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’ve started mixing Missing Briefcase in earnest! It’s gotten to the point where it feels complete, and all the songs are there. In fact, if anything, I could cut another song. I’m really trying hard to keep the album concise and lean. I think Applewine definitely could have had three or four songs cut from it, but you know, it’s hard to kill your babies and everything. I’ve been practicing infanticide quite intensely with MB, though. In any case, I’m hoping to get it all wrapped up and mixed in two or three weeks (which may be optimistic), and then I’m considering getting it mastered somewhere. I usually do that myself, but I’m starting to feel the limitations in my own mastering powers, so I would like to hand that off to someone else who actually knows what they’re doing. Once that’s done, then I’ll be on track to finishing the packaging and getting it manufactured. But even then, that’s ONLY THE BEGINNING, as I have yet to figure out my publicity plan (as well as a possible tour). Missing Briefcase should be available by the New Year though, hopefully. It’ll be worth it; it’s been a year in the works, which is longer than I’ve ever spent writing/recording an album, and I’m really happy with how it’s turned out. It is musical flapjacks.

“BOMB IRAN” HIT WATCH: I just noticed that “Bomb Iran” broke 15,000 views a day or two ago. Man, it sure is the life being a minor YouTube celebrity (Willamette Week’s words, not mine).

Perversely,
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