Albums of My life ( #4, Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy”

Now, I might be the only person who thinks this, but alongside Radiohead and the Arcade Fire, I don’t think any musician or group making music today is as important as Mr. West. From emerging nearly a decade ago, every album has only gotten better. His fifth album, “ My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,” is a masterpiece on nearly every plain. One could argue that he’s the most important Hip Hop, Pop Star since Michael Jackson. I make that distinction because unlike most artists, he does almost everything himself. The beats are things he created, and aside from the numerous special guests he is able to wrangle in, it’s very much about him and his overall sound. He also has a way about making other artists you never really cared about before ( Rhianna or Adam Levine ) suddenly an amazing part of a song.

The fist track on this album is basically an iceberg. You can see it coming, but you have no idea how much is going to be unearthed over the course of the duration of the album. Track two on the album, “ Gorgeous” is a super crisp song. The beat isn’t overly produced, and for this song, that works. Bringing in KiD CuDi and Reakwon from the Wu Tang Clan only makes the song better. Now, this is how you can tell he’s grown as a person and musician. Back in the day he would of never made fun of himself, but here you find him name dropping and discussing the joke about how he’s a gay fish that played to so much success on “ South Park.”

 How does one even start to talk about the fucking awesomeness that is the song “ Power”?. The chanting is the first thing you hear, but it’s soon taking the backseat to the rhyhmes of West. Also, how could you not love a rapper who uses a fucking King Crimson sample? No one in the genre is even close to being able to pull that off ( Which is why he makes most of Jay – Z ‘s beats). The song is probably one of the best hip hop songs I’ve ever heard in my life. The bridge at the end of the song where he discusses everything from Obama to drinking and driving while also incorporating a very small piano part under the initial beat is just a nice little touch that only really attentive music fans will pick up on. Yet another reason he’s so popular. He’s able to make songs simple enough for mass consumption, while also creating really unique, intricate time signatures and beats for even the sharpest of ears.

 The next voice you here is Rhianna. When she’s not being beaten to a pulp by a genuinely bad artist, she occasionally makes appearances in really good songs. “ All of the Lights” is another stand out track on an album of nothing but stand out tracks. “ M.J. Gone, my nigga dead” is one of the few times where you see West mention another artist in regards to acknowledging the loss. We all lost someone really, really special when Michael Jackson passed away, and he’s aware of that. Aside from the Beatles, he’s easily the most important pop musician ever. Now, this has always bothered me : M.I.A. Is clearly heard at the tail end of the track, but she’s never mentioned as even being a part of the album, While she hasn’t had any decent songs in a while, it still seems strange that they wouldn’t have made that known.

 The next two tracks, “ Monster,” and “ So Appalled” are where Kanye really brings out the big guns in terms of special guests. Over these songs, Jay Z, Rza, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj, Justin Vernon of Bon Iver fame, Pusha T, Swizz Beats, and Prynce Cy Hi all appear. You’d think the lack of guests would cloud West’s vision, but quite simply he knows exactly what he wants and is fully aware of what it takes to get that there. Following the guest swarm, we’re immediately thrust into a variation of a slow grind R&B tune. The placement of this song is also really good. It provides a nice breather after a few up tempo songs and gives us a glimpse to where its going with the rest of the album.

 The next song, “ Runaway” is quite possibly the most honest song he’s ever written. The opening of the overly creepy piano keys always reminds me of the type of slow burn you see in Kubrick’s last film “ Eyes Wide Shut.” It’s ominous and at the same time beautiful. The song also happens to be epic not only in scope and ambition, but also length. At just slightly over nine minutes long, it’s another reason he’s the best rapper – producer combo in the world oh hip hop. From the first time I heard the song on those MTV awards, it was clear it was a brilliant song. It’s also encouraging to see an artists relay his true feelings. We all know he can be egotistical and arrogant, but this also shows he’s aware of that stigma and he’s just trying to be human and compassionate right now. Also, it’s just overall a sad, uncompromising song. It’s sobering in a way also. Much this album is very much about casual sex and drug binges, but this song contains almost none of that.

 Over the next few songs we have some dark ( “ Hell of a Life”) and some just plain weird (“ Blame Game”). Both of these songs, especially “ Blame Game” show how diverse he’s able to be in the construction of his music. One has him declaring “ Pussy and religion is all I need” while the other features Chris Rock energetically proclaiming how amazing his bitch is for having learned new sexual techniques from Yeezy. Like I said, fucking weird.

 The second last song “ Lost in the World” features the beautiful, calming voice of Justin Vernon from Bon Iver. This song is a great piece of misdirection. It starts calmly enough, but soon it has West rapping over some of the best instrumentation on the album. It really does feel like a party at the end of the world, where everyone is happy and regrets are nowhere to be found. This quickly leads into album closer “ Who will Survive in America,” where a voice not Wests is trying to make the world wake up to an increasingly distraught world. It’s an interesting end to a very complex and difficult record. But in the end, some difficult things are worth ultimate understanding.

In the album, this album might very well go down as the ultimate masterstroke in an already amazing career. It’s been some time since this has been out in the world, so it’ll be interesting to see what new tricks he has up his sleeves when she decides to show the world whatever it is he’s currently working on.

Movies the 1990′s Ruined ( # 1, Disturbing Behavior)

 

When I was young, I loved films that in my later life I would realize were fucking retarded and horribly made in almost every regard. One of these was “ Disturbing Behavior.” This movie is a perfect example of the rampant, no sense film making that was targeted for teenage audiences in the mid to late 90′s. Today, in my post as part of the series “ Movies the 90′s Ruined” we’ll discuss the plot, its major plot holes, and the desperate nature of the now well known stars of this film who likely took this job to make ends meet.

 

Before we start, here’s a little cheat code to help you follow. For most of this piece the actors will be called:

 

James Marsden : Cyclops

 

Nick Stahl : That Yellow Bastard, John Conners, or some variation combining the two

 

Katie Holmes : Rachel Dawes

 

Let’s get started!

 

So the film opens up with a normal type jock getting frisky with a girl named, what else “ Mary Joe.” Here’s the first problem with this horribly retarded film. No-one has ever been named Mary Joe. It’s just a stereotypical name for a dumb movie. Anyway, after this jock breaks this girls neck while she’s pleasuring him ( shouldn’t that have severely fucked up his nether regions?) the cops show up and basically clean up the whole mess. During all this, creepy ass Nick Stahl is atop of hill witnessing this transpire. Then his dog barks. Wtf dog? Why are you barking right now? Welcome to “ Disturbing Behavior.”

 

 

 

The next scene opens up with James Marsden ( Cyclops from the X- Men films) and his family moving to the perfectly named town of Cradle Bay, a picturesque postcard town somewhere in the North West. The next day Cyclops starts school at Cradle Bay high. Immediately the horrible sense of what was life actually was in the 90′s is presented to us. We see metal heads and freaks carousing joyfully on the school lawn ( That never once happened at any school I ever heard of) and the even more horrible 90′s music scene presents itself.

 

In class, Cyclops is just chilling and talking about Charles Dickens when the bad boy “ Dickie” strolls into the room. Then, the real enemy of the film is showcased. Someone in a blue sweater tells Dickie that “ Ignorance kills,” to which the bad boy replies “ What does that mean?” Ugh. I think a vegetable on life support could have written better dialogue. It’s amazing to think this actually got turned into a film, and to think, we’re only 12 minutes in.

 

At lunch, Cyclops meets who the people who end up being his friends throughout this disastrous film. Nick Stahl, who along with Cyclops looks like he’s 35 at the filming of this fine, fine film. You may know Stahl from his role as the Yellow Bastard in the amazing Sin City, or as John Conner in the terrible Terminator 3 Rise of the Machines. Anyway, the Yellow Bastard Conner, along with his apply named friend “U.V.” ( He’s made to resemble an Albino, but last I checked people who were Albino had red eyes, not crystal clear blue ones) they explain to Cyclops the hierarchy of the high school cafeteria. Now, this is a key part in almost every high school film. John Conner goes on to explain all the different social groups in the school. Lastly he gets to the “ Blue Ribbons.” These kids, who also appear to be 35 and have Barack Obama ( It’s a joke he just looks like him) in their ranks are the goodies of the school. Young, smart, and likeable, they aren’t just the top of the class system of the school, but later we learn they are all part of a giant conspiracy ( Dun Dun DUN!) Anyway we’ll get to that soon enough.

 

After a little scene where we discover Cyclops brother passed away, we’re shown the bad boy Dickie trying unsuccessfully to buy parts for his bad ass Mustang. He’s unsuccessful because the Blue Ribbons have set a brilliant trap for him, and he’s quickly overcome by their Blue Ribbonness. This is over pretty quickly and leaves you wondering what happens next.

 

The next scene is the unveiling of the trashy yet cool character of “Rachel,” played by Katie Holmes. Now I find it every interesting that the 3 biggest stars in the film all went on to be well known to be in well known comic books movies. Rachel Dawes, the Yellow Bastard and Cyclops are just hanging out and all of a sudden a Blue Ribbon named Chuck tries to hit on Gotham D.A. Dawes, and is quickly shut down. Next Chuck rips out some poor fellas septum piercing in the grocery store and that same cop from the beginning shows up and once again cleans up the whole event.

 

Now this movie is terrible, and since it was made in the same span of time as many other supremely bad films it reeks of everything else that amazing bad films like “ Bio Dome,” “ Loser” and

 

especially “ Hackers” have going for them. Next we discover that the Blue Ribbons used to be fellow rejects just like John Conner, and that Stahl is the next person they have lined up to become part of the Blue Man Group.

 

The very next scene John Conner is part of the Blue Ribbons, even though the previous scene featured the mysterious head doctor, Dr. Calderon speaking about how kids come home from the weekend retreat. A major misstep in the logic of the script, but then again this movie has more plot holes than Star Wars Episode I.

 

Cyclops is next seen casually walking through the woods at night when he starts getting stalked by the the Blue Ribbons. It’s overall a pretty retarded scene and it’s very clear that they’re trying to pay homage to the Lost Boys, although the Lost Boys is pretty good movie and this isn’t so it it just fucks with the legacy of the “Lost Boys.”

 

After that things begin to spiral out of control even more. A blonde hottie smashes her face in after she gets aroused by Cyclops, Rachel Dawes gets molested by Chuck, and we uncover the evidence of the evil forces behind the Blue Ribbons. Basically, Caldecot was a shitty parent and his daughter ( who’s in a mental ward BTW) is fucking crazy so the good doctor invented a way for teens to improve themselves, and to excel in life. Caldecot invents a brain implant that somehow makes a fuck up into an awesome, contributing member of the community.

 

In the end though, it’s not alright. The Blue Ribbons attack Cyclops and Dawes and try to make them part of the blue man group. They fail, and in the process, Cyclops, his sister, Rachel Dawes and U.V. Escape on the fairy. Now you might be wondering how exactly the stop the diabolical plot of Caldecot and the Blue Man Group. Here’s how they do it : Earlier in the film it’s implied that a little machine that makes an annoying song has a horrible effect on Chuck, so the unsuspecting janitor ( of fucking course) puts a whole bunch of these sound wave machines in his truck, and as the Blue Ribbons are trying to kill the noise, the janitor drives off the cliff. Yeah, that’s how the movie ends.

 

The credits begin to roll as Dawes, Cyclops, his sister and U.V. get on the boat and and head to some other area of the country where presumably the Blue Man Group doesn’t invade every area of the local culture.

 

In Conclusion, one can’t but wonder how fucking grateful James Marsden, Katie Holmes and Nick Stahl must be that their careers were able to go to other places besides just being known for this hunk of trash. I suggest everyone watch this movie, if for nothing more than the absolute delight of watching a trainwreck of a movie.

 

 

Is it Not the same as it used to be ( Or my favorite female singers and lyricists)

Today we discuss amazing female singers in the alternative and indie circles. Please don’t expect info on Lady Gaga and Katy Perry. These also aren’t in any particular order. Enjoy!

 Beth Gibbons (Portishead) For me no one will ever come close to the vulnerability this woman has in her voice. As we’ve discussed before, she combines the sultry leanings of the forties and angst and passion of the woman’s right movement (Even if she isn’t crazy like some of the feminists I’ve met.) Moreover, her voice is just calming to my soul, and it brings me peace in a way most music simply can’t get close to. I mean, Tool and Nine Inch Nails are excellent and everything, but sometimes you just need to be lulled into a safe secure place, and that’s what Beth Gibbons does to me.

 Natasha Khan (Bat for Lashes) : I’ve loved this woman’s voice since I was first introduced to it by my fiancee a few years ago. Seriously, I’d put her up Adele any day of the week. A good sign of a great singer is how and at what length they chose to use their training and technique. Natasha is a pro at this. She can be quiet one second and be belting out notes seconds later. Hopefully with her recently released third album “ The Haunted Man,” she can finally get the recognition she rightfully deserves.

 Karen O (Yeah Yeah Yeahs). First things first : Karen O is a fucking rock star. Plain and simple. She has more combined balls than Coldplay, Kings of Leon and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. This bitch is balling. The even more awesome part is she’s still growing as a vocalist. From “Fever to Tell” to the very new “ Mosquito,” her voice has taken on so many different forms and has continually evolved into something better, and tighter. She’s gonna keep growing in her craft, and I will keep on talking how much ass she kicks.

Lykke Li : I’ve discussed her recently, so there’s not a lot to repeat here, but goddamn she has a lot of weapons at her disposal. One more time, the modern day Sade. Sexy when she wantss to be and dangerous when she needs to be.

 Florence Welch (Florence & the Machine) : You may not know this, but I’m a fucking sucker for anthems, and for the last few years this band has had some of the best. Everything from her voice to her stage image captivates me. It’s pop music with churchy overtones ( in a good way). The first album ‘Lungs” was one of the albums I played most for awhile,but I had a hard time getting into the next album ‘ Ceremonials.” Finally it clicked with me. It’s really solid all around. “ No Light, No Light” has been playing pretty regularly in my world.

 Nana Bryndís (Of Monsters & Men) : This chick is just insanely precious. Easily one of the favorite bands of the last year. I’ve just completely fallen in love with them, and her voice especially. It’s honest in a dishonest world, and it brings true beauty to an already true sound.

 Victoria Legrand (Beach House) : Now, Legrand’s voice isn’t normal at all. It’s deep, and raspy and you wouldn’t initially think it would go well with the type of music the band plays, but never judge a book by it’s cover. The combo of Dream Pop and Shoe Gaze the band plays goes amazingly well with the vocals. Over the course of four Albums, they’ve developed a deeper sound and also explored her vocal side more. I’m really interested to see where they, as a band, go next.

 Hope Sandoval (Mazzy Star) : Besides Beth from Portishead, Hope from Mazzy Star might have one of the best alt rock voices of the 90′s. It’s a slow, southern drawl mixed with intense, deeply emotional undertones. “Fade into You” remains to this day of my favorite songs of all time. While Mazzy Star has somewhat faded into the nostalgia region, and we don’t hear much from them these days, the voice is still a great testament to in my opinion one of the best bands of the 90′s that never reached the height I feel they should have.

 Karin Dreijer Andersson(the Knife, Fever Ray) : By far the weirdest fucking voice on this list, but also one of the most intriguing. For awhile now, the Knife have managed to stay under the giant radar and produced some of the best Electronic music ever. The newest album is the next logical step from the masterpiece that is “ Silent Shout.” Her voice isn’t very pretty or beautiful, but it works sooooooo well with the disjointed rhythms they seem to be able to conjure as easy as Skrillex “ drops a beat.” Warning: if your definition of perfect EDM is those overplayed, over-hyped bands, ( we all know who I’m talking about) these guys probably aren’t for you.

 Regine Chassagne (Arcade Fire) : Like most of the others on this list, Regine’s voice is pretty unique. She has a precociousness in her. Half full grown woman mixed with a certain childhood naivety to it that makes it all the more genuine. This plays fantastically well with the overall sound of the band, and adds even more honesty to the deep, thought provoking subject matters they choose to delve into.

Their necks crane as they turn to pray for rain ( Or Depressing albums for Dreary Days)

Today I’m sitting here, watching our second rescheduled day for Engagement pictures fall victim to another rain storm. It’s pretty annoying obviously. Taking off of work, having to schedule makeup and Photographers who don’t live in the same state can be a giant pain in the ass. On that note, I decided to finally write up a list of some of my favorite albums for shitty days like this. Here it goes:

 Weezer / Pinkerton : This one is being included not because it goes well with rain, but just the overall hopelessness of the record. It’s the ultimate depressing album, and unlike ‘ Disintegration’ it’s not really beautiful. It is, but not in the same way as the Cure album. This is a rough, unkind album. Literally every song is about living a life that’s fucked up, or imagined unrequited love, or being in love with a person thousands of miles away who has no idea you need them. The album also only gets gloomier as it goes . The finale of “ Butterfly” is the icing made with tears that goes on top of a cake baked with sorrow. It’s an amazing album that can sometimes help with lonely upset feelings, but sometimes it hurts too.

 The Cure / Disintegration : The ultimate depressing yet beautiful album? More than likely. This album captures the struggles of love in every facet of disjointed love, which makes it ideal for somber, dark days. “ Prayers for Rain” is an obvious stand out if you think in terms of this list. Smith is pleading for the rain to come and wash the bleakness from his hollow, broken heart. Overall, the album plays very well for inclement weather, and makes you just want to cover up even more thoroughly under blankets and give up hope for the day you’ve been presented with.

 Lykke Li / Wounded Rhymes : For me, this fabulous lady from Sweden is the closest thing we have to a modern day Sade. She oozes sexuality, and the passion behind her voice is captivating and seducing. Parts of this album are low key and remorseful, while others are upbeat and disobedient. Pretty perfect for sexy time also if that strikes your fancy.

 the National / High Violet : I only added this to the list because it happens to be playing right this moment as rain pounds our house and puts my dog in a terrified mood. Initially I liked this album, but thought it was weaker than the previous ‘ Boxer.’ While it still isn’t as good as Boxer, it’s a different type of album. It’s a more gradual, low key album.

 Air / the Virgin Suicides Soundtrack : While the Virgin Suicides film pales in comparison to that of the book, the score by the French duo Air perfectly captures the intricacies of both the book and the film, no matter the differences between them. While you wouldn’t automatically think of this album as being ideal for a shitty day outside, it ends up being lovely, and low key, which helps when the weather isn’t cooperating.

Albums that Defined my Life ( #4 Deftones White Pony )

As some of you may be aware, a few days ago, founding bassist Chi Cheng, only 42, lost his long battle. It was nearly six years ago that he was involved in a brutal car crash that left him mostly incapacitated and in a various states of a coma for the remaining years. Thank you for your contributions to the world. Your amazing talent will be sorely, sorely missed.

 In the summer of 1999, the concept of downloading and albums leaks were one that didn’t play into my everyday thinking. Along with Dennis and Miles, my two best friends at the time, we would head over to our favorite music store everyday to hang out and listen to music. One day we pop in and an employee, who was a really awesome dude actually, was blaring this album. It wasn’t slated to be released for like two months, but somehow he had the album. Apparently it had “ leaked,” and knowing we were all giant Deftones fans, had made copies for us to take home. For the following months this was our go to album. Driving around, being young kids with the world before us, the album changed our lives. I can’t speak for my two friends, but this album had a monumental impact on my life. It changed the way I thought about music, and exposed me to a different set of sounds than I had primarily been listening to at the time ( Korn, Limp Bizkit…) The Deftones had already been a band I loved, but this album was the one that stuck with me.

 From the opening track “ Feiticeira,” you can sense that these guys were trying to make an album to branch out of the already tiresome genre of Nu Metal. By this point, bands like Korn and Limp Bizkit were big time names, and others like Orgy, P.O.D., and Papa Roach were heading up the ladder. The sound wasn’t difficult to master. Throw in teenager angst, crunchy, or “hard” beats and you basically have an album. It’s clear, even now, why most of those bands are long gone, and while the Deftones never got the point where they’re filling arena’s, they have a pretty consistent fan base and nearly always sell out medium sized or large clubs. Since turning the corner with this album, they’ve consistently made amazing albums, that merge all kinds of genre’s. It’s still extremely aggressive at times, but also shows a certain beauty and delicateness to it. Songs like “ Digital Bath” are just beautiful, while still having a heavier overall tone to them. This song is also one of the first times you heard Chino Moreno actually get amazing range out of his vocals cords. While not a traditional voice, it’s still one of the most recognizable in music, to me at least.

 Track three, “Elite” has more of the Deftones fans of the first two albums would be familiar with. It’s very heavy, and the guitars of Stephen Carpenter, and the drumming of Abe Cunningham are ultimately what makes this a stand out track. I’ve always wondered why this song isn’t played more live, but I guess that’s how it goes sometimes. It just seems like a perfect song for the live setting. Anyway, even with this track you can tell that the band is really trying to branch out and make a truly unique album.

 “ RX Queen,” written about Moreno’s at the time wife, opens with creepy, low lying bass lines courtesy of Chi Cheng, and it’s those wandering bass-lines that help give the song focus, as well as guide it further into a more industrial, beat driven area. This album is also the first to showcase the sampler, or DJ in the band, Frank Delgado. He toured with the band on the Around the Fur tour, but White Pony was his first proper recording with the band. You could say in many ways this is Delgado’s album. The lush layering, interesting mix of background sounds, as well as just a darker undertone makes this record stand out. Frank Delgado may have not made the Deftones what they currently are, but without his involvement it’s hard to say what the following albums would have ended up sounding like.

 “ Street Carp” is next, but honestly I think it might be the weakest of the tracks on the album. It’s still good, and the placement on the record is brilliant, but maybe that’s what makes it so difficult. Coming after “Rx Queen” and before the massively underrated “ Teenager” it’s dose of heaviness but just feels overshadowed by the surrounding songs. “ Teenager” arrives next, and it’s likely one of the calmest, trippiest, most beautiful songs the band has in their catalog. For me, this is a time capsule of what kind of love was once present in your life, and also a journey of self exploration. I nearly always imagine this song being in the film “ Blade Runner.” Rachel, played by Sean Young, staring out on the post utopian world, raining running down the windows. It’s a perfect example of a science fiction love song, and for me, it’s one of the major revelations of the bands career.

 ”Knife Prty” follows, and one of the best things about this is the lyrics. Moreno has the skill in writing that a lot of other vocalists simply don’t. He can write about real, passionate things, while also venturing into completely unknown territory. The female vocals at the end are also a dream come true. Most bands wouldn’t dare to venture this way when they already have a built in fan base, but they really really should. After the female vocals spill out of control, the mythological undertones of the song erupt in a beautiful, organized mess of sounds.

 “Korea, ” which was included in most of the bands “Ozz Fest” sets from a year before, is easily the heaviest, most angry song on the album. That’s not to say it’s a bad song. On the contrary, it’s a really fucking good song. This is the Deftones how they sounded on the first two albums, with a little glimmer into where the band is headed next. The samples and turn table work by Delgado also give the song an interesting contrast to Moreno’s screaming, crazy vocals, sweeping in and out of the intensely heavy guitar and drum work.

 The last three tracks are all amazing and important. They perfectly wrap up a brilliant, landmark album and remind you why this is one of the best modern rock albums of the last twenty years. “ Passenger,” featuring that guy form A Perfect Circle, follows “ Korea.” If you read my list of my favorite Deftones song, you remember this being number one. If you love the band, likely you think the same way. After nearly fifteen years and probably a thousand listens to not only the album, but the song, it still stands out as one of my all time favorites . It’s just a level of mastery that’s rarely seen. Also, Maynard very rarely contributes to the work of other bands, so it’s still quite a feat that they got him to take part in it. The song is just colossal on all fronts. It’s Still one of the songs I can play all the way through then go back and listen to it all over again.

 Following that isn’t easy, but they clearly knew what they were doing with the sequencing of the album. “ Change,” the first single and likely one of the few songs general music lovers will recognize, follows “ Passenger.” I still remember seeing this video for the first time. The whole house party feel, and the band playing as the house slowly burns, still stands out in my head. The song itself it perfect, and it’s a clear choice for the song that introduced the world to what to expect from this album. Now, putting the song so late in the album is tricky, especially when it’s the first single. Most bands just simply don’t do that, but I guess that’s the risk you have to take. For me, the momentum of the last four songs on this album is what makes it so brilliant. The strength behind every song is clear, but those last songs are the cherry on top.

 The proper album comes to an end in a beautiful, emotional ride called “ Pink Maggit” Two special editions would later come out, one with a different opening track ( “ Back to School” ) and a song that follows this one ( “ Boy’s Republic” ) but for the purpose of this article we won’t be discussing them ( Check them out though if you haven’t, they’re equally awesome). Anyway, this song quietly builds for the first two minutes, then breaks into the signature Deftones sound, while at the same time releasing all the tension that has built up over the previous ten songs. Once again the lyrics are one’s that suggest growth and hardship, but it’s this ending that ties up the amazingness of the album. Once again, it show’s what the band has learned, as well as gives you a glimpse to what roads the band might be venturing down with subsequent releases. The remaining seconds float by with a dissonant array for layers, textures, and feedback, but it serves its purpose wholeheartedly. Even with the album drawing to a close I can understand why it’s only gotten better over time. Rest in Peace, Chi Cheng.

Time to face the Change ( Or my review of ‘ New Day’ by David Bowie)

Now I’m trying something a little different today. I’m going to listen to this album for the first time and just explain what I hear. I want my reaction to this album to be as much of the article as it can be.

 Now it’s been over a decade since he left us. I was always a bigger fan of the 70′s and 80′s Bowie then of the experimental route he took in the late 90′s. The opening of this album, instantly brings me back to the old school rock songs of his heyday. The first song, which also happens to be the title track has a short of swanky, rock n roll, drummed fueled approach to it. It’s really fucking cool. The main word for this is funky. I’m really glad he’s back, at least in album form. It was rumored that he had given up on making music and had decided to instead to continue painting. I’m glad he at least wanted to give the world a new album.

 “ Dirty Boys” to me is a different type of track from the album opener, but it maintains the same kind of raw, fresh sound. The horns and the overwhelming coolness of the track prevails. After literally decades of making music you can tell he knows exactly how he wants to use his voice, and that kind of expertise is extremely clear on this album so far. I’m also surprised at how well his voice has not only transitioned but also maintained it’s signature sound. From the looks of it he found a new reason to make music. This is always a good thing. This album just doesn’t sound like anything that’s been made in a long long time. Sometimes to go forward you have to go backwards. It doesn’t always work, but here it does.

 Now what I respect most about this album is that Bowie didn’t take the high road. For years people have been asking him to come back. Rumor has it Coachella has a standing offer to him every year, which he turns down. My point is anyone can agree to a show and play a greatest hits set. Bowie, with his vast and deep catalog could do this with no problem at all. It’s more of a risk to record a new album (which he apparently did in secret over the last two years) and not tell anyone than to take the easy road and just tour on old shit. Fellow elders should take note. I’m only on the fifth track and I’m been slowly falling in love with the man all over again. It’s both the old and new Bowie all in one. My adorable dog has apparently also been swayed by the lovely sounds coming from my speakers enough to bring me her plastic chicken for me to throw. That bitch loves some Bowie.

 Now, I can’t write about Bowie while not thinking about the awesomeness of the “ Labyrinth” and his giant cod piece throughout the course of the film. Anyway, the album just continues to move along. “ Valentine’s Day” is another stellar song. While it might be the weakest track so far, the fact that it’s off a new David Bowie album is enough for it to get a pass.

 “ If You can see Me” starts at a very upbeat pace and doesn’t really stop. I like it a lot, even though it reminds me of of the 90′s Bowie I’m not terribly fond of. It’s very clubby, and has a catchy feel to it.

 Track 8, “ I’d rather be High” could mean any number of things. He’s talking about flying, but which sort of flight I’m not sure. Drug induced? Possibly. Or maybe he took up aviation in his down time. Either way, the song does have a free floating feel to it. Next is “ Boss of Me.” It struts in with a sense of purpose, and once again, the addition of horns is a nice bonus. This album makes me imagine what it would be like to see him perform in an intimate setting. Certainly if he were to tour he would have his pick of venues, but this album just suits itself to be playing in either a theater, or an even smaller, darker club. I like the darker club idea more. Seeing huge stars in little places is always better than giant arena’s where you can easily feel detached from the performer. The ending lines or “ Who’d of ever thought of it” are a gentle reminder that no one really expected to hear new music from this man. I’m glad we were all wrong.

 The last four songs of the album all continue the same energy of the previous 9 songs. “ ( You Will ) set the world on Fire” is a solid, anthematic rock and roll song. It just makes you wanna take over the world. It’s a forceful song, and the placement near the end of the album keeps the momentum going. The craftsmanship on this album, from all the players, is top notch. It’s not surprising though. Musicians like Bowie don’t really have to settle for sub par playing. They can and nearly always do have the best backing bands.

 The last song, “ You feel so Lonely You Could Die” is a chill, perfect ending. It’s reminiscent of the 80′s Bowie. The background vocals are really precise also. Now who knows what, if anything he has planned next. Given the super secrecy of the production of the album, it’s highly likely that only Bowie knows what ‘ The Next Day’ will bring. Hopefully it’s as awesome as this solid, solid album.

I came for the hits! ( Or my rules on concert ettiquett)

Today I’m sitting around listening to tracks off the new Knife album, “ Shaking the Habitual ( Review coming soon). Anyway, I was thinking about how seriously they, among others, take their live concert experiences. Back in the day, it was more about the performance. Unfortunately, in this day and age, people are of a different mind set. Everyone takes themselves way too seriously and thinks they’re more important than they actually are. So today I’m not gonna talk about any one band, but instead I’m going to review some of the ways you should or shouldn’t act while attending a live performance by other musicians. Here we go.

1. Get off your phones : Back in the day, it wasn’t even an issue. The biggest distraction came from cigarette lighters being lit. Now, especially if you have seats in a bigger venue above the floor area, you can see many, many people still playing on their phones while the bands are playing. The worst is for opening bands. Yes we know most everyone is here to see the main band, but how would you feel if you were asked to open for Radiohead and literally no one paid attention to you? Is your phone really that important? If you’re such a big music fan you might be interested in checking out this newer band you’ve never heard of. Get off the phone. Live in the moment, not on your fucking phone

2. Making your way to the front : It never fails that once I’m near the front of the floor someone, most often clueless girls and their meathead boyfriends decide it’s time to get to the front. Excuse me, I’ve been here for like two hours trying to inch my way up. Then they stand right in front of you like nothing is wrong. This is why I’m trying to burn a hole into your already hollow skull. It’s just rude. If you wanted to be in the front, you should’ve gotten there earlier.

3. Visual impurities : This goes hand in hand with Rule 2. About a year and a half ago I went with a friend to a St. Vincent show. It was still pretty early into the opening bands set when this hipster lady brought the party up to the front where we were. This would’ve been fine except she had an ENORMOUS INDIAN HEADDRESS on her goddamn head. I swear it was like 4 feet off of her head. That’s more than half the height of Annie Clarke, the St. Vincent singer. I was furious. Who do these people think they are? And yes I mean those people who decide to wear giant retard antenna’s to concerts and stand in front of hundreds of others.

4. Talking : Obviously this only valid while the bands are playing. If you’re in a bigger venue it’s usually not a big deal. Those shows are insanely loud. What I’m talking about is people who are trying to be louder than the actual music being performed. It’s the same thing as in a movie theater. I paid good money to see these Artists’ perform, not to hear you take about the on going drama with Becky and how you’re “ so over it.”

5. Don’t heckle the band : These people are on the road, away from family and loved ones. They’re performing for YOU. Don’t be a dick.

6. Name dropping : This should just be a standard rule of life. I don’t care who you know, what celebrity rapper you had sex with ( No, girl at the Yeasayer show, it’s not interesting that you slept with Snoop Dogg, I’m pretty sure you’re not the only one). I simply don’t care. I know you think your life is of more value because you can claim to know famous people or were there when such and such happened, but honestly I don’t give a shit.

7. Concerts are experiences : Try to enjoy your self and try not to make sure you’re seen. This is the worst at more electronic music events then anywhere else. Years ago I was lucky enough to see Daft Punk three times. Those concerts, as well as the overall vibes were just amazing. Then in 2010 I attended the Voodoo Music Festival here in NOLA. The last band of the day on the dance stage was deadmau5. My friend and I weren’t big fans to begin with but since no one else was playing, we decided to go see what all the fuss was about. What we found were a whole gaggle of frat boys and “ Woo Girls” who clearly missed the point, even if the music doesn’t have one. They were clearly just more interested in making sure they had the coolest outfits and everyone knew where the “party” was. The same happens when you see bands who have big, loyal followings. I’m a giant Nine Inch Nails fans. It amazes me that at many of the shows the people who have the NIN shirts on at the NIN concerts aren’t even the biggest fans. Swear to god someone at one show told me after “ the Becoming,” I can’t believe they just played a new song. And this person had on a Downward Spiral shirt. Seriously? You’re wearing the shirt of the album that song is off and you don’t know it?

7. SHIRTS : Speaking of shirts, don’t wear the shirt of the band you’re going to see. You look like an idiot. There’s no need to let someone know that you’re a fan of the band. You know how I know you like this band? You paid money to see the actual show. It’s only OK if you bought the shirt at the concert and don’t wanna hold it for the next four hours. Otherwise, just wear a normal shirt. What I try to do is to wear a shirt that I’m sure no one there will be wearing. For instance I’d wear a button down shirt or even better, I’d wear a Daft Punk shirt to a Morbid Angel show. There’s nothing worse for me than seeing someone else in the same shirt.

8. Spillage : If you drop something on someone, say sorry and try to fix the situation. If you knock over someone’s beer that they just paid $9.00 for, you owe them a beer. It’s just shitty. Say sorry, then promptly get them a new beer for the one you just wasted.

9. Required Listening ? : Never listen to the band you just saw on your way out of the venue. I’m amazed this happens ever. Once again this only happens for big shows. Why must you be blaring Tool on your drive out of the parking lot at a Tool concert? Don’t you want a break? You just saw them play for two hours. No offense to Tool, but right after I see a band live, I try to give myself at least a few days, if not significantly more time to think about the concert before I jump back into listening to them. It just seems silly to me.

10. Don’t be that guy : Everyone should already understand this rule. You always see at least one of these guys. And if you don’t see that guy, it might just be you. Be sure to ask a friend if in fact you are “ That Guy.”

I hope you have found this list informative and helpful.

With your name on my lips, the ages fall to bits ( or the review of Mosquito by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs

 

The evolution of this band is one of the best adventures in alternative music of the last 20 years. What began as a stellar but dirty form of art punk has evolved into a the mish mash of many different sounds, all constantly evolving. Mosquito, the bands fourth full length album, is no different. The Yeah Yeah Yeah’s manage to take a whole bunch of different sounds and still make music you can tell is the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. That’s easier said than done.

The opening track, “ Sacrilege” features a choir of harmonious gospel singers. You simply never hear this today, outside of the random hip hop track. For this genre, it’s a risky gamble, but ultimately it pays off. I’m likely going to outdo the word evolve, or evolution in the piece, so I apologize. The point is, songs like “ Sacrilege,” or the calming and disarming “ Subway” wouldn’t have even been possible for this band when “ Fever to Tell” came out. While my favorite album so far would probably be “ Show Your Bones” they continue to change their sound and venture into unknown territories. That’s the only way you can continue to be relevant, and they’ve succeeded valiantly in that.

 Songs like “ Mosquito,” and especially “ Area 52” showcase how at their base they are still an immediate sounding band who like to thrash about. Theses songs for me are an important presentation of the band they used to be, and the band they are now. A lot of things have changed about their sound, but it’s still nice to venture back every now and then and improve on your initial attitude. I’m aware some of the album was recorded in New Orleans, and having lived in or near hear my entire life, you can tell. There’s a grimy beauty to New Orleans, and you can hear it all over this album. The inclusion of old school underground rapper Dr. Octagon on “ Buried Alive” is a clear indication of the effect this city had on the Yeah’s.

“ Under the Earth” is a smooth, creepy low simmering song that gracefully slides through the wet grass under your feet. I’ve listened to this song maybe 15 times now, and it always reminds me of a midnight walk in a dark, dimly lit park. I haven’t tried that yet, but maybe soon I should.

 For one second, I’d like to talk about the album cover. Usually I really like the direction they go with cover art, but this time around it’s just bad. Not bad in a good way. It’s just silly to me. They must have been on the same bus as Animal Collective when they decided to have similarly terrible artwork on Centipede Hz, although I must admit the “ Mosquito” artwork isn’t nearly as bad as the Animal Collective. Back to the music.

 With every album they make, I’m always struck at how well they pace the music. The endings of all of their albums are always amazing and perfect. The last three songs especially. This album is no exception. “ Always” is a dreamy, sunny afternoon spent lounging around in whatever type of haze best suits you. It’s a lovely song for a day at the park marveling at the beauty mother earth has decided to give us. Next up we have “ Despair.” Karen O is best when she’s singing about pain, and the hopefulness that comes with love. The drumming of Brian Chase and the slow building, always translucent guitar playing of Nick Zinner help to make this one of the stand out songs on the albums. Now I’ve always described Zinner’s overall sound as translucent, so I don’t want everyone to get confused. From “ Fever to Tell” to this newest album, that’s the only word that applicably applies to it, at least for me. The last song, “ Wedding Song” is another tender hearted art song. The background is beautiful, and pure, and is the perfect showcase for what this band is capable of.

 I think Karen has learned a lot about her abilities throughout the years. I don’t think sounds, or lyrics like this were even possible years ago, and I also think the inclusion of her on the “ Where the Wild Things Are” score was an eye opener that she can do more than what she gave us with the first albums.

 Overall I’d say it’s another fabulous album in what I hope will continue to be a long and stellar career. In taking great risks, they’ve managed to stay near the top of an every growing sound. It’s good to have bands like these guys. Hopefully one day they’ll get to headline the major festivals that they deserve to be playing.

Some albums I’ve been listening to….

Today I can’t find the energy to write a long long piece so I decided just to post some albums I’ve been listening to lately. Some are newer, some are a little older, but they’re all pretty cool. Hope you enjoy!

Amon Tobin / ISAM

Bibio / Mind Bokeh

Converge / All We Love we Leave Behind

Divine Fits / A Thing Called Divine Fits

Django Django

Gustav Holst / the Planets

Ice Age / You’re Nothing

Niki and the Dove / Instinct

Sound City / Real to Reel

Yeah Yeah Yeahs / Mosquito

 

Albums that defined my Life ( #3 The Flaming Lips’ Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots)

As an young man, I gravitated more to heavier music, in the vein of Slayer, Pantera, Cannibal Corpse, and the like. As you get older though, you discover all different types of sounds, and unless you want to remain stagnant and stuck in one spot, you have to give everything a chance. One of those early albums was the Flaming Lips’ “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots.” Now before this album they had been known more for “ She don’t use Jelly,” but by this point they had changed their sound in favor of a more experimental, dreamy, lush landscape. Before Pink Robots, they had proven themselves to be a vastly interesting band with albums like “ Clouds Taste Metallic,” “Zaireeka,” and the “ the Soft Bulletin,” among many many others. This is a band that is constantly producing results. Check out “ Race for the Prize” off of Bulletin, it’s one of the best alternative songs of the last twenty years.

 Anyway, by the time 2002 came around, I hadn’t thought about them much. Then one day in 2003 I started hearing all this noise about “ Yoshimi,” so I decided to check it out. I’m very glad I did.

The album opens with a type of reverb, almost like giant robots being called into action. I imagine a giant factory of Pink Robots being assembled, and finally, the day for war has come. Some of the lyrics suggest my theory, but when you’re dealing with this band, I find it better just to enjoy the overall chemistry of the song and just let it flow. Much in the same way Muse did back in the day, the band, composed of just three dudes from Oklahoma manage to craft a sound that sounds like it’s at least 2 more members. Wayne Coyne, the leader and head weirdo in this outfit, brilliantly weaves in and out of this first song. The overall album, while not a concept album, has the general feel of a proper concept album. That’s at least how I like to imagine it. It’s always better to think of albums as having a linear plot meaning, even if they don’t.

 The whole album has this otherworldly feel to it. Especially on the second track “ One More Robot, Sympathy 3000 – 21.” I picture this happening on some very clean space ship floating through the galaxies, most likely after the destruction of our precious planet, either by Pink Robots or politicians ( Seriously, can’t you imagine the government sending out Pink Robots to control the masses?)

Anyway, the first song that’s pure singalong comes when the third song “ Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Part I” arrives, but it quickly enters part two amid explosions in the musical sense. It’s very upbeat, immediate, and quite terrifying. This album is just fucking visual from start to finish, at least for me. It likely has to be with the idea that I’ve probably listened to this album five hundred or so times in my life and have started imagining scenarios for each song. I wish it were possible to have a play count in your head at all times so I could get a proper number, but we’re not quite there yet, technologically speaking.

The album is one of the best and most beautiful albums I’ve ever heard, and it’s genius still continues to build. This just isn’t the type of album you come across very often, and that should be celebrated. It’s even more of a feat that while this was going on, band member Steven Drozd was apparently in the slums of a matter Heroin addiction. This of course no one outside of the band was even aware of.

One of the best songs of the entire album is without a doubt “ Are you a Hypnotist??” The drum beat, the texture of the background, and the amount of vocals all roll into one to create another mind blowing song. It’s not often that the second half of the album is better than the first, but this is the example to that rule. If you listen to the song, is pretty sad, and the struggling vocals by Coyne and the epicness of the last minute of the song.

 As a rule, you should always play the song “ It’s Summertime” during, you guessed it, the summer. It’s amazing to lay down in a field, and closing your eyes. For a moment, all can be right with the world. It’s a wonderful thing to be able to forget your problems and to think of all the beautiful wonders this world offers, even if it’s for a short time. This plays into the next song also. That song is “ Do You Realize?” Now, this song is equal parts hopeful and melancholy. It’s one of the most beautiful songs I’ve ever heard in my life. I found myself playing this song a lot around the time my Grandmother left this world. It’s important to replace those sad,lonely feelings with one that are joy filled. Life is way too fucking short to not give the most to the people you love. You have to appreciate the beauty in the world. I highly doubt people who have died would want their loved ones to only think about how they were in the end. They’d rather you think about them how they were in their prime, not how everyone is near the end.

The album continues in this way of thought with “ All we have is Now.” It’s true. For a fruitful life you have to take everything in stride. Closing out the album is more of a free jam type song, and honestly it works wonders. This can be a heavy album to take in, topic wise, but if you open up your mind and are willing to go for the ride, it has bountiful rewards.