Sunday, August 28, 2005

Now! You're looking at "now," sir. Everything that happens now is happening "now."

Seven Things I Think I Think

1. We should all be happy A.C. Slater can still find work, despite the fact that it's on some lame ass ESPN Hollywood show. If you're as big of a fan as I am, I'm sure you've already joined the fan club,

2. Santana has got to be really high. I mean really, really, really high. Go here to see what i mean.

3. We all know the Kansas City Royals are terrible, but this is just plain stupid! As if the Hall Of Famer and former Cy Young Award winners couldn't sell this thing, they bring in Buddy Biacalana for the hard sell.

4. Tommy Lee, college, why? Is this torture or what!

5. Why do women flock to Bea Arthur, Betty White and the rest of those Golden Girls?

6. Family Guy is gut-busting laughter! Or at least it just seems that way everytime I'm subjected to watching an episode.

7. When did Hilary Duff go from teen queen to Cruella DeVille Hilary Pic

Friday, August 26, 2005

Oh yeah! Well history's gonna change!

the listening pile

The Most Serene Republic – Underwater Cinematographer – Arts & Crafts (www.arts-crafts.ca/themostserenerepublic)
The young Toronto group, and possibly the first A&C band that doesn’t feature a Broken Social Scene member, create a wonderful soundscape of gleeful indie pop, scattered with electronic flourishes and a varying degree of instrumentation. Bookended by instrumentals, Prologue and Epilogue, the album sputters like children at play. You cautiously look ahead to make sure they don’t poke their out, skin their knee or go down the slide to fast. Each song sort of has that moment where everything can either crash and burn, or carefully go on to the end unscathed. Most of the songs go unscathed, push and release, in and out. They create a great debut album for Arts & Crafts, who have once again made me wonder what is in the water north of the border, and how do we get more of it here.

Death Cab For Cutie – Plans – Atlantic (http://www.deathcabforcutie.com)
From lead track, “Marching Bands Of Manhattan”, all the way through album closer, “Stable Song”, Ben Gibbard and company woo you. Lead single, Soul Meets Body, is one of the more overtly rocking songs on the album and separated from the album, is a wonderful song in itself.But as I think many fans of this band know, especially those fans of their earlier work, it’s the quiet, introspective songs, that sing you to sleep and leave a lasting impression. Many of the songs are sparse, with minimal arrangements and Gibbard’s hushed vocals. Gibbard has a way to suck you in with wonderful narratives about relationships, longing, and desire, on top of catchy sing-alongs. He’s always had a knack for really capturing the moment well. Sure there are the pop tunes, the lullaby love songs and slow building gems. I can’t say they’ve sold out, nor have they done anything to draw in more O.C. Fans. Aside from the overproduction, I think this is their finest work in some time and I’m happy to say they’ve not disappointed an old fan.

Giant Drag – Hearts and Unicorns – Kickball/Interscope (www.giantdrag.com)
I’m gonna be the jerk and say, that I have a tough time liking rock bands fronted by women. I’m now going to say, that despite that, I really like this Southern California duo. I heard their Lemona ep a while back and loved it. Of course they are going to get compared to a bunch of bands from the mid 90’s with swirling, distorted guitars, syrupy vocals and mischievous lyrics. But is that so bad? They keep it so fresh and so clean. Singer, Annie Hardy makes me wonder what she’s going to say next, what kind of riff is going to mesmerize me, did she just sing that, yes she did. They update a few of the songs from Lemona on here, but for the most part you get a new batch of wonderful and inspiring songs.

Cave In - Perfect Pitch Black – HydraHead (http://www.cavein.net)
Before this band got all proggy and turned into a poor man's Failure, they were heavy as hell. On what I consider to be their best and heaviest release, Until Your Heart Stops, they crossed genre's and boldly pushed the threshold of your average metalcore band. They created the perfect hybrid, of a then changing, metalcore scene, with beautiful arrangements, zepplinesque riffs, instrumental segues, and spacy jams all to go along with singer Steve Brodsky's both melodic vocals and emotional screams . After turning out a few mediocre prog rock albums, sans the screams, they felt the need to go back to their roots and bring back the heaviness and screamy vocals. I remember reading in an interview that said he no longer wanted to scream, as he felt it made him sound like a monster. Well, what's missing on Perfect Pitch Black is any sort of cohesiveness and those emotional yelps, with cookie monster vocals, chug along riffs and formulaic tunes. Bassist Caleb Scofield's guttural screams seem out of place and dare I say very typical to today's metalcore mush, the lyrics are junior high angst and no song really seems to be challenging or groundbreaking. It's sad to say, but Cave In made a really disappointing album, much more so than their major label debut, and demise, Antenna. What was once a young talented band, now just seems to be going through the motions.
Friday, Aug 26, 2005 - 01:21pm

Friday, August 12, 2005

We need to talk about your TPS reports.

Seven Things I Think I Think

1.isn’t it funny that reality tv shows are sort of making fun of themselves now:
a. that lame trailer fabulous show on mtv
b. the kill reality tv show, where the reality tv show rejects are put together to make a movie

2. what is up with Ricky Williams. Dude, you were supposed to stop smoking the doobey remember. Did anyone see his press conference. It was like an scene out of Half Baked.

3. it’s sad Peter Jennings died. I have to say, I could never stand the old school blow hard news anchors, of the big 3 media channels. But Jennings really seemed like the cream of the crop. Very classy and always very professional. I can remember him being on air during the tragedy of 9/11 and he was the epitome of class.

4. I love how people who rsvp to parties that have been emailed to them by friends of friends get pissed when they get to the door and can’t get in the ten people they are with. Shithead, you should have known better. What moron is going to let you and ten of your moocher friends into any party, much less one with anything that’s free inside.

5. Yankees Pitcher, Randy Johnson is washed up. I mean, I still think he can look brilliant every once in a while, but for the most part, any capable hitter seems to jump on his pitches like their hitting off the batting practice pitcher, especially his slider. Ugh!

6. I don’t know who these Sam Champion guys are. But they totally ripped off some Quicksand riffs on their song, “TV Fever.” They look young, so I guess that’s an excuse. And what did the weatherman ever do to them.

7.i want to get t-shirts made that have my face on them.

oh and this is for some good laughs: Office Space Quotes Friday, Aug 12, 2005 - 10:49am (PDT)

Thursday, August 11, 2005

Damn! That boy can sing.

the listening pile

Amusement Parks on Fire - Amusement Parks on Fire – Filter/BMG (http://www.amusementparksonfire.com)
first time I heard this band, they blew me away. swirling guitars, pulsing rhythms, emotive lyrics. It made me feel young again. Plus, I hear it’s all one young kid that did it all on his own. they'll be doing some dates in the US in the fall. can't wait to see it live.

The Willowz – Talk in Circles – Sympathy for the Record Industry(thewillowz.com)
i got a 7 inch of theirs a wild back from someone I worked with and didn’t think much of it. Then someone goes and sends me their record last week and I popped it in recognizing the name. these are some young kids playing ‘60’s inspired garage rock. They’ve already gotten some attention from having some tracks on the eternal sunshine soundtrack.

Death Cab For Cutie – Soul Meets Body – Atlantic (http://www.deathcabforcutie.com)
ok, I didn’t want to like this song, but damn if I can help myself. I hated Transatlanticism since even before it came out and I was going to lean towards that way on the new album. And Ben’s Postal Service side project made me resent him even more. But damn can this guy write some catchy tunes. I do have to be honest and say that the reason I like this song so much is because he sounds like Jeremy Enigk most of the way through. I just hope the rest of the album doesn’t disappoint.

Efterklang – Tripper – Leaf Label (http://www.efterklang.net)
k, so here is another band I somehow found myself not really paying attention to despite people around me liking this band. I remember listening to the album thinking, man these are some cool indie electro pop songs from some foreign band(from copenhagen). so a few wks ago i saw their video for "swarming" and was instantly hooked. i went back listened to the album and have deemed this one of the best electro releases i've heard in some time.