Ones and 0s - just released!

The new video for Geoff Smith’s Ones and 0s:

Ones and 0s by Geoff Smith from Cali Lewis on Vimeo.

Mean people online have been around pretty much since there was an “online”. Maybe it’s an extension of the growing tendencies I see every day for people to be increasingly rude and arrogant - it seems that message boards and comments are getting worse. But really, it’s pretty easy for anyone to forget that there is a human being behind that site, comment or blog. We get caught up in the heat of the moment or our own egos and just fire away.

I’m not saying we should link arms and sing “Kumbaya” or anything. Just take a second and think, breathe. And remember the person on the other side.

Geek pop

I imagine that a lot of people when asked to link geeks and music would come up with Weezer. Well, it takes a little more than rockin’ the hornrims to reach true musical geekdom. Can they make the HD DVD encryption key danceable? No?

Well, Geoff Smith can.

Digg the Code

See what I mean?

I got to know Geoff’s music through podcasts. His jingles on the Daily Source Code are some great examples - Jersey Todd’s is great (yay, cowbell!) and Comic Strip Blogger’s makes me at least smile every time I hear it. I usually imagine Brian Posehn popping up on the spoken parts. But why in the world would I have this fangirl post categorized under “Apps I Love”?

While it’s not so much an app, RingtoneFeeder is a unique subscription service that delivers fresh ringtones every week for your iPhone. Smith offers vocal and instrumental tracks, all optimized for the best playback on the device. I’ve missed a lot of calls over the last year because I couldn’t hear the ringtone. Since I started my subscription, I have clear, loud tones that make me smile. It’s only 1.98 per month or 19.98 for the year but if you’re still not convinced, there’s a free trial on the site.

Don’t have an iPhone? Don’t despair!

Geoff Smith’s new album, “Ones and 0s”, is available at the RingtoneFeeder site for 14.99. Utilizing the same subscription model, it’s released as a “dynamic album”, meaning you will continue to receive updates for the next year. The initial download gives you the full album, ringtones, a music video and a digital booklet. Bonus materials will come out every two weeks. The album is catchy and, well, happy. It’s no wonder his jingles work so well - the man knows a hook when he hears one and each of the songs on the album show it. You don’t have to be a geek to enjoy the music but it doesn’t hurt. He takes pokes at the RIAA and the DMCA and manages to make tech support sound downright hot. If you like your music the old-fashioned way, you can also find Geoff on Amazon and CDBaby.

100 Classical Pieces for 5.99

Got to give the credit for this one to Scott Kleinberg over at the Chicago Tribune. Heck, I’ll even throw in an Eat n Park smiley cookie!

While I usually like to point you toward free music, I think six cents a track is close enough. iTunes has a CD available that compiles 100 of what they call essential classical pieces. In other words, even if you don’t like classical music, you will probably recognize more than a few of them. And if nothing else, it’s a treasure trove of ringtones.

The operative word here is “pieces” - you’re not getting full recordings. Instead, it’s more of a sampler. That’s OK, really. Saying that a movement of a symphony cannot stand on it’s own is kind of like saying you can’t just listen to “Love, Reign o’er Me” from the Who’s Quadrophenia.

The direct link is here. (Will launch in iTunes.) And if you’re like me and awaiting iPhone news, make sure to stop by Scott’s blog: iPhone, Therefore I Blog.

nine inch nails: the slip

nine inch nails: the slip

More free music from NIN… Made available under creative commons attribution non-commercial share alike license.

Tags: NIN, reznor, theslip

My latest music picks…let me show you them.

I have truly had a ton of nothing going on. It’s been hard enough to come up with 140 characters on Twitter, let alone find enough to blog about. Fortunately, the last week or two has been musically eventful, at least for me.

Today was the release of The Raconteurs’ second album “Consolers of the Lonely”. Their first album, Broken Boy Soldiers”, came out in 2006 and has never left my CD changer. Honestly. I just took my first listen to the new album and while I couldn’t name tracks - I was doing dishes at the time - this one is also destined to be listened to on a loop. Check it out: