Erm, I'm gonna wake up in 4 hours to go for another whole day excursion to Busch Gardens, yey!
No Country for Old Men was a spectacular movie, 8.5 of 10 from me, lots to think about, and the more I think about it, the more I enjoy it, but I wouldn't want to spoil the plot for anyone.
Sweeney Todd sucked more balls than a playpen at McDonalds due to it's plot, though I'll admit the costumes and acting were nice. As well I felt as if the songs in this musical were significantly lacking in the lyrical department, 2.5 of 10.
I'm still addicted to Vampire Weekend, and the Wombats.
Sitting in Steak and Shake parking lots til 3 am gets a good rating from me too =D
Maybe sleep would be a good idea now...
12.31.2007
12.29.2007
The Unicorns and Vampires, oh my!
are spectacular, and I want to recreate this video ever so fucking badly.
As well, I think it'd be my favorite music video, only in competition with of Montreal for this one.
And Vampire Weekend is a band people should check out, and their music is nothing to be expected form their name, their debut album's pretty amazing, I can't even pick out a favorite song, to tell ya the truth, so go listen to them!
As well, I think it'd be my favorite music video, only in competition with of Montreal for this one.
And Vampire Weekend is a band people should check out, and their music is nothing to be expected form their name, their debut album's pretty amazing, I can't even pick out a favorite song, to tell ya the truth, so go listen to them!
Why stars suck.
The band's pretty great, I've been listening all day (and a bit of Kings of Convenience, who are also pretty great), but here's a poem I just wrote in my state of insomnia about dreams, maybe I should go to bed soon...
Stars
Bright lights strung strangely across the night sky,
Tantalizing on that empty, bare black,
Countless glowing specs, no fret for supply,
Worst part, choosing your preferred of the pack.
Don’t forget, all stars come a bit varied,
Most are quite dim and fit in with the rest,
Yet still they’re chased until they’re buried.
And one will stand out, as I can attest,
Seizing your attention, stealing your gaze.
It will shine as though it were the lone star
Of endless night, existing to amaze.
You hope one day it will fall from up far
To the ground, right by you, bringing elation,
But no star ever will, instead, frustration.
yey sonnets in iambic pentameter, even if I broke meter on the couplet.
Stars
Bright lights strung strangely across the night sky,
Tantalizing on that empty, bare black,
Countless glowing specs, no fret for supply,
Worst part, choosing your preferred of the pack.
Don’t forget, all stars come a bit varied,
Most are quite dim and fit in with the rest,
Yet still they’re chased until they’re buried.
And one will stand out, as I can attest,
Seizing your attention, stealing your gaze.
It will shine as though it were the lone star
Of endless night, existing to amaze.
You hope one day it will fall from up far
To the ground, right by you, bringing elation,
But no star ever will, instead, frustration.
yey sonnets in iambic pentameter, even if I broke meter on the couplet.
12.28.2007
Little Panda Bear, Little Panda Bear
Why is Kimya Dawson so great? That song's been stuck in my head for the passed day and a half...
And on another note, why is that song "My Mom" so addicting even though it starts off talking about your favorite baby dying in your arms from drowning, I think it's the xylophone.
And on another note, why is that song "My Mom" so addicting even though it starts off talking about your favorite baby dying in your arms from drowning, I think it's the xylophone.
12.26.2007
Junebug?? but it's Winter!
Christmas day was quite enjoyable, the smell of tasty foods of sorts and the lot. I ate my fair share of homemade macaroni & cheese, green bean casserole, and cheesecake, mm tasty.
I listened to a bunch. A few of my more favored of the albums I've listened to thus far include British Sea Power's "Do You Like Rock Music" with my personal fave on the album being "Lights Out For Darker Skies", which has a great transition in it a little passed halfway through the song. Another impressive album was "Beat Pyramid" by These New Puritans, it has a typical post-punk feel with an electronic flare that gives it some fun, with my favorite songs on the albums being Elvis and Colours. Now, for my personal most enjoyable album of the day, "This Gift" by Sons & Daughters, and let me tell you, this was one of the best gifts to get on Christmas! It's utterly spectacular and an album that will probably have a ton of repeat play value, it has that indie pop feel, but a folk sort of meld to it, and my true treasure on this one would without a doubt be Gilt Complex.
Anyways, aside from this, it was pretty uneventful day until the evening, though I think I'm legitimately entering a brief Kate Nash addiction, it's just so damn catchy, but oh well.
Then I saw the movie Juno, and it was simply superb, from start to finish, with some great deadpan humor strung throughout it, and a fantastic soundtrack! I also feel a strange connection to Paulie Bleeker (and pretty much a connection to every role Michael Cera plays, i.e. Superbad). Now I want some tangy orange tic-tacs while I listen to the Moldy Peaches.
I listened to a bunch. A few of my more favored of the albums I've listened to thus far include British Sea Power's "Do You Like Rock Music" with my personal fave on the album being "Lights Out For Darker Skies", which has a great transition in it a little passed halfway through the song. Another impressive album was "Beat Pyramid" by These New Puritans, it has a typical post-punk feel with an electronic flare that gives it some fun, with my favorite songs on the albums being Elvis and Colours. Now, for my personal most enjoyable album of the day, "This Gift" by Sons & Daughters, and let me tell you, this was one of the best gifts to get on Christmas! It's utterly spectacular and an album that will probably have a ton of repeat play value, it has that indie pop feel, but a folk sort of meld to it, and my true treasure on this one would without a doubt be Gilt Complex.
Anyways, aside from this, it was pretty uneventful day until the evening, though I think I'm legitimately entering a brief Kate Nash addiction, it's just so damn catchy, but oh well.
Then I saw the movie Juno, and it was simply superb, from start to finish, with some great deadpan humor strung throughout it, and a fantastic soundtrack! I also feel a strange connection to Paulie Bleeker (and pretty much a connection to every role Michael Cera plays, i.e. Superbad). Now I want some tangy orange tic-tacs while I listen to the Moldy Peaches.
12.25.2007
Snowy days, psht, I wish!
Gotta love the holidays! Mainly for the heavenly food and scents, like my mother's new candle with the aroma of holiday cookies.
Today I picked up the recent issues of Paste and Filter, both of which were quite entertaining, and then compared the Paste top albums of the year with those off my chart, completely different. For example, Hissing Fauna was placed at #31, the National at #1, and with Animal Collective & Panda Bear not able to be found even by a safari guide. Either way, the issue was still interesting for it's other top things of the year, including movies and video games if anyone's interested.
As for music for today, it started off with quite a bit of The Boy Least Likely To, that song "Be Gentle With Me" is just so great, and gives you that happy go lucky feel. Then a bit of M.I.A.'s Kala, which I'd definitely advise to anyone who wants to get in the mood to dance, it's just so irresistible and catchy (gunshots and cash register chings during "Paper Planes", wonderful), definitely an album to have. This was to be followed by Kate Nash whose hooks just keep Made of Bricks poppy and wonderful for it's entirety, and Foundations gets so easily stuck in the head.
Then I had midnight mass with the family followed by presents, a cooking set, a stuffed panda to add to my collection (I've rightfully named him Panditolo, to live with Pandita and Pandito), some nice brown ultrasuede pumas, money, and then money to order a synthesizer/vocoder, which I've yet to decide which to get, I'm leaning towards a Korg at the moment.
Anyways, and this leaves me currently listening to The Streets, a British rap act by Mike Skinner, who I hadn't listened to in a long while, it was a bit refreshing, and I still enjoy the songs "Dry Your Eyes", "Don't Mug Yourself", "It's Too Late", and "Let's Push Things Forward".
Once again, Enjoi the Holidays!
Today I picked up the recent issues of Paste and Filter, both of which were quite entertaining, and then compared the Paste top albums of the year with those off my chart, completely different. For example, Hissing Fauna was placed at #31, the National at #1, and with Animal Collective & Panda Bear not able to be found even by a safari guide. Either way, the issue was still interesting for it's other top things of the year, including movies and video games if anyone's interested.
As for music for today, it started off with quite a bit of The Boy Least Likely To, that song "Be Gentle With Me" is just so great, and gives you that happy go lucky feel. Then a bit of M.I.A.'s Kala, which I'd definitely advise to anyone who wants to get in the mood to dance, it's just so irresistible and catchy (gunshots and cash register chings during "Paper Planes", wonderful), definitely an album to have. This was to be followed by Kate Nash whose hooks just keep Made of Bricks poppy and wonderful for it's entirety, and Foundations gets so easily stuck in the head.
Then I had midnight mass with the family followed by presents, a cooking set, a stuffed panda to add to my collection (I've rightfully named him Panditolo, to live with Pandita and Pandito), some nice brown ultrasuede pumas, money, and then money to order a synthesizer/vocoder, which I've yet to decide which to get, I'm leaning towards a Korg at the moment.
Anyways, and this leaves me currently listening to The Streets, a British rap act by Mike Skinner, who I hadn't listened to in a long while, it was a bit refreshing, and I still enjoy the songs "Dry Your Eyes", "Don't Mug Yourself", "It's Too Late", and "Let's Push Things Forward".
Once again, Enjoi the Holidays!
12.23.2007
Top 2007 Albums
I was recently confronted with making the decision of what my personal top albums of the past year would have to be, and after a ton of deliberation and debate with myself, I've come to the following results:
10. Coheed and Cambria- No World For Tomorrow
I found this album to be a wonderful conclusion for Coheed and Cambria saga, with songs such as Feathers and Justice in Murder, keeping the epic Coheed feel, while still containing catchy hooks that keep you with the song stuck in your head for hours on end. This album also brought some great sounding intros as in No World For Tomorrow making you want to stop songs in the middle just to start them over again for one more happy listen. To conclude, this album wraps up with one of the better sets of ending songs from their albums, only rivaled by the Willing Well series, which I'm probably partial to due to getting to see Claudio play the solo of Willing Well IV with his mouth.
9. Circa Survive- On Letting Go
What a progression for Circa Survive this presented! After such a strong debut with Juturna (a spectacular album based upon Eternal Sunshine of the Spotles Mind), Anthony Green and Circa really outdid themselves. On Letting Go is one of those albums that just takes you off your feet for all 45 minutes of it's play time. My personal favorites on this album are On Letting Go and Kicking Your Crosses Down due to their smooth transitions of tempos. Another major mention for this album would have to be In the Morning and Amazing, with it's utterly breath-taking intro into a quite upbeat, yet not uncharacteristic song for the group, overall a simply splendid ear treat.
8. Daft Punk- Alive 2007
Regardless of the fact that Daft Punk didn't exactly make any new songs this year (though some people just learned of them thanks to Kanye West, and fuck anyone who thinks Kanye made them popular), this album brought their famed live performance full of superb mixes of their songs by the DJing duo. The primary benefit of this album, you don't have to deal with the cruddy recorded sound someone captured on their amateur taping of Daft Punk live! Now if only they could somehow capture the lighting effects emitted from the monstrous two ton pyramid-stage...
7. The White Stripes- Icky Thump
This album didn't strike me as that appealing on first listen, but as time went on and I gave it another few good run-throughs, the more I fell in love with it. From the very first song, you feel the strong vibes only attainable by Jack White, Rolling Stones' 17th greatest guitarist of all time (Jimi Hendrix is 1st), followed a bit later by the shout of "Coooooonnnnnquessssst". Let alone the wonderful bagpipes during St. Andrew. Honestly, how much more could be better than that besides a cold ice cream cone and a little cream soda? Not much, exactly.
6. Burial- Untrue
I know, I know, most people would respond with a "What the hell?" or "Who's that?" upon this choice for a top album, but that's part of the greatness in Burial's work. In a recent interview he (or she) stated that only 5 people actually know the person who makes the music under this name. No matter the person, it can't be disputed that they are sure turning up a storm of excitement with this self-proclaimed dubstep (though most in the dubstep community disagree with this label) that gives a wonderful dark ambient feel to any listener. It almost gives me the impression that I'm listening to ghosts and spirits in some surreal dark city setting. The strange use of sounds is simply astounding from the click and unloading of a gun heard during Near Dark to the sound of a swing set creaking during Ghost Hardware this album is a must have, and quite possibly the best meditation music I've ever owned.
5. Klaxons- Myths of the Near Future
I personally find them to be one of the most underrated groups in existence today.
Often categorized as "New Rave" and the self-proclaimed "Four Horsemen of 2012" (also a great song of theirs), this group simply takes electronica to a new level with the blending of graceful piano with dance beats you'd probably find ubiquitous in the dance clubs of the 90's (the song Two Receivers). Or the quick upbeat that you can't help but dance to during songs like Atlantis to Interzone (my personal favorite) and Magick. So though these four horsemen may not be quite the bringers of the apocalypse, they sure are re-inventing this rave concept and in a great way.
4. Animal Collective- Strawberry Jam
Now if there's a warning to be placed on addictive albums this one should be plastered with so many of those damned stickers that you can't see the tasty album cover for this ear treat. From the squeals and shouts of Peacebone all the way to the tribal-sounding finish with Derek, the Animal Collective does a wonderful job of removing the listener from the constraints of regular society and takes to a new world with the excitement of Fireworks that will make you more Cuckoo Cuckoo than any Cocoa Puffs could!
3. Stars- In Our Bedroom After the War
I'd heard a few of Stars' past songs and though I was impressed, this album was a wonderful surprise when I played it through and would possibly win my best "chill" album award (competing with Dreams by The Whitest Boy Alive). Ranging the soft use of synth to the graceful lyrics that give the impression of that soft glow that stars on the ceiling of one's bedroom gives off at night, this album is full of simply spectacular songs. My personal favorites are The Night Starts Here and Take Me To the Riot, and dare I say it without someone coming to my house to beat me to death, I've now placed this above Postal Service's Give Up as my relaxing sleepy time album of wonders.
2. Of Montreal- Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
Spectacular, start to finish. Kevin Barnes is without a doubt a God among men for this album (though that gives him no right to strip and perform naked, but that's another story...). It's just filled to the brim with sounds that have that addicting label all over them! Heimdalsgate Like a Promethean Curse, with it's joyful look upon the psychedelic use of drugs, the catchy xylophone from a Sentence Of Sorts in Kongsvinger, the epic amazingness of The Past is a Grotesque Animal, the quick tempo of She's a Rejector, they're all just sooooo great! And anyone who disagrees is just another rejector, I'd like to pay a girl to go up and hit her!
1. Panda Bear- Person Pitch (Note: I was not simply partial due to the artist name, he really is this great)
EARGASMIC! That's right, and it's probably and understatement. This album just shows the immeasurable talent of Noah Lennox (of Animal Collective) as an artist. Though the Young Prayer album was pretty impressive, Person Pitch just took the fuckin' cake! It's opening starts off strong with Comfy in Nautica with the sound of a train is literally carrying you away from the real world into the awesomeness of that which is Noah Lennox's brain, and only gets better all the way to my favorite on the album, Good Girl/Carrots (all damn over twelve minutes of it! =]), then finishes off smoothly with Ponytails. His voice and blend of sounds, is simply amazing, and to see or imagine his making of the album would probably be more than breath-taking. Thus making it my number one album of the year!
That concludes my list, comment on your disagreement or agreement with it as you please! =)
10. Coheed and Cambria- No World For Tomorrow
I found this album to be a wonderful conclusion for Coheed and Cambria saga, with songs such as Feathers and Justice in Murder, keeping the epic Coheed feel, while still containing catchy hooks that keep you with the song stuck in your head for hours on end. This album also brought some great sounding intros as in No World For Tomorrow making you want to stop songs in the middle just to start them over again for one more happy listen. To conclude, this album wraps up with one of the better sets of ending songs from their albums, only rivaled by the Willing Well series, which I'm probably partial to due to getting to see Claudio play the solo of Willing Well IV with his mouth.
9. Circa Survive- On Letting Go
What a progression for Circa Survive this presented! After such a strong debut with Juturna (a spectacular album based upon Eternal Sunshine of the Spotles Mind), Anthony Green and Circa really outdid themselves. On Letting Go is one of those albums that just takes you off your feet for all 45 minutes of it's play time. My personal favorites on this album are On Letting Go and Kicking Your Crosses Down due to their smooth transitions of tempos. Another major mention for this album would have to be In the Morning and Amazing, with it's utterly breath-taking intro into a quite upbeat, yet not uncharacteristic song for the group, overall a simply splendid ear treat.
8. Daft Punk- Alive 2007
Regardless of the fact that Daft Punk didn't exactly make any new songs this year (though some people just learned of them thanks to Kanye West, and fuck anyone who thinks Kanye made them popular), this album brought their famed live performance full of superb mixes of their songs by the DJing duo. The primary benefit of this album, you don't have to deal with the cruddy recorded sound someone captured on their amateur taping of Daft Punk live! Now if only they could somehow capture the lighting effects emitted from the monstrous two ton pyramid-stage...
7. The White Stripes- Icky Thump
This album didn't strike me as that appealing on first listen, but as time went on and I gave it another few good run-throughs, the more I fell in love with it. From the very first song, you feel the strong vibes only attainable by Jack White, Rolling Stones' 17th greatest guitarist of all time (Jimi Hendrix is 1st), followed a bit later by the shout of "Coooooonnnnnquessssst". Let alone the wonderful bagpipes during St. Andrew. Honestly, how much more could be better than that besides a cold ice cream cone and a little cream soda? Not much, exactly.
6. Burial- Untrue
I know, I know, most people would respond with a "What the hell?" or "Who's that?" upon this choice for a top album, but that's part of the greatness in Burial's work. In a recent interview he (or she) stated that only 5 people actually know the person who makes the music under this name. No matter the person, it can't be disputed that they are sure turning up a storm of excitement with this self-proclaimed dubstep (though most in the dubstep community disagree with this label) that gives a wonderful dark ambient feel to any listener. It almost gives me the impression that I'm listening to ghosts and spirits in some surreal dark city setting. The strange use of sounds is simply astounding from the click and unloading of a gun heard during Near Dark to the sound of a swing set creaking during Ghost Hardware this album is a must have, and quite possibly the best meditation music I've ever owned.
5. Klaxons- Myths of the Near Future
I personally find them to be one of the most underrated groups in existence today.
Often categorized as "New Rave" and the self-proclaimed "Four Horsemen of 2012" (also a great song of theirs), this group simply takes electronica to a new level with the blending of graceful piano with dance beats you'd probably find ubiquitous in the dance clubs of the 90's (the song Two Receivers). Or the quick upbeat that you can't help but dance to during songs like Atlantis to Interzone (my personal favorite) and Magick. So though these four horsemen may not be quite the bringers of the apocalypse, they sure are re-inventing this rave concept and in a great way.
4. Animal Collective- Strawberry Jam
Now if there's a warning to be placed on addictive albums this one should be plastered with so many of those damned stickers that you can't see the tasty album cover for this ear treat. From the squeals and shouts of Peacebone all the way to the tribal-sounding finish with Derek, the Animal Collective does a wonderful job of removing the listener from the constraints of regular society and takes to a new world with the excitement of Fireworks that will make you more Cuckoo Cuckoo than any Cocoa Puffs could!
3. Stars- In Our Bedroom After the War
I'd heard a few of Stars' past songs and though I was impressed, this album was a wonderful surprise when I played it through and would possibly win my best "chill" album award (competing with Dreams by The Whitest Boy Alive). Ranging the soft use of synth to the graceful lyrics that give the impression of that soft glow that stars on the ceiling of one's bedroom gives off at night, this album is full of simply spectacular songs. My personal favorites are The Night Starts Here and Take Me To the Riot, and dare I say it without someone coming to my house to beat me to death, I've now placed this above Postal Service's Give Up as my relaxing sleepy time album of wonders.
2. Of Montreal- Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
Spectacular, start to finish. Kevin Barnes is without a doubt a God among men for this album (though that gives him no right to strip and perform naked, but that's another story...). It's just filled to the brim with sounds that have that addicting label all over them! Heimdalsgate Like a Promethean Curse, with it's joyful look upon the psychedelic use of drugs, the catchy xylophone from a Sentence Of Sorts in Kongsvinger, the epic amazingness of The Past is a Grotesque Animal, the quick tempo of She's a Rejector, they're all just sooooo great! And anyone who disagrees is just another rejector, I'd like to pay a girl to go up and hit her!
1. Panda Bear- Person Pitch (Note: I was not simply partial due to the artist name, he really is this great)
EARGASMIC! That's right, and it's probably and understatement. This album just shows the immeasurable talent of Noah Lennox (of Animal Collective) as an artist. Though the Young Prayer album was pretty impressive, Person Pitch just took the fuckin' cake! It's opening starts off strong with Comfy in Nautica with the sound of a train is literally carrying you away from the real world into the awesomeness of that which is Noah Lennox's brain, and only gets better all the way to my favorite on the album, Good Girl/Carrots (all damn over twelve minutes of it! =]), then finishes off smoothly with Ponytails. His voice and blend of sounds, is simply amazing, and to see or imagine his making of the album would probably be more than breath-taking. Thus making it my number one album of the year!
That concludes my list, comment on your disagreement or agreement with it as you please! =)
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