FiLbo versus Pilbo

A brief post today, mes chers amis, for tonight I must devote all my energies to an odious task: the assembly of an Ikea Pilbo coffee table. Yes, I know, it all sounds so pleasantly bourgeois: "Oh Emily, do come by for a glass of Shiraz and bring us a copy of your latest oeuvre. Miles will be assembling the Pilbo and we would love "Spirit of the Yak: A Photojourney Through Mongolia" to be its inaugural book."

But it's not.

No, I can assure you it will be an interminable night of unbridled rage, gut-knotting frustration, opaque instructional heiroglyphs, sheared screwheads, screaming fits, marital discord, cracked particle board, and blood, all ending in complete, utter, and irredeemable despair. Nevertheless, this is my challenge, my Nemesis for the night, and my loins I am a-girding. With a clear mind and a fully-charged Black & Decker PivotPlus cordless drill/driver at my side, I will take on the Pilbo. But it may very well end up like this:

Black Flag - Nervous Breakdown (buy here)

As an aside, the PivotPlus is a true genius of marketing. It can be configured to look either like a blaster pistol or a lightsaber, thereby allowing us late thirtysomethings to secretly pretend we're both Han Solo and Luke Skywalker while ostensibly doing useful things around the house. And we can feel really confused about our emotions towards Princess Leia.

Before I go (no, no, I'm not procrastinating), I did want to mention that today I visited Zulu (sigh, don't ask how much) and picked up 'Losin' It,' the new release by local band Vancougar. Doesn't that name simply rock?? These four sassy lasses pump out some luscious licks of hooky, edgy power pop with completely sussed lyrics. 'Mine First' skewers a hipster's angst at seeing "their" cherished underground band making it big. And 'Way It's Gon' Be' so perfectly captures the wobbly expectations and frantic projections of a budding relationship

Vancougar - Mine First (buy here)
Vancougar - Way It's Gon' Be (visit them here and here)

And late at night I’ll wake up
And I will touch your hair
Just to make sure that this is real

That’s the way it’s gon’ be

‘Cuz haven’t I waited for years?
And haven’t I paid all my dues in tears?

In the same foray I also purchased Camera Obscura's 'Let's Get Out Of This Country.'

*Sigh*

*Sigh* once more.

And then *sigh* again.

Dear Friends, this is truly a work of splendour and beauty with not a dud or filler track to be found anywhere. Indeed, this piece of shimmery, coy loveliness might be just the ticket to see me unscathed through my impending Pilbo flatpack death match. Speaking of tickets, I picked one up for their July show in Vancouver. Dear Bryce at plasticmusic seems similarly smitten, and he has posted the North American tour dates for the edification of all. And I must offer you this:

Camera Obscura - Country Mile (buy here)
Camera Obscura - Let's Get Out Of This Country (visit them here)

Let's get out of this country
I'll admit I am bored with me

I drowned my sorrows and slept around
When not in body at least in mind

We'll find a cathedral city
You can convince me I am pretty

We'll pick berries and recline
Let's hit the road dear friend of mine

Oh, and one last thing, I promise. I made my inaugural contribution to the Contrast podcast, plus I added my tuppence to Merz the Magnificent's latest community post on the best music of 2006 to date. Please do visit both, if you've not already had enough of me...

Right, I can hear the Pilbo snuffling and wuffling downstairs. Can't put this off any longer (though not a bad effort, considering this was to be a 'short' post). Time to face my fears...