Okay

I'm gonna jump the gun and predict a lot of people are gonna post "New Year" by Death Cab for their posts coming up on or after New Years Eve. I am too probably.

Lately I've had the misfortune to seek out a really good book, and find out that bitch Oprah has added it to her "select reads". And of course, all printed copies of them need the money, so they ALL add a sticker saying "Oprah's Book Club" on it. So when I read it in school, boy do I ever look cool! Anyways, enough ranting. A Million Little Pieces is everything you heard it is: fucking amazing. Frenetic, heartbreaking, and actually real.

Here's a little selection of songs that I could see applied to the book.

God by John Lennon
Fly by Nick Drake "please.... give me a second chance..."
Lucky by Radiohead

Anyways, I'm still kinda taking a break and enjoying no school. Sorry for lack of posts, but I'll be back in full swing with the new year!

Sombertude

The feeling as of late? Somber. Just got back from a christmas eve service and I must say, it feels good to be in the holiday season. Too bad it'll be over soon, but there's always New Years Eve parties to look forward to, right?

You know whats a shame? Just finally getting a copy of the Iron and Wine with Calexico EP. I love it! I've never listened to Calexico at all and I'm starting to hear more of their stuff, I really like that song "Sunken Waltz"

So what the hell, I'll put it up for people to listen to.

Sunken Waltz by Calexico

Mrrry Christmas people!

retail!

Working for a department store to pick up money during the christmas season = the worst idea ever. Gotta love the holiday rush. but, in between shopping for friends and working and enjoying student break, i've heard that supreme badass ceedee called "the mouse and the mask"

holy shit, it's like, my two favorite things: adult swim and sweet beats. anyways, i've made a rap mix for my friends, and well, why the hell not put it on here? now remember, this will be far from a comprehensive underground mix. i'm a stupid white boy who happens to like dem gangsta rap beatz.

a.t.h.f by danger doom (simply because meatwad and carl's intro. and the sweet beat. oh, and the rap is p i m p)
straight outta compton by NWA (first verse - fucking sweet, the rest is also badass, but don't have ice cube's edge)
staring at the world through my rearview by tupac (rap, with a chorus taken from a Phil Collins song? oh god yes)
bitch please II by eminem, snoop dogg, dr. dre, and xhibit, nate dogg
virginia by the clipse (because i live in virginny)
the bad touch by the bloodhound gang (because... why not? addictive chorus and great lyrics)

The List Finale

And the hits just keep on coming!

Franz Ferdinand's You Could Have it So Much Better
Yeah, so what if it feels like the extra LP that could've been packaged with their last album? Is that a bad thing? Hell no it isn't. That means it's got hooks to get stuck in your head and no one, I repeat, no one can deny "Do You Want To"'s insane ability to be stuck in your head. But, my personal favorites off the album are the slower numbers. Like this one!

Eleanor Put Your Boots On : Yeah, it's been on this blog I think twice already. I don't think you understand how much I like this song, and that you will too when you hear it.


Wedding Crashers
One word: hilarious. This movie, I expected great things from (Vince Vaughn, Owen Wilson together?) and was I not disappointed. At all. I cried laughing. Yeah, we've all heard it by now, but after opening weekend it spread by word of mouth and more than tripled it's budget in earnings. They deserve it. Too many quotables to choose from, and too many scenes, but for my money, nothing is funnier than getting a handjob at the dinner table.

Thunder, Lightning, Strike! By the Go! Team
Wow. Talk about a surprise. I was like, all the indie kids are talking about it, I guess I'll give it a listen. Surprise factor? It was supremely badass and lived up to a reputation of groovy tracks with lots of sweet samples making happy music. Yah man. Here's a really bad MP3 track off the album, my encoder still won't make it better.

Ladyflash : What an excellent hook. I love it, gots that old school feeling. Or it could be the quality of my mp3. Either way, I think it adds to the overall groove. Man.
Get it Together : Now that's what I call happy music. And how about that completely 80's feel in last thirty-seconds of the song? Badassss.


Family Guy
A glorious return to say the least. Just run out and get that new dvd of this year's return season and be astounded at what you were missing. Sharp wit, pop culture references, and so much shocking material, I'm amazed they're not cancelled again. Give them time though.




Z by My Morning Jacket
I always liked em, and they seemed to have reinvented their sound for this record. Well, maybe reinvent is not the word. It's not like Radiohead going to the Bends to Kid A. It's more like, a cousin to the past albums. And I like it! It's quieter at parts, reminescient of past hits, but definitely have some loud ones.

Off the Record : A long lost ska song made by My Morning Jacket? Sounds like it.
Wordless Chorus : Perfect example of how they've changed. Sparse music with some haunting vocals. They're so laid back and quiet, for awhile atleast. Love that track.

Pixel Revolt by John Vanderslice
Found this one through Alan at sixeyes and loved it ever since. He makes wonderful melodies, almost put you in a trance, yah? Here are two from that album, which I suggest you buy. (like all the others)
Trance Manual and Exodus Damage

Johnny Cash
The Man in Black gets his due with a pretty good movie,an anthology set, and probably a lot more fans. Gotta love that.
I Still Miss Someone and A Boy Named Sue





Jarhead
New movie by Sam Mendes? Has Donnie Darko in it, and Ray Charles, and that guy from Garden State? Gotta see it. Decent war movie, with three or four amazing visual pieces that come to my mind right now. Also, one helluva trailer.

Pandora.com
So, sick of listening to those same old playlists? Need something new in your life, and those blogs aren't helping you? Pandora is a site that lets you type in bands and then plays songs from those bands. You add more bands and it adds more. The thing is, that it starts playing songs from bands that you havn't added, but with the same genre and taste. I've discovered atleast ten new bands from this, try it yourself. I'm telling yah, it's magic.

Resident Evil 4
Three words: scary as hell. The reason I still have a GameCube.

that new death cab material

Wow, so I finally got "Plans" and gotta say, I'm loving it the first three or four times through. I like it a lot actually, probably on parallel with "Transatlanticism" except they're a bit more subdued this time. Heres a sample or two to make you find it, be it torrent or buy it. I'd buy it.

It's worth it!

Atleast ask for it for christmas, so someone's paying for it.

Cheap bastards.

Soul Meets Body by Death Cab for Cutie
Crooked Teeth by Death Cab for Cutie

The best of list next time!

The List, part one of two

Inevitable. Everyone's got an opinion on what was hot this year, and we already know that the semi-indulgent and slightly egotistical blogger will tell everyone there's. So here it is, in no numerical order, and not just pertaining to music. What in pop culture did I love this year? If it's on the list, go out and ask for it for christmas, or just get it yourself. I gaurantee, it's badassssss. No order now, remember that. Albums will have a music sample too. Some of these may have come out before 2005, but I discovered them this year. Yeeep.

Layer Cake
Wow. Just an all around, cold as ice British gangster flick. The serious launching pad for the next Bond, Craig has proven he can look good shooting people. Made by Guy Ritchie's producer, this is the more sophisticated version of Snatch. For 2006, look towards Ritchie's own Revolver for more criminal hijinks.




I'm Wide Awake it's Morning by Bright Eyes
Probably my favorite album of the year. I know I wouldn't assign numbers, but this is number one. My introduction to Bright Eyes, and a damn fine listen even almost a year after it came out. All about self loathing, longing, failed or failing relationships, loss.... the good stuff. Melancholy overtones with sometimes upbeat, midwestern picking. Too many good tracks to pick, so why not, I'm putting up two.

First Day of My Life : Probably the most upbeat and poetic one off the album, this is a perfect example of why I love him.
Landlocked Blues (With Emmylou Harris) : Quiet and haunting, it gradually gets more and more personal, drawing you into the story it's presenting. At first, the bitter goodbye, then it evolves into remembering what once was. Amazing vocals.

Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris
I just love me some David Sedaris. Who'd think that the musings of a gay now-french, once North Carolinian would be so damn funny? Alternating between currnt situations and ponderings of a misspent youth, or his brother Rooster, it's just too damn funny. Can't wait for more. For extra laughs, actually listen to his voice. It's just as girly as he described it.


The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou by Wes Anderson
Another film to add to the magnificent work done by Mr. Anderson. First to discuss: the acting marvel that is Bill Murray's Steve Zissou. No one balances drama and comedy in a character lately as well as Murray. This isn't the first time Anderson has brought out such a real emotive side from him, Rushmore and Life Aquatic are perhaps some of the best in his career. He makes the movie. Speaking of it, the film only gets better the more times you watch it. At first, you don't know what to expect and are searching for a giant plot. Give that up, and enjoy the story that unfolds. The color scheme and cinematography: brilliant to say the least. And of course, had a quirky and enjoyable soundtrack to accompany it.

Ping Island/Lightning Strike Rescue Op by Mark Mothersbaugh : Each of the Anderson film scores by Mothersbaugh have a distinct feel, and this one's emphasis on old-school electronica and throwbacks to Bowie songs are personified in this.

Black Sheep Boy by Okkervil River
Seriously haunting and raw. This album is all about disappointment, violence, and it all sounds so real in the sometimes raspy, drawn back vocals. The tracks are laced with a deep cynicism and often self critical. Best example?

For Real by Black Sheep Boy : The perfect build-up, and a twisted story of someone's darker thoughts. But the song's gathering intensity is so great, and there's one line that just can't get unstuck from my mind. "And I really missed what really did exist."

Illinois by Sufjan Stevens
Okay. Seriously, this album has been praised up and down in the cyber world. And you want to know why? Because it's that fucking good. Tied with Bright Eyes in my book for best of the year, this album has so many peaks and continues to amaze me after repeated listening. His songwriting can only be described as poetic stories that seem to unfold quietly, and sometimes not so quietly. He has mastered the low melodies and big choral arrangements at the same time. There are so many highlights on this album, it's hard to choose really. Again, two tracks off a superb album.

Casimir Pulaski Day : A heartbreaking story that is so visual and depressing it's perfect. Seriously, his almost whispered song evokes summer nights that once were, and all the passions he felt.
Chicago : What's that? We need upbeat, giant arrangements! Well, here they are.

Get Behind me Satan by The White Stripes
Oh Meg and Jack, how I love you so. Ever since you sent me up that slice of British grime in 2002, I've been waiting patiently for your new album. And boy, did I enjoy it. They say you love the blues, and dammit if you didn't prove them right: you show some fine style on this one. Even if Meg only gets about thirty seconds of singing, which is okay with me, truly. But what's with all that Rita Hayworth name dropping? Great all around.

My Doorbell : Damn catchy song if there ever was one, I remember someone saying this is the Jackson Five meets White Stripes. You think so?
Forever for Her : A love ballad about just getting down.

We Love Katamari (PS2)
You know, it's a game only the Japanese could think of and make. You are the Prince of the Universe, working for the King of the Universe, who wants you to please the people by rolling objects up into a giant ball and then shoot them into the cosmos as stars. Oh my god it is the best thing ever made. Ever. Ever. Ever. It's like crack, except more cartoony and odd.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PS2)
Another year, another badasss GTA game. Except this time, it's super freaking sweet as opposed to just mindblowing. You can do every single thing in this game imaginable. You play in the LA hood, circa 1993 or so. Nothing says perfection like shooting cops and hookers with "Welcome to the Jungle" blazing on the radio. Gotta love it, gotta love it.







Sin City
Yeah, perhaps the biggest surprise of the year for me. Never read the graphic novel, but a big fan of Robert Rodriguez, when I heard the ensemble cast and promise of ultra-sylized ultraviolence, I just had to be there. Gotta say, of the three stories, Marv's was the most fun, while the last one about that Yellow Bastard was definitely the most well done. Cannot wait for the Extended Cut that's coming out this tuesday.

*Ten more tommorrow, or when I get around to making it

Busy busy busy

So, how about that COLLEGE APPLICATION due date? End of the month pretty much. Yeah, can't wait to finish all those in the next two days. Anyways, as of late it's been school and then work for 5 hours a night, so I've been kinda tired. But, once again this week, school/ice has kept me out of school. I love the weather! Here's another mix, this time, upbeat tempo!

Outtasite (Outta Mind) by Wilco
We Don't Care by Kanye West
Queen Jane Approximately by Bob Dylan
Optimistic by Radiohead
Picture of Jesus by Ben Harper and the Blind Boys of Alabama

winter wonderland

Oh... my... First day this year being snowed in from school! I think Jesus still loves us. So here are some songs for a wintery day, where you're just staying inside, watching movies playing video games... A general good time. Gonna call some friends up, have some snowball fights, and sleep away the evening.

Poison Oak by Bright Eyes
Take Me Down by Smashing Pumpkins (slow, steady melody. love it)
The Predatory Wasp Of The Palisades Is Out To Get Us! by Sufjan Stevens (perfect for a cold wintery day. just perfect)
At Least That's What You Said by Wilco
Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues by Bob Dylan

Solicitations, I love them (part deux)

Finally looking at my email and finding a few things asking for some listening. So here they are!

First up, Chris Price. From my own home state of Virginia, comes some music that I can only describe as a beat from The Faint with a laidback vocal set. I dig it, and hope he keeps it up.

Charge Me Up by Chris Price

Secondly, Judas Bull sent me an self-produced album called Stillborn Brainchild. I have trouble placing a comparison, but the closest I can come with is... Alice in Chains, with a more electronic feel. Yeah, I really don't have anything. Check it out, they're some harder edged muzak. You can get four of his tracks (or be his friend on myspace) right here.

Third up is Venice is Sinking, a band from Athens, GA. They're a little indie rock group and dammit, I like their style. You can get two of their MP3s right here at their main site along with a video. Or be their myspace friends. It's cool.

And, I guess I'll post this badass song a friend recommended me to.
From Paris to Berlin by Infernal.

Isn't it just... fun?

So... how was it for you?

Age of Aquarius by The Fifth Dimension

And I said, what about...

So it's friday night and you've got to get out of your house and do something. Here's a soundtrack to it! Just kidding, just a friday night mix.

Mama Told me Not to Come by Three Dog Night
Who Am I (What's my Name) by Snoop Dogg
Take, Take, Take by the White Stripes
Why'd you Do it? by Stretch

Oh, and for the love of God, check out this little band called The Metasciences which I found at that badassss blog songs:illinois. He interviewed them too ch-ch-check it out.