SYP Says

Best Songs of 2007: Week of 12/3-12/10: The Last Song by Camera Obscura

"The Last Song" by Camera Obscura

Scottish indie band, Camera Obscura,  is oft compared to Belle and Sebastian. I actually like the former better. Wistful pop, I like to call it, and perfect for the last month of the year when you might be wondering just where the time went, what you actually accomplished, and whether or not you need that second single malt.

Couldn't find a video of "The Last Song," so this video for "Tears for Affairs" (another song on the EP of the same name) will have to do.

Falafel in Medford and Ashland, Oregon

I know this is a very specific post, interesting to probably only a handful of people, however, weirdly I have been getting traffic from the keyword, so I thought I'd post what I know and hope that if I've missed any, you'll let me know. If you are a transplant from a place that has more food diversity than Southern Oregon does, you probably will appreciate this post. :)

In Medford, I only know one place that has felafel and they don't have it consistently. Call ahead to find out.

• Celena's Grill: 908 Chevy Way, 541 770 1674

In Ashland, I know two places with felafel and they are both very good.

• Happy Falafel: 1690 Ashland Street, 541 552 0715
• Pilaf's: 18 Calle Guanajuato, 541 488 7898

Here's a falafel recipe for you, courtesy of Cooking.com.

Don't know what falafel is? Find out here.

Radiohead Cover

I'm in a Smiths mood. Here's Radiohead doing an awesome cover of The Headmaster Ritual courtesy of Sean Smith!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjnGESlRNXk

Best Songs of 2007: Week of 11/26-12/3: I Know It's Over by Jeff Buckley

"I Know It's Over" by Jeff Buckley 

Jeff Buckley gorgeously covering a classic by The Smiths on the recently released (and otherwise underwhelming) compilation So Real: Songs from Jeff Buckley. Buy this tune, skip the rest if you already own Grace. 'Nuff said.

Video of The Smiths performing the song live at the London Palladium.

Diedrich Bader in Calvin Marshall

Jeff and I are having a quiet Sunday dinner tonight at Chateaulin, a French bistro in Ashland (good food and owned by a New Yorker, of course), when I hear him yell an enthusiastic hello across the room to a guy sitting at a table alone. The man comes over and shakes our hands while Jeff introduces me. "I'm sorry...who are you again?" I say dumbly, thinking this was just another friend of Jeff's. Nope, turns out this is Diedrich Bader, Oswald from "The Drew Carey Show" and Napoleon Dynamite. I was really impressed that Jeff knew his name, but anyway, Diedrich was super friendly and he has done some great work over the years.

Diedrich's in town shooting a baseball film called Calvin Marshall that will be out next year. The movie's being shot in Ashland and Medford and brings Gary and Anne Lundgren of Broken Sky Films back to the Rogue Valley where they shot the award-winning short "Wow and Flutter."

I could have kicked myself afterwards because I should have mentioned to him that I'm on the advisory board of the Ashland Independent Film Festival and it would be really cool to have him and the director back for a screening of the movie next year. I have no excuse whatsoever because earlier today I met Anne Ashbey for coffee. She's in charge of the Internet group at Harry and David, a fellow Council member, and the person who got me involved with the AIFF. Oh well, even I have a brain lapse once in a while. :)

Here's the article about Calvin Marshall that was in today's paper.