Feathers / Drain You cover from Lesley Graves on Vimeo.

Vegan Meatloaf Sandwiches madeover with Watch out for Rockets and Robert James and the Unaccountable Freaks

A little over two weeks ago Mister Peanut, a monocled mascot for Planters who has remained virtually unchanged since 1916, received a makeover.

Just hours later I was at Barnes and Nobel looking for some picture books when I came across Jennifer L. Helm's Middle School is Worse than Meatloaf. These two events, seemingly unrelated, got me thinking. The problem with meatloaf is that it is full of meat. How about a vegan makeover, one so solid that it would inspire a comparison between meatloaf and childhood (when everything was great)?

Vegan Meatloaf Sandwiches

(printable version)

-1/2 cup pecan meal
-olive oil
-3 celery stalks, finely chopped
-1 onion, finely chopped
-6 green onions, sliced thinly
-2 garlic cloves, minced
-1 package of tofu, drained
-12 ounces, soy crumbles
-1 1/4 cups quick-cooking oats
-3 Tbs. soy sauce
-4 Tbs. ketchup
-1 Tbs. Dijon Mustard
-2 tsp. parsley
-1 tsp. poultry seasoning
-salt and pepper (to taste)
-8 slices of vegan grain bread

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat a medium skillet with olive oil. Add celery, onion, green onions and garlic and saute until vegetables are tender and onions are translucent. Set aside.

2. Mash drained tofu in a bowl. Stir in pecan meal, onion mixture, soy crumbles, oats, soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of ketchup, mustard, parsley, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper.

3. Coat a rectangle loaf pan with cooking spray. Spoon meatloaf mixture into loaf pan. Press down lightly to pack meatloaf in. Spread the remaining 2 tablespoons of ketchup over top of the loaf. Bake for 60 minutes (or until a fork inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the loaf.

4. Heat grill. Remove the meatloaf from the loaf pan and slice into pieces (I sliced mine about 1/2 an inch thick). Place meatloaf on bread. Put the bread on a grill and heat until bread is browned (4 minutes on my grill top). Flip and repeat on the next side. Remove sandwich from grill and tear into it.

Austin's Watch out For Rockets, performers of self proclaimed "rocket fi" and "the best band ever (except for Blind Faith)", have just sprung forth with a new EP and video. The EP, Telepathic War Machine, is seven tracks of roughshod lo-fi meant to debilitate your sense of existence (is this 1969 or 2010). In layman's terms, it's catchy stuff. The first video from the EP, also called "Telepathic War Machine" is featured below. You can download this EP (and their two previous ones) from Watch out For Rockets' bandcamp page.

Also hailing from Texas, about 200 miles to the South, is Robert James and the Unaccountable Freaks. Here's what I can tell you about Robert (all of this comes from his brother Jonathan). Robert is 21 and lives with his parents. He plays in a couple of bands (he also pairs with Jonathan in Record Machine). He is working hard to beak in to a scene that is dominated by "Tool and Godsmack cover bands" (although, according to Jonathan, the Tool one is pretty cool). Robert has been spewing out song after song on a digital four track for the last five years. He is so prolific because he "only works fifteen hours a week." Robert wrote and performed all the instruments on "The Invention of God."

Robert James and the Unaccountable Freaks-The Invention of God

Food Pairing 101: What goes well with Pumpkin Ice Cream?

I've seen the posts by people around me...pumpkin cookies with chocolate chips (go JH), pumpkin bars (way to carve that baby CM) and pumpkin cakes and I can't help but feel a little twinge of jealousy. Baking, at this time, doesn't quite make sense in this Jekyll and Hyde climate that is Florida. One day it's chilly and it seems that Autumn has been ushered in and it is time to fire up the old oven and get to producing all those gems I've been sitting on. The next day sweat pours from my face like those long days that dot the summer calendar and I want nothing to do with said oven. So, I found a happy medium thanks to David Lebovitz. It is a recipe that fuses the best of the summer (ice cream) and falls finest (pumpkin). You can find David Lebovitz's pumpkin ice cream recipe here. I made no modifications to it. The pumpkin ice cream also marked the first time I used my new freezer proof ice cream storage container and I must say, I am quite happy (although when frozen, it can be a real ear ringer to open). Life in summer/fall land is good.

A combo that goes well with pumpkin ice cream is Crystal Castles and Robert Smith. I'm not a big fan of the two apart but when they join forces, it is something I can freeze my ice cream to.



Next on my radar...this, Refinery style.

What's Cooking with Postbox?

(Photo by Ruevan Tan, the Bastard Movement)

Postbox first appeared on Write.Click.Cook.Listen with their song "Miss Sunshine" on our Caper Crusader Mix. Knowing very little about Singapore and their music scene I decided to contact them and get the lowdown. I heard nothing for a period of time and I figured any hopes of pursuing the band further was out of the question. Then, a few weeks ago, a reply appeared out of the blue. Ariff provided me with my answers...now you'll get yours. Here is what's cooking with Postbox.

How did Postbox get their start? A natural place to begin when finding out about someone:

We started playing in really small places like in a Ben & Jerrys outlet and school functions. I guess, after we recorded our songs and posted them on myspace we got more attention. That's when the ball started rolling for us.

Singapore. I haven't featured any bands from there on Write.Click.Cook.Listen before you. What are the positives and negatives about being a band in Singapore:

I guess the negative part about being a band in Singapore is the stereotype that Singaporean bands suck, cause by far, I can only think of one band in Singapore that has made it real big and that is Impiety, a death metal band. Hence, it's quite hard to breakthrough and make people listen to an indie band from Singapore, unless you have awesome music and good contacts with overseas indie labels that can promote your music in their countries. Many of the bands in Singapore pass the first criteria, but most don't really have good contacts with overseas labels. The only positive side I can think of right now is that, since our community is small, whenever we have shows we always see the same familiar faces and most of them are our friends. So it's like playing a show to a group of friends, and it's really fun to be playing that way cause it's like a "no pressure, just treat this as a practice session and have lots of fun" kind of thing.

Postbox put out an EP last February that was met with some good reviews. It was said, amongst other things, that the EP "was a collection of 6 insanely catchy and cheerful tunes" (Audioreload) and "hints at a promise of musicality and melodicism, with singer Samantha and accomplished performer (Power of Pop). What has the band been working on since then? I posed that question to the band:

Currently we're taking a break due to school, national service (this is a real bitch) and other commitments. We're planning to release a full-length though, currently practicing our new songs for recording in the near future. I guess the full-length's gonna be out early next year...I hope. Ha ha.

After talking music, I tried to steer Ariff towards cooking. But my lingo was lost and instead he gave me some insight on what lies ahead for Postbox.

We're planning a "hopefully memorable" show for the release of the full-length album. It might be our last show as Postbox, it might be not. We'll see how the wind blows for us in the future.

A follow up for a recipe went unanswered so I figured I'd improvise. Since everything I can find suggests that Singapore cuisine is a fusion of many different types of foods (including Indian, Maylaysian, Chinese, Peranaken, Japanese, Thai, Indonesian and Korean) I figured I'd cook up something Indian, Chickpea Dal with Onion Flat Bread, and call it square (or more accurately oblong). I did find a link to some Singaporean recipes, although I'm not sure if they are actually eaten there or not.

Chickpea Dal with Spinach over Onion Flat Bread

(click here for the Dal recipe)

Postbox-Clouds



Postbox-I want discopop

Breakfast in Bed with Surfer Blood

"You are a strange and magnificent creature and you have enchanted me completely."

Today is J-Fur's birthday. She wanted breakfast in bed. I made her some home-fried potatoes, breakfast burritos, vegetarian bacon and monkey bread.

Since J-Fur is a big fan of Surfer Blood. I thought I would include one of Surfer Blood's contributions to Insound's Red Wax Session (the whole album is free, free, free to download!)

Surfer Blood-Take it easy (Red Wax Session courtesy of

Brooklyn Vegan)

Home-Fried Potatoes

Breakfast Burrito

Monkey Bread

Mid-Run Concert Review: Social Distortion at Jannus Live

(picture from the Jannus Live website)

Here is a transcript from the review I recorded for last nights Social Distortion, Lucero and Frank Turner concert at Jannus Live. It was around mile six of an eleven mile run.

The Venue: Welcome back Jannus Live, I haven't graced you with my presence since you dropped the landing from your name and went through those bankruptcy problems. Not sure if it has anything to do with it but where do you get off charging three dollars for a plastic cup of water that comes from a bottle, yet you don't even get the whole bottle. If it is because of the labor that is involved with it how about I save you that step next time and you give me the whole bottle and I'll give you the three bucks.

The Opening Acts: Lucero, I've now seen you twice and you have the ability to bring grown men to their knees, bowing down and worshipping your ZZ Top like beards. But on recordings, you can't even bring down my living room. Where is the disconnect? Frank Turner, are you in anyway related to the pulverizing running back for the Atlanta Falcons that is a stalwart on my fantasy team? I only ask you this because that is exactly what you did to my eardrums. Sorry that I missed most of your set, I blame it on the flaming cheese and car. How about I make it up to you. I think I uh...would like to get to know you better.

The Headliners: Social Distortion, you've been around for 30 plus years and you can still bring it. If anyone doubts that have them look up video for your encore ending cover of Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire." Can't wait for the new album. Nothing has rung more true than the introduction where you suggested that there looked like there were some "survivors" in the crowd.

The Crowd: I understand some of you are over 40 years old. I understand that some of you had kids with you, either attached to your hands or attached to your umbilical cords. I also understand some of you had the pomemade put on so thick that maybe it messed with your brains. But when Social Distortion ended you stood there, like you were at a golf match, completely silent. It wasn't that you wanted an encore, it was more like you felt like you were entitled to one. If it was my band, I wouldn't have come back out. Thank god they did because it was a blast.

After Concert Dessert: Ceviche, I hate chocolate. But last night you paired some mild chocolate cake with raspberry syrup, vanilla cream sauce and fresh berries. I put a hurting on that (and my waistline). Cheers!

Social Distortion has a new track, "Machine Gun Blues" that you can listen to at this link. In January they will release a new album, their first in over six years, on Epitaph Records. It is called Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes.

Savory Potato, Spinach and Cheese Crepes thinned with The Twees

The last time I made crepes J-Fur said "these are too thick, they are supposed to be thinner." For my second go round I decided to remedy that problem by making them while she was out-of-town. I felt it was better for the self-esteem of the crepe. I thinned them out some too, but since no one else had the chance to enjoy (read witness) them it just goes back to that age old adage: if you thin out crepes and no one is there to see them, did you really thin them out?

Savory Potato, Spinach and Cheese Crepes
(printable version)

For the crepe batter:
-2 eggs
-1 1/4 cups whole milk
-1 cup flour
-1/4 tsp. salt
-oil

For the filling:
-3 potatoes
-5 ounces spinach
-1 onion, sliced thinly
-3 ounces muenster, grated
-salt and pepper (to taste)
-olive oil

1. Boil the potatoes in salted water until soft (about 20-25 minutes). Remove from water and set aside to cool.

2. Slice the potatoes into small squares. In a saute pan, heat a little bit of olive oil. Saute the sliced onions until translucent (about five minutes). Add the spinach, potatoes, salt and pepper and continue heating until spinach has wilted and potatoes have a slightly brown color.

3. Meanwhile, mix all the ingredients for the crepe batter (except the oil) in a food processor and process until smooth.

4. Heat lightly oiled cast iron skillet over medium heat. Pour batter, 1/4 cup at a time, into the warm skillet. Spread the batter out until it covers the entire bottom of the pan (scrape off any excess). Heat for about 45 seconds (should be slightly browned). Using a spatula, flip the crepe and repeat on the second side. Remove finished crepe from the skillet and stack on a plate (the crepes won't stick so you can stack them). Continue with this process until the batter is completely gone.

5. Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Fill one crepe at a time by taking a spoonful of potato mixture and placing it in the center of the crepe. Top with muenster cheese. Fold each side of the crepe over the filling to make a cylinder that is firm but not tight. Place the rolled crepe on a baking sheet (rolled side down). Brush with olive oil. Bake for ten minutes.

What works well with thin batter poured into a hot pan? How about New York's The Twees who are fresh of their two "awesome" shows at CMJ and currently preparing for the release of a new EP, These Girls, that should be out this winter. These Girls was recorded by Shawn Kimon (Wild Arctic Studios: Arctic Monkeys, Cobra Starship and Nightmare of You) and mastered by Alex Saltz (APS mastering: Vampire Weekend, the Hives, the Raconteurs and REM) and is the follow-up to last year's debut, Lessons to Connect. "On the Spot" is the first single from the album.



And "Unfair Affair" from an earlier time and place (aka not the new EP):

Unfair Affair by thetwees

Chocolates by Michelle catered by Eastern Conference Champions, Voxhaul Broadcast and Vancans

The weekly story my third graders and I read this week was one about what it takes to be a writer. Helen Lester, the author, said you need to be prepared to write "ANYtime, ANYwhere and on ANYthing." Sometimes as a blogger you need to do the same thing.

I was dancing up a storm at my friend LC's wedding when I realized that her dessert caterer, a chocolate maker named Michelle (who was accompanied by her co-worker Patricia), might have some interesting things to say about food. So, I grabbed a couple receipts from MP and one of Michelle's business cards and took notes as she told her story.

It was an amazing one full of cigarettes and Martha Stewart, Oprah and suitcases full of chocolate, Bill Clinton and learning disabilities, awards and television shows. I won't rehash the entire interview (you can check out her bio here) but I would like to highlight a few things. Chocolates by Michelle:

• color coordinate their display for events (Michelle used to be a caterer)
• are known for the chocolate covered strawberries (ask Martha Stewart)
• will ship all over and they will travel to events
• offer chocolate classes and camps
• has developed an oil free fondue that flows beautifully
  
• has over 10,000 molds so they "can make anything"

It has been said that Michelle took a bad habit, smoking, and turned it good. She takes chocolate with her everywhere she goes because it helps her meet people (and sometimes makes things happen). Need chocolate or are just looking for a good story teller? I suggest making your way to Port Richey, Florida (or don't, after all, she does travel). Some photos from the wedding spread:







Since we are talking covering things in chocolate how about we get some bands doing some covering themselves. I'm talking Eastern Conference Champions and Voxhaul Broadcast reinterpreting Violent Femmes with a lispy punk attitude and Vancans bringing some shine to Kid Cudi's gold. Thanks to COS for these covers.

Eastern Conference Champions and Voxhaul Broadcast-Add it Up

Vancans-Pursuit of Happiness

Speaking of Kid Cudi, two days until Man on the Moon II finds its way into stores and onto internets.

2 For 1: Spaghetti Squash and The View

A 2 for 1 special here from the curcubita pepo (spaghetti squash) and the formerly indie outfit who now reside on a major label The View. Get your forks ready put your dirty jeans back on and....let's puncture this fish fin melon.

Baked Spaghetti Squash

(printable version)

-1 spaghetti squash

-1 Tbs. olive oil

-1 green pepper

-1 onion

-1/2 cup tomato sauce

-2 ounces mozzarella

-1/8 cup Parmesan, grated

-fresh ground black pepper (to taste)

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. If you haven't heeded my advice above, pierce the spaghetti squash. Place in a pot of boiling water. Cover and boil for 25-30 minutes (you will know its done when you can easily pierce the skin with a fork or knife).

3. Drain the water from the spaghetti squash and cut in half. Set aside to cool.

4. Meanwhile, in a sauce pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and green pepper and saute for five minutes (or until the onion becomes translucent).

5. Using a fork, remove the seeds from the spaghetti squash. Once deseeded, scrape the innards with your fork. The squash should peel away in spaghetti like strands. Add the squash strands to the onions and peppers. Stir until blended. Add the tomato sauce and stir again. Scrape the squash, sauce and vegetable mixture into a 9x13 rectangular baking dish. Top with mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

Spaghetti Squash Gratin with Basil (recipe here)

The View are a punk inspired band from Dryburgh, United Kingdom. I first experienced them in 2007 when I hadn't changed my pants in a week and needed a theme song to go along with it. Enter the View, exit my life ever being the same. Tagging along with "Same Jeans" was "Wasted Little DJ's." I wasn't nearly as impressed with this song and it took more than two and a half years for me to understand what it was all about (at this point I've understood for all of 16 hours). The View are currently working on their third album (and have been for a long time) but we finally got some movement on that front with their release of "Sunday" the first single from the still untitled album. You can download the track here, at the expense of some personal information and an email address.

Pear Yogurt Pancakes Covered with The High Dials, Paperfangs and The Casanova Wave

On one hand you've got European smokers who, back in the day before tobacco and that other plant were the thing to put in your pipe, puffed on pear leaves. On the other you've got USA Pears suggesting that a pear diet might help to fight cancer. Somewhere in the middle you've got woodwind instruments, furniture, playlists, bands and bands, wine and cheese accompaniment and snacks. What is the best way to use pears? You ask me, shoving them in a pancake is the way to go.

Pear Yogurt Pancakes

(printable recipe)

-1 pear, grated (core and all)

-1 cup oats

-1 Tbs. flour

-2 eggs

-1/2 cup Greek yogurt

-3/4 cup Greek yogurt

-1 Tbs. Agave Nectar

1. Grate pear into a large metal bowl. Set aside.

2. Mix 1 cup of oats, flour, eggs, and 1/2 cup of Greek Yogurt in a separate bowl. Add the yogurt and stir until well combined. Mixture should be consistency of pancake batter. If too runny add more flour.

3. Heat a flat, non-stick pan, over medium heat. Drop 1/3 cup of batter onto the pan. Smooth out the pancake (I used the back of the measuring cup). Press down on the pancake periodically with a spatula and heat until browned (about 4-5 minutes). Flip. Press down on pancake until it is the desired thickness. Heat until browned. Remove from heat and stack on a plate. Repeat until entire batter is gone.

4. Mix 3/4 cup of Greek yogurt with Agave nectar. Drop a spoonful on top of the pancakes. Enjoy.

*I plan to try a similar without the yogurt as J-Fur had such an aversion to this she could only muster one bite (of course that meant more for me).

In the same vein as David Bowie and his Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes are the High Dials and their "ch-ch-ch-ch Chinese Boxes." Perfect for pear pancakes because guess what country produces the most pears? You got it, China (and it isn't even close)! The High Dials have a new album, Anthems for Doomed Youth, which was released yesterday. You can get it here.

The High Dials-Chinese Boxes

The Paperfangs have a new single out on EardrumsPop. You can download the entire album at that site. The best track for pancake making? "The Vastest Plain."

The Paperfangs-The Vastest Plains

I don't dig on instrumentals, yet here I am posting my second one in a week. This one, called "Kimota," comes from the Casanova Wave and it makes me feel like I am bounding over Tampa Public Transit Train Tracks (if that existed). Thanks Nialler 9 for this one.

The Casanova Wave - Kimota! by Nialler9

Pancake Perfection Mix: Wormburner, Devin Therriault, Brandi Emma, Tallinn Daggers, Loon Choir, Madison, White Wires, Dyrdin, the Kickdrums and Shrag

"In a big family the first child is kind of like the first pancake. If it's not perfect, that's okay, there are a lot more coming along."

-Antonin Scalia (Supreme Court Justice)

This playlist isn't about those early pancakes. It is about the ones near the end, the ones that through an awesome collision of chemical components wind up round, golden and perfect.

Track Listing:

Wormburner-Pike City Proper
Devin Therriault-You're Mine
Brandi Emma-Let it Go
Tallinn Daggers-Island Phi Ley
Loon Choir -New Forewarnings
Madison-Hot Hot Love

White Wires-Be True to Your School ('Til you get kicked out)
Dyrdin-Prins i alogum

The Kickdrums (featuring Rza)-Perfect World (Remix)
Shrag-Tights in August

Download Playlist Here

(Thanks to Pitchfork, Stereogum, Brooklyn Vegan, Absolut Noise,Triple J Unearthed, KEXP blog, Eardrums, Indie Rock Cafe, the Music Alliance Project, the Devil Has the Best Tuna and the bands for making this mix possible)

The recipe for the Pear Yogurt Pancakes pictured at the top will be posted later due to a lack of time.