I think I'm safe. I will publicly doubt that anything earth-shatteringly good will come out in the next few weeks. So here goes, the ten best albums of 2007, according to Me.
1) Panda Bear Person Pitch
2) Future of the Left Curses
3) Arcade Fire Neon Bible
4) Radiohead In Rainbows
5) The Besnard Lakes Are the Dark Horse
6) Wilco Sky Blue Sky
7) Deerhoof Friend Opportunity
8) Deer Tick War Elephant
9) The National Boxer
10) Spoon Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
25 Best Songs of the year:
1) Panda Bear "Comfy in Nautica"
2) Frog Eyes "Bushels"
3) Arcade Fire "Intervention"
4) The Besnard Lakes "Disaster"
5) Spoon "You Got Yr Cherry Bomb"
6) Future of the Left "Real Men Hunt in Packs"
7) Bright Eyes "When the Brakeman Turns My Way"
8) Okkervil River "John Allyn Smith Sails"
9) Deerhoof "Galaxian"
10) Panda Bear "Bros"
11) Future of the Left "adeadenemyalwayssmellsgood"
12) Radiohead "Videotape"
13) Wilco "You Are My Face"
14) The National "Fake Empire"
15) Thurston Moore "Frozen Gtr"
16) Arcade Fire "Keep the Car Running"
17) Bruce Springsteen "Radio Nowhere"
18) Beirut "Elephant Gun"
19) Boris with Michio Kurihara "Starship Narrator"
20) Bright Eyes "Lime Tree"
21) Radiohead "Jigsaw Falling Into Place"
22) Spoon "Black Like Me"
23) Deer Tick "Ashamed"
24) Wilco "What Light"
25) The Besnard Lakes "Because Tonight"
5 Most Disappointing Albums:
1) Devendra Banhart Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon
2) Bright Eyes Cassadega
3) The Twilight Sad Fourteen Autumns, Fifteen Winters
4) Okkervil River The Stage Names
5) Frog Eyes Tears of the Valedictorian
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
News Flash...Lunch...
When it came time for lunch today, I was jonesin' for some fusion cuisine. I was thinking a delicious East-meets-West Sesame Chicken Cheesburger with Rice fries, but thought, FUCK THAT...what I need is the ultimate in fusion cuisine. That's right, Old World meets New World bitches. That's when I made a bean burrito. Encompassing Old World products like cheese, olives, and wheat, I combined them with New World products like beans, chili peppers and tomatoes. Threw it in that Awesome World invention the microwave and I had a steaming hot burrito to chow down on. It was a truly Post-Columbian experience.
Current Favorites
I wrote a couple of music reviews that Fidel Castro said are the shizzinit. So why not put them on Current Favorites since they won't be seen anywhere else.
Music
Dolorean You Can't Win
Are you wearing out your Wilco albums? Have you always preferred your Neil Young “Helpless”? Then Portland, OR band Dolorean want to be your drinking buddy. On their third proper album, You Can’t Win, lead singer and songwriter Al James explores just that idea, “You can’t win”, to a resigned and heartbreaking end.
While their sound isn’t terribly original, it has a haunting quality. It’s heavily indebted to the aforementioned Neil Young and Wilco. James’ voice lacks a lot of the dynamism of a Young or Tweedy however, and it never moves away from their most melancholy elements.
That’s not to say that You Can’t Win is a bad album. On the contrary. Opening with the title track, a keyboard drone slowly moves to the forefront as James repeats “You can’t win” like a mantra. From here, Dolorean doesn’t stray far from a folksy feel. Piano on “We Winter Wrens” conjures up a countrified Counting Crows and shows a brief glimpse of whimsical melody. However, James’ voice never goes above a disheartened mumble, tempering the track’s attempts at building momentum.
This often suits James, such as on the standout track “Beachcomber Blues”, which aches with each refrain. But just as often, James sounds like he’s about to fall asleep at the mic. James doesn’t have an optimistic bone in his body. Whereas similar acts like Jason Collett are defined by an undaunted optimism, Dolorean leave no room for that sort of thing. You Can’t Win has no rousing rockers.
This could hurt the disc a lot more, except that You Can’t Win creates perfect atmosphere. And in this atmosphere, the lyrics come to the forefront. James is a talented writer, and nowhere is it more apparent than on “What a Bottle Can Do”. While sticking to a familiar theme of drinking to forgot a lost love, the song avoids cliché. It celebrates getting rid of thought, be it through drinking or less destructive means.
In the end, the album feels like a quiet walk on brisk autumn day. As James sings in “What a Bottle Can Do”, “I’ve grown quite fond of what one bottle can do.” In a sense, the album replicates that feeling well. It’s a numb feeling that doesn’t feel bad or good. But it can be beautiful. You Can’t Win makes itself a perfect companion for a melancholy day when winning seems just out of reach.
7/10
Suggested Tracks: “Beachcomber Blues”, “Buffalo Gal”, “What One Bottle Can Do”
Nurse & Soldier Marginalia
Boasting a band name that sounds like a kinky game played by bored couples, “Nurse & Soldier” drop Marginalia. A band with this name should conjure up some Harlequin scene with some romantic, pre-WWI type of connotation to it. However, “kinky” is a more apt description of what Marginalia isn’t.
Strange, then, that much of Marginalia music reminds the listener of Tricky’s classic Maxinquaye, which is hyper-sexed in a so wrong it’s right sort of way. Beyond sharing a romantically linked man-woman duo (Oneida front man Bobby Matador and Erica Fletcher are the Soldier and Nurse respectively), the two albums are so divorced from a grounded reality that it leads the listener to start thinking in new ways.
To say they hold much more in common, would be stretching things farther than they should really go. First of all, Maxinquaye is a much better album, and to suggest that Marginalia plays in its league would be far too generous. However, while I’m selling Nurse & Soldier’s effort short, I don’t mean to. It’s still an interesting album.
Most interesting is the album’s notable lack of percussion. This functions to create the aforementioned schism from grounded reality, notably on tracks like “Green Tea” and “North of Baltimore”. Both employ an organ drone, but “North of Baltimore” gets better results, letting Fletcher’s vocals float over the proceedings. While the drums find their way into some songs, it’s to add a dose of conventionality, such as in “Lies and Alterations”, which, while serviceable on their own, function to bring down the atmosphere of the overall album.
When Nurse & Soldier remain atmospheric they stay strong. However, only with very rare occasion do they create something coherent. “Green Tea” is notable for being interesting but never actually going anywhere, ultimately frustrating. Only on “In the Dark” and “North of Baltimore” do Nurse & Soldier really bring it all together. In most cases, like “Imaginary Friend”, they’re content to just let distorted guitar wash over the listener. It’s effective, if not completely compelling.
While this is interesting, it would be nice if Nurse & Soldier grounded themselves with something. Maxinquaye had sex to connect it to the ground. Nurse & Soldier, like idle thoughts that flit from the minds attention before proper time can be given to them, comes and goes before they have much of an impact. It’s fun listening for awhile, but nothing will hook you in for later.
7/10
Suggested Track: "North of Baltimore", "In Yr Corner", "Lies and Alterations"
Movies
I was happy to see Martin Scorcese win an Oscar. Well, I didn't see it, I heard about it. But, hey the guy deserves it, and The Departed was a hell of a film to win it for.
Some movies I saw recently.
Chinatown - While I almost fell asleep during it, this is more of an idictment of my job than of the movie. Highly recommended. 8/10
Marie Antoinette - A good movie. It humanizes the French royals to an extent that is very impressive. The use of modern music was a good move. Bonus points for using The Strokes' "What Ever Happened" in the movie. One of my favorite songs ever. The girlfriend seemed extremely conflicted and was apparently having some sort of existential crisis. I on the other hand was not nearly so affected. 7/10
Books
Natsume Soseki Kokoro - I had to read this for my East Asia class. It's a quick read and deceptively simple. But there's a wealth of stuff in their. According to the experts, its about loneliness. I guess I get that, but I thought it had a Goodbye to All That, "The Times They Are A' Changin'" type of vibe to it. It's the best book I've read in awhile. 8/10
Music
Dolorean You Can't Win
Are you wearing out your Wilco albums? Have you always preferred your Neil Young “Helpless”? Then Portland, OR band Dolorean want to be your drinking buddy. On their third proper album, You Can’t Win, lead singer and songwriter Al James explores just that idea, “You can’t win”, to a resigned and heartbreaking end.
While their sound isn’t terribly original, it has a haunting quality. It’s heavily indebted to the aforementioned Neil Young and Wilco. James’ voice lacks a lot of the dynamism of a Young or Tweedy however, and it never moves away from their most melancholy elements.
That’s not to say that You Can’t Win is a bad album. On the contrary. Opening with the title track, a keyboard drone slowly moves to the forefront as James repeats “You can’t win” like a mantra. From here, Dolorean doesn’t stray far from a folksy feel. Piano on “We Winter Wrens” conjures up a countrified Counting Crows and shows a brief glimpse of whimsical melody. However, James’ voice never goes above a disheartened mumble, tempering the track’s attempts at building momentum.
This often suits James, such as on the standout track “Beachcomber Blues”, which aches with each refrain. But just as often, James sounds like he’s about to fall asleep at the mic. James doesn’t have an optimistic bone in his body. Whereas similar acts like Jason Collett are defined by an undaunted optimism, Dolorean leave no room for that sort of thing. You Can’t Win has no rousing rockers.
This could hurt the disc a lot more, except that You Can’t Win creates perfect atmosphere. And in this atmosphere, the lyrics come to the forefront. James is a talented writer, and nowhere is it more apparent than on “What a Bottle Can Do”. While sticking to a familiar theme of drinking to forgot a lost love, the song avoids cliché. It celebrates getting rid of thought, be it through drinking or less destructive means.
In the end, the album feels like a quiet walk on brisk autumn day. As James sings in “What a Bottle Can Do”, “I’ve grown quite fond of what one bottle can do.” In a sense, the album replicates that feeling well. It’s a numb feeling that doesn’t feel bad or good. But it can be beautiful. You Can’t Win makes itself a perfect companion for a melancholy day when winning seems just out of reach.
7/10
Suggested Tracks: “Beachcomber Blues”, “Buffalo Gal”, “What One Bottle Can Do”
Nurse & Soldier Marginalia
Boasting a band name that sounds like a kinky game played by bored couples, “Nurse & Soldier” drop Marginalia. A band with this name should conjure up some Harlequin scene with some romantic, pre-WWI type of connotation to it. However, “kinky” is a more apt description of what Marginalia isn’t.
Strange, then, that much of Marginalia music reminds the listener of Tricky’s classic Maxinquaye, which is hyper-sexed in a so wrong it’s right sort of way. Beyond sharing a romantically linked man-woman duo (Oneida front man Bobby Matador and Erica Fletcher are the Soldier and Nurse respectively), the two albums are so divorced from a grounded reality that it leads the listener to start thinking in new ways.
To say they hold much more in common, would be stretching things farther than they should really go. First of all, Maxinquaye is a much better album, and to suggest that Marginalia plays in its league would be far too generous. However, while I’m selling Nurse & Soldier’s effort short, I don’t mean to. It’s still an interesting album.
Most interesting is the album’s notable lack of percussion. This functions to create the aforementioned schism from grounded reality, notably on tracks like “Green Tea” and “North of Baltimore”. Both employ an organ drone, but “North of Baltimore” gets better results, letting Fletcher’s vocals float over the proceedings. While the drums find their way into some songs, it’s to add a dose of conventionality, such as in “Lies and Alterations”, which, while serviceable on their own, function to bring down the atmosphere of the overall album.
When Nurse & Soldier remain atmospheric they stay strong. However, only with very rare occasion do they create something coherent. “Green Tea” is notable for being interesting but never actually going anywhere, ultimately frustrating. Only on “In the Dark” and “North of Baltimore” do Nurse & Soldier really bring it all together. In most cases, like “Imaginary Friend”, they’re content to just let distorted guitar wash over the listener. It’s effective, if not completely compelling.
While this is interesting, it would be nice if Nurse & Soldier grounded themselves with something. Maxinquaye had sex to connect it to the ground. Nurse & Soldier, like idle thoughts that flit from the minds attention before proper time can be given to them, comes and goes before they have much of an impact. It’s fun listening for awhile, but nothing will hook you in for later.
7/10
Suggested Track: "North of Baltimore", "In Yr Corner", "Lies and Alterations"
Movies
I was happy to see Martin Scorcese win an Oscar. Well, I didn't see it, I heard about it. But, hey the guy deserves it, and The Departed was a hell of a film to win it for.
Some movies I saw recently.
Chinatown - While I almost fell asleep during it, this is more of an idictment of my job than of the movie. Highly recommended. 8/10
Marie Antoinette - A good movie. It humanizes the French royals to an extent that is very impressive. The use of modern music was a good move. Bonus points for using The Strokes' "What Ever Happened" in the movie. One of my favorite songs ever. The girlfriend seemed extremely conflicted and was apparently having some sort of existential crisis. I on the other hand was not nearly so affected. 7/10
Books
Natsume Soseki Kokoro - I had to read this for my East Asia class. It's a quick read and deceptively simple. But there's a wealth of stuff in their. According to the experts, its about loneliness. I guess I get that, but I thought it had a Goodbye to All That, "The Times They Are A' Changin'" type of vibe to it. It's the best book I've read in awhile. 8/10
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Current Favorites
So Fidel emailed me the other day, saying he appreciated the extremely non-gay Valentine I sent. Let's just say I don't spare anything for my favorite dictator. Anyways, he also said that even better than a valentine would be a Current Favorites. And who am I to refuse?
I've been listening to a bit of new music, but nothing is terribly great. I picked up The Broken West's I Can't Go On, I'll Go On and I'll recommend it. Nothing terribly interesting to be said about it by moi. 7/10 on that one. Check out "So It Goes" and "Down in the Valley" for the hot trax.
Now I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Boris and Michio Kurihara's album Rainbow. Now, I haven't listened to the whole thing, since I'm not in the habit of hunting down albums only available in Japan. But there are scraps available, like here. "Starship Narrator" is the best thing available there. I'm a sucker for hot shit guitar, and this one has it in spades. The song is a 9/10.
I also picked up Nurse & Soldier's Marginalia which is a strong effort. I might post a full review later, but I'd say it's a high 6/10.
I haven't been watching many movies...but, oh well.
But I did start reading again. And while the book I'm reading is for a class, I still say it counts. It's called Kokoro, it's Japanese, and at about the 3/4 mark, it's very good. It seems to be coinciding with a Japan kick, so that helps it go down smooth.
Until next time...Konichiwa Bitches!
I've been listening to a bit of new music, but nothing is terribly great. I picked up The Broken West's I Can't Go On, I'll Go On and I'll recommend it. Nothing terribly interesting to be said about it by moi. 7/10 on that one. Check out "So It Goes" and "Down in the Valley" for the hot trax.
Now I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Boris and Michio Kurihara's album Rainbow. Now, I haven't listened to the whole thing, since I'm not in the habit of hunting down albums only available in Japan. But there are scraps available, like here. "Starship Narrator" is the best thing available there. I'm a sucker for hot shit guitar, and this one has it in spades. The song is a 9/10.
I also picked up Nurse & Soldier's Marginalia which is a strong effort. I might post a full review later, but I'd say it's a high 6/10.
I haven't been watching many movies...but, oh well.
But I did start reading again. And while the book I'm reading is for a class, I still say it counts. It's called Kokoro, it's Japanese, and at about the 3/4 mark, it's very good. It seems to be coinciding with a Japan kick, so that helps it go down smooth.
Until next time...Konichiwa Bitches!
Thursday, February 08, 2007
NFL Picks: Super Bowl
Well it all came down to this. The final game pitted Jane vs Adam (by virtue of Adam winning if the Colts won due to owning the tyebreaker over moi). I still could win second, but I could not win this beautiful thing:
Yes, that's the REAL Lombardi Trophy boys and girls!
For the event we got together 6 of the 9 participants for Super Bowl revelry. Jane, Ann, Shawna, Renee, Tim and myself were there. So did a few of Shawna's roomates. The others had rather flimsy excuses (living in Arizona? WTF?) Those that made it were greeted thusly:
Once inside we enjoyed some chicken wings, pistachio fluff, snacks of a delicious nature, and Blue Moon and Spotted Cow. Good times were had by all, and a champion was crowned. With the Colts victory, the final standings looked something like this:
1) Adam 154-102 Super Bowl Team: San Diego
2) ZT 154-112 Super Bowl Team: Indianapolis
3) Jane 152-104 Super Bowl Team: Chicago
4) Todd 152-104 Super Bowl Team : New England
5) Shawna 150-106 Super Bowl Team: New Orleans
6) Amy 149-107 Super Bowl Team: Kansas City
7) Ann 145-111 Super Bowl Team: Baltimore
8) Tim 143-113 Super Bowl Team: NY Giants
9) Renee 140-116 Super Bowl Team: Dallas
Some notes: Adam won the tiebreaker with me since there was no head to head and therefore won on the virtue of his (much) better regular season record.
Jane wins the tiebreaker over Todd because her team advanced farther in the playoffs.
Well, second ain't bad after spending much of the season in the basement. Though I would like that trophy...
Till next season!
Current Favorites
Music
Well, the Pazz & Jop poll came out. How did my top five fare?
1) The Hold Steady Boys and Girls in America ended up at #4 on the poll. This sort of sums up how I feel about the album. Yeah it was a great album, but not a Great album. It doesn't really deserve number one (and in a less off year, they would have probably not been my number one). #4 seems just right.
2) Sonic Youth Rather Ripped ended up #12. This is my favorite Sonic Youth album since Daydream Nation. This is a top five album, but it seems that many critics tempered their enthusiasm for this record. I'll admit that it loses a little steam by the end, but this has always been a problem for Sonic Youth. Only Daydream Nation remains vital through the whole disc. But they can put together stretches better than anyone. And I can't think of a better three song stretch than "Reena", "Incinerate", and "Do You Believe in Rapture".
3) Neko Case Fox Confessor Brings the Flood found its way to #8. There's been plenty of time to digest this album, and it only gets better with time. Case's enigmatic storytelling just gets more interesting with each listen, and that voice just tempers any frustration. If the year lasted another two months, it might have gotten even higher.
4) Jason Collett Idols of Exile was not ranked! Even High School Musical got a vote. So this album was not really on the radar this year. Which is too bad. Collett wrote some fine music and as a lyricist, he managed to be more interesting to me than the new Bob Dylan.
5) Beirut Gulag Orkestar ended up #74. Good for it...to be honest, I've cooled a little bit towards this album. While initially the foriegn sound exhilerated and demanded repeat listenings, it revealed itself to be two (maybe three) songs strong, and "Postcards From Italy" wears thin after too many listens. However, the Lon Gisland EP looks like Beirut might be going in a more interesting direction. One can hope...
As for this year's music, I've been digesting The Broken West's I Can't Go On, I'll Go On. It's got some catchy stuff and it's pretty easy to get into, but it's a bit disposable. Nothing's reeled me in yet. But I've said that before and eaten my words. So I'll give it a little time.
Well until next time, lick it up mutt, that's all you're getting for today...
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Happy Aaron Burr's Birthday
It's Aaron Burr's birthday today! While Aaron Burr, by an large, was a vile creature, he was an important character in American history. He was a Lex Luther to Thomas Jefferson's Superman, a Riddler to Benjamin Franklin's Batman...and a Jack McCall to Alexander Hamilton's Wild Bill Hickock (zing!)
Anyways, Aaron Burr was a bogeyman that kept the founding fathers on their toes. In 1800 when he tried to steal the presidency from Thomas Jefferson, we realized that our system of electing vice presidents was like, messed up. He tried to create his own country in New Orleans and in the ensuing trial for treason helped establish our independent courts. And when he actually outright killed a founding father, it was Alexander Hamilton, and let's face it, if he was going to kill any of the founding fathers, it might as well have been the douchebag that kept advocating an American monarch.
So Aaron Burr kept trying to create disaster after disaster, but in the end he'd fail and end up making things better.
Well I felt as though today, Mr. Burr's birthday, his spirit was haunting me. Without getting into too many details, I face a series of near tragedies that ended up being averted. A couple near car accidents, left my headlights on, was nearly the victim of a scam...but in the end everything worked itself out tidier than an episode of Family Matters. So Happy Birthday Aaron Burr! Hope you're making Hell a better place by failing to take it over.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Current Favorites
Yeah, it's been awhile since I fired off a current favorites. But the NY Times said my boy Castro was looking frisky in a recent appearance with Hugo Chavez, so I figured I'd commemorate the occasion with a Current Favorites.
Music
Deerhoof Friend Opportunity
Being a bit obsessive about music, I monitor the “Top 25 Most Played Songs” feature on iTunes more than I probably should. That being said, this past week something unprecedented happened. Deerhoof’s “Galaxist” dropped like a bomb shot all the way up to number two. I played the thing 21 times in the past week. There’s something to be said for a song that can do that. The last one to ever reach that level of play was Spoon’s “Sister Jack”. There’s something about certain songs that just lend themselves to being played over and over. That something is being catchy and short. And if I were to use two words to describe Deerhoof’s Friend Opportunity it would be catchy and short.
Friend Opportunity is catchy in that quirky way to be sure, but it doesn’t take much effort to fall into its trap. Sure its unconventional, but the thing is loaded with hooks. It abounds with little vocal quirks that you keep humming to yourself no matter how absurd they sound. (Case in point, I was singing the part of the silly “Kidz Are So Small” that goes “If I were man and you a dog I’d throw a stick for you” and my special lady friend said “Oh well thank you!”. These are moments that will likely happen to you when you start humming things from Friend Opportunity. And hum you shall).
Friend Opportunity also lingers for only a short period. Clocking in at just over 36 minutes and keeping the majority of its songs around the 3 minute mark, Friend Opportunity makes the most of your attention span. Interestingly, the least interesting track, “Look Away”, closes out the album for an unwelcome 11:45 seconds. If you don’t pay attention, it’s like it’s not even there.
Is Friend Opportunity going to reorient everything you ever believed about music? No, but it will probably give you about 7 songs that will stay in your head and make you smile. 8/10
Suggested Tracks: “Galaxist”, “+81”, “Matchbook Seeks Maniac”
Movies
The last two movies I watched seem to be overwhelmingly pretentious...but, well, let's face it, I'm a little pretentious. Just ask my special lady friend...
Me, You, and Everyone We Know - A movie that's weirdness might make someone think it's more special than it really is. It has things that seem like they should be shocking, but end up feeling kind of innocent. Overall, it's a feel good movie disguised as something arty. Not that this is a bad thing. It ends up being quite satisfying overall, and it's quirkiness gives it a little extra charm you couldn't find in a typical romantic comedy. 7/10
The Motorcycle Diaries - Typically I feel pretty ambivilent towards biopics. No matter how well made they are, I always feel a bit dissatisfied afterwards. I usually like a little more of a story to something besides, "this is a great person's life". In addition, there's the annoyance factor of knowing something about their lives and seeing it happen on screen that always makes it seem a little forced. I once watched that Elvis biopic on CBS a couple years ago, and I couldn't get over how forced the whole recording session scene felt. It was if the director was trying to say "THIS IS IMPORTANT!!! WATCH!!!" This always seems to happen during these types of things, I suppose, because some of those moments just don't seem real as they've been turned into legend. It seems that a filmmaker has to be ridiculously subtle in those sorts of instances...which, to be honest, not many filmakers have the ability to do.
Somehow, someway, The Motorcycle Diaries is able to keep these moments to a minimum. It makes a movie that's less about Che Guevera than a movie that happens to have Che Guevera in it. Perhaps it benefits from takling only a portion of his life (especially a portion that is fairly unfamiliar to American audiences). Perhaps I was unable to pick up on cringe-worthy subtleties since I don't speak Spanish that I pick up on in English language movies. But regardless, there was only one really forced exchange. Where young Che 'learns' of Communism from a mention by some indiginous people. Um, forced maybe? But compare that to say, Ray, which made me cringe every fifteen minutes or so...
8/10
That's all for now...I quit reading books...
Music
Deerhoof Friend Opportunity
Being a bit obsessive about music, I monitor the “Top 25 Most Played Songs” feature on iTunes more than I probably should. That being said, this past week something unprecedented happened. Deerhoof’s “Galaxist” dropped like a bomb shot all the way up to number two. I played the thing 21 times in the past week. There’s something to be said for a song that can do that. The last one to ever reach that level of play was Spoon’s “Sister Jack”. There’s something about certain songs that just lend themselves to being played over and over. That something is being catchy and short. And if I were to use two words to describe Deerhoof’s Friend Opportunity it would be catchy and short.
Friend Opportunity is catchy in that quirky way to be sure, but it doesn’t take much effort to fall into its trap. Sure its unconventional, but the thing is loaded with hooks. It abounds with little vocal quirks that you keep humming to yourself no matter how absurd they sound. (Case in point, I was singing the part of the silly “Kidz Are So Small” that goes “If I were man and you a dog I’d throw a stick for you” and my special lady friend said “Oh well thank you!”. These are moments that will likely happen to you when you start humming things from Friend Opportunity. And hum you shall).
Friend Opportunity also lingers for only a short period. Clocking in at just over 36 minutes and keeping the majority of its songs around the 3 minute mark, Friend Opportunity makes the most of your attention span. Interestingly, the least interesting track, “Look Away”, closes out the album for an unwelcome 11:45 seconds. If you don’t pay attention, it’s like it’s not even there.
Is Friend Opportunity going to reorient everything you ever believed about music? No, but it will probably give you about 7 songs that will stay in your head and make you smile. 8/10
Suggested Tracks: “Galaxist”, “+81”, “Matchbook Seeks Maniac”
Movies
The last two movies I watched seem to be overwhelmingly pretentious...but, well, let's face it, I'm a little pretentious. Just ask my special lady friend...
Me, You, and Everyone We Know - A movie that's weirdness might make someone think it's more special than it really is. It has things that seem like they should be shocking, but end up feeling kind of innocent. Overall, it's a feel good movie disguised as something arty. Not that this is a bad thing. It ends up being quite satisfying overall, and it's quirkiness gives it a little extra charm you couldn't find in a typical romantic comedy. 7/10
The Motorcycle Diaries - Typically I feel pretty ambivilent towards biopics. No matter how well made they are, I always feel a bit dissatisfied afterwards. I usually like a little more of a story to something besides, "this is a great person's life". In addition, there's the annoyance factor of knowing something about their lives and seeing it happen on screen that always makes it seem a little forced. I once watched that Elvis biopic on CBS a couple years ago, and I couldn't get over how forced the whole recording session scene felt. It was if the director was trying to say "THIS IS IMPORTANT!!! WATCH!!!" This always seems to happen during these types of things, I suppose, because some of those moments just don't seem real as they've been turned into legend. It seems that a filmmaker has to be ridiculously subtle in those sorts of instances...which, to be honest, not many filmakers have the ability to do.
Somehow, someway, The Motorcycle Diaries is able to keep these moments to a minimum. It makes a movie that's less about Che Guevera than a movie that happens to have Che Guevera in it. Perhaps it benefits from takling only a portion of his life (especially a portion that is fairly unfamiliar to American audiences). Perhaps I was unable to pick up on cringe-worthy subtleties since I don't speak Spanish that I pick up on in English language movies. But regardless, there was only one really forced exchange. Where young Che 'learns' of Communism from a mention by some indiginous people. Um, forced maybe? But compare that to say, Ray, which made me cringe every fifteen minutes or so...
8/10
That's all for now...I quit reading books...
Sunday, January 14, 2007
NFL Picks, Playoffs
So I stopped doing NFL Picks for awhile, at least on this blog. Well, I decided to write up a little something about how the remainder of the regular season went and what fun wrinkles the playoffs added to the whole shebang.
First of all, I got myself out of the basement after spending much of the season as the doormat. Here were the standings at the end of the regular season:
1) Adam (7-9) 154-102 GB (-)
2) Todd (9-7) 152-104 GB (2)
3) Jane (8-8) 152-104 GB (2)
4) Shawna (11-5) 150-106 GB (4)
5) Amy (7-9) 149-107 GB (5)
6) Ann (8-8) 145-111 GB (9)
7) ZT (9-7) 144-112 GB (10)
8) Tim (10-6) 143-113 GB (11)
9) Renee (9-7) 140-116 GB (14)
Now this is not the end of the season. We decided that for the playoffs, each player would adopt a playoff team. 1st Place would get first pick, 2nd place would get second pick and so on. If your pick wins the Super Bowl, this is worth 10 wins. In the case of a tie, the first tiebreaker is head to head (if your adopted teams played each other) then regular season record. Anyways, this is how it shook out:
Adam: San Diego
Todd: New England
Jane: Chicago
Shawna: New Orleans
Amy: Kansas City
Ann: Baltimore
ZT: Indianapolis
Tim: NY Giants
Renee: Dallas
So, given the recent results, Ann, Amy, Tim and Renee were eliminated. I can't possibly win now, as I won't have a chance to go against Adam head to head...though by this nice little fluke, Adam can still win if the Colts win. So the best I can hope for is 2nd. Still, not bad after being in last most of the season...
To say this setup isn't ridiculously fun would be a lie. Looks like it'll all come down to the Super Bowl with four people still in the hunt for the trophy, which will be revealed on Super Bowl Sunday as well. Anyways, I'm a temporary Colts fan...even though it will only get me second now.
First of all, I got myself out of the basement after spending much of the season as the doormat. Here were the standings at the end of the regular season:
1) Adam (7-9) 154-102 GB (-)
2) Todd (9-7) 152-104 GB (2)
3) Jane (8-8) 152-104 GB (2)
4) Shawna (11-5) 150-106 GB (4)
5) Amy (7-9) 149-107 GB (5)
6) Ann (8-8) 145-111 GB (9)
7) ZT (9-7) 144-112 GB (10)
8) Tim (10-6) 143-113 GB (11)
9) Renee (9-7) 140-116 GB (14)
Now this is not the end of the season. We decided that for the playoffs, each player would adopt a playoff team. 1st Place would get first pick, 2nd place would get second pick and so on. If your pick wins the Super Bowl, this is worth 10 wins. In the case of a tie, the first tiebreaker is head to head (if your adopted teams played each other) then regular season record. Anyways, this is how it shook out:
Adam: San Diego
Todd: New England
Jane: Chicago
Shawna: New Orleans
Amy: Kansas City
Ann: Baltimore
ZT: Indianapolis
Tim: NY Giants
Renee: Dallas
So, given the recent results, Ann, Amy, Tim and Renee were eliminated. I can't possibly win now, as I won't have a chance to go against Adam head to head...though by this nice little fluke, Adam can still win if the Colts win. So the best I can hope for is 2nd. Still, not bad after being in last most of the season...
To say this setup isn't ridiculously fun would be a lie. Looks like it'll all come down to the Super Bowl with four people still in the hunt for the trophy, which will be revealed on Super Bowl Sunday as well. Anyways, I'm a temporary Colts fan...even though it will only get me second now.
Friday, January 05, 2007
Current Favorites, 2006 Edition
I've read two or three articles hating on end of year retrospectives. I don't understand this...I love end of year retrospectives. I'm a nostalgic person I suppose...so poo on you naysayers. It's a bit belated but here is the Unencumbered Enthusiasm Year in Review.
Best Songs of the Year:
5) "Bitter Tea" The Fiery Furnaces - The schizophrenic nature of the double F's can sometimes be frustrating, but then they hit on something that is so brilliant in the short burst setting that they use, that it makes the song. That refrain is just brilliant.
4) "We All Lose One Another" Jason Collet - In the short bursts of time that I was able to listen to music on my trip to Toronto this summer, I listened to this song. It's a song built for car rides, watching the landscape speed by. It's a nostalgic person's wet dream...
3) "The Needle Has Landed" Neko Case - This soundtracked my super trip from Flagstaff, AZ to Winona, MN this spring. It connected, I suppose, because of the line about the Greyhound Station popped up and got stuck in my head whilst waiting at the Greyhound Station in Flagstaff waiting for the bus to take me to Phoenix.
2) "Incinerate" Sonic Youth - My favorite SY songs since "Teenage Riot". The guitars make the song, and the work just seems better and more mind blowing with each listen.
1) "Stuck Between Stations" The Hold Steady - What a triumph...I saw this for the first time when I went to a Hold Steady show in Baltimore. I knew they had a new best song when Finn shouted, "We drink and we dry up and now we crumple in the dust". Then as the guitar responded, you tell Finn dug it just as much as the rest of us. I don't think The Hold Steady can top this one.
Top Albums:
To be honest, I didn't really listen to that much new music this year, so my sample size is pretty limited. But here's a top five anyway:
5) Beirut Gulag Orkestar
4) Jason Collett Idols of Exile
3) Neko Case Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
2) Sonic Youth Rather Ripped
1) The Hold Steady Boys and Girls in America
Most disappointing album of the year:
Beck The Information I just kept trying to like this album, but the fact remains...it's boring...
As for movies...um, I could give you a top five list, but I can only think of two very good movies from 2006:
2) Scoop - Ridiculously entertaining movie...just because Woody Allen isn't making "Annie Hall" anymore, doesn't mean he's making crap. This was my favorite movie of the year until the best movie of the year came out:
1) The Departed - Best movie I've seen in quite some time. Just plain amazing. If this doesn't win Best Picture...I mean...seriously, what else could possibly win best picture?
Well, there you go...best music, best movies...fun times for everyone!
Best Songs of the Year:
5) "Bitter Tea" The Fiery Furnaces - The schizophrenic nature of the double F's can sometimes be frustrating, but then they hit on something that is so brilliant in the short burst setting that they use, that it makes the song. That refrain is just brilliant.
4) "We All Lose One Another" Jason Collet - In the short bursts of time that I was able to listen to music on my trip to Toronto this summer, I listened to this song. It's a song built for car rides, watching the landscape speed by. It's a nostalgic person's wet dream...
3) "The Needle Has Landed" Neko Case - This soundtracked my super trip from Flagstaff, AZ to Winona, MN this spring. It connected, I suppose, because of the line about the Greyhound Station popped up and got stuck in my head whilst waiting at the Greyhound Station in Flagstaff waiting for the bus to take me to Phoenix.
2) "Incinerate" Sonic Youth - My favorite SY songs since "Teenage Riot". The guitars make the song, and the work just seems better and more mind blowing with each listen.
1) "Stuck Between Stations" The Hold Steady - What a triumph...I saw this for the first time when I went to a Hold Steady show in Baltimore. I knew they had a new best song when Finn shouted, "We drink and we dry up and now we crumple in the dust". Then as the guitar responded, you tell Finn dug it just as much as the rest of us. I don't think The Hold Steady can top this one.
Top Albums:
To be honest, I didn't really listen to that much new music this year, so my sample size is pretty limited. But here's a top five anyway:
5) Beirut Gulag Orkestar
4) Jason Collett Idols of Exile
3) Neko Case Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
2) Sonic Youth Rather Ripped
1) The Hold Steady Boys and Girls in America
Most disappointing album of the year:
Beck The Information I just kept trying to like this album, but the fact remains...it's boring...
As for movies...um, I could give you a top five list, but I can only think of two very good movies from 2006:
2) Scoop - Ridiculously entertaining movie...just because Woody Allen isn't making "Annie Hall" anymore, doesn't mean he's making crap. This was my favorite movie of the year until the best movie of the year came out:
1) The Departed - Best movie I've seen in quite some time. Just plain amazing. If this doesn't win Best Picture...I mean...seriously, what else could possibly win best picture?
Well, there you go...best music, best movies...fun times for everyone!
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