So, tomorrow morning, I'm headed off to Seattle for a week. This means that, unless I am attacked by thoughts and cannot sleep, this will be my last update for a week. When I come back, expect a thing about the film festival, which will hopefully translate to a list of films to look out for, and not a general statement of disgust about the state of filmmaking in the world. I'm blaming a lot on the tyranny of old white women in regards to the art-house set. This has more to do with my teachers' taste than anything. I really disagree with them about pretty much everything.

But you know what is good? Music. Holy crap. The upcoming Sufjan Stevens record, Illinois, is very strong for what it is, but the thing to most fill me with excitement is the new Deerhoof EP, Green Cosmos. Most of the lyrics are in Japanese. It sounds like Deerhoof, but the sound palette is expanded to include samples and synths and all kinds of good things. I love it.

What I've heard from the Need New Body record is really good as well. Right now, it's in weird territory, but mostly, it's just such a feel-good record. Just this joyous summertime hoo-hah. It's not a transcendent Neutral Milk Hotel kind of joy, it's a summertime parties on the roof of Philadelphia, eating BBQ and drinking and smoking weed, sun is shining, everybody's funny and enjoyable and all about being awesome. It's happiness more than joy, I suppose, but it's a cartwheel kind of record. So's the Deerhoof EP. I can't do cartwheels. But these records make me want to do them, to express my feelings of happiness. And I mean: there's elements of weirdness to both, because that's the kind of person I am. But there's an emphasis on rhythm and good times. So I vote yes.

Oh, and that Sleater-Kinney record's about to come out, and that's pretty good too. It's a good year for music. But I mean, it's springtime and school's out and sure there's a lot of vibes to any given time, but if you have the vibes conducive to listening to a lot of Need New Body and Deerhoof, it's going to be a good summer.