olivve-01

[olivve-01]

Music Haul 05/14/2025

not that anyone will read this, but i wanted to share some of the cool stuff i found record hunting today! this was the culmination of three different record stores because one is never enough.

from left to right, top to bottom

They Might Be Giants - Birdhouse In Your Soul - 1989 (Vinyl)

Out of the three record stores I went to, only one had anything TMBG, and it was this promotional single for Flood with an Elektra sleeve. I quickly grabbed it from its hidden location in the back. I find it neat that it's a promotional single, and on the record itself it says "for promotional use only, not for sale," so I wonder where this vinyl used to get played at before it ended up at a small, Midwestern record shop. TMBG are one of my top five favorite bands, so finding any physical media of theirs out in the wild had me kicking my feet in joy.

Arcade Fire - Her - 2019 (Vinyl)

This is my all-time favorite movie. I've been seeing this one float around Barnes & Noble for a while at a ridiculous price, so I was ecstatic to have found the vinyl for a deal. a beautiful piece of minimalist piano that coincides perfectly with the industrial and technological world of Her. It changed the way I view love and human connection, and I'm glad to finally own something physical of a piece of art that fundamentally changed me as a person.

Townes Van Zandt - Townes Van Zandt - 2007 (Vinyl)

This is a reissue and remaster of the original 1969 album and introduced me to country music outside of the slop on the radio. I find every track so harrowing, and Van Zandt's vocals croon in such a way that makes my heart ache. He's one of the best songwriters to ever live, and what he makes country music is what people should know and recognize country by. For the Sake of the Song is one of my all-time favorite tracks. I ADORE this record. Joan Baez - The First Ten Years - 1970 (Vinyl) I found what I believe to be an original pressing of her compilation album hidden in a stash of folk music records underneath a table. After watching A Complete Unknown, I fell in love with her voice. She has incredible voice control and resonance in her tone, giving it sweet and addicting qualities. This album has a few folk songs I'm quite fond of, and I do think her cover of Don't Think Twice, It's Alright is better performed than the original version (sorry, Bob). The Devil and Daniel Johnston - 2005 (DVD)

It was a surprise to see this hanging out in the DVD section of a vinyl store. I do like this documentary, but I have a fair few criticisms on how it portrays Daniel's very real and very complex mental illness. It's by no means perfect, but Daniel Johnston is one of my favorite artists, and I think I was so shocked to see a physical version of this still floating about. There is nobody like Johnston, and there never will be. We need more unapologetic music in the world. Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV - 1971 (Cassette)

This was one of the first albums I ever owned on vinyl. While it may not be my personal favorite Zeppelin album, it is undoubtedly one of their best. I remember listening to When the Levee Breaks over and over again on the bus in high school thinking I was hot shit. Excited to own this one on cassette! Phoebe Bridgers - Punisher - 2020 (Cassette)

I found this one used at a hick record shop, and we instantly made eye contact among the cassettes of corny 80's rock bands and heavy metal. The cassette is a slimy, translucent green color, which I find cool. Although I'm not as obsessed with Phoebe as I was in high school, her music has been formative for my coming-of-age journey, and I will never miss an opportunity to pick up a personal era-defining piece of art.

[olivve-01]

i don't have social media anymore but i wanted a space to say shit without having an algorithm shoved down my throat so here i am

[olivve-01]

Hi! As a huge film nerd who always wants to hear about others movie taste, what are some films you hold near and dear to your heart? Any recommendations?

JF: John L. has expressed a fondness for "downward spiral" films--I guess the ones that have unhappy endings, along with films that have very little or no incidental music. I remember talking about the Cohen Brothers films, specifically Barton Fink and later Inside Llewyn Davis and how refreshing it is to hear a story (Fink) that doesn't set up the artist as demonstrably great and maybe even mediocre, but just appreciated by an audience, or in the case of Llyewyn Davis, where the filmmakers are essentially neutral on presenting the protagonist's talent (as viewers Davis seems viable maybe even compelling, but audiences within the film are again just kind of mid on him)

I have come to the realization that while I don't enjoy movies categorically (while a lot of my friends would rather be watching any movie than not watching a movie) I do especially enjoy pre-code films ('31-'34?) made for adults. They are so fun and sharp and dirty. They really make you realize what a phony filter the code put across movies from that preceding era.