This 'N That: Keyboards, Staying Positive, and More

• My keyboard is currently giving me fits. Occasionally, I'll type a letter, and it simply won't show up. I'm trying to triple-check the spelling on all of this, but I'm sure things will occasionally slip through, and if they do, I can't say I'm altogether concerned about it.

• In Pete news, I was out at Linds' family's cabin for the weekend of the 4th. I got in all the requisite lakeside activities in, such as fishing, cleaning fish, smelling like fish, and getting sunburned. I believe cards were played as well. Fun was had by all.

• While I was at the cabin, I got to hear the Twins play some very exciting baseball, as the Twins swept Cleveland. I really don't want to get ahead of myself, and there's way too much baseball left to be saying this, but I'd like to think that this series (in addition to the series Cleveland played against the White Sox) really crushed their chances of making the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Twins have been playing above their heads for about a month straight now, and as a realistic Twins fan, I realize that shoes will probably be dropping on our heads at some point, but this has been a LOT of fun to watch.

• The Hold Steady's new CD 'Stay Positive' comes out July 14th. Just as a quick spoiler, it's quite good, so I'd encourage anyone who liked their previous stuff to check it out. I would also obviously encourage anyone who doesn't know what I'm talking about to check out 'Boys and Girls in America', their 2006 release. It's just really good, no frills attached, straight-up rock. Besides, Craig Finn is a Twins fan, and really... Twins fans who rock should be given the benefit of the doubt, even if they really never need for it.

• Sigur Rós' new CD, annoyingly titled 'Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust' (roughly translated, it means 'With a Buzz in Our Ears We Play Endlessly') has been out for a bit now. I haven't really had a chance to listen to it enough to come up with a final judgement on it, but for now, I'll say that I really enjoy the first half of the CD, when they're all experimenting with their signature sound (they have some real interesting songs that sound like Animal Collective and Funeral-era Arcade Fire), and only kind of enjoy the second half of the CD. The second half feels like the same stuff we've heard from them for a good many years now, only not quite as memorable. The stuff on the first half is just so interesting and engaging, it sort of makes the second half a letdown. Ah well... I'll keep listening.

• You'll remember that I voiced my displeasure at Universal Records' censorship of Be Your Own Pet's 'Get Awkward' CD. Importing the UK release is still the only option if you want the full package put together as the band intended, with the 3 songs in their original slots (and that has a way of being... expensive). Luckily enough, however, if you desire the 3 culled song in physical format and still desire to have money left over to fuel your car, the band has released the songs on an EP. Get Damaged contains the 3 songs in question, and nothing else; it's also inexpensive enough to actually almost merit picking up.
  
  Universal Records still sucks, though...

You Suck, Universal Records...

I purchased the new Be Your Own Pet CD on Saturday. It's pretty decent, what with the bratty female-fronted noise punk, but I already knew that... I'd downloaded a relatively low-quality leak a few weeks ago, so I had a pretty good idea what I was getting into.

Not quite enough of an idea, it seems...

It seems that 3 of the songs on Get Awkward are 'too violent'. This would usually bother me, anyway, but when one of those tunes happens to be my favorite off of the CD. Well, dammit... you've gone ahead and pissed me right off, you corporate cockflickers. Here's the lyrics to 'Becky':

Doesn't matter anyway, 'cause I've got a brand new friend, OK
Me and her, we'll kick your ass
We'll wait with knives after class!

With bands like Bloodhound Gang, Lil Wayne, and Lindsay Lohan under employment in one form or another by Universal, I'm a bit confused as to why things need to be pared off the album seemingly for no good reason while Bloodhound Gang gets to keep their mind-bogglingly dumb (and giddily profane) music untouched and complete. I mean, what... songs about teenage revenge murders aren't kosher?

So yay, now I get to own a dumbed down, murder-free version of Get Awkward. Hooray for double standards, corporate shenanigans and all-around general idiocy!

Note to Universal Music Group: I'm no dancer, but on that sweet day when no one's buying your products anymore, and the entire music industry moves and leaves you and your old ways in the dust, I think I might cut a jig on your grave.