I gots myself a write-up in the Willamette Week! In the music calendar section, they had this to say about the Backspace show on Monday:

[RIDICULOUS POP] Local songwriter Alex Arrowsmith certainly isn’t light on corniness — not to mention They Might Be Giants emulation — on Missing Briefcase, the album he celebrates the release of tonight. But regardless of his sometimes overly in-your-face quirk, Arrowsmith is funny and charming and awkward in the same sort of way a weird childhood friend is. But awkward or no (Mayhaw Hoons, the crazy-haired bass-playin’ guy from the Shaky Hands, raps on one track, for crissakes), Arrowsmith is darn catchy on tunes like “The Zaps” — which, according to his one-sheet’s “useless trivia” section, is about Zoloft withdrawal — and “High Speed Chase,” which tries to legitimize his creation of a Wikipedia entry for local news anchor Jeff Gianola. Missing Briefcase walks a fine line between good-ridiculous and bad-ridiculous (and, oh, what a fine line it is), but Arrowsmith sometimes hints of Ben Folds or Fountains of Wayne — employing a smart sense of humor and lots of key-heavy pop hooks, which certainly isn’t a bad place to start. AMY MCCULLOUGH.

Squeeee. That rules. I always find it interesting to see how my obvious non-coolness comes across in a scene where coolness is the norm. Thanks mucho mucho Amy, wherever you may be, among the angels and flying unicorns!

Don’t forget to come to my all-ages release show at Backspace on Monday! Then come and get trashed at my sinful 21+ release party on the 22nd. It’s gonna be a one-two punch that will leave you begging for one more uppercut.

And buy my album!!!!!!!!! Order MISSING BRIEFCASE from CD Baby.

Rabid

I found out just a couple of days ago that The Today Show used “Fondue” (from 2002′s A Bunch of Songs) during a segment on… fondue. It was broadcast on February 28, but I just found out about it (from my ASCAP statement). I can’t believe AL ROKER has heard my velvety 19-year-old vocals! I’ve really made it now. I should be touring with FEIST.

So the lesson to be learned is: write songs about obscure nouns.

Well, actually, fondue isn’t even that obscure. I don’t know why no one else has written songs about it. It’s freaking delicious.

Noisily,
Alex

APPLEWINE REVIEW WATCH: The music blog Grave Concerns reviewed Applewine a couple of weeks ago, and I just stumbled across it. It’s a really good one too — insightful, interesting, and the reviewer (Matthew Johnson) seems to have really gotten it. Gaggles of thanks to Grave Concerns for that luverly piece of press! Here’s an excerpt:

Arrowsmith would be easy to write off as a silly song kind of guy, but he’s got a strong enough pop sensibility that even blatantly comical offerings like “I Hope You’re Never Crushed by Something Heavy” and “Coldplay Got Eaten by Piranhas” will get stuck in your head, but not in an irritating way like “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer.” No, you’ll be happy when they get stuck in there, like Beatles songs. Geeky, geeky Beatles songs.

Read the rest here.

In other news, I’m itching to play some shows. Care to scratch my itch? Maybe put some aloe on it…?

Whirly,
Alex

Well I just stumbled across this while ruthlessly googling myself: a review of my June show at the Main St. Ale House opening for Jackie Swift! A website called Positively Entertainment wrote about it. Pretty cool — I don’t think I’ve really had a show review yet. Here’s an excerpt:

During his rendition of Missing Briefcase ["Nuke Song" actually --Alex], he laid on the floor still playing his guitar holding it above his chest, while kicking his feet like he was doing the dying cockroach. A couple of his other tunes are Welcome to the Jungle and Shark Shrapnel, equally ludicrous, yet hilarious.

I WISH I could say that “Welcome to the Jungle” was written by me, but unfortunately, it wasn’t (it was actually Piston Tulip or something… don’t remember). But I’m taking the song back. In any case, I thought it was worth mentioning. Click here to read it on your WebTV.

Sorry for the lack of updates lately — I’ve been very busy with moving and serving jojos for The Man. But as usual, I’m not lying dormant; I’m a musical Mt. St. Helens [10 points for regional reference --Ed.]. In album news, I’ve been hatching a few more musical eggs for Missing Briefcase (“Hoes,” “There May Be A Place,” “Waiting While Sleeping,” y mas), and I had Mayhaw Hoons finally record his raps on the new age hip-hop tour de force “Still Pushin.” In fact, I liked his parts so much that I had to re-record all of my own vocals to rise to the occasion. If there’s anything Mayhaw Hoons knows, it’s upping the ante. If there’s anything he knows even more, it’s uppercutting an anteater.

Tritely,
Alex

The illustrious and lustrous Casey Jarman at the Willamette Week was apparently so moved by my new video and song “Going Insane For The McCain Campain” that he posted an open letter to me on the WW website. “Listening to it,” Casey writes, “was the most painful two minutes and fifty-eight seconds of my life (except that time I sprained my ankle after letting go of a rope swing).” What I find amazing about that is that he was in pain for two minutes and fifty-eight seconds after he sprained his ankle! What are the chances? I think we need to address the synchronicity of that coincidence.

Anyway, thanks to Casey for posting about my song. It seems that “McCain Campaign” accomplished exactly what it set out to do, and for that I giggle maniacally. So if YOU haven’t seen that geniusly annoying (or annoyingly genius?) video, please do so now. It’s your homework. And today’s good deed.

Adam Taylor has a posse!

Frothily,
Alex

Well! I have yet another review to report, this one for Applewine (remember that, 2006?). The fine folks at music-reviewer.com gave me a great, thoughtful review and a 7/10 rating. Here is a taster:

This diverse mix of songs proves Arrowsmith is an eclectic songwriter that refuses to be pigeonholed . . . The songwriting is genius.

Click here to read the whole review, then have some crackers and clam dip. Please?

Adverbly,
Alex

A couple of older songs by me (Alien Jump Rope Party and Surgeon) were featured as the Tastes of the Day over at Eartaste. Here’s a taster (of the Eartaste):

These two songs do not remind me of zappa except in the aspect that to describe the songs will not ever do them justice. Even sharing the lyrics could give away the whole party. Okay, I’ll share a bit — Alien Jump Rope Party begins with a warning of “Siesta and a fiesta on an alien mother ship.”

Go to the Eartaste realm to read the rest for yourself. Thanks to Rich at Eartaste for delving into the 2002 me to share some tasty Arrowsmithian morsels for the rest of humanity (except the scientists stationed in Antarctica).

Shirley,
Alex

The Willamette Week’s website featured myself today for their “Cut Of The Day”! Not only did Mr. Casey Jarman review “Nuke Song” from my forthcoming album, but he also made mention of my latest YouTube sensation “Bomb Iran.” Awwwwwesome! Much thanks to Casey and the Willy Week for the kind words, prepositions, adjectives, sentences and paragraphs! Click here to read.

In Missing Briefcase news, I now have nine songs done. I wrote a couple more in the last week (“Still Pushin’” and “Secret Catastrophe”) that I may end up recording. I plan on using my magical musical funnel to tame and temper them onto a hard disk recording machine soon. I may wear elf ears while doing so.

Ghostly,
Alex