Jeff Smack

Why I really love the internet

jsmack — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 01:11:57 +0000

Amid the noise, the static and the memes that everyone thinks they saw first, occasionally you find a moment in time that’s gone largely unnoticed and that you’re so glad you didn’t completely miss. John Prine being John Prine in … Continue reading →

Lousy Smarch Weather

jsmack — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 00:29:06 +0000

Today, I’m actually really enjoying the snow that no one predicted. However, since my mind cross references every bit of speech I hear with a comprehensive mental database of Simpson’s dialog, I’ve been saying “Lousy Smarch weather” under my breath all day for self entertainment.

Not only is it completely applicable to today’s unforetold snow event but it’s a print production and proof reading joke so it feels like a joke that was crafted for me to enjoy. I was really excited to see that there is an excerpt of this exact scene on YouTube. So I will commemorate this late spring snow layer with a “bookmark” blog post.

Rational Soul Music

jsmack — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 20:40:45 +0000

Reposting a momentous meme. This one spoke to me conceptually and immediately conjured questions. Could a Vulcan express himself musically? Music is math but it’s also emotion. Maybe Spock’s “music” is more a mode of expressing encoded meaning. Like morse code with notes for reasonable context. Either way the inherently contrary image sparked my synapses, remixing my nostalgia for 70s music icons with a cold rational sense of extra terrastrial mystery. No matter what Nimoy actually played off set while still dressed as Spock, I’d like to hear it.

Judging from the aesthetic of the photo it may have been Serge Gainsbourg tunes.

Calvin’s Dad is a Cyclist

jsmack — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 19:05:36 +0000

The fact that Calvin’s dad is a cyclist and the insights around that perspective make me love Bill Watterson even more. A friend and riding buddy of mine sent me this link he found on reddit.

Dave Brubeck

jsmack — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 19:29:51 +0000

Brubeck’s Take Five can hit me the right way on the right day and make me laugh audibly from an otherwise disinterested mood. It would be too easy to post that song though, on the day of his passing. So dig … Continue reading →

Black Keys Body Rock

jsmack — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 00:21:30 +0000

I don’t dance. Or rather, I only dance at weddings. This is pretty much exactly how I dance at weddings.

Until the Quiet Comes

jsmack — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 18:24:02 +0000

Flying Lotus made the audio for this short film project by Kahlil Joseph. The video is a beautiful thing. I love it when hiphop obliterates my expectations. Not sure if the video was inspired by music from Flying Lotus’s new album or if the album is a concept piece to support the short film. Chicken/Egg. Looking forward to checking it out further either way.

Heart & Soul & Horns

jsmack — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 21:12:23 +0000

Never knew who Lee Fields was before today. I know now. Wow.

Finish Strong

jsmack — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 19:26:46 +0000

Cleaning out the junk drawers in my hard drive, I found this old freestyle composite from a few years ago. The idea was that a lot of the time people start to make progress they let up on the intensity … Continue reading →

An Honest Interpretation

jsmack — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 15:30:42 +0000

During a late night scour of YouTube for rare reggae recordings, this ukulele adaptation of the Wailers’ “It Hurts to Be Alone” by an unknown, vaguely European fellow presented itself. Regarding the Wailers a bit seriously and tending to disapprove most attempts to repackage or update the music, I was utterly ready to discount what I had not yet seen. This honest little video won me over. I watched it 3 times before deciding it was good and a few more before actually really loving the interpretation. It’s a reinvention that is beautiful, humble and respectful.