Most people I ask these days are at least vaguely familiar with either David Sedaris or his younger sister, Amy. Those who are more fans of David’s work know Amy as his crazy and wildly entertaining sister who tortured their father by wearing half a fat suit home for the holidays, co-wrote plays with him (as The Talent Family), and was his overall accomplice in playing practical jokes on their friends and family.

I knew of Amy before David, from catching her as the amoral ex-con/junkie/prostitute Jerri Blank on Strangers With Candy. I was immediately captivated by the freakshow that is Flatpoint High School, home of the Concrete Donkey. I was also amazed by how pretty Amy Sedaris is without the fatsuit/makeup/schlumpy look. The show is in the format of the beloved after-school special, each episode ending with a lesson learned, often times the wrong one. For example, in an episode about eating disorders, Jerri learns that it’s OK to be anorexic because then people will pay attention to you. In the episode “Who Wants Cake?” (possibly my favorite), after much research and advice-seeking, Jerri discerns that it’s okay to snitch on the suspected retarded girl in class, because “if provoked, she could fly into a rage with the strength of an ape and no remorse, not even a bullet could bring her down”.

Oh lawdy, this show is highly offensive and politically incorrect, which is why I watch it. No one is safe from insult, whether Jerri is writing in her “dirty Jew diary”, or constantly comparing to her Filpino friend, Orlando to a monkey (see below). The writers of SWC (Paul Dinello, Stephen Colbert, and Amy) relish in the act of Schadenfreude, pleasure felt at someone else’s misfortune-”Laughter through the tears,” in the words of Amy. Here are some of the show’s finer gems:

-”It’s unthinkable, the atrocities that the Native Americans committed against the buffalo. No one is certain what exactly the Native Americans did to the poor creatures, but whatever it was, it caused the buffalo to become so depressed, that when the white men came, the buffalo committed suicide by jumping in front of the white men’s muskets.”

-”Orlando, you can’t be a pilgrim. The pilgrims had snowy white skin to match their pure Christian souls. They didn’t sacrifice coconuts to their monkey gods.”

-”Greeks are just Jews without money!”

-”Let’s go watch some gay porn so we can get our hate back.”

-”You know, I cried when I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet. And then I laughed…really hard.”

One of the primary inspirations for the show, and for the main character was a 1970 documentary called “The Trip Back”, which featured a 50-year-old former junkie whore named Florrie Fisher lecturing a group of high school students about the perils of drug use. And yes, any resemblance of Fisher to Jerri Blank is intentional.

The film version premiered at Sundance in 2005, as a sort of ‘prequel’ to the TV show. The plot was sloppy, production was delayed multiple times, and the budget appeared to be teeny-weeny, but most SWC devotees (myself included) still enjoyed it.

This show was grotesquely hilarious and deliciously offensive, and its run was cut way too short. Apparently Comedy Central was disappointed with its less than South Park stellar ratings, even though it quickly built a cult following, whose fans included the likes of Janeane Garofalo, Winona Ryder, and David Cross (who all made guest appearances on the show). It’s a bit like the car crash that you can’t take your eyes off of…if the car was full of handicapped albino dwarfs that also happened to be white supremacists with eating disorders. I now leave you with these wise words…

“Packing a Musket” by Jerri Blank.

When you work from your home and johns call on the phone, you’re a call girl.

When you walk ’til you limp and give a cut to a pimp, you’re a street whore.

When they’re beggin’ you please to get down on your knees near their groinage, excusa me, but you see, don’t you touch where they pee without coinage.

When I straddle and squat, to show you my…

I miss this show.

Presenting the best white guy with a black guys voice since Adam Levine, Sam Sparro.

His album drops June 24th if you still buy CDs but you might want to snatch up a Vinyl of this because you will be playing it at your dance parties!

This is the kind of album that people will dance to and fall in love with each other. Wear a condom, kids; I don’t want to see a dance-inspired baby boom.

The singles “Black & Gold”(download) and “21st Century Life” will be the ones that suck you in. They’ve been spinning all over L.A. radio for the past month and I didn’t even figure out who it was until last week. This kids voice has an amazing soul quality reminiscent of the 70’s heavies! Hear for yourself…[myspace]. And he’s only 25. Jealous?

The Hump & Grind Rhythm and Synths in “Cottonmouth” will get you sweaty. “Recycle It!” is like an 80s PSA gone mad! “Clingwrap” eats a Parliment groove and throws enough Prince and Michael Jackson synths to choke a 10-year-old. This whole album plays to my vintage Roland Synth fetish in all the right places.

This record is CHRONIC! Apparently Mr.Sparro did a “Secret Show” at the Echo the other night but I missed it because of some minor alcohol poisoning and the accompanying personal guilt. I will be enjoying this album with a maximum of 3 drinks. What have I become… really!?

No shots please.

Video for Black & Gold.

I, being from Nebraska, am a huge fan of The Faint. Luckily they are touring through L.A. doing 2 nights at the Fonda. I just might have to see them both. And after 4 years of waiting …a new record!

Press Release:
A culmination of nearly four years of writing and recording, Omaha quintet, The Faint are preparing to release their fifth album, Fasciinatiion, on August 5 on the band’s own newly-formed label, blank.wav. Working on their own without any time constraints, the songs went through many recorded incarnations before finding their final forms. The result is the best album in the band’s career, a record that is the purest culmination of The Faint’s brilliant musical instincts, ideas and aesthetic, with each member contributing equally to its creation.

My first exposure to Priscilla Ahn was through sheer coincidence. Early Last year I was working for a band who happened to be playing a little benefit show in an exotic home interiors store in Eagle Rock. The opener was the featherweight Phoebe Cates (or yes, Winnie Cooper) stand-in Ms.Ahn. With her guitar and handful of toys and gadgets she made the space her own little world. Her songs transported me into to a place that you’d think only she’d been. But what really slayed me was the delicate orchestra coming off of one small person. With the aide of a Boss loop station pedal she made enough music to fill 3 coffee houses. So of course I’d wondered what it would sound like if she actually had a full band behind her.

Flash forward a year to the night of the release of her debut album A Good Day, where Priscilla and her parlor full of band members took the stage of the Hotel Café. The house was packed with a surprisingly high contingency of asian fans (role model?) and some buzz seeking industry and media reps. I joined a photo pit of about 7 packed into the small corner off stage left and prepared to be destroyed with a feather.

Priscillas stage persona is a tiny ball of artisitic elation, at once nervous and as comfortable as if she were singing to herself…which she eventually did (in loops). The room was stuffy but a cool breeze flowed from the opening numbers of Priscillas set with “Wallflowers” and the Dylan/Lennon Harmonica infused “I don’t think so”. She beamed as she announced the albums release and proclaimed that she was going to “play the whole damn thing”. Which she nearly did… minus the albums’ title track. Her co-penned song “Astronaut” stuck out of the middle of her set just as it does on the album with a storytellers jumble of The Ditty Bops meets “Mr. Kite”.

Even the smallest band would feel crowded on the Hotel Café’s Stage, but veterans such as bandleader/producer/mentor Joey Waronker played to perfection and drove songs like “Red Cape” beyond what the very capable Ahn could do solo. As I was debating the merits of her work with a band and solo Ahn broke out her ukulele for “Find My Way Back Home” and proved how absolutely powerful she could be with just 4 strings and no accompaniment.

But what makes a Priscilla Ahn show is the personality transferred through her storytelling. Debatably the most beautiful song in her cadre is “Lullaby” which comes with a wonderful story about small town escapism and unqualified local policemen; sealed with her Joni Mitchell to Delores O’Riordan vocal outro. As the set was winding down she also shared her story of Willie Nelson’s reaction to her cover of “Opportunity to Cry” before launching into the song with folk swing.

The evening was capped with her “Dream” of a new single which builds to a peak with a looped armada of perfectly harmonized siren calls from Ahn. The added layers of Upright Bass, Drums, Keys, Electric Guitar and Two Cellos pushed this showstopper to the brink of spiritual enlightenment.

The assumed Encore and closer was the kazoo soloed “The Boob Song”, an older fixture of her set with more great storytelling and playful teenage introspection. A fun close to a great set, Priscilla Ahn is full of promise and potential. She radiates a joy in creation and performance that you won’t see too often in bitter, navelgazing hipsters on dark stages in Silverlake. Although my shirt was sticking to my back and the Hotel Café had to be its typical high 80s climate, I felt refreshed by this show as if i’d just walked through the rain.

9.4/10

Wootie woo! Its time for another AvantTrash contest! This time we have teamed up with Filter Magazine to bring you into the world of The Republic Tigers! Hailing from Kansas City, the Tigers emerged from the ashes of Golden Republic and have been adding steam to their buzz train with a performance last Thursday on Letterman and an upcoming tour with Nada Surf! AliUptown herself of this very blog will be catching them June 8th at Ribfest in Chicago we suggest you do the same should they meander into your areas*.

Here is your chance to pick up their lovely new album Keep Color** as well as an awesome DAKINE Messenger Bag. This isn’t Target stuff, this is fancy bag you want to throw your iPods, Obama Buttons and Moleskine SketchBooks in and strap to your bagless vegan/indie/hipster butt.

There will be 2 winners for this contest:
- First Prize gets and autographed copy of the CD Keep Color along with a Republic Tigers T-Shirt.
- Grand Prize takes a copy of Keep Color as well as the DAKINE Medic Street Series over-the-shoulder travel bag, a favorite of The Republic Tigers. It retails for $60 if that makes you want to win it even more.

So get ready to roll up your right pant leg and ride your fixie down to the Pure Luck cause here comes the CONTEST!

The last contest was easy, this contest is an education! We want you to be smart enough to put some books into your brand new bag. The Republic Tigers hail from Kansas City, close to our old neck of the woods. And knowing what Midwest pride is all about I have decided to show you 4 pieces of Kansas City Paraphernalia (spellcheck, are you sure thats how thats supposed to look?) and all YOU have to do is NAME WHAT IS PICTURED (click to enlarge) and you’ll be entered to win! Send your answers to contest@avanttrash.com and 2 winners will be drawn and quartered at random after the contests’ end at 11:59pm PST on Sunday, June 1st. Here we go:

1. SUBJECT: ARTS & HUMANITIES

2. SUBJECT: SPORTS

3. SUBJECT: CURRENT EVENTS

4. SUBJECT: HISTORY

BONUS: THE FUTURE

Good Luck and stay tuned for reviews and photos from a long Memorial Day weekend!

—–
*Your geographic areas, not your other areas.
Republic Tigers Tour Dates:
MAY
28 Mt. Pleasant, SC - Village Tavern
29 Chapel Hill, NC - Local 506 w/The Helio Sequence
30 Athens, GA - Center Stage Theatre #
31 Jacksonville, FL - Jack Rabbits #
JUNE
1 Orlando, FL - The Social #
2 Miami, FL - Studio A #
3 St. Petersburg, FL - State Theatre #
5 Nashville, TN - Mercy Lounge #
6 Memphis, TN - TBA #
7 St. Louis, MO - Bluebird #
8 Chicago, IL - Ribfest Chicago #
9 Indianapolis, IN - The Music Mill #
10 Columbus, OH - The Basement #
11 Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom & Tavern #
# w/ Nada Surf

**As heard on KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic, Grey’s Anatomy, Gossip Girl and wherever modern alternative rock radio knows whats good for them.

I haven’t done a food post in a while. So after seeing Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s in the far away land of Echo Park tonight (Thanks for the ride back Shawn, Ollie and Brad) I made it back to Hollywood to catch a rare acoustic performance by The Used. And after a drinking a couple PBR’s at a nearby party to forget that last event I stopped by a hotdog purveyor just north of cherokee (or some shit) to be sure to try every shitty hot dog vendor in Hollywood. I tried arab Jay’s Hot Dog tonight and they don’t even come close to the little latino ladies’ wieners. And it took forever! So now you know. Or just go to Pink’s. At 3am its not that long of a line as the bar rush will have died down.

Or just drink a glass of water and go the fuck to bed like you probably should.

3 Reviews, Photos and a Contest coming in the next couple days.

I find their name insulting, maybe. Like I don’t know, people get off work at 5 O’Clock? It reminds me that I have shitty hours and they probably lay around all day being British doing cocaine and getting free clothes.

Who

There will be a very loud crash when this one stops.

L.A.’s Pennsylvania-transplant Songbird Priscilla Ahn doesn’t seem intimidated by a city full of singer-songwriters. Her album is confident and honest. Her voice is light and young but with hints of adulthood that have creeped in between her new full-length release A Good Day (out June 10 on Blue Note) and her previous EP. Her songs like lucid dreams take their time in delivering their message which could help it to hold up on repeated listenings.

The whimsy of the album reaches it’s peak with the song-story “Astronaut” which listeners might find in the vein of the Ditty Bops with its “Being For The Benefit of Mr.Kite” instrumentation. It follows like a cloud with “Lullabye” which features some of the loveliest vocals on the record. Her voice would be like mixing a milkshake of Keren Ann and Delores O’ Riordan in a blender with some tiny smooth pebbles for texture. But like many albums. the A-side is the strongest while it’s B-side remains passable thanks mostly to a cover of Willie Nelson’s “Opportunity to Cry” and the albums titular closer. But this is by no means a weak showing.

Last month I’d recommended you keep an eye on her and after hearing the new album, i mean it. The musicianship is clean with a sound thats layered but not overproduced thanks to notorious hired gun drummer/producer Joey Waronker. (Beck, R.E.M.)

No doubt Priscilla Ahn will be involved in some heavy touring to promote A Good Day, should the opportunity present itself, go see her! More than likely she will be headlining within a year. Rating: 7.5/10

It’s been a while since I freed the beast and I’ve been asked whats up a few times lately so here is a drop on some new shizzle thats been buzzing in my ear&brain lately.

Word from SXSW this year is that ex-Test Icicle contributor’s Devonte Hynes project Lightspeed Champion is set to explode. This kid is talented and right in line with all of that sloppy britindie (i’m sure this word has been used before but i havent heard it so i’m claiming it in the name of the queen.) coming out lately. He is also uber-linked to Omaha-Saddle Creek which instantly wins points in my book. (Unless you are only on the label because your brother is talented.)

By boy Brady introduced me to his friends in The Devil’s Orchestra sometime in the middle of last year. I caught a couple shows and some rehearsals and recently I saw them at Cinespace here in the ‘hood and the audience response was kinda nuts. Beyond blaming Cocaine which is a distinct possibility I think these kids are something for the metal motherfuckers to check out. It’s a little bit Rush, a little bit of the Sword/Dragonforce thing and some of that Dog Fashion Disco random circus/jazz breakdown thing. All 3 band members are pretty killer players. Warning: Instrumental.

I tried to buy She & Him tickets this week but April 29th @ the Vista in Los Feliz show was already sold out. Thankfully they booked a 2nd date. She & Him consists of 1 parts Zooey Deschanel on Vocals and some piano and 1 part My Morning Jacket slinger M.Ward on guitars and arrangements. Zooey’s voice is adorable and holds up pretty well but at times pushes a little too heavily on the Billie Holliday sound. I won’t hold it against her because the songs are pretty good in comparison to Rilo Kiley’s most recent effort. The album is a bit schizophrenic much as Coconaut Records was but M.Ward totally gives this record the cred and sophistication it needed. I caught M.Ward last year opening for Bright Eyes at the Hollywood Bowl and was floored. His show the blew old farts Yo La Tengo back to the grunge revivalist carpool they belong in. Besides, Is there anything hotter than a blue-eyed brunette?

Ok maybe one thing hotter, Kate Micucci. She is a one woman Renaissance festival. Very creative, maybe…too creative. As in, so creative it would make the world jealous to listen to all that she can do (Art, Music, Acting, Being Nice). I saw and met her in a Barbeque Joint in Chinatown during a no-audience stand up show. Besides the performers there were 2 people there, who eventually left when they finished their meal. So i guess for a little while the employees and I were the whole audience. But SHE WAS AMAZING! She played ukulele and with her diminutive yet powerful voice she sang these adorable, and funny, yet deep and endearing songs. Wait, I mentioned she played Ukulele right? Write this name down.

Priscilla Ahn: clean, pure like irish spring. I caught her show last year at a benefit for a private school for overly believed in children and she was great. She layered her sound with the aid of a Boss loop station (a la KT Tunstall) and was so lovely. She has since been signed, made an album, and will be destroying America’s hearts with the Hotel Cafe tour. I will drop another Hotel Cafe name and tell you about Jim Bianco. This guy is like Tom Waits for the DMB/Jack Johnson set. but dont mishear me, he is really like neither of them, he is the kind of music that you need to hand a copy of to fans of mom-rock to steer them over to more dangerous sounds. I saw him at the Hotel Cafe with Butch Walker, Cary Brothers and Pink guest and he blew everyone away, for real. His music will molest your ears. Butch is still beyond amazing and has a new project called 1969.

So now you have a ton of shit to download and get your spring started right. And I have to go to bed because I’ve been getting to work 15 minutes late everyday for the last 3 months and everyday try to not do so. *sigh* Futility.

I found out about these guys through the Gibson website. They are called Tokio Hotel, they are 13-years-of age and damned if at first glance of this promo pic I didnt think their lead singer was a chick. And admittedly a hot one. (It took 10 seconds to figure that out.) I realize this makes me sound a bit like a gay pedophile but I swear I saw 10 girls at the Roxy this weekend who must go to the same stylist. They probably went in to their overpriced shop and told their official gay that they wanted the 13-year-old german emo-boy look.

The music is cheeseball post-glam emo-numetal and not my cup of manic panic but its pretty amazing that they are only 13 years old. Take that, Silverchair 1996! If they are making this crap now then they will either burn out in puberty or take the world by storm in 2012.*

*Just in time for the Apocalypse. Maybe their grandfathers in Rammstein will play the closing ceremony.

Vampire Weekend is blowing up pretty big here on the West Coast thanks largely to their heavy rotation on indie 103.1 as of late. I’m actually pretty glad to know that the midwest is getting some exposure to them as well. Bless Myspace. Their Self-Titled Album is full of upbeat ska/island-influenced Brooklyn hipsterness. The singles “A Punk” and “Mansard Roof” are a good place to start of course. Despite being a slim 4-piece band, the record is full of tasty bite-sized classical string arrangements; i’ll be inclined to check them out live to see what they do to supplement this small but crucial part of their songs. This album is either a bit schitzophrenic or just a lovely little paradox. Its simple, yet lush; its very chill, but gets pretty dancable. This album is very, very East Coast with songs like “Boston”, “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa” and “Walcott”; maybe this will gain some points for the East Coast to make up for how lame the last Interpol record was.

My fav. song so far seems to be the last track on the album “The Kids Don’t Stand A Chance”.

—–

The “band” from the other coast you should check out is Coconut Records which is the product of Jason Schwartzman (formerly of Phantom Planet, actor: Rushmore, I ? Huckabees). His album Nighttiming is also very cute and accessable yet twice as schitzophrenic as the Vampire Weekend Record. It does some heavy borrowing from a very traditional alternative sound, dare I say even Weezer-esqe at times? I said it. And don’t forget I also said “at times” because please note that this album has a bit of an identity crisis, not that its necessarily a bad thing. Then again, I haven’t met an actor out here yet that wasn’t half nutters. So far the banger for me on this record is, “Minding My Own Business” and the current single “West Coast” which has a very similar taste to Phantom Planet’s “California” (which is admittedly still my first morning alarm). If you want the “If you like ____ then you’ll like this album” then i’d say Rilo Kiley/The Elected fans will definitely dig it. Its important to note that some of the gems on this record come from the talents of Zooey Deschanel (who is beyond gorgeous) and also Kirsten Dunst (who was hovering around me during the Stooges set at SXSW last year and in person looks like Gollum). This album is short (maybe 30-40 mins?) but sweet as Schwartzman has left out a lot of the pointless intros and excessive choruses that seem to be clutter up all too many recent “indie” records. He stretches for the cred, but not too far and comes up successfully with a very genuine piece of work.

Margot & the Nuclear So and So’s have been named one of Spin’s bands to watch this year. I caught their performance at SXSW last year and it blew me away. I have long ago been hardened by the malaise of catching way too many shows but the magic was definitely there with these guys. Its a little folk with a touch of the indie orchestra. Most of what I was told about them consisted of rumors that someone heard while staying at their Indianapolis commune (of sorts). Half truths like: “They have bunk beds stacked to the ceiling and sleep 9 to a room.”, “They all fuck” and the best was “Their percussionist is always TRIPPING!” During the live show his very energetic and interpretive dance seemed to be evidence enough to support that claim.

Rumors or no, the fact is that they are amazing on record as well as live. Get their 2006 album, “Dust of Retreat” Another one is coming soon (being finished as we speak).