today’s notebook (6/22)

started my day with some npr live concert podcasts. the first was a boston band called passion pit. they’re getting lots of buzz right now, but i don’t enjoy them. saw them play at the middle east downstairs, in cambridge, ma, last year. i just found them to be an unpleasant mash of too many synthesizers, and a singer who wanted to rock a falsetto, but doesn’t quite have the power or nuance to make it any fun at all. just not my thing, i suppose. and i just listened to the new single – very nicely produced, but still boring.

i quickly hopped over to an allen toussaint performance, and i’m totally blown away. i see marc ribot is on guitar for this (long-time tom waits collaborator and brilliant guitarist), and they just played ’st. james’ infirmary,’ an all-time favorite of mine.