mr cellophane

2006-03-18T18:56:00.000-08:00

The Snakes on a Plane teaser is out. Absolutely riveting. Highlights:

"I've had it with these mothafuckin' snakes."

"THAT'S RIGHT MOTHAFUCKA I JUST WHIPPED YOU WITH A MOTHAFUCKIN' SNAKE!"

"Whatchu gonna do now, mothafucka!?"

"OH MAH GAWD THEREZ SNAKES ON THIS PLANE!"

"Ughhh...there's snakes on this plane and I forgot my heart pills..."

"AAAAAAAAAAAAGHHAHHHAHHGHHGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"SNAKE IN MY SHIRT!!!!!!!"

Shit's gonna blow up. I don't care why. It's going. to. blow. up.

Axe + snake + plane =

DECAPITATED SNAKE ON A PLANE.

See this movie.

Backmasking

2006-03-11T13:22:00.000-08:00

I just listened to almost every Boards of Canada song backwards. It is incredible how well they manipulate sound. So many hidden voices, backwards instruments, crazy effects. I think the main reason people never appreciated The Campfire Headphase as much as they should have is because they never took the time to really explore the soundscapes. I think it might be their most thematically coherent work to date.

Also, that new Fiery Furnaces record makes pretty extensive use of backwards elements. A lot of songs have well over a minute of backwards vocals. I am really anticipating Matt's solo work - as much as I love Eleanor, I feel like she's holding back his more experimental side.

2006-03-05T19:49:00.000-08:00

Gotta post this quick:

actor: ps hoffman, capote
actress: charlize theron, north country
director: ang lee, brokeback mountain
best picture: broke back mountain
screenplay: crash

2006-03-05T19:32:00.000-08:00

So my school newspaper has a really goofy opinion page with columns with goofy names like "Deal With It" and "I Wonder If..." which really have nothing to do with dealing with anything or introspection of any sort. If I was an opinionated man, my title would be a bit more succinct: "Taking Out The Trash."

2006-02-19T15:04:00.000-08:00

I made a brief guest appearance on my buddy's podcast. Check it out.

Those USA Curling girls are so CUTE.

2006-02-18T15:14:00.000-08:00

I love Cassie Johnson. I love her.

This is going to be the coolest spring ever.

2006-02-09T15:59:00.000-08:00

2-18 - NIN @ Kemper Arena. I wouldn't be going if my mom hadn't invited me (she's quite the Reznor fan), but it could be a decent show.
2-22 - Sigur Ros @ Uptown Theater I expect nothing less than a transcendental, life-changing experience. Hopefully I'm not disappointed.
3-1 - Matisyahu @ Beaumont C'mon...I get to hear "King Without A Crown" live.
3-21 - Wilco @ Uptown Theater When I read that they're stopping in KC, I involuntarily yelled "OH MY GOD" pretty damn loud. I am so incredibly excited to see them.

If Radiohead makes a stop here in their upcoming tour, I think my life will be complete.

2006-02-02T13:00:00.000-08:00

I saw the coolest educational film ever in Anatomy today. Mystery of the Senses - Smell. It is so completely Lynchian and surreal. It features people sniffing each other, sniffing toilets, for uncomfortably long periods. And some fantastically directed and eerie imagery of scent factories. And some really interesting commentary on our culture, and our need to perfume every aspect of our existance.

2006-01-31T19:35:00.000-08:00

The NKCSD's ever-popular and ever-successful attempt to reform their ailing students, BOSS class, has reached a new low. We are beginning our "CAREERS" unit. The curriculum consists of three class periods, each devoted to a different guest speaker describing their unique career opportunities. DAY 1: The Army. DAY 2: The Marines. DAY 3: The Navy. Believe it. I absolutely will not be in that classroom.

State of the Union. I was touched. I mean, that letter. Wow. Riveting. Bush is such a compassionate guy!

YOU'RE NEXT, IRAN!

2006-01-30T20:22:00.000-08:00

I feel far too much like an adult. At my job, I have fourty-somethings answering to me. A sixty-something, on Saturdays. One of my coworkers asked me to go buy them a pack of cigarettes. What the hell? I still feel like a kid. I mean, I am.

I really should find a more enjoyable job, because every day that I have to go in to work, I am deeply, deeply depressed until I'm off. It's not good.

I'm going to purchase a new computer to take when I leave for school or whatever. It's one of those really big decisions that I obsess over, sort of like my headphone purchase. It's sort of overwhelming, but at the same time, it's gratifying to have this huge decision in front of you. It'll be cool.

2006-01-29T20:23:00.000-08:00

Whenever I read a poem written by somebody I am in any way acquainted with, I think it's about ME.

2006-01-18T15:16:00.000-08:00

I don't really know what has been up lately. Life has reached a frenzied pace. A good thing, I suppose. Just really busy with work and school and all that crazy stuff. Broadening my horizons.

I'm going to my second Independent Film Coalition meeting tonight. It is an interesting organization, and something that I really would like to get involved with.

I've also been sort of wrapped up in music making, both my hardcore duo and electronica stuff. I just noticed that IDM artist Freescha added me to their friends on Myspace, which is most excellent.

I've been watching a lot of the Ali G Show. Respek.

ACT soon.

Signing up for a story for Oak Park's Timberline publication, I realized just how phony journalism is. I hate the attention that podcasting has been receiving. I think it's stupid. I cringe at every article I see about it. I'm writing a story about trends in technology featuring, yeah, podcasting. Why? Because it is easy, and I am weak.

2006-01-08T11:11:00.000-08:00

I would really like to know how many shitty bands have written a song with lyrics from Kurt Cobain's suicide note.

I'm going to jail, guys.

2006-01-03T20:21:00.000-08:00

The RIAA logged my IP.

A very, very menacing message now sits on the front page of P2P service Grokster's website:

The United States Supreme Court unanimously confirmed
that using this service to trade copyrighted material is illegal.
Copying copyrighted motion picture and music files
using unauthorized peer-to-peer services is illegal and is
prosecuted by copyright owners.

There are legal services for downloading music and movies.
This service is not one of them.

YOUR IP ADDRESS IS xx.xx.xx.xxx AND HAS BEEN LOGGED.
Don't think you can't get caught. You are not anonymous.

What the fuck is this macho bullshit? Yeah, it's completely illegal to visit a website. My IP has been logged, man. Well, fuck you, dumbass in a business suit, I'm behind a proxy.

2006-01-03T09:26:00.000-08:00

I was sitting there reading an article on "independent" music in the FYI section today, and there's a giant picture of Win Butler of the Arcade Fire. My mom sees it, and says "I've been seeing a lot about them lately. Now you have to stop liking them since they're getting some mainstream attention, right?" And I'm like, "WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU, MOM?!"

2006-01-02T20:12:00.000-08:00

So I informed my friend that I was watching the National Spelling Bee on ESPN2, and she pointed me to this video of a kid fainting at a previous spelling competition. Not thirty seconds after I watched it, he stepped up to the mic on my television, and a guy set a stool out for him. I laughed much harder than I should have.

I feel God is trying to tell me something. But what?

2005-12-29T15:07:00.000-08:00

It was when I brought home my copy of Aphex Twin's 26 Mixes For Cash and my dad thought the said mixes were for the late Johnny Cash that I realized if such a recording existed, it would probably be the greatest thing anybody has ever heard.

The more I've thought about it, the clearer it has become that the box of Nilla Wafers... isn't apathetic, but bashful, ashamed of its own identity, torn apart by the attention received by Wheatables, by Much'ems, fearing an eternity of underappreciation and obscurity. One day, though, I hope that the people of the world discover the airy but substantial crunch and smooth, sweet flavor of the Nilla Wafer... and allow it into their heart.

2005-12-26T20:18:00.000-08:00

My amusement of the day:

By far, the most apathetic box of crackers I've ever seen.

I must have laughed at that at least 5 times throughout the day.

Ahhhh, Christmas.

2005-12-25T21:46:00.000-08:00

Not a bad Christmas. Got some good gifts. My parents bought me the digital camera I've been wanting, so I'm pretty excited about that. Perhaps I'll be posting some mediocre photography in the future.

My family got together at my uncle's house on Lake Waukomis. That place is quite possibly KC's best kept secret. I mean, I've lived down the street from it my entire life and had no idea it existed. Who knew there was a goddam lake there?

Anyway. I think there's a good chance I'm going to develop some sort of mental illness. Actually, if I went to a shrink, I'm sure they'd find something to diagnose me with. Any member of my family is on antidepressants by the time they're 25. My cousin and her husband got on Zoloft two weeks ago. And the difference between when I saw them at Thanksgiving and today is stunning. A month ago, they were two of the most lively and funny people I knew. Today, they were pretty much lifeless. My cousin fell asleep during dinner.

So, I'm becoming a Scientologist.

Jesus Lives!

2005-12-15T20:03:00.000-08:00

I attended a choir performance at Oak Park tonight. Immensely talented group of kids, I must say. I learned something, though. All you people in the O'Reilly Brigade, apparently combating this "war on Christmas" thing, need to cool it. Jesus is still very much alive within our public schools.

A few selections from the program: "Holy Child, Jesus Child," "Born, Born In Bethlehem," "Infant Holy," "Look At Sweet Mary's Baby," and the wonderful, "The Virgin Mary Had A Baby Boy."

That's only a sample. Every single one of the twenty seven songs performed was about either Big J or Christmas. Hey, I'm down. Jesus was a cool guy, for sure. And everybody loves Christmas. It was just sort of shocking to a guy that's come to expect at least a few traditional Swahili chanties or Hebrew hymns from these deals.

I had a unique perspective on the whole thing, though, because I was sitting beside a Jewish friend of mine. I mean, not hardcore Jewish, but, as he puts it, "Jew...ish."

I quote: "I feel more out of place than Steve Urkel at a Klan meeting."

THE TOP 20 ALBUMS OF '05

2005-12-09T15:45:00.000-08:00

20. 13 & God - 13 & God

One of many outstanding collaborations this year. Anticon duo Themselves and the experimental Notwist crafted a great set of songs. Their two distinct styles combine to create either some of the most experimental hip-hop, or some of the hip-hoppest experimental music, or something. It's unique, and very cool.
Listen: "Men Of Station"

19. Of Montreal - The Sunlandic Twins

This one came out at the beginning of the year, and I almost forgot about it. It ruled my entire summer, though. "Wraith Pinned To The Wrist And Other Games" conjures many vivid memories involving my ex-girlfriend. It's that kind of music. If you watch The OC, you should know how they sound. Bittersweet, tweeish pop music with some incredibly vocal melodies. I mean, they're on Elephant 6. There's a certain sentimentality both thematically and musically. Good stuff.

Listen: "Wraith Pinned To The Wrist (And Other Games)," "Requiem For O.M.M. 2"

18. Jackson and his Computer Band - Smash

Blows any dance music from 2005 out of the water. It's tough to put a label on the style. There's drum programming that wouldn't be out of place on some of Autechre's older work. There's cut-up vocal samples all over the place. And all sorts of weird experimentalism. The important thing is that there's a reckless, ADHD energy in every second of this album. It makes you want to move. That's what dance music is about right? I don't frequent dance floors, but if I did, I'd be very disappointed if they didn't play "Utopia" at least ten times a night. It's so good.
Listen: Full Album Stream

17. Gang Gang Dance - God's Money

God's Money sounds like some recording that the Egyptians made with the aliens when they came down to help build the pyramids. That's the best way I can describe it. Tribal percussion and pan flutes paired with abrasive electronics and freeform song structures. Is it noise? Is it electronica? Is it world music? I don't know. I like it though.
Listen: "Nomad For Love (Cannibal)"

16. The Double - Loose In The Air

The Double's Matador debut has one of the most original and addicting sounds around. Wild but oddly-melodic guitar feedback blankets groovy basslines, old-school synthesizer and some pretty awesome drumming. When I first saw them open for Interpol, I was in awe at how far they'd stretched the pop aesthetic. They go about it in a completely different way but garner better results than the majority of the pop around acts. "Idiocy" should be all over the radio, and "Icy" wouldn't be too far behind it. They demonstrate their versatility with songs like "On Our Way," a slow, atmospheric piece with an astounding amount of restraint leading up to an intense climax. Really, there's something good to say about every track on it.
Listen: "Idiocy"

15. The Boy Least Likely To - The Best Party Ever

I heard these guys before the Pitchfork hype. No, really! On the surface, The Best Party Ever is just another album of fun-but-shallow pop gems performed w/ quirky instruments like banjoes and glockenspiels. Sure, there's a certain playfulness to the music, but it's great because of the album's smart lyrics, an expression of a particular state of mind that I think a lot of people experience. It's about growing up, leaving the carefree bliss of childhood behind, yearning for a return to a point in life when things weren't so complicated. A certain paranoia looms over every boppy bassline. "Be Gentle With Me" opens the album with a great thesis statement set to a syncopated drumbeat and catchy glockenspiel line: "I'm happy because I'm stupid / Scared of spiders scared of flies / If I wasn't so happy / I wouldn't be so scared of dying." Nothing comes anywhere near the obvious highlight, "The Battle Of The Boy Least Likely To," one of the most eloquent expressions of quiet yearning and fear of death ever.
Listen: "Be Gentle With Me," "Hugging My Grudge," "Fur Soft As Fur"

14. Sigur Ros - Takk

Unlike many people, I really liked ( ). The darker, more pessimistic tone was an interesting area for our favorite Icelandians to explore. It's clear, though, in Takk... that whatever was bothering Jonsi and the gang is now far, far away. This is Sigur Ros at their most ethereal and elated. There are less of the exagerrated, Godspeed dynamics that have become so cliché after hundreds of post-rock bands ripped it off. The songs are more compact, but demonstrate greater depth and more polish than earlier work. "Glosoli" will become a classic. A simple switch to double-time two-thirds of the way through the track arouses more emotion than any other moment in a song this year. "Saeglopur" achieves similar results with the group's classic bowed-guitar sound and an indescribably gorgeous melody. Takk became my sleep album, overtaking Kid A.
Listen: "Hoppipolla" (Live)

13. Caribou - The Milk of Human Kindness

Caribou (the artist formerly known as Manitoba) makes me feel like a bum. He makes some of the best music around using only Acid Pro with some pretty minimal drum samples. Fuckin' infuriating, really. I could be making music this good, if only I had the talent. Oh well. This is probably the most eclectic release of the year. Every track has a unique flavor and a style of its own, yet there's something there that unifies them all as a cohesive album. There's the hip-hop beats and arpeggios of "Lord Leopard," the chill riffiness of "Bees," the dark, folky "Hello Hammerheads." All very well-written, all very catchy.
Listen: "Yeti"

12. Autechre - Untilted

Autechre seems to be following the reverse path of most popular acts. Instead of becoming more accessible and glossing up the production, his work is getting more grating and difficult than ever. If you were to listen to Incunabula and then Untilted, you would absolutely not see the connection. I've found the duo's most recent offering one of the most rewarding in their entire catalogue. The songs are complex and meaty, and the sounds can be hard on the ears, but if you quit listening for your predefined notions of what music should be and take the sound for what it is, you will find yourself enjoying the music. There are so many moments on Untilted that just feel good. The album's best achievement comes at the end with a 15-minute epic called "Sublimit." Its brilliance has to be heard to be understood.
Listen: Full Album Stream

11. Broadcast - Tender Buttons

I usually hate female vocalists. Except Kim Gordon, although I'm not sure if she counts. I'm not a misogynist in the least. They just tend to get on my nerves. This album just does it for me, though. Beautiful songs with wonderfully minimalistic arrangements. Usually just a simple riff, a drum machine, very cool glitchy synth, and some detached female vocals that can be truly captivating. Many would probably call them "broken" pop songs. I don't think so, though. The production is as minimalistic as the arrangements, and lends a unique flavor to their sound, but the song structures are pretty straightforward and undeniably catchy. Highlights include album-opener "I Found The F," which features hands-down one of the most hypnotizing synth lines ever, and "America's Boy," the closest this album comes to rock'n'roll.
Listen: "America's Boy,""Tears In A Typing Pool"

10. Lightning Bolt - Hypermagic Mountain

This is probably the best thing Lightning Bolt has done. I mean, I never gave their older stuff the time it deserved, but it never hooked me. Wonderful Rainbow is one of the greatest album names of all time, though. Hypermagic Mountain takes their trademark combination of complex, free-form drumming and heavy-as-fuck bass guitar and uses it for some much more compelling songs. I can't believe the complexity that is achieved with just a bass guitar. It sounds like a guitar a lot of the time. And I'm equally amazed by how complex the drumming is while still holding the song firmly in place. The album is filled with chill-inducing moments that, at a live show, would make you yell "HOLY SHIT!" You know you've done it before. For instance, the entirety of "Dead Cowboy."
Listen: "Captain Caveman" (Live)

9. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois

Illinois is completely overdone and completely uneconomical. One of its songs is called "The Black Hawk War, Or, How To Demolish An Entire Civilization And Still Feel Good About Yourself In The Morning, Or, We Apologize For The Inconvenience But You're Gonna Have To Leave Now, Or, 'I Have Fought The Big Knives And Will Continue To Fight.'" It's this over-the-top feel is what makes it so great. Sufjan isn't being sarcastic or cynical about his fifty states project. I really think he loves America. Both this and Michigan have demonstrated some of the most heartfelt and genuine songwriting I've ever heard. His soft, melancholy voice is one of the most pleasurable around, and the orchestral arrangements of the cutely named Illinoisemakers form a very nice palette for Sufjan to craft his songs from.
Listen: "Casimir Pulaski Day"

8. The Books - Lost and Safe

The Books' first few albums were chaotic but undeniably catchy. Their sound is based around the juxtaposition of found-sound vocal samples with traditional instruments and percussive clicks and clacks. The combination results in a completely unique sound that arouses emotion through subconscious correlations. The basic formula remains the same, although it feels more mature and less experimental-for-the-sake-of-experimentalism. Samples don't feel at all out of place. Their vocalist even intertwines his singing with the words of the found-sounds, creating a great cohesiveness rarely found in sound-collage projects. A political feel pulses through the album. Lots of chatter about America. Lost and Safe proves that The Books have mastered their sound, and can now concentrate on writing kickass material.
Listen: Here's their site; have fun trying to find some music.

7. Andrew Bird - Andrew Bird & the Mysterious Production of Eggs

Andrew Bird is weird. This guy said that when he tried to have him sign the booklet from this album, he went crazy with a sharpie and just scribbled all over it. He is also a fucking genius. His arrangments on Eggs are unmatched. He is a multi-instrumentalist, although primarily a violinist. He is also quite the whistler, and he has a pretty solid voice.. It's all put together very well. The standout here is his mastery of language. The theme of the bittersweetness of childhood is pretty compelling, but it's overshadowed by all the great linguistic techniques he pulls out. It feels very literary and calculated. Lots of alliteration, and all that good stuff. The obvious stand-out is "Nervous Tic Motion Of The Head To The Left." Electro beats, nifty fiddle-playin', vocal harmonies, and masterful whistling somehow create a dark, noir feel. "Overprescribed / Under the mister / We had survived to turn on the history channel / And ask our esteemed panel / Why we are alive / And here's how they replied: / You're what happens when two substances collide / And by all accounts, you really should've died." Impressive, right? I mean, The History Channel is pretty indie. Oh yeah, if you miss Pavement, listen to "The Naming of Things."
Listen: Full Album Stream (link on the bottom left)

6. Wolf Parade - Apologies to the Queen Mary

I've been following these guys since their very first EP. I've never done that before. I guess I experienced both sides of it. On one hand, it's very cool to hear the songs evolve, notice the little embellishments that get added as time goes by. On the other, it kind of hurts to hear an album and find many of the tracks inferior to the originals. Apologies was produced my Modest Mouse's Isaac Brock. It has a very unique sound, not unlike Modest Mouse's earlier material; one that I didn't find particularly suited to Wolf Parade's material. Very thin and raw. I have to admit that it has grown on me. I've probably listened to "Grounds For Divorce" more than anything else since I bought the album; it blows away the EP version. Same with "It's A Curse." Kick-ass rock'n'roll with off-kilter lyrics and zany electronic flourishes. I can't make myself like the new version of "Dear Sons And Daughter of Hungry Ghosts," which was the standout out of their EP's. Oh well. It's a fantastic album with some very gifted songwriting.
Listen: "Shine A Light," "You Are A Runner"

5. John Vanderslice - Pixel Revolt

Man, I sure love a well-produced album. Sometimes, it's difficult to be an audiophile and a fan of indie rock. I mean, listening to Slanted and Enchanted on a nice set of 'phones can be downright painful. You can't dislike John Vanderslice's work. It's all so damn catchy and easy on your ears. Perfectly produced using purely analogue methods. It's really impressive. Add in the fact the Vanderlice is a wonderful songwriter, and, well, the guy can't do any wrong. And he hasn't. He's released five near-perfect albums in five years. In Pixel Revolt, he expresses the paranoia and numbness of being an intelligent American in the 21st century. References to terrorists, 9/11, and the Iraq war abound. From "Exodus Damage:" "Dance dance revolution / All we're gonna get / Unless it falls apart." Subversive, with a cool pop-culture reference. Instrumentation is diverse. Broken beats, electronic blips, orchestral instruments, mellotron can all be found on the album. Is it Vanderslice's best? It's possible. Certainly the most thematically consistent, and I haven't gotten tired of it after countless listens.
Listen: "Exodus Damage," "Trance Manual"

4. Why? - Elephant Eyelash

I'm not a lyrics guy. They're usually the last thing I consider when I listen to a new album. I mean, I still don't know half of the words to OK Computer. I found myself singing along to Elephant Eyelash after one or two listens. Yoni Wolf has unparalleled delivery, presumably acquired from his experience with hip-hop. He reconciles these roots with indie rock influences to create one of the most unique albums of the last couple years. I guess another reason why the songs resonated so strongly with me is because they're largely about Wolf's breakup, and I was going through a similar situation. Whatever. There's some vivid, off-beat imagery in these pieces that engrain themselves in your brain. From "Rubber Traits:" "Unfold an origami death mask / And cut my DNA with rubber traits / Pull apart the double helix like a wishbone / Always be working on a suicide note" These songs go places. Pretty choruses, rap interludes, sampled codas. So awesome.
Listen: "Rubber Traits"

3. Boards of Canada - The Campfire Headphase

Yes, it has guitars. And they sound fucking fantastic. Boards of Canada has always created self-contained, perfectly rounded albums with a consistent sound. The Campfire Headphase is no different. Everything from the album's art to the most minute details of the songs fits into a single vision. The recording has been artificially aged, making it match the old photograph look of the cover. This album should only be listened to through headphones or some very nice speakers. Every song is filled with subtle details that make them fantastic. I've heard countless complaints about there not being enough vocal samples. They're still there, but they've been cut up, distorted, and otherwise destroyed and inserted into the soundscape of the songs. As always, the music enters your subconscious and stimulates memories, epiphanies, and ideas. Right now, I think it's about technology and its effect on culture, but I'm sure some new meaning will reveal itself upon my next listen.
Listen: Full Album Stream

2. Mountain Goats - The Sunset Tree

John Darnielle, after creating a pseudo-biographical album with We Shall All Be Healed, finally ditches his fictional characters to face some demons of his own. Over the course of thirteen wonderfully produced (by the sickly talented John Vanderslice) tracks, Darnielle explores the complex relationship between him and his recently deceased, abusive step-father. His childhood was not at all pleasant. Each song illustrates a vignette from his adolescent years, offering a painful look at the frustration and anxiety he felt being stuck in a home with an abuser. The most powerful is "This Year," which likens his home to a jail-cell. Darnielle repeatedly delivers the mantra, "I am gonna make it through this year if it kills me." He has never sounded more sincere, probably because the subject matter hits so close to home. Darnielle is pretty much the best songwriter working today, and I can't wait to see if he continues in this direction.
Listen: "Dance Music" Live, "Love, Love, Love" (Live)

1. Animal Collective - Feels

Feels is Animal Collective's most consistent and cohesive album yet. There's no "Visiting Friends" here, and no "Two Sails on a Sound." Every song is deeply layered, meaningful and exciting. "Grass" comes very close to topping Sung Tongs' "Who Could Win A Rabbit" for the best trippy freak-out song ever. You cannot listen to it without jumping around and mimicing that dying-racoon sound that they manage to make work as a chorus. "Did You See The Words" is equally invigorating. "Purple Bottle" is quite possibly the happiest song I've ever heard, overflowing with that elated, innocent feeling of being in love. "Can I tell you that you are the purple in me? Can I call you just to hear you, would you care?" If I had an indie girlfriend, it would be our fucking song. This isn't a surprise, though. Animal Collective has always made the best frantic psychadelic pop songs. What makes Feels exceptional is its patient slow-burners that actually work. Instead of creating nasty black holes in the middle of the album, they complement the faster tracks, gently introducing some beautiful ideas, both lyrically and musically. "Bees" and "Flesh Canoe" are both gorgeous pieces with meditative, naive lyrics. Despite all these fantastic songs, the centerpiece of the album and the best song of the year is "Banshee Beat." Picking up where "Winter's Love" left off, it begins quietly and slowly crescendoes into a chill-inducing climax that puts just about every post-rock group to shame. Feels is an artistic triumph; one of the most pure expressions of emotion ever created.
Listen: "Grass"

Songs I Liked:
A Silver Mt. Zion - "God Bless Our Dead Marines"
Devendra Banhart - "Heard Somebody Say"
Xiu Xiu - "Muppet Face"
Decemberists - "16 Military Wives"
Stephen Malkmus - "Freeze The Saints"
Spoon - "Sister Jack"
Serena Maneesh - "Drain Cosmetics"
LCD Soundsystem - "Daft Punk Is Playing At My House"

Albums I Liked:
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Dangerdoom - The Mouse And The Mask
Dirty Three - Cinder
Low - The Great Destroyer
Matt Sweeney and Bonnie "Prince" Billy - Superwolf
Mercury Rev - The Secret Migration
Mount Eerie - No Flashlight]
Akron/Family / Angels of Light - Split LP

Albums That I Hated:
Broken Social Scene - Broken Social Scene
Nada Surf - The Weight Is A Gift
Devendra Banhart - Cripple Crow
Fiery Furnaces - Rehearsing My Choir
Cocorosie - Noah's Ark

2005-12-08T22:41:00.000-08:00

I made a film today. That's the sort of thing that happens when you're snowed in. I think it's pretty good.

Watch it.

2005-12-08T18:26:00.001-08:00

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one

2005-12-07T18:00:00.000-08:00

So it snowed. So I got to shovel the driveway. And I had a very deep dilemma. See...sidewalks. How far do you shovel? On one side, I have that black line in the seam between the squares. It's nice. I mean, you know exactly where the property ends, and you stop right there. No problems. As long as you don't go over the line. Because that's just none of your damn business. The people next door to me spent good money on their riding snowblower, and they have every right to use it. I wouldn't want to take that away from them.

Of course, on the other side of my driveway, I don't have the luxury of having that little black line. And I really had no idea what to do. I mean, I kind of guesstimated and did a little over halfway to the next driveway. But I've been thinking ever since...that would really piss me off. It's like, "Oh, couldn't go the extra couple squares, huh asshole? Well, we'll just see what happens the next time you have an Amazon package sitting on your doorstep you lazy piece of shit."

I don't know. My neighborhood is a very odd place. I've lived in three subdivisions in my life. One very..."modest," one decently sized but still quaint, and my current upper-middle-class neighborhood. These people have four or five Holiday Trees (Conservative Christian: "IT BURNSSSSS!!!!") sitting in their windows. And pearly white baby grands. And, yes, they have riding snowblowers. They're some of the most smug, irritating people you'll ever meet. In contrast to the goodhearted people of Sharydale, where great late-night lawnchair gatherings happened just about every weekend. If anybody tried to pull that where I live now, the homeowner's association president's phone would be ringing off the hook.

2005-12-05T18:17:00.000-08:00

I can't stop looking up anagrams.

I am preparing a truly epic TOP 20 ALBUMS post. I mean, EPIC.

A cad de Herring shoon I rip lot.

Back home.

2005-12-01T14:41:00.001-08:00

The downtime at Modblog has been completely ridiculous, so I've returned to my domain and blogging service of old. I had some difficulty deciding whether or not I should whipe all my 2003-2004 posts. I did, after reading over a few and realizing that I was a complete dick with nothing worthwhile to say. Apparently, my readers didn't mind me referring to them as "fuckers" on a near-daily basis. This isn't to say that I have anything remotely interesting to say now, or that I'm any less of a dick, but perhaps I'm a bit more civil about it.

I received my Grado SR-60's today, and they sound phenomenal. I haven't taken them off since I took them out of the box, which was, uh, three hours ago. I do realize that I shouldn't be this excited over a pair of headphones. Let me have my fun, fuckers.